Confessions of a Comic Book Guy is a weekly column by Steve Bennett of Super-Fly Comics and Games in Yellow Springs, Ohio.  This week, Bennett takes a look at the latest in animation and comics:

It would have been nice if Disney XD had done something for Free Comic Book Day to promote the channel’s recent relaunch.  But seeing as how a large portion of their program schedule relies on cartoons from the 90’s based on their characters, Marvel and DC is kind of doing it for them.  I wish there were more new shows on that schedule (besides the second season of Spectacular Spider-Man, premiering on March 23rd) but let’s face it, those repeats are doing us a favor -- if they instill in kids a love of superheroes.

Though it’s now supposed to focus more on boys, so far Disney XD really isn’t all that different from when the channel was called Toon Disney, though I admit it is nice seeing Static Shock added to the mix and they have started running mini-marathons of the Silver Surfer.  Besides live action Aaron Stone, so far their new programming consists of the instantly forgettable Kid Vs. Kat and just-strange-enough-to-be-interesting Jimmy Two-Shoes.

The premise: young Johnny finds himself in monster filled “Miseryville” which his infectious love of fun makes an enemy of its tiny ruler Lucius and friends of his son Beezy (who looks like a fratboy version of Hellboy) and the town’s only other human, Heloise.  The show definitely has a sense of maniacal glee that’s appealing but... maybe I’m reading too many things into it but… Beezy, Beelzebub?  Lucius, Lucifer?  Heloise… Hell?  I think what we have here is a Disney cartoon about a kid who’s been sent to Hell.

I hate to be a snitch but I am so telling Focus On The Family.

Then there’s my personal favorite, Phineas & Ferb which has just started its second season.  A lot gets crammed into each hyper dense 11-minute episode, where the three main plots weave in and out of each other:

  1. A pair of kid super scientist step-brothers (another first for TV animation) who always find inventive ways to spend their summer vacation.
  2. Their teenager sister Candace who’s obsessed with “busting them”.
  3. Their pet platypus Perry who is secretly Agent P who continuously faces the same mad scientist with low self esteem whose evil schemes never extend beyond the immediate Tri-State Area.
  4. Usually at least one good song*
It’s funny, smart and, here’s the really impressive bit, somehow manages to be nice without even being dull.  Today there are way too many ‘edgy’ cartoons where the child heroes are self indulgent brats, their parents idiots and older siblings monsters (see Johnny Test), but Phineas & Ferb takes a place in a cozy multi-ethnic cul-de-sac where everyone is remarkably lacking in malice.  The boys have the best intentions, their parents are loving and supportive and even their eternally thwarted sister is often shown in a sympathetic light.

I know in the past I’ve complained about the deluge of licensed comics that are currently clogging the shelves (of course it’s nothing compared to the Golden Age; I’m currently downloading the Dell Four Color series which ran for well over a thousand issues, the majority of which were licensed) but I’d really like to see more.  If, that is, they’re gateway comics which could help grow the industry; BOOM! already has a deal with Disney so why not a Phineas & Ferb comic?

I freely admit I don’t write enough about the good comics I do like, ones retailers should support.  A couple of months ago I talked about upcoming Image titles I was looking forward too, like Jersey Gods and Johnny Monster.  Well, Jersey Gods #1, which I liked a lot, has gone back to press for a second printing (#2 ships today) so I’ll tell you a little about Johnny Monster.  While not exactly challenging it is fun, and with its teen monster hunter with an Animal Planet approach to his trade it would also make one cool animated series.

To be honest I had actually forgotten there was another comic book convention last weekend, and from the lack of big news coming out of it this might be a good time to start spacing these things a little further apart.  I only found one item of interest, some good news/bad news from the James Robinson panel.  The good news: it was going to be revealed in the next volume of Robinson and Paul Smith’s Leave It To Chance that Chance Falconer’s father Lucas was alive.  The bad: he says there’ll never be a next volume.

Things I Learned While Watching Cartoons: in a new TV commercial a popular brand of canned pasta now promises it contains “an entire serving of vegetables.”  As someone who grew up on the stuff I have got to ask, where are they hiding them, under the label?

* And I don’t mean the pabulum you hear on the latest entry in the seemingly endless direct to DVD Land Before Time series; do yourself a favor, go to YouTube and search for either “Squirrel In My Pants” or “She’s a Disco Miniature Golfing Queen.”

The opinions expressed in this Talk Back column are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com.