Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Muppet Robin Hood #1 of 4
Boom! Kids Comics
Beedle, Villavert Jr & Aum
The second mini series from Boom! Studios about the Muppets hit shelves this week and it’s more of a story arc then the one shots that resemble the TV show as seen in the other series. This approach has plusses and minuses. The first issue rolls out the characters, which is necessary because they are in Robin Hood roles. So, in that regard, the issue is sort of slow. There are some laughs and there is a certain amount of mystery surrounding the obviously absent characters, but the issue is on the slow side. I liked it but didn’t love it.
The comic has one main problem with it and that’s knowing its audience. It seems to assume that whoever is reading it knows the Muppets inside and out. That’s fine to do. It also seems to assume that the audience isn’t necessarily just kids, but it doesn’t fill itself with enough quips to make it “funny” like the TV show was, which would help to cater to the adult readers. In this regard it could potentially miss both sets of age groups. I found myself to be looking for more laughs and some more stupidity at times.
The issue opens setting up the standard Robin Hood story. Kermit as Robin, which also happens to be his nephew’s name, comes home to find his pad all changed. Kermit is confronted by Sam the Eagle and Gonzo who represent the new oppressive ruler of the land. This scene has a few laughs, both in some physical comedy and some great lines from Sam. This leads Kermit to meet up with his nephew. The interaction is at its best when one of them breaks character. It seems the nephew’s role is to fill Kermit in on more goings on.
The remainder of the comic is spent rounding up the Merry Men. Not every single Muppet is in this collection, and some big names are missing. However, there are some good back stories for Scooter, Janice and Rowlf. The comic spends a great deal of time with Kermit fighting and talking to Sweetums.
The artwork is actually very realistic for a cartoon. The scenes are filled with character details and there is a ton of original facial expressions to be found throughout. The art really brings a feel like it’s a live action cartoon and I was very impressed with how it pulled it off.
This comic establishes the Muppets in the Robin Hood world and by the time the issue ends we’ve meet most of the key protagonists. It has some laughs, some action, some slapstick humor and some great art. It’s a slow story, probably because it has to reinvent the story of Robin Hood all in twenty-two pages. It’s a good start and I hope the coming issues capture more of the sarcasm and fun that the TV show and the movies had back in the day. I think the diehard Muppet fan is going to like this, but I’m not sure that the casual fan will enjoy it as much.
3 out of 5 geek goggles
