Review by Frank Plowright

Kyle Starks took over writing most Rick and Morty scripts midway through Book Two, and with a single exception writes all the longer material here, and many of the shorts. It’s no coincidence that the longer story he didn’t write is the weakest in this hardcover selection.

While all Starks’ material is good, there can be ups and downs according to the assigned artist, the weakest of which is Starks. He’s a passable artist, not a good one, and strangely not able to bring the best out of his scripts. Pair him with primary artist CJ Cannon, though, and the results are generally comedy gold, and this collection includes one of their best with Earth under threat of invasion from an incredibly ferocious alien race who’re also socially awkward. The threat provides a few funny moments, but it’s the interaction between the main cast that’s so appealing, with some great rants and temper tantrums from Rick, as per Cannon’s sample art.

It’s also clear that Starks is stretching himself slightly. The best story features successful sentimentality, and another is almost straightforward drama that only fails because some humour is needed. It’s further distinguished by the watercolours Benjamin Dewey applies to his cartooning.

The longest Starks and Cannon contribution is the three chapters exploring the idea of a Jerry who’s not only competent, but is also his world’s pre-eminent intellect. Unfortunately for the multiverse, he’s not satisfied with that. The variations on the cast, especially Rick, multiply throughout, it’s interesting seeing Rick beaten for once, and Starks conceives a great way out of the corner he’s painted himself into.

Marc Ellerby illustrates all eight accompanying shorts, and writes half of them also. They’re all good, yet absent when the remainder of the content is republished as the second Rick and Morty Compendium. Alternatively you can find everything over the two trades Rick and Morty Volume Five and Volume Six.