
Kaboom! Boom Studios 2017
Written by Box Brown
Illustrated by Lisa DuBois
Coloured by Eleonora Bruni
Lettered by Jim Campbell
Something weird is going on and Tommy is all about figuring out what it is. With the help of his friends they’ll discover how their parents always seem to know what they are doing, though Chuckie isn’t all that thrilled by these events because he’s tired of weird.
I don’t know Box Brown, and I’m going to guess Box isn’t his given name, but he either has children or babysits a lot because someone watched a lot of Rugrats to get the characters this dead on. I love the characterisation here and the way the personalities shine here is utterly spectacular. The way he’s able to bring their imaginations to life is pretty darn nice and takes a strong understanding of kids. I say all this because I have just watched the original Rugrats Motion Picture and all of the writing just fits like puzzle pieces should.
I like the fact too that this isn’t a simple one and done story or two stories in one issue. There is something about a two-parter that just feels right. I mean this issue the babies have to figure out how their parents know their every move before they can act upon it. While the reader gets to be in on the action the babies don’t because they can’t hear their mom’s talk. So that they can figure out what’s different is just the normal course of things for this gang of babies.
I love that this feels like the old cartoon to me. From the moment they talk to the when their imaginations help them deduce, find and discuss what is going on around them it just feels right to me. So when we see Tommy trying to get Angelica on their side and help them it’s freakin hilarious! Angelica isn’t one to admit when something doesn’t go her way but when she can admit that something strange is happening at her home too well it’s just about perfect. Not only that but how it’s presented to us is in the fashion I have come to expect, like the bob father.
Lisa does a nice job with the whole imagination thing and the adults do look dead on and even Angelica has the right look about her. The babies though are a little rough around the edges but hey. Her use of page layouts with their angles and perspective are extremely well done. I don’t even mind the lack of backgrounds in use though if I’m going to be honest I’d love to see more of them. There’s nothing more fun than seeing everything we possibly can when the babies are around.
For as long as the babies have been out of the limelight it is beyond wonderful. It’s time that not only the previous generation gets to remember a childhood classic but for a new generation to thrill at the idea that babies can be smart too. This is one of those all-ages books that can get younger readers in the habit of reading and learning to love to read and at the same time people like me can read it remember the show on Nickelodeon fondly.
Creative, fun and full of the imagination only the young can create. This is an adventure on the wild side that you can get lost in and smile all the while.