Comic Review: Rick and Morty: Ever After #2
Overview:
Trapped within a book of fairy tales, Wizard Rick has been given an assignment by the king. He is tasked with defeating an evil witch who has been capturing all of the kingdom’s children. Reluctant at first, Rick accepts the quest when he discovers that the witch has his own ward, Morty. And thus, an adventure into the dark forest ensues with a noble dim-witted knight at his side.
Meanwhile, before Rick can get there, Morty has been saved by another knight. The attractive female knight assures Morty is safe, though they must make it back to the castle through the dark forest.
However, it seems the children are not where Rick was led to believe they are. And Morty and Rick may be tampering with magic that they do not understand.
Our Take:
The latest Rick and Morty comic miniseries kicked off last month. Rick and Morty: Ever After brings the beloved characters into a world of fairy tales thanks to Morty’s school assignment and a botched experiment.
Where the first issue laid the groundwork for the direction of the series, this second book gets into the nitty-gritty. The characters are now fully immersed in this fantasy world and doing their best to gather their bearings. Of course, for Rick, that means getting insanely drunk.
The world they find themselves in is a unique approach to fantasy. Sure, all of the pieces are there including knights, kings, and wizards. But the story is not a direct rip-off and more of a collection of stories and themes. This issue concludes with a good twist and changes the direction of the plot entirely. Which is certain to catch the main characters off guard, even at their best.
Despite his new look, Rick is the same man we know and love. The mad genius always paves his own path and refuses to take orders. Especially from a king that resembles his son-in-law Jerry. Although Rick does always end up playing by the rules, but only when they apply to his intentions. In this case, he needs to get Morty back before attempting a return to his universe.
On the other hand, Morty is always much more impressionable. And in this case, he needs rescuing even though he is not a hundred per cent certain as to why. Throw a pretty girl into the fray and Morty is even more susceptible.
It goes to show how much of an understanding the writer, Sam Maggs, has of these beloved characters. Plot-wise, this is very much what would happen if the same situation happened in the animated series. It makes the comic a much better read when compared to other adaptations that go off in their own directions.
This is an exciting little mini-series that blends the fantasy world with classic Rick and Morty humour. So far, the story has some unexpected twists and there are certain to be a few more before the series is through. We know that our heroes will make it out of this adventure, but what happens along the way, and how Rick handles it all, makes it an exciting read.
I hope this turns out to be another Gravity Falls-type show with an overarching storyline.