DuckTales Valentine's Day Special 2026 #1 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 2022, Disney awarded Dynamite Entertainment the rights to publish all new adventures of fan favorite characters and properties. The Big Apple set Gargoyles was the first property to go to print. By the next year, Dynamite was releasing origin stories of beloved Disney villains such as Maleficent and Cruella De Vil. More current animated films such as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and Lilo and Stitch began to fill shelves in 2024. 

It was Dynamite's initial plan to feature a lineup of comics based on the syndicated weekday cartoons from the 1990s known as 'The Disney Afternoon', with Gargoyles leading the way. However, it wasn't until late 2024, that Dynamite released a monthly series based on both DuckTales and spinoff TV show Darkwing Duck. Both have been extremely popular with Darkwing Duck's arch nemesis NegaDuck getting a miniseries soon after. Meanwhile, DuckTales star Uncle Scrooge has been receiving a fair share of solo love over at Marvel with a one-shot look at the Duckburg multiverse with Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime and the follow up miniseries Uncle Scrooge: Earth's Mightiest Duck.

The DuckTales Valentine's Day Special 2026 is Dynamite's first companion piece to the beloved children's series that ran from 1987-90. In it, Uncle Scrooge is on guard against con artists who might want to steal his vast riches under the guise of being McDuck's Valentine. The powerful sorceress Magica De Spell just happens to be scheming against Scrooge on this lovely Valentine's. But she doesn't have plans to make the bijillionaire fall in love with her. As usual, Magica just wants his lucky dime. However, when her spell deflects off of Scrooge's lucky dime, it backfires into an enchantment that causes both to lose their memories and assume that they are each other's soul mate.

As nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie traverse the globe with the assistance of pilot Launchpad McQuack and inventor Gyro Gearloose, Scrooge and Magica uncover vast riches and hidden treasures with the help of Scrooge's dogged determination and De Spell's magic. Making an unstoppable pair, could these two former foes be falling in love this Valentine's Day?

Written by comedian and podcaster Connor Ratliff and comedy waiter James III, this Valentine's Day special hits all the high notes of a Disney Duck story. There's adventure. There's fantasy. There's humor. Add in unforgettable cameos by the Beagle Boys, Donald Duck and Flintheart Glomgold, this was almost a perfect story for fans of the many creations of Carl Barks. The only thing missing was the nephews' handy Junior Woodchuck Handbook.

Artwork was by Libero Ermetti. The muted hues along with how the background appears just a little bit out of focus from the action of the main characters, one feels like they're watching a never before seen episode of the classic DuckTales series instead of the most recent reboot starring David Tennant, which features less classic looking versions of the citizens of Duckburg. 

Main cover art was by Nicoletta Baldari. Variant covers were illustrated by Ermetti,Stefano Porcu and others.

Completing this review completes Task #34 (A comic book about a holiday OTHER than Christmas) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Army of Darkness: Halloween Special

Army of Darkness is about the limit of horror involving demons that I can tolerate. Ironically, I've never seen Evil Dead or Evil Dead 2. But I think Army of Darkness is one of the best horror comedies ever made. It's all because of living legend Bruce Campbell who stars as ego maniac Ash, our planet's last line of defense against the Deadite legions that seek to usher literal Hell on Earth.

Actually, Campbell stars in all incarnations of the Evil Dead films. So what is it that makes Army of Darkness okay for me to watch but not the first two films on the series. I think it is the level of seriousness of the movies. The first two movies were so shocking, let alone terrifying, with the first film being rated X. Army of Darkness with it's main character with his 1973 Oldsmobile and gas powered chain saw time, being stranded in medieval times is so tongue in cheek, that it turned the franchise into a bit of a farce instead of a soul stealing tale of terror. 

Plus, Bruce Campbell is such a definitive comedic actor. He's too restrained in the first movies.

The main story of this 2018 Halloween special from Dynamite has 2 stories. The opener sees Ash in Charleston seeking the his online match from a dating app. Instead of romance, Ash finds himself face-to-face with perhaps the most famous Deadite ever: the notorious Blackbeard the Pirate! Then on an eerie Halloween night, a group of meddling kids break into a graveyard. Armed with beer and a spell book, these horny teens seek to unleash some harmless fun but end up awakening a gaggle of Deadites instead!

Written by Chad Bowers, Chris Sims and Benito Cerano, my copy is autographed by Sims. That being said, I loved both stories, regardless of one of the creators being nice enough to put their John Hancock on the cover. Both captures the swagger and bravado of Ash, which is in very large part due to Bruce Campbell. 

As for the art, both stories were good. But I am going to give the title of best in show to Eion Marron who penciled and inked the opener. It's more dynamic. Ash looks amazingly like actor Campbell, whereas Sam Lofti's Ash appears more like a caricature. Plus Marron's Deadites, including Blackbeard, looked so freaking awesome.

Not sure why it took me so long to read this. Also not sure why I had it sitting in my 'to review ' pile despite actually having not read this. I must have misplaced it. But it was worth the wait!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DuckTales #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Dynamite Entertainment seems to be the new official home of comic books starring your favorite Disney properties. Hercules, Darkwing Duck and Lilo and Stitch have been leading a 90s resurgence and I think that's great. But what I really want is something with Peter Pan. However, my interest in Dynamite's Disney books was peaked when it was announced over the Summer that DuckTales would be returning to print!

No, this isn't the recently rebooted version of the show featuring the voice talents of David Tennant. Here, Donald Duck is off serving in the Navy. Launchpad McQuack is Scrooge's personal pilot and bodyguard. Della Duck is nowhere to be found. Nope, Dynamite has brought back the original 1980s syndicated animated classic version of DuckTales and I couldn't be more thrilled!

The first issue is basically an introduction to the main characters. Great nephews Huey Dewey and Louie are bored with counting Uncle Scrooge's money bin. Looking for a little adventure, the nephews ask Scrooge to tell them a story of one of his greatest adventures. Scrooge in return tells them 3 yarns. And that's issue #1. It ends with a 'to be continued' blurb. Normally I hate that. But in this case where there aren't any loose ends needing tightening up or a thrilling cliffhanger, I feel like the 'TBC' was more of a promise of more great things to come.

Next issue promises Magica De Spell. I've already told my favorite LCS to pre-order the entire series. So I won't be missing any of the action.  

Writer Brandon Montclare captures the spirit of the original series very well. I liked the vignettes about Scrooge's earlier days as an adventurer and explorer. I just wish we'd only gotten more of an origin story as to how the nephews came to live at McDuck Manor or that we could have gotten an full length adventure.

Tommaso Ronda's artwork was very good. It wasn't Carl Barks or Don Rosa quality. However, it was better than that more modern style of the reboot that makes everyone look more angular and exaggerated. While the reboot stories were pretty good. I thought the art needed to return to the drawing board 

The 80s and 90s heyday of Disney is in full swing at Dynamite Entertainment. For a company that a couple of years ago looked ready to cash in their chips, the publisher reorganized into what IDW was so close to achieving before losing those lucrative Hasbro licenses. Retro fun for the whole family!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Powerpuff Girls Halloween Special (Family Comic Friday)

It's Halloween and Bubbles and Blossom cannot wait to go trick-or-treating. However, resident Powerpuff Girl hothead Buttercup refuses to go until she can create the perfect Halloween ghost story. See, there's a huge cash prize being offered and to Buttercup, that's more important than going around in costume door to door for candy. But as writer's block prevents Buttercup from crafting her story, the tales of aspiring writer begin to blend fantasy with reality.

I felt like this 2024 special from Dynamite Entertainment was a hot mess. The writing was all over the place. True, that's because most of the time, readers weren't supposed to know what was real and what was the product of Buttercup's imagination. Maybe dyed in the wool fans of the series would understand it better and enjoy it. But just don't think that's the case here. I think this is a case of writer Amanda Diebert trying to squeeze too much into a 32-page or less book. Perhaps if this was an 80-page giant, the details could have been fleshed out better. But if not, my God, I don't think I could have stood reading such a deluxe special. 

It wasn't just the writing that disappointed me. I like the artwork of Cat Staggs. But what happened here? The interiors seem so unlike her and really, it hardly looks like the Powerpuff Girls! I'm used to the clean lines of Bubbles and her sisters from the TV series. Here, it looks like someone went a little too heavy with the inks and a very thick brush. Even the colors are wrong. Everything is mottled instead of a uniform solid bright hue for each character, their clothing and the scenery.

I'd blame the artwork on modernization of the characters. Only there's an ad for another Powerpuff Girls series in the back and that artwork looks like the original Cartoon Network style that I am familiar with. Plus, the villains who pop up in their amazing cameos look fantastic. Why didn't Staggs give the same level of detail to the trio of heroes?

The Powerpuff Girls Halloween Special is rated Teen. That's mostly because the generation who grew up watching the original series are now in their teens and early adulthood. Yet, other than some heroic fights, I didn't see anything that parents and guardians would find offensive or too over-the-top if younger readers were to read this book. That being said I doubt that very many readers under the age of 18 are going to get the myriad of references to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic, The Shining. Be honest. How many of you figured out that the heart pattern on the cover was a tribute to the carpeted floors of the Overlook Hotel?

I think the wrong franchise tried to give tribute to the wrong horror classic. Powerpuff Girls meet Jack Torrance just didn't work for me. The John Carpenter Halloween homage that kicks things off would have been great. But the story goes off into another direction. By the time I was able to sort out the terrible segue, I had pretty much made up my mind that things were going to get better.

Rating: 4 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.

The Torch

Alex Ross reintroduces the original Human Torch and his sidekick Toro to the modern Marvel Universe in this 8-part miniseries. It's a complex story involving the Mad Thinker, A.I.M (Advanced Idea Mechanics) and the son of an escaped Nazi who created a panacea hidden in the jungles of South America. With the exception of some gaps as to how both the Human Torch and Toro both died at the hands of the Thinker, the source material is something I'm fairly familiar with. Although, I didn't know either one of these characters had died. But I pretty much can get behind all of this. What I don't understand is why is Dynamite Entertainment publishing this trade paperback and not Marvel?

I've attempted to Google for an answer. I don't really get a clear answer. I feel like a conspiracy theorist with a whole bunch of photos on a wall connected by strands of red string. From what I can determine, in 2008, Alex Ross worked with Dynamite to reintroduce a bunch of forgotten superheroes from the 1940s. That same year, Ross produced an Avengers/Invaders crossover FOR Dynamite! This miniseries brought Toro back from the dead. So in 2009, Ross produces this series which also brings the original Torch back as well.

Again, why Dynamite? I pretty much understand Alex Ross' timeline. But why Dynamite? Was Marvel in such dire straits that less popular miniseries such as these, which focus on Golden Age pre-Marvel heroes, were outsourced to other companies? I'd really like more info on this.

The Torch was a good read. It's not my all-time favorite read. But I didn't hate this. If anything, I learned more about the origins of the original Torch along with Toro. I always knew that the first Human Torch actually wasn't human. He was an android. What I didn't know until this book was that Toro WAS HUMAN! I had always assumed he was an android too. I thought the Torch was lonely and wanted a little brother (so something) and thus he created Toro. It turns out Toro was a mutant whose cells were affected by an early encounter with the Torch, giving the lad the ability to catch aflame. 

There's lots of cameos from some of your favorite Marvel characters. The Fantastic Four with their Human Torch. Prince Namor. And the original Vision. Not the Avengers member but a 1940s era Timely Comics hero who was an alien from an alternate dimension. It's a very Marvel heavy book. I still don't know why it's published by Dynamite...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flash Gordon Holiday Special One-Shot

Spend the holidays with Flash Gordon in this amazing 2014 special from Dynamite Entertainment. 

There are 3 tales in this book. Story #1 has Flash and Dr. Zarkov visiting the people of Arboria. Being Flash's first Christmas away from planet Earth, he wants to play Santa to some of his allies from the galactic war against Emperor Ming. However, to Flash's surprise, Arboria already celebrates a primitive version of Christmas and the kiddies are all ready for a nightly visit from... Jungle Jim!

Story #2 returns to Earth. Here, one of Ming's stranded Beast-Men foot soldiers is trying to survive a Central European winter all alone. It just happens to be the 4th night of Hanukkah and it just goes to show you that a little warmth, some friendship across species and a couple of latkes can go a very long way!

Our last adventure stars Dale Arden. We get glimpses of Dale's previous 2 New Years Eves and how it contrasts with her new life as a freedom fighter on the frozen planet of Frigia. 

All 3 stories were fantastic. The only thing I had trouble with was instead of definitive endings, each story just bleeds into the next. That makes for a pinch of confusion and fear that maybe I've got another one of those blasted issues that has a printing order error. I also would have liked the Dale story to have Flash more involved in it. But the biggest issue for me was the seamless transitions that are secretly deceptive.

This issue has definitively peaked my interest in Jeff Parker, Evan 'Doc' Shaner and Jordie Bellaire's 2014-15 Flash Gordon miniseries. Shaner does the cover and Bellaire assists with some of the finishes. But there isn't any Jeff Parker here. Yet, if his story is 1/4 as excellent as this special, then I know that I am in for a treat. 

Oh! And I must give love for the use of Jungle Jim as an alien Santa Claus. Jungle Jim was an early creation of Flash Gordon's father Alex Raymond. So to throw JJ into this special as an Easter egg was an unexpected angel topper to my tree!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #5

The Earth has been saved. So why hasn't Vincent Price's ghost transitioned over to the other side? Obviously, the soul of the late horror actor hasn't completed its mission on Earth. And until that happens, Vincent and Elvira will have tons of fun playing detective!

When a starlet goes missing, this dynamic duo goes into action against a list of suspects. They'll get to the bottom of this case, even if it kills them. Hopefully it won't kill them... Maybe...

I had originally thought that this miniseries was 4 issues long. With the Egyptian threat against the world neutralized in the last issue, that conclusion made sense. But I am guessing that sales were robust enough for Dynamite Entertainment that the story got extended and a 5th issue was ordered. It's the only thing that makes sense here as this issue has a completely different tone and flow. 

In all honesty, I would have preferred this mini getting extended by 2 or 3 issues. Just 1 issue involving Elvira and Vincent Price as a sort of paranormal investigators upsets the whole balance of the series. If I had purchased this story as a trade and not a set of 5 floppies, I probably would have rated that book lower because of the last minute detour. Something to think about in the future, Dynamite...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #4

A global telecast promises to unleash an Egyptian god of the dead. Elvira is fit to be tied and Vincent Price is nowhere to be found. 

I felt as if I had read this ending before. It just seemed like many of a cliched kinda end of the world action movie set in Egypt or some nearby part of the Middle East. Good guys get captured. A beloved character is seemingly killed off. Somebody who was brainwashed gets their mind back and then brainwashed again. Lots of weather and fire as an evil follower summons the terrible deity that they worship to rule the earth while also destroying it.

You know, that part never made sense to me ever. Why would someone want to rule the world by destroying it? That just seems counter intuitive. Either you want to rule the planet or destroy it. You can't do both. Right?

Probably the weakest issue of the series thus far. But the artwork and the one-liners do manage to keep this an entertaining read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #3

After a disastrous turn in Hollywood and then Merry Old England, Vincent Price and Elvira head to Egypt. The hope is to find the writer of the lost B-movie 'The Rise of the Ram', who hails from the North African nation. Turns out that the former writer is there and he's got the lost film and the original text that contains both the curse that could end all time and its cure. Unfortunately, a pair of goons devoted to the Egyptian Deity of Death and his bride are there too. And they've got guns! Does Vincent and his friends have guns? Nope? Yup! They're screwed!

I don't really understand why they need both the cursed ancient text as well as the print of the lost film. If it's the only copy of each, can't they just destroy it and then... problem solved? That seems to be the only thing wrong with this whole book. That sort of plot twist just seems unnecessary. 

It's like this episode of MASH when this nurse is in trouble and can't sneak out to visit her husband who is on a 24-hour leave. Instead of putting the guy in the VIP tent, the doctors put him in Margaret's tent and have Hot Lips sleep with the nurses. It just didn't make a hill of sense and neither does my complaint with this story.

The dialogue is witty. The artwork of Vincent Price is amazing and Elvira is not half bad either. She still looks a tad cartoony. But then again, isn't that the point with her? Plus, I love that artist Juan Samu (Marvel Action: Black Panther) decided to draw the goons to look like Laurel & Hardy. It just seems to jive with the tribute to classic Hollywood that oozes through every panel. 

A very fun read with a small bit of business I just can't figure out.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #2

I generally say that the second issue gets even better if it's a series which has a debut I was blown away with. I can't say that this time. I can't say that it got worse either. 

Things in this issue pretty much maintain the status quo. After a close encounter with the flunky of an Eygptian deity, Vincent Price and Elvira continue their search for the sole surviving print of 'Rise of the Ram'. Up next- a jaunt to merry ole' England. Here, the horror hostess and her deceased partner hope that the director and the film main starlet might have an idea where the film may be. 

I will have to say that pairing Elvira with the legendary Vincent Price was a stroke of genius. I never in 45 years of life and collecting comic books have thought to pair the two together. And yet they're gold! Elvira is smitten with her horror movie idol and Vincent is a complete and total gentleman.

A very good chapter with a hint of mystery and a dash of Egyptian magic. I just wish that the main theme of the comic was about Egyptian deities and instead a tale about the Norse or Greek or even Roman. When it came to reading mythology, the Egyptians just never were my thing; despite how awesome mummies and pyramids are. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #1

Just because Halloween is over means I have to stop reading and reviewing horror titles. This 6-issue series pairs one of the most iconic horror hosts of all-time with one of the most iconic horror actors of all-time. 

I know you are wondering how does Vincent Price, who has been dead for nearly 3 decades, happen to team-up with the still living Elvira. Does this story occur before his death in 1993? Nope! Price is a ghost and he's returned from the Great Beyond to save the world from total destruction. 

In the 1970s, Vincent Price filmed a movie titled 'Rise of the Ram.' The horror picture involves an actress recanting an ancient Egyptian spell that is supposed to prevent the rise of an old deity who seeks to destroy all of creation. To prevent the spell from ever being reversed, the only remaining print of both the film and the spell book were lost to time. However, a handful of devotees to the forgone god have located and stolen the missing items and are planning on unleashing hell on earth. 

With time running short, Vincent Price recruits Elvira to his cause. With the hostess' knowledge of B-movie lore and her extensive number of Hollywood contacts, Vincent is able to locate the original producer of Rise of the Ram. Only before they can get some answers, the bigwig bursts into flames. In his place, a demonic devotee to the Egyptian dark lord and this guy is mad as hell!

I didn't realize that Elvira has been in so many comic books. I knew that there was a Vincent Price horror anthology. I've read and reviewed a couple of issues from that series from Bluewater Productions. But I only thought Elvira had her version of the House of Mystery and maybe a couple other releases from Dynamite. But she recounts a whole slew of other comics that she has starred in previously and I was just unaware.

I've been waiting over a year to read this issue. The first issue came out in stores in the summer of 2021. The final issue didn't arrive until this past winter! It took a really freakin' long time to produce 6 issues of a comic book. The heck with blaming things on COVID and stuff. This miniseries should not have been released bi-monthly.

Thankfully, this book was worth the wait. I'm really hoping Vincent Price was as nice as a guy as he seems in this comic. I would hate to learn that he was the horror community's version of Joan Crawford or Bing Crosby. I had a lots of fun reading this book and I hope the remaining issues are just as good as this opening chapter was.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Vampirella Valentines Day Special (2022)

I wrapped up my Valentine's Day readings with a real vamp. Four stories of love and romance from Dynamite Entertainment.

The first story was the best. A retiring detective reflects on his first encounter with Vampirella which was a Valentine's Day night to remember.

Then Vampirella must protect New York City from a pair of elemental kaijus.

In a story set during the days of the Old West, a pair of outlaw lovers seek refuge from a mysterious benefactor known to help gunslingers arrange a much needed disappearance.

Lastly, Vampirella travels overseas to investigate reports of a Valentine's Day killer.

I've been reading comic books for like 40 years. This is the first time I've ever read a Vampirella comic. It is because of how she's dressed? More than likely. It's definitely not because of the horror aspect. I try to shy away from sexpot characters. But my favorite LCS knows I'm a big holiday comics collector and they ordered this for me. They've made good recommendations for me in the past, so I went with it. They did a good job on this.

Only the first story involved sex. Even then, it was off-screen stuff. And still, it was the best written of the quartet. I wasn't sure if the Old West story involved Vampirella or not. Or one of her multiverse alternates. (I might not read Vampirella stories but I am aware of her exploits from reading the previews.)

Have I become a Vampirella fan? Will I be requesting more Vampirella in my in-box? Probably not. But I will be open to collecting more holiday adventures starring the iconic horror dream queen. 

Happy V-Day!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Red Sonja Valentine's Day Special

Love, Hyrkanian Style!

Red Sonja is the target of a love potion gone wrong. Expect lots of magic, blood and mayhem.

I'm not sure why I didn't read this when new last year. Pandemic was probably behind it. My favorite LCS may not have been open to the public. Or I was just not comfortable leaving my house at the time. But for one reason or another, I didn't own this book until sometime after February 14th.

I've got mixed feelings about this book. I really didn't have a clue where the book was going for the first about dozen pages. I didn't get the joke on the inside cover with the credits. I really thought there were 6 different short stories in this. So, I was really confused as to why the first story was so freaking long. 

Then you got the fact that Red Sonja lives in a time prior to the existence of Valentine's Day. How can this be a Valentine's Day special? Sure, 'love' is in the air and there are cupids in this book. But, it's like when there is a Flintstones Christmas Special. Christ was not born during the time of the giant lizards. These kind of anachronisms just irk me. 

The story overall was very well written. It's by Fables' Bill Willingham! Of course it's well written! I thought the middle spread of 'Red Sonja's Dating Tips' were hilarious. It too was anachronistic. But it was intended to be humorous. It did not irk me. 

I also loved the retro variant cover. Though I must be honest. I thought that Red Sonja was kissing one of the characters from Planet of the Apes. Silly me..,

Enjoyable. Not really Valentine's Day. But I see the effort and I appreciate how Dynamite Entertainment is attempting to start up a run of Valentine's Day specials. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew #1

The idealistic storybook lives of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys is over. Brothers Joe and Frank are at odds with each other. Their father was killed by a dirty cop. Nancy's father turned state's evidence and lost his law license. The town of River Heights is in serious economic peril if the new company from China bypasses them for another burg. But this is nothing compared to the death of one Nancy Drew, female super-sleuth!

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew #1
Written by Anthony Del Col
Art by Joe Eisma
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Rating: Teen Plus
Retail: $3.99

The Death of Nancy Drew is a sequel to Anthony Del Col's previous Dynamite team-up of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Following up from 2017's The Big Lie, things definitely went from bad to worse. And as Joe Hardy investigates Nancy's mysterious death, the teen detective begins a slow spiral into paranoia for he's convinced that the accident was no accident!

The artwork in this series is covered by Joe Eisma. The Morning Glories artist goes full noir in this series, thanks in very large part to colorist Salvatore Aiala.

Fans of gritty reboots like Riverdale, or even the new Nancy Drew series on TheCW, will love this new mystery series from Dynamite Entertainment. Writer Anthony Del Col (Kill Shakespeare) has already riled up fans of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys by killing off one of the most beloved characters in teen fiction. In this first issue alone, not only is Nancy Drew no more and the Hardy Boys are no longer a team but other characters from young adult novels are seeing their lives upended.

For example, the Bobbsey Twins, whom I didn't know were even affiliated with Nancy, Joe or Frank, find themselves facing poverty after their father loses his business due to some questionable practices. Whose next on Anthony Del Col's hit list; The Box-Car Children? Encyclopedia Brown? It's seems like nobody from our childhood who solved mysteries is safe!

Speaking of childhoods, this is a teen and older rated series. This a quantum leap from those original chapter novels first published in the 1940s and 50s. This is a Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mystery is that is little bit more grown-up.

This series is dropping at the perfect time. A new release in the second wave since comics returned, those of us who have been closed up inside their homes for nearly 2 months will have a chance to exercise our brains in this intriguing mystery. This new miniseries will make you ponder. Everything you thought you know about the teen mystery sleuths of your youth is wrong!

Can you solve the mystery before it's too late?

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew #1 will debut in print on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark #1

Elvira, that buxom, valley-girl talking, smart aleck horror host is back in a new miniseries from Dynamite Entertainment. 

The Mistress of the Dark has attracted her fair share of men. Now, she's the object of desire of Dracula, Lord of the Vampires. As she seeks to escape the clutches of Vlad, she travels back in time to a rainy Lake Geneva, 1816.

There she meets Frankenstein's mother, Mary Godwin. Oh, you may not recognize that name seeing as Mary hasn't married her fiance, Percy Shelley, yet. 

Dracula has also fallen through time after Elvira and he's not taking no for an answer. All others protecting her, including Mary,  are collateral damage. Can Elvira escape the deadly bloodsucker without changing history seeing as Frankenstein hasn't been written yet? 

This isn't Elvira's first time in comics. Unfortunately, she's not had very much success in this media. Bettie Page's David Avallone pens a very funny and very smart time-travel opener here and I am hoping that this mini will prove to be a hit!

The artwork of Dave Acosta (Chastity) is really good. It's a mix of Gothic horror and caricature. I almost expected it to have some very silly Easter eggs in the background, like a sign saying 'Eat at Vlad's' on the wall. The sort of thing you would see in a MAD Magazine. Acosta thankfully restrains himself from such a move. But he's got a style that would be at home with the 'usual gang of idiots.'

This series has potential. I can't wait to get the rest of it. The last page has Elvira travelling to meet another important figure in horror history and I'm excited to see who she will meet in rest of this book.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Project Superpowers #0 (2018)

There are some things you just don't pass up. A new release comic book for only 10 cents is one of those things. 

This is the latest series from Dynamite Entertainment based on a number of forgotten superheroes from long defunct comic book publishers of the 1940s and 50s. However, this is also first one without Alex Ross at the helm.

Being a huge Alex Ross fan, you would think that I would be all over the Project Superpowers books. But I just didn't for one reason or another. I think the biggest reason is that I felt that Project Superpowers was too much like Marvel's The Twelve in that a bunch of forgotten heroes are revived in the modern day. 

Maybe I hitched my wagon to the wrong cart. But I liked The Twelve. I have no regrets.

This teaser into the new Project Superpowers series, this time helmed by Suicide Squad's Rob Williams sees a once thought dead hero returning to warn an ally of an impending doom. This introductory issue does it's job quite well. It acts as a small teaser of the story to come while offering a lot of vital backstory. 

This book also did it's job in at least one other way. While I don't think I am going to go for the rest of this series, I am interested in finding the first and maybe second series by Alex Ross. So, there's a bit of a win there. 

My LCS had 3-4 more of these 10 cent beauties. I would imagine that a lot of stores have some issues still on hand. Not because this wasn't a good read. It was. But it's like I say to start this review- you can't pass up a 10 cent comic. So I expect that many stores ordered big on this. 

A very good introductory read. While it may not make you want to invest in the current series, it will make you want to dive more into the back issues which has since been collected as hard covers and trades.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Robots Vs Princesses #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Who says that girls can't be both dainty and rough and tumble? The stereotype of the typical fairy-tale princess is put out to pasture in this week's Family Comic Friday review of the new series Robots Vs Princesses.

Robots Vs Princesses #1
Written by Todd Matthy
Art by Nicolas Chapuis
Published by Dynamite Entertainment

In the capital City of Harmonia, a group of princesses are about to participate in a special ceremony. Giving honor to a legendary queen who conquered the now disappeared dragons of her kingdom, aspiring sovereigns must perform a recital with an animal of their choosing. Not wishing to be out done, Zara sneaks out of the castle to search the forbidden woods in hopes of a dragon of her own in which to perform with.

Meanwhile deep in the forests surrounding Harmonia is a region called Chromia. There, an endless war is raging between two races of automatons. Little Wheeler is tired of the fighting and he decides to go off into uncharted territory in search of peace and quiet.

As you might have guessed, these two characters meet. But what you might not expect is that Zara's singing voice turns WHeeler into a mechanical dragon. Could he help Zara successfully perform her musical ritual? And could Wheeler be the key to the return of the dragons of long ago?

Dynamite Entertainment hasn’t been known for doing all-ages fair. But Robots Vs Princesses has great promise. It’s a cross between Disney’s line-up of ladies fair and Transformers. Issue #1 is a great setup in order to explain most, if not all, of the main players. But while there are both princesses and robots in this story, there is very little versus here. I’m assuming that will change in forthcoming issues…

The story so far was good. The strong female roles obviously got some inspiration from Action Lab’s Princeless. But Todd Matthy’s inclusion of automatons and the animal recital are both elements that I have not encountered in Princeless. As I said earlier, hopefully the action will ramp up in issue #2.

The art was a slightly different story. The artwork was good but there was something off about some of the angles. The great Jack Kirby introduced the idea of the dynamic posing of characters. Instead of seeing character character from straight ahead, artists are instead to render them in unique angles.

Nicolas Chapuis attempts to do so throughout this book. Yet as a result, the proportions seems off. His drawings of the robots look like they are all about to tip over. They are impressively designed. But in some panels they look really top-heavy, ready to topple over with their toothpick thin legs.

The first issue of Robots Vs Princesses sets up a very interesting looking story. It’s got a lot of promise, but it’s also got a lot to offer. Because young readers are fickle when it comes to stories that end with that dreaded ‘To Be Continued’, I think this series will be enjoyed more as a collected. Especially since no royal family members battle any androids in this first chapter, it may not be so appealing to those readers ready for Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em Robots from right off the bat. But I really think great things are in store for those readers who are patient throughout the run of this title.

Robots Vs Princesses is recommended for readers of all-ages. However, there’s some very big words in this comic. So readers under the age of 8 might need the help of an older reader. Plus, I don’t know how intense the battle scenes are going to be, so parental discretion is advised with future issues.

Robots Vs Princesses #1 debuted in print and digital platforms on August 8th, 2018.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published at Outrightgeekery.com.

Bob's Burgers 2018 FCBD Edition

Bob's Burgers is one of those shows where you'd think I'd be a huge fan of. it It's about the food industry. Each daily special is a pun. Plus it has Patton Oswalt!

But the artwork of the characters freak me out a little. I cannot tell if the way the characters are drawn is supposed to be funny or it's mocking toward people with Treacher Collins Syndrome. And that just really bugs me. 

But upon my most reason celebration of Free Comic Book Day 2018, I decided to give the comic book a try. In this issue, there's a parody of Where the Wild Things Are as well as the James Cameron epic, Titanic. Then Bob gets his hands on some magical pineapples and his shop has a tremendous day of sales. But what will happen when the eatery runs out of pineapple and the clientele is still hangry!?

All three stories, written by the artists and staff of the popular Fox animated series, was very good. Oddly enough, none of the artwork in this book looked at all like the characters do on the TV. I'm not sure why that is. Honestly, I preferred the way Bob and his family look in the comic book than on the show. But I doubt highly that the animators will ever change how the characters are drawn.

This 2018 Free Comic Book Day release was a fun read and I liked the artwork renderings better than the original. Will this make me an avid reader of Bob's Burgers? Probably not. But I liked what I read, and that's the important thing. Right?

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

James Bond: Solstice

Writer/Artist: Ibrahim Moustafa
Colorist: Jordan Boyd
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Price: $4.99

Dynamite Entertainment presents the first ever James Bond Christmas Special!

007 is sent on a clandestine mission. An ousted Kremlin operative is seeking a chance to worm his way back into Russia’s good graces. The spies plan is to woo the daughter of a very high-up official in MI6 over the holidays and then return to London with a mole in British Intelligence. It’s Bond’s unofficial job to see that this Russian baddie never makes it to Christmas morning. For you see, the father of this young girl is none other than that of James’ superior, the mysterious M!

This very special holiday special was a success! For a property like 007, it would be quite risky to do a holiday special as those can be quite sappy. But Solstice is in the vein of Die Hard in that with Christmas as the time of year this story is set, you could argue that it’s not really a holiday special. James Bond is not visited by Santa Claus or Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present or Future. By the end of this 32-pager, 007’s heart doesn’t grow 3-sizes too large. And just because he carries a gun, at no point does this MI6 man shoot his eye out!

Writer and Artist Ibrahim Moustafa (Doctor Fate) did an amazing double-duty job. His story was rather clean cut. There wasn’t an element of conspiracy or implied buried secrets that has dogged some previous Dynamite Entertainment takes on the Ian Fleming character. His art was quite simple and very sleek like a James Bond film. I felt like I was reading an adaptation of the next James Bond movie!

A lot of this praise is also due to the dynamic color palette of Evolution’s Jordan Boyd. He incorporates holiday colors into a rather bleak Paris winter landscape without making you think an elf vomited all over the page. And man, are those explosive yellows and oranges eye searing!

Solstice is not one of James Bond’s typical adventures. Yes, there’s lots of action and adventure. A great story as well. But when it comes to the ladies, there’s no love interest to distract from the story, aside from the required flirting session with Moneypenny.
If you are looking for a comic to get into the holiday spirit that’s not a typical Christmas special, then may I recommend this book? It’s a very quick read but overall worth every cent.

James Bond: Solstice debuted in comic shops nationwide on November 22nd.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.