Crypt of Shadows #1

I've gotta hand it to Marvel. I really thought that they skipped producing a horror special just in time for Halloween once again. However, I was wrong. Crypt of Shadows is based on Marvel's Infinite Comics (in other words, web comic) of the same name. But for an established fan of horror comics, the title goes back even further with Crypt of Shadows being one of Marvel's first horror anthologies to come after the loosened restrictions on stories about monsters by the Comics Code Authority. 

I don't recall that the original series from 1973-75 had a host. But the third volume of the title does! The host is Victor Strange, younger brother of Doctor Strange who is trapped in a pocket universe inside a mirror down in the Crypt of Shadows section of the Sanctum Sanctorum. Victor hosts 5 stories in total with 3 of them definitely set during Halloween. 

• Bloodline, the Daughter of Blade, inspects reports of a vampire terrorizing the streets of Atlanta only to find a pair of ghost hunters with unsavory intentions.
• Morbius, the Living Vampire, is tormented by a swarm of demonic bugs that only he can see and hear.
• Young Werewolf by Night, Jake Gomez, is invited to what is supposed to be the hottest Halloween Party in the Big Apple. Only when he arrives, Jake learns that he's the only guest on scene. But he's not the only werewolf!
• Elsa Bloodstone and Johnny Storm trudge through the sewers of New York seeking a horrible monster made up of a mutated Spider-Man Man-Spider monster! Yes- Spidey has multiple arms and 8 eyes once again!
• The Laura Kinney Wolverine and Man-Thing do endless battle in the Infinite Swamp. In a twist I don't think anyone saw coming, Man-Thing's pheromones meet Laura go full berserker mode and her rage makes Man-Thing keep producing more natural chemicals keeping the two brawlers battling through all time.

I'm not as up-to-date on modern Marvel as I am on current DC Comics. I did not know that the vampire hunter Blade had a daughter named Bloodline. I also was not aware that Jack Russell had been replaced by teenager Jake Gomez. I have no complaints about either. I just wasn't familiar with these two.

I felt that the Morbius story was the creepiest. That ending which was inspired by such films as the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers really got under my skin. The Wolverine and Man-Thing battle was also very good. Though a couple of the pages had intentionally blurry artwork and with the psychedelic palette and unpanelled artwork, the beginning was a little vertigo inducing. 

With 3 of the 5 stories being set during Halloween and host Victor Strange mentioning that it's All Hallow's Eve at the beginning of this one-shot, I'm going to declare that this is indeed a Halloween special. But I am also going to say that I feel cheated by Marvel. 

Victor Strange tells viewers to follow his adventures over at Marvel Unlimited for exclusive digital content. I know that Marvel has been releasing holiday specials annually through the Infinite Comics Imprint. But they've also been doing Halloween stuff too? Unfair! Really, Unfair!

I know Marvel wants to release their stuff digitally as a way of covering costs. But come on- release this stuff as a floppie as well! I will buy it. I know others that are print only and they are devoted to holiday specials! House of Ideas, at least consider releasing your holiday books as a trade or hardcover!

Sadly, the digital only stuff is the new nature of the beast. It's like how TV and film have gone to streaming only. It's just that companies like Disney/Marvel and Warner/DC have got to understand that a large chunk of their customer base are die hard devotees to traditional mediums and both have got to continue to market to those customers if they want to stay out of the red ink!

A good Halloween horror anthology. Only it could have been better had Marvel dug deep into its digital archives. Those stories seem more enjoyable and fun- and more TRADITIONAL TOO!- and that's the kind of stuff a reader like myself wants. Make the material that captures the spirit of vintage Marvel available in print and take the more legacy related stuff like Bloodline and Jake Gomez and have their stuff be digital as that's where the younger readers are going to get their comics. I think if Marvel would switch things around to have the more modern edgy stuff being online and the stuff that recalls the days of Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and Jim Shooter go into print, they'd see a rise in sales.

What have you got to lose, Marvel and Disney? It's worth a shot to appropriately market to the correct demographics!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Spidey and His Amazing Friends #1- Halloween Trick-or-Read 2022 Edition (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

I've got to hand it to Marvel Comics. They might not be producing Halloween specials for retail sale. However, the House of Ideas hasn't neglected its readers with Halloween themed freebies. And for once, one of the giveaways is somewhat themed for the holiday!

Based on the Disney Junior animated series for preschool and Kindergarten viewers, Spidey and friends Miles Morales and Gwen Stacey, The Ghost Spider, save New York City from the terrible pranks of the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus and the Rhino! In the opening segment, the Goblin has his sights on unleashing a vat of pumpkin goo on the viewers of the annual Halloween Parade. 

That Halloween tale might only be 2 pages. But it's not the only holiday fun in this book. There are at least 3 or 4 activity pages based on the action at the parade. Plus, there are 3 masks for youngsters to cut out and wear for trick-or-treating. 

Over this Halloween weekend, comic shops are participating in Marvel's Halloween Trick-or-Read event. Since Diamond decided to go virtual only for this year's Halloween Comics Fest, I'm thrilled that Marvel stepped up and offered free comics for young and old once again. Marvel has 5 free comics this year including a Star Wars issue starring Doctor Aphra and a Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur reprint of Lunella Lafayette's first appearance. Add an all-ages Godzilla release from IDW and a terrifying looking adult Manga sample and comic book fans have 7 possible free comic books to add to their collections. 

Though the fun started yesterday, many stores are giving away free comics through Monday. So if you live near a local comics shop, bring the young readers in your life by (in costume or not) and grab some free comics. If you're not able to make it to a comics shop, keep an eye out for the whole line of Spidey and his Amazing Friends books and readers at your fav local book seller!

A fun Spider-Man read for developing readers. With all the activities that could damage the book, you might want to grab 2 copies!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scotch McTiernan's Halloween Party #1

I'm rather familiar with Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn. Both were the writers of an epic run of Deadpool stories that saw the Merc With a Mouth gaining a daughter, taking on a zombie horde of dead presidents and the return of the demonically funny Madcap! With their stories, I've learned to expect the unexpected and that there are no sacred cows! But man, was the opening to the book a real punch to the face.

This Halloween special starts off with a maniacal clown about to kill a whole bunch of party goers. Yet, the fiend is beaten to the punch by a mass shooter and then another mass shooter and another. The whole opening sequence of this story was meant to ask the question 'whose is the real monster- those of our nightmares or the regular man on the street?' But with the gore and blood and language and that poor dead bunny rabbit, I was so dumbstruck and shocked; it was like a climate activist had come into my comic book collection and poured tomato soup over everything.

After the initial shock, things got less in-your-face but the wildness and impulsiveness factors never dwindled. When  the 'hero' of this story, Scotch McTiernan, finally appears, the theme of the story has already changed. Over the course of this special we go from biting social commentary to 80s action hero satire to a parody of the 1982 classic E.T., and then things wrap up with a skewering of the religious right while channeling The Most Dangerous Game and Suicide Squad.

In the 1990s, Frank Miller created a character named Lance Blastoff. This souped up rocket man was gritty, grim, bloody as hell- oh, and irreverent. Nothing was safe from Frank Miller's take on the overly testosteroned super hero. Critics claimed that Miller created the character as his form of nose-thumbing at activists who saw mature comics as something to be banned and abhorred. For a while, Miller's character was used in campaigns and fundraising comics produced by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and it seemed the more they did, the wilder Lance Blastoff got. I get the same vibe here with Scotch McTiernan. Only I don't think Duggan and Posehn are doing it for the CBLDF...

Scotch McTiernan first debuted earlier this year in a book called The Secret History of the War on Weed. I didn't know that it was a book meant to celebrate 4/20 Day. Regardless, it wasn't on my radar and if I had known that the former was based on that April tribute to pot, I probably wouldn't have placed a request on this special. Yet Duggan, Posehn and their Deadpool favorited artist, Scott Koblish, were listed as the creators and that was good enough for me. 

Now that I've completed this book, I've got a couple of decisions to make. Do I want to own The Secret History of the War on Weed since it is a 'holiday' book? And do I want to own the forthcoming Christmas special that Duggan, Posehn and Koblish have lined up about Scotch McTiernan? I'm going to say yes to both. However, I'm also going to be wearing a whole lot of armor when I do. Those first 6 pages of this Halloween special are going to haunt me for decades and the horror had nothing to do with the creatures of the night. 

The opening of Scotch McTiernan's Halloween Party will hit you like a ton of bricks. While those elements of this story, which as a teacher hits very close to home, are temporary, the irreverence and insanity that turned me into a Deadpool fan never wanes from this comic. Maybe if Wade Wilson was doing all of this craziness and not just some random dudes with guns and body armor, I wouldn't be so unsettled. If so, I might have really enjoyed the last 3/4 of this book much as well.

This is definitely not a Halloween special for kids! Mature readers only!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Fear the Funhouse #1 (Family Comic Friday)

One of the reasons I love doing this weekly article so much is that I get to help parents and guardians navigate the tricky waters of age appropriateness in terms of comics and graphic novels. Often, it's the clerks at comic book stores and book stores that don't have a clue what is okay for a 7 year old to read and what is more suited for someone in 5th grade. Occasionally, a library will shelve Alan Moore's Watchmen in the all ages graphic novel section. And then sometimes the publishers themselves muck everything up as is the base here.

Archie's Fear The Funhouse is rated Teen Plus. However, editor Jamie L. Rotante states towards the back of this one-shot that this Halloween time special was geared towards middle school readers who would've enjoyed R.L. Stine's Goosebumps or Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark? According to Howtolovecomics.com, the age range for Teen+ is 15 and up. American middle schoolers are in the range of ages 11-13. So, obviously, if this is a comic book for those in Jr. High, then the Archie staff made a boo-boo.

Having read this book, I can state that there are a few scares. But there's no sex, gore or bad language that adults need to worry about their young readers coming across. The worst thing is perhaps the prospect of a whole lot of coed preteen members of the Archie Gang spending the night in the woods of Riverdale without any parental supervision. The camping trip in question is an annual Halloween sleepover at the Adventures Scouts tree house. To pass the time, the kids roast hot dogs, stay on the lookout for bears and tell scary stories. 

There are a total of 3 stories told around the kids' campfire. The first involves that famed urban legend of an escaped convict with a hook for a hand. But there's a twist and the next to last panel of the story is actually kinda terrifying. Story two melds fantasy and reality as Archie crafts a story about an eerie noise that is haunting the campers. The last fable is truly creepy. Told by Dilton, it chronicles a young boy's obsession and descent into paranoia around his discovery of a long thought lost video game. 

The two book-ending stories were the best. The opening fright stars members of the Archie Comics family that actually predate Archie and his friends by 3 months! I love how Archie Comics makes use of their forgotten legacy heroes. I love even more that the editorial team tells us all about it in their director's cut commentary in back of the books!

I think the artwork more than anything of that video game story creeped me out. Rotante claims that the artwork was done in the style of Edward Gorey. But it looks more like Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' Ron Barrett. I was also unsettled by the ambiogous ending that hearkens back to German post-modernism film. I'm still trying to figure out what the last image of the word 'TEMI' stands for...

As for the middle story, it was cute. But it was also a little confusing. It was just a tad hard to figure out where the story of Archie's ended and the reality of the framing tale restarted. As for the end of this comic, it ended about as ambiguous as the video game story. But I felt that the close to this book was rather silly and the frantic kinetic motion that was supposed to be elicted by the kids at the end looked more like elderly mall walkers on a Tuesday morning. 

If Fear the Funhouse is something Archie Comics is looking to do annually, I wholeheartedly throw my support on this. Just be sure to adjust the rating of this book. I'm thinking the only reason this book got a teen+ rating is due to it being part of the Archie Horror imprint. Archie Horror titles are not for kids. Think TheCW's Riverdale with swears and blood. And the occult. Lots and lots of black magic. All three of which things are not to be found in this book!

If you are looking for a safe, friendly Archie comic devoted to frights, then you'll love Fear the Funhouse! If the 2022 Archie Halloween Special was a fall festival (wholesome fun for the whole family), this book would be a trunk or treat event; a little more mature and a tad bit more scary. But definitely nothing that should keep you up at night for too long.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Eeek! Halloween Special #1

 A couple of days ago, I praised Asylum Press for their 2021 Vampires Halloween Special that was devoted to pre-code horror stories about bloodsuckers. Pumped by the quality of that special, last night I dove into the Eeek! Halloween Special from Asylum. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same level of satisfaction with this 2021 special.

Eeek! is designed to look like black and white horror magazines of the 1970s like Creepy and Vampirella. Written and illustrated primarily by Jason Paulos (Hairbutt the Hippo), there are 3 stories in this one-shot.

In 'The Green Fairy', as a painter drowns himself in a bottle of Absinthe, he reflects on the ups, downs and mistakes of his life. With 'Sick Joke', an upper crust couple go on vacation in hopes of rekindling their troubled marriage and run afoul of a horrible family of hillbillies. Lastly in 'False Alarm', a lonely man calls 911 one time too many in a twist on the boy who cried wolf legend. 

'The Green Fairy' was pretty good at least in terms of its twist ending and sexy artwork. But it rambled on a little too long. It probably could have been 3-4 pages shorter than it was.

'Sick Joke' was a complete mess. The ending was unbelievable in my opinion, the addition of a new character midway through the story was kinda implausible and it too was just way too long. 

'False Alarm' was the best story of the three. That could be because Jason Paulos doesn't write the tale. It's crafted by Jason Crawley (Bloke's Terrible Tomb of Terror) and flows much better than the previous two stories.

There's also a one-pager that looks at the differences in monster attacks between the sexes. I've never though of it before, but wrtier Dan Cox (Hitsville UK) might be on to something. Women mostly get mauled by vampires and mutant creatures while men are attacked by beasts like werewolves. But no matter who you are, nobody is safe from the vilest of creatures- the lawyer!

The reason I purchased this book last year was because this was a recommendation by my favorite LCS. Every once in a while the guys there order something I wasn't even aware of because they know that I'm all about holiday comics! It wasn't a bad offering. It just lacks the oomph that the other Asylum Press special that I read a couple of days ago. It very well could be because this is all-new stuff paying homage to horror legends and I go more for the classic stuff that came from the original source material.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Chilling Adventures Presents: Archie's Weirder Mysteries #1

Just as 1999 was turning into the year 2000, Pax TV was airing an animated series based on the Archie Gang. Called Archie's Weird Mysteries, the cartoon focused on B-grade movie monsters, ghosts, and Dilton's science projects gone wrong. While the series spawned a comic book, Archie's Weird Mysteries was more of a spiritual relative of an early 1990s Archie Comics cult fav of mine, Dilton's Strange Science.

Jump to 2022 and Archie's Weirder Mysteries has returned. Only instead of being an all-ages affair, this one-shot special is set firmly in the mature rated Archie Horror universe of titles. 

There are 3 stories in this special. First up is Betty, Monster Hunter. Though this time after finding a crashed flying saucer, Betty is now an Alien Hunter. That's because one of the occupants of the UFO is missing! Evidence points to the creature being a shape-shifter. So when Betty goes to Pop's Choc'lit Shoppe accusing everyone of being an alien in hiding, nobody bats an eye...

The second story stars Dilton and Ethel as they travel back in time to 1990s era Riverdale. More on that one a little later. The final adventure is set about 50 years in the future. Josie of Pussycats fame, seems to haven't aged a day. This really bugs the heck out of rival Alexandra Cabot and prompts the now middle-aged rich b*tch to seek ways to recapture her lost youth.

The Betty story was great. I've not read any of the series starring this version of her and in the past, hadn't had any desire to do so! Not anymore!

The Ethel and Dilton story was really good. Though I wasn't a fan of how Dilton looks like a muscular jock instead of a wimpish nerd. However, having the duo go back in time to visit the parents of Archie, Betty and Veronica was really intriguing. There was an element of the cult film Empire Records to this story and I'd be all for Archie Comics doing a limited series about the life and loves of the parents when they were the age of their current children. 

The Josie story appeared to be a sequel of sorts to the Ethel and Dilton tale. That's because both stories involve a physician by the name of Dr. Masters; a creep interested in eternal life-stretching medical techniques. I wasn't familiar with this guy. But a quick Google search revealed that he was the start of his own Archie Comics drama series in the 1960s. As short lived as it was, I loved how Archie Comics still tries to keep it's legacy characters, alibeit EVER so minor, around for a good yarn or two.

A fun read. With mature language- I didn't know Betty could say the word 'shit'!?- some blood and gore and possibly a little sex, this is a one-shot Halloween time fun ride that is NOT for kids!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Vampires Halloween Special #1

A Halloween special about vampires featuring lost stories from pre-code horror? Uh, yes Please! Horror from 1955-1970 might be kinda lame. And you'd have the Comics Code to blame for that. But horror comics published before 1955 can be pretty gory and gruesome. 

Leading the way were the titles from EC Comics- The Vault of Horror, The Haunt of Fear and last but not least, Tales From The Crypt. The stories selected by the editors of Asylum Press weren't of the quality of EC. Yet, this wasn't a bad collection of tales starring bloodsuckers either. 

The best story was the opening haunt. It takes place in Florida of all places. Two people are found dead. The evidence points to a vampire. Well, there's a trail of blood that points to the new lady in town's domicile. Bound to her cot in a cell, the police will wait out the night to see if the prisoner changes into a vampire. It turns out that the lady really is a vampire. Yet if she can deceive one of the guards into giving her a blood transfusion, the fiend will beat her murder rap. The real twist to this story is what happens afterwards!

Another thriller that is almost equal in quality to that prior story is set during the Nazi occupation of France. A housewife, fearful of being sent to the concentration camps, forces her husband to eagerly join the Nazis as a traitor. As the couple rise in the ranks of the gestapo, their blood lust and cruelty reach ungodly heights. 

Where's the vampire in this story you ask? Oh, it's there. So is a zombie. It's a match-up I never expected to ever see. But I think the horrors of the holocaust were more terrifying than the addition of the creatures of the night.

The next best story is set in the old country. The time period, uh I'd say 150-200 years ago. Here, an evil baron takes a village girl to be his wife. It's a marriage arrangement that will most likely end in death. Can her true love rescue her from the baron's legion of human headed bat things?

The real twist to this story is that there's no twist! I know, right? Isn't that a law? I didn't think stories in horror comics could end without some sort of Hitchcockian twist ending! 

My least favorite ghost story involves a man who runs a side show that promises to host a true vampire along with several other monsters. His wife is cheating on the man with one of his assistants. When the business man learns of the affair, he takes matters into his own deadly hands. 

The problem with the story was multiple. I didn't quite understand how he got his monsters to come alive even though their supposed to be in giant bottles of formaldehyde. The dialogue was cheesy. And whomever was the artist apparently never took a lesson in anatomy. If you take both the left and right arm of a torso and put them both on the right side of another that already has a right arm on it, you should have 2 right hands and 1 left- NOT 3 RIGHT HANDS!!!

There were also a couple of one-pagers that were supposed to be true ghost stories that involved vampires. They weren't Eisner award winners. But for fillers, they were still entertaining. 

I got to say that I'm very impressed with Asylum Press. This is only like the second or third time I've read something from them, yet they've aroused my interest in more from them every time I do! There are ads for at least one other Halloween special from them and I'd love to add it to my collection at some point. Plus, I'm now prompted to also search for other past Halloween haunts offered from the publisher in year's past.

The stories weren't all perfect. Though I think that Nazi story is gonna stick with me for quite a while. Will it be for what was intended to scare- the vampires? No. But sometimes the true horrors come from real life.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 

DC's Terrors Through Time #1

Finally, after several years of complaints, DC releases a holiday time special that contains relevant content but doesn't make the reader want to kill themselves because of being shamed about the sins of the world. 

For instance, in the prequel story starring the Gotham City Sirens, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman face a Hawaiian earth spirit who is unhappy with how their pristine island has become tarnished by man. I did not realize how much damage cats have done to the island chains' ecosystem, including the surrounding oceans! But in this story, the Sirens 3 are given a chance to redeem the wrongs and there's a little bit of hope; something that has been lacking from DC Comics' for the past several years.

I think DC is starting to understand that the readers with money to spend want to be entertained, not preached at. If I want a sermon, I know where to go on a Sunday morning. There's nothing wrong with covering political or even social topics. Just don't be snarky with your comments and inside jokes. Not every white male in America supports Trump and his ideals...

There are 7 other stories in this book which looks at horror through the ages as opposed to time travel frights. Based on the cover with the Super Sons looking over blueprints for a time machine, that's what I thought this book was going to be about. Alas, I was wrong.

Instead, the opening story, starring the Phantom Stranger sets the tone for this 80-page giant. The Stranger's story reflects on his eternal mission to save humanity from the forces of darkness. This usually involves demons and monsters. But I would have expected a story that took place over eons would have The Stranger wearing different togs. Instead, he wears that 1960s mod turtle neck, fedora and cloak of his throughout all time. I didn't know his costume was so timeless.

The story starring The Demon, Etrigan, was perhaps one of the best stories ever published by DC. The ending was absolutely freakin' perfect! If they still do awards for story of the year in comics, this one gets my vote and full support!

Other stories of note was the Halloween set story of the Super Sons as they go to trick-or-treating to all the secret lairs of the Justice League's line-up. Then go 50 years into the future to see how Swamp Thing protects the Green after a nuclear catastrophe. 

There's also a really good Green Lantern Corps story set about 425 years in the future. I felt that it was a story that contained characters that DC isn't done with yet. If that's the case and a Green Lantern Corps series set in the 25th century is to be a thing? Well if so, expect me to be adding it to my subscription wish list at my local LCS. It's that good!

And let's not forget that I was a fan of the Gotham City Sirens tropical tale. 

The two stories I was not a big fan of involved the Justice Society of America and Deadman. The JSA story, set during WWII, involved stopping some Nazis from obtaining a magical museum piece that could turn the war in Hitler's favorite. Overall, the art was good and the plot was okay. I just felt like writer Charles Skaggs (Grayson) was trying to fit 25 gallons of pickles into a 5 gallon bucket. The pacing was just too fast and the one-liners fell flat.

As for the Deadman tale, I blame the artist, Kelley Jones (Batman & Dracula: Red Rain). I love Jones' work. But I hate how he draws Deadman. This team-up with Damian Wayne had promise. But writer Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) ruins it with Deadman waxing philosophical at times and Batman, when he appears, just doesn't seem himself. I thought Batman liked and respected Boston Brand. But here, the Dark Knight seems to treat Deadman with the disdain you'd expect from Batman to have towards Plastic Man. 

A very good offering of stories from DC. Not very scary. And like I said, there wasn't any time travel. But this also book contained what I think is the best story of the whole year of 2022! And this was probably the best holiday giant from the House The Superman Built in the last 5 years. I'm feeling a lot of hope for the December offering thanks to this issue.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #34

The first comic book I remember getting to pick out and buy for myself was a horror comic produced by Charlton Comics. I loved it. As a result, any time I find a Charlton comic book that is all about the frights, I will buy it. 

In this issue, there are 3 stories. The first story has a couple running afoul of a trio of hooligans. Tragedy befalls the couple during their mugging. But for the murdering thieves, their damnation in close at hand...

Story number two involves an heiress who is currently on husband #3. I think... She's got plans to do away with her new beau and inherit the cash. Ah, true love.

The last story is the cover story. An eccentric inventor crafts the perfect haunted house for an amusement park. But his most brilliant haunt may be the one he executes in death!

The opening story was the best of the three. It had a twist ending (okay to be fair, don't they all?), that made me feel ill at ease. That second story wasn't scary at all. It was more appropriate for a crime comic than a horror title. The last story was a Steve Ditko classic. Unfortunately, the plot was so telegraphed that I knew how everything was going to end by the time I had completed the second page. 

I realize that I've read more than my fair share of horror comic books to be able to guess the twist ending of a story from time to time. Plus, this book is nearly 50 years old. I'm thinking Ditko either borrowed or reused the plot ending or somebody else used it in a later story. So, I won't take points off for the predictability of the cover story. But that middle story was such a stinker, I can't believe that Ditko had anything to do with it. That 'love story' was just unforgivable.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

American Mythology Monsters Vol. 2 #1

I'm not really sure why I had this issue filed as a Halloween comic book. Despite the monsters, the horror, and the gore, there's nothing to tie-in Halloween. None of the trio of stories are set during Halloween. There's not a single jack-o-lantern or kid trick-or-treating in this black and white comic.

I also thought that this 2021 book was a one-shot. Instead, it's the first issue of a 3-part miniseries. That means that all 3 stories end in cliffhangers. However, all 3 stories that comprise this story have endings that if the editors or authors didn't put a 'to be continued' blurb at the end of each segment, you wouldn't know that this any of these stories had continuations. So I am actually okay with that even though comics unexpectedly ending with cliffhangers are major pet peeves of mine. 

Despite my accidental belief that this was a Halloween one-shot special, that mistaken believe isn't what irked me to no end! It's the banner on the bottom of the cover! It says 'The Frankenstein Monster! The Mummy! The Werewolf! Reimagined!' Well, despite there being a Frank and a Wolfman on the amazing cover pencelled by Neil Vokes (Untold Stories of Spider-Man), there is not a single mummy in this issue. And None of the stories are about a Frankenstein monster or a lycantrope!

This was a major print issue that somebody in the editing department made a giant goof on. You see, the 'reimagined' banner was used in the first volume of American Mythology Monsters. And those monsters were used in that series! The logo looks completely the same, with the exception of a pair of Roman numerals I's. I'm thinking whomever designed the cover used the same template for the 2021 follow-up, but they forgot to change that pesky banner on the bottom of the cover. 

The stories themselves were decent. The first story is about a man whose visit to the doctor for a wound that will not heal could bring about the end of the world. The middle story seems like a typical crime noir about a coal magnate trying to silence a rabble-rousing union rep. About halfway, the story goes from criminal to kinky to killer to just plain mysterious. Our last story is about a scientist whose desperate to save her son from a dread disease and accidentally kills herself from an untested cure. Buried in her family plot in New Orleans, the researcher returns as a cross between a zombie and a vampire. 

That last story was definitely a reimagining of both the zombie and the vampire- combined into 1. The first story was one that I really have not a care in the world if I ever find out what happens next. Good story. Just not my thing. But that middle story. Man, it was intriguing. And dirty. And bloody. I really need to know the rest of that story. But what I am really wanting to read more about isn't even something that is officially part of this story.

At the end of this comic, there's a 5 page preview of a comic book based on the slasher flick villain Victor Crowley from Adam Green's Hatchet series of films. In the preview, a group of filmmakers and their guides are in a swamp looking for an elusive type of Bigfoot known as a Skunk Ape. Instead of finding the cryptid, the documentarians find Victor in the swamp. Oh, and then the Skunk Ape appears! As soon as that glimpse at that book was over, I was crying foul! I wanted more! I'm definitely on the hunt for that one-shot special.

I enjoyed this read. But the flaws of the cover threw me way off and hampered my enjoyment. One story was a dud. One was so-so. One was fantastic! But my biggest enjoyment was the sneak peak of Hatchet: Unstoppable Horror in the advertisement section of the book.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Archie Halloween Spectacular 2022 (Family Comic Friday)

I look forward to this annual offering of Halloween frights and delights from Archie Comics. For the most part, this year's release didn't disappoint. 

As with previous years, there is only 1 new story. Readers are introduced to Trick and Treat, two spirits that embody All Hallows. Treat is all about the costumes, candy and fun of the holiday. Trick is about the horror, mischief and mayhem of the fall event. In their debut, Trick and Treat have a bet to see who can have the better Halloween evening: poor Archie who spent all his costume money on a date with Veronica the week prior or Reggie, whose costume hasn't really scared anybody.

I was hesitant about these new characters. But they really were charming. (Though, is that a noose around Treat's neck???) I had such an enjoyable time with these Halloween sprites that I wonder if there might ever be a crossover with them and Christmas time fan fav, Jingles the Elf?

There were 4 reprinted stories included with the Trick and Treat original debut. The first trio of stories were part of a trilogy. Betty and Veronica become owners of a pair of cursed pieces of costume jewelry. After a number of mishaps, they finally are able to get rid of the baubles only for Archie to claim them. That ended part one. In part two, Archie and Jughead wear the accessories for their costumes. While at a costume party, everything goes wrong to the point that Archie tosses his necklace away. Juggie however, decides to give his bracelet to his baby sister, Jellybean. This ends part two. Part 3 sees Jellybean, now wearing the trinket, being babysat by Betty and Veronica. Realizing that the tot has one of the cursed items, the girls summon Sabrina, the Teenage Witch to help dispose of it!

I didn't know that the previous story had 3 parts! I had read the first two segments before and liked them. So the third chapter was all new to me. That volume was written and illustrated by in my opinion, the quintessential modern Archie creator, Dan Parent. For 95% of that section, I was in love. But then a huge gaff occurred in the plot and it ruined the whole story. 

Before Sabrina casts the bracelet into limbo, she comments that she'll make Betty, Veronica and Jellybean forget that she can do magic. Yet, when the regalia disappears, not only does everybody know Sabrina is a witch, Sabrina herself mentions not being able to descern where the cursed necklace went.

I read that section of the story 3 times trying to make sense of things. Did I miss something? Did the spell not work? Maybe I read it wrong. Maybe someone else was supposed to forget. The only thing I can think of is that the amnesia spell takes affect after everybody falls asleep. Only, I'm not really sure. Though a very funny Bite-Sized Archie one-pager was included in this issue and it might explain why nobody forgets at story's end.

Our last reprint story has Archie and Jughead having to ride out a storm in a mansion with a creepy inventor and his even creepier butler. It was a fun story that involves mishearing things for comedic effect with a plausible ending that has a great twist to things. A really great misdirect to bring about closure. Too bad I've read this one before, too.

One thing I got to say about the 2022 spectacular is that the editors should have chosen 3 stories that didn't appear in one of last year's Halloween-themed digests. I know that I've read enough Archie that I'm going to stumble across a story here and there that I have read previously. But come on Archie Comics, spread things out a little bit! There's tons of other Halloween themed stories out there that weren't printed in other Archie publications just last year that you could have used instead,... weren't there? 

The all-new story was great. The thrill of learning that a two-parter I really enjoyed had a third entry was really cool. Too bad that finale had a confusing ending. And the other story was good. But really, lets get a little bit of variety here, folks!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Robin Annual #7 (2007)

I've had this book in my collection for probably a decade and it wasn't until 2 days ago I learned that it was a Halloween themed comic! The database I use for organizing my collection has been lacking in updating its new releases; thus I've been rushing to create my own personal log just in case the website shuts down. That new inventory is how I came to learn that this annual was holiday themed.

There are 2 stories inside. The first book is set at Halloween. A serial killer is targeting the members of a Gotham City family. Due to the surgical skill of the murderer along with the way the entrails have been removed, the media have dubbed this fiend as 'The Great Pumpkin.' (Thanks a lot Detective Harvey Big Mouth!) Working solo, the Tim Drake Robin has tasked himself with finding the killer before the whole family meets a grisly end. 

The back-up story, featuring the Damian Wayne Robin, is set in Japan during the Obon Festival: also called the Festival of Ghosts. Obon is held on July 15th. But that doesn't mean that this eerie ghost tale isn't appropriate for the build up to All Hallow's Eve. Setting up the 'Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul' storyline, after being drugged by a crazed elderly man, Damian wakes up in a cemetery, facing a horde of ghosts. 

I really liked the opening story. It's a good crime thriller in the vein (pardon the pun) of Thomas Harris' Silence of the Lambs. The villain is great though I am mighty disappointed to learn that after 15 years of their first appearance, the killer has never returned to print even though writer Keith Champagne (Stranger Things) really sets up a return.

I was also a fan of the artwork by Derec Donovan (Nick Fury's Howling Commandos). It had an animated quality. Not quite like the 1990s animated Batman series. But close enough to find it really visually appealing. 

I also liked the artwork of the secondary story by Jason Pearson (Body Bags). But that was about all of this story I liked. Pearson crafts the ghosts in this story to look like traditional Japanese spirits and demons. That sort of touch I greatly admired. But how often is it that I want the bad guys to win???

See, this story involves Damian Wayne during his infancy in the DC Universe having debuted as a teen just a year earlier. Well man, is this version of the son of Batman a total a-hole! Sure, in the current day, Damian is arrogant, rude and spoiled rotten. But in this story, I want to hurt him personally. He's that insufferable. 

The overall issue was rather good with one of the main characters being a huge dick (and I'm not talking Grayson!). The coolest thing about everything else is that I've got a new Halloween book in my collection that I didn't have to pay for! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Get Along Gang #5 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

THIS IS IT! MY LAST ENTRY IN THE CHALLENGE!

The Get Along Gang was a group of anthropomorphic animals whose wholesome adventures would have nauseated Pat Boone and Ned Flanders. They were created in 1983 by a group of designers employed by American Greetings known as 'Those Characters From Cleveland' who also created Strawberry Shortcake, The Care Bears and Madballs. The characters which included characters named Montgomery Moose, Woolma Lamb and Bingo Beaver graced everything from greeting cards to coloring books. A popular line of ceramic figures was then introduced before American Greetings decided to take the Get Along Gang to the next level- broadcast TV.

In the spring of 1984, The Get Along Gang debuted on CBS. A total of 13 episodes made of 26 11-minute segments were produced. For a very brief time, The Get Along Gang kids were riding high as licensing darlings, gracing lunch boxes, Trapper Keeper's and a host of other school supplies just in time for the 1984-85 school year. 

As The Get Along Gang was gaining its fad-like momentum, Marvel Comics was in the process of starting up its Star Comics imprint devoted to kid friendly titles. After seeing controversial success with original titles such as Royal Roy that resulted in a lawsuit from rival Harvey Comics for copyright infringement of the likeness of Richie Rich, Marvel decided to stick to licensed characters for Star Comics. 

The Get Along Gang was among one of the first franchises to sign with Star Comics under its new direction. A total of 6 issues were published. House of Mystery's Dave Manak scripted the half dozen issues with art divided by Carlos Garzon (#1-2) and John Constanza (#3-6). Jacqueline Roettcher (Ewoks) inked the entire run.

In this issue, the gang spend the night in a house that is rumored to be haunted by two brothers. The father of the two siblings passed away without telling the pair who was to inherit the house. So, the two brothers who squabbled and fought over ownership of the property when they were alive, continue the battle as spirits. 

It's really the bickering that spooks the members of the Get Along Gang. As the brothers try to evict the other from the home, they knock over boxes and lamps that get the kids scrambling for the door. However, the old house is booby trapped with secret corridors and hidden compartments to the point that members of the gang start disappearing!

The story itself, along with the art was rather charming. I loved that innocence that oozed over every page. Though I thought it was rather odd that the kids had no problem spending the night in a haunted house with the mayor of the town. Maybe such sleepovers were normal for 1985. I dunno. The overall story, which was highly reminiscent of an episode of Scooby-Doo, wasn't bad. But I did dislike that 'it was all just a dream', was the cop out plot device used to wrap things up. 

Reading this issue, I noticed something that was rather sad. There was an ad in this issue for the upcoming line-up of CBS Saturday Morning cartoons and The Get Along Gang isn't listed as one of the shows returning! 

Remember all those school supplies bearing the character's likeness? Unfortunately, those items just didn't sell. Neither did a line of hybrid action-figure dolls dressed in cloth outfits and the series was removed from airwaves just before Christmas of that year. But since Star had already crafted 6 stories and they needed a full line-up of titles to entice merchants and subscribers, The Get Along Gang stayed in print until the winter of 1986, a full year after CBS execs pulled the plug on the cartoon. American Greetings discontinued the line the following year.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #42 (That is a guilty pleasure) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Archie & Friends #106

This issue isn't a traditional Halloween comic, though monsters and mystery abound in the title story. 

A new monster museum has just opened in Riverdale. However, somebody keeps stealing the exhibits. Tasked by the owner, Archie and Chuck grab some friends and Jughead's pooch Hot Dog and play Scooby-Doo in order to get to the bottom of this mystery! 

Then Chuck is honored by the staff at Riverdale High for his most recent art award. To commemorate his achievement, Chuck is allowed to paint a mural on one of the walls of the school. But with everyone clamoring for Chuck to add them in the mural, how can the aspiring artist make everyone happy while keeping true to his creative vision?

Rounding things out is a story starring teen supermodel, Katy Keene. It's almost prom time for Katy's sister. Being a fashion guru, Katy helps her sibling get inspiration for the big dance. However, things take a turn when the guy Katy's sister hopes will ask her to the prom keeps popping up and wanting to talk all about Katy! Could Kid Sister Keene's crush have a crush on Katy?

This was a very Chuck centric-issue. Not a bad thing. He just always seems to figure into the more modern Archie stories that involve monsters. It's Chuck with things that go bump in the night. Dilton with the sci-fi stuff. Never shall the two crossover into the other realms it seems. 

The Katy Keene story was okay. The art by Andrew Pepoy (The Simpsons) was very good. The story by Andrew Pepoy (Dick Tracy) was kinda hokey. I liked the retooled Katy Keene. The modern version looks less like a top-heavy Barbie doll and more like a real-life supermodel. Plus, I appreciated that readers are tasked with designing the fashion Katy and friends wear just like in the good ole' days. However, the story maintains that really corny perspective that seems out of touch with how teens really talk and act. Plus, the ending was predictable and seems more suited for an episode of Full House than here. 

A good issue. It edges towards Halloween but it's not a holiday book. Lots of Chuck! Lots of fashion. Not a lot of laughs.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Classic: Who's Minding The Mint?

This is a new addition to my collection that I've been looking forward to for quite some time. Who's Minding The Mint? was arguably my mom's favorite comedy film. I was introduced to the movie sometime around age 7 or 8 because I remember watching it the night I met who was to become my Aunt Cheryl and a couple of new cousins. Anyways, this became a movie that we'd watch whenever it came on TV, usually WGN from Chicago or TBS from Atlanta back when both were considered luxury channels on cable and not your standard editions on streaming these days.

The plot of the 1967 film is of a caper that was pretty much unheard 50 plus years ago- to print several million dollars in new bills overnight in the US mint in Washington. Today, with computers and other tech, such a caper isn't uncommon in film or even TV. 

Jim Hutton (Ellery Queen) plays Harry Lucas, a treasury department employee who lives beyond his means. To keep up appearances as a hip young bachelor, Harry furnishes his apartment and wardrobe on a trial basis. This includes chauffeured cars! Because of this, Harry's boss thinks he's embezzling funds from the mint. Plus, he's jealous that a very demure treasury employee has a crush on Harry, though the young man thinks only of her as a friend. One day, Harry accidentally takes $50,000 with him and destroys it in his garbage disposal. With his boss already suspecting Harry of being crooked, Harry has got to come up with something to replace the money and fast!

Harry has a friend nicknamed Pop, who was forced to retire just before he was about to become a printer for the mint. Pop is more than happy to finally get his hands on those presses. But he'll need a safe cracker to open the vault that holds the plates. Plus, they need a fence who can get supplies on the cheap, a tour guide of the underground sewer system leading to the mint, someone to build a boat small enough to fit through a manhole cover, and a lookout! Now Harry's $50K caper has ballooned into a $10 million dollar heist!

Along with Hutton, Who's Minding The Mint? had an all-star cast! My Darling Clementine's Walter Brennan played Pop. (To this day, I am a huge fan of Walter Brennan and will watch anything he's in!) The Rat Pack's Joey Bishop, TV legend Milton Berle, Victor Buono (Batman's King Tut), Bob Denver (Gilligan's Island) and Dorothy Provine (That Darn Cat) rounded out everyone involved in the crime of the century. M*A*S*H*'s Jamie Farr plays an important part as cousin Mario.

I've been wanting this book since I found out it existed pre-pandemic. Then I just couldn't find it anywhere. But then one day recently on a whim, I decided to go searching for it, finding a very good condition copy on Amazon of all places. I made sure the first night I added this bad boy to my collection that I read it cover-to-cover!

The renderings of the characters were really good. It wasn't SOP to list the artist credits just yet though DC and Marvel were taking big strides to do this by 1967. Thus I can't give credit to who the artist was. But I will surely offer the team praise. 

The anonymous writer of this adaptation did a great job too. I've noticed that with some comic book versions of films from this era, Dell had a bad habit of running out of book and basically shoving in a very abrupt and hasty ending; sometimes to the point, the end of the story split out to the back cover! (See my review of the John Wayne vehicle The Horse Riders as proof!) But with Who's Minding The Mint?, this 4-color version of the movie had good pacing and felt very faithful to the source material. 

Not every joke and character makes it to the screen. Corrine Miller's character of Harry's sexpot love interest Doris was probably cut because her presence probably violated Dell's wholesome promise of comics parents will approve of. The lengthy joke about sex rituals recorded in a recent issue of Playboy was definitely edited out. I'm not really sure why I thought that scene would be in this comic. But I did! Still, I was extremely happy with my purchase.

Now if only I could find this on TV. I'm really wanting to see it on celluloid of all a sudden.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Best Political Cartoons of the Year 2005 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The political cartoon. It's an institution as American as mom, apple pie, and baseball. For the year that was 2004, it was a banner year to be an editorial artist.

2004 was a presidential election year. The candidates the American people had to choose from were the incumbent, George W. Bush vs. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. The roller coaster economy, traditional home values and the war on terror were deciding factors in an election that was too close to call until election day.

Iraq was a frequent topic for political cartoonists. Saddam Hussein's war trail occurred in 2004. With his capture, the debate raged as to not only should America continue to have a presence in the Middle Eastern nation, but also as to why we were there in the first place. A scandal involving the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison by US soldiers took over the editorial page for a while. And the commencement of the 2004 Olympics in Athens had everyone on the edge of their seats. Not because of gold medal fervor; but to see if the global event was going to be the next target of terrorists. 

There was more to 2004 than the election, Irag and the war on terror. The Boston Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino and finally won the World Series for the first time since 1918. DIY guru Martha Stewart went to prison for insider stock trading. A series of hurricanes targeted Florida. And several big time celebs passed away including Superman's Marlon Brando and his on-screen son, the man of steel himself, Christopher Reeve. There's also a special section at editorial cartoons from around the world, with the focus being how other countries view American policy.

This book is titled as The Best Political Cartoons of 2005. But all of the material within the covers are from 2004. Editor Daryl Cagle did it this way because both the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning and several other similar awards are now presented for the year prior but in the when it wasp physically awarded. So Herblock winner Matt Davies, whose winning portfolio is presented in this volume, won the 2005 award for his work done in 2004.

I didn't choose this compendium of cartoons to be political. I choose this collection as I am down to just 2 tasks on my 2022 reading challenge and it's been darn near impossible to find a comic book or graphic novel with an index inside it. This book was placed in the used graphic novel section of my favorite LCS. And this book promises an index, of which there is! So, I am counting it. 

An interesting look by at 2004. I recall a lot of the events that happened in this year. I just can't believe it's been 16 years since it all happened!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #30 (With an Index) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Jughead's Time Police

After getting to preview the first issue of Jughead's Time Police in 2019, I had every intention of getting the rest of the series. Just for one reason or another, I didn't follow up. COVID had a little bit to do with it. But the majority of this miniseries came out before March of 2020. I guess I just got distracted or forgot about it all together until I saw the trade paperback at my local library. 

When I reviewed the first issue, I gave it 10 stars. Writer Sina Grace (Iceman) had crafted a very intriguing opening segment that blended modern Archie Comics with the original Jughead's Time Police series. The premier issue had Jughead being summoned to the future by a member of the time cops to help save the very fabric of space time. Once in the future, things get kinda wonky. 

There's an evil Jughead who wants to become the ruler of all reality. In order to do this, the evil Juggie has to get rid of the Jughead who features as the main character of this story as he's kinda like 'Jughead Prime'. For about 2 issues, the ultimate enjoyment I had from issue #1 had dwindled. The quantum physics behind this evil Jughead P. Jones was more mind-boggling with its time paradoxes than the plot of Back to the Future, Part II. Plus, I just felt that such a motivated and evil version of Jughead was impossible- even in the multiverse!

As the good Jughead is chased throughout time and space, things start to pick up. Since the editors themselves spoil the big plot twist on with the blurbs on the back cover, along with a couple of images from the story placed at the beginning of this volume, I'm just going to go ahead and say it: we get a Crisis on Infinite Riverdales with dozens of Jugheads through time and space and alternate earths coming together to defeat the evil Jughead. 

Bringing multiple incarnations of characters together has become the most common plot point used by just about every pop culture franchise there is right now. Star Trek. Power Rangers. Ghostbusters. And especially DC and Marvel have been trolling the multiverse for big bucks and ratings. It's starting to get a little boring. But if it can be done well, I'll still stay on the band wagon. While the reboot of Jughead's Time Police took a detour into implausibility, the story got on the right track for the epic grand finale. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Monster Fun Halloween Spooktacular

A little unusual background about this UK Halloween special. It was published last October over in England. However, due to whatever reasons, shipping delays, customs, you name it, I didn't buy this book new until later this past spring. That means I've been hanging on to this tabloid sized release for quite some time.

In the spirit of British publications such as Beano, Monster Fun isn't a brand new anthology. Instead, it's a revival of a cult favorite weekly magazine from 1975-76. That book along with this bi-monthly reboot is aimed at readers aged 7-12, containing series devoted to the more macabre, unusual and bizarre comic book characters from across the pond. Most of the stories are humorous franchises. Yet, there are a couple of more dramatic pieces included in this book.

According to the publisher, this special was 48 pages in length. But it felt longer than that and mostly in a good way. The Monster Fun Halloween Spooktacular read to me like a deluxe British version of the Sunday funny pages. About half of the stories were less than 2 pages in length, making for some immediate laughs. Of the remaining segments, I don't think anything was longer than 8 pages.

My favorite segment was probably the Leopard From Lime Street, about a teenager who is granted the mystical powers of the jungle cat when he's attacked by one at the local zoo. It was a legit superhero story with a creepy antagonist and great art. French artist, Laurent Lefeuvre's work is a cross between Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife With Archie) and Derek Charm (Star Wars Adventures). I'm really hoping to find more adventures of this character in the future.

Another favorite was the superhero parody starring the classic duo known as the Birdman, and Chicken and their new partner, the Sparrow. It's All Hallows Eve and the 3 heroes are summoned to save the city from Solomon Grundy of all people! Grundy is a character of folk legend. But wonder if this version is in any way affiliated with DC'S big baddie...

Other enjoyable stories involved a company of monsters trying to compete with the internet in the no-quite-so lucrative jump scare business, a young girl who helps her father save his fledgling studio by putting on an impromptu blockbuster horror picture, and family that goes on a Halloween yard sale for some spooky bargains. (BTW are Halloween yard sales a thing in the UK? Because if so, I am in!)

A lot of the remaining stories were entertaining, just not favs. But there was a story inside that I absolutely hated. Called Sweeney Toddler, The Demon Baby, it's a story about a devil of a toddler with foul intentions and that emirates even more foul odors. The story was one endless diaper joke after another. With it's what I am assuming cockney slang, the yarn was also darn near impossible to understand. I thought that this was a gross parody of the British version of Dennis the Menace that I couldn't wait for to be over. Ironically, the ending was most cerebral thing about the whole thing. Neat twist ending. But not enough to save it in my opinion.

I also really liked the lead story that starred Frankie Stein. Mostly for the amazing array of Easter Eggs that artist John Lucas peppers throughout the short. Speaking of Easter, I recently got a copy of this year's Monster Fun Easter Special and I can't wait until next spring to read it! Mostly because it's extremely rare to score an Easter related comic in the states for some reason...

Lots of British fun. But you'll need to check with your favorite LCS for availability due to the really wonky delayed releasing of this series.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales (Family Comic Friday)

Created in 1967 by the legendary Neal Adams, Deadman was a circus performer who was assassinated while performing under the big top. Thanks to a Hindu deity called Rama Kushna, the spirit of Deadman was allowed to linger on Earth in order to discover the identity of his killer. By possessing the body of others, including many a member of the Justice League, Deadman was able to gather the clues to find the identity of the mysterious killer known only as 'The Hook.' But after his murderer was apprehended, for one reason or another, Deadman delayed crossing over to the afterlife to continue bringing evil to justice!

I've read my fair share of Deadman stories over the years. My father had a copy of his first appearance, in the pages of Strange Adventures #205. The visual appeal of a white ghostly face decked in a scarlet red circus performer unitard was enough to draw me in. Sure, with death and ghosts and vengeance, this probably wasn't the stuff for a lad of under the age of 10 to enjoy. But those Deadman stories of my dad's collection were some of my most favorite reads.

So when I learned that Deadman was going to host a graphic novel anthology of creepy tales for young readers, I immediately contacted my favorite LCS to reserve my copy! While over the past 55 years Deadman has teamed up with major characters from the DC Universe, solved some puzzling crimes and even come face-to-face with the creator of the universe himself, the supernatural character has never hosted his own horror title to my knowledge- until now!

Franco, the fan favorite co-creator of such all-ages properties as Tiny Titans and Itty Bitty Hellboy, pens 13 unlucky tales of terror. But as this book was aimed for readers aged 8-12 years old, was this collection of spooky tales all that scary?

The shortcut taken through 'The Cemetery' and the mall-themed story titled 'Mannequins' would qualify in my book as scary. The autumn leaves adventure called 'Fall' was eerie too; if only because two victims of the story's antagonist seem completely forgotten by our heroes. 

I loved 'On the Inside'. That psychological thriller was a tiny bit scary. What sold it for me was how it was directly tied into a character from the Batman family of villains. The movie themed 'Inattentive Blindness' and the sleepover at 'The House of Madame Pyka' also had some ties to the DCU and were entertaining scares. However, I would say that they gave me anything but the frights. "The Fisherman' was another story that was highly entertaining yet didn't scare me. However, it had an ending that left me demanding a sequel or a stand alone series!

Franco, especially when he is teamed with his main writing partner Art Baltazar, is known for his humorous stories. And the majority of the remaining stories are more for yuks that screams. However, the humor element is okay with me. Those classic DC horror titles from my youth such as House of Mystery and The Witching Hour were as renown for their bizarre comedy bits just as much as their horrifying stories of ghosts and ghouls.

I've got to confess however, that with both feline themed stories 'The Litterbox' and 'The Neighborhood Cats', I read ahead. Not because I was scared. It was because I didn't want to be shocked with any stories that involved dying or injured kitties. I am happy to say that no gatos were injured in the making of this graphic novel for kiddies!

The most terrifying aspect of this book was the running commentary of the Deadman throughout this anthology. He poses some eerie questions. However, it's the artwork by visual artist Sara Richard that puts the icing on the cake in terms of creepiness. Her images of skeletons and graveyards are chilling. But when she provides anatomy lessons of viscera and sinew as Deadman transports himself throughout the book, I get a tad spooked. 

A dozen other artists provide visuals for this book. Derek Charm (Star Wars Adventures) is another fan favorite of mine who contributes to this work. As is fellow North Carolinian, Thomas Boatwright, of whom the Zeke Deadwood: Zombie Lawmaker creator is one of which that I own actual original artwork of! However, I must say that I am a little perturbed that Franco's most famous creative partner, Art Baltazar, is nowhere to be found in this book! I hope the two didn't part ways as collaborators! I love those two when they get together and make comic book memories!

Deadman Tells the Spooky Tales (Another Great Pun Title!) was an entertaining read. I was scrambling to find something appropriate for younger readers to review this week in time for Halloween. I'm so glad my comics shop was able to get a copy yesterday! The horror element as well as Deadman's backstory that involves Eastern religion, including reincarnation might be a little to controversial for some. But if you were a parent, guardian or grandparent who grew up reading the adventures of Deadman, especially the vintages ones, the young readers in your life are going to thrill at this trip through DC's darkest corners.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers Mini-Comic Collection, Volume 2

This fan made edition from Trident Studios contains all of the mini comics issued with the 11 figures released by Kenner in the Super Powers Collection, Wave II. This book is very heavy on characters from Jack Kirby's Fourth World along with several superheroes who made their toy debut in 1984-85. On the side of the angels, Firestorm, Dr. Fate, Red Tornado and the Martian Manhunter were released for the first time ever along with Green Arrow (who debuted in the 70s thanks to Mego). The New God Darkseid lead an army of villains that included the demented Desaad, bumbling brute Kalibak, the energy-draining Mantis, the immortal Steppenwolf and army fodder Parademon. 

Series Two of the Super Powers Collection is a fan favorite mostly because of its connection to comic book legend, Jack Kirby. It's a thing of legend that one of the few times Jack Kirby was properly compensated for previously licensed work was for the re-designs he made on Mantis, Steppenwolf and Parademon. Kirby also reworked the design of Darkseid's estranged son, Orion, released in 1986's Series Three to much controversy. But that's a story for another day...

Of course to a 7-8 year old Madman, all of the villains of Super Powers were considered all-new characters. I knew who all the heroes were thanks to my dad's comic book collection. But I had yet to be properly introduced to Kirby's Fourth World. Thankfully, each action figure came with a mini comic to help explain a little bit of the motivation of Darkseid, which when you think about it is fairly simple- total world domination.

The Anti-Life equation, Highfather and New Genesis, and the whole truce in which Scott Free and Orion were switched at birth aren't covered at all in the minis. In fact, Darkseid is kinda a weenie in this series of 16-pagers as his Omega Beams don't incinerate anyone. They just send you to limbo. 

You won't see the Series One villains in any of these books either. The minions of Apokolips act alone. But I think if Darkseid had recruited at least Lex Luthor, Brainiac and the Joker into his plans, the lord of Apokolips could've at least conquered the entire Eastern seaboard.

One of my all-time favorite characters is Firestorm. So getting to revisit his adventures in mini-comic form was pretty cool. The inclusion of Red Tornado, GA and J'onn J'onzz to the line-up were no-brainers as they had all been members of the Justice League at some point. But Dr. Fate doesn't really make any sense being here. Fate has always been a member of the Justice Society and stuck on the parallel Earth designated #2. Did the JSA lend Fate in some sort of cross-dimensional trade in order for the Justice League to have a magical warrior to fight against Darkseid's forces? 

Series Two was the last series of the Super Powers Collection to be issued with mini comics. Was the omission a way to cut costs? The inclusion of Cyclotron and Golden Pharoah, two all-new for the toy line heroic characters were definitely produced to avoid licensing fees to creators. So it's possible. But with the inclusion of Orion and Mister Miracle in wave 3, a chance to better introduce the Fourth World characters to children through mini comics was sorely overlooked. I think had mini comics been released with the third wave, a fourth and fifth wave of characters, which were in the planning stages, would have become a reality.

Since Kenner is defunct and DC doesn't seem to have any plans to release the mini comics officially in some collected form, I'm glad I found this offering by Trident Comics. Over at Etsy, they've got a couple other editions of mini comics that were released with popular toy lines of the past. As long as there doesn't appear to be any direct conflict with copyright, I'll be adding one or two of those other books to my collection sometime soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Omnious Omnibus, Vol.1: Scary Tales & Scarier Tentacles

The premise behind the Ominous Omnibuses is to collect all 23 volumes of Treehouse of Horror annuals that were issued from the now defunct Bongo Comics. This is to occur with the publication of 3 slipcased hardcover editions. Though whether this will happen in just a few months or annually until 2024, I just don't know. 

Along with the material found in the Halloween annuals, these collections are supposed to house horror themed material from other Simpsons related holiday titles and some never before published material. But right now from a collector's standpoint, all I've got is a massive headache.

Let's do a little comic book math. There's 23 total ToH books in existence and I don't own any of them. These comics aren't very easy to find and when I do stumble across them, they're selling for an average of $15 per book. So $15x23=$345. If all 3 omnibuses retail for the $40 MSRP of this issue, I should only have to pay $120 plus tax. Overall, going this route seems the most economical, even if I have to wait a couple more years. Yet, because of how this book was edited, I can't mark anything off of my wish list yet.

Instead of collecting the comics whole, publisher Harry N. Abrams decided to cut all the books into pieces and catalogue the stories based on genre type! There are stories about aliens Kang and Kodos, frights about alternate realities and legends of things that go bump in the dark. Plus, there's a whole lot of shorts, parody ads and vignettes about life in Springfield that I've read in many a Simpsons regular series comic book.

While I am unhappy with how these stories have been collected, I have been thrilled with many of the surprises in this book. There's Simpsons yarns written by Star Wars' Mark Hamill, The Goldberg's Patton Oswalt and Doug TenNapel (Cardboard). I had thought that celebs didn't appear in Simpsons comics, but we get visits by Alice Cooper, Lemmy Kilmister and the living embodiment of Ned Flanders, Pat Boone! in a trio of stories written by the stars themselves.

My favorite story in this collection was an EC Comics tribute that featured inks by Al Willamson (Weird Science, Weird Fantasy) and pencils by John Severin (Two-Fisted Tales)! I never thought I'd ever see the Simpsons rendered by a pair of EC legends! But I did and it was fantastic. The story might have been a bit disjointed. But it was a visual dream come true!

Over 400 pages of Simpsons frights. A great way to start off my Halloween 2022 reads. I just wish this book could have been in order like an actual omnibus and not a mix-matched catalogue of titles organized by genre. I really wanted to get a few volumes off my wish list and right now, I now have 2 future editions of omnibuses added to it.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.