WHAT A CROCK #1, available now at DinoCaruso.ca, takes a humorous, slice-of-life look at a young couple dealing with apartment living and the quirky characters they encounter. Borrowing from the best qualities of Friends and Seinfeld, Dino Caruso’s comedic writing is elevated further by greater acting from Kacee Navarro’s art.
Was It Good?
Yes. Surprisingly so. I’ll admit slice-of-life comedy is typically not my cup of tea, but I was immediately drawn in by the art. Once the visuals got me, the escalating progression of the story kept me more engaged as the story moved. When a comic finishes stronger than it starts, that’s a sign the creative team has found a good groove.
Is it perfect? No. Navarro made some odd choices with background perspective in a few of the panels, and Caruso’s introduction of the characters was a little stiff. But again, the issue gets stronger as it goes, so these minor quibbles are easily overlooked.
Short Story Long
The story is two plots, each centered on one half of a couple living together in an apartment, that occasionally overlap and come together for a satisfying conclusion.
In Plot A, Sandy struggles to get her full-service gas when the station attendant, Sal, is consistently a Chatty Cathy. Sandy is never in the mood for Sal’s small talk and too-nice insinuations that he would like a tip. Sandy endures the regular awkwardness as her fill-ups earn her Sky Miles reward points.
Eventually, Sandy finds a way to have her cake and eat it, too.
In Plot B, Guy strategizes how to get laundry done in a timely manner with the apartment building’s shared washer and dryer. When he has the bright idea to go down to the laundry room early on Sunday, he’s met with an elder gentleman that seems to beat Guy to the punch every time.
What follows is an escalating war of wits where we discover the elder gentleman is not so innocent in spoiling Guy’s plans.
In the end, Guy and Sandy work together to overcome their mutual problems with an ending that’s equal parts amusing, sweet, and satisfying.
Final Thoughts
WHAT A CROCK #1, available now at DinoCaruso.ca, is a well-paced, well-drawn, and thoroughly enjoyable comic. The situational jokes consistently hit, and the art executes a fine bit of acting for all the characters. It’s completely free, so check it out and enjoy.