Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett

The steam engine has come to Ankh-Morpork. Clearly, this is an invention that has debuted way before it's time. While the Patrician has an uneasy feeling about it's presence in his city-state, Lord Vetinari is not one to pass up an opportunity. Thus, Vetinari recruits Moist Von Lipwig for another assignment in which not just Ankh-Morpork but perhaps the entire disk will prosper. Discworld is about to have a train!

Raising Steam was the last of many things. It's the last book in what fans call the 'Moist Von Lipwig' trilogy. This book is also the last adult Discworld novel. So, there's quite a few farewells. 

Normally, you do not have to read the Discworld novels in order. Though it very much helps. But in this case, there are at least 3 books you need to read before you crack open Raising Steam. 

Obviously, you must read Going Postal and Making Money. But you also need to read THUD! See in this book, a rogue segments of dwarfs called grags are disgusted with the modern Ankh-Morpork ways adopted by the Low King. The grags want to return to those old dwarfish ways. Things like mining for gold and gems- and then hoarding it. Living in the moist deep dark crevices of the Disc. And not knowing whether a dwarf is in reality male or female. 

I had read THUD! But gee, it must have been 5-10 years ago when I did. That book sets up Raising Steam quite a bit more than the first two Moist books do. And so if you can't remember much about THUD!, like I couldn't, then you are going to have trouble following the first half of this book. And you will not enjoy it as much.

Thankfully, Wikipedia and the Discworld wiki was able to help fill in some gaps. But I think once this quarantine is over, I'm going to have to seek out a copy of THUD! for a quick re-read. 

Being the final book of the Moist trilogy, the pacing is all wrong. Moist really feels more like a second character. At least for that first half. Plus, there's some new (to Discworld) creatures that have taken residence in this book without a true introduction. I don't want to spoil who they are. But unless they popped up in Snuff, the only book immediately prior that I haven't read yet, I do not understand why they are working with Adora Belle with the clacks system.

And why is Adora Belle working the clacks system all of a sudden? In Making Money, she was working with the Golem Trust. That book makes no mention of her love of the clacks industry though in Going Postal, it's her family who created that system of communication. 
What I am saying is that the pacing between the 3 Moist Von Lipwig books is so very uneven and this book seemed rushed at times to tie up a lot of loose plot ends.

Did the late Terry Pratchett know that his time on earth was coming to a close? It does feel that the author was trying to give Discworld a proper sendoff to his fans. But that doesn't quite explain why he then work one more Tiffany Aching book. I guess I will have to read that one to find out.

A good Discworld book. But it's definitely not my favorite either.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents The Doom Patrol, Volume 2

Look, the events of this book took place over 50 years ago. So if it's a spoiler for you, I'm sorry. But in order to fully capture my feelings, I'm going have to let some details slip.

Reading this, the second and final volume of Showcase Presents The Doom Patrol, was very bittersweet. Knowing that the main members of this team were slated for death by the very last page was like a sad little time bomb getting closer and closer to mortality with the completion of every page. 

There are some joyous times in the book. The marriage of Rita Farr and Mento. The adoption of Beast Boy. The Sam and Diane romance between the Professor and the evil Madame Rouge. Those were great moments in not only Doom Patrol but DC Comics history. 

I also rather enjoyed the origin back-story features of Robotman, Negative Man and Beastie. But where's Elasti-Girl's history? Where's Niles Caulder's story? Where's Mento's first days? Okay- Caulder's origins are explored some in the Robotman and Negative Man's 'miniseries'. But the leader of The Doom Patrol is too much of a mystery. 

Those of you who've read the later series of Doom Patrol know that yes, nobody ever really stays dead in the world of comics. And we'll one day see more of Caulder's backstory revealed. But it just wasn't explored here.

A great series that went in some pretty zany directions. It was classic DC and I loved it. 
Too bad this was just so darn sad of a collection!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Comics All-Star Collection, Volume 2

Planet Terry. Wally The Wizard. Royal Roy. Top Dog. 

These four titles were the original 4 titles of Marvel's short-lived but very much beloved Star Comics Imprint. In the mid-80s, Marvel Comics had the brilliant idea to start an all-ages line-up of comics. That's were these titles come in. (Also in the original line-up were the titles Misty and Spider-Ham. However, both series were based on already established Marvel characters.)

Instead of going straight for licensed titles, Marvel recruited some talent from Harvey Comics and decided to make original material. The results were rather mixed. 

Royal Roy was a blatant rip-off of Richie Rich and that wasn't just because Rich's creator Warren Kremer was hired to create Roy. Harvey Comics sued for copyright infringement and Royal Roy was gone after only 6 issues.

Planet Terry and Wally The Wizard lasted for 12 issues each. But both books were serials instead of one-and-done stories and they lagged in sales because kids hate books that end with 'To be continued' as they never was a guarantee to find the next issue due to the minimizing of comics carried for sale in grocers, pharmacies and box retailers. 

The subject matter for Wally The Wizard didn't help either. There was a parental panic that all this Dungeons and Dragons led to devil worship during this time. That hysteria harmed sales.

Top Dog had the longest running title. The tale of a super smart fugitive spy dog ran for 14 issues. It was rather popular. But with Star switching over to licensed material, Top Dog was found guilty of it's association with the other 3 titles. He was euthanized by 1986. 

These titles have found a small resurgence. Marvel has started to reissue these books as omnibuses instead of broken up into several volumes of mixed issues such as the one I read. Now if you follow my blog, you will know that I do not like to read a series partway. I prefer as much as possible to start with issue #1 and then read in order as much as I can without a break. 

But it's really hard to find the Star Comics stuff for cheap. And I only paid a penny (plus $3.99) shipping for this on Amazon. Plus, being in need of a pick-me-up (Thanks COVID!) and it was nearby, I took a trip back in time with these family friendly books. 

Planet Terry was very creative and fun. A couple of characters were clearly sci-fi versions of characters from ABC's Richie Rich cartoon from the early. RATING: 8 out of 10 stars.

Royal Roy was a royal bore. These stories are pretty insipid. Richie Rich and Uncle Scrooge are better stinking rich characters. RATING: 3 out of 10 stars.

Top Dog was as always, the cream of the crop. A little silly at times. But how often did you see a kid friendly comic book with a character sticking a gun to the lead pooch's head or the star canine being tortured on the cover? RATING: 9 out of 10 stars.

Wally The Wizard was a title I hated as a kid. Wizards and dragons weren't really my thing, so I did not enjoy it. But as a re-read, this was actually really good. Smartly written and the artwork in the second published issue was very, very good. RATING: 10 out of 10 stars.

Worth Consuming!

Overall rating: 7.5 out of 10 stars.

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan

With today being the chosen date for the annual Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon, I decided to finish up this amazing book by writer Michael Pollan.

A journalism professor and contributor to the New York Times Magazine, Pollan has become a sort of de facto expert on food culture. I found this book while I was working (for trade credit) at one of my favorite places on earth; Dog-Eared Books. 

Pollan crafts 64 rules on how to properly eat and consume food. His views encourage us to follow the Mediterranean diet, avoid the 'white' foods- flour, sugar and unrefined grains. Pollan also warns against processed foods, praises organics and recommends that our food sources be local. I'm pretty much for his views. 

Well... except for the organics. The idea is good. But truly until the FDA and USDA changes their way too lax guidelines for what growing methods constitute organic, I'm not going to shell out my hard earned cash. Though, I may be more persuaded to research the techniques used to growing my fruits in veggies to ensure that it truly is organic. So, I might follow that rule. But it's going to take some additional research on my part.

I loved this book. So much, that I have plans to add it to my culinary curriculum next year. I want to teach 63 of the 64 rules to my students on making wise food choices as aspiring chefs. One rule, (#43) encourages drinking a glass of wine with dinner. I don't think that I can encourage high-schoolers to imbibe some vino during lunch period. 

Food Rules is required reading. Not only should the next generation of eaters and chefs read this book. You and I should too! Pollan does think you have to follow all of the rules at once. But one or two small changes (at a time) can do wonders. 

Doing so might not just change how we eat. It may very well change the whole culinary industry. Heck, we might just change the world. I can live with that!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Welcome to Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon

If you didn’t already need an excuse to read for 24-hours straight, then why not do it for a good cause?… Promote the love of reading by taking part in Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-A-Thon tomorrow.

The virtual event started in 2007 with a blogger named Dewey. Inspired  by the round-the-clock annual event that her spouse and son attended, the 24 Hour Comics Day challenge, Dewey created her own endurance test.

For 24 hours straight, participants read. But that’s not all they do. Readers are encouraged to blog, podcast and flood social media with their reviews, opinions and love of the books they just read! While you don’t have to stay up the entire 24-hour period, there will be some bibliophiles who will burn the midnight oil. And probably ingest a lot of caffeine!

• Though Dewey is no longer with us, her love of books continues. And this year, more than ever, readers from across the globe are being encouraged to spend their quarantine time reminding others of the joy of reading. Though libraries and bookstores worldwide are closed, they too will be participating in Dewey’s Read-A-Thon. A couple of libraries will have their staff members participate in a day long zoom meeting in which they will take turns reading from favorite books. It’s going to be the perfect capper for what was supposed to be National Library Week!

Book lovers are also encouraged to purchase a gift certificate or place an online order from their favorite local bookseller, used book shop or LCS tomorrow. Let those small businesses that you support them during this economically crippling pandemic.

You can re-read a classic or dive into a new book. Cook books, fact books and even coffee table art books count towards the event! Yes- comic books, trades and graphic novels are allowed!

Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-A-Thon begins at 8am EST.

If you would like to participate in this year’s reading event, sign up here!

Love University (Family Comic Friday)

A young woman learns a fantastic secret about her past in this week’s Family Comic Friday review of Love University!

Love University #1 and 2
Written and created by Allison Chaney Whitmore
Art by Carola Borelli
Colors by Agnese Pozza
Published by EvoluzionE Publishing’s ClassE imprint

Lucy is supposed to have one more year before starting college. However, during a fateful college trip, she learns that she is an extremely powerful creature from ancient lore! She’s a real life cupid! And she’s been invited to immediately join an exclusive institute of higher learning- Love University!

While this new academy is the stuff of dreams come true, there is a caveat. Being a cupid means that Lucy cannot ever fall in love! As the school term is just about to begin, Lucy will have to decide between the magical realm or her mundane origins. Along the way, she’ll have to navigate college orientation, temptations from demigods and protect her heart from ever falling in love!

This was a wonderful new series from the digital publishing company EvoluzionE’s all-ages imprint ClassE. It was quite engaging and a unique spin on the ordinary person who finds out that they are quite extraordinary classic storyline. But I did think that the story itself is moving a little slow.

I read the first couple of issues. While issue #1 does introduce most of the major players; it takes until about the end end of issue #2 for things to start transitioning from interesting to intriguing. The action level really ramps up with the introduction of some nefarious players to our drama when BAM! End of issue #2. With no issue #3 (YET!), I was a little disappointed not knowing what’s gonna happen next!

Love University isn’t just a series aimed at girls. If the young reader in your life is a huge fan of Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl or The Fairy Tale Detectives, then they will love this new digital series too!

ClassE is an all-ages imprint. While there’s nothing objectionable, scary or overly provocative, I think that Love University is maybe a little too advanced for very young readers. But I would say that those 10 and up will really enjoy this series.

It’s true that Allison Chaney Whitmore (The Lost Heir) pens a tale that is quite mature. However, the reason that I think that this book is a little more sophisticated is thanks to the artwork. Carola Borelli uses very power strokes and deep clean lines in her artwork. It’s definitely the opposite of the cartoonish artwork that has dominated most if not all of the all-ages graphic novels and comics I review at Family Comic Friday. And let’s not forget the vibrant pastel palette of colorist Agnese Pozza. It’s perfect for this series that blends reality and myth. 

I think your up-and-coming comic collectors are going to really love this series!

Issues #1 and 2 of Love University are available now in digital format at Gumroad.com!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

Spongebob Freestyle Funnies Free Comic Book Day 2017

Being on COVID lock-down, I have been catching up on comics that I haven't had a chance to get to. I dug into my 2017 offerings from that year's Free Comic Book Day recently. (Yeah, I am that far behind!) I decided that I needed some laughs. So I choose a few funny books to read in the mean time.

In this Spongebob story, Mr. Krabs learns that the local comic book stores are giving away free comics. To the entrepreneur, that means a chance to make some money! But with most of the comic book stores already out of comics or closed, Mr. Krabs chances at striking it rich as a speculator are pretty much dashed.

But there's hope. One lone store is still open. But it's all the way over in a forbidden/foreboding area outside the city limits of Bikini Bottom! 

I'm not really a Spongebob person. My brother-in-law is. But that's fine. Other than not knowing who most of these characters are, I really got a laugh out of this book! 

The cover is a great tribute cover to the very first comic book ever published. Plus, the comics that Mr. Krabs and company come across are some great ocean themed parodies! Lots of fun!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Bongo Comics Free-For-All (FCBD 2017)

Being in lock-down, I've had a chance to go through my massive pile of stuff I need to catalog and file into my collection. That includes almost the entire offering of comics from 2017's Free Comic Book Day. 

One of the things I look forward to the most each FCBD is The Simpsons comic book. With Bongo Comics now defunct, we don't have new Simpsons stuff coming out. So this was a great little present to myself during a very stressful time. 

Once again we get a number of hilarious stories starring Bart, Lisa, Homer and the citizens of Springfield. And once again, the offerings are a thousand times more funnier that what FOX is putting on every Sunday at 8pm EST.

In the main story, Bart injures his back and must use a special backpack- one on wheels. It supposed to be the stuff of elementary school mockery. But of course, El Barto twists things to his advantage. 

Next up, Homer and Bart awake for a late night snack only to wind up facing a possible intruder. 

Lastly, Rod and Todd get separated from Flanders and go on an epic journey through the streets of the fair city. I don't know why, but those two namby-pambies always make me laugh and this was a great capper to another classic freebie from one of my favorite shuttered publishers.

Once again, the only thing Futurama is a back cover gag. I can't understand why Bongo never put stories on the Delivery Express crew in the FCBD books. You would think that they'd want to advertise them. Maybe we now know why Bongo went out of business.

Man, I miss these...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Fresh Off The Boat Presents: The Legion of Dope-Itude Featuring Lazy Boy #1

When you are in quarantine procedures, you find yourself finally with time to do those things you always wanted. Time to read a book. Or clean the house. Or finally cataloging those comic books. It was in that back log  that I came across a one-shot issue devoted to the critically acclaimed ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat.

Wait-a-minute..?! Fresh Off The Boat had a comic book?

Fresh Off The Boat Presents: The Legion of Dope-Itude Featuring Lazy Boy #1
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Art by Jorge Corona
Published by BOOM! Studios

Fresh Off The Boat ran on ABC for 5 years from 2015-2020. The show was based on Chef Eddie Huang's same-named memoir of growing up in 1990s Orlando as basically the only Asian family in the community. Newcomer Harrison Yang played the lead role of Eddie. The series also starred Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians), Randall Park (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Eddie's parents. Shazam's Ian Chen and Forrest Wheeler (Mortal Kombat) played brother Evan and Emery.

Essentially, the sitcom was about race, culture and eventually Eddie's discovery of his love for food and cooking. So where does comic books fit in with Fresh Off The Boat?

In the May 2nd, 2017 episode titled 'Pie Vs. Cake' Eddie and Emory decide to create a comic book together in order to win a contest. However, the brothers have two completely different ideas for how the book should go. It results in the two going off on their own to make their comics and failing miserably. Eventually the bros hug it out and team-up to craft a super hero team based on their family.

Fresh Off The Boat aired on Friday nights. With 'Pie Vs Cake' debuting on the first Friday of the month, if a fan of comic books watched that episode when it aired new, that meant the next day, they'd be in for a treat. That's because that year, Eddie and Emory's comic book dreams became a reality for fans participating in Free Comic Book Day 2020.

The Legion of Dope-Itude Featuring Lazy Boy was a freebie tie-in to the series! How did I miss that? Looking back, I had to work that Saturday at the culinary school I used to teach at. So for FCBD 2017, I needed my wife to go to my LCS in my stead. And then 3 years passed before I opened the package of comics that my bride procured. Yeah, I got that far behind...

The sitcom aired it's series finale just this February; much to my dismay. Actress Constance Wu threw such a tantrum of after a fifth season was announced by ABC that it caused a lot of tension on set. Her venom at being tied down to another year of sitcom filming was so vicious producers and cast felt that it was time for the Huang family to bid farewell to fans. Thus, this forgotten comic book was a welcome social distancing treat for a fan of Fresh Off The Boat such as myself.

Written this 'Lost Episode' is Gene Luen Yang and he's more than qualified to pen this tale. Yang's American Born Chinese parallel's the Huang Family's journey of assimilation into the American Dream.  The cartoonist evokes the mannerisms and dialogue of the actors who play the characters perfectly.

The artwork  by Jorge Corona (Feathers) wasn't quite so perfect. Eddie and his parents were drawn pretty darn close to their live-action counterparts. Brother Emery sometimes looked like actor Forrest Wheeler. But little Evan's scenes looked nothing like Ian Chen.

Now that I think more about, Jorge Corona's work is very cartoony. It has a child-like element to it. Since this is supposed to look like the comic made by Eddie and Emory, I guess that explains some inconsistencies. If that's the case, then I retract my criticism by half.

Still, the combined efforts of Gene Luen Yang and Jorge Corona was a great substitute for the real thing! I'm not sure why BOOM! Studios never made this one-shot into a series. But it's not too late! With no new Fresh Off The Boat on television, why not bring back this creative duo to create more adventures of this Huang family? I'd be all into that! And I think fans of comics and the ground-breaking series would be too!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Mister Miracle

Shortly before my state’s quarantine mandate went into effect, I headed over to my local library for some graphic novel and trade reads. One of the trades available had been on my wish list for some time: Tom King’s Mister Miracle. Running for 12 issues from October 2017- January 2019, this version of the world’s greatest escape artist was rather trippy. But King, along with artist Mitch Gerads, managed to stay pretty faithful to Jack Kirby’s original Fourth World vision in the process.

Mister Miracle
Written by Tom King
Art by Mitch Gerads
Covers by Gerads and Nick Derrington
Publisher: DC Comics

Originally published as Mister Miracle, issues #1-12.

Scott Free grew up in the orphanages of Apokolips run by the tyrannical Granny Goodness. Scott spent every waking moment he wasn’t being tortured trying to escape Granny’s fire pits. Finally achieving his goal, Scott traveled to earth and became friends with Mister Miracle, the world’s greatest escape artist.

Scott’s planned time in the shadows was short-lived. When mobsters killed the original Mister Miracle, Scott takes over the identity and eventually becomes an even bigger celebrity (and eventual hero) with the help of his manager Oberon and his former Furies leader wife, Big Barda.

Tragedy befalls the Mister Miracle household, sending Scott Free into a spiraling free-fall. Deeply depressed, Scott attempts one last escape. Slicing open his wrists, Scott takes his own life only to be snatched away from death thanks to paramedics! 

Or did he?

Controversial Batman writer Tom King tackled a bunch of metaphysical concepts in this maxi-series. What or who is God? What is reality? By the end of this title, you’ll be asking yourself if one man’s hell can be another paradise? While a lot of the concepts are explored but never truly explained, the reader will get an answer at the end of this story as to if Scott Free is dead or not. OR maybe not.

This Mister Miracle story is essentially a crisis story. Not just for Scott but for all of the New Gods on New Genesis and Apokolips. Darkseid has achieved the anti-life equation and the forces of Highfather and Orion will risk everything to stop evil from winning. 

But with all of DC’s crisis stories, the ending often gets mired with open ended finales. And for the most part, that’s exactly what happens here. Though, I do feel that this was one of the least open-ended stories produced on a level with CRISIS. Maybe I am not really clear here. I rather enjoyed this Tom King/Mitch Gerads production. 

Mitch Gerads (The Sheriff of Babylon) was a huge factor in my appeal of this Mister Miracle run. I forgot how alluring Jack Kirby had made the Amazon-like Big Barda. But Gerards quickly reminded me! And what he is able to do making some of the more surreal moments of this book look like an old school rabbit ears TV set struggling to get a clear reception was a thing of mastery!

Gerards won an Eisner award for his work on this book in 2018. Tom King did as well. But really, it’s the stunning visuals that make this book a New Gods series unlike any other. Expect lots and lots of red ink to flow through these pages. And with that, readers should expect lots and lots of death. Whether that body count includes Mister Miracle is up for interpretation.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Seamus (The Famous): The Treasure of Gunnar Folkbeard (Family Comic Friday)

Family Comic Friday has a wonderful new series to introduce to young readers this week. Mixing fun and imagination, it’s Seamus (The Famous)!

Seamus (The Famous): The Treasure of Gunnar Folkbeard
Written and Illustrated by Christopher Ring
Published by Action Lab/Discover
Pages: 64
Print Retail Price: $9.99

Seamus is a precocious young boy whose imagination goes 100 miles per minute! For Seamus and his talking tabby cat Fitcher, there’s no situation that isn’t a doorway to fun and adventure. In this introductory graphic novel from Action Lab/Discover, it’s a bag full of broken toys from Seamus’ closet that leads the way to a quest for pirate treasure!
Join Seamus (The Famous) as he leads his crew of swashbucklers on the high seas against dastardly raiders, booby traps and a roguish crab!

This book was absolutely delightful! Being a cat person, I can really relate to the creative fun you can have with a fellow feline. And Seamus, wanting to find treasure in order to help a house full of orphans gave this book a much needed (and appreciated) dose of heart!

Join Seamus (The Famous) as he leads his crew of swashbucklers on the high seas against dastardly raiders, booby traps and a roguish crab!

This book was absolutely delightful! Being a cat person, I can really relate to the creative fun you can have with a fellow feline. And Seamus, wanting to find treasure in order to help a house full of orphans gave this book a much needed (and appreciated) dose of heart!
Seamus and Fitcher and their expressive brains reminds me of another boy and cat duo- Calvin and Hobbes. Only, whereas Calvin is a bit of a bad boy. Seamus is very heroic. Fitcher is more sarcastic than Hobbes but he’s just as wise. One thing that really works between Seamus and his gato is their comedic timing.

I really laughed out loud several times reading this book. The jokes are so clever. But this isn’t an overly silly book. It just helps balance the flow between action adventure without being dull or too intense.

Seamus (The Famous) is aimed at readers 4-8 years old. I think the whole family can gather together and enjoy this fantastic new series from commercial artist, Christopher Ring. Though I was rather surprised by the low blow our hero gives a pirate during a rescue sequence. It’s a little bawdy, but otherwise this was a book that parents and guardians should find inoffensive.

A joyful tale. It was filled with beautifully clean artwork, sly humor and adventure, adventure, adventure! Seamus (The Famous) is one book not to be missed!

Seamus (The Famous): The Treasure of Gunnar Folkbeard is currently available on Kindle and Comixology. It will debut in print on May 26th, 2020.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

The Grumpy Guide to Life: Observations from Grumpy Cat

I don't know if I have ever said it in this blog, but I have gone on record as to have said 'I miss Grumpy Cat.' I also miss L'il Bub. Last year, both beloved feline icons died. And it seems like the world has just gone to heck without them.

That's why I am so glad that I found this cute little book devoted to the wit, wisdom and irritation of Grumpy Cat (AKA Tartar Sauce.) 

Having crippling social anxiety and Reynaud's Syndrome, I can relate to Grumpy in terms of not desiring to being around people. With the anxiety, I'm just a ticking time bomb of fear. With Reynaud's, my skin hurts all the time and I do not want to be touched. I am just miserable. 

So, reading a couple hundred pages of someone else who doesn't like to be bothered really sticks with me.

I also am a cat person. I get along with dogs. But cats are my jam! They can be so chill and relaxing. And as someone who loves books, cats just really seem a better fit when you want to sit and devour a good book. 

This book is also filled with dozens of funny and adorable pictures of Grumpy. There's a couple of pics of Grumpy with her sibling Pokey! 

If you are looking for a laugh, especially in this time of social distancing, then you must read the writings of the master of wanting to be alone!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart! (Family Comic Friday)

Family Comic Friday digs into it's to-read pile of recently published books this week to bring you a hybrid graphic novel. It's quite silly. Tons of fun. And maybe just a little bit older of a read than for it's target audience. Find out all about it as we review Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart!

Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart
Written by Thomas E. Sneigoski
Art by Tom McWeeney
Published by Insight Comics
Pages: 168
Retail: $14.99

Kirby, the French Bulldog determined to conquer the world is back! But before he can obtain the secrets to total global domination, he must follow through on his promise to help the ghost of Professor Erasmus J. Peckinpah be reunited with his cryogenically frozen body. That will mean that the two, along with OB the super turtle will need to take a road trip to Area 51. It's deep within the bowels of that heavily guarded facility that Erasmus hopes that a nuclear powered cow has the spark to bring his popsicle of a body back to life! This task will not be easy.

No, we're not talking about all the armed guards and soldiers that protect Area 51. They're a piece of cake for this oddball trio. No, it's the roving gangs of bikers, a ghostly prospector and a deranged (LIVING) mad scientist that will make things tricky. Oh, and did we forget to mention the aliens?

Atomic Frenchie is a book that really can only be described as a hybrid graphic novel. Over half of this book is written in chapter prose form. Throughout the book are comic book scenes that range from just a few panels to a couple of pages.

The tone of the prose sections and the comic ones have a slightly different feel to them. You know that old campfire game? The one where someone starts a story and then the next person builds on the tale only for things to go completely off the rails by the time the story is over? That's how I feel about Atomic Frenchie. I didn't hate this concept. But I would like to know if I am right on the money about it. Does Tom McWeeney (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) control the plot of the story when it's his turn to illustrate the adventures of Atomic Frenchie? Or does Thomas E. Sneigoski (Bone) write up those scenes too? I tried to Google an answer and got nowhere. But that's my theory and I am sticking to it... for now.

This book is full of surprises. Quite of few of them is rather bizarre. Amazon suggests that this book is perfect for ages 8-12. But with some rather old pop culture references, some toilet humor, and a couple of very mild swears, this might be a book more for those aged 10-15.

Another potential put off for some young graphic novel readers is the lack of graphic in regards to that which is novel. I am not criticizing the format. I think it's rather awesome. But parents and guardians might need to explain that this is a mix of two different types of books to the reader.

Secretly, like the parent who sneaks in veggies into a unknowing child's food, that's how proud you grown-ups should be when offering Atomic Frenchie to your child. They'll be hooked on the colorful and humorous art. But they'll actually be doing a whole lot more reading that expected too!

Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 2 was a wild road trip of different genres. Great characters and tons of crazy stuff. It's like Mel Brooks and The Tick had a baby!

Atomic Frenchie, Volume 2: The Cow with the Nuclear Heart  is available in hardcover. Atomic Frenchie, Vol. 1: Sit. Stay. Rule. is available in both print and digital formats.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

A week ago I finished Terry Pratchett's Making Money. It was the second book of what fans call the 'Moist Von Lipwig' trilogy. I didn't have book one and I sure as heck wasn't going to start on book 3. Regardless, starting in the middle, while a good read, it wasn't the best read, especially in terms of having read about 3/4 of the Discworld series. 

The day after I completed Making Money, we were notified that all book stores were to shut down by 5pm. So I rushed off to the book stores in search of some more Discworld books. It was at a Barnes and Noble that I finally found the opening chapter of Moist's adventures in 'honest' business.

Here in Going Postal, Moist Von Lipwig is offered the job of a lifetime. (That's because if he refuses Lord Vetinari's employment opportunity, it will be the end of Lipwig!) Moist is to become the postmaster general for Ankh-Morpork's fledgling post office. Who are we kidding here? The post office had gone way past failed. 

Armed with the Discworld's oldest junior mail sorter, a quality control inspector obsessed with pins and a golem parole officer, Moist Von Lipwig will play the odds (and probably cheat) to make the post office relevant again.

That plan isn't going to be easy as Moist and the post office must compete against big communication in the form of the clacks system. It's a corporation that is just as devious as Lipwig. Only, Lipwig has a heart! And that very well could be the con man's downfall- especially when Moist falls in love!

I wish I had read Going Postal first. It made me appreciate Making Money all that much more. I thought I hated Lipwig. But in a lot of ways, Moist is like me. Not, I am not a shyster. But I do have an amazing ability to remember faces. I might not remember names, but I can always carry on a conversation with anyone I've ever meet as I can remember such details of a person's life just like Lipwig. 

I used to based how I conducted business like Bart Simpson when he turned his tree house into a casino. But I might start schmoozing with folks based on how Lipwig runs the postal service.  

There is one downside to having read this book out of turn. A lot of what Pratchett has planned for Moist is hinted at throughout almost the entire 470 plus pages of the book. Instead of being a surprise, I was more of like 'oh, I see where he's going with this.'

I just started reading the third and sadly final book in the trilogy, Making Steam. With this one, I can see already that same formula as things hinted in the last third of Making Money is already happening here in the last book's opening 25 pages.

When if comes to Pratchett's Discworld books, one is not required to read any of the books in order. Well, I think that rule does not apply here! If you own (and haven't read yet) Making Money and Raising Steam- don't! That is until you get a copy of this novel and read it first. You will enjoy the second book a whole bunch more if you do follow my advice. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four, Part 2: The Review

After decades of waiting and a chance posting on Facebook, this madman finally got to see one of the most elusive comic book motion picture holy grails- Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four.

Yesterday, I explored the myth and history of the making of the film. Today, I share with you my review. While it’s clearly no Avengers Endgame, this low-budget take on the First Family of the Marvel Universe is surprisingly not bad!

The Fantastic Four (1994)
Starring: Alex Hyde-White, Jay Underwood, Rebecca Staub, Joseph Culp
Directed by Oley Sassone
Distributed by New Horizons Films
Run Time: 94 minutes

When Roger Corman was approached by German producer Bernd Eichinger to create a full-length live-action movie of the Fantastic Four, the legendary filmmaker was only given a budget of $1 million dollars. That meant Corman would be faced with cutting a number of corners in order to get that project done. It wasn’t something that Roger Corman was unfamiliar with. Corman is known to be the McGuvyer of filmmaking. But with such a small budget, that meant not having any established stars in the cast.

Faced with casting a quartet of relative unknowns, only Jay Underwood playing Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, had any real meaty acting credits prior. Underwood had  starred in a trio ABC/Disney TV movies based on the Not Quite Human young adult series by Seth McEvoy. A cameo by George Gaines (Punky Brewster, The Police Academy films) as Reed and Ben’s physics teachers is perhaps this film’s only real household name. 

The premise for the Fantastic Four film is pretty close to accurate for the comics created by Lee and Jack Kirby. Radiation during a botched space flight imbues 4 astronauts with special powers. After crash-landing, the quartet run afoul of the evil Doctor Doom who seeks to siphon the team’s powers to make himself the most powerful man in all the world!

Doctor Doom is played with maniacal aplomb by Joseph Culp (Mad Men.) His acting is perfectly over-the-top for a comic book villain. And his costume is 5000 times better than any of the modern Fantastic Four movie versions of the character. It’s just a shame that you can barely understand anything Doom is saying as the mask he wears really muffles the actor’s  voice. 

There’s another villain in this movie called the Jeweller. This subterranean leader of a band of homeless misfits is obviously based on the Fantastic Four issue #1 villain, Mole Man. But why this guy isn’t called by that name here is a mystery. Maybe the producers didn’t have the rights? 

The Jeweller is the comic relief of the movie. It’s his actions that cause the malfunction of Reed’s spaceship. But his goofiness just can’t hold a candle to the outlandishness of Doctor Doom!

The special effects are a mixed bag. The stretching scenes of Mister Fantastic are anything but. What do you expect for a million bucks? For most of the movie, only Johnny’s hand catches flame. But in the climactic battle with Doctor Doom’s cronies, Storm finally goes full flame-on. Though it’s clearly CGI done with 1990s era computers, it’s actually not bad animation for the time period. 

The make-up and suit made up for Ben Grimm’s transformation into The Thing was kinda hookey. You can tell it’s a foam rubber suit. But it actually looks tons way better than Michael Chiklis’ version of Ole Blue-eyed Benjamin!

Costuming for the movie was far more superior than some modern day superhero epics. Like I said, Doctor Doom’s armor and costume were the best I’ve ever witnessed in a motion picture. The FF’s uniforms are pretty comic book accurate. And when it comes to form fitting on Sue Storm actress Rebecca Staub- va-va-va-voom! 

There have been 4 live-action films starring the Fantastic Four. Roger Corman’s take on the team was by far, the best one! The 2005 origin story was good but it lacked heart. The Silver Surfer sequel was completely unfaithful to the source material with having Galactus be a huge cloud of destructive space gas. And 2015’s FF… That’s 2 hours of my life I want back.

At just over 90 minutes, this forgotten Marvel movie was a good distraction. I didn’t think once about the COVID-19 pandemic while watching it. That right there says a lot. This wasn’t the best movie. But it wasn’t Thor: The Dark World either. 

Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four was hampered by a tiny budget. In today’s dollars, that only comes to about $1.75 million. With such a small allotment, Corman’s team did some big stuff. Imagine how much better the CGI and make-up could’ve been with an extra million bucks or two. The Jeweller’s minions might actually have looked like Moloids. Doc Doom’s army might have actually been Doombots and not pasty white guys in green hoods!

Yes- you will get some unintended laughs if you ever get the chance to watch this film. But I don’t think you’ll be very disappointed either. For what Roger Corman pulled off with the number of barriers in his way, he made a B-movie classic out of one of our all-time favorite bands of superheroes! I don’t know if Stan Lee was proud of this movie. But as a life-long fan of the FF, I sure was!

Excelsior, Mr. Corman! Excelsior in deed!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four, Part One: Production

After decades of waiting and a chance posting on Facebook, this madman finally got to see one of the most elusive comic book motion picture holy grails- Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four.

The Fantastic Four (1994)
Starring: Alex Hyde-White, Jay Underwood, Rebecca Staub, Joseph Culp
Directed by Oley Sassone
Distributed by New Horizons Films

I remember thumbing through an issue of Comics Scene in 1993 when I first became aware of B-movie master Roger Corman’s plan to release a full-length motion picture starring Marvel’s First Family. I was at a B. Dalton’s Bookstore when I saw the first official photo of the actors in costume and make-up to play the Fantastic Four. According to the article, the movie was intended to be released in May 1993. A huge fan of the superhero team, I was thrilled to say the least.

Well 1993 came and went. No FF made it to the big screen. Nor did it arrive direct-to-video as some clunkers do. Instead, Corman’s production had a brief one time showing in 1994 and then it faded away into myth and obscurity.

A film starring the Fantastic Four was going to be a big deal. It was supposed to rival the Batman films directed by Tim Burton over the past few weeks. So why did this movie never make it to theaters?

Legend has it that the Roger Corman produced Fantastic Four movie was never intended to be seen by the general public. In the early 80s, German producer Bernd Eichinger obtained the rights to a Fantastic Four motion picture for his production company Constantin Films. His deal with Stan Lee was good for 10 years. But it could be renewed if Eichinger made a movie about Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben. That’s when Eichinger teamed up with Roger Corman.

Roger Corman has been known to make a fairly decent movie on a not so decent budget. The driving force behind films such as A Bucket of Blood, Rock n’ Roll High School, and Battle Beyond the Stars, Corman has launched countless careers. Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and James Cameron are just a handful of directors whose career was helped along by Roger Corman. With a budget of only $1 million dollars, Corman and his production team at New Horizons Pictures was also the only person who could get the movie done.

Filming ran for about 25 days starting on December 28th, 1992. Roger Corman and Eichinger selected music video director Oley Sassone to helm the project. A majority of the film was produced on a sound stage in Venice California. On-scene locations included Loyola Marymount University for a key scene involving the origins of Victor Von Doom!

Post-production took up the majority of 1993. The Labor Day debut was pushed to early 1994. Composers David and Eric Wurst actually used some of their own funds to conduct a 48-piece orchestra for the Fantastic Four soundtrack. Meanwhile, Corman and his advertising team began a PR campaign that would herald the arrival of the Fantastic Four to the silver screen. That includes that issue of Comics Scene I remember so fondly.

Finally, the big debut came. On January 19, 1994 at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, the stars and production crew joined for a huge premiere. Sales of tickets for the opening was to benefit the Ronald McDonald House and other charities. But at the 11th hour, Bernd Eichinger pulled the plug on the entire project.

Eichinger’s team of lawyers handed all of the actors and crew cease-and-desist orders. Eichinger reportedly then handed Roger Corman a check and informed the director that the film would never be shown in public. With the negatives in the possession of Constantin Films execs, it looked like this version of the Fantastic Four would never be seen by fans. Thankfully, someone made a bootleg copy of the movie and it made its way online.

So that’s the myth, legend and fact behind Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four. Tomorrow, I’ll review the forgotten film. You might actually be surprised by the rating I give it. Until then, Excelsior!

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Imaginary Friends

Rex Montana is the greatest imaginary friend of them all. His ability to craft adventures with nothing but a pack of pencils, a teddy bear and the mind of an 8-year old in a thing of beauty. Rex has helped dozens of youngsters enjoy childhood to the fullest. Now Rex Montana is the world's greatest hope!

Along with an odd assortment of characters, Rex Montana must travel through the mythical realms of folklore and tradition in order to stop a rogue bunbury named Shift Valentine from becoming real and turning the domain of humans!

This was a pretty clever story in the vein of Inside Out and Toy Story. If it was for the fact that this book was rated for ages 14 and older, Imaginary Friends could have been a Pixar classic. For all we know, we might see this story could one day get that Pixar treatment. The Ninja Turtles were originally designed for adults but was crafted into a beloved franchise for fans of all ages. It could happen here too!

Created by Praetorian's Jason M. Burns, I really dug the creativity of this book. But some of the dialogue stunk. There's a character called Bones MaGee, who is a bit of a cut up (literally). His jokes are awful. So bad, that I couldn't figure some of them out. I could have done without him. But Cindy- wow! She's a character that I would love to have seen another miniseries starring just here. 

The artwork was very wild and colorful. It's got the right balance of fancy and cartoonish mirth. It's the work of Richie Rich: Rich Rescue's Dustin Evans and I loved how it was both innocent and quite adult at the same time. 

I got this at a dollar used book store in the Raleigh area. I don't know if such a thing exists in other parts of the country. But my state has had quite a few pop up over the years. Why it took me so long to read this, I don't know. But it was a very good distraction from the insanity of 2020. Hopefully, one day when we all get to go to the movies once again, we might see an adaptation of Imaginary Friends on the silver screen one day!

Worth Consuming!

8 out of 10 stars.

(Note: upon further research in my database, this is a re-read for this Madman. Review is based on that second reading.)

Act: A Click Graphic Novel (Family Comic Friday)- PREVIEW

Olive, her brother Goober and friends are back in Kayla Miller's Act. It's the latest is the series of Click graphic novels from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers!

Act: A Click Graphic Novel
Written and illustrated by Kayla Miller
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
Pages: 224
Retail: $24.99

Welcome to the sixth grade, Olive! It means new experiences, new friends and long-awaited trips to the theater district in the big city! It also means that Olive's friends can run for class government. You might think that this sort of responsibility isn't Olive's thing. And you'd be right. But when Olive learns that a new school is unfairly keeping students from going on class field trips., she suddenly gets bitten by the politics bug!

With two of her best buds already running for the student council spot, does Olive have what it takes when egos and friendships get in the way of the path to victory?

Act is another success from artist and writer Kayla Miller. The third book in the series, Act continues the all-ages fun. Act follows Olive through most of another school year, just like in Click. But here, there's the added challenge of running for student government. Miller perfectly shows how competition can get in the way of friendship. I loved how Miller has Olive fighting for what's right while navigating the temptation to turn her student council aspirations into a smear campaign.

Kayla Miller's art is super clean. The lines are inked so thick. I'm a sucker for thick inking! There's just something classic about that and it's touches like that that gives this graphic novel a timeless touch to it.

Great for readers aged 8-12. But I think that this is a volume that could be enjoyed by readers slightly older or even just a bit more younger.

With school currently out of session, kids might be going out of their minds for some peer interaction. Why not have your child become Olive's newest classmates with a copy of Act? It's like getting to enjoy all the fun of school without any pandemic risk- and no homework!

Act: A Click Graphic Novel will debut in print and digital formats on July 21, 2020. It should be a long awaited return to class for the young reader in your life!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.