Review: 'The Dudes' by Alex Schubert

This review was originally published on Alec Berry's blog, alecreadscomics.wordpress.com.

In my attempt to read comics outside of my usual focus, I stumbled upon Alex Schubert’s work, and being as care free as I am I bought a few of his comics, not knowing what to expect.

Luckily, a pleasant surprise.

With his mini comic The Dudes, Alex Schubert shows us the darker, sadder side of the typically funny and well-loved “Dude” archetype.

The story is very simple, or you could even say nonexistent. Schubert places us in a neighborhood where we observe an assortment of typical hipster, stoner kids and their miserable existences.

Yet, to these Dudes, their existence is pretty important. Or at least, they make it out to be as they find used condoms and discuss threesomes they’ll never have.

Now, Schubert spells none of this out directly. Most of it you infer from the artwork, situations and comical tone, but he does a nice job of conveying the idea that way. It’s a very observational work.

The comic exemplifies minimalism in a very interesting fashion, applying it both in terms of the artwork as well as the “plot. ” Most of the book is just a collection of drawn out moments, and the moments are so pointless to begin with that there’s really no point at all to draw them out.

Except, that is the point.

Drawing out these moments shows us how insignificant they are, and Schubert’s deliberate lengthening of them channels that very real life importance we like to place on everything.

His artwork keeps backgrounds to an absolute minimum and his layouts are as plain as can be, but it’s these touches that bring home the idea.

Even the character’s dialogue is well done. Any line within the comic could easily be switched around with another as not one line is specifically designed for a particular character.

This just shows how truly little these Dudes have to say.

The Dudes is a nice peak into the typical American way of life. It’s a comment on what little we really do with our time on this planet and how we lie to ourselves to make us believe the opposite.

The book makes you laugh while also causing you to reflect on your own choices. Not bad for 12 pages.

For more on Schubert, check out his website: zinepolice.com.