CYKO KO! #1 Review
By Ralph Simbulan (@qualitycontra)
Cyko KO!: “Tangled Up in Doom!” is part one of a limited three issue limited series published by Alterna Comics, whom with their tenacious spirit are bringing back issues hot from newsprint presses. Created, written and illustrated by Rob Feldman (lettered by Peter Simetti), Cyko KO is sure to be the campy escape of the summer.
In the beginning of my consciousness, I caught the re-runs of the golden age of television. Shows like Happy Days and Scooby-doo, ChiPS and Hawaii 5-0, their theme songs rattled through my little head and became part of my library of songs that emerged during times of bored childhood and family car trips. It is this campy surf world of canned-laughter and hummable theme songs that Rob Feldman’s CYKO KO! draw from.
We meet our hero Cyko KO driving up the coast in his van, surfboard atop, with his best gal Peachy Keen by his side. They’re coasting through Superearth Sector 17 towards Surf City after a five year absence, and Cyko is more worried about his high pinball score more than a video chat with Kreskin (who by the sounds of it, is trying to get Cyko from vacation and back to fighting villains). The ol’ surf van reaches its destination, Dippy’s Donut Dive. Like “Happy Day’s” Arnold’s and “Doug’s” Honkerburger, this is the place where hypothesis and conclusions are made, both accompanied by comfort burgers and shakes (in this case, “Swooshees” and vanilla glazed donuts). Cyko KO and Peachy Keen’s waitress is the buxom Dolphina, who takes Cyk’s order and tries to not convince Peachy K that she’s a third wheel. Amidst this harmless visit to the Dive, in comes our story’s villain, CUDA CANO and his crony-lite, LIL’ KAHUNA! With their matching outfits and matching bad attitudes, they show off how they’ve ruled supreme during the last five years, crushing Cyk’s pinball score to a cheering mob and gloating about how Cuda has won every surf competition since Cyk’s been gone. Cyk’s ego is hurt, but Peachy Keen reassures him that he could redeem himself… at tomorrow’s surf-off!
What I like about Cyko KO is that it is genuinely fun. He’s the slacker surf hero I’ve been waiting for. Feldman uses the medium of nostalgic sitcoms, even using its shortcomings to poke fun at itself in the process. Cyko KO’s fourth-wall breaking humor and Hannah-Barbera stylings bring us a comic book both hilarious and familiar. Cyko KO is sure to be the campy surf escape of the summer!
Rating: 9.0 out of 10