Marvel Absolutely Everything You Need To Know (A Madman Re-Read)

I've been re-cataloging my comic book collection into a new, hopefully more dependable database. It's been a lengthy, often times tedious, process. Going into my second year of working on this project, I've begun focusing on my graphic novels. That's how I came across this book for a re-read. (And yes, I know that this book is NOT a graphic novel.)

My first read was back in 2017. So a lot of the factoids I previously glossed over, had been essentially forgotten. Especially a lot of the more recent stuff. The more established lore of the heart and soul of the Marvel Universe, I pretty much know like the back of my hand. So I felt I'd benefit from a second glance at Absolutely Everything You Need To Know. True, this book is almost a decade old, published in 2016. That means there's a lot of material that's not even covered here like the coming of America Chavez, Spider-Gwen and Gwenpool. You will not learn about 'The Reckoning War', 'Extreme Carnage' or 'The Death of Doctor Strange.' Readers shouldn't even expect recent anthropomorphic fan favorites Alligator Loki and Jeff, the Land Shark here. 

DK did release an update. But that was in 2019! There's just too much newer stuff that won't be found in this book. If you're a newer reader of comics, you'll learn a lot about the foundation of Marvel Comics. If you're a more established reader looking to get caught up on what you've been missing in recent years, you are out of luck. And I would say that it's not just 2016-present that you will miss out of of you read this edition. I feel like the years 1995-2010 were just glossed over. Deadpool is barely even mentioned. Same goes for Blade, Ghost Rider and even your favorite team of mutants. Yes, the X-Men, arguably Marvel's most popular franchise, only get 4 pages out of over 250+ focused on their exploits. It really feels like the Avengers are the Star attractions of this book.

Avengers heavy exploits such as 'the Civil War,' 'the Age of Ultron' and 'Secret Invasion' are given a prominent place inside. Be glad the authors and editors included those episodes here. Without them, I don't think Wolverine or She-Hulk would even be mentioned in this book. I've not read the reissue of this book. But I'm hoping that instead of trying to revise the information in the first print, DK would have made the 2nd edition more of a compendium of overlooked characters and recent Marvel events. 

Also, despite this book focusing on alternate Earth's and timelines, you will not find anything on Marvel's impressive backlog of comics based on licensed franchises such as Star Wars, GI Joe or Transformers. 

Once again, my biggest peeve with this book was the format. I appreciate that they tried really hard to jam pack as much information and factoids into every 2-page feature. But I hated how they formatted it. Some paragraphs would be printed sideways. The data flow had no set pathway. Everything was so random, I'm pretty sure I missed something. 

Some 2-page spreads were entirely flipped on a 90 degree axis. Instead of reading about the history of Thor and Loki like you would hold a traditional book, their article was formatted in such a way that you had to read it like you were looking at a Playboy Playmate centerfold. I'm so very glad when I got to those segments of the book that my wife didn't assume that I was looking at some dirty pictures of the Invisible Woman or something. 

I enjoyed the read. Lots of knowledge to be gleaned. An amazing assortment of thrilling artwork from over 80 years of Marvel Comics history. Though trying to navigate it was like walking through a labyrinth without a map, a torch and assurance that the Minotaur isn't secretly about to pounce on you. I think it's time to pass this on to another reader. I just hope that the used bookstore that I am gonna trade this in at doesn't think that it's a reference book that is too out of date for readers.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 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.

New Year's Evil #1

For DC Comics, 2019 was the Year of the Villain.

The title of this holiday special is a throwback to a series of 1998 one-shots that were devoted to the villains. So I very much appreciated DC's throwback to that lineup of dastardly specials. True, the villainy of 21 years ago wasn't nowhere near as evil as the acts that has occurred throughout the Year of the Villain. But still, I'm a sucker for nostalgia. 

In this 80-page giant, fans will celebrate the holiday season with a number of bad guys including the calculating Calendar Man, the intoxicating Poison Ivy and the merry Prankster AND Toyman! (Sadly, those two didn't have a team-up story together! I would have paid an extra $1 just for that!)

Of course, this wouldn't be a special about antagonists without that Clown Prince Cover Boy, The Joker! His New Year Eve story about an impostor Joker terrorizing Gotham was probably the best story! ANDDDDDDD... it wouldn't be a DC holiday special without a story that features DC's other cash cow, Harley Quinn!

I'm not complaining about that. Her story that guest stars Renee Montoya was quite lighthearted and heartwarming. And I love Harley Quinn. I'm just saying that if you thought DC could overlook the Joker's Ex-girlfriend even though this is a holiday title devoted to villains and Harley is more of an anti-hero- well then you'd be wrong! 

You can't have villains without heroes. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman have prominent roles in this special that features 8 different stories. But that's about all for the champions. I don't recall appearances from The Flash, Green Lantern or anybody else. Yes- the villains really shine here!

This was the last holiday special I read for 2019. Being more set at New Year's than Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, I waited until after almost right at the turn of the year/decade to read this. 

You know now that I think about it, Hanukkah might have been mentioned but it was never observed in this special. Kwanzaa wasn't even thought about!  A couple of non-traditional holidays were part of some of the stories (and no- I am not counting the made-up holiday by an alien race in the Sinestro story), but I would have liked a story set at Diwali or a Krampus style adventure. 

I have no problem with other holidays than Christmas. And holiday comics are quite interesting when they look at how Winter is celebrated nationwide. Why, I'll even say Happy Holidays sometimes. But I will never deviate from calling December 25th anything but Christmas! So as long as DC never gets afraid to refer to Christmas as only X-Mas and only by that term, I'll have no problem with the House That Superman Built delving into international and non-Christian holiday waters! 

If any of the powers that be over at DC read this review- let's see some global flare next year! I really think it's needed to keep these festive reads, which I adore and look forward to so much,  relevant and fresh!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Spidey: Freshman Year

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed an issue of Spidey Super Stories. It was a series that ran in the 70s based on the live-action exploits of Spider-Man from the PBS series The Electric Company. In that issue, the web-slinger battled the terrifying Lizard.

Not willing to let a great idea die, Marvel brought back Spidey for a 12-issue run in 2016. I, of course, remembered the 70s version fondly. Naturally, I wanted for the series to be collected to see if the reboot was as good as the original. 

Spidey covers Peter Parker's first days as a super hero. This coincides with his freshman year of high school. During this time, Parker is the best friend of Harry Osborn, the number one target of school bully Flash Thompson and he might be the love interest of one Gwen Stacy- if he can get the courage to ask her out sometime. But above all- this story is about the troubles Parker has balancing being a superhero with responsibilities as a student and teenager. 

This series screams Stan Lee. It's so similar in feel to that of Lee and Ditko's run on Spider-Man, it's scary. Yet, I didn't feel that any of these stories had been told over and over to the point of being stale. Plus, I didn't have any problem with Gwen being a fellow classmate and not a college co-ed unlike some Marvel traditionalists. 

Since Marvel didn't have the rights to The Electric Company, you won't see Easy Reader or Paul the Gorilla. Though it would have been neat to have seen a cameo or two. (There might have been some characters from the 70s popping up in the background and I just didn't recognize them. But alas, no simians in trench coats...) However, the writers to this series do happen to subtlety mention some of the exploits that did occur in Spidey Super Stories, including what happened that last time Spider-Man meet the Lizard in the streets of New York. 

I absolutely loved the artwork of the first 4 issues. Nick Bradshaw (Guardians of the Galaxy) did this amazing job of rendering every last tiny detail. It was so much like that of another personal favorite of mine, Frank Quitely. When the art duties switched over later to Andre Araujo (Avengers A.I.), the art was bad. It just wasn't as magnificently detailed. It's like when your mom goes all out the first day of school with making you a fantastic lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, potato chips and a banana. Then by the last day of school, you're lucky if she puts a raw potato in the lunch bag. You start off with great expectations and end with mediocrity at best. 

Okay- again Araujo's art was good. It was mediocre compared to Bradshaw!

At least the quality of the stories didn't change. Too bad Marvel didn't invest in a series 2. Spidey is definitely an awesome read for the whole family that deserves more attention from the House of Ideas.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains (Loot Crate Edition)

The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains is a celebration of the most unusual, oddball super-villains to ever be put to 4-color print. Well, almost. This book has been on my wish list for quite some time. I just never got it for myself or as a gift. Then one day at a thrift store, I found this: the Loot Crate Edition.

This edition of only focuses on 50 awfully crafted baddies. (More like 60 if you count a couple of sections that focus on multiple adversaries of similar theme.) The regular edition is much bigger, covering roughly 150 entries.

Despite the size of the book, I couldn't pass it up eitherway. The thrift store price was certainly right at only $1! I finally decided that I would read this digest version in order to decide if I should go for the full Monty.

I'm actually glad I went the way I did. The author Jon Morris, is considered a comic book historian with a long running blog devoted to forgotten comic books and their characters. While I enjoyed his factual narrative, sometimes Morris got just a little too tongue in cheek at times with some very corny jokes.

I also managed to get the Loot Crate Edition of his companion piece, The League of of Regrettable Superheroes, for that sweet price of $1. I'm only a few pages into it. But it reads in a more serious tone that is more delightful to read.

While I doubt that the full edition of The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains is due to become a part of my collection, (unless I find it for a tremendous bargain), I plan on keeping this book. There's a lot of excellent information in here and as a comic book historian myself, this will make a potentially good reference book for future readings, reviews and composition of articles. I just wish that the commentary was a little more dry.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

DC Super-Stars Giant (Presents... Strange Sports) #10

As a kid, a favorite of mine was this DC Blue Ribbon Digest filled with strange stories set in the world of sports. I've forgotten the number of but the contents have never left me. In it, a boxer was forced to spar with cement gloves, a hockey match set by a waterfall became a death match, and a basketball team faced off against a group of athletes without faces.

But the story that interested me the most in that book was the cover story of this very issue. A baseball game between heroes and villains! Batman, Joker, Lex Luthor, Green Arrow, Amazo- all of your favorite heroes were there.

The game started as the result of a domestic dispute between Sportsmaster and his wife Huntress (not the superhero who later becomes a Bird of Prey, but the leopard-print wearing villainess.) Anyways, Huntress wants to go straight but her hubby won't have it. So the pair recruit teams of heroes and baddies to play a round of baseball to decide her fate.

This was a very odd story. There's been tales of good guys and their arch- enemies using athletics to decide the outcome of some skirmish, such as the Green Lantern reprint in the back of this issue. But usually one side or the other is reluctant to play or they cheat like crazy.

Here everybody is willing to participate in America's past time and the baddies seem to really be enjoying themselves. It's rather odd that nobody, even the Man of Steel, uses their powers or bag of tricks until  the last inning. In the ninth, it's no holds barred! What's even odder is in the last inning, it's the heroes who win by cheating- not the bad guys!

This story is a classic example of the sort of stories editor Julius Schwartz was noted for. Unusual, off-the-wall but thrilling and fun as well as original! Above all, the story had to be original with Julie! I love it.

There's also a story that I've read somewhere before but have forgotten when and where I've done so. It's a Gil Kane story in which a human track and field coach meets a bunch of alien athletes. Unfamiliar with the gravity on earth, the aliens need the coach's help if they are to win their upcoming track meet. Another odd story but quite enjoyable and ORIGINAL!

That must mean it's another Schwartz helmed masterpiece.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel

60's camp meets 60's mod in this amazing crossover from DC Comics and Boom! Studios. 

The Dynamic Duo joins forces with the Original Avengers in this story that spans two countries. Filled with villains from both franchises, this was one of the best crossovers I've read in a while AND I read a bunch of crossovers and team-ups. It's one of my favorite categories of comics and this one does not disappoint!

Victorian Undead's Ian Edington did a whiz-bang job of capturing the quirks and mannerisms of all of the characters of both properties. Mrs. Peel, played by the alluring Diana Rigg, was always a little cheeky. But the way she plays Mrs. Robinson to Robin's Dustin Hoffman was a little uncomfortable. So, maybe Edington goes a bit too far there. But his idea to have Batman and Robin meet Steed and Peel almost immediately instead of waiting for a couple of issues was a smart move!

I was also digging the artwork. Doctor Who's Matthew Dow Smith took his form to the 60s in a brilliant way. His illustrations of Adam West, Julie Newmar, Patrick Macnee were so very spot on. 

As both TV shows this crossover was based on were set in the 60s, Pop Art was a rising art movement. During this time, Andy Warhol was famous for making silk-screened images of famous people. While I know that's not what Matthew Dow Smith did here, his realistic looking images look silk-screened. Very appropriate for a tale set in the 1960s!

Full of swinging 60s humor, action, and sex appeal- Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel was a great read that I didn't want to end!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Powerpuff Girls: The Bureau of Bad #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Welcome to another edition of Family Comic Friday. Today's selection is all about the bad guys in the first issue of IDW's The Powerpuff Girls: The Bureau of Bad. 

Many of the Powerpuff Girls biggest enemies have teamed up in hopes of bringing Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom down one and for all. But in order to do that, the likes of Mojo Jojo, Sadusa, and Butterfingers must decide who will lead them. They all can't be the head of the Bureau of Bad! 

So in order to determine who will be the leader of the Doom Room, each villain will recount how they came the closest to taking down the Powerpuff Girls. First up is Princess Morbucks' tale of how she started her own version of the Powerpuff Girls and reduced her enemies to 'nothing.'

This opening chapter of the Bureau of Bad reminds me of one of the greatest episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, 'Almost Got "Im.' In that story, all of Batman's greatest villains including the Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc recount how they all almost took down the Dark Knight. Having the Powerpuff Girls' enemies tell their version of events is pretty similar to that great episode and as someone who isn't really familiar with this franchise, I was pleasantly surprised with how good this first issue was!

Issue #1 is written by the team of Haley Mancini and Jake Goldman. The latter is a regular writer on the show. But it's Mancini who really sparked my interest as she is the voice of Princess Morbucks. Who better to delve into the psyche of the character than the actress who brings her to life? 

I'd be really interested to know if the actors behind some of the other characters who are members of the Bureau of Bad will be writing their alter-egos own stories. Unfortunately, upon further review on the IDW Publishing listings for issues #2 and 3, I don't think that's likely as only Mancini and Goldman are listed as the writers for those installments. 

As for the art, it looks pretty darn close to what the cartoon series looks like. Again, I'm no expert of the Powerpuff Girls. But, I think artist Philip Murphy did a very photo-realistic job. 

The Powerpuff Girls: The Bureau of Bad #1 was a very entertaining opening chapter. I think it's got a lot of potential. A perfect read for not just fans of the show but as this introduces readers to all of the baddies, this is a great starting point for newbies. 

This all-ages comic book retails for $3.99. It debuted in stores on November 29th in comic book shops nationwide.

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.

Batman '66 Meets The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

  

When a new operative of the criminal organization THRUSH frees all of the inmates from Arkham, Batman and Robin must join forces with the Man from U.N.C.L.E.!

Jeff Parker returns to the Batman '66 universe in this 2016 crossover! All of your classic television favorites are here including Batgirl, Egghead, Napoleon Solo, and Soviet agent Illya Kuryakin. (Man, did my mom have a crush on him!) There's even a few 'modern' villains such as Poison Ivy and a mystery player involved. Sorry- I can't spoil it! (But I can tell you- I saw the plot twist from a mile away!)

Other than what my mother has told me about the Man From U.N.C.L.E., I have never seen the show. But my mom was what you would call a super-fan of the show. So, I think I have a decent idea of what sort of flow to expect from the U.N.C.L.E. characters. Considering that the Batman '66 segments fit very well with that show's personality, I would say that Jeff Parker did an admirable job combining the two franchises.
 
 My favorite part of this book was the art. David Hahn (Suicide Girls) does a fine job at capturing the Batman '66 look of both the show and comic book series. But of course, more than anything, I dug Madman's Mike Allred's groovy covers. I really want to see him take on a 4-issue crossover between Batman '66 and Star Trek '66- and not just the covers. I think it would be wild!

Great fun for those nostalgic fans of classic TV and classic comic books!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis (Family Comic Friday)

   Imagine if most of the heroes and villains of the DC Universe all attended a high school in Gotham City. While enrolled, they are trained by their teachers to become the next generation of Super Heroes. That's DC Super Hero Girls in a nutshell.

    Now a bestselling line of dolls, young adult novels, and a popular web series, this volume collects the first storyline of the web comic series from 2015-16.

     It's almost finals and the girls of Super Hero High are practicing, studying, and preparing for their exams. Yet one by one, the young heroes are kidnapped by a mysterious foe. It's up to Harley Quinn to track her companions down and save the day! 

     Uh-oh! They're doomed!

    This was a very enjoyable little series. There was lots for not only girls but boys to enjoy! Parents will delight too- especially if they grew up reading DC Comics. There's tons of great Easter eggs and throw backs to vintage DC. 

     The only thing I had an issue with was the artwork. Every characters is stunningly rendered and they look so much like the toys. But the posing of the characters just looked a little off. For example, there's a scene at the end where all the Super Hero Girls are together posing for a class picture. Sadly, Supergirl looks too small and two or three other characters look like they are floating about 6 inches of the stage. It's definitely a composition issue.

    A delightful read based on a toy line that is full of girl power!

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Secret Society of Super-Villains, Volume 1 (1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 44)

    
For today's A Madman Turns 40, I'm reviewing a collection of comics from my favorite year.

   The series in question is DC Comics' The Secret Society of Super-Villains. The series ran from 1976-78 and the volume I read contained a majority of it's issues published in 1977.

    So just what is the Secret Society of Super-Villains?

    A mysterious benefactor summons a group of villains to San Francisco in order to finally rid the world of the Justice League. Soon the bonds of teamwork begin to crumble as power struggles and egos arise as the group is directed to steal a myriad of mystical devices and items. Added to the mix is that one of the teammates is secretly a good guy- but who is the traitor?

Series Creator, Gerry Conway. 

    Then around about issue 5, the focus of the comic shifts dramatically. Writer, Gerry Conway suddenly left the title. Replacement writers added Jack Kirby creation Funky Flashman to the mix having him attempt trying to market the team to high bidders. But there is a major fly in his ointment. Earlier, the Secret Society manipulated a time-displaced mutant hero called Captain Atom. When the Society restructures, Atom vows to bring in the villains whom he once called friends to justice. While a host of awesome superheroes assist Captain Comet in his quest, none of them could ever save this series from an imminent demise.

     I knew from the get-go reading issue #1 that this series was doomed. When the SSOSV is first introduced, Catwoman is listed as a member. NOT ONCE DOES SHE MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN THIS BOOK!  Obviously, you can tell with flaws such as that, this series was rushed out. A special feature at the end of this volume shows writer and creator Gerry Conway's original vision for the series. But then-publisher Carmine Infantino had a different idea and ordered his revision expedited to print. 

Then DC Comics publisher, Carmine Infantino.

   A quick rush through publishing caused massive story problems and sloppy artwork. Along with continuity errors, this series also lacks vision. That's in very large part to the revolving door of writers and artists desperately attached to and dropped from the series. With so many different cooks placed in the DC Kitchen, there were so many different versions of this team changing ranks quicker that the Justice League during a recruitment drive. It's nearly impossible for the reader to form any sort of lasting bond with the characters. 

    Oddly enough, despite my displeasure with this series, I actually want to read volume 2 to see how things unfold. Yet, I doubt I'll ever get my hands on the complete story as it was spread out over several other unrelated series and the current editors of DC didn't think to include those stories in this volume! That made me so mad that I was almost willing to forgive the other oversights I found in throughout the editing of these late 70s stories. ALMOST...

     A few weeks ago, I discussed the great blizzard of New England. I mentioned how blizzards in both 77 and 78 caused massive production delays in publications such as comic books. This was one such series that suffered from the crippling snow storms. Rushed stories, a lack of being able to keep a definite creative staff attached to the project, mixed with oft delayed distribution lead to the Secret Society becoming a victim of 1978's DC Implosion. 

Cover to SSOSV Volume 2.

    Again, I doubt that if I get my hands on volume 2, I'll never get the full story. Issues #16 and 17 never saw mass print. But facsimiles of those issues are included in the second volume of SSOSV. However, the planned final issue that was supposed to wrap everything up (issue #18) never saw print in any form. 
   
     Man, was the winter of my favorite year brutal to DC Comics...

     Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.
    

Marvel: Absolutely Everything You Need To Know

Barnes & Noble has an exclusive variant cover
that boasts Spider-Man.

   Marvel: Absolutely Everything You Need To Know promises readers to give them the complete inside scoop on the Marvel Universe. But this 240-page chronicle doesn't even come close to scratching the surface.
    Let's look at the positives first:

• It's a DK Book and they do amazing work. Their volumes are like museums in a book. If you need a guide getting around a city or state or particular topic, they are folks you trust to make sure you have arrived. 
• The illustrations are rather stunning and there are some really great factoids that I have wondered about for years and finally got answered.
• For someone who loves Captain America, he's very well covered in this book. The Avengers are also main features.

     But sadly, I think I have more negative things to say than good. 

     First of all, there's a lot of wasted space. At least 20 pages are comprised of splash pages of epic battles with no words. That really trims the book down to about 220 pages. I've read some books about Marvel that take 220 pages just to examine the history of how Atlas Comics in the 40s became Marvel in 1961! So a lot of history is glossed over.

Each 2-page spread looks like a museum display.

     Marvel has gotten a lot of flak over the past 5 years in how they have handled their properties licensed to other movie studios. I'm talking mainly about X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Both entities are virtually non-existent in this book. Wolverine, who was Marvel's most bankable character from the early 80s until about 2010 is mentioned maybe twice. 

       But I also found it odd that many of the characters that Marvel has decided to make the focus of their enterprise in the 21st century are for the large part overlooked. The In-Humans, seen as the poor choice to replace the X-Men, really only get 2 pages devoted to them. Ms.Marvel, Kamala Khan, only gets a 2 sentence blurb on the Captain Marvel page. And where the heck is Deadpool? I don't think he's in this book at all! (This book was found in the children's section, so maybe DK decided to tone down the violence. But it didn't read like a kids book!)

     The lay-outs are also a weak point. Several are presented in a pin-up fashion, meaning you have to turn the book sideways in order to read it. There's even 1 segment where you have to read the book upside down!

An example of the book's odd formatting.
I did not doctor this in any way.

     If I was going to give this book a new title, I would call it "Marvel: Everything New Readers Absolutely Need To Know In Order to Read Current Marvel Comics." I know that in the past couple of years, Marvel wiped out their original 616 universe in the pages of the Secret Wars. But it's not like everything reset to zero. If anything, it just molded the comics to be more like the Marvel movies and I think that's what Marvel and Disney told DK to do when crafting this book: only tackle things that are relevant to the company's plan for the heroes of the Marvel Universe.

     DK has rights to license DC Comics properties. Though I do not see plans for a volume such as this one, I hope if DK does produce a DC Comics version that the publisher will not be bound to Marvel's parameters. There is so many ways that DK can improve and if anyone from DK reads this review, I hope they will take this Madman's critiques and complaints to heart.

     An informative volume that focuses less on the company's illustrious 75 year plus history and more on the events of the past 15 years of their cinematic universe.

     Worth Consuming

     Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Harley Quinn

Love her or hate her, but there was no denying that Harley Quinn was the DC darling of 2016. She was everywhere- the big screen as a member of the Suicide Squad, at least 2 new series hit shelves, bringing her total to 3. She guest starred everywhere from the pages of Batman to Scooby-Doo. Facebook was crammed pack with cosplayers and aspiring artists paying tribute to the Joker's girlfriend. So of course DC Comics was going to reissue this treasury of essential Harley Quinn stories originally published in 1999.   
    The book covers Harley's first official appearance in the DC Universe in Harley Quinn #1. Why Batman Adventures #12, the ever so more demanded first appearance of Harley in print wasn't covered is beyond me?! But this is a nice collection of stories covering Harley's initial whirlwind romance to her attempts to break away from Mister J and become her own woman. Poison Ivy, the Riddler, Scarface, and the Dark Knight make extremely memorable appearances here. 
    I read the third edition of this anthology. Being the third print, DC added some new work, including a reprint of Detective Comics #23.2. Part of the New 52 Forever Event, this story reboots the character's origin, as well as her look and locks in her affiliation with the Suicide Squad. As a Harley purist, this was perhaps my least favorite of the collection. But it was interesting getting to finally explore the ins-and-outs of this change.
    A very good collection featuring great writing by Harley Quinn creator Paul Dini and a score of other writers and artists like Joe Kubert, Alex Ross, Neil Googe, and Bruce Timm.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Happy Halloween 2016!

May your Halloween be long and fun...

Flashpoint: Legion Of Doom #3

   Heatwave and his fellow inmates have taken control of Oliver Queen's flying fortress prison for super-villains and is now heading on a collision course for the Motor City. It's Heatwave's ultimate act of revenge on his arch enemy, Cyborg, to destroy his hometown of Detroit. But with Cyborg's internal batteries failing, can the Flashpoint America's greatest hero save his home from a apocalypse of 9/11 proportions?
    This was a thrilling conclusion to the Legion of Doom miniseries. I loved the action. I loved the drama. And I absolutely loved the plot twists. The saying 'there is no honor among thieves' is presented in flying colors here.
    I mentioned 9/11. That tragic date in history is used so often in stories about alternate history and though it's not mentioned by name- the threat of a giant flying prison set to destroy a major American city; well the allusion to that event wasn't lost on me.
    Oh, and the ending- wow! It was freakin' awesome! I just wish there was one more page...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2

  After some careful planning, Mick Rory (Heatwave) enacts his plan to break out of the flying fortress known as Queen's Row. With a small band of prisoners and Eel O'Brien- the Plastic Man, helping him escape, Rory uncovers the secrets of the prison for super villains known as the Row and get reunited with his confiscated gear. But he's not done yet as Heatwave seeks to add some heat to old Detroit; home of his arch-enemy Cyborg!

    The gore factor in this series is proof that while Flashpoint is a great storyline, it's not the DC Universe. It's also not for kids. When the book says on the cover that it's rated for teens up, the editor's mean it! But if they ever decide to make this miniseries into a movie, they've got to have Tarantino helming this project! This has his name written all over it!

   Insane stuff that pulls no punches!

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Ant-Man, Volume 1: Second-Chance Man (Marvel NOW!)

 

 After a pretty hard life in the Big Apple, Scott Lang follows his daughter to sunny Miami. Lang hasn't always been there for Cassie, what with being in jail and all, so he decides to stay close after his ex-wife relocates to the Sunshine state. The second Ant-Man hopes to capitalize on his name recognition and he starts up a new security business. Along with a fellow reformed super-villain named the Grizzly (who mistakingly tries to kill Scott after believing he is the Ant-Man who sent him to the slammer!), things seem to be going great at this new business (except for the customers who mistake him for an exterminator...) 

   But Scott should know not to look on the bright side for too long as a trio of his old foes has arrived on the scene, gunning for revenge. Just don't call them his arch-enemies, okay? These baddies do have a reputation to uphold!

    I liked this series. It did a fairly decent job playing off of the events that occurred in last year's Ant-Man movie. Author Nick Spencer has Lang be the narrator for this volume and I think that was a great idea. Spencer seems to really be able to get into our anti-hero's head and with that being said, I really can hear actor Paul Rudd's voice throughout this book. This Ant-Man has all the mannerisms, quirks, and foibles of the actor who is set to portray the diminutive character for a number of upcoming Marvel films. It was brilliant.

   There are just two little things that I think are missing from this series. The first thing is that I think Miami was a little bit of a mistake. In the Ant-Man film, the lead character lives and operates in San Francisco. Now, I know that in the comics all of the characters operate out of New York and that's where this story opens up. But I also know that Marvel wants the books to more closely resemble the films. So, instead of Scott pick up stakes and move to Miami, Spencer should have him set up in the Golden Gate area.

   The other issue I had was an editorial problem. This series only ran for 5 issues and an annual. The short run is all likely due to the massive shakeup of Secret Wars. But Second-Chance Man only contains issues 1-5! Where is the annual at? Is it going to be reprinted somewhere else? And more importantly, why isn't it contained in this volume?

   This was a great book, though a little incomplete. Hopefully, after Secret Wars, we'll continue the adventures of Scott and Cassie Lang. I gotta say, if Marvel doesn't return to the adventures of this Ant-Man, they'll be coming up 'short' on a perfect opportunity involving a fascinating character.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars.

Uncanny Origins #11

  Up until the publication of this issue in 1997-98, there were 3 people to carry the mantle of the Black Knight in the Marvel Universe. The first was Percival from King Arthur's Court, who bore a sword forged by Merlin that could only be defeated by one that wielded this sword’s counterpart. (OK, stop right there! Why create a powerful tool only to give it an equally powerful way to stop it? Seems stupid to me. Or is this like Batman having some kryptonite to keep Superman in check?)

Anyways, centuries later, a curse was bonded to the sword in which if anyone kills with it, even accidentally, it turns the killer evil. A biologist named Nathan Garrett becomes possessed by the blade and becomes the villainous Black Knight. But Garrett's reign of terror is short-lived and he is killed.

  Enter Dane Whitman, nephew of Garrett. He discovers that his uncle was the Black Knight but he decides to go on the path of good. Tell that to the Avengers as they still think this is the evil version of the Black Knight and mayhem ensues when Dane tries to save them from Magneto and later Kang.

  This all seems pretty straight forward, right? Well somebody forgot to post the memo to issue writer Glenn Herdling, because this was the most convoluted story that I have read in a long time. This book has flashbacks, flash forwards and even a flashback hiccup (that's when you flashback to someone else who then has a flashback in their flashback. Confusing, ain't it?) Another issue is that because of this excessive jumping around in the Marvel timeline, some potholes are left wide open and seemingly forgotten. Only I didn't forget!  (This is also another one of those times where a bibliography would've come in handy, as I have little idea where most of this takes place and I'd like some closure!)

   Along with the plot, the art wasn't all that great either. Dane doesn't look the same one panel to the next. Proportions of characters were all wrong and it looked like someone was trying to copy Rob Liefeld a bit too much.

  This was such a disappointment. I really like the character of the Black Knight- good or bad. But they just don't do him justice. And that my friends is a true crime!

Not Worth Consuming.

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

   

DC Universe Holiday Bash III

   

Yeah, I know it's way past Christmas. But I forgot to post this review in time, so here it is...

   This volume of the Holiday Bash was probably the best of the 3 that I've read. In this collection of holiday tales, Superman and Batman compete to make the season merry and bright for a family whose home was destroyed by the Toyman, Wonder Woman visits friends and tries to get guest Artemis into the Christmas Spirit, and Tim Drake goes on patrol alone as Robin on Christmas while Bruce Wayne is out of town on business.

    Then we get the story that is based on the cover image. The strange character depicted on the front is called Shrapnel. He's a mysterious supervillain made of metal with the ability to shoot deadly metal shards from his body and is mainly an adversary of the Doom Patrol. The baddie is spending Christmas Eve in a superhero prison facility. But when his family doesn't come to visit him, Shrapnel will literally move heaven and earth to spend the holiday with his kids; inhibitor collar be damned.

    To round out the issue, the Joker regales us with a Christmas carol Arkham Asylum style. Finally, Impulse gets a lesson in the truth about Santa. In typical fashion, when the adolescent speedster finds that the North Pole is an empty frigid wasteland, he takes it upon himself to play Kris Kringle to the whole world. 

   Featuring the talents of Karl Kesel, Chuck Dixon, Jaime Mendoza, Sean Parsons and dozens more artists, writers, inkers, and colorists, this 1999 Christmas special was the perfect Thanksgiving surprise. I found this on vacation in Asheville last November and I couldn't wait to read it! I just hate that I forgot to give it the credit is justly deserves.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.