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Title: The Mystery Cow
Series: Bone #9
Author: Jeff Smith
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 28
Words: 1K

Synopsis:

From Boneville.fandom.com

Everybody now seems to be betting on the Mystery Cow instead of Gran'ma Ben, but Lucius talks to Wendell, Euclid, Johnathon Oaks, and Rory. They tell him about how that they are betting on the Mystery Cow instead of Gran'ma Ben, however Lucius tells them that Phoney Bone is playing them for a bunch of saps. They then demand that Phoney shows them the cow or they'll take back their livestock and destroy his booth. When they go to see they hear a great deal of noise and racket, and are convinced they there is a monstrous cow inside. They head to the race, sure it will beat Gran'ma Ben. Meanwhile, Fone Bone meets Ted the Bug, who gives him advice on his romance with Thorn. Ted convinces Fone Bone to write love poems for Thorn. While he is making poems, the Two Rat Creatures attack him again, and he runs for his life.

My Thoughts:

Thorn gets jilted by Farmer Tom (Mr Muscles from the previous issue) as he explores the Fair with another dusky eyed woman. Thorn doesn't seem too broken up about it though, so we'll see if it has any lasting impact on the story.

Phoney. My goodness, I know I talk about him every issue but how has that guy survived this long? Of course, the group of people he's shown to be scamming are a bunch of dimwits (Smith is such an urbanite and puts his ignorance about the country on display for all to see) and I can see them falling for Phoney's line of bull. But some of these guys are BIIIIIG and I wonder that Phoney isn't worried about one of them trying to take his head off with their fists after they realize they've been scammed.

Fone starts writing poetry out in the woods and it was as cliched as you could expect. Him getting kidnapped by the Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures amusing though. The issue ends with a picture of the area Fone had been writing in abandoned and his letter lying on the ground.

I have to admit, I'm in NO rush to get to the next issue. Part of that may be because I've read the whole series already and kind of know where things are going, but really, since I read this back in '07 I've forgotten whole swathes of the plot and reading it this way (issue by issue instead of in one giant gulp) is like reading it for the first time all over again. Knowing that it is ended also helps curb any impatience I might have otherwise felt. This is not an action oriented series (unlike the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and so the slow pace I'm reading it at fits perfectly. I am on a slow boat to Boneville and am enjoying the scenery on the shore while drifting lazily down the river.

★★★✬☆ ( )