Rocko's Modern Life #2

It’s been a long time since I saw an episode of Rocko’s Modern Life, but this trip down memory lane was the perfect substitute. The zany plots abound with Rocko’s pet dog having a severe stomach issue and then Rocko and his cow-pal Heifer crash their annoying neighbor’s house and become the life of his office party.

 

The gross jokes, off-the-wall puns, and bizarre look at Australian wild-life are captured in living color. Sadly, much of the art looks nothing like the characters of this classic Nickelodeon cartoon of the mid-90s.

 

Despite that, it’s still worth consuming.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos #1

Some stories need more than one issue to tell them. This one-shot celebrating Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos is one of those issues. Sent on a mission to recon a Nazi railroad built in Yugoslavia, Fury and Co. end up becoming allies with a Russian spy and run afoul of Baron Zemo, Baron Strucker, and Major Tito. It’s an epic story squashed into 32 pages (give or take.)

 

With few pages and tons of actions, some scenes are over in just a couple of panels. It’s like reading a video montage of a war movie, yet there’s some vital plot work occurring here and not enough time is given to its resolution.

 

A good tale, just much of it is very rushed and makes for uneven reading at times.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

"Justice League America #100"

This 100th issue starts out great. All three versions of the League are present trying to iron out this whole open membership debacle that nearly wiped everyone out in issues 96-97. Then the Snazz and Flash take Blue Beetle and Booster on a tour of the spaceship, only to discover it’s making more Overmasters in light of the alien warlord’s death. Then Lord Havok, now possessing the brain of Max Lord attacks.

    

And then wouldn’t you know it? The cliffhanger come and I now have to have an issue of Warrior to finish it! I hate when this happens! Geez- put a disclaimer or something!

This is such a major pet peeve of mine.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

"Justice League America #99"

The field trip of Wonder Woman, Nuklon, Hawkman, and Crimson Fox isn’t going very well. Something strange is going on what with the curious absence of children in this town.               

Thankfully, the day is saved by … Blue Devil?

An enjoyable mystery. The main villain is creepy, but he’s got that terminal disease know as “monologuing” and with his lengthy speeches, it appears his case is incurable.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Justice League America #98

Max Lord is dead again and when rumors that he was killed by a vigilante female with frigid powers, Fire decides to investigate if Ice has returned from the dead. Added to this excitement, Checkmate scrambles to get an insider with the League again and sets up a way for Blue Devil to spy on the League unknowingly in order to advance his acting career.

Plus, some Leaguers agree to help a young girl find out the mystery behind spooky things happening in her hometown.

Once again, fantastic plotting. Plus the comic pairing of the Snazz and Flash is classic! Another great issue by Gerard Jones and company.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Justice League America #97

The battle continues with this version of the League pitted against the insane brother of the very first issue’s villain.

There’s been some really awesome cliffhangers between the last issue and this one. I really don’t want to give away a spoiler. You’ll really have to read it for yourself.

Awesome issue! Great twists and turns. Really good plotting.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Justice League America #96

Way back in the pages of Justice League #1, Max Lord hired a mentally unstable guy to pretend he had a bomb and to hold up the United Nations. It was Lord’s madcap scheme to get the League back together. I guess invitations were too expensive.

Well, now it’s about a dozen years later and that crazy guy’s brother has come for revenge.

I’m glad that they finally address this. I’ve been wondering for a while just who and why that guy decided to take out the entire U.N.

The characters are wonderfully written. The art isn’t bad. It’s a like cartoony with that overly muscled 90s style. But, it’s not anywhere as bad as anything drawn by Rob Liefeld.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

DC Special #14 (1968-1977, 1st series)

This special is a 70s era collection that reprints the exploits, if not the origin of 4 DC super-villains. You’ve got Toyman kidnapping Lois Lane in a toy castle of death, Penguin using his array of umbrella’s to trick Batman and Robin into getting trapped in an abandoned factory and then fire and ice take on the Scarlet Speedster as Heat Wave and Captain Cold join forces for the first time ever.

Yeah, it’s a reprint book and I’ve read at least one of these story’s before. But, the cover was awesome, it’s at least 40 years old, and I found it for a buck in a long box.

This is a fun gem, especially for those who like the bad guys!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Green Lantern Plastic Man Weapons of Mass Deception #1

As a kid, I loved Plastic Man because he could turn into all kinds of stuff and shapes and I loved Green Lantern because of the cool stuff he could do with his ring!

I’m an adult now. Though Plastic Man is a little too childish for me, I’m a huge Lantern fan, him being my #6 all-time favorite superhero.

This is a classic pairing of a straight cop/ rogue cop pairing. Like Lethal Weapon or CHiPs, you got Hal Jordan being the serious type to Plaz being the wacky Mel Gibson archetype. That’s a unique twist, as Hal Jordan is usually portrayed as being reckless and taking huge risks.

A very funny buddy cop style comic in which the duo go undercover to infiltrate an alien invasion plot.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man Family, Vol. 1: Back in Black

Though reprinted in digest form, Spider-Man Family was published in glossy magazine style, similar in size and shape to MAD or Sports Illustrated. These issues originally came out during the hype for Spider-Man 3 in which Venom and Spidey’s black costume were integral plot points. It also coincided with ASM’s Back in Black storyline in which Peter Parker must don the black and white again minus the alien symbiote.

The first issue features a flash black story in which we see how Spidey’s alien infested black costume had a mind of its own. Each issue continues to tell a lost tale about Spider-man in a manner geared for kids but fun for all ages. These issues featured a back-up story starring members of the Spider-Man family, such as Venom, Scorpion, Black Cat, and more.

Really enjoyable. But, I think the Marvel Adventures Spider-Man series was better. They seemed to cater to fans both young and established. This series is somewhere in the middle and it lacks the charm and nostalgia of MASM. Still, it’s very kid friendly, so parents should approve and it’s not dumbed down, so serious readers will delight as well.
WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Justice League America #95

When you commandeer an alien spacecraft, formerly owned by a collector of nearly extinct alien races, it’s a good idea to see if you’re alone. The League meets the residents of the ship acting as their new headquarters and it’s a laugh riot!

There is at least one stand out character, called The Snazz, who’s just brilliant. He’s one of those characters who just seems to have taken on a life of his (or her) own. Hope to see more done with this character!

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Justice League America #94

The battle over Power Girl’s infant son continues as the child seems to age rapidly while throwing protective force fields over himself and his mother.

This issue is good. It just suffers from a critical flaw in comics, the adversary's monologues just wayyyyyy to much. This conflict would be about 10 pages shorter if he’d just shut up and fight. But, then I guess he’d be breaking a cardinal rule of comic book villainy.

Worth Consuming, just not on par with the level of excellence in previous issues of this series.

WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Justice League America #93

During Zero Hour, Power Girl finally gave birth to her mystery baby. Seeing as it’s a virgin birth and that there’s been complications during the pregnancy, Kara has been staying with Leaguers as they look for answers. In this issue, one of those answers seems to be coming to roost as a demonic force named Scarabus has come to claim Power Girl’s baby for himself. Not if grandpa Arion, Lord of Atlantis has something to say about it.

Lots of great mystery, action, and adventure. Though Zero Hour weighs heavy in the plot, you don’t have to have read that mini-series to understand what’s going on here. So, you miss really nothing except for the birth. I really enjoy the new members Obsidian and Nuklon from Infinity Inc.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA #0

WORTH CONSUMING

After the events of Zero Hour and following the death of Ice, the Justice League is left without leadership, a home, and not that very many members. Wonder Woman hopes to fix this problem by appropriating an old foe’s spaceship and leaving membership for the league open to any and all. But that new policy might just be the nail in this new League’s coffin as one of the new recruits is more than meets the eye.

I like this new approach. Very little is made of Zero Hour, which I’ve yet to read, so that’s really good. Oddly, this is issue #0, and that’s usually set for an origin or year one story. Not the case here, though. No matter, this issue rocks!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Captain America and the First Thirteen #1

A flashback tale involving Captain America, the first woman in his life to be code-named “Agent 13” and the French resistance; all set during WWII. It’s a fun espionage tale that’s been rebooted somewhat for the feature film “First Avenger” as opposed to the backstory set by Lee and Kirby during Capt’s reappearance in the mid '60s.

Great art and a pretty good story to boot. I’m just an old-school comic collector and preferred the original Agent 13 storyline better. I thought it was more exciting, less sexually charged and was slightly more plausible in having this 13 be the (much) older sister of the later 13, Sharon Carter. Here, she’d have to be Sharon’s mom or grandmother.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Daring Mystery Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1

One of the few times where the cover is the best part of the entire book. It features a man called the Phantom Reporter, poised on a rainy stoop with zeppelins in the background, guns cocked and loaded, about to leap off the rooftops onto an unseen aggressor. The scene looks like it’s almost in motion and I kept coming back to it as it is visually striking.

But, the story was almost pure crap. The secret identity is nothing more than a purple cape on a beat reporter. It seems everybody knows the Phantom’s real identity and the classic 40s tale isn’t any better. In fact, that story has choppy plotting and the scenes segue ways are non-existent. It’s a poor-man’s Superman, minus the powers, costume, and better writing.

Not Worth Consuming

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars

Kitty Pryde Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3

With the helicarrier about to crash into the Big Apple and Wolverine’s former sensei in spiritual possession of a SHIELD agent, Kitty Pryde decides to end this madness by entering the SHIELD helicarrier main frame.

The best art of the entire mini-series. Kitt Pryde: Agent of SHIELD is a fun ride. I wish it was longer. Who am I kidding, I wish Pryde was a permanent member of SHIELD and future issues have her using her mutant powers to infiltrate Latveria and Doctor Doom’s castle.

Very fun read. Ideal for fans of Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, even though the Colonel doesn’t even appear in this 3-issue mini-series.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.  

Kitty Pryde, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2

Kitty Pryde literally faces off against a ghost in the machine as the ghost of Wolverine’s old sensei has hatched a plot to turn the Excalibur member into his newest apprentice. To find out the back story, check out the 80’s mini-series Kitty Pryde & Wolverine.

Great action sequences. The art is very good as well. Kudos to a very well scripted second chapter by Larry Hama.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Kitty Pryde, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1

When SHIELD’s helicarrier refuses to answer to anybody but the mutant Kitty Pryde’s commands, the spy agency not only contacts the Excalibur member, they recruit her!

I’m not sure why the SHIELD operatives know only Kitty Pryde can operate the helicarrier. I’m also not sure why Nick Fury isn’t the head of SHIELD at this point.

Aside from those questions, writer Larry Hama crafted a very interesting tale. (To be fair, why Nick Fury is a no-show isn’t Hama’s fault. But that first complaint of mine is.)

The art is very good and I love the banter between Dum Dum Dugan and Lady Contessa.

Worth Consuming.

Rating 7 out of 10 stars.

Robin III: Cry of the Huntress #6

Chuck Dixon ends the Robin Trilogy with a bang. It’s the final showdown between Robin & Huntress against the Russian Mob and the KGBeast. It helps that rival gang leader, Sir Edmund (King Snake) doesn’t like the former Soviet competition.

There’s also a very fitting ending to the gang war and Drake’s troubles at home. I loved every panel. Though not as good as Robin II, Joker’s Wild, Cry of the Huntress was very entertaining and a fitting cap that ties up all the loose ends of books one and two!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.