500 Great Comicbook Action Heroes (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Comic book historian Mike Conroy examines the history of comic books through the lens of action heroes of all sorts. Instead of just focusing on superheroes, Conroy provides thorough, albeit brief publishing histories of 500 different protagonists, many of which would be categorized as possessing tenacity, bravery and are superior physical specimens without being super-powered. 

His categories are male heroes, female heroes, teams, science fiction heroes, western heroes, horror and supernatural heroes and heroes that originated from the funny papers or pulps. The male heroes chapter is disproportionately the largest chapter. But considering how male dominated comics have been, it's understandable the amount of attention Mike Conroy bestows to those heroes.

It could be argued that most comic book heroes were granted a female paramour such as Dale Arden to Flash Gordon or Superman's girlfriend Lois Lane. However heroic those characters might be from time to time, don't expect to find any entries on them in the chapter highlighting female heroes. From 2002, don't expect very many anti-heroes to be in this book either. Characters such as Lobo, Harley Quinn and Deadpool are nowhere to be found. In fact, if there is a villain mentioned inside, it's in brief as framing for an action hero's reason for vengeance or ultimately meeting their demise; permanent or temporary. Perhaps those who straddle the line between right and wrong are listed in Conroy's companion piece devoted to 500 Comic Book Villains. 

The author provides encyclopedia-like entries for hundreds of characters. But one should not expect to find 500 of them. I think Conroy counts a lot of the 500 heroes as the brief mentions in articles he devoted to French comic heroes or Marvel's experiments with horror in the 1970s. Being from the U.K., Conroy spends a large portion of this 376 page book discussing British comic book heroes. However, Manga and a few other European heroes who have garnered universal appeal among comic book readers are explored- briefly.

One thing that I didn't bank on was the poor editing. Now I realize that I make my fair share of typos and mistakes in the blog posts I write. But I don't have a professional editor helping me either. Some of it could be explained as this is how a British writer spells words. I have no qualms with that. However, when he says that such-and-such character debited in issue #185 and died in issue #166, something is seriously wrong here. Unfortunately such confusing data happens more than once in this book. As much as I learned a lot about new characters and other series and minis that I might want to collect in the future, if this edition is any indication of what you'd find in Conroy's villain examination, I don't think that I have any desire to pursue obtaining it.

Features a foreword by comic book legend Will Eisner with additional contributions by cover artist John Watson.

Completing this review completes Task #40 (A prose non-fiction book about comic books) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Full-Color Manga Edition (Family Comic Friday)

Let's finish out my Halloween readings for 2025 with a Manga adaptation of a film that has become a classic of not just Halloween, but Christmas as well! 

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a holiday classic that people enjoy from October all the way through to the New Year! I didn't see the movie when it first appeared in theaters in 1993. Probably because I went to a Christian school and was too afraid of expressing any interest in a film that was clearly 'pagan'. It wasn't until I was in college working at a shopping mall video store that I became introduced to the film. But even through our showing the film on the myriad of television screens, I didn't really appreciate it until years later. Now I absolutely adore it.

My local library had this book in their new release section and I thought it would be the perfect transition between Halloween and Christmas comic book reading; though I won't be diving into holiday time comics until Thanksgiving week. This is a 2025 release from TokyoPop. Now you might be thinking 'Didn't TokyoPop release an adaption of this movie in 2016?' Well, you would be right. But that was a black and white edition and the artwork was not very faithful to the vision of Tim Burton. It was more sketchy in look and for those not familiar with the Manga style, it was very much maligned.

With this deluxe color hardcover edition, the artwork looks more polished. The format is still traditionally Manga, meaning you read from the right going leftward. Same with interpreting the panels. The sound effects are in Japanese with English subtitles. But compared to that black and white edition, this volume is 10 times better. 

The classic story is still the same. The King of Halloween Town, Jack Skellington, has become bored with the same old Halloween traditions year after year. A chance encounter into the realm of Christmas Town inspires Jack to celebrate the season of giving. But it's done with Halloween flare. So when Jack has Santa kidnapped in order to take his place as 'Sandy Claws', things go horribly wrong. 

My favorite scene from the movie is when Jack as Sandy gives a human boy a wrapped present. The parents ask the lad about what Santa gave him for Christmas. The boy pulls out a shrunken head and his parents faint. Classic scene. Unfortunately, TokyoPop changed it. Instead of a shrunken head, the kid pulls out a bat. It's not even a scary looking bat. The parents still freak out. But the magic of that scene is no more. 

As with any adaptation, scenes get cut or edited. (But why did they have to change my favorite one?) Another thing  that underwent what I thought was an unnecessary alteration was the antagonist, Oogie Boogie. He just kinda shows up out of nowhere, putting Santa Claus and the rag-doll character Sally in mortal peril for no seeming reason. He's much more developed in the film and there was no prior eference to his one-armed bandits that plays a critical role in the climax of the story. (Russian playwright Chekov would be mortified at this!)

TokyoPop has an origin story about how Jack and Oogie Boogie started out as friends and then had a falling out. Perhaps, they are heavily editing the villain's impact in this volume in hopes of enticing readers to go out and buy it. Thanks to the ad for that volume at the end of this book, I want to read it. But I also feel like cutting out a lot of Oogie Boogie's backstory, of for the sake of additional sales is a little underhanded, if that's what TokyoPop did in fact do.

If you love Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and you can get past the alternate direction of reading that comes with Manga, you'll love this book. In fact, if you are a collector, you might even say that you need this book. The adaptation is decent. They do a fairly good job of trying to portray some of the musical numbers from the film. The coloring was beautiful and I was absolutely enamored by the art until the very last page. Why did artists Jun Asuka and Manuel Puppo decide all of a sudden to make Jack's ghost pup Zero look like he was CGI instead of illustrated pencil and inks as he (and the rest of the Manga) appears in the book? It was an error that ruined a perfect holiday feel-good feel!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Joker: One Operation Joker, Vol. 2

I love comic book characters that are so insane that their antics borderline on the surreal. The Tick, Madman and Slapstick come to mind in this category. While I've never put Batman's archenemy the Joker in this category before as he's just too mean and violent in his capers, this manga series by Kodansha may cause me to rethink my earlier analysis of the Clown Prince of Crime.

The idea of having Batman transformed into a baby is a concept that I am sure happened during the Bill Finger/Dick Sprang era. However, that de-aging of the Caped Crusader was more than likely an imaginary story or the work of that good intentioned imp, Batmite. No matter what the reason, that transformation was done with a humorous slant and wasn't a permanent thing. 

In Joker: One Operation Joker, not only is Batman's stint as Batbaby a long-term event, (Volume 2 begins a year after the Dark Knight's encounter with similar chemicals that altered the Joker), this story sees the Joker raising the infant as his own. In the Joker's mind, if he can raise the Batbaby back into the symbol of justice that Batman is, it will prove that righteousness is a flawed social concept.

To help the Joker in his endeavor is Harley Quinn, who poses as Batbaby's mom. One of the Joker's chief henchmen is giving him pointers on being a working dad. Plus, the villain is turning to social media for tips on how to navigate the subways and streets of Gotham. Expecting the citizens of Gotham to ostracize him, the Joker is learning that it's a metropolis full of angels... And that sort of care for one's fellow man is driving the Joker batty!

You might wonder how people are interacting with the Joker without the slightest fear he's going to massacre them. Turns out that without his makeup and typical purple garb, the Joker looks like an albino with dyed green hair. And with so many punks and hipsters in Gotham City, nobody blinks twice at some random dad with chartreuse bangs and wearing an occupied baby carrier.

As wacky and off-the-wall the concept of this story is, I am enjoying it. I applaud DC being willing to allow a manga publisher carte blanche in making a story as unexpected as One Operation Joker. It's a breath of fresh air that has been missing from the rather stale ideas DC Comics America has been churning out. I think fans want something new and unexpected and that's definitely what you will get from writer Satoshi Miyagawa. If you're needing those nostalgic nods to the vast 80 years plus of Joker and Batman lore, you'll get that from artist Keisuke Gotou,

As implausible as it seems that the Joker would decide to stifle his impulse in killing a defenseless baby Batman and instead raise him as his son, I want to know how this story ends with volume 3. While I was able to get volumes 1 and 2 at my local library, it looks like I'm going to have to purchase book 3. Not sure why my library does this. But it's a tad annoying. I'll be more than just a tad annoyed if I learn that this whole non-canonical story turns out to be a dream of the Joker's or something imaginary.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Joker: One Operation Joker, Vol. 1 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

After falling into a similar vat of chemicals that changed the Joker into the madman he is today, Batman reverts into the form of a baby. The Clown Prince of Crime is tempted to just kill the child but he sees a greater chance at revenge by becoming the tyke's father and raising him as his son. The Joker feels that it would be a moment of great irony if someone as sick and twisted as the Joker could raise Batman into becoming a symbol of justice. 

However, raising a one-year old isn't all it's cracked up to be and it's eating into the Joker's day job as a master criminal. Hopefully, the Joker can get the child he calls 'Batbaby' into a premium daycare so the fiend can resume plotting his numerous heists. It costs a lot of money to keep a toddler in diapers and with all the sleepless nights and new found responsibility, Mr. J's bank account is just about at zero.

Joker: One Operation Joker was originally a 21-chapter manga that ran in the pages of Morning KC. Published by Kodansha under an agreement with DC Comics, the series appeared sporadically from 2021 until about early 2023. It was written by Satoshi Miyagawa (Space Battleship Tiramisu). The art is by Keisuke Gotou (sometimes spelled Goto), who is perhaps better known as the voice of Beni in the 2014 anime series DRAMAtical Murder and it's subsequent video game spin-off.

While not officially canon, Joker: One Operation Joker culls from over 80 years of Joker appearances in comics, television and movies. For example, in the first chapter, the staircase the Joker uses to exit the Gotham City subway are the very steps Joaquin Phoenix dances on in 2019's Joker. Even if you're not a big fan of manga, fans of the Joker and DC Comics will enjoy the many, many Easter eggs hidden throughout this paperback edition that contains chapters 1-7.

Don't be fooled into thinking that because this story is set in Gotham City, that it is not a traditional manga. This book is very much Japanese in terms of both the art style and the culture. The process the Joker must go through to get Batbaby into daycare is based on Japan's points system that is determined by an applying family's financial hardship and other social factors. Also, like a traditional manga, this book has to be read from right to left.

The entire Joker manga storyline was published in 3 volumes and all 21 chapters can be accessed through the DC Universe Infinite website. 

Completing this review completes Task #35 (A Manga Work) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

I Luv Halloween, Vol 1

A Halloween themed manga written by Keith Giffen. I couldn't pass it up. And yet like a driver who picks up the hitchhiker from Hell, I kinda wish that I had kept on driving. 

I Luv Halloween has got to be the must inappropriate, goriest romp starring kids that I have ever read. Imagine the movie Gummo, if it was set during Halloween. (I really want to compare this with the film Kids. However, there's nowhere as much animal murder and cruelty in that controversial film compared to Gummo.)

The book is about a group of 4 boys as they go trick-or-treating. After getting apples at their first couple of houses, the boys decide to break the curse by putting razor blades in one of the fruits and unleash the unmitigated fury of the law on one of their stingy neighbors. Meanwhile, one of the boy's sisters has broken free from the group and has begun a reign of unintentional terror, killing the neighborhood bully, bludgeoning a cheerleader and her boyfriend and much, much more unspeakable acts. 

If I thought Giffen was trying to do a straight out horror story on par with Children of the Corn, I'd probably not feel like I need to take a shower just for writing this review. But the kids in the book do most of their gruesome acts with a sense of innocence. It's almost like the worst Murphy's law bad luck of all time following these kids and they just go through life not understanding just how destructive they are. Remember how Steve Urkel would ask 'did I do that?', whenever something went wrong? Well, these kids, for the most part, don't even know that they are doing terrible things. Well, the sister might. There's definitely something not quite right about her...

The artwork is by Benjamin Roman. At the time this book was published, in 2005, he was a relative newcomer with this being his very first professionally published work. His art style is extremely exaggerated. Roman would fit in quite well at MAD Magazine. I wonder what became of him...

This one isn't a keeper for me. I wasn't a huge fan of it. There's a lot going on that I'm not even sure happened or not as several of kids are not very reliable narrators. And yet, there's 2 more volumes and I just need to find out what is true and what is the fever dreams of a group of horny preteens. Plus I just need to know what is wrong with the sister. She just not quite right in the head.

Not the coming of age tale you'd feel comfortable sharing with your kids or grand kids. I fact, if you didn't feel uncomfortable after reading this book I'd think something might be wrong with you...

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Vol. 3

I decided that even though I had a few misgivings, I would push on. I felt that the previous two volumes had some inappropriate panels involving 12-13 year old children. With that, I thought long and hard whether or not to read volume 3 in order to finish the series. Since I also review works to inform parents and guardians about the age appropriateness of comics and graphic novels, along with journaling about my reads, I decided that I needed to complete School Judgment in order to determine if things continue to skirt the edge of decency or not.

So does volume 3 over-sexualize middle school children, especially girls? Oh yeah, it does.

This final volume introduces readers to the third survivor of the classroom massacre, The Bloody Session, that inspired Abaku Inugami to become a lawyer. Named Yui Kijima, she's a ruthless attorney who has never lost a case. And she dresses as a dominatrix which reflects her vindictive and heartless nature. Kijima has arrived because sweet little Tento Nanahoshi is in serious trouble once again! School Madonna, Reiko Shiratori has been attacked, falling into a deep coma and Tento is the prime suspect!

It will be Yui vs Abaku for the fate of Tento Nanahoshi. Should Abaku lose this case, Tento will be sent to Onigashima Elementary, the harshest school penitentiary in all of Japan!

Then fans finally learn the identity of Red Orge, the savage killer of Abaku, Yui and ninja lawyer Kotaro Sarutobi's classmates. It's a resolution that will stun readers. But it will also answer some lingering questions for fans because the final two chapters were never published in print until now! So unless you subscribed to Weekly Shonen Jump's online app Shonen Jump+, first run readers of School Judgment were left in the dark as to the identity of Red Orge! 

Also appearing in print for the very first time is the 2-part prototype of Nobuaki Enoki's vision for School Judgment. Featuring very primitive art from Enoki, there's some elements of the Suzuki Murder and Dismemberment story but overall, it's a new case, with some new characters, between attorneys Pine Hanzuki and Abaku Inugami.

Here we are with a storyline that involves a history of a bunch of first graders being slaughtered, a youth bent on murderous revenge for their killing, and all kinds of fights, assaults and drug use and here I am freaking out over the sultry parts of this book. I don't know why. Maybe it crosses a line for me. As a high school teacher, I witness fights and assaults all day. There's been a couple of incidents of drug use, but it's mostly cigs and vaping that get my students into trouble. Thankfully, nobody has died. But we've had so many freakin' lock-downs that we've all become desensitized to them due to overuse. But when it comes to portraying youths as sexual creatures, as realistic as premarital sex and teen pregnancy is at my school, it's a huge line in the sand that I don't want to be anywhere near.

I know that there's a ton of Manga out there that are a lot more adult than this book. The same goes for American comics and graphic novels. But the fact that the sensuality and T&A that appears in this book involved elementary students was something that gave me a lot of pause. And to have adult men crafting these stories just doesn't seem appropriate to me. If it doesn't seem appropriate for your family, then consider this review my advisory. But will I demand it be censored or banned? As a supporter of the CBLDF, absolutely not. I just hope parents, guardians and adults who might not be in the know are made aware should they deem such work as School Judgment as not right for their families or themselves.

Worth Consuming based on the quality of the storytelling!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Vol. 2

The reason I do a comic book and graphic novel reading challenge every year is in order to expand my reading horizons. I can get stuck in a rut and miss out on some reading diverse good stuff. Considering that I am not a fan of Manga and I wanted to read the second volume of a series I discovered in the middle of my challenge is a testament that the experiment works.

The second volume of School Judgment was much more traditional in the Manga style. The expressions were exaggerated to the point that the characters look different. Too different! Scenes like the arbitration sessions are framed like the opening of a round of Street Fighter or Mortal Combat. But perhaps the most Japanese aspect of this book which was ramped up was the level of over-sexualization of the female characters. And this aspect is the most troubling.

School Judgment takes place at an elementary school. The oldest students are 12 and 13. In the last volume, there were 2 panels that had two separate female students taking a bath. However, there's no nudity. There isn't any nudity here in the second volume either. However, we get extreme close-ups of the assets of several budding school girls. It's even more extreme in the 2-part story that takes place at the grade school swimming pool. To the point that several of the male students make comments about how much 'bigger' their female classmates got over the school year. 

The thing is, this actually could have been worse. At the end of each chapter, series creator Nabuaki Enoki provides a little bit of 'director's cut' feedback about the creative process of making School Judgment. Over the course of 3 segments, readers are shown how much more 'larger' the debut of the girl's swimsuits could have been. It is just me or does showing middle school students as flowering goddesses not bother anyone?

I know that there's more R-rated Manga stuff out there. School Judgment probably wouldn't even be considered PG-13. It would more than likely be PG-rated. And yes, I know that these are illustrations and not real life. Yet, this level of acceptance really bothers me. If anything, it will make me a little more cautious over the type of Manga I read in future challenges.

There's only 1 volume left. I'm rather torn as to if I should read it or not? I really want to know how things wrap up. Who is the perpetrator behind the massacre that led Abaku Inugami to become a lawyer? Will Inugami get his revenge? Will prosecutor Pine Hanzuki finally earn a win against Abaku? There's a lot of questions out there that I am dying to know. Yet as a teacher, I really don't want to be associated with something that promotes the objectification of children either.

The storyline is fantastic. Some of the art is questionable. But not for artistic merits. I'm struggling with if it's considered child pornography or not.

I've got a lot to think about...

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Vol. 1 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The judicial satire Manga School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei was originally deemed not good enough for print. The editors of Shonen Jump felt that the premise of elementary schools becoming the new frontier of a court of law was too one-note. Editors were also not very impressed with the art of creator Nobuaki Enoki, calling it 'lacking'. Yet, the publisher's new online Manga app Jump LIVE, now Shonen Jump+, needed new material. With a new artist added to the project Hikaru no Go's Takeshi Obata, Enoki was reinvigorated and a second draft was quickly worked up.

In 2013, Gakkyu Hotei debuted on phones across Japan and the world. The first case on the docket 'The Suzuki Murder and Dismemberment Case', sees the diminutive Tento Nanahoshi on trail for the violent death of homeroom 6-3's mascot, a fish name Suzuki. For the defense is 12-year old Abaku Inugami, a lover of video games who will 'ronpa (Japanese for break, tear, destroy) the hell out of' anyone who persecutes his clients unjustly. The prosecutor is Pine Hanzuki, who may look like a typical sweet and innocent Gyaru glam girl. But inside her lurks the heart of a fearless hunter!

Originally intended to be only 10 chapters long, the series was soon rebranded in a serialized form in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump in 2014. Reaching its climatic 24th chapter, Gakkyu Hotei went into permanent recess in the summer of 2015. English audiences were introduced to the complete series divided into 3 volumes the following year. 

School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei is something rare to a non-Manga fan such as myself. It was enjoyable! With its storyline divided up in ways where readers can solve the mystery alongside Abaku and Pine, these cases read like a Japanese version of Ellery Queen. Plus, there's the added mystery of Abaku Inugami's troubled past which plays out throughout the entire story. Years prior, he was present during a classroom massacre which led to the judicial reforms that turned elementary schools into courts of law. His journey as a travelling solicitor has brought him Tenbin Elementary, where Abaku plans to stay and kill the student who slaughtered his former classmates.

Completing this review completes Task #10 (A Manga Work) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Meow #1 (Family Comic Friday)

The popular Marvel Infinity web comic has arrived at your local comic shop! Celebrating the felines of the Marvel Universe along with their heroic and sometimes dastardly owners, Marvel Meow is a read that should delight many a fan of cats.

I'm a huge cat person. I've owned a cat everyday of my life except for 3. The joke has always been that those were the best 3 days of my life. But in reality, I just can't imagine my life without at least 1 gato in the thick of it.

While I think that the average cat fan will really enjoy this all-ages special, I don't think the casual Marvel fan will understand a lot of things that are going on. Since when did Doctor Doom get to walk around without a care in the world at an Avengers fete? Why is Mister Sinister interacting like a best friend with the X-Men? I didn't know that 2 of Marvel's most fierce foes became teddy bears, not just with their kitties but with the heroes of the MCU as well.

I also think that if you're not a fan of Manga, you might not enjoy this book as much as the average Otaku; a fanatic of Japanese comics. As with manga, the characters change shape, art style or overall appearance when they display intense emotions and for a reader not familiar with that technique, it can be confusing. A lot of the stories and skits in this book rely on pantomime and emoji. Again, it's a standard Manga technique. And they are beautifully illustrated by artist Nao Fuji. But it's kinda unusual for us Generation X and older comic book collectors. Call me a 'boomer' if you want but without word bubbles, it's hard to follow the plot of those stories sometimes.

If you are a regular reader of Marvel Meow online at Marvel Unlimited, you might be wondering why should you read the print version? Well, it's not all reprints. There's an all-new exclusive story added to the mix. Plus an assortment of new covers!

I for one am appreciative of Marvel putting it's digital material into print form. They've done it as well with a couple of specials starring the breakout character of Jeff the Shark, who does appear in this book! I've been trying to show my support by buying up some of these collections. I just hope Marvel will take the hint and release a paper copy of their Unlimited holiday specials! I'd be first in line to not just reserve my copy but to buy it as well. For now, I'm excited with this tribute to the cats of Marvel, even if Manga isn't really my thing.

As they say: cats rule, dogs drool! 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Star Trek: The Manga Ultimate Edition (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

From 2006-2008, Manga publisher TokyoPop produced a trilogy of books based on the classic Star Trek TV series. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the rest of the crew of the original Enterprise were given the Manga treatment in an assortment of stories written by classic Star Trek screenwriters and modern comic book authors. In 2009, TokyoPop was ready to release a 4th edition. Only instead of all-new material, the international publisher held an online poll in which fans voted for what already published tales they wanted to see in a giant treasury of 'Best Of' material.

Star Trek: The Manga Ultimate Edition was over 300 pages of already published material. Incentives to purchase the treasury edition was having the first 2 dozen pages of the opening story 'Side Effects' printed in full color, along with a color insert poster comprise of artwork by cover artist Michael Kelleher.

The first story gives a possible origin story to the definitive foe of the Next Generation era of Star Trek: The Borg. Given that these Manga stories are not canon, it's not an essential story that Trek fans must read. But with that chilling ending that sets up a massive reveal, 'Side Effects' was a spectacular choice to open this fan's selection of Japanese inspired Star Trek reads.

David Gerrold, the writer of the original series classic 'The Trouble With Tribbles' pens the closer. Gerrold's 'Bandi' is a sequel to 'Tribbles' in spirit when the Enterprise picks up a stowaway. During a recent survey mission, a crew-member brings with him a Bandi-Bear; a seemingly adorable creature that looks like a cross between a gummi bear and those bruins found on Grateful Dead t-shirts. A creature that thrives on emotions, when Kirk becomes adamant that no foreign animals be allowed on the Enterprise after the Tribbles incident, the Bandi begins to exhibit hostile intentions towards the crew.

Another story of note was 'Art of War'. That tale was scripted by Wesley Crusher himself- Wil Wheaton! Told from the joint perspective of the court-martials of both Captain Kirk and his Klingon counterpart, this story hints at the eventual peace between the Federation and Klingon Empire. 

Aside from a 2009 volume of material based on Star Trek: The Next Generation (of which a 28-page preview is included in this book), no further Manga works based on the CBS franchise have ever been released by TokyoPop. IDW Publishing has definitely taken over the reins of Star Trek related comics. Meanwhile, TokyoPop has focused on works owned by Disney along with traditional Japanese titles and American inspired Manga works.

Note: If you buy this book on Amazon- BEWARE! Amazon claims that the Ultimate Edition 'Collects the original Star Trek manga trilogy'. That's just not true. This volume is a collection of fan favorites. If you were to buy all 3 volumes, they would equal almost 700 pages. This treasury is 342 pages (28 of which is TNG previews). So you miss out on over half of the available material out there devoted to the classic Star Trek TV series if you decide to purchase this work instead of the 'trilogy'. I made such a mistake and now I am having buyers remorse despite being such a fan of these stories.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars because I really want to read those missing stories!

Completing this review completes Task #14 (A Manga Work) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

My Hero Academia, Vol. 1 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Visit a future in which 80% of the world has superpowers. It's now an everyday occurrence to witness heroes taking on villains. But it's also not unusual to have the guy taking your fast food order have some sort of 'quirk.'

Those without powers are referred to as 'quirkless'. One such powerless member of the dwindling populace is Izuru Midoriya. With parents who have powers, it's been Izuru's dream to become a superhero like his idol, All Might. Though Izuru is without powers, that doesn't stop him from practicing for the entrance exam to U.A. High School, the world's most prestigious training facility for turning Quirks into superheroes.

Without a quirk, Izuru doesn't have a prayer. But a chance encounter with a super villain gives Izuru a chance to play hero. That episode captures the attention of All Might. Seeing potential in Izuru, All Might reveals that he is dying and as a result, looking for a successor. Thus will begin an intense training session towards making Izuru's body capable of accepting All Might's powers. That's the easy part. The real challenge will be to get Izuru accepted into the next class of Quirks at U.A.!

My Hero Academia is a long running Manga by Kohei Horikoshi (Barrage). Appearing as a segment in the weekly anthology series Weekly Shonen Jump, My Hero Academia has produced over 34 tankobon volumes of collected reprints, numerous spin-offs, an anime series, several animated films, a pair of video games and literal tons of merch! There's even talk of a live-action TV series or film (or both) in the works.

This series has elements that are quite familiar to me. The setting of a school to train the next gen of heroes in a competitive nature reminds me of Hogwarts. The competitions themselves are set up like video games. In fact, during Izuru's entrance exam, there's a series of silhouettes taken directly from a Nintendo franchise that was just 'Super'. I also felt that Izuru being the odd man out in a society full of powers was a lot like the relatively obscure Jim Valentino satire, Normalman!

Manga isn't really my thing. But thanks to the reading challenge, I'm reading more than I ever expected. I'm getting used to the uneven artwork; knowing now that emotions might sometimes result in a totally different character being used in place of the emoting protagonist. I'm also doing okay going from right to left in flipping the pages. But it's the counter-clockwise fashion of the panels that I'm still having difficulty with. Kohei Horikoshi loves to experiment with the format of the page and it gets very confusing. Imagine Jack Kirby's plotting. Now hold it in a mirror and you'll know my struggle.

I read this book as it has been a frequent recommendation of a friend. He believes that My Hero Academia is the type of story to which all American comics should aspire to. I think that some publishers are already doing so. Gotham Academy and Strange Academy and Young Avengers all seem to  have captured the young hero in training trope pretty well. What I think my friend is alluding to is DC and Marvel's hesitancy to create new series with completely all-new, all-original line-ups and not legacy characters. If that's the case, I can get behind that  opinion. Though I doubt either of the big two publishers would ever take such a risk.

An interesting toe-dip in to a beloved Manga franchise. Might I return for the rest of the story? I don't really know. There's so much stuff on my to-read list. But I will say that I enjoyed what I read, even though I had some difficulties. Plus, I am itching to know what happens to Izuru and his pals next. So maybe once I get to the end of my reading challenge list, I'll jump back in the Manga pool. Regardless, this experience has made me appreciate Manga just a tiny bit more.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #3 (Recommended by a Friend) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

G.I. Joe: Arashikage Showdown

Gosh darn it if ninjas aren't the breakout stars of the G.I. Joe franchise. You've got members of every branch of the US military. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard. There's probably a TSA agent on the team nowadays. On the side of the baddies, you've got swamp rats and punks, iron clad aristocrats, and robots. And just who are the more popular characters of the series? It's the freakin' ninjas!

Their popularity is all due to the godfather of G.I. Joe, Larry Hama. He was tasked with creating an interesting background for a Hasbro cost cutting measure and out of his bag of tricks, Hama gives us Snake-Eyes. Hama pulled from his Japanese heritage to give a rather bland looking all-black plastic 3.75 inch action figure an awesome background story. A veteran of the Vietnam war, Snake-Eyes is injured in a helicopter crash. Having lost his ability to talk and basically looking like a full-faced Two-Face, Snake-Eyes trains to become a ninja of the Arashikage Clan which is kind of a big deal since Snake-Eyes is a white guy and ninjas are supposed to be extinct. 

That's pretty much where we come in with this Manga G.I. Joe story from Devil's Due Publishing imprint D3. Snake-Eyes, along with Scarlett are summoned to Japan by former Joes Jinx and Nunchuk. An ancient scroll thought lost for centuries has been stolen. This parchment, hidden since the fall of the ninja, speaks of amazing powers that can make a ninja invisible in daylight. In the hands of an evil force like Cobra it can be destructive to world peacekeeping efforts. For the few remaining members of the Arashikage clan, it's personal.

I'm not known for being a fan of manga. But I am an established fan of G.I. Joe. I've read the complete Marvel run. I'm close to complete ownership of the other Marvel Joe supplemental series. And I am slowly getting the Devil's Due and IDW runs. Thus I felt when I found this book a couple of years ago, I couldn't pass it up. 

I didn't sit on this book because of any attempt to get the rest of the Devil's Due run. In fact, I didn't know that D3 was in any way related to Devil's Due. No, the reason I waited a while to read this is because I was looking for Volume 2. Guess what? There is no Volume 2! As with a lot of non-Japanese manga publishers in the 2000s, D3 went defunct soon after the publication of this here Volume 1. 

The story by Joshua Blaylock (Mercy Sparx) was very confusing. There's a bunch of names of clans, historical characters and Joe characters that I wasn't familiar with. That's because even though this is a one-shot manga, Arashikage Showdown was tied-in to the regular Devil's Due comic. Technically, it's also tied into the original Marvel Comics series. 

Keep in mind I haven't read any of the Devil's Due books. There's a character in this manga called Kamakura. He's Snake-Eyes apprentice. I had no idea who this new ninja Joe was. That was until I Googled him and learned that Kamakura is actually little Sean Broca, all grown up! (Don't remember Sean? Surely you'll remember Fred Broca, the Crimson Guardsman who is later replaced by Wade Collins!)

I think if I hadn't had Google at my beck and call, I would have hated this book. The artwork was decent. It didn't look all that very Manga-like. Well, until we had that very clunky looking ritual performed by Snake-Eyes. Over the span of several pages! Then the artwork got more emoji than emotional and it started to look less like something that was my thing and more of the interest of fans of anime would like. 

A saving grace for this book was the 4-page ending. It was powerful. It was deep. It was so good I re-read that segment twice. And it helps to save my review of this book!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Ghostbusters: Ghost Busted (2022 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Challenge)

Manga.

Comics and graphic novels that originate from Japan. Often printed in black & white for either economic reasons, aesthetic purposes; or both! Based on Japanese scrolls from the 19th Century, most manga is read from right to left. The artwork is highly stylized and sometimes a characters emotions or a scenes overall theme might result in the characters looking totally different for a panel or two. While a majority of manga is based on popular Japanese franchises or an all-new idea, a manga set to a licensed property from the West has become a growing trend in the past 50 years. Batman, Star Wars, Star Trek (Original Series and Next Gen.) and the Marvel Universe have all received the manga treatment. 

Ghostbusters.

A doomed labor of love from Dan Aykroyd to create a project to help keep best friend John Belushi out of trouble, resulted in the birth of a comedy horror franchise. In 1984, the world was introduced to the Ghostbusters. Ray, Peter, Winston and Egon. These four heroes work to free New York City from the threat of the demonic Gozer and it's army of ghosts and demons. After a not-as-good sequel, an amazing ABC Saturday cartoon series and toy line and a handful of video games ranging from god-awful (Sega) to epic, the Ghostbusters were turned into a manga in 2008.

Ghost Busted is set a couple of years after the events of Ghostbusters II. Reinstated by the mayor of New York, the guys set about ridding the world of spectral threats. But instead of just blasting every ghost they run across, the Ghostbusters have also gotten into the medium business. 

Realizing that many spirits are just the deceased trying to right some wrongs before heading over to the other side, the fellas now try to solve the Big Apple's ghost problem peacefully. However, should things get out of hand, the Ghostbusters are not afraid to use their nuclear powered proton packs. 

While the Ghostbusters continue to investigate the paranormal to great success, a character from the team's past hasn't had it so good. A plan of revenge is brewing. Allies are being recruited. Soon, a new team of busters will wall the city streets. A team of the undead. Meet the Ghostbuster-busters!

This Manga might not be all that traditional. The publisher, Tokyopop isn't Japanese. It's an L.A. based company whose Manga division was based in Germany. Up until 2011, Tokyo pop published German translations of Japanese comics as well as original English language Manga for American markets. The company now focuses strictly on Japanese properties. 

Also, this book reads left to right like a traditional English language text. The panels also rotate clock-wise instead of counter. But the artwork is definitely traditional manga. When a character gets emotional, they become angelic chibis or hyper-sensitive emojis. 

So Ghostbusters: Ghost Busted wasn't very true to the manga genre. However, I'm not your average manga reader. The number of manga I've read compared to traditional comics and graphic novels looks like the electoral college numbers between Reagan and Mondale. With exception of the cat-centric What's Michael?, I don't think I've read anything manga that wasn't based on an American property. 

Plus, I love Ghostbusters. I didn't realize how much I needed them until COVID. With being lockdown and then bogged down, I counted down the days to the true sequel of the franchise Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Even after being pleasantly surprised with that 2021 film, my hunger for Ghostbusters continues to gnaw. Consider my appetite sated. But I'll be hungry for another round of my favorite ghost hunters soon! Because CRUD! No Slimer!!!

Though I might have cheated reading an Americanized manga published in Germany, I enjoyed this read. The 2022 reading challenge is supposed to take me out of my comfort zone. I argue that I did venture out a bit. I just didn't swim out into the deep end of the manga pool

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #41 (Manga Work) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Peng! Action Sports Adventures (Family Comic Friday!)

If you thought that the world of extreme sports couldn't get anymore wilder- think again! Welcome to the All-World School of Sportmanship where the title for the greatest advanced kickball champion is on the line! 

Peng! Action Sports Adventures
Written and Illustrated by Corey Lewis
Published by Oni Press
Pages: 136
Retail: $14.99

PENG! is… the sound a rubber ball makes when it is kicked!
PENG! is… a brand new kind of Sports Adventure comic!
PENG! is... a GAME CHANGER! 

The main story of Peng! was originally published as a giant-sized one-shot in 2005. Set in the Sharknife universe, it is the story of Sharknife's brother Rocky Hallelujah and his rookie kickball team, the Foot Knux. Can they fight their way up the ranks to become the ultimate advanced kickball champs as these newbies take on more seasoned teams?

Peng! is a Manga style story that blends 70s kung-fu movies with extreme sports and a little bit of Blade Runner style high-tech. The rose and black ink style is visually stunning. But sometimes, I felt that the dialogue was too contrived. As this book is a spin-off of the Sharknife series, there's a lot of inside references that will not make sense to one whose not read that sister publication. One element that was great were the splash pages that explains the rules of advanced kickball, how to proper watch the game and so forth. It made for Peng! to become that much more immersive for readers.

Along with the main story, there's two all-new adventures starring members of the Foot Knux team. 'Stall' shows the players practicing for another tournament in a round of hackey sack that is literally gravity defying. The third tale shows us just how far break-dancing has come in 40 years as one student of the All-World School of Sportsmanship seeks to not just become a master of the art form, but a legend as well!

The art of those stories were just as good as the first tale. But you can really see the level of improvement Corey Smith has made with his storytelling in those newer works. The dialogue was much more polished and things didn't seem so confusing. There was a zen-like quality to those new stories for sure!
An interesting collection of stories. Corey Smith takes a trio of beloved games and retools them for the 21st century and beyond! A must for Sharknife fans and those who love Manga. Peng! Action Sports Adventures is recommended for readers in grades 4-6. The level of action might be a little confusing for younger readers, especially in the opening story. There is one mild swear as well in the break-dancing story. But with exception of a couple of jokes about puke and a player who likes to bounce kickballs off of their backside, this is a book that parents should appreciate!

Take a look at a small preview of the hackey sack story 'Stall' below...

Peng! Action Sports Adventures will debut in print and digital formats on July 28th, 2020!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The review was concurrently published on Outrightgeekery.com. 

What's Michael?: Fatcat Collection Volume 1 (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

The question on the tip of everybody's tongue is What's Michael? Well, Michael is a cat. But he's a whole lot more. Find out how much more in this week's Family Comic Friday Extra!

What's Michael?: Fatcat Collection Volume 1

Written and illustrated by Makoto Kobayashi
Translated by Dana Lewis, Toran Smith
Published by Dark Horse Manga
Pages: 528 Pages
Retail: $19.99

 

Michael is your normal, run of the mill orange tabby house cat. Or is he?

 

I'm not really a big fan of Manga. But it's the dual nature of realistic adventures of a cat and his human owner as well as Michael's anthropomorphic adventures as a school boy and father of 15 or so kittens that make me a fan of this series.

 

What's Michael? has been around since the mid-80s. Originally a feature in Weekly Morning Magazine, the first What's Michael? comics were not exactly appropriate for all ages. It's almost like how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started out. They weren't the friendly cartoon dudes that have been a Saturday morning cartoon staple for 3 decades. Leonardo, Raphael and company were gritty and grim. That's the way it was with Michael.

 

In some of his earliest adventures, Michael dies.  In typical Looney Tunes fashion, Michael always comes back in the next story. But for those who are not familiar with Japanese culture, those early stories are considered age appropriate. But for American readers, some of the ways Michael would cross the rainbow bridge were pretty gruesome. Thankfully, those stories are not collected in this volume. However, some of the adventures contained here can still be quite bizarre.

 

The thing to understand about What's Michael? is that there's really more than one Michael. The version that lives with his human master, who happens to be a gangster, is perhaps the most realistic portrayal of a cat to ever be put to pen and paper. I see so much of my cats in Michael and his person. The time when Michael's owner puts on a Godzilla mask and Michael freaks out about it! That has happened with me and my cats!

 

 Other versions of Michael have him as a family man. While he lives with humans as their pet, Michael struggles with his wife to raise a near endless litter of kittens. Another version of Michael has him as a school kid who walks on two-feet in full uniform. That version is perhaps the most silly of the different takes on the cat. It's also my least favorite.

 

What's Michael? has been around for a very long time and he's developed a cult following. I've seen libraries around the country that have all 17 of the now out-of-print volumes on the shelf in their young adult section. Dark Horse Manga rates these books as ideal for readers in grades 3-6 and I think that's appropriate. Some situations are a little more aimed at older readers. Thankfully, these episodes are still way tamer than the original Japanese adventures.

 

This omnibus edition is over 500 pages. With a retail price of only $20, this is an amazing deal. There's literally a story for everyone in this collection of cat themed adventures.

 

What's Michael?: Fatcat Collection Volume 1 will debut at a bookstore near you on February 25, 2020.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

We've got a book that will appeal to a variety of fans. Devotees of Manga, dogs and Wes Anderson films will delight in this Family Comic Friday Extra! Join us as we examine Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga! 

Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga

Written and Illustrated by Minetaro Mochizuki
Published by Dark Horse Manga
Pages: 80 Pages
Retail: $19.99

(Warning: The subject matter of this review may be considered to insensitive to others due to the recent epidemic of the Coronavirus. Please keep in mind that Family Comic Friday agreed to review Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs prior to such recent events. The reviewer and staff of Outright Geekery are in no way attempting to make light of this virus that has killed hundreds of innocent lives.)

In the metropolis of Megasaki City, a mysterious virus has resulted in the banishment of all canines to a massive atoll of refuse called Trash Island. The orphaned Atari has just lost his best friend, Spots, who was sent away to Trash Island for simply being a dog. Determined to get back his puppy pal, Atari makes his way to the makeshift key. 

While on Trash Island, Atari is cornered by several dogs. It looks that Atari is about to become the canines next meal. However, when the boy begins to show kindness to these strays, Atari forms an amazing bond with a mongrel named Chief. Together, the pair team must avoid other wild packs, enemy drones seeking to eliminate Trash Island's canine population and other dangers in order to reunite with Spots. It will be the ultimate test of trust and endurance between a boy and a dog.

I've seen my share of comic book and graphic novel adaptations of TV and movies. For the most part, they look nothing like the characters on screen! Not here! The artwork of this Manga was fantastic. Minetaro Mochizuki (Dragon Head) illustrates this book so marvelously. It looks just like black and white stills of Wes Anderson's 2018 animated movie!

Isle of Dogs was an enjoyable fable. But reading it at this time in history was a little eerie. Currently, China is ground zero for the mysterious coronavirus. Thousands have became sick and at the time of writing this review, at least 600 have perished. With scientists blaming everything from bats to snakes, the level of hysteria in this book is almost like the daily news. So, if the young reader in your life is terrified of getting coronavirus, you might want to hold off on letting them read this. However, this adaptation might be a great gateway to use as a teachable moment about viruses and illness prevention. It's your call.

In other terms of age appropriateness, Isle of Dogs has a couple of mild swears. There is implied violence against dogs by both humans and other dogs. But this is a relatively safe story that children 9 and up will enjoy.

Oh, and one more thing. This book is a Manga. Published in the traditional Japanese style, the reader needs to consume this book from right to left. It's not just the pages. This format includes the panels too! If your child has never read a Manga, you'll need to explain this to them. Thankfully, Dark Horse had the smarts to include a couple of pages that explains how to read this type of book.

A well crafted story that is based on the timeless relationship between a boy and his beloved pooch. It's also classic Wes Anderson. But it's also a tale that families can enjoy. Isle of Dogs is thought provoking. I just bet you didn't think that the issues brought to light would reflect so much of today's international headlines.

Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs: The Manga will debut in print and digital formats on February 25th, 2020.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero's Journey, Book One

It seems that Jack Skellington didn't truly learn his lesson on that Christmas Eve when he became Sandy Claws. He's so obsessed with creating an automatic portal to all of the other holiday lands. In fact,  Jack has been ignoring his duties as the King of Halloween Town. 

He's also been ignoring his loyal ghost pooch, Zero. Feeling guilty, Jack decides to play a quick round of catch with Zero during a break. But Zero gets a little too excited for the sudden attention. So thrilled, that when he bumps into Jack's not-quite-finished portal, the ghost doggie disappears!

Zero finds himself transported to Christmas Town. It's a very exciting place for Zero- full of snow, lights and tasty treats. There's also some new friends, who help Zero feel quite welcome. But Christmas Town is just not home for Zero. Will the puppy find his way back to his master, Jack?

It's a personal rule of mine that I do not read any Christmas-time themed holiday comics until December 1st. But since this book was a fusion of Christmas and Halloween, I thought reading it smack dab in the middle of November was a fair compromise!

I loved this story. Like the original, this book has some songs in it. Usually, I have trouble enjoying comics with songs that don't have music added. But I didn't have trouble here. I really could sense a soundtrack in this.

What I did not like was how the book ended- with a 'TO BE CONTINUED!'

But really, this is my fault. I should have realized that with this volume being titled as a 'Volume One', that the story would carry over into multiple volumes. Yet, readers have been burned with this sort of thing before; being told that something is a volume one but a further edition never materializes.

I'm kinda worried about that here. There's only 3 volumes out thus far from TokyoPop. From what I can tell, there's been a total of 16 issues of Zero's Journey released. But I can't figure out if the series is over or not. I also cannot tell if or when a fourth volume is on the horizon.

Sadly, I also don't think that my local library has the second and third book on hand... So I have no idea how I'm going to finish up this series. Or when!

So I enjoyed the book. It's a great segue-way between All Hallow's Eve and the Yule Tide Season. It's only the first chapter of this epic. But, it certainly gets you in the spirit of the holidays.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Steam Wars

  In a not too distant galaxy, not too very long ago the rebel leader, Duchess Imeon, has stolen the formula to making warp coal. This fuel is what powers the massive ships of the Hegemonic Crux, an evil empire lead by the mysterious Lord Baron. The Duchess escapes with a space cowboy and his giant bear copilot in their spaceship, the Twentieth-Century Fox.

   It looks like the Duchess is to become the evil Baron's captive when the Fox is shot-down. But her salvation comes in the form of the last laser-sword swinging Dragoon, Bo! But can the young mud farmer be trusted when it's revealed that Bo is actually the estranged son of Lord Baron?

     If this book sounds an awful lot like the adventures of the crew of the USS Enterprise from the Star Trek franchise- you're not very far off...

     Okay- I kid. But you know what sci-fi franchise this series is really based on. Just substitute junkyard chic with steampunk and craft it in the style of manga and you have Steam Wars. I just want to know how artist/ author Fred Perry and the folks at Antarctic Press got anyway with this?!

     As such an obvious twist on a timeless classic, this book is clearly an homage to the original Summer Blockbuster. There are a few funny moments in Steam Wars, but it's not a parody of the movies in which this book reboots. So, I don't see how this manga series could be covered under federal parody law. Plus, since Disney now owns the rights to that original property and Disney has been know to threaten lawsuits against pre-schools that paint Mickey Mouse murals on their wall, how did Steam Wars ever see the light of day?

     I'm not really a fan of manga but based in the source material I just had to give this a go. Thankfully, I enjoyed this book and though it borrows heavily from that other series, it doesn't copy it 100%. There are some changing plot threads and really neat differences that made this book seem exciting and new. Plus, if you are fans of a certain bounty hunter, I think your going to enjoy the fresh new take on him.

    If you can find this book, it's Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Fantastic Four / Iron Man: Big in Japan #3

 

The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and a curator from the Japanese Kaiju museum follow a lead to the Artic or is it Antarctica? Either way, where they’re going is freezing cold. Once at their location, the heroes find the culprit being the recent giant monster attacks and this Kaiju makes the other guys look like ants.

If you have a problem with eyeballs, this issue might not be for you. But, with it’s daft cartoonish style and wicked designs pulled from the demented minds of Mike Allred and Lovecraft, and clever easter eggs, then you’ll really enjoy this series.

There is a brilliant cliff hanger that introduces a new player to the game whom I didn’t see coming and I really should have. It makes perfect sense, especially based on the theories about the early exploits of the Fantastic Four in issue #1. Hope I didn’t give away too much of a spoiler. 

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.