Amazing Spider-Man #129 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In the 2000 film Coyote Ugly, the lead character's potential love interest secretly buys a comic book while on a date. Viewers are first led to believe that the character played by Adam Garcia, is purchasing something nefarious as the item in question is concealed in a plain brown paper bag. His paramour becomes suspicious of the whole transaction and refuses to be further seen with Garcia's character if he's secretly buying drugs. Reluctantly, the lad reveals the contents of bag: a prestige copy of Amazing Spider-Man #129. The first appearance of the Punisher and in his own words 'The Holy Grail of Comics.'

While it's debatable that Frank Castle's first appearance in comic books is the most sought after comic of them all, it cannot be disputed that that scene in the movie introduced a new phrase in comic book collecting. Social media is filled these days with collectors sharing their grail finds in the wild. Books such as New Mutants #98, Fantastic Four #52 and The House of Secrets #92 have graced my social media feed as grail finds that fans finally found. From what I see on Facebook, The Incredible Hulk #181 is way more coveted than ASM #129. Heck, I posted a grail find post once when I found a mint copy of the first appearance of Lobo, Omega Men #3, for only a buck at a local thrift shop!

With a publication date of February 1974, the world was introduced to not only the Punisher , a paid assassin with a code of honor, but also to the creepy Green Goblin clone known as the Jackal. Gerry Conway, Ross Andru and John Romita Sr. were the creative team behind the scenes. Conway wrote the issue's script. Frank Goacoia and Dave Hunt assisted Andru on the interior art. Romita and Gil Kane crafted the iconic cover that would be recreated ad nauseam on the cover a plethora of other titles from numerous publishers.

The plot of 'The Punisher Strikes Twice' takes place shortly after the deaths of both Peter Parker's girlfriend, Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin. Spider-Man has been falsely accused once again, this time for Norman Osborne's murder. Seeking a chance to fill the criminal power vacuum in the wake of the Green Goblin's demise, the Jackal hires the Punisher to terminate Spider-Man.

Originally convinced that Spidey is a villain worthy of terminal punishment, the Punisher accepts the hit. The Punisher's mission becomes personal when he finds the wall crawler standing over the body of an associate of his. However, some quick thinking on the part Spider-Man, it's revealed that the assignment the Punisher is a trap on the part of the Jackal, framing the mercenary for the death of his colleague.

Eventually it's revealed that the Jackal is Professor Miles Warren. A mentor to Peter Parker at Empire Stste University, the educator had secretly fallen in love with Gwen Stacy. Blaming Spider-Man for her death, the Jackal unleashed holy hell on the Big Apple. He'll initiate a gang war between Hammerhead and Doctor Octopus, enhance his DNA with that of a real jackal, break the Tarantula out of the slammer and attempt to bomb reporter Ned Leeds into oblivion. Bur perhaps the fiend's most unforgivable crime will come as a result of learning Spider-Man's secret identity. Stealing some of Peter Parker's DNA, the Jackal will create a near identical duplicate; ushering in the God-awful Clone Saga!

As for the Punisher, he'll go on to become one of the most popular characters in Marvel Comics history. His origin will be revealed that his one-man mission on crime was the result of his wife and children being slaughtered by mobsters during a seemingly innocent sunny day in Central Park. PTSD from a tour in Vietnam didn't help matters much. Several series would chronicle the character's war against evil to the extent of death, resurrection and becoming a cosmic hellfire powered caretaker of a baby Thanos. Actors Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane and the late Ray Stevenson would portray the Punisher in several live action films. The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal currently carries the mantle in the Marvel cinematic universe.

A facsimile edition of Amazing Spider-Man #129 was released in April, 2025.

Completing this review completes Task #37 (A Facsimile Edition) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Twisted Toyfare Theatre, Vol. 6

I splurged on a second volume of Twisted Toyfare Theatre. This volume features an introduction from professional wrestler Rob Van Dam. I didn't realize that he was such a geek. Had I, I might have been a fan of his.

I'm noticing in this volume several names pop up. Matthew Senreich and Tom Root among others. Add Seth Green to the list and you might be saying ' Oh, yeah. These are the guys behind Robot Chicken!' That means that TTT is either the father of the Adult Swim series or it's the TV adaptation. That's really interesting considering that DC Comics actually threatened to sue Toyfare for using their characters in satirical ways for TTT but on Robot Chicken, with Cartoon Network being a Warner Bros. property, DC Comics works were skewered almost in every episode. Just goes to show that anyone is willing to have a good sense of humor if they get paid for it. 

As with all the other volumes I have read, there's just too many segments to pay adequate attention to. Daredevil takes actor Ben Affleck to court for the hero's portrayal in the Daredevil movie. Hulk and Spider-Man attend a showing of Episode II: Attack of the Clones while fans also get a chance to see what Star Trek III: The Search for Spock would have been like if it took place in the Star Wars Universe. We see deleted scenes from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and then take a tour of Cobra headquarters after dark, when everybody should be long asleep.

'The Official Handbook to the Twisted Toyfare Theatre Universe' was as usual, a delight. But those 'Slideshow' one-pagers that take screenshots of classic cartoons and rework them into skits was something that the editors should have buried long ago. I feel shame that I ever was a fan of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors...

The main segments were great. A really neat glimpse at the genius behind Robot Chicken. But those creative forces should stick to using toys for the jokes. Riffing on classics just wasn't in their wheelhouse.

Sadly, this will probably be the last volume I'll be able to get my hands on. Volumes 8-11 are out of print. Apparently, the print run was really small as sellers are asking prices that I'd expect to pay for an Action Comics #252. Maybe I'll get lucky some day. But it will probably be a while before that happens.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Twisted Toyfare Theatre, Vol. 5

Twisted Toyfare Theatre, or TTT, is the furthest thing from culturally appropriate. It's irreverent. It's juvenile. It's in very poor taste. Politically correct it is not. And yet, I've found myself needing it's patented blend of locker room humor.

In the 3 weeks since the school shooting in Georgia, the school I work at has received weekly threats of violence on social media. While our admin team and the local authorities have done an amazing job investigating the incidents and upped their security presence, the looming presence of threat after threat, week after week, has scared many of my students to their core. Despite having an anxiety disorder, I'm not scared about a school shooter as I've got a fairly good training on how to keep my classroom secure. I'm angry that this is a culture my kids have to live in. I'm weary. And frankly I'm tired and I just want to be able to feel comfortable in my classroom again.

That's where TTT comes in. I had some Amazon gift cards burning a hole in my pocket. A recent review lead to me including a link to this series which was a popular feature in the Wizard Magazine sister series, Toyfare. I was reminded that I didn't own all 11 or so volumes of The Best of Twisted Toyfare Theatre. Needing some joy, even at the expense of bad taste, after I finished that review I went to Amazon and promptly ordered 2 affordable volumes I didn't have.

Each volume starts with a foreword by a famous figure in the world of pop culture. This book sees Harley Quinn creator Paul Dini christening the hijinks. I didn't know that Dini was a writer on LOST. Even more shocking, I didn't know that 20 years ago, people such as Dini felt that the glut of films based on Marvel heroes such as Sony's Spider-Man and Fox's X-Men series, was the golden age of Marvel Movies! Those guys didn't think it could get any better. Oh, how wrong they would be with the coming of a little Marvel film starring Robert Downey Jr called Iron Man!

There's about 25 strips in this book. It begins with Doctor Doom facing off against MODOK and the Red Skull on Jeopardy!. Then, Spider-Man trains newly reformed villain, the Lizard, into becoming a superhero. The villains of Megoville have their weekly game night. Motorcycle patrol officers Ponch and John from CHiPS go on patrol. And then the ever lovin' Thing tells Franklin Richards a bed time story that only he can tell: the origin of Wolverine.

There's a trio of closing segments. 'The Official Handbook to the Twisted Toyfare Theatre' is always a delight. There's also a quiz about the pop culture references found in several past strips. Those behind the scenes pieces always interest me the most. Finally, there were a couple of new one-shot segments called 'Slideshow'. They take screenshots from classic cartoons and rewrite the dialogue into what's supposed to be something funny. However, both episodes were major groaners.

In terms of a guilty pleasure, place me in solitary! There's many jokes that were over the line when they first saw print 20 years ago. For 2024, these jokes are so far over that line, the line is a dot from the modern point of view! Yet, if I didn't have this new read, I probably would be a total mess. Inappropriate humor is how I blow off steam when situations are perhaps the darkest of times.

TTT might not be appropriate for the times. But it's Worth Consuming for me!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

S.H.I.E.L.D., Vol. 1: Perfect Bullets

I really enjoyed ABC's Agents of SHIELD. Sure, a lot of it has to do with me being a big fan of Nick Fury and the spy elements of the Marvel Universe. Regardless, Agents of SHIELD was a show that got better with age. Ironically, as the series progressed, it strayed further from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's because it was established that despite Agent Phil Coulson dying at the hands of Loki, everything that happened afterwards followed a slightly different timeline on another universe. So despite what you think about Spider-Man: No Way Home introducing the multiverse to Marvel movie fans, it was Marvel's Agents of SHIELD that did it first.

And before I get into my review of this book, can I just comment on the actor who brought Phil Coulson to life on many occasions? Clark Gregg is just wonderful as the walking Encyclopedia Britannica of superheroes and their adversaries. I may not agree with all of the actor's politics. But I thought he brought such an energy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the show. I hope he's not truly retired from the role. I'd love to see him interact with Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Cumberbatch 's Sorcerer Supreme.

This series, penned by Mark Waid, was Marvel's attempt to bring the Agents of SHIELD into the Marvel 616 Universe. Waid's been known to make some controversial changes to established DC and Marvel canon. But he did a fantastic job here. 

One of the smartest moves was to essentially have each issue be a team-up with at least one superhero. Coulson, May, Fitz and Simmons conduct missions with the likes of Spidey, Ms. Marvel, The Invisible Woman and many others. The first assignment has Phil Coulson spread extremely thin when creatures from all of the nine realms begin an all out invasion of Midgard. There's literally dozens of comics brightest stars in that story, including Tony Stark who's in his Superior Iron Man stage of life. 

6 different artists pencil an issue in this book. My favorite was Alan Davis' work in the Spider-Man story that takes place in Doctor Stranger's Sanctum Sanctorum. He evoked a mix of Steve Ditko and Steve Englehart's tenures on the good doctor's title. 

The book concludes with an odd little segment of comic strips about Agent Fitz and his new artificial intelligence program H.E.N.R.Y., which takes the holographic form of a green Capuchin monkey. I felt like there were clues or maybe some Easter eggs that were hinting to what will occur in Volume 2. However, if that's the case, I was a really bad detective.

I really enjoyed this volume. Too bad, I don't have the next volume immediately on hand. But I've got trade credit and a hole burning in my pocket. So maybe I'll continue these adventures real soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Spider-Man: Quantum Quest! ( Family Comic Friday)

My local library surprised me with this brand new Spider-Man all ages graphic novel. Debuting in January of this year, I totally missed the previews on this book. While it's touted on the cover as a Spidey team-up with the Fantastic Four, the wall crawler actually works in conjunction with over a dozen heroes from the Marvel Universe!

The story begins with the Fantastic Four, joined with the ruler of Atlantis, Prince Namor, asking for assistance from Spider-Man. The underwater kingdom of Atlantis has disappeared. Mr. Fantastic thinks someone has shrunk the realm. Prince Namor believes that his kingdom has been stolen. Since Spidey is really good at finding stuff, the FF ask him to find a missing talisman that could help in returning Atlantis back to it's rightful place.

In Spider-Man's search, he ends up in the microscopic Quantum Realm, where it turns out that several of his friends have become trapped. Now Spider-Man must find a way home for heroes such as Ant-Man, Moon Girl and the Sensational She-Hulk along with that magic charm and probably Atlantis as well. It will be a topsy-turvy quest for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man readers of all ages will not want to miss!

Written and illustrated by Mike Maihack, this graphic novel was almost perfect. The art was clearly aimed at kids, but it had a nostalgic charm mixed with style elements of many of the characters looks in the MCU. The writing was clever and fun. Maihack threw out all the stops to make this an interactive book, including a 'Where's Waldo' style list of hidden things to search for throughout the story. (That Hulk plushie was nearly impossible to find!) There's even an extra scene after the entire book is done- just like you'd expect from a Marvel movie! Then there's the ending...

It's a freaking cliffhanger! I hate cliffhangers. Especially if I don't have the next chapter/segment. Comic book experts bemoan that the next generation of readers are not buying comic books to the degree that the previous couple of generations did. Critics warn that a new wave of comic book collectors is in danger of never materializing. If you ask me, putting a cliffhanger in books aimed at young readers is a massive misstep in trying to lure new young readers.

The next book, which is actually volume 3 in the 'A Mighty Marvel Team-Up' series is set in outer space. It promises to include many of your parents and grandparents favorite cosmic heroes. Plus, there's Jeff the Shark! You can't get too upset over a cliffhanger when that diminutive land shark is involved.

Recommended for readers ages 6-9. I think younger readers will love this book, especially if read with assistance by an older sibling or relative!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool: The Ones With Deadpool

A swift collection of Deadpool tales pairing the Merch with a Mouth with an interesting mix of Marvel Universe characters. This volume contains 2 annuals, a Bi-annual (since a Deadpool annual had already dropped that year) and a Death of Wolverine one-shot special. Two of the team ups are with characters that you'd expect to see in an oddball caper with Deadpool. One is a pairing that explains a lot. And then there's that meeting with a team from the 1990s that's so obscure, you'll swear Marvel's only reviving them to keep the copyright from expiring!

Thrilling Adventure Hour's Ben Acker and Ben Blacker answer the long pondered question about just how did Madcap ended up inside Wade Wilson's head? 

Deadpool then teams up with Spider-Man. Only this isn't one of their normal meetings. The master of disguise, Chameleon has been running Spidey ragged to the point of exhaustion. Unable to let his guard down for a minute, least Chameleon learns that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, Deadpool dons the red and blue tights in hopes of bringing the villain out into the open. 

In perhaps the most unexpected team up of all time, Deadpool joins forces with the all animal superhero team, Brute Force! But not before first being hired by the evil aquatic theme park that the forgotten super-team of the 90s is trying to shut down! Featuring a guest appearance by Phil Coulson that kinda makes ABC'S Marvel Agents of SHIELD canon with the comics!

Lastly, Deadpool and an aged Steve Rogers are tasked with execution of Wolverine's estate. This means scrubbing any DNA trace from the Avengers Mansion. It also means a trip to Russia, when it's discovered that an AIM cell operating in Moscow has possession of some of the fallen X-Man's blood!

All four stories were hysterical romps that provided me with some much needed laughs. I appreciated the foreword at the beginning of the Madcap story. For years, I thought I had missed just how Madcap ended up inside Deadpool's head. Well it turns out that origin story had never been told until Acker and Blacker got their hands on the Merc with a Mouth. 

The appearance of Brute Force was such a pleasant surprise. I'm very interested in reading their 4-issue debut miniseries from 1990. I also have a favorite member of the team. It's the high-flying Soar, who won my heart after being constantly put down by Wade. I felt so bad for Soar. He can be my wing man anytime!

A neat twist on the Spider-Man/Deadpool dynamic. Clever way to turn the tides on Chameleon too. But I thought that the Wolverine story was unnecessary. It felt like a money grab to cash in on the popularity of Deadpool with a Death of Wolverine one-shot, instead of really moving the needle any bit.  Some funny moments. Just uninspired.

Worth Consuming! 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Even More Fund Comics

If you ever wanted a primer to Indy comics, creators and artists for the early 2000s, this is it! Dozens upon dozens of comic book talent came together to make this 2004 anthology benefiting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Batton Lash's lawyers of Supernatural Law, The Cryptozoo Crew from Jerry Carr and Allan Gross, Mark McKenna's Banana Tail are just a few of the properties I've read and reviewed before. It was a lot of fun to get an all-new revisit to these characters that might not have gotten their due respect. 

There's also a slew of well known artists who contributed to the sketch book section of this book. Steve Rude, George Perez and Al Milgrom, along with Jim Lee, who drew to the Spider-Man/Green Goblin cover all make small donations of their time and God given gifts in this book. I'm thinking heavy hitters Marvel and DC weren't willing to let their superstars provide more than a single work of art least it interferes with their bottom line. But at least they were allowed to support the CBLDF!

There's at least one other volume out there similar to this. More Fund Comics, also by Sky Dog, benefits my favorite comic book charity. I'd assume with the title that there'd be a 'Fund Comics' out there too. Only, I can't find evidence of it. I'd like to read MFC. But if it's like this book, I'd probably sell it for something I really want. Thus, the first primer is something I will keep an eye out for but I'm not going to add it to my wish list.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

The Unofficial Marvel Hostess Ads Collection

From 1975-82, the heroes of the Marvel Universe had a secret weapon: baked goods from Hostess! To battle the bad guys, the stars of the House of Ideas used Twinkies, chocolate iced cupcakes and the ever arresting Hostess Fruit Pie in ways more effective than your run of the mill Spidey-sense or enchanted Asgardian hammer. 

It's a theory that I would love to test out now. You have a villain plotting destruction or theft. You first try your super powers to overcome the antagonist. But it doesn't work. So using your wits and a large amount of sugar, fat, flour and real fruit filling, you fling a couple dozen goodies from Hostess (then owned by International Bakeries) at the enemy and the day is saved!

Trident Studios has done it again! This time, the Esty seller and publisher, has collected over 80 one-page ads starring your favorite Marvel superheroes as well as some of the most iconic baked goods to ever be sold at your local convenience store!

The malefactors that peppered these advertisements were generally generic rogues. A zany costumed cad with a gimmick was the typical character who couldn't resist golden sponge cake or tender, flaky crust. Characters such as Captain Marvel, Iron Man and Daredevil would occasionally take on space aliens, inter-dimensional monsters or even the militia of a banana republic in these ads. However, on more than one occasion, the heroes took on legit enemies, such as the god of mischief Loki and the Red Skull, complete with Cosmic Cube! The combined might of Abomination and the Wendigo actually beat the Incredible Hulk to a pulp in one ad which sees ol' Mean Green having to be revived by some kids carrying Hostess pastries with them.

There was even some a-list help for the good guys in these ads. The Lady Sif and the Voluminous Volstagg give the Mighty Thor a hand in a couple of ads. Nick Fury appears in no less than 3 ads with Captain America and the Agent of SHIELD actually saves the Sentinel of Liberty with some fruit pie know-how of his own! Peter Parker's girlfriend Mary Jane Watson appears in several of the Spider-man ads. She often makes comments about how Petey always disappears when criminals arrive on the scene. Yet, Mary Jane never makes the connection that Spider-man comes about during those moments of 'cowardice.' 

3 of the Fantastic Four go it alone in a series of ads. Mister Fantastic, The Thing and the Human Torch all have solo adventures. I'm thinking either Marvel or Hostess--- OR BOTH!, didn't think women would make good sales people for boys and their need of fried dough. Personally, I think She-Hulk or Spider-Woman would have made great spokes models for Twinkies. Don't feel quite so bad for Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman. She, along with son Franklin Richards, do make an appearance in one Fantastic Four team ad with Marvel's First Family going on a canoeing trip somewhere in the American mid-west. 

I greatly appreciate the efforts made by Trident Studios to bring as many of these ads together as possible. Once again, the print job on these pages are just amazing. Whatever remastering that was done on the ads was well worth the effort. The coloring was so brilliant. 

I don't think I can judge this book on the ads themselves. They were hokey then and they are hokey today. Don't believe me??? Those Hostess ads are still the thing of parody and satire in memes and modern day comics, such as Deadpool. The plots were really far out, as was the dialogue. Yet, how much of a story can you do in just 1 page? The artwork was always superb, though I am not sure who was really behind which work. I know that Sal Buscema, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito crafted some of these ads. Just don't ask me which ones that they did. 

These ads brought back a lot of memories. Oh, to go back to a time when all our problems could be solved with cake. I only wish that I had a couple of those fruit pies on hand as I read this book. That would have made this sugary trip back in time all that more the sweeter!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

(Note- The Unofficial Marvel Hostess Ads Collection is not an officially licensed product. It is a labor of love that saves collectors hundreds of dollars if they were to try and collect the 80 plus comics from which these ads were culled.)

Vision and the Scarlet Witch #11

The holiday theme returns in this penultimate issue of Vision and the Scarlet Witch. Okay- is Tax Day really a holiday? I guess so. It's just not one that anyone who isn't a politician or IRS auditor enjoys. 

It's April 15th and Peter Parker has got one heck of a tax bill. In order to pay it off, he takes a magazine gig photographing the beautiful new home of the Vision and Scarlet Witch. Wanda is just days away from giving birth and has been placed on bed rest. So it's up to the Vision to take Peter around the home which has been targeted once again by the dastardly Toad! Enter your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man wearing his iconic black costume to help the former Avenger protect his wife and unborn child from the clutches of the evil mutant lackey.

Hey! Where'd that Parker kid run off to?

The Toad's contribution to this series comes to an end with this issue. Vision has been keeping the Toad's obsession with the Scarlet Witch quiet in order to not stress the expectant mommy out. With this latest round, there's nothing the android hubby can do to keep Wanda out of this affair. Man, does the Toad get really petty when he comes across the very, VERY pregnant Scarlet Witch. To the point he's sickened by her large size and the Toad has never been what you'd consider a looker. In return, high on hormones and motherly instinct, Wanda Maximoff really lets the Toad have it laying on insults that should have killed the mutant by the sheer tones of her rejection. 

Don't mess with Mama!

By the way, a comic book being set during Tax Day isn't quite as unusual as you might think. In fact, I've got a Tax Day holiday issue in my collection starring Tick and Arthur. So I guess you can count April 15th as a holiday but again, why would you???

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10

Spider-Man: The Savage Land Saga!

Reprinting issues #13-15 of Sensational Spider-Man, Peter Parker is sent by the Daily Bugle to report on a joint ecological venture in the Savage Land between SHIELD and ROXXON. To prevent the rapidly melting ice of Antarctica from wiping over the prehistoric microcosm, ROXXON has installed giant freezer units to keep the ice frozen. Only the machines are doing the opposite as ROXXON has plans to flood the land and then secure its vast oil reserves. 

This is one of those stories where in 1997 when it was published it would be considered relevant comics. Today's venomous fan base work would consider this a 'woke comic'. Featuring a memorable cameo from the Incredible Hulk, and of course Ka-Zar in a guest-starring role The Savage Land Saga feels more relevant than ever. The waters off of Florida are hotter than bath water. Sea ice is at its lowest levels ever. And the scenes where SHIELD is trying to evacuate a prehistoric village from a flood of water elicits recent memories of flood rescues in Vermont and the Golden State. 

I consider Todd Dezago and Mike Wieringo's 3-issue saga to be a chance for Marvel to dip it's toes back into Toho Studios territory. The retreating ice awakens both an ancient foe that feels that reptiles were the true rulers of earth and the looming environmental crisis awakens a Godzilla-like protector from it's ageless slumber to save the Savage Land. Don't laugh, but this savior of Earth is a giant prehistoric chicken!

The artwork is absolutely amazing. Mike Wieringo was a genius and the comic book industry has lessened in quality as a whole with his untimely 2007 passing. They just don't draw comics like this anymore, folks.

As for the writing. The dialogue is good. The plot is not. It's too cliched. If it was meant to be silly, then I'd understand. However, there's too much of this story trying to be a story that convinces readers to change their ways of life or there'll never be anymore snow. But it's really hard to take environmentalism seriously when there's a giant chicken trying to save the planet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Speedball: The Masked Marvel

One of the highlights of reading the complete 125 issue run of Marvel Comics Presents were the pair of stories starring the teen superhero known as Speedball: The Masked Marvel. Co-created by Steve Ditko and Tom Defalco, Speedball was an interesting mix of teen angst, youthful enthusiasm and brilliantly creative villains. Plotted and penciled by the legendary Ditko, the pair of stories were a feast for the eyes. And immediately, I took it upon myself to get a copy of this 'omnibus'.

Speedball's story begins with young Robbie Baldwin, a star athlete, bright student and a BMOC in a small Connecticut community. One day during Robbie's part-time job as an assistant at the Hammond Research Lab, the teen is accidentally bathed with strange kinetic energies. As a result, whenever Robbie experiences the slightest bit of inertia, he transforms into the Masked Marvel and bounces around like a bouncy ball until he runs out of energy or finds a way to settle himself. 

The scientists who conducted the experiment know that somebody interfered with the experiment that gave Robbie his powers. But they think it's the lab's mascot, the feline Niels, who is obviously showing signs of the same blast of energy that powers Robbie. The teen is tasked with capturing Niels in order for the researchers to determine if the strange energy field is lethal or not. This comedy of errors is a running gag throughout the entire series which only lasted 10 issues. But it's an important plot device as Robbie just wants to be a normal kid once again.

In typical comic book fashion, Robbie's family is oblivious to the fact that their son is the town's new hero called the 'Masked Marvel'. Only Robbie himself refers to himself as Speedball because of the tiny energy balls that follow him when in costume. Robbie would love nothing more than to tell his mom and dad about his powers. But to do so could jeopardize Robbie's father! See, Mr. Baldwin is the town's assistant District Attorney. The town in which the Baldwin's live has a law against masked vigilantes. Robbie fears that should his secret come to light, it will mean disgrace for his lawyer father. 

Honestly, Robbie should lighten up a bit. His parents are doing a good enough job turning the whole town against them. When a skeleton is discovered within the walls of Robbie's high school, fingers point at both Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin as being the prime suspects. This results in a loss of jobs for Robbie's mom and a near disbarment of dear old dad. 

It says a lot about the writing when the reader is just as interested in the supporting characters as the main character. Roger Stern and Jo Duffy make the mystery of who killed the family friend of the Baldwins just as engrossing as Speedball's battles against an assortment of masked baddies. I was so hooked on the secret of the corpse's killer that I stayed up later than normal a couple of nights in a row to find out 'whodunnit!' 

Masks are a big theme in this book. Steve Ditko was a master of bizarre faces and Speedball's Rogue's Gallery, while rather inferior compared to a Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, are some of the most creative of all-time. 

I wish the original Speedball's story didn't have to end!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

What If? Dark Avengers

I really think What If?, the alternate reality series from Marvel Comics, works better the more you're familiar with the subject content. There are 6 issues reprinted in this collection. Of those 6, the stories I liked the most was a switcheroo in which Tony Stark becomes the roommate of the dreaded Victor Von Doom instead of Reed Richards and a bloody romp in which Deadpool becomes the host of the symbiote Venom. Stories involving Spider-Man succumbing to some weird spider curse and Norman Osborn's reign of terror that comes about with the leader of SWORD conquering Asgard were my least favorite stories because I haven't read Grim Hunt or Reign. (Okay- who am I kidding, the Spider-Man: Grim Hunt one-shot was hot garbage.)

The remaining 2 stories were fair reads. Mostly because I am quite familiar with the characters and have a passing knowledge of the original stories. Wolverine: Father explores what would happen if Logan raised his illegitimate son Daken. This wasn't a story based on an established story. Instead, this truly was a What If? story that explores the conflict of nature vs. nurture. Tale #6 has Hawkeye succeeding in killing Norman Osborn preventing the madman from taking over the super-spy agency SHIELD and preventing the Dark Reign of super heroes from happening. This story was a thrilling manhunt as the superheroing world has to undo the damage Clint Barton caused and that means having to take down one of their own!

I want to own all of the What If? stories. But cost is something that is keeping me from owning some of those stories as individual first run issues. Thank goodness for collections such as these. That Deadpool/Venom issue is not cheap. I think the most affordable copies I have seen are being listed for $200 each. I got this traced paperback used for less than $10. I'll take affordability over authenticity any day!

This volume reprints what is considered the 200th overall What If issue printed over the Marvel properties vast print runs since it first debuted in 1977. That anniversary issue has a bunch of cool extras like a story that ponders what if the Watcher killed Galactus?, a reprint of a Daredevil story from the first series and overview of all 200 issues published from 1977-2011 (when this collection was first print). That database was actually a big help with some missing gaps in my collection.

I would assume that the quality of 5 of the 6 stories was really good. I just wasn't familiar with everything in order to get the most enjoyment of this read. That's okay. I saved a ton of cash on that Deadpool story. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Miles Morales: Stranger Tides (Family Comic Friday)

I read this middle school graphic novel over the course of 2 days. Day 1 of reading this book, I felt like I was in another world. I didn't understand the slang. The plot seemed to carry over from a previous story I wasn't aware of. Everything felt like it was a big mess. 

I don't normally do this, but on Day 2, I found myself dreading having to read more of this book. New characters popped up that Miles Morales knew. But I found myself scratching my head over just who these new folks were. And then we get to the last chapter of the book- and the art was completely different!

For the past 40 years or so in comic book history, if the main artist needs someone to help fill in, the editors will say that such and such artists assisted on pages 5-9 or something like that. There's no such warning in this 2022 Marvel work from Graphix and Scholastic. To have the main villain look completely different in the final act is just jarring. Though I must say, that whomever was behind that last chapter's art did one heck of a job at stylizing the Miles Morales Spider-Man. Only, this one looks like a Miles Morales from another universe!

I choose to read this book because Into the Spider-Verse 2 is coming out soon and I wanted to get into the mood to seeing the film. (The fact that it's Black History Month is just a happy coincidence.) The artwork of main artist Pablo Leon ( captures the visual tone of the first Spider-Verse film amazingly well. Why couldn't the relief artist(s)  keep with the vibe that was happening in the other 4 chapters?

It's not until you read the 'About The Author' page at the end of this book that you learn that this is the second volume written by Justin A. Reynolds. I'm thinking that the writer probably continues things from the first book into this volume with unwavering quality. And I probably would have liked this book better had I read the first book, titled Miles Morales: Shock Waves. But nowhere on the cover (front and back), nor inside this book are potential first time readers alerted that this is the second volume in a series until the back of the book!

An unaccounted for line-up change from the Marvel Bullpen. No indication that Stranger Tides is a continuing story. Plus the inclusion of the main villain who is an X-Men and Fantastic Four foe instead of Spider-Man (of any universe) foil! It's strike 3 for this book in my eyes. I've heard that editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski is doing such an awful job that the overall quality of work coming from the House of Ideas is severely lacking. But at least he's not the all-time worst EIC, Axel Alonso. But the rust is really showing on this book.

Young readers should enjoy this book. But only if you let them read Shock Waves first. To not do so will result in a lot of lost readers. There is some fighting. Miles, being around 14 years of age, sneaks out of the house at night to go on patrol as Spider-Man (but then again, when hasn't an adventuresome child in kiddie lit not gone behind mom & dad's back to save the day. I'm looking at you, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.) Stranger Tides for the most part was a wholesome read and there are some excellent sections about family and redemption that parents will love. 

Unfortunately, I am not in that category and I think my interest in reading book 1 as well as what happens next is just about at nil.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Apes #0

This oversized special kicks off the 4-issue miniseries that explores the Marvel Universe if it existed on the Planet of the Apes. Or something to that effect. Starting things off are the reprints of Amazing Spider-Man #110-111. This pair of issues introduced a character named The Gibbon. He's a human mutant(?) that looks a lot like an ape-like humanoid and he's got amazing reflexes. 

After a chance meeting with Spider-Man, the Gibbon wants to become a superhero like the webslinger. Only, Spider-Man rebuffs him as his personal life balance between being a hero and a regular Joe has tilted the scales too far into Spider-Man's direction. Angered by even more rejection, the Gibbon is recruited by Spidey arch-foe, Kraven the Hunter, who conducts some sort of bizarre ceremony that gives Kraven mental control of poor man.

The reason for these reprints is that The Gibbon is supposed to be the main character of the Marvel Apes miniseries. This all leads me to believe that something happens that turns the Marvel universe into simians except for Gibbon. Probably due to his mutation(?), Gibbon retains his mental capacities while the rest of the MCU literally goes ape??? 

There's also a short story that is supposed to be like the opening act of the Marvel Apes story. It appears to be a retelling of that classic Spider-Man story 'If This Be My Destiny...!' in which in ASM #33, Spider-Man is trapped under some rubble while the room he's stuck in is slowly filling with water. In this retelling, Spider-Man is now Spider-Monkey and he doesn't seem to know he's a monkey as are a couple of other characters that appear.

Honestly, I'm not sure what is going on here. I know that this is supposed to be a prequel and was published after the miniseries was completed. And what I read feels like a huge mess. If anything, this issues makes me want to read some classic Amazing Spider-Man and stay completely away from Marvel Apes.

You're probably wondering why I chose this book. Well, I chose it because of its cover. When I found this a while back, I was thumbing through long boxes. I only paid a buck for it. At the time of sale, I was hoping that this was a Christmas issue. Once home, I realized this was only a holiday variant cover. Why cover artist Salva Espin (You Are Deadpool) decided to do a cover with a monkey version of Santa and his reindeer instead of other Marvel characters is beyond me. 

There are about 30 variant covers included at the end of this special. One or two are from Espin. The rest are from talent such as Rob Liefeld, Stuart Immonen, and Rick Silva. These covers were all variants of differing titles to coincide with the Marvel Apes event and are a visually dazzling addition to this special. 

Since I only paid a dollar and I knew ahead of time that this was what I consider to be a 'Scrooge' issue, I wasn't angry. I guess I'll still keep this in my holiday comics collection based on just the cover. But to if I'll ever read Marvel Apes, I'd have to find it at my local library or for real cheap because what I've read so far hasn't peaked my interest.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

The 25 Baubles of Pop Culture! Advent 2022 Day 4

Ornaments representing Marvel Comics is next on our Advent. I start off with my favorite decoration. From Hallmark, this 2011 release is part ornament and part comic book. Some of the ornaments I adore most was a set of Little Golden Book ornaments from the mid-80s. These books were exact 2in x 2in replicas of some classic kids books that I adored as a kid. Well, the same thing kinda happens here.

The ornament boasts a replica to the cover of Avengers #4, which marked the resurrection of the character into the Silver Age of comics. I just love how Hallmark has Cap. literally leaping off the page. Then inside there are several pages that reprint Earth's Mightest Heroes and their first encounter with the revived World War II hero.

After Captain America, my next favorite Marvel property is the Fantastic Four, Marvel's First Family. Unfortunately, a quick Google search doesn't seem to uncover any ornaments starring the whole team. There's a couple made of the Human Torch. But they just look hokey. So I chose this early 2000s miniature set from Hallmark. Spider-Man, The Thing, The Hulk and Wolverine at one time or another were members of the FF. I guess technically this counts. One of the cool things about this ornament is that you hang the 6 heroes individually or you can combine the bases for one deluxe ornament. 

Spider-Man is another favorite of mine. If my wife didn't hate spiders so darn much, I would have tons of Spidey stuff all over my house. One of my favorite ornaments is of Spider-Man hanging upside with his webs. It's such a beautiful piece. But then I saw an ornament that looked just like it only instead of webs, the wallcrawler is using Christmas lights. Well, I had to pick that one instead! It's also from Hallmark, dated 2019.

Hallmark doesn't have the monopoly on great Marvel tree decor. Pottery Barn has an adorable set of hand stitched felt replicas of Black Panther and Spider-Man. Disney offers a resin ornament of Nick Fury. While this is of Nick Fury Jr and not of his dad, the former WWII Sargent, I like this one because he's decked out in the classic blue and white SHIELD uniform. Lastly, I really dig this painted wooden ornament for sale on musicdope80s.com. It's of the Hulk's head, adorned with a Santa hat. I think the image is taken from a classic work by John Romita or Sal Buscema. 

Spidey and His Amazing Friends #1- Halloween Trick-or-Read 2022 Edition (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

I've got to hand it to Marvel Comics. They might not be producing Halloween specials for retail sale. However, the House of Ideas hasn't neglected its readers with Halloween themed freebies. And for once, one of the giveaways is somewhat themed for the holiday!

Based on the Disney Junior animated series for preschool and Kindergarten viewers, Spidey and friends Miles Morales and Gwen Stacey, The Ghost Spider, save New York City from the terrible pranks of the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus and the Rhino! In the opening segment, the Goblin has his sights on unleashing a vat of pumpkin goo on the viewers of the annual Halloween Parade. 

That Halloween tale might only be 2 pages. But it's not the only holiday fun in this book. There are at least 3 or 4 activity pages based on the action at the parade. Plus, there are 3 masks for youngsters to cut out and wear for trick-or-treating. 

Over this Halloween weekend, comic shops are participating in Marvel's Halloween Trick-or-Read event. Since Diamond decided to go virtual only for this year's Halloween Comics Fest, I'm thrilled that Marvel stepped up and offered free comics for young and old once again. Marvel has 5 free comics this year including a Star Wars issue starring Doctor Aphra and a Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur reprint of Lunella Lafayette's first appearance. Add an all-ages Godzilla release from IDW and a terrifying looking adult Manga sample and comic book fans have 7 possible free comic books to add to their collections. 

Though the fun started yesterday, many stores are giving away free comics through Monday. So if you live near a local comics shop, bring the young readers in your life by (in costume or not) and grab some free comics. If you're not able to make it to a comics shop, keep an eye out for the whole line of Spidey and his Amazing Friends books and readers at your fav local book seller!

A fun Spider-Man read for developing readers. With all the activities that could damage the book, you might want to grab 2 copies!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #138

Readers are introduced to the character of Spellbounder in this issue. According to the Marvel Wiki, the character has been around since 1987. But other than a 6-issue miniseries (Spellbound), Spellbinder had never made an appearance in any other series until now. Not even a cameo. 

Right now all I know is that Erica Fortune became Spellbounder. She has telekinetic powers which are amplified by a pair of power bands that are of alien nature. In this opening chapter, the owner of those rings, the alien Zxaxz, has returned and wants them back. With this first chapter basically introducing me to all the main characters, the jury is still out on this one.

Wolverine is still on his tropical island holiday. One that is filled with aliens, a navy blue gorilla and a seemingly random slave to the extraterrestrials that Logan thinks he knows from somewhere. As things are still getting sorted out, the jury is still out on this one.

The samurai clad Masters of Silence have determined that Ghost Rider isn't such a bad egg. Yes, he's got some evil in him. He is fused with the demon of vengeance, ya know. But all parties have agreed to team up against the monster who has been killing native Chinese in an immigration smuggling scam for money. Things are starting to come together; however the jury is still out on this one.

The one-and-done story has Spider-Man trying to protect a hospital full of patients from an evil entity called Deathurge. As I've said before, I'm several months behind on the reviewing of these comics. I really can't recall anything about this story. So, I think the jury is out on this one- guilty of being a forgettable story!

A relatively tame issue in which all of the multi-parters are still trying to gain their footing. The single issue Spidey story was apparently not worth my time.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #120

Why, Marvel, Why? 

During the early 90s, why didn't you make a series out of the anti-hero character of Constrictor? 

The 2nd half of the Constrictor story was brilliant. It's got a morally ambivalent character fighting his own personal demons while getting his revenge by taking it out on a completely moral-less character. It's got payback. It's got a heartwarming ending. And it's got Nick Fury of SHIELD!

What If's... Paula Foye wrote a great short story that I was in love with. And Marvel Comics was a fool to let her slip through their fingers. According to my count, Foye worked on no more than 2 dozen books for the House of Ideas. To be fair, I think the entire comics industry was a fool because I can't find evidence that she did anything further. But based on those 16 pages I've read, I became a fan!

As for the other 3 segments in this issue, there are highs and lows. The Wolverine/Venom story adds a mysterious girl to the story. A minor inclusion. But it ups the interest factor as the previous 3 chapters have been duller than butter knives. However, the flip cover was horrible. It's got Venom playing Weekend at Bernies with Wolverine's body against an animal skulled creature with a fat hairy butt!

With the Ghost Rider/Cloak & Dagger story, Cloak and Ghost Rider must join forces to save Dagger who has been kidnapped by a grouchy purple dragon creature. The dialogue seems like something from a soap opera. The plot is all over the place. But the flip cover of the dragon dude taking on the 3 heroes is bad-assed!

As for the Spider-Man one and done story, I literally have zero recollection of this. So obviously, it made zero impact on me unlike that Constrictor story.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #99

 Wolverine has a very bad night's sleep in a single issue story that features Professor X.

Ghost Rider's 2-parter comes to a close. The last issue was set during the holidays. This chapter seems to have forgotten all that. 

That's pretty typical in comics. One issue is set during Christmas. Ends with a cliffhanger. And boom, next issue, all the decorations and holiday cheer are all gone. I wish I could wrap up my holiday set dressings that quickly.

Love seems to be in the air for the other two 8-pagers. Puck, the other diminutive member of Alpha Flight has his sights set on fellow Alpha Flight member, Heather Hudson. Here is Puck feeling all down on himself saying that Hudson can never love him. I'm thinking it's because he's short. It's actually because really he's like 100 years old and is only making himself look young thanks to his mutant abilities.

Then Peter Parker has trouble getting in touch with Mary Jane. This little tale is actually quirky and not a typical Marvel tale full of fisticuffs. It was an enjoyable capper to a very exciting issue.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus

Fred Hembeck- The Man who launched a thousand optometry appointments. 

Fred Hembeck has been a part of my life for a very long time. From his hilariously deadly Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe to his splash page spreads in Marvel Age to his similar postings in DC's Daily Planet, I cut my teeth on the cartoonist/comedian/comic book historian. While I am sorry for the bite marks, I am even more sorry to say that none of those amazing works I previously mentioned are in this book. 

The omissions are due to those works being owned by DC and Marvel and this massive work was published by Image. But packed within this 900 page behemoth are all of Fred (and your) favorite characters. Superman. Spider-Man. Jimmy Olsen, The Hulk, Nick Fury, Bizarro. Dennis the Menace. Wife Lynn and daughter Julie. And of course Fred!

The majority of work in this collection is from Hembeck's Dateline: @!!?#, a regular comic column that appeared in various incarnations of the Comic Buyers Guide. There's some rough drafts, experimental non-comic book related work. That tragic assault on a Native American family by US cavalrymen will haunt me till the day I die. Plus, there are dozens on comic book cover recreations; including some brilliant switches that take a DC icon and a Marvel regular and put them in the other's books. 

As I mentioned earlier, this book is just a fraction under 1000 pages. I should have finished this book in just a couple of months. But I took my time. For one reason, Hembeck is noted for using very, very tiny letters, as he's got lots to say on the subject of sequential art. So I would have to take breaks due to eye strain. Unfortunately, some of the Datelines didn't reprint very well either due to smudging or too dark inking. So I had to skip a couple of them as they were indecipherable. That being said, reading 2 or 3 of Fred's Dateline: @!!?# reports,which are normally only 1 page in length each, is tantamount to reading an entire magazine's worth of articles. 

If this type of writing/reviewing style sounds familiar, yeah it probably does. I do see a little bit of Fred Hembeck in my love of comics. Makes sense. I see a lot of my most beloved professors from my degrees in both culinary and history in my day-to-day professionalism. They say that if you spend 10,000 hours on something, you become an expert in it. At age 44, I probably qualify as such with comic books, though I still have much to learn. And Fred Hembeck was and is one of my comicdom professors. 

Oh, yeah... The other reason for taking so long to finish this work! I didn't want my time with Hembeck to end!  I've been honored to be a Fred Hembeck acquaintance for almost a decade now. I bought a Supergirl sketch card from him on eBay and wound up a friend on Facebook. Every year, my family look forward to his witty (and long) birthday wishes to me. Now we've evolved into rivals playing each other on a music trivia app. 

So when I closed the book on this for the last time I was sad. But then I realized that Fred has a website. And it is still accessible. So I've got lots more education to gain from Mr. Hembeck!

And sir- if you're reading this- Very sorry for those bite marks! Hope they've healed!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.