The “Adventure Time” comic series has been a roaring hit so far — so popular, in fact, that it warranted a spinoff miniseries! Continuing the trend of picking up the most algebraic webcomic artists around, “Marceline and the Scream Queens” focuses on the two most prominent female characters of the somewhat more male-oriented show. Can the Adventure Time spinoffs continue to be such a lumping hit?
Written and Illustrated by Meredith Gran and Jen WangJOIN FAN-FAVORITE CHARACTERS MARCELINE AND PRINCESS BUBBLEGUM FOR RIOT GRRL ROCK-FUELED EXCITEMENT IN THIS BRAND-NEW ADVENTURE TIME MINI-SERIES! Thanks to a newfound interest in music, Princess Bubblegum joins Marceline’s paranormal rock band for a tour across the land of Ooo! But when they’re threatened by everything from scenesters to beasts born of self-doubt, can they make it to the RADDEST GIG EVER in time?! Written and drawn by acclaimed cartoonist Meredith Gran (OCTOPUS PIE) and featuring a back-up story from Jen Wang (KOKO BE GOOD)
A spinoff series such as “Marceline and the Scream Queens” can be difficult to pull off. As an Adventure Time property, it has a certain tone and a certain kind of humor that it should use, but, at the same time, this isn’t a comic starring everyone’s favorite heroes, Finn and Jake. Without the show’s main two protagonists, the comic needs to shift the tone and style to match whoever is taking center stage — in this case, Marceline and Princess Bubblegum — without losing that beloved Adventure Time feel, going beyond the superficial levels of characters and setting. Whedonites, think of the difference between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the spinoff show Angel.
In this regard, “Marceline and the Scream Queens” is nigh perfect. Meredith Gran has created a comic that maintains Adventure Time‘s patent absurdity, but without translating any more silliness than is necessary to the characters of Marceline and Bubblegum. It would be easy to have the two female leads running around and adventuring while shouting catchphrases such as “Schmowzow!” and “Algebraic!” in order to make it clear that, yes, this is an Adventure Time comic, but it also would not be authentic. While both characters have their silly moments, they are two of the more mature characters in the world Pendleton Ward has created, and a story centered on them needs to reflect this. “Marceline and the Scream Queens” uses secondary and incidental characters to make sure that the comic has the signature Adventure Time ridiculousness, but allows the characters of Marceline and Bubblegum to take the story places where Finn and Jake could never go. A smart but sparse script helps this comic bring a bit more depth to the normally shallow — but entertaining! — Land of Ooo. And, yes, there are quite a few moments that will make you laugh out loud.
Gran also illustrates the main story, and avoids the trap that many artists who illustrate cartoon spinoffs fall into. The visual style of Adventure Time may already be sparse and loose, but a comic using a similar style needs to be even less rigid in order to avoid looking like a lifeless screenshot. This seems almost impossible with Adventure Time — any looser, and the art could very well end up in a lumpy mess. Gran, though, works with the impossible; with as few lines as possible, Gran brings more motion, expression, and life in general that more critically lauded comics artists could create with a thousand scratches. Every panel thrums with energy, and every page is a well composed testament to the fact that, sometimes, “simplicity” is not simplicity at all, but expert storytelling.
The B-side, so to speak, is Jen Wang’s ‘Resurrection Song.’ Visually, the story is a triumph. Like the back-ups of “Adventure Time,” this short deviates from the standard style a bit more than the title story, though it still has a stripped-down look. This appearance is but a facade, though; a close look reveals how carefully, how truly masterfully Wang’s comic work is composed, and the color palette is nothing short of delightful. The story, though, is nothing particularly entertaining, and — worse still — the “music” is difficult to read as a song. The sense of rhythm just isn’t there. Still, anyone who appreciates great comic art will enjoy this short yarn, and odds are if you are reading this, you enjoy great comic art.
“Marceline and the Scream Queens” will probably only initially appeal to fans of Adventure Time, but those who pick it up out of a loyalty to the show will not be disappointed. Anyone who enjoys stylized comic art that relies on minimal line work, though, will get a kick out of both Gran and Wang’s exquisite comic work, and may even find themselves wanting to learn more about this strange — but wonderful — all-ages comic series and television show.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – Buy it!
