Buck Rogers in the 25th Century #15 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In this Gold Key/Whitman Variant issue based on the NBC series starring Gil Gerard and Erin Grey, it's a double feature. 

In the cover story, Buck Rogers' arch enemy Killer Kane has escaped from his prison cell thanks to a new mutation. Able to suddenly change shape and form, Kane plans on killing Buck while crippling the fleet of the Earth Defense Directorate leaving the planet vulnerable for attack by the Draconian Empire. As skilled, decorated pilots die in very unusual ways during routine patrols, Buck and Dr. Huer uncover evidence of a traitor in their midst. But is it jealousy instead of credible evidence when the finger points at an old flame of Wilma's?

The second adventure sees the Earth imperiled once again. Only it's not by any of the multitude of current adversaries doing the threatening. Instead, it's a threat from the very Earth itself and almost 500 years in the past. 

While Buck Rogers was in his cryogenic slumber, the Earth had a nuclear war that almost made the human race extinct. Most of the warheads were launched from Earth's orbit. Now one of those bombs has returned after floating off course for centuries. With time running out, it's up to Buck and his robot sidekick Twiki to navigate the gigantic bomb's booby traps and deactivate it; least the rest of humanity be wiped out!

Both 'That Which Seems to be...' and '10 Levels of Death' were written by B.S. Watson and illustrated by Mike Roy. 

The penultimate issue of the series, Whitman's legacy numbering puts the total series run from 1964 through to 1982. That means issue #1 debuted 15 years before Buck Rogers appeared on TV. Though a single season series had aired on ABC in 1951, the lone issue from the 1960s was based on the newspaper comic strip created by Philip Francis Nowlan. The first issue to be based on the NBC series was published in 1979. Issues 2-4 are an adaptation of the 2-hour pilot which debuted in theaters before NBC green-lit a full series. The live action series aired for 2 seasons for a total of 37 episodes, with the last episode airing in April 1981. The comic book continued on until May of the following year.

Completing this review completes Task #24 (Starring Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Emergency! #2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worth Consuming!

Rating 9 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons One-Shot Wonders: Bart Simpson's Pal Milhouse #1

The second of 18 total Simpsons One-Shot Wonders. I knew that there was a Milhouse comic book. I just didn't know that it was part of a rudimentary series of specials devoted to some of Springfield's otherwise minor residents. Professor Frink, Police Chief Wiggum and Jimbo are among those who I've learned were given the singular starring role treatment beginning in 2012. I just don't think Lisa nor Bartman, who starred in 3 of these one-shots, deserved the honors as both of them had series runs at one time or another during Bongo Comics' impressive 25 year run. 

I found this book at this year's 301 Endless Yard Sale. One of my former students and her friends were doing a sale and I found a couple of Simpsons comics that I didn't have for only a buck apiece. I chose to read Milhouse first because of the interesting cover. I remember someone from the show being chased by that airplane a la Cary Grant in North by Northwest and I thought the image of Milhouse as Conan the Barbarian was pretty rad. Unfortunately, the concept of the book doesn't quite seem to match the way Milhouse acts on the TV show.

The general idea behind the 2 main stories is that poor, awkward, nerdy Milhouse is so desperate for friendship that his best friend is his over active imagination. I've been watching The Simpsons ever since their days as filler on The Tracey Ullman Show and while Milhouse is definitely a dweeb, I've never noticed that he got lost inside his own head. Daydream retreats by Homer? Absolutely! By Milhouse? Not so much. Okay, never...

The second story at least seemed a bit more plausible. Milhouse gets thrown into his locker by Nelson. Trapped, Milhouse imagines that the locker has a secret entrance to a gigantic secret headquarters where he's international super spy 00! 

The three back up stories were more on par with canon Milhouse. Bart learns it's his best friend's birthday and arranges to bribe everyone at Springfield Elementary into making it Van Houten's best one yet. But soft-hearted Bart doesn't last for long as he then sets up Milhouse to prank Mrs. Krabappel and eventually rats him out without conscience. Lastly, Milhouse teaches you how to make the best prank phone call ever without getting in trouble for it with Bart acting out all the steps by ringing up Moe's tavern. 

Finally, one-shots editor, Louis Lane talks about the Springfield specials he has in store. A book about Homer when he was a kid was on tap next at the time. The first special starred Ralph Wiggum and the letters page saw Milhouse answering in his school mate's stead. It was funny. Though I clearly didn't understand that inside joke about someone's made up name. I googled it and I still don't get it. Also as a bonus, there's a 'hot rod' type sticker of Milhouse that looks like it was made by Ed ' Big Daddy' Ross, that after 13 years has lost its adhesive quality and yet remains inside the comic as if by magic.

With the news about our bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last night, I felt like I needed something light to read. I got that last night. A couple of laughs as well as a chance to think about something else other than complete and utter nuclear annihilation. It just seemed more like a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode instead of a regular season broadcast.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DuckTales #4 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers. TailSpin. Darkwing Duck. Without the success of their predecessor DuckTales, none of these classic Disney cartoons from the late 80s-early 90s would have existed. In fact, the Disney Channel as it operates today as a leader in children's programming as well as the streaming juggernaut Disney+, if not for the pioneering nature of DuckTales.

Production for DuckTales began in 1986. At the time, it was a big gamble for Disney who was fledgling against a wave of new animation studios that was poaching quality talent away from the House of Mouse. In 1985, Disney saw a moderate success with the weekly TV series Adventures of the Gummi Bears. Debuting on NBC, the show was an all-new property, though loosely based on the popular gummy candies. It's surprise popularity enticed Disney to begin production on a daily syndicated series that would air in the late afternoon when children would be home. It needed to be based on a Disney icon. Instead of focusing on Mickey Mouse producers wanted a lead character with a bit of an attitude. And of you wanted attitude in the Disney universe, you headed over to Duckburg, Calisota!

Based upon the classic Duck universe comic stories of Carl Barks, DuckTales was an adventure heavy animated series that saw Uncle Scrooge and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie seeking treasures from across the globe; even the Moon! Enemies such as the Beagle Boys, Flintheart Glomgold and Magical De Spell would be the standard flies in Scrooge's ointment as he constantly looked for new ways to fill his already overflowing coffers. 

To the dismay of Duck fans, Donald Duck would be missing. Due to an internal edict by Disney, the main trio of Mickey, Donald and Goofy were forbidden from being used in the newly developed television animation department. Thus, Donald was sent away to join the Navy (He already had the hat and tunic!) and the larger than life Launchpad McQuack was introduced to pilot Scrooge and his nephews around the world. (The policy forbidding the use of Disney's major Golden Age characters would be overturned in 1992 with the release of the syndicated series Goof Troop starring Goofy and his son Max. Again, thanks to the popularity of DuckTales!)

As DuckTales quickly dominated the airwaves, Disney immediately looked for ways to market the series through merchandising. The first thing Disney approved was a comic book series by their American license holder of the Disney comic book rights, Gladstone. The first few issues had Studio Program material featuring Donald in the episode based adventures. Yet on the covers it was  Launchpad on the engaging with Scrooge and family; not Donald! The rest of the book was filled with a classic Barks story, which also featured Donald.

I realize the mastery of those stories in my older age. But for a 12 year old who was a fan of the TV show as well as a subscriber to Gladstone's comic adaptation, the stark contrast of art styles between the TV show and 1950s Disney Ducks was confusing. Having Donald acting out stories that he wasn't even involved in on the TV didn't help matters much either. Once Disney 's Studio Program realized that Donald was absent from the series, the remainder of the first volume of DuckTales' 13 issues featured Launchpad instead. Those first tales featuring Donald are now considered non-canon by fans.

In 1990, Disney revoked the licensing rights form Gladstone. The studio decided to publish their own comics. Len Wein was hired as the Editor-in-chief. With a full length feature film hitting theaters later in the year, Disney Comics published the second volume of DuckTales. The 18-issue series was nothing like Gladstone's book. An all-new multi part story saw Uncle Scrooge, the nephews and Webby, the granddaughter of McDuck's housekeeper, Mrs. Beakley attempting to recover Scrooge's lucky dime from the clutches of Magica De Spell. 

In this issue, the Duckburg estate is celebrating the safe return of Webby from being held captive by Magica. As a present, Scrooge takes his nephews and Webby on a cruise where bad weather causes McDuck to be swept overboard. He awakens, marooned on the tropical island of his dreams because the native monkeys pay him in trade for coconuts and other fruits in rubies, diamonds and emeralds. However, everything becomes less than ideal when a giant ape arrives on the scene literally throwing his weight around!

While the story ends with a 'To Be Continued' blurb, thankfully things on Ape Island satisfyingly end to prevent readers from having to wait for Scrooge's rescue in issue #5. 

Volume 2 ran for 18 issues right up until the publisher imploded in 1991, cancelling all but a trio of series. DuckTales #4 was written by season one screenwriter Frank Ridgeway. Covers and art by Cosme Quartieri and Robert Bat.

Completing this review completes Task #4 (A Comic Book Based on an Animated TV Show) the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Steed and Mrs. Peel #1 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The quirky spy series The Avengers originally ran from 1961-1969. Contrary to popular beliefs, The Avengers didn't air on the BBC. Instead it was part of the programming for ITV. Also known as Channel 3, the independent free-to-air public broadcasting network had a budget way smaller than the state-run British Broadcasting Channel. So in 1965, American broadcaster ABC bought the series, making the names John Steed and Mrs. Emma Peel household names. The series made actress Diana Rigg a cultural icon. 

After The Avengers ended in 1969, it seemed that the show was doomed to languish in reruns. Surprisingly, the episodes that started Mrs. Peel's replacement Tara King, were lasting hits in France. As a result, champagne manufacturer Laurent-Perrier created an advertising campaign starring Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Linda Thorson as King. 

The success of the campaign brought about interest in a reboot. Macnee returned as Steed in the retooled New Avengers. As Patrick Macnee was pushing 50, The New Avengers featured younger actor Gareth Hunt taking on the more strenuous stunts as trained martial artist Mike Gambit. Playing the role of the beautiful but deadly Purdy was the blonde actress Joanna Lumley, about 2 decades shy of her role as the boozy Patsy Stone on the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

This 1990 3-issue miniseries takes place in between the events of the original series and the 1976-1978 reboot. Written by Grant Morrison with art by Ian Gibson, the Acme Press/Eclipse Comics published series sees Steed reuniting with Mrs. Peel after it has been revealed that a mole has infiltrated the never named branch of British Intelligence that Steed works for. After a military strategist is murdered and Tara King is incapacitated, Steed turns to the only person he can trust: Emma Peel. 

Mrs. Peel has been spending her time away from the intelligence community with her husband in the South American jungle. An anthropologist, Mr. Steed was presumed dead, which led to Emma becoming an unofficial agent for the British crown. When Mr. Peel was found safe and sound, Mrs. Peel left to reunite with her spouse. In this miniseries, Mr. Peel is alive and well, observing native ritual sacrifices. It's a subject that clearly doesn't hold Emma's interest and she's more than willing to help out her old partner for old times sake.

This series, like other subsequent titles based on the British TV series, are titled Steed and Mrs. Peel. Not The Avengers. That's because in the United States, Marvel Comics owns the naming rights to The Avengers as well as The New Avengers. It's made for a little bit of confusion amongst comic collectors looking for the adventures of John Steed and Mrs Peel in print. Muddling things is the fact that because John Steed and his revolving door of partners debuted on the boob tube and later the silver screen in a 1998 American made film starring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman, the British franchise has naming rights over Marvel when it comes to live action works. Thus, the cinematic adventures of Earth's Mightiest Heroes must be officially titled as Marvel's Avengers. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the first Avengers film goes by the name Marvel Avengers Assemble.

In 2012, Acme/Eclipse's 3 issue miniseries was reprinted as a 6-issue limited series by Boom! Studios before releasing a regular series penned by Mark Waid. Both publications by Boom! were released as Steed and Mrs. Peel.

Completing this review completes Task #21 (Written by an Author From the UK) the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Hot Wheels #5 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1969, Barbie co-creator Elliott Handler introduced the world, especially young boys, to the scale model toy car line known as Hot Wheels. Unlike their established competitor, Matchbox, which focused on the actual vehicle models on modern roadways, the cars from Hot Wheels were souped up, customized versions designed by manufacturers worldwide. The paint schemes were vivid and wild like hot rodders were decorating their cars. The wheels were bigger and sometimes of varying sizes in the front and back. Some Hot Wheels were designed to fit a certain theme such as the bubble top 'Beatnik Bandit' originally designed by Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.

As Hot Wheels quickly dominated Matchbox and other toy producers of similar scale model vehicles, Mattel decided to ride the wave of popularity with an animated TV series. Mattel teamed with Ken Synder Properties and Pantomime Productions to create a 30 minute animated series based on the Hot Wheels property. Airing on ABC for 17 episodes over 2 seasons from 1969-71, the Hot Wheels cartoon featured the voice talents of Casey Kasem, Albert Brooks and Michael Rye.

The series revolved around the members of the youth series Hot Wheels Racing Team. High School student Jack Wheeler would compete in races around the world that were filled with cheating and sabotage. The members of the Hot Wheels team would preach fairness and the importance of vehicle safety while facing off against competitors who would pretty much break the law to win their respective automobile races.

As the animated series debuted, DC Comics simultaneously released a monthly series based on the TV series and toy line. Jack, along with his racing teammates Tank and Mickey would have adventures in a variety of vehicles while under the supervision of Jack's father, a former professional racer who's career ended after a crash left him partially crippled. This issue had 3 stories. In 'The Case of the Curious Classic', Mr. Wheeler purchases a run down vehicle he hopes to restore that is desired for some unknown reason by several criminals. 'The Dangerous Days of Mickey Barnes' reveals how Jack and his best friend Mickey first met as bitter rivals. Lastly is a 2-page prose story that describes a practice session match between the 3 members of Team Hot Wheels. 

The first story along with the cover was penciled and scripted by Alex Toth. Len Wein wrote the second feature. Art was by Ric Estrada and Dick Giordano. Credit for the prose story seems to be a mystery in both the book itself and research through other online resources.

DC's Hot Wheels series only ran for 6 issues. Automobile racing seemed to be a hard seller in an industry that ran on superheroes, the supernatural and stories of war. A complaint waged with the FCC might also have something to do with the quick demise of the book. In 1970, Johnny Lightning manufacturer Topper Toys, among others complained that the Hot Wheels animated series was nothing more than a 30 minute commercial for Mattel's toy line. ABC denied the allegations stating that no toys were ever advertised during the show. The FCC rules that a portion of the cartoon's air time was to be registered as advertising. This ruling would be the first step towards the FCC banning animated TV shows for children being based on toy lines for almost a decade until the decision was reversed by the Reagan administration. 

Other notable figures from comic history to work on the short-lived comic line included Joe Gill, Nick Cardy and Vince Colleta. Neal Adams penciled the cover to the final issue; a holiday themed issue covered by collectors of Christmas comic books such as myself.

Completing this review completes Task #27 (Based on a Toy Line or Video Game) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Superman Adventures #1(2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Superman: The Animated Adventures ran on the WB from 1996-2000. It was a spin-off of the now classic Batman: The Animated Adventures. 

Featuring the voice talents of Tim Daly as Superman/Clark Kent, Dana Delaney as Lois Lane and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor, the series was lauded for it's sleek futuristic design and cerebral script writing. Utilizing a majority of the production staff from Batman: TAS, names such as Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Jean MacCurdy appeared regularly in the closing credits.

This cartoon version of the Man of Steel wasn't a god among men as he was originally designed by creators Siegel and Shuster. Instead, Superman: TAS structured their Last Son of Krypton with the same limitations as developed by John Byrne in the 1987 post-Crisis reboot of Superman. Though severely hampered with the restrictions put on the character, making for more dramatic storylines, Superman rose to every challenge he faced because there was one superpower to which the hero had no weakness against: Superman's unwavering moral code!

Unlike the pre-Crisis Superman, this version of the Man of Tomorrow still had access to his adopted parents, Ma and Pa Kent. Whenever faces with a crisis of conscience, Superman could always make a quick trip to Kansas and work out his problems as Clark Kent with words of wisdom and encouragement from the Kents. Unaware that Superman has a secret identity, Clark's morality was the one thing Lex Luthor's advanced technological schemes against Superman that he could never defeat!

Just as the animated series was debuting on television, DC Comics released a monthly all ages comic book. The first issue was written by Paul Dini with art by Rick Burchett and inks by Terry Austin. The opening story titled 'Men of Steel', sees Superman on scene in Metropolis for just a few weeks. Clark Kent is also still pretty wet behind the ears in his reporter job as the Daily Planet. Luthor sees Superman as a threat to his stranglehold as the de facto ruler of Metropolis as well as a potential alien invader, operating under the guide as a heroic savior. 

The corrupt business leader has been testing out Superman's powers and weaknesses through a series of tests designed as super villains randomly attacking Metropolis. After Superman's latest encounter with terrorist John Corben, inside a suit of 'stolen' LexCorp armor, Luthor has enough data to fully active a life-sized robotic replica of the Man of Steel!

The plot of this issue's story is a partial retelling of part three of the debut episode 'The Last Son of Krypton.' Corben's theft of the LexCorp rebo-suit and Luthor's determination to make a fool of Superman are almost verbatim scenes taken from show. Only Kent's attempts at love and the revelation that Brainiac survived the destruction of Krypton are not included in this premiere issue.

DC's Superman Adventures ran for 66 issues, outpacing the TV show by a dozen stories. A year after the cancellation of the series, Superman, Batman and others would return, this time as a team. Justice League and it's spin-off series Justice League Unlimited would run for 5 seasons; ultimately pitting the Superman led Justice League against the Injustice League, headed by Lex Luthor.

The wrap-around cover is by Bruce Timm.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #16 (Book from the Year You Graduated High School) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Hee Haw #1(2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

It's a common misconception that the variety TV series Hee Haw was created as a 60-minute commercial for The Grand Ole Opry based in Nashville, TN. While the series, which ran for 26 seasons from 1969-1993, did incorporate a large number of cast and crew that performed at the Opry, the series was originally developed to complete against Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, which was dominating the ratings over at NBC. Canadian TV producers Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth were tasked by CBS to present a variety series that catered to rural audiences with backwoods comedy sketches and country music. 

The series debuted as a summer replacement series after CBS executives tired with feuding with the Smothers Brothers over their controversial topical humor and choice of guest stars, cancelled The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Quickly picked up for the 1969-70 television season, Hee Haw was a top 20 hit. However, as part of CBS's rural purge of popular small-town set series such as Green Acres, the thriving country variety series was terminated in the Summer of 1971.

All was not lost for Hee Haw. Thanks to the new Prime Time Access Rule (PTAR), the FCC declared that the major networks had too much control of their affiliates programming time. This opened up more free hours in need of programming, in particularly, on the weekends. PTAR resulted in a golden opportunity for Hee Haw to go into syndication.

While still airing on CBS, a number of licensed products were produced bearing the logo for Hee Haw nailed together as wooden planks as well as the show's animated mascot, an overalls wearing donkey, including T-shirts, patches and shot glasses. Images of Hee Haw's breakout stars, hosts Roy Clark and Buck Owens soon graced products such as lunch boxes and of course country music albums. 

In 1970, Charlton Comics signed a licensing deal with CBS entertainment to produce a comic book series based on popular characters from the show. Along with Owens and Clark, performers Grandpa Jones, Lulu Roman, Gordie Tapp and Junior Samples were featured. They were joined by the show's second most popular mascot, the sad-eyed hound dog, Kingfish. 

All 7 issues of the series were written and drawn by Frank Roberge. His facial likenesses of the stars were spot on. However, their bodies as well as the full image of the supporting characters who were not based on real persons were cartoony to the likes of Mort Walker's Beetle Bailey, a comic strip Roberge assisted on in the 1950s.

With exception of a 2-page spread at the center of the comic, based on the Cornfield segment where cast members told jokes and one-liners, none of the stories followed the format of the show. Adventures in the first issue include Roy and Kingfish starting a music group together, Gordie trying to learn the secret of Grandpa's success at fishing and Junior entering Kingfish in a dog show. There's a couple of one-page gags, along with an article about the career of Buck Owens as well as a coloring page of the co-host. 

While the comic book didn't last a full year, Charlton also produced a quarterly magazine devoted to the series. It featured full color photos, interviews, a joke page and sheet music to popular songs performed on the air. The magazine ran from 1970-74 for 14 issues.

Going back to the opening statement about Hee Haw not being affiliated originally with The Grand Ole Opry. In 1981, Gaylord Entertainment, the production company of The Opry, acquired Yongestreet Productions, officially absorbing Hee Haw into The Grand Ole Opry family. Gaylord Entertainment quickly created a Hee Haw themed variety show that ran in Branson, Missouri and eventually moved taping of Hee Haw to the home of The Opry, Ryman Auditorium. In 1992, Hee Haw stopped production of new episodes. For the 25th anniversary of the show, classic clips were repackaged with segments hosted by Clark as Hee Haw Silver. Despite a slight uptick in ratings with the clip shows, popularity in variety series were at an all-time low and Hee Haw was eventually cancelled altogether in June 1993. 

Completing this review completes Task #5 (A Comic Book Based on a Live Action TV Show) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Teen Titans Go!: Roll With It!

The Teen Titans take on the genre of role playing games, more precisely, skewering the most popular game of them all: Dungeons & Dragons. 

After endless rounds of nagging, the Titans finally agreed to play a round of 'Basements and Basilisks' with Robin as the game master. Their quest is to locate an enchanted piece of jewelry and then discover a way to destroy it. In the real world, the relic is an anklet that Robin symbolically wears around his leg. But what the Titans are unaware of is that the anklet is really cursed by one of the team's most dangerous foes in a plot to take over the world.

From 2020, this is of a rough series of graphic novels in which the Teen Titans tackle a subject and parody the heck out of it. I call it rough not because of the art or the story itself. Mostly it's because DC has been releasing these theme heavy books without labeling them with volume numbers or organizing them as a set. However, I did feel that the story ran about 50 pages too long. Maybe a bit more.

About halfway into the story, everyone finds out who the mystery villain really is in the real world. Then back into the game world, which has been bewitched by the anklet, they all forget. This happens over and over. And it just started to get boring. It was like being stuck in a time loop only this story had nothing to do with quantum mechanics. 

I also thought that the artist behind the design of the villain didn't do such a great job disguising them. In their secret identity form, they look like a normal human being. However if you examine the outline of their body, and if you have a pretty good knowledge of Teen Titans Go!, then you've figured out who this baddie is. Considering that the mystery villain appears on the very first page, I was not anywhere near surprised during the big surprise reveal of the antagonist. 

I would say that my biggest complaint with TTG is how they'll beat something to death. It's like that song of theirs, The Night Begins to Shine. The first time they used it was great. Then they did a 5-night miniseries about the song and then another special episode and another. The folks behind Teen Titans Go! just can't let a brilliant idea stay fresh. They have to keep milking it and milking it until they kill the poor cow. I thought it was only with the TV show that this kind of overuse occurred. Turns out that the folks behind the comics are forced to reuse material until the point of annoyance as well.

A great start to a story that should have ended needed at least 2 chapters sooner than it did.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Powerpuff Girls Halloween Special (Family Comic Friday)

It's Halloween and Bubbles and Blossom cannot wait to go trick-or-treating. However, resident Powerpuff Girl hothead Buttercup refuses to go until she can create the perfect Halloween ghost story. See, there's a huge cash prize being offered and to Buttercup, that's more important than going around in costume door to door for candy. But as writer's block prevents Buttercup from crafting her story, the tales of aspiring writer begin to blend fantasy with reality.

I felt like this 2024 special from Dynamite Entertainment was a hot mess. The writing was all over the place. True, that's because most of the time, readers weren't supposed to know what was real and what was the product of Buttercup's imagination. Maybe dyed in the wool fans of the series would understand it better and enjoy it. But just don't think that's the case here. I think this is a case of writer Amanda Diebert trying to squeeze too much into a 32-page or less book. Perhaps if this was an 80-page giant, the details could have been fleshed out better. But if not, my God, I don't think I could have stood reading such a deluxe special. 

It wasn't just the writing that disappointed me. I like the artwork of Cat Staggs. But what happened here? The interiors seem so unlike her and really, it hardly looks like the Powerpuff Girls! I'm used to the clean lines of Bubbles and her sisters from the TV series. Here, it looks like someone went a little too heavy with the inks and a very thick brush. Even the colors are wrong. Everything is mottled instead of a uniform solid bright hue for each character, their clothing and the scenery.

I'd blame the artwork on modernization of the characters. Only there's an ad for another Powerpuff Girls series in the back and that artwork looks like the original Cartoon Network style that I am familiar with. Plus, the villains who pop up in their amazing cameos look fantastic. Why didn't Staggs give the same level of detail to the trio of heroes?

The Powerpuff Girls Halloween Special is rated Teen. That's mostly because the generation who grew up watching the original series are now in their teens and early adulthood. Yet, other than some heroic fights, I didn't see anything that parents and guardians would find offensive or too over-the-top if younger readers were to read this book. That being said I doubt that very many readers under the age of 18 are going to get the myriad of references to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic, The Shining. Be honest. How many of you figured out that the heart pattern on the cover was a tribute to the carpeted floors of the Overlook Hotel?

I think the wrong franchise tried to give tribute to the wrong horror classic. Powerpuff Girls meet Jack Torrance just didn't work for me. The John Carpenter Halloween homage that kicks things off would have been great. But the story goes off into another direction. By the time I was able to sort out the terrible segue, I had pretty much made up my mind that things were going to get better.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

S.H.I.E.L.D., Vol. 1: Perfect Bullets

I really enjoyed ABC's Agents of SHIELD. Sure, a lot of it has to do with me being a big fan of Nick Fury and the spy elements of the Marvel Universe. Regardless, Agents of SHIELD was a show that got better with age. Ironically, as the series progressed, it strayed further from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's because it was established that despite Agent Phil Coulson dying at the hands of Loki, everything that happened afterwards followed a slightly different timeline on another universe. So despite what you think about Spider-Man: No Way Home introducing the multiverse to Marvel movie fans, it was Marvel's Agents of SHIELD that did it first.

And before I get into my review of this book, can I just comment on the actor who brought Phil Coulson to life on many occasions? Clark Gregg is just wonderful as the walking Encyclopedia Britannica of superheroes and their adversaries. I may not agree with all of the actor's politics. But I thought he brought such an energy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the show. I hope he's not truly retired from the role. I'd love to see him interact with Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Cumberbatch 's Sorcerer Supreme.

This series, penned by Mark Waid, was Marvel's attempt to bring the Agents of SHIELD into the Marvel 616 Universe. Waid's been known to make some controversial changes to established DC and Marvel canon. But he did a fantastic job here. 

One of the smartest moves was to essentially have each issue be a team-up with at least one superhero. Coulson, May, Fitz and Simmons conduct missions with the likes of Spidey, Ms. Marvel, The Invisible Woman and many others. The first assignment has Phil Coulson spread extremely thin when creatures from all of the nine realms begin an all out invasion of Midgard. There's literally dozens of comics brightest stars in that story, including Tony Stark who's in his Superior Iron Man stage of life. 

6 different artists pencil an issue in this book. My favorite was Alan Davis' work in the Spider-Man story that takes place in Doctor Stranger's Sanctum Sanctorum. He evoked a mix of Steve Ditko and Steve Englehart's tenures on the good doctor's title. 

The book concludes with an odd little segment of comic strips about Agent Fitz and his new artificial intelligence program H.E.N.R.Y., which takes the holographic form of a green Capuchin monkey. I felt like there were clues or maybe some Easter eggs that were hinting to what will occur in Volume 2. However, if that's the case, I was a really bad detective.

I really enjoyed this volume. Too bad, I don't have the next volume immediately on hand. But I've got trade credit and a hole burning in my pocket. So maybe I'll continue these adventures real soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Young Justice, Vol. 1 (A Madman Re-Read)

Cartoon Network's Young Justice. Has there been a better animated series based on the DC Universe in the past 15 years? Loosely based on the Peter David led comic series from 1998, the show was a natural progression of the Batman: The Animated Series universe of shows. The artwork was different. But in terms of the quality of stories involving not just DC's A-level tiered heroes but really obscure characters like Lagoon Boy and Queen Bee, Young Justice could not be beat. 

When a comic adaptation is based on a cartoon these days, the formula now is to swipe images from the TV show directly, add word bubbles and present it as a comic. When I encounter books such as this, I feel gypped. Mostly, because I've already encountered these stories prior. To not use original artwork felt even more like an insult to readers expecting all-new material. True, a series like Young Justice which is comprised less of one-and-done stories and instead serialized over the whole season, is harder to turn into a comic book without spoiling the TV show. Yet, I think Art Franco and Baltazar did an amazing job keeping continuity without ruining the show or feeling like I had already seen the material before!

So why did I read this book again? Well, when I read it in 2017, I didn't own the book. Instead, I got it at my local library and, of course had to return it. By finding it again for a good deal, I was compelled to give it another read. 7 years and the quality just hasn't changed one bit. 

Artwork that looked like the show without being direct rips from the screen. Great stories that capture the spirit of the show without feeling like watching a paper repeat. Now if only I could find the remaining 3 volumes (or 24 some odd issues) to get the whole story. Unfortunately, my library only has volume 1 and it's darn near impossible to find floppies in good condition for the cheap.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

IDW Endless Summer: Dungeons & Dragons Saturday Morning Adventures One-Shot

The animated version of Dungeons & Dragons that I grew up watching aired on CBS Saturday mornings from 1983-1985. The satanic panic of the 1980s was just getting hot when the cartoon left the airwaves. Had the show debuted a year or two later than it did, it probably wouldn't become the pop culture icon it's become today. I know one thing is for sure; had D&D debuted in 1986-87, there's no way in the world my mother would have allowed me to watch it.

It's right around the end of the Reagan era that my mother and father were convinced that if I played RPG games or listened to heavy metal music, I would be whisked away straight to Hell. Maybe it's why I don't like horror that gets involved with demons and such. But being raised Baptist, the Devil was someone you just didn't mess with. 

So you're probably thinking why am I reading this 2023 IDW Summer special starring Hank, Bobby, his pet unicorn Uni and their friends? Well, to me, the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon from the 80s didn't feel evil. Only one main character was a wizard (and not a very good one at that) True, the children's mentor, Dungeon Master, is a cross between Yoda and Dumbledore with his enigmatically sage advice and provisions of magical tools to free the land of whatever from the evil oppression of Venger (was he a wizard? or just a powerful baddie???) and the 5-headed dragon, Tiamat. 

In this summer break themed one-shot, young barbarian Bobby in lamenting how instead of getting to go to the beach during his summer break, he and his friends have been whisked away from modern day earth to become protectors of a magical land. Realizing that some R&R is vitally needed for his champions, Dungeon Master sends the children to a secluded lake for a much needed break. The only rule that they must follow is to not cross the other side of the lake shore, which is exactly what arrogant Eric the Cavalier does, accidentally unlocking a hidden evil from the mouth of a nearby cavern!

I thought that the artwork by Jack Lawrence was great. I may not be an expert at exactly remembering what the characters from this cartoon of my early childhood looked like. But Lawrence's renderings of the characters was good enough to make me feel like I was reliving a moment from my childhood. 

The writing of David M. Booher also seemed really good. Though I can't quite remember what everyone other than Bobby sounded like, the tones of the characters seemed right. I also don't remember Eric being that brave.

Speaking of things I don't remember... While I remember that the acrobatic warrior princess Diana wore a two piece fur bikini with boots, was she that sexualized as she appears on the main cover by Tim Levins? In fact, if you look at the black & white coloring book variant of this cover, Diana doesn't have quite so overt curves in the chest region. So I don't think you can blame Diana's assets on Levins. Instead, that blame should probably be pointed at whomever inked the main cover. 

A really fun summertime special that was centered in the world of fantasy and role play but wasn't evil or demonic. I hope IDW continues to bring back more animated franchises from our childhood back in comic book form. I just hope that they add more titles instead of sticking to the same 5 shows for their 'Saturday Morning Adventures' line of books.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Marge Book (The Simpsons Library of Wisdom)

Dive into the mind of the Simpsons family matriarch with The Marge Book. 

Now what I'm about to say is probably controversial, but I think out of the 5 members of the Simpsons family, Marge has got to be the least popular. There's no way she ranks higher than Homer or Bart. Lisa has got to be a solid third. And I just don't see Marge having more fans than baby Maggie. Yet, despite being a fuddy duddy and probably being more suited to being alive during the nuclear family 1950s, Marge is the heart and hope of America's favorite family.

This book is similar to the others in the Simpsons Library of Wisdom series. You get a couple of X-rays of what's on Marge's mind (along with just about everything she hides in that beehive hairstyle of hers), lists of her favorite and least favorite things, as well as some family history, only this time of the Bouvier's of Springfield USA. 

New to this book is a look at Marge's amateur art career, a serialized account of her desperate attempt to become a part of the neighborhood book club and tons of household tips about how to keep a clean house, especially one comprised of Homer and Bart. The parody segments are the best; like a list of Marge's Netflix account wish list and dangerous toys sold around the town. 

I think after reading this book there's only 2 or 3 that I haven't read yet. Those subjects include Ralph Wiggum, Flanders and Krusty the Clown. I know I've read Homer and Lisa's books. I just can't find evidence of this. That's probably because I read them in the years before I started my reading journal and that was over 15 years ago. OR- I'm confusing myself with the Simpsonology books which are similar in style and shape. Not sure about Comic Book Guy. I feel like I have read that one before. And don't get me started on the list of about 2 dozen 'fine works in progress.' This book is from 2009 and I really don't think HarperCollins ever got around to publishing the promised works about APU, Otto and Grandpa Simpson. Though if I am wrong about that, then I've got quite a few surprises to hunt for at my favorite used book shops.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Garrison's Gorillas #2 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Spinning out of the popularity of 1967's The Dirty Dozen, Garrison's Gorillas debuted on the ABC airwaves the following year. It followed a commando unit compromised of 5 American convicts given a chance at parole and having their records wiped clean if they serve on a suicide squad in World War II Europe. Consisting of a con man, a safe cracking mechanic, a demolition expert and a cat burglar, the Gorillas were led by 1st Lieutenant Craig Garrison, referred to as 'The Warden.' The cons knew that if they refused to serve in the most dangerous of missions behind enemy lines, the Gorillas won't be sent back to prison; they'd be executed by firing squad for desertion. 

As a tie-in to the 1968 live action series, Dell released a comic book adaptation that ran for 5 issues. 4 of the books featured art by Sam Glanzman including this sophomore effort. A Navy veteran aboard the USS Stevens during the second World War, Glanzman's war comics are notable among fans for it's extreme keenness to detail. The artist's renderings of the actors might not be that close to real life, but Glanzman's illustrations of military vehicles are second to only that of the manuals servicemen used to operate them!

There's two stories of behind the lines espionage in this issue. The first story has the Gorillas posing as crashed American airmen in an attempt to locate whose providing the Nazis with the plans of the Holland resistance. Story two takes place in occupied France with the commandos tasked to destroy a gigantic Nazi super cannon that travels via railroad.

Neither story is all that different from other war comics of the day. If the plots of the TV series are indicative of this issue, it's no wonder that the show only lasted for a 26 episode season. Ironically, Garrison's Gorillas would see a tremendous resurgence in 1980s China of all places. Reruns of the war drama were so popular, it's rumored that the Chinese government would schedule their meetings around times Garrison's Gorillas was due to air. While that story is probably just American propaganda or folklore, is it true that the Chinese government did award the series a public service award for being so popular that even criminals would stay home when it was on. No word on if any of the producers or stars of the show were ever presented with a tangible certificate of merit for the government honors.

With the abrupt cancellation of the series, whether all 5 members of Garrison's Gorillas made it to the end of World War II unscathed and earned their pardons has never been revealed. But if Garrison's Gorillas was to end similarly to that of The Dirty Dozen, you can be sure that at least one or two of these commandos earned their freedom.

Completing this review completes Task #4 (A Dell Comic based off a Live-Action TV Show) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Beverly Hillbillies #18

Getting a comic book adaptation of The Beverly Hillbillies has been on my wish list for a while. Finally over the winter break I was able to get a decent copy for a reasonable price. Yet somehow, this comic ended up in my REVIEW pile . It wasn't until yesterday that I realized I hadn't read this yet.

There are 4 stories in this issue. 3 star the Beverly Hillbillies. Story #1 has Granny feeling like she's got to get a job despite living in a mansion with all expenses paid. She takes a job as an ice cream man, thinking the work will be a piece of cake. However in true sitcom fashion, everything goes wrong on her first day.

Tale #2 has Jed hiring a pop art house decorator on the recommendation of Mrs. Drysdale. Of course, Granny hates the artist's aesthetic and will do everything in her power to keep her house the way it is.

The last Clampett story has Jethro head over heels in love with a department store sales clerk when he mistakes her salesmanship as romance.

The fourth and final story is about a character called 'The Shutterbug'. I've never heard of him. But I've found listings for this guy in a couple other Dell books. He's apparently this cub reporter who is sent on photo assignments, only to muck them up. In this story, Shutterbug is allowed to cover his first pro baseball game to disastrous effect.

The one page prose story, required for certain postage requirements, is about a truck driver that has a mishap while transporting a shipment of live chickens. I've read this story before. I wouldn't be surprised if Dell had a standard prose yarn that would be inserted into their entire line of books for the month. 

Unlike the Car 54, Where Are You? books that had great renderings of the stars of the show - but were swiped over and over, there's no sort of repetition in this book. None of the faces look like they were taken from promotional stills. But the characters look like who they are supposed to represent. Maybe that's because all 4 of the Clampetts wore costumes that never really changed. When Granny is acting as the ice cream seller in this book, you can tell it's her, not because she looks like Irene Ryan, but because the artist has Granny still wearing her patchwork dress underneath her uniform.

Mrs. Drysdale looks like a generic person. Not Harriet MacGibbon. I don't know who's escorting her to the Clampetts big unveiling of their newly redecorated mansion. But it sure isn't investment banker Mr. Drysdale. The guy on her arm doesn't even have a mustache! 

And where's Ms. Hathaway, Drysdale s ever faithful assistant? Surely, she would have been invited to that fete! If only to occupy the yokels when they got on Drydale's nerves.

The stories were entertaining. While formulaic, they're not rocket science. I've wanted an issue of the series for a long time and this was worth the wait. A great addition for a fan of classic TV like myself. I just don't see the average fan of comics seeking books like this anymore and that might be why I got a good deal on it.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Quantum Leap #3

Thanks to printing delays beyond the publisher's control, fans of the original Quantum Leap TV series got a Christmas comic book. Well, they got half of one. 

Sam leaps into the body of a department store Santa during Christmas of 1963. The nation is reeling from the assassination of JFK and the families of this small town USA in which Sam Beckett has arrived at, could use a little holiday magic in their lives. According to Ziggy, the Project Quantum Leap super computer which calculates the probabilities of why Dr. Beckett has leapt where he did, believes that Sam must restore the relationship between a workaholic father and his teenaged daughter who lost her faith in Christmas after the tragic death of her mother. However, Sam's mission has gotten a little bit tougher as the dad has just been arrested for embezzling from the department store. 

The second story isn't set during the holidays. It's the early 1970s at MIT, Sam's old Alma Mater. He leapt into the body of the boyfriend of the scientist whose doctoral thesis will inspire Sam to create Project Quantum Leap. Unfortunately, Sam's recent actions have led to the couple breaking up. Al, the holographic observer for the project, informs Sam that he must thread lightly at his next steps. For if Sam can't get the two lovebirds to reunite, their rift threatens to create a paradox in which the research that inspired Quantum Leap never takes place; leaving Sam trapped in the past forever!

Not 100% Christmas. But there was a huge amount of holiday cheer in that first story to make up for that. Plus an amazing painted cover of poor Santa Sam having to deal with some unhappy tykes waiting to visit him. Also, the whole idea that the man whom Sam leaps into might actually be Santa was so adorable. The story ends before we find out for sure if he really is St. Nick. However, it's probably best that that plot point is left ambiguous lest the magical element of this story be ruined.

For a Quantum Leap fan wanting a holiday comic book, this 1992 offering shouldn't disappoint. I just wish that the second story was also set at Christmas. The creators should have kept the story as it was. Just set it during the month of December in order to make this a complete Christmas comic. Well, it's too late to change anything now.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Saturday Morning Adventures Halloween Special One-Shot (Family Comic Friday)

Celebrate Halloween 2023 by taking a trip back in time to the late 1980s with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Saturday Morning Adventures Halloween Special. 

For the past couple of years now, IDW Publishing has been releasing a number of books based on kids cartoons from the 80s. While most of the cartoons in this series aired on weekdays after school and not Saturdays, I've been a big fan of these publications. 

There are 2 stories in this Halloween special. The first story has Master Splinter sending the Turtles out on patrol on a Halloween night where the heroes come face-to-face with their old nemesis, Creepy Eddie. A master of dreams, Creepy Eddie takes the turtles to his realm where Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael must make it to the end of the yellow brick road which leads to the exit by midnight or else they become slaves to Eddie! Then readers head over to Dimension X where Krang and Shredder are trying to unlock the secrets to a meteorite with mysterious properties. Shredder believes that if he can create a special sword with the space rock, he'll be able to create a powerful weapon that will make him and Krang the rulers of Earth. To do this, Shredder summons the spirit of an ancient master bladesmith who refuses to help Shredder because just doesn't like Oroku Saki's style. 

This special was so much fun. I don't really remember Creepy Eddie but then again, it's been over 35 years since I saw his single appearance on the original TMNT cartoon series. I thought the story was so funny and I loved how none of the characters took themselves too seriously. The Turtles made comments about how the retconning of Turtle history is just too confusing while Creepy Eddie was plagued by his lawyer to not be too similar to another certain dream master who also wears a striped sweater; least he violate copyright law.

The story starring the villains was also a lot of fun. Though I will admit at first I thought this was going to be a stinker. Then I remembered how funny Krang was. He thinks he's a big deal and yet he's like a toddler who thinks he's bigger and badder than he really is. As Shredder kept on yapping, I started to hear that iconic deep voice by late actor James Avery and I just didn't want this trip down memory lane to stop.

Turtles are huge this year. Thanks to a new animated movie, I saw a ton of kids dressed as their favorite Turtle during a recent trunk-or-treat event. Even though these Turtles look like they did when we 40-somethings were growing up (and that by the way, is the correct way that they should) kids will love it. Adults will love it because of the nostalgia. With tomorrow being the annual Trick-or-Read free comic giveaway at comic books stores nationwide, why not pick this one-shot special up while getting so free Halloween themed reads. It's a something the whole family enjoy- guaranteed!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Bonanza #13

How was the West won? It's a question I once asked my grandpa to which he responded 'You know, that's a very good question.' So good, that he never answered me. Well, if you are to believe this issue of Gold Key's adaptation of the hit Western TV series Bonanza, the West was won thanks to the use of bicycles!

Thieves steal the horses of all 4 Cartwright men: Pa, Hoss, Little Joe and Adam! The only way to get after these varmints is to use this new contraption called a bicycle! But we're not talking about a single bike or even a two-seater. Oh, no! Instead, they all mount up on a 4-person tandem bike!

This has got to be the goofiest Bonanza story of all-time. The family can't use their 2-horse wagon as the animals are too tired. Got to use a bike instead! The Cartwrights at one point rode the bike across an icy pond. One of the sons decides it's faster to use roller skates, but falls through the ice because clearly he's too heavy than a bike with 3 people on it! And for some reason, you have to show how stupid the Indians are and include a scene of the Native people thinking a bicycle is some force of white man magic. 

I'm not making any of this up folks. This all really happened in a title story dated from 1965. 

There are two follow-up stories included in this issue. The middle story doesn't appear to have any characters from the TV show that I recognize. Instead it stars a weary prospector called Bedrock Barnes. Is he like a recurring character? Was he regular filler in the Bonanza books? Not sure. All I know is that Bedrock finds a wrecked ship in the middle of the desert; a ship that contains a valuable lost shipment of gold. Only when he brings help to bring back more gold, it appears that the desert has reclaimed the fabled relic. 

Story #3 does have the Cartwrights in it. It's a very unusual tale about a Mexican grandma who packs heat. It's not as silly as the bicycle story. History has produced some bad ass grannies. I find the story more confusing as the lady is trying to fund a revolution down in Mexico and yet when she reaches her family (which might just be members of her gang), it seems like the Abuela's intentions are a lot more selfish. 

And where do the Cartwrights fit into all this? Adam Cartwright just happens to be on a stagecoach that the old lady robbed. Now she's got him at gun point, forced to carry the gold back to her hideout. Naturally, instead of calling for the Sheriff or US Marshalls, the rest of the Cartwright clan decide to take vigilante justice into their own hands. 

37 issues of Bonanza were released by Gold Key from 1962-1970. While there are some much more attractive covers out there, perhaps filled with less far-fetched stories in them, I found this book in a bargain bin for only a dollar. A sucker for Dell/Gold Key/Whitman comics based on old TV shows, I could not pass this one up. It will stay a part of my collection. This book will also be listed as containing one of the weirdest, wildest, implausible Western tales of all time.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.