I’m not sure I’ve ever read a comic as self-important as this issue of Wasteland. I’m not making that statement lightly; it’s just hard to imagine anything more pretentious.
For example, Ostrander’s first story–set against a Shakespeare sonnet–is about how the only rational response to Ronald Reagan’s presidency is to kill oneself. Or your loved ones. Freeman’s art isn’t bad, but it’s achingly pretentious.
At least the second story, with Messner-Loebs art, isn’t political. Close joins Ostrander for the story of a paranoid woman who’s right to be afraid. It doesn’t make much impression, maybe because it’s so forced and obvious. Nice art though.
Simpson does a sloppy job on the art for the final story. The story–again, Close and Ostrander–is about celebrities escaping justice. It’s bad and unfunny. It’s also dumb. The dumb hurts it the most.
Close and Ostrander go overboard here.
CREDITS
Sonnet LXVI; writer, John Ostrander; artist, George Freeman; letterer, Ron Muns. A Safe Place; writers, Ostrander and Del Close; artist and letterer, William Messner-Loebs. Celebrity Rights; writers, Ostrander and Close; artist and letterer, Don Simpson. Colorist, Lovern Kindzierski; editor, Mike Gold; publisher, DC Comics.
Comics Fondle 