Quick Review: ‘Metadoggoz’

Metadoggoz is about a squad of teenage dirtbags living in the techno-megalopolis. The grungy cyberpunk setting is used to explore themes of race, class, and belonging through the lens of youth culture.

Writer/artist Bérénice Motais de Narbonne really excels at atmospheric pacing, creative page layouts, and gonzo background art. It’s no small feat to make pages that are visually busy easily readable. The title that kept coming to mind for comparison was Taiyō Matsumoto’s Tekkonkinkreet. Both feature young street punks navigating surreal and hauntingly beautiful dystopian cities. Both have hints of mystery and mysticism with themes open for interpretation.

However, unlike Tekkonkinkreet, Metadoggoz lacked engaging protagonists and antagonists to hook me into the narrative. While the surreal setting is unique, Metadoggoz suffers from a meandering plot and maudlin dialogue.

Metadoggoz is a mixed bag; its art alone is worth studying for lovers of avant garde alternative comix. There may be some readers going through a rough patch who connect with characters who’ve reached rock bottom. However, I wouldn’t recommend Metadoggoz to a casual readership. If you don’t care for European films that center on a “depressed good-looking guy smoking a cigarette” then you won’t like Metadoggoz.

Metadoggoz will be available March 24 from Drawn and Quarterly.