The Nerdy Bird Adores – The Stuff of Legend #1

Jill Pantozzi | October 2nd, 2009

We all know The Nerdy Bird Adores lovey-dovey superheroes and inappropriate dirty jokes but what I adore the MOST are cute, quirky, little creatures. Dear god, prepare yourself. It’s almost as if The Stuff of Legend was made just for me.

From Th3rd World Studios, The Stuff of Legend follows a group of toys who are on a mission to save their kidnapped master. The young boy was stolen in the night by none other than The Boogeyman. Don’t go looking for any Ninja Turtles or remote controlled cars in this group, the comic is set in 1944. These classic toys are made from quality materials built to last and they’re determined.

Ok, so maybe not all of them. Some of them are cute little cowards who are just as scared of the Boogeyman as we all were. The boy means a lot to them but, according to some, heading into The Dark to save him is tantamount to suicide. Led by a toy soldier called simply Colonel, a small team forms: the Indian Princess, Percy the piggy bank, Max the teddy bear, Quakers the duck, Jester the Jack in the Box, Harmony the ballerina and the boy’s real-life dog, Scout.

Illustrated by Charles Paul Wilson III, the 50-page book is magnificent to look at. Even that is an understatement. I don’t think I’ve fallen this head-over-heals for an artist since I first saw David Petersen’s Mouse Guard, which, by the way, this comic is similar in size to. That’s part of what first caught my eye, it stood out on my local comic shop’s shelf. A quick flip-through and it was an immediate must-buy.

So, you might be thinking to yourself, “What are these adorable little guys going to do against the big, bad Boogeyman?” Well, there’s the twist. When the toys travel through the boy’s closet to The Dark, they transform into hardcore, kickin’-ass-and-takin’-names versions of themselves.

DUDE. Look at the teddy bear! But don’t underestimate the Boogeyman, he is fiendish to the core and ready for a fight. It’s not just him the rag-tag group faces in The Dark, it’s a legion of the boy’s discarded, vicious old toys as well and they’ve just begun their battle.

There is so much heart in The Stuff of Legend it’s palpitating off the pages. This is part one of a two-part introduction to the universe that the creative team of Wilson and writers Mike Raicht and Brian Smith hope will be just the beginning. Earlier in the year, Raicht spoke to Newsarama and said he came up with the idea after the birth of his son. “I saw him surrounded by his toys, most prominently a large, slumped-over Teddy Bear, almost as if they were all standing guard over him,” he said, “I wanted to create a fantasy world to tell stories in and for my son to enjoy.”

You might have seen a preview on Free Comic Book Day. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to pick one up but if you didn’t either, you can view the entire FCBD offering online. In my opinion though? Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Do yourself a favor and BUY THIS NOW. The cuteness factor in these pages is obvious, the talent is boundless.

EDIT: For my thoughts on issue #2 click here.