Black Panther

I finally got to see Black Panther. 

Last week it just wasn't in the cards as several church and civic groups had bought out all except the latest showings. It was the first time in years I was required to buy my tix ahead of time and it was the first time in decades that I actually had to stand in line to get into the theatres. 

So was it worth the hassle? For the most part, yes.

The film takes place somewhat immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War. King T'Chaka is dead and Prince T'Challa is about to be crowned King. But before he can, T'Challa must entertain challengers to the throne, one of which is threatens to unlock secret sins from the past.

Black Panther is over two hours long and it's essentially two different films. The first hour has T'Challa earning his crown and then going on a mission to apprehend the dastardly Ulysses Klaue. Years ago, Klaue, played masterfully by Andy Serkis, stole vibranium from Wakanda and is seeking to sell some to the highest bidder in South Korea. 

With an exotic casino, alluring femme fatales, and tech from the dreams of James Bond, the first hour of Black Panther plays like a spy movie. This kind of action would make Nick Fury jealous. 

The second hour of the film was a mix of Lord of the Rings and The Lion King. Or maybe Hamlet. Wait a minute, The Lion King was based on Hamlet, so I stick with my earlier assessment. The climatic action takes place in a setting that looks like it was also the scene of a battle between elves and orcs. Plus, the battle rhinos that tossed around warriors like rag dolls looked a lot like the wargs in The Two Towers. 

Anyways, back to the Lion King/ Hamlet element. Well, I can't go too far into that as there's some major spoilers. What I will say is that Michael B. Jordan who plays Killmonger did a fantastic job as the sympathetic villain and has really come a long way as an actor since his days on Friday Night Lights.

The first half special effects were great. But the second half really showed it's CGI age and that's not good for Marvel if they don't start making improvements. This is definitely a film that is not going to look as good on TV as it will on the big screen.

Lastly, it was refreshing to have a more serious Marvel film for a change. The last two offerings, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok were comedies, no question.

That doesn't mean Black Panther didn't have some laughs. But this movie was more action and adventure and it was something that had been missing from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for quite some time.

Black Panther was a very good movie. Pay the extra couple of bucks to see it in 3-D. It won't make you sea sick or give you a migraine like some 3-D movies can. In fact, it might have even made some of that outdated CGI look better than if would have in regular format.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool: World's Greatest, Volume 7: Deadpool Does Shakespeare

Things still kinda suck for Deadpool. But this was a much more enjoyable volume. 

Love is in the air. Madcap has decided to make it a Valentine's Day to remember. Receiving an actual human heart in your box of chocolates can really make for a bad V-Day gift. (Do you know what blood can do to caramel?) 

Seeking the help from Agent Preston and the Russian mob, it looks like the Merc with a Mouth might finally have the upper hand.

Then in a team-up with Phil Coulson, Deadpool is summoned to Washington DC. A trio of time travelers have taken the Lincoln Memorial hostage and threaten to reveal the truth about Captain America. It’s a thrilling prelude to Secret Empire!

This volume wraps up with Deadpool’s take on Shakespeare. Wade has tackled movies, American literature, and the multiverse. So it’s kinda a no-brainer that he’s skewering the Bard- literally!

I am in no way a fan of Shakespeare. I never really understood him, his use of iambic pentameter, or about half of the vocabulary he would use. While I am still not a Shakespearean, I actually have a better understanding of his works and it’s all thanks to Deadpool! Honest! Whoever said that comics weren’t educational?!

The Deadpool/Shakespeare segment was great fun and actually funny. It was great getting Coulson in on the action and the Deadpool vs. Madcap saga was thrilling. It’s how I like my Deadpool- upbeat without still knocking the mutant merc down a peg or two.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Tangled: The Series #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to Family Comic Friday where I explore and review comics that not just moms and dads but the whole family can enjoy! Today's selection is a review of the premiere issue of Tangled: The Series. Based on the Disney film and subsequent TV show, this comic published by IDW, continues the story of Princess Rapunzel, her roguish boyfriend Eugene and pets Pascal and Maximus.

Tangled: The Series #1
Written by Scott Peterson
Art by Diogo Saito, Rosa La Barbera, and Roberto DiSalvo

The first issue contains two stories written by Scott Peterson (Batman: Gotham Adventures.) In 'Guarding Against Adventure', a pair of thieves are terrorizing the kingdom of Corona at night. Rapunzel's father, King Frederic, decrees that all citizens should remain indoors at night to prevent further robberies. 

The Princess doesn't like this curfew one little bit. So one night Rapunzel steals away to capture the crooks. Also on the hunt for the thieves are Eugene and the Captain of the King's Guards. Hilarious situations ensue as Eugene keeps trying to keep Rapunzel from being ratted out by the soldier. 

The second story, 'Occupation Princess', has Rapunzel trying out a variety of jobs. Not wanting to be seen as just a princess, Rapunzel experiments with farming, cooking, and art; all with disastrous results.

The first story was very funny. It plays out like the original Disney film did with lots of slapstick and adventure. Artists Diogo Saito and Rosa La Barbera use a lot of interesting techniques to cram 50 pages of action into an 20-page story. I really liked the silhouette panels used on page 13 as well as the use of water to separate panels in a later scene by a river. I have not seen creativity like this since Jack Kirby's 1970s tenure at DC.

One thing I can't believe that I am going to complain about is the lettering. A lot of comics full of action and hi-jinx would tend to be short on dialogue. That's not the case here. Each and every panel is filled with insightful dialogue. But all that makes for very tiny wording. I don't think this is letterer Chris Dickey's fault. However, I had to use magnifying glasses to read some lines the words are that small.

The opening story introduces a new character to those of us who have only seen the Tangled movie and not the TV show. Cassandra is Rapunzel's handmaiden. Though she's more like a body guard as she wears armor and carries a huge sword. I had to Google her since she wasn't in the movie. I hope this series will use her more frequently, but if they do, the writers really need to explain who she is somehow a lot better.

I wasn't such a fan of the second story. Roberto Di Salvo also tries to use interesting panels to enhance the visual appeal of his story. But he doesn't have as much success as Saito and La Barbera did in their tale. Also, the flow just wasn't as exciting or fast paced in this adventure as in the previous one.

The lettering is awfully small in the follow-up story as well. I'm really thinking if IDW is going to continue to make Tangled: The Series a success, then they're going to have to up the font size to a 6 or 7 for better reading for us old folks.

This series has a lot of potential. The first story was great. The second yarn was okay. For the most part, the art was very well done and creative. But in order for the entire family to enjoy this book, IDW needs to make the letters bigger. Or they need to provide sample packs of aspirin to alleviate all that eye strain.

Tangled: The Series #1 debuted in stores and digital formats on February 21, 2018.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool: World's Greatest, Volume 6: Patience Zero

Madcap has returned! And he's mad as hell!

Things seem to not be going Deadpool's way right now. His marriage is falling apart. His Avengers team has been disbanded. And the Mercs for Money are making money, just without Deadpool.

Now with the return of Madcap, things have gone from bad to worse. The former resident of Wade Wilson's head seeks revenge on Deadpool. The fiend has unleashed an incurable plague upon his daughter and members of Agent Preston's family. In order to save them, Deadpool just may have to make a deal with the devil...

Then jump ahead to the year 2099. The Deadpool 2099 saga comes to an end. Which of his daughter winds up with the mantle of Deadpool? Where is Deadpool's bride Shiklah? And what does the Immortal Iron Fist have to do with any of this?

This volume was not as good than the last. Things aren't great for Deadpool and I like my Deadpool to be a little more upbeat.  If I wasn't used to a funny Deadpool, then this would be great as it's quite gritty and dark.

I know things aren't supposed to be great for Wade Wilson. He's like Charlie Brown in a self-deprecating manner in which everyone thinks he's a real blockhead. He never can get ahead and if Deadpool does, he's quickly snapped back to reality.  But I read books with the Merc With a Mouth when I need a pick me up and this did not do the job. 

It's not the worst thing I've ever read by Gerry Duggan. It's just not my favorite either. The artwork by Scott Koblish on the on the hand was pretty awesome and that cover of Madcap bursting through some dude's chest is pretty wicked.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Mata Hari #1

The Mata Hari.

She might not have been the most successful spy during World War I. She was however the most notorious. And she was in reality nothing like she appeared.

The five-issue miniseries by Dark Horse, Mata Hari seeks to blend the truth with the myth and the legend of the exotic dancer turned double agent for both the German and French intelligence communities. The world knew her as a mysterious object of sexuality and lust from the Orient of India, Malaysia, and or one of numerous far off Polynesian ports of call that she would claim to hail from. In reality, she was a Dutch aristocrat named Margretha Zeele (later marrying and taking the name MacLeod) who's family went from rags to riches.

The task of separating the fact from fiction rests with Emma Beeby. The Survival Geeks writer does this by writing the story from both Mata Hari and MacLeod's point of view. In the very first panel, the main character is portrayed as a naked prisoner writing her memoirs. It appears that the reader is going to get the real story after nearly a century of legend. However, the story of Mata Hari jumps from time period to time period quite often. Her life is  never truly in order and possibly never true at all. The entire world was the daring spy's stage and she often played her audience for fools. 

Issue #1 wasn't a bad read and it wasn't difficult. I actually don't mind the time jumps as I think that the historical figure of Mata Hari is really two people anyway. As a child she was the little princess or Margretha MacLeod, a pampered child who never had to want for anything. But once her dreamworld of wealth came crashing down, I believe that the young woman left that persona behind in order to forge a new one of wealth, beauty, and desire. Hence, Mata Hari was born. But as with any time you create a new character, it takes a while to form a coherent backstory and that's why nobody truly knows the facts about Mata Hari.

There is a running scene throughout this issue as Mata Hari offers herself to the Hindu god Shiva. I'm not sure where Emma Beeby is going with this part of the story. Is she signifying  Mata Hari's willingness to make deals with the powers that be to enact her own desires of revenge and fame? Or is this just another facet of the myth of Mata Hari? We have 4 more issues in which to find out...

This series promises to be as mysterious and alluring as the real MacLeod herself. On the cover, Deep State's Ariela Kristantina pencils Mata Hari in her iconic temptress costume. Her right hand beckoning a hapless mark for a night of passion and information. But if you notice her left hand. it clasps a dagger, ready to eliminate any loose ends once she gets what she wants. 

It's a lustful man's folly and Mata Hari knows how to manipulate it to her own benefit.

Mata Hari promises to be a historical thriller full of death, espionage, and sex. Lots and lots of sex. One thing for sure, this book was quite titillating both figuratively and literally. This first issue was heavy on backstory with not much in terms of cloak and dagger. I am sure that's coming in the next issue. Or as Mata Hari would call it- the second act!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10. 

Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension Book One (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to Family Comic Friday. 

Every week, I review books that are fun for the whole family. Not every book I review is rated E for Everyone. But that doesn't mean that the books I review for FCF can't be enjoyed by all. 

Case in point is today's book selection: Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension, Book One. This book from Titan Comics is based on the long-running British television show of the same name. When Doctor Who debuted in 1963, it was intended as an educational kids show. The formula for the show varied every other story between historical tales and wild science fiction adventures. The historical episodes would teach children about Marco Polo, the Roman Empire, and other historical figures. The sci-fi episodes would have the Doctor fighting scary monsters with science, math, and technology. 

The monsters episodes proved to be more popular pretty quick. History would still play a factor since this was a show about time travel. Only now instead of visiting Winston Churchill to help defeat the Nazis, the Doctor would go back in time to 1944 to help save England from the Daleks. 

With all the monsters, over time, Doctor Who would garner a reputation of being scary. But that hasn't stopped the beloved series from being a weekly treat for family Saturday night viewings. As former Doctor Who show-runner Steven Moffat puts it, 'of course Doctor Who is a children's show but that doesn't mean that it's childish.' With testimony like that from one of the experts, I made my decision- this is a perfect read for a Family Comic Friday!

In this collected work from Titan Comics, when a mysterious ship crashes in London, the 12th Doctor rushes to the scene- only to come face to face with his daughter, Jenny! The Doctor's daughter has sought him out to warn him of a mysterious white hole of light that has swallowed up one of the Time Lord's former companions, Captain Jack Harkness. 

If appears that this mysterious energy source isn't just gobbling up former travelling buddies of the Doctor. It's also turning the Doctor's friends into monsters. From all of the Doctor's timelines, none of the Doctor's friends and enemies such as Madame Vastra, Rose, Bill, even the Cybermen are safe from this anomaly of space and time! But what if the Doctor falls victim to this strange force? If one of the 12th Doctor's former selves succumbs to this white hole, is that the end of him as well?

You don't have to be a long-time fan of Doctor Who to fully enjoy this volume. But it really helps. I am not as knowledgeable in the Titan Comics adaptations. So my familiarity with the comics only companions was pretty weak. I guess that balances out in the long run.

I've read a couple of Doctor Who crossovers in which he meets some if not all of his former selves. They're pretty good but they don't have the heart, humor, or fun as The Lost Dimension does. This first volume collects the first 6 chapters of The Lost Dimension was written by a trio of different writers. Nick Abadzis (Laika), George Mann (Warhammer 40,000), and Doctor Who journeyman, Cavan Scott each craft a pair of stories. Yet, I felt like each chapter was seamlessly crafted by just a single writing entity. That's a sign of a great story-writing team.

I felt the same way about the artwork of this book. Motherlands' Rachael Stott and Adriana Melo (Witchblade) trade off on the art duties and it was flawlessly good. 

There's a lot of questions that remain such as who is behind this time anomaly? Can the Doctor's friends be cured? And when does Book 2 come out?

I can only answer the last question. Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension Book 2 drops on March 20th, exactly one month after Book 1. So I don't have to wait very long to find on what happens next. All of the individual issues that make up volume 2 have already been released. I could get those, but I think that would be a little bit of a cheat. 

The comics that make up The Lost Dimension are not rated. However, in the spirit of the television series in which in is based, this book is for suitable for kids but it's not an immature book. The action, thrills, and humor can be enjoyed by all ages. Some of the science and physics might need an adult to help interrupt. As for the monsters, it's a tad scary but so are other family classics like Snow White and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension Book 1 debuts in stores on February 20th, 2018.

This volume reprints the following: 

Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension Alpha, The Ninth Doctor Special, The Tenth Doctor #3.9, The Eleventh Doctor #3.10 and Jenny, The Doctor’s Daughter Special #1 & #2.


Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Review was published concurrently on Outrightgeekery.com.

Unlimited Access #4

After 3 issues full of members from both the DC and Marvel Universes taking up residence in worlds that were not their own, it finally happened... the Amalgam Universe has returned! Only this is a different mix-up of heroes unlike those unveiled in the previous DC/Marvel cross-overs. 

Since the main baddies of this story are Darkseid and Magneto, the Amalgam characters that are introduced are mostly taken from the X-Men and JLA. I really liked the new Amalgam baddies- the Brotherhood of Evil Gods! 

I'm kinda glad that Karl Kesel decided to come up with his own Amalgam characters and not use the ones created by Ron Marz and Peter David. It helped a story that seemed to be getting a little stale and off the rails somewhat.

This issue marks the general end of the DC and Marvel crossovers. There might have been one or two one-shots still to come after this. But that was pretty much it. Now with Disney in charge of Marvel, it is probably a long shot that any such crossover between these two powerhouses will occur again any time soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Young Monsters In Love #1

Leave it to DC Comics to not just provide it's devoted fan base with a Valentines Day special! A sappy love fest of unrequited romance between two unlikely paramours just will not do for DC! Nope! Instead, DC Comics has issued a holiday special devoted to cupids and chocolates starring some of it's most popular supernatural characters.

Why use monsters in a Valentines Special? Part of the quirky fun of many B-movie horror films is when the beastly main character falls in love with a beautiful damsel in distress. King Kong falling for Faye Raye. The Creature From the Black Lagoon lusting after Julia Adams. And who can forget Tor Johnson's deformed Lobo saving Loretta King from a deranged Bela Lugosi in Bride of the Monster? Creatures of the night and romance are B-movie box office gold!

While Young Monsters In Love #1 may take it's inspiration from the schlock horror films of the 50s and 60s, this special is full of A-list talent. It features over a half dozen stories written by some of the best comic book talent in the industry, topped off by Batman: The Animated Series' Paul Dini. Jeff Lemire, Steve Orlando, Phil Hester and many more craft stories of love, loss, and monsters. 

Some highlights include:

• 'Heart Shaped Box'- A House of Secrets quality story in which Swamp Thing enacts revenge against a team of mercenaries that interrupt Swampy's V-Day plans with a lady botanist.
• 'Be My Valentine'- Deadman helps a bullied child get some revenge against those who made it the worst Valentines exchange party of all-time.
• 'Dear Velcoro'- One of the Creature Commandos receives a Dear John letter in-between missions in Nazi Germany.
• Monsieur Mallah goes shopping for his Valentine, The Brain, by robbing a Lexcorp research facility in 'Visibility.'
• 'Pieces of Me'-Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. pens a letter to his Bride, highlighting the complicated history between the two lovers.
• And in 'Nocturnal Animal', Kirk Langstrom struggles to battle his own personal demon, the Man-Bat, in the light of his crumbling relationship with his wife Francine.

DC has a habit of turning one or two of their featured holiday stories into miniseries or regular titles. If the pattern continues, I hope that the powers that be will offer more Paul Dini penned Deadman adventures. I know that there's currently a Deadman miniseries written and penciled by Neal Adams. It's good, but Dini's take gave the character of Boston Brand a warmth and life not seen in over 30 years. 

Overall, Young Monsters In Love was an unexpected delight. I didn't learn about this special until just a couple of weeks ago. Every story was masterfully written. The artwork was varied but brilliantly crafted by talents such as Guillem March and Kelley Jones, whose 1950s sci-fi movie inspired poster cover was so very retro and awesome!

The only thing that I wasn't a fan of was the price. With a cover price of $9.99, that's still pretty lofty, even if this was an 80-page giant. But I am a sucker for holiday specials of any type and what was inside the cover was flawless fun! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Batman: The Black Casebook

Relive the stories that inspired Grant Morrison's Batman: R.I.P. 

This collection of Batman tales are from the much maligned period of the mid-1950s to early 1960s when Batman went sci-fi. Battling robots, aliens, and mad scientists, those episodes kinda went against the core essence of the Caped Crusader. 

Fans mostly hate that era. I for one am okay with it as a whole. My biggest complaint is that several of these stories cheat by using elements that weren't there but suddenly are now for Batman to solve the big mystery. Poor editing, rush jobs, or the writers praying that the readers were too stupid to know any better??? Your guess is as good as mine. 

There's a few classics in here such as 1964's 'Robin Dies At Dawn.' Plus the first appearance of one of my all-time favorite mischief makers, Bat-Mite, occurs within the adventures contained in The Black Casebook.

Featuring a foreword from the mastermind of Batman: R.I.P., I don't recommend that you skip it. It provided me with some much sought after answers to lingering questions I had after completing R.I.P. However, Grant Morrison tends to give away the plot to some of these classic stories. So, It might not be a bad idea to wait until afterwards to read Morrison's essay.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Unlimited Access #3

Time is getting even more jumbled as the original Avengers take on the original line-up of the Justice League of America. 

Meanwhile, Access discovers who is behind this time caper and it's in my opinion the most unlikely super villain team-up of all: Magneto and Darkseid.

Their goal: to destroy the Marvel Universe.

I call the pairing of Darkseid and Magneto unlikely because of Magneto's desire to destroy the Marvel Universe. I would understand why Magneto would want to kill all the humans. But wouldn't his beloved fellow mutants get wiped out as well?

As for Darkseid- what does he have to gain with all of this? The Lord of Apokolips won't go to the bathroom if there's nothing for him to benefit from it. So what's his deal?

The plot is getting kinds thin. The action is top notch especially the battle between Justice Leaguers and Earth's Mightiest Heroes. But it's just not enough to save this issue.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Unlimited Access #2

The dimension shifting time-travelling adventures of Access puts the new hero in the direct path of the Legion of Superheroes. That's not all of the fun as the affects of having DC and Marvel heroes on the same world has caused Access to leap forward in time to the most dangerous potential timeline of all- The Days of Future Past!

Karl Kesel upped the level excitement, thrills, and twists in this issue. I really enjoyed it. But I'm not really a fan of the artwork. Pat Olliffe's style is very 1990s disproportionate. Enormous muscles, way too small heads, and everybody from ages 2-92 has widow's peak, even the ladies! At least it's not Rob Liefeld...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Unlimited Access #1

Axel Asher, also known as in inter-dimensional skipping hero Access is back. 

This time, he doesn't just have to prevent heroes from both the DC and Marvel universes from jumping between worlds, he now has to prevent them from screwing up with the time-line.

During a period of lost time, Access discovers that the believed long dead Hal Jordan Green Latern has returned! Not only that, but the Hulk has been sent back in time to the Old West. 

Generally, when a hero from one world enters the other world, there's a loose period of time in which Access must return the interloper to their original world. To go past that limit could mean the return of the Amalgam Universe; another dimension in which the Marvel and DC Universes are blended into one. But when people are starting to be sent back and forwards in time, those rules are no longer in play.

There's no telling how much time Access has to fix time before the Amalgam world returns...

Written by Karl Kesel, a writer with experience in both DC and Marvel lore, Unlimited Access is in good hands. But this 1997 miniseries isn't written by someone who was involved with the three prior stories in the DC/Marvel crossover Saga. Having time travel being thrown into the mix was a brilliant twist. It really makes the story of Access that much more interesting and fresh.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Swamp Thing Winter Special #1

Swamp Thing Winter Special #1
Written by Tom King and Len Wein
Art by Jason Fabok and Kelley Jones
Cover by Jason Fabok
Published by DC Comics

Cool Runnings

Winter isn’t exactly the season you think of when you think of Swamp Thing. The rebirth of spring and the heat of summer are more familiar settings for a character known to have grown fruit from his very body to feed others in need. Yet a icy winter blizzard is where first encounter Swamp Thing in the open story ‘The Talk of the Saints.’

Written by Tom King, in this episode, a snow demon has taken residence in the Louisiana Bayou where Swampy dwells. The plant-based super hero is carrying a small child in his arms, trying to keep the lad warm and safe from the winter monster. The snow monster’s frigid powers have put an amnesiac spell over Swamp Thing, preventing him from being able to tap into the green; the earth based source of his powers.

Swamp Thing seems to be going around in circles as he and the boy flee the monster. But there’s more dangers in the swamp than just hunters, savage beasts, and the elements. For the one monster Swamp Thing cannot escape is himself.

Dark Nights

The second story is perhaps the main reason any fan of Swamp Thing wants to purchase this winter special. That’s because it is the last Swamp Thing story written by co-creator Len Wein. In this chiller, a baby has been kidnapped from his Gotham City home by Solomon Grundy. Grundy’s escape route is taking him to Cajun Country. Hoping to head the villain off at the pass, Batman travels to Louisiana hoping to enlist Swamp Thing’s help in saving the child.

Unfortunately, there is a lot missing from this story. This tale was supposed to be the first chapter in a miniseries penned by Wein. However, with his unexpected death last year, only the first issue was plotted. Not only is this story not lettered, it doesn’t even have a title. That’s how early in the creative process Wein was with this story.

This proposed story was to be a sequel to Wein’s 2016 miniseries Swamp Thing: The Dead Don’t Sleep. The story doesn’t have any words, as DC thought it best not to alter Len Wein’s final creative vision. Thus Wein’s plotted script is included in the back of this special. In order for Wein’s fans to fully experience it, the first segment was pencilled, inked and colored by Wein’s The Dead Don’t Sleep creative partners Kelley Jones and Michelle Madson.

Welcome to the Future.

Tom King’s story of the snow demon terrorizing Swamp Thing was pretty darn good. It got a little philosophical at the end. But that was just about any issue of Swampy Thing written by Alan Moore. But I feel that Tom King should stick to what he does best at DC- writing Batman stories! Perhaps completing Wein’s Batman/Swamp Thing team-up might not be a bad assignment for Tom King.

But I wouldn’t use Kelley Jones to do the artwork. Instead, the art assignments for Swamp Thing needs to go to one man- Jason Fabok. The amazing job he did in the opening story was so well done, Jason Fabok should be the only artist to draw Swamp Thing from now on!

While many agree that the Swamp Thing movies weren’t all that great, it is almost a universal understanding that the make-up job was outstanding. Fabok’s Swampy looks like images were taken directly from the live-action films and inked and colored. DC, if you don’t make Jason Fabok the premiere artist of Swamp Thing franchise, you are doing your fans a disservice!

Farewell to a Friend

The second half of the Swamp Thing Winter Special was a loving obituary to Len Wein. However, it also acts as a farewell to Swamp Thing co-creator Bernie Wrightson. Previously published tributes to Wein and Wrightson are included. There’s also a segment on the art process to a Dan DiDio commission had done for Wein’s wife Christine.

This one-shot is an essential read for a lot of comic book fans. First and foremost to want to own this issue is Swamp Thing fans. Len Wein also had a hand in crafting a number of Marvel characters such as Nightcrawler, Storm, and most famously Wolverine. So if green isn’t your thing, but you are a Len Wein devotee, you will want to own this over-sized tribute to a comic book legend who is sorely missed by all.

The Swamp Thing Winter Special #1 debuted on February 7, 2018. It retails for $7.99.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Art of Tommy Lee Edwards

Published in 2003, this is an amazing look at portfolio of North Carolina artist Tommy Lee Edwards. Featuring artwork done on a variety of advertising fro celebrated films such as Men In Black and Star Wars, Edwards has an amazing skill in making his character renderings look so life-like. There's also looks at the comic book and novel cover Edwards has done. He's such an amazing talent.

Featuring a foreword by Howard Chaykin (American Flagg), there's not very much else in terms of prose.But what do you expect? This is an art book!

Being a 15 year old book, I would love a sequel that shows newer works by Tommy Lee Edwards. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Secret Hero Society, Book 3: The Detention of Doom (Family Comic Friday)

For today's Family Comic Friday, I want you to imagine that all of the members of the Justice League got their powers as kids. It's not that hard to believe since over 60 years of DC Comics history is filled with tales of Superman and Wonder Woman saving the day as little kids. It's occurring in the present as well with a teenage Bruce Wayne becoming the Dark Knight on Gotham.

Today's book selection is 'The Detention of Doom.' It's the third book in the DC’s young readers series, The Secret Hero Society. Written by Derek Fridolfs, this series follows a young Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Diana Prince and friends as they try to save their middle school from Lex Luthor and his band of bullies.

The Secret Hero Society books are one part graphic novel and one part chapter book. The prose parts of the book are written up as parts of the SHS’s dossier on the events of their most recent mission. Those parts are drafted up by Derek Fridolfs. On art is Fridolfs’ Lil’ Gotham partner Dustin Nguyen.

I'm a big fan of the seasonally themed Li'l Gotham. It's one of the main reasons I choose this book. 'The Detention of Doom' is also a pretty new release by DC Comics; bearing a copyright of 2018.

The book has Clark Kent mysteriously disappearing after winning an award for being a top student in the Gotham City school district. The Luthor Corp sponsored the event. Thus Bruce and the rest of the SHS are on high alert suspecting that Lex Luthor has something to do with Clark's vanishing.

While tinkering with the award, the pint-sized superheroes find themselves transported to another dimension. Filled with sand, a run down school and soul-sucking phantoms, the team think that they have found Clark! Well, he looks like Clark. Only this kid is paler than young Kent and a lot more bizarre.

I thought Dustin Nguyen's art was just great. He's never disappointed me before and he didn't here. Nguyen is supposedly working on a sequel to Li'l Gotham and I can't wait for it.

The writing was pretty good too. Great characterization of your favorite DC heroes as kids. But I thought that the plotting was a little confused at times. On more than one occasion, it's mentioned that a character or two have wandered off from the group. But a couple of pages later, they're back without any explanation.

I know that Fridolfs and Nguyen were splitting the writing duties based on what format the book switched over to. I'm wondering if when Derek Fridolfs wrote out a character he forgot to tell Dustin Nguyen and vice versa.

Plus, there's one scene where Bruce plays very fast and loose with the timeline. Yes, time travel is a big element in the DC Universe. But this instance felt like a cheat for the writers to get themselves out of very deep plot hole.

The Secret Hero Society books are recommended for readers 8-12 years old. There's nothing objectionable for younger readers if they'd like to give the series a shoot. But some of the terms are a little more advance. So younger readers may need an adult's help defining those words.

A very enjoyable blend of novel and comic book. It had a few kinks in the formula to work out. But it was a fun read. Now with DC recently announcing the formation of two new young reader imprints, I am more excited that ever to see what DC Comics has in store.

Who knows? Maybe one of those books will be my selection for an upcoming Family Comic Friday! Until next week- read more comics!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Yets! Book 2

There's this great TV show that my wife and I love to watch. It's called Better Late Than Never. It's a reality series that follows William Shatner, Terry Bradshaw, and Henry Winkler as they travel around the world. It's extremely funny. However, there's only a very limited number of episodes filmed each season.

So when a new episode airs, we savor it. While we could just watch the show right then and there, my wife and I might wait a couple of days before watching it. We might even watch half of the one hour show one night and the other half a day later, just to prolong fun experience. 

That's how I feel about Mike Bocianowski's Yets!. I've only been able to find 3 issues of this 2003 series from Airwave Comics. I've tried searching for more issues and I really have gotten nowhere. I feel in love with this fantasy series by the very last page of the first issue and I could have dove into the other books. But I wanted these great characters to last!

There's Sir Perry, a guinea pig sent on a mission to scout out the canopy of the great tree that sits in the middle of the land of Chlem. His airship just crashed thanks to a flying yet (don't call them dragons!) and he's itching to get back in the air.

There's Spec, the mutt with a heart of gold who thinks he's a chihuahua. He's happy being a guest of honor at the Yet reservation.

There's Yet- the little Yet who's fall from the sky sparked Perry and Spec's exploration of the higher ground.

And now there's Vance, a Yet who has become the caretaker and guide to Sir Perry and Spec as they visit the Res.

Mike Bocianowski does such an amazing job on this book. The art is so clean and expressive. His writing is whimsical and funny. I really love this series and this chapter did not disappoint me one bit.

There's only one issue left. But I am not going to read it just yet (even though I very well could.) I am not ready for this series to end.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: Justice League of America, Volume 6

Another great collection of Justice League of America issues.

This one introduces Earth-X; the earth in which Hitler and the Nazis won World War II. Back are Golden Age great like Uncle Sam, The Human Bomb, and the Phantom Lady.

Plus witness the return of several founding members of the Justice League. While most of these returns are just for an issue or two temporary team-up, there is one exciting return that actually sticks around! 

Featuring some of the most interesting and creative story lines of the Justice League, such as when writers Cary Bates, Elliot S. Maggin, and editor Julie Schwartz become the stars of one of their very own Justice League story. 

And for one very short period of time, witness the beginnings of Dick Giordano's amazing run on this title. He only pencils a couple of issues (and the art is so freakin' good), but it's a hint of what's in store for later issues of this series, one of my all-time favorites. 

Speaking of later issues, this volume ended quite sadly for me. Or at least bittersweet. This is the final volume of Showcase Presents: Justice League of America. Since this is a later edition, unless DC would ever consider revitalizing this dynamic series, the publisher more than likely is going to start over at issue #1. 

The good thing is that there's well over a hundred individual issues out there for me still to read. But it will take time (and I suspect a nice chunk of change) in order to obtain them all. Oh, don't worry, their now on my wish list and I'm ready for the hunt to begin.

A much better collection than volume 5. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC/Marvel: All Access #4

The JLA and X-Men realize who is behind the dimensional crisis between the DC and Marvel Universes. It's not as epic of a team-up as when the JLA and the Avengers worked together. But it was quite thrilling. 

An overall great job by Ron Marz and Jackson 'Butch' Guice. Very good and interesting story and great artwork, especially for mid-90s comics!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC/Marvel All Access #3

The excitement continues with Access recruiting Batman and Doctor Strange to assist with the mystery of the weakening barriers between the two dimensions. Meanwhile, gumming up the works is the inevitable showdown between the JLA and the X-Men.

I pretty much know how this is all going to wind up. But it's a thrill ride nonetheless.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC/Marvel All Access #2

In the pages of Versus, Tim Drake and Jubilee were fated to fight each other for the survival of their universe. Instead the two fell in love and haven't been able to get their minds off of each other.  

When the fragile rift between the DC and Marvel Universes allows Jubilee to arrive in Gotham, it's a rekindled romance that threatens to bring the Amalgam world back into place. That is unless the universe skipping hero Access can get Jubilee back to her rightful world.

Another good mind twisting issue with one very odd exception. Normally Batman is all very rigid and all business. Yet here he's willing to bend the rules over the fate of the multiverse to allow Robin and his beloved to be together. That just seems a very un-Batman like thing for the Dark Knight to do. But he does!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC/Marvel All Access #1

After the events of DC Versus Marvel, the two universes had combined into an Amalgam of the two planes of reality. Thankfully the two worlds were able to be unmixed but that doesn't mean that the danger to the fabric of reality is over.

If ever the DC and Marvel Universes ever touch again for too long, the Amalgam Universe will again dominate the two. Thus a new hero called Access was formed. He is able to cross over from side to side to eliminate any such crossovers. For the most part, Access has been able to reverse the occasional crossing. However the frequency of such events is becoming way too often and it's causing this new hero to cut things way too close.

Penned but DC Versus Marvel’s Ron Marz, this is a pretty clever way to recapture the magic of that amazing crossover that started everything. The artwork by Jackson 'Butch' Guice is quite good too. A really enjoyable and plausible opening chapter.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars!