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The Tick Comics
The Tick: and Arthur, The Complete Works
THE TICK & ARTHUR: THE COMPLETE WORKS 304 pages. Contains 12 complete comics: all six issues of The Tick and Arthur as well as all six issues of The Tick: Heroes of The City! 'The Complete Works' series of Tick trade paperbacks continues with the third Tick series, written and drawn by master craftsman Sean Wang (creator of Runners). Sean introduced many new hilarious characters, including Bumbling Bee, Rubber Ducky and Crazy Blue Rocket just to name a few! This massive 304 page tome also includes all six issues of The Tick's companion series, Heroes of The City, which spotlights many other Tick heroes in their own crazy mini-adventures. Two stories feature early art by Mike Avon Oeming (Marvel's Powers)! We got your justice right here!
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2009
About the author
Sean Wang
55 books8 followersSean Wang, an MIT architecture graduate, got his start in the comics industry writing and drawing seasonal specials for THE TICK, published by New England Comics. He also wrote and illustrated the 6-issue TICK AND ARTHUR series, in which the duo joined a superteam of equally-dysfunctional heroes.
In 2006, Sean illustrated MELTDOWN for Image Comics, which chronicles the final days of a volatile superhero. The series garnered major critical acclaim for Sean's use of a variety of art styles to tell different aspects of the story.
Sean is best known for his highly-acclaimed series, RUNNERS, a fun sci-fi action comedy about alien smugglers. The first graphic novel collection RUNNERS: BAD GOODS made several reviewers' Best of 2005 lists. The second volume, RUNNERS: THE BIG SNOW JOB, was released online from 2009-2012 and was funded as a graphic novel via a very successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013. Both RUNNERS volumes are now available in print as graphic novels and also in webcomic form for free online at www.runnersuniverse.com.
From 2009-2017, Sean has also contributed illustrations to various LEGO magazines and Scholastic reader books. As of 2017, he has resumed working on RUNNERS, outlining the remainder of the epic story and preparing to finish the series of graphic novels.
In 2006, Sean illustrated MELTDOWN for Image Comics, which chronicles the final days of a volatile superhero. The series garnered major critical acclaim for Sean's use of a variety of art styles to tell different aspects of the story.
Sean is best known for his highly-acclaimed series, RUNNERS, a fun sci-fi action comedy about alien smugglers. The first graphic novel collection RUNNERS: BAD GOODS made several reviewers' Best of 2005 lists. The second volume, RUNNERS: THE BIG SNOW JOB, was released online from 2009-2012 and was funded as a graphic novel via a very successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013. Both RUNNERS volumes are now available in print as graphic novels and also in webcomic form for free online at www.runnersuniverse.com.
From 2009-2017, Sean has also contributed illustrations to various LEGO magazines and Scholastic reader books. As of 2017, he has resumed working on RUNNERS, outlining the remainder of the epic story and preparing to finish the series of graphic novels.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 30, 2023
Great collection of these Tick stories. The Tick makes me laugh like no other superhero can and still defeats EVIL while doing it. Highly recommended
October 16, 2015
This book collects a year worth of Tick comics. Durihng this year, Sean Wang's regular Tick series, "The Tick and Arthur" alternated with issues of the anthology series, "Tick: Heroes of the City."
The first three Issues of "The Tick and Arthur" begins as an epic crossover event featuring Paul the Samurai and a host of villains and heroes, the return of Oedipus (now wanting to be called Ashley) and the Ninjas from the original Tick series. It includes a few retcons and a host of villains. The ninjas are hilarious but from a fan perspective, it was probably not the best way to start given that the Tick Luny Bin mini-series had just come before that.
Issues 4 and 5 are a lesser story in which the Tick and Arthur find they have some imitators-the Flea and Doyle. (Yes, really.) The story has some fun moments around side kickers and some somewhat uncomfortable moments with a superhero abducting a child to be a sidekick which is meant to parody Batman. I'm borderline on it.
Issue 6 finds the new Superhero team the Tick and Arthur formed being confronted by Chainsaw Vigilante, but they all have to team up to fight an invasion of killer intelligent trees. It's inspired Tick goofiness.
The first three issues of, "Heroes of the City" features three stories. The first is the Tick, prompted by Arthur complaining he doesn't understand what it's like to be a sidekick, renting himself as a sidekick to weird superheroes. Essentially each story is the same as the Tick totally undermines the existing hero. Thankfully, it doesn't long enough to become repetitive.
The second are solo stories with Arthur, which are actually quite fun. It's nice to see Arthur taking a lead role, even kicking a bit of tale.
Finally, are the tales of Myndi, the Pom Pom Protector. It's an absolute hilarious story of a cheerleader themed superheroine. I enjoyed it and was disappointed with an ending that suggested, "It was all just a dream."
Issues 4 and 5 featured a two part story featuring Paul the Samurai and Ashley, each featured a two page Tick and Arthur story, and two other features with miscellaneous heroes.
The Paul the Samurai and Ashley story had some good moments, but Paul just doesn't work as a regular team. The Tick story for Issue 5, "The Savage Tick" was kind of ordinary, but Issue 4's Brunch is probably one of the most hilarious short Tick features I've ever read. The other features with characters ranging from Red Eye to the Crazy Blue Rocket, Hand Grenande Man, and Man-Eating Cow were merely okay.
Issue 6 is an all Tick and Arthur issue that has the Tick concluding that he and Arthur need secret identities and day jobs. In many ways, this hails back to the earliest Tick stories. It was actually pretty fun.
Overall, this book is a real mixed bag in terms of quality and style. I didn't enjoy it as much as, "Big Blue Destiny," but there are still some good moments. There's one story where having read The Tick Specials The Complete Works would have made it easier to understood, so I do recommend that.
The first three Issues of "The Tick and Arthur" begins as an epic crossover event featuring Paul the Samurai and a host of villains and heroes, the return of Oedipus (now wanting to be called Ashley) and the Ninjas from the original Tick series. It includes a few retcons and a host of villains. The ninjas are hilarious but from a fan perspective, it was probably not the best way to start given that the Tick Luny Bin mini-series had just come before that.
Issues 4 and 5 are a lesser story in which the Tick and Arthur find they have some imitators-the Flea and Doyle. (Yes, really.) The story has some fun moments around side kickers and some somewhat uncomfortable moments with a superhero abducting a child to be a sidekick which is meant to parody Batman. I'm borderline on it.
Issue 6 finds the new Superhero team the Tick and Arthur formed being confronted by Chainsaw Vigilante, but they all have to team up to fight an invasion of killer intelligent trees. It's inspired Tick goofiness.
The first three issues of, "Heroes of the City" features three stories. The first is the Tick, prompted by Arthur complaining he doesn't understand what it's like to be a sidekick, renting himself as a sidekick to weird superheroes. Essentially each story is the same as the Tick totally undermines the existing hero. Thankfully, it doesn't long enough to become repetitive.
The second are solo stories with Arthur, which are actually quite fun. It's nice to see Arthur taking a lead role, even kicking a bit of tale.
Finally, are the tales of Myndi, the Pom Pom Protector. It's an absolute hilarious story of a cheerleader themed superheroine. I enjoyed it and was disappointed with an ending that suggested, "It was all just a dream."
Issues 4 and 5 featured a two part story featuring Paul the Samurai and Ashley, each featured a two page Tick and Arthur story, and two other features with miscellaneous heroes.
The Paul the Samurai and Ashley story had some good moments, but Paul just doesn't work as a regular team. The Tick story for Issue 5, "The Savage Tick" was kind of ordinary, but Issue 4's Brunch is probably one of the most hilarious short Tick features I've ever read. The other features with characters ranging from Red Eye to the Crazy Blue Rocket, Hand Grenande Man, and Man-Eating Cow were merely okay.
Issue 6 is an all Tick and Arthur issue that has the Tick concluding that he and Arthur need secret identities and day jobs. In many ways, this hails back to the earliest Tick stories. It was actually pretty fun.
Overall, this book is a real mixed bag in terms of quality and style. I didn't enjoy it as much as, "Big Blue Destiny," but there are still some good moments. There's one story where having read The Tick Specials The Complete Works would have made it easier to understood, so I do recommend that.
March 20, 2016
Loved the show, that is the cartoon. I decided to give the book a chance and I enjoyed it for the most part. This was not the book if you want more Tick as there's a whole series of other heroes of the city featured in this book as well. Granted, those stories are good and have a clever tie-in to an ongoing story with Tick and Arthur. I can't wait to check out more.
June 14, 2022
Classic “The Tick and Arthur”. Makes me chuckle every time.
May 29, 2013
Can't really go wrong with a Tick comic, especially if you've read one before.
This one has quite a few mini-stories where the Tick is not even in it (hence the Tick AND FRIENDS). My favourites were the issues where the Tick (after being told by Arthur that he doesn't understand how hard being a sidekick is) joins a sidekick temp agency.
This is the third Tick book I read. I was alittle skeptical reading something the original creator didn't write. I don't know why I had this attitude. So far I've yet to be disappointing by any of the writers or artists.
This one has quite a few mini-stories where the Tick is not even in it (hence the Tick AND FRIENDS). My favourites were the issues where the Tick (after being told by Arthur that he doesn't understand how hard being a sidekick is) joins a sidekick temp agency.
This is the third Tick book I read. I was alittle skeptical reading something the original creator didn't write. I don't know why I had this attitude. So far I've yet to be disappointing by any of the writers or artists.
February 11, 2025
I had a subscription to these comics back when they were new. The only thing I really remembered about this series was the cheerleader and the as-yet-unnamed team forming. On re-reading I found them to still be forgettable and a shadow of the great Tick stories and art.
The female characters especially have not aged well.
The female characters especially have not aged well.
February 21, 2014
Maybe I'm easy but I loved it. Witty, great images, ridiculous superheros, just my bag.
February 23, 2014
Brilliant!
February 19, 2016
The Tick is one of my favorite incompetent superheroes. I chuckled quite a bit reading this, but it was a bumpy ride.
December 30, 2022
Eye read 2017
10/10, love the tick ... and arthur. :)
10/10, love the tick ... and arthur. :)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews