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Still on the Shelf #49 - Herobear and the Kid Originally published March 8th, 2004 on www.ComiXtreme.com. This work is, of course, © Craig Reade. There is something to say about a book that is making you grin ear-to-ear after just a couple of pages.Last Wednesday, I made one of my regular forays into the small press section of my local comic shop. I stumbled upon what I thought was a new number one of a book called “Herobear and the Kid.” Much to my surprise, it was in fact a fifth printing, and that all five issues of the miniseries were already out. After reading the first issue, I was enchanted – rarely have I ever been so immediately willing to plunk down as much money as it takes to find every back issue of a comic that I could find. It was tough, but I did manage to track down a copy of the trade paperback including all five issues of the first mini (a very well put together collection as well, I might add, for $20), and I am extremely glad I did. For those of you unfamiliar with the title, Herobear and the Kid is written and drawn by Mike Kunkel, who is far more known for his work in the field of animation. Herobear and the Kid, though a virtual sleeper in terms of critical acclaim, snagged itself an Eisner Award in 2002 and in 2003 (Best Title for a Younger Audience). It may have been pigeonholed into the “Younger Audience” category, but I think it is better to refer to this as an all-ages title. The fact is, if you don’t absolutely love this story, you have no heart at all. Cast of Characters Tyler is your average unassuming, ten year-old boy, with all of the cares and worries a child that age might have. The biggest problems he faces are trying to catch the bus to school everyday, a trio of school-yard bullies (the Bullio Brothers), his annoying younger sister Katie, and how to talk to the girl he has the biggest crush in the world on, Ashley. He has an extremely active imagination, so much so that he often completely fades from reality and begins to act on the story that unfolds in his mind, much to the glee of those around him who would torment him relentlessly. Tyler’s story begins on a really sad and difficult note. His grandfather dies, leaving his family his entire fortune, including a huge mansion. Tyler and his family move into the stately home, and begin their life in the new neighborhood. Waiting in their new bedrooms was a gift for their grandfather for each child. Katie received a most unusual high-tech contraption (it spins – about the best way to describe it). Tyler received what turned out to be the more mysterious gift – an old teddy bear and a seemingly broken pocket-watch. He soon realized that the bear was way more than it appeared to be on the surface, when he touches its nose, and it transformed into the larger-than-life “Herobear.” The only other person to know about the mysterious qualities Tyler’s bear possesses is the families butler (who also served Tyler’s Grandfather before his death), Henry. Henry seems a little off from the moment Tyler met him – exhibiting a very precise manner, always timing (and approximating completion times) right down to the minute. Tyler finds Henry to be a wealth of knowledge about his grandfather, Herobear, and exactly how he has become entwined in what turns out to be a family tradition. Thoughts As I said before, if you don’t love this book, you have no heart. Kunkel’s story is full of magic and warmth, a real departure from the uber-serious, dark, hopeless stories we find throughout comics today. Tyler’s experiences with Herobear are every kid’s fantasy-come-true, and the exploits of the heroic duo are exactly the kinds of things you would expect a ten year old to come up with while playing with his toys. When I look for a good comic book, the first thing I look at is the quality of storytelling, as many of you know. However, with a title like this, it is nearly impossible to talk about it without going into Kunkel’s art. It is very clear the man is an animator by looking at the panels on each page, sometimes it seems as if he just can’t decide what point in the “shot” he should focus on, so he draws them all. As a result, the panels become fluid- almost animated in their appearance. Another striking thing you will no doubt notice as you flip through the pages is that the art is not inked, and is printed directly from Kunkel’s pencils. The construction lines on the characters are even still present. You might think this would give the art a sloppy look, but it ends up enhancing the whole feel of the page. There is no color, save for the red of Herobear’s cape (and the costume of another character that appears much later). I really enjoyed that little color selection, as it makes your eyes focus on Herobear whenever he is on the page. Now, if you ask me, if I saw a giant teddy bear flying around in a cape, you could be sure he would be the most noticable thing around, and I think making his “costume” the only source of color throughout the story really helps to illustrate that reality. Another great thing about this title is the sheer quality of the product. The copy of Herobear and the Kid #1 that I purchased came complete with a cardstock cover and nice thick paper. It was only 24 pages, but there were zero ads – if anything, I think ads of any kind would hurt this work of art. “The Inheritance,” the trade, was one of the best such collections I have ever seen. Oversized with glossy pages, dust-jacket style fold-overs on the cover for marking your pages and 57 pages of bonus material to round off the collection really make this trade the complete package. And, if you have any doubt about my word as to the quality of this story, the trade features introductions by Don Hahn (Producer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King) and Jeph Loeb (I should not have to explain to you who that is); as well as bits of praise scattered between each of the chapters from many notables, from: Terry Moore to J. Scott Campbell, Mike Wieringo to Joe Quesada, and many more artists, writers, animators, producers, reviewers – the list goes on. In short, I think it is impossible that you could find anyone who did not just love this title.
 Sure, the first mini series has come and gone, but there is a new three-part Herobear and the Kid on the horizon, that you should be on the lookout for. It was solicited for a February release, but coming from Mike Kunkel, you can pretty well expect each issue of this title to be late. I know it is rare to hear me say something like this, but unlike the Ultimates – the art on this title is very much worth the wait. In the meantime, I strongly suggest that each of you head out and try to track down a copy of the first Herobear and the Kid trade – “The Inheritance.” You may have to do some calling around (or order it online at Astonish’s website), but trust me – it is well worth both the work and cost required to track this down. I have not loved a comic like this in quite some time, and I am positive you will feel the same way. That’s it for this week. Also, it is my sad duty to report that the time period for entries into my First Year Anniversary contest has come to an end. I may consider taking late entries, but you will have to send me an email begging and pleading (though I would not count on me accepting it!). Winners will be announced next week in my gala #50 column, as well as some other goodies I have lined up. See you next week! |
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