Don’t Spit In The Wind is Mad Cave Studios’ first creator-owned comic. What does that mean? In my other post’s layman terms, the creator Stefano Cardoselli owns everything but the final printing’s say and licensing. Need more, Mad Cave owns Hunt. Kill. Repeat., Show’s End, and Over The Ropes not their creators.
So Cardoselli gets to go all out by telling relatable a dystopian sci-fi about burnout and indifference. He shows characters with hopes, dreams, and beliefs to get them through life that make them feel real. Something that’s put up to the challenge when a suspenseful threat is lurking around. Worse, nobody who can help out really seems to care.
Don’t Spit In The Wind of Empathy
Cardoselli gives each character stylistically memorable designs and personalities. For example the suits worn by POV character Travis and his coworkers have cartoonish decorations. It displays their friendship and non-work lives when their dialogue isn’t enough for the reader. Like there are little things happening in the background to enjoy in a bleak world. Readers genuinely feel like they’re trying to help each other out and make their lives easier. Unlike the comm operators who always look lifelessly indifferent with how they slouch over with coffee in hand.
Speaking of dialogue, Daniel Lee arranges it and SFX in ways that make the most impact. Otherwise the opening of a seagull crowing while taking a dump on Travis wouldn’t be as memorable. Or how the amount of text in a caption feels like Travis is savoring the moment of seeing his girlfriend.
But what catches my eye the most is how characters talk to one another. Like how Travis trades sarcastic quips with his co-worker over the intercom. In juxtaposition with Travis’ inner dialogue, readers can decide whether this is dry indifference to one another or forming a connection. But compared to the central operators who speak robotically, the latter sounds more likely. Not to mention when Travis speaks with another ground unit, there’s a sense of respect and care between them.
Would This Be Wastepunk?
All of which means a lot considering there’s a sense of indifference permeating throughout every page. From the overbearing sense of corporate burnout to how it seems the wrecked planet Earth is slowing killing every human life. There’s a suspenseful atmosphere surrounding these working Joes just trying to live their lives. Especially since all of the waste created predators like a mutated monstrosity of a goldfish with a god complex and nihilistic cults.
When they appear, any hope to salvage or sustain a better life is gone for good. Just about every character reacts to threats with indifference. Even the figurehead in charge of humanity’s last haven is so burned out, he doesn’t bother trying to sustain his profits.
Speed of Decay
Don’t Spit In The Wind is a title that is best read in the full album. By the second issue, the pacing speeds up to breakneck levels. If read from the second or third issue readers might struggle with the plot threads that unfold. Because if they don’t see things from the beginning, they’ll never feel the significance of the events. In a world that doesn’t want humans around, the ones most affected by it still tried their best to make the most of their bad situation. All in contrast to people who indulged in humanity falling apart. Seeing them lose connection with people they shared their lives with allows readers to actually feel the weight of those loses. Especially when that can be read in under 10 minutes.
Don’t Spit In The Wind, You’ll Enjoy The Moment
Don’t Spit In The Wind is a creative passion readers feel throughout the pages. The setting, characters, and the clashes between them are all things to remember. Because the visual storytelling and character interactions are working in tandem. Frankly it’s no wonder that Cardoselli wanted to own this, it all comes from the heart. Even if the pacing can be a little quick with how it delivers a depressing atmosphere. Final score: 8/10.
But the ink’s not dry yet. Thanks for coming to the end and as always, remember to look between the panels.