Advance Review: The Bluntman Returns In `Quick Stops’ #1

In his latest comic book series Quick Stops, Kevin Smith artfully blends his love of comic books, New Jersey, his own movies and, of course, weed, into a unique story.

In this four-part anthology series, Smith uses his writing talents to tell some tall tales about the making of some of his creations from the “View Askewniverse,” which features his movies such as Chasing Amy, Clerks, Mallrats and Dogma. This first issue deals with the story behind the story of the Bluntman and Chronic comic book. Well, not really. It’s a story. Just go with it.

The framing story is set during a podcast with Chasing Amy’s Holden McNeil (and even drawn to look like a more contemporary version of actor Ben Affleck). The details aren’t that important. They just give Smith the chance to put McNeil in the convenience store seen in Clerks and to bring in characters Jay and Silent Bob, who serve as the inspiration for Bluntman and Chronic.

It would be easy to write off this comic as something that only a Smith fanatic would love. But even the casual fan will find something to appreciate. A section in the middle of the issue illustrates an intense marijuana trip featuring McNeil and the two would-be heroes.

At first, they appear to be in a warped version of the Batman ’66 television series. But then they appear in the mud pit with a version of the Mutant leader from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. The hilarious riff is a loving rip off straight down to the dialogue. (“You see, Don. Bluntman – He nasty,” says a dude wearing a “My name is Rob” shirt.) Jeremy Simser even changes his art style to mimic Miller’s classic look.

Simser does a good job through the rest of this black-and-white book of capturing the look of the inhabitants of the View Askewniverse. Each major character is instantly recognizable – which is not something always seen in comic book adaptations.

If Smith and his rotating team of artists are able to continue to blend their love of these different genres so effortlessly and so successfully, they will only add to their popularity – as well as weed sales.

Quick Stops #1 will be available for purchase tomorrow.