When Kevin Smith’s Secret Stash Press was announced, it was Quick Stops I was most excited for. Maskerade is an exciting sci-fi thriller, but more stories from the View Askewniverse is a major draw, especially with Clerks III recently adding to the mythos. Billed as “anecdotes from the annals of Askewniverse,” Quick Stops #1 is a well-crafted narrative centered on Holden McNeil.
Fans of Kevin Smith’s films will know Holden from Chasing Amy, but masterfully–and I mean that wholeheartedly–Quick Stops #1 uses him to connect to many different films in Smith’s library. The issue opens on Chronic-Con, a comic convention centered exclusively on the Bluntman and Chronic superheroes. On the center stage of Hall H, Holden is taking questions from the audience.
Smith uses the Q&A to bring up a story involving Banky and another involving Jay and Silent Bob. There’s very little fat on this issue, diving into a fun origin for Bluntman and Chronic that feels like a combo of Ambiguously Gay Duo and, of course, the source material this all draws upon. Along the way, connections are made to Mallrats, Clerks, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, to name a few. When each reference drops, you’ll laugh, point at the comic like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a time in Hollywood, and shake your head in disbelief at how many connections there can be in one comic.
Hey, I know these guys!
Credit: Dark Horse
Of course, your enjoyment of Quick Stops will largely depend on how big of a fan of Kevin Smith’s films you are. It’s tough to hold that against this comic, considering it’s steeped in that universe and playing with the various connections. From a general perspective, what makes this work is how it plays within the confines of comics themselves. It’s told well, logically jumping around scenes with solidly written dialogue. As he tells it, you’re along for the ride with Holden and are never bored.
Jeremy Simser’s art captures the heart and soul of the series, told via black and white art straight out of old cheap comics, or more obviously, a nod to Clerks. Things get very interesting for comics fans when the story turns into a Dark Knight Returns homage. Simser nails this scene right down to the layouts. Holden doesn’t always look like Ben Affleck to a T, although he’s pretty close in many panels. Props to Simser for all the clever Funko-looking Bluntman and Chronic toys and details scattered throughout the convention hall.
One gripe is the use of Alyssa Jones from Chasing Amy. It’s unclear, but the host moderating Holden’s panel might be Alyssa. The likeness isn’t very close, nor is her name used in an obvious way, making it an element lost on me until I read the comic a second time.
Having grown up with Kevin Smith films, Quick Stops is a great way to relive the films and see how they’re all connected. It adds to the mythos while playing in the sandbox, which makes comics great. Like Stephen King’s novels, Smith connects his masterpieces in subtle and clever ways, making the entire experience richer.
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