Webcomic Book Club Full Reviews of Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire by Michael "Mookie" Terracciano

"Dominic Deegan" concerns the comical exploits of a magical seer in a D&D-type fantasy realm. It's structured as a combination gag strip/serial adventure. The comedic aspects of the strip weren't all that funny to me, but the main characters and the adventures held my interest enough to finish the archives. It certainly improved over time, though isn't a particularly noteworthy strip. Artwork The manga-esque artwork gets the job done and shows what's required to tell the story, but there isn't a whole lot of flare or refinement on display. If it were purely a gag strip, the art would be more than adequate, but for a fantasy adventure comic, I really prefer something a bit more magic in the visuals. Writing The early gag strips were pretty awful, but thankfully it switched gears into a storytelling mode fairly early on. While the story arcs were successful enough to hold my interest, the whole enterprise had a very juvenile sensibility about it. Like a couple other webcomics we reviewed, the adult characters here speak and interact more like petty junior high school kids. Dialogue passages such as "Hey Bro!" and "Get away from my brother, you big bully!" are indicative of this tendency. An awkward conjunction of graphic violence with a light tone also seems to suggest a certain immaturity. There was a pattern to the conflicts that repeated itself a little too often. Some opponent (or opponents) would show up with powers that would either injure or kill the heroes and then the villain would swagger and brag over his victory. However, one of the heroes then pulls out some previously unrevealed surprise spell or power that restores everyone and defeats the villain who now has to eat crow. This kind of one-upmanship happened time and again. But as the reader has no real sense of what everyone can do, the combats and their "surprise" resolutions were less than satisfying. Humor By far, my biggest issue with the writing was the lame humor. The light comedic tone was fine, but the actual gag attempts fell flat. Running gags about a curse where a fish keep dropping out of the sky on Dominic or an ugly madam who thinks she's beautiful, just didn't tickle my funny bone, especially when used again and again. And having every character take turns at making bad puns (I mean really bad ones, not clever ones) served only to undercut the distinctiveness of the characters. Maybe I've just been too spoiled by the spot on fantasy humor of "Nodwick", but nothing in this strip really made me laugh. The funniest bits came from Spark the cat engaging in Garfield-like antics (always wanting to eat or sleep and the like). It was familiar cat humor territory, but better than the other shtick. Characters I do like Dominic Deegan. I like the fact that he doesn't enjoy the grind of his daily job prognosticating for idiot townsfolk. I like how his seeing abilities are tied in to and drive the storylines. As would be expected, Dominic comes off more believable, better rounded than most of the supporting cast. His girlfriend with the tusks, Luna, and his cat Spark also come off fairly well. The fact that I like these characters did a lot to keep me reading the archives, despite my problems with the humor. Overall The strip really did improve over time and the Vilrath storyline was fairly suspenseful with some interesting twists. I'd personally like to see less gags and more focus on suspenseful storytelling. Maybe I'm asking the strip to be something it's not. But I feel that if the strip focused more on suspense, the humor would still naturally come through and be funnier than trying to shoehorn in specific "gags". Review by The Phantom Critic Mon Jan 05 2004 01:39 AM

A review of Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire by Kajamir the Giant Compared to the other reviewers, I wasn't overly impressed with Dominic Deegan. It's not bad and the premise is kind of interesting, but the writing felt rather typical and the american manga style wasn't winning it many favors from me. While the situation theme seems unique enough by design, it doesn't strike me as something I'd go out of my way to read unless maybe I was recently introduced to webcomics. Perhaps reading many webcomics has done this to me, but I feel there's a lack of a gripping factor here. As a comic, it's serviceable entertainment, but I need a little something more to be truly interested in following a new webcomic. The jokes in Dominic are passable. Sometimes fairly amusing, othertimes kind of shrug worthy. The writing too can be quite cute, but other moments seem lifeless or generic. This is a shame because Dominic is a fairly nifty character. I can't recall a time I've seen a seer as a lead character, and I must admit that such a power must be exceedingly difficult to write for if used too liberally. However, those he associates don't quite stand out as much. I've seen the semi cute smart ass pet idea before. The big intimidating knight? The bumbling larcenous types? Again, feels like I've seen this all before. The characters just don't strike me as anywhere near unique as Dominic. Concerning art, while it's done quite cleanly, I just don't like straight americanized manga as a style. It's for the same reasons I hold to the writing. In general, the characters look pleasant, but their designs (again, aside from Dominic) seem unremarkable. I would have greatly preferred if the artist could have used a different look somehow. American manga is so homogenized and common at this point that I can't applaud it for much. I have mixed opinions on Dominic Deegan. By most standards, it's crafted firmly together, but it could certainly stand to improve. The overrall effect I get is simply it's an adequate work that needs more of a unique flavor that the creator has given to Dominic himself. So while done well within it's parameters, the design lacks much intrigue. I give Dominic Deegan a 6 of 10 stars. It's decent, but I don't see myself following this one. Review by Kajamir the Giant Sun Jan 04 2004 10:51 AM

Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire is a webcomic that I happen to enjoy, despite the rough edges here and there. Beginning with the most visually obvious rough edge, the artwork isn't the best out there, but I enjoy its sketchy lines and 'drawn in a notebook' style. Some comics use that style and just look lazy, but Dominic Deegan makes it look relaxed and easy-going. Even during tense scenes, I still feel as if I'm watching a cartoon on television: the action pulls me in, but never to the point that I am no longer aware of the distinction between myself and the characters. I happen to like this in this particular case, as I read enough other webcomics that are largely sympathetic in nature, pulling me into them. Yes, the occasional missing background or confusion between who is who (I've had this happen a few times to me, but then, I have it happen to me a few times in almost every webcomic) is a bit distracting, but not to a major degree. The overall idea of taking a main character and making him able to see the future is a new one, as the role of seer is typically reserved for a 'spear-carrier' character: somebody in the background who moves the story along some. However, both the limits that the author has imposed, as well as a clever idea of how Dominic came to be a seer have always interested me. These additions both remove what could be a major deus ex machina epidemic, as well as adding depth to the story. I find the three brothers' reactions to their family's attack to be very interesting. There's a reason behind each brother's choice, and these reasons hold up even under some heavy scrutiny. Moving away from the three brothers, the other characters have a healthy amount of life and individuality to them, allowing them to interact easily with each other. The depth of personality that Luna or Dominic has is nice, and there is a nice contrast between these complex characters and the simpler ones, such as Luna's mother, Sparks, and the two thieves that have been following Dominic around practically since day one. Plot-wise, Dominic Deegan has been known to throw me for a loop now and again, but it is otherwise very inviting and once I get over the initial missteps, I can easily follow the story and action. Of course, the puns are just about my everyday speed. ^_^ In all, Dominic Deegan is an interesting webcomic with a relaxed feel to it. I give it Eight out of Ten, and if you don't go read, then... well... you'll just miss out, now won't you? Review by Xenix Sun Jan 04 2004 09:40 AM

Art: I enjoyed the art for Dominic Deegan, even though it bore a strange resemblance to Shifters. I was a little annoyed at how backgrounds were used...at times they gave me a good sense of the scene, and then they could completely disappear while two characters talked. I understand the reason for removing it, but when he does have a background, it feels much better. Though the art has improved like any other comic, Dominic Deegan isn't as old as some...and the changes come as subtle refinements. It's easy to connect the first strip to the latest, though they're separated by over a year. Characters: Giving your main character glimpses of the future can be dangerous...doubly so when he knows the difference between a dream and a foretelling! But I felt that Dominic Deegan's creator handled it well-especially since there are defenses against Dominic's skills. Also, he brings out the small benefits to the trade, which is quite amusing. Luna is a nice contrast to most female characters-she has low self esteem for a legitimate reason, but she's also improving. I think she's realistic, which is always good-her relationship with Dominic is interesting without being sappy. And Sparks seems like the perfect cat, with his focus on food and little else. Unfortunately, I think most of the other characters haven't been treated as well. Jacob is a nice villain in the making, but Gregory doesn't have much for his personality, while Sigmund (or 'Siggy') gets to be the hulking, overbearing swordsman. I understand that they don't get as much screen time, but a little more would be nice...though in Sigmund's case, I think that wish will be granted. Story: The comic has had a few interesting plot arcs, but so far, I haven't caught any focus beyond Dominic's general life. I am interested in more details from his past, though...and it's nice to see that the protagonist is operating on a smaller scale. He's trying to save people, but not the world. Writing: Unfortunately, this is a weaker area for Dominic. Some of the jokes are quite nice, and the creator does a nice job of keeping dramatic tension, even with Dominic's foresight. But the puns can be truly awful, and he reuses at least one gag. I can forgive him a little for that, due to the circumstances, but it still annoyed me. The pace can also be quite slow...thankfully, it's a daily strip. Overall:Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire has some good stuff. I'm interested in the current story, and some of the character interactions show a lot of promise. But the humor can repeat itself, which is grating-and if the comic ever changed from a daily strip, the pace could become painfully slow. 7 out of 10. Review by Benor Mon Dec 29 2003 07:05 PM

Concept At it's most basic Dominic Deegan is the story of the daily life and adventures of a grumpy seer in a world with a fantasy setting but more modern sensibilities. Yep, that simple. In this comic the draw is not in the uniqueness of the premise and the cryptic measures taken to hide that premise so that the story may continue, but instead in how well the author can work with a really very simple idea and turn it into something incredible. The ability to see the future... This is one of the most dangerous abilities a writer could ever choose to give to their protagonist. In most cases it would be a gift powerful enough to render the story terminally numb by a constant source of Deus ex Machina. Yet this is what the author of Dominic Deegan chose to do, and he succeeded spectacularly. The author has found rational rules and limitations for seers that make them just another magician albeit with a very unique spin. Actually that's another strength of this series: the different schools of magic actually produce some very notably different varieties of magic. Unlike the random DBZ-esque colored energy favored by lots of fiction these days in Dominic Deegan different types of magic are use very differently. Seer's like Dominic scheme, plot, theorize, and rush to interfere in the critical moments as they try to shape the course of the timeline. Illusionists scare people by charging up very large false energy attacks. Heretic types make use of mind-altering spells and impish servants as the plot in the background. Necromancers make use of the parts of their killed enemies or infect the living with blight. Characterization is one of the places where Dominic Deegan really shines. Dominic himself is a grumpy seer, not because he's an old man, but because he's an intelligent man who to make a living has to cater to the whims of the proud, violent, and stupid people who come to seek his advice. He takes satisfaction in manipulation since as a seer that is his most powerful skill. Really he is a good man who cares for his family and what few friends he makes, despite the constant bombardment of stupidity the world sets upon him. In the end all the characters are lovable with their own little endearing quirks, even Siggy the brash and arrogant paladin-princeling swordsman. Art Like most webcomics not done by an already established artist the art has improved over the years but it has managed to maintain a similar style while benifitting from improved felixibility with perspective and scenery. The art conveys the story without being annoying or ambiguous and is actually pretty good. That's all I ask. You shouldn't take my word for any of this however. I'm biased: I already loved the strip. Read it yourself, I've done my best to spoil as little as possible for you. Review by Nullcast & Whatsit Wed Dec 24 2003 08:06 PM

Offsite Review Summaries

"In manners of "serious storytelling" Terracciano's greatest strength is his characterization. They aren't deep in the soap opera sense, no intricate histories or dark hidden secrets, but they are true to their nature." more... Read Full Review by Smuga at Comixpedia Sun Mar 14 2004

Visitor Reviews & Comments

I really like Dominic Deegan. I'm not a fan of manga-style art. But the art that is used is sufficient to portray the story, and that's what's important. Yes, various themes are not original, but that's because they're perennial. The Law/Chaos theme has been done by Michael Moorcock and Poul Anderson, but Mookie portrays that theme well, and it's a theme worth seeing time and again, because of how it speaks to the human condition. Now perhaps I'm reading something into Dominic Deegan that the author did not put there. But any sort of work that allows itself to be open to a wide variety of interpretation is a good work for that very reason. Review by Draco Caeruleus Sun Dec 04 2005 03:22 PM

I like the strip, I just don't find the art too appealing, the puns can be overdone at times, but over all it is an enjoyable ride with likeable characters and a good story Review by Chuggy Wed Aug 03 2005 02:11 AM

Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire is most likely one of the more funny strips I've read. The one thing I don't like about it is the blood and some of the more adult scenes(Sin City, anyone?). But other than that, I really enjoyed reading this, and I only wish Mookie would update faster! Review by Elm Mon Jun 14 2004 11:35 PM

I was introduced to Dominic Deegan by a friend showing me the Charlie Zero videos and once he realized that I loved the art style, showed me the comic. The humor, the drama, and the art style are wonderful. They have a uniqueness which I am sure is also with 'Mookie'. I am only sorry to say that I haven't met him. The story can drag out (which makes me anxiously await the next one) which is a good sign for me of a comic that I'm into. He keeps the characters crisp and clean and for the most part doesn't reuse scenes very often (which isn't bad, but if they do it a lot it can get old and show laziness). What others call a lack of detail, I call imagination. He gives us enough info to know what's going on and what it looks like without putting enough detail to delay the comic for days. Anyway, Thumbs up. 9 out 10 (only for the rare gore, I'm such a chicken. :) ) Maria Bowden (mariebowden@hotmail.com) Review by Maria Bowden Tue Feb 17 2004 12:42 PM

I, personally, loved Dominic Deegan. I found the character designe was very original and the devolopment (while possibly a little rushed) was relitively well paced. The plot development might have been more effective if placed in a real graphic novel formate. It seemed to me that in all the installments up to date they would have made only one volume. But, despite all this, I truly enjoyed reading this comic. The interconection between the characters was absoultly genius. "Never create a character with no use." So, if this were on a scale of 1-10 I'd deffinetly give this a...9.999999 Review by Jinnah K. Fri Jan 23 2004 10:35 PM

I have read Dominic Deegan: Oracle For Hire for about a year. It is funny! To any one who doesn't get it. Mookie has his own stile. It's a little British/ slapstick. The only reason it was suspenseful was that Mook was grieving for a family member who passed beyond. Besides, I like it. Mookie lets you send in and post your own DD art on his site! Tinck! >.< PS. LUNA IS PRETTY! Review by CPB0579@aol.com Wed Jan 14 2004 07:43 PM

I find that Mookie the creator of Dominic Deega: Oracle for hire, has done a great job. Being a first time web artist, and for only using the skills he's honed on his own. I enjoy the story and the puns are ok, they can be very funny at times. And at times the art seems to hush down after a scene with wonderful depictions....Personally I love the strip and would suggest it to anyone, even if they don't find it increadable, its a good way to pass the time, before your classes....if you go to them YAY COLLEGE (Man I sound like a fresh man) Review by Tynan Aideen Wed Jan 14 2004 04:02 PM

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