Review: ADVENTURE TIME: BMO BONANZA #1


ADVENTURE TIME: BMO BONANZA #1
Written by Laura Langston, Boya Sun, Shirley Chan, Cynthia Yuan Cheng, Ian Moore, and Nicole Mannino
Art by Laura Langston, Boya Sun, Shirley Chan, Cynthia Yuan Cheng, Ian Moore, Nicole Mannino, and Warren Montgomery
Edited by Katalina Holland, Michael Moccio, Whitney Leopard
Published by BOOM! Studios
Release Date: March 28, 2018

Waiting for a fun Adventure Time anthology? Look no further than Adventure Time BMO Bonanza!

“Gardening Therapy” (by Langston with letters by Montgomery), is a sweet tale about BMO learning to garden in order to take a preemptive strike against stress. The art feels as if someone cut each of the pieces of each of the panels by hand from construction paper and pasted it together into wonderful creations. I especially love the splash at the very end, with its bizarre battery, clip, and board game plants and the chubby bees you see at the end credits of every Adventure Time episode. It’s very cute.

“BMO’s Trip” (by Sun) is about how BMO goes on an adventure with Jake and a sick Finn to see a rare flower. I love the little details in this one. The Sun Smiling. The bear-thing in the background, head rubbing into the ground, sniffing. All the tiny touches make everything better. I love the softer, darker coloring. It really works well with the absurdism of the story.

“Ms. Qino” (by Chan) is about BMO calling a TV Fortune Teller. There are these thick lines to the art in this with more solid looking coloring. You can just tell the difference between the handwriting of Chan and Son as well, which is cool. I like the static texture given to Ms. Qino, it really feels like BMO’s a caller on her show. My favorite panel is probably the one where Jake tries to save the waffle from the mouse. I love the use of white lines on a black background when Jake sticks his hand in to save it.

“Dad Dance” (by Cheng) is about BMO getting ready for a Dad-Daughter Dance. I like the brightness of the comic, livening it up and bringing a goofier atmosphere. I love the use of them for BMO. Recognizing BMO is nonbinary is always nice. My favorite moment is when Jake and Finn compliment BMO on being a good dad and BMO tells the two “It’s because I have two of the best basically-dads ever!”. It’s so cute.

“BMO Noire” (by Moore) is a BMO detective story. Like all BMO detective tales, it starts hilariously with the line “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me right back in”. A lot the lines are super cheesy and perfect in this story, from “Now talk before I turn you into a prince with a kiss from my fists” to “Put this cat back in the bag and get ‘em outta here”. The gray scale gives that noire feel to the comic too.

“Treehouse M.D.” (by Mannino) is definitely my favorite. I may have a bias, though, due to the fact that I love Mannino’s work in general. I instantly recognized the style from one of my favorite webcomics out there, This Is Not Fiction. It just makes me super happy for Mannino. She deserves work like this. “Treehouse M.D.” tells the tale of BMO playing doctor with a bug. The art is playful, an adorable cutesiness that just makes you fall in love with it. I like the pastels palette of the piece, it gives a lighthearted tone overall. I especially love the montage splash of BMO befriending Jeffrey while treating him. It’s too cute for words.

Definitely read Adventure Time BMO Bonanza!

The Verdict: 10/10

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