Gloom Cookie Trades, Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4

If you have ever been to a Goth club or have been a part of the Goth culture, then you will probably enjoy Gloom Cookie on some level. I picked up the Gloom Cookie trades, volumes 1-4, because I really like Ted Naifeh and his Courtney Crumrin character and this was recommended to me as being similar. It was in a way, with Ted Naifeh drawing Gloom Cookie Volume 1, and some similar subject matter, but overall Courtney still wins first place in my heart.

I really like Ted Naifeh’s art style, and a different artist drew each volume after Volume 1. I never really took to any of the other artists like I took to Ted. They just seemed overly messy, especially John Gebbia in Volume 2 and Harley Sparx in Volume 4.

The characters were all perfect examples of some of the people you meet in the Goth club, but that doesn’t mean you really like them, or even want to read about them.There’s the queen of the club, who’s Gother than Goth, her boy counterpart, her sidekick, who is much more interesting, of course, the pretty girl who isn’t as noticed and never seemed to get the guy she wants, and my least liked (because it’s oh so true) and yet, most funny character of Vermilion, the Goth poet who thinks he is a vampire.

The writing is downright awful, especially the dialogue. The plots themselves are a bit inventive, but you read these characters’ talking to each other and you cringe. I’ve never heard anyone, much less a Goth someone, call his or her friends “Sweetie” constantly, or say “Oogie.” It’s exaggerated baby talk. Thank God it lessens up in Volume 3 and 4.

Overall, Gloom Cookie is an okay lark, if you are familiar with the Goth culture. I won’t say that if you are, you won’t be offended, even though Serena Valentino is obviously a Goth herself. The writing is just too poor, and the art too inconsistent to give it more than a average rating. I’ve seen better, and it is Courtney Crumin.

Rating: 3 Purrs, but mostly because of Vermilion the Vampire Prince