Looney Tunes #279 (Family Comic Friday)

With just a week until the beginning of the 2024 Oylmpics, I've discovered another major franchise is getting into the spirit of things. In the latest issue of DC's Looney Tunes (which dropped just last Wednesday), Bugs Bunny hosts The Looney Games. Everyone from Michigan J. Frog to Taz, Lola Bunny to Foghorn Leghorn is completing in hopes of winning a medal in the games. Of course, the ever too over-confident Daffy Duck thinks he's going to sweep all the categories. But when Bugs fires the starting gun for the first race, causing Daffy to panic that duck hunting season has begun early this year, you know things are in trouble for the wisecracking mallard. 

This summer has also seen several major soccer championships taking place all over the globe. So it's only fitting that the back-up feature involves the world's most popular sport. Bugs answers an ad for a soccer tournament, which instead turns out to be a trap for some of the Looney Tunes' most dastardly characters to scare up some victims for a host of mad experiments. It looks like Bugs' goose is cooked. That is until he demands his foes challenge him in a match or- horror of horrors- the rascally rabbit will get his lawyers involved! 

Featuring Witch Hazel, Gossamer and a character I didn't know even existed, the Looney Tunes version of Dracula: Count Bloodcount! You know Bugs will play dirty against this squad of villains and we all love it!

It's rare when I think that the second story is better than the cover feature. Yet, that's how I felt with this issue and the soccer story was a reprint from like 10 years ago! I felt that the Olympic themed story was just too jammed packed. Derek Fridolfs along with Robert Pope crafted some great gags. But would it have been a bad thing to have let these two take over the whole issue with the Looney Games story? Less is not always more when it's a rapid fire of joke-joke-gag-joke-pun!

Plus, poor Wile E. Coyote! There's a scene where he's given a baton in the relay race and right before he's sent to claim victory, an anvil smashes him flat. In typical fashion, he lifts a placard that bemoans 'Why can't I win?' That just broke my heart. Why can't the Coyote win a race? He's not trying to eat anyone. I demand justice! I want a rematch!

For the parents out there, this issue has the typical amount of violence using dynamite, bear traps and mallets. Nobody stays hurt. But of course, some of the youngest of readers might not understand that sort of misadventure has long-term consequences of injury. If Looney Tunes is something you allow the little ones in your life to watch on TV, then there's nothing offensive here in this comic. As usual, it's up to the level of maturity in the readers as to whether your family can enjoy this sports themed comic this year or will have to wait until the Olympics of 2028 for a read!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Looney Tunes #272

A while back when I reviewed an all-Stupor Duck issue of Looney Tunes, I closed my post asking DC for an all-Duck Dodgers issue. Well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad!

Derek Fridolfs penned an all-new Duck Dodgers epic with the semi-heroic mallard being sent on a mission to the future to find a rare element. However, the time machine has a glitch and instead of sending Dodgers to the future, it sends him to medieval times. As Duck Dodgers keeps tinkering with the faulty time machine, our hero risks changing the time line; thus potentially preventing the existence of Earth's defense forces from alien invaders!

The reprint story at the end of the book, also by Fridolfs, sees Duck Dodger's sidekick, the Eager Young Space Cadet, getting promoted. Now he's Duck Dodger's superior! Of course, our 24 and 1/2th Century hero is NOT happy about this!

Sandwiched between the two Duck Dodgers stories is a classic Looney Tunes parody of Star Trek. From 1994, this Ivan Cohen story is a riff on everyone's favorite Star Trek movie, The Wraith of Khan! Seeing your favorite Looney Tunes characters dressed in the maroon uniforms was great and I loved the flashback scene of characters in those TOS tunics. 

Okay, so we didn't get 3 stories starring Duck Dodgers. Instead, we got an all-space parody issue and I am completely okay with that! That Star Trek send-up was hilarious! I guess if DC is paying any attention to my blog, I'm going to make another wish. I want an over-sized 80 or 100 page special of nothing but all-Christmas themed Looney Tunes stories (No reprints, if possible!) If DC isn't reading my Madman rants, then I guess I can dream, right?

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Looney Tunes #262

Daffy Duck is the star of this issue. More importantly, the focus is on Daffy's amazing superhero character Stupor Duck! Starring in a trio of stories!

Based on a 1956 Looney Tunes short of the same name, Stupor Duck is a parody of Superman, The Man of Steel. By day, Stupor Duck is Cluck Trent, a mild mannered reporter for a Large Metropolitan Newspaper, whose nose for news is questionable at best. In fact, that spotty track record is what kicks off our 3-story tribute to the Mallard of Steel.

In an all-new story by Derek Fridolfs, Cluck Trent finds himself out of a job. With the paper going digital due to a lack of sales, the managing editor sends Trent packing. With no employment, this means more time to be Stupor Duck. Only, the superhero makes a gigantic mess of everything along the way. 

The second adventure is a reprint story in which Stupor Duck attempts to help a citizen, played by Porky Pig, with the washing machine that took his money! Reprint story #2 (story #3 overall) is a tribute to legendary DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz who firmly believed that putting monkeys on the cover of his books resulted in massive sales. Here, Stupor Duck takes on a giant gorilla that is terrorizing the fair city. 

The two reprint adventures told more cohesive stories. The first adventure is an awful lot like that 1956 cartoon in which we see more of an array of super-heroic feats that end in hysterically bad ways. Like for instance, at one point, Stupor Duck comes across some bank robbers. But instead of seeing them as bad guys, the hero thinks the criminals are bank patrons who are having trouble accessing their funds. In the end, Stupor Duck helps the crooks rob the bank, feeling like he's a hero who just helped out a bunch of stand-up townsfolk. Add about 3-4 mishaps and Cluck Trent's job search has been all but forgotten while the city reels from the destructive good intentions of Stupor Duck!

I like the Looney Tunes comic book very much. It captures the spirit of the original cartoons very well. Knowing that this was an all-Stupor Duck issue is why I wanted it. This issue did not disappoint. There's just so much going on in that first story. I feel like maybe 10% of the antics of Stupor Duck could have been trimmed back in order to circle around back to a closing gag that would have again featured Cluck Trent's job search woes. I think that would have made for a better ending than the one we get. But the two reprint stories were masterpieces and I understand why DC decided to reissue them in this tribute to Stupor Duck. 

Now, could we get an all-Duck Dodgers issue as well?

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Dell Giants #28 (Bugs Bunny's Winter Fun)

I'm not really sure when and where I picked up this frosty read. According to my records, I paid 50 cents for it. So I must have gotten it at a con or comic shop sale. Based on the cover, I had filed this 1960 comic in with my holiday books. But I may need to rethink that now.

There are about a dozen stories in this book. You'll have to forgive me for not being all that accurate. The cover was hanging on by a single staple and some prayer. I've already re-bagged this book and don't want to risk further damage by taking this 62 year old comic book back out for a looksie. 

The majority of the stories are set during winter time. Some examples include Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam taking a wrong turn at Albuquerque and winding up at an ice festival in the Alps. Porky Pig plays intermediary between Jack Frost and Old Man Winter trying to outdo each other. Daffy and Elmer Fudd conduct some Looney Tunes level shenanigans when Elmer refuses to let the duck into his warm and cozy cottage. The story between Tweety Bird and Sylvester as well as Foghorn Leghorn and plucky Henery Hawk's adventure seem awfully familiar to me. I swear that I've seen animated versions of both those stories as a kid!

There's also some characters that I am just not all that familiar with and most of those episodes are the ones that do not occur during winter. A little girl named Suzanne, who appeared only once in a 1955 Fritz Freleng short starring Sylvester the Cat, visits a sick friend. A tiny mouse named Sniffles and his human friend, Mary Jane, help a tired gopher find a safe place to hibernate. Finally, readers are taken South of the Border to meet the family of Little Pancho Vanilla. 

That story is full of stereotypes. However, it's nothing compared to how the character appeared in the sole 1938 Merrie Melodies short that bears his name. And if you thought the portrayal of Speedy Gonzales and his lazy mouse friends were bad, try reading a similar story drawn with human characters.

This Dell Giant also contains a character that I've grown-up with all my life but never encountered a story starting them until now. Porky's forgotten girlfriend Petunia Pig was on not one but two Pepsi glasses. Both were said to be my Grandmama's favorite glasses in the series as she was a fan of the character. I now own those very glasses and cherish them. Yet it's only in the Porky Pig/Jack Frost/Old Man Winter story that I've finally come across a story starring Petunia! (It's taken 45 years, folks!)

The unofficial title to this comic doesn't lie. 3/4 of this issue is full of winter fun. Since Pancho Vanilla lives closer to the equator and his story involves rain, that tale very well could occur in Mexico's winter season. I just don't know. The reason I put this book in holiday was that I hoped it might have a couple of Christmas themed stories inside. Only, I knew how fragile this book was and didn't want to damage it until I was ready to read to find out for sure.

I was originally gonna to read this for my 2022 Christmas reads. But after that first story, I realized that this wasn't as such. So I kept this out until after the holidays. It was a fun read; though a story or two is a bit racist in its caricature. As for where to file this book, I'm assuming it's now going to get categorized as a 'Kids Cartoon, Non-DC/Marvel'. I'll probably file it under letter D for Dell Giant in my long boxes. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The 25 Baubles of Pop Culture! Advent 2022 Day 16

 

The random generator deus ex machina determined that today's Advent theme would be Looney Tunes! I knew from many Christmases past that there has been plenty of ornaments devoted to the characters from Warner Bros. since way before Hallmark took over as the de facto producer of pop culture ornaments. 

When I typed in 'Looney Tunes Vintage Ornaments', I was delighted to find this set of 6 ceramic ornaments from my birth year. Produced by Dave Grossman Designs, these 1977 Japanese produced ornaments came with a red and white box that bears illustrations of characters such as Daffy Duck and Tweety that really look primitive compared to how sleek they appeared in 2021's Space Jam 2.

A second wave of ornaments were released the next year. Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales as ornaments make sense to me. But why make one of the Stork that often gave the wrong baby to characters like Foghorn Leghorn instead of a more popular character like Pepe Le Pew? My favorite of all 11 total ornaments is of Yosemite Sam as he's decked out in a Christmas trimmed version of his iconic pirate costume!

Disney might own the world presently. But in the 1990s, a very good case could be made that it was the characters of Warner Bros. who ruled the roost. During this time, a trio of unexpected characters became the faces of Looney Tunes. Move over Bugs, the 90s was the decade of a beast from Down Under, a visitor from another world and a swamp dweller! 

Debuting in a Bugs Bunny cartoon from 1954, the Tasmanian Devil appeared in only 5 cartoons up until 1964 when Warner Bros. shut down it's animation department. With just a couple of cameos, it wasn't until an all-new cartoon series about Taz and his family called Taz-Mania that the 90s became the Taz decade. The sitcom cartoon ran from 1991-1995 on Fox Kids for a total of 65 episodes! To honor the character and his amazing run, here's a very funny 2005 ornament from Hallmark in which Taz is trying to sneak in some treats.

The next character to see a resurgence was the ruler of Mars, Marvin the Martian. The character debuted in the 1948 short Haredevil Hare. Appearing for a grand total of only 5 toons, it wasn't until 1979's Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Movie that the character was finally given the name Marvin!

That appearance boosted Marvin's popularity. Over the next 15 years, the character would appear about a dozen various Warner Bros. projects before becoming the main antagonist in the 2003 Cartoon Network series Duck Dodgers. In honor of Marvin and his hilarious exploits with Duck Dodgers, played brilliantly by the ever aloof Daffy Duck, I'm sharing this ornament which is also from Hallmark, 2005.

The third character that saw a renewed interest in the 90s is the hilarious character of Michigan J. Frog. In 1955, the character debuted in a 1955 short directed by Chuck Jones titled One Froggy Evening. In the cartoon, a man discovered the amphibian stuffed in a box at a construction site. Whenever the guy is alone, the Frog dons a top hat and bellows out 'Hello, Ma Baby'. But any time the poor guy tries to get producers and directors to agree to an audition, the animal just sits then and ribbits. 

In the original run of Merrie Melodies that ran from 1931-1969, Michigan J. Frog only appeared in 1 cartoon! Yet, the character's charm was strong from that solo appearance. So much that in 1995, Warner Bros. posted the character as the official mascot of the WB, a fledgling network station that eventually morphed into The CW in 2005. 

As part of Michigan J. Frog's newfound resurgence, Hallmark released an ornament in 1997 that shows the character in all his grandeur. With a candy cane cane no less! But don't expect him to perform for you if  somebody is around you. He's only gonna put on a show for you!

The 1990s also saw a new generation of Looney Tunes characters. In 1990, Steven Spielberg spearheaded the debut of Tiny Toons. Instead of a reboot, these characters were young cartoons that attended Acme Looniversity and where taught the ways of the Looney Tunes by the likes of Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig and Bugs Bunny. 

There were dozens of great characters in the Amblin Entertainment produced series. Babs and Buster Bunny- no relation!- were the hosts of the show which ran for 98 episodes for 3 years on Fox Kids! Plucky Duck drove Hampton Pig crazy with his insane schemes. But being a cat person, my favorite character was Furrball. Furrball wasn't a student at the University. Instead, he was a poor stray kitty that only wanted to be loved. Unfortunately, that usually meant Furrball becoming the pet of the good intentioned by oh-so-smothering  Elmyra Duff! 

In 1995, Hallmark released a series of miniature ornaments devoted to the Tiny Toons. And of course, I chose this one of Furrball clutching his gift of sardines from I am assuming Santa! With that torn little ear, this one makes me miss my Gimli so much while making me so appreciative that I can share my home with our newest baby, Lando!

The last officially licensed ornament I wanted to share is from the Warner Bros. Studio Tour online gift shop. It's a globe ornament that bears images of some of Looney Tunes best and brightest. However, it was the Warner Bros. shield that caught my eye. Every Looney Tunes and Merries Melodies cartoon started off with the WB shield. I just didn't think you could take a look at Looney Tunes ornaments without paying homage to that iconic symbol!

You probably were wondering, Where's Bugs Bunny? Other than with that group of vintage ornaments, I've not focused on the leader of the Looney Tunes. Don't worry! I saved him for the DIY ornament. I picked this one because it's a creative twist on the snowman lightbulb ornament that I think I've seen at every holiday craft fair that I've ever visited.

For this ornament, you will need an old light bulb, gray, white and black paint, gray and pink sheet foam, a tiny pink pompom, a couple of pieces of dry spaghetti (painted white) a small felt Santa hat, some ribbon and of course, hot glue. First you paint the bulb gray. Once dry, with the ornament upside down, add white eyes and teeth, and then paint on pupils, a mouth and some whiskers with the black paint. Using scissors, trim a pair of small pink ovals and a pair of slightly larger grey ovals. Hot glue the pink ones atop the gray and add to the bulb. The hot glue the Santa hat over the metal base of the bulb. Hot glue the pompom for the nose and spread out sections of spaghetti from the nose to be the whiskers. Finish things off with a looped section of ribbon not glued onto the hat. Once dry, you're ready to hang on your tree!

Looney Tunes #266 (Family Comic Friday)

There's a trio of fun in this issue. I'm just afraid I might be a little too old to fully enjoy it now.

First up, in the brand new story, Bugs is awakened by an earthquake. Upon going topside, Bugs discovers that something is off with his friends. They've all been replaced with robots!

The cover story was what sold me on making a purchase of this issue. The story was interesting as I was stymied as to just who was behind the robotic changes... I was convinced it was Marvin the Martian. But I was so disappointed with the cliched ending. Yeah, this was a comic book story full of cliches. But it was that last ending that was just 1 banality too many!

The two reprint stories weren't so guilty of the offense of overuse of the worn out jokes. In reprint #1, Tweety and Sylvester fight over the TV remote. In the second, Bugs takes on a grocery store that stole his carrots. Of these two, the Tweety & Sylvester romp was the best.

I thought that there was a major over reaction with Bugs. Instead of trying to either reason with the store owner or hire a lawyer, the rascally rabbit decides to use deceit and trickery to get his nums back. Maybe I'm just getting older, but I felt like that second Bugs story could have been handled in a much different way.

I only paid $2.99 for this book. That's retail. I'm not terribly upset with my purchase as I would love to one day own the whole run. Though, I think with all the reprints, I might not have to buy every issue. Possible. But I bet it would take a lot of research to get a complete list in order to not have a bunch of doubles. 

If the young reader in your life loves Looney Tunes cartoons, this is a great bi-monthly series for them. The artwork has always been animation style quality. And the stories themselves are so much like cartoons. That ending that I hated is definitely the type of ending you would expect for a Merry Melodies cartoon. I'm pretty sure that had I experienced this on the TV, I'd be disappointed with the results as well.

That's what happens when you get older, I guess. Silly things just look silly. I might not be a fan of all of it, but your kids are gonna love it!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Looney Tunes #263 (Family Comic Friday)

If I was to quiz you as to what is currently the longest continuing running DC Comic what would you guess? Action Comics? Detective Comics? Would you believe it's Looney Tunes? Starting in 1994, DC Comics has captured the antics of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Taz, Tweety & Sylvester and countless others. In this issue, the focus is on Wile E. Coyote and Ralph The Wolf!

I didn't know this but Wile E. and Ralph are not the same character! I always thought that Ralph in the Ralph and Sam cartoons was always Wile E. Coyote and that Sam was calling him Ralph as a bit of a joke. But thanks to this issue, I've learned that Sam looks just like the coyote but with a couple of changes. Ralph's nose is red and he has a snaggle tooth. 

In the opening story, Ralph and Wile E. are laid up in the hospital after their most recent run-ins with the Road Runner and Sam the Sheepdog. Their doctor recommends a change of pace. So the two canine cousins decide to take on their other's domain. Thus it's Wile E. in the meadows trying to score one of Sam's sheep and Ralph has a vast inventory of Acme Co. products at his disposal! 

Wile. E Coyote also appears in feature #2. Here, Yosemite Sam is hosting a documentary on the hunting habits of the North American Coyote. Unfortunately, Sam has chosen Wile E. Coyote as his documentary subject and naturally, things are anything but textbook. 

Lastly, Sylvester and his son are trying to capture a mouse. This happens just as the local circus' Tasmanian Devil has escaped. Taz is just about to eat the mouse when a deal is struck. Don't eat the rodent and in return, the little squeaker will serve up a bigger meal- Sylvester the Cat!

Only the first story was all-new. But it didn't really matter to me. It was all great stuff. I would love to have the complete Looney Tunes run and having the reprints could help with that. Back issues are not cheap as many of them have been thrown out or destroyed by young readers as time goes by. 

This issue just debuted on shelves within the last couple of weeks. If you can find a LCS that offers kids comics, you should be able to find a copy no problem. You can also go to Amazon and eBay. But with shipping, you could have bought 2 or 3 extra comics for the young reader in your life at the comics shop.

A must for any fan of Looney Tunes!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Joker/Daffy Duck Special #1

The Joker/Daffy Duck Special rounds out my completion of DC/Looney Tunes Wave 2. This one was the one I least expected to enjoy (though I really loved the variant cover and used it as my FB avatar for a while.) Yet, I was for the most part pleasantly surprised.

The art was probably my least favorite aspect of this special. Norm Rapmund and Brett Booth's artwork was quite frenzied and for a Joker adventure, that works very well. but Daffy looks freaky. I know that ducks have these little parts on their bill that are referred to as teeth. Yet, seeing Daffy with a full mouth full of pearly whites is just unsettling.

The story itself was very well written. Daffy treks to Gotham City to see why the Acme Company hasn't filled his latest order of gags. Turns out that Acme has been closed for years and is now the hideout of the Joker!

Normally the Clown Prince of Crime would just off anyone who trespasses on his turf. But Daffy manages to talk his way into becoming the villain's new capo. It's merely a ruse to buy himself some time to escape. but Daffy actually turns out to be pretty good at his job.

I didn't like the ending. I didn't really think it was all that fair towards poor Daffy. But overall, the opening story was entertaining.

I wish I could tell you about the back-up feature. But it was really forgettable. Done in the Looney Tunes style, I cannot for the life of me remember if the Joker or Daffy are even in this Joey Cavaleri penned tale.

Wait a minute!!! I seem to recall Daffy posing as a psychologist at Arkham and he's analyzing the Joker... Still, it's a little cloudy. But if it's not that memorable, it must not have been all that great.

Wow. what a way to end a special. This one's going to be tough to rate. Unfortunately, the back-up tale is going to weigh this book down. But I still recommend this to fans of DC and Merry Melodies because the first story was pretty decent for the most part.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn/Gossamer Special #1

Gossamer- that fuzzy orange monster that always grabs Bugs Bunny and says that he’s gonna ‘hug him, squeeze hi, and call him George.’ That’s the Looney Tunes character that is starring in the DC/Looney Tunes crossover with the Joker’s EX-Girlfriend Harley Quinn. Most people recognize Gossamer but don’t remember his name. That’s kinda how I felt when I read that Harley was pairing up with Gossamer. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out who this Mortimer was. But once I saw the cover, I was like ‘so that’s his name.’

The story takes place right after a hurricane is bearing down on Harley’s home turf of Cooney Island. In hopes of accessing the damage, Harley Quinn stumbles across a crate that had washed ashore and immediately calls dibs! Inside the crate Gossamer and he’s hungry. Just as the monster about to eat every hot dog on Coney Island, a massive robot attacks Harley and her new friend.

Just who’s behind this attack? Well, the answer to that question isn’t that hard. There’s big giant smiley face painted on the robot! Harley and Gossamer do NOT like being shot at. Boy, o-boy is Mistah J gonna get it!

You know they saying ‘how can I miss you if you won’t go away?’ That is how I felt about this opening yarn. A big deal was made of both Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner leaving Harley Quinn after such a lengthy title run. Yet, they’re both back only like 2-3 months after their retirement. I know that DC wanted me to be in awe of their return in this special. But the husband and wife team weren’t gone long enough to feel like I needed to welcome them back. Harley’s co-creator Paul Dini has been away long enough from his creation that any time he returns to do a story about The Maid of Mischief, it feels fresh, edgy, and new. Why didn’t DC have him do the opening story?

The second story was done in the Looney Tunes style. It’s an almost exact clone of the Merry Melodies cartoon Hair-Raising Hare. In that 1946 cartoon, Bugs Bunny is lured to Gossamer’s master’s evil lair and hi-jinx ensues. Replace Bugs will Harley, add a little bit of her psychological background and you’ve got this insane romp.

I was excited about a Harley Quinn special. But I just don’t recognize this Harley very well- YET. I’m a classic Harley, in the classic suit kind of guy. Why I was even a little stunned at the sexual banter between Harley and Poison Ivy. I had heard of such a relationship between the two but never personally witnessed it until in this comic. Not being anti-same sex relationship here. No, it’s just that the rumor became fact and I didn’t expect it in this book.

These crossovers are rated Teen. But you know that a lot of parents are going to share these with their kids. If you think about it, this story is the first time Looney Tunes addresses homosexuality and gender without making a joke out of it as they had for decades. Don’t believe me? Watch any Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd cartoon made before 1980. At some point, Bugs will dress up as a woman, seduce Elmer, and then make fun of the hapless hunter for kissing a guy!

An interesting read with hints of humor that at the bottom of it. More probably if you know who these supporting characters of Harley’s are. This issue will make you have to have a dialogue about Harley’s life and loves. Especially if read with younger readers. I didn’t know Looney Tunes was so edgy. I guess when you take away the smoking guns and carrots, you’ve got to tackle heavier stuff…

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Catwoman/Tweety & Sylvester Special #1

In this DC/Looney Tunes crossover, the witches of the two franchises are having their Witches Conclave. During this gathering, a bet is made as to who would ultimately win if given the chance to fight to the death- the Tweety Bird or the Puddy Tat? But even when both are given the chance to finally off the other, the two enemies never can seem to finalize on their opportunities.

In order to accomplish this feat, once and for all, both Tweety and Sylvester are granted champions who will do the deed in their place. For Sylvester, he's paired with Selena Kyle- the Catwoman. For Tweety, he's teamed with Dinah Lance- the Black Canary. Though both heroines don't really want to participate in this blood feud, they are compelled. For you see, if Tweety dies, then birds of all sorts will died with him. That includes bird themed superheroes. The same happens for Sylvester. If he used up all nine of his lives, it's night-night forever for Selena too!

Though I had to read the first 3 pages about 10 times to understand the mumbo-jumbo of those in the Witches Conclave, I liked this book. There's tons of surprises in this special. Gail Simone and Inaki Miranda pulled out all the stops in this one!

I also enjoyed the Looney Tunes style back feature. It has both Sylvester and Catwoman trying to break into Granny's apartment. The Puddy Tat wants Tweety of course. The cat burglar wants some of Granny's ice, as in diamonds. It was a laugh out loud adventure that I would love to see done as an actual animated short.

The DC/Looney Tunes crossovers are always great fun and this one is no exception. Too bad the DC/Hanna Barbera pairings aren't as fun. Maybe it's because they try to reinvent the wheel that are the HB properties whereas these specials capture some of the original heart of the Looney Tunes gang.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Lex Luthor/Porky Pig Special #1

Wave 2 of the DC/Looney Tunes crossovers launched this week. My most recent Geek Pick was the Lex Luthor/Porky Pig Special. There was just something about this issue that screamed it was going to be as good as last year’s amazing Batman/Elmer Fudd team-up and it did not disappoint!

Written by: Mark Russell, Jim Fanning Art by: Brad Walker, John LoterPublished by: DC Comics

When a down on his luck Porky Pig runs into Metropolis’ most powerful man, the stuttering swine is given a second chance to conquer the business world. Luthor puts Porky in charge of Lexcorp’s new social media division Lexema. While it may look innocent enough, the new website is actually a front for Superman’s arch-enemy to steal the passwords and secrets of its users.

You would think Porky Pig would be on top of this. But he’s too busy finding out just who is stealing the sandwiches from the employee break room. Sadly, this distraction will pave the way for Lex Luthor to find his latest scapegoat, um -pig for his impending round of Senate hearings on Capitol Hill.

This odd pairing of Lex Luthor and Porky Pig actually worked. Porky is normally the sidekick of the conniving Daffy Duck. Daffy tends to be aloof and reckless. Here, Luthor is quite dangerous, but he’s no dummy. Lex plays the part of the fool so well in order to gain Porky’s undying trust. However, there’s evil intent underneath all that foolishness.

Mark Russell provides some very funny moments in the opening tale. He also manages to pen a story that reflects many of the controversies of the day (social media privacy, big pharmacy, corporate greed) without being preachy or offensive. I usually get tired of Lex Luthor being used ad nauseam in all of the Superman titles. But he’s quite refreshing here as this is a story with zero influence of the Man of Steel.

The back-up feature by Jim Fanning and John Loter was also great. It was done in the style of a Looney Tunes cartoon. Here, Porky is an office supply salesman given the chance to make a pitch directly to Lex. Things seem to be going smoothly until Luthor gets distracted in yet another attempt to rid the earth of a certain Kryptonian. It’s a great comedy of errors done in that classic Merrie Melodies style.

Wave 2 of crossovers between Looney Tunes and superheroes offered lots of unique pairings: Catwoman Vs. Tweety Bird, The Joker pals with Daffy Duck, and Harley Quinn meets Gossamer. But this story of Pig and Mogul was the one that captured my interest most. Other than Brad Walker’s kinda creepy way of drawing Porky Pig and other Looney Tunes characters in the DC fashion, I didn’t have any issues with this special. It was darn near flawless and a must read for any fan of weird team-ups such as myself!

The Lex Luthor/Porky Pig Special #1 debuted in stores on August 29, 2018.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Martian Manhunter/Marvin the Martian Special #1

It's Martian Vs. Martian in the most insane paring of all-time. Due to a temporal rift Marvin the Martian has emerged in the DC Universe, introducing J'onn J'onzz to an new color of Martian- the black Martian! Thinking he's found a comrade, the Martian Manhunter extends an olive branch to Marvin. The tiny Martian accepts but he's appalled that J'onn has yet to conquer earth and eagerly seeks to train the Manhunter in the art of global conquest. And J'on J'onzz thought the White Martians were a headache...

Then in the second feature, the same tale is told but it's given the Looney Tunes treatment. Now in the some of the other specials, I didn't like the fact that they repeated the main story in the back-up feature. But it actually works here. This story is so insane that the zany style of the Looney Tunes gang works best in this situation. 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed both stories. But the back-up feature was way better than the DC Universe set story. Great writing by Steve Orlando (Supergirl) and Jim Fanning. They are both very witty. The visuals were okay but not perfect artwork by Aaron Lopresti (Atomic Toybox) and John Loter and I just love how Lopresti finally reveals what a black Martian looks like without their helmet! A lifelong mystery finally solved!!!

A fun read that is full of great laughs but a little lacking in the art department.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam Special #1

When prospector Yosemite Sam finally strikes it rich, it brings about the attention of some unsavory characters. Seeking protection, Sam hires the baddest bounty hunter in the Old West, Jonah Hex as his body guard. This usually isn't Hex's thing but he's got a week to kill before the fee for his latest capture gets delivered. 

Then in the second feature by Bill Matheny and Dave Alvarez, it's bear season and Sam and Hex reunite when their paths cross. Jonah is on the hunt for a renegade while Yosemite Sam is trying to catch a nasty bear that has become the stuff of legend for it's destruction of property. There's absolutely nothing that could link the two prey, is there?

The Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam Special was really good. It was another great DC/Looney Tunes crossover that got overlooked by the magnificence that was the Batman/Elmer Fudd Special. When I saw the preview cover, I noticed that Foghorn Leghorn was on the cover. He's a giant talking chicken! So, I couldn't figure out how they were going to explain him in this book. Thankfully, writer Jimmy Palmiotti  (Harley Quinn's) explains it as Leghorn is a circus freak with feather who doubles as a strongman. 

The interior art was great. I really like Mark Texeira's (Black Panther) style. It's quite gritty and rustic. But I didn't like the cover so much. Hex looks great. Foghorn's okay. But what is wrong with Yosemite Sam? Isn't he supposed to be bowlegged? Texeira makes him look too static for some reason. But man, doesn't Jonah look awesome? Okay- my favoring of the cover was 50/50.

A really good Western/cartoon crossover with just a small cover issue or two...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Lobo/Road Runner Special #1

After years of failing to capture his nemesis The Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote takes to the stars to hire the baddest bastiche in the galaxy Lobo! But in order for Lobo to take the job, the Coyote has to fulfill a hit for the last Czarnian. Honestly, I don't know who's in it more over their head- Wile E. or Lobo? 

Bill Morrison's take on the Road Runner/ Wile E. Coyote mythos was quite interesting. The super-intelligence of both animals is due to genetic testing on a group of animals from the New Mexican desert. If you look closely, you'll see that a gray hare, black duck, and a canary are some of the test subjects as well. 

But where I got lost from Morrison's story is a scene in which one of the assistant's is talking to a scientist but then everybody acts like she's talking to thin air. That plot point wasn't clearly explored further and I read over that sequence like 5 or 6 times just trying to figure out what I was missing.

I liked Morrison's art. It was done in the gritty Lobo style that still allowed for reader to clearly understand who was who in of the Looney Tunes despite their new designs. Plus, the old 1940s style sci-fi slant used by Bill Morrison was perfect for this type of bizarre story.

The Warner Bros. style story in the back was also very good. It too had Lobo trying to exterminate the Road Runner. But with the addition of Bugs Bunny holding Lobo to the family friendly standards of a Looney Tunes cartoon, it was a laugh riot instead of the more series main feature. This is one story that I would have loved to see as an animated short.

For a gritty property like Lobo marketed younger readers, it could have gotten too sugary sweet. Instead, this was a very good crossover read that didn't lose it's essence nor was it overly shocking for a crowd used to it's characters surviving explosions and falls from enormous heights. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Wonder Woman/ Tasmanian Devil Special #1

     The Batman/ Elmer Fudd Special got all of the attention during last month's release of DC/ Warner Bros. crossovers. But one of the best unsung specials was this one. In the Wonder Woman/ Tasmanian Devil Special, the evil goddess Circe has turned the Amazons of Themyscira into stone. In order to save her sisters, Princess Diana must obtain a mystical object from the fabled Minotaur of the Labyrinth.

     This will not be an easy journey for Wonder Woman. For the walkways of the Labyrinth are constantly in flux and soon the changes to the Amazons will become permanent. Seeking a guide that can transverse the maze without getting lost, Wonder Woman enlists the help of the Tasmanian Devil. But Diana and Taz have a precarious history together. Will the world's most destructive force assist the Amazonian princess before time runs out?

     Birds of Prey's Tony Bedard crafts a very heart-felt story that combines the spirit of the DC Universe with Greek legend and Warner Bros. humor. The back-up feature which stars Wonder Woman, Taz, and a score of Looney Tunes icons acting out the scenes of Illiad and the Odyssey follows that same formula. Writer Ben Caldwell pens that story in verse, much like the Looney Tunes cartoons of old. The whole special was a delight. Unfortunately, it just didn't get the critical praise it deserves because a sister title hogged it all.

     With dynamically different but both just as masterful art styles by Barry Kitson and Byron Vaughns, this is an enjoyable special that deserves a read.

    Worth Consuming!

     Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1

The Wait is Over…

The book that I’ve been finally waiting for hit shelves Wednesday: the Batman/Elmer Fudd Special. I’ve been counting down the days until it’s release ever since I found out about the announcement for it sometime in May. So was the DC Comics/Looney Tunes crossover as good as my expectations?

My opinion of the book can be summed up in one word: Epic! However, only saying “epic” makes for a very small review.

That being said, let’s dig in a little deeper, shall we?  

Bat Season

The special starts off with Elmer going into a Gotham City saloon called Porky’s. His task is to kill a the man who murdered his wife- one Bugs ‘the Bunny.’ On exchange for his life, Bugs names the man who hired him to put out the hit, Bruce Wayne! After Fudd makes a play at Wayne, Batman goes on the prowl and Elmer the hunter becomes the hunted. However, it’s soon apparent that both Fudd and Wayne were set up. Thus Elmer and the Dark Knight join forces to uncover just who killed Silver St. Cloud. 

 Yes Bugs and Porky, along with Tweety, Sylvester, and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang are here! It makes perfect sense too! Batman has had one of the most colorful rogue’s galleries on all of comicdom. Therefore by converting all the Looney Tunes gang into thugs with features like those of animals visually works, all thanks to the deft pencils of Lee Weeks. For example, Bugs is a hit-man with buck teeth and an affinity for pickled carrots whereas Porky is a stuttering barkeep with a pudgy nose.

  Writer Tom King saved the best for last with this special. He really knew how to blend the two universes into one that actually could work in the monthly adventures of the Caped Crusader.

I’ve been reading the other DC/Warner Bros crossovers and I must say that this was the best of the bunch. Each special also has a backup story told in the Looney Tunes manner. For the most part, I really haven’t enjoy them. This one, also by Tom King with art by Byron Vaughns, was exceptional. It followed the classic rabbit season/duck season routine with Batman standing in for Daffy Duck. I laughed aloud several times.

A Sleeper Hit?

There’s been some hype about this book. I confess, It’s mostly all due to me. However, the Batman. Elmer Fudd Special is now currently sold out at my local comics shop. Plus, I’ve checked and learned that another area store has run out of copies as well. I point this out as the other crossovers haven’t been selling very well according to the owners I talked with. So if you decide to jump in on this title, it might be too late.

Or as Porky always says…

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Review originally published June 29, 2017 on outrightgeekery.com.

Bugs Bunny #46

  A Christmas themed cover does not a Christmas comic make. And that was the mistake I made when I paid $4 for this book. I'm very thrifty. I love to shop but I tried really hard to stretch my dollar. If it wasn't for dollar books, massive sales on comic book web sites, and the library, I my collection would be much, much smaller and my knowledge of comics would be greatly less. 
   But I came across this 1956 book a little while ago and I figured that I'd never come across such an old Christmas comic for such an affordable price ever again. What can I say, I'm addicted to holiday comics!
   Alas, this is NOT a Christmas or holiday comic book. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it. Let's look at what's inside:

1. Bugs joins the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. But instead of being made a Mountie, he's been made to clean out the stables of the horses. So when a case of mistaken identity points to Elmer Fudd as an evil fur trapper, Bugs takes it upon himself to head a manhunt. Chaos naturally ensues.
2. In a one-page prose short story, a character named Pemrose Pig seeks to get his girlfriend, Petunia Pig, a birthday present. (I thought Porky Pig dated Petunia. Whose Pemrose?)
3. Lastly, Bugs and Elmer go on a skiing trip but problems quickly arise when the pair discover that they don't have any firewood to keep them warm. (I'm pretty sure you can figure out where this story was going.)

     And that's Bugs Bunny #46 in a nutshell. Other than the snow in the third story, there's very little winter hi-jinx much less anything to do with Christmas. My wife's family (who are half Jewish) would go so far as to say having the Pemrose and Petunia Pig story keeps this from being a Hanukkah comic as well! And yes, they have actually said this before in the past!!! 

     If I had spent only dollar or less on this, I might donate it to the reading program at my wife's work. But $4 is, to a collector like me, a lot of moolah. Plus, the book's staples are quite rusty and the cover is being held on mostly by sheer will power.

    I enjoyed the stories but I didn't like being duped by the cover. This is a prime example of how if you have doubts about a book, you should always ask the owner if you can examine it out of the bag. If they say no to your request, then it's a sign that the comic wasn't for you.

    Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Looney Tunes #212 (Family Comics Friday)

  

   If you were to try and guess what the longest running DC Comics title is currently still on the market; what would be you guess? Would you say it's the book that started the superhero phenomenon with the introduction of Superman- Action Comics? Or would you guess Detective Comics, the oldest title created by DC when it was originally known as National Publications? Those are both good guesses, but with the 2011 reboot of the DC Universe, thanks to events in the miniseries 'Flashpoint,' you'd be wrong. 

   So what's the correct answer? I'll give a small hint: since the 1970s, Warner Brothers has in some form or another owned DC eventually turning the publisher into a subsidiary in 2009.

   Give up? Or did you figure it out, Doc? 

  With over 226 issues and counting, would you ever have been able to guess it was Looney Tunes?  Started in 1994, the title has run bi-monthly for over 21 years and has featured some of the most iconic (and a few obscure) characters in the Looney Tunes franchise. From Bugs Bunny to Sam Sheepdog to Yosemite Sam, if they starred in the countless number Warner Brothers cartoons, you'll probably find them in the pages of Looney Tunes Comics. 

    This issue I selected to review was issue #212 from 2013. Featuring 3 short stories, this was a fun collection of stories starring some fan favorites.

    First up, Bugs Bunny takes a wrong turn in Albuquerque and tunnels into Sing Song Prison instead of the Paris Canned Carrot Festival. Forced to help Mugsy and his Boss, Rocky,  escape prison, the Rascally Rabbit will take them anywhere but to freedom. Written by the master of DC's all-ages comics, Sholly Fisch, this story could've been a Looney Tunes cartoon!

    Then jump to the 24th-and-a-1/2 Century and explore the furthest reaches of the universe with Duck Dodgers and his faithful sidekick, the Eager Young Space Cadet (Porky Pig.) Uh, wait a minute... that adventure has been put on hold as Dodgers and Cadet are going on vacation. Wouldn't you know it? The duo just happens to pick the very same planet that arch-enemy Marvin the Martian has decided to terraform into a Martian resort!

   Lastly, Granny takes Tweety Bird to the vet for a check-up. But why does the vet seem to speak with a lisp and smell an awful lot like a cat? Could it be another one of Sylvester the Cat's schemes to make the beloved canary his next meal?

    Looney Tunes the comic is a 32-page bi-monthly adventure with a slew of classic characters that generations of fans have grown up with and loved. Though this series has not been collected in trade form, this book is very accessible for families on a budget. New issues can be bought at cost or lower. Older issues are rarely marked up and found in bargain bins.
  
     But there's a catch to all this: you have to be willing to look for them. If you have a local comic book store that has a good all-ages section, you should be able to find this series with no problem. But since all-ages books aren't normally considered profitable, if no one shows an interest in this series, they won't buy it. 

   That's actually a problem right now with the current issue of Scooby-Doo Team-Up (#12). Only 7,000 issues were ordered and with the current issue starring ever so popular Harley Quinn, the book sold out real quick and is selling for upwards of $20-50 apiece. Sure, this issue will probably be reprinted, but it wasn't fair for loyal fans of that series who purchase that fun series on a regular basis. 

   Now, back to Looney Tunes. If your child likes this series, speak to the owner of the comic shop you frequent and tell them you want to buy more releases. With more interest, DC will publish more issues and there won't be shortage problems for the true fans these titles are meant for- kids.

   Lastly- another tip. Check out eBay. There are some really good lots of Looney Tunes comics that pop up on the site for decent prices. I'd normally suggest Amazon or even an online comics retailer. But, for the biggest bang for your buck, check out the original online auction site for more your favorite Warner Bros. icons. 

   Worth Consuming 

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars and that's all folks!