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Bucko
After discovering a dead body in an office bathroom, hungover job interviewee Rich "Bucko" Richardson becomes suspected of the murder. What he thinks is a quest to find the real killer turns into a weeklong romp through the wilds of Portland, Oregon, complete with bike-mounted cover bands, steampunk Makers, Juggalos, SuicideGirls, meth heads, so much absinthe, and an entire city made of books. After taking the Internet by storm, Jeff Parker and Erika Moen's dirty, funny murder mystery is now the most hilarious book in comic shops!*Includes brand-new strips, commentary, and info on the real-life inspirations for Bucko!*Best new webcomic of 2011!
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2012
6 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Jeff Parker
1,176 books128 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 10, 2015
Bucko is a comic made by hipsters, for hipsters, starring hipsters. I’m amazed each copy doesn’t come with its own PBR (though the characters of course drink PBR because they’re fucking hipsters)!
Rich, aka Bucko for no reason, goes to a job interview where he discovers a murder victim in the toilet. The Portland police quickly determine that Bucko didn’t do it but that doesn’t stop him from being paranoid because he’s a moron. So when he goes to a hipster party (with a Pixies cover band whose lead singer is stood on a bike because he’s a douchebag hipster - can you tell I think very poorly of hipsters?) and finds a (fake) dead body, he runs off. His hipster friends go looking for him - and that’s the whole book!
Oh, fuck Bucko - Fucko! What a shitty comic. Completely uninteresting non-story, loathsome, precious, twee characters, irritating hipster-speak throughout, “quirky” Portlandia-wannabe shenanigans (which one of the blurbs compares to a Coen Brothers caper - Bull. Shit.) - it’s the worst.
There’s also a creator’s commentary running at the bottom of each page throughout, so we get to read gems like “That’s my old bathroom and shower up there” and “I am a big fan of the heads-together-on-grass hippie circle”. Note to anyone thinking of doing a comic: commentaries do not work in comics. Fucko is the proof!
If a hipster could be a comic, it’d be Fucko. I don’t want to spend any more time on this pile of garbage so I’ll leave it here. If you have a rickety table or chair and don’t have a block of wood handy, I highly recommend using this hardcover to prop it up. It has no other use.
Rich, aka Bucko for no reason, goes to a job interview where he discovers a murder victim in the toilet. The Portland police quickly determine that Bucko didn’t do it but that doesn’t stop him from being paranoid because he’s a moron. So when he goes to a hipster party (with a Pixies cover band whose lead singer is stood on a bike because he’s a douchebag hipster - can you tell I think very poorly of hipsters?) and finds a (fake) dead body, he runs off. His hipster friends go looking for him - and that’s the whole book!
Oh, fuck Bucko - Fucko! What a shitty comic. Completely uninteresting non-story, loathsome, precious, twee characters, irritating hipster-speak throughout, “quirky” Portlandia-wannabe shenanigans (which one of the blurbs compares to a Coen Brothers caper - Bull. Shit.) - it’s the worst.
There’s also a creator’s commentary running at the bottom of each page throughout, so we get to read gems like “That’s my old bathroom and shower up there” and “I am a big fan of the heads-together-on-grass hippie circle”. Note to anyone thinking of doing a comic: commentaries do not work in comics. Fucko is the proof!
If a hipster could be a comic, it’d be Fucko. I don’t want to spend any more time on this pile of garbage so I’ll leave it here. If you have a rickety table or chair and don’t have a block of wood handy, I highly recommend using this hardcover to prop it up. It has no other use.
April 20, 2021
This graphic novel was enjoyable, but frustrating and dull at times. It was weird for weird sake (which I often don't have a problem with) but by not giving adequate depth or motivation for the many main characters much of this story fell flat. There was some truly funny moments and the overall premise is good. But overall, it just doesn't all come together in a compelling way.
January 18, 2023
I would round the art up to 3, but I wouldn't want anyone to think they should read this book. Erika Moen's art is great, as are the little creator banter at the bottom of each page. Those plus the character of Dell reminded me fondly of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.
Sadly, this over-a-decade old collected webcomic has not aged well. The main character's name is Gyp, short for Gypsy. She was named for the Fleetwood Mac song, and says at one point it's not complaining about a raw deal, so I guess no one involved in this book knew that was racist in 2012? There's a super uncomfortable and unfunny jail scene and male-rape "joke." The characters make fun of addicts and the unsheltered, and none have any depth of characterization.
There are some delightful moments, like when Dell sobers up and realizes she's dressed in a batwoman bikini and cape and announces she feels awesome, numerous appearances by a robot and someone is a cosplay dragon suit.
But when Bucko runs off and Gyp and friends chase him because they're worried that he'll kill himself, it's not as funny or compelling as the writer thought it was. The creators note that much of the creative process was Jeff thinking up things for Erika to draw, as on a dare. This vibe doesn't work well over a whole book.
Sadly, this over-a-decade old collected webcomic has not aged well. The main character's name is Gyp, short for Gypsy. She was named for the Fleetwood Mac song, and says at one point it's not complaining about a raw deal, so I guess no one involved in this book knew that was racist in 2012? There's a super uncomfortable and unfunny jail scene and male-rape "joke." The characters make fun of addicts and the unsheltered, and none have any depth of characterization.
There are some delightful moments, like when Dell sobers up and realizes she's dressed in a batwoman bikini and cape and announces she feels awesome, numerous appearances by a robot and someone is a cosplay dragon suit.
But when Bucko runs off and Gyp and friends chase him because they're worried that he'll kill himself, it's not as funny or compelling as the writer thought it was. The creators note that much of the creative process was Jeff thinking up things for Erika to draw, as on a dare. This vibe doesn't work well over a whole book.
February 22, 2020
Dnfed. Didn't like anything about it.
July 7, 2012
3.5 stars out of 5
This was a quick read! Bucko is an amusing web-comic turned into a graphic novel. Story follows the (mis)adventures of Rich "Bucko" Richardson, who, one day, wakes up in a girl's (Gyp's) apartment after a drunken night and realizes he is late for an important job interview. He rushes over only to find out that he's actually early and is in desperate need to go to the bathroom. He barges into the loo and finds a man, dead, on the floor with a knife in his neck, and is immediately spotted by a witness. Naturally, he becomes the prime suspect.
After being bailed out by Gyp (there was no hard evidence against Bucko), he goes to a party with her and her friends, walks into the loo there and, yep, finds another dead guy with a knife in his neck, on the floor. Completely losing his mind, he takes off into the night. Now, it's up to Gyp, Dell (Gyp's lesbian roommate), Chad (Bucko's plugs-in-earlobes, douchebag of a roommate), Sindee (breastfeeds others' babies for money while selling candles -- whose wax, by the way, is made out of breast-milk -- on Etsy (Don't ask.)) and a Juggalette they run into on their way, to find Bucko and solve the mysterious murders of the dead guys with knives in their necks.
I liked this! I laughed out loud in several places. My favourite character, hands down, has to be Dell (She can rock a Dracula cape like no one else!) and my favourite part was when drunk Dell broke into "Lady Marmalade" on the stage and started stripping! ~snort~
One more thing I should mention is that the people behind this book, Jeff Parker and Erika Moen, have provided their own commentary throughout the book (almost every page) which makes the book even more enjoyable!
The entire comic is available online here. Scott Pilgrim series fans should like this one :)
ARC provided by NetGalley and Dark Horse Comics.
This was a quick read! Bucko is an amusing web-comic turned into a graphic novel. Story follows the (mis)adventures of Rich "Bucko" Richardson, who, one day, wakes up in a girl's (Gyp's) apartment after a drunken night and realizes he is late for an important job interview. He rushes over only to find out that he's actually early and is in desperate need to go to the bathroom. He barges into the loo and finds a man, dead, on the floor with a knife in his neck, and is immediately spotted by a witness. Naturally, he becomes the prime suspect.
After being bailed out by Gyp (there was no hard evidence against Bucko), he goes to a party with her and her friends, walks into the loo there and, yep, finds another dead guy with a knife in his neck, on the floor. Completely losing his mind, he takes off into the night. Now, it's up to Gyp, Dell (Gyp's lesbian roommate), Chad (Bucko's plugs-in-earlobes, douchebag of a roommate), Sindee (breastfeeds others' babies for money while selling candles -- whose wax, by the way, is made out of breast-milk -- on Etsy (Don't ask.)) and a Juggalette they run into on their way, to find Bucko and solve the mysterious murders of the dead guys with knives in their necks.
I liked this! I laughed out loud in several places. My favourite character, hands down, has to be Dell (She can rock a Dracula cape like no one else!) and my favourite part was when drunk Dell broke into "Lady Marmalade" on the stage and started stripping! ~snort~
One more thing I should mention is that the people behind this book, Jeff Parker and Erika Moen, have provided their own commentary throughout the book (almost every page) which makes the book even more enjoyable!
The entire comic is available online here. Scott Pilgrim series fans should like this one :)
ARC provided by NetGalley and Dark Horse Comics.
May 22, 2020
Bucko by Jeff Parker and Erika Moen is one of those books that is offensive for the sole purpose of being offensive. I understand that a lot of the humor is meant to make fun of how ridiculous Portland, OR is, but it often feels more like punching down than treating anyone fairly. It was such a frustrating read that I DNF’d it after reading about a third. I have a philosophy that if you want to critique something, you need to fully experience it. I'm putting that aside for this review.
Bucko is a comedic murder mystery following a man nicknamed Bucko by his one night stand Gyp… short for gypsy… because we’re still making Romani jokes in the 21st century. The humor goes from having to go to the bathroom after discovering a dead body to prison rape (because we’re still making prison rape jokes in the 21st century) to jokes about the weird groups that gather in Portland (some of which are okay jokes).
It was just such a frustrating experience because Parker and Moen were making cruel and insensitive jokes in an attempt at parody or absurdism, but they just do not land. It takes a lot to offend me or piss me off, and this one did within a few pages.
Bucko is a comedic murder mystery following a man nicknamed Bucko by his one night stand Gyp… short for gypsy… because we’re still making Romani jokes in the 21st century. The humor goes from having to go to the bathroom after discovering a dead body to prison rape (because we’re still making prison rape jokes in the 21st century) to jokes about the weird groups that gather in Portland (some of which are okay jokes).
It was just such a frustrating experience because Parker and Moen were making cruel and insensitive jokes in an attempt at parody or absurdism, but they just do not land. It takes a lot to offend me or piss me off, and this one did within a few pages.
February 20, 2021
I'd been wanting to read this graphic novel for years, but I didn't fully understand what it was about: I thought I was reading a classic whodunnit in graphic novel form, but that was not the case. It's a zany semi-caper with A Lot of variety of genres, jokes, and personalities inside. It was also (and I only really understood this about halfway through) a web comic that was released in installments, so the experience of reading this story in book form without that knowledge made some of the inconsistencies a little strange (but they made sense in hindsight).
I didn't dislike the story, but I was in the mood for a whodunnit, so I'm still on the hunt for a graphic novel mystery.
I didn't dislike the story, but I was in the mood for a whodunnit, so I'm still on the hunt for a graphic novel mystery.
March 26, 2025
I think the content of this is only 3 stars for me -- the story isn't 100% my jam, and some of the jokes haven't aged well. But this is an A+ collection of a webcomic, with annotations on every page, contextual interludes, process images, and so much more. I love Jeff Parker and Erika Moen's work and I'm glad they were able to make this funny little comic together. And they created a symbol for the concept of infinite rage, which I think we could all use right now.
July 17, 2022
A funny, hipster take on an adult Scooby Doo caper with lots of jazzing involved. Just wonder why all the Juggaloes sounded like they spoke in a Creole accent.
December 22, 2022
Some of the art here is next level. The story is fine.
June 28, 2023
Really enjoyed this!
August 2, 2012
ARC provided by NetGalley
When Erika posted last year that she was about ready to start her new comic project, Bucko, I eagerly and quickly signed up for the RSS feed. I didn’t need to read the description or even know what the plot was, all I needed to know was it was Erika Moen creating something new. The fact that she was working with Jeff Parker was just an added bonus.
All Rich “Bucko” Richardson wants is to finally get a job. And maybe get a chance to talk to that one cute girl he met at that party a few days ago. And maybe have a threesome (maybe) with said girl and her roommate (hey they offered.) But things hit a bit of a snag when case of alcohol-fueled diarrhea at his job interview leads him to discover a brutally murdered body! And be accused of murder! What’s a guy to do? Well with the help of the girl (Gypsy) Bucko might, just might be able to solve the case and clear his name. Along the way they explore the wilds of Portland, Oregon and encounter steampunk Makers, Juggalos, meth girls, and more.
I know that some of you are thinking “I’ve read the webcomic, why the heck should I buy the book?” Well for starters because you need a portable version to take all of those places that you don’t have wifi access. Then because of the absolutely hilarious and fantastic forward by Steve Lieber on how Bucko came to be (and a bit about Jeff and Erika as well.) I won’t tell you what it says because you should just go ahead and buy the book, but trust me it’s worth the price. Why else should you buy it? Because of the awesome author’s commentary throughout the story, because you know you want to read the inside scoop on what went on while creating this book. Trust me, you really do.
As for the actual book I really like the story that Jeff creates. He builds the characters and adventures carefully and in just a few short pages, so that we quickly understand who Bucko is and why we should be interested in following his adventure. Jeff also helps us answer the age old question of what would you do if you needed to use the bathroom and there was a dead body around (I mean seriously who hasn’t wondered that before?) Seriously though Jeff is able to make us feel like we’re part of the story and we want to know what happens to Bucko and he sets it up so beautifully. I think one of my favorite scenes in the story though are those right at the beginning where Bucko has rushed to the job interview thinking he’s late and then realizes that it's daylight savings time and he’s early. Because let’s be honest who hasn’t done this before? Jeff captures that feeling of sheer panic and “oh crap...I’m not really late now what?” moment really well and makes us feel like we’re part of the story.
For me Erika’s artwork is one of the best things about this comic. I’ve been a fan of hers for quite some time and her artwork really works well with the humor/edginess of the story. Her line work and character design in this comic really help bring the story to live, especially the character design. I really love the juggalette gang, they’re just such awesome characters, and they remind me a lot from the Jokers in the Batman Beyond cartoon. One of my favorite aspects of Erika’s work in this collection is that many of the panels, at least early on, are charactercentric, so the backgrounds are often demphasized and all of the focus is on the characters, which is where it needs to be. To me Erika’s art style is unique, I just can’t really think of anyone else that works in the same style/manner that she does, but if I had to pick someone her line work reminds me of Lucy Knisley’s or Bryan Lee O’Malley’s work.
If you’re looking for something that’s slightly different and off kilter, but a great story then Bucko is the comic that you need to read. Seriously go and buy the book and read it. You get the comic, plus the forward, plus the introduction, plus the author’s/artist’s commentary as a bonus! You can’t beat that. And I hear that Jeff and Erika are working on the sequel and I can’t wait to see what they do with him next. 4 out of 5 stars.
When Erika posted last year that she was about ready to start her new comic project, Bucko, I eagerly and quickly signed up for the RSS feed. I didn’t need to read the description or even know what the plot was, all I needed to know was it was Erika Moen creating something new. The fact that she was working with Jeff Parker was just an added bonus.
All Rich “Bucko” Richardson wants is to finally get a job. And maybe get a chance to talk to that one cute girl he met at that party a few days ago. And maybe have a threesome (maybe) with said girl and her roommate (hey they offered.) But things hit a bit of a snag when case of alcohol-fueled diarrhea at his job interview leads him to discover a brutally murdered body! And be accused of murder! What’s a guy to do? Well with the help of the girl (Gypsy) Bucko might, just might be able to solve the case and clear his name. Along the way they explore the wilds of Portland, Oregon and encounter steampunk Makers, Juggalos, meth girls, and more.
I know that some of you are thinking “I’ve read the webcomic, why the heck should I buy the book?” Well for starters because you need a portable version to take all of those places that you don’t have wifi access. Then because of the absolutely hilarious and fantastic forward by Steve Lieber on how Bucko came to be (and a bit about Jeff and Erika as well.) I won’t tell you what it says because you should just go ahead and buy the book, but trust me it’s worth the price. Why else should you buy it? Because of the awesome author’s commentary throughout the story, because you know you want to read the inside scoop on what went on while creating this book. Trust me, you really do.
As for the actual book I really like the story that Jeff creates. He builds the characters and adventures carefully and in just a few short pages, so that we quickly understand who Bucko is and why we should be interested in following his adventure. Jeff also helps us answer the age old question of what would you do if you needed to use the bathroom and there was a dead body around (I mean seriously who hasn’t wondered that before?) Seriously though Jeff is able to make us feel like we’re part of the story and we want to know what happens to Bucko and he sets it up so beautifully. I think one of my favorite scenes in the story though are those right at the beginning where Bucko has rushed to the job interview thinking he’s late and then realizes that it's daylight savings time and he’s early. Because let’s be honest who hasn’t done this before? Jeff captures that feeling of sheer panic and “oh crap...I’m not really late now what?” moment really well and makes us feel like we’re part of the story.
For me Erika’s artwork is one of the best things about this comic. I’ve been a fan of hers for quite some time and her artwork really works well with the humor/edginess of the story. Her line work and character design in this comic really help bring the story to live, especially the character design. I really love the juggalette gang, they’re just such awesome characters, and they remind me a lot from the Jokers in the Batman Beyond cartoon. One of my favorite aspects of Erika’s work in this collection is that many of the panels, at least early on, are charactercentric, so the backgrounds are often demphasized and all of the focus is on the characters, which is where it needs to be. To me Erika’s art style is unique, I just can’t really think of anyone else that works in the same style/manner that she does, but if I had to pick someone her line work reminds me of Lucy Knisley’s or Bryan Lee O’Malley’s work.
If you’re looking for something that’s slightly different and off kilter, but a great story then Bucko is the comic that you need to read. Seriously go and buy the book and read it. You get the comic, plus the forward, plus the introduction, plus the author’s/artist’s commentary as a bonus! You can’t beat that. And I hear that Jeff and Erika are working on the sequel and I can’t wait to see what they do with him next. 4 out of 5 stars.
July 1, 2015
So far I do not like this. I guess it's less glib and lazy than your average popular webcomic, but there is certainly way too much self-indulgence to overlook. There are more notes and commentary from the creators than Gary Larson or Bill Watterson ever indulged in until they'd created two decades of daily comics. Your pwecious wittle cweative pwocess is just not that interesting, doughy trustafarians! Go burn up on a heap of flaming Richard Florida treatises. Nice to know that unpaid interns did their shading for them in their chummy little Creator's Space in Portland, though. These kids learn quick. [After I got to the end of the book, I realized the writer didn't even have the excuse of youth -- he's older than my doughy-assed, graying-bearded self! He packaging up what passes for youth culture in the Whatever Era and it rankles.]
Maybe I'm just too much of an old man at heart to enjoy this. But the commodified counter-culture depicted here seems the least compelling of any youth culture of the past, say, seven decades. Zoot suiters, beatniks, the black power generation, the draft resisters, riot grrls, for any flaws and weaknesses inherent in their movements, these were youth fighting back, struggling for freedom in ways you could touch. There is nothing even opposed here, the parents of the preceding generation are hippies who were just as flighty and apolitical and pointless, in the eyes of the writer. And they're indulging in their own little vicissitudes and trappings of aesthetic non-rebellious rebellion. Piercings! Steampunk! Tattoos! Nekkid on the Internets! One tokenized lesbian with no lesbian community whatsoever! Absinthe for no fucking reason at all!
I've heard people say Portland is Brooklyn without the black people, and if that's so, this book would only include a quarter-mile radius around the east end of the Williamsburg Bridge in 2007. But it's not all boring white kids pretending to be whimsical and bohemian -- boy, what a romp it is to go to jail and interact with the fun darker-skinned folks for a few panels!
The figure drawing is sometimes fun, there's dynamic force to the characters, and sometimes good lighting effects and fun panel layouts. The artist deserves credit for that. But the forced whimsy leaves an awful taste.
Best hate-read of 2015.
Maybe I'm just too much of an old man at heart to enjoy this. But the commodified counter-culture depicted here seems the least compelling of any youth culture of the past, say, seven decades. Zoot suiters, beatniks, the black power generation, the draft resisters, riot grrls, for any flaws and weaknesses inherent in their movements, these were youth fighting back, struggling for freedom in ways you could touch. There is nothing even opposed here, the parents of the preceding generation are hippies who were just as flighty and apolitical and pointless, in the eyes of the writer. And they're indulging in their own little vicissitudes and trappings of aesthetic non-rebellious rebellion. Piercings! Steampunk! Tattoos! Nekkid on the Internets! One tokenized lesbian with no lesbian community whatsoever! Absinthe for no fucking reason at all!
I've heard people say Portland is Brooklyn without the black people, and if that's so, this book would only include a quarter-mile radius around the east end of the Williamsburg Bridge in 2007. But it's not all boring white kids pretending to be whimsical and bohemian -- boy, what a romp it is to go to jail and interact with the fun darker-skinned folks for a few panels!
The figure drawing is sometimes fun, there's dynamic force to the characters, and sometimes good lighting effects and fun panel layouts. The artist deserves credit for that. But the forced whimsy leaves an awful taste.
Best hate-read of 2015.
October 2, 2012
Reason for Reading: I just couldn't pass up the dead guy in the bathroom plot even though I was a little leary that the book might be beyond my tastes of decorum.
For me, this is one of those books that I was surprised to have enjoyed so much and also somewhat embarrased as it is not my typical fare and *not* what I would recommend to my regular readers who know that I point out issues one may have with a book's moral/indecent attributes. Well, let me say, this is the first book, I've ever reviewed that I've felt necessary to lable *adult*. Now don't get me wrong, it's not really like *that*. It's all innuendo and talk. There is bad language; it is irreverent and well just plain downright dirty in parts, nothing graphic mind you. But it is absolutely hilarious and I didn't find myself offended at all. These people were just so waaay out of my realm of experience I couldn't relate to them as real people but they were downright quirky and I know such types *do* exist in the world. I was chuckling and really had a ball. A little uncomfortable at first, but the two main characters Rich (Bucko) Richardson and Gyp(sy) are adorable and so genuine I fell for them right away no matter how misguided they were.
This book will not be for everyone and probably not for my usual blog readers but those of you who are here for my graphic novel and quirky book reviews will certainly appreciate this. While this is a print edition of a webcomic, it includes major bonus material for the fan. There is an introduction by Steve Lieber and one by Parker and Moen. There is also a running commentary at the bottom of most pages by the author/illustrator. Then there is a bonus comic on the Jugalette's story of her life and a look at the process of how a page was made; finally ending with a photo gallery.
A hilarious romp, on the wild-side, but not beyond acceptable to my tastes, even though I was a little shocked here and there. Let's say I spent quite a bit of time looking up definitions of words I hadn't a clue about and got quite an education on how the "other side" lives. Really hilarious though. Loved it!
For me, this is one of those books that I was surprised to have enjoyed so much and also somewhat embarrased as it is not my typical fare and *not* what I would recommend to my regular readers who know that I point out issues one may have with a book's moral/indecent attributes. Well, let me say, this is the first book, I've ever reviewed that I've felt necessary to lable *adult*. Now don't get me wrong, it's not really like *that*. It's all innuendo and talk. There is bad language; it is irreverent and well just plain downright dirty in parts, nothing graphic mind you. But it is absolutely hilarious and I didn't find myself offended at all. These people were just so waaay out of my realm of experience I couldn't relate to them as real people but they were downright quirky and I know such types *do* exist in the world. I was chuckling and really had a ball. A little uncomfortable at first, but the two main characters Rich (Bucko) Richardson and Gyp(sy) are adorable and so genuine I fell for them right away no matter how misguided they were.
This book will not be for everyone and probably not for my usual blog readers but those of you who are here for my graphic novel and quirky book reviews will certainly appreciate this. While this is a print edition of a webcomic, it includes major bonus material for the fan. There is an introduction by Steve Lieber and one by Parker and Moen. There is also a running commentary at the bottom of most pages by the author/illustrator. Then there is a bonus comic on the Jugalette's story of her life and a look at the process of how a page was made; finally ending with a photo gallery.
A hilarious romp, on the wild-side, but not beyond acceptable to my tastes, even though I was a little shocked here and there. Let's say I spent quite a bit of time looking up definitions of words I hadn't a clue about and got quite an education on how the "other side" lives. Really hilarious though. Loved it!
February 16, 2016
So . . . what would you do if you desperately needed to use the restroom but you found a dead body on the floor?
I loved loved loved Erica Moen's Dar. I've had more mixed reactions to Jeff Parker's work (Underground, Agents of Atlas), but I hear he's a good guy (if you're into comics and you live in Portland, you've met someone who works at Periscope studios where both Jeff and Erica work). I didn't actually read Bucko as it was published online, but the moment I saw it in the store, I had to buy it.
Our story goes like this: Rich Richardson meets a girl named Gypsy, who he likes and who likes him back, although she finds it too much trouble to remember his name, so she calls him "Bucko." What starts as a cute, though atypicl, love story focusing mostly on the possibility of a three-way gets interrupted when a string of tramatic incidents sends Bucko running screaming into the night. The search for Bucko becomes an odyssey, with Gypsy and friends encountering bike culture, denizens of public transit, and a homeless encampment made from recycled books.
This is the funniest thing I've read from Parker. The interesting characters and situations, like certain other comedies set in Portland, most people are going to find a bit silly and surreal, while those of us who live here will find uncomfortably true. And the artwork is amazing. Moen has mastered her gestural style, creating unique looks, easy to read facial expressions, great control of tonal values.
Possible flaws, depending on your tastes: I'm a sucker for a well-written quirky love story with likeable characters, so I was disappointed when Bucko disappeared for half of the book. Also, the webcomic was written as they went along, so the pacing is a bit rough when taken as a whole. Almost every page has creator commentary at the bottom (I preferred to read through the story, then go back and read the comments).
I'll read pretty much everything in a sequential art format; superhero, manga, crime, bio, whatever. This is easily the most fun I've had reading a comic this year. (And it's December, so that's actually saying something!)
I loved loved loved Erica Moen's Dar. I've had more mixed reactions to Jeff Parker's work (Underground, Agents of Atlas), but I hear he's a good guy (if you're into comics and you live in Portland, you've met someone who works at Periscope studios where both Jeff and Erica work). I didn't actually read Bucko as it was published online, but the moment I saw it in the store, I had to buy it.
Our story goes like this: Rich Richardson meets a girl named Gypsy, who he likes and who likes him back, although she finds it too much trouble to remember his name, so she calls him "Bucko." What starts as a cute, though atypicl, love story focusing mostly on the possibility of a three-way gets interrupted when a string of tramatic incidents sends Bucko running screaming into the night. The search for Bucko becomes an odyssey, with Gypsy and friends encountering bike culture, denizens of public transit, and a homeless encampment made from recycled books.
This is the funniest thing I've read from Parker. The interesting characters and situations, like certain other comedies set in Portland, most people are going to find a bit silly and surreal, while those of us who live here will find uncomfortably true. And the artwork is amazing. Moen has mastered her gestural style, creating unique looks, easy to read facial expressions, great control of tonal values.
Possible flaws, depending on your tastes: I'm a sucker for a well-written quirky love story with likeable characters, so I was disappointed when Bucko disappeared for half of the book. Also, the webcomic was written as they went along, so the pacing is a bit rough when taken as a whole. Almost every page has creator commentary at the bottom (I preferred to read through the story, then go back and read the comments).
I'll read pretty much everything in a sequential art format; superhero, manga, crime, bio, whatever. This is easily the most fun I've had reading a comic this year. (And it's December, so that's actually saying something!)
August 10, 2016
First off, I LOVE Erica Moen's work. I was an avid follower of DAR and I started reading Bucko online.
The good: I really enjoyed the extras on the book. You get Erica and Jeff's thoughts as they banter (via text) about the individual strips, plus there are extra stories that weren't available online. I also loved being able to sit down and read the whole comic in one go. Don't get me wrong, I love that there are webcomics and that they are freely available, but I wish that more artists were able to publish in book form. I loves me some hardback.
Erica's art is fun and simple but expressive. I loved the total rando characters that were thrown in and became regular, fleshed out people because they worked so well in the storyline.
The bad: Honestly? Not much. I did feel like the story could have actually been a little longer, the ending felt a little flat, but that is my complaint for most endings - I think that when we have great characters we want to keep reading and not let them go, so any ending feels wrong. Not to give any spoilers - this ending was sweet and left the option open for a sequel (PLEASE) or more stories about some of the side characters.
The final verdict: This comic reads like a tongue-in-cheek love letter to Portland. Frankly, anyone who has spent time in Portland will recognize the characters (and probably know some of them) and the backgrounds. Even the parts that are totally fabricated seem like they would fit right in PDX. It mocks hipsters but acknowledges them as one of the many valid subcultures that coexist in Portland. I would really like to see Moen and Parker put out a sequel or two, maybe focusing on other characters, to give readers a much needed dose of Portland-love.
The good: I really enjoyed the extras on the book. You get Erica and Jeff's thoughts as they banter (via text) about the individual strips, plus there are extra stories that weren't available online. I also loved being able to sit down and read the whole comic in one go. Don't get me wrong, I love that there are webcomics and that they are freely available, but I wish that more artists were able to publish in book form. I loves me some hardback.
Erica's art is fun and simple but expressive. I loved the total rando characters that were thrown in and became regular, fleshed out people because they worked so well in the storyline.
The bad: Honestly? Not much. I did feel like the story could have actually been a little longer, the ending felt a little flat, but that is my complaint for most endings - I think that when we have great characters we want to keep reading and not let them go, so any ending feels wrong. Not to give any spoilers - this ending was sweet and left the option open for a sequel (PLEASE) or more stories about some of the side characters.
The final verdict: This comic reads like a tongue-in-cheek love letter to Portland. Frankly, anyone who has spent time in Portland will recognize the characters (and probably know some of them) and the backgrounds. Even the parts that are totally fabricated seem like they would fit right in PDX. It mocks hipsters but acknowledges them as one of the many valid subcultures that coexist in Portland. I would really like to see Moen and Parker put out a sequel or two, maybe focusing on other characters, to give readers a much needed dose of Portland-love.
October 23, 2012
Review of Bucko by Jeff Parker and Erika Moen
4 stars
“Bucko” is the product of a writer and an artist from Periscope Studio in Portland, designed initially as a “webcomic.” Poor “Bucko” is incognito in a sense, as his new maybe-about-to-be girlfriend can’t remember his name. She’s an artist working in cephalopod themes (octopi) which her roommate sells on Etsy; he’s a guy who needs a job to stave off eviction. What he doesn’t need is a corpse in the office restroom-for which he’s blamed and arrested. What he does need is someone to believe in him, and that is what he eventually finds; but not before the city of Portland seems turned upside down, and we get a close look at a lot of the life “underneath.” Included are mystery, gang violence, homeless “villages” and guru-loyalty. The artistry is deft and the dialogue proceeds apace.
I received an e-book copy from Great Minds Think Aloud in return for my fair and impartial review.
4 stars
“Bucko” is the product of a writer and an artist from Periscope Studio in Portland, designed initially as a “webcomic.” Poor “Bucko” is incognito in a sense, as his new maybe-about-to-be girlfriend can’t remember his name. She’s an artist working in cephalopod themes (octopi) which her roommate sells on Etsy; he’s a guy who needs a job to stave off eviction. What he doesn’t need is a corpse in the office restroom-for which he’s blamed and arrested. What he does need is someone to believe in him, and that is what he eventually finds; but not before the city of Portland seems turned upside down, and we get a close look at a lot of the life “underneath.” Included are mystery, gang violence, homeless “villages” and guru-loyalty. The artistry is deft and the dialogue proceeds apace.
I received an e-book copy from Great Minds Think Aloud in return for my fair and impartial review.
October 6, 2012
Not quite what I thought I was getting. The first couple of pages appear to set up a murder mystery (our protagonist visits a bathroom with a corpse and --- because he has to --- uses the toilet before doing anything else). However, the emphasis isn't the murder, but the characters: our toilet user Rich (also known as Bucko) and Gyp (the girl he might have slept with the night before). Instead of a detective novel, we get a glimpse into the alternative culture both live in, including co-op bikes stores, suicide girls, makers and etsy folk, hobos, and Insane Clown Posse followers. It's disjointed, but fun.
August 4, 2012
Funny and silly, and just a little bit dirty. Bucko was an enjoyable read. I didn't particularly like the running commentary from the writer and illustrator, but I'm sure many readers will enjoy the extra insight into the story.
The bonus material of the epilogue and the Juggalette's life story were fun too.
The bonus material of the epilogue and the Juggalette's life story were fun too.
October 8, 2014
I'd kind of been putting this off as a long long time Moen lover -- it has a Juggalo (JuggalETTE actually) in it - but the lactating-for-pay zaftig Suicide Girl and the lesbian roommate and the general giddiness of the whole project won me over when I sat down and actually got it read. Word, a wild, silly, and fun ride. Erika, I love you so.
December 26, 2014
I wasn't thrilled with this book. I never felt engaged and there wasn't a great sense of pace. I'm not as interested in humorous graphic novels, so that may be part of it. However, I found the commentary about the process of producing this book very interesting and worthwhile.
October 18, 2012
Really, reeeeally funny stuff. If you're looking for a good humor comic, this is it.
December 14, 2012
Great collection of the wonderfully fun web-comic. Plenty of extras. Love the story, which is very "Portland".
January 26, 2013
Enjoyable collection of webcomic - light-weight read and the McGuffin of the murder mystery is disposed of too quickly.
February 18, 2013
Irreverently funny comic that definitely adheres to the "Keep Portland Weird" motto.
February 20, 2013
It's drawn by Erika Moen. What more need be said?
June 5, 2013
A crazy, nasty romp, with a twisted plot and an oddball cast, Bucko is full of fun.
November 2, 2015
The story has a lot of fun moments and Erika Moen's art is wonderful as always.
August 6, 2013
Just a whole lot of zany fun.
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