He Hates Megan

"I wondered where Local was, and an issue appears! Okay, it’s not quite Hatcher-like powers, but still.

I suppose it’s a measure of Wood’s ability that I hate Megan so much. I just hate her. And I hate her friends - not because they tell her she’s nuts, but because they don’t smack her over the head because she’s so nuts. I hate Megan. Good job, Mr. Wood!

That doesn’t mean she’s not compelling. I hope for her redemption. I hope she grows the fuck up. I don’t hate the comic, just the main character, and that’s mostly because she does inexplicably horrible things and realizes it, but keeps fucking doing them! Why? It’s part of her weird pathology, and it makes the comic something quite unique. I am, however, looking forward to getting away from Megan for an issue, because the last two issues have made me hate her so much.

The thing about Megan and this comic that bothers me, and I hope it will be addressed, is her constant moving. She is fleeing something, and we’ve only had bits and pieces of it throughout the series. I like how it hasn’t been completely defined, but as we head into the second half of the series, I hope that Wood begins to resolve it somewhat. This isn’t real life, after all, which has no resolution except death. This is a story, and if Megan is going to redeem herself, she’s going to have to confront these issues and deal with them “on-screen,” so to speak. Because, if you think about it, the last two issues haven’t really been much, narrative-wise. They have explored Megan’s character, and revealed that she’s a bitch. Not terribly stunning, even though they were well-crafted stories. We haven’t had the one-and-done kind of slice-of-life stuff with Megan simply showing up on the sidelines or being only tangentially involved since issue #4, the one in Montana. Megan’s story needs resolution, and that means explaining why she can’t stick in one place very long. Or at least I think that’s what it means. It feels crucial to her character. Maybe it’s because she’s a bitch and pisses everyone off eventually. But that’s kind of lame.

So we’re slowly (that word again!) moving forward, and maybe Megan will learn something from this latest round of bitchery. Next issue takes place in Tempe. I’ll let you know if it’s accurately portrayed!

(I suppose I didn’t really talk about the issue, did I? Megan gets a roommate who wants privacy. Since she’s a bitch, Megan can’t respect that. She gets worse and worse about invading Gloria’s privacy. Who gives a flying fuck if Gloria is obsessive-compulsive, Megan? That’s a lot better than lying about who you are and talking shit about people behind their back. See? I hate Megan so much!)"
Greg Burgas, Comics Should Be Good
Local #6 review