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Well, I just went to Borders earlier, cuz its closing and stuff (sad face) and I was fortunate enough to get this:

Doc


















And so, what better thing to do than to review it? Here I go.


Okay, so instead of being a linear story connected by a series of events, Doctor Horrible and Other Horrible Stories is a collection of several one-shot background stories that really flesh out Billy's world and give it more depth. Each of these has a different art style and follows different characters. While the overall quality of the book as a whole is great, the quality of the stories varies, and so I'll review each one individually.

#1: Captain Hammer- Be Like Me![]

This story, which is really more monologue, is from the perspective of the Captain himself, and therefore is quite biased against the Doc. While the story is humorous and fun, I can't really get around the art style, which I found to be much too overly cartoonish for my tastes. While I understand the tone the illustrator was trying to set with it, I wish that I could've at least been able to recognize the characters. Hammer looks nothing like Fillion, Billy nothing like Harris (Penny is a non-factor in this one). The short does contain a few comedic gems, which I won't ruin, but is overall just fluff. Certainly not bad, but one of the book's weaker entries. I give it:

7/10

#2: Moist- Humidity Rising[]

This second story is all about Doctor Horrible's roommate, Moist, who played a background role in the film, and details how he got his um, powers, how he first met his future friend, and how he got into the dark world of super-villainy. When we first meet Moist, he is living in a glorified closet (with toilet) and talking to an over-the-phone counselor, telling her about his childhood and how he became, well, moist. His origin is absurd enough to fit into the Dodtor Horrible universe, all while making you feel a bit of pity for the guy. Later on, shortly following a scene also featured in the first story (albeit portrayed in a less Hammerly idiotic fashion), Moist meets the Doc and decides that he wants to be get into the henchmen business. This one, while not as funny in the first, is better drawn, and better reflects the world of the Sing-Along Blog. A Solid addition to the collection. Verdict:

7.5/10

#3: Penny- Keep Your Head Up[]

I'll be frank: this is the worst story in the book, and serves to do nothing more than exist. While I'm not one to complain about more Doctor Horrible, the only point I really see in this story is to give Penny's character a bit more substance, as well as revealing the fact that she's a bit of a potty-mouth ("Jerk face a** fu@*k s**t" being one of her lines). This is a shame, really, as I really like the art style of this one, much more so than the first two. While the story is by no means bad, it's my least favorite part of the collection. Bottom line:

6/10

#4: The Evil League of Evil[]

This story is my favorite of the lot, which is surprising seeing as it doesn't even feature the Doc. No, it instead stars the least likely of candidates: Johnny Snow. Yes, the man who becomes Horrible's "nemesis" (in his own mind, at least) and was only briefly mentioned in the Blog. Anyway, the story begins at the headquarters of the ELE, where the League is holding council. While they were only briefly seen in the film, the story names and fleshes out such outrageous personalities such as Dead Bowie, Professor Normal, and my personal favorite, Fake Thomas Jefferson. The comedic interplay between these idiotic evildoers is great, and sets the stage for a great story. This story also introduces us to some of the world's other heroes besides Hammer, called thew Council of Champions. While these assholes are out on a retreat, the villains run amok in the city. An average guy with a parka and a freeze ray- wait, I'm sorry, ice beam- steps up to the plate, and ends up foiling the villains' plot to poison the water main by freezing it. Unfortunately, this only leads both the League and the city to conclude that he is, in fact another villain, when he is in fact the only genuinely good hero seen throughout either the comic or the movie. This adds an interesting dynamic to the previously obscure character, making it easier to understand why he is so dead set on defeating the Doc. Great story, with plenty of humor, and also really adding to the background of previously minor characters. I say:

8.9/10

#4: Dr. Horrible[]

Far from horrible, this story is also very well done. This is the longest story in the book, and also explains why Billy wanted to become a supervillain and how he met his hammer-penised nemesis. As a child, Billy was obsessed with superheroes and idolized the costumed fighter Justice Joe. Tormented for his intelligence by his much older classmates, Billy is walking home from school in order to witness Joe face off against Mr. Maniacal, his arch enemy. To everyone's horror, Maniacal wins, and Billy realizes his true destiny: to be a super-villain. Thus the doctor is born. The story fastforwards to present day, and follows the Doc's first scheme (which is to blow up all of the city's parking meters) and also how he first met Hammer. The art and humor of the story are spot on, making this another worthy addition. I'm gonna go with:

8.8/10

Final Thoughts[]

As an avid fan of all things Horrible, who owns the DVD and can quote the movie all the way through, this comic was an instant must-buy, and I wasn't disappointed. While the overall quality of the individual stories is rather erratic, taken as a whole the book is a brilliant addition to the series, full of great artwork, hilarious writing, and that same quirky vibe that made the web series so great. The stories are interspersed with gorgeous drawings, and the book is set up well. While many of you reading this probably have no clue who Doctor Horrible is, for fans of the movie this comic is a must-read. Oh, and the introduction is worth a mention, as well- in a word, its hysterical. Also, at ten bucks, this one's a steal. Am absolutely Horrible read that I would reccomend to any fan, I give it an overall score of:

9/10[]

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