Many of us grew up with The Flinstones, the cartoon about life in the Stone Age. It was fun, wacky, and light, and we fell in love with Fred and Wilma Flintstones, and their friends Barney and Betty Rubble. Now, Hanna-Barbera reimagined the lovable story into a dark and edgy comic, and it’s really cool. And sad.
The new Flintstone’s comic is led by DC, with the story written by Mark Russell and designed by Steve Pugh. It features the same characters while tackling new issues such as monogamy, homosexuality, racism, snobbery in art, and animal abuse.
We all know the loving relationship between Fred and Wilma, but in the new world, it is seen as a taboo. They are often ostracized by their neighbors, who tell them to “go back to the sex cave like nature intended.” It’s jarring to see a sentiment like that, but homophobia existed in the Stone Age. When the Flintstones visit a marriage retreat, the reverend turns away a gay couple Fred is close to.
Racism is also rampant in the Flinstones’ world. This time, the people look down on neanderthals, with Fred’s boss Mr. Slate exploiting them (while inaccurately calling them cro-magnons) to save money. Even Fred’s best friend Barney has a few thoughts about “cavemen.”
Vilma plays a more active role in the comic. Here, she is an artist struggling to make a name for herself in the art world. The snooty critics put her down, but we learn the story behind her paintings of handprints. The series prominently features backstories, which add a nice layer of depth.
One of the saddest story arcs in the Flintstones comic is the one involving animals. In the cartoons, they play a lawn mower, a dishwasher, and a record player. But what happens when they’re not used? The comic sadly answers this. But why do they do this? Again, a backstory.
The comic series is not available for purchase yet, but it is expected to be available March 28.
What do you think of the series? Share your thoughts below!
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