"Star Trek #20 (DC Comics 1989-1996, 2nd Series)"

Trek fans, you’ve seen this issue before! Away team goes down to a planet. It’s in peril and about to blow up at any minute. The inhabitants don’t want to leave, until it’s too late and then…wait for it… That’s right, there’s a transporter malfunction, stranding everyone!

Despite the clichéd storyline, it’s a lot better quality than some of the other tales in this series. Let’s just see some original storylines from now on people.

"Star Trek #19 (DC Comics 1989-1996, 2nd Series)"

WORTH CONSUMING!

After about a half dozen of really poor stories, ST finally hits a winner.

Kirk finds himself having to write a eulogy for a “red shirt” who died in the line of duty saving the captain. The only problem, Kirk gets writers block because the crewmember hadn’t been assigned for very longer and the crew and himself didn’t really get to know him at all.

I wish that this was a totally original story. However, this was the plot to an episode of MASH, in which Hawkeye has the same problem when it comes to the death of a nurse.

Still, it’s a valiant effort on the DC staff and so, I give this the full 10 star rating.

"JLA: The Nail, Book Three"

WORTH CONSUMING!

The Nail comes to an end with an all-out battle against the biggest, baddest, most powerful enemy the Justice League as ever fought…Jimmy Olsen? I know this seems lame but it works. Just read the book. Then, you’ll see I was right!

"JLA: The Nail, Book Two"

WORTH CONSUMING!

The book is great- but things go from bad to worse for the Justice League!!! Some alien presence is building up a disdain for meta-humans and the world takes the Patriot Act to the highest level of fascism…EVER! The scary thing is that this book was written years before 9/11!

"Star Trek #18 (DC Comics 1989-1996, 2nd Series)"

What is wrong with this series? DC’s first Trek series was excellent. This second series just can’t cut it! I’m starting to get a little tired with it. As a loyal Trek fan, I feel that I must press on. I just can’t endure that many more stinkers.

"Star Trek #17 (DC Comics 1989-1996, 2nd Series)"

Anytime the Klingons are involved, it’s a great story. So, to have Kirk and crew teamed up with the Klingons should be an instant classic. There are some great scenes, but, this story is lacking that spark to make it great.

"JLA: The Nail, Book One"

Imagine a world without Superman. Oh, don’t worry! He’s out there, he’s just never been discovered.

In this Elseworld, meta-humans and aliens are looked at with disdain and the JLA finds itself in the middle of a public relations nightmare.

It’s the beginning of a great tale. The book’s best part is also the most chilling. The Joker forces Batman to watch while he destroys Batgirl and Robin. What makes this so vile- just what Joker does to them is never shown. But, it’s really bad. Wow!

Worth Consuming!

 

"Wonder Man: My Fair Super Hero”

Imagine My Fair Lady, only fighting replaces the singing and it stars superheroes. A novel concept, and if the writer would have stuck to this premise, I’d give it 5 big stars. However, the whole Henry Higgins boot camp to reform a brutal assassin ends ups being this jumbled ploy to destroy the Avengers. (I feel like I’ve read that story sometime in the past).

The best parts are the scenes that take place in the distant future. It’s a bleak outlook for planet Earth, with the only superhero remaining is Wonder Man (I didn’t know that WM was immortal, didn’t breathe, or turned purple when he used his maxmium powers until I read this story). Now, the big question is does this “future” exist in the same universe as the “Old Man Logan” storyline or somewhere else? I know that Wonder Man was written first, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen as the same time.

Predictably, the story also starts to looks less like “Pygmalion” and more like “Beauty and the Beast.” And of course, you know that when a superhero falls in love, it never ends well.

Worth Consuming, well at least the first 4 chapters are.

"Classics Illustrated Deluxe #1: The Wind in the Willows (Classics Illustrated Deluxe Graphic Novels)"

There is a reason why I never enjoyed this book as a child. I thought it was because I wasn’t old enough to enjoy it. Now, I re-read the book in the Classic Illustrated style and I feel like I am too old to enjoy the book.

The art is great. It’s full of George Perez style detail on every page and every single panel. I even enjoyed several of the chapters, especially the winter/ Christmas episodes. When it comes to a plot, then things get a bit confusing.

First of all, I have no idea what the author was trying to get across as the main theme. In Moby Dick, the theme is obsession. In Peter Pan, the theme is not wanting to grow up. But, in Wind in the Willows there are so many things that don’t even eventually have something to do with the story’s climax. Like the giant “Pan” character. What’s up with that? And why doesn’t he show up later on? I feel like something was left out or overlooked.

I guess the timing was never right to read this book in order for me to enjoy it. Would I recommend it to others? Maybe, but it’s gonna have to depend on the age of the reader. Plus, I’m not really sure girls would enjoy this as much as boys.

I give this book 5 out of 10.