Reviewer: Mathan “This book makes me squirm” Erhardt
Story Title: Peeping Tom
Written by: Kelley Puckett
Penciled and Inked by: Warren Pleece
Lettered by: Pat Brosseau
Colored by: Wendy Broome
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Focus/DC Comics
Poor Tom, he’s invulnerable, super strong, and still a nerd. He’s so much a nerd that he does his best George McFly imitation by watching Angela, the girl he has a crush on, from a tree outside her window. As he stands in the tree he obsesses over everything. Then she begins to unbutton her shirt. He is paralyzed, but doesn’t look away.
Then we’re back at Tom’s home where he casually lifts the living room furniture. His mom’s on the phone, and doesn’t give him a second glance. Then Tom goes off to the mall and ponders his place in the world. He also fondly remembers Angela’s bra covered chest. All of a sudden a fat guy sits on the bench next to him, so close their thighs touch!
Tom ponders all sorts of insults and ways to react to the space infringement. He even ponders what his hero name should be. The fat guy gets up, and Tom decides to go home. He finds the house empty and a Victoria Secret catalogue on a table. At that point he decides to “handle some business.” He later thinks of Angela and makes up his mind; he has to face her.
So he goes to her house. He apologizes for remarks last issue and tells her that he really wanted to see her again. Then he confesses that he climbed up into a tree and watched her take her top off. He’s so disgusted at his display of honestly that the next day at school he punches a hole in the wall, in front of a hall full of students. D’oh.
Puckett has the thought patterns of a teenager down pat. Tom’s thoughts bounce all over the place. It’s very in character, but kind of annoying. However it’s realistic enough that make it just shy of annoying. It’s almost more frustrating to watch Tom mess things up with Angela issue after issue. But I can remember being an awkward teen, just not that awkward.
Pleece is providing some great scenery. The subtle fact that it’s windy when Tom decides to play peeping tom, the frustration and infuriation when the large fellow sits next to Tom. Those are subtle moments that really make the book. The masturbation scene is equally well handled.
