Cartoon Network Block Party #1

September 18, 2004

Quick Rating: Great
Title: D.E.A.D.L.I.N.E. and other stories

A great mix of comics and games for the kids!

Writers: Mo Willems; Sholly Fisch; Jesse McCann & Robbie Busch
Pencils: Matt Peters; Dave Simons; Gary Fields; Scott Neely; Jeff Albrecht; John Delaney & Mike Kazaleh
Inks: Robert R. Smith; Dave Simons; Gary Fields; Scott Neely; Jeff Albrecht & Mike Kazaleh
Colors: Heroic Age
Letters: Nick Napolitano
Editor: Joan Hilty
Cover Art: Robert Pope
Publisher: DC Comics/Johnny DC

While I’m not a viewer of most of the TV shows represented in this jam book of Cartoon Network properties, I didn’t get a third of the way in before I absolutely fell in love with the format. This comic is the perfect sampler for a kid – it’s full of characters they already know and love, and the book mixes in short stories with puzzles and games in a seamless fashion. Rather than stopping the book for the games, the games are mixed into the story.

There are three “regular” stories in this issue. We start with Codename: Kids Next Door in “D.E.A.D.L.I.N.E.” The Kids are called to rescue one of their own who is being held prisoner – it’s an extended gag strip, a cute five page story with a great punchline. We’ve got The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy in “Stage Fright.” When Grim decides to audition for a big musical, his stage fright almost blows it for him. Fortunately, the director finds a way to put the Grim Reaper’s unique characteristics to work for them. Finally, Dexter’s Laboratory presents “Garden Hose Nose Job.” When Dexter’s robot malfunctions he decides to fix it by borrowing his mom’s new garden hose. When she misses it, though, a guilty Dexter puts his robot to work.

All three of these stories are very cute and a lot of fun – just what you want to give your kids to read. The real innovative stuff, though, comes in the activity games mixed into the issue. Each is a one or two page story, a puzzle with a punchline, a great format. Courage the Cowardly Dog stars in “Hide and Shriek,” a story about some scary poltergeists hurling around furniture – mixed in with a simple hidden picture game. Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy star in “Mowin’ in the Wind,” a gag about them getting lost mowing lawns for money, with a maze in the mix. (Parents, if you insist on your kids keeping their comics pristine, you may want to photocopy this page.) Johnny Bravo stars in the one-page “The Dating Game,” where he’s got to find his blind date in a club full of women. This is a logic puzzle – Johnny get a few facts about his date and the reader is challenged to find her mixed into the room. The comic concludes with Cow and Chicken in “Fortune Hunter.” Chicken challenges the reader to one of those “pick a number” games – a simple magic trick – and teaches them how to use the same trick on their friends.

This comic book, simply put, is everything that should be done to get younger children reading comics. Familiar characters, fun and games and things they can share with other children. The stores are good and the punchlines are funny. If you have kids who watch these shows, you’ve got to pick up this comic for them.

Rating: 9/10