A book I’ve recently read is, wait for it, Camp Foxtrot by Bill Amend. I wish I could say it was my tenth reading of War and Peace by Tolstoy (fancy that) or pondering Dante’s Inferno and his idea of purgatory, but it suffices to say that I’ve just finished a 250 page collection of Foxtrot comics. Classical literature, it is not.
But what an amusing and addictive read it has been. Perhaps it pertains to my immature sense of humour (I have some sort of secret satisfaction in watching sibling rivalry) and an understanding of the horrifying experience that is high school (which is a small blip on my otherwise spotless record of sanity), I have just enjoyed the book so much. I found myself chucking along, guffawing occasionally or howling in laughter at the antics of Paige (typical teenager), Jason (whiz-kid) and Peter Fox (eldest child with a bottomless pit for a stomach), none of whom seem to have grown out of their terrible twos. Parents Andy and Roger, former English major and paper-pusher extraordinaire respectively, deal with their children’s shenanigans with dry wit and admirable tolerance.
The artwork is funny, simple and very clean – nothing overdone or elaborate, just enough detail to explain a situation or establish setting, or perhaps introduce the punchline and add comical effect. In Foxtrot comics, the emphasis does not lie in artistic ability but the dialogue in the panels.
Overall, it was a hilarious read, nothing stimulating, but just perfect for lazing around on a shaded patio with lemonade in hand. It is a relaxing, entertaining read and certainly something any reader would enjoy – be it young children wanting bedtime stories to elderly as well.
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