Groo the Wanderer #3 - Video Review by 80s Comics

All right, welcome back to 80s comics for the review of Groo the Wanderer issue number three from May of 1985. Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer is an incredible series that doesn’t get nearly enough attention these days. In fact, I don’t think it got enough attention back then. I always loved Groo. In my mind, it was this incredible parody of Conan the Barbarian, and maybe that’s what he was going for, maybe it wasn’t, but that’s how I look at Groo. I just thoroughly enjoy it, and I haven’t read it in years for one reason or another. I just tore through a couple issues that I’ve had forever and fell in love with Groo again for the second time, many years later, and I’m going to recommend that you do the same thing. Hang on to something, because these comics are amazing and they’re timeless. While Groo’s peak popularity in the US may have been in the 1980s, it doesn’t necessarily look or feel like an 80s comic. It’s just timeless.

Just look at the detail on the cover. That’s what you get through the whole book too. All the Groo issues, at least early on, have incredible detail from Sergio Aragonés, who was one hell of an illustrator. Really funny guy too. So let’s take a look at issue three, the first of many Groo the Wanderer reviews here on 80s Comics. Look at my man. He’s awesome. This is like hard‑boiled before hard‑boiled, unless you know, perversion. One day, the wanderer happened upon a family who had suffered disaster after disaster. Their home burned down, their possessions were pillaged, plus they all had the plague. Groo offered help. Keep away from us, Groo, we don’t want any real trouble. Groo generally causes more problems than he solves, and that’s why it’s funny. Someone is in need of Groo. Well, they’re probably not. But anyway, admire the opening spread. Just look at all the little details down in the corner. The guy’s tongue hanging out.

Groo was great bang for the buck because they don’t cost all that much today. They’re a little bit more than Transformers and G.I. Joe and some of the more common 80s comics, but you could spend hours admiring each panel and all the details. Facial expressions are great too. This issue is very poignant for today’s dysfunctional society. Groo helps this traveler in need, who gives him a medallion even though Groo wanted money. He got a medallion instead. So Groo rocks his medallion and walks into this town where everybody hates him because he’s wearing the medallion. And of course Groo has no idea why. They think he’s a Hetita because he’s wearing the medallion, and Groo has no idea what that is.

He does not want to be a Hetita. He throws the medallion away and goes to another village where they hate him because he’s not wearing a medallion. You have no medallion, you must be a Melanita. This is like that Dr. Seuss book where they butter bread on one side or the other, basically a reflection of the Cold War. Everyone hates Groo wherever he goes because he’s wearing the medallion or he’s not wearing the medallion, and in the end everybody just kills each other. The only thing that’s disappointing about Groo the Wanderer is that the paper quality and ink quality aren’t all that good. Not sure if these have been reprinted or not, but they would benefit from a nice reprinting. And then there’s this great part where he gives the medallion to a beggar, and then the king comes by and the beggar is wearing the right medallion and gets all of the king’s money. I love that shot on his face.

Groo just can’t win, but you win when you’re reading Groo because it’s hilarious. Then he enters a town where they don’t care if he’s wearing a medallion. And this is the best part, because even though he’s found this village with a fragile truce between the medallion wearers and the non‑medallion wearers, he enters the wrong sports bar. It’s like he wears an Eagles jersey into a Steelers bar. I know nothing about football, that’s all I’ve got. Pennsylvania proud. I hate you Hetitas. I hate Melanitas more. And look, we’ve got these kids down here yelling die, die twice. It’s just such a great comic. The whole series is like this too. There are highs and there are peaks and valleys. So poetic. There are highs and lows like any comic book series.

If you think this looks good, this is pretty much what you get from Groo the Wanderer, and I’ve got a couple of the earlier issues I’ll be reviewing. Number twelve here. Pretty soon another really good issue. I didn’t stick with the series for all that long back in the day, probably because I spent all my money on G.I. Joes and Transformers. You generally don’t get this kind of art quality these days in comic books. Just the character and the personality. Groo the Wanderer is an absolutely fabulous read. The first of many here on 80sComics.com. Highly recommended. Hunt this one down or any of the old back issues. Call your local comic book shop and have them send you a bunch of back issues. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it, and then you’ll have something to read and spend hours admiring the details. Groo the Wanderer.