Boom! Kids' Muppet Peter Pan #3 by Grace Randolph and Amy Mebberson flies into comic book stores tomorrow, Wednesday, November 25th, and in a development that should surprise no one, it is a good comic book.

This one picks up right where we left off last issue, with all the characters spread out over Neverswamp. Peter Pan/Kermit introduces John/Scooter and Michael/Bean to the Lost Boys, Captain Gonzo is hunting for Peter, and Wendy/Janice is trying to figure out where the heck she is.

I won't tell you who the Lost Boys are, though you can probably guess by now. I've been wondering how writer Grace Randolph would choose to depict the Indians from the Peter Pan story in this adaptation, and her solution is delightful. The Electric Mayhem shows up as "the Hippen Grovee tribe," who welcome Janice into their fold. If you're a Mayhem fan, you should like this issue... They get the first 10 pages of the story! [Note: A reliable source at Boom! Kids has informed me that artist Amy Mebberson was largely responsible for conceptualizing the Hippen Groovee characters, among her many other creative contributions to the book]


There's some really interesting stuff with the Peter Pan & Wendy dynamic in this issue, with Wendy coming to realize that maybe a boy who never grows up might not be the most responsible person ever.


It's a bit startling to see Kermit and Janice getting mad at each other, but it's surprisingly compelling, and adds another dimension to the storytelling on top of just being a silly spoof. And as you can see, Mebberson's art continues to convey the characters' emotions nicely without ever doing anything so cartoony that they don't look like the puppets. And just look at that beautiful Piggy on cover B up there... zowie.

And then the whole thing ends with a cliffhanger even more urgent than last month's, involving the lovely Piggytink and a really mean pirate rat. To be continued!


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Labels: comics/magazines, review

The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson #4 is due in stores this week, thus concluding the second chapter of Roger Langridge's Muppet epic. Thankfully for everyone involved, Langridge keeps the momentum that he's built up over the previous 7 issues to give us a story that ties up all of our loose ends while still keeping that Muppet Show voice that the kids seem to like.

In this issue, Rizzo and Kismet the Toad and the Seven Dwarfs are racing to see who can find Peg-Leg Wilson's treasure first, no matter how much of the Muppet Theater they have to obliterate. Meanwhile, Animal is still acting like he's one of the Boston elite, Miss Piggy is after Kismet the Toad's blood, and Kermit is left trying to keep the show running (while keeping a roof above their heads). It's a lot to cram into one issue, but Langridge managed it without a hitch. Unfortunately, some mainstays had to take a back seat, like Pigs in Space. Short skits of Vet's Hospital, Muppet Labs, and Gonzo's daredevil act are the only on-stage scenes, as well as one sketch featuring Robin and Sweetums discussing stamp collecting is featured, which is definitely the dud of the issue. But I'm alright with that, because I'm a sucker for some satisfying closure. And closure is what we get with all these strange plotlines that were set up way back in issue #1.

So how does this story compare to the first 4-issue arc of The Muppet Show Comic Book? Well, they're the same size. Is that what you meant? Or did you want to know about the stuff inside? Yeah, I can talk about that stuff. The done-in-ones from the first arc definitely had more in common with The Muppet Show, but the more recent miniseries was much more satisfying. Beyond the fact that it allowed Langridge to tell larger stories, and beyonder the fact that it gave us an additional reason to look forward to the next issue, the beyondest is that Langridge has had the time to hone his artistic style and voice to the point where it doesn't feel like he's copying the Muppets anymore. Instead, he's put himself in the same category as Jerry Juhl, being a real visionary behind The Muppet Show (comic).

The other fantastic thing about the latest issue is how it sets up the next story arc: On the Road. I am absolutely loving the anticipation of getting something Muppety every month (which is only second to the satisfaction of actually having something Muppety in your hands every month). Of course, before the Muppets hit the road, we'll have the Pigs in Space one-shot to look forward to. (See what I mean? Looking forward to stuff is the second-best feeling ever!)

The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson #4 will be at your local comic book store on Wednesday, November 11.
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Labels: comics/magazines, review

Last Wednesday, October 28, saw the release of Muppet Peter Pan #2, another fine Muppet comic book from Boom! Kids, written by Grace Randolph with art by Amy Mebberson. If you haven't already, I recommend shooting yourself out of a cannon pointed at your local comic book store to pick it up.

In issue 1, Peter Pan/Kermit showed up to take the Darling children to his homeland of Neverswamp. This month, we meet Peter's arch-enemy Captain Hook, and his crew of pirates. (I'm not sure his name is really "Captain Hook" in this story... I noticed Janice calling him "Captain Gonzo," but I didn't see anyone actually calling him Hook.) If the Muppets ever did a full-blown movie or TV special adaptation of Peter Pan, I reckon the role of Hook would be played by a human guest star, but Randolph casts Gonzo, who's quite effective. I mean, he's not especially villainous, but he's funny.


The crew of Hook's ship includes a few other folks we know, like these guys:


Meanwhile, Miss Piggy as Piggytink continues to be written as a sympathetic-but-feisty character, just the way we like her.


As you can see, Amy Mebberson's art is lovely, and I just realized that I really like the way she draws the Muppets' eyes. They look just like real Muppet eyes! In particular, there's a brief scene in this issue with some very obscure old characters, and she gets them all exactly right.

As I said in my review of issue 1, I'm not all that familiar with the original Peter Pan story outside of other adaptations, so I don't really know how much plot there is or how quick the pacing is, but Muppet Peter Pan feels like a pretty loose adaptation, and one that takes its time. It's really more concerned with being silly and entertaining than sticking to the source material, and it's a successful strategy.

That doesn't mean nothing happens... In fact, the issue ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, so we'll all have to come back next month. And that's perfectly fine with me.



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Labels: comics/magazines, review

Guess how many Muppet comic books are coming out this week? If you said "two," you're absolutely right! If you said "five," you're wrong! If you said "raisin bran!" I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. Anyway, you can read my review of Muppet Peter Pan #1 right here, and then scroll right down or click here to read Joe Hennes's review of The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-leg Wilson #3! Whee!


So, Muppet Robin Hood ended last month, and this Wednesday sees the release of Muppet Peter Pan #1, written by Grace Randolph and drawn by Amy Mebberson. While Robin Hood had its moments, it didn't convince me that two Muppet comics per month are really necessary... I would have been satisfied with continued "adaptation" comics, but I wasn't exactly dancing jigs of excitement in my bathtub in anticipation for each new issue.

But Muppet Peter Pan? Now this is a good Muppet adaptation comic. First of all, there's the art. Amy Mebberson's renditions of the Muppet characters look just like the Muppets, but they're so expressive you can practically hear the tone of the puppeteers' voices. If you've been merely tolerating the cartoony art of The Muppet Show Comic Book and the messy art of Muppet Robin Hood while staring out the window dreaming of a Muppet comic with on-model Muppets, your wait is over. Just check out Sam the Eagle on the first page:


It looks just like Sam! Of course, the writing is important too, and I have no complaints with Grace Randolph's script this issue. I guess I could complain about the fact that Sam here is obsessed with American patriotism, when that was only one aspect of his character on The Muppet Show, but then I would be a Big Fat Complaining Guy. This comic's version of Sam feels like our favorite bald eagle. And all the other characters feel like themselves too, even Bean Bunny, who joins Janice and Scooter as the Darling children who get to meet Peter Pan.

Speaking of which, one of my favorite things about all the Muppet comics is that we get to see obscure and semi-to-completely forgotten characters have a moment in the spotlight. Bean's a funny character who really hasn't gotten to do much in the last, oh... 20 years of Muppet productions.

Kermit is Peter Pan, of course, and Piggy is his fairy sidekick Piggytink. I can't say I'm intimately familiar with the original Peter Pan book (or play? It was a play first, right?) so I don't know how closely the Peter Pan "origin story " in this issue follows what was in the book, but I've never seen any other version of Peter Pan that presented the first meeting of Peter and Tink, so it's cool to see it here.


A question we ask a lot around here whenever there's a new Muppet thing is: "Is Piggy Piggy?" It's been so tricky for recent writers to get her right, but she sounds just like herself here, even if she is a fairy. She gets a little cranky at one point, but she's not just cranky. And she looks purty.

I can't help but compare this thing to Muppet Robin Hood, and here's what I've come up with: Whereas Muppet Robin Hood felt like a retelling of the Robin Hood story with Muppet characters crammed into all the roles, Muppet Peter Pan feels more like the Muppets we know and love putting on a performance of the Peter Pan story. Does that make sense?

So, yeah. Read Muppet Peter Pan and you will believe a frog can fly.

Now scroll down or click this link to read Joe Hennes's review of this week's other Muppet comic book, The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-leg Wilson #3. And click here to fly to the Never-Swamp on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, review

Hey, you know what's great? The Muppet Show Comic Book. We're already seven issues in, and it doesn't look like it's going to slow down anytime soon. And that's just fine and dandy with me, because I'll never get tired of Roger Langridge's fast-paced antics or wacky character designs. No wonder so many animated movies draw their inspiration from the Muppets; it works so well for the illustrated Muppets themselves.

The penultimate issue of The Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson arc continues all of those stories that were going on through the last two issues: the rats are digging for buried treasure (along with a sudden infestation of dwarves), Animal wouldn't hurt a flea, and Kismet the Lizard is still causing havok backstage (and no, the coincidence of a "replacement Kermit" in this comic hasn't been lost on us). Add a collection of on-stage acts, and it's starting to feel a little overcrowded in 22 pages. In fact, I'm having trouble remembering which of these stories is supposed to be the main one. But I'm not sweating it, because the calamity of disorganization is just the kind of chaos a Muppet Show comic book demands.

I was tickled to see "Animalopoly": a one-page board game that both entertains and informs the reader about what Animal's been up to lately. Strangely enough, his ups and downs mimic my Uncle Tito's stint in rehab to a T. I tried playing the game and lost. Not because of any unfortunate dice-rolls, but because I was playing a fake board game by myself at 9:00 on a Saturday night.

Of all the subplots, the one I'm having the most trouble connecting with is the one with the titular Peg Leg Wilson. Ol' Peg Leg makes his first appearance in this issue, giving us a full page of backstory. And although it contains some of Langridge's signature silly poetry, I'm left wondering why we should care about this guy (other than the fact that he's filthy rich) or why we're spending a page on him and not, say, Lew Zealand.

Naturally, this issue of The Muppet Show Comic Book is just as great as the rest. Even my gripes aren't all that gripey. And if I had my way, I'd find a way to have Roger Landridge grow an extra pair of arms so he could churn these out twice a month.

Oh, and Miss Piggy is a Cylon.
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Labels: comics/magazines, review

The final issue of Muppet Robin Hood hits the stands this week. (Solicitations say Wednesday, September 9th, but because of Labor Day weekend, stores will most likely have it on Thursday, September 10th. Call your local comic book store to confirm.) This marks the end of BOOM Studios' first "Muppet Fairy Tales" arc, but did it hold up? Will it be the Muppet comic for all other Muppet comic books to aspire to? Probably not, but it wasn't half bad. It might even be half good! I don't know, I haven't read my review of it yet.

Writer Tim Beedle does a competent job at plotting and capturing the Muppets' voices, but he really shines at bringing the craziness of the Muppets' world. I'd love to say more about specifics, but there are several scenes that will definitely work better as a surprise. I will say this: In this issue, you will see the most unexpected recurring Muppet character you can think of (no, it's not Bozark), and you will see a brilliant two-page sequence featuring the Swedish Chef that reminisces something Monty Python might have done.

Unfortunately, it's not all action and whoopie cushions. Beedle is still being weighed down with the task to actually, y'know, tell the story of Robin Hood. There are a few sequences, just like in the other three issues, filled with dialog used to further the plot. But I have faith that Beedle would do a fantastic job at writing an original story with the Muppets. If BOOM ever decides to publish a second Muppet Show comic (please never let Roger Langridge stop writing the TMS comic!), Beedle might prove to have the chops to write a story with that old-school Muppet feel that we all love so much.

Artist Armand Villavert, Jr. is still the weakest link for Muppet Robin Hood (for the sake of not repeating myself, feel free to check out previous reviews for my opinion on Villavert). But BOOM made some fantastic choices for cover artists. Amy Mebberson and David Peterson have drawn some of the most fantastic pieces of Muppet art I've seen, and I'm chomping at the bit to see Mebberson's work on the upcoming Muppet Peter Pan comic. I'm also antsy to see if BOOM can coerce Peterson into taking a break from his Mouse Guard comic to do some interior art for any future Muppet comics.

So the question remains: As a whole, was Muppet Robin Hood any good? If you asked me, I'd say yes, it was a good comic, and enough fun to make it worth your dollars. But if you asked some other members of the ToughPigs forum, they might say that the characterization was too far off and the art was painful to look at, so it wouldn't be worth your time, let alone the money. So let's split the difference: I'm going to recommend buying the inevitable trade collection of Muppet Robin Hood. Assuming it's similar to BOOM's other collections, the trade will most likely be digest-sized and only cost $10. Ten bucks for a fun Muppety romp through Sherwood Forest? Sounds like someone hit the bullseye.Click here to try out for the Merry Men (and Women!) on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, review

We Muppet fans are pretty lucky. Not only do Muppet comic books continue to show up in our comic book stores, but Roger Langridge keeps on agreeing to do these Q&As with us! Let's see what Roger has to say...

Note: This Q&A was conducted after the release of Peg Leg Wilson #1. Check out our review of issue #1 here, and our review of issue #2 here.

ToughPigs: How does it feel to have your first Muppet Show story arc in the can and another already in stores?

Roger Langridge: Pretty satisfying, I have to admit - there's nothing like finishing a long piece of work.

TP: Do you have a method for creating the cover art?

RL: I usually submit between 4 and 6 sketched roughs to the editor each month, and he'll come back to me with suggestions and tell me which ones he'd like worked up into finished covers. At that point I take my sketch and blow it up nice and big, then I'll trace it and build it up into finished pencils, fleshing out details and fixing anything that looks a bit wobbly. Then I ink it, scan it and send it off to be coloured.

TP: How did you make the decision to stop the designs with the characters in the circles from the first arc? Will the circle covers be making a comeback after the end of Peg Leg Wilson?

RL: I always intended those to be limited to the first arc - my original plan was to change the colour of the curtains each issue so the covers didn't look too similar, but that idea seems to have been lost in the shuffle at some point. I think it's a good idea to move on from that now - I don't want to risk people skipping an issue because they think they've already bought it!

TP: On the ToughPigs forum, we’ve discussed the difficulties in capturing Miss Piggy’s character (she’s often written as too angry, too much of a “diva”, or too quick to turn to violence). We saw a great character arc for her in the 4th issue of The Muppet Show Comic Book. Did you have any trouble writing her?

RL: Well, you're always feeling your way a bit with any character you didn't create. I suppose she was difficult, but no more difficult than any other character. The thing I try to remember about Piggy is that her toughness is a front to conceal a very vulnerable pig beneath. If you can show flashes of that vulnerability it makes her much more rounded, if you'll pardon the expression.

TP: We were happy to see the return of fan favorites Wayne and Wanda, and the Talking Houses. Were you worried that readers might not remember them? Are you keeping a list of other Muppet Show sketches to include in future issues?

RL: I'm not too worried if people don't remember a particular sketch because I try to make them work whether you remember them or not. If you recognise it, that's like a nice little bonus - an Easter Egg for dedicated Muppet-watching - but it shouldn't be essential to know this stuff in order to enjoy the comic. If it is, I'm not doing my job right!

TP: You mentioned in an earlier interview that your close friends’ love of Pigs In Space led to its inclusion into every issue. Now that you’ve gotten feedback on your first arc, are there any other sketches or characters that you’re considering giving more screen time?

RL: Well, it wasn't just close friends! But I'm probably going to ease off on Pigs in Space for a few issues after the Peg-Leg Wilson arc is over, not least because there'll be a Pigs in Space one-shot between that and the arc which follows. So that should keep the Pigs in Space fans happy for a few months.

TP: When you’re designing a new character (for example, “Ninja Rogers”), do you think of them as a puppet first, or is the fact that they might not fit with the overall design of the Muppets not an issue?

RL: I try to make them look at least vaguely plausible as Muppets - or at least cartoon Muppets, as they appear in the comic - but that leaves an awful lot of wiggle room when you consider the enormous variety of shapes and designs the Muppets encompass. I've been almost too conservative sometimes, I think!

TP: How do Kermit’s sunglasses stay on his face if he has no ears or nose?

RL: The magic of comics, I'm afraid. Don't look at the man behind the curtain.

TP: BOOM! has amassed a strong team of cover artists for the Muppet comic books. Have they offered you any opportunities to illustrate a variant cover for any of the other titles?

RL: No, but then I wouldn't have time with doing the Muppet Show book. It's a full-time thing, and then some. If I were cloned I'd love to have a shot.

TP: Have you seen the Muppet Robin Hood comic book? Or any pages from the upcoming Muppet Peter Pan? Did you have any advice to give to the writers or artists of those series?

RL: I've seen the Robin Hood book at a recent convention, although I didn't get time to read it. The Muppet books aren't for sale in the UK, so I don't get much of a chance to look at them. I thought the art was strong from the bits I saw.

TP: We enjoyed the Muppet/Dr. Who sketches you posted on your blog. Is there any chance we’ll see any of those in The Muppet Show Comic Book?

RL: Nothing quite so on-the-nose, because of the fact that Dr Who is owned by the BBC, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an oblique Who reference or two in the Pigs in Space one-shot. I'm still writing that one, so I don't know for sure myself yet!

TP: Speaking of references, do you have any other plans for literary or pop culture references in the comic?

RL: To call them "plans" would be putting it a bit strongly, but I've got an idea for a Hamlet song I'm looking for an excuse to work in sometime.

TP: You also reported on your blog that there will be a Pigs In Space one-shot in between story arcs. Is this the only one-shot planned right now? Can you tell us who will be illustrating it?

RL: It's the only one planned right now - I'm probably going to need another breather at some point, though. I'm not 100% certain if the artist has been selected yet. (UPDATE: Shelli Paroline has been announced as the artist. Congrats, Shelli!)

TP: How was the San Diego Comic Con? Have any interesting stories?

RL: San Diego was great fun. I don't know how interesting the story is, but I ran into the editor who gave me my first comics work in the UK 20-odd years ago, which was great. And I got to meet some of the other Muppet comic creators like Shelli Paroline and Grace Randolph. I was reluctant to go at first but I'm really glad I went.

Many thanks to Roger Langridge for all the obvious reasons!
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Labels: comics/magazines, interview, Roger Langridge

The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson #2 will hit comic book stores this Wednesday, August 26th. As we've come to expect, writer & artist Roger Langridge has once again written and artisted a very entertaining comic.

Unlike the first four-issue Muppet Show series, Peg-Leg Wilson contains several ongoing stories, so we get a recap on this issue's first page. It's delivered in song by this banjo-picking Muppet, whom the Muppet wiki refers to as "Hillbilly Singer," and his presence here nicely fulfills the obscure character quota for this issue.


So Kermit is still acting suspiciously un-Kermit-like, and in this issue we find out why. What's less clear is which version of Kermit Miss Piggy would prefer.



By the way, who do you think that Muppet girl on the right is supposed to be? I don't recognize her as a puppet ever seen on The Muppet Show.

Then there's Animal, who's also acting strangely... Last month it was revealed that Muppet Labs is behind his personality shift, but this month his Electric Mayhem bandmates try to bring the old Animal back. They miss their old insane, feral, dangerous pal (Who wouldn't?), and they miss his drumming skills even more, so they hire a hypnotist named Creepy McBoo to snap him out of his well-behaved stupor.

Creepy McBoo! If there's one thing Langridge is good at, it's silly names (see also last issue's Ninja Rogers). As for this month's obligatory "Which performer would play which character?" game, I'm hearing Steve Whitmire for this guy. Like, you know that "Girlfriend of the Whirling Dervish" song in the Marty Feldman episode? That's the voice I'm hearing. Which is a very important point in this review, so I'm glad I made that clear.

Elsewhere, we have a musical number that offers a clever variation on "Mahna Mahna" which I will not spoil...


I really like the way Langridge draws Mahna Mahna. He's a crazy-lookin' character to begin with, so he's a good fit for Langridge's style. Other bits include a Bear on Patrol sketch, a Muppet Labs scene, and a page of "Scooter, Boy Detective," which feels like an onstage segment of the show but really carries forward the backstage plots.

I do hope that issue #3 has a few more "onstage" bits that stand independent of the storylines, but as with last month's review, I don't really have any complaints about this issue. I don't think it made me laugh quite as much as Peg-Leg #1, but your mileage may vary. Oh, and here's one other thing I wanted to mention... There's a reference in this issue to "Rainbow Connection" being 30 years old. So if there was any doubt, this comic book definitely takes place right now, and not in the 1970s. I like the idea that the Muppets have been doing this show continuously for the past few decades... or did they stop for a while and then return to it? Either way, it's always fun to see these talented entertainers putting on a show.

Finally: For all you Miss Piggy fans, check out this panel from the issue's closing number:

Hubba hubba!

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Labels: comics/magazines, review, The Muppet Show

Muppet Robin Hood, the red headed stepchild of The Muppet Show Comic Book, is half over, with the third issue being released this Wednesday. Thankfully, the comic hasn't headed into train wreck territory, but it continues to pale in comparison to Roger Langridge's comic, which is destined to sit right next to this one on the shelf.

Thankfully, Tim Beedle's script remains strong, keeping most of the Muppets in-character, while letting the Robin Hood story move forward. I say "most" because someone's got to discuss the plot while the wackier characters make funny faces in the background. Johnny Fiama, who was revealed to be Prince John in the second issue, talks and acts like Prince John (with the exception of a stray "cannoli" reference here and there), though the rest of his inner circle, which comprises of Sal, Sam the Eagle, and Gonzo, are allowed to be themselves. Three out of four: that ain't bad!

On the other side of the coin (and on the other side of Sherwood Forest), Robin Hood and his Merry Men are still characterized very well. In this issue, Scooter stands out by delivering a line that's all but ripped from The Muppet Movie script. (In my head, it was even delivered with a good ol' fashioned "Scooter Fist".)

Muppet Robin Hood continues with the Muppet comics' tradition of including as many obscure characters as humanly possible. In this case, they use the Archery Contest as an excuse to toss characters both old and new into the fringe. A few of them came as a real surprise, and I hope we see more in the next issue. I'm holding my breath for Doglion, Bill the Bubble Guy, and the Avocado.

And it's not just the obscure characters who show up. Pepe the King Prawn lives up to his name as King Richard. It seems that he's been busy touring with the Electric Mayhem Crusades. Bunsen and Beaker also appear as, um, scientists. I know, hard to believe. Of the main characters, that leaves just Statler and Waldorf to make an appearance. I'm going to hazard a guess that they'll be on hand to heckle at Robin's hanging. That seems like something they'd do, those sadists.

My biggest gripe about this comic hasn't changed: it's still artist Armand Villavert, Jr., who continues to do an adequate job. His art isn't horrible, as he manages to capture some of the characters spot-on, but he completely drops the ball on others. For example, Gonzo looks like "fan art", and not in a caricaturish kind of way (like Sam, who may not look exactly like the puppet, but the design allows him to show his expressions more blatantly) . His Dr. Teeth in particular is frighteningly awful. But on the other hand, his Pepe looks great, and I'm still loving his Sam and Janice. He also does some great renditions of the one-off characters, whom I'll refrain from naming in the spirit of spoilers. They're easily recognizable, yet not static. But in the long run, Villavert needs to work on his character designs a bit more if he's being considered for any future Muppet comic projects.

I'm keeping with my original recommendation for this comic, which is that I think it's absolutely worth buying, but it might be more readable in its inevitable collected format. And as much as I'm enjoying it, I'm glad there's only one issue left, and then we can look forward to Muppet Peter Pan (and, of course, our overly nitpicky review).
Muppet Robin Hood #3 will be available on Wednesday, August 5 at your local comic book store.

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Labels: comics/magazines, review

The San Diego Comic Con was this past weekend, and although thousands of people were able to attend, I was not one of them. That's some sad news right there. But the good news is that we got a few Muppet-related news tidbits which we'll report as if I was actually the one doing the news gathering. Don't tell the Associated Press!
The Guinness Book of World Records went to Comic Con to award a few world records plaques to things such as Detective Comics for being the Longest Continuously Published Comic Book and The Simpsons for being the Longest Running Animated TV Series. They also awarded Brian Henson with the plaque for Farscape, which has the Most Digital Effects in a TV Series. Good work, Farscape! You look pretty!
Archaia Comics announced that the upcoming Labyrinth and Dark Crystal comics will feature covers by the great Brian Froud, who will also be serving as the Creative Consultant for both titles. That's some great hiring there, Archaia! Now if you can only convince him to do some interior art for the comics, I'd be happy as a baby being tossed in the air by David Bowie.

Archaia also gave us a few more details on the upcoming Fraggle Rock comic book. It will be in anthology format, with both long and short stories. The books will be a bit smaller than a comic book, coming in at just 8"x8". The comics will also contain "new levels of interactivity," which could mean just about anything. Maybe they'll come with instructions on how to grind the pages down and make your own Doozer sticks.
BOOM Studios didn't have much new information about the Muppet comics at their panel, but they did say that they're planning on getting rid of the 4-issue installments of The Muppet Show Comic Book and turning it into an ongoing, which will make it so much easier to keep track of the numbering. And I know you're all very concerned about keeping your Muppet comics organized to an obnoxious degree like myself. The image above is the pencils for the cover of the Pigs In Space one-shot comic, which will be written by Roger Langridge and illustrated by an unidentified artist.
eFX Collectibles had the first signs of their upcoming Muppet Photo Puppets on display, including Rizzo, Reporter Kermit, and a piece of Miss Piggy. Rizzo looks fantastic. I'm tempted to buy him and make him carry my luggage. It's hard to judge that Reporter Kermit, since they made no effort at all to make him look good in that glass case. Muppet News Flash: Nobody wants to buy an ugly Photo Puppet! And the Piggy face looks like they're on the right track, with a chubbier Piggy like we used to see in the Muppet Show days, as opposed to the newer, slimmer Piggy we've gotten used to in recent years. Though I'm staying dubious until we see what her hair and costume will look like, since we all know that the clothes make the pig.
Oh, and these guys were there. Do you think Bunsen is a DC or a Marvel fan? UPDATE: Looks like they did a sketch for the Comic Con masquerade! Enjoy the nerdiness!

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Labels: awards, comics/magazines, Fraggle Rock, Photo Puppets

Last month, The Muppet Show Comic Book ended forever. Until this month. This month, The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson begins its four-issue run with a brand-new #1 issue. It's written and drawn by Muppet comics superhero Roger Langridge, and as its name suggests, the story arc is about the Muppets searching for a pirate’s buried treasure in the Muppet Theater. The Muppets haven't seen this much booty in years!

Issue #1 has a lovely cover A:


But cover B is truly fantastic:


If I weren’t already buying the Muppet Show comics every month, that cover would definitely pull me in. What the heck is going on with Animal?! (Also: Did he tie that tie himself?) Animal's seeming identity crisis is the ongoing mystery in this, part one of the story, which is called "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral."


There are a few ongoing storylines here, which is probably for the best... There are still three issues after this one, so it's best not to rush any of them. In story A, Scooter finds a treasure map. Some rats overhear him talking about it, and they want the treasure for themselves, so they start digging.

In story B, Animal is just not himself. He's wearing a suit, and correcting people's grammar... and worst of all, he's drumming like a wuss, which greatly worries the other members of the Electric Mayhem. How will it affect the band's big number in the show? Each issue of the original four-issue run of The Muppet Show Comic Book focused on one character, telling "Kermit's Story" and "Fozzie's Story" and so on, and it looks like this subplot is essentially going to be "Animal's Story" stretched over four issues.

In story C, Kermit is acting pretty strange himself.


"Sweaty orange guy." I love that. I have a pretty good idea what's going on with Kermit based on cover images that have been released for future issues, but I won't speculate here, in case a) You haven't seen them yet, and b) I turn out to be wrong.

As for the onstage acts, this issue has the most consistently entertaining batch since the previous issue #1. There's a Muppet Sports sketch, with a Louis Kazagger who somehow looks more like Howard Cosell than the puppet Kazagger. The sport in question is long-distance toast-hurling, which is bloody brilliant.

There's a Swedish Chef bit that's only one page, but which is sublime in its brevity. And it has an explosion.

Also: Pigs in Space, Fozzie, a musical number about the sinking of the Lusitania starring two obscure characters, and more. And all of it is entertaining and Muppety.

I guess this review is going to be shorter than usual, but I really have nothing negative to say about this issue. The ongoing plots are all funny and intriguing, and while they're all left "To Be Continued," there is a conflict that's resolved by the end of the issue, so there's some sense of closure. The treasure itself actually doesn't play much of a part... All we find out about it is that it exists, and Scooter and the rats want it, but I have no doubt it'll be satisfyingly fleshed out in later issues. I can't wait for the next one!

Oh, and more thing: For those of you playing the "Which new character would be performed by which Muppeteer?" game, I just want to say that "Ninja Rogers" in this issue would totally be a Jerry Nelson character.



Click here to hurl toast on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, review, The Muppet Show

The second issue of Muppet Robin Hood will be released this week (See our review of #1 here). Today, we've got a Q&A with writer Tim Beedle.

TOUGH PIGS: The obvious first question: How did you get the Muppet Robin Hood job? Were you approached by Boom!, or did you seek it out?

TIM BEEDLE: Actually, I’m very fortunate in that I worked alongside Paul Morrissey, the editor overseeing all of BOOM!’s Muppet and Pixar titles, when he was at TOKYOPOP. I was the editor on both Return to Labyrinth and Legends of The Dark Crystal, so Paul knew of my love and admiration for Jim Henson’s work, as well as my complete obsession when it came to the Muppets. When Paul landed at BOOM! and learned he would be editing Muppet comics, I imagine I was one of the first writers he approached. Most likely because he knew he’d never hear the end of it from me if I wasn’t.

TP: Whose idea was it to do Robin Hood as the first Muppet adaptation comic?

TB: Well, I believe Paul made the decision to launch BOOM!’s line of adaptations with Muppet Robin Hood rather than any of the other ones that had been pitched, but the idea of adapting that particular legend was mine. When Paul approached me about pitching ideas, he told me that BOOM! wanted to do a line of Muppet parodies in the vein of Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island, so I thought about some stories that might make sense for a line of comics like that. We wanted the adaptations to be based on classics and I wanted to take advantage of the fact that these were comics rather than films, so budget and sets weren’t an issue. We could do something epic if we wanted to.

At the same time, I wanted to do something that felt appropriate for the Muppets. For example, I thought briefly of adapting a Jules Verne book like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but that just didn’t feel like a natural fit for the Muppets. Robin Hood just struck me as something we could have a lot of fun with, and it offered a big enough cast and story to include not only the really popular Muppets everyone knows and loves, but some of the more obscure ones as well.

Plus, it was an action story, so we could have swordfights, archery and Muppets riding on horses, without having to stress over how it could be done technically with puppets. Finally, in my opinion, Robin Hood is a legend that hasn’t been appropriately skewered yet. Yes, there’s Robin Hood: Men in Tights, but as much as I love Mel Brooks, I don’t think that’s one of his better movies. I figured the Muppets could do a much better job of parodying it.

TP: When you started working on the comic, were you aware that the Muppets had done the Robin Hood story on an episode of The Muppet Show? Have you seen the episode, and if so, did it influence your writing in any way?

TB: I’ve seen the episode, but I don’t consider it a full-on adaptation any more than I consider the Mark Hamill episode to be “Muppet Star Wars.” I see that version of Robin Hood as more of an extended skit performed on the show. After all, the real story that drives that particular episode is Piggy’s anger at losing out on the role of Maid Marian to Lynn Redgrave. The Robin Hood story was just the onstage texture.

That said, I think it’s a really great episode that came along when the classic Muppets were in their prime. Because of that, I deliberately avoided rewatching it until after I’d gotten well underway in scripting the comic since it would’ve been tempting to lean on the casting choices and humor of the episode a bit too much. All things considered, I’d say that particular episode really wasn’t much of an influence on my writing. However, I do include a small shout-out to the episode in the third issue. A character shows up briefly in our story that fans of the episode will recognize.

TP: How did you decide which Muppet would play which character from the Robin Hood story? Were any of the parts especially challenging to cast?

TB: Some of them seemed obvious to me, but others were more challenging. Clearly, Robin and Marian were pretty obvious (with all due respect to Ms. Redgrave). Little John was a bit of a challenge, but once the thought of Sweetums taking on the role entered my mind, I couldn’t let it go. Fozzie shows up as Friar Tuck in the second issue, and that seemed like a pretty clear choice to me as well, though for a reason that won’t be completely obvious until you read the issue (let’s just say that Friar Tuck plays a much different role in this version of Robin Hood than he usually plays).

I had a lot more trouble with the villains than the heroes because the only Muppets that stand out as “villainous” are pretty obscure, like J.P. Grosse. In the movies, this problem was usually addressed by casting a human actor as the chief villain (Michael Caine in Muppet Christmas Carol and Tim Curry in Muppet Robin Hood), and when it came time to put together the cast list, I suddenly understood why. Fans who grew up with the original show tend to think of all of the Muppets as being part of a close family of performers and it just doesn’t feel natural to imagine them doing harsh things to each other.

On top of that, I wanted to provide substantial roles to as many Muppets as I could, so we actually have three main villains in our story: Prince John, the Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisbourne. Finding Muppets to play all three was hard.

Prince John hasn’t shown up yet and I don’t want to give him away, but when I hit on the idea of using this particular Muppet in the role, I got excited because it just felt fun. Plus, for some reason, he’s a Muppet you don’t see as being particularly close to most of the others, so he works well as a villain.

However, the Sheriff and Guy went through a bit of recasting. Originally, I had Gonzo playing the Sheriff and Rizzo as Guy, but Disney really seemed to like the idea of Sam as the Sheriff. So Rizzo became a Merry Man, Gonzo became Guy and Sam—who I was originally going to use as Will Scarlet—became the Sheriff. And I think it’s worked out really well. Sam and Gonzo are so utterly different that I’ve been having a blast teaming them up. They’re the oddest couple imaginable.

TP: We were pretty surprised to see Hilda make an appearance. What inspired you to include such an obscure character? Will we see any other similarly little-known Muppets in later issues?

TB: Absolutely. As I said, part of the appeal of doing Robin Hood is it has a big cast. I knew from the start that I’d be able to feature all sorts of cameos within the structure of the story. Plus, since this is a comic book and not a film or TV special, we don’t need to worry about whether the original puppeteers would be available or how the characters would come off with a different performer if not. In other words, the sky’s the limit for what characters you may see! I’ve unofficially branded issue #3 the “cameo issue,” so expect to see a bunch of familiar faces in that one. However, we have a couple fun ones in issue #2 as well.

As for why I used Hilda, one of the unfortunate truths about the Muppets is that there are only two female Muppets who are particularly well known: Piggy and Janice. That means you need to be a little creative when it comes to casting female characters. I wanted Marian to have a few female companions so that she’d always have someone to interact with when she’s away from Robin, and Hilda is such a great early Muppet. She definitely seemed to fit the role of the dressmaker to me. I think that may be Hilda’s only appearance, though. Marian has a slightly younger companion in the next couple of issues. I’ll let your readers speculate as to who that might be. *smiles*

TP: How close are you sticking to the source material? How are you deciding what to include and what to leave out? Have you studied any other adaptations (e.g. the Disney animated movie) as part of your preparation for the comic?

TB: I’m very familiar with most of the better known adaptations—the classic Errol Flynn movie, the Disney version, Kevin Costner’s Prince of Thieves, even Robin McKinley’s Outlaws of Sherwood. I still think the Flynn version is best if anyone’s looking to watch the legend brought to life on screen.

However, I’m not really concerning myself too much with any of those, or with staying too faithful to the legend. My thoughts are that anyone who wants to experience the story of Robin Hood probably isn’t going to start with this comic. Rather, I’m writing this story for Muppet fans, and as such, the legend is just a loose framework. I certainly haven’t thrown it out entirely. All the famous elements and characters are there. But we’re clearly taking some big liberties with it, and they only get bigger as we go on. In fact, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is more of an influence on the way I’m approaching this adaptation than any Robin Hood film or book. I think that movie’s one of the strongest examples of how to use a famous story as framework for absurd comedy.

TP: How much input did you have regarding the choice of artist for the book?

TB: On just about any licensed comic book project, the writer is going to have very little say in who the artist is. I think you pretty much know that going in. However, Paul did ask me if I had any thoughts or suggestions. I offered up a couple of names, but it was Paul who suggested Armand Villavert, Jr. I’ve known Armand for a few years, so I was thrilled for this chance to work with him. He’s a good guy and a big fan of the Muppets. The minute I saw his sample pages, I knew he’d be a great fit.

A project like this is really pretty difficult for an artist when you think about it. Not only does an artist have to accurately reproduce dozens of distinct characters in a way that pleases the fans, but he or she has to draw them doing elaborate actions that there really isn’t any precedent for. I mean, as far as I know, the Muppets have never had a staff fight over a river. If you think about it, that’s a difficult thing to draw, especially considering the two combatants are Kermit and Sweetums. Sweetums is at least five times the size of Kermit! Any staff that Kermit could reasonably wield would be little more than a twig for Sweetums. How could he possibly stand a chance in that fight? The cool thing about Armand is he can pull stuff like that off in such a way that you never ask those kinds of questions. He makes that staff fight look like the most natural thing imaginable.

One last little thing I’ll add is that while I can’t take credit for Armand, one of the names I suggested to Paul was Amy Mebberson. Paul was already familiar with Amy’s work and was speaking to her about the Pixar comics, so I can’t claim to have fully gotten that ball rolling, though I do believe that I was the first person to get behind the idea of having her draw the Muppets. Amy has such a natural gift for comedic timing. It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to see what she does with Muppet Peter Pan. Seriously, Amy Mebberson and Grace Randolph? I’m telling you guys now, that book is going to be AWESOME!!!

TP: What kind of notes or feedback have you gotten from the Disney people?

TB: Disney’s notes have been very constructive and helpful, and they’ve made some great suggestions. As you know, we have Jim Lewis approving each of these comics and his feedback has been invaluable. Giving credit where it’s due, it was Jim who suggested using Louis Kazagger for the sports announcer in the first issue. I had completely overlooked that character when writing that scene, but Louis was the perfect choice.

The character suggestions we’ve gotten from Jim Lewis and Disney have been great, but they’ve also been really helpful when it comes to figuring out the balance between character and role. That’s trickier than you may think. After all, Robin Hood as a character is much different than Kermit the Frog, so how much “Kermit” can we bring to the role? There’s been a fair bit of back-and-forth between me, Paul and Disney on those sorts of things.

TP: Are there any plans for you to work on future Muppet comics after Robin Hood wraps up? Are there any ideas that you're itching to do?

TB: I’d love to do more with the Muppets, but nothing’s set in stone at this point. If BOOM! asks me to write another series, I certainly wouldn’t turn them down. I suppose whether or not I get the opportunity probably depends a lot on how well Muppet Robin Hood performs. So far it seems to be doing okay, so my fingers are crossed!

I do have a second pitch in at BOOM! for another Muppet adaptation. I’m not sure I should reveal it here since it may or may not happen, but it’s another large-scale adventure story that also has great opportunities for humor. I think could be PERFECT for the Muppets. In fact, just between us, it was actually my favorite of my two initial pitches. As proud as I am of Muppet Robin Hood, I think this other one could be even better.

TP: The age-old question: Who’s your favorite Muppet?

TB: You know, this question was a lot simpler before I started writing Muppet comics. I’ve noticed that I’ve become really fond of some Muppets who I never gave much thought to before when I discovered what a blast they are to write. Janice is one example of this. She has easily become one of my favorite characters in Muppet Robin Hood.

As for my favorite Muppet all around…well, can I choose two? My favorite on the show was always the Swedish Chef. His segments still crack me up no matter how often I’ve seen them. However, I also really like Rowlf. I always admired how he could play the straight man as well as the clown. And he narrated Dog City, which I thought was a lot of fun!

Our thanks to Tim Beedle for sharing his answers with us! Click here to talk about Muppet Robin Hood and other Muppet comic books on the Tough Pigs forum!

ToughPigsRyan@yahoo.com

Labels: comics/magazines, interview

[Important note: The review below claims that The Muppet Show Comic Book #4 would be released on June 24th. This information was taken from the official Boom! Studios website, but has since proven to be completely untrue. Tough Pigs apologizes to Muppet fans, comic book fans, and our elderly Aunt Cloise for any confusion caused by Boom! making us dirty liars. The Muppet Show Comic Book #4 will, in fact, be released... someday. Who can tell with these silly comic book companies?]

This Wednesday, June 24th, is the release date for The Muppet Show Comic Book #4, by the series' regular writer and artist Roger Langridge. This is the last issue of the Muppet Show comic... until next month, when it returns with a new #1 as The Muppet Show Comic Book: The Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson for another four-issue run.

So the series is ending, but it's not really ending, it's just starting over again, four months after it started the first time, and going four more months until it ends again and then starts again. This kind of insanity is actually considered normal in comics.
So, the first thing I want to say about issue 4, which is the "Miss Piggy's Story" issue, is that I love both covers. Cover A, as seen above, has Piggy looking every bit as glamorous as Marilyn Monroe. Cover B is a Sound of Music deal, with Piggy's fellow Muppets apparently none too thrilled with her Julie Andrews impression.

One thing we've been wondering about since this series began is whether it would have guest stars. It seemed unlikely, as it'd be pretty hard to get Tom Hanks or Meryl Streep into a comic book. But this issue begins with Kermit and Scooter trying to track down a guest star for the show. And who are they trying to get?


That's right -- "Kim Jarrey." They throw around a bunch of other silly spoof names, and I don't know if it's because of some kind of crazy legal issues or just because it's funny that they don't use real names, but it works. It would probably be a little jarring to hear them talking about current stars anyway, as there haven't really been any indications as to whether this comic book series takes place now, in the 1970s, or somewhere in between.

Unfortunately, all the good guest stars are too expensive for The Muppet Show's meager budget, so they end up with Madame Rhonda, a psychic. Also she's a pig, but that's neither here nor there.


Would The Muppet Show really book a psychic as a guest star? How much can she really bring to a variety show? Well, they once scheduled Angus McGonagle, the Argyle Gargoyle Who Gargles Gershwin, which is a pretty limited talent, so I'll buy it.

As always, the comic alternates between backstage drama and onstage acts, but this time nearly all the acts are tied in to the theme of psychic ability. It's a departure from previous issues, and I could have done with a few more un-themed sketches, but it's still fun.

There's a Sam the Eagle bit, with Sam written completely in character. Sometimes I get a little tired of modern Muppet writers emphasizing only Sam's patriotism -- on the show, he was concerned with morality and sophisticated entertainment as much as Americanism. But Langridge manages to get that across even with Sam standing in front of a huge American flag.

But isn't this supposed to be Piggy's story? Well, Madame Rhonda is the driving force of this issue's backstage story, but Piggy quickly becomes its center. Madame Rhonda tells all the Muppets their fortunes, and they all fall for her schtick, but when Piggy gets her palm read, she misinterprets Rhonda's warning and becomes convinced that Kermit is going to leave her for another woman.


The thing is, there aren't that many female Muppets, so Langridge proceeds to draw Piggy seething while Kermit talks to just about all of them, including one character I never thought I'd see in comic book form. But that's the beauty of these comics... A Muppet who wouldn't be worth the time and expense to rebuild for a quick cameo in a TV special can appear in one frame of a comic with no fuss. What a great medium! Unlike Madame Rhonda.

That's all I'll give away about the backstage plot, but there are some other nifty things going on here, including a Veterinarian's Hospital sketch, and a Pigs in Space, which provides another example of Langridge's knack for clever uses of the comic book format to do things that can't quite be done onscreen.


Oh, and speaking of characters we never thought we'd see again... Guess who shows up on page fourteen?


It's the Talking Houses from season one of The Muppet Show! So that's clearly meant for the true fans in the audience, as most people in the world would have no memory of those guys.

Also notable: Toward the end of the story, the action moves to a location outside the Muppet Theater. As far as I can remember, this is the first time the comic has done this. And the TV show almost never did it... In fact, the Loretta Lynn episode is the only instance I can remember.

So the big question here is, How is the characterization of Piggy? Latter-day Muppet writers have had a hard time pinning her down, because it's so tempting to just make her go around yelling and hitting people. In this comic book, Piggy does get angry and violent, but it's all for the love of her frog, which is not as frustrating as the one-dimensional Piggy who karate-chops everyone, no matter how contrived the reason. And she gets to act in sketches and do musical numbers, which is something TV movies and specials haven't really allowed for, but it's good because it's so easy to forget that Piggy is an accomplished performer.

So, yeah. This is an okay Miss Piggy.


And that does it for the first run of Muppet Show comics. I've enjoyed these character-focused issues, and while I think there's still some potential in that format (Floyd's story? Beaker's story? Animal's story?), I'm looking forward to the Peg Leg Wilson arc, and I'm still pretty thrilled to have new Muppet stuff on a monthly basis.


Click here to discuss this issue and geek out about the Talking Houses on the Tough Pigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, review, The Muppet Show

How lucky are we that we can go into any comic book store and actually purchase and read not one, but two Muppet comic books? Not lucky enough, because BOOM! Studios is bringing us a third comic in the form of Muppet Peter Pan.

Writer Grace Randolph was awesome enough to answer a few pressing questions about the comic for us. We'll have at least one more Q&A with Grace after the comic's debut, so stay tuned for more! Now let's settle down and listen to Grace Randolph and her insight into the frog that never grew up.

ToughPigs: How did you get involved with BOOM! Studios?

Grace Randolph: Paul Morrissey was my editor on a few different projects over at Tokyopop, so when he took over BOOM! Studios’ Disney line I asked if I could pitch a few ideas. Happily my Muppet Peter Pan pitch sparked his interest and Disney’s, so it was off to the races!

TP: Where did the idea for Muppet Peter Pan come from? Was it your pitch, or did BOOM approach you with the idea?

GR: It was kind of a mix, really. Disney and BOOM! had decided that in addition to The Muppet Show comic book (awesome book!), they were going to publish a Muppet Storybook comic book as well. So I pitched three different storybooks ala Muppets and Peter Pan was everyone’s favorite.

TP: Were you a Muppet fan before this project came about? Who are some of your favorite characters?

GR: Yes! I love the Muppets! I’d watched The Muppet Show when I was a kid and I’ve seen all The Muppet movies – I’d say my favorite is A Muppet Christmas Carol. As for favorite characters, of course I love Kermit but I’ve always had a soft spot for Sam the Eagle. Also my sister loves Pepe the Prawn and Bean Bunny, so they’re special to me too.

TP: In Muppet Peter Pan, what Muppets play which characters? Will there be any surprises for the fans?

GR: There sure will be some surprises – especially if I don’t ruin them here! So sorry, I can only divulge the casting of the main characters as they’re already on the cover of the main book. Kermit plays Peter Pan, Miss Piggy plays Tinkerbell, Janice plays Wendy, Scooter plays John and Bean Bunny plays Michael. Also I believe the solicitation for the book mentioned that Gonzo plays Captain Hook.

TP: How are you changing the Peter Pan story to fit in with the Muppets' sensibility?

GR: Actually, I’m trying to stick with the original Peter Pan story as closely as possible. As I said above, my favorite Muppet movie is A Muppet Christmas Carol and that was a very close adaptation of Charles Dickens’ original story. So what I’m trying to do is simply put the Muppets in that world and, since the Muppets are naturally funny, voila! Muppet Peter Pan becomes a comedy but one which is still as touching and charming as James L. Barrie’s classic story. Personally I believe those are the best stories, ones that work on many levels.

TP: What kind of research have you done to prepare for this comic?

GR: To be honest, I know the Muppets and the story of Peter Pan so well that I haven’t had to do too much research. I did look into the origin of Peter Pan which isn’t often included in other adaptations, and I also have a Muppet Whatnot named Josh who was very helpful explaining the intricacies of Muppet culture that we non-Muppets aren’t privy too. Having an inside man was a crucial part of my process.

TP: Have you seen any pages from Amy Mebberson yet?

GR: I have and oh boy is everyone in for a treat! I’m very lucky to have a great artist like Amy on the book because she’s got great comedic timing. I put a lot of humor in the book, some of it subtle and visual, and to really sell the jokes the art has to be just perfect. Amy is also giving it that wonderful storybook feel we all love.

TP: Do you have a dream comic that you'd like to write featuring the Muppets?

GR: Um, I’m writing it. Hehe. But in all seriousness, it’s just an honor to write for the Muppets and get to play in that world. Hopefully there’ll be more opportunities in the future.

TP: What is it about Bean Bunny (who has been mostly absent in recent years) that made you want to bring him back?

GR: It’s very simple really. Bean Bunny got this role because of his work in The Muppets 3D ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. I’ve been going to Disney World for years and every time I go, I stop by and watch this 3D movie. It’s very funny and well done, especially considering I haven’t gotten tired of it yet! And Bean Bunny is such a cute character here that I felt he was the perfect choice to play Michael. Plus, as I said, my sister likes him so I also included Bean Bunny as a nod to her.

TP: Has it been a challenge to have to mix two different franchises while staying loyal to them both?

GR: Yes, but it’s one of those challenges that when you get it just right, it’s very fulfilling. The great thing about the Muppets is that they’re so dynamic, and each character has so much personality, which means they don’t just live in another world but add to it. Therefore I’m happy to say that while you might be familiar with the Muppets and Peter Pan, this is a whole new story that feels fresh and exciting while still maintaining the qualities that made each property so beloved in the first place. At least that’s the plan.

TP: Do you have a message you want to relay to the fans?

GR: The Muppets are in good hands!

Special thanks to Grace Randolph for taking the time to chat with us!
Click here to discuss alternate uses for pixie dust on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, interview

Another month has gone by, another issue of The Muppet Show Comic Book has come out, and we've got another Q&A with Roger Langridge!

Read our review of this issue by clicking here!

Remember, if you've got questions for Roger Langridge, feel free to e-mail them to me and I'll include them in next month's Q&A. Enough about me, let's get to the good stuff!

ToughPigs: I love the two-page spreads at the beginning of each issue (as well as the gag of the Electric Mayhem dressed in different costumes for each one). Is this something you’ll be continuing after this first 4-issue arc?

Roger Langridge: In The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson I'll continue with the spreads, but they'll be backstage instead of onstage. And in the arc after that one... well, you'll just have to wait and see! But yes, I like to establish a bit of chaos nice and early, and those spreads seem as good a way as any.

TP: We've been seeing some minor background characters popping up in the background -- some of which are familiar (the Fazoobs, Koozebanians, etc), and some of whom appear to be your original designs. Are you keeping a character bible for the new creations and are you naming them? Do you plan on being consistent with individuals re-appearing in multiple issues, or are they just abstract background filler?

RL: I'm winging it! Really, I'm working at such a rate on these things that I don't have a whole lot of time to be precious about character sheets, as useful as they are. One of the nice things about drawing a comic is that I don't have to set aside time and money to make new Muppets - I can just make them on the fly!

TP: You’ve had original or whatnot characters sing songs in the comic. Will you have any of the Muppet bands (The Electric Mayhem, the Jug Band, the Country Trio, etc) sing in future issues?

RL: There's an appearance by a hillbilly character from the show in TOPLW #2 who gets to sing at both the front and back ends of that issue. And TOPLW #1 has a closing number which prominently features the Electric Mayhem, although Miss Piggy ends up doing the vocal honours there. I'm glad you mentioned the Jug Band - I'll make a note of that...

TP: Did you use a cryptogram-like language for the alien in the Pigs in Space sketch, or are they just random symbols?

RL: Oh, completely random. I hope I didn't send anybody scurrying off to decode it!

TP: In the latest comic, you addressed the issue of Gonzo’s species. Did you hear any comments regarding fact that Muppets From Space tried to claim that he is an alien? (By the way, the fans are very pleased to find that Gonzo’s alien heritage is not canon.)

RL: I haven't seen that one - to my shame, as my friend Paul Peart-Smith designed Space Gonzo for that movie. Anyway, nobody mentioned that to me, either at Disney or through less formal channels, until about a week ago when a friend brought it up. Too late to do anything about it by then!

On whether or not it's canon, I imagine you could reconcile both stories if you wanted to - by putting Muppet Show #3 earlier in the chronology than Muppets in Space. But it's probably best not to worry too much about these things as long as the story is good.

TP: In Peg-Leg Wilson, will the Animal subplot continue through all four issues, or is it just in the first one? If it’s the latter, then what can we expect to see in the other three?

RL: The Animal subplot runs through all four issues, being resolved by the end of issue #4. As do a couple of other subplots. This arc is an attempt to keep a lot of plates spinning in the air for four issues while at the same time making each issue as satisfying on its own terms as possible. It's turning out to be tougher than I expected! But I'm writing the final issue at the moment and I think it'll all hang together by the end. Just about.

TP: Are there any Muppet characters you aren’t allowed to use? Either via Disney mandate or your own personal censorship.

RL: I'm not allowed to use the Sesame Street Muppets, alas. I keep trying to sneak Ernie and Bert in there and they keep taking them out again!

TP: Will you have Lips play with the Electric Mayhem, or do you consider him not to be an official member of the band?

RL: It's not so much that he's not an official member as that I don't really know what to do with him. He seems not to have a clearly defined personality, and is kind of surplus to requirements in the stories I've written so far -- though if I can find a way to work him in that seems natural, I'm all for it.

TP: Now that we know what Gonzo is, what is Scooter?

RL: He's a gofer. I thought everybody knew that. (Seriously, his uncle is human, so I guess he's just got a good suntan.)

TP: How far into Peg-Leg Wilson are you? Are you already preparing for the third arc?

RL: I've got rough plots worked out for the next arc, yes, but they need another going-over before they'll be ready to go. Partly to address some concerns from Disney, partly to streamline it a bit for my own benefit after seeing how little breathing room I had in the Peg-Leg Wilson arc. I'm learning every issue!

Thanks again to Roger for taking the time to chat with us!
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Labels: comics/magazines, interview, Roger Langridge, The Muppet Show

Last week saw the release of Muppet Robin Hood #1, and this week -- Wednesday, June 3rd to be exact – will be the release date of The Muppet Show Comic Book #3. It’s a great time to be a Muppet fan who can read. If you’re a Muppet fan who can’t read, you should ask the guy at the comic book store to read the issue to you. He’ll do it. He’s a nice guy.

Issue #3 is once again written and drawn by Roger Langridge, who previously told us a Kermit story and a Fozzie story and now gives us an issue focusing on Gonzo… although it’s interesting to note that Gonzo’s not really the protagonist, but rather the source of conflict in the story. Well, I thought it was interesting, anyway. Maybe you think it’s incredibly boring.

Langridge’s designs for the Muppet characters have not been embraced by all fans, and his Gonzo in particular drew some criticism for being off-model. I think it’s recognizable enough, but if you hated the way Gonzo looked in the first two issues, you might want to avoid this one, because he’s all over it.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, so let’s start at the beginning. Issue #1 began with the Muppet Newsman, and Issue #2 kicked off with a Statler and Waldorf bit. The new issue starts with everyone’s favorite permanently squinting old guy, Pops the doorman, as he greets a newcomer to the Muppet Theater.


This works really well because Pops’s original role on The Muppet Show was to open every episode of season five by greeting the guest star at the door. Not only is it funny, it feels right. I’m going to make a prediction right now and say that a future issue of this comic will start with Scooter knocking on a guest star’s door as he did in seasons two through four.

But that guy’s not the guest star, he’s Osbert J. Smedley, an insurance agent visiting the theater for some risk assessment. This seems exactly like a backstage plot from the TV show. Smedley reminds me of Dave Goelz's Inspector LaBrea character from the Dizzy Gillespie episode, and as I read the issue and played the usual "Which performer would this be?" game, that's the voice I was hearing.

For medical purposes, Smedley needs to know identify the species of every Muppet Theater employee. (It’s a very specialized policy.) There’s just one problem: Nobody’s sure what Gonzo is.


Wait a minute! Didn’t Muppets From Space establish that Gonzo is an alien? Well, it did, but come on -- Who likes or cares about Muppets From Space? I’m actually really glad the Muppet people let Langridge do this… Honestly, the Muppets don’t have continuity. Sometimes they begin a production as strangers to each other, sometimes they all live together in a boarding house, sometimes they all live in a hallway. Nothing is set in stone.

And anyway, I hated the revelation that Gonzo was from another planet. So I’m totally in favor of applying some Wite-Out to that and saying Gonzo’s heritage is still a mystery. In this story, it’s up to Scooter to figure it out, and it won’t be easy. This is almost as much a Scooter story as it is a Gonzo story, and it’s nice to see the guy get so much screen time.

That’s the backstage plot. As before, there are lots of fun onstage acts sprinkled throughout the issue as well. There’s a chicken musical number, there’s a Pigs in Space sketch. There’s also a brand-new segment starring Gonzo, called “Gumshoe McGurk, Private Eye!” It’s a neat idea, but it doesn’t quite take off. A Muppet spoof of detective story clichés is a setup full of potential, but as it plays out it’s just not that funny. There’s really nothing here that’s even specific to Gonzo’s character – you could pretty much plug any other Muppet into this bit and it wouldn’t make much difference.


On the other hand, a Gonzo bit called “Twinkle Twinkle Little Rat” feels a lot like something from the first few seasons of The Muppet Show. It’s nuts. And hey, it has Rizzo! Rizzo was barely a character in the final season of the TV show, but in this issue he plays a pretty substantial role, with his real personality and everything, and it works quite well.


I’m going to go ahead and make the bold statement that The Muppet Show Comic Book #3 is better than #2 was. The jokes are funny, the familiar Muppet characters are plentiful, and the Gonzo story has a satisfying resolution. Also, it’s still fun to spot the British turns of phrase that pop up in Langridge’s dialogue. Scooter even says “No offence” at one point, spelling it with a “C” just like that.

There’s not one number in particular that makes innovative use of the comic book layout this time around (like “The Ubiquitous Quilp” in #1 and the car song in #2), but Langridge continues to take advantage of the medium by letting the Muppets do things they can’t do on TV. For example, we almost never get to see the Gonzo puppet do a full-body tap dance.


Speaking of Gonzo, it's nice to see him doing silly daredevil acts again. That's the guy he was created to be, but with the last few Muppet productions taking place way outside the variety show format, he hasn't gotten to act so much like himself. Here he gets to be the Great Gonzo again.

And here once again we have a lovely new episode of The Muppet Show, all between two staples and available for less than the cost of a venti mocha latte. Next month is the Miss Piggy issue… Here’s hoping it’s up to Piggy’s own lofty standards.


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Labels: comics/magazines, merchandise, review, The Muppet Show

As the only company putting out any Muppet content, BOOM! Studios is publishing a sister comic to The Muppet Show Comic Book. This Wednesday, they’re making Disney look bad by releasing Muppet Robin Hood, the first in a 4-issue miniseries (written by Tim Beedle and illustrated by Armand Villavert, Jr.) retelling the story of Kevin Costner fighting against Severus Snape. Of course, it’s hard to put anything up against the terrific quality of Roger Langridge’s Muppet Show comic, but would Robin Hood back down against that challenge? Heck no! I mean, I assume not. Maybe he turns out to be a sniveling coward by the fourth issue.

Your first thought when seeing this comic on the shelf might be one of déjà vu-ity. That’s probably because this is far from the first time Kermit has donned the be-feathered cap of Mr. Hood. He cavorted with the Merry Men in the Lynn Redgrave episode of The Muppet Show, and in 1980 he was illustrated in those famous tights in a book simply titled “Robin Hood.” And in the “it hardly counts” category, Baby Kermit appeared as a wee version of Robin Hood in Muppet Babies’ Classic Children’s Tales. Did the public really demand another iteration of the Muppets as the Robin Hood characters? Was BOOM! Studios even aware of these other variations? Should we even bother buying new comics that tell the same story we’ve heard so many times before? Well, yeah. It’s got Muppets in it.

The most refreshing part of the comic was the characterization of Kermit the Frog. He’s got a tough job, being responsible for moving the story along without becoming too much of a boring narrator. Tim Beedle does a great job at making Kermit funny, while keeping his characterization in a comfortable middle place between Jim Henson and Carey Elwes. And that's not an unpleasant place to be, folks.

You’ll notice that I’m calling the green dude “Kermit,” and not “Robin.” That’s a pretty sensitive subject, considering the multiple meanings of that name for the Muppets. Thankfully, Beedle nipped that one in the bud by turning it into a running gag for us fans to enjoy, rather than confuse or ignore. It kinda makes you happy that there’s not a Muppet named David of Doncaster, doesn’t it?

The bulk of the story covers Kermit’s initial meeting with the Sheriff of Nottingham, followed by the introduction of Little John and the Merry Men. Sam the Eagle and Sweetums are typecast as the Sheriff and Little, respectively, which is a nice break from the obvious choices of Gonzo and Fozzie, respectively. The Merry Men are a fun mix of fan favorites, including Lew Zealand, Janice, and Scooter, all of whom will be fun to see run amok in the next few issues. Respectively.

Another nice surprise is the background references and character cameos thrown in for Fans Like Us. One character in particular hasn’t been seen since season 1 of The Muppet Show. How’s that for a tease?

My only complaint is about the art. Armand Villavert’s work is competent for the most part, but some of his character illustrations might not sit well with fans. I thought his Kermit was top-notch, but Gonzo and Sweetums (both of whom are understandably difficult to draw) look a bit odd, and not odd in the ways they'd probably prefer to appear. On the other hand, his Rowlf and Janice come out perfectly, making me wish (as I always have) that they had more screentime (pagetime?). Of course, we were spoiled by the three cover art images by David Petersen, Shelli Paroline, and David Alvarez. If BOOM! is smart (and it sure seems like they are), they’ll get those cats to draw some interior art for future Muppet comics.

All in all, I enjoyed the first issue of Muppet Robin Hood. It’s a good addition to the long list of Muppet literary parodies that BOOM! seems to want to continue publishing (coming up next: Muppet Peter Pan). Normally I’d complain about the Muppets not being allowed to be themselves, but we’ve still got The Muppet Show Comic Book coming out every month, and Tim Beedle gets my seal of approval for letting everyone speak with their own voice, so I’d welcome this comic to my bookshelf or longbox.

Plus, it’s got Muppets in it. Go buy it.
Muppet Robin Hood #1 is solicited for May 27, 2009, but because of Memorial Day weekend, some stores may not have it in stock until May 28. Contact your local comic book store for more information.

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Labels: comics/magazines, review

Roger Langridge is currently the MVP for the Muppets, being the only one these days who has been writing The Muppets in a consistent and funny voice on a regular basis. The second issue of The Muppet Show Comic Book hit the stands this week (read our review here!) and Mr. Langridge joined us for another Q&A, because he's the coolest guy I know (sorry Dad).

If you've got questions for Roger Langridge, feel free to e-mail them to me and I'll include them in next month's Q&A. Now let's get some As for our Qs!

ToughPigs: I noticed that Pepe made a cameo in the opening 2-page spread. Is that just a tease to the fans, or can we expect him to have a role in future issues?

Roger Langridge: I confess I'm not that familiar with Pepe - if I'm requested to give him a bigger role I'd do my best to find out more about him, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't a part of the classic show, which is what I'm trying to evoke, and what my brief is, as it were. So it's low on my list of priorities at the moment. I'm not ruling anything out, though!
TP: In the latest issue, Fozzie is dealing with the pressure of having to be funny for a niche audience. Were you channeling your own turmoil for this one?

RL: Ha ha! Not really, though I can see the connection now that you mention it. It was more that I needed to find something central to Fozzie's character to build a story around, and his sense of himself as a "Funny Bear" seemed about as central as you could get.

TP: What has the feedback from Disney been like?

RL: I haven't heard anything from Disney directly, but the feedback Boom! have passed on to me has been very positive.

TP: Will we ever get to meet Flash McBuck?

RL: No plans, but you never know! I think the Pigs In Space situation works best when it's claustrophobic and the principals are getting on each other's nerves - introducing a supporting cast would dilute that somewhat.

TP: Both this issue and the first one ended with a nice message and the main character learning something about himself. While this is welcome territory for the Muppets, will this be a recurring theme, or will we see some more bizarre storyline endings that focus more on the zaniness of the Muppets rather than the heart?

RL: These issues, focussing on individual characters, sort of require some moment of heart, some statement of who they are - that's kind of the point of them. Further down the line, I expect I'll mix things up a bit more. But on the whole I'm trying to balance the wacky with the heartfelt without letting one overwhelm the other. Can't promise I'll get it right every time, but it won't be for lack of trying!

TP: How did your approach to the writing and art change between the first two issues? After the feedback of the first issue's release?

RL: The first four issues were completely written before the first one was released, so there wasn't any real difference in approach as a result of reaction to the first one. I hope there's no difference in approach afterwards, either! I'm trying to produce a comic I'd like to read myself; I've been doing that since day one, and I want to continue to do that. If I think it's funny or moving or whatever, presumably other people are going to think so too. I'm not sure I believe that trying to anticipate critical reaction and change things accordingly can ever produce anything of value.

TP: How did you come up with the sketch, "The Ubiquitous Quilp?" Between the nonsense language and your playing with the comic page as a multi-tiered set, it's very impressive, yet confounding!

RL: I'm always trying to come up with ways to make the comic book something unique, something that couldn't work on television - the graphic style is a part of that, and using the medium in ways that wouldn't work on screen is another part. Otherwise, the entire comic book project is kind of redundant - why make a Muppet comic when you could just watch the videos? So I try to come up with something that could only work as a comic in each issue. And I always liked the bits on the show that seemed to come from nowhere; that were, shall we say, aggressively strange. So that was something I wanted to do as well.

TP: Can you tell us anything about your next Muppet Show comic book, "The Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson"?

RL: It's a four-issue story where Scooter finds a map in a storeroom that reveals the existence of a treasure hoarde hidden somewhere in the theatre. Rizzo gets his fellow rats searching for it, and naturally this interferes with the smooth running of the show. Hilarity ensues! (Or something.) Meanwhile, Kermit starts acting very cool for no apparent reason, getting Miss Piggy all hot and bothered, and Animal... oh, poor Animal isn't himself at all. This story will be a bit stronger on subplots than the first four issues, hopefully all coming together in a satisfying way by the end. (Bit of a new way of working for me, so I hope I can pull it off!) And, of course, the skits and general mayhem will continue unabated.

TP: Again, is there anything you'd like to relate to the fans?

RL: Once again, I'd just like to express my sincerest thanks for the warm reception the book has received so far. It's very gratifying and means a lot to me. So thanks!

Thank you, Roger, for taking the time to chat with us!
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Labels: comics/magazines, interview, Roger Langridge, The Muppet Show

Issue #2 of Boom! Studios’ Muppet Show Comic Book will be released tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29th. The publisher has already sold out the first printing and announced a second, so you might want to make sure you get to the comic book store on Wednesday if you want to grab a copy. The Muppets are the new superstars of comics! They should definitely fight Wolverine as soon as possible.

The first issue of the series got rave reviews all over the internet, and was loved by both diehard Muppet geeks and casual fans who couldn’t even tell you which one is Statler and which one is Lew Zealand. So the expectations are pretty high for the second outing, which is written and drawn once again by Roger Langridge.

As always, I abhor spoilers, so I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that Issue #2 follows the same format as its predecessor – It’s an episode of The Muppet Show in comic book form, with a combination of onstage acts and backstage story. Where last month’s story focused on Kermit, this one is all about Fozzie.

The book kicks off with a fun Statler and Waldorf exchange…


… followed by another two-page splash that serves as the “This is what we call the Muppet Show!” intro. I was pretty jazzed to see Thog…


…as well as a Very Brief Cameo from a post-Muppet Show character. But I never did quite figure out why the Electric Mayhem are dressed as beatniks. Then we get into the story, which involves Fozzie coming face-to-face with failure. That’s nothing new for Fozzie, but boy, he sure would love it if he could get the approval of the Muppet Theater’s audience.


I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to be Sweetums standing there, but it looks like he shrank in the wash.

Among the highlights of the issue are a musical number that seems just like some old, obscure British song they might have done on the TV show, a “sketch” that would be right at home alongside some of The Muppet Show’s weirdest bits (and which makes very interesting use of the comic book page layout in a way that could never be reproduced on television), and some familiar segments like “Veterinarian’s Hospital,” which leads to my favorite panel in the whole issue:


So I guess the big question is: Is The Muppet Show Comic Book #2 as good as #1? The answer, I would say, is: Aaaaalmost. It was so exciting to see the first issue hit the bullseye so spectacularly, but it’s inevitable that the follow-up doesn’t seem quite so novel.

Also, this time around there were a few jokes I didn’t understand (specifically one involving Statler), although that may be my own dumbitude rather than flawed writing. There were a few moments in reading the dialogue where I found myself thinking, Waaait a minute! Would [name of Muppet character] really say that? That kind of thing is less noticeable in print, I think, but it's still important to nail down the voice of the characters. Also, when the resolution of the backstage plot arrives, it seems a bit rushed and just isn't as satisfying as last issue's.

I suppose those are pretty minor complaints. It’s still great to spend time with the Muppets and watch them struggle to put on a show, and Roger Langridge has given us another good ink-on-paper episode. Again I have to wonder if I would like this stuff as much if it were the script for a live-action Muppet Show redux, and again I have to think I wouldn't, really. But it sure is a nifty comic book.

So far Langridge has done a commendable job with Kermit and Fozzie stories, and I’m curious to see what he comes up with for next month’s Gonzo-focused issue, and even moreso for the following month's Piggy-centric issue. Miss Piggy has proven to be the most difficult character for recent Muppet writers to get right, so I’ll be crossing my fingers and hoping Langridge’s Piggy can carry her own backstage plot. But no matter what, it’s just nice to have a new Muppet production that most (or all?) of the fans can agree on.


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Labels: comics/magazines, merchandise, review, The Muppet Show

Way back in January, we had ourselves a little chat with Roger Langridge, the writer and artist for BOOM! Studios' recent hit, The Muppet Show Comic Book, which is already selling out and garnering rave reviews (including one from your favorite Muppet fan site). In our first of what we hope will be a monthly feature, we'll be holding a Q&A with Roger Langridge after every issue. If you've got pressing questions for Roger, feel free to e-mail me or post on the ToughPigs forum. Now, let's get on with the gettin' on!

ToughPigs: What sort of updates in the writing and design did you make between the preview comic and the first issue? Gonzo's more-rounded nose, for example, is one obvious change you've made.

Roger Langridge: As I've mentioned elsewhere, the preview comic consisted of material originally produced for Disney Adventures magazine which was never published, and my brief on those stories was to do it in my own style, hence what some fans probably regard as my stylistic eccentricities. The Boom! comic was really a fresh start, and the expectations were somewhat different, so Gonzo's streamlined nose reflects that - the comic is more like "official merchandise", as far as that goes, despite not being commissioned by Disney directly. So it wasn't so much a case of making conscious changes, more a case of treating the Boom comic as its own thing and approaching it accordingly.

TP: Did you get any notes from BOOM! or Disney about Americanizing the dialog? (Note: Roger Langridge hails from New Zealand and currently lives in London.)

RL: Jim Lewis made a couple of suggestions and queried a colloquialism or two that wouldn't travel well. They're keeping their eyes open for the obvious ones!

TP: Aside from Jim Lewis, who we Muppet fans are intimately familiar with, who are the other names listed in the "Special Thanks" section? (Tishana Williams, Ivonne Feliciano, Jesse Post, and Susan Butterworth)

RL: No idea! (Apart from Jesse Post, who was one of the people who got me into Disney Adventures when he worked there.) The Thank-Yous were put in at editorial level - presumably they're all Disney/Henson liaisons of some kind or other.

TP: What is your process for writing original songs that appear only in print form like "Bang, Boom, Splat and Pow" and "In the Pond Where I Was Born"? Did you actually write or record music for them?

RL: Good lord, no! It's just doggerel, really - I don't have a musical bone in my body. Proper songs usually involve a lot more repetition (choruses, refrains), which is something that doesn't usually work on the printed page. I'm trying to get the idea of a musical number across, but in a way that works in print. My ideal here is Alice in Wonderland (the book, that is), where characters are constantly breaking into "song" but in a way that uses the printed page to full effect, like Carroll's "Tail of a Mouse", in which the text is actually shaped like a tail. I'm not there yet, but that's something to strive towards.

TP: I enjoyed the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards analogs in the comic. Will you have "celebrity" guest stars in future issues?

RL: If I can work them into the story artfully, I'd be up for that. Nothing in the ones I've yet written, though. Believe it or not, I didn't think of the Zimmer Twins as guest stars (except to use that as an excuse to wedge them in there) - I just thought "The Zimmer Twins" was a nifty gag! Kermit and Scooter discuss possible guest stars in issue 4 as an excuse for me to trot out some atrocious celebrity Spoonerisms, for what that's worth. I'm aware it's a part of the show's format that has to be addressed from time to time.

TP: When you create original characters like the hoptoads, do you envision certain puppeteers performing each one?

RL: I'm not as immersed in the behind-the-scenes stuff as most of your readers are, so the only puppeteers I'm aware of are the really well-known ones, the household names. But since these hop-toad characters were really just throwaways, here for two pages and then gone forever, I wasn't too concerned about giving them individual personalities - in fact, I think that would have been counter-productive in this context.

TP: Rumor has it that you're already starting work on a second Muppet Show miniseries. Can you give us any details on that?

RL: As far as my work schedule is concerned, The Muppet Show Comic is an ongoing monthly series, but Boom! Studios want to re-start the numbering every four issue for marketing reasons. So the next four-issue story arc is called "The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson", in which rumours of a hidden treasure inside the theatre lead to, one hopes, hilarious complications - all this as a background subplot to the usual songs, sketches and so forth. Nothing radically different to the initial four issues, except the subplot element is a bit stronger. And that will lead us into the next four-issue arc, which is a logical progression from this one, I hope.

TP: Do you have a favorite character to write for? A favorite episode of The Muppet Show?

RL: I'm finding Gonzo and Miss Piggy the most enjoyable so far, because they both seem to have layers like an onion. You think you know them and then they surprise you. But I can't think of a single character I'm not enjoying on some level.

Favourite episode: Probably the Spike Milligan one. I'm a huge Milligan fan and it just seemed like such a perfect mesh of sensibilities.

TP: Is there anything else you want to relate to the Muppet fans?

RL: Just to say thanks for being open-minded about the book, and thanks for giving it such a warm reception. I really appreciate it.
Super special thanks to Roger Langridge for chatting with us! And double super special thanks to him for making The Muppet Show Comic Book! Issue #2, "Fozzie's Story," hits the stands on April 29! And while you're at the comic shop, be sure to get the first issue of Muppet Robin Hood, which will be released on the same day.

Click here to break into (written) song on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, interview, Roger Langridge, The Muppet Show

Does this really exist? A comic book based on a TV show that ended production 28 years ago? Did I really go to my local comic book store and find this thing on the "new releases" rack?

Yeah, I guess I did.

The first issue of the new Muppet Show Comic Book was released last Wednesday, and publisher Boom! Studios has reported that they've already sold out and will be doing a second printing. The people have spoken, and they are hungry for Muppets.

Now, it's worth noting that this publication is exactly what it says it is: The Muppet Show Comic Book. It's not about the Muppets having adventures between shows; they're not going to a haunted house or the moon, or becoming superheroes, or anything like that. It's really just an entire, brand-new episode of The Muppet Show in comic book form. That seems like a simple enough idea, but I don't think anybody's ever done it before.

I'll admit I'd read almost nothing by writer/artist Roger Langridge before this, but now I can't imagine anyone else doing a better job. It starts with a Muppet Newsflash, as the Muppet Newsman delivers a few typical gags, then warns us that The Muppet Show is making a comeback as a comic book.

And already we're off to a good start. This is clever stuff, and I can absolutely hear the Newsman doing these jokes. (Although he'd probably say "pants" rather than "trousers." There are a few other turns of phrase that pop up that sound a bit odd, but I'll allow it because Roger Langridge is from New Zealand.)

Turning the page, we get a nearly two-page spread full of Muppets under the Muppet Show logo, so this is clearly the start of the show. Langridge even throws in Nigel, George the Janitor, the "You Are My Sunshine" guy, and J.P. Grosse. This guy's not messing around. (But why does Scooter have teeth?)


Then there's a Statler and Waldorf bit, followed by a backstage scene. The only thing missing is a guest star, but that's not even a problem. I'm sure I'm not the first person to point this out, but in many of these panels, the Muppets are only seen from the waist up, which is, of course, the way we see them on the show. I don't know much of a deliberate choice that was on Langridge's part, but it's a nice touch.

Hey, you know what seems like a terrible idea? A musical number in a printed medium. I mean, it's ridiculous, really... but ridiculous has never stopped the Muppets from doing anything. And so we get this lovely thing:

And this is not just a musical number, it's a musical number about (spoiler alert!) a bunch of Muppets exploding. The timing's good, too. It doesn't get much more Muppet Show than this.

I guess if you were looking for things to complain about, you could say that those toads don't really look like Muppets, and that's true. They look like cartoon toads. And some of the characters in the comic are drawn a little looser and more exaggerated than you might expect. But they're all recongizable, so who cares if Fozzie's nose is a little long, or Robin has eyebrows? When we see these guys on our TV screen, it's the puppeteers' performances that bring out the characters, but in a comic book there're no voices and no puppetry, so Langridge uses the art to let the Muppets express themselves.


I don't want to give too much away here, but I will say that there's a backstage story that runs throughout the issue, and it's about everyone trying to figure out why Kermit is feeling sad. It's all wrapped up satisfyingly by the end, and there are some sweet moments between Robin and Kermit. My biggest critique of the issue would be that Robin sounds unusually mature here... I guess he's always been a little precocious, but at times here he sounds more like Kermit's therapist than his five-year-old nephew.

But it's fun to see Scooter get as many lines in one issue as he's spoken in the last 17 years, and a sketch with the Koozebanians, and an appearance by the Swedish Chef, whose dialogue doesn't make any more sense in word balloon form:

Yep, Muppet-on-Muppet violence. That's a nice balance to the sweetness of the Kermit story, and that kind of balance is one of the hallmarks of the Muppets at their best.

It's tempting for me to just list all the stuff I liked about this comic, but I'm not going to do that because I think you should buy it and discover it for yourself. But the point is, I liked it. Next month's issue will be a Fozzie-centric story, followed by a Gonzo issue, and so on. Starting in late April, Boom! Studios will be also be publishing a four-issue series called Muppet Robin Hood. Which is cool, I guess, but honestly I'd could do with or without the literary adaptations, just as long as we get more Muppet Show comics.

And yet, as much as I dug this comic, I should point out that I do not want to see a new television series called The Muppet Show that takes place in the Muppet Theater. Whenever I hear fans or semi-fans say, "They should bring back The Muppet Show!", my response is, Well, no, they shouldn't. I'm all for the Muppets returning to series TV, but to attempt an exact duplicate of the series that was the apex of Jim Henson's career... That's just not a good idea, and it would only invite unfavorable comparisons: Scooter doesn't sound like Scooter! The Miss Piggy puppet's not as pretty! The new "Veterinarian's Hospital" sucks without the original performers! And so on.

But with this comic book, none of that matters. As I read Scooter's word balloons on the page, he sounded exactly like Scooter in my head. Roger Langridge's cartoon version of Miss Piggy looks like a cartoon version of Miss Piggy, so I wasn't thinking for a second about whether the puppet's wig was too short or too long or too curly or too flat. If they tried to produce this issue's script as an episode of a new TV series, I don't think it would work as well. But for 20-odd pages, we have the chance to enjoy a new Muppet Show, and that's good news for Muppet fans.

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Labels: comics/magazines, merchandise, review, The Muppet Show

posted by Ryan Roe  # 7:00 AM

Last month, we had the unique opportunity to speak with Paul Morrissey at BOOM! Studios about the upcoming Muppet Show comic books. Seeing as the comic is still en route to your local Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop, we decided to reach out to the man himself, Roger Langridge, to talk all things Muppet.

Roger is a London-based cartoonist, best known for his strip, "Fred the Clown." Feel free to peruse his wares at his website by clicking here. He was also responsible for the one-page Muppet comic from the last issue of Disney Adventures magazine.

Let's check in with Roger and see what he's got to say. Roger?

ToughPigs: What is your relationship with Muppets Studios (Disney) for the creation of the comic? Do they have to approve of all of the character designs? Plot elements?

Roger Langridge: I deal with Paul Morrissey at Boom Studios directly. Paul passes all plot outlines, finished scripts, pencils and presumably finished art on to Disney (I'm still inking issue #1 at this writing), who then send it back to Paul, who sends it back to me, and I make any changes that might be requested. I know my work is looked over by Jesse Post at Disney and Jim Lewis at Henson, and no doubt by others I'm not aware of. Mr Lewis, in particular, is very generous with notes, gags, character bits and so forth - many of the gags in issue #1 are his!

TP: What went into making the decision to make the Muppets more caricaturized, as opposed to something more photo-realistic?

RL: I should probably explain a little about where this particular incarnation of Muppet comics came from. A couple of years ago, I was approached by the now-defunct Disney Adventures Magazine to do a Muppet strip for them. They'd been running a version of Mickey Mouse and Goofy drawn in a completely off-model, undergroundish kind of style, and this had proven to be very popular, so they were looking to do more of the same with some other Disney properties. The staff at Disney Adventures knew my comics work and liked it, and I think were particularly taken with the vaudeville elements and oddball, Monty-Pythonesque humour I like to play around with in my own comics, so they thought I'd be a good fit for the Muppets. I was somewhat concerned to begin with, because I'm not that great at drawing on-model, but they mentioned the Mickey strips and said they wanted me to use my own stylistic approach on the Muppets material, so I thought I'd give it a try - not going completely underground-y, but leaning towards that aesthetic a little bit, which seemed to be what they wanted. As it turned out, of the fifteen or so pages I drew, only one was used before the magazine was cancelled (although a few more of them ended up in the San Diego Comic Con preview booklet eventually), so that was that... I thought! While I was resigning myself to never getting a chance to work with the Muppets, my work was being shown to people at Disney and Boom, and several months later things started rolling again. With the Boom incarnation, essentially my instructions have been to keep doing what I was doing on Disney Adventures... so there's your long, roundabout answer as to why the strip looks the way it does. I'm refining things as I go, though - fixing stuff that I felt looked wrong, making changes as requested by Disney and the aforementioned Mr Lewis, and generally trying to make it look as good as I can. I expect there'll be a settling-in period as I get the hang of it!

On a more general note, my feeling is that drawing all the characters precisely on-model would be to do them a disservice, as paradoxical as that sounds. On the screen, they have vibrant, eccentric, nuanced vocal characterizations to carry their personalities; on the printed page, the absence of those voices has to be compensated for visually. So my solution to that dilemma is to make the faces more expressive and more cartoony. I'm resigned to the fact that this will not please everybody, but my job is to make a good comic, and this is the approach that my instincts and experience point me towards in order to achieve that. It's a balancing act, to be sure; I'm walking a tightrope between authenticity and expressiveness, and no doubt I'll fall off occasionally. But I'll keep trying to get it right!
TP: I noticed some Easter eggs in the preview comic, like background characters that might or might not be Bert, Big Bird, Mildred, and Thog. Will you continue to throw a few bones to the fans like this? If so, can you give us an idea of what to expect?

RL: I'm sure there'll be things that pop up as we go along -- I'm not really thinking of them as Easter Eggs, more as part of the necessary texture required to evoke the Muppet Show we all remember. I don't really have a big list of obscure characters I'm trying to shoehorn in there, but I'm throwing things in as the opportunity arises... and as the whim takes me! Nothing planned enough to tell you what's coming up, I'm afraid. I'll be as surprised as you are.

TP: Given that this is a "Muppet Show" comic, will the characters be exclusively from The Muppet Show, or can we expect to see characters from The Jim Henson Hour and Muppets Tonight? Pepe, for example, is a much more recent character, and he appears on the cover to the preview comic.

RL: I didn't have anything to do with the cover of the preview comic, but my gut feeling is that I should stick with the old Muppet Show cast and format as much as possible, although that doesn't rule out cameo appearances, just for the fun of it. And Rizzo the Rat will pop up a bit - I think he's a later character, but there were a lot of anonymous rodents in the old show, so I sort of lump him in with them!
TP: Speaking of the covers, will you be providing the covers as well as the interior art? Or will we be seeing more photo covers? If so, will they be comprised of stock art or new photos? And is there any chance of guest artists providing covers to your work?

RL: At the moment, Boom have asked me to draw the covers. I don't know what their plans are down the line, but I for one would love to see some guest artists take a crack at it. Their standard approach at the moment seems to be multiple covers on everything, so there's plenty of room for other artists.

TP: As Paul Morissey mentioned in our previous interview, each issue of the first miniseries will focus on a different character. Will there be a continuing storyline going through the series, or will each stand alone as its own "episode"?

RL: When Boom first approached me, they asked me to pitch ideas for four-issue story arcs, which initially threw me somewhat - I had trouble imagining the comic working any other way apart from self-contained stories. I think I've found ways to make it work, with ongoing subplots tying largely stand-alone stories together. The first four issues - which I guess is now a miniseries (which nobody's mentioned to me!) - were added as an afterthought, at Disney's request; they're all completely self-contained, which is probably best as people get used to it. Then we'll jump into slightly longer stories, though each issue should work on its own as well.
TP: In the preview comic, we saw elements such as Pigs In Space and At The Dance. Will the first miniseries have more of this? Can we expect to see one-to-two page Veterinarian's Hospital or the Swedish Chef skits? How about the more obscure bits like the Talking Houses and Muppet
Sports?

RL: There will definitely be plenty of skits! My goal is to try to make each issue seem like an undiscovered episode of the Muppet Show, and the skits are an essential part of that. The first issue will feature the Swedish Chef, Pigs in Space and the Planet Koozebane for starters. Plenty more on the way! On the topic of Pigs in Space, I'm trying to get one of those into every issue. Whenever I mention that I'm working on a Muppet comic to my friends, they all say, "Pigs in Space! Lots of Pigs in Space!"

TP: What goes in to your research for writing the series? Did Disney provide him with complete series of The Muppet Show on DVD? Are you aware of the Muppet Wiki? If so, is it a part of your in-depth research?

RL: I don't have a complete set of DVDs by any means, though I'm gradually acquiring them when I can afford them. I have a "Best Of" set, a few books (including the excellent Muppet Show Book from 1978 or thereabouts, full of lavish colour illustrations), a ringbinder full of photo reference, character sheets, the "Muppet Bible" which Disney Adventures sent me way back when I did the strips for them, and images scavenged from the internet - including the Muppet Wiki. I'm adding to the pile all the time. And a lot of stuff is coming from my creaky old memory! That's usually where the initial spark comes from; then I'll research the things I recall and which I think would be fun to do, and sometimes that leads to other ideas as I stumble across other items or characters I'd forgotten. It's kind of an organic process in that way.
TP: Lastly, there's been some concern on our forum about the character designs for Gonzo and, to a lesser extent, Kermit. Were there any formal discussions about why you chose to go with those designs? Was there any concern from Disney or the fans? (On the other hand, most of the designs are spot-on, like Sweetums and Bunsen Honeydew)

RL: Well, as I've mentioned, the character designs in the preview are from the material produced for Disney Adventures, in which drawing the characters off-model was not only tolerated, but actively encouraged. The new comic is still being drawn in my own style, and I've been encouraged to stick with that approach to a large extent, but as I mentioned, there'll be tweaks and refinements. And no doubt I'll improve with practice! At the moment I'm in the deep end, really - trying to keep on schedule and learn all the characters' physical nuances at the same time. I hope it'll get easier! So far, the only art comment I've had from Disney is regarding Gonzo's nose, which I was basing on the version in the Muppet Show Book - pointier, more gnarled-looking than the current version - so I've had another look at Gonzo all round, and I hope the fans will be pleased with how he looks in the first issue. Beyond that, all I can say is I hope I improve with practice!
Special thanks to Roger Langridge for answering a few pressing questions for us!

The Muppet Show Comic Book will hit stores March 25, 2009!

Click here to talk about the specifics of a weirdo's nose on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, Disney, interview, Roger Langridge, The Muppet Show

While we eagerly await the release of the upcoming Muppet Show comic book, due out in 2009 from BOOM! Studios, I find myself chomping at the bit, wondering what this thing's gonna be like. And that's not easy. First I had to find a bit, which is only sold in Chinatown, and then take a bite. And those things taste like black licorice. Blecch.

I had a chance to ask a few questions to Paul Morrissey, BOOM! Studios' editor for the Disney-related comics. This interview took place before I had the preview comic in-hand (which includes all of the images used in this article), which explains why I didn't ask any questions about Gonzo's beak or other script-related issues.

But don't take my word for it, here's Paul Morrissey. And, um, me.
ToughPigs: In what aspect (besides Editor in Chief) is Mark Waid involved in the Muppet comic books? I heard a rumor that he was writing some of the content, but that sounded to me to be false.

Paul Morrissey: Unfortunately, that's just a rumor. One of our press releases announcing the books was reprinted wrong on a comic news site. Though I'm sure Mark would write a brilliant Muppet comic, he's a bit too busy scripting other projects--including BOOM!'s "Incredibles" comic book.
TP: Is Roger Langridge submitting short pieces for the comic (like his one-page Muppet comic in Disney Adventures), or will he be working on full 20-30 page scripts?

PM: Roger Langridge is a mad genius, so we didn't want to restrict him to just short pieces. We miraculously found a way to have Roger write and draw full 22-page scripts. They are classic Muppets. Each one is full of hilarious skits and gags and irreverence, but Roger's stories also manage to tug at the heartstrings, too.

TP: Will Roger be the sole writer and artist for the book, or will it be a compilation of different talents?

PM: Right now, Roger is the only writer/artist on "The Muppet Show" comic. However, down the road, we'll have some exciting announcements about other writers and artists contributing their own "The Muppet Show" arcs.
TP: Are the "sequel" books (like "Muppet Prince Charming" and "Muppet Sleeping Beauty") planned already, or is that conjecture on BOOM's part?

PM: BOOM! is very much committed to having the Muppets bring their chaos to classic fairy tales and legends. Expect to see "Muppets Robin Hood" (with Sweetums as Little John!), "Muppets Peter Pan" and "Muppets King Arthur" shortly after Roger's "The Muppet Show" comic book hits stands. We're finding the funniest writers to script these projects. The tone we're aiming for is an all-ages Monty Python. That's setting the bar pretty high!

TP: Regarding the teaser comic released at the San Diego Comic Con, will there be a way for Muppet fans to see the art?

PM: BOOM! created a "Muppet Show" preview comic for San Diego Comic-Con that featured 9 pages of Roger's amazing art and hilarious gags. Most of this material is so exclusive, that it will not appear in Roger's first "The Muppet Show" arc. In fact, the preview comic has become a bit of a collector's item. I've seen them on eBay!
TP: How many issues will the first Muppet comic series run?

PM: Roger's first arc will be 4 issues. Issue #1 will focus on Kermit, issue # 2 will put Fozzie in the spotlight, Gonzo will headline issue #3, and Miss Piggy will ham it up in issue #4. Subsequent arcs, including the Muppet parody books, will also have four issue-arcs.

TP: Will there be any promotions attached to the Muppet series?

PM: Certainly! But nothing we can reveal at this point. As you may know, Disney is orchestrating the Muppets' return in a major way, and BOOM! is thrilled to a part of this new Muppet era!
Keep an eye on this space for Part 2 of our Q&A with Paul Morrissey!

Thanks to Paul for chatting with us, and special thanks to BOOM! Studios' Chip Mosher for setting the whole thing up!

Click here for an animated conversation on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, Disney, interview, The Muppet Show

It's that time again! Time for more Muppety art by ToughPigs' own Smig! What's notable in this installment is the piece at the end of this post, which was published in a recent issue of The Comic Buyer's Guide in his regular strip, "For Art's Sake." Enjoy the enjoyment! And as always, click on the images for embiggenment.


Click here to feast on a vegan at the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, fan art, Sesame Street, Smig, The Muppet Show

Wherever injustice rears its ugly head, whenever a damsel in distress finds her damselness all distressed-like, when a monster the size of a 1988 Toyota Camry is attacking the town where your Aunt Blanche lives, only one nigh-invulnerable superhero can be bothered to take the call! Why, it’s The Tick!

Many of us have followed The Tick’s adventures against thousands of ninjas, the terrifying Chairface Chippendale, and The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight through his hit indie comic series, his foxy FOX Kids cartoon, and his “Isn’t that the guy from Seinfeld?” live-action series. But that’s not where his true origins lie.

Way back in prehistoric 1986, The Tick’s comic book premiered. An 18-year-old Ben Edlund created a 3-page comic for his local comic book store, New England Comics, in which this new superhero would act as mascot for their newsletter. As opposed to his now-familiar faux-spandex appearance, The Tick sported a more fuzzy and blue look. He was also unceremoniously violent, even to those who meant him no harm. The comic even parodied pop culture, including the Hair Club for Men and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. And here’s where we get to the relevant part. Hold onto your hats, folks.

After the blue guy, the first two characters we’re introduced to in The Tick’s universe are his doctors at a psychiatric institution. One of which is short, stocky, bald, and wears glasses that hide his eyeballs. The other is thinner, with hair that sticks straight up, a terrified look on his face, and a high-pitched speech impediment. Sound like a couple of someones we know?

In case that wasn’t blatant enough, the short one refers to his assistant as “Beaker,” while he himself wears an ID tag that reads “Hello, my name is: Dr. B. Honeydew.” Okay seriously, if you’re not getting this, then you need to go read some other blog.

In fact, this strangely familiar duo gets almost as much page-time as the titular hero. Sadly, their appearance didn’t carry over to The Tick’s proper comic and continuity, but that’s ok, seeing as they got to be on TV a heck of a lot more than The Tick over the years.

Below, be sure to check out the original 3-page comic of The Tick, featuring those two science guys from that show we all seem to like so much.

Special thanks to ToughPigs reader Jamila for the scans!

Click here to share your battle cry on the ToughPigs forum! For justice!

Labels: comics/magazines

Special thanks to ToughPigs' own Michal for providing the magazine!

Click here to discuss how creepy "Inside Ed Asner" is as a headline on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: comics/magazines, The Muppet Show

Seven miles underground, deep below an undisclosed location (okay, okay, it’s an IHOP in Lansing), the ToughPigs’ secret stash of rare Muppety goodness lies, waiting to be found like that crate at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. In our bunker, you’d find things such as a picture of Frank Oz performing the Jerry Nelson puppet, the lost soundtrack to Johnny Carson and the Muppet Machine, and yes, even the 1975 recording of Fur.

But among the real things we have, one rare goodie is issue #20 of “KIDS,” the only magazine written for kids, by kids. The issue was printed in September of 1973 and cost a shiny $0.85. Which, according to my dad, bought about 9 movies with popcorn for you and your date.

A very brief history of “KIDS”: the magazine was produced as much as possible solely by kids. This included the writing, illustrations, catering, roof tarring, tap dancing, and the like. They even had a 15-year-old editor. One of the young illustrators was Ray Billingsley, who created the comic strip “Curtis.” Co-founder Jeanette Kahn later founded Dynamite Magazine and became publisher of DC Comics. So, while the magazine itself didn’t fare too well in the few years it was around, it spawned some more successful careers.

As you can see from the cover of issue #20 above, this article was written and illustrated by young Newt Gingrich impersonator, Alan Fiore, along with Bernard Thompson (neither with any connection to “Curtis”). It also features Jim Henson’s amazing yellow-flowered-shirt-and-kerchief, as well as the floating face of Jerry Nelson.

The article title asks the eternal question, “Yes, But What’s A Snuffleupagus?” which is not really answered. I think he’s some sort of furry elephant. But elephants wear tutus, so I’m lost again.

Alan and Bernard were lucky enough to visit the set of Sesame Street where they met Jim Henson, Jane Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Carroll Spinney (sic), Bonnie Lewis, Carolyn Wilcox, John Lovelady, and Kermit Love. The young journalists only spent a significant amount of time with Jerry, Richard, Frank and Jim, which is nothing to shake a stick at. Or to stick a shake at. Or to end a sentence with a preposition.

The boys got a full description on how SAM the Robot works, which included an electric wheelchair, fire extinguisher, and a very scrunched-up Jerry Nelson. They also watched Jim and Frank film a scene of Bert and Ernie going to bed. There are some beautiful shots of the set included in the article of Bert and Ernie’s beds up on stilts with the puppeteers underneath. Sadly, there’s no indication of which skit they were performing, but I’d like to think it was the eating-cookies-in-bed sketch. And that Alan got to take some cookie crumbs home with him.

Though the pictures are great, Alan and Bernard include some of their own renderings of SAM the Robot, Mr. Snuffleupagus, and how Big Bird works (including Caroll Spinney’s squished head).

I’m sure little Alan and Bernard went home that day with the satisfaction of having made their dreams a reality. And they lay their heads on their Superman pillows, wondering if anyone would believe their story. And then the next day, they’d go on an adventure for a one-eyed pirate’s treasure in order to save the Goon Docks. To quote the article, “It really felt like this was Alan’s birthday present from KIDS because that day was his birthday!!!” Truer words have never been spoken.Click here to discuss this article on the ToughPigs forum, the forum for adults who think they're kids, by adults who think they're kids!

***Special thanks to ToughPigs' own Alaina!

Labels: comics/magazines, Sesame Street

Back when you were a little kid (or before you were born, depending), The Jim Henson Company made a not-poorly-recieved film called Labyrinth. It starred Jennifer Connelly as intrepid-esque teen Sarah, a mincing David Bowie as Jareth, the Goblin King, and a ton of Creature Shop Muppets designed by Brian Froud. It had some goofy costumes and effects (as well as some pretty decent effects, let's be fair) and a good amount of genuine British humor, supplied, as you'd expect, by hardworking British people. I liked it then, and it's okay now.

A few years ago Tokyopop, an American comic book company that usually specializes in translating and reprinting Japanese comics acquired the Labyrinth license, and set about making a graphic novel (more specifically, a Japanese manga) that would serve as a direct sequel to the original movie.

And I guess that was their first mistake.

When you pick up the book, you initially notice the very pretty painted cover by Kouyu Shurei. Tokyopop really wants you to notice that, in particular - along with the writer and artist credits on the cover, the cover artist's name is there as well. Odd, that. But it is a Japanese name, and I guess it's meant to distract you from what's inside - no Japanese creators. See, the big deal about this being a Labyrinth manga instead of comic book is that manga is known among its fans as having very well-done, detailed artwork and interesting, character-driven plots by Japanese writers and artists. The Labyrinth manga, however, was written by Jake T. Forbes and drawn by Chris Lie. Now, I don't know from foreigners, but that don't sound too Japanese to me.

So really quick, let's take a short detour and check out the creator bios in the back of the book for a second, okay? Now, it says here that Mr. Forbes has been an "English-language localizer for an unhealthy amount of manga". Huh. When you use a word like 'unhealthy' in your own biography, what kind of expectations are you laying out for us, your audience? Well, whatever, I read an unhealthy amount of manga, so I should be cool with it. It also says he's presently a "Quest Writer for massively multiplayer online games". Oh. I see. So that's what we're dealing with here. All right. Well.

Let's open the book anyway, shall we?

Okay, so the book begins with a recap of the original Labyrinth via the dialog of the play Sarah is rehearsing for at the beginning of that movie: "...In a kingdom far away, there lived a beautiful princess... through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered..." You should probably just go ahead and re-watch the first movie anyway, as it's kind of vague, here.

Our story proper opens with Toby, the baby half-brother Sarah spent all of Labyrinth trying to rescue. He's all growed up, a high school student, and he looks like a girl.



I should explain that the artist is clearly going for a shoujo look for the visuals, and what shoujo means to you, essentially, is "pretty, pretty lady". Every character, male, female, hermaphrodite (yep, we got those here in Japanese-type comics) looks like either a pretty 15-year-old girl or a pretty 25-year-old lady. That's it, save for the goblins. You say you want luxurious eyelashes? Brother, you came to the right place. I'm not really criticizing that aspect as much as I'm just making fun for the sake of it - the intended audience is pre-teen fantasy fans, and it's an appropriate look. But more on the art later.

When we enter, we're just in time to see Toby demolishing the school play he's performing in. Flubbing his lines, setting the stage on fire, endangering lives. This quickly becomes a theme - Toby's a loser. He's no good at his schoolwork (he's also not very bright, as it turns out), he's kind of lazy and a procrastinator, as shown by his failing a test because he stayed up all night playing (surprise) massively multiplayer online games. I have no solid proof, but I'd imagine Toby regularly has at least a slight case of teenage B.O. You kind of start to wonder why Jareth even wanted to keep the kid in the first place.



One of the big missteps in the transition from the movie to the manga is the characterization of Irene, Sara's stepmother and Toby's natural mom. In the movie, a key point was that Sarah's mother was harried and trying to be as good a parent as possible, but that Sarah was an ungrateful brat. They completely switched the character around for the manga - I guess years of having to put up with Sarah's elaborate doll collections has made Irene bitter. She's a total bitch in the book, and Toby's dad is nowhere to be seen. The irony of the character's perceived Cinderella situation has been turned into fact, making the story even more two-dimensional. Not only do his parents not go to watch to the play he destroys, but when Toby comes home, a note on the fridge says, and I quote:

"Toby - your father and I will be out until late this evening. Don't go mucking about in the fridge for something to eat. It's hard enough planning meals without you eating whatever you feel like. There should be some leftover soup in the freezer. If you really must eat, eat that. - Irene"

Damn. If you really must eat, I suppose, but I don't like it. So this soup in the freezer, would it be next to the Ziplock bag you keep your heart in, Mom? Also, "signed Irene"? Recall that in the movie this woman is Sarah's stepmother; but she's Toby's biological parent. Not to drag out the freezer metaphor, but cold. Mom and Dad are out for a night on the town, probably enjoying a nice swordfish steak, possibly with asparagus in some kind of cream sauce and fingerling potatoes, and her darling, cherished natural son gets frozen soup and resentment. Nice. And while we're examining this note, "mucking about"? I'm sorry, but in the film Irene is not British, or even Australian, as far as I'm aware. I'm not sure what kind of weird personality she's trying to affect here, but in the manga, she's a frightening woman. I might have been too harsh on Toby earlier - clearly he has a lot in his daily life he needs to escape from, and his Kingdom of Goblins MMORPG must be like sweet heroin.



Fortunately for Toby, he does have an ally - Sarah, who's now an adult with an unflattering hairstyle and goofy hornrimmed glasses. But she knows what a pain in the ass Irene can be, and offers soothing words, support, sisterly affection, even cooks the poor sap a real dinner. And Toby shows his gratitude by exclaiming, when Sarah heads home for the night, "Thank God. I thought she'd never leave!" so he can cloister himself in his room and play his cherished computer games until the crack of dawn. I love Toby. Don't you?



The next day, Toby gets caught not cheating on the aforementioned math test (it's complicated, and further proof of Toby's ineptitude) by his handlebar-moustachioed, be-Afro'd math teacher. He's like a black Gene Shalit, this guy, and completely baffling character-design-wise. So Toby is sent to see the principal, where he meets Jareth, who's disguised as a 'guidance counselor'. Albeit a guidance counselor with really long nails and more eye makeup than you'd usually see on a male member of a high school's faculty.

He then flirts with Toby a bit (so I guess, at least, that part's true to life) and tells him about the goblin Honor Guard that he (Jareth) has set up to monitor Toby, and that eveything good that's ever happened to him (Toby) is thanks to him (Jareth) including recieving stolen property and implied physical harm to others. Then (God, it just goes on, doesn't it?) Jareth calls Toby an ungrateful little snot and jumps out a third-story window, which is pretty much what you're hoping would happen by this point anyway. But the scene does serve as a decent explanation as to why Toby hasn't been eaten by a bear or hit by a semi due to his own incompetence yet. I mean, I'd been wondering about it.



The little bitch (Toby!) goes home where he flails his uncoordinated, gangly teenage limbs around his bedroom, unplugging his computer and erasing the first homework assignment he's ever actually worked on in his life. Luckily, he had enough foresight to print out his efforts before he went spastic, but (and don't you hate when this happens) a goblin steals his homework, leads him through a Fraggle hole in his closet and into the world of the Labyrinth in a sequence that's totally not at all like anything from either Alice in Wonderland or The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Or a fucking retelling of the original movie. Jesus. And that - mercifully - is the end of Chapter One. Oh, wait - Chapter One... of the six chapters in this book. You know what? I'm done.

So let's see, what've we got so far? A cast of mostly unlikeable characters, and a hero I personally wouldn't root for if I were a trained French pig and he were a gourmet truffle. I have to admit, this is basically where I stopped reading the book. I skimmed through the rest, enough to know what was happening. But by this point I'd been beaten up (emotionally and possibly physically) by the thing, and I was only about sixty pages in.

Let's touch briefly on the artwork, seeing as it's half of the experience. The artist, as I mentioned, is doing this story in 'the manga style'. Except, um, he can't. By which I mean he isn't really very good. I'm sorry, but there it is, and it's especially apparent when he tries to adapt Brian Froud's original character designs. The biggest problem is it's just sort of bland - it has the most generic 'manga look' to it - things are drawn fairly competently, but not interestingly, and that includes the Goblin City and Labyrinth scenes. If the original movie had anything, it had amazing sets - dingy and worn but fantastic and surreal. The manga somehow manages to make the art inspired by those sets look, well, boring, if you can imagine. Everything is really hollow and lifeless at best, unpleasant at worst.

Plus the art looks just plain rushed, which it probably was. In defense of the artist, working by yourself on a graphic novel is a pretty big strain, especially when you have to do several hundred pages of artwork over the course of months, not years. But still, when you see his portrayal of The Worm (of "'Allo!" fame) - a likeable bit of Froud character design, and something people point to when they remember the film - you will wonder why, suddenly, a horrible zombie creature has taken that character's place in the manga.



Just so you know I can put my money where my mouth is, I spent five minutes sketching, using the same photo it looks like Chris Lie used to base his drawing of the Worm on, and came up with this:



Not to toot my own artistic horn (well, maybe just a little), but tell me that isn't a Worm you'd want to follow inside and have a cuppa tea with the Missus.

It's all a shame, too, because this would have been a great opportunity to really go nuts with the Labyrinth mythos. Watching the movie, you get the idea that there's a whole lot of stuff just behind the scenes they presented - there's a lot that could be told about how things work, the history; the cockeyed, funny fantasy-logic that makes the thing tick. You get some of that in the Froud art books that accompany the original movie, but this is also supposed to be a new story. And since it's a comic book (and you don't have to wory about an effects budget), you could do so much more than serve up a warmed-over Cinderella plot with lazy-yet-rushed art.

It seems like Tokyopop got the Labyrinth license and wanted to rush something out as quickly and cheaply as possible before it got stale - how much could it cost, really, to hire a Quest Writer for a MMORPG? I'm imagining the story that could have been told if a team of really talented Japanese creators had been hired to do the book - there's a specific flavor a lot of genuine fantasy and shoujo manga has that just isn't captured here. And the artwork - well, it's too bad that the cover has to act like a rabbit snare to get people to buy the book.

So in conclusion: Whiny, abused kids, mincing, fey rock gods and undead worms. I guess that about covers it! My suggestion is to read Return to Labyrinth if you have too much joy in your life, and need to be reminded of the darkness that lurks around the corner, unsuspected, waiting. Alternatively, if you don't hate yourself, just watch the original movie. Or any other movie. Or do anything else. Don't - don't read this comic book.

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Labels: comics/magazines, Creature Shop movies

This just in, Disney Adventures magazine will soon be printing brand new Muppet comic strips! The series will be drawn by comic book artist Roger Langridge. On Langridge’s blog, he wrote:

“Curtrently working on: The Muppets! Disney Adventures Magazine are about to start a regular Muppets comic strip, written and drawn by Yours Truly. I have to admit this is a bit of a thrill - I realised only a few years ago how much of an influence the original, 1970s Muppet Show was on my comics work. So to be actually doing it is quite a weird feeling.” (sp)

Of course, this is not the first time the Muppets have appeared in comic strip-form. “The Muppets” was written and drawn by Guy and Brad Gilchrist from 1981 to 1986.

I should also add that I used to have a subscription to Disney Adventures, which I collected for the Bone comic features, by Jeff Smith. It made me into a lifetime Bone fan, so who knows? Maybe Disney is actually taking steps toward getting new fans as obsessed as us!

In any case, I’m sure we can all agree that new Muppet stuffs is good newses.

See below for a sample of Roger Langridge's art.
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Labels: comics/magazines, Disney