Review - Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers #1

Nowadays more and more things from my childhood are being redone, remade and brought before a new generation of kids who might not have otherwise known how awesome they are. From Transformers to G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Darkwing Duck, the list goes on and on. Now we can add Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers to that list. The new comic series is written by Ian Brill with art by Leonel Castellani, coloring by Jake Myler and lettering Jason Arthur and takes the joy of translating these great characters into comic form. When I read that they made a Darkwing Duck comic I was excited as I freaking love that cartoon and now Chip ‘N Dale has a comic as well I couldn’t be happier. Here’s my take on the first issue with a few spoilers ahead.

If you don’t know who Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers let me educate you on them. This ragtag group of crime fighters is lead by Chip, the no-nonsense chipmunk that keeps a level head about him and is always willing to fight crime in any form. Dale is the jokester chipmunk of the group that can seem at times too much of a slacker, but always has Chip’s back no matter what. Next up is Gadget, the invention creating mouse that can build some freaking awesome things out of everyday items.

Then we have Monterey Jack, the well travelled mouse that has seen it all and is sort of the old timer of the group, but brings a lot to the table when his love for cheese doesn’t get in the way. Last but not least of the group is Zipper, a housefly unlike no other as he is packing the strength for the group ready to get rough and tumble with any bad guys standing in the group’s way. They seem like the most unlikely members to form a group, but they all feed off each other’s positive energy that let’s nothing stop them from helping others.

With the intros out of the way let's dive right into our story with some kind of virus or affliction is infecting animals around the world causing them to act bizarre and crazy. That puts the Rangers on a journey to find something called the Super-Key that apparently Monterey Jack knows of. In the search for the Super-Key the Rangers are seen cruising through the sewers with all sorts of dangers from crocodiles to waterfalls standing in their way.

The team makes their way over a waterfall and we have a sort of flashback or they make it to their destination of an island with a pirate ship on it. I say not sure if it’s a flashback or not as I am not entirely sure, this comic does a bit of jumping a little too much I think. That’s my only real complaint about the comic as the characters are just as I remember them.

In addition to learning what their goal is to find the Super-Key we also get to see some back story for our Rangers. They show off Gadget getting advice about her inventiveness from her dad and Zipper showing off his skill to his family although he is interrupted by crazed animals glowing red attacking their tree home. It seems that's a key to epidemic: the animals glowing red indicates that maybe they are being controlled by someone. I wouldn’t put it past one of the Rangers old nemesises doing a plan like that.

This was an interesting first issue and I have to say I'm looking forward to the next one just to get my mind wrapped around what is going to happen next. If you were a fan of the show you will be a fan of the comic go pick this one up. While you are at it grab Darkwing Duck too as it's fantastic in its own right.