Fox Kids Funhouse #2: The Tick: Raw, Uncooked Justice! And Other Stories

Featuring three hilarious comics based on Fox Kids cartoons from 1997. 

The first two stories are based on the shows Bobby's World and Life with Louie.

Bobby's World was based on the stand-up comedy of Howie Mandel. Life with Louie was based on the stand-up comedy of Louie Anderson. Both cartoons were really funny but if I had to choose between the two, I'm picking Bobby's World every time. The Howie Mandel cartoon was more imaginative as Bobby often got lost in his day dreams. Life with Louie was a tiny bit more sophisticated being based more on Anderson's life experiences. But Louie was also kinda of a jerk. 

But the reason I bought this very much beat up digest was for the cover story featuring my favorite lunatic, The Tick. It's a sequel to the classic Neil the Dinosaur episode.

It seems that Arthur's brother-in-law is growing in size once again. When the Tick and Arthur get eaten by Neil, the duo discover a community has formed in Neil's digestive tract of the people and buildings the fiend has been snacking on.

Featuring an all-star line-up of Dwayne McDuffie, Brandon Kruse, Mike DeCarlo and Michael Duggan! The Tick story was very, very funny and makes me wish that Boomerang or some other cable channel would show reruns of that amazing Tick cartoon show again! 

I loved this digest. But I feel bad for the kid in 1997 who bought this book. There's a page telling kids to subscribe to the Fox Kids Funhouse inside. But upon some extensive research, I've learned that this series was cancelled after only 2 issues. Some of that has to do with the comic book bubble bust. But some has to do with the publisher itself, Acclaim. 

Yes, who knew that the video game manufacturer made comic books? Well, it wasn't a very long experiment because Acclaim shuttered it's publishing house shortly as 1997 was right when the company started having major money issues before going defunct altogether in 2004. Regardless, based on how much trouble Acclaim had in paying it's debts, I wonder how many kids who subscribed to this broken promise never got a refund...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Fox's run on the X-Men movies comes to a close with Dark Phoenix. With some small adjustments, this movie was one of the more faithful-to-the-comics adaptations. However, this was also one of the most boring films I ever sat through.

If you are familiar with Chris Claremont's 'Dark Phoenix Saga', then you have a pretty good idea about the plot. Always troubled by her immense mutant abilities, Jean Grey (Game of Thrones' Spohie Turner) gets possessed by a cosmic force during a rescue mission in space. The entity causes what little command Jean had on her telekinesis to spiral out of control, resulting in a body count. 

It's revealed that Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) had kept a number of secrets from Jean as to how she became a pupil at his School for Gifted Youngsters, mostly through mental barriers established. When the truth comes out, Jean seeks both revenge and answers. Enter the mysterious Jessica Chastain (The Help) who plays an alien with ties to Jean's 'Phoenix force' powers, along with promises to those questions. Now Jean is stuck between the forces of good and evil with control of her new powers with the fragile truce between humans and mutants forged since the previous film hanging in the balance.

I know that I am going to upset a bunch of X-Men fans by saying this; but I really don't like Jean Grey that much. Yes, the 'Dark Phoenix Saga' is awesome, but it's really all of the other characters who make that story so good. It just seems to me that Jean Grey always loses control, dies and then comes back, spending all of her time trying to make amends before going insane with the Phoenix Force yet again.

Then there's the fact that we already had this storyline in 2006's The Last Stand. I didn't feel like I needed to see this plot again so soon, if at all. But I promised my god son we'd go see it. I wish we went to the new Men In Black movie instead...

I thought that the make-up and special effects were quite good. So were the fight scenes. But Dark Phoenix is a movie that is heavy of melodrama and very light on action. I truly think this is the case why the movie had such a steep drop-off at the box office from the first and second weeks. Very few people clamor to see Schindler's List again after first viewing. But they'll jump right back in line for a movie with amazing action and adventure scenes. 

Let's also face the biggest problem with the entire X-Men franchise: the timeline. Everything is just so mixed up. For one thing, this movie occurs in 1992, meaning that in 8 years, Michael Fassbender, who plays Magento, is supposed to look like Ian McClellan and Xavier will turn into Captain Picard! I still cannot figure out how Wolverine ended up back in the Weapon X project after being rescued by Mystique...

One thing is certain, the X-Men are better as a TV show than a movie. X-Men: The Animated Series proved this. There's so many plot threads, that with progression jumping 3-5 years into the future in each chapter, 2-3 hours is no enough time to catch up on all the missing parts. 

This still isn't the worst Marvel movie I've ever seen in theaters (Thor: Dark World wins that distinction). But this also wasn't a necessary film either. I know Fox wanted to milk that cash cow one more time. But with how money hungry Disney is, I am afraid that all Dark Phoenix did was push back an sort of reconciliation of Marvel's mutants with the rest of he MCU back for years to come!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 20

Before we leave the 80s, there's one more stop to make. I'm not sure what state it's in, but the city is called Springfield. 

You can't talk about classic TV show Christmases without mentioning The Simpsons Christmas Special. Also known as Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, sparked a renaissance in Christmas episodes. Until the airing of this December 17, 1989 show, a series having a Christmas episode wasn't such a big deal anymore. Having fallen a little out of favor, producers would forgo a Christmas themed episode with either crafting a clip show, which was a big cheat, or skip over the holiday knowing that the broadcasters would rather air yet another showing of Rudolph or Frosty. 

But this episode was such a massive hit, it convinced studios that setting viewers favorite characters in holiday adventures could be just as huge of a ratings draw as a holiday special. 

This episode also launched an empire. Already a fan favorite part of FOX's The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons would debut on this Sunday night in 1989 at 8pm and remain there for over 28 years! While many argue that the show has long jumped the shark, it's very true that those first 8 or 9 seasons were the absolute best. But if not for this special first episode, none of it would have happened in the first place.

Here's a very quick plot synopsis:

Dad Homer just learned that his boss isn't giving out Christmas bonuses. That's a good thing as mom Marge always sets aside some cash for Christmas shopping. However, when son Bart gets a tattoo, Marge is forced to spend all of it getting the 'Moth' tat surgically removed. Rather than tell Marge the truth, Homer gets a part-time job as a mall Santa. But when he finally gets paid on Christmas Eve, it turns out that renting a Santa costume isn't cheap. With only $12 in his name, Homer and Bart head to the race track to bet it all on a dog race. Though the dog comes in dead last, the Simpsons experience a Christmas miracle when the owner rejects the dog an it becomes the Simpsons' new family pet, Santa's Little Helper!

Unfortunately, I am unable to show you this episode. So for my Advent present for you, I present you with 2 great holiday clips starring the Simpsons. The first has the Simpson family posing for their annual Christmas card photo. The second is when the Simpsons did a Muppets parody with guest star Katy Perry. Both are quite funny. So, enjoy and until next time, Merry Christmas!

Deadpool (2016 Film)

 Wade Wilson is a mercenary with a heart, that's trying to do some good in the world while making a little dough. He's got a super hot girlfriend and he just earned enough tickets to win that Voltron Defender ring he's been wanting for so long. Things are just starting to look up for the guy when he's diagnosed with really, really bad cancer.

    Hoping to spare his girl with the effects of the disease, Wade accepts an offer to enter a program that will cure his cancer along with blessing him with super powers and finally become the hero he's always dreamed of being. But he's actually being trapped into a medical program that seeks to turn him into the ultimate killing machine through enslavement, torture, and disfigurement. 

   When his lab jail is destroyed, Wade Wilson dies and the merc with a mouth, Deadpool arises like a phoenix from the ashes. Now cancer-free, nearly immortal, and just as indestructible,  the assassin seeks to find the man who turned him into a real-life Frankenstein- first to restore his 'good looks' and then kick his ass. But when the villain kidnaps his former girlfriend, Mrs. Wilson's baby boy is going to have to call in the big guns of X-Man Colossus to save the day.

    Deadpool is the superhero movie fans have been promised for so long and finally deserved. But it's not for kids. The film is rated R and it's a hard R at that. There's tons of sex, lots of nudity, decapitations and other general dismemberments galore, and more language than legally allowed by Captain America. But the film's also funny as hell.

    Ryan Reynolds is perfect as the Merc With a Mouth. And Gotham's Morena Baccarin is the perfect romantic foil to the leading man's smart-assed look at life. The villains of Ajax and Angel Dust played respectively by Game of Thrones' Ed Skrein and MMA superstar Gina Carino are excellent baddies that deserve what's coming to them. But the characters that steal the movie are of Colossus and his mutant apprentice, Negasonic Teenage Warhead played by newcomer Brianna Hildebrand.

   But while Colossus's fractured mastery of the English language was one of the highlights of the film, his appearance was a major detractor. The character, one of my all-time favorite X-Men behind only Nightcrawler, is voice by German actor Stefan Kapicic. But on screen, the mutant big man is 100% CGI. Sadly, the metal on the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz looked more realistic than the chrome on Colossus. 

    One thing this film got right was how they set up the story. First of all, it doesn't start off as an origin film. Most superhero movies begin with a build up that takes a good 45-minutes before the superhero main character finally appears. Not so here. You first glimpse Deadpool opening a can of whoop-ass on some baddies and then the film flip-flops from the past to the present, giving the viewer a good origin story but not without some outstanding action scenes in between. 

    Another thing one must understand is that this film is in no way a reboot of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That Deadpool is as true as the one in this film. Events that occurred in X-Men: Days of Future Past created a tangent universe and this Deadpool is very cognizant of the change in continuity. 

   In the comics, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and is very aware that he exists inside a comic book. That's the same case here as Reynolds' character makes allusions to his Wolverine movie existence as well as once being a certain Emerald Guardian in the DC Universe. But many of these jokes are subtle easter eggs and if you trek to the bathroom during the film, you'll miss tons...

   This is the beginning of a Deadpool movie franchise and with Reynolds as the star, I don't think it can fail. But as I said earlier, this is not a movie for kids. Last night, a single mom brought her son who couldn't have been older than 7 and she stormed out a half hour into the movie. It's a nearly NC-17 rated film folks, don't take your kids to see this, folks! 

   But for you, the dedicated mature super-hero fan, don't you go skipping this movie to go see Zootopia! This is the movie you've been asking for for decades. Enjoy it (and shower afterward...) Disney didn't get their hands on this character and for once, I am glad they didn't. But your favorite mutants, while often screwed over by Marvel in the comics now, thanks to mean ol' Mickey Mouse, can only truly be themselves under the leadership of FOX. So don't let them slip back into the fold of the House of Mouse! Go see this movie!!!

   Support Your Local Mutants! Wade Wilson might personally thank you- I know I will!!!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Animaniacs get DeZanitized (Family Comic Friday: Retro Edition)

   Relive the very first episodic adventure of the Warner Brothers (and Sister!)- Yakko, Wakko, and Dot (She's the cute one!)- in this 1996 graphic novel from Scholastic. 

    The Warners are a failed cartoon experiment that proved to be too zany for 1940s theatre goers. So the cartoon siblings are locked up in the Warner Bros. Studio Water Tower. After 50 years, somehow, the toons are able to escape but they're driving everyone crazy. Enter renown psychologist to the stars to cure these forgotten celebrities of their madness. Only, when everything is done, it's going to the doctor who needs therapy!

    I remember watching this Fox series when my little sister when it first appeared on TV in the 1990s. My sister was born 12 years after I was, so even though I was in high school, I ended up watching a lot of cartoons with her. Animaniacs was one of her favorites (except for Batman: The Animated Series- but who didn't love that show!) Oddly enough, a lot of folks I went to high school with liked this show too!

    One thing that made the series so endearing to everyone was the Pinky and the Brain vignette that appeared on about every third or fourth episode of Animaniacs. Eventually, the stories about the two lab rats out to conquer the world was given its own show. Just don't expect to see them very much in this book. Though, Brain, the genius, and Pinky, the insane one, appear in a couple of scenes, it's merely as cameos. But if you are looking for P&B memorabilia, then this will be something you'd want to add to your collection.

   De-Zanitized features TV cartoon quality artwork. But, without being in color, the all black & white Warner Brothers (and sister) get lost in the very detailed scenery. Regardless, this was still a fun read. 

   I found this at a yard sale for like a quarter. But you could find this book on Amazon for as low as a penny (plus shipping). Why, if you subscribe to Amazon's streaming service, you can buy the episode that this book is based on for a couple of bucks. 

   Animanics is one of the reasons that Warner Bros. and FOX dominated 90s cartoons. Filled with 1940s film references, clever puns, and wild sight gags, this was just one of several cartoons you could've seen every day after school. And it was one of the highlights of a decade that many consider having been pretty depressing. 

   If only cartoons today were of this quality...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part IV: The Forgotten Audience and My Rating

A lot has been made of the film being 'edgy.' So, is it suitable for kids? Since our heroes don't even get their powers until about an hour into the film, most of Fantastic Four will probably bore a viewer under age 10 to tears.

 Also, there is one scene in particular that is violently graphic for a PG-13 superhero flick. It takes place around the one hour and twenty-five-minute mark and lasts about two minutes. How can I describe it without giving away too much? Have you ever seen the movie 'Scanners?' The scene in question involves Victor Von Doom and a lot of exploding 'melons.' And believe me, the one time you want the CGI to be poor, this is unfortunately not it.

Really, Fox- did you forget kids might want to see this movie?

 Essentially, with the bad dialogue and terrible special effects if this movie was made 30 years ago, it would be considered an instant Classic. Add the fact that that the villain doesn't really appear until the last 20% of the movie, the plot of Fantastic Four is just the group's origin. So really the movie seems more suited as a TV-movie designed to be the pilot for a series. With Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben coming together as a team right at movie's end, I would have been much more satisfied with this project as a whole if it was geared for the small screen.

Instead, the film is like an unbalanced scale, heavy on character development (well most of them) but short on plot. Poor word of mouth hasn't helped this film. Even worse social media buzz pretty much sealed the film's fate and I fear this message will be the trend what with over 25 comics themed flicks due out in the next half decade.

   So, do like I did in 3 steps and this shouldn't be the worse film you've ever seen. 1) go to a matinee (and save a few $$$), 2) have low expectations, and 3) forget what all of the critics have said and watch the film with an objective mindset. Oh, but it might help to forget everything you know about the FF because this isn't not just your dad's Fantastic Four, it's really nobody's either.

    Sadly, for every plus I had about this film, I had an equal negative. In fact, the movie might've got a higher rate if not for the horrible final act. 

So my rating is thus:

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

  

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part III: CG-A'int and Other Missteps

  One particularly bad bit of CGI of note in Fantastic Four involves a chimp used as a test subject for the teleporter. He's so animated and poorly rendered to boot. Why a real animal wasn't used instead is beyond my comprehension.

  Another bad bit of movie magic involves test footage of Ben Grimm and Johnny fighting enemy armies. Both look like a video game instead of actual actors and Johnny even does a little signature move after he vaporizes a drone. Since Disney would not allow a video game version of the movie, I'm thinking a shelved prototype was used instead of having the actors pine for the camera.

  Thankfully, the acting wasn't that bad. Once again, the actor to play the Human Torch stole the show even though early critics thought he was going to suck. Many criticized the casting of Friday Night Light's Michael B. Jordan. Now most of those critics were super offended that a black actor was going to play the white superhero. I didn't think he had the chops based on his role on FNL. But the actor showed amazing zeal going  so far make Johnny both a little responsible and a bit of a slacker at the same time, much like his comic book counterpart.

 Another aspect that hurts this picture is the screenwriting. Dr. Storm's character is played by the wonderful Reg E. Cathey. He is supposed to be the father figure to this team. But his character is given every cliche in the book and apparently the disease is catching. As Reed establishes himself as team leader, his dialogue gets more and more bombastic to the point I was ready to put my fingers in ears. And speaking of ears, there are several swears peppered in. So, parents, you've been warned.

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part II: An Unneed to Reboot

  

A Pandora's Box is probably the best way to describe this film. When Fox announced over a year ago that they were going to reboot the franchise, fans cried foul! It had only been 10 years since the first FF feature film hit screens and many felt like it was too soon to start over. (Roger Corman made a low budget film about the Fantastic Four in 1992 but it never went anywhere.)

   But Fox insisted that the world needed a new, hip, and edgy version for younger audiences to relate to. Again, critics protested. But this time, it was those at Marvel and parent company, Disney, decrying the film.

  Disney is chomping at the bit to regain the rights to the First Family of Marvel Comics, and they did everything in their power to make this supposed blockbuster fail. Marvel cancelled the Fantastic Four and even broke the team up into little bits just so fans couldn't have a comic book version to relate to. Plus, Disney made licensing, especially with the manufacturing of toys and cartoons, nearly impossible for Fox to do. Thus, the kiddie crowd had even less of an interest in the picture.

   While I think the fans had very good point about not needing another franchise reboot. Marvel and Disney really didn't have much to fuss about. The main reason is the special effects. They are not really good. Usually on a movie screen, it's very hard to tell if something was filmed in front of a green screen. The fabric of a movie screen helps to bleed out rough edges that are usually very noticeable on TV. That's not the case here.

Fantastic Four: A Review: Part I: Going to the Movies.

    Take everything you know about the Fantastic Four and throw it out the window. This is not the 1963 line-up we've grown to love over the past 50 years. If you are familiar with the Ultimate Fantastic Four, take about half of what you know about that team and throw it out that same window.

   Today, I went to see the most controversial superhero film of 2015- Fantastic Four. It's only like the 5th day the film has been out in theatres and already it's considered a colossal bomb. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 9%,  one of the worst weekend grosses of a Marvel superhero film, and the worst viewer rating in film history, I wasn't expecting much when I went to see this picture. Why, even the movie's director, Josh Trank, went on Twitter and apologized for making it! 

   When I got my first degree (in History) I minored in Film Studies. Since I was gonig to the movie with subpar expectations, I decided I would watch the film as I had been trained and base the movie on both its technical merits and story structure with an unbiased view. I feel like I was actually able to enjoy the film more this way too.

   In this version of the Fantastic Four, Dr. Franklin Storm and his adopted daughter (Kate Mara) recruit high school student Reed Richards (Miles Teller) to join the Baxter Foundation, a think tank prep school for super geniuses. Their task is to create a transporter, an idea in which Reed's been tinkering with since he and his best friend Ben (Jamie Bell) were in elementary. Also brought into the project is troubled Victor Von Doom, a former student who was expelled for destroying research data. Rounding out the group is Dr. Storm's son, Johnny (Michael B. Jordan), a reckless teen whose last chance at redemption lies in regaining his father's trust on the Baxter Foundation project. 

    The teleporter is a success. But, when the group is faced with losing the project to NASA, Reed and Victor impetuously use the device and are transported to a parallel universe. There, the group gain mysterious powers and on their return to earth are subjected to medical tests by the military. The project's leader, played by a super-creepy Tim Blake Nelson (Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?) promises to find a cure for the teens if they will act as the artillery for some covert ops assignments. 

   However, the director has no intentions of ever curing this team but instead wants them to reopen the dimensional gate so he can create more superhuman weapons. But when he finally achieves the ability to teleport again, the world will learn that the entire project was a Pandora's Box to its destruction.

   

Family Guy & Hack/Slash Free Comic Book Day Flipbook

 

Family Guy has often been compared to as a “low brow Simpsons knock-off.” Though crash and crude, it’s extremely clever, especially in it’s parodies. So, I’m not so sure about the fore-mentioned comparison in regards to the TV show, but the Family Guy comic book is no Simpsons! The jokes, which often involve a quick cut to another person or a flashback, just doesn’t work. Plus, the art is a poor rendition of the Griffin clan.

What I did enjoy very much was on this FCBD issue’s flip side: Hack/Slash. Here, a young girl whose mother was a serial killer takes revenge on other serial killers along with a hideous strong man sidekick. Now, this is a series that though crude, crash, AND gory, it had something that was fresh and extremely entertaining. It’s kind of a darker, slightly less tongue-in-cheek version of The Goon.

I would love to get my hands on their further adventures.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Krusty Comics #1

Bongo Comics usually does a super job on their multitude of Simpsons titles. This is the exception to the rule. In this premier issue that stars Krusty the Clown, the town of Springfield gets a new theme park. But knowing the notoriously cheap clown, he's going to cut corners and that involves the safety of the park goers.

  Cue the cliffhanger....

   Ugh, that makes me so angry. I hate a cliffhanger. None of the other Simpsons comics have cliffhangers (I do give except to the Simpsons/ Futurama crossovers, but they say 'book 1/2' on the cover.) Apparently Krusty Comics is a 3-part miniseries. So, if you are expecting to enjoy a single issue story- well just don't.

   There is a couple of backup features, including one story about Sideshow Mel that too ends with 'To be Continued..." That really is beyond the pale in my book. The Mr. Teeny adventure was funny and so was Bart's map of Krustyland but neither really could save this comic from making me happy with it.

  However, I do hold this issue in some esteem as a very elaborate splash page involving Lionel Hutz reading the providers of Krusty's property contract helped inspire me in a splash page problem I was having with a comic book story due to be published later this year. For that help alone, Krusty #1 will be a permanent part of my collection but it doesn't deem it worth consuming in my book.

   Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Jada's Leaving Gotham but is Fish Mooney Doomed?

   This week the news broke that Jada Pinkett Smith is leaving the hit TV show Gotham. So, while I feel that we will all be missing out on her tremendous presence on the show, I don't think this is the end of the criminal Fish Mooney.

   My theory contains some spoilers so, if you don't want to know my theory, I suggest you leave now (but please feel free to stick around my blog and check out some of my other articles and reviews.)

Spoilers begin now...

   See, Fish has fled Gotham after her plans to dethrone Boss Falcone backfired. She took a boat out of town. But safety was not to come as Mooney's boat was attacked and she was shanghaied to a mysterious island compound. There, her and other prisoners are to be used for medical experiments and as forced organ donors.

    Recently, Mooney was taken to a medical ward and told that her eyes were to be harvested for a paying customer. Given the option of blindness or death, Mooney chose option 3 and scooped out her own eye with a spoon and squashed it flat. She woke up from her trauma to discover that she was given a new eye but due to a supply shortage on pupils, the emerald-eyed villainess was given a crystal blue eye. So, like a Saluki, she has mismatched colored eyes now.

  On last Monday's episode (that I just watched on my DVR today)  Fish was later given a tour of the facility where she and the head doctor of the facility stumble upon a patient of the clinic. The woman is in a wheelchair with a wrap over her face. The doctor reveals that she was given a new kidney and he threw in a new face for free as the patient's previous one was old and wrinkled.

   When I first heard of Jada Pinkett Smith leaving the show, I was convinced that she's going to die in some tragic way. But after watching the latest episode, I'm convinced that is not the case.

   So, here's my theory-

   On a classic episode of FRIENDS, the character Joey learns that he will be assuming the role of a veteran actress being fired from the soap opera Days of Our Lives. In a weird twist, Joey's Dr. Drake Ramoray will be given a brain transplant- thus Drake will now be the actress' character Jessica!

 So, I think Fish Mooney is going to remain on the show but she'll be played by a new actress! The woman in the wheelchair from last week was an Easter egg! The facility has perfected face transplants and in order for Fish Mooney to ever be able to show her's in Gotham City again, she must assume a new identity.

I'm willing to bet that on the last episode of this season, we'll see Fish 'dying' at the hands of the mad doctor or the raging prisoners being harvested for organ transplant. But in the very last scene, we'll view a woman looking over Gotham Harbor. She'll say something like "It's good to be back," but we will not know who see is. The camera will then pan around and we'll see this new woman's face only it have one green eye and one icy blue. Fish Mooney will have returned.

So, what do you think? Does this theory have merit? Have I hit the nail on the head or am I way off? Let me know what you think...

Bongo Comics Free-For-All FCBD 2013

 

The Bongo-Free-For-Alls usually have a Simpsons story, a Futurama tale, and maybe a short story about another Bongo Comics title like Itchy & Scratchy or Radioactive Man.

But for 2013, the Simpsons dominate with three very funny stories that for once, are NOT involving comic books and superheroes. The back cover have the Planet Express folks parodying Giant-Sized X-Men #1. Yet, that’s the only time we see the gang from the year 3,000. Is it because this season is supposedly the final season of Futurama? If so, that’s no excuse to tease faithful readers like myself.

Worth Consuming, but almost annoying enough an omission of Futurama to be considered wishy-washy.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Simpsons Comics #141 (Family Comic Friday)

    I debated for a couple of weeks before posting this review. To many, the Simpsons are not family friendly. But there are many a family in which mom, dad, and the kids gather round every the tube every Sunday to watch the exploits of American's favorite eight-fingered family. I tried to research what the rating for this comic was. The verdict: it's virtually impossible. The Bongo Comics website does not list a rating. (This is a big pet peeve of mine as DC, Marvel, and several other publishers are guilty of this sin of omission. ) I couldn't even get an answer from Yahoo! Answers or Amazon.

   So I went analog and checked several covers of this series. Again, I could not find a rating. I do know from my DVR that the show is rated PG-13. So, some kids could read this. Upon further research, I discovered that about the first 80 or so issues were given the Comics Code Authority stamp on its cover until Bongo abandoned the dying system in 2010. Generally, Code approval was for materials deemed suitable enough that they could be read by readers aged 8-10 and up. So, with that evidence, I deem Simpsons Comics #141 worthy of Family Comic Friday review.
 
Simpsons Comics are pretty much an episode of the series in print form. There's tons of sight gags, funny signs, parodies, and much, much more. I've read a bunch of Simpsons Comics and watched almost every Simpsons episode ever aired. So, I can say with some authority that some of these issues are better than the show!

  In this issue, Grandpa Simpson is tired of being ignored by his family and becomes adopted by the Flanders. Homer is jealous of the new found attention and auditions a replacement Grandpa. The winner of the Simpsons grandparent sweepstakes? Why, Mr. Burns, of course.

    The story was fun, it was fresh, and it was hilarious. The only thing missing was a short story at the end of the book. Usually, there is a 20-page story starring the Simpsons and at the end of the comic, is a 4-8 page tale that focuses on one of more of the many residents of Springfield. That backup feature is omitted here for some reason. But since the Flanders, Grandpa, and Mr. Burns are really the stars of this story, maybe that's why there isn't a 'Citizens of Springfield' backup feature.

    This issue really wasn't objectionable. Since the Flanders do appear in this issue, there are a few jokes about religion. Mostly, they involve Homer getting something wrong about the Bible. There is some violence in this book, like Homer strangling Bart and an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon which has the ubiquitous cartoon blood and gore. But I've seen worse in all-ages rated superhero comics and Bugs Bunny cartoons from the 40s.

    One thing missing from this issue is the language. On the sitcom, there's a peppering of 'hells', 'damns', and the occasional b-word. In my readings of this series, I've only come across the occasional 'hell' and the Madman Family favorite Star Wars has a couple of those in it. So, you can rest easy that your little angel isn't going to learn how to speak like a sailor in these comics (unless the Old Sea Captain is involved. Then you're on your own.)

     The biggest divide about this comic is that there is humor that a 10-year would get and a 6-year old would not. Topical humor, based on pop culture, current events, and famous people, is like beauty; as its humor can be found in the eyes of the beholder. A youngster isn't going to get a joke about Michael Jackson that an 18-year old might because Michael Jackson has been dead for five years now. But then again, I used to read Time Magazine at age 4, so some kiddos might understand a joke about the Kardashians or the war on terror while a grown-up might go "huh?"

      If I had a child, I would let then read this book if they were about 10. That's probably about the age my wife and I would allow them to watch the show. I would advise parents and guardians of kids who like the Simpsons TV show with the following: if you're letting them watch the show, there's no reason you can't let them read this book.

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Book of Moe (The Simpsons Library of Wisdom)

Moe Szyslak, the grumpy bartender on the Simpsons is perhaps the most reviled yet, beloved character on the show. Nothing goes right for him. Is it because he's bigoted, sexist, and homophobic? It is because to him classy is a box of chilled wine, a couple of Playdudes, and the all-you-can-eat buffet at the Rusty Scupper? Is it because he was born on the wrong side of the tracks or under the wrong sign? Regardless, Moe isn't what you'd call lucky in life or love. 

   But what Moe has is spunk. He won't quit and when he does, life often won't let him. How many episodes has he tried to kill himself only to have the noose untangle or the pilot light go out? Sometimes these misadventures allow him to be funny. Others put him in a very sympathetic light, with emphasis on pathetic. 

   This book is a collection of comics, vignettes, and gags about everything Moe. As are the other books in the Simpsons Library of Wisdom, the book is 'authored' by the book's star. In this guide to life, Moe takes you into his best-kept bartending secrets, his philosophy of bachelorhood and his way with the ladies. It's got some laughs and several groans, too.

   I like the Simpsons Library of Wisdom books. But this is probably my least favorite. Some parts are like Moe himself: rough on the edges and gross. 

    I've held on to it for now up until being able to review this book. But I'm more than likely not going to keep it. Moe might be good for a couple of bucks worth of trade credit. However, that doesn't mean I've given up on reading the other books in the series. If I come across them, I'll surely pick them up. For the right price, of course.
     
   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars

Gotham

I’ve now seen 4 episodes of Gotham. So I feel like I can give an adequate review of the show. With FOX ordering a full season order, I should have about 22 episodes left to watch. Oh, I can’t wait.

Gotham is a prequel to the Batman trilogy of Christopher Nolan’s. Well, sorta. There’s a big focus on the mob war brewing between the Falcone family and the Maroni’s. That was quashed by the Bat in the first film.

But another premise for this series is something that the Nolan movies haven’t really delved in. That idea is to examine how some of Batman’s biggest villains became who they are. In this series we see how Penguin, the Riddler, and Catwoman got their start. Catwoman was the only character even in the last 3 Batman films, so I’m not really sure if we’re to go under the assumption that Batman got rid of them in-between sequels or something.

One of the main problems that many fans of Batman have with this series involves the Gotham City Police Department. See when Bruce Wayne becomes the Dark Knight in the comics, Detectives Bullock, Montoya, and Allen are relative new comers to the city. But here, they’re seasoned veterans compared top fresh faced Jim Gordon, direct from Detroit.

I see this series as a sort of Elseworlds title in which somethings are tangent from the real Batman universe timeline. Also in the Elseworlds books, it’s explained that in those stories there occur things that “don’t exist or shouldn’t exist.” So maybe that’s you answer- Montoya & Allen shouldn’t be in Gotham, but hey, this is a different earth so anything can happen.

Things aren’t always as they seem and that seems to anger fans. One case in point is Harvey Bullock. In the comics, he’s a slob and kinda lazy but he’s as honest a cop as they come. Here, he’s on the take for the Falcones. Now, my theory is that Bullock is undercover for Internal Affairs, collecting data on corrupt cops. But he’s got to play a slime ball in other to fit in with the rest of the bad apples in the GCPD. Now that he’s got straight arrow Gordon as his partner, Harvey’s got to be more cunning or Jim’s going to blow his cover.

I don’t really mind that some characters are too old or that they don’t belong. I’ve been a fan of DC’s imaginary tales for so long that it doesn’t bother me. Plus, GCPD is one of my favorite series of all-time. It shows the workings of the Police Department without the assistance of the Bat. I think this series captures that spirit very well. So what if Rene Montoya would be almost 50 when Bruce dons the cowl? This is good television.

One pleasant surprise has been the character of Oswald Cobblepot (AKA the Penguin.) When I saw previews of this series, I didn’t think actor Robin Lord Taylor quite had the chops, much less any resemblance. But, I’ve been proven wrong! Taylor’s Penguin is cunning, ruthless, and has panache for the good life. His beak nose and the walk he now walks after a serious leg injury is episode 1 has made this Penguin so very close to being the definitive Penguin on stage and screen. He’s only missing a little padding- okay, a lot of padding.

Gotham has potential and it’s rumored that many more fan favorite villains and their origins will be revealed. I’m hoping they’ll tackle some of the lesser known members of Batman’s Rogues Gallery. Characters like Tobias Whale, Humpty & Dumpty, the Bookworm, and even the Mad Hatter and the original Clayface could be used to an extent that it would be plausible that they were adults and active before Bruce Wayne matures.

Like Elseworlds, the possibilities are endless even if they shouldn’t be.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Gotham airs Monday nights at 8pm EST on FOX.

 

Simpsons Comics Madness (volume 12)

 Just when I needed a pick-me-up I found this and volume 13 at a thrift store. My store has a pretty sweet deal- buy one book, get one free. I paid $.75 for both books and that’s freaking awesome.

  This book has some hilarious moments like a story that takes place in the future after Bart goes into a coma for a badly ruptured stomach. Plus, there’s some great back up features like the Kitsch Emporium’s fall catalog.

The only problem I had with this book is that it had to end.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Comics Belly Buster (Simpsons Comics volume 13)

When I need a pick-me-up or I feel like I just can’t choose what I want to real, I go for something funny. Simpsons Comics almost always fits the bill. They're almost just like the TV show, just as hilarious, with awesome sight gags and crazy plots. What I like best is how there’s a short story at the end of each comic that features one (or more) of the insane members of the Springfield community.

But with getting a collection of Simpsons comics like this here Belly Buster is that the binding is poor. The glue used the publisher, Perennial, isn’t of good quality. When you find a book like this which is about 15 years old, the glue backing is so dry and the pages are so poorly set against the spine that pages just peel off like the leaves off an artichoke.

Thankfully, I only paid $.75 for this at a thrift store. Otherwise, I’d be very upset. However, since I bought it at a thrift shop, I also can’t contact the publishers and ask for a replacement copy. You might say that maybe the previous owner was rough with the book. However, this isn’t the first time this has happened. It’s also why I’ve stopped buying these Simpsons collections new.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The X-Files #24

 

Mulder and Scully are on the track of a killer who is using a mysterious article of clothing to steal the life force from people in order to make himself young again.

   The fringe science for personal purposes idea is as old as science fiction itself. So, it’s no surprise that it’s used as a prop device here. Also used are the standard quotes Mulder uses to try and convince Scully that conspiracies are real as well as Scully’s obvious rebuttals that science has a logical answer.

   Noticeably absent from this book are aliens. That’s probably because show creator, Chris Carter, wanted to keep those story lines open for sweeps week on Fox and not wasted in a $2.99 comic.

   The art is spot on in the likeness of Fox and Dana. It’s also very gruesome like the show. The plot’s okay, but it’s be used to death- literally. All-in-all, for a book I paid less than a dollar for, it wasn’t a bad read.

  Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.