Weekly Comic Book Review

By Chris Giarrusso (Story and Art)

It’s easy to dismiss a book with the  “all ages” moniker as something for just for kids. And oftentimes, this may be true. But in this case “all ages” means that if you like superheroes and you like humor, you’re going to be laughing no matter how old you are. “Mini-Marvels” is very much like Looney Toons meets Marvel, such that things like logic and physics and thrown out the window to make absurdity with some of our favorite characters. Whether it be Spider-Man’s mission to deliver a Daily Bugle paper to the Green Goblin’s home without being attacked, Wolverine’s quest for a box of his favorite cereal, or Iron Man’s attempt to equip the Avengers with armor, this book is pure hilarious from beginning to end.

Perhaps another great appeal is the fact that this can be read by an “all familiarities” audience. Children (or even adults) who have very little knowledge of Marvel’s characters can pick this up and still find a reason to laugh on nearly every page. However, those of us who read comics on a regular basis will find plenty of little Easter Eggs – we even get some satire on recent Marvel events, such as World War Hulk. Trust me, Chris Giarrusso does not hesitate to make fun of some of the “real” actions of Marvel’s heroes.

Now while Giarrusso’s wit is spot on, I’ll admit it took me awhile to warm up to his art. The first time I ever saw a single page Mini-Marvels comic, my first reaction was to the art. I thought: “No! Why have they ‘kid-ized’ the heroes?” But when I read the actual strip, I was so amused and willing to forgive the art. But the more I look at it the more I realize that “the look” just adds to the humorous tone. Indeed, examining background work and many dynamic scenes will reveal that Giarrusso is an extremely gifted artist. So if the cover art scares you, take a look at the interior paired with story and you may actually discover you enjoy it.

Mini-Marvels: Rock, Paper, Scissors will certainly never attain Marvel legendary status and is definitely not to be taken seriously, but if you are looking for something bursting with “super-humor” this is the place to go. Having read this, I’m a believer. Anything other “Mini-Marvels” releases will get an instant buy from me. (Grade: B+)

-M. Staples

Filed under: Marvel Comics, Reviews Tagged: | Chris Giarrusso, Comic Book Reviews, comic books, Graphic Novel Reviews, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Mini-Marvels, Mini-Marvels: Rock Paper Scissors