Adventure Time returns to comics this week at Oni Press, pairing everyone’s favorite best buds in a tale of wacky adventures and silly comedy. The all-ages fun features our super confident heroes taking on jelly monsters, calling computer adventures, and more. It’s got all the charm you’d want in the series, that is for sure.
The always endearing series is written and drawn by Nick Winn, even if it has been a while. What’s immediately obvious is that Winn has a great handle on the banter between Finn and Jake. They’re heroes, and they’ve done adventures so long they’re confident in everything they do, right down to their tasty barbs. The opening monster fight is everything you want in the series.
From there, Finn realizes something is wrong with him, setting the need to fix that in motion, but not before checking in on the Ice King. Not so coincidentally, things move on from there involving technology and science.
All your favorite Adventure Time characters are present, and Winn does a good job calling back to past stories. While this is a first issue, longtime fans will appreciate the continuity being upheld and built on.
Gross, but cool! Credit: Oni Press
Winn’s art is a perfect replica of the cartoon. Characters look as they should, with Jake’s stretching abilities particularly well done. In fact, props should go to Winn for coming up with so many creative ways for Jake to stretch and mix things up. He’s never boring. There’s nice depth, thanks to subtle shadow work that doesn’t impede the striking cartoony colors.
There’s also a backup by Derek Ballard featuring Tree Trunks. The story opens with Tree Trunks being visited by the Grim Reaper. Thanks to a lunch break, Tree Trunks gets to pull off a bunch of bucket list items, which makes for a fun montage. The art style reminds me of something out of Ren & Stimpy, and its quality makes every panel a joy.
Adventure Time #1 is a strong return that balances nostalgia with fresh, silly fun. Nick Winn clearly gets these characters and this world, delivering a comic that feels like it stepped right off the screen. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer looking for a goofy, heart-filled adventure, this issue delivers the goods—with extra jelly monsters and a perfect Tree Trunks coda to boot.
You must be logged in to post a comment.