Captain America and the Falcon, Vol. 1: Two Americas

The Falcon has gone rogue!

Sam Wilson has infiltrated Guantanamo and broken out a prisoner. Now reports have it that the Avenger has taken the escapee to a known drug lord's Cuban compound. What's going on here? Has Wilson reverted back to his Red Skull evil origins?

Captain America has been granted 24-hours to locate the Falcon and get to the bottom of the rogue hero's actions. When his time is up, SHIELD will neutralize the Falcon without prejudice. Normally, such an assignment is easy peasy for the Sentinel of Liberty. But an incoming hurricane to the Caribbean is making it difficult for Steve Rogers to safely arrive on Cuban shores. 

Eventually, the Captain catches up with Sam Wilson and the escaped prisoner. It turns out that the fugitive is a reporter for the Daily Bugle who uncovered a biological weapon in one of the operations of the drug cartel. Post-9/11, the kingpin has been providing key information on terrorist cells to the American intelligence community in exchange for immunity. To wipe out such valuable Intel would severely hamper the new war on terror. 

Thus, the CIA or some other clandestine government agency has sought to silence the reporter who happens to be a close associate from Sam Wilson's past. With Captain America now on the scene, it appears Sam's friend will return to the Big Apple to reveal the scoop of the century. But when Captain America slaughters the drug lord's entire headquarters of bodyguards and lieutenants, it's revealed that something is seriously wrong. There's an impostor Cap assigned to terminate all parties related to the blotched biological weapon, including the real Steve Rogers!

This 2004 book was one of the worst Captain America and the Falcon volumes that I have ever read. Actually, the writing was pretty good. Christopher Priest, going just by his last name at the time pens an Ed Brubaker level story of espionage, betrayal and conspiracy. It was the art and the layouts that were a hot mess. So maybe this is one of the worst stories starring some of my favorite characters that I have ever looked at.

First is the artwork by Bart Sears. The heroes look ridiculous. Overly muscular. Proportions are all wrong. The eyes look googly, like they're all cross-eyed. And the body language is rather silly looking like our heroes have to pee really bad. It would be funny if this was a work of parody like MAD or Not Brand Echh.

Then there's those layouts. They're all over the place. Several pages are framed with unnecessary posed images of Cap and the Falcon. Then there's those 2-page splashes that are supposed to go from left to right and somehow end up those wandering paths taken by Billy in The Family Circus. If ever those black trail dashes were needed to guide the reader's eyes as to where to travel, it was here in the pages of this opening salvo. 

The first of 2 volumes, other than what was the truth behind the super bug bio-weapon that Falcon and his reporter friend discovered, I've no interest in knowing what happens next. That's how awful Sear's art was. Maybe if I found a copy for $3 or less. Otherwise, a quick search on Wikipedia should suffice. This one is definitely getting turned back in for trade credit.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Potlatch: Comics to Benefit the SPA

I bought this book years ago. Like way before the pandemic years ago. It has to have been sometime between 2015 and 2019 when my wife and I were visiting Asheville NC annually because I remember the store where I got this book. It was an independent art store that sold work by local artists. Obviously, somebody who worked on this project was from the mountains of North Carolina.

Potlatch, which derives it's name from a Native American feast where gifts and large amounts of food are shared amongst different tribes, is an anthology title. The term is also where we get the word 'potluck', which more accurately describes this book as you have no idea what you're gonna get. Past volumes have benefited comic book publishing charities such as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Sales for this edition from 2004 provides proceeds to be Small Press Association.

As with just about any anthology, it's really hard to rate it on quality as the skill levels of the talent ranges from 'why isn't this guy working for Marvel?' to 'when did this guy realize that becoming a professional comic book artist just wasn't in the cards?' A lot of what I read was forgettable. There were a few photocopied mini comics included in my copy. The one about a pair of villains who go on a talk show to explain how hard it is to be the baddie was the most memorable thing in the book. There was also Drake Maxwell, Private Eye. It was about a gumshoe who had to solve an alien abduction. Only the item missing is the alien's spaceship that has been stolen during a recent jaunt to the third rock from the Sun! I also received a couple of stickers of Japanese looking creatures that I think might make a fun prize for a friend of mine, that looked really nice. 

If I paid more than $5 dollars, I was probably gypped. Though it was for charity. So maybe I can be okay with having paid $10. But that's about it. Despite owning it for nearly a decade, this one is going to the used book store, hopefully for some trade credit. My luck, they won't take it because of how independent and unknown it is. But if they'll just take it off my hands, I'd be willing to take as little as 25 cents in trade to get this stinker off my hands.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Even More Fund Comics

If you ever wanted a primer to Indy comics, creators and artists for the early 2000s, this is it! Dozens upon dozens of comic book talent came together to make this 2004 anthology benefiting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Batton Lash's lawyers of Supernatural Law, The Cryptozoo Crew from Jerry Carr and Allan Gross, Mark McKenna's Banana Tail are just a few of the properties I've read and reviewed before. It was a lot of fun to get an all-new revisit to these characters that might not have gotten their due respect. 

There's also a slew of well known artists who contributed to the sketch book section of this book. Steve Rude, George Perez and Al Milgrom, along with Jim Lee, who drew to the Spider-Man/Green Goblin cover all make small donations of their time and God given gifts in this book. I'm thinking heavy hitters Marvel and DC weren't willing to let their superstars provide more than a single work of art least it interferes with their bottom line. But at least they were allowed to support the CBLDF!

There's at least one other volume out there similar to this. More Fund Comics, also by Sky Dog, benefits my favorite comic book charity. I'd assume with the title that there'd be a 'Fund Comics' out there too. Only, I can't find evidence of it. I'd like to read MFC. But if it's like this book, I'd probably sell it for something I really want. Thus, the first primer is something I will keep an eye out for but I'm not going to add it to my wish list.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Flaming Carrot Comics #1 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

What's in a catchphrase?

According to creator Bob Burden, the Flaming Carrot's trademarked exclamation of 'Ut!' has ties to the Beatles. In an interview in Comics Interview #40 (November, 1986), Burden explained the meaning of 'Ut' as follows:

'At Shea Stadium, when the Beatles were all up there, and the fans were trying to rush the stage, and the police were trying to keep them behind the barricades, George Harrison points to one that gets through, and says, "Ut!" It's like oops! It's just a goofy thing that's kind of childlike and fun.'

In this 2004 issue, the surrealist Flaming Carrot is having to test out some new trademarks. Thanks to a new action figure made of the character, the Flaming Carrot has to test out the worst weapon accessory of all-time- the all-new baloney gun! True, the hero is able to finally do away with his arch-enemy Garbage Mouth. But if the Flaming Carrot wasn't under contract to use this ridiculous new weapon, instead of his tried and true silly putty, sneezing powders, and playing cards, FC could have ended things a lot sooner than he did!

The demise of Garbage Mouth couldn't have come at a worse time for superheroes. It's the age of political correctness and a vigilante superhero is just something the town of Palookaville can do without. Having to learn to be a gentler, kinder superhero is going to be a difficult challenge for the Flaming Carrot. Especially as a tribe of pygmies are building an illegal structure out of baguettes in the middle of the city park. 

To keep him in line, the Flaming Carrot is joined by his 3 girlfriends, one of which is an investigative reporter doing a secret expose on the hero and his bad temper. When the pygmies capture the super hero and force his gal pals to dance around in their underwear, it will take everything in Flaming Carrot's bag of tricks to save the day. Except for the baloney gun. He's not using that stupid thing ever again!

Bob Burden continues to tap into the absurd and bizarre in this 4-issue miniseries that celebrates Flaming Carrot's 25th Anniversary first appearance in the pages of the direct-market magazine, 1979's Visions #1. Originally, Burden had Flaming Carrot's origins being the result of brain damage caused by reading 5,000 comic books in a single setting. Burden noted at the end of this issue that he felt that his creations mental aliments were subsiding in FC's old age. Yet, there's a healthy dose of silliness in this black & white comic. 

Just like with Flaming Carrot's mask, you can't remove the absurd, no matter how hard you try.

This issue was published in joint by Image Comics and Desperado Publishing.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #29 (Comic/Graphic Novel Published by Image) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Candy Freak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbell of America by Steve Almond

A chance tour of a candy factory inspires creative writing professor and self-proclaimed candy freak, Steve Almond to explore the world of candy bars. Instead of focusing on the Big 3- Hershey's, Mars and Nestle, Almond will check out some of the few remaining independent candy manufacturers still in existence. In his confectionery tour across America, the author will discover new flavors, examine the challenges these small businesses face and brainstorm new strategies for survival. 

When Steve Almond writes about his candy tours, he's a great writer. However, the author poetically waxes way too much about other subjects. For example, this book was written during the election of 2004 and while he awaits the next plane that will continue his foodie work-vacay, Almond watches the results of the primaries and I think the whole sch-bang between W. and John Kerry. I completely understand why he mentions this as Almond talks with fellow travelers and air stewards about their love of candy during his trek. Yet, the writer also spends about 5 pages talking about the administration of Bush 43 being the new Nazi party and that's just 5 pages too long for a book that's supposed to be devoted to one's love of candy. 

When it comes to Steve Almond's love of candy, the journalist gets really in depth with his personal history. REALLY in-depth. I don't need to know how the wordsmith used a candy bar to measure the length of his teenage erection. I don't need to know of his carnal exploits with chocolate and his past lovers. But I did enjoy learning about the old school candies he bought as a kid. 

Steve Almond grew up in the late 60s through the 70s. This is like the golden age of candy. Sure, there have been candy bars since just after the Civil War. But the rules of marketing and advertising towards kids changed during Almond's childhood and that made for a quantum leap in the types of unique sugary treats that were created just for kids. Bubblicious bubble gum, Ring Pops, Blow Pops, Jelly Belly jelly beans, Reese's Pieces and Pop Rocks came out during this period of pop culture history. Sour candies were still a decade away but Almond got to grow up during America's introduction to the gummi candies of Germany! And of course, this was the age of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and all of the amazing treats that sprung off from that cult classic film!

Unfortunately, the writer doesn't seem to mention anything about the Gene Wilder movie that was so inspirational to my youth. Maybe that's my story to tell. One inspiration however that I gained from Steve Almond, was to go on a search for some of the candy bars that the author discovered while researching this book. I spent an entire weekend in the mountains of North Carolina looking for things like the Peanut Chew and Valomilks in the candy shops/tourist traps of Maggie Valley and Waynesville, NC. I got bupkis. However, I can say that my trip wasn't ruined as my wife's hankering for Cracker Barrel led me to find several of the candies Steve Almond learned about in the 'Old Country Store' section of the Mebane, NC location. 

I'm reading books about the culinary and food industries to increase my knowledge for my continuing education as well as being able to help my culinary students with their questions about all things epicurean. It's to my great lament that while I can cull things about candy I found in this book into some of my lectures, I cannot in good conscious add this book to the bookshelf I have of books for my students to borrow. I think I could get away with his use of the F-word. I mean, that's both Chef Gordon Ramsey and the late Anthony Bourdain's favorite word. If only Steve Almond hadn't talked so much about sex...

Lastly, I need to mention something about the cover that irks me. Having a generalized anxiety disorder and being a professional Chef and culinary instructor, I strive for bold and eye-appealing designs that have a touch of balance. I love that the letters of this book are all taken from different candy bars. A clever little visual puzzle for readers to figure out. What I absolutely hate is that the N in Candy and the F in Freak are taken from the same type of candy bar. Why does a cover with 10 letters only have 9 different fonts? This sort of thing makes my brain just itch to no end!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Best Political Cartoons of the Year 2005 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The political cartoon. It's an institution as American as mom, apple pie, and baseball. For the year that was 2004, it was a banner year to be an editorial artist.

2004 was a presidential election year. The candidates the American people had to choose from were the incumbent, George W. Bush vs. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. The roller coaster economy, traditional home values and the war on terror were deciding factors in an election that was too close to call until election day.

Iraq was a frequent topic for political cartoonists. Saddam Hussein's war trail occurred in 2004. With his capture, the debate raged as to not only should America continue to have a presence in the Middle Eastern nation, but also as to why we were there in the first place. A scandal involving the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison by US soldiers took over the editorial page for a while. And the commencement of the 2004 Olympics in Athens had everyone on the edge of their seats. Not because of gold medal fervor; but to see if the global event was going to be the next target of terrorists. 

There was more to 2004 than the election, Irag and the war on terror. The Boston Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino and finally won the World Series for the first time since 1918. DIY guru Martha Stewart went to prison for insider stock trading. A series of hurricanes targeted Florida. And several big time celebs passed away including Superman's Marlon Brando and his on-screen son, the man of steel himself, Christopher Reeve. There's also a special section at editorial cartoons from around the world, with the focus being how other countries view American policy.

This book is titled as The Best Political Cartoons of 2005. But all of the material within the covers are from 2004. Editor Daryl Cagle did it this way because both the Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning and several other similar awards are now presented for the year prior but in the when it wasp physically awarded. So Herblock winner Matt Davies, whose winning portfolio is presented in this volume, won the 2005 award for his work done in 2004.

I didn't choose this compendium of cartoons to be political. I choose this collection as I am down to just 2 tasks on my 2022 reading challenge and it's been darn near impossible to find a comic book or graphic novel with an index inside it. This book was placed in the used graphic novel section of my favorite LCS. And this book promises an index, of which there is! So, I am counting it. 

An interesting look by at 2004. I recall a lot of the events that happened in this year. I just can't believe it's been 16 years since it all happened!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #30 (With an Index) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Yets! #3

With the completion of the book, my enjoyment of Mike Bocianowski's Yets! unfortunately comes to an end. This 2004 book from Airwave Comics appears to be the last work of the Yets and their animal friends Sir Perry, the Guinea Pig and Spec the puppy!

In this issue, Sir Perry is about to take his new flyer out on an expedition to help the Yets find more of their kind. But first, the crew must venture down to the realm of men for an urgent mission!

I really love this series. I'm quite disappointed that I can't find any further adventures with the Yets! It's such a beautifully written and illustrated series with heart and humor. 

I don't really do this, but I think I am going to see if I can find Mr. Bocianowski online and ask him if there are further comics or even a graphic novel that I just can't locate anywhere- even on Amazon!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Robin: Unmasked

A few months back, I read the Batman War Games trilogy. Okay, it was a 4-volume set with one book being a prequel (War Drums.) But it was still a trilogy. In War Games, Tim Drake was no longer Robin. The reason why was a mystery to me. But not anymore.

Robin: Unmasked explains the reason's behind Tim having to step down from that role. But that's not the only change for Tim. Fables scribe, Bill Willingham takes over the series beginning in this volume from 2004. Along with having to stop being the Boy wonder, Tim is placed in a new school, with new friends, potential new loves, and much more. Tim also has to struggle with the fact that he may have killed a man while flying solo as Robin.

The art was 50/50. The first couple of issues are drawn by Kabuki's Rick Mays. Those issues are visually stunning and I love the color palette. For the last couple of chapters, Robin is illustrated by Aaron Sowd. He's slightly Manga-style was still was good. But when you compare it to those amazing first segments by Rick Mays, it's like asking for Ham and getting SPAM instead.

Robin: Unmasked was a great read. It answered quite a few questions about segments in War Games that I didn't understand, like why there was this assassin all of a sudden trying to kill all the teen boys in Gotham aged 14-16. I probably would've have enjoyed this book better had I read this first. But that doesn't always happen when collecting comic books.

Worth Consuming!

8.5 out of 10 stars.

Frankenstein Mobster #0

   Yesterday, I reviewed a more traditional approach to the Frankenstein Monster created by Mary Shelley. Well, for today's review, I went with a more radical approach to the character...
  
    The Frankenstein Mobster!

   In an unnamed town, there's a neighborhood made up of immigrants from Asian, Europe, and the Middle East. But these aren't your usual 'tired, poor, huddled masses.' No, these residents of Dead End are comprised of vampires, werewolves, witches, and ghouls. 
    On a dark and stormy night, a young woman stumbles upon a taxi cab being carjacked. But in a twist, the woman is actually a cop and the daughter of the toughest cop to patrol the city. Enter Terri Todd, a legacy in high heels and just hours before her first day as a the city's newest detective, the crime fighter is on the case of a missing mummy girl. With the help of medusa prostitutes, fortune tellers, and the undead, Terri Todd brings hope to a forgotten section of the city that has become a target of corrupt politicians, cops, and underworld thugs (both figuratively and literally.)
    
    I actually liked this opening chapter created by Mark Wheatley (Doctor Cyborg.) It's kinda like the Goon but in reverse as the humans seem to be the villains to the downtrodden monsters of Dead End. The story was really good and the art was amazing (with a great variant cover by Adam Hughes.) There was only 1 thing- the Frankenstein Mobster!
    Though the character is featured prominently on both covers, only parts of his body being sewn by an undisclosed and presumably mad scientist are shown. I have a feeling that Frankenstein is being created as the answer to Dead End's prayers for relief from those who seek to exploit the borough. Somehow, Terri Todd will eventually team with the monster playing good cop to his bad.
    I found this comic in a quarter bin in Asheville, NC. It was the only issue of the series from 2004 that ran for a total of 8 issues. Though this issue had a satisfying ending, I am clamoring for the next 7 issues! This series was that good!
    Fun, funny, spooky, thrilling, and very refreshing, the Frankenstein Mobster breathes new life into a timeless legend.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
   
    

Van Helsing's Night Off and Other Tales

   

  Van Helsing's Night Off is a collection of short comics by Austrian artist Nicolas Mahler. Otherwise known by just his last name Mahler, his work has appeared in French, German, and Swiss newspapers. This 2004 collection from Top Shelf Productions is his first American publication.

   The book is full of minimalist drawings of Dracula slayer, Van Helsing, along with the Wolf-Man, the Mummy, Frankenstein, and a Zorro-like hero named the Masked Avenger. While I got several chuckles out of this book, some of the jokes were lost on me. But I don't think it's because I don't have a good sense of humor. I think the problem is my being able to interpret Mahler's art.

   Like I mentioned earlier, Mahler's style is minimalist. It's to such a degree that his characters don't have eyes, mouths, or in the case of the Masked Avenger, arms. None of the characters speak either, so sometimes when there is a scene with just two characters standing static, I feel like maybe I missed something in the body language that a European audience would get right away.

   I found this book at the Dollar Book Exchange a really cool pop-up book sale that occurs one weekend a month in Raleigh, NC. If not for finding it there, I probably would've gone years without knowing who Mahler was. I'm glad I found the book as discovering European comics artist is becoming a side project of my comic book endeavors. It was a neat quick read and while I found it enjoyable, it's not something I'm going to keep in my collection. But that's okay- if you live in the Triangle (NC), you might come across this book again soon at a used bookstore near you.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Astro City: Victory

 

Astro City has always been one of those comics that was both a social commentary and parody of comic books and superheroes. But it's never been this obvious. The main three characters in this story are Samaritan, The Confessor, and Winged Victory. But in reality, these characters are Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.
 
   So, I got excited about an all-new Astro City story and I was really reading Trinity (the name for DC's short-lived Superman-Batman-Wonder Woman team-up from 2008-2009.) Astro City is now published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics. Thus, DC is technically the owner of Astro City right now. With 52 potential incarnations of the DC Trinity, do readers really need a 53rd
 
    I've known for a while that Samaritan is an analog of the Man of Steel. But he's not the star of the comic- the city is! Yet in this storyline, that changes very much.
 
    In Victory- the mysterious Winged Victory is under attack by a smear campaign when a group of super villains and students of Victory's women self-sufficiency centers accuse the Champion of the Council of Nike of setting up battles to make her look better in the front of the media's cameras. Naturally, Winged Victory wants to be an independent woman and solve this crisis on her own. But this controversy is proving to be a conspiracy and it may be too much for just one person to solve when the government agency EAGLE comes to shut down her operation and take her in for questioning.
 
    Enter the Confessor and Samaritan.
 
    I really love Kurt Busiek's Astro City. But this storyline is not classic Astro City and that's very disappointing. The story was pretty good. But, it's just too cliched and too similar to other comic book tales I've read in the past.
 
     Thankfully, this volume isn't just about the 'Big Three." Included in this book is the Astro City Visitor's Guide. From 2004, this book is quintessential Astro City because it is about the main character of this series- the bustling city itself. There's some great back story here along with a really neat short story about a girl who takes a superhero tour of the city and ends up becoming a part of the action. There are also about two dozen character sheets about the generations of superheroes to operate in the fair city. Some of these, especially the First Family, are a parody (or knock-offs) of established Marvel and DC properties. Again, they aren't the focus of the book, so it's forgivable.
 
    I got this book from (everyone all at once-) my local library. I'm actually glad I didn't buy this book. In fact if I came across these books as individual issues, the only thing I'd consider buying would be the visitors guide. I look forward to my return visit to Astro City. I just hope that forthcoming trips don't follow the same formula as this venture did.

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Catwoman: The Movie and Other Cat Tales

 This trade collects the official comic adaption on the Catwoman feature film starring Halle Berry and Sharon Stone, along with 3 tales from her various series from the 1990s to 2004.

  Let’s talk about the movie. It was a colossal failure in theatres when it came out. To this day, I’ve never seen it. I happened across this book on a dollar shelf at a used book store and I figured I’d give the adaptation of the film a shot in order to decide whether I’ll have any interest in seeing the movie.

   Well, let’s just say, I won’t be running to my local video store to rent this film any time soon. (Yes, I know, video stores don’t exist anymore. Humor me.) When this movie came out, I didn’t have any qualms with a black Catwoman. Frank Miller portrayed Selina Kyle as black in his seminal work Batman: Year One. What I had problems with was that DC decided to create a Catwoman that was nothing like any of her comic personas. Heck, they didn’t even name this Catwoman Selina Kyle! Instead, they created a new character similar to Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, with her ‘resurrection’ at the hands of a bunch of stray cats and then the powers that be just went wild with a completely new character.

I did like that some sort of tie-in to Pfeiffer’s character was alluded to during a scene that explained Berry’s characters origin. That helped a little. But, I think DC tried to pull a bait and switch with this movie. So, you’ve been warned fellow readers!

  Along with the movie adaptation, we get 3 stories of the actual Catwoman in action. All three are reprints from her 90s self-titled series and involve murder, intrigue, cat-burglary, and seduction. They are all classic Catwoman tales and very well done. The art is edgy and alluring and so are the stories. They’ve got a bit of a femme fatale and film noir element to them. I’m even interested in possibly collecting those series eventually as I finish up some stuff on my wish list.

  These three tales are pretty much the only thing going for this collection of Catwoman tales. It’s the only reason I’m still going to keep this trade and it’s the only reason I deem it Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars