DC’s Young Animal 2016
Written by Gerard Way & Jon Rivera
Illustrated by Michael Avon Oeming
Coloured by Nick Filardi
Lettered by Clem Robins
Cave and his ad hoc team of spelunkers (his daughter Chloe and best-bud mechanic Jack Wheeler) have answered the call to adventure! But as they search for the lost city of Muldroog, Cave’s employer sends a crack team of his own in the latest in subterranean transportation: the Mighty Mole MK 2, led by a famed explorer from Cave’s past. And it looks like they’re out for more than just the return of EBX property…
I can’t help it i’m in love with this series. Normally I would say this is something that usually falls outside my purview but since i’m a huge fan of Cave Carson and was more than thrilled he was making a comeback I gave this a try. That Gerard and Jon have decided to do something completely different and unique that still somehow manages to fit completely into his past makes me giddy with excitement.
Once we see Cave, Jack and his daughter in the car the adventure begins. Now I don’t know what it is about Michael and Nick’s work here but from the bottom of my heart thank you. I mean not only do we get killer dialogue--”Crystal Lake over here”-- but the 3-D you need those glasses effect and that whole two page spread of them driving through the Earth yeah it’s utterly brilliant. Again normally not a style i’m into but I can’t help it the way it all works together just rocks my world.
So with Paul having called in Johnny to work with Ace and the crew to go after Carson in the all new Mighty Mole we know things aren’t on the up and up. I will wholeheartedly admit I love the fact that we get to see Johnny, Ace and the rest in action, see underground, even if they are chasing Carson. It just has this whole air of excitement and newness and that we’re going to encounter so much more than any of them bargained for brings me back to the days when I started collecting all those back issues and experienced the adventures for the first time. The days of cheesy story ideas and giant creatures living within the Earth.
So Cave has to explain to his daughter about her mother and all the stuff they’ve kept from her. Oh and seeing Cave in an underground waterfall with his tightie whities slipping a bit again thank you. The writing, dialogue and just the way the boys are presenting this story to us has been so exceptional. The structuring of the story, it’s pacing and the way we keep getting these unexpected revelations give us this nonstop on the run feeling that makes Jason Bourne such a hit.
With the gang getting to Muldroog and a team hot on their tale I can’t wait to see what’s going to come next.