Much like last week's review, I am going to tell you the story while reviewing it. I think that's going to be the norm for now on.
Seeing this title, David Lee Roth (from Van Halen) comes to mind.
"I ain't got nobody
Nobody cares for me, nobody
Nobody cares for me
I'm so sad and lonely
Sad and lonely, sad and lonely" ... Just search it up on Youtube. It's much better to hear than to read it.
Great. Now I'm going to have that song stuck in my head this whole review.
The Story/The Review:
We start off with Beetlejuice playing a card game. He must be feeling a little generous, as he tells the waitress to buy him another beer and get something for herself. On the way out, he decides to give her a nice smack on the tooshie. I don't think it was meant in a sexual way whatsoever. He was, uh, looking for polyps. Don't Google that. One of his card players asks, how is he such a chick-magnet? But the other card player says, he's a shapeshifter. Stupid question! While they're conversing/arguing, Beetlejuice looks down at the cards, specifically at the queen and see's Lydia. Visuals help, so here you go ...
You gotta love Beetlejuice's smug smile in the top panel.
Well, where did he go? He appears in Lydia's bedroom where he says awkwardly, "Heeey, babes" like he knows he's been gone for a while and probably feels a tad bit guilty for it. He then tells her not to call him by herself, because, if you remember from Chapter 8, he said basically, "Don't call me, I'll call you" type of deal. But he realizes Lyds is asleep. She's calling his name in her sleep. Beej makes the comment that she misses him.
And that's it.
What did I think?
I'm going to sound like a broken record, again, C n S has a lot of really short chapters. Only a couple pages, but still, they're effective. We're starting to get where Lydia and Beetlejuice become best friends like they were in the cartoon. Again, short? Wicked. Effective? Yes.
Again, much like the past two weeks, since this was a short chapter, I will review the next chapter, which is ...
We start off with Lydia riding her bike, complaining about what a hole Winter River is, because they don't have a developer. Hey! Now I've been to the real Winter River (East Corinth, VT) and ... and ... well, actually, she is right. East Corinth (Winter River) is really small, everything is crammed together, and there is nobody around. I went this past fall and it was like a ghost town. May have to post something on my trip there on here sometime.
Lydia is startled when someone yells at her to slow down. And it's Beetlejuice in a grocery store display window. Lydia asks why he's there and he says he was just in the neighborhood doing a little haunting and wanted to check on his favorite mortal. Seems simple enough. Beetlejuice explains that he knows he's been gone for a while, but he's been really busy. With what little money he had, Bones (Jacques) used the majority of it to start the case with Vince back up again. Which I find strange as the case is done, Beetlejuice was found innocent, and now the pressure is on Vince. But maybe the reasoning for reopening the case is interesting, so let's see how it pans out.
Then, some scum bag thought Beej wasn't coming back, so he sold his stuff in a garage sale and Beetlejuice had to get all his possessions back. It would be interesting to see who did that, maybe add another antagonist to C n S. Or! There's an Neitherworld mob! ... Nah, let's just stick with Adda writing C n S. Anyway, it doesn't help Prince Vince is following him around. What a douche. Gaaaah! I hate you, Vince!
Lydia comments it's been five months. Now, in defense of Beetlejuice, if this is like the movie where the afterlife (Neitherworld's) time cycle is faster than Earth's, then I'd say cut him break. I mean, Adam was only in Sandworm land for maybe twenty quick seconds and he was gone for three hours in Earth time. Even Beetlejuice didn't know he's been absent for that long. He looks at the bright side and says they have a lot of catching up to do. Lydia tells him she graduated and is now waiting to hear back from some universities. She then mentions summer holidays and Beetlejuice get's excited. He says that's great, because he was supposed to teach her how to play poker and she was going to teach him how to use this "thingy" for photography. Sounded kind of perverted there! My head goes in the gutter easily, so ... yeah, anyway. Just ignore me.
Lydia asks why he came back ... for real. Beetlejuice ACTS (keyword there) like he's shock she would ask such a question. "After all they've been through." But oh no, there's ... children. They can't have this conversation there. She says she'll call him later. Beetlejuice will be waiting and he already knows she will say yes. Hmmm. Interesting.
Later, Lydia is in her room and she calls him. He appears in a Cheshire Cat way in the mirror, saying he thought she stood him up. She asks what he wants. He says that she won't call him and after all this time, she's still afraid of him. She says she's not afraid, but has a feeling he's up to something. She says the 3 B's and brings him to the Outerworld (world of the living) and he comments, "That's better." Beetlejuice does an out-of-character thing and pulls Lydia in for a hug. Why is this out-of-character? He didn't try to cop-a-feel. Lydia asks if she's drunk and he says, no ... okay, maybe a little. Made me chuckle :)
Lydia asks what he's getting at and he explains that it's weird how having a ghost attached to her for a half a year, she never took advantage of that. He does have a point. He bets she can think of at least one person she'd get back at, but she won't, because she's a good girl. Lydia says, no. But Beetlejuice says, he would do things for her, her hands would stay clean, and he would have a steady job. Lydia's not so sure and says he could hurt someone. He says he never hurt any of them (referring to the events of the movie) and she says he turned into a snake. Knocking Otho down the stairs and throwing Charles over the balcony (this isn't said in the comic, but you can guess what she's getting at and on that note, I hope Otho does make an appearance in this comic sometime. I always felt Glenn Shaddix gave a great performance and the Otho character is underrated and overlooked).
Beej says she has no sense of humor, but apologizes for the snake incident. He says he won't do anything like that, but instead classic ghost stuff. Chain noises, cold spots, etc. etc. But he has a better idea. I'll let this page straight from the comic explain it.
He says, nobody get's hurt. Everyone is happy. But Lydia's still not sure and it still sounds like a con. That's because it is Lydia, but come on! Live a little! Even Beetlejuice says, everyone cons one way or another. But she says they don't have to. Beetlejuice says to just think about it. They don't have to make any decisions yet. For right now, things will stay the same. She can call him, they'll hang out. Vince will still sick his goons on Beetlejuice to make his life hell. But the bright side, they can hang out. Lydia says okay, but if she finds out he's up to something, the deal is off. Beej says okay. Now does she want to find out how to play poker?
And that's it.
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What did I think?
I really liked this chapter. It was story-driven. It makes me doubt Beetlejuice is being honest, but I'm intrigued to find out if maybe I'm wrong, because it does seem like he cares about her. But if they do this, it could turn around and bite them back, causing problems making it even more interesting, because Beetlejuice is suppose to keep his nose clean after the trial. All in all, no flaws that I can see. I feel like someday I'm going to have to just make flaws up just so it doesn't look like there is any favoritism. :P
Until next time, this has been another review with me.
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Read my other reviews on Cobweb and Stripes:
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapters 7 & 8 Chapter 9 & 10 <----> Chapter 13 (coming soon)
For more Cobweb and Stripes, check out these destinations.
Also, be sure to check out Ada's original projects as well. She's a very talented artist and does take commissions.
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Beetlejuice Related Reading Material
The Ghost with the Most! Review
Nice *Bleeping* Sequel! (A blog I wrote when news was running rampant about a Beetlejuice sequel)
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