The Big Book of the Weird Wild West

How much would you be willing to pay for a Western anthology series featuring the artwork of legends such as Dick Giordano, Joe Orlando, Marie Severin, Paul Kuppenberg, Joe Staton, and many, many more? 

 

$50? $75? $100? What if I told you that all of these comic legends could be bought for $14.95 or less? 

   Featuring the writing talents of John Whalen (Un-Men), Rick Klaw (Wild West Show), and others, the Big Book of the Weird Wild West contains dozens of short stories about the oddest lawmen, dumbest outlaws, and strangest habits of the old west that Hollywood and the history books just don't you about. 

   This book was published by Paradox Press, a short-lived imprint of DC Comics from the 1990s. Paradox published a number of anthologies like this one in which each volume was devoted to the odd, the strange, the macabre, and the just plain weird. I love the Factoid Books series. For a history buff than loves his world the weirder the better, these books are the perfect fun reads in sequential art form.

   But as these are books about true events, the Factoid Books or 'Big Books' do not sugarcoat their reports. A little titillating, sometimes gory, and filled with adult themes and language, these books from Paradox are suited for the Vertigo Comics crowd. In other words: for teens and older. 

   I found this copy when I was working at the book sale at my local library. But volumes of this series can be found on Amazon for good prices. You might also come across these books at your favorite used book shop. These are treasured gems in my graphic novel collection and for some reason you can almost always find a copy or two at your local comics shop usual for half off cover or better.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Weird #4 (of 4)

 

Okay, spoilers aside for a moment. I had said in my review of issue one of this mini-series that I had never heard of the Weird before I came across these books. I’ve never seen him before and I have never seen him since. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happens at the end of this book, based on that knowledge. So, when I talk about what transpired, I hope you’ll understand that I’m really not giving anything away.

 

The Justice League must prevent the Weird from going critical and destroying the earth. But before they can do they, they’ve all got to team together to fight two of the Weird’s enslavers from his home dimension. Only, these hostile entities don’t want to leave and have taken up residence in two of earth’s mightiest beings in hopes of enslaving this dimension and maybe blowing up a few solar systems in the process.

 

I won’t mention who are used as vessels by these evil beings. I’ll try to keep that plotline from getting spoiled. However, I will say that the final fate of the Weird is heroic, tragic, and just plain heartbreaking. Thankfully, the Weird is allowed to tie-up a few loose ends with his son, who was introduced in issue 2. But just because there is a perfect moment in time between a father and his child that does not mean that there is a happy ending for this mini-series.

 

While I hate the way this series ended, I wouldn’t trade it. It’s a permanent part of my collection and I am proud to say that if you collect comics, then this series should become a part of yours too!

 

Fantastic writing and excellent art by the great Bernie Wrightson. I cannot recommend Wrightson enough. For more examples of his work, check out back issues of the 70s horror anthologies the House of Secrets and the House of Mystery. You’ll be glad you did!

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

The Weird #3 (of 4)

 

The Weird has a final confrontation with the conjuror that brought our newly formed hero’s life essence across dimensional plains. We learn the origin of the half-human/ half emerald wizard and discover that the Weird was actually a slave in his dimension. Faced now with the Justice League ready to take the Weird down in order to prevent him from going nuclear, more entities from the protagonist’s home dimension have made it to the other side and have decided to make it their new home. But in order to do this, they’ll need bodies- powerful, strong, and indestructible bodies.

 

 Hey, has anybody seen the Man of Steel lately?

 

The third chapter in the Weird’s saga was very well crafted. The origin of the conjuror was creepy. It reminded me of the early stuff Alan Moore did in Swamp Thing, have terrible people do terrible things. Original Swamp Thing artist, Bernie Wrightson adds that extra creep factor to the short life of the amateur wizard responsible for bringing the Weird and two of his jailers over to earth.

 

I cannot wait for the ultimate chapter when the Weird and the Justice League must take on the enslaved bodies of ******* and ******. Nope- you’re not getting a spoiler outta me!

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Weird #2 (of 4),

With over 24 hours before the Weird can reconnect with the portal to his universe of origin and hopefully reseal it permanently, this newly formed super being does something that just melts your heart. Being created from a recently deceased father, the Weird decides to spend one last day with his son.

 

While the father son bonding unfolds, the Justice League and Superman continue their search for the Weird in order to keep him from blowing up half the planet with his cellular structure levels still edging ever so closer to becoming “super nova.”

 

The biggest thing we learn about the Weird is that the conjuror who brought him into this universe is a bad guy. Drunk with power (or should I say horny), this half human/ half emerald construct is bidding his 24 hour window of opportunity into recharging his batteries. The fiend does this by having his way with random women and draining their life essences into dust.

 

Chapter 2 is what’s got me hooked on this mini-series. The Justice League are starting to act and sound more like they do in the pages of their own comic. Superman is as noble as ever. Plus, Bernie Wrightson just makes this evil conjuror all that much more creepy with his horrific art! Plus, the whole father son dynamic thing-I love it.

 

The Weird is a book that I don’t think got much love when it came out in 1986 and I think it’s still overlooked. Maybe my reviews will change that. Great stuff.

 

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Weird #1 (of 4)

The title says it all. When a mysterious energy source is somehow transported across dimensions to the middle of downtown Metropolis, the Justice League and Superman are called in to investigate. When their investigation creates a spark in the strange ball of light, it sets off a chain reaction that raises a recently departed father from the dead and changes him into a being of immense power. This thing is so powerful that his molecular structure is going nuclear and looks to not only destroy Metropolis but take half of the earth with it.

This first chapter is a little strange. The writing of the Justice League is way off. It’s the Giffen and DeMatteis line-up but with the exception of Batman, none of the other Leaguers sound like themselves. Guy Gardner is more even tempered and shows respect to both the Dark Knight and Superman. Blue Beetle is serious for once! And Black Canary and Captain Atom- well, I don’t remember them being members at the beginning of this incarnation of the League.

As for the Weird, I’m at a loss. I’ve never encountered him in any of my other readings of DC Comics. The person who summons the energy source into this dimension. Is he the being’s master or a future foe? Plus, why is this conjuror half human and half emerald? He looks a lot like John “Hellblazer” Constantine. Is it him?  There’s a lot of unanswered questions here. Hopefully, the next chapter will shed some light on those loose plot points.

It’s not my favorite story- but there’s time to impress me. I do enjoy the Bernie Wrightson art very much and with the Weird and his even odder cohort, I think selecting the Swamp Thing veteran to pencil this mini-series was the right move!

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.