Review - The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1 (@boomstudios)

"You guys came to the right place."

Things get pretty crazy in The Amazing World of Gumball. It only stands to reason that the zaniness extends to The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1 from BOOM! Studios. "The Collection" is written by Fernanda Jaber and illustrated by Fellipe Martins, "The Legendary Leader of Laundrorome" is written and illustrated by Zack Giallongo, "Funland Fiasco" is written and illustrated by Philip Murphy, "Anais's Wand" is written and illustrated by Nneka Myers, "Stories from the Cemetary" is written and illustrated by Murphy, "Storage Unit" is written by Cohen Edenfield and illustrated by Kate Leth.

Get ready for a Gumball bonanza in this oversized one-shot collection of shorts, in-world ads, and activity pages. Gumball and Darwin try to get their trading card collection completed, and get trapped by a collector who collects…collectors? Mr. Watterson falls into the dryer and finds himself in a magical laundry kingdom. Catch a glimpse of Tina Rex’s quiet moments. Journey to the haunted outskirts of the town of Elmore.

There's a lot of pretty crazy things happening in The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1. Each story focuses on a different character in the Gumball universe and it seems as if each successive story is more outlandish than the previous one. For instance, "The Collection" is a pretty intense take on the concept of collecting, while "The Legendary Leader of Laundrodome" is about a character with delusions of grandeur about laundry. Each story taps into a relatively insane corner of the Adventures of Gumball universe and does so in a way that feels fresh and enjoyable. The tone of each story is lighthearted and humorous, with the writers choosing to emphasize the playful nature of the characters.

The artwork in the book is equally as whimsical as the stories themselves. Characters are readily familiar to fans of The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1 and maintain many of their hallmark characteristics. The art styles throughout are fairly consistent, but there are a few instances where the chosen style feels a little bolder. For example, Myers' work in "Anais's Wand" falls somewhere between watercolors and paint, with her characters demonstrating little in the way of detail but a lot in the way of personality. And the colors throughout are rich and vibrant, nailing the look of the show perfectly.

The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1 is an anthology of sorts that fans of the show will definitely want to pick up. All the main characters are on display and involved in scenarios that aren't too outlandish all things considered. The writers cover a variety of crazy stories that blend humor and a touch of philosophy at times. Artistically, the styles are largely uniform and present a constant look and feel. The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1 is a fun, all-ages book that is definitely worth picking up if you're a fan of the series.

The Amazing World of Gumball 2015 Grab Bag #1 is in stores now.