Comic Review: Rick and Morty #51

Morty has a new best friend and there is gonna be some trouble

Overview:

Morty has brought his new friend, Nestor, to come to play at the house.  The kid is just the right amount of quirky to fit right in, and everyone seems to love him.  Everyone except Rick, who quickly chases the kid away. Confident that the child is an alien, Rick is questioned about his jealousy, which leads him to go sort things out with Nestor’s parents.

Surprisingly, Rick is correct about his assumption of the child being an alien.  However, his families intentions are anything but nefarious.  Unfortunately for Rick, he has already upset Nestor’s mother who now wants to kill him.  Though we all know Rick is not so easy to kill and he enacts his revenge, which causes the family to be forced to leave Earth forever.  Leaving Morty with his grandfather as his only friend in the world once again.

In an additional story, Jerry is met with an untimely Death which brings him to meet the Grim Reaper himself.  Jerry is quick to ask the spirit every burning question.  Though, his ignorance causes Death to lose his patience and send Jerry back to the world of the living.

Our Take:

Okay.  I have been reviewing this title for some time now, and I am continually asking why every Rick and Morty fan is not reading it.  I mention it in nearly every review, and I was pouring over the milestone fiftieth issue last month.  These comics are as brilliant as the original series, and this issue is a great example of that.  Every story is like a fresh episode of the show, bringing in new ideas, characters, and plots.  Which is a significant turn around from other comics-based-on-shows, which will often rest on its predecessor’s laurels.  Combined with Rick and Morty’s infinite possibilities, it makes for an excellent read, every damn time.

In this issue, an original side-character is brought in who could have easily appeared in the show.  He is a weird looking kid with some quirks.  Even the way he is introduced- like he has been there the whole time- is precisely how it would have been pulled off on television.  This is enough to get you onboard.  But, then we are offered the child’s complete backstory, and it is stranger than you could imagine.  I don’t want to spoil anything because “read this comic!”, but it involves a man and a computer (or possibly a house) getting it on.

What excites me most about this comic is how on-point the humour and dialogue can be.  Some jokes translate perfectly off the page that you can hear the character saying it.  There are dynamics between family members that might question a relationship but is typically within their usual banter.  I mean, Rick straight up tells Summer to “ go fuck herself” in this book.  There is always something for the biggest Rick and Morty fans to soak up.  And, in the case of this plot, we learn a little more about them as well.  What with, Rick’s raging jealousy and Morty’s inherent loneliness, it all aligns with the characters as we know them.

The second story in this comic is solid as well.  Maybe not of the same caliber, but substantial none-the-less.  It’s easy to enjoy Jerry’s questions for Death himself, considering the character you’re working with.  Plus, there is a reveal at the end, which shows that Jerry may be smarter than he lets on- or died on more than a couple of occasions.  This was a great addition to the issue, no matter how you look at it.

And, if you’re not convinced that you should be reading this comic book yet then I don’t know why you’re reading this review. This is a review for people that need to be convinced that they need to buy this issue. All I can say is, buy this issue.