You Choose the Story When You're the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2016 Halloween Comic Fest)

It's another Halloween Comic Fest offering that has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween. But I knew this going into both obtaining and reading this book. Why I wanted to read this book was because I loved the concept behind this story. It's a Choose Your Own Adventure comic book. 

For those of you not in the know, in the 80s, there were dozens upon dozens of series of books where a reader got to choose their fate through a number of choices placed strategically throughout the book. I absolutely loved those books. But I've never seen it in comic book form- until now!

The mighty Galactus has deemed the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl to be the champion of Earth. In order to prove her worth, the World Eater has put her through a series of bizarre challenges, like fighting a mass of living algae.  

This issue isn't exactly the best 'find your fate' type of story I've ever read in terms of the number of options. But the overall story was extremely funny and I did like the chance to be in charge of the storyline for a change. Plus, reading all of the unselected options were quite entertaining. I just don't think this type of story quite works in a comic book format. 

Regardless of how well this book translate, this was a pretty successful offering from Marvel.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Demon #2

With it being the 100th birthday of Jack Kirby, I thought it would be more than appropriate to read an issue from Kirby's horror title the Demon from his 1970s stint at DC.

The Demon's human host Jason Blood is in a fictitious European town in search of Merlin's tomb. But the sinister forces of Morgan Le Fey have beaten Etrigan to it. Now Blood must race to a secret coven spot in order to prevent a literal hell on earth.

When it comes to the art style of this comic- it's A-1, top notch stuff. Etrigan is probably my favorite visually appealing character that Kirby has ever done. The character might even be my favorite of all-time.  

But when it comes to the story- it's not really my favorite. Maybe it's because I only had issue #2 in my collection. Perhaps I needed issue #1 to better understand just where Jason Blood went. And what's the deal with the trio of oddballs that have taken residence inside his apartment back in Gotham City? 

It could very well be that I'm just not a fan of this series period. I never really been a fan of Kirby's Jimmy Olsen stuff. I adore Kirby's Fourth World material. So who knows?!

A creepy Kirby offering that just might not be my cup of tea...

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 304

Yeah, it's been a while since I did one of these. I've been busy with other projects and stuff. But I came across this old commercial from Woolworth's in the year I was born and I thought this would be a neat post. 

So ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a look at what Halloween costumes looked like the year I was born.

Enjoy and Happy Halloween...

Until next time!

Archie's Mad House (2016 Halloween Comic Fest Mini-Comic)

Recently, Archie created an imprint comprised of more adult horror titles such as Afterlife with Archie. The imprint was called Archie's Mad House. This book is NOT a sample of those titles. 

Long before it grew up, Archie's Mad House was a monthly comic in the 60s that generally revolved around a central theme. Holidays such as Christmas and Halloween and Valentines were biggies. However, towards the end of the series, the Archie gang didn't even appear in the book. It was a title in which just about anything could happen. 

This 2016 mini-comic features two Archie stories set during Halloween. There's 2 stories and as well as 2 one-page gags. The best story has Reggie pissing off Jughead royally to the point that Reg thinks he's going get it when Halloween comes around. In typical Jughead fashion, the ambivalent teen is more devious than people suspect and does nothing allowing Reggie to slowly go crazy waiting for his just desserts. 

 At only 16 pages, there's a ton of fun packed into this book. It's one reason why I consistently grab the Archie mini-comics during each Halloween Comics Fest. I know that I'll get the most bang for my buck. Of course, I know that this is a free comic but sometimes, those freebie's just aren't worth grabbing. Not here- Archie's Mad House is definitely Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Grimmiss Island (2016 Halloween Comic Fest Mini-Comic)

On a tiny island, a pair of witch doctors craft a Grimmiss in order to appease the angry volcano goddess. This sort of tiki golem has a mind of it's own. Probably because the witch doctor's used a little too much jalapeno...

Big fun from Franco and Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans) that I really enjoyed. There's nothing remotely Halloween about this book really. At least it was free! But I liked what I read and I wanna read more. 

Now on my wish list.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Costume!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Jack o' Lantern!

The Haunted Mansion #1 (Halloween Comic Fest 2016)

After the death of his adventurous grandfather, a teenage boy longs to have some adventures of his own. So he decides to explore the spooky mansion at the end of town that everyone says is haunted. Turns out the stories were right! This haunted mansion is filled with 999 ghosts, who have been stuck there by a evil pirate. Once he has soul #1,000, the pirate can take over the land of the living. 

Of the hundreds of ghosts unable to get to their final reward is that of the boy's grandfather. So, the lad strikes a deal with the house. If he can defeat the pirate, all of the ghosts, including that of his grandfather can go through to the other side of the afterlife. But should he fail, he'll become the 1,000th ghost the evil spirit needs in order to achieve his master plan.

Part of the Disney Kingdoms imprint from Marvel, I really enjoyed this opening chapter. Based on the Disney attraction, this book seems way more interesting than that awful Eddie Murphy flick from about 15 years ago. The artwork by John Flood artist Jorge Coehlo is just amazing stuff. It really made the Haunted Mansion an inviting place I want to revisit for the rest of the story.

Normally, I get upset if I get a freebie and the book ends with a cliffhanger. But I think my library has this book in their graphic novels section. So I can just head over there sometime soon and snag it and get the rest of the story for free. Still a pet peeve, but one I seem willing to live with. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Three Stooges: Halloween Hullaballoo (Halloween Comic Fest 2016)

With today being Halloween Comic Fest, I thought it was only fitting to review an offering from last year's event. 

This 2016 holiday themed book by American Mythology offers a variety of stories starring those merry pranksters from Hollywood of old, the Three Stooges. My favorite yarns involved the Stooges getting mixed up in a zombie apocalypse, some trick or treat hi-jinx gone wrong and a very special sneak peak of a one-shot special titled The Curse of Frankenstooge. That last one is based on a classic Stooges shot in which the guys meet Dr. Frankenstein's greatest creation. I really want that one and I've added it to my wish list!

There was some awesome pictures of the guys in their heyday, along with some cut-out masks, and a couple of one-pagers from their Gold Key and Dell Comics titles in the 1960s. The more stuff I read from American Mythology, the more I dig their retro style and desire to bring back some classic properities from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.  As an added treat- I dare you to find the Shemp Easter egg hiding somewhere inside!

A great read, perfect for Halloween fun without scaring you too much. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Scary!

Scary Tales #11

When is a scary book not scary? Apparently when it's Scary Tales #11.

The book features 3 tales about creatures that according to the issue's themem, are ones that people would consider as pets. The first piece is about a couple on a trek to capture a unicorn. The cover basically gives away that story's twist ending. While I guess you could consider a unicorn a pet, there's really nothing terrifying about this story so much as it's fanciful. Illustrated by the great Steve Ditko (Amazing Spider-Man), it's really not one of the master's best works.

I really enjoyed the second adventure. It's about a circus owner who tracks down a kind of Bigfoot creature. I almost from the beginning knew how this one was going to end. But the shear shock and terror of the owner was great! The whole concept of a pet was stretched quite a bit and I did not find this story scary in the least. But the narrative was of EC Comics' level quality, it's that well done.

The last piece is about a vampiress with an enchanted whip. She's so alluring, a talent scout brings her to New York City to put on a captivating show. I couldn't tell if the main character was supposed to be the hostess of this title. They were both dressed alike and looked similar. But I am not really that familiar with this Charlton horror comic as much as I am with some of their other books like Ghostly Tales or The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves. So I am not really sure. But I don't categorize a female vampire as a pet and this yarn was too avant garde to really understand, much less be scared by. 

I wasn't too impressed with this issue. From the really corny cover, I shouldn't be surprised. I really have a hard time finding a bad silver age horror comic. I did today and I was really stunned by it. Especially for something containing works of a legend like Ditko.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Trick or Treat!

Garfield: The Thing in the Fridge (Family Comic Friday)

Greetings everyone! It's the last Family Comic Friday before Halloween. For today's post, I've chosen a book starring a character that for the last 40 years has become so synonymous with a certain day of the week that he sparked the saying 'I hate Mondays!' That's right- it's Garfield.

Garfield: The Thing in the Fridge is an original graphic novel from the Boom Studios imprint Kaboom! This is the third such publication from Boom based on the beloved comic strip by Jim Davis. All your favorites including Jon, Odie, Liz, and even Nermal are on hand in this treasury of three all-new tales.

In the title story, Garfield is having trouble getting to sleep. So he and Odie decide to watch the late night monster feature on TV in hopes of dozing off. When that doesn't work, the pair head off to the kitchen in hopes of raiding the fridge for a late night snack. But it's gonna be hard getting in there when it just so happens that a monster has taken up residence in the Arbuckle Frigidaire. 

Story #2, The Early Jon Arcbuckle has the constantly late owner of Garfield seeking help from a scientist who claims he can make Jon always be on time from now on. Things seem to be going smoothly, until Jon starts to overdo it, like buying all his Christmas shopping early- for the next seven years! Can Garfield and Odie get their own back on time before it's too late?

Lastly, in Only Human, Garfield awakes to find himself somehow turned human. It appears that becoming a real boy has caused the former fat cat to work up a man sized appetite. Dressed in Jon's clothing with his owner's credit card and a reservation to his favorite Italian eatery, it looks like becoming a human being is a piece of cake. What could go wrong? Believe me when I say lots!

Over the past few years Garfield has gotten a bit of a bad rap. Many critics state that the decades old comic strip has gone flat over the years. What was perfect for 1980s Sunday Comics just haven't translated well over the past decade or so. 

A large part of this problem has been from creator Jim Davis. He's stated over the years in interviews that Garfield wasn't even meant to be funny. But it became marketable, so Davis kept doing it. It's really kinda hard to do quality art if your only incentive is money. However, both Scott Nickel (The Incredible Rockhead) and Mark Evanier (Groo The Wanderer) don't seemed to have gotten that memo.

Both writers impart some very clever laughs throughout their stories. I did think the Nickel's first story, The Thing in the Fridge, was about 10 pages too long as it did ramble a bit. But his tale of Garfield turning human was extremely clever. Evanier's episode about Jon always being late started off as a kind of Twilight Zone type tale. I thought Jon was going to become like the Flash and instead he went off into another interesting direction.

For the most part, the artwork was quite good in terms of mimicking Jim Davis' art-style. The first two stories were penciled by Antonio Alfaro and they looked just like Davis would have drawn them for your Sunday paper. The last story, illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya, had an appearance that was nothing like I thought it should. Instead, that tale looked like it was drawn by a 1990's Jr. high school student goofing off on MS Paint during fourth period computer class. 

Overall, Garfield: The Thing in the Fridge was a fun Halloween time read. None of the stories were holiday themed and I would put the fright factor at a level 2 (out of 10.) However, all three stories were kinda weird. So if you choose this as an October read, it would be quite fitting for the time of year. For the most part, kids are going to enjoy it, though some of the back features included featuring comics and other goodies from the 80s might not resonate so well with the young generation.

Garfield: The Thing in the Fridge debuted in stores on October 25th.

Worth Consuming! 

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Lastly, before I go- tomorrow is Halloween Comic Fest. In this annual event, comic book stores nationwide will be giving out a variety of kid friendly comics for free! Don't worry parents and guardians, there's some more grown-up goodies for you as well! Don't know where the festivities are being held in your neck of the woods? Check out the store locator to find an event nearest you!

Article was published concurrently on http://www.outrightgeekery.com.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Dragon!

Jughead: The Hunger #1

Story by Frank Tieri
Art by Pat and Time Kennedy
Colors by Matt Herms
Inks by Bob Smith and Jim AmashPublished by Archie Comics 

Earlier this year, in it’s pretty successful attempt to re-brand itself as more contemporary, Archie Comics issued a series of one-shots with a horror theme. Under it’s Archie’s Madhouse imprint, Jughead: The Hunger was one of those titles. Editors promised that if any of those stand alones were a hit, they would return in a new monthly series. Well, The Hunger was a smash and the editorial staff have kept their promise.

The book begins a month after the events of the Jughead: the Hunger one-shot. Jughead Jones is on the lam from werewolf hunter Betty Cooper. He’s run away and taken a job at a circus, cleaning animal cages by day. By night, Jughead chains himself to his trailer until his animalistic urges pass. Meanwhile, Jughead’s last victim before fleeing Riverdale, Reggie Mantle is about to see life in a unexpectedly new way…

Books like Jughead: The Hunger and Afterlife with Archie are what I wish the CW’s take of the Archie Universe, Riverdale, was more like. In fact, when rumors swirled that the Afterlife with Archie storyline was going to be the focus of season 2, I bought the entire run. I would much rather watcha scary live-action version of Archie and the gang, than a 90210 murder mystery.

Thankfully, there’s books like Jughead: the Hunger to whet my appetite. Written by the amazing Frank Tieri (Gotham Underground), there’s so much creepiness in these 22 pages than in most horror movies in theatres now days. Plus, I really like this kick-ass Buffy the Vampire Slayer version of Betty. And I love how she man-handles a very wimpy Archie Andrews!

Jughead: the Hunger features art by The Death of Archie’s Pat and Tim Kennedy. The duo put a unique spin on the characters. It captures a classic image of these iconic characters while updating them for a modern day thriller. Add amazing inks by Bob Smith and Jim Amash with the eerie color palette of Matt Herms (Afterlife with Archie) and you’ve got a potential visual horror classic in the making here.

Some readers may hate this new take on a nearly 80-year old group of teenagers. But this series is an alternate take on the Archie gang. So put away your established biases and take a chance on Jughead: The Hunger. I promise you, after one issue, you’ll be rushing back to your LCS in November for seconds!

Issue #1 of Jughead: The Hunger debuts in stores on October 25th.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Slime!

The Adventures of Bob Hope #87

If you've been keeping up with my blog for a while, you will know that I am a consummate bargain hunter. I don't like to pay full price for anything. I've been known to wait months- years to read something if I can't get it on discount. 

Now there's a few exceptions to this rule. When it comes to Supergirl or Scooby-Doo Team-Up, I shell out the big bucks for a monthly fix. Holiday specials are the same. So when I saw this book at a local comic book store in Greensboro, NC, I had to do some quick math and weigh the pros with the cons. 

I've been wanting a copy- any copy- of this series since I started collecting comics again 10 years ago. My father had a couple of copies of this along with some Jerry Lewis comic books that got passed along to me before they were stolen in the early 90s. I got myself a Jerry Lewis issue for only a buck some time back. So, I felt that balanced out shelling a few extra dollars towards making this comic a part of my collection. Plus, from the cover, I felt that the book could make for a fun read this Halloween season. So, into my shopping cart it went...

This issue of Bob Hope has the comedian as some sort of con man. This was a typical character that he played in a number of his films in the 40s and 50s. Along with his dog Harvard Harvard, III, Bob is casing a carnival when he spins his last dime on a fortune teller. The clairvoyant tells the main character to find a castle with five steps in order to obtain his financial rewards. 

The only place Bob knows that there are castles is in England, so our hero and his dog embark on a cargo ship across the pond to Jolly Old England. There he finds a pretty girl that just happens to be going to a castle with five steps to claim her inheritance. Seeing dollar signs, Bob tags along only to discover that the castle is haunted and the spirits that inhabit it aren't very happy to see him there.

This was a very interesting look at DC Comics in 1964. I don't often get to read a book that old unless it's a collected reprint. So, I really enjoyed seeing all the great vintage ads and the smell of the comic- I don't need to take drugs. That old comic book smell is intoxicating enough!

One thing I thought was quite interesting was an interview with series artist Bob Oskner. In it, the artist states that he hopes his daughter becomes the first woman to break into comics. Excuse me, but what about Marie Severin (EC Comics) and Ramona Fradon (Metamorpho)? I'm pretty sure their roles on various titles beginning in the 1950s pre-dates Bob Oskner's little girl by almost 15 years!

The overall story was pretty funny. I laughed a few times. Though I have a feeling if I had read six of seven issues in a row, some of the gags would have gotten old pretty fast. Bob was portrayed in his typical smarmy and self-deprecating manner to a tee! And I really thought the new character of Harvard the Dog was a great addition. Too bad he didn't last more than about a dozen issues...

I did think it was quite funny in one segment when Bob Hope tells a policeman that he's an American. Very few people know that the US military's greatest supporter was actually born in London!

The scary aspect was about as scary as an old Abbott & Costello Meets (Insert Monster Here) film. A little spooky but nothing to keep you up at night. But it's a great read to conjure up a Halloween atmosphere. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme: Owl!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Alien!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Witch!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Vampire!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Candle!

Archie Halloween Spectacular #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to another edition of Family Comic Friday. It's where an established comic book collector reviews comic for parents of kids who love to read comics but need guidance on age appropriateness and overall quality of the title. It's my hope that my reviews will help both you and the young reader in your life discover the world of kid friendly comics.

For today's book, we continue to get in the Halloween spirit with a 2017 holiday special from the leader in family friendly books- Archie Comics. 

Over the past couple of years, Archie has re-branded itself to some degree. Mark Waid's reboot of Archie incorporates teenage related issues like homosexuality, race, gender and illicit drag racing with a more series tone. Just recently, all-American girl Betty Cooper has become a paraplegic because of an illegal street race involving Archie. 

Some will say that the CW drama Riverdale is behind the more grown-up look at America's favorite red head. But the change in tone has been going on a lot longer at Archie with the publisher finding great success starting in 2013 with mature horror titles like Afterlife With Archie and the Chilling Tales of Sabrina. While this Halloween special has a few scares, they are nowhere near as frightening as these new twists on the Archie mythos.

The Archie Halloween Spectacular contains a trio of Halloween stories featuring the merry prankster of Riverdale- Reggie Mantle! All three yarns are reprints from Archie Comics' more subdued days as a family friendly comic book publisher. The first two stories star the Archie gang as teenagers and look to have been published sometime in the last 10-15 years. This comic doesn't list from when the stories were reprinted. But I can guesstimate the age of the stories as that's about when current Charlton Arrow editor Paul Kuppenberg worked as a writer on numerous Archie titles.  

The last story is features Little Archie. These were a series of stories written about the younger days of Archie, Veronica, and the rest. I'm going to say that the Little Archie episode is from the late 70s-early 80s based on the artwork. The series was stopped in 1983. Plus, the character of Ambrose Pipps, who makes a cameo in this adventure, wasn't created until around 1975. 

Regardless of the age of these stories, I enjoyed them. Each story gave me a chuckle or two and yes one story actually gave me the chills. But there's nothing in this book that should be overly objectionable for parents and guardians.

I particularly like that while Archie Comics is trying to adapt to the future, it still embraces it's nearly 80 years of publication history. It's like they are trying to offer something for both mom, dad, teenager Sally, and grade schooler Billy. While a majority of this book might be considered too old for the Riverdale TV series crowd, this is a Halloween special that has a little something for everyone who is a fan of the Archie gang.

The Archie Halloween Spectacular #1 is reccomended for ages 8-12.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars.

This review published concurrently on October 20, 2017 on outrightgeekery.com.

Deadpool Minibus, Volume 1

This extensive collection of Deadpool miniseries covers the complete gambit of the Merc with a Mouth's 'metaphysical' (or metaphysi-Kill as some fans call it) storyline. Five miniseries make up this massive volume of nearly 500 pages. The best way to describe this book in detail is to break down each miniseries contained within. 

• Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe- In the grand tradition of a Marvel icon murdering everyone in the Marvel Universe, something in Wade Wilson snaps and he goes on the murdering rampage to end of murdering rampages that is until...
• Deadpool Kills Deadpool- It seems that in his quest to destroy all of the characters of the Marvel Universe, Deadpool forgot to kill off all of his alternate universe selves. As two teams merge, it becomes a wisecracking round of the deadliest game meets Highlander, filled with some of the most outrageous incarnations of the hired hand ever devised. Can you say 'Deadpool Panda?'
• Deadpool Killustrated- Though Deadpool has killed off the Marvel Universe as well as the infinite incarnations of himself, Wade learns that unless his kills the tropes that inspired the Marvel Universe, it will never be destroyed. Thus, Deadpool will wipe out all of your favorite classic characters from Tom Sawyer to Dracula. No book too popular is unsafe from this raving lunatic!
• Deadpool Vs. Carnage- Somehow the Marvel Universe survived Deadpool's onslaught and all is right with the multiverse. That is until Deadpool starts to get this weird itch in the deepest darkest recesses of his brain. See, it turns out there's another who wants to see the wanton destruction of everything- one Cletus Kasady... AKA Carnage and this guy's insanity just may give Deadpool a run for his money.
• Night of the Living Deadpool- The final events of Deadpool's battle with Carnage has sent him to an alternate timeline in which zombies have taken over the world. This universe's only hope is... Aunt May Parker??? If you thought you had seen everything the Marvel Zombies storyline could offer- think again! This mash-up of The Walking Dead, A Boy and his Dog, and Multiplicity will leave you laughing you @$$ off while checking to make sure that bump you heard outside was just the wind.

Cullen Bunn takes on just about everything known to man in this huge tome. Classics, superheroes, zombies, mass murderers- if it happened, it's here. There's a slew of artists on tap such as Sean Parsons and Salva Espin and everyone's work is quite good. But my favorite has to be the stellar Classics Illustrated parody covers of Mike Del Mundo (Deadpool Killustrated) and the zombie film parody covers by Jay Shaw (Night of the Living Deadpool.) 

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe was perhaps the weakest of all the stories. I felt that it was a little too metaphysical at times and when I read Deadpool, I want to laugh, not have to attend a lecture on philosophy. I was quite surprised at the quality of the Carnage story. I thought that it was just going to be pointless scenes of death and gore- and sometimes it was. But as a whole, it was a very interesting look at a character (Carnage) that I just have never really had any interest in prior. 

With a cover price of $59.99, this book is a little steep. But considering how much purchasing all five miniseries individually in either trade form or individual issues, this price might just be worth it. Or, you can get lucky like I did, find it at a used book store and pay a fraction of the cost.

Tons of Deadpool craziness lurks inside and it's all very much Worth Consuming!

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe: 7 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool Kills Deadpool: 9 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool Killustrated:  8 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool Vs. Carnage: 9 out of 10 stars.

Night of the Living Deadpool: 9 out of 10 stars.

Overall rating: 8.4 out of 10 stars.

House of Mystery #250

This issue features a pair of frights. 

In Voyage to Hell, a lighthouse keeper is haunted by the ghost of his wife whom he left stranded on a sinking vessel. Then in Coffin For a Killer, an immigrant wishes for the largest funeral in all of Pittsburgh. To obtain that dream, the man turns to witchcraft. However, when he scorns the witch who is crafting the spells that help him become a big shot in the community, the man learns that you get what you wish for, but your wishes don't always turn out the way you expected.

Let's start with the latter story. It's written and illustrated by the great Alex Toth (Super Friends.) It's a great gothic style love story that I knew from the get-go what was going to happen- and then BAM! Toth throws in a twist I just didn't see coming. Marvelous stuff by a master of horror and suspense. 

The title story was the one I had issue with. At the beginning of the story, a fishing boat captain is the only man to survive the destruction of his vessel when it hits a reef. Okay- I buy that. But where's the wreckage? Where's the bodies? When the haunted lighthouse keeper talks of his ship sinking in the very same spot years prior, the shore is shown in flashback littered with debris. So why did artist Leo Duranona forget to add wreckage in the present day? For many this might seem like a petty grievance but that omission detracted from the enjoyment of the story for me.

For some reason, I thought this was the final issue of House of Mystery. However, I have since learned that the series went on for another 71 issues before finally closing it's doors in 1983. Why did I think this was the last issue? Have I confused it with House of Secrets, HOM's sister series? Did it end at issue #250? If any of you dear readers of this review have any inkling as to why I thought this was the finale, please leave me a line in the comment section.

Along with a few one-shot humor segments and some wicked old school comic book ads, I enjoyed this comic very much. I just had fault with a part of the main story.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Werewolf

Creepshow

Stephen King's love letter to the horror comics of the 1950s has returned to print.

Next to his young adult novel Eyes of the Dragon, 1982's Creepshow is Master of Horror's most rare book. For one thing, the book is done in graphic novel form. For most of his fans, this isn't the preferred medium for a Stephen King work. After I read this (well re-read it as my library had a copy of this back in the 90s) I offered to let my wife read it. She informed me that she had no interest. 

As for myself, I was thrilled with it. When I found out this was being reissued, I put it first and foremost on my wish list. Creepshow- the film, is perhaps my favorite horror film of all-time. Plus, the book features the artwork of the late Master of Horror Comics Bernie Wrightson! Plus the cover is by EC Comics' legend Jack Kamen. It's a win-win!

The stories are classics:

• The grave will not stop a matriarch from getting his father's day cake.
• A jealous husband enacts video revenge against the man who stole his wife.
• The so-called sterile apartment of a wealthy spinster has a bit of a roach problem.
• ...and much, much more spine chilling tales await inside!

A couple of things are missing from this book, including the beginning and ending sequences featuring a young boy named Billy, played on screen by a very young Joe Hill.

Another thing I wasn't a big fan of was the coloring of the book. It's a mix between washed out marker and over-diluted water colors. You would have thought that the muted tones might be the result of print negatives poorly saved over the course of 35-years. But that's actually how the book originally looked.

A classic of horror comics and horror literature that's back in print- albeit probably not for long...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Animal Noir

Life in the African Serengeti is currently civil between predator and prey. But when giraffe detective Manny Diamond is hired to recover a stolen video, the PI will learn just how close the land is to falling back into chaos. The case will take Diamond to the seedy snuff theatres; a taboo dungeon where carnivores act out their savage natures to films of antelope mutilation. Then there's his distraught wife who turns to a doomsday cult for solace after the loss of her child. And just what is the mystery behind the illegal ELF matches just beyond the mountains to the north?

Animal Noir is a gruff and gritty take on classic film noir and the comic book genre of funny animals. These great beasts of the plain, drawn by Izar Lunacek, might look adorable. But inside each character lies a fierce killer waiting for the chance to pounce.

This collection of the four issue miniseries by Njec Juren are what I imagine the works of Dashiell Hammett would be like if the famed mystery writer was an orangutan. It also could be compared to how the Disney film Zootopia would have turned out if directed by Roman Polanski. The world of Animal Noir is dark and dangerous. What I don't think this IDW miniseries is is finished.

Animal Noir is only four issues long- just over 100 pages collected. There's just so much going on in this story that I really didn't feel satisfied when the book ended. I was both exhilarated and disappointed by the ending. I was even more put off to learn that there wasn't a second volume in the works. Animal Noir is just like the 1970s noir classic Chinatown as there's an ending. But it's far from happy or satisfying.

Considering how awful Chinatown’s sequel The Two Jakes was, I might have to be content with what I read. To demand more adventures of detective Diamond might ruin this amazing story. I just feel like there's more to this. To paraphrase the final scene of Chinatown: Maybe its best to forget about it. After all, it's the Serengeti...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Review originally published October 17, 2017 on outrightgeekery.com.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Mystery!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- The Invisible Man!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Headstone!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Fear!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween: Today's Theme- Fog!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Bloody!

Adventure Time 2017 Spoooktacular #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Stories by Adam Cesare, Alyssa Wong, Grady Hendrix, & Chris Lackey
Art by Christine Larsen, Heather Danforth, Slimm Fabert, Kate Sherron
Based on characters created by Pendleton Ward
Published by Kaboom! Studios

One of my favorite things about Halloween and Christmas are the holiday specials. A TV or movie is great. But a themed comic book is even more special. For today's Family Comic Friday, I had selected a title that I am not very familiar with. However, the TV series the book is based on is considered a classic is it's own right. The book in question is the Adventure Time 2017 Spoooktacular from the good folks at Kaboom!

On the cover is the main star of this special, Princess Bubblegum's dark arts practicing man servant (or is it candy servant???), the Peppermint Butler. The first of four stories in this Halloween spectacular covers a typical day for Peppermint. From brushing his teeth to summoning demonic forces to do his bidding, it's hard work for the confectionery steward.

In the second adventure, the original stars of Adventure Time, Jake and Finn have a series of misadventures involving a pair of dueling magicians. Since a contract between a magician and his volunteer is eternally binding, Jake and Finn are forced to act like poultry, are cut in half, and put through tons more tricks in this sorcery showdown to the death. There's only one problem: Finn doesn't remember volunteering to help either of these wizards of wackiness. But the only way out may end up costing the heroes their very souls to a certain butler...

Yarn number three is from the alternate Adventure Time Universe in which Finn is a girl, Jake's a cat, and Princess Bubblegum is a prince. When Prince Gumball throws a Halloween Ball, he mistakenly invites the dastardly vampire Marshall Lee. Knowing that there's going to be trouble, Gumball puts his faithful servant the Butterscotch Butler on task to keeping the bloodsucker away from the festivities.

This special closes out with a return to the regular Adventure Time universe again with the Peppermint Butler. In the story titled 'Candy in the House' a massive storm is coming and so Peppermint takes refuge in an seemingly abandoned house. However, that's not to be when the butler meets the occupant, a seemingly crazed fellow with a sweet tooth for certain red and white candies. Has the seemingly nonplussed necromancing chamberlain finally discovered his very own kryptonite?

For someone as myself who isn't really what you would call a fan of Adventure Time, I enjoyed this book. I like to be very well rounded with all sorts of cartoons because you never know when you need to make a special connection with a student or child. A kid's eyes just light up when an adult shows interest in their favorite things. Not only did I learn about a new pop culture franchise, I also read a darn good Halloween themed comic.

A variety of artists and writers crafted these stories including Deadbeats Chris Lackey, Nebula Award winner Alyssa Wong, and Harvey nominated illustrator Christine Larsen. There's not a bad story in the bunch. Though if I had to pick a favorite, I would have to say it was Wong and Larsen's opening tale, The Morning Ritual, that won me over the most.

The Adventure Time titles are published under Boom! Studios' all-ages imprint Kaboom! The recommended age for this special is 8-11 years old but there are fans of all-ages that love the adventures of Jake, Finn, and friends. However, there's some imagery of demons, monsters, and hell,  this special may be a little too scary for readers aged 8 and 9. Thus, that fear factor may be objectionable to some parents out there. As with any of my Family Comic Friday reviews, I just give advisement on the titles I review to parents. It's up to the adults to make the final judgement if the work featured is the right one for their young readers.

As for my own judgement on the quality of the artwork and story- this was a very fun read. Guaranteed to put any reader in the Halloween spirit, no matter how unfamiliar one may be with the Adventure Time series.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- The Moon!

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Frankenstein Monster!

Blade Runner 2049- 3D Director's Cut

Months of waiting are finally over for this Madman as I got to see Blade Runner 2049. And I didn't just watch any old version, I went to the 3D showing which also happens to be a Director's Cut. 
   
I'm not normally big on watching a movie in 3D as with my astigmatism, I often get a massive headache. However, Blade Runner has a long standing and controversial history with it's Director's Cuts and I just couldn't pass up watching it. 

If you go to see the standard showing of 2049, the movie runs 2 hours and 49 minutes. But the 3D version runs a whooping 3 hours and 5 minutes in length. The theatre I went to today does bargain showings on Tuesdays, so overall, the showing I went to was a win-win.

The film stars Ryan Gosling as Officer K, a new model replicant Blade Runner that works for the Los Angeles Police Department in the year 2049. His job is to retire the outlawed older models that have become fugitives in society after the events of the original film when a team of six replicants went rogue for killing their creator Eldon Tyell.

K travels to a remote farmer thanks to a lead. At the farm, not only does the Blade Runner capture his prey, he uncovers a shocking secret that could bring society to it's knees. 

I really don't want to go too much more into the film out of fear of spoiling a a ton of great plot twists. What I can tell you is that I thought the story was much more superior to that of the Ridley Scott film. But only with the storytelling! 

The original Blade Runner was heralded as a masterpiece fusion of 1940s crime noir and modern science fiction. At the heart of 2049 is an incredible mystery in which our new Blade Runner must solve before word spreads of what his latest investigation has uncovered. Nope- you're still not going to get the secret out of me. 

Director Denis Villeneuve does a very good job capturing some stellar performances. I've never been a Ryan Gosling fan. But his Pinocchio-like transformation from dutiful police officer to a troubled machine questioning his own inhumanity is at least in my opinion, Golden Globe nomination worthy. 

Returning to the franchise is veteran actor Harrison Ford. Over the past 35 years, fans have debated whether or not Ford's Rick Deckard was a replicant or not. Folks, you didn't get a clear answer then and really, you don't get it in 2049 either. But I have my theory which maybe one day I will reveal. But for now, just know that the secret to knowing whether a character is a replicant or not has something to do with their eyes as in the original film...

Going back to the original, Villeneueve created an amazing work that in many ways stands up to the Ridley Scott original. However, I don't think Villeneuve's version is as visually stunning as Scott's. Take the billboards. They're these glimmering holographic pieces that in 3D really dazzle the eye. But all of their combined glory, those images can't hold a candle to that iconic scene in Blade Runner of a kabuki dancer that Decker drives past to arrive at Tyrell Corp. 

Costuming was another thing lacking in 2049. Officer K's outfit is the only one that's got that iconic fusion style of retro and futuristic. Some characters are dressed in just a tee shirt and jeans in this movie! The fusion of cultures and time periods that made Blade Runner one of my all-time favorite films is missing! This is one of the few times I think the sequel got completely 100% wrong!

There's talk of a third film in the series and I would be okay with that. I just hope they don't wait 35 more years to see it. To add to your viewing experience, I highly recommend that you watch the 3 prequel short films to Blade Runner 2049. A lot of attention and love has been given to 2022, the anime Blade Runner short. But there are two live-action pieces that add valuable information to the puzzle that is the Blade Runner universe.

Check out Blade Runner: 2048 starting Gaurdians of the Galaxy's David Bautista here...

And with that, I hope that you'll check out Blade Runner 2049 in 3D. Lot's of great Easter Eggs and nods to the original that if disclosed, could spoil. However hush-hush I must be, 2049 is very much worth the money, worth the potential 3D glasses headache, as well as WORTH CONSUMING!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Black Cat!

Okay- I bent the rules on this one a little. But look how cute this little guy is...

Blade Runner #2

The story of Rick Deckard continues in the second issue of the 1982 Marvel Comics adaptation. The artwork by Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon really is a thing of beauty. Plus, I love how Archie Goodwin captured the futuristic wasteland feel of the book. Making sure to have Deckard be the narrator, as he was in at least one version of the film, was the right move.

Pretty much the only thing I have left to watch before going to the movies tomorrow is the trio of short films that are supposed to bridge the original film with 2049. Looking forward to it.

Really, if you are a fan of the series, you need this two-issue miniseries. It's beautifully illustrated, masterfully told, and just the right thing to whet your Blade Runner appetite when you don't have quick access to the Ridley Scott classic.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

31 Days of a Batman Halloween- Today's Theme- Clown!