Review: Adventure Time with Finn & Jake #1

I have absolutely no experience with this series which mademe want to read the book even more. I know that the cartoon is insanely popularon Cartoon Network, but that’s about it. Thankfully from the get go, this bookis new reader friendly and has the perfect “All-ages” appeal to it. There’salso about seven different covers so good luck getting them all or even onesince it’s sure to be a tough one to find.

There’s one main story to the issue done in the traditional art style of the cartoon and then a short back up story with its own art style. Themain story begins with a snail crawling in and out of a purple bag laying onthe ground. Out pops The Lich which is the “bad guy” of the series, he picks upthe bag and begins sucking up everything in his path with it. There’s ahumorous sign explaining the bag and I particularly enjoyed the fact that everyillogical thing was explained logically.

Meanwhile, Finn and Jake are practicing their battle slamswhich are basically really nice sounding insults. They feel a crash and lookoutside their window to discover The Lich sucking up everything into the bag.They slap on their anti-mind control jewelry and swap pleasantries aboutwearing jewelry before heading out to face The Lich. They get his attentionwith another battle slam that is again, way too nice which makes it clever.They do their best to face The Lich, but every attack they launch is easilydefeated.

The second story was honestly better than the first. Maybeit’s because it had nothing to do with the main characters, or maybe it wasjust clever. A little green elephant is delivering his famous cider for CinnamonBun’s birthday party when Princess Bubblegum cancels the order. She’s apparentlytaken with the mysterious cider that’s being delivered from the sky. Defeated,Tree Trunks (the elephant) heads home after trying the cider. He can’t placeit, but he knows the cider must come from the forest.

This first issue was enjoyable. It didn’t wow me oranything, but then I didn’t expect it to. It’s an all-ages book that comesacross as something Hipsters would die for. Personally after I figured out theformula of the story telling I only found it slightly entertaining. Just write a sarcastic and mean spirited story and then write the opposite dialog for everything mean.

It’s stilla very good product and fans of the show are sure to enjoy it. I can also seethe book being a great gateway to comics for children regardless of if they’veheard of the show or not. Boom/Kaboom has another impressive all-ages book on theirhands and I’m sure it will sell better than anything they had that was Disney.As for me, I’ll check out the next issue at least. I don’t know if I’lleventually be caught up in the madness that is Adventure Time, but for now I’m enjoying reading something new.

Score: 3/5

Main Story

Writer: Ryan North

Art: Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb

Second Story

Writer and Artist: Aaron Renier

Published by: Kaboom

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 2/1/2012

Check out the First Look here.