Daydream Lullabies: a Billy Dogma Experience

Author: Dean Haspiel

I wanted to like this. Haspiel's art has a solid look that taps into the Kirby vibe without actually being a copy, and which is highly appropriate for what story is being told. I like what Haspiel is doing with Billy Dogma: having the individual versus conformity play out in a mix of flowery speech and dramatic action. It's an appealing concept. But in this volume (which is a collection of various Billy Dogma stories of differing length and style), everything doesn't come together. After the first story--where Billy battles the oppressive culture of capitalism that crushes the individual--there doesn't seem to be much more that can be said. The majority of the rest of the stories play out the same battle for Billy's right to be an individual, but not much new is really expressed and the bright concepts (like the living bar code that measures each individual's worth) sizzle out before they have a chance to cast any real light on the proceedings.

Regardless of all this, however, there are moments that shine through in this volume--almost entirely centered around the relationship between Billy and Jane Legit. Out of this entire volume, the moment that shines the brightest is when Billy and Jane--after having traveled through a portal and replaced the weapons of the robots chasing them with flowers--embrace one another in a growing pile of flowers. Luckily, it seems that Haspiel has recognized (or perhaps succeeded in focusing) on this relationship with his more recent work with the character, which gives me hope for the future of Billy Dogma. I can't recommend this particular book, but I can point your way to Immortal, where Haspiel has refocused both his story and his art into a much more appropriate operatic style.

Status: Kicked to the curb . . . but ever so lightly.