Rick and Morty Go Down in Flames
Since its premiere in December of 2013, Rick and Morty have grown into one of, if not the biggest shows Adult Swim had ever aired. To the five people who might not know the story, it follows Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty as they travel across different realities and planets in raunchy comedic adventures. Due to this aspect of going to different realities, it allows the characters to cover various styles of adventures. From fighting aliens to traversing giant kingdoms, the adventures of Rick and Morty can be translated anywhere. This time around, their destination is a staple for most comic characters at one point or another. It’s time for Rick and Morty to go to Hell!
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
We open up with Rick and Morty crashing through the ceiling of Hell. Both of our protagonists can’t remember what happened before they crashed, but they take their surroundings in. While Morty begins to panic and wonders how they died, Rick doesn’t believe the place they arrived in is Hell. They soon come across other people, including the family, all confused about how they got there. Jerry believes that Rick is to blame, but the old scientist brushes him off as he takes Morty to the gates of Hell. The pair head into the fiery depths to get a grasp of where they are, though Morty has already accepted this place is Hell.
Maybe it’s because of the subject matter, but there was something that felt off about this issue. Rick is an atheist, and as such, believe the place they’re in is just a random reality that looks like Hell. This makes sense to Rick’s character, and he is written how he’s supposed to, but it still feels off. Usually, when comic book characters go to Hell, it’s to kill demons in the style of the Doom video game. Here, we’re dealing with denial, and it’s strangely unfunny.
That’s not to say that there aren’t funny parts in this comic. Morty pointing at the student Rick froze to death in the pilot, makes an appearance, as well as the human resources of Hell being the DMV, got plenty of laughs. Honestly, the funniest moment came from something as simple as Morty eating a burger made of maggots. The world(?) of Hell is actually fascinating, and I honestly can’t wait to see what the rest of the place looks like.
Art:
Constanza Oroza is the illustrator for this issue, and she captured the look perfectly. When I was first reading through it, I thought an artist from the show had to have played a part in the creation. When I reread it, I noticed that Oroza provided her own spin to the details. The slime from food, the tasing Morty gets at the gates, from the flames of Hell itself, she took the time to put as much detail as she could. It’s very well done, and I hope to see more very soon.
Conclusion:
Overall, this is a decent start for a Rick and Morty adventure. We have laughs where we need it, and commentary sprinkled throughout. Rick’s stubbornness to accept their situation is irritating, but that’s just his character. We know there is going to be a twist that will prove Rick right, but maybe we can get some sort of character development for Rick throughout this miniseries. When it comes to the art of the issue, Oroza did a fantastic job of capturing the feel of the original series while adding extra details. If you’re a fan of Rick and Morty, this might be a good comic for you.
