Broken Frontier

Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew are back. Fed up of the angst and gloom of the current DCU? Then don’t miss these 22 pages of sheer, all-out fun!

Recent events on Earth-26 have led to mandatory super-hero registration under the Collar I.D. Initiative. The Zoo Crew have resisted registration but, as the tensions between the world of land animals and sea animals escalate and war looms, the team are drawn into defending Gnu York City from undersea terrorists. Can our heroes stop the Salamandroid and his amphibian terror squads from sabotaging the peace talks before it’s too late?

Following on from their back-up strip in Teen Titans a couple of years back (don’t worry if you haven’t read it, as everything you need to know is contained in this opening chapter), the "funny animal" super-heroes of the former Earth-C make a triumphant return in this refreshingly light-hearted first issue. It’s a series that finally makes some decent use of the potential of a DC Multiverse by giving us an Earth that, while still predominantly populated by super-heroes, actually allows for some very different storytelling techniques and tone.

Bill Morrison’s frenetically paced story chucks the gags at you with relentless abandon. From puns that should grow tiresome but don’t, to parody of current storylines and events within the industry and through to out-and-out cartoon slapstick, Morrison shows an adept wit and mastery of comic timing that makes him a marvelous choice of writer for this wonderful revival.

Scott Shaw! and Al Gordon provide an absolutely top-notch job on the visuals. Shaw!’s panels are crammed full of detail and his sight gags superbly complement Morrison’s script. This is a writer and artist match that clicks on every level. If you think the subject matter means this book will be a quick read then you couldn’t be more wrong. You’ll be poring over every panel looking at the detailed panels (particularly in the opening pages set at a comics convention) to spot all the cameos and in-jokes. A special mention has to go out to Tom Luth for a stunning coloring job. Despite all the intricately crowded scenes, Luth brings alive every little detail of the proceedings in bold, vibrant colors that match the feel of Captain Carrot’s cartoon-inspired world to a tee.

The lovely thing about this book is its accessibility and the many different levels it works on. Younger readers will enjoy it simply as a jokey super-hero romp but for the older fans, it’s full of gentle, but affectionate, digs at the likes of Civil War and fandom in general. There were two absolute standout moments for me. Firstly the funeral of Goldie Fishman had a "punchline" that actually made me laugh out loud. Secondly, watch out for a guest appearance by those old DC stalwarts of the Forties through to the Sixties, the Fox and the Crow.

After last week’s very disappointing Howard the Duck over at Marvel, it’s pleasing to be able to see a revival of a humor property that not only captures the spirit of the original but expands on it. An all-ages read, in every sense, that deserves your attention and your three dollars. One of the very best things DC has put out this year!