Adventure Time: Ice King #1 of 6

Kaboom

Story by: Emily Partridge

Writer: Pranas Naujokaitis

Illustrator: Natalie Andrewson

Admittedly, I’m a big fan of Adventure Time. It’s a show that sometimes mixes childlike wonder and adventures with dark undertones. Spawning from the immensely popular animated show has come a comic series with multiple spin-offs that provide insight into other characters. This most recent spin-off focuses on one of Adventure Time’s most tragic characters, the Ice King. Ice King’s missing pet penguin, Gunter, sparks his adventures in this series. However, he finds himself becoming wrapped up in something larger by the end of the issue as he seeks to find his pet and become a more recognized and cooler wizard. Like much of the other publications derived from the show, this series features appearances by other noteworthy characters: Fiona, Cake, Finn, Jake, Abracadaniel, the Ancient Sleeping Magi of Life Giving, and other cameos as well.

The writing and art remain true to the show with it’s child-like, goofy, and sometimes outright outlandish style. Naujokaitis’ writing does well to capture what you may envision characters of the show saying. It feels proper and true to the source material. However, the show shouldn’t be the standard by which the title is judged, for the art certainly doesn’t replicate what’s on TV. Instead it remains imaginative and at times a bit silly, which is just what you may come to expect from a universe like that of Adventure Time.

This first issue really focuses around establishing the plot and it does come with the assumption that the audience knows prior relationships. If you’re looking to jump into the world of Adventure Time you may wish to start elsewhere, but if you’re familiar with the show you’ll find it embodied well in this comic. I look forward to seeing where this series will go since the Ice King does have such a tragic backstory. Even though it wasn’t hinted at just yet, I feel as though it will be hard to tell a story about him and ignore his past. It’s something that always seems to haunt him. Like much of the other Adventure Time publications, I’m positive this one will be a fantastic addition to the fandom and that this series has potential since the Ice King is a significant figure although we will have to see in later issues just how thoroughly they explore him.