Broken Frontier

Forget Secret Invasion, there was a bigger event this week. Forget Agents of Atlas or Guardians of the Galaxy, there is a comic that is a lot more fun. Forget Uncanny X-Men #500, there was a release that was more monumental and historic. That book that beats all those others is Mini Marvels: Rock, Paper, Scissors.

For nine years Chris Giarrusso has been taking the superheroes of the Marvel Universe and has done the most brilliant thing ever. First, he radically altered their appearance, making them adorably cute. Then he took the characters and stripped them down to literary caricatures. Iron Man is an egotist. Wolverine is a hot head prone to slicing things. Peter Parker has a rough time with his job and is incredulous that no one who is close to him can figure out his secret identity. Human Torch only cares about himself and a good time.

Then he put them in all ages versions of their classic stories and settings that are filled with humor. Spider-Man is a competing paper boy with Eddie Brock and Venom. Hulk is sent to another planet by the Illuminators. Iron Man wants to put the Avengers in armor and sell his product on the internet.

All those one page stories and longer shorts that have filled the back of various Marvel comics (especially those in the Marvel Adventures line) get the spotlight here in their very first collection. As a bonus, Chris even throws in a few of the original strips from 1999. There is a joy and craft here on display that everyone involved with must be proud of and deservedly so. Giarrusso has found a way to even take dark storylines like the death of Gwen Stacy and find a lighthearted way to tell the story that tickles the funny bone. Who would have thought that the most tragic event in Spidey’s history could be turned into such a funny moment? That is the genius of the Mini Marvels, they work as self contained stories, heck, most even work as pages unto themselves without the surrounding action, that rely on a continuity all their own while playing homage to some of the most powerful moments in Marvel history, both past and present.

The collection also adds the pages that even the most faithful follower may have missed. I am certain that this is the first time I saw Mini Sentry as he pointedly forwards a chain email. I am also certain that I missed the Iron Avengers’ mishaps with other teams. However, even reading things that had me rolling the first time like the whole Illuminators bit in the "World War Hulk: Round Trip" story elicited vocal laughs from me on this third or fourth reading. I still think this deserved the Best Short Eisner award for last year and probably always will. It was a perfect send up of one of the most compelling Hulk stories ever written and was the talk of shops and message boards across the country. The fact that all this comes from what boils down to a kid’s story is amazing and shows the scope of the appeal of this material.

While I would still prefer a quarterly book on a regular basis, I can live with this collection for now. I hope it sells well enough to make that book a reality because these may very well be the best thing that the House of Ideas is currently publishing.