The series isn’t terrible; it has cute finish. Not a particularly successful one, but a cute one. There’s a lot of goofiness, not just in the narrative but in the handling of it.

For example, when Disney gave Boom! the kids comic license, were they aware Boom! was going to do a page and a half of text with some nonsense about the writer disappearing? It’s supposed to be funny, but it falls flat (a Boom! comic making jokes about bad writing in Hollywood when so many of their projects have been Hollywood-bound properties is just lame).

Speaking of lame, the Crusades are a rock band, led by Pepe the King Prawn (get it, king?). I’m assuming this “creative” decision was made for kids, who aren’t going to learn about the Crusades in school so why should they learn about them in a comic book.

It’s a weak move.

Beedle comes closer to–no pun intended–making a bullseye this issue than the previous two suggested he was capable of doing. There’s some of the silly anachronisms, but even they don’t stand in the way of it finally turning into a Robin Hood story.

I can’t remember if the archery contest is a Robin Hood standard (I know the Little John fight on the bridge is one and I sort of remember the contest from Disney’s Robin Hood), but it provides Beedle with some action and a dictated pace. Trying to tell a Muppets story in summary apparently hasn’t been working for Robin Hood and now, with the bad guys being bad, not funny, it’s getting good.

There are still a lot of solid jokes–Fozzie following Sam Eagle around with a little Sam Eagle doll is hilarious, even if it doesn’t technically fit–and the cameos are better.

The second issue is more of the first, but with more of the primary Muppets. What’s with Gonzo, by the way? It seems like no one can draw Gonzo to really resemble the actual Muppet?

The best thing about this issue are Johnny Fiama and Sal. Johnny’s playing the evil prince and Sal’s there too. Johnny’s prince is almost too addle-brained to be a sinister villain and Sal’s too funny to dislike (unfortunately, the comic cuts before Gonzo gets dunked in a tank–as torture, which he’s thrilled to be enduring since it gives him a chance to escape, Gonzo the Great and all), which means the book doesn’t really have a bad guy.

Unfortunately, it also doesn’t have much of a story. It’s ostensibly Robin Hood, but it’s not a faithful retelling of the legend (another difference from Christmas Carol and Treasure Island). It’s too loose, too scattershot.

I guess they don’t get it. I mean, maybe they do, but maybe not. Muppet Robin Hood reminds me of one of those licensed properties where they have a partial license, like when Dark Horse had The Terminator but not Terminator 2 and so couldn’t refer to it. Muppet Robin Hood plays like an overlong “Muppet Show” skit instead of like one of the themed Muppet movies (A Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island). There’s a lot of intentional anachronisms and they aren’t funny.

Where the comic works is when it’s not trying too hard–miniature golf in Middle Ages–you can practically see the laughter sign lighting up–when the jokes aren’t forced and sort of occur organically.

But it’s a wordy comic for, presumably, a younger audience. There’s lots of exposition (the exposition is solidly amusing) and then lots of dialogue.

Not a bad comic; not good either.

Holy shit. I thought Byrne was going to do some kind of responsible story about a kid lighting himself on fire to be like the Human Torch but he does not. There’s certainly an element of that story in this issue, but there’s no responsibility. Byrne turns it into A Christmas Carol (but with only one ghost and the Beyonder being that ghost) and instead tells the reader since the kid was lonely and read Fantastic Four comic books and all, lighting himself on fire at the ripe old age of thirteen and dying is thumbs up.

I mean, I get what Byrne’s trying to say, the Torch isn’t responsible, but the way he magics away Johnny’s guilt and feelings of responsibility? Wow. It’s incredible.

It’s so incredible, it kind of has to be read to be believed. Along with Byrne’s awful artwork. Is the man incapable of drawing faces?

This issue is definitely better. There’s very little of the future warrior woman’s narration and a lot of Robocop versus Terminator action. Miller’s sense of humor even works a little–even if he overwrites–with the ED-209s being, basically, Robocop’s obedient lapdogs.

His exposition here is still terrible, laughable really. But he comes up with some really effective moments, rather cinematic (it’s a shame his Robocop 2 script wasn’t as good as his Robocop vs. the Terminator script). Even with the stupid flying through the internet (on dial-up) scene with Robocop and his squeeze (from Robocop 3, natch), it’s a decent job. Robocop isn’t overly humanized, for example.

Unfortunately, Miller does give the Terminators thoughts and it’s real stupid. He individualizes them, instead of treating them more as a hive mind. Cameron wisely never went into how the Terminators thought in terms of society–Miller comes off idiotic.

Grant runs a subplot throughout this entire issue–riots caused by poisoned soda pop–just to fill in time and to give a sense of time progressing. It’s a technique way too nice for a Robocop comic, especially one featuring a fight between Robocop, a cyborg gorilla (what did I just read with a cyborg gorilla–B.P.R.D.: 1946) and a cybernetically enhanced fight promoter. Yes, I really did say cybernetically enhanced fight promoter (Grant gives him noirish narration, but whatever).

Again, the weak point of the comic is Grant’s Robocop characterization. He’s unstoppable in mind, just not unstoppable in body, so at least there’s some chance of danger for him, but the infinite mental resolve is… well, I can’t decide if it’s annoying or lame.

Grant’s making him too perfect, without the slightest tinge of regret over being stuck in his cyborg body.

Still, it’s readable for discerning Robocop aficionados.

Doesn’t Nick Fury want his flying car back?

Incognito ends with an abbreviated fight scene (if only Brubaker and Phillips had abbreviated the one in the third issue, when everything started to go bad) and no real resolution to any of the subplots. In fact, it introduces some kind of romance between protagonist Zach Overkill and Zoe Zeppelin. Tension. Romantic tension with the woman who thinks torturing helpless people is okay. And Overkill’s supposed to be a good guy now.

If Brubaker had run twelve issues with this one, he might be able to pull off this ending, with Overkill headed into the bright sky of an anti-hero crime fighting future or something, but he only ran six and he wasted three and a half of those with loose narrative.

There are some decent moments throughout, but some weak ones (the office girl slapping Overkill’s cheap).

A major disappointment.

Wow, did Mark Waid read Incognito before starting Incorruptible or what? I think Brubaker ought to say something–the underage girl villain sidekick is just too much.

That pithy opening, unfortunately, is the most enthusiasm I can get with this one. I could really care less at this point, so when Brubaker turns in an issue like this one, which reads like a summary of a real comic book, what’s the point in getting upset?

Whatever Brubaker had going on with Incognito for the first two issues is long gone here. He’s lost any sense of his protagonist–still well-written narration though, just not enough of it–as he skips from character to character. I think he’s going for memorable names and appearances just because he knows his writing isn’t establishing them on any other level.

It’s a weak series and it could have been strong; very, very disappointing.

Ok, so for whatever reason, I thought Zoe Zeppelin was black (or half-black) and so I was going to do another Tom Strong reference (since Zeppelin’s dad was the one who started the whole science-hero thing in the Incognito universe) and maybe even point out back in the good old (pre-Marvel exclusive) days, Brubaker did a Tom Strong story. I think I’ve decided his pre-Marvel days were his best. He’s really just not putting out the same level of stuff at Marvel.

This issue is another poorly paced, fast read. It’s a setup issue following a setup issue. It’s like Brubaker doesn’t want to have to do his rising action, he just wants to do some action scenes.

The superheroes in Incognito, by the way, are real shits, which he doesn’t explore here, unfortunately.

I’m just reading to get through at this point.

Great art, though.