It's a Small World After All

It's a Small World After All
Publisher	Valiant Comics
Label	Nintendo Comics System
Artist(s)	Dennis Francis, Art Nichols, Jade, The Gradations
Writer(s)	Mark McClellan, Bill Vallely
Release date	July 1990[?]
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It's a Small World After All is the second issue of Valiant Comics' Game Boy comic book series. The title is a reference to the 1964 song of the same name, the song itself being featured in the same issue. This issue is notable for being the first issue to feature gag headlines from the International Enquisitor.

Plot synopsis

At Newark airport, a girl named Tannis Rhodes is introduced to the stewardess of her flight. The girl is excited she is going see the space shuttle at Cape Canaveral, but she is reminded by her sister she is going there to see her grandmother. Though Tannis bids farewell to her family as she is invited to visit the cockpit of the aircraft, her sister is more preoccupied that she reached World 4-1 of Super Mario Land and is about the beat the game.

In Piscataway, New Jersey, Herman Smirch is yelling at kids outside his apartment. Herman calls his mother and explains Tatanga needs his help to escape the video game world. Believing him to be insane, his mother implores him to get back home and get rid of his Game Boy. Herman packs his bag and gives the Game Boy to the kids playing outside.

Herman takes a walk, but he soon becomes possessed by an urge to activate "the gateway." He throws a brick at the front window of an electronics store and grabs one of the Game Boys on display. A police officer tries to apprehend him, but Herman simply punches him unconscious. He heads to a back alley and activates the gateway, summoning Tatanga and his minions.

Tatanga's forces take over the plane.

Explaining that his beloved Princess Daisy has become sadder than usual, Tatanga tasks Herman Smirch with finding a suitable vacation spot, the latter suggesting he could take Daisy to Disney World. Ten minutes later, Tatanga's troops blast a truck whose driver refused to give up his vehicle, and hijack a semi. They head to Newark Airport with Herman as the driver, despite his protestations that he does not know how to drive with a stick.

Once at the airport, Tatanga orders Pionpi to make "travel arrangements" and set his sight on taking over a nearby plane. While the flight crew is showing Tannis the various instruments in the cockpits, Herman and Tatanga's forces board the plane and order to fly the plane to Disney World.

While in flight, Tannis explains to Eliana she heard they can summon Mario through a Game Boy. Not satisfied by the flight speed, Tatanga orders the engineers to rework the plane. Tannis blurts out the Space Shuttle can fly five miles a second, prompting Tatanga to ask her where the shuttle is.

The plane lands in Florida and Tatanga orders every human onboard beside Tannis to leave. It resumes course and lands in Cape Canaveral where they find the Space Shuttle. While Tannis is amazed by the interior of the shuttle and mentions her desire to become an astronaut, Pionpi notes the craft is still primitive compared to what he is used to, but that once various modifications are made, they can resume course to Disney World. Tatanga, however, has another location in mind.

The Space Shuttle takes off to the confusion of the maintenance crew. Tannis is worried by her predicament, causing Herman to insult her. He ravishes himself and gives her his jacket as he notices she is shivering. She finds the Game Boy in his pocket and gets an idea.

Seeing Earth from the space shuttle's windows, Tatanga asks Herman what it is, who explains to him it is the entire world. This gives Tatanga the idea to rebuild the shuttle into a battleship.

Tannis tries to summon Mario but finds she is not good enough at Super Mario Land. Tannis makes contact with NASA ground control and ask them to direct her call to her home. She asks her mother to send Rebecca so that she can explain to her how to get past World 1-3. With Rebecca's tips, she beats the level and summons Mario.

Mario charges at Tatanga's forces, but they quickly surround him and seal him inside an astronaut helmet. They attach the helmet to a space suit and throw it out of a airlock. Floating in the vacuum of space, Mario notices the internal components of the spacesuit resemble pipes and gets to work.

Inside the space shuttle, Tatanga is determining who is to blame for summoning Mario. Herman Smirch tries to defect the blame to Tannis, but Tatanga holds him responsible in his role as Keeper of the Gateway. Before he can give Herman his punishment, Pionpi interrupts to point out that the space shuttle is falling and the ship's instruments have been sabotaged. Mario pops out of an airlock and explains that he managed to get back to the ship by following the spacesuit's air hose. Tatanga's forces try to warp back to Sarasaland, but as Tannis is still in possession of the Game Boy, they are forced to make an emergency landing.

Daisy tricks Tatanga into retreating.

On the ground, Daisy fakes an injury, prompting Tatanga's forces to go back to the game world to give her medical attention. Mario explains to Tannis that he needs to get to the warp so he can continue the war against Tatanga, but she assures him that she can take care of herself. Herman leaves the shuttle and is asked to leave the crash site by two police officers for not being dressed properly. Tannis leaves the shuttle, finding animatronics children singing "It's a Small World."

Quotes

• Why couldn't I be rescued by something out of Tetris?! I can play that game! - Tannis
• It worked!! Mario!!
  Boy, I thought you were never going to get me past that Nokobon! You did your job kid – Now, beat it and let me do mine! - Tannis and Mario
• And I thought Brooklyn was a cultural wasteland… - Mario

Trivia

• The story was reprinted in The Best of the Nintendo Comics System and Super Mario in: "Tatanga Invades Earth".