Wolff & Byrd: Counselors of the Macabre (AKA: The Red Book)

My personal copy of the 'Red Book."

  Earlier this year, I entered the realm of crowdfunding. I noticed on a website that artist/ writer Batton Lash was in need of funds to get his latest collection of Supernatural Law comics published. So, I headed over to Kickstarter and made a pledge based on the reward I wanted should Lash's latest project become fully funded.
    Instead of asking for an autographed copy of A Vampire in Hollywood, the book Batton Lash was able to get completely funded, I went for a more obscure reward: this book that I am reviewing now. 
    Known as the 'Red Book' because of it's scarlet cover, this volume is Lash's first ever collection of his earliest comic strips to feature Alanna Wolff and Jeff Byrd; the Counselors of the Macabre. (Interesting side bit, Wolff and Byrd don't even appear in the first two strips! Published in 1987 by Andrion Books, this book has been out of print for decades. Figuring I had a better chance of obtaining a copy of A Vampire in Hollywood than finding a rare book that even Amazon doesn't have in their data base, I choose this as my prize. 
    The 'Red Book' contains adventures including a vampire dentist, a woman seeking divorce because her pushy husband is causing her to disappear, and a trip to London to defend a gentleman werewolf. Along the way, you also get to relive the college years origin of how the two supernatural lawyers met. Rounding out the book was a Christmas themed parody of that Dickens classic, which I waited to read until last in order to be more in the holiday spirit. 
    For being essentially the pilot episode for Supernatural Law, this collection wasn't bad. In his early years, Lash would use up to 8 panels in a comic strip and in this reprinted form, the reading was really tiny. (I could only read a couple of pages at a time before I started to get a headache.) But as an added bonus, even though it wasn't specified on the Kickstarter agreement, my copy was even autographed by Lash himself! 
     A treasured treasury that is hard to find but worth the search.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Volume 2: Shadows and Secrets

     Vader Betrayed!

     Upon learning that the Emperor has secretly been crafting a replacement to the Dark Lord, Darth Vader plans revenge to overthrow his master. But in order to do this, Vader will need funds and an apprentice. Using his network of hired thugs, Vader orchestrates a massive heist of Imperial credits. All the while, Vader must lead the Imperial investigators of the theft on a wild goose chase that will hopefully remove several power players from the Outer Rim territories. At the same time, the Sith has hired another bounty hunter, who seeks information as to the true fate of Queen Amidala's supposedly unborn child...
     Another thrilling chapter into the backstory of Darth Vader's life between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. While the first volume felt a little too Disney, this volume was more raw and I liked that. Darth Vader was essentially emasculated in the previous volume and a wimpy Vader is a lousy Sith Lord. I'll admit some of this is the fault of the prequels, but the fault is on Disney as well. So, to have Lord Vader enacting such a broad assault on the Emperor, his own Sith Lord, was freaking awesome.
    Kudos, Kieron Gillen for taking Darth Vader back to his original trilogy roots and making him someone to be feared at all costs.

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who #12 (2011-2012)

  A companion-less Doctor materializes on the North Pole just in time to rescue Santa from a trio of robots intent on stealing the Jolly Ole' fat man's magic bag of gifts. While the magic sack and Santa are saved, his reindeer are a little worse for wear and cannot make the Christmas Eve trek. So the Doctor hooks up Santa's sleigh to the TARDIS and a night of fun, adventure, and cookies begins! ( I only wish there was a scene where the Doctor is seen giving a gift to one of his famous monster foes like some slumbering Sontarans or sleeping Silurians.)
  My Holiday 2016 comic book readings began with this issue of Doctor Who and it was a good start to it! Plus, since I only had the photo variant cover, this was quite the surprise. Other than a very hard to find and very expensive holiday special from Marvel in the 1980s, I was not aware of any Christmas themed Doctor Who Comics! 
    Titled 'Silent Knight', this issue goes full GI Joe #21 as there are no words or sound effects in this story at all with exception of a small Christmas wish from the Doctor on the very last panel. Even though I'm feel that comics without words is a waste of money, since this was a special holiday Who, I was extremely thrilled with it. In fact, it was a treat so nice, I read it twice!

  Very Much Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
    

Super Powers (2016-Present) #1 (Family Comic Friday)

    (With the Thanksgiving weekend, I'm a little behind on my Family Comic Friday article. But it's here. Enjoy and thanks for understanding!)

   In 1984, DC Comics published the first Super Powers title. Based on the awesome Kenner Toys line, the series was written by Jack Kirby and it gave him a chance to return to his Fourth World creations of Apokolips and New Genesis of the early 70s. It was my first exposure to Darkseid and Orion but I didn't mind. I thought he was pretty cool looking and creepy even though he was totally new to me. By the second series, the addition made perfect sense as New Gods were added to the second and third waves of the Super Powers line.
   Well, jump ahead 32 years and Super Powers is back.
    In this all-ages series by the dynamic duo of Art Baltazar and Franco, the fun of Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures returns to comic book shelves nationwide. 
    It all starts with Commission Gordon summoning Superman for help. It appears that Batman is missing and Gotham has become overrun with villains. Along the way, the Man of Steel ends up captured by the threat that has Batman. With the World's Finest in chains, who will save the day from evil? Thankfully, there's a certain Amazonian Princess out there who might just do the trick!
    This new Super Powers series was lots of fun. I love the team of Baltazar and Franco. They craft stories that are funny and exciting for kids with just the right bit of nostalgia for adults and seasoned comic book fans. Plus there's just a hint of mystery as there's a secret villain behind the whole plot to capture Superman and Batman. (If you asked me, it would be fitting that the original Super Powers villain, Darkseid, was the mastermind of it all!)
    Join the adventures of your favorite super heroes in this new all-ages DC title that just hit store shelves this previous Wednesday.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
   

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Volume 1: Vader

Spiraling out of of the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader is number one on the Emperor's $hit list. But the Chosen One has a chance to redeem himself should he find the rebels responsible for attack. Now forced to be subservient to Grand Moff Tarkin's replacement, Admiral Tagge, Vader is given a virtual babysitter in the form of a detestable Imperial Officer who is to oversee the progress of the Dark Lord (Vader's been relegated to the Emperor's crap work.)

Vader is still trying to be loyal to his master, but when the fallen Jedi discovers that Emperor Palpatine already has plan to replace him with genetically altered Sith Lords, Lord Vader goes Rogue… seeking to find the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, make him his apprentice and possibly become the next Emperor!

  This series is a strange combination of Classic Star Wars meets the new trilogy with an unsettling amount of Disney-esque touches. I mean, I am thrilled with all the great cameos like Boba Fett and Jabba mixed with new characters like the precocious archaeologist Doctor Alphra and her pair of torture droids. But throughout this book, there's a hint of House Of Mouse that just doesn't belong in a galaxy far, far away…

  An excellent story by Kieron Gillen (Young Avengers), filled with wonderful artwork by Salvador Larocca (Xtreme X-Men) and killer covers by Alex Ross and Adi Granov. But this book is is missing something and really the only party you can blame for that, wears mouse ears.

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Afterlife With Archie, Season 2 #1 (Halloween ComicFest 2016)

    You might be asking why this Madman with a Book decided to review a horror comic that was to coincide with the 2016 Halloween ComicFest for Thanksgiving. Well, it turns out that this issue is set during Thanksgiving and so when I got it over the Halloween weekend, I held off on this to read and review until Turkey Day.
    In this reprint of Afterlife with Archie #11, a handful of survivors from the zombie apocalypse of Riverdale have been battling the ever growing horde of the undead while also steering clear of other packs of remnants looking for safe haven. Noting that it's Thanksgiving, the pack made up of Archie, Veronica, Mr. Lodge, Reggie, and a handful of others decide to rest for the day and search for some game to roast for a feast.
    This pause allows Betty to catch up on replacing her diaries that were lost when her family home was overrun by walkers. Obviously, much of her entries are about Archie and the edgy love triangle between her and Veronica. When Ronnie discovers the journal, it looks like a massive cat-fight will erupts between Archie's two suitors- that is until one of the members of the hunting party returns, covered in blood and half out of their skull in shock.
     Afterlife with Archie is a very interesting book. This book was the first of the series that I have read but I am familiar with the concept. In the 80s and 90s, the own of Archie Comics would never have let this fly as he was a staunch evangelical. But now in the 20-10s, this seems to be Archie Comics new direction and it's been meet with a lot of success.
     The book, written by long-time Archie scribe Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, is super-creepy and the black and white art by Guardians of the Galaxy's Francesco Francavilla,  is even more chilling. I think having such innocent characters be not so pure in this horror series is what really gives this comic it's fright factor.
     I'm very interesting in reading more.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out 10 stars.

Doctor Who #11 (2011-2012)

 Trapped in an alien asylum, the Doctor and the Ponds find themselves in quite the predicament. The inmates, who have had their minds transplanted into a race of sentient vegetables are revolting. The station is set to self destruct. Oh, and the Doctor and Amy find themselves in a Freaky Friday situation with Amy declaring a fondness for a good Fez and the Doctor living his ultimate wish - he's finally ginger!

   I liked the transferred minds of Amy and the Doctor aspect of this story. It was the best part. Very funny… too bad that this was never done live action.

  I was not a fan of the zombie apocalypse vein. I didn't quite feel sympathy for them. Yeah, unwarranted mind control is wrong but these guys went about it all wrong. You want people to be sympathetic to your cause, mass murder that also results in your suicide isn't the way to do it.

  A story that should've been fun and instead morphs into a morality play that ironically neuters the Doctor…

Rating:  6 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who #10 (2011-2012)

   The Doctor receives a distress call from an old friend. Upon materializing inside the TARDIS, the Doctor, along with Amy and Rory, finds himself in an alien insane asylum where many of the Doctor's oldest enemies have had their brains placed into a race of sentient vegetable people. Of course, this is all a trap for a mad scientist to kidnap the last Timelord and put his brain into a body that can regenerate! But when the dormant personalities of the inmates come back to life, the Doctor and the Ponds find themselves in a scenario straight out of 28 Days Later!
    An interesting story that seems to have copied elements from 12th Doctor Neil Gaiman tale The Doctor's Wife, a Fourth Doctor yarn called Meglos, and that two-
parter about the Flesh. Oddly, I think this book was written before the Gaiman penned episode or the Flesh stories of season 6. So, I guess that's forgivable. But the switching brains/ bodies with the Doctor storyline has been done to death and is not excusable.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Benny and Penny in How To Say Goodbye (Family Comic Friday)

  How to Say Goodbye is a early reader graphic novel that deals with the very serious subject of death and dying. When young Penny discovers that her beloved pet salamander has just passed away, older brother Benny isn't very supportive. Thankfully, Penny has a a best friend, a mole named Melina, whose willing to help the young mouse say good-bye to her fallen friend. Will Benny come around to be the caring big brother Penny needs in order to bury her pet?
    Benny and Penny are the creation of award-winning children's author Geoffrey Hayes. Published by Toon Books, this is just another great children's graphic novel series that has an educational bent. But it wasn't all sad and I really thought the ending was both magical and poignant.
    Dealing with the subject of death is hard, especially for children. I remember as a youngster of 3 or 4 when Mr. Hooper died on Sesame Street. My parents both took the day off from work and we watched it at my grandparents house in order to properly address the subject. It was a big deal and it was handled in such a way, that it's considered like the bench-mark of how to teach pre-school aged children about the death of a loved one. I would have to say that How to Say Goodbye does a very good job capturing that effort of the Children's Television Workshop.
    The Benny and Penny books are rated at a level 2, meaning that it's written at a first or second grade reading level. However, one thing missing from this Toon Books publication is the study guide for adults to help young readers process what they just read. If any book was going to need that, it would be this one. 
    The art was timeless and adorable. The characters very memorable and I really think that not just this book but the entire series of (at time of this review) 5 other books would make a great addition to any youngsters library.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who #9 (2011-2012)

 

The Doctor takes the Ponds to a space station known for their exotic fruit smoothies. While there, they encounter a group of religious fanatics who believe that a gigantic space squid will emerge and signal the end of the universe.  Naturally, the Doctor tries to dissuade the crowd of their fears. And of course Amy and Rory are in trouble,  suspected of being terrorists by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  But what do you make of the gigantic space squid that just appeared outside the space station? He looks pretty angry and very well could spell the end of all existence…

   A fun story that was classic Doctor Who. The art was pretty good in this issue. Some images of Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill actually look like themselves!

   An all-around perfect Doctor Who comic!

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who #8 (2011-2012)

When the Sontaran battle cruiser exploded over the temporal rift that the Doctor, Amy, and Rory were vacationing near, it split the multiple realities apart. As there were 12 time zones created, there are now 12 versions of the Sontarans, 12 sets of Ponds and 12 Doctors (too bad River Song couldn’t make this trip…)

  Funny, but a bit confusing. That’s time travel for you.

   Oh, and this issue introduces the most unusual Doctor Who companion this side of Frobisher, the talking Penguin…

 

   Good stuff that borders on the absurd and very complex.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who (2011-2012) #7

     After a Sontaran battleship crashes into a space station sitting atop a temporal rift, the crew of the TARDIS find themselves trapped in time. The Doctor is being hounded by rogue robot dinosaurs. Rory, mistaken to be Billy the Kid, is about to by hanged by an old west mob, and Amy is on the run from the Nazis. In all of these realities, the Sontarans have been fused into the timeline as enemies. It looks like all hope for these travelers is lost until they each are rescued by a mysterious woman named Lisa.
    Why are there Sontarans everywhere? What is Lisa's role in this time-warped caper? And is that the TARDIS on the horizon?
    Another fun chapter in IDW's 2011-2012 run of 11th Doctor adventures. With the crazy cliffhanger, I can't wait for the next chapter to see what hi-jinks will occur next! It's a timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly brain teaser that can only be attributed to one man- show-runner, Stephen Moffat!

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
    

Doctor Who (2011-2012) #6

 The Doctor, Amy, and Rory are looking for a chance to unwind. They set the TARDIS to a pleasure station that sits atop a temporal rift in the farthest reaches of space. Here, multiple timelines throughout history can play out within a matter of feet from each other. The Doctor has been here many times before and has had nothing but great memories of the place.

   But that’s all about to change when a badly damaged Sontaran ship approaches the space station in need of repairs. Leaking a special type of plasma fuel, The Doctor fears that if the Sontaran craft touches the temporal rift all of existence could be wiped out for light years around in a massive explosion.

   Well, the Doctor was right about the explosion. But instead of becoming one with the universe, the Timelord and his companions find themselves separated throughout the many time zones of the space station, each facing menacing problems of their own; such as rampaging dinosaur robots, an old west lynch mob, or Nazi Sontarins?!

   This opening chapter looks to be a fun Doctor Who adventure. The writing by 2000 A.D.’s Tony Lee captures the Doctor, Amy, and Rory very well. The Sontarans too! But the art is really strange.

   Artist Matthew Dow Smith, who does a fantastic job on many Mike Mignola titles such as BPRD, just isn’t a Doctor Who artist. On the Mignola titles, Smith’s job is to replicate the artwork of Mignola from the Hellboy books from which BPRD have spun-off. But Doctor Who is an entirely different animal and shouldn’t be drawn like Hellboy unless the two franchises were going to meet. (Oh wow! A Hellboy/ Doctor Who crossover! Put me down for a full series run of that please!)

    Great premise. Excellent writing. Art not meant for a Timelord… But still, when you boil it all down it’s worthy of some fish fingers and custard.

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Variant Cover C by Turtles Co-creator, Kevin Eastman.

  Earlier this year, the worlds of Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collided for the very first time. But that comic team-up was aimed at teen and adult audiences. (Very few people know that the Ninja Turtles was originally a very gritty and mature parody of Frank Miller’s Daredevil comics.)

   Well, in order to placate those who called for an all-ages teaming of the two franchises, DC and IDW joined forces again to bring us Batman/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. The miniseries which hit shelves with issue #1 this past Wednesday is set in the TMNT Nickelodeon animated universe and the Batman: The Animated Series Universe, marking the return of the original TAS universe in comics form in almost 20 years! When I saw the ad for this series a couple of weeks ago, it immediately went on my wish list and issue #1 did not disappoint!

   In the Batman Universe, a number of inmates from Arkham Asylum have escaped and seemingly vanished without a trace. When the Dark Knight finally catches up with Two-Face, the dual villain rambles on about a world without a ‘Two-Face...without a Harvey Dent… Without a Batman!’

   Meanwhile, in the Ninja Turtles universe, the Shell-heads are facing a problem of their own. Archenemy Kraang and his people have activated another inter-dimensional portal into the Turtles sewer lair. But instead of a bunch of pink brain creatures pouring through it, the guys battle a man made of mud that can change into anything and anyone: Clayface!

   Though the Caped Crusader and the Heroes in the Half Shell never meet, parts of their two universes do bleed over. I believe that there’s supposed to be a total of 6-issues in this storyline. So the two parties are going to come face-to-face. I just hope it’s sooner than later.

     The artwork is primarily in the vein of the Nickelodeon series. But Ninja Turtle  artist Jon Sommarvia along with inker Sean Parsons do a fairly good job in their renderings of Batman, Alfred, Two-Face and Clayface. But there were a couple of characters that really look nothing like the original animated series or the Batman/Robin and Justice League spin-offs for that matter. I’d tell you who they are, but I don’t wanna ruin the surprise yet…

   I really enjoyed this issue. Various Batman titles writer Matthew K. Manning has done a great job thus far and I think this will end up as one of the all-time classic team-up stories that appeal to a wide spectrum of generations of Batman and Ninja Turtle fans.

  

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

In need of a Doctor...

 
 This has been a tough year...
   An election that wouldn't end...
   Deaths of beloved celebrities like Bowie, Wilder, and Prince...
   And no Doctor Who all year!!!

   Well, I can't take it anymore. I'm jonesin' for some new Who!!!

   Thankfully, on November 19th, BBC America will be airing an animated version of a lost Doctor Who episode from the Patrick Troughton era and in less than 2 months we'll have an all-new Christmas special.
  
    So in high anticipation of the forth-coming Doctor Who episodes, I'm going to be reading a lot of Doctor Who comics and books. So, stay tuned over the next few days for a smattering of reviews of further adventures of a Timelord and his TARDIS.

Unofficial Doctor Who: The Big Book of Lists

  Written by Doctor Who fan-blogger, Cameron K. McEwan, this is a great unofficial book of lists pertaining to all things Doctor Who. Past and present, all of the Doctors, companions, and a good chunk of all of the episodes are covered here. As with any book that is written without the expressed permission of the the creators/ owners (in this case the BBC), there's some repetition. I guess that is excusable since this is a book filled with top 10 lists. But it can get a little boring.
    There's not so much extra stuff devoted to spin-offs like Torchwood or Who works that aren't really canon, such as the two feature films starring Peter Cushing (Star Wars) or anything really directed at the novelizations and comics. Maybe a volume 2 will cover this?
    I saw this book when it first came out in stores in April of 2015. It's a visually stunning piece with photo-realistic renderings of all the Doctors and some classic monsters and companions by Doctor Who official merchandise artist Andrew Skilleter. But why does my Doctor, Peter Davison, have to has his light blonde hair tinted green? No, it's not because of the celery he wears on his lapel either!
     The book also comes with a quiz in the back. I mostly glossed over it. It's comprised all of famous sayings, but I was getting tired or going back and forth to see if I got the answers right. Maybe I'll quiz my wife on these, however. She's a budding Whovian and she loves a good quiz or two.
     At $23 new, it's a little expensive for something that isn't officially licensed Who. But if you can find in on sale, like I did for $5, it is Worth Consuming and a great read at your own pace without getting bogged down in details kinda book.

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #4

It’s election day for the DC Universe. The culprit behind the attacks has been caught. The heroes have reeled in their political ambitions. And the American People are about to make their voice heard.

   However, before any of this can transpire, the Man of Steel grants Lois Lane an exclusive interview in order to do some damage control.

    I really enjoyed Superman’s speech. Here, it’s the Man of Tomorrow at his most humblest. He’s not some demigod among men, he’s an alien like we are all, only his homeland is light years away. I missed this version of the Big Boy Scout but I think I miss his idealism more.

   A great ending with some super creepy twists and one finely inspiring ending.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #3

  The race for President is heating up. Under the guise of showing their support Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman are able to embed themselves into more campaigns. But when a secret service agent turns on the politician he is assigned to protect, the stakes get higher. Ironically, this event helps Batman to figure out who is behind these mind controlled acts of terror. Now to bait the trap…

   Decisions returns to its political intrigue roots. When it clicks as a thriller, it’s like Marathon Man, but with superheroes.

    It’s not just a thriller. There are some very funny moments, especially thanks to the Flash, whose very perturbed that the media isn’t covering the assassination attempts as in depth as they are the circus of superheroes who are throwing their support behind a wide open field of candidates.

   One thing off with this issue is some of the art- in particularly, that of Lois Lane. Her eyeballs look like they take over all of her forehead. And there was one scene where is looks like she broke not only both arms but her wrists and all ten fingers. Really freaky looking.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #2

  After Green Arrow's impromptu endorsement of a presidential candidate, things come to a head between Ollie Queen and Hal Jordan.
   Meanwhile, as more candidates become targets of the mysterious bomber, even more superheroes go on the record for who they are endorsing for President. It seems that the only two heroes willing to stay impartial are Batman and Superman. But how do you explain the breaking news that a dark horse candidate has just picked up the support of Gotham City's favorite son, Bruce Wayne?
    The political intrigue takes a back seat to bickering and great sound bits of humor. But that's okay, I really did enjoy this chapter. Especially the twist of having Bruce Wayne endorse a candidate after just a couple of pages earlier Batman promises Superman that he'll not stoop to Green Arrow's level and play pundit.
   Is there going to be a major fight between the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel? I don't know, but the implications would be epic.
   
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #1

   Someone has a grudge against the candidate for President. Not just one candidate, but all of them and the person behind the scheme is using mind controlled suicide bombers to try and eliminate all of the competition. When former Doom Patrol member Robotman is nearly killed saving one of the candidates from an assassination attempt, it prompts the Justice League to get involved with the investigations.

   Assigned to security detail for one of the Democratic candidates, League member Green Arrow discovers that the bomber is using close members of each candidate's campaign to carry out the attacks. The attack also happens live on national television right after Arrow declares to there are no active bomb threats. To save face, the hero agrees to an interview. But Ollie makes things go from bad to worse, when he accidentally gives his endorsement for the job seeker he is supposed to protect.

   I had heard from friends that this miniseries from 2008 was really preachy. Maybe it gets that way in the later issues, but this opening issue didn’t feel preachy. It felt like an intense political thriller. Sure, Green Arrow makes everyone wallow in his self-righteousness, but hey so what else is new?

   Okay- the role reversals are totally new territory. The wild card candidate that says whatever is on his mind is the Democrat. The Republican candidate is an African American female who's considered even tempered and refined. I’m telling you, it’s this year’s election only reversed...

I’m wondering if the editors at DC planned it this way to avoid backlash because co-creator/ writer Judd Winick (Batman) is considered one of the more liberal voices in comics. Or maybe his writing partner Bill Willingham (Fables) kept him wheeled in.

   A good opening act. I hope it doesn’t go downhill from there.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Tick 2015 Free Comic Book Day Edition

  In this 2015 Free Comic Book Day offering, the Tick is visited by the ghost of his long lost sidekick! From his days as a superhero in Canada!? Arthur can't decide what's more shocking- that the Tick had a long lost sidekick or that the Tick was once a superhero in Canada?! Or it's also just more psychosis from the demented mind of the Tick!
   Then the long-awaited question of just what happened to the Tick on that last panel of page 19 of the very first issue of the Tick is explored.
    Lastly, in hopes of impressing his girlfriend, Arthur, with Tick tagging along, heads to the art museum for some culture. But the line to get into the museum is a mile long. And they keep getting pushed to the back of the line every time the duo have to save the city from a terrible menace. (Hey, no cutsies!)
     This FCBD issue was much more enjoyable than this years. All three stories were quite funny and enjoyable. And memorable too! 
     I still love the Tick. But if you've got to choose a Free Comic Book Day Tick to read between 2015 and 2016- choose last year's edition. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Tick 2016 Free Comic Book Day Edition

With all the bitterness of the election and ISIS and hurricanes and gas shortages and scary-ass clowns, you need something to take the edge off. For me, it’s humorous comic books and nothing gets any zanier than the Tick. So for a couple of days last week, I took advantage of my stash of Tick comics and let the stress of the world melt away a bit.

  First on my list was this year’s Free Comic Book Day offering. Here, the barriers between dimensions is wearing thin. So thin, that Ticks from other timelines and realities are coming over to our world. This is causes such a crisis that even the dreaded Thrakkorzog, the supposed one-day supreme emperor of the earth wants nothing to do with our universe and hightails it to places unknown.

   Then in a follow-up story, a Tick from a universe set in film noir, investigates the strange new world he has been thrust into. This yarn was funny, but it ended in such a way that I don’t think the multiple Ticks storyline is quite over. But, there’s nothing like a blurb saying to stay tune for a new Tick miniseries or anything like that.

   There was also a short story involving Tick and Arthur and it was okay but not memorable. No, really, I don’t remember anything about it only that it was there at the end of this comic. Period.

    I had some laughs in the first adventure but with the next two adventures, the quality of storytelling got less and less. Same with the art. It got so bad, that I actually forget how this book ended.

  Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.