Josh and Rick

Josh and Rick
Josh (left) with Rick (right)
Appears in	Game Boy (In the Palm of Your Hand...) (1990)
Species	Humans

Josh Campbell and Rick Campbell, usually referred to as just Josh and Rick, are two teenage boys who appear as the main supporting characters in the Game Boy comic In the Palm of Your Hand... They live with their older brother Greg Campbell, an ensign aboard the USS Nimitz, as well as an unnamed mother. Josh is blond-haired and wears a blue jacket and green undershirt, while Rick is brown-haired and wears a red jacket, yellow undershirt, and aviator shades. Rick is usually portrayed as the more practical and cautious of the two teenagers, initially being skeptical of Josh's claims of being able to summon Mario from his Game Boy and more willing to flee from Tatanga's attacks as opposed to fight back, though his common sense lapses when he see beautiful girls. In contrast, Josh is portrayed as more courageous, willing to sacrifice his life to help Mario stop Tatanga.

History[edit]

In the Palm of Your Hand[edit]

Josh and Rick first appear in front of the entrance of the Wonder World Mall, where their mother bids farewell to them after dropping them off at the mall, telling them to return home for dinner by 7 pm. Entering the mall, they first enter Lev's 'Lectronics and ask Herman Smirch (who had been left in charge of the store by Mr. Levison) if he has any copies of Super Mario Bros. 3. When Herman, in trance and staring at his (stolen) Game Boy, refuses to answer, the two teenagers assume that he does not have it and leave. Walking towards the food court, Josh suggests to Rick that they should check Toy City to see if they have the game, though Rick refuses, saying that he wants to meet up with some girls that he saw when they entered the mall, telling to not be a "dweeb" in front of them.

At the food court, while Rick looks at the girls as Josh plays on his Game Boy, Tatanga's minions (who had been summoned out of Herman's Game Boy) fly past them and begin their takeover of the mall. Josh and Rick flee from their attack and duck behind a table. While behind a table, Josh spots Herman holding a Game Boy, along with Tatanga and Daisy, though Rick tells him to keep his head down, saying that they will see them. Josh mentions that only Mario can stop Tatanga and pulls out his Game Boy from his backpack, to Rick's exasperation. Rick mentions that the attackers are not characters from Super Mario Land, though Josh says that, if Tatanga can come to Earth, Mario can as well, beginning to call out to Mario through his Game Boy. As Rick prepares to flee from the mall, Josh manages to guide Mario through an extra door in the Muda Kingdom and summons him into the real world. As Mario wonders where Daisy is, Josh comments that he knew he would "come through".

Josh explains to Mario that Tatanga is loose on Earth and that he needs to help him and Rick. When Rick asks how he arrived in the real world, Mario explains that Tatanga must have opened a dimensional Warp Zone to Earth. Mario then begins to leave to track down Tatanga, though Josh is insistent on helping him. Rick explains that Tatanga's next target, the Windows on the World restaurant on the top of the World Trade Center, is across the Hudson River, and that they are not allowed to go there alone, explaining that their mother said that it is dangerous. When Mario asks of the location, Rick explains that it is New York City.

Taking a train to the World Trade Center station, which is under attack by Tatanga's minions, Rick mentions to Mario that they are in trouble. When Mario suggests that it is because Tatanga's engineers have rebuilt the station into World 1-3 of the Birabuto Kingdom, Josh explains that they will be in trouble with their mother when she finds out that they rode the train to New York City alone. As Tatanga's minions surround the three heroes, Mario tells Josh and Rick to stay back as he fights them off. Josh notices a Gao spitting fireballs at Rick and defeats it by slamming it with his backpack. He then explains that he needs to hit them from above to defeat them, and suggests that he should spend more time playing with his Game Boys as opposed to being with girls, to which he compromises by saying that it should be instead of homework.

As Mario laments that it will take forever to fight their way to Tatanga, Josh realizes that, if Tatanga's engineers rebuilt the train station as World 1-3, it has everything that the level has. He then tells Mario to hit the second block to the left of a Gao's perch, with Mario finding a elevator inside the block. Riding the elevator, Mario tells the two teenagers that he will take care of things from here on out, though Josh and Rick remind him that they are now a "power team".

The three heroes arrive at Windows on the World as Tatanga and Daisy are having a meal inside the Pagosu. Daisy expresses delight in Mario coming to her rescure as Tatanga orders Pionpi to have his minions kill Mario. As Mario comes to Daisy's rescue, Josh notices Rick hesitating and tells him to help Mario, though Rick comments that the situation does not seem to fare well in their favor. As Tatanga's minions surround Mario, Josh urges Rick to let him help Mario, though Rick reminds him that it is not game; they could be killed and does not how their mother will react. Josh responds that she would say to not disappoint his team down, convincing Rick to help Mario, but on the condition that he does not get involved.

When Herman uses a tray to knock Mario into the hands of Tatanga's minions, Rick rushes in and grabs Mario. Josh then arrives; when Rick asks how he managed to come, he explains that he crawled along the windows. Mario urges the two teenagers to escape, though they refuse. Josh then spots an arrangement of blocks, with Rick questioning why Tatanga's engineers constructing things that can help Mario; Mario explains that it is for their own comfort, but the things can be used against them. As Tatanga's minions begin to surround Josh and Rick, Josh tells Mario to hit the blocks, with Mario getting a Starman from a ? Block, making him invincible.

Using this power, Mario easily manages to defeat Tatanga's minions, planning to come for Tatanga next. Tatanga then orders his guards to bring him the Pagosu, though Daisy intervenes, saying that she does not want neither Tatanga nor Mario to be killed and wishes to be returned to her cell. Tatanga then orders his guard to open the Warp Zone vortext, with him and his minions entering it. Mario explains to Josh and Rick that he has to re-enter the Game Boy before the Warp Zone closes, or else he will be trapped on Earth. As Mario jumps into Josh's Game Boy, he tells them to call him again if Tatanga escapes again.

The police soon arrive, with one of the police officers spotting Josh and Rick. Josh wonders where Herman went during the fight, to which Rick responds that he escaped. Josh wonders if anyone will believe what happened to them, to which Rick responds that he hopes that their mother believes, though adds that they know what to do the next time Tatanga escapes. When Josh asks what they will do if Tatanga appears somewhere far away, Rick suggests that they should tell their friends, asking them to spread the word.

Team Play[edit]

While neither Josh nor Rick appear in Team Play, their older brother Greg can be seen reading a letter written by the former in his bunk. In his bunk, Greg remembers having heard about mysterious black clouds before and finds a letter written by his younger brother, which explains that the black cloud is a sign of Tatanga's presence on Earth and that only Mario can stop him, followed by an explanation of how summon Mario from a Game Boy. Reading the letter, Greg finds that his brother has "some imagination" and is incredulous to Josh's claims until he plays Super Mario Land and guides Mario through an extra third door, summoning him.

Names in other languages[edit]

Josh Campbell[edit]

Rick Campbell[edit]

References[edit]