2 out of 5

Another example of an Ice Cream Man tale that’s really a fine read, except when considered within the context of the series, it doesn’t really do much, and also fares somewhat poorly in terms of any central theme. If this was, actually, part of some more linear tale, I’d be more fine with this issue; as a kinda standalone, though, it’s just shakier than some of the more average horrors / explorations in ICM, and considering it picks up on an occasional bit of world lore – the Figglybumps – it’s pretty blase stuff, serving as an explanation (albeit a very thin one) for how these creatures crossed into the Ice Cream Man’s existence.

Issue #37 is a dual narrative: we get a Vietnam parable starring Figglybumps, who are cute, furry lil’ creatures with cute names who shoot marshmallow guns; and then we get brother and sister in the “real” world discussing the recent suicide of their brother – writer and artist of, apparently, many Figglybumps adventures, including this apparently lost tale we’re reading.

The differing views on suicide are interesting, but there’s no subtlety to any of this: that discussion is presented de facto, and the shtick of cute creatures having violence perpetrated upon them while they say “aw shucks” is also nothing new. That, again, this ends up kind of just being a justification for a throwaway line that’s essentially “and then the Figglybumps met the Ice Cream Man” feels pretty lightweight, which adds to the feeling that the rest of the content is filler: Prince and artist Marazzo wanted a reason to do something silly, and then Prince overlaid some ICM narrative tricks (the dual stories) and some kind of moralistic / philosophical debate that’s thematically tangential.

It’s an issue of ideas which are distracting – either fun, or good conversation points – but not a very driving standalone issue.