Adventures in Advent: Advent 2024, Day 21

If you follow my Advents annually, you'll know that I devote one of my days to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. My wife is half Jewish and we celebrate the festival of lights by putting up a fire safe menorah (because we have cats) and decorate one of the trees in our yard with blue and white lights and decorations.

But 2024 is a bit of an anomaly. Hanukkah begins on December 25th and I always make sure to focus on the birth of Christ on my Christmas Day Advents. I also partially plan out my Advents weeks in advance and I've got my next 4 days set. Thankfully I didn't have a calendar selected for today and I'm able to continue my annual look at Hanukkah.

You might think that they don't make Hanukkah Advent calendars. Well, you'd be wrong. Instead of being 12, 24 or 25 days long, Hanukkah Advent calendars are only 8 nights- NOT DAYS- long. That's because of the miracle of the Temple in which God stretched out the oil for the lamps to last slightly over a week. Plus as with all Jewish days, they start a new at sundown- not midnight.

#1- Astor Chocolate sells a Hanukkah Chocolate Calendar. Filled with chocolate coins, called gelts,  made of dark chocolate and milk chocolate which is the currency of choice for the most serious of dreidel players. 

#2 on Etsy, seller Ohhappydayconfection offers a Hanukkah Countdown comprised of cookies and gummy candy. 

3. With seller Cubinizer on Amazon, you can make your own Hanukkah Countdown. You receive 8 small linen sacks that are numbered and bear classic Hanukkah images. Fill them with treats and goodies. Reuse yearly. 

4. Poshmark and other online sellers has felt  and fabric calendars similar to the one I had as a kid and reviewed for Day 1. It's a multicolored felt countdown equipped with 8 numbered candles. Each night you add a flame until you have the whole octet blazing.

5. Why should the humans have all the fun? Middle sells a Chanukah Countdown Calendar for cats! This countdown features 8 boxes being Hanukkah images filled with an assortment of balls, stuffed mice and more. Made of sturdy material, the boxes can be refilled and reused every year.

6. Make all 8 nights of Hanukkah a movie night (or TV marathon) with the Pop 'N Dulge Movie Night Popcorn Set. You receive 5 bags of corn for popping including a blue and ruby variety as well as 5 seasoning packs. I know that this adds up to 10. But 3 bags of popcorn are of the classic golden variety, so I think for 2 nights you're supposed to highlight the flavor packs and not the popcorn. Anyone for an Adam Sandler film festival?

7. Knitting your thing? Teeny Button Studio from Louisiana has an Advent where for 7 nights, you get a mini skein (length of yarn) of certain colors and for night #8 you receive a full sized speckled skein for a festive project.

8. Celebrate Hanukkah in luxury with Budhagirl's Hanukkah Advent calendar. Over the course of 8 days, you receive a variety of metallic all weather bangles from the noted French jewelry maker. A combined value of $350, the Advent is a bargain at $250 retail.

And there you have 8 Hanukkah Advent calendars. With 4 days until the double holiday, there's still time to get in on the action if you act now. And just so you know, I'm not a paid endorser for any of these companies. I just happened to be looking for Hanukkah gifts for my bride and this is what I came across. Best of luck and Shalom!

Superman #307 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

A hot tip leads Clark Kent as Superman to investigate a chemical plant. It appears that a large number of employees are succumbing to cancer. Alarmingly, the execs of the company don't seem to deny this medical mystery. Nor do they seem to care! As a result, Superman takes it upon himself to shut the manufacturing plant down. But before the Man of Steel can succeed, he is opposed by a brand new foe! 

Decked in a pure white costume, this villain calls himself The Protector. Only, he's not here to save the Earth but to make sure that corrupt businesses have the right to continue producing materials that will pollute the planet. The Protector's powers include flight, super strength and the ability to change form. That last power allows the Protector to escape Superman who now seems rather troubled.

Having visions of the destruction of his home planet of Krypton, Superman is now determined to save his adopted planet. Vowing to stop polluters and businesses from killing mother Earth, Superman declares war. His next target is a giant oil tanker that has a history of leaking fossil fuels into the ocean. 

As Superman begins to attack the ship, the Protector returns and leads Superman away. Once again, the foe eventually disappears. Only this time, Supergirl appears on scene with a shocking revelation: There is no Krypton! There never has been! And both Superman and Supergirl are mutant humans!

This mind-bending statement causes Superman to reflect on the past few days. He's not been acting like himself. To prove her point, Supergirl takes her cousin to the Fortress of Solitude and shows that the bottle city of Kandor is nothing more than a model kit. Has Superman's past as the Last Son of Krypton been nothing more than a delusion?

Issue #307 ends with Superman's reality crumbling down around him. Written by Gerry Conway (1st Issue Special) with art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (DC Comics Presents), this issue was the first chapter of a 3-part story. The dramatic cover of the destruction of Kandor at the hands of the Maid of Might was by Neal Adams (First X-Men). 

This issue also marks the last issue of Superman to carry the DC bullet to proclaim 'DC The Line of Super-Stars' in the top left corner. 

An interesting tale that feels familiar. Superman's one-man war on pollution has similar parallels to the Man of Steel's mission to end the nuclear arms race in 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. With newcomer baddie The Protector taking the side of the polluters, his motives are reminiscent of that film's antagonist, Nuclear Man. These coincidences make one wonder if Superman #307-308 were indirect influences of Superman IV screenwriters Christopher Reeve, Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Completing this review completes Task #3 (Comic from the Bronze Age (1971-1985)) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

DC Comics Presents #67

For Christmas Eve 2020, I went with a classic. DC Comics Presents #67, teaming Superman with Santa Claus, is a story that is every bit as magical as the Christmas holiday is. 

I had this comic book when I was a kid during the 1983 Christmas holiday. (Remember, comics were usually dated 2-3 months later than when they actually hit store shelves back in the day.) And it became an annual read for me up until about 1992 or so when my comic book collection was stolen. 

The story has the Man of Steel and Kris Kringle taking on the Toyman, who has booby-trapped a number of toys. Within the toys are subliminal messages ordering the kiddies to steal cash and jewels and take them to their local Schott's Toy Store. Considering that these are toys that parents will be giving to their children as presents from Santa, the Jolly Ol' Fat Man cannot stand idly by letting his reputation go to pot. 

This book is almost 40 years old. So I think it's okay to spoil it a bit. 

The story ends with Superman's encounter with Santa being a dream (or is it?) The fact that Toyman has a nefarious scheme hasn't changed. That part is definitely real. Yet this story ends with Superman going to his Clark Kent apartment to dress back into his secret identity to go to a holiday party. There's no mention of what happened to the Toyman. So did Superman allowed Toyman to ruin Christmas?  While this issue is an all-time classic- it's got some plot holes!

E. Nelson Birdwell (Justice League of America) and Len Wein (Swamp Thing) wrote the story. Curt Swan drew it and definitive feelgood DC artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez crafted that timeless cover. It all makes for a very festive read that is fitting for a night of waiting for Santa. But it's far from perfect especially thanks to Sups letting Toyman off scott free!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Classic Toys from a Madman's Youth: Advent 2019 Day 21

Nowadays, the crafting of action figures has become an art form. But back in the 70s and 80s, there were action figures based on iconic characters. Growing up, they seldom looked anything like the characters on the screen. That all changed with Kenner in 1984 as a superior toy line, that brought the characters on paper to life, debuted. 

For today's Advent, I'm talking about Super Powers!

I remember the day I discovered this iconic toy line. I was watching a rerun of Super Friends when a commercial for Super Powers came on TV. It was a mix of cartoon and reality as Superman punched out a wall  and Batman did too! And there were villains! (Oh, how I love baddies!) I was instantly hooked and I had to have it!

Somehow, my mom decided we needed to run to K-Mart and get me a couple of those figures. Normally, she'd poo-poo such an idea. But on this day, she was all for it. 

Unfortunately, Batman and The Man of Steel wasn't at K-Mart that day. Instead, my Justice League was first comprised of Aquaman and Robin, the Boy Wonder. But that's okay. As by Christmas of 1984, I was leading all of the heavy hitters including Green Lantern, Hawkman and The Flash. Oh, and Firestorm! My favorite!

Look folks, if you are to ask me if I am a DC person or a Marvel guy, I am going to answer DC. I love any and all super heroes. But I grew up on DC! And a lot of that is thanks to two men- Dick Giordano and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. These two amazing artists had created the DC style guides which were used to instruct licensing companies how DC Comics wanted their characters to look like. And Kenner got it right with the Super Powers line! These heroes looked like they had come right from the comics I adored so well!

Each action figure came with 2 unique features. First of all, each figure had a distinct 'power action.' For example, if you squeezed Red Tornado's arms, his lower torso would spin around like a cyclone. 

The other feature of a Super Powers action figure was my absolute favorite. The mini comic! Every figure came with 4-inch tall 8-page comic book that starred the character whose action figure you bought. The mini books are the rarest thing for fans to locate. They often either got lost or destroyed or thrown away. I've been asking for years for DC to reissue these as a collection. But my pleas always seem to fall on deaf ears. 

One of my favorite Christmas gifts from the Super Powers line wasn't the toys! It was the case that you collecting them in! Yes, the Super Powers carrying case was that awesome! The case has 2 lids that opened on both sides like a book. Inside both lids were several 4 panel strips that revealed the secret origins of all your favorite super heroes. I read and re-read those so freakin' much. 

As my Advent gift for you today, I want you to enjoy those awesome commericals as much as I did. It's kinda long, but it's every commercial from Super Powers' 1984-86 run. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have!

DC Nation #0

The wedding of Batman and Catwoman.

Bendis’ take on the Man of Steel.

A world with No Justice League.

These three storylines promise to dominate the DC Universe this summer. As a triple threat prelude, DC Nation #0 gives fans a small glimpse of what’s to come in the next few weeks.

In ‘Your Big Day’, Tom King shows us the Clown Prince of Crime awaiting his invitation to the wedding of the century. Brian Michael Bendis reveals to us a Clark Kent very much off his game as the Daily Planet is reeling from the unexpected resignation of Lois Lane in ‘Office Space.’ Lastly, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Joshua Williamson introduces reasders to the new teams that will protect the earth in the absence of a Justice League in the No Justice Prelude.

The Joker story was the best. Tom King’s dry wit shows in the fractured sense of humor of the Joker’s. I also really dug Clay Mann’s artistic rendering of Batman’s greatest foe.

I was a little confused with the Superman story. I keep hearing that Bendis is going to temporarily change Superman’s canon. I don’t think Lois’ departure from the Planet is the big change. But if it is, it’s definitely not what fans were expecting.

I absolutely love- LOVE, that DC was able to snag Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez back into doing the forthcoming The Man of Steel miniseries. The artist has basically been in convention circuit retirement. But to have the man who created almost every single iconic piece of DC merch that I grew up with is a well received blast from the past!

Finally there’s the No Justice Prelude. Boy, was that a hot mess. Three different writers author this adventure and a disconnect shows. The story involves the Justice League dissolving into 4 teams to save the earth. The teams, comprised of heroes and villains, are based on the concepts of mystery, entropy, wonder and wisdom. But I don’t think they are correct.

For instance, Harley Quinn in placed on team wisdom. Quinn is the epitome of entropy! Why wasn’t she put on that Batman led team? Plus you’ve got Zatanna and Dr. Fate on Team Wonder. But both of them seem more suited for Team Mystery. I can’t figure out if DC’s best and brightest really think these characters best reflect these principles. OR is this one of those JLA things where you switch opponents because there is too evenly a match-up between foes?

I’m really excited about all three stories. Even though I was not impressed with the No Justice story, I am hoping each individually written miniseries will be better than the joint collaboration. The biggest issue I am going to face with all of these titles however, is cost.

What appealed most to me with this issue was it’s price! You just can’t beat the cover fee of only 25 cents! It’s like 1980 rates again and I loved it. But all of the issues that spin out of this prelude comic are going to be at least $2.99 per issue or more. Estimating there’s probably going to be about 30 issues total coming out of all three storylines, there’s no way I will be able to afford this book until I find everything eventually in dollar bins or as trades.

For those of you who are into the variant covers,  you are going to have to pony up some big bucks. Those issues have cover prices of $60-90 a piece. That’s original suggested retail price- not LCS mark-up!

DC Nation #0 was a very good sampler of what’s in story for the DCU. Though not 100% happy with every story, I absolutely cannot complain about the cost.

DC Nation #0 debuted in stores and digital platforms May 2, 2018.

Worth Consuming!

Ratings:
Joker Story- 10/10 stars
Bendis' Superman: 8/10 stars
No Justice:4/10 stars
Overall: 7 out of 10 stars.

This review was published concurrently at Outrightgeekery.com.

Batman '66, Volume 4

   Writer Jeff Parker, cover artist Michael Allred, and a slew of other great artists, colorists, and inkers present another thrilling chapter of Batman adventures based on the 1966 TV series. But this volume comes with an added bonus. Along with a King Tut caper, the Joker becoming a superhero, and the Penguin pulling a slew of crimes based on bats instead of birds for a change; Batman and Batgirl visit Japan to take on the Batmanga villain, Lord Death Man! 

   But that's not all that is included in this thrilling volume. Along for the ride is the one-shot Batman '66: The Lost Episode. That story is based on a treatment by acclaimed sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison (City on the Edge of Forever, Star Trek: TOS) that for some reason or another never made it on TV. Lucky for you, the entire original proposal is reprinted along with stunning color photos from the hit series.

    In the lost episode, Two-Face would have been introduced to the Batman '66 universe. Rumor had it that producers were seriously looking at Clint Eastwood to play the role of Gotham DA Harvey Dent, who becomes the deranged villain after half of his body is doused with acid, in season 4. But, alas Batman was canceled after just 3 seasons. Oh, and did I mention, it's written by the great Len Wein (Swamp Thing) with art by the equally great Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Super Powers)?

   I really loved this volume. It continues to build on the Batman '66 mythos and pits both classic Batman TV series and new Batman comics villains in that funky little corner of the DC Universe. I'm starting to see this book in the light of other comic books based on unused plans for shows that got canceled much too soon (IE Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 9.) 

Lord Death Man by
Sandy Jarrell.

   But this edition holds a place very dear to my heart for another reason. Earlier, I mentioned the Lord Death Man story. Well, it just so happens late last year, I got to meet the artist for that issue, Sandy Jarrell, at a convention in Raleigh. He was doing blank sketches and I commission him to make me a piece with the caveat that he could draw it of any Batman villain, except for the usual suspects of Joker, Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin. Well, an hour later and Jarrell presented me with my very own sketch of the Japanese Batman adversary. It was so awesome looking, people kept asking to buy my book! (Get in line, folks...)

   Batman '66 is a fun little series that despite getting cancelled recently, doesn't look like it's going to go away anytime soon and I am glad. Right now, Batman and the Man from UNCLE are teaming up in a miniseries and I hope DC has that smarts to either return Batman '66 to store shelves or kept pairing the Dynamic Duo up with more legends from the swinging 60s.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

DC Superheroes: My First Book of Girl Power (Family Comic Friday)

  

 Sorry, it's a day late folks, but I'm on a mini-vacation with my wife in wonderful and weird Asheville, NC. After the week I've had at work, this was much, much needed. My wife's been at a conference during the day, so I've been catching up with friends, owners, and artists about new trends in comics. Oddly, enough, today's article reviews a book that I discovered later after my wife got done with her meetings and we went out to dinner. We stopped at this funky little shop called the L.O.F.T. )Lost Objects, Found Treasures) on our way back to the van. It had tons of cool stuff like a Boba Fett puzzle tower, rap star cookie cutters, bacon flavored floss, and the book I am reviewing today: DC Superheroes: My First Book of Girl Power.

     This book is one of about a dozen titles in the DC Superheroes: My First Book series. The books are board books, geared for early readers. It's also an excellent way for parents who grew up reading comics to introduce superheroes to their children without being violent or scary. 

    The series started in 2011 with My First Superman Book, followed by a Batman and a Wonder Woman edition. All three of those books are touch & feel books, meaning there are things made of different textures for children to explore while reading this book, such as Superman's cape or twine from the Dark Knight's Bat-Rope. Over the past 4 years, series creator David Katz has released books with your favorite DC heroes teaching the ABCs, shapes, and opposites. The most recent book came out in July about the importance of sleep. 

    Girl Power is the only book in the My First Series not written by the series' regular author. It's written by Julie Merberg (creator of the Mini Masters Board Books series that introduces youngsters to famous artists with titles like Painting With Picasso.) This book introduces many of the leading ladies in the DC Universe such as the well known Wonder Woman and Supergirl. It also includes some more obscure characters like Black Canary and Raven from Teen Titans. 

    The art is a bit of a toss up. In all of the books, the artwork is from DC's style guides created around 1978-1986. I recognize some of those same images were used in the creation of Kenner's awesome Super Powers line of action figures and other cool toys. Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez was the genius behind much of the artwork, though his regular inker, the equally legendary Dick Giordano penciled some of the guide's artwork as well. I just wish that all of the images were different and not recycled on several pages.

     I bought this book to introduce a new member of our family to the world of superheroes. This Christmas, maybe I'll be the first to read it to them. This series has been a sleeper but from page one, the nostalgia and creativity (and educational value) is a hit. More importantly, it's geared towards girls- a valuable and grossly untapped source of potential comic book readers.  Once again, Marvel gets all of the praise and fandom for crafting adult books that appeal to women readers, but DC excedes in reaching out to the next generation with this awesome series of early reader board books that must become a part of your aspiring comic book collector's reading rotation. Boy or girl!

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.