Tag Archives: the muppets take the marvel universe

Mini Reviews: Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 and Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

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The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 (Dark Horse) – Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 continues to straddle the line between utterly brilliant and incredibly sophomoric. Geoff Darrow unleashes some of the best fight choreography on the comics page and also a used panty dispensing AI soda machine. He also includes more background gags in one issue than some 100+ issue ongoing series have in their entire run. I’m amazed by Darrow’s skill as a cartoonist, which is bolstered by Ian Herring’s colors and Nate Piekos’ precise letters and also get a lot of chuckles from his skewering of our current AI-addled, fascist, late capitalist reality. The setting of Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live has big Gatlinburg energy. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 (Marvel) – Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 is living proof that anything, even a shared universe that has somewhat gone stale, can be improved by the presence of Muppets. The comic kicks things off with a multiverse-spanning epic courtesy of Chip Zdarsky and Pete Woods. It’s super funny, and Miss Piggy and Emma Frost are fabulous together. Also, with the help of Gonzo, Deadpool is the least annoying he’s been in years. The story ends up being a salute to ensemble casts and maybe even a template for future summer event stories. Next, in a “Terrible Idea”, Kyle Starks and Mike Henderson have Bruce Banner and Hank Pym play the straight men to the utter chaos that are the experiments of Honeydew and Beaker. Some of the imagery in this story is downright nightmare fuel, and it ends up being a great homage to all the superhero and villain-creating lab accidents. Miss Piggy roasts some sexist (literal)pigs and flirts with Rocket and Groot in the incomparable “Pigs of the Galaxy”. Mackenzie Cadenhead’s dialogue demonstrates why she’s a pop culture queen while David Baldwin and Yen Nitro marry colorful sci-fi and fashion with their visuals. This story needed more pages and a spinoff mini. Philip Kennedy Johnson and Athla Fabbio combine 60s counterculture and 80s action in the nearly silent “Bad Man”. Basically, Wolverine rescues the Electric Mayhem’s van in a story that emulates Larry Hama’s silent issues of GI Joe with day-go colors from Mike Atiyeh. It’s a super fun genre/era/tone mash-up. Momofuku executive chef Paul Carmichael teams up with Ashley Allen and Paco Medina to spin a tale of Dr. Strange, Swedish Chef, and a sick Clea. Allen nails the chef’s funky dialogue while Medina helps the build up of Strange’s consternation with a chef who sucks in every universe. But, somehow, he has the magic touch for Clea. Adam Goldberg and EJ Su wrap the comic up with a rapid fire succession of Muppets failing to join the Avengers in their fight against Dr. Doom. We get one last magical Miss Piggy moment and some Statler/Waldorf fourth wall obliteration before paying adieu to a vibrant cast of characters. (And some Marvel superheroes.) Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy

The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 Delivers Laughs and a Nice Distraction from Reality

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The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS – THE MARI/EL UNIVERSE! To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW…we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world’s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER! The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 is a hell of a lot of fun that leaves us wanting more.

Growing up I appreciated the Muppets but wasn’t a die-hard fan. There were some aspects that I enjoyed and some I found irritating and outright cheesy. But, that’s the Muppets, right? The loveable bizarre characters have been around for 50 years and enjoyed by generations. Most importantly, they’ve delivered laughs and allowed individuals to escape the grind of life. The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 continues that while having the Muppets join some of Marvel’s characters to take on Mojo along with a series of shorts, and it works really well.

With the main story by Chip Zdarsky and Pete Woods the Muppets need the help of Marvel’s heroes to find Rowlf who has been dognapped by Mojo. When you think about it, it’s the perfect setup and concept and actually makes sense. With the story there’s a solid blend of action and humor, mixing the seriousness of Marvel’s heroes with the insanity of the Muppets. Zdarsky and Woods nail the concept with a balance that can be enjoyed by a wide range of individuals. It’s hard to not appreciate Fozzy Bear and Spider-Man going back and forth or Gonzo admitting that Deadpool was too crazy. And all of it weirdly just works, not feeling forced at all and a hell of a lot of fun. Woods’ art feels like it’s a nice in-between of what you’d expect in a Muppet comic and a superhero comic from Marvel, making the characters blend nicely and not feel out of place. The story delivers some solid laughs and moments and at the same time picks on and needles superhero tropes (the story involves the multiverse).

The rest of the comic is a series of shorts from writers Mackenzie Cadenhead, Ashley Allen, Chef Paul Carmichael, Kyle Starks, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, and Adam F. Goldberg and art by David Baldeon, Paco Medina, Mike Henderson, Athila Fabbio, and E.J. Su. All of these nail the assignment, each delivering good punchlines and most importantly will put a smile on the face of readers. Each story matches up Muppets with Marvel heroes in what feels like a series of skits you’d see on the Muppet show. And it leaves us wanting more. Animal + Wolverine = the ultimate team up. Each story has a little bit of a different style in the art and some go for heartfelt tales while others deliver laugh out loud moments.

The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 is fun, a lot of fun. Not only could it get me to laugh a lot but it also delivered that childlike escape where I can just sit and not care about what’s going on around me. It’s a perfect mix of Muppets and Marvel and shows off a love of both. Most importantly, it left me wanting more. While this is a one-shot, hopefully it’s not a one and done and we can see more team-ups in the future.

Story: Chip Zdarsky, Mackenzie Cadenhead, Ashley Allen, Chef Paul Carmichael, Kyle Starks, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Adam F. Goldberg
Art: Pete Woods, David Baldeon, Paco Medina, Mike Henderson, Athila Fabbio, E.J. Su
Color: Yen Nitro, Mike Atiyeh Letters: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Exclusive Preview: The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

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The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1

(W) Adam F. Goldberg, Ashley Allen, Chip Zdarsky, Kyle Starks, MacKenzie Cadenhead, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Chef Paul Carmichael
(A) Pete Woods, Áthila Fabbio, David Baldeón, Paco Medina, Mike Henderson, EJ. Su
(C) Yen Nitro, Mike Atiyeh (L) Joe Caramagna
(CA) Nick Bradshaw (VCA) Alex Ross, Humberto Ramos, Matteo Lolli, Skottie Young, Todd Nauck, Ron Lim

TONIGHT’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS — THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of THE MUPPET SHOW… we bring you a crossover no one saw coming! Join EISNER-winning writer and one of the world”s greatest Muppet fans CHIP ZDARSKY along with a cadre of Marvelously talented creators as they unleash The Muppets’ trademark chaos on the MARVEL UNIVERSE. ROWLF THE DOG kidnapped by MOJO? KERMIT THE FROG, MISS PIGGY, FOZZIE BEAR, SPIDER-MAN, BLACK PANTHER and EMMA FROST to the rescue? DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW and BEAKER experimenting with GAMMA RAYS and PYM PARTICLES? What could go wrong? Find out in this epic tale told in the MIGHTY MARVEL MUPPET MANNER!

Comic book cover featuring The Muppets characters dressed as various Marvel superheroes, with a colorful background and the text 'The Muppets Take the Marvel Universe!'
A promotional poster for 'The Muppets Take The Marvel Universe', featuring a list of contributors such as writers, artists, and editors with a playful Muppet-themed design.
A colorful cartoon scene featuring Muppet characters in a laboratory setting. A scientist in a lab coat explains the concept of an interdimensional portal while various Muppets, including Kermit and Beaker, listen with curiosity. The background shows scientific equipment and a glowing portal.
A colorful comic panel featuring various Muppet characters, including Kermit the Frog and Beaker, discussing a crisis involving a character named Rowlf. The scene is lively, with Beaker expressing excitement and the group strategizing about a superhero to help them. The background depicts a laboratory setting with humorous sound effects.
A comic panel featuring Muppet characters, including Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, discussing a potential investigation while surrounded by various anthropomorphic animals.
A comic-style scene featuring several characters in a lab setting, including Doctor Honeydew, Beaker, and two scientists, one wearing glasses and a lab coat. They are discussing a scientific endeavor with excitement and humor.
A comic panel featuring anthropomorphic characters including a raccoon with a gun, a pig in a space suit, and other alien-like beings discussing a spaceship alarm and potential alien encounters.
A colorful comic page featuring a vintage Volkswagen van decorated with patterns, music notes floating around. The first panel shows a character with a plaid shirt looking at the van, followed by a Muppet character holding a poster. Subsequent panels depict a lively scene inside the van with various Muppets playing instruments and enjoying music.
A comic book scene set in the Sanctum Sanctorum, featuring two characters: a woman in pajamas sneezing and a man in a mystical outfit discussing a cold remedy. The room is cozy with a lamp, bed, and tea set present.
An illustrated comic panel depicting Avengers gathered in their headquarters. Iron Man addresses the team, which includes Captain America, Black Widow, and Thor, about an emergency involving Doctor Doom. Dialogue balloons convey their discussion about recruiting new members to replace missing heroes.