A new Zootopia film is coming later this year, making it a prime time for comics to step in and remind us of how great the property is. A kind of refresher on where the lead characters are, Zootopia is a great all-ages read with clever visuals that adults can love. It’s also a reminder that worldbuilding is excellent in this anthropomorphic adventure series.
As a fan of the original film, which is somehow turning nine years old this March, I can safely say the creative team understands the assignment. The characters talk and act like themselves, the city is robust with new locations to explore, and the general vibe is light and fun.
Writer Jeff Parker and artist Alessandro Ranaldi open Zootpia #1 at the police station where Wilde and Hopps are getting the daily tasks delivered to them by the sergeant. They’ve been assigned to help with crowds at an airport smartphone unveiling. It’s not the most adventurous detail, but knowing these characters, things will get chaotic and fast-paced fast.
The general look of this book is gorgeous.
Credit: Dynamite
Ranaldi does so much to animate these characters beyond the usual comic book renderings. A smoke cloud of the sergeant, for instance, is an impossible element in the mostly realistic setting, but it gets his overbearing point across. Action moments get appropriate levels of speed lines and striking visuals entering the panel, further adding an animated feel. Heck, at one point, Wilde dodges something, and his face streaks in a cool-looking way that you’d typically only see in animation.
Hopps and Wilde have great facial expressions, conveying their differing attitudes well. The energy and kinetic visuals are also vibrant, with a great chase sequence showing Wilde’s smarts or the quickness of Hopps when action must be taken. The only element that separates it from a cartoon is the use of Ben-Day dots, which add a nice shadow effect for foreground characters or details in Wilde’s tail.
Outside of the action, this is also a detective story, with a good mystery established in this issue. Hopps even gets to put her detective cap on, which leads to apprehending a perp. The fact that we get an interrogation scene shows Parker is going for a police procedural through and through.
If there were any missing elements, it would be the relationship between Wilde and Hopps. They’re friends and partners, but there isn’t much going on between them like in the first film. Their relationship at the end of the film continues here, so don’t expect much bonding or character growth from either.
The Zootopia comic series is a delightful return to the vibrant and clever world of anthropomorphic adventures, excelling in humor, mystery, and energetic visuals. The emotional depth of its lead characters is lacking, but for an all-ages read, it’s excellent, remaining a highly enjoyable read for fans of the original film and newcomers alike. Perfect for those craving a fun, lighthearted detective story with plenty of heart.
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