Deadpool: Black, White & Blood

Over the years, several superheroes have explored their noir sides with black & white miniseries in the style of Frank Miller's Sin City. Not wanting to be outdone, Deadpool adds a bright shade of scarlet (and a few shades of gray) to this minimally colored 4-issue mini-series from 2021. 

As each issue consists of 3 short stories, there are exactly a dozen segments to Deadpool: Black, White & Blood. Several are very bloody. A few feature the Merc with a Mouth teaming up with other characters in the Marvel Universe. All are extremely insane. 

Roughly a team of a dozen talents from comics, Hollywood and Manga offer unique takes on Wade Wilson. All 12 stories were rather good. But some stood out among the rest as being of superior quality. Deadpool's cross-town team-up with Wolverine clone, X-23, was a laugh riot and yet unusual. I didn't know the pair were actually that good of friends as they appear to be in the opening story. In another story that utilizes a disgusting eggplant hue, Deadpool has fallen under the thrall of the Daredevil villain, the Purple Man. Fans who hate what the David Tenant portrayed Purple Man did to Netflix's Jessica Jones, will delight in how even under mind-control, Deadpool still manages to keep the villain on his toes!

The story in which Deadpool visits Omega Red's gentrified Soviet Era town in middle of the the Canadian Rockies, was the zaniest one of them all. Fellow Russian super-villain Ursa Major wants to become the ruler of the makeshift community, igniting an arms race with Omega Red. For once, it's up to Wade Wilson to play referee in between two aging Cold Warriors. 

The story I was most disappointed with guest stars the X-Man, Doop. It was by Mike Allred, who is in my top 5 list of all-time favorite artists. The artwork was impressive as always. But story-wise, things were trippy at best. I read it twice and I still don't think I understand everything that was happening. 

This was a near-perfect anthology of Deadpool stories. The only thing missing was a time travelling epic by one of the definitive Deadpool writers of the past 20 years- Gerry Duggan. Oh! And something by Deadpool creator, Rob Liefeld. As much as I am not a fan of the guy's work, a variant cover by Liefeld would have been nice at least. 

This book comes in 2 formats- your basic trade paperback and a tabloid sized treasury edition. Honestly, I don't see a need for this book to be in the larger size even though that's the format I read it in. Save yourself the $8 and go small!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Black Hammer: Streets of Spiral

This collection of Black Hammer stories continues to expand the amazing world created by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston. But instead of a multi-parter, Black Hammer: Streets of Spiral is a collection of 3 one-shot specials as well as a compendium of major players that comprise the world of Black Hammer.

The first segment takes us back to Black Hammer Farm, before the seemingly finalizing events of 'The Age of Doom'. Floating eyeballs have been a familar sight within the para-zone. In this time bendy story, we find out that one of those ocular creatures has a history with all of the members of the farmstead, not just Col. Weird.

Readers are then introduced to a character with what I think is one of the most creative names in probably the last 25 years of comicdom- Cthu-louise! The featured character is a  human/otherworldly squid creature hybrid. In a story that has inspiration in not 1 but 2 episodes of The Twilight Zone, readers will learn Cthu-louise's heartbreaking origin as well as be introduced to her hopeful second chance.

The third segment is not a complete story. It's actually a segment from a Free Comic Book Day offering of (at the time) forthcoming. But it offers glimpses into the future plans of Black Hammer that Lemire and Ormston have in store for the franchise. In a nod to the EC Comics horror anthologies of the 1950s, Madame Dragonfly takes readers on a tour of her infernal cabin of stories.

As for the encyclopedia of all things Black Hammer, it invokes memories of Marvel's Official Guidebook of the Marvel Universe and DC's Who's Who. Yes, it does reveal a little bit of some stories that I haven't read yet. But thankfully it doesn't give away too much.

Along with artwork by Ormston, there's a slew of talent in these pages. Wilfredo Torres (Black Hammer '45), Dave Stewart (B.P.R.D.), Sandy Jarrell (Batman '66), Andrea Sorrentino (Old Man Logan) and personal favorite Mike Allred (Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams) are just a handful of artists that have a literal hand in things. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics #1000

Seeking to cash in on DC's success with Action Comics #1000 and Detective Comics #1000, the House of Ideas got creative in their 80th anniversary with Marvel Comics #1000.

True, I was sucked into the hype. I went to my local comic book shop and ordered my selection of a variant cover. My choice was tough. I really love Alex Ross and his regular cover was amazing. But I was in love with the 1960s cover done by Mike Allred!

Marvel Comics #1000 was worked on by 80 different creative teams and it was a wide range of talent! From Kareem Abdul Jabbar to Peter David to Joe Hill to Toby Whithouse- it was a massive potpourri of names. Sadly, Stan Lee passed before getting to contribute to this milestone comic. 

The book stars out with a pretty cool concept from the very first panel of Marvel Comics #1 way back in 1939. The 3 men who witness the creation of the mechanical Human Torch are apparently a part of some secret Science Guild. They've been working in the background of the rise of superheroes for the past 80 years and Atlas agent Jimmy Woo is on the hunt for why they've spent 8 decades looking for the discarded mask of a fallen mystery man.

Each page of this book covers a single year progressing from 1939-2019. This format moves the story of the Science Guild forward from 1939 until about 1943. Then it starts to sprinkle tributes about first appearances and major events throughout the book. If Marvel Comics #1000 would have either stayed with a single cohesive story, a year at a time or having 80 different tribute pages- I would have been happy with this one-shot. 

But Marvel decided to ramble. For one thing, the publisher decided to choose some really weird things to be giddy about. Like 1980 was devoted to a brief encounter between Doctor Doom and Iron Man. At times, Marvel gets preachy. I'm talking Axel Alonso, all readers who think unlike us are stupid, preachy. But for a company that claims to be 'woke', I thought it was quite odd that one tribute was devoted to Storm's punk era look in the mid-80s. That just seemed hypocritically sexist to me. 

However, that tribute page for 1977 about a galaxy far, far away. WOW! It gives me re-newed hope of a Marvel/Star Wars fantasy crossover!

Marvel Comics #1000 had promise. It just couldn't decide which way it wanted to go. 80 different Tributes or epic story spanning all of Marvel's publishing history. You only had to choose 1 direction Marvel. But you got greedy and the lack of quality and care bled through!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive

Incorruptible cop Dick Tracy is one of those properties that is visually stunning. With it's bright colors and ever so colorful villains, you can't look away from this gritty crime comic created by Chester Gould. 

My biggest problem with Dick Tracy was that it wasn't readily available in my area growing up as a kid. You would think a big city such as Raleigh, NC would have a newspaper that carried Dick Tracy. But except for when I would travel into very rural country to see either my grandmama or my great-grandmother, I never got to read Tracy's exploits all that often.

I was a big fan of the Warren Beatty picture from the 90s. Being only 11 or 12, I didn't know that it was supposed to suck. But even looking at the film today, you can't deny that the producers and make-up team did a pretty darn good job of making a comic strip come alive on the silver screen.

When it was announced last year that Dick Tracy was coming to comics in an all-new series and that not just one, but 3 Allreds were to be involved, I was overjoyed. Michael and his brother, Lee Allred wrote the script to this quasi-modern rebooted origin of the world's greatest cop. Comics legend Michael also penciled everything with his equally legendary wife Laura coloring the book. Dark Corridor's Rich Tommaso inked the book and he's so good at it that his inks don't flush out Mike Allred's iconic art style. 

I thought that this was a great origin tale. It had a classic feel to it with very little modern changes. Dick Tracy had always been ahead of it's time with two-way radio wrist-watches and engine-less cop cars. Thus, any new changes to the technology, while far-out, didn't seem all that odd. 

The extra material was really my only complaint. There's a timeline of important moments in Dick Tracy history which I really enjoyed. But for some reason, it stops abruptly sometime in the 1950s without any warning or explanation. Are later years planned for future collected works of Dick Tracy comics? I know that there's a new Dick Tracy miniseries being published right now (Dick Tracy Forever). Is that the plan? A small blurb promising such would have been greatly appreciated.

Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive was a super fun book by those amazing Allreds. I love their work so freakin' much. I hate that the only blemish to this awesome miniseries from IDW Publishing was the director's cut material which is left unfinished. It just doesn't seem fair. But I must stick to my ratings. Otherwise, this was a nearly flawless work.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Fantastic Four: Lost Adventures by Stan Lee

The lost adventure that highlights this volume isn't really all that lost. It's merely the original script of issue #108 that wasn't able to be completed in it's original vision before Kirby defected to DC in the early 70s. The story did see print, it just has a few plot twists that differ and art by an artist other than The King. Fans do finally get a chance to read the original product and that which never came to be.There are a few changes between the two version but in all honesty, it's not really worth the $25 cover price.

Marvel adds a few other stories to the mix in hopes of making this volume worth buying. The Last Fantastic Four Story:\; a what if scenario in which the FF finally solve all their problems and are no longer needed on earth. The Stan Lee/John Romita Jr. story was very good. But again it wasn't enough to cough up $25 for.

There's also reprints of two anniversary issues. Issue #296 has the The Thing returning from his exile on the Beyonder's planet. Ole Blue Eye thinks that he's going to be welcomed back to the Baxter Building with open arms. But having his girl now in the arms of Johnny Storm and his spot taken up by She-Hulk, Thing decides to once again exile himself. This time to Monster Island with no other than the Mole Man!

The other reprint is from issue #543. In this Mike Allred inked tale, Stan the Man returns with a fun-filled romp with the First Family of Marvel. This one alone makes up for most of the hype/understatement of this collection. But it's a very short story of only 10 pages. 

This book was published in 2009. I can only imagine how expensive this book would be if published new now. $27.99 $29.99? $34.99? This is a shining example of why Marvel is in so much trouble right now in terms of sales. While I know that the company wants to make a great example by putting out works on premium paper with the highest quality ink on the market; the costs are just too high for most fans wallets. 

I got this book at a used book store. So I only paid a few bucks for it. I can't find how much I paid for it, but I cannot imagine I paid more than $12.50. This was a good read. It's full of 'director's cut' material, like original scripts and a slew of sketches. But if I was to have paid full price, I would demanding my money back as the promised material nowhere near matches the actual level of quality and quantity of this book.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

(Note: The hardcover edition of this book also retailed for $25. I thought paperback was supposed to be cheaper than hard! I guess nobody told the House of Ideas.)

Fantastic Four #5 (The 650th Anniversary Issue)

It finally happened! Benjamin J. Grimm married Alicia Masters! No tricks. No gimmicks. And human-DNA was confirmed to make sure Alicia wasn't once again replaced with a Skrull infiltrator. 

If I had read this last year, it would have ranked as my favorite book of 2018. But funds and the holidays prevented me from getting it until just a couple of days ago. But that's okay as this issue of Fantastic Four ranks as one of my all-time favorite issues!

Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man) bookends this deluxe sized issue with the prep work and final vows of the true Marvel wedding of the century. 

Then Mike Allred and his lovely wife Laura recall the origin of the team. As you know with all anniversary issues, it's a mandated law that the origin of one of the heroes or the entire team must be retold. But the Allred's do it with such nostalgic charm as they have done for decades! 

We also get a glimpse of the early days of Ben and Alicia thanks to the Allreds. Another sort of origin story. But one of which I do not recall getting this much detail into. I did not know how much Sue Storm played matchmaker. Plus, I love the great cameo of a famous rock group in one scene in which The Thing takes his gal to a petting zoo! That's classic Allred right there!

Then the amazing Adam Hughes (Betty and Veronica) tackles Ben's bachelor party. (For Alicia's hilarious bachelorette party, see the Fantastic Four Wedding Special #1) It's a wild ride. Hughes adds such a layer of humor and classic FF style to the book. And I love the tick-lined art style of his. I never realized how much Hughes and the Allreds are alike in that aspect. I am also a fan of thick inkings. So it's no wonder I am a fan of both artists!

Originally, I was thinking I would be faked-out like with the wedding of lies between Kitty Pryde and Colossus. But Marvel went through with these nuptials and thanks to a Facebook buddy posting a scene from that story, I decided to grab this book. Man was I so glad I did. This issue was fantastic!

I've been very impressed with the Fantastic Four since their return! It's been one of the few bright spots of Marvel in a two-year period that has had way more lows than highs when it came to comic books for them. Please keep up the good work and use the formula for this and Spider-Man to help return the House of Ideas to it's former glory days.

While I love what Dan Slott and artist Aaron Kuder is doing with the team right now, I realize that creative teams don't last forever. Might I suggest Mike Allred? He did such a great job here and he's proven that's he's got the chops in the pages of FF to do that part of the Marvel Universe the right way! But in that series, we didn't get Reed, Sue, Ben and Johnny. I would love to see how Michael and Laura would do focusing on the First Family of Marvel! Heck, I'd even be a monthly subscriber to that!

One of the most perfect comics of all-time! Definitely worth the couple extra bucks!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66 Meets The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

  

When a new operative of the criminal organization THRUSH frees all of the inmates from Arkham, Batman and Robin must join forces with the Man from U.N.C.L.E.!

Jeff Parker returns to the Batman '66 universe in this 2016 crossover! All of your classic television favorites are here including Batgirl, Egghead, Napoleon Solo, and Soviet agent Illya Kuryakin. (Man, did my mom have a crush on him!) There's even a few 'modern' villains such as Poison Ivy and a mystery player involved. Sorry- I can't spoil it! (But I can tell you- I saw the plot twist from a mile away!)

Other than what my mother has told me about the Man From U.N.C.L.E., I have never seen the show. But my mom was what you would call a super-fan of the show. So, I think I have a decent idea of what sort of flow to expect from the U.N.C.L.E. characters. Considering that the Batman '66 segments fit very well with that show's personality, I would say that Jeff Parker did an admirable job combining the two franchises.
 
 My favorite part of this book was the art. David Hahn (Suicide Girls) does a fine job at capturing the Batman '66 look of both the show and comic book series. But of course, more than anything, I dug Madman's Mike Allred's groovy covers. I really want to see him take on a 4-issue crossover between Batman '66 and Star Trek '66- and not just the covers. I think it would be wild!

Great fun for those nostalgic fans of classic TV and classic comic books!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Red Rocket 7

  Red Rocket.

It’s a mystery that has fascinated music lovers and musicians alike for the past 60 years. A young man with striking red hair, who seemingly never ages, keeps popping up throughout the annals of music history.

  Elvis- he was there, learning the newest rockabilly chords.

  The Beatles- he was there, working as a roadie.

  Bowie- he was there, inspiring the genius’s Ziggy Stardust personality.

  And then in the 1980s, he just disappeared.

  Jump ahead 18-years and now there’s a new band with a lead guitarist, as ginger as can be, claiming to be Red Rocket.

   Is it the same man? His son? An impostor? And just where has Red Rocket been for the last 2 decades?

   An intrepid young music journalist seeks to find the answers to all these questions. As her research opens her eyes to the secret history of rock music, so will her stream of consciousness, as the mystery of the Red Rocket 7 will take her to the farthest edges of the galaxy and beyond.

     Last year, Mike Allred made no excuses to show his love and devotion to the artist David Bowie when he lost his battle with cancer. Really, Allred's fandom has been evident for years, like the cover to Madman: Atomic Comics #15, in which he renders his beloved creation with Bowie’s Space Oddity lighting bolt across his face.

     Reading this 1998 book, I was struck with two thoughts. One: Red Rocket is the music version of Forrest Gump as the character is involved with every major rock movement from the early 50s up to 1998. Secondly, (and most importantly): This is Allred’s Space Oddity or The Man Who Fell To Earth. I’m not sure which. Could be both. No matter which it is, Red Rocket 7 is also some very trippy stuff.

      Elvis, the Stones, The Ramones, and the Dandy Warhols play some major supporting roles in this book. But it’s Bowie's book through and through. If you love David Bowie, this is the comic book series you must read- even if it’s in that odd 45 record shape.

      Amazing artwork by Allred. He’s one of my favorites and his wife Laura who does the inks and colors IS my favorite in the industry. I may not understand all of the zen the Allreds put into this love song to rock & roll, but I loved Red Rocket 7 nonetheless.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

iZombie #1 Special Edition

   Let's look at the facts: 
   
    I love Michael Allred. His art is so clean, so retro, so kitsch. 
    I love Laura Allred who colors and sometimes inks husband Michael's art.
    I've only read a couple of iZombie issues or stories and I love them!
    Yet for some reason, I've not been able to get into the iZombie TV show on the CW!

   I think the problem is that the show is live-action and with the exception of the opening credits, the series doesn't feature the artwork of the Allreds and I think that's the big selling point for me.

   This Special Edition reprint of the first issue of iZombie was released to co-incide with the premiere of the CW series in March of last year. But I wasn't able to get my hands on a copy until a couple of weeks ago when I finally found a copy in a dollar bin. It's not that I didn't look for this when it came out last year, I did. But at the two or three comic shops, I went on the hunt for this, they had sold out pretty quick.

     iZombie is the story of Gwen. By day, she's the leader of a grave digger crew at a cemetery. By night, Liv's digging up the bodies she buried earlier in the day in order to feed on their juicy delicious brains and to prevent from going full on zombie on somebody living. But when she feasts, she inherits some of her meal's memories temporarily. When she learns that one of the corpses she consumed was murdered, she decides to take it upon herself to solve his murder! 

     I think this is another reason I'm not into the TV series. Other than having the main character eat brains and use that information to solve crimes, the series and the comic are two different things. Why they don't even feature the same characters. The main character of this comic is named Gwen. The heroine of the TV show is named Liv and she works as a criminologist for a living! 

   I know some folks will say that I'm being too sensitive and that there's no reason why I can't like both. Well, that's just dumb, folks. That's like saying if I like steak, then I'll love liver. They might both come from the same animal but while steak is delicious, that irony piece of rubber called liver is just nasty. 

   That's kinda how I feel iZombie. iZombie: the comic book is now going on my wish list for my comic book collection: it's wicked fun. iZombie: the Series is on my to-do list if the show ever goes into rerun syndication but what little I've seen so far is a little too hokey and a tad too much like a Dawson's Creek for the undead. I'll probably get to it but it's on the backburner for now.

   As for why this is a Special Edition comic, this issue has a couple of articles about the making of the TV show and I think there were one or two pages of unused art from iZombie #1. But in terms of any director's cut added scenes, you will not find them in this book. But with the success of the show, the price of issue #1 has jumped to about $20-35 bucks, so this is a good starting point with this more affordable reprint.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66, Volume 4

   Writer Jeff Parker, cover artist Michael Allred, and a slew of other great artists, colorists, and inkers present another thrilling chapter of Batman adventures based on the 1966 TV series. But this volume comes with an added bonus. Along with a King Tut caper, the Joker becoming a superhero, and the Penguin pulling a slew of crimes based on bats instead of birds for a change; Batman and Batgirl visit Japan to take on the Batmanga villain, Lord Death Man! 

   But that's not all that is included in this thrilling volume. Along for the ride is the one-shot Batman '66: The Lost Episode. That story is based on a treatment by acclaimed sci-fi writer Harlan Ellison (City on the Edge of Forever, Star Trek: TOS) that for some reason or another never made it on TV. Lucky for you, the entire original proposal is reprinted along with stunning color photos from the hit series.

    In the lost episode, Two-Face would have been introduced to the Batman '66 universe. Rumor had it that producers were seriously looking at Clint Eastwood to play the role of Gotham DA Harvey Dent, who becomes the deranged villain after half of his body is doused with acid, in season 4. But, alas Batman was canceled after just 3 seasons. Oh, and did I mention, it's written by the great Len Wein (Swamp Thing) with art by the equally great Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Super Powers)?

   I really loved this volume. It continues to build on the Batman '66 mythos and pits both classic Batman TV series and new Batman comics villains in that funky little corner of the DC Universe. I'm starting to see this book in the light of other comic books based on unused plans for shows that got canceled much too soon (IE Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 9.) 

Lord Death Man by
Sandy Jarrell.

   But this edition holds a place very dear to my heart for another reason. Earlier, I mentioned the Lord Death Man story. Well, it just so happens late last year, I got to meet the artist for that issue, Sandy Jarrell, at a convention in Raleigh. He was doing blank sketches and I commission him to make me a piece with the caveat that he could draw it of any Batman villain, except for the usual suspects of Joker, Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin. Well, an hour later and Jarrell presented me with my very own sketch of the Japanese Batman adversary. It was so awesome looking, people kept asking to buy my book! (Get in line, folks...)

   Batman '66 is a fun little series that despite getting cancelled recently, doesn't look like it's going to go away anytime soon and I am glad. Right now, Batman and the Man from UNCLE are teaming up in a miniseries and I hope DC has that smarts to either return Batman '66 to store shelves or kept pairing the Dynamic Duo up with more legends from the swinging 60s.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66, Volume 3

The Joker and Catwoman embark in a dastardly scheme during the Arkham Talent Show.

  A mysterious TV producer creates a series based on a gritty no-nonsense version of the Dark Knight.

  A bat-robot replaces the Dynamic Duo during a crime spree of Gotham's most notorious villains.

  And Marsha, Queen of Diamonds, infiltrates the Bat Cave to steal the Bat-diamond that powers the Caped Crusader's laboratory and data banks...

   All this action and more awaits in the third volume of DC's fantastic Batman '66 webcomic devoted to the 1960s Batman television series. Once again author Jeff Parker, regular series art Jonathan Case, along with guest stints by Art Baltazar and Franco, Dean Haspiel, and others capture the spirit of the campy cult classic that aired on ABC. Also, Michael Allred and wife, Laura continue to thrill with their pop-culture themed covers.

    One thing that I have really liked about this series is that it includes a personal favorite who wasn't around in the 60s, Harley Quinn. Up till now, she's been a minor character as the Joker's therapist, Dr Harleen Quinzel, who sees great promise in trying to reform the Clown Prince of Crime. But in the opening story, we start to see her go down that dark path that will turn Quinzel into the Joker's girlfriend.

   Now, one thing I didn't like about this book. The back cover (and Amazon) promises that Batman: The Lost Episode is in this volume and it ain't. The Lost Episode is taken from a script originally meant to be used in season 4- but never happened as ABC cancelled the series after season 3. This lost episode was to have starred Clint Eastwood as Two-Face. But the rumor and script were lost to time and the bottom of the original screenwriter's desk. Sadly, it's still lost to me until, hopefully, volume 4 hits stores sometime later this year.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet

 

The year is 1967 and on ABC superhero history was made with the first live-action team-up of non-affiliated super heroes. In the two-part Batman episode, entitled  "A Piece of the Action" and "Batman's Satisfaction", the Green Hornet and his faithful valet Kato arrived in Gotham City in hopes of taking down the notorious stamp collector Colonel Gumm. Batman and Robin assume Green Hornet is a villain since in Hornet's home town he acts like a mob boss attempting to wipe out the competition. The two pairs forge an uneasy truce to take down the villain played by Roger C. Carmel (Harry Mudd of Star Trek fame.)

    Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet is a sequel to that classic Batman series match-up. It was published jointly by DC Comics and Dynamite Comics, who currently owns the rights to the Green Hornet comic franchise. Originally a digital first comic, the book is co-written by Kevin Smith, the creative force behind Clerks and Mallrats. While Smith has written some Batman comics before, this is his first venture in the world of Batman '66. However, Smith has written several Green Hornet mini-series so it actually made perfect sense for the actor/director to write this miniseries. 

     So why does the Dynamic Duo team up again with Green Hornet and Kato? The two teams reunite when the notorious Gumm, now promoted to General, steals a train full of rare fossils. The caper turns particularly deadly when the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker is revealed as Gumm's silent partner. When the dastardly pair rob a collection of stamps, the heroes are forced to become a team or Gotham City will be bankrupted with a $20 million lawsuit for the lost collections.

    This story was awesome. The writing was very good and without a single swear or reference to Star Wars, I cannot believe that Keven Smith wrote it. The regular covers were painted by my favorite artist of all-time, Alex Ross, with one variant by regular '66 cover artist Mike Allred. The art was also superior with amazing renderings of Adam West, Burt Ward, Caesar Romero, Van Willams, and Bruce Lee. The only actor not portrayed in comic form was Roger Carmel as Gumm. I'm wondering if his estate refused to allow his likeness to be used as Gumm's character is portrayed as being covered in an experimental adhesive much like Baron Nemo from the Avengers. If that's the case, I will approve the blatant plot device rip-off of a Marvel villain.

     Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Volume 1

This collection of 5 stories was written as a potential blueprint for expanding the Ultimate universe. At the time these issues were published, the only Ultimate title starred Spider-Man. So, expect to be a little confused, if like me, you’ve read a lot of Ultimate stuff before you come to this and the plots and background stories don't seem to match what you already know about Wolverine, Iron Man, and the Hulk. When those heroes appear in these stories it is their first ever Ultimate appearances. So, like many pilot episodes (on TV), these are really rough drafts of the exciting things yet to come.

   The first story presents Wolverine as a metrosexual wuss than an unbridled animal. Sabretooth, in his bushy fur coat, wasn't any better.  I was really beginning to hate this series, when in issue 3, I realize that Hulk’s rampage in New York is what results in Banner being incarcerated at the beginning of Ultimates #1. Also, we come to a great 2-issue Iron Man tale by Mike and Laura Allred. Getting to experience anything done by the Allreds is always a nice unexpected surprise. 

   One thing about this book that ticked me off a little was that I've previously read both the Wolverine and the Iron Man team-ups before. Iron Man's story was reprinted in the Best of Spider-Man Volume 1. I can't recall where I encountered the Wolverine tale before off the top of my head, but I know I have. The Hulk story was the only one not reprinted (thus far or as much as I can tell.) Being reprinted in other formats and trades won't swear me off of getting volume 2 and 3 of this series. But since there is a chance I might have stumbled upon those issues in another format already, I will make sure I don't spend more than half of the cover price when I do come across them. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

   

Batman '66, Volume 2

  A snakebit millionaire, the Joker downsizes his gang, an evil cousin from across the pond, time-travelling hijinx with King Tut, a frozen summer in Gotham, and the Riddler gets away. All this and more; along with covers by the great Mike Allred. It must be another volume of DC's digital first comic homage to the 1960s- Batman '66!

    Jeff Parker and a host of top indy talents continue to give the classic Batman TV show the comic book it long deserved. It's still got that quirky magic, but there are just a few things mission in this collection of comics as opposed to volume 1. The first collection had those clever cliffhangers told by an over enthusiastic narrator. It also contained some crafty cameos when Batman and Robin would scale the wall of a building. Lastly, any little plot curve was eventually solved a few stories later on. But there was a plot in which someone at Barbara Gordon's workplace was zapped by an arcane tome and it's not been resolved- YET! If that plot is explored in volume 3, I fear someone (probably me) will have forgotten this little bit of demon possession.

   I really enjoyed this volume and I look forward to the next. I hope DC continues to publish this dynamic series for quite some time. There is supposed to be a Wonder Woman '77 based on the Linda Carter series, but it's not happened yet. I hope this isn't a bad sign for the future of this awesome book.

  Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Madman: Atomic Comics Volume 1: Existential Exits!

  From many of my reviews, you'll know that I absolutely love the artwork of Michael Allred and the color palette of his wife, Laura. Next to Alex Ross, he's my all-time favorite artist nut this guy can write too! I've read quite a bit of his assorted works but when it comes to his most famous creation, Madman, I'm quite deficient. In terms of Madman, I've read a crossover with Superman and a holiday special of some sort and that's it. It's not easy to find Madman stuff, but I came across this book at a used bookstore that I rarely go into.  It's a nice little shop, but I don't frequent it mostly because they don't carry very many graphic novels. But on this day I got lucky.

    When it comes to Madman I know so little of him that I didn't even know his origin. That changes in this book where Madman awakes in a universe that's similar to his but has an off feel to it. As he learns where he really is, both he and the reader get a crash course on the History of Madman. Once the primer is over, Madman learns that this universe is the wrong one because his girlfriend Joe doesn't exist in it. Thus the mad dash to get back home begins.

     This leads to the visually stunning issue #3 in which Madman meets up with a superhero from his world. In an homage to Barry Allen, this hero exists only in comic books from Madman's universe. Along the way, Madman and this superhero are depicted in the style and genres of dozens of artists. (I lost count at about 53 but Mike Allred pencilled every panel in perfect mimicry of artists such as Jim Davis, Jack Kirby, Matt Groening, Alex Ross, Carmine Infantino, Frank Miller, and many more with Laura recreated their ink work and colors to a tee. It's was like if Rich Little knew how to draw instead of doing vocal impressions. Amazing and fitting for a couple like the Allreds who love pop culture!)

      Eventually, Madman makes it back to his universe but in true comic book style, Madman's love remains unrequited when his reunion with girlfriend Joe results in his needing to team up with the mutant beatnik superhero team the Atomics in order to save his universe (as his return has caused some sort of rift in the space-time continuum. Plus he crashed landed on some distant planetoid, light years from earth.)

      Once Madman saves the day, don't expect a happy ending as this victory comes at a price that will result in more than one death and cause two heroes to strike out into the great unknown holding on to each other and that's about all they got.

     This series ended with issue 17. However, this volume ends with issue 7. So there are lot of plot threads that have yet to be neatly tied up. I hope to get my hands on the other two volumes very soon. I just hate for lovable ol' Madman to be sad. It's like a rainy Christmas- there's just something a little wrong with that.

    Worth Consuming but man is this some trippy stuff.

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Batman '66, Volume 1

Thanks to my Admin work with the weekly DC Comics new releases, I grew more and more interested in this series. If you're like me and born before 1989, you'll remember either watching the classic Batman series on ABC or in infinite syndication. Batman '66 continues the legacy of that ground breaking series with new adventures starring some of your favorite villains of the Caped Crusader.

 Batman was supposed to have a fourth season but a miscommunication between producers and set designers resulted in many of the sets being torn down prematurely. Rather than rebuild them, the powers that be altogether cancelled the entire project. In the way this series is crafted, it's almost like getting to read what season 4 would've been like.

In this book, you'd learn which two villains are in reality brothers, see what Goldie Hawn would be like if the character of Dr. Harleen Quintzel existed in the 1960s, and witness the return of the original Catwoman, Julie Newmar but still thrill at Eartha Kitt's take as the princess of purr. (I'll let you in on a little secret- it's explained that the Newmar Catwoman went straight s noticing a void in the Gotham underworld, another felon took on the mantle! That's an explanation I could live with!)

There are tons of great stories in this book. I really enjoyed the Emperor Penguin story guest starring one of my all-time favorite Bat-villains, Mister Freeze! Plus The Joker, Riddler, and several obscure baddies abound in this collection of 'digital first' comics.

I think DC is on the right track with Batman '66. Along with continuing the tradition of the show, DC's done another team-up between the Dynamic Duo and the Green Hornet & Kato. Soon, they'll be releasing a miniseries based on a lost script that involves Two-Face. Rumor had it that Clint Eastwood was supposed to play the role of Harvey Dent/ Two-Face. Plus, thanks to this series success, the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman series is going to see new life as a comic next year. Hopefully, we'll be seeing some other great DC shows returning to 'lost season' comic form (I'm hoping for Superman '52 and Flash '91!)

 Along with some dynamic covers by the much personally beloved Michael and Laura Allred, the scope of art is amazing. I'm hooked but alas I'm out of issues to read.

Will this intrepid blogger get to read more of the further adventures of Batman '66? Will he blog about it? Tune in next time- same madman blog, same madman typing!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Untold Tales of Spider-man ’96 (Double-Size Spectacular)

Kurt Busiek, Pat Olliffe, and Mike Allred join forces to bring use a story so fantastic; they had to double the size of the comic to tell it! Tired of being put aside in favor of Reed Richards’ scientific experiments, Sue Storm accepts a date invitation from Spider-man. The Invisible Woman is looking to make Mr. Fantastic jealous and doesn’t really have any romantic intentions with Spidey. But you can’t tell Sue’s brother that! Looking to keep Spider-man from being his brother-in-law, the Human Torch will look to his most vaunted foe, Namor: The Sub-Mariner to break up the super heroes’ date.

I loved this issue. Usually, an untold tales series reprints old story lines in hopes of making super heroes a little more timely and appealing to new readers. But with this annual at least, Busiek and Allred craft an original tale that’s targeted for the more experienced comic fan. Set in the 1960s, this comic pays tribute to the brilliant tales of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and the original Marvel bull-pen.

The only complaint I have about this comic is that Mike Allred doesn’t do all of the art. I just love his thick inked style and the color palette used by his wife and partner, Laura. At least they kept her on for the entire story. The book also features a small story that tells how Busiek and Olliffe come up with their untold tales ideas. The tale is very tongue-in-cheek but it is very funny.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

DC Comics Presents Teen Titans 100-page Spectacular One-shot

 

Here’s one thing I have learned about the 100-page Spectaculars of DC’s, they’re reprints. So, despite this fact that I find these guys in bargain bins, the chances are that there’s something in these treasuries that I’ve read. That’s the case here as I’ve already read (and probably reviewed) the main attraction of this book: the Teen Titans Lost Annual.

 

Since I’ve already reviewed it, I won’t mince words again. But, if you want to read my review of the Lost Annual CLICK HERE.

 

The rest of this comic was devoted the epic DC works of Mike and Laura Allred (who crafted the Lost Annual) - perhaps my favorite pencils and inking duo in all of comicdom. Along the way, we get a visit from Bizarro, watch Hourman make the most out of an hour’s worth of Miraclo, see how the boys from New Genesis unwind, and catch an “unaired” episode of the 1960s Batman TV show. Rounding out the back-up features in a no holds barred house party held by the Teen Titans in Bruce Wayne’s bachelor pad. This romp is a Who’s Who of 60s super hero teams and teens, including the Doom Patrol,  the Legion of Super-heroes, as well as Supergirl and Batgirl. It’s hilarious and a little inappropriate- I LOVE IT!!!

 

I love the Allreds. Their style is retro (and colorful and ultra-clean) and they’ve got such an affinity for nostalgia. Plus, Michael is extremely witty and has a wicked sense of humor. These guys make this book worth reading and hopefully, one day, I’ll get to meet them at a Con.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out 10 stars.

FF, Volume 2: Family Freakout

WARNING: SERIOUS SPOILERS ARE REVEALED IN THIS REVIEW!

I waited and my library finally got in volume 2 of Matt Fraction and Mike Allred’s run of FF. In this volume the Freedom Foundation, led by Scott “Ant-Man” Lang, Medusa, Ms. Thing, and She-Hulk continue their search for the missing Fantastic Four, who have seriously overshot their 4-minute time traveling absence from the present timeline. After being invited to a pool party by a wealthy industrialist, the FF meets an ageless alien time traveler who not only posed of Mighty Caesar, but also befriended the Fantastic Four during their recent time travels.

 

Through the new ally, it is discover that Doctor Doom is behind the Fantastic Four’s inability to return to 2013. SHOCKER!!!! Actually, if something bad was to happen to the Fantastic Four and you didn’t assume Victor Von doom had anything to do with it then I’d be surprised. Anyway, this revelation brings up some really bad memories for Scott Lang, seeing as Doom is responsible for the death of his daughter, Cassie.

Now armed with a target- and a vendetta- the FF take a field trip to the Moon and hold the Watcher hostage. It’s really a ruse for Ant-man to search through Uatu’s personal records on Doom and what happens is completely awesome! Doctor Doom gets his butt handed to him in epic fashion. That’s right, for once; Doom doesn’t get to used his diplomatic immunity, nor fake out everyone with a Doombot or make a deal with some cosmic entity for safety. No, for once Doom gets everything and more that he deserves.

Other than the Red Skull, Doctor Doom is my least favorite villain. He’s not like the Joker or Venom, you know, a person you love to hate. I hate that guy. I’m so glad to finally get an issue where Doom loses. True, you couldn’t have Reed Richards do it; he’s got too much of a conscience. So, by having chippy Scott Lang give the leader of Latveria the what-not is totally acceptable. Now, if only the Red Skull could finally get his rear end whooped once and for all by Captain America.

This series was awesome. I love Fraction’s writing and I am such a fan of the Allred’s artwork. I think they are in my top five artists. What is a real crime is that this series is currently cancelled. No more FF! Hopefully this will be an oversight corrected real soon and it will involve not just Fraction and Allred, but star Ant-man, She-Hulk, Ms. Thing, and those loveable genius scamps who learn at the Freedom Foundation.

(PS- if you haven’t read the first FF publication, be in for a little confusion about certain plot mysteries, such as “why do one of the moloids just a floating head in a jar?” You can enjoy this entire series without reading that book. But, feel free to go back and seek out that series like I plan on doing.)

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

All Select Comics #1 70th Anniversary Special

The Blonde Phantom of the 1940s is nothing like the one Spider-man teams with in Marvel Adventures. It’s a bit like a Black Canary knock-off. The mystery of a murdered husband was very good and I liked the twist ending, but the heroine was lacking in substance.

 Then there’s the Marvex reprints about an alien robot who turns against his evil masters and becomes a hero on earth. I liked the two chapters but for some reason Marvex’s appearance changes from human looking to oxidation copper green. No explanation is given.

 Mike Allred contributes with a tribute piece on Marvex and it’s funny. Probably the best thing about the whole book.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.