Rick and Morty

Rick and Morty, the unlikely pair at the heart of the hit Adult Swim cartoon, happily bring their signature blend of brainy sci-fi and surreal, warped mayhem to print. When dissolute genius Rick builds a device to predict the future of the stock market, he and his bumbling teenage grandson, Morty, hit the big time. But time cops catch on to their scheme, and they're sentenced to prison in a torturous labyrinth. That's a tidy metaphor for most Rick and Morty plots, since Rick has his fingers in just about every parallel universe, so moments of sentimentality can easily turn on a dime with an interdimensional leap (and a knowing wink to the reader), hurtling hapless Morty in myriad disorienting directions. Though readers unfamiliar with the show might be thrown off by the idiosyncratic speech style, it's a pitch-perfect replica of the voice actors' performances, and the artwork, full of exaggerated cartoon shapes and grotesque creatures, expertly mimics the animation. With intelligent plots and lowbrow jokes aplenty, this is tailor-made for older teens.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2015 Booklist

Aside from the normal difficulties inherent in being young, such as school and the trials and tribulations of parents, siblings, and friends, Morty also has to deal with his grandfather Rick, a cracked scientific genius with authority issues. Under Rick's belch-fueled tutelage, the daringly duplicitous duo embark on various outrageous adventures, including making a fortune in the stock market by manipulating multiple universes to ensure maximum profit, getting arrested by time police and sent to a death-maze of Rick's design, and experiencing a haunted campground in the land of dreams. Rick's crazy ideas keep them one step ahead of the problems he instigates, while Morty tries to maintain a level head and survive. Verdict Based on Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland's (adult swim) animated cartoon, Rick and Morty walks a shredding tightrope among slapstick, pathos, and hilarity, with unexpected twists and a healthy sprinkle of nutty sf concepts thrown in for good measure. The anthology nature of the stories means some pieces are stronger than others, but all are imaginative and will appeal to fans of weird sf humor that borders on the psychedelic. Fans of the original series will see new takes on their favorite characters.-Douglas Rednour, Georgia State Univ. Libs., Atlanta © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.