Bullwinkle and Rocky #9 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Though new episodes hadn't been produced in over 2 decades, Rocky and Bullwinkle saw a resurgence in the mid-1980s thanks to home video. Disney, of all companies, actually had distribution rights of the show through their sister company, Buena Vista Video. Suddenly, children born in the late 70s and early 80s could watch The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle any time they wanted. 

With parents in full nostalgia mode, they began purchasing the VHS formatted home entertainment to share with their children. Local TV stations took note and began picking up various incarnations of the animated series in heavy syndication. In 1986-87, I remember it being a big deal that Rocky and Bullwinkle were coming to a UHF band TV station in Fayetteville, NC. One hour blocks filled with special messages from Bullwinkle and his friends were peppered throughout the broadcast, along with special trivia contests and drawings for you prizes during the debut week. 

Marvel Comics took note of Rocky and Bullwinkle's revival and signed a franchise deal with Jay War Productions to produce a comic book. Originally published under Marvel's all-ages imprint Star Comics, Rocky and Bullwinkle soon switched imprints to the Marvel line up with issue #3, when the publisher shuttered the majority of the family friendly run of titles. 

This 1989 edition of Rocky and Bullwinkle would mark the debut of all-new adventures of not just the main stars, it would also see the first original adventures of Dudley Do-Right, Sherman and Peabody and Fractured Fairy Tales since 1964. However, due to a page count of only 28 pages, only 1 regular sized extra feature was possible. In this issue, in a story that doesn't seem from a traditionally known fairy-tale, an inept, bumbling King is saved from his scheming chief of staff by his own dumb luck. Then Bullwinkle returns for a 2-page adventure as resident Frostbite Falls genius, Mr. Know-It-All, showing readers what it takes to train to become a famous actor. For those of you wondering, what it takes is the ability to wash dishes and wait tables. The cover story is a two-parter, book-ending the issue. As Hollywood announces the disappearance of superhero costumes across Tinsel Town, Bullwinkle gets his chance to play his hero, the Masked Avenger: because he is the only one left in the world with his fan made outfit!

Dave Manak was the main writer for this issue. He also contributed some of the art, along with Ernie Colon. While Manak and Colon present screen accurate representations of the main characters, the supporting characters do not look in the style of series creator Jay Ward. Characters such as the original actor who plays the Masked Avenger and the King and his court look more like they were drawn as characters in a Flintstones or a Jetsons comic book. A.A. Perry wrote the Mr. Know-It-All episode.

Delightful fun. But it wouldn't last. This was the last issue published by Marvel Comics.

Completing this review completes Task #19 (Cartoon Comic Adaptation from the 1980s) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Get Along Gang #5 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

THIS IS IT! MY LAST ENTRY IN THE CHALLENGE!

The Get Along Gang was a group of anthropomorphic animals whose wholesome adventures would have nauseated Pat Boone and Ned Flanders. They were created in 1983 by a group of designers employed by American Greetings known as 'Those Characters From Cleveland' who also created Strawberry Shortcake, The Care Bears and Madballs. The characters which included characters named Montgomery Moose, Woolma Lamb and Bingo Beaver graced everything from greeting cards to coloring books. A popular line of ceramic figures was then introduced before American Greetings decided to take the Get Along Gang to the next level- broadcast TV.

In the spring of 1984, The Get Along Gang debuted on CBS. A total of 13 episodes made of 26 11-minute segments were produced. For a very brief time, The Get Along Gang kids were riding high as licensing darlings, gracing lunch boxes, Trapper Keeper's and a host of other school supplies just in time for the 1984-85 school year. 

As The Get Along Gang was gaining its fad-like momentum, Marvel Comics was in the process of starting up its Star Comics imprint devoted to kid friendly titles. After seeing controversial success with original titles such as Royal Roy that resulted in a lawsuit from rival Harvey Comics for copyright infringement of the likeness of Richie Rich, Marvel decided to stick to licensed characters for Star Comics. 

The Get Along Gang was among one of the first franchises to sign with Star Comics under its new direction. A total of 6 issues were published. House of Mystery's Dave Manak scripted the half dozen issues with art divided by Carlos Garzon (#1-2) and John Constanza (#3-6). Jacqueline Roettcher (Ewoks) inked the entire run.

In this issue, the gang spend the night in a house that is rumored to be haunted by two brothers. The father of the two siblings passed away without telling the pair who was to inherit the house. So, the two brothers who squabbled and fought over ownership of the property when they were alive, continue the battle as spirits. 

It's really the bickering that spooks the members of the Get Along Gang. As the brothers try to evict the other from the home, they knock over boxes and lamps that get the kids scrambling for the door. However, the old house is booby trapped with secret corridors and hidden compartments to the point that members of the gang start disappearing!

The story itself, along with the art was rather charming. I loved that innocence that oozed over every page. Though I thought it was rather odd that the kids had no problem spending the night in a haunted house with the mayor of the town. Maybe such sleepovers were normal for 1985. I dunno. The overall story, which was highly reminiscent of an episode of Scooby-Doo, wasn't bad. But I did dislike that 'it was all just a dream', was the cop out plot device used to wrap things up. 

Reading this issue, I noticed something that was rather sad. There was an ad in this issue for the upcoming line-up of CBS Saturday Morning cartoons and The Get Along Gang isn't listed as one of the shows returning! 

Remember all those school supplies bearing the character's likeness? Unfortunately, those items just didn't sell. Neither did a line of hybrid action-figure dolls dressed in cloth outfits and the series was removed from airwaves just before Christmas of that year. But since Star had already crafted 6 stories and they needed a full line-up of titles to entice merchants and subscribers, The Get Along Gang stayed in print until the winter of 1986, a full year after CBS execs pulled the plug on the cartoon. American Greetings discontinued the line the following year.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #42 (That is a guilty pleasure) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.