Your Thoughts: The Muppet Show Comic Book

[beakerboy12]

I noticed that at the beginning we see a blue monster in the audience. Is this supposed to be an existing Muppet monster? He looks a bit like Beautiful Day Monster, though something about the design isn't quite right (I feel he actually looks more like the version used on The Ed Sullivan Show than the one used on The Muppet Show).

It looks more like Big Mean Carl to me! And I saw Baskerville with him!

 

[minor muppetz]

It looks more like Big Mean Carl to me! And I saw Baskerville with him!

I noticed that as well. Baskerville behind him. But do you really think that looks like a blue Big Mean Carl? I didn't even see horns on that monster. But hopefuly Amy will see this and can confirm who it is or even if it's supposed to be an existing character.

I also noticed that two rats appear in Statler and Waldorf's box.

Another funny running gag in this comic, aside from the constant use of shown legs with unseen bodies/faces, is the gag where characters get interrupted, usually with Kermit giving a choice and then interrupting with the opposite of what the other wanted.

 

[minor muppetz]

During the closing number, I noticed some kind of site gag that doesn't seem to come out right. I don't think it counts as a spoiler, but I'll put the "spoiler warning" here just in case...

Anyway, after the number, we see somethign being thrown at the stage, hitting Robin in the air. At first I thought somebody threw a bag with a frog attached. But then it's really high off the ground, above Kermit... So did Robin jump up in the air and get hit or something?

 

[mbmfrog]

Here's a preview of #7 of the comic book series....

About time they do Fozzie's mom.


http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=5585&disp=table

 

[minor muppetz]

Yay! They finally referred to Skeeter by at least half of her name!

 

[Drtooth]

Few things.

I don't want to spoil anything, so lemme just try to get this down as ambiguously as I can.

I'm starting to think that not saying Skeeter's name was part of Roger's brand of humor. Almost like he's teasing us the entire storyline.

I'm surprised this one came out so early. I was figuring on seeing it come out next week... but we've had 2 Muppet Show issues in a single month. Is this to fix some sort of delay or something?

And lastly, speaking of character rights... there's a certain character seen eating a building on the last panel. Now, considering he's NOT a Fraggle or Sesame character you DO have the ability to use him as a cameo, right?

 

[The Count]

Psst... Over here. You wanna know something?

Blast all the hush-hush "not going to spoil it" talk already! ! ! ! !
The fact that I'm not buying these—visually handicapped person talking here—leads me to have to rely on sources like the Muppet Central forums, Mindset, and Wiki for piecing together the information on each issue. And then to have all this walking on eggshells not ruining the special secret cameo appearances or in-jokes that us Muppet fans would appreciate is even more infuriating. Will sales hurt because something covert was revealed? Yeah... But that also helps sales at the same time because we, the consumers/fanboys or fangirls rush out to buy once we know such and such uber-obscure character or reference or cameo was included in the newest issue.

So c'mon people... Talk freely when posting thoughts here regarding the Muppet Comics. That's the only way we'll know what you think about something that we may have no oter direct access to obtaining. Until Bunsen finally perfects that mind-reading helmet...

 

[G-MAN]

Ok, you want to know the cameo, it's The Lachoy Dragon, there I did it so it's hard to see for someone who doesn't like spoilers, but if a helpful mod knows of better way to do this, then pleas let me know

 

[minor muppetz]

When I first read at the Tough Pigs forum that the book has a surprise cameo, my guess was that it would either be Nanny, J.P. Grosse (to go with the "family reunion" theme), or a heavenly version of Jim Henson in charge of the celestial Statler and Waldorf. But I guess I was wrong.

 

[dwmckim]

And then to have all this walking on eggshells not ruining the special secret cameo appearances or in-jokes that us Muppet fans would appreciate is even more infuriating. Will sales hurt because something covert was revealed? Yeah... But that also helps sales at the same time because we, the consumers/fanboys or fangirls rush out to buy once we know such and such uber-obscure character or reference or cameo was included in the newest issue.

So c'mon people... Talk freely when posting thoughts here regarding the Muppet Comics. That's the only way we'll know what you think about something that we may have no oter direct access to obtaining. Until Bunsen finally perfects that mind-reading helmet...

I understand your frustration, but the idea of avoiding spoilers isn't out of fear of hurting sales, but rather just netiquette of not spoiling the surprises or fun for those who plan to enjoy the topic of discussion but haven't seen it yet (hence the term "spoiler"; spoiling the surprise) Many people like to remain unspoiled before they read or watch something so it's tradition for fan forums to respect those wishes.

However, i'm sure a happy medium can be struck - especially because a good discussion sometimes warrants open talk of spoilers. Every forum is different but what's usually a common protocol is after a certain length of time has gone by, (a week since release tends be most common, the second most common protocol is once a newer edition/episode comes out) it's assumed that those who are reading the discussion have now seen/read the topic of discussion and anyone who still hasn't reads at their own risk.

But yeah, with such nifty surprises i would DEFINATELY not want to hear about them accidentally beforehand when i try to get them as soon as possible.

---------------
Coupla thoughts on the latest ish:

(minor spoilers)

Yeah, Fozzie does start to say Skeeter's name before getting interupted at the beginning and then we do finally get her full name at the end. But given the end and the arc as a whole, i'm just not getting why it needed to be some secret. Everyone had this weird case of amnesia about what Skeeter's name was throughout the arc and it all just seemed unnecessary. It's not like there was some big mystery as to who it was or if somehow Scooter had another or a different sister. Given how the lack of saying her name throughout the arc was such a big deal, it made the ending seem off as if it was a rewrite or not fully planned out when it started.

Aside from that, i liked the end - don't get me wrong - but i just found in incongruent with the whole name thing.

I was a little disappointed Rowlf didn't play a bigger part (yeah he got an "onstage sketch", but i mean in terms of the backstage plot). The first issue gave us that great panel of all the original "Muppet Babies" all together as adults (with Animal mysteriously having something resembling his bonnet on his head) EXCEPT Piggy ... who was being actively discussed at the time anyway so she was still represented - AND ROWLF. (Just referring to the core eight - not B&B or Bean!) When i saw him missing, i was hoping he'd end up being a big part of the arc later on but that didn't come to pass. But at least he was present in the cast waving goodbye panel.

There really weren't a huge amount of Muppet characters in this last issue compared to the other TMS comics (be they drawn by Roger or Amy); the number of Muppets shown was oddly sparce this time around. Though at least in addition to the "big" cameo in the last cameo, there was another less obvious one which was just as fun (even though they've previously been seen in TMS Comic Book...but still a fun way they were used).

I'm typing this when i don't have the comics with me right now but is this the first issue of TMS Comic Book where we didn't see Mildred anywhere? I don't think it is as i remember thinking before "hey, Mildred's not in this one" but don't know if that was a Roger or Amy issue...seems like Roger always tries to fit Mildred in somewhere in each comic he illustrates.

One thing i like about all of Amy's issues is that she clearly uses the first-half-of-the-third-season Miss Piggy puppet as her model (the same one, probably not coincidentally, used in her avatar). Not only do i think it's cool that an artist consistently uses a specific puppet as their template, but i love how she SUCCEEDS in representing it as that version of the puppet's not easy to draw and make it look like what it's supposed to be. Personally, i wouldn't call it my favorite Piggy (fifth season/GMC era Piggy would get my vote) but i still like that puppet just because of its look combined with its place in the development of her look. After the first season, the puppet builders tried to gradually beautify her more with each subsequent puppet and the early third season Piggy seemed to be the last version before the puppet where i think they fully reached what they were working towards (i.e. almost there, but still elements of the rougher piggy look). In my mind, i always thought of the puppet as "Barbie Piggy" just the way her hair, expression, eyes, and overall look came together.

...okay this is the prior issue on this point, but just because i didn't say it at the time, LOVED Sam and Mr Clacky - a star was actually born in that bit!

Out of all the Muppet comics so far, i think "Elmer Gantry, my dear Fozzie" is my favorite line so far second only to "Gary Mayo! Gary Mayo!"

So, on cover B, was Roger's version of Wormwood modeled on someone in particular or was that simply how Langridge "saw" him and would have drawn him if he did the issue art proper? On a side note, i know i've mentioned this before in the Richard Lovers thread, but speaking of Roger's art, i love how for quite awhile now, his renderings of Statler actually look a lot like Richard Hunt himself...i see this more and more as each month goes by. Don't know if it's intentional or subconscious but either way i really dig it!