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.

Arkhamaniacs (Family Comic Friday)

This is a toughie to explain. Mostly, because this Batman universe story is just so un-Batman. But I loved it!

This graphic novel by the dynamic duo of Art Baltazar and Franco is set when Bruce Wayne's parents are still alive. One day Bruce goes with the Waynes' butler Alfred on an errand to Arkham Apartments, a Gotham City property owned by his parents. During his brief visit, Bruce runs into some of the eclectic clientele of the complex, including a manic clown wearing the biggest grin you've ever seen.

The visit intrigues Bruce, whose life at Wayne Manor is pretty dull and boring. Seeing a different view of the people of his city, the young Master Wayne decides one night to sneak out and visit Arkham Apartments to understand just why the property is so unusual and well, fun. Once at the tenement, Bruce will meet all of the residents of Arkham, folks with special powers, fun costumes and unusual pets, such as a crocodile in the swimming pool!

Arkhamaniacs reminded me a little bit of the FOX Batman prequel series, Gotham. That show was set when Bruce Wayne is a child; years before he'll even dream up the idea of becoming the Dark Knight and I feel like that very mature TV series was an inspiration to this DC graphic novel for kiddies. 

See in Gotham, Bruce Wayne meets the Joker (well, Jokers, as there are 2 in the series- at least), when the budding criminal is also in his very early years. In fact, Bruce becomes really good friends with one of the Jokers before that character is tragically turned into a raving lunatic thanks to some nerve gas. To me, I get the feeling that Art Baltazar and Franco were looking to expound on what that friendship could be like before things got real with the advent of Bruce becoming an adult. So there were elements of JM Barrie's Peter Pan at hand as well. 

This graphic novel was a fun read. It was just weird seeing the Joker being friends with young Brucie. The Joker is almost like a guide towards opening Bruce's mind up to the world of play and imagination. So, there were elements of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as well.

I think the most difficult thing about this book was knowing that all the joy and bliss between Bruce Wayne and the residents of Arkham Apartments is going to one day come to an end. Joker not only does horrible things to Bruce Wayne and his Batman Family, the Clown Prince of Crime goes on to betray and manipulate a whole bunch of his so-called friends. It's rather unsettling no matter how bright and cheery the creators of this book make things seem.

Art Baltazar and Franco have another masterpiece on their hands. This is another fun-filled romp full of DC Comics nostalgia that readers young and old will like. I just hate that uneasy feeling my knowledge of the adult Batman world gives me when I'm trying to read that paints an extremely rosy picture of things between Bruce Wayne and the Joker. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Green Team: Teen Trillionaires #1 (2022 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 2011, DC Comics decided it was time to reboot their comics line once again. First up in this New 52 were the obvious retooling of the adventures and origins of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League. A few months later, there was an announcement for a new addition that left many of us doing a double-take. Returning to print was those junior tycoons, The Green Team after a nearly 40 year absence from store shelves.

Created by Joe Simon and Jerry Grandenetti, The Green Team was first featured in the May, 1975 issue of DC 1st Issue Special #2. The Green Team originally was a group of child millionaires that sought out adventures by investing in new and exciting projects for the investment sum of a flat one million dollars. The 2013 reboot took into effect inflation. To be a member of the 2013 Green Team, you had to have a trillion dollars or in the case of leader Commodore Murphy, the promise of such. Murphy will inherit a trust fund of $64 million dollars upon reaching his 21st birthday. 

Modern day Green Team members also were teens instead of pre-pubescents. Comprising the new team was superstar actress Cecilia Sunbeam and oil tycoon J.P. Houston. J.P.'s twin sister Lucia Lynn is an honorary member. There's a fourth member of the team, the Arab prince Mohammad Qahantii. But as of the first issue, the prince isn't a member yet.

The debut issue starts off with Prince Mohammad searching out the Green Team. Eager to proof himself to his wealthy father, the prince secretly travels to a pop-up expo of scientists and researchers eager for Green Team backing. But instead of impressing the Green Team, Mohammad accidentally alerts a team of madmen eager to kill Murphy and his wealthy pals. 

That's where issue #1 ends. I don't own the remaining 7 issues of this short-lived series. I also wasn't expecting to be a fan of this book. But despite the millennial take on the Green Team, I enjoyed this book. Social media wasn't something anywhere on the horizon in 1975. But the excessive of use of Wi-Fi is a natural progression of events in this comic. What I didn't expect is for Commodore Murphy planning on becoming a superhero. But once the madmen attack the expo, the Green Team leader activates a digital set of armor a la Iron Man. 

The 2013 series was written by Art Baltazar and Franco (Tiny Titans). This is one of the duo's few Teen rated works. Normally, the pair are known for their all ages family fun. On art duty was the Brazilian Ig Guara (Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers) with regular covers by Harley Quinn's Amanda Conner.

The original Green Team was supposed to garner at least 2 issues. But editorial retooling and the DC implosion made it a scraped project. The modern cousin was hoped to run 52 issues. It only made it to 8, one of the first casualties of The New 52's second wave. So far, the reboot has never been compiled into a trade paperback or hardcover. So for collectors and interested parties into the rest of this story, such as I, we'll need to test our luck in the bargain bins for a good deal!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #1 (With a Color In The Name) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Patrick The Wolf Boy Valentine's Day Special

From 2001, the comedic genius of Art Baltazar and Franco combine to bring fans another round of hi-jinks starring Patrick the Wolf Boy. This time around involves the holiday of love- Valentine's Day!

I'm not sure why Patrick had a heyday in the earliest of early 2000s and then just seemed to go the way of the dodo. Patrick the Wolf Boy is hilarious. Most segments are only 2 pages in length. But I laughed and laughed. 

I know that Patrick is a tribute to former child actor Butch Patrick and his werewolf character of Eddie Munster. But there's also elements of Dennis the Menace with Patrick's shenanigans and Calvin and Hobbes with Patrick and his parents, babysitter crush and school chums. 

Nothing felt stale. It was creative. It was seasonal. And did I mention it was gosh-darn funny? 

This is the second holiday special starring Patrick the Wolf Boy that I own and have read. There's about a dozen more one-shots out there and I want them all! Thanks to this special, I'm adding every one of them to my wish list now!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Superman of Smallville (Family Comic Friday)

Relive Clark Kent's early years in Smallville. His super powers are just coming into play as Clark turns 13. Clark wants to use his abilities to help those in need. But he's butting heads with Ma and Pa Kent who are afraid that should the world know of the existence of extraterrestrial life, Clark Kent will end up a lab experiment.

At this time in his life, Clark is still in the dark about his origins. That is until a mysterious probe crashes nearby. It's appearance makes the space ark in which Clark arrived on earth go awry. On top of that, Clark can also understand what the drone is saying. It turns out that the alien tech is going amok searching for a missing inhabitant from its planet of origin. Could this rogue rocket be on the hunt for Clark?

I waited a long time for this book. I love the collective works of Art Baltazar and Franco (Tiny Titans) and when the book was announced in early 2019, I was ready to grab it as soon as it debuted at my local library. And then COVID hit. 

I really enjoyed this book. It has that classic charm that all of Baltazar and Franco's family aimed comics have. The writer/artist duo know how to make classic comics modern without losing that nostalgic magic. This graphic novel was a funtastic mix of the Superboy stories from 1950s era Adventure Comics and the retro reboot in the 1970s. Only, why is Clark referred to as Superman in this book and not Superboy? That miffed me a little. I'd be okay with it if Clark was in high school. But he's still in middle school here. He's not a Super Man yet!

The other thing I had a issue with was that this book was a little difficult to read due to it's gimmick. The alien probe speaks in the Kryptonian. In order to understand what it says, you have to have a code key- which is all the way in the back of the book. I would have like it if this book could have had a flap with the code key on it so you could decode without having to continuously flip back and forth. 

I'm also not sure if the Kryptonian letters are canon or the creation of the creative team. Either way, some of the letters look way too similar to each other. So I was getting confused going back and forth and misremembering the image I was tracking. It took me about an hour to read this book. Had the formatting been a little more reader friendly, I probably would have finished in 30 minutes. 

Superman of Smallville was inaccurately titled. It was also a fun and games activity with a serious design flaw. It you can make a copy of the code key or have an image of it on your phone to refer to, you'd probably benefit. I'd imagine reading this on a Kindle or other e-reader is darn near impossible to do without getting frustrated.

I long for more from Baltazar and Franco. But I hope the next work doesn't have similar problems as this one did.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Patrick The Wolf Boy Christmas Special One-Shot

Inspired by former child actor Butch Patrick and the kid werewolf character he played on The Munsters, Eddie, Patrick the Wolf Boy is an unusual character that will warm your heart- and tickle your funny bone. Patrick the Wolf Boy was created by the dynamic duo of Art Baltazar and Franco (Tiny Titans). This holiday special is a mix of Calvin and Hobbes, the Tasmanian Devil, and Marvels What If...

Patrick has a number of humorous adventures with his Dad. Patrick is utterly untamed. Yet, Dad seems a tad aloof about it all. I'm not sure of Patrick's origin. So I am not sure if that sense of pride Patrick's pop has when the little werewolf attempts something but fails miserably is legit or wishful thinking. Still, this was a quite funny holiday special.

There's 2 or 3 shorts that examine 'what if' Patrick meet certain holiday characters such as Santa Claus. They're the best in my opinion. But I also thought Patrick's misadventure with a snowblower was hilarious too! But again- is Patrick's dad really proud of his wolf boy's antics or is he massively oblivious to it all?

I guess I will have to find the earlier books about Patrick to find out. 

This book is from 2000. And in my years of reading and collecting comics, the only copy starring Patrick the Wolf Boy I've ever found was during a visit to Chicago. And I would have missed this too if I didn't decide to check out the display window as I was leaving the store!

Might have to go online shopping for this one. But man, I'd much rather enjoy a hunt through some bargain bins. (Come on prospect of a better 2021!)

A very fun read by a pair of some of my favorite all-ages comic creators.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Encounter, Volume 2: Welcome to the Team

Art Baltazar, Franco, and Chris Giarrusso return to bring you more adventures of Encounter, his canine pal Barko and best friend/part-time manager Kayla. Now there appears to be a new member of the Encounter team- the armored Champion!

But just who is this mysterious new superhero? Is he friend or foe? Kayla seems warm and willing to add Champion to the Encounter squad. But Barko has his doubts. With more super villains popping up throughout the city looking for Encounter's power orbs, just who is behind this latest round of attempts to steal our alien hero's source of energy? 

I enjoyed a majority of this new series. Chris Giarrusso's artwork took a quantum leap. I've always been a fan of his stuff (G-Man, Mini Marvels). But the pin-up sized images of the new villains in this miniseries was off the chain amazing! I am in awe of the Deconstructinator! He was drawn so brilliantly!

I also really like Franco's very fun shorts about the adventures of Chewy, Barko's anthropomorphic chew toy. For being a squeaky toy, Chewy sure does have a lot of arch-enemies. But what will these fiends do when Chewy fuses with Encounter's new vacuum cleaner?

But when it came to the ending, I hated it! I am not going to spoil it. But I am quite afraid that there might not be a volume 3 of this series. I hope that's not true! Franco, Baltazar and Giarrusso-please say that it's not so!

Lots of fun in the style of Itty Bitty Hellboy or Tiny Titans. But I was disappointed with the ending! I'm just not ready to say goodbye to this awesome group of characters!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Encounter #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to another edition of Family Comic Friday. Today we explore the first issue of a new series by the all-ages creative team of Art Baltazar and Franco. It's a new series I've been looking forward to for quite some time and it was my pick of the week this week over at outrightgeekery.com. The series is called Encounter.

Encounter #1 is about an alien superhero who patrols the earth named Encounter. This superhero is on hot pursuit of the villain Gadget Man who has stolen some mysterious polka dotted pods. This pods are yellow and green, just like Encounter is. Just what is the connection between these stolen objects and our new hero? All of your questions will be answered. But first, Encounter must defeat a new menace created by the Gadget Man- a giant robot made up of construction vehicles!

I am a huge fan of Art Baltazar and Franco! Sure they craft kids books but they're my guilty pleasure comics! Every book of Balthazar and Franco that I have ever read from Grimmiss Island to Tiny Titans to Action Cat and Adventure Bug in the Pages of Aw! Yeah Comics has been tons of fun! 

The duo love comic books and it shows all of their titles. Each one is filled with comic history Easter Eggs that older readers (I.E. mom and dad) can enjoy. Like those naughty jokes thrown into Disney movies only more high brow and less explicit. For example, in one issue of Tiny Titans, one of the characters has a Rorschach watch which is hysterical because Rorschach was a character in the Watchmen. 

Normally Art Baltazar and Franco are in charge of the art in many of their kids comics. But for Encounter, they've recruited another personal favorite of mine, G-Man's Chris Giarrusso. Most of you are probably familiar with his work on Mini Marvels. His artwork is extremely clean and very fluid. I can also say having meet him a time or two at some cons, he's one heck of a nice guy. He does not disappoint in the least on Encounter.

This new series by up-and-coming indy publisher Lion Forge Comics is great fun. It's recommended for ages 9 and up. But I think you could have readers aged 7 and 8 enjoy this book without a problem. There are some fairly big words that might be a little tougher for readers under the age of 7. But the violence level is pretty tame.

Encounter #1 was slated to debut in stores on March 14th. However, due to weather, some comic book stores (such as the two I went to) said that their shipments were temporarily delayed. Thankfully, you can find this book on digital platforms such as Comixology like I did. But if you want to wait for it to arrive in shops next week, I wouldn't fault you at all. Paper forever! Hopefully we'll be able to say the same about Encounter despite the publishing delays.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Review published concurrently at outrightgeekery.com.

Grimmiss Island (2016 Halloween Comic Fest Mini-Comic)

On a tiny island, a pair of witch doctors craft a Grimmiss in order to appease the angry volcano goddess. This sort of tiki golem has a mind of it's own. Probably because the witch doctor's used a little too much jalapeno...

Big fun from Franco and Art Baltazar (Tiny Titans) that I really enjoyed. There's nothing remotely Halloween about this book really. At least it was free! But I liked what I read and I wanna read more. 

Now on my wish list.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

A Madman's Halloween 2017 Reading List... (Part 1)

It's that time of year again. The days get shorter. The nights get longer. A chill is in the air and soon, the Witching Hour of October 31st will soon be upon us.
And with that I have crafted my 2017 Halloween reading list to help get more in that spooky spirit of All Hallow's Eve. I spent all last night combing my vast collection of over 9,000 books to conger up a few scares. I've grouped my reads into different categories in order to help those of you be inspired to find the right spooky comic book for your countdown to terror. So read on if you dare...

For the Kiddies...

All of these books were selections from the 2016 Comic Book Halloween Fest held in comic shops nationwide. The next such event is scheduled for October 28th. For an look at those titles click here...

Disney's Great Parodies: Mickey's Inferno (Mini-comic)

This is a Disney-fied version of Dante's Inferno. Reprinted and translated from it's original Italian, the book is a parody of Dante's Inferno, about a young man's trip to Hell. Only the opening chapter to the Papercutz graphic novel, the book is recommended for ages 6-11! I'm not kidding, that's what Amazon says. Well, might as well get the kids started on the classics early in life.

Grumpy Cat and Pokey (Mini-comic)

The world-famous cat behind a 1,000 memes has his own series of comics with his brother Pokey. Despite the Friday the 13th cover, this book is geared for readers of all-ages and the series is a million times funnier than anything Garfield.

Grimmiss Island (Mini-comic)

From the Art Baltazar and Franco, the minds behind such titles as Tiny Titans and Itty Bitty Hell Boy comes Grimmiss Island. The star of the book is a sort of tiki god golem that protects his creators from the evil volcano gods. For readers 8-12.

Archie's Mad House (Mini-comic)

Archie has been a mainstay of the Halloween Comic Fest since it's inception. Tons of collections devoted to Archie and all of his Halloween and other holiday stories can be found online and comic shops the world over.

The Three Stooges Halloween Hullabaloo

You'd think that this generation of young readers wouldn't be open to the Stooges. Yet, it's been a successful series for several years now. Who would've thought? It's great to see that some classics don't die away. Suggested readership is 8-12 years of age.

For Teens and Up...

Yes, the comics offered at Comic Book Halloween Fest aren't just for kids- there's books for teens and adults given away for free.  Here's a look at some selections from last year's event.

The Haunted Mansion #1

Part of Marvel's Disney Kingdoms series, this is a reprint of the 2015-16's miniseries devoted to the 999 spooks of the Haunted Mansion. For ages 12 and up.

You Choose the Story When You're the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1

I'm pretty sure that this isn't a Halloween themed story. Every once and a while, one of these gets added to the Halloween Fest mix. I don't particularly like it when this happens, but it's a Choose Your Own Adventure type comic and when I saw this last year, it literally was crying out for me to take it home. 12 and up.

John Carpenter's Tales For a Halloween Night, Volume 2

If you don't know why John Carpenter and All Hallow's Eve are as synonymous as peanut butter and jelly, google the words 'Michael Myers' right now! (I'll wait...) This selection of stories is from his award winning anthology series featuring the talents of Stephen King, Steve Niles, and many more. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 10 #8

Not an offering from Comic Fest. But this continuation of the Joss Whedon series is perfect for this category. It seems that Buffy becomes a sort of cultural touchstone for people once they become teenagers. I bought this in a bargain bin for a buck just because of the Halloween cover. We shall see if it's a holiday themed story...

---

And that will wrap up part one of my list. In part two, I take on the adult books as well as some classic scares.
Over the month of October, check out my personal blog Madman With a Book where I will be posting my reviews of these books as well as many other titles,
I hope this list will inspire you to seek out some comic and graphic novel frights in time for Halloween. If you have any suggestions of you own for what makes the perfect Halloween reading list, please post theme in the comments section below...

Super Powers (2016-Present) #1 (Family Comic Friday)

    (With the Thanksgiving weekend, I'm a little behind on my Family Comic Friday article. But it's here. Enjoy and thanks for understanding!)

   In 1984, DC Comics published the first Super Powers title. Based on the awesome Kenner Toys line, the series was written by Jack Kirby and it gave him a chance to return to his Fourth World creations of Apokolips and New Genesis of the early 70s. It was my first exposure to Darkseid and Orion but I didn't mind. I thought he was pretty cool looking and creepy even though he was totally new to me. By the second series, the addition made perfect sense as New Gods were added to the second and third waves of the Super Powers line.
   Well, jump ahead 32 years and Super Powers is back.
    In this all-ages series by the dynamic duo of Art Baltazar and Franco, the fun of Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures returns to comic book shelves nationwide. 
    It all starts with Commission Gordon summoning Superman for help. It appears that Batman is missing and Gotham has become overrun with villains. Along the way, the Man of Steel ends up captured by the threat that has Batman. With the World's Finest in chains, who will save the day from evil? Thankfully, there's a certain Amazonian Princess out there who might just do the trick!
    This new Super Powers series was lots of fun. I love the team of Baltazar and Franco. They craft stories that are funny and exciting for kids with just the right bit of nostalgia for adults and seasoned comic book fans. Plus there's just a hint of mystery as there's a secret villain behind the whole plot to capture Superman and Batman. (If you asked me, it would be fitting that the original Super Powers villain, Darkseid, was the mastermind of it all!)
    Join the adventures of your favorite super heroes in this new all-ages DC title that just hit store shelves this previous Wednesday.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
   

Aw Yeah Comics!, Volume 1: And... Action! (Family Comic Friday)

 If you've read my blog enough, you'll know that I am a huge fan of Art Baltazar and Franco. The work they've bone on Tiny Titans and Itty Bitty Hellboy have been some of the best (and most fun) all-ages comics  on the market in the past 5-10 years. Their comics are filled with material that appeals to both kids and adults. The duo are the Disney of comic books in the regards that their titles have something that the whole family can enjoy. Aw Yeah Comics captures that something for everyone vibe and applies it to all-new material. But before I review the book, let's look at Baltazar and Franco's inspiration for this series.
   Aw Yeah Comics is a chain of 3 family friendly comic book stores in the mid-west. Baltazar & Franco opened the first shop in 2012, located in Skokie, Illinois. All three stores have the same mascots; a costumed cat named Action Cat and his adorable insect sidekick, Adventure Bug. In 2013 in answer to customers demands for a comic starring the two heroes, Aw Yeah Comics started a Kickstarter campaign to start publishing their own line of Action Cat/ Adventure Bug Comics. Issue #1 dropped just a few short months later.

    The brainchild idea of Chris Smits, Aw Yeah Comics later teamed-up with Dark Horse to collect the self-published comics into 3 treasury trade paperback editions. The volume in which I read and am reviewing (And... Action!) collects the first 4 issues of the first series published from 2013-2014. So, let's get started...
   Cornelius and Alowicius work as clerks at the Aw Yeah Comics in Skokie, Il with their manager Hammond Bear. At night (or whenever duty calls) Cornelius and Alowicius take up the mantle of Action Cat and Adventure Bug. Their main nemesis is Evil Cat and his sidekick, the phantom Ghost Bug! Along with a slew of other villains including Zombie Cat (who thinks Ghost Bug is better suited as HIS sidekick), the angry cell phone store mascot Cell-Phone-Guy and the pesky Marquaid the Prawn.
    But Action Cat and Adventure Bug don't have to fight crime alone. They're aided by Awesome Bear, the Darling Dogs, and Action Cat...?! See in Skokie, there's 2 Action Cats- one's a boy with a boy bug sidekick and the other's a girl with a girl bug sidekick. And it drives Cornelius crazy that his girl counterpart calls herself Action Cat- that's why he calls her Adorable Cat.
   When the two Action Cats aren't fighting with bad guys or each other, they going on patrol for the allusive Goojie-Nana, a polka dotted horse creature. Everyone in Skokie claims to have seen this mythical beast but have never captured it. Can the Action Cats find the Goojie-Nana without driving their sidekicks crazy?
    A very fun read. Now that I know about the real life Aw Yeah Comics shops, it makes the reading of these books much more enjoyable. This volume is essentially the pilot episode, so there's some kinks that need to be worked out with pacing and plot lines. Though this is Baltazar and Franco's baby, they have lots of guess artists and writers crafting stories set in the Aw Yeah universe. Some of them are very good and some stink like sour fish on a hot day. 
    But every story by the creative duo of Baltazar and Franco were home runs. Those stories didn't have a lack of quality or imagination. By the fourth chapter of this volume, they were creating most of the material and the level of brilliance and fun made reading the adventures of Adventure Cat and Adventure Bug that much more AWESOME!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

    

    

Superman Family Adventures #10

   Superman Family Adventures by Art Baltazar and Franco is one of my favorite all-ages series. It's normally very well written, humorous, and extremely clever. I'm not sure what happened with this issue.

   Superman in an attempt to reunite his mother and father accidentally frees General Zod and family from the Phantom Zone. Zod's got revenge on his mind and he's decided to take it out on the Family of Steel by selling... hot dogs? When Zod uses a special salt to turn dogs 50 feet tall in an attempt to conqueror the earth, I literally slapped my head and tossed this book across the room. Meanwhile, a Brainiac drone visited Superman's space satellite and dressed up as a cowboy. What the---

    This issue was awful. It's the worst one of the entire series and I was so disappointed. I've read dozens of stories by Baltazar and Franco and I've never been disappointed. But sometimes even the Yankees lose a World Series or two...

    This issue does progress the story line of Superman's mother surviving the destruction of Krypton. And I thought having her and Zod's wife be like two doting housewives while the hubby's fight it out was very funny. But that was about the only thing about this issue that was any good.

   Not Worth Consuming

   Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Tiny Titans #5

The Tiny Titans meet the Tiny Titans from the East Side of the playground. I'm a bit confused. I know that the TT East are supposed to represent their adult counterparts, Titans East, a slightly less law abiding version of the Teen Titans. But if they're from the other side of the playground don't they also go to Sidekick's Elementary? So, why wouldn't these two junior crime fighting teams already know each other during say a school assembly or lunch time?

  Okay- I'm being too analytical. But hey, that's part of being a comic book collector!

  It's another great issue by Franco and Baltazar. It was very fun and very funny. The best story involved Robin, Batgirl, and a penguin filling in for an absent Dark Knight when Commissioner Gordon lights the Bat-signal.

    The only thing I did not like about this issue was a knock-knock joke segment between Duela Dent (the Joker's possible daughter) and Speedy. It was predictable and it ran about two pages too long.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #8

   

   A few months ago I was able to check out several issues from this dynamic all-ages series devoted to the Family of Steel. I had found issues 7-12 but somehow overlooked this issue. Was it checked out or just misshelved? I'm not sure, but it did provide cause for quite a bit of confusion.
 
    Between issues 7 and 9, it was somehow revealed that A) Brainiac was behind a plot to overthrow the earth and B) Kara, the mother of Superman had survived the destruction of Krypton! The Brainiac revelation wasn't such a shock, as his emblem of 3 connected dots had been popping up since issue #1. But having Superman's mother be in fact alive was a big shock to me.

   How did this happened? And did this also occur in the pre-New 52 DC Universe?

   Well, I can't answer the second question but I can say- Oh who am I kidding? It's a major spoiler. You'll just have to read it for yourself.

    But at least I got my answer- finally.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Tiny Titans #2

   Being such a fan of the Tiny Titans, I can't believe I haven't read this one yet. Looking back on the series, I've discovered a lot of issues in this series I've not explored yet. So, I guess one day I'm going to have to break down and buy the entire run of this fantastic series and give it another go. Repeats or not!

   In this issue, the girls of the Tiny Titan Treehouse decide to make a cake and use Cyborg as their oven. Meanwhile, the boys of the team face their greatest enemy- the Fearsome Five. Their battleground: Sidekick's Elementary's playground. The contest: a variety of schoolyard games. The prize: rights to use the swings! Let the battle begin.

   Included in this issue are several 1-2 page gags that involve puppy love, dressing up like the Man of Steel, and much, much more. It's another winner by the creative duo of Baltazar & Franco.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #12

This is it- the final issue!
   Having tackled a plethora of super villains, Superman faces his biggest challenge yet- 'Lunchlady' Darkseid! With the weekend off, the chef at the Tiny Titans' school has decided it's time to conquer earth.
   A slew of guest stars appears in this issue. From the Justice League to parademons, the Super Pets, Steel, Alfred, Superboy, Supergirl, and the group that started it all- the Tiny Titans show up to save the earth from certain disaster. Also appearing beside Superman's birth parents is not only but Ma Kent but Pa Kent as well. I called it last issue, folks!
   I hate that this series ended. But, maybe it's going to return in miniseries form like Tiny Titans did recently with 'Return to the Treehouse.' I was a little less lost than I was with issue #11. But I still not 100% sure why Joe-El and wife have not only returned to earth but apparently survived the destruction of Krypton. (Don't worry- I'll find out soon when I get my hands on those missing issues!)
    With a great ending that's totally unexpected but heartwarming nonetheless, Superman Family Adventures ended with a bang and some great laughs.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #11

   Metropolis gets its share of visitors with the arrivals of Ma Kent, cousins Connor and Kara, and the menace known as Doomsday! Naturally, Superboy and Supergirl show up as well but where's the Man of Steel? And who's Super Mama?
   For Superman, he's up at the Fortress of Solitude battling the combined threats of Brainiac and General Zod. As mentioned earlier, Superman's Kryptonian mother is still around and ALIVE for some reason. But, now we've got another family member of the House of El popping up living and breathing as well. This is what happens when you miss issues!
   The story as a whole was funny. Ma Kent is a great character whose sorely underused. I'm assuming since only Ma appeared, that Mr. Kent has passed away. But for all I know, he'll pop up next issue.
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #9

   

   Since this series started, there's been a mysterious symbol popping up in weird places. It's 3 purple dots with connecting lines. Those of you familiar with Superman will automatically know whose symbol  this is. It's not really a spoiler, since you'll be able to solve it by looking at the cover of this book.

   Anyways, Brainiac arrives to team up with Superman's other arch-rival, Lex Luthor to take the Man of Tomorrow down once and for all. It's going to take all of the Superman family's brains and brawn to end this crisis.

    Issue #9 was a great chapter is this fantastic series by Baltazar and Franco. Lots of fun to read and to decipher what Robot Bug's been saying once again. Unfortunately, this issue ends with a cliffhanger and I don't have issue 10. YET!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #7

   

   I went a little bonkers at the library last week. They had several issues of Superman Family Adventures in library binding and I couldn't resist. I love the work of Baltazar and Franco and anytime I can get my hands on some new stuff, I jump.

   As I have mentioned before, these comics are intended for kids. But that's okay because Baltazar and Franco realize this. They also understand that parents will be reading these to their kids and so they include really great Easter eggs that only the adults enjoy.

  For starters, I read issue #7. In this issue, the Toyman sets his sights on the younger members of the Superman Family who've invited their friends Beat Boy and Starfire to the Fortress of Solitude for a Kryptonian Tooth Fairy party. Toyman is up to his usual bag of tricks decking out some sweet Justice League action figures to attack the superheroes. There are some really cool cameos, but I would have to say my favorite was udders down, Batcow!

This is another gem in the DC Kids treasury. Lots of fun for parents and kids to both enjoy. There's also a fun "What's Robot Bug Saying?" deciphering game through the book, plus a glossary, and some review questions that are great exercises for kids who might be interested in creative writing.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.