Animal Crackers: Circus Mayhem Advance Review

Animal Crackers: Circus Mayhem

Writer: Scott Christian Sava
Artist: Mike Holmes
Colourist: Hilary Sycamore
Publisher: First Second

A review by Amelia Wellman

I’ve been to a circus only once and I was so young I don’t remember a thing besides being able to go into the centre ring when the show was done and riding an elephant. That exotic animal experience sticks with me some twenty years later when the rest of the show has become a blur. Animal Crackers: Circus Mayhem brought memories of my excitement to hug an elephant rushing back and it had me grinning uncontrollably as I read it!

Buffalo Bob’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Animal Circus is famous for its animal acts. Jump-roping giraffes, tangoing lions, knife throwing elephants–Bob has them all! But they have to be fakes, right? When Owen, Bob’s nephew, visits the circus and discovers his uncle and his animals are missing, he’s determined to get to the bottom of both that mystery and how exactly you get a giraffe to jump rope.

Animal Crackers is a simple idea executed perfectly. It’s stories like this that make me crazy that I didn’t think of them first! Without giving away any of the adorable details, Animal Crackers is a cute and crazy tale of magic at the circus. It’s a standalone comic that’s good for middle grade kids or pretty much anyone that loves adorable things! The story covers a single day at Buffalo Bob’s circus but it’s a crazy one. There’s action, humour, a box of unusual animal crackers, and a showdown unlike anything you’ve seen before!

The art of Animal Crackers is just as precious as its story. The art covers all the important comic book Cs: it’s cute, colourful, cartoonish, and charming. The transformations seen from animal to animal are kind of freaky but in a fun way. It’ll make you momentarily question anatomy, but it’ll make the kids laugh without question. Faces are expressive and action is neatly laid out from panel to panel. You can’t ask for more!

The Verdict
Buy It! I do hope Animal Crackers: Circus Mayhem is a continued story. I’d like to see the family connection between Owen and this circus be explored more, but if this is a one-shot, standalone comic, it’ll have you smiling no matter what your age. There’s something very pure to Animal Crackers and it’s an absolute delight from start to finish.   

Animal Crackers will be available for purchase on March 21, 2017.