Let’s Take this thing Off Road!

Over the weekend, I had a little, mind you only a little, time to read. Instead of the piles of comics, I decided to pick up a graphic novel from Oni Press that I bought based on a blurb in previews. As it turns out, it was well worth it.

Off Road is cleverly written and well-drawn By the end when I saw a real photo of the inspirations for the story, the author and two of his friends, I felt like I was looking at a photo of old friends.

Kent is an art school student who gets walked over by the women in his life. His friend, Greg, is a high school jock with well-off and hinted-at-absentee parents who toss money his way. Brad, the last of the trio, is by comparison from the bottom of the ladder. He has a father he’s lost respect for and the relationship has come to blows. But his is, interestingly often the most mature voice and the one most willing to tell it like it is.

The story of an off-road adventure in the jeep, by itself, would be amusing, but coupled with a powerfully character-driven story and it’s a book you won’t be able to put down until the end.