The strangest thing about Wasteland is how the story about tripping is the least trippy story of the three in this issue.
The trippy story is the last one, an ostensibly autobiographic one written by Del Close, recounting a trip through the Chicago sewers. Don Simpson does the art and the art’s great and the writing’s amusing, but it’s cute and the rest of the issue isn’t.
The first story, by John Ostrander and David Lloyd on art, is about a lethal hallucinogen. The art’s disturbing enough to cover some of Ostrander’s weaker “cop” dialogue moments. It’s a decent enough start and not at all upbeat.
The middle story, with Ostrander and Close co-writing, is the stunner. William Messner-Loebs does the art and, even though it’s “real,” it’s rather trippy stuff. It’s an absurdist future story with some really thought-provoking, disturbing “comic” moments. It’s the issue’s best.
CREDITS
Foo Goo; writer, John Ostrander; co-plotter, Del Close; artist, David Lloyd. R.ab.; writers, Ostrander and Close; artist and letterer, William Messner-Loebs. Sewer Rat; writers, Close and Ostrander; artist, Don Simpson. Colorist, Lovern Kindzierski; editor, Mike Gold; publisher, DC Comics.
Comics Fondle 