Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Muppet Show #0The Muppet Show #0
DC Comics
Langridge & Paroline

The Muppet Show is now an ongoing rather than a series of minis and this marks the launch. What we see is a shift from the mini series' format which was mostly centered around the theater and the TV show's original format. Now the Muppets are on the road and this is more reminiscent of the first movies some thirty years ago. It's a good comic that has a self contained story and a plot that still manages to draw in familiar TV show skits. We also have a newcomer on the art duties in Shelli Paroline, as Roger Langridge is credited only as the writer for this issue. This is a fun comic and a good way to launch the ongoing.

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsThe setup is simple: Fozzi and Rizzo pitch their movie idea to the studio executives, Statler and Waldorf. The movie is Pigs in Space. Naturally the comic takes us through some of the movie as Fozzie and Rizzo try to convince the studio to pick up the movie. This allows the comic to contain some of the skits from the TV show.

The movie's plot centers on the core pigs, Hogthrob, Piggy and Strangepork as they get themselves into trouble in various spots. As the movie executives cut the film down we get some alterations in the movie which results in some more fun.

Kermit is in the comic, but he's the Kermit of Koozebane. This is a risky proposition that manages to pay off well. Taking out the central character of all of the Muppets could have left the issue a little flat, while actually including him in simply a supporting role could have been a recipe for disaster. However, this comic manages to make his inclusion feel natural and surprising because of where its' placed and how the skit flows naturally in the story.

The new artist definitely has a different style than that of Langridge. Paroline seems to be less of a cartoonist and more of a moving animation artist. The characters appear very fluid but they don't lose any of the charm in their unique features. Paroline doesn't cut any corners with regards to the facial expressions as she sells each moment very well. She's also got a large cast of characters, such Bunson, Sweetums, Gonzo and many others and she hits them all with the same charm and level of detail as Langridge. This was a fun visual story.

It's not clear how the ongoing is going to be structured. Will it eventually settle into arcs or are we going to get a series of one-shots? If we stick with one-shots we lose the themes that the mini series were able to include, but if we venture into arcs will the stories stay fresh month to month? I'm not sure which would be better but I enjoyed this comic as much as a did the mini series and I'm looking forward to seeing what else this team can push our way.

4 out of 5 Geek Goggles