Writer Michael Frizell Artist Joe Paradise Colorist Pablo Martinena Letterer Ben Glibert Editor Darren G. Davis
Thanks to TidalWave Productions for the review copy!
I may be the only person in America who hasn’t watched Netflix’s Tiger King series. That doesn’t mean I haven’t absorbed a ton of information about it through osmosis. But I’ve managed to avoid proactively involving myself in anything having to do with Joe Exotic…until now. The Infamous Tiger King is an illustrated biography of the now infamous Tiger King.
The story picks up at the end so to speak, with Jeff Lowe discussing the impact of the Tiger King show with some reporters. The intro assumes knowledge of the documentary, but soon we flash back to when Joe was a boy, providing brief snapshots of him as he ages. I can’t say how accurate it is and how much is new material not covered by the show, but it certainly adds some background detail about Joe Exotic that I was unaware of. With that said, it feels as if these snapshots are intended to fill in blanks as opposed to telling an independent story. That’s probably ok given the ubiquity of the show.
The art style is quite cartoony, with bright colors and thick lines. This stands in contrast to some of the more adult themes of the book, which includes some sexual situations, drug references, and adult language. I was surprised at how serious the book is, having expected it to be funny.
I would imagine the Infamous Tiger King will appeal to people who were fascinated by the documentary and got excited when the extra episode was announced. It’s not particularly compelling on its own, as its primary focus appears to be adding detail to a story the reader already is familiar with. As the comic notes, millions have watched the show, so that’s not an unfair assumption. But as a companion piece, I found it to be quite interesting, even having not watched the show.
INFAMOUS TIGER KING is now available.
Have you watched the series? Are you going to pick up this companion piece to the series? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.
