Laurel and Hardy Meet The Three Stooges #1 (Family Comic Friday)

It's a crossover that only could have happened thanks to the magic of comic books. Join Family Comic Friday as we review the first ever meeting between Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges!

Laurel and Hardy Meet The Three Stooges #1

Written by James Kuhoric and S.A. Check
Art by Diego Tapie
Published by American Mythology
Retail: $3.99, variant covers are more slightly expensive

Laurel and Hardy- this duo were stars of stage and film from the 1920s until their last movie in 1950. They are a beloved pair of comedians who saw resurgence in fame in the 60s and 70s thanks to film festivals, appearances in comic books, even a cartoon show!

The Three Stooges- Larry, Moe and Curly. This trio got their start on the Vaudeville stage in the 1920s. Their slapstick hi-jinks made them movie stars from the 1930s-60s. With new members like Shemp and Curly Joe filling in for Curly, the Stooges took over comic books and TV with a long running kid shows that combined live action and animation.

In honor of looming the 100th anniversaries of The Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy, American Mythology has done the unthinkable- paired the two iconic comedy teams together for the very first time! EVER! 

For fans of these zany characters, this is a dream come true! Writers James Kuhoric and S.A. Check along with artist Diego Tapie pit the two comedy teams together in the ultimate comedy comic! Laurel and Hardy had a series of films in which the two were bumbling furniture movers who ended up breaking everything they touched. A very heavy piano or safe was always a gigantic obstacle to move. The Three Stooges had a running gag in which they were house repairmen who would wind up destroying the house rather than fixing it! In this one-shot crossover, a couple make the ultimate mistake hiring all 5 goof balls to help them move into a run-down home!

I laughed so much at this book. The writing duo of Kuhoric and Check were  masters at crafting Laurel and Hardy's very deft dialogue. S.A. Check captured the Stooges in their cartoon forms perfectly and illustrated some hilarious sight gags. Laurel and Hardy and the Stooges were known for being the kings of physical comedy. You'd think that a comic book couldn't capture their fluidity and yet this book does! I was extremely pleased!

Laurel and Hardy Meet The Three Stooges is rated for all ages. I agree that this is an appropriate book for kids of any age level. But it may be mom and dad or the grandparents who enjoy this book the most. The Stooges have had a minor resurgence in the past decade or so with a 2012 reboot that included a comic book series and a live action film that starred Sean Hayes. As for Laurel and Hardy, they are a big unknown to youngsters. It doesn't mean that today's young readers won't enjoy this comic book. They just might need an adult to help make  some of these figures of early Hollywood relevant. 

I'm a big fan of American Mythology. They've been bringing back a ton of classic franchises from my youth and that of my parents. They did an awesome job with this team-up and I am eager to see what comes next! Could we possibly see the Marx Brothers getting into mischief with Larry, Moe and company? That would be epic if they did! And I'd be first in line for my copy of it!