Writer/Artist: Sam Kieth
Publisher: Homage Comics/Wildstorm
Plot:
Roles are reversed as Amy Smootster returns to help her former guidance counselor with his shape-obsessed daughter. Nikki insists that she is “ambivalent” about shapes, but her square-headed mother may not be as harmless as she appears. While Tim has found himself on the other side of unrequited love, Nikki’s crush on Amy could spell trouble for all three. The girls are besieged by a gang of microwaves, but Amy has learned a few tricks since her high school years.
Comments:
Yes, the plot summary sounds like a bunch of gibberish, but Sam Kieth is rarely about mere plot. Like the first Zero Girl mini, Full Circle uses methodic absurdity to examine issues of love, friendship, family. While some aspects tend toward standard coming-of-age themes, Kieth obscures the familiar in this fantastical colorful world, resulting in a fresh look at adolescence and fears that many of us never escape.
The artwork follows Kieth’s regular scheme, with pastels illuminating dreamlike scenes and assorted imaginings, with rich dark hues for the “real world.” The panel borders are inventive, and the use of black for the book’s negative space really sharpens the images and helps manipulate the pace of the story.
An intriguing bit of foreshadowing, the cover image of Nikki’s mother (simply “Mom” in the story) is tagged “Guess Who’s Back?” implying that she may be the villain from the original Zero Girl. There are several problems with this scenario, but in the wonderful world of Sam Kieth this could just be another beautifully convoluted bit of social commentary.
The Verdict:
Linear thinkers probably aren’t going to like this comic. That much should be evident from the front cover. It’s not that the story is difficult to follow, but if the phrase “too weird” has ever passed your teeth then Zero Girl could lead to real discomfort. For the person who doesn’t know why his friends can’t appreciate David Lynch movies, Full Circle is a perfect fit. It’s a clever look at life, and, with three remaining, promises another understated yet strikingly poignant finish.
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