Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book #3

Last month on Random Fandom…

A legend dies. A comic book shop dies. The Internet dies. Negative reactions to directors die. This was the prologue of the war of the century. No man or woman ever slept in comfort knowing there is a huge amount of L.A.R.Ping and role-playing outside their homes. No kid ever wanted to hear about Superman or Spider-Man or even Spawn without growing into an extended argument.

This was known as the war of Geeks versus the Nerds. The nerds had their revenge…more than once, but now it’s the geeks’ turn. It was never a time, until now, where cards and costume accessories were scattered in the battlefield. May God have pity for these troubled souls.



The Fight of the Decadal-Century!

Anyways, welcome to Random Fandom, where I review out of my mind about the things I find. Last month, the death of Comic Book Guy from Simpsons lore was a big step for Bongo Comics. They then decided to make an aftermath on what Springfield would without him, which didn’t go so well. Marge now runs the Android’s Dungeon, removing anything that was violent and obscene {in short, good}, the Internet was shut down because all the snark CBG made for the directors were no more, and a war between the intelligent nerds and the tech-savvy geeks began.
So, let’s see if we get Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book over with! Why? Well, getting off-topic for a moment, thanks to Archie Comics, Sonic the Hedgehog comics has introduced Cream the Rabbit, one of my favorite recent next-gen Sonic characters, into Mobius. I found out that there’s going to be a 4-part series in Sonic Universe, which is an ongoing series that’s related to the Archieverse. I wanted to finish my previous mini-series, so I can move on to the next one.

And giving how I have random reviews wedged between issue numbers, I wanted to do something different for a while before I can move on to the next part. So, I’ve decided that next month will debut my review for BOTH of the penultimate and final issue of Comic Book Guy. I want my next mini-series to begin ASAP!

So, with that out of the way, let’s see what turmoil awaits in Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book #3!

STORY:


Hiding a newfound hobby
is hard. I'm still trying to
seal away my Sesame Street
obsession.

The story starts up with the Geek/Nerd war, already in progress. The police are helpless against these acne-covered young adults and only Homer Simpson can stop it. He does so by pushing a nerd. Threatening to do some more if they don’t stop, Homer ended the war with a peace treaty between the nerds and geeks. That takes care of one plot element...thr most exciting one in this issue. Damn it all.
Meanwhile, Bart is in a search for a new hobby since Marge made the comic store much more boring. He succeeds on finding a newfound hobby called knitting thanks to Abe Simpson.

After that bit of B-Story, Marge closes up the store and sleeps for a little while, dreaming she is the world of Little Lulu…and eventually from it, she finds out that Comic Book Guy may still be alive. Plagued by the dreams as well, Lisa wants to dig up CBG’s grave to see if his body is still intact, I’ll see if you can guess if it’s still here. Whatever your guess is, Lisa is still not convinced. She decides to investigate on CBG’s death herself, and joining her is Ralph Wiggum. He tells me to burn things…unnecessarily things.

Not funny, player!

Yeah, I don’t care.

ART:
Now, since I’m going to say the same thing as my last two Comic Book Guy reviews, let me at least add some things that are different this time.



He should team up with The Tick's
Brainchild.

First, the comic takes us to a slight detour into Marge’s dreamworld in a Little Lulu comic. The artstyle is familiar to those of you who read about the adorable little moppet before. The most hilarious thing to come out of this was Little Burnsie, using his unfair advantage to coach a bunch of pro baseball players to face off to a bunch of children.
Second, I need to credit the artist who was responsible to this {and more} because this is going into a rut; I’m going to have to credit somebody. His name is John Delaney. The guy was responsible for other Bongo Comics as well as some Bruce Timm DC stories that were in print.

Maybe I might see this guy again someday, but that depends if I go into an Adventures in the DC Universe issue.

WRITING:
Now, since I’m going to use this as good writing instead of humor, I might has well give you some background information to the writer and comment on how well or poor he did.



That's nothing. This is the same
reaction from a black rally.

The writer in this case is Ian Boothby, who is also responsible to some Bongo Comics stories. His work is also on some Powerpuff Girls issues and a story from the 2007 DCU Infinite Holiday Special entitled “Father Christmas”, featuring the Flash.
How he did on the story you ask? As usual, you can find many pop culture references from fandom’s past here as well as some laughs here and there. My favorite part however is Homer trying to break up the nerds and geeks from fighting by yelling “JAR JAR BINKS IS THE GREATEST STAR WARS CHARACTER EVER!” Put that to stop an argument and you’re bound to make people forget what they were talking about.

FINAL VERDICT:
I don’t have anything else to talk about in this comic. Probably because most of the segments are becoming old hat. It's a shame, I really wanted to see the Nerd/Geek War a little bit longer, but I believe the story arc is how Springfield is coping with the death of Comic Book Guy and how they are making it as it used to be when he was alive.

All and all, I really hope Comic Book Guy returns soon, and if not, well, give us some excuse on why he’s not here anymore!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must read the first issue of Tiny Titans/Little Archie. I’m not into Little Archie! I’m into the latter.

RATING:
* * *

MEANWHILE, IN A ZONE BEYOND OURS…

So, you’re planning to review Treasure Team Tango. Well, I’ve expected more excuses than that wretched goody-two-shoes rabbit! No matter, once I’m inside the Regular Zone, I’ll get what I wanted, and then I’ll use that to overthrow you.

After all, you get rich by selling emeralds. D-did that come out wrong? Because it sounded like it did. OK, how about this? After all, Sol is good for the skin. Even worse? Sir, I need you to come up with better zingers! Are you still on phonoscreen? Damn it all.

Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book will end its run soon, and when it does, the next story arc will give me all the answers I need. Right, sir? Oh yeah, he’s off the phonoscreen. He really needs to pay more attention to my demands.



THE ANSWER FOR IF THE BODY IS INTACT!





Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book #2

Last time {or more like, last month on} Random Fandom…

The Simpsons’ own Comic Book Guy. Geek, nerd, obese. These are the words that describe him.

Last issue, his adventures took him in such strange places. He entered a Lardlad contest, but lost to his doppelganger. He bid on everything at a movie prop auction, which made him go inside Superman’s rocket, fueled by rocket fuel, and flew up in the ceiling and exploded…

…and perished him.

I mean, what the Hello Dolly with Barbara Streisand?! You don’t make a mini-series focused on a character if you’re going to focus on killing him on the first issue! That is just ridiculous! This is now just a 4-part Simpsons Comics story, and you can do better by finding a copy of Simpsons Comics and just be satisfied on reading a single issue!



I guess guarantees make comics sell.

 By the by, welcome to Random Fandom, where I review out of my mind about the things I find, and the beginning of the main-character-unfocusity epic known as Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book, Issue Number Two!

Now, I might be overeacting here, but not all {and by all, I mean ANY} comic book companies just go out of the way to kill off a main character in a comic book series directly from the first issue!

I mean, you got X-Men’s Jean Grey, DC’s Superman, and nearly every zombie in Marvel Zombies! But, they at least get some time to know the reader before their demise. And although Comic Book Guy had 20 years to be recognized from television, movies, action figures, books, et certa, before his “demise”, you don’t result in having a mini-series with the character that you and others loved so much and killed him in the not final, not penultimate, but the FIRST FRICKIN’ ISSUE!

But, you’ll never know. Maybe the characters’ reactions after the death of Fandom’s most recognizable losers will save it somehow and he will come back. They’re not going to absent him out of the new season without any explanation, can they? Let’s take a look!

STORY:

And there goes an exciting plot...

After the funeral for our formerly intact geek, hooked up with viral video praise and Stan Lee to make it more appealing for the sci-fi demographic, CBG’s last will and testament is displayed inside the confines of Android’s Dungeon. The only thing he left behind was his store, which to him is like his life’s work and offspring. He gives the lucky catcher of the Radioactive Man figure to become the owner of the comic shop, but Marge’s hair caught it and she’s now in charge. She’s determined to make this dusty place better than ever…or better for her.

She redone the store, removing everything violent and inappropriate {in short, everyTHING}, and make pink, girly, and full of Little Lulu and Little Dot comics. This does not go well with the other fanboys, especially Bart, who is now destined to find a new hobby now his mom made the Android’s Playground an unbearable place for people who want to escape home. The only person that doesn’t change is Nelson Muntz and that’s only because he views Marge as a mother figure since she scolded him for language.

But, that’s not even the beginning of Springfield’s problems. The internet forums were a more pleasant place because Comic Book Guy used any usernames he can think of to bash directors for making the movies intolerable. Now that’s he dead, the forums are full of positive reviews and possibility to directors to make self-righteous movies about themselves.

President Not-Wolfcastle isn’t pleased about the whole Internet-is-much-more-kinder business, so he shuts down the Internet for good. And getting off-topic for a moment, I have an alternate if the internet suddenly turned off forever. I would like to introduce to you the Random Fandom Pony Xpress! It’ll deliver any review by the 2nd week of the month and you’ll only have to pay a dollar for each review.

Our ponies are fit and ready for any review to be hand-delivered personally. We use scientific technology to enhance the horses’ abilities to run and leap through tall buildings with a single bound: Super-powered chocolate. Just like the anthropomorphic ray I made, it will give horses the ability to become abnormal, but so far, most of them are sleeping. I hope these ponies get up soon; flies are starting to get anxious for flesh!

So, remember, we review from our minds to make sure you get the review we find! Hold on. I got a fax from the pony cabin. “Dear, Mr. Fandom, Please stop feeding us chocolate and forcing us to deliver your reviews. The only time the internet will go down is when Hell breaks loose. Until then, we no longer need your services. –The Ponies” Let me get my telegraph to respond to these ponies. The chocolate must have given them a number on their brains, if you know what I mean. “Dear, the Ponies STOP, You will quit if I begin to do a hula-dancing contest with a chimpanzee STOP. In short, you are not leaving your post until we get your first job STOP. Begrudgingly, Mr. Fandom.”… “STOP” OK, let me put the letter into the tube connecting to the ponies’ chain and we’ll wait.

Meanwhile, back at Springfield, everyone in Fandom is distraught that the internet is officially dead {Pony Express, BTW.} Lisa suggests they just talk directly to each other, but all that did was start a nerd vs. geek war.

And so, the comic ends with the nerds and geeks, wearing cosplay costumes, getting ready for the fight of their wasted lives.

ART:

I got to admit, I did NOT expect
this.

The art style is just like the Simpsons Comics just like in the last issue. There are no inside variant covers since this is a second issue, AKA “Not a Big Deal” I’ll grade it just like I did for the first issue, but the art still isn’t horrible.

HUMOR:

This cameo is pointless, nuff said.

The humor is as usual as the last issue. This time, adding cosplay and children’s comics in the mix. The reactions of the Internet being shut down were expected, but funny regardless. I also appreciate the return of both President Not-Wolfcastle and Russ Cargill from The Simpsons Movie, but I wasn’t expecting somebody would be fine after a rock landed on his head. Only in Bongo Comics, where continuity means nothing to them {except for the important stuff}

Stan Lee was the only part I didn’t find OK. I don’t care he wrote his own part in, but I was expecting him to do a lot more stuff to give the middle finger to DC. For example, in the episode “I Am Furious Yellow”, Stan makes a guest appearance as himself, doing many funny things, such as fitting the Thing in the Batmobile and trying to become the Hulk, but no avail. The least you can do is having him piss all over Bob Kane’s grave or something because besides the eulogy, he was just one-dimensional as the ways different artists draw his creations.

FINAL VERDICT:
Yes, Comic Book Guy only made some appearances this issue, but I didn’t feel up to the challenge to kill off a headlining character in the first issue. Regardless, the story still fares up nicely, the humor works unless you aren’t a geek or nerd, and the artstyle still captures the show perfectly. All I can say, I hope the aftermath of the Death of Fandom’s Greatest Nerds do well next issue and beyond.

Until next time, I…hold on, I got another letter from the ponies. “Mr. Fandom, we are now revolting. Your blog will never be as famous as those other Internet reviewers. Come out and surrender yourself.” Oh, I’ll surrender myself. Surrender from sloth and taking action!

Five minutes later…

Folks, the ponies are invading my home as we speak. So, until I get that out of the way, look forward to the third issue of Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book next moth. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m having glue for dinner. It’s the only thing good from horses and…just show the rating.

RATING:
* * *

Better luck next time, Homie...

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!"}