Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Ewoks #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Wordless comics seem to be a growing trend right now and I'm not sure if that bothers me. I generally feel that if I buy a comic book and there's no words in it (aside from sound effects), then I got gypped. Yet on my last trip to my favorite LCS, I bought not 1 but 2 pantomime comics. 

Man, I must be a sucker...

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Ewoks is part of a series of one-shots Marvel will be releasing this year in honor of Episode VI's 40th anniversary. It just happens to be a lucky coincidence that I chose this book to review for Family Comic Friday as Disney and Lucasfilm is releasing the movie for 1 day only on this very day! Sadly, where I happen to be as I write this review is nowhere close to where Jedi is being shown in theaters. Not like I've not seen the movie a hundred times, including open day 1983 (Mission Valley Cinema, Raleigh, NC- may you Rest In Peace!), but if I had the chance, I'd go see it again now!

The main reason I decided to review Ewoks this week was due to its cover rating. Marvel has this special listed as being for teens (and up). Yet, the Ewoks themselves have always been fodder for marketing to children. For Millennials and Gen Z, the Ewoks are the Porgs of Generation X.

One purpose of this weekly review is to help parents navigate the ratings system of comics. It's not a uniform program and it's left to each individual publisher to rate their own books. I've seen reprints of stuff from the 60s, which had no rating system, be re-released as all-ages and they really shouldn't have (and vice versa), hence Family Comic Friday.

Knowing that kids love Ewoks and the older folks who now have kids might be wanting to share their 40th anniversary memories with their children and grandkids, I thought it might be a good idea to check this book out. 

The premise is that the elders of Ewok village are having a festival. During this event, Logray and some of the other adults regal the woklings with tales of legendary Ewoks from the past. There are essentially 3 stories. Story One is about a young Ewok who befriends a Dulok girl. You'd only know who the Duloks were if you watched the 1985-86 Ewoks cartoon, which I did. The Duloks are the main enemy of the Ewoks. These furry green bipeds are mostly rivals in terms of battling over resources and land. Though I think on at least one or two occasions, a Dulok tried to eat a Ewok. This is an adorable tale, drawn similarly to the animated series and boasts a message of friendship and tolerance. 

Story #2 tells of an unfortunate Ewok who stumbles across a Gorax. These gigantic creatures ARE known to have enjoyed the Ewoks as a snack. While the artwork is absolutely stunning, the middle adventure can be terrifying. That ending really stunned me, though what Logray does to the storyteller when we return to the present gave me a huge laugh. If you are one who thought Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was too intense, this is a story young readers should skip.

The final story is really fanciful. It tells of an Ewok who built their own flying machine out of parts scavenged from the Imperial presence on Endor. There is one scene of violence when the Ewok steals a Scout Trooper's helmet. The Ewok knocks the guy out with a giant log to get it. But who are we kidding? He could have killed him. It's really up for interpretation. 

Star Wars had always been known to have 3 things in it- heartwarming inspiration, jump scares, and thrilling adventures. This one-shot has all three. So really, if you're already letting your 4 year old watch Star Wars, then you'll probably not have any issue with this issue. 

I fell in love with the main cover that bears the image of a Ewok's face. The way they are enthralled by the village bonfire was just so elegant and intense. I knew I had to have it. One of the variant covers is done in the style of the Saturday morning cartoon show. It's something that very much would appeal to a young child. But don't be fooled. Some of the material in this anniversary comic is intense and I am not lying when it comes to that middle story. It starts off with the image of a decomposing Ewok. But let's face it- Episode IV has the charred corpses of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. So it's not like it's anything that's never been seen in the Star Wars Universe before. 

Great read. I would've liked words. But it brought me back to my childhood and some fond memories. This is a book that generations of Star Wars lovers can partake in together and make some fond memories of their own. It's just something that may have to wait a while if the young reader in your life just isn't ready for some of this material yet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Question, Vol. 2: Poisoned Ground

I started with Volume 2. This might sound like an odd thing to do. And I agree, it is. I found this, along with about 30 exact copies of this book, at Ollie's for only $4. Featuring writing by Dennis O'Neil, I just couldn't pass it up. Unfortunately, there weren't any other volumes in the series for sale. 

I waited a few months in hopes of finding book one before just saying 'the heck with it' and going ahead and giving this book a read. And it wasn't a hard transition to start with issue #8. The Question is news reporter Vic Sage. He's helped by a scientist nicknamed Tot who provides Vic with a mask that makes him appear faceless and a special gas that seals the mask and changes his hair and physical appearance.

Vic had been left for dead and it was that incident that led him to turn into The Question. Able to do things that the corrupt police force of Hub City refuses to act upon, Vic Sage uses his leads as a newscaster to take on the dangerous criminal elements that operate in his home town. There's no question at all that this hero is a vigilante.

Perhaps the most confusing thing that Dennis O'Neil added to the mystique in this 1980s era reboot was Vic's real name. Retconned to have been an abandoned baby raised by nuns, the sisters gave him the name of Charles Victor Szasz. Well, there's a Batman villain named Victor Zsasz. That deranged serial killer was created in 1992 by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle. Were they influenced by Denny O'Neil? What's the connection? Why is it when I Googled these questions, others readers seem to not have any answers to this either?

The one thing I loved about this gritty 'mature audiences' version of a classic Charlton legacy character was how this Question seems to be more like the way I wish Batman would be like. See, I don't play Batman video games for the very reason that those games are more fighting and less mystery solving. I love the Dark Knight more when he's the great detective as opposed to some sort of glorified mixed martial artist. And this version of the Question is an exciting detective written by a Batman legend! I just wish he had better dialogue.

The scripts read like really bad imitations of Philip Marlowe. The plots are great. But Vic Sage's dialogue both in and out of costume are full of really bad jokes and even worse attempts at being R-rated without totally going full-on explicit.

The artwork is by Denys Cowan. It's gritty, sexy and pretty darn glorious. But man, did DC editors seem to let some things slide. In one issue, Vic notices an attractive co-worker eating a bar of fudge. When Cowan shows her eating the confection, well let's say- that's not how you eat fudge... And no, you don't have to have a dirty mind to make the true connection. 

I really liked what I read. I'd love to read more. No way in heck am I going to pay the prices Amazon sellers are asking for the companion volumes. They're out of print and asking prices are about $50 per volume. There's an omnibus, almost 1000 pages in length. I might be persuaded to purchase it, if I could find a copy for less than a $2.00 discount off the cover price. 

This version of the Question is gritty and very smart. But it's also cheesy. It's 80s cheese; so it's a good cheese. But it's also something that unless the price is right, something that I won't be reading further adventures anytime soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Get Smart #7 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Get Smart was a comedic satire and parody of the secret agent movies and TV series that dominated the 1960s. Created by the dream team duo of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Get Smart aired on NBC from 1965-70. 

The title character of Maxwell Smart was played by comedian Don Adams, then known by legions of kiddos as the voice of Tennessee Tuxedo. Smart was an agent of the good guys CONTROL. Designated as Agent 86, Smart was considered the agencies top agent. Though he was an incompetent boob.

The real brains of CONTROL was Agent 99. The sultry partner of Maxwell Smart was played by Barbara Feldon and it was 99 who got Smart out of a lot of the scrapes that he often found himself in. Dumb luck is what got Agent 86 out of the rest of his predicaments.

Throughout much of the series, there was a definite will they/won't they romantic vibe between 86 and 99. This is large part to Smart being oblivious to Agent 99's advances. The pair finally became husband and wife during the show's fourth season.

The baddies of the show were the evil agents of KAOS. Smart matched wits with an assortment of villains. But Max's main arch-enemy was Siegfried. Played by future Love Boat crew member Bernie Kopell, Siegfried was a top operative whose position in KAOS was always changing; often due to losing out to Max and the agents of CONTROL.

As with many sitcoms of the 1960s, Get Smart was made into a comic book tie-in. Dell  Comics produced a total of 8 issues from 1966-67. Some legendary names worked on the early issues of the comic. Steve Ditko, Sal Trapani and Dick Giordano are attributed as having worked on some of first 4 issues. Unfortunately, for this issue, #7, I can't find any sources stating who was behind the scripts nor artwork.

There are 3 stories in this issue. The first adventure takes Max to Egypt where he is tasked in preventing KAOS from getting their hands on an ancient scroll. While it's never revealed just what is so important about this parchment, the ending gag is that Max discovers the phrase 'Made in Japan' on the artifact.

Story #2 has Agents 86 and 99 going down into the briny deep to investigate the operations of a KAOS submarine. However, the mission takes a high flying turn when an airplane removing buoys from the ocean accidentally snag the bathysphere containing the two CONTROL agents!

Lastly, 86 and 99 infiltrate KAOS headquarters as a married pair of recruits. Only 99 is wearing a mustache and Max is in drag! 

Dell's adaptation captures the zany spirit of Get Smart very well. Likenesses of Don Adams and Edward Platt, who played the Chief of CONTROL operations were very good. The oddest thing about this issue was that all 3 stories were titled as 'The _____ Caper'. This is clearly a parody of how all of the episodes for the quasi- comedic spy series The Man From UNCLE which would title all of its episodes as 'The ________ Affair.' A quick search through IMDB.com and one will note that this wasn't the style of Get Smart at all. Definitely, the brilliant satiric idea from one of the Dell Comics creative team.

1970 would not mark the end of Maxwell Smart. He would return alone in a maligned 1980 feature film called The Nude Bomb (AKA- The Return of Maxwell Smart.) Despite the film being a failure, Don Adams would frequently be cast as Agent 86 in a number of commercials including ones for K-Mart and Toyota New Zealand. Barbara Feldon, Bernie Kopell and several other regulars from the TV series would return for a 1989 made-for-TV movie titled Get Smart, Again! Its relative success sparked a minor revival in the franchise with a short-lived 1995 Get Smart revival on Fox that starred Andy Dick as Max's son. 

And of course, there's the fan theory that beloved animated character, the bumbling Inspector Gadget is in reality Maxwell Smart having been converted into a cyborg. Though Gadget is voiced by Don Adams, it's only a theory. But the parallels of ineptitude between the two characters is unquestioned. 

Worth Consuming! 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #4 (Based Off a Live-Action TV Show) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Clobberin' Time #1

I am a sucker for team-up comics. I try to collect every such series there is. From the Batman laced adventures of Brave and the Bold to the arachnid antics of Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up, if it pits a well known hero with a array of partners ranging from A-list to Z, I will collect it. So when I learned of a brand-new team-up series starring the ever-loving blue-eyed Thing, I was thrilled and requested a copy of issue #1 from my favorite LCS. 

Steve Skroce does double-duty as both writer and penciler in this new team-up comic. Issue #1 has Dr. Bruce Banner visiting the Baxter Building for one of his routine gamma ray check-ups conducted by Dr. Reed Richards. While Mr. Fantastic is pre-occupied by some strange readings, Ben Grimm and Banner encounter a strange-looking intruder in the Fantastic Four laboratories. 

Looking like Iron Man and Doctor Doom were fused together by a bolt of lightning, this intruder sends The Thing and Banner to an alternate universe. In this new world, the pair learn that it's due for destruction by a giant kaiju looking creature. Hulking out, Banner and Thing easily subdue the beast. And then friends of the deceased invader decide on revenge...

I was intrigued by the cover of this book from the very beginning. For the first time in my 45-years of life, I saw just what happens if you were to break off one of those golden stones from Ben Grimm's mutated hide. There's blood and muscle under there! I was expecting something gray and oozing like cement. Needless to say, it really got my attention.

The initial cover art showed such an eye for detail, I was reminded immediately of Frank Quietly. I wish I could say that the interior drawings were just as good. But with the exception of the mysterious infiltrator of the Baxter Building, everything else was subpar looking and inconsistent! There's one scene where Grimm's left eye is all bruised up. Yet throughout the rest of the book, Steve Skroce keeps switching that damaged eye from the left to the right and back. I really felt due a No-Prize on catching this flaw!

The story itself is a mess. Skroce peppers the dialogue with rambling thoughts that never go anywhere. There's the whole scene where Thing is stranded on this other world when he gets a text from Johnny Storm that makes zero sense. It doesn't move the plot anywhere and seems totally unnecessary. 

Then we have the preview of next month's issue. It promises a teaming with everyone's favorite mutant, Wolverine. Okay, I'm on board. That Tony Stark/Victor Von Doom character is back again. Good, because I wanted to know just who in the heck he was. But this fella seems to be ripping Ben Grimm apart brick by brick. Each stone that makes up Thing's body looks like a tiny mushroom cloud erupting from Ben Grimm's torso and it made me sick to my stomach...

My favorite comic book store wanted to know if I wanted to complete the series run by the end of this weekend. For ordering purposes. Once I completed this whole thing, I was left just feeling that I really don't like this book. If I come across the collected trade, I might give it a read. The mysterious villain who sent Thing and Hulk across dimensions is intriguing. But I'd have to find it on the shelves of my nearby library as I do not feel like wasting anymore hard earned money on this. 

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1965, the United States Special Forces (USSF) A-Team designated A-342 was assigned to be advisors to a rag-tag bunch of Vietnamese farmers, tribesmen, 'draft dodgers' and neighboring Cambodians. It was the soldiers' mission to train these volunteers into fighters against the forces of the National Liberation Front. Due to their location, these trainees would be among the first line of defense against the Vietcong Army.

Stationed at a makeshift base in Dong Xoai, the USSF team were getting very high indications of an attack. Several spies were caught around the base perimeter and nearby smaller villages were being raided by the VC. The advisers made a request for further reinforcements. They were granted a grand total of 9 Seabees, Navy personnel whose expertise is in building temporary and permanent military infrastructures. 

At nearly midnight of 9 June, VC forces began their attack of the Dong Xoai compound. Artillery and ground forces numbering anywhere from 2-4,000 VC troops swarmed the combined forces of American and South Vietnam troops (50 years later and both sides still can't confirm the exact number of soldiers or fatalities). The first attack lasted until late morning the next day. As it appeared that the Communists were going to win the battle, nearly all of the native and Cambodian forces fled the base leaving a handful of Americans to battle for their lives until their extraction, around 2pm.

After nearly 13 hours of fighting, 3 of A-342 and 2 Seabees lost their lives in the battle. The remaining American soldiers were taken to the relative safety of the Phuoc Vinh Base Camp. Every survivor required medical attention ranging from minor to critical. A fourth member of the USSF team died of their injuries in transport. 

The slew of South Vietnamese forces aided by American 'advisers' retook Dong Xoai just a couple of days later. The battle was considered a turning point in the Vietnam conflict and resulted in President Johnson increasing the number of military trainers to be sent to the region. At least 4 of the members of A-342 returned to active duty. The team's Executive Officer, Charles Q. Williams earned the Medal of Honor, with 3 members receiving distinguished service crosses. Numerous Bronze and Silver stars were awarded and every American soldier involved in the first night of battle earned purple hearts. 

In the late 2000s, war art legend Joe Kubert decided to chronicle the battle. Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965 features artwork that is very much like and unlike the numerous works of Kubert devoted to the history of the fighting forces, both real and imagined. Every pose is action packed and the faces of the characters bear that Joe Kubert trademarked pained look of 'war is hell'. However, Kubert decided to not ink this book. Instead all 166 pages of story are penciled sketches with some images still bearing the establishing marks artists use to frame faces and physiques. 

At the end of this book, surviving members of A-342 crafted an extensive dossier on the events leading up to the battle of Dong Xoai, along with an hour-by-hour narrative of the attack and a brief follow-up into the post-Vietnam lives of the veterans. These pages are filled with dozens of photos and charts that make the reader feel even more familiar with these heroes. (When I learned that one of my favorite characters in the book died in 2008, I was heartbroken.)

Before one gets upset that I refer to these real life members of American history as characters, it's important to point out that in Kubert's narrative, the participants in Dong Xoai really are characters. None of the soldiers' real names are used in Kubert's account. Like with a 'based on a true story' movie, some of the events are edited or condensed to make for a more cohesive story. Some actions that one soldier performed are given to another, possibly to make the artwork or script a bit more polished. There are literally dozens of names floating around in this historical graphic novel and truly it is an undertaking keeping everyone straight. Especially if you try to read the dossier simultaneously with Kubert's story.

The Vietnam War is a complicated subject in American history. There are still citizens that adamantly despise anyone who fought in the conflict even though hostilities ended way back in early 1975. For those veterans who are still alive, the scars of the war still bleed. Love them or hate them, the men of A-342 and that tiny group of Navy Seabees were heroes. Grossly out-numbered, this small handful of men did not back down nor did they stop fighting until they breathed their last breath. And 5 of those men did this very thing in the battle of Dong Xoai. 

For those who served in not just Vietnam but at any point during wartime and peace- thank you for your service.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #24 (A War Comic/Graphic Novel) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Blue, Barry & Pancakes, Book 5: Big Time Trouble (Family Comic Friday)

Blue is a worm. Barry is a frog. Pancakes is a bunny. Together, Blue, Barry & Pancakes are the best of friends.

In this latest adventure, Blue is all set to give a poetry reading to his friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, Blue has a major case of stage fright. Maybe if he had a special item like a lucky penny, Blur would have the courage to perform his show. 

Thanks to Barry's newest invention, a time-travelling helmet, the 3 friends go back in time to meet one of Blue's ancestors in hopes that the distant family member might have something special the nervous worm can use to battle the fears away. But when Blue learns that his all of his poet ancestors had special trinkets to provide them with luck, he's compelled to keep collecting charms from even more relatives. 

Before you know it, Blue has an entire collection of heirlooms. But he's got to have just one more; this time from a Great-Great-Great (okay, I'm gonna stop here, but there are a lot of greats) grandfather who lived during the time of dinosaurs. Once Blue gets that forefather's fetish, the pals can go forward in time, back to the poetry recital. There's only one problem: the giant prehistoric duck that is terrorizing Blue's caveman predecessor just broke Barry's time travel helmet, leaving everyone stuck in the very distant past!

Big Time Trouble is the 5th book in the Blue, Barry & Pancakes series. It's my first trip with these three friends. I just happened to stumble across this book as it was being displayed on the new release shelf of family friendly graphic novels at my local library. This book was hilarious. I laughed out loud several times. While I wasn't happy with the solution of how the three buddies get back to present day, this was a fantastic read. One of which really makes me want to read the other 4 books in the series. 

Real life BFFs Dan & Jason are the creative team behind this book. The duo did a fantastic job. The level of humor and camaraderie is on par with that of another creative duo, Art Baltazar and Franco! I really hope Dan & Jason achieve the same level of success as the Aww Yeah! inspired creative team of which I am a big fan of. 

With some fun & games and a craft activity at the end of this book, the enjoyment of Blue, Barry & Pancakes can continue long after the story is over. And with 4 other books in the series (thus far) families of all ages can keep the amusement going for quite a while. With these extras, parents and guardians of readers aged 5-9 should think of purchasing these books as a way to make the upcoming summer vacation season a time of enjoyment and learning--- while having a great time, of course!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Plan 9 From Outer Space Strikes Again!

I really thought I had reviewed the book before. Yet, I've been re-cataloging my collection lately and I just don't have any evidence of any such entry in this blog. I guess I must have dreamed it or wrote it out in my head; both of which are things I've done before without realizing it.

Plan 9 From Outer Space Strikes Again is Blue Water Comics' sequel to the 1959 B-movie classic by schlock master Ed Wood. Until Tommy Riseau's The Room, Plan 9 From Outer Space was considered the worst film ever made. I, however, love it! 

Ed Wood, despite his flaws, was a passionate film maker. Yes, some of his short cuts were due to his inability to see flaws. But a lot of the stuff Wood is maligned for is really due to the inability to obtain adequate funding for the grandiose plans he had built up in his head for his projects. The 50s weren't exactly a period in Hollywood history when producers opened the floodgates of cash towards horror and sci-fi pictures. But man, did Ed Wood try his best. It just wasn't good enough for the general public.

This 2009 sequel was created in tribute to the original films' 50th anniversary and it was a mixed bag for me. I thought that the plot was worse than the original Plan 9. However, I loved how the art and production staff added continuity errors, smudges and off center pages to this book to make it appear technically flawed like so many of Ed Wood's classics. Artist Giovanni Timpano even leaves the strings of the attacking flying saucers visible! It was also very cool seeing some of the original actors of the 1959 film making cameos in this book. Tor Johnson, Vampira and Criswell all return to help the aliens try once more to conquer the earth. Other actors from the first movie might be in this book; but their likenesses might be too generic for me to recognize.

The one thing about this one-shot that really bugged me was the ending. It felt unfinished. Even though Criswell closes the story much like he did the live-action film, I closed this book feeling like something was missing. Well, it turns out in an odd sort of way that I am right.

Just today, Dren Productions released the first of a 3-part miniseries titled Plan 59 From Outer Space which continues the story after another 50 disastrous attempts by those very same aliens to conquer our planet. Will that series even mention this comic? I doubt it. But I'll find out soon enough. It looks like another zany tribute to what every fan of 1950s B-movies confers to be Ed Wood's opus!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Real Clue Crime Stories #9 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Inspired by the success of Lev Gleason Publications' Crime Does Not Pay, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon decided to make a crime comic. As a result, Hillman Publications produced the title Clue Comics. It featured true crime stories that both glorified the underworld lifestyle of sex, murder and greed utilizing a narrator that foretold each tale as a fable for sticking to the path of the straight and narrow. After the third issue, Kirby and Simon were able to convince editor Ed Cronin to add the word 'Crime' to their newest creation. As a bit of a compromise, the word 'Real' was also added since the stories told in the publication were based on true stories, even if these tales were embellished quite a bit. 

Real Clue Crime Stories made its newly named debut with the June, 1947 edition. The life story of the notorious gangster Ma Barker and her family of killers were the cover feature; though historians now believe that this story was made up by the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover to cover for the accidental death of the elderly matriarch during a shoot-out in 1935. 

For the November, 1947 issue of Real Clue Crime Comics, I was able to verify that 4 stories are in fact about real life criminals. Opening story 'Kid Twist' is about the Austrian-Hungarian/Italian gangster Max Zweifach (Zwerbach), who led the Max Eastman gang until he was gunned downed by a team of a rival gang and his own men in broad daylight. Then meet Jack 'Legs' Diamond, a crime lord who became so fearful of being killed, he sets himself up in a literal fortress in upstate New York and runs his operation by plane and proxy.

 'The 9 Lives of Michael Malloy' would be a hilarious story, if it wasn't true. Malloy is a drunkard who claims that he is near death. So a group of friends at the tavern Malloy frequents decide to take an insurance policy out on him. But Malloy just keeps breathing. So, they poison his beer. And Malloy just keeps drinking. After several murder attempts, the fellas finally kill off Michael Malloy. Only now, the insurance company smells a rat. This interesting story was featured on an episode of Mysteries at the Museum and was the inspiration for the episode 'One for the Road' on the NBC 80s anthology series Amazing Stories.

The last verifiable story is the required prose tale Hillman needed to maintain first class postage rates for the comic. It tells of the counterfeit ring of 'Count' Victor Lustig that ultimately brought the con man down. Though he managed to rake in millions of dollars in 1930s and 40s greenbacks, Lustig's most interesting con was his selling of the Eiffel Tower... twice!

The penultimate story of this issue is about a Revolutionary War era highwayman whose generosity turns out to be his downfall. The final tale is a take on the urban legend in which someone is challenged to go to a graveyard at midnight and to plunge a knife into a famous grave. In typical fashion, the knife manages to snag the clothing of the participant. The belief that the dead have risen from the grave due to this insult scares the defiler to death. Only with this being a crime comic book, there's a devious twist at the end. 

The cover and the first story were illustrated by Dan Barry, who drew a ton of beloved comic strip characters including Flash Gordon, Tarzan and Spider-Man in a career that spanned 6 decades. The only other artist who provides a signature is Art Helfant, a gag artist who crafted the 3 one-page funnies that add a slight doze of brevity to an otherwise intense and melodramatic book.

Kirby and Simon left Hillman in 1948. Yet despite this departure, Real Clue Crime Comics lived on. 5 more volumes of 12 issues each were published from 1948-52. A 6th volume was begun in 1953, amassing 3 issues before Hillman decided to shutter its comic book unit. Hillman Periodicals continued to publish a number of general interest and right-wing opinionated magazines until 1961 when publisher Alex L. Hillman sold off his very popular digest-sized Pageant to McFadden Communications. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #13 (With the word 'Clue' in the Title) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Superman: Doomed

I haven't been overly enthralled with everything New 52. Batman: Zero Year was decent and the #0 books that tie-in about 2 dozen members of the DC Universe to that incident was fantastic. But when it came to the portrayal of the Man of Steel in the pages of Superman and Action Comics left me frigid. That all changes here in Superman: Doomed!

A clandestine group that thinks Superman is a threat to our planet, makes the brilliant decision to free Doomsday from the Phantom Zone projector located in Kal-El's Fortress of Solitude. At the exact same time, the entire town of Smallville has been rendered unconscious under mysterious circumstances. When Doomsday arrives on the outskirts of the town, Superman takes things personally and unleashes hell on the colossus!

In a show of unlimited power, Superman lands a punch that vaporizes Doomsday. And then the Man of Tomorrow inhales him! Always thinking of others, Superman absorbs his foe in order to prevent the creature from reforming and possibly mutating any of the by-standers of the battle. As a result, Superman has infected himself with the most deadly killing machine in history and he's turning into a version of a Kryptonian powered Super-Doom!

Three things really impressed the heck out of me in this 500 page plus book:

1. The relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman. This is a great power couple and they work very well. Not liking the other Superman books, I never went for the Superman/Wonder Woman team-up title. That will change.

2. Taking a page from The Incredible Hulk, readers get a chance to see inside the mind of Kal-El. There's this amazing banter between the Clark Kent and Doomsday sides that are battling for control. Yes, I know it's a swipe from Marvel's most well-known dissociative. But the massive creative team headed by writers Greg Pak and Charles Soule, among others, managed to make these scenes extremely fresh and entertaining. 

3. The Maid of Might. I love Supergirl and I am doing my best to get the entire run of her New-52 title. I don't quite understand why she's with the Red Lanterns. But I like it. I also don't understand why half-way through this story Kara stops being a Red Lantern. Did she renounce membership? Is she on hiatus? It's not made clear. But I'll find out one day. I guarantee it!

As for some of my other questions, like if the Big Boss at the end of this book is really the one behind the release of Doomsday and if the infection of Superman was pre-planned or just a happy accident are questions that I doubt I'll ever get a definite answer on.

Lots of different artists, inkers and colorists are involved in this story. Really too many to mention. I didn't feel like a single page was wasted. This was a massive read and I got one fantastic discount having found this $30 book for less than $10 at Ollie's. If you love Doomsday and are a giant fan of the epic 'Death of Superman' storyline, this is a book you cannot afford to miss. Even if it is a part of the New 52!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Comic Book Story of Beer (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

 "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
 -a quote often (falsely) attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

"Beer- Nature's Perfect Food."
     -Homer Simpson

Jonathan Hennessey takes comic book readers on a 7,000 year old adventure into the history of beer. His theory is quite interesting. With both beer and bread being made originally by the same 3 ingredients, grain, water and yeast; as civilizations developed techniques in agriculture, the brewing of alcohol soon followed. 

As a culinary professional, I've always been under the impression that beer was developed first by the Egyptians. However, thanks to this book, I've learned that a recipe even older than the pharaohs was uncovered and it was in China! Though Hennessey explains that scholars still believe that Egypt is the birthplace of beer, the discovery in China is leading historians to rewrite the history books and place the beverage as originating around 5000BC.

Now Egyptian beer is really different than what we know of today. Rice, seeds, fruit, even chocolate have been added to the mix at one time or another. But the main universal difference from the Egyptians is in the addition of hops. Hops are a flowering seed cone that gives beer its distinctive bitterness. It's only been an ingredient in beer since 1079. So for the first 6000 years of beer, it meant that the beverage was a sweeter nectar of the gods.

Beer was also vital for safety and well-being. Despite the alcohol content, the brewing techniques of heating of the ingredients and fermentation of product helped to sanitize a water supply that otherwise might have laid waste to a growing community. 

In fact, until the late 1800s, a majority of people didn't even know that beer had alcohol when social reformer Joseph Livesey conducted science experiments with the drink among the general public. This 'new-found' knowledge helped the temperance movement to put beer on the list of evil drinks. Add the fact that a majority of the beer makers in America were of German descent, by the time World War I rolled around, the time was ripe for the outlawing of almost all alcoholic beverages. 

American prohibition ended in 1933. The Depression, disrepair of unused breweries and good old fashioned American corporate greed left a void in the beer industry. American prohibition resulted in making small time brewers from going out of business. Corporate greed and growth, lead to the death of the rest of the small potatoes. Boredom in otherwise bland mass-produced beer and deregulation of home brewing in the 1970s has resulted in a renaissance in craft brewing. By 1980, there were only 44 American breweries. Jump to 2015, there were 3,200 total breweries with another 2,000 in the works. It's been 8 years since this book was released and according to the Brewers Association, a staggering 9000 plus breweries current operate in this country!

Assisting Jonathan Hennessey is head brewer Mike Smith. Smith covers the more technical aspects of the beer making process. I know this because those segments are hosted by a cartoon avatar of the craftsman. I also believe that Smith is responsible for the 9 'Meet the Beer' segments peppered throughout this graphic novel. Those single-page beer profiles discuss not only the bitterness and alcohol by volume in the beer, but food pairings, history of the beverage and other pertinent information that a non-zythophile might need in order to become a connoisseur of fine brews. 

The artwork for this book is by Aaron McConnell, who previously had worked with Hennessey on a pair of graphic novels about the Constitution and Gettysburg Address. McConnell's work is quite impressive (and varied) as he is able to mimic relevant art styles of the time periods being discussed. For example, during a section on Ancient Greek philosopher's thoughts on beef, McConnell draws those noble men as if they were mosaics made of hundreds of tiny tiles. Later, when examining our founding father's love of brewskis, the artist has the heavy hitters looking like they were taken straight from a stack of greenbacks. 

Beer is thousands of years old. Yet, its explosion in creativity and advanced technology has really only occurred in the past 50 years. Wine seems to have the more refined and knowledgeable fan base worldwide. But the beer lovers are coming up fast behind them. For one who might need to know the difference between a lager and an ale AND you love comic books, The Comic Story of Beer is just one of dozens of graphic novels devoted to food and beverage to hit the market in the past 10 years.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #10 (About Food or Beverage) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Star Trek: The Key Collection, Vol. 3

Volume 3 does see some vast improvements in the artwork and coloring in terms of technical merit. The representations of actors William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and others by Alberto Giolitti continue to be second to none. Well, I take that back Nevio Zuccara, who drew several issues in Volume 1, is just as impressive on the likenesses. But things are still far from perfect on the Enterprise. 

The bridge still looks like the cockpit of the Space SHUTTLE Enterprise with everyone crowded around a tiny view screen. The phasers used by the crew are varied and futuristic. But they are not Federation issue. And while the visuals of the crew being transported is starting to look more like what you'd see on the original TV show, the transporter room looks like it is off to the corner of the main bridge, instead in another part of the ship. 

Captain Kirk finally is portrayed wearing an orange/tan looking tunic. But everybody else, including Sulu and Chekov, who makes 2 brief first appearances, are still wearing green. Bones is finally in blue. But I don't think anybody knows for sure what color tunic Scotty is supposed to wear as he's decked out in blue, green and red in different issues of this series. 

It doesn't look like Len Wein was involved in the scripts at this point. The Swamp Thing co-creator's name isn't listed in the credits at the beginning of this book. In fact, nobody is credited as to have written these stories and that's a shame because many of them were very, very good. 

A Taj Mahal in space! Space Mummies! Kirk on trial for assisting iron poachers! A war between two tribes of teens as Spock races across the galaxy to find a cure for a deadly disease! A brat becomes the leader of his planet after his father is murdered by an unknown assailant. Machine/tree hybrids run amok! All very good stories, though I also saw a couple of these stories when they were TOS episodes 'Court Martial' and 'Miri'. 

Also, I refuse to believe that Captain Kirk doesn't know what a black hole is. Granted, his ignorance was used as a plot device to help educate readers as to what this anomaly in space is. But Kirk shouldn't have been the character used for this scene. 

The space Taj Mahal story is also notable for its artwork of an all-new crew member. The Federation historian Dr. Krisp, is assigned to unravel the mystery as to why almost anyone who visits the intergalactic shrine never returns. Dr. Krisp looks amazingly like Julie Newmar (Catwoman on TV's Batman)! Not sure if Giolitti or Zuccara drew that issue, as Gold Key didn't give artist credits. But BRAVO nonetheless. 

This is my last hurrah with the Checker reprints of the Gold Key books. I've already read volumes 4 and 5. Unfortunately, the publisher went defunct after Vol. 5. That means I still need issues 43-61. IDW released 5 hardcover volumes of these books. But they only went to issue #30 and the last edition was published in 2016. So, it's going to bargain bins and affordable back issues in order to complete my read of this entire innovative series that was a constant work in progress.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 11: Rise of the Wookiees

The curtain falls on Star Wars Adventures with this volume. Though Chewbacca is the main star of this book, the focus is on the sequel trilogy and honestly, it's just not as exciting as the original films nor the prequels.

Chewie's story sees the Wookiee helping the Resistance free his native planet Kashyyyk from the First Order. The stormtroopers have taken prisoners; one of which is a mortal enemy of Chewbacca's from a neighboring tribe. In order to save his people, Chewie must overlook an age-old rivalry, even if it's at the sake of his personal pride.

Another highlight of this volume was a Tony Fleecs pencilled adventure starring R2-D2, C-3PO and BB-8, unfortunately. Sorry, but Poe Dameron's droid is just a third wheel here. However, the story was such a visual masterpiece. It reminded me of both Sergio Aragones and Frank Quietly- kinda cartoony but full of detail. 

I also enjoyed the 2-part 'Tales From Wild Space' story. The epic of Emil Graf has a perfect ending; all the while promising further adventures. I do think it was a bit annoying that it took the last 'Wild Space' adventure to finally understand why Emil Graf goes around the galaxy telling stories of the Star Wars Universe. But, I can finally say I know what the character is all about.

The 3 stories starring the newer characters were the weakest of the bunch. The Finn story and glimpse at Poe's X-Wing training sessions with Rey were just too saccharin. The only thing missing from those two tales would have been appearance from Rose Tico and that would have made both of them unreadable. Can we all just admit Poe Dameron is a fascinating character. But he's brought down by those new trilogy wet blankets Finn and Rey.

The story with Kylo Ren team-up with General Hux was the best of the new character-only stories. Maybe it's because they are bad guys. Maybe it's because the two villains want to kill each other just as much as they want to squash the Resistance. I would have loved it if IDW would have scrapped the Rey and Finn stories and stretched out the uneasy alliance between the highest ranking officers of the First Order. It would have made for a much more entertaining read and have helped to bumped up my rating of this book.

This isn't IDW's last hurrah with Star Wars Adventures. For one reason or another, Marvel, Disney or IDW (or some combination of the 3) decided it was best to restart the series at issue #1. Could it be due to the latest rise in comic book speculating? That false belief that a #1 issue sells more books... Or is it due to the fact that Dark Horse regained the licensing rights to Star Wars and IDW was looking to unload their stockpile of Star Wars stories before their contract with DIsney ran out. 

I probably won't have an answer for that anytime soon. Only 1 trade of that new series was ever published and my library doesn't carry it. Heck, I can't even find it on Amazon or favored online comic book sellers. I'm probably going to have to wait to find them individually in the bargain bins.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera #2- Yogi's Easter Parade (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

I'm constantly updating my reviews when I learn more about my favorite hobby. But it's not everyday when one of the creators of a work I covered provides some insight. I publish my reading challenge posts on a Facebook group and Mark Evanier was kind enough to give some background on Hanna-Barbera's search for a comic book publisher.  

Any corrections to this review will be in bold.

The 1960s and 70s were the golden age of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, and Scooby-Doo were some of the iconic successes of animation geniuses William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Yet as successful as Hanna-Barbera was, they just couldn't compete with Disney and Warner Bros.

One could argue that the comic book presence or lack thereof, was a main influence in why Hanna-Barbera would often rank third in terms of most popular animation franchises. Just like Disney and Warner Bros. did, Hanna-Barbera partnered with Western Publishing to produce comic book adaptations of their work. 

Hanna-Barbera was very happy with Western in terms of story and art. Many of the staff at Hanna-Barbera had side gigs at Western, so the adaptations were almost like lost episodes. They were big sellers to the point that the animation studio wanted Western to increase the number of titles based on the Hanna-Barbera catalog. Yet Western would not budge on their output leaving Hanna-Barbera to find another comic book publisher. 

In 1970, Hanna-Barbera partnered with Charlton Comics to produce comics based on their product line. Charlton was more than willing to produce the desired number of works based on the world's greatest Saturday morning cartoons. Flintstones was Charlton's most popular series running for 50 issues. Almost a half-dozen spin-offs were released by Charlton based on characters from the prehistoric comedy, including titles devoted to the Great Gazoo and Pebbles and Bam-Bam. A Yogi Bear title ran for 35 issues and a Top Cat book made it to 20. 

The studio wasn't not happy with the artwork, believing that the publishers were just unable to get the trademark likenesses just right. The 70s were a rough time for the Connecticut based publisher. Dick Giordano had poached most of Charlton's top talent and brought them over state lines to DC Comics headquarters in the Big Apple. According to Mark Evanier, the partnership between the studio and Charlton was soon severed. It was another nail in the coffin for the dying publisher and Hanna-Barbera was without a comic book presence once again.

Hanna-Barbera decided to take its characters to New York City. But they didn't go to DC Comics. Instead, Hanna-Barbera partnered with Marvel. 

Despite being wooed by the House of Ideas, Marvel didn't devote very much attention to its new Hanna-Barbera line-up. From 1977-79, Marvel released only 6 main titles to Yogi Bear and his pals were released. Along with a Dyno-Mutt series and a fan-favorite adaptation of the massive crossover cartoon, Laff-A-Lympics. Also part of Marvel's Hanna-Barbera line was a 3-issue tabloid sized anthology called The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. 

The first issue was a Christmas themed book. The last issue was devoted to Laff-A-Lympics. The middle issue was a rare Easter treat full of Hanna-Barbera characters, puzzles, games and other fun things to do. 

Mark Evanier penned the opening story that features nearly 2 dozen characters from your favorite Saturday morning cartoons. On Easter morning, Yogi and Boo-Boo awaken hoping for Easter Eggs. A quick search finds the Easter Bunny's allotment of eggs and a note saying that he's been kidnapped. So Yogi calls all his friends and they work to provide Easter eggs for all the kids of the Jellystone Park region while conducting a search for the missing rabbit!

Then Dyno-Mutt and the Blue Falcon team-up with Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang to solve a caper involving a ghost and a number of missing items at a new museum. 

Evanier returns with a story involving Top Cat and his gang. Love is in the air with Officer Dibble, the cop who works the beat where Top Cat lives. However, Top Cat is suspicious of Dibble's new girlfriend when the officer gives her a check containing his life savings!

Lastly, go back in time to the very earliest days of baseball with the Flintstones. A struggling baseball team thinks that they have a superstar Babe in the making with tiny tot Bam-Bam. But a rival owner seeks to make sure the tyke doesn't make it to opening day!

The fun and games in this book include a magic trick presented by Magilla Gorilla and a find the twin game led by Captain Caveman. There's also a crossword puzzle and a word scramble for readers to do. But one must be the most knowledgeable of Hanna-Barbera fans in order to answer some of the most obscure questions.

By 1980, Hanna-Barbera had ended its partnership with Marvel. Bridges weren't burned as Marvel's Star Comics imprint did release a couple of books based on NBC's Foofur and the prehistoric prequel The Flintstone Kids. 

With exception to a few minis based on syndicated and Saturday morning toons, Hanna-Barbera wouldn't return to comics until the early 90s. Finding a home with Harvey Comics, Yogi and friends were welcomed by their new publisher. Unfortunately, it seemed like Hanna-Barbera was eternally snake-bit as Harvey ceased releasing new material by 1993. In 1995, Archie Comics signed an agreement to publish titles based on Scooby-Doo and the Flintstones. This agreement continued until 1997. A year prior, Hanna-Barbera Studios was purchased by Warner Bros. and absorbed into the Cartoon Network Brand. 

Since the merger, DC Comics has been the official publisher of Hanna-Barbera properties. In the quarter century since the purchase, DC has released dozens of titles. Scooby-Doo has been DC's most popular acquisition with 2 main series of over 250 issues and numerous spin-offs including the extremely popular Scooby-Doo Team-Up. In 2017, DC issued several one-shots pitting their most popular heroes with modern day versions of the Hanna-Barbera universe. Over the next several years, grittier reboots of characters such as Jonny Quest, Snagglepuss and the Jetsons were produced by DC with varying degrees of critical and consumer success.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #26 (Set During a Holiday Not in December) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Batman's Mystery Casebook (Family Comic Friday)

If you ever wanted to solve crimes like Batman and his cohorts, then have I found the book for you! Batman's Mystery Casebook is a young adult graphic novel that I've been looking forward to for a while. The book is so many things wrapped into 144 pages of crime fighting starring your favorite members of the Batman family. 

There are several cases in which readers are tasked to examine the clues. Can you solve the case before turning the next page and letting Batman do it? It's a lot like Donald J. Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown books. In fact, one of the cases is a total swipe of a famous case involving a Civil War era sword. Only this time, the mystery is set during World War I and it guest stars Hans Von Hammer: the Enemy Ace!

Batman's Mystery Casebook is also educational and a bit like an activity book! In between cases are segments that involve crime solving techniques used by Batman and your local police force's unit of crime scene investigators. Readers get to learn about finger prints, foot prints and tracking criminals. Fun is added to the education as young readers are encouraged to explore activities like practicing fingerprinting with household tools like tape, flour and a brush. Readers even get to test their skills as an eyewitness by helping the Gotham City Police Department with a crime scene involving the Penguin!

A lot of your favorite Batman villains are featured in the book. Along with Penguin, you get to help Batman apprehend The Riddler, Catwoman, Mister Freeze, Harley Quinn and the Joker. Since there are many more villains out there to be caught like Clayface and the Mad Hatter, I really hope a second casebook might be forthcoming. I just hope if this happens that the cases are a bit less loose with the clues. 

The amazing Sholly Fisch wrote this book. I've been a fan of his since Scooby-Doo Team-Up. Overall, this casebook was a dream come true for me. I've always wanted a Batman video game that was less about fighting and more about mystery solving. This casebook is probably the closest I will ever get to that wish. But I feel that in at least 2 of the cases, the solutions were more based on making assumptions about the crimes and not actual facts. I will admit that I totally goofed on the Riddler mystery and that one was my fault. But the Mister Freeze and the break-in at Wayne Enterprises didn't seem to play fair with the readers. To be fair- Donald J. Sobol was guilty of doing the same thing with some of his mysteries. 

The artwork by Christopher Uminga was awesome. Now I will admit that if you have a Batman story by Sholly Fisch, only Dario Brizuela should be doing the art. However, I can now say that Christopher Uminga is a perfect second if Brizuela isn't available. Uminga's work reminded me of that of the L'il Gotham series by Dustin Nguyen in which all of the characters are of diminutive size and just a touch on the adorable side. That is except for the Joker!

Christopher Uminga's Joker is one of the most terrifying versions of the character ever. Those dark, dead eyes. That frenzied mouth that looks part clown make-up and part hideous scars. The credits in the back of this book list Uminga's art style as one that 'blends together creepy and cute.' I couldn't agree with this assessment more!

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, a couple of cases tripped me up. For the most part, I felt that the mysteries were fair. But there are a couple that are really tricky and might just be a little too difficult. Heck, if a 45-year old Madman like myself can think things are arduous, can you imagine how tough these cases can be for the recommended readings ages of 8-12? Regardless, I really hope that this isn't the only book in the series. There's so many more crimes in Gotham that need to be solved and Sholly Fisch and Christopher Uminga are the creative team to get it done!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

The Rocketeer at War

It's 1942. The United States is now at war. Heck, the whole world is at war at this point. Cliff Secord has joined the war effort and in doing so, he's given the US Army access to his jet pack and schematics. Thinking he'll get to be the Rocketeer for the Allied forces, in typical Army fashion, Secord is posted as a lowly private while big wigs and egg head types attempt to create an entire fleet of flying superheroes.

However, when the latest guinea pig to test out the flying suit dies during a training run and a Nazi spy attempts to steal one of the parts to the jet pack, fate gives Cliff a chance to be the hero he was always meant to be! The Rocketeer of the United States Armed Forces!

Why I haven't been reading and collecting Rocketeer stuff is beyond me. Well, okay. Maybe I understand why. The 1991 Disney live action film was boring to a 13 year old me. Nowadays, I view the film with older eyes and I see its brilliance. But compared to the Tim Burton Batman films and even the earlier Superman films, the Rocketeer movie was definitely designed for a more sophisticated audience and one that enjoyed the Saturday morning serials of the 1940s and 50s. 

Obviously, the main reason just about anyone loves The Rocketeer is because of its amazing creator, the late Dave Stevens. His artwork was year 3000 stuff. Though Dave Stevens operated in the comics medium, he was more than just a sequential artwork hack. We have a limited amount of work from him because Dave Stevens was his own harshest critic and was meticulous over every piece he did. Plus, if the job offer just wasn't right, he'll turn it and the heaps of cash it would have provided down flat.

Taking over for Dave Stevens in this miniseries is writer Marc Guggenheim and the art team of Dave Bullock and J. Bone. The quality of both the story and art are great. But the artwork is much better. That's probably because the plot borrows heavily from other World War II franchises. There are elements of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Captain America: The First Avenger and the war books of DC Comics. It all made for a great story. Just the level of creativity was lessened in my mind. 

I did think it was odd that J. Bone's amazing artwork in the first chapter gets temporarily replaced by Dave Bullock in the next and then no more Bullock. I would have been okay if the two artists switched tasks every other issue as that would have made for an even pattern in the art. Sorry, but I like patterns and symmetry and what I just described is asymmetric as I don't know what. 

Okay. This wasn't a perfect read. But I had a lot of fun reading it and I want more. Technically, I got some more with a 4-part prose story by Liza Morton. 'The Rivet Gang'  is set towards the end of the second World War. It has Secord and his girlfriend, Jenny Blake, taking on an all-female group of criminals that are using a stolen prototype of the Rocketeer's suit. 

That backup story was really good. Very creative with some great dialogue and an awesome set of twists and turns. In some ways, it was a better story than the main feature. Just why couldn't this have been done in comic book form as well? Yes, there's some great illustrations peppered in. It's just not the same however...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: The Key Collection, Vol 2

I really enjoy reading the Gold Key Star Trek books. True, they are filled with errors, inaccuracies and glitches. But they are still amazingly creative stories that bring the original Enterprise crew back to life.

When I reviewed Volume 1, I noted that the tunics worn by Kirk and Sulu were green and not gold. While Captain Kirk did wear a ceremonial tunic that was green, that shirt is not the worn being worn by him in these books. Then I read an article on Mental Floss. 

A couple of days ago, I learned that the 3 tunics worn by the crew of the Enterprise were supposed to be the colors of red, blue and GREEN! However, due to the lighting of the sets, the green uniforms came out appearing as yellow/tan on screen. I've got some mild color blindness issues, especially with green. Thanks to that online article, I now understand why it feels like my brain was always playing tricks on me when I watched classic Trek. I always felt like when I looked at Kirk or Sulu or Chekov, I was seeing 2 colors at once and I really was!

As for some of the other errors, I don't think I can excuse them anymore. In the forward of the previous volume, the editors remarked on how many of the problem with the early Star Trek books was the fact that artist Alberto Giotlitti and Nevio Zaccara both had never watched the show. They mostly had stills from the series and props to work with in order to craft the artwork. This is why Gold Key printed Kirk's tunic as green- because it was! However, we're now covering books 9-16 and it's 1970-71. The artwork problems should be fixed by now!

The Federation phasers look more like a Klingon disruptor. Spock's ears are the size of my feet! And for some reason, Bones' tunic is green instead of medical officer baby blue. And Scotty isn't wearing his engineering reds. The bridge of the Enterprise- it looks impressive but it's not the Enterprise. The very act of transporting from ship to planet also looks really different- cool- but different. But since none of the artists ever watched the TV show, I can't fault the creative license. 

I will say that the likenesses of the main characters are second to none. By issue #16 of Marvel's Star Wars series, the art team still couldn't get Luke Skywalker to look like actor Mark Hamill. By issue #16 of this old school series, not only does Spock look like Leonard Nimoy, I'm expecting him to jump off the page. Alberto Giolitti's work is that lifelike! But not all Klingons look like French wrestler turned actor Maurice Tillet!

As for the writing, I did see a large jump in quality. Len Wein pens these stories and you can tell that he at least had watched the series. I'm not sure if he was a Trekkie as some of Spock's dialogue seems too emotional. But if you really think about it, it's hard to not be emotional. I tried to write some Vulcan appropriate dialogue in my head recently and it's darn near impossible. But everybody else sounds pretty close to their onscreen counterparts. 

This was a fun read. Quite flawed. But it was an enjoyable adventure that I wish to continue by getting my hands on the remaining 30 some odd issues that I don't own.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Skulldigger and Skeleton Boy

The story of Skulldigger and Skeleton Boy is the Black Hammer universe's version of Batman and Robin. There's also some element of Hit Girl from Kick-Ass. But when you throw in the arch-villain of the sadistic Grimjim, this story is definitely of the Dark Knight with Jeff Lemire flair. 

An unfortunate but inadvertent dropping of this book resulted in me seeing a scene that looked rather tragic and sad. So I held off on reading this library find for a while. But it's time for the books I checked out to go back, so I had to read it. I'm very glad I did. 

This is an extremely gritty book. But I enjoyed the heck out of it. The violence was gratuitous and there were a couple of scenes that show body parts exploding. This typically isn't my thing (and the main reason I've never seen the film Scanners) but for some reason, I was hooked. It felt like the sort of film Tarantino and Sam Peckinpah would have made if they ever decided to get together to do a superhero flick.

I was also a big fan of the artwork. Tonci Zonjic's artstyle is just so minimalist and classic. It reminds me of the late Darwyn Cooke. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. If I'm not mistaken, in the sketchbook section of this read, Jeff Lemire likens Zonjic's work to that of Darwyn Cooke's and I could not have agreed more. 

I really don't feel like this story is over. However, news reports claim that Jeff Lemire is closing the doors on the Black Hammer universe in the next year or so. If that's the unfortunate case, then I really hope Jeff Lemire brings Skulldigger back. There's just so many unanswered questions, like what was Detective Reyes' past history with the vigilante? She mentions a past with Skulldigger in issue #1 and has her reasons for wanting to arrest him. But, then that whole vendetta is glossed over and on the occasions when she does met up with Skulldigger, the two act like they've never meet before.

I'd also like to learn more why it seems that the Chief of Police seems glad that Skulldigger is killing all of the criminal elements of Spiral City. I'd like to learn more as to why it seems like the law enforcer has given up hope in the services of his police force. There seems to be a powerful origin story waiting to be uncovered here.

This story cannot be over. It had better not be. However, it's been about 3 years since Skulldigger and Skeleton Boy was published and time is running out. If that's all there is to this cast of characters, I am going to be sorely disappointed.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

I know it doesn't happen often. But I do occasionally read full length prose novels. I've been trying to make it a point to read 10 pages a day of material related to my chosen degree and teaching field: culinary. I get all sorts of professional training for the teaching part of my job. But I noticed that I wasn't doing much to continue my learning in the culinary field. 

I actually started this book in 2020. I had gotten through about 200 of the 442 pages of this book. And then the pandemic hit and I wanted nothing to do with reading books that weren't fun or escapist in nature. 

After reading a book about the history of the tomato, I decided to dive back into this book by award-winning journalist, Mark Kurlansky. I was a big fan of Kurlansky's 2006 work The Big Oyster; an extensive look at America's obsession with oysters and other types of shellfish. I had seen this work on library shelves previously and had it on my wish list to read some day when I found a used copy for only a buck. 

Salt: A World History is a huge read for a single book devoted to one (and the only) edible rock. From prehistoric day need through the rise of the Greeks and Romans all the way through the American Revolution to the restructuring of global powers after World War I and II, everything you needed to know about salt is in this book. Just about every chapter begins with the process of how a particular civilization gleaned or produced their supply of salt. Then we see how salt was needed to preserve meats and other foods. Finally, we examine the dreaded salt takes and subsequent wars and/or revolutions that came about because stupid politicians decided that filling their coffers were more important that filling the cupboards of the general populace. 

After a couple hundred pages of what feels like the same chapter just with the names and locations switched, the readings got a little boring. Once we got into the last 150 years of history, things changed and the book got rather interesting. Refrigeration ended the need for so much salt. Since cold air could keep your food as fresh as salting it, but with much less effort, the way people prepared foods changed. The need for salt nosedived. As a result, governments that relied on revenue from salt increased the taxes and tariffs imposed on the mineral and people revolted. 

I did not know how vital it was for the Northern forces to destroy the South's ability to produce salt in order to win the Civil War. I had heard Gandhi marched to the sea. But I didn't know that he went there to protest England's ban on even the poorest of Indian citizens from harvesting salt privately. I had no idea about China's ingenious way of using the natural gas found among salt deposits as a way to heat their home, much less to fuel their public bus lines. Plus, I didn't know how the search for salt itself was vital to the discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania and Texas! There was a ton of fascinating stuff to learn about salt in the modern era of world history. 

I noticed that cod is talked about a lot in this book. That's because about 5 years prior, Kurlansky wrote a historical account of the North Atlantic fish. I'm betting he got a lot of inspiration to write this book from his research on cod. I own that book and I think after I read a couple other culinary related books, to switch things up, I'll be learning more from Mark Kurlansky. 

Salt was interesting. It was also a bit repetitive. I guess there are only so many ways to make the millennial age old process of obtaining salt seem different before you run out of ideas. Definitely a good read. But one that only the most serious of food lover, professionals and scholars are going to enjoy as this is a very complex book on one of the world's most vital resources.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.