Cancer Vixen

 

October is breast cancer awareness month. It's also Halloween countdown month. I try to stay relevant and set the mood by reading comics and graphic novels that fit the season or an event going on at around the same time. If you noticed the books I have reviewed this month, you'll see that I have done a decent job with the spooky stuff. But when it comes to breast cancer awareness, the best I could do was find a Batman-themed Save the Ta-Tas image for my Facebook page.

   That was until I hit my local library last week and found ‘ Cancer Vixen.’ When I thumbed through it, I thought it was about a woman’s account of her battle with lung cancer. It didn't quite meet the breast cancer awareness requirement I was looking for, but I took what I could get. When I started this a couple of days later and learned that the book’s creator was actually diagnosed with breast cancer; well I must have been the first person in history to cheer for someone getting the disease.

  But only cause I can paint my blog pink for October. I swear!

  The book opens in 2004 with the author Marissa Acocella, right before she becomes Mrs. Marchetto. She's considered one of the Big Apple’s hottest cartoonists, a thriving member of the in-crowd, and in 2 weeks about to get married. But when the artist finds a lump, that all appears to come crashing down. Especially, when she learns that her health insurance has lapsed.

  The book then jumps back and forth to 2001. In the past we see Marissa receive an assignment that will connect her with her future fiance. Then on a fateful day in September, we witness the tragic events that put Marrisa in the dust clouds of the World Trade Center and inspire her to pen a cartoon article that will blast her into the stratosphere as a hot talent in New York’s (magazine) publishing world.

Marrisa remarks that her time in the toxic clouds of Ground Zero could be behind her cancer. But she doesn't dwell on that. In fact, what this possibility does is it opens the reader to a new dimension. What the author does to much success is occasionally travel a parallel universe filled with an array of cartoons she created during her cancer fight such as the “ What Caused My Cancer? Board Game.”

   Cancer Vixen reminds me of another magazine writer making it big in Manhattan at about the same time- Candace Bushnell. Her columns in the New York Observer inspired the hit TV show ‘Sex & The City’ about 4 women who struggle to find love in the social circles of the city that never sleeps.

  

  Now I have never seen a single episode of Sex & The City. So to my knowledge, one of the characters might have battled cancer but I doubt it. However, if they ever did a storyline about one of the girls and their struggles to stay in the ‘IT’ crowd, this graphic novel is what I imagine the HBO hit to be like. ( While researching on this review, I learned that one character named Samantha gets get breast cancer in the final season which occurred in 2004. However, as Cancer Vixen is a true story, any similarities are coincidence more than likely.)

    Cancer Vixen is one of those stories I couldn't put down. Engrossing with a passionate account of a cancer survivor's fight against breat cancer. With inovative storytelling techniques and a no-holds barred approach, this is a graphic novel that while isn't considered a classic yet- it will be. I highly reccommend it.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Happy Halloween, 2015

Skylanders (Family Comic Friday 2015 Halloween ComicFest Edition)

   My last pick for Halloween ComicFest 2015 is Skylanders. This free mini comic is based on the video game of the same name. Skylanders came out in 2011 and was huge around its first holiday season on store shelves. The game has interactive action figures so that players can have fun even with the power is out. I remember when the first Skylanders game (Spyro's Adventure) came out as people were scooping these toys up by the dozens and selling them on eBay for crazy prices. While I am not sure how popular this game series is now, Skylanders is the grandfather of interactive Near Field Communication (NFC) games, greatly inspiring Disney's Infinity line. 

    There are 3 stories in this comic. The first has an evil chile pepper named Chef Pepper Jack (LOVE THE NAME!!!),  terrorizing a village of teddy bears. He's challenged by a forgotten Skylander element called Knight Light and it's a battle between good and evil that was visually thrilling and not very hard to follow for someone not familiar with the franchise.

    In the second adventure, a five-legged frog named Doctor Krankcase looks to interrupt the Annual Mabu Meander. It's a sort of junior marathon that the villain has found a loophole allowing him to participate and probably win by cheating. That is unless the hero centaur Knight Mare has anything to say about it. Again, another fun tale that isn't hard for the uninitiated to enjoy.

   Lastly, two foes find themselves drugged and placed in a deadly trap. The only way out is for these two enemies to join forces if they want to live to fight another day. I really enjoy those type of stories that force mortal enemies to team-up. Usually, these adventures end with a double cross, so it's refreshing to see real teamwork for once.

    That story ends with a cliffhanger. Normally, those type of adventures is a pet peeve of mine. But in this case, the story ends in such a way that if you don't go on to purchase the companion piece to this caper that you don't miss anything. But with 3 great stories, I have a feeling that this freebie will encourage some young readers to want to know what happens next.

    Skylanders isn't my cup of tea. I don't see myself rushing out to buy a starter kit for the video game tomorrow. But if I had the chance to read another free comic at next year's Halloween ComicFest, I wouldn't turn it down. 

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

I'm Still Here...

 

   Folks, I've not blogged in forever this week, but it's not because I've stopped Madman With a Book. In my secret identity, I'm an ill-tempered sous chef in corporate catering. (There are no mild-mannered chefs- it's a myth.) Taking this into account, work has been killer. 

   My head chef's been out this week, so I am the chef on duty. We've had double caterings all week and about 30-extra at lunch. Being a man down, this wipes you out. 

   Then last night, I worked double shifts, doing security at the John Cleese/ Eric Idle show. Being a Madman isn't cheap you know. While getting greeted by them was great and it was lots of fun, you just can't blog while on the job folks. 

   Plus, added to all this extra work, I got a call on Monday for a job interview teaching culinary- my dream job. But you just don't walk into a job interview for culinary empty handed. I had to build up my portfolio again. That meant finding my letters of recommendation, printing photos of food, organizing menus, recipes, etc. It's a lot of extra work. Work that's worth it, but it keeps you from doing other things like writing reviews, reading books, or other things you do to pass the time. 

    But things should quiet down a bit. That means I'll be back writing, reviewing, and READING in no time. I should be able to get my last Halloween Family Comic Friday out tomorrow. But I will not have another spooky kids book to review in time for trick-or-treating. Sorry. But stay tuned, I've got a couple of books in my cubby reading to get read and that can only add to your reading list for next year.

   Thanks for understanding and Happy Reading... 

Boom! Studios Halloween Haunt 2015 (Family Comic Friday 2015 Halloween ComicFest Edition)

  

   Last year the BOOM! Studios mini-comic released for the Halloween Comicfest was hands

 down the best freebie release. So when it was announced a couple of months ago that 

BOOM! was doing another mini for 2015, I was very excited. Well parents, if your child is as 

thrilled as I was, I'm here to tell you that they are in for some major disappointments. Let's 

look at the three stories that comprise this volume.   

   First up is Adventure Time with Jake and Finn. Last year, the tale that starred them was 

the weakest of the three (Peanuts and Fraggle Rock made up the other two licensed stories)  

The 2014 Adventure Time short story didn't even feature any of the characters (at least, the 

ones I know of), so I didn't enjoy it so much. This year's yarn features everyone and was very 

clever. 

   When the good guys have a costume party, the Ice King feels left out. Going as himself

because none of the heroes would dare to dress up as the rogue, the Ice King puts on a

dazzling show, going so far as to win the costume contest. But how will Jake, the Princess, 

and the rest react when its revealed that the guy dressed as their archenemy is, in fact, their

most dreaded foe?  

    The second caper is based on the Cartoon Network show Steven Universe. Now I am not 

very familiar with this property, except for what little I have seen on commercials when 

watching other CN shows. Here a chameleon-like character named Amethyst, who is freeing

all of the animals from the local pet shop. This act seemingly isn't something that Amethyst

should be doing as Steven is appalled by it. Why after freeing the prospective pets that 

Amethyst keeps changing into other animals in hopes of becoming their friend is beyond 

my knowledge of this Cartoon. Also, the story has a sad ending, which was a major downer.         

    Lastly is a campfire story starring the Lumberjanes. This is my first ever encounter with 

this original comic series by BOOM! The series is about a group of campers at an all-girls 

camp. The woods that house the camp are haunted and in typical mystery series fashion, 

these ladies try to uncover weird activities that surround Lumberjanes Camp. All of what I just

told you about this series was stuff I gleaned from the Internet.

    The story that stars the Lumberjanes is 3-pages long. The first page has one of the girls 

persuading another one to tell a ghost tale. The last 2-pages involves a hunter, his trusty dog

and a malevolent black creature called the Tailypo- but no Lumberjane campers. Like the 

problem I had with last year's Adventure Time story, how can readers connect with the 

characters if they don't even star in the segment devoted to them? Lumberjanes might be 

a great series and it has won critical acclaim for being a comic devoted to girls. But what

 BOOM! had to offer me in this mini comic didn't inspire me to give it another go anytime 

soon.  

  

   After slaying the competition at last year's Halloween Comicfest, BOOM! Really dropped

 the ball this go round. This book is an all-ages title, but I'd advise you to persuade your child 

that if they only get to choose one comic during next week's Halloween festivities, go for 

the Archie book instead. It's far superior to this offering. Maybe next year... 

  

    Not Worth Consuming. 

   

   Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

The Creeps, Volume 1: Night of the Frankenfrogs (Family Comic Friday 2015 Halloween Edition)

 

 Meet the Creeps: Mitchell, Jarvis, Carol, and Rosario. Four students from Pumpkins County Middle School, who solve mysteries at their school often with disastrous results. Is it their fault that the pudding monster exploded in the school cafeteria? 

      On punishment, the Creeps must defrost the frogs intended for use in biology class. But the amphibians have disappeared much to the delight of the rest of the class. Normally, the Creeps would be on the case, but their classmates really don't want to do this assignment and they are willing to fight for it. 

     But when the students start disappearing and mechanically enhanced frogs start to emerge from the sewers, nothing will stand in the Creeps way to finally find the truth. Except maybe Tom, the new cool kid in school who always skips biology. Or is the culprit the fabled Perry Milburn, the smartest student ever to attend Pumpkins County, and is rumored to be living in the sewers, striving to create the greatest science fair project of all-time? The list of suspects is long and growing, but it should be no problem for our group of junior sleuths.  

    Night of the Frankenfrogs is the first in a series by Chris Schweizer. Just released in August, this series is great for kids of all ages but mostly suited for those aged 9-12. There're some scenes of violence and bullying. But the message of how friends can stick together and that everyone has special talents, no matter how weird is a message I surely could've used when I was in middle school.  

     I thought the story was flawless. I highly recommend it. There is a little bit of  'potty humor' but what do you expect when half the book takes place in the sewers. But hey, kids love that stuff and Schweizer toes the line unlike other popular kids series in the market. 
   
 The only thing that I wasn't really a fan of was the art. It's kinda rough. Now, it is not all bad. The Frankenfrogs are creepy cool looking. But the character of Rosario looks like a Hispanic Danny Devito in need of a shave and wearing a dress. Rosario is super strong but why make her look so manly?   

    There's a second book to this series coming in the spring of next year. The cover for ' The Trolls Will Feast' is already posted on Amazon and it looks interesting. Also, the art work looks cleaner. So with this being Schweizer's first book, maybe he just needs a little time to polish things a bit.  

   Worth Consuming. 

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Family Comics Friday Update...

Loyal readers of my Family Comics Friday article:

   Due to my work schedule tomorrow and Saturday: my two Halloween themed posts may be delayed up to Sunday. I've read the two books I plan to review for week 3 of 4 Halloween themed FCF editions but due to being chef-on-call this week, I've gotten a little behind on even getting to write my reviews ahead of time. I might be able to squeeze a review tomorrow, but I am working double shifts. So please be patient with this Madman...

 Happy Reading!

Dead Boy Detectives, Volume 2: Ghost Snow

  

 Edwin and Charles, the greatest pair of sleuths under the age of 13 in the afterlife have become a trio with the addition of the living and breathing wild child, Crystal Palace! Together, the group meets Clementine, the half-sister of Charles, in hopes of solving the mystery behind his mother's murder. As they search for clues, they trio stumble upon a conspiracy so sinister that it affects the stability of the Neitherlands, a mystical annex between this world and the next. With love blooming between Crystal and one of the Dead Boy Detectives, will they be able to focus long enough to solve all of these mysteries and possibly save the life of someone close to Crystal who was presumed dead and buried?

   Volume 2 was riveting. However, this is one of those series that if you take too long in between reading volume 1 and 2, you may find yourself needing a refresher because there is just so much going on. The combined work of Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham is so perfectly crafted, that my memory gaps were not a bother. Litt does a good job keeping the reader abreast as to what's going on without being obsessively repetitive as Marvel was notorious for doing in the 80s.

   Plus, the Masterful pencil work of Fables artist Buckingham was so hauntingly beautiful that it almost made me want to see just what a 'Ghost Snow' looks like- almost but not quite. The covers are awesome too and you finally get to see the mosaic the Buckingham has been crafting as little puzzle pieces at the end of each issue. Wicked Awesome Stuff!

   Volume 2 marks the end of this series of Dead Boy Detectives. This is the third volume so hopefully this isn't the end of their story. With Vertigo rolling out almost 2 dozen new series over the next couple of months, the odds are good (but not great) that this trio of supernatural detectives will return someday soon.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Sherlock Holmes: Doctor Jekyll & Mr. Holmes

The Caliber Press Cover.
Same as Tome, except for the different logo.

  The evil Mr. Hyde is terrorizing the streets of Victorian London. On the case is the brilliant detective, Sherlock Holmes and his loyal companion, Watson. In this fantastic crossover comic thriller from Time Press, we see what might have happened if Robert Louis Stevenson collaborated with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  

   This one-shot from 1998 is Gothic storytelling at its very best. The writing of scripter Steve Jones was so perfect that I felt like I was reading something actually written by the original authors.

    I had gotten this book's in a grab bag a few months ago, holding on to it as a Halloween read. The decision was well worth the wait. The artwork by was similar to the Gothic illustrations of Sidney Paget, whose work chronicled the adventures of Holmes in the pages of the Strand Magazine. The whole package made for a delightfully spooky read.

   If this is what Tome Press' other Sherlock are like- then count me a new fan. Over the past couple of years, my love of Holmes has grown exponentially. The BBC series SHERLOCK has helped, but it's rare little treasures such as Doctor Jekyll & Mr. Holmes that has colored me Sherlocked!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

(Addendum: In 1979-80, Loren Estleman wrote the novel 'Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Holmes.' The novel was crafted as an lost manuscript by Dr. John Watson, but kept in a security box, unpublished, due to the sensational events the journal contained. Whether this comic was written as an adaptation of Estleman's book is unclear. On the credits page, Steve Jones gives thanks Doyle and Stevenson for their creations but no credit is given to Estleman. Also, the novel was written from Watson's perspective as this comic was scripted as a letter from Holmes to his biographer. 

    In 2010, Titan Books reissued Estleman's novel to much success. Whether the novel inspired this one-shot or the publication of this comic inspired Titan to re-release the novel is a mystery worthy of Holmes and Watson's attention.)

What's Missing from the Force Awakens Trailer? A Theory About Episode VII...

  

I must confess, I didn't stay up to watch the Star Wars trailer last night during Monday Night Football. But when I got home today, I immediately went online and viewed it. As much as I enjoyed it, I was struck by a nagging feeling that I couldn't put my finger on- until now... Where is Luke Skywalker?

   This is the third trailer I have seen for Episode VII. Except for his voice, the character played by Mark Hamill doesn't appear in any of them.

    Then I kept coming back to Han Solo saying that everything you here about the Jedi is true. Consider how big a skeptic in the Force Han was in the original trilogy, what would cause him to change his tune? That's when something else finally came to the forefront of my mind about why these trailers bother me- where are all the Jedi?

   You would think 30 years after the fall of the Empire that Luke would have created an impressive collection of Jedi Knights. But the only character that brandishes a lightsaber with any confidence is the Sith character of Kylo Ren. (At this point you might be yelling at my post saying " What about Finn? Don't worry, I'm coming to him.)

    Anyway, the whole thought of lightsabers got me thinking about another new character named Poe Dameron. This guy is an X-wing pilot tasked with retrieving the weapon Luke had lost, along with his arm, in his battle with Darth Vader on Bespin in Episode V. It's been 35 years since that happened, so why would Princess Leia wait until now to make someone other than Luke fetch it unless....
( this next sentence is A) speculation, not a spoiler and B) likely to make you mad. So, you've been warned.)

... Luke Skywalker is dead.

    Think about it, We've not seen Luke in any of the trailers, there's no army of Jedi, just this mysterious Sith character, Han waxes poetic about the Jedi, and when someone finally wields Luke's old lightsaber, it's the controversial character of Finn. So here's my theory:

   Luke tried to train the next generation of Jedi, but like with Obi-Wan, his apprentice became seduced by the Dark Side, became Kylo Ren, and killed Luke. Thus no further Jedi Knights.

   The movie is titled 'The Force Awakens.' If Luke was around, wouldn't it already be up? What if the character of Finn, played by John Boyega isn't a Skywalker but the new New Hope? Thus, the Force Awakens when Leia, who has some Force abilities, sees potential in this reformed stormtrooper. His teacher? Why, the ghost of Luke Skywalker! In a twist to the original trilogy, the ghost has become the master. Since revealing Luke to be a spectre would be a major spoiler- that is why Hamill has yet to appear in any of the trailers  (He's not even on the official movie poster!!! See above right...)

   Addendum: Luke might be alive but in typical Skywalker fashion, he has turned to the Dark Side of the Force. It's possible that we've seen Luke in all three trailers, it's just we've not seen his face. This actually makes a little bit of sense as in the most recent trailer, the Sith Lord, Ren seems to be in possession of the skull of Darth Vader. But how did he get it if Luke had his father's body at the end of Return of the Jedi? That's because Luke betrayed the New Republic, became a Sith lord named Kylo Ren and joined/ started the First Order. (Yes- I know that Ren is played by Adam Driver, but maybe that's only when the character is wearing his mask! Unmasked, Ren is played by Mark Hamill. It's happened before with Vader being played by two different actors in Episode VI!)

    So that's my theory. What do you think? I know it sounds wild. But if you find that my post was blocked by Disney, then I was on to something...

Astro City, Volume 2: Confession

  Volume 2 of Kurt Busiek's award-winning series stars the Confessor and his new sidekick, Altar Boy. The duo is the Astro City equivalent of Batman and Robin. So I thought I would be reading a sort of tribute to the Dynamic Duo but with a Catholic slant to their personas. Instead, Confession is the Astro City version of Watchmen. 

    A serial killer is on the loose in the poor neighborhood of Silent Hill and the carefree superheroes of the metropolitan marvel seem unable or unwilling to do anything about it. Along with several destructive episodes of careless heroics, the inaction of the city's heroes has allowed the Mayor to sway public opinion and opened the city up to an alien invasion. Added to the chaos is the Confessor's strange behavior as he the only hero who conducts searches for the Silent Hill killer. But why does even the burg's mystical protector, the Hanged Man, shy away from this troubled Man of God in his pursuit of justice and what is the horrible secret that keeps the Confessor awake at night?

    With Halloween almost here, I thought this would be an eerie (but fun) little jaunt through Astro City. I was not disappointed. Busiek crafted not one but two great mysteries in this story. The main one about the Confessor- just who or what is he? Since this is technically the second volume of the franchise, if you view all of the comics published under different publishers as a whole and I've read all of these out of order, I already knew his secret. But I was completely unawares of the whole alien invasion plotline and so my a priori knowledge of Astro City didn't detract from enjoying this story. Also, the intimidating presence of the Hanged Man throughout this book just deepens my level of interest in wanting to know more about his origin, which after 20-years of publication, Busiek has just scratched the surface with him.

     With completing Confession, my historic tours of Astro City is now complete. Thankfully, there's an all-new series being published monthly by Vertigo. So, I'll get to make some return trips from time to time. But with the inclusion of the rare Wizard issued mini-comic #1/2 added at the end of this volume, I am all caught up on all of the classic Astro City stories. 

     This really is one of the best franchises in all of the modern age of comics. With it's timeless approach to honoring all genres and levels of comics and pop culture history, my trips to Astro City is always fresh and never do I see the same thing twice. Plus, with the very rare exception of a fill-in artist or guest writer, it's rare to have the same trio of writers and artists working on the same project for as long as Busiek, Brent Anderson, and Alex Ross have. To put the trio's 20-year run into perspective, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's longest continuing collaboration on a title, which was Fantastic Four, was only 9 years. 

     That's dedication not just to the craft but to the level of pride and care Busiek, Anderson, and Ross put into every issue of Astro City.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

    

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1Q (Happy Halloween Edition)

   

  In 2011, IDW Publishing obtained the rights to publish the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles after Archie Comics commanded the franchise for almost 2 decades. With IDW's new series, co-creator Kevin Eastman retooled the turtles origin for a modern audience. 

    In the first issue, we learn that the turtles and their adoptive father, the rat Splinter, were lab subjects at Baxter Stockman's laboratory. Genetically spliced, they showed signs of intelligence. But at this point, they've not mutated yet. Also, the alien brain creature of Kang is now retooled as a human general, who has a goal to create an army of hybrid super soldiers, has hired out Stockman's company which houses one-day mutant animals.

   Another big change to the origin of the Turtles is that April O'Neill isn't an intrepid reporter but an intern at Stockman's lab. Also, she named the turtles after Renaissance artists and not master Splinter! 

    This first issue wasn't bad, but it left me with more questions than answers. The story ended with a 'to be continued' and that's probably not a bad thing since the turtles have yet to become the radical sewer dwelling Heroes in a Half-Shell. So, the origin continues in future issues, which I don't happen to own currently.

    The art by Dan Duncan, along with coloring by Ronda Pattison were very good. They emulated the early works of Eastman. As a bridging of generations, Eastman even pencilled several of the covers, including this one. 

   Speaking of covers, my copy says in the top left corner 'Happy Halloween.' However, there is nothing Halloween themed in this story. For someone trying to collect holiday tales, this is a disappointment. (It turns out that while issue #1Q was re-released for 2011's Halloween ComicFest as a giveaway, it wasn't Halloween themed. Nor does it seem intended that way)

It's not bad for a TMNT fan such as myself. But I am a purist of the original Eastman and Laird title (and a fan of the cartoon, which the Archie Comics titles were based on.) So, I will probably stick with collecting those.  But I wouldn't be opposed to picking up a trade of this continuing series for the right price.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Night Nurse (Reprints Night Nurse #1-4, 1972)

I rarely buy a book new, especially if it is a comic book. But a few years ago at a lecture on the History of Comic Books, an image of Night Nurse #1 popped up on the screen and my wife exclaimed that she would actually be willing to read that. For years, I searched for an affordable copy to no avail. But with the new Daredevil series coming to Netflix, fate finally intervened.   

 See Night Nurse is apparently a character on the show. (Rosario Dawson plays nurse Claire Temple- and was intended to be Night Nurse, but Marvel Studios won't allow her real name to be used as the company has plans to use the character in a Marvel Cinematic Universe project in the near future.) So in order to both inform new viewers to what the character was supposed to be and make some money off of the property, Marvel re-released the entire run of the groundbreaking publication from the early 1970s.

      Created by Jean Thomas in 1972, Night Nurse is actually Wonder Woman. I kid, but her real name is Linda Carter and she is a student nurse operating during the evening shift at Metro General in New York. The Night Nurse was originally a candy striper in Atlas Comics’ ‘Linda Carter-Student Nurse’ which was more of a romantic-comedy series along the lines of Archie or Millie the Model.  Along with fellow up-and-coming nurses, roommates Georgia and Christine, this Linda is more dramatic, saving lives, fighting injustice and falling in love ( usually with the wrong guy.). Whether the two Linda Carters are the same character is up for debate. But it's a common practice in the comics industry, still used today, to reuse character names in order to maintain the copyright.

     The original idea behind Night Nurse was to introduce girls to comic books. Marvel's Roy Thomas was behind the effort along with the release of ‘Shanna the She-Devil'’ and ‘Black Cat’. Thomas was ahead of his time as the experiment though fondly remembered, was a failure, with Night Nurse being cancelled after only 4 issues.

  

   But like I said, Night Nurse struck a chord with readers as fans, who grew up reading the title, would usher Linda, Christine, and the rest into the modern age of comics in the pages of Nightcrawler and Daredevil.

    

 That brings us to the final reprinted tale in this edition- the first modern appearance of the Night Nurse. It's of Daredevil #80 (2004) and has Linda running a private clinic for superheroes. In this story by some guy named Bendis, Daredevil had been shot and the Night Nurse must save him while a slew of nasties is kept at bay outside by Luke Cage and friends.

   This is a very good collection of rare comic gems. The books from the 70s show their age in terms of the dialogue. The black characters speak in ‘jive’ and everyone under the age of 75 says “right on” when trying to appeal to the younger generation. Also, with all of the unrequited love going around, I thought I was reading a copy of 'Young Romance' instead of a 'superhero' title. Still, this is a great time capsule of Marvel's earliest attempts at relevant comics and the amount of care and quality in them shows.  

Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Maus (Book I: My Father Bleeds History)

This is it! The book that literally put graphic novels on the map- at least in terms of finding a place on your local library's shelves. Originally published by Art Spiegelman in the pages of his groundbreaking Avante Garde comic, RAW. This first volume collects the first six chapters that Spiegelman, researched, wrote, and illustrated from 1980-86.

  
  Maus is a factual account of the author's father and his time spent in Nazi-occupied Europe. Though the Jews are portrayed as mice, the Nazis as cats and non-Jewish Poles are drawn as pigs, this in NOT a funny animal comic. Even though Spiegelman crafted the characters to reflect Hitler's view that the Jews were vermin to be exterminated, deep down there's a more powerful purpose behind the use of animals in this account of the early days of the Holocaust.

   Think about movies such as Bambi or the Lion King. What's the saddest moments of those classic films? It's when the parents die. For some reason, humans are torn to shreds when anthropomorphic animals die in cartoons. I for one cried like a little girl when Fry’s dog died alone on Futurama.

  I have seen the terrible pictures of Jews rescued from Allied forces at the end of the Holocaust. But nothing in the entire Museum of the Holocaust got to me as a full page splash of several Jewish mice being hung to death for trying to survive in the ghettos of Poland. (One thing did literally destroy me at the museum in Washington DC. It was an actual train car used to transport Jews to the concentration camps. The thought of my wife (who is half Jewish) and our children being put in those death wagons because of something beyond their control (their heritage), was a feeling beyond words.)

   Until finally reading this volume did I learn that this was only the first of two books about Spiegelman's family during World War II. I knew of Maus II, but I thought it was about Art and his father coming to grips with the suicide of his mother. But, all of that actually builds into Art convincing his dad to agree to an account of his time in war-torn Europe in framing sequences set in New York around 1978. Maus II will examine what happened after Art's dad was captured by the Nazis and placed in Auschwitz. I will be reading that volume as well!

This is a classic that must not only be read- but it's memory must not be forgotten! The book's lengthy censorship struggle is the reason why I finally got around to reading it. During last month's Banned Book Week, I was encouraged to pick out a banned graphic novel in a post by the CBLDF. I'm very glad that I finally did read this riveting account of the horrors of the ghettos during World War II. It's hard to read at times and not for kids who are not old enough to read the 'Diary of Anne Frank'- no matter how friendly those mice look on the cover.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Zinc Alloy Vs. Frankenstein (Family Comic Friday, Halloween 2015 Edition)

  As a gigantic tornado threatens Zack’s hometown, the student activates his body armor and assumes the role of Zinc Alloy! The crisis seems averted, that is until the gyros in Zack's suit recalibrate from being spun in the cyclone so ferociously. This results in the robotic suit going wonky and all of Zinc Alloy’s hard work is undone.

 With the town finally in shambles, it's citizens revolt against their mechanical hero. Driven out of town, Zack seeks refuge in an abandoned mansion. Only this creepy home is anything but as Zinc Alloy comes face to face with the King of All Monsters, Frankenstein!

 

 This library edition graphic novel was cute and had a couple of moments that made me laugh out loud. But I felt that the story focused too much on the tornado scene. By the time Frankenstein appears, there's not much book left. In fact, the story ends so abruptly, that I did a double take, looking to see if a page got torn out or something. But alas, this story ends without a definite ending.

  Being a library edition, the back of the book is filled with comprehension questions, writing skills activities, and a glossary of terms. But I think that author Donald Lemke could have used it on himself. He kept having the townsfolk refer to the metal hero as a ‘ mutant.’ At one point, even Zack calls himself such. But if my memory serves me right, donning a suit of metal does not a mutant make. If that was the case, Tony Stark would have been made a member of the X-Men long ago.

  Zinc Alloy Vs. Frankenstein was a good read. There isn't anything scary in it. So, this would be an ideal Halloween read for children of all ages. Even the tornado scene wasn't so bad. I was more afraid when Zack's suit went bonkers. Not great on ending and some terms are greatly misused, but a fun read nonetheless.

  Worth Consuming

Rating; 7 out of 10 stars.

Spook-A-Rama (Family Comic Friday Halloween ComicFest 2015 Edition)

   

Young Cory loves monsters. They were a bonding point with his late father who adored classic horror films. Desperate to keep the memory of his dad alive, Cory dresses up as creepy creatures and plays pranks on the local townsfolk.   

                         
     A friend of his mother's (the town vacuum salesman) has a plan to make a man out of the youngster by having him work in the company's mailroom. But when Cory meets up with his hero famed horror director, Wilbur Atchison, at his movie studio, the boy's world will be turned seriously upside down.

    This week, I choose to examine 'Spook-A-Rama' a free comic book offering at this year's Halloween ComicFest. Written by Philip Kim with art by Rick Koslowski, I had the chance to buy a pack of 25 of these to give away to trick-or-treaters this year. But I wasn't very sure about the content and I passed it up. So, I downloaded a preview of the comic online and from what I read, I am kicking myself for not grabbing this when I had the chance.

   The art was very good and the story, what little I saw was intriguing. The book is based on the classic horror magazine 'Famous Monsters.' I remember this publication as a kid and I thought it was great. It was filled with images of the classic Hollywood Universal monsters as well as fiends from Hammer, Toho, and other studios devoted to horror and sci-fi. If you were a kid who loved monster movies that weren't in the vein of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, then this magazine called out to you every trip you'd make to the 7-11.

   Parents, if you are anti-horror film, then this book wouldn't be ideal for your child. In fact, from what I read, this book is not all-ages. I would say that it's more suited for older trick-or-treaters; around 10 and up.

   Unfortunately, I can't give very much more background on this book, other than to make you aware of it. I've tried to do some further research on this book to see if it's a preview of a larger work or continuing series due to do be released at a later date. But I came up with nothing more than the mini-comic preview that I included a link to. (Even Amazon is noticeably quiet about this book!)

    I'm hoping to hit a comic book store on Halloween morning. If I do, I'm planning on snagging up a copy of this book. (It's good to have goals.) If I can obtain it, I'll give it a read and will include an update. Feel free to comment me with any further info about Spook-A-Rama you might come across as well. Happy Haunts- er I mean reading!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating of Preview pages: 9 out of 10 stars.

Tales of the New Gods

An eclectic collection of stories featuring Jack Kirby's Fourth World. Some of the tales were originally explored by the King himself whereas others expound or even completely develop some the origins of the various background characters that inhabit New Genesis and Apokolips. Featuring the awesome writing and artistic talents of John Byrne, Mark Evanier, Frank Miller, Steve Rude, Art Adams, and dozens more, this is a volume you don't want to miss.

    The episodes in the volume were originally printed in Mister Miracle Special, Jack Kirby's Fourth World, and Orion. That in no way means that you shouldn't collect Fourth World or Orion because with the exception of the Mister Miracle Special, the other chapters reprinted here were backup features to those titles. If you was to omit them from your collection would mean that you would be missing out on two dynamic titles from the 90s as each story is only about 4-8 pages long (and the titles Tales of the New Gods were contained are about 4 times more in length.) So if you were to find Orion or Fourth World in a dollar box or cheaper, you would still be making a wise investment in completing your Fourth World collection.

    I knew about this when I bought this book at a used bookstore a while back. I was so desperate to read more adventures about the New Gods, that I gladly shelled out some hard earned cash knowing very well, I will probably sell this book once I collect the previously mention titles that contain these legends.

    If you are new to Kirby's Fourth World, I strongly encourage this book as a primer. Some of Kirby's work isn't easy to dig into, particularly New Gods. This work is the perfect way to learn of the backstory of such important characters like Darkseid, Highfather, and the Infinity Man; all of which Kirby plotted out their origins but never got around to diving into in his Fourth World titles in the 70s as the entire line was cancelled in less than 2 years due to poor sales.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Feynman

   It seems like everywhere I go right now, Richard Feynman is there. From a factual account of the Oppenheimer's involvement in the Manhattan Project (Fallout) to Jonathan Hickman's alternate history of the program in the pages of the Image series of the same name to an article about the strange quirks of famous people on Cracked.com; I just keeping running into Feynman. Why, even his van achieved some notoriety when it appeared on an episode of the Big Bag Theory a couple of weeks ago. It seems that the noted mathematician and physicist has achieved that rare rock star status of Einstein or Hawking in which they are more than science royalty but pop culture icons!

   From my recent readings, including this graphic novel by Jim Ottaviani (who also wrote Fallout) and Leland Myrick, Feynman has become my personal favorite genius (he's also Sheldon's on Big Bang Theory.) Feynman is very down to earth and while he looks at the mysteries of the universe with an analytical mind, he's not opposed to the idea of a creator nor does he claim to know or even understand all of the puzzles of science. 

   From Feynman's odd hobby of picking locks while at Los Alamos to his attempts to join a Carnival krewe in Brazil, it didn't matter if the subject was trivial or not, as long as his continuing self-education exercised his mind it was a subject worth studying for the Nobel Prize winner. This book maps just about every step of Feynman's life, but it's not in linear order. Just as his autobiographies rambled out of sync with his personal timeline, this graphic novel jumps from time period to time period. Thankfully, unlike Hickman's 'Manhattan Projects', Ottaviani and Myrick are keen to inform the reader of the year in which events unfold.

    While I enjoyed the heck out of this book, it was not an easy read. But that's okay. Complexity doesn't have to equal enjoyment. In at least 2 sections of this book, Ottaviani and Myrick place Feynman behind a lectern as his attempts to explain to the reader his award-winning theory on QED. It has something to do with how light particles reflect off of a surface but not at the same time or in the same fashion every time. (Please, don't ask me to explain more because I would be doing a terrible disservice to both the genius behind the theory and to you my loyal blog readers.)

    Even though understanding his groundbreaking theories were not easy for me to accomplish, I am in no way turned off by Richard Feynman or his work. In fact, the author posted an extensive assortment of suggested readings on Feynman that have inspired me to pick up a few in the coming new year. I am particularly interested in his mostly autobiographical works 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!' and 'What Do You Care What Other People Think?'

    Feynman is an interesting read that like the physicist himself, challenges the reader to think, expand, and grow with every life experience. Don't be intimidated by scientific jargon in this 2011 work because even the late physicist's didn't have all the answers either. Look at this as a doorway to world of new ideas and when someone says to you that graphic novels are kids stuff, show them one of Feynman's formulas and ask them if they think a 5-year old could solve it or not? 

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.