We begin with protagonist Skipper Matthews [What a stupid name] reading his favourite comic book about supervillain, the Masked Mutant, who’s currently fighting superhero the Galloping Gazelle [Played by Adam West!]. His parents enter his room so Dad can scold him because Skipper’s not supposed to be reading comics until his homework is finished, and Dad’s not happy because collecting comics is all Skipper seems to care about [It’s a hobby, leave him alone, Dad!]. It’s dinner time now, and as they leave the room, the Masked Mutant appears to be coming out through the page [I wonder if that’s gonna be explained].
The next day at school, Skipper excitedly tells best friend Wilson how the newest issue shows the Mutant’s lair for the first time ever, but Wilson’s more interested in his own boring rock collection, which he collects because they’re easy to find – ‘”No matter where you are, you’re always near a rock.”‘ [He’s got a point!]. Unbeknownst to the boys, the Masked Mutant is watching them from the bushes.
Skipper’s got an orthodontist appointment after school and on the bus, and we briefly see the Mutant catching a ride on the roof before a girl named Libby strikes up a conversation. She collects comics too, but not cool ones like the ‘Masked Mutant’, so he explains all the reasons why superhero comics are awesome. He ends up missing his stop and gets off the bus at the next opportunity, and as he tries to figure out where he is, he spots the Masked Mutant’s [CGI] pink and purple headquarters and practically froths at the mouth!
That night, Skipper tells Wilson about it, who suggests the author of the comics took inspiration from the building rather than the headquarters leaping off the pages [Makes a lot of sense]. The next morning, Skipper catches an early bus to the same stop he got off last time, but now there’s no building [!!!]. Back at home, Skipper has a package waiting for him – a special edition of the ‘Masked Mutant’, and in it, the Mutant mentions an invisibility curtain around his headquarters, so Skipper concludes that the real-life version must be hidden now too.
He catches the bus back to the spot [This is a lot of bus rides], and Libby’s also there this time [The girl literally pops out of nowhere]. She doesn’t recall a building ever being here though, and when he tells her his theory about the invisibility curtain, she realises why his parents named him skipper – ‘”When they handed out brains, you got skipped”‘ [Hahahahaha got em].
Skipper explains that in the comic, people could walk right through the invisibility curtain and would see the headquarters on the other side, so that’s exactly what he and Libby do. Sure enough, the headquarters is there and the pair let themselves inside [Little burglars]. Skipper feels some kind of electric jolt thingy which I’m sure will mean something later before they walk down the colourful corridor [They’re literally just walking on the spot in front of a green screen though hahah I love ’90s budgets] and eventually come to an elevator.
Libby thinks Skipper’s crazy for thinking this is the headquarters of a character from a comic book [Got a better explanation, Libby?], and Skipper decides the only way to know for sure is to ride to the top floor. The elevator takes them down instead, travelling way too fast and the pair find themselves in some sort of basement, with no choice but to explore after the elevator refuses to work again.
Libby somehow disappears pretty quickly, but instead of going back the way they’d just come to look for her, Skipper pushes forward while searching for her [Don’t you think you would have noticed her if she was in front of you?]. A door opens in front of him, and inside are several folders containing artwork of characters from the ‘Masked Mutant’ universe, and another folder with drawings of Skipper [!!!]. Skipper hears a noise behind him and expects Libby, but instead the episode ends as the Masked Mutant strolls in [!!!!].
This is a two-parter, so my final thoughts will be with Part 2!
