Readers of a certain age (meaning old) will remember Jim Henson’s Muppet Show, a staple of my childhood featuring puppets, Dizzy Gillespie, and Elton John. Well, not in every episode. But sometimes. The Muppet Show is like Arsenio…it had a lot of dope guest performers, and it was canceled prematurely. OK, after 120 episodes. But still, I could have used a few more. The house band (Electric Mayhem) was tight; the show featured edgy, culturally insensitive humor (the Swedish Chef); and there was a recurring character who basically rolled around throwing dynamite at everyone. Combined with the cavalcade of guest stars, The Muppet Show was high/low concept art at its very best. Seriously–Lou Rawls, Johnny Cash, and puppets. What more could you want? I still don’t think this subversive little show was for kids, and I’m guessing it influenced an entire generation of budding young freaks to be even weirder than their parents were.

So, what’s my point? Well, this week will see the debut of The Muppet Show #1, the first issue in a new comic book series devoted to your favorite purveyors of fur and foam rubber. But will I be buying it? Read the rest of the Pull List and see!

The answer to the question I posed in the previous paragraph is…(drum roll, please)…No. I will not be buying the Muppets comic. A drawing of a puppet is not a puppet at all (sorry, Pinocchio), and I’m guessing Lou Rawls will not feature as prominently in the print version of the property as he did on TV. So, no thanks. But I’m glad to have had this opportunity to wax poetic about one of my long-ago, far-away childhood’s cultural touchstones. Now let’s get on with the real deal, Holyfield.

Captain America #48

Thunderbolts #130

Daredevil #117

New Avengers #51

Mighty Avengers #23

There it all is. No DC books for me this week, but I could be mistaken. I had trouble accessing their website, which I hate. Take some notes from the big boys, DC, because Marvel’s website works and yours doesn’t. No wonder they enjoy a 46 percent market share to your 33 percent (source: Wizard Magazine #211…anyone else out there got a subscription to Wizard? No? I guess I get to be Dungeon Master, then).

Alrighty, then. Until next week, go read a book or something. It helps with the rap-writing. That’s why I’m better at it than you are.

Zing!

Bagged and boarded,

Grip Grand