The Stop Button

Ragamuffins is a very strange comic. It’s unfortunate it’s strange, because in addition to being strange, it’s a lovely effort from Don McGregor and Gene Colan.

McGregor writes first person narration to introduce each of the three stories, which start in 1951 and then follow up with the protagonist some years later to show how he’s grown up. The problem is how well the stories work–Colan doing small town Americana is just phenomenal and McGregor writes the heck out of the scenes–so when the last one has a forced finish, it’s very obvious.

If McGregor had done a fourth story, or even put the three stories in a different order, it might work out. But for there to be two successful transitions between stories and then a failure on the last one. It hurts.

But the comic’s successful right up until the last page. Wonderful mix of nostalgia and reflection.

B 

CREDITS

Writer, Don McGregor; artist, Gene Colan; colorist, Steve Oliff; letterers, P. Bernard Jr. and David Cody Weiss; editor, Dean Mullaney; publisher, Eclipse Comics.