4 out of 5

This book collects the Mutanimals 3-issue mini, so instead of directly reviewing the story, let’s talk about the worthwhileness of the collection, since its from 1991 and you can just walk out and pick it up at your local newstand at any point.

In summary: ain’t nothin’ special but it’ll do.

I remember being madly excited when Mutanimals spun-off of Turtles.  It was my first legit experience with a comic that I was following branching out, and it was continuing a storyline from the main book, so my grandpa HAD to get it for me (he was my comic source).  DON’T FUCK IT UP, GRANDPAP, YOU’VE MISSED ISSUES BEFORE AND I WON’T TOLERATE IT.  He did right and got me the series.  Archie Comics does right with their budget format collection.  They have a classier prestige style printing with glossier pages, but I’ve only seen that used for the Turtles movie adaptations.  ‘Invasion From Space’ is all paper, but the square-binding to collect the three issues works perfectly to keep the spine from getting crackly (which can happen with thin-papered thicker books way easily) and the printing is spaced appropriately so it doesn’t run too close to the crease.  The pricing was also a mighty-fine deal @ $2.95 (again, go to the corner an pick this up now, inflation free, from the ‘old Turtles comics’ section of that store that’s on your corner.  You know, the one that specializes in Asian porn and Trident gum.), collecting three issues which were $1.25 each.

To touch lightly on the story: Maligna, bug-queen, is invading Earth.  From space.  Hence that subtitle.  There’s not a lot of clutter in the issues because the ‘how’d ya’ll come to fight together’ was built up in the Turtles title, so besides some short origins for Jagwar (animal sex) and Dreadmon, it’s pretty much mission: go.  Interestingly, with my elder eyes, I can now see that the vast differences in art – which I recognized as a young reader – are due exclusively to the inkers, issue 1 given a slick, simplified cartoonish look versus a more detailed line-work in issue 2, versus a pretty rushed hatchet-job on book 3.  The reprinting is quality, and the colors all hold up plenty well, making the read easy on the eyes.

But this is bare-bones in more ways than just the printing – there are no covers, and no indication of what’s being reprinted.  I always find that an odd choice in collections, especially when you leave the ‘to be continued’ bubbles on the last page of an issue, butting up against the title page of the next issue.  There are some pin-ups in the back by Steve Bissette which are pretty cool – and you get one of each Mutanimal – but there’s still something to the presentation that feels rushed, though whatever, pin-ups by a name artist in a kid’s book is a pretty nifty deal.  And props for including a recap page.

So it’s a budget collection, but despite keeping the cost low, Archie Comics gives the readers a pretty good bang for their buck.  Poor suckers who bought those single issues.  Sorry, Grandpa.