Today’s Comic> The Muppet Show #4

"Are you calling me a 'bonehead'?"

The Muppet Show: The Comic Book #4

BOOM Kids! (March 2010)

WRITER/COVER ART: Roger Langridge

(cover “B” shown)

ARTIST: Amy Mebberson

COLORIST: Eric Cobian

LETTERER: Deron Bennett

COVER COLORS: Digikore Studios

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Jason Long

EDITOR: Aaron Sparrow

DESIGNER: Erika Terriquez

Scooter’s sister, Skeeter, arrives at the Muppet Theater looking for a job. She instantly endears herself by getting Piggy to come out of her dressing room and offering to help Gonzo with his performance. She and Scooter argue as siblings do because she’s still on his case for being a “nerd”, but it turns out that Scooter’s smarts becomes a big help to her and they reconcile. Also, for some reason Staldor and Waldorf are depicted as godlike entities manipulating the Muppets with their chessboard.

Skits include Sam the Eagle performing the famous soliloquy from Hamlet, Muppet Labs, an anvil-juggling anteater from Antwerp, Pigs in Space, and Gonzo Skeeter being shot from a cannon into a vat of tapioca. By now you have probably guessed at least half of my analysis.

What they got right: Take the best Muppet writer around (Roger), add in the best Muppet artist ever (Amy), and toss in a long ignored character from Muppet Babies (Skeeter), and the result is the best dang Muppet comic ever! Langridge really gets the characters personalities, but Amy gets them visually, even Kermit’s more well known facial expressions. It’s like actually looking at the Muppets. I’ve loved Amy’s art ever since Muppet Peter Pan, and she doesn’t miss a beat here. Also, heaps of praise on Roger for bringing SKEETER into the Muppet Show. Why haven’t the regular Muppet guys brought them in yet? What are you waiting for, Brian Henson?

What they got wrong: But why is she never referred to by name? She’s always “Scooter’s sister” (or when Scooter talks about her “my sister” and only calls her “sis”). Are there licensing issues?

Recommendation: Give Skeeter her name, make an official Muppet of her and put her in the cast (if you can have add that prawn thing I never remember the name of, you can add Skeeter), and make Roger/Amy a permanent team. The best writer plus the best artist (no offense, Roger) = why isn’t this a done deal already?

Attention Muppet Studios! This is your character model. Go make a Muppet! NOW!

Tomorrow’s Comic: Sonic Universe #15