DC Comics Presents" Blackhawk, Volume 1

Andre. Olaf. Chop-Chop. Chuck. Hendrickson. Blackhawk. Together, these seven men fight to protect right and stop evildoers all across the globe. Prior in World War II, the Blackhawks fought the Nazis and Imperial Japan. After the war, they continued their campaign, only this time against giant robots, aliens from outer space and escaped Nazi War criminals. 

This volume of DC Comics Presents covers issues of Blackhawk #108-127; the first 20 issues after DC obtained the rights of the property from defunct Quality Comics. I didn't know that DC did any anti-Communism stories during the 1950s. After the Comic Book scare, DC Comics tended to shy away from such overly controversial subjects. But in the first 5-6 issues, it seems like every villain the Blackhawks faced was part of the 'Communist scourge'. But that plot-line soon softened to having the Blackhawks mostly take on costumed villains. Though now a part of the Atomic Age 1950s, the team did have it's WWII throwbacks, mostly in fighting foes who wish to establish the Fourth Reich.

This version of the Blackhawks was clearly a product of it's time period; mostly with the troubling inclusion of Chop-Chop. Unlike Will Eisner's The Spirit, Blackhawk did not boast a racial caricature of an African American, But they did have an character who started out as a racial stereotype of the uneducated Asian houseboy in Chop-Chop. 

By 1955 when DC Comics took over the property, Chop-Chop looked less embellished. But he still spoke in a broken English filled with fortune cookie platitudes. (To be fair, the Swedish, French and German characters also spoke in stereotype.) Plus, he always rode in the back of Blackhawk's plane like a puppy on a ride with his owner. However, as this volume progresses, you start to notice that Chop-Chop is permitted to fly the plane on errands and becomes a martial arts wunderkind who gets the team out of their fair share of scrapes.

I appreciated that DC Comics decided to release this book unedited. In a disclaimer at the beginning of this volume, the publishers admit that Blackhawk had it's racist elements but felt that for historical merit those elements should be included. I think it doesn't glamorize racism. Instead, it shows how far we've come. With the recent cancellation of a pre-Batman Detective Comics omnibus, it's too bad that in only 11 short years, DC no longer feels worthy to share it's mistakes for the next generation of readers.

Lastly, let's talk about the forgotten Blackhawk. Earlier, I named 6 of the Blackhawks team. Yet, there are 7 of them. However, it might as well only have been 6! In most origin accounts, the Polish Stanislaus is the first to join Blackhawk's team and considered the team leader's most valued officer. Yet, in this book, I don't think I would be lying if I said that he only speaks in maybe 8 of the 60 stories reprinted here. 

Of all the Blackhawks of foreign heritage, Stan is the only one who doesn't speak with an exaggerated accent or mannerisms. Considering how Polish people have had a reputation as being the butt of many a bar room joke, Stanislaus is nobody's fool. But he's the least used team member. Possibly having 7 characters is just too many to given a proper attention to. Yet all the other teammates have at least one story in which they are the star in this collection. Stanislaus it seems is forever the bride maid.

An interesting look at DC's team of super soldiers from the 50s. It's very much a product of it's time period. The covers are great but the story's tend to fall flat with absurd endings. Plus, for a group having a secret island base, most of the criminal element of the world seem able to stumble across it. 

I enjoyed reading this edition, but I don't feel compelled to revisit the Blackhawks of time again. I would love to get my hands on their adventures in the late 60s when they became costume secret agents. But I think I've had enough of them from a time period fraught with racial ignorance.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

True Believers: Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 (Family Comic Friday)

After a brief vacation, Family Comic Friday has returned and we brought with us a classic kids comic book from the 80s that you can buy a copy of for just a dollar! Welcome back to print the adventures of Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-ham!

True Believers: Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1
Writer: Tom Defalco, Steve Mellor
Artist: Steve Mellor, Mark Armstrong
Publisher: Marvel Comics
SRP: $1.00

Way back in 1983, writer Tom Defalco along with G.I. Joe's Larry Hama and Mark Armstrong showed the world what would happen if Spider-Man was made of bacon!

Though his origin doesn't appear in this comic book, let's dive into how Spider-Ham came to be    In a world not quite similar to our own, Earth-1183 to be exact, a friendly little spider named Peter was bitten by a radioactive pig. As a result, Peter mutated into a swine but still maintained his arachnid abilities.

Adopting the last name of Porker, Peter became a photographer for the Daily Beagle. But now inspired by the superheroes that he photographs on a daily basis, Peter also wears a blue and red suit, masquerading as the Spectacular Spider-Ham.

With the recent release of Into The Spiderverse and next week's debut of Far From Home, Marvel is upping its distribution of anything Spiderverse related. Thus fans young and old can relive the very first appearance of Spider-Ham in this True Believers edition reprint for the price of one portrait of George Washington!

In this issue, Peter is sent to photograph a disturbance at a brand new video game arcade. Someone is sabotaging the games and when the mysterious villain causes game developer Dr. Bruce Bunny to become irradiated by his new gamma Ray game, Earth-1183 will become the new home of the Incredible Hulk Bunny!

I may have my issues with Marvel Comics. But when it comes to re-releasing classic all-ages material for the next generation of comic book fans, I can fault no wrongs! I only wish that this book was released as a facsimile edition. I really think that young readers and their parents would get a kick out of seeing all the old ads for Return of the Jedi, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and games for the Atari video game system.

I love Spider-Ham. It was one of a handful of titles that I subscribed to monthly as a child. Back then, when you subscribed to a book it came to you in the mail. The owner of your favorite LCS didn't hold it for you like they do today. I looked forward to a monthly trip to the mailbox to see what new parodies were dreamed up. From Ducktor Doom to Deerdevil, each issue was a creative delight to read.

If the young readers in your life become huge fans of Spider-Ham and want to read more, then rush back to your comic book store and pick up Peter Porker The Spectacular Spider-Ham Complete Collection Vol 1 TPB. This book collects the entire 17 issue run of Spider-Ham. This issue is also reprinted. But with a nearly $40 cover price for the collected edition, it makes sense to test the Spider-Ham waters with this more affordable release first.

True Believers: Marvel Tails is being re-released as all-ages. This actually surprises me. When the book was first published, Peter's boss, J. Jonah Jackal is depicted smoking a cigar. Also, some of the villains Spider-Ham first encounter are drawn smoking cigarettes and stealing cigarette lighters. There's been a huge effort to eliminate smoking from old cartoons. Since I re-read my 1983 back issue, I'm not sure if the reprints have edited the smoking parts or not. So if smoking is a taboo thing for your younglings to encounter, discretion is advised.

True Believers: Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 and Peter Porker The Spectacular Spider-Ham Complete Collection Vol 1 TPB debuted in print and digital formats on June 26, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Fox's run on the X-Men movies comes to a close with Dark Phoenix. With some small adjustments, this movie was one of the more faithful-to-the-comics adaptations. However, this was also one of the most boring films I ever sat through.

If you are familiar with Chris Claremont's 'Dark Phoenix Saga', then you have a pretty good idea about the plot. Always troubled by her immense mutant abilities, Jean Grey (Game of Thrones' Spohie Turner) gets possessed by a cosmic force during a rescue mission in space. The entity causes what little command Jean had on her telekinesis to spiral out of control, resulting in a body count. 

It's revealed that Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) had kept a number of secrets from Jean as to how she became a pupil at his School for Gifted Youngsters, mostly through mental barriers established. When the truth comes out, Jean seeks both revenge and answers. Enter the mysterious Jessica Chastain (The Help) who plays an alien with ties to Jean's 'Phoenix force' powers, along with promises to those questions. Now Jean is stuck between the forces of good and evil with control of her new powers with the fragile truce between humans and mutants forged since the previous film hanging in the balance.

I know that I am going to upset a bunch of X-Men fans by saying this; but I really don't like Jean Grey that much. Yes, the 'Dark Phoenix Saga' is awesome, but it's really all of the other characters who make that story so good. It just seems to me that Jean Grey always loses control, dies and then comes back, spending all of her time trying to make amends before going insane with the Phoenix Force yet again.

Then there's the fact that we already had this storyline in 2006's The Last Stand. I didn't feel like I needed to see this plot again so soon, if at all. But I promised my god son we'd go see it. I wish we went to the new Men In Black movie instead...

I thought that the make-up and special effects were quite good. So were the fight scenes. But Dark Phoenix is a movie that is heavy of melodrama and very light on action. I truly think this is the case why the movie had such a steep drop-off at the box office from the first and second weeks. Very few people clamor to see Schindler's List again after first viewing. But they'll jump right back in line for a movie with amazing action and adventure scenes. 

Let's also face the biggest problem with the entire X-Men franchise: the timeline. Everything is just so mixed up. For one thing, this movie occurs in 1992, meaning that in 8 years, Michael Fassbender, who plays Magento, is supposed to look like Ian McClellan and Xavier will turn into Captain Picard! I still cannot figure out how Wolverine ended up back in the Weapon X project after being rescued by Mystique...

One thing is certain, the X-Men are better as a TV show than a movie. X-Men: The Animated Series proved this. There's so many plot threads, that with progression jumping 3-5 years into the future in each chapter, 2-3 hours is no enough time to catch up on all the missing parts. 

This still isn't the worst Marvel movie I've ever seen in theaters (Thor: Dark World wins that distinction). But this also wasn't a necessary film either. I know Fox wanted to milk that cash cow one more time. But with how money hungry Disney is, I am afraid that all Dark Phoenix did was push back an sort of reconciliation of Marvel's mutants with the rest of he MCU back for years to come!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Dark Nights: Metal: The Resistance

In general, when a publisher has a major crossover event, the tie-in issues offer very little to the completion of the story. That's not the case here. In fact, after reading these tie-ins from Teen Titans, Nightwing, Suicide Squad, Green Arrow, Justice League of America, The Flash and Green Lantern Corps, I actually understand the wildly popular Dark Nights: Metal even more!

From just reading Dark Nights: Metal only, I didn't understand how the evil Batmen had managed to capture so many heroes and villains. I also didn't understand Dick Grayson's supposed draw to the mysterious metals. Those elements are cleared up thanks to these issues. Plus, if you are a fan of Harley Quinn, she's done to perfection here!

This volume was a great teaming of the talents of Joshua Williamson, Jeff Lemire, Ethan Van Sciver, Liam Sharp and Tyler Kirkham. I am a big fan of their work on their individual titles. It's Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns and Bendis who are getting the chance to create the all-encompassing stories. But I would like the earlier group, who worked on this volume, to get a chance to tackle a multi-title crossover event. I think that they'd be amazing at it. This collection is proof they've got the chops!

One tends to over look the tie-in issues in a company wide event. That would be the wrong way to go with this awesome volume!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #23

The Mystery Inc. gang take a road trip to Gopher Gulch. But instead of a thriving small town in the middle of the American West, the detectives find a ghost town! That is, except for it's sheriff, Quick Draw McGraw!

It turns out that the town is actually being haunted by a ghost and it scared all of the residents away. Desperate to catch the varmint, Quick Draw and the Scooby join forces to get to the bottom of this mystery. 

And if they can't get the job done, then McDraw's alter ego (and cheap Zorro imitator) El Kabong might. But don't count on it. 

This issue was entertaining. But it doesn't rank among the best of the Hanna-Barbera pairings in this series. Sholly Fisch falls into some of the traps that almost put me off this series when it first began. The jokes were stale. Plot was a little bit on the predictable side. But at least he artwork was very good. 

Looney Tunes' Mitch Jeralds captures all of the characters very, very well. At least he doesn't use Photoshop in order to make shortcuts with he background and all. That was a big no-no that other Team-Up artist, Dario Brizuela is often guilty of. 

A fun read. Just not one of my favorites in this series.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Family Comic Friday for June 21, 2019

I'm on Vacation!

Family Comic Friday will return next week!

See you then!

Giraffes on Horseback Salad

I love bizarre things. The weirder, the better. If it's surreal, it's my cup of tea. But I have to say that this graphic novel has got to be the most unusual thing I happen to have ever seen, no read, in my entire life!

Giraffes on Horseback Salad is a forgotten (and never used) Marx Brothers script written by Salvador Dali! One part movie. One part history exhibit. It's a forgotten part of Hollywood History. 

Created on the cusp of the Second World War, Dali was finding ways to understand the chaos that was engulfing his naive Spain and beloved ports of call along Eastern Europe. In this story, Harpo Marx plays Jimmy, a Spanish expat, whom is considered a business genius. Unhappy in love, Jimmy comes across the Surrealist Woman and finds a kindred spirit. Now in love, Jimmy wins the heart of the lady. But his old girlfriend sees the Surrealist Woman's presence as an act of war. Now the forces of order must duke it out with the devotees of the unusual and dreamlike with all of reality hanging in the balance.

This project was a true labor of love from a group of Marx Brothers fans. Those who love the antics of Chico, Harpo and Groucho might be the only ones who enjoy this book. Well and those that love Dali. I happen to be in both camps. But my God, I had some real issues with this book. 

For the most part, I tried to be impartial as best I could. Dali was no Hollywood screenwriter. Besides, history proves that Dali's attempts to bring his artistic visions to the silver screen were met with less than stellar results. Giraffes on Horseback Salad was based on a rough, and I mean ROUGH, draft. In 1937, Dali submitted his proposal to the Marx Brothers and MGM Studios. Only Harpo appreciated. So for over 80s years, this project languished in archives and legend. But there was one thing I just couldn't overlook...

Harpo speaks!!!

I sat in on a interview with G.I. Joe's Larry Hama. He recalled that when studios were working on the first Joe film, Hama had only one stipulation. Producers could do anything they wanted with Hama's creation of Snake-Eyes as long as he didn't talk. Well, I feel the same way about Harpo Marx.

Harpo has always been a sort of pantomime clown. In the numerous films, skits and other appearances, the only way Harpo would or could communicate was with a squeak horn. Yet, in this book/movie, Harpo's character of Jimmy extremely verbose and it just doesn't seem right. In Mel Brooks' Silent Movie the only character that speaks at the very end is the renowned French Marcel Marceau with a witty 'That's All Folks!' Giraffes on Horseback Salad being a surrealist comedy, if Dali had Harpo talk at the very end, I'd be okay with it. Alas, that does not happen.

Giraffes on Horseback Salad was full of informative back story. The artwork was straight out of a Salvador Dali sketchbook. And some of the jokes were vintage Marx Brothers. But as a complete read, this book was quiet uneven. If you feel lead to give this a read, be sure to keep in mind just what you are in store for- utter madness from two masters of the surreal.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Scooby-Doo, Volume 6: Space Fright

A wonderful collection of Scooby-Doo comics from DC Comcs and Cartoon Network. I must have an affinity for digests because I truly think that if I had found this as a trade, I probably would have passed it up. But you shrink any comic book down to a 4x4 (or so) size and I am all about making it a part of my collection. I think it has something to do with those amazing DC and Archie digest that were an integral part of my childhood. Not to mention an affordable way to own a bunch of stories!

In this collection, the Mystery Inc. gang investigate alien abductions, the Men in Black, a swamp monster, a mer-creature and a messy tar creature! 

The artwork by Joe Staton and Andrew Pepoy was perfect! The gang never looked better. And those monsters! Hanna-Barbera always knocked it out of the park with the menacing look of those baddies on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? Both artists do phenomenal jobs on the villains in this book- especially all that was done on that mer-creature! Beautiful- in a creepy sort of way!

While this Scooby series ran from 1997-2010, finding much from it is hard to find. As usual, kids comics didn't really survive their readers.T hese things got read all and that mean wear and tear and spillage and God knows what else. Oh, and if you think that finding individual issues is tough, guess again. This digest was the first of it's sort that I've ever run across. But if you can find a copy in good shape- I highly recommend.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Dog Days of Sumer Special #1

8 action packed adventures for all you DC Comics fans. 

A $9.99 price tag might be pretty steep for most of you. But I am a holiday themed comic addict and since I was going on vacation this week, I could not pass it up. 

There's quite a few of DC's best working on this book including Dan DiDio, G. Willow Wilson, Stjepan Sejic and a cool-looking cover by Francis Manpul. While there's an impressive list of talent on this book, the quality of the stories do vary. 

The best stories were:

• A Killer Croc tale of the crime lord's Miami origins, set in the Everglades.
• Beast Boy's feats of strength during his much needed summer vacay.
• Red Lantern Dex-starr teaches a milquetoast the benefits of rage when some Khund vacationers go on the war path.
• On a jungle safari, Animal Man must protect his family when an ancient menace targets them as his next meal. 

The worst:

• A Superman and Krypto team-up. The story of the duo facing an alien menace was good. But the art was really poor. 

In the middle was:

• A Justice League story involving a Minotaur named Ferdinand. His quest to find a suitable main course for the League's BBQ was admirable, especially since I am a professional chef. But I don't know this character and that made it hard to make a connection with the story.  
• Captain Carrot's cartoon world is undergoing a CRISIS. With Earth-23's Superman out of commission, the bunny must rely on the grim and gritty Atomic Batman of Earth-17 whose all about logic Yet, with the sun feeling unappreciated, the only way to save the day means relying on some hilarious cartoon physics! Again, the art wasn't all that great. But it seemed to match this Looney Tunes inspired tale.

If you are keeping count, I just mentioned 7 stories. That's because #8 is one that I couldn't decide whether I loved it or hated it. It involved a pair of drunks deciding to ride an untamed bull (wearing a pained on smiley face) at a county fair. To the rescue is Batcow! This was an absurd story that had some hi-highs and some groan-worthy lows. I'm sure that I don't feel okay with this story. I just don't know whether to hate it or love it. 

Overall, I enjoyed this special very much. For the most part, the stories were great. It was the artwork that wasn't, in my opinion, DC Comics quality. If you are going on a vacation anytime this summer, pick up the DC Dog Days of Summer Special. Almost perfect for reading on a breezy evening after a long day of fun in the sun.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spoof #2

Parody has been a regular staple of Marvel Comics. These funny books usually haven't been met with much success. However titles like Not Brand Ecch and What The?! are considered cult classic fan favorites. This title is not one of them.

Spoof ran sporadically over the course of 1970-1973, producing

a grand total of 5 issues! The biggest draw for those few who still

remember this series were the covers. Featuring art by the great

EC Comics legend John Severin, these covers had amazing

caricatures of 1970s icons such as Blacula, Marcus Welby and

Richard Nixon.

Ironically, this issue, which I happen to purchase over Father's

Day weekend, was the only one that featured a single property

- a parody of the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family. That

show starred Carrol O'Connor as the bigoted Archie Bunker.

Bunker would often tell people that he was through with them

with the send-off 'see you in the funny papers.' In this spoof, he

learns that life in the tumultuous 1970s might actually be better

than living in those Sunday Comics.

In this issue we've also got a glorious spoof on the anthology

horror film The Vault of Horror and the EC Comics that inspired

the movie. This one featured a story by future New Teen Titans

scribe Marv Wolfman and artwork by another EC alum, Marie

Severin (John's sister).

Lastly we've got a Tarzan spoof in which after years of living as

a domesticated lord, the King of the Jungle returns to deepest

darkest Africa. Only Tarzan finds that the continent has

modernized in his absence. This was the most political of the 3

stories. It was also my least favorite.

With artwork by both of the Severins, I feel that Spoof was

Marvel’s attempt to rival Cracked Magazine. But I know that isn’t

the case as both artists were frequent contributors to both

Marvel and Cracked at this time. Maybe this was just another of

Stan Lee’s flights of fancy that didn’t take off with the average

Marvel reader of the 1970s.

One thing is for sure, this book is about as borderline adult as you

can get in a Comics Code book. Look at Charlie Brown and

Nancy posed like Fritz the Cat and his girl on the top left corner.

Plus, there’s plenty of double entendres and blatant take about

sex, drugs and gettin’ naked.

Above all, this book was a flop because it couldn’t be produced

in a timely and consistent manner.

An interesting look at one of Marvel’s earliest duds. Not terrible

stuff. But definitely not ‘The Galactus Saga’ either. The art is

quite stunning however. I gotta say, I love those Severins!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Mr. Wolf's Class, Book 2: Mystery Club (Family Comic Friday)

Some weeks, we come across so much great stuff that we can’t cover it all in just one column. While school is out for most of those young readers out there, the class is still in session for us. Join us in this Family Comic Friday Extra as we sit in on Mr. Wolf’s Class!

Mr. Wolf’s Class, Book 2: Mystery Club: Written and illustrated by Aron Nels Steinke
Published by Scholastic
Pages: 152
Retail: $9.99

It’s a rainy Friday for the students of Hazelwood Elementary. But that doesn’t stop Mr. Wolf’s class from having a ton of fun. Randy is busily preparing for the sure to be epic birthday party at Intergalactic Pizza Castle. Abdi is trying to devise a way to retrieve his lost soccer ball. The girls bathroom might be haunted. And the newly formed Mystery Club is all abuzz about what happened to their beloved previous teacher, Mr. Greens.

But perhaps the most perplexing mystery is who or what is behind all the items that have recently gone missing in Mr. Wolf’s class. Everyone has a theory. Yet most think it’s the rats that live in the lockers that are behind the lost goods. Aziza can’t seem to find her favorite frisbee. Did the rats take that too?

‘Mystery Club’ in the second book in the Mr. Wolf’s Class series. This book, recommended for readers in grades 2-5, is an eclectic representation of what a typical public school looks like. The characters, though funny animals, are from different countries, faiths, and religions. The families that the students come from is diverse as well. There’s traditional two-parent families, a single parent, even a same sex and an interracial couple. Though with the interracial couple being made up of a cat and a dog, isn’t that an inter-species couple?

I even think that series creator Aron Nels Steinke might have a student in this book that is transgender. Randy is a girl. Yet for the first third of this book, I thought Randy was a boy. It wasn’t until the character said that they were going to the girl’s bathroom that I started to wonder if Randy might be in some sense gender fluid.

If you are a regular reader of FCF, you should already be aware that I make parents and guardians of young readers aware of topics or elements that have long been debated as appropriate for all ages. Religion and LGBTQ issues are two of the big issue topics I see under fire a lot in modern children’s literature. To say that those subjects don’t exist in society is basically acting like an ostrich with his head in the sand. But every adult that in some way cares for a child has a right to determine when and where such issues should be discussed with their little ones.

More often than not, I’m giving advisements about violence or bad language in this column. With this book, there’s none of that. But if you are expecting to see only 1950s nuclear families in Mr. Wolf’s classroom, you might need to travel back in time to 1950. Because you will not find it here. But you won’t find a soap box either!

Most everyone knows that June is Pride month. Due to the subtle nature of gender and same sex relationships, this book might be a good introduction to gay and lesbian issues with the young reader in your life. Don’t tell them to be on the look out for a gay family. Just read the book with them. If the child asks why one student has two moms, explain it to them. If not, then it’s a topic to broach for another day. The same goes for why one student wears a burka. Don’t make an issue out of it and it won’t become an issue with you child!

These are subjects that are going to come up in your child’s life whether you like it or not. I feel it’s better for the adult to be aware of it in the things their kids consume than to be blindsided by it. You all know that fateful day is going to come when little Billy or Suzy ask ‘Where do babies come from?’ Better to be prepared, right?

Now that I’ve addressed the potential hot spots for this book, let’s look at the quality of the book itself. The dialogue between the students was really rough at times. It reminded me of times I would write stories in grade school and then read them later when I got older. I was a horrible writer as a kid. I focused on goofy stuff. My syntax was all wrong. My sentences ended all abruptly.

I was afraid that maybe Steinke wasn’t that good of a children’s author. But at the end of the book, I read the author’s bio. It turns out by day that Aron Nels Steinke is an elementary teacher! So with all of the awkward dialogue, it’s not that he’s a bad writer. In fact, it means that Steinke knows his audience really well. He knows how kids talk and interact with each other and adults. And it’s often confusing and not all that polished!

I liked the way most of the mysteries came together by the end of this book. I said most. I really don’t think that the haunted bathroom situation was ever resolved. A case of too many things going on in too short of a time? Or perhaps, the Mystery Club with solve this mystery in book 3, Lucky Stars, due in stores September 3rd.

This was a charming little book that accurately reflects the average public school classroom in America and Canada. It includes some modern changes seen in today’s youth. It’s not preachy but whether Mr. Wolf’s Class is a series you wish to bring into your household is a question you need to address personally. This book might not have been perfect but it captures a modern classroom perfectly!

Mr. Wolf’s Class #2: Mystery Club debuted in print and digital formats on February 26, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Jughead's Time Police #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Enjoy a fresh look at a beloved Archie Comic. For this week’s Family Comic Friday, we travel back in time with the reboot of Jughead’s Time Police #1.

Jughead’s Time Police #1
Written by Sina Grace
Art by Derek Charm
Published by Archie Comics
Retail: $3.99

You should never put fish oil in a fruit pie!

Jughead learns this lesson the hard way. As a result, the foodie is forbidden from competing in another cooking contest ever again! Despondent over the lifetime ban, Juggie seeks the help of resident nerd, Dilton.

Together, Jughead and Dilton create a time machine. Jughead hopes to correct his mistake, thus altering the timeline. But when Jughead from the future meets Jughead from the past, the teen’s actions end up fracturing the timeline!

This reboot of Jughead’s Time Police was a welcome flashback to the simpler 90s. Jughead’s dog, Hot Dog, is shown as being able to secretly talk once again. Dilton is creating zany inventions. Plus, you’ll witness the return of a long-lost, but not forgotten, character from the future!

While the tone of this comic was classic Archie, the art was not. Star Wars Adventures’ Derek Charm captures the Riverdale gang as their The CW counterparts. Jughead’s crown is black instead of silver. Archie’s hair is more ragged and less pompadour. And both Betty and Veronica exude that modern allure.

That’s not to say that I didn’t like Charm’s artwork. In fact, I thought it was a smart move to make the characters look like their live action selves. I know that there is going to be those Archie purists who insist on Archie forever having that iconic look. Thus they are going to hate this book. But going for the Riverdale look is sure to really bring in those fans of the series.

I used to be one of those fans. I remember when the publisher came out with The New Archies (1987-90). Man, did I hate the new look of the Archie gang. Nowadays, I don’t mind what the Archie universe looks like as long as it has a timeless quality to it. Let your Afterlife with Archie and Riverdale books be edgy. As long as the main Archie imprint is family friendly, I don’t care what style they are illustrated as. Just let those illustrations be of top quality. And over the years, Derek Charm has proven that his artwork is premium stuff!

I’m not that familiar with this series writer, Sina Grace (Iceman). However, since I remember the original Jughead’s Time Police quite fondly, I can say that Sina Grace did a great job capturing the spirit of that original title very well. My only complaint is that the first issue ended too soon before the real time travelling could begin.

Both older and younger generations of Archie fans should love this book. If waiting another couple of weeks for issue #2 is too long of a wait for any of you, readers can pick up the collected edition of Jughead’s Time Police. It collects all 6 issues of the 1990-91 classic (over 220 pages) for just $10.99! It’s sure to bring a smile and a laugh to any devotee of Jughead Jones. Time Police Deputy Marshall!

Jughead’s Time Police #1 debuted in print and digital platforms on June 12, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Star Wars #108

Last month, Marvel released a facsimile edition of issue #50 of it's original Star Wars series. Knowing that for it's 80th anniversary that the House of Ideas was going to be releasing the 108th issue to the now non-canon comic that ran from 1977-86, I wondered why Marvel wasn't re-releasing issue #107. A week or two later, a True Believers $1 reprint of the final issue of Star Wars was released. But for the life of me, I couldn't understand what made that anniversary issue so gosh darn worthy of such a premium edition instead of the finale. 

Now thanks to finally getting my hands on a copy of this issue, I got my answer!

Star Wars #50 contained a one-shot story called 'The Crimson Forever.' This story, written and illustrated by Archie Goodwin, Al Williamson and Walt Simonson, is considered a classic and perhaps the best or one of the best of the entire first volume. It involves a pair of gems that when separated caused a deadly plague and some revenge against both the Empire and Rebellion at the hands of a woman whose brother died during the Battle of Yavin. Issue #108 is a completion of the story.

Another element of the original that was a fan favorite involved a cyborg bounty hunter named Valance. Knowing the identity of the pilot who destroyed the first Death Star, Valance seemingly met his fate in a battle with Darth Vader, sacrificing himself rather than give up that important information. Well, for those fans of this baddie with a heart of microchips, his story is also continued... in a way. 

There's quite a few fan favorites here. The hoojibs! The prim but pretty deadly Amazi. And the green space bunny Jaxxon!

What, you didn't like Jaxxon? He's a way better character than Jar Jar Binks ever was. So he looked like a nauseous Bugs Bunny. At least he was a compelling character that I didn't wish dead.

Noticeably absent is Lando! Where's he at? He appears on the cover of issue #107. So it's not like he up and disappeared. Or maybe he did and I just don't remember. 

This Legends issue was a welcome return to the Star Wars timeline I grew up with. I miss it so. But I am appreciative that Disney and Marvel understands that while it may no longer fit with their plans of the Star Wars Universe, there still are paying customers who remember that era and desire it's return!

Featuring several writers and artists including Matthew Rosenberg, Ben Passmore and Giuseppe  Camuncoli, I loved the varying art style. It's like getting to work on some sort of dream project. Just about everyone wanted a chance to work on it and Marvel did a wonderful job selecting some of the best Star Wars talent on the market today. I also appreciate having some of the original creators of on hand. Jo Duffy and Simonson contributed in their own ways with plotting and such.

Sadly, both Williamson and Goodwin have passed. Yet, Marvel managed to bring back the late Carmine Infantino for a special edition cover. While I liked his cover and Simonson's offering, I had to go with Michael Golden's cantina shoot-out cover (JAXXON!). But it was a hard choice, because I also really liked John Tyler Christopher's action figure variant of Valance. In the end I still think I made the right choice. But it was a tough decision.

Purchasing issue #108 was a no-brainer. I loved the original Marvel run and I wanted to see that version of Star Wars once again. I don't often say it but Thank You, Marvel! Here's to another return soon! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Amazing Spider-Man: Secret Origins

An amazing assortment of Spider-Man tales from Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and John Romita! The first appearance of Spidey, The Lizard, Flash Thompson! The revenge of Electro. The death of Captain Stacy. Plus a modern-day fantasy in which Peter visits the grave of Uncle Ben on a frosty Christmas day.

This collection was released to correspond with 2012's Amazing Spider-Man film. I remember Electro being in the second film but not in the first. So, wasn't it a massive spoiler having that villain appear in this book? 

The art and story work is second to none. While many consider Ditko the original master, I think I'm more partial to Romita's time on the wall-crawler. Arguably, Peter Parker is the biggest sad sack in the Marvel Universe. But Stan Lee was able to make the super hero equivalent of Eeyore a compelling, exciting and fun character. 

These stories have been reprinted at least a dozen times. I've always said that if my wife wasn't so terrified by spiders, Spidey would be my all-time favorite super-hero hands down. That being the case, I would own this issues in some collected treasury. I've worked out a compromise for certain Spider-Man titles with my wife. Thus I don't have those premium collections. So, finding this book for a super deal at Ollie's was a great way for me to enjoy some classics that are old hat for true fans of Peter Parker's alter-ego!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Minions, Book 3: Viva Le Boss!

Family Comic Friday embraces it’s inner villain this week. We just don’t do it very well as we take a look at those rascally (and quite clumsy) Minions!

Minions, Book 3: Viva Le Boss!Written by Stephanie Lapuss
Art by Renaud Collins
Published by Titan Comics
Pages: 52
Retail: $6.99

Relive over 6 million years of villainy history in Titan Comics’ Minions: Viva Le Boss! Based on the hit 2015 movie, Stephanie Lapuss explores the unsuccessful relationships that the Minions have had with all of their evil bosses. If the name of Stephanie Lapuss sounds familiar, that’s because she also wrote the first issue of The Secret Life of Pets #1, which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago.

As with The Secret Life of Pets, Lapuss does a great job capturing the hilarious spirit of the Minions. Also, each story is just one-two pages long vignettes. However, since the Minions don’t really speak a coherent language, some of the stories tend to get lost in translation. I had to re-read several stories in order to figure out just what was really happening.

Okay- if a book has literally no words, are you still reading it? Other than some pictograms in words bubbles and a couple of pigeon English words, this is basically a picture book comic. This book is recommended for readers aged K-5 to 3rd grade. However, some of the slapstick comedy is rather ghoulish- for the villains! Bosses catch on fire, lose body parts and get eaten. It’s all done in the style of Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry. But some parents might object to that sort of violent humor.

The person behind the artwork is French illustrator Renaud Collin (The Town of Whispers). His presentations of the characters don’t look exactly like the characters in the movie. But here, based on the level of horseplay, that exaggerated look of the Minions and their masters actually work here!

I find myself going opposite of my preferences of the story and art of The Secret Life of Pets. With that comic, I thought that the humor was perfect but that the art just wasn’t 100% right. With Viva Le Boss, I felt that the caricature was perfect but the plotting of the Minions’ exploits needed just a little more clarification. It just goes to show that preferences can differ based on just the slightest of changes.

If the young reader in your life loves the Minions, they’ll love this collection of Minions comics. Reprinting the 2-issue miniseries of the same name, at $6.99, Minions: Viva Le Boss is an affordable romp that will bring laughs over and over. But if the antics of The Three Stooges is considered too mature for your youngster, you may want to hold off of this book. Just remember that you might also have to explain some of these interludes as a few are just a little too complex to understand without words.

Minions, Book 3: Viva Le Boss debuted in print and digital formats on June 6, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die

It's not often that I find a comic book so insane, so bizarre and it having absolutely nothing to do with Harley Quinn, Deadpool or The Tick! Yet, that's exactly what I have found here with Cosmic Ghost Rider!

I'm not sure how this happened (or even what universe this occurs in), but Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher, has not only become a Ghost Rider but also a former herald of Galactus as well as the previous major domo of Thanos. Having witnessed unimaginable horrors at the hands of Thanos, Castle decides to change history by killing the Mad Titan as a baby before any killings can occur!

Did writer Donny Cates (Thanos Wins) have something to do with Avengers: Endgame? This sort of thing was discussed in length between Professor Hulk, Ant Man and Rhodey in the 2019 movie. Only here in the comics, Frank Castle has a sudden change of heart and decides to kidnap baby Thanos and change history by teaching him the ways of non-violence! (Yeah-like that's gonna work!) 

The art by Dylan Burnett (X-Force) wasn't bad. But it lacked a polish to it. Yet, based on the content of this book with is anything but prim and proper, it fits. I actually find myself enthralled by the vibrant palette of colorist Antonio Fabela (Skyward). It's gritty and yet full of energizing pastels that make for a trippy cosmic scene. And Oh My God, those covers! Stunning!

This book is filled with a countless number of cameos, unimaginable insane violence and cosmic wackiness! It clearly lived up to it's parental advisory! I loved it and I did not want it to end! 

If ever DC and Marvel do crossovers again, I would love for this version of Frank Castle to meet up with the Last Czarnian, Lobo! I think the duo could do some serious but quite crazy damage! But man would I just be in heaven with every moment of it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.