Scooby-Doo Team-Up #27

Trouble has always followed Plastic Man and his sidekick Woozy Winks. But when a fortune teller places a curse on Woozy and things start getting really dicey, it's up to the Mystery Inc. gang to determine if there's really something to this voodoo! Or is their a criminal mastermind element to these threats to Woozy's life?

A very fun team-up of two of Saturday morning cartoons greatest detective teams. Some many remember the Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show from 1979-81. It was on TV and not comics where I was first introduced to Plas and his friends. 

Dario Brizuela does a masterful job turning Plastic Man into a ton of cool things. Thank goodness, writer Sholly Fisch didn't have him become the outfit of either Daphne or Velma. I just can't believe that DC Comics has allowed the character to pull off that bit of sexual assault still to this day. It doesn't mean we need to ban Plastic Man. Just keep him away from the ladies dressing room.

Another gem from a couple of years ago. I bought this new and read it within a day or two of buying it. But for some reason, I got behind on posting my thoughts on it in my blog. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #20

The Mystery Inc. gang go intergalactic in this exciting issue! But this time the phantom is real!

Space Ghost- that star of dramatic cartoon and late-night buffoonery, teams up with Scooby-Doo to defeat a pair of his greatest foes. 

Normally, the Hanna-Barbera team-ups are done by other artists. But this time, it's DC team-ups master, Dario Brizuela, on pencils. It makes logical sense as Space Ghost and Super Friends were both designed by Alex Toth, of which Brizuela is an apt pupil of. 

I loved this issue. It's so unlike the other HB pairings. Those tend to be very silly. And while there's some dry wit and one-liners, this issue is done more in the serious tone of the original Space Ghost. 

Now that a toned-down crossover of Space Ghost and Scooby has been done, I wouldn't mind a silly sequel. I loved Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast. It was utterly surreal. But should that ever occur (as this back issue is over 2 years old), they've got to have Space Ghost's co-host, Brak!

Lots of sci-fi fun!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars!

Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary Special #1

Have you ever found a book and you know that you've read it but you got zero clue how you wound  up with it? That's the case with this book.  

I'm a huge fan of Harley Quinn and I am an original fan. September 11th, 1992: I was watching Batman: The Animated Series expecting a typical Joker episode of the show, when this pixie pops up on screen for just a few short minutes. At that point, the Batman Family forever changed and I became one of the first members of the Gang of Harleys.

All that being said, I really can't remember when I bought this book!!!

In this tribute to the Jokers (EX-) Girlfriend, Harley has a host of adventures. First, she takes the Gotham City Sirens to Sin City and parties in a way only Harls and her girls could. Then BFFs Harley and Ivy are tasked with an important mission by the master of the Green, Swamp Thing! We also get a glimpse of Harley's days are Joker's side piece as she faces celebrating her birthday along. Lastly, it's a battle of sidekicks as Harley takes on Robin in a story that reflects her inner struggle to be a baddie with a heart. 

This was a wonderful collection of stories celebrating one of my all-time favorite looneys. I am a huge fan of crazy characters from The Tick to Deadpool and everything in between. I think it's because I struggle with depression and anxiety; sometimes at the same time. When I see heroic characters dealing with mental health issues, I think it normalizes an otherwise very abnormal life. Harley Quinn is definitely one of those characters that has given me both a lot of laughs and a lot to reflect on.

Many thanks to character creator, Paul Dini for giving us Harls! Kudos to Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner for the amazing job they've done over the past several years with her! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars!

Cretaceous (Family Comic Friday)

Travel back in time to the days of the mighty thunder lizards in this week’s Family Comic Friday with the new graphic novel, Cretaceous!

CretaceousWritten and Illustrated by Tadd Galusha
Published by Oni Press
Pages: 160
Retail Price: $14.99
Tadd Galusha (Godzilla: Rage Across Time) must be a time traveler. I’ve never seen a more accurate portrayal of prehistoric nature than in this graphic novel. Punches are not pulled, literally! Dinosaurs fight- a lot! They die. They get eaten. They pee! There’s even a very graphic depiction of a live underwater birth.

Cretaceous is a book that is deceptively immature. First of all, the stars of this book are all dinosaurs. Kids of all ages love dinos! Then there’s the dialogue- there is none! Other than the Onomatopœia of the T-rex’s roar and crack of a branch from a stalking raptor, there are no words in this book. Even the fact file of creatures featured in back have very few words.

If there ever was a nature documentary on dinosaurs, I would expect it to look just like Cretaceous. The events covered in this book is some pretty intense stuff. The book is recommended for ages 10-12. Normally, I would point out how a book may even be okay for younger readers. Not this time. The level of violence, as well as how accurate the look of the creatures might actually make this book too scary for younger readers.

As research on dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures increases, our idea of what the animals really looked like is evolving. Baby dinos and some predator creatures had wings. This is one of the first non-academic books I’ve come across that actually features that aspect. Even the Jurassic Park trilogy, noted for its realistic depiction of such creatures, hasn’t been able to get that right!

Cretaceous was an extremely quick read. But it was exciting, thrilling and at some moments a little tragic. I know it’s still early in the year, but I think Tadd Galusha should be looked upon as candidate of some sort for an Eisner or other literary award for this graphic novel. It’s that well done and that good!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars!

Cretaceous debuted in print and digital formats on March 26th, 2019.

This review was continuously published on Outrightgeekery.com.

Looney Tunes Greatest Hits, Volume 2: You're Despicable!

Your favorite Looney Tunes characters are back in this collection of DC Comics. 

Magicians Bugs and Daffy complete are only the rabbit and duck could! Foghorn Leghorn recruits the Tasmanian Devil to get rid of the barnyard's protective pooch, Dawg. Pepe Le Peu searches for romance in the streets of Washington D.C. Granny adds a new security device to keep Sylvester from making a quick meal out of Tweety. And a pair of mice named Mac and Tosh try to teach the gang the importance of manners- to little avail!

This was a great read for a rainy day or a pick-me-up. This volume features story and art from some industry greats such as Dan Slott, Dave Alvarez, Terry Collins and Michael Eury.

There's one thing that perplexes me about this book; it's the title. This is Looney Tunes Greatest Hits, Volume 2. It reprints issues #41-47. Volume 1 covers issues 34-40. What happened to issues #1-33? Are they not considered greatest hits? 

While I am extremely glad that this book collects entire issues, I was expecting this to be a mix of stories. I mean it is a mix, it's just not cherry picker stuff. So if you are trying to collect the entire run of DC's Looney Tunes in one way or another, this is an affordable way to do it as the only original run content missing are the ads!

Fun stuff worth quite a few laughs!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Blacklist, Volume 1: The Gambler

There comes a line in every couple's marriage which can never be crossed. For my wife, it's being a fan of James Spader. I can like him but I'm not allow to watch anything with him in it. Okay, I can, but my wife doesn't want to watch it with me or even be in the same house if he's on the telly. For some reason, he gives my wife the heebie-jeebies. 

Thus, I've never seen an episode of the Blacklist. 

So how did I come across this book? Ironically, you can blame my wife for that! I got a Comic Bento Box as a gift from her and this was one of the books in it! Needless to say, I didn't let my wife off the hook without a good ribbing or two about the irony of this. 

This volume focuses on one of the bad guys on Red Reddington's Blacklist. It's a complex story of deceit, espionage and double crossing. I'd be lying if I said I understood all the aspects of this story, having never seen the show. But I really enjoyed this book. 

The story was written by showrunner Nicole Dawn Phillips. I'm glad that someone so close to the TV show was doing this as I think I would have been really lost without her to guide me along. 

The artwork was by True Blood's Beni Lobel. It was a mixed bag. James Spader's Red didn't look anything like the actor. (The cover is great though. Whomever did that did a great job!) But everything else looked really good. Now, whether the other characters looked anything like their real-life counterparts, is beyond me. But I liked most of the art here.

There's one more volume of Blacklist stories. While I am not actively searching them out, if I came across them for the right price, I would definitely give it a read. A nice job at a non-Doctor Who title by Titan. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Valiant

I know that I am not very familiar with Valiant Entertainment. But I think it is safe to say that this 2015 miniseries from Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt is this publisher's Crisis on Infinite Earths.

For 10 centuries, the Eternal Warrior has struggled to protect the Geomancers. These special people are the living embodiment of the planet and have the power to create life on earth and maintain a harmonious balance. Seeking to keep the world in chaos is the Immortal Enemy, who has a pretty impressive track record of defeating the Eternal Warrior's efforts. 

The Immortal Enemy returns every 100 years. His latest return is imminent. Only this time, the Eternal Warrior has a slew of allies to help him protect the latest Geomancer, Kay McHenry. Enter: The Valiant.

While just about every rebooted Valiant Entertainment character is presented in this book, I was unimpressed with the use of these resources. There's some great battle scenes by Paolo Rivera. But that's the only time you will see characters such as Archer, Quantum and Woody (and the Goat!), Faith and others. None of which have any dialogue. Even though Crisis had 30 times as many characters, I never felt that any one character was underused. That's pretty much my only complaint.

I loved the story and the artwork. I was introduced to several characters that I've yet to really be introduced to, such as Ninjak and Bloodshot. Both of which I am now very interested in reading more about.

The Valiant was quite good. Unfortunately, it wasn't properly balanced for a story that would unite an entire universe of characters. I think only having 4 issues in which to tell the tale was what limited the scope. That, plus I think Lemire and Kindt's schedules prevented these two talents from devoted extra time to a 5th, 6th or further along issue.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man/Deadpool, Volume 2: Side Pieces

One of the highlights of the numerous Gerry Duggan Deadpool series are the one-two issue interludes. These stories are often untold tales that imagine what it would be like if the Merc With a Mouth was around during the 50s, 60s and 70s. 

This volume of Spider-Man/Deadpool highlights such breaks in that team-up series. In these tales, Deadpool and magician Teller trade places in a hilarious romp by Penn Gillette. Then in a two-parter, Deadpool is hired to be the stunt adviser for his own superhero flick! Lastly, in a story set during the Monsters Unleashed storyline, a coven of teenage witches kidnap Spidey in hopes of making him the vessel of their fallen mistress. 

There's also a Christmas issue. But I held off on reading it. I own that individual issue but haven't had a chance to read it yet. Don't worry, it will be a part of my holiday, 2019 reading list. But man was it difficult to hold off. 

A fun read that is less preachy and offensive than the regular main series. It helped restore my faith in this series. But I also understand that these yarns were the exceptions and not the rule of how Spider-Man/Deadpool is being regularly presented. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Maker Comics: Fix a Car! (Family Comic Friday)

I’m a big fan of books that can both educate and entertain young readers; especially comics and graphic novels. When I find a really good one, I make sure to share it during Family Comic Friday. This week I am proud to introduce Maker Comics, a new series of graphic novels that teach a variety of subjects, including automobile maintenance! Combing a dramatic narrative with in-depth activities, I wish they made these books when I was younger.

Maker Comics: Fix a Car!Written and Illustrated by Chris Schweizer
Published by First Second
Pages: 128
Retail: $12.99

It’s the first day of Car Club; an extracurricular activity held every Saturday. It’s lead by Mrs. Gritt, the high-school track coach. Whether you are a boy or girl, come join the fun! You don’t even have to be old enough to drive in order to participate. Just be sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and some sneakers that won’t slip in oil.

Over the course of the next several weeks, members of Car Club will learn a variety of techniques to keep their automobiles running smoothly. From changing a tire to detailing the hood, Mrs. Gritt is there to teach the students the basics of car care. By the time Winter break puts an end to these meetings, our participants might even learn a little bit about themselves!

Go to just about any auto shop in the world and you’ll find these books called ‘Haynes guides’. They are these massive books with extremely detailed drawings of how to repair almost anything in the make and model of car covered in the guide. That’s exactly what author and illustrator Chris Schweizer does in this book. His step-by-step instructions and diagrams show amateur mechanics how to get into the bowels of their vehicles.

I have always loved cars and trucks. But I never had someone to teach me how to perform quality maintenance on an automobile. I really wish I had had something like this book to have shown me the way to do things.

Some of the activities in the car will require an adult. I’m not advocating for an 9 or 10 year old to get this book and start changing the own in their parent’s car battery by themselves. But there are a variety of things that kids crazy about cars can do at just about any age.
The easiest thing for anyone to do in this book is on how to properly clean, wash and wax a vehicle. Sure, nobody likes to clean. But if you start to teach a child with the little things and they take it serious, you can then move on to bigger and more intensive things. Plus, did you know that washing a car can actually keep it from rusting?

Gross Fun Fact- bird poop is so acidic, it can eat away at a car’s paint job!

More advanced projects in this book range from replacing a headlight/taillight to tightening a loose fan belt to changing a tire.

Not everything you need to know about fixing up your car is in the book. Changing spark plugs and rotating tires are some activities hinted upon but not covered. I wish that pumping gas was included in this book. Yes, some states require that a child be of almost driving age in order to use a gas pump. But that’s an important step in keeping your car running that is often overlooked even in driver’s ed.

Currently, there’s only 2 books in the Makers Comics line. But, First Second has several more DIY-style graphic novels on tap to premiere later this year, including ones how to create a superhero costume and how to plant a garden. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the other book currently out on the market by First Second, Bake Like A Pro! Once I do, that will be a focus in my semi-regular column, Cooking Geeky.

Reading Rainbow's Levar Burton has a famous saying. ‘If your kids loves superheroes, then dammit, buy them comic books!’ Forgive the salty language, but the Roots actor is right. Do everything you can to get the next generation reading.

I would amend Burton’s advice to say that if the young reader in your life is interested in cars then buy them this book. Society is losing a number of skilled labor jobs not to immigrant workers but to colleges and other institutions of higher learning. With a focus on computers and math and physics, everyday science skills such as botany and auto mechanics is dying out. Do you know how much a certified mechanic makes in a year? Let’s just say that I had Maker Comics around when I was a kid, I’d have my house paid off within just 1 years worth of work under the hood.

Taking visual learning to the next level, Maker Comics promises to teach valuable and fun skills to car enthusiasts of all ages. A little bit technical at times, this book does go step-by-step. So readers can work on projects at their own pace! A must for anyone who wants to share the experience of working on cars with a special youngster in their life!

Maker Comics: Fix a Car! Debuted in print and digital formats on February 5, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

Conan Doyle For The Defense by Maraglit Fox

In 1908 Scotland, a wealthy woman is brutally murdered. Though several eyewitnesses see the man, they are unable or unwilling to name the suspect. Around this time, immigrant Jew, Oscar Slater is doing business of some nefarious means. He's a con man, a swindler, a pimp- but not a murderer. 

However, the Glasgow police are being pressured to close the case and to do it fast. Using a tip from a pawn broker, authorities finger Slater. Unable to speak on his own accord, Slater is subject to a kangaroo court of sorts and is quickly found guilty despite a lack of sufficient evidence and clear proof of witness tampering. 

Sentenced to spend the rest of his life in one of human history's most diabolical prisons, performing hard labor, Oscar Slater verges on the edge of insanity. As a number of low-level civic leaders try to no avail to lessen the accused's sentence, things look bleak for Slater. That is until the creator of literature's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, takes the case! Ladies and gentlemen, for the defense: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I love Sherlock Holmes stuff. From the Great Mouse Detective to Cumberbatch, and everything in-between, I am a sucker for the Great Detective! I also like a TV show called Mysteries at the Museum. During one episode, a segment was devoted to the work Doyle did on proving a man was innocent for the crime of mutilating livestock. But that gentleman was of Indian decent. So, I was excited to learn more of Doyle's extra forays into the world of true crime. 

The book is basically 2 stories in one. The first is of the life and trials of Oscar Slater. The next is the biography of Sir Arthur. The actual intermingling of the two principle characters in this account of Edwardian Era crime is, well, limited. 

For titling a book with such as 'For The Defense' Doyle is not really that much of an active player. Doyle seems to have done much more in getting George Edalji freed than he did Slater. And I think I would have much rather have read an in-depth account of that case than with the Slater affair.

Doyle wrote 2 pamphlets for Slater's cause. Though technically, the majority of the work of second essay was researched and compiled by a third party. Mostly all Doyle does is writing letters- there's no grunt work here! Sir Arthur mostly seemed to put his name on the second plea on Slater's part as would a celebrity who was selling indoor grills or discount clothing. 

A good fourth of this 352 page book is made up of appendices. I think if you removed them, the book came to about 284 pages. One-third of the book is comprised of verbatim testimonies or correspondence. That leaves about 2/3 of the book filled with author Maraglit Fox's insights into the crime and time period and it makes for this book to feel more like a scholarly text then a work of non-fiction entertainment. 

While Fox's own words are in-depth and cohesive, the manner in which the author presents cited works is not. Some segments are done like a script. Others are huge paragraphs of text. Sometimes Fox would enclose paragraphs with quotations. Other times, she indent the paragraph of text in italics. One thing is for sure, those Edwardian types sure did like to use a lot of words. I just wish that the manner in which their voices were offered in one style for a slightly more easier read. 

A true crime novel? YES. A biography about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? YES. A true crime novel in which Doyle takes the case much like his creation, Holmes? Absolutely not!

Don't let the title full you. Sir Arthur will not be running down British alleyways behind a pack of howling bloodhounds. He'll not be pushing the true fiend behind the murder over a cliff. Nor will he even enter a single courtroom! And if you thought you'd be learning anything about the art of apiary maintenance (beekeeping), forget it! This is real life and it's a little bit boring.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Two-Minute Mysteries by Donald J. Sobol

Dozens of minute mysteries by Donald J. Sobol; the creator of that pint-sized detective Encyclopedia Brown. Wannabe Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Haledjian (how do you pronounce that?) is on the case, solving murders, thefts, and more.

Sobol uses a number of the plots from his Encyclopedia Brown series. That kinda fells like a cheat. This book was originally written in 1967. So a number of solutions rely on a knowledge of fashion standards and gentlemanly ways that have fallen out of the norm for quite a long time. To have read this book in 2019 and not solved as many of these mysteries as I did isn't a slam at my knowledge or lack thereof. 

Another aspect of Two-Minute Mysteries that seems outdated is the level of violence in some of these whodunits. There's quite a few victims that bought the farm due to gunshots, stabbings or assaults. There's also one or two puzzles which deal with heroin smuggling.

This book, as it's sister volumes and subsequent second, third and fourth printings have all been by Scholastic Press, a leading publisher of children's literature! I'm really surprised that these books haven't been meet with some sort of protest by parents, especially since I remember first reading these books at my elementary school library. I'm not saying that these books should be banned. I am just shocked that somebody hasn't tried to get these books removed from school shelves. (Don't you dare get any ideas, people!)

A nostalgic read but full of unfair solutions, many of which are outdated by about 25 years.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #22

The Enterprise crew are summoned to the planet of the Guardian of Forever. Time ripples are threatening to tear apart the research station in orbit above the Guardian. The source of the trouble appears to be in the late 90s during the aftermath of World War III and the Eugenics War. 

Kirk and Spock enter the Guardian in hopes of fixing the time ripples. But instead of arriving in an area of utter devastation, the Federation officers find themselves in the middle of a bustling suburban business center. 

Almost instantly, the duo are rendered unconscious by an unknown force. When they recover, they find themselves facing an old ally- Gary Seven. Only this time traveler has no knowledge of Kirk, Spock or the Federation of Planets. That's because this is a Gary Seven from an alternate earth!

The last issue of John Byrne's labor of love. On paper, it appeared that this issue was going to be a home run! It's got the Guardian of Forever, Gary Seven and time travel; a trio of fan favorite Trek plot devices! And yet, the X-Men and Superman legend barely manages to get to second base with this story. 

Overall, New Visions #22 is a confusing mishmash of alternate timelines that aren't really explained that in-depth. Kirk and Spock go to an alternate earth that never experienced the devastating effects of the third World War. Several crew members travel through the Guardian to rescue Kirk and Spock when contact with them is cut off. But those characters end up in the right time line. It's never explained why the Guardian did this.

Then there's the villains behind this caper. Their inspiration for attempting to destroy time is also never really explained. It's almost like Byrne had so much that he wanted to put into this story but ran out of book in which to do it!

Lastly, there's that Trump reference. I was really disappointed in it. I thought John Bryne was classy enough to not stoop that low. I was wrong. That knock on POTUS #44 took away from the fantastic whimsy of the Star Trek Universe and instead made it real. It also capped a forgettable story that closed out otherwise an unforgettable series that I looked forward to on a regular basis. 

A major disappointment.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Family Comic Friday

Recovering from illness! Family Comic Friday will be back next week! See you then!

Captain Marvel (2019)

I finally saw Marvel's take on a superhero named Captain Marvel. Before you criticize that I deliberately didn't see the movie in some sort of protest to in order to hurt ticket sales, let me remind you that with just about every movie I go to see, I do so with my god son. So between both our work schedules, it just happened to work out that we could both go when we did.

I haven't gotten into the controversy surrounding this movie. When I was growing up, Marvel's Captain Marvel was a black woman named Monica Rambeau. Carol Danvers was either Ms. Marvel, a cosmic powered entity called Binary or for a while, without powers thanks to the X-Men Rogue. The House of Ideas has been trying to make the Carol Danvers Captain Marvel their flagship character for the past several years. And while I think Marvel would have hit a home run berthing Rambeau with the moniker again, I've been okay with the move.

What I haven't been okay with is the trolling. It's not just white males upset that a woman is getting her own movie. The stars and producers of this film have been trolling just as much too. The fighting on social media has turned politica,l in a sort of misogynist vs feminism kind of battle, much like what was going on the 70s with the thwarted attempt to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. And it's really tiring...

Oddly enough, people seemed more open in the 1980s to a black, female Captain Marvel than to a white female Captain Marvel today. Our world has become a toxic environment of a war of words in which the battleground is all platforms of social media. Besides, I am more concerned about Marvel and Disney's fudging of sales numbers than what version of superhero is on the screen. 

I've been investigating for the past year of so on this blog and sister website Outrightgeekery, both company's manipulation of sales numbers for both comic books and films. As of press time for this review, some allegations of Disney and Marvel lying about packed movie theaters and fake mass ticket purchases of Captain Marvel have come to light on other websites. It appears that some theaters were having entire showings purchased as a sell out but nobody actually showed when it was showtime. 

If this happened once or twice, I could see it as maybe somebody wrote the date and time wrong and an entire company outing was ruined. But this sort of thing is supposedly happening nationwide in multiple cities. I'm really hoping that Disney and Marvel didn't pull some sort of pyramid scheme in which to make Captain Marvel a success in some sort of play to make right-wing trolls look stupid. The comic book industry is too fragile right now for some sort of scandal such as this. You can be sure that I will be looking into this further when week 2's numbers drop next Sunday.

Now for the review of the film...

Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson (Kong: Skull Island) in the title role. Her character begins the film as a member of the Kree Special Forces. Larson's character is referred to as Vers, with no idea who she really is- just fractured memories. During a mission to infiltration a Skrull enclave, Vers is taken aboard their ship and interrogated. 

Findings from Vers' memory lead the Skrull to Earth. Vers manages to disable the ship but not before she is marooned on the third rock from the sun. Looking for a way to make contact with the Kree, Vers makes an unlikely ally in SHIELD agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Together, they must uncover the Skrulls hiding in plain site as they are a race of shape shifters, while finding a way to get Vers back home. Or is she already there?

That's all of a synopsis of Captain Marvel you are going to get. The movie is a prequel to every MCU movie (with exception of Captain America: The First Avenger). Over a decade of films have left a slew of dangling plot-lines and unanswered questions of which Captain Marvel does a decent job of answering most. 

Captain Marvel is one-part cosmic odyssey and one-part espionage caper. I've always been more of a fan of Marvel's cat-and-mouse spy stuff over their intergalactic fare. So for me, the best parts involved Nick Fury and Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson, both looking quite young to some CGI magic. 

The movie run just over 2 hours long of which I felt was about 15 minutes too long. Marvel Studios clearly has done some updating of their special effects, after some really poor showings in scenes of Black Panther and Ant Man And The Wasp. However, some fight scenes got repetitive, especially towards the end. That third act just seemed to go on forever and ever and ever.

Captain Marvel was blasted for having a anti-male SJW tone. And while this is a film with a strong female lead, it's not man-hating as some feared. In fact, I feel that some web sites are trying to find hidden messages to claim the film was more feminist that it really was. I refuse to believe that Vers' destruction of a poster for the 90s film True Lies was an attack on a 'racist and misogynist action flick' and more of an answer to director James Cameron's repeated hatred of comic book movies.

If Marvel hadn't decided to fight dirty back at the trolls by fighting dirty, this film wouldn't be so controversial. I also think Marvel/Disney got scared that the trolls would scare away viewers as signs of superhero movie fatigue made the last Ant-Man movie be the first 'bomb' from Marvel Studios.

I still believe that Disney and Marvel are doing something shady with their ticket numbers. The theater I went to confirmed that literally every showing from Friday-Monday were less than half full. Yesterday's 7pm showing had 12 people! Only the Thursday midnight premiere was a sell-out; though only 2/3 of ticket holders actually filled the seats. True, it was midnight on a workday. So, we'll see with the week 2 ticket sales if Captain Marvel was truly a hit or miss.

With Supergirl, Catwoman and Wonder Woman all having beat Captain Marvel as the first female superhero films, I don't think the cultural impact of this picture was as huge as that of Black Panther. While the debate is still unsettled as to whether superhero fatigue has truly set in at the box office, Captain Marvel proved one thing: it's time for a Nick Fury movie!

Yes, Brie Larson is the star of this movie and she does a great job Yet, I was more interested in SHIELD. Both Jackson and Gregg were fun to watch as SHIELD agents in their heyday. However, the actors who stole the movie went by only one name- Reggie, Archie, Rizzo and Gonzo: the four feline actors who played the role of Goose the cat!  What can I say? I'm a cat person. Plus, I kinda want to see a movie starting him and some of the other famous animals in Marvel Comics history!

Captain Marvel was good. Better than I expected and not a preachy as some claimed it would be. From now on if you want to see films about superheroes or comic books, do yourself a favor- stay away from social media. And if you can't do that, then unsubscribe to those media outlets that are liking to fan the flames of dissent and cause fanboys to go for the jugular. It will make your movie going experiences that much more enjoyable if you do!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Batman: As The Crow Flies

One of L'il Gotham's Dustin Nguyen's first takes at the Batman Family. 

The Scarecrow makes a play for the Penguin's piece of the pie that is Gotham City. A number of bodies are turning up and it appears to be at the hands of a powerful new drug created by Jonathan Crane. Now Oswald Cobblepot and the Dark Knight are on the hunt for Scarecrow. One will bring the madman to justice. The other will take the fiend to hell! It all depends on who gets to Crane first!

This was a very good story by Judd Winick (Pedro and Me). There's a great twist character in the end. Plus, all of the characters were executed beautifully. But I need to talk about that cover...

It's awful. Check that- it's MOSTLY awful. Matt Wagner's Batman is done in a classic 1930s way that I love. But that has got to be the worst renderings of the Scarecrow I have ever seen this side of a Kelley Jones Batman: Gotham After Midnight. 

A good book with not so great covers. I'm counting the individual issues in this volume as well. Nguyen's sketchbook is awesome and worth a good portion of the cover price of $12.95. Though with this book being 15 years old, you can probably find it used for a very nice price.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Rai, Volume 1: Welcome to New Japan

Set in the year 4001, Rai was an interesting mix of sci-fi futurism, ancient Japanese lore and all the twists and turns expected by from Valiant Entertainment. 

There's a character known as Bloodshot and this book's title character is somehow tied in. One might think that you need to have a prior knowledge of Bloodshot in order to enjoy this book. But in all honesty, the opposite is true. The less you know or think you know, the better.

The crux of this story is that Obadiah Konishi, the latest Rai of New Japan, has a crisis of faith which causes him to revolt against the megalopolis' ruler, 'Father.' As Rai goes rogue, Father will try to bring his 'son' back under to control. However, like with most teens, the more the parent rallies his child back into the family, the most Rai will run into the arms of New Japan's rebel insurgency!

As I was reading this book, I went from confusion, trying to figure out the connection between this character and Bloodshot. Then I just went with it and enjoyed it. But coming back a day or so later to review this book, I feel that if given the chance to read volume 2, I would pass. 

It just wasn't that memorable a journey for me. I found myself going back trying to remember the plot of the story. A good rule of thumb is this- 'if you can't recall events from the book you just read, it's not that great of a book.' For a book by someone as good and talented as Matt Kindt (MGMT), this was quite disappointing.

Also looking back, the art really isn't my thing. Ghost Rider's Clayton Crain has a painted anime-style. Though in all likelihood, the art was done by some sort of computer program. Compared to Alex Ross who paints his own work with oils and brush, it's just not as impressive. 

I normally don't do this but I am going to give this one bad marks. Rai just is not all that memorable. The art is better than I can do, surely. But compared to masters like Kirby, Allred or Adams, it is far lacking. I love a lot than Valiant has been putting out in it's rebooted universe. But Rai isn't one of those highlights.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

ROM #23

Continuing from Power Man and Iron Fist #73, ROM the Spaceknight has followed a Dire Wraith into the Baxter Building. Now, ROM is convinced that one of the first family of Marvel is secretly one of his most deadly foes in disguised. Knowing that the fortress of the Fantastic Four is heavily guarded by the top security systems in existence, the Heroes For Hire decide to assist ROM in his quest. It helps that Luke Cage still has a security access card from his days as a security consultant and back-up to The Thing when he was stuck as Ben Grimm. 

Bill Mantlo takes over for Jo Duffy on this issue as the writer with Sal Buscema on art. Al Milgrom did the cover and I was a bit nonplussed with his offering compared to what Frank Miller did on the Power Man/Iron Fist opener. 

This issue was quite funny. Very exciting. And proof that despite the fact that I probably don't have very many companion issues to the ROM series from Marvel, it's worth finally reading!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Power Man and Iron Fist #73

In the opening half of a two-part crossover, the Heroes for Hire are tasked to investigate the murder of a woman whom ROM the Spaceknight identifies as a Dire Wraith hiding as a human. 

Akira's Jo Duffy pens an exciting first act that features cameos from a bunch of Marvel characters including the Fantastic Four. I don't own this issue. I was fortunate to have a buddy who had a PDF of this issue. I do have the companion issue, ROM #23. 

I have the entire run of ROM. I am looking forward getting to read it one day. But I have a feeling that with the number of crossovers in this series, a lot of the story is going to be missing in the regular series of the characters ROM encounters. Plus, since Marvel doesn't own the rights to ROM anymore, I have a feeling that some sort of complete omnibus of ROM stories from the House of Ideas will never happen.

Featuring an amazing cover by Frank Miller. Greg LaRocque (Moon Knight) does the interiors. He does a great job, but it would have been epic to have the Daredevil artist doing the artwork of the entire story and not just that psychedelic cover!

Lots of fun done in the mighty Marvel way of the 80s. Some of EIC Jim Shooter's best!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

ICYMI #2- A Family Comic Friday Extra!

UPDATE: Since the publication of this review, Peter Simeti, the founder and publisher of Alterna Comics was kind enough to inform me that ICYMI aims to reprint all 3 issues of Adam Wreck. Issue #2 will be reprinted in ICYMI #3 and the final chapter will run in ICYMI #4. Because each issue of Mr. Crypt is a stand alone issue, without a cliffhanger, only the first issue of that miniseries was reprinted. I misunderstood that only first issues were being reprinted.


I have corrected the mistaken information about the first issues only. I have also altered my rating score for the book HIGHER. However, my stance on ending cliffhangers in comics geared for kids and teens is unwavering and will not be removed from this review. Nor will my suggestion that Alterna publish all chapters of it's reprint series simultaneously. It is my opinion that in order to keep the next generation of readers reading comics, you can no longer expect them to wait lengthy periods for the second act.


Sometimes I just have so many all-ages books to share that I can’t contain it one review! For this Family Comic Friday Extra, I’ll be introducing you to ICMYI- the second run sampler of family fun titles from Alterna Comics!

ICMYI #2
Written and Illustrated by Michael S. Bracco
Published by Alterna Comics
Retail: $0.99

ICMYI (In Case You Missed It) is a new sampler title from Alterna Comics. Since 2006, the New England based publisher has released dozens of all-ages titles. But it’s really been in the past 2 years that the company has started to go from obscure indy publisher to comic book force to be reckoned with. That means that quite a few all-ages works have come and gone without much notice.

I’m really excited by this clever bit of marketing. The first issue reprinted the premier issue of Mr. Crypt, a title I’ve already done some reviewing of in the past. So I waited until issue #2 for a new-to-me title in which to share ICYMI with you.

Issue #2 reprints the first chapter of the 3 issue sci-fi adventure series Adam Wreck.
Adam is a youngster who has spent the past few years in outer space with his scientist parents. Being the only kid in the dark void of the unknown has been a boring and lonely way of life. But that’s all about to change when space pirates attack Adam’s ship.
Adam’s parents manage to get him to the sole escape pod before becoming captives of the pirates. With his vessel damaged upon landing, Adam must find a way off this new planet in order to find his parents. But first, Adam must survive the dangers lurking in every corner before he can formulate a rescue!

Adam Wreck was an exciting mix of Star Wars, Lost In Space and Indiana Jones. The artwork was a little bit rough for my taste. But the opening chapter was quite exciting. I loved the muted palette of colors comprised primarily of aqua blue, gray and orange used by Michael S. Bracco. And the price of only $.99 cents is always right to a bargain hunter such as myself.

When I was a kid, if a book ended with ‘to be continued’, I was immediately turned off because who knew when I was ever going to get back to the comic book store to get the next issue. My small town didn’t have an LCS and it was an almost 45-minute drive to the nearest one. So regular weekly trips wasn’t in the cards.

That’s the same with kids today. Families are so busy with school, after-school sports, music lessons, tutoring, and such that it’s not easy for kids to get regular trips to the comic book shop. I’ve argued and will continue to argue for publishers to eliminate cliffhangers in their comics aimed at kids. Especially, if the industry is to truly survive for the next generation, something needs to be done to not put off young readers with multipart stories. Plus, in a world where consumers can get the entire series of a show now on Netflix, to expect kids to wait 30 or 60 days for part 2 is an outdated way of thinking.

Alterna does have issues 2 and 3 of Adam Wreck available in a PDF digital format on it’s online store. Plus, kids can buy all 3 issues of Adam Wreck, autographed by the creator.

Don’t get me wrong- I think what Alterna Comics is doing to reintroduce it’s older family-friendly books back is brilliant. I just think that something needs to be done to provide kids with the entire story. Maybe for a book longer than 3 issues, Alterna could release simultaneously an ICYMI #2.1 and an issue #2.2 so that kids can purchase the entire story during one trip to the comic book store. Above all else, if Alterna is going to continue with just releasing the first issue, the publisher needs to make sure that print and not just digital copies of the rest of the series are readily available for sale at their online store.

ICYMI is a great idea that needs a little fine tuning in order to retain loyal comic book readers into the next generation. Alterna has an awesome library of titles and I look forward to seeing what’s in store for the future. I just hope I, along with other readers, young and old, will get a chance to get the entire story without much difficulty or wait.

ICYMI #2 debuts in store March 13th, 2019. All three issues of Adam Wreck are currently for sale in both print and digital formats at the Alterna official online store on Etsy.

For more Family Comic Friday and other reviews, check out my blog: Madman with a Book!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Comics #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Every once in a while Family Comic Friday comes across a book that looks like it would be great for all ages but really isn't. That's why this weekly column was created- to help parents and guardians be able to make a more informed choice about the comics their children read. So without further to do, let us take a look at the Marvel Comics one-shot Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Comics #1.

Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Comics #1
Written by Frank Tieri and John Cerilli
Art by Jacob Chabot
Published by Marvel Comics
Retail: $3.99

2019 marks the 80th anniversary of Marvel. As part of a year-long celebration, the publisher is issuing a number of one-shots based on lesser known titles from the past 8 decades. Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Comics was a comedic funny animal title from the Second World War. Created by future MAD Magazine legend, Al Jaffee, the book followed the misadventures of a pig and seal pair of pals. Ziggy was street smart and eager to make a quick buck. Silly was kinda a doofus, blindly following his friend into trouble.

In this story, set in the modern day, the duo have parted ways. Silly has struck it rich on his own with a beautiful wife and a multimedia empire. But Ziggy has fallen on hard times as his poor attitude has turned off what few friends and fans he had. That all seems about to change when Fantastic Four foe Doctor Doom invites the pair to Latveria to perform a private comedy show in the despot's honor.

Upon reuniting with his former partner, Ziggy learns that he is still in Silly Seal’s will. Thus begins a plot in which Ziggy will make Silly run afoul of Doom and help the swine to cash in with the inheritance!

Let's first talk about the quality of the story and art. There were several laugh out loud moments. I loved the obscure Easter eggs throughout the book. Frank Tieri (Gotham Underground) and John Cerilli (Deadpool) created a story that was funny and for once not fraught with thinly veiled political attacks.

Marvel still manages to get political with it's Stan’s Soapbox tribute to Stan Lee. But it seems that the House of Ideas is trying to curb it's very leftist barbs that have alienated a lot of fans and contributed to the resulting near collapse of the comics industry, within the story itself. Kids need a chance to be kids. There's too much stress in the real world and entertainment, especially for children, needs to be a place for escape. Educating children through entertainment is acceptable. But youngsters don't need to be stressed out with such ‘deep thinking’ issues as the Russian ties of the Trump Administration or the horrors of sexual assault in regards to the me too movement; both causes Marvel has relished in making the focus of many of it's titles

I actually got to have some mindless fun with this book. A large part of that was thanks to artist Jacob Chabot. The Hello Kitty artist’s artwork was also very good. It's got a cartoony style that still manages to fit within the Marvel Universe. I've not seen Doom's Doombots look so resplendent in a long time. And again, those Easter eggs to characters thought long lost. But it's those hidden objects that might have given this one-shot the rating it got.

While Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal looks like something kids would enjoy, the comic bears a parental advisory on the cover. It's a rating that I am not sure is warranted. Ziggy does try to kill Silly. But I've seen Tom and Jerry do far worse than what the piggy does here. There's a few ‘hells’. But nothing worse than that in terms of language. A character does swear but it's represented with pound signs and punctuation marks. I don't know of a Sunday funnies strip that doesn't do the same and they're considered fine for general audiences. So why is this book not rated for younger readers?

I think the main reason for the advisory is the fact that the book is deceptively naughty. The book would be more appropriately rated for teens. But because the characters are cute looking animals, I think Marvel wants to avoid a controversy with parents, so they slapped the parental advisory on the cover.

In all honesty, erring on the side of discretion was probably a smart thing. Ziggy's room is littered with empty beer bottles and cigarette butts. Speaking of heinies, there is a naked butt. Just the rear end- no body is attached. But the most suggestive part of this book has Ziggy taking a pretty gal up to his apartment to meet Silly Seal in return for implied ‘favors.’

Plus, the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool, makes an appearance in the story. It's a comic book rule of thumb that anything with Deadpool is considered appropriate for older audiences only! If you live a household with a wide range of ages, this is the type of book your eldest would want to read. But little bro or sis is gonna to want to read it too!

I know this sort of thing quite well. I'm 12 years older than my sister. And while I had to sit through my share of Barney and Winnie the Pooh, my mom tried to balance things out by letting me watch stuff my age like Speed or Terminator. Naturally, my sister wanted to be grown up like her big brother. And thus a 4-year-old learned some interesting ways to use the F-word.

Of all the books I've ever reviewed for Family Comic Friday, this one bears the greatest need of parental discretion. If Deadpool is a staple in your household, you've got nothing to worry about as this is way tamer than anything starring Wade Wilson. Ziggy and Silly is an enjoyable book. It's just not the kind of thing for all-ages. I think it's a special that is worth consuming. But whether it should be considered by your household is a not up for me to decide. That's Question that must be answered by the parents and guardians.

Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal Comics #1 debuted in print and digital mediums on March 6th, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold

Collecting the six-issue miniseries from 1999-2000, this volume recounts the long and complicated friendship between the Barry Allen Flash and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern.

This is a friendship that on paper shouldn't really be. Barry is a nerd, nebbish and sorta a prude. Plus he's a family man, married to Iris West and surrogate father to Wally. Hal is a playboy, a loner, a rebel. He's devoted to Carol Ferris but he plays the field quite a bit. The closet he has to a family is a pair of brothers that he only sees maybe for Thanksgiving and Christmas if lucky.

Clearly this friendship is proof that opposites attract. 

This book is beautifully illustrated by A.D. 2000's Barry Kitson and Tom Grindberg. It's topped off by the epic storytelling of Mark Waid (Daredevil) and Tom Peyer (Batman '66). 

Just as with the history of these two characters, there's highs and lows. I thought the entire book was great. But I hated seeing how both characters were affected by loss and tragedy. Both Hal and Barry have gone through some really crappy stuff in their nearly 70 some years of existence. 

The best chapter has Barry and Hal going on an intergalactic camping trip with their Earth-2 predecessors Jay Garrick and Alan Scott. It's very funny seeing the generation gap between Jordan and Scott and how much Barry and Jay are like mirror images of each other.

A great book that is a must for any fan of the Silver Age Flash and Green Lantern! But be sure to read with tissues nearby.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man/Deadpool, Volume 1: Isn't It Bromantic

Deadpool just can't take it anymore! He's got a fanboy crush on Spider-Man and he really wants the two to be best buds! Unfortunately, the Merc with a Mouth just accepted a job to assassinate Spider-Man's employer, Peter Parker, CEO and founder of Parker Industries.

While trying to collect dirt on Parker in hopes of justifying the kill, Deadpool tries to impress upon Spidey that he's deep down a really good guy. So much so that the two heroes in full body suits should hang out! Along the way, the duo will take down a pair of baddies in Bolivia with the help of the Mercs For Money. Then they'll go on a double date with a certain Thunder god (or when it's Jane Foster, is it goddess!) It's a bunch of crazy shenanigans culminating in -Nope, sorry! You'll just have to read it to find out what happens next.

Overall, very funny. Crude and crass but good for a laugh. However, these issues were published at the height of Axel Alonso's reign of terror as the EIC of Marvel. Thus, this book is peppered with jokes intended to stick it to neo-nazis and Trump supporters but instead is pretty racist/offensive against those who are A)white B)male and C)American. 

I understand that Americans, whites and males (in multiple combinations) have done some pretty disgusting things in the course of human history. But as Thor wisely says in this book, 'I will not apologize for sins committed eons ago by those who came before." And I'm not going to do so in this review. Unfortunately, Marvel in the past 2-3 years hasn't been able to live up to this standard of guiltless living established by writer Joe Kelly. 

(Besides, with the number of homophobic jokes in this book, it's really the gay community who should have any issues against this book. Yet they have been oddly quiet about this series...)

Since I am not paying money for these volumes of Spider-Man/Deadpool and instead getting them at my local library, I'm going to continue reading. The Regeneratin' Degenerate has always been good for a laugh. And I'm a big fan of the wall-crawler. So, like with Spider-Man 3, I'll suffer through the good with the bad.

Worth Consuming! (But almost just barely!!!)

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.