MBQ Volume 3 (2007)

Author: Felipe Smith | Page Count: 232

"Gat Damn! You reek of dog anus!"

The third and last of the volumes brings Omario's story to a close of sorts. Omario's brash attitude is endangering his friendships and a chance encounter with a fellow artist combined with a costly repair job forces him to rethink his priorities. Also Officer Aiden may be reaching his psychological breaking point as the violence in the seedy underworld of the city ramps up.

All stories not featuring Omario have now severed all connection and are now a completely separate story. This makes the underworld violence shocking, but ultimately inconsequential as it doesn't affect Omario in the slightest. The now separate stories are nice even if they now seem to be page filler or I'm looking at it the wrong way and Aiden was always a 2nd main character. If that's the case, he didn't get near enough face-time to convincingly wrap up his plot. Bad form there, but Smith is more artist than writer so I let it slide since his humor and action scenes are in top form and there is a nice message at the end there in Omario's epiphany that all volumes have been working toward.

3½ Showing up a douchebag in front of his ladies with a rose made of $100 bills out of 5

MBQ Volume 2 (2006)

Author: Felipe Smith | Page Count: 200

"You're gonna have to fight for it if you want it. It's always a fight."

Volume 2 picks up where volume 1 left off with Omario looking to get his pages published, but this volume focuses more on the other characters of the series. They get some much needed development that was missing in the first volume. We learn that roommate Jeff is aspiring to more than his fast food job and Omario's brash attitude may finally be straining on him. We also get a little more info on Dee, Omario's drug dealing, gun running, thieving friend, and why they are friends at all. Dee is certainly a thug, but even he plays a role in Omario's journey that we are following. Also we get a small look at the 2 cops R.J. and Aiden.

The black humor is intact and the action is even ratcheted up as is some sexy interludes, but it is pretty disconnected from the story at times and while it is clearly setting up a resolution, it doesn't come in this volume. There is also a pretty weird bit with an ironic jab at lame and uninspired comics that while funny seems a bit over-the-top. That was the point, but it could have been handled differently. It even had an actual author insertion as opposed to the metaphorical one Omario represents. Nice action and comedy, but it could have focused on Omario's story more instead of just the one bit at the end.

3 intercontinental ballistic missiles fired from a demon midget's ass out of 5

MBQ Volume 1 (2005)

Author: Felipe Smith | Page Count: 220

"Something personal is original. Doing what everyone else is doing is not... Instead of trying to create the next original hit, they merely imitate past hits. The result is a lame, uniform, unvarying, unchanging industry. I'm not gonna do that. That's why I don't have a job."

Omario is a struggling artist trying to make ends meet in the City of Angels. While he is passionate about his chosen profession, that passion hasn't translated into success. He is encouraged on by his gentle giant roommate Jeff, an employee at McBurger Queen. While trying to make his share of the rent Omario runs afoul of some of the worst Los Angeles has to offer including drug dealers, cops and violence.

Given Felipe Smith's experience as a starving artist, this is probably at least semi-autobiographical. It explains why Omario's character and motivations are so clear since he is at least partially an insertion of Smith himself. The other characters don't get nearly as much development, but it is still a good story with a bit of action mixed with tragic comedy. This mixture is a strange one, but it is inline with the above quote where Omario vents his frustration at the state of modern comics and manga. Not perfect, but good and entertaining. I don't regret buying it just for the coupon for a free In-N-Out Double Double that came with it.

4 Ball Chomping Chihuahuas out of 5