Boom! Studios, a smaller big comic book publisher, launched their
new Boom! Kids line earlier this year, which features comics based on
the Disney-owned properties Pixar and The Muppets. Time will tell if
this arrangement lasts now that Disney owns Marvel. Hopefully nothing
will happen that affects the Muppet Show comics that cartoonist Roger
Langridge has been making for the past six months, because these comics
are perfect. They are technically aimed at kids, but truly the target
audience is the generation that grew up watching The Muppet Show. It is
one of the most astonishing things I have ever encountered: Langridge
managed to take The Muppet Show, a show that relied heavily on music,
explosions, shouting and wacky puppet body language, and flawlessly
translated it to the stagnant pages of a monthly comic book. It’s
mind-blowing. Each issue follows the structure of an episode of The
Muppet Show, with skits, musical numbers and a main backstage story.
The comics also incorporate even the most minor characters from the
show. A trade paperback was recently released that collects the first
four issues, and if you are a fan, it will be the best $10 you ever
spend.
This article appears in Sep 3-9, 2009.