Cougar and Cub #1
Writer: Nick Marino & Rosie Knight
Artist: Daniel Arruda Massa
Publisher: Action Lab Danger Zone
A review by Adrian Hodgkiss
What happens when a mature female super-heroine and her young male sidekick decide to have an ill-advised workplace romance? Well, that’s what you’ll discover and more within the pages of Cougar and Cub #1. “Welcome to the beginning of a wild tail that’s sure to pigue your pupils and fondle you frontal lobe” A fine piece of opening narration if ever I heard one, a good start I thought to myself, and the hits just kept on coming.
Action Lab’s Danger Zone imprint allows creators to push the envelope of comics and Nick Marino and Rosie Knight have certainly done that. The story centers around a crime fighting duo Cougar and Cub, the former being a mature female super-heroine and the latter being her young (barely-eighteen) sidekick. We follow them as they set about fighting crime in Megaville. During a lull in proceedings the two get to talking on a rooftop and one thing leads to another, if you catch me drift. We’re also treated to the cringefest the next morning, where to quote the writer “Fear and regret blend creating a shame cocktail”
Other highlights of the book are the rogues gallery, particular favourites being Father Fornicator, the pontiff of perversion, and Diaper Rash, the infant of impropriety. The narration in this book is special, campy puns and alliteration abound with a smattering of innuendo and bawdy language. The over-all feel is Benny Hill meets the silver age of comics with a slice of life thrown in. A good and heady mix! The sex is there but it is by no means in your face or pornographic, it is done with good humour and a tongue firmly in the cheek.
In addition to a hilarious script a special mention has to go the fantastic art by Daniel Arruda Massa, the cartoon like characters are all fun and well executed. The sounds that appear on the page are brilliant. Only Cougar and Cub could present sounds like “Kissies”, “Dong” and “Wang” and get away with it. The colours are bright and playful and the layout of the panels is simple and easy to follow.
The Verdict
Buy it! I really enjoyed Cougar and Cub #1 and I’m sure I won’t be the only one. OK, the book isn’t suitable for everyone but that’s okay. Sometimes I want to read a book that deals with adult themes in a fun and irreverent way. The complications of a workplace romance set against the backdrop of a super hero team makes for hilarious reading.
