Waiting for the Trade
by Bill Miller
Dr. Horrible: And
Other Horrible Stories
Other Horrible Stories
by Zack Whedon
collects Dr. Horrible
one-shot; three digital comics from MySpace Dark Horse Presents (“Captain
Hammer: Be Like Me,” “Moist: Humidity Rising,” and “Penny: Keep Your Head Up.”)
and features a new story, “The Evil League of Evil”
Why I Bought This: The
Joss Whedon/NPH masterpiece Dr.
Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is just about the greatest thing in the history
of the Internet. I love it, own it on DVD and can’t say enough wonderful things
about it. When I saw this graphic novel existed I immediately gave them the
full $10 cover price.
Joss Whedon/NPH masterpiece Dr.
Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is just about the greatest thing in the history
of the Internet. I love it, own it on DVD and can’t say enough wonderful things
about it. When I saw this graphic novel existed I immediately gave them the
full $10 cover price.
The Plot: Five
short stories that fill in the back-story on the major characters from the
beloved Internet musical, which if you haven’t seen it tells the story of would-be
super villain Dr. Horrible and his attempts to find love with the girl at the
laundry mat, defeat arrogant super hero Captain Hammer and earn a place in the
Evil League of Evil.
short stories that fill in the back-story on the major characters from the
beloved Internet musical, which if you haven’t seen it tells the story of would-be
super villain Dr. Horrible and his attempts to find love with the girl at the
laundry mat, defeat arrogant super hero Captain Hammer and earn a place in the
Evil League of Evil.
Chapter 1 – Captain Hammer signs autographs and beats up Dr.
Horrible while advising youngsters to be good citizens by keeping an eye out
for nerds since they are most likely to become future super villains.
Horrible while advising youngsters to be good citizens by keeping an eye out
for nerds since they are most likely to become future super villains.
Chapter 2 – The origin of Moist (Dr. Horrible’s sidekick).
He had dry skin as a child, so his father bought a radioactive humidifier.
Using it imbued him with his super power which is to be drip water from his
skin. Later as a disillusioned adult he stumbles upon a Dr. Horrible- Captain
Hammer fight and even though Dr. Horrible loses Moist is suitably impressed to
offer to be his henchman.
He had dry skin as a child, so his father bought a radioactive humidifier.
Using it imbued him with his super power which is to be drip water from his
skin. Later as a disillusioned adult he stumbles upon a Dr. Horrible- Captain
Hammer fight and even though Dr. Horrible loses Moist is suitably impressed to
offer to be his henchman.
Chapter 3 – Despite her socially conscious activities Penny
finds herself alone in the big city. She attempts to date but it’s disastrous.
Later at the laundry mat we see she thinks Dr. Horrible in his civilian
identity is “cute” but he is too shy to talk to her.
finds herself alone in the big city. She attempts to date but it’s disastrous.
Later at the laundry mat we see she thinks Dr. Horrible in his civilian
identity is “cute” but he is too shy to talk to her.
Chapter 4 – When all of the A-list superheroes take a group
vacation the Evil League of Evil launches a massive attack on the city. Would
be heroes Johnny Snow and James Flame attempt to intervene, arriving
separately. Flame is taken down with ease, but Snow is able to thwart the
league’s attempt to put toxic waste in the water supply by freezing the city’s
water supply. This causes the citizens of the city to assume he’s a villain
too. Flame wakes up and thaws the pipes becoming the hero of the day much to
Snow’s chagrin.
vacation the Evil League of Evil launches a massive attack on the city. Would
be heroes Johnny Snow and James Flame attempt to intervene, arriving
separately. Flame is taken down with ease, but Snow is able to thwart the
league’s attempt to put toxic waste in the water supply by freezing the city’s
water supply. This causes the citizens of the city to assume he’s a villain
too. Flame wakes up and thaws the pipes becoming the hero of the day much to
Snow’s chagrin.
Chapter 5 – We see how Dr. Horrible was bullied as a child
in sixth grade. One day there’s a superhero/super villain fight outside the
school and the mad scientist super villain wins thus inspiring the young Dr.
Horrible. 20 years later we see the first battle between Dr. Horrible and
Captain Hammer as Hammer thwarts a not terribly well thought out plan to blow
up the city’s parking meters. We see a little of his infatuation with Penny
followed by the ending of another fight with Hammer. In this fight Horrible manages
to snatch some of Hammer’s hair before being punched across the city. He then
uses the hair to synthesize a super strength formula. It levels the field and
he’s able to pummel the hero but the formula has a side effect that decreases
his intellect so Moist reverses the process for him. Of course he does it in
the middle of the battle thus allowing Hammer to pound them both. However
Horrible is able to reactivate his parking meter bomb plan to provide cover for
their escape. Afterwards Horrible sees he has made the newspapers for the first
time and is pleased with himself.
in sixth grade. One day there’s a superhero/super villain fight outside the
school and the mad scientist super villain wins thus inspiring the young Dr.
Horrible. 20 years later we see the first battle between Dr. Horrible and
Captain Hammer as Hammer thwarts a not terribly well thought out plan to blow
up the city’s parking meters. We see a little of his infatuation with Penny
followed by the ending of another fight with Hammer. In this fight Horrible manages
to snatch some of Hammer’s hair before being punched across the city. He then
uses the hair to synthesize a super strength formula. It levels the field and
he’s able to pummel the hero but the formula has a side effect that decreases
his intellect so Moist reverses the process for him. Of course he does it in
the middle of the battle thus allowing Hammer to pound them both. However
Horrible is able to reactivate his parking meter bomb plan to provide cover for
their escape. Afterwards Horrible sees he has made the newspapers for the first
time and is pleased with himself.
Critical Thoughts: Honestly
there isn’t much here. Let’s face it, it is kind of hard to translate a comedy
musical into a comic book. Especially when that musical is a parody of the
whole comic book genre to begin with; it just creates some sort of infinity loop
like a snake eating its own head.
there isn’t much here. Let’s face it, it is kind of hard to translate a comedy
musical into a comic book. Especially when that musical is a parody of the
whole comic book genre to begin with; it just creates some sort of infinity loop
like a snake eating its own head.
Anyway the first three chapters are all too short and thin
to have any value at all. Then again they were all first published on MySpace
apparently so I’m not sure what else can be expected.
to have any value at all. Then again they were all first published on MySpace
apparently so I’m not sure what else can be expected.
The Evil League of Evil story is laugh out loud funny, and
since the League barely appears in the original Internet film there’s plenty of
room to flesh them out. This is the best story here by far.
since the League barely appears in the original Internet film there’s plenty of
room to flesh them out. This is the best story here by far.
The Dr, Horrible origin piece is okay in a straight-forward
comic book way, but it never captures the tone of the original film.
comic book way, but it never captures the tone of the original film.
Grade C-. The
grade is this high solely because of the how funny the ELE story, the rest of
this stuff is clearly D-list at best. Sadly, I can’t even say this collection
is worth the $10 cover price.
grade is this high solely because of the how funny the ELE story, the rest of
this stuff is clearly D-list at best. Sadly, I can’t even say this collection
is worth the $10 cover price.