Flaming Carrot Comics #1 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

What's in a catchphrase?

According to creator Bob Burden, the Flaming Carrot's trademarked exclamation of 'Ut!' has ties to the Beatles. In an interview in Comics Interview #40 (November, 1986), Burden explained the meaning of 'Ut' as follows:

'At Shea Stadium, when the Beatles were all up there, and the fans were trying to rush the stage, and the police were trying to keep them behind the barricades, George Harrison points to one that gets through, and says, "Ut!" It's like oops! It's just a goofy thing that's kind of childlike and fun.'

In this 2004 issue, the surrealist Flaming Carrot is having to test out some new trademarks. Thanks to a new action figure made of the character, the Flaming Carrot has to test out the worst weapon accessory of all-time- the all-new baloney gun! True, the hero is able to finally do away with his arch-enemy Garbage Mouth. But if the Flaming Carrot wasn't under contract to use this ridiculous new weapon, instead of his tried and true silly putty, sneezing powders, and playing cards, FC could have ended things a lot sooner than he did!

The demise of Garbage Mouth couldn't have come at a worse time for superheroes. It's the age of political correctness and a vigilante superhero is just something the town of Palookaville can do without. Having to learn to be a gentler, kinder superhero is going to be a difficult challenge for the Flaming Carrot. Especially as a tribe of pygmies are building an illegal structure out of baguettes in the middle of the city park. 

To keep him in line, the Flaming Carrot is joined by his 3 girlfriends, one of which is an investigative reporter doing a secret expose on the hero and his bad temper. When the pygmies capture the super hero and force his gal pals to dance around in their underwear, it will take everything in Flaming Carrot's bag of tricks to save the day. Except for the baloney gun. He's not using that stupid thing ever again!

Bob Burden continues to tap into the absurd and bizarre in this 4-issue miniseries that celebrates Flaming Carrot's 25th Anniversary first appearance in the pages of the direct-market magazine, 1979's Visions #1. Originally, Burden had Flaming Carrot's origins being the result of brain damage caused by reading 5,000 comic books in a single setting. Burden noted at the end of this issue that he felt that his creations mental aliments were subsiding in FC's old age. Yet, there's a healthy dose of silliness in this black & white comic. 

Just like with Flaming Carrot's mask, you can't remove the absurd, no matter how hard you try.

This issue was published in joint by Image Comics and Desperado Publishing.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #29 (Comic/Graphic Novel Published by Image) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.