Ahead ofZootopia 2’sdebut this year, Disney andDynamite Comicsare teaming up to deliver a new comic series that follows Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde’s police career. Crushing together the seriousness of a crime thriller with the aesthetic of Zootopia, the series’ creator hopes to create a humorous slice-of-life that expands on the lives of Judy and Nick. The process behind the series’ creation, however, has been tricky.
In aninterview with AIPT Comics, theZootopiaseries’lead writer Jeff Parker opened up about the process behind creating this series as well as the challenges of creating a Disney comic. Parker is the same creative talent behindtheBatman ‘66comic serieswhich adapted the originalBatmantelevision show starring Adam West.
Already an expert at adapting big-screen media to the pages of a comic,Zootopiais sure to be just as charming as the original film. Fortunately for fans of the movie series, Parker has admitted thatnavigating Disney’s scrupulous standards ultimately created a smarter product.
Zootopia#1–Written By Jeff Parker; Art By Alessandro Ranaldi; Color By Dearbhla Kelly; Lettering By Jeff Eckleberry; Cover Art By Trish Forstner
As Jeff Parker explained:
“Disney has a team that reviews everything, but they’ve been surprisingly hands-off. They gave me notes here and there, but nothing that made me throw a hissy fit. At one point, I made up a new area, and they were like, ‘We never said that exists. I had to adjust. I wish I could pitch my own ideas for the map, but it all has to come from the top. I started to write a dog character before realizing, ‘Wait, dogs don’t exist here because wolves were never domesticated. It’s a world where every choice makes sense, even if those rules are never explicitly explained. You just pick them up as you watch or, in my case, write.”
Nobody has ever argued that Disney doesn’t uphold its content to the highest standards. When nearly everything about a franchise produced by the company is considered canon, writers and artists have to work around a very delicate preexisting line. While Parker admits that it was originally a creative struggle to have many of his ideas shot down, he ultimatelyenjoyed the challenge of working within the rubric.He credits much of the series’ pre-launch success to artist Alessandro Ranaldi. Parker praises his creative partner’s dedication to the character’s expressive personalities featured in the film.
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Parker further elaborated:
“Alessandro is doing what it took hundreds of animators to do in the movie — by himself. He captures the characters’ expressions and body language perfectly. It’s like watching the movie unfold again. You’ll see scenes like Chief Bogo handing out assignments, with Judy immediately arguing hers, of course. You’ll also get to see more undercover work, chase sequences, and low-level crooks — classic procedural storytelling.”
From the series' first issue, it is clear that the creative team succeeded in what they were hoping to accomplish; this comic already feels like a genuine sequel to the movie. The characters’ body language and facial expressions are as spot-on as they can be, capturing their animated counterparts’ unique charm. Likewise, the city of Zootopia itself has also been allowed to grow. Part ofwhy Zootopia thrivedis because everything in it feels like a fantastical reflection of real-world society. This is something that Parker explicitly wanted to capture.
Expect An Adventure As Dynamic As The Movie
Summing up his commitment to the franchise, Jeff Parker stated:
“What I loved aboutZootopiawas its ability to suggest deeper, heavier ideas beneath the humor. We’re carrying that forward. It’s character-driven, showcasing how Judy and Nick’s personalities mesh in their work.”
As Judy and Nick take on their first assignment, they are caught racing aroundthe sprawling cityscape of Zootopia. Through numerous establishing shots and expressive backgrounds, readers can see glimpses of the familiar yet fantastical society. However, it’s the ridiculous nature of the plot that really sells the first issue. Just like in the first film, Judy, now partnered with Nick, is given a straight-and-simple assignment from Chief Bogo that immediately goes awry, when the duo is thrust into a nefarious crime of exaggerated proportion.
The issue is a delightful introduction to the bustling world of Dynamite Comics’Zootopia, aseriesthat successfully recreates the charm and mystery of the original film.
Following are a series of explosions, hardened investigations, and a conspiracy begging to be unraveled, all contrasted against the bright and goofy aesthetic of the cartoon animals. Overall, the first issue isalready as delightful as Jeff Parker has promised that the series would be.Whether the plot of the comic will officially tie into the sequel film or not is currently unknown. Regardless, the issue is a delightful introduction to the bustling world ofDynamite Comics’Zootopia, aseriesthat successfully recreates the charm and mystery of the original film.
Zootopia 2
Cast
Zootopia 2 follows detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they embark on a complex investigation involving a mysterious reptile that disrupts the dynamics of the mammal metropolis of Zootopia. The sequel continues the adventures in this vibrant animal society where new challenges and enigmas arise.
