Written by (See Credits Below)
Art by (See Credits Below)
Cover Art by Leonardo Bato & Rubén Torreiro
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics for March 1998, this 32-page issue celebrates Marvin the Martian’s 50th Anniversary. The two stories are:
- “The Trouble With Mars” (17 pages). Writer: Terry Collins, with art by Pablo Zamboni; Rubén Torreiro; Daniel Griffo; & Prismacolor. To contend with Marvin the Martian’s ominous threats, present-day NASA sends Porky Pig to recruit a down-on-his-luck Duck Dodgers and personally investigate Mars. It’s a long-awaited rematch pitting the 24th½ Century’s bumbling space heroes vs. Marvin and Lt. K-9.
- “Puppy Love” (6 pages). Writer: Dana Kurtin, with art by Cosme Quartieri; Khato; John Costanza; & Tom Ziuko. A suburban rodent couple adopts a chihuahua puppy as its new baby. Knowing that their ‘baby’ isn’t really a mouse, the would-be dad summons his cousin, Speedy Gonzales, for an emergency intervention.
REVIEW:
The issue’s artwork is as good as one could hope for (including a terrific cover image). To some extent, the lead story’s premise is on a par with the Duck Dodgers cartoon TV series. It’s even a solid upgrade over that dull Return of Duck Dodgers in the 24th and ½ Century cartoon from roughly forty years ago.
Some gags (including Porky’s reluctant return to his Space Cadet uniform) are well-played, though a throwaway joke re: how Duck Dodgers supposedly ‘sold out’ NASA to Hollywood isn’t explored enough. It would have helped explain (particularly, to kids) why this story occurs in the present-day rather than the ‘24th½ Century.’ Further, had the script been reconfigured as more of an ongoing spoof of sci-fi shlock cliffhanger serials, that might have worked better. As to Speedy’s back-up tale, it’s an instance of where the amusing premise sounds better than the actual outcome. Otherwise, it’s less said the better.
For devoted Duck Dodgers fans, Looney Tunes # 38 is fun, but it likely merits only a single read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 4 Stars
