True Believers: King in Black- Beta Ray Bill #1

Marvel's True Believers series was great. For only a buck, you could purchase reprints based on some of the most iconic moments in comic book history. In full glorious color. They were great for collectors like me who didn't want to pay beaucoup bucks for the originals. The True Believers helped me make affordable dents into collections that would have to go without if I had to rely on purchasing an original copy of the story to complete my runs. Plus, for those of us who tried to support younger readers who were interested in getting their collections going, these were cheap ways to provide essential reading material.

This volume reprints issue #337 of Thor (Vol. 1) which introduced fans to the hugely popular Beta Ray Bill. A member of the Korbinites, Bill has the face of a horse with a slighter snout. Armed with cybernetic enhancements and a specialized suit, Bill was chosen by his people to lead them to a new home. During this exodus, the Korbinites are attacked by demons of Surtur and almost Bill, despite saving his people, nearly died in the assault. To save him, his mothership encases him in a crystalline structure that places Bill in a state of suspended animation.

All of this backstory gets revealed later on. SHIELD tasks the thunder god in investigating Bill's space ship which has gotten too close to earth's orbit for Nick Fury's taste. Aboard the ship when Thor meets Bill, it's classic Marvel. Both think the other are enemies. Naturally, Bill thinks Thor is one of those demons. Thor thinks Bill is a dangerous alien intent on conquering his beloved adopted planet. In the melee, Thor drops his hammer which to the Odinson's shock is picked up and used with ease by Beta Ray Bill. 60 seconds have now passed and Thor reverts back into his human form of Dr. Donald Blake.

And wouldn't you know it, just when it looks like Beta Ray Bill is about to make ketchup out of Blake, Odin interferes and whisks Bill away to Asgard! That's because with Bill holding onto Mjolnir, the Highfather believes that he's Thor and calls him away to an emergency brewing in the nine realms.

You'd think for a god with the ability to see everything, Odin would know that an orange skinned fella with huge teeth and an equine face is totally different looking from a scrawny white dude. And this isn't the first time Odin makes these sort of impulsive mistakes. Believe me when I say that the most unworthy character in this story is the leader of Asgard!

While you get to see Beta Ray Bill in action, you don't get to see much of him as Thor. The cover is the biggest glimpse you get of Beta Ray Thor! But it's one of the most memorable covers of all time! This issue was originally published in 1983 and in my original comic book collection, I was the owner of this book. That previous ownership is why I wanted this book again. This 2020 reprint was issued as a tie-in to the King in Black major Marvel crossover event. I had zero interest in that storyline. Nostalgia was the main reason I needed this book. 

Written, penciled and inked by Walt Simonson, this is the issue that turned him into a definitive creator of Thor stories. When I was just a mere lad of 5 when I bought this book, I just wasn't old enough to appreciate it. Now in my mid-40s, I am so fond of this era of Thor. Why I just haven't done more than dip my toe into the Thor stories of the 1980s, it's not because of hatred. I'm still into the mid-70s on my run of Essential Marvel collections. I'll get to this period of time. It's just going to take me some time to get there.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #18

Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela pay tribute to just about every dog and cat character to ever grace a DC comic in this issue of Scooby-Doo Team-Up! 

Krypto, Ace, the Bat Hound, the Super Friends' Wonder Dog, and Green Lantern G'Nort, along with Scooby, travel to an alien planet inhabited entirely by felines and canines. That planet's version of the Justice League, The SCPA (Space Canine Patrol Agents) are plagued by the ghosts of some of their original members. Taking a page (actually several pages) from the history of many JSA and JLA crossovers, these heroic pooches make contact with the original team only to be faced with a quartet of bewitched missing protagonists. 

Once Scooby and pals get to the bottom of this mystery, it will become a multi-species battle royale that must be seen to believed!

Even though this is a 7 year old comic, I don't want to spoil it too much. But if you ever wanted to see Scooby-Doo pairing up with Yankee Poodle from the Zoo Crew, you will get your wish. If you've ever wanted a Scooby-Doo story without those meddling kids, you will get your wish. This was a story that I never really thought in a million years that would ever transpire. 

Honestly, I feel like maybe some of these characters are made up. I know all characters are made up. I mean from the mind of Sholly Fisch just for this issue. But a quick Google search shows that a bunch of these characters are from the Krypto The Superdog TV show that aired on Cartoon Network in the early 2000s. Thus, I rescind any complaint about that. But really has G'Nort ever before been portrayed as a wise leader? That's got to be from Fisch's imagination for sure!

A Scooby-Doo story unlike any other I've ever read. Thank you SCTU creators for keeping this fantastic series fresh!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #29

The top dog meets Top Cat and his gang of felonious felines in this all Hanna-Barbera edition of Scooby-Doo Team-Up. Top Cat is up to his ways of playing tricks on Officer Dibble. This time, he's got one of his gang dressing up as the Ghost of Hoagy's Alley! With the Mayor making a real push to clean up the neighborhood, the policeman calls in the Mystery Inc. Gang to solve the mystery. 

In a twist on the corrupt land developer trope of Scooby-Doo stories, the detectives actually go out of their way to prove that the neighborhood really is haunt, least a pair of scheming real estate agents will buy up everything for real cheap and tear it all down to build luxury condominiums. This will not only evict Top Cat and his gang, it will put Officer Dibble on having to work a really dangerous beat. So cops and cat crooks work together to stop the plans of some modernizers from putting a lot of nice folks out of house and home. 

Community Gentrification. The only thing worse than monsters and ghosts. 

I'm not normally as much of a fan of the Hanna-Barbera crossovers as I am the DC Comics ones. They tend to be more formulaic and predictable. However, this story was such a switcheroo to the standard Scooby-Doo mystery that I actually felt like I was reading something entirely fresh and new. It probably helps that I know next to nothing about Top Cat. Still, what I know about Scooby-Doo, and I know a lot, is changed up so much to a point that everything was totally unexpected.

The writer Sholly Fisch is the reason this story was so original. He's a masterful writer who knows how to not just write for kids but the whole family! 

The only thing that I didn't like about the story was the unevenness of the art. But I don't blame Dave Alvarez for it. His renderings of the Mystery Inc. team is spot on. His drawings of the Top Cat universe of characters are great. However, the two franchises couldn't be any more different from each other. Shaggy, Fred, Velma and Daphne are drawn much more realistically than Officer Dibble and the developers. Scooby-Doo looks like a pure-bred next to Top Cat. Thus, when these two worlds of characters meet, it just doesn't gel. At least when the Flintstones meet up with the Jetsons, you felt like Fred really could have been George's long lost ancestor. The art styles of these two franchises are like Edward Hopper's Nighthawks meeting Picasso's 3 Musicians.

If you can get over how striking the artwork is, you're in for a treat. This really is one of the most original Scooby-Doo mysteries ever written and it's a ton of fun.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Adventures (2019 Free Comic Book Day Edition)

This 2019 Free Comic Book Day offering features a scary story starring Han Solo and Chewbacca. Only it's not the real Han Solo. I don't care that this is a comic book. But the version of Han illustrated in this book is the Alden Ehrenreich Solo origin film version. The only (acceptable) version of Han Solo is Harrison Ford. Plain and simple. There is no substitute. 

Now one thing added to the appeal of this book is that this is a Tales From Vader's Castle story. Since 2018, Star Wars fans have been delighted by an annual all-ages horror themed anthology set in the Star Wars Universe. It's become a new Halloween tradition. However, there's no such thing as Halloween in Star Wars. That doesn't matter as it still makes for a fun October time read. 

Compared to other Vader's Castle stories, this one isn't really that scary. Probably because this was a Free Comic Book Day offering. Mistress Lina and her droid Crater, who are the story's narrators, make a return appearance from the 2018 debut of Tales From Vader's Castle. As they explore Vader's home, Lina recalls an early adventure from Han and Chewbacca's early days involving a heist as a droid museum. 

This story sets up the framework for prospective fans to pick up the trade paperback which collected the first series. There was a Han Solo ghost story in the first anthology. I double-checked. This story is not a reprint of that issue as writer Cavan Scott managed to have both versions of Solo (the true and the reboot impostor) in the same story. There's no Harrison Ford in this book.

Featuring art by Derek Charm, this issue has a certain charm to it; even if it doesn't feature MY Han Solo. Loved the closing panel! And the back cover by Francesco Francavilla, featuring the imposing visage of Lord Vader overlooking his Mustafar is just breathtaking. Oh, how I would love to have a print of it to hang in my office!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Andrew Zimmern's Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild and Wonderful Foods: An Intrepid Eater's Digest

Andrew Zimmern. Host of Bizarre Foods and several spin-offs. Minnesota Chef and writer. Man who will eat just about anything. 

I really like Zimmern. He seems authentic. I don't get the vibe that he's conceited or feels like he's the smartest person in the room compared to a lot of other celebrity and professional chefs that I know and watch. Zimmern has a world view that the things we eat are what can bring us together, despite differences in both opinion and taste. It's something I try to emulate in my culinary classes; especially when we discuss global food cultures. 

Over the past 6 months, I've been trying to increase my culinary knowledge by reading all kinds of works about the food industry. After the recent loss of our oldest cat, Lily, I felt like I needed something light for a while. Thankfully, Andrew Zimmern's Field Guide to Exceptionally Weird, Wild and Wonderful Foods was sitting on my to-read shelf and it helped me during my time for grief and recovery immensely. 

Though there are a few recipes in this book, this is not a cookbook. It's also not 100% culinary related. There are about 3 dozen alphabetical listings of foods that Zimmern finds to be kinda oddball. Some of the things he lists like Bird's Nest Soup and Durian (both of which I have sampled), I wholeheartedly agree with. Twinkies and Hot Dogs (again, things I have consumed), I just don't. I understand Chef's argument that how they are made with a terrifying assortment of parts, bits and chemicals can be looked upon as weird. I would define those foods as troubling. As for things like alligator, (one of my all-time fried favs), I would classify them as exotic. Wonderful, not Weird. But to a non-food professional, I can see those large lizards are being both weird and wild to eat.

Amazon rates this book as being for readers aged 8-12. Zimmern in his opening chapter says his book is for all ages. I know that kids and adults alike love Zimmern's TV travel series that explore foods that the common American kitchen lacks. So this book has a universal appeal to fans. However, with some very advanced terms and a frank but necessary discussion of how feces, urine and blood are often intertwined with some of these foods, I can see where not all readers will be fans of this book. OR that all readers would be ready for the material.

The all-age appeal that I think Zimmern is talking about is some of the additional factoids he includes. For example, under his chapter on bats, he includes facts about some of the greatest baseball hitters of all-time. That appeals to generations of readers. I know his TV shows cover non-culinary aspects of the cultures he visits and if Zimmern had stuck to that as additional information, I would totally be on board. I would have liked more entries of bizarre foods and less about how to defeat a zombie, as discussed in the chapter on brains. The off-the-wall non-culinary segments were fun. Just not what I wanted in a Bizarre Foods related read.

Going back to the bats. This book was written in 2012. Of course, many of us know of the urban legend that somebody in China eating a bat was who started COVID in 2019. I'd be interested to know how if this book was re-issued today how Andrew Zimmern would cover the eating of bats due to the rumors. It would be an opinion that I would definitely be interested in hearing.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Carlos Gomez Freestyles ... Heavy on the Styles (Family Comic Friday)

This is a graphic novel that I would advise is geared for younger readers in grades 3-7, some of the topics explored are quite controversial for the time. This book explores bullying, gender identity, homogenization in America, racism, and also bigotry towards immigrants (as well as anyone born in this country that are not white) and homosexuals. 

Young Carlos Gomez is having trouble fitting in at his new school. He's the only Hispanic student in his class. He likes to do things with flair, especially when it comes to his fashion choices. Though not very athletic, he's an amazing artist. Carlos has a lisp and along with his love of the color pink, his sister's wigs and glam rock, he's bullied and called 'gay' by most of his peers. The lad also has some sort of panic disorder or is epileptic, because he often has to calm his breathing and sometimes faints.

Carlos' dad has just joined a civic group similar to the Lions Club. His first task is to manage the upcoming talent show which is a big fundraiser for the group. This means dad picks who gets to perform in the talent show and Carlos really wants to be a part of it. Sadly, Carlos is quite a bit clumsy and all of his ideas don't turn out as planned.

When Carlos meets a new kid in school with amazing feathered hair, instantly, Carlos feels that he has found a kindred spirit. One day after following his new friend home, Carlos learns that the new kid is a skilled BMX biker and arranges for both of them to perform stunts in the talent show. Only Carlos doesn't know any stunts and despite still having training wheels on his bike, he can't stay upright on it! So maybe Carlos needs to hang out in the back of the stage. But at least he'll get to be a part of the talent show. Now if he can just come up with an amazing costume for the event.

Carlos Gomez Freestyles ... Heavy on the Styles is a semi-autobiographical. Creator Chuck Gonzalez based the story on his own life as the only Hispanic kid when his family moved to a new place. I appreciate at the beginning of this book that Chuck Gonzalez lays out his background in this book. He talks about his early struggles figuring out gender identity. He tells the reader that he is gay and happily married to another gentleman in the Chicago area. Plus he dives into how he was bullied and ostracized by a mostly white community.

So there should not be anything in this book that is a surprise for any parents. If a parent or guardian reads the back cover description and the author's forward, they will know immediately if the book's subject matter is right for the young readers in their life or not. 

As for me, I thought that the quality of the artwork was lively. A mix of Mexican, New Mexican and Midwest art styles. The story wasn't preachy. Considering how everything wraps up in a nice tiny package of acceptance, I do feel like the story was a bit too much of a fairy tale. But I liked the optimism that promotes a possible future where people's differences don't divide with hostility as in today's current culture.

I was a big fan of the dialogue between Carlos and his older siblings. They make a great team. And the closing scene where they tease Carlos during the mouse funeral was one of the most cleverly written scenes in comics and graphic novels. Still, after all of this, I have no idea why the kid keeps fainting. Is it just nerves or is it something a bit more worrisome?

This was an adorable book that covers a lot of topics that aren't appropriate across the board for all age groups. This is definitely a book that should be read by adults before they decide if their children should. Do one better and read it with them and when questions come up, be ready to answer them openly and honestly. You as a parent may not agree with the subjects in this book. That's okay. Explain to your young readers the reasons why for those differences. Willingness to talk about uncomfortable things is better than sticking your head in the sand waiting until they forget the conversation and move on to something else. As a parent or guardian, wouldn't it be better if little ones hear your opinion instead of from someone else who might not even have a clue what they are talking about.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #33

The Mystery Inc. gang travel to the 31st Century to solve a caper!

The members of the Legion of Super-Heroes have been terrorized by the ghost of their departed teammate and friend, Ferro Lad. Working on clues, the teen detectives question Ferro Lad's twin brother. But he's not the culprit. After a series of red herrings and misdirects, the combined teams discover just who is behind this haunt and it's not just one foe, but five. A Fatal Five!

A great romp through the ages by Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela. There's so much Legionnaires lore packed into this book. So much, that the story felt like it needed a part 2 to give proper attention to the plethora of heroes who have been members of the Legion of Super-Heroes. 

The only thing I was really disappointed in was the ending. I pretty much knew from page 1 who the bad guys of this story were going to be. I mean, do the Legionnaires have any other villains than the Fatal Five? Yes, they do. But when compared to the Fatal Five, those other antagonists are nowhere near as memorable. I think a cliffhanger in which both Superboy and Supergirl pop up in the future instead of that cliched reveal who the villains were by pulling their masks off would have made this story have been a lot more interesting. I know I would have been shocked with appearances from members of the House of El sending me on to a 'To Be Continued.' 

That's got to be the shocking statement of the year. If you are a frequent reader of my blog, then you know that I am NOT a fan of cliffhangers. So for me to demand a two-parter to add an element of surprise to things is a big deal.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Archie Meets Riverdale #1

I think I write some of my reviews in my sleep. I know for a fact that I read this 2022 one-shot crossover the week it debuted in stores. I enjoyed the Hell out of it. And I could have sworn that I drafted up my praises. Yet, this book was still in my to-review pile with no proof of a post about Archie Meets Riverdale anywhere on this blog. 

In the original Archie Comics universe, teenage egghead Dilton Doiley is working on another one of his experiments which naturally malfunctions. Only this time around, the device latches on to a parallel universe plucking the Riverdale Archie Andrews from his drama heavy universe into the overly cheery world of Riverdale, USA that us readers have been devotees of for over 80 years! As Dilton tinkers with his machine in hopes of fixing it, random teens from both universes pop in and out of their realities. Before you know it, all of your classic Archie characters will be on the PG-13 side of the spectrum and those brooding teens from Riverdale will be existing in a saccharine reality otherwise thought unimaginable.

You know, the only way to fix this might be a joint prom between both Riverdale High student bodies!

I've never seen an episode of Riverdale. But I Wiki-read about it a lot. I HAVE read quite a few Archie team-up books. Archie Meets Riverdale is among the creme de la creme of them! I know that at least in one of my dream reviews in the past, I wished for this crossover to happen. Well, the wish was granted, albeit in my head, and it was a marvelous wish fulfilled. 

I loved that Pat & Tim Kennedy decided to draw the classic Archie gang in a more nostalgic look from the 1940s and 50s. If Archie Comics had gone with Dan Parent's version which is based a lot more on Dan DeCarlo's look established as the playbook for presenting the world's oldest teenagers, the differences between the two universes wouldn't be as striking. I love the Dan Parent/Dan DeCarlo model. It's the definitive look for Archie and the gang. It just would not have been as effective if that version was used for this crossover. 

Good Call, Archie Editors!

A fun ride for Archie and Riverdale fans. Though I think the more established a classic Archie fan you are, the more you'll get out of this book. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! #73 (True Ghost Stories)

When Gold Key (later Whitman) started producing comics based on the long-running Ripley's Belieive It or Not! newspaper strip, the publisher had issues devoted to singular subjects. There was an issue devoted to 'True War Stories'. One about 'Weird Stories' in general. A couple of issues about real life demons and monsters. But the subject matter in which Gold Key struck gold was in books devoted to real ghost stories. 

By issue #30, every issue of Ripley's was devoted to the ghost tales. The public must have really eaten these spooky yarns up as another 64 issues of just 'True Ghost Stories' were published before giving up the ghost with issue #94 (February, 1980).

This October, 1977 issue tells 4 ghostly tales. A couple on the verge of divorce are given marriage counseling by a colonial specter. A pair of greedy men are haunted by the man whose untimely death has just made them very rich or has it? A widower and his son are swept away at sea only to be saved by the ghost of their deceased loved one. Finally, a family moves into a coastal cottage only to be visited by 'The Spectral Schooner.'

Yes, folks, it appears that even ships have ghosts.

Honestly, for late 1970s horror comics, this one is rather tame. DC loved to have its gruesome monsters. Marvel played a little too close to the gates of Hell. Charlton had it's horror hosts and femme fatales. Apparently, Gold Key/Whitman had ghosts and they were really tame. I've read early 1960s Comics Code horror scarier than these tales.

What sold me this book was the Ripley's name. I was a fan of the strips, the live TV show starring Jack Palance and I am a fan of the various museums and aquariums. When it came to creator Robert Ripley, the reason I kept coming back to his various endeavors was the provenance. Ripley would at least tell you the location of his strange discoveries. Sometimes you get a name and a date. There's none of that here with the comic book. As much as I would like to believe these encounters with the afterlife really happened, without some factoid with some references added, these ghost tales are lacking something; true or not. 

I'm not really feeling motivated to go out and find more copies of this series. Even the artwork is generic. At its best, it looks like illustrations you'd find on the back of a magazine or Sears Catalog. Or it's what you'd expect from a really low-budget grade school textbook at worst. And this issue really was a mix of both types of artwork by uncredited artists.

Look, if I found a bunch of these in a bargain bin, I'd very well consider getting them for my collection. Less than a dollar a piece would be optimal. Otherwise, if I had to pick between these and the lowest of the low horror offerings from Charlton, I'd go with Charlton every time.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Ant-Man: Ant-iversary

Dr. Henry Pym, Scott Lang and Eric O'Grady are plucked from the time stream to battle a futuristic version of an enemy so unthinkable, that I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself. 

In this 60th anniversary epic, readers are treated to 3 untold tales of the trio of men to bear the moniker of Ant-Man. Pym is removed during the dawn of the Marvel Age of Comics just as he is fighting a quartet of some of his not-so-well-known foes from the 1960s. O-Grady is sent into the future right after he steals the Ant-Man suit from Pym, who is working for SHIELD at the time. Lang's story occurs during the present of 2022, right after the Avengers stop Ultron for the umpteenth time. 

Tom Reilly is the main artist for this tribute to Ant-Man. Yet, if you were to tell me that he had help from an assortment of other artists, I'd believe you. Reilly changes his style to reflect the time periods in which each Ant-Man exists. It's a level of dedication (and nostalgia) that I greatly appreciate. Story writer Al Ewing also tries to differentiate his narrative voice which each time period. I just didn't feel that he was as effective as Tom Reilly was in making things feel as timely. Although, how he presents the Marvel Universe in the future of 2549 A.D. feels like how comics and literature in general is going, what with the near ubiquitous use of emojis, tech-speak and the removal of letters from everyday words.

There's also a pair of classic Ant-Man stories from the early 1960s. Hank Pym takes on the Protector and the Time Master in those reprint tales. Both villains are part of the team of 4 that take on the original Ant-Man at the beginning of this anniversary miniseries. While nowhere near on par with the likes of other classic Ant-Man foes like Egghead or Kang the Conqueror, I loved getting to see these vintage tales in vibrant color. I've always admired the Ant-Man and later Giant Man tales as his stories were more scientific in nature like those of the Barry Allen Flash and needed the use of his brain a lot more than his brawn. 

There's also a Wasp miniseries floating around. That 4-issue mini came out earlier this year. Based on how similar that cover to those books looked to the Ant-Man stories, I researched and found that Al Ewing and Tom Reilly were the creative forces behind that project as well. One way or another, I must get my hands on it. If it's half as good as this book was, then I am in for a treat!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Saga, Volume Two

Volume 2 of Brian K. Vaughn's award winning Saga sees some lineup changes. Hazel's grandparents, Marko's mom and dad, arrive after answering what they thought was a distress beacon. The Will, all of the known universe's most feared bounty hunter is still obsessed with freeing that young girl from sex slavery. That's all very noble. But without any cash or a good plan for rescue, there's very little that the Will can do. That is until another blast from Marko's past makes themselves known; his very jilted fiancee!

Meanwhile, Prince Robot IV is suffering from PTSD from his recent experiences in the great intergalactic war. Plus the Blue-blood really pissed the Will off when the prince killed a fellow bounty hunter, so the royalty is trying to lay low. As he examines a sleazy romance novel that was a favorite of Alana's, Prince Robot IV thinks he's cracked the code to why Marko and Alana fell in love in the middle of a prisoner of war camp. However as Vaughn and artist Fiona Staples shows us how the two members of opposing warring races actually meet, I think the prince is really grasping at straws.

And then that climatic last page might have just proved me wrong!

I really should have checked out more than just one volume of Saga from my local library. I was afraid of a sophomore slump. Yet nothing could be further from the truth here. The story keeps getting more engrossing. Sure, there's just as much sex. A lot of violence. Still, Vaughn gives this entire universe heart. I had to read ahead, fearful a beloved character was killed off. (SPOILER- they weren't). Then I had my heart broken when a new, adorable character was introduced and wantonly killed off in a most gruesome way almost immediately. 

Next time I head to the library, I am gonna have to make sure I get more than just Volume 3, because it's just killing me not knowing what happens next!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

What Happens Next?: Talent Show Troubles (Family Comic Friday)

Parents and guardians, if you were a fan of Bantam's Choose Your Own Adventure series of books, then you should introduce the young readers in your life to What Happens Next?. While nowhere near as violent as the beloved series that ran from 1978-1998, I did find myself dying pretty quick the first time I tried this interactive graphic novel. True, my death was in a dream. And I was attacked by some pretty pesky sea gulls. But it was a much funnier and less traumatic way to go than some of those CYOA novels.

In Talent Show Troubles, readers guide Megan Hathaway through a very chaotic day. She slept super late! Should she stay home or do her best to make it to school where she's in charge of the talent show? Now Megan has lost her notebook with all of the plans for the event. Does Megan put on an animal act or go with the kid in the sparkly suit? Now one of the teachers wants Megan to pass a note to another teacher in the audience. Should she do it or should Megan start helping her dad who brought snow cones for all?

This book promises over 100 paths. I probably followed about 20 of them before reviewing this book. Talent Show Troubles was just a zany romp that had the added fun of getting to make all of the character's choices throughout. Written and illustrated by Jess Smart Smiley, What Happens Next? continues the tradition of gamebooks, a genre where readers are able to play the part of story navigator. The only difference is that this story is done in graphic novel form!

I've encountered comic book versions of Choose Your Own Adventures before. Usually they involve the reader having to skip panels or follow story threads through to the next page. It's awfully confusing. Smiley makes sure that each decision takes the readers to a separate page making for a smoother transition, allowing the reader to stay immersed in the story. 

If the kiddos enjoyed the misadventures of Megan Hathaway, they can spend another day at school with her in Science Fair Frenzy. Newsroom Nonsense about Megan's time at the school paper will debut in Spring, 2024. Start the school year right with What Happens Next? and watch for things to go wrong for one precocious middle schooler!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Richie Rich: Vaults of Mystery #28

A villain from Richie Rich's past returns. Known as the Iceman, this fiend has the ability to freeze things. When Richie uses a heat ray gun that he borrows from Rich Labs, he accidentally turns the Iceman into the Scorcher! Now with the ability to produce intense flames, you won't believe what the Poor Little Rich Boy used to cool off this hot shot baddie. Or maybe you will. This comic was published by Harvey Comics...

Then Richie gets the upper hand over a girl who tries to scare his girlfriend Gloria.

Lastly, a bogus fortuneteller tries to separate Richie Rich from some of his money. But in a strange series of events, just plain dumb luck keeps dogging the swindling swami at every turn. 

Vaults of Mystery was known by Harvey Comics fans to be a series that was a bit more mature than its numerous Richie Rich sister series. In an earlier issue I've read and reviewed, Rich is shot at, kidnapped and his pop even packs a piece! Now just 14 issues later and that saccharine humor mixed with misunderstandings and happenstance just oozes through every page. I don't like it. I don't know why, but I prefer the edgier Richie Rich. I don't want Cadbury to die in a hail of bullets or anything like that. I guess with the more serious storytelling, I feel more mature. 

Honestly, I'm not surprised someone hasn't rebooted Richie Rich into a grittier, unfeeling rich boy yet.  It would be perfect fodder in the vein of Riverdale or Nancy Drew. Oh, don't worry. It's coming soon one day. But until then, it's a MEH from me.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Hulk: Grand Design- Treasury Edition

The idea of Marvel's Grand Design books is rather brilliant. You take about 50 years of comic book history and you formulate it into a cohesive biography of some of your favorite Marvel heroes. This time around it's the big, bad Incredible Hulk and it's rather appreciated by me that he was given the Grand Design treatment.

With the Hulk coming in varying colors of green and gray; not to mention dozens of multiple personalities such as Joe Fixit and the Maestro, this is a character the fans most deserved a chronicle of their extremely confusing history. Don't expect all of your favorite Hulk moments to be here. That time the Hulk joined the Ringmaster's circus is not covered. Neither is the time Hulk and 3 others became the New Fantastic Four. Also don't expect to have a lot of time devoted to your favorite Hulk moments if they do happen to make the cut. Hulk's first meeting with a certain Canadian super-hero is the subject of only one fair-sized panel.

The writer and artist of this treasury sized collection of Hulk history is Jim Rugg. Originally published as a set of 2 one-shots (Hulk: Grand Design Monster and Hulk: Grand Design Madness), there's a clear separation of quality. But I don't think Jim Rugg is to blame. Monster ends after a New York City rampage that leads the Avengers and Doctor Strange to believe that the Hulk is dead. Instead, we find out in Madness that Hulk was transported to a micro-universe before returning to save his heroic colleagues from the collapse of a gigantic mountain during the first Secret War. After this event, it seems that the writers and artists of the Hulk decided to got bat-crap crazy.

Sometime around 1984, Bruce Banner's psyche just could no longer deal with the monster within. After the death of several lady loves, Banner blames his alter ego and the Hulk connives to destroy puny Banner. Friends and allies will try to cure Banner, first with therapy performed by Doc Samson and then with overloads of gamma radiation by just about any and all members of the Marvel universe that is able to access a nuclear powered gadget. These cures work for about 1-2 issues and then the past trauma of an abusive father who killed Banner's mother right in front of him as a child, comes to light and the cycle begins all over again. Only now, the result is a bigger, badder and much more insane version of the Hulk. Heck, we've even had Berserker Banner on more than one occasion. 

The second half of Hulk history just isn't as interesting to me as his early days. Though, the Immortal Hulk has recaptured my interest. Some people might like a psychologically damaged Hulk. I prefer a Bruce Banner who is haunted by the antics of his dark side much like Jekyll & Hyde. It just seems criminal to put poor Bruce Banner through the wringer like that year after year.

What is indeed criminal is how few properties have been given the Grand Design treatment. First it was the Fantastic Four, which I read and loved despite Tom Scoli's microscopic artwork and then Ed Piskor's account of X-Men lore, which I have not read yet. I would love for Marvel to really get behind these projects and offer histories of characters such as Thor, Black Panther and Doctor Strange. Grand Designs are great reads, even when the source material might lag at times. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Bonanza #13

How was the West won? It's a question I once asked my grandpa to which he responded 'You know, that's a very good question.' So good, that he never answered me. Well, if you are to believe this issue of Gold Key's adaptation of the hit Western TV series Bonanza, the West was won thanks to the use of bicycles!

Thieves steal the horses of all 4 Cartwright men: Pa, Hoss, Little Joe and Adam! The only way to get after these varmints is to use this new contraption called a bicycle! But we're not talking about a single bike or even a two-seater. Oh, no! Instead, they all mount up on a 4-person tandem bike!

This has got to be the goofiest Bonanza story of all-time. The family can't use their 2-horse wagon as the animals are too tired. Got to use a bike instead! The Cartwrights at one point rode the bike across an icy pond. One of the sons decides it's faster to use roller skates, but falls through the ice because clearly he's too heavy than a bike with 3 people on it! And for some reason, you have to show how stupid the Indians are and include a scene of the Native people thinking a bicycle is some force of white man magic. 

I'm not making any of this up folks. This all really happened in a title story dated from 1965. 

There are two follow-up stories included in this issue. The middle story doesn't appear to have any characters from the TV show that I recognize. Instead it stars a weary prospector called Bedrock Barnes. Is he like a recurring character? Was he regular filler in the Bonanza books? Not sure. All I know is that Bedrock finds a wrecked ship in the middle of the desert; a ship that contains a valuable lost shipment of gold. Only when he brings help to bring back more gold, it appears that the desert has reclaimed the fabled relic. 

Story #3 does have the Cartwrights in it. It's a very unusual tale about a Mexican grandma who packs heat. It's not as silly as the bicycle story. History has produced some bad ass grannies. I find the story more confusing as the lady is trying to fund a revolution down in Mexico and yet when she reaches her family (which might just be members of her gang), it seems like the Abuela's intentions are a lot more selfish. 

And where do the Cartwrights fit into all this? Adam Cartwright just happens to be on a stagecoach that the old lady robbed. Now she's got him at gun point, forced to carry the gold back to her hideout. Naturally, instead of calling for the Sheriff or US Marshalls, the rest of the Cartwright clan decide to take vigilante justice into their own hands. 

37 issues of Bonanza were released by Gold Key from 1962-1970. While there are some much more attractive covers out there, perhaps filled with less far-fetched stories in them, I found this book in a bargain bin for only a dollar. A sucker for Dell/Gold Key/Whitman comics based on old TV shows, I could not pass this one up. It will stay a part of my collection. This book will also be listed as containing one of the weirdest, wildest, implausible Western tales of all time.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Stargirl Spring Break Special #1

This 2021 special was released to do three things: 1) build on the popularity of the Stargirl TV series on TheCW, 2) act as a lead-on to the revamped Stargirl mini-series and 3) be a sort of bridge for yet another revamp of the Justice Society of America. I like to think that this one-shot has a 4th purpose- explain how Green Arrow and Speedy were members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory in the Golden Age way before the two characters even existed in the modern DCU.

The answer it turns out is time travel. Okay. Mystery solved. Still, that wasn't all this book was about. But it did do a very good job explaining a plot hole that's been dogging DC Comics since the CRISIS.

The remaining Soldiers are planning a reunion- in Myrtle Beach of all places. Pat Dugan is eager to see his old friends. Just as eager is Stargirl, who can't wait to get out of school for Spring Break and meet some other super heroes and hopefully, their younger sidekicks. The reunion starts off fairly well until one of the newer heroes makes an ominous proclamation resulting in the disappearance of Pat, Green Arrow and others. 

Together with Arrow's newest sidekick, Red Arrow, Stargirl begins a search for the missing Soldiers. The prime suspect behind all of this is the Clock King. Add some time displaced dinosaurs, the unsolved mysterious death of one of the Seven Soldiers and a time loop thanks to a malfunctioning time machine and you've got an exciting story that could be read as a stand alone or be your introduction to Stargirl #1. 

Only, there never was a Stargirl #1. 

Thanks to COVID related delays, the follow-up series to this special didn't debut until late 2022. With a cover date of January, 2023, Stargirl and the Lost Children continues the search for the missing member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory as well as a whole bunch of child sidekicks from the Golden Age who also went missing. 

As of right now, that 6-issue miniseries has not been collected as a hardback or trade paperback. But if it did, I would pick it up to read for sure. Just as this special was, the miniseries was written by Geoff Johns. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Geoff Johns could write the phone book and I'd read it. But don't think I won't read that story in single issue form. If I was to find these issues in a dollar bin, I'd definitely snatch them up for a read. Not knowing until now that The Lost Children was the follow-up to this book is why I hadn't read the mini before. 

Fun in the sun with some time travelling mishaps thrown in. Plus a preview of Justice Society of America #1, which was also delayed until 2023 and a fun page by the great Fred Hembeck!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Torsobear, Vol. 3: Back on the Blocks

I waited a year to read Volume 2 of Torsobear because the story I had begun was such a gut punch of a story. Innocent and sweet looking toys doing very nasty things. It was definitely something that I needed to recover from in order to continue.

While Volume 2 was nowhere near as good as the opening salvo, it continued to be a story that made the reader feel uneasy. Only this time I wasn't going to wait another year to finish the storyline.

Ruxby is back on the force. Only now he's doing crowd control with SWAT as Toyburg has descended into chaos. In the fallout of the Torsobear/Copycat killings, Mayor Huntington has turned the city into a police state, arresting innocent people while the real Copycat Killer pulls the strings literally from behind the curtains. 

There's also unrest in the lands across the Lemonade Sea. Only now this struggle is over class warfare as wealthy toys get richer while the poorer, less advanced playthings get poorer. 

I really didn't like this final volume. Sure, the Copycat Killer storyline gets really confusing and meta. Yet if the various writers and artists behind this project would have just stuck with that plot, things would have been okay. Instead, a lot of space in this book was wasted on what felt like a play date version of Les Mis. If the creators had wanted to do a follow-up volume of the class warfare struggles that occurred at the same time as the events in Toyburg, I would have been good with that. See, Volume 3 also finally reveals what happened in the Saturday Morning War which essentially led to the formation of this vast play-land. Spending time on the secondary plotline took time away from the origin story that was needed because if you look in the background, the Copycat Killer was there involved in the war. His motivations are overlooked because the creative team decided to throw 'a batteries not included' version of The Communist Manifesto into the mix.

Torsobear was a large project that came about thanks to crowdfunding and a lot of word of mouth. It's been about 5 years since this third and final volume was published. Those behind this project are probably done with Toyburg. I, the reader am not. There was so many questions left unanswered. While I in no way want to undo the happy ending, I want more answers. What was Copycat Killer doing in the Saturday Morning War? How did the Mayor come to power? What role did Hazbrow play in the war? And who killed Strax Power?

Maybe a companion piece could be forthcoming. I could see a story where as the citizens of Toyburg re-build, they uncover clues that reveal the answers to my questions and more in flashback. It could work. 

Thankfully, if a Volume 4 ever comes to fruition, it will probably be a couple of years before it comes out. GOOD! Parts of this story freaked me the Hell out. When Copycat paints a demonic set of teeth over the crescent moon, it reminded me of the frightening moon that hangs over Christmasland in Joe Hill's NOS4A2 and the graphic novel companion piece, Wraith. 

The artwork was superior once again. So many freaking awesome Easter eggs! Some great parts that were crowded out by a tangent that was unnecessary. I'm just so disappointed in how an idea with great promise fizzled at the end.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors- Summer Smash #1 (One-Shot) (Family Comic Friday)

School is almost back in session for all. So don't let the Summer break end without visiting the magic island nation of Japan. Fans of Godzilla, King of the Monsters and his allies and his eclectic rogue's gallery will have delight in this summer special from IDW!

The Xiliens of Planet X have returned to conquer the earth. Aiding them in their conquest is King Ghidorah, who after his last battle with Godzilla is missing one of his 3 heads. Only now it's replaced with a mechanical version that makes the Kaiju even more deadlier than ever before! 

As a week goes by, Godzilla is nowhere to be found. It's left to social media sensation (and Godzilla BFF) Cedric and his pals to find a way to stop the invasion. Thankfully, enemies of the Xiliens have sent some help: the robotic warrior Jet Jaguar who has been programmed to take orders from Cedric to stop King Ghidorah from destroying Japan. But how is an 8-foot tall robot supposed to battle a 3-head behemoth like Mecha-King Ghidorah? Oooooohhh.... that's how!

Featuring Mothra, the Shobijin, a slew of cameos from various Godzilla foes, and JET JAGUAR! (You guys might not know who he is, but man was he a favorite character of mine!) Of course, there's also Gojira himself, Godzilla! This was such a fun read. 

This Summer Smash one-shot completes a trilogy of Godzilla stories geared for all ages. Writer Erik Burham and artist Dan Schoening started things off with Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors (collected in graphic novel form as Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors- Rise Up) which introduced readers to Cedric who is tasked by Godzilla to be his eyes and ears against global pollution. While the giant lizard slumbers, he'll see through Cedric's eyes the efforts of the human race in hopes of saving the environment. Godzilla: Monsters and Protectors: All Hail the King introduces the Xiliens who first use various Kaiju, including Ghidorah to overtake the earth. This final one-shot has the residents of Planet X deciding to do things themselves; with a little help obviously.

Though I have not read the first two story lines, I did not feel lost reading this book. Erik Burnham wisely made sure that Cedric got readers new and established up-to-date on what had happened so far. Plus, my knowledge of early Godzilla movies really helped me to know who many of these characters were. And did I tell you Jet Jaguar is in the story? I'm really excited about that and I appreciate how well Dan Schoening did in capturing the characters style and mannerisms. Especially, when he flies!

I had an absolute blast. If you grew up with Godzilla in any of his nearly 70 years worth of incarnations, you too will enjoy this book. Though I really think fans of the original 1950s-84 version of the Godzilla franchise will enjoy this book the most. Yes- some evil aliens blow up parts of Japan. Then a few large monsters battle it out. But really, there wasn't anything more violent or scary than what you might see in a classic Godzilla film. Let's be honest here, those movies really ain't that scary and professional wrestling is more real than the battles in those original films. 

A great story to bond with Godzilla loving parents and guardians with the young readers in their life.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man: The Savage Land Saga!

Reprinting issues #13-15 of Sensational Spider-Man, Peter Parker is sent by the Daily Bugle to report on a joint ecological venture in the Savage Land between SHIELD and ROXXON. To prevent the rapidly melting ice of Antarctica from wiping over the prehistoric microcosm, ROXXON has installed giant freezer units to keep the ice frozen. Only the machines are doing the opposite as ROXXON has plans to flood the land and then secure its vast oil reserves. 

This is one of those stories where in 1997 when it was published it would be considered relevant comics. Today's venomous fan base work would consider this a 'woke comic'. Featuring a memorable cameo from the Incredible Hulk, and of course Ka-Zar in a guest-starring role The Savage Land Saga feels more relevant than ever. The waters off of Florida are hotter than bath water. Sea ice is at its lowest levels ever. And the scenes where SHIELD is trying to evacuate a prehistoric village from a flood of water elicits recent memories of flood rescues in Vermont and the Golden State. 

I consider Todd Dezago and Mike Wieringo's 3-issue saga to be a chance for Marvel to dip it's toes back into Toho Studios territory. The retreating ice awakens both an ancient foe that feels that reptiles were the true rulers of earth and the looming environmental crisis awakens a Godzilla-like protector from it's ageless slumber to save the Savage Land. Don't laugh, but this savior of Earth is a giant prehistoric chicken!

The artwork is absolutely amazing. Mike Wieringo was a genius and the comic book industry has lessened in quality as a whole with his untimely 2007 passing. They just don't draw comics like this anymore, folks.

As for the writing. The dialogue is good. The plot is not. It's too cliched. If it was meant to be silly, then I'd understand. However, there's too much of this story trying to be a story that convinces readers to change their ways of life or there'll never be anymore snow. But it's really hard to take environmentalism seriously when there's a giant chicken trying to save the planet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Torsobear Vol. 2: All Stitched Up

Though Volume 1 of Torsobear is just as gritty, shocking and violent, that magic was just absent from this follow-up.

The town of Toyburg is still reeling from the Torsobear murders. Detective Ruxby Bear has just nabbed a copycat killer. Only the facts and the evidence just doesn't add up. Unfortunately, he'll not be able to continue he's investigation, as Dectective Ruxby has been arrested for a crime he did not commit.

Now incarcerated in the roughest prison in the land, Ruxby is behind bars with many of the felons and cons that he put there. Constantly having to watch his back, Ruxby tries to solve both his framing and the copycat killings from his jail cell. But when the copycat killer sneaks into his cell, Ruxby now has to face the fact that the mastermind behind all of this is in the penitentiary with him.

Meanwhile on the outside, Ruxby's old partner, Officer Hazbrow, is now the chief of police. He too wants to help his old friend exonerate himself. However, the mayor of Toyburg has forbidden the TBPD continue with the investigation, declaring the Torsobear murders and copycat killings closed. But when the son of an old police mentor of Hazbrow comes asking for help finding his old man, Hazbrow begins an undercover sting that could send not just Toyburg but the entire region of play-lands into civil war.

I love the varying artwork. It's great seeing bad boy versions of your favorite toys. Every page is a feast for the eyes. If you love Easter eggs, be sure to bring your basket with you when reading this book.

Volume 2 is also told in anthology form. The backstories of several of the inmates and prison guards is more interesting than Ruxby's time in jail. To be honest, the hero doesn't belong in prison. He needs to be on the mean streets of Toyburg solving crimes. Hazbrow's story is interesting but that's because the law man is in his element. This volume sets up the Volume 3 finale. Unlike with the first volume, I won't be waiting a year and a half for that book. I just hope the ending returns to that level of wonder that Volume 2 was missing.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Amazing Spider-Man Annual: 1991

I just don't think I could live in the UK and be a comic book fan. It takes not several months but several YEARS before material that debuted in the United States to finally become available across the pond. And how the stories are chopped up into smaller pieces for weekly releases instead of monthly, with some non-vital art deleted would just infuriate me to no end. This hardback annual from London's Marvel Comics LTD is proof in point. 

This annual contains material set in the early days of the Hobgoblin. The usurper to the Green Goblin throne has been in operation for a while. But Spider-Man has no idea who is behind the mask. It's so new in the Hobgoblin's career, poor Harry Osborn thinks it might be him operating under some sort of fugue state like his evil father did prior as the original Green Goblin. But an early encounter with this new Spidey villain puts Harry at ease for that. But what's with the personal vendetta that the Hobgoblin has against the Osborns? 

Meanwhile, Peter Parker is trying to adjust his life to a series of changes. Recently freed from the Venom symbiote, Parker learns that Mary Jane Parker knows he's Spider-Man! Plus, thanks to the destructive nature of his alien parasite, Petey quit college and it's caused a strain between him and Aunt May.

Along with the story, this annual is full of fun and games. There's a couple of mazes, a valuable fact-file about the back-story of the Hobgoblin (without revealing the identity of the baddie), a search-a-word and much more. 

Though this annual was released in 1991, it contains material that was originally published in 1984 in the pages of America's Amazing Spider-Man. Was British Marvel books devoted to Spider-Man really behind by 7 years? Or do English annuals reprint fan favorite stories? I'd really be interested to know.

Another mystery I want to know more about: how did this book end up here? I found this at a book warehouse for only a buck. That store was in Raleigh, NC. How did it get there? Too bad books don't speak because I bet there's an interesting tale behind it's travels.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Cooking With Deadpool

This was a birthday or Christmas gift from my Bride last year. You'd think that a cookbook by a fictional character would mostly be useful for entertainment enjoyment purposes and not be very useful to a professional chef and culinary teacher. Yet, this has got to be one of the most technically sound cookbooks that I have ever encountered in the celebrity chef/series franchise cookbook realm.

Segments are on advanced culinary terms like mise en place and spatchcock chicken. Articles on menu planning and the right types of knives to use abound in this book. There's some basic baking and chocolate work. Add in breakfast cookery, appetizers and breakfast and Cooking With Deadpool feels like the year-long Culinary Arts I course that I teach 9th-12th graders! Except Deadpool and his creative team don't seem to mind taking photos of work and the various steps more trickier recipes need in order to be successful executed!

That's not to say that this cookbook isn't oozing with Wade Wilson's signature off-kilter look on things. Each recipe has an introduction made by Deadpool that will dive into his past history as inspiration for the dish. Friend and X-Man Cable provides a couple of recipes for the book. Tex-Mex cooking gets a lot of love in this book. Spider-Man provides his Aunt May's famous recipe of wheat cakes! And yes! There is an entire chapter devoted to the Merc With a Mouth's beloved chimichangas!

While I did really appreciate the technical merits of this book, I did feel like some of the ingredient choices were odd. Okay- it's a cookbook written by Deadpool. It's not supposed to be totally normal. For instance, the tres leches cake uses pomegranate for moisture and garnish. That just sounds strange to me. The Latin American restaurant down the street from me uses cherries and it's A-MAZE-ING! So when it comes to the ingredient lists, feel free to adjust the recipe as needed without changing the steps. I'm making the ceviche recipe for my wife, but I didn't put as much onion or jalapeno as I know that's not quite her taste. As for some of the fusion dishes, like the beef stroganoff inspired meat pies, I admire the creativity and inspiration. Putting chopped celery in a tuna casserole is just blasphemy.

A book that teaches about cooking while very much full of Deadpool humor and lore!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Written by Marc Sumerak. Recipes by Elena P. Craig.

Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men, Vol. 1

This volume collects the first 10 issues of Marvel's X-Men ever published. I'm pretty sure that I've read most, if not all of these issues prior. But I have never experienced them in such glorious remastered color!

These issues reflect what I think is some of the very best and very worst of the early days of Marvel Comics. These stories debuted starting in the fall of 1963. That's not quite 2 full years of the Marvel Age of Comics yet. While many of the heavy-hitters including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers have already debuted prior to the creation of these mutants, X-Men is really the first Marvel series aimed directly at primarily a teen audience. 

Stan Lee pens these stories and the first 2 or 3 issues show that Stan the Man had zero idea how early 60s high schoolers talked. Spider-Man was great because the kids in the book talked like normal people. Johnny Storm, the first teen of Marvel Comics, used some slang and was annoying. But at least he was only 1 character. Here you've got 5 high school students who despite their mutant abilities, look like kids who would've gone to a prep school and yet they talk like rejects from Blackboard Jungle. 

Thankfully, by issue #5, the bad attempts at 60s teenage language are aborted. But now it's replaced by really bad romantic pinings internally expounded by Cyclops, Jean Grey and even Professor X! Thankfully, Xavier's unrequited love towards his under-aged student, Marvel Girl, is quickly forgotten about. Yet, lots of people complain about how out of touch DC writers were with the youth counter-culture during the 1960s. Sure, the House That Superman Built never could get the generation gap right in their books. However, these early X-Men comics are proof that Marvel was far from perfect when it came to American's youth.

Jack Kirby was the main artist of these 10 first issues. I love Jack Kirby. However, I could tell that the X-Men was definitely a title that Kirby felt at times was beneath him. Some issues, the artwork looks rushed. Especially issues 1,2 and 6. However, when the King got a chance to be less rigid, like the 10th issue which takes place in the prehistoric Savage Lands, you could tell that Kirby had tons of fun drawing all those different dinosaurs and cavemen. Plus, it was really neat getting to see Ka-Zar's re-entry into the Marvel Universe as a teen warrior out of time after having recently reads some of his original exploits as a Tarzan arch-type in the African jungle.

Compared to how the X-Men universe has unfolded today, 1963-64 mutantdom is rather plan. The Danger Room is rather unimaginative. For one training session, Marvel Girl is tasked with telekinetically sewing laces on a practice board! There's no more than a dozen mutants with Magneto being the big baddie and for a character that will one day become a Jewish symbol of resilience and resistance, the X-Men foe sure does have a lot of fascist ideas in the book.

These 10 issues were enjoyable stories. But they definitely were not the best Marvel had to offer at the time. Oddly enough, though X-Men will go on to become the flagship standard of heroes for Marvel Comics from the 1970s to the early 2010s, these guys were in serious danger of becoming swept under the rug for their first dozen years of existence. The X-Men don't really gain a devoted cult status until 1975-76 when Len Wein, Dave Cockrum and a neophyte writer named Chris Claremont retool the entire team to being more of a group of international mutants instead of American misfits. Adding a character by the name of Wolverine to their ranks helped a lot with this newfound popularity. 

If I am at all honest, if I was to pick a group of oddball 1960s superheroes to put all my money on, it would be the Doom Patrol. Many, including series creator Arnold Drake and myself included saw the early X-Men as a poor copy of the DP team. I think it helped that the DC team had better and far more original villains than the students at the Xavier School did at the time. Magneto and the Blob are great foes. The Toad, Mastermind, Unus the Untouchable, and siblings Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver are not. (Can anybody tell me why the Vanisher is dressed like a snake?) But I really think the hearts of both Stan Lee and Jack Kirby just weren't in it 100% with this title and the lack of dedication shows as the consistency of Marvel Age quality just isn't noticeable in about half of these reprinted issues.

Worth Consuming, but just barely.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.