Image credit: Brian Kelly
When this comic began, the eponymous band had long since disbanded. Frontman Francis instead becomes a drug-addicted Elvis imitator in a shitty bar, living a sordid and depressing lifestyle of sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. When something terrible happens to Francis, his old bandmates gather to find out what happened, digging up some truly shocking old wounds along the way.
Brian Kelly’s work has a real underground comics feel to it, and that applies not only to its aesthetic, but also to its writing and subject matter.
The comic’s setting and retro-futuristic look suggest a spooky and hilarious experience, but there are some truly shocking scenes here that will inevitably give you some whiplash, given how seriously, graphically, and matter-of-factly they’re presented.
That said, it’s not like we’re unfamiliar with the dark goings-on that take place in this almost Futurama-esque world, as Kelly quickly stalls out to the fate of the Elvis-like Francis (incidentally, a few consecutive panels also feature a rather subtle cameo from the Planet Express building and some Futurama characters).
The denouement is also a little jarring, especially given the horrifying reveal that preceded it, but I appreciate that the climax doesn’t shy away from absurdity or self-righteous monologue.
One thing is for sure: despite going from shockingly serious subject matter back to high camp and into a very 1950s bubblegum sci-fi style (puns galore), it definitely feels like the kind of story you’d never come close to without the single-minded creativity of a solo indie creator. And for that we should be grateful.
This is the second volume of Francis and the Vegas Tramp, but it’s written in such a way that it works perfectly as a murder mystery in its own right, with all the flashbacks and exposition, so even if you haven’t read the first volume, you’ll be hooked on this story and probably won’t be horrified.
This remastered version of the previous release is now in full color and will be available on Kickstarter soon. You can sign up to receive notifications of campaign launches here.
Thanks to Brian Kelly for sending me a digital copy of Francis & the Vegas Tramps: Remastered for review.
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