Zits: Sketchbook 1

When a strip has a name as tasteful and enlightening as "Zits," you know it'll be a winner. And the third "Sketchbook" just came out!

The absence of "Calvin and Hobbes" left a hole in the witty humor department for a very long time (the WP newspaper has replaced it with the abysmal "Boondocks") but Zits has an almost eerie similarity to it in structure--as well as the fact that Jeremy has a remarkable resemblance to a six-foot-tall Calvin. It's "Calvin: The Teen Years."

Jeremy Duncan is a fifteen-year-old boy who lives in an average home in the suburbs. He tolerates his out-of-it-but-smart parents Walt and Connie, secretly longs for the unattainable Sarah (think of Susie at fifteen), and hangs out with best friend Hector (Hobbes has morphed into a Hispanic high-schooler with more wisdom than Jeremy can ever have).

Jeremy is such an "ordinary" teenager that it's astounding. He longs to be dangerous and edgy, but only makes himself look weird in the process. His schemes and daydreams are funny and very realistic. Hector is the best friend we all want--he's wise, funny, interesting, and against his better judgement he always goes along with Jeremy.

But this isn't a joke at the expense of the parents: Walt and Connie are almost as funny as their son. Though he thinks they are clownish pains, they are actually much smarter than he gives them credit for. "Un-chill" and passe, Connie has a biting wit and Walt a quiet wit. Parents will definitely sympathize.

If you're an adult, you'll be transported back to your teenage years. If you're a teen, you'll nod in agreement.

Today, the cartoon characters are so often grotesque and dysfunctional. Not so in Zits! For the majority of us THIS is a refreshing, good old peek at humor with class, talent, and superb art. The reader can identify with Jeremy, his friends, his experiences, and the parents' perspective. It is a magical combination of first rate profound humor that we can all relate to with clearly unparalleled artistic expression.

This book is the best. I mean it's like a teenage Calvin and Hobbes! It is so true and really relates to the real world and has a great funny charm to it. I definitely recommend buying it. I can't wait until more of these books come out!

As a teenager myself, I find myself looking to the Zits comic strip for that little hint of personal relation. There are times while I'm reading that I can definately relate, while at others, I just laugh out loud at how unlike me something might be. An overall great comic strip. If you're yet to read one, this is definately a great book to start with. You'll be yet to regret it.

This book is full of strips that can relate to almost every teenagers life. Everything from having a girlfriend to the actions made towards the parents by Jeremy(the teenager), and the actions of the parents towards him. After reading this book I found that almost every strip related to me. It's good reading for all ages (if you can read), so I recommend that you check this book out. You won't regret buying it.