Avengers & X-Men: Axis

  During a combined effort of X-Men and Avengers to take down the Red Skull, his newly acquired psychic abilities combined with the chaos magic of the Scarlett Witch and the orderly spells of Doctor Strange causes heroes and villains to swap sides. Now Carnage is your friendly neighborhood symbiote. Deadpool has fore-sworn violence and the X-Men and Avengers have vowed to exterminate each other. 

    Thus, the Marvel Axis is tipped and man what a fun ride. Anyone present during the Red Onslaught affair has occurred a Freaky Friday like change from good to evil and vice versa. Only a few heroes haven't been affected by this switch, such as Spider-man, Steve Rogers, and his son Ian: the New Nomad. With Manhattan now a human-free zone of Apocalypse and the X-Men, Steve must work in secret to come up with a new band of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. 

    While seeing who Steve Rogers recruits might be a shock to the system, the real surprise is the level of camaraderie between the original Captain America and his new ally, the White Skull (formerly, that dastardly Nazi, Johann 'Red Skull' Schmidt.) Why even Doctor Doom's level of evil is tilted to the side of good and the citizens of Latveria finally live in peace under Doom's benevolent rule. There are some many more surprises in this volume that if I got on, I'll spoil all of the fun.

    This story along with the art was fantastic. I was blown away by it and I didn't want it to end. I must say that as this story takes place in the post-Wolverine Marvel world, his presence is sorely missed. But the action, adventure and insane banter between Spider-man and Deadpool help to fill up the void left by the vacuum of the mutant's death.

   Oh, and you must check out the variant cover gallery. There's a very funny cover along with a stunning alternate cover to issue #1 starring the Scarlett Witch and the Enchantress.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Avengers, Volume 4: AVX

 

 Having read quite a bit of Bendis' post-AVX X-Men titles, I was already quite familiar with the events of that massive crossover event. So, this volume wasn't something I was afraid that I would be lost reading. Normally, I'd wait to read the crossover event first but I really wanted to get my hands on volume 5 and 6 of this Avengers series real soon. 

   Often when a book features tie-ins to a crossover event, they have very little to do with the actual event that they are referencing. That's not the case here as the fight between mutant and Avenger is rendered in exciting four-color action. 

   In this volume, the Phoenix force is back and it's heading to earth. The X-Men feel that this is a sign of the restoration of mutant race decimated by the Scarlett Witch during the House of M event.The Avengers, recalling previous deadly encounters with the Phoenix Force, are preparing for the worst and are looking to take the entity out before it hits the earth. So when a space mission to intercept the Phoenix goes wrong, Earth's Mightiest Heroes learn that they've got a mole working for an even bigger intergalactic threat.

    Another masterpiece by Bendis. These issues help to fill in important gaps that the AVX miniseries couldn't devote appropriate time to. (Okay, I'm guessing here since I've not read AVX but based on previous experiences with this sort of thing, I feel confident in my assessment.) The plotting was quite good and the art was excellent. It had an almost painted quality that made the characters look realistic and gritty. 

    Now if I just can get my hands on AVX... 

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: The Key Collection, Volume 4

Normally, I wouldn't start reading something in the middle of a run unless I had a good reason. I'm big on continuity and I hate to read something and then have a cliffhanger which I don't have the following issue to complete the story. But the Gold Key books of the 1960s and 70s were single issue stories- no multiparters here. Also, to obtain some of the earlier issues would cost me an arm and a leg. For example on the online site for Mile High Comics, a fine issue of Star Trek #3 sells for $101!

   So it's reprints for me!

   I found this volume at a local comics show for only $5. Containing 8 issues, that was less than a dollar a book and way cheaper than the combined price of about $150 bucks if I were to buy all the issues online. I also bought volume 5 at the show and since there are 3 more books in this series, I should be able to have a run of the first 40 or so books for a very reasonable amount of money.

    It wasn't an official standard practice to give credits to artists and writers until the late 70s. While DC and Marvel were already doing this when these Gold Key books were published, not every publisher gave credit when and where it was due. None of these issues boast a credit so I haven't a clue who were behind these stories nor can I determine who to praise for the gems and who to blame for the stinkers.

    The art was of near superior quality for a Silver Age licensed work. Most comics based on live action shows contained artwork to looked nowhere near to the actors they were representing. That's not so here. Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, and sometimes Scotty were drawn in a near photo-realistic style. Well- except for one thing- the ears on Spock were enormous. They were drawn to look like they covered 3/4 of his head. I know Vulcans have big ears, but this was ridiculous. Artwork of the various alien races were quite good as well and the rendering of the Enterprise was stunning.

   The coloring was hit and miss. Sometimes you'd see one of the crew members wearing the wrong color tunic. I noticed that in the mistakes, you'd see one crew member wearing the right color and the other crew member inked in the same color as their colleague. For example, there was a panel in which Bones and Scotty were sitting together and they both wore science officer blues. I'm wondering if these color mistakes were a cost saving measure. Nonetheless, it was a little irritating to me.

    The stories ranged from 'The Trouble With Tribbles' good to 'Spock's Brain' bad. 'Dwarf Planet' in which Scotty is hit with s shrink ray and the clone saga 'The Perfect Dream' were the best in this collection. The mutant uprising story 'Ice Journey' was horrid. I suggest you skip that tale. One problem all issues had were that the last couple of panels attempted to be humorous like the final scene of each episode of classic Trek but the jokes mostly fell flat and the endings were quite awkward.

    Regardless of some of the nits I have about the books in this series, the overall book was an enjoyable tale and this work is a welcome addition to my Star Trek comics collection

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: DC Comics Presents: The Superman Team-Ups, Volume 1

   The team-up comic is one of those things that polarize fans. Some reminisce fondly at the thrill of seeing their favorite heroes and villains team-up together for the very first time. But there are those that recall how the plots were hokey, the art was rough, and that the climaxes were premature. I'm one of those readers whose in the dead center and the first volume of Superman team-ups was a prime example why.

   I learned recently that in order to maintain the copyrights or licensing rights of a character, both DC and Marvel would hastily publish a team-up story in order to renew the franchising rights. That's a prime example of the issue involving Firestorm. His title lasted only 5 issues and once co-creator Al Milgrom went to Marvel, the clock on started to countdown to a time where the artist could have claimed ownership of  an unused character and made the Nuclear Man an Avenger instead of a Justice Leaguer. So, to prevent a lawsuit and a transfer of property to their main competition, DC rushed to put out a Superman/ Firestorm team-up in order to maintain the claim on the Firestorm character.

   But in that issue, the art was haphazard. Superman looked too top heavy and the ghostly visage of Dr. Stein looked like someone stuck the face of a 1950s pastor in the top corner. The story itself was so rushed that the ending happens in 3 panels with only a small closing box to announce that Superman was nominating the hero for membership in the League.

   Another problem with this title that I had was that some story lines would cut off after an issue or tow and be left unresolved until months later. I understand that things happen: a writer leaves a project, an editor gets fired, or an artist gets sick and thus an idea gets shelved. But to not include a little thought balloon to let us know that Superman is still on the case of a missing boy, for instance, makes for some shoddy plotting.

   But enough bashing the Man of Steel. This series started in the late 70s right before the live-action Superman movie. As a little guy seeing the Man of Tomorrow in living color on the big screen- I feel in love with the character. (He's my #2 all-time favorite hero and I groom my hair in a curly-q and wear Clark Kent glasses because he's such an important character to me.) This collection of team-ups brought back some fond memories. Not only that, there were some great stories, awesome covers, and dynamic art that makes up for any shortcomings in this series. So much that I cannot wait to get my hands on volume 2.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Family Guy & Hack/Slash Free Comic Book Day Flipbook

 

Family Guy has often been compared to as a “low brow Simpsons knock-off.” Though crash and crude, it’s extremely clever, especially in it’s parodies. So, I’m not so sure about the fore-mentioned comparison in regards to the TV show, but the Family Guy comic book is no Simpsons! The jokes, which often involve a quick cut to another person or a flashback, just doesn’t work. Plus, the art is a poor rendition of the Griffin clan.

What I did enjoy very much was on this FCBD issue’s flip side: Hack/Slash. Here, a young girl whose mother was a serial killer takes revenge on other serial killers along with a hideous strong man sidekick. Now, this is a series that though crude, crash, AND gory, it had something that was fresh and extremely entertaining. It’s kind of a darker, slightly less tongue-in-cheek version of The Goon.

I would love to get my hands on their further adventures.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Voltron Force: Shelter From The Storm, FCBD 2012 Edition (Family Comic Friday)

  There's only one week left until Free Comic Book Day 2015, folks. Next week, I'll be previewing some of the books that will be available. But until then, let's check out a classic from 2012: 

I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest Voltron fan. While I had the interlocking set of lion robots and their drivers as a kid, I really couldn’t get into the cartoon.

With this Free Comic Book Day issue of an all-new Voltron, I thought I’d be able to glide right in and it’d be all-systems-go. But with a new band of lion pilots, a set of villains that are vaguely familiar, and a story that takes place at least 5-7 years after the original series was set, I was lost. So this would be a great starter for new fans.

The art was good. However, it’s just still a little too Manga for my tastes. Plus, the plot reminded me of Ender’s Game, which is weird because I’ve never read Ender’s Game.

While I enjoyed this title, it didn’t light a fire in me to rush out and buy the complete series. They have the graphic novels of which this comic is based at my local library and that may be the extent to which I am willing to spend any time or money in exploring more of this new take on a classic 80s icon.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Teen Titans Go! #1 (First Series, Library Edition)

Before Teen Titans Go! was Teen Titans Go!? Before Cartoon Network revived the animated heroes with the 15-minute long minisode series Teen Titans Go!, Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and the rest had a number of adventures on the TV series Teen Titans. In order to not confuse young readers and fans of the cartoon with the older teen rated Teen Titans comic, DC titled their adaptation of the 2003 series Teen Titans Go!

    Now, I wasn't a big fan of the original show. I thought the art was too much like anime, of which I am not the hugest fan. But with the new series which I think is very funny and incredibly silly, I've decided to branch out and give the original series a go.

    Since I don't have access to any of the original episodes on DVD just yet, my next best option was to check out some library edition issues from my favorite source to get some free reads- the Orange County, NC library. In case you are wondering, a library edition is a hardbacked single copy of an original issue. It also contains a glossary of certain words as well as discussion questions for students and the occasional writing exercise.  In this, the premiere issue, the Titans are playing a new video game when they are attacked by the students of the HIVE Academy.

   Unlike a collection of Free Comic Book Day editions of this series, this comic features all-new artwork as well as an original story and not slides from a previously aired episode. I appreciate that as I think issuing a picto-comic of a repeat as a cop-out and a scam to get money for little to no work or effort. The tale was still a little too anime (or, in this case, manga) for my tastes but I still enjoyed this issue. Especially the twist ending.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

The Lunch Witch by Deb Lucke (A Family Comic Friday EXTRA)

When the world has lost its belief in magic and no longer has a need for it, what is a witch to do? In the case of this book published by Papercutz, the wicked Grunhilda takes a job at the local elementary school as a lunch lady. Her sour temper and terrible cooking make her the perfect candidate for the job. Grunhilda's ancestors even applaud her efforts to make the lunch menu as horrible as possible. But when the new girl in school seeks the witch's help in becoming more popular at school will Grunhilda buck tradition and do something good for once? Not if her ancestors have anything to say about it.

    Deb Lucke's tale was witty, charming, and fun. She crafted some very interesting and unique characters and the story and plot were quite good. But it was the art and how this book was crafted that I think was the real winner.

   The art looked like if came from those 'Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark' books from the 80s. Those stories were terrifying, but the art was downright creepy. The Lunch Witch had that creep factor, but it wasn't so disgusting or scary as to make the characters seem unappealing.

   The printing itself was another stroke of genius as it's set to match the action in the story. For example, when a spell gets set on fire, the next page is die cut with black smudging on the edges to make it look like the actual book your reading had accidentally caught flame. In another section where the Lunch Witch is cleaning up garbage, the pages appear to have smeared tomato bits on them. Brilliantly crafted stuff!

   This book is one that not just kids but grown-ups will enjoy. The level of creativity is inspiring and I hope the next Deb Lucke will see this book and is influenced to create the next Lunch Witch-type masterpiece.

   If this book doesn't win some awards I wouldn't just be shocked, I'd demand a recount.

   A classic in the making.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Batman/ Superman, Volume 1: Cross World (New 52!)

 

   The first volume of the New 52's 'first' teaming of the World's Finest is a trippy adventure that spans both the DC timeline and the multiverse.

  When the living embodiment of chaos decides to have a little fun by bringing the younger and less experienced Earth-1 Man of Steel and Caped Crusader to Earth-2 where a more matured Man of Tomorrow and Dark Knight have turned their world into a virtual paradise, all hell breaks loose. Separated by age and ego, the two groups of heroes eventually make nice once they discover that they are from different universes. But when the two teams also discover that combined militaries of Earth-2 have created a Superman killing device using Wayne Techology the heroes must decide- Save Superman or Save the world from the oncoming storm known as Darkseid.

    This story took a little while to build up steam. That's mostly because the New God sprite Kaiyo has all four heroes switching places from world to world before having all four wind up in the Smallville of Earth-2. But once the players were finally set on the board, the story ramped up to a Nth degree of action, adventure, and pure wicked fun.

   The art is by the terrific Jae Lee. Lee has such a whimsical but haunted style. It works well for these four heroes who're haunted by their own pasts. With terrific finishes by Ben Oliver that give these pages an almost painted quality, both he and Lee take the reader to the farthest reaches of the DC Universe all under the masterful pen of Greg Pak.

   This collection also includes an 'Unleased' Forever Evil tie-in from Justice League #23.1. It features an origin story of Darkseid and the New Gods. I've read some of Kirby's original New Gods stuff that explained the early days of Apokolips and New Genesis but I've never read a definitive story as to how the old gods died to make way for the newer deities of Darkseid, Highfather, and the rest. Until now! Say what you might about the New 52 but this single issue story was fan-tastic and perhaps the single best New 52 story I've ever read.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

Firestorm: The Nuclear Man

    I've learned recently from social media that Firestorm is a fan favorite. He's been around for about 40 years, but he's hardly gotten any respect. Considered a "B-grade" superhero, he's the type of character that often dies during a major cross-over event in order to throw readers off track when someone like Supergirl, the Flash, or Batman bites the dust.

    But in the past few months, Firestorm has been elevated to 'A-list' status what with him being a major plot focal point on the CW's The Flash. He's been so well received, he's even going to star in a yet unnamed spin-off next year. Working title for the show is "The Atom" but all bets are on a Suicide Squad type show.

   With the Nuclear Man's new found stardom and the fact that I recently read an issue of DC Presents in which you needed to read the first 5 issues of Firestorm (volume 1, 1978) I decided to finally give that short-lived series a go. Though the book only lasted 5 issues, it actually had a secret 6th issue that did see print. But unless you have about $35,000 to buy the extremely scared 'Cancelled Comics Cavalcade' (of which only 35 issues were ever issued) then you'd be hard pressed to find out what happened to the combined might of teenager Ronnie Raymond and troubled physicist Martin Stein.

   Thankfully, this trade from 2011 includes that ve
ry rare story. This book also contains several backup features from the Flash in which the adventures of Firestorm pick up again after Superman invites the Nuclear Man to join the Justice League.  What this collection doesn't include is that pivotal DC Presents story in which we learn of  what transpired during Firestorm's year long absence from the superhero community and the Man of Steel's initial invitation to the JLA. Also missing is the issue of Justice League of America in which Firestorm is inducted as its youngest member.  I think both stories should have been included as they are vital to the plot of those Flash back-ups I mentioned earlier.

    Another story missing from the volume is the fabled 7th issue of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man. Technically, there isn't a 7th issue though it is advertised in the Cancelled Comics feature. But maybe co-creators Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom might team up for a Firestorm: Lost Adventures one-shot to explore that missing plotline.

   Though I only needed this book to finish my run as I already had issue 1-5, I'm not disappointed in the least on the stories I did receive. There was just a few missed opportunities here like a small forward or afterward that might on included some great backstory as to the creation or cancellation of this series. With DC being very nostalgia centric during its Convergence storyline and the fall 2015 spin-off, I think the publisher would be remiss if they didn't issue a new Firestorm collection to hit the shelves very soon. Hopefully, it will feature some of these omitted features that I think could have made this collection an essential piece to any Firestorm fan's collection.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #10

   Superman Family Adventures by Art Baltazar and Franco is one of my favorite all-ages series. It's normally very well written, humorous, and extremely clever. I'm not sure what happened with this issue.

   Superman in an attempt to reunite his mother and father accidentally frees General Zod and family from the Phantom Zone. Zod's got revenge on his mind and he's decided to take it out on the Family of Steel by selling... hot dogs? When Zod uses a special salt to turn dogs 50 feet tall in an attempt to conqueror the earth, I literally slapped my head and tossed this book across the room. Meanwhile, a Brainiac drone visited Superman's space satellite and dressed up as a cowboy. What the---

    This issue was awful. It's the worst one of the entire series and I was so disappointed. I've read dozens of stories by Baltazar and Franco and I've never been disappointed. But sometimes even the Yankees lose a World Series or two...

    This issue does progress the story line of Superman's mother surviving the destruction of Krypton. And I thought having her and Zod's wife be like two doting housewives while the hubby's fight it out was very funny. But that was about the only thing about this issue that was any good.

   Not Worth Consuming

   Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Scratch 9 2014 Free Comic Book Day Edition (Family Comic Friday)

   Scratch 9 is an adorable kids series about a cat named Scratch. After being experimented upon by the evil Dr. Schrodinger and the C.R.U.E.L. corporation, Scratch has the ability to tap into his other 8 lives, both past and future. Each life of Scratch's has a special ability that helps get him out of sticky situations. 

   In this free comic from 2014, creator Rob Worley presents us with the first chapter of the latest Scratch 9 series 'Cat of Nine Worlds.' In this  chapter, Scratch's person has become a prisoner of the evil Schrodinger.  Along with that preview, we get a charming tale in which Scratch, teaming with First Dog Bo, must save the President from a C.R.U.E.L. duplicate that's outlawed cats. 

   Then if you flip the book over and turn to the back, we catch a glimpse of a new Worley creation called Run and Amok. It's about a boy named Run and his pet alien Amok, a giant rock creature. They travel through time while trying to evade the evil Saucer Invaders who want the duo back at any cost. It was a cute tale with promise but I'm not sure if this series ever took off as I cannot find any evidence of a Run & Amok comic or graphic novel on Amazon or Stashmycomics.com.

   Though I do not see another Scratch 9 on the horizon and there isn't a 2015 FCBD offering, it doesn't mean that's the end of this series.  A collected edition of Cat of Nine Worlds is due out this summer and can be preordered on Amazon and there are two other Scratch 9 series available on the online retailer as well. 

Even though after being offered for the past 2 FCBDs there isn't going to be a new Scratch comic, it doesn't mean that there aren't any great all-ages books slated for this year's Free Comic Book Day which is just 15 days away. To get an idea of what's going to be offered this year, click here. You can also download some free previews of many great titles such as Doctor Who, Pokemon, Spongebob, and Transformers.

Worth Consuming

 Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Avengers (by Brian Michael Bendis), Volume 3

From the pages of New Avengers, the Captain Steve Rogers lead Avengers have reassembled with a new lineup in hopes of taking Norman Osborn and HAMMER down. But with public opinion of superheroes at an all-time low, will earth's mightiest heroes continue to serve the public good? Of, course they will but with a snake in the grass like Osborne, there's no limit to how low he'll stoop and how much collateral damage will be heaped upon this new team.

   I had spent so much time focusing on finishing Bendis' amazing run on New Avengers that it's been a while since I returned to his Avengers title run. I love Bendis and he can craft the hell out of anything. So, my initial lapse of memory of the previous storyline is all my fault- not his.

   The art by Daniel Acuna is phenomenal and I am convinced that I don't read (or view) enough of his work. He's got a great color palette up his sleeve and his expressions of characters are vivid and unique. It's not like looking at a Kirby piece (while still amazing) has all of the characters bearing the same face.

   This volume is full of adventure and excitement- not to mention a few jaw-dropping surprises.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

In the not too distant future, the fate of all sentient life on earth rests in the hands of the X-Men. The sentinels, a group of robotic mutant hunters designed by Bolivar Trask have become the de facto rulers of the planet. Originally design to seek and eradicate all mutant kind, the androids turned on humanity when they finally became sympathetic to the mutant plight.

    Professor X, teamed with former foe Magneto has a plan. He will transfer his consciousness back in time into his younger self in order to prevent Mystique from killing Trask and initiating the Sentinel Program. However, Kitty Pryde has never sent anyone back into time more than a few days and she doesn't believe that Xavier's highly developed brain can stand a 40 year trip through time. Thus, the rapid healing Wolverine is sent back to 1973 in order to reteam Xavier with Magneto in a combined effort to stop the shape-shifting mutant.

 Days of Future Past is based on the 1981 Uncanny X-Men storyline of the same name developed by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Except for possibly the Dark Phoenix Sage, that time traveling adventure is perhaps the most iconic X-Men tale of all time. I know the cover for Uncanny X-Men #141 surely is the most copied and tributed cover to feature Marvel mutants. Quite a bit of that seminal work is used in this film. But since when has Kitty Pryde had the ability to send people back in time? I've never seen this occur in any X-Men title and I've read my fair share!

  The film is heavy on action and adventure. I saw this film on DVD and unlike Amazing Spider-Man 2, I didn't feel like any of the CGI special effects looked fake. Even it's choreography was quite good. Especially, the character Blink and her ability to create portals in order for mutants to evade the sentinels. It was like watching poetry in motion.

   One aspect that this film got a lot of grief was over some of the casting. While we get the best of both X-Men series in this movie, including the younger and older versions of Professor X and Magneto, along with fan-favorite Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus, many hated the character of Quicksilver. The character, played by Evan Peters was criticized for being too young and immature. But, that kinda was the point of the character and his super-speed abilities were really needed to help speed up a very stagnant part of the movie. Plus, I liked that it's alluded to the Magneto might be Quicksilver's dad as in the comics.

   While I overlooked the casting choices, I did have some issues with plotting. The futuristic parts of Days of Future Past are set some time after the events of X-Men 3. We know this because, in one scene, Wolverine has flashbacks to having killed Jean Grey at that movie's end. So, how come Professor X is alive and in his Patrick Stewart body?  Didn't Jean vaporize him into a billion atoms in X3? I know that it's hinted in X3 that the Professor X took over someone else's body during the chaser scene, But wouldn't he then look different? To the film's fault, it's never explained how he got his new body back.


   There is supposed to be a director's cut of this movie, called the ' Rogue Cut' as a good 20 minutes of the character Rogue played by Anna Paquin was cut out due to time constraints. (The film is almost 2 and a half hours long.) So, maybe Xavier's return along with Magneto regaining his magnetic powers are going to be revealed in that edition on the film. I look forward to it when it drops sometime this summer.

    The ending of this film takes the X-Men franchise into two different directions. The New Class cast is due to appear in a third film, rounding out that trilogy. But I feel that the story of the original X-Men film trilogy's cast isn't over. Since Wolverine was essentially the main character link between both film franchises, hopefully, Hugh Jackman's swan song as Logan will explore just how the timeline has changed. (I hope not to spoil too much but I will say that if like me, you were angered by a certain character's death in X3, then you're going to love the end to this film.)

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.