After close to two decades of literally deadly serious comics, culminating in last years epic instant, the 24-foot wide drawing of the Battle of the Somme, Sacco has with BUMF made good on his long-standing threat to produce a humorous work.  BUMF seems, at least at first glance, closer in spirit to Sacco's earlier Yahoo work (the comic book series, not the company [guess which came first; right - no surprise there; it seems like a grand tradition to lift from comics with impunity]).  Upon closer examination, however, while clearly drawn in a looser more relaxed manner than the work for which he is best known, it is not a reversion to any mean, but has more of the feel of a long awaited and much deserved vacation from the world of journalism taken in the sunny climes of cartooning.  Yet, it does not take long – one page, for those who are counting – for a cloud to pass over, a cloud that gathers in darkness 'til all is black.  Yes, while BUMF adheres to many of the conventions of cartooned humor, the content that it delivers is relentlessly bleak.  So much so, that we can't help but feel that Sacco has found himself, at least morally and emotionally, buried alive by his years spent focused on violence and war in conflict ridden areas of the globe, and that BUMF is his attempt to dig himself out.  We're glad that this has been labelled "Vol. 1", as it feels like he has a ways to go yet...