Title: "Weekly World Inquiring Brain"

Writer: Bill Matheny
Penciller: Walter Carzon
Inker: Horacio Ottolini
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Bob LeRose
Cover: Walter Carzon & Horacio Ottolini

Release Date: November 11th, 1998
Cover Price: $1.99 U.S./ $2.85 Canada

Summary:
Brain utilizes his own tabloid newspaper to take over the world.

Description:
Brain establishes a tabloid, the "Weekly World Inquiring Brain," which he plans to use to convince everyone that he's already the ruler of Earth. After the world embraces him, he is to be voted in at the UN. They vote him in, but all the people that Brain printed rumors about arrive, thanks to Pinky, and when the UN hears of Brain's lies, they rescind the vote.

Pages (out of 32): 12 pp.

AYPWIP:
BRAIN: Are you pondering what I'm pondering, Pinky?

PINKY: I think so, Brain, but aren't we out of shaving cream?

Quote of the Story:
[After Brad Pitts' guards beat the mice up.]

PINKY: Say, Brain, is that your kidney or mine that's bouncing down the street?

Review:
Matheny has co-written two episodes of the P&tB TV series, both of which are highly acclaimed by fans: "Megalomaniacs Anonymous" (with Charles M. Howell IV) and "All You Need is Narf" (with Charles M. Howell IV & Earl Kress). It's hard to believe that a man who co-wrote those two shorts could also write something as bad as this…

This story suffers from a lame setup and lame writing. First of all, why would Brain need to be voted in if he'd already "proven" that he was head of the world? And the mice are annoyingly out of character here—Brain is way too stuck on himself ("basking in the glory of being me," etc.), and Pinky, rather than being simply stupid, crosses the line to being a total jerk (the "loser" comment). He obviously knew exactly what he was doing when he "invited" the people from the photos at the end, since he makes the "Jerry Springer" crack. That's not stupid, it's just mean, which isn't Pinky at all. A very displeasing read. Highlighted only by Carzon's usual superb art (well, aside from the Clinton caricature…).

Rating: 0

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Title: Animaniacs: "Fashion Victim"

Writer: Joe Edkin
Penciller: Omar Aranda
Inker: Scott McRae
Letterer: Phil Felix
Colorist: Bob LeRose

Summary:
The Warners get Scratchy ready for a date.

Description:
When the Warners find out that Scratchansniff has a date tonight, they help to get him ready. But when his date (Haussie, from "Drive-Insane") arrives, she doesn't know him in his new clothes—she explains that she liked him because he'd never change.

Pages (out of 32): 4 pp.

Quote of the Story:
SCRATCHY: I haff to leafe early today.

YAKKO: Why? Is there a Don Knotts film festival?

WAKKO: Are you going to paint your nails? Bake a cake?

YAKKO: Shave a yak?

DOT: Bang a gong?

Review:
A pleasant story, with a few good lines. Note the "hasn't changed his pants in seven years" line, a reference to Dana Kurtin's "Communication Gap" (# 36). Perhaps a kiss-up to the new editor…?

Rating:   ˝

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Title: "Conspiracy Weary"

Writers: Sean Carolan & Jenn Moore
Penciller: Leo Batic
Inker: Dan Davis
Letterer: Phil Felix
Colorist: Bob LeRose

Summary:
Skippy drags Slappy to a conspiracy convention.

Description:
Skippy has suddenly become a conspiracy freak, and takes Slappy to a conspiracy convention, held by the "Weekly World Worrier." There, Skippy is completely ripped off as he spends his money on ludicrous speeches and stupid "protective" measures against conspiracies. So, he and Slappy finally blow the whole place up.

Pages (out of 32): 8 pp.

Quote of the Story:
[Several of the conspiracy freaks are mumbling amongst themselves.]

FREAK 1: …secret of Magic Shell!

FREAK 2: …inside golf balls…

FREAK 3: …knows when you've been sleeping…

FREAK 4: …soda and Pop Rocks…

Review:  
This story was Carolan & Moore's last for awhile, and is quite a refreshing breath of fresh air from the more mediocre stories being published at this time. Nice satire, good lines, fine artwork, and everyone is nice and in-character. Lots of fun. Note that blowing everything sky-high seems to be the writers' favorite way to wrap up Slappy epics…

 Rating: ˝