#42 The Last Laugh (30th Anniversary Review)

[tomswift2002]

Published: August 1990
Publisher: Archway Paperbacks (1990-1997?)
Author:  Unknown as of June 2021

Plot: When comic book killers get serious, the action heats up.

ATTACK OF THE FLAME FIEND

A San Diego comic book convention tuns into a real blast when guest speaker Barry Johns, legendary publisher of Zenith Comics, is kidnapped. But the Hardys can hardly believe their eyes. Johns is abducted by two characters straight off the illustrated page -- the Human Dreadnought and Flame Fiend!

Frank and Joe's investigation leads them into a confrontation with a rogue's gallery of comic book villains come to life, each armed with sinister, super-sophisticated powers. But the boys are determined to have the last laugh by unmasking the criminal mastermind behind the crazy comic book caper.

Review:  I'm just starting my re-read.  But this is another of those Casefiles covers that's a classic!  And I think the US cover is better than the UK cover as the UK cover seems to have a gorilla as the Flame fiend, plus I don't like the angle.  Also on the US cover, that pose of Joe getting ready to punch the guy, and Frank leaping over the flames—-Classic!  And it's more in that comic book style which works with the story.

Now then this isn't the first time that the Hardy's have dealt with comic book characters.  Back in the 1980 novel, The Apeman's Secret, the Hardy's investigate a cult that uses a comic book character to commit crimes.  (https://www.hardyboyscasefiles.com/forums/index.php?topic=2948.msg77069#msg77069). It's also interesting how Chet is in bothe Apeman and Laugh.

Then there's also The Secret Of Sigma Seven from 1991 where the Hardy's are at a Sci-Fi convention and battle crooks that dress as characters from sci-fi series, including a few comic-turned-TV/Movie characters.

And then of course in the Undercover Brothers, the last stand alone mystery was at comic convention in Comic Con Artist.

Of course, in 1995, the title, The Last Laugh was used for an episode of the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew TV series, but aside from the title nothing was carried over to the episode, and the Hardy's are joined by Nancy Drew, not Chet Morton.

Speaking of Chet, on page 2 of The Last Laugh, for some odd reason he is called Chet 'Morgan', even though the author had called him 'Morton' correctly on page 1.

[MacGyver]

As a comic book fan, I love this book and that great artwork! Looking forward to the review.

[tomswift2002]

So Frank and Joe investigate what's going on at the comic con, and eventually discover that it was all a ruse by Barry Johns, the owner of Zenith Comics, in order to get insurance money.  It appears that Johns is near bankruptcy because of a film project that went bust. 

I really didn't like how the book turned to the Hardy's searching for person they met in Chapter 1.  There were better plots for the criminals. 

The comic book villains used in the book seem to be riffs on Marvel characters: Flame Fiend—-Pyro, Human Dreadnought—-Juggernaut.

Also this book seems to take place after Fright Wave
Rating:  6.5/10

[NZone]

I don't like the title. The Last Laugh makes it seem like the comic books are comic strips - meant to be humorous. It's a pun that doesn't work.

[MacGyver]

That's a fair point but you can also look at it like a stereotypical line from a super villain about getting the last laugh. I think it can work in that sense.
   I think I mainly just liked how the villains actually tried to make it look like they had superpowers in the book. It reminds me a bit of Scooby-Doo, which I also love.