Looney Tunes (1994 Series) #119

October 4, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Bouncing Baby Bunny and other stories

When Bugs Bunny gets lost in yet another directional mishap, he winds up in the clutches of an angry gorilla.

Writers: Bill Matheny, Craig Boldman & Earl Kress
Pencils: David Alvarez & Mike DeCarlo
Inks: Mike DeCarlo
Colors: Dave Tanguay
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher & Nick J. Napolitano
Editor: Joan Hilty
Cover Art: Dave Alvarez & Mike DeCarlo
Publisher: DC Comics/Johnny DC

Historically, one of the big problems with Looney Tunes comics has been that the crazy, madcap style of humor that make the cartoons masterpieces didn’t translate as well to the comic book page. Somehow, DC Comics has finally found the way to overcome that hurdle – this issue seems to bottle the essence of those toons and make them great.

“Bouncing Baby Bunny,” the opening gambit, is classic Bugs Bunny. Bugs, dressed as a baby for a costume contest, gets lost (as usual) and winds up in the arms of a gorilla who wants him for her very own… but her mate isn’t too happy about it. This isn’t that original a concept – almost the same story was done in the cartoons more than once – but it comes across very well.

Another highlight of the issue include “Ragin’ Cage.” Tweety Bird gets himself a high-tech cage to keep off the advances of the ravenous Sylvester. People think Tweety is so innocent, but this cartoon, like the best of his cartoons, shows what a sadistic little monster he can be – not that Sylvester doesn’t deserve it. We also get “The Ugly Duckling,” which isn’t so much an adaptation of that classic fable as it is a story about Daffy Duck’s dismay at being cast in that role. The issue also includes several one or two-page stories that amount to gag strips – set-up and punchline, and the punchlines for the most part are pretty good.

If you love the Looney Tunes, chances are you’ll find this title to your liking. It took over 50 years and many different publishers, but DC has finally figured out how to do these characters right.

Rating: 8/10

The Batman Strikes! #8

April 13, 2005

Quick Rating: Good
Title: Firefall

When Firebug takes aim at friends of Bruce Wayne, the Batman can’t be far behind.

Writer: Bill Matheny
Pencils: Christopher Jones
Inks: Terry Beatty
Colors: Heroic Age
Letters: Phil Balsman
Editor: Nachie Castro
Cover Art: Jeff Matsuda
Publisher: DC Comics/Johnny DC

Continuing the spinoff of the new The Batman cartoon show, this issue the Gotham mob takes aim at a flower shop owned by old friends of Bruce Wayne. To drive their point home, they call upon the city’s resident pyromaniac hitman, Firefly.

The book from here is a decent done-in-one tale of Batman doing his detective thing and taking on Firefly, and it will probably appeal quite a bit to fans of the television show. Unfortunately, I’m still not one of them. Perhaps Paul Dini and Bruce Timm just set the bar too high with their own animated Batman, but this title just feels a little off to me. The focus on making Batman younger is all well and good, but somehow the character has become more flippant, more wisecracking, and that’s an interpretation of the hero that just doesn’t hold up to me. To be blunt, he seems to be having too much fun.

Christopher Jones, he of Dr. Blink, Superhero Shrink fame, brings his pencils to this issue with great skill. He has a great talent for drawing the more cartoonish brand of superheroes, and although here he’s using the style and character models of the television show, if you look at some of his other work he’s really not compromising very much at all. He’s a really good match for the title.

Overall, this was an okay issue, but it would be better if Batman was just a bit more mature. It’s keeping in tone with the television show, and I have to give them credit for that, but at the same time it just doesn’t feel like Batman. At least, not to me.

Rating: 7/10