Action Lab Entertainment/Full Moon Presents 2018
Written by Brockton McKinney
Illustrated by Sergio Rios
Coloured by Rosa “Rosakaz” Rantila
Lettered by Micah Myers
Gingerdead Man returns from his exile in Bong World, but the Candy Wizard has granted him a terrible wish! To make matters even worse, the evil Synthia has returned with her VHS Misfits, a group of cyborgs compiled from Gingerdead Man’s previous victims! Now it’s up to Eebee the Evil Bong and Lana the shopkeeper to roll up their problems and smoke out the truth!
I do not advocate the usage of psychotropic drugs but man a part of me wishes I still dropped acid or did shrooms because I will be damned it that wouldn’t completely trip me the effe out. Already this is beyond hysterical and we finally see the tiny cookie dough penis on the Gingerdead Man, c’mon its dough y’all could’ve been more imaginative and creative with it. Why is it so awkward of uncomfortable for men to draw and show off someone, or something’s manhood?
I think as I get older I find a greater appreciation for this kind of off the rails vulgar humour. Because while it may be a seventeen year old boys mindset it’s also got some depth to it that goes beyond the surface and it entire effect that Brockton brings to this really makes it what it is. The characterisation the way the potty mouth spews uncooked raw marijuana dough is perfectly timed and delivered by these characters in ways that are flawless. This is the kind of writing that actors kill over roles for it’s just that damn good and if you don’t think so look back at Betty White in Lake Placid lol. Also that the entire universe seems out to get him well that just means it's a race against time to see who gets to whom first! Now I want to see Purple Pieman and Dick Dastardly in wacky racer.
I want to say that the way the book is structured and the overall ebb & flow were surprisingly good but I can’t. Brockton has shown us time and again that’s he one helluva excellent and creative writer. Just the fact that this book exists and it’s not some cheesy ass mockery made just sell off the names involved but is a viable story that mixes way too many familiar themes (or franchises) and still manages to make this the kind of adult horror comedy that the Scary Movie franchise would die to emulate.
I wasn’t even sure that any of these characters would come to my attention let alone become an active part in my vernacular. Yet here we are and I cannot imagine life without these characters any longer. So regardless of the stoner flicks of your youth this is one that will you back to those days fondly and if you never touched anything of that sort (boring much? Just kidding but wow) the pacing, the delivery of and just the sheer amount of adult oriented humour will get you to crack more than a smile. Not to mention Synthia and her team making a dramatic return after being totally bushwhacked by Gingerdead Man in the first volume.
I love the interiors here, yes penis rant above included. I mean it has the all-ages aspect to it when we clearly know otherwise. Yes I want more backgrounds being used I mean they are in a head shoppe and I am still underwhelmed by what we do and don’t see. I will give major credit and kudos on the V.H.S. Misfits character design and implementation. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a really solid eye for storytelling. Also the fact that can see how expertly the linework has been manipulated through its varying weights to show off some nice attention to the details is wonderfully done.
There are those companies who make films because they love what they do. Full Moon is one of them they all aren’t cult classics or even beloved by the mainstream world. They do what they do and sometimes they hit a home-run and others they strike out. Brockton and Sergio make an excellent pair and with Rozakaz and Micah rounding out the team they manage to elevate stoner bathroom humour to a level that’s acceptable even in high society.