Jay & Silent Bob: Chasing Dogma

by Kevin Smith

This original graphic novel written by screenwriter/director Kevin Smith (Mallrats, Clerks) bridges the gap between two of his most popular films, Chasing Amy and Dogma. Featuring Smith's popular film characters, Jay and Silent Bob, Chasing Dogma is a film on paper and is sure to appeal to movie buffs and Kevin Smith fans everywhere. Rack it in the film section and watch it fly off the shelves.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Humor, Fiction, Comedy, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, director, as well as a comic book writer, author, and actor. He is also the co-founder, with Scott Mosier, of View Askew Productions and owner of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash comic and novelty store in Red Bank, New Jersey. He also hosts a weekly podcast with Scott Mosier known as SModcast. He is also known for participating in long, humorous Q&A Sessions that are often filmed for DVD release, beginning with An Evening with Kevin Smith.

His films are often set in his home state of New Jersey, and while not strictly sequential, they do frequently feature crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon in what is known by fans as the "View Askewniverse", named after his production company View Askew Productions. He has produced numerous films and television projects, including Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a pretty big Kevin Smith fan. Well, maybe massive is the correct word. Did I mention I'm attending An Evening With Kevin Smith on November 7th in Halifax? No? Well, I just did. Anyway, normally, this lends me to have a ridiculous bias towards anything he creates. Unfortunately, this really didn't live up to my expectations.

The story builds a bridge between the end of Chasing Amy and the beginning of Dogma explaining what happened to Jay & Silent Bob. If you've seen Dogma, Jay describes basically what happened during a scene in a diner. The hapless duo were in search of Shermer, Illinois - the fictional town in John Hughes 1980s teen movies. Along the way, they get mixed up with an escaped monkey.

I guess the story was so well received, or Smith loved it so much, he took the escapades with the escaped monkey and turned it into Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. The movie is one of my favorites so I can't say why I really wasn't all that into this graphic novel. Maybe it was the artwork? I wasn't crazy about it. The dialogue was fine - your standard Smith stuff.

I did however, enjoy the subtle nods to the View Askewniverse as a whole. That's one thing I love about his movies, they all bleed together without acknowledging themselves as a "saga" of sorts. The odd character reference pops up which I really enjoyed. Smith did manage to show a lot of attention into even the smallest detail like costume changes - explaining how Jay and Bob managed to acquire different clothing from Chasing Amy to Dogma.

Overall, it's not required reading - only if you really need to know how Jay and Bob got from one movie to the next.

[Drew Canole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had no idea this book was called Chasing Dogma. I have the original comics which are simply titles "Jay & Silent Bob". I wasn't aware that this is a tie-in between the two movies. I picked it up because I loved Clerks and I'm a big Fegredo fan. The art didn't disappoint, and I think it's the only time I've seen his art without color.

The story itself is a little over-done. Some funny things happen, the premise is fairly humorous, but the story itself doesn't go anywhere - I guess that's to be expected.

I can't say this is essential reading even for fans of Jay and Silent Bob. It's worth a look for the artwork, but even then I think Fegredo has done better elsewhere, and his story telling abilities are wasted on this story which lacks character development. Jay is Jay, and Bob is just getting boring.

Also, the cover of the collected edition looks stupid. And the name is stupid. Just call it Jay and Silent Bob and use some of Fegredo's gorgeous artwork.

[Tomer · Rating 2 out of 5]

{2.5 rounded down}
A fast read before the duo's latest film.
Same as the film, only if you are a fan of the films..

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 4 out of 5]

|3.75 Stars|

If nothing else, it made me want to re-watch all the Kevin Smith movies. But I've found that Jay is much less palatable when you're not actually seeing Jason Mewes portray him.

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have owned this for many years and don't recall ever reading it. Designed as a bridge between Chasing Amy and Dogma, the story follows Jay and Silent Bob's journey across America on Jay's quest to find the idyllic 'America' from John Hughes' classic movies; Breakfast club, Pretty in pink, et al.

Along the way they encounter Neil Patrick Harris, Suzanne, an escaped orangutan, and some of their old acquaintances from films such as Mallrats and Clerks.

Expect Jay's usual potty mouth and Silent Bob's, well, silence, along with some unbelievable situations. A good deal of it ended up appearing in the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, so may seem rather familiar.

That said, it's not for the easily offended.

[Ondřej Halíř · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jste fandové Jaye a Boba? Tak na nic nečekejte a dejte si to! Je to skvělej spojovák mezi Chasing Amy a Dogmou s klasickým Smithovským feelem. Pomáhá i tomu fakt že Smith byl v tu dobu pořád dobrej (psal to před Dogmou). Akorát bylo kinda vtipný jak se Smith snažil naroubovat jeho obsáhlé dialogy do bublin, to jsem snad v životě neviděl :D

[Caleb Lail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, ya know, I dug it. It’s obvious Kevin Smith knew he could get away with more in a graphic novel than a movie and it’s evident here. Very crude, pretty funny. I love the art style. There are some lowkey in-your-face prechy moments on social issues or what not but it’s all good.

[Syd · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was crass for the sake of being crass. I understand what it was going for, but I don't know if it quite achieved it. On top of this, I don't think this comic really added anything to the story of Jay and Silent Bob (like i was hoping it would).

[Kevin Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of it was great, some of it not so much. It's pretty twisted even for Jay & Silent Bob standards at times and the sexual assault played for laughs definitely didn't age well (not that it was okay then.) If you're a big fan of the characters and just want more of them then check it out.

[Twinchenzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent enough tie-in between the movies and comic version of JaSBSB with some neat extra scenes. Basically an ultimate Jay and Silent Bob comic.

[Wolverinefactor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine... the first two issues were the best.

[Rabbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

so Fucking many gay jokes & yet they still dont get it on. sigh.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've accepted my fate that I am now a full blown geek. The third ever graphic novel I've ever read and I found myself really enjoying it, despite personal reservations that enjoying said graphic novels renders me a geek (think that was decided years ago, I've just tried to ignore it, unsuccessfully it now seems).

Good GN for Kevin Smith fans (which I am one of) and true to Jay and Silent Bob, this is disgustingly funny.

[Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one for the fans of the view-askewniverse I wouldn't recommend reading this before watching the films.But for those of us who have watched them this is brilliant. Working as a bridge between Chasing Amy (meh) and Dogma (excellent) this book ties up the story of how Jay and silent Bob get to Illonois. Its funny. yes some of it doesn't work as well but it is genuinely a good quick read. Plus there is a letter from Allanis Morrisette at the front.

[Jack Herbert Christal Gattanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

16 year old Jack rates this 5 stars. 30 year old Jack rates this 3 stars just based on memory. hence 4 stars. fun filler between two of Smith's major films, though I imagine if you're looking for anything deep as those movies you'll be disappointed. it's closer to Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in comics form, only without an ape.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better then I remember and makes a good bridge between Chasing Amy and Dogma. Though some of the really lame stuff would later resurface in the weakest movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Also SUCH a better adaptation then that Shaun of the Dead shit I read yesterday. Plus, the characters look right too.

[Gonzalo Oyanedel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aburridos del rechazo, Jay y el Silencioso Bob creen encontrar la perfecta solución a sus problemas: Mudarse a Shermer (Illinois), el suburbio donde ocurren las películas de John Hughes, las chicas son fáciles y los hombres idiotas. Un viaje con tintes de road movie con numerosas referencias a la cultura Pop y los filmes del propio Smith que en conjunto logra convencer.

[Laura Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed out loud several times reading Chasing Dogma. This story of Jay and Silent Bob's adventure places them between the final events of Chasing Amy and leads into Dogma. Being a fan of Smith's films it was cool to get my hands on a copy of one of the comics and fill in the blanks of the timeline in the Jay and Silent Bob universe. I wouldn't be surprised if I read this again.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains how the duo Jay & Silent Bob get from New Jersey (Chasing Amy) to Illinois (Dogma). Also one of the stories was taken from here and then put into the movie Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.

[Jdetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a time that I loved this comic, and indeed, everything that Kevin Smith had done. Sadly, I feel I've outgrown it, and now this comic just feels terribly overwritten and filled with repetitive jokes. The art is gorgeous though.

[Lance Hogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A graphic novel that fills in the time line for Jay & Silent Bob between the events of "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma", pretty graghic stuff (sex language, images, etc,) but very funny stuff.

[Briana Marino]

hahaha the movie was funny

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that stays true to the Jay and Silent Bob characters but just wasn't as good as the movies. Still a fun, quick read if you like Kevin Smith.

[Skyler Chiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

mkgds;lfkds;

[Edmund Davis-Quinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really only laughed hard once in the entire book.

Reminds me a lot of the stories in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back".

Meh. I think I will send this out to Bookcrossing to find a new home.

[Zanne]

12.95

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but nothing special, plays a lot more like a rough draft of gags from the far superior Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forget about the plot or the fact that Jay is a walking turd, some monologues are just plain genius.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is essentially the movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in comic book form.