- Mr Muffins, Defender of the Stars
- Oni Press
- Written by Ben Kahn
- Illustrated by Georgeo Brooks
- Distribution by Simon & Schuster
- Available now
- 168 pages
- Ages 8 & up
- ISBN13: 9781620108321
Defender of the cosmos! Vanquisher of evil! Failure at frisbee??
Corgi shenanigans, epic space battles, and intergalactic heroes abound in this uplifting, action-packed adventure about the powerful connection between humans and their pets from GLAAD Media Award nominee Ben Kahn (Renegade Rule, Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend) and illustrator Georgeo Brooks (Immortals Fenyx Rising: From Great Beginnings).
Eleven-year-old Reuben Mahmud just wants a break. When he takes his pet corgi, Mr. Muffins, to the park, he expects to get just that—a break. But what he gets instead is an alien invasion right smack dab in the middle of his neighborhood! Oh! And apparently Mr. Muffins is the chosen one destined to save the galaxy? This should be interesting . . .
In the press of comics featuring End of Days level threats and evildoers determined to see the universe grovel at their feet, I occasionally lose track of the fact that comics are meant to be fun. You know how it happens. We get caught up in the struggles of mutantkind, fighting to protect a world who fears and hates them. We’re stuck in the trap of waiting for the next “Final” Crisis event. We scramble to find that one alternate cover without which our collection just won’t be complete. If any of these real-world problems plague you, lay your worries to rest, my friend. Ben Kahn, Georgeo Brooks, and Oni Press have your back.
I’ve been a fan of Ben Kahn since their supernatural heist caper, Heavenly Blues (for which I broke form and posted reviews on all six issues). Having read nearly everything they’ve put out since, what sets Kahn apart in my eyes is their unadulterated love of comics. Reading them, writing them, and- as I learned after hanging out and chatting at a convention- Ben loves talking comics. Spend ten minutes with them and you’ll discover a passionate encyclopedia of opinions and ideas bouncing around in that skull with boundless chaotic energy. That energy blazes on the pages of Mr. Muffins, Defender of the Stars, and made it as much fun to read as I’ve had with any other comic of recent memory.
Keeping with that spirit, artist Georgeo Brooks uses a bright and chipper Saturday morning cartoon style to help tell a fantastic story. I wholeheartedly believe that anything other than this easy-to-digest, manga-esque style could have derailed Mr. Muffin’s journey into this Undiscovered Country. Whether or not another artist could have handled it with as much panache as Brooks does, who knows? I can tell you there have been other comics going for the same kind of young reader sci-fi adventure I haven’t enjoyed half as much. Whether I’ve lost interest in them because of the story or the illustrations is beside the point. Here we have a near-perfect marriage of script and art, coming together to form a union I’m happy to have gotten my hands on.
There are few enough adventure comics aimed at young readers, and fewer still of the quality we’ve got here in Mr. Muffins, Defender of the Stars. If my kids were still of an age to want to sit down with their dad for some story time, I’d be reaching for this one. For the sake of the children, of course.
Final Score: 12/13
