Funnies, The

Twelve-year-old Marius is on the run from the Government. Hes the only one in the whole nation that values his sense of humour. Everyone else was de-humoured at birth well, most people were. Yet somehow with Marius there was a glitch. He is captured on the run, but this time its not the soldiers. He has been taken by The Funnies renegades who, like him, somehow escaped the zappers at birth, but were betrayed by their loved ones. Marius meets their leader Clown, plus Punchline, Slapstick, Stand-Up, Dummy (and his wooden owl, Too-Wit), Corny, Sick, Sarky, Mimic, Poo (yes, sorry) and Mime. He is entranced kindred spirits fellow laughers. His loyalties are put to the test when The Funnies snatch his best friend Peter, humourless son of Mr. J, the Deputy Minister of Humour. Marius dreams of being able to make Peter laugh.  Could the de-humouring be reversible and if so, could he restore the humour of an entire population?