Belzebubs
by JP Ahonen
Top Shelf Productions
Originally a webcomic, Bezelbubs chronicles the life and adventures of your average suburban family. Mom (Lucyfer) , Dad (Sl0th), two kids (Leviathan and Lilith), except Dad is the front man for a Black Metal band and they all wear corpse paint 24/7. The strips combine humor and heart, by using the counterpoint of “normal” family life with a loving Satan-worshiping black metal family. A prime example is when their son, Leviathan, “rebels” by cleaning off his make-up and saying Grace before dinner. “It’s just a phase,” his parents assure his astonished (and corpse-painted) grandmother. The one-off jokes are balanced with a few longer storylines such as that one, sister Lilith crushing on a boy who is into prog-rock, and the ongoing search for a new drummer for the band, a la Spinal Tap.
The hardcover collection is small enough to make for a quick and easy read, while being a high quality printing. The production spotlights the clean black and white linework from writer/artists JP Ahonen, that can be lost when viewed on a phone/computer monitor. A minor quibble is the lack of a “Who’s Who” or “Cast of Characters” anywhere in the book. Without an introduction, it’s confusing at first to determine who is in the family and who is in the band. If you like your humor Addams Family style, with a modern twist, give the webcomic a look. If it makes you laugh, seek out this hardcover collection. This is definitely a must have for fans.
