Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #32

One of my favorite issues of the series thus far. Yes, the Howlers fight Nazis, while strapped to some skis in the Bavarian Alps. But what takes this story to 11 is the main story which sees a Nazi spy infiltrating the Allies' British base and posing as a doctor. This physician hypnotizes the group's lone Jewish commando, Izzy Cohen, turning him into a traitor against the rest of the Howlers.

The irony of a Jew becoming an unwitting weapon of evil of the Nazis isn't lost on me. It's a thrilling story that speaks of the atrocities of the Holocaust without actually mentioning the horrors by name. It was Stan's brilliant way of making readers think without being preached at and dutiful discipline Roy Thomas put this Marvel Way of story writing to masterful use here! But I just got to ask: were Allied military bases just crawling with Nazi saboteurs?

Two issues in a row see Hitler's goons covertly operating within a stone's throw of London. We're 32 issues into the series and I think we've had a least a dozen spies and traitors in our midst. As much as I have praised the stories of this series being original; I mean we had hypnotism and G.I.s on skis in this issue alone. But was it really this bad during World War II to basically have half of all the occupants of your typical European theater military instillation be spies?! 

According to MI5's (British Intelligence Agency) website, 115 Nazi spies were apprehended in The UK alone. Apparently, all of them operated out of the same base as Fury's Able Company...

No wonder it took us over 4 years to win the war against the Germans!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

The Spirit Archives, Vol. 4

October is almost here. That means I can let myself read Halloween and other horror themed titles throughout the whole month. But I can't wait. I'm like a kid waiting for Santa to arrive. I needed a fix and I needed it quick.

I decided to go with an unread volume of Will Eisner's Spirit Archives. With its noirish tone, creepy villains and the fact that the Spirit lives in a cemetery, I felt like I could scratch that Halloween itch without breaking my self-imposed reading guidelines.

The stories in this volume were originally published from January-June, 1942. Pearl Harbor shocked the country and America is now at war with Germany and Japan. Thus, elements of the war are beginning to creep into the strip. There's spies and saboteurs galore. The Spirit has been enlisted by the Army as a G-2 level agent, called from time to time to put down the fascist secret agents operating in the shadows of Central City.

These enemy agents are pretty well organized. That's because of workings of their leader, the mysterious master of disguise, the Squid. I can't find evidence of this, so all I can do is conclude that the Squid is an an early version of what will become the Spirit's arch-enemy, the Octopus. But for all I know, they might be the same guy. You never see either's true face. Both wear purple suits with matching gloves. Only the Squid is an operative of Adolph Hitler whereas the Octopus was his own boss and the unofficial leader of the city's underworld.

The controversial Ebony White really shines in a few stories. He develops a robotic figure that helps uncover espionage on an Army base. Plus he shows real bravery and loyalty sticking up for not just the Spirit but Commissioner Dolan and his daughter Ellen.

There's a love triangle afoot as British agent Silk Satin returns on several occasions to help the war effort. Satin almost succeeds in permanently stealing the Spirit away from Ellen during a particularly intimate mission in which The Spirit and Satin must play parents to an innocent little baby. A babe who just happens to be the exiled King of Balkslavania!

The artwork makes me jealous. I wish I could draw that spirited (no pun intended.) Eisner's hands could put so much life into a panel. It's not just a comic book. It's a living breathing world with so many untold tales behind every door and darkened window, just begging to be revealed! 

I want the whole collection. I don't care about the order. Will Eisner's Spirit is my comfort food for when I long for an entertaining, creative read on a chilly night with a faithful cat and warm blanket. Perfect fall weather reading.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The James Bond Omnibus, Volume 001 (2022 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Challenge)

Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, From A View To A Kill, For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball.

I'm familiar with all of these James Bond adventures thanks to watching all of the films with my dad and grandpop as a child. But I've never read any of Ian Fleming's novels that gave birth to the world's greatest spy. Thus I was very excited when I found this anthology at my favorite used book store- Books Do Furnish A Room. 

Prior to debuting in the movies, Ian Fleming signed an agreement with The Daily Express to adapt his books into newspaper dailies. Fleming was hesitant at first. He didn't want his works to be dumbed down to an elementary level. Fleming also didn't like on how Bond was originally designed. But I'm glad he finally settled with John McLusky!

The Bond strips were McLusky's first gig. An art teacher at the Slade School of Art, McLusky drew Ian Fleming's creation in a way that is really eerie. That's because McLusky's Bond looked just like Sean Connery- almost 5 full years before the Scottish actor would take on the role in 1962's Dr. No.

The interesting thing about these adaptations are how different they are from the live-action films produced by Albert Broccoli. Comparatively, the strips could be considered dull. For example, in Moonraker, Bond doesn't go into outer-space and there's no blimp or Golden Gate Bridge in the adaptation of A View To A Kill. Broccoli clearly felt that in order to enthrall audiences, the wow factor needed to be set to 11. But here in these comics, Fleming crafted some very elegant mystery-thrillers that are very British.

Casino Royale is perhaps the weakest of the stories. For one thing, it was Ian Fleming's Bond debut. Pilots always have kinks to work out. Plus, that story was adapted by Anthony Hern; who just doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on the character. The other stories were adapted by Henry Gammidge with the except of Dr. No which was written by Modesty Blaise's Peter O'Donnell. Dr. No wasn't bad. But Gammidge really seemed the ideal writer for the James Bond comics. 

1962's Thunderball was perhaps the most clunky story. Ample time is devoted to Bond's time at a health spa in which he runs afoul of a Tong gangster. The plot to steal 2 nuclear bombs by Ernst Blofeld and his cronies at SPECTRE is drawn out to perfection. But the ending is rushed to just 2 pages with zero actual appearances by baddie Emilio Largo or Bond Girl Domino Derval. 

For a solid minute, I felt that maybe some pages were omitted from this volume. But the numbering of the strips don't skip. I later researched this and discovered that The Daily Express temporarily ended it's relationship with Fleming and rushed a quick ending to the story. After Fleming and Daily Express editor Lord Beaverbrook settled a dispute over the comics strip rights to The Living Daylights, Bond would return to print in 1964. 

And that's where we end volume 001. Well, not quite. Ever heard of the Bond story Risico? Neither had I. It's a short story buried within the pages of For Your Eyes Only. So far, there has never been a Bond film called Risico. But maybe! 

Risico reads a lot like Ian Fleming's anti-drug opus. In this story, Bond goes to Italy to end the heroin trade that has been flowing into the UK. Just about every character makes PSA sounding statements about the evils of opium and heroin. It almost feels that Ian Fleming watched a few episodes of Dragnet while writing this book. Good story but very propagandized. 

The first James Bond Omnibus was a delightful read. The right artist was selected for the strip. It took a little while, but this strip also found it's voice. If you've never read the original works but are more than versed in the films of James Bond, this is a wonderful look at a little known corner of MI6. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #19 of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 'That was made into a movie.'

Archie Comics Presents… The Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.

The 1960s was the decade of free love, hippies, Vietnam and super spies! President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 recommendation of Ian Fleming’s From Russia, With Love sparked the world’s interest in smooth secret agents, fast cars and even faster femme fatales. With America in the midst of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the public turned to the likes of James Bond, Our Man Flynn and a host of others to provide some heroic insight into some otherwise very private dealings between the East and West. One unlikely hero during this time of international strife was a red-headed high schooler named Archie Andrews; The Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.!

From 1966-1967, Archie and his pals were agents of P.O.P. (Protect Our Planet) in the pages of Life With Archie. Almost two dozen stories starring The Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. were written by Frank Doyle with art by Archie fan favs such as Bob White and Dan DeCarlo. The P.O.P. agents secret headquarters was operated out of Pop Chocklit’ Shoppe. Though it seemed that all of the enemy agents of C.R.U.S.H. knew this as Pop’s was often bombed, ransacked or vandalized. And if the bad guys weren’t attacking the malt shop, they were doing their best to infiltrate Lodge Enterprises.

The artwork of Archie and his friends was pretty standard for 1960s Archie Comics. But the designs of those C.R.U.S.H. baddies was pretty darn sleek. Most of these villains were illustrated like a costumed villain from the pages of Marvel or DC. But they were so very good. The fire-tressed Flametrower was positioned to take over the world in some of the most dynamic poses this side of Jack Kirby. Whereas, the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.’s Sandman screamed the influence of EC’s Jack Davis and Wally Wood. 

The title of the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. was clearly a parody of the popular spy TV series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. Other than the extensive use of acronyms and being about spies, that pretty much was the only real comparison between the comic book and the TV series. That is until the popularity of both properties began to wane.

By the Fall of 1966, the Archie lead series began to focus on one of his girlfriends. Betty Cooper became the Girl from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. This was in response to a Stefanie Powers led spin-off called The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,  that had debuted just a few months prior. Both female led series were revolutionary for their time. But the effects of a glut of spy lead franchises was beginning to take its toll on the populace. By the Spring of ‘67, Life with Archie would move on to the awakenings of the Summer of Love and The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. was unemployed. It’s parent series would be promptly cancelled mid season the following year. 

Instead of U.N.C.L.E., it could be said that much of the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. was based off of James Bond. All of the agents of P.O.P. utilized gadgets from drugged lollipops to gas filled lipsticks. But sometimes, the team managed to get the job done with everyday household objects, such as the common vacuum cleaner. And yes- Archie and his cohorts carried guns. But they had about as much accuracy as an entire squadron of Storm Troopers!

Just as James Bond was keen to use tricked out automobiles to save the day, the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. had a vehicle filled with gadgets. Archie’s jalopy, Betsy, was the vehicle of choice for P.O.P. Though the car was much more reliable in this fantasy series than in Archie’s everyday life. In this series, Betsy could do an assortment of neat tricks, like fly, float and even split right down the middle to avoid guided missiles. 

The Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. was a great way for Archie Comics to kick off it’s Archie Comics Presents life of reprints. These stories might have been silly at times. But they were fun and thrilling. Plus, it was a great distraction in this time of social distancing and self isolation. 

If you are a fan of classic Archie and you in need of a pick-me-up that combines espionage and humor, order yourself a copy now! Along with print copies, Amazon and Comixology have this book available in digital formats. Or help out your struggling LCS and arrange for a copy via curbside pick-up or possible delivery! Now is the time to help out struggling small businesses while keeping yourself healthy and sane. I think any of these actions would make any of the agents of P.O.P. and the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. proud that you are doing your part to help in times of crisis!

Archie Comics Presents… The Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.
Written by Frank Doyle
Art by Bob White, Dan DeCarlo, Various
Published by Archie Comics
Pages: 224
MSRP: $10.99

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Atomic Blonde (Originally Published as The Coldest City)

An operative from MI-6 is sent to Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall. Her mission is to retrieve a missing dossier that lists all of the known American, British, and French spies operating in and about the Steel Curtain.

This book is the inspiration behind the 2017 hit action movie Atomic Blonde starring Charlize Theron. From reviews I read about the film, it's supposed to be a shoot-em up. beat-em up thriller with levels of excitement set to 11. So when I saw the book at my local library, I snatched it up thinking that I would be in for a fast-paced treat. What I got instead was a snooze fest!

I've seen livelier farm reports on the noon news. The so-called Atomic Blonde was diesel fueled at best. There's one scene that gets the blood pumping, but it's nothing like the few scenes of the live action film I've viewed. 

At the heart of this book is an interesting mystery. But with some very weak code names and non-distinct artwork, it makes for a very perplexing read. I will say that the last 15 pages or so were the best part of the entire book and it bumped up my enjoyment level... slightly. 

There's supposed to be a prequel to this book. I really don't have much desire to read it. If they'd change the artwork to where half of the characters didn't look like the other half, I would be interested. But I don't think that's gonna happen.

So spy and thriller comic book enthusiasts will enjoy this book. But if the Charlize Theron film is your expectation with this graphic novel, you are going to be disappointed.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Ian Fleming’s James Bond: Service Special One-Shot

 Great Britain Has Been Insulted!

   When a high ranking American official goes on record proclaiming England’s lack of usefulness as an ally to the U.S., a terrorist cell makes it their mission to silence this enemy of the Crown. Working on a series of coded communiques, sent to MI6, as his only clues, secret agent James Bond is tasked with infiltrating the nationalist extremists and shutting it down permanently before they can enact revenge. And if 007 can win back the affection of the United States in the process, even better.

   Star Wars: Darth Vader’s Kieron Gillen pens an interesting James Bond adventure in this one-shot from Dynamite. The author does a masterful job capturing the wit of Sean Connery’s 007 throughout the book. He also follows the basic plot of a Bond film pretty well. Gadgets, M, Q, and Moneypenny all make their appointed rounds. It’s just a little odd to encounter a 007 story that’s not filled with femme fatales christened with names that have naughty double meanings.

   The artwork was fair. Artist Antonio Fuso’s (Torchwood) pencils didn’t really wow me. I’m not sure if rendering 007 as normal looking guy, and not in the style of one of the many actors to have portrayed the character in film, was a great idea. I felt more disconnected to this version of James Bond because of his generic every-man look. Thankfully, the writing was good enough to make up for some of this slack. The art deco style of the cover, credits, and establishing pages were stunning. They made me feel like I was looking at the opening credits of a real life Bond flick. Major kudos to the design team on this.

   James Bond: Service Special was an entertaining read that seems almost ripped from today’s headlines. It was a tiny bit confusing at times in the beginning. But I felt that the overall story was very fresh as was the concept of a MI5, acting in concordance with MI6. That was completely new to me. Upon further research, it turns out there’s actually been an MI1 all the way to MI19. Only MI5 and MI6 remain in the present day. But I was able to follow this caper quite well without that prior knowledge of British Intelligence.

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business

   This original graphic novel pits Peter Parker with two of his oldest foes- the Kingpin and Parker's family history. When commandos ransack his apartment, Peter finds himself on the run only to be saved by a mysterious secret agent claiming to be his long-lost sister. Now Peter and possibly sister Teresa Parker go on a globe-trotting adventure in search for the truth about 'Sis' and hopefully uncover why Kingpin is after him.
    The opening act of this graphic novel was weak. Some of it was disjointed and most of the pages were just a whirlwind of action that was short on plot. Once Peter and Teresa finally make it to a safe house, the story slows down enough to explain why this CIA operative thinks she's Peter's sister. The intermission also sheds light on why the Kingpin and the CIA are both on the hunt for Parker.
    Spinning out of the pages of 1960s 'Tales to Astonish' and issues 100-104 of 'Captain America', the second act reveals that Peter's parents (secret agents themselves) assisted the good Captain to defeat one of the Red Skull's Sleepers. Mr. Parker used his DNA and a facial recognition program to bind the colossus into  a sleep mode. Should  Richard Parker look-alike Peter gaze into and touch the safety lock, he could unleash this sleeper on an unsuspecting Cairo. So, the CIA wants to bury the Sleeper under 50 worth of rock while Kingpin wants the Nazi robot to help him conquer the world.
     I really enjoyed the second act as well as the killer ending and intriguing epilogue. I'm hoping there's more to this story to come soon! With exotic locales, suave tuxedos, and more secret gadgets than a weekend of James Bond movies, this was an exciting Spider-Man story with a fresh take on America's favorite wall-crawler. However, you might feel like you've haven't received your Spider-Man quotient as Peter appears and battles more without his costume and mask than possibly any other Spidey story ever written.
     With fantastic art and a great script by Mark Waid (that guy has been popping up on my blog a lot lately), Marvel continues to amaze with its original graphic novel series.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
 
 

Sleeper: Season 1

A sleeper agent with super powers finds his contact in a coma and in deep with the agency his infiltrated. Both friend and foe are closing in on him as one side sees him as a traitor and the other as a mole.

I really like this Ed Brubaker series. He did a fantastic job on Captain America and counter-espionage seems to be his foray. It’s not a book for all ages. Lots of Tarantino level swears and innuendo. There’s also a lot of gratuitous sex and T & A.

These types of adult graphic novels usually don’t appeal to me. However, Brubaker is such a master craftsman when it comes to these types of tales. Thankfully, the sexual situations are infrequent. Still, the content isn’t for everyone and parents should show caution with this series. I recommend that it is not for those under 18.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.