Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book #1

Welcome to Random Fandom, where I review out of my mind about the things I find. Today, we go out of the way for the premiere issue of Bongo Comics’ newest mini-series: Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book.

A cover based on the most recognizable first issue
for a team that everyone soon loved:
Simpsons Comics.

Bongo has been doing a little satire to comics and superheroing from yesteryear for many years now, from Radioactive Man to Simpsons Super Spectacular. The writers and artists show their love of comic book heroes by placing Bartman, Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl, or even Pieman in some of the strangest scenarios that only comics can think up.

And this one is no different. Debuting on July 2010 is the 5-part mini-series based on Springfield’s favorite fanboy, Comic Book Guy. Littered with pop culture references as well as a story that will leave you shocked {unless you read the solicitations} to discover what will happen to Springfield without their Comic Book Guy…and I just spoiled the ending.

But hey, it’s only issue 1 of a 5-part series, so there might be twists and turns as we would expect from other comics. So, is the first issue truly a collector’s item or is it the Worst Issue Ever? Let’s take a look at the comic.

STORY:

For those of you who don’t know who Comic Book Guy is, what is wrong with you? But since you asked, this was the Simpsons’ satire of geekdom. He’s in charge of a comic book shop in Springfield called Android’s Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop where almost everything you might find is here, such as Bleeding Gums Murphy’s hit album or even a mint copy of Amazing Spider-Man #1 {that is until some bald-headed buffoon ate the pages once he purchased it}. He is very harsh for those who take fandom to casualness and often bans some of its customers due to minor infractions.

If you were imagining what Shelbyville’s
Comic Book Guy is like, this might be it.

With that expoistion out of the way, the story starts off with CBG’s latest video have gotten some negative comments due to it being similar of another video done by the Graphic Novel Kid, who is a bizzare copy of the real deal. He decides to make himself known by entering Lardlad’s contest for a new spokesperson. However, the Graphic Novel Kid enters as well and eventually, beats him for the title, but the car he also won blew up once this pathetic imitator started the engine. Never put grease traps on top of your SUVs.

Worried that it would have been him at the seat to Death's steeple, CBG swears to live life to the fullest and begins so by buying everything at a movie prop auction, but karma has other plans for him as CBG throws Captain America’s shield, starting off a chain reaction that leaves him inside the rocket-fueled Superman’s rocket. Once the rocket started off, it crashed on the ceiling, blew up, and perished our once living cynical fanboy.

ART:

This is it! Extra-Large Shocker!

The art is as usual from other Simpsons comics. It looks a lot alike the TV series, capturing all the characters on the style that we always know of them. As well as the main story, there are 4 variant covers {including the one on the top} that parody other comic book titles, such as Fantastic Four, Death of Superman, and Crisis on Infinite Earths. I like the Crisis one better because it looks a lot more unique than the others. The Bongo Comics logo is on a blue banner with the proclamation that it’s a mini-series and Homer as well as some of Springfield Elementary bullies carrying CBG’s body while the other citizens of Springfield watch. I know it’s a satire, but at least it’s nice to nearly all the characters from the show on the cover, even if it’s in the background.

HUMOR:

“Yes, as I see it.”

As I mentioned before, the humor is full of pop culture jokes such as Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Terminator, and so on. I’ll give CBG some credit, some of his antics did make me laugh from the Magic 8 Ball Yoda to watching the 36-hour Manimal marathon after saying that he’ll live out everyday in his life. His viral video at the beginning was good too, parodying all the greatest deaths in a minute. Above all, it’s Simpsons if geeks wrote the script.

FINAL VERDICT:

Comic Book Guy the Comic Book did a good job, giving us a reason why we love the character in the first place {even if he won’t be appearing in the rest of the series in person.} It’s Simpsons Comics if Comic Book Guy got a lead story. I really didn’t like that some of the Simpsons characters could have a little more focus. The only characters we get to see other than CGB is Graphic Novel Kid, Bart, and Lisa. Above all, good artwork, good start to a story, and I’m looking forward how they’re going to bring him back in time of Season 22…oh, and Stan Lee is going to be in the next issue. If he wrote his part by himself, I wouldn’t be too surprised.

RATING:

* * * *

Tunc Vicis! {Latin for "Next Time!"}