Pop Culture by the Numbers by David Hoffman

A really fun little fact book that reviews the numbers behind some of pop cultures most beloved icons. 

You learn some really interesting stuff like the number of theaters that originally agreed to show the first Star Wars film (only 40!), the number of bottle caps in Bert's collection (368!) and the number of steel wire cables that comprise the two gigantic cables of the Golden Gate Bridge (a whopping 25,572!)

There's about 50 total subjects in this book. That number could of been much higher if not for the artwork. There's about 30 pages of pop art-style images of things like Twinkies or Elvis' hips. I liked the art. But you could have had 15-20 more pages of factoids if those images were merely reduced in size by half. Kinda seems like a waste of space. 

This Hallmark Gift Books' publication was ultra trendy and an enjoyable read. But for the original cover price of $12.95, it just doesn't seem to be an efficient use of all 145 plus pages. Glad I got this book for only a buck on trade credit...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Archie Vs. Predator II #1

The most deadliest race of hunters in the universe return to go old Riverdale, USA for another round of trophy hunting in the pages of Archie Vs. Predator II #1.

Archie Vs. Predator II #1
Written by Alex de Campi
Art by Robert Hack
Published by Archie Comics/Dark Horse Comics
Retail: $3.99

(As with any review, the potential for spoilers exist. While the reviewer tried to be as spoiler free as possible, reader discretion is advised.)

I love the wide range of crossovers Archie has had with other amazing franchises. His run-in with The Punisher is the stuff of legend. Archie Vs. Sharknado was a fun-filled gory romp! But there’s something different about Archie Vs. Predator II.

You know how Deadpool is aware that he’s actually a comic book character? Well Betty, Veronica and a Predator-Human hybrid in the form of Archie, have that same kind of knowledge. They’re all quite aware of the unusual things that happen to the Archie gang. From time travel to becoming superheroes to summoning demons, this group of ageless teenagers are anything but typical.

Seeking a way to possibly undo the events of the first Archie Vs. Predator series via the Memory Lane in which Archie was able to view married life with both Betty and Veronica, the teens wind up in an alternate universe comprised of their more gritter, rebooted selves. Yes, with the existence of an Archie multiverse confirmed, the town of Riverdale is about to experience a ‘Crisis’ of DC Comics proportions when this unlikely meeting of Archies results in the return of Predator!

The opening chapter of Archie Vs Predator II was some trippy stuff. I've never really seen Archie Comics take such a risk as to having the characters acknowledge that they are part of a greater comic book franchise. I'm wondering if a mass crossover of different types of Archie's is in the works here. Could we be one day be seeing a visit from L'il Archie and Friends or Archie 3000? That would be epic!

I was blown away by the artwork of Robert Hack (Doctor Who). His pencils capture the classic Archies with a sort of pained innocence while portraying the rebooted versions as contemporary yet classic. His Predators look amazing. But there's just not enough of those alien baddies in this first issue.

There's also not enough first issue. I'm really starting to feel that for the lofty price tags we pay, I'd rather pay a little extra for 2 or 3 oversized issues than almost $4 for 5 small issues. 22-24 pages just isn't enough room in a comic book to achieve a decent pace. Especially when it comes to crossovers! Writer Alex de Campi (Smoke) has woven such a meta concept at stake into this miniseries. Unfortunately, by the time you get the hang of things, issue #1 ends without the reader ever getting anywhere.

Archie Vs Predator II is some very sophisticated stuff, what with the concepts of what is reality vs. fiction and alternate universes. It's great for fans of DC's Crisis books or Robert Heinlein. But if you are expecting a bloody sci-fi dangerous game between Dark Horse's Predator and the teens of Archie Comics, you'll have to wait until next issue. While the prospect of that conflict has gotten me ready for more, I'm disappointed that for the cover price we don't get any Predator kills in this issue.

Archie Vs Predator II debuts in print and digital formats on July 24, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Red Panda and Moon Bear (Family Comics Friday)

This Family Comics Friday, we head to sunny Florida to catch up on the hilarious adventures of the world’s two newest (and possibly youngest) superheroes, Red Panda and Moon Bear!

Red Panda and Moon Bear TPBWritten and illustrated by: Jarod Rosello
Published by Top Shelf Productions
Pages: 193
Retail: $14.99

The sister and brother duo of Red Panda and Moon Bear are the defenders of their Floribbean community. They keep their neighbors safe from everything; from a pair of bad dogs to a disappearing apartment building to the most adorable but destructive beings in the universe. If there is evil in the barrio, Red Panda and Moon Bear will be there to defeat it!

This graphic novel was extremely funny. I’ve worked with kids for a number of years and both Red Panda and Moon Bear sound like kids do! The heroes come up with inventive yet far-fetched inventions to defeat crime. Only these gadgets work! Well, most do...

This is author/illustrator Jarod Rosello’s third work; his first however, for kids. I’m hoping that Rosello continues to write for younger readers because he does it extremely well. Here's to hoping that we might also see more adventures of Red Panda and Moon Bear!

Jarod Rosello is a Cuban-American writer. His background shows in many facets of this book from the smattering of Spanish words to the various Caribbean ethnic backgrounds of the many residents of our heroes’ hometown. This book is definitely a cultural account of his Florida upbringing. Though I doubt he got his superpowers from a magic hoodie like Red Panda and Moon Bear did.

The art was cartoonish and comical. It had notes of Adventure Time with Jake and Finn. But those arms! They looked as if made from the same rubbery substance of those of Mister Fantastic; just minus all the elastic. But as the recommended age range from this book is of readers 9-12 years old, I don’t think anyone is going to complain.

Readers younger than 9 might find a couple of characters a little scary. There is a ghost in this book, but she’s kind. The use of Spanish words without any sort of English subtitles might be a tad difficult for those not familiar with the language. So grown-ups might be needed to help interpret some passages.

Overall, this is a silly but adventurous read that young readers will enjoy. Parents should find nothing objectionable. Though as mentioned earlier a couple of villains fought b Red Panda and Moon Bear may be too scary-looking for the youngest of readers. There’s still a few prime weeks of Summer reading left before the school year starts. Make Red Panda and Moon Bear a part of it now!

Red Panda and Moon Bear debuted in print and digital platforms on July 23, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman: Sunday Classics 1939-1943

The first in a very long line of editions collecting the long running Superman comic strip of 1939-66. This volume has the first 3 years of the Sunday strips which comprised of a different story than that in the dailies.

I would love to eventually own all the these. But they're not cheap. Nor are all of them still in print. But when I can find them affordably, I'll snatch them up in a heartbeat. And no, unlike other series, I won't wait to read them until I have the complete in- order set!

This book reprints Superman's cosmic origin, following the Man of Steel through his first appearances in Metropolis. These early adventures have Superman battling giant robots, two-bit hoods, femme fatales and a half villain named Luthor.

Before the close of this volume, the United States and Superman enter the war effort against the Nazis and Imperial Japanese. Clark Kent and Lois Lane travel the nation covering the sale of war bonds and creation of new war machines only to stumble upon Nazi saboteurs! Good thing that the Man of Tomorrow is here to ensure freedom and democracy for today!

Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster present their greatest creation in all of his art-deco glory. It's very much a product of its time. The men are all drawn to look like Jerome Kerr and the women are illustrated as the ever so sultry Veronica Lake and Dorothy Lamour. I love the 1930s style of the Superman logo. It's really classic stuff.

One thing that didn't transfer so we is the lettering. It's very pencil thin and tiny. Thus it's extremely hard to read. Seeing as these are nearly 80 year old reprints, the lettering is quite faded. You'd have thought that the editors of this omnibus would have doctored up the dialogue. But they didn't. Could it be that with so small a font any repair work would have damaged the artwork?

This is a great collection of early Superman comics. The art is breathtaking. But you need a magnifying glass to read these beauties. Aspirin too!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Rick and Morty Vs. Dungeons and Dragons

Take someone whose never watched a single episode of Rick and Morty, nor have they ever played D&D, and have them read this book? Well, that's me. But thanks to the personal recommendation of Oni Press editor, Sarah Gaydos, I gave this book a try and I loved it!

At last year's Bull City Comic Com, I interviewed Gaydos as she was the driving force behind the epic Star Trek Vs. Transformers crossover when she worked at IDW. I asked her for any sneak previews of her new projects over at Oni and she told me that I must read this crossover even if I had never played Dungeons and Dragons or ever seen an episode of the Adult Swim hit series.

So I took up Sarah Gaydos challenge when I found this book where else but at my local library! And I loved it!

All of Morty's friends at school are enjoying role-playing games. Not wanting to be left out, Morty goes to his local gaming shop to find out what the fuss is all about. At the store, Morty flirts with a girl gamer who invites him to play D&D one night after the store closes.

Not knowing how to play the game, Morty reluctantly goes to Rick for assistance. Turns out, Rick Sanchez is a total gamer! So, Rick and his older buds try to teach Morty the basics of the game. Only Morty keeps dying! 

Running out of patience and character sheets, Morty insists that Rick create a world in which the rules of Dungeons and Dragons exist for reals in order to truly experience the game in a LARPing sort of way. With Morty's mom and siter eager for adventure and Morty's dad secretly being a master gamer himself, it seems that the Smith family might finally found a way to bond as the perfect family!

I have no real way of knowing if this comic book was anywhere really like the show as I've never seen Rick and Morty. But I know a bit about D&D from reading articles and having discussions with friends who do pole play. (Those certain episodes from The Big Bang Theory helped with my a priori knowledge of the game as well.) But what I can say is that this miniseries was a very funny and a fun read. 

I liked that all versions of D&D are explored including the CBS Saturday morning cartoon and Forgotten Realms. Well, almost all. Why is the Fourth Edition considered unspeakable garbage? I'm interested to learn if that's just an inside jokes or if that edition of Dungeons and Dragons is really that awful. Since Jim Zub is a big name D&D comics writer, I might just have to PM him on Twitter and ask....

The artwork by Troy Little was a great. It was a very good mix of Rick and Morty cartoon meets realistically gritty Dungeons and Dragons art. Now in the comics, all of the orcs, dragons and villains are drawn in the style of the Adult Swim series. But a lot of those amazing covers done by Little and friends have Rick and his grandson illustrated in an epically 'advanced' way!

The only thing I could have done without were the character sheets of the Smith and Sanchez clan. Since I don't play D&D, I didn't understand them. I didn't know if they were meant to be real or done as a joke. If it was the former, I missed out on the punchline.

Rick and Morty Vs. Dungeons and Dragons was a great read for anyone. As long as you are a geek that loves hanging out with friends at their favorite LCS or playing board games and such, you'll enjoy this book. You don't have to be a fan (or even all that acquainted) with either franchise. But it sure won't hurt if you are!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Dark Nights: Metal- Dark Knights Rising

This Dark Nights collection reprints the seven one-shots devoted the most evil Dark

Knights of the Dark Multiverse. 

This book read like a library of Elseworlds stories. Yes, I know that these origin stories

are canon. But they have that imaginary 'what if' kind of feel to them that I love so

much when reading those Elseworlds classics.

The most surprising element to this volume is the level of violence. Some of your most

favorite superheroes are taken down by an evil version of the Batman in gruesome

fashion. It's almost like Robert Kirkman took a break from The Walking Dead to pencil

these ghoulish adventures. 

While Kirkman didn't have a hand at these amazing tales, a number of DC talents did.

Scott Snyder, Peter J. Tomasi, Joshua Williamson, and James Tynion IV are just a

few of the many, and I do mean many, artists and writers who contributed. They all

did a fantastic job. Almost.

Along with the seven one-shot origin tales, there was also a one-shot that focused

on Detective Chimp and the efforts of a number of scientists on Blackhawk Island

to combat this coming Dark Multiverse crisis. I literally remember zero of what these

guys contributed to Metal. Perhaps it's time to re-read it. I was so lost reading Dark

Nights: Metal because I hadn't read all of the prelude material. But I've just completed

all of that by finishing this volume. So I guess I am doing something that I rarely ever

do and giving something I've already completed a second read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars: Jedi Academy: Revenge of the Sis (Family Comic Friday)

For this week’s Family Comic Friday, I’m digging into my to-read pile to bring you the latest adventures of the younglings from the Jedi Academy. This time, the focus is on Christina Starspeeder as she begins her apprenticeship on the planet Jedha! Be sure to strap in for some all-ages Star Wars fun!

Star Wars: Jedi Academy: Revenge of the Sis
Written by Amy Ignatow
Art  and story by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Published by Scholastic Inc.
Pages: 176
Retail: $12.99

The seventh book in the Jedi Academy series is the best as Christina Starspeeder, older sister of Victor, heads to Jedha to start her Jedi apprenticeship. Christina has been paired with legendary master Skia Ro. But things could not get any worse for the Padawan who tries too hard to impress her master. 

Nearly causing a war between Wookiee tribes, instigating a music revolt among the Bith and almost becoming a meal to a band of hungry Wampa, Christina is just about to give up on being a Jedi when she uncovers a disturbing trend. Everywhere Starspeeder and her master travel to smooth down an uprising also seems to be the newest locale selected by the Hutts for a new casino and pod-racing track.

Is there a connection to these seemingly peaceful races suddenly becoming violent and the Hutts? Or is it Christina Starspeeder’s doing? If you ask Skia Ro’s droid, it’s because Christina’s a jinx. Nah- it can’t be that…

I wasn’t lying when I said that Revenge of the Sis was the best volume in the entire Jedi Academy series. I really loved the Roan Novachez trilogy by Jeffery Brown. They were extremely clever books. When the story shifted to Victor Starspeeder, I was a little disappointed. Victor didn’t seem as strong of a character and he was a little bit whiny. But like Luke Skywalker, the Padawan matured. However, making Victor’s older sister the star of this volume was a brilliant move.

Christina is more what I expect out of a Jedi apprentice. She’s got the chops. But she still has a long way to go towards becoming a master. But what I really enjoyed about this book was the change of scenery!

The academy on Coruscant is great and all that but after 6 volumes, it’s gotten to be a predictable setting. Having Jedha as the setting adds to the wonder of the Star Wars universe. We got a small but not really significant glimpse of the planet in Rogue One. But thanks to this volume, I was really able to make a connection to that ancient planet’s history and lore.

The addition of Amy Ignatow (The Popularity Papers) to the mix brought a new dynamic to this series. The Jedi Academy series mostly examines a few well-known settings and characters. I.E. Tatooine, Coruscant, Yoda. But this book, with the articles on the many species that make up the Star Wars universe, really added a depth to the plot and ultimately the fun.

Jarrett J. Krosoczka continues his run on this series. Krosoczka created the Starspeeder family and his creative touch with the artwork and the Star Wars version of social media were perfect for this next chapter in older sister Christina’s path to becoming a Jedi. His cartoony versions of the Gammoreans and Bith were really fluid and full of energy. However, there’s this one Padowan with milky white eyes. What race is he from? Can anybody tell me, cause I really would like to know!

Like with almost all of the reviews I write that involve works that I really love, I always find myself wishing for more. Well, I’m in luck! Christina’s story will continue in the pages of Jedi Academy Book #8, ‘Attack of the Furball’ this September.

Revenge of the Sis was a fun all-ages journey to that Star Wars universe of far, far away. This was a book that unique and new but still maintained enough of the Star Wars canon that readers new and old to the franchise could enjoy without being repetitive or too confusing. If the young reader in your life likes the Jedi Academy series, they are going to love this entry!

Star Wars: Jedi Academy: Revenge of the Sis debuted in print and digital formats on March 26, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

2019. It seemed so far away in 1982 with Ridley Scott's neo-noir dystopian view of Los Angeles. After the passage of 37 years, we still don't have any flying cars, android sheep or murderous replicants (okay, that last one is actually a good thing.) But thanks to Titan Comics' new series Blade Runner 2019, the future is finally here!

Blade Runner 2019 #1

Written by Michael Green, Mike Johnson
Art by Andres Guinaldo
Covers by: Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau, Andres Guinaldo, Syd Mead, John Royle
Published by Titan Comics
Pages: 24
Retail: $3.99

Blade Runner 2019 takes place right around the time that Rick Deckard has his hands busy apprehending Roy Batty's group of android fugitives. It focuses on the new character of Ash Ashina; a Blade Runner with an impressive kill list.

While Ash works with the police department of Los Angeles retiring 'skinjobs', she makes extra money selling the body parts of her retired replicants on the black market. With the number of illegal replicants dwindling on earth, Ash picks up a contract looking for a missing woman and her 4-year old child.

I wish there was more to say about the plot of this first issue. I'm absolutely thrilled that Titan Comics has brought back the return of the Blade Runner universe. Blade Runner 2019 is the first ever series comprised of all-new stories and characters which are all canon to the films. However, 24-pages really isn't enough to properly introduce a new main character as well as make the reader interested in coming back for issue #2.

I really think that Titan should have made this premiere issue double-sized. 24 pages was enough to make Ash intriguing. But I feel very little connection to the woman and child that the Blade Runner has been hired to find. But I must say that I am ready to return to this universe in the pages of the second issue!

Other than being obsessed with Blade Runner, another reason I am willing to continue reading this series is all thanks to the writing and the art. This story is written by someone who knows this franchise intimately, Blade Runner 2049's Michael Green. Along with Mike Johnson (Star Trek) and artist Andres Guinaldo (Justice League Dark), Michael Green takes the reader on the tour of vital and recognizable locales. As we view Ash's day, we are taken to the L.A. skyline, the aqueduct, the street markets as well as the never-before-seen setting, the archipelago of Santa Barbara. While the Tyrell family is mentioned in this book, I have a feeling that the Tyrell Corporation is going to be off-limits in this series.

The artwork of the characters wasn't as stunning as that of the settings and the technology. Guinado's image of Ash's police car hovering over the police station was so perfect, I thought it was an image straight from the 1982 film. I especially loved the effects given to the spotlights of the cars and cityscape. I was in awe of how they glowed and gave off a reflective halo. Clearly, the artist of this series has done his homework on how the Blade Runner universe is supposed to look!

I think that I am going to love Blade Runner 2019. But I think it's going to be as series in which one will get more enjoyment out of reading as a collected trade. A single issue just isn't enough time to be engrossed in a living-breathing franchise such as Blade Runner.

This is not a realm for quick trips. Honestly, I would be happy if Titan decided to forgo this series as a monthly and instead release it as a quarterly oversize book full of one complete story. per volume. We live in the future of Blade Runner 2019. This sort of publishing arrangement ought to exist in this turbulent present time of the comic industry's re-structuring.

Please consider this Titan. Blade Runner 2019 is one title I don't want to see retired!
Blade Runner 2019 debuts in print and digital platforms on July 17, 2019.
For more info on this awesome new series from Titan, check out the trailer for issues #1 here!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was originally published July 16, 2019 on Outrightgeekery.com.

Spider-Man Annual Presents: Peter Porker: The Spectacular Spider-Ham #1

Peter Porker is back! After stealing all the scenes of last year's Into The Spiderverse, the Spectacular Spider-Ham returns to print! 

An Inter-dimensional mishap on earth-616 involving the Ringmaster has resulted in a host of Peter's enemies to take refuge throughout the multiverse. With the help of Spider-Guin, Spider-Ham must gather his foes who are going on crime sprees on new and very different earths.

I know that this was a one-shot story. But it set things up for a potential new Spider-Ham series; which is something I very much would like. Black Cloud's Jason Latour penned a good story. But it was the artwork of All-New Doop's David LaFuente that really won me over.

There was a second story in this annual. But other than some very clever modern Marvel parodies of more recent heroes and villains turned into animals, I could have done without this yarn. In the middle of yet another universe rebooting crisis, Spider-Ham and Howard the Duck sneak into a bar and share a drink while pining philosophical over the Buddhist-like reincarnation sure to happen with the Marvel Universe. It read like a Grant Morrison story. That would okay if only I wanted to purchase and read a Grant Morrison story. But I only wanted a soft-hearted funny animal parody!!!

This book was available with several amazing covers. But the cover I choose was a no-brainer. I went with the wonderful 'Spiderverse' version crafted by John Tyler Christopher. It was just so classic. 

I loved the first act. I rather had an extra 6-8 pages added to it instead of that mind-boggling of a downer second tale. I really do hope that Marvel brings back Spider-Ham in an all-new title. Just please don't make it in the style of that last piece. Cause I will not buy it if you (Marvel) do!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Hip Hop Family Tree Volume 4 (1984-85)

Ed Piskor's award-winning series about the history of hip hop and rap continues. In this volume, East Coast rap is seeing the bright lights of Hollywood as several movies about the burgeoning music genre is finally catching the eyes of both white America and MTV. Over on the left coast, West Coast rap is starting to gain it's own identity which unfortunately is rooted in hard drugs such as crack as well as gang culture.

A number of household name players in hip-hop make their first appearances here. Perhaps the most famous name is Philadelphia's Fresh Prince, Will Smith, who is not quite ready to become one of the biggest names in TV and movies yet. Also expect to see female act Salt-n-Pepa, Biz Markie and Easy E starting to get in on the hip-hop 'fad.'

This chapter started a little slower than the other books. But by the end of the account of 1984's impact on the music industry, the storytelling pace was back to normal. The art however was as phenomenal as always.

This volume of Hip Hop Family Tree is from 2016. Supposedly, Ed Piskor is planning on making 7 total volumes. But I am wondering if that's ever going to be the case. Piskor keeps saying throughout this edition to expect more details on certain artists in future books. But with 2 and a half years having gone by and X-Men books now appearing to be his main focus, I'm not going to hold my breath for volume 5.

I'm guessing I'm never going to witness the greatest crossover event in hip-hop history between Run-DMC and Aerosmith in comic book form.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Care Bears: Unlock the Magic #1 (Family Comic Friday)

This Family Comic Friday, we welcome back those lovable Care Bears in the pages of Care Bears: Unlock the Magic #1. Based on the Boomerang Mobile app series of the same name, this new series features new friends, new foes and a whole bunch of caring!

Care Bears: Unlock the Magic #1
Written by Matthew Erman and Natalie Shammas
Illustrated by Agnes Grabowska
Published by IDW Publishing
Colors by Slivana Brys
Pages 25 + a 5 page preview of Sonic the Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper #1
Retail: $3.99

Let’s assume that you know nothing about this news cartoon series about the Care Bears. In Unlock the Magic, a sinister bully named Bluster and his Bad Crowd are seeking to turn the land of Silver Lining into Bluster’s personal playground. Silver Lining is the home of the Whiffles; small cupcake looking creatures that plant the seeds of caring that helps Care-a-Lot thrive.

To protect Silver Lining and the seeds, the team of Good Luck Bear, Funshine Bear, Cheer Bear, Grumpy Bear, and Share Bear are sent to this wondrous new land. In their Cloudseeker mobile command center, our team of Care Bears are able to travel anywhere in uncharted Silver Lining whenever trouble arises.

Here in issue #1, the Care Bears are sent to the Glass Glaciers. It is here that anyone who gazes into the reflective glaciers can catch a glimpse of their true inner selves. Unfortunately, Bluster has done something to the reflections and has caused dissention among the Whiffles that maintain the crystalline formations. With the Care Bears on the case, immediately it is determined to be the work of the Bad Crowd. And this means that our heroes have walked into a trap!

Having grown-up when the first generation of Care Bears toys and cartoons debuted, I am not a fan of the modern design of the protagonists. I don’t fault artist Agnes Grabowska (My Little Pony). She is just following the design bible of the series. I for one, just do not like how these Care Bears look. They look like they were designed by the creators of the Cartoon Network series Stephen Universe and they look too anime for my tastes.

I did like the work Grabowska did on the Cloudbreaker and the Rainbow Scooters. They had a very sleek yet classic design to them. Also, I am not sure how the Whiffles or the Bad Crowd are supposed to look. But I thought the art involving them looked just fine.

The opening chapter by Matthew Erman (Long Lost) and Natalie Shammas was pretty good. They do a fairly decent job getting the uninitiated to Unlock the Magic up to speed. (Though a quick visit to Wikipedia really did the trick!)

I felt that most of the characters and their attributes were captured quite well. Except for Grumpy. Instead of being constantly annoyed, here Grumpy seemed like her was one day away from retirement and just too old for the antics of his fellow Care Bears. Grumpy was supposed to be the comic relief of the Care Bears; always wanting to do the opposite of his colleagues. Here, I felt like at any moment, he was going to yell at a bunch of kids to stay off his lawn. The character is called Grumpy Bear- not Disgruntled Senior Grandpa Bear!

I do like the new bad guy, Bluster. He’s much more dastardly than the very saccharine villains of the original Care Bears series. He’s also got a very good comedic sidekick, named Robbie. Both have that perfect and oh-so-vital chemistry of egomaniac leader and buffoonish helper.

Unlock the Magic is about as wholesome as you can get even with the better villains. Kids will enjoy the colorful antics of the characters. Parents will love the pop culture references peppered throughout the first issue.

With a couple of scenes that seemed over-edited for time constraints, this first issue felt a little chaotic. I think if IDW had decided to not include the Sonic the Hedgehog preview in this book and add 2-3 more pages of story to the Care Bears, it would have been a much smoother read in which the reader could better understand some of the finer points of the plot.

In all, Unlock the Magic captures the wholesome essence of the Care Bears very well. But that modern Manga/Anime look of the Care Bears is just not right. Families will enjoy this book as pure family fun. But the nostalgia factor is missing here and some parts of this issue are uneven. More care and less promotion of other titles would be much appreciated for issue #2.

Care Bears: Unlock the Magic #1 debuted in print and digital formats on July 10, 2019. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Spider-Man: Far From Home

The Tony Stark era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to a close with Spider-Man: Far From Home. When I reviewed Endgame a month or two back, I expressed hope that this 'epilogue' would share a ton of light on how people adapted after the return of that missing half of the global population after Thanos' snap. And my request was granted!

Far From Home has Peter Parker (Tom Holland) reeling from the loss of his mentor, Tony Stark. A school class trip to Europe just might be the thing Spider-Man needs to get his head back together. Plus, Parker has made big plans to express his love to MJ (Zendaya). However, with a new Avengers-level threat taking aim at Central Europe, it appears that uber-spy Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has just hijacked Peter's vacation.

Fury introduces Peter to Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), a superhero from a parallel earth. He claims that Elementals in the form of Earth, Wind, Fire and Water have arrived on our world and seek to devour it. Beck believes that without Spider-Man's help, the lone survivor of his world, now named Mysterio by the press, cannot defeat the final and most powerful Elemental, Fire. 

All Peter wants to do is relax and be a kid. Thus, without really having his Uncle Ben around anywhere in the picture, the teenage superhero must decide whether or not if it's true that with great power comes great responsibility.

Far From Home is probably the best Spider-Man film to date. Tom Holland is the perfect Spider-Man. Sadly, he's about the only character here that is pretty true to the comics. That's not to say that I did not like the other characters. Zendaya's version of MJ grew on me compared from the first movie. I think I am okay with her being a little weird. And as much as I like Jacob Batalon's Ned Leeds; he's not the one from the comics. With this in mind, there were a couple of scenes in which I felt like I was watching a Teen Disney TV show and not a superhero spectacular.

Perhaps the most unforgivable representation in the movie is that of Marisa Tomei's Aunt May. I like that she's a more hip and cooler auntie. But I felt like Kevin Feige and company really decided to ramp up her sex appeal to appease the numerous fans who have salivated over her ever since first appearing in Captain America: Civil War. The frequent gratuitous rear end shots of her proves this. In all, it felt unnecessary.

There's another big reveal that is not true to the comics but it's a HUGE spoiler. I'm still on the fence about it. All I will say is that there are 2 extra scenes during the credits and one of them will change everything you thought you knew about the MCU Avengers' origins. Or at least make you question everything.

I didn't realize how long the movie is but honestly, I didn't feel like it was a lengthy movie. There's so much jammed packed action in this film, along with a lot of laughs. But I must admit that during the credits when I saw all the listings for those who worked on the Italy portion of this film, I said to myself, 'That happened months ago!' Meaning, I had forgotten how much distance Spidey and his friends ended up travelling all the way from NYC to Venice, London and other ports of call.

This is the type of film that can only be described as an epic. Lots happen here and for the most part, you will not be disappointed. However, I did start to feel in the last about 5 minutes of this movie that I was watching the ending to Shazam! I'm wondering if DC's family friendly film didn't get producers thinking about a younger target audience. 

For one thing, a Ramones song plays during the main wrap-up scene. And then when you have the first credits, you get funny animated illustrations and trick photography like you do at the end of Shazam! DC and Marvel are constantly criticized for when things seem too similar to each other (especially in such a short amount of time) and this is an instance when I point fingers at the House of Ideas stealing some concepts from the House that Superman Built.

Overall, I really loved this movie. But I thought that some instances were too similar to other superhero flicks. Plus, while totally fine with some changes in the characters, one just went over the line. And then there's that shocking twist. I just don't know how I feel about it. I'd love to process it with you here and now, my dear readers. But that would be too much of a spoiler. In a movie in which perception is the key theme, that spoiler is one you must see to believe.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Tick: Heroes of the City, Volume 2

Bizarre adventures continue in this concluding volume to the first Tick anthology series, 'Heroes of the City.' 

Arthur's quest to become a superhero in his own right concludes as does Tick's adventure as a sidekick for hire. 

Meanwhile, more heroes (and a villain) experience some unusual episodes throughout the Tick Universe. 

Paul the Samurai takes on a new partner and investigates the sudden deforestation of a wooded area. It turns out Paul Bunyan is real and his girlfriend Babe, the Blue Ox, has left him for being too wild (don't worry, the relationship isn't as bizarre as you think). Bunyan has decided to finally settle down and it's up to our resident Samurai to bring Paul and Babe back together or the entire forest is going to be nothing but stumps!

Next, a news reporter is on the trail of the Man-Eating Cow. Starting to look like the Channel 6 fool, the anchor decides to set a trap for the hungry bovine. Will the newscaster get her cow? Or will she become 'Bessie's' next snack?

Adding a criminal element to this series, the mysterious Red Eye ventures down a lonely highway looking for his next victim. For a comedy anthology, this was pretty creepy. But I must say, I would love to see NEC craft a Red Eye horror series. I think it would be freakin' awesome!

Lastly, we've got a tale of the Crazy Blue Rocket. The story of this poor delusional superhero is rather tragic. While The Tick is pretty delusional, he's not such a tragic character. But I think it's because Tick is just nuts and always has. Crazy Blue Rocket has experienced a terrible trauma. He was once a respected hero of the city. For some reason, something caused him to lose his mind. In all, this story was just heartbreaking.

The Tick and Arthur storyline plus the Crazy Blue Rocket were all new-to-me. But I know that I have read those other hero stories before. But for the life of me, I can't recall where. I wanna say that I had read them in previous Free Comic Book Day comics. But those books were supposed to be of all-new material. Have I been lied too?

A good close to this 6-issue mini-series. However, I could have done without that very sad Crazy Blue Rocket tale. And really, where I have read those stories before hand???

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.  

The Tick: Heroes of City, Volume 1

A rift has formed between The Tick and Arthur. Feeling unappreciated as the Robin to Tick's Robin, Arthur takes off to become a hero in his own right. Meanwhile, Tick tries to learn what it's like to be a lowly sidekick.

'Heroes of the City' was NEC's attempt to broaden the scope of The Tick's universe. Before this series, you only had a handful of heroes other that Tick and Arthur such as Paul the Samurai, Man-eating Cow and the unhinged Barry. With this anthology series, that all begins to change and I'm really glad that the publisher decided to take that gamble!

Featuring the talents of Clay and Susan Griffith, Sean Wang, Tak Toyoshima and many more. This is not just a collection of new and hilarious heroes but also some of the best Tick talent ever!

There was one aspect that didn't exactly reflect The Tick at it's best- the butt-kicking cheerleader, Myndi. The idea was that her 3-part story was going to produce into a spin-off. However, Myndi's pompon-ladened exploits were considered too absurd, too low-brow, that the supposed series never saw the light of day. If not mistaken, I don't think we ever see Myndi ever again after Heroes of the City. 

I thought Myndi was funny. Maybe not as funny as Tick and Arthur's tale. But good for a laugh or two. I for one hated the ending that for many Tick fans was the equivalent of the death of Poochy on The Simpsons. I will have to say this: if NEC had really wanted to spawn a Myndi series, they really shouldn't have included that twist ending in issue #3.

While 'Heroes of the City' is considered a mix bag of delight for most Tick fans, I see it's importance. It sent The Tick into the 21st century. Those crazy superheroes we see in those Free Comic Book Day releases, despite not debuting here, do indeed get their start thanks in very large part to this anthology!

Much needed insanity for a rough week. Many thanks for the laughs!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Canto #1 (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

Some weeks there’s so much great stuff that you can’t contain it in one review! I wish that was the case for this week’s Family Comic Friday Extra. Instead, life got in the way and I got behind on my comic book readings. But that’s okay. Because there’s still time to jump on the bandwagon of what is a candidate for my pick for all-ages comic book of the year: Canto!

Canto #1
Written by David M. Booher
Art by Drew Zucker
Published by IDW Publishing
Pages: 32
Retail: $3.99

Canto’s people are slaves. Their hearts have been replaced with clocks. Not allowed to have a name or fall in love nor own possessions, our hero’s people are reduced to little more than replaceable parts of a bigger machine of servitude and cruelty. See, for when the time stops on the clocks of these slaves, they are thrown into a furnace to power and warm the domiciles of the enslavers.

Canto is different from the rest. For one, he has a name. Then there’s the fact that Canto is in love with another; a little girl made of tin. He even gifts her tiny shiny pebbles as a token of his love. When the slavers do discover the secrets of Canto, they seek to make an example of someone who dares to buckle their repressive system. In another act of love, the girl throws herself at the villains and her clock is severely damaged.

In order to save the one he loves and hopefully overthrow his oppressors, Canto must embarked on a solo journey. One that promises action, thrills and possibly an unlocked secret or two!

Canto is visually stunning! Skybreaker’s Drew Zucker did a phenomenal job on these pages. I’m itching to discover what Canto and his people really look like underneath those helmets!
While Drew Zucker blew me away with his vision of this far off land, he couldn’t have done it without writer David M. Booher (Powerless). He does something that only a very few can and that is to create not just an entire world but a whole universe. Though we only witness a tiny portion of Canto’s world, through Booher’s narrative, I feel like there are distant planets teeming with life somewhere in our hero’s galaxy.

I absolutely loved this opening chapter. It was so fanciful. Canto is supposed to be inspired by the Wizard of Oz and the fantasy works of Jim Henson. Yet this book really was unlike anything I have ever read before. I only hated that it ended too soon! Thankfully, I won’t have to wait long as issue #2 is set to debut later this month!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Canto #1 currently available in print at a comic book store near you as well as certain digital formats.

Beanworld Omnibus Volume 2 (Family Comic Friday)

For this week’s Family Comic Friday, we venture to a wondrous land of unusual creatures and even more bizarre activities. Welcome to Beanworld. It’s an all-ages title that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Love it or hate it; Beanworld is definitely a title that you’ll never forget!

Beanworld Omnibus Volume 2Written and Illustrated by Larry Marder
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Pages: 448
Retail: $24.99

Larry Marder’s Beanworld has been a favorite of comic book readers young and old for nearly 35-years. It’s the story of the Beans, a tiny tribe of artists, musicians and heroic soldiers who hunt for food for the rest of the tribe. The Beans are supposed to be the hero of the story as they must steal from the Hoi-Polloi Ring Herd; a group of gamblers who use the Beans’ food for bargaining chips. But as I see the pain and fear that the Beans bring to the Hoi-Polloi during these food runs, I think that the Beans are more bullies than braves!

This wasn’t the only part of the Beanworld story that I had issue with. A large portion of this story is flat out confusing. Thankfully, this omnibus contains a Who’s Who list of characters and terms as well as a map of Beanworld. It’s quite handy when the characters constantly speak in both riddle and tons of made-up jargon.

I also feel that this book just keeps going around in circles. On day one, it’s determined that conditions are right to go on a hunt. Then on day two, it’s play time. This continues for over 200 pages with slight interludes that also seem repetitive. This volume is 448 pages long. But I’m sorry folks, after 250 pages, I couldn’t that the monotony anymore. I also couldn’t take the headache of it all.

Storyline issues aside, Beanworld is visually stunning. In it’s black and white and the inks are super clean. I liked the art very much. I just couldn’t take the entire snake eating its tail-like plot for so long.

One thing I cannot complain about this book is it’s retail price. $24.99 for almost 450 pages?! That’s an amazing deal. 

Another aspect I appreciated was that despite being the second Beanworld omnibus, you don’t have to have read volume 1 first! Some of that is because of all the glossary additions at the beginning of the edition. But some is thanks in very large part to Marder devoting the first 30 or so pages of the first story to a full introduction of the Beanworld cast. 

Folks, I’m going to be honest here. Just because I had issues with the book, you and the young reader in your life might just fall in love with Beanworld! Art is subjective. I’m giving my opinion on a work of art. It’s up to you to decide if you follow my advice or not. Most times, I employ you to listen to me. But since there are aspects of folklore, world mythology and abstract thought that I am not really all that familiar with, I am going to suggest that you take my review with a grain of salt. I very well just might not have gotten the whole concept behind Beanworld. But that doesn’t mean your family won’t get it.

And if you do, feel free to drop me a line in the comment section explaining just what it is I missed!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Beanworld Omnibus Volume 2 debuts in print and digital formats on July 16, 2019.

Beanworld Omnibus Volume 2 collects Beanworld Volumes 3, 3.5 (Tales of the Beanworld in black and white), and 4, with a bonus sketchbook section.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

Dark Days: The Road to Metal

DC Comics and the Previews solicits tried to warn me. In order to fully understand Dark Nights: Metal, you had to have read the Dark Days one-shots The Casting and The Forge. But I didn't listen.

If you are reading Metal, STOP! Even if you are only the last page- just stop! You will miss out of so much detail. Things like why is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX all of a sudden appearing in Gotham City? And why is the reappearance of  XXXXXXXXXXXXX such a big deal? Plus, you will fully understand why Batman has been preparing for a war against unimaginable evil!

After reading this volume, if one is still in the dark about the Dark Knight's crusade, then you've got several back issues reprinted here that delves ever so much more deeper into the roots leading to Metal. Going all the wa back to 2008 and Grant Morrison's Final Crisis. Yes, that means DC Comics has been planning out the foundations of this epic miniseries for over 10 years- maybe even longer!

A slew of talent worked on this very much required reading. Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert and many more! While I love the work these guys have done, I will say that I am looking for some other great DC superstars to be given a chance to steer the ship. And NO- I am not talking about Bendis! I wanna see what Joshua Williamson, Mitch Gerads, Scott Lobdell and Jason Fabok have to offer the world's best superheroes on a much grander scale! 

DC has been getting raked over the coals for some very poor sales decisions that have resulted in cancellations, delays, firings, and controversial restructures. Well, no matter how badly the business side of my favorite comic book publisher has been run lately, I cannot fault DC's dedication to crafting the ultimate comic book universe mosaic. Metal and it's component parts has been fun to read. But let's face it, it's time for the DCU to be mapped out for more than just a select few who seemingly have a singular focus. 

It's time for the next great age of DC. Thankfully, this is the compass to get us there!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Book of Useless Information

by Noel Botham and The Society of Useless Information

My wife has this bit. Some random article of trivia will pop up and she'll say 'That's a useless piece of I wouldn't mind if you removed it permanently." Recently, I worked at a used book store for trade credit. (It's there where I found this book.) Out of that sweet revenge that only a loving husband can provide his dear bride, I got The Book of Useless Information just for her!

But first, I wanted to read it. 

Amazingly, this was an addictive read. From interesting facts about species of animals to oddball facts about our founding fathers, I literally could not book this collection of trivia down. That's not to say that I didn't have my issues with it.

First of all, this book is 13 years old. I am quite certain that some of the facts were outdated. Those in particular involve stats about movies, TV and social media. Was there social media in 2006? Maybe I'm thinking computer consumption. But I am sure that AOL is no longer the most used search engine and/or email in the world.

Another thing I had problems with was the 'uselessness' of the data. Some stuff didn't seem that unnecessary to me. Maybe that's because I was a history major. To me all history is relevant. Even dumb stuff about those Kardashians. You never know when somebody is going to hold a gun to your head and only your knowledge of 12th century monarchs is going to save your life. I guess useless info is in the eye of the beholder. With as least 3 other books of useless info out there, I am sure that I'll be a quick judge of those sort of details sometime in the future.

(Plus, while this book has tons of info, I wish that they'd provide more detail. Most of the trivia are single lines of fact. But there were a bunch of instances where I wished to know the how or why behind the what!)

Lastly, on 2 different occasions, the same bit of trivia was reprinted. Poor data collection? Bad proof-reading? Slip-ups on the part of the editor? I don't know why someone felt that I needed to know those bits of info twice in the same book. But somebody goofed.

Even though this wasn't the perfect fact book, I really did enjoy it. I particularly loved the last factoid on the very bottom of page 38. It was so random- so non-sequitur- and so un-PC; I laughed and laughed. Plus, I could not resist sharing the hilarity of it with my wife. Just what was so darn funny? You'll have to read it for yourself to find out.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.