SUPER SECRET CRISIS WAR #1 Review

Is this Cartoon Cartoons book really worth your time? Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

The devious demon Aku has called together a League of Extraordinary Villains—composed of malevolent miscreants from different cartoon universes. When their evil robots show up in the world’s of The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, Samurai Jack, Dexter’s Laboratory and (even) Ed, Edd and Eddy, it’s up to all these fearless heroes to band together and put an end to the League’s nefarious plot of interdimensional conquest!

You’ve clicked this article so let’s admit something right now: we grew up watching these shows and in our wildest dreams there was no way that these characters would ever crossover. And now that we have that out there let me say: rest assured that each franchise is introduced with some semblance of care while baring in mind the downright over the top nature of this event.

Louise Simonson works wonders with the dialogue in this script, as just about each page whisked me away to my youth. Never mind the idea that protagonists like Ed, Edd, Eddy, the Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack and Ben 10 apparently now exist, more or less, in the same space. And that their diabolical antagonists would form the League of Extraordinary Villains just to defeat and conquer their worlds. Well with that entered in and this author at the helm all I have to say is: bring it on. Because when I closed this I was beaming with enthusiasm.

If the corny but nostalgic text wasn’t enough to garner an audience than the illustrations handed in by Derek Charm should be. The talent effortlessly emulates the design sense of each property without attempting to conform them into one unified look. It’s a different approach and one that I think greatly serves the plot as we continually see a visual separation with these players. In short: he nails the right look for this book.

Super Secret Crisis War #1 is made for anyone that grew up watching these shows. It’s loads of fun and does just enough right to certainly earn a recommendation.