Simpsons Comics Get Some Fancy Book Learnin'

I was a little skeptical about whether I would like this collection of Simpsons comics or not. I'm not really a fan of the episodes that take place during a different era. But I want to own all the Simpsons Comics there are, regardless of the book being a floppie or a trade. So I gave it a shot. Thankfully, these issues were more like a Treehouse of Horror, spoofing individual works of literature than that god awful episode from 2017 that took place entirely during medieval times. 

There's 5 issues that comprise this volume. Each focuses on a single subject. Hence why I was a little hesitant that I was going to like this one. Greek Myth, Fairy Tales and stories from The Bible are among the classics spoofed. Ian Boothby wrote every issue with artwork and colors being provided by a number of talents. Boothby did a fine job making cramming in numerous references and quick jokes like a standard episode of The Simpsons. And he managed to do it without getting too irritatingly repetitive. Every once in a while a joke from earlier in the issue would reappear. But Boothby used considerable restraint not going overboard with those gags. Too bad current Simpsons writers can't learn from this!

Surprisingly, the issue that I thought was the best was the one which dives into God's holy word. I was a bit on edge thinking it would be blasphemous. But Boothby did something brilliant that lessened some of the irreverence. He had Bart tell the stories! With the Sunday School teacher out sick, Bart retells the story of Noah's ark, Abraham and Isaac and The Prodigal Son to Rod and Todd with hilarious results. Bart getting details wrong isn't so much a criticism of the Bible; it's what kids actually do! It's why I love Little Lulu and Foxtrot so much. It reminds me of the mixed-up adolescents I teach on a daily basis. 

I really was pleasantly surprised by this one. There were several laughs to be had. Some great gags and a few biting commentaries. In a word, it was CLASSIC Simpsons humor and it was very much appreciated in a day where there's getting to be less and less to laugh about.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Frankenstein #1

This 1963 comic is a grail that I have been searching for for a very long time. It's something that I've wanted so much that apparently the price I paid surprised the heck out of my wife. I only paid $20 for it. Sure, the cover has been tattooed by some kid named 'Fred'. But it was in decent shape with vibrant colors and beautiful artwork by Tony Tallarico. Inked by Bill Fracchio. Still, being a notorious bargain hunter, giving up a portrait of Andrew Jackson was a surprise to my wife.

This issue is officially licensed by Universal Studios and it offers a quasi-faithful retelling of the 1931 classic starring Colin Clive and Boris Karloff. The first half of the book follows Dr. Frankenstein attempting to recreate life in his castle laboratory. He succeeds but the experiment is flawed because the scientist's assistant accidentally destroyed the normal brain that was to go inside the monster's cranium and instead replaced it with a criminal mind. 

Frankenstein attempts to control the beast. But when townsfolk end up dead, those who survive storm the castle. Armed with pitchforks and torches, the citizenry destroy the castle, seemingly condemning the scientist, his assistant and his creation to their dooms within the fiery confines of Castle Frankenstein. 

It's at this point that the book takes a huge shift away from the movie and goes to a place never explored by Frankenstein and his creation: New York! There had been several sequels made by Universal Studios that continued the story of Frankenstein. The monster would get a bride, fight the Wolfman and even meet comedians Abbott and Costello. But none of those adventures ever occurred in the Big Apple. So why the sudden change to the legend? For that answer, you have to blame the Comics Code.

Even in the early 1960s, horror comics were still a bit of a cultural taboo. Zombies, vampires and werewolves were forbidden by the CCA. Dell Comics had survived being bound by the code, even producing an impressive catalog of works without the Comic Code stamp by following a strict self-imposed code of quality and conduct. However, the Universal monster movies of the 1930s were seeing an impressive comeback on the TV airwaves as certain copyrights had expired, introducing the likes of Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., and Karloff to a new generation of monster fans. 

Wanting to capitalize on the sudden monster mania, Dell licensed several characters from the Universal vault. This would allow for a one-shot comic book adaptation of the original films to be produced without outcry about violating the Code, as the movies were by-and-large based on works of gothic literature and European folk lore. But how could Dell continue to tell the stories of the Universal monsters as the many, many sequels were nearly 100% Hollywood fabrication? 

The answer was to turn the monsters into superheroes. In order to do this, Dell needed to set up each character to be able to start off their crime busting careers. For Frankenstein's monster, that meant having Dr. Frankenstein and his creation surviving the destruction of his lab by escaping through an underground tunnel and fleeing to America. While in the States, Dr. Frankenstein seeks to introduce his experiment to the world at a medical convention. In typical fashion, the monster goes berserk, wreaks havoc and seemingly perishes deep in the middle of Hudson Bay.

Everything seems set up for a successful new Frankenstein series. The first issue was in such high demand, a second print was issued in 1964. Only the second issue didn't see print for 3 years after the premiere! With Dell still owning the Universal license, Frankenstein and his cohorts become superheroes, with much of what happened at the end of the first issue retconned away. Instead of being set in the Big Apple, the Monster lives in the fictional burgh of Metropole City. No longer trapped under water, the monster is instead revived by a convenient thunder bolt proving that lightning does indeed strike the same place twice.

I didn't really mind the changes to the story. Artistic license has been a part of comic book adaptations of TV and movies since it's inception. I just thought it was really odd that we go from 1880s Central Europe to more modern 1930s when Dr. Frankenstein flees to America. I know that parts of Europe are known as the Old Country. But I thought only Dr. Frank N. Furter encountered time warps...

Love this book. So glad to own it. Despite the poor reception, I really want issues #2-4 of the super-powered Frank; as well as his vampire and werewolf compatriots. They're oddities. They're kitschy. And they're still on my wish list! But so are the other more traditional Universal Studios publications, including the Mummy, who for some reason never received the heroic treatment.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Chef Yasmina and the Potato Panic (Family Comic Friday)

Today's Family Comic Friday offering has just enough fear factor to be a perfect amuse bouch for the upcoming Halloween season. 

Aspiring chef Yasmina is on a budget. She's been utilizing fruits and veggies from her nearby community garden. But when a conglomerate buys the land and tears down the garden in lieu of an experimental crop, the young lady will have to make ends meet. And that means making secret raids on the rooftop garden of her overhead neighbor. 

Within weeks, a new product from the mega corp that bought up Yasmina's garden hits store shelves. It's an immediate success. In fact, you could call its fans rabid. That's because for some reason, anyone that eats the GMO potatoes in the new food stuff starts acting like rabid dogs; to the point of even chasing the neighborhood mail carrier. At first, Yasmina avoids the fervor, preparing healthy meals with the assistance of a pair of gardening fanatics. But when her father eats the mysterious potato product, she'll need all the help she can get to save the day. Even help from the neighbor that she pilfers produce from.

I thought Wauter Mannert's 2019 debut four-colored graphic novel was a great read. It was like a cross between Top Chef and The Walking Dead. Only there's no real zombies and there isn't any eating of brains! There was some oddball humor and some really unusual characters, which I chalk up to the creator being Belgian. Though I don't approve of anyone stealing items from another's property. I understand that Yasmina's theft helps bring the story to a successful conclusion to the story. But being the victim of multiple thefts in my time, I take umbrage with the hero making liberal use of the five-finger discount. And I am sure parents and guardians will feel the same as I do.

Despite my disappointment with that character flaw in our hero, I liked Yasmina and I hope that she might have some more unusual adventures with food. She does some amazing things with food. Her father has a culinary background as well, working at a Belgian fries restaurant. I think there was a missing opportunity by not having a couple of recipes included in the book. Though I greatly appreciated Mannert's one-page comic about the lives of children in Belgium and his director's cut commentary offers some amazing insight into the artist's creative process and inspirations for the story.

Genetically Modified Organisms have been in the news and cause for culinary debate for a good couple of decades now. As a culinary teacher and chef, I can tell you that not every scientific advancement in our food supply is as terrifying and reckless as the potatoes in this book. There have been some creations that straddle ethical practice. But there's also been some that have positively influenced our growing world. GMOs is one subject that my state wants different educational departments to cross teach and this is an excellent book that can get the discussion rolling with the young readers in your life while also entertaining. Plus, it was a great pick to whet my appetite for October fun which I just can't wait to get here!

Recommended for readers aged 8-12.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Unofficial Archie Hostess Snack Ads Collection

We all know that during the 1970s and 80s, the heroes of DC Comics and Marvel fought crime with the assistance of Hostess Twinkies, cupcakes and fruit pies. But did you know that the teens from Riverdale used snack treats to improve their love lives?

Archie and his pals, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Josie and the Pussycats all manipulated the objects of their desire to fall head over the heels for them thanks to creamy vanilla frosting and delicious fruit filling. The most frequent purveyor of the delights was Josie, trying to either win over the muscular blonde roadie, Alan B. or attempting to outmaneuver her ditzy drummer who won all the hunks, Melodie. Sabrina mostly used her powers for good, conjuring tiny cakes for hungry kiddies she was babysitting. Meanwhile, Archie scored with both Betty and Veronica, thanks to Hostess, while Jughead was actually pretty chill, using an amazing withstand to not eat all the treats being advertised.

This unofficial collection was published by Trident Studios. They keep surprising me with these mini comics that pay homage to the advertisements disguised as comic books from my childhood. Included in this collection are several comic ad one-pagers that used Archie characters as four-colored pitchmen. Archie, Jughead and Betty went on a trio of three-part adventures in search of Capri Sun. Fruit snacks, make-at-home slush packs and even a universal video game controller were hawked by members of the Archies. 

I can't believe that I paid money for a bunch of old ads. I also cannot believe how much I enjoyed this trip through my childhood. The scans were vibrant and clear as crystal and the font size was big enough to enjoy without severe eye strain. I hope Trident has some more offerings up their sleeves. Though I can't imagine what else from the realm of commercial comic books is out there in need of collection and publication. I guess only time will tell.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Complete Crimebuster: Volume 3 (Gwandanaland Comics #1430)

About 4 years ago, Gwandanaland Comics was having a fire sale. Several titles had either not sold very well or were returned for various reasons. So I got a very good deal on this book along with several others. In my usual fashion, it took me forever to finally decide that I was ready to give it a read.

Crimebuster was a major character in independent publisher Lev Gleason's arsenal. Featured in Boy Comics, the character appear in over 100 issues. And since most issues contained 2 Crimebuster features, this term hero had around 200 adventures. 

A lad whose parents were killed during World War II, Chuck Chandler drops out of boarding school and devotes his life to battling crime in all its ugly forms. Wearing his hockey uniform and a blue cape, Crimebuster was one of the few Golden Age heroes to not have a secret identity. In fact, in one issue, he attends his high school reunion while in costume amongst his old school chums. How's that for being the alum who was the most likely to succeed?!

Battling murderous con men, deadly bank robbers and vengeful land owners, Crimebuster was assisted by his trusty monkey sidekick Squeeks and District Attorney Loover, who is constantly shown-up by the sleuthing hero who's instincts rival those of Sherlock Holmes and Hercules Poirot. 

Being a Lev Gleason publication, there were 2 potential editors of these stories; both of whom had dubious reputations in the comic book industry. Boy Comics happened to be the work of Charles Biro, an undisputed creative genius, who might have been one of the faces on the Mount Rushmore had he not succumbed to his biggest vices: booze and gambling. Biro was an oddity in comics during the 1940s and 50s. He willingly and proudly put his name on the covers he illustrated as well as stories he scripted. 

The stories were a combination of swashbuckling action, light-hearted fun and salacious crime. Biro's melodramatic introductions bordered on the rambling verbose. The series could almost be considered a crime anthology as it wasn't unexpected for readers to not encounter Crimebuster until the last act, way after the dirty deeds had been committed and the criminals turned into fugitives. But no matter what, each adventure ends with Crimebuster bringing the villains to justice, whether through active or passive means.

If the protagonist looks oddly familiar, then you must be a fan of Rage Against the Machine. Crimebuster just happens to be the cape wearing character on the cover of the band's 1996 album, Evil Empire. The hero's altered look was taken from an original painting by Mel Ramos who made the work as a birthday present for a friend who happened to be a huge fan of Crimebuster. 

Speaking of covers, there's something rather odd about every single one of them. Instead of being posed in a dynamic heroic manner facing the reader, Biro would frame his hero from the behind. Whether it's riding atop a speeding sedan driven by mobsters, pursuing an off-stage murder during a Broadway production or comforting a girl when it's discovered that her father is a serial killer, Crimebuster just doesn't face forward! I'm sure there's something psychological and subliminal about this. Unfortunately, I don't have the medical background to diagnose these very un-comic book-like covers.

Despite not being a typical comic book, I liked what I read. And what could I expect? Lev Gleason's books were notorious for going against the grain. And that defiance made for good reading. Will I keep this book? No. But I will definitely be on the lookout for other volumes in this series. There was at least two volumes published prior and I'm pretty certain that Gwandanaland published at least a couple more volumes of later adventures of Crimebuster.

A must read for fans of pre-code crime comics! A whole lot cheaper too. I suspect that the reason I got such a good deal on this book was that it got returned because one of the issues is unreadable. The scan is so blurry. I couldn't even read it with my reading glasses without getting a headache. And yes, I am counting myself has having read the whole book even though I had to give up on that poorly copied issue containing TWO Crimebuster tales. It's presence was included in order to maintain a complete run of stories. Hopefully, other volumes don't suffer from such additions. I don't think my eyes could take it. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones

While this is a general account of the origin of the comic book, the crux of the narrative involves Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. These 2 Cleveland kids became friends, dreamed of creating a character worthy of a newspaper strip and ended up creating the archetype of the superhero which would dominate comics for over 85 years and counting. Boy, did the creators of Superman get screwed. But so did a whole lot of comic book creators, writers and artists during the infancy of comic books. Superman's creators, especially Jerry Siegel just happened to be the most vocal about it and essentially both men were blackballed for it.

I didn't realize how much influence that organized crime had in the early days of comics. Not just the Italians; but the Jewish mob as well. Harry Donenfeld, the founder of the publisher that would become DC Comics, rubbed elbows with the likes of Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello. With their money funneling through Donenfeld's publishing and printing companies, any sort of shaking of the apple cart meant unwanted scrutiny. So anytime someone complained about low page rates or contacts not being honored, scummy accountants like Jack Liebowitz would show doctored ledgers indicating huge losses while bemoaning a lack of financial security. Then someone like the creators of Superman would be tossed a couple hundred bucks and hopefully walk away quietly while the editors and publishers lived like kings.

But it wasn't just the executives taking advantage of their creators. This book will make you despise Bob Kane, if you didn't already. Kane would literally steal the credit from his ghost writers and artists while basking in the limelight of being Batman's dad. Poor Bill Finger would die a drunken pauper, having really done all the work to make the Dark Knight one of the most popular superheroes of all-time and getting zero credit until decades later after his death.

You get a renewed respect for Will Eisner with this book. William Gaines too. I didn't know that his father hated him so. And poor Bill Gaines. He just wanted to be a school teacher and ends up having to become the editor of E.C. Comics after his father's suspicious drowning death, in order to keep his family afloat financially. I also feel really bad for Gaines for flaking out during the Senate hearings on comic book violence led by Senator Estes Kefauver. Image how things could have gone differently had Gaines swallowed his pride and not insisted on testifying to disastrous results. We wouldn't have had MAD Magazine, that's for sure. 

2005's Men of Tomorrow was written by comic book writer turned noted comic book historian Gerard Jones. It's an interesting story that examines the ins and outs of the early comic book industry as well as the personal lives of Siegel and Shuster. Neither were very pretty. It's a good read that teaches a lot I didn't know. But it could have been about 30 pages shorter if Jones didn't keep reminding us about what had happened prior. Though, maybe the author was trying to capture the way comics would keep readers up-to-date on the accounts of the previous issue before diving into the latest chapter.

Plus with this being a scholarly work, there's about 30 pages of notes that you can skip as well. That is unless you enjoy reading citations and sources of which I gave up interest in pursuing years after I graduated as a History major at NC State.

A must for those remaining collectors who are devoted to the entire field of comic books across the ages. And if you love the pulps or thinking about becoming a collector of those aging precursors to comics (and I don't mean that because of the source material which is considered taboo and very un-PC), the first four chapters are the introduction you've been looking for.

Also, the cover is a collage of comic book panels crafted together by famed book cover artist Chip Kidd. I'd really like to know what book he used for the top panel. Was it from a religious comic about the Rapture? I'm very interested in knowing the story behind that panel.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Gunmaster (Gwandanaland Comics #684)

This collection of Charlton Comics Westerns comes from Gwandanaland Comics. It collects the 10 issues of the solo titled Gunmaster series. Published in stunning full color, there's also another collection of the character's adventures from the pages of the anthology series Six-Gun Heroes. I don't have that book, which is perfectly fine. Almost every story in this book is a standalone tale that doesn't require any prior knowledge about Gunmaster or his teen sidekick Bullet Boy. The only thing that seems to be missing here is any sort of an origin story about the main character and/or how he met Bullet Boy. But for all I know, there might not even be a origin story. Though that does seem unlikely.

Our hero is a talented gun smith, Clay Boone He's a man that abhors violence. To many, he's a yellow bellied coward. But secretly, he's a vigilante masked man who uses a stunning array of handmade weapons and gadgets to bring in outlaws with no fear of the men who wear the badge. 

Gunmaster's sidekick has got to have the most transparent secret identity in all of comicdom. If you thought Clark Kent just wearing glasses was see through, you haven't read anything yet. Bullet Boy's real name is Bob Tellub. That's Bullet Bob backwards! The kid is basically 1 letter away from a super villain with a mirror figuring out who these armed vigilantes really are. And if you ask me, I am pretty sure that the local authorities know that Clay and Bob are Gunmaster and his ward and the law men are just playing along because the masked heroes are the ones sticking their necks out in pursuit of justice.

This series reads like the Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly classic Western High Noon, only with hi-tech and gadgets. Gunmaster might have invented a lot of weapons. But he surely had nothing to do with Chekov's gun which is essentially a literary rule that states that if a gun appears in act one, it must be used in act 2. We witness Cooper creating a lot of gadgets to use in his war on crime at the beginning of every story that never gets used nor mentioned ever again by story's end.

One aspect that I did think that this series was rather superior at was it's villains. There's some varmints with gimmicks that rival those of Jonah Hex. There's the snake oil salesman with the hypnotic eyes. A fat guy who's the brains behind some impossible hold ups. Not to mention a Native American with supernatural connections to the predatory hawk and a tough guy who's charisma intimidates the heck out of Gunmaster. Having several of them return for a showdown against this Western pair of do-gooders was an exciting way to end the series.

That's not to say that they were all Professor Moriartys. The guy who thought he was the new king of a region of Mexico was a major wuss. And several outlaws were drawn so goofy-looking like they were the ancestors of some of the gangsters that Dick Tracy will one day face.

Various artists worked on this series that ran from 1965-67. There were varying degrees of success. But the real masterpieces were the covers dynamically illustrated off and on by Dick Giordano and Rocke Mastroserio. I never could figure out who wrote the stories with the exception of Joe Gill. For some reason, only they were given a writing credit in the last issue.

An interesting read with some strange and rather bizarre storylines. It wasn't always pretty. Far from it. .But I can see where this book might have influenced DC's Weird Western Tales.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Rogues

It's been a long time since DC or Marvel produced a true crime heist story involving super villains. 2006's Secret Six miniseries might be the closest thing we've had and that was more about baddies acting righteous during a time when the heroes were acting criminal.

In Rogues, Leonard Snart's glory days as one of the Flash's arsh-enemies is long past. In his late 50s, balding, overweight and kept on a tight leash by a parole officer who deserves his own spot behind bars, the former Captain Cold is a broken man. 2 of the Rogues are dead. His sister, the Golden Glider has renounced her life of crime and became an inner city social worker. The Trickster has become a hack magician, performing to elderly crowds. Mirror Master lost his mind in a drug induced haze. Mick Rory, AKA Heatwave, still plays with fire. Only, he does it with an entrepreneurial flare, committing arson by torching buildings for a cut of the insurance check. 

Now is the time to bring the gang back together. For years, Smart has been planning a heist so outrageous, that it's literally a suicide mission. With Captain Cold's guidance, the Rogues are going to infiltrate Gorilla City and rob Gorilla Grodd's personal vault laden with tons and tons of gold. Good thing Smart has decided to recruit a couple of former members of the Suicide Squad to help in executing this insane plan!

Joshua Williamson penned this story which is nearly flawless. I don't even mind that there's zero appearance of any of the multitude of men to carry the moniker of the Flash in this book. My biggest issue is the addition of DEO agent Maggie Sawyer. She's a great player in Metropolis. But she really doesn't seem to have a place in Gorilla City. At least not here in this story.

Rogues was originally released as a 4-issue miniseries in 2022. The first 3 issues were by Italian artist Leomacs. Issue #4 marks the debut of artist Luca Finelli. The transition between the two was flawless. I didn't even realize about the shift change until I was reading the biographies at the end of the book. I don't know who's talent that speaks higher of. But I loved the artwork throughout this entire piece.

This is a Quentin Tarantino level story and that's not just because of the amount of violence. Tons of swears. Tons! And we're talking F-bombs. This might be a DC Comic title but it's a Black Label release. Definitely not for the kids. But a must for fans of the Scarlet Speedster and his gallery of Rogues.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman: Year One

Frank Miller, the godfather of the 'Year One' storyline, gives Superman the long overdue treatment in this deluxe sized Black Label tale. In other words - this very well could be an imaginary story. But I'd be totally fine with it being turned into canon.

The childhood story of Superman doesn't really change. His Kryptonian parents, knowing that their planet is doomed, ship baby Kal-El to Earth in hopes of becoming humanity's savior. Raised as Clark Kent by Kansas farmers, Kal-El learns the difference between right and wrong while forging a friendship with Pete Ross and a budding romance with Lana Lang.

Once Clark graduates high school, the origin changes. For the first time ever, in Act Two, we see Kent joining the Navy in hopes of learning what it means to be human while finding his place in this world as a god among men. Clark's romance with the mermaid Lori Lemaris takes an unusual twist with the Kryptonian becoming the ruler of Atlantis, after defeating her father in combat.

It appears that Frank Miller is really going to challenge the established legend of Superman by having him become a super-powered Aquaman. But that's all but forgotten in the final act; just as Clark's relationship with Lana becomes nothing more than a memory by the time he finishes basic training. When Superman meets Lois Lane in a great twist on their first appearance in the crashing helicopter trope, the very young Man of Steel just gives up his life in Atlantis, enrolls in journalism at a nameless University, and becomes an intrepid investigative reporter at the Daily Planet. 

This is not a 365 day year in the life of Superman. It's more of a series of snap shots in the first 25 or so years of life of Clark Kent. This makes for some inconsistencies in the plotting, a ton of forgotten friends and family, and an ending that didn't feel like the end. I wouldn't be surprised for a Superman: Year Two to be announced sometime in the future. Though this book is from 2019, so our chances of that might be dwindling...

As for John Romita, Jr.'s artwork, it too was inconsistent. But it's actually something that works in his favor. In my late 40s, I understand that when you have a career that involves your hands, arthritis and age are your worst enemies. Jr.Jr.'s art has really suffered over the last decade. But when he shines, he really shines here. There were several pages that I spent a long, long time marveling at his dynamic drawings. Powerful renderings. Amazing angles. Kick ass action. It helped improve my rating for this book that feels in desperate need of a director's cut edition.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Super Heroes Monthly #8

I've just been so busy and exhausted with the new school year and all that. I've been reading comics and graphic novels. I've just been too (fill in the blank) to do any reviewing. I seem to have caught a break today.

From the U.K., I couldn't tell you where I found this magazine of black and white DC reprints. But I know that I didn't spend more than a buck on it. So I must have gotten this years ago at a Con and totally forgot about it.

There are 3 stories inside. First up is a reprinting of the very first appearance of the Barry Allen Flash. The Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino and Joe Kubert origin is forever imprinted in my mind. But I had forgotten that the first villain that the Fastest Man Alive takes on is known as the Turtle Man, the Slowest Man on Earth! Kinda comical. But it's a pairing that makes sense.

The Super Heroes Monthly had been running through the complete Man-Bat saga for several issues up to this point. In this issue featuring story by Frank Robbins and art by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, the Man-Bat takes a bride.

I've either previously read, own a copy or both when it came to both stories. Had I bothered to check the contents of this book whenever I bought it, I probably would have passed over it. At least the third and final story was one that I never read before. It stars Superman featuring Len Wein on scripts and art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson; which in itself is an all-star crew. Unfortunately, it's a Man of Steel story that isn't really good.

The premise to this tale has an intriguing beginning. Lex Luthor laments the disappearance of the entire population of Earth. In his latest attempt to destroy the Man of Steel, Luthor's robotic assassin overheats, causing the nuclear core to meltdown and wipe out not just Superman, but everyone and everything on the planet. Birds, snakes and all!

When we learn what the MacGuffin behind the disappearances really details, the explanation is so implausible, it really lowered the quality of the story. I know that a lot of Superman stories stunk up news stands and comic collections during the 70s. If we were to place this story on the list, and believe me, I am, then 'The Man Who Murdered the Earth' has be the durian of all Superman tales from 1970-79!

I love the Alan Craddock cover of Superman and the Flash attempting to outrace a speeding locomotive. It is what enticed me to buy this book. But the fact that I already have 2/3 of the stories contained within and I hate that last one, this issue is going to be taken in for hopefully a little bit of trade credit instead of taking up valuable shelf space.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Bizarre Adventures #28

This black and white magazine from Marvel is a must have for Elektra fans. It contains the assassin and Daredevil love interest's first ever solo story. With art and story by creator Frank Miller, it alone is worth the asking price which seems to range online from $20-50 bucks. Maybe it's because it's a magazine. Or maybe the asking price is less than I would have expected as maybe collectors don't know about it's importance. I know that I got lucky having bought it for only a buck at a thrift store a few years back.

A trio of characters make their first ever appearance debuts in this issue. Neal Adams, Doug Moench and Larry Hama present the Shadow Warrior; perhaps the world's smallest ninja and America's only hope against the infiltration of a cadre of brainwashed American soldiers trained by an Asian operative to overthrow our government. 

Archie Goodwin, Michael Golden and Steve Mitchell introduce readers to the world of the Huntsman. From what I can tell, this is the only appearance of the character and that may very well have been because of how much the world of the cracker jack Huntsman named Ballard is a lot like that of the dystopian sci-fi thriller Logan's Run. Citizens who must die at age 35, bounty hunters stalking 'defiers', those who wish to extend their lives by escaping into the wilderness and there's even a floating arena where winners who make it to the victory ring atop the domed ceiling can live longer lives in luxury. I wonder if Marvel got a cease and desist order from 20th Century Fox for copyright infringement. 

Upon further research, it turns out that I was right. Only in reverse. In 1975-76, Marvel Comics had the rights to produce a comic book based on the film starring Michael York. Only, the House of Ideas had the rights to adapt the film, which they did as a 5-parter. When Fox learned that Marvel was continuing on with new adventures, the studio made them stop. Issue #7 was the last issue, which supposedly ends with a never resolved cliffhanger. 

'Huntsman' was a story that was going to run in a future issue of Logan's Run. But due to the sudden cancellation resulted in the project getting shelved. Never one to let paid work sit unpublished, Goodwin and Golden made some adjustments to the story; enough to satisfy legal and the forgotten story finally saw print several years later in 1981.

It must of been Assistant Editor's Month at Marvel because two of Goodwin's assistants supplied a story for this issue. Mary Jo Duffy and Wendy Pini place the Inhuman Triton in an ecological heavy adventure involving a wrecked oil tanker and modern day pirates.

If you've been paying attention to this review, you'll remember I said that this book contains 3 debuts. Lastly, Steve Skeates and Steve Smallwood introduced a rather odd little fellow named Bucky Bizarre. In his premiere, this guy is a time traveler who winds up in the 1950s, where non-conformity is a thing to be mocked and berated. Bucky tries to help a living garbage heap that came alive because of pollution and nuclear water only to set up the punchline to a really awful plotline. 

I'm really torn about this issue. Having the Elektra story makes it sorta valuable. Only I don't really have room nor a bag and board for a magazine sized book. I think the materials to keep it pristine and clean are more important than having a place to keep it. If I could get it, that would be great.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.