Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang

Zipy and Zape are iconic Spanish comic book characters come to life in ZIP & ZAP AND THE MARBLE GANG. Pre-teen troublemakers Zip and Zap are sent to reform school due to somebody’s effort to turn them into useful members of society. And when they get to the gloomy castle that is the Hope Re-Education Center, they have to turn in their toys and forget about fun. Miserable boys in Hogwartian uniforms are kept in line by a one-eyed disciplinarian named Falconetti and his fascist stooge “Heidi.” With Zip and Zap in residence, though, many rules are soon broken, and the brothers form a gang of fun-loving kids who wreak havoc on their tormentors. But it seems there’s a mystery deep inside the Hope’s catacombs. Aided by Falconetti’s niece Matilde, the gang solves old-fashioned puzzles to move perilously close to the heart of the labyrinth. A roller coaster ride of visual delights, ZIP & ZAP has a charming retro feel. (In Spanish with subtitles) —B.B.