Lowest Comic Denominator
Kieron Dwyer and Co.
Reviewed by Darren Hick

LCD is, I have to say, equal parts outrageously funny and horribly disturbing. This is the definition of pornography. He's got his kinks (anal sex, rimming and death, mainly), but he doesn't limit himself. You've got your dictator dolls, your obliged visit from Ed McMahon, your Jar-Jar Binks parody (yes, it's taken me a little while to get to this one). I don't know how well I can describe it. I fear it's beyond me. The humor is somewhere between Mad Magazine and anything those hillbillies in Deliverance would laugh at. I'll say this: if you're a fan of Ivan Brunetti's Schizo, you'll want to add LCD to your collection. Dwyer's art is a strangely appealing combination of Evan Dorkin, Jack Davis and, believe it or not, Steve Ditko (though Dwyer's back-up artists are less adapting styles than outright stealing them). So, visually at least, it's attractive. Beyond this, I think the best I can do is offer you snippets from Dwyer's stories. From these, you ought to be able to decide if Lowest Comic Denominator is for you (keep in mind, I'm printing the clean stuff here, lest I have to add a disclaimer to the Journal's site)...

From "Dingle Berry Dawg in 'Ain't Love a Bitch?'":
[Monologue from D.B. Dawg:] "Wuhh--? Ah don' memmer nuthin... Must be Sund'y cuz they ain't come f'the trash... [sniff] Smells like somebody gots lucky... We-hell, I'll be -- It's me! Just get me a taste'a her scent... [lick] Huzzah! I is in love, I is! I gots ta git me some mo'a that sweet 'n' sour pork!"

From "ad" for Aspire:
"Hey Pal -- Why so glum? Let me guess -- your lady won't rim you, because of excessive butt-crack sweat?"

From "All DOLL-ed up!":
Emergency Room Receptionist: "So -- What's the problem, boys...?"
Status Quo Kid: "Hahaha... He --"
Brain Dead Boy: "Dude! Shut up!"
SQK: "He got a Barbie Doll head stuck in his ass! Ha ha ha ha ha"
BDB: "Fuck!"
Receptionist: "Oh, is that all? There's nothing to be embarrassed about -- I once had a Ken head stuck in mine... heh heh."
BDB: "DUDE! I ain't no homo!"
SQK: "Man, you're just sick!"

From "ad" for Red McNeck's Veal Parlor:
"[Voice of a cow fetus]: 'Hi I'm Unbie, the l'il unborn calf! Veal is DA BOMB!' Unbie's right, folks! Veal's the REAL DEAL! And you'll get only the freshest, MOST UNBORN calf meat at any one of my Red McNeck's VEAL PARLOR Restaurants! In fact, we let you pick 'em YOURSELF!"

From "The Finger's (tm) 10 Things You Can Put In Your Ass!"

1. Classic Coca-Cola Bottle
   
2. A Sharpie Pen
   
3. Ivory Soap
   
4. Tootsie Roll Pops
   
5. A Common Carrot
   
6. Wee Pals Ceramic Figurines
   
7. Oscar Mayer Weiners
   
8. The Finger (tm) Action Figure
   
9. Your Own Finger (no tm)
   
10. And, of course - Kieron Dwyer's Big Red Cock!

Lowest Comic Denominator will set you back $4.00 (including S&H). You can get in touch with Dwyer c/o LCD, PO Box 591134, San Fran, CA, 94159-1134 or visit his website at www.LCDcomic.com. God rest your soul.