Peter Bagge continues in a long tradition of "alternative" cartoonist. His most famous work was the realatively long running Hate comic which ran for several years from Fantagraphics (home of many such critically praised but not particularly successfull comics). For the most part, Hate concerned the wanderinigs of Buddy Bradley, a slacker who began in the Seatle grunge scene and eventually moved to the midwest. Buddy is the very definition of a slacker. He really wants nothing more than to avoid work, avoid commitment, avoid conflict (although he is usually not successful there) and pretty much just exist in his own surly little world without intereacting with the rest of the world any more than he absolutely has to. Occasionally, Bagge would find other topics and characters for his book, but Buddy Bradley was what everyone remembers.
It has been a couple of years since we have seen an issue of Hate, although the various characters have been featured in a couple of mini-series such as The Bradleys. Many long time fans might be disappointed that the long awaited annual actually features only one Buddy Bradley story, devoting only 8 of its 44 pages to the popular character. In fact, almost half of the book is not comics at all, but illustrated text pieces by Bagge. The Hate Annual is really aimed at someone who likes comics, but is not neccessarily a comic fan. The first story "Are You Nuts", is the one that stars Buddy. It is really pretty tame for a Buddy Bradley sotry. Buddy gets talked into a half hearted attempt at a foolish aquabus venture by his equally foolish slacker freind Jay. Not much happens and its not particularly funny. I would guess that it is there to satisfy all the Buddy fans who would not buy a Hate comic if they didn't see him somewhere in the pages.
It is followed by a text peice on the "Infomercial Oscars". It mainly consist of Bagge complaining about the tackiness of the event and is mildly interesting. Unfortunately it reeks of filler and there is more just like it to follow. the short (3 pages) story "Get It" was the best comic work in the book. It is actually a simple "punch line" story, reminisent of the old E.C. style of horror and science fiction comics. I saw the punch line comming, and you will too, but it was still more interesting that the Buddy Bradley story. The rather long text story on perrinial Presidential canidate Alan Keyes was next. Like the other text peices, Bagge's style is interesting enough, but it simply doesn't go anywhere. It is about Bagge's attempts to interview Keyes. He never gets to, but he spends 6 pages of the books talking about it. A self described "puff piece" on the rock group The Hollies is exactly that. One more text piece on Seatles EMP building fills out the book before that last comic story.
"Here's Lovey!" introduces a new cast of characters. Lovey is a typical Bagge creation with a rubbery body that just sort of spills all over the page. In her first story, she decides that a cross dressing boyfriend would be exotic and talks her boyfriend Andre into the attempt. I would guess that this is supposed to be the highlight of the book. Unfortunately is is a fairly gross waste of time. Perhaps I am just too old (although I am still younger than Bagge, dagnabit!) but the vulger shock jokes in the story just made me anxious for the end.
I used to read some of Bagge's work a few years ago. It is usually a decent read when you are burned out on supereheroes jumping around beating each other up. This book will fill the hunger that Bagge fanatics have for something new, but is really a poor introduction to anyone wanting to try his work. Go back and pick up the "Hey, Buddy" or "Buddy The Dreamer" collections if you are really interested. Or if you just want to waste an hour, the Hate Annual will do that pretty nicely.
