Plop! #14

1973-76's Plop! was a sister anthology series of DC titles such as House of Mystery, House of Secrets and Secrets of Sinister House. Even though Plop! was hosted by horror hosts Cain & Abel as well as the lesser known Eve, this series was not a horror title. Instead, Plop! was a title devoted to the oddball and weird. There was definitely an element of humor running throughout this book as the majority of the stories and one-page gags revolved around the use of the word 'plop' to end the tale or for the punchline.

With Sergio Aragones, Basil Wolverton and Wally Wood all working on this book, Plop! felt like MAD Magazine lite. The trio had all at one point or another worked on the definitive humor mag of the 20th century. Aragones is a living legend, one of the last bastions of the William Gaines era of MAD. Wolverton was renowned for his grotesque creators such as the 'World's Ugliest Woman', Lena the Hyena and the cult-classic sci-fi storyline, 'The Brain Bats of Venus'! But it's Wally Wood that interests me the most!

Wallace Wood was one of the superstars of EC Comics. Known for work on such titles as Weird Science and Weird Fantasy and developing fan favorites in the Comics Code era such as THUNDER Agents, Wally Wood's artistic talent was set at 11. A tragic figure in comics, Wood battled a number of unexplained health issues and alcoholism, while maintaining a portfolio of work unparalleled to most.

The subject matter of the two main stories is rather varied. In the first yarn, a pair of spinster sisters are visited by their long-lost brother who returns home seeking his share of the family fortune. The ladies claim that they're flat broke. However, with the mystery of a forbidden, locked door, the brother is convinced that his share of wealth lies on the other side. Story 2 is a Marv Wolfman/Wally Wood collaboration. It has an aspiring knight looking for his place at King Arthur's Round Table. If he can rescue a damsel in distress, it will surely cement this squire's reputation. In a nearby castle, the young man finds a woman being terrorized by demons. Eager to save her life, the knight is faced with a dilemma that could make him a hero but it would damn the world in return.

Both stories were very good. The medieval story bears that signature MAD Magazine touch of adding funny signs and Easter eggs throughout the background scenery. The inheritance tale had just enough mix of kook factor and suspense to make the tale weird but not scary enough to warrant a place in DC's pantheon of horror titles.

The one-page gags were all weird. You can see a production number in the bottom corner of most. The numbers vary in range. I'm wondering if these were gags that were considered too unusual for MAD and not spooky enough for the House of Mystery. 

A good read that lacks the satirical edge of MAD Magazine as well as the adult edginess of EC Comics. I blame the age in which this work was produced. The 70s was a time of relaxing the rules of the Comics Code. If Marvel had produced this book, some of the material would have pushed the envelope. With DC, they were willing to tackle the ghouls, demons and other monsters finally allowed by the CCA. But when it came to counterculture and anti-establishmentism, DC just didn't do enough to be edgy. It would take a few more years before the publisher would be truly willing to stick it to the man. And when they finally do, Plop! would be a cancelled memory.

Worth Consuming! 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

MAD Stocking Stuffer

This special from the Usual Gang of Idiots has been released and re-released for the past couple of years. It's 96 pages of jokes, gags and parodies from the likes of Al Jaffee, Sergio Aragones, David Berg and Tom Richmond. 

For parodies, there's send-ups of A Christmas Story and Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve. Oh, and don't forget the roast of the Hallmark Wish Book! Spy Vs. Spy won't let the holidays get in the way of their cold war. 

But my favorite feature was a classic from all the way back in 1963. Called 'If Kids Designed Their Own Xmas Toys,' MAD Magazine had several kids draw their ideal toy. Then Al Jaffee took those designs, took them literal and made 3-D models. It was very funny and extremely brilliant.

Not every feature was a winner. But that's MAD Magazine for ya. If you push the envelope in so many directions, it's not going to reach all audiences. Overall, this was an enjoyable read as their were more hits than misses. 

And remember. It's 2021. People have gotten too overly sensitive over things. Lighten up. It's all supposed to be in festive fun!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/ Usagi Yojimbo One-Shot (2017)

Written, drawn, and Lettered by Stan Sakai

Established Histories

   I first learned about Usagi Yojimbo from a random visit to a toy store in 1989. I was on a major Ninja Turtles kick at the time and I had to have all of the figures. A new batch of figures had just arrived and Usagi was one of them. Decked in a blue samurai outfit, and brandished two sharpened katanas, I instantly fell in love with that white rabbit!

   So what if the toy manufacturer Playmates called him by the wrong name? He was super cool looking! For those of you new to the character, Usagi Yojimbo is the name of the series. Miyamoto Usagi is the rabbit's full name. Usagi is hired out as a yojimbo; a kind of Japanese bodyguard.

    When I learned that IDW was putting out a new crossover one-shot starring Miyamoto Usagi and the Turtles, I was thrilled. Stan Sakai is doing the story and art? Consider me first in line! Variant covers by talent such as Sergio Aragones- with a team-up of Stan and Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman? Consider my comic reserved and paid for!

Hello Again For The First Time

   An ancient danger threatens to tumble all of feudal Japan into the sea. To battle it, the Kakera-Sensei must replace a stone fragment that has broken off the seal that weakens the beast. Needing protection, Kakera-Sensei calls upon the rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi to guard him on his quest.

    However, this mission is far too important for the yojimbo to face alone. So Kakera-Sensei summons a quartet of heroes from the future to assist in the quest: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While this is Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael; these are not the same turtles that Usagi has teamed with in the past.

   This Turtle team is from an alternate universe. They are just as skilled and qualified as the ninja master Usagi knows. But the danger is mounting in the form of a army led by the wicked Jei. Can the rabbit warrior and the reptilian fighters learn to become a cohesive fighting unit and save Japan before it’s too late?

Classic Usagi

   As true to Stan Sakai’s style, he combines Japanese folklore with historical settings. Sakai’s use of Namazu, a giant catfish, who’s massive body resulted in earth-moving tremors, was classic Usagi fare. Then to use actual places like the Kashima Shrine, Sakai makes a story like this one-shot come alive.

   I’m not very sure that I liked that these turtles weren’t the same version that Usagi knows. The camaraderie between the two sets of friends is a missing dynamic. It does help to simplify the story as this book is only 48-pages. But that spark of friendship is sorely missing. However, now that we’ve established alternate versions of the Turtles exist, could we be seeing a crisis on Infinite Ninja Turtles on the horizon?

   Don’t stop reading after the story ends. Be sure to flip a few pages to the great interview with Stan Sakai. It gives so very informative backstory as to how a group of Ninja Turtles meet up with a samurai bunny in the first place. Plus, it’s talks about that beloved Yojimbo figure of mine from 1989!

    The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle/ Usagi Yojimbo one-shot is a fun trip down memory lane indeed!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Sergio Aragones Funnies #8

 I found this comic in a bargain bin recently. Featuring the art and slightly skewed brain of MAD Magazine legend Sergio Aragones, each issue has a theme. The issue I found theme is in treasure. What, you couldn't figure that out from the cover? Actually- the cover reveals more about the theme than the stories do as really the treasures discovered in this issue lies in the heart of each character and doesn't necessarily represent a monetary value.

  Anyways, along with some great short stories and some one page gags, Aragones included some seek and find games where you have to find the list of missing objects. But those activities are harder than they appear! Magnifying glasses are a must!

   I think the best part of this issue is of a true story in which Aragones was tasked one year with arranging the annual MAD Magazine editors retreat to his childhood home of Mexico. It was a neat look at some of the behind the scenes antics of the late William Gaines and his bunch of beloved “idiots.” they seemed like a really fun bunch and I wish that there were more of such adventures in this book.

  Hey, Sergio Aragones should make a graphic novel of his exploits at MAD! I call dibs on a free autographed copy for my genius idea!

   If the trip to Mexico wasn't included in this issue, I would say that this publication from Bongo Comics was for readers of all ages. But that South of the Border adventure gets a little salty at times. so maybe some parental discretion is advised for those under the age of 11.

    Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #60- PLOP!

Plop!- the short-lived companion piece to the House Of Secrets, the House Of Mystery, and The Witching Hour. It's true, as brother Cain and Abel and the Old Witch shared duties as the host to many of the stories contained within. It's moniker billed the comic as the “Magazine of Weird Humor” and boy does this collection not disappoint.

  This Blue Ribbon Digest was a much sought after gem that I stumbled across at a pop-up book sale. These digests, while completely filled with reprints, are holy grails to collectors such as myself who have found memories of these treasuries and actively seek them out and buy them with gusto. However, age has caught up with me as the tiny print was hard to read and I had to take frequent breaks least I end up with a headache. But that doesn't mean that I didn't have a ball reading this.

 Plop! featured the creative talents of Basil Wolverton, Wally Wood, Bernie Wrightson, and Sergio Aragones. It was like an old EC Comic was combined with Mad Magazine and had a baby… a very weird baby. Along with some silly fables, a Lord of the Rings parody, and a reprint of the award-winning story ‘ The Poster Plague’- a short tale from House Of Mystery that started it all. Why there's even a few Murphy Anderson penciled shorts that skewer some of you favorite heroes of the DC Universe.

I enjoyed this so much that if I ever come across further issues of PLOP! in my scourings of bargain bins, they will become a part of my collection! Without a doubt!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Omnibus: Wild Space, Volume 2

  I know I've been reading a lot of Star Wars stuff lately. Blame it on Episode VII.....

  I found this omnibus edition of Dark Horse titles on discount at a comic book in St. Louis. Titled 'Wild Space' it's a bizarre mix of stories that don't really fit anywhere else, either because the stories aren't canon or there just isn't enough material to make their own omnibus. 

   In this collection, Jabba and his majordomo Bibb Fortuna scour the universe wheelin', dealin', and schemin' their way through the Outer Rim. Then the concept artists of the new and original Star Wars trilogies create an assortment of stories based on their outstanding artwork. Next, Lando Calrissian must run a gambit of bounty hunters in order to save his life and find out where Boba Fett is hiding with Han Solo, frozen in Carbonite. Lastly, a pair of background characters named Tag & Bink end up causing much of the action of the original trilogy to go the Rebellion's way and legendary cartoonist Sergio Aragones gets sucked into the DVD restoration process at Lucasfilm, literally. 

   This was a great collection of stories. I really didn't have qualms with any of it, though I must say that some of the concept stories had me scratching my head- they were just a little too out there. However, one tale about Obi-Wan protecting the Lars homestead from a menacing Darth Maul was both thrilling and proof that the idea that having the Sith Lord survive Episode I was in the cards for quite some time. 

   I loved the Tag & Bink stories. I already owned them in another format and that almost caused me to overlook this book. But I decided I'll sell those books at a used bookstore and pulled the trigger on this collection. I'm really glad I did.

   By the way, this is volume 2 of Wild Space, so does that mean I have to have that volume to enjoy this one? Nope, it's just that there so much material out there that doesn't fit into other storylines to warrant putting them into another omnibus title other than Wild Space. Plus, volume 1 collects all of the Marvel UK stories and for that reason alone, it's worth putting on my wish list.

   Unfortunately, because of the scarcity of the Omnibuses due to Dark Horse no longer owning the rights to Star Wars, the price of those titles are very hit and miss. I got lucky to find this one as cheap as I did because some listings on eBay and Amazon are for prices more than original cover, way more...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The MAD Student Survival Guide for Those Bored of Education

   There was a time when MAD Magazine was considered edgy, controversial, adult. This 2002 collection of school-themed cartoons, published by Scholastic, is proof of how far the mighty have fallen. When I was under the age of 13, I wasn't even allowed to say the word MAD. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration but due to it's (im)mature content, my mother wouldn't let me buy it. That wasn't so much of a problem as my dad regularly bought the publication and he let me read his copies when my mom was at work. (Plus I was more of a Cracked Magazine fan and delighted in the works of John  Severin, Jack Davis, and Sol Brodsky.)

   But I remember that the MAD's of the 70s and 80s tackled issues like Nixon and Watergate, The Sexual Revolution, Women's Lib, Gorbachev and his silly birthmark, the Gary Sex scandal, and Iran-Contra. This was biting stuff that stuck it to the man or whoever else was in charge. It was the print version of the attitude of founder William Gaines (creator of EC classics like Weird Science and The Vault of Horror.) Gaines saw first hand what happened when government got involved in your business from the aftermath of the 1950s comics scare and created MAD as a way to skewer the traditonal (and often flawed) American Way of life. 

   
   The MAD Student Survival Guide is a strange mixture of classic Gaines and the modern DC versions of the title. Dave Berg's 'The Lighter Side Of...' is featured throghout the book as are Drawn Out Dramas, those great tiny cartoons by Sergio Aragones. Classic MAD artists like Al Jaffee and Don Martin are featured too. But the majority of the features in the book is the modern day drivel that MAD is now known for. Though a feature about the types of lunches packed by mom, that featured an up-and-coming Amanda Conner, was a delight.

    The new MAD is like those classic kids magazines from the 70s and 80s: Dynamite and Hot Dog. But those titles, the brain child of future DC EIC Jeanette Kahn, were from day one geared at kids. MAD wasn't! EC Comics were more known for having an adult auidence. But thanks to the coming of the Comics Code, William Gaines had to switch the format from a 4-colored comic to a black and white tabloid style in order to be free from the CCA's censoring body. 

    For almost 40-years, MAD was the authority in satire and biting wit and gave birth to such institutions as National Lampoon, Saturday Night Live, and even a live-action series on FOX called MADTV. But when Gaines died in 1992 the title's spirit of piss and vinegar died with it. The effects of Gaines death was both immediate and lingering. The company was bought out by Time Warner and the publication was looked at as just another title in the conglomerate's vast catalogue. 

    Sales were deemed more important than Gaines' attitude that MAD was a labor of love. Eventually, the title was consumed by another Time Warner property DC Comics and slowly became more of kids publication. MAD is now like like a Doberman pincher with all of it's teeth removed- and kinda sad. Sometimes, things are best left alone... this book being one of them.
   

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #25

   The Octopus seeks to corner the canned mushroom market in Central City. Now, what would a dastardly villain like that be wanting to set up a monopoly in such a thing as that? Well, it turns out, he's rigged a cooking contest where only his brand of canned mushrooms is eligible for the winning recipe. Thus, the Octopus hopes that once the citizens of Central City become poisoned by his tainted fungi, the crime lord will be able to hold the town ransom for the antidote.

   I really loved this issue. One it involves the Octopus- the definitive archenemy of the Spirit. Two- it's a story with heart, brains, and humor. And three- it involves cooking which is my passion and vocation. So for me it was a win-win-win!

   Once again the combined writing team of Aragones and Evanier crafted a masterful tale. The art, however, is quite different. The pencils by Aluir Amanico were good, but they didn't quite match the skilled pen of Chad Hardin who drew the past few issues. Still, that didn't take away from enjoying one of the best modern Spirit tales to come around in quite some time.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #24

   Bodies seem follow wherever the Spirit roams. Or is it the other way around? The hero goes on a globetrotting adventure from the United States to the jungles of Cambodia to recover a missing artifact.  It seems that during the Vietnam War, a unit of soldiers came across a valuable idol near Phnom Penh. Since it would be impossible to bring the statue back to the states and so they form a ton tine in which the last surviving member of the group would return to Central Asia and recover the priceless artifact for themselves. 

   Well, one of the vets has decided to end the wait prematurely and is killing off the rest of the unit one by one. But with a dwindling list of suspects, who is the killer and will the Spirit be able to stop the carnage before it's too late? 

   An instant classic by Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier. The art by Chad Hardin continues to emulate Spirit creator Will Eisner's timeless style quite well. But I really would like to see MAD Magazine veteran artist Aragones give pencilling the Spirit a try. I think while it would be very cartoony, it would also be a rare treat for fans of both the legendary artist and the classic noir gumshoe.

   Worth Consuming

   9 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #22 (Correct Version)

The cover is a tribute to Will Eisner's original series
in which the series title would play a part of the scene or action.

   When magicians begin popping up all over the city dead, it's up to the Spirit to solve the case and prevent a crime spree. Most of the stories in this series have been crime noirs that are heavier on action that actual crime solving. That changes here are there are dozens of clues littered throughout this book in which the reader is invited to solve before the protagonist can.
 
    You pretty much know from the start who the villain is. But like the Spirit, you're beginning from square one trying to determine a motive while figuring out just how they did it.  Honestly, I thought the solution stunk. It was so far fetched but the build-up and the conclusion in which the Spirit apprehends the villain was very good.

    The art by Chad Hardin and Wayne Faucher was also well done. They've been a great duo to attempt a reasonable facsimile of Will Eisner's timeless style. But they, along with the deft talents of writers Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier, just aren't enough to make this a very memorable story because as I said the solution just wasn't all that great.

   Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The Spirit #21 (DC Comics 2007-09)

   In hopes of bringing down a local gang, the Spirit impersonates their leader under the guise that he has recently been released from jail. But when Chief Dolan's daughter Ellen is kidnapped and taken as a hostage, by the gang the Central City Police are forced to release the actual baddie. What transpires when there is now two bosses and a ton of oddly polite bikers is a comedy of errors that only writers Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier could craft.

    I still prefer Darwyn Cooke's run on this series. I felt that he, with his classic noir style, seemed to channel Will Einser's original take on the Spirit really well. But the duo of Aragones and Evanier are a very close second. The plot was so screwball I thought I was reading a comic book adaptation of a Howard Hawks film. It was tons of fun.

   The art was quite good as well, but it surprised the heck out of me. I was convinced that the art was by writer Aragones. It had that quality of his non-Mad Magazine works such as 'Sergio Aragones Destroys the DC Universe.' Instead, this book was crafted by a Paul Smith. I'm not familiar with his work, but it was quite good and paired well with the Spirit and his zany cast of characters.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Sergio Aragones Destroys DC

If you grew up reading MAD Magazine, the name Sergio Aragones is probably well-known. He’s the artist who draws those legions of tiny cartoons in between the panels on every page. Where a typical MAD artist might’ve seen his work on maybe 6-8 pages, Aragones’ work was on every page, sometimes 3-4 cartoons per.

When I found this book in a bargain bin, I jumped for joy. I’d been looking for it for a very long time and most places I’d seen it wanted about $5 per copy. For a bargain hunter like myself, that was just way too expensive. But last November, I found it for a quarter. DEAL!

There’s two stories intertwined in this issue. First there’s Sergio trying to break his way into the DC ranks as a super hero artist. Along for the ride is writer Mark Evanier. Clearly Sergio is missing the mark when it comes to creating super heroes, but that’s part of the fun. Aragones is written as a Latin America yokel, whose ideas about super heroes comics is as fractured as his English. I seriously doubt this is how the talented artist is in real like. But like his work, much of it is caricature. However, his views on modern comics (in the 90s) becoming a farcical mirror image of what they were when I was a kid is spot on.

The second tale is Sergio’s creation of a crossover to end all crossovers, as Hawkman, Batman (sorry- The Batman), Superman, Wonder Woman, and dozens more face a menace of incalculable proportions- Themselves and the loss of pop culture innocence.

Destroy DC is a parody of comic books in the 1990s. When the book sticks it to the comics genre it is pure genius. Aragones dabbles with skewing topical humor, like the 96 presidential races, and it falls flat. But most of this book really does damage to the DC façade. Unlike Marvel’s Fred Hembreck Destroys the Marvel Universe, where the cartoonist actually killed everyone, Aragones destroys the DC universe by turning it on its ear. Oddly enough, people must’ve been listening, because the comic book bubble officially burst right around the time this book was published and the big two publishers went scrambling to fix their house before the fell like a house of cards.

Destroys DC is a very funny, but hard to find book that’s filled with classic Sergio Aragones artwork. I very much enjoyed it. 

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.