Sleigher: The Heavy Metal Santa Claus

When Santa Claus is unexpectedly killed, his son is called to take over the family business. Forging his own way as a heavy metal rocker, the man known as Sleigher, does his new job with a musical flair. On Christmas, Sleigher delivers gifts to all the good little boys and girls of the world. The other 364 days out of the year, this new Santa battles the forces of evil that seek to pervert the spirit of Christmas. Those Sleigher defeats are held captive within the confines of Santa's sack, which obviously have magical properties.

When an ancient race of Christmas mischief makers called the Yule Lads assault Santa's workshop, they steal the bag, releasing countless holiday villains, along with their mama, back into the world. With their escape, the Christmas spirit of the world's populace is replaced with a selfish hedonism.  With the help of Sleigher's grandfather, the Coca-Cola style Santa Claus, and his Elves with an attitude, the Heavy Metal Santa will face a foe so vile, that if allowed to roam the world, there definitely won't be a Christmas next year.

This 2016 volume opens with a lecherous priest trying to put the 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' moves on an innocent choir boy. Thankfully, Sleigher intervenes. However, with this kicking off the story and this version of Santa Claus being heavy metal, which is traditionally a very anti-church genre of music, I was afraid that this was going to be a book that really skewers Christianity. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Does Sleigher talk about raising hell and gestures with devil horns and stuff? Absolutely. But does he love Christmas and take pride in being the new Father Christmas? He sure as hell does!

If the blurb on the last page of this story is true, Sleigher was supposed to be an annual miniseries in which the hero would seek to return one of the escaped yule time prisoners back into his magic pack. Krampus was to the the antagonist for the sequel. Yet, for reasons I've not been able to uncover, Action Lab never returned to this property.

I suspect it might have something to do with the name of the series. Sleigher is of course, a great name for a Christmas heavy metal themed series. However, there's already has been a band named Slayer since the early 80s. I'm wondering if the band's lawyers sent Action Lab a cease and desist over name similarities. Or maybe sales weren't that great. Comic book history is full of promises of forthcoming issues, specials and sequels that never materialized because of poor sales. I just wish I could uncover the reason there never was another season of this irreverent but hilarious holiday comic.

By the way, this comic marks the 4th time this holiday season alone in which Vladimir Putin is a character! I didn't know he was so affiliated with Christmas. Strange. A very strange coincidence, if you ask me...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools Special One-Shot

It's April 1st and I had been looking forward to a couple of holiday themed comics to celebrate April Fools. I hadn't bought anything for Easter, so I was thrilled to have this book to read. However, I had set it aside and forgot where I put it. After spending 2 straight days searching, I finally located it in time for a holiday read. But now that it's over, I really wish I didn't spend all that time looking for it.

Harley Quinn is invited to head up a support group for super-villains. A former psychiatrist and current villain in her own right, Harley is more than qualified for the job. Her first client is Man-Bat. Only, the former Kirk Langstrom doesn't know that. Harley's attempts to cure the villain in the middle of an assault on Gotham City is rather funny. It's only when Harley gives up on house calls and puts up her shingle does things go downhill and fast!

For one thing, the art changes from the hyper-realistic style of Jim Lee to an uber-cartoony look from Sean Galloway; AKA Cheeks. The story itself goes from funny to absurd to the point that the reader is never sure if Harley really is counseling some of the lower tiered villains of the DC Universe or if it's all in her head. In fact, when the artwork reverted back to Jim Lee's, even Harley is unsure as we find her undergoing some sort of mind control at the hands of that heartless b*tch, Amanda Waller.

The title of this 2016 one-shot is Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fools Special. For 90% of this book, I was wondering 'where is the Suicide Squad in all this?' Once I got my answer, I really wasn't happy. Poor Harleen Quinzel, alias Harley Quinn, has gone through such a gauntlet of crap in her life story. Abused as a child, mistreated and manipulated by the Joker and now tortured by Waller, man, things just keep getting worse for one of my all-time favorite characters. And it kept making me mad!

Really, this shouldn't have even been labeled an 'April Fools Special'. There is really nothing about the holiday in this book. During the Silver Age, DC would do these occasional April Fools stories where readers were encouraged to find all the erroneous stuff artists hid in the artwork. I was expecting the same with this book. Instead I got to see poor Harley get mistreated again and have to sit through an ending that was essentially a 4-page advertisement for a Suicide Squad series that I have very little interest in reading. 

I guess the joke was on me...

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 2 out of 10 stars.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

I know. I read an honest-to-God novel and it wasn't based on a comic book or superhero or established TV show or film. I was inspired to find this book after seeing the trailer for the upcoming series Paramount+. But I don't have that streaming service. So I took a shot to see if my local library had the book on hand. I guess I hit the bullseye because I found it. Boy, was that one of the smartest moves I've ever made in my 40 plus long years of being an avid reader!

The story is about a Russian aristocrat at the dawn of the Russian revolution. It's 1922 and the Bolsheviks have taken power and are creating the foundations for establishment of the Soviet Union. Count Alexander Rostov has been summoned to a tribunal.  Declared an enemy of the state, normally Rostov would be taken to a firing squad and shot or shipped off to Siberia. However, because of a poem he wrote that inspired the spark of the October Revolution, he is sentenced to permanent house arrest at the Hotel Metropol for the rest of his life. 

Should he exit the doors of the Hotel, Count Rostov will be executed. Over the span of 4 decades, the confined gentleman will make do the best he can, living in exiled luxury as guests and staff of the Metropol come and go while the Soviet Union grows into a world power.

My first experience with writer Amor Towles, I was enthralled by this 2016 work. It was pure magic. After the first 100 pages, I was no longer a reader. I too was a resident of the Hotel Metropol. I could not stop reading this book. The desire to read another page turned into an extra 5, 10, 15 pages before I realized it was way past my bedtime and begrudgingly needed to call it a night.

I realize that Ewan McGregor is playing Count Rostov on the live action series. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't picture anyone else in the role other than Kenneth Branagh. Turns out I wasn't alone in this as the Murder on the Orient Express director was on tap for the lead role for a very long time. As much as in my head, I kept hearing Branagh speaking in that French-Belgian accent as Hercule Poirot, I can't get past hearing McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi instead of a Russian polymath of refinement every time I watch the trailer for the forthcoming series.

I wish I could say that this book was perfect. It was pretty darn close. If not for having recently read the massive graphic novel Petrograd, I would have been a lot more lost understanding the early days of the Soviet Union. While written by an American, this book is very Russian. The more you know of the country's rich cultural history, the better you'll enjoy this book and I just don't know jack about Tolstoy, Chekov and their kin. Thankfully, there's so much heart and wonderment in this book, it makes up for those gaps in my knowledge. 

This book is like a dream come true for me. I've always wanted to get stuck in an airport or be snowed in at an all-inclusive ski resort or have to spend a season at a research base in Antarctica. A Gentleman in Moscow was a chance to live those bizarre fantasies vicariously through the writing of Amor Towles. Unlike most novels I read, this novel is something I see myself making another stay at Hotel Metropol!

Worth Consuming!

Ratiing: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Unstoppable Wasp #1

From 2016, the character of Nadia Pym (later Van Dyne), was created to reflect the character Evangeline Lilly played in 2015's Ant-Man film. Why they don't instead call her Hope in this comic is beyond me. If you're going to mirror the movie universe, go all out and do it right. Or don't do it at all. If I had anything to say about this book, I wouldn't advised Marvel to just scrap it.

First of all, readers are supposed to forget nearly 50 years of comic book history. Instead of being killed by Communists, Hank Pym's original wife survived long enough to have a child. The child, a daughter, was raised by the Red Room, the same clandestine Soviet training center that created Black Widow and all of her 'sisters'. Now free from Russian/Soviet influences, Nadia makes her way to NYC and seeks to become a superhero like her famous father.

Oh, geez. I'm having trouble with this review. I've been frustrated with my fellow fans today about being so negative and anti-woke. I really like to think I'm a little more open minded. I like issue writer Jeremy Whitley. I've interviewed him before. I am a big fan of his Princeless world of books. I just didn't like this book. 

In reaction to SHIELD's lack of respect for women scientists, by book's end, Nadia creates a think tank that specializes in women and STEM studies in order to save the world. My culinary field is considered a career and technical education subject of study. My department strives to empower minorities and females in an industry that is dominated by men. So I am all for STEM and STEAM, as Culinary arts are a form of art. I just didn't like this issue!

This story just felt too saccharine for me. Maybe it's because Nadia is a millennial or a member of Gen Z. Maybe Nadia is just too positive and cheerful; like Santa Claus, at Disneyland... getting laid! Something about this issue just rubbed me the wrong way. 

I looked at some other reviews of this book, and I think I've put my finger on what was getting on my nerves. A lot of readers seem to have the same complaint. It's how she and her teen friends talk. If you thought Cher in Clueless was bad, you will hate the dialogue in this book! Maybe it's because I am in my 40s. I am sure my parents and grandparents hated how I talked. It's that generation thing, surely. Though I don't recall any of my high school students from my past 5 years of teaching ever talking like this. It's almost like how DC writers in the late 60s and 70s would be criticized over how these 'old fogeys' didn't understand how modern teens of the time talked. I like Jeremy Whitley. I just don't think he was ever around teens in the mid-2010s. 

A good story that is just a bit out of touch with today's youth. Maybe if the dialogue was more realistic and not in YEET-speak. Thank God my students don't talk like this. I don't think I could continue working with them if they did.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

The Tick: Local Comic Shop Day Edition #1

Local Comic Shop Day is an industry created holiday that many comic collectors and geeks look forward to. Though not as popular as it's sister festivity, the much more established Free Comic Book Day, Local Comic Shop Day seeks to encourage fans to support their nearest comic shop with some freebies and exclusives. FCBD takes place every May. LCSD is held 6 months later in November, with hopes that the proximity to the beginning of the holiday shopping season that a visit to your favorite comic book store will inspire shoppers and fill up wish lists.

This 2016 offering stars one of my all-time favorite characters, the Tick. Big Blue and his pudgy sidekick Arthur star in 2 stories. The first adventure sees the return of the original Tick villains, the Ninjas! Wanting to stop a resurgence before it gets out of hand, Tick and Arthur don ninja costumes to infiltrate the forthcoming interest meeting. Only, it turns out that this meeting was a sting operated by one of Tick's cronies. And then it comes to light that other attendees are also heroes in disguise hoping to stop the next generation of ninjas. Is anyone at this meeting an actual ninja?

Story #2 introduces a new villain to the Tick universe. Enter: The Lyme. Wearing a costume just like the Tick, only it's green, this guy is like the Anti-Tick! No, it's not Barry. This new player is genuinely rude, crude and unwilling to stomp out evil! Everything the Tick is not and hopefully, someone who will be making more appearances in the future!

A year later, New England Comics released a 4-issue all-color miniseries. Maybe this free comic was a glimpse into that title. There are ninjas on the cover of #1. But I've not read it yet as I just recently added issues 2-4 to my collection a short while ago. Maybe it's time to read it. 

This free comic was funny. It was a much needed read after a couple of tense, but not terrible, days at work. No matter who is writing or drawing this book, Tick stories are always good for some mindless entertainment and this book did not disappoint in the least.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

A Year of Marvels

In 2016, Marvel Comics released 5 one-shots devoted to the holidays as seen through the eyes of the Marvel Universe. The holidays were occasions like Valentines Day, April Fools and Father's Day. Holidays that don't get the specials treatment. There was even a story about a holiday from Japan that I had never even heard of. 

When these holiday single issues were released, I thought it was a great idea. But when Marvel didn't release a 6th one-shot devoted to celebrations in the months of November and December, I was sorely disappointed. Marvel had missed out on executing a brilliant year-long plan. And thus, I kinda lost interest in collecting the whole run.

My interest was revived a few months ago when I found a copy of A Year of Marvels at a used book story for only $1! This book collected the floppies devoted to January-October. Along with those 5 one-shots, there were 3 never before published holiday specials. From Marvel Unlimited's Infinite line, I got to break bread with the Punisher in a Veteran's Day/Thanksgiving epic. Robbie Reyes returned to the City of Angels and helped me to believe in Santa. And I rang in the new year with radio host, Charlamange Tha God over at Avengers Tower.

That those last 3 stories appear in this book is proof that Marvel can indeed take all of their digital holiday specials and sell them in print form! DC does this kind of thing all the time. Why won't Marvel? There's like 30 Thanksgiving and Christmas Infinite specials that I haven't read and I gladly pay some good money for a holiday omnibus. I really think Marvel owes its fans this since in the past 5 years, the only Christmas related special released by the House of Ideas was a Star Wars Life Day one-shot. Don't get me wrong- I appreciated that amazing issue. But Marvel has been a Scrooge for a very, very long time towards it's fans of floppies. 

The stories and artwork of the 5 main volumes were good. But with such a spread of artists and writers, the level of quality was varied. The Punisher story was poignant and amazing. I loved the Ghost Rider Christmas story. Though I hated how a poor little defenseless kitty who is being abused by a brat. I love that Robbie Reyes frees the kitten and threatens the bully. But if you look closely in that story, this monster has abused other animals before. And that just bothered me. That story was written by Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan and he could write for Marvel any day in my opinion.

As for the NYE story by Charlamange Tha God, it was horrible. I think this is where fans can point to Axel Alonzo's failed experiment to basically insult and alienate any comic book reader who was white, male, conservative, Christian, and wealthy. I know that CTA is very popular and he's got followers. But he should stick to radio and since his story is nearly a decade old it thankfully appears that the celebrity did just that. 

You might like to collect single issues only. But this is one of those times you might want to reconsider as this collection completes the full year A Year of Marvels that never actually came to fruition. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars 

Marvel Tsum Tsum: Takeover!

I love crossovers and team-ups. I don't think this book can be classified as a team-up. I think since two universes converge, this is more of a crossover. But I'm not really sure.

When a package belonging to the Collector is lost in transit, this spells mayhem for the Big Apple. The package crashes and a group of Tsum Tsums are unleashed on the world. As these creatures assume the form of their friends, some Tsum Tsums become heroes while a few fall under the influence of Ultron! Of all of the villains they could run afoul of, they pick the one most evil and most able to adapt to any situation. 

This miniseries is from 2016. It's yet another bargain find at Ollie's. My big question is- are Tsum Tsums still a thing? 

Tsum Tsums are a Japanese toy property based on Disney licenses. They are supposed to be rectangular in shape. But they look more like a tube or a pill capsule to me. These toys are designed to be stackable and apparently kids created a party game where you try to knock over as many of the stacked up figures as possible. The Tsum Tsums eventually became the stars of a video game or two.

If you ask me, Tsum Tsums are a fad similar to POGs. Which essentially means, I get the gist of them. But I still don't fully understand them. Thankfully, you don't have to understand the toys or the games to enjoy the book. Kudos to writer Jacob Chabot (The Mighty Skullboy Army) who made this story fun to read and enjoy without having much of a knowledge of the Tsum Tsum property. 

If the Tsum Tsums are why you are buying this book, you might need a little bit of knowledge about Marvel Comics. But you should do okay reading this if you don't.

Not a bad expenditure of $2.99.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Special: C-3PO #1

The biggest question behind 2015's The Force Awakens wasn't 'Where is Luke Skywalker?' It was 'What is up with C-3PO's red arm?'

Well this one-shot from Marvel answers that question to a satisfying degree.

This issue reminds me of one of my favorite Clone Wars episodes called 'A Sunny Day in the Void.' In both, a group of droids are put on a vital mission and crash land on a deserted planet. On Clone Wars, the planet was devoid of any life and was flat and arid. But here, Threepio and 3 other droids are stranded on a swamp-like world in which a looming acid rain storm threatens the sentience of each construct.

With the Resistance droids is a prisoner protocol droid of the First Order. The droid may or may not know of the location of Admiral Ackbar, who has been taken prisoner by those dastardly ancestors of the Empire. 

The First Order droid is quite philosophical. He notes that both he, the enemy droid, and Threepio may have at one point been friends. But since both's memories have been wiped over time, it's a matter of programming that now makes the two foes. 

The droid prisoner looks an awful lot like the Death Star Droid from A New Hope. If I am not mistaken, this droid also doubled as a prisoner on the Jawa's barge in the same movie. I am wondering if the First Order droid, referred to as Omri is either of those characters. It would make the events of this story all the more poignant.

This was a nearly flawless comic book. I loved the cover and the inside art was truly out of this world. The team of James Robinson and Tony Harris did a top-notch job here!

You'll be seeing more Star Wars comics in the next few weeks as we countdown to the final entry in the Skywalker Saga, The Rise of Skywalker. I am a life-long Star Wars fan, having be born in 1977. I have waited decades for this movie and I can't wait. Hopefully, books like this will keep me grounded until that special day!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Beano Annual 2016

The Beano is a legendary weekly comic book from the UK. The book has been going strong since 1938. With over 4000 uninterrupted issues, the big boys from the US such as Superman and Batman can't boast such a feat!

There's about a dozen different characters and segments to The Beano; all of which occupy a shared universe in the little hamlet of Beanotown. My favorite were the Bash Street Kids, General Jumbo and Dennis the Menace. 

The Bash Street Kids are a bunch of school kids who are rather undisciplined. For some reason, their antics reminded me of a lower-income version of the students from American TV's Head of the Class.

General Jumbo is a young boy who creates these amazing automated war toys that he used to fight crime and solve mysteries. It's the only drama in the entire book.

Then there is Dennis the Menace. No, it's not the tow-haired moppet who terrorizes his next door neighbor, Mr. Wilson. This raven-haired fellow is quite the little demon who literally has sent his pop to the funny farm on more than one occasion.  Oddly enough while neither Hank Ketchum's American creation nor Beano's Dennis have anything to do with each other, the two Menaces debuted within a week of each other on both sides of the Atlantic!

There were a couple of segments that I wasn't such a fan of. There's this one recurring spot called 'Know Your Squelchies.' A Squelchie is a pile of goo that comes in varieties ranging from farm cow to Dalek. Some of these guys are funny. But for the most part, I don't think I am getting the joke. 

There was another segment called 'Les Pretend.' Here a young boy dresses up like his mother and tries to woo his father for some weird favor. Again, maybe I didn't get the joke of this one. But it sure did make me feel uncomfortable reading it. 

Oh--- I forgot Bananaman! This one was awesome. A young boy becomes a superhero from eating the iconic yellow fruit. This parody of Superman and Batman and others was rather funny! I had a chance to grab a couple of Bananaman graphic novels along with this and I passed them over! I really regret that now! I really wanted more of him!

This hardcover annual was also filled with fun and games perfect for young readers. Though with the British slang, some American youngsters might not understand everything that was going on here. I would have been in the same boat if not for years of watching British sci-fi and comedy!

Well, I finally got a chance to read a Beano. I liked it. But that doesn't mean that I need to find more for my collection. Okay- Bananaman! I want more of the Man of Peel!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Hip Hop Family Tree Volume 4 (1984-85)

Ed Piskor's award-winning series about the history of hip hop and rap continues. In this volume, East Coast rap is seeing the bright lights of Hollywood as several movies about the burgeoning music genre is finally catching the eyes of both white America and MTV. Over on the left coast, West Coast rap is starting to gain it's own identity which unfortunately is rooted in hard drugs such as crack as well as gang culture.

A number of household name players in hip-hop make their first appearances here. Perhaps the most famous name is Philadelphia's Fresh Prince, Will Smith, who is not quite ready to become one of the biggest names in TV and movies yet. Also expect to see female act Salt-n-Pepa, Biz Markie and Easy E starting to get in on the hip-hop 'fad.'

This chapter started a little slower than the other books. But by the end of the account of 1984's impact on the music industry, the storytelling pace was back to normal. The art however was as phenomenal as always.

This volume of Hip Hop Family Tree is from 2016. Supposedly, Ed Piskor is planning on making 7 total volumes. But I am wondering if that's ever going to be the case. Piskor keeps saying throughout this edition to expect more details on certain artists in future books. But with 2 and a half years having gone by and X-Men books now appearing to be his main focus, I'm not going to hold my breath for volume 5.

I'm guessing I'm never going to witness the greatest crossover event in hip-hop history between Run-DMC and Aerosmith in comic book form.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Three Stooges: Merry Stoogemas

Another American Mythology triumph!

This 2016 Christmas special has the Stooges playing pet shop store owners on Christmas Eve. Their last sale of the holiday shopping season involves a kitten for a little girl. But when the kitty ends up back at the shop, the guys must save Christmas! Taking the term 'cat burglar' to an all-new meaning, Larry, Moe and Curly must break into a house in order to make sure the little girl wakes up to a new cat on Christmas Day!

The second feature is a reprint from a 1950s era Three Stooges comic. Here, my favorite Stooge, Shemp, replaces Curly in a non-Christmas themed story drawn by comics legend Joe Kubert! When a con man hires the boys to play ghost writer for his biography. Hoping to sign a luxurious movie deal, the crook has really padded his resume. Plus the swindler figures he can save a buck hiring the Stooges to do the job. Little does the baddie know that the he should have hired anybody but the Stooges for the job.

American Mythology really do a dynamic job capturing the Stooges perfectly in the all-new tale. They've done such a better job than Papercutz ever did with the license. Plus, I can forgive the back-up tale not being holiday themed. American Mythology loves to print a vintage tale along with an original story. It's very possible that there has probably never been an Christmas-themed Stooge story made during the time the Stooges were alive. Besides, it's got Shemp and I love Shemp!!!

There were several covers to choose from with this special. While I liked the photo covers of the Stooges dressing as Santa, I just had to get the cover penciled by Mark Wheatley. Not a lot of fans know that The Stooges, including Shemp, were Jewish. If you look closely at the ornament at the bottom right corner of the cover, you see that it's got a blue six-sided star on it. A really cool nod to the comedian's Jewish heritage and the Hanukkah holiday.

Lots of nostalgic fun with Larry, Moe, Curly and Shemp!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man/Deadpool, Volume 0: Don't Call It a Team-Up

Whatever you do, don't call this volume a team-up book!

Published in 2016, this Marvel trade was released in anticipation of the Deadpool/Spider-Man series. This book collected the earliest stories to feature Deadpool making life hell for Spidey. Again, not a treasury of team-ups but it is a bunch of crazy crossovers.

My favorite story has the Merc with a Mouth and his geriatric pal Al traveling back in time to Peter Parker's high school days. In this adventure Deadpool and Al interact with Peter's friends and foes a la Forrest Gump in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #47- originally published way back in the swinging 60s!

Another great story in this edition is from the pages of Superior Spider-Man. During this time, Doctor Octopus had taken over Peter Parker's body. So when Wade crosses paths with this grittier web slinger, the mutant soldier of Fortune knows that something isn't right. Featuring a Donald Trump-like villain years before he was a political entity, it's an interesting look at Marvel's dislike of The Donald.

I loved every story in this collection. It was a fun read that had me laughing a lot! If you live near an Ollie's you might still be able to find a copy for a fraction of the original cover price!

A must for fans of Spider-Man, Deadpool and the insane characters of the Marvel Universe.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Supergirl Rebirth #1

Supergirl's return to earth after freeing herself from the Red Lanterns has resulted in many changes for Kara. She's de-aged a few years back into a high schooler. She's gotten stronger but she's also become more reckless. Thus, the Maid of Might is now subject to the DEO and it's leader, Maggie Sawyer.

When the DEO encounters a Kryptonian 'werewolf', it's up to Supergirl to save the day. Realizing that the DEO lacks the manpower to tackle a Super man-sized threat, Sawyer and Kara will form a new partnership that will net her some extra freedom. But is it a partnership that can be trusted?

I missed this when it first came out in 2016. I didn't realize that there was to be both a Rebirth special on top of the Rebirth DC series of Supergirl. Thank goodness for Ollie's DC grab bags! I've been looking for this book forever with zero success. But there she was smiling at me with those glowing red eyes.

The stunning cover by Emanuela Lupacchino was just a teaser for an exciting story inside. The team of Ray McCarthy and Steve Orlando, a great story that sets up the Supergirl Rebirth series of which I have read the first six-issue storyline. This special, along with a conversation with a friend of mine explain a lot of questions that were bugging me about Supergirl's backstory- especially her role with the Red Lanterns.

The artwork, also by Lupacchino, was pretty good. It's got that almost cartoony/manga quality that I can't decide if I like or not. But it's Supergirl and I can't say no to stuff starring her or her cousin.

A good introduction that I wish I hadn't overlooked when it first came out. But better late than never.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Gwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up

This is 100% absolute insanity and I loved it! Man, I wish I could say that about this book. Don't get me wrong, it did start out really well...

Gwenpool is from an alternate earth.  But even she knows that Galactus is bad news. The Eater of Worlds is not the bringer of gifts to all of the good little boys and girls of Earth-616! Plus, what in the heck is Pantsgiving?! Something is seriously wrong with Christmas and it's up to Gwenpool to find out what!

Then there's a very odd Christmas story starring the Red Skull and the ghost of Hitler? Clearly this is a pre-Trump presidency comic because this tale of holiday hi-jinx would not fly today. 

Actually, I am surprised that the book made it to press in 2016 when it did. You know what happens during the holidays, right? Hanukkah! I just cringe to think that some kid asked for this book as a gift during the Festival of Lights and this was one of the stories inside! This just seemed wrong.

This holiday special doesn't just cover a mixed up Christmas, screwy Thanksgiving, and hopefully not an Aryan Hanukkah... it also has a Halloween story starring Deadpool. The real Deadpool! It was funny but I think the damage was done with that Red Skull disaster. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 1: BFF (Family Comic Friday)

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Volume 1: BFF
Writer: Amy Reeder
Artist: Natacha Bustos
Publisher: Marvel

Thumbing through a recent issue of something, (I don't remember what), I saw an advertisement for the collected first volume of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. This series hadn't really been on my radar, but I was open to getting my hands on a copy if it ever turned up and my local library. What caught my eye on this particular day wasn't the artwork nor the concept but a blurb posted by another reviewer. 

Citing a website called Black Nerd Problems, the blurb said that Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur was a 'fantastic read for all ages.' Since I do this weekly post where I examine family friendly comics, I was interested to know if this series really was appropriate for all ages or not. Thus, I hunted down a copy of volume one and gave it a read to see for myself what this series was all about

So let's examine all the evidence and decide if this was the correct assessment for this series.

How Does It Rate?

The cover of issue #1 rates the book for teens. According to Marvel's rating system a teen book is considered 'appropriate for most readers, but parents are advised that they might want to read before or with younger children.'

The days of a governing body determining the age appropriateness of comics is long gone.The ratings for comics are now done in house by each publisher. DC rates their own books as does Marvel. So already, Moon Girl's parent company does not consider this book to be suitable for all. While I felt that the overall of story was great for kids- a young girl befriends a dinosaur- some situations could be considered tense for younger children.

What's in the Book?

This series continues the story of Devil Dinosaur. The fiery red T-Rex like dinosaur was the creation of the great Jack Kirby and first debuted in Devil Dinosaur #1 from 1978. Devil was accompanied by a young ape-like child named Moon Boy. Together, the pair fought off extraterrestrials, other rampaging thunder lizards, and even modern day menaces like Godzilla. But the duo's prime enemies were a tribe of fierce cavemen called the Killer-Folk. 
It's during a battle with the Killer-Folk, that Devil Dinosaur is sucked through a time vortex into the modern day along with a sacred rock with mystical powers called the Nightstone. 

In 2016 New York City, 9-year old Lunella Lafayette is a brilliant child who is unappreciated by her teachers, peers, and parents. Lunella knows that she has the Inhuman gene and is frantically trying to cure herself before a terrigen mist cloud transforms her into something, er well, Inhuman. 

When Lunella discovers the Nightstone, she sees it for what it really is, a Kree Omni-Wave Projector. However, Devil Dinosaur is fiercely protective of it and basically follows Lunella around like the world's largest red puppy. But the Killer-Folk also emerged from the time portal and they have their eyes on the Nightstone as well. As Lunella's neighborhood is terrorized by the Killer-Folk, it's up to the Devil Dinosaur and Moon Girl to restore peace to the Big Apple!

Scary Bad Guys & Bratty Children

I'm really glad that I had a collection of the first six issues of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Because in that first issue, Lunella is a brat with a capital B. She was quite off-putting. If I only had that issue to base my opinion off of, I wouldn't come around for seconds. 

However, as Lunella learns to become the hero Moon Girl, her personality becomes more favorable. So there's a real lesson in humility and caring for others that underlines this first story arc. In fact, I recommend that you don't read the series as individual issues as there's real character development to be explored when read as a collection.

If being a brat was cause for a book to not be considered all-ages then there wouldn't be any all-age comics at all. But one thing that I felt does mark this book as not being appropriate for readers of all ages are the villains!

The Killer-Folk start off kinda comical. Natacha Bustos' art makes them look like tiny Saquatches. But as the Nightstone evolves the cave creatures, they become more intelligent and more deadly. There's several scenes where the Killer-Folk threat to kill innocent New Yorkers and a couple of intense scenes in which people are seriously injured. Also, at one point, Lunella's school is targeted and if not for Devil Dinosaur, her classmates would have perished at the hands of the Killer-Folk. Thought Bustos' art style is more age friendly in eye appeal, the dangers presented in this book are quite grown-up.

Finding Balance

It's series such as this book as to why I write my Family Comic Friday posts. If the average parent or guardian took the praise on the front cover at face value, they might have bought this book for a younger child who might not be ready for such intense scenes. I would be okay with telling a parent of a 10 year old to let them read this book. On the flip side, I would also have to provide a strong word of caution to the caretaker of a 5-7 year old reader. 

Another thing that makes this book NOT all-ages is the techno-jargon. Lunella is one smart kid and she's a lot like Young Sheldon. She might know how to use enriched uranium but she shouldn't be allow to buy enriched uranium. (Maybe when she's 10...) 

Having technical terms and advanced concepts isn't a bad thing in kids books. But if you want the young comic reader to fully enjoy the book, having an adult help with big words and complex thinking isn't a bad idea. Anytime you can get a parent and child reading together, it's a good thing and this is a series that really needs a reading partner if read by a child ages 9 or younger.

Where to Now?

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are still going strong as a monthly series by Marvel Comics. Original series writer Amy Reeder has moved on, though Natacha Bustos currently remains as head artist. Having not read past issue #6, I can't rate those issues. But this first volume was a pleasant burst of old school characters with new dynamic roles. In an era where Marvel's comics have become almost an afterthought to the live action films that they were based upon, this series gives me hope that the House of Ideas has yet to run out of them. 

Hopefully that means that this new dynamic duo is here to stay. So if Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is just a little too old for the young comic collector in your life- don't worry! They'll grow into it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

You Choose the Story When You're the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2016 Halloween Comic Fest)

It's another Halloween Comic Fest offering that has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween. But I knew this going into both obtaining and reading this book. Why I wanted to read this book was because I loved the concept behind this story. It's a Choose Your Own Adventure comic book. 

For those of you not in the know, in the 80s, there were dozens upon dozens of series of books where a reader got to choose their fate through a number of choices placed strategically throughout the book. I absolutely loved those books. But I've never seen it in comic book form- until now!

The mighty Galactus has deemed the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl to be the champion of Earth. In order to prove her worth, the World Eater has put her through a series of bizarre challenges, like fighting a mass of living algae.  

This issue isn't exactly the best 'find your fate' type of story I've ever read in terms of the number of options. But the overall story was extremely funny and I did like the chance to be in charge of the storyline for a change. Plus, reading all of the unselected options were quite entertaining. I just don't think this type of story quite works in a comic book format. 

Regardless of how well this book translate, this was a pretty successful offering from Marvel.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Archie's Mad House (2016 Halloween Comic Fest Mini-Comic)

Recently, Archie created an imprint comprised of more adult horror titles such as Afterlife with Archie. The imprint was called Archie's Mad House. This book is NOT a sample of those titles. 

Long before it grew up, Archie's Mad House was a monthly comic in the 60s that generally revolved around a central theme. Holidays such as Christmas and Halloween and Valentines were biggies. However, towards the end of the series, the Archie gang didn't even appear in the book. It was a title in which just about anything could happen. 

This 2016 mini-comic features two Archie stories set during Halloween. There's 2 stories and as well as 2 one-page gags. The best story has Reggie pissing off Jughead royally to the point that Reg thinks he's going get it when Halloween comes around. In typical Jughead fashion, the ambivalent teen is more devious than people suspect and does nothing allowing Reggie to slowly go crazy waiting for his just desserts. 

 At only 16 pages, there's a ton of fun packed into this book. It's one reason why I consistently grab the Archie mini-comics during each Halloween Comics Fest. I know that I'll get the most bang for my buck. Of course, I know that this is a free comic but sometimes, those freebie's just aren't worth grabbing. Not here- Archie's Mad House is definitely Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Grimmiss Island (2016 Halloween Comic Fest Mini-Comic)

On a tiny island, a pair of witch doctors craft a Grimmiss in order to appease the angry volcano goddess. This sort of tiki golem has a mind of it's own. Probably because the witch doctor's used a little too much jalapeno...

Big fun from Franco and Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans) that I really enjoyed. There's nothing remotely Halloween about this book really. At least it was free! But I liked what I read and I wanna read more. 

Now on my wish list.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Haunted Mansion #1 (Halloween Comic Fest 2016)

After the death of his adventurous grandfather, a teenage boy longs to have some adventures of his own. So he decides to explore the spooky mansion at the end of town that everyone says is haunted. Turns out the stories were right! This haunted mansion is filled with 999 ghosts, who have been stuck there by a evil pirate. Once he has soul #1,000, the pirate can take over the land of the living. 

Of the hundreds of ghosts unable to get to their final reward is that of the boy's grandfather. So, the lad strikes a deal with the house. If he can defeat the pirate, all of the ghosts, including that of his grandfather can go through to the other side of the afterlife. But should he fail, he'll become the 1,000th ghost the evil spirit needs in order to achieve his master plan.

Part of the Disney Kingdoms imprint from Marvel, I really enjoyed this opening chapter. Based on the Disney attraction, this book seems way more interesting than that awful Eddie Murphy flick from about 15 years ago. The artwork by John Flood artist Jorge Coehlo is just amazing stuff. It really made the Haunted Mansion an inviting place I want to revisit for the rest of the story.

Normally, I get upset if I get a freebie and the book ends with a cliffhanger. But I think my library has this book in their graphic novels section. So I can just head over there sometime soon and snag it and get the rest of the story for free. Still a pet peeve, but one I seem willing to live with. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Three Stooges: Halloween Hullaballoo (Halloween Comic Fest 2016)

With today being Halloween Comic Fest, I thought it was only fitting to review an offering from last year's event. 

This 2016 holiday themed book by American Mythology offers a variety of stories starring those merry pranksters from Hollywood of old, the Three Stooges. My favorite yarns involved the Stooges getting mixed up in a zombie apocalypse, some trick or treat hi-jinx gone wrong and a very special sneak peak of a one-shot special titled The Curse of Frankenstooge. That last one is based on a classic Stooges shot in which the guys meet Dr. Frankenstein's greatest creation. I really want that one and I've added it to my wish list!

There was some awesome pictures of the guys in their heyday, along with some cut-out masks, and a couple of one-pagers from their Gold Key and Dell Comics titles in the 1960s. The more stuff I read from American Mythology, the more I dig their retro style and desire to bring back some classic properities from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.  As an added treat- I dare you to find the Shemp Easter egg hiding somewhere inside!

A great read, perfect for Halloween fun without scaring you too much. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.