Review by Karl Verhoven

Evil Emperor Penguin lives in his secret base in Antarctica, with his assorted assistants united in one aim: to rule the world. Actually, let’s correct that: TO RULE THE WORLD!!!!! Sweetest and cutest of the assistants and frequently the downfall of any evil plan, is Eugene, a cuddly furry bubble in an orange safety helmet.

Anyone who grew up watching Pinky & The Brain in the 1990s is going to find the set-up comfortingly familiar, although the intended audience of youngsters won’t know anything about that and the premise is eminently recyclable. EEP plots and cackles, forever anticipating the success of his latest scheme, only to discover that somehow it’s been subverted, so in the opening story the giant robot penguin doesn’t shoot laser beams from its eyes, but strands of wool that knit into jumpers. EEP never learns the lesson that subcontracting the work to his minions, especially Eugene, is a mistake. Still, we’re all safer for that.

While EEP’s plans spark the plots, others become the focus of Laura Ellen Anderson’s stories, with the title character shouting from the sidelines. Eugene, a reduced abominable snowman, is centre stage much of the time, but Anderson’s also enamoured of EEP’s arch-enemy, Evil Cat. For a short spell he takes over the strip when Eugene goes to work for him. Also on hand is the cultured monocled octopus Mister 8, butler, cook and secretary, and as long as he has a job, he’s not greatly concerned about taking over the world. Phrases such as “I think he’s hiding under some blankets in the Bedroom of Evil” are drily delivered.

Anderson’s cartooning can bring to life an assortment of characters without much in the way of facial features, and she knows when to undersell a joke for maximum effect. The overall result is a series of funny stories that kids should love.

Antics in Antarctica reformats the larger pages of Evil Emperor Penguin’s first compilation into the paperback size David Fickling Books now prefer for their graphic novels, but nothing is lost in the process, and the result is a thicker book.