Don’t Do That! is a graphic novella telling an unpleasant
tale of Dan, a twelve year old duck, and Larry, a much older creepy
comic book artist. It is hard to say what kind of being Larry
is; he has a massive sweaty head the shape of a nuclear explosion
mushroom cloud, with a robot body and short stubby legs. Dan and
Larry hang out together a lot, and Dan even helps Larry with his
comics, although it becomes clear that Larry’s interest in Dan
is unhealthy.

David Charles Cooper’s pen and ink drawing manages to convey a
gross, gurgling, wormy texture to nearly every page. Think of
Eraserhead for
preteens. Dan’s natural curiosity about sex is at the mercy of
the perversions of his older peers; slime, saliva or sweat seem
to cover every bodily surface; boils, pimples and acne lie in
wait. Every character is disgusting.

It’s quite an accomplishment being able to make provoke such a
sense of revulsion, and Don’t Do That! is clearly the product
of a fetid imagination. It goes without saying that most right-thinking
Americans will view this artwork as typical of the odious creations
of countercultural slackers, and it is no surprise to learn that
the artist lives in Canada. By comparison, Beavis and Butthead,
Ren and Stimpy,
and South Park almost
seem wholesome. This work will certainly appeal to a good number
of deviants.

Revealing probably too much about myself, let me add that I enjoyed
Don’t Do That!; it is a well drawn and powerful story.
I would not recommend it as a sensitive portrayal as sexual abuse,
but it nevertheless gives a sense of the nightmarish world of
some twelve year olds.

Links:

• Fantagraphics Books.
  
• Artist’s website.
  
  
  

Categories: ArtAndPhotography