After giving last weeks review (Chapter 2) of TGWTM a dissapointing review, I'm hoping this week will be a happier review. Let's see ...
Is it terrible to admit that I like what I see ... from the neck down at least? Never mind. Forget I said that.
The Story/Review
We start off where Chapter 2 left off. Where did Beetlejuice take Lucy? To his roadhouse. Well, that's one mystery solved. Beetlejuice seems pretty proud of it, saying it's the pits. Lucy says it sure does smell like one -cue American sitcom laugh track-. Beej takes a seat, picks a beetle out, and swallows it whole to the displeasure of Lucy. He asks what does she want to do? She asks what is there to do in the Neitherworld? Lots apparently, according to Beej.
Just as they're discussing what they would like to do, Beetlejuice has some unexpected company. That of Jacques, Monster, and Ginger. For some odd reason, I want to type out Ginger's name as GINGAH! Only because that's how I say it ... don't ask. Lucy let's out an awkward hi and they look shocked. Shocked because emo Beetlejuice can actually get a woman in his home. Alright, less salty, James. Get over last week. It's a new week! Full of new beginnings! Okay, so Monster confuses Lucy for Lydia even though she looks nothing like Lydia. Lucy stares in amazement at Monster. She likes hairy men according to her Tinder profile. I'm kidding. Beetlejuice says, it's not her, you big oaf. It's Lucy ... Lydia's daughter. They then have Beetlejuice arrested for kidnapping. No. That didn't happen. Although, it would be funny if it did and totally un-expecting; something some of these Beetlejuice fan fics could do every now and then. Like not having Beetlejuice and Lydia being a couple or Beetlejuice has an "adorable" high school crush on Lydia, but he won't tell her, bladdiby blah blah. No! I will not let it go! They're surprised and for some odd reason Jacques looks sad. Not only is he a fitness skeleton, but he is also a sensitive skeleton. Pfft ... wimp.
They ask what she is doing there and Lucy says she is his new friend. Jacques says, "Huh?!" I know! You don't consider anyone their friend until you get to know them. For all you know Beetlejuice could be a foul-mouthed, perverted, tries to marry an underage living girl ... but so far, we have his emotional twin brother, so it's all good (-says to himself- it's a new week! Stop being an asshole!). Beetlejuice tells them he worked things out with Lydia ... more like was scolded by her and didn't stand up for himself whatsoever, even though he should, given the circumstances that SHE was in the wrong, but ... reasons. One thing lead to another and ta-dah! They're friends.
Lucy tells them they were about to check out the Neitherworld and Jacques wants to join them. He wants to get to know her -suavy eyebrows- Jacques is a gentleman and kisses Lucy's hand. Beetlejuice is excited that Jacques is paying, even though he didn't say that, but Monster says it's not just a free night on the town, they want to know everything. Well, who the hell does he think he is? This isn't a social club. This isn't a secret society. It's between Beetlejuice and Lydia ... and everyone who's read this comic. Beetlejuice tells him to get him wasted and he will spill his secrets.
We then get a corny montage of them walking through a mall. All smiles, everyone's having a great time. But oh no, Lucy slips and Beetlejuice catches her. -sighs- Teasing a relationship between the two already?
Okay, cool part. I looked at this for a moment and went ... ohmygod! It's ... It's ...
It's Jack Skeleton! ... as a chair! Okay, that's all. Let's get to some drama! ... Tasty ... tasty ... drama.
Although, before fans of this comic hate me even more (and I bet they do or will when someone get's a whiff that I've been reviewing it), emo Beetlejuice doesn't make an appearance and instead, he for the most part, acts like Beetlejuice. Good job! As you can see, Jacques asked Beetlejuice what happened and Beej called her a bitch. To be fair, she was a little bitchy in the last chapter. Not telling someone why they abandoned someone they were close to is a bitch move. Fair is fair. Do I imagine Beetlejuice calling her a bitch though? ... Hmmm. Maybe? So, I won't criticize that.
Jacques is mad he would call her a bitch. He has virgin ears, Beetlejuice. Stop being so insensitive! Beetlejuice blows it off ("whatever") and now Monster is mad for using the b to the itch word. Beetlejuice doesn't care, he just keeps putting the booze to him. Beetlejuice tells him to back off and we almost see a scuffle, but nope, Jacques plays peacemaker, pays for the drinks, and they both leave. BORING! But, eh, I can imagine Jacques being peacemaker, so nothing wrong with it.
Lucy has made a friend, who asks, "Are you really a fleshy?" That's offensive! ... I think? Lucy says, "If it means human, then yep!" Wait? How did the other lady know she was human then if Lucy didn't blab about it? Well, whatever, the dead lady thinks it's cool, so who gives a crap? Security comes along, carrying Beetlejuice, asking Lucy if that's her ghost. Without her even answering, the guard just shoves Beetlejuice into her. At least wait for an answer? And why would he assume that Beetlejuice and Lucy are together? Unless Beetlejuice pointed to her or made reference to her, but he didn't. Minor nit-pick. Just a little one.
Lucy decides it's time to bring Beetlejuice home. Lucy is telling him that after she get's him home, he can tell her how to get back home. After all, it's getting late, and Lydia may kill her. Ummm, yeah. Leaving with a ghost who has the hots for your mom, but is also pissed off at her, may not sit well with her. But suddenly, Beetlejuice looks pissed. Never explained why he's mad. Is he afraid of being alone again? Does he have any ... alternative motives with her? Hmmmm ... I'll stop. Maybe it's explained later, so I'll ignore it. I tend to review this as I read it.
He tries to con her into staying by saying there's still some party left in him. But Lucy thinks he may have had too much to drink. Beetlejuice says there's no such thing as enough as he's dead and can't die from alcohol poisoning. Fair point, actually. He runs away as Lucy runs after him, she does need him to show her how to get back home.
We now go to a casino where Beetlejuice is already in an intense game of poker. Like I said, that was quick. Is Beetlejuice really that fast at running to have enough time to get into the casino, grab his chips, find a table, and sit down ... oh and he's on a roll, so he'd have to win at least a couple games before Lucy got there. Or maybe he's like me playing cards and thinks one win equals to being on a roll. Oh, wait. Lucy's been there with him the entire time and he has told her that's his last game. I think a "Few minutes/hours later" thing would make more sense just to fill the people in. Little knit-pick there. Beetlejuice tells her to pretty much back off, he's winning.
She tries to argue, but he tells her to go buy a drink. Okay, wouldn't another ghost know how to get back to the Outerworld? Couldn't she just find someone? I mean, that could be potentially a good little plot to this chapter: Lucy has had enough of Beetlejuice's bullshit, tries to find another ghost to help her back, she does, but he abducts her ... etc. etc. Beetlejuice comes to his senses and saves the day. But I'm not the writer. I'm just saying, I'm sure if anyone else was in that position, they'd find someone to help them out, because "fuck this guy" (this guy being Beetlejuice.) Beetlejuice advises her it's not going to be much longer. She walks away, he goes back to his game. She asks an intimidating looking bartender if they have anything to drink without poison. Damn. What bars do you go to Lucy?
Suddenly there's a loud bang and Lucy hides behind the bar with another lady. She asks what is going on. The askee (not a word ... don't care) tells Lucy a guy pulled out a gun and started shooting at the poker tables. Lucy looks worried and asks if she saw it for herself. She must have, because she explained who was there and one of the descriptions matches Beetlejuice. That's all Lucy needed to know and she zooms off.
Now, more criticism. Why would Lucy be worried about some guy shooting off a gun when ghosts are already dead and can't be killed again? Unless this is a special gun that can kill ghosts, but this is never established.
And that's not the end, but I'm ending this part of this review, because the review is already long enough and this chapter is pretty big, so I'm going to break it up into parts.
What did I think?
To be fair, it was a lot better than Chapter 2's almost unbearable snore fest. I know that's kind of a kick in the teeth, but it's really how I felt. There were a few problems that I already explained, but I didn't really go over what I liked about it.
Thing is, for the most part, Beetlejuice acted like Beetlejuice, even though in some areas I thought he was kind of out-of-character, but at least he wasn't a sap like in the previous two chapters. I just thought in some areas, in particular the poker part, where he was being kind of a dick. I could imagine him telling her to buy a drink (which he did), but not say it with malice. More like a cocky grin, tells her to buy a drink, and smacks her on the ass or something. But that was pretty much the only time I felt Beetlejuice wasn't being himself. Again, I know this an adaption, but it's just how I felt around that area.
The other thing is, again, I have to compliment the writer/artist for doing an excellent job with Jacques and Monster (I just realized now that GINGAH! wasn't a apart of this chapter - oh well, still keeping it in). They act just like their cartoon counterparts and I can picture them saying/doing what they did in here. So, again, good job.
The art is something I'm still trying to become accustomed to; I don't understand why the artist made Jacques, Monster, and Ginger look like they did in the cartoon, however, Beetlejuice doesn't look anything like Beetlejuice, except for the suit. Again, anime Beetlejuice (people do agree with that - yes, people do read these reviews ... I know, even I'm surprised.)
Lucy is still charming in her own way, but is quickly starting to wear out her welcome. She's too cliche in some areas.
But like I said, I do have some criticisms about this part of the chapter, but it was still much better than the previous chapters. Hopefully it improves even more as the pages turn.
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Read more of my reviews of this comic as they became available.
Prologue/Chapter 1 Chapter 2 <---> Chapter 3 Part 2/? (coming soon)
Beetlejuice Related Reading Material
Nice *Bleeping* Sequel! (A blog I wrote when news was running rampant about a Beetlejuice sequel)
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Check out more of BlooeyedSpazz (that's the artist of The Ghost with the Most) at these links:
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