Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fred and Barney reunite for Mark Russell's modern take on Hanna-Barbera's most famous stone-age family! This new series starring the first family of Bedrock (and civilization, really) tells the story of who we are and why we do what we do as if it all began with Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, and the rest of the citizens of Bedrock. Shining a light on humanity's ancient customs and institutions in a funny origin story of human civilization, Mark Russell (PREZ) blends modern interpretations with Hanna-Barbera's classic character's, bringing a breath of fresh stone-age air. Hanna-Barbera has created some of the most recognizable animated characters of all time. As part of DC Comics' re-imagination of cartoons like Scooby-Doo, The Flintsones, Johnny Quest, Space Ghost, and Wacky Racers, these new series will be infused with modern and contemporary concepts while keeping the heart and soul of the classic animation.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member m_k_m
Full disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review
I was sceptical when DC announced their line of reimagined Hanna-Barbera titles. Surely we've reached the nadir of bleak reinterpretations when a comic book publisher decides we need to see Fred Flintstone
Well, I needn't have worried. Needn't have worried entirely...
Y'see, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh's The Flintstones is actually really funny. The satire of modern America, upper working class aspirations is broad but well judged; where the original parodied burgeoning suburban aspirations, Russell's update skewers religious alienation in an increasingly sceptical world, populism, and the vacuity of Western tourism – all while still being about a suburban labourer caveman.
The "but" (and it's a Big Bertha of a "but") is that it does still take itself too seriously. Almost absurdly so at times. Russell and Pugh have crafted an almost perfect update of an old family favourite, but then stick in incredibly misjudged asides about suicide, violence and sex – seemingly out of obligation, as if those are the only things that make this worthwhile.
Not that there's anything wrong with addressing suicide, violence or sex even in a family title but the tone in which it is done is completely out of keeping with both that audience and the rest of the book. I'd love to be able to hand this to my nine-year-old niece, knowing we'd share some of the laughs and have others that were just for each of us – but I can't do that when every few pages the belly laughs give way to a sudden explosion of swearing or depiction of mass slaughter.
It's the fact that The Flintstones is so almost, nearly, practically perfect that makes those mistakes so much worse. If the whole thing were an ill-advised treatise on the horrors of war featuring a caveman in a blue tie I'd throw it at the wall and have done with it – but you can see how terrific this could have been. Sadly, short of taking a pair of scissors to the pages there ain't no way to get it there.
I can't imagine we're not going to see someone try to bring Bedrock back to TV screens at some point and whoever does could learn a lot both about what to do and what not to do from DC's pass. Take a page right out of history.
I was sceptical when DC announced their line of reimagined Hanna-Barbera titles. Surely we've reached the nadir of bleak reinterpretations when a comic book publisher decides we need to see Fred Flintstone
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struggling with PTSD(?)Well, I needn't have worried. Needn't have worried entirely...
Y'see, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh's The Flintstones is actually really funny. The satire of modern America, upper working class aspirations is broad but well judged; where the original parodied burgeoning suburban aspirations, Russell's update skewers religious alienation in an increasingly sceptical world, populism, and the vacuity of Western tourism – all while still being about a suburban labourer caveman.
The "but" (and it's a Big Bertha of a "but") is that it does still take itself too seriously. Almost absurdly so at times. Russell and Pugh have crafted an almost perfect update of an old family favourite, but then stick in incredibly misjudged asides about suicide, violence and sex – seemingly out of obligation, as if those are the only things that make this worthwhile.
Not that there's anything wrong with addressing suicide, violence or sex even in a family title but the tone in which it is done is completely out of keeping with both that audience and the rest of the book. I'd love to be able to hand this to my nine-year-old niece, knowing we'd share some of the laughs and have others that were just for each of us – but I can't do that when every few pages the belly laughs give way to a sudden explosion of swearing or depiction of mass slaughter.
It's the fact that The Flintstones is so almost, nearly, practically perfect that makes those mistakes so much worse. If the whole thing were an ill-advised treatise on the horrors of war featuring a caveman in a blue tie I'd throw it at the wall and have done with it – but you can see how terrific this could have been. Sadly, short of taking a pair of scissors to the pages there ain't no way to get it there.
I can't imagine we're not going to see someone try to bring Bedrock back to TV screens at some point and whoever does could learn a lot both about what to do and what not to do from DC's pass. Take a page right out of history.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JJbooklvr
A fun updating of a classic cartoon from my youth. Add in some biting social commentary makes this a winner for me.
LibraryThing member ecataldi
I wasn't sure what to expect with this, but I certainly couldn't pass up a DC adaptation that looked fun and funky. The comic covered many surprisingly relevant topics and was very... modern for a stone age family. Religion, monogamy, marriage, work ethics, the price of war and our obsession with
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"stuff" were just a few of the many social satire commentaries brought up in the comic. At times, it was a bit heavy handed, but it was witty, funny, and very refreshing. It definitely changed how I thought about the vintage TV show. I don't know if I liked it enough to keep up with this series, but it's definitely worth checking out. There are some pretty great one liners and parodies. Show Less
LibraryThing member bibliovermis
This reimagining of the Flintstones was an exceedingly clever—almost unpleasantly clever—send-up of modern society. I loved it for its humor and the cutting accuracy of its social commentary, but it's one of the most nihilistic books I've read, which means it's probably more than a lot of
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people can take on top of life itself in 2017. Show Less
LibraryThing member ssimon2000
I received this from Edelweiss and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.
No, just no.
No, just no.
LibraryThing member villemezbrown
Why does this exist? It isn't funny. It isn't even pleasant to read. And it certainly isn't the Flintstones. Must be something to do with preserving the trademark, right?
LibraryThing member grahzny
So yeah, just like everyone's been saying, this is pretty good.
Publication
DC Comics (2017), Edition: Illustrated, 168 pages
Original publication date
2017-04-04
Language
ISBN
1401268374 / 9781401268374