Larfleeze #5 – Review

by Keith Giffen, J.M Dematteis (Writers), Scott Kolins (Artist), Mike Atiyeh (Colorist)

The Story: Stargrave tries to get away from the Wanderer and her crazy antics as Larfleeze unfortunately gets used as a slave.

The Review: I can certainly appreciate a book that tries. When writers are actually throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks, it can lead to either a boring or just plain chaotic read, but there will always be moments when something really great is set before the readers. Not everything works, of course, but trying is always a nice thing to see. Trying, however, is not a synonym of succeeding.

There are many things that just don’t really work in this book despite how Giffen and Dematteis tries to entertain those who bought the book. Humor, a bit of action, some cosmic development here and there, there’s simply a lot of elements that could mix together to create a satisfying read, yet it never really does attain that state.

One of the main problem would be a lack of direction, which is currently plaguing the book. With this issue still dividing its focus on both Stargrave and Larfleeze, the book tries to set up some narratives and idea that could lead to a bigger and more cohesive structure, yet both writers never seem to hint at how or why yet. While Stargrave is once more the butt of the jokes here as his unlucky temperament makes him a victim of all the most dangerous circumstances, many of the story elements simply pass him by. While The Wanderer and her visit to meet her sister hints at a much grander plot, they aren’t fully shown, nor connected to any of the protagonists yet, making them a bit unsatisfying.