Mammoth: Chasing the Rainbow: Chapter 8

Continuing Cosmic Comic Productions ongoing series, Mammoth - Chasing the Rainbow - Chapter 8 carries on the saga of Mammoth, an anthropomorphic sunflower who along with the rest of his botanical shipmates now find themselves marooned on a desert island with their tyrannical captain searching for a long-buried treasure.

Fully appreciating Mammoth: Chapter 8 does require some context, which can of course be obtained within chapters one through seven and which those partial to a casual YouTube session can (and should) seek out to enjoy in order to get the whole picture. It is fair to say that without it, Mammoth: Chapter 8, while still enjoyable in its own right, will likely still leave you wondering somewhat as to the what’s, who’s and why’s of the whole thing, coming in at this chapter being a bit like jumping onto a moving train.

At times, the story of Mammoth: Chapter 8 (and in a way that of the rest of the series itself) is a bit meandering, never really settling on what plot point it wants to drive forward with, and you get the sense that there might be a few too many ideas going on at once, leaving us unsure of what world is trying to be built here. There is lore and backstory to digest for the completionists, story-lines, ideas and themes that are progressive throughout each of these installments, giving the whole thing more depth than one might imagine at first glance however, it just seems to shuffle through its ideas and pick one up and put it back down again a bit too often.

But that aside, creator Matt Check’s passion project does have a lot of merit, joining a growing collection of talented web-series creators with a passion for storytelling through animation. The animation itself is basic however, Mammoth: Chapter 8 sees the continuation of the warming evolution of Check’s skills with his medium, these shorts now having moved on to being a lot more than simple still frame montages, instead now boasting much more fluid movements of characters and better dynamicity of its action set-pieces.

There is still room for more polish and smoothing of edges sure, but Check clearly knows where their strengths lie, and while they hone and improve on those animation skills, Check’s ability to imbue these plantae protagonists with a real sense of distinct personality does well to bring that animation alive, with great attention paid to the finer details which more often than not really help lift the piece. Check is also able to make the ideas and themes intended present and clear and has an annoying knack for leaving you waiting to see what happens next.

As mentioned, Mammoth: Chasing the Rainbow: Chapter 8 is better served with context and understanding of the wider, let’s call it a universe? But it definitely has its qualities, and it’s great to bear witness to Check’s evolution as a creator and storyteller.