Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

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The Muppet Show #3 of 4
Boom! Kids
Langridge

This installment of the Muppet Show focuses on Gonzo. As with previous issues in this story, this issue has some skits and some backstage chatter that all hangs off of the central theme about one of the main characters. It’s a good issue that uses a twist on the age old question: what is Gonzo?
The setup is that the insurance on the theater is up for renewal and an insurance adjuster is on location assessing things. He wants to know all the species that are in the house. Scooter is helping him out and he is stumped when it comes time to identify Gonzo.

This question has been tackled multiple times in various Muppet ventures. Generally, it is Gonzo who is seeking out this information usually because someone asks him and he can’t answer it. The twist here is that Gonzo is asked and can’t answer it but he doesn’t get hung up on it. This leaves Scooter to attempt to answer this question on his own. While Scooter does his detective work Gonzo drifts in and out of various skits but doesn’t necessarily dominate the issue and the question at hand doesn’t seem to be on his mind at all.

The comic is packed with Muppet Show staples. It has a couple of appearances of Statler and Waldorf, it has some Bear on Patrol, some Gonzo skits like GumShoe McGurk, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Rat and on and on. All of the skits have some humor in them and some of them tie into the main plot about Gonzo. It has a strong feel for the original TV Show with the way everything plays out on the stage and behind it.

Langridge delivers his usually outstanding effort in the art department. The layouts are consistent and loud when they need to be. The characters have the cartoon feel to them without feeling like they belong in the Sunday newspaper. He captures the essence of the Muppets very well.

The issue is a good effort and it offers something for the Muppet lovers out there. While outsiders might find something to like in here I’m not sure that anyone who isn’t familiar with the show will fully grasp how this comic is supposed to play out. There is probably more whit than slapstick humor which also might play more into the adult hands than the kids. I enjoyed the comic but I’m not sure it’s for everyone.

3.5 out of 5 geek goggles