Infamous comic writer Joe Casey has always delighted in divulging the unmentionable. From sexual repression to drug abuse, the ethical hero archetype is far from unmoved. Meet Jasper Jenkins. Jasper smokes weed. A lot of weed. He slacks off. He struggles with an existential crisis that results in more slacking off. Your typical college freshman, right? Not exactly. Jenkins moonlights as the Bounce, a masked vigilante of enigmatic benevolence who possesses the superhuman ability to… well he can bounce really high.

So his power isn’t too captivating. So he’s essentially a lamer, higher Peter Parker. So…what exactly warrants all the praise? It’s simple. The Bounce is fantastically written. The characters are so uniquely raw, you’d think you grew up with them (with an exception of the oracular ‘Fog’, a walking, talking drug haze who sells hits off himself).

Illustrator David Messina crafted a subtle, yet mystical world amid leaden skyscrapers and characters with thoughtful, nearly lifelike expressions. The Bounce is Avenging Spider-Man meets Half-Baked. It’s fun, unpredictable, and very addictive- the perfect comic for a slack day.

The Bounce #1-3 can be purchased on Comixology and at your local comic store.

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Joanna Tsanis is a columnist for the Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at‏ @joannatsanis

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