Hopster’s Tracks #2

 

Yesterday I commented on why I didn’t understand how come Hopster’s Tracks didn’t take off. I thought it was a very clever and funny comic. Well, in issue #2, I got my answer. In a letter to her fans, creator Stephanie Gladdin commented that issue #2 was delayed being published for several months. I believe marketing and the covering of publication costs were the biggest reason for the delay. No matter what the excuses are, if you are trying to start up a new monthly comic, you’ve got to stick to your release dates or else interest in your new title is going to dry up pretty quick. Readers will lose interest and go on to the next best thing. Vendors and comic books shops will cancel subscriptions as there isn’t any product available and even worse- there isn’t any interest in the title anymore.

 

Again, I think it’s a shame that Hopster’s Tracks couldn’t find a rhythm. But upon reading the story in this issue, I came to another conclusion as to why this book didn’t take off. In issue 2- the kangaroo and wolf couple buy a car that turns out to be a lemon. When the car dealer refuses a refund, the wolf character decides to boycott the dealership. The name of the salesman? Hopster!

 

In other words, the character for who the comic book is named for is A) not even in the first issue and B) not even a major character. I can understand why readers would be turned off from the series because the title doesn’t match with the book. I wondered all throughout the first issue “why this is titled ‘Hopster’s Tracks’?” I never got an answer until this issue.

 

Sadly, this is a book that had great potential and it was squandered. The artist/ writer was very talented. But she failed to connect the reader to the book’s premise. I’m assuming that the salesman Hopster is also like the founder of the town or an ancestor. Also, Bongo Comics apparently gave more attention to their lucrative Simpsons properties and neglected to follow through in publishing this series on a consistent basis.

 

Talk about missing out on opportunities and wasting a promising talent like Gladdin and her colorful cast of characters.

 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Hopster’s Tracks #1

This funny animal series was published by Bongo Comics. This short-lived series, the brainchild of one Stephanie Gladdin, is a surprise to me as I didn’t think Bongo published anything except Simpsons and Futurama titles. In Hopster’s Tracks the main characters are a spunky kangaroo, her greaser boyfriend- a wolf, and an adorable little otter? Not really sure what he is and I’m not sure if he’s the child of the couple or adopted, but he’s cute and has some great lines.

In this issue, the trio help out the fledging gas station of a friend. Faced to close up show thanks to the new bypass, the main characters look to spruce up the store by building a tourist attraction beside it. But when the business is turned into a giant dinosaur, that breathes fire, well you can imagine that the results are explosive.

This is another dollar bin gem that I’ve only come across once. For a funny animal comic, it’s not half bad and I would consider it all-ages, though there are a few “damns” sprinkled in. The art is very clean and the story and characters are memorable (Except for the names- I’m bad with names.) I’m not sure why this didn’t take off. Then again, I’m not really sure why Bongo Comics published it in the first place not being a Matt Groening property.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.