Reviews
REVIEW: Battle Beasts #1
Book Title: Battle Beasts #1
Book Description: In 1987 there was a toy line called Battle Beasts. You could get a two pack of figures for about $2.50. The figures were about two and a half inches tall. They were designed to be animals with some form of body armor and weapon.
Each figure had a sticker on it that, when heat was applied, revealed an allegiance to fire, wood, or water. The premise for the allegiances was akin to rock, paper, scissors. Fire defeats wood. Wood defeats water. Water defeats fire.
While the concept for the toy line was neat, it had the misfortune of poor timing. At that toy aisles across the land were watching a three way race between Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Thundercats for superiority. Battle Beasts just didn’t have the following to keep it in the game.
When I learned IDW had put out a comic on the toy line, I was all over it. The story begins on the Battle Beasts’ homeworld. We see three beings: a walrus-like creature named Gruntos. A bird-like creature named Merk, and a goat-like creature named Virgin. From all appearances they’ve incurred the wrath of every other creature on the planet because they refuse to pick a side in a pointless war.
Our three heroes are about to meet an untimely end when a distant chant makes their attackers stop.suddenly everyone is running towards a spaceship. We then shift gears to a Department of Defense building in San Francisco.
A young woman named Bliss Reynolds is very pleased with herself. It’s rightfully so. She has figured out how to translate scrolls written in an alien language. She rushes in to tell her boss, Dr. Ullin, who’s too busy trying to research some other tech that’s been recovered to give her the attention she deserves.
When he finally validates her contribution and asks what she’s learned, Bliss says something in an alien language that translates to “To battle, we beasts”.
Suddenly a portal opens between Earth and the Battle Beasts’ homeworld. They pour into our world on a mission of destruction. And they are chasing down high value targets in a hurry.
Book Author: Bobby Curnow
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Orgnization: IDW Publising
Publisher Logo:
Illustrator: Valerio Schiti
- Story(3)
- Interior Art(3)
- Cover Art(3)
- Dialogue(3)
- Mechanics(2.75)
- Editing(2.75)
Summary
I knew I was buying this book as soon as I saw the set of four books in an online auction. As a lover of everything from the 1980’s I was very curious to see what kind of universe Mr. Curnow would create.
He didn’t disappoint. He explained the rock, paper, scissors thing in such a manner that it makes sense why it’s not being talked about much. It’s an interesting story, with a splash of humans not being smart enough to leave alien technology alone. Bliss Reynolds made an honest mistake trying to learn a language. Dr. Ullin wanted to play God. I hope Major Moose goes after him.
I was very fond of all of the artwork. Seeing a bear doing a military press with a police car had to be my favorite panel. The scorpion creature on the Battle Beasts’ planet was a close second.
As a geek on a budget I would have to say that Battle Beasts is worth the price of admission. It was originally published in 2012 so it may lead to a quest in the back issue boxes at your local comic book store or an online trip to eBay. Either way it should not run more than about $5 an issue. It’s money well spent for a stroll down memory lane.
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