Reset, by Peter Bagge

My favorite feature of my favorite magazine (Reason) is Peter Bagge's features.  Much more than a political cartoonist, his comic-book style political and social commentaries are worth the price of a subscription.  An issue without something from Bagge, no matter what else it might offer, is a disappointment.  Check out his Reason cartoons here.

But his work in Reason is only a small part of his oeuvre.  His latest comic books have been collected in Reset, a series of 4 comic books now in one volume.  He takes a bit of a sci-fi turn, giving his slacker main character (His characters are typically slackers.) the opportunity to participate in a neurological experiment.  Hooked up to this new machine, this out-of-work actor is taken back to he high school days, and can make different choices at key turning points of his life, thus given a chance to reset.

Of course, nothing is as it seems.  And life is much more complicated than we think.  Reset is full of off-beat humor, somewhat thoughtful reflections on life, and Bagge's characteristic black-and-white art. Bagge fans will want to pick this up.  Reason readers looking for some of his great political and cultural insight will be disappointed.  I liked it, but if you're not a fan of alternative comics, don't bother.

Strapping in for immersion

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy.