Malcolm Magic #7 to #10

Muppets with feet and attitude with a little Sid and Marty Krofft thrown in for good measure. That’s the overall feel I get when I read through these books. Little Malcolm is a crazy bunny who stumbles in and out of an alternate universe called Happy Hippy Dale. Both the “real” world and this alternate universe are inhabited with scores of creatures that are either out to get Malcolm or out to save him or both. My favourite creature of the bunch is Fikov the Russian Clown Bear who hates Malcolm with a passion. What makes this 12 issue maxi-series so cool are the noticeable leaps and bounds the artwork grows from one issue to the next. The real world is drawn in stark and linear black and whites, yet it retains its comedic tone. The same tone is used in Happy Hippy Dale, but scenes in this alternate universe are in vivid colours and beautiful tones. I’d love to see the same attention to tone and shading in both universes (it’s be especially cool to see the same masterwork done in black and white), but I guess the difference in worlds is the point the writers are trying to make as the narrative switches from one reality to another. This is a rollercoaster ride of a series and worth picking up.

- Ambush Bug