Customer Reviews

Buckaroo Banzai: Return Of The Screw

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw the theatrical release of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension in 1984 and loved it. Shortly thereafter, I purchased Earl Mac Rauch's novelization and remember thinking that it was a very smart book; unfortunately, I must have loaned it to someone and it disappeared. Recently I decided to purchase and reread the book, and during my search, "Return of the Screw" came up. Thinking it was a new novel, I pre-ordered it immediately. When the package finally arrived, I was taken aback. A comic book?

Just a few days earlier I'd become aware of Moonstone Books' Buckaroo Banzai comics, but it didn't occur to me that the comics/graphic novels advertised on their site were what I had pre-ordered on Amazon. Why would they be? Moonstone was already selling the book but the Amazon release kept getting pushed back. It had to be a novel, right? Wrong. I'm not a big comic fan, but I do own a few graphic novels, so I won't dismiss this out of hand just because it's not what I expected.

Frankly, I was disappointed--partly with the story, and partly with the execution of the book itself. The Buckaroo Banzai mythology constantly hints at numerous adventures undertaken by Buckaroo and his ever-changing team, yet for the first new published adventure since 1984, the creators (Richter and Mac Rauch) retcon both the movie and the novel (which were slightly different) and bring back...Emilio Lizardo/John Whorfin and his lectroids. Seriously? In 20 years you guys couldn't come up with something new? It's a total Hollywood move and the antithesis of the BB ethos. In fact, the Whorfin/Hanoi Xan partnership was covered in the movie novelization but not used in the movie itself, so we've already been over this. Another peeve is that suddenly Lizardo/Whorfin talks like a wannabe gangsta rapper. Huh?

In terms of graphic novels, it's on par with other quality products, with thick, glossy covers and reasonably thick pages. The artwork is better than your standard monthly comic, but I couldn't help but think, "Isn't the art in a graphic novel supposed to be way beyond your typical comic book?" Finally, the typos were numerous and annoying (the first mention of Lizardo misspells his first name as "Emilia"). I speak from experience when I say that there are a lot of English-proficient BB fans who would be willing to do some proofreading gratis.

For me, the best part of the whole book is the bonus features, including a brief history of the movie and the failed TV series, and the interview with Earl Mac Rauch. Overall, it's a mildly interesting diversion and return to Buckaroo's world, but I can't honestly say it was worth waiting 20 years for.

Blue Blaze Irregular Durango, OUT.

I was going to write a review, but Curtis G captured all my thoughts (except I never lost my copy of the movie book). I also enjoyed the bonus material, but I still don't understand why there is so little material from this well known cult movie. How much can it cost to produce a series of comic books?

Enjoyable for the fan, but would have preferred exploring an adventure that seemed less derivative.

Honestly, I knew I had to have this the moment I found out it existed, and so it came to pass that I ordered it through Amazon because I couldn't find it at my local comic vendor. (And I used to work for a local comic vendor, so I knew the importance of ordering from one.) And as I said, I *wanted* to like it, really. But I don't think it held together very well. As I believe other reviewers have already pointed out, it seemed to rehash a lot of the film, quite unnecessarily, while at the same time not adding very much new or interesting. Worse, the art was really unnervingly . . . I guess the word I want here is "bad," because there were times when it was actually difficult to distinguish between various characters while I was reading, including Buckaroo. That's never a good thing.

Still and all, it's a new Buckaroo, after far too long an absence of anything on that score, and despite my rather crashing disappointment, I still am glad I spent the money for it, if only for the (admittedly dim) possibility that a follow-up might come along, and that it might be better than this one. And a little sooner.

This TPB is a pretty slick book that brings back a great universe of characters. There are some old, familiar faces and some interesting, new ones, but rest assured that the quirkiness of the film still remains. Fans of the movies will enjoy it, but new-comers might not get it.

The writing could have used a bit more revision. The deuce, you say! Yes, though the art is superb, some segues were hard to follow, giving the story an unintended frenetic pace. In addition, I spotted some annoying typographical errors that made the construction of the book seem a little slap-dash.

Overall, I love it, and I'm confident that other Blue Blaze Irregulars out there will too.

Return of the Screw gives us an opportunity to check in with Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers. The interim has seen a number of false starts: no movie sequel; an aborted attempt at a broadcast network show and who knows what else. In any case, it has been a while since a new story - taking place before or after or simultaneously with the movie and follow-up novelization - has been available.

It's told in a new voice and a new medium. No longer are we privy to the Boswellian recollections of Reno Nevada told only in written form. Instead we have a comic book (mmm...graphic novel). First issued as a three-part serialization, Moonstone Books has put out a single publication that - along with the content of the three issues - includes additional material such as unused covers, alternative events and an interview with originator Earl Mac Rausch. He along with W D Richter and others form the movie project are behind this production also.

I had mixed emotions about this effort. A lot of time had passed. Would a story about a Japanese-American renaissance man who combined science with rock `n' roll since make sense...or even be coherent? And what of the format? I had been a passionate reader of comics in the 1950s and 1960s (had I held on to those scores, no, hundreds of issues that I had, I might not have to care about earning a living today.) To be frank, I was ignorant of what a graphic novel was. My sole context - indirect to say the least - was seeing movie versions of them. By and large, my response was somewhat negative; I saw the medium as a case of form over content. I also expected Return of the Screw to be canonical to the original; I expected this story to be a continuation of the first. What I got was a wave of action and imagery that was off-putting.

Thus, I was largely disappointed with Return of the Screw. I glanced through it and put it aside.
A year or so later, a flight to California saw me in need of what I call an `airplane' book; something to read to pass time on the flight in the absence of other stimuli. Casting about my office for something that I had not read recently, and was relatively compact, I found - hidden among some warbird magazines - Return of the Screw.
"What the heck," I thought.

A good move on my part, because I found it to be quite a good read. Maybe I had shed some biases or maybe it was a case of synchronicity. Whatever it was, it does not matter. The story - that Emilo Lizardo/John Whorfin did not die and, therefore, the battle with him was continued - is a great adventure story.

I won't comment much on the art of this graphic novel. I liked the style, but, what do I know except what I like.

Well worth the time and expense to obtain.

In short "BRILLIANT". Way to go WD, Richter, I'm now going blue in the face waiting for the next installment.

Look guys, what was the finale to the original movie all those years ago: "Buckaroo Banzai Vs. The World Crime League" right?

Well what do you know, this story picks up somewhat like the original movie but features a 'crime league' who would have thought?

I don't know why people are saying it re-tells the tail of the movie, what rot.

The jet car has been enhanced to fly now, the head quarters has expanded to an amazing installation. Even the Cavalier bus looks larger and includes it's own medical bay. Lizardo somehow survives and sure enough there's a crime league involved.

The characters are somewhat older and wiser, some have are in semi-retirement and didn't anyone notice that "Penny Pretty" is missing. (Where left with a twisted dream Buckaroo is having to hint that perhaps the 2nd Penny Pretty is now dead too).

My only negative comment would be that it was too short, I wanted more and just as I was getting back into the crazy flow that is a Buckaroo Banzai adventure it ended. Earl PLEASE, you mentioned you now have enough material collected over this 20+years to do 100 TV epiodes. Why not bring them to the comic books, have some great stories all leading up to Buckaroo in his older years, then hire Peter again to make an awesome movie that's set years later??? At the very least if that doesn't suit now you can simply get the cast to do voice overs for a guranteed smash hit computer game or simply an animated movie.

As everyone knows the fans are die-hard and faithful to the legend that has become Buckaroo Banzai, let's not let him fade away. He stands for some great values, wisdom and thought provoking ideals and as Earl has said, is not about lifestyle(which he's right is for the most part all anybody cares about anymore).

I only hope there are more stories to come and I want to know what happened to Penny Pretty 2.

For some reason my favourite part of this story is the crazy spud gun scene where Perfect Tommy accidentally takes out a wall and through the blown away wall we see a poor middle aged chap on the toilet who's now holding up his hands and saying: "God bless America". The spirit of Buckaroo is strong in this one.

Don't read this book with expectations, that's half the problem, it's been so long people are expecting it all at once. Well as Buckaroo says: "Time only occurs so everything doesn't happen all at once". In Buckaroo's case that's exactly how this story goes down.

Read it and enjoy it, especially the interviews at the end with Earl and the alternate covers.

Superb and fans should be rejoicing not boo-hooing it and playing it down so as to negate the chances of more works comming out which will no doubt fulfill your expectations.

For those like me who enjoyed it, ROCK ON.

Thanks Earl, please don't stop here and I can't recommend the new adventure highly enough. Intriguing, puzzling, filled with action and wonder. YEP, it's Buckaroo Banzai alright.

For those that didn't like it remember: "No matter where you go..... THERE YOU ARE!!!!"

Sean A. Curtin

While I agree with most of the comments out there I felt the need to add some thoughts. First the material lacks maturity. A perfect example is the use of potatoes for a sci-fi energy source. It just feels like they are trying too hard to be goofy and it comes off like kids stuff. Another problem is that it comes off as incomplete. It ends with a cliffhanger about 2/3rd through and the rest of the pages are the "extras". This is mostly prints of the covers random stuff that seems to be taken off fan sites and quick character bios that were packed in to bulk up the book. The worst part is a script for "how we wanted to end the story" Which feels like they actually didn't have time to finish the comic book so just put the script to the ending and a bunch of random stuff fans might like to fill up the pages.

I will sadly not be buying further adventures

Nowhere near as inventive or engaging as the movie. The only reason to spend money to purchase this volume would be to encourage further development of the franchise, but based on this effort that might not be a good thing.

I find the four new main characters not recycled from the movie (I exclude Hanoi Xan, who is referenced in the DVD) to be disturbing. The two additions to the front-line Cavaliers just happen to have racial or gender characteristics that were absent from the movie cast. Updating or pandering? The two new villains are props--they do nothing "on-screen" except talk. The obese one is identified in the endnotes as a former Anglican Archbishop, and the sexy-looking one as "promiscuous with both sexes." Oh, the shock value. Oh, the stereotyping. Meanwhile, the heterosexual excesses of some of the Cavaliers (esp. Perfect Tommy) are portrayed with zest.

i Was going to spend $ on this, thinking OH WOW they DID a sequel - but on reading the reviews already done, and seeing how they just re-did the first, and added a couple things -i'll just save my $$ and wait to see it on the tube, - whenever. - Thanks for the heads up guys!