Langridge returns to form, storytelling-wise, for his Miss Piggy issue. She’s not the issue’s protagonist, but she’s not the subject either; instead, Langridge treats it as a jumble.

The show needs a guest and can’t afford anyone (it’s rather unfortunate Langridge doesn’t get to use real celebrities, since it always made the actual show so funny… maybe he should use other Boom! characters, which would at least be format adaptive–or other Boom! creators). They get a psychic who sends Piggy into a tizzy and hilarity ensues.

He also relies a lot less on sketches than he did in any of the previous issues, maybe because Piggy is so much more amusing. His non-Muppet standard sketches are always nice little asides, here one with a bunch of talking houses is incredibly charming.

It’s a fine close for Boom!’s initial Muppet effort; definitely encouraging anticipation for further efforts.

CREDITS

Miss Piggy’s Story; writer and artist, Roger Langridge; colorist, Digikore Studios; letterer, Deron Bennett; editor, Paul Morrissey; publisher, Boom! Studios.

How does Langridge deal with his Gonzo issue?

Unoriginally, unfortunately.

Langridge’s focus on Gonzo is the traditional “what species is Gonzo” question. He has Scooter go around trying to figure it out. This issue is definitely the quickest read of the issues so far (and, I hate to say it, the least artistically–that adjective having a special meaning in the context of discussing this issue). Gonzo is barely a character. Instead, he’s the subject. And it doesn’t work.

It’s as though Langridge doesn’t like writing Gonzo–I don’t particularly remember him having a lot of page time in the previous issues–and would rather Scooter do all the heavy lifting.

Perhaps I’m confused because it’s already been done–Muppets from Space dedicated ninety minutes to answering the question.

Does Boom!’s license put that film out of continuity? I’m feigning curiosity.

But it’s still a very competently done comic.

CREDITS

Gonzo’s Story; writer and artist, Roger Langridge; colorist, Digikore Studios; letterer, Deron Bennett; editor, Paul Morrissey; publisher, Boom! Studios.

Langridge gives himself a difficult task with his Fozzie issue. He has to make a comic about Fozzie getting funny again. Fozzie, of course, is painfully unfunny.

The issue opens with Fozzie bombing, then we move through the standard Muppet sketches (some featuring Fozzie, some not) and Fozzie’s attempts at reinventing his comic style. So it’s funny to watch these incredibly awkward failures–and the various Muppets’ responses to them–while still being (humorously) concerned with Fozzie’s predicament.

Unfortunately, Langridge’s conclusion is convoluted. He references an earlier sketch–Honeydew bringing a piece of cheese to life–and it reads like the cheese had something to do with Fozzie’s comedic rehabilitation.

But, as Langridge reveals the solution to Fozzie’s comedy problems (he shows the success in a traditional way… the reader walking in on the end of the joke), he ignores the cheese’s comments….

It’s good, but needed a tighter edit.

CREDITS

Fozzie’s Story; writer and artist, Roger Langridge; colorist, Digikore Studios; letterer, Deron Bennett; editor, Paul Morrissey; publisher, Boom! Studios.

I’ve read Langridge’s Muppet Show before and remembered it was excellent, but I didn’t exactly remember why it was excellent. Langridge mixes humor and quite a bit of sentiment here but also introduces the Muppets being the focus of the off-stage antics. In other words, without a “guest star,” Langridge makes it all about the Muppets (in this issue, Kermit in particular), which changes the dynamic a little….

Langridge’s artwork, while not as iconic as some of the other Boom! Muppet series, gives the characters so much life. His expressions are just amazing. His moments are perfect, whether it’s the hecklers or it’s Robin and Kermit having a chat on the roof.

Langridge manages to make his Muppet Show both a translation of the television show and something entirely new. He introduces methods for adapting between mediums, but his storytelling emphasis is different. The Muppets’ show is most important.

CREDITS

Kermit’s Story; writer and artist, Roger Langridge; colorist, Digikore Studios; letterer, Deron Bennett; editor, Paul Morrissey; publisher, Boom! Studios.