# The Flintstones (2016 comic book)

The Flintstones is a comic book series based on the 1960-1966 animated sitcom created by Hanna-Barbera. The series was published by DC Comics as part of the Hanna-Barbera Beyond comic book initiative. The 12-issue limited series was written by Mark Russell and drawn by Steve Pugh, with the first issue published June 6, 2016, and the twelfth and final issue published June 7, 2017.

## Main characters

* Fred Flintstone
* Wilma Flintstone
* Barney Rubble
* Betty Rubble
* Pebbles Flintstone
* Bamm-Bamm Rubble

### Recurring characters

* George Slate
* Reverend Tom
* The Great Gazoo
* Professor Carl Sargon
* Clod the Destroyer
* Vacuum Cleaner and Bowling Ball
* Stony Danza
* Thorstone Pebblen

## Plot summary

The story takes place 100,000 years in the past in the town of Bedrock, one of the first civilizations to be established after tribes grew up with hunter-gatherers. Fred Flintstone is one of the top employees at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company, providing for his wife, Wilma, and his middle school daughter Pebbles. Wilma is an aspiring artist who primarily focuses on handprints to reflect upon her upbringing, while Pebbles is a relatively intelligent student with an interest in music and science.
Fred and his best friend, Barney Rubble, participated in the Bedrock Wars, where they and other soldiers were deceived by the conqueror, Mordok the Destroyer, into committing genocide against the Tree People and burning down their home to establish Bedrock. Barney and his wife Betty raised the infant sole survivor of the Tree People as their son, Bamm-Bamm. The "Loyal Order of Water Buffalos Lodge" from the original show is instead depicted as a veterans group the two attend to help them deal with the trauma of the ordeal.

### Issues #1-4

Fred's boss, George Slate, decides to hire a group of Neanderthals to work for him, believing they would bring some additional muscle for minimal cost. He tasks Fred with showing them around Bedrock and how to work to convince them to stay, promising he'd promote him to his foreman if he succeeds. He then hosts a party for them, during which one of the Neanderthals ends up getting frozen in ice and displayed in a museum in modern day. The Neanderthals turn down Slate's offer, dissatisfied with the job and Bedrock, costing Fred his promotion.
Wilma's paintings get accepted to be displayed at the Bedrock Museum of Art. When she and Fred attend the showing after Slate's party, she is dismayed to find it was put outside next to the restrooms, where it is ridiculed by art snobs. Wilma explains to Fred the significance of handprints to her tribe, giving Fred a deeper appreciation of her and her work.
After witnessing the first television broadcast, Fred and his family attend the grand opening of the Bedrock Mall and buy several animal appliances. He is overwhelmed by the amount of appliances he and Wilma have purchased, leading him and Barney to become salesmen for a vitamin pyramid scheme to afford all of it. Wilma tells Fred she values human connection over material possessions and he should return anything that bothers him. When Fred gets store credit for one of his returns, he uses it to adopt a small purple dinosaur, which he names Dino.
Meanwhile, Reverend Tom, who leads the Church of Animism, attempts to get the people of Bedrock to worship different animals as gods, but they are dissuaded after finding out the animals used are appliances. Tom settles on getting them to believe on an invisible god named Gerald.
Bedrock is later visited by a group of green alien explorers, who record the territory for their database. A few days later, a large group of teenage members of the alien species arrive on vacation, where their reckless behavior turns into full on assault of the town's residents with their disintegration rays. With the help of her science teacher, Carl Sargon, Pebbles reaches out to the aliens' parents to report their activities, while Fred, Barney, and their veteran friends fight them off until their superiors arrive. The aliens leave behind one of their top enforcers, the Great Gazoo, to oversee the development of the humans.

## Crossover

The Flintstones crossed over with Booster Gold in Booster Gold/The Flintstones Annual #1 on March 29, 2017.

## Reception

The Flintstones comic has received positive critical reviews, with many praising it for its humor, characters, and political and social commentary. It was nominated for two Eisner Awards: Best Limited Series and Best Humor Publication and a Harvey Award for Book of the Year..