Posted in: Comics, Review | Tagged: adventure time, adventure time: beginning of the end, boom studios, cartoon network, marina julia, pendleton ward, Ted Anderson, whitney cogar
Adventure Time: Beginning of the End #1 Review – Surprisingly Grounded, Charming as Ever
Finn wakes up to find Jake missing and the world around him looking even more bizarre than usual. He is completely alone until he comes across Chronologius Rex, Master of the Fourth Dimension. He informs Finn that he broke a promise in his name, and he will be punished eternally by being removed from time itself. Meanwhile, Jake discovers Finn's absence, and he enlists the help of Princess Bubblegum to find his best friend.
Adventure Time: Beginning of the End #1 is, as Adventure Time often is, a sobering and mature story from the kid's series. While the idea of a broken promise leading to time itself expelling you seems a little kid-minded on the surface, it touches on ideas like people drifting apart and the fact that even the closest friends can have shattering fights.
The revelation of the broken promise could also seem a bit immature, but it ties back into the theme of friends breaking apart. So, it works for the overall theme.
As always, Finn is innocent and endearing. Jake is funny and loyal. All the regular Adventure Time elements are there, and they make for a fun read all-around.
Marina Julia and Whitney Cogar do an excellent job of recreating the show's distinct visual design while adding some extra details that make it unique for the comic. There is a bit of texturing work that adds a lot to the aesthetic, and the design of Chronologius Rex is weird and great. The colors are wild and pop off the page too, complimenting the wonderfully strange linework of the comic.
Adventure Time: Beginning of the End #1 is an impressive opening issue for this miniseries. It's a more serious and grounded story, and it has potential to go to some very sad places. The characters are as lovable as ever, and Julia and Cogar do a great job on the art. This one earns a recommendation. Check it out.