Review - Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face #1 (@DarkHorseComics)

"Lula, time to get up!"

The traveling circus is a thing of the past. The idea of a group of strange individuals gathered to impress and frighten attendees is one of the past, but the concept does make for good stories. Dark Horse Comics is offering one such story in Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face #1. The issue is written by Eric Powell and illustrated by Stephanie Buscema.

Wrinkle’s Traveling Circus’s most adorable bearded girl and her savory-named beast are back, and there is a new act in store! Come one, come all to the Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face! But beware: those who look behind the curtain are in for an awful treat, and it’s not just his face we’re talkin’ about!

Powell ensures that there's a lot to unpack in Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face #1. The narrative as it unfolds is pretty zany, as Powell follows Lula (the Bearded Lady) as she cavorts through a traveling circus. Interspersed throughout her romp are encounters with a series of "familiar" faces when it comes to traveling circuses and each of those maintain a distinct personality. The wild card so to speak is Powell's antagonist who arrives and starts a lot of trouble in a way that's both suspenseful and entertaining. The dialogue exchanges are very amusing and help further embellish the kooky characters Powell has.

Accentuating the strange tale is Buscema's cartoonish illustrations. Her style infuses a Ren and Stimpy approach in its look as it adds a level of madness to an already mad circus. Her characters are very cleanly illustrated and Buscema relies on sharp and concise lines throughout. Each of the characters also boast a very unique look that gives the circus a healthy mix of strange--both for the the protagonists and the antagonist. Her colors are very bright and vivid as well, providing an appropriate level of pop and infusing the circus with a big-top feel.

Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face #1 is a pretty strange issue that is also a lot of fun. Lula and the others in Wrinkle's Traveling Circus are just trying to do what they do best to live and when that's threatened things get even stranger. Powell's script is pretty straightforward an introduces the reader to all the players at the circus. Buscema's illustrations are easygoing and reflect a generally relaxed approach that helps the issue. Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face #1 is a lot of fun and offers a pretty entertaining story and world to visit.

Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World's Worst Face #1 in stores October 12.