Grumpy Cat: The Grumpus and Other Horrible Holiday Tales (Family Comic Friday)

Although the world was only graced with 7 years of life of Grumpy Cat (real name: Tarder Sauce), the spirit of the prickly puss lives on. In a brand new collection of holiday stories, Grumpy Cat and her ever so positive brother Pokey, celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and Three Kings Day in ways only feisty feline could. The title story of the Grumpus is Grumpy Cat's Christmas time warning to her brother that the holidays is not a season of glee but doom! Later we learn that cinnamon is Grumpy's greatest foe. Witness as aliens make first contact with Grumpy and Pokey in order to learn about Christmas. A malevolent spectre warns Grumpy of potential Christmas future troubles before this collection wraps up with Grumpy filling in for Old Saint Nick.

There have been Grumpy Cat (And Pokey!) comics before. But from what I can tell none of them were holiday specials. That means that the complete Grumpus and Other Horrible Holiday Tales is 100% all-new material! And I had a humongous amount of fun with this book!

There are a number of tales involved in this book including Steve Orlando, Derek Fridolfs and Silvia Bancora. Each story has differing art as well as differing ways of story framing. One tale is done in rhyme. Another is told partially. I'm thankful for that variety as I think if all the stories were told in a similar fashion, it would have gotten a tad stale. The main thing is that throughout 9 different tales, the snarky catatude of Grumpy and the wide-eyed wonder of Pokey never wavers!

Recommended by Amazon for readers aged 12-14 I think that there's something for everyone. Think the Grumpus, which is a Grumpy Cat version of Krampus or the Ghost of Christmas Future is too intense for the young readers in your life? Just skip those tales for the all-ages fun of the 'Grumpy Cat Vs. Merry Martians' or the hilarious chaos of the Hanukkah entry. Then in later years when those readers get old enough to read those slightly more intense Christmas Carols, it'll be brand new material for them!

A new holiday classic from a beloved feline icon. I miss Grumpy Cat.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Grumpy Guide to Life: Observations from Grumpy Cat

I don't know if I have ever said it in this blog, but I have gone on record as to have said 'I miss Grumpy Cat.' I also miss L'il Bub. Last year, both beloved feline icons died. And it seems like the world has just gone to heck without them.

That's why I am so glad that I found this cute little book devoted to the wit, wisdom and irritation of Grumpy Cat (AKA Tartar Sauce.) 

Having crippling social anxiety and Reynaud's Syndrome, I can relate to Grumpy in terms of not desiring to being around people. With the anxiety, I'm just a ticking time bomb of fear. With Reynaud's, my skin hurts all the time and I do not want to be touched. I am just miserable. 

So, reading a couple hundred pages of someone else who doesn't like to be bothered really sticks with me.

I also am a cat person. I get along with dogs. But cats are my jam! They can be so chill and relaxing. And as someone who loves books, cats just really seem a better fit when you want to sit and devour a good book. 

This book is also filled with dozens of funny and adorable pictures of Grumpy. There's a couple of pics of Grumpy with her sibling Pokey! 

If you are looking for a laugh, especially in this time of social distancing, then you must read the writings of the master of wanting to be alone!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Grumpy Cat (and Pokey!) Halloween Comic Fest 2016

This 2016 Halloween Comic Fest mini comic was a delight and a half! Pokey wants his brother Grump Cat to go trick-or-treating with him. Of course, GC isn't having any of it. Thinking he can have a peaceful Halloween night, Grumpy challenges his brother to spend the night in a haunted house. Everything seems alright at first until Pokey hears a ghost. Grumpy naturally thinks Pokey is just freakin' out being in the haunted house and with a All Hallow's Eve at home in his sights, Grumpy eggs his sibling on. That is, until Grumpy ends up face-to-face with a ghost cat!

Of the mini comic freebies from last year, this one was my favorite. Grumpy Cat is in many ways like Garfield- only funnier. Way more funnier. Pokey is such a great character and has such great chemistry with Grumpy. Plus Pokey is tons more likable than Garfield's 'nemesis' Nermal, who can be quite arrogant and annoying.

There was a small 2-3 page story about Grumpy and Pokey going to Comic-Con in the back. It had some great art renderings of a bunch of cosplayers. But I didn't really understand the punchline to that episode.

Overall, this was a dynamite Halloween read from the gang at Dynamite. I loved the killer cover of Grumpy Cat as Jason from Friday the 13th! (Yes- pun intended!)

You might have trouble finding a copy of this mini-comic. But just about any comic book shop in America sells the further monthly adventures of Grumpy Cat! Check them out!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

A Madman's Halloween 2017 Reading List... (Part 1)

It's that time of year again. The days get shorter. The nights get longer. A chill is in the air and soon, the Witching Hour of October 31st will soon be upon us.
And with that I have crafted my 2017 Halloween reading list to help get more in that spooky spirit of All Hallow's Eve. I spent all last night combing my vast collection of over 9,000 books to conger up a few scares. I've grouped my reads into different categories in order to help those of you be inspired to find the right spooky comic book for your countdown to terror. So read on if you dare...

For the Kiddies...

All of these books were selections from the 2016 Comic Book Halloween Fest held in comic shops nationwide. The next such event is scheduled for October 28th. For an look at those titles click here...

Disney's Great Parodies: Mickey's Inferno (Mini-comic)

This is a Disney-fied version of Dante's Inferno. Reprinted and translated from it's original Italian, the book is a parody of Dante's Inferno, about a young man's trip to Hell. Only the opening chapter to the Papercutz graphic novel, the book is recommended for ages 6-11! I'm not kidding, that's what Amazon says. Well, might as well get the kids started on the classics early in life.

Grumpy Cat and Pokey (Mini-comic)

The world-famous cat behind a 1,000 memes has his own series of comics with his brother Pokey. Despite the Friday the 13th cover, this book is geared for readers of all-ages and the series is a million times funnier than anything Garfield.

Grimmiss Island (Mini-comic)

From the Art Baltazar and Franco, the minds behind such titles as Tiny Titans and Itty Bitty Hell Boy comes Grimmiss Island. The star of the book is a sort of tiki god golem that protects his creators from the evil volcano gods. For readers 8-12.

Archie's Mad House (Mini-comic)

Archie has been a mainstay of the Halloween Comic Fest since it's inception. Tons of collections devoted to Archie and all of his Halloween and other holiday stories can be found online and comic shops the world over.

The Three Stooges Halloween Hullabaloo

You'd think that this generation of young readers wouldn't be open to the Stooges. Yet, it's been a successful series for several years now. Who would've thought? It's great to see that some classics don't die away. Suggested readership is 8-12 years of age.

For Teens and Up...

Yes, the comics offered at Comic Book Halloween Fest aren't just for kids- there's books for teens and adults given away for free.  Here's a look at some selections from last year's event.

The Haunted Mansion #1

Part of Marvel's Disney Kingdoms series, this is a reprint of the 2015-16's miniseries devoted to the 999 spooks of the Haunted Mansion. For ages 12 and up.

You Choose the Story When You're the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1

I'm pretty sure that this isn't a Halloween themed story. Every once and a while, one of these gets added to the Halloween Fest mix. I don't particularly like it when this happens, but it's a Choose Your Own Adventure type comic and when I saw this last year, it literally was crying out for me to take it home. 12 and up.

John Carpenter's Tales For a Halloween Night, Volume 2

If you don't know why John Carpenter and All Hallow's Eve are as synonymous as peanut butter and jelly, google the words 'Michael Myers' right now! (I'll wait...) This selection of stories is from his award winning anthology series featuring the talents of Stephen King, Steve Niles, and many more. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 10 #8

Not an offering from Comic Fest. But this continuation of the Joss Whedon series is perfect for this category. It seems that Buffy becomes a sort of cultural touchstone for people once they become teenagers. I bought this in a bargain bin for a buck just because of the Halloween cover. We shall see if it's a holiday themed story...

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And that will wrap up part one of my list. In part two, I take on the adult books as well as some classic scares.
Over the month of October, check out my personal blog Madman With a Book where I will be posting my reviews of these books as well as many other titles,
I hope this list will inspire you to seek out some comic and graphic novel frights in time for Halloween. If you have any suggestions of you own for what makes the perfect Halloween reading list, please post theme in the comments section below...

Grumpy Cat & Pokey #1 (Free Comic Book Day 2016 Edition) (Family Comic Friday)

   The unimpressed cat that launched a thousand memes has her own comic book. Just this year, Dynamite Comics issued a comic book series called Grumpy Cat & Pokey based on the internet sensation. But, before Dynamite released the series, the publisher made the brilliant move to issue a Free Comic Book Day preview of the new title and I must say- their marketing campaign worked!
    But before we get to reviewing the comic, let's look at the title: Grumpy Cat & Pokey. Well, just who is Pokey? Is he a made up character just for this series. Actually, no. Pokey is the twin brother (same litter) of Grumpy Cat (AKA Tardar Sauce.) And boy, is he funny!
     Grumpy Cat & Pokey have a vibe similar to another classic cat duo- Garfield and his arch-nemesis, Nermal, the World's Cutest Cat. Both Pokey and Nermal get on the last nerves of perpetual sour pusses Grumpy Cat and Garfield. But while Pokey's optimism is often the bane of Grumpy's existence, Nermal can be quite rude and annoying with his vanity. 
      Grumpy and Pokey have great comedic timing with each other. Whether it's Pokey's attempt at turning the duo into superheroes or his trying to convince Grumpy to becoming a Hollywood star so they both can eat people food- no matter what happens, Grumpy's got a funny one-liner to offer or Pokey's skewed thought process just messes things up with his wild antics. It's all comedy gold here folks.
     Sometimes when you read a book based on a licensed product, the material gets stale. There's no originality. The jokes are older than moldy gym socks and you just can't wait for the book to end. Not so here, as every misadventure was fresh and enjoyable. I even laughed out loud on several occasions! 

The Real Life Pokey (L) & Grumpy Cat.

      The artwork will appeal to all-ages. But there are some big words and a couple of the jokes might seem a little harsh. Plus the cartoon violence rivals Tom & Jerry or the road Runner. But readers aged 7 and up will really love this series. 
      A must for any fan of Grumpy Cat and by the end of this issue, you'll be a fan of Pokey's too!

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.