Justice League United, Volume 1:Justice League Canada (New 52!)

    Former members of the Justice League find themselves pitted together against an alien invasion in the Canadian wilderness in this opening chapter of Justice League United. Also known as Justice League Canada, this short-lived series didn't get very much love, lasting only about 16 issues, along with an annual and a Futures End tie-in one-shot. But I don't know why- I liked it! (Okay- that reason alone is probably why JLU was canned.)

   The events of this volume take place after Forever Evil with the government sanction disbandment of the Justice League. Now I've read Forever Evil, but I don't remember the group splitting up. In fact, I thought the League carried on having Lex Luthor as a member! So, when and where this happens is something I've not come across. But that lack of knowledge didn't keep me from enjoying this book.

   The way these heroes come together is reminiscent of how the Justice League first came together way back in 1960. A would-be alien conqueror (Starro) sends forth creatures based on the elements to subjugate mankind. In the New 52! reboot, a rogue Thanagarian scientist is kidnapping humans in the Great White North in order to create a being that would be so undefeatable that whoever possessed it would literally being the ruler of the universe. His mission is carried out while under the protection of a heavy that can change from fire to stone, and then wood much like in the first appearance of the Justice League of America in Brave and the Bold #28

   Another twist is the role of Adam Strange and the love of his life Alanna. Here, Alanna is a human but due to a zeta beam malfunction, the two must switch places on earth and Rann or the two will die thanks to close proximity. This twist with Adam most often stuck on Rann gives Alanna a chance to be the hero for once.

   One more thing surprised me about Justice League United that I think was grossly underreported. This series introduces the new character of Equinox. Equinox is a female member of the Cree nation whose powers change with the seasons. Being how the media has gotten so excited over diversity in comics, such as a black Spider-Man, a female Thor, and a lesbian Batwoman, the addition of Equinox got swept under the rug. What, is it only news if an established character becomes more diverse? Hypocrisy, I cry!!!

    Justice League United was quite good. Writer Jeff Lemire paired up a great mix of wisdom (J'onn J'onnz), youth (Stargirl), muscle (Supergirl and Hawkman), and the much needed comic relief (with the roles of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold going to Animal Man and Green Arrow.) Mike Mckone has a deft touch with just about all of these characters as series artist though his Martian Manhunter seems to be artistically fluid as the alien team leader looks strikingly different in every issue. 

   I managed to snag volume 2 which I'll be tackling very soon. This issue made me excited for Justice League titles again and not since Giffen and DeMatteis were the League this much fun.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Van Helsing's Night Off and Other Tales

   

  Van Helsing's Night Off is a collection of short comics by Austrian artist Nicolas Mahler. Otherwise known by just his last name Mahler, his work has appeared in French, German, and Swiss newspapers. This 2004 collection from Top Shelf Productions is his first American publication.

   The book is full of minimalist drawings of Dracula slayer, Van Helsing, along with the Wolf-Man, the Mummy, Frankenstein, and a Zorro-like hero named the Masked Avenger. While I got several chuckles out of this book, some of the jokes were lost on me. But I don't think it's because I don't have a good sense of humor. I think the problem is my being able to interpret Mahler's art.

   Like I mentioned earlier, Mahler's style is minimalist. It's to such a degree that his characters don't have eyes, mouths, or in the case of the Masked Avenger, arms. None of the characters speak either, so sometimes when there is a scene with just two characters standing static, I feel like maybe I missed something in the body language that a European audience would get right away.

   I found this book at the Dollar Book Exchange a really cool pop-up book sale that occurs one weekend a month in Raleigh, NC. If not for finding it there, I probably would've gone years without knowing who Mahler was. I'm glad I found the book as discovering European comics artist is becoming a side project of my comic book endeavors. It was a neat quick read and while I found it enjoyable, it's not something I'm going to keep in my collection. But that's okay- if you live in the Triangle (NC), you might come across this book again soon at a used bookstore near you.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Soddyssey & Other Tales of Supernatural Law (Supernatural Law Volume 3)

   The docket is full for Alanna Wolff and Jeff Byrd, the Counselors of the Macabre. While preparing for a major case involving Sodd, the Living Swamp, the lawyers tackle cases involving a zombie facing tax evasion, a statue that suddenly came to life and refuses to go on a world tour, and then help a certain pair of FBI agents solve a case involving alien abduction. Then the New York-based litigators head down to the Big Easy to help Dracula reclaim his home from squatters before heading back to the Big Apple to resolve the Sodd case.

   I love the series Supernatural Law. It's very under the radar for most people- but like my wife says of me, I'm not most people. I found a collection at the library a good, jeez, I don't know how long. It's campy, cerebral, and spooky take on classic horror stories and urban legends just spoke to me and I instantly feel in love. 

   Created and lovingly crafted by Batton Lash, the brains behind Archie Meets The Punisher, perhaps the most unusual team up of all-time, doesn't disappoint in this awesome treasury. Why I'm so hooked on SL that I immediately went to Amazon after finishing this fantastic book and bought 2 more! It's that good!

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars,

Inspector Gadget #1 (2011 Free Comic Book Day)

   

 Inspector Gadget, his niece Penny, and their dog Brain are on the case! This time, they are to travel on the famed Orient Express in order to save a reclusive professor from the clutches of Doctor KLAW and his evil men. Of course, Gadget gets himself nearly killed (a lot) and he thinks that Brain in disguise is really the bad guy (often)- oh, and did I forget to mention the exploding message from the chief??? 

    This book had all of the makings of a classic Inspector Gadget episode and I hated it. Don't get me wrong, when I was in kindergarten, I was all over Inspector Gadget. I had the books, the action figures, the giant-sized Gadget. Yet, for some reason the stilted animation, the repetitive plot devices, and the fact that Gadget is really a robot or android at best has over the years turned me off to this franchise.

   Another thing about Gadget is that I am convinced that Penny was really the super secret agent and that Brain and Gadget were a ruse to throw KLAW off of Penny's scent. Sure, Penny got caught sometimes, but I think KLAW believed she was nothing more than a nuisance girl- mere bait to ensnare his Inspector foe. Oddly enough, there're quite a few fans on the net who agree with my conspiracy theory about Inspector Gadget. Maybe I'm on to something...

   Also, in this Free Comic Book Day offering from 2011 is a preview of a title called Johnny Test. It was a forgettable little tale about an average school boy whose completion of his homework will one day save the world. The art looked like it was drawn on a Commodore 64 and the plot seemed to borrow heavily from Dexter's Lab, Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius, and Phineas and Ferb.

   The biggest thing that upset me about this comic book was that both stories end with a cliffhanger that requires the reader to go out and buy another title to get the ending. I can understand why DC and Marvel do it as these Free Comic Book Day offerings lead to a monthly title. But for kids, who may live in families with tight budgets, having a free book require you to purchase the ending, might be a goal unattainable. Yes, I know companies want to attract new customers but a cliffhanger just doesn't seem the smart way to do it.

   Rating 4 out of 10 stars.

Indestructible Hulk, Volume 4: Humanity Bomb (Marvel NOW!)

 

    With the destruction of Attilan, the Inhumans' reserves of terrigen mist have been unleashed upon an unsuspecting populace. Anyone with even the slightest bit of Inhuman DNA is in danger of transforming into an unimaginable assortment of beasts, mutated humans, or even a super-powered hero like the Kamala Kahn Ms. Marvel. Leading the charge for a cure is Bruce Banner and his think tank of scientists at SHIELD. However, when it's revealed that Banner's cure is in the form of yet another bomb, the Avengers have visions of gamma disaster that created the Hulk. In other words, Iron Man, Beast, and Ant-Man typically act before they speak and massive carnage ensues.

   Unfortunately for one of Banner's team, the cure unlocks their latent Inhuman potential and is transformed into a ferocious monster that feeds on anger. How will the Hulk be able to stop the newest member of the Inhuman family when this new foe keeps siphoning away any trace of rage and continuously reverts the Hulk back into a human? For once, Bruce Banner will have to save the day!

   This volume marks the end of the Stan Lee/ Jack Kirby Hulk. Up next are the reality changing events of Secret Wars that reboots the original Marvel Universe in DC Comics Crisis fashion for the first time ever. Unfortunately, the ending left me really confused as the volume ends with a cliffhanger and the promise to be continued in Hulk #1!

   What Hulk #1 is it? Is it Totally Awesome Hulk which star wunderkind Amadeus Cho taking on the role of the Green Goliath? Or is the answers to the end of this series found in one of the many one-shots and miniseries that accompany the Secret Wars storyline? For the sake of spoilers, I've not been able to find out what happens next. (But, folks, if you know- please feel free to spill the beans. Because I have to know what happens next!)

   Another Marvel NOW! triumph by Mark Waid with a cool Bruce Banner/ Tony Stark team-up by Jeff Parker.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Indestructible Hulk, Volume 4: S.M.A.S.H. Time (Marvel NOW!)

 

    Disappearing Airports... Rampaging Dinosaurs... Invading armies comprised of Vikings, pirates, and P-47 Thunderbolts... Someone is messing with time and only the Hulk can save it! 

    Because his gamma radiation can withstand the destructive currents of the time vortex, the Big Green Machine will team up with some of your favorite Marvel heroes of yesteryear in order to save tomorrow. But since the Hulk isn't really known for keeping on task, he'll be aided by a drone that comprises the brain patterns of Bruce Banner. For the first time ever- it's mighty Hulk and puny Banner teamed together to save time itself. Yet there's a caveat- should the Hulk calm down at any point during his quest, he'll morph back into his human self, stuck in a vegetative state  somewhere past unable to reconnect with his Banner persona.

   This volume was a fun ride. I love stories about time travel and this chapter of the Indestructible Hulk doesn't disappoint. Guest-starring the Black Knight, Kid Colt, Betty and Thunderbolt Ross, and a slew of characters that exist in the Marvel Universe's past, I was so stoked. I only wish that Hulk traveled to more time periods and meet further characters (maybe a few real-life historic figures too!) 

   This volume was written by Mark Waid, who I've really become a fan of with his work on latest runs of Daredevil. He's known as the only man to have ever read everything ever published about Superman. Well, I must say I think he's done quite a bit of reading up on the Marvel Universe as Waid crafted a story that paid loving tribute to the Marvel Age of Comics created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and many more comics legends. 

   Aiding Mark Waid is the stunning Mateo Scalera (Black Science.) His ability to capture 1,000s and 1,000s of years of history in a seamless setting of time periods was awesome. Plus, I think he stole some designs from his work on Black Science as the suits worn by some of the time travelers looked very similar to that of the time displaced crew of that crafty Image series.

   It's a nearly flawless time traveling romp that pays homage to the Hulk family.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Superman Story

   The Man of Steel takes the people of Metropolis on a tour of the newest Superman Exhibit. From his earliest days of Krypton to becoming Superboy in Smallville and rising to become the Man of Tomorrow around the world, almost every secret of Superman's is revealed. Unbeknownst to the Last Son Of Krypton, the exhibit is secretly a trap designed by one of his most deadliest foes and should one single member of the tour escape, the entire building will come crashing down taking all of the city with it.

   Originally published in 1978, this pocket-sized paperback graphic novel was intended as a primer for folks to use before going to see the Superman movie directed by Richard Donner. As much as I love the Christopher Reeve Superman and the pre-Crisis Man of Steel, I forgot how much of a bummer the 1970s Superman had become.

   Prior to the movie, both sets of parents to Superman were dead, he was no longer working as a reporter for the Daily Planet, and years of exposure to Kryptonite had started to rob him of not only his powers but his memories as well. In a modern world, the Man of Tomorrow was just too much and DC decided to knock him down a peg or two- and it sucked; the only bright spot being Jack Kirby's brief run on Jimmy Olsen during this period.

   Thankfully, despite giving Superman the ability to go back in time and to give people super-amnesia through his powerful kissing prowess, the Donner films returned the Man of Steel back to some semblance of the Superman I feel in love with through reading my dad's old comics. Oddly enough, the New-52 Superman is more exciting than the 70s comics version.  This isn't the Man of Steel- more like the Man of Aluminum Foil! 

    This was an okay read but it's not Untold Story of the Dark Knight (the Batman companion piece to this book.) Usually, I muddle through and put even a poor Superman book into my collection for permanent keeping. Not this time! The Superman Story is going right back where I found it- the used bookstore in Greensboro.

   Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool (2016 Film)

 Wade Wilson is a mercenary with a heart, that's trying to do some good in the world while making a little dough. He's got a super hot girlfriend and he just earned enough tickets to win that Voltron Defender ring he's been wanting for so long. Things are just starting to look up for the guy when he's diagnosed with really, really bad cancer.

    Hoping to spare his girl with the effects of the disease, Wade accepts an offer to enter a program that will cure his cancer along with blessing him with super powers and finally become the hero he's always dreamed of being. But he's actually being trapped into a medical program that seeks to turn him into the ultimate killing machine through enslavement, torture, and disfigurement. 

   When his lab jail is destroyed, Wade Wilson dies and the merc with a mouth, Deadpool arises like a phoenix from the ashes. Now cancer-free, nearly immortal, and just as indestructible,  the assassin seeks to find the man who turned him into a real-life Frankenstein- first to restore his 'good looks' and then kick his ass. But when the villain kidnaps his former girlfriend, Mrs. Wilson's baby boy is going to have to call in the big guns of X-Man Colossus to save the day.

    Deadpool is the superhero movie fans have been promised for so long and finally deserved. But it's not for kids. The film is rated R and it's a hard R at that. There's tons of sex, lots of nudity, decapitations and other general dismemberments galore, and more language than legally allowed by Captain America. But the film's also funny as hell.

    Ryan Reynolds is perfect as the Merc With a Mouth. And Gotham's Morena Baccarin is the perfect romantic foil to the leading man's smart-assed look at life. The villains of Ajax and Angel Dust played respectively by Game of Thrones' Ed Skrein and MMA superstar Gina Carino are excellent baddies that deserve what's coming to them. But the characters that steal the movie are of Colossus and his mutant apprentice, Negasonic Teenage Warhead played by newcomer Brianna Hildebrand.

   But while Colossus's fractured mastery of the English language was one of the highlights of the film, his appearance was a major detractor. The character, one of my all-time favorite X-Men behind only Nightcrawler, is voice by German actor Stefan Kapicic. But on screen, the mutant big man is 100% CGI. Sadly, the metal on the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz looked more realistic than the chrome on Colossus. 

    One thing this film got right was how they set up the story. First of all, it doesn't start off as an origin film. Most superhero movies begin with a build up that takes a good 45-minutes before the superhero main character finally appears. Not so here. You first glimpse Deadpool opening a can of whoop-ass on some baddies and then the film flip-flops from the past to the present, giving the viewer a good origin story but not without some outstanding action scenes in between. 

    Another thing one must understand is that this film is in no way a reboot of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That Deadpool is as true as the one in this film. Events that occurred in X-Men: Days of Future Past created a tangent universe and this Deadpool is very cognizant of the change in continuity. 

   In the comics, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and is very aware that he exists inside a comic book. That's the same case here as Reynolds' character makes allusions to his Wolverine movie existence as well as once being a certain Emerald Guardian in the DC Universe. But many of these jokes are subtle easter eggs and if you trek to the bathroom during the film, you'll miss tons...

   This is the beginning of a Deadpool movie franchise and with Reynolds as the star, I don't think it can fail. But as I said earlier, this is not a movie for kids. Last night, a single mom brought her son who couldn't have been older than 7 and she stormed out a half hour into the movie. It's a nearly NC-17 rated film folks, don't take your kids to see this, folks! 

   But for you, the dedicated mature super-hero fan, don't you go skipping this movie to go see Zootopia! This is the movie you've been asking for for decades. Enjoy it (and shower afterward...) Disney didn't get their hands on this character and for once, I am glad they didn't. But your favorite mutants, while often screwed over by Marvel in the comics now, thanks to mean ol' Mickey Mouse, can only truly be themselves under the leadership of FOX. So don't let them slip back into the fold of the House of Mouse! Go see this movie!!!

   Support Your Local Mutants! Wade Wilson might personally thank you- I know I will!!!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics, Volume 16: Beach Blanket Bongo

   Sideshow Bob's brother Cecil is released from prison on a technicality (Chief Wiggum forgot to process him!) and targets Lisa as his arch-enemy in order to gain some street cred. The Simpsons family win an all-expense paid trip to a garbage atoll in the Pacific, and an eccentric geek without an heir seeks out Springfield's King of the Nerds. Then when Krusty is accidently given a real doctorate, he finds himself the new family physician to the town. Lastly, take a trip through the Springfield Elementary hall of permanent records and learn the shocking origin of one of the town's most stalwart citizens.

   I've read a bunch of Simpsons Comics over the years. Why I don't just commit and collect this series forthright is beyond me... But these are great books to have on hand when you are feeling down and just need a chuckle or two or 300 and by far, this has got to be the best collection of that bunch!

   I loved the insanity of the Doctor Krusty story and a Sideshow Bob adventure is always fun. The garbage vacation story had great moments with Lenny and Carl. But it was the King of the Nerds and the elementary school stories that were the best of the bunch. They were filled with tons of inside jokes, pop culture references, and both were just plain fun. Plus, the story about the Hall of Permanent Records was framed like those old EC Comics horror titles that I love so much.

   Another thing that makes Simpsons Comics so great are the backup features in the back of each issue. They range from the secret files of Professor Frink to advertisements from some of your favorite Springfield stores (Springfield Tire Fire Fire Sale, anyone?) 

    The oddest thing about a Simpsons Comic is where I find them. I hardly ever find them at actual comic shops (other than the odd dollar bin discovery.) I might sometimes find one at a used bookstore, but I almost always find these at thrift stores! Talk about oddities...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Tales to Astonish #1: featuring the Hulk, Wasp, and Hank Pym

While on a working vacation to Scadanvia, Hank Pym and ex-wife, Janet Van Dyne are recruited by the local authorities to look in on a madman who beleive’s he is Loki, the Norse god of Mischief, incarnate.

Adding to the mix is the Hulk, who makes a livesaving appearance, literally in the nick of time. This Hulk is coherent, with the brain of Banner having taken over. So, don’t be surprise that the Hulk is dressed and flying airplanes.

The art work is pretty darn good, with painted scenes that are gruesome and beautiful at the same time. The plot is really good and reminded me a little of CSI or Kolchak, the Night Stalker. The ending got a little too dragged out and I didn’t like one of the twists involving the Hulk. Regardless of this, the book was very good and very much worth consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Black Science Premier Hardcover Edition, Volume 1: The Beginner's Guide to Entropy

  My wife won this book for me on Goodreads and I was so excited to get it. She won this back in November but due to production problems, it was delayed until late January. Man- was it worth the wait...  I love Black Science. I had only read volume 1 but I was hooked by the end of the first issue. I actually was about to grab volume 2 when my bride informed of winning this omnibus edition. (And with the official drop date of Feb 9th, I actually got this book before anyone else- HOW COOL!)

   When I last left this band of inter-dimensional travelers, they were dropping like flies. The main character had been left for dead, his children were left to fend for themselves and the group picked up a shaman healer, which I must say, if you're going to add a stranger to your group, this is the guy to add. The second and third storylines don't really deviate from this formula.

    With its fair share of twists, turns, and shocking deaths, this team seems destined to run out of team members. But, this book is about explorers lost in the multiverse- so there are infinite versions of characters running around and who you think might be of the original earth group ends up being a wolf in sheep's clothing. 

   Writer/creator Rick Remender kept me on my toes. The idea of Black Science is to breach the limits of physics and the universe using unorthodox methods. Thus, the rules of traditional science do not apply here. Featuring gritty art and dynamic covers by Mateo Scalera, I was transported to worlds unimaginable and I loved every minute of it. 

   Now to get my hands on the fourth storyline- unless my wife can hit the lottery twice and win the next omnibus edition of this fantastic Image series.

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   

Soviet Super Soldiers # 1

Recently on an episode of Avengers, these baddies showed up. So, I decided that it was time to finally read this one-shot that I had been hanging on to for so very long...

When I first saw the cover, I was thrilled. A special about Soviet era Super Heroes. The cover says “Super Soldiers” but most of the “heroes” are mutants and not the USSR’s answer to Capt. America.

Speaking of Capt., he makes a brief cameo at the beginning as prior events leading to this book took place in the pages of Captain America. But that's it!

The story splits into 3 teams. With these teams, I didn’t realize how many rivals Iron Man had that were Russian. I knew Crimson Dynamo was, but I did not know Unicorn and Titanium Man were Ruskies as well.

The multiple plots cause the stories to be very thin almost like an old Justice League of America comic. Also, there is some bleed over of characters and plots from other books in these tales and it was hard getting things straight. The art was pretty good but again the dialogue and story itself wasn’t so. Also, a small Who’s Who of secret files about these various heroes should have been included in order to help the average or uninformed reader, the latter myself, be able to understand what’s occurring.

An okay book, but it could have been so much better.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who: Black Death/ White Life

The 10th Doctor and Martha Jones mistakenly arrive in medieval England to find themselves in the middle of the Plague. Only, the time for the plague is off by about a 100 years. Adding to the mystery are reports of a man who can mysteriously save those who are infected instantly. That’s a good thing because Martha just came down with the Black Death.

The art isn’t very realistic. It’s like a stylized caricature of the Doctor and Martha. So, don’t expect to be seeing David Tenant and Freeman Agyeman in these pages. But it’s forgivable because I don't the artist, Tom Mandrake, is trying to copy their exact looks.

The story was pretty good, but it ended a lot quicker than it began- meaning the beginning was drawn out, but the conclusion happened in a whirlwind snap that made processing some of the Doctor’s jargon a little tough to understand. Oddly, this makes the second time I've read a Who comic involving 2 different Doctors by different writer’s than involve the Black Plague, not to mention at least 3 different Who episodes! Nothing wrong with that- it just seems weird to have the Doctor keep coming back to such a deadly time in human history.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66, Volume 4

   Writer Jeff Parker, cover artist Michael Allred, and a slew of other great artists, colorists, and inkers present another thrilling chapter of Batman adventures based on the 1966 TV series. But this volume comes with an added bonus. Along with a King Tut caper, the Joker becoming a superhero, and the Penguin pulling a slew of crimes based on bats instead of birds for a change; Batman and Batgirl visit Japan to take on the Batmanga villain, Lord Death Man! 

   But that's not all that is included in this thrilling volume. Along for the ride is the one-shot Batman '66: The Lost Episode. That story is based on a treatment by acclaimed sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison (City on the Edge of Forever, Star Trek: TOS) that for some reason or another never made it on TV. Lucky for you, the entire original proposal is reprinted along with stunning color photos from the hit series.

    In the lost episode, Two-Face would have been introduced to the Batman '66 universe. Rumor had it that producers were seriously looking at Clint Eastwood to play the role of Gotham DA Harvey Dent, who becomes the deranged villain after half of his body is doused with acid, in season 4. But, alas Batman was canceled after just 3 seasons. Oh, and did I mention, it's written by the great Len Wein (Swamp Thing) with art by the equally great Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Super Powers)?

   I really loved this volume. It continues to build on the Batman '66 mythos and pits both classic Batman TV series and new Batman comics villains in that funky little corner of the DC Universe. I'm starting to see this book in the light of other comic books based on unused plans for shows that got canceled much too soon (IE Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 9.) 

Lord Death Man by
Sandy Jarrell.

   But this edition holds a place very dear to my heart for another reason. Earlier, I mentioned the Lord Death Man story. Well, it just so happens late last year, I got to meet the artist for that issue, Sandy Jarrell, at a convention in Raleigh. He was doing blank sketches and I commission him to make me a piece with the caveat that he could draw it of any Batman villain, except for the usual suspects of Joker, Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin. Well, an hour later and Jarrell presented me with my very own sketch of the Japanese Batman adversary. It was so awesome looking, people kept asking to buy my book! (Get in line, folks...)

   Batman '66 is a fun little series that despite getting cancelled recently, doesn't look like it's going to go away anytime soon and I am glad. Right now, Batman and the Man from UNCLE are teaming up in a miniseries and I hope DC has that smarts to either return Batman '66 to store shelves or kept pairing the Dynamic Duo up with more legends from the swinging 60s.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Omnibus: Wild Space, Volume 2

  I know I've been reading a lot of Star Wars stuff lately. Blame it on Episode VII.....

  I found this omnibus edition of Dark Horse titles on discount at a comic book in St. Louis. Titled 'Wild Space' it's a bizarre mix of stories that don't really fit anywhere else, either because the stories aren't canon or there just isn't enough material to make their own omnibus. 

   In this collection, Jabba and his majordomo Bibb Fortuna scour the universe wheelin', dealin', and schemin' their way through the Outer Rim. Then the concept artists of the new and original Star Wars trilogies create an assortment of stories based on their outstanding artwork. Next, Lando Calrissian must run a gambit of bounty hunters in order to save his life and find out where Boba Fett is hiding with Han Solo, frozen in Carbonite. Lastly, a pair of background characters named Tag & Bink end up causing much of the action of the original trilogy to go the Rebellion's way and legendary cartoonist Sergio Aragones gets sucked into the DVD restoration process at Lucasfilm, literally. 

   This was a great collection of stories. I really didn't have qualms with any of it, though I must say that some of the concept stories had me scratching my head- they were just a little too out there. However, one tale about Obi-Wan protecting the Lars homestead from a menacing Darth Maul was both thrilling and proof that the idea that having the Sith Lord survive Episode I was in the cards for quite some time. 

   I loved the Tag & Bink stories. I already owned them in another format and that almost caused me to overlook this book. But I decided I'll sell those books at a used bookstore and pulled the trigger on this collection. I'm really glad I did.

   By the way, this is volume 2 of Wild Space, so does that mean I have to have that volume to enjoy this one? Nope, it's just that there so much material out there that doesn't fit into other storylines to warrant putting them into another omnibus title other than Wild Space. Plus, volume 1 collects all of the Marvel UK stories and for that reason alone, it's worth putting on my wish list.

   Unfortunately, because of the scarcity of the Omnibuses due to Dark Horse no longer owning the rights to Star Wars, the price of those titles are very hit and miss. I got lucky to find this one as cheap as I did because some listings on eBay and Amazon are for prices more than original cover, way more...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Fifth Beatle

John, Paul, George, Ringo, and the Fifth Beatle.

   But just who is this Fifth member of the greatest rock and roll band of perhaps all-time? Is it drummer Pete Best, the band's first tempo keeper kicked out in favor of Ringo Star? Was it Eric Clapton, who played lead guitar on the White Album's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' and was frequently asked to join by the quartet? Was it Yoko, who once she married John, was joined at the hip and known to sit in on sessions? Or was it Billy Preston, asked to play piano for the Let It Be sessions in order to help keep the peace amongst the band in the throes of breaking up? 

    While the answer has stymied fans for decades, the most definitive answer has always come from Paul. In the 70s, McCartney once said 'If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.' The Brian in question was the late Brian Epstein. After reading this graphic novel about the unsung first manager of the Beatles, I am inclined to agree.

   Without Epstein, the Beatles probably would be just another band playing gigs in Liverpool. They were good but they weren't at that next level that would make them legends. It was Brian who got them to that legendary status. 

   The new manager made the band be more clean cut, drop Best for Ringo and made John marry his girlfriend Cynthia whom he just got pregnant. Epstein was also behind getting the band on Ed Sullivan which kicked off the global phenomenon called Beatlemania! I think this also shortened the band's lifespan by about 5-10 years, in which the grueling pace caused riffs and exhaustion amongst the four friends and their eventual breakup in 1970.

    Not only does this book focus on Epstein's role with the Fab Four, but it also chronicles the pain and struggles of a hurting man. Brian was gay and though the Beatles and his parents knew, it was kept secret. I didn't know this but until 1967, it was a crime in Great Britain to be homosexual. So, Epstein frequented Spain and the Big Apple, two more 'tolerant' areas during his holidays from the band in order to live his life a little more openly. But all of his hiding plus the frantic pace of being the manager of the biggest band in the world saw Brian taking tons of drugs, therapy, and alcohol all of which lead to an accidental overdose just one month before the criminal band of homosexuals in the UK was lifted.

   I got this book in a Comic Bento box as a gift from my wife over the Christmas holidays last year. But this graphic novel has been available since November of 2013. At the time, Brian Epstein had yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and gay marriage was still illegal in about 38 states. A lot has changed in the past 3 years and I think this book had a lot to do with those changes.

   Less than one year after the Fifth Beatle was published, Epstein finally got inducted in Cleveland. And just last year, the Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is legal nationwide. Now, you might be thinking 'how did this book help gay marriage?' Well, in the back, legendary underground comix artist and writer, Howard Cruse wrote an afterword expounding Epstein's influence on his life. That page goes on to say that proceeds from this book went to the Freedom to Marry campaign, which was a fund for the gay marriage fight in the US Supreme Courts system. In 1966, Epstein inspired the world to know 'All You Need Is Love' and after he telecast that song worldwide on a Beatles simulcast, that challenge was took up by many, including Cruse.

   I see this book as being the next non-superhero comic book blockbuster in theaters and currently writer Vivek J. Tiwary is working on a screenplay. I kinda hope the film is at least partially animated relying on the artwork of artist Andrew C. Robinson, who does a beautiful job making the Fab Five come to life. The only thing I was not a fan of was Kyle Baker's inclusion as the artist for a scene in the Philippines. I'm not sure why he was even used for this book. I love Baker, but his comical anecdote detracted from the rest of this beautiful book.

   A must-read for Beatles fans whether you like graphic novels or not!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Wild Piano: A Philemon Adventure (Family Comic Friday)

   Philemon is a young lad who discovers a secret world one day when he accidently falls into his family's well. In this fantastic world, Philemon learns that the letters on a map that spell out Atlantic are actually a series of hidden islands in the shape of each letter. In his first adventure, the young lad met the first outsider to discover the islands, but they got lost along the way back home. With the help of his uncle and his talking donkey, Philemon ventures back to the                A-T-L-A-N-T-I-C in order to save his friend but ends up having to fight for his life by battling a living breathing wild piano.

    Philemon is a popular French cartoon series that recently has been translated into English by the fantastic young adult publishing series Toon Graphics. Not only does the company introduce American readers to some of Europe's most popular comics and artists, but they include extensive learning guides and activities for aspiring cartoonists. It's both fun and educational without being too overt about it!

   Though many of the books reissued by Toon Graphics are aimed at kids, I've learned quite a bit over the past year about many European artists that I otherwise might have overlooked. This series was created by the late Frederic Othon Aristides (AKA Fred) in the early 70s. A French artist born into a Greek immigrant family, the book's ocean motif filled with surreal characters is a fusion of both Fred's heritage and birthplace.

   The back of this book likens the Philemon series to Alice in Wonderland meets Gulliver's Travels and Les Miserables. I can see that but when a co-worker asked me what this book was like, I responded that it was like Monty Python meets the Smurfs. I think both descriptions are accurate. With whimsical beasts, absurd officials, Victorian photography, and the wildest imagination this side of a school full of kindergartners, this book will challenge and delight.

    The Wild Piano is the second book in the series. 'Cast Away on the Letter A' is the first book but my library didn't have it, nor does this book say 'Volume 2' on it. However, you really don't need the book to be caught up with the action in the series thus far. But that doesn't mean you should skip it. I'm on the lookout for Cast Away and I hope to be able to travel with Philemon to all 8 islands of the  A-T-L-A-N-T-I-C.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Classic Star Wars, Volume 3: Escape to Hoth

   The final adventures of the Rebel Alliance chronicled by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson is collected in this Dark Horse treasury from the mid-90s. In this volume, the Rebels seek to establish their new base on the ice planet of Hoth.  But first the Alliance fleet's caravan must escape an Imperial blockade. Then Luke is stunned by a blast from his past before accidently getting Han captured by a band of bounty hunters under the employ of one Boba Fett. Lastly, Luke and Vader have one more battle through the Force before this epic comic strip comes to an end.

   If you are disappointed that this series is through like I am, remember 2 things. First, the next thing that happens in Star Wars timeline is the events of Empire Strikes Back- so you haven't missed anything. Second, though the Goodwin/ Williamson run is through, it's not the end of Classic Star Wars. No less than 2 Han Solo adventures are contained under the imprint title and with volume 4 of this series, you'll get the Russ Mannings run on the strip that occurred before Goodwin took over as scripter. I told that this was a confusing title!

  None the less- those adventures are on my wish list and I loved the Goodwin/Williamson books. Goodwin was a gifted storyteller of Star Wars and I just can't say enough about Al Williamson. His art is just that damn good! If you overlook these treasuries you're really doing yourself a disservice!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Volume 22: Ultimatum

  

 The original Ultimate Spider-man run comes to a close with some of the most thrilling and deadly adventures ever faced by Peter Parker. At first, everything seems to be going the wallcrawler's way. The police love him, the media isn't opposed to his efforts (for once), and he's finally found love with Mary Jane Watson. But you know that nothing ever stays perfect for Parker. Enter: Magneto's Ultimatum!

   I've not read the Ultimatum miniseries yet. In fact, I don't think I own it. But I know that Magneto's beef with humanity finally reaches it's breaking point when the mutant madman unleashes an epic tsunami upon the Big Apple. Heroes will die, friendships tested, and only Spider-man can save the day!

   It took forever for my local library to pick up this volume. I was so tempted to buy the issues that made up this book but I never could find them for a good price and I never gave up hope that my library would complete this collection. The good thing about having taken so long to read this after the 'War of the Symbiotes' is that basically none of those prior events affect this storyline, so I didn't feel lost or having to catch up on past events. 

   That being said, I think the odds of my library ever carrying Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Volume 1 (2009-2011), the next series to star the Parker Spidey (before Miles Morales assumed the role) is probably slim to none. So, add that to my wish list.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.