"Big Boys' Toys"
"Fuzzy's Busy Bees"
"Brat Trap"
Writers: Abby Denson; Robbie Busch
Artists: Christopher Cook; Ricardo Garcia Fuentes(p), Mike DeCarlo(i), Heroic Age(c)
Publisher: DC
Best line in the whole book:
"You are the most beautiful marbles in the whole world! Yes, you are!"
If you're a fan of the Powerpuff Girls, then you know exactly who speaks these words in Abby Denson's mostly by the numbers "Big Boys' Toys." The problems arise due to Professor Utonium's characteristic forgetfulness regarding Chemical X--that which creates the Powerpuffs. This has happened before in the series; so it is in context believable. Maybe Chemical X induces a side-effect of short-term amnesia.
In any case, the mutagenic compound definitely causes more trouble for the Girls, but thanks to the obvious Afterschool Special lesson, a less intelligent foe for the Girls to fight and the lack of risk to Townsville or any of the other characters, I just really couldn't get into the story.
Ricardo Garcia Fuentes draws some very cute little animated bees in the Fuzzy tale. The purple hirsute hick's response suits his characterization, and there's a real subtle joke in the dialogue where Bubbles explains what bees wish to do with flowers; since she's too immature to know about the birds and the bees. Busch's story also benefits from having just the right length as well as displaying the Girls' proper attitude toward Fuzzy. He's not really a criminal. Just antisocial.
Princess somehow managed to get out of juvie, and she's back to cause Townsville trouble in "Brat Trap." Busch brilliantly transfers Princess' ego to the new form of snake-oil salesman that often pollutes PBS airwaves for execrable pledge specials.
Princess in the style of the get-rich-quick speakers of today almost succeeds in seducing the children of Townsville, but in a strange, strange way Busch shows that the Powerpuff Girls do not just react. They too are deterrents to crime. Christopher Cook once again provides the illusion of McCracken-styled animation for the Powerpuff tale.
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