The Good
The solicit doesn't do the best job of describing this book. Jake Lawrence's TEEN DOG isn't an on-going story or have an over-arcing plot. It's a bunch of one page shorts and a couple two-pagers, compiled into a single book. It's not a knock of the book. It's actually incredibly charming. Teen Dog is a rad dude who skateboards and dreams of pizza.
Can we talk about what I LOVED now?
I'm the owner of a 13 year old pug, currently sleeping right behind me, and I loved the character Thug Pug, the "bad boy" of the school. At one point, he spray-paints something on the wall that is supposed to offend Teen Dog, and it actually made me laugh out loud. I also love the interaction between Teen Dog and his teacher, Mr McGuffin, especially in the scene where McGuffin sees what Teen Dog did to his book for class.
The overall book is really enjoyable and had lots of comedic moments which are great for both adults and kids. Sure, the book plays a bit more to kids than adults, but there's still a ton of enjoyment to be had from the grown-ups who have a kid's heart. Yes, this is a fun book. If you want sadness and grit with your characters, go somewhere else.
The montage ending of this issue is fantastic. It's a great tribute to every 80s film that gave the audience updates on every character, and again, it's another great example of something for both kids and adults.
This book has a great indie feel to it. Now, save your "hipster" name-calling for a moment and hear me out. Lawrence's artistic style is a lot like Adventure Time so it feels familiar and the stories and world these characters live in feels very 90s, so everything about this book feels right.
The Bad
While reading this book, and not having read Jake Lawrence's Tumblr, where this character originated from, it felt like we never got a solid introduction to the character in the opening. Teen Dog's entrance feels flatter than it should. It's almost like this is a well established character entering a log running book.
The stories don't really connect. It's just blips or moments in Teen Dog's life. Knowing very little about the book to begin with, it was a bit of a shock. After finishing the issue, I was fine with it.
The Verdict
TEEN DOG is a ton of fun. Sure, I only latched onto this issue because I thought the name was genius. However, the pages inside provided a ton of fun and a group of very charming characters you will quickly fall in love with, even Thug Pug. Sure, as a new reader, to this new series, you still feel a little left out with this character's intro, but overall, TEEN DOG #1 is a great read and I highly recommend it.