Cougar and Cub #3 Review

Cougar and Cub #3 Review

Writer: Nick Marino & Rosie Knight

Art Team: Daniel Arruda Massa

Action Labs: Danger Zone

Release Date: March 30, 2017

Cover Price: $2.99 on Comixology

To the Cat Cave

After a long week of punching the clock I need a little something to escape into, entertainment wise, that I won’t take too seriously. Nick Marino, Rosie Knight, and Daniel Arruda Massa’s Cougar and Cub have answered my call for help with their latest issue.  As a young kid I loved the original Batman ’66 movie with Adam West, watching it over and over again. It’s partly the reason I carry Shark Repellant around in my car to this day. Marino, Knight, and Massa have re-captured that feeling of craziness and nostalgia, that show/movie embraced, putting it on the pages of this comic, that I have been enjoying the hell out of lately.  So let’s see what the lead up to our penultimate issue has in store for this recently separated team of heroes.

Cougar, aka Minerva Manx, is handling the recent split up with Cub in stereotypical breakup fashion … that’s by burying her emotions in food and liquor of course!  There’s no escaping it, even the TV starts to remind Cougar of her failed partnership, as the newscasts begins to cover the latest in the Cougar and Cub drama that went down at Comic-Con last issue. Esmerelda, the Alfred-ish Butler of Cougar, has seen enough mooping around, takes action, and attempts to snap Minerva Manx out of her funk and back into the groove of things.

We check on Cub next, now going by the name of Meowz, continuing to attend side-kick school, only now as an edgy anti-hero “who don’t take no crap from nobody”, Cool Runnings style.  Meowz displays his ‘new anti-hero attitude’ in the middle of class, telling off a few fellow students picking on him, before moving on to his training and working on new skill set, but it all seems like window dressing to hide the fact he’s angry about losing Cougar. 

The villains re-congregate in their hideout, discussing the best way to go about bringing the Cougar and Meowz down for good, now that they’re split up and weak.  The names and power set of these guys are hysterical. I can’t forget to mention I really love the Inspector Gadget feel the villain hideout scenes are given, while still being coy about the big reveal, about who exactly is pulling the strings behind all this right now.  The super villains agree to attack, attempting to take down Cougar once and for all, and move to strike while there’s still an opportunity.

The third act establishes new conflicts for our heroes to deal with beginning with a previously unseen glimpse at Cub’s home life … with his parents.  From there we catch back up with Cougar, in her cave after a workout and bubble bath, as she begins to feel better and move on from the crippling depression of losing ‘her Cub’.  The clarity doesn’t last long though as Cougar stumbles upon a ‘lost’ kitten, with a not so hidden bomb strapped right to it. Yes, the kitten does explode, believe it or not in hysterical fashion (yes that is something I just typed, DAMN YOU NICK & DANIEL!), trapping Cougar, and allowing the villains to sneak in getting the edge on the surprised hero, who then suffers a beat down of epic proportions at the hands and feet of the bad guys.

Will Meowz find out about his former mentor turned lover and rush to her rescue? Are cockroaches downright the most terrifying animal ever? Find out next time in … Get Pounded, the penultimate fourth issue!

Overall, this is nothing but a fun over the top story being told. Its filled with jokes, sight gags, and humor any fan of Rick & Morty, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, or other Adult Swim products would really enjoy.  The art style by Massa is a great compliment to the humor used and for how the story is being told by Marino. I can’t say enough how I love the old school Batman ’66 type narration style either it really makes me chuckle every time I see it. To me there are few things more enjoyable than a silly homage done right and that’s exactly what we’ve been treated to with this digital series produced by Action Labs: Danger Zone and I highly suggest giving it a try, especially if you’re a fan of golden or silver age team ups.   

Bits and Pieces

The comedy homage title, Cougar and Cub, continues on moving forward with a great premise and art style which sets our heroes up to face their final conflict that could possibly reunite them (and their passions) after all.

7.5/10