CAVEWOMAN: CASTAWAY [one-shot]
(24 pages)
Story & Art by: Devon Massey
Digital Painting by: Liezl Buenaventura
Covers by: Devon Massey; Budd Root
Publisher: Basement Comics/Amryl Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Cavewoman has been in print for twenty-two years!! I’ve seen the occasional book/mini/one-shot on the shelves and have noticed that the solicitations mention PI (please inquire) or AR (ask retailer) when it comes to ordering given its very adult content and/or exclusive covers. It’s all good considering that the character, the cast, the setting, the plot, and all other elements are played up for laughs. The outrageous situations she finds herself in cannot and should never be taken seriously even for fictional purposes. That being said, I keep testing the waters with an unbiased perspective. Speaking of waters, this one-shot is called CASTAWAY. Kwinkydink?!? Most definitely not!!
The tit-ular character [natch!] is searching for missing children. They disappeared two weeks ago. They are presumed eaten or drowned. Nevertheless, our fearless jungle girl sets out to confirm their misfortune. A giant gator or croc capsizes her raft. She manages to remain intact and clings on to the vessel. She eventually passes out and finds herself ashore some uncharted island. She is stupefied that no prehistoric creature has decided to have her as the next meal. No sooner does she finish her thought when an oversized crab sets its sights on her. With her superhuman strength, she breaks off a pincer, and the creature scurries away. Dinner is served!
Cavewoman spots a lagoon and bathes in it. While doing so, the silence unsettles her and she has a sneaky suspicion that someone is ogling her. Sure enough, a peeping Tom is at a safe distance getting an eagle-eyed view. The perv isn’t very subtle. Upon daybreak, Cavewoman notices a man’s footprints. She will set an enticing trap. She submerges in the lagoon and re-emerges behind the gawker. The eighteen-year-old is one of the missing kids. It’s a good thing Meriem held back her rage. They introduce themselves. Ronald and his sibs have been shipwrecked the last fortnight.
Meriem meets Brock and Kari. The little sister points out Cavewoman’s celebrity notoriety in the most casual way as children are wont to do. Meriem finds the boat and notices that it’s ship-shape. All it needs is a push which will occur the following morning. Cavewoman puts her back into it and presto! Ron is astounded. He focuses on Meriem’s backside as she walks away with his sibs to grab the supplies. Hormones are raging!
One last meal on the island. Ronald inquires about Meriem’s status. She bursts his bubble by informing him that she has a beau named Bruce. Brock breaches the topic in an awkward fashion. He shames big brother knowing that Ron has more than his eyes on Cavewoman. Ron brushes off the embarrassment by telling Meriem he is beginning to enjoy and accept his marooned status. Meriem nods off. He stares at her for an indeterminate length. Cavewoman awakens to a ruckus. Ron is sabotaging the engine!! The psycho comes out. He professes his love obsession. She grabs the hammer and puts him in a chokehold. She shoots him down further by pointing out that his egotistical action will never land him a significant other. Meriem improvises and creates giant oars. It took a bit longer than planned but Cavewoman and her crew approach Marshville.
I researched everything relating to this character to gain a better understanding of things. The inspiration behind her as well as the creator’s biography are fascinating! The kicker is that Budd Root envisions his labour of love as “good girl” art. *snort* Could’ve fooled me! The gratuitous shots of flesh remain clean but the dialogue suggests otherwise ;-P
I had no idea that Amryl Entertainment has various umbrella studios: Basement being one of them. Devon Massey helms his own ship having produced ten other publications of the prehistoric buxom beauty.
I dare say that Miss Meriem Cooper has plenty of T&A (tenacity and audacity). Copyrighted! No one can use that!! The plot and dialogue are simple and straightforward. This story is read in a matter of minutes. However, there are enough juicy tidbits to cock the eyebrows and gleefully grin. Mr. Massey’s thick lines and heavy shading reinforce the primal world inhabited by the eponymous protagonist. Meriem’s curvaceous features are thrust upon the reader to emphasize their importance. NNNAAAHHH!! Meriem has naïveté but is an all-around do-gooder. She is a force to be reckoned in regards to wrong-doings. Her sunshiny disposition is counter-balanced by her drive to foil villainy.
Cavewoman has been spotlighted in over eighty-five serial issues and thirty-two one-shots. The franchise has made its way into magazines, sketchbooks, and convention exclusives. Amryl has ten studios in total. Visit their website and peruse their many selections. Meriem has her own Facebook page. You can follow her on there or join the Yahoo! Groups. Since she is stuck seventy millions years BC(E), I give this book 6,300,000 years (90%).
