Ignored Independents - Three Fingers
- Written by Outhouse Staff on Tuesday, November 21 2006 and posted in Reviews
Three Fingers
Written and Illustrated by Rich Koslowski
Top Shelf, 2002
Review by Lord Simian
Always remember: This all began with a dream, and a mouse. - Walt Disney
Yes, I know. This is the second review the Lord of the Monkeys has written for this site, and it is the second book by Rich Koslowski I’ve done. No, I didn’t do it on purpose. No, I didn’t buy either book because of his name. I bought them cause the subject matter intrigued me, and I loved them because of how good they were.
THREE FINGERS, the subject of this review, is the Ignatz Award winning graphic novel, told in the format of a VH1 Behind The Music episode. The book tells of the rise of a young cartoonist named Dizzy Walters, and the toon who takes him to the top of the mountain: Rickey Rat. Sure, there were toons before Rickey. But Rickey broke all barriers. He became a household name. He opened the door for toon stars, all of whom for many years came from the Walters stable. Rickey and Dizzy walked the echelons of fame and power, and lived the high life. But all good things, as they say…
Eventually, other toons want to know why Rickey and the rest of the Walters stable of toons are the only ones becoming popular. Now, I’m not here to spoil it, so all I’ll say is that toons are a superstitious lot, and will go to shocking lengths to become famous. The fallout from all of this drives Rickey Rat into a semi reclusive state, and indeed, except in flashbacks, we never see his face without being covered in shadow.
The story is gripping, and since it’s a VH1 BTM format, is told primarily in flashbacks and in interviews with historians, people who knew Rickey (Like the late Dizzy Walters’ brother, Rog), and toons past and present, including such notables as the famed Carhorn Armwhistle, with his southern accent and all; Portly Pig and his stutter; and the first real non-Walters breakout toon star: Bartholomew Baxter “Buggy” Bunny III. It also reveals the sad fate of the once great Dapper Duck.
The book an entertaining read which begins feeling like a history lesson in the medium, and then takes a shocking turn, leading the reader on an exciting look into the mindset of some of history’s greatest toon stars.
And hey: it also features interviews with one of Rickey Rat’s childhood pals, Chester Chimp. So it’s got that going for it too!
Talk about my kickass review here.
Posted originally: 2006-11-21 22:51:12