GC Review #4: Free Lunch

hustlertwo

Free Lunch (reviewed 6/3/05)

On the surface, Free Lunch's premise, while original, might not seem like it has much longevity. However, over time Free Lunch has morphed from a one-note (though admittedly funny) series of jokes about the bottomless stomach of Fred the food critic into a hilarious take on most every element of pop culture, particularly the movies.

For starters, the characters of Free Lunch are some of the freshest and most interesting I've encountered in quite awhile. Fred himself hasn't grown too much since the beginning of the comic; he's still the same rude, crass, incredibly gluttonous man that you just can't help but like, an ideal main character for such a strip. Irv, Fred's coworker and compadre, provides something close to a voice of reason, except when it comes to any matter related to mixtapes or his idol, Tom Selleck. Then there's the half-man, half-zombie, all-notary, whose name has not yet been revealed. A late addition ot the cast, this easily exictable Blade-like hybrid has become a highlight of the strip, not only as the reader watches him become arguably the most developed character in Free Lunch, but because he is such a prime target for some easy zombie jokes.

The artwork of this comic has a rough, yet quite pleasant, feel to it. Most of the attention is paid to the characters, with fairly simplistic backgrounds. Faces are rather angular, and all of the characters are rather heavily shaded. Still, even if you dislike this art style (which is not the case for me), it is a welcome departure from the hundreds of redundant anime or sprite comics around.

One area where Free Lunch does trip up a bit is storylines. Not because of quality; like the standalone strips, the vast majority of the storylines are winners. However, they have a tendency to go on a bit too long, particularly the Christmas Beatdown and Brain Food episodes. Although the author's response to those who would complain about a Christmas storyline continuing into February was hilarious, it still didn't quite answer the question "Why?" And Brain Food, while my personal favorite of all the storylines thus far (due, in part, to its inventive explanation for the zombie outbreak), lasted over 40 strips and 6 months. That's a bit of overkill, no matter how you look at it.

All told, Free Lunch is an excellent and rather original comic, with some great laughs and unforgettable characters. Despite the occasional misfire, and some bloated story arcs, I heartily recommend this strip to anyone who wants something with a pleasant flavor all its own.

Original rating: 8

Re-review (5/3/06)

Next up are the tales of Fred the food critic as related in the webcomic Free Lunch. I praised this comic for its original premise and rather fleshed-out characters, but I also chided it a bit for somewhat bloated storylines. Looking back on it now, I still see a strip full of witty banter, unique characters, and an unkempt art style that's loaded with charm. However, I also still see a storyline that, while clever, could end up wearing a bit thin before it's done. But until then, what a ride it will provide. I'm raising Free Lunch's score half a point; it's absurdly likeable, if weak on rare occasions.

Total number of strips since the original review: 48

Current rating: 8.5

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"Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity."