Labor Days Vol. 1

Written by Philip Gelatt
Art by Rick Lacy

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, and while it's not my usual thing, I enjoyed it.

Benton Bagswell is a loser.  He does oddjobs for hire (and has been since he was twelve).  His girlfriend has left him, and things aren't looking too good for him.  Mysteriously, a videotape is left with a note asking him to keep an eye on it.  Almost immediately, people start trying to get the tape back, placing him in great danger.  His local bartender, and closest friend, tries to kill him, and things start getting a lot weirder from there.

Each chapter finds Bags in another strange situation, as he is pursued, and manipulated, by a large number of bizarre characters.  There are maniacal psychiatrists, bumbling CIA agents, radical feminists, incompetent revolutionaries, and hired thugs crawling out of the woodwork as Bags tries to stay alive, and figure out what is going on.

Lacy's art is a little hard to follow at times, and much rougher than the fine piece of work he did for the cover.  This is the type of book that can only be published by Oni; it's hard to define and pretty unique in the comics world.