Who is the audience for Thundercats comics? I don't get it. Was the cartoon really that popular? I just don't get it, so one really can't blame the creators too much for my complete disinterest in the property and the characters. One of the problems is that none of these comics ever seem to take the time to offer up much in the way of exposition. There seems to be an underlying presumption that the reader knows what these characters are all about. I'm left on the outside looking in, as is the case with Wildstorm's other major licensed property, Robotech. The art is fun and light, though, and it was a pleasure to see Sentinel's Eric Vriens back in action.
In a battle with some persistent mutant enemies, Lion-O, king of the Thundercats, is injured, taking a nasty hit to the head followed by a fall. After dispatching the mutants and rescuing their leader, the Thundercats head back to their home, where a couple of the younger 'Cats notice some changes in Lion-O. He's mean now, yelling at and insulting the lovable but nervous Snarf. Furthermore, he seems to have some sinister plans in store for his allies. They fear the worst when Lion-O gathers everyone together to make an important announcement about the future of his people.
Vriens's light, wide-eyed style suits the cartoony world of the Thundercats quite well. He manages to stay on model while still imprinting his own style on these characters. The exaggerated musculature on Lion-O and others is actually kind of fun, and Vriens captures the youth of the Thundercats tykes nicely too. The 'Cat soldier designs are striking as well. The opening fight scene is a little busy, though; I wish we got a better sense of the antagonist characters.
Something that didn't sit well with me was the shift in tone throughout this issue. At times, the story is playful and light, and at others, it seems as though Layman is aiming for a darker, more tense story. The two modes don't mesh well at all, and it makes for an uncomfortable read.
The inherent problem with this plot is that it is obvious what has happened to Lion-O. Option No. 1 is the Guy Gardner scenario (see early issues of the Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League): the bump to the head has altered his personality. The other option is that the Thundercats rescued someone or something else. It's painfully obvious, and therefore, there's little suspense here. It seems to me this property relies on the nostalgia factor in order to entertain the reader, and since I have no fondness for the 1980s cartoon upon which it is based, I guess I'm just not invited to play in this sandbox... or litterbox, as it were.
