Black and White comic anthogies have come a long way over the years, from being simply "fringe" to the status of higher-class comics. For this we owe thanks to one source, Dark Horse Comics Presents, the leader in B&W comic anthology for over 10 years and running. DHCP has paved the way for other B&W anths like Negative Burn and anthologies (yes color too) in general to have at least mild success (hell, DC even did a 4-part Batman B&W anth. Which leads us to this: Oni Double Feature (pardon my non-use of the Ö in Öni, but it's just a pain in the ass to do).
What makes Oni different from DHCP or Negative Burn? Not much really. Oni is published by former DH editor Bob Schreck (and Joe Nozemack), and they are focussed on being a creator friendly company, the only difference is the big names behind those creator owned characters. Dave Gibbons created the logo for chrissake!
Oni Double Feature sets an amazing standard for the series to live up to, just look up above at the names associated with this issue... it's crazy! Yes, Milk and Cheese can never go bad (that joke was cheesy [shoot me now]), featured here in a one page adventure on the inside flipside cover. That cover features the Pander Bros. creation, Secret Broadcast, a sort of "Pump Up the Volume" pirate radio idea meets the fashion sense of "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion". The art is very deco without trying to be, and the story is good - if for any other reason than I'm stuck in a city with the shittiest radio stations which play nothing but the shittiest music - the idea of pirate radio with live DJ's tingles my innards somewhere.
The main attraction is obviously the Smith & Wagner collaboration on everyone's favorite social loafers, Jay and Silent Bob, here in the tale of "Walt Flannegan's Dog". Sure, if you're not a Clerks/Mallrats/Chasing Amy/KevinSmith fan (and, unless you're a mormon, you have no right NOT to be), the story is pretty much lost on you, but for the rest of us... it's biggety-boom-bam-tastic. The story is pure KS, vulgar to the 9 - from clerk-hurled insults to lewd advances at waitresses... alongside that, "Walt Flannegan's Dog" is a further exploration into the "New Jersy Trilogy's" Tri-City world that Kevin's created. Wagner's art is Jay and Silent Bob to a "T", right down to Bob attempting to levitate a cigarette with the Jedi Mind Trick (which is actually the mental ability to influence others, but nevertheless...). This one's a collector's item folks!