I always loved Johnny Bravo. It was one of those cartoons that just made me laugh. It was so stupid that it was funny. A complete meathead that talks like Elvis and is always trying to pick up women who all hate him. It’s just wonderful. So, when IDW announced a JB one-shot I knew I had to check it out.
This issue is part of the larger Super Secret Crisis War that IDW is doing with it’s Cartoon Network properties and starts out with the alien robots coming to Earth looking for a champion. One of them goes all Terminator and scans for a perfect match and takes a guys clothes. I think they’re idea of perfect match might be slightly different than mine.
We then meet up with Johnny in a diner adoring himself in the mirror. Then he does what Johnny does and zeroes in on an unsuspecting young woman and turns on the Bravo charm. Which means, no charm at all. This sequence was absolutely hilarious to me. Erik Burnham had me in his hands by this point as I actually laughed aloud when Johnny thought the woman was deaf because she was ignoring him.
Johnny ends up running into the robot alien and through a series of events challenges him to a contest which goes about as smoothly as you would expect. There is more great Johnny dialog and then the appearance of a Johnny Bravo nemesis.
Not only does Erik Burnham nail Johnny’s voice, but artist Erica Henderson nails Johnny’s look. When you are adapting a property like Johnny Bravo, it is important to achieve one thing for me. When I read it, I should hear the character’s voice in my head. If the words he is saying aren’t true to the character or things don’t look right, then it ruins that connection. Reading this book I was taken back to the 90′s and watching Johnny Bravo again. And there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.
Writer: Erik Burnham
Art: Erica Henderson
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