Emergency! #2

The classic TV series Emergency! is my wife's favorite show all-time. Though I really think it's Little House on the Prairie as I'll notice her watching that all the time. True, the Michael Landon production is on TV literally 12 hours a day on Hallmark and other related networks while Emergency! is in rerun maybe 1 or 2 hours daily. 

Emergency! was first a TV movie then a fill-in mid-season replacement that ran on NBC until 1977. It then ran as a series of TV movies of the week before officially being cancelled by 1979. So having Charlton Comics produce a comic book right as the show had peaked in 1976, might not have been the smartest of franchise opportunities. But then again, Charlton wasn't really known for it's brilliant business decisions, struggling to survive behind DC, Marvel and Dell/Gold Key who dominated the market at this time.

This issue sees Fireman-paramedics Roy DeSoto and Johnny Gage being sued by a neighbor of Roy's. During an off-shift cookout, the man choked on a mouthful of steak from admittedly eating too fast. Only he's filed a lawsuit claiming disability paralysis in one of his legs thanks to Johnny's lifesaving technology using the Heimlich Maneuver! 

This plot might seem a little implausible. Mind you that the Good Samaritan laws which protect citizens from being sued for well-intentioned acts during an emergency, weren't even a thing until the late 1990s. Plus the whole idea behind a paramedic rescue squad was still in its infancy in 1976. Though California led the way with the program, people were still finding ways to manipulate the system and any lawyer who chased ambulances was eager to help their clients earn a litigious payday. (Sadly, this doesn't seemed to have really abated in nearly 50 years of progress.)

This issue also has a 2-page prose story. It sees Dr. Early and nurse McCall protecting a shooting victim from the thugs who've arrived at Rampart Hospital looking to finish the job. 

Once again, Dr. Early, portrayed by jazz legend Bobby Troup, is nowhere to be found in the comic story; but he pops up in the prose backup. I suspect that Charlton didn't want to pay another licensing fee to put essentially the 5th lead actor's likeness in the book. Charlton was notoriously cheap and I'm pretty sure someone high up said that they could make an Emergency! comic book without Dr. Early, when anyone who is a fan of the show knows that in reality you can't!

I consider this book to be my wife's. And it really is. Though I have bought now 3 of the 4 comics based on the NBC classic series (there was also a 4 issue magazine that had comics stories inside), my wife has possession of these issues. Where in the heck she puts them (and whether she's actually read them or not) is beyond me. 

It was like finding a missing episode of the show! With a cover by Joe Staton and early art by John Byrne in the backup, it's a classic read that my wife and I cherish. But if I ever get the chance to craft a holiday special based on this groundbreaking series, you can be sure it's going have Bobby Troup/Dr. Early in it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating 9 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Worlds Apart

Ororo and T'Challa. A match made in Heaven, destined to be separated by their bloodlines and responsibilities. For Ororo is the mutant X-Man Storm and T'Challa is the king of Wakanda and sometimes Avenger Black Panther. 

X-Men: Worlds Apart was a 4- issue miniseries released 16 years ago in 2008. So, I think I'm not going to spoil much by saying that this story marks the start of the crumbling foundation in Ororo and T'Challa's marriage. When a Wakandan mutant is accused of murdering a high ranking official, it's up to Queen Ororo to head a royal inquiry in T'Challa's absence. 

Tensions in Wakanda are already at an all-time high. Many of the Wakandan people are distrustful of outsiders. They're even more suspicious and afraid of the mutant master of the weather. How dare an X-Man marry into the royal family! Storm discovers that a powerful psychic from her past has returned and was actually behind the murder. Unfortunately, her subjects refuse to let the lad who was manipulated into the death escape mandatory Wakandan execution. So Ororo will cross loyalties from the Queen of Wakanda to X-Men leader to ensure justice prevails. But when the Black Panther suddenly returns, possessed by the Storm's ancient foe, Ororo will have to cross some lines that will forever mar her place in the Wakandan palace and in her bonds of Holy Matrimony with T'Challa.

The main story was tedious to read. Not because of the main plotline taking place in Wakanda. It was the secondary plot involving Cyclops and the those mutated CHUDS, the Morlocks. They've got to be my least favorite part of the X-Men universe. I've never liked the Morlocks. I've always found them to be unnecessary. I thought this was going to be a tale about Storm and T'Challa. Instead, about a third of the main feature involves those annoying sewer dwellers! And it takes place during the X-Men's exile in San Francisco; perhaps the weakest of any of the Marvel mutant eras!

There was a brightspot. This book also includes a team-up of the two lovers from the pages of Marvel Team-up #100 and a late 90s issue of Black Panther. The earlier story was classic 80s Marvel with writing, plotting and art by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Back when Storm was illustrated with those mysterious cat-like eyes. That too brief short story details the origins of the two lovers first meeting as children.

The more modern tale was kinda powerful with its allegory of racism and bigotry. Yet it's also rather absurd with the narration being provided by State Department liaison to Wakanda, Everett K. Ross. True, Ross has always been a sort nervous sort of fellow. But the story was supposed to reflect a report Ross was sending to his supervisors. It was anything but professional with a bunch of jokes that fall flat.

A must for die hard X-Men fans who think the Morlocks are great. However, that's not me in the very least. That's still to not say I wouldn't be open to more stories about Storm and T'Challa. Maybe it's happened prior and I just don't know it, but I would really dig a What If... detailing what would have happened if as youngsters, T'Challa forsook the throne of Wakanda and instead went off to live with Ororo in the Kilimanjaro valley of Kenya. Would Ororo have become Storm at the request of Professor X? Would Klaw or the Man-Ape have claimed the title of Black Panther after the death of King T'Chaka? That's a story I want to read. 

Hey, Marvel... call me! I'm willing to help punch out a script!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Graphic Novel #18: The Sensational She-Hulk (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

John Byrne gives the Sensational She-Hulk the VIP treatment in the 18th edition of Marvel Graphic Novel. 

In 1979, when She-Hulk debuted in the pages of The Savage She-Hulk #1, aspiring lawyer Jennifer Walters would change into a rampaging green monster whenever someone made her mad. The transformation was like that of her cousin Bruce Banner, who was forced to give Walters a blood transfusion in order to save her life. Over time, Jen came to accept her She-Hulk form. When transformed, Walters is taller, stronger and much more attractive. Jen also becomes much more self confident and sensual as the She-Hulk, eventually earning membership as both an Avenger and part of the Fantastic Four.

The story opens with She-Hulk about to go out for a night on the town with her almost equally masculine beau, the Native American Wyatt Wingfoot. Unbeknownst to She-Hulk, she has been deemed a potential public menace due to a recent berserker rampage by the Incredible Hulk. The President of the United States has ordered SHIELD to bring in She-Hulk for a complete evaluation of the hero's prospective ability to become a threat to public safety. After a squadron of SHIELD agents in L-series anti-Hulk armor are unable to apprehend Jennifer, the law agency's acting director initiates emergency protocols and teleports She-Hulk and Wingfoot up onto the massive SHIELD helicarrier orbiting above the Manhattan skyline.

The action also beams aboard a number of civilians, including a homeless man that in the chaos allows him to slip away unseen. This failure to notice the man will go down as one of SHIELD's greatest blunders as the vagabond is something far more than human. Birthed from the same radioactive energy that courses through the veins of the Hulk and his cousin, the vagrant in reality is a living swarm of cockroaches! And this hive has plans to feast on the nuclear powered core of the SHIELD helicarrier!

After Jen Walter's tenure with the Fantastic Four, John Byrne would continue She-Hulk's solo adventures in the pages of The Sensational She-Hulk. This series would run from 1989-1994 for 60 issues. Byrne would write and illustrate a majority of the series over a course of 3 tenures. Marvel Graphic Novel #18 is a preview of what Byrne had in-store for the emerald enchantress. Sexy costumes, innuendo and partial nudity teases, which would be a staple of Bryne's She-Hulk run, are all a part of this 72-page story. In one scene, Jen is forced to be stripped searched. In observing the over exuberance of the SHIELD guards, She-Hulk asks if she should also jump rope while nude. This concept would go on to be the subject of one of many controversial Byrne covers which depict She-Hulk in a near state of undress.

(Byrne actually gives his rabid male a glimpse of uncensored She-Hulk as her entire nude backside is shown on a monitor in the background of one panel.)

Thanks to She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, a 2023 live action series starring Tatiana Maslany on Disney+, She-Hulk back issues have been in hot demand. This graphic novel doesn't appear to have been off many speculators' radar. Copies of this book can be found online with asking prices as high as $200 with $25 being about the average price requested by online sellers. A non-graded issue was featured recently on a Central North Carolina area comic shop's Facebook page for a similar price. 

John Byrne's artwork was inked by Kim DeMulder and vividly colored by Petra Scotese.

Completing this review completes Task #19 (Recommended by a Comic Book Store) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Star-Lord: Guardian of the Galaxy

For those of you wanting an omnibus type collection of the earliest stories of Marvel's Star- Lord, this is the book you've been asking for. If you loved Marvel's edgier magazine publications of the 1970s, you'll delight in the first half dozen or so stories. For someone like myself who prefers their heroes to be a little more pure of heart, you will probably hate the first half of this collection. This isn't the Chris Pratt Star-Lord that fans fell in love with at the cinema in the past decade.

Early 1970s Star-Lord is a massive jerk. The chip Peter Quill bears on his shoulder to avenge the death of his mother at the hands of reptilian aliens is understandable. Thinking everyone is beneath him when he grows up to join NASA is unprofessional. The way Quill becomes Star-Lord is just unforgivable for a hero.

NASA high ups pass Quill over for the chance to become Star-Lord. Unable to accept their judgement, Quill hijacks the project, seemingly killing guards and the Star-Lord candidate. He then disappears, only to come face-to-face with the mysterious being who bestows the Star- Lord powers. It is here that Quill is given a chance to enact his revenge on the aliens that killed his mother. Whether this really happened or was a fantasy granted to Quill in order to heal emotionally is a source of great debate. But where are the repercussions for Quill's assault on the NASA base? How come the authorities never seek to punish Quill for how he came about to become this elusive hero? With many knowing that Peter Quill is Star-Lord, that lack of consequences is implausible to me.

Once Star-Lord's adventures begin to appear in traditional floppies, the tales get better. Chris Claremont and John Byrne help to restructure Star-Lord as to being more of a real hero instead of an interstellar Frank Castle devoid of any humanity. Though I swear that the Carmine Infantino penciled stories uses artwork that I have seen used in issues of Star Wars! But if you ask me, Star Lord doesn't get darn near perfect until the mid-1990s.

This collection includes a 3-issue miniseries by Timothy Zahn that reboots Star-Lord with the new character of Sinjin Quarrel. From 1996, this story sees Peter Quill as having faded into the stuff of legend, having last appeared publicly a dozen years ago. Sinjin is a type of pre-cognitive judge assigned a post on a backwater planet ruled by a greedy landowner. Quarrel's psychic abilities bring him into contact with Star Lord's famed 'Ship', which has been in suspended animation since Quill's disappearance. 

Sinjin Quarrel agrees to temporarily become the new Star Lord until Peter Quill can be located. However, Sinjin Quarrel lacks the special abilities that the original Star-Lord had. So he'll have to rely on subterfuge brought about in cooperation with Ship to become the hero he was always meant to be.

Other than that 3-issue mini, Sinjin Quarrel has never made a return to print. Yet, he's the better Star Lord. His partnership with Ship was the stuff of buddy-cop legend. It reminds me of The Greatest American Hero where an average Joe is given a super-powered suit, only to lose the instruction manual. Why didn't this version take off? The artwork by Dan Lawlis was amazing. The writing was fantastic. I can't hold my breath on this version of Starlord (the updated version lost the hyphen in their name). It's been nearly 30 years since Sinjin Quarrel's first appearance and when the Marvel Wiki database lists that story as probably not even being canon, it looks like the Peter Quill version is here to stay.

If it wasn't for the inclusion of several Marvel Premiere and Marvel Spotlight issues that I need for my collection but don't want to pay the insane asking prices for as individual issues, I would be taking this book to a used book store for trade. With their inclusion however, it looks like this collection of Star-Lord stories are also here to stay

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #5

I've been re-cataloging my collection currently. I'm creating a back-up in case my main archive ever goes away. In this lengthy process, I am coming across some treasured items. I'm also realizing there's a lot of stuff I forgot I had, like this issue from John Bryne's photo-comic series Star Trek: New Visions. 

Taking stills from the original series along with newly created CGI-art, Bryne created a 22-issue issue series that I imagine had to have been a lot harder to create than it looks. With drawing your own comic book, your imagination can run wild. But by basing your visuals on photographs, there's only so much you can work with without being repetitive. And if you want to add action to the images though digital means, there's an even finer line you can't cross without making the changes look fake. That's the massive challenge Byrne has with this issue. 

In the story 'A Scent of Ghosts', Number One from the pilot episode 'The Cage' has returned to the Enterprise. The officer is on a short trip to her newest assignment as the commander of the USS Yorktown. Eventually, the Enterprise catches up with its sister ship. Only, the crew of the Yorktown is missing!

Kirk leads a landing party to the Yorktown. But within moments, Kirk's team begins to vanish as well, leaving only Dr. McCoy left on board to conduct the investigation! As the country space doctor checks through records, both Spock and Number One, along with Scotty, notice that the last encounter the Yorktown crew had was with a ship that the former crew members of Captain Pike are very familiar with. Only, the last time they parted ways, it was as friends. 

Scenes of Captain Pike's original interactions are peppered throughout this tribute to the most unknown first officer in Star Trek history. Considering that John Bryne only had 1 50-minute long episode of character interaction to go on with Pike's crew, I'm amazed at how well a never before revealed tale of the Enterprise was pulled off. Having most of the story set during Kirk's time as captain helped. But still, this was a feat that only a master storyteller could pull off. 

I would have liked to have seen an interaction between the two crews. That's what I thought I was getting from the cover. Alas, they just weren't the case. This omission doesn't make for a worse story. I was just disappointed. 

There's a small back-up feature set during Spock's pursuit of Kolinahr. This tale pays respect to a character whom the actress who played her had passed away just recently in real life. The stunning visuals of Vulcan reminded me of Jack Kirby's collages. Only, these were better. 

I really like this series. It always impresses me how John Byrne made these work. Hopefully, I'll one day find out his process because I am fascinated by the meticulous nature it must have took to make these books.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Sensational She-Hulk #1 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Thanks to the popularity of the live-action Incredible Hulk TV series; along with The Bionic Woman starring Lindsay Wagner; Marvel Comics created the character of She-Hulk in 1979. Created by the team of Stan Lee and John Buscema, the character debuted as the Savage She-Hulk. 

In her first issue, young lawyer Jennifer Walters is visited by her cousin, Bruce Banner. Banner is seeking legal help due to the massive amount of destruction his old half, the Hulk, has created over the years. While going out to lunch, Walters is attacked by mobsters involved with a case she is handling. Needing a life-saving transfusion, Bruce gives his cousin some of his blood and the rest is history. 

For 25 issues, Jennifer Walters fought crime by day as an attorney. When things got rough, she'd go all big and green as She Hulk. Not quite 100% mindless as Bruce's Hulk, over time, She-Hulk was able to maintain Walters mental capacities while in her hulked out form. After cancellation in 1982, She-Hulk moved to the Big Apple, becoming members of the Avengers and Fantastic Four. While with the FF, an extra dose of radiation caused Jennifer to become She-Hulk permanently. 

John Byrne was heading the Fantastic Four during She-Hulk's tenure as the team's strong body. But Byrne was far from through with the character after Ben Grimm returned to the team. Bryne crafted a pair of prestige format issues starring She-Hulk and then boyfriend Wyatt Wingfoot. After an 8-pager in the holiday themed issue of Marvel Comics Presents #18, the House of Ideas announced the creation of an all-new series to based of the character; penned by Bryne.

The new series debuted with a May, 1989 cover date. No longer was the character savage; now she was the Sensational She-Hulk. In her new comic, She-Hulk was involved in much more zanier adventures. Some of the story lines were satires of famous TV shows and films. Many of She-Hulk's adversaries were parodies of popular comic book characters from Marvel and DC. Perhaps the most lasting mark to the She-Hulk character made by John Byrne was Jen's new found ability to break the fourth wall with her readers. 

Beating out Deadpool by several years, She-Hulk knew that she was a comic book character. The cover of issue #1 has Jen threatening to destroy readers' X-Men books if her new series doesn't sell. Over the course of Sensational She-Hulk's 60-issue run, Jen would battle it out with both the artists of her series as well as Bryne. In one issue, Walters kidnaps Bryne in order to find a new writer for her book. On another occasion, She-Hulk decided to skip through the ads in her comic book in order to not let a villain get away. 

Jen's fourth wall abilities are not too far explored past the cover image in the first issue. Instead, She-Hulk makes the mistake of getting tangled up with the very circus run by the nefarious Ring-Master. Hypnotized and smeared with flesh-colored paint, Jen is now advertised as the Glamazonia and used as part of Ring-Master's ploy to rob his audiences of their hard earned dough.

Behind the scenes is a mysterious duo of scientists. They've hired Ring-Master out in order to trap She-Hulk and learn of her abilities. However, those experiments must be put on hold when someone makes an attempt on the Glamazonia's life with a runaway circus wagon.

With Disney+'s very soon debut of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law live action series, a lot of interest has been renewed in the big green machine. One of the Facebook groups I am a member of posted the first issue of this series on their feed. Since one of my tasks for my reading challenge is to read a book featured on a group I take part in, and I own most of this series, I decided to give it a read. 

Along with the script, John Bryne drew the cover. I really thought he also did the interior artwork. But that job was by Bob Wiacek (Avengers). Many fans believe that super model Cindy Crawford was an inspiration for the Sensational She-Hulk. I can see that on the covers. But in the book, I think Wiacek was trying to evoke Raquel Welch and Marilyn Monroe. 

An entertaining issue that is inspiring me to complete my run. Though with the general public's renewed interest in She-Hulk, that might be easier said than done. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #33 (That you heard about from a comic book group) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 

Emergency! #4

Issue #4 was the final issue of this series. While poor sales of the series wouldn't surprise me considering how much Charlton Comics was floundering by the mid-70s, I think the fact that Emergency! was in it's last season had more to do with it.

Based on the first issue, which I reviewed earlier this week, the story here followed the show's formula a lot more closely. Gage rescues a movie star from a car crash during a rescue call. When photographers capture the actress planting a smooch on Johnny as they exit the ambulance, it sets up a whirlwind romance. Sure, the staff of Rampart Emergency and the crew at Station 51 give the paramedic his fair share of ribbing. That he can deal with. But when the actress starts showing up at all of Squad 51's calls, Johnny finds that he may have to call things off.

At least 2 episodes of the live action version of Emergency! actually involved the paramedics and their rescues being impacted by 'fans.' A third episode had Roy dealing with a former patient who develops a crush on him after he rescues her from an action. But that paramour is never seen on screen. 

A big scene of this issue takes place at the mansion of the starlet. While it wasn't common to have the action take place during Roy and John's free time; it did happen occasionally. One episode that comes to mind is when the guys get invited to a Hollywood actor's house party after they rescued him from an angry bear. 

What was unusual for that scene is that it features in only the second time in franchise history Roy's often mentioned wife Joanne. Until this issue, her only appearance was in the pilot 2 hour TV-movie, 'The Wentworth-Townsend Act.' For a limited one-time brief role with maybe only 2 lines in her only scene, the artist of this issue actually did a reasonable job of capturing the likeness of the actress who played Joanne DeSoto, Kathryn Kelly Wiget. As for who is the illustrator of this issue, once again it's a young John Byrne (Sensational She-Hulk).

As for the likenesses of actors Kevin Tighe and Randolph Mantooth, once more they are spot on. My favorite character, Dr. Early, played by jazz legend Bobby Troup, pops up in the story this time. And Dr. Brackett is in the background in one or two panels. Both good likenesses. But no nurse Dixie! Also missing are the regular crew of Engine 51. No Chet, Mike or Marco. We see someone named Capt. But it's not Captain Stanley nor the actor who portrayed him on TV, Michael Norell. I know that because the character didn't have a thick mustache!

I wonder why none of the minor characters are used in either issue I read. Was it all because of the licensing of likenesses? Seems like such a minor thing. But with Charlton known for being a notoriously penny-pinching publisher, it wouldn't surprise me one bit. 

Again as with issue #1, there's a short prose story. It involved Squad 51 getting called to a domestic disturbance and being held hostage by a gunman. It was a clever story. But like the main illustrated feature, it had an abrupt ending. Let me tell you, that feature ending actually had me scared. The word 'end 'was so tiny that I overlooked it completely. Thus when I turned a page and saw ads, I was afraid that my wife's issue was missing pages. Coming across such a print error has happened to me before. It's infuriating. But thankfully that wasn't the case here.

A much better issue than felt more like an Emergency! comic than just a random story about first responders. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Emergency! #1

Inspired by having just finished an old issue of Dr. Kildare and a back issue surprise that I'll be getting to tomorrow, I raided my wife's tiny comic book collection. My bride is a huge fan of the TV show Emergency! Running on NBC for most of the 1970s, the show followed the crew of station house 51. With the newly formed paramedic program, fire fighters John Gage and Roy DeSoto were tasked with saving the people of Los Angeles County while educating Californians about emergency services. 

At the time of the show, there were roughly 2 dozen paramedic crews operating in a county the size of Connecticut with a population of Chicago occupying it. The landscape varies from densely packed urban sprawl to sparse wilderness areas filled with cliffs, coastline and lush forests. Thus, Roy and Johnny were expected to save lives hanging from the sides of buildings as well as in the middle of a raging wild fire while being coached via a primitive form of cellular phone by the doctors at Rampart Emergency!

This premiere issue based on the TV show doesn't really follow the format of the series. The story has Roy and John responding to a warehouse fire. Then about 10 pages are devoted to a pair of police officers that have never once appeared on the show, trying to find the owner of the building. On about page 12, we return to the paramedics who learn that the fire was a case of arson and radioactive material stored inside has been stolen. With their shift over, Roy goes home for his wife's birthday. Johnny decides to play detective and with the help of the LAPD, finds the culprit and the stolen material. 

I don't understand why a third of the story focused on characters not even on the show. Sure, cops appear on the series from time to time. But, they're secondary characters at best and not once has the action ever shifted away from Roy and John over to the other boys in blue. Yes, occasionally, Roy and Johnny play detective to help solve a crime or some sort of injustice. But they've never done it off the books in the kind of Dirty Harry without guns sort of way like in this issue.

The artwork for this issue was by comics legend X-Men's John Byrne. Equally legendary is the cover artist, Joe Staton (Dick Tracy). So, I was kinda puzzled by a goof made by him at the beginning of the story. Roy tells John that they need to put on air masks before entering the warehouse fire. Yet, that never happens. Plus, I thought that the ending in which the doctors of Rampart callously watch a patient die alone from radiation sickness was just so very unlike the characters. But that sort of blame is on the writer of which whose name escapes me.

I've learned over the past couple of years that some TV/Movie comic adaptations were rush jobs. The purpose of these books was advanced advertising, mostly to kids. In some cases, the characters had yet to be cast and nor were the sets built. There weren't even established scripts to cull from! So the authors and illustrators had to use a lot of creative license. The earliest Dell Star Trek comics were guilty of this. But Emergency! #1 debuted in 1976; several years after the show had already been on air. So, I really don't understand why the departure from the established tropes of the live action original.

The prose short story, included in order for the publication to maintain its first class postage status, captures the show's format almost perfectly. It's about an elderly man who lives alone and how the paramedics rallied around the guy to keep him active and social. Not the most perfectly written story as at one point Johnny tells Dr. Early over the bio-phone to give the patient an IV. That should be the other way around.

Issue #1 wasn't the worst TV adaptation I've ever come across. (A 1980s version of Lost in Space has that current distinction). It's just that a majority of the flaws that occur in this book are things you'd expect in early run books. Not something to find in stuff based on properties already established on TV. Nice renderings of the actors who play Roy and Johnny. And a very youthful but amazing capture of songstress Julie London who played head nurse Dixie McCall. 

It's a good overall interpretation of Emergency! Only it doesn't quite feel like an episode of the 70s medical adventure drama.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #18

2 unexpected holiday themed Marvel Comics Presents in a row?!? I must have been really good this year!

In the first Christmas carol, Jennifer Walters, newly unencumbered from the Fantastic Four is rather lonely this Christmas Eve. So the She-Hulk places a call to her former team leader, Benjamin J. Grimm- the ever Blue-eyed Thing! It seems like a trip down memory lane. That is until Doctor Doom shows up. Then Magneto and then... Nope not going to spoil it! All I will say is that this was a wild one and a great set-up piece to She-Hulk's amazing solo series by John Byrne.

The other Christmas piece also centers around a member of the Fantastic Four family. It's Baxter Center postman Willie Lumpkin who is accidentally visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. The spirits were supposed to haunt J. Jonah Jameson. Instead, this case of a wrong delivery will turn the usual happy-go-lucky postal worker into a scrooge too!

Only 2 of the 4 stories are Christmas tales. But when you add the festive cover, this is a yule tide treat! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #22

The Enterprise crew are summoned to the planet of the Guardian of Forever. Time ripples are threatening to tear apart the research station in orbit above the Guardian. The source of the trouble appears to be in the late 90s during the aftermath of World War III and the Eugenics War. 

Kirk and Spock enter the Guardian in hopes of fixing the time ripples. But instead of arriving in an area of utter devastation, the Federation officers find themselves in the middle of a bustling suburban business center. 

Almost instantly, the duo are rendered unconscious by an unknown force. When they recover, they find themselves facing an old ally- Gary Seven. Only this time traveler has no knowledge of Kirk, Spock or the Federation of Planets. That's because this is a Gary Seven from an alternate earth!

The last issue of John Byrne's labor of love. On paper, it appeared that this issue was going to be a home run! It's got the Guardian of Forever, Gary Seven and time travel; a trio of fan favorite Trek plot devices! And yet, the X-Men and Superman legend barely manages to get to second base with this story. 

Overall, New Visions #22 is a confusing mishmash of alternate timelines that aren't really explained that in-depth. Kirk and Spock go to an alternate earth that never experienced the devastating effects of the third World War. Several crew members travel through the Guardian to rescue Kirk and Spock when contact with them is cut off. But those characters end up in the right time line. It's never explained why the Guardian did this.

Then there's the villains behind this caper. Their inspiration for attempting to destroy time is also never really explained. It's almost like Byrne had so much that he wanted to put into this story but ran out of book in which to do it!

Lastly, there's that Trump reference. I was really disappointed in it. I thought John Bryne was classy enough to not stoop that low. I was wrong. That knock on POTUS #44 took away from the fantastic whimsy of the Star Trek Universe and instead made it real. It also capped a forgettable story that closed out otherwise an unforgettable series that I looked forward to on a regular basis. 

A major disappointment.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #21

Two great stories comprise this John Bryne produced picto-comic.

In the first adventure, Captain Kirk and the Klingon commander, Kor are taken prisoner by an all-new alien race. The unlikely allies escape their prison together because they've both been implanted with detention charges in their hearts that will explode if either gets further than 10 meters from the other. 

The second tale takes place aboard the Christopher Pike Enterprise. Here, the crew encounter a ship and a weary traveler that according to read-outs are from early 1900s Earth. While the technology and the science of the traveler's story seems to check out, clearly there's something odd. Because this Victorian era space traveler is also the character from a novel by H.G. Wells!

Both stories were very good. The Kirk and Kor story was better if only because I wasn't familiar with the Wells' story that was the inspiration for the Pike episode. I love Bryne's creativity and enthusiasm with these stories. I hate that the series just recently came to an end.

What I had issue with was some of the 'art'. The premise of these untold tales of Star Trek: The Original Series is that they are made of old cast photos mixed with new CGI photo shop. I normally overlook the oddity of how the computerized stuff looks. But I can't this time.

There were several panels in the Kirk/Kor story in which I couldn't tell what it was Bryne had made. Turns out later it was a phaser weapon used by this new alien race. But it was so poorly crafted and just plain dark and hard to make out. Then there's the space traveler in the Pike-era set adventure. At first, he looks pretty decent for an all-new character. But by the end, he starts looking like parts of his faces were being morphed out of existence. I swear, one panel looked like Scotty was transporting the poor guys lips right off his face. 

The stories were good, the photos were great but the new art had some technical issues. So really bad, the Enterprise explodes in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock technical issues...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Superman: The Earth Stealers

Set right in the middle of John Bryne's amazing run on Superman, this one-shot has the Man of Steel fighting for Truth, Justice and the Earthling-Way! 

Someone has stolen the earth from it's orbit. This mysterious entity is towing the former third rock from the sun to a giant processing plant in the farthest reaches of the galaxy. There, the earth will be stripped down for it's raw materials and the people of earth will be used as fuel for the planet killer's refineries. 

In order to save the earth, Superman agrees to a test of strength. However, his foes are also massive cheats as they've weakened the Man of Tomorrow by using red-sun lights as well as Superman's friends as bargaining chips.

The John Byrne era of Superman is like a fine wine. It's gotten better with age. In fact, most modern Superman fans agree that this is one of the best, if not the best, Superman runs. Byrne was obliviously a fan of Superman and it shows in stories such as this one. 

I don't think the post-Crisis Superman had ever been through such a test as The Earth Stealers. This one-shot really seals the deal with this rebooted Superman being an untapped resource of raw-energy. I remember fans being upset that Bryne made Superman not as strong as he was before the events of Crisis. But stories such as this showed that Superman wasn't a wimp but hero maturing in his powers. As a kid, I hated seeing Superman struggle. As an adult, I love watching Kal-El grow from Clark Kent into the Last Man from Krypton. 

An almost forgotten Superman classic from the 80s. Features a fantastic story from John Byrne, amazing art from master Superman artists Curt Swan and Jerry Ordway. This can be a dollar bin gem. You just have to look for it!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #20

The crew of the Enterprise individually find themselves alone during a systems malfunction. Now the crew must piece together what has gone wrong while being tested with memories from their past. Can they get to the bottom of this mystery while not being able to trust their very own eyes?

Another John Byrne story that was quite intriguing. The level of detail Byrne has given on recreating all of the decks of the Enterprise is insanely good. But again, when it comes to all-new creatures, there's something off about them.

It's kinda like a Pixar movie. The animals, toys, and creatures created in those type of movies are really cool looking. But the staff at Pixar just can't make a human being look like a human being. Is their some sort of joint limitation of CGI and Photoshop when it comes to humanoids???

I love this series. I really love it when I can find issues for only a dollar a piece. $7.99 is just too much to pay for a monthly comic.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #6

The story of the Federation's first encounter with the Borg can finally be told thanks to John Byrne!

Using Photoshop and an insane amount of photos from the original Star Trek TV series, Byrne tells the stories of Kirk, Spock and the crew you always wanted to see. I love this picto-comic series. Byrne tries so much to make these stories so vintage-like, you feel like you are watching a lost episode from the 1960s.

I've been a fan of John Bryne since his X-Men days and have adored his post-Crisis take on Superman. I'd buy every issue in this series right of the shelf if I could, but the $7.99 price tag has been way too steep for me. Thankfully I found a couple of issues for only a buck at one of my favorite thrift stores.

This was an exciting read. Not all of the Photoshopped images look very realistic. But I appreciate that Byrne doesn't just cut and paste everything either. There's a ton of asteroids in this story and I couldn't find a pair of matching space rocks anywhere.

And that ending was perfectly killer!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Just Imagine... Stan Lee Creating The DC Universe Omnibus

Right around 2001, this story took the comic book industry by storm.  Career Marvelite, Stan Lee was going over to DC Comics to create his take on Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League of America!

I wasn't back into comics just yet. But even when I heard this story, I thought it was both awesome and strange. Turns out I wasn't the only one as some of DC's most legendary talents including Joe Kubert, Jim Lee, and Dan Jurgens thought that this was a bizarre pairing too. But every single one of these guys heartily said yes to being a part of this historic project. 

Stan Lee doesn't seek to fix the DC icons. No, he merely gets a chance to create them in the Marvel way he established in the 1960s. Thus, Stan would give his ideas to his artists, they would draw out the characters based on Stan's tutelage and then the Living Legend would fill in all the text bubbles and captions himself. 

The overall premise of this storyline was that the mystic tree of life Yggdrasil was threatened by a demonic menace lead by Reverend Dominic Darrk. So, the tree used it's green hued life force to craft a team of heroes to defend the earth. It would be up to these unlikely heroes to rise against growing threat in an entity known as Crisis...

This book is divided into 2 parts. The classic characters of Batman, Green Lantern and the Flash make up the first half with Robin, Shazam, and the Sandman starring in act two. I preferred the second act of characters a lot more than Stan's take on the founding members of his JLA. Their origins were just too similar to how Marvel legends such as Spider-Man, Thor, and Silver Surfer were laid out by Stan the Man in the early 60s. 

But the second string of heroes such as Aquaman and Catwoman were so different and unique to just about anything on the market. I really hate that Shazam was pretty much a one-and-done thing because that new take on the character was really that good! I want to see this as a live-action series on Syfy! 

My least favorite revamp was Superman. Maybe it's because I am biased as the Man of Steel is my all-time favorite character (though Captain America could reclaim that title at any moment...) But this version of Superman was too much of a butt-head instead of inspiration and he was made way too weak. 

Okay, weakness is a big flaw in most of these characters. DC's characters are known to be sources of limitless power and resolve. The Marvel characters fathered by Stan Lee had weaknesses to which endured to comic book readers. But Stan's DC Universe seems to have chronic fatigue syndrome. 

While I have picked up a couple of Just Imagine issues in my travels through the bargain bins of America, this miniseries wasn't really on my radar. But with Ollie's massive DC blowout, I found this massive 700 page plus edition for only $13 and I could not pass it up!

It was a good read both for entertainment and historical purposes. But it's not the greatest thing from either DC Comics or Stan Lee that I have ever read. The jury is still out on whether I will keep this omnibus or not. It takes up a lot of real estate. However, should you ever come across this collection like I did for such a dramatic discount- do not pass it up! It will keep you entertained for hours.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Essential Marvel Two-In-One, Volume 3

The team-up adventures of the Fantastic Four's Blue-Eyed Benjamin Grimm continue in the pages of Essential Marvel Two-In-One, Volume 3. 

This book begins with a massive story about The Thing becoming a security adviser at Project Pegasus. The Marvel equivalent of Project Cadmus, The Thing teams with a number of superheroes such as Quasar and Goliath as an odd assortment of villains try to break in and out of the research center.

After his tenure at Pegasus is complete, Grimm teams with an assortment of characters from the Marvel Universe including the Avengers, the Howling Commandos, and the original Guardians of the Galaxy. That last crossover will result in a strain in the relationship of the Thing and his gal pal Alicia Masters. Thus, the last third of the book gets a little sappy. 

Featuring Tom DeFalco, Chris Claremont, John Byrne, George Perez, and many more from the Marvel Bullpen, this was an great collection of issues from the late 70s rolling into the early 80s despite the corny lost love angle. Fans should really study the Claremont and Byrne issues as they highlight the gelling partnership between the duo that would most redefine the X-Men to become the most popular superhero group for a generation. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Essential Marvel Team-Up Volume 4

Another collection of Spider-man team-ups with some of the best, brightest, and most unusual characters in the Marvel Universe. (The Adam Warlock/ Strangers tale might be one of the best cosmic stories that I've ever read!) It may not seem like much, this volume. But, this is perhaps one of the most important collections of Marvel Team-Ups ever put together. 

Volume 3 includes the some of the first ever appearances of Iron Fist, the Giant-Sized X-Men, the villain Arcade, and the first American appearance of Captain Britain. A number of these issues are the first ever pairing of writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne, right before their lengthy partnership on X-Men. If anything else, this book also opened me up to a slew of issues and reprints that I didn't know I wanted until now, including the ultra-rare Essential Marvel Team-Up Volume 4.

There's a wealth of great Spider-man stories in this volume. But there's one noticeable omission, Marvel Team-Up #74 in which Spidey teams up with the Cast of Saturday Night Life. Due to licensing agreements, that issue could not be reprinted. But that's okay, as a very long time ago I bit the bullet and bought that classic issue for about $15- and it was worth every penny!

Along with Claremont and Bryne, there's a ton of great talent in this book including Bill Mantlo (Rom: Spaceknight), Sal Buscema, and Ralph Macchio. 

A collection that should not be overlooked just because it's in black and white.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: New Visions #16 (Time Out of Joint)

John Byrne has developed an unique and fun way to keep the original Enterprise crew alive in his New Visions series.

Kirk’s Time Runs Out

In the latest issue, The Enterprise is tasked to investigate the sudden appearance of a rogue planetoid. During the ship’s approach, the Enterprise is hit by a massive energy wave. As a result of the wave, Captain Kirk is dislodged from the time stream.

The Captain’s first jump is into the near future. The Enterprise is severely crippled and most of the bridge crew is dead. When Kirk escapes the bridge, he finds himself in the sickbay weeks before Starfleet’s orders to investigate the mysterious planet.

As Kirk jumps from the past, present and future, the captain uncovers the mystery leading up to the destruction of the Enterprise. Eventually, Kirk believes that he’s got the entire mission figured out in order to save his crew. Yet everything comes to a screeching halt when Kirk exits the engineering room and finds himself back at Starfleet Academy. Now no longer able to jump through time, has Kirk done enough to prevent his beloved Enterprise’s fate?

A Mix of Medias

    This type of book is called a picto-comic. A picto-comic combines stock photos, original episode footage, and photoshop. In New Visions,along with an all-new story, John Byrne is able to bring fans a new batch of adventures with the real Kirk, Spock, and the rest.

   I’ve seen this process a couple of times before. With a picto-comic of old, often the photos are too blurry. Also, the photoshopped work has a sheen that doesn’t match with the rest of the artwork. However, with advances in computer technology, this IDW work looks nearly seamless. The vision of New Visions isn’t flawless. Some of the poses and airbrushing is still a little disconnected. Yet, this is one of the best picto-comics I’ve ever encountered.

     New Visions retails for $7.99. My previous experience with picto-comics had left me hesitant to spend that much on a comic- even if it is 48-pages long. One thing that really helps this book is the masterful storytelling by John Byrne. This entire issue was a great trip through the final frontier. Sometimes I feel like the man can write the phone book and make it interesting. John Byrne might not have perfected the art method behind New Visions yet. But one thing is for sure, Byrne has the ability to make the 60s era Star Trek seem timeless.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

First of all, I love this book. The stories are great. The art is classic 80s/90s. I love the writing and there’s not a weak story in the bunch. I very much consider this book worth consuming, but there is a catch. This isn’t a collection of comics about the 90s TV show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. It’s a collection of post-Crisis tales that inspired the show. Even though the back cover explains this, the front is devoid of this info, thus, I felt like it’s false advertising.

With Superman being added to the CW's Supergirl, I'm really digging the Man of Steel in a major way that's been missing with the Zack Synder movies. I didn't hate them, but having Superman be more of a god among men than a super-powered alien just isn't my style of Superman. Plus, having Dean Cain as Supergirl's adopted father, I've been nostalgic for Lois & Clark. Corny as it may have been, it was a cool show.

If I had all the stories contained in this volume, it would mean I spent money on books I already had. Adding to the problem is that the book doesn’t have an index to let you know what issues are collected within. So, if you have an extensive late 80s Superman collection, this may not be the collection for you if you are looking for never before collecting material. Buyer Beware- but keep in mind I am a big fan of John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, and Dan Jurgens and think the material within is top notch.

However, the cover sucks rocks. Kidding! I actually miss Teri's Lois Lane too!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Untold Legend of the Batman

   The Untold Legend of the Batman reprints the 3-issue miniseries written by Len Wein. Originally published  in 1980, it features art by John Byrne and Jim Aparo. The book is a virtual encyclopedia of the life and times of not just the Wayne family but the Batman Family as a whole and a few of the Dark Knight's Rogue's Gallery.

    When I first read this book in 1989, I thought this was one of the biggest piece's of crap I had ever read. Dr. Thomas Wayne was the first Batman? Bruce was the first Robin?? And just who the heck was Lucius Fox, Jack Edison, and Philip Wayne?

    I must admit, at age 12, my scope of knowledge about the Caped Crusader was severely limited. So, much of this book felt made-up or in complete error to me. Now with an addition 25-years of reading and watching Batman comics, books, films, cartoons, and much, much more- I must say that this book got it right. Well, they did until the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' erased much of the history contained in this epic miniseries in 1985. No longer did Batman know who killed his parents, Thomas wasn't the original Batman, and a young Bruce now lived with Alfred at Wayne Manor after the death of his parents.

    Then a little bald man named Grant hit the scene in 2000...

    When the Scottish Wunderkind started writing Batman, Grant Morrison re-established many of the previous bat-facts that I thought were preposterous. In a way, it was Morrison's work on the various Batman titles that validated the Untold Legend of the Batman to me. It also made me want to read the book again.

   Fast-forward about 15-years. Last month, I took some books to a used bookstore in hopes of A) making more room and B) getting some new stuff. Well, as I waited for my trade credit totals to come back, I shopped around where thanks to my lovely wife, I finally found a copy of this book!

    The original copies I had were reprints that came along with cassette tapes that read the story to you. I think my mom gave them to me for Christmas or my birthday. The book my wife found was a pocket-sized paperback, reprinted around 1982 by TOR books. I have seen this book a couple of times on Facebook, but that was about it. Needless to say, this book is kinda hard to find. It may not be rare, but it is scarce. (Okay- a quick check of eBay reveals that the online bidding site had quite a few of these. But in terms of running across this at a con or comic book store at a price I liked- I've not been able to find it before.)

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.