Dresden Codak is one of those comics that can’t easily be summed up. It’s not a gag-a-day strip, nor is it an ongoing storyline comic. Instead, it is an odd mixture of whimsy and philosophy. Indeed, the second comic uses Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle as the punch line (and deus-ex-machina) for that strip’s protagonist to escape. Sadly, it wouldn’t be until the strip De Los Muertos that recurring-protagonist Kim Ross would first appear, stuck in a boring high school class with an unreasonable teacher who insists she either write a 10-page paper after he believes she misbehaves in class, or travel into the Aztec Underworld. She chooses the latter, and in doing so learns that death is not to be feared.

Kim ends up evolving into a rather fascinating character. In many ways she’s a mad scientist, apt to do some rather strange and insane things (such as strapping a rocket-pack on herself to try and get to school). She’s also shy and introverted when it comes to guys she’s interested in (which led to a rather interesting comic with her spying on a guy she likes while talking to a miniature Carl Jung… her extrovert ends up splitting physically from her and went off to go out with the cute guy). Basically she’s every smart geek’s dream girl, being brilliant, beautiful, and as much a geek as they are.

The comic’s artwork is also beautifully done. The early comics (pre-Kim) are fairly bare-bones, but when Aaron Diaz puts his mind to it, the comic truly begins to stand out. The current storyline is a perfect example of this, with camera angles above and to the side of Kim as she is seated. Nor do characters stand artificially with their faces to the camera. Characters will walk away from the reader’s perspective, and away from other characters. Little actions like chewing on the end of a pen are included, making these characters human. Backgrounds can be plain or elaborate, depending on what is called for. Thought goes into this comic, both with the artwork and definitely with the comics themselves. This isn’t for everyone, mind you. Some people just want mindless entertainment. But if you enjoy comics that make you think, Dresden Codak indulges in a whimsical side of science and philosophy that is rarely seen, and to me is well worth reading.