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Given the extent of the coverage already dedicated to the whole incident, I have done well, remaining ignorant to the nature of the Starr report. However with a book on the subject produced by two of the most exciting underground comic creators I could ignore my education no longer. Monica's Story combats the clinical manner in which the events have, until now, been dealt, reminding that those involved are real people with very real emotions and while they may be selfish they are, to themselves, true.

Monica, while full of fun, seems immensely naive, completely ignorant to the intentions of Bill's inevitable excuses. It seems that she honestly thought she was more than just an easy sexual relation. Bill is little more than a big kid behaving devilishly, deriving excitement from being bad while in moments of sanity fearing exposure. I was both amused and perplexed by the resurrection of something not to far from an idea earlier in Clinton's career that implied not inhaling makes it okay.

The art is quite simple yet expresses character comically well. I would even say the iconism is similar to much from Japan. Nipples are featured while the lower regions are censored, presumably by choice. We also see subtle symbolism though perhaps I'm looking too deep. By the end of the book both main characters seem ridiculous and we're afforded a laugh at their expense. Some of the words put in mouths and minds are more than amusing. Some of the thoughts and childish behaviour of Bill is a little frightening given his position. I hope he's not a heavy drinker.

Monica's Story is an easy read and a safe source of light relief. Unlikely to compete intellectually with the abundance of other work by James Kochalka or Tom Hart, this is still a fair place to check them out.

Reviewer: Andrew Morrison
March 1999