SpongeBob Comics Discussion

President Squidward

Mmmm donuts.
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https://www.firstcomicsnews.com/bongo-comics-june-2018-solicitations/

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SPONGEBOB COMICS #81

(W) David Lewman, Brian Smith (A) David Lewman (A/CA) Brian Smith


Squidward is all set to find inner peace with a famous spiritual yoga master-until he’s joined by guru-curious SpongeBob and Patrick! An inner journey turns into an ordeal of psychic stupidity. See an infinity of SpongeBobs! Witness the nothingness within Patrick! Can Squidward possibly find oneness while surrounded by dumbness? You’ll see in “You’re Not My Swami!” Then in “Pennies for Patties,” Mr. Krabs’ quest for a super-rare penny turns the Krusty Krab into a giant bin of copper coinage! But what if one of his employees finds the rare penny first? All this plus “SpongeFunnies” by James Kochalka and ocean facts from Maris Wicks!

In Shops: Jun 13, 2018
SRP: $3.99


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SPONGEBOB COMICS ANNUAL GIANT SWIMTACULAR #6

(W) Derek Drymon, R. Sikoryak (A) Jerry Ordway, Jacob Chabot, R. Sikoryak (CA) Gary Gianni


Why are SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs starring in a Bikini Bottom mashup of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Treasure Island, Moby-Dick, and more maritime masterpieces? It’s simple: The dread Censor Ship has ordered SpongeBob Comics’ creative crew, the United Plankton pirates, to clean up their act – or walk the plank! Henceforth, all SpongeBob Comics must be educational and literary, to boot! But as SpongeBob and friends go on their highfalutin’ quest through a bunch of literary rip-offs-er, homages, the true spirit of SpongeBob sneaks its way into the narrative – in the form of Patrick and SpongeBob’s new silly Squishy Dance!

In Shops: Jun 20, 2018
SRP: $4.99
 

McSponge

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Well, I haven't posted in this thread for a while now. Mainly because I haven't gotten any new issues since January, in part of being insanely busy back in March, and the fact that Barnes & Noble is terrible at stocking issues anymore. So the other day I've finally gotten Issues 77 and 78, and I was delightfully surprised.

First off, Issue 77 was amazing, it managed to surpass my expectations, which is saying something given how great Issue 76 was. First off, the conclusion to Untidaled is fantastic. The emotions, the character development, the artwork (Ooh, I love the artwork in this storyline!), the climatic conclusion and creative resolution, Jay Lender did an amazing job writing this compelling story, it's truly my new favorite multi-issue story line.

Cry Face was a pretty decent strip, I did enjoy the nasty facial expressions David DeGrand drew, it seemed like a nice little change from his usual, dialogue-based storylines. It wasn't that grand of a comic, but I still found myself really enjoying it.

The SpongeFunnies were fairly decent, The Mayor is Here sucked, but Overworked was a pretty decent comic. The final line of the strip was a pretty decent punchline after SpongeBob's suspenseful setup. A nice play on dialogue humor, something rare in SpongeFunnies anymore. Guess that's the best you can get out of SpongeFunnies these days, they're just terrible anymore.

Banks a Lot was a nice little story, I especially love Gregory Benton's artstyle, it's really reminiscent of a children's book, and I think it perfectly fits the more simplistic nature of this strip. Overall, it's a really nice strip.

The Flotsam & Jetsam comic isn't that great, it is fairly mediocre, but it does give us some interesting statistics about holding your breath underwater.

Overall, I really did enjoy Issue 77. Mostly impart of it's strong main story, Untidaled. Still, it gave us a few other good comics, and I especially enjoyed this issue's side comics. Overall, I really liked the direction Issue 77 went in.

Now Issue 78, on the other hand is a fairly good issue. It's not a great issue, oh no, definitely not, but it's still a pretty enjoyable issue. Artistically, this issue is incredible, it's full of colorful, lively pieces of artwork, with a lot of variety in term of artstyles explored. The main storyline especially, Stretching the Tooth has lots of amazing artwork, John Trabbic really brings what would've been an otherwise boring story to life! His bouncy, energetic artwork truly reminds me of Ren & Stimpy, I absolutely love his work. Stretching the Tooth is a great comic, it's artwork is incredible, giving us a lot of great visuals to compensate for a lack of dialogue humor. I especially find the ending really funny, that was a great way to end an already twisted strip.

Now the 5th Annual Bikini Bottom Bicycle Sprint was a pretty mediocre strip. On one hand, I do enjoy the artwork, I like how the overall simplistic design of the characters worked well with the action sequence when SpongeBob and Patrick get stuck in the mud, but the storylines a dud. Reminds me of the classic "The Big Race" from the Nick Magazine days, only unfunnier. A good amount of the jokes are simplistic and bland (Particularly the mustache gag), though it does kind of match the overall artstyle well. The ending wasn't really all that great, I do like how Israel steered clear of making SpongeBob/Patrick the winner, and gave a little twist on the ending. Still, not a funny story by any means.

Putt 'Er There! is a pretty good comic. For a good majority of it, I found myself enjoying it. The reliance on creative holes definitely gave us some great artwork to behold, but for the most part, the humor is hit or miss. I do rather enjoy the foreshadowing at the beginning to how the story will end, but I just don't find the ending to be that satisfying of a conclusion. It's just not funny, but there are quite a few good gags scattered throughout the rest of the comic, especially the way the holes are rigged in your favor.

The Flotsam and Jetsam comic this time around was centered around a pretty interesting topic. Not really that dull of a comic, but certainly not funny. It's a nice little educational comic, that's really all it is.

Shadow Play...*Sigh* Shadow Play...

You so much potential, but effectively bombed it. First off, I really enjoy Charles Brubaker's artstyle, I hope to see more of his work in future issues. However, the storyline isn't really that bold or creative until Squidward's shadow becomes sentient. That was interesting and creative! That could've essentially saved the story from being dull, it could've gave us a lot of neat little scenarios and funny gags. But I guess Krabs and SpongeBob golfing is a better way to fill in pages, as this storyline is cut short as soon as it's able to blossom. The ending just feels cheap and rushed, it could've been a much better story, akin to Peter Pan's shadow being sentient.

Finally, the SpongeFunnies are...well, your typical SpongeFunnies. They're not terrible this time around, but they're not funny at all. It's typical elementary level humor, with a predictable setup and punchline. Heck, you can replace the characters with just generic humans, and it'd have the exact same effect!

Overall, Issue 78 certainly isn't anywhere near as great as Issue 77, but it's still a pretty good issue, regardless of some dull points, it still features some really good comics.

In conclusion, I was really satisfied with these two issues. Issue 77 might just be the best issue in 70s. I mean it, this issue rocked! I had a lot of fun reading both of these issues, and I hope that fun remains for future issues. It's a given, the 70s are a step in the right direction. Yes, there have been some flops like Issues 72 & 74, but for the most part, a lot of these issues have been at worst, above average. I wouldn't call it as good as the 50s just yet, but it is a huge improvement over the 60s, holy crap, these issues are so much better. A lot of older writers/artists are less active on the issues now, and I see that as a positive impact, we're getting a lot more interesting artstyles and stories under newer recruits. That doesn't mean all the veterans are bad, goodness, Jay Lender just delivered one of my all time favorite storylines in SpongeBob Comic History! Looking at Issue 79, I don't really anticipate much from that issue, it looks fairly mediocre, but who knows? The 80s issues definitely look promising, though covers certainly can be deceiving, practically every single issue since 40 have had amazing covers.

So overall, I'd say the 70s have been a pretty decent collection of issues. Yes there were bombs, but there were also some pretty good issues.
 

Pugs4Thugs

#1 SpongeBob Reviewer
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I read spongebob comics from time to time, usually whenever I'm actually able to buy them since they never scan them anymore
The most recent issue I read was #78, and that one was pretty good. Also the #76-#77 two part story was really good in my opinion.
 

President Squidward

Mmmm donuts.
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https://www.firstcomicsnews.com/bongo-comics-july-2018-solicitations/

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SPONGEBOB COMICS #82

(W) David Lewman, Derek Drymon (A) Vincent DePorter (A/CA) Jacob Chabot

SpongeBob is having fun with his new hobby-tinkering with robots that do simple tasks like… flipping patties! Mr. Krabs seizes on the opportunity to robotize the entire Krusty Krab! But when the mechanical replacements turn on Krabs, SpongeBob must don the tight-fitting tunic of Spongebob: Robotfighterpants! Then in “Secret Identities,” SpongeBob finds out that Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy don’t have secret identities! SpongeBob and Patrick help the aged heroes rectify this blatant disregard for superhero tropes by becoming, themselves, the secret identities of their favorite heroes! Plus: “SpongeFunnies” by James Kochalka and ocean facts from Maris Wicks!

In Shops: Jul 11, 2018
SRP: $3.99
 

President Squidward

Mmmm donuts.
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https://www.firstcomicsnews.com/bongo-comics-august-2018-solicitations/

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SPONGEBOB COMICS #83

(W) Chuck Dixon, Corey Barba (A) Vincent DePorter, Corey Barba (CA) Gregg Schigiel

Plankton has taken over another issue! In “The Goo, The Bad, and the Ugly,” the little green megalomaniac tastes success at last as Bikini Bottom tastes the Chum Bucket’s new amazing spicy sauce! Then, in “Plankton’s Country Cousin,” microscopic hillbilly relative Rupert makes time with Plankton’s very own computer wife, Karen! Can SpongeBob help Plankton find a different love match for Rupert? Plus: 6 pages of Sponge-insanity from Bill Wray, “SpongeFunnies” by James Kochalka, and ocean facts by Maris Wicks!

In Shops: Aug 08, 2018
SRP: $3.99
 

President Squidward

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SPONGEBOB COMICS #84

(W) Joey Weiser, Scott Roberts, David Lewman (A) Scott Roberts, Gregg Schigiel, Vincent DePorter (CA) Paul Kirchner

This one has it all! Public transportation transforms SpongeBob’s neighborhood in “Stop That Bus Stop!” Patrick, Sandy, and SpongeBob gear up for extreme underwater water tubing in “Tube Newb”! And Mr. Krabs takes a treasure-hunting voyage with an old pal in “I’m Goin’ on an Adventure, Boys!” Plus: “SpongeFunnies”, ocean facts, and a psychedelic cover by comics legend Paul Kirchner (The Bus, Epic, Heavy Metal, Awaiting the Collapse)!

In Shops: Sep 19, 2018
SRP: $3.99
 

McSponge

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I haven't gotten #79 yet. Haven't been to a Barnes & Noble in months, though I did manage to get a hold of the 6th Annual Swimtacular the other day, so I guess that's better than nothing. The 6th Annual Swimtacular is certainly told in an interesting perspective. The issue focuses more on a narrative following the United Plankton Pirates more than the actual individual comics. themselves. Speaking of which, unlike all the previous Swimtaculars, which featured comics on a more grand scale, all themed around a particular subject (Superheroes, the most common of the themes, the future, and last year, grand, generally mythological adventures), this issue contains only one comic, a giant story that is stretched out, and done in multiple different styles, parodying different pieces of classic literature. This way, the main comic is comprised of an assortment of different mini stories.

How exactly do I like this change? Well, there's some good and some bad that comes out of this style. Honestly, I think the main storyline centering around the pirates was where the issue was at its strongest. The storyline feels fresh, it pokes a lot of fun at censorship, and there's this grand sense of suspense built around the conflict, giving Pencil's struggle to refrain from being silly. I also love the villain of this storyline, Captain Blah and his stiffness made for a really enjoyable and amusing antagonist. I gotta say, usually SpongeBob Comics doesn't really have that good of original antagonists, but this character was a lot of fun to watch in action.

It's kind of surprising how just several months ago, I was lamenting over the tired and worn out Lost Booty storyline that spanned through issues 65-70. And now here's the Swimtacular, featuring an almost identical layout to Lost Booty, yet I have a totally different impression of the story. I feel like this comic had a very interesting and well developed conflict, with actual stakes, along with a crew of likable characters to carry out the story. The SpongeBob comic itself isn't too bad, heck I enjoy seeing how the designs of the characters and the atmosphere change to fit the parodied story, but I don't really find myself so interested in the comics, otherwise. The comic's story is rather bland, I'm not so invested in the concept of a Uni-Jelly-Corn-Fish, and the Squishy Dance itself is far from funny. Still, it's a good element used to keep Pencils struggling in an internal conflict that risks his own life.

I think it says a lot when the non-SpongeBob parts of the issue are better than the actual SpongeBob comic, and that's because Derek brought in a well captivating storyline to enjoy with this rather interesting cast of characters.

As a whole, how does this compare to the previous Swimtaculars. Well, it wasn't what I expected, I rather enjoy the layout of your typical Swimtacular, it gives us some variety with the storylines (Not to mention, the extended amount of pages provided allows the stories to be more complex), and I am kind of bummed there's only one actual comic in the issue. The cover parodies at the end are really funny, however, I really enjoyed those.

It doesn't live up to my standard Swimtacular expectations. Of course it's nowhere near the quality of the second and third Swimtaculars, my personal favorite entries into the series, but it does better than the fifth entry. Yeah, I wasn't that blown away by last year's Swimtacular, looking back, it's pretty weak, the only really good comic in that issue was the Monster Boat of Frightfulness interactive comic. This year's Swimtacular isn't that spectacular, but it certainly holds a solid main storyline, and I guess I can say I enjoyed it more than last year's. Is it better than the fourth one? Eh, not really. I generally look back at #4 with distaste, mainly because it doesn't live up to the status of the first three, but I find some appeal to it. I'd consider the 6th Swimtacular almost on par with the fourth one.

Glad to see this noble experiment work so well for Dryman, and I really hope we'll see a more interestingly themed issue next year.
 

AquaticKonquest

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President Squidward said:
SPONGEBOB COMICS #81

(W) David Lewman, Brian Smith (A) David Lewman (A/CA) Brian Smith

Squidward is all set to find inner peace with a famous spiritual yoga master-until he’s joined by guru-curious SpongeBob and Patrick! An inner journey turns into an ordeal of psychic stupidity. See an infinity of SpongeBobs! Witness the nothingness within Patrick! Can Squidward possibly find oneness while surrounded by dumbness? You’ll see in “You’re Not My Swami!” Then in “Pennies for Patties,” Mr. Krabs’ quest for a super-rare penny turns the Krusty Krab into a giant bin of copper coinage! But what if one of his employees finds the rare penny first? All this plus “SpongeFunnies” by James Kochalka and ocean facts from Maris Wicks!

In Shops: Jun 13, 2018
SRP: $3.99

President Squidward said:
SPONGEBOB COMICS #82

(W) David Lewman, Derek Drymon (A) Vincent DePorter (A/CA) Jacob Chabot

SpongeBob is having fun with his new hobby-tinkering with robots that do simple tasks like… flipping patties! Mr. Krabs seizes on the opportunity to robotize the entire Krusty Krab! But when the mechanical replacements turn on Krabs, SpongeBob must don the tight-fitting tunic of Spongebob: Robotfighterpants! Then in “Secret Identities,” SpongeBob finds out that Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy don’t have secret identities! SpongeBob and Patrick help the aged heroes rectify this blatant disregard for superhero tropes by becoming, themselves, the secret identities of their favorite heroes! Plus: “SpongeFunnies” by James Kochalka and ocean facts from Maris Wicks!

In Shops: Jul 11, 2018
SRP: $3.99


I thought something was amiss when I got #81, and I confirmed this once issue #82 came in the mail this morning.
Secret Identities is actually in Issue 81, no 82, and as such Pennies for Patties is in 82, not 81.

(Identitles was way better than Pennies anyway no wonder it came first :P)
 

abney317

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SPONGEBOB COMICS #85

(W) Graham Anable, Derek Drymon, Bob Flynn (A) Graham Anable, Bob Flynn (A/CA) Jacob Chabot

United Plankton Pictures is taking an extended break, so issue #85 will be our last for a while. For now we present our 7th annual October assemblage of spooky submerged stories! In "Creature from Goo Lagoon," Graham Annable (Grickle, Boxtrolls, Puzzle Agent) writes and draws the tale of a lonely monster…who makes the mistake of kidnapping Patrick to keep him company! Then, in "Dutchman Went Down to Bikini Bottom," Derek Drymon and Jacob Chabot team to show how even selling his soul can't help Squidward's clarinet playing. And Bob Flynn brings vampires to Bikini Bottom. All this plus facts about the deepest depths of the sea-by Maris Wicks and SpongeFunnies by James Kochalka.
In Shops: Oct 17, 2018
SRP: $3.99
Extended break D:
 
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Can Bongo even stay alive without its Simpsons comic? I mean SpongeBob is popular, sure, but Simpsons Comics had been what they were known for more than 2 decades. I wonder if we'll get a situation similar to the Archie/IDW Sonic Comics situation and SpongeBob will possibly cancel their Bongo comics and get another publisher?
 

President Squidward

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Can Bongo even stay alive without its Simpsons comic? I mean SpongeBob is popular, sure, but Simpsons Comics had been what they were known for more than 2 decades. I wonder if we'll get a situation similar to the Archie/IDW Sonic Comics situation and SpongeBob will possibly cancel their Bongo comics and get another publisher?
bongo comics is shutting down, hence why simpsons comics is ending
 
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Yeah they'll probably come back, but I just wonder who the new publisher will be and if the comic will take a new direction/approach, I doubt it, but I'm only speculating here. Everyone knows that only the most intellectual people on Earth speculate about SpongeBob comics.
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McSponge

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This thread's been dead for over a month. I feel as though I owe it to the long-inactive thread by weighing in my thoughts on issues 79 & 81 respectively (Especially since the comic is being discontinued for a while after October). Yeah, I don't have 80, Barnes & Noble really likes screwing me over.

Anwyays, Issue 79 was a pretty good issue, not gonna lie. A Crosshatch of Despair had a pretty original concept, Plankton & Krabs slandering each other through editorials. It's pretty interesting seeing this scenario play out, I never would've expected seeing SpongeBob take on editorials. There are some pretty good jokes scattered throughout the comic (I loved the line "How did Plankton know that?" in response to the editorial involving Krabs using garbage to make his fries). I'd say this is a pretty entertaining comic, it's not too long, it runs its course and ends at the right time. It's really just a nice little feud between Krabs and Plankton, I found myself enjoying this comic.

The Flotsam Jetsam Ocean Facts was pretty decent. I kind of liked the unique subject of Eyespots, I honestly wasn't aware of their existence until reading this comic. The comedy in this isn't that bad, it's sadly better than the SpongeFunnies, but hey, everything's better than SpongeFunnies these days. I'd say this is a pretty good Flotsam Jetsam comic.

Next up we have SpongeBob's Facial Scare. See what they did there? Scare? Hair? The comic shadows Squidward's School for Grownups, at least conceptually. The actual storyline involves Patrick confused, thinking he's actually someone else (Kind of the dumb logic used in To SquarePants or Not To), so there is at least some kind of twist on the idea. I also like Squidward's interactions with "Leonard", I thought they were pretty amusing to read. Not too funny of a comic, there are some lame lines, especially from Norton the Mailman, but I'd say it's a relatively harmless comic, it strays far enough from "School for Grownups" to be a full-on rip-off. Plus, it doesn't have that cop-out plot twist, so there's a bonus.

This issue's poster, a drawing capturing an event known as the Great Manowar Migration in Bikini Bottom! is awesome. I love it, Cole Closser/R.F.O Outeault did an amazing job designing this poster, I love the realistic jellyfish, the shirt gags, and the hilarious return of

https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=jMRc%2BJAkV61u3yN6r19%2BveGWHc%2BM3N1yyjmc5gzzYNk%3D

(I can't believe we don't have an emote for this)

I'd say it's probably the highlight of the issue. The following comic if The Buddy System, again, another decent comic. The storyline is another "Squidward tricks SpongeBob into believing something false, then it actually happens." Though luckily the plot twist at the end was very funny and unexpected (Though David did foreshadow it cleverly at the start of the story in what appears at first glance, to be nothing but some filler dialogue). The comic plays out in typical SpongeBob fashion, it's essentially Squiditis without the Soap Opera gags, and more of SpongeBob being clingy (Like Squid Wood's opening). I do like Vince's artwork, it's a lot more expressive than usual in this comic, which I think was great seeing. The one thing that confuses me, however, is the long strand of paper surrounding Squidward's boat. Is it a giant receipt? I don't know, there's really no explanation as to why it's there. As for the humor, well, it's a fairly mediocre slew of predictable jokes. Not as bland or lifeless as the majority of Season 11's visuals, but still fairly mediocre humor. Pretty okay if you ask me.

Trash Day's a pretty good comic. I liked the dramatic irony played up by the old fish, and I thought the chaotic chain reaction was pretty entertaining. I liked the humor of this comic and found the story satisfying enough to read.

Of course, there's Squilliam's Art Opening, easily the worst comic in the issue. The setup centers around Squidward having an epiphany over Squilliam's eccentric art, to which Squilliam replies "It makes even dunces have enormous realizations." Then, the punchline is Patrick screaming "I'm having an epiphany!"

Scratch that, the SpongeFunnies were the worst. Don't even have to explain them, they just suck.

So...what? Where's the joke? Is it that Squilliam's right? Because it's an incredibly unfunny joke that has the utmost lame execution.It's like a bad newspaper comic, it has a lame setup with a predictable and unfunny payoff. Absolutely terrible. Sorry Carta Monir, not your best start in the series.

Overall, I'd say Issue 79's a pretty decent conclusion to the 70s.

Well, I've spent what felt like forever going through this collection issues, so what are my thoughts on the 70s as a whole? Well, the 70s has been consistently good, particularly in the latter half. Sure, there are some very sloppy entries throughout the span of the 70s (72, 74, 75), but I'd still consider this collection of comics a step in the right direction. Now of course we're not going to be treated to an entire batch of 80s comics, so I can't really focus too much on the overall direction the series is going to take, because well, that's to be determined by the remaining 6 issues after 79. I would say that Issues 76 & 77 were the pinnacle of the 70s. Jay Lender did a fantastic job producing arguably one of the most memorable storylines in recent SBComic history. I'm sorry, but he really was the shining star of this era. Sure, Derek Drymon (almost) always produces good material, but I just think Jay did such a wonderful job on this storyline, I honestly wouldn't have mind seeing this as the final wrap-up for the series in 84 & 85. But, I guess we'll just have to see where the staff takes us, whether this series will end on a whimper or go out with a bang. I assume whimper, since United Plankton will probably try to launch the title under a different company, but I think it's important to look at this as the end of an era and the start of a new one. I predict change is to come to the comics, some sort of change, maybe not that drastic, maybe a tonal shift in quality. If Nick picks it up, I'll be worrisome, because SBComics' independence from Viacom and their dirty fingerprints is what really made this series strive for a good while. i'd say the 70s was an improvement over the 60s and 50s. Of course it's not the 40s, the comic will never return to the glory days of the 40s, but it at least improved during this ten-month period. And that's really all I have to say about the 70s, heading into the 80s, I'll be treating them as the final 6 to the original run of SBComics. If they come back, great, I'd be happy to see more storylines thrown out. But this does bring an end to a continuous near-8 year long run. And half of that run featured some absolutely amazing issues! (38, 40, 41, 44, 45, 50, 51, Swimtacular's 2 & 3, etc.). When I get a hold of 85 (Which probably won't be until December, I'll provide a reflection on this series' run. Is it the end of these reviews? Probably, yes. I am far too busy in life to dedicate such time to review these issues. So, let's gear up for 81.

The main storyline, The Inner Journey features some outstanding artwork from Brian Smith. The sequences through Squidward's subconscious are marvelous, I absolutely love every detail. Following Squidward's journey is the highlight of this episode, I absolutely loved it. I also enjoyed the rather unique layout, pairing up Squidward's story, and the rest of the cast's story. Some of them were fairly lame, like the SpongeBob & Patrick one. But the Krabs, Old Man Jenkins, and even Reg ones were good. My only problem was the painful use of the word "Bro" in Reg's speech. -_-

I'd say otherwise, this is a solid opening to the issue, a great comic to kick things off. I don't really care for the final blow to Squidward at the end, I think it was a tad bit out of character for literally everyone (Including SpongeBob) to leave Squidward with the bill. But hey, it was chuckle-worthy, so it's not that big of a blow to the story.

I can't even try with the SpongeFunnies anymore. They're just dumb, there's nothing funny about any of the dialogue at all. It's modern Garfield-tier humor, we're talking. Actually scratch that, I think modern Garfield is funnier.

How Tweet It Is...well, it's really a comic with zero point. SpongeBob's antagonized by Pat over not being able to whistle (Yeah, Pat says he hopes he didn't hurt the Sponge's feelings, but that doesn't matter when you've just taken a 180 in your personality between panels). Then he asks Sandy for help. He tweets so loudly he cracks her helmet. The End.

It's a funny ending, yes, but I found it rather meaningless, really. If it was just going to be that short, why involve the ridiculous setup with Patrick. You could've just made it a one-page storyline, start with Sandy gardening and hearing SpongeBob whistle. It has a setup and a little gag to end the story. A perfect short story, there was really no need for the Patrick scenes.

Snoozing in the Sea took a fascinating look at animals sleeping. I know, it sounds incredible boring, but somehow this one really hooked my attention. Maybe I'm just really bored?

Secret identities was a good story. I liked the interesting setup, MM&BB never had secret identities to begin with, I think focusing on this concept of them having one was pretty interesting. Great comic (I'm getting lazier, I know).

And that was Issue 81. Was it a good issue, a promising issue to the final 6? I wouldn't call it promising, but it was good nonetheless. A fairly entertaining and amusing issue.
 
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