ADVENTURE TIME with Fionna and Cake #1 – Single Issue
Kaboom! Comics
Created by: Pendleton Ward
Writer: Natasha Allegri (Second Story: Noelle Stevenson)
Pencilers: Natasha Allegri (Second Story: Noelle Stevenson)
Letterer: Britt Wilson
Reviewer: Derrick T. Crow
Summary: I really need to start watching Adventure Time. This stuff is just way too fun. Fionna and Cake are the gender-bended forms of our regular titular heroes Finn and Jake, hotly known from the season 3 episode of the show aptly named “Fionna and Cake.” The story follows their continuous adventures in a gender-bent world and involves a fire lady, an ice queen, a not-sparkly male vampire and oddly enough… a dark undertone.
**SPOILERS**
Review: Rule 63, you unabashedly brave soul. For anyone who doesn’t know, Rule 63 is a “rule of the internet” that states for every male character, there is a female character that exists of him, and vice versa. And Adventure Time I am sure made television history when it incorporated Rule 63 into its own universe because it has gained quite the fan following since. Even big enough to get its own 6-issue min-series out of it; whadda ya know?
The story in this issue is remarkably deeper than what I was expecting it to be. It begins with Cake telling Fionna a bed time story of a lady made of fire that gave birth to live molten rocks that, when the Earth experienced its first rain, the rocks protected the fire lady from certain doom. Now she is trapped within’ their core and tears she cries creates volcanoes which in return create land for life to grow and live. Fionna of course doesn’t like it and wishes for something more remarkable to happen.
Follow that up with and attack from the Ice Queen (a gender-bend of the Ice King in regular AT) who ends up killing some poor Fire Lion Cubs. Cake offers Fionna some remarkably funny swords to choose from to defend the Fire Lions and her home, such weaponry being a knitted sword, a broken bottle sword and my personal favorite the cat litter sword (yes, it is Cake’s cat litter). Then a man made of fire attacks the Ice Queen and she freezes him with a special crystal; ending the issue.
The story itself is actually pretty short, with the fire lady story taking up majority of part 1. But never does the story feel badly paced, and gives itself enough room to breathe. I would say the ending is a little abrupt but it isn’t so bad to really nitpick at. Allegri does a wonderful job of making the characters likeable and the story of the fire lady riveting as well.
The art is also top notch, feeling like a cross between a mainstream action comic and, well, Adventure Time. You could probably put Adventure Time’s art style in a style of its own and call it good. I had the same experience with my other Adventure Time Review.
Though again one problem still persists, if I didn’t have friend who liked the show and didn’t already tell me of these characters, I would wonder why Finn and Jake are girls suddenly (and why Jake is a cat suddenly). I still think there should be a who’s who type of page at the front of every issue for those going in raw. Though at least in this chapter everyone’s name is said enough times that you know who is who and that isn’t a problem.
The back story by Noelle Stevenson is a real hoot. A short involving a sweater bandit who is stealing the sweaters of everyone in the gender-bent Adventure Time world, but our heroes Fionna, Cake, PRINCE Bubblegum and Marshall Lee (Rule 63 version of Marceline) are hot on his trail. They discover him and he turns out to be a real trend follower of the most hilarious fashion. Prince Bubblegum finds the sweaters he made for everyone and they all live happily ever after.
Again, really short, but really fun too. The art is stringy and zany and I love it, it’s simple. There’s really not much more I can say.
Overall, the issues I had with my last AT review are improved a bit here, though sans identity sheet still bugs me. If you’re an Adventure Time fan you should definitely pick this up, but then if you are a fan, you probably are already picking it up. It’s a good start and let’s hope it continues.
Final Verdict: 4 Fire Lion Cubs out of 5
Kaboom! Comics
Created by: Pendleton Ward
Writer: Natasha Allegri (Second Story: Noelle Stevenson)
Pencilers: Natasha Allegri (Second Story: Noelle Stevenson)
Letterer: Britt Wilson
Reviewer: Derrick T. Crow
Summary: I really need to start watching Adventure Time. This stuff is just way too fun. Fionna and Cake are the gender-bended forms of our regular titular heroes Finn and Jake, hotly known from the season 3 episode of the show aptly named “Fionna and Cake.” The story follows their continuous adventures in a gender-bent world and involves a fire lady, an ice queen, a not-sparkly male vampire and oddly enough… a dark undertone.
**SPOILERS**
Review: Rule 63, you unabashedly brave soul. For anyone who doesn’t know, Rule 63 is a “rule of the internet” that states for every male character, there is a female character that exists of him, and vice versa. And Adventure Time I am sure made television history when it incorporated Rule 63 into its own universe because it has gained quite the fan following since. Even big enough to get its own 6-issue min-series out of it; whadda ya know?
The story in this issue is remarkably deeper than what I was expecting it to be. It begins with Cake telling Fionna a bed time story of a lady made of fire that gave birth to live molten rocks that, when the Earth experienced its first rain, the rocks protected the fire lady from certain doom. Now she is trapped within’ their core and tears she cries creates volcanoes which in return create land for life to grow and live. Fionna of course doesn’t like it and wishes for something more remarkable to happen.
Follow that up with and attack from the Ice Queen (a gender-bend of the Ice King in regular AT) who ends up killing some poor Fire Lion Cubs. Cake offers Fionna some remarkably funny swords to choose from to defend the Fire Lions and her home, such weaponry being a knitted sword, a broken bottle sword and my personal favorite the cat litter sword (yes, it is Cake’s cat litter). Then a man made of fire attacks the Ice Queen and she freezes him with a special crystal; ending the issue.
The story itself is actually pretty short, with the fire lady story taking up majority of part 1. But never does the story feel badly paced, and gives itself enough room to breathe. I would say the ending is a little abrupt but it isn’t so bad to really nitpick at. Allegri does a wonderful job of making the characters likeable and the story of the fire lady riveting as well.
The art is also top notch, feeling like a cross between a mainstream action comic and, well, Adventure Time. You could probably put Adventure Time’s art style in a style of its own and call it good. I had the same experience with my other Adventure Time Review.
Though again one problem still persists, if I didn’t have friend who liked the show and didn’t already tell me of these characters, I would wonder why Finn and Jake are girls suddenly (and why Jake is a cat suddenly). I still think there should be a who’s who type of page at the front of every issue for those going in raw. Though at least in this chapter everyone’s name is said enough times that you know who is who and that isn’t a problem.
The back story by Noelle Stevenson is a real hoot. A short involving a sweater bandit who is stealing the sweaters of everyone in the gender-bent Adventure Time world, but our heroes Fionna, Cake, PRINCE Bubblegum and Marshall Lee (Rule 63 version of Marceline) are hot on his trail. They discover him and he turns out to be a real trend follower of the most hilarious fashion. Prince Bubblegum finds the sweaters he made for everyone and they all live happily ever after.
Again, really short, but really fun too. The art is stringy and zany and I love it, it’s simple. There’s really not much more I can say.
Overall, the issues I had with my last AT review are improved a bit here, though sans identity sheet still bugs me. If you’re an Adventure Time fan you should definitely pick this up, but then if you are a fan, you probably are already picking it up. It’s a good start and let’s hope it continues.
Final Verdict: 4 Fire Lion Cubs out of 5
Editor's Note: I would like to thank Mark A. Lester for allowing the review for this book he did on Amazon to be placed on here. And with out further ado.... Let's get it on!
Marineman: A Matter of Life and Depth is a graphic novel published by Image Comics. Created, written and drawn by Ian Churchill with help from Alex Sollazzo and Nicolas Chapuis on coloring and JG Roshell on design. Comicraft's Richard Starklings, Jimmy Betancourt and JG Roshell receiving credit on lettering. And reviewed by Mark A. Lester.
Let's save yourself some time and cut to the chase. If you're here, reading this, you're already interested in purchasing Ian Churchill's graphic novel, "Marineman: A Matter of Life and Depth" and are just looking for that final push to pull out your wallet and spend your hard-earned cash. Let me put your mind a ease and tell you to take the leap and do it. Buy the book. You'll be glad you did. I am.
Without going into the story-line, surprises or twists and turns of plot, "Marineman" just feels good. While new to the comic world of multiple universes, Marineman feels somehow iconic, as if we've seen this character before. Churchill manages to make the book familiar without being yet another rehash of what we've already seen before, fun without being silly, action-packed without being empty, and filled with interesting info without ever feeling like the reader is being lectured.
"Marineman: A Matter of Life and Depth" is simply beautiful to look at and an absolute joy to read. You'll find yourself falling in love with the worlds Churchill so beautifully illustrates and see just how thrilling an undersea adventure can be when done right. This is a book you'll find yourself thinking about long after you've finished the final page and set the book down. Personally, I've found myself sharing the book with others who share my love of good fiction, not just comics.
I don't read many comics these days. I buy even less. This particular book caught my eye and made me think of everything that thrilled me about comics when I was eight years old. It just looked fun. I'm glad I took the chance on this book and would do so again.
My grade: A solid A.
My quick review: Buy the book.
Let's save yourself some time and cut to the chase. If you're here, reading this, you're already interested in purchasing Ian Churchill's graphic novel, "Marineman: A Matter of Life and Depth" and are just looking for that final push to pull out your wallet and spend your hard-earned cash. Let me put your mind a ease and tell you to take the leap and do it. Buy the book. You'll be glad you did. I am.
Without going into the story-line, surprises or twists and turns of plot, "Marineman" just feels good. While new to the comic world of multiple universes, Marineman feels somehow iconic, as if we've seen this character before. Churchill manages to make the book familiar without being yet another rehash of what we've already seen before, fun without being silly, action-packed without being empty, and filled with interesting info without ever feeling like the reader is being lectured.
"Marineman: A Matter of Life and Depth" is simply beautiful to look at and an absolute joy to read. You'll find yourself falling in love with the worlds Churchill so beautifully illustrates and see just how thrilling an undersea adventure can be when done right. This is a book you'll find yourself thinking about long after you've finished the final page and set the book down. Personally, I've found myself sharing the book with others who share my love of good fiction, not just comics.
I don't read many comics these days. I buy even less. This particular book caught my eye and made me think of everything that thrilled me about comics when I was eight years old. It just looked fun. I'm glad I took the chance on this book and would do so again.
My grade: A solid A.
My quick review: Buy the book.