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Rick and Morty #39 Review: Less Interesting than Usual but Still Fun

Rick and Morty are on another adventure through space when they are stopped by law enforcement for possession of illicit materials (a cookie wafer Rick has made from the memories of sentient beings). They are held in custody, and Rick discovers that one of their holding mates is the lieutenant of a crime lord called Party Dog. A breakout soon occurs, and Rick and Morty must survive both the guards and the henchmen of Party Dog.

Rick and Morty #39 cover by Marc Ellerby and Sarah Stern
Rick and Morty #39 cover by Marc Ellerby and Sarah Stern

The backup story finds Jerry being offered a job as a "hand actor" for a streaming service, but Beth has problems with the arrangement.

Oddly enough, this is a tamer Rick and Morty adventure all things considered. There is no digression into outright nihilism and themes heavy enough to leave you reaching for the bottle. It's a straightforward prison break story that introduces the Party Dog character to pop up again later.

It's still entertaining, funny, and action-packed. The breakout portion is intensely gory as per usual, and there is a character called Smashbot that delivers a few laughs. There's one gag about the alien designs being terrible that doesn't quite land because the lack of creativity falls on the team making the comic in this instance (Yes, I know it's a joke at the expense of Star Trek and other established sci-fi franchises, but that doesn't change my point).

Rick and Morty #39 art by Katy Farina and Rian Sygh
Rick and Morty #39 art by Katy Farina and Rian Sygh

The art lacks a polish this issue which is distracting at times. It's not awful, and it still mostly looks like Rick and Morty. However, the lack of shadowing or perspective change in many scenes leave the book looking visually simple and flat. This isn't the case throughout the comic, but it is a little bothersome at times. This is less of an issue in the backup story, even if it's line work sets it farther apart from the show (the difference doesn't bother me, honestly, I'm no purist here). The color work is solid enough throughout, even if the aforementioned lack of shadowing in the first story leaves the scenes feeling too oversaturated.

Rick and Morty #39 is one of the less exciting or interesting issues of the series, but it still has laughs and action to offer. Rick is his anarchist nihilist self, and Morty is the small pang of morality to reel him in. The art feels off, but it's still decent. This one comes recommended. Feel free to check it out.



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Joshua DavisonAbout Joshua Davison

Josh is a longtime super hero comic fan and an aspiring comic book and fiction writer himself. He also trades in videogames, Star Wars, and Magic: The Gathering, and he is also a budding film buff. He's always been a huge nerd, and he hopes to contribute something of worth to the wider geek culture conversation. He is also happy to announce that he is the new Reviews Editor for Bleeding Cool. Follow on Twitter @joshdavisonbolt.
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