Guardians of the Galaxy (Prelude to Annihilation Week)

  Finally, I saw the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm not 100% sure why it's taken me this long. It's been a weird mash of financial shortfalls, injury, and surgeries that have culminated in me putting off seeing it and putting it off, and putting it off- until now. So, what changed?

  Recently at my local library, I found the Annihilation Omnibus. Having read it and granted a free PPV rental by DISH Network, I was finally inspired to check it out. More on this later. But first let's discuss the film.

  The movie begins with a young Peter Quill being abducted by aliens in 1988 after his mother dies of what is assumed to be cancer. We then jump 26-years to find an adult Quill now calling himself Star-Lord. When Quill finds a mysterious orb, he becomes the target of the Scavengers, a ragtag bunch of aliens who abducted Quill for some reason and now have a bounty for his capture, bounty hunters Rocket Raccoon and Groot, and Gamora, daughter of Thanos and associate of the crazed Ronan.

   After the group ends up in Nova Corps prison, they meet up with Drax the Destroyer whose got a blood lust against Ronan for killing his wife and child. With this fifth member, the line-up for the Guardians of the Galaxy is complete. Together they trek across the universe seeking to sell the stolen orb to the Collector. There, the Guardians learn that the orb contains another of the Infinity Gems and has the power to destroy worlds. When Ronan steals the orb, the team must race back to the Nova homeworld of Xandar to protect it and the rest of the galaxy from being destroyed by a now power-mad Ronan.
 
   With any superhero film that begins a franchise and an origin, the film starts off a little slow. It really isn't until the group finally all meet that it became an instant classic. Many consider lovable Groot, the living tree, to be the fan favorite of the film, but I really like Drax. He's very droll, but he's given some of the funniest lines. I felt like he stole the show though Groot does give the Destroyer a run for his money.

  Another element that stole this flick was its soundtrack. Peter has an old Sony Walkman that belts out some classic 70s tunes such as Blue Suede's 'Hooked on a Feeling.' It's these catchy songs that help make this cosmic odyssey seem more familiar and more like 'home.'

    One part of this film that I thought was hit or miss was the special effects. The home world of Xandar looked like Starfleet Academy's's wet dream. It was beautiful, but many of that's planet's residents looked fake. Some characters like Yondu, the Alpha-Centurian with the musical arrow, has blue skin. However, the skin looked like an FX computer tech just painted the image of actor Michael Rooker, in facial prosthetics, navy. I swear I was ready for him to move off screen quickly and his blue hue to follow him off screen. Zoe Saldana's green Gamora looked like that was her real skin tone but the pink-hued attendant to the Collector and many other characters looked like someone was playing around with the color on their computer monitor in order to get their desired effect and it just fell flat.

    There're lots of great Easter eggs in this film. The character of Yondu was a member of the original Guardians team from the year 3,000 (maybe this was his great-grandfather?) There's several minor characters in the background and zoo of the Collector (as well as a few baddies from previous Marvel Films.) Perhaps the biggest Easter Egg is that Thanos and his army are the same mystery characters from the first Avengers film. It's just another bit of evidence that though Marvel may not be following the comic books to an exact 'T' they do have an all-encompassing plan for their films and live-action series to help create a true live-action Marvel Universe.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

(Wait a minute---- Didn't I say I was going to come back to Annihilation? About that- I was able to get my hands on a copy of the Annihilation Omnibus recently. In that massive 500-page plus tome, Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, Thanos, Ronan, Nebula, Korath, and the Nova Corps play important roles. Since they were in that book as well as this film, I broke down and finally set aside time to watch GOG. 
    So, starting tomorrow I will begin a week-long review of the series Annihilation and its many prequels and companion pieces. 
     My friends, welcome to Annihilation Week.)

Haunted Histories: Creepy Castles, Dark Dungeons, and Powerful Palaces (Family Comics Friday)

Though the narrator and his pet raven are fictitious, the haunted histories are real- for the most part. There are some ghost stories and the whole biz about ghosts being real is up for debate. But, the tales of crazed rulers, creepy castles, and methods of medieval torture are quite real. It's also wicked fun.

Some subject matter isn’t appropriate for kids under the age of 12. But, it’s a really interesting look at history told in a way that makes kids like to learn. Just like Grossology or Schoolhouse Rocks, I’m all for educational media that makes learning fun, even if the stuff in this book is more for a junior Hannibal Lector that fodder for the kid what wants to be president when they grow up. 

What’s more, it’s written by a college professor, just don’t tell your kids that!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Haunted Histories can be purchased on Amazon in both new and used paper formats. There is also a Kindle Edition.

52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #6

  The cover says that the Four Horsemen have been defeated by the combined might of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the rest of the superhero community.

   (Note: they were defeated once before and we thought that was the end of that! Plus it's a comic book- nothing stays dead or defeated in those for very long.)

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #5

 

  As an infection rattles his body, Superman must fight off Famine. Batman and blast from the past, Snapper Carr battle each while fending off Plague. Wonder Woman unleashes her inner fury as she tackles War over the Pacific. That leaves Death, whose taken his army of the undead from Bialya and transferred it to Oolong Island. Who will defend the island of villains? Enter: the original Doom Patrol! (Wait a minute, aren't they dead too???)

   This is an action-filled issue. But I really am confused about the appearance and role of the original Doom Patrol. The team for the longest time been the Uncle Ben of the DC Universe. It other words, they're dead and the stay dead (Okay- to be fair, Robotman survived and Miles Caulder wasn't even there when the Doom Patrol died in the final issue of the original series with the same name (issue #121, 1968.) So, when did they come back? Or because the Horseman Death can raise the dead, have members of the Doom Patrol been revived as well?

  Worth Consuming but man do I have questions.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Captain America, Volume 5: The Tomorrow Soldier (Marvel NOW!)

    With the Super Soldier serum removed from his body, Steve Rogers rapidly aged to a man of 70. No longer able to wield the shield, Rogers will have to rely on his allies in SHIELD, The Avengers, and the Falcon to save the day when Armin Zola returns from Dimension Z. Zola seems to be in search of his long lost daughter who betrayed him when she fled to our dimension with Captain America. However, there's more to Zola's scheme than meets the eye and it will take some unexpected guests from Zola's pocket universe to save the day.
 
    In my opinion, the was the best Captain America story of all-time. If Steve Rogers never regained his youth or super-powers, I would be perfectly happy with how the story ended. I loved it. The art was very good. Artist Carlos Pacheco does a fantastic job capturing the style and feel of John Romita Jr. from the 'Castaway From Dimension Z' storyline. It's beautiful stuff!

    Now I want to talk about replacements. If you've kept up with pop culture news in the past few months that you know that someone else is the new Sentinel of Freedom. It's not much of a spoiler as it was on the news and many other news-type outlets, like Yahoo! Steve's replacement is the Falcon and at first I was disappointed about it.

    I don't care that the new Captain America is black. There was a great story published about 15 years ago called Truth: Red, White, and Black in which blacks are used as medical fodder in hopes of replicating the process that turned Steve Rogers into the Super Soldier.  One success becomes Captain America and is used in missions in Italy. It's an awesome chapter in the rich history of Captain America. Then in Young Avengers, the grandson of said Cap is inspired to become the Patriot. He's a great character and the perfect leader for that team.

   So a black Captain America isn't new to me. It's just that I didn't feel it was necessary to have a new Captain America again so soon. It's not even been 10 years since Bucky Barnes was Captain America. I felt that maybe Marvel had run out of ideas or something and I didn't want Steve Rogers to take a dirt nap again. But the way Sam Wilson is granted the right to become Cap while allowing Steve Rogers the dignity to become the new tactical advisor for the Avengers was the right way to transition these dynamic characters while tying up the latest Captain America series.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Bongo Comics Free-For-All FCBD 2013

 

The Bongo-Free-For-Alls usually have a Simpsons story, a Futurama tale, and maybe a short story about another Bongo Comics title like Itchy & Scratchy or Radioactive Man.

But for 2013, the Simpsons dominate with three very funny stories that for once, are NOT involving comic books and superheroes. The back cover have the Planet Express folks parodying Giant-Sized X-Men #1. Yet, that’s the only time we see the gang from the year 3,000. Is it because this season is supposedly the final season of Futurama? If so, that’s no excuse to tease faithful readers like myself.

Worth Consuming, but almost annoying enough an omission of Futurama to be considered wishy-washy.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #4

Wonder Woman fights off Pestilence from destroying Oolong Island. But the real villain might be fortified within the villainous barricades.

   Meanwhile, War and Famine arrive in Bialya with a score to settle with the Man of Steel. Infected by the bite of one of the Horsemen, Superman will need all the help he can get.

   An unexpected blast from the past becomes a major player in this issue. I really love their incursion into the storyline. It was sorely needed. While many may wish it was anybody but this character, especially the Man of Tomorrow, I applaud Keith Giffen adding him to the story. Giffen has such an affinity for the Silver Age and using ******** in this issue was the perfect homage to the early days of the Justice League of America and the right twist needed for this story to get better and better.

  It took several issues, but the 4th time was the charm for perfection.

   Worth Consuming.

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #3

   

As Batman and Superman fend off Death's army of the undead in Bialya, Wonder Woman and members of the Justice League act as envoys to the newly recognized nation of Villains Island (not the actual name- but it should be! It's actually called Oolong Island.) In a race against time the Amazonian Princess must buy the island's mad scientists time to fortify themselves and activate a potential weapon against a plague horse of the next Horseman, Pestilence.

    The action ramps up to 11 in this issue. So far, it's the best issue. The art is still stunning but finally, the storyline matches the artwork in terms of quality.

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #2

   The fictitious nation of Bialya plays heavy in 52. It's already seen massive devastation after the events of Black Adam's World War III. So with a country full of sick, injured, starving, angry, and dying people, it becomes the natural breeding ground for the Four Horsemen.

  First up: Death, the pale rider, raises the dead of Bialya as his personal army. Like any zombie horde, their bite is infectious. On a humanitarian mission for the Wayne Foundation, Bruce Wayne finds himself without a utility belt in front of a raging horde. Will Clark Kent, on assignment for the Daily Planet be able to save the billionaire without giving away his secret identity?

   This second chapter was a little more fun than the opening servo. I liked the undead rising element and the Four Horsemen as a group seem to be an interesting quartet. But there's still some disconnect between Keith Giffen and me the reader. I think it's because he relies too much on the source material which wasn't very memorable.

   Am I biased? I'm probably guilty as charged. But I will admit that some of this issue was much better. The art, especially. It's got a sleek modern feel to it and the color palette while muted is very clean. Okay, with as story full of zombies and dying refugees, it is a little too clean.

  Still, a better overall improvement.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

52 Aftermath- The Four Horsemen #1

  During 52, a cadre of super-villains started an island commune with the expressed purpose of ridding the earth of their enemies one and for all. If that meant they became the de facto rulers of earth- so be it. One of their experiments was to create living embodiments of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (or was is Apokolips?) and they did a lot of damage with those.

    Now, the Four Horsemen are free from their new masters and are running rampant throughout the earth. Seeing this as a major setback from their island paradise being recognized as a sovereign state by the UN, the villains must do the one thing they dread most: ask for help from the Justice League.
   
    I read 52 several years ago and I've actually forgotten much of what happened involving this island commune for super villains sub-plot. I seem to remember the Metal Men and Egg Fu having something to do with this. But honestly, that wasn't my favorite story subplot and I glossed over it. Had I not waited so long to read this tie-in miniseries, I might have enjoyed this first issue more. Instead, I had to run back to my collection, pull out some issues of 52 and get a little more reacquainted with that plot.
 
   Even with the tutorial, this didn't help me to enjoy this issue very much. Not looking too good for the rest of this series.

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

In Memory of Ginger...

Ginger- always into something.

I hate the number twelve. This afternoon, I got a condolence card that reminded my why I hate that number. January 12, 2015. It was my last day with Ginger, my sweet orange tabby boy.

   I've been married since July 24th, 1999 and with the exception of two weeks after our marriage and the days since Ginger passed away, my little buddy has been a daily part of my life and my wife's too. It's been really hard with him gone. I know he's a cat but he was one hell of a guy too!

   Jan and I haven't been able to have children. We've had several miscarriages. But with Ginger, it was like having a human child. He'd let us hold him like a child, over your shoulder and along for the ride while you put away groceries or cleaned up after dinner. When he wanted food, he'd dance by rising on his back legs and moving his front ones as to say "food goes here" by pointing at his bowl.

   Ginger had a soft voice, but he could be loud. His morning greeting to me always sounded like "Dadddeeee!" His was so kind and while he'd get feisty, he never bit me out of meanness. The only time he did bite me was at the vet when a loud bark freaked him out. After the bite, he managed to climb up me and stand on the top of my head, refusing to get down.
 
   Ginger was one of the original 3gatos, a hot sauce brand that I later turned into a hot sauce store that I owned and operated for two years. Ginger also was one of the original Steel Cats. He and his brother Gimli would sit on opposite sides of me as I cheered for my beloved Steelers. When I would yell either for joy or anger, he'd never budge. Mind you, I was way louder than that dog ever was.

   Ginger was also a sleeping buddy. He had the routine where first he'd leave the bed, do his rounds as it to remind everybody he was the Alpha. Then he'd come back and start pawing at my back asking me to turn over. It was a great little shoulder rub and I'd let him shiatsu me for a few seconds before I would turn over and he'd either flop across my chest or snuggle up in my arm.

   He's been gone 10 days and the house just feels blah. I keep expecting him to jump up on the bed and give me a kitty massage. I miss his voice and most of all, I miss his presence.

    When I first meet Ginger, I was still in college. One day on my way to class, this gangly ball of fur and legs meet me at the front door. I told him that I couldn't let him in the house but if he wanted a family, he needed to show up at 6pm. At school, I called Jan to let her know to look for an orange kitten in need of a home. Around 5:30, Jan got home but no cat. I pulled up right at six and sitting on top of Jan's hood was Ginger. But Ginger didn't look like he did when I left him hours earlier. Some jerk had spray painted him pink.

   So, I scooped him up, ran into the apartment, grabbed Jan, and we be-lined it to the vet. Thankfully, the vet was able to comb out most of the paint. The prognosis was that if he was fine now, he's probably not going to get worse. Just don't let him lick the paint and it will wear off. (Ginger later won an award from Purina for the story of how he became part of our family.)

    As I think of it, it's odd that Ginger's tongue was involved with how he became a part of our family and how he passed away. For a couple of years now, Ginger had diabetes. Ging wasn't fat or a sloth. However, older tabbies get diabetes for some reason and vets are scrambling to learn more about the process.

    Sometime in the past year, Ginger developed a lump. But the docs were stumped as to whether it was cancer or not as a biopsy revealed it was comprised of liquid fat. Once again the mutant cat strikes again. Over the time we've had Ginger, he was sprayed hot pink, grew two teeth in the same place at the same time, re-grew a claw after being declawed (a process we'll never do again to any of our babies!), had a brain tumor on his ear (TWICE!), had a urinary blockage, and was a wet nurse for our kitten Lambert. Oh, and he cured himself of diabetes and had a seizure just to let us know his blood sugars had stabilized. Because of his strange medical history, I often tell people that Ginger was born at Sharon Harris (a nearby nuclear plant.)

     But a few days before we had to say goodbye to Ginger, he stumped the vet with another medical mystery. Since the days of the dual tooth incident, I do regular tooth checks on our cats. In the process of 3 days, Ginger's tongue went from healthy to something far worse. He'd gone a couple of days not eating. So, I decided to check his mouth once more and there I saw a terrible brown spot on his tongue. The vet said that for some reason his tongue in that area had died and it was possible that the rest would later.

Any hope for antibiotics and more time with my little guy was gone. I had to let him go at that point. But it was horrible to have to decide. I wasn't ready for him to go even if Ginger's body was.

  As I type this my oldest girl cat, Lily is snuggled up beside me. She's a very loving cat with a special paw (it's withered and her shoulder is fused, possibly from being hit by a low-riding car.) She's trying very much to be my new sleepy time buddy. Andre, my youngest (and craziest) is trying very awkwardly to become a Steel Cat. He hates loud noises and startles easily. Thankfully, we've got a few months to work on that. Lambert J. has always been a scaredy cat. Ginger, God bless him, worked very hard to bring that boy out of his shell and over the past few weeks and days, Lamby has met that challenge and will get all the way there soon. Sarakit is all over the place in more ways than one. She can't keep still,
but she tries really hard to wake me with a kiss and to snuggle up from time to time.

    It's an adjustment period here at the Madman house for both the parents and kitties. I imagine Ginger is in Heaven right now being petting by our five little angels while his previously departed brothers and sister are all sitting around them asking "What are we, chopped liver?"

  Ginger was a great fella and so I must paraphrase that old Righteous Brothers song in closing. "If there's a Kitty Heaven, then they just got one hell of a cat as a resident."


   

Doctor Who #4 (2011-2012)

Original Cover to Issue #4.

  Thanks to Amy's meddling, the timeline has been changed. Now, Jack the Ripper's reign of terror is no longer limited to 5 women. That means that no woman in Whitechapel is safe- including Mrs. Pond! Now the Doctor and Rory race against time and space to prevent the feisty Scottish redhead from becoming victim #6.

   A fast-paced conclusion to the "Rippers Curse" that I found lacking slightly in the art department.  There are at least 2 characters that I kept getting confused because they look so similar. I had to go back several times just to keep these two straight.

   Now for the plus side- the writing finished strong. With lots of great twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat. Well, I would have been had I not been lying in bed when I read this. But you get my point.

    One interesting turn in this story was how much of a bad a$$ Rory was. My wife hates him. She thinks he ruined Doctor Who by marrying Amy. I think he added a quirky dynamic to the show. Either way you look at the character, Rory often is more of a buffoon than an action hero. While he's still socially awkward in ways, he shows real leadership when his beloved Amy is in mortal peril.

    Bravo!

  This series just keeps getting better and better in terms of plotting and the script. Hopefully, the art will rebound in the new storyline next issue.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who #3 (2011-2012)

Original Cover to issue #3.

   

   Chapter two of 'The Rippers Curse' sees the Doctor in handcuffs after he is mistaken for being Saucy Jack. Alarmed by another murder, Amy Pond decides to warn the final victim of her impending doom and winds up changing history. Now the future is no longer set in stone and the real killer's crime spree now might not stop at just 5.

   Another great issue by IDW. The art is very good, but the real reason for reading this book is the excellent storytelling. One of the things that make the new Doctor Who TV series so good are the time travel episodes, particularly when the Doctor is bound by the laws of physics to not change the timeline. Somehow, he finds a way to tweak it just a little bit. But this time around, he's affected by the meddling of one of his companions. I love the twist in this story!

   A great read that is very much Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who #2 (2011-2012)

Photo Cover to Issue #2

  

I hoard Doctor Who stuff, but it's not what you think. I grew up watching classic Doctor Who on PBS as a kid and was heartbroken when it went away. Then in 1996, I was elated to the thought of Fox bringing the show back with the Doctor Who movie. But that went nowhere. Then in 2005, my years of waiting were over as a new series was finally realized and has been going strong ever since.

   So for me, Doctor Who anything is a rare commodity. I now collect the books, comics, and DVDs. (Shirts too but I wear them all the time!) When I buy new Who, I hold on to it until I need another Timelord fix. Like an addict without their drug of choice, I like Jones for some Doctor Who often. When the show is on during it's new run on BBC America, I don't use any of my Doctor Who materials I amass, except for the shirts (I wear the heck out of those!) That way when it's in between seasons I have something new to look forward to.
   
Well, it's been about 3 weeks since the 2014 Christmas Special and I need my Doctor quick. The prescription this time around is some unread issues of IDW Publishing's first series to star the Eleventh Doctor played by Matt Smith.

    This 2011 issue has the Doctor, Rory, and Amy tackling a topic I am surprised has never been addressed in the 51-plus year history of Doctor Who: Jack The Ripper. When the trio stumbles upon the bodies of one of The Ripper's victims, the Doctor notices an unusual amount of radiation at the crime scene. Thus Britains most notorious murderer was, in fact, an alien from the future!

    Naturally, Amy wants to save the rest of the victims before it's too late. However, this is a fixed point in time and the Doctor must prevent Amy from changing history least she accidently cause the next Hitler to be born or worse- the universe could cease to exist!

  This opening chapter was very well written. The staff at IDW captured the colloquialisms of the characters quite well. It was funny and exciting. The painted art by Horacio Domingues was very good. But I really liked the art in the first issue of this series. There's nothing wrong with the art in this book. The renditions are done quite well. I just prefer the previous story's artwork a little more than this one.
A great issue to read snuggled up on a cold night wearing striped pajamas and a Doctor Who t-shirt (Did I mention I like to wear those a lot?)
 
   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #32

The final chapter of this current Legends storyline has Wonder Woman and World War II anti-hero Fury battling it out over a false sense of entitlement. See, Fury bonded with Wonder Woman's mother during her time-travelling antics during the second world war. Fury took it to mean Hippolyta was in reality her mother. It was in reality nothing more than a kind hearted woman taking an orphan child under her wing during the horrors of war.

    The biggest conflict is between Wonder Woman and Superman. For this entire storyline, Wonder Woman has been juggling with her heart over whether of not to accept a date with a despot to end a bloody civil war. Superman has been taking the whole thing on the chin, agonizing over whether of not Diana will go so far as to sleep with this rebel leader. It's very 8th-grade romance if you ask me.

    Honestly, with a story like this, it surprises me when people get all bent out of shape that Wonder Woman and the Man of Steel are currently an item in the New 52. Hint of a romance between these two characters has been hinted at since the early 70s and the love affair went so far that in days of John Bryne's post-Crisis Superman run in the 80s,  the two went on a date in Action Comics #600.  That attraction fizzled after only one outing and a kiss that grossed Wonder Woman out (I.E. like when Lorraine kisses Marty in Back to the Future and says "it's like kissing my brother.)
 
 The romance has turned into so much more over the course of the past 25 years with Elseworlds stories such as 'Red Son,' 'Whom Gods Destroy,' and 'Kingdom Come' and it's sequel 'The Kingdom' having a now widowed Superman marry Wonder Woman and have a child. (Technically Kingdom Comic isn't an Elseworlds title as much as an alternate timeline story, as that series does not carry the Elseworlds Compass logo. Yet The Kingdom does carry the Elseworlds imprint.)
   
    A very satisfying ending to a very good Wonder Woman story. It featuring some great art, sexy covers, and some great plot twists and surprises.

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #31

   After soul searching with friends, family, and fellow members of the JLA, Wonder Woman decides to go on her date with the rebel leader/ reincarnated Greek legend. She promises him one evening but the rogue cheats and keeps heading west, prolonging the courtship with the quickly setting sun. After nearly 24-hours together the question is whose getting under whose skin more? Meanwhile, Fury schemes to undermine everything, blaming Wonder Woman from stealing her mother from her. It's a deadly delusion that will come to a head in the third and final chapter next issue.

    Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #30

   The last Wonder Woman story in this anthology series was awful. So when I saw that another Wonder Woman tale pop up, I had some apprehension. Wonder Woman is a great character. I enjoy reading stories involving her. But that story from issues 4-5 sucked rocks. There was plot holes, the art was rough, and the dialogue was melodramatic at best.

    But this story by Christopher Priest and Karl Waller was actually very well written, entertaining, and excellently plotted.

   In this opening chapter, a despotic European rebel leader has his eye set on Wonder Woman. But he's willing to give up his civil war for one night with the Amazonian princess. Talk about your indecent proposals! But it appears that this is his nature as the warlord is in reality one of the Titans or some other important legend of Greek myth. (I've never heard of the myth he's based on, so I don't blame the writer for my being unable to recall the characters name without the book in front of me.) But from what I do remember, he's not Hercules despite being a massive horn dog.

    I really enjoyed this issue and I liked how it's tying in Hippolyta's time as Wonder Woman during World War II. It made for a compelling read that helped cement this story into the post-Crisis canon. It also has me ready and eager for chapter two- something I was not looking forward to after reading issue #4.

   Worth Consuming.

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.







 

Legends of the DC Universe #29

  The conclusion to the Traitor follow-up story sees the Atom as the World's Tallest Superhero and Green Lantern being shrunk to only six-inches tall, along with the rest of the world. In order to make the earth's proportions right again, the Ray will have to muster all of his will power in order to wield Green Lantern's ring while Hal Jordan must take his biggest leap of faith yet cleaning up Abin Sur's mess by trusting another with his mighty power ring.

   This was an exciting pairing that answered a lot of questions about the first appearance of the Traitor. It's not the classic team-up I was expecting, mostly because the Atom is known to partner with Hawkman frequently and Green Lantern often paired with the Flash or Green Arrow. If ever the two would teamed together, it was a part of a Justice League meeting or with one of the aforementioned heroes tagging along as a third wheel.  Plus, this story takes place early in both heroes careers and it's unsettling having these two established friends not know each other for once. So, in a way, this is the origin of the friendship and later partnership of the two once they join the JLA.

    The art was drawn in a classic 1960s style by the great Gil Kane who penciled many of these two superheroes earliest stories. I wish they'd use Kane more for this series. It's quite the breath of fresh air to have his timeless take on the DC Universe of the 2000s.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Avengers, Volume 6: Infinite Avengers (Marvel NOW!)

   

   The last volume the Avengers tackled the multiverse. In volume six, Earth's Mightiest Heroes tackle time travel.  Alternate earths, time travel, Avengers? This series is like Christmas to me with all of my favorite things rolled into one!
 
   'Infinite Avengers' answers many pressing questions that have arisen since the first issue of this series (and sister series New Avengers.) Does Steve Rogers recall what happened to him when the Illuminati wiped his mind? Why did that rogue planet show up randomly before the alternate earths did on a regular basis? What does the future hold for Avengers World?

    Just about the only thing not answered is why do only the Avengers titles seem to focus on the destruction of the multiverse? I mean if Tony Stark and Hank McCoy are working as the Illuminati to create a planet killing device, then why isn't their efforts ever mentioned in the pages of Iron Man or X-Men? Some theories are thrown around as to why this might be so and I'm not willing to spoil this volume's plot nor do I have a degree in physics in which I could accurately explain things either.

   So what happens in this volume that I can divulge? In the first issue of the Marvel NOW! New Avengers, all of the Infinity Gems were destroyed, except for the time gem. Being the time gem, instead of grinding into dust, the stone goes forward into time. Eventually, the time gem catches up with the Avengers and they are thrusted 50 years into the future. There, the Avengers meet up with a future version of Hawkeye who tells Captain America that he's on the right track to stopping the Illuminati.

    Then by a factor of 10, the Avengers continue to be sent forward in time where they are meet by a host of Yoda-like characters providing Captain America just enough information to get him on the right track but never telling him anything straight out. Once the Captain gets to the very end of time itself, he should have all the necessary pieces to the puzzle he'll need in order to decide whether he should allow Tony Stark to continue his plans to save the earth or take him out before it's too late!

  Another thrilling chapter of the Marvel NOW! Avengers . The art was great. The story was very good, even if some of it was graduate level stuff. I can't wait to see what's in store for these heroes.

   Worth Consuming.

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Avengers, Volume 5: Adapt or Die (Marvel NOW!)

   In the Marvel NOW! Avengers series, the multi-verse has been shrinking for quite some time. In previous volumes, there's been a round robin tournament between worlds, passively battling for a sole proprietorship of what will be a single-verse. The Avengers have won several encounters by the skin of their teeth or just sheer luck. Tired of these near misses, the Illuminati have been quietly building a planet-killer type weapon to ensure the survival of earth-616.
   
   The Avengers are not the only ones who've discovered that the multi-verse is dying. Evil science organization AIM has taken notice and has discovered a way to open a portal to each Earth moments before it's scheduled to die. Their premise is to plunder these planets of their technological researches but with any wormhole, it's a two-way entrance. When a morally ambiguous Avengers team passes over to our universe, AIM must clean up their mess while the Avengers must cover-up the existence of the multiverse to an unsuspecting public. While the two sides are doing their versions of damage control, the earth-616 Bruce Banner makes a power play audition to become the newest member of the Illuminati.

    This volume is another exciting chapter in the Marvel Now! Avengers saga. But with all of these reality changing events going on, I've got to wonder where does all of this fall in other Marvel NOW! series. I've read the entire NOW! runs of FF, Iron Man, Daredevil, and I've dived into several other Marvel series like All-New X-Men and Mighty Thor. With exception of the Avengers titles, the shrinking of the multiverse, is never mentioned. I'd think with these reality changing events, it would be the focus if not at least a component of every Marvel title. But it's not.

   So do the Avengers titles take place a few years in the future or the past from the other titles? Is that why the end of the multi-verse is never mentioned in the pages of Deadpool? Not all of the New 52 books occur during the same year. Action Comics and Justice League are set 5 years in the past while the Batman titles are in the present. If that's so, I'd love someone to confirm this.

    Despite my confusion over these plot oversights, this doesn't make for a poor offering by the Marvel editors. I love stories involving multiple universes and this volume delivers. It's also leading up to another Civil War between Captain America and Iron Man. Months ago, the Illuminati wiped Cap's memory of the knowledge of the worldkiller device. But from the events in this book, I get the sense that Steve Rogers is not oblivious to the covert actions of the Illuminati.

    The writing was perfect. The art was good. I even enjoyed the gallery of variants covers, many of which focus on a mash-up of classic Avengers and X-Men covers. (Although 24 variant covers of Avengers #24 is a bit excessive.) 'Adapt or Die' was a great read and it's got me pumped for volume six.

   The possibilities for this series are endless, even if it looks like the multiverse of Marvel Comics is rapidly shrinking to a galaxy of one.

    Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics #141 (Family Comic Friday)

    I debated for a couple of weeks before posting this review. To many, the Simpsons are not family friendly. But there are many a family in which mom, dad, and the kids gather round every the tube every Sunday to watch the exploits of American's favorite eight-fingered family. I tried to research what the rating for this comic was. The verdict: it's virtually impossible. The Bongo Comics website does not list a rating. (This is a big pet peeve of mine as DC, Marvel, and several other publishers are guilty of this sin of omission. ) I couldn't even get an answer from Yahoo! Answers or Amazon.

   So I went analog and checked several covers of this series. Again, I could not find a rating. I do know from my DVR that the show is rated PG-13. So, some kids could read this. Upon further research, I discovered that about the first 80 or so issues were given the Comics Code Authority stamp on its cover until Bongo abandoned the dying system in 2010. Generally, Code approval was for materials deemed suitable enough that they could be read by readers aged 8-10 and up. So, with that evidence, I deem Simpsons Comics #141 worthy of Family Comic Friday review.
 
Simpsons Comics are pretty much an episode of the series in print form. There's tons of sight gags, funny signs, parodies, and much, much more. I've read a bunch of Simpsons Comics and watched almost every Simpsons episode ever aired. So, I can say with some authority that some of these issues are better than the show!

  In this issue, Grandpa Simpson is tired of being ignored by his family and becomes adopted by the Flanders. Homer is jealous of the new found attention and auditions a replacement Grandpa. The winner of the Simpsons grandparent sweepstakes? Why, Mr. Burns, of course.

    The story was fun, it was fresh, and it was hilarious. The only thing missing was a short story at the end of the book. Usually, there is a 20-page story starring the Simpsons and at the end of the comic, is a 4-8 page tale that focuses on one of more of the many residents of Springfield. That backup feature is omitted here for some reason. But since the Flanders, Grandpa, and Mr. Burns are really the stars of this story, maybe that's why there isn't a 'Citizens of Springfield' backup feature.

    This issue really wasn't objectionable. Since the Flanders do appear in this issue, there are a few jokes about religion. Mostly, they involve Homer getting something wrong about the Bible. There is some violence in this book, like Homer strangling Bart and an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon which has the ubiquitous cartoon blood and gore. But I've seen worse in all-ages rated superhero comics and Bugs Bunny cartoons from the 40s.

    One thing missing from this issue is the language. On the sitcom, there's a peppering of 'hells', 'damns', and the occasional b-word. In my readings of this series, I've only come across the occasional 'hell' and the Madman Family favorite Star Wars has a couple of those in it. So, you can rest easy that your little angel isn't going to learn how to speak like a sailor in these comics (unless the Old Sea Captain is involved. Then you're on your own.)

     The biggest divide about this comic is that there is humor that a 10-year would get and a 6-year old would not. Topical humor, based on pop culture, current events, and famous people, is like beauty; as its humor can be found in the eyes of the beholder. A youngster isn't going to get a joke about Michael Jackson that an 18-year old might because Michael Jackson has been dead for five years now. But then again, I used to read Time Magazine at age 4, so some kiddos might understand a joke about the Kardashians or the war on terror while a grown-up might go "huh?"

      If I had a child, I would let then read this book if they were about 10. That's probably about the age my wife and I would allow them to watch the show. I would advise parents and guardians of kids who like the Simpsons TV show with the following: if you're letting them watch the show, there's no reason you can't let them read this book.

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #28

  In issues 20-21, Abin Sur followed an intergalactic killer to the Midwest of Earth during the 1880s. Sur teamed with an ancestor of Hal Jordan's and was able to capture the so-called Traitor within his power ring. In this issue, we jump to the Silver Age, we a newly deputized Hal Jordan is learning what it means to be a Lantern. Hal is also unaware that his new bling is a prison housing one of the most deadly murderers in history.

    During the time from Sur imprisoning him inside the ring from the time Jordan becomes the new Green Lantern, the Traitor has developed to way to escape. But in order to do it, he must use an outside source powered by a black dwarf star: The Atom. Normally the Atom shrinks to six inches high but when he visits Green Lantern to a charity function at sixty feet tall, it's clear that the Traitor's plan has begun.

   However, it will be the next issue until the readers learn just what that elaborate ruse really is.

    When I finished the first story, I didn't know what the Traitor's race what. He looks Czarian like Lobo and he's just as bada$$ as him. However, his origin wasn't revealed in that storyline. Well, that oversight is corrected here as it's revealed that the Traitor was genetically altered by his race to become a one-man killing machine. The traitor before his transformation looks like a giant smurf, which is not what Lobo looks like. DC still doesn't declare what the Traitor is. He could be a Kree for all I know.
So question answered, sorta.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Iron Man, Volume 5: Rings of the Mandarin (Marvel NOW!)

 

When The Dark Elf Malekith takes possession of several of the Mandarin's rings, Tony Stark will have to combine magic and technology in order to cross the nine realms and retrieve them. Featuring a Marvel UK character whose not been seen in some time, Iron Man has his work cut out for him when the owner's of the remaining rogue rings also attack the Dark Elves.
  I wasn't such a fan of all of this volume. It starts off kinda like the movie Thor: The Dark World. That is slow, dull, and not very interesting. But when Stark has to seek out the help of a former ring bearer and they, along with long-lost brother Arno Stark, go on a mission to finalize the capture of all 10 rings, the story picked up and it got good again.

    This volume of Iron Man also sees the beginning of a possible strain in the relationship between the two Stark boys. I predict Arno becoming Tony's biggest enemy. It doesn't happen here, but the foreshadowing is definitely there.

     Lastly, this series of Iron Man was yet another Marvel NOW! title that was a victim to Marvel's unnecessary renumbering of most of it's titles. With how the book ends, I hated to see this series go. Hopefully, the next edition will be just as well. But Marvel's developed this bad habit of when something works, it's time to cancel the title and start over. It's irritating and makes it hard to figure out which volume to read next unless you really dig through it and look.

     This is yet another reason why it's easier to read modern comics when available at your local library and in trade form.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

#jesuischarlie

Gotham Underground #9

The final chapter in the Gotham Underground saga. Batman cleans up and the only criminal left, for him to apprehend, is the Penguin. Holed up in his office of the Iceberg Lounge, the Penguin fears for his life and freedom. The series ends with some wicked justice that only the Dark Knight can deal out. I love it.
    Another thing, I thought was great about this series, was that all of the covers interlock into a puzzle. After I completed this series, it was fun trying to put everything together. I wonder if this image was ever made into a print. I'd love to have it the wall in my office.

     This was a great series. It's not very hard to find and they're not very expensive either. I found a couple in a bargain bin and a couple on sale. It's worth checking out and worth consuming.

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   Overall series rating: 8.88 or 9 out of 10 stars.

Gotham Underground #8

  The winner of the gang war between the Penguin and Tobias Whale is determined, but the strife doesn't end as in-fighting and betrayal mars the reign of Gotham's new crime lord. Meanwhile, the Batman dishes out some vigilante justice against the Vigilante.
 
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Gotham Underground #7

  With The Penguin bringing the gang war to Whale's front door, the Dark Knight has seen enough and finally reappears. With him is a slew of members of the Batman Family to assist him. Robin, Nightwing, Jim Gordon, the GCPD, and many more are ready, willing, and able to take out both sides. The fate of Gotham is in their hands. Special guest appearances by some unaffiliated players such as the Vigilante and the Spoiler.

   Issue #7 has lots of action in it. Short on story progression but then again, there's not very much left to more forward here. I enjoyed this chapter, but there was just something missing which is weird because the Batman finally shows up after weeks in deep cover.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.
 

Gotham Underground #

   In the 80s, there was a short-lived comic called Vigilante. A district attorney named Adrian Chase, whose family was killed by mobsters, found that doing things the legal way took far too long and sometimes it didn't do enough with loopholes and corrupt cops letting crooks run free. Donning a fancy biker's suit and an arsenal of elaborate guns and ammo, the Vigilante was essentially a poor man's Punisher.    

   Over time, Chase would give up the mantle but other troubled lawmakers bear the helmet and take aim on the Big Apple's criminal syndicate. At the time of this 2008 miniseries, the latest Vigilante was named Dorian Chase, a long lost brother of Adrian's.

   Dorian also operated out of New York like brother Adrian but upon seeing the lawless situation in Gotham, he's decided to pick up where a seemingly absent Batman left off. Unfortunately, for Nightwing, under the guise of one of the Penguin's goons, he's the latest target. It's a good thing Dick Grayson decided to rely on the Riddler for assistance, right?
 
   I enjoy the twist of the placing the Vigilante within the story. I've only read a couple of stories about him but the ones I did were fantastic. There's one tale in particular by Alan Moore in which the Vigilante protects a woman from an abusive husband. Yeah, this isn't the same anti-hero but he adds a new dynamic to this already thrilling story.

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Oops...

For some reason, I wrote a Family Comic Friday article for yesterday but it didn't publish. I thought I uploaded it. Sorry about that folks. If you were looking forward to the article, worry not. It's now on the blog. I have it listed under yesterday's day, so you might need to click on the review on the left or go on the back history.

Gotham Undergound #5

   In the gang war building in Gotham City, the edge has been going to Tobias Whale. That all changes when a renegade crime lord from Whale's days in Metropolis and Intergang makes moves in the city. Only this new player by the name of Johnny Stitches doesn't care who wins or who's on his side as long as he gets to kill the Whale.

    From the origin of how Johnny got his new moniker, I can empathize. Well, that is until I saw how bat crap crazy this guy is. The Joker might try to leave you in stitches while he commits his heinous crimes, but there's nothing funny to the surgical procession of Johnny Stitches' bloodbaths.

    After a rough patch in the previous issue, the excitement and thrills return. Though I must admit, I was actually grossed out by a couple of scenes in this issue. But it's some of the best and gritty storytelling I've read in a while. Wow!

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Gotham Underground #4

   

   With the coming gang war and dozens of heavy-hitters disappearing for not joining with Tobias Whale, the remaining untethered villains are joining forces and then selling their new allies to the gang leader whose the highest bidder. Meanwhile, Nightwing has agreed to allow the Riddler to become his partner in order to maintain his cover as a Penguin goon but someone is on to them. Then Robin has an encounter with a blast from his past.

   There's a lot going on in this issue and that makes for a little bit too much in just 32-short little pages. I haven't stopped enjoying this series but this was the weakest, and by weakest, I mean jumbled and disjointed plotting, chapter of this mini-series.

   Worth Consuming!

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #8 (Family Comic Friday)

  When I was a kid, the coolest thing in the world was the team-up. I thought all-star games were wicked fun, especially the baseball one in which each player wore his own team's jersey. In keeping with that annual event, I feel in love with other types of team-ups, especially those in comic books. Every month Batman, Superman, the Thing, and Spider-man would match up with heroes, villains, even real life people in the pages of Brave and the Bold, DC Comics Presents, Marvel Two-In-One, and Marvel Team-Up.

  And yes- I said real people meet up with these heroes.

    In 1978, the Man of Steel faced off against the Greatest of All-Time, Muhammed Ali. Just a few months prior, Spider-Man and the Silver Samurai traded blows amongst the Not-Ready-For Prime-Time Players of Saturday Night Live! And let's not forget the original king of the team-up, and perhaps the one who inspired DC and Marvel to issue team-up comics, one Scooby-Doo!

    It's the fall of 1972 and Scooby-Doo and his gang of human detectives have spent the last 4 years solving supernatural crimes. During those original episodes, the gang would team up usually with distant relatives or good friends to solve a slew of crimes while battling spooks, monsters, and aliens. Usually, the bad guy was really Old Man MacGregor in disguise. But on September 9th, Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma battled a giant Bat while teamed with the Three Stooges. Over the next two years, the team would meet up with Sonny & Cher, Don Knotts, the Harlem Globetrotters, and some fellow cartoon characters such as Josie & the Pussycats.

    The most famous Scooby-Doo team-up are with a pair of superheroes, of course; the Dynamic Duo: Batman & Robin. They were so popular they worked together twice and have been parodied and tributed frequently, most recently on an episode of the animated Batman: Brave & the Bold series on Cartoon Network. There the Scooby-Doo gang, Batman & Robin, and Weird Al teamed-up to put the kibosh on the combined might of the Joker and the Penguin.

    So, that brings us to today's Family Comic Friday selection- the new series 'Scooby-Doo Team-Up." Fittingly, the first match-up had Scooby with the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder. Over time, the gang would team-up with Superman, Wonder Woman, and other members of the Super Friends. Last month the gang went back in time and solved a spooky mystery with the Flintstones. Well, if Scooby went back to prehistoric time, you know what's coming in the future...

   Meet George Jetson, Jane his wife, daughter Judy and his boy Elroy.

   This series has been on my radar for some time. I usually wait till my comics go on discount. But I'm glad I caved in. This issue was super nostalgic and it will delight both kids and adults alike.
   Right now the series is only covering Hanna-Barbera properties. Yes, Superman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League are DC characters. But, Super Friends is the Hanna-Barbera version of those heroes. DC is owned by Warner Brothers so maybe we'll see Elmer Fudd or the cast of the Big Bang Theory. If this title decides to do like the original series did in 1972 and use real people, the skies the limit with possible team-ups!

    I'm a fan of the series and it's now on my wish list. Even more, I'm seriously considering buying first run future issues at regular price. I might even start a subscription. That's how fun this series is.

(note: along with the story, there were about 5 pages of fun activities for kids. That included a pizza party with Teen Titans Go!, some secret files on a DC hero and a villain and a listing of other all-ages DC releases.)

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up was released in stores on 1/7/15 and is still available in stores. It is released bi-monthly.

Gotham Underground #3

  

   This miniseries has been a who's who of Batman characters. But one heavy hitter has been noticeably absent until now- the clown prince of crime: The Joker! With criminals disappearing left and right by refusing  alliance with Tobias Whale, the Joker sees the writing on the wall and has punched his ticket out of Gotham. But before he leaves, he decides to enjoy one last meal at Penguin's Iceberg Lounge.

    While the Joker dines, another ally of Batman's has gone undercover. This time, Nightwing has donned a suit and enlisted as one of Penguin's goons. But the Riddler has seen through this disguise and threatens to unmask him, unless Nightwing teams up with him to solve the mystery of the missing villains.

    Lots is going on in this issue along with Batman in disguise as Matches Malone fighting for his life against Mr. Zsasz in Blackgate Penitentiary. All three issues have been excellent, but this one just has so much action, great dialogue, and villains, villains, and more villains that it's my favorite thus far.
   Worth Consuming.
 
   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Gotham Underground #2

   Tobias Whale seeks out the Penguin in hopes of swaying him to become of one of his lieutenants. But Penguin points out that whales are the mortal enemy of penguins. I thought that was polar bears! Anyway, with that little bit of information exchange it now divides the Gotham underworld into 2 camps with countless petty thugs and costumed villains left to choose sides.

   Meanwhile, the question as to where is the Batman is answered. That mystery didn't take long- only 2 issues!!! Though the rest of the Batman family and the Gotham City Police Department are still left in the dark as to Batman's undercover mission, we the reader learns of the Caped Crusader's whereabouts.

   Another fantastic chapter in the Gotham Underground miniseries.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Gotham Underground #1

Oh, there's Batman!
That's the only place you'll find him in this issue though!

   

  With the Batman MIA, some heavy hitters are moving in and within  Gotham in hopes of carving their piece of the action. The Penguin, Scarecrow, and others in the Dark Knight's Rogue's Gallery are fighting amongst themselves to the brink of a gang war, especially with a newcomer from Metropolis named Tobias Whale claiming all of Gotham as his turf. Those who refuse his gracious terms are known to disappear and it's proving that there's no honor amongst thieves in a city without its protector. It will take the combined might of Commissioner Gordon, Robin, and the rest of the Batman Family to keep the peace in the Caped Crusader's absence.

   As they say "when the bats away, the rat will play."

   This premier issue to this 2007 9-part series was fantastic. Lots of great action and with many a classic Batman story, it's got a great mystery. This puzzle just happens to be "Where's Batman?" Fantastic art byJim Califiore along with what should be a really engrossing story by  Frank Tieri. I hoping for 8 more great issues.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of  stars.

New Avengers, Volume 4 (AVX tie-in)

   This volume of New Avengers takes place during the Avengers Vs. X-Men crossover event from 2012. Most books, that are tied into a crossover miniseries such as AVX, are considered filler just to make an extra buck. The theory is that if you slap the name of the crossover on the cover, then fans are going to swoop up and buy everything labelled as such, even if the reader has no interest in the title or characters involved. More often than not, the supposed supplemental crossover title has little to nothing to do the miniseries in question.  For many fans, this is the norm and it's an infuriating waste of time and/ or money!

   

   This volume is actually different from the norm!

    In volume 3, Jessica Jones took her baby and left the New Avengers, fearful for its safety. Now Luke Cage must decide where his allegiances lie- with his team or his wife and child. Meanwhile, Captain America has called upon the New Avengers to assist with the Avengers in the coming crisis- the return of the Phoenix Force! 

    

    The X-Men believe a young girl with fiery red hair is destined to become the next Phoenix and lead the mutant race into an era of prosperity. The Avengers fear that she may go all "Jean Grey" and destroy the earth. Added to the mix, the monks of the Order of the Iron Fist think she could be the next Iron Fist and is meant to defend the Earth from the Phoenix or an entirely different force of evil all together.

     The best thing about this book is that it does a very good job keeping the reader informed of the goings on of the AVX miniseries. After about 4 issues of a chronological progression of the storyline, the time line jumps. In one issue, Captain America summons the Illuminati in hopes of swaying X-Men ally Prince Namor to the Avengers side. Then there's a trippy single issue tale about the captivity of several New Avengers in the throes of the X-Men. The final story takes place days after the climax of AVX. It has an X-Man in custody and the New Avengers having to protect him from the holy rolling, mutant-hating Purifiers. 

 

    That story will culminate with Cage deciding once and for all where his loyalties lie. His decision will impact the future of the team. More importantly, it's going to have me rushing to the library for volume 5. Now if I can only get my hands on the AVX miniseries...

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

   

Detective Comics, Volume 5: Gothopia (New 52)

    There's a lot going in this collection. First, in concordance with the Zero Year storyline is a tale about the early days of Jim Gordon and the GCPD. Then we shoot forward six years as Batman teams with Manbat to bring an end to Lady Manbat's reign of terror (see Detective Comics Volume 3 & 4 for more information.) After the conclusion of that adventure, the Dark Knight returns to the Bat Cave only to be confronted by his partner, Catbird!

   Huh???

   In the course of just two pages, gritty Gotham City has turned into Gothopia, a utopia where crime is virtually non-existent, none of the Robins ever died, and Oswald Copplepot's umbrella bears the mantle of Mayor Penguin. Has Batman entered a parallel universe, has he suffered a mental breakdown or is there something more nefarious behind this panacea?

   Lastly, the origin and 75 years of Dark Knight legends combine in a reprint of last year's 'Detective Comics #27 Special Edition.' There are some unique looks at the Batman and his lengthy cast of friends and foes. With an all-star list of contributors ranging from Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Scott Snyder, Brad Meltzer, Mike and Laura Allred, and many more. You may not like every story in the 'Special Edition', but it's the tribute that the Caped Crusader deserves; filled with his highest highs and lowest lows.

    I loved this volume, but the Jim Gordon story was my favorite. I really enjoyed the series 'Gotham Central' from 2003-06, which focused on the crime fighters and detectives of Gotham who wear a badge instead of a cape. Gordon's story captures the spirit of that great series. I'm also a big fan of the FOX show 'Gotham.' I would not be surprised if the writers and producers of that program didn't use this tale for some sort of inspiration.

    Worth Consuming.

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.