Blue Agave and Worm #1 (Viper Comics – Butler / Beware of the Art Studio)

Albert Lopez, Jr. is a struggling LA stand-up comic who still lives with his parents.  One night while drunk on tequila, Albert falls violently into a mysterious agave plant and becomes “The Blue Agave,” Mexican superhero! With the help of his best friend and sidekick Tony (aka Worm), a 500-year-old burrow and copious amounts of tequila, Albert just might save the world!

Kirker Butler is an Emmy nominated writer and producer who has written for numerous TV shows including Family Guy and The Cleveland Show.  He wrote the Family Guy/Empire Strikes Back spoof, “Something, Something, Something Dark Side,” and recently completed his first novel.

If you like your superhero adventures written tongue-in-cheek with sides of  satire and cynicism that poke fun at pop culture, cultural stereotypes and the superhero genre itself… I think I just found you your new favorite book!

This book is fantastic on several levels.  First, it’s a well-told detailed origin story tracking a legendary mythology as it lands in the hands of a young twenty-something-do-nothing (actually not unlike a slightly older version of DC’s Blue Beetle).  Second, Butler knows his geek-stuff as he comically lays out the blue prints for the training of the new Blue Agave – complete with mystic mentor, learning mishaps, the traditional fight with another hero due to the fact that they think each other are baddies and the “get in the way” side-kick.  The humor in this book was perfect for me – it was harsh at times yet well thought out and poignant (if the pointing out of racial and cultural stereotypes  and alcohol-related hi-jinks offends you, well then you may want to avoid the Blue Agave).  With this book, Butler doesn’t drop course jokes to simply do it, his satire has purpose in our growing diverse population and perhaps making the comic fanboys and girls take a good look at our standards too.  I don’t to make this sound like dry required sociology reading, I did absolutely find myself smirking and giggling my way through the entire book – but the vast majority of the jokes are far from throwaways.

The art company did a great job illustrating this off-beat tale and I would look forward to seeing what is next from Beware of the Art Studio.

The Bottom Line:  Funny Book!  The Blue Agave is this geek-generation’s Tick (btw – that is high praise coming from me!) and a 80 page book at $7.95 is an absolute no-brainer!

Grade: A

Pullbox Warning: Given the nature of some the jokes – this definitely a PG-13 book!