Publisher: Viper Comics
Release Date: June 2007
Writer: Jason M. Burns
Artist: Ron Chan
Letterer: Greg Gatlin
Alan and Bloomberg are your pretty standard detective partners. Alan is a handsome wise-cracker who gets the girls, while Bloomberg is short tempered and surly. However, there is one thing that makes the duo unique and A Dummy’s Guide to Danger a fun read. Bloomberg’s a dummy. A wooden dummy.
Alan Sirois is a ventriloquist of unquestionable talent and a fine private detective. While everyone who he works for makes the assumption that Bloomberg is Alan’s shtick or that Alan’s crazy, his success at cracking case has made him more famous than his wooden partner.
However, being famous has its downside, which Alan discovers when a headless corpse of a silver screen actress shows up at his office, accompanied by a cryptic note from the killer. Someone has decided to play a homicidal game of hide and seek with the detective(s). The game continues in with Alan and Bloomberg following a trail of bodies strung together by a series of clues. All of the victims, much like the detective(s), are famous.
Much of the fare in A Dummy’s Guide to Danger is standard, but enjoyable. Out of the two detectives one is a constant smart ass, even in the face of danger. The other is short tempered and surly. And naturally, being famous and all, there’s a rival between the detective(s) and the L.A.P.D.
However, what makes the entire concept unique is the rather questionable mental state of Alan Sirois, the ventriloquist and (arguably) the only detective who is actually present. It’s obvious from the beginning that Alan doesn’t think of Bloomberg as a shtick, but as an actual living partner. The two share insights, argue about responsibility and even have woman troubles. This is a nice story device as internal dialogue can be shared with the reader via discussion rather than through captions.
It does, though, bring up the decided possibility that Alan is absolutely crazy. An unsettling prospect given that Alan is following a killer that could very well be himself. This, of course, isn’t lost on the police who are following Alan as he discovers corpse after mutilated corpse.
This is all excellently conveyed by Chan’s art. The facial features of the characters reveal states of mind well and the colors are great. The pacing and panels of the story are also well done, making for a fluid and fun read.
Dummy’s Guide to Danger is a good old fashioned detective yarn with a strange and enjoyable twist. A unique, funny and weird detective yarn.
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