Your Thoughts: The Muppet Show Comic Book

[DTWolf]

I'll drop it after this, I promise

Tooth's post cited the same example mine did. That's why I didn't think you read all of my post before responding.

Um . . . you cited Frank Oz and Dave Goelz (plus Gonzo). Drtooth cited them and gave the additional example of Joey Mazzarino (someone you did not mention). I did read both posts, in their entirety, before responding. Neither one addressed my basic question.

And just to clarify for everyone reading, I wholly agree that it would have been better and more Muppety to leave Gonzo's species unresolved. I am not suggesting the Muppets From Space answer was a good one.

Okay, that's it; I'm done with this subject.

 

[Drtooth]

I also have to say, the comic clearly takes place during the TMS time frame, so this all could have taken place before the events that lead to Gonzo being revealed as an alien.

But I never take anything into muppet canon, since it's extremely loose. They meet as toddlers? They meet as adults on a road trip to Hollywood? They meet as Kermit hires acts for the theater? It's pretty inconsistent.

 

[Amy]

How about we all just agree that each Muppet 'property' - Muppet Show, each individual movie, Muppet Babies etc has its own canon and we should treat these comics likewise?

If I were writing original Muppet Show comics, I'd use the tv show canon and leave it at that, but every creator working on these comics might borrow bits from other canons depending on their own opinions.
Langridge is using his own formula and like frogboy, I think he's doing an excellent job.

 

[frogboy4]

How about we all just agree that each Muppet 'property' - Muppet Show, each individual movie, Muppet Babies etc has its own canon and we should treat these comics likewise?

If I were writing original Muppet Show comics, I'd use the tv show canon and leave it at that, but every creator working on these comics might borrow bits from other canons depending on their own opinions.
Langridge is using his own formula and like frogboy, I think he's doing an excellent job.

That's a good point. I know that each Muppet project requires a separate license agreement. Each has its own world. I think every fan kind of picks their favorite one and thinks of that as the true canon. Mine is TMS and TMM.

 

[theprawncracker]

How about we all just agree that each Muppet 'property' - Muppet Show, each individual movie, Muppet Babies etc has its own canon and we should treat these comics likewise?

If I were writing original Muppet Show comics, I'd use the tv show canon and leave it at that, but every creator working on these comics might borrow bits from other canons depending on their own opinions.
Langridge is using his own formula and like frogboy, I think he's doing an excellent job.

I'm completely agreeing with Amy and Jamie (what a terrific rhyme!) on this one.

And also... Amy, (in fact, the main reason I quoted this here post) I ordered your Fozzie variant cover and it just arrived today and I just had to tell you again how absolutely stunning it is. I currently have it framed and hanging above my Palisades Muppet collection. Amazing job! (I also ordered Dave Alvarez's Gonzo variant cover to be hung proudly right next to Fozzie. GREAT stuff.)

 

[Drtooth]

How about we all just agree that each Muppet 'property' - Muppet Show, each individual movie, Muppet Babies etc has its own canon and we should treat these comics likewise?

Exactly how I put it. Muppet Canon to me is a starry eyed boy cut up his mother's coat and started an entertainment dynasty.

 

[frogboy4]

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+

Overall C

 

[minor muppetz]

It seems like Pigs in Space is the only recurring skecth that's been in multiple issues so far (not counting the preview comic). I hope that issue 4 includes another "repeat" of a recurring sketch that's been in a previous comic (my guess is Veterinarian's Hospital... It seems that the stars of each issue appear in many on-stage sketches, and Miss Piggy stars in the enxt one).

There is a new interview with Roger Langridge at Tough Pigs, and he mentions that the Animal subplot will carry on through all four issues, and there will also be many other subplots throughout The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson. With so many subplots, I hope that there's still room for plenty of on-stage acts.

 

[Drtooth]

Funny thing about the interview, Langridge actually addresses the whole Gonzo being an alien thing... I know it's a dropped issue, but it is an interesting read none-the-less.

TP: In the latest comic, you addressed the issue of Gonzo’s species. Did you hear any comments regarding fact that Muppets From Space tried to claim that he is an alien? (By the way, the fans are very pleased to find that Gonzo’s alien heritage is not canon.)

RL: I haven't seen that one - to my shame, as my friend Paul Peart-Smith designed Space Gonzo for that movie. Anyway, nobody mentioned that to me, either at Disney or through less formal channels, until about a week ago when a friend brought it up. Too late to do anything about it by then!

On whether or not it's canon, I imagine you could reconcile both stories if you wanted to - by putting Muppet Show #3 earlier in the chronology than Muppets in Space. But it's probably best not to worry too much about these things as long as the story is good.

Full interview here

 

[minor muppetz]

In the interview Langridge says that issue 2 will open and close with appearances by a hillbilly who appeared on the show. I wonder which one it'll be. My instincts tell me either Slim Wilson or the Jim Henson Muppet.

Langridge also mentioned that the opening two-page spreads will change wiht each four-issue series. The next series will have spreads that take place backstage, and was about to mention what will happen in the thrid series until stopping and saying that we'll have to wait. I predict that it'll be the outside of the theater. I'd be most surprised if it were the controll room from The Jim Henson Hour.

Also, I finally got some issues today. One of my friends found and got me copies of issues 2 and 3. They are both great, though issue #3 is better.