“Toe Tag Riot” #1 is a conundrum. On the one hand, it’s touching on important issues, such as sexism and racism, that are rarely brought up in comics – and that’s commendable. On the other hand, it’s lackluster, with no real focus, and it fails to deliver a meaningful commentary. For what it’s worth, the book is very different, that in and of itself is always a good thing. It is so content with just breaking the mold, however, that it never attempts to rebuild anything meaningful in its place.
WRITTEN BY: Matt Miner
ART BY: Sean Von Gorman
PUBLISHER: Black Mask Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: November 26, 2014
Reviewed By: Torin Chambers
The aforementioned title is also the name of the band that all our protagonists belong to. There’s Paulie- the guitarist/band leader, Dickie – their hot headed and impulsive lead singer, and Evie – the high-spirited amputee drummer [who’s also in a relationship with] Annie – the sassy bassist. Together, they form the punk band Toe Tag Riot, but they’re all bonded by more than just the band. They all turn into zombies whenever they perform on stage, complete with rotting green flesh and soulless yellow eyes. The duration of this affliction has gotten greater each time, their hunger for human flesh also seems to be growing.
The reason for their curse is briefly and vaguely touched on, but gives no answers or even hints at where it comes from. This is consistent with most of the book. Everything seems to happen just because. Such as Andy Hurley’s guest appearance – he adds nothing of value and could have been filled by that one guy who takes the same bus route as you and nothing would change.
The worst offender of this is the time period. Toe Tag Riot is set in 2004 and I cannot find anything that suggests this choice is anything but arbitrary. There are numerous references that make no sense if the book is really based in 2004, such as a flashback to 2002 with a Napoleon Dynamite reference. Napoleon Dynamite didn’t come out until 2004. Andy Hurley is recognized as being from Fall Out Boy, but they didn’t achieve fame until the following year, 2005.
The Westboro Baptist Church is referenced, and if you’ve been following Toe Tag Riot in any capacity, you’d know that they are going to become the antagonists. However, The Westboro Baptists are not represented in this first issue at all. This seems strange to me considering Miner’s Toe Tag Riot slogan was essentially “Punk Zombies vs. The Westboro Baptist Church.” In 2004, I bet you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who had knowledge of the Westboro Baptists. Sure they were founded in 1955 but they only came into the mainstream public eye in the last few years- another reason that I cannot understand why this book isn’t set in the present.
Matt Miner is a super awesome dude who is by no means a bad writer. He wrote a truly enthralling story in Vertigo’s CMYK Yellow that our own Zac Thompson loved to tears. Miner is trying to send a great message but the delivery leaves much to be desired.
It fucking sucks to see something that appears to be progressive but in actuality is just as hollow as the bullshit it’s trying to attack.
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Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers