Boomer Express
| Boomer Express | |
|---|---|
 When it absolutely positively needs to be pouched overnight | |
| Author(s) | Tyrnn Eaveranth and Jakebe Sunraven |
| Website | |
| Launch date | 26 May 2002 |
| End Date | Ongoing |
| Genre | Fantasy, comedy, action |
| Rating(s) | NA
|
Boomer Express is a furry comic strip by Tyrnn Eaveranth and Jakebe Sunraven about a pair of kangaroos named Jared and Victoria, who work as delivery workers. This comic has very prevalent macro themes.
Plot[edit]
When the two 'roos are called upon to deliver a mysterious package to a top secret lab, they are attacked by a shady character, and the package, a mysterious talking orb, melds itself with Jared. He and Vikki are then chased into a portal to another world inhabited by shapeshifting golems. When Jared begins to grow in size, he learns the orb is a Dragon, and that he's gained the power to fly (and, by the end of the first year, discovers a power to sizeshift as well). Also, Vikki is taught simple spells. The dragon, though, was intended for a prince, in yet another world. One portal later, Jared, Vikki, and one of the golems are sent to a medieval world of knights and castles... and one very large ancient deity with which our heroes must do battle.
The story focuses on Jared and Vikki's roles as reluctant heroes, their budding romantic interest in each other and the larger magical conspiracy that keeps popping up in their lives. Both characters are slowly learning to master their powers and receive help from other adventurers and magic beings, plus some occasional scientific experiments gone awry.
The story shifts between the modern (or possibly near future due to the flying cars) setting that Jared and Vikki are accustomed to and the parallel medieval sword-and-sorcery universe of Pah'Slute. Magic remains a secret known by a select few in the modern setting, though magical beings, both good and bad, can use their powers in either realm. Just what Jared and Vikki's roles are in either universe have not been fully explained, thought it is clear that dragons are both rare and also noble guardians of various realms.
Characters[edit]
Jared Knight: A red kangaroo and employee of Boomer Express Delivery Service, he and Victoria drive a delivery van and drop off packages to various residents of town. A bit scatterbrained with a voracious appetite, he can be easily distracted by corned beef sandwiches. After a package delivery goes wrong, Jared accidentally becomes host to a mystical being that grants him the power to become a dragon. He is still figuring out the full extent of his powers while also being pleased to discover that with increased size comes an increased appetite.
Victoria Havencroft: A red kangaroo and Jared's co-worker, Vikki is certainly the smarter of the two, often acting as the brains of the duo. She can have a nasty temper when she wants to, which can grate on on Jared. While accompanying Jared on his adventures as a dragon, she is taught some magic spells by a golem impersonating her childhood friend Isa. Not quite as competent a magic user as she believes she is, mostly due to being intentionally mistaught by a traitor pretending to be an instructor, Vikki often times finds herself a damsel-in-distress to be saved by Jared's sometimes less-then-perfect rescue plans.
Gary Dill: A red kangaroo, owner of Boomer Express and Jared and Victoria's boss. Seemingly just a humble business owner, he appears to know more about the strange goings-on then he lets on.
Kaminovo and Kyominara: Demonic foxes and constant adversaries to the main characters, they show up, create chaos and generally try to bring about various levels of destruction. Originally assigned to destroy the Dragon orb, they now target Jared and Victoria frequently. Not without a sense of humor, they remain committed to evil acts like resurrecting various monsters.
The Mastermind: An as-yet undefined kingpin of the evil goings-on, this mysterious villain wants the Dragon orb destroyed and choatic monsters unleashed. Kaminovo and Kyominara take their orders from him.
King Montifort IV: A Brown bear and ruler of the land of Pah'Slute. A decent king, though he hasn't seemed to have an impact on his bratty son. It was his discovery of an ancient prophecy that eventually led to the involvement of Jared and Vikki in his kingdom's struggles.
Prince John: King Montifort's spoiled brat of a son, he is arrogant, self-centered and just a little devious. He was originally to be the recipient of the Dragon orb, though bad luck (or perhaps fate) put it into Jared's hands instead. Given to tamper tantrums, he looks down on commoners and especially dislikes Jared, who he sees as a thief who stole his right to become a dragon. Frequently gets chewed out by his father and others, but fails to learn his lessons.
Recurring themes[edit]
The comic frequently explores macro themes, with characters becoming enlarged due to either sorcery or science. Jared and Vikki appear to have an unspoken relationship, though neither has explicitly stated any affection more than just platonic.
Along with macro, transformation pops up frequently in the story as well. Jared's issues with being a dragon often are played for comedy purposes. The orb entity seems to be a separate consciousness from Jared and can communicate internally with him, leading to Jared receiving on the job training.
The comic also features some role-playing elements as well, especially concerning Adam Barrett, a raccoon friend of Jared and Vikki who enjoys LARPing and holds an unrequited love for Vikki.