Cover A by Missy Pena.
BOOM! Studios has certainly made a name for itself in the all-age comic book market. Under the KaBOOM! imprint, the publisher has released funny and entertaining comic book adaptations of popular Cartoon Network shows, like Adventure Time and Regular Show. Continuing the trend is The Amazing World of Gumball #1 by writer Frank Gibson and illustrator Tyson Hesse.
As previous creative teams of Cartoon Network comics, the duo behind the Gumball comic have a history working on webcomics, as Gibson writes Tiny Kitten Teeth and Hesse writes and illustrates Boxer Hockey. And just like past Cartoon Network comics by BOOM!, The Amazing World of Gumball #1 is a must-read for fans of the show, or anyone looking for a good laugh.
Currently in its third season, The Amazing World of Gumball by Ben Bocquelet follows the adventure of a young cat named Gumball and his best friend/adoptive brother/pet goldfish Darwin as they live their daily, but surreal, lives in the fictional city of Elmore. The comic assumes you’re already familiar with all the show’s wacky characters, but it doesn’t leave newcomers completely in the dark.
Everything you need to know about Gumball and his friends are represented well in the first issue. Gumball’s dad, Richard, is a lazy bum. His mom, Nicole, has anger issues. And his little sister, Anais, is too smart for her age.
The story for issue one has Gumball and Darwin planning a long lazy day after school, only to get sidetracked when a fellow student gets behind the wheel of a car and deeming it the coolest thing ever. Jealous of the attention the faux student driver got, Gumball vows he too will drive a car and drags Darwin in for the ride. Gibson stays true to the humorous nature of the show, with jokes being set up and delivered at a fast-pace. The comic’s story structure is also faithful to the show, as it conjures up as many crazy scenarios it can get from its premise, without losing focus. A departure from other Cartoon Network comics by BOOM!, Gumball’s stories are self-contained, making it easier to recommend to those unwilling to wait three or four issues for the payoff.
The most unique thing about The Amazing World of Gumball is its visuals being a mixture of different mediums. Traditional animation, flash animation, stop-motion animation, CGI, puppetry, and real life clips are all featured in Gumball through its “anything goes” type of world. As a comic, The Amazing World of Gumball cannot accommodate all these different art styles. However, Hesse finds a suitable and appealing style that somehow blends all these incoherent character designs into one. On top of that, Hesse’s artwork is just so delightfully expressive.
The lack of a guest comic seen in past Cartoon Network comics is disappointing, but doesn’t stop The Amazing World of Gumball from being a complete joy. At $3.99, The Amazing World of Gumball #1 is a recommended purchase. Keep the all-age comics coming, BOOM!
