Joey Moonhead is easily distracted. Prone to daydreaming and not particularly interested in day to day life at school, he is very much an ordinary boy… that is, except for the small fact that he has a floating moon for a head. Throughout the day his disembodied head drifts off, leaving the rest of his body to get on with life as he tries to escape the humdrum world around him. The thing that finally wakes him up is the discovery of his parent’s classic rock LP’s. (Cue a brilliant and affectionate montage of vinyl starring parodies of Sgt. Pepper, Trout Mask Replica and other masterpieces.) Having finally discovered his true calling, Joey builds a machine to create wild and beautiful music and along with his new friend Ghostboy, heads to the school talent contest to perform. Along the way he must deal with jealousy, talent and learn who his friends really are.
It’s an understated story, often told through images alone. It’s beautifully laid out, going from rows of small incremental frames to lavish full-page spreads, and the radiating wave of colour that erupts when Joey plays is something to stare at for hours. At its core, it’s a coming-of-age tale about finding your place in the world and how success affects us. The artwork is glorious throughout, and like every Nobrow publication, it’s stunningly produced, treated with the respect it deserves. Thick pages and impeccable colours are topped off by a fantastic hardcover with a fabric spine. It’s a thing of beauty for sure! Writer/artist Andrew Rae mentions on his website that further Moonhead strips might be forthcoming, and I’d certainly be up for dipping my toe into his whimsical and odd world again.