Hip Hop Family Tree by Ed Piskor (potentially Volume 1)

By no definition am I a fan of rap or hip hop music. There are some songs I like and they’re mostly old school stuff like Sugar Hill Gang, RUN DMC (w/ Aerosmith, of course), Fat Boys, and Yes, I’ll admit- Vanilla Ice! I love Queen and David Bowie’s Under Pressure!!!

Anyways, I probably would’ve overlooked this book had I not received the 2014 Free Comic Book Day edition sampler of this book prior. I’ve not read that entire book but it did pique my interest enough that when I found this at the library, I snatched it up.

The book covers the early 70s will block parties and jams in local New York parks starting the earliest experiments with what will eventually be known as rap. It introduces Grand Master Flash, Fab Five Freddy, shows how the Sugar Hill Gang originated, the early days of a young Darryl McDaniel and his friends, a drugged out Russell Simmons, and the chaos and brat that is Rick Rubin. The book ends with Blondie’s Rapture becoming the first mainstream rap hit and the arrival of hip hop on popular TV shows such as Saturday Night Live and 20/20. (This is showing my age somewhat, but I remember that 20/20 special and knowing my dad, I probably was up watching that SNL episode waiting for my mom to get home from work.)

The artist and writer of this book, Ed Piskor, is clearly a fan of hip hop. He crafts the poetry, angst, and rhythms quite nicely. It’s almost as if you can feel the beat when reading this book. However, that doesn’t mean that this is an easy book to read.

Piskor’s dialogue is almost verbatim to how it was spoken 40 years ago. If somebody used slang in their music, that’s how Piskor fills in the word balloons. If somebody left out a syllable or vowel, that’s how Piskor writes this story. That’s not really the problem with this book. Except for maybe reading what Russell Simmons has to say? He was so strung out on dope or weed; it’s like trying to decipher pig Latin.

No, what I had trouble with this book is keeping the cast of characters straight. The inside covers of this book has a “Who’s Who” line-up of almost 100 characters who is some way shaped the evolution of hip hop. Some of the participants aren’t even singers, like Jean-Michael Basquiat, but their art played a major role with the culture and thus he’s in the book. Piskor tries to keep the line-up in order of appearance in the story, but it doesn’t quite work out that way. Plus when you’ve got 35 people who go by the moniker “DJ____”, it’s hard to keep it straight. I found myself going back to those pictorial references and previous episodes in the book often.

Ed Piskor might have had big ambitions. In his afterword, the author rights that he hopes to produce further volumes about the history of hip hop music. Maybe Piskor was afraid to not get a second volume published and thus stacked the deck with a super-sized first volume. If Hip Hop Family Tree gets the green light for a volume 2, hopefully Piskor will reel it in just a little and narrow his scope. Instead of 11 years of history, maybe he’ll focus on just 5.

This is a very good book with an interesting story that’s has piqued my interest in learning and listening more about early hip hop. The art is very good and the brown paper bag-type of paper is an interesting choice. The extras at the end of this book, like the comparison of hip-hop culture with comic book culture, were very smartly crafted. I wouldn’t recommend this book to those under 14 for the use of strong language and drug culture. But, I eagerly await future volumes.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Wolverine (2013)

The Japan Saga is supposed to be the quintessential Wolverine solo story. Written by Chris Claremont with assists and pencils by Frank Miller, the story is Wolverine at his best both as a mutant hero and as an honorable rogue. So, when it was announced that the next Wolverine film will be set in Japan, I was immediately thrilled to the possibilities.

The opening sequence in which Logan is a POW outside of Nagasaki at the end of WWII was awesome. I thought to myself that I am in for a treat. Instead, I feel like I was sorely tricked. The film, while made years after X-Men 3, takes place just a few months after the events in which Wolverine kills Jean Grey. Haunted by her ghost, he’s a shell of his former self and unwillingly goes to Japan to honor an old debt.

Right off the bat, things just don’t seem right- Logan loses his mutant healing factor and can be killed. Hmmm…. This sounds oddly familiar to the Death of Wolverine story arc getting set up for a September climax in which the clawed one supposedly dies. My theory is that by having Wolverine die, it reboots his healing factor and he emerges bigger and badder than before. That’s what happens at some point in this film and I would not be surprised if that happens next month.

Along with some anemic fight scenes and a convoluted family battle over a pharmaceutical company, I wasn’t very happy with The Wolverine. The only real saving grace is the addition of Wolverine’s true love Mariko. Played by first time actress Tao Okamoto, Mariko’s character as well as her childhood friend Yukio, steals every scene that they are in.

Usually, a love story is box office poison to a superhero film (See Superman II.) But since Wolverine’s Japan saga is a love story underneath the layers of honor, Yakuza, and gore, it makes sense that those scenes are the best scenes in the entire film.

There’s a very confusing character named Viper. She’s a mutant geneticist, who has the ability to produce toxins that can damage even Wolverine. But she’s supposedly based on Madame Hydra in the comics. With the whole “Hail Hydra” storyline in both Winter Solider and Agents of SHIELD, I’m not sure if this Viper person has anything to do with that or not. Since Fox owns the rights to X-Men, I doubt it, but it makes for some confusing settlement of tangled plotlines and in-house box office politics.

Speaking of Fox, the secret scene at the end of the film is awesome. I won’t spoil what happens but it sets up this year’s X-Men Days of Future Past feature. Despite my dislike of this film, the extra scene had me pumped ready to see the next film as soon as I can find a copy of it for rent or cheap!

Not Worth Consuming.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Thor Annual 17 (Citizen Kang Part 2)

Well, now Captain America and Vision are missing. So, Thor is sent to investigate. His arrival in the mysterious town of Timely sends him back in time to Medieval Europe, where he comes face to face with sometime Fantastic Four baddie, Prester John. Thor’s arrival has cause the potential peace between England and the Norsemen to be in jeopardy. If the Avenger can’t fix things soon, this event could damage the entire space-time continuum.

This isn’t the Thor we all know and love. Odinson has somehow been replaced with a bearded construction worker named Eric. This is probably the least familiar era of Thor comics to me. But this is a very good read and hasn’t turned me off of the god of Thunder.

Along with this story, we get more of Kang the Conqueror’s back story, an awesome tale starring the Warriors Three and Ulik, the savage troll, a look at Thor’s top 10 villains, and an awesome pin-up of classic Thor versus Ulik.

Sure, my Thor isn’t in this but the story and art is proof why he’s becoming one of my all-time favorite superheroes.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Captain America Annual #11 (Citizen Kang, Part 1)

Normally, I hate cross-over events in which after you read Book A you then must buy Book C and then to finish up you’ve got to buy Book B. It’s a tricky ploy by publishers to increase sales and to force readers to buy lower selling (and usually lower quality) titles in order to complete a storyline. But in the 80s and 90s, Marvel and DC would often link their annuals into a summer-long storyline bonanza!

Maybe I am biased but I loved those events! There’s several reasons why- 1: reading was one of the few joys I had during the summer. 2- The publishers did a great job with checklists and putting the part numbers on the covers. And 3- the grocery stores and pharmacy near my house were more likely to carry the annuals and that meant I could stock up every week my mom went grocery shopping.

In this ‘event’ Captain America is on the hunt for fellow Avenger the Vision. Vision recently discovered during a diagnostic run that one of his circuitry parts were from 1939, years before he was even built. But during his mission to uncover the anachronism, the Vision went missing. So, Cap is hoping to discover what happened to his friend and teammate. But one wrong turn in the small town his is visiting’s only factory means that the hero of WWII has been thrust into pre-biblical times! Now hoping to return to his home time, Cap must team up with another fellow Avenger, Gilgamesh- only this Gilgamesh is from a time prior to becoming an Avenger and doesn’t speak English!

Along with this thrilling adventure, we get a look at Cap’s top 10 villains of all-time. Also, there’s the beginning of an ‘oral history’ of Kang the Conqueror’s. Plus there’s a couple of great pin-up, though if you were to clip them out of this annual your comic’s value would sink like a stone in a lake.

This is a really enjoyable issue that I would’ve loved as a kid to have had in my grubby mitts. The art is a little to 90s for my taste but it’s not the worst offering I have seen. There are 3 more parts to this storyline and I am looking forward to them as well as learning more about the most confusing character in the Marvel Universe- Kang!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

GI Joe Yearbook #4

I went through my list of comics I still need to review yesterday. I read faster than I have time to type. Anyway, most everything left to review is from the past month. But, I found this little gem that I had read around Christmas and had forgotten to get around to.

In case you forgot, I spend a sizable chunk of time reading the complete Marvel run of GI Joe from the 80s. I included some annuals and yearbooks but I must have forgot this one. I’m not sure how I over looked it.

In this issue, the October Guard and the Joes both have individual covert missions Cobra Island. Their goal is to determine just who actually is in charge of the terrorist organization- the newly armored Cobra Commander (whose actually a clone named Fred) or the mysterious Serpentor. Almost immediately the Joes and the Soviets must join forces if there’s any hope of escaping alive. But, their venture has gotten a little less dangerous as both Serpentor and Cobra commander see this incursion as a chance to off their biggest competitor for the title as Supreme Cobra leader.

This is a very good story with great art and dialogue. Cobra is at its best when they’re slimy and trying to backstab each other. Plus, I don’t know why the October Guard never becomes one with the Joes after the fall of Communism. The two teams work really well together and I think those are some of the best non-Snake Eyes stories in the entire series.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Tales Designed to Thrizzle, volume 2

In high school, I was a member/ founding member of a couple of guerilla comic troupes. We’d do off the wall stuff like skits, top 10 lists, pratfalls, pranks, and kidnap people’s lunches. The times I spent with my fellow troupe members were the highlight of my school day, unless it was a game day or time for soccer practice. The stuff we did was off-the-wall, odd, and down-right bizarre. I think that’s why I like surrealism and a book like Tales Designed to Thrizzle is about as surreal as it gets.

The book was a short lived and sporadically published Indy comic from 2008-2012. Only 8 issues were ever published and with a $5 price tag and running at about 32 pages a book, I can see why it probably got cancelled. But that doesn’t mean that this book was genius.

Michael Kupperman has a unique art-style that’s part pop art, part retro, part 50s advertisements. This guy could’ve thrived at Sterling, Cooper, and Draper. His renderings of Jack Klugman, Michael Renne, and other famous celebs from the last 50 years are photorealistic. His work is super clean and his color palette is beautiful.

But what makes his stuff so good is the slightly deranged humor. From the adventures of Mark Train and Albert Einstein to a gallery of ‘lesser known’ comic books to parodies of comic book and magazine ads, Kupperman’s stuff is brilliantly weird. In other words, I wish I had thought of it!

There’s at least one more volume out there and I think my library carries it. I hope to get my hands on it soon, because I am hooked on the work of Michael Kupperman and I must get my next fix. If you like humor, absurdity, or parody OR just want to get your hands on some edgy independent comics, I highly recommend Tales Designed to Thrizzle.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Uncanny X-Men, Volume 2: Broken (Marvel NOW!)

As the Uncanny X-Men save more new mutants popping up after the AVX event, public opinion is beginning to shift in their favor. The media and government still want their heads, but the masses see them as purveyors of peace and equality. So what if they killed Charles Xavier and almost destroyed the world with the Phoenix force?

In a great twist, the Uncanny X-Men take a visit to upstate New York, offering to train some of students at the Jean Grey School. Shockingly, one of the time-displaced original X-Men will accept the offering. But what’s there angle? I’m eager to find out more and I suspect the answer is found in the pages of All-New X-Men volume 2 (which I’ve yet to find or read.)

There’s lots of great action, adventure, and story in this book; although the battle between Cyclops and Magneto is surprisingly tame compared to the cover of this book. It’s a bit of a downer. Also, for those who enjoy supernatural elements to their comics, Magik must take back her dominion in limbo from a famous foe of Doctor Strange and the new ‘rogue’ Sentinels return for more carnage.

Much of the art in this book is gritty and unique. It’s like a darker version of Mike Allreds’ stuff. I liked it very much and I hope to get to come across more of it in future Marvel NOW! reading.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

 

 

 

Uncanny X-Men, Volume 1: Revolution (Marvel NOW!)

Inspired by the fantastic new series, All-New X-Men, I decided to give another X-Men title a go. Uncanny X-men follows Cyclops, Magneto, Magik, and Emma Frost as they try to redeem themselves after the events of AVX. The governments of the world consider these X-Men to be criminals. Though they acted under the influence of the Dark Phoenix, the mutants realize that they did wrong and strive to put things right by saving as many new mutants as possible before they can be surgically removed by a clandestine new squad of Sentinels. Adding to the drama, the Uncanny X-Men’s powers have been broken by their time under the possession of the Dark Phoenix and to top it all off, Magneto is covertly selling Cyclops and his new mutants out to SHIELD.

With these X-Men, you don’t know who to trust. Are their intentions pure or is there something sinister underneath. The art is superb but it’s the storytelling that really sells this book. Also, character development is phenomenal. A couple of these new mutants were introduced in the pages of All-New X-Men. Now, we get to see what their training and life is like at the NEW Xavier School for Mutants.

   There’s a great web of interconnectivity between these two titles and I suspect that the other X-titles interweave just as flawlessly. It’s making me want to get my hands on those titles with further exploring the goings on of these X-Men as well as the classic time-displaced X-Men. On top of that, I really want to read AVX!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Inhumans Special (The Untold Saga)

So, if you’ve ever read the early run of Fantastic Four (I’m up to about issue 150) then you’ll known that the fiery red head on the cover of this comic, Medusa, first appears as a villainess at least a dozen or so issues before the first appearances of the rest of the Inhumans. She’s not really a baddie and later will join the ranks of the FF from time to time.  I’ve always wondered why she was first a foe to the Fantastic Four and not with the rest of the Inhumans living in exile from their homeland of Attilan.

     Well, this special seeks to answer that longing question. The Inhumans Special also chronicles the fall of Blackbolt and how his traitorous brother, Maximus, claims the throne. It also goes into depth why several of the Inhumans willingly go into exile instead of kicking some Maximus butt.

   I enjoyed this book very much. I liked its ‘Secret Origin’ format. Crystal, Blackbolt, Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, and Trigon are all here, but despite 48-pages of great storytelling, there’s so much more Inhumans lore that’s waiting to be told.

   It’s a rare time that I thought Marvel squandered a chance to insert a Marvel Handbook series of articles on the various Inhumans or chronicle the history of the race as a whole. Those articles often tire me out with voluminous entries and endless details. But this time I was clamoring for it. If this book is ever reissued, I strongly suggest Marvel include some OHBOTMU materials. It will make for an even more exciting trip through the annals of the Inhumans.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Damage Control #3 (of 3)

 

The final (so far) chapter of Damage Control sees the end of the recovery efforts and another classic John Porter solution to Manhattan constant super hero induced problems in regards to the newly sentient Chrysler Building.

I was happy with every aspect of this book except one: it ended way too soon. I am sure Damage Control will pop up in other series from time to time. I just hope DC gets it’s day in the sun and finally gets a regular series to call its own.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

 

World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Damage Control #2 (of 3)

In the last issue, the recovery and relief efforts of Damage Control was hindered by the Thunderbolts, demanding that all unregistered superhero volunteers be arrested for violating the superhero Registration Act. Thankfully, one of the Thunderbolts has a personal history with Damage Control and a temporary truce is rendered for the benefit of saving what New Yorkers who couldn’t flee during the World War Hulk rampage. (If you’ve been keeping up with my previous reviews of the older Damage Control minis, you can figure out who I’m referring to as the peacemaker.)

Now the race is on as Damage Control and the volunteers only have 2 days to save those trapped in the Big City. Complicating matters is the Chrysler Building. No, it’s not going to tumble if repairs can’t be made immediately. It’s just become sentient and it wants to go on a tour of Asia, that’s all!

This issue goes from a really good story that goes into depth of the tragedy in Connecticut that started the whole mess with Civil War. Then it gets really bizarre. The great thing about the writing of this series is that co-creator and scribe Dwayne McDuffie can make this story interesting no matter what. Why Damage Control has never been given a full-time regular series status is beyond me! This is the House of Ideas at its best and I want more!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Daredevil (2011-2014), volume 7

Mark Waid’s first epic run on Daredevil is coming to a close. But before the final curtain, Daredevil has to bring down the Society of Serpents. Having discovered that there is something more sinister behind the hate group than just your average case of racism and bigotry, the Man without fear must team up with the Legion of Monsters!

Once again, the storytelling is top notch. Waid has done it again. The same must be said about the fantastic collaborations of art by Samnee, Copeland, and Rodriguez. They’re style is very clean and a wonderful color palette; which says volumes for a comic that was known to have only used the colors red, gray, black and raven blue.

The ending is kinda a shock and kinda not. I like where I think Mark Waid is going with this but I will have to wait until I can get my hands on the next series. There’s been some confusion as to whether this series is considered Marvel NOW! or not. I would have to say not. Yes, some of this series ran as Marvel was retooling its line and this volume (as is the previous volume) published in the style of the Marvel NOW! books.

    Honestly, I don’t understand why Marvel felt they needed to cancel this series and ‘start over.’ The series, despite the big change coming by the volume’s final issue, does not warrant yet another rechristening. Obviously, Marvel has it in their head that first issues sell comics, whereas issue #37 (the next issue if this series were to be allowed to have continued as is) would just wind up in a dollar bin. Before you know it, every issue is going to be numbered 1 and confusion with drive away potential readers collectors.

Well, until that happens, Make Mine Marvel NOW! (But please don’t let this prediction come to pass!)

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Property by Rotu Modan

This graphic novel is about a Polish grandma who returns to Warsaw with her granddaughter after the recent death of her son (and granddaughter’s father). Having to move away Palestine (now Israel) during the Nazi invasion of Poland, the granddaughter is under the assumption that they are returning to claim a property that was lost during the occupation. But with the help of a local guide and a lawyer who dabbles in property law, the grandchild learns that there may be more to not only this trip but to her family history.

Regardless of my family history, I think I would have loved this graphic novel. It was educational, sweet, and very funny. There’s lots of great storytelling in this book and I hope it will become a classic one day.

The irony to this review is if I wasn’t married I probably would’ve overlooked this graphic novel. See, I feel like I live this book every day. My wife is half-Jewish and half-Polish. Many of the quips the young woman says in the Property sounds just like her. Then there’s grandma- if that woman isn’t my grandmother-in-law, I will eat my hat. Okay, she’s not Jewish, but she’s Polish and the portrayal of the matriarch is a dead ringer for her.

The art is minimalist but I’m not sure if that is intentional. I know very little of Israeli cartooning/ comics. This is my first foray and I don’t really want to critique the style if that’s indicative of that medium. I liked it, but some folks may think it’s too ‘Sunday Comics’ looking.

Also, this is not a graphic novel for all-ages. There’s nudity, the horrors of Nazi Germany, and just a little bit of strong language innuendo. So, this is probably more for ages 16 and up. However, I liked this comic very much and I will be surprised if it doesn’t achieve a level of acclaim up there with other Middle Eastern and Jewish graphic novels such as Persepolis or MAUS.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Universe LIVE! A Reveiw, Part 2

The next Avengers film isn’t due till next year. That means roughly 3 years is going to span between the first movie and its sequel. What a way to keep kids and fans interested but by producing a live action show that keeps the Avengers, Loki, and the Tesseract in the minds of potential movie goers. I also loved that Marvel Universe LIVE! used the many of the voices of the characters from the cartoons. Drake Bell voices was dubbed for Spidey! Adrian Pasdar was speaking for both Tony Stark and Iron Man! Very clever! And the production made sure to use characters from recent Marvel films including the Extremis soldiers and Electro in order to bridge the gap between this show and the movie universe.

(Clockwise from Left: Avengers face the enemy, Too many Lokis, On a Rampage, Hulk Smash!)

Before I sign off, I just want to let you know that you shouldn’t come to this show expecting things to be cheap. Parking was $15 a person and I expect some places like Chicago, Vegas, and New York will be even more pricy. But when you get inside is when things really hit you. For the same price of my parking, you can get a bag of cotton candy and a foam mask of Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-man, or Hulk. The mask is really cool but as my wife pointed out “the day I pay $15 for a bag of cotton candy is the day you need to get my head examined.” Super-hero themed snow cones, lollies, and other sweets are around the same price range.

If you’ve read my blog, you know I am a big fan of t-shirts. Marvel Universe LIVE! Was no exception. They had some sweet ones. But at $30 a pop for an adult shirt, I could buy 3 really nice tees at Wal-Mart (5 if I check out their clearance racks!)

  This doesn’t mean that there wasn’t some really cool merchandise that I wanted or that I didn’t buy anything. I highly recommend the Souvenir Booklet. It’s a full colored book that one part program and one part activity/ trivia book. There’s tons of great artwork but very few live-action shots. Actually, there aren’t any except for a ‘behind the scenes’ section. I would’ve liked to have a few pictures of the show in action. As you can tell, my pics are not the best quality. Maybe the show is too new for this. Another reason to get the book however is the free prequel comic book that comes with the booklet. It’s not available unless you buy the booklet. Plus, I give major kudos to Feld Entertainment for presenting the comics bagged and boarded.

Sure, you can see the wires. Granted, the one-liners were corny. Yeah, paying $40 for a stuffed Hulk is a lot of money. And there was a little controversy over the run time being about 20 minutes shorter than expected. But Marvel, Feld, and of course, the House of Mouse put on a great show. I left the show on a high, ready to save my little corner of the world.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Universe LIVE! A Review, Part 1

Last night for an anniversary present, my wife took me to go see the new live action production of Marvel Universe LIVE! My wife was a little concerned that it was going to be too childish and that I wouldn’t enjoy it. But I had a blast!

The show is about 2 hours and is a mix between the Circus, Circe du Soleil, a live action comic book, and a motocross competition! Produced by Felt Entertainment, the creative minds behind Ringling Brothers Circus, Monster Jam, and Disney on Ice, there’s tons of pyro, explosions, and great special effects too!

The story involves the cosmic cube. Thor, having snatched it from his evil brother Loki, smashes the cube into 3 pieces. In response to the loss of the cube, Loki has created a clone of the cube and powers it by having kidnapped some of the X-Men. This new cube forces the Avengers to Assemble and they are joined by Wolverine and Spider-man in the search and rescue efforts.

The Avengers determine that they must split off into 3 groups in order to finding the cosmic cube fractals if they want any chance of defeating Loki. This Justice League style move allows the viewers to see their favorite super heroes face some of their biggest foes- AIM, Hydra, and The Sinister Six are just a few of the biggest baddies in the Marvel Universe popping up in this production.

I don’t want to go into too much more detail about the plot as Marvel Universe LIVE! Is a fairly new production. My site city of Raleigh, NC was just the 2^nd stop in a tour that will travel to almost 100 cities nationwide over the next 2 years. But, I hope that these pics will inspire you to check out the show. However, the entire production was a stroke of marketing genius.

   

World War Hulk: Aftersmash - Damage Control #1 (of 3)

After the events of Civil War, there was World War Hulk in which a very pissed off Hulk takes his frustrations out on the Avengers and Illuminati who collectively worked to maroon him in space. As a result of his return to earth, Hulk went wild and the Big Apple was laid waste.

Now with the city cordoned off and declared a disaster area, Damage Control is hoping to win the bid to repair the city from Tony Stark, newly appointed Director of SHIELD. In order to do that, the gang’s going to have to get back together. John Porter is on a sabbatical of sorts, Robin’s been fired, and the construction crew is on the outskirts of town chomping at the bit to get the green light.

Over 15 years has passed from Damage Control volume 3 to this new mini-series and lots has been missed. Other than a couple of appearances on Marvel Universe cartoons, I’ve not come across Damage Control in other books. But apparently, they’ve been popping up in issues of Iron Man, Wolverine, and The Avengers. I missed another hostile takeover of the company, Robin being fired, and surely other events too.

So, this issue meant a little catching up was in order. It also meant that I was going “Huh?” a lot! But that’s okay! Dwayne McDuffie is just as clever and funny as ever. The characters are engrossing and I cannot wait to see what happens next! Especially since the Thunderbolts have just showed up and are threatening to arrest all of the unregistered super hero volunteers that have agreed to join the cleanup!

Awesome stuff!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Continuity Problems: A Primer

In the past couple of days some big changes were announced by Marvel Comics and Archie Comics. If you do not want to know of these spoilers, then do not scroll below past the image of Batman and Archie

 

Okay, you’ve been warned and given plenty of time to click away from this post.

I posted this message today on Facebook:

“so with Thor becoming a woman, The Falcon donning the costume of Captain America, Wolverine going to die, and Archie Andrews shot down in a hail of bullets and coming back as a guardian angel, I'm thinking this isn't a good week for comic book continuity.”

There you have it- that’s a lot to take in. Oddly, DC Comics has been strangely silent with any shake ups other than a new (= trendy) costume for Batgirl. I think that’s because with Batman’s 75^th Anniversary next week, DC doesn’t want any negative publicity to take away from the festivities. But mark my word, something big is on the horizon and it’s going to tick off loyal fans mightily.

So, why all these dramatic changes all of a sudden? The number one reason is always sales. Usually a big change in a comic book was limited to the death of a minor character or a costume change. But ever since DC killed off Superman and Robin the major comic book publishers have been clamoring for the next ‘shocking’ event. Those issues fly off the shelves, garnish inflated prices, and eventually collect dust on eBay. The hot book that is $300 today will eventually become dollar bin fodder is a few years after the publishers flood the market with more and more reprints.

 More importantly for comic book publishers, events like this garnish publicity and any publicity is good publicity in the media world. Remember the explosion of controversy when Captain America was killed about 7 years ago? Some Congressmen and Senators actually condemned Marvel Comics for the unpatriotic act of killing Steve Rogers. Well, it’s 2014 and Superman, Captain America, and yes, even Jason Todd are all alive and well in the pages of your favorite comics. Yes, if they kill them, they will come (back.)

So that explains the death of Archie and impending doom of one James “Logan” AKA Wolverine Howlett. Let’s look at the next publicity stunt of comic book companies- the shake-up. Why do comic books just have to change the superhero you loved and adored as a child? This one can easily be explained by the demand for more hype in the press. But there’s something a little more to this ploy.

Even though super hero movies and TV shows dominate right now (and yes, I’m including non-super hero comic properties like Walking Dead in this categorization) only about half of those viewers actually read the comic that they are based on. I don’t have an exact source for that fact, but I’ve sat through enough panels at ComiCons that I can tell you that this is considered canon.

Anyway, so let’s say 2 million people watch your comic book TV show. That means only half of the viewers is giving you both ratings and comic book sales for your franchise. Thus there are about 1 million untapped potential readers. Let’s say you’ve got 5 shows based on your publishing company with 2 million viewers a show. That’s 10 million total viewers but only 5 million readers. So, how do you drum up new readers? You’d think events like Free Comic Book Day would be doing the trick. But sadly, the publishers tend to see this as a minor marketing tool and not what it really is: the preservation of the comic book industry by marketing to the next generation of readers. No, the publishers think the best way to get readers is to placate, placate, placate- pander, pander, pander.

Case in point- dateline 2008 Washington DC. Barack Obama has won the presidency and becomes the first African American president in American history. Within weeks, Spider-man gets stars in a special Inauguration edition comic that has the web-slinger saving Obama from a terrorist plot. Over the next few months, dozens (and I mean dozens) of companies- big and small- issue comics starring Obama. There’s the obvious one’s that are factual and educational. But then you’ve got one book in which Obama is portrayed as a barbarian and has taken a bikinied Sarah Palin as his wench.

Now flash forward to yesterday, 2014 Durham. My favorite comic book store. Obama’s popularity rating is close to record lows. A scandal in the FBI, a possible lawsuit brought forth by Congress, and a wildly unpopular healthcare program hasn’t marked Obama as the media darling he once was. Do you know how many new comics based on President Obama I found? Zero. Nobody wants to touch the 44^th President in comic book form because it would be publishing poison.

You pick a popular, trendy thing and they’ll make a comic book out of it. Right now gay transgendered rights is a hot topic. So is women’s rights. Thus, this is why you’re going to have a female Thor. It’s also why Archie Andrews gave his life to protect his gay friend, Kevin Keller.

   Now the point I am making isn’t to be anti-anything here. I believe in the Constitution and as long as your beliefs and lifestyles do not physically harm another person, I believe our forefathers established it to be okay for you to do. If you think God is a dog who wants you to kill cats, you can do that. But don’t expect me to hand over my five kitties so you can be closer to Fido, Dark Lord of All. But believe me; it this was a popular religion, you can believe there’s going to be a new character in your favorite books that practices Fidoism.

I think the Big Two believe that ALL comic book fans want edgy and daring, and truly believe that if they make every character transgender, alternative lifestyled, different cultured, anti-religion, anti-ethics, anti-America, anti-social, etc., etc., that the masses will become fans of the books. It’s not socially popular to be a Christian right now, that’s why you don’t see a super hero who’s a believer. Don’t believe me- Google Phil from Duck Dynasty and see how popular he became after he made remarks about homosexuality and how it gels with his faith in Jesus. Sadly, instead of making great comics with great characters, publishers just seek to exploit the next thing that trends on Twitter.

One of the biggest trends is dystopia. Money is tight, the world is at the brink of war every day, jobs scarce, and hope is even scarcer. And what are some of the biggest movies, books, and TV shows out there? Dystopian thrillers like 24, the Strain, Under the Dome, and the Hunger Games. It’s kill or be killed out there it seems with tragic shootings in schools and colleges. Why you can’t even see the Dark Knight without fear a man in body armor is going to burst in to theatre 7, guns blazing. Surviving in a world were all is lost seems like a fairy tale compared to the things you see on your local news.

 But I think the average reader doesn't want that. Just because fans of Twilight and Hunger Games are clamoring for dystopia, the readers (the true masses) that have grown up with comics read them because there was always a promise of a Utopia at the end of the issue or storyline. Even in its grittiest forms, comic books always would end with the hope of bright new day. I’m reminded of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns. This was a gritty, dirty, hopeless future that Miller painted. Superman was a bad guy, Wonder Woman literally was a call girl and raped by the Joker, and crime was rampant in the streets of Gotham. But instead of status quo at the ending of the book, you got an aging Batman, riding off into the sunset with his new Robin and even newer members of the Batman family, ready to save the day.

   That is the ending that the real comic book fan desires. That is the hero we need. Sure, he got older but he was still Bruce Wayne: The Batman. We don’t want Superman to become a god. Yeah, he’s got god-like powers, except 1- he can die. Archie isn’t supposed to die and then become the guardian angel of Riverdale. He’s supposed to not be able to decide between Betty and Veronica and have trouble getting his jalopy to work. The good thing about Archie’s death is that it’s an imaginary story and isn’t canon to the Archie Universe. However, nobody has seemed to tell that to CNN who’ve made it seem like Archie is worm food forever and ever.

   That’s brings me to my final thought on comic books. The publishers release press releases to the media and while they report on the happenings in your favorite comics, they don’t educate the casual viewer. When somebody sees “Archie Andrews: Dead at 95” they’re going to think, “well I don’t have to buy that comic book anymore” and the loyal fan is going to be royally ticked off.

   In comics, unless you are Uncle Ben Parker, everybody returns from the dead at one point or another. Publishers need to understand that the casual reader doesn’t know this. The same goes with adding new and edgy characters that reflect the values of ‘today.’ Remember Dazzler? The hot swinging disco chick mutant superhero? If you’re younger than 34, probably not. She was supposed to be the face of 1970 and 80s life. But one day, you know what happened? Disco died. Oh, Dazzler’s still around but you won’t ever see her as the flagship hero of Marvel Comics ever again unless Disco makes a comeback.

I think it’s perfectly fine to create new characters. They reflect the times. They may be right. They may be wrong. Hitler was comic’s first villain. Today, the average superhero’s main nemesis is bigotry, homophobia, and hate. Both villains exhibit the same characteristics; only the modern super villain isn’t a single face to anoint as the root of all evil. Dazzler is a good example to the tides of change as to why not as much fuss is made over new characters. One day, somebody is going to look at a Beanie Baby and not know that they used to command hundreds and thousands of dollars. So, in order to make an impact, the publishers screw around with your childhood. They kill off the superhero you used to run around your yard as or they change your idol into a woman, an alien, or even a villain.

Yes, as the average comic book reader and fan, I want new and exciting stories. I don’t want comics being so dull that the newest issue of Action Comics sees Superman and Lex Luthor sitting on a porch sipping lemonade. Publishers, it’s time to realize that you need to make 2 comics- one series for the established reader who remembers the innocent times fondly and one series for those who want their heroes to be raw and dangerous. I thought that was the point of series like Elseworlds and Ultimate Marvel. Sadly, it seems that the Big Two forgot the point behind those experiments and now just create their next story on what CNN and Fox News thinks is that voice of the people.

 Folks if you think that your voice is different from what the media is trying to make our favorite superheroes, and then I encourage you to comment on this story. Please make folks aware that someone still loves comic books as a vessel of hope not a pamphlet of despair. If you agree with at least some of the points I am trying to make, please link this story to whatever social media you see fit. Please use the hashtag #bringbackmyheroes to let DC Comics and Marvel know that we want out super heroes back and in the condition we found them.

 

Damage Control (Series 3) #4 of 4

From the Big Screen to the Cosmic Theatre, the gang from Damage Control is summoned to the far reaches of space/time reality in order to bring down a threat that only someone with an eye for detail can fix. It seems that Edifice Wreaks has done such a great job cleaning up the asteroid belt that he’s now got his sights on cleaning up any and everything that isn’t perfect. That will mean the end of reality.

Featuring just about every major league cosmic biggie in the Marvel Universe, this issue signals the end of the original Damage Control miniseries. Galactus, Silver Surfer, Order & Chaos, The Collector, Death, and Infinity all form a tribunal with Damage Control in hopes of saving the universe. Sadly, this assortment of guest stars, including cameos from various Avengers and New Warriors, wasn’t enough to save the experiment that was Damage Control and earn it the permanent monthly series status it well deserved.

True, this isn’t the end of Damage Control. They’ll pop up doing guest stints in various series and mini-series for the next 15 years until they’ll get another mini-series shot during the Hulk: Aftersmash event.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Overall Rating: 8.25

Damage Control (Series 3) #3 of 4

Damage Control averted a crisis and possible jail time after a mysterious entity named Edifice Wrecks was determined to be behind the ‘physic’ disaster calls. John Porter seems to have solved the problem behind Wrecks insatiable desire to clean by assigning long missing Damage Control employee to clean up the Van Ryan asteroid belt.

While Edifice makes good work in cleaning up all the bits and pieces, the Damage Control gang has been invited to a movie premier starring Damage Control! Starring Simon “Wonder Man” Williams as John Porter (genius cameo by the way) in a blockbuster movie set to rival another superhero movie by the Distinguished Competition that was tearing up 1989/90 at the time, this is a very funny parody that skewers how Hollywood treats comic book properties.

 I laughed out loud several times at this issue. It was brilliant. It was genius. It was over way too soon! Thankfully, there’s one issue left in this mini-series, but I think Damage Control: The Movie’s 15 minutes of fame is up and there will not be a sequel.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

 

 

 

Damage Control (Series 3) #2 of 4

  I know that a couple of reviews ago, I said that Ernie Colon’s artwork in DC Series 2 #4 looked rushed and sloppy. Well, after the previous issues debacle with a new artist, I must say that the sketchy and rough art style of Ernie Colon was welcomed by to me with open arms.

In this issue, the crew of Damage Control is sent to Yankee Stadium with a report that a super villain has run amok and destroyed the place. Looking to prove that they are not drumming up business by wreaking havoc on the people of New York, John and Robin bring a detective with them. There, they happen to run into the Hulk! Only, Hulk isn’t there to tear up the place but he is hoping to making a killing if the Yankees can pull on off over the Red Sox! Huh?

This is a really bizarre issue that can only get weirder DC’s new intern, Robbie Baldwin (Speedball) calls up his buds The New Warriors to bring down the criminal syndicate known as Damage Control!

A fun filled issue that turns everything you know about the Hulk on its ear. A very funny issue that I think should be considered a classic. The imagination of Dwayne McDuffie is just full of surprises and he’s a master at crafting the adventures of Damage Control.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Damage Control (Series 3) #1 of 4

  The crew at Damage Control is suspected of creating disasters for profit after the team is repeatedly called away to accidents minutes before they happen. With the NYPD on their tail, the company is going to have to prove that they are innocent or the whole business may be forced to close, people lose their jobs, and even worse, face criminal charges.

  I like this idea. It’s got an air of mystery to it while still staying true to the Damage Control formula I love. What doesn’t stay true to the DC formula is the art. For some reason, Ernie Colon is not the artist for this issue (and I fear for the rest of the series.)

Taking over the reins from Colon is Kyle Baker. Years after this issue is published, Baker will revitalize the obscure and definitely weird super hero Plastic Man. His cartoonish style works for Plas. It does not work for Damage Control. Besides Peter and Robin, the art is so different from Ernie Colon, that I can’t tell who some of these characters are. I did not enjoy it.

While I like some of Baker’s work, this issue isn’t one I favor. In fact, it’s so bad; this becomes the first Damage Control issue I deem NOT WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.