Hyperkinetic #1 - Advance Review

Let me begin this by saying that, when I first started illustrating comic books, I was around 8-9 years old. Obviously, my abilities were limited. I learned to draw comics by re-rendering exciting panels - in particular, Rick Leonardi's work in Cloak & Dagger, David Mazzuchelli's work in Daredevil, and any and everything Art Adams ever did.

But like all good artists, I checked-out art books from the library, got them from the bookstores - it didn't matter if they had anything to do with comics or not (almost none of them did) - anything to learn how to draw better. I obviously paid close attention to anatomy and learning to sketch quickly and accurately. As I met more and more artists, including sequential artists, anatomy was stressed more and more. I became quite accomplished and knowledgeable as to the human anatomy (not to say I was a great artist, just that I was better at anatomy than most of my peers because I focused on it and learned a lot about it) - to the extent that I personally felt my art began to suffer.

More and more, I was overly-concerned with photorealism when the artists I respected so much had a cartoony, over-the-top style that my training simply wouldn't allow me to relax and experience for myself. At, or around, 16-17, I began drawing the heavily-sketched, carefully-plotted, anatomically-accurate figures I'd learned... and erasing everything except the heavy guidelines. This produced an incredibly clean style akin to Sam Liu or Art Adams - far closer to what I had been going for to begin with - one which, after years of dormancy, is almost impossible for me to duplicate these days. But the reason what I was doing worked is because, beneath it all, the proper anatomical rendering was present.

Hyperkinetic is manga. And manga is not big on anatomical correctness. The artwork is not necessarily hastily-rendered, but it lacks anatomical knowledge, which I find annoying. Just like when you learn to edit writing you can never again enjoy a poorly-edited book, when you learn anatomy, you can never again enjoy a comic book or illustration that intentionally overlooks proper form. And Hyperkinetic features work which clearly indicates the artist learned to draw from toy figurines, not real figures.

The artwork isn't bad for what it is, but it's so highly stylized that it is only going to appeal to fans of the manga style. And yes, there may be all types of manga, but manga and anime has a very specific style which is central to it all. Hyperkinetic is so intentionally, over-the-top Saturday Morning cartoon that I found it hard to take seriously on any level.

However, Hyperkinetic is not meant to be taken seriously. Actually, it's quite funny and... hyperkinetic. But it fits a little too neatly in that single drawer: Hyperkinetic is a Saturday Morning cartoon in print, and while fans of that fare might love it, general comics fans and we more studious fanboys will find it more 25¢ bin than top-shelf. But let's not dismiss it; Hyperkinetic is enjoyable - again, it's good for what it is - and the trick is to relax and appreciate it on that level. Unfortunately, if you don't particularly care for such fare, you are not going to enjoy Hyperkinetic.

Hyperkinetic has cute girls doing superheroic things while spouting funny one-liners that remind us they are cute girls. Yes, it's hackneyed and stereotyped, but it's supposed to be. In fact, the whole thing is formulaic, but it's supposed to be - the art, the dialogue, the plot, the concept. Hyperkinetic is slightly enjoyable on some level, but it isn't going to appeal to anyone over about 17 unless they're just plain weird, or possibly slightly retarded.

Like similar poor fare, Hyperkinetic relies on inappropriate sexual non-sequitirs to remind us that it is not an afterschool cartoon, but tucks them in alongside "cheeky" teen-angst silliness that reminds us it could be. With too-cute exchanges about "genital fungus" and peeing in others' shampoo, I was waiting for the requisite, "I'm sorry - it's just my time of the month" routine and I wasn't disappointed. If it had been written by 15-year old boys, I'd say it was worth checking-out, but unless there's a second press release on the way, I can safely say Hyperkinetic is a very poor showing.

If you are a 20-something guy who wears Mascara and carries a Hello Kitty lunchbox, then Hyperkinetic is for you. Everyone else can safely pass.

Hyperkinetic crash-lands in stores next month.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008