Bitsy & Boozle Tell A Story! (Family Comic Friday)

Bitsy is an aspiring storyteller. Her first adventure will star her best friend, the diminutive wizard, Boozle. Enticed with the chance of a story that ends with a 'happily ever after', Boozle agrees to become the protagonist in a quest that will put him against the fierce Gruffin of Clawmax Peak!

I had an absolute blast reading this 2024 book. Boozle is hilarious. He only speaks in symbols. Yet, he completely steals the show with his over-the-top reactions, tiny fast moving feet and expressive pointy little fingers. 

While this story depicts a quest to save a pair of small villages on nearby Story Mountain, from being terrorized by a giant golden winged beast, there's something secret going on: learning! See as storytelling Bitsy details Boozle's epic adventure, she's also teaching the reader about the basics of storytelling!  Add in the hilarious glossary of terms hosted by Bitsy's sisters and a guide to 'Boozle speak' and you've got a graphic novel that entertained and educated me! 

Parents and guardians will love this book for the very purpose that children will learn as they read (and are entertained) this book. There were some surprising twists, amazing supporting characters and brilliant dialogue found inside. Boozle is a wizard and he does cast a few spells. They mostly end up being ways that enable Bitsy to explain plot devices such as a fast forward and a flashback. However, their are some adults who won't want the young readers in their lives to associate with anything magical or fantastical like ogres and goblins. 

The fright factor in this book recommended for readers aged 6-10 is about a 3. For about half of the book, the Gruffin is nothing more than a menacing shadow. However by book's end I can guarantee that the monster will become your child's newest favorite character; after Boozle, of course.

I'm not sure how they would do it. But I would really love for creative duo Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess to craft a sequel. I want more interaction with Boozle. He was such fun and I enjoyed all the chuckles his exploits gave me.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #33

The Howlers find themselves in the balmy Mediterranean. They're assigned to escort a member of the Greek royal family back home in hopes of boosting the war effort against the invading fascist Italian forces.

Issue #33 features a notable guest star: Navy seaman Captain Simon Savage. Although he's still mysteriously referred to just 'The Skipper,' you get the feeling that Marvel has big plans for this character. In just 2 short years, he'll be leading his own squad of grunts. Sure, his spin-off won't last 2 full years. But that's more because of the demise in popularity of war comics and nothing personal against the seasoned helmsman. 

If Savage's solo series is half as exciting as a Howling Commandos issue in which he guest stars, I really wanna get my hands on them on day!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Essential Avengers, Vol. 2

The second volume of Marvel's Essential Avengers sees not just the team but the magazine itself going through a lot of changes. When we begin with issue #25, the team's lineup is seriously under-powered. Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man and the Wasp are gone. Captain America is left to lead mutant siblings, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as well as the hot-headed sharpshooter, Hawkeye. Arguably this is the weakest incarnation of the Avengers ever!

How the comic book managed to avoid cancellation with such a puny roll call is beyond me. Yet, that was part of the genius of Stan Lee. Love him or hate him, the man knew how to sell a comic book and he managed to keep the World's Mightiest Superheroes relevant without any of Marvel's heaviest hitters. By issue #35, Stan would leave the title in the hands of his most trusted protege, Roy Thomas. Along with Don Heck, some of the weirdest tales ever told this side of Marvel's sci-fi and fantasy books would occur in the pages of the Avengers; including the heroes being abducted by aliens in the Bavarian Alps.

Eventually Hank Pym, stuck at the towering height of 25 feet, along with Jan Van Dyne, would return to the team, becoming the de facto leaders in the absence of Cap. A terrifying story of a fascist group of bigots calling themselves the Sons of the Serpent would do their best to infiltrate the ranks of our government as well as the boards of many Fortune 500 companies, declaring America for Americans only, would be an early test of Pym's leadership. Taking place in issues #32-33, you really couldn't tell if this story was set in 1966 or current day 2025. Extremely unsettling how undated that story of political terrorism was.

Heck would eventually leave after issue #49. His replacement was John Buscema. The change in artwork was so striking. Heck was great. Buscema was just a tad bit better. Along with the new artist would soon come a new character to the title, that Prince of Power, the Mighty Hercules. While not an official member of the team, the hero's presence as an exiled guest of the Avengers adds a powerful punch that has been missing since the absence of Thor. 

But don't fret thinking that Thor and Iron Man have completely turned their backs on the Avengers. They'll both make guest starring returns in a pair of stories, one of who's sees the heroes battling against the Mandarin and his team of 5 of the Avenger's most fearsome does.

I have an early print of this volume. The printing was terrible. I don't think any sort of remastering had even been attempted. Multiple panels were in desperate need of ink. Others seemed to have been over-inked. It was rare to find a complete page where there weren't any print flaws.

I had low expectations for this book. While the Sons of the Serpent story was a gut punch of a read, I really enjoyed this seemingly implausible lineup of Marvel heroes. I just wish my print was given the same amount of love and care as the original works were given.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Hot Wheels #5 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1969, Barbie co-creator Elliott Handler introduced the world, especially young boys, to the scale model toy car line known as Hot Wheels. Unlike their established competitor, Matchbox, which focused on the actual vehicle models on modern roadways, the cars from Hot Wheels were souped up, customized versions designed by manufacturers worldwide. The paint schemes were vivid and wild like hot rodders were decorating their cars. The wheels were bigger and sometimes of varying sizes in the front and back. Some Hot Wheels were designed to fit a certain theme such as the bubble top 'Beatnik Bandit' originally designed by Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.

As Hot Wheels quickly dominated Matchbox and other toy producers of similar scale model vehicles, Mattel decided to ride the wave of popularity with an animated TV series. Mattel teamed with Ken Synder Properties and Pantomime Productions to create a 30 minute animated series based on the Hot Wheels property. Airing on ABC for 17 episodes over 2 seasons from 1969-71, the Hot Wheels cartoon featured the voice talents of Casey Kasem, Albert Brooks and Michael Rye.

The series revolved around the members of the youth series Hot Wheels Racing Team. High School student Jack Wheeler would compete in races around the world that were filled with cheating and sabotage. The members of the Hot Wheels team would preach fairness and the importance of vehicle safety while facing off against competitors who would pretty much break the law to win their respective automobile races.

As the animated series debuted, DC Comics simultaneously released a monthly series based on the TV series and toy line. Jack, along with his racing teammates Tank and Mickey would have adventures in a variety of vehicles while under the supervision of Jack's father, a former professional racer who's career ended after a crash left him partially crippled. This issue had 3 stories. In 'The Case of the Curious Classic', Mr. Wheeler purchases a run down vehicle he hopes to restore that is desired for some unknown reason by several criminals. 'The Dangerous Days of Mickey Barnes' reveals how Jack and his best friend Mickey first met as bitter rivals. Lastly is a 2-page prose story that describes a practice session match between the 3 members of Team Hot Wheels. 

The first story along with the cover was penciled and scripted by Alex Toth. Len Wein wrote the second feature. Art was by Ric Estrada and Dick Giordano. Credit for the prose story seems to be a mystery in both the book itself and research through other online resources.

DC's Hot Wheels series only ran for 6 issues. Automobile racing seemed to be a hard seller in an industry that ran on superheroes, the supernatural and stories of war. A complaint waged with the FCC might also have something to do with the quick demise of the book. In 1970, Johnny Lightning manufacturer Topper Toys, among others complained that the Hot Wheels animated series was nothing more than a 30 minute commercial for Mattel's toy line. ABC denied the allegations stating that no toys were ever advertised during the show. The FCC rules that a portion of the cartoon's air time was to be registered as advertising. This ruling would be the first step towards the FCC banning animated TV shows for children being based on toy lines for almost a decade until the decision was reversed by the Reagan administration. 

Other notable figures from comic history to work on the short-lived comic line included Joe Gill, Nick Cardy and Vince Colleta. Neal Adams penciled the cover to the final issue; a holiday themed issue covered by collectors of Christmas comic books such as myself.

Completing this review completes Task #27 (Based on a Toy Line or Video Game) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Miniature Book of Miniature Golf by Mike Vago

I immediately fell in love with this 2009 book! It's an interactive board book where you can play your way through 9 holes of miniature golf! You're given a tiny putter and 2 minute ball bearings that counts as your golf balls.

Author and book designer Mike Vago crafts a back 9 that he claims are based on famous mini golf courses from around the globe. I'm not sure if he's joking or if he's deadly serious about their being world renown miniature golf courses. But I do know that there is a Blackbeard themed putt putt at Myrtle Beach! Vago refers to it and there is a 'pirate cove' hole in the book. While I've never been to that course, I've driven by it several times. I'm pretty sure that hole #7 is based on a reality... I think.

There's a pretty novel concept running throughout this book. Each time you sink a putt, the ball emerges on the next page. The innovation prevents having to dig the tiny ball bearings out of the hole. It also helps to lessen the chances of losing the ball. The problem with this however is that sometimes the ball is placed really close to the spine of the book. It makes putting really difficult. I recommend playing through the book on a large flat surface like a table and be willing to adjust the position of the ball in order to have a clearer opening swing.

Even though I have smaller fingers, it was still an issue trying to properly grip the putter with only 2 digits. A small tutorial, just a couple of drawings in a diagram, would have been greatly appreciated for optimal play. I still loved getting this book and delighted even more that I got it off a free shelf. My used book came with only 1 ball bearing. With the very loose storage compartment in the book, I was lucky both weren't missing. Thankfully, you can buy more of these at a hardware store. BB pellets should work just as well. Just be careful to not lose the putter. I don't know where you can purchase replacements for those.

Worth Consuming!

Rating:8 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents #47 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

This issue marks the first ever appearance of He-Man and many of his cohorts from Masters of the Universe in comics. According to Bob Rozakis in his opening column in the letters section 'Pair Mail', Mattel approached DC with the idea of adapting their forthcoming Masters of the Universe toy-line in comic book form. 

Toying around with the concepts provided by Mark Ellis from Mattel, project editor Dave Manak and Paul Kupperberg got the idea to have He-Man's world of Eternia merge with the DC Universe. Since this would be a first ever introduction of the characters to readers, DC felt having Superman meeting the Masters of the Universe would alleviate some of the unfamiliarity felt by the youngest of readers.

The story begins with Eternia's crown Prince, Adam going about his normal day of first learning combat skills from the palace's head of security Man-At-Arms then wasting his time in a tavern where a drunkard challengers the royal to a fight. Prince Adam is about to get his brains bashed when he's rescued by the palace guard. Only it turns out that this aloofness is all a ruse because in reality, Adam can change into the realm's mightiest human, the all-powerful He-Man.

Meanwhile He-Man's archenemy, the evil Skeletor is attempting once again to breach the ramparts of the mysterious Castle Greyskull. Feedback from a spell causes a breach in the universe, sending the Man of Steel to Eternia. Skeletor immediately casts his magic upon Superman, who has no immunity to the dark arts, turning the Last Son of Krypton into Skeletor's slave and latest weapon in his never-ending battle against He-Man!

A few months after He-Man's debut, a 16-page insert appeared in many of DC's flagship titles. A 3-issue miniseries came about next, dated November, 1982-February 1983. However, Mattel wasn't very happy where DC's direction was going with the franchise and severed ties after issue #3. He-Man wouldn't return to monthly comics until 1986, teaming with Marvel's Star Comics imprint for a 13 issue series (and adaptation of the disastrous 1987 live-action flick starring Dolph Lundgren, that ended when the House of Ideas shuttered the all-ages line of books in 1988. As the title faded, He-Man and company would lie dormant in comics until renewed nostalgic interest in the title would spawn short-lived franchise agreements with Image Comics, Dark Horse, and CrossGen Comics in the early 2000s. Masters of the Universe would return to DC from 2013-2020. Several minis were produced, including a 6-issue crossover between the characters of DC's Injustice video game and the heroes of Eternia. Dark Horse Comics currently owns the franchise, where they've published a couple of miniseries based on the animated Netflix reboot helmed by Kevin Smith. 

For this issue, Paul Kupperberg wrote the script with pencils by Curt Swan. A backup feature starring the Golden Age Sandman and his sidekick Sandy was crafted by Mike W. Barr and Jose Delbo. 

Completing this review completes Task #3 (Comic from the Bronze Age (1971-1985) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #32

One of my favorite issues of the series thus far. Yes, the Howlers fight Nazis, while strapped to some skis in the Bavarian Alps. But what takes this story to 11 is the main story which sees a Nazi spy infiltrating the Allies' British base and posing as a doctor. This physician hypnotizes the group's lone Jewish commando, Izzy Cohen, turning him into a traitor against the rest of the Howlers.

The irony of a Jew becoming an unwitting weapon of evil of the Nazis isn't lost on me. It's a thrilling story that speaks of the atrocities of the Holocaust without actually mentioning the horrors by name. It was Stan's brilliant way of making readers think without being preached at and dutiful discipline Roy Thomas put this Marvel Way of story writing to masterful use here! But I just got to ask: were Allied military bases just crawling with Nazi saboteurs?

Two issues in a row see Hitler's goons covertly operating within a stone's throw of London. We're 32 issues into the series and I think we've had a least a dozen spies and traitors in our midst. As much as I have praised the stories of this series being original; I mean we had hypnotism and G.I.s on skis in this issue alone. But was it really this bad during World War II to basically have half of all the occupants of your typical European theater military instillation be spies?! 

According to MI5's (British Intelligence Agency) website, 115 Nazi spies were apprehended in The UK alone. Apparently, all of them operated out of the same base as Fury's Able Company...

No wonder it took us over 4 years to win the war against the Germans!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Young Katherine Johnson (Family Comic Friday)

This is the second of humorous volumes on the lives of notable figures from history during their youth I've recently read by the French cartoonist Augel. This selection was chosen for Black History Month as it features noted math genius Katherine Johnson. Her work as a 'human calculator ' for NASA helped the space program win the race to the moon with the Apollo 11 landing in 1969. She was even personally requested by John Glenn to confirm his contradictory calculations during his historic Friendship 7 orbital mission in 1962.

Just like with the Agatha Christie volume, there's interactive activities for readers. Instead of solving mysteries, your tasked with solving mathematical word problems. Math not being my strong suit, I prefer solving a crime over doing algebra any day. Though I will begrudgingly admit that if I had paid a tiny bit more attention, I would have correctly solved more of those problems than I did. Though let's be honest, Augel cheated a little in that problem involving the blocks!

You explore both humorous as well as thoughtful situations in this look at Katherine Johnson. You'll experience her life as a young black girl in the segregated mountains of West Virginia as well as the stigma of being a female who's life interest were in the male dominated fields of science and math. Katherine also explored the limits of her imagination with her beloved pet chicken Luncinda, and her celestial friend, the Moon. 

Young Katherine Johnson was an adorable book. Another success by Augel. Teachers will love this book as the last 10 or so pages are a lesson guide for Black History Month, science and math and astronomy and physics. Parents and guardians will love how the young readers in their lives will learn and be entertained through reading. And maybe they'll want to do some of the extra activities and science experiments in the back of this graphic novel! There's potential for fun for the whole class AND family!

Worth Consuming!

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #92

The plans for the Allied invasion of Europe have been finalized. The Howler's C.O., 'Happy' Sam Sawyer, has been kidnapped thanks to a Nazi spy on the base. It's up to Fury and his men to rescue Captain Sawyer before a squadron of allied bombers destroy the instillation in France where the officer is being interrogated. 

It's a thrilling race against time because success of the war effort takes priority over the life of just one man. Even if it's a man as highly regarded as Captain Sam Sawyer.

I knew that Fury and most of the Howlers would survive. Unless Nick, Dum Dum and Gabe are all secretly LMDs in the pages of Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD. However, as other members of the team, as well as other operatives and Allied soldiers have lost their lives in the 30 previous issues, I wasn't sure if Sawyer was going to make it. It gets really hairy there and the tension was so palpable that the last 4 pages felt like I was watching a suspenseful action thriller instead of reading a comic book. Great story telling by Roy Thomas!

Reprinting the main story from Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #31.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Portable Obituary: How the Famous, Rich, and Powerful Really Died by Michael Fargo

Writer Michael Largo crafts an over 300 page obituary column paying tribute to some of the most famous and infamous people to ever have lived. There's also quite a few people that have become forgotten over time, slipping through the cracks of pop culture and world history. 

I thought that Largo's writing style was clear and concise. I learned a lot of interesting things from those lesser known celebrities to how medical terms involving the cause of death have changed over the years. I thought it was ironic how over 100 years ago, wealthy people were said to have died of exhaustion while the poor were categorized as dying of laziness; when in reality it was their living conditions and manner of life style, through excess or severe want that were the true culprits.

I thought that there were several notable figures absent from this book. Largo covers how a number of presidents die. However, there's no mention of JFK. Bobby Kennedy, Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., are also omitted from this work. Michael Largo has another book called Final Exits, about the various ways people have died. I want to read that book. Perhaps he focuses on assassinations in that book and thus didn't want to repeat himself... 

Some of the facts the writer presents seemed contradictory to other books and documentaries I've seen over the years. Some of it could just be me remembering details differently. Though I must ask why Largo neglected to mention the resurrection of Jesus Christ in his listing on the founder of Christianity? Whether the author believed in Jesus as Savior or not, to not mention that many believe Christ rose from the dead was a serious oversight. Michael Largo wrote in other obituaries that further similar important religious figures are believed to have returned to life. Or never passed at all. Why not with a historical figure whose proclaimed resurrection is the founding tenet of one of the most important religions in human history?

The inside cover states that this book covers over 1,000 famous deaths. However, that's a deceptive blurb. I would say that Michael Largo covers probably 300 deaths in great detail and another 100 in 1-2 sentence factoids. The remaining majority are regulated to an index which tells of famous people such as Buddy Hackett and Wyatt Earp, with only a birth date, date of death, age at the time of death and cause. Imagine that, your whole life summed up in 3 short lines- just like a standard obituary.. 

Lastly, this book claims that Michael Largo has a humorous slant on the deaths of these notable figures. I understand that when dealing with such a morose subject, a hearty sense of humor is vital to prevent yourself from falling into a depression. However, I didn't really think the writer was all that funny. Informative? Absolutely! I devoured this book. It was an entertaining read. However, I felt like the attempts at humor were mostly bad puns and the equivalent of undertaker Dad jokes.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #132

Reprinting issue #30.

It's a change of scenery for Nick Fury and the Howlers. Instead of going behind the lines of Nazi Germany, the Howling Commandos are sent to fascist Italy; where they're immediately captured and sent to a POW camp.

Fury's men are immediately hated by the Canadian Air Force captain whose become the de facto leader of the prisoners in the camp. Capt. Andre has been able to forge an uneasy truce with his captors and any slight disruption to the apple cart could cause ripples to that relative calm. As rowdy as Fury and the Howlers get, it turns out that the Sarge's bad boy behavior in captivity is a ruse so that he can meet with the camp's commanding officer who is secretly a member of the Italian resistance against Mussolini. 

Now the mission completely changes. The Howlers are tasked with playing Hogan's Heroes by faking an escape, disguised as Italian soldiers in order to steal a massive shipment of gold in hopes of crippling Benito's war machine.

There's one thing to say about this series: no matter how far fetched and insane the Howler's missions are, they never get old. Like switching over from Germany to Italy. Or staging a robbery of Fascist gold. This story originally came out in 1966, 4 years before that amazing war-comedy starring Clint Eastwood, Kelly's Heroes, did. Since I've now encountered 2 different stories involving American troops stealing enemy gold, I'm wondering if that was something that actually happened during World War II... If so, I'd like to read a book about such heists.

Very interesting and exciting read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

RoboCop: The Official Adaptation (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

There's an infamous scene in 1987's RoboCop in which a thug with a gun holds a woman hostage. The cyborg officer orders the man to drop his weapon. But when the criminal refuses, Robocop shoots him in a very delicate area of the male anatomy.

That scene is recreated here in this comic book adaptation of the blockbuster futuristic sci-fi starring Peter Weller as the title character. However, this being a Marvel Comic, the events were changed slightly with the gunman being shot in the shoulder from RoboCop's computer accurate targeting system.

Bob Harras wrote the script based on the screenplay by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. Alan Kupperberg and Javier Saltares penciled. It tells of a dystopian Detroit in which crime is so bad, it's police forcehad to be privatized by the mega-corporation Omni Consumer Products. Recently, a crime wave resulting in the deaths of nearly 30 Detroit cops has lowered morale to the point that the officers are ready to go on strike. That's just what corrupt executive Dick Jones is hoping for. Without humans to police the city, he can patrol Detroit with his robotic drones, the double-barreled ED-209. If the program is a success, Dick will certainly become the new head of OCP, allowing him to put a massive real estate plan into action. However, when the tank like robot malfunctions, killing a junior OCP exec, the project is shelved to make way for the RoboCop project.

After the death of Detroit's newest boy in blue, the idealistic Murphy, OCP rushes to harvest his body in order to create their first prototype. Supposedly wiped of the memory of his previous life, RoboCop becomes a one-man army against crime. While on a patrol, RoboCop comes face-to-face with one of his murderers, bringing back memories of his life as Murphy and setting the robotic law enforcer on a course of revenge against the gang of men who killed him. 

Marvel Comics hadn't been a stranger to issuing adaptations of R-rated films. However, when originally cut by director Paul Verhoven, the 109 minute long feature was rated-X for gory violence. Scenes of one character turning into a mutated blob thanks to a run-in with RoboCop and a tank of toxic ooze were considered off-the-table for censors. But the director stood firm in his original version of the movie, that is until his kids watched it. 

Verhoven had intentionally tried to make the scenes of gore as well as Murphy's torturous murder, a bit on the farcical side in order to undercut the level of violence. But the director might have gone a little too overboard in his level of surrealism, as his children reportedly laughed their heads off watching the heroes tragic death. Another round of edits and the film garnered not only an R-rating, but also elicited a feeling of unease among the audience of the new cut.

In 1990, Marvel would produce a monthly series continuing the adventures of Murphy and Lewis. The ominous OCP would be portrayed as more considerate of the public good while continuing with their gentrification project, Delta City. This series ran for 23 issues. Marvel would also release a 3-issue miniseries adaptation of the inevitable sequel before losing the franchise license to Dark Horse sometime in early 1992. 

After Dark Horse, RoboCop sat dormant as a comic book character until publisher Avatar Press gained the rights in 2006. Frank Miller, who worked the screenplay for RoboCop 2 and 3 wrote the new series which was based on Miller's rejected storyline for the sequel as well as unused concepts developed for the threequel. As of 2018, Boom! Studios was the last comic book publisher of the franchise, releasing the 5 issue miniseries RoboCop: Citizens Arrest. Nothing new starring Future of Law Enforcement has been released in this current decade.

This book is a colorized reprint of the official 1987 adaptation which was presented in magazine form.

Completing this review completes Task #11 (Pick a Long Box and Read the 6th Book in the Box) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #29

Fury and Baron Von Strucker battle with the fate of of a tiny French village literally in their hands. The Sgt. has the detonator in his mitts while his Nazi foe has the overriding kill switch within his grasp. 

Roy Thomas takes over the writing responsibilities from Stan Lee in this issue and the toe-headed wunderkind does a heck of a job. Artist Dick Ayers does one fine job as well and that thrilling cover by him- Amazing! Why isn't it considered one of the best of the Marvel Age of Comics?!

I had mentioned in my review of the last issue that I was surprised how wavering the Baron was feeling towards the final solution of Hitler. This issue, which may or may not, be the future leader of Hydra's last appearance in the World War II adventures of Nick Fury. If it is, then I have a sufficient explanation as to how Von Strucker becomes such a heartless would-be world leader of the Marvel Universe's most evil organizations!

An underrated classic!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #28

This issue is Stan Lee's swan song as head writer. To close things out, Lee pits Fury against his arch enemy, Baron Von Strucker!

I guess you could argue that Nick Fury's main foe is Adolph Hitler. But Fury does end up taking on Von Strucker as the head of Hydra later on in the 60s. So maybe I should refer to the Baron as Fury's most enduring enemy???

The Fuhrer himself guests in this issue, personally ordering Von Strucker to end the resistance forces in a town in France. The Howler's mission for this issue is to rescue the leaders of the French underground. However, when Fury discovers that the Nazis have rigged the entire town to explode, the Commandos must alter their plans to liberate the entire village!

A good issue that does something very implausible. It shows Von Strucker as not being 100% on board with Hitler's plans of total world dominance. It's that hint of a conscience that seems very out of character for the ruthless ruler of Hydra. Something must have happened between this issue and the swinging 60s to turn the Baron into a heartless terrorist leader.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Alligators in the Sewer and 222 Other Urban Legends: Absolutely True Stories that Happened to a Friend...of a Friend...of a Friend by Thomas J. Craughwell

I've been interested in Urban Legends ever since I read this 3-volume set my mom had back in the 90s. It was written by some noted folklorist and while I read them in high school, I think the books had been published years, if not decades prior.

I'm not 100% certain when or where I got this book either. It was at a used bookstore somewhere in North Carolina. I've got 2 prime suspects. Both on either side of Durham County. Regardless, I don't think I paid more than a dollar for this book.

You don't get to the title alligators in the sewer or many of the most well known urban legends until the last chapter of this book. For someone who was hoping to come across some new myths, that's a very good thing. But if all you wanted were those all-time classics, like the Mexican Chihuahua or the vanishing hitchhiker, you'll either want to stick to just the final chapter or find another book of urban legends to peruse. 

Personally, I was hoping for more inside stuff. I was wanting to know some potential root causes for why these urban legends came about. There are a couple of times that author Thomas J. Craughwell digs a tad under the surface. But out of 223 urban legends, he probably only goes in depth on about 2 dozen of them.

I watch a lot of Travel Channel's Mysteries of the Museum. Oddly enough, several of the urban legends in this book, I've seen presented as fact on the Don Wildman hosted series. So am I to believe that all these museums across the world are presenting urban legends as historical fact or is there a little bit of truth to these urban legends?

I also felt that Craughwell's definition of an urban legend didn't fit with one chapter of this book. The 7th chapter deals with UFOs and aliens. Now, I'm not saying that they are real. However, I've read my fair share of accounts of unexplained phenomenon and books on conspiracy theory to know that many  if not all of the accounts in the UFO chapter are documented facts. With urban legend being about stories that happened to 'a friend of a friend of a friend', if it's been documented by the US Air Force, you can't consider it an urban legend, no matter how outlandish.

There were quite a few personal favs that were not included in this book. For instance, there's a tale of a naked lady who all she could find to wear was a football helmet. When some repair man approaches her he exclaims 'I'm not sure which team you're playing for, but I sure hope they win.' Maybe that is something that started out as a joke and became an urban legend. I just don't know. But that's the kind of information I was hoping this book would have about these types of stories. Maybe the next book on urban legends I get my hands on will provide such knowledge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.