Cover to Bravest Warriors 18 from BOOM! Art by Tyson Hesse.
I’ll admit it, I am a little biased; I love the “Bravest Warriors!” If you’ve never heard of them before, “Bravest Warriors” is a crazy fun cartoon created by Pendleton Ward (the same guy from “Adventure Time”) and available on the Cartoon Hangover channel from YouTube. The episodes are each five minutes long and seriously you guys, you owe it to yourself to go check out that awesomeness before you read any further. Seriously. Go.
I’ll wait.
Welcome back. I’m really glad that you took my advice because, if you didn’t, you might have a hard time understanding this comic. That’s probably my biggest complaint with “Bravest Warriors” 18. What makes this comic so much fun are all the different characters, all their different powers and back-stories and relationships. There is a certain amount of knowledge you need to have to really enjoy this book. For the uninitiated I can imagine how intimidating and inaccessible this must feel.
But if you’re able to get that past that aspect then you are in for a treat. The art is crisp and true to the cartoon; the colors are pleasantly, refreshingly bright and beautiful. And while those are great it’s the dialog that really blew me away. No lie, I actually laughed out loud twice as I was reading. Twice! In one scene a few homeless aliens are explaining their plight: one says that she was banished from her home world for “Wigglin’ my sizzle,” and another says that “Now my only hobby is starving in a hole.” The comic radiates personality.
The story is that the “Bravest Warriors” have been marooned on a strange tropical island in a foreign world. The leader of the crew, Chris, disappeared into the woods some time ago, and now his friend Danny is heading in after him to rescue him. All of these characters seem genuine and nice. The warriors themselves are all about 16, just young enough to still be naive, yet old and mature enough that the comic doesn’t feel like a book solely for a 10-year-old. “Bravest Warriors” is one of the many titles from BOOM!’s successful all-ages imprint KaBOOM!, and it’s a testament to the writing ability of Jason Johnson and Breehn Burns that they can really make this an enjoyable book for everyone.
You should buy this book if you know the “Bravest Warriors” already, or if you’re a fan of other properties with a similar tone, like “Adventure Time”. But if you aren’t already aware of these guys, go educate yourself first and then go buy this book. It’s worth it.
Curtis’ Wigglin’ Sizzlin’ Score: 3.5 / 5
“Greatest Warriors” 18
Written by: Jason Johnson and Breehn Burns.
Interior Art by: Mike Holmes
Published by: BOOM!
Available on: 3/26/14
Price: $3.99
Gamenomics & Comicology 