Gumby comics

Gumby by Bob Burden and Rick Geary (Wildcard Ink)

I remember watching the Gumby show when I was a kid and thinking it was like an odd dream, but in a fun way. Reading the first two Gumby comic issues felt like floating through fever induced nightmares caused by the flu. In the first issue, a gang of rogue clowns loots a convenience store, tries to kidnap Cuddles and beat up Gumby, and then sets all the booze ablaze, trapping Gumby and friends in the burning building. In the second issue Gumby gets hypnotized and turned into a Golem, Pokey pukes, and Gumby’s mom is driven to say, “Our child! His guts are coming out!” Personally, I find Nimrod to be one of the creepiest characters ever drawn (*shudder*). There are some fun gags that adults will enjoy, and the art is actually very good, but overall the whole thing just set my teeth on edge.

Sarah says: Gumby is very different than most comics. It has its own style to it. The stories are very odd and sometimes they didn’t make too much sense. In the second one it sort of didn’t look too kid-friendly in Gumby’s dream because the girl, Cuddles, was all burnt and was on fire. When reading it, it felt like torturing myself a little because it creeps me out a little bit. I want to read the next one so I can torture myself more.

Shelby says: Gumby is very interesting. The art creeps me out sometimes because some of the characters are very creepy looking, like the clowns and the Ringmaster. The stories are not for children in some parts because the things that some of the characters do are bad examples for children and there are some scary images, like when the bulldog takes a bite out of Gumby’s leg and when the clowns scare away a policeman by kicking him in the bottom and aiming a cannon at him. In one scene, a superhero sidekick calls Cuddles a “hoochie mama.” Gumby and his pal Pokey are cute and I like the town because all of the buildings are things like a big, huge mailbox, a chair, a fire hydrant, and other stuff.

Ugh – I think that’s our first across-the-board negative review. The next one is better, I promise!