“Yesterday’s” Comic> Super Mario Bros Vol 1 #1

It’s better than the other #1 cover. That was just the same promo art they later used for Adv. Of The Super Mario Bros. #1

Super Mario Bros. #1

Valiant/Nintendo Comics System (February, 1991)

I really don’t understand what’s going on with the numbering with this book compared to the other “Nintendo Comics System” comics in my collection. For one thing, we have an actual month in our cover date. Also, this comic is the size and paper type of a normal comic from the period while the others are slightly larger, with a higher-quality stock for both the page and the cover, but otherwise have the same stories. (And yet this format, higher-quality than modern comics, was only 45 cents higher than this issue in normal stock–take that, modern comics!) You’ll notice that this comic has the same first story as the first issue in the other format, while the second one is new. I’m going to copy/paste the other review from a few weeks ago before reviewing the new one just in case you missed it.

Our first adventure this round finds the king turned into a chameleon for no particular reason other than to send Mario and Toad out to find a magic wand to turn him back. This coincides with the Piranha Plants, led by Piranha Sue, revolting against Koopa. Since the wand they need is in the Plants’ home turf (under a rock instead of another airship, which means the Special Edition was a better adaptation despite magic flying coins) the duo come up with a plan involving the Green Gecko Gem, which gives the wearer invulnerability but they can’t touch anyone. Although when Sue gets it Koopa has no trouble breaking through it so that was pointless, like much of the story. At least this time Mario and Toad were only pretending to not like each other instead of the usual “we’re fighting and the villain is going to take advantage of one side feeling left behind” plot.

Our NEW tale gets a happy vote from me only because it’s Luigi who saves the day, when sometimes it’s luck that ever takes part in an adventure or even shows up in a story. To paraphrase Jan Brady, Mario Mario Mario! When Princess Toadstool’s crown is stolen and Koopa forms an army she figures the two events are related. It’s actually because Koopa’s crown is stolen as well. Lakitu, that guy from the games that throws Spinys at you, has taken to kleptomania and a larger cloud to hold all the loot. Luigi not only recovers the crown but saves Mario from Koopa and returns the stolen gold…the hard way. If it wasn’t Luigi finally getting a break in this comic it would be readable at best, and that’s only a personal preference thing.

Overall I am less than impressed with Valiant’s handling of Mario, Luigi, and the gang. The other Nintendo Comic System book have been decent to good but this series they couldn’t seem to get right, another example of the Mario Brothers not getting a fair shake outside of the games. I think tonight I’ll try to figure out what I would like to see in a Super Mario Brothers comic. That feels like a good article.

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