Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: 'The Son of the Sun'- The Don Rosa Library, Vol. 1

I was so enthralled by Don Rosa's epic undertaking of making a cohesive structure of the how of Scrooge McDuck made his fortune. Rosa poured over the countless stories of Uncle Scrooge created by the good duck artist Carl Barks and wrote and illustrated what is considered by many to be one of the greatest comic book miniseries ever made. Needless to say, The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck turned me from a Don Rosa admirer into a Don Rosa fanatic.

This past holiday season, I decided to add this book to my Christmas wishlist. I was very fortunate to have my bride get it for me, this beginning my opening foray into Don Rosa's portfolio as the second best good duck artist. 

The Don Rosa Library is a chronological omnibus of Rosa's career as an employee of Gladstone Comics. In this volume roughly covering the years 1986-1987, Rosa has returned to creating comics after having to quit for several years to run his family construction business. A chance encounter with an issue of Gladstone's run of Donald Duck inspired him to take a huge gamble and offer his services as a creator of Uncle Scrooge stories. Having passed his audition, Gladstone hires Rosa to craft a full story. 

Using an old script he wrote years ago, Rosa decides to set his story firmly in the universe established by Barks. 'The Son of the Sun' has a dateline of the 1950s, right around the sweet spot era when Barks was crafting some of his best Uncle Scrooge adventures and when a young Keno Rosa was experiencing those tales his older sister had collected over the years. The main antagonist would be the Scrooge antithesis, Flintheart Glomgold, who challenges McDuck in a race to see who can find a fabled horde of fabled Incan treasure in Peru.

This volume contains about 2 dozen other works starring Scrooge along with nephews Donald, Huey, Dewey, Louie and the uber-lucky Gladstone. Not every story was written by Rosa, but it's all of his handiwork as Gladstone Comics quickly began to rely on Rosa as their go-to artist. 

I love the Complete Carl Barks volumes of Disney Duck stories. But what makes this book superior to them is the commentary. In the Barks volumes, the commentary is by a number of scholars who try to equate a can of soup in the background of a single panel to the artist's opinion on social economics in Communist countries. I don't care for that sort of exposition. But I do love learning about the backstory and history of how and why a story or character was created. By having Don Rosa narrate his personal commentary, it's almost 100% the type of facts and figures I want to learn about. Plus, it's where I learned that Gladstone Comics was named after the character of Gladstone Gander!

Being his earliest Disney works, Rosa is a bit harsh on himself here. Well, they do say that we're our own harshest critic. I just wish Rosa could see his brilliance even in his rawest forms. There's a panel of Glomgold pointing a gun at off panel Scrooge while he's escaping a crashing plane that I kept coming back to again and again. So powerful. So much movement. So full of anger and emotion. Got to be one of my top 10 comic book images all time.

I've long wondered how to classify Don Rosa's art style. He puts so much detail into his work like a George Perez. But he also puts tiny jokes into the background like a Harvey Kurtzman. In the words of the master, he considers himself a student of the school of underground comix. That's fine with me.

I'm looking forward to volume 2! Can't wait to see Rosa's evolution and learn more inside information about one of my favorite characters ever!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Adventures in Advent: Advent 2024, Day 13

Today's featured Advent calendar is another from my past. This one was owned by my grandmother and at the time I didn't know it was considered an Advent calendar. I just considered it a countdown to Christmas calendar, which I know is basically what an Advent calendar is. However, it wasn't until the other day when I was scrolling my Facebook feed that I learned that this was marketed as an Advent.

Sold in the 1980s by the Avon company, the Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar with handmade mouse was an annual staple offered by the famed cosmetics company. If I remember correctly, one of my grandmother's aunts sold Avon from her beauty salon. So that must be how she got it. The idea with this calendar, which was made of fabric stuffed with filling, was that Santa and his wife are enjoying cocoa by the fire in anticipation for Christmas. Underneath the scene are 24 pockets with a tiny mouse. Each day that you got closer to Christmas Eve, you put the mouse in that corresponding slot. Why a mouse? I think it has something to do with the line about 'not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse' line from T'was The Night Before Christmas.

This calendar was found by an antique shopper and posted on a group for those who like finding treasured memories at second hand and antique stores. Their photo helped trigger the memory of this item that hung every year either in my Grandmother's den or living room, depending on her decorative mood. In the days since writing up this blog post, at least 2 other shoppers have found Avon mice Advents at 2 other thrift stores nationwide!

I learned researching this item that some fans have created an alternative way to get closer to Christmas. Instead of moving the mouse to a new pocket each day, they've instead bought extra mice. Once you have 24 mice in all 24 sleeves, it's time for Christmas. Sellers on Etsy, Amazon and eBay sell packs of 3-5 mice in order to achieve this method of using the Avon Advent. It's up to you whether you want your rodents to all look like the 80s original or have a slightly differing style appearance.

IDW Endless Summer: Dungeons & Dragons Saturday Morning Adventures One-Shot

The animated version of Dungeons & Dragons that I grew up watching aired on CBS Saturday mornings from 1983-1985. The satanic panic of the 1980s was just getting hot when the cartoon left the airwaves. Had the show debuted a year or two later than it did, it probably wouldn't become the pop culture icon it's become today. I know one thing is for sure; had D&D debuted in 1986-87, there's no way in the world my mother would have allowed me to watch it.

It's right around the end of the Reagan era that my mother and father were convinced that if I played RPG games or listened to heavy metal music, I would be whisked away straight to Hell. Maybe it's why I don't like horror that gets involved with demons and such. But being raised Baptist, the Devil was someone you just didn't mess with. 

So you're probably thinking why am I reading this 2023 IDW Summer special starring Hank, Bobby, his pet unicorn Uni and their friends? Well, to me, the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon from the 80s didn't feel evil. Only one main character was a wizard (and not a very good one at that) True, the children's mentor, Dungeon Master, is a cross between Yoda and Dumbledore with his enigmatically sage advice and provisions of magical tools to free the land of whatever from the evil oppression of Venger (was he a wizard? or just a powerful baddie???) and the 5-headed dragon, Tiamat. 

In this summer break themed one-shot, young barbarian Bobby in lamenting how instead of getting to go to the beach during his summer break, he and his friends have been whisked away from modern day earth to become protectors of a magical land. Realizing that some R&R is vitally needed for his champions, Dungeon Master sends the children to a secluded lake for a much needed break. The only rule that they must follow is to not cross the other side of the lake shore, which is exactly what arrogant Eric the Cavalier does, accidentally unlocking a hidden evil from the mouth of a nearby cavern!

I thought that the artwork by Jack Lawrence was great. I may not be an expert at exactly remembering what the characters from this cartoon of my early childhood looked like. But Lawrence's renderings of the characters was good enough to make me feel like I was reliving a moment from my childhood. 

The writing of David M. Booher also seemed really good. Though I can't quite remember what everyone other than Bobby sounded like, the tones of the characters seemed right. I also don't remember Eric being that brave.

Speaking of things I don't remember... While I remember that the acrobatic warrior princess Diana wore a two piece fur bikini with boots, was she that sexualized as she appears on the main cover by Tim Levins? In fact, if you look at the black & white coloring book variant of this cover, Diana doesn't have quite so overt curves in the chest region. So I don't think you can blame Diana's assets on Levins. Instead, that blame should probably be pointed at whomever inked the main cover. 

A really fun summertime special that was centered in the world of fantasy and role play but wasn't evil or demonic. I hope IDW continues to bring back more animated franchises from our childhood back in comic book form. I just hope that they add more titles instead of sticking to the same 5 shows for their 'Saturday Morning Adventures' line of books.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #3 (2nd Series)

Thanks to Darkseid's plan to turn planet Earth into a new Apokolips, the secret of the giant statues on Easter Island has finally been revealed! 

It's been nearly 40 years since this issue was released. So I don't think I'm really spoiling anything. Turns out these statues are actually petrified aliens. 

Okay. But how did they get there?

In the present day, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate and Green Lantern are tasked with destroying Darkseid's doom seed which is situated on the tropical Pacific isle. Guarding the pod is the energy vampire Mantis. When one of the heroes touches the seed, which has already begun germinating, it sends everyone to the past where they encounter an alien invasion force. 

If you ask me, these aliens look familiar. VERY familiar. Anyone remember the Stone Men from Saturn? Those extraterrestrial foes that Thor battles in his debut in 1962's Journey Into Mystery #83. That's who those giants on Easter Island look like! I wonder if Jack Kirby was inspired by those stone monoliths when he penciled JiM #83. In a meta twist, could the King's Saturn monsters have inspired his Easter Island aliens? If I ever got the chance to go back in time to meet Kirby, this might be the one question I ask him. 

If anybody reading this review can confirm such, please leave a message in the comment section! I'm dying to know more about the design of this issue's aliens. 

Another fun issue in the true Jack Kirby style in the time honored Justice League of America formula.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Blue Ribbon Comics #6 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1983, Archie Comics revived it's superhero line of comics for the fourth time. Heroes such as the Shield, the Fly and the Black Hood were given darker origins as they were modernized for the 80s. To highlight some of the characters that were being revived without their own solo titles, Archie Comics, under the Red Circle imprint, released a second volume of Blue Ribbon Comics. 

The first volume of Blue Ribbon Comics was an anthology series that featured characters representing a number of genres. From 1940-42, readers of the 22 issues of Blue Ribbon Comics, Volume 1 were treated to tales about cowboys, spies, funny animals and of course, superheroes. 

The 1980s reboot of Blue Ribbon Comics was an solo feature anthology similar to DC's Showcase Presents. Each issue featured mostly all-new material that introduced the Archie heroes to new readers; although some reprinted materials were added as filler to the first few issues of the revitalized title. Not only were Archie heroes featured in this series. Characters from other publishers such as Tower Comics' T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents starred in later issues.

Issue #6 featured the character of the Fox. Looking like a cross between the Black Panther and a capeless Batman, the Fox takes on street punks, organized crime and costumed bad guys. Originally, the Fox was newspaper photojournalist Paul Patton, who often benefits as being the first reporter on the scene to score a scoop for The Daily Globe after defeating the villains while in costume as the Fox. This issue marks the debut of the Fox II in the form of Patton's son, Paul Jr. Whereas the original Fox was a skilled athlete, the second generation hero was a master of martial arts. In his debut feature, the Fox is on the trail of the head of a guild of assassins when he comes face-to-face with a former fellow member of his dojo called Martial Law. Once believed dead, the foe formerly known as The Gasser, has vowed revenge on the Fox for his past defeat and a place in the assassin guild awaits him should he kill the Fox!

The debut of the second Fox is a bit muddled. On at least 2 occasions in this issue does writer and editor Rich Buckler make allusions to previous activity by Paul Jr. in other recent Red Circle titles. Originally the new Archie heroes books were to take place in the past, right around their 1940s debut. However, the timeline was soon bumped up in most of the titles to modern day 1980s America. With this retcon, actions by the Fox which were to have been conducted by the original Fox were now attributed to Paul Patton's son.

Not having a blueprint set out ahead of time had been mentioned by some as the reason that Red Circle, later the Archie Adventure Series, superhero revival quickly faded by 1985. Another argument for it's quick demise was that Archie couldn't navigate the burgeoning direct sales market with emerging comic book stores. I tend to follow this camp as I remember for a long time seeing the Red Circle characters adorning ads in the pages of various Archie Comics. Yet none of the comic book stores I frequented ever carried any of the titles. 

While the Fox II would disappear with the cancellation of the entire line in 1985-86, he and his allies would return to print on several occasions. In 1991, DC Comics licensed the Red Circle characters from Archie into the !mpact Comics imprint. During this incarnation, the characters operated in a universe separate from DC's main stays like Superman and Wonder Woman. However, when DC again licensed the characters from Archie in 2008, efforts were made to integrate them with the residents of the DC Universe. Sadly, neither imprint saw much success.

Archie once again has the rights to Fox and friends. The character has appeared in several miniseries as both as a solo act and member of the Mighty Crusaders in the past dozen years. Most recently, both versions of the Fox, along with Paul Jr's son, Shinji (aka the Ghost Fox) appeared in a 2022 one-shot titled The Fox: Family Values. Along with all-new material, the special features a reprint from Alex Toth.

Blue Ribbon Comics #6 was written by Rich Buckler and Stan Timmons. Art by Tony DeZuniga with inks and cover art by Rudy Nebres.

Completing this review completes Task #11 (Select a Long Box and read the 14th book in the box) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Unofficial Marvel Hostess Ads Collection

From 1975-82, the heroes of the Marvel Universe had a secret weapon: baked goods from Hostess! To battle the bad guys, the stars of the House of Ideas used Twinkies, chocolate iced cupcakes and the ever arresting Hostess Fruit Pie in ways more effective than your run of the mill Spidey-sense or enchanted Asgardian hammer. 

It's a theory that I would love to test out now. You have a villain plotting destruction or theft. You first try your super powers to overcome the antagonist. But it doesn't work. So using your wits and a large amount of sugar, fat, flour and real fruit filling, you fling a couple dozen goodies from Hostess (then owned by International Bakeries) at the enemy and the day is saved!

Trident Studios has done it again! This time, the Esty seller and publisher, has collected over 80 one-page ads starring your favorite Marvel superheroes as well as some of the most iconic baked goods to ever be sold at your local convenience store!

The malefactors that peppered these advertisements were generally generic rogues. A zany costumed cad with a gimmick was the typical character who couldn't resist golden sponge cake or tender, flaky crust. Characters such as Captain Marvel, Iron Man and Daredevil would occasionally take on space aliens, inter-dimensional monsters or even the militia of a banana republic in these ads. However, on more than one occasion, the heroes took on legit enemies, such as the god of mischief Loki and the Red Skull, complete with Cosmic Cube! The combined might of Abomination and the Wendigo actually beat the Incredible Hulk to a pulp in one ad which sees ol' Mean Green having to be revived by some kids carrying Hostess pastries with them.

There was even some a-list help for the good guys in these ads. The Lady Sif and the Voluminous Volstagg give the Mighty Thor a hand in a couple of ads. Nick Fury appears in no less than 3 ads with Captain America and the Agent of SHIELD actually saves the Sentinel of Liberty with some fruit pie know-how of his own! Peter Parker's girlfriend Mary Jane Watson appears in several of the Spider-man ads. She often makes comments about how Petey always disappears when criminals arrive on the scene. Yet, Mary Jane never makes the connection that Spider-man comes about during those moments of 'cowardice.' 

3 of the Fantastic Four go it alone in a series of ads. Mister Fantastic, The Thing and the Human Torch all have solo adventures. I'm thinking either Marvel or Hostess--- OR BOTH!, didn't think women would make good sales people for boys and their need of fried dough. Personally, I think She-Hulk or Spider-Woman would have made great spokes models for Twinkies. Don't feel quite so bad for Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman. She, along with son Franklin Richards, do make an appearance in one Fantastic Four team ad with Marvel's First Family going on a canoeing trip somewhere in the American mid-west. 

I greatly appreciate the efforts made by Trident Studios to bring as many of these ads together as possible. Once again, the print job on these pages are just amazing. Whatever remastering that was done on the ads was well worth the effort. The coloring was so brilliant. 

I don't think I can judge this book on the ads themselves. They were hokey then and they are hokey today. Don't believe me??? Those Hostess ads are still the thing of parody and satire in memes and modern day comics, such as Deadpool. The plots were really far out, as was the dialogue. Yet, how much of a story can you do in just 1 page? The artwork was always superb, though I am not sure who was really behind which work. I know that Sal Buscema, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito crafted some of these ads. Just don't ask me which ones that they did. 

These ads brought back a lot of memories. Oh, to go back to a time when all our problems could be solved with cake. I only wish that I had a couple of those fruit pies on hand as I read this book. That would have made this sugary trip back in time all that more the sweeter!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

(Note- The Unofficial Marvel Hostess Ads Collection is not an officially licensed product. It is a labor of love that saves collectors hundreds of dollars if they were to try and collect the 80 plus comics from which these ads were culled.)

A Hard Candy Christmas: Advent 2023, DAY 10

Earlier in this Advent, I mentioned that as a kid, I could always count on Hickory Farms and the Swiss Colony for an annual assortment of holiday treats. I've already devoted some time to Hickory Farms. Now it's time for the Swiss Colony. Now before I start, I want to point out that the Swiss Colony is now called Colony Brands. But for the sake of this blog and my fond holiday memories, I'm still calling them Swiss Colony. 

The Swiss Colony was started in Wisconsin in 1926. The name came about because of the large population of Swiss immigrants in the area and the state's reputation for making cheese. And while I am a huge fan of their port wine cheese spread and the similar chopped nut covered cheese ball, this Advent is about candy. The Swiss are also renowned for their chocolate and man, does the Swiss Colony make some darn fine chocolate. And for me, it just wasn't Christmas if some of my chocolate wasn't in the shape of an adorable mouse.

In 1958, the Swiss Colony hired artist Helen Endres to create a mascot for the company. Her creation was Chris Mouse, a little grey rodent with a white muzzle, a patchy tuff of grey hair and the cutest round little ears you've ever seen. At first Chris Mouse was dressed in European style lederhosen. But soon, he was decked out in a tiny Santa suit and became the cover star of the Swiss Colony holiday catalog which soon became colloquially known as the Chris Mouse Catelog! Along with order books, Chris Mouse has graced tins, ornaments and chocolates!

Every year, during our annual visit to Crabtree Valley Mall, after mom and dad ordered what they needed for their Thanksgiving and Christmas parties, I'd walk away with a small block of chocolate in the shape of Chris Mouse. It was so smooth, rich and creamy. Sadly, before the 1980s were through, Swiss Colony became a Mister Dunderbak's. But don't feel bad for me. As the Swiss Colony switched over to a mail order only business, my folks were still placing an annual order of holiday goodies which included that delicious festive mouse! I'm getting hungry just thinking about them!

Hmmmm... I might need to place an order for myself.

The New Archies #20

Only the cover and the first story are Thanksgiving themed. However, considering my recent luck with Thanksgiving comics turning out to either be busts or minimally set during the holiday, if at all, I count this as a win. 

Pop's Chock'lit Shop is holding a raffle for a Thanksgiving turkey. Jughead gets a sneak peak at it and the thing is HUGE! Naturally, Juggie buys a slew of tickets in hopes of winning the thing. But he has a change of heart when he learns about a little girl, whose family is in dire straits, that spends her last 4 bits to buy a single ticket. 

The other two stories were good as well. Boy genius Eugene invents a machine that reveals people's innermost thoughts. Being that the gang is all in junior high school and that means tons of drama, it's not exactly a machine that wins the user of the device any friends. The final story has all of the boys getting jealous of the compliments Jughead gets from wearing his hat. So they all end up wearing lids too in order to look cool. Only Mr. Weatherbee offers some sage advice that has everyone but Jug playing the fool!

I loved The New Archies as a kid and I still love them. They didn't exactly take off with fans when they debuted in 1987. But I actually was a fan. I didn't understand the concept as to why the gang from Riverdale had to change, but I liked them all!

The idea behind them was first to be a new take on a classic property, having the kids de-aged from high school to middle school. White boy genius Dalton was replaced with Eugene, who was black. Eugene was given a black girlfriend named Amani. Neither character has ever returned to Archie books to my knowledge. More modern situations and themes were added to the mix and the focus of the stories was less on the love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica and more on the angst of being a budding teen.

The other reason for the change was a legend I had heard a while back but can't seem to recall where I learned it; nor can I confirm it. Supposedly, NBC wanted to make an Archie cartoon. However, CBS still owned the rights to the ageless teens. Thus, DIC Entertainment Corporation worked to make The New Archies as close to different as possible as to prevent a lawsuit for copyright infringement. Not that really any of that mattered because within 4 months, the cartoon was cancelled. The comic book lasted a little bit longer. It hung around until 1991, with a total of 22 issues and 14 digests being released on a non-regular basis.

Most who remember the series in any format, look at The New Archies with disdain. I have fond memories of getting issues for free at visits to my dentist. At least with the books being so infamous among Archie fans, these books aren't very expensive buy- IF YOU CAN FIND THEM!

There are a total of 3 stories in this issue. That makes my Thanksgiving average with this issue a .333. Maybe a little higher if you count the cover. Heck, Hall of Fame worthy hitters in baseball consider themselves lucky if they can average .333 in a season. Plus that first story was such a home run...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: The Newspaper Comics, The Complete Comics Vol. 2: 1982-1983

When I reviewed Volume 1, I said that it was unlikely that I'd ever get my hands on the second book any time soon. Volume 2 is listed as out of print. The cheapest copy I could find was $110. That was just too rich for my blood. Then my wife made a very good point: with the book being out of production, the asking price is only going to go up and up. I happened to have about $80 in Amazon trade credit. So when deducting that from the asking price and adding tax and shipping, I only paid about $40 out of pocket, which was still $10 less than the original MSRP.

The stories of Volume 2 continue with the Enterprise on the trail of a Klingon cruiser. Kirk and crew must intercept the vessel to prevent an escalation in the war between the Federation and Klingon Empire. This leads the Enterprise crew to a planet inhabited by cyborgs with the Klingons the latest victims of the planet's Overmind super-computer conversion process. 

Other than the story being a bit long, it was rather good. Plus, I seemed to have gotten my money's worth as it appears that its addition to this book is a must have story among Star Trek fans. That's because the tale called 'Restructuring is Futile' is considered by many to be the unofficial origin of the Borg! (Though I think that the story from TokyoPop's Star Trek Manga series is a more definitive origin tale.)

There are 10 stories, making for a total of 20 comic strip stories through 2 volumes. Thomas Warkentin only pencils one story. In my mind, he's the definitive Star Trek strips artist. Ron Harris, pencils the first 3 or 4 stories. He's almost as good as Warkentin. Ron Harris uses proper shading, includes great backgrounds into the panels and does very good representations of the actors. Although, they look more like themselves from TOS and not TMP. 

Towards the end of 1982 going into 1983, the series was in decline. Not just in terms of quality but with a number of readers. Only a handful of newspapers continued to run the strip, even after the amazing success of Star Trek II: The Wraith of Khan. Yet, the artists chosen to replace Ron Harris are no Ron Harris and definitely not in the league of Thomas Warkentin. I've seen high school and college newspaper artwork better than what you see in stories 15-19. Heck, I think I could have done a better job than whoever penned (definitely not penciled) story #16! 

Okay- so the artwork diminishes. However, thanks to the addition of Gerry Conway as head writer, every story was a ton of fun. Fans of Larry Niven will want to get their paws on this book as well. Niven's most famous species, the feline Kzinti, guest-star in the story titled 'The Wristwatch Plantation' for a Star Trek/Man-Kzin War crossover! And man, am I a sucker for a crossover. 

The magic of the Star Trek newspaper strip wasn't lost from Volumes 1 to 2. The stories were far more superior to the quality of such TOS stinkers like 'The Way to Eden' and 'This Side of Paradise.' In terms of visual quality, I think the even the worst Star Trek episode was more visually appealing than those middle stories.

Bittersweet to say good-bye to these stories. Star Trek comics, covering any series, is just a type of sequential art comfort food to me. But I am glad that the series ended when it did. I don't think I could afford a Volume 3!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Grant Morrison's Doctor Who #1(2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Grant Morrison's tenure on Doctor Who Magazine was a brief one spread from 1986-88. Working for Marvel UK, Morrison wrote 3 stories. The two-part 'Changes' and 'The World Shapers', a three-parter illustrated by John Ridgway (2000 AD). These tales featured the much maligned Sixth Doctor portrayed by Colin Baker. Morrison's third and final story, 'Culture Shock', was a single-issue adventure starring the penultimate classic Doctor, Sylvester McCoy's Seventh. Transformers' Bryan Hitch was the artist of that work. 

In 2008, IDW Publishing obtained the rights to produce comic books based on the BBC flagship sci-fi franchise, Doctor Who. Immediately, IDW began releasing reprint series based on Marvel's Doctor Who stories beginning with tales starring the Fourth and Fifth Doctor. That series, titled Doctor Who Classics, introduced stories that hadn't seen print in the United States in almost a quarter of a decade. 

Fans were indeed rabid for these reprints. Soon somebody remembered that Grant Morrison had done a run of Doctor Who stories and the combined fan base of Whovians and Grant Morrison devotees clamored for their release. If IDW went in order of Doctors, it would probably be another couple of years before the tales of the Sixth and Seventh Doctor were reprinted. That just wouldn't do! So IDW Publishing rushed a two-issue miniseries to print to meet the vocal demand. 

'Changes' and 'Culture Shock' comprise the first issue. Issue #2 collects all 3 segments of 'The World Shaper.' 

In 'Changes', the TARDIS detects an intruder aboard. The Doctor isn't very worried as TARDIS security measures will prevent the use of lethal force aboard the vessel. That all changes when the stranger overloads the TARDIS circuitry disabling the safety features. Guest starring human companion Peri Brown and the shape-shifting Whifferdill companion Frobisher, who appears regularly as a penguin.

The Doctor goes solo in 'Culture Shock' when the Timelord intercepts a psychic plea from a primordial collective. One should note that the TARDIS is featured in this story and many Whovians consider the TARDIS to be a character until itself. If one considers such a tale to not be a Doctor Who solo adventure, my apologies.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #34 (Written by Grant Morrison, Alan Moore or Neil Gaiman) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

V #7

Infantino is back! For real this time!

I had mentioned that Carmine Infantino as he got older was limiting his projects. Thus, he stepped away from projects often and used assistants. The letter col in the back of this issue kinda confirms all this as at the time of this publication, DC is in the throes of CRISIS and Infantino was needed to help on a few of the many tie-in books to that game changing event. 

As for this issue, Resistance leader Julie is the primary focus. She's heading to her home town in New Mexico to meet with a contact. Only, Julie isn't aware that this fellow Resistance cohort has been captured by the Visitors and that she is now walking into a trap. 

Of all the issues for Carmine Infantino to return to, I don't really know why he chose this one. There's very little action. It's more of a romance story as Julie runs into her old high school beau. Issue #6 is more of a psychological thriller in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock as you wonder throughout the tale if this old flame of Julie's is a friend or now a foe working with the Visitors. 

Great read. Just nowhere near on par with the level of action and adventure that has peppered the past 5 issues. It really feels like a waste of Infantino's talents, if you ask me.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

V #4

After a story that focused solely on Donovan, Julie and that town of Visitor loving humans, issue #4 devotes some time to the other characters of the V TV show.

First of all- Ham Tyler and Chris Farber. The two mercs finally make it to Catalina...to the front door of Nathan Bates' Science Frontiers home office... in a body bag. 

Uh-oh. I think I've painted myself into a corner. If I go much further, I'm going to be spoiling things. I mean this is a nearly 40 year old comic book. But, I try really hard not to produce spoilers. So, let's just say for now, that what happens in Bates' office leads us to find out what has happened to the Star Child.

Don't know what the Star Child is? That's okay. I'll get you up to date. During the original miniseries, Visitor leader Diana wanted to know if her people could mate and breed with humans. So a young girl named Robin was seduced by a Visitor soldier. Robin had a human looking child, with a forked tongue. Named Elizabeth by her mother, the hybrid child ages rapidly and develops super natural powers that lead members of the Fifth Column to dub the now adult Elizabeth to be called 'Star Child', a prophesied savior that could lead the Visitors in an age of peace and harmony.

Meanwhile, a Carl Sagan type character has taken to the airwaves to challenge Visitor leader Diana to peace talks. Diana accepts, planning to kill this peace monger at the conference. But don't worry about this guy walking into a trap; our modern-day stargazing Gandhi has plans of pulling the rug on Diana himself!

Lots of action. Lots of plot wheels turning.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Speedball: The Masked Marvel

One of the highlights of reading the complete 125 issue run of Marvel Comics Presents were the pair of stories starring the teen superhero known as Speedball: The Masked Marvel. Co-created by Steve Ditko and Tom Defalco, Speedball was an interesting mix of teen angst, youthful enthusiasm and brilliantly creative villains. Plotted and penciled by the legendary Ditko, the pair of stories were a feast for the eyes. And immediately, I took it upon myself to get a copy of this 'omnibus'.

Speedball's story begins with young Robbie Baldwin, a star athlete, bright student and a BMOC in a small Connecticut community. One day during Robbie's part-time job as an assistant at the Hammond Research Lab, the teen is accidentally bathed with strange kinetic energies. As a result, whenever Robbie experiences the slightest bit of inertia, he transforms into the Masked Marvel and bounces around like a bouncy ball until he runs out of energy or finds a way to settle himself. 

The scientists who conducted the experiment know that somebody interfered with the experiment that gave Robbie his powers. But they think it's the lab's mascot, the feline Niels, who is obviously showing signs of the same blast of energy that powers Robbie. The teen is tasked with capturing Niels in order for the researchers to determine if the strange energy field is lethal or not. This comedy of errors is a running gag throughout the entire series which only lasted 10 issues. But it's an important plot device as Robbie just wants to be a normal kid once again.

In typical comic book fashion, Robbie's family is oblivious to the fact that their son is the town's new hero called the 'Masked Marvel'. Only Robbie himself refers to himself as Speedball because of the tiny energy balls that follow him when in costume. Robbie would love nothing more than to tell his mom and dad about his powers. But to do so could jeopardize Robbie's father! See, Mr. Baldwin is the town's assistant District Attorney. The town in which the Baldwin's live has a law against masked vigilantes. Robbie fears that should his secret come to light, it will mean disgrace for his lawyer father. 

Honestly, Robbie should lighten up a bit. His parents are doing a good enough job turning the whole town against them. When a skeleton is discovered within the walls of Robbie's high school, fingers point at both Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin as being the prime suspects. This results in a loss of jobs for Robbie's mom and a near disbarment of dear old dad. 

It says a lot about the writing when the reader is just as interested in the supporting characters as the main character. Roger Stern and Jo Duffy make the mystery of who killed the family friend of the Baldwins just as engrossing as Speedball's battles against an assortment of masked baddies. I was so hooked on the secret of the corpse's killer that I stayed up later than normal a couple of nights in a row to find out 'whodunnit!' 

Masks are a big theme in this book. Steve Ditko was a master of bizarre faces and Speedball's Rogue's Gallery, while rather inferior compared to a Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, are some of the most creative of all-time. 

I wish the original Speedball's story didn't have to end!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Second Chances

Jason Todd. 

The second sidekick of the Dark Knight. One of the most controversial characters in comic book history. He's like the celery of DC Comics as you either love him or hate him... and most despise him!

I decided to give Jason Todd another look with the purchase of this collection of stories from the late 80s. Featuring writing by Max Allan Collins, Jim Starlin and Jo Duffy, Batman: Second Chances covers the retooled origin of the character that was sorely missing from his 1983 debut. And this is where I think a lot of readers hated Jason Todd. 

See, Jason just kinda got thrust on readers as being the new Robin in Batman #368 after having basically appeared in a couple of cameos nearly a year prior. Jason Todd was replacing Dick Grayson, whose role on the 1960s Batman TV series made the young ward a household name. Never mind the fact that Dick Grayson had moved on from being Batman's partner years before. Here's a kid replacing a legend. A youth who is a little cocky, a bit brash, and kinda rude taking over the role of America's favorite teen sidekick without so much as a thank you and it ticked fans off. 

I think DC Comics kinda realized that fans were unhappy with Jason Todd. So after Frank Miller's Batman: Year One storyline retooled the origins of Bruce Wayne for a more modern audience, Max Allan Collins sets his sights on giving Jason Todd a formal introduction into the Batman Family while giving readers the must desired reason for the fallout between the Caped Crusader and Dick Grayson. 

Though the title was never officialled renamed, editors rebranded the Caped Crusader's solo title as Batman: The New Adventures. Here we learn that during one of Batman's annual visits to Crime Alley, the area of Gotham in which Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered, someone had the brass balls to steal the tires off of the Batmobile. The thief is none other than the orphan street rat, Jason Todd. 

Not even old enough to drive and this kid steals from the Batman! This kind of bravado impresses Batman. Working out a deal, Batman gets Jason set up with a halfway house. However, the program ends up being a front for organized crime a la Fagin and his pickpockets in Oliver Twist. Only much more violent. When that placement falls through, Bruce Wayne takes in Jason Todd and a new Boy Wonder is shortly christened. 

Despite a new origin and a blessing from Dick Grayson to Jason as being his heir appearant, time was short for the new Robin. By mid-1988, Jason's fate was left up to readers to call a 1-900 number to decide if the Joker would kill the new Boy Wonder in an explosion or merely mangle him a little. More readers called in to kill Jason Todd, beating out those who wanted to save him by less than 100 votes. I remember my house voted. But I don't remember if my dad was one of Jason's executioners or saviors. I know I wanted Robin to die. But my father often would do the opposite of what I wanted in his own Joker-like sadistic way...

Did Jason Todd really deserve all that hatred? Based on the stories in this book: no. Max Allan Collins and Jim Starlin do a decent job making him an agreeable sort of fellow. I'm guessing it's the Jason Todd from 1983-86 that got on reader's nerves and sent the lad into an early grave.

And sure- Jason Todd is back alive. It wouldn't be comic books if the characters didn't return from the beyond once and a while. This Jason who goes around as the ultra-violent Red Hood, is a fan favorite among many. Readers love how as the Red Hood, Jason Todd will cross lines that the rest of the Batman Family refuse to even toe. But me, I am a purist. I prefer Jason as a carefree kid, trying to make the best of a new life, even though on the other side of the comic book page, unknown readers were making plans to kill him. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Question, Vol. 2: Poisoned Ground

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Muppet Babies #7 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Jim Henson's Muppet Babies was an animated Saturday morning TV show that aired on CBS from 1984-1991. The series marked the first time that Henson's trademarked puppets appeared in animated form. Whereas Sesame Street focused on education and the more adult The Muppet Show was a tribute to vaudeville and variety shows, Muppet Babies was all about wonder!

Baby versions of Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo and Miss Piggy used their imaginations to make-believe their way through a nursery full of fun. Adventures included a trip to the zoo, adventures through their favorite story books and visits with their future selves as Hollywood stars! Just as with the other Muppet shows, music was a big part of the show with at least 1 big musical number per episode. Over the span of 8 seasons, 107 episodes aired.

One thing that made the Muppet Babies different from other cartoons was how it integrated live-action material. For example, on at least 3 occasions, Gonzo or one of the other characters would open the closet door to their nursery to reveal a roaring TIE fighter from the Star Wars franchise. Clips of Darth Vader, Slimer from Ghostbusters and famous celebrities of the day would appear in unusual places in the nursery, interacting with the ingenious tykes. 

Many of the characters from the Muppet Show would appear as younger animated versions of themselves. Curmudgeons Statler and Waldorf would visit as the uncles of the babies' unrevealed Nanny, voiced by TV's Mrs. Cleaver, Barbara Billingsley. Other voice talents included Howie Mandel (St. Elsewhere), Dave Coulier (Full House) and Frank Welker (Scooby-Doo) A pre-teen Janice from Doctor Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Band would babysit when Nanny needed a night off. Kermit's nephew Robin would stop by as a tadpole nestled within a tiny glass bowl. And play dates, such as the one that occurs in this issue, would be scheduled with youngsters such as Bunsen and Beaker.

The single story of this issue starts off with Fozzie running some of his jokes by the rest of the Muppet Babies when Bunsen and Beaker arrive for another day of fun. Bunsen notices that everyone knows Fozzie's stand-up routine by heart. So the aspiring junior scientist offers Fozzie an experimental hat that will help the comedic bear think up some more jokes. Unfortunately, Bunsen gave Fozzie his experimental time travel hat. 

Flying backwards through time, Fozzie keeps running into his ancestors and ruining their punchlines! Join Fozzie and his Muppet buddies as they learn about comedy from the time of Napoleon to Hannibal's crossing of the Alp and ultimately; the prehistoric era!

The Muppet Babies comic book was part of Marvel's Star Comics imprint for young readers. The comic book ran bi-monthly from 1985-89 for 26 issues. The last 9 issues were Marvel releases as Star Comics was shuttered by May of 1988. In 2018, Disney rebooted Muppet Babies as an all-new computer generated series. The new version aired on Disney Junior until 2022 with a total of 71 episodes. 

Muppet Babies #7 was written by Stan Kay (Planet Terry). This issue was penciled, inked and colored by Marie Severin (Spoof).

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #17 (A Star Comic: Marvel Imprint) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Peter Porker: The Spectacular Spider-Ham- The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 (Family Comic Friday)

I gave up. Instead of trying to buy the complete 17 issue run of Marvel's Star Comics imprint devoted to the funny animals of the Marble Universe, I gave it and purchased this massive collection. 

I was missing about a dozen issues of Spectacular Spider-Ham and each one was running about $5-7 per issue. In fact, there was 1 issue that I couldn't find selling for less than $125. So I gave in and bought this book for less than $30, used. (It also helped that I had Amazon gift cards.)

Resting in May Porker's basement is a tiny spider named Peter. While working on an atomic hairdryer, May receives a large dose of radiation. This turns her temporarily rabid and May bites Peter as a result! 

The bite turns Peter the Spider into Peter Porker, a bi-pedaled swine with an eye for photography. While working as the main photographer for the Daily Beagle, Peter Porker makes a living selling photos of himself as the Spectacular Spider-Ham. These antics as a costumed hero brings Spider-Ham face-to-face with a myriad of super villains including Duktor Doom, The King-Pig and the mysterious Bee-Yonder. 

Don't feel too bad for Spider-Ham. Helping him out against these villains are allies such as Captain Americat, Nick Furry, Agent of SHEEP and heroic psychiatrist Doc Clamson. When the heroes of the Marble Universe aren't able to give Spider-Ham a hand, our friendly Neighborhood Spider-Ham can rely on his non-super-powered friends like girlfriend Mary Jane Water-Buffalo and the junior newspaper reporters of the Daily Beagle!

The stories are extremely fun. They can also be funny. However, this is a work of parody and some of the gags just don't cut the mustard. But the creativity of co-creator Tom DeFalco (Archie Christmas Spectacular 2022) and assists by writers such as Fred Hembeck and Mike Carlin (Star Trek) are unmatched. 

The artwork is all quite good. But the work of Steve Mellor and brother Mike in the debut story is perhaps the most striking. There's a hint of art deco to the first issue that was originally published as Marvel Tails. Everyone looks like they are drawn with italics. In fact, Captain Americat looks like he's walking on a ramp throughout the whole thing! But I love it!

I've shared works starring Spider-Ham in several Family Comic Friday postings before. But the reason I share this book in particular is mainly because of the rating Marvel gave this work and it's dead wrong. Marvel has this book rated for readers aged teen (and higher). Yet, with exception of that first story, which was released as a Marvel title, issues #1-17 of Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham were originally released as part of Star Comics, an imprint for readers aged 10 and under! 

Unless Star Comics readers in 1984-1989 were much more mature than the Gen Z readers of today, I don't see a reason this book should have been rated for Teens. In fact, Amazon grades this book as suitable for those in preschool and higher. Now, I think that's a bit young as there are some decent sized words in these books and the scripts are a tad wordy. But at least that recommended age range is closer to whom these comics were originally geared towards.

Over 400 pages with tons of inside jokes and Easter eggs. This is definitely a work that the parents and grandparents who grew up with Spider-Ham will enjoy perusing with the young readers in their lives!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The New Archies #11

In 1987, Archie Comics in collaboration with NBC, developed a new animated series based on the Archie gang. As several teenage versions of the Archies were done previously on rival station CBS, producers decided to retool the kids from Riverdale. Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica were de-aged from high schoolers to middler school students. Dilton was absent; replaced by an African-American clone named Eugene. And a completely new student named Amani (Eugene's girlfriend) was added to the roster.

When The New Archies project was announced, I being only 9 years old, didn't understand the need to reboot everything. It confused me even more as educators Mrs. Grundy and Principal Weatherbee looked completely the same. It's only been recently that I learned that concerns over CBS and/or production company Filmation, still having rights to the Archies property was the reason for the adjustments. Thus, my decades-long bias against these guys has abated over time. Having not one but two Thanksgiving themed issues definitely helped.

Only the first of the 3 stories in this book is Thanksgiving themed. But it was a good one. Archie laments that his folks have decided to go the dining out route for their Thanksgiving dinner. So Betty invites Archie and Jughead to dinner with the Coopers. Not to be outdone, Veronica also invites the guys to break bread with her family. Good thing Betty's event is at 1 and Ronnie's is at 5! Too bad Archie doesn't have 2 stomachs...

In the other two stories, a surprise history test prevents Archie from going on a date with Betty and Veronica. So, Reggie takes his place! Then the Girls of Riverdale Jr. High compete for the title of 'Dream Queen' in a delightfully sweet story that highlights Big Ethel!

There was a familiarity with The New Archies and another franchise that was developing at this exact same time. NBC's Saved by the Bell was in its early stages as a Disney property known as Good Morning, Miss Bliss. When the show fizzled after a brief 13-episode season, NBC reclaimed the franchise and it became the classic late 80s-early 90s Saturday morning live action series Saved by the Bell. By having both students and staff transfer from jr. high to high school in both realms, I feel like producers over at Bayside might have been inspired by the people in charge of Riverdale. It's definitely a possibility, this theory of mine!

All 3 tales had that classic Archie charm. A Turkey Day themed word search added to the festive mood. And there were a few other surprises peppered in. Finally (for this season), I had a Thanksgiving read that I enjoyed!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Get Along Gang #5 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

THIS IS IT! MY LAST ENTRY IN THE CHALLENGE!

The Get Along Gang was a group of anthropomorphic animals whose wholesome adventures would have nauseated Pat Boone and Ned Flanders. They were created in 1983 by a group of designers employed by American Greetings known as 'Those Characters From Cleveland' who also created Strawberry Shortcake, The Care Bears and Madballs. The characters which included characters named Montgomery Moose, Woolma Lamb and Bingo Beaver graced everything from greeting cards to coloring books. A popular line of ceramic figures was then introduced before American Greetings decided to take the Get Along Gang to the next level- broadcast TV.

In the spring of 1984, The Get Along Gang debuted on CBS. A total of 13 episodes made of 26 11-minute segments were produced. For a very brief time, The Get Along Gang kids were riding high as licensing darlings, gracing lunch boxes, Trapper Keeper's and a host of other school supplies just in time for the 1984-85 school year. 

As The Get Along Gang was gaining its fad-like momentum, Marvel Comics was in the process of starting up its Star Comics imprint devoted to kid friendly titles. After seeing controversial success with original titles such as Royal Roy that resulted in a lawsuit from rival Harvey Comics for copyright infringement of the likeness of Richie Rich, Marvel decided to stick to licensed characters for Star Comics. 

The Get Along Gang was among one of the first franchises to sign with Star Comics under its new direction. A total of 6 issues were published. House of Mystery's Dave Manak scripted the half dozen issues with art divided by Carlos Garzon (#1-2) and John Constanza (#3-6). Jacqueline Roettcher (Ewoks) inked the entire run.

In this issue, the gang spend the night in a house that is rumored to be haunted by two brothers. The father of the two siblings passed away without telling the pair who was to inherit the house. So, the two brothers who squabbled and fought over ownership of the property when they were alive, continue the battle as spirits. 

It's really the bickering that spooks the members of the Get Along Gang. As the brothers try to evict the other from the home, they knock over boxes and lamps that get the kids scrambling for the door. However, the old house is booby trapped with secret corridors and hidden compartments to the point that members of the gang start disappearing!

The story itself, along with the art was rather charming. I loved that innocence that oozed over every page. Though I thought it was rather odd that the kids had no problem spending the night in a haunted house with the mayor of the town. Maybe such sleepovers were normal for 1985. I dunno. The overall story, which was highly reminiscent of an episode of Scooby-Doo, wasn't bad. But I did dislike that 'it was all just a dream', was the cop out plot device used to wrap things up. 

Reading this issue, I noticed something that was rather sad. There was an ad in this issue for the upcoming line-up of CBS Saturday Morning cartoons and The Get Along Gang isn't listed as one of the shows returning! 

Remember all those school supplies bearing the character's likeness? Unfortunately, those items just didn't sell. Neither did a line of hybrid action-figure dolls dressed in cloth outfits and the series was removed from airwaves just before Christmas of that year. But since Star had already crafted 6 stories and they needed a full line-up of titles to entice merchants and subscribers, The Get Along Gang stayed in print until the winter of 1986, a full year after CBS execs pulled the plug on the cartoon. American Greetings discontinued the line the following year.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #42 (That is a guilty pleasure) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Super Powers Mini-Comic Collection, Volume 2

This fan made edition from Trident Studios contains all of the mini comics issued with the 11 figures released by Kenner in the Super Powers Collection, Wave II. This book is very heavy on characters from Jack Kirby's Fourth World along with several superheroes who made their toy debut in 1984-85. On the side of the angels, Firestorm, Dr. Fate, Red Tornado and the Martian Manhunter were released for the first time ever along with Green Arrow (who debuted in the 70s thanks to Mego). The New God Darkseid lead an army of villains that included the demented Desaad, bumbling brute Kalibak, the energy-draining Mantis, the immortal Steppenwolf and army fodder Parademon. 

Series Two of the Super Powers Collection is a fan favorite mostly because of its connection to comic book legend, Jack Kirby. It's a thing of legend that one of the few times Jack Kirby was properly compensated for previously licensed work was for the re-designs he made on Mantis, Steppenwolf and Parademon. Kirby also reworked the design of Darkseid's estranged son, Orion, released in 1986's Series Three to much controversy. But that's a story for another day...

Of course to a 7-8 year old Madman, all of the villains of Super Powers were considered all-new characters. I knew who all the heroes were thanks to my dad's comic book collection. But I had yet to be properly introduced to Kirby's Fourth World. Thankfully, each action figure came with a mini comic to help explain a little bit of the motivation of Darkseid, which when you think about it is fairly simple- total world domination.

The Anti-Life equation, Highfather and New Genesis, and the whole truce in which Scott Free and Orion were switched at birth aren't covered at all in the minis. In fact, Darkseid is kinda a weenie in this series of 16-pagers as his Omega Beams don't incinerate anyone. They just send you to limbo. 

You won't see the Series One villains in any of these books either. The minions of Apokolips act alone. But I think if Darkseid had recruited at least Lex Luthor, Brainiac and the Joker into his plans, the lord of Apokolips could've at least conquered the entire Eastern seaboard.

One of my all-time favorite characters is Firestorm. So getting to revisit his adventures in mini-comic form was pretty cool. The inclusion of Red Tornado, GA and J'onn J'onzz to the line-up were no-brainers as they had all been members of the Justice League at some point. But Dr. Fate doesn't really make any sense being here. Fate has always been a member of the Justice Society and stuck on the parallel Earth designated #2. Did the JSA lend Fate in some sort of cross-dimensional trade in order for the Justice League to have a magical warrior to fight against Darkseid's forces? 

Series Two was the last series of the Super Powers Collection to be issued with mini comics. Was the omission a way to cut costs? The inclusion of Cyclotron and Golden Pharoah, two all-new for the toy line heroic characters were definitely produced to avoid licensing fees to creators. So it's possible. But with the inclusion of Orion and Mister Miracle in wave 3, a chance to better introduce the Fourth World characters to children through mini comics was sorely overlooked. I think had mini comics been released with the third wave, a fourth and fifth wave of characters, which were in the planning stages, would have become a reality.

Since Kenner is defunct and DC doesn't seem to have any plans to release the mini comics officially in some collected form, I'm glad I found this offering by Trident Comics. Over at Etsy, they've got a couple other editions of mini comics that were released with popular toy lines of the past. As long as there doesn't appear to be any direct conflict with copyright, I'll be adding one or two of those other books to my collection sometime soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.