You know the story. Fred Flintstone, caveman every man who struggles to provide for his wife Wilma and child People's. His best friend Barney and wife Betty live next door with their super-strong son, Bam-Bam. Together, their town of Bedrock is bustling to become the place for a modern Stone Age family.
As part of DC'S modernization of the Hanna-Barbera universe I wasn't thrilled with the changes but I was willing to give it a try. That is until I started reading the reviews. But no, I wasn't dissuaded because of poor opinions of the book.
If anything the reviews were exceptionally positive. What kept me away were reviewers saying that if you had a problem with the changes to the Flintstones you were racist, bigoted, or homophobic. I'm not sure if this was the marketing campaign DC hoped for. But those extremist threats kept my money in my pocket for something else.
Thanks to my local library, I got to check out this new take on the Flintstones for free. I must say that while I am not a fan of the reviewers spiteful opinions of those who would rather remember the Flintstones of their childhood; I must say that I really enjoyed the new take on Fred and company.
Mark Russell’s take on the Flintstones was very nostalgic. What the PREZ reboot’s writer does differently is introduce new elements of social commentary that was considered taboo when the cartoon originally aired in the 60s. For example, the fraternal order of the Buffalo that was Fred and Barney's lodge is now a support group for the soldiers with PTSD who fought in an epic battle with nearby tree people. Building on established archetypes that modernizes but doesn't replace the rich history of the Flintstones is something I can get behind.
Plus with Pebbles and Bam-Bam being teenagers, DC doesn't wipe out the established history of the Flintstones in these new adventures. Though the origins of some characters are tweaked slightly such as how Gazoo the Great came to reside in Bedrock.
Another thing that for most is a no-go zone was the art. As you can tell from the cover image above, the characters look more like the live-action film from the 90s than the iconic animated style created over 50-years ago. The man behind the updated designs is Steve Pugh (Animal Man.) While he crafts a version of the Flintstones that isn't cartoony, Pugh does delve into the show's original style. All of the photos in the Flintstones and Rubbles households look just like the characters did back in 1960s. Those subtle tributes to the past once again have won me over to this revitalization.
Volume Two is on the horizon. I'm looking forward to reading more entertaining stories about the residents of Bedrock. If you're still on the fence about trying this series, hopefully my opinions will encourage you to give it a try. Don't worry, if you don't like these Flintstones, I won't judge.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment