Tupelo: The World’s Forgotten Boy
Writer: Matt DeGennaro; Pencils, Inks: Phil Elliott
SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics)
Tupelo is the only item out of my SLG purchase that didn’t grab me. It’s the story of late 70’s punk band Famous Monsters with one member who had superpowers. Or perhaps he was a crazy homeless guy who was slowly going crazier due to his drug habit and was eventually put in a mental institution. Or maybe it was about a totally different guy and his rage against society and final standoff. Or maybe it was something else entirely. Honestly, I couldn’t tell. The story was disjointed and continually left me wondering what it was I was reading. I simply couldn’t follow any of the threads.
While the story didn’t work for me, the art was quite good. Phil Elliott’s work kept me turning the pages even when the story didn’t compel. The characters, backgrounds, and layout worked to tell their own story of New York City and Greenwich Village which was interesting by itself. While I can’t recommend the story to other potential readers, the art is definitely worth checking out.
Phil Elliott’s other comics work
Contraband – Another Phil Elliott comic also by SLG. It looks good!
Sorry, no link to other comic work by Matt DeGennaro. I couldn’t find much of anything on the web about him. If anyone has any info, drop it in the comments before they close.