Announced over the weekend from Oni Press, it appears that they’ve now got the license to tell stories of everyone’s favorite grandfather/grandon duo Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith in an upcoming comic series. Written by Zac Gorman of “Magical Game Time” with no artist mentioned in the press release, but the book is set for release in 2015 at a monthly basis which is pretty exciting.
First of all, Zac Gorman is a great talent for this. With his first Oni book adapting “Costume Quest” into a nice oversized hardcover as well as the wonderful webcomic “Magical Game Time,” Gorman has shown that he can do comics that hilarious, disturbing and remarkably poignant or depressing things with just the smallest of characters or game ideas. (This one still makes my heart sigh — and, if you haven’t yet, you should really buy the first volume of “Magical Game Time” that Gorman has self-released). Thing is, this all sums up Rick and Morty quite well: it’s funny and weird and depressing and disturbing all at once, an almost bi-polar cartoon that never settles on a singular form of identity; I tell my friends its hilarious, and it is, but there are some downright uncomfortable moments on the show by design, and the relationship between Rick and Morty can — at times, I’ll admit — by tear-jerking. While I imagine creator Justin Roiland will be involved, Gorman is well suited to adapt just the essence of the show and put it in a comic book.
But this brings me to my overall point, which is that I’m glad I have an excuse now to talk about Rick and Morty because if you’ve never seen it, Rick and Morty is the best show on TV you’re not watching. (And if you do watch it, high five — you’re one of the good ones!) Picking up from a very simple and warped Back to the Future Doc and Marty riff, the show’s 11 episodes so far have been incredible. I’ve watched the first season a few times through now, both as it aired, when catching random episodes on TV or from marathoning the DVD the day it came out, and it never ceases to impress or make me laugh as I watch and re-watch. There now being a comic with Rick and Morty in it is great, because it gives me a good excuse to continue to proselytize the gospel of The Good Morty alongside yet another excuse to share YouTube clips from “Meeseeks and Destroy”:
Or the Gazorpazorpfield clip from the episode “Rixty Minutes” when Rick installs a device on their television that lets them watch any channel on any TV throughout the entire multiverse:
Suffice it to say, Rick and Morty is all over the place in the best of ways. There are many things that come highly recommended from us, but this receives the highest of high recommendations that I could possibly expect to bestow on anything. If you’ve never seen the show now is really the time to get on the Rick/Morty train, and expect me/us to be all over this in 2015.
For the full press release from Oni, please see below.
Oni Press Release
Rick and Morty are taking their interdimensional adventures through time and space into a whole new sphere: comic books. Beginning in spring 2015, Oni Press will create a monthly comic book series based on the popular animated series that airs on Adult Swim.
Since its debut in 2013, Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s RICK AND MORTY has become one of the most critically acclaimed, feverishly watched shows on television. The insane adventures of impressionable, endearingly clueless teenager Morty and his sociopathic scientist grandfather Rick have given rise to an insatiable fan base, not to mention a top-rated series after its first season run on the network.
So, of course, bringing RICK AND MORTY to comics is kind of a no brainer.
Written by Zac Gorman (Costume Quest: Invasion of the Candy Snatchers, Magical Game Time), the RICK AND MORTY comics promise to be a monthly injection of the darkly frenetic, gut-punishingly hilarious brilliance that millions have come to relish on television.
Continued below“We’re all huge fans of the show, so we couldn’t be more excited to bring it to comics,” said Oni Press’ Editor in Chief James Lucas Jones. “The world Dan, Justin, and their whole crew have built is so wildly imaginative and fun, we’re sure it’ll translate flawlessly. On top of that, the stuff Zac is doing fits so perfectly and is so funny that we’re certain the comics will make a perfect companion to the show. We really can’t wait for folks to see what he’s cooked up.”
While there are more details yet to be announced, it’s safe to say 2015 is going to be a great year for fictional super science and unchecked substance abuse!
About Cartoon Network Enterprises:
Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) is responsible for building consumer products and merchandising programs for a wide range of brands by securing and supporting long-term licensing partnerships across all categories. As the global branding and merchandising arm of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, the division manages the consumer product programs for the networks’ award-winning original programming, brands and characters including Ben 10, Adventure Time, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, The Powerpuff Girls, Adult Swim and more. CNE also serves as the exclusive global licensing agent for LazyTown Entertainment and the PGA of America for the youth marketplace.
Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim is basic cable’s #1 network among persons 18-34 and 18-49, and is seen in 97 million U.S. homes.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
About Oni Press
Oni Press has been publishing comics and blowing minds in defiance of a cold, uncaring universe’s cruel, twisted will since 1997. Based in the peerless city of Portland, Oregon, they have been responsible for such comics leviathans as SCOTT PILGRIM, THE SIXTH GUN, QUEEN & COUNTRY, and STUMPTOWN, among an avalanche of others. They are frighteningly passionate yet coolly approachable.
