McKeever's art is exaggerated and humorous, as a result Pencil Head won't be for everyone. For people like myself who are fans of his unique form of comics expression, this series is a treat. Coarse language and locations like a strip club make this a mature readers title, so keep that in mind if you're easily offended. That said, it's right up my alley so I loved it. There was a decidedly dark twist near the end and I'm looking forward to seeing how McKeever weaves it into the story next issue. I'm on board for this 5 issue exploration of McKeever's bizarre reflection of the world behind the scenes of the comics. Read Full Review

The self-referential meta-jokiness of Pencil Head is extremely well executed. Aside from being a comic about the comic industry, it's also a work that references and pokes fun at itself. Read Full Review

This series is going to be freaking amazing. If the rest of it is anything like this first issue, I will definitely be keeping up. Read Full Review

The real fun in this issue is seeing the various bizarre caricatures that wander in and out of Poodwaddle's life, be they arrogant editors or listless strippers or psychotic subway panhandlers. Read Full Review

This is a series that feels as though it has potential, but unlike many titles I can't quite tell where this one is heading. After reading "Pencil Head," my socks weren't knocked off but I am interested enough to continue reading. It's a breath of fresh air to see a character that's a bit mundane and ordinary, but I do feel that Poodwaddle has the potential to surprise his readers in dealing with the threats around the corner. I'd recommend "Pencil Head" to anyone looking to get away from their usual titles and explore something new. Read Full Review

As the cover boldly states, hamburgers and dead strippers also figure into the story, but only as part of McKeever's wry and mildly-twisted commentary on the life of this professional comic book creator. "Pencil Head" #1 is the kind of inward examination that will be most appreciated by those who know the industry, but anyone who works for a living can enjoy its observations. McKeever's rough and blocky style won't please all at first blush, but it's a style that's ideally suited to the absurdities that plague both McKeever's world and many others. Read Full Review

Pencil Head as a series is an homage to an industry that's very easy to love to hate. The comic book industry, like other competitive entertainment mediums, is a cutthroat business with high demands from shallow people for little praise and full of highly creative individuals (A.K.A. crazy people) who are just too passionate to give up this life. And issue #1 sets up this tone for the entire series to come so very nicely. Funny, ingenious, and with an important perspective to share, Pencil Head is an interesting and enjoyable read. Read Full Review

A quick, acerbic read with heaps of visual flair. Read Full Review

I won't kid you " if you're new to McKeever's work, this probably isn't the place to start. But then, the same can be said for pretty much any of his projects. They're all such uniquely warped hellscapes that you're either going to find yourself saying "hey, I kinda like this even though it probably means I need psychological help" or "this just ain't for me" within a few pages. For my part, I've found something to enjoy in just about all of his comics that I've read, and so far that pattern seems to be holding here. Read Full Review

I'm a bit conflicted over how to summarise Pencil Head. I'll admit that on my first read-through I did not warm to the title at all, although the art I found impressive. Having to review it made me examine the issue again, and again, and with each new read I found myself liking the title a little bit more. I still feel that some of the meaning has flown over my head and would be more relevant to someone with first-hand experience in the industry. However, if you stick with the story I do think you'll gain an appreciation for Pencil Head, especially after subsequent reads. I almost feel like there is the beginnings of something significant here, but it's just out of my grasp. Read Full Review

I'm still figuring out Pencil Head #1, which stands to reason really, since it feels like it's still trying to figure itself out; that, perhaps, being the point. But I'm invested in the story and especially the art, and regardless of how the ending sort of trailed off, I am interested in seeing where this goes, and more importantly, how it gets there. Read Full Review

The big problem with Pencil Head isnt so much that it lacks insight, its a first issue and these things take time, its that it hasnt laid the ground work for the journey to insight. The basic mechanics of telling a story about the personal creative process or even the struggle of trying to achieve a creative vision in a hostileworld simply arent here, certainly not in the way theyd need to be to make the journey to whatever insights the book might eventually offer worthwhile. Our hero is every bit as banal as the working world he seems so suffocated by while we lack any details on his art, the creation of which, should be the focus. Combine that with the mismatched visual palette and this is a drab and uneventful read that remains stuck in neutral from start to finish. Read Full Review