REVIEW: ‘Rick And Morty Presents: Mr. Meeseeks,’ Issue #1

Rick And MortyRick And Morty Presents Mr. Meeseeks #1 is published by Oni Press and written by James Asmus and Jim Festante, illustrated by CJ Cannon, colors by Joshua Perez, and lettered by CRANK!

In Rick And Morty Presents Mr. Meeseeks #1, we find Summer standing over a pot of chili. She’s cooking the dish in an attempt to win the affection of a boy from school. In a comical sequence of panels, Summer realizes that cooking and stirring chili for six hours is a sucker’s game, so she enlists the help of Mr. Meeseeks.

For anyone who doesn’t know, Mr. Meeseeks are positive, task-oriented creations of Rick Sanchez that thrive on completing the mundane jobs no one else wants to do. They care nothing for happiness, love, companionship, or the meaning of life. Their sole purpose is to help the person who requested them, because if they don’t, well let’s just say it gets dark really quickly. Existence is defined by pain for a Meeseeks.

On the way out of the kitchen, she comments about the sad existence in finding joy from completing a mundane task. While in a daze, poor Mr. Meeseeks leans on the box from whence he came, and as can be seen in the panel below, he asks a question without a definitive answer. From here, theoretical chaos ensues as the two Meeseeks frantically search for an answer.

The morbid humor that runs rampant within this issue is an absolute joy, or perhaps that’s just my blackened British soul. There is a ton of social commentary packed in the story from the wasteful nature of the fashion industry, the heartless actions of insurance companies, and the mirroring of the Meeseeks ‘look at me attitude’ reflected all over internet culture. As the quest for the answer continues on, they leave a path of mourning as the people they interact are faced with the harsh truths of the universe.

The writing from Asmus, and Festante shines in this issue. They are somehow able to weave in the complexities of fundamental existence, all while linking these opinions with hilarious juxtaposition. Which highlights the importance of the comedic timing even in written dialogue. If Asmus and Festante had failed to bring the laughs here, you would just be left with a harsh pessimistic view of the inner workings of the universe. The hurdles the Meeseeks overcome as each of their tactics fail over and over again, leaves for a very satisfying, ironic payoff at the end of the story. It is the essence of what Rick and Morty is about.

Cannon, and Perez, capture the heart of what has made the animation so successful for the show in the illustration and coloring of the comic. Each item connects perfectly to the story being told and doesn’t fail to miss a beat. The many facial expressions on the ever increasingly exasperated Meeseeks, could tell its own story without the dialogue present. Perez absolutely lands the drug-fueled experience that’s laid out on a two page spread perfectly. The use of color clearly highlights the emotion, and feeling of the story.

CRANK! had quite a large obstacle here also, which was attempting to fit in all of the existential speech explicitly detailed on almost each and every page. Luckily, it was done really well, at no time does it take away from the imagery of the series. At multiples stages, the sound bubbles themselves are extremely representative of the audio you’d expect to hear as a Meeseek appears from thin air.

Given this is a one-shot comic, the story itself extends beyond the normal single issue count and rewards you with 43 glorious pages. The hilarity of Rick And Morty Presents Mr. Meeseeks #1 will make you want to go back and read this one again and again. There’s more than enough detail for you to ponder over from an existential perspective, while also enjoying the calamity of the journey of the Meeseeks.

Overall, Rick And Morty Presents Mr. Meeseeks #1 is a highly enjoyable read, and I’d love to see this creative team come back together again to tackle another Meeseeks story.

Rick And Morty Presents Mr. Meeseeks #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.