‘Axe Cop: Volume 1’ review
By Brittney MacDonald, Senior Columnist
3/5
Axe Cop continues the disposable tradition of comics by ignoring continuity and celebrating the one-liner in much the same way Archie and Peanuts once did. This unique, imaginative comic seems perfectly suited to the Funny Pages—more so than a full-length graphic novel—but that’s what you get when you hand over your entire writing department to a nine-year-old.
Axe Cop began as a Facebook project by brother duo Ethan and Malachai Nicolle. Ethan decided to illustrate the ideas of his younger brother, who happened to be five at the time. What resulted was a brawny, axe-wielding police officer/superhero who fights zombies to protect unicorn babies alongside militant dinosaurs.
Needless to say, reading this was highly entertaining, but there isn’t much in the way of plot to discuss. Since this comic is written by a child, the arcs can seem unfocussed or random. Some ideas are retained throughout the novel, while others are never mentioned again. It’s basically very similar to listening to a kindergartner play with action figures; there’s something going on, you just have no idea what it is or where it’s coming from.
That being said, the comic is actually a lot of fun.
Artistically the aesthetic is very cartoony. Ethan uses bright colours and solid lines with a very minimal amount of refined detail to match with the over-the-top exaggeration of his brother’s ideas.
Comparing this novel to any of the previous works I’ve reviewed with high ratings is like comparing jelly beans to oranges—it’s a fun story but as a graphic novel it falls short. Therefore, I suggest this book if end of term or exam stress have you down.
