Review by Ian Keogh
Einstein Armstrong is a genius, Sugar Ray Huang is an MMA heavyweight champion and Desiree Danger is a three time winner of a Good Leadership award. Together they are Hashtag: Danger, investigators of the unknown and threatening.
A parody of 1950s DC comics, especially Challengers of the Unknown, drawn in the style of Archie seems an odd starting point in the 21st century, but it’s likely most readers won’t realise the inspirations and just revel in the silliness served up by Tom Peyer. Chris Giarrusso draws the origin story, handing over to Randy Elliott for the team acquiring a time machine, before illustrating the remainder. He’s a good match, managing cartoon comedy without exaggerating too much, a process that would kill the jokes.
The basic premise is the three protagonists have vastly different personalities and beyond that plain don’t like each other. They’re amoral and they’re money hungry, and yet somehow always manage to come out on top against aliens from the future, an egg in the sewers, and their own doppelgangers. Or do they? Panic on Dinosaur Mountain is probably best read a story at a time, as it’s a one-note joke that just about manages to see out a single volume due to Peyer’s ingenuity when it comes to placing the team in ridiculous situations. The continual arguing and point scoring rapidly wears thin. Part of the joke that doesn’t transmit as well as it did in the individual comics is each cover showing a scene that doesn’t actually occur within.
Funny in short bursts makes for the ideal bathroom reading.
