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Hanna-Barbera Beyond
The Flintstones, Vol. 2
Fred and Barney reunite for Mark Russell’s modern take on Hanna-Barbera’s most famous stone-age family!
This second volume 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 characters, 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’ reimagination of cartoons like SCOOBY-DOO, JOHNNY QUEST, SPACE GHOST and WACKY RACERS, these new series are infused with modern and contemporary concepts while keeping the heart and soul of the classic animation.
Collects THE FLINSTONES #7-12.
This second volume 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 characters, 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’ reimagination of cartoons like SCOOBY-DOO, JOHNNY QUEST, SPACE GHOST and WACKY RACERS, these new series are infused with modern and contemporary concepts while keeping the heart and soul of the classic animation.
Collects THE FLINSTONES #7-12.
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2017
37 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
About the author
Mark Russell
435 books384 followersMark Russell is the author of God Is Disappointed in You and Apocrypha Now. He also writes the comic book series Prez and The Flintstones for DC Comics. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
September 15, 2017
Mark Russell and Steve Pugh’s acclaimed Flintstones series comes to a yabba-dabba-end with this second volume. While Bedrock’s community undergoes numerous changes, Fred’s career at Mr Slate’s Quarry continues to have its ups and downs, Wilma’s still trying to make it as an artist, and Pebbles questions the importance of science and religion.
Like the first book, Russell uses the Flintstones to critique modern Western society. The First Church of Gerald discovers it can make money off its rubes, er, “parishioners” through paid forgiveness of sins, George Slate embraces an Ayn Randian religion but finds material success is hollow, and Clod continues to scare up money for a bizarre war against the nebulous “Lizard People” who’re stealing some guy’s ferns! The comparisons to our world are easy to see.
As clever as it is though, the material doesn’t make for a gripping read and, coupled with the lack of an overall narrative and episodic structure (which I get mirrors the TV show), made it very easy to keep putting down. I was never that wrapped up in what any of the characters were doing and often found my mind wandering.
Ironically, while Russell couldn’t make me care much about the Flintstones themselves, I was shocked at how deeply he affected me with his two new, minor characters: Bowling Ball and Vacuum Cleaner. The Flintstones’ appliances are all living animals who start talking to one another once the humans leave so their stories have a Toy Story-esque vibe to them. And, like Toy Story 3 in particular, without going into spoilers it gets surprisingly dark. The small lives and dreams of Bowling Ball and Vacuum Cleaner are the biggest takeaway for me from this series; beautiful, understated and totally unexpected to find in a Flintstones comic of all things!
I also liked that Russell gave religion a fair shake. The First Church of Gerald is obviously a stand-in for Christianity and, while not religious myself and I’m guessing Russell isn’t either, religion clearly has its place in our society and helps many people so I was pleased to see that acknowledged rather than reading yet another tedious one-sided screed bashing belief.
I appreciated Russell/Pugh’s Flintstones run more than I enjoyed it – the lack of any strong stories probably being my biggest issue - but I can easily see why so many loved it. It’s got heart, brains and humour wrapped in fine art and a smart modern take on an iconic series. And it ends perfectly too: with a bowling match! The Flintstones, Volume 2 isn’t the most compelling read but I think most fans will be delighted with this version of the show.
Like the first book, Russell uses the Flintstones to critique modern Western society. The First Church of Gerald discovers it can make money off its rubes, er, “parishioners” through paid forgiveness of sins, George Slate embraces an Ayn Randian religion but finds material success is hollow, and Clod continues to scare up money for a bizarre war against the nebulous “Lizard People” who’re stealing some guy’s ferns! The comparisons to our world are easy to see.
As clever as it is though, the material doesn’t make for a gripping read and, coupled with the lack of an overall narrative and episodic structure (which I get mirrors the TV show), made it very easy to keep putting down. I was never that wrapped up in what any of the characters were doing and often found my mind wandering.
Ironically, while Russell couldn’t make me care much about the Flintstones themselves, I was shocked at how deeply he affected me with his two new, minor characters: Bowling Ball and Vacuum Cleaner. The Flintstones’ appliances are all living animals who start talking to one another once the humans leave so their stories have a Toy Story-esque vibe to them. And, like Toy Story 3 in particular, without going into spoilers it gets surprisingly dark. The small lives and dreams of Bowling Ball and Vacuum Cleaner are the biggest takeaway for me from this series; beautiful, understated and totally unexpected to find in a Flintstones comic of all things!
I also liked that Russell gave religion a fair shake. The First Church of Gerald is obviously a stand-in for Christianity and, while not religious myself and I’m guessing Russell isn’t either, religion clearly has its place in our society and helps many people so I was pleased to see that acknowledged rather than reading yet another tedious one-sided screed bashing belief.
I appreciated Russell/Pugh’s Flintstones run more than I enjoyed it – the lack of any strong stories probably being my biggest issue - but I can easily see why so many loved it. It’s got heart, brains and humour wrapped in fine art and a smart modern take on an iconic series. And it ends perfectly too: with a bowling match! The Flintstones, Volume 2 isn’t the most compelling read but I think most fans will be delighted with this version of the show.
June 20, 2023
The second and final volume of a terrific dark social commentary in the form of a Flintstones comic by Mark Russell, who claims as his influences none other than H.L. Mencken, Kurt Vonnegut and Jared Diamond (Collapse: How Societies Choose to Succeed or Fail) (yes, the guy who is writing persuasively about the possible? probable? end of human civilization!). Of course, there are an increasing number of grim dystopian comics on this theme, but how many of them are actually funny?
If science fiction looks at the present in terms of the future, Russell here looks at the present in terms of a darkly funny story of human history, seeing how the roots of the grim present (sexism, racism, capitalism, religious fundamentalism, and so on) might have come about in Bedrock with Fred and Wilma, Barney and Betty. A dark turn happens with the animals (species-ism!), when Bowling Ball becomes disposable. I like the Church of Gerald, which makes big money through forgiveness payments. The second volume doesn't really advance the story--it's mostly episodic, a series of satirical critiques--but it is good, surprising and welcome political humor for the world of comics.
If science fiction looks at the present in terms of the future, Russell here looks at the present in terms of a darkly funny story of human history, seeing how the roots of the grim present (sexism, racism, capitalism, religious fundamentalism, and so on) might have come about in Bedrock with Fred and Wilma, Barney and Betty. A dark turn happens with the animals (species-ism!), when Bowling Ball becomes disposable. I like the Church of Gerald, which makes big money through forgiveness payments. The second volume doesn't really advance the story--it's mostly episodic, a series of satirical critiques--but it is good, surprising and welcome political humor for the world of comics.
October 18, 2017
I grew up watching The Flintstones and then bought the seasons on DVD as an adult. I love everything about it - the characters, the storylines, the catchphrases, the prehistoric household appliances. Needless to say, I was all yabba dabba doo at the chance to read The Flintstones Vol. 2: Bedrock Bedlam.
I tried so hard to love this one but unfortunately my get up and go just got up and went. I didn't find it funny and never connected with the characters. Maybe it was a case of my expectations being too high for a childhood favourite but it never really felt like I was reading about my favourite modern Stone Age family. I'm so sad to say that it never lived up to the Hanna-Barbera cartoons for me.
I received a copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and DC Entertainment for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
I tried so hard to love this one but unfortunately my get up and go just got up and went. I didn't find it funny and never connected with the characters. Maybe it was a case of my expectations being too high for a childhood favourite but it never really felt like I was reading about my favourite modern Stone Age family. I'm so sad to say that it never lived up to the Hanna-Barbera cartoons for me.
I received a copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and DC Entertainment for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
September 23, 2017
This was the first Flintstones DC Comics (for adults) that I've read. It was great, but not at all what I was expecting. I assumed it was going to be lighthearted but geared more for adults, you know, like the cartoon but a little more modern.
But still, it was enjoyable to read, and the social commentary was an interesting element. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
But still, it was enjoyable to read, and the social commentary was an interesting element. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
December 3, 2017
While I can appreciate the dark social commentary, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh has given us, the last thing I need to be reminded of is how humanity seems to be headed to oblivion, especially in Trump's America. I don't need a social satire set in Bedrock to open my eyes to what I see every day. It made this a bit of a slog to get through. The one bright spot in the book were Bowling Ball and Vacuum Cleaner. Yeah the story got very dark in places, but their story ends on a heart warming note.
Received an advance copy from DC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from DC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2017
First, thanks (as always) to Netgalley and DC Comics for allowing us access to digital copies of their books and comics.
4.5 stats; what can I say about this title that hasn't been said?
The sly, witty, satirical cult-hit of the last year continues, and in fine-form.
I’ve said it before in my review of Volume 1, but it’s still true; who would have guessed that the smartest book published by DC would be about the adventures of a “Modern Stone Age Family”? (And I mean that in spades; this book deftly addresses many current issues with a light but questioning touch that doesn’t insult it’s readers’ intelligence!)
DC has done a great job of shepherding this title, (and Scooby: Apocalypse!) into a “Must-Read” each month (and I read A LOT of titles, both in single-isse and Graphic Novel format)!
4.5 stats; what can I say about this title that hasn't been said?
The sly, witty, satirical cult-hit of the last year continues, and in fine-form.
I’ve said it before in my review of Volume 1, but it’s still true; who would have guessed that the smartest book published by DC would be about the adventures of a “Modern Stone Age Family”? (And I mean that in spades; this book deftly addresses many current issues with a light but questioning touch that doesn’t insult it’s readers’ intelligence!)
DC has done a great job of shepherding this title, (and Scooby: Apocalypse!) into a “Must-Read” each month (and I read A LOT of titles, both in single-isse and Graphic Novel format)!
October 17, 2017
Mark Russell’s dark social satire masked as a Flintstones comic comes to an end in this second volume. In a way, this book was even more depressing than the first one, as one of the plot lines got into some really dark territory with two of its sweetest and most innocent characters. I didn’t expect such a turn of events, but kudos to Russell for being bold and going with it anyway in what technically should be a kids’ comic. The Flintstones was an emotional trip, and I’m glad that after Prez, DC gave Russell another chance to express himself through such an unusual theme. I’m looking forward to reading more of his stuff in the future, and I will miss Flintstones just like I miss Prez.
October 25, 2017
4 stars.
This was painful.
It was amazing just painful to read. While I think the first one was a bit more cohesive and the parallels a little more effective, I still really enjoyed this one. It's a major bummer in that a lot of the world's problems are laid out and there's no way to fix them anytime soon but it's a great book.
Similar to the first volume, this series expertly uses the daily lives of the Bedrock citizens to parallel issues in our daily lives. It tackles the minimum wage work force, gentrification, ageism, female objectification, classism, mega churches and painful comparisons to this past election.
Minimum Wage Work Force: There is an arc where Fred and the other guys are the quarry are fired because the quarry can make more profit by hiring less experienced workers and paying them lower wages. Fred suffers and feels useless because he can't provide for his family. The quarry's stock prices soar because they're not paying as much for workers and it takes Fred's boss realizing he's an asshole to change this. So, no hope for real life scenarios like this, I'm afraid.
- There's also a part where a new employee who wasn't properly trained gets buried beneath a rock slide and the boss doesn't want to lose profit shutting down the quarry to rescue him.
Gentrification: This was your typical story where hipsters move into a community, build up condos, make real estate prices skyrocket and then slowly boot out the people who lived there before. Not much to say about this one.
Ageism: Everyone from the animals being used as appliances, pets, and workers are used to talk about the obsession with youth and retiring people when they get too old to be desirable. Not a ton to say about this theme.
Female Objectification: There's a pretty short interlude where Wilma goes to visit her mother on the farm she grew up on. Wilma ran away when her father promised her to an older man in exchange for a dowry of goats. I wasn't entirely sure how this related to real life parallels? This isn't something that really happens these days and the only connection I could make was to Fred's narration.
- When talking at the debate over whether to close a children's hospital to pay for dinosaur armor, Fred says that men have two imperatives: 1) Make children 2) protect children. This speech is told over a shot of Wilma running away from home which I saw as a great way to talk about men protecting girls instead of using them as leverage.
Classism: This is interwoven through out all the parts with Fred's boss which related to:
Mega Churches: There is an arc where the church, which started with good intentions, starts exchanges tithes for absolution. People come in and learn that they can donate to the church to get "forgiveness" instead of actually living by the principles of Gerald. I saw this as a parallel to mega churches but it could also just be about inactive worship. Eventually, the rich people start worshiping Vorp who doesn't preach so much about humility and helping your fellow man.
Elected Officials: This was just painful to watch. There's a big idiotic, war hungry pig in office and he manipulates the public to support using community money for a falsified war or closing down a children's hospital. So, literally making people choose between healthcare for the needy and a war with false motives. He doesn't actually have any plans or solutions for going to war with the lizard people. There's a point when he keeps digging himself into a corner and his underlings remove his ability to communicate with the outside world and run things themselves. It was bloody painful.
- Also, the speeches about how this whole vendetta was manufactured because the lizard people look and think differently from the people in Bedrock was really well done. One of the best lines in this book came at the end of one of these issues:
This was painful.
It was amazing just painful to read. While I think the first one was a bit more cohesive and the parallels a little more effective, I still really enjoyed this one. It's a major bummer in that a lot of the world's problems are laid out and there's no way to fix them anytime soon but it's a great book.
Similar to the first volume, this series expertly uses the daily lives of the Bedrock citizens to parallel issues in our daily lives. It tackles the minimum wage work force, gentrification, ageism, female objectification, classism, mega churches and painful comparisons to this past election.
Minimum Wage Work Force: There is an arc where Fred and the other guys are the quarry are fired because the quarry can make more profit by hiring less experienced workers and paying them lower wages. Fred suffers and feels useless because he can't provide for his family. The quarry's stock prices soar because they're not paying as much for workers and it takes Fred's boss realizing he's an asshole to change this. So, no hope for real life scenarios like this, I'm afraid.
- There's also a part where a new employee who wasn't properly trained gets buried beneath a rock slide and the boss doesn't want to lose profit shutting down the quarry to rescue him.
Gentrification: This was your typical story where hipsters move into a community, build up condos, make real estate prices skyrocket and then slowly boot out the people who lived there before. Not much to say about this one.
Ageism: Everyone from the animals being used as appliances, pets, and workers are used to talk about the obsession with youth and retiring people when they get too old to be desirable. Not a ton to say about this theme.
Female Objectification: There's a pretty short interlude where Wilma goes to visit her mother on the farm she grew up on. Wilma ran away when her father promised her to an older man in exchange for a dowry of goats. I wasn't entirely sure how this related to real life parallels? This isn't something that really happens these days and the only connection I could make was to Fred's narration.
- When talking at the debate over whether to close a children's hospital to pay for dinosaur armor, Fred says that men have two imperatives: 1) Make children 2) protect children. This speech is told over a shot of Wilma running away from home which I saw as a great way to talk about men protecting girls instead of using them as leverage.
Classism: This is interwoven through out all the parts with Fred's boss which related to:
Mega Churches: There is an arc where the church, which started with good intentions, starts exchanges tithes for absolution. People come in and learn that they can donate to the church to get "forgiveness" instead of actually living by the principles of Gerald. I saw this as a parallel to mega churches but it could also just be about inactive worship. Eventually, the rich people start worshiping Vorp who doesn't preach so much about humility and helping your fellow man.
Elected Officials: This was just painful to watch. There's a big idiotic, war hungry pig in office and he manipulates the public to support using community money for a falsified war or closing down a children's hospital. So, literally making people choose between healthcare for the needy and a war with false motives. He doesn't actually have any plans or solutions for going to war with the lizard people. There's a point when he keeps digging himself into a corner and his underlings remove his ability to communicate with the outside world and run things themselves. It was bloody painful.
- Also, the speeches about how this whole vendetta was manufactured because the lizard people look and think differently from the people in Bedrock was really well done. One of the best lines in this book came at the end of one of these issues:
Yeah, they stole some ferns but every day, we do worse things to each other right here in Bedrock. The truth is, we're just weirded out by them. And for that, we turned out backs on sick children for that we traded our retirement for loose meat sandwiches. We take money out of our schools and make life harder for ourselves. And for what? To kill a few lizard people? If we're looking for places to cut back, then I say racism is the most expensive luxury we have.
May 16, 2020
The Great Gazoo stands in judgement of Earth on behalf of the Neighborhood Association. Is the only thing standing between Earth and total destruction the Flintstones?
No, not really. That's not even how the shit goes down. It's hard to come up with a teaser for a book of this type.
The modern stone age family is back. This time, Fred and Family go up against economics, gentrification, religion, science, politics, war, racism, classism, sexism, military spending, and many other facets of life. As with the last volume, dark, cynical absurdity is the star of the show as Fred, Barney, and their families try to navigate through life.
This is one bleak, thought-provoking book. I never thought Fred Flintstone would wind up being such a nuanced character. Mark Russell puts modern life under the Flintstones microscope and things don't wind up looking great. The Silver Surfer should have let Galactus devour Earth in 1966.
Steve Pugh, Scott Hanna, and Rick Fucking Leonardi do a stellar job on the art. Slick, clear, not overworked, it has a timeless quality, which is great because I suspect people will be reading this Flintstones run for years to come.
For my money, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh's run on The Flintstones is the best run in comics in the last ten years. Five out of five stars.
No, not really. That's not even how the shit goes down. It's hard to come up with a teaser for a book of this type.
The modern stone age family is back. This time, Fred and Family go up against economics, gentrification, religion, science, politics, war, racism, classism, sexism, military spending, and many other facets of life. As with the last volume, dark, cynical absurdity is the star of the show as Fred, Barney, and their families try to navigate through life.
This is one bleak, thought-provoking book. I never thought Fred Flintstone would wind up being such a nuanced character. Mark Russell puts modern life under the Flintstones microscope and things don't wind up looking great. The Silver Surfer should have let Galactus devour Earth in 1966.
Steve Pugh, Scott Hanna, and Rick Fucking Leonardi do a stellar job on the art. Slick, clear, not overworked, it has a timeless quality, which is great because I suspect people will be reading this Flintstones run for years to come.
For my money, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh's run on The Flintstones is the best run in comics in the last ten years. Five out of five stars.
October 16, 2017
I have trouble finding the words to express how much I LOVE The Flintstones reboot comics. “Bedrock Bedlam” is an even stronger follow-up to the first volume. The art is beautiful and the satire is biting. They definitely are not the Flintstones of your childhood (or the childhood of your parents).
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
January 25, 2018
When I first heard of this DC/Hannah Barbara reboot, I had no idea what to expect. I never thought it would bring us a satire on consumerism, capitalism, religion and modern culture in general, really.
I really enjoyed this second (and sadly, last) volume of this series, even though I found some of the humour to be a bit too on the nose (but when it's done right, it really works). I especially like how Russell came up with stories within the Flintstones universe that inform some of the beliefs people hold today (ie. shortening Bedrock's Gerald - an obvious reference to the Judeo/Christian God - to G-D).
It's a super fun series, one that caught me completely by surprise. It's definitely worth checking out!
I really enjoyed this second (and sadly, last) volume of this series, even though I found some of the humour to be a bit too on the nose (but when it's done right, it really works). I especially like how Russell came up with stories within the Flintstones universe that inform some of the beliefs people hold today (ie. shortening Bedrock's Gerald - an obvious reference to the Judeo/Christian God - to G-D).
It's a super fun series, one that caught me completely by surprise. It's definitely worth checking out!
July 19, 2025
100/10 humor, satire, emotional devastation
September 20, 2017
This is adult version of beloved Flintstones where it is also mixed with certain technology, time travelling and certain ugly aliens...
The expectation was still adult but light-hearted version of this -
what I got was this -
Even though in glossy cover artwork everyone is happy and smiling, I never smiled once while reading this. This is adult version of comics which focuses on many modern day issues like feminism, politics, slavery, religious beliefs etc...and I can't believe how depress I was when
Still after reading few chapters, it grows on you and I ended up liking it despite of it didn't match my expectations.
The expectation was still adult but light-hearted version of this -
what I got was this -
Even though in glossy cover artwork everyone is happy and smiling, I never smiled once while reading this. This is adult version of comics which focuses on many modern day issues like feminism, politics, slavery, religious beliefs etc...and I can't believe how depress I was when
Still after reading few chapters, it grows on you and I ended up liking it despite of it didn't match my expectations.
September 7, 2020
Took me forever to finish this series but man oh man, it was a great one.
Love satire series and Mark Russell is honestly the master of it. We have more commentary on religion here, money schemes, work force issues, racism, and more. Again, between Mark Russell's tight writing and the amazing art by Steve we got a fantastic combo. All the characters look great, it's funny all the time, and smartly written. My favorite story is probably about bowling, and without spoilers, it has so much heart.
I'll miss this series can could have gone another 2 or 3 volumes but this was great. Check out volume 1-2!
Love satire series and Mark Russell is honestly the master of it. We have more commentary on religion here, money schemes, work force issues, racism, and more. Again, between Mark Russell's tight writing and the amazing art by Steve we got a fantastic combo. All the characters look great, it's funny all the time, and smartly written. My favorite story is probably about bowling, and without spoilers, it has so much heart.
I'll miss this series can could have gone another 2 or 3 volumes but this was great. Check out volume 1-2!
February 6, 2021
3.5 stars
I liked this one a little more than the first! It seems that the endings definitely have a lesson to be learned and are precious. 🥺
Also, can I have Powergoat..... he’s funny lol.
I liked this one a little more than the first! It seems that the endings definitely have a lesson to be learned and are precious. 🥺
Also, can I have Powergoat..... he’s funny lol.
January 1, 2018
All good things must come to an end. I really loved this series. Please give it a read!
January 28, 2021
Repeating the review from Vol 1 since it is still applicable.
Using a known property like the Flintstones allows for some easy jokes, but the meat of this series is in the political and social commentary that is easier to discuss from a fictional standpoint.
Using a known property like the Flintstones allows for some easy jokes, but the meat of this series is in the political and social commentary that is easier to discuss from a fictional standpoint.
Read
October 10, 2017Continuing and alas concluding the fabulous black comedy take on the prehistoric everyman family - though if there was one thing I found slightly unsatisfactory in this volume, it was the way that rather than being a proto-Homer Simpson, Fred would often be the one delivering the stark moral of the stories. Still, everyone else tends to ignore him and carry on doing stupid human things, so at least there's that. Reflected concerns of our own times include gentrification, drone warfare and people's love of electing manifestly terrible political leaders. And honestly, it near makes me weep to think of all the people out there reading clunking, self-satisfied state-of-the-nation novels and not getting half the insight into our travails which they could be getting here - plus, this has dinosaurs! On which note, the subplot about the bowling ball and the vacuum cleaner...oh man. Think Toy Story, without the happy ending.
(Netgalley ARC)
(Netgalley ARC)
July 7, 2018
"Because if civilization is going to last, if it's going to amount to anything more than just a place to watch tv and get cheap snake meat, it will only be because we've learned to do one thing. To care for people who mean nothing to us." -Fred Flintstones
"Death, like life, finds meaning in our connections to each other. Grief is bearable only because it can be shared." -Bowling Ball
The Flintstones Vol. 2 closes the limited 12 part series, it contains issues 7-12. Overall, I enjoyed this series. See my review for The Flintstones, Vol. 1. My sentiments for Vol. 1 hold over to Vol. 2. Vol. 2 focuses on some of the same topics plus classism, technology, foreign threats, and gentrification.
"Death, like life, finds meaning in our connections to each other. Grief is bearable only because it can be shared." -Bowling Ball
The Flintstones Vol. 2 closes the limited 12 part series, it contains issues 7-12. Overall, I enjoyed this series. See my review for The Flintstones, Vol. 1. My sentiments for Vol. 1 hold over to Vol. 2. Vol. 2 focuses on some of the same topics plus classism, technology, foreign threats, and gentrification.
February 2, 2018
This volume of six issues of DC's Flintstones reboot, features blunt commentary on the damaging effects of capitalism -- "When you trick somebody into participating in a small-time fraud, it's called a 'scam.' But when the scam is so big that people have no choice to participate, it's called 'economics'" -- the predatory nature of the ruling class (who worship a snake demon), the war economy (idiot rule Clod is less like Trump and more like Obama when he funds pterodactyl drones that accidentally kill civilians), racism as "the most expensive luxury we have," science as "the act of looking harder," and the Great Gazoo as an interplanetary protector of sorts, keeping the human from killing itself for sentimental reasons.
This whole series is frankly bleak, explicitly saying that humans are a self-destructive race that has survived on the basis of dumb luck or alien intervention. Its observations are often funny, though, such as when movies are invented, and a news anchor says "Of course with any technology, the question in the back of everyone's mind is, 'Can I have sex with it or use it to kill people?'"
The commentary dictates the plots, not necessarily the characters. Fred and Wilma are, of course the focal points of the series. Wilma has a particularly sad arc about fleeing her home after being traded to a neighbor for a few goats. Her mom sadly says, "At some point, without knowing it, I had become a farm animal myself." Lines like that are razor sharp, but the book is funny too. Wilma sees a "scare-o-dactyl" on her farm, restrooms are gendered with signs labeled "hunters" and "gatherers," and a team of lady bowlers names itself The Spare Ribs.
I did want more development for other minor characters. Betty is all but non-existent. Barney has a few tender moments, like when he reflects that his garage "is a museum of failed hobbies." One surprising development happens when the oligarch Mr. Slate who says, "Once you pray to a God of strength, you surrender all right to beg for mercy. And g-d help us, we all need mercy. Because in the end, it's only our inefficiencies and the softness inside us that make life worth living."
In any work this misanthropic, of course the most sympathetic characters are non-human. These comics feature a strong arc between Vacuum Cleaner (an elephant) and Bowling Ball (an armadillo). This arc is heartbreaking, as these creatures suffer at the hands of humans, yet exhibit tender qualities that people should aspire to. "Would you like to hear a joke," Vacuum Cleaner asks during a rare moment of peace. "Yes," says Bowling Ball. "So would I," laments Vacuum Cleaner. He never gets to hear that joke.
The series ends with Gazoo helping to spare the human race. It's a fitting end to this brief series which, if it had an overarching plot, I would want to continue for another dozen issues. But here, unlike the human race, this comic series hasn't outstayed its welcome.
This whole series is frankly bleak, explicitly saying that humans are a self-destructive race that has survived on the basis of dumb luck or alien intervention. Its observations are often funny, though, such as when movies are invented, and a news anchor says "Of course with any technology, the question in the back of everyone's mind is, 'Can I have sex with it or use it to kill people?'"
The commentary dictates the plots, not necessarily the characters. Fred and Wilma are, of course the focal points of the series. Wilma has a particularly sad arc about fleeing her home after being traded to a neighbor for a few goats. Her mom sadly says, "At some point, without knowing it, I had become a farm animal myself." Lines like that are razor sharp, but the book is funny too. Wilma sees a "scare-o-dactyl" on her farm, restrooms are gendered with signs labeled "hunters" and "gatherers," and a team of lady bowlers names itself The Spare Ribs.
I did want more development for other minor characters. Betty is all but non-existent. Barney has a few tender moments, like when he reflects that his garage "is a museum of failed hobbies." One surprising development happens when the oligarch Mr. Slate who says, "Once you pray to a God of strength, you surrender all right to beg for mercy. And g-d help us, we all need mercy. Because in the end, it's only our inefficiencies and the softness inside us that make life worth living."
In any work this misanthropic, of course the most sympathetic characters are non-human. These comics feature a strong arc between Vacuum Cleaner (an elephant) and Bowling Ball (an armadillo). This arc is heartbreaking, as these creatures suffer at the hands of humans, yet exhibit tender qualities that people should aspire to. "Would you like to hear a joke," Vacuum Cleaner asks during a rare moment of peace. "Yes," says Bowling Ball. "So would I," laments Vacuum Cleaner. He never gets to hear that joke.
The series ends with Gazoo helping to spare the human race. It's a fitting end to this brief series which, if it had an overarching plot, I would want to continue for another dozen issues. But here, unlike the human race, this comic series hasn't outstayed its welcome.
December 5, 2017
I'm a big fan of Mark Russell's Flintstones series. This book offers some hard hitting social commentary, and no area of society escapes criticism--business, government, religion, war, racism, consumerism, gentrification, and so on. All of these criticisms hit hard and are funny mostly because they are true. It's not all laughs, though. There is one subplot that deals with the lives of the appliances, which will probably make you cry. Unfortunately, this is the end of the series. I wish it had lasted longer, but at this stage I'm looking forward to reading anything that Mark Russell writes.
September 27, 2020
One of the best comics I've ever read.
I cant explain how real this book was. I mean for as much as fake animated family can be. This series took on some heavy issues and had the best/tragic solutions to most of them. My favorite being the Vacuum and Bowling ball storyline; two little beings just trying to make the best of it. I would not have guessed that the Flintstones comic would be the thing to make me cry over a fake armadillo but here we are. Its a new take on the Flintstone characters and honestly has left me with a new take on our society and why we do the things we do. THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST OF THE DC, HANNA BARBARA CROSSOVER.
I cant explain how real this book was. I mean for as much as fake animated family can be. This series took on some heavy issues and had the best/tragic solutions to most of them. My favorite being the Vacuum and Bowling ball storyline; two little beings just trying to make the best of it. I would not have guessed that the Flintstones comic would be the thing to make me cry over a fake armadillo but here we are. Its a new take on the Flintstone characters and honestly has left me with a new take on our society and why we do the things we do. THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST OF THE DC, HANNA BARBARA CROSSOVER.
August 10, 2020
More views on religion, civilization, the workplace, camaraderie, economics... extraterrestrials. This comic has finally started to properly critique the nasty things we take for granted like paying to absolve your sins, getting bored with all the crap we buy and never use, ignoring tragedy to get on with business. South Park does it better, but this series is getting good at it too. It shows the flip side as well, like Fred risking his life to save a coworker trapped under a rockslide or the alien saving humanity from annihilation.
January 28, 2020
This is such a strong 5 stars, this series is so beautiful. It has a well thought out and genuine statement on religion, politics, economics, family, art, and even the very nature of life and human beings' place in this world. I can tell Mark Russell is really writing from the heart and making a serious attempt to put his peaceful world beliefs on paper. It re-contextualizes the world of Flintstones into one of the most moving stories I've read in a while. It adds so much genuine depth and meaning to the characters that it's hard to imagine them sounding like the classic cartoon versions. It's relatively episodic but still has connecting storylines and themes that culminate in such a meaningful ending. While reading it I kept wanting to post pages on social media because I agreed with them so much and found them to be phrased so stunningly, but if I did that for every page I felt that way with I would be posting like half the book. This is more than a Flintstones comicbook, it's a book about life and humanity put in the most creative, genuine, and loving way. I can not recommend this book highly enough, please read it.
March 21, 2019
Ačkoliv druhý book tomu prvnímu moc velkou ostudu nedělá, tak je pořád o nějaký ten chloupek slabší. Pořád jsou tu povedené vtipy, ale přijde mi, že ty zajímavější témata se jednak vyčerpaly už v prvním díle a některým sešitům tu neprospěla krátká délka (např. z filmového tématu se podle mě určitě dalo vytěžit o hodně víc a tady to tak nějak vyšumělo). I tak to byla super jízda a Mark Russell se u mě dostal na seznam lidí, které budu pečlivě sledovat, co se nových projektů týče (Second Coming, dívám se na tebe).
Mohlo by se vám líbit, pokud:
- pokud vám první díl nestačil a vy chcete další nálož vtipů
Spíš vás zklame, pokud:
- vám už v prvním díle vadilo zapojení mimozemšťanů, protože tady se znovu vrátí s důležitou úlohou
Mohlo by se vám líbit, pokud:
- pokud vám první díl nestačil a vy chcete další nálož vtipů
Spíš vás zklame, pokud:
- vám už v prvním díle vadilo zapojení mimozemšťanů, protože tady se znovu vrátí s důležitou úlohou
January 30, 2018
I'm glad I gave this mature rebooting of the famous cartoon a try. It is surprisingly poignant, such as when the "appliance animals" ruminate on their existence and stage an uprising to save one of their own. There are also plenty of self-referential gags to the Flintstones themselves and the products they have become so closely associated with: vitamins and cereal. The only thing that annoyed me a bit about this installment was the attempt to insert corny modern slang into the dialogue (although, to be fair, the cartoon series in the 60s did that too).
September 27, 2024
3.5-4.0. I read the first volume of DC’s “Flintstones” when it came out and loved it. Now, years later, I’ve finally read the second volume.
Like the first, the volume is a satire of consumerism, religion, politics, and technology. Rather than telling one consistent story, this is an episodic collection.
I enjoyed it. I laughed. But something about just wasn’t nearly as good as the first volume.
Like the first, the volume is a satire of consumerism, religion, politics, and technology. Rather than telling one consistent story, this is an episodic collection.
I enjoyed it. I laughed. But something about just wasn’t nearly as good as the first volume.
October 24, 2017
Second and final volume to an amazing, surprisingly poignant new take on a beloved cartoon property. I was never a big Flintstones fan as a kid but still seemed to have every aspect of it seeped into my consciousness. Well, that familiarity pays off big time in laying the groundwork for enjoying this decidedly more existential take. That’s not to say it’s boring—it’s not! It’s funny and clever and—dare I say—even deep at times, and the artwork is spot on.
July 26, 2018
When you get more of the same, and the same is great, you can't really complain. This second half of the series is just has good as the first one, with the humor, fun an heart.
The reason I did give it one less star is that it's more of the same, it doesn't bring anything new to, or some previously unknown value.
yet still, the Flintstones is probably my greatest surprise of the year
The reason I did give it one less star is that it's more of the same, it doesn't bring anything new to, or some previously unknown value.
yet still, the Flintstones is probably my greatest surprise of the year
November 5, 2018
this goes HARD
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