‘Happy Hour #1’ (review)

Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Michael Montenat
Published by Ahoy Comics

Ahoy Comics has been one of the best new comic book publishers out there these past couple of years. This book here is another example of the type of quality book that they specialize in. It is smart, funny, and it is very entertaining. You really can’t ask for more than that.

Happy Hour takes place in the future.

Imagine a place that has gotten so miserable that the government has to step in and force people to actually put a smile on their faces. Yes, I mean they literally do this. The book opens up at Stanford University and that is when the plot immediately gets put into motion.

We see a group of students going about their daily lives. They are typical college students with a lot of opinions, thoughts and general dissatisfaction

That is when we see the Joy Police coming up against these students and inflicting forced happiness on them.

Things get ugly pretty quickly.

We then get to meet and see our protagonist Jerry waking up in the hospital.

He survived the attack at the college campus. But he is still not happy. We then get to see a series of events happen to Jerry that lead him to find his happiness. That might in fact be the most terrifying prospect of them all.

The story is sharp and politically charged like most of the Ahoy line of books. The art is pretty darn spectacular too on this, very well done and stated. This is a fine comic indeed and I can’t wait to see what is explored for the rest of this series.

RATING: A