Thursday, August 29, 2013

Futurama Comics 68


Cover Caption: N/A
Cover Credits: Jason Ho, Mike Rote, Nathan Kane
Script: Patric Verrone
Art: Mike Kazaleh
Colors: Nathan Hamill
Letters: Karen Bates
Editor: Nathan Kane

Bongo Bonus Stamp: 35 Dr. Zoidberg

FUTURAMARUTUF
Well, where to begin? Another script from Patric Verrone and another somewhat simple story but once again, told in a very unique way that can be read from different directions. The basis of the story is that Professor Farnsworth has built a memory enhancer machine, however, in true Farnsworth fashion it doesn't quite work the way you think it would. It doesn't enhance the memory of the user, it dulls the memory of those around it thereby leveling the playing field. Think of it as the old joke - if you want to lose weight, hang around people who are fatter than you are. On top of that if you blink you will miss the reference to the time machine and how it plays in to the end thereby creating the Mobius timeline.

That is about all there is to the story, however, Patric Verrone doesn't let anyone off the hook that easy. The story is based on what is known as a Mobius strip. I am not quite sure I can properly explain what a Mobius strip is so you may want to head on out to Wikipedia and read up on it for yourself and then come back. I will wait...

...



...


...

OK, got it? Good. This issue can be read in multiple fashions. Upon first reading I did have a bit of trouble following the story completely, although, I did understand what was going on and what was happening. After finishing I went back to explore the issue a bit in further detail. If you want to spend a bit of time with it figuring it out for yourself don't skip to the jump and go have fun but just know it will be fun and will add much more to your reading experience. Patric Verrone has submitted a few stories for inclusion in Futurama Comics and they are always a fun read and this is not the first time he has done multiple readings in one comic. Just another reason why Futurama Comics are the most fun comics around when you get little gems like this.



OK, so upon first investigation I was able to find out the first way to read this story. The first is you start on page two and continue on from there following the time stamp printed in the upper left hand corner of the panel. Each page contains a couple of panels of the story and only follow those that have the time stamp. They will be in sequential order.

The second way to read it the comic is from front to back. Start on the last page and when you get to the end, go back a couple of pages to see Fry and Leela kissing at 11:24, read the two pages there and when you get to the end, go to the previous page and start at the top left corner, and continue on until you reach the splash page again.

Don't forget that Scruffy has the button to activate the time machine that Farnsworth has invented which is why you see him at the end and what starts the whole thing in motion once more creating the Mobius strip. Any other way to read that I am missing? Please let me know as I feel there is another story that I am not seeing clearly. Enjoy all!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment