Idiotz

As an example of American manga, this book is somewhat interesting, but as a story it's negligible. Since strapping, gung-ho Harold Melman is too stupid to join any official fighting force, even the army, he must gather his own band of misfits to protect the innocent and battle evil. Harold takes the name of Capt. Pinhead and gives the other team members, including his dog (probably the smartest of the lot), military titles. Together, they call themselves the Idiotz, and they live up to the name. Greenfield's script and the Waltrip brothers' art capture some of the energy of Japanese comics. The action explodes through the panel borders, and the characters stretch their bodies and distort their faces wildly. As a story, though, there's not much going on besides mild parody of comics cliches that feels like much-diluted Mad magazine. People who flinch at the violence in Three Stooges movies might enjoy Idiotz , since these characters prove to be as dense and hard to damage as bowling balls. Like Harold himself, the book is good looking but very, very dumb. (Feb.)