Riverdale Free Comic Book Day 2018 #1

I was waiting in my car for my bride's haircut to end yesterday. I had forgotten my phone and my favorite radio show wasn't on the air. So I dug around my vehicle in hopes of something to read when I found this! I had packed some FCBD reads I had doubles off to give to the kids in our Comic Book Club. I guess this 2018 offering had fallen out. I'm glad it did because it sure saved the day and I would have kept missing out on an amazing read.

Titled 'Pop's Little Chock'lit Shoppe of Horrors', this comic is set in the universe of the CW's Riverdale live action series. Now I've never watched an episode of the show. But as always, I do my research to learn a little bit about all aspects of pop culture. So I know that Riverdale is a show with a lot of creepy stuff floating around in the background of America's most popular small town. This book appears to be no different than the TV show.

Betty is writing a series of articles about Riverdale icons and selects Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe for her next feature. While talking with Pop, who happens to have taken the name after the death of his father, the original Pop, Betty learns about the bizarre history of the restaurant. From famous guests to paranormal investigators to old Scratch himself, a lot of diners have come through those doors and brought with them a host of evil and odd occurrences. 

Archie Comics does two things very well: classic style books and horror. This FCBD comic was definitely a well executed horror book. Ironically, while a Riverdale set version of the Little Chock'lit Shoppe of Horrors was never produced after this freebie, Archie editors knew not to let a great idea die and in 2022 and 23, issued Halloween time one-shots based on the theme. Only this time around, the books are set in the modern Archie universe created by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples.

Based on their gory covers, I hadn't given any interest in those restaurant set spooktaculars. But based on the quality of the one that started them all, I might just give them a second glance if I ever come across them.

A good one-shot. But it's got an ending that would make me change my mind and remove this issue from my collection. I don't like horrors that involve the devil and this book sure has an evil ending to it. You might be seeing this book on an area free shelf sometime soon...

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

The Tick, FCBD 2019

The free comic I look forward to every first Saturday in May. I am just in awe of The Tick. He's funny. He's odd. He's insane. 

An annual dose of The Tick, Arthur and their friends as well as legions of enemies is just what I need to stay sane in a crazy world. 

In this issue, The Tick meets his biggest fan. Eager to show Tick and Arthur is collections of everything Big and Blue, this collector invites the heroes to his house to try 'the world's greatest meatloaf." But Tick and his little buddy should be careful or they'll end up the latest addition to this super fan's cache of treasures.

Then we get a very unusual tale about Tick's time in Borneo. (When was Tick ever in Borneo??) Injured while battling some dinosaurs, our hero awakes with the ability to speak like a coyote as well as the coyote desire to leisure in trees. So, of course,The Tick becomes a member of Borneo's coyote population. 

Both stories were great laughs. It's the kind of oddity I yearn for. There's also a couple of shorts starring Tick and Artie (The insect world's version of our heroes) and a slew of cameos of fan favorites who have appeared over the years in the pages of The Tick.

This is the 10th anniversary issue and I have every issue but one. However, thanks to a 'letter from the editor' at the beginning, I have discovered that NEC Press skipped a Free Comic Book Day for some reason. So my hunt for the missing issue is over as I now know it never existed.

Tons of fun this issue is. I hope you didn't miss out. If not, check out your LCS. They might still have a copy or two on hand!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Nick The Sidekick (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to another round of Family Comic Friday. We’re all about superheroes and sidekicks this week. First we’ll be reviewing Dave Whamond’s Nick the Sidekick. Then we finish out our preview of the 2018 Free Comic Book Day offerings. Our final title this year stars one of my all-time favorite character: The Tick!

So let’s get started first with a look at the week’s review title, Nick the Sidekick.


Nick the Sidekick
Written and Illustrated by Dave Whamond
Published by Kids Can Press

Young Nick has superpowers. He can hear extremely well. The youngster is super intelligent and his detective skills are second to none. Unfortunately, the superhero he’s been paired with has no idea about any of this.

Instead, Nick’s partner, Super Fantastic Guy thinks that his sidekick can fly and do it very fast! Plus, Super Fantastic Guy thinks his sidekick is named Rick. Oh, and Super Fantastic Guy always steals the spotlight from his sidekick, too. Did we mention Nick hates to be referred to as a sidekick?

That is all about to change when Nick stumbles upon a plot to rob the local bank. Now, it’s his time to shine and maybe the diminutive hero with get a chance embarrass his aloof partner in the process…

Dave Whamond’s story of an under-appreciated sidekick is one that I think Robin, Tonto and Arthur would all relate to and enjoy. The Oddrey creator takes the stereotype of the comic book sidekick and makes it funny and refreshingly new. I did think a little of the humor got awfully silly but for the recommended reading age of readers in grades 1-4, I guess it’s to be expected. However, the first 40 pages of the 48-page story wasn’t full of toilet humor, so it just seemed out of place for it to occur when it did.

The artwork was very good. I liked the sketch work for Nick and Super Fantastic Guy. Being an easy reader graphic novel however, the panels were huge. For an older reader of graphic novels, it’s a format that takes some getting used to. It’s extremely appropriate for the book and the age group it’s aimed at. It’s just odd at first, like when you wear a new prescription of eyeglasses for the first time.

I’m not sure if this is it for Nick the Sidekick or if this is set to become a new series from Dave Whamond. I would be okay either way as the ending of this story was a fulfilling one but I too would be interested to see more adventures starring Nick. If there’s more to come, I just would hope to see the storytelling be a little more balanced. If the adventures of Nick are supposed to be more serious, then I don’t want to see a large segment of really silly things happen to Super Fantastic Guy at the end of every story. I can maybe forgive it this one time. But, I would quickly lose interest if the ending to every Nick the Sidekick adventure was to go the way of Captain Underpants.

A good young reader graphic novel that is appealing to its core audience but is in need of little self control at the end.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.

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The Tick 2018 Free Comic Book Day Edition

Writer: Jeff McClelland
Artist: Ian Nichols
Published by New England Comics Press
Release Date: 5/5/2018
Rating: All Ages

Foretold by Ben Edlund himself, in the now-legendary 1980's Tick trading cards set, comes a tale you never expected to read! Wandering into an ancient village on a one-eyed horse, The Tick must make a stand against dark magic, enemy hordes, incredible beasts and the unknown itself! His reward: ACTION! (And also a mysterious jewel the size of a truck.) From a lost Ben Edlund plot comes a story of swords, sorcery, and... spoons?!

Free Comic Book Day, 2016

May this issue of Superman/Batman #3 remind you that there's only 3 days until Free Comic Book Day, 2016!

The Tick, Free Comic Book 2013 Edition

 

I normally don’t buy Free Comic Book Edition comics unless I find them in a bargain bin. My idea is if you can’t get the free comic when it was available then tough. But, I made an exception with this one. Actually, I didn’t even know that this existed until about 4 months ago when I got a flyer from my all-time favorite comic book by-mail seller, Mile High Comics. The flyer listed all of the 2013 FCBD issues that were still for sale. At $2.99 or higher, I wasn’t about to shell out my hard earned cash for something I couldn’t get for free just a few months earlier.

 

Again, I figured I’d have to way to find them in a dollar box. Then I saw the 2013 FCBD Tick. I just had to have it. Thankfully, Mile High was having a massive 60% sale (fans who subscribe to their newsletter get in on some sweet sales.) So, my $3.99 Tick ended up costing about a $1.70. I could live with that!

 

In this Free Comic Book Day offering, the Tick, Arthur, and some of their superhero buddies spend a day at the beach. The Tick looks for sea shells. Bumbling Bee and the rest of the friends of Tick and Arthur get their drink freak on. And Arthur gets a major case of sunburn. As the night approaches, the super heroes decide to go on a trolley tour of the City, when a strike force of underwater creatures that look a lot like hermit crabs invade! So much for a night out on the town!

 

This issue was super funny. I laughed out loud several times. I thought it was very smartly written and totally insane (mostly Tick) at the same time. Even better, this issue was in full color!

 

I am on the prowl for Tick comics and they are such a rare treat. Now that New England Comics has issued 3 FCBD Tick Comics in the past 4 years, I now am on the annual hunt for the newest Tick freebie adventure. If you can’t find this in a bargain bin, do yourself a favorite, subscribe to the Mile High Comics newsletter, look for details in the super duper cod word sale and get this issue (on a steep discount.) You’ll be very glad you did.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

 

FCBD 2013 Rated Free for Everyone (FCBD 2013)

 

Rated Free For Everyone is a collection of kids titles published by Oni Press. I’ve been quite impressed with Oni over the years and they publish quality work. This 2013 Free Comic Book Day offering is no exception.

    The star of the book is Mermin. He’s the little amphibian creature you see riding a Orca and enjoying it. In Mermin’s story, he goes on a field trip with some children to an aquarium. Unfortunately, due to his aquatic nature, Mermin doesn’t understand that you look at the fish from behind glass- not go swimming in hopes of making new friends. At any moment, I expected to see Leonard Nimoy swim by. (Let me know if you get the reference.) It was a very funny story and would not mind getting my hands on future editions.

 Riding the killer whale with Merman and looking scared to death is Crogan. Crogan is a Hessian soldier during the Revolutionary War. But he’s a good guy- so maybe he’s wearing the uniform of a Hessian he killed (not sure.) Anyway, Crogan and his men learn some important lessons about the importance of command and trust those you’ve just met. It was a good story, but not as good as the Mermin tale.

 

Both stories are kid friendly. But I would put Mermin’s tale at ages 7 and up and the Crogan tale at 10 and up. There’s nothing really objectionable, it’s just that Mermin has some big words and there is killing of redcoats and minutemen in Crogan’s story. So, parents will want to take note of that.

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

HULK AND THE AGENTS OF S.M.A.S.H. + AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (FCBD)

Thanks to the plethora of Marvel Comics movies, the animated world is dominated by Marvel Comics. In this 2013 Free Comic Book Day offering, fans of Disney XD’s Hulk and the Agents of SMASH and Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes get a rare treat seeing these series get the comic book treatment. I’ve not done the research, but I am sure these two series eventually became comic books- even briefly. However, I’m not happy with at least one these Marvel’s approaches.

  The Avengers story was an original piece designed to help non-viewers learn who’s a part of the show. I enjoyed it. It captured the spirit of the cartoon very well, while keeping in some sort of balance with the Avengers live-action film.

   What I hated was the Agents of SMASH story. It wasn’t an original story. Heck, it wasn’t even based on original art. Like the Ultimate Spider-man comic based on the cartoon of the same name, the Agents of SMASH story was based on an episode from the show. In fact, even panel was taken from the cartoon as well. There’s no originality to this work whatsoever. I will be mighty disappointed if Marvel continued that trend in an ongoing comic of Agents of SMASH.

   Parents shouldn’t be discouraged from letting their kids read this comic nor what the shows they are based on. But I know if I was a kid and I got a comic based on the show and it wasn’t a totally new story, I would’ve felt gyped.  It would be one thing if Marvel at least drew new art around an old story used on the show, but they don’t. Marvel has for years made adaptions of movies and TV shows and draw new art for already published stuff (I.E. The Star Wars comic series and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.) So, why buck the norm? Until Marvel decides to stop publishing its TV shows in comic form verbatim and with still photos from the show, I am not going to waste my money or time or a series like Agents of SMASH.

 

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Tick: 2014 Free Comic Book Day Edition

 

The Tick and his faithful sidekick Arthur are back in another all-new, full color story just in time for the 2014 Free Comic Book Day! YES! I love the Tick so much, starting from the epic Fox Kids cartoon to the various comics starring Big Blue I’ve managed to find over the years. Finding the Tick isn’t easy. He’s such a cult classic that most stuff starring him is rarely available used and if it is, it’s pricy! So, to get a new story annually for free is a treat I look forward to.

 

In this issue, the home town of the Tick is stolen by an alien entity called the Hoarder. For those of you familiar with DC Comics, the Hoarder is a lot like Brainiac, only not as smart and definitely not green (in color).  For those of you familiar with Marvel Comics, the Hoarder is a lot like the Collector, only messier and lazier. Of course, insanity ensues as the Tick and Arthur try to free their beloved city from the intergalactic menace.

 

Then there’s a secondary short story that involves a low-key day at the Tick/ Arthur household and a person known as “Santa-Cowboy.” That story was funny, but it’s wasn’t an instant classic. In fact, some elements of that tale was just plain weird.

 

The art was fantastic and for the most part, I really enjoyed this FCBD offering. I laughed aloud several times and I marveled over the ads promoting new and classic works starring Tick. Hopefully, they’ll be a part of my collection someday soon. Until then, a man can dream.

 

Worth consuming!

 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Free Comic Book Day is Tomorrow.

Know someone who likes superheroes but doesn't know how to get started? Parents, wanting an opportunity to help introduce your kids to comics? Want to know where your community comic book store is? Like to help small businesses? Then tomorrow is your day.

Every year on the first Saturday in May, comic book shops around the nation give away free comic books! There's no catch- these books are absolutely free! Some stores may limit a customer to 2-5 books per person while some stories may let you take a copy of every freebie available.

For more info or to find a comic book store near you: check out the official FCBD site!

Happy hunting!!!!!