Ben Edlund's The Tick has done surprisingly well for an independent comic book---and in a variety of forms, no less. First published under the NEC banner in the mid 1980s, The Tick was created as a mascot for a Boston comic book store by the 17 year-old Edlund. Filled with colorful characters spoofing the all-too-serious superhero world, The Tick soon became a cult favorite. Perhaps the most literal incarnation of Edlund's work arrived in the form of an animated series less than 10 years later, as "The Tick" became a Saturday morning favorite and, eventually, a bonafide franchise. Action figures, an underrated live-action series, the works.

Many fans consider the animated series to be the purest translation of "The Tick"---and for visual reasons alone, there's no argument. Though a substantial degree of the comic's adult humor was swept aside---including the title character's origin, which originally painted him as an escaped mental patient---the goofy, free-wheeling heart of the story was left intact. Several of the original printed stories were adapted for the small screen (including Episode #2, "The Tick vs. Chairface Chippendale"), which omits a major supporting character but still captures the spirit nicely.

The animated series' debut season (airing from 1994-95) introduced new fans to The Tick, Arthur and a heaping handful of colorful, over-the-top characters. True to the original series' mentality, The Tick poked fun at the world of superheroes without coming across as mean-spirited or cynical. The grotesquely odd villains on display would've felt right at home in the world of Dick Tracy: with distorted features and self-descriptive names (like Chairface Chippendale, for example), their distinct appearances and personalities made them truly memorable. Likewise, The Tick's quirky contemporaries---including Die Fledermaus, American Maid, Sewer Urchin and Arthur himself---often stole the show without overshadowing our boy in blue. The first season did a fantastic job of setting the tone for the two remaining years---and though the second collection of episodes isn't quite as consistent, there's plenty of comedy gold here. The voice talent for recurring characters is also largely the same across the board, with one major exception: Rob Paulson (Raphael from the original animated TMNT) now voices Arthur, taking the reigns from former Monkee Micky Dolenz.

Highlights this time around include "Armless But Not Harmless" (in which our heroes have their arms swiped by a rotund villain and her bumbling sweetheart, as depicted on the cover), "The Tick Loves Santa" (featuring a cornucopia of Kris Kringles and one of the series' most memorable one-liners), "Heroes" (a parody of police reality show extraordinaire COPS) and "The Tick vs. The Big Nothing" (in which The Tick and Arthur are caught in the middle of galactic warfare). There truly isn't a bad episode in the bunch, though it's safe to say that some episodes aren't as memorable as others. In most cases, the strength of each episode rests squarely on the supporting characters: The Tick and Arthur rarely initiate the large-scale problems and conflicts, so it's up to the villains to carry most of the momentum. More often than not, the episodes breeze by with goofiness and reckless abandon.

NOTE: As with the first volume, one episode is notably absent from this collection (#15, "Alone Together"), presumably for legal reasons. The first season's missing episode (#11, "The Tick vs. The Mole Men") wasn't exactly one of the strongest, but "Alone Together" is a great episode that will be sorely missed. Buena Vista may include either one with the third and final season release, but let's not hold our collective breath. For now, let's see what's included:

Presented in their original 1.33:1 format, The Tick vs. Season 2 looks good but not excellent. Colors are fairly bold and bright, but mild levels of edge enhancement and digital combing keep this collection from scoring higher. These problems shouldn't hinder your overall enjoyment of the episodes, but they're notable drawbacks nonetheless. The audio is roughly on the same level, as the included English and French 2.0 Surround tracks boast clear dialogue and sound but little in terms of punch. Optional English captions and French subtitles have been provided for all 12 episodes.

Packed full of quirks, quips and colorful characters, The Tick vs. Season Two does an admirable job of following in the first season's footsteps. Once again, the exclusion of one episode and the complete lack of bonus features are a real disappointment---and to make matters worse, the technical presentation still isn't a highlight, either. Still, those with fond memories of The Tick will find that these episodes still hold up nicely after more than a decade. Here's hoping the third and final collection (which should contain the final ten episodes) will bring a few extras to the table, but it's not a likely scenario at this point. Die-hard fans of The Tick should pick this up for the right price, though casual fans will be happy with a rental. Recommended.