The PITIFUL HUMAN-LIZARD #5
“All Together Now” (22 pages)
by: Jason Loo
Editor: Allison O’Toole
Publisher: Loo Harvest Group
Cover Price: $5.00
For those of you out of the loop, especially our neighbours down south, this comic as well as its creator are all-Canadian content J The setting is the T-Dot, T.O., the 6 (home of Drake) – Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario and Canada’s number one metropolis.
Lucas Barrett a.k.a. the Human-Lizard is pitiful in his career but he lives life to the fullest and absolutely loves the Big City. It’s hilarious that everyone at his workplace knows his secret ID but files it under “Discreet/Don’t Care” since his actions haven’t been that impactful. He is texting his BFF Majestic Rat to meet up and chill. Before that, he continues Brazilian Ju-Jitsu with super-attractive instructor Tia.
Papa Peepers assembles his own collection of villains to deal with super-heroines Lady Accident and Mother Wonder. Bodyrocks! Pete Bench! The Terrono Grrls! Together they are the Frustrated Four!! The men will make quick work of these women. The female twins want vengeance against the animal-themed protagonists. Pete thinks Peepers’ math is off since they should be Five but PP wants to remain low-key and off the record. Yvonne realizes that they are all patsies. Them’s the breaks in the evil-doing business.
Speaking of the women who made the baddies’ lives miserable, we are offered some slices of their lives. Lady Accident (real name Barb) is getting ready for a date. She’s more thrilled with super-heroics than improving her love life. She sees herself as a street ninja not SH material. In case her date stinks large, she has her costume for kicks.
Bev a.k.a. Mother Wonder has the most domestic bliss. She has a thoughtful loving hubbie, three kids who pitch in, and she’s extremely successful at juggling a full-time career along with her extracurricular activities. The fact that her family is aware of her good deeds is a non-issue.
Lucas and Kenneth in their Lizard and Rat guises are shooting the breeze and taking a leisurely stroll. Their bromance is interrupted by a call from Luke’s mom Lauren. She wants him to drop by since his dad Hugh purchased a brand new cell but is incapable of adding apps. Like most well-meaning but interfering parents, this light-hearted scene is a welcome relief before the inevitable showdown.
Barb’s date is more interested at checking out other chicks than her. She takes it in stride and hits the rooftops in her more comfortable duds.
The FF strike at Honest Ed’s!! NO!! It’s a venerable Toronto institution L Bev and daughter Vanessa have some girl time. V tells B that a boy in her class poured juice into a girl’s shoes. Bev tells her that this is a way of showing his interest in her despite the approach. Their session is cut short with news of the imminent destruction of the historic bargain store. Suit up, MW!
Mother Wonder is the first to arrive on the scene. One of Papa’s robots emits brain(washing) waves. The on-lookers toss a bottle at her and want her immediate death. Lady Accident makes a timely save by mind-blasting Pete Bench. The two women formally meet. Lizard and Rat finally get to the scene. Lucas pretty much outs Barb in her costumed identity. He’s taken aback with her presence since she thought his schtick was ultra-lame.
Another robot joins in to emit more behaviour-changing frequencies. The two besties begin to brawl. Barb tosses them aside and snaps them out of it. Mother Wonder deals with the robots. Firefighters try to hose her down. She redirects the water which breaks the spell. The two robots are easily destroyed. She grabs the hose and gives the crowd a much-needed cold shower.
Lizard, Rat, and Lady are cornered in the basement by the will-less ‘zombies’. Lady Accident’s mind powers are not enough. Liz thinks that fireworks just might do the trick. He ignites one of them and it flies into the path of a sprinkler. H2O wakes them up. Mother Wonder remarks how the trio were intelligent enough to deal with the situation. Lucas attributes it to a fluke.
The quartet of local heroes converse on the roof. Lizard explains that he and Lady Accident dated but she emphasizes it was only once. When she removes her mask, MW recognizes her as Ms. Martins, her daughter’s teacher :0 Barb realizes that Mother is Mrs. Brooks. She sarcastically surmises that Rat is a cashier at Frescho. He corrects her and states it’s Bulk Barn. The women go their separate ways. Rat suggests grabbing a bite to eat at Bibimbap.
Note: this is the last issue under the Loo Harvest Group publication banner!! Spoiler: the inside cover tells you that the series is moving to Chapter House, home of Captain Canuck. Heartiest congratulations, Jason!
Super-hero syndicate: The title says it all. The previous four issues served as a showcase for the supporting cast and colleagues-in-action: Lady Accident, Majestic Rat, and Mother Wonder. There were no notions of forming a team until fate brought them together to defeat the pathetic antagonists. The title works two-fold since separately the rotten apples couldn’t take down their opposites individually. Either way, they failed miserably.
Local colour: Toronto the Great is represented in overt ways!
- Honest Ed’s – as previously mentioned. First and foremost in bargoons! 67 years young!
- Freshco – Canadian discount supermarkets. Great prices, fresh products. Duh!
- Bulk Barn – Candy, soup mix, dog bones, etc. Decide the exact amount!
- Bibimbap – Signature Korean dish. Literally means “mixed rice”. A small chain of restaurants going by the same name operate in the T-Dot.
Jason Loo is a freshly-faced young whippersnapper that resides in Canada’s most populous city. Thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, he launched number one of this title in April 2014. The rest is history! Mr. Loo takes great pains to realistically portray his hometown and its various pockets. The focus of this issue is the battle at Honest Ed’s (located at Bloor & Bathurst). Lucas Barrett resides in Parkdale but works in the Financial District. The supporting cast have their own little corner of the universe. Comedy is the main ingredient for each and every book. The Human-Lizard is purposely a bumbling idiot. It is through sheer dumb luck that he is still standing, let alone breathing, in his moonlighting.
Mr. Loo is one of those rare talents that can do it all: he also pencils, inks, and colours. How sweet it is to be your own boss! His style resembles that of Paul Azaceta. He deftly captures facial expressions (like those of Lucas’ parents) and sets apart the cast. The pencils are a bit stiff in some places but like every other human on this planet, it is his own. The top three scenes are all chuckle-worthy: the formation and naming of the Frustrated Four, the call from Lucas’ technically challenged parents, and Barb’s bust of a date.
I had the distinct pleasure of reacquainting myself with Mr. Loo at the Silver Snail comic shop for the official release and signing of this very issue. There will be an upcoming interview with him.
One has to really embrace the indie scene, as well as Canadian culture, to appreciate and understand this book. Since Lucas wants to emulate a regenerative reptile, I rate this offering 8 out of 10 scales.
Extra Content:
“Monster Conspiracist” (2 pages) [B&W]
by Jason Loo
Another original creation by the artist-writer. Through the eyes of a cartoonist, the fiction-within-fiction relates the secret origin of this anthropomorphic character. A circus bear turned science experiment that was able to break free of programming, he defends Toronto against all types of threats. The young woman to who this is being narrated believes the veracity of Albert’s claims. News of a mechanical monster emerging from Lake Ontario has gone viral. GB is riding his chopper with a giant blade in his right hand.
“The Mississauga Marauder” (1 page)
by: Adam Gorham & Greg Harms
Special guests illustrate the tale of the GTA’s own highway patrol officer. You engage in road rage, tailgating, cutting off other cars, forgetting to signal, talking/texting while driving, she’ll put you in your place!! She is the eponymous character in the title ;-P
