Deadpool & Wolverine

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. Hugh Jackman once again as Wolverine, despite claims that he was done with the character. Together on screen, finally... In correct costumed form!

While it was every Marvel fans dream to see comic book accurate versions of the Merc With a Mouth and Logan together on the silver screen, this wasn't my favorite Deadpool movie. That's because with Disney finally in charge of the two mutant properties, the reigns on Reynolds and Jackman were removed and they went into full berserker mode. 

Parents and guardians, you really shouldn't take a young child to a rated R movie. That being said, this is one R rated superhero film that no children under the age of 17 should be escorted to. The blood and violence was set to 11. There were so many F-words, I didn't know if Quentin Tarantino wrote the script or would have blushed at the shear volume. Lots of sexually graphic talk, especially from Deadpool. Though of the 3 movies in the franchise thus far, no nudity. 

'The material to be expected from a Deadpool movie,' is something you might say in regards to my alarm. However, I read a lot of Deadpool and a fair amount of X-Men stuff. No matter how many Explicit Material warnings Marvel might put on their edgier books, I've only encountered Wade Wilson or Wolverine using the F-bomb once each in comics and both were graphic novels and not monthly issues.  The level of violence; okay, I'll grant you that. But the sexual innuendo is way tamer even in comics rated Mature 

A lot has been made saying that Deadpool & Wolverine is a farewell letter to the FOX Universe of Marvel movies. I can agree to this and with the level of cameos surprises hidden in this roughly 2 hour film, I don't want to give away too much. Seeing the film just 5 days after the premiere, I am happy to say that there still were a few cameos and Easter eggs left that hadn't been ruined by social media. Be on the look out for a great sight gag that lambastes Rob Liefeld's inability to draw feet! Also, I will say that I wouldn't be surprised if you see some characters from FOX's ownership of movie rights return to the big screen because if anything, this movie basically ushered those films of the last 30 years into the Disney fold.

The TVA, Time Variance Authority, from Disney+'s Loki series plays a huge role in the movie. It's another one of those situations where you don't have to watch the 2 seasons of Loki to understand what's going on; but it helps. And I can definitively say without giving too much away: if you don't like the multiverse, then you will hate this movie. 

I don't mind the multiverse. In fact, I really enjoy Marvel's What If series. Deadpool & Wolverine doesn't just pay respect to the FOX Cinematic Universe of Marvel Movies; it also pays great tribute to the comics. Don't worry- the Wolverine who died in 2017's Logan is still dead. Though his body isn't resting peacefully, I can tell you that. Still, if you are the fan who's having trouble sleeping at night because Robert Downey Jr. is going to be playing a version of Tony Stark as Doctor Doom, it's probably best for you to watch something else.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime #1 (Family Comic Friday)

If Don Rosa's The Old Castle's Other Secret is the quintessential ending to the story of Scrooge McDuck, then this tale is the epilogue!

Jason Aaron pens a story that asks what if on that fateful snowy Christmas on Bear Mountain, Donald and his nephews never showed up? Scrooge would still be motivated to discover all those hidden treasures. However, without the bonds of family to experience those adventures with, McDuck would still be wanting more. Thus, when he uncovers an enchanted mirror that can breach the barrier between worlds, that world's Worlds Richest Duck will seek to become the richest duck of all the worlds!

I'm actually surprised that there hasn't been such a story before this. Multiverse type stories are extremely popular right now and it seems like every franchise from Rick and Morty to Scooby-Doo has done such a story in one medium or another. 

A bevy of artists contributed beautiful work on this book which might seem a little expensive with a $7.99 price. However it's got a ton of extras including the story that inspired this comic, Christmas on Bear Mountain, which introduced readers to Uncle Scrooge way back in 1947. That debut story is remastered to crystal clear perfection and worth the extra cost.

Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime is the first Disney Ducks comic book ever from Marvel. The House of Ideas had tested a Disney comic in the early 90s, featuring popular franchises like the Little Mermaid, but they were victims of the comic book bubble. I've had this book on my wish list ever since I learned about its existence back in March. I would have gotten it the day it dropped in stores if I wasn't so gosh darn tired from driving all the day prior back from vacation. So I got it the next day after a big rest. But I didn't have to worry about it selling out because I made sure to order a copy from my favorite comic book store early!

Speaking of orders, thanks to the special material at the end of this book, I've got not one but 2 more Disney one-shots by Marvel to look forward to in the next couple of months. Donald Duck is being given the What If... treatment in 2 new specials that ask what would happen if Scrooge's nephew was subject to the Weapon X program and then found the hammer of Thor. With an Aliens What If... miniseries just wrapping up and these Disney issues forthcoming, I'm hoping that Star Wars is next to go under the watchful eye of the Watcher.

I'm not sure if Jason Aaron is ready to be listed with the likes of Rosa, Carl Barks and William Van Horn. But he's got my blessing to write more stories starring Scrooge and his nephews. Aaron crafted a perfect all-ages adventure that includes appearances by inventor Gyro Gearloose and those dastardly Beagle Boys. (Be sure to look out for a cameo made by the adult version of Simba from The Lion King!) I only wish that with the Christmas time book-ending of this story, and the inclusion of Scrooge's holiday set debut, that this book had come out in December. You're welcome to wait and read this book closer to Christmas. But where's the fun in that?

Oh... Can someone please tell me what happened to Donald and his nephews that kept them from visiting McDuck that Christmas on that alternate Earth? That's a mystery I'd like solved! Maybe Jason Aaron can explain that in a follow up to this funtastic multiverse romp!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime debuted in print and digital formats on June 19th, 2024.

Justice League of America's Vibe, Vol. 1: Breach

Next to the character of Wells and his various incarnations, my favorite character on The CW's The Flash is Cisco Ramon. Played by actor Carlos Valdes, the character is witty, smart and super chill. With his love of pop culture and Star Wars, I think we'd make great friends if we were to meet IRL. But when it comes to the comic book version, I know very little about the superhero known as Vibe. That interest in knowing a little bit more about the hero is why I chose to pick up this book a while back at my local Ollie's store.

The New 52! incarnation of Vibe/Cisco Ramon is similar to what little I know about the character. He's Latino. From Detroit. Has some sort of ability to alter the vibrational frequencies of not just our Earth; but the entire gambit of the multiverse. And he was a part of the Justice League of America- the original version.

Here we get Vibe's origin of how Ramon obtained his powers as a young boy when he's unfortunately sliced in half by a boom tube during an early invasion from Darkseid's parademon forces. Cisco survived the incident. However, his older brother died in the rescue attempt. Due to his ultra-close encounter with boom tube technology, Cisco Ramon's latent meta-human genes were unlocked and the ability to command the multiverse was now his.

As Cisco's powers strengthen, this puts him in the crosshairs of ARGUS. The feelings of the clandestine agency is that if Cisco can't be used as a super-powered weapon against potential foes that slip into our dimension then Cisco too is a potential threat to global safety. 

Now training to be an agent of ARGUS, Cisco is given the codename VIBE. Vibe's powers help him to sense when someone has breached the barriers between our universe and their own. Things seem to be going great as the newest wunderkind at ARGUS until Cisco is tasked with apprehending a mysterious woman named Gyspy who seems to have familiar air to her.

I felt like this book had two tones to it. Vibe was originally a 10 issue series. The first 4 or 5 issues in which Vibe is learning the ropes of being an agent of ARGUS feels like the Denzel Washington film Training Day or something similar. Cisco learns that being a hero doesn't always mean being a good guy. Then when Vibe meets Gypsy things shift over to The Fugitive (pick your version). Add some DC Comics touches like Apokolips and some forgotten characters from the 60s and 70s getting a modern retouch and you've got the basis for one of the more enjoyable titles to come from the New 52! experiment.

I did have one problem with this book and it's more of a design flaw or issue with the marketing/editing department. This book is touted as Volume 1. As I said early, the Vibe series lasted 10 issues, from 2013-2014. All 10 issues are reprinted here. So, why call this a Volume 1? The back cover even confirms that this book contains the 'full 10-issue series' and there's a 1 on the spine of the book!

This isn't the first time DC has done this. They did it a lot with the Showcase Presents B&W reprint collections and some other works. It irks my OCD to no end and it kinda ruins how my bookcase display looks. I know this is a small thing. But it makes my brain itch to no end.

A good story poorly marketed. Definitely a reason NOT to judge a book by it's cover!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Let's face it; the main reason any of us wanted to see this movie was for the introduction of Professor X, Reed Richards and Blackbolt into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We do get about 20 minutes of them along with a Maria Rambeau Captain Marvel and the Peggy Carter Captain America. It's about 15 minutes more than I expected based on other big multiverse team-ups. (I'm looking at you Arrowverse!) But that big 'reveal' just wasn't enough to make this Doctor Strange sequel all that watchable.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does introduce viewers to modern superhero America Chavez. Her ability to transverse alternate worlds is the catalyst of the majority of this film's plot. Someone with unspeakable power wants America so that they can travel freely throughout the multiverse. But in able to harness that power, America Chavez must die. That's something Stephen Strange and Sorcerer Supreme Wong will risk their lives to prevent. And with Wanda Maximoff on their side, they just might very well stop this force of evil. That is unless there's a traitor in their midst.

With a title like 'Multiverse of Madness', I was expecting quite a few multiverses. I was hoping to maybe visit the Marvel 2099 reality and maybe see some Agents of SHIELD. Yet, with exception of one scene that is rapid fire, there's very few multiverses being traveled too.

The first Doctor Strange film really ignited my passion to read through the earliest comics to star the Sorcerer Supreme. That means I've read a lot of Doctor Strange over the past 6 years. This movie just didn't feel like a Doctor Strange movie to me. But it is very much a Marvel movie and it's got the director's fingerprints all over it!

Sam Raimi was behind the camera for this movie. Raimi is no stranger to Marvel films, having directed the first three Spider-Man features. But those are Sony pictures and this is Disney. Yet, there's a lot of blood, gore and demons spilling over into almost every scene of this motion picture. Such stuff is what Raimi cut his teeth on with his Evil Dead series of horror comedies. That army of damned souls look like they were borrowed from Army of Darkness and there's another Raimi staple in the mix with a cameo by the Man himself, Bruce Campbell. Though can anybody tell me where brother Ted Raimi (Xena: Warrior Princess) is hiding in the multiverse? Cause I didn't see him!

I don't think having Sam Raimi as the director is what put me off major parts of this movie. Though seeing a bunch of characters with their heads explode was a little off-putting. I don't think Uncle Walt would approve of that. Not having seen WandaVision isn't an excuse that I buy either cause I followed things quite well. I just felt that this movie really dragged along at a snail's pace and this whole thing could've been resolved in about 30 minutes. Not the 2 plus hours of run time!

Another issue I had was with the character America Chavez. I thought the actress playing America was really good. I had no issues with the character's LGBTQ background. My whole thing was her appearance. I've only encountered the character in a handful of books. But she's always seemed to be a more body positive character like Valiant's Faith. Yet, actress Xochitl Gomez (The Baby-Sitters Club) is rail thin. Shame on Disney for passing up a chance to portray a superhero who also battles the scale.

If you are looking for an adequate Doctor Strange sequel, check out Spider-Man: No Way Home. It reveals more about what happened after the first film that this picture does. Too long. Not enough multiverse. Missed opportunities in a film that doesn't feel like a Doctor Strange movie. It's very Marvel but just too dog gone long.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #50

This is it! The final issue of Scooby-Doo Team-Up!

Naturally, Sholly Fisch and Dario Brizuela have selected Batman and Robin to pair with Mystery Inc. for this series' swan song. 

The story starts off with the teen detectives arriving in Gotham to answer a call for help. Only Batman and Robin didn't ask for help. But that doesn't mean that weird things hasn't been occurring around the Dynamic Duo.

All day, Batman and Robin have been approached by various incarnations of the Dark Knight. There's the Pirate Batman. The 1920s Mobster Batman. The Vampire Batman! It seems like the multiverse has gone Batman crazy all of a sudden. But when variants of a certain Great Dane start showing up, all of a sudden it's a CRISIS ON INFINITE SCOOBYS!

The cover spoils just who is behind the identity crisis. It's Bat-Mite and his 5th Dimension counter-part Scooby-Mite (last seen in SDTU #3). I think it's fitting to use the impish imp for this finale in many ways. For one, Bat-Mite is able to bring in characters from throughout the multiverse without destroying it. For another, Bat-Mite was the character who ushered in the end of Cartoon Network's amazing Dark Knight team-up series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold. 

This was a double anniversary issue. It celebrated Batman's 80th birthday as well as Scooby's 50th. The two franchises have come a long way since their first meeting on the small screen back in 1972. I loved seeing all of the incarnations of the Mystery gang including the live-action movie cast and my personal favs- A Pup Named Scooby-Doo! 

This issue should also be considered an Elseworlds tie-in!

If you are a fan of just one of these franchises, you will love this book. If you are a mega-fan of both like me, this issue was a dream come true. I hate that this series ended. But I am glad that DC brought the magic back with the 12-issue maxi-series Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries; which is still in it's current run.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9.999 out of 10 stars, because I'm still upset this series ended!

The New Adventures of Superboy #39

The Kents have a visitor for the holidays. A fellow classmate of Clark's is having to stay with Jonathan and Martha as the lad's parents are traveling without him. This puts the student in a foul mood. In response, Clark decides to become Superboy and show him an alternate earth that doesn't celebrate Christmas. 

The planet Superboy travels to is a polluted, war torn mess. Townsfolk prey upon the meek- such as this earth's Clark Kent! Can Superboy and his classmate restore the Christmas spirit to this world's Smallville. Or is peace on earth completely doomed?

I enjoyed a large chunk of this story. I wonder if a return story was ever done to this multiverse realm. I liked the twist ending. But as much as I am a fan of Paul Kupperberg, I have one issue with this story. Why is Clark Kent on this troubled earth such a weenie? Why isn't he super-powered? Is the sun for this planet the wrong color and thus Clark can't become Superboy? This oversight is really overlooked. Thus another reason why I feel that there's was more to this world than what was published in this tiny issue.

I wasn't such a fan of the secondary story. It was another chapter in the Dial H for Hero saga. I always liked the creativity of this story. But so much plot was wasted on a bus accident that if it was scraped, we wouldn't have had to deal with a stinking cliffhanger. 

An unusual type of festive story. But once again, there's a story included that doesn't give me closure. At least it wasn't the cover story that enticed me to buy this one.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

RASL- Book One: The Drift

A inter-dimensional art heist. A lizard-faced assassin. Sex. Lies. And Nikola Tesla!

RASL is a book that I've been aware of for a while. Let for some dumb reason, I just wasn't willing to pull the trigger for one reason or another. But then something just clicked and I couldn't overlook it any further.

Man, what a doof was I! The opening chapter to Jeff Smith's physic/crime caper was fantastic! The story was quite good. But it ended too soon! Good thing I was able to head to the library today and pick up the next two volumes. 

In terms of the artwork of RASL, it's typical Jeff Smith for me. I love the inking and how clean everything is. But for some reason, he just can't do some faces right. The reptilian baddie is creepy good. But our hero looks like a bobble-head! 

There was an old lady in Smith's most popular series, the all-ages friendly Bone. Rose Harvestar! RASL or Robert, depending on who is referring to him, looks like a male version of Rose Harvestar. When he first appears all beaten up and bloody; let me just say that it's not a pretty sight. 

An excellent opening salvo of a story. Great art overall with some really terrible faces. But I can overlook it because Jeff Smith has created a universe- no multiverse!- that I want to return to again and again!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Dark Nights: Metal

The DC event of the past 18 months. While most DC fans were clamoring for 'The Button' and the eventual meeting of Justice Leaguers and Watchmen in Doomsday Clock, those in the know hitched their wagon to Metal! 

Man did I pick the wrong storyline. 'The Button' was good but didn't really move the Rebirth Universe forward any. And Doomsday Clock has been a giant dud! If you want to learn of the origins of No Justice and the new age of DC superheroes, this is the title you will want to read!

This volume of the Scott Snyder penned tale contains issues 1-6 of Metal. The various one-shots aren't here unfortunately. But I am sure they will be collected together or have already and I just haven't run across it yet. 

This story pretty much returns the DC Universe to normal and I love it! It explains why there were only 52 universes for so long. Plus it introduces the dark multiverse. 

Most times when DC has a big metaphysical crisis such as Final Crisis or Infinite Crisis, I get really confused on the analytics. I understand what's happening, but I usually have to have a dictionary with me to understand all the $5 words! I didn't have here and that doesn't mean that Scott Snyder did a poor job either!

Metal was really an enjoyable read! The artwork by Greg Capullo was good and he had some very amazing and visually stunning moments. But the price of admission is all due to Snyder. How he ends this story is how I wish the Justice League movie would have ended. Plus, that unimaginable team-up! Holy Cow! You must see to believe. 

Dark Nights: Metal does perplex me in one way- how to rate it. It's one of the best multiverse crisis stories in DC history. But it still doesn't dethrone Crisis on Multiple Earths as the all-time best. I'm going to have to go down the middle on this one folks. It's rare, but I give this one a 9.5.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/ Ghostbusters 2 #2

The Turtles have run afoul of the ghost of a crime lord that Master Splinter ordered assassinated. As the sins of the father come back to hunt the ninjas, they are hunted by a group of bounty hunting ghosts known as the Collectors. With the help of the Ghostbusters, who have dealt with the Collectors before, each Ninja Turtle pairs with a buddy. 

Armed with trans-dimensional tech, each team will jump from dimension to dimension in order to stay ahead of the Collectors. Ray and Raphael leap to a frozen world filled with menacing pink spirits that might be vikings... Leonardo and Winston are stuck on a battle world filled with robot assassins... Mickey and Peter are on an anthropomorphic variant of the Big Apple where they just happen to run into that world's version of Ghostbusters! 

Meanwhile, Donatello and Egon are back on the home world of the Ghostbusters trying to devise a trap for the Collectors. But time is running out and the pair have zero time to waste. But that might be a problem as a short in the trap's system may have merged Don's brain with that of one of the Ghostbusters!

A great second act. It's still filled with a lot of eye-glossing techobabble. But the artwork did exactly what I wanted to happen in the first issue. While Dan Schoening is on main art detail, a number of additional artists are drawing each team of Turtle and Ghostbuster on their separate worlds in a different style of art. (Why, there might even be a Saturday morning Easter egg or two floating about. But I'll never tell!)

Some key details about why the crime lord Darius Dun hates the Turtles as well as why Splinter had him killed are finally revealed. So, if you are like me and not up to date on your IDW Turtles history, that's a-okay! Writers Erik Burnham and Tom Waltz have got you covered!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Rick and Morty, Volume One

 

   When it comes to the subject matter of the graphic novel that I'm about to review, Rick and Morty, let me be very clear: I've never seen the show! In fact, if it wasn't for my receiving a copy of this book in a Comic Bento Box, I probably wouldn't have bought this volume.

      If we're confessing secrets here, I had been sitting on this book for a while and if it was for a recent episode of Comic Book Men which features the first issue, I probably would still be letting this book collect dust on my To-Read shelf. But the gang on the AMC show pique my interest, so I gave it a read.

    Rick and Morty is an animated series that airs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. It's been described as a naughty and wicked version of Back to the Future. After reading this collection of the first six issues based on the Dan Harmon (Community) series, I would have to agree.

    Rick Sanchez is an inventor with a mysterious past. For the past 20 years or so, he feel off the face of the earth, literally. During his 'lost weekend', Rick manipulated and profited from misuse of the time-stream and the multiverse. The inventor has become such a menace that not only is he on public enemy #1 of various agencies that govern time travelling and intergalactic empires, but he's also the target of the infinite number of Rick Sanchez's of the multiverse in whom's names and reputations he has ruined.

    Laying low, Rick Sanchez returns to the present day where he lives with his daughter. But domestic life has very little thrill for Rick. So when adventure calls he recruits his grandson Morty to help him reek more havoc on the multiverse. Up first- playing the futures market for fun, profit, and maybe some mass destruction of a universe or two.

     This volume was crazy. I enjoyed it, though I've never seen the show. Has this made me want to turn on Adult Swim and binge watch it till the cows come home? More than likely no- though if I was flipping channels and I came across and episode, I would definitely give it a shot. 

     I'm also not likely to collect this series. But if I found further volumes for a decent price, I would buy them, not wait so long, and read them. But like I'm going to do with this volume, I will probably sell them to a used book store to get trade credit for something else I want as a permanent addition to my collection. 

     BTW- folks, this might look like an innocent cartoon comic. But Rick and Morty is one of the darkest cartoons out there. This is not for kids. With excessive violence, unedited language, and some mildly heavily sexual themes, this is a teens or older book for sure.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

KFC Presents: The Colonel Corps

    The restaurant world is in peril! Colonel Harlan Sanders has forgotten his top secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices that make his famous fried chicken so famous. Without it, his Earth-3 counterpart, Colonel Sunders will be free to unleash his disgusting chicken recipe on the eaters of earth-1! With the help of speedster Jesse Quick acting as a conduit, the good colonel travels the vast multiverse amassing a league of colonels to restore the recipe to it's continuity and save eater's palette's worldwide!

    This is actually the sequel to a 2015 web comic called The Colonel of Two Worlds. How did I miss that one? Starring the Flash and Green Lantern, it was a KFC sponsored comic story that paid tribute to Flash #123 and introduced the comic book world to the multiverse. AND, it seems like the kind of outlandish stuff I love to read and collect!

  As a chef, I also love to collect those recipe books sponsored by famous brands and restaurants. They're pretty strange with things like SPAM baked spaghetti or Dole pineapple ring burgers. But I love their kitschy style and how bizarre they can be. This web comic is the DC comics version of those odd recipe collections. Just don't expect the Colonel to reveal to you his secret recipe.

    I'm not one for web comics, but this is the only way to read this dynamic story. Yeah, it's silly and pretty odd, but I loved it! There was a chicken version of Colonel Sanders for gosh sake! What the heck does his restaurant serve?!

    Take advantage of this strange read. The Colonel of Two Worlds is no longer available online and the only way to get a hold of the Colonel Corps is through the eComic site, Comixology. It's totally free and will on be accessible for a limited time. So check it out now while you can!
    
    Worth Consuming.

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
 

The Flash #10 (The Road to Flashpoint, Part II)

   The Flash comes face-to-face with the multiverse literally as he pursues the mysterious motorcycle driver known as Hot Pursuit. Meanwhile, a blast from Barry Allen's past returns to help determine the how and why the Elongated Kid was murdered. But it's going to be difficult

for the World's Fastest Man to balance his life as both a criminologist and as a mask as cracks in the relationship between the Flash and Bart Allen come to the surface.

    A very faced paced issue with some neat twists and turns. Another character that I thought was only created for the TV show pops up in this issue proving me wrong yet again. But it's not a bad thing; it only helps me fall in love with the CW series all that much more. And the all-new character of Hot Pursuit is awesome. I hope he'll pop up in Central City sometime next season.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Black Science Premier Hardcover Edition, Volume 1: The Beginner's Guide to Entropy

  My wife won this book for me on Goodreads and I was so excited to get it. She won this back in November but due to production problems, it was delayed until late January. Man- was it worth the wait...  I love Black Science. I had only read volume 1 but I was hooked by the end of the first issue. I actually was about to grab volume 2 when my bride informed of winning this omnibus edition. (And with the official drop date of Feb 9th, I actually got this book before anyone else- HOW COOL!)

   When I last left this band of inter-dimensional travelers, they were dropping like flies. The main character had been left for dead, his children were left to fend for themselves and the group picked up a shaman healer, which I must say, if you're going to add a stranger to your group, this is the guy to add. The second and third storylines don't really deviate from this formula.

    With its fair share of twists, turns, and shocking deaths, this team seems destined to run out of team members. But, this book is about explorers lost in the multiverse- so there are infinite versions of characters running around and who you think might be of the original earth group ends up being a wolf in sheep's clothing. 

   Writer/creator Rick Remender kept me on my toes. The idea of Black Science is to breach the limits of physics and the universe using unorthodox methods. Thus, the rules of traditional science do not apply here. Featuring gritty art and dynamic covers by Mateo Scalera, I was transported to worlds unimaginable and I loved every minute of it. 

   Now to get my hands on the fourth storyline- unless my wife can hit the lottery twice and win the next omnibus edition of this fantastic Image series.

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

   

Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination (Family Comics Friday)

Cover to the last chapter of A Crisis of Imagination #18.

 Maxwell and Lily are siblings from an alternate earth. Maxwell has a magic pen and pad that can conjuror anything he can imagine. Lily has a globe that when powered up can transport you to anywhere in the known universe. Together this brother and sister superhero team are the Scribblenauts.

   Created in 2009, Scribblenauts is a puzzle adventure video game that has developed a sort of cult following. After several years success, the franchise branched out into the DC Universe with Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure in 2013. Featuring over 2,000 characters from the DC Universe, the game spawned a number of action figures, t-shirts, and in 2014, a webseries and eventual print comic book series.

   In this series, Maxwell and Lily return to the DCU after the events of the video game to discover that their beloved friends in the Justice League are being menaced by their former allies. When Maxwell discovers that these supposed friends are being possessed by Shadow Demons, the Phantom Stranger arrives to warn that a crisis looms threatening the very fabric of the multiverse. The key player behind this threat- the Anti-Monitor.

     The book begins like a sugary kids book. I'm not knocking it. But the first two issues weren't really my cup of tea. But once the books started to delve into the rich history of the multiverse and include characters from Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, Earth 2, and Batman Beyond, I really took a shine to this book. It was like reading an amped up all-ages version of Crisis of Infinite Earths.

   Like any good kids multimedia project does, Scribblenauts includes a story that children will enjoy along with little nuggets that bring back a wave of nostalgia to adults. The art, while cartoony, still evoked over 75 years of DC History. By the end of this book, I wasn't wanting it to end.

   There is a bonus story that while too entertaining, it negates some of the stories in this plot. It was never published prior to this collection. I am thinking that is that case as it wipes out one baddies transformation into one of the good guys in the main series.  Honestly, I am not even sure why they included it. 

    One thing that some properties, like Disney, do is push the envelope, often with a bit of innuendo. That doesn't happen here. Nor is there any bad language. Lots of cool lines from classic films like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future abound in this series and they gave me a chuckle. There are some mild violence and a little bit of sorcery but otherwise, like the Scribblenauts video games, this miniseries is considered quite family friendly.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman/Superman, Volume 1: Cross World (New 52!)

The first volume of the New 52's 'first' teaming of the World's Finest is a trippy adventure that spans both the DC timeline and the multiverse.

  When the living embodiment of chaos decides to have a little fun by bringing the younger and less experienced Earth-1 Man of Steel and Caped Crusader to Earth-2 where a more matured Man of Tomorrow and Dark Knight have turned their world into a virtual paradise, all hell breaks loose. Separated by age and ego, the two groups of heroes eventually make nice once they discover that they are from different universes. But when the two teams also discover that combined militaries of Earth-2 have created a Superman killing device using Wayne Techology the heroes must decide- Save Superman or Save the world from the oncoming storm known as Darkseid.

    This story took a little while to build up steam. That's mostly because the New God sprite Kaiyo has all four heroes switching places from world to world before having all four wind up in the Smallville of Earth-2. But once the players were finally set on the board, the story ramped up to a Nth degree of action, adventure, and pure wicked fun.

   The art is by the terrific Jae Lee. Lee has such a whimsical but haunted style. It works well for these four heroes who're haunted by their own pasts. With terrific finishes by Ben Oliver that give these pages an almost painted quality, both he and Lee take the reader to the farthest reaches of the DC Universe all under the masterful pen of Greg Pak.

   This collection also includes an 'Unleased' Forever Evil tie-in from Justice League #23.1. It features an origin story of Darkseid and the New Gods. I've read some of Kirby's original New Gods stuff that explained the early days of Apokolips and New Genesis but I've never read a definitive story as to how the old gods died to make way for the newer deities of Darkseid, Highfather, and the rest. Until now! Say what you might about the New 52 but this single issue story was fan-tastic and perhaps the single best New 52 story I've ever read.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

Thanos: The Infinity Revelation

 

    I've normally viewed Thanos as an unbeatable (and uninteresting) force. But despite his might and power, the Mad Titan is perhaps the most flawed character in the Marvel Universe. It actually makes him more intriguing too. I mean why would I care about his pursuit of the secrets of the universe if Thanos was omnipotent? It would be like having God searching for meaning in Himself and that just doesn't make sense.

    Thanos could beat the combined might of the Avengers with the snap of a finger and he's literally done that more than once. But when the rogue finds what he's looking for, on more than one occasion, he fails in his pursuit of knowledge and power as his quests often leave him unsatisfied. Like the kid who got everything his wanted and then saddened because there was nothing else to desire, Thanos frequently undoes everything he's accomplished and is his own worse enemy.

 This cosmic offering in Marvel's Original Graphic Novel series is penned by Thanos creator Jim Starlin. Starlin's more recent take on Thanos has the villain a little more wiser and a little more vunerable as his record of defeats have put him on the outs with his true love, Death. As the living embodiments of Infinity and Eternity are preparing for a new era of foretold change to the cosmos, Thanos is given a chance to finally redeem himself. Joining Thanos in his quest is the mysterious Adam Warlock who's recently returned from the dead once again. His return will assist Thanos in locating a beacon that points the way to Thanos' preordained rebirth.
 
 Their journey takes them to a planet that houses a long dead civilization. Upon their arrival, the duo are challenged by a squad of peacekeepers called the Annihilators. The battle is fortuitous as it leads Thanos to the dimensional gateway he's been hunting for. But the villain and his travelling companion aren't alone as they discover another Thanos and Adam Warlock from an alternate dimension and they happen to be on the same reality changing crusade. But which team will usher in the next age of the Marvel Universe?

   There's so much going on in this graphic novel that I feared giving away too much. The quest has a major impact on the forthcoming Secret Wars reboot to the Marvel Universe due later this year. If you are a fan of Marvel and you're eagerly awaiting the major crossover event, you must read this book. The art is amazing, but the most important aspect of the Infinity Revelation is the story itself. It very meta and somewhat hard to explain.

  I'll admit, my synopsis did not do justice to the plot or the excellence contained within this books covers. Starlin is a master and thanks to him, I'm even more interested in Thanos and Adam Warlock, two characters that I've had very little use for in the past, than ever before.

   Add 'The Infinity Gauntlet' and it's numerous sequels to my wishlist.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Forever Evil

  If Age of Ultron is the series that is most responsible for triggering the events that will lead to Marvel's Secret Wars reboot later this year, then Forever Evil is the DC Universe equivalent. When the Secret Society escapes earth-3 from a universe destroying entity, they arrive on earth-prime. Immediately they incapacitate the Justice League and might even have killed them. Now, the villainous mirror image of the Justice League seek to unite the villains of earth and rule our planet with an iron fist. But not if Lex Luthor and his team of non-conformist rogues and the Batman have anything to say about it.
   
   Forever Evil makes this the third reboot of the Secret Society that I've encountered and I must say this one is my favorite. Power Ring is a cowardly foe enslaved by the ring that gives him his power and his namesake. Johnny Quick and his miniature girlfriend Atomica are a superpowered version of the crazed killers played by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis in the film 'Natural Born Killers.' But the most intriguing villain is Ultraman, who unlike Superman, gets his power from Kryptonite by crushing it up and sniffing it like pure Columbian coke. Just don't put him in direct sunlight.

     I really enjoyed having Lex Luthor be the hero for once. Sure, he's still a slime ball but this take makes him the type of foil that you love to hate. Plus the uneasy truce between Luthor and Batman makes for some very interesting scenes.

   Speaking of interesting scenes, the very final panel is killer- literally and it leaves a mystery as to just who is that speaking off-panel. Forever Evil might have taken a few pages to build up steam, but it finished quite nicely with some dynamic art to boot. Artist David Finch does a fine job of portraying the vast underworld of the DCU.

     I had been waiting to read this series once I had all of the companion issues collected. But when I found this at the library, I just couldn't pass it up. Pumped by how good this Geoff Jones miniseries was, I'm on the hunt for those additional issues now more than ever. I just can't figure out what occurs in those books but hopefully, I won't have to wait for long.

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Retroactive- Wonder Woman 80's

 

    In this special, a lost tale of Wonder Woman’s has her pitted against a ‘clone’ of herself. Meanwhile, paramour Steve Trevor commandeers a jet in hopes of tracking the Amazonian down in order to determine once and for all if the Princess of Themyscira loves him or not! A great use of American tax dollars and resources, folks!

   As an added bonus, there’s a reprint from 1982 that explains some of the origin and backgrounds of the villains who are trying to defeat Wonder Woman.

   Unlike in the 1970s volume, both stories have either a conclusion or a caption explaining that the tale is to be continued. The 80s story is a little confusing as Trevor is from Earth-2 and Wonder Woman doesn’t know anything about multiple earths despite decades of teaming up or fighting visitors from Earth’s-2 and 3. There’s obviously some retconning prior to this reprint that I didn’t know about and it makes for a difficult read at those plot points. Otherwise, both stories have great art and a reasonable overall storyline.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.