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Tess Stone’s Trover Saves the Universe #1 is a wacky and hilarious tale about two co-workers doing everything they can to not get themselves killed.
When Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland is not busy lending his voice to wacky characters or writing crazy shenanigans, he devotes his time to making video games for his company Squanch Games. In 2019, the gaming studio released their third game, Trover Saves the Universe, and it became an instant hit among Rick and Morty fans due to its similar madcap comedic style and Roiland’s voice acting talents. The game introduced audiences to Trover, a motormouth purple alien who works for the Important Cosmic Jobs, or ICJ, an intergalactic organization entrusted with the protection of the universe and infamous for literally axing employees with the least rating. Comic book artist creator Tess Stone, in association with Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment, explores the workplace drama of the eccentric ICJ with the same hilarity in the debut issue of Trover Saves the Universe.
Trover Saves the Universe #1 opens at the point that the video game leaves off. Having just saved the universe from the clutches of the powerful Glorkon, Trover is taking a break with his Chairopian buddy in a bar. He starts rambling on about flashbacks and delves into the past to tell a story about two of his co-workers, Bo and Klover. Klover is a green monster alien with anger management issues, while Bo is an ambitious yet unlucky blue alien with a knack for blowing up clients and colleagues alike. The earlier management of the ICJ introduced a small but brutal rule that employees at the bottom shall be eliminated permanently, which leaves both Bo and Klover on the chopping block. Jealous of co-worker Gaff’s constant success, Klover plans to sneak into his penthouse. Unbeknownst to Klover, Bo plans to do the same. However, all hell breaks loose as both Klover and Bo inevitably find themselves in trouble.
Trover Saves the Universe #1 is chaotic, unbridled fun. Stone transfers the video game’s fourth-wall-breaking and outlandish energy to the pages of a comic book with relative ease. The narrative is often heavy on exposition but, in the process, it firmly establishes the dynamics of the characters and their quirky world. Further, the various jabs and exchanges between the protagonists, Klover and Bo are hilarious. Stone constructs a multi-layered tale full of drama, comedy, and suspense that moves at a breakneck pace.
Stone has previously created artworks for graphic novels based on animated sitcoms like Regular Show and Adventure Time, but with Trover Saves the Universe #1, Stone lets his imagination go wild, creating fresh new characters and environments. Everything about Stone’s work — from the exaggerated facial expressions in nonsensical backgrounds to the stylized lettering and onomatopoeia effects — is zany. The alien designs are bright and unique, keeping in line with the video game’s aesthetics. The adventurous tone of the book coupled with the bold color changes from panel to panel makes for a wonderful reading experience.
Trover Saves the Universe #1 is exciting, colorful, and hilariously fun. The nature of its characters marries well with the tone of the plot and is executed well. Stone does not shy away from making social commentary when the opportunity arises, and, frankly, it is one of the funniest parts of the entire book. The issue ends on a cliffhanger as an unexpected turn of events makes it evident that Klover and Bo have bitten off more than they can possibly chew, leaving readers to speculate about their fate until the arrival of the miniseries’ next issue.
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