Alligator Loki Holiday Special #1

Alligator Loki: the scene-stealing darling of the first season of Disney+'s Loki. In typical fashion, Marvel Comics decided to create a digital comic series based on the character. But because I am strictly a paper comics guy, I didn't know this!

When I saw in a copy of Previews that this book was dropping, I promptly ordered a copy through my favorite LCS. It wasn't the star of the book that was why I wanted this book so much. True, it's touted as a holiday special. But even that wasn't what made this the Christmas comic I absolutely had to have of the 3 holiday one-shots from Marvel in 2024. The reason I had to have this book was because of the goats!

Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder were a pair of goats that stole every scene that they appeared in in Thor: Love and Thunder. In Marvel Comics lore, they are the goats that led Odin's sleigh, whenever the ruler of Asgard visited the Norse people of Midgard. This later inspires the reindeer that Santa Claus uses to make his midnight rides every year. And while I've always been down with this element of Pagan Christmas origins, that's not why this book was a must own. 

No, it's because I own goats as pets. I always saw myself as a cat person. I never knew that I was also a goat person as well.

My impression of this special was that Alligator Loki assisted by Odin's goats were going to save Christmas. I couldn't have been more wrong.

This special consists of about a dozen shorts. With the exception of the first story, and possibly one winter time snowball fight caper in the middle, none of the other tales are Christmas themed nor set. Instead, all of those backups are 'reprints' of Alligator Loki stories from Marvel's digital comics service. The opener is supposedly brand new. It sees Alligator Loki and Asgardian Loki trying their very best to get into the holiday spirit. At least I think that was the case. All of the stories were done with little to no dialogue and most of the dialogue was done as emojis. Just like with Marvel Meow, I kept getting lost. I really needed some dialogue. I also needed an expert on current Marvel Comics.

Maybe I am wrong, but it seems like Loki is now a member of the Avengers. Or at least he's on good terms with them. Plus, is Loki now roommates with Thor? Can someone tell me why these two seem to be sharing a Manhattan apartment together along with Alligator Loki and Frog Thor. Or was that all just for the sake of Alyssa Wong's Alligator Loki series? Could it be that  Alligator Loki isn't canon? I just wish somebody could answer my questions because the Marvel Wiki was zero help.

Had I known that this wasn't a real holiday special, I still would have ordered it. I just wouldn't have rushed like crazy to get my hands on a copy. Who am I kidding? With that adorable variant cover of Alligator Loki driving Odin's sleigh with Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder Nicoletta Baldari,I would have still been impatient waiting for this to drop. (Bless the guys at Books Do Furnish a Room for ordering me the variant cover, which was so freaking Disney and cute!)

Now can we just get a paper collection of the various digital Marvel Unlimited Infinity Christmas specials that have gone unread because I refuse to go paperless?! I'd pay good money for a hardcover edition of such!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

DC Silent Tales #1

Less is not always more important in this experimental comic book. Gustavo Duarte's Silent Tales was originally published as a series of 6 digital comics under the banner DC's Speechless! None of these stories have words, with exception of the occasional sign in the background like for an exit from a building or a banner declaring items inside a store are on sale. Being essentially a pantomime, this very much is an experiment. Sadly, I didn't feel like the results of the half dozen tales had a success that was replicable.

Here's what on store in this issue without giving away too much of the plots:

• Harley Quinn takes on a DIY project.
• Cyborg looks to relax at Titans Tower with his latest record store find.
• Zatanna adopts a very hungry rabbit.
• Superman learns why it's important to separate his laundry under the categories of whites, colors and radioactive.
• The Joker partakes in some art appreciation under the watchful eye of Commissioner Gordon and the Batman.
• Intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo goes treasure hunting against a band of Nazi vampires!

Let me back that up. Nazi vampires. Vampires that happen to be demonic disciples of the Third Reich! Versus Lobo! Why hasn't DC Comics done a DC Horror series based on this idea?!

Silent Tales wasn't without good ideas. It's just proof that words are important. We live in a society that is obsessed with emojis and text speak. This book proves that comics need words and dialogue just as much as they need pictures. I like Gustavo Duarte. His artwork in Bizarro, the road trip adventure with Jimmy Olsen was so fun. That's why I wanted to buy this 2023 one shot. Unfortunately, the stories in this book are far from superior to his previous work because some of the details get lost without those oh so important words. (To be fair, Duarte didn't write Bizarro. Heath Corson did and that might have something to do with the better storytelling.)

Still, Duarte's art was fantastic as usual. So whimsical. Quite funny. He's a master of caricature. And those creative Ideas. I'm game to read more future works by Gustavo Duarte. But the emphasis has to be on the word 'read'. We live in the age of talkies!

As for DC Comics - please keep taking digital works and giving them the paper treatment. Each trial might not be a success. But for those of us who love the floppy, please don't keep us in the digital dark. 

And please, make that Lobo against the Nazi vampires miniseries a reality... PLEASE!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Little Tails: On Halloween (Family Comics Friday)

October 26th marks for many of our local comics shops the first Halloween ComicFest since 2019! A smattering of shops had an event last year. However, with COVID restrictions, everything was scaled way down; even the freebies.

In heavy anticipation of the 2023 official return, the organizers behind HCF are releasing some of it's most popular Halloween comics! Every Monday until Halloween, digital versions of some classic all-ages stuff are going to be released for all. This first week of offerings included The Adventures of Cthulhu Jr. and Dastardly Dirk, Eric Powell's Spook House, Ghost Friends Forever, Wrapped Up and today's review Little Tails: On Halloween.

Little Tails stars Chipper the puppy and his squirrel pal, Squizzo. In their regular adventures, written and illustrated by the team of Fredric Brremaud (Cats!) and Frederico Bertolucci (DinoDino's Dinosaur Adventures), the tiny duo explore incredible habitats and their animal residents from around the world. The African Savannah and a trek back to the time of dinosaurs were just two of the destinations Chipper and Squizzo have visited. This time around, the two don't wander off any further than their own backyard. But that doesn't keep them from meeting a score of creatures that go bump in the night. 

In this Halloween short, Squizzo introduces Chipper to the holiday. While teaching Chipper about costumes and trick-or-treating, the tiny friends run across spiders, snakes, and a surprise or two!

I loved this 14-pager. The pair of Chipper and Squizzo are very funny. And I like how the cartoon renderings pair with museum quality illustrations of the wildlife the main characters encounter. The mix of fun and learning was perfectly balanced and I wouldn't mind checking out further adventures of Little Tails if I ever come across them. I might even make these gifts for the trio of tykes that are on our holiday shopping lists. 

Amazon recommends the Little Tails books for readers in grades 1st and 2nd. But the whole family is going to get a kick out of Squizzo and Chipper! Guaranteed!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

To access the complete line-up of digital Halloween ComicFest classics, click here!

5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (and Other Useful Guides)

Last November, I read and reviewed How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You. It was the second collection of off-the-wall web comics by cartoonist Matt Inman based on his website: The Oatmeal. I thought that book was the most brilliant thing since Gary Larson's The Far Side. It had zany, unexpected panels of comedy. There were listicles of how to's about unusual circumstances like you might see in a MAD Magazine. And it was thought provoking and entertaining while using pop culture in an irreverent way similar to Adult Swim's Robot Chicken.

Thus, in early May, when I found another collection from The Oatmeal for only a dollar, I immediately put it in my to buy pile of books. 5 Very Good Reasons is Inman's first collection of bits. I would have to say that the humorist is still trying to polish things in this volume. Compared to Plotting to Kill You, this batch of material was much more crude, with tons of penis and testicle jokes. The F-word was used to near Tarantino levels at times. And quite a few of the strips ended with someone being mauled by a bear. Often for no reason except to end the skit.

As unrefined as I found this book, I still got some laughs and enjoyment. Inman's essays on how to use apostrophes and the correct usage of words were both educational and wacky. His primers on the correct way to use English when writing should be the model for how we teach grammar in school. I felt that Inman's ability to help readers learn by the use of absurd statements was the type of learning that anyone could relate too. In fact, I've actually been able to reflect on some of those tricky grammar rules thanks to what I learned from The Oatmeal as opposed to years of schooling. 

I'm going to chalk the flaws in this book up to inexperience. I think Inman had some great ideas about where he wanted The Oatmeal to go. But at this early stage of things, he hadn't quite perfected his recipe. It's like the first season of NBC's Night Court. The light of the sets was too dim. Some of the actors hired weren't the right fit. Plus Dan Fielding was too much of a gentleman and Bull the Bailiff wasn't enough of a mutant. But once the show added Mac and Christine to the line-up and switched from video to film (or vice versa), the show really gelled in a comedy that is beloved by generations. 

I think that is what is happening with this book. While I don't plan on keeping this one, I will be on the look out for the other 7 editions of material from The Oatmeal. I just hope that those future volumes have an easier way of reading the included bonus posters without having to tear them out of the book!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

GR-8 (Family Comic Friday)

We might all be stuck indoors right now. But thanks to the crew of the GR-8, prepare to blast off beyond the stars in this week’s Family Comic Friday!

GR-8 
Written by Stephen Tramontana
Art by David Pentecost
Colors by Juan M. Rodriguez
Published by Red Rhino Comics

GR-8 is a thrilling sci-fi digital comic from Red Rhino Comics. The first two issues have already debuted on Comixiology with more chapters expected monthly. Young human Cal and his rhino-looking alien friend Red have stumbled upon a conspiracy aboard their home ship, the GR-8.

Now fugitives along with GR-8’s head of security Commander Aziva, Cal and Red must find a way to clear their names and rescue Cal’s parents. Doing so will put the trio in peril both in space and throughout the numerous uncharted planets that they encounter along the way. Let’s not forget about the eclectic crew of the GR-8 and the wild characters that occupy this vast Red Rhino universe! I am a big fan of David Pentecost’s creative artwork on these amazing creatures.

I really enjoyed how this series is changing locales in each issue. The first issue was in the cold hard void of outer space. It’s perfect for introducing us to Cal as he longs for some adventure. The second issue becomes a western as Cal and friends crash land on a frontier planet. Be sure to appreciate the ambiance while on these visits as the varying color schemes make each setting seem that much more alive.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for Cal, Red and Aziva. I am hoping that each further issue will continue to change not only locations but themes as the trio attempt to vindicate themselves. With the introduction of the roguish Captain Roark, I feel like the level of action is going to hit into warp speeds!

GR-8 has elements of Star Wars and Star Trek. But I am glad that while writer and co-creator Stephen Tramontana uses those franchises as inspiration, this new comic series doesn’t feel like a repeat of either.

I am especially glad that the writer doesn’t fall down the same rabbit hole Star Trek: The Next Generation did it’s first couple of seasons on air. When TNG first debuted, it seemed like wunderkind Wesley Crusher was always saving the day aboard a whole starship full of so-called expert adults who couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper sack. In GR-8, Cal and Red seem like real kids. They save the day from time to time. But it’s often by accident. And the way they bicker and fight- Cal and Red sound like real kids whereas Wesley always sounded like nebbish brat.

GR-8 is a fun adventure for the whole family. Issue 2 definitely excels over issues #1. Most of that is due to the need to establish the characters. But once the adventurous aspects of the story kicks in- POW! You won’t know what hit you!

While I am disappointed that I’ll have to wait for issue #3, I can’t recommend this series enough. GR-8 is a perfect series for families to enjoy while stuck inside 4 walls during a time of social distancing. As you read over these 2 issues, you’ll forget (if only for a brief while) that you are in a quarantine situation.

Ideal for readers 6-10. However, this is an all-ages family friend read that offers something for everyone to enjoy! GR-8 starts off as a sci-fi adventure that evolves into an epic undefined by genre! It’s an adventure of a lifetime as experienced through the pages of digital comics!

Become a part of this great assortment of thrills today!

GR-8 issues #1 and 2 are currently available on Comixology.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Love University (Family Comic Friday)

A young woman learns a fantastic secret about her past in this week’s Family Comic Friday review of Love University!

Love University #1 and 2
Written and created by Allison Chaney Whitmore
Art by Carola Borelli
Colors by Agnese Pozza
Published by EvoluzionE Publishing’s ClassE imprint

Lucy is supposed to have one more year before starting college. However, during a fateful college trip, she learns that she is an extremely powerful creature from ancient lore! She’s a real life cupid! And she’s been invited to immediately join an exclusive institute of higher learning- Love University!

While this new academy is the stuff of dreams come true, there is a caveat. Being a cupid means that Lucy cannot ever fall in love! As the school term is just about to begin, Lucy will have to decide between the magical realm or her mundane origins. Along the way, she’ll have to navigate college orientation, temptations from demigods and protect her heart from ever falling in love!

This was a wonderful new series from the digital publishing company EvoluzionE’s all-ages imprint ClassE. It was quite engaging and a unique spin on the ordinary person who finds out that they are quite extraordinary classic storyline. But I did think that the story itself is moving a little slow.

I read the first couple of issues. While issue #1 does introduce most of the major players; it takes until about the end end of issue #2 for things to start transitioning from interesting to intriguing. The action level really ramps up with the introduction of some nefarious players to our drama when BAM! End of issue #2. With no issue #3 (YET!), I was a little disappointed not knowing what’s gonna happen next!

Love University isn’t just a series aimed at girls. If the young reader in your life is a huge fan of Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl or The Fairy Tale Detectives, then they will love this new digital series too!

ClassE is an all-ages imprint. While there’s nothing objectionable, scary or overly provocative, I think that Love University is maybe a little too advanced for very young readers. But I would say that those 10 and up will really enjoy this series.

It’s true that Allison Chaney Whitmore (The Lost Heir) pens a tale that is quite mature. However, the reason that I think that this book is a little more sophisticated is thanks to the artwork. Carola Borelli uses very power strokes and deep clean lines in her artwork. It’s definitely the opposite of the cartoonish artwork that has dominated most if not all of the all-ages graphic novels and comics I review at Family Comic Friday. And let’s not forget the vibrant pastel palette of colorist Agnese Pozza. It’s perfect for this series that blends reality and myth. 

I think your up-and-coming comic collectors are going to really love this series!

Issues #1 and 2 of Love University are available now in digital format at Gumroad.com!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

This review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com.