What time is it? Time to read a comic based off the Adventure Time cartoon! But that’s not nearly as catchy, so: “Aaadventure time!”
Also time for some story-related spoilers for the comic’s plot and finale of the show.
Written by Olivia Olson
Illustrated by Slimm Fabert
Colored by SJ Miller
Lettered by Mike FiorentinoAfter the events of the Adventure Time series finale, Marceline and Simon have finally reunited! Now together, Simon asks Marceline for help in making amends for his time as Ice King, which leads them, Finn, and Jake to one of the most dangerous places yet…the Nightosphere! Written by Olivia Olson (Marceline on Adventure Time) and illustrated by Slimm Fabert (Adventure Time) is the perfect story for any fan of the Vampire Queen or the former Ice King!
Although Adventure Time ended after ten solid seasons of post-apocalyptic fantasy entertainment, the show lives on through its comics. As satisfying as the finale was, it opened up a lot of story elements that the comics are now going in to – chief among them the Ice King’s return to sanity as Simon.
A mini-series to follow Simon is a great idea, and the backstory that he and Marceline shared was always one of the more emotionally powerful parts of the show. So who better to write it than the voice of Marceline herself, Olivia Olson? As someone who’s been part of the show since its beginning, Olivia has a strong grasp of what makes these characters tick, their chemistry with each other, and their individual voices. Those all come through in this issue of “Marcy and Simon,” showcasing Olivia’s skill as a writer (as well as a performer).
Her experience on the show also helps connect the comic to the cartoon’s continuity. As part of Simon’s “Ice King Apology Tour,” we get little snippets of Simon making amends for the various wrongs he committed as Ice King, many of which were just moments from a single episode. With ten season’s worth of content to draw from, Olivia Olson found a wide range of the Ice King’s crimes to apologize for, some of which only diehard fans will remember.
Similarly, artist Slimm Fabert is experienced at illustrating the characters and locations from Adventure Time, having worked on the comics before. As such, the characters all remain true to their design and form, albeit with more flow to their forms than we get in animated shows. SJ Miller captures the colors of the cartoon as well, but they all feel a little more hand-drawn than the cartoon; it gives the comic more of a life of its own, rather than just trying to look like cartoon stills placed on paper.
Together, the team has managed to create some powerful artistic moments within the panels. One page gives us four panels of Simon, his face taking most of the frame, as he talks about his actions and regrets as the Ice King. In each panel, we see different moments from his life reflected in his glasses, and each successive panel gets a little bit closer. It’s an effect that would work well in a show or animation, but is pulled off very well through the comic book medium as well.
There are a few other moments where “Marcy and Simon” makes great use of the comic book form. At one point, Flame Princess uses her fire to melt cloud people frozen by the Ice King, and the fires she creates travel from panel to panel in one continuous stream. This gives the reader’s eye something to track and follow throughout the page, creating an impressive visual effect.
Story-wise, it starts off pretty straightforward – Simon wants to make amends for his time as Ice King, so he and Marceline go on a tour of Ooo to right his wrongs and apologize. This gives us a good blend of entertaining and heartfelt moments, from Simon presenting Lemongrab with a portrait to him presenting Marceline with a stuffed animal like Hambo while thanking her for taking care of him while he was insane. It hits all the right notes for longtime fans of the characters.
Continued belowOne interesting thing it does with the characters is the way it balances the guilt and fondness Simon manages to feel over his time as Ice King simultaneously. He has to balance the shame and regret from his actions as the Ice King with the joy of experiences like watching Marceline grow up and becoming friends with Finn and Jake. It’s a great duality for the character, and a good look at how there’s good and bad to so many things in life. Can we lament the bad while still embracing the good?
That leads to the plot of the comic: Simon’s losing his memories of being the Ice King and the characters have to find a way to help him keep them while still remaining Simon. It’s an interesting way to take the story – save the memories of the Ice King while helping Simon embrace his new life as the person he was before. Marceline spent so many centuries hoping to get Simon back, and now they have to find a way to keep a bit of the Ice King left in him.
While the adventure is only just starting, it’s a good way to kick things off. This issue of “Marcy and Simon” is a lot of fun for fans of Adventure Time and certainly makes me interested to see what way the story will go. It has a lot of the elements that made for the best episodes of the show, so this mini-series is off to a good start.
Final Verdict: 8.2 – “Marcy and Simon” is off to a great start. Olivia Olson knows the show and its characters inside and out, while Slimm Fabert and SJ Miller are experienced at bringing the cast to life with impressive visual designs. Together they’re creating a story with heart and humor, bringing us back to Ooo and reconnecting with some of our favorite characters.
