Solar, Man of the Atom #31

This is an issue where the cover says it all. You don't have to be familiar with the character of Solar, Man of the Atom, to know that the hero did a very wrong thing by bringing one of his captive arch enemies home for the holidays. Despite not knowing anything about the characters, the cover provides the needed backdrop and what occurs inside is just icing on the cake. 

The real fun is Solar having to drag his arch-enemy with him everywhere he goes. The hero and his live-in girlfriend, Gayle were supposed to catch a plane from LA to the Midwest to attend a mutual friend's holiday party. But with Solar's nemesis captured and there not being a proper facility to hold him, the baddie is going to the party as well.

This plot made for some very hilarious situations. I don't think I've ever encountered a story where Batman had to host an event as Bruce Wayne at his home while keeping the Penguin from getting out into the general populace. Yet, that's what happens here literally in this story and I got a massive kick out of it.

Issue #31 was written by Kevin Vanhook (Red Tornado). Vanhook did a great job crafting a story that a fan of holiday comics, like myself, could enjoy just as well as an established fan of Solar, Man of the Atom. There's just enough back story to keep the newbies from getting lost and just enough holiday cheer to keep die hard fans from proclaiming 'Bah, Humbug!' This story was interesting enough that if I was to ever come across a few issues of this 1990-96 series from Valiant, I'd gladly add them to my collection for a read. I'd most definitely be interested in the first dozen or so issues.

The artwork was pretty good for early 90s superhero books. The heroes aren't over-stacked with muscles like what was to be expected from publishers like Image and Marvel during this time. Plus, Peter Grau's (Mickey Spillane's Mike Danger) pencils were exceptionally clean.

Holiday oozes out of every panel and a great story with perhaps unintentionally hilarious results occur in this book that for someone like myself who isn't familiar with the character and his universe, really made me feel welcome and festive.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Archer & Armstrong, Volume 1: The Michelangelo Code

One is an ancient immortal warrior who has seen it all, done it all, and has the dad bod to prove it.

One is an enhanced teenage fighting machine, bred and trained for the sole purpose of completing the mission: Destroy Armstrong!

When the two meet, they uncover a global conspiracy as old as Armstrong himself. This Illuminati known as the 1% is seeking to find the super weapon that gave Armstrong his powers and immortality. Hoping to keep the parts of the device from being found, Archer joins Armstrong on a nationwide trek from the States to the Vatican all the way to the Himalayas for the final battle. This unlikely team is all that stands in the way of total world domination! God help us all...

I had first become interested in this series from my readings of the first volume of Faith. Archer is kinda her long-distance boyfriend and I really dug the character when he would occasionally pop up in the book. Honestly. his parts were my favorite ones of Faith. 

Over time, I've been reading a few new Valiant books and been really impressed with what I read. Finding myself very happy with this publisher, I wanted to venture out and find some Archer & Armstrong, with a good starting point and the right price. Yet, my searches were in vain. 

Then a couple of months ago, I was working at the NCComicon where Valiant happened to have a booth. They had a 5 volumes for $30 bucks sale and Archer & Armstrong Volume 1 happened to be one of those books. So, I knew that was a deal that I just could not pass up. 

Fred Van Lente's (Alpha Flight) new take on the classic 'buddy cop' duo was extremely entertaining. So much that I have the remaining issues/ volumes on my wish list now! This was like a mash up of Lethal Weapon and National Treasure. A real thrill ride that I really would like to see as a movie. 

I was okay with the art by Uncanny X-Men's Clayton Henry. It was good but I'm not really a big fan of thin inks. I'm an old soul and I love those thick golden and silver age ink lines. 

Speaking of classic comics, I know that the original series of Archer & Armstrong wasn't from those classic comic eras. But I am really interested in getting my hands on those as well and comparing them to this series. Plus, I have the first volume of The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong and very soon I am going to give that book a gander as well.

Worth Consuming! 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Quantum and Woody, Volume 1: The World's Worst Superhero Team

One looks like Deadpool during his blue period. 

One looks like Chris Jericho in a bad suit.

One is a goat.

Together, they are the world's worst superhero team! That alone was why I choose this book. 

A couple of weeks ago I was working a booth at NCComicon. I happened to be right next to Valiant's booth when I saw a sign for Quantum and Woody. With the moniker of the worst superhero team of all-time, I just had to read it. (I'd be lying if the booth's 5 for $30 deal didn't help to sweeten the deal.)

Eric and Woody Henderson are adopted brothers who are polar opposites. Estranged for years, the boys are brought back together with the mysterious death of their father, a noted physicist. When the duo are fingered as the suspects behind the crime, Eric and Woody decide to investigate their father's death. That takes them to Mr. Henderson's lab at Quantum Solutions in search of answers. However, a lab accident restructures the boys molecular structure and as a result become America's newest and worst superhero duo- Quantum and Woody!

Funny. Irreverent. Insane. 

The reboot of Quantum and Woody is what Deadpool or Harley Quinn could be if their publisher's weren't afraid of offending anybody. I can understand why Valiant Comics has such a devoted fan base. They make good comics even better!

James Asmus and Tom Fowler's story was extremely intriguing. There was a solid mystery at the heart of it this volume which collects the first four issues. The artwork by Jordie Bellaire seemed to be from the Eric Powell school. Considering how un-apologetic Eric Powell is in his work, it really fits. 

It only took four issues, but I am hooked. I not only want to get the other volumes in this series, I want to invest in Valiant's reprints of the original series as well. Plus, as an added bonus, I just happened to learn today that Quantum and Woody have another series ready to drop sometime early next year.

A great buddy-cop farce that is extremely unpredictable!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Faith, Volume 1: Hollywood and Vine

     Zephyr is a superhero known as a psiot, a human with psychic abilities like being able to fly and use of very powerful force fields. By day, Zephyr is Faith Herbert but a recent event allowed the world to find out her secret identity. So Zephyr has moved to LA with a new secret identity and a job as a writer for a Buzzfeed type website. 
      The move for Zephyr has been wrought with challenges but she's making her way on her own. However, she's going to have to call in the help of some old friends as Zephyr finds herself the target of a shadowy agency that's trying to make human weapons out of the psiots that reside within the City of Angels.
      This collection of Faith's first few issues as a solo act has been a critical success. So when I saw this at my local library, I had to give it a view. 
      The Valiant Comics universe is perhaps the one that I am the least familiar with. I have very little knowledge of Valiant's backstory so it took me a while to really understand what has been going on. The parts about Zephyr the superhero weren't as enjoyable as Faith Herbert the person.
       Faith is a fangirl and I delighted in catching many of the pop culture and geek references peppered throughout this book. It also gave me an idea for a new comic series which I am pretty excited to tackle if I ever get the chance. 
       Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the inclusion of the character Archer. From the series Archer and Armstrong, this is about as much as I know about Valiant. Well, that and Turok, that dinosaur hunting Indian guide. Anyways, Archer's story seemed really interesting and if I ever get a chance, I wanna check it out. Seems like it might make another good read.
      By the final chapter in this book, I was enjoying reading the Zephyr parts as much as the sections that cover her secret identities. There's at least a second volume of Faith comics out there and I am more than willing to give this series another go. 
      A feminist comic that doesn't get very preachy and doesn't seem to be anti-men. Faith doesn't always need help to save the day but when she does, she's not afraid to ask other guy superheroes to help. Refreshingly different in a day and age where the Steve Trevors of the comic book world are 198 lb wimps that only think about sex.

     Worth Consuming

     Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.