Young Justice, Vol. 1 (A Madman Re-Read)

Cartoon Network's Young Justice. Has there been a better animated series based on the DC Universe in the past 15 years? Loosely based on the Peter David led comic series from 1998, the show was a natural progression of the Batman: The Animated Series universe of shows. The artwork was different. But in terms of the quality of stories involving not just DC's A-level tiered heroes but really obscure characters like Lagoon Boy and Queen Bee, Young Justice could not be beat. 

When a comic adaptation is based on a cartoon these days, the formula now is to swipe images from the TV show directly, add word bubbles and present it as a comic. When I encounter books such as this, I feel gypped. Mostly, because I've already encountered these stories prior. To not use original artwork felt even more like an insult to readers expecting all-new material. True, a series like Young Justice which is comprised less of one-and-done stories and instead serialized over the whole season, is harder to turn into a comic book without spoiling the TV show. Yet, I think Art Franco and Baltazar did an amazing job keeping continuity without ruining the show or feeling like I had already seen the material before!

So why did I read this book again? Well, when I read it in 2017, I didn't own the book. Instead, I got it at my local library and, of course had to return it. By finding it again for a good deal, I was compelled to give it another read. 7 years and the quality just hasn't changed one bit. 

Artwork that looked like the show without being direct rips from the screen. Great stories that capture the spirit of the show without feeling like watching a paper repeat. Now if only I could find the remaining 3 volumes (or 24 some odd issues) to get the whole story. Unfortunately, my library only has volume 1 and it's darn near impossible to find floppies in good condition for the cheap.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Mighty Crusaders, Vol. 1

I'm a big fan of MLJ/Archie's Red Circle line of heroes. They're just so darn difficult to find. Their golden and silver age books are ultra rare and too expensive for my wallet. The bronze age titles weren't massive sellers and so there's not a lot of those issues floating around. In the 90s, DC had the rights to them and touted them as !mpact Comics, only to be brought down once more by poor sales. (I'm doing pretty good at collecting these ubiquitous dollar bin floppies.) Then there's the modern age stuff. Why didn't anybody tell me that there was modern day Red Circle books out there?

Under the imprint Dark Circle, Ian Flynn and Kelsey Shannon linked together every incarnation of the Red Circle heroes in this 4-issue miniseries from 2017. It's been a couple of years after the last version of the Mighty Crusaders disbanded after the colossal battle with longtime Crusaders enemy, the Brain Emperor. Friends died in the conflict. Public support for heroes waned. Communities rebuilt. But now with the return of a second generation of super-villains, Joe Higgins, now referred to as the Broken Shield believes that the time for another incarceration of the Mighty Crusaders has come.

Unfortunately, this new group is far from a cohesive unit. Their leader, the latest to carry the name of the Shield, Victoria Adams, is too much of a loner and has trouble delegating to her teammates during a crisis. It doesn't help that legacy hero, the Fly, undermines the struggling new leader's every command. It also doesn't help that Higgins added another legacy, the over-confident Web to the lineup without the Shield's knowledge. Old-timer Steel Sterling is secretly battling the effects of time. Former Crusaders leader the Comet is with the team. However, the nightmares of that climatic fight with the Brain Emperor have left the hero's confidence rattled. Then there's the wild cards: Jaguar and Darkling. The Jaguar is teetering on the edge of insanity as the ancient god that shares her body is demanding sacrifice while the mysterious Darkling, the most powerful of all the Crusaders, is only on the team to prevent her from becoming a villain.

This book also comes with an exclusive short-story about the Mighty Crusaders predecessors, the New Crusaders. Also written by Ian Flynn, this story is supposed to bridge the reader between the two more recent superhero teams. I probably would have liked this story if not for Flynn himself. In this book's foreword, Flynn warns readers that the new team might have connections with the New Crusaders that left them confused. Thus the inclusion of the prequel story. Well, I actually felt like the main story didn't need the extra tale and that short was more confusing and unnecessary than Ian Flynn intended. Possibly even worse, that clunky short had an unintended consequence; it's put me off from wanting to read New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow. 

Kelsey Shannon's art was so lively and animated. In fact, it looked like the storyboards that you might see for a cartoon show. There's been rumors of a Mighty Crusaders cartoon series since the 80s. I've pretty much given up hope on that project. So if Shannon's artwork is as close as we'll ever get to seeing the Red Circle heroes on the tube, I'm fine with that.

A very good opening salvo. I love that these guys can't seem to get along! I'm excited to see what's on store in volume 2. I just don't know where to find it. I found this book on a total lark at Ollie's and I didn't see any other similar books. Well, it turns out that's because there is no volume 2. Despite a promise of more story and this book being labeled 'Volume 1', these guys just didn't catch on and were quickly shelved. The Red Circle guys just can't catch a break!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Monster Unleashed

When I first heard about this 2017 Marvel crossover, I was pretty excited. The big baddies of Marvel's sci-fi 1950s and 60s like Fin Fang Foom, Goomba and the Creature from the Black Bog were finally gonna rise up against the heroes of the Marvel Universe and reclaim their place as the rightful rulers of earth. It even appeared from some of the earliest artworks that good guys such as Devil Dinosaur were going to rise up against these men in tights. Yet, that wasn't to be the storyline at all.

An invasion by kaiju-like creatures does happen in Monsters Unleashed. However, these behemoths are unlike anything to have ever graced the pages of a Marvel Comic. Planet Earth has been chosen as the newest nest of the Leviathon Queen, a massive crimson egg-laying beast. But before she can settle in, the world must be cleansed of vermin. That means 'bye-bye, pesky humans.' 

The superhuman population assembles on a global scale like never before. Heroes and villains join forces to stop these Leviathons from decimating the planet. That's where the Marvel monsters of the Silver Age of comics step in. They've been biding their time waiting for the chance to conquer our planet and they're not about to let a bunch of extraterrestrial interlopers just swoop in and take the planet from them! 

Monsters Unleashed was unlike any massive crossover event I've ever read from the House of Ideas. For one thing, it was fun. There wasn't any sort of major shock, like the death of Captain America at the end of Civil War. The editors didn't try to add some new character that was going to change the way we looked at people of color or gender or reveal that some beloved established character was now retconned to be furry or something like that. Instead, this storyline was a tribute to the giant monsters of a by-gone era of creativity and thinly veiled fear of the Red Menace of Communism!

The new character that was introduced in this series was a young pre-teen boy named Kei. He has the ability to draw monsters and make them appear and disappear as needed. With this ability, Kei becomes Kid Kaiju (a freakin' awesome 2010s superhero name if I've ever heard one) and perhaps humanity's last hope for salvation against these big nasties.

I really loved how Monsters Unleashed utilized Moon Girl. Having her become a sort of mentor for new hero Kei was a perfect casting choice. Then we have monster-hunter Elsa Bloodstone becoming Kei's bodyguard and mentor in a preview of a Monsters Unleashed regular series that continues from where the 5th issue of the miniseries ends. Even though I've got plans to downsize my collection somewhat, I think I'd be more than happy to collect the follow-up series because just like this crossover event, it was fun. 

Okay. Now it's time to pick apart the story a little. With kaijus appearing all over the globe, both villains and protagonist alike, there's a lot of destruction here. Some notable landmarks become piles of rubble, like the Nevada's Hoover Dam, the imperial palace of Wakanda and Johannesburg's FNB Stadium. I've read Marvel stuff from the past 7 years since this story came out. I've not heard about rebuilding efforts from Monsters Unleashed still being a thing in the Marvel Universe. Is superhero calamity reconstruction company Damage Control that good at quick repairs? Or do the magicians of the Marvel Universe like Doctor Strange cast instance rebuild spells? I think what I'm trying to get at is as much as I enjoyed the scenes of massive destruction, the level seen in this book was just too implausible to me.

Cullen Bunn penned a great story that was a thrill ride a minute. Smartly plotted. Hilarious banter. The art was good. Though a lot of the alien kaiju seemed to have googly eyes that made them look more silly that deadly serious. (Was Hobby Lobby having a sale on them?) I did mourn the death of one of Kid Kaiju's creations. The character is only there for like 5 pages and yet I feel in love with them. Hopefully, they'll make a return! Some great variant covers by Arthur Adams appear in the back and they're not to be missed. 

Another gem unearthed at my nearest Ollie's, Monsters Unleashed is an extremely fun read  despite it's over-the-top level of chaos and destruction.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

I make it a point to enjoy some version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The story has been a seasonal favorite of mine ever since I saw it performed by ducks, beagles and a mouse in Mickey's A Christmas Carol all the way back in 1983. For this year's version, I not only got a retelling of the Dickens' classic, I also caught a glimpse at the life of the famed British writer. 

It's 1843, London. After the success of the highly popular Oliver Twist 4 years prior, Dickens has issued a trio of works, all duds. The writer is buried under mountains of debt due to burning his financial candle at both ends. Forced at an early age into working at a factory when his family are thrown into a debtors prison, Dickens swears never to live in such poverty ever again. So while renovating a lush mansion with his wife and multiple children, the writer also gives generously to many social causes and charities. However, with the failed novels, Dickens' source of income has all but dried up.

The writer gets inspiration for a ghost story set at Christmas from a series of random events, including stumbling upon a funeral in which nobody came to pay their respects and the hiring of an Irish maid whose family traditions with Christmas intrigues Charles. There's only one problem with a book set at Christmas: in 1840s England, the holiday isn't really all that big of a thing and no publisher wants to publish the book.

Determined he's got a hit on his hands, Dickens decides to self publish the book. It's a desperate move that could see him and his family in debtor's prison should it fail. Plus in order to get the book into stores in time for Christmas, he's only got about 6 weeks to get it published. But first, he's got to write the thing!

The first couple of chapters flow easily. He imagines his characters interacting with him on a daily basis, letting the plot's course evolve naturally. It's when faced with blow-back at the death of a very popular character in the book does Dickens encounter writer's block. Added to the creative impasse is the trauma Charles encounters when his mother and father come back into his life. Now as his characters demand an ending, the writer learns that Scrooge isn't so much based on people he's met in his daily life; he is Scrooge!

As Dickens writes what will become known as A Christmas Carol, the characters he creates recite large passages of the book. I found myself quoting the book along with Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and others. This shocked me. I've always thought it's odd that characters in movies and TV can quote these lengthy passages of Shakespeare and other classics. Apparently, I can quote A Christmas Carol. Who knew?

The Man Who Invented Christmas seems to have not been a hit when it debuted in theaters back in 2017. It only netted about $10 million dollars worldwide. Coco, Justice League, and Murder on the Orient Express dominated the November box office. Throw in December's lineup with films like Pitch Perfect 3, one of the rebooted Jumanji films and The Last Jedi, this little Christmas movie didn't have a chance. Jump ahead 6 years and I came across this airing on a movie channel on Dish. I remember that my wife expressed interest in the movie when she saw the trailer back then. I was also interested. So, I DVR'd it and watched it over a cold and rainy weekend! The verdict- I LOVED IT!

While I had thought for some reason Steve Coogan was playing Charles Dickens, the film managed to really catch my interest. Dan Stevens was very good as the troubled writer. Yet when I think of Dickens writing this book, I don't visualize him being so young. Christopher Plummer was fantastic as Scrooge. Though I feel like an opportunity was missed not having Sir Patrick Stewart taking on the role, based on his annual theatrical performance of the work as a one man show. Jonathan Pryce is once again marvelous. (Note: he sure is in a lot of movies I like!) This time, he's Charles' father, who struggles with the loss of reputation and pride from his time in debtor's prison. 

I really enjoyed the film. Though it only has 1 real scene occurring during Christmas, this is very much a Christmas movie. A Victorian Christmas movie! Full of some of the best scenes from A Christmas Carol! And it was based on a 2008 book by Les Standiford. One of which I look forward to making it a part of next year's tradition of further exploring the world of a Victorian London Christmas invented by Charles Dickens!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Strange Weather: Four Short Novels by Joe Hill

I wish I knew how to properly explain Joe Hill's effect on me. He's such a great writer and yet, almost everything he writes either unnerves me or scares the crap out of me. No matter how much he gets into my head and keeps me awake at night, I just want to read more of his stuff. He's like a scab that you're not supposed to pick, lest it get infected. Yet, it feels so good.

The latest work of his I read is this collection of 4 short novels. From 2017, this tome came out immediately after The Fireman and was next on my list of his stuff to read, when I took a sharp detour into the NOS4A2 realm of his. That book took me a very, very, VERY long time to read considering how scary it was. But once I completed it, I then went into some of his Hill House comics before I finally got around to this anthology. 

The overall connection to this book is the weather; though it's not exactly the main subject of the story. The first two stories have the meat of the action of the book happen during a massive thunderstorm and a firestorm brought about by wild fires. The later half of the books do have to do with unusual occurrences with weather.

The first is about a teenage boy whose former babysitter is in the early stages of dementia. Only the elderly woman claims that her memories are being removed by a strangely dressed man with a Polaroid camera. The kid kinda shrugs off her claims as that of a lady sadly losing her mind to a medical monster. That is until during a routine trip to his favorite convenience store, he runs into a smarmy dude in a cowboy hat carrying a strange camera with him and driving a car full of photos starring the lad's old nanny! Don't let him take your 'Snapshot'!

'Loaded' involves a mall security guard who seemingly stops a mass shooting. At first, this man is considered the hero of the media and the local police. But when an investigative journalist starts digging into his past, the guard's account of the crime begins to unravel.

'Aloft' sees a young man about to go on his first ever skydive. Scared out of his wits, when he finally exits the plane, he experiences firm ground! That's because the cloud that he was expecting to fall through is completely solid and seems to conform to his every needs and thoughts. As he explores this atmospheric mystery, he'll also confront his past as well as the forbidden love affair that has been holding him back in life. 

Lastly, if you thought the weather of Summer, 2023 was bad, you haven't experienced 'Rain.' In this story, the Denver metro area experiences a downpour of sharp metallic nails! Walk with one woman as she tries to alert her in-laws of the death of their daughter and systematically witnesses the downfall of civilization. This story will make you question the next storm cloud you encounter!

My favorite of the 4 stories was 'Aloft'. It was so ethereal, having such a differing pace from the other stories. 'Rain' was good and if you recall that Image Comics had released a 2022 5-issue miniseries with the same name, then give yourself a cookie. That's the comic book adaptation of this final mini novel. I just wanted more out of this story and I felt that the ending was too abrupt. I'm also wondering if 'Aloft' and 'Rain' occur in the same universal as when the main character stuck on that weird cloud takes a bite out of it, he claims that the material seems like needles in his gut. 

 'Snapshot' was also very good, though I felt like the last chapter should have zigged when it instead zagged. If the closing events of the future had gone full circle with the action set in the 1980s, I think it would have been my favorite story.

The best story was 'Loaded.' Mind you, I didn't say that it was my favorite. The controversial topic of gun control and American's gun culture obsession, mixed in with dashes of race, how poorly we treat over vets, especially with their mental health, and police violence makes this book very hard for many to read. The amount of violence that occurs in this story was what did it for me. Oh, how I hated... I dreaded that ending! (Note to anyone reading this review with the power to do so, if 'Loaded' ever becomes a movie, the main character MUST be played by GOTG's Chris Pratt!)

"Loaded', in my mind, is Joe Hill's version of Stephen King's Rage, which was written under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman. I'm not trying to compare Joe Hill to his dad. I say that this 'Loaded' is like Rage because I truly feel that if Strange Weather was ever to be re-released, there is a very good chance it won't be included in the reissue. After Columbine, Stephen King took Rage, about a troubled teen who shoots up his homeroom class, out of The Bachman Books anthology. I just think if we get an episode like what happened in 'Loaded' to occur for real, it might hit too close to home for some and we'll see that book get shelved.

Every novel in this collection ended a bit too soon for me. It left me wanting so much more. Hopefully with 'Rain', Image might make a sequel. I really think 'Loaded' might one day be a movie, if not a streaming series. 'Snapshot' had potential for one of those great 'the villains isn't dead' moments (and to be fair, I never said the antagonist died). As for 'Aloft', I liked the ending. However, it had an ending a lot like Tom Hanks' Cast Away where it's left up to the reader to finish the story and I'm not so fond of those ambiguous endings.

On to the next Joe Hill work to scare my pants off...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Loud House (2017 FCBD) (Family Comic Friday)

With it being the first week of school, I just didn't have time to read a new book for this week's review. Not to fret. I've got a stack of books that I've read but yet to review. 

The book I chose from my pile is a 2017 Free Comic Book Day offering from Papercutz and the kid friendly cable network, Nickelodeon. Based on the long running animated series of the same name, The Loud House is the story of young Lincoln Loud. Lincoln is the only boy and middle child of a family of 11 kids. That means Lincoln has 5 older sisters and 5 younger sisters.

Being the only boy in the family is hard. He never gets into the bathroom. He has to wait forever to use the phone. And when it comes to watching anything he wants on TV; forget it! At least Lincoln gets his own room. But life in a house full of 10 sisters is anything but serene. 

The premise of this series has Lincoln breaking the fourth wall to tell viewers (or in the case of this comic book, readers) how chaotic things can be. To get a little peace and quiet, or just the upper hand, Lincoln schemes and plans. Past capers have involved Lincoln working to get the best seat on the family van and trying to survive a zombie-like flu that is wiping out Loud siblings one by one. 

Don't think just because this freebie was from 2017 that fans of the show won't be able to enjoy the comic antics of Lincoln and his sisters. Papercutz has released 18 graphic novels based on the Loud House with the latest volume released just this summer!

The Loud House was an adorable book. I felt like Lincoln Loud was a mix of Kevin McCallister and Bart Simpson without any of the real obnoxious bits. Those elements are for his 10 sisters. Even though his 10 sisters drive Lincoln crazy, deep down, they love each other and if someone was to hassle brother Loud, the Loud sisters would bring down some swift vengeance. That's because the only one that gets to pick on Lincoln is his sisters!

A must for fans of the series.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo: The Road to Epoli

If ever a book needed a soundtrack, it's this one. Rickety Stitch is the skeleton of a bard, which is a sort of travelling news reporter that sings as he roams. Stitch has no clue who he used to be. But he's bedeviled by a song of a place called Epoli. Could this mythical place be his homeland? Or does the nightly song Rickety Stitch dreams have a more sinister origin?

The Road to Epoli is not only the subtitle of this book, it's also the name of the song that haunts Rickety Stitch. The lyrics to this ballad are by the creative team behind this book: Ben Costa and James Parks. Comprising 7 massive stanzas, the tune runs throughout this 200-page plus graphic novel. Every time Stitch dreams this song, music notes accompany it. I can't read music. I've tried and just have never been able to do it. So when I come across these parts of the book, I miss out on something special. Well, I think I do.

At the end of this book, there's a link where you can hear the song in its entirety. And it's a long song, clocking in at over 9 minutes. The tune is composed and performed by folk artist Evin Wolverton. This book is from 2017 and I know for a fact that there were QR codes back then. I think the creative team should have added QR codes throughout the story so readers could have heard the song in pieces whenever they come across it. It's an interactive step that I hope is utilized in the 2 follow-up works.

The Gelatinous Goo in this book is Rickety Stitch's sidekick, a clear mass of ooze named Goo that only our hero can understand. Goo is an homage to the Gelatinous Cube from Dungeons & Dragons fame that can absorb organic matter. Speaking of D&D, this book series is one of two graphic novels based on the Land of Eem, an all-ages RPG produced by Costa and Parks in collaboration with indie game publisher, Exalted Funeral.

Though the art definitely carries a family friendly tone, I honestly didn't feel like this book was for all ages. Amazon recommends this book for readers aged 7-9. But there are some really scary moments in this book. Add some potty humor (which, I admit, did make me chuckle a few times) and a smattering of jokes that were PG-13 at best and I would have to rate this as a book for readers 12 and up.

I would like to know what happens next in the adventures of Rickety Stitch and his friend, Goo. But knowing that music is a massive part of this book, I am kinda put off of any burning desire to do it any time soon. I can't believe I am saying this, but I'd actually be okay waiting for the movie. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

The Adventures of John Blake: Mystery of the Ghost Ship (Family Comics Friday)

A little background before I get into this review. I found this book on the young readers book shelf at my local library. It was on display for some holiday or theme. I forget the reason, honestly. Anyways, the image of the ghostly ship and promise of a time travel adventure is what drew me in. I had no idea who the author was and I wasn't 100% sure it was the first book in a series or now. But I liked what I saw and so I checked it out.

A few days later, the local radio show I listen to mentioned the author and the film The Golden Compass as the answer to a trivia question. It was at this point I realized just who Philip Pullman was! While I've never read any of Pullman's previous works, I knew that the British author was rather critical of religion to the point members of my church or maybe my mother-in-law's deemed his books unreadable. 

While I have retained this library book for a few weeks, I debated over whether to read and later review this book or not. I didn't want to read something that hates my savior, Jesus Christ. But I also felt that I needed to research Pullman's beliefs about Christianity before passing judgement on this book. So I read up some of him and came to feel that while I don't agree with his views on God/Christ/The Bible, I wouldn't deny him the chance to say it- as long as Philip Pullman allows me to have my views. First Amendment Rights, Baby!

I was also a bit concerned about making parents upset about reviewing and possibly promoting a book from such a controversial writer. But after thinking about it, I realized that I didn't start Family Comic Friday to ban books but to help parents and guardians navigate the tricky road that is all ages comics and graphic novels. So as long as there wasn't something evil to the level of demon possession or those kind of horror films, I would give The Adventures of John Blake a read.

Now my review...

The Adventures of John Blake is about the title hero, a young boy who finds himself stranded on an 1920s era ocean steamer that roams through the seven seas of the past, present and future. A shadowy billionaire is aware of the reports of a time-travelling ship. This magnate is the creator of a pervasive piece of social media tech. It is the tycoon's hope to discover the secret of John Blake's ability to time travel, in order to complete his goal of global domination!

Meanwhile in the modern day, a family takes a gap year to sail around the world. During a maelstrom, one of the children is knocked into the swirling Pacific Ocean. To the rescue is John ,who fishes the young girl out of the ocean just before the boat treks once more through a time warp. Now stuck in the distant past, this young girl must battle pirates, the elements and time itself in order to get back home!

I really thought that this book was great. It's just not for kids. Well, young kids, at least. There's mild swears, killing and violence galore. I just don't see this as being for Amazon's recommended audience of 8-12 years old. I think even with the college level of technobabble about time travel and quantum physics, I'm not sure if a lot of 12 year olds will enjoy this book. But a reader aged 15 or older will probably be all over this book. 

As for my fear of this Phillip Pullman work being anti-Christian, there was nothing to fear. If anything, The Adventures of John Blake is Pullman's dissertation warning against the dangers of social media. Instead of Jesus Christ, I see Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg being the objects of scorn in this book.

This is the first appearance of John Blake in any medium. But with this book having been published in early 2017, I'm not sure if there will ever be a follow-up. True, the pandemic has thrown everything for a loop. But considering that most young adult series have a new release every year to 18 months in order to maintain an active readership, waiting 5 years in between releases seems to indicate that Mr. Pullman doesn't have any plans to follow-up with further adventures of young John Blake.

A great book that showed promise for more. It's just unlikely we'll ever see a book 2.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

The Three Stooges April Fool's Day Special #1

On their way to Poughkeepsie, the fellas are kicked off their bus. For bringing a live chicken, of course. Having to hoof it now, the boys find themselves at a renaissance fair. Only they think that they've traveled back in time to 'mud-evil' times. Welcomed as guests, though considered a bunch of bozos, Larry, Moe and Curly make the most of things. And that means getting into trouble! 

Then in a classic issue from the Dell/Gold Key years, Larry, Moe and Curly Joe have car trouble somewhere in the humid desert of the Western US. There the Stooges get mistaken for both bank robbers and US marshals. It's a cartoonish romp that can only be played out by this trio of troublemakers.

I'm really torn over this issue. I liked both stories. The first tale captured the classic Stooges perfectly in a modern, albeit antiquated, setting. The second tale was also wonderful. It hit all the right notes of the Curly Joe era while also following a classic Stooges trope- mistaken identity. 

No, my problem was that I don't understand why this is considered an April Fool's Day special. Having the guys get into a joke war seems a little more fitting. Sure, the guys get mistaken for both robbers and lawmen. But there's no real intentional deception. I'd even enjoy a prank of a serious Stooges story. Or having some sort of impish version of Shemp throw Larry, Moe and Curly for a loop. (Shemp Imp-get it?! Ha!) Something that was an actual April Fool, you know?

Usually April 1st results in a trick. But this issue actually has a surprise treat. If you scan the QR code, you get a full classic episode of the Three Stooges. And I checked! Even though this is a 5 year old issue, the link to the episode on Youtube still works!

I imagine if you QR the above cover image on your phone, it'll work for you!

A fun issue that provides some added enjoyment. Just not the material that I would expect for the occasion in which this issue was to be celebrated. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Three Stooges TV Time Special #1

Larry, Moe and Curly shine in a pair of all-new stories in this 2017 special from American Mythology. 

The first yarn has the boys going on a budget vacation. Using Shemp's car, the fellas are heading to the beach. But thanks to a traffic jam, Moe decides to take the scenic route. Which we all know never goes poorly!

The second story has the guys competing in a Double Dare type game show. The tasks the contestants have to complete harkens back to some classic Stooges bits. But it's the punchline to the story that only the most loyal of Stooges fans will get. (Madman translation- I kinda got it but it's also something that doesn't provide an 'A-ha!' moment for me either.)

Though this is called the Three Stooges TV Time Special, only one of the stories is about television. Well, I assume the game show story is about a TV show. I don't recall seeing any studio cameras. I know that the Stooges are considered icons of TV, but they got their start on stage and later screen. In other words, it doesn't make sense to me why this is a TV Time special.

As with just about every American Mythology comic featuring the Three Stooges, there's extra material. Along with a couple of one-page gags from probably Dell or Gold Key, there's an article on the Stooges exhibit at Geppi's Entertainment Museum. I knew that the GEM in Baltimore closed before the pandemic. That's how I realized that this wasn't a recent release even though I just purchased this on the new releases shelf at my LCS. But that's okay! I wasn't feeling all that great and appreciated the pick-me-up.

There's also an interview with a Stooges super-fan. One that also happens to be a priest. So you heard it here first- The Three Stooges are kid tested, man of the cloth approved!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Fresh Off The Boat Presents: The Legion of Dope-Itude Featuring Lazy Boy #1

When you are in quarantine procedures, you find yourself finally with time to do those things you always wanted. Time to read a book. Or clean the house. Or finally cataloging those comic books. It was in that back log  that I came across a one-shot issue devoted to the critically acclaimed ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat.

Wait-a-minute..?! Fresh Off The Boat had a comic book?

Fresh Off The Boat Presents: The Legion of Dope-Itude Featuring Lazy Boy #1
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Art by Jorge Corona
Published by BOOM! Studios

Fresh Off The Boat ran on ABC for 5 years from 2015-2020. The show was based on Chef Eddie Huang's same-named memoir of growing up in 1990s Orlando as basically the only Asian family in the community. Newcomer Harrison Yang played the lead role of Eddie. The series also starred Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians), Randall Park (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Eddie's parents. Shazam's Ian Chen and Forrest Wheeler (Mortal Kombat) played brother Evan and Emery.

Essentially, the sitcom was about race, culture and eventually Eddie's discovery of his love for food and cooking. So where does comic books fit in with Fresh Off The Boat?

In the May 2nd, 2017 episode titled 'Pie Vs. Cake' Eddie and Emory decide to create a comic book together in order to win a contest. However, the brothers have two completely different ideas for how the book should go. It results in the two going off on their own to make their comics and failing miserably. Eventually the bros hug it out and team-up to craft a super hero team based on their family.

Fresh Off The Boat aired on Friday nights. With 'Pie Vs Cake' debuting on the first Friday of the month, if a fan of comic books watched that episode when it aired new, that meant the next day, they'd be in for a treat. That's because that year, Eddie and Emory's comic book dreams became a reality for fans participating in Free Comic Book Day 2020.

The Legion of Dope-Itude Featuring Lazy Boy was a freebie tie-in to the series! How did I miss that? Looking back, I had to work that Saturday at the culinary school I used to teach at. So for FCBD 2017, I needed my wife to go to my LCS in my stead. And then 3 years passed before I opened the package of comics that my bride procured. Yeah, I got that far behind...

The sitcom aired it's series finale just this February; much to my dismay. Actress Constance Wu threw such a tantrum of after a fifth season was announced by ABC that it caused a lot of tension on set. Her venom at being tied down to another year of sitcom filming was so vicious producers and cast felt that it was time for the Huang family to bid farewell to fans. Thus, this forgotten comic book was a welcome social distancing treat for a fan of Fresh Off The Boat such as myself.

Written this 'Lost Episode' is Gene Luen Yang and he's more than qualified to pen this tale. Yang's American Born Chinese parallel's the Huang Family's journey of assimilation into the American Dream.  The cartoonist evokes the mannerisms and dialogue of the actors who play the characters perfectly.

The artwork  by Jorge Corona (Feathers) wasn't quite so perfect. Eddie and his parents were drawn pretty darn close to their live-action counterparts. Brother Emery sometimes looked like actor Forrest Wheeler. But little Evan's scenes looked nothing like Ian Chen.

Now that I think more about, Jorge Corona's work is very cartoony. It has a child-like element to it. Since this is supposed to look like the comic made by Eddie and Emory, I guess that explains some inconsistencies. If that's the case, then I retract my criticism by half.

Still, the combined efforts of Gene Luen Yang and Jorge Corona was a great substitute for the real thing! I'm not sure why BOOM! Studios never made this one-shot into a series. But it's not too late! With no new Fresh Off The Boat on television, why not bring back this creative duo to create more adventures of this Huang family? I'd be all into that! And I think fans of comics and the ground-breaking series would be too!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Teen Titans Go! #25 (Family Comic Friday)

I was never behind on my holiday comic reading this year. But as always, when trying to stay on top of an Advent, I got behind on my reviews. But that's okay as I was needing a book to review for Family Comic Friday this week anyways.

This issue is from a couple of years ago. But it wasn't until sometime this year that it officially became a part of my collection! As with just about any and all ultra-serious comic collector, I am really behind in adding books to my database. So yes, for almost 2 years this comic languished in my to-add pile. But that changed this year!

I was set to read this during the first week of December. But after about 3 pages into the opening feature, I decided to wait until December 22nd, the first night of Hanukkah, 2019! 

In the first story, Colossal Boy of the Legion of Superheroes travels from the year 3000 to observe the first Hanukkah. But an error in calculations has the time travelling teen winding up at Titans Tower in 2017 instead of Second Century BC Jerusalem. Fearful that Colossal Boy could stomp them flat with his enormous feet, the Teen Titans decide to play along and recreate the first miracle of lights. In typical Teen Titans Go! fashion, the results are hilariously flawed!

In the back-up story, the Teen Titans are convinced that Batman is secretly Santa Claus! Not even Robin can refute the evidence that points to the Dark Knight and Kris Kringle being one and the same! So it's off to the Bat Cave for a Christmas Eve investigation. 

If you are a fan of the 'TV Knight' episodes of TTG, then you're going to love this caper. But my favorite was the Hanukkah story. Scooby-Doo Team-Up living legend Sholly Fisch crafts both tales and I got a lot of laughs out of both. But I favored the story that featured the Chosen People. Being married to a Jewish Princess, maybe I'm biased. But there's no denying how hilarious that first story was.

I also loved the cover! So much that I made it my FB icon for the first couple of evenings of the Festival of Lights. 

Overall, this was a great issue that covered 2 of the 3 most important holidays of the season!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman Vs. Two-Face

This direct-to-DVD movie from 2017 is in essence an extended episode of the 1966 Batman series. The villain Two-Face was originally supposed to be featured in the fourth season of the show. But the program had run it's course and was cancelled after 3 years on TV. 

Rumor had it that Clint Eastwood was to have played Two-Face and Harvey Dent had that fourth season been green lit. However, after seeing this, I really think William Shatner would have been the right way to go!

The movie starts with Batman, Robin and Harvey Dent witnessing Dr. Hugo Strange perform an experiment to extract evil from the like of The Joker, Penguin and Riddler. The device overloads and as a result, half of Dent's body is horribly burned by the technology.

Over the course of the opening credits, we see Two-Face's reign of terror on Gotham. Right before the music ends, Batman and Robin catch the fiend. Gee- quick movie, right? 

The meat of the movie has Harvey Dent undergoing surgery to restore his body. But what about his psyche? Demoted to assistant of the assistant District attorney, Dent's ego is clearly bruised. But he seems to be doing beautifully, bringing some of Gotham's worst to justice. However, there's something strange about the crimes being committed. They all seem to have a dual purpose to them. Is Harvey Dent still secretly the villain Two-Face? Or is the straight man being framed?

Even though Harvey Dent's origin wasn't exactly like it was from the comic books, I was pleased with this animated extension on the TV classic. It was seamlessly fun with voices by some of the remaining actors and actresses of the show. Plus, there's quite a few modern additions that while they weren't a part of the 1960s show, DC had added them in the recent run of Batman '66 comics. I've enjoyed those additions and the fun doesn't stop here!

One of my favorite parts of this movie involves Catwoman. The Batman '66 comic book by Jeff Parker established how there was both the Julie Newmar and the Eartha Kitt Catwoman. But what about Lee Meriwether's turn in the Batman live action movie? Well, question no more as that's finally explained in satisfying detail here!

Batman Vs. Two-Face was quite campy, like it was back in the 1960s. But this being rated PG, it was a little on the bawdy side. Though it wasn't too much that the whole family still couldn't enjoy this. 

The artwork was amazing. Great renderings of all the stars back in their heyday, especially William Shatner! 

Sadly, this would be Adam West's last time as the Caped Crusader, succumbing to leukemia sometime last year. That also probably means the end of the Batman '66 franchise. Though I would love a third and final one in which Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing. But who could replace Adam West? 

The answer is nobody and this animated adventure is proof of that!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #26

I'm way behind on single issue reviews. This Scooby-Doo Team-Up is from 2017. I read it the day or so after it dropped in stores. I just didn't get to it for one reason or another until now...

The Mystery Inc. gang team-up with kung-fu expert Hong Kong Phooey to investigate a plague of dragons terrorizing Chinatown.

This issue almost made me give up on SDTU. It wasn't because of the story. Sholly Fisch continued to amaze with his story. Fisch had gotten into a small rut around issues 3-10, using the same jokes over and over and over. But, he fixed that pretty quick after myself and other reviewers started to complain. Fisch also switched things up with having the villains not always be a ghost and sometimes not a guy in a mask either. So in terms of the storyline, things were fresh and fun.

What disappointed me was the artwork. In a lot of panels- and I mean A LOT!- the dragons are all cut and paste copies of one another. There's no originally. It's all Photoshop of the same image. And no, switching it to where some baddies face left and some fact right doesn't cover up the lazy artwork.

But what kept me from leaving this title was the fact that the artwork was by a guest artist. Scott Jeralds is the artist for this issue. The Muppet Babies and Krypto The Superdog cartoonist obviously utilized the animators trick of using the same image over and over to bypass artwork delays. But with the speed of a moving image, such a shortcut is able to fool the eye of the viewer. You can't pass off 7 dragon clones in a static comic book. Maybe in one or two panels. But it will get caught eventually!

I'm so glad I decided not to give up on this series. The last dozen or so issues have been awesome. Tomorrow, a new issue debuts with Scooby team-up with Black Lightning! I can't wait for it. One good thing about it is that regular artist Dario Brizuela is doing the art! The guy's vision of the DC/Hanna-Barbera universe is awesome!

A funny issue of which I hope to see Hong Kong Phooey making a return visit. Just maybe with a different artist.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

A Very DC Rebirth Holiday

Reprinting a trio of holiday themed issues from DC's Rebirth era. 

Reprinting Batman: Annual #1, spend the holidays in Gotham City. Marvel at a band of acrobatic thieves. Get caught under the mistletoe with the Scarecrow. Harley Quinn catches a ride back to Coney Island with the Dark Knight. Plus, the origin of Ace, The Bat-Hound is finally revealed. 

Then in the contents of Harley Quinn #10, Santa Claus has gone catatonic. The only person who can help him is Dr. Harleen Quinzel. Taking the term 'head shrink' to an all new meaning, Quinn is shrunk into Santa's brain in hopes of restoring his holiday spirit. 

Lastly is the DC Rebirth Holiday Special from 2016. Hosted by Harley Quinn, the Joker's Ex puts on a sort of old school variety show much like Sinatra or Andy Williams used to host. Just about every holiday of the season is explored through the eyes of Batwoman, the Green Lantern Corps, and the Titans. My favorite story is a Christmas Eve romp with Detective Chimp and Batman. There just aren't enough stories with Detective Chimp and this team-up was fantastic!

This should have been called Harley Quinn's Rebirth Holiday Special. She features prominently in all three main stories. I'm not complaining. This was great fun. It was way more enjoyable than 2018's DC's Nuclear Winter Special. There's just no way around it- Christmas-time specials need to be light-hearted and fun; not dismal and bleak.

Featuring the talents of Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Scott Snyder, Neal Adams and many more. This was classic DC fun in a Rebirth wrapper!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Mickey's Craziest Adventures

The unique premise of this 2017 offering from IDW Publishing is that a pair of cartoonists discovered a lost Disney Comic at a flea market. When originally published in 1965, the comic was deemed too wild for readers and lost for decades in the Disney Archives. Here Mickey and Donald team-up to retrieve Uncle Scrooge's money which has been stolen by arch fiends Peg-Leg Pete and the Beagle Boys!

I really enjoyed this unique graphic novel. The story is 'recreated' from old and damaged comics. It's also incomplete meaning that there's jumps in time throughout the tale. Plus the pages have scenes torn out or littered with moisture damage and mold. There's even a coffee ring stain on one page!

Created by French cartoonists Lewis Trondheim and Nicolas Keramidas, I read this 50-page over-sized graphic novel in one whirlwind sitting. It's filled with all of your favorite Disney characters including Donald's nephews, Pluto and Gyro Gearloose. 

Since IDW Publishing obtained the rights around 2015 to publish comics based on Disney's most popular properties, I've been a little critical. While I have enjoyed just about everything IDW has put out Disney, I have wondered why the publisher has only been releasing never-before-seen reprints from across the globe. My demands were finally answered in this publication. While Mickey's Craziest Adventures is by two French creators, and from a rumored 'lost' comic, this is an all-new story! 

I hope we'll see more of such a thing from IDW. I also hope that there will be even more crazy adventures of Mickey by Trondheim and Keramidas. This was so much fun to read. Classic-style Disney with just a slight 2010 edge to it! 

IDW- act quick and get Trondheim and Keramidas back to that flea market! I am sure there's more undiscovered Disney comics in need of finding!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars. 

Choose Your Own Aspen Adventure #1 (HCF 2017)

Every Halloween ComicFest, Aspen Comics does something for kids. While I think it's great to appeal to the next generation of comic collectors, Aspen isn't really known for it's all-ages titles. What appealed to me was the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' aspect of the title. As a child of the 80s, I was in love with those paperbacks that allow you, the reader, to control the plot of the story. 

Marvel has been perfecting this type of story over the past couple of years. They seemed to be the only publisher doing such comics. So to see another publisher finally tackling the concept intrigued me. Unfortunately, this is NOT a Choose Your Own Adventure comic book.

In this 2017 special, an amateur magician accidentally sends a group of wild and mystical animal pals into two places unknown. As the two groups try to get home, you the reader help them on their quest by solving puzzles, riddles, and other cool activities. 

While writer Vince Hernandez builds the activities up as helping to forge the destinies of the animals, there's nothing here to alter their outcomes. Usually with a Choose Your Own Adventure, the reader must decide to that the character left or right. Going left might result in finding the lost treasure. While going right might cause the protagonist to fall into a pit of vipers.

By saying something like 'help the animals through a maze' doesn't change the characters' destinies. That's not the case here as this really more of an activity book. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of an activity book comic book. But don't sell me a Choose Your Own Adventure if there's nothing in it that if left up to me to decide. 

This comic offering from Aspen had promise but it lied. Still, it was a fun read. The characters were adorable and the fun and games was something I would have killed for as a trick-or-trick prize. The book is just not what I was sold on.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Little Tails in Prehistory (Family Comic Friday)

You've heard of moose and squirrel. Surely, you are all familiar with cat and dog. But have you ever encountered two such friends as squirrel and dog? Well, let me introduce you to Chipper the dog and Squizzo the squirrel! Together, they are the stars of this week's Family Comic Friday Selection: Little Tails in Prehistory!

 

Little Tails in Prehistory
Written by Frederic Brremaud
Art by Federico Bertolucci
Translated by Mike Kennedy
Published by Lion Forge

Squizzo and Chipper take an exciting trip through the prehistoric past encountering dinosaurs, wooly mammoths and cavemen! The intrepid animals starf out in millions of years in the past where they encounter a archeopteryx; a colorful feathered reptile. The creature tells the duo that in order to get back to the modern era, Squizzo and Chipper must travel to the heart of a volcano seen way off in the distance. As the dog and squirrel get closer to the volcano, they move forward in time meeting and sometimes fleeing from ancient creatures of different periods of prehistory.

Prehistory is the fourth book in the Little Tails series created by the French creative team of Frederic Brremaud and Federico Bertolucci. In all of these volumes, now totaling six, Chipper and Squizzo learn about animals from the deepest oceans to the greenest forests in the land.

Each page is a wonderful mix of adorable sequential art and lavish painted scenery. Chipper and Squizzo's adventures take place in the cartoon segments of each page. The animals they discover are rendered in some visually stunning settings. As a child, I remember being entranced by this book about dinosaurs. I forget the name, but that book was filled with these fantastic scenes of dinosaurs doing battle or enjoying life as a thunder lizard would. Little Tails in Prehistory brings back the wonder of that lost treasury of mine.

Brremaud and Bertolucci do something in this book that is one of my keys to a perfect Family Comic Friday offering- it's both entertaining AND educational! Sure, saying that the triceratops used it's flanged collar to attract a mate is a bit of a stretch. That animal lived before humans were even thought of. So how do we really know that's what a triceratops ready did to find it's soul mate? Regardless, there's lots to learn in this book. Thanks to Chipper and Squizzo, the learning is also fun and funny.

This 2017 book is recommended for all ages. Being a book about dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, there are some complicated words like elasmosaurus. So an older co-reader's help may be needed for younger bookworms. While at least one dinosaur chases our heroes, there's nothing overly intense or scary. Jurassic Park this is not.

Check out Little Tails in Prehistory and it's sister volumes at a library near you or at Amazon.

 

Hasbro Toy Box Quarterly #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to another edition of Family Comic Friday. For today's selection, I'm raiding the toy aisle for a comic based on a toy line beloved by both boys and girls!

Hasbro Toy Box is a new quarterly series of comics and stories from IDW Publishing. IDW has had great success with their My Little Pony titles over the years. So it makes sense that the publisher decided to make the magical horses the focus of the first issue. 

A number of stories focus on the characters of Princess Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. The ponies get into a number of adventures involving parties, the evil Changelings, and ice cream. Lots of ice cream! There's also a number of theories on how the pony wizard Starswirl got his wizarding hat. Plus, there's a couple of head-scratching shorts about the My Little Pony multiverse.

While My Little Pony is the focus of this 48-page giant collection, the point of this book is to highlight selections from the Hasbro line of toys. One story focuses on the Equestria Girls Think Bratz meet Clueless but with all of your favorite My Little Pony characters now turned into human schoolgirls. The other non-ponies tale was based on the Hanazuki line of tiny treasure toys. This story had the main character of Hanazuki fighting off a bunch of bunny-like creatures called Hemka, who have just stolen her ice cream bar!

Of the two non-pony stories, I liked the Equestria Girls adventure best. In fact, I think that was my favorite story of the entire book. The Hanazuki story was quite confusing and I didn't like that your had to go to Youtube to watch how the rest of that adventure played out. 

As for the rest of this comic, I had a couple of problems with it. First, none of the stories are original. If you already own an extensive number of My Little Pony comics, then the odds you have yet to read the material contained within this issue are greatly not in your favor. 

My second issue with this comic is mostly my problem. As am I am very unfamiliar with all of these properties, I didn't have a very good understanding of what was going on. I was quite confused. 

I did like the artwork. Being familiar with what My Little Pony figures look like, I thought artists like Tony Fleecs and Katie Cook did excellent jobs making the characters appear just like their plastic counterparts. Even Nico Pena's work on the Hanazuki story looked just like the cartoon on which readers are supposed to watch on Youtube.

I think if IDW Publishing is going to succeed with the Hasbro Toy Box Quarterly, then they've got to make a few changes. First of all, I am hoping that this series will rotate out to include other Hasbro toys like Glo Worm, GI Joe, Jem, and even Easy Bake Oven! But if they decide to focus mainly on My Little Pony, then IDW has got to make a choice: do they only use reprinted works and alienate the fervent MLP fan base? Or will IDW branch out and include some all-new material?

One thing is for sure, if IDW is trying to reach out to new readers, they're going to have to start including some blurbs that introduce the characters to the newcomers. To not do so, you'll have more readers like me on you hands- lost and confused... and not willing to give issue #2 much of a chance.

Hasbro Toy Box Quarterly #1 is recommended for readers of all-ages. It debuted in stores on December 27th, 2017. For digital readers, check out Kindle and Google Books!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

This review was published concurrently on Outrightgeekery.com.

Brave Chef Brianna (Family Comic Friday)

Written by Sam Sykes
Art by Selina Espiritu
Covers by Bridget Underwood
Published by Kaboom!

Welcome to the first Family Comic Friday of 2018!

For this week, I choose a title that's subject matter is very near and dear to me. When I am not writing for my blog, I am a professional chef and culinary instructor. So, I choose a title from the expanding genre of culinary themed comics and graphic novels for my initial entry in the new year.

The title I selected for this week is called Brave Chef Brianna. Published by KaBoom! Studios, this book is the story of Brianna. She is the only daughter among fifteen older brothers born of a world famous chef. The chef poses a challenge to his children: create the most profitable eatery within the next two years and the winner will inherit dad's culinary empire.

Brianna chooses to open shop in Monster City. However, the residents of the town don't take very well to humans. Plus, the city officials have made it illegal for monsters to eat human food. It all looks like Brianna's plan is doomed to fail. That is until a small group of monsters sample her forbidden cuisine and become hooked!

Now Brianna owns the hottest eatery in town! Can she continue to operate in secret defiance to Monster City's strict anti-human cuisine rules? Or will she find herself in hot water with those who wish to impose the old ways of eating?

This 4-issue series by Sam Sykes (Munchkin) is perhaps the most accurate representation of the restaurant industry I have ever come across in comics. Brianna has to endure many real life scenarios that a restaurateur would when opening an cafe. Finding the right location, dealing with rude customers, broken equipment, and staff shortages are all things I deal with on a daily basis as a chef.

Even Brianna's struggles to present human food to the monster population has real world implications. Chefs often must struggle to craft menus that appeal to a wide variety of guests. Navigating Halal and Kosher dietary laws as well as providing vegan/vegetarian grub and protecting diners with food allergies are all barriers to food a chef owner must face. To neglect those needs could result in you business getting shut down or hit with a lawsuit.

While I've built food businesses up from the ground floor, I have also dealt with my fair share of monster customers. They just don't happen to be real monsters like the giants, ghouls, and eclectic clientele that eat at Brianna's. Nor are they are rude as mine have been. Newcomer Selina Espiritu does an amazing job rendering the assortment of residents that dwell in Monster City. Her plate diagramming could use some work however. But her illustrations of the cityscapes is quite stunning. I was equally impressed with Bridget Underwood's covers.

This 2017 series was originally released as 4 individual issues. Recently in December, the title was released as a trade paperback. If your local comic book shop is kid friendly, you probably could find Brianna in either format. You can also check out big box stores like Barnes and Noble and Amazon. If you like your comics to be digital, Brave Chef Brianna is also available on Comixology.

This book has a definite ending. But I really hope this isn't the end to the adventures of Brianna and friends. This series combines both comics and culinary- two great passions of mine. Plus, it's interactive as each issue contains a recipe based on a dish found in the story. Aspiring chefs (along with a helpful adult) can create some really yummy dishes. Thus, not only is Brave Chef Brianna a fun read, it's educational without feeling like going to school.

In my book, anything that turns kids on to reading as well as cooking is the best thing since sliced bread. To not continue the story of Brave Chef Brianna in another volume would be a crime. But the story will not continue if you don't buy this book. Pick up a copy today. You and the young reader in your life will have a really exciting read and maybe even get inspiration for your next dinner party play date.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.