This week, we review “Plants vs. Zombies: Bully For You” #3. Did I decide to review this comic because it had the phrase “Bully For You” in the title? Yes, absolutely. Spoilers ahead for a comic based on an iOS tower defense game for kids.
Dr. Zomboss’s battered zombie army faces the Anti-Bully Squad’s new zombie army! Patrice and Nate are caught in the middle, and the war spills into Neighborville. The town’s fearless young heroes must join forces with Crazy Dave to beat both batches of the fun-dead! Could an ice-cream break help?
* Bonus PVZ stories by comics legend Peter Bagge!
* The hit video game franchise continues its comic book invasion!
Written by Paul Tobin
Illustrated by Ron Chan & Peter Bagge
One of the recurring theories behind good comic booking is that every issue should make for a good impression. You never know which issue of Batman or Avengers A.I. is going to be the one some dork picks up in the magazine section of Barnes and Nobles before waking up five years later to find they’ve spent hundreds of dollars on “Howard the Duck” trades. A lot of lifetime comic book fans usually pick up an issue haphazardly in the middle of the story, so it’s important that issue still serve as a gateway for new readers to jump into the action. That’s why I’m writing about “Plants vs. Zombies.” I’ve never played the games, I’ve never read the comics, and I have no idea how any of the series works. So that’s why I was so surprised to read “Plants vs. Zombies: Bully For You” #3. Not only is it welcoming to new readers, I think I have to read every issue now.
“Bully For You” involves Zomboss, the zombie scientist who made all the zombies(?) has been kidnapped by everyone he bullied in college. Now, those bullies (who are also zombies) have begun yet another invasion while they hold Zomboss captive. Now, two plain white teenagers and their plant forces have to save their school. No, they don’t explain why everyone is fighting back with plants. No, I don’t want them to. The whole thing’s a pretty silly story, compounded by Ron Chan’s adorable art style, but it’s what I would consider a good “All-Ages” book. If I were to ever reconnect with my estranged son, I would buy him this book and then read it after dropping him back off at his deplorable mother’s house.
What’s nice about “Bully For You” is that it caters to kids while throwing in a couple jokes for the grown ups. Not in a “5 Dirty Jokes From Doug That Went WAY OVER YOUR HEAD listicle kind of way, just some relatable college debt jokes. The look on a college student’s face when he realizes he can sell the textbooks the college zombies are throwing is gold, as are a lot of the details in Chan’s artwork. Zomboss doesn’t just have a heat ray. He has a heat ray tired by a miniature zombie running in a treadmill. That’s adorable. Really, if you need to choose one reason to try this book out, it’s Chan’s art. Especially the fluid motion when Mr. Stubbins the Hedgehog runs away from Zomboss.
Another thing I did not expect from this comic at all was an appearance from Peter Bagge from “Hate.” He is the single last person I expected to be a part of this comic. Alan Moore would’ve been more likely to be in this. I would have expected Chris Hardwick to be a guest artist and dude doesn’t even draw. Bagged draws two short back-up stories and they’re cute. Like I said earlier, this comic does serve as a double edged sword for kids and hardcore comic book fans. The young ‘uns will love the adventures of Mr. Stubbins while older comic fans will try to wrap their heads around the fact that it’s 2015 and the guy who drew Buddy Bradley is doing back-ups in “Plants vs. Zombies.” What a time to be alive.
Final Verdict: 8.1 – A surprisingly fun comic that really exceeded my expectations. If you have kids, they’ll eat it up. If you have disposable income and a need for some chuckles, this might be up your alley as well.
