Evan Dorkin

Maxim U.K. -- Dirty Harry (2005)

Added 2024-01-22 04:20:48 +0000 UTC

Here's a comics page we did for the U.K. edition of Maxim magazine. I don't have a lot to say about this gig. If I hadn't needed the money this was a job I would have preferred to have turned down. The concept wasn't of any interest to me, the script did nothing for me, it was something I took on purely for the paycheck (which was pretty decent, especially compared to comics rates).

I didn't enjoy working on the two installments. My comics are often intentionally stupid, rude and violent, but I try to avoid being crass. That might sound like splitting hairs, but it's the best way I have of putting it. The script just felt like it was trying too hard to be outrageous, the satirical element was as thin as the page it was printed on, the characters aren't likable in their nastiness, and the jokes aren't set up well (and aren't funny, imo). This might have been something semi-shocking in the 80s, I don't know. I remember the controversy that the comic references, by the time this comic came out it was likely in the back mirror. The series had no real point other than empty mayhem (and filling up space around the model photoshoots and aspirational lifestyle horsehockey). Maybe it was funnier for actual U.K. readers.

Then again, maybe not. We illustrated only one more of these before the plug was pulled on the feature. I doubt anyone missed it. One of the last things I ever want to have to pay attention to is the modern royal family. Any modern royal family, for that matter. Blarf.

Anyway, I hope this is of some interest despite my absolutely not selling anyone on it. For completion's sake I'm still going to post the second comic, you've been warned.