Dads Get Ready – BOOM! Studios New Disney Comics Are On Their Way!

Announced at last summer's Comic-Con International, the first wave of Pixar and Muppet related comic books from BOOM! Studios have finally been solicited and are available for pre-order. Let's take a look, shall we?

CARS #1 (OF 4)
(W) Alan J. Porter (A) Albert Carreres

Cars fans, start your engines! Before the big Dinoco 400 race, rookie sensation Lightning McQueen is interviewed by Darrel Cartrip. Full of braggadocio, McQueen reveals his scrappy origins as 'Bulldozer' McQueen - a local short track racer who dreams of the big time, and recklessly plows his way through the competition to get there! Features 2 covers by Allen Gladfelter.

First up is CARS, a constant favorite in just about any kid-run household. It's possibly the oddest of the Pixar movies in general, as kids tend to love it, non-kid having adults regard it as the weakest of the lot and parents tend to realize that it's really quite good as well as a great 2 hour babysitter when the occasion calls for it. That said, it's also probably the most challenging of all the titles in this deal to translate to comics, and if it weren't for it's massive popularity, I'd question even trying. The cover art is a perfect indication as to why - there's nothing wrong with it, really, but the characters just don't translate to non-CG renderings with the same inherent energy and sheen as their animated counterparts. Plus, being cars, they ind of have to remain on spec and can't really be re-imagined or reinterpreted by the artist. Still, it doesn't look bad, and I'll be getting the first issue at least to give it a chance. Either way, I'm sure CARS will be a big hit with the kids, which is really all that matters.

NERDNOTE: I'm truly amused that they're actually giving us an Origin Story for Lightning McQueen. Ka-chow!

Next on the docket is...

INCREDIBLES #1 (OF 4)
(W) Mark Waid (A) Marcio Takara

America's favorite family of superheroes finally returns, courtesy of legendary scribe Mark Waid (The Flash)! The Incredibles face terrifying new villains and friendly new neighbors, all while Mr. Incredible hides a troubling secret from his costumed clan. Ships with four connecting cover variants by acclaimed artist Michael Avon Oeming!

I have to say, as much as people have clamored for this adaptation since the movie came out - almost as much as folks want a sequel, for cripes sakes - I was always slightly ambivalent about it. Not because I didn't think a comic could work, but because I was afraid of who they'd get to write it. Seeing Waid at the writer's helm pretty much alleviates that concern. INCREDIBLES is basically a take on the whole Fantastic Four superhero family concept, after all, and Waid's run on FF with Weiringo was one of my favorite interpretations of Marvel's first family. I have every faith that Waid'll be able to accomplish the same feat here, depending on the artist. No idea what Takara's art is like, but I have faith in Boom!'s taste and Disney's licensee department that it'll do the trick.

NERDNOTE: The Oeming covers are a perfect example of an artist staying on character key while bringing their own style to them. It can be a tricky thing to pull off, but Mr. Incredible looks great!

Then we come to BOOM!'s final preliminary offering:

MUPPET SHOW #1 (OF 4)
(W/A) Roger Langridge

The incomparable Roger Langridge (Doctor Who, Fred The Clown) brings his absurdist humor to The Muppet Show stage! Longing for the swamp, Kermit forlornly plucks his banjo, while Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and the entire gang tries to jolly him out of his funk. Packed full of madcap skits and gags, The Muppet Show is sure to please old and new fans alike.

Quite possibly my most anticipated title from this wave of BOOM! releases! What child of the 80s isn't a fan of the Sesame Street transplanted Kermit and the rest of the crew? None with a soul, I say! I'm not familiar with Roger Landridge, but I think I love almost all of his character interpretations on the cover art over there. Like all the best illustrated Muppet works, everyone is instantly recognizable and presented in a slightly off-kilter style that helps capture the manic energy of their foam-filled counterparts. Judging by the first issue description, Landridge will be following the show's formula with an A-story interspersed with skits and what not, which sounds just about perfect. No mention on whether there'll be some sort of celebrity appearance in the books, but I'd expect not. Probably for the best, really.

NERDNOTE: Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem!!!

So, there it is - the first wave of BOOM! kid's titles. Looks pretty good, yeah? I'm pretty impressed with BOOM!'s decision to go against the current trend - as well as against their own historical precedence - and price these babies at $2.99 rather than the more and more common $3.99 price point. Sure, it's still a big chunk of change, but that's reality nowadays, Besides, these titles should sell much better and for an extended period of time once the minis are collected. I know that I'm planning on getting the first issues - half off at DCBS - handing them over to The Kid™, and then waiting for the collections. It's gonna be a long however many months it is wait, though!