Title: The Abominable Charles Christopher
Author: Karl Kerschl
Start Date: 2007
Genre: Dark fantasy, comedy
Update Schedule: Wednesdays
Website: http://www.abominable.cc
Synopsis:
Charles Christopher is a mindless, speechless yeti who resides in Cedar Forest, which is under threat of human occupation by a powerful king. From a hilltop above the forest, Charles is sent on a mission by a wind spirit to retrieve the king from the human city. We also see side-stories from the many animals of the forest that Charles encounters on his journey.
Recommended Age Group: All ages.
Strengths:
The art is breathtaking. Kerschl’s artwork captures the beauty of the forest and the gorgeous scenery.
It’s also a well-executed take on the environmentalist man vs. nature story without driving its message into you repeatedly.
Weaknesses:
This comic has filler. Lots and lots of filler. In fact, it suffers from one of the worst cases of Filleritis I’ve ever seen. Remember when I mentioned in the synopsis that we see side-stories from the animals of the forest? Well, it happens TOO often in this comic. The story shifts away from Charles’ journey much too constantly, usually just to tell a joke. Sometimes the filler lasts for two or three weeks at a time. It’s irritating and it slows down the pacing. It especially doesn’t help when the comic only updates once a week, making it feel like a chore just waiting for the story to continue.
Aside from nearly bringing the comic to a screeching halt, the fillers also have a drastic tonal shift: They’re more comical while the main story is rather dark. It makes for a very jarring experience.
Verdict:
I give this comic a halfhearted recommendation. Reading the main story is a delight, but if you decide to give it a chance, be wary of the fillers ahead of time. You may be skipping roughly half the archive (no joke). This comic has been running for four years, and it’s running at a snail’s pace. The author has just FINALLY gotten into the good stuff as of the most recent update. He recently ended a chapter in which Charles has finally gotten what he needs; now he has to return to the mountain. What peril will await him there? Stay tuned…