Rogues

It's been a long time since DC or Marvel produced a true crime heist story involving super villains. 2006's Secret Six miniseries might be the closest thing we've had and that was more about baddies acting righteous during a time when the heroes were acting criminal.

In Rogues, Leonard Snart's glory days as one of the Flash's arsh-enemies is long past. In his late 50s, balding, overweight and kept on a tight leash by a parole officer who deserves his own spot behind bars, the former Captain Cold is a broken man. 2 of the Rogues are dead. His sister, the Golden Glider has renounced her life of crime and became an inner city social worker. The Trickster has become a hack magician, performing to elderly crowds. Mirror Master lost his mind in a drug induced haze. Mick Rory, AKA Heatwave, still plays with fire. Only, he does it with an entrepreneurial flare, committing arson by torching buildings for a cut of the insurance check. 

Now is the time to bring the gang back together. For years, Smart has been planning a heist so outrageous, that it's literally a suicide mission. With Captain Cold's guidance, the Rogues are going to infiltrate Gorilla City and rob Gorilla Grodd's personal vault laden with tons and tons of gold. Good thing Smart has decided to recruit a couple of former members of the Suicide Squad to help in executing this insane plan!

Joshua Williamson penned this story which is nearly flawless. I don't even mind that there's zero appearance of any of the multitude of men to carry the moniker of the Flash in this book. My biggest issue is the addition of DEO agent Maggie Sawyer. She's a great player in Metropolis. But she really doesn't seem to have a place in Gorilla City. At least not here in this story.

Rogues was originally released as a 4-issue miniseries in 2022. The first 3 issues were by Italian artist Leomacs. Issue #4 marks the debut of artist Luca Finelli. The transition between the two was flawless. I didn't even realize about the shift change until I was reading the biographies at the end of the book. I don't know who's talent that speaks higher of. But I loved the artwork throughout this entire piece.

This is a Quentin Tarantino level story and that's not just because of the amount of violence. Tons of swears. Tons! And we're talking F-bombs. This might be a DC Comic title but it's a Black Label release. Definitely not for the kids. But a must for fans of the Scarlet Speedster and his gallery of Rogues.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman: Year One

Frank Miller, the godfather of the 'Year One' storyline, gives Superman the long overdue treatment in this deluxe sized Black Label tale. In other words - this very well could be an imaginary story. But I'd be totally fine with it being turned into canon.

The childhood story of Superman doesn't really change. His Kryptonian parents, knowing that their planet is doomed, ship baby Kal-El to Earth in hopes of becoming humanity's savior. Raised as Clark Kent by Kansas farmers, Kal-El learns the difference between right and wrong while forging a friendship with Pete Ross and a budding romance with Lana Lang.

Once Clark graduates high school, the origin changes. For the first time ever, in Act Two, we see Kent joining the Navy in hopes of learning what it means to be human while finding his place in this world as a god among men. Clark's romance with the mermaid Lori Lemaris takes an unusual twist with the Kryptonian becoming the ruler of Atlantis, after defeating her father in combat.

It appears that Frank Miller is really going to challenge the established legend of Superman by having him become a super-powered Aquaman. But that's all but forgotten in the final act; just as Clark's relationship with Lana becomes nothing more than a memory by the time he finishes basic training. When Superman meets Lois Lane in a great twist on their first appearance in the crashing helicopter trope, the very young Man of Steel just gives up his life in Atlantis, enrolls in journalism at a nameless University, and becomes an intrepid investigative reporter at the Daily Planet. 

This is not a 365 day year in the life of Superman. It's more of a series of snap shots in the first 25 or so years of life of Clark Kent. This makes for some inconsistencies in the plotting, a ton of forgotten friends and family, and an ending that didn't feel like the end. I wouldn't be surprised for a Superman: Year Two to be announced sometime in the future. Though this book is from 2019, so our chances of that might be dwindling...

As for John Romita, Jr.'s artwork, it too was inconsistent. But it's actually something that works in his favor. In my late 40s, I understand that when you have a career that involves your hands, arthritis and age are your worst enemies. Jr.Jr.'s art has really suffered over the last decade. But when he shines, he really shines here. There were several pages that I spent a long, long time marveling at his dynamic drawings. Powerful renderings. Amazing angles. Kick ass action. It helped improve my rating for this book that feels in desperate need of a director's cut edition.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

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.

The Human Target, Vol. 1

I like Tom King. But he's got this annoying little habit of taking those more obscure, fan favorite DC characters that I grew up reading from my dad's comic book collection and deconstructing them. Even to the point of killing off the character.

This time, Tom King decides to strip bare the character Christopher Chance, the Human Target. Trained to be a master mimic with skills in various martial arts and proficient in countless weapons, Chance becomes the target of people who have a death wish against them. All you have to do for the Human Target to take a bullet for you is to pay him his asking fee of 10% of your yearly income. So when multi-billionaire Lex Luthor approaches Chance to discover who's planning to kill him at an annual technology conference, the Human Target sees nothing but dollar signs. 

Christopher not only takes the bullet for Lex Luthor, he also drinks the hemlock. It seems that more than one person wanted to kill Luthor. An seemingly innocent cup of coffee was laced with a slow acting poison. Now with 12 days left to live, the Human Target will investigate his own murder. But it's not going to be easy because the prime suspect in the case is the entire lineup of the original Justice League International!

This maxi-series is a superhero populated version of the noir classic D.O.A.. Readers go into this work knowing that the Human Target will die by story's end. We just don't know who killed him and what was the motive. That's the mystery being solved. Christopher Chance's fate is sealed.

Thankfully, this is a Black Label story. Those stories aren't canon. Still, that doesn't mean that I'm not hoping for a happy ending here. Plus, it doesn't mean that this story might not actually happen later on in the future. A bunch of Marvel What If... stories have been made into canon and DC is no different. Several of their Elseworlds tales were made into official alternate Earths populating the multiverse. What's not to say that some future crisis that occurs in the DC universe will not someday make this story along with the rest of Tom King's Black Label works from becoming real; killing off a bunch of my favorite B-list characters for realsies? That prospect scares the DC fanatic in me!

The first half of the story has been near perfect. I did think that the chapter involving the Martian Manhunter was unnecessarily chaotic. But it's been an engrossing read and a visual delight. Generally,it doesn't feel like a legitimate Tom King story without the artwork of frequent collaborator Mitch Gerad's. However Greg Smallwood has this style that looks and feels quintessential 1950s and very early 60s corporate art. I can't quite put my finger on just what Smallwood's artwork reminds me of just yet. However, if you told me that the artist used to draw the storyboards for Don Draper's ad pitches, I would believe it.

I checked this out at the library and now I am kicking myself! for some reason, I decided to only pick up volume 1! I've gotta rush to the library and hope nobody snagged up the follow up before I did!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 25

A couple weeks ago, I was reading a collection of Mike Hammer comic strips from the early 80s when I made a wondrous discovery. Listed in the volume were a slew of other news strip collections available from the publisher. I was beyond thrilled to learn that there was not one but three volumes devoted to a 6-day per week collection of The Spirit comic strips. 

As any established Will Eisner aficionado knows, The Spirit got it's start as an 8-page color insert in the Sunday edition of many national newspapers. But did you know that for about 2 years, readers were treated to 7-days of adventures starring the Spirit, his assistant Ebony and the Central City police force? I sure as heck didn't!

The next day I went on Amazon to try and purchase those volumes. All 3 were available. But at really expensive prices that I just wasn't willing to pay. Then I got the idea that maybe, JUST MAYBE, DC released the dailies as part of the complete Will Eisner's The Spirit Archives. Lo and behold, a volume was produced. The penultimate book in the library has the whole scoop on the Spirit dailies along with a foreword by Tom Spurgeon and a brief introduction from one of those early 80s strip collections by the master himself on the art team behind this version of The Spirit. And I just happened to have this book in my 'to-read' pile and didn't even know that I was sitting on a gold mine!

Will Eisner only got to work on about the first 6 weeks of stories as both the writer, artist and inker before being drafted by the Army. Like a few others in the industry, Eisner attempted to moonlight as the strips artist and inker. But his military responsibilities grew to be too much and he had to go on an indefinite hiatus for the remainder of World War II.

Lou Fine and Jack Cole replaced Eisner in his absence in subsequent order. Both tried extremely hard to make the transition of creators as seamless as possible. While they managed to capture the artwork fairly well (I didn't notice a definite lacking in that quality until about the last third of the book), neither talent could match the genius of Will Eisner. For one thing, their story plotting seems to go in circles. There's a definite lack of creativity. Plus neither Fine nor Cole could portray Ebony White with any sort of dignity. His faces are exaggerated to the standards of the Jim Crow minstrel. His English is severely broken. And instead of being a reluctant hero, Ebony's portrayed more as a buffoon whose fate hinges on pure dumb luck.

The Spirit dailies were a victim of World War II. While popular with readers, a lack of talent willing to take on the assignment, spelled doom for the strip. Jack Cole's Plastic Man had become a hit and he was too busy to continue with the tight deadlines for a daily. So with paper at a premium due to rationing, and other titles more than willing to take Denny Colt's place, The Spirit was cancelled; reduced to merely appearing in newsprint every Sunday.

I think what I liked the best about this collection were the two lost Christmas stories, plus a handful of holiday themed strips. As an owner and reader of The Christmas Spirit, I thought I had read all of the character's holiday offerings. But thanks to this volume, I not only got those untold Christmas tales but at least 1 Thanksgiving and a Halloween haunt to read and enjoy as well!

If there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, it's that if you plan on making a very expensive purchase for an addition to a large comic book collection, be sure to do your research and make sure that you don't own the work in another format. I'm so glad that I didn't make an impulsive purchase without checking my books because I would have spent a lot of money on something that I already had and I would have been furious about it.

Worth Consuming!

Rating:8 out of 10 stars.

Superman/Fantastic Four: The Infinite Destruction

Superman and the Fantastic Four. It became a viral movement to see both films in the theater in one sitting much like Barbie and Oppenheimer a couple years back. I didn't watch Superman and Fantastic Four First Steps in one sitting. I don't think my back could take it. But I managed to see them both within the same week. Little did I realize that I could have experienced a meeting of the two icons at one time years ago.

In 1999, DC Comics and Marvel mingled their two universes together for one of their last co-published works in Superman/Fantastic Four: The Infinite Destruction. Just like when Superman meet Spider-Man in 1976, this book was published as a super-sized tabloid. Only the cover would be slick and thicker like a paperback. Written and illustrated by Dan Jurgens, with additional artwork by Art Thibert,  the concept has Galactus crossing dimensional barriers absorbing the energies of Krypton as it explodes. As the planet dissipates, a tiny rocket flees the destruction but not without the notice of the world consumer.

Years later, Superman intercepts a Kryptonian drone bearing a message from his father Jor-El stating that Galactus was behind the destruction of his home planet and that the Man of Steel's Earth is on the menu. This leads Superman to travel to the Earth-616 universe, seeking assistance from the Fantastic Four. While in that universe, it's discovered that an enemy from Superman's world crossed barriers as well and has plans to become the next herald of Galactus. But before that happens, Superman is captured by the Devourer and blasted with immense energy. Now welding the power cosmic, Superman has become the new herald of Galactus and with his incredible powers added to the mix, not even Kryptonite can stop the Man of Tomorrow!

I knew I had been holding on to this work for a reason! It was a great way to capture off the Summer of 'Super Fantastic'! I must say that the format with the deluxe edition paper and cover, being so gigantic, it was a bit unwieldy. I'm pretty sure I damaged the spine some as the sturdier paper would bend terribly against the book binder used. Age, size and wear definitely will prevent this from remaining a pristine mint book in your collection no matter how careful you are.

I thought this book would have worked better if it was jointly published as a joint What If.../Elseworlds. Readers are supposed to go into this book with the fore-knowledge that Superman and the Fantastic Four know each other. Presumably, from the crossovers DC Vs. Marvel and/ or the All Access minis. Also I don't think Superman crossed paths with Reed, Sue and company in his 1996 meeting with the Silver Surfer. 

If you are new to comics and you came across this book, you'd probably be wondering about how these two icons are acquainted since it's been over 2 decades since entities from both worlds were in a comic book together. Though you won't have to wait much longer as Deadpool and Batman are set to meet for the very first time later this November.

Another thing is the choice of villain. No, not Galactus. He was perfect for this. It's the DC baddie selected for this book: the Cyborg Superman. Yeah, he's evil and ruthless. Plus, since he has to participate in the ubiquitous reluctant pairing of protagonist and antagonist in order to help the Fantastic Four minus Mister Fantastic find Galactus, having someone more powerful in this story just wouldn't work. But could you imagine how epic this story would have been if DC and Marvel had decided to pair Galactus with Brainiac?! 

Jurgens (and Thibert) did a fine job. The artwork was classic 1990s Superman and I like how they worked in that Easter egg for the Superman: The Animated Adventures toon into the mix. I was just disappointed from the cover. It's illustrated by Dan Jurgens. But it's painted by Alex Ross. He's know for several oversized one-shots starring members of the Justice League. I was hopeful based on which that the interior art was also by Ross. Alas, it wasn't to be.

Wanna actually experience both Superman and the Fantastic Four on the same set together? Plus the presence of First Steps for Galactus? Then this is your book. You might have to go out in the wild to find a copy of get lucky on something like eBay..Though if DC and Marvel were smart, they'd refuse this book in time for the holiday shopping season. It's the pairing social media has been clamoring for all Summer long!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Superman (2025)

Superman, 2025.

James Gunn did NOT eff him up!

I had my doubts considering how much The Suicide Squad was more of a fart fest in line with the Troma films Gunn cut his movie teeth on. Superman was done with care, respect and awe.

I loved it.

The movie starts off with Superman already established for several years. Lex Luthor has been scheming since the Man of Steel's debut to bring Superman down and he just might have a perfect opportunity to pull such a feat off. Superman prevented a fictitious country called Boravia from invading a neighboring country. As Superman acted alone, without the approval of the United States government or even the United Nations, his actions have caused controversy to swirl over whether Superman acted on his own accord or in the public good as he claims to the press.

Luthor determines the location of Superman's Fortress of Solitude where he uncovers a secret message from Superman's Kryptonian parents that encourage him to rule the Earth as a god-like despot. Sharing the message with the news media, public opinion turns on Superman quickly. They especially don't like the part where Jor-El tells his son to continue the Kryptonian bloodline by filling a harem with as many fertile human wives as possible. 

Not wishing for further trouble, Superman turns himself in to the Department of Justice, in hopes of working things out. Only because Superman is an illegal alien and not subject to American law, plus the superpowers he can use to escape any prison, the Man of Tomorrow is turned into a private army called PlanetWatch which just happens to be funded completely by Lex Luthor!

I hear that President Trump hates this movie. He's condemned it as being 'woke'. Yet, there's nothing woke about this film. Superman's role on the international stage has been debated since his second ever appearance in Action Comics #2 when Superman prevented 2 warring European nations from starting another World War. Supe's immigration status has been a topic of discussion for at least 4 decades. Way before the term became the common vernacular used today. So really, what is 45 &47's problem with this movie?

I've seen every Superman movie ever made. He's my favorite superhero of all-time. I wear Clark Kent glasses and somehow my hair does a natural curly-cue. So I think I can attest that this was an entertaining movie that was nostalgic while pushing the Man of Steel into the 21st century. I know that I am going to be controversial when I say that I liked this Superman better than the Henry Cavill Superman! David Corenswet's Superman and Clark are in the tradition of Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh.

One reason our Commander in Chief isn't fond of the current Last Son of Krypton is because he's not a perfect specimen as he was created way back in 1938. I like that Superman isn't perfect. If he didn't have have weaknesses or made mistakes, he'd be boring. Just don't make him too flawed. Maybe like 97.8% perfect. James Gunn did a fine job keeping Superman a superior specimen while also keeping him relatable.

The real star of the film is Krypto, the super dog. Although in this film, he's a super mutt! We got the definitive Jimmy Olsen in actor Skyler Gisondo. While not a true ginger, we finally got a Jimmy with freckles. Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane wasn't bad. I got real Courtney Cox vibes off of her. Though, sadly I think she knows how to spell the word 'rapist'. Couldn't she at least once have called Clark 'Smallville'? I also really liked Wendell Pierce as Perry White. But then again, he's great in everything! It was so fun seeing this film be really heavy on journalism as that was one the things I loved about the Dean Cain/Terri Hatcher series from the 1990s.

I'm on the fence about Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor. He's way better than the last couple of actors to play Superman's arch-enemy on screen. But he was a little bit on the whiny side. This Lex is really intimidated by Superman despite being one of the most powerful men on Earth. Regardless, this Luthor is a real slime ball. 

Don't think that this is just a Superman movie. This is James Gunn's opening chapter into the new DC cinematic universe. Fans get to see Guy Gardner and Metamorpho in live action for the very first time while this is both Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific's big screen debut. Nathan Fillion was a perfect jackass. I can't wait to see Batman knock him out with one punch. Metamorpho was a character I remember my dad having a bunch of issues of when he was a kid and it brought back memories. As for Mister Terrific, I'm not very familiar with him as I don't read a lot of the more modern Justice Society stuff. But Edi Gathegi was terrific as the tech-saavy hero. I look forward to more of his character in future DC productions.

I loved this movie. It made me feel like a kid again. Though he's a bit more violent than all 4 Christopher Reeve Superman films combined. James Gunn's Superman may not be everyone's Man of Steel, but this film did something that recent movies haven't made me want to do in years: I wanted to buy tix for the next showing and see it again!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 9 out of 10 stars. 

The Flash #300 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Barry Allen awakens in a mental institution. Completely paralyzed and wrapped in bandages, Allen is greeted by noted psychiatrist Dr. Petrou and the doctor claims to know the truth behind Barry Allen's role as the Flash. Instead of becoming super fast when Allen was dosed in chemicals when struck by lightning in his police lab, Dr. Petrou states that the elements badly scarred his entire body and left him a quadriplegic. Languishing in agony in his hospital bed, Barry took inspiration from his childhood love of the Golden Age comic book hero, the Flash and created a fantasy world as this world's fastest man alive.

Barry refuses to believe Dr. Petrou. Using his scientific mind, Allen goes through the Flash's Rogues Gallery in hopes of detecting who placed him in his current predicament. However as family and friends, including the Green Lantern and Ralph Dibny, stop by to visit Barry in hopes of curing his delusions, Allen begins to face the very real possibility that all that Flash stuff is really just in his head.

This 25th anniversary issue plots a very intriguing mystery while providing detailed snapshots of the history of the Flash. It was everything this author could do to not skip to the end to find out who was behind Barry's incapacitated state. It was even more difficult because book-ending the inside covers of this issue was a 2-page analyst of some of the Flash's most unusual transformations by noted cartoonist and comic book historian Fred Hembeck. As the mastermind of this plot is revealed on the very last page of this double-sided issue, if you go to read the 2nd page of Hembeck's 'Flash-Grams', you'd likely spoil the ending!

From 1981, just about every major Flash villain is examined, along with Barry Allen's extensive family as well as the Flash's history with his friends in the Justice League. Issue #300 was written by Cary Bates who was a primary writer for The Flash at the time and infamously recently responsible for the death of Iris West Allen at the hands of the Reverse Flash. 

The main artist was Barry Allen co-creator Carmine Infantino. He was assisted by Bob Smith. The artwork is so seamless, you really cannot tell where Smith's handiwork begins and Infantino 's ends. According to the DC Database Wiki, Bob Smith is attributed as the inker despite no inker role being listed in the credits of this issue.

A rarity in comics. No ads at all! Just 100% Flash fun and action at lightning speed. Just one little problem, during the entire charade, Barry Allen accidentally revealed to the villain that Hal Jordan was the Green Lantern. Did anything ever come of that?

Completing this review completes Task #19 (written or illustrated by Carmine Infantino) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Super Friends #33 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Though Super Friends sidekicks Wendy and Marvin, along with their pooch Wonder Dog, were unceremoniously replaced by the Wonder Twins when the animated series returned to TV in 1977, the trio was given a send off in the comic book adaptation. 

Siblings Zan and Jayna, along with their blue space monkey Gleek, first appeared in comic book form with issue #6 of Super Friends. In a 3-part story, the twins are given an origin story by E. Nelson Bridwell, which sees the orphans coming to Earth to warn Superman of a space bomb attack from the villainous Grax. Impressed by the alien teens' bravery, the Justice League offers them membership and training as superheroes while Wendy and Marvin leave in issue #9 for college. It's hinted that Wendy will eventually enter the FBI after finishing college.

With Zan's ability to take the form of water in any state and shape and Jayna 's mastery of transforming into animals, both real and mythical, the Wonder Twins become valuable allies to the Super Friends. In order to change their form, Zan and Jayna must make physical contact with one another. Generally, giving one another a fist bump while as humanoids. Should the twins be separated from each other, they will remain in whatever form until they can once again touch. It is that limitation of the Wonder Twins' powers that is the main plot point of this issue.

Someone is targeting the priceless collections of Gotham City's elite. Without any clue as to the culprit, Batman enlists the Super Friends to help. Believing that he knows the next target, a collector of gems and rare birds, Batman has Zan transform into a giant diamond made of ice while Jayna becomes a bird. Only she accidentally becomes a bird that has been extinct for centuries. 

With the twins in place as bait, the culprit is revealed to be the Menagerie Man, who uses trained animals to commit his crimes. When the villain notices Jayna in prehistoric bird form moving, the Menagerie Man believes that he's discovered a missing link and unknowingly steals Jayna. 

With Zan stuck in ice diamond form, the Justice League is down 2 members. But thanks to a feathery friend, Hawkman arrives with the location of the Menagerie Man's hideout. It looks like the rescue mission is going to be easy until the Super Friends are attacked by wildebeests, leopards and birds of prey carrying nuggets of deadly kryptonite!

This 1980 issue was written by Bridwell with artwork by Wonder Twins co-creator Ramona Fradon. Inks were provided by Vince Colleta.

The Super Friends comic book would continue to run through the summer of 1981; ending with issue #47. Both the Wonder Twins and the team of Wendy and Marvin and Wonder Dog would return in the 2000s as characters in both DC animated series and as official comics canon. 

Completing this review completes Task #20 (A Superhero Team Book) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 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.

Joker's Asylum

I've read some but not all of the second salvo of one-shots under the 'Joker's Asylum' lineup. They're like what you would have encountered if EC Comics had crafted a Batman villains themed anthology. The Joker is your host, leading through a captivating story about a member of the Dark Knight's rogues gallery, climaxing with a twist ending on par with Johnny Craig, Al Feldstein or Harvey Kurtzman. 

I loved the 3 I've read so far. So finding the first collection for an amazingly good price was a no-brainer.

The Penguin, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, the Scarecrow and the Joker himself are the stars of the 5 one-shots that comprised the first series. Penguin's tale of true love ruined by his vicious streak brought about by the slightest bruise to his delicate ego was the best story. Amazing tale by Jason Aaron that I could read again and again. Joe Harris's story involving the psychological monster, the Scarecrow, was a frightening yet fun homage to the teen horror flicks of the 80s and 90s with a cerebral ending. J.T. Krul's look at Poison Ivy was a classic Batman mystery tale. There's just not enough of those type of Batman stories these days if you ask me.

The Two-Face one-shot by David Hine was a morality play about human nature and whether man is inherently good or bad. So can a good man be turned into a villain while the most retched of all is redeemed as a saint? Add in Harvey Dent's very literal interpretations of the id and ego and it's definitely not a story for casual comic book readers. This is college level stuff. Plus the level of unease is at least doubled with the ending that the reader determines thanks to a simple flip of a coin. 

My least favorite story was the Joker's tale. Ironic, eh? The Joker rigs a game show in a farce by Arvid Nelson that fell short in my eyes. However, the artwork of the Joker by Alex Sanchez that reflects the many actors who have portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime over the years was exceptional. It's just a bit of a let down when the Joker tries to prove that he's not the biggest, baddest monster in Gotham. This isn't The Walking Dead. I know that the worst monster of them all is man. I don't need the Joker to remind me.

A fantastic read. Why DC will stop of only 2 runs Joker's Asylum one-shots. but put out a dozen sequel volumes of Dark Nights: Metal or DC Undead is beyond me!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 20 stars.

Showcase Presents: Batgirl, Vol. 1 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

It's Spring of 1967. The novelty of ABC's live-action comic book, Batman, is beginning to wane. Producer William Dozier is desperate for a third season. Clocking in at 94 episodes, Batman is just inches away from the 100 episode golden parachute that will, at the time, guarantee that the show will live on in syndication. 

DC Comics is also hoping for a third season. The live action series starring Adam West and Burt Ward sparked a renewed interest in DC Comics, which had been seeing Marvel Comics nipping at their heels in recent years. Bat-mania had become the source of a licensing boom of everything from toy cars to trading cards for DC. 

The idea of a new character offered hope for that third season. During initial planning stages, editor Julius Schwartz suggested that the new character be female in order to attract new female viewers. Schwartz and Dozier agreed that the new character continues with the Bat theme of the show and be known as Batgirl. However, there had already been a Bat-Girl in the pages of Batman back in the 1950s and Schwartz had buried the character for being too corny. Thus a new Batgirl would need to be created.

Legend has it that it was William Dozier who decided that Batgirl would be Barbara 'Babs' Gordon, daughter of police commissioner Jim Gordon. After viewing a concept sketch of the new Batgirl by Carmine Infantino, Dozier optioned the character for use on the series and a 7-minute long intro pilot was filmed. Along with cutting the number of shows from twice per week to just one, ABC was excited with the new character and green-lit a third season.

Batgirl was to be portrayed by actress Yvonne Craig, a veteran of a pair of Elvis films. Dressed in a sparkling purple catsuit, Craig's Batgirl debuted first on the airwaves in the September 14th episode titled 'Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin.' In that episode's closing credits, sole ownership of Batgirl was attributed to DC Comics.

To build up hype, DC Comics introduced the new Batgirl in the pages of Detective Comics #359, albeit with a new origin story. Like in the intro pilot, the first main villain Batgirl tangles with is Killer Moth. However, instead of rescuing Batman and Robin from the fiend's cocoon trap, comic book Batgirl arrives on the scene stumbling upon Bruce Wayne being kidnapped by the foe while on her way to a costume ball dressed as a female version of the Caped Crusader. Good thing she knows judo and other methods of physical defense!

Despite being advised by Batman to hang up her cowl as it's not ladylike fighting crime and all that, Batgirl eventually becomes one of the Dynamic Duo's most trusted allies. But not before testing the romantic waters with Batman! Early on, Catwoman eyes Batgirl as a barrier to her affections with Batman, turning into a heroine in hopes of wooing the vigilante. Batman then recruits both Batgirl and Wonder Woman to pretend to fall head over heels in love for the hero, in a bizarre plot to trap the serpentine for, Copperhead. 

This book sees the foundation of a decades long relationship with perhaps her true love, Dick Grayson in a 2-part murder mystery with an Edgar Allan Poe theme. Soon after, a new paramour is introduced in Babs' life; the amateur sleuth Jason Bard. Gordon will solve crimes with the young man as both an expert librarian and as Batgirl. While Bard won't put 2-and-2 together that the two fiery redheads in his life are the same woman, an important person in Barbara's life will make the connection; her father, Jim Gordon. 

While investigating the murder of a Gotham City police officer, Batgirl uncovers a plot to murder the Commissioner by framing a known radical cop-hater. When a sniper sneaks up upon Gordon, Batgirl accidentally calls out a warning to 'Dad', leading the commissioner to deduce the true identity of Batgirl. A couple stories later, Barbara reveals her secret identity to dear old dad before taking his place as candidate for US Congress. 

When Babs wins the congressional race, it's assumed that Batgirl will go in retirement. However, a year later in the pages of Superman, of all places, Batgirl returns to save reporter Clark Kent from a Washington DC based spy ring. This massive volume of Showcase Presents ends with a Batgirl/Man of Steel reunion in Metropolis before Batgirl and her BFF, Supergirl team up for the fourth time to stop a girl claiming to be Cleopatra from becoming the new queen of the United States of America.

Had DC not shut down the fan favorite Showcase Presents line of reprints, fans would have gotten to see more of Batgirl's life in the nation's capitol before beginning a series of team-ups with Robin, now a college aged man. These Batgirl adventures would appear in the anthology title Batman Family before returning to the backup feature status in Detective Comics. With 1985's Crisis, Batgirl wasn't retconned. But her importance was lessened. Many of her adventures were now retooled to have taken place with Power Girl instead of Supergirl. 1988's The Killing Joke would redefine Barbara Gordon's importance in the Bat Family, when she's left a paraplegic from a bullet fired by the Joker. Now operating in the shadows, Babs would become Batman's eyes and ears as the tech-savvy Oracle before being granted the ability to walk once again thanks to an experimental surgery using nanobot implants.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #25 (With a Female Lead Character) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 21

This volume covers 6 months of Will Eisner's The Spirit towards the end of its original run. I've been reading these out of order. Normally, that hadn't been a problem as continuity wasn't an issue. However, controversial, but universally loved, sidekick Ebony White is missing from this work, replaced by 2 really annoying sidekicks (and wannabe detectives) Sammy and Willium. (Actually, Willium isn't that bad. But he's no Ebony.) 

Eisner's writing style at this point in time has exploded with creative plotting, experimental narratives and other elements that you'd only find in a masters level English Lit class. Reading this book was like attending a writing clinic. You can see how generations of comic book artists, writers and prose novelists were inspired by Will Eisner's The Spirit. The crazy thing is some of the best Spirit stories don't even have the main character as an active player. Heck, sometimes, he's nowhere to be found!

Something new, at least in the volumes I have read so far, is a multi-issue story arc about a lawman named Dick Whittler. A sheriff from another town, he's called the Spirit in to help with a murder case in which we discover that our hero is the prime suspect. Over the course of 3 chapters, the Spirit must clear his name while proving that Commissioner Dolan wasn't an accomplice to the crime. 

The Spirit is known for solving extremely puzzling mysteries. This volume solved a long-standing puzzle for myself. A couple of years ago, I read The Christmas Spirit. Produced in 1994 by Kitchen Sink Press, the holiday treasury collected all of the Christmas themed stories to appear in the series' original run. One story told of a little girl named Darling O'Shea, the richest girl in the world who wants to capture Santa Claus for skipping her house for the past several Christmas Eves. I wondered who in the heck just this little tyke was and thanks to this book, I finally learned her origins. 

As I've gotten older, heading into my late 40s, I've really been craving the comfort foods of Carl Barks, Stan and Jack, and Don Rosa. Add Will Eisner to that menu. I know that their works have flaws. But nobody is perfect. History is full of prejudices, stereotypes and ignorance. Eisner's Ebony White was steeped in black stereotype and was phased out eventually by the comics legend who was troubled by the character's legacy. When I try to read comics from 'a simplier time', I'm not oblivious to the blemishes. But man are the 2020 such a downer that I need some escape!

My first degree is in history. I love learning about the past. Especially the pop culture era of 1938-2000. And I have found that one of the best ways to learn about this time period is through the entertainment of the day. Who better than Will Eisner to learn about the highs and lows of the American storyteller? He might not have been a perfect man but his works are far superior than a lot of modern comic creators who act like they've never made a mistake in their entire life. 

I'll keep on reading and doing my darndest in trying to collect the entire Eisner library.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batgirl: A Knight Alone (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

After being given back the gift of speech and literacy, Cassandra Cain discovers that she's lost her near metahuman ability to predict a person's moves during combat. It has put Cassandra in a bit of a funk and made her lose her confidence. Being unexpectedly shot will do that to a person. Originally, Cassandra was allowed to be Batgirl without formal martial arts training because of her ability to know when her foes were going to strike before they did. Now the Batman has benched her until she can master the art of defense.

Endless nights of research and practice has become boring for the young women. Cassandra is just itching to get back out on the streets and dispense some vigilante justice. Thus she will make a literal deal with the devil, in the form of Lady Shiva, just for a taste of being a hero again. Batgirl had better enjoy it because in return for regaining her sixth sense in battle, Cassandra Cain must agree to combat Shiva in a year's time in a battle to the death. 

Cassandra is the daughter of David Cain and a woman named Sandra. Cassandra was raised to become the perfect bodyguard and assassin for Ra's al Ghul. Cassandra is not taught to read or read; only how to interpret the body language of others. Her training by David is abusive and callous. But deep down, David loves her and seeks to repent from his wicked ways in hopes of one day rekindling a relationship with the daughter he never really had. As for Sandra, she leaves Cassandra almost immediately after the child's birth. But mother and daughter will be reunited because Sandra will one day become Lady Shiva.

The character of Cassandra Cain was created by Kelley Puckett and Daimon Smith. Her debut in comics was Batman #567 (July, 1999). A month later, she would become the next Batgirl in the pages of Legends of the Dark Knight #120, during the 'No Man's Land storyline that saw Gotham devastated by an earthquake. A fan favorite character, she became the first Batgirl to star in her own title just a year later. 

Cassandra's journey to restore her abilities to understand human behavior and body language precognitively were chronicled in issues #7-11 and collected in the trade paperback Batgirl: A Knight Alone.  Also included in this collection is a fateful meeting between Father and daughter, Cassandra gets tangled up in a CIA mission gone awry and a new Bat Cave is christened. 

Kelley Puckett pens all of the stories contained in this trade. Daimon Smith pencils with some assists by Coy Turnbull (Koi Turnbull). Along with Smith, covers are penciled by Robert Campanella, Aaron Dowd and John Lowe. 

All 7 issues would be reissued in a 2025 omnibus edition titled DC Finest: Batgirl- Nobody Dies Tonight.

Completing this review completes Task #33 (Book Begins with the Letter B) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Bizarro World (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Bizarro World is a loose sequel to 2001's Bizarro Comics. Whereas the earlier book was a collection of vignettes and previously cancelled material from some of the industry's top Indy talent, book-ended by a story in which Mr. Mxyzptlk is aided by Bizarro to save his 5th dimension home from an alien invader, the later work was a strict anthology in every sense of the word.

Featuring the talents of the Hernandez Brothers, Evan Dorkin, Raina Telgemeier and a host of others, 2005's Bizarro World pales in comparison to it's processor with one major deviation: Christmas stories! 

Andy Merrill and Roger Langridge's 'Jing Kal-El' is an oddball Elseworld in which we see what would have happened to the Last Son of Krypton if his rocket ship had crash landed into Santa's work shop at the North Pole. In 'Batman Smells', actor-comedian Patton Oswalt reveals the origins to the alternate lyrics of Jingle Bells. Artist Bob Fingerman takes viewers on a tour through Gotham City sewers and the Batcave in order to discover the answer. A couple of other stories have scenes that take place in otherwise non-holiday themed tales. But it adds to the unexpected merriment of an otherwise lacking anthology.

For being a graphic novel named after the Superman Family character, Bizarro is noticeably absent from a majority of this book. He does appear in the title story by Chris Duffy and Scott Morse, explaining that 'Bizarro World' is a DC Comics themed amusement park designed from a Bizarro point of view. However, the real Bizarro #1 is a closeted intellectual who milks his backwards persona for profit. Only those riches come at the cost of the anti-villain's dignity. A Harvey Pekar penned farce also stars Bizarro bringing the total number of appearances to 2. 

Not counting the cover by Jaime Hernandez. Batman is the winner of most starring roles in this book with a grand total of 8! The Legion of Super-heroes comes in third with a trio of appearances.

While a very Batman heavy book, just about every character in the DC Universe appears in this book, if only for just a 'Wheres Waldo?' type-cameo as part of the background scenery of a panel. Supergirl, The Spectre and Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth are among the characters who star in this collection of over 2 dozen short stories that look at DC Comics with an askew view.

Completing this review completes Task #12 (An Anthology) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Green Arrow #75 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Most anniversary sized issues seem to fit into one of 3 main categories: a major team up that fans have been clamoring for, a death or resurrection of a major character, or a major life event like a wedding, promotion to a team or new child. Very rarely it seems these very special issues act in celebration of the vast history of the character or team that the subject of said comic is truly reflected in terms of an 'anniversary.' Yet that is what Mike Grell and Rick Hoberg achieved in issue #75 of the 1988-1998 series of Green Arrow.

During a New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Seattle, Oliver Queen is near fatally wounded by an arrow welding assassin. Because of his war on organized crime in the Emerald City, Green Arrow has been targeted by the Yakuza, who are trying to gain a foothold in the Pacific Northwest. As Oliver recovers, the three ladies in the Archer's life, long-time love Black Canary, mother to one of his children, Shado, and Marianne, a youthful woman who writes fairy tales and just declared her love to Ollie at the beginning of the story. Even the mysterious assassin is found to have a deep bond with Green Arrow in this retrospective of a character that editor Mike Gold compared to a cross between 'Robin Hood and Peter Pan' in his farewell address to the readers in the letters column.

Rick Hoberg provided the pencils and inks for this oversized issue from 1993. Mike Grell does double duty as the cover artist in a powerful image that features all of the main characters of this story.

Completing this review completes Task #9 (With The Word GREEN in the Title) the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The Best of DC Digest #30 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

It's not often that the Dark Knight is wrong. However, when he claims that 11 crimes have been committed on the cover of The Best of DC Digest #30, there are actually only 10 infractions in need of solving. That's because the Robin/Batgirl story is a 2-parter. 

The run down for this issue is as follows:

• 'Wanted for Murder One: The Batman'. A talk show host with a grudge against the Caped Crusader is found dead. Off in the distance, Batman is witnessed fleeing the scene. With the GCPD on his trail, Batman must clear his name or surrender in disgrace.
• 'The Assassin Express Contract'. Christopher Chase accepts a mission to impersonate a wealthy industrialist who has a hit out on him. Already confined by the limits of a racing train, the Human Target must restrict himself further when it's revealed that the subject he's tasked with portraying now has an injured eye.
• 'Riddle of the Unseen Man' sees Roy Raymond, the famed TV Detective who investigates strange but true occurrences is besieged by a seemingly invisible person throughout his daily operations.
• 'Burial For a Batgirl' and ' Midnight is the Dying Hour's sees Barbara Gordon at Gotham State University for a festival honoring Edgar Allen Poe. When a controversial figure is found murdered on campus, Batgirl and the Boy Wonder swing into action to find the killer.
• Magical Mirror Mystery.' When the new mirror Ralph Dibny buys for his wife, Sue, shows the image of a missing woman, the Elongated Man travels to the mansion of the girl's father to solve the mystery.
• Famed magician Mysto aims to solve the 'Three Feats of Peril' that his fallen mentor seeked to perform before his untimely death.
• Crippled private investigator Jason Bard aims to solve how a daredevil skydiver was stabbed to death in the middle of a jump in 'The Case of the Dead-on Target.'
• Captain Mark Compass finds his attempts to crush a ring of smugglers thwarted at his ever turn in 'The Ocean Pest.'
• J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter, appears in 'The Man With 20 Lives.' Gifted with mental telepathy, the Martian knows that a Gotham City thug committed an impossible murder. But in order to solve the crime, he must operate as human police detective John Jones to extract a confession of guilt.
• Batman bursts into the middle of a performance of MacBeth as a sniper takes aim at the star in The Stage is Set - For Murder!'

Each story appeared previously in the pages of Detective Comics. Talent such as Frank Robbins, Dennis O'Neil, Irv Novick, Joe Certa and Vince Colletta worked on these tales which at some point all challenge the reader to solve the mystery from clues sprinkled throughout each story before the hero does. Some of the clues are easy to piece together while some hints require expert level expertise. It's those more difficult leads that feel like cheats, playing upon obscure knowledge of animals, cultures and even the laws of physics in able to solve the mysteries. 

Len Wein was this issue's contributing editor with Mike W. Barr acting as special consultant. 

Completing this review completes Task #38 (A Comic Book Digest) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Hot Wheels #5 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1969, Barbie co-creator Elliott Handler introduced the world, especially young boys, to the scale model toy car line known as Hot Wheels. Unlike their established competitor, Matchbox, which focused on the actual vehicle models on modern roadways, the cars from Hot Wheels were souped up, customized versions designed by manufacturers worldwide. The paint schemes were vivid and wild like hot rodders were decorating their cars. The wheels were bigger and sometimes of varying sizes in the front and back. Some Hot Wheels were designed to fit a certain theme such as the bubble top 'Beatnik Bandit' originally designed by Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.

As Hot Wheels quickly dominated Matchbox and other toy producers of similar scale model vehicles, Mattel decided to ride the wave of popularity with an animated TV series. Mattel teamed with Ken Synder Properties and Pantomime Productions to create a 30 minute animated series based on the Hot Wheels property. Airing on ABC for 17 episodes over 2 seasons from 1969-71, the Hot Wheels cartoon featured the voice talents of Casey Kasem, Albert Brooks and Michael Rye.

The series revolved around the members of the youth series Hot Wheels Racing Team. High School student Jack Wheeler would compete in races around the world that were filled with cheating and sabotage. The members of the Hot Wheels team would preach fairness and the importance of vehicle safety while facing off against competitors who would pretty much break the law to win their respective automobile races.

As the animated series debuted, DC Comics simultaneously released a monthly series based on the TV series and toy line. Jack, along with his racing teammates Tank and Mickey would have adventures in a variety of vehicles while under the supervision of Jack's father, a former professional racer who's career ended after a crash left him partially crippled. This issue had 3 stories. In 'The Case of the Curious Classic', Mr. Wheeler purchases a run down vehicle he hopes to restore that is desired for some unknown reason by several criminals. 'The Dangerous Days of Mickey Barnes' reveals how Jack and his best friend Mickey first met as bitter rivals. Lastly is a 2-page prose story that describes a practice session match between the 3 members of Team Hot Wheels. 

The first story along with the cover was penciled and scripted by Alex Toth. Len Wein wrote the second feature. Art was by Ric Estrada and Dick Giordano. Credit for the prose story seems to be a mystery in both the book itself and research through other online resources.

DC's Hot Wheels series only ran for 6 issues. Automobile racing seemed to be a hard seller in an industry that ran on superheroes, the supernatural and stories of war. A complaint waged with the FCC might also have something to do with the quick demise of the book. In 1970, Johnny Lightning manufacturer Topper Toys, among others complained that the Hot Wheels animated series was nothing more than a 30 minute commercial for Mattel's toy line. ABC denied the allegations stating that no toys were ever advertised during the show. The FCC rules that a portion of the cartoon's air time was to be registered as advertising. This ruling would be the first step towards the FCC banning animated TV shows for children being based on toy lines for almost a decade until the decision was reversed by the Reagan administration. 

Other notable figures from comic history to work on the short-lived comic line included Joe Gill, Nick Cardy and Vince Colleta. Neal Adams penciled the cover to the final issue; a holiday themed issue covered by collectors of Christmas comic books such as myself.

Completing this review completes Task #27 (Based on a Toy Line or Video Game) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.