Alright took me a long time to get my house in order but now I can finally get people on Drowse. This webcomic is easily one that stands out among the hundreds of others. It’s not that it’s on a platform like Webtoon, Hiveworks; because its own website. It’s how the presentation captures its setting and attitudes. Taking place in the 1960s, we have a noir story that is surprisingly accessible with just three chapters.
Drowse: Anything But Boring
Okay what kind of story involves a title like this? Thankfully it’s not dreams or going to sleep, but a reflection of the late 60s and early 70s. Think recreational drugs or protests against the status quo, especially on labor. Much like the time I’m writing all of this, there’s a divide on what’s political and what’s moral. Thankfully the main character knows where all of the protests by psychedelics land him. Admittedly it’s not much with just the current reading material. Instead the synopsis provides some background. That’s going to cost Frank Verano and Nick Klinger a few points…
A Caine To Stand On
Anyway, Drowse‘s main character is a private investigator with an appreciation for the small things in life. Even if some of Paul Caine’s methods of staying in business are morally questionable. Like blackmailing another PI to drop a case with pictures of him and his mistress. Also Paul keeps a few machines around his office that he occasionally uses. Apparently they are computer consoles that he is able to make use of with how complex his programming algorithms are. But it seems this comes with some baggage.
Paul is at odds with the police, like most noir detectives. A certain policewoman however seems to be our way into Paul’s past. Again this is from the synopsis, Paul’s used a psychic experiment to push his mind to its limits. But it wasn’t without costs as LSD tends to do. That and some form of urban mysticism that more than likely causes the police to lose respect for him. Because while his usual methods can get a job done, these higher risk cases with unorthodox methods can go bad; just ask this video link. So what happens when a New Wave Movement uses similar techniques to commit crimes?
The People’s Project
The People’s Project campaign comes in reaction to the Great Society Programs. Because of the political figures’ inability to manage taxes, and the Vietnam War becoming a priority, the Great Inflation rises. As a result unemployment was on the rise, as was the use of recreational LSD. So the People’s Project led by a German immigrant called Pop use these desperate people in experimental procedures. From what the synopsis says, these psychedelic experiments make people more susceptible to riot. Which might include a missing son Paul is looking for.
Pop’s story seems to come from how desperate people became during a similar case in Germany; the Hyperinflation from the Weimar Republic maybe? But he doesn’t seem to be wanting to fight for better rights, as an argument with another member suggests. If anything Pop is more willing to burn the foundations of the port town of Fairhaven to the ground. I think most of this commentary comes from Verano if his essay bibliography is anything to go by.
Browse: Not Drowse
Okay now that we’ve gotten that setup, let’s talk about the art. Jaime Huxtable outfits this with simple yet expressive illustrations while telling characteristics with the background. Especially when some images start to shift with psychedelic effects. Plus whoever gave the second chapter some interactive lettering from Taylor Esposito deserves praise. With just a click, people won’t have to learn German to know a man’s circumstances. That’s not even including how the pages are formatted to go down scrolling without the infinite canvas. It feels like this comic can be read as both a book and a webcomic without so many pages in the way.
Follow Along
For now this webcomic is just coming along with its first arc. While Drowse certainly stands out among the hundreds of others through its presentation, it feels incomplete. The characters certainly make good impressions on the reader with their motivations. Especially since a bigger conflict looks like is going to come between everyone involved. The historical context is also pretty good commentary, especially during the times everything is taking place on. But for now this slow burn approach requires looking at a synopsis and/or rereads. Until this series picks up it at leasts gets an 8/10.
