Spider-Man: Quantum Quest! ( Family Comic Friday)

My local library surprised me with this brand new Spider-Man all ages graphic novel. Debuting in January of this year, I totally missed the previews on this book. While it's touted on the cover as a Spidey team-up with the Fantastic Four, the wall crawler actually works in conjunction with over a dozen heroes from the Marvel Universe!

The story begins with the Fantastic Four, joined with the ruler of Atlantis, Prince Namor, asking for assistance from Spider-Man. The underwater kingdom of Atlantis has disappeared. Mr. Fantastic thinks someone has shrunk the realm. Prince Namor believes that his kingdom has been stolen. Since Spidey is really good at finding stuff, the FF ask him to find a missing talisman that could help in returning Atlantis back to it's rightful place.

In Spider-Man's search, he ends up in the microscopic Quantum Realm, where it turns out that several of his friends have become trapped. Now Spider-Man must find a way home for heroes such as Ant-Man, Moon Girl and the Sensational She-Hulk along with that magic charm and probably Atlantis as well. It will be a topsy-turvy quest for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man readers of all ages will not want to miss!

Written and illustrated by Mike Maihack, this graphic novel was almost perfect. The art was clearly aimed at kids, but it had a nostalgic charm mixed with style elements of many of the characters looks in the MCU. The writing was clever and fun. Maihack threw out all the stops to make this an interactive book, including a 'Where's Waldo' style list of hidden things to search for throughout the story. (That Hulk plushie was nearly impossible to find!) There's even an extra scene after the entire book is done- just like you'd expect from a Marvel movie! Then there's the ending...

It's a freaking cliffhanger! I hate cliffhangers. Especially if I don't have the next chapter/segment. Comic book experts bemoan that the next generation of readers are not buying comic books to the degree that the previous couple of generations did. Critics warn that a new wave of comic book collectors is in danger of never materializing. If you ask me, putting a cliffhanger in books aimed at young readers is a massive misstep in trying to lure new young readers.

The next book, which is actually volume 3 in the 'A Mighty Marvel Team-Up' series is set in outer space. It promises to include many of your parents and grandparents favorite cosmic heroes. Plus, there's Jeff the Shark! You can't get too upset over a cliffhanger when that diminutive land shark is involved.

Recommended for readers ages 6-9. I think younger readers will love this book, especially if read with assistance by an older sibling or relative!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold

You don't have to have read the previous 26 issues of this 2010's modern version of DC's flagship team-up franchise, The Brave and the Bold. I didn't know this for a while. That's why I sat on this book for so long. Once I realized that unlike how the series opened with a story line of Batman and Green Lantern alternating pairings with other heroes to find the Book of Destiny, these stories were all self-contained. 

The Team-Ups of the Brave and the Bold contains 7 stories written by J. Michael Straczynski as a last ditch attempt to revitalize the sagging series. Despite the superior writing of Straczynski and the awesome artwork of Jesus Saiz, it just wasn't enough to save this series from cancellation.

The following team-ups in the book includes:

• Robbie Baldwin losing his Hero dial during a family trip to Batman's hometown, Gotham City.
• The Atom goes on a 'fantastic journey' inside the brain of the Joker during a delicate surgery.
• During a science experiment on the speed of light in Belgium, the Flash is sent back in time to assist the pilots of Blackhawk squadron during the Battle of the Bulge.
• Batman investigates the legend of the 60s era Frankenstein monster known as Brother Power, the Geek.
• Wonder Woman and Zatanna take Batgirl on a much needed girl's night out.
• Aquaman and the Demon join forces to stop an Eldritch horror from the deep from conquering the world!

I love a team-up title and while I am a fan of the original Batman The Brave and the Bold collection of books, I like that the Dark Knight isn't the focus of the title here. The Atom's story offers a look at the troubled childhood of the boy who would become the Clown Prince of Crime. It was a chilling work. The Aquaman/Demon story also had hints of horror to it. If you ever wondered what it would be like if H.P. Lovecraft wrote a comic book, you'd have your answer here.

The Flash story was powerful. I can't believe it wasn't written by Joe Kubert with artwork by Brian Bolland. I also was enamored with the title's swan song starting Barbara Gordon. Here I am missing her carefree pre-Killing Joke days when hot with the fact that the events of this story will cause that tragedy to occur! And the Dial H for Hero story was a nostalgic tribute to a great premise that just never got it's proper due.

If you ask me, that Brother Power, the Geek story was unnecessary. Though the way that story ended set up for an exciting storyline that I would pay good money to read. It's just a shame that DC gave up faith in J. Michael Straczynski's writing talents. 

This book is really a beautiful tribute to some of the best eras of DC Comics. There's sci-fi, war, horror, wacky gimmicks and above all love. Love for a good story full of amazing things never before seen and love for the loyal readers.

Highly underrated stuff!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 8 out of 10 stars.

The Punisher Back to School Special #1

My sixth year of teaching high school culinary starts tomorrow. I order to kick off the new school year, I held onto this book for a few months until just about the very last minute. Now I know what you are thinking, that I was a procrastinating student. But that couldn't be further from the truth. In high school and college (for both degrees), I hated to have assignments on my schedule and would work on them immediately; least I put it off and forget them until too late. 

When I read seasonal comics, I like to get as close to the holiday or event covered. Exceptions being Halloween-Christmas where I love spending each month reading holiday fare. I think in the 44 years that I have been reading and collecting comic books, I've probably only encountered 4 or 5 back to school specials. I found this one right before the previous school year ended at a local coffee shop that sells used comics and graphic novels. So I've been eagerly awaiting to read this book the entire summer.

There's 4 stores in this special and it's about as typical Punisher as you could expect for 1992 when this book originally debuted in stores. Lots of violence and death. Probably the max possibly allowed in order to receive a Comics Code approval stamp. It's gratuitous to the point that you really have to wonder who thought this book was a good idea to market as a back to school special?!

The first story isn't violent. Whenever the Punisher isn't punishing bad guys, he's doing his other favorite activity: mourning the death of his murdered wife and children while longing to join them in the afterlife. 

Story number #2 is Frank Castle's take on the Treat Williams gang violence in schools action classic, The Substitute. After seeing too many young people obtaining hand guns and running amok on the streets, the Punisher decides to pose as a gym teacher in order to find out where these kids are getting their weapons from. In typical fashion, the vigilante makes enemies, a couple of innocent youths get stuck in the crossfire, a red herring keeps popping up. But in the end, you can be certain that this public school will no longer have a gun problem.

Story #3 shows the effects on violence with children. A young boy who idolizes the Punisher gets to witness his hero in the flesh. But will seeing Frank Castle in action change the boy's interests or will the cycle of violence continue on it's merry, bloody way?

Lastly was a story about 2 boys who decide to skip school to pursue a life of crime. Only on their first day of work, the lads run across the Punisher who offers them a choice: continue on the road to ruin or get their butts back to school!

I was rather surprised by the second story. It, along with the first tale was written by Chuck Dixon. In the second adventure, the Punisher states that he hates guns; that he is for gun control. That just seems like the antithesis of the Punisher. Plus, if there was gun control, he'd never be able to amass the arsenal of assault weapons and bazookas and grenades that he uses throughout this book. Okay- if there was gun control, his family probably wouldn't have been moved down by mobsters. But I digress. Like I said earlier, who thought this was a good idea to make a Punisher back to school special? There's a freaking gun fight in the lunchroom. Sure, this book was published about 7 years before Columbine. In 1992, the thought of a widespread massacre involving guns and children was the stuff of Hollywood fantasy. Parents and schools were more in fear of kids being given LSD laced Garfield tattoos than in a school shooting in those days. But my God! It's not got me ready for another year of teaching in public education. However, I will say that I did learn that piles of library books can make an adequate substitute for a bullet proof vest in a pinch. 

The hero worship story by Tom Brevoort was an interesting commentary on violence in society. It was thought provoking without being preachy, which I liked. But it had a bit of an ambiguous ending, which I loathe.

The final story was actually pretty funny. I feel like Barry Dutter wrote the script to be so over-the-top that it read as a parody on the ABC after school specials. If that had been the main story instead of Frank Castle's substitute teaching assignment, I think this would have made for a much better read and been a little more appropriate. Let's face it: the Punisher isn't a character for kids. This book never should have been given the CCA stamp. It should have been listed for mature audiences. But what's even more insane is that Marvel released 2 more Back to School Specials in the following 2 years!!!

Lastly, for a time period fondly remembered by fans of dynamic new artists such as Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and Eric Powell, the art in this book was really bad and yet 100% 1990s. Men with disproportionate musculature. Gritty, grimy scenery. Unrealistic action poses. Terrible inking that prevents any of the artwork from leaping off the page. This was definitely an eye-opening read that I'm not sure could be even considered by a major comic book publisher and I doubt it will ever be reprinted any time soon.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Sky' & Ty, Book 1: Howdy, Partner (Family Comic Friday)

If you are a fan of the Old West you've probably heard of the Pony Express. It was a short-lived delivery system that was a network of young men astride super fast horses that provided mail to far away outposts and burgeoning towns. But have you heard of the Tyrannosaurus Rex-press? Okay, I made that name up. But creator Steve Breen took inspiration from a picture drawn by his son to craft this fantasy Western graphic novel for readers ages 6-9.

Sky lives on a farm with her grandmother. It's been her birthday wish for a while now to have her very own dinosaur to ride. Not a pony, but a living breathy thunder lizard with a terrifying face and a mighty roar.

One day while exploring the desert outside of the range of her family farm, Sky comes across a cave she's never encountered before. Whoa and behold, there's a dinosaur inside. A T-Rex to be exact; named Ty. It's Sky's dream come true. Only Ty is gentle, with a kind face and is a lovely shade of orange. And he's got some serious dance moves that can outlast the fiercest of grizzly bears!

Immediately a friendship is forged between a girl and her dinosaur and on one fateful day, a new business is forged! Mr. Rigby is struggling to get an important package to faraway Huckleberry Park. Big Earl needs what's inside the box by 4 o'clock and there's no way Mr. Rigby is going to get it to him in time. With Ty's speed and Sky's ability to hold onto the box, there's a good chance Big Earl will get his delivery on time. But first Sky and Ty have to come up with a great motto for their new business venture!

I loved this book. I'm hoping it's setting up a whole like of books because I didn't want this book to end. The artwork of Sky and Ty has elements of Syd Hoff's classic Danny and the Dinosaur series. The characters are unique with distinctive voices and there's Easter eggs and humorous quips throughout the book along with an assortment of enjoyable extras!

I also liked that Sky and Ty was a family collaboration. Breen took inspiration from his son Matt when the boy drew a picture of a cowboy atop a giant T-Rex. While I don't think Matt Breen is giving his pop plot ideas like little brother Malachai gave to Ethan while creating Axe Cop, I still appreciate how family is at the center of the heart of this book. 

Parents and guardians are going to love this book. Remember what I said about there being a mean grizzly bear? Well, in the book, the bear is threatening a tiny bunny. Instead of fighting him, Ty challenges him to a dance off. All of a sudden, Sky's playing DJ with a full set. It's the kind of unexpected humor that zigs when you expect the plot to zag. It was hilarious. And that's the sort of humor that you get when parents and children get together and brainstorm. Maybe this book will inspire the young reader in your life to help you create the next classic in children's graphic novel lit!

One thing is for sure, Sky and Ty: Howdy, Partner is going to fill your house with a bunch of laughs!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Outsiders, Vol. 2: Sum of All Evil

There are essentially 2 storylines in Outsiders, Vol. 2. Both involve a member of the Shazam family's Rogues Gallery. However, the first half was just full about some of the most diabolical occult acts I've seen in a non-mature rated comic. In other words: I didn't like it.

Act I sees an entire bus load of people set aflame in a satanic ritual as part of bonding the Captain Marvel villain SABBAC to a low level Russian mobster. Then one of the Outsiders is nearly fatally immolated by this new evil. Add some more grisly killings in his spare. Toss in a legendary Outsider to assist and an appearance by a member of the Shazam family of heroes (and no, it's not Tawky Tawny) in top of a legion of demons and you've got a salad that I wouldn't even touch.

Act II was much better. Dr. Silvana has reorganized the Fearsome Five. Although, isn't one of the members dead? Well, by the end of this story, one of them will definitely be dead, Canada, of all places, will survive a nuclear attack and I will be a new fan in the character of Psimon. 

Since this really feels like 2 different books in one volume, I've got 2 different opinions. For the first half with all this talk about demons and references to the Book of Revelation, why is it that DC Comics will explore the underworld like it's as common as riding a bike in a city park but the concept of Heaven and angels is the stuff of lunatics. Any time a character comes back from the dead, they either have returned from Hell or everything was pitch black. Nobody ever returns from a stint in Paradise. And it's not just WASPs either. DC and Marvel have the same kind of policy with their Muslim, Hindu and characters of other faiths. Personally, it's irritating and not a fair and balanced portrayal of all of the readers of comics.

My take on Act II: I'm not entirely sure that Judd Winick or artist Tom Raney didn't get the characters of Shimmer and Jinx confused. On the two cartoon versions of Teen Titans Go!, Mammoth is the brother of Jinx. However, in this book, his sister is Shimmer, who looks a whole lot like Jinx on the show (minus the purple hair.) The Jinx in the book looks like an African version of Lt. Ilia from Star Trek The Motion Picture, complete with a magical jewel (only on her forehead instead of her throat.) Look, I know that DC didn't make such a glaring error. But when you encounter something that is totally different from what you are used to, it makes for some confusing reading. I really wish that characters on differing mediums would all be consistent. Unfortunately, creator ownership and other executive decisions prevent that for being standard.

Tom Raney provided the artwork for most of this book with a few guest artists for issues #11 and 12. The identity of the inker seems to be a real mystery. Whomever was inking the second half of this book was really something, I tell ya. The artwork of Act I was penciled in a very static 1980s style. I.E.- it was flat. The shading of the last 3 or 4 issues comprising this book was so flashed out. Characters and items were jumping off the page. Such depth. I am a fan!

Not my favorite book. However, with the exception of 3 issues, I have this entire series and I would like to see how it pans off. For now, I keep this book in my collection. Only time will tell whether I keep the 37 individual issues I have, plus annuals complete or will I be selling everything off as a mass bundle. If the rest of this series is as dark and evil as the first half of this book, someone in the Central North Carolina area might be getting there hands on a full run of Outsiders books pretty soon.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Outsiders, Vol. 1: Looking For Trouble

After the events of 'Graduation Day', the Titans disbanded as did Young Justice. Cyborg decided to take the heartbroken sidekicks of Young Justice to San Francisco in order to reform the Teen Titans. Starfire and Beast Boy joined as mentors. As for the remaining now adult Titans members, those remainders have gone their own ways. 

If Nightwing has anything to say about it, they'll never reform. If Arsenal has anything to do about it, the team will live again. The former sidekick of Green Arrow has picked up corporate funding, secured a new secret NYC headquarters and added a number of cool vehicles and weapons to the coffers. He's even got a name: The Outsiders. The only thing Arsenal needs is a team. Hopefully, Nightwing, will step up to the role.

Traveling across the country, Arsenal recruits a number of superheroes for his new team. He's got a veteran in Metamorpho, strength in the form of Grace, a 7-foot tall former bouncer and Thunder, a second generation rookie hero. He's even recruited the aqua blue android whose malfunctions resulted in the death of two Titans. Now going by Indigo, her presence might be a deal breaker for Nightwing. Luckily for her, a major disaster is breaking out in New York City and the times calls for immediate action.

Gorillas have invaded the city! A suicide bomber destroyed Air Force One. An energy zapping force field has encapsulated the Big Apple and President Luthor's replacement helicopter is going down! It must be the doing of Gorilla Grodd! And that's just the first half of the book!

Judd Winick's Outsiders is a lot like Geoff Johns' simultaneous release of the Teen Titans. Only where Johns' series is a PG-13, Winick's Outsiders is rated R. Sure, this is a DC book from the mid-2000s, so it's tame compared to the stuff Vertigo was releasing at the time. But compared to most of what DC was churning out, the amount of sex, language and violence is on par with the Zalman King original series that would air on Showtime. 

Part 2 offers a look at Brother Blood's return to power- before he gets whacked by his son who kidnaps Raven to become his teen bride. So if you're keeping tabs, you need to read Teen Titans Volume 1 then this book and then Teen Titans, Volume 2.

Plus one of the Outsiders is revealed to be an impostor... with a twist!

A good book for comic book readers of an older age because of content, not nostalgia.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Teen Titans, Vol. 2: Family Lost!

The second volume of Geoff John's Teen Titans continues with that same level greatness, just with a hardy dose of evil. Demons and devils are not my thing. In this book, the Teen Titans' major villain Brother Blood and his Church of Blood rear their ugly heads. Since these guys are more on the level of Temple of Doom cultists, they're tolerable. However, when you add the character of Raven and her complex parentage with the demon Trigon, it does verge very close to territory that I am not comfortable with.

Brother Blood isn't the only baddie giving the Teen Titans fits. Deathstroke the Terminator is seeking revenge on the Titans, especially Raven, as she had something to do with the disposal of the corporal form of Slade Wilson's son Jericho. To assist in getting answers along with revenge is his daughter Rose, who seems brainwashed and now going by the name Ravager. 

There's a ton of stuff going on in this volume. Too much to cover without getting mired in details. I'll just say that there are elements of Rosemary's Baby, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and just about any movie where an evil son commits patricide in order to become the new ruler.

A great read. But I prefer the last volume more as the level of occult activity was near zero in that book.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Teen Titans, Vol. 1: A Kid's Game!

I don't know why I don't actively seek out the works of Geoff Johns. Everything of his that he writes has been something that I've enjoyed. I truly don't think he's ever written a bad sentence in his entire career. Maybe it's the subject matter. But that not entirely true. I'm a big fan of the Flash. He's one of my top 5 favorite superheroes. Yet, I think I've only read a fraction of The Flash books written by Geoff Johns.

I've owned this opening volume of Johns' Teen Titans for at least a decade I'd say. It was something my best friend owned that I inherited. While I added this book willingly to my collection, for the longest time I just couldn't bring myself to read it. Then my online database up and shutdown so as I rebuild a personal directory of my collection, I'm making decisions over whether to keep a lot of the unread pieces of my collection or not.

'A Kid's Game!' takes place almost immediately after the events of 'Graduation Day'. With the death of two Titans, both Young Justice and the Titans disbanded. In the aftermath there are two schools of thought: no more team-ups led by Nightwing or Cyborg's vision to train the next generation of superheroes. With the blessing more or less of Batman, Superman and Wally West, Cyborg along with Starfire and Beast Boy have agreed to act as mentors to the revitalized Teen Titans. With their tutelage on the weekends, Robin, Superboy and Impulse will finally see action not as sidekicks but full-fledged heroes.

Lurking in the background is a third party who intensely believes that children should not wear capes. Whomever this mystery player is, they'll be willing to maim and kill to keep the Teen Titans from reforming. Even if who they hurt is a teenaged hero.

Mike McKone's, artwork, among others, matches so well with this storyline. The first 3 issues of this version of the Teen Titans sold out and went into multiple prints and I can see why! That buddy cop humor between those 3 amigos, Tim Drake, Con-El, now Conner Kent, and Bart Allen has carried over from Young Justice. The art is almost as fanciful as the original art from that series. Only it's a tad more refined. The action was so fast paced and I was so engrossed in this new era of Teen Titans that as soon as I finished this volume I ran to where I keep my collection and pulled out volume 2! If it's only half as captivating as this volume, I am in for one heck of a treat!

Excellent covers by the late Michael Turner.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day

With a title like 'Graduation Day', you'd think that I would wait until May or June to read this and you'd be right. However, I started reading Volume 1 of Geoff John's 2003 take on the Teen Titans and I realized that I need to read this book first before going on. I'd also need to complete this 3-issue miniseries before going on to Judd Winick's 2003 Outsiders as well. No problem! Besides, the phrase 'Graduation Day' is just that. There's no pomp and circumstance whatsoever in this book.

Our story begins in San Francisco. A major conglomerate has called the Titans to listen to a pitch to sponsor the superheroes in their endeavors. Also invited are the members of Young Justice. In the middle of a break, all hell breaks lose when a malfunctioning android attacks Cyborg, causing him to overload and injury several members of both teams. 

The scene jumps to the nearest trauma center where the medical team are facing meta-human physiologies unlike ever before. A team from STAR Labs arrives just about the same time that the news breaks that a Silicon Valley video game company is under attack by the rogue android. What does this rampaging robot want with a manufacturer of video games? Turns out that the facility is a front for a STAR Labs laboratory where a lot of dangerous technology is being housed; including a robotic version of Superman that has a history of being unreliable and it's just been activated by the cybernetic intruder.

Judd Winick crafts a story that changes a large chunk of the DC Universe. Beloved characters die. Friendships are broken. Teams dismantled. The events of 'Graduation Day' are shocking to say the least.

I'm a big fan of Young Justice. I also like the Teen Titans, though I got to admit, their adventures get a little too soap opera-like for my enjoyment. But I've been sitting on a trove of related material of these teams, including the Outsiders, which I inherited after the death of my best friend. Just recently, the database I had been using for the last 17 years just up and shutdown for no warning. So as I scramble to re-catelogue my vast 12K strong collection, I find myself finally motivated to read some of his stuff in order to determine if I've just been holding onto these book for the sake of my best friend's memory or do I really like these books?

The verdict so far is that the prospects are promising. I definitely want to keep reading those Teen Titans and Outsiders trades. If all goes well, they like this book will definitely be a keeper.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: Cat Out of Water: A Cat in the Hat Story (Family Comic Friday)

The Cat in the Hat is back in an all-new adventure. The first of two Dr. Seuss Graphic Novels by RH Graphic, the beloved feline who doffs a candy stripes chapeau returns to make another boring day tons more fun for Sally and her brother Conrad. Seeing that disapproving family pet Fish is living inside a tiny little fish bowl, Cat decides to turn the entire house into one gigantic aquarium! With the help of Things 1 & 2, Cat will flood Sally and Conrad's home all for the sake of merriment. But don't worry! He's got a plan for getting the house back ship shape before mom and dad get home!

Tiny Titans' co-creator Art Baltazar goes solo in this 2024 graphic novel in a way only he can execute. Cat Out of Water is full of joy, fun and absolute devotion to the source material. Just don't blame me that the level of awesomeness is ramped up to 11! 

Though I know that this book is brand new, I was a tiny bit confused as to whether this story was a continuation of the original books by Dr. Seuss or a reboot. Though Fish and the kids know Cat, he introduces Things 1 & 2 to the residents of the house. Is this just because of the flare in which Cat does everything? Or does this occur at a time when Sally and Conrad haven't met those candy floss haired associates of Cat's? It's not really made clear.

For all you purists out there, this is an officially licensed graphic novel by the Dr. Seuss estate. A very fast read that captures the spirit of the Cat in the Hat very well with one glaring exception. Unlike an original Dr. Seuss book, there's no rhymes! No rhymes, at all! 

If the young readers in your life enjoy this graphic novel recommended on Amazon for readers ages 5-8, then be sure to check out the second brand new Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: The Grinch Takes A Vacation by Kaeti Vandorn.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Saturday Morning Adventures: IDW Endless Summer One-Shot

When Michelangelo forsakes pizza, opting instead for a fresh green salad, his fellow Ninja Turtles know something's not right. It's the heat of summer in the Big Apple and the boys have been working really hard against Shredder and his evil Foot Clan. A single day of rest and relaxation can't hurt. So the boys don Western costumes and cosplay as cowboys at the nearby Old West theme park, Frontier Ride-A-World

Once inside the park, the turtles notice that something's off about the place. The rides go just a little too fast. The atmosphere seems electric. Too electric And is that Traag, Krang's rock creature generalissimo over by the cotton candy stand? Fun time is over!

This one-shot by Dave Baker was part of IDW's 2023 Endless Summer lineup of specials. Drawn in the style of the classic 1980s cartoon of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the art by Tango was so picture perfect. With continuity nods to the original series, it really did feel like I had discovered a lost episode!

I really hate that IDW didn't do any summer specials this year. I know that the company has been hurting and the past 12-18 months for them has been really difficult with losing both the G.I. Joe and Transformers licenses. However, if IDW was ever in need of sales, bringing Endless Summer back in 2025 is a sure way to get me to open my wallet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool by Alyssa Wong, Vol. 2

Wade Wilson is flying pretty high right now. He's got a non-binary lover, Valentine Vuong, who's also a mutant that can produce a number of poisons and antidotes with her crystalline arms. He's the owner of a massive puppy dog, Princess, who is a hybrid of Deadpool and the symbiote Spider-Man villain Carnage. He's got the world's best dog-sitter, the deadly Lady Deathstroke. And there's a really pissed off league of assassins called the Atelier out to kill him, Valentine and Princess. Things just couldn't be better for the Merc With a Mouth!

Volume 2 of Alyssa Wong's take on Deadpool isn't bad. The first segment where Wade and Valentine go on their first date was rather hilarious. Wong pushes the envelope with Wade's obsession with sex and gross humor. Though I did miss a couple of the jokes, like when Deadpool is trying to find out if were-foxes do similar things like werewolves do. I also have thought that the character of Princess was very well written and I thought the growing relationship between the hybrid pooch and Lady (Auntie) Deathstrike was so sweet and so funny. 

However, I felt like Alyssa Wong's take on this corner of the Marvel Comics Universe was more in her image and not the all encompassing world of diverse characters developed originally by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Wong is a queer writer and identifies as non-binary like her creation, Valentine Vuong. I support that she created an all-new character that she identifies with. One of the biggest arguments in comics these days is that comic creators keep retconning legacy characters into being queer instead of making new, diverse characters. With Wong creating a new character who is queer is instead of altering a beloved character's established sexuality is something I applaud. But then it seems like every character Alyssa Wong created, especially in this volume was a part of the LGBTQIA community.

As I'm writing this review, I'm starting to wonder if the Atelier was a community of queer assassins. I mean now that I think about it, all of the new characters, with exception of Princess, are members of the Atelier. They do all seem to be gay, lesbian, queer or non-binary. If that's the case, then bravo to Alyssa Wong on managing this in one of Marvel's flagship titles. And it would fit with Deadpool who does crush hard in an omnisexual way. However, if I'm totally wrong on this sudden epiphany, and Wong is just writing what they know and refusing to utilize straight Marvel characters in her stories, then we've got a problem on par with straight writers slipping into homophobia by refusing to use gay and queer characters in their stories.

Also, I need to rant a tiny bit at Marvel. I know that a happy Deadpool isn't quite as fun as a sad, lonely Deadpool. But I really hope his relationship with Valentine and his beloved Princess stick around for a long time. I'm starting to get a little annoyed with every new Deadpool series basically rewriting the character and his storyline. It's also very confusing. Where in the heck did Wade's daughter Ellie go?

I get it. People change. Change is inevitable whether you want it or not. I'm just feeling like a very fresh and exciting character like Deadpool is starting to get stale because it seems like every time we get a Deadpool #1, his entire life is toppled over and the same old rebuilding process starts all over again.

Worth Consuming!

Rating:7 out of 10 stars.

Archie & Friends: Summer Lovin' #1

This summer time fun special was something I meant to read when it debuted in 2022. Unfortunately it got buried in my ever growing to-read pile, only to see the light of day just recently.

The main story introduces a new love triangle to Riverdale. Veronica's cousin Harper has returned for the summer. This means for Reggie a chance to restart his relationship with the teen. However, there's a new player in the mix, Eliza Han, an African-Korean American with ADHD and is pansexual. At the summer carnival both Reg and Eliza vie for the affections of Harper. But it looks like love will have to wait when everyone gets sick from riding the Gravitron. 

The opening story was written by Tee Harper with artwork provided by my favorite modern Archie artist, Dan Parent. I was surprised that the main feature was only 6 pages in length. Especially since the cover promises an introduction to Eliza Han. Instead, the back-up feature took up the majority of this book, which was 32 pages in total length. It involves Archie trying to win the affections of Veronica by practicing for the Riverdale beach windsurfing championship. Did I mention he's rather bad at it? Written by Tom DeFalco, the story features an often forgotten member of the Archie-Betty-Veronica love affair; one Ms. Cheryl Blossom who decides to train poor Archie just to get revenge on Veronica.

The back up was illustrated by Pat and Tim Kennedy. The brothers artwork looks really new and I know that it's a newer story because Kevin Keller is a main character in the story and he's only been around since 2010. What I want to know is this: was the windsurfing story brand new or like with other specials of the past, a reprint? 

With a Halloween or Valentine's Day spectacular, the reprinted tales look older. Why didn't the editors pick such a more modern story to fill in the gaps? And if it's an all-new story as well, I'm crying FOUL! Why does this one-shot get special treatment of original material but the holiday annual books get stuffed with stuff that I've more than likely already read!?

I've said it before and I will say it now: I'm willing to pay $3.99, up from the standard cover of $2.99 for all my Archie specials to contain more original stories than 1 measly 6-pager. C'mon Archie Comics! You do so well responding to fan demand, let's make this happen!

Before I go... Great cover by Bill Golliher. Love the Easter egg to the birth year of Archie!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 8 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Worlds Apart

Ororo and T'Challa. A match made in Heaven, destined to be separated by their bloodlines and responsibilities. For Ororo is the mutant X-Man Storm and T'Challa is the king of Wakanda and sometimes Avenger Black Panther. 

X-Men: Worlds Apart was a 4- issue miniseries released 16 years ago in 2008. So, I think I'm not going to spoil much by saying that this story marks the start of the crumbling foundation in Ororo and T'Challa's marriage. When a Wakandan mutant is accused of murdering a high ranking official, it's up to Queen Ororo to head a royal inquiry in T'Challa's absence. 

Tensions in Wakanda are already at an all-time high. Many of the Wakandan people are distrustful of outsiders. They're even more suspicious and afraid of the mutant master of the weather. How dare an X-Man marry into the royal family! Storm discovers that a powerful psychic from her past has returned and was actually behind the murder. Unfortunately, her subjects refuse to let the lad who was manipulated into the death escape mandatory Wakandan execution. So Ororo will cross loyalties from the Queen of Wakanda to X-Men leader to ensure justice prevails. But when the Black Panther suddenly returns, possessed by the Storm's ancient foe, Ororo will have to cross some lines that will forever mar her place in the Wakandan palace and in her bonds of Holy Matrimony with T'Challa.

The main story was tedious to read. Not because of the main plotline taking place in Wakanda. It was the secondary plot involving Cyclops and the those mutated CHUDS, the Morlocks. They've got to be my least favorite part of the X-Men universe. I've never liked the Morlocks. I've always found them to be unnecessary. I thought this was going to be a tale about Storm and T'Challa. Instead, about a third of the main feature involves those annoying sewer dwellers! And it takes place during the X-Men's exile in San Francisco; perhaps the weakest of any of the Marvel mutant eras!

There was a brightspot. This book also includes a team-up of the two lovers from the pages of Marvel Team-up #100 and a late 90s issue of Black Panther. The earlier story was classic 80s Marvel with writing, plotting and art by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Back when Storm was illustrated with those mysterious cat-like eyes. That too brief short story details the origins of the two lovers first meeting as children.

The more modern tale was kinda powerful with its allegory of racism and bigotry. Yet it's also rather absurd with the narration being provided by State Department liaison to Wakanda, Everett K. Ross. True, Ross has always been a sort nervous sort of fellow. But the story was supposed to reflect a report Ross was sending to his supervisors. It was anything but professional with a bunch of jokes that fall flat.

A must for die hard X-Men fans who think the Morlocks are great. However, that's not me in the very least. That's still to not say I wouldn't be open to more stories about Storm and T'Challa. Maybe it's happened prior and I just don't know it, but I would really dig a What If... detailing what would have happened if as youngsters, T'Challa forsook the throne of Wakanda and instead went off to live with Ororo in the Kilimanjaro valley of Kenya. Would Ororo have become Storm at the request of Professor X? Would Klaw or the Man-Ape have claimed the title of Black Panther after the death of King T'Chaka? That's a story I want to read. 

Hey, Marvel... call me! I'm willing to help punch out a script!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Sheriff of Babylon Deluxe Edition

I waited a long time to read this book. Now that I have completed it, I really wish that I had kept on waiting. The Sheriff of Babylon is based on writer Tom King's experiences in Iraq as a member of the CIA. Because a lot of his work is still marked as Top Secret, this is less of a direct biography about King's post 9/11 stint in the middle east and more of a Impressionist painting of that period of his life. The scenery is right. Characters involved reflect the complicated mission of making a country free for democracy in whose citizens don't want American involvement. The beliefs and covert centrifuge is accurate. But the story is completely made up. Oh, God, please let this story have been made up.

Remember the first 15 minutes of Saving Private Ryan and how that realism of the invasion of Normandy was such a gut punch for the viewers? Well, that's what The Sheriff of Babylon is like. Only the abuse of the reader lasts for 12 whole issues. 

The story begins when American soldiers discover the mutilated corpse of an Iraqi citizen who's been training to become a part of Baghdad's police force. The victim's American supervisor, military consultant Christopher Henry, is tasked to return the body back to his family. Calling in a favor from an influential member of the interim government, Christopher is assisted in claiming the body by Nassir, a former member of Saddam Hussein's secret police who continues to work as an enforcer of the law in Baghdad despite a price that hangs eerily over his head. Once the body is claimed, Christopher and Nassir fall into the middle of a giant CIA quagmire that will result in the deaths of innocents, miscarriage, conspiracy and torture. 

Adding to the stark realism of this book is the art of Mitch Gerads. A frequent collaborator with Tom King, Gerads' artwork always looks photo-realistic. His scenes are worthy of a portfolio review in National Geographic. His characters evoke a myriad of emotions. To the point you get connected to many of the characters, which makes it even harder to absorb when they're mercilessly killed off.

There was an aspect of this book that felt anything but realistic that got on my nerves: the dialogue. I understand why superheroes and the villains always wax poetic. Super-hero comics are a form of melodrama. But why do non-cape comics and graphic novels have to fall into that same trap? There's a complex mystery being kept under wraps by spies, double agents and shadow governments. I don't need every character speaking in riddle like the Sphinx on crack. Just tell me what you want to say without making allusions to some ancient fable that maybe only 2% of the entire population of human history has ever heard of.

Sometimes a cigar is just a freakin' cigar!

A tough story. Harsh on the stomach. Cancerous to the human spirit. Full of dialogue that needs assistance from the Encyclopedia Britannica. At least I should be able to get some trade credit for something else that is more fanciful and family friendly.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Eerie Tales from the School of Screams (Family Comic Friday)

Today's homework assignment: tell an eerie story to the rest of the class.

Over the course of the rest of the school day, 5 children will try to top each other with spooky stories about a town that vanished, a curious ghost, a modern Cinderella being terrorized by her hateful uncle and aunt, a doomed crew aboard a spaceship, and the evil secret behind grandpa's massive stash of treats.

I don't know why it is, but I am so ready for Halloween. I'm slowly seeing things popping up in stores and it's just got me in the mode for cool crisp weather and spooky comics all of a sudden. Of the 5 tales, the one about the mistreated little girl was the most horrific because it was so real. The story about the vanishing village was just a warm up for things to come and the ghost story was more like something from The Twilight Zone, in that it was the twist ending that was the real spine chiller. I liked the outer space horror story. It had a couple of great jump scares and was smartly plotted. Then there was the story about Poppi's candies. It has demons in it and when it comes to horror, that's not really my thing. 

I would love for there to be a sequel to this 2023 anthology from First:Second. I'd also be up for a 1-hour animated special of Eeries Tales from the School of Screams. There was an element of frights on par with that classic series of horror stories from the 1980s, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Amazon has the suggested age range for the book as being for readers aged 8-12. I would slide that scale over a bit to the right and suggest it for youngsters who are a very mature 9 to 13 years of age. 

At over 300 pages, it's one of the bigger reads out there. However, there's not a ton of words. Creator Graham Annable utilizes completely darkened out pages to signal the progression of time. I know from Hitchcock's Psycho, that the greatest horrors occur in the mind of the viewer when events are left unseen. However, from a sustainability factor, those black pages, sometimes 3 to 4 pages in a row, are in my mind wasteful. From the view of my wallet, those extra pages aren't so bad as the book retails for $14.99.

A very good book with original stories ranging in level of scares from 1-9 on a 10 point scale. I hope to read another volume of this. Yet, if the ending is the way things stand with the story of the children of the School of Screams, I am perfectly fine with that decision.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: The Atom, Vol. 2

I decided I didn't want to wait to read the rest of the collected earliest adventures of the world's smallest superhero, the Atom. After I read a Showcase Presents or Marvel Essential collection, I usually wait a while to read the follow up. Mostly, because these books are so hard to find and I enjoy them so much that I don't want to run out of adventures to read. But I had such an enjoyable time with Gardner Fox and Gil Kane's take on the diminutive powerhouse that I just couldn't hold it anymore.

Chronos, Doctor Light and the Floronic Man, Jason Woodrue, all make returns in hopes of enacting revenge on the Atom. There are a good 3 or 4 continuing treks through the Time Pool, sending the hero to solve an assortment of historical mysteries such as the only successful theft of England's crown jewels. Ray Palmer's relationship with Jean Loring advances, though still no wedding bells. Plus unlikely pal, Hawkman with his bride Hawkgirl make a few returns to Atom's burgh of Ivy Town.

This isn't to say that this whole second volume is a rehash of stories seen in the first anthology. Far from it. Justice League of America sidekick Snapper Carr is given a secret assist from the Atom. Then Earth-1 and Earth-2 combine when Ray Palmer meets the original Atom, Al Pratt, in not one but two team-ups between legacy characters. The Atom also adds some new rogue's to his gallery with the introduction of the Bug-eyed Bandit and the Bat-Knights.

The Bat-Knights seems like characters that should be a part of the Batman universe. Only, these fierce warriors are an ancient pint-sized race of people who fly atop bats when they feel endangered by the full-size humans who stumble upon their territorial lands. Two great stories involved these new creatures and their love/ hate relationship with fellow tiny hero, the Atom. 

The Atom also picks up an animal sidekick in the penultimate story. While in Cambodia assisting on an archaeological dig, Ray Palmer encounters an injured mynah bird. Once healed, Ray names him Major and uses the bird for winged treks. Sadly, Major's appearance in issues #37 and #38 would just about be the bird's only additions to the DC Universe.

I don't think sales were to blame for cancellation. Instead, it was ageism. In 1968, the year The Atom was 'cancelled', Fox and several other veterans were fired when DC enacted a policy to not provide insurance coverage for their elderly employees. I think Fox knew that his days were numbered as the tone of several stories in this volume drastically changed. Instead of straight forward storytelling, Gardner Fox began experimenting with quirky introductions, alternative perspectives and points of view and more hip slang that the average 1960s teen might use... badly. More than likely, Fox was doing a little employee improvement practice on DC's dime, as the writer's work temporarily imitates what Marvel was beating DC with at the time. 

After publishing a handful of novels, in the early 1970s, Gardner Fox would go on to work briefly at Marvel, perhaps boosted by his more modern resume. Unfortunately, Fox wouldn't be allowed to say a proper goodbye to his creation of the Atom. Neither would Gil Kane. Instead it would be written by Frank Robbins with starkly different penciling by Mike Sekowsky. Issue #38 would also be the final run of the first volume of The Atom. Sorta.

With issue #39, the series was re-branded The Atom and Hawkman. Hawkman's solo series was officially cancelled and the Thanagarian hero joined forces with the Atom. Hawkman's Joe Kubert led the creative team that replaced Fox and Kane. However, the teaming of feathered friend and tiny titan wasn't to be, as ultimately both heroes were cancelled before the new decade with issue #45. This book does not include those final 7 team-up issues.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Rarities

I'm not really sure what this X-Men collection is titled Rarities, considering that I've read 2 of these 5 included stories before. 

The opening story, taken from an issue of Bizarre Adventures marks Bobby Drake, Iceman's first silo adventure which occurred about 3 full years before his 4-issue miniseries by J.M. DeMatteisx. The middle story, penned by Chris Claremont, originally appeared in the pages of Al Milgrom's Marvel Fanfare. It depicts a tense truce between Storm and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutant's Mystique over the soul of Rogue who at the time of the story has ironically gone rogue. 

Those were the two stories that I had previously read. The new-to-me stories include a peek at what happened after the Giant-Size X-Men rescued the Uncanny X-Men from the menace of Krakoa. An untold tale presented in Classic X-Men, it's a story that covers a period of mutant history that I had never really thought about and yet it's such a brilliant idea! When the introduction of the new X-Men concludes, there's like a dozen people now on the team. What happened that fateful first night together that caused Havoc, Angel and several others to decide to forgo membership as part of Professor X's team? Chris Claremont answers those questions with some stunning artwork by John Bolton.

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are highlighted with a story developed for the pages of Amazing Adults Fantasy #14. 'The Man in the Sky' is a pre-X-Men story, considered by many to be the concept that gave birth to the Children of the Atom. It's a very short story that ends with a typical Ditko finale that is anything but. It makes me wonder if the character of Tad Carter, being Marvel's first official mutant, ever made an appearance in the X-Men universe of comics. (Turns out he has in the pages of X-Men: The Hidden Years.)

The last story, starring Generation X, is in my opinion the only real rarity in the book. An introduction for the all-new team of mutants led by Sean Cassidy, was a Comicon exclusive in 1994. Since this promo comic was only offered to the lucky few who tried to San Diego, I feel like this is a title that can officially be declared a rare find. If you ask me, X-MEN: Rarities should have been comprised of promo stories featuring the legion of mutants that house the Marvel Universe. That would have been more appropriate than putting in several stories that just happened to be published in more lesser known publications.

Finally, I want to comment on the story that starred Mystique. Originally published in 1988, the story offers a revealing glimpse at the character's gender fluidity, since Raven Darkholme is a shape shifter. But even more groundbreaking is what happens after Storm departs the underground club in which Mystique summoned her foe. Right in the middle of the club is Irene Hadler- Destiny! The woman who just recently wed Mystique in the pages of some X-Men book and caused countless fanboys to lose their minds! 'Woke Comics!', they cried. And yet, here's Raven and Destiny as lovers 36 years prior! Seems that these so-called Marvel comics experts know nothing about the history of one of the X-Men's most popular foes!

A fairly decent grab bag of X-Men stories. I think my idea of a collection of promo comics has merit and is more entitled to the title of 'Rarities.' But this is still a good read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Big Book of Weirdos

Technically this book was a re-read. Only I read this book years ago. Long before I started to keep a reading journal. The first time I encountered this book was when I was living in Durham NC, after having just got married. So at most, I read this book for the first time 25 years ago. The Big Book of Weirdos was one of the Durham Public Library Main Branch's few honest-to-God graphic novels placed in the graphic novel section of the library. In those days, if you went looking for graphic novels at the library, you were lucky if you could find something other than Garfield and Bloom County on the shelves.

This book written by Carl Posey examines the lives of famous people we collectively think of as rather strange, like Howard Hughes, depraved, such as Rasputin and Caligula, or rather terrifying, such as Ivan the Terrible. However, the majority of the book is made up of people who had underlying mental illness brought about the abuse of drugs and alcohol or those whose lives spiraled out of control because they lived in an age of primitive mental health practices or were surrounded by 'yes men'. Occasionally, there's a subject or two of which my grandmother would classify as 'just damn mean.'

This is the 6th book from Paradox Press that I now own. I love these treasuries of various subjects that are given the short story sequential art treatment by multiple talents. In this edition, Rick Geary, Batton Lash, Kieron Dwyer and Frank Quietly are among over 5 dozen talented artists who contributed. There's about 8 more books in the series out there that I hope to one day get my hands on.

Though I haven't read them all yet, The Big Book of Weirdos is one of more spicier books. Sex, murder, cheating, corruption are just some of the seven deadly sins being broken in this book. And that's not to mention the 10 Commandments, of which at least 13 are broken by the artists, politicians and socialites whose alternative lifestyles are examined inside.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Stray

There's been more than a fair share of great comic book titles being unceremoniously cancelled, scraped or plain up never getting past the planning stage. This 2001 deluxe format comic by Scott Lobdell and Jimmy Palmiotti might just rank among those titles.

Stray is the story of an aspiring actress whose life turns upside down the day she gets fired from her waitressing gig. We all know that adopting a stray dog on the day you get canned isn't exactly the wisest financial decision to make. But that's exactly what Catherine 'Cat' Denton does. Call her a softie.

Unknown to Cat is at that exact moment an alien life-form named Acturex is hurtling to planet Earth to stop a hidden menace seeking to conquer our planet. Acturex's plain is to merge into the body of Garrick, Cat's downstairs neighbor who's a prime specimen of strength, endurance and good looks. However, a slight miscalculation causes Acturex to merge into the body of the stray living with Cat. And there's no way for the alien to find a new host until his mission is complete.

Using her acting skills and various costume changes, Cat Denton now goes on casting calls by day and secretly saves the Earth from alien invasion at night with the help of Rex, her super-powered and psychically linked pooch!

I couldn't tell you where I got this book. I've had it for awhile. Probably came from a grab bag. Having an adorable animal as a main character, I still didn't take any chances before I read this book. Having been burnt before by the shocking and gruesome death of the dog in issue #1 of The Weather Man, I made sure that no animals were harmed or killed in the completion of this comic. Once I broke one of LaVar Burton's cardinal rules of book consumption from Reading Rainbow, I dug into the book and was pleasantly surprised. 

The art looked a little bit off. I at first thought it was computer generated. Once I realized that Dustin Nguyen was behind the inking of Adam Polina's artwork, I knew that this wasn't funky CGI material; this was year 3000 illustrations! My puny human brain just wasn't able to comprehend the evolution of the artistic talent behind Stray.

I don't think the advanced penciling for this story was what has prevented there from ever being another story about Cat and Rex. Its been 23 years with bupkis. Though Stray was a joint DC/Wild storm production, the book itself was published by Homage Comics. I don't know about you, but I've never heard of this venture before(I think). A quick Google search reveals that they were the driving force behind Astro City and Leave It To Chance before Wildstorm quickly absorbed these Indy classics. 

You go to the Homage Comics page on the DC Wiki and Stray isn't even listed as one of their publications. So I think this book might be all we get. Barring some miracle revival. Until then, if you ever come across this book in a bargain bin at your favorite LCS or a Con, you really should consider picking it up. It's a quirky, quick read that oozes heart and creativity. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superior Iron Man, Vol. 1: Infamous

This is an example of how to not judge a book by its cover. I've been sitting on this book for probably 5 years now. It came in a Comic Book Bento Box as a gift from my bride. (Remember CBBB? They're were a graphic novel grab bag subscription service that was so fun to get in the mail each month. Now defunct. Long may it rest...) I had just finished a volume of Iron Man where Tony's brother Arno Stark was set to take on the mantle of Iron Man, when I received this book. I wasn't all that thrilled with Arno and thinking this book was chronicling his adventures, I waited to read it.

I couldn't have been more wrong in my assessment.

Superior Iron Man, Volume 1 takes place immediately after the events of AXIS. For those of you not familiar with Marvel's 2014's crossover event, AXIS was the Freaky Friday storyline where good guys became villains and villains became heroes due to the meddling of the Red Skull. When everybody went back to their normal selves, something went wrong with Tony Stark, screwing up his moral compass. 

So imagine what the billionaire playboy would have become if he never got injured from a land mine and had his life saved by Professor Yinsen. What we have at the beginning of Superior Iron Man is a hedonistic, unrepentant alcoholic Tony Stark intent on imposing his own personal Utopia upon the world. To change the world in his own image, Tony has set up base in San Francisco. He just released his latest version of Extremis as an app which turns users into Kardashian-like versions of themselves. There's a hitch to this however. Tony offered Extremis 3.0 as a trial. Now reverted back to their imperfect selves, the citizens of San Francisco must pay an exorbitant fee daily to feed their addiction to perfection.

I really loved this book. I devoured it in about an hour. Add Daredevil, She-Hulk, Pepper Potts and an all-new villain to the mix and I was hooked. Amoral Tony Stark. It's a brilliant experiment that left me reeling because I don't have volume 2!

I'm going to rate this book with a perfect score. However there was a continuity error that just stuck in my crawl. Towards the beginning of the book, Stark hosts this big event for Extremis 3.0 on Castro Street. However an issue later, Matt Murdock, fully into his internal dialogue says that the event happened on Canton Street. Just so you know, I researched and there isn't a Canton Street in the City by the Bay.

Castro Street in San Francisco is a historic area known for Harvey Milk and the fight for gay rights. Could writer Tom Taylor have received some flak from fans for setting that scene at such an iconic locale, that Marvel had to retcon things? If so, why didn't they change the name of the scene for this trade? I can see where having Tony Stark offer the people of San Francisco a way to change themselves into what they've always dreamed of being set on Castro Street as being perceived insensitive to the struggle of the LGBT+ community. I'm just flummoxed over the nit and I want to know more about the mistake.

The artwork by Yildiray Cinar and Laura Braga was amazing. One of the best sets of Iron Man armor ever!

Be on the lookout for the Full House Easter egg tribute! So clever!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

What If... Donald Duck Became Wolverine #1

Marvel's What If Donald Duck Became Wolverine checks off several boxes for me. It's a one-shot. It's a Disney Ducks book. It's a What If. It's also a book that I've been looking forward to since seeing it's announcement a couple months back.

Fairly simple premise. The title of the book says it all. Building off of the similar trait of being  complete and destructive hot heads that can heal quickly from any injury, Italian Disney comic writer Luca Barbieri postulates what if the Old Man Logan storyline was set in the Disney animated universe. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this 2024 release. There was only 2 things that I wish was better. First was the names of the characters. They call the star of the book Donald-Wolverine instead of an amalgam of the two names. All of the characters who are Disney/Marvel combines are named this way. I would have liked a little bit of What The?! added to the story by calling the main character 'Donarine' or 'Wolverduck.' I think it would have been a funnier element to the story.

My second qualm was over the artwork. Giada Perissinotto's work wasn't terrible. It was just startling how different the characters looked in this more sleeker style than compared to that classic matte look established by Carl Barks and perfected by Don Rosa. Plus Perissinotto's more polished look just doesn't work with all of the characters. Grandma Duck looks nothing like herself; instead favoring Daisy Duck, if she was dressed up as one of the Golden Girls.

What If Donald Duck Became Wolverine jointly celebrates Donald's 90th birthday as well as Wolverine's 50th anniversary.  I had a lot of fun reading it. I really appreciated the segment that showed Donald-Wolverine over the course of his career in different costumes. Though I think Perissinotto missed a great opportunity to not have included a crucified Donald-Wolverine as an homage to Marc Silvestri and Dan Green's cover to X-Men #251. 

I'm really digging that Marvel is giving the What If treatment to other franchises in Disney's ever growing war chest. I'm holding out hope on a 'What If Star Wars Invaded the Marvel Universe.' (I've got a ton of ideas, so call me Marvel!) But until then, I've got to wait until next month for What If Donald Duck Became the Mighty Thor! It's going be great!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.