Sunday Comics: Kaput & Zosky

The Comic: Kaput & Zosky

By: Lewis Trondheim (translated from its original French by Edward Gauvin)

Type: Bound collection of several brief (six-page) "episodes," with a few one-pagers thrown in for good measure

Content Rating: G, teetering on PG at times but it's still pretty tame (this might be the first book I've ever spotlighted here that is actually meant for children). Lots of laser gun blasts but any injury or "death" is very cartoony, a bit of body humor here or there.

Plot: The episodes vary, of course, but the general overall plot is pretty much the same for most of them--Kaput and Zosky, a pair of alien buddies who fancy themselves great and feared conquerors, will attempt to invade a planet and subjugate the locals. In some way or another this will go all wrong. (Examples: In one story, they find a race that actually WANTS to be conquered and oppressed, and they leave in disgust, as they would have no satisfaction in such an easy victory. In another, they find a populus who are so obsessed with games and contests that they'll only even say so much as "hi" after engaging in one, and the pair decide taking it over won't be worth the trouble and time.) The characters themselves also have a classic Laurel-and-Hardy-ish chemistry that works to good effect, having them bounce off each other in their conversations--Kaput is short, impulsive, and the more violent and angry of the two, while the taller Zosky tends to be a bit more reflective, strategic and collected. The "regular" comics are broken up at regular points by a simple, wordless one-pager called "The Cosmonaut," about the continuing adventures of a little spaceman figure.

Personal Thoughts: I make a lot of noise about "comics as art" and I still believe sincerely in that potential, but you can't forget where comics came from when you're doing that. Sometimes you just want to sit down with a simple but fun brightly-coloured entertainment comic, and Kaput & Zosky delivers that just fine. I ran across this originally via my comics-loving little cousin, who had checked it out of his local library. Hey Max--I dunno if you'll ever read this, but thanks for letting me flip through your copy!



Holden Out.