Muppet Robin Hood comic coming April 29, 2009

[Drtooth]

I posted this in the other comic thread, but it's best placed here in the Robin Hood one.

Gotta say, I just got the Robin Hood comic today and found it disappointing. I was so excited and wanted to really like this. Langridge's comics have unexpectedly raised the bar in ways that this initial Robin Hood offering by Beadle and Villavert Jr didn't deliver for me.

The covers were beautiful, but the art inside left much to be desired. All the faces appear to have been flattened and Sweetums seems remarkably thin. I do like how Janice is handled. I'd just rather have an artist a little better suited to the Muppets handle the visuals. Art C-

There were some clever jokes here and there, but the panels were rather wordy for such little substance they contained. It just didn't feel that Muppety to me. I hope the next one gets better. So far this issue seems a little more middling fan-art than officially endorsed material. Story C+

I see what you mean, though I really loved it. We all know the Robin Hood story gets better and more exciting as it goes on, so I wouldn't say future issues wouldn't have a much better story line. I think Langridge has had more experience working with the subject matter, and that has worked out to the advantage of the Muppet Show Comic book. Plus, he had a longer period of preview material that got critiqued... and he clearly listened.

You gotta admit, the subtleties of adding older characters... I swear that was Hilda as Maid Piggy's...uh... maid? Personal Assistant? (what do you call those things?)

 

[frogboy4]

I see what you mean, though I really loved it. We all know the Robin Hood story gets better and more exciting as it goes on, so I wouldn't say future issues wouldn't have a much better story line. I think Langridge has had more experience working with the subject matter, and that has worked out to the advantage of the Muppet Show Comic book. Plus, he had a longer period of preview material that got critiqued... and he clearly listened.

You gotta admit, the subtleties of adding older characters... I swear that was Hilda as Maid Piggy's...uh... maid? Personal Assistant? (what do you call those things?)

Hilda was a nice touch, but they just don't give her much to do or say that's either funny or substantial. It's just the story doesn't go anywhere. The art also kind of reminds me of the Labyrinth mangas with the attractive covers and unfortunate page art.

I just found this offering dull. This could almost have any characters plugged into the roles. Sure, they mention an obvious thing like Rowlf plays the piano and Lew loves fish, but their personalities aren’t there and the dialogue is pedestrian. The Janice “herb” comment was just so on-the-nose. I’m kind of irritated about the level of mediocrity here when we’ve seen this done much better. The Muppets are bright and colorful, fun and witty. Not to mention much more visually dynamic than this.

I know Boom’s aim here is at kids, but honestly, I don’t know who this comic is aimed at. I’ll collect the series if just to support the Muppets and the cover artists, but I have higher hopes for Pan and Peg Leg. This Robin Hood just seems like all the other bland Muppet stuff that kind of rubbed me the wrong way over the years. Just not as good.

I wish they'd used any one of the cover artists for the body of the comic. The art here is rather stiff and unattractive.

 

[frogboy4]

Double post

 

[theprawncracker]

Jamie, for once I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you. I really, really enjoyed Robin Hood. I thought it was very Muppety--Gonzo was great, Sam was awesome, Janice was spot on, Robin was surprisingly perfect, and Sweetums was very funny. Louis Kazagger cameo, Hilda, Rizzo... everything was awesome. I think my favorite exchange was Kermit and Scooter's argument about the Hood portion of Robin Hood. I really liked it and can't wait to see what further issues hold as more and more characters appear!

 

[frogboy4]

Jamie, for once I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you. I really, really enjoyed Robin Hood. I thought it was very Muppety--Gonzo was great, Sam was awesome, Janice was spot on, Robin was surprisingly perfect, and Sweetums was very funny. Louis Kazagger cameo, Hilda, Rizzo... everything was awesome. I think my favorite exchange was Kermit and Scooter's argument about the Hood portion of Robin Hood. I really liked it and can't wait to see what further issues hold as more and more characters appear!

How do you think they looked?

Also, what line seemed like it was in the voice of Gonzo? Few of the lines seemed character specific aside from Sam's line that was lifted from Muppet Christmas Carol. Guess I just don't see any of the Muppetyness beyond the slick covers.

Yes, the hood comment at the end it the highlight of the comic. That was funny and in character.

 

[theprawncracker]

How do you think they looked?

Also, what line seemed like it was in the voice of Gonzo? Few of the lines seemed character specific aside from Sam's line that was lifted from Muppet Christmas Carol. Guess I just don't see any of the Muppetyness beyond the slick covers.

Yes, the hood comment at the end it the highlight of the comic. That was funny and in character.

I thought they looked pretty good. I think they could've been much more animated... and more vibrant colors would've helped, I think. But I thought overall they looked good. Sort of weird, but good. I still prefer Langdrige's, but I MUCH prefer the upcoming Peter Pan artwork to both.

I thought Gonzo was very in-character when he was stuck on the windmill, that was great. Also when he rushed for Kermit's autograph... and I really liked his fight with Kermit. (Thought I thought he looked hideous drawn... and we thought Langridge's Gonzo was bad!).

I agree that the Hood argument was the highlight for me too. I thought the opening was rather weak, but by the end of the comic it got much, much better--and I only think it'll get better as the issues progress.

 

[frogboy4]

I thought they looked pretty good. I think they could've been much more animated... and more vibrant colors would've helped, I think. But I thought overall they looked good. Sort of weird, but good. I still prefer Langdrige's, but I MUCH prefer the upcoming Peter Pan artwork to both.

I thought Gonzo was very in-character when he was stuck on the windmill, that was great. Also when he rushed for Kermit's autograph... and I really liked his fight with Kermit. (Thought I thought he looked hideous drawn... and we thought Langridge's Gonzo was bad!).

I agree that the Hood argument was the highlight for me too. I thought the opening was rather weak, but by the end of the comic it got much, much better--and I only think it'll get better as the issues progress.

The relentless title card opening set a sour tone for me. I kind of wish the comic story would have started where it ended with the Scooter portion.

Janice is drawn nicely and I adore her inclusion in anything. However, it might just be that there are two Cannabis clubs on my street, but I found her drug reference to "herb" to be less sly and out of place. It's also said by the usually monosyllabic Sweetums. He's uncharacteristically chatty here. Much of that portion just rubbed me the wrong way. Classic Muppet humor has a sly wit (especially with the Mayhem) where most of this seemed to be on-the-nose. I don't know if it upsets me because it's an obvious drug reference or that it isn't funny.

It's the first offering so maybe it does hit its stride in the second issue. I still don't see any Gonzoisms but that could be in the eye of the beholder. I suppose since he's my favorite character I expect some really wild zaniness. The thing is, we've seen some really excellent stuff in Muppet comics by way of writing and illustration. The bar is higher.

I didn’t hate it, just felt it to be disappointing. I waited three weeks for this and walked down to the post office to pick it up with three different cover variations. Nonetheless, it’s good that this is even out there to discuss. Not every piece of this Muppet Renaissance is going to be a homerun.

 

[Amy]

Not every piece of this Muppet Renaissance is going to be a homerun.

Absolutely, and it's a risk any fan of ANY fandom will take whenever spinoff properties are concerned.

I know both Armand Villavert and Tim Beedle and they're both awesome guys. I have read the script for #4 and think it's **** hilarious. I would jump at the chance to draw a Tim Beedle Muppet story and have made that wish loud and clear to my editor

A comic will work for some people and not others, you can't please everybody and there's no crime in that. A script can look awesome on the page, but it's entirely possible an artist will fall just a little short of really bringing that funny to fruition. It's very much a magical combination when an artist and a writer end up on the same page and the results are great.
I'm only too well aware of the huge expectations the die-hard Muppet fans have of how they want to see these beloved characters. But as a professional, I can't let fans totally dictate my treatment, because that way just leads to madness. Ultimately, I draw on my own inner Muppet fan to tell me how these characters should act and look. How would Jim do This? is my mantra.
Some fans may HATE how Muppet Peter Pan may end up looking and I can't help that. All I can do as a creator is reassure everyone that I AM a Henson fan and want to respect his legacy as much as possible.

 

[frogboy4]

I absolutely love how you draw Kermit. It's hard not to smile when I look at him and that's exactly the feeling that happens when watching the live action Kermit. Your stuff looks amazing and it appears that the writing has a Muppety perspective too so I'm not concerned about Pan.

I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen with Robin Hood, but don't expect too much. It hasn't tarnished the Muppets to me at all. It's good, but Langridge's first arc was so Muppety the bar has been raised really high. Maybe the first issue of Hood would have seemed better if it had come out before the rest of this wonderful work.

I'll say some things I liked about Hood:
-The covers. The Alvarez is my favorite, but all the #1 covers were top notch.
-Gonzo's Chicken and Sam's Horse were very fitting for the characters.
-Gonzo's costume resembled his classic tux colors.
-Hilda! (It made me overlook the fact that Miss Piggy resembled Kirsty Alley...she does...look at it again)
-The drawing of Janice is particularly lovely
-The Scooter hood joke was funny and Muppety (and where I wish the story would have started). Also, any story with Scooter gets points from me.

 

[Drtooth]

I really think there's more to be expected as it goes on. The one problem with Robin Hood #1 for me was that it basically established characters. There wasn't any real action except for Robin's meeting of the Sheriff and Guy and the iconic sequence where Robin fights little John. I cannot wait to see other iconic, more action based scenes.... we all know about the archery contest that's been in every version and parody of Robin Hood... from Peabody's Improbable History to ALFtales, all had very unique spins on it. I'm anticipating something wonderfully Muppety will happen there.