Popeye #3 Review
- Details
- Published on Friday, 13 July 2012 06:00
- Written by Dennis Dudley
It is time to crack open the spinach cans because Popeye is back in business. The awesome sailor we fell in love with in the comic strips and on TV makes his return in his own ongoing comic series. I have to thank IDW first and foremost for bringing such a beloved and classic character back into existence. Three issues in already, Popeye engages into new and exciting adventures and challenges, with more coming down the line.
Writer: Roger Langridge
Artist/Colors/Letters: Tom Neely
Story Rating: 5 ½ Spinach Cans of 10
Art Rating: 5 Spinach Cans of 10
Overall Rating: 5 ½ Spinach Cans of 10
Synopsis: This issue is entitled “The Phantom Crusher” and it starts off with Popeye, his buddy Wimpy, and Mr. Geezil inside the Rough-House Café. Wimpy (as the meat-loving guy that he is) wants Geezil’s hamburger that he ordered. Mr. Geezil has this sort of grudge against Wimpy, so when Wimpy offers to buy the hamburger from him, Geezil rudely declines.
Undeterred, Wimpy decides to make up this medical condition about Geezil that he heard from Dr. Lafong, called “Dutch Mumps.” Geezil (like an idiot) buys into the whole shenanigan, and while he ponders over the “news”, Wimpy takes his hamburger and says, “Oh, it was Feazle, not Geezil! But pass the onions, pickle and mustard, please.” (LOL!)
You know what happens next. Mr. Geezil loses his cool in the café and tries to go after Wimpy, but Popeye holds him back. Wimpy strolls out of the café and goes out towards the back. Geezil goes off and states that he has a secret weapon for him and walks out.
The next day, it’s all over town that a boxing match has been set up between an undefeated contender named ‘The Phantom Crusher’ and none other than Wimpy himself! Wimpy finds out about this and asks who put him up in this fight without him knowing. The culprit is none other than Mr. Geezil as payback for the hamburger Wimpy took. Turns out that this ‘Phantom Crusher’ is Geezil’s secret weapon and he wants Wimpy to go up against him.
To save face in front of everyone, Wimpy accepts, but on one condition: if he beats the Phantom Crusher, Geezil has to supply him with hamburgers for a year, and if the Crusher wins, Wimpy has to leave town for good. The two seal the deal and schedule the fight. Popeye, realizing Wimpy’s in bad shape and will not stand a chance, decides to take him on as his manager and train him.
So they go to Popeye’s boat and begin training there. Of course, Wimpy (again the meat lover that he is) is hardheaded and starts to eat meat behind Popeye’s back. Popeye catches him and finally sets him straight. So, he test Wimpy from the training he’s had so far and put him in a little match against “Snookums” McGurk. Wimpy meets McGurk and thinks he can take him because of his small height and size and tries to scare McGurk with a BOO sound. But McGurk coldcocks him right in the jaw and knocks Wimpy out.
So it is back to training and Wimpy again eats burgers behind Popeye’s back, but Wimpy does not get caught this time. Popeye weighs Wimpy and does not know why he is gaining more, but Wimpy chalks it up by saying he is just have big bones. Out of nowhere, Popeye’s old nemesis, Bluto, come along and wants Popeye. Wimpy instead goes along and confronts Bluto. Bluto scares Wimpy and turns around to go after Popeye. Wimpy throws a weight bar at Bluto from behind, but Bluto smacks it back and it hits a trampoline and knocks Bluto out. Popeye, surprised that Wimpy just took out Bluto all by himself, feels that Wimpy must be ready for the fight.
We arrive at the big fight and the two begin to square off. The Phantom Crusher knocks out Wimpy quick in eight seconds. Mr. Geezil raises the Crusher arm up for victory, and a horseshoe falls out of the Crusher’s glove. Popeye, who can’t stand cheaters at all, jumps in the ring and takes Wimpy’s place.
The two throws blows one after another, and finally Popeye gives the Crusher the classic Twister Sock and knocks the Crusher and his mask off, and it turns out the Crusher was an actual horse! Wimpy counts out the Crusher and Popeye tried to go after Geezil also, but Wimpy stops him. Wimpy forgives Geezil and relieves his debt from him and the two settled their differences as well.
The Good: This issue was great and brings back Popeye in a new way. I felt the storyline as a whole as well as the artwork were a perfect fit for each other. I’m sure the ongoing series will continue to escalate with more comedic stories and situations to come.
The Bad: I saw nothing bad or critical about this issue in general. Having said that, I hope that the creative team continues to raise the bar, so to speak, in the next future issues.
Overall: I recommend this book, as well as this series in general, to all the Popeye fans and readers alike. If you grew reading Popeye in the funnies or watch the originals on television, then you know what to expect. I am sure, also, that new and funny situations will come in the future for this revamp.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Dennis Dudley is a man of all sorts. He enjoys reading as well as writing comics in his spare time. He is also a comic reviewer as well as has a web comic he started w/ an artist called Rules 2 Live By and a comic he’s developing called Sentinel City. Other than comics, he likes to skateboard, watch b-movies (sci-fi, noir, etc.), plays video games, and enjoying hanging out with friends. His favorite beer is the Heineken and his favorite music genres are post-punk and Jazz(bebop, hard bop, etc.)
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