The Super Heroes Monthly #8

I've just been so busy and exhausted with the new school year and all that. I've been reading comics and graphic novels. I've just been too (fill in the blank) to do any reviewing. I seem to have caught a break today.

From the U.K., I couldn't tell you where I found this magazine of black and white DC reprints. But I know that I didn't spend more than a buck on it. So I must have gotten this years ago at a Con and totally forgot about it.

There are 3 stories inside. First up is a reprinting of the very first appearance of the Barry Allen Flash. The Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino and Joe Kubert origin is forever imprinted in my mind. But I had forgotten that the first villain that the Fastest Man Alive takes on is known as the Turtle Man, the Slowest Man on Earth! Kinda comical. But it's a pairing that makes sense.

The Super Heroes Monthly had been running through the complete Man-Bat saga for several issues up to this point. In this issue featuring story by Frank Robbins and art by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, the Man-Bat takes a bride.

I've either previously read, own a copy or both when it came to both stories. Had I bothered to check the contents of this book whenever I bought it, I probably would have passed over it. At least the third and final story was one that I never read before. It stars Superman featuring Len Wein on scripts and art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson; which in itself is an all-star crew. Unfortunately, it's a Man of Steel story that isn't really good.

The premise to this tale has an intriguing beginning. Lex Luthor laments the disappearance of the entire population of Earth. In his latest attempt to destroy the Man of Steel, Luthor's robotic assassin overheats, causing the nuclear core to meltdown and wipe out not just Superman, but everyone and everything on the planet. Birds, snakes and all!

When we learn what the MacGuffin behind the disappearances really details, the explanation is so implausible, it really lowered the quality of the story. I know that a lot of Superman stories stunk up news stands and comic collections during the 70s. If we were to place this story on the list, and believe me, I am, then 'The Man Who Murdered the Earth' has be the durian of all Superman tales from 1970-79!

I love the Alan Craddock cover of Superman and the Flash attempting to outrace a speeding locomotive. It is what enticed me to buy this book. But the fact that I already have 2/3 of the stories contained within and I hate that last one, this issue is going to be taken in for hopefully a little bit of trade credit instead of taking up valuable shelf space.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: Dial H For HERO

My dad had a pretty impressive comic book collection that I remember fondly digging into frequently as a kid. It was mostly DC books. One of the B-list (heck, more like C-list) segments that I remember happening upon was Dial H For HERO. At the time, it just wasn't my thing. I was more enthralled by the glamorous superheroes like Superman, Deadman and the Flash. As much as finding a device that would turn them into a superhero is any kid's dream, I just didn't connect with the adventures of young Robbie Reed.

The premise of Dial H For HERO is that preteen genius Robbie Reed finds a mysterious object that looks like the dial of an old rotary phone. Only instead of being in English, the tool has these strange glyphs. Brilliant Robbie is able to decipher the letters and decides on a whim to use it to spell out the word H-E-R-O. When Robbie dials the word, he turns into a superhero. Only, he doesn't know which protagonist he will become nor what his powers will be.

Over the course of his early career, as seen in the pre-horror pages of the House of Mystery, Robbie will become champions based on ancient myth, crazy gimmicks as well as bizarre freaks. Sometimes, Robbie will revisit the form of one of his previous incarnations and on one occasion, he becomes the established classic superhero, Plastic Man!

Dave Wood was the writer for all of these original series stories. Towards the end of the run, the characters got way more goofy and DC fell into the trap of thinking that the generation gap was what late 1960s kids wanted to read about. The series ended because of the Comics Code. Not because of violations, but instead because horror comics were once again in favor due to challenges over the Code which brought about some revisions. 

Dial H For HERO would return in the 1980s without Robbie Reed. Instead different boy as well as a young girl would find 2 different dials, changing into both a hero and a heroine. During this time readers were encouraged to create the characters that the kids turned into through a write-in contest.

It's those adventures in various issues of New Adventures of Superboy and Adventure Comics that I've come across as an adult that peaked my interest when I found this book a couple months ago. In this volume, there's a story where Robbie allows a gal pal of his to try the dial, becoming Gem Girl. I had originally assumed reading that tale that this was how we got 2 heroes in the later books. While that's not the case, that adventure is probably the inspiration for having a duo in the reboot series.

Looking around, those later stories don't seem to have been collected ever. I'd be very happy to own such a title should DC decide to release it in the future. While I am trimming my massive collection down a bit, this Showcase Presents collection is one that made the cut. While it's not a perfect series, Dial H For HERO is fun and nostalgic and to me that's worth overlooking the faults.

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

Super Powers #1 (2nd Series)

Picking up from his defeat in Super Powers #5, Darkseid is more determined than ever to conquer the Earth!

Thanks to the scheming underling Desaad, Darkseid has unleashed 5 bio-engineered seeds that will burrow through the Earth's crust. Once the seeds reach the molten core, our planet's magma will flood the surface, creating a new Apokolips!

Armed with a new assortment of allies, the Justice League breaks up into 5 teams in hopes of destroying these seeds before they reach the Earth. Firestorm, Dr. Fate, Green Arrow and the Martian Manhunter join the original Super Powers lineup in order to stop Darkseid's plan. It's a global tour not to be missed!

Already off the bat, everything feels right about this series. All of the heroes make some sort of contribution. Albeit, most are rather small. Yet unlike the last series, it doesn't take 3 issues for Wonder Woman to actually say something and she's operating in the present and not in a theoretical situation. 

As for the villains, only Darkseid, Desaad and a couple of minor minions appear in the first issue. But I'm okay with that as that ensures an element of surprise when the heroes go to stop those destructive seed pods from taking root.

Paul Kupperberg is on scripting duties with Jack Kirby plotting and on art!!! Kupperberg is a writer that loves comics, and from the brief couple of times I met him, he also seems to have fun doing it! It really shows here. There's just such a different vibe with this series. I know it's early. However, I really feel like I'm in for a treat with this book as things are off to a heck of a start compared to that uneven start to issue #1 of series #1.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Chase #6

This was such a disappointment. I had been sitting on this book for a year because of its cover which was inspired by Norman Rockwell's iconic Thanksgiving scene 'Freedom From Want'. Yet there's nothing Thanksgiving at all about the story!

Chase is about Cameron Chase and her 'Alice in Wonderland' like experience as the newest agent at the Department of Extranormal Operations. In this issue, Chase is on her last day of injury leave and has decided to spend that final day with her little sister. But first, a trip to the office to check on things. Of course, such a thing is never a good idea, as a demon released from an inter-dimensional portal on the 6th floor has wreaked havoc and now Chase is stuck in the elevator with the power out. 

With no place to go, the Chase sisters have a chat. It's here that Cameron reveals to his sis that their father was a low-level superhero named Acro-Bat and that he was murdered by a sadistic cape killer called Doctor Trap!

The book was good and I might very well be interested in reading the whole 10-issue series of Chase because of it. Yet, I consider such books with deceptive Thanksgiving covers and no actual holiday meat inside to be a Tofurky! I guess I wasn't really lied to. The story does go into the past and shows happier times with the Chase family. There's little Cameron on the cover. Papa Chase is dressed as Acro-Bat. And the murderer does lurk in the background, readying himself for a chance to strike. Still, I bought this book thinking it was a Thanksgiving read, as other comic book websites list this as a holiday book, and I got gypped out of the experience of watching characters in the DC Universe dine on turkey with all the trimmings.

A high quality book that I rate harshly for being fooled by the cover.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Avengers, Vol. 1: World Trust

Washington D.C. has disappeared. So has dozens of other world capitals, which appear to have disappeared off the face of the earth. The planet is in crisis. The United Nations is operating under a skeleton crew. Once again, Earth's mightiest heroes are called upon to save the day. Only this time, the Avengers aren't defending us from a colossal menace like Kang or Galactus. Instead, they're acting as the de facto leaders of the world under special commission from the UN.

The first half of this book sees very little action. What we get from Geoff Johns is a political Armageddon story on par with Tom Clancy. Seeing Captain America acting as motivational leader of the world with She-Hulk as his political law adviser and Iron Man acting as the head of the World Bank was a welcome change from super hero stories full of fisticuffs and violence. There's a ton of political intrigue as many of the Avengers have trouble trusting the intentions of both T'Challa and the Sub-Mariner, both world leaders, who have joined the team recently. Nobody trusts Henry Peter Gyrich, the Avengers former liaison who oversaw a dramatic retooling of the superhero team in the 1980s. But, Gyrich is about the only government man from D.C. left on the planet and he knows how to play the political game.

I was disappointed when the story shifted over to the menace behind the chaos. On one hand, I like the villain and his reasons for his treachery kinda ties in nicely with the baddie's M.O.. But there was a component of a new player who is more on par with Doctor Strange matching wits with, as opposed to the Avengers. Okay- I admit it! Scarlet Witch and her chaotic hex powers does make her a perfect protagonist to take on one half of the extinction level foes unleashed by the story's main villain. I just hated to see this amazing story devolve back into typical comic book theatrics.

World Trust was another example of why I like the Avengers. They've never really disappointed me. I think one reason they work so well is because of how much they distrust each other.

Great additions of Jack of Hearts and the Scott Lang Ant-Man to this story. They added a distrustful tension to the story which each other really hating the other guy's guts. Plus, both have such tragic story lines going on at this point, that their inclusion in this adventures added a ton of heart. 

Definitely a keeper in my Avengers collection of reads. I just wish there was more crisis-level drama than over-the-top superheroing in this grouping of issue.

Oh, and the back-up story was awesome. If you ever wondered what the Avengers would look and act like if they existed in the Simpsons universe, here's your chance. Simpsons Comics' Bill Morrison crafts a wacky tale in which Loki seeks to regain the title of God of Mischief by playing a bunch of sophomoric pranks on the Avengers. It's another fun tale that was so unusual and extremely refreshing to read that I want to see more of!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Magic Pickle (Family Comic Friday)

I've had this book sitting on my to-read pile for a very long time. I got this book during my days of volunteering at a dollar book warehouse. So it's been with me for maybe 5 years and I am really kicking myself for having waited so long!

Sometime in the 1950s or 60s, a scientist accidentally dropped the pickle he was having for lunch into some chemicals. As a result, the brined cucumber became sentient and Weapon Kosher was born! Over time, the scientist developed a whole army of veggie superheroes. Unfortunately, these guys all turned evil and went into hiding. As a result, Weapon Kosher was put into cryo-freeze with the hopes that where the bad produce returned, the Magic Pickle would be there to save the day.

It's now the modern day and Weapon Kosher's slumber has been interrupted. He wakes up to find himself in the bedroom of young JoJo Wigman, an elementary school child whose house was built over the science lab facility that gave birth to Magic Pickle! JoJo is indignant that there's now a giant hole in her bedroom floor. But she's thrilled to become a part of a secret world of science, superheroes and evil vegetables. And whether Weapon Kosher likes it or not, the Magic Pickle has a new sidekick!

The book was brilliantly written. Funny and smart. The artwork, especially of the produce, was dynamic, brooding and inked to a point, that they literally all jump off the page!

Magic Pickle is part Captain America and part Veggie Tales and 100% pure fun! I laughed and chuckled so many times. I was something that I didn't want to see end!

The fun actually extends past the main story as there is a bonus story in which the Magic Pickle takes on the threat of the Loconut! Plus, there's a section on how to draw the characters of this story. I thought the Loconut tale was just great. The art lesson, however, was just a little too off-the-wall for my tastes. A story about a pickle with super powers and the how-to section was the part that was too silly? Yes- but it's because of how unlike an art instructional article this section was that I thought it was just too much.

I personally, didn't get my fill of Magic Pickle. I've researched and there appears to be at least 4 other books in the series. Amazon seems to have most of them. I'm hoping my local library has more copies. Either way, I'm getting my hands on some more of this Scott Morse (Plastic Man) creation in the very near future.

And with a character named Weapon Kosher, might I recommend a Hanukkah volume? As a fan of holiday comics and graphic novels, I would definitely buy a copy of that- NEW!

This is a book that will make the kiddies want to finish all their vegetables!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Captain Nice 10211-711 (#1)

Captain Nice is one of those TV shows I remember from my childhood. Seeing it in rerun in the late 80s, Captain Nice was something that aired on Friday nights on WGN or Nick at Nite. I can't remember which. But I do recall that it was something I only would get to watch during the summers as it aired late at night like 10pm or later. 

As a kid, I loved Captain Nice. I thought it was goofy fun even though my mother swore that it was a stupid show. (Though why she'd keep watching it if it was so insipid is a mystery to me.) The William Daniels (Kitt from Knight Rider) series aired on NBC for only 15 episodes in 1967. Obviously, the American public thought this attempt to collect on the Batman TV series craze was pretty moronic. But for a 10-year old Madman, it was pretty funny.

Probably 30 years or so passed before I even thought of this show again. With the occasional appearance of Daniels on some TV show, I honestly never gave Captain Nice another thought. But then about 6 months ago, I started seeing people around the country on Facebook posting pics of finding this rare comic and adding it to their collection. With this revelation that there was a Captain Nice comic book, I immediately became intrigued and added the title to my wish list. 

Jump to early August. I got a tip on some really affordable Dark Shadows comics. That title was on my top 10 list of TV adaptations to add to my collection, so I went shopping. Needing to spend a few more dollars to achieve free shipping, I took a shot at seeing if I could add Captain Nice to my collection as well. The store had one in stock. The price was right. And in a few days, it was in my possession. 

That first night, I gave Captain Nice a read. Immediately, I am struck by a couple of things thanks to the photo cover and a number of stills from the show inside. One, William Daniels looks a heck of a lot older than you would think a young man just out of college would appear. (In reality, Daniels was 40 when the show aired). Second, the actress who played Captain Nice's mother isn't old enough to be a mother. (With that, technically, I am right. Alice Ghostly (Bewitched) was only 4 years older than Daniels in real life.)

As for the comics themselves, what is there to say that wouldn't prove my mother right. There are 4 shorts which are roughly 8 pages apiece. All of them are pretty goofy with Captain Nice bumbling about for 6 pages and then saving the day, mostly by accident, at the end. One story has Nice attempting to stop a rampaging flood. Another has the hero accidentally helping the very arch-villain he's sworn to stop! The best story involves a love triangle with Captain Nice, his sometime girlfriend meter-main Sgt. Kandy Kane and a slinky cat burglar. I cannot for the life of me remember what transpired in the fourth story. But I do know that every story was formulaic.

In every story, Nice as his alter ego Carter Nash is berated by his mother for not trying hard enough to be a better crime fighter. Kandy Kane tries to get Nash to woe her. Then a crime wave occurs. Ma Carter gets even more snarky, prompting Carter to act. Then, Kandy gets romantically frustrated being cast aside by Nash, now acting as Captain Nice, as he tries to save the day. Then the hero goofs frequently. But at least once, he lucks out and saves the day and though things don't turn out ideal, it's good enough for the citizens of whatever town Captain Nice operates out of.

The best story, that love triangle, at least doesn't follow that formula completely. Mom is mostly absent from that yarn and Nice ends up in the dumps. Literally!

This was a fun trip back to the 1980s. Sure, this book was down right goofy. But it was an entertaining goof. I don't feel like I wasted money on a dud. This was a parody of superhero stories. Maybe not perfect. But from the mind of the legendary humorist, Buck Henry (Saturday Night Live), the whole project has a little gravitas to it. 

I can't imagine many of these are still out there on the market. Like I said, it's rare. But rare doesn't always mean valuable and the few I've seen online aren't too expensive. So if you are looking to add a book to your Dell/Gold Key collections, this one shouldn't wipe out your bank account. 

Now ain't that nice?

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Quantum Age

After having explored the origins of Black Hammer (with Black Hammer '45), I then continued on to discover its future.

The events of The Quantum Age take place about 100 years after the disappearances of Abraham Slam, Black Hammer, Barbalien and the rest of the occupants of Black Hammer Farm. 

Now don't be duped by the back cover or what some other collected volumes of Black Hammer related books say. The events in this storyline do not occur 1000 years into the future. It's a typo. I think someone just added an extra 0 and proofread just didn't catch the mistake during the editing phase.

Black Hammer '45 was a tribute to war comics. The Cthu-louise one-shot and Madame Dragonfly FCBD entry were tributes to horror and suspense comics that were noted for their twist endings. And The Quantum Age is Jeff Lemire's love letter to DC's Legion of Super-Heroes and Marvel's mutant titles. 

While I was intrigued by the artwork of Black Hammer '45, I was a bigger fan of Wilfredo Torres's (Marvel Legacy Legion) work in this book. Maybe because it was less impressionistic than Matt Kindt's (Mind MGMT) stuff. Or maybe I'm less of a fan of water colors than I am with more traditional comic book coloring methods. 

There's a bunch of surprises and twists to this book. I had mentioned in a previous review of a Black Hammer collection that there were a couple of characters who I felt that their story wasn't over. Well, I was right. I will not spoil it here. But if you go digging through my other reviews, you'll learn just who those characters were. Well, two of them. Jeff Lemire managed to surprise me with a third reveal that I wasn't expecting.

And there was one character that I fell in love with and I had to read ahead to make sure they survived. I am glad to say that I got my wish. And if I hadn't, man was I going to be pissed!

I actually didn't want this story to end. Or maybe I should say, hopefully, there will be more coming. According to articles I've read, Jeff Lemire plans to close the door on Black Hammer in 2023. So maybe in these next 18 months, I'll get my wish and get to revisit The Quantum Age one more time.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Black Hammer, Vol. 4: Age of Doom Part 2

Black Hammer is one of those series that I was reading all well and good and then BOOM!, COVID hit. I had been getting my trade copies from my local library. And for a good 18 months, it became almost impossible to get something from my nearby branch. Between being completely shut down, limited pick-up and wait lists, I eventually gave up. And Black Hammer went on the back burner.

With the library reopening this year, I had a list of things to read that I had been waiting on but not willing to pay for. Jeff Lemire's Black Hammer was tops on my list. But knowing how complex and full of mysteries this amazing series is, I knew better to wait to be able to check out a whole bunch instead of taking my chances one volume at a time. 

In Age of Doom Part 1, the residents of Black Hammer Farm learned the truth behind their mysterious exile. In this volume, we learn what happens when the conspiracy unravels. Colonel Weird awakes in the middle of a strange wasteland that is ever changing. Weird has plopped down into the middle of the land of forgotten characters. It seems that whomever created the adventurous astronaut has deemed Weird's story over. But don't tell him that!

Meanwhile in Spiral City, the heroes have returned. Only things are completely different as there have never been superheroes before. Now rebooted, Spiral City is dark, dank and gritty and a handful of once glorified people live a life of sorrow and misery. 

It did take me a little while to catch up on what I had read 3 years prior before the pandemic made me pause reading the Black Hammer books. But once I followed through, my memory caught up with me and I had a blast reading this book!

I'll admit, I cheated a little. There's a trio of characters that I feel in love with and I had to fumble ahead just to make sure I wouldn't be surprised with their deaths. Thankfully, they made it. But I really can't reveal much more about them or I will definitely spoil stuff. 

The ending for this book was satisfying. True, there's still questions abounding, especially about the fate of at least 1 character. But for the most part, I was pleased with the story's finale. If I wanted, I could just close the book on the story. But, I checked out 3 further volumes which all add to the backstory of the characters and their foes. Plus, I know there's still 2 or 3 more volumes out there that either my library had checked out or they having yet been collected in trade form.

But as long as Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth) and Dean Ormstron (2000 AD) keep knocking it out of the park with this love story to the comic book art form, I see no reason to give up on Black Hammer yet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Classic Toys from a Madman's Youth: Advent 2019 Day 17

Thinking about yesterday's featured toy reminded me of another all-inclusive toy from my youth that I really loved. You might be familiar with Colorforms. But have you ever visited Marvel World? Well for today's Advent, welcome one and all!

Marvel World was an all-in-one playset from Amsco. The set was made of heavy-duty cardboard featuring 360 degrees of full color graphics. With this material, you got to build the Baxter Building, Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorium, the Daily Bugle and other Marvel icons of the New York skyline. The sets even had a working elevator and other cool surprises for the kiddies to explore on the inside.

Along with the buildings, you got literally dozens of little stand-up figures of Marvel Universe greats including Spider-Man, Hawkeye, The Green Goblin and Shang-Chi, The Master of Kung-Fu. You even got a Galactus but unfortunately, he was the same size as the other characters. 

This toy debuted in 1975. That's 3 years before I was born. But I remember owning one of these. I wanna say that my grandparents found one of these at a yard sale. I'm not 100% certain if I had this for a Christmas gift or not. But man, did I have fun with these!

Marvel World is definitely one of those toys that I wish I still had. I really think I'd continue to have hours and hours of fun with this. Yet, I seriously doubt I'll ever get my hands on one of these. Individual figures without the plastic stands sell for upwards of $65 each!

Behold, I am the herald of ridiculous collectible prices!

Maybe Marvel would re-release this. I'd pay upwards of about $60 for a replica set. 

As my Advent present for you today, here's an unboxing video. Obviously somebody shelled out some big bucks. Lucky guy... Oh well. Enjoy!

DC/ Looney Tunes 100-Page Spectacular

Mr. Mxyzptlk is super-bored. Annoying the Man of Steel just doesn't have that pizzazz it once does. So the inter-dimensional imp goes on a trek through the multiverse to find some fun. 
  
Mxy winds up in the Looney Tunes universe where he meets the Do-Do. In this new world of wonder, the prankster is inspired to take the characters who inhabit the Do-Do's universe and have them give the superheroes of the DC Universe a run for their money.

It's the Justice League's greatest challenge as Looney Tune meets the World's Finest. Now the World's Fastest Man is challenged by Speedy Gonzalez for the title of Speedster. Superman must answer the question 'What's Up Doc?' And Gotham has a new protector- the Duck Knight! The excitement is just too much for Mr. Mxyzptlk who wants to make the Looney Tunes permanent resident's of his earth. Only the combined forces of the residents of both dimensions can save the day and prevent the DC Universe from becoming a laughing stock!

This super-sized comic collects the Superman/ Bugs Bunny crossover from 2000 and it's a bit confusing. When DC collected this series, they re-titled it the DC/Looney Tunes 100-Page Spectacular. Yet the cover still lists the original Superman/ Bugs Bunny title. I'm not really sure what DC's thought process was behind this. But when I was requesting this book from my local comic book store, we had a devil of a time trying to figure out how to order it because the titles didn't match. So if you are trying to find this book online or in a store, who knows how the seller is going to have it listed or filed away.

Mark Evanier (New Gods) penned a great crossover that had me chuckling. One of the best running gags is when the Connor Hawke Green Arrow discovers music genius Michigan J. Frog singing for him and then he clams up everytime Connor shows him around. "I swear, this frog can sing!" This wouldn't work with the Oliver Queen GA. Connor is such a straight man, that to slowly have his sanity unravel because of a frog, is brilliant!

The art by the legendary Joe Staton was perfect as well. The Batman artist has proven over the past 40 years that he's got what it takes to illustrate the members of the Justice League. But how he seamlessly blends the Looney Tunes characters with those of the DCU is further evidence of Staton's genius. 

Not everyone was a fan of the DC/ Looney Tunes crossovers. Well, except for the Batman/ Elmer Fudd Special. Everybody loved that (and it was great!) But even if you are NOT a fan of funny animals, this is one special you should not gloss over! 

A perfect read for comic book fans of all ages. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars but only because of the very confusing title!

Essential Marvel Team-Up Volume 4

Another collection of Spider-man team-ups with some of the best, brightest, and most unusual characters in the Marvel Universe. (The Adam Warlock/ Strangers tale might be one of the best cosmic stories that I've ever read!) It may not seem like much, this volume. But, this is perhaps one of the most important collections of Marvel Team-Ups ever put together. 

Volume 3 includes the some of the first ever appearances of Iron Fist, the Giant-Sized X-Men, the villain Arcade, and the first American appearance of Captain Britain. A number of these issues are the first ever pairing of writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne, right before their lengthy partnership on X-Men. If anything else, this book also opened me up to a slew of issues and reprints that I didn't know I wanted until now, including the ultra-rare Essential Marvel Team-Up Volume 4.

There's a wealth of great Spider-man stories in this volume. But there's one noticeable omission, Marvel Team-Up #74 in which Spidey teams up with the Cast of Saturday Night Life. Due to licensing agreements, that issue could not be reprinted. But that's okay, as a very long time ago I bit the bullet and bought that classic issue for about $15- and it was worth every penny!

Along with Claremont and Bryne, there's a ton of great talent in this book including Bill Mantlo (Rom: Spaceknight), Sal Buscema, and Ralph Macchio. 

A collection that should not be overlooked just because it's in black and white.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batgirl: New Hero of the Night (Backstories Series) (Family Comic Friday)

    For this week's Family Comic Friday, I stretched the rules about. Instead of a graphic novel, I choose to write about a superhero themed chapter book for young readers. Hope you'll still enjoy...

    DC Comics and Scholastic join forces to bring you Batgirl: New Hero of the Night. This 2017 offering is the latest in the two publisher's Backstories series. This junior novel by Matthew K. Manning (The Batman Files) really surprised me pleasantly. 

    Being a chapter book for readers grades 2-5, I was afraid that New Hero of the Night would be some very hokey story that puts Batgirl in some more age appropriate challenges. Stories like 'Oh No! Somebody stole my cell phone!' or 'Gee, How can I balance being a student while also being Batgirl?' Instead, this book dives into the very troubled and dangerous career of Batgirl.

      In her about 50-year history in the DC Universe, Batgirl has been shot by the Joker, paralyzed, and fought her way back into fighting shape. She's even had to deal with her share of homicidal maniacs such as her own baby brother. While not being gruesome, this book has done a very good job at chronicling Barbara Gordon's life as a superhero with sugarcoating. It's as if R.L. Stine wrote a biography of Batgirl with only putting about 75% of his signature chill factor into it. 

     New Hero of the Night is like a scrap book of Batgirl's career. Along with providing highlights of her exploits, there are timelines, in-depth looks at allies and enemies, and other fun stuff. There's even some very cool educational segments that blends in vocabulary words with the legends of the DCU. Mind you, this is more of the New 52! DC Universe (which has recently been replaced or updated with DC's Rebirth storyline) but it's still educational and fun to read.

     I also really enjoyed the artwork by Sonic Sega Series' Patrick Spaziante. His penciled sketchbook style looks like a police artist from the Gotham City PD drew up a file on Batgirl for Commissioner Gordon's eyes only. I just hate that several of these pictures are recycled throughout the book. Spaziante's work is so good, I felt cheated out of completely new and different art on every page.

    An enjoyable quick read. There's several more books in the Backstories line-up including volumes on Batman, Harley Quinn, and my favorite- Supergirl. At $5.99 each, they're a very good price for over 120 pages of superhero excitement. Make these awesome books a part of your child's library today!

    Worth Consuming!

    Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars.

The Order #3

(2007-2008) Marvel Comics. Story by Matt Fraction. Art by Barry Kitson.

   Sometime in the late 90s, a version of the Defenders became this shadow group known as the Order. There was a paradigm shift with a mix of good and evil all rolled into one. I really liked that story. It's why I held on to this book, thinking the two teams were related.

Only the name matches as this Order is a group of heroes are tasked with protecting the citizens of California. Springing out of the pages of Civil War, this Initiative group is undisciplined, unbalanced, and completely unlikable.

  This book was a real disappointment. Matt Fraction is usually such a masterful storyteller. The Order that I read was a hodgepodge of forgettable characters, bureaucratic nonsense, and pseudo-science.

I won't be holding on to this.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1

    Harley Quinn is your host in the super hero holiday spectacular to end all holiday spectaculars. Batman Adventures legend Paul Dini (who also created the character of Harley Quinn) pens the framing segments before a host of holiday themed stories starring Superman and son Jon, Batman and son Damian, Wonder Woman, John Constantine, the Titans, members of the Green Lantern Corps, Batwoman, and many, many more...
    At $9.99, this special is a bit pricey. But it is a 96-pager and there were several stories that I loved so much, I had to read it over. The Batman/ Superman story and the Batman/ Detective Chimp story were the best. But the Paul Dini penned vignettes were the highlight. Nobody does Harley Quinn better- nobody! This book just dropped last Wednesday, but it's getting such rave reviews, I don't think it's going to be on store shelves for long! So act fast!!!
   Featuring a slew of DC talent including Cullen Bunn, Steve Orlando, Dustin Nguyen, and Gustavo Duarte, this was the best DC Special I think I've ever read. And I'm not just saying this because of how excited I am to see DC returning to making holiday specials (it's been 6 years since DC published the last one! Curse you, New 52!) 
    Rebirth has been a great thing for DC Comics and this holiday special was just another great example of how DC is the real mover and shaker of the Big Two! I look forward to 2017 and the next volume!
       
    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #4

It’s election day for the DC Universe. The culprit behind the attacks has been caught. The heroes have reeled in their political ambitions. And the American People are about to make their voice heard.

   However, before any of this can transpire, the Man of Steel grants Lois Lane an exclusive interview in order to do some damage control.

    I really enjoyed Superman’s speech. Here, it’s the Man of Tomorrow at his most humblest. He’s not some demigod among men, he’s an alien like we are all, only his homeland is light years away. I missed this version of the Big Boy Scout but I think I miss his idealism more.

   A great ending with some super creepy twists and one finely inspiring ending.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #3

  The race for President is heating up. Under the guise of showing their support Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman are able to embed themselves into more campaigns. But when a secret service agent turns on the politician he is assigned to protect, the stakes get higher. Ironically, this event helps Batman to figure out who is behind these mind controlled acts of terror. Now to bait the trap…

   Decisions returns to its political intrigue roots. When it clicks as a thriller, it’s like Marathon Man, but with superheroes.

    It’s not just a thriller. There are some very funny moments, especially thanks to the Flash, whose very perturbed that the media isn’t covering the assassination attempts as in depth as they are the circus of superheroes who are throwing their support behind a wide open field of candidates.

   One thing off with this issue is some of the art- in particularly, that of Lois Lane. Her eyeballs look like they take over all of her forehead. And there was one scene where is looks like she broke not only both arms but her wrists and all ten fingers. Really freaky looking.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Soviet Super Soldiers # 1

Recently on an episode of Avengers, these baddies showed up. So, I decided that it was time to finally read this one-shot that I had been hanging on to for so very long...

When I first saw the cover, I was thrilled. A special about Soviet era Super Heroes. The cover says “Super Soldiers” but most of the “heroes” are mutants and not the USSR’s answer to Capt. America.

Speaking of Capt., he makes a brief cameo at the beginning as prior events leading to this book took place in the pages of Captain America. But that's it!

The story splits into 3 teams. With these teams, I didn’t realize how many rivals Iron Man had that were Russian. I knew Crimson Dynamo was, but I did not know Unicorn and Titanium Man were Ruskies as well.

The multiple plots cause the stories to be very thin almost like an old Justice League of America comic. Also, there is some bleed over of characters and plots from other books in these tales and it was hard getting things straight. The art was pretty good but again the dialogue and story itself wasn’t so. Also, a small Who’s Who of secret files about these various heroes should have been included in order to help the average or uninformed reader, the latter myself, be able to understand what’s occurring.

An okay book, but it could have been so much better.

Rating: 6 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.