Kevin Smith has returned to his Askewniverse with the Dark Horse series Quick Stops, which builds on most of his movies and connects them in compelling ways. In a new sequel series aptly titled Quick Stops II, Smith explores the creation of Mooby, a cartoon mascot. The first issue is less tethered to his universe, but just as human.
This story is about Mooby the Golden Calf, but also so much more. Similar to the legend that a school teacher designed Mickey Mouse, one can assume some things when we first meet its creator. Quick Stops II opens with a podcaster getting the chance to interview the woman who created the character. In her older years, she is happy to share how it all started, and it started with an overweight boy in her class being made fun of. This leads to a kind act that gets her to convince her husband to create a character to cheer him up, getting embroiled with his super-rich mother and sex. Lots of sex.
You didn’t see that coming, did you? Yep, there’s a ton of sex and sexual themes in this comic. The school teacher and very old narrator had a healthy sex life with her husband. They watch porn when they do it. The sexual tension between them is healthy and adult, which we rarely see in comics. This leads to other sex acts and a casualness in their sexuality that, again, we rarely see. The sexual themes become a huge part of the story, even leading into the cliffhanger. It’s hard to say where the story goes from here, but given the characters who are shacking up, drama is likely high for all three.
So what does it all mean? It’s a question I pondered as I read the book and was never quite sure about. A school teacher with a healthy sex life who happens to create an iconic cartoon character with her husband? I suppose that’s all it needs to be, as this is more of a serious drama than anything else. These are new characters not seen in Smith’s other works–at least to my knowledge–so the fan factor isn’t as strong with this one.
The creation of Mooby…begins!
Credit: Dark Horse
It’s well-written enough to keep your interest as you learn more about these characters. Other themes are present, like the fact that our main characters work at a catholic school, but at its core, this is a book written about average adults who have sex and live their lives like most of us, and for that, it’s no big deal.
The art certainly helps keep your interest. Ahmed Raafat draws a great black-and-white book with strong inking and a good sense of space and environment. White space is easy on the eyes, and the characters are expressive. The sexuality isn’t overt either but alluded to visually. There’s also a keen sense of using Ben-Day dots for shadows, giving the visuals a pulp indie comic feel. Letters by Andrew Thomas are clean and easy to read.
Quick Stops II #1 is a strong start in a journey of discovery, not just with for cartoon mascot but in its main character’s sexual awakening. There’s an exciting and adult story at work here, although it’s so far removed from Smith’s many fantastic characters that super fans might feel disappointed. It tackles sexuality in a surprisingly adult way.
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