Zits: Chillax by Jerry Scott (review)

In the first novel based on the long-running comic strip Zits, Scott and Borgman expand a storyline from 2001 that features Jeremy and Hector going to their first rock concert while their friend Tim's mother is being treated for cancer. Plagued by guilt (well, sorta) over their plans to attend the concert on the same day that Tim is having bone marrow extracted for donation, they convince themselves and their parents (well, sorta) that they are going on Tim's behalf. Of course things go crazily wrong and end up hilariously right, as a sequence of events leads to their being chased by security guards and ends with them scoring a most awesome present for Tim in the end. The novel treatment serves the comic well, enabling Jeremy's voice to come through clearly in his narration. His teen-inflected observations offer laugh-out-loud humor, and they'll elicit wry assent from readers who know exactly how deep the generation gap remains no matter how cool your parents are (or, in Jeremy's case, aren't). The cancer narrative provides dimensionality to the humor, showcasing the ambivalences of authentic teen response with a respectful yet light touch. Spot illustrations and full-page comics fill in gaps and bump up the hilarity; this is crazy fun all around, with just the right degree of seriousness to anchor the levity. Fans of Zits can rejoice in this new direction.