GRUMPY CAT #1
Based on the internet sensation!
Complete with a CAT-a-logue of front pieces ^_^
Covers by: Steve Uy, Ken Haeser, Tavis Maiden, Agnes Garbowska
Exclusive covers: New Jersey Comic Expo, New York Comic-Con
Rare covers: Authentix blank, Create Your Own Meme, “Virgin Art”
Retail incentive covers: 1811 Comics, Comic Paradise Plus, Dynamic Forces, Fat Jack’s Comicrypt, Hoknes Comics, In Your Dreams Collectibles, Midtown Comics, Newbury Comics, Saved Whiskers Rescue, Super Fly Comics, Third Eye Comics, Tidewater ComicCon
Publisher: Dynamite
Cover Price: $3.99
30 pages [no ads]
I’ve been living under a rock!! My awareness of this character was so peripheral that I kept inquiring about her from the employees and customers at my local comic shop. Strike one: I assumed it was a ‘him’. Strike two: I never saw the memes nor am I into any memes for that matter. Strike three: I have a strong dislike of meow-mutterers since their presence provokes my allergies.
I could drone about the entire rise to status but for the sake of brevity, I won’t. Suffice to say, Grumpy Cat is a genuine feline who became renown due to her owner posting photos and creating memes that spread like wildfire. Her real name is Tardar Sauce. Her permanent scowl is due to underbite and dwarfism. The rest is history.
“Treasure Map” (12 pages)
Written by: Ben McCool
Art/Colors by: Steve Uy
Letters by: Bill Tortolini
Annoying little brother Pokey pesters Grumpy about hunting for treasure. Pokey dug up a map from the yard, therefore the concept must be legit. Grumpy informs her sib that the venture is a risky one since the house with the X is purported to be haunted. Pokey doesn’t want to go alone (because he idolizes his sis). Grumpy acquiesces but only after wrangling his weekly share of kitty treats. Grumpy assures Pokey that she is an ace ghost-hunter. The two reach their destination and end up separated. Pokey freaks out at the creaks. When he runs into the cellar, there stands a frightening phantom!! It’s obviously Grumpy but Pokey is too clueless to figure it out. Grumpy is satisfied with the teasing. Pokey runs into a room draped with white bedsheets and big black circles emphasizing the spookiness. Grumpy feels a tad remorseful since she sees her bro is shaking to his core. This whole cockamamie scheme was to exact revenge on Pokey for having found an entire bag of treats and not sharing. As Grumpy walks away, an honest-to-goodness wraith bemoans the trespassers and the unclean bedsheets.
Fun is not fun: “What’s with the excitement? I loathe excitement. It stinks worse than the dog.” – Grumpy
Grumpy drips with sarcasm!! It is so sharp that one risks being cut to pieces. Pokey enacts the cliché of heading to the basement. Thus, he breaks one of the survival rules in a scary movie. The twist at the end was a bit unexpected. I doubt it would have fazed Grumpy.
Pokey and Grumpy are siblings. The glow of the sunset really highlights their similar features. Pokey’s hair-raising stance is pure animated trope. The ethereal resident of the abandoned home is more an elongated inkblot.
No ominous-looking house would be complete without the spooky sounds. Well done!
“Grumpy in HD” (5 pages)
Written by: Ben Fisher
Art/Colors by: Michelle Nguyen
Letters by: Bill Tortolini
Pokey and Dog disrupt Grumpy’s slumber. The odd couple are hit with ennui and want to be entertained. Grumpy suggests turning on the TV. Pokey is awestruck since it remains an unsolved mystery to them. The gullible pair follow Grumpy’s instructions to the letter. Firstly, they run around knocking down everything in sight. Secondly, they burst through the screen of the back door. Lastly, Grumpy is about to press the button when their owner comes in and freaks out at the pandemonium. *snicker* End of transmission. *click*
Practice makes im-purr-fect: “Don’t worry, this was just the warm-up act. The real entertainment hasn’t started yet.” – Grumpy
What a bunch of maroons!! Dog and Pokey eat up every word uttered by Grumpy. I’ve read between the lines of this short story ;-P One doesn’t need the boob tube for amusement. Physical activity trumps over mindlessness. At any rate, upon a second look, I noticed the tiny halo above Grumpy when the master cries at the chaos.
Dog is cute but dumb. There is a softer tone to the colours which undermines the boisterousness. I smile warmly at the human’s face being concealed. This is an animal kingdom after all. Humans are secondary or even tertiary.
“Paws of Justice” (12 pages)
Written by: Royal McGraw
Art by: Ken Haesar
Colors by: Mohan
Letters by: Bill Tortolini
Inspired and affected by an upcoming film that obviously refers to the Distinguished Competition’s top two characters, Pokey wants to play super-hero pet!!
Grumpy shuts down his foolish notions at every turn. The ability to fly doesn’t fly when Pokey falls from the roof. Even with a cape and flapping his arms, major fail. Pokey is angered when Grumpy suggests he be the sidekick rather than her. To keep the peace, Grumpy will take on the underling role if Pokey can produce heat vision to burn the newspaper in front of the house. Unbeknownst to both, it really happens!! That’s only because the sun reflected on the porchlight. Grumpy is speechless and Pokey is smug. The two suit up and go on patrol. They stumble upon a break-in. Pokey stands ready to use ‘heat vision’. Grumpy is useless since she can’t see through the mask. Clumsiness on the crooks’ part has them knocking themselves out. Pokey feels pumped but Grumpy is nonplussed. Maybe the dimwitted duo will emerge again in the near future.
Defective Comics: “Yeah, I bet it’ll win an award. For most plot holes.” – Grumpy
Low profile: “And to think I almost turned down an opportunity to be mocked by the entire internet.” – Grumpy. PPPFFFTTT!! Yeah, right!!
Butt out: “What if instead we went home and dialed 9-1-None of our business?” – Grumpy
Rube-y Do! “We woulda gotten away with it too. If it weren’t for those pesky pets…” – Robber
This tail tale POKES fun at the comics’ main bread-and-butter. Realistically speaking, the notion of super-heroics is absurd, outrageous, and flat-out ridiculous!! Pokey imbues optimism through his wide-eyed wonder. Life imitates art imitates art as the contrast among the siblings is painfully apparent and akin to the World’s Finest. Grumpy is full-on meta here pushing the fourth wall dissing her own fame and critiquing the cinematic genre.
This third entry has the best art. It’s like the adjectives I used in the aforementioned paragraph. One exception is made here: we see the burglars and police as clear as day. The thieves bumbled and grumbled. Speaking of humans, the super-variety is epic in scope. Hopefully, no copyright infringement. Pokey sporting actual underwear had me busting a gut. Secretly, I really want to be a super-hero >_<
“Grumpy Cat Goes to Comic-Con” (1 page)
Written by: Elliott Serrano
Art/Colors/Letters by: Steve Uy
Surrealism at its best!! Pokey marvels at two human cosplayers who resemble them that he refers to them as ‘human relatives’. Grumpy is less than impressed. Looks like this was his first and final Comic-Con.
Right to the point!! What more can be said about this? Another example of the disparity between the siblings. I am curious as to why the humans are walking about with whiskers.
Phenomenal first panel!! Drawing a crowd is no small feat.
A few firsts for me – learning about Grumpy Cat and finally tackling Dynamite Entertainment!! I don’t always go for number ones but this issue was impossible to ignore. I gotta get with the zeitgeist. I may not be a fan of cats IRL [Go on! Attack me online!!] but I warmed up to these two. I give this entire tome 7 paws out of 8 [87.5%]
See Grumpy??
Pick up multiple copies of GRUMPY CAT#1. This review made possible thanks to the generosity of:
