Turf War

By J.A Parker

“What kind of soda are you?”

“I’m legally not allowed to say, but it’s delicious.”

It’s the attack of the eyebrows! Oh, wait a minute, it’s just people in fast food related costumes…

J.A Parker’s fun comic style comes out once again in his newest story titled Turf War. It’s a story about hamburgers, pizza, and betrayal… and milkshakes.

A bunch of restaurant chains have opened up on the block and everyone wants to have the most successful business, which means getting rid of the competition. Parker opens up the comic with a quote from Al Capone, “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.” This quote sets the tone for most of the comic as workers from the restaurants constantly plot against one another.

The drawings may appear innocent and fun, but Parker brings a strong adult theme into this comic with both the story and the language. I didn’t know pizzas could talk like that!

The artwork by Parker is always fun and playful, and yes… even in the scenarios depicted in this comic there are some playful qualities. In a scene that kicks off the comic, and seems rather innocent, a little boy runs up to a man dressed as a milkshake trying to persuade people to eat at his restaurant — this is the scene that contains the quote seen above. The little boy is wide-eyed and excited to talk to the milkshake. The milkshake’s response comes when he kneels down and whispers it to the boy, but suddenly a car rolls up and the whole tone of the comic changes… it’s Grand Theft Auto! Everybody run!

Parker’s unique artistic style always adds a fun look his comics, with Turf Wars being no exception to this. The characters are always loaded with expression and he creates humor in a story full of grit and vengeance. Now if only GTA let us dress up as hamburgers…