Batman annual #9

 

Yesterday was the 75^th anniversary of Batman’s first appearance on newsstands. So, of course I wasn’t going to let the milestone pass without reading a Batman comic. I choose Batman Annual #9, from 1985. Titled “The Four Faces of Batman” we delve into Batman’s history, first as a child witnessing his parents brutal murder. Then we see Batman as he avenges wrongs AND bends the rules when he investigates a bank robbery than results in an innocent’s death. Third, we examine Bruce Wayne’s dual nature as millionaire playboy and Dark Knight detective when a childhood friend of Bruce’s is murdered. Lastly, we examine the legend of the Batman as a child, a teacher, and a criminal recount in their own words how they were saved from a fire by the Caped Crusader. In a touching twist, we see that event from Bruce Wayne’s eyes but it’s loyal butler Alfred who gets the last word, turning off Bruce’s alarm clock so the playboy can recover from injuries sustained in the line of duty.

 

I felt like this was the perfect choice for something to read in tribute to one of my all-time favorite super heroes. This annual takes place in 1985, right in the middle of the Final Crisis, I’m pretty sure that Len Wein and the slew of artists who worked on this annual used it as a final tribute to the original Batman. Case in point, during the first face of Batman, Batman says “it’s been a long time since I thought about my parents death.” These days, you can’t go an entire story arc without the Batman having a flash back to his parents demise. Clearly, the Dark Knight honored in this annual is indeed “your father’s Batman.”

 

The art is pretty good (I just love the painted cover) and the plotting is fantastic. The third act was supposed to be an interactive tale with the reader solving the murder mystery. Sadly, the solution makes this chapter the weakest of the bunch. Otherwise, a fantastic annual that is very much Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Happy 75th Birthday, Batman!!!

GI Joe: Retaliation #4 (Official Movie Prequel)

 

With Road Block’s ninja training somewhat complete, he and Snake Eyes have uncovered a plot in which Zartan and Storm Shadow are planning to infiltrate NORAD based on information given to them by a tortured Joe. As Block and Snake seek out the Cobras from inside, Gen. Hawk and the rest of his team must shoot their way into Strategic Air Command without killing any of the Army soldiers stationed inside. This task may seem impossible, but the fate of the free world is at stake and these are the GI Joes we’re talking about.

 

I thought this was a great closing chapter to the prequel series published by IDW. I now know the time frame of this series. In one scene Zartan receives a communication by Dr. Mindbender. If you saw the first film, you’d know that really Mindbender was Cobra Commander in disguise. Thus, this prequel is not only a prequel to Retaliation but the first Joe movie as well. (That also explains why Duke is not featured in this book, as he wasn’t a member yet.)

 

I thought overall that this was a good story and I am syked and ready to watch GI Joe: Retaliation which is currently languishing on my DVR. Very good art throughout this book as well with very good representations of several of the actors.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

GI Joe: Retaliation #3 (Official Movie Prequel)

sketch variant of issue #3

 

  While training under Snake Eyes’ Blind Master, we delve deeper into the origin of Snake Eyes. Here, we see Snake training to be a ninja and when his master is killed by Storm Shadow, he takes a vow of silence. We later see him joining up to be a Joe. So, here’s my question- if you take a vow of silence, how in the heck do you join the Army? I would think they’d require you to speak up during the application process and I am sure the drill sergeant would be pissed if you refused to response to his orders by not replying “Sir, Yes Sir!” At least in the Marvel Comics, Snake had joined the Army before becoming a ninja and lost his ability to speak during Vietnam. So again, I ask, how did this happened if he’s not spoken a word for years prior to ever enlisting in the movie universe?

 

Other than that nagging question I enjoyed this issue very much. There’s still that secret voice on the other end of the line talking with Gen. Hawk and I’m not sure who it is. We are informed that this “voice” is a sort of pro scout, seeking out the best of the best to join the Joes. But, I’m still not any further into learning this mystery man’s ID.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Avengers: The Enemy Within (Marvel NOW!)

 

Recently, I read the first two volumes of Carol Danver’s exploits as Captain Marvel. During those reviews, I explained that I read them because I needed to in order to follow the latest Avengers book at my local library. Well, this is the Avengers book I was talking about. I’m not 100% sure why this is considered an Avengers book and not a Captain Marvel title. The book reprints Avengers: The Enemy Within and 2 issues of the Avengers series from the first Marvel NOW! series. But, the star of those issues is Carol Danvers. Not only that, but there are 3 Captain Marvel issues reprinted as well in this book. (All 3 are from the subsequent first Captain Marvel Marvel NOW! series.)

 

In Captain Marvel volume 2, Danvers’ powers were slowly being syphoned from her into a Kree villain from her past. In this volume, that villain has taken things to the next level kidnapping one of her friends. Thanks to Spider-Woman and Thor, the woman is saved, but during the search, Captain Marvel learns that the Kidnapper broke into Carol’s apartment.

 

Well, that means things just got personal and with that, our Kree baddie activates dozens of Sentries across North America in order to bring his Kree home world to our planet and have it take the place of Manhattan.

 

You know, this is the plot of Transformers 3. Normally, I might be impressed with the whole terraforming earth in order to create your own idea of paradise. But, with this book and Dark Of the Moon being released so close to each other, I have to cry a little foul. This was the most creative idea you could come up with? Now that I think about it, wasn’t this the plot of an earlier Marvel NOW! Avengers storyline? Geez- I’m a little annoyed. So glad I didn’t buy this book.

 

Anyway, a couple of hours ago, I thought I enjoyed this book. I now feel like Marvel, which has been long labeled the “House of Ideas,” has finally scraped the bottom of the barrel. The method of using Sentries to form a network in order to user a new nation was clever. And to have Carol Danvers and her Kree powers be the crux of the whole operation was a shocking revelation. I enjoyed the follow-up issue at the end of the book, too. That story involving Carol and the aftermath in NYC was a great issue. But again, I get the feeling that when I boil the plot to The Enemy Within down to its more basic form, I literally seen this movie before.

 

Very good art throughout the book. The dialogue, especially the witty banter between Avengers was awesome. The first act of the book along with the epilogue was some of my favorite Marvel NOW! material. However, that middle act, while action packed, was using some very tired out plot lines.

 

Worth Consuming, but just barely.

 

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

 

GI Joe: Retaliation #2 (Official Movie Prequel)

Issue #2 starts offs with Road Block in the brig for knocking Gen. Hawk’s lights out. But Snake Eyes has a plan of some sorts, but since he can’t talk, we don’t really know what those plans detail.

 

You remember on Star Trek when the Captain or Mr. Spock would bend the rules a little in order to get the job done without totally running ramrod all over their prime directives? Well, that happens here, when Hawk and Scarlett allow Road Block to be released from the brig, but forbid him to go rescue Mainframe, unless he can get past the entire Joe squad. Well, thanks to a convenient power outage, Road Block escapes with the American Ninja on his tail.

 

Along the way, we see flashbacks of Road Block’s Childhood. As Marvin Hinton, a displaced Louisiana teen, the future soldier is bullied on the streets of D.C. In hopes of defending himself and maybe earn a little payback, Hinton goes to a local gym where a fellow class mate is an aspiring boxer. Determined to not give up, Hinton learns from his new pal how to pick himself up when knocked down- and bulks up in the process. By the end of the issue, we learn that the young boxer later becomes Mainframe. No wonder Road Block wants to head back to Borovia to save his comrade!

 

But in Borovia, Road Block learns on the ultimate fate of his friend and ends up running into a ninja master and Snake Eyes! Now Road Block must decide- return to the PIT in disgrace and a possible court martial or join up with Snake Eyes’ clan and learn to channel that hostility into a martial art.

 

The decision is left as a cliff hanger, but I think we know where this is going. Don’t we?

 

A much better issue, the art is very good. But the real star of the book is the fantastic back story into Road Block’s past. I am very much looking for to issue 3. More than that, the anticipation to watch the movie to which this mini-series is the prequel to is killing me.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

GI Joe: Retaliation #1 (Official Movie Prequel)



sketch variant cover

 

I got this series in November of 2012. I figured that I’d read these before going to the movie. Well, the movie came and went and I didn’t read these yet. So, I wanted for DVD and Redbox. The film hit Redbox and I still hadn’t read the books. So, I waited for HBO. But by the time GI Joe: Retaliation came on, I no longer subscribed to HBO. For a while, I just figured that I’d never get to this.

 

Well, just last night, the movie showed on EPIX- a movie channel I do get on Satellite. So, with it safely in my DVR, I figured now is the best time to finally read this prequel mini-series before watching the film.

 

The prequel takes place before events of the sequel- obviously. But I am not sure if this prequel occurs in between the first GI Joe movie and Retaliation or before. I say this because Gen. Hawk is drawn to look like actor Dennis Quaid, who played the character in the first film. But I thought Bruce Willis was tackling that part?! There’s a mysterious person that Hawk is talking to on the phone on a couple of pages- could that be Bruce Willis’ character? The “voice” on the line seems to have some sort of ulterior motive with Hawk, so is it a Juggler from the Pentagon? I’m not sure, but it will probably be revealed either by prequel’s end or in the sequel.

 

The first issue is about a mission involving Road Block, Snake Eyes, and Mainframe. Its Mainframe’s first ever mission as a Joe, but when he’s captured by a clan of Ninja (yes- that’s the plural of Ninja. Enjoy your vocab lesson for the day.) and the rest of the squad is ordered to retreat, Road Block takes it really hard. So hard he ends up in the brig after decking Hawk. It looks like a court martial for the soldier unless Snake Eyes plan for a rescue and redemption can save the day.

 

Since Snake Eyes doesn’t talk, and that plot ends the book on a cliff hanger of sorts, I won’t know what happens until issue 2. So far, the prequel is pretty good. I appreciate some of the subtle points I would’ve missed if not for reading the entire Marvel series. I like the first Joe movie, but I was very confused about things I thought I remember as a kid. With 155 issues of Joe under my belt, I can now pick up on those Easter eggs.

 

I can’t wait for issue 2. Hopefully, it will be full of more neat cameos, great action, and maybe a revelation as to just who Hawk was talking with on the phone.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

GI Joe: A Real American Hero #155.5 (Free Comic Book Day, 2010 Edition)

 

Well it took over a decade and a half, but IDW Publishing and Larry Hama joined forces to finally tie up the loose ends left over from the sudden cancellation of the original Marvel version of GI Joe. In the final issue (#155) we saw what was going on with the Joes, mostly Snake Eyes, as the Pit was being mothballed. Well, this issue shows what is happening with Cobra during the exact same time those prior events were taking place.

 

Cobra Commander is awakened to discover that his plan to create a counter revolutionary movement operating “independently” from Cobra has gotten underway. The Capital, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and several important US landmarks have been held “hostage.” Though these terrorists are apprehended quickly, it signals the next phase in a plan to take over the US government jointly conducted by Cobra and the Jugglers.

 

You read that right, the Jugglers, who have been giving the Joes fits since the first issue in 1982, are revealed to have been working with Cobra. They don’t want Cobra to take over the nation. But, in order for these Pentagon yahoos to be able to overthrow the President and Congress, they’ve relied on Cobra to undermine the work of the Joes. Thus, that is why the Joes were shut down in issue #155. Now with the Joes out of commission, the Jugglers hope to take over the government to a more McCarthy-era friendly police state, while giving Cobra the scraps of the rest of the civilized world.

 

Meanwhile, another plot thread is addressed while Cobra Commander and the Jugglers are plotting global conquest. When we last saw Storm Shadow, Destro, Zartan, Baroness, and Billy, they were under the mental controller of Doctor Venom’s brainwashing machine. Well, the machine is starting to show some ghosts in the machine meaning that the brainwashing procedure might not be as strong as originally thought. Thus, the wheels begin turning with Destro, Zartan, and Baroness questioning their loyalty to Cobra and their ultimate fate may mean overthrowing the Hooded One.

 

I was excited to research that Hama was finally given a chance to tie up some loose ends. That was my biggest beef with how the Marvel series ended. Thankfully, I had this issue. Man, was it awesome! Sadly, I do not have any further issues. So, you know what that means- I’ve added this series to my wish list.

 

The search begins…

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

 

Captain Marvel, Volume 2: Down (Marvel NOW!)

 

First I want to say that I love the cover- especially the title and how the background makes it look like the Doctor Who logo from the Peter Davison years. It’s classic and every time I look at it; I get taken back to when I was a kid watching those old episodes of Doctor Who in my Grandmama’s basement. Awesome, awesome cover- I love it!

 

Now on to the meat and potatoes of the book. The first story arc has Carol Danvers in New Orleans, having been summoned by the only other woman to bear the mantle of the Captain. There, the two heroes bicker, meet a blast from their past and investigate a series of missing fishing vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Once back in New York, Danvers learns that she’s got a lesion on her brain and that continued use of her powers of flight could be dangerous should she blackout. Now, I am thinking, using her powers in general might be a bad idea because brain things are serious business. But instead of seeking a second opinion, Danvers focuses on her “Do Not Fly” status and searches for ways to skirt the issue, including souping up a flying motorcycle of Captain America’s.

 

Along the way, Danvers battles an old foe and may be responsible for giving an enemy of the former Kree Captain Marvel a new lease on life. Before the end of the book we learn that Carol isn’t the only person to have been diagnosed with these bizarre legions. Her mentor, Helen Cobb, who tried to steal her powers in volume one, also showed these symptoms and might have died from them.

 

To Be Continued…

 

Up next is the Avengers book that I wanted to read in the first place. It includes 3 issues of Captain Marvel along with some other material. I look forward to reading it, starting tomorrow. If it’s anything like this issue, I am truly in for a treat. With a great storyline, a fantastic cameo from one of my personal favorite characters, Dakota North, and amazing cover and interior art, I am becoming a fan. Don’t blow it Marvel Comics!!!

 

Until then, make mine Captain Marvel.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

 

Captain Marvel, Volume 1: In Pursuit of Flight (Marvel NOW!)

 

The character of Carol Danvers is one that’s grown on me. From her appearances on recent Marvel cartoons such as Super Hero Squad and The Avengers to the role she has played in storylines such as Civil War and New Avengers, I must say that she’s more than a pretty face. As a former Air force Colonel, she’s got the brass to put Nick Fury and Tony Stark in their place. Plus, she’s cleverly written and has evolved from being more than just a one dimensional background character in 80s issues of Avengers.

 

But I have got to be honest, despite my praise for the character, I really wouldn’t have any interest in reading this book if it wasn’t for two factors. #1) The book and volume 2 were available my local library and libraries = free reads. #2) If I wanted to read my libraries newest Avengers book, I’d have to read the first two volumes of this series. So, with those incentives, I early gave this series a try. Boy, am I glad I did.

 

In this series, Carol Danvers has decided to give up being Ms. Marvel and to adopt the title of Captain Marvel in honor of her late Kree friend, Mar-Vell- the original Marvel universe Capt. Marvel. Along the way, Carol’s aviation hero passes away and leaves her a plane that may or may not have broken a very important aviation record. When Carol pushes the plane to its limits she ends up time travelling.

 

During her trip in the past, she meets her hero as a young pilot trying to make her way into the early days of NASA’s Mercury program. But when Carol and her hero get sent to the point in time when Danvers first obtains the powers of Capt. Marvel, the new Captain and the young pilot must power for the right to become the first human/ Kree warrior. Could Carol’s “old friend” have been using her to take the mantle of Captain Marvel for herself? The fate of the universe rests on Carol Danver’s ability to remain Captain Marvel.

 

Again, I liked this series very much. But, having not been very familiar with Danvers in her exploits as Ms. Marvel in the series of the same name, I had a few questions. For instance, Carol is friends with an elderly lady battling some sort of cancer- what’s her deal? Why did Danvers get sent back to World War II Peru and end up fighting Imperial Japanese soldiers? I don’t remember Japan having conquered Peru in WWII. Lastly, I have a question about changing the time stream but to ask it would mean giving up a major spoiler. But, I do have that question.

 

The Carol Danvers Captain Marvel is awesome. She’s not my favorite- yet. But, I am very excited for the other volumes I have to read that focus on her. I expect them to be quite the read.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

 

Classic GI Joe, Volume 15

 

This is it! The final 10 issues of the original Marvel run of GI Joe. I must say that this is the worst volume of the entire bunch. The art is worse than ever before. Not only is the anatomy wrong, but the inking looks like somebody did it with a dirty brush. There are ink stains and blotches everywhere. It looks like the artwork from Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas!

 

Not only is the art poor, but the quality of the stories isn’t the best as well. Before signing off, the Joes do end hostilities in the fictional European nation of Borovia. That story arc was the best of this volume. How the conflict is concluded is brilliant and is a sign of Larry Hama’s genius. Then Hama devotes another tribute to the original GI Joe with an origin story in honor of the iconic toy’s 35th anniversary. After being reinstated by the American government, Joe Colton reflects on his beginnings as he’s whisked away to Washington. His origin is neatly tied up though it appears that we’re not done with the original Joe as the nature of this new mission and reactivation to active duty is poised to be explored in the next issue. Yet after that excellent story, it appears that things about Marvel or Hasbro went all to heck!

 

The next two issues aren’t even written by Hama. Instead, a substitute writer crafts two solo stories; one focusing on Scarlett and an experimental Cobra BAT targeting the redhead for death while the other has Road Block’s flight overbooked and his alternative flight leaves him taking on an aircraft full of Cobra operatives. Take about snakes on a plane!

 

Larry Hama returns for the final issue. It’s a very poignant issue with Snake Eyes finally getting his say as he writes to an army buddy’s son who has hopes of enlisting after high school. While I like this issue very much, there’s no closer to the Joes Vs. Cobra storyline. While the Pit is being mothballed and the team is deactivated, there’s no mention as to whether Cobra was finally defeated or if the Jugglers, the sinister cabal of Pentagon officials who seem to have it out for the Joe squad, were behind the closure.

 

Truly, I think that ending sucks! I expected the 155 issue plus series to come to an end. I know there’s been other series published by other comic book companies that delve deeper into the world of the Joes. Yet, I would’ve expected Hama to be given a chance to tie things up. Heck, I expected Larry Hama to have tied up these loose plots and give the loyal readers of Joe some closure. (A forward in this volume by Hama goes on to explain that the decision to cancel Joe was a sudden decision with only about 2 weeks given to write a final story. Why he didn’t end the series on a definite note is beyond me.)

 

I am sorely disappointed with this volume and how the series ended. Like I mentioned before, there are other non-Marvel GI Joe comics out there and this lack of closure has inspired me to search them out. It will take some time, but I’ll get to them.

 

Not Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

 

Classic GI Joe, Volume 14

 

The classic Marvel run on GI Joe is just about over. But before we close the book on the epic battle of Joes and Cobra we’ve got even more former allies of the Joes becoming mind slaves to Cobra. Has Scarlett turned Cobra? Why is Doctor Mindbender back? And are those Transformers?

 

That’s right, Megatron returns thinking that the transforming Castle Destro is another Transformer stuck on earth. Now Cobra Commander and the Decepticons have teamed up in hopes of making a deal of some sorts. Let’s just say that Megatron gets the mother of all up-grades. And yes- this is a sequel to the GI Joe Meets the Transformers miniseries. I wish I had known that, as I have not read that YET!

 

Lastly, the series takes a break from the war between Joes and Cobra to focus on several Joes and their origins. Most importantly is the origin of how Snake Eyes got his stripes. We learned issues ago how it came to be Snake Eyes lots his ability to talk and became friends with Storm Shadow and Stalker. Now we learn why Snake Eyes wears a mask and how he came to fall in love with Scarlett. Also, this story arc focuses on Snake Eye’s first rescue of his twin sister’s former fiancée. That story is probably the best of this volume.

 

The art is quite poor. It really reflects the poorly anatomized artwork of the early 1990s. I can understand drawing all the guys with barrel chests and girls to look like they are smuggling watermelons under their shirt. But this disproportioned style makes everyone look like they’ve got withered hands and tiny toothpick legs. I hate it!

 

It’s not my favorite volume, but that’s mostly for the art. The majority of stories are quite good. I would say the Transformers reteaming in the weakest of the book, but even they were entertaining.

 

Worth Consuming

 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

 

Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography

Lex Luthor looking an awful lot like Mr. Green from Clue.

This is Lex Luthor at his lowest, his scuzziest, and his absolute worst. When a hack journalist turns up dead, its Clark Kent who gets blamed for the murder. Only, we know who killed this reporter- it was the goons employed by Lex Luthor!

See this reporter found out the truth behind how Luthor’s parents died. He also discover the earliest ventures of the one day philanthropist that weren’t that very philanthropic. Then we learn just how Luthor loves the ladies and how much more he loves to hurt them. Finally, the late Mr. Investigative Journalist learns first-hand how Mr. Luthor ties up loose ends that could damage his pristine reputation.

I thought this was one of the best Lex Luthor centered stories I’ve ever read. Luthor is like the villain you love to hate. He ranks up there with Darth Vader and JR Ewing. He’s the type of character you want to get his just desserts, but you can’t really have Superman without Lex Luthor. Plus, there are times when the villain gets away with murder and it’s just so kick-ass how it gets achieved.

I highly recommend this graphic novel. I think the only thing I would’ve done differently is to have included just a little bit more of juicy bits of Luthor’s sordid affairs. This book is called the “Unauthorized Biography”- I just think it’s a little lack in the back story of Metropolis’ biggest scum bag and focuses a bit too much on the framing of Clark Kent. I like how Luthor using Clark’s predicament as a message to the reporter whose often been a clog in Lex’s massive machine. “Don’t get too close.” Unfortunately, this book seems to obey that message.

I want more dirt!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

 

Pop Culture With Character: A Look Inside Geppis Entertainment Museum by Arnold T. Blumberg

This lovely book was a gift from my wife. I think I got it for my birthday, but it might’ve been Christmas. Regardless of when I got it, I’ve been pouring over this book for about 3 months. “Pop Culture With Character” is a look a one of the coolest museums of all-time- Geppi’s Entertainment Museum (AKA: the GEM), which is devoted to Americana, pop culture, and comic books. Even though it’s in Baltimore, I want to go to this place so bad.

Friends of mine have gone and I am so envious thanks to the awesome pics that they’ve posted on Facebook. If you remember watching it on TV, seeing it as a comic book or playing it as a kid, it’s probably at the GEM.

The book is set out like the museum. If you don’t believe me, look that the fold out map at the end of the book and you’ll see how each chapter is designed like a wing of the museum. I was born in 1977 when pop culture was really hitting the main stream and having grown up in the 80s and 90s, I was inundated with pop culture TV, books, toys, games, clothing, posters, and much  more. Plus, I am such an old soul, having watched classic shows from the 50s and 60s with my parents and listened exclusively to Motown, the Beatles, and the Monkees up until high school. That old school feeling is why when I became a history major, my focus was on the pop culture era (essentially 1938; the first appearance of Superman and Hitler’s invasion of Poland up to the present day.) It wasn’t a popular focus, I only had one or two real modern history classes, but I loved pop culture and most of my research papers and projects were geared to that area of study. That maybe why I wasn’t the top history student as I am sure my research drove my instructors and professors nuts.

Anyway, though I’m now a chef, if I ever got offered a chance to work again in the history field in terms of popular culture and modern history, I’d hang my apron up in a heartbeat. I guess pop culture with my comics collection, tee shirts, 70s Steelers memorabilia, and Star Wars/ Doctor Who/ Star Trek obsession is my truest passion. To make a career of that would be the greatest adventure- sorry Peter Pan.

Back to the GEM book. I loved it. I thought while the book and museum focuses a little too much on the Revolutionary War and Civil War era, I can see from their thesis that those periods of American history did star to plant the seed of pop culture. Essentially any time our nation goes to war, expect our troops to use their down time to play games, read comics, and reflect on homes. At the same time, as loved ones go off to war and the nation braces for bad news or worse a direct attack, expect the population to come up with ideas to keep our minds off the horrors and fears of conflict- especially our nation’s youth!

This interesting look at American history has my wife and I psyched to take a trip up to Baltimore this year to catch Derek Jeter one last time in uniform and spend a day at the GEM. I think I’ll be in hog heaven and I am sure I’ll tear that gift shop up. Until then, I’ve got this awesome little teaser to keep my occupied. I highly recommend this book and hopefully later this year, I can give an in-depth review of the GEM as well.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Son of Ambush Bug #6 (of 6)

The Son of Ambush Bug ends with the myriad of plotlines being solved. As the Bug finds himself in an off-panel purgatory, the Asian version of the Bug meets his ultimate fate with the King of the Lizards, Arrr-Gyle! is folded away, and the Interferer, the dastardly villain behind the many hits of Ambush Bug, discovers a universe that can never benefit from his powers of altering reality.

 

Of course, the main plotline that involves AB searching for his lost child is concluded as well. But the ending is left to interpretation as to whether it all ends badly or well for the duo. I’ll leave that decision to you. But I must say I hate ambiguous endings. Ever since the movie Castaway, I’ll never been a fan of them.

 

Overall, the series and this issue was neither the best of worst thing I’ve ever read. Compared to the other Ambush Bug stories I have read however, this one is definitely not my favorite, not by a long shot.

 

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars

 

 

Son of Ambush Bug #5 (of 6)

 The Ambush Bug is put on trial, but it’s not for the crimes committed by his impostor. No, instead the Bug is accused of violating the sanctity of the DC Universe by manipulating his knowledge that he is a comic book character. The reality altering villain, the Interferer doesn’t like encroachment on his turf and thus has finally found a loop hole in doing away with the Bug since 5 issues worth of attempted murders didn’t seem to stick.

 

  His defense attorney and prosecutor is none other than Mr. Harvey “Two-Face” Dent. Now, one might say that since Dent is a character in a comic and prosecutes the Bug for having such knowledge, wouldn’t Two-Face be accused as well? No, because he’s not manipulating reality and mocking convention like Ambush Bug does.

 

This entire issue contains the most madcap trial since Alice went before the Queen of Hearts. But I loved every page of it. This was what the previous issue was missing- the ability to stick to the plot, mock and parody the comic book industry, and make me laugh out loud. I cannot wait for the 6^th and final issue.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Unwritten, Volume 2: Inside Man

The mystery surrounding Tom/ Tommy continues to grow Tom finds himself imprisoned for killing a group of mystery writers. But, with the fact that he’s stationary, it makes Tom a target of the secret forces that have meant to silence him for good since the very first issue. Now it’s up to a mysterious fellow prisoner who just happens to have a palm pilot and the girl who accused Tom for being a fraud to save the young man and prevent him from becoming just another statistic in the failed child star department.

This volume really got good. Tom’s powers and his secret life as Tommy, the young wizard-in-training from a host of children’s novels start to reveal themselves. That doesn’t mean that the mystery behind Tom and his missing father (and author of said children’s tomes) is solved. I don’t want to reveal too much, but let’s just say that a journey through time to Nazi Germany will cement Tom’s role as the “word made flesh.”

There’s lots of religious symbolism here. But, the Unwritten is more an examination about literature and how real a story can become than a commentary on Christ. I thing that element is more to create fanatics who believe that Tom truly is the wizard child from his father’s novels. This element creates a seed of doubt in Tom as he wonders “Are these folks nuts? And if they’re telling the truth- do I really have powers?” By the end of this storyline, you’ll know that answer before.

As an afterword, there’s a stand-alone tale involving a rascally rabbit who knows he’s just a character in a fairy tale. The “Hundred Acre Woods” will never recover when this hare is through. One of his actions will result in what I consider one of the saddest moments in all of comicdom. However, the conclusion of that tale, while a bit incendiary, adds yet another layer to the onion that is the Unwritten.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Son of Ambush Bug #4 (of 6)

 

This is seems to forget the plot of the previous 3 issues. The killer of the Bug, the disappearance of Cheeks, and the whole plot involving someone trying to change the DC Universe into their ideal image is completely forgotten. The Arrr-Gyle plot in which AB’s arch-enemy/ dirty sock has an imposter committing crimes as the Ambush Bug is the only thing really addressed from the first half of the series.

 

What we do get is the Ambush Bug and his creators and editor Julius Schwartz playing with the conventions of comicdom, and I’m not talking about that yearly event in San Diego. There is some absolute zany moments that I love and there are points in which I’m burying my head in my hand because the jokes are so lame. Again, it’s only by having Arrr-Gyle trying to frame the Bug for crimes that he didn’t commit that keeps this issue on track.

 

True, I saw the surprise ending a mile away, but at least it allows for plot development but I would estimate that about 60% of this issue is utter chaos. While I like chaos, most of it just doesn’t have a real purpose. Normally, if the Ambush Bug starts going a little insane, it’s to point out the flaws of his surroundings of to poke fun at the comic book industry as a whole. This was like watching Carrot Top, Gallagher, and David Copperfield throw out everything they’ve got in their repertoire and hope that the end result is the next Hamlet. To Geffin and the rest of the DC crew- focus, man, focus!

 

Not Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 4 out 10.

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!