Toy Story: The Return of Buzz Lightyear
TPB
Writer: Jesse Blaze Snider
Art: Nathan Watson
BOOM! Studios
Release date: May 5, 2010

What’s the most exciting return going on in comics today? The Return of Bruce Wayne? No, the Return of Buzz Lightyear!

You know, as I am being exposed to more and more kid-friendly comics, I find myself truly appreciating their appeal. Lighthearted humor mixed with a small dose of drama to propel a storyline is the perfect combination to make a successful all-ages and family-friendly story, whether it be traditional prose, television, film, or comics, and this Toy Story series from BOOM! Kids definitely meets the criteria.

With a story based on the popular Disney/Pixar franchise, the Toy Story comic book truly expands the universe of Andy’s Room. In Toy Story: The Return of Buzz Lightyear, Andy mistakenly receives a gift of another Buzz Lightyear who is so determined to stay in Andy’s Room and claim the title of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, that he fights and places our Buzz Lightyear into the new toy’s package and has him returned to the Toy Store.

What happens as a result of this brawl? What do Woody and the rest of the toys do to stop this madness and bring home their dear friend?

Without going into too much detail, because I honestly think fans of fun comic stories should pick this up, Woody and the gang go the rescue, while committing some felonies in their commute to the toy store. But when they finally get there, the new Buzz escapes and enlists the help of the Variant Buzz Lightyears to save him from the clutches of our heroes. Seriously, though, this is a fun book, so go check it out, I’m not telling you anymore about the story!

I picked up the first issue of this Toy Story run on a whim at this year’s Free Comic Book Day, and I was thoroughly impressed with all of the pop culture references that were clearly aimed at a more adult crowd, one example being a shark saying “We’re gonna need a bigger toy box.” And that’s something I’m noticing a lot more recently from animated films and family friendly comics, the writers are really trying to bring in a very wide audience, and in my case, it’s working. The story and pacing were matched perfectly with the colorful, popping art to move an interesting, and more importantly, fun comic book through four different chapters while barely noticing the length.

Although the book is a quick read, it definitely feels like a part of the Disney/Pixar universe and fits in perfectly with that world for any fans of Toy Story both young and old. The Return of Buzz Lightyear was a delight.