Astro City: Shining Stars

   This Astro City volume collects the origins of some the super-powered residents of Kurt Busiek's metropolis.

    Up first is a glimpse of Astro City's pride and joy: the Samaritan. But the real star of this story is his arch-enemy, an ageless sorcerer called the Infidel. This story was an interesting game of cat and mouse between the two adversaries as they search for weaknesses in each other's armor during a meal. Their uneasy truce reminds me of the strange relationship that the Wally West Flash had with the rogues. It was quite a good read. (Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.)

   Next is the history of a heroine called Beauty. She's a life-sized version of the famous doll beloved by millions of girls worldwide. But where did she come from? And who built her? This was an intriguing mystery that I didn't want to end. Once I learned of her origin, I wanted to know what happened next. Plus, the art was an amazing rendering of another famous doll that name also starts with B... (Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.)

   Our third tale stars Astra Furst of the First Family, an amalgam of the Fantastic Four and the Doom Patrol. Astra is the eldest granddaughter of the team's leader and she just graduated college. The sky is the literal limit for this budding young woman with superpowers as she's offered numerous positions on superhero squads, potential appointments to the throne of a mystic underwater kingdom, and much more on her first night of freedom. It was an enjoyable tale, but a little predictable and a tad too technical in some of its explanation of scientific phenomena. (Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.)

   Lastly, we travel through time with the Silver Agent. Though this wasn't quite my favorite story in this collection, I really appreciated getting to learn about the hero's journey across the timeline. In the Dark Age storyline, the Silver Agent keeps jumping through time, warning of a terrible coming holocaust. But I didn't know what he was talking about or why he kept leaping back and forth in time- until now. Another story with some great art and a super awesome origin to boot. (Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.)

   All four stories were released as either one-shots or two-parters. Since they were originally meant to be read as a group, I felt it was fair and unnecessary to rate each story individually. With an overall average rating of 8.75, this book mighty not seem to be such a good read. But don't let that score fool you. This collection was engaging, engrossing, and a read not only Worth Consuming but something I just couldn't put down.

The Pulse #4

 

  With evidence mounting, Ben Ulrich gets not only the blessing of the Daily Bugle to go after Terri Kidder's murderer- he's also got Spider-man watching his back too! 

   A great chapter is which one of the biggest baddies (and biggest jerks) in the Marvel Universe finally gets what's coming to him. 

   This story is over 10-years old, but it's got a major spoiler that if you haven't read this by now, you must be really new to comics. I'm not even going to reveal the cover to this issue as what happens here is something that truly devoted fans of Spidey and the Marvel Universe had waited for since the early 60s. 

   I really am enjoying this series. Bendis has done a fantastic job. I'm just a little confused about one thing. The first issue seemed to imply that Jessica Jones was going to be the star of this series. But she's been grossly underused since that premiere issue. In fact, this has been more of the Ben Ulrich show than just about anyone else. Well, the star of this series is really the Daily Bugle. It's got a great ensemble cast feel to it like the TV shows Cheers or ER.

   But why add Jessica Jones to the mix, along with boyfriend and baby-daddy Luke Cage, if their role is nothing more than background scenery? It just doesn't make sense. Maybe Bendis just didn't find a connection between those two characters. But it really isn't like him to just avoid certain characters especially since just about every superhero and villain ever created by Marvel is used by Bendis is some form in the Ultimate comics universe. Maybe the master has something up his sleeve for a later issue in this awesome series...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Kurt Busiek's Astro City: The Tarnished Angel

   Rough Neighborhoods.

   Every city and town have those places where family members warn you not to go alone or at night... OR BOTH! These are communities that due to drugs, alcohol, and crime and rampant unemployment, have very little hope left in it's citizens and future. 

   Even with its host of superheroes and bustling cityscapes, Astro City isn't immune to the phenomena. It's called Kiefer Square and because of it's noted reputation of being the headquarters of scores of B-list super villains, the Square is where you go to hire your goon squad for your next heist or plot to take over the world. It's also where old villains and ex-cons go to die. And right now, someone is killing off those villains, one by one.

   Just fresh from parole is Carl Donewicz. You might remember him as the Steel-jacketed Man AKA Steeljacket. He grew up in Kiefer Square, turned to a life of crime in Keifer Square, became a super villain in Kiefer Square, and would like to retire in Kiefer Square if his past would just let him. 

   It's bad enough trying to get a job as an ex-con, but Carl has an even harder time because of his appearance, in which a medical experiment gave him shiny silver skin and super strength. Unable to find a job and not wanting to break parole, Carl reluctantly takes on a role as an amateur private investigator to the recent string of serial killings of old associates and neighbor's of Steeljacket. 

    With the cops refusing to even enter the neighborhood, Steeljacket will need any and all resources available to catch the killer referred to by residents as the 'Black Mask Killer.' But Carl is going to have to act fast as his snooping has put him not only back on the radar of the ACPD but the killer as well.

   I love Kurt Busiek's Astro City stories. They are fun, exciting, and great tributes to the works of legendary DC and Marvel writers and artists. The Tarnished Angel is all of that plus it has that gritty noir element added to it. This was like reading a graphic novel based on the works of Dashiell Hammett with Robert Mitchum starring in the lead (All-time favorite artist Alex Ross even based the look of Steeljacket on the late actor.)

   But the Tarnished Angel also has something more to this story than other Astro City works- it has a human element that is unbridled and raw. It's that quality, which is rare and ironic to find in a superhero book, that knocked Astro City: the Dark Ages out of first place of my favorite AC stories. At 224-pages, this is one of the longest Astro City works to date, but it is worth the read. Every panel oozes pathos and the entire book is nearly flawless. I just wish a few certain characters in this book had lived. AND I kinda wished Steeljacket's story never had to end.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9.99 out of 10 stars.

Comics Squad: Recess! (Family Comic Friday)

Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Babymouse) and Jarrett Krosoczka (Lunch Lady)  team-up to bring some of Random House Publishing's best and brightest graphic novelist's together in a collection of short stories devoted to the most sacred of elementary school activities: RECESS!

   Some of these characters may be familiar you. The most well-known property in this anthology is the Holm sibling's Babymouse, who has trouble getting her act together so she can go outside and play. I'm also a little familiar with Lunch Lady, but she doesn't even appear in her story, as she's called in sick and needs her assistant to fill in. Add to the mix some athletic veggies, a super secret ninja club, and a budding playground romance and you've got a perfect mix of unique stories and eclectic writing and art styles.

   When I was a kid, I loved to get my hands on comic digests. They were small collections of reprints that featured a host of titles and characters. DC, Marvel, Archie, and even Disney would produce these book as a way for kids to get their hands on cheap reprints and to build up potential readership for current titles.That marketing concept is captured perfectly here though I think every story in this books is brand new. 

   Along with this title, be on the lookout for the next Comics Squad collection entitled: lunch coming in January 2016. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   (Note: here's a list of all of the awesome creators featured in this collection, in case you are interested in discovering more of their works: Jennifer Holm & Matthew Holm * Jarrett J. Krosoczka * Dav Pilkey * Dan Santat * Raina Telgemeier * Dave Roman * Ursula Vernon * Eric Wight * Gene Yang )

The Pulse #3

   The staff of the Daily Bugle reels at the death of one of their own.

    It's ironic that I review this book today. Just yesterday, a very troubled man killed two reporters live on Virginian television. Though journalist Terri Kidder wasn't killed on TV, her murder occurred while she was on the clock and it makes the other Daily Bugle reports feel vulnerable as if it happened to her, it could happen to them.

    Both the community at the Bugle and the reporting community in real life have a dual role that is very difficult to perform. They have to report the story and grieve at the same time. Ben Ulrich and the staff at the Bugle have the added task to memorialize the fallen journalist while getting to the bottom of who committed the crime. But in real life, the colleagues of the fallen in Roanoke, Va. don't have the added benefit of Spider-man to assist them in bringing down the villain responsible. 

   A powerful and moving story that hits that much more closer to home in light of current events. 

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Pulse #2

    Meet Terri Kidder... She's the newest beat reporter at the Daily Bugle and she's not having a good first week. None of her stories has been approved by the editors. She's in danger of losing her job. And her biggest scoop results in her body being dredged from the Hudson River. 

    This issue was a fantastic story that was brilliantly written by Brian Michael Bendis. It was engaging from the very first page up through the final tragic panel. Oh, and if you didn't know, the folks as the House of Ideas killed Lois Lane!

    Take a look at our intrepid reporter's name: Terri Kidder. Lois Lane was played in the movies by Margot Kidder and on TV in the 90s by Terri Hatcher. Then take into account that she mentions that she moved from a big metropolis to the even bigger Big Apple and that the pictures of her husband on her desk look an awful lot like a certain farm boy from Kansas with glasses and a curly cue. 

    A fantastic chapter in a series that hasn't disappointed me. Yes- this is only the second issue but I feel really good about what I've read so far and with Bendis at the helm, I don't think I'm going to be either. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Manhattan Projects, Volume 2: They Rule

    The scientists of Los Alamos have declared their independence from the United States. Now teaming with the scientists of Star City, the Soviet equivalent of the Manhattan Projects, the world's most brilliant minds seek to become the masters of not only the world but the universe as well. But it will not be easy as President Truman has unleashed the Illuminati, a mad assortment of super-powered humans upon the base with only one mission- take the base- leave no prisoners- kill everyone!!!

    I'm still a fan of the groundbreaking series by Jonathan Hickman, but I didn't enjoy this volume as much as the previous one. For one thing, last volume seemed to follow the timeline of 1940-1945-ish pretty well. Yes, this is a fictional account of the Manhattan Project but the plotting was so well done that I was able to appreciate my knowledge of World War II history in regards to the events that transpired in the comics.

    But in this volume we jump from President Truman to newly appointed Commander-In-Chief John Kennedy. Where did Eisenhower go? If in this timeline Kennedy became the 34th president instead of the famed General, then it was Hickman's responsibility to inform the readers that Kennedy's presidency begins in 1952. That's just one of several diversions from our timeline that the author neglects to alert us to. Instead of captions stating 'now' and 'then,' I really could have used some dates.

    Another problem I have with this volume is the level of violence. If this edition was Spinal Tap's amp, the violence would be set at 11. Volume 1 wasn't for the faint of heart, but compared to this collection, the last book was an anthology of nursery rhymes. I also felt like the shock factor added to the mix detracted from the story itself.

    Thankfully, the last chapter opens the Manhattan Projects up to a new dimension of possibilities. For some time, the deranged mind of Robert Oppenheimer has been like a vault that isn't water tight and every once in a while the safe's contents leak out, allowing the reader to catch a glimpse of his fractured psyche. But the last chapter titled 'Finite Oppenheimers' we see just how many multiple personalities the demented physicist has absorbed throughout the multiverse. Let's just say it's a lot and they're not all happy to have become a part of Oppenheimer's think tank collective.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Wolverines #13

   In the wake of Logan's death, someone has been buying up stolen memorabilia of his. But it's not to take advantage of the post-mortem  craze that usually occurs when a celebrity dies. Instead, this buyer is looking to become the new James Howlett of the Marvel Universe... and that can only mean one person: Deadpool!!!

   Looking to become the mutant hero nobody deserves (or asked for) Wade Wilson takes up a passion for hockey, drinking Canadian beer and calling everyone 'Bub.' Wolver-Pool even tries to make his first appearance complete by taking on the Hulk, but all he can find is She-Hulk and she's busy getting ready for a major court deposition in about 30 minutes. Just wait until the original owner of the memorabilia comes calling because he's got a strong list of contacts from his years of special-ops that can make life very difficult for the Merc with a Mouth.

    I'm not at all sure to rate this book. This is my first dip in the Wolverines wading pool (neat pun, huh?) According to the first page, which provides a type of  'Meanwhile..." backstory of the previous 12 issues, the Wolverines is comprised of Mystique, Sabretooth, Logan-clone X-23, Lady Deathstrike, and Wolverine's son Daken. But none of those characters appears in this issue. 

   This story is strictly about Deadpool and perhaps his most insane scheme yet. Why he is the star of this issue and not the line-up of five I mentioned earlier is beyond me. I got this issue out of a grab bag and thanks to the loony cover, I just had to read it. I'm very glad I did, but it doesn't give me any real idea about what this series is really like. Maybe Wade joins the Wolverines in the next issue. But, without any of the established set of teammates appearing in this book, if someone on the street were to ask me if this was a series worth collecting, I honestly couldn't give them a yes or no answer.

    But if you love Deadpool...if you love She-Hulk...if you love Marvel's zany side, then yes- but all means, BUY THIS ISSUE!!! The story by Chris Soule is fresh and funny. The art by Jason Masters and grittily colored by Guy Major is awesome. It's a home run and thus far my favorite issue of 2015!

    It's Worth Consuming that much!

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Batman, Volume 6: The Graveyard Shift (New 52!)

    One problem I have with the New 52 Universe is that the timeline of stories is so skewed. Justice League and Action Comics take place 5-years ago whereas Wonder Woman is set in the present and God knows when and where Earth-2 is really set. The Batman Family stories are just as bad. 

    Think of it like this- in the supposed 6 years of Bruce Wayne's tenure as the Dark Knight, he's gone through not one, not two, but three Robins. No, wait, I forgot Damien- 4 freakin' Boy Wonders as Batman's sidekick. That's an average of 1.5 years per teammate- that's just ridiculous and that insanity is highlighted in this edition.

    This volume is a collection of short stories that take place in the past, present, and future. Essentially, every story is quite good and lots of great background detail is revealed in them. For example in a story set during the Zero Year storyline, we learn a little of the past history of Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake before they each become Robin. 

   But the stories that take place just prior to last year's Batman Eternal event (and occurs at least one year into the future with numerous flashbacks) are jumbled as best. I know that the 52-issue series is supposed to contain a bunch of twists and turns, but some of these shockers seem out of place. For example, Selina Kyle has become the crime lord of Gotham. That's all well and good, but again it jumps the Catwoman comic a full year into the future meaning once again, DC played fast and loose with continuity with very little notice (or concern for the fans.)

   That's one thing that Marvel NOW! doesn't seem to do wrong. They do an amazing job keeping almost every one of their titles set within the same week that the issues drop new in stores. Yes, there is one or two exceptions to that rule but their core timeline is a lot easier to decipher. Unlike the DC timeline in which I once saw a diagram that tried unravel the whole mess. At the end of all the timelines, there was a giant ball of 'wibbly-wobbly, timey wimey... stuff' that just pointed to a giant question mark.

   Where's the Riddler to answer this humongous puzzle when you need him?

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Steam Wars

  In a not too distant galaxy, not too very long ago the rebel leader, Duchess Imeon, has stolen the formula to making warp coal. This fuel is what powers the massive ships of the Hegemonic Crux, an evil empire lead by the mysterious Lord Baron. The Duchess escapes with a space cowboy and his giant bear copilot in their spaceship, the Twentieth-Century Fox.

   It looks like the Duchess is to become the evil Baron's captive when the Fox is shot-down. But her salvation comes in the form of the last laser-sword swinging Dragoon, Bo! But can the young mud farmer be trusted when it's revealed that Bo is actually the estranged son of Lord Baron?

     If this book sounds an awful lot like the adventures of the crew of the USS Enterprise from the Star Trek franchise- you're not very far off...

     Okay- I kid. But you know what sci-fi franchise this series is really based on. Just substitute junkyard chic with steampunk and craft it in the style of manga and you have Steam Wars. I just want to know how artist/ author Fred Perry and the folks at Antarctic Press got anyway with this?!

     As such an obvious twist on a timeless classic, this book is clearly an homage to the original Summer Blockbuster. There are a few funny moments in Steam Wars, but it's not a parody of the movies in which this book reboots. So, I don't see how this manga series could be covered under federal parody law. Plus, since Disney now owns the rights to that original property and Disney has been know to threaten lawsuits against pre-schools that paint Mickey Mouse murals on their wall, how did Steam Wars ever see the light of day?

     I'm not really a fan of manga but based in the source material I just had to give this a go. Thankfully, I enjoyed this book and though it borrows heavily from that other series, it doesn't copy it 100%. There are some changing plot threads and really neat differences that made this book seem exciting and new. Plus, if you are fans of a certain bounty hunter, I think your going to enjoy the fresh new take on him.

    If you can find this book, it's Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Family Comic Zzzzzzz.....

Very busy week at work. Had lots of caterings and a retirement party for over 250 guests. So, I am catching up on sleep. Family Comic Friday will return next week...

The Pulse #1

  With sales lagging due to the internet and 24-hour news, the Daily Bugle must do something fast or face shutting down. Since stories about superheroes sell papers, The Bugle looks to increase coverage. But readers don't like publisher J. Jonah Jameson's rants against them. So, the editor Robbie Robertson has decided to run a weekly insert devoted to positive stories focusing on the superhero community called the Pulse

    Along with veteran reporter Ben Ulrich, Jameson and Robertson have hired former superhero cum private investigator Jessica Jones as a consultant thanks to her numerous superhero contacts and experience. This sort of thing normally isn't Jones' sort of thing but her client base is near zip and she just found out that she's pregnant with Luke 'Power Man' Cage's baby. And she gonna need the health insurance badly...

     A very good but interesting premiere issue. It's not heavy on action. In fact, except for a couple of flashback panels, there are no superhero vs. supervillain melees here. But if you like a comic that's heavy on plot while focusing on those with amazing abilities, then this is the Marvel comic you've been looking for. Plus, the final page cliffhanger sets you up for a great mystery to be solved in the next issue.

   Marvel writer extraordinaire Brian Michael has done in again with the Pulse and the almost 2 years to collect the entire series (before reading it) was worth the wait. Assisting Mr. Bendis is the awesome Mark Bagley, whose art is just superb and a brilliantly painted style cover by Mike Mayhew.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Fairest: In All The Land

  

 Someone is killing the beauties of Fabletown! Working on a list of potential victims from the seer Woman of the Ford, super-spy Cinderella must become a gumshoe (as Bigby is still missing and Beast is forced into exile on the farm due to his unpredictable changes back into a monster.) Reluctantly, Cindy accepts the mission and along with Hadeon the witch turned magic car and several animals from the farm, the princess is tasked to find the murderer within 7 days or those slain can never be returned to life. 

   Meanwhile, in the missing Mayor's office of Fabletown castle, the Magic Mirror and several of the Barleycorn Women work to try an assist Cinderella from afar. Someone found a way into the office and stole a vanishing cloak and a powerful sword from the armory. But without an entrance into the room, how could anyone have gotten in and out without being seen by the Mirror?

   'In All the Land' was a great read. As a stand alone graphic novel from both the Fables and Fairest titles, this book seeks to fill in some important gaps before writer/ creator Bill Willingham concludes Fables with issue #150. Helping him along is over 20 artists, inkers, and colorists, including series regular artist Mark Buckingham, Gene Ha, and Ming Doyle.

    The book does start off a little slow. The first dozen or so pages are in text form (with illustrations) but by the second act, the book really gets going. With flashbacks to the 60s and 70s, readers will finally get a better understanding of the motivations of some of the series most famous and infamous characters. (Hopefully, we might get a return to the Fables universe from time to time with several miniseries being devoted to the history of Fabletown, USA. Fingers Crossed!!!)

   Lots of great Easter eggs, cameos, and loose plot threads almost a decade old are waiting for loyal readers of Fables like myself. I just hate to see that dynamic series go, but I'm glad to delay its demise a little longer thanks to gems like this.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics, Volume 1: The Paradigm Shift

    The laws of physics have been severely broken. With time paradoxes, quantum tornadoes, and gravity failing as often as the sun rises and sets, things on planet earth have changed. For example, when you call 911, you are asked if your emergency is in regards to medical, fire, or physics.

   Enter the FBP- Federal Bureau of Physics and agent Adam Hardy. For the government agency, these calls seem like just another day at the office. But when Adam becomes temporarily stranded in a bubble universe, he learns that their may be something sinister behind the weakening of the fabric of the universe. In a world where the 'impossible is always possible' Adam and his team must get to the bottom of the quantum entanglements or the fate of not just the world, but the entire universe is doomed. 

    If it seems like I've been on a science graphic novel kick lately, it's not my fault. My library just happened to get in a bunch of science themed books in recently and I decided to snatch up several volume 1s in order to decide if there were any new series to get into since 'Fables' is almost through. So far, I'm batting 2-2. 

  FBP was exciting and unexpected. The book has so many twists and turns and shocks that I was pleasantly surprised that I had no idea where the members of the FBP were going to go next. So many comic series these days are about as predictable as the weather in San Deigo but that is not the case here. Also, with so much happening in the realm of physics, not every mystery is revealed and that is a good thing as I'm set up and ready for volume 2.

   Another good thing about this book is that the writing is so good that even the 'boring' parts are great. In The Phantom Menace, the Star Wars prequel was ruined by lengthy scenes involving intergalactic trade treaties. But in FBP, even the agency's struggle to achieve federal funding is as interesting as the time vortexes that haunt one of the characters in this book.

    If you like the X-Files, CSI, Doctor Who, and science in general then this is the series for you.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars (as the art was a little rough at times but it still made for an engaging read.)

Deadpool by Posehn & Duggan, Volume 2

 Still possessed by the spirit of slain SHIELD agent Preston, Deadpool seeks to find the answers behind her death and the discovery that someone's been harvesting Wade Wilson's organs for decades. Their search will take them to some of the furthest reaches of planet earth, including North Korea, a duplicate helicarrier made by an evil spy organization, and Wolverine's bedroom! Plus, go back to Deadpool's early days as he team's up with the Heroes for Hire in the 1970s and takes a much-needed vacation in 1960s Wakanda.

   The team of Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan continue to take the Merc with a Mouth to new levels- of insanity, action, and lots and lots of gore. I see lots of critics of modern day Deadpool on social media with fans saying he's too goofy, too weird, and too over-the-top. Yet, Deadpool continues to be a fan favorite, so Posehn, Duggan, and the editors at the House of Ideas are obviously doing something right. 

   Along with the outstanding writing, Scott Koblish does a fantastic job on the art adding lots of great Easter eggs throughout. Added to the mix are the awesome regular covers by Mark Brooks (issues 21-25.) I just loved this whole thing- especially the epic parody of Aliens! Game Over, Man!!!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Batman- The Dark Knight, Volume 1: Knight Terrors (New 52!)

  

 Someone has released all of the inmates of Arkham back into Gotham City. Making matters worse, the escaped inmates are given a toxin that removes their fear and gives them super strength. Batman's quest to find the culprit will pit him against some of his most deadly foes- including the Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and Bane.
   
   But perhaps his most deadly foe is a new one known only as the White Rabbit. Looking like the Inferior 5's Dumb Bunny, only sluttier, the White Rabbit puts the Dark Knight on notice that she cannot be caught. As Batman gets ever so closer to catching his new foe, the number of bat-villains and their level of deadliness increases, meaning that the Caped Crusader will need to call in some allies for help, including the Justice League. 

   For some reason, my library obtained volumes 2, 3 and 4 long before volume 1. It didn't make for uneven reading nor did it make me feel like the story had been spoiled for me. But, I'm a little disappointed with this volume as the White Rabbit is still on the loose by volume's end, yet she doesn't pop up in any of the following books (in this series) that I've already read. Since her story really isn't over, I feel like this book is incomplete when you look at the series as a whole. 

   However, the story itself was quite good. I liked having several of the Justice Leaguers guest-starring in this book. Those characters gave this book another dynamic missing in most of the New 52! Batman titles. A good story by David Finch but it was Ed Benes' art that really stole the show.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales (Volume 2): Big Bad Ironclad! (Family Comic Friday)

A time travelling story with a twist. The narrator, historic figure Nathan Hale, can see into the future. This helps him out greatly, as it’s keeping his executioner and captor entertained.

In this volume, Hale foretells what will happen when iron clad ships come to blows during the Civil War. The Monitor and Merrimack (Or Virginia, depending of if you are a Rebel) have an exciting history.

Even though this is a book geared towards kids, it’s very informative. Personally, I learned lots. Yes, there are tons of goofy jokes, like drawing an actual fox for a character whose last name is Fox and drawing a character nicknamed Sharkface with shark teeth.

Parents will love this book and kids should too! It has the very cool mix of entertainment and learning that’s not been seen since SchoolHouse Rocks! Bravo!

Worth Consuming.

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Fog

   This Dark Horse graphic novel was written as a prequel to the 2005 remake of the Fog. However, as this incorporation ideas and story structure that John Carpenter wanted to include in his classic 1980 version, this book can act as a prequel to that film as well. That actually works quite well for me as I've seen the original (which scared the hell outta me) but not the remake.

    The prequel starts in China with a group of Shanghai traders fleeing a mysterious fog. They arrive in a coastal town in post-Civil War California, where they work in the town's mines and perform odd jobs. When one of the residents begins a series of gruesome experiments on one of the boat people, they unwittingly unleash the ancient curse hidden in the fog that the immigrants so desperately fled China from.

    The Fog was very good, but it wasn't great. (Which is what many people say of the original film from 1980.) The writing was good, the art was fantastic, and there was a great scare factor in the book, but something was missing. The story needed a little more tweaking in terms of plotting and pacing. Some scenes, that in my opinion seem unnecessary, drag on for several pages. Whereas when the story gets to the climax, and we have a chance to truly grasp what was done to cause the fog to come to America and curse the coastal town, everything seems rushed and vital information is either forgotten or glossed over in order to meet the page requirement of the book. 

    If this was a miniseries instead of a single volume comprised of 88 pages (really about 80 if you remove the forward and afterword) then I think more time could have been given to flesh out this story better. Like Carpenter's original film, this book was fraught with missing opportunities...

    I found this book at Ollie's for dirt cheap. If you don't find it there, Amazon has it few literal pennies on the dollar. This was a fun book and I probably should have waited for closer to Halloween to read this. But the awesome Mike Mignola (Hellboy) cover and dynamic palette by Dave Stewart (also of Hellboy fame) was too tempting for me to wait.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars
   

    

Fallout: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Leo Szilard, and the Political Science of the Atomic Bomb

 

 I figured since I was reading a fictionalized account of the Manhattan Project (The Manhattan Projects, Volume 1) then I would also read a factual account. 

   Man, I wish that statement was true...

   When I checked out the premiere volume of the Manhattan Projects, I had no idea that it starred characters such as Einstein and Oppenheimer. It was just dumb luck that I also checked out this graphic novel about the development of the atomic bomb. But after I read the Manhattan Projects, it made perfect sense to read this next. But I read the fiction graphic novel over a week ago, what took me so long to finish the non-fiction edition?

    Even though Fallout is a graphic novel, it is packed with lengthy excerpts of letters, journals, and official testimonies. And when I say lengthy, I'm not lying. A report on the loyalty of Dr. Oppenheimer was over 8 pages long. Even longer was the notes and 'director's cut' commentary at the end of the book which was over 30-pages long. (It was that section that took me forever to complete.)

   This book starts from the very beginning of the Manhattan project with Leo Szilard employing Albert Einstein to write a letter to President Roosevelt asking him to beat the Nazis to the development of the atom bomb. It then moves to Chicago, where scientists build the first atomic pile underneath a squash court at the University of Chicago. (Imagine the disaster that would have happened if that have overloaded!) Finally, we wind up at the research base in Los Alamos, New Mexico where the first nuke was tested.

    The last half of the book focuses on the fallout of Truman's action to drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When you build a weapon, the natural inclination is to make it better and badder. Thus, the team at Los Alamos is tasked with building the Hydrogen Bomb, which makes the first nukes detonated look like firecrackers. 

    Over time both Szilard and Oppenheimer become repentant over creating the Bomb. Their reluctance to continue building more powerful nukes causes the men to become the subject of investigations over their loyalty to the US. As a result, Oppenheimer is brought before the Atomic Commission and must restore his good name or face becoming blackballed by losing his security clearance.

   Fallout was an eye-opening experience at the development of the nuclear bomb. It was so good, I'm inspired to read and research more about the Manhattan Project. Jim Ottaviani, the book's author, at the end of this book recommends to readers that they should read Maus if they only read another graphic novel about the horrors of World War II (Challenge accepted... Yes, I've never read Maus. But I will now!) Well, aside from that classic, if you want to learn more about the horrors of nuclear war, it's history, and the harsh impact of spending a lifetime working with radioactive materials- then you must read Fallout!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars (Only because that previously mention notes section is just so gosh darn long. But that too IS worth reading.)
     

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part IV: The Forgotten Audience and My Rating

A lot has been made of the film being 'edgy.' So, is it suitable for kids? Since our heroes don't even get their powers until about an hour into the film, most of Fantastic Four will probably bore a viewer under age 10 to tears.

 Also, there is one scene in particular that is violently graphic for a PG-13 superhero flick. It takes place around the one hour and twenty-five-minute mark and lasts about two minutes. How can I describe it without giving away too much? Have you ever seen the movie 'Scanners?' The scene in question involves Victor Von Doom and a lot of exploding 'melons.' And believe me, the one time you want the CGI to be poor, this is unfortunately not it.

Really, Fox- did you forget kids might want to see this movie?

 Essentially, with the bad dialogue and terrible special effects if this movie was made 30 years ago, it would be considered an instant Classic. Add the fact that that the villain doesn't really appear until the last 20% of the movie, the plot of Fantastic Four is just the group's origin. So really the movie seems more suited as a TV-movie designed to be the pilot for a series. With Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben coming together as a team right at movie's end, I would have been much more satisfied with this project as a whole if it was geared for the small screen.

Instead, the film is like an unbalanced scale, heavy on character development (well most of them) but short on plot. Poor word of mouth hasn't helped this film. Even worse social media buzz pretty much sealed the film's fate and I fear this message will be the trend what with over 25 comics themed flicks due out in the next half decade.

   So, do like I did in 3 steps and this shouldn't be the worse film you've ever seen. 1) go to a matinee (and save a few $$$), 2) have low expectations, and 3) forget what all of the critics have said and watch the film with an objective mindset. Oh, but it might help to forget everything you know about the FF because this isn't not just your dad's Fantastic Four, it's really nobody's either.

    Sadly, for every plus I had about this film, I had an equal negative. In fact, the movie might've got a higher rate if not for the horrible final act. 

So my rating is thus:

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

  

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part III: CG-A'int and Other Missteps

  One particularly bad bit of CGI of note in Fantastic Four involves a chimp used as a test subject for the teleporter. He's so animated and poorly rendered to boot. Why a real animal wasn't used instead is beyond my comprehension.

  Another bad bit of movie magic involves test footage of Ben Grimm and Johnny fighting enemy armies. Both look like a video game instead of actual actors and Johnny even does a little signature move after he vaporizes a drone. Since Disney would not allow a video game version of the movie, I'm thinking a shelved prototype was used instead of having the actors pine for the camera.

  Thankfully, the acting wasn't that bad. Once again, the actor to play the Human Torch stole the show even though early critics thought he was going to suck. Many criticized the casting of Friday Night Light's Michael B. Jordan. Now most of those critics were super offended that a black actor was going to play the white superhero. I didn't think he had the chops based on his role on FNL. But the actor showed amazing zeal going  so far make Johnny both a little responsible and a bit of a slacker at the same time, much like his comic book counterpart.

 Another aspect that hurts this picture is the screenwriting. Dr. Storm's character is played by the wonderful Reg E. Cathey. He is supposed to be the father figure to this team. But his character is given every cliche in the book and apparently the disease is catching. As Reed establishes himself as team leader, his dialogue gets more and more bombastic to the point I was ready to put my fingers in ears. And speaking of ears, there are several swears peppered in. So, parents, you've been warned.

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part II: An Unneed to Reboot

  

A Pandora's Box is probably the best way to describe this film. When Fox announced over a year ago that they were going to reboot the franchise, fans cried foul! It had only been 10 years since the first FF feature film hit screens and many felt like it was too soon to start over. (Roger Corman made a low budget film about the Fantastic Four in 1992 but it never went anywhere.)

   But Fox insisted that the world needed a new, hip, and edgy version for younger audiences to relate to. Again, critics protested. But this time, it was those at Marvel and parent company, Disney, decrying the film.

  Disney is chomping at the bit to regain the rights to the First Family of Marvel Comics, and they did everything in their power to make this supposed blockbuster fail. Marvel cancelled the Fantastic Four and even broke the team up into little bits just so fans couldn't have a comic book version to relate to. Plus, Disney made licensing, especially with the manufacturing of toys and cartoons, nearly impossible for Fox to do. Thus, the kiddie crowd had even less of an interest in the picture.

   While I think the fans had very good point about not needing another franchise reboot. Marvel and Disney really didn't have much to fuss about. The main reason is the special effects. They are not really good. Usually on a movie screen, it's very hard to tell if something was filmed in front of a green screen. The fabric of a movie screen helps to bleed out rough edges that are usually very noticeable on TV. That's not the case here.

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part I: Going to the Movies.

    Take everything you know about the Fantastic Four and throw it out the window. This is not the 1963 line-up we've grown to love over the past 50 years. If you are familiar with the Ultimate Fantastic Four, take about half of what you know about that team and throw it out that same window.

   Today, I went to see the most controversial superhero film of 2015- Fantastic Four. It's only like the 5th day the film has been out in theatres and already it's considered a colossal bomb. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 9%,  one of the worst weekend grosses of a Marvel superhero film, and the worst viewer rating in film history, I wasn't expecting much when I went to see this picture. Why, even the movie's director, Josh Trank, went on Twitter and apologized for making it! 

   When I got my first degree (in History) I minored in Film Studies. Since I was gonig to the movie with subpar expectations, I decided I would watch the film as I had been trained and base the movie on both its technical merits and story structure with an unbiased view. I feel like I was actually able to enjoy the film more this way too.

   In this version of the Fantastic Four, Dr. Franklin Storm and his adopted daughter (Kate Mara) recruit high school student Reed Richards (Miles Teller) to join the Baxter Foundation, a think tank prep school for super geniuses. Their task is to create a transporter, an idea in which Reed's been tinkering with since he and his best friend Ben (Jamie Bell) were in elementary. Also brought into the project is troubled Victor Von Doom, a former student who was expelled for destroying research data. Rounding out the group is Dr. Storm's son, Johnny (Michael B. Jordan), a reckless teen whose last chance at redemption lies in regaining his father's trust on the Baxter Foundation project. 

    The teleporter is a success. But, when the group is faced with losing the project to NASA, Reed and Victor impetuously use the device and are transported to a parallel universe. There, the group gain mysterious powers and on their return to earth are subjected to medical tests by the military. The project's leader, played by a super-creepy Tim Blake Nelson (Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?) promises to find a cure for the teens if they will act as the artillery for some covert ops assignments. 

   However, the director has no intentions of ever curing this team but instead wants them to reopen the dimensional gate so he can create more superhuman weapons. But when he finally achieves the ability to teleport again, the world will learn that the entire project was a Pandora's Box to its destruction.

   

E-Man #1

   This issue of E-Man just also happened to be a book I was recommended last week to read when I was bored. Thanks again to my love of comic book grab bags, I happened to have an issue on hand and what an issue to have. This book, published by Modern Comics in 1977, reprints the very first issue by Charlton Comics in 1973 and is the brainchild of Nicola Cuti and Joe Staton.

    E-Man is an energy being that survived a supernova. In his quest for intelligent life, he comes across a space ship filled with a hostile entity. When the energy being discovers this hostile has intentions to destroy our planet, he assumes the form of a human. With help from a stripper with a heart of gold and ice in her veins, our hero becomes E-Man, with the power to convert matter into energy and vice versa.

    E-Man was quite good for a short-lived book from the 70s. Charlton was the publishing company that could but sadly it just never managed to overtake the big two publishers and eventually was swallowed up by DC by the 1980s. This book is proof of the talent and quality that Charlton was able to get their hands on- if only they could have had the bankroll of a Marvel Comics. A very good feature with great art but a very abrupt ending as if parts of the finale were edited for time or space. 

    The backup feature is called 'The Knight', a superspy for the international espionage agency C.H.E.S.S. The Knight is a rogue who gets in fights and follows the beat of his own drum. If he wasn't such a damn fine agent, the agency's high-ups, codenamed King and Queen, would have had him arrested or kicked out years ago.

   In this tale, the Knight, along with agents codenamed Rook and Bishop, infiltrate a company that makes rocket boosters in hopes of seeking out a mole. But to their chagrin, the entire organization is filled with double-agents! Now, the trio must destroy the plant, saving humanity and hopefully themselves in the process. 

    If the story of the Knight sounds familiar to a DC title called Checkmate- I don't think you are that far off the mark. Checkmate has operatives codenamed White Knight, Black King, Black Rook, White Queen, etc... It's also a super secret intelligence community, only they employ super heroes. Also, Checkmate was co-created by Paul Kuppenberg, a longtime contributor to Charlton who went to DC shortly after the company bought out the Charlton catalog. I really don't think this is a coincidence. But that's okay. This issue was like reading a rough draft of Checkmate, a series which I really like and am on the hunt for both complete series.

    If you can get your hands on a Charlton E-Man, expect to shell out some big bucks. But Modern Reprints dot bargain bins and are peppered throughout grab bags nationwide. (I have a total of 3 E-Man books thanks to grab bags.) A welcome addition to my collection, I cannot wait to read more and find more E-Man. You can also find E-Man series published by Comico and First Comics in the dollar bins and I hear they are very good titles as well.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Paul Chadwick's Concrete #3

Sorry, I couldn't find an image of issue #3. Here's a great
  portrait of Concrete instead.

   

 Concrete is or was a human named Ronald Lithgow, whose brain has been placed into a gigantic concrete body. 

   The last time I read a Concrete story was a graphic novel or trade collection called 'Think Like a Mountain.' It was sappy, it was far left extremist environmentalist, and it was boring. I read that book several years ago and haven't dipped my toe back in those waters since.  That is until one day recently, when I couldn't for the life of me decide on what to read next. On a recommendation from someone on Facebook, I decided to give Concrete another try. 

   I happened to have an issue of Concrete on hand that I got out of a grab bag. So with suggestion and praise from a fan, I gave Paul Chadwick's creation another try and this time I       was pleasantly surprised.

  The issue might be marked #3 but if you are going to give Concrete a try, this is actually your best starting point. It establishes Concrete's origin; something I wish I had when I read 'Think Like A Mountain.' In this issue, we learn that Ronald was going through a rough divorce and that a buddy of his decided to take him camping. 

  On the trip, the friends end up getting kidnapped by aliens and have their brains transplanted into large concrete bodies similar to that of the aliens. On the mother ship, the guys are subjected to numerous tests that most border on torture. Seeing that their time as living guinea pigs is growing short, the men must make a mad dash for freedom, even if it means being stuck in a body of Concrete forever.

    This is the Concrete I wish I was introduced to all those years ago. The characters were much more interesting and I felt more pity for Ronald and his friend than I did in my previous encounter. The art was very clean and comes through in brilliant black and white. Only the dialogue was the only thing I had a problem with as it was at times B-movie fodder at best.

    Though new Concrete isn't on my radar anytime soon, I am currently searching out the complete original series of Dark Horse Presents. Concrete just happens to star in several issues of that innovative anthology series. So I will be following his adventures again in the near future. Only, I won't be looking at having to read those tales with dread anymore.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.