Fun Adventure Comics #4

A Vintage Start

Fun Adventure Comics is an anthology series by Indy publisher Will Lill. Each month, the series features 3-different stories of fun and adventure set in different locales and genres. Ranging from mystery to fantasy, sci-fi and everything in between, there’s one central theme to these stories: the Golden Age of Comics.

The book starts out with a vintage ad for a free stamps of the world map. I remember this ad from some of my dad’s old Superman’s I use to read as a kid. With the map, you also got an assortment of stamps from countries as far away as Djibouti. The hope was that you’d be so impressed with your mix of stamps that you’d order more from the company in the future. There’s even more cool retro ads throughout the book!

These Guys Look Familiar

After being taken back to my childhood, I dug into the stories. The first story stars a trio of female heroes called the Girl Commandos. You have a Blue Beetle-like character known as Beetle Girl. Flame Girl can use fire as a weapon. Miss Fury gets her rage powers from the panther-skin suit she wears. This is a kind of origin story detailing how the group met. When a zombie attacks a museum that the 3 heroes are separate visiting in their secret personas, they answer the call to save the day.

I would actually like to see more of the Girl Commandos. The artwork by Luis Rivera had an old-school Joe Staton adventurous 50s feel to it. Though the heroes Beetle Girl and Miss Fury are clearly based on existing characters from the Big Two publishers, the Girl Commandos, written by John Michael Helmer were not clones of their inspirations.

Noir and Pulp Fiction

One such story that did not escape such a fate was that of the Black Rose. This character, created by Lloyd Smith, is 100% Black Canary from her black wig down to her fishnets and stiletto boots. However, it’s more of a love letter to the JSA member than a knockoff crime noir. A pet store owner by day, the Black Rose helps her detective boyfriend solve a case involving mobsters, a murdered heiress, and a topaz crown. I really liked the 1940s style art by David Vance and his lettering evoked that definitive EC Comics style.

The last story involves the barbarian character of Kragor. An unrepentant thief, Kragor develops a conscience when he raids a cursed tomb. The black and white artwork of JT Durpras didn’t quite match up to that of the other two stories. The inking just seemed a little 2-dimensional and excessive use of indigo ink made it a little hard to follow the action. But I was very captivated by this story also by Lloyd Smith. It was like reading a lost adventure of Robert Howard’s beloved Conan.

The Verdict

I enjoyed Fun Adventure Comics #4. It was a blend of nostalgia, action, and above all- fun! The publisher, Will Lill, is currently working on their website so you can order directly. Until then, this issue along with other back issues can be ordered on Comixology, Drivethru Comics, the Kindle Store, and Indy Planet. If you are going to be in Oregon in September, you can meet the Will Lill gang Will at the Rose City Comic Con. It seems there’s lots of ways to discover this Indy publisher that truly seems to love the comic books yesteryear.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Review originally Published July 4, 2017 on outrightgeekery.com