Publisher: Self (via their own company, Ablaze Media)
I have been given an advance look at the scripts for Tozzer 2 and the first issue of Tozzer 2, so I thought I’d take the time to preview it.
The basic premise is that Tozzer is a student magician in Boarboils school of Magic and the illegitimate offspring of David Cop-a-feel (Copperfield) and Claudia Shifferbrains.
Year after year he goes back there to study the art of magic and every year some new predicament or adventure awaits him.
If it sounds a little like a perversion of the essential formula of Harry Potter to you, you’d be right, but in reality Tozzer 2 gives Harry Potter the one finger salute and says "swivel".
Tozzer 2 takes a long, hard look at contemporary culture...and laughs. As a matter of fact, it goes further than that and turns it on its head in an endless quest to provide humour and slaughter sacred cows.
It’s this perversion of modern culture that makes Tozzer 1 and 2 so appealing and amusing, especially if you are kind of person that sees the unchecked egotism of the fame glitterati and the endless dross that Hollywood produces and recognizes the insanity and humour of that.
Lampooned into the Tozzer 2 storyline are Michael Jackson, George Lucas, Michael Moore, Pulp Fiction, The Matrix, Yoda and Eninem to name but a few. They are all brilliantly captured, caricatured and parodied. The writer (Rob Dunlop) seems extremely adept at pointing out the funny side of everything and absolutely nothing is sacred to him.
Personally speaking, I especially liked the casting of the Oracle as a mad cookie saleswoman and the swing making Klu Klux Klan members.
Furthermore, the artwork is fantastic. The artist (Peter Lumby) has an eye for capturing the basic essence of a person and making them recognisable to all. You are always very aware of who is being sent up and it’s a rare skill indeed to do that consistently.
His artwork seems to me like the bastard offspring of a mating between the work Jamie Hewlett and the work of Giles. It’s a strange fusion of political cartoon and colourful modern comic artwork and carried off really well.
Summing up, Tozzer 2 is a weird chemical mix of humour, modern culture and genius and works on every level. Its definitely not for children, however, everyone else with a sense of humour will see that this beats sliced bread by far.
Tozzer 2 is brilliant, absolutely sublime and you would do well to try it out as soon as possible.
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