The Eltingville Club # 1
Writer/Artist/Letterer: Evan Dorkin
Colorist: Sarah Dyer
Cover Date: April 2014
Rating: 
Hope everyone had a great Christmas! This week I will look at “The Eltingville Club # 1” from the twisted yet brilliant mind of Evan Dorkin.
The Eltingville Comic Book Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Role-Playing Club (This is, in fact, its full name. No foolin’) consists of four members – Bill Dickey (Secretary of Comic Books and the club’s president), Josh Levy (Secretary of Science Fiction), Jerry Strokes (Secretary of Gaming) and Pete DiNunzio (Secretary of Horror) who bring out the very worst in Geek Culture and that is the toxic fan who feels superior to any fan they come in contact with all while being parodies of common stereotypes that have been seen in several comic book stores or conventions, not to mention that these characters are loosely based on people that Dorkin came in contact with during his time working at a comic book shop.
The story opens up with Bill getting a job at his local comic book shop, Joe’s Fantasy World (Joe, the owner, is no better than the guys in the club as he’s known for ripping off his customers while treating them horribly. He looks like a cross between The Comic Book Guy from “The Simpsons” and Harvey Weinstein) while Bill is finding his footing as the store’s new employee, Joe suddenly has to run an errand. Hence, he leaves Bill in charge (Big mistake) that’s when Jerry, Josh, and Pete show up but then havoc ensues as the four of them trash Joe’s store thanks to their egos and the endless fighting that follows them.
After reading the numerous stories they appeared in and watching the 2002 Cartoon Network pilot that never got picked up, it’s easy for the readers to see themselves in these characters because while they had a genuine love for comics, gaming, and sci-fi, their level of cynicism and superiority tends to rub people the wrong way. Hence, it’s fair to say that we will never turn into these four characters mainly because Dorkin makes them unlikeable with no redeeming quality whatsoever. The series also covers the ins and outs of working in a comic book shop where power corrupts some people (Bill Dickey is the perfect example of that) and the owner isn’t any better due to his love for price-gauging and looking down on his customers; The social commentary presented here rings true to form which is scary but thankfully, some of us go to a comic book shop where the love of the medium is strong and healthy but we can take comfort in the fact that we could never, and I mean NEVER become like the Eltingville Club so yes, it’s perfectly okay to embrace Geek Culture in all its rarity…..but if you find yourself reading an Eltingville Club story, just be ready to have a good chuckle at their expense because we were like that at one point, only we can always come to our senses.
Well, that’s it for me this week. I’ll be back with another Eltingville Club review, this time I’ll look at “Bring Me the Head of Boba Fett” the story that inspired the 2002 Cartoon Network pilot. Thanks for sticking around and I will see you next time.
About Author
