The Flintstones #12: A Worthy Conclusion


With this issue, Mark Russell and Steve Pugh's landmark run on The Flintstones comes to a close. Over the past installment, they have routinely shown that it is indeed possible to turn a cheesy, pun-filled animated sitcom into a comic with a surprising amount of depth. Many articles have been written on the transformation, and I really have nothing more to say that hasn't already been said. On a personal note, I know what to say in regards to my own feelings.

Back when I first started reviewing The Flintstones, I felt skeptical. If you go back and read my review of the issue, you can see that I had misgivings about the premiere, finding it unnecessarily dark. Some of the other cosmetic changes also didn't gel with my notions of what a Flintstones series should be, such as the war plot and "yabba dabba doo" being changed into an anger management mantra.

After I promoted the review on Twitter, Steve Pugh actually responded, reassuring me of the world-building process. Over one year later, I can definitively say that he was absolutely right. The series manages to combine darker elements with ridiculous satire in a marvelous fashion.



This issue serves as a capstone to the series, embracing everything that we've come to love about the comic and tying up some of the loose ends in the story. From Gerald to the anthropomorphic animal appliances, the subplots are wrapped up in an efficient manner. I do wish that Mark Russell had more issues to flesh out some of the other concepts, Bam-Bam's origin definitely among them, but twelve issues and a crossover special is nothing to sneeze at.

It has been a pleasure to read and review this comic and I hope that Mark Russell, Steve Pugh, Chris Chuckry, and Dave Sharpe can continue to produce quality work for years to come. Who knows, maybe the upcoming Snagglepuss comic will bring about a reunion.

The Flintstones #12 is written by Mark Russell, drawn by Steve Pugh, colored by Chris Chuckry, and lettered by Dave Sharpe. You can find it at your local comic book shop.

Zachary Krishef is an evil genius. Do not question his knowledge of Saturday Night Live trivia or Harry Potter books.