Yots of Ticks: A Review of Planet Saturday Comics
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Review by Scott Tingley, January 31, 2009

Observations made while reading Planet Saturday Comics by Monty S. Kane .

• I once thought that a Voltron toy would take care of any boredom I would ever feel.

• I started going bald at 22, so I have felt a little older than I actually am for the past dozen years or so (which is perhaps why I have felt under-mature for my age for the past dozen years or so) and I revel in the fact that my daughter will think I am a little bit of an idiot when she is older – it's part (all) of my charm.

• My boy loves sticks.

• I always thought (even after I was old enough to know better…right around when I got the Voltron) that I might develop superpowers one day.

• My kids will be able to beat me at everything in a very few years…except in any competition involving obscure 80s comic trivia (although it would be a very proud moment indeed to lose that event to them).

• Kids grow up too quickly.

I received Planet Saturday Comics in the mail today and it was a bit of a surprise. If it wasn't such a nice day and if I hadn't had a twenty minute walk home after the car-pool dropped me off at the post office I might not have even read it for a while. But it was and I did, so I did. When I got home I was then greeted at the front door by my 2 year old son because he wanted to show me the two pieces of snow crust he had collected on his walk earlier that day. It's like he knew that I had just read this book and he wanted to reinforce why I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading it.

Kane is a father who has written and drawn a sweet book for fathers. You moms or non-child having adults would probably get a kick out of it too but at its core Planet Saturday Comics is a book about a father who is surprised at how much he enjoys being a father. All of the bullying, awkwardness, disapointments and joy he experienced as a kid was just training for his life as a dad.

Some of the multi-page mini-comics work better than others and the art, although not what you would see in more commercial works is always consistent with a good sense of perspective and timing. It is a very touching book without being forced. The sweetness is genuine and very MANLY.

This is a nice book to stuff dad's Father's Day Stocking (a tradition I am unsuccessfully trying to start at my house) and a good book to bring along if you are dumb enough to read while you walk.

You can read some sample comics and order your own copy HERE ( a dollar from each sale goes help uninsured kids get healthcare ).

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