The Muppet Show Comic Book: Muppet Mash

"Muppet Mash" is the third story arc in the Muppet Show Comic Book series. It replaces the previously planned arc "Guest Stars" (featuring Hamlet, Sherlock Holmes, Cleopatra, Victor Frankenstein and Galileo Galilei).

"Muppet Mash" was written and drawn by Roger Langridge, and features spoofs of Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein.

The first three issues feature the comic book's first recurring sketch, "Link Hogthrob, Monster Smasher", starring Link Hogthrob, Miss Piggy, and Dr. Julius Strangepork (under the name Dr. Hugo Strangepork). This segment appears in place of "Pigs in Space", which had rarely been absent from any previous issue ("Pigs in Space" is also absent from part 4).

Issue #8: Part 1: Chickens of the Night

• Release date: July 28, 2010

Characters: Gonzo, Pops, Kermit the Frog, Statler and Waldorf, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Camilla the Chicken, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Scooter, Sam the Eagle, Dr. Teeth, The Swedish Chef, Rowlf the Dog, Hilda, Wuffles, Animal, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Beauregard, Hunchback, Rizzo the Rat

Background Characters: Sweetums, Zoot, Chickens, Rats

Gonzo comes back from a vacation in Transylvania, now dressed like a vampire and also behaving as such. This convinces the other Muppets, with the exception of Kermit, that Gonzo has become a vampire.

Eventually, Kermit agrees to confront Gonzo about his behavior. Kermit and the others walk into Gonzo's dressing room, now decorated like a vampires room, and find Camilla tied up and see what appears to be Gonzo trying to suck Camilla's blood. However, they learn that Gonzo was practicing a new bit that he planned on making a surprise, in which he unties Camilla using only his teeth. Gonzo then answers everybody's questions concerning how he has been acting, all of which have logical explanations. Later, Kermit asks Gonzo if this vampire thing will be permaneant, and Gonzo informs Kermit that it won't, as it's affecting his health.

Meanwhile, Scooter convinces Kermit to do a vampire-themed show due to vampires being all the rage at the box office. Sketches include "Casey Was a Bat," "Henhouse of Horror," "Gourmet Time with The Swedish Chef," "Veterinarian's Hospital" with Fozzie as the patient, "Link Hogthrob: Monster Smasher," and "Interview with a Gonzo".

Cover A

Cover B

Issue #9: Part 2: That's a Wrap

• Release date: August 25, 2010
• Characters: Statler and Waldorf, Kermit the Frog, Mrs. Keppel, Calistoga Cleo, Miss Piggy, Poob, Fozzie Bear, Scooter, the Pharoahs, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Floyd Pepper, Gonzo, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Strangepork, Janice, Pops.
• Background Characters: Chickens, Robin, Animal, Dr. Teeth, Lew Zealand, Zoot.

The story begins with Statler and Waldorf looking over the show's playbill, and they are disgusted by the new acts, like "Orville Twang And His Kung-Fu Owls". They remember some of the older, and better, acts. Meanwhile, backstage, it is revealed that one of Statler and Waldorf's favorite old acts, Calistoga and The Fandango Pharaohs, is going to be on the show that night. Miss Piggy gets hypnotized by Calistoga Cleo into believing she is old. When Miss Piggy asks Fozzie how she looks, Fozzie mentions a wrinkle, and gets tossed onstage.

After a few bad jokes and the usual heckling, Fozzie gets offstage for Calistoga Cleo and the Pharaohs. When Statler and Waldorf realize this, they apologize to Fozzie. At the end of Cleo's act, Statler and Waldorf are nowhere to be found. It is revealed that they are trying to meet Cleo, but they each attempt to make fools of each other before Cleo's manager, Mrs. Keppel. Statler finally gets to meet Cleo, but is interrupted by Mrs. Keppel, who brings Waldorf in. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy talks to Kermit about age, and accidentally pushes him down a flight of stairs. Outside, Scooter notices Statler and Waldorf talking about Cleo, and realizes they are about to duel over her.

Backstage, Kermit is in a wheelchair for three weeks, and the duel for Calistoga Cleo is about to kick off. At the very end, Cleo chooses Pops over both Statler and Waldorf. Later, in Cleo's dressing room, Statler and Waldorf discover that Cleo is 126 years old next month, and has been using Formalde-Hide skin cream. As they exit Cleo's dressing room, they discuss Mrs. Keppel. In the last panel, they begin to fight over her.

Sketches include a monologue from Fozzie Bear, "In the Praise of Older Men", "Muppet Labs", "Link Hogthrob, Monster Smasher", and "The Pyramid of Geezer".

Issue #10: Part 3: Monster Munch

• Release date: September 22, 2010

Characters: Mildred Huxtetter, Pops, Howlin' Jack Talbot, Dr. Teeth, Janice, Floyd Pepper, Zoot, Animal, Rizzo the Rat, Wuffles, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Statler and Waldorf, Scooter, Miss Piggy, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Lonesome Stranger, Sweetums, Gonzo

Background: Beauregard, Lew Zealand, Rowlf the Dog

Legendary singer Howlin' Jack Talbot is the guest star, which pleases Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem at first. The Electric Mayhem provides back-up to Howlin' Jack on his songs, but halfway through the songs, Howlin' Jack leaves the stage, while a wolf comes on-stage. Meanwhile, Rizzo overhears Howlin' Jack mentioning that he has a secret that he doesn't want the others to know about. The Muppets also notice that it's the night of a full moon, leading them to suspect that Howlin' Jack is the wolf who keeps showing up on-stage when Howlin' Jack disapears.

Eventually, The Electric Mayhem decides to confrotn Howlin' Jack about it, with some help from the Lonesome Stranger. When they corner Howlin' Jack in an alley, Howlin' Jack realises that they think he has been transforming into the wolf, and reveals that the wolf that keeps coming on-stage is pet, Wuffles. He also reveals that his big secret is the fact that he keeps forgetting all the lyrics to his songs, save for his biggest hit, "The Monster Munch." However, after the show ends, Kermit and Scooter look outside and see that Howlin' Jack is in fact a werewolf after all, but choose not to tell the others.

Sketches include "Little Red Riding Hood", "Doggone Dallas Blues", "Muppet Labs", "Crypt-Kicker Kate", "Link Hogthrob, Monster Smasher", and "The Monster Munch".

Unused cover

Issue #11: The Curse of Beaker

• Release date: October 20, 2010

Finally noticing how much Beaker has gone through over the years, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew decides to invent a robot version of Beaker, to give Beaker a break from all his work. However, each robot that gets built causes power outages at the theater. Eventually, Bunsen realises that the robot needs a human brain. Bunsen wants to put Beaker's actual brain inside the robot, and offers to replace Beaker's brain with a Poob named Hugh, which will run around inside a ball. Beaker offers to do the transplant himself, but when Bunsen isn't looking, he puts the Poob into the robot's brain. The robot then runs amok in the theater. Eventually everybody realizes that Beaker put a Poob into the robot, and they lure it with Poob food. Finally, they decide to put the robot on an exercise wheel that generates power to the theater.

Translations

GermanDie Muppet Show
Band 5: Gruselgewusel
EGMONT, Ehapa Comic Collection
Released May 2012
ISBN 978-3-7704-3562-3

Preview Issues

• ToughPigs 5-page preview of issue #8
• ToughPigs 5-page preview of issue #9
• ToughPigs 5-page preview of issue #10
• ToughPigs 5-page preview of issue #11

See also

The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets The Treasure of Peg-Leg Wilson Pigs in Space On the Road Family Reunion Muppet Mash The Four Seasons	Muppet Classics: Muppet Robin Hood Muppet Peter Pan Muppet King Arthur Muppet Snow White Muppet Sherlock Holmes
	BOOM! Motion Comics: The Muppet Show

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