Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch #1

The fundamental ground for the current series of Monkey Meat isnt really all that different from quite a lot of other bits of satire that have found their way onto the comics rack over the yeas. What DOES make this particular series so much fun is Bas distinctive sense of hu,or which is staggeringly engaging on a whole bunch of different levels. Ba frames comedic elements with such an irreverent sense of inventiveness. Its really amazing stuff that wouldnt quite work in any other format. Its a good thing theres a comic book industry. Othewise Ba would just be a weird person with a weird hobby. Read Full Review

Juni Ba continues to push the boundaries of comics with Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch #1, delivering a vibrant, subversive, and wildly imaginative take on everything from corporate greed to superhero legacies. It's a mind-melting must-read! Read Full Review

The story of Thaddeus is an allegory for Publishers. It shows how they bring back creators again and again to continue squeezing whatever they can out of them. However, the story of Monkeagle & Monkey-Girl is a one-for-one metaphor for DC's Batman & Robin. Read Full Review

Black Comix Universe

Apr 09, 2025

So, what is Monkey Meat? Just as Donald Glover’s Atlanta is a surrealist take on the movie Friday, Ba’s Monkey Meat is a surrealist take on Disney’s Moana. In the first issue of Monkey Meat: Summer Batch we are reintroduced to Thaddeus Lug, a god-like being similar to Disney’s Maui, whose soul is in the clutches of a ruthless corporation. Ba explores the potential consequences of this Faustian bargain, mirroring Disney’s own appropriation of folklore for commercial gain. The result is a story that is both tragic and humorous in spite of itself. Ba furthers this idea with the introduction of Monkeagle and Monkey-Girl, a parody of Batman and Robin. In their story, Ba suggests that both superhero and fan are ultimately shackled to each other. An arrangement that seems innocent enough until the two somehow gain sentience and demand to be set free. more