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Title: "The Animaniacs Silver Jubilee"
Writers: Jennifer Moore & Sean Carolan
Penciller: Omar Aranda
Inker: Horacio Ottolini
Letterer: Lorina Mapa
Colorist: Dave Tanguay
Cover: Leonardo Batic
Release Date: March 12th, 1997
Cover Price:
$1.75 U.S./ $2.50 Canada Summary:
The Warners host their 25th issue celebration.
Description:
The Warners: show embarrassing outtakes of Wakko from previous
issues; show a clip from Slappy & Walter's shot-lived stint on The Squid
& Morty Krafft Super Show, followed by a controversial photobook Dot put
out a few years back; and an old album that Yakko turned out years ago. Once
the sibs are done humiliating each other, they give us a tongue-in-cheek
preview of the next 25 issues…
Characters on the Cover:
Minerva, Newt, Gigantasaurus (#
13), Yakko, Wakko, Dot, Hello Nurse Agent of H.U.B.B.A. (# 23), Scratchy,
Mindy, Runt, Rita, Buttons, Skippy, Slappy, Pesto, Squit, Bobby, Ralph, Pinky,
Brain, one of Brain's clones (# 11), Dr. Phrewtkupp (# 7), Mace Ventura (# 15),
Daigoro Kojima (# 13), Plotz, Big Daddy (# 12), James Dean (# 20), Comic Editor
from Hell (# 10), Cleopatra & Caesar (# 6), Mr. Director (# 7), the raccoon
bank robbers (# 14), and the black & white Warners (# 4).
Pages (out of 32): 6 pp. (wraparound; 2 pp. at the beginning
of the issue, 2 pp. between the two stories in the issue, and 2 pp. at the end
of the issue)
Quote of the Story:
WAKKO: [Reading the back of Yakko's album]: "Includes
the spoken-word remakes of 'Axel F', 'Music Box Dancer', and 'Inna Gadda Da
Vida'"? Eeyuch!
Review:
A superb wraparound. In fact, perhaps a bit too
superb—it's so great, the other stories in the issue couldn't possibly live up
to it, and one finds oneself flipping past the main stories just to read the
"filler" material in the issue. Great stuff. Watch for a ref to F!, with the "Golden Beaver Hotel & Casino."
Rating: 
Title: "Driving Miss Slappy"
Writers: Jennifer Moore & Sean Carolan
Penciller: Leonardo Batic
Inker: Scott McRae
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Jo Meugniot
Summary:
Walter becomes Slappy's chauffeur.
Description:
In 1956, after Slappy wrecks a company limo
with her reckless driving, Walter Wolf is assigned as her chauffeur. Over the
next forty years, he tries various methods to bump her off: a hula hoop (1956),
a grenade disguised as a fish (1969—the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius), and a
"pet rock" (1976). Slappy defeats him each time, and in current day,
Walter must drive Skippy to dance lessons. Skippy blows him up, bringing the
great tradition to the next generation…
Notable for seeing Plotz with a bouffant-style 'do!
Pages (out of 32): 10 pp.
Quote of the Story:
[1976.]
WALTER: [Presenting Slappy with a bomb.]: Here, Slappy. In
honor of the Bicentennial I give you this genuine Pet Rock!
SLAPPY: …You're not even trying anymore, are you?
Review:
A very amusing story. Great satire on the various
Ages spoofed, and the thing that really pushes this story over the top is the
little details (the change of their outfits to fit the period, the change of
the car's appearance to do the same). The "Macarena" gag at the end
was a nice touch (although I sincerely hope that's not the main thing the '90's
are remembered for…). Fine work by Batic, too.
Rating: ½
Title: "A Taxing Situation"
Writer: Dana Kurtin
Penciller: Cosmé Quartieri
Inker: Scott McRae
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Jo Meugniot
Summary:
Minerva goes to a chauvinistic tax accountant.
Description:
When the IRS tells Minerva she must pay her
taxes, she heads to an accountant, who happens to be seriously deprived of
female companionship. He immediately goes nuts over the Mink, to the point that
she can't take it anymore and storms out. She immediately receives several offers
from other accountants, but settles on a hunky taxi driver ("Taxes,
taxi…what's the difference?").
Pages (out of 32): 8 pp.
Quote of the Story:
MINERVA: [After the accountant passes out upon her arrival]:
My stunning good looks have killed him! I knew I should've worn a muumuu!
Review:
I guess it was too much to ask that this issue have
three excellent stories…this is the story that causes the issue's major
downfall. The setup here is lame enough, but the accountant is a two-dimensional
character who's there only to drool over Minerva (nowhere near as interesting
as Newt, who has the conflicting internal battle over whether to capture
Minerva or smooch her). His chauvinistic attitude comes across as grating and
annoying, and there's nary a good bit in the script. Quartieri does the usual
excellent job on the Mink, but the wild takes are pretty subdued, making this
story all the weaker. There are two shots where Minerva loses the bottom half
of her outfit; while this was probably an error, it's still pretty risqué…
Rating:
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