CC2K’s Comic of the Week: Critter
Written by: Kevin Hunter, Special to CC2K
Previously Cassia Crawford was a member of the superhero group C.O.R.E., her mother’s former team. But for some reason that didn’t work out and now Crawford finds herself in Los Angeles to give it another shot in “Critter” Volume 2 #1 by writer and creator Tom Hutchison and Big Dog Ink comics. Crawford, known as Critter meets up with two other young, hot women who are out to save the world and to become famous.
Crawford says her mother was a superhero and one of the most powerful telekinetic on the planet, but never knew it as a kid roaming the fields of Michigan. How could she not know that her mom was a superhero!? What kind of speech did mom give on career day at school? Where did she think mother was all hours of the night? Wasn’t she a just a little suspicious of her wardrobe? Kids these days! More oblivious than ever!
No joke here. When Crawford arrives in Los Angeles, she is told that her codename is going to be “Josie” as in “Josie and the Pussycats.” (check out the 2001 live action movie or the 1970’s animated series if you want to know more), but she prefers “Critter” because it may have something to do with her former superhero mother, and because it’s the name of the book. And the new team that Critter ends of with is called “Purrrfection” (yes, spelled with three r’s). Critter is replacing a former member who was crushed by a light rigging at a party last year. Critter’s cohorts are Pole Cat, who is described as a former exotic dancer (imagine that) who “knows how to use a pole” (insert joke here). The other member is someone named Mouser who I know nothing about except that she’s just as hot as Critter and Pole Cat. Together they form a superhero team out to save the Earth from bad guys – especially someone named Albatross, who is described as a “tough guy with a bad attitude about everything. Petty thief and loudmouth.” Makes me afraid of him already.
The girls of Purrrfection are given a paltry $10,000 a month stipend to do what they want when they’re not fighting crime. And when they’re not fighting crime they’re having huge press conferences announcing their comings and goings and to announce Critter’s arrival as the newest member. Purrrfection even have its own photographer from a publication run by some old grump who I swear is a cross between Perry White and J. Jonah Jameson. The photographer, whose name is Jason Grunyun is an artist who says he’d rather be doing something other than photographing girls. What a moron!
Now I really don’t know what to make of this Critter and her Purrrection team. One minute they’re ready to go out and kick Albatross’s butt, and the next you think they are up for auditioning to be the next “Pussycat Dolls” or the next “Josie and the Pussycats.” Critter looks like she’s serious enough and even she seems to take this group of superhero strippers with a grain of salt, but someone has to save the world and why not Purrrfection, right? And honestly, I didn’t even know there was a “Critter” Volume 1 #1. Be that as it may, “Critter” Volume 2 Number 1 is cute and a lot of fun for teenage girls with some very good artwork by Fico Ossio Hutchinson’s story is also loaded with cat puns that are laughable in a non-insulting kind of way. “Critter” Volume 2 Number 1 is good enough to where I don’t think I’ll have my issue very long as it will no doubt be swiped by my 14-year-old niece.