Finn’s been fitted with a new robotic arm that’s like a cybernetic Swiss Army Knife. It’s even got a place to hold snacks! But will it cause him even more problems? Adventure Time #9, written by Nick Winn with art by Austin Baechle, is part one of the new epic “Handbook Heroes!”, where Finn and Jake set off to write a new version of the Enchiridion, which will be the gold standard reference book for heroes in the future.
It’s not long before they run into a pretty awesome motorcycle and its even more awesome owner: Canyon, a towering female amazon-like warrior who makes She-Ra look like a wimp. Looks like Finn can start the first chapter of his book!
It’s a shame David Lynch is gone, because he could’ve made a heck of an Adventure Time film, with its wonky mix of heroic fantasy and surrealism. Writer Nick Winn and artist Austin Baechle do a great job of capturing that same feel throughout the story. The dialogue at times is very stream-of-consciousness. This universe has its own language which may not be as refined as Tolkien’s vernacular but still makes Adventure Time feel richer and more “lived-in” than other settings. “Algebraic!” (which means “Awesome!”), “Globbit” (“Screw it!”) and my personal favorite “Wagglezags” (“Lame”) are a few examples of Adventure Time’s version of slinging slang.
Austin Baechle’s art is as bright, bold and bizarre as the animated show, with every corner of Finn and Wolf’s world teeming with creatures both terrifying and cute. It’s a visual delight reading the book and looking at all the beasts hanging out or striding by in the background.
The story itself is lots of fun and a great starting point for anyone who hasn’t been following the book so far. Finn’s cybernetic arm and the debut of Canyon are both epic, especially in a scene where the duo and Jake team up to battle a monolithic multi-armed blob trying to devour them. I hope Canyon stays around for a while – she’s a great fit for the series and her titanic form (she’s a giant that’s a few feet taller than Finn and Jake) makes her visually stunning next to Finn and Jake.
The issue always introduces a subplot with the great Marceline (my personal favorite character from the show) that promises to be super fun. Also included in this issue is a backup story written by Elizabeth Brei with art by Cleonique Hilsaca and colors by Heather Breckel featuring Lemonhope that shows him gallivanting across the countryside singing a tune. It’s wonderfully bright and colorful and, like everything else about the show, sparks the imagination. Algebraic!
The issue is a great starting point for those who haven’t been following the series so far. It introduces a titanic new character named Canyon and every panel is a visual delight.
