I’m reviewing this comic because I just recently learned that it was just picked up by Fox for an animated series adaptation. To congratulate their celebration, now is a good time to review Axe Cop.
Title: Axe Cop
Author: Malachai Nicolle (writer), Ethan Nicolle (artist), Kailey Frizzell (colorist)
Start Date: 2009
Genre: Action, fantasy, sci-fi, comedy
Update Schedule: Tuesdays
Website: http://www.axecop.com
Synopsis:
Axe Cop, the world’s greatest policeman, travels through space and fights crime and the forces of evil with his partner, Dinosaur Soldier. He also teams up with other heroes (including the famed Dr. McNinja) and entire alien races with unicorn horns on their heads to defeat the most evil overlords such as King Evilfatsozon and the King of All Bad Guys.
Recommended Age Group: 12 and up. There’s violence and decapitations, and minimal blood.
Strengths:
The writing is OFF THE CHAIN. The adventures of Axe Cop are just the imaginations of a hyperactive 5 (now 8) year old child, and his older brother literally interprets them into art. It’s the perfect combination of exaggerated humor and insane action.
The art is fantastic is well. It perfectly fits the wacky universe of Axe Cop and its inhabitants.
Weaknesses:
Not everyone would be invested in this comic’s wacky humor; in fact, some people might be turned off by it. Fun fact: I actually discovered this webcomic from another reviewer who completely trashed it. As we grow older and mature, we develop a certain mental threshold for realism, and some readers may find it painful to sit through.
Another inherent flaw is that the characters are one-dimensional. Again, we need to keep in mind that these are stories made up by a kid who isn’t even in his double-digits yet, so I feel that readers need to be more forgiving in this regard.
Verdict:
I give this comic a wholehearted recommendation. I haven’t seen anything this over-the-top since Tex Avery’s MGM cartoons. Just be careful when exposing your children to this comic.
Also, a side note: Ethan Nicolle draws another webcomic, Bearmageddon, which is nowhere near as chaotic as Axe Cop (it’s by a different writer), but it’s still worth checking out if you enjoy his work.