The Adventures of Blanche

The Adventures of Blanche collects the complete Blanche Trilogy. Created by Rick Geary, this is a whirlwind epic that takes place at the turn of the 20th century all the way through to the beginning of the Jazz Age. Blanche is a young woman with a musical gift. Her talents take her first to the Big Apple, where she is admitted into a training program. Then Blanche is hired to work in a Hollywood that is just in it's infancy. Her adventures wrap up in Paris, where she is hired to score a surreal play created by artist Pablo Picasso.

In the midst of all three adventures, Blanche becomes embroiled with mysterious figures, labor disputes, and strange cults. With a new introduction that frames Blanche's letters back home as being those of his grandmother's, as well as a heavy dose of historical figures, you really wonder if these stories really happened. That adds a dose of realism to the whimsy. But, I doubt that a young woman of this time period would discuss some of the rather 'shocking for the time period' observations to her mother and father; albeit in a series of letters.

I bought this book not for the subject matter but for the writer/artist. Rick Geary is noted for his true crimes graphic novels. They are some dynamic reads. But they are also difficult to come by. The Adventures of Blanche has got that nostalgic flare, which is prevalent in Geary's non-fiction works. But that 'just the facts' approach that Rick Geary takes to his works is missing here. 

I enjoyed this book. But as space in my graphic novel collection is at a premium, it's not a Rick Geary book that holds a deep connection to me to keep. I'll let this one go for some trade credit and the hope that I can find a True Victorian Crime GN for cheap in the future.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: The Great Disaster Featuring The Atomic Knights

If you are a fan of the classic Jack Kirby disaster title known as Kamandi, this is the essential collection to read! Collecting stories from numerous titles including Action Comics, DC Comics Presents, Weird War Tales, and Strange Tales among others, you will learn everything that lead up to the Great Disaster and the coming of The Last Boy on Earth!

I started this book in September. Then I came across the section on the Atomic Knights. And I fell in love. These post-apocalyptic heroes who wear medieval knights armor (due to it's radiation resistant properties) just resonated with me. Maybe it was because I saw a little of myself in a pandemic atmosphere in the post-nuclear war struggle of those Knights. I'm not saying surviving COVID-19 is on par with surviving the fallout from World War III. But sometimes we find solace in our trials by experiencing worse fates in our fiction reads.

Anyways, by mid-September, I was not looking forward to saying good-bye to the Knights. That's when I came across the 'Thanksgiving. 1990' 2-parter. Being a lover of holiday comics and considering how few Turkey Day books there are out there, I got to extend my goodbyes for a couple of months. Then the holidays hit and I delayed things again.

Thankfully, I knew that there was at least 1 more Atomic Knights story based on this books cover. With the close of that main story, we are introduced to the Greek hero Hercules. The atomic wars weakened the prison in which Ares had trapped the half-human son of Zeus. Upon his released, Zeus befriends a number of humans and seeks revenge on his captor. With a friendly puppy in the mix, I found myself cheating ahead to make sure of one of my unforgivable comic book reading rules isn't broken- That doggie better not die!

While the pages of Atomic Knights and Hercules stories give insight as to why is it that animals turn into humanistic creatures, why do the humans turn into savages and what started the bombs falling in the first place, the last couple of stories inside offer alternatives. One ending is a trippy Superman team-up with those Atomic Knights. The other is a lengthy essay by Paul Levitz that blames the meddling of that dastardly New God, Darkseid. While I liked the adventure with the Man of Steel, I think Levitz's recount is the gospel truth. 

These stories are very Pre-Crisis; which I must admit, I love. The Greek gods aren't as evil as what happens to the Amazons at their hands in the midst of the George Perez Wonder Woman era. So if you adhere to cancel culture, you might have so difficulty admiring the heroic exploits of Hercules and his godly family in this book. But since all this occurs nearly a decade prior to the publisher's 1986's history change, it didn't happen! 

So relax and enjoy an engaging read about a future to come that never come to be!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents The Phantom Stranger, Vol. 2

Volume 1 was a classic collection of spooky stories that had plots that skirted the edge of the supernatural. But more often than not, the villain was revealed to be a Scooby-Doo level bad guy in a mask. Occasionally, we'd get an honest-to-goodness ghost with an occasional UFO alien or monster peppered in. But even then, the true monsters turned out to be ourselves with prejudices and biases. It was an honest representation of horror comics restricted by the Comics Code. 

Volume 2 is comprised of stories published in the early 70s. At this point in comic book history, the restrictions on stories involving demons, vampires and other ghoulies was lifted and it appears that a now unencumbered DC Comics went wild in the pages of Phantom Stranger.

The Phantom Stranger runs afoul of an international cabal of covens. As these worshipers of evil seek to create a literal hell on Earth, they also seek to destroy the Stranger as he's the only thing that is standing in these devils' way!

Occult denier, Dr. Terry Thirteen, is the foil in many of these stories. I love this character. But he's so very much like Scully from The X-Files, as no matter how much sorcery and witchcraft does his witness, Dr. Thirteen always has an answer for why the episodes that just occurred were mere tricks of smoke and mirror. The last story which reprints an epic horror crossover with the House of Secrets and House of Mystery is proof of such blindness! 

This volume also compiles the complete (but short) 'Spawn of Frankenstein' storyline by Len Wein. Based on the Mary Shelley creation, this monster is what will eventually become an Agent of SHADE, and later one of Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers. It was neat seeing his origins, or maybe it's more of a revitalization. Plus, really cool and creative how both the Phantom Stranger and Dr. Thirteen are added to the mix. 

Lastly, if you are fan of Deadman, then this is an essential read. Several of the final handful of Phantom Stranger issues have the ghost of Boston Brand teaming with the Stranger. Albeit, it's a reluctant pairing as Deadman really doesn't trust this guy. It's a crossover to the level of supernatural excellence of Doctor Fate and The Spectre but with a 70s flavor to it.

I liked this volume. But I am more of a purist. When it comes to horror, I am game to just about anything. But if I had to pick the type of horror that I am least a fan of- it's stuff dealing with demons. Ghosts. Witches. Magic. I can deal with. But once you start opening a portal to Hades and adding demonic possession, I'm just not a fan of that. Unfortunately, while Phantom Stranger, Volume 2 still bears the original formula of the series. But we started edging just a bit too much into Linda Blair territory for my liking.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Blue Devil #16

So our new superhero has a name- The Vanquisher. He's like The Punisher if he was once a hall monitor. In other words, Vanquisher likes to get discipline people because he's power mad. And he's got massive chips on his shoulder!

When it comes to Dan Cassidy- Blue Devil just doesn't sit well at all with the Vanquisher. That's because Vanquisher doesn't feel like Dan paid enough dues to become the Blue Devil. 

Being cursed to forever rest inside a big giant blue suit for all eternity by a demon; yeah, that's not due paying worthy. 

Not really sure why we need Vanquisher. He's like when J. Jonah Jameson would create bad guys to battle Spider-Man because JJJ thought that the web-slinger was a villain himself. But here, the reasons why don't quite gel with the hatred of Vanquisher against Blue Devil. Making for this chapter in an otherwise enjoyable and quirky part of 1980s DC Comics a little uneven.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Blue Devil #15

The studios in which Dan Cassidy works unveils it's newest fully automatic ride. It stars a giant monkey, some pesky aerial flyers and an iconic building. 

A ghost in the machine causes the ape to go haywire, grabbing a tourist. Still in attack mode, the planes star shooting back at the big baboon- with real ammo! So, it's up to Blue Devil, who had a hand in some of the attraction's circuitry, to save the day.

But just who is this new mystery man that's popped up on the scene? And why is he so bad? No, he's not a villain. He's just terrible at this superhero thing! I mean he really stinks!

Where's Kid Devil when you need him?

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10.

Blue Devil #14

The one thing Dan Cassidy has not wanted since becoming a superhero is a sidekick. A super-powered mentor? Sure! An adept and mighty partner? Who wouldn't. But the last thing Blue Devil needs is some snot-nosed brat tagging along and getting himself into trouble. 

Devotee Eddie has developed his own suit. Calling himself Kid Devil, the gofer wants to get into the superhero game. Given a chance to test his mettle, the official answer is NO! 

NEWS BULLETIN! WE INTERRUPT THIS REVIEW FOR BREAKING NEWS!

An inbound flight to Los Angeles has been skyjacked. Aboard the flight are Eddie's estranged parents who seek to bring the lad back East to home. Word has it that reluctant superhero Blue Devil is attempting to rescue the hostages. 

I'm sorry. I'm getting reports that a tiny person in a red devil suit has appeared on scene to assist with the crisis. 

More information to follow at our 11 o'clock news report...

A rather silly chapter with a great homage cover!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Essential Fantastic Four, Vol. 8

There's about 30 issues reprinted in this volume. The main theme seems to be alternate Earths. An alien warlord seeks to destroy 3 worlds and 3 versions of the FF, in order to become the ultimate power in all existence. Then the High Evolutionary seeks help on his counter-earth from the threat of Galactus. Though the planet killer has a vow not to eat our earth, he's got no qualms devouring that other world. 

Lastly we have a mystery villain. I don't want to give up too much. But it explains questions I've had since I was a child attempting to read and collect FF issues. 

Throw in the Frightful, uh- Three, a time travelling caper with the Invaders and the Liberty Legion, and help from the Impossible Man, Tigra and Thundra and it appears that the Baxter Building is getting more crowded than a Peter Davison TARDIS. 

The 70s are by far my favorite Fantastic Four time period. This series is chop full of wild tales by Roy Thomas with art by a host of greats. The biggest treat are the George Perez penned issues. And in true Marvel Bullpen fashion, there's a delightfully meta story involving many of your favorite Marvel talent!

Oddly enough, there's absolutely no Doctor Doom in this collection! That's actually kinda refreshing!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

G.I. Joe and The Transformers

This graphic novel /deluxe comic book reprints the very first 'canon' team-up of a group of some Real American Heroes and some robots that are More Than Meets The Eye. 

Set in the midst of the assassination of Optimus Prime, the Autobots are in mourning and the Decepticons are in chaos. Without an adversary, Megatron has gone into a tailspin leading other Decepticons to launch a coup. And those plans mean the end of all life on Earth!

In classic fashion, the Joes must reluctantly team with Cobra. In typical fashion, Cobra is playing both sides. But Serpentor and his followers know that their very survival is at stake!

I'm not sure why this crossover was never published in the reprints of Marvel's original run of G.I. Joe. Licensing rights being eventually owned by a different publishing company probably has something to do with it. As team-up #2 took place in the pages of G.I. Joe and not a separate miniseries. So that's probably why.

This story follows many of those classic Saturday morning cliches. Good guys assumed to be villains. Double crosses from all of the baddies. Padded storylines filled with unnecessary one-and-done characters. But for a couple of evenings, this was a much needed blast from this Madman's past!

Worth Consuming!

Grimm Fairy Tales 2019 Holiday Special

With it's theme of modernizing fairy tales, Grimm Fairy Tales should be one of my favorite series. But it's legacy of T&A covers keeps me away from this series for the most part. With the addition of Krampus to this storyline, I made a rare exception. 

Krampus plays the role of Crypt Keeper, Zacherly or Svengoolie with his narration of a trio of holiday themed stories; each with their own spooky twist. The level of gore was Tarrantino-esque. But I am a fan of those scary ghost stories set during Christmas-time. 

The individual stories were quite good. And they had perfect twists which make horror stories a comic book staple! But I had a little bit of trouble figuring out the twist ending for Krampus' victim. What? Did you think Krampus just goes around telling scary stories to himself? 

The quality of this holiday special from Zenescope Entertainment was quite high! Thankfully, the main cover was fairly tame. In a way, the carpet didn't match the drapes as the sexuality level of the actual content was virtually non-existent. I might find myself purchasing some, if not all of the past holiday specials. As long as I can find the PG-13 (or better) covers.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Mars Attacks The Holidays

A hilarious look at the holidays with those pesky attackers from planet Mars. Based on the Topps bubblegum cards from 1962, this 2012 over sized one-shot was part of the massive 50th anniversary campaign. 

Mars Attacks The Holidays covers 4 holidays. First up: it's Feisty Fred Hembeck as he explores the exploits of a reconnaissance team during a 1950s All Hallow's Eve. The next holiday was one that you'd think would be the subject of countless specials due to the lengthy legacy of War comics, Veteran's Day. But with the second story of a scout invasion set on the eve of the very first Armistice Day, I now have my first Veteran's Day inclusion to my holiday comics collection. 

Thanksgiving is the setting for the third story. Set during the annual Turkey Day parade, this parody has Mars finally going all out on the earth. This story is done up like a MAD Magazine parody with lots of famous celebs but with skewered names. I found it rather interesting that despite being published in 2012, our current POTUS just happens to be a rather pesky main character in the story. Geez- I didn't realize how hated Trump has been. I only thought it was with him running for Prez in 2016 that folks began to have such venom towards him. I was wrong.

The last story is set at Christmas. And with this story, the yuks stop. Mars hasn't conquered our planet. But they've clearly laid waste to it. Taking inspiration from the legendary Christmas truce of 1914, things end poignantly if not on a little bit of a bummer.

I rather enjoyed this book. I love the Mars Attacks franchise. (Yes, I realize that doggies and kitties get wasted without care when it comes to these globe-domed aliens. But I still love it!) The first three stories were so hilarious. And having a Veteran's Day story was an added treat. While I also liked the Christmas story, having it's tone be a complete 180-turn from the other stories left me feeling a little unfulfilled. 

I've waited 8 years to get this book on the cheap. An $8 cover price was too rich for my blood. And for years, I could never find this book for less than $15; much less in a dollar bin. But I guess with the pandemic, I was at the right place and the right time to find this book online for the right price. 

Definitely, this one-shot was worth the wait. But it surely is a book that will leave you with a gut punch or two.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Whiteout

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I tend to be a big fan of a lot of things. I know you might think when I say this that I am blowing smoke. But what I am about to say couldn't be any truer that anything I have ever posted on this blog.

I want to live in Antarctica!

 I love snow. I love the cold. I love the isolation. A dream job of mine would be to do a 9 month shift during the winter months as the head chef of a research station cafeteria or canteen. 

One of the big selling points is that all stationed on a research station on the frigid continent must read for 2 hours a day! It's scheduled so that you keep your mind active as cabin fever and trouble adjusting to permanent dark can screw with a person's mental state. And you get paid to read during that 2 hour window! 

Throw in a cat and this scenario would be heaven for me. And for lead character Special Deputy U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, her cushy job at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, is a dream assignment. That is until she literally stumbles upon a pair of deep-froze corpses.

The discovery marks the first suspicious deaths on neutral Antarctica. As the only sanctioned law-enforcement on the frozen plain, Carrie's not even allowed to carry a sidearm, least she violate countless treaties. But as the body count begins to mount, Stetko will find herself teetering the edge of diplomacy as her investigation takes her to the research stations of several other nations. 

With her superiors breathing down her neck, Carrie has the added pressure of finding the culprit before all of the compounds clear out in time for the winter purge. Agent Stetko will find help and hindrances along the way. But her biggest nemesis will be the forbidding ice and cold of the South Pole! Can Carrie solve this tangled web of crime before the clues are buried under a blizzard of snow and deceit?

I saw the 2009 movie starring Kate Beckinsale and I loved it. I also had read the first 1 or 2 issues of this story and again loved it. But I never could get my hands on the last two chapters. Finally, I just recently got this collected edition and Wow! I was freakin' blown away by it. Greg Rucka's writing is much more gritty than the R-rated live-action version. And I love it!

The artwork by Steve Lieber (Hawkman) was fantastic. I didn't realize that those research stations were such a dump. That's definitely one thing that was over-glamorized in the film. This book is from 1998. So despite the grime, as long as smoking has been banned at the South Pole, I still wanna live there!

A great frozen crime thriller that doesn't end up as a cold case. And with 2 more miniseries continuing Stetko's tenure down under, I still have some more sub-zero mayhem to look forward to!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Oggy and the Cockroaches: Oggy New Year #1

I rang in the new year with this holiday special from American Mythology Comics. Based on the French animated series of the same name, Oggy and the Cockroaches is a wild series about a house cat and an invading trio of pests. 

The artwork is reminiscent of Ren and Stimpy. To the point, I thought that this was actually done by that same art team. The humor is absurdist. But it's nowhere near as gross as the 90s Nickelodeon cartoon ever was.

There's 3 stories inside. The first story has Oggy challenged to start off the New Year by tackling a new hobby. In this case- writing a crime noir. Then Oggy forces the cockroaches to clean up their messes main during a New Year's Eve bash to remember. Lastly, Oggy decides to catch up on some new year's correspondence. 

There's a couple of prose extras at the end of this book. Read on and you'll learn the resolutions of Oggy and his pals. If you are really good, you might have your letter answered from Santa!

My first experience with Oggy and the Cockroaches was a fun one. I did have a little trouble with how Oggy's nose is computer generated on top of pen and ink art. But aside from that distraction, this book was a great way to cap off the 2020 holiday season!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.