Lands of Toons is a project for movies but it has to start small. Created by Kevin Chilcoat with help from artists Andrew Morrice and Hayley Russell, this Kickstarter project gathers even after deadlines. So please, pay attention to more developments by the creators.
Take My Word For It
On Monkeys Fighting Robots, I already made a review for the first three issues. I won’t repeat my praises, instead I’m going to give my outline for Lands of Toons. Toons spend their days doing skits on scripts to keep themselves from vanishing. But with fixed roles and not enough means of expression, Magnus the monochromatic rubber-hose monkey journeys out of his home to find management to save who he can. Along the way he encounters a colored princess who also went out of her home and sympathizes with Magnus. Now she just has to help point him in the right direction.
Lands of Toons: More Than A Role
Lands of Toons #4 part of the story revolves around the dangers of trying to fit in and self-expression. Princess Myra knows plenty about the unspoken rules of different lands, especially where a woman fits in with pirates. Some characters like a pirate captain are so into character they don’t ever leave it. This carries over from the previous issue when Magnus brings it up with Myra’s co-star the Prince. Unlike the more passive-aggressive Prince, the pirate captain is a straight up bully to his usual victim. With nothing around to take him down a peg, the captain feels entitled to his role. Worse yet it’s a feeling that spreads around to his crew of cut throats. Compare this to the more modest toons who share their community even with their villains.
So with the above in mind, it’s nice that the would-be victim gets his chance to show up his tormentor. The pirates are completely lost on what to do since their usual roles get upended. That same former victim also points our heroes to a new land. Which depending on how you look at it will either change their outlooks even more or lead to disappointment. That ironically will lead to the reader getting to enjoy the story a little more and see another stage in animation. Remember this is Lands of Toons, it would be far too easy for Chilcoat to end things in the first half hour.
Art Of The Toons
Morrice and Russell’s art finds a definitive style as there are no bigger advances in it. Instead it cements how cartoony settings have bigger implications to them. With how simple and divided the color lands of toons are unlike the monochrome community there is a distinct lack of introspection. So when something looks out of place that’s where the plot will go for more developments. By that same token one or both artists even show how they create in a different format. Problem is, I don’t know how to describe it without spoilers.
What’s Missing In Lands of Toons?
Lands of Toons is best when looking at past issues and seeing how far Magnus goes in terms of character development. If the Prince was only an implication of what he would become if everything was left alone, the Pirate Captain is a full-on example. Thanks to Magnus’ humbling experiences, it’s what allows him to be open and find help where he can. Thanks to the sailor he and Myra are likely on the right track. Only problem is, it’s really not that much.
Lands of Toons #4 really only works as an interim between bigger story developments. If anything it might’ve served the story better by showing how a rubber hose animation style interacts with semi-realistic color animation. That would serve as a demonstration of both creative and character strengths. It seems like a wasted opportunity that hopefully gets consideration when another animation style comes forward.
So to reiterate the released 4 issues get a 8/10 for a good story that develops characters for all ages. Individually I would say #1 gets an 8.5/10, #2 gets an 8/10, #3 gets an 8/10 and #4 gets a 7.5/10. Until then stay tuned for more developments by these creators.