The Human Target, Vol 2

Christopher Chance solves the mystery of who killed him. Posing as Lex Luthor, the Human Target ingested a slow acting poison. His fate is sealed. Chance is literally a member of the walking dead. With only 12 days left, he spends his remaining time trying to solve his murder while enjoying some fantastic scotch and time by the beach, his favorite place. But as his life comes to an end, Chance must confront his own demons.

This Tom King maxi-series from 2022-23 is very much a noir mystery with the Human Target providing the internal dialogue, heroes who are secretly villains and forbidden romance. As with just about any noir whodunnit, the solution is crystal clear while the motivations are the real enigma. For some reason, when the murderer confesses, they have no problem admitting their guilt and yet you need a thesaurus to understand what drove them to kill. 

That's okay however. I'm still a big fan of crime noir.

When I reviewed volume 1, I stated that Greg Smallwood's art looked familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on what it reminded me of. I managed to solve that mystery about a third into this book. With the sharp pencil angles and soft charcoal shading of the subjects, Smallwood's artwork reminds me of that set of Childcraft Encyclopedia books my mom ordered me sometime in the late70s. Published originally in the 1930s by W.F. Quarrie & Co, the volumes of 'the How and Why Library' I had had shiny modern covers. But the internal artwork hadn't been updated since the Kennedy administration. The artwork here gave the story the look of a more innocent time and yet there are no saints to be found.

A fantastic mystery with a great ending. It was awesome visiting some characters that I hadn't thought about in years. Thankfully, being a Black Label imprint work, this is not a canonical book. Yet I would not be surprised in the least to find out DC decided to make this story the official swan song of the Human Target.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

FX has been showing a slew of Marvel movies this summer. I've recently seen Eternals and I've got a couple other films coming up in my queue. Whatever the programming campaign by Disney is, it's really helping me to catch up on my superhero movie deficits. I just don't have the money to see these films new for the prices theaters are asking for these days.

My latest watch was the third, and perhaps final, entry in the Guardians of the Galaxy series. If you've been wanting to get all the details on the origin of Rocket Raccoon, this is the film you've been waiting for. The movie has some pretty heartbreaking moments and that's not just because of the ending which seems to wrap things up for the Guardians. It's also because of just how freaking tragic Rocket's origin story was.

I'm that sort of softie that I will absolutely hate a movie if a lovable animal is killed. So, YES- once I realized that we were finding out about how Rocket and his friends were early experiments of the High Evolutionary, I made sure to go to Wikipedia and find out who lives and who dies so that I wasn't stunned by the death of a furry friend. It's a good thing I did, because several adorable animals buy the farm in this film. But what really surprises me is that because of that treatment of animals, Vol. 3 actually won an award of praise from PETA! It must have been because director James Gunn used CGI animals instead of the real McCoy. 

As for James Gunn, I've seemingly made my peace with him. His scandal of dressing up as a pedophile priest really stung me because I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I was pretty pissed off at him at first and it did factor in me not watching this 2023 film when it first came out. But I've learned that if I want to be an opponent of cancel culture, what I have to do is forgive. It's also a tenant of being a follower of Christ. I'm not perfect. FARRRRRRRR from it and I've got to practice the forgiveness I was given by Jesus on others. Even if I've never met them in person. James Gunn in his escapades was trying to be funny. It wasn't a good joke. But it's not worth holding a grudge against someone. He apologized and deserved a second chance.

I wouldn't say that Vol. 3 was a bad movie. I also can't say that its the weakest of the trilogy. But it is long. At exactly 150 minutes in length, I think we could have cut out about 20 minutes, which is pretty much the length of time the Guardians visit the Evolutionary's counter-Earth. What I was initially thinking was going to be the funniest part of the film just felt unnecessary to me. Based on the clip where Star Lord is trying to help Nebula open a car door, I was expecting much more of this movie to take place on our Earth and not a anthropomorphic duplicate created by the film's main antagonist.  The animal hybrids were pretty cool looking but I don't think we needed to see how they lived. I would have been totally fine with seeing these creatures walking about on the High Evolutionary's ship. 

As for the High Evolutionary, in comics, he's never been a character that appealed to me. But I thought actor Chukwudi Iwuji was great as the very unhinged bio-scientist. Another character that won me over in the film despite not being one I care much about in the books was Will Poulter as Adam Warlock. The British actor brought a naivety to the character for some much needed comic relief since Rocket spends about 2/3 of the movie in a coma. And I just love the Soviet era pooch with psychic powers, Cosmo. That dog stole every scene!

Although the film was very long, I didn't want the excitement to end. I really have grown to love these characters. As I don't have Disney+, I've never seen the Holiday Special. Maybe I will have that to look forward to this Christmas season. FX is showing streaming series such as Daredevil: Born Again. So maybe we'll get lucky! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Shazam: Fury of the Gods

When it comes to their movies, DC has a god problem. Not God, the Almighty. Though, that's definitely something that could be debated at a later date. What I'm referring to are the gods that occupy the pages of DC Comics and the visual media adapted from them. With exception of Wonder Woman, her people of the island of Themyscira and her eternal foe, Ares the god of war, DC's heavenly hosts just don't manage to capture the imagination of theater goers like Thor, Loki and such do. 

What about the New Gods? They're pretty popular among fans! True. But the average person doesn't know the difference between Steppenwolf the character and Steppenwolf the band who brought us the hit song 'Born to Be Wild'. I argue that a lack of familiarity with the villains in Scott Snyder's Justice League doomed the film way more than Joss Whedon's interference with the final cut. And that's also what doomed Shazam: Fury of the Gods!

When 2019's Shazam concluded, we were teased with a potential team up between Doctor Sivana and that domineering worm, Mr. Mind. I was so pumped for the sequel. Even with the poor showing of The Rock's Black Adam movie, I was expecting the Big Red Cheese and his Shazam family to take on Sivana, Mind and Black Adam in this sequel. And if Adam wasn't in the picture, maybe we'd get that evil brute Ibac! Instead, we got 3 daughters of Atlas who I've never heard of before in my life!

The daughters are played by Helen Mirren, Lucy Lui and the controversial actress Rachel Zegler. Lucy Lui was pretty good as the menacing Kalypso. She played a really good psychopath. Zegler was okay. But her romance with Freddy Freeman made her predictable. And I think Helen Mirren is one heck of an actress. But I just don't see her playing the role of a titan/goddess out to punish humanity because they turned their backs on the old gods. In her prime, Mirren is just too nurturing. Throw in a magical apple, some tree of life that actually does just the opposite and a bunch of mythical creatures that are more bark than bite and I was seriously bored with a lot of this movie.

The beginning when the 'Shazamily' saves a crumbling bridge full of car riders to the tune of Bonnie Tyler's 'Holding Out For A Hero', had promise. The unexpected return to Djimon Hounsou as the supposedly dead wizard Shazam was warranted. I loved the banter between him and Freddy. And the ending with that very much needed cameo and the whole family enjoying the spoils of victory was a great way to end the film. But the middle was so complicated and I found myself fiddling around on my phone instead of paying attention to the movie. In fact: I recorded this film on my DVR in March, where I made it through the first 45 minutes. It wasn't until now in July that I finally got up the nerve (and care) to complete it. In all honesty, I just finished it so that I could review it and get the 2 hours back on my recorder.

Some are going to argue that the 2023 film bombed because of the pro-Trump platform of lead actor, Zachary Levi. It probably didn't help. But it didn't deter me from watching it in theaters. Out of this world ticket prices led me to wait for it to come on TV. (For those of you wanting to blame the pro-Palestinian comments of actress Rachel Zegler for this movie tanking, her comments came AFTER Fury of the Gods left both the silver screen and Pay-Per-View.) Really, what killed this movie was that it was smited by the gods. The deities of Egypt in Black Adam couldn't illicit an opening segue into more interest for the second Shazam picture. Using obscure Greek gods stuck a knife through its heart. As a result, James Gunn, with his new vision for the DC cinematic universe, buried any hopes of a third movie with what I suspect will be a blockbuster with the new Superman coming out tonight!

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

21st Century Santa Stories #1

I meant to read this book last year when it came out. But for some reason I didn't get to purchase it until after the holiday. Maybe it was a shipping delay. But for some reason, I was late to the party for this one-shot anthology from American Mythology. 

There are 4 stories in this book. The first story ponders what would happen to Santa if Christmas was cancelled. Now, normally, you'd think that St. Nick would have an early vacation. But the twist on this story is that Santa only gets paid if there's a holiday. So without his annual stipend, Kris Kringle is forced to make ends meet until next year's holiday season. 

Then a bunch of homemade ornaments meet the newest decoration on the tree, a cute little puppy. But when an accident causes Santa's milk and cookies to be ruined, the baubles panic thinking that they've ruined Christmas.

Then a young boy is taught to pray to Saint Nicholas for protection over his father who's at sea on a merchant vessel. Unknown to the child, dad's praying too because his ship has just sunk and he's about to plunge into the bring deep.

Lastly, a pair of brothers, and one sleepy sister, use modern technology to try and capture Santa Claus.

This issue ends with a couple of interactive one-pagers for kids. I particularly liked the form letter to Santa. That was kinda funny. An unexpected addition was a glimpse at all of American Mythology's Three Stooges books over the years. I greatly appreciated it as I saw that there's a couple of holiday themed specials that I don't have yet. (I'll need to update my wish list.)

Overall, a very good book. The prayers to Santa story was a little weird. But then again, I don't live in a predominantly Catholic nation where intercession with Saint Nicholas is common. So I learned something there. But I also experienced some heartache inside this book.

In the opening tale, there was a single panel that just broke my heart. In need of cash, Santa has to sell his reindeer. The look on Donner's face just killed me. He looks so loving and proud at Santa, who's refusing to sell one of his team for no less than $500. I just couldn't tell if Donner had no idea that someone was about to buy him or if the reindeer was hopeful that for such a large sum of money, Donner isn't going anywhere. The whole swirl of mixed emotions and uncertainty over the outcome of that scene just made me so sad and I just can't shake its effect on me.

The main cover by Roy Allen Martinez is just so wonderful. It should rank up there as one of the best holiday covers of all time. However, I don't think that's going happen with this being an Indy book that flew under a lot of comic book lovers radar.

I wouldn't mind a second volume. Just don't play with my heartstrings when it comes to Santa's reindeer.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Bigfoot and Nessie: The Art of Getting Noticed (Family Comic Friday)

A delightful little boom that joins together two of the world's most well known cryptids. Although, this book should be called Bigfoot, Jr. and Nessie. That's because the title Bigfoot of this story is the son of the famed Sasquatch of blurry videos and off-center photograph fame. 

Bigfoot Jr lives in the shadows of his famous dad and his well documented family. One day when trying to make sense of his place in the world, Junior comes across a new friend. Wearing sunglasses and a scarf, Nessie is very secretive of her personal life. But she delights in the company of Junior because they both struggle with finding their way in life as part of a famous family. Though Junior doesn't know that his new friend is in fact Scotland's Loch Ness Monster!

This was a delightful tale, that begins a series of boost starring Bigfoot Jr and Nessie. Written by Chelsea M. Campbell with artwork by Laura Knetzger, The Art of Getting Noticed was a fun read. Obviously Campbell and Knetzger subscribe to the Clark Kent School of Disguise as nobody recognizes Nessie until her scarf and shades are accidentally removed in public. I also liked how Knetzger peppered in famous photos of Bigfoot inside Junior's house. Of course, they'd have a picture from the famed Patterson-Gimlin film supposedly of Bigfoot in their living room! It was subtle touches like that that made this such a brilliant read 

Recommended for readers ages 6-9, I did think that some of this 2023 book was a little too wordy for a younger reader. But someone aged 8-11 should really enjoy this opening volume that explores the hidden world of characters of folklore and legend! Aside from a couple of moments where Nessie feels that Junior is not being a good friend and she gets angry, the majority of this book is light-hearted and provokes a discussion about fitting in and being yourself.

Book #2, The Haunting of Loch Ness Castle is also currently available for sale.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The He-Man Effect: How American Toy Makers Sold Your Childhood

Box Brown explores how corporations have manipulated our fandoms in this 2023 non-fiction graphic novel. While Brown explores the affects of propaganda on the American populace during the two World Wars, his focus is on toys because many of those psychiatrists who used science to ideally heighten pro-American sentiments ended up being hired by advertising agencies after the conflicts. In between the first World War and the attack on Pearl Harbor, women were the primary targets of those advertisers. However, with the baby boom after the fall of Japan, companies were made aware of a brand new untapped market: children.

It turns out that our tiny undeveloped brains cannot tell the difference between the fictions of a TV show and the commercials that fill in gap time. So when a kid sees Superman telling kids that Wheaties is the only cereal for him to eat, they believe that in order to be just like the Man of Steel, the kiddies need to eat Wheaties too! This blending of the two types of media got so bad that restrictions were made by the FCC, thanks to a bunch of angry moms, that prohibited children's programming from being essentially a 30 minute commercial for products. There were a few exceptions like Sesame Street, which was considered educational for children and being on public television, never ran commercials. It's also why during the 60s and 70s, that TV shows like Laugh-In, which was clearly for more mature audiences could appeal to children on lunch boxes and trading cards. It wasn't considered kids programming, so those shows could license out products meant for kids. It also explains why the 1970s was the best decade for cartoons.

This all changed in November, 1980. Ronald Reagan became President and he appointed those to head the FCC who opposed the restrictions on advertising to children during the Saturday morning cartoons and after school programming. Mattel was about to launch a new toy line that promised to rival Kenner's Star Wars behemoth, Its main character was called He-Man. However, capturing the imagination of the youngsters who would demand mom and dad buy it for them would be no easy feat without able word of mouth and frequency on the airwaves. With FCC deregulation of kids programming, Mattel was able to produce an animated series that would essentially be a 22-minute commercial for the Masters of the Universe toyline. 

Thanks to the series produced by Filmation, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe became a cultural touchstone for children in the mid-1980s. I should know, I was on of those kindergartners who started to drop their Star Wars figures and instead pickup a He-Man and a Skeletor figure. I still love the original He-Man series. I've bought massive omnibuses containing the entire run of mini comics inserted with each action figure. I also have a book devoted to the seldom seen newspaper strips. I'm currently on the hunt for the comics produced by Marvel imprint, Star Comics, without going bankrupt doing so. 

While my love for He-Man hasn't diminished reading this historical account of pop culture in the 20th century, I am chagrined to see how much I have been manipulated by Mattel, Kenner, Hasbro and the likes. Eternia's Prince Adam doesn't say 'By the power of Gray Skull. I have the power.' to become He-Man, though it helps. That was an ear worm planted by toy designers to trigger something in our little pea brains to want to consume more Masters of the Universe merch! The same goes with 'Yo, Joe!', 'Thundercats, Ho!' and so many other catch phrases of my childhood.

I'm almost mad at Box Brown. I've enjoyed a lot of his previous works. But with The He-Man Effect, I feel like he exposed the man behind the curtain. There was just a little too much of Adam Ruins Everything that destroyed some of the magic of my youth. The book does explain very well why we get upset when our favorite childhood franchises are rebooted or made 'woke' with diverse casting changes or switching genders of characters. But what I'm most upset about is that these toy lines and animated series that were bright spots to a childhood fraught with bullying and abuse, weren't there to make me happy and secure. They were created to make people rich. Thanks to Box Brown, the truth about my childhood heroes is that they weren't there to protect me. They just wanted my money.

Worth Consuming, but man does it hurt.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Santos Sisters Halloween Special

Imagine that the world of Archie Andrews and the gang from Riverdale was drawn in that classic Dan DeCarlo style but it had the morals and language of a Quentin Tarantino film. That's the world of the Santos Sisters. My first foray with the characters created by Illinois based creators Greg and Fake, I'm a little familiar with some of their friends including the monster slaughtering duo Hack and Slash and Heaven's little devil, Mercy Sparx.

There's not really a cohesive story throughout this 48-page Halloween special. Instead, it's a series of vignettes and shorts that show how the Santos Sisters and friends celebrate All Hallows Eve! They were funny takes. Rather charming. Just not for kids and I think because of the friendly art style of the characters, it might fool some parents and guardians into thinking this is a family friendly read.

Sure, this was an R-rated book and there was a demon character inside. But I don't think Mercy Sparx is more than just a guest star in this book. So if other Santos Sisters books are pretty similar in style, I wouldn't mind reading more of Greg and Fake's creations. Maybe there's a Christmas special or other Holiday special out there that I've not encountered. Fingers crossed.

A pleasant Indy comic surprise from 2024.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Disney Gargoyles Halloween Special (Family Comic Friday)

Taking off from where the 1994 animated series left off, series creator Greg Weisman has been given the chance to continue the story of Disney's Gargoyles.

It's Halloween night and young Nashville wants to experience trick or treating for the very first time. As other Big Apple children are dressed as Gargoyles, Gnash, 'with a silent G', should blend in with the humans quite well. Why would Gnash need to blend in with other trick-or-treaters if his Gargoyle brethren have revealed themselves to the world? It's because there's a group of anti-Gargoyle sledgehammer welding militants called the Quarrymen who long for the old days when the demonic looking creatures were cursed to a millennial long slumber. As the Quarrymen have plans to disrupt a community festival between humans and Gargoyles, it's up to Gnash and his new friends to prevent this from becoming the worst All Hallows Eve ever in New York history.

I'm a little familiar with Gargoyles. My little sister watched them a little bit first run because the little boys across the street were obsessed with the syndicated cartoon. So I'm not sure how accurate to the flow of the original series this 2023 Halloween special is. Though I imagine with having the shows creator behind the new adventures to help keep things seamless. I appreciated that the saga of the New York Gargoyle clan is kept in the 90s making these comics a continuation and not a reboot.

There are some more modern ideals in this 90s set one-shot. But it's left up to the reader how to interpret. For instance, there's a character with the last name of Jones dressed as a witch. Jones later reveals that under the mask and dress, the character is a man. Is the character transgender? Homosexual? Just a dude dressed up for Halloween? It's never really revealed and since Gargoyles was originally an all-ages franchise, it's left innocuous in order to not be too controversial for families who might not feel the time is right to talk about gender norms or human sexuality.

The Quarrymen are some pretty nasty dudes who spew hate and bigotry. There's a couple of scenes of bullying, a big fight between Quarrymen and Gargoyles and two Gargoyle 'dogs' that look pretty intimidating. Not really unexpected for a book rated 'teen'.

If Gargoyles was a show you watched as a kid in the 90s and it's a legacy property you wish to share with your children or other young readers in your life, then this is a Halloween read that will be enjoyed by all. If Gargoyles is a property that is completely new to you, I recommend parents and guardians read it first to ensure it's age appropriateness. 

Back issues can be found on eBay and other comic book retail websites.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Supercats: Halloween! (Family Comic Friday Comics)

I would have reviewed this 2023 Halloween special from Scout Comics last year. I had every intention of doing so. However there were some shipping delays at my favorite comic shop and I didn't get to pick it up until early November. 

Based on Scout's Supercats series, it's Halloween and the protectors of the neighborhood, the Supercats, are terrorizing all of the trick-or-treaters. Only it's really the Dirty Dogs of the Bad Bod Club in disguise as Supercats, looking to ruin their good guy reputation. Can Mewow and his sidekick Ohno save Halloween while restoring their good name?!

Supercats: Halloween! was Scout Comics' first foray of their Launch imprint of books. The idea behind launch is to introduce young new readers to comics. Launch does this by classifying their books in 3 levels. An almost total picture book comic is considered Level 1. This book with a promise of no more than 3 panels per page to help youngsters not get too lost in the action is a Level 3 book. (However on at least 1 pages, I counted 4 panels... Uh oh!)

The artwork is more primitive than other young reader graphic novels. But I think that rougher art style contributes to the alley cat persona of the Supercats and the junkyard dog manners of the Bad Dog Club. This was an adorable Halloween story by Caleb Thusat and Angela Odding and I just hope that the lateness of my review will help future sales for this comic and the other couple of books in the Supercats series, which can be bought at the Scout Comics web page.

My one complaint has nothing to do with the content. I think this is a book that parents and guardians will approve of 100%. It's wholesome and sweet and when Mewow and Ohno take on the Dirty Dogs, the level of superhero action is very mild. No, my issue was the format of the book. It's not rectangular like a comic book. Instead it's square; slightly larger than a Little Golden Book. Unfortunately, it doesn't fit in my protective sleeves. Nor will it fit inside one of storage boxes. If it was a hard cover, I could place it safely on one of the shelves I use to store graphic novels. Supercats: Halloween! is too flimsy like a regular comic book that I'm concerned about getting it damaged. And if kids want to collect the books in this series, it's format will make storage even harder for them.

Just something to be aware of if you were like me as a kid, trying to keep your comics in as pristine condition as possible.

Worth Consuming!

Rating 9 out of 10 stars.

Fann Club: Batman Squad (Family Comic Friday)

Young Ernest Fann is the biggest Batman fanatic there is. Wearing a homemade costume and practicing brooding from great heights (of about 6 feet off the floor), Ernest is a superhero just like his idol, the Dark Knight! Ernest just started a Batman club called the Batman Squad in which other aspiring superheroes can learn the skills of Batman to become their bestest heroic selves.

Things are going great at first. Ernest has 3 members enrolled in the club. Training to find clues is going well. They've all found a lot of clues. Just no mysteries. Then Ernest and a pal decide to visit the local bank where an actual bank robbery is taking place. Can Ernest as Gerbilwing and bud Jack as Nightstand save the day?

Written and illustrated by Catwad's Jim Benton, I was excited to read this book. But the artwork kinda worried me a bit. It looked an awful lot like this running short on Cartoon Network from a few years back. The Claymation segments were of heroes like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman all talking about life as a superhero. Only you couldn't understand what anyone was saying because the voices were of kids with these thick British accents. It just was horrible. As Benton's characters all looked like those characters, I thought maybe whomever created those shorts were behind this young reader graphic novel. 

Then I saw on the cover that Jim Benton created Catwad, and I am a big fan of that character, so I gave this book a try! I'm glad I did because this was a funny book that had Monty Python type humor that was so unexpected, I laughed out loud several times. The humans may have looked very non human. But I loved the Batman villains that pop up in Ernest's daydreams and that stray cat who pops up from time to time was hilarious.

Recommended for readers ages 8-12. Parents of readers under age 10 might have a little bit of problem with some of the material. There's a small bit of potty humor in this book. A small amount of Peanuts level violence. The bank robber does carry a gun. However, the ending is the type of thing you'd expect in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood because no way in the world is a bank ever going to hire the guy who robbed it to be their new security guard!

I'd actually enjoy reading more about Ernest and his friends. Maybe they'll take a field trip to Gotham City in hopes of running into their hero. That would be exciting and I bet Jim Benton could make the encounter a laugh riot!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Saturday Morning Adventures: IDW Endless Summer One-Shot

When Michelangelo forsakes pizza, opting instead for a fresh green salad, his fellow Ninja Turtles know something's not right. It's the heat of summer in the Big Apple and the boys have been working really hard against Shredder and his evil Foot Clan. A single day of rest and relaxation can't hurt. So the boys don Western costumes and cosplay as cowboys at the nearby Old West theme park, Frontier Ride-A-World

Once inside the park, the turtles notice that something's off about the place. The rides go just a little too fast. The atmosphere seems electric. Too electric And is that Traag, Krang's rock creature generalissimo over by the cotton candy stand? Fun time is over!

This one-shot by Dave Baker was part of IDW's 2023 Endless Summer lineup of specials. Drawn in the style of the classic 1980s cartoon of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the art by Tango was so picture perfect. With continuity nods to the original series, it really did feel like I had discovered a lost episode!

I really hate that IDW didn't do any summer specials this year. I know that the company has been hurting and the past 12-18 months for them has been really difficult with losing both the G.I. Joe and Transformers licenses. However, if IDW was ever in need of sales, bringing Endless Summer back in 2025 is a sure way to get me to open my wallet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Eerie Tales from the School of Screams (Family Comic Friday)

Today's homework assignment: tell an eerie story to the rest of the class.

Over the course of the rest of the school day, 5 children will try to top each other with spooky stories about a town that vanished, a curious ghost, a modern Cinderella being terrorized by her hateful uncle and aunt, a doomed crew aboard a spaceship, and the evil secret behind grandpa's massive stash of treats.

I don't know why it is, but I am so ready for Halloween. I'm slowly seeing things popping up in stores and it's just got me in the mode for cool crisp weather and spooky comics all of a sudden. Of the 5 tales, the one about the mistreated little girl was the most horrific because it was so real. The story about the vanishing village was just a warm up for things to come and the ghost story was more like something from The Twilight Zone, in that it was the twist ending that was the real spine chiller. I liked the outer space horror story. It had a couple of great jump scares and was smartly plotted. Then there was the story about Poppi's candies. It has demons in it and when it comes to horror, that's not really my thing. 

I would love for there to be a sequel to this 2023 anthology from First:Second. I'd also be up for a 1-hour animated special of Eeries Tales from the School of Screams. There was an element of frights on par with that classic series of horror stories from the 1980s, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Amazon has the suggested age range for the book as being for readers aged 8-12. I would slide that scale over a bit to the right and suggest it for youngsters who are a very mature 9 to 13 years of age. 

At over 300 pages, it's one of the bigger reads out there. However, there's not a ton of words. Creator Graham Annable utilizes completely darkened out pages to signal the progression of time. I know from Hitchcock's Psycho, that the greatest horrors occur in the mind of the viewer when events are left unseen. However, from a sustainability factor, those black pages, sometimes 3 to 4 pages in a row, are in my mind wasteful. From the view of my wallet, those extra pages aren't so bad as the book retails for $14.99.

A very good book with original stories ranging in level of scares from 1-9 on a 10 point scale. I hope to read another volume of this. Yet, if the ending is the way things stand with the story of the children of the School of Screams, I am perfectly fine with that decision.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

It's Jeff #1

A week ago I reviewed a book called Silent Tales by Gustavo Duarte. I basically stated that comic stories without words don't work as effectively as the 'talkies'. Well for today's review, I want to amend that statement. Comic books without words can work... sometimes.

The book I read is Marvel's It's Jeff! #1. Written by Kelly Thompson with art by the Japanese duo known as Gurihiru, this comic has a lot of similarities with DC's Silent Tales. 

• Both books are one-shots from 2023.
• Both specials are based on digital platform series.
• Both series use only emojis for speech and only the occasional word like for an exit sign or name of a business are used.
• Both works have a humorous slant.

The only difference between It's Jeff and Silent Tales is that Marvel's book was rated for all ages and I very much think that was what made that issue more enjoyable. It also helps that Jeff is a loyal friend. He's also adorable!

For those of us not in the know, Jeff is a land shark. Genetically modified by a super villain, along with other animals to take over the world of the humans, despite being a shark, Jeff didn't have a single evil bone in his body. (Maybe that's because a shark's skeleton is made of cartilage.) Jeff ended up winning the heart of Gwenpool, who entrusted the fish to Deadpool and Elsa Bloodstone before being reclaimed by Gwenpool and becoming the official mascot of the most recent incarnation of the West Coast Avengers. Now Kate Bishop, the female Hawkeye, is Jeff's primary caretaker.

In this issue, Jeff has about a dozen adventures. Some involve him acting like a very toothy dog, like ruining Avengers Thanksgiving dinner. But many of Jeff's adventures occur as a part of his overactive imagination. Too hot for a snowball fight? Jeff's got you covered! Got a bathtub full of mermaids that need saving? Jeff's got you covered! Just need a friend? Jeff's got you covered!

I had very little trouble understanding these stories. Kelly Thompson did an excellent job plotting everything so that readers 5-95 could follow the plot. Gurihiru's cartoony style is accessible to all. And above all, I wanted more of it! Good thing there's another Jeff special that came out earlier this year. It's just too bad that I passed it over, having not read this one-shot yet and not knowing how magical Jeff is. 

I won't make that mistake again!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Silent Tales #1

Less is not always more important in this experimental comic book. Gustavo Duarte's Silent Tales was originally published as a series of 6 digital comics under the banner DC's Speechless! None of these stories have words, with exception of the occasional sign in the background like for an exit from a building or a banner declaring items inside a store are on sale. Being essentially a pantomime, this very much is an experiment. Sadly, I didn't feel like the results of the half dozen tales had a success that was replicable.

Here's what on store in this issue without giving away too much of the plots:

• Harley Quinn takes on a DIY project.
• Cyborg looks to relax at Titans Tower with his latest record store find.
• Zatanna adopts a very hungry rabbit.
• Superman learns why it's important to separate his laundry under the categories of whites, colors and radioactive.
• The Joker partakes in some art appreciation under the watchful eye of Commissioner Gordon and the Batman.
• Intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo goes treasure hunting against a band of Nazi vampires!

Let me back that up. Nazi vampires. Vampires that happen to be demonic disciples of the Third Reich! Versus Lobo! Why hasn't DC Comics done a DC Horror series based on this idea?!

Silent Tales wasn't without good ideas. It's just proof that words are important. We live in a society that is obsessed with emojis and text speak. This book proves that comics need words and dialogue just as much as they need pictures. I like Gustavo Duarte. His artwork in Bizarro, the road trip adventure with Jimmy Olsen was so fun. That's why I wanted to buy this 2023 one shot. Unfortunately, the stories in this book are far from superior to his previous work because some of the details get lost without those oh so important words. (To be fair, Duarte didn't write Bizarro. Heath Corson did and that might have something to do with the better storytelling.)

Still, Duarte's art was fantastic as usual. So whimsical. Quite funny. He's a master of caricature. And those creative Ideas. I'm game to read more future works by Gustavo Duarte. But the emphasis has to be on the word 'read'. We live in the age of talkies!

As for DC Comics - please keep taking digital works and giving them the paper treatment. Each trial might not be a success. But for those of us who love the floppy, please don't keep us in the digital dark. 

And please, make that Lobo against the Nazi vampires miniseries a reality... PLEASE!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Theory of Everything Else: A Voyage into the World of the Weird by Dan Schreiber

Comedian and pod caster Dan Schreiber dips his toe into the water of conspiracy theories and strange phenomena. And by strange phenomena, we're talking things so goofy, even Fox Mulder is skeptical of them! Personally, I feel like Schreiber could have covered a lot more whack job ideas that are floating around out there. But I did think that the writer was very detailed about the theories he researched. Plus I liked that he covered a few subjects that even I, a long term and now repentant conspiracy theorist and devotee of the eccentric, outlandish and just plain odd, such as myself, weren't even aware of.

I also wouldn't categorize everything Schreiber features in this book to be a conspiracy theory. It's not entirely that type of book. Some topics are more based on fringe science and hobbies of nut jobs. Some of which just happens to be proven true. Case in point: the study that plants can communicate with each other. A former CIA interrogator supposedly hooked up his house plant to a lie detector and got some very unusual results. Eventually, the guy quits being a spook, starts up a research center to study plant and human behavior and publishes a couple of books on how plants talk to us that become oddball best sellers. Jump ahead to a couple of years ago and researchers reveal that there's indication of a worldwide network that plants use to communicate to other flora about droughts, floods, and other threats to wildlife.

Schreiber works rather blue. He likes to refer to many of the believers of these conspiracies and fringe ideas as bat CRAP crazy. Only the author doesn't use the family friendly word CRAP. The writer also seems a bit too preoccupied with crazy kinks. A bunch of pages are devoted to dolphin genitals, sex with ghosts and other X-rated situations. There's a few characters from the past 200 years who began cults and alternate religions that used their charisma to score with both male and female followers. I'm actually surprised how little the author focuses on some of those characters, especially Aleister Crowley.

Dan Schreiber also hosts a podcast called 'No Such Thing As A Fish' that delves into hoaxes. Fish and birds are amazingly left untouched in this book. Maybe due to some subjects being considering off-limits due to licensing or advertising agreements with the pod cast. If he's not restricted, I'd like to read a follow up of this book, because while he's a bit cheeky, Schreiber does tell some very good stories; both personally and of historic merit. 

Not a book for kids. But it's definitely a book that skirts upon a lot of the very strange theories being brought about by all sides of the political and public spectrum thanks to events like Brexit, the coming of COVID and January 6th election claims. The Theory of Everything Else may not have the answers you are looking for. However, it can definitely get you headed into the right direction for the origins of the world's most endearing and modern plots, dodges and cabals. And if that's not what you are looking for- Schreiber has plenty to say about ghosts, UFOs, time travel and other elements of the supernatural. Only he views such popular fringe and occult matters differently than most.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Housecat Trouble: Lost and Found (Family Comic Friday)

Housecat Buster is about to have another epic adventure with his alley cat friends Chancey and Nova. It all starts with the appearance of a stray kitten at Buster's house. The kitty knows he's lost. But he's got zero memory of his name or how he got lost. All he knows is that he lives in a black painted house next to the town water tower. Join Buster and Onion, that's the name Buster gives the kitten, as they dodge ornery geese, hungry pups and one big, bad dogcatcher in hopes of reuniting the missing cat with his owner!

This is the second book in the Housecat Trouble series. I didn't realize that until I got about a third of the way through this story and by then, I was hooked. You don't have to read that first book in order to follow the action in this 2023 graphic novel. But it helps! Creator Mason Dickerson does a really good job of keeping new readers informed. But there's such a complexity and lore established with elements of the plot that reading book one is something that a younger reader might benefit from. 

I was so engrossed with the characters, I had to skip ahead to the end to make sure none of the kitties in this book were injured d or died. Yes, I know that LeVar Burton would be sorely disappointed in me for this. But when it comes to adorable animals, I can't stand to see them come to harm. Real or illustrated! 

Now to dig into elements of this graphic novel that might be objectionable to parents without revealing too much of the plot. For one thing, there are inter-dimensional beings that are trying to enter our world. It's a house cat's job to prevent these creatures from taking over a family's domicile. With Onion lost from his house, those monsters have been running rampant. These things aren't very scary. But when Onion finally confronts them, he unleashes a fury that can be a little unsettling, even to an adult reader!

As for Onion, there's something unusual about that pure white kitten. He can disappear without warning. When he reappears, he's usually found from a great height that Buster and friends can't figure out how that little guy does it. I don't want to go too much into detail without spoiling the big surprise. But I do think parents and guardians need to be ready with some tissues as the epilogue to this volume is bittersweet.

Random House Graphic's Housecat Trouble: Lost and Found is the second work by Mason Dickerson. A native North Carolinian such as myself, Dickerson doesn't have any formal art training. So his art might seem a little rough. Yet, every character has a distinctive look and formulated mannerisms. When it comes to his story structure, Dickerson's plotting is unsurpassed. If I can get my hands on volume 1, you can be sure I'll be checking it out and getting the rest of this story!

Speaking of volume 1, Housecat Trouble: A Graphic Novel is also available in Spanish and French language editions with a recommended age range of 7-10 years.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Rocket and Groot: The Hunt for Star-Lord (Family Comic Friday)

A couple of years ago, writer and director James Gunn was removed from completing his Guardians of the Galaxy movie trilogy because of some past inappropriate posts and Halloween costumes. True, he did return after the cast and crew supported him, underwent therapy and made some apologies. However, if things had gone differently, I think I would have been able to make a great argument for who could have at least replaced Gunn as script writer for Guardians Vol. 3!

Rocket and Groot: The Hunt for Star-Lord sees the rascally duo get an alert that their cocky leader has been kidnapped and held for ransom. As Rocket and Groot follow the leads for the whereabouts of the missing Peter Quill, they reunite with their other Guardian teammates who join the search. Along the way, some iconic Guardians baddies along with a surprise villain or two will learn that nothing comes between a Guardian of the Galaxy and their search for their best friend. Except maybe for a bounty offering the promise of some much needed credits.

This 2023 chapter graphic novel from Scholastic was written by veteran comic writer Amanda Deibert. The author captured the quirks and voices of every character in this book perfectly. This story really felt like a never before told segment of the Guardians of the Galaxy cinematic trilogy. If Marvel decides to make a 4th Guardians film, this is who should write the script! And with a follow up adventure seeing Rocket and Groot trapped in with a mysterious stranger in a spooky forest, due to come out in September, I've already got a book on my Halloween to-read list!

The book is illustrated by cartoonist Cam Kendall, who is more well known for his work on board games. I liked his art style. I was also fooled by it. Kendall's style looks a lot like the work Skottie Young did on his 2014-15 Rocket Raccoon miniseries. I liked that work and I loved this one. 

The Hunt for Star-Lord is a fun-filled romp similar in many ways to the mad cap antics of Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo. There's fighting and laser weapons a plenty. A few threatening use of sharp objects. And an appearance by a Marvel UK character that in its 90s era heyday was considered 10 times more violent than Wolverine or the Punisher. COMBINED! Here, the character (of whose identity I dare not spoil), is more buffoonish than deadly. But he's still a little intimidating in appearance.

I did fear that when the Guardians arrived on planet Earth in their search for Star-Lord, that things were going to get a little preachy. Groot sees a lumberjack making timber out of his brethren and rightfully becomes incensed. That was all fine. It was the addition of the eco-protesters in the scene that could have made the scene become fodder for a bad ABC Afterschool Special. But Amanda Deibert keeps things balanced with quirky humor while also presenting a positive message of not wasting our precious resources for no reason at all.

Recommended by Amazon for readers ages 6-8. However I think those up to age 12 could really get a kick out of this graphic novel. The author and illustrator did fantastic jobs! Oh boy! How I can't wait for October to get here!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Bite Sized Archie: Going Viral

I was such a fan of the first volume that I eagerly anticipated a follow up. While that first year of Bite Sized Archie was a groundbreaking romp that paid tribute to over 75 years of Archie lore and the entire Archie Comics library, there was something not quite right with the second year of strips. It was almost like Ron Cacace and Vincent Lovallo tried to get too experimental with a concept that in of itself was an experiment. The genius of Bite Sized Archie is how an entire story is told in just 4 square panels. Here, the creators tried to do a drawn out story over several strips and the way they did it just didn't work.

First of all, the concept was too wacky. An anthropomorphic cheeseburger takes revenge on Jughead with the help of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and a leprechaun. Then the story is told sporadically instead of several weeks in a row. That's hard enough to keep up with but the creators end up jumping ahead into the storyline with events that happened off page, like Veronica and Reggie getting kidnapped by the reindeer. Add in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and a Kaiju version of Jughead fighting the Cheeseburger and wrap it all up with a stupid punchline for an ending and I was begging for this volume to be over!

Thankfully, Cacace and Lovallo continue to add their director's cut commentary to their strips. Without it, I would've been lost, thinking that some pages of that continuous story were missing. I appreciate the creators wanting to try something new by having a lengthy story. However, I think they were too indulgent with their efforts. 

As Bite Sized Archie continues on over at Archiecomics.com, there's a good chance for a third volume. I just hope Cacace and Lovallo learn from their sophomore year mistakes and can recapture some of that magic from the inaugural year.

Rating: 6 out of 10 years.

Shang-Chi and the Quest for Immortality (Family Comic Friday)

Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu is a Marvel character that is more aligned with mature readership than a figure of all-ages family fun. Created in the 1970s as Marvel's answer to the martial arts film craze brought about by the influences of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Shang-Chi originally was the son of the global 'yellow menace' known as Fu-Manchu. Over time, the
controversial antagonist was replaced with a figure whose origin wasn't encased with a legacy of East Asian prejudices and hate. Shang-Chi's rebooted father, Zheng-Zu was no less evil or power hungry. Even more, he still wasn't a character for children as the leader of the Five Weapons Society was a gangster who had his hands in some very adult criminal activities such as gun running, human trafficking, and drugs.

Of course with the live action Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Marvel wanted to produce a kid friendly graphic novel to introduce the characters to a broader audience. To do this, creator Victoria Ying set the story during Shang-Chi's childhood. Yes, Shang-Chi's father is still a heartless criminal leader who rewards loyalty over issuing parental love. Only now he's more of a passive character in which the young hero lives in the shadow of his father's approval. 

Ying makes another wise move by having the story focus more on the mythology of Shang-Chi's world as opposed to the dark criminal elements. In this book, Shang-Chi is on a quest to find a magical orchard that fruits could heal the boy's ailing father. In the midst of Shang-Chi's journey, he meets a mysterious hooded man who claims to be Shang-Chi's brother and the protector of other offspring who have been deemed unworthy of inheriting Zheng-Zu's criminal enterprise.

This graphic novel is a decent prequel to 2021's Shang-Chi motion picture. It opens Shang-Chi's eyes to his father's dark nature while also authenticating the myths of ancient China into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The story also shows how you can love someone even when they are imperfect, even when that nature is extremely vile.

Cruel parents seems to be a universal theme. Snow White, Cinderella, even The Simpsons show that parents are people too. And that means flaws. It's a complicated process to love someone who is supposed to love you back and yet sometimes in return mothers and fathers aren't capable of such kindness. Thus if this story opens up questions about parental abuse or neglect, it's my hope that parents and guardians are willing and equipped to address such complicated inquiries. Though I think the recommended age of 8-12 might be a bit too immature. 10-14 might be more appropriate.

A read that potentially could open many doors. Not just to some complex family ethics, but also to Chinese culture. The artwork is highly indicative of modern and classic Oriental styles. Plus, young readers are introduced to new characters that have entertained millions of Chinese children for millennia. If you are going to show Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to your family, this book could act as a good introduction to many of the characters as well as be a great follow up to a reader interested in learning the rest of the story.

I really thought this book was older than its 2023 publication date. It might have been due to come out when the movie did but was delayed due to COVID. But a 2 year hiatus? The book has a preview for a Ms. Marvel graphic novel I read and reviewed a long time ago. So maybe it was due to come out in 2021. Not sure. But it shouldn't interfere with the enjoyment of this book.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.