Limited Collectors Edition C-43 'Christmas With the Super-Heroes' Facsimile Edition

The fan favorite tabloid treasury returns in this facsimile edition! 5 holiday classics presented in oversized fashion with remastered art and color.

• A pair of Scrooges seek to force Santa to privatize or face a total cease of magical operations. Meanwhile Lois and Clark are leading a toy drive sponsored by the Daily Planet and those two haters of Christmas have decided to put the newspaper out of the toy  business as well. Enter the Man of Steel to save Christmas not just for Metropolis, but all the children of the world!
• On Christmas Eve, Batman gets summoned by the Bat-Signal to sing Christmas carols with Commissioner Gordon and the GCPD.
• Set during World War II, Wonder Woman is assisted by a Douglas Fir of all things, in uncovering a Nazi spy ring near the Canadian border on a snowy Christmas Eve.
• The House of Mystery's Cain spins a tale about a holiday intruder in true DC horror fashion in 'Night Prowler!'.
• Set during his spandex wearing days, the Sandman and his sidekick Sandy stumble across a mob scheme involving a department store Santa.

All 5 stories were reprints. Amazingly enough, I had only previously read the Batman story. Written by Denny O'Neil with art by Neal Adams, I've read this story previously in several retrospectives on the amazing work these two did in the 70s for DC. I've probably also read the House of Mystery story and just don't recall as I have several HOM omnibuses. But as for the other 3 stories, they were brand new to me!

The Superman story is from a comic book titled Superman's Christmas Adventure. It is something that I wasn't aware of until I got this. The story is pretty long which has me wondering if I got all the material from that book or if there's more that I am going to want to add to my ever-growing Christmas comic collection. (Turns out, I don't!)

I'm also wondering about the Wonder Woman story. This month, DC is re-releasing a facsimile edition of a classic 1940s Christmas issue of Sensation Comics. I know that my favorite LCS has a copy on order for me. I'm just wondering if the story from this 1975 reprint is from that issue or not. It doesn't make sense to me that DC would release the same story in the same month in 2 different facsimiles. But if so, unless there is a lot more holiday material in it, I don't want to spend money on the same thing in 2 different formats.

Speaking of money, this recreation saved me some mega bucks. It unfortunately doesn't come with a mid-70s cover price of $1.00. However, $12.99 new was a much better price to pay than asking prices of anywhere between $60 and $100 that I have seen online and in the wild. Besides, this WAS a reprint of Christmas reprints. I didn't have to have the original. I just wanted a copy to call my own. But did somebody trim the cover to this book wrong? The filler material is a good 1/10 of an inch larger than the cover on both the top and the bottom. That doesn't seem up to specs to me...

Featuring Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Len Wein, William Moulton Marston and many other comic book legends, this brought back so many memories of when my parents would give me with a Christmas themed comic book or two to read on Christmas Eve in anticipation of St. Nick.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman/Deadpool #1

The Dark Knight meets the Merc with a Mouth. 

This should have been the event of the year. If this had occurred 30 years ago, it would have made the front cover of Wizard Magazine, Entertainment Weekly and a host of other publications that have gone the way of the dodo. Even 20 years ago, such a cross company crossover would have made the news.

But it's 2025. There's so much media out there, this epic introduction was barely a blip on the radar. Still, getting the stars of the DC and Marvel universes together again for the first time in over 20 years was a crossover that established fans have been clamoring over for a very long time!

I must admit, I forgot about this one-shot happening. Earlier this year when the announcement was made, I promptly emailed my favorite comic shop and ordered a copy. I then put a pic of Batman and Deadpool together- officially!- on my Facebook pic. Then as time elapsed, I just forgot about it until I saw on a comic book website that the time had come. And yet, despite having been really excited about the meet-up, it was another week until I picked up my copy!

While Batman meeting Deadpool is the primary selling point of this book, there are several other crossovers contained in this Marvel published giant. After Deadpool is brought over from his universe to the DC one by a mysterious benefactor who hires the mercenary to off the Bat;  Wonder Woman and Captain America reflect on their past history which sees the DC and Marvel universes cohabitating as one. Then Daredevil and Green Arrow bump into each other in a story penned by Kevin Smith, who helmed classics starring the two characters. The Dark Knight Returns Batman and the Old Man Logan Wolverine are given the same treatment by an artist/writer who knows the pair rather intimately: Frank Miller! Then we get a tease that the Amalgam Universe could be alive and well with the introduction of Logo: a hybrid of Czarnian bounty hunter Lobo and the mutant Wolverine. 

Every story but 1 was great. Woman Woman with her World War II introduction to the world was the perfect team-up pairing with Captain America. Princess Diana must have a thing for Army men named Steve. Having Kevin Smith bring the Man Without Fear and the Emerald Archer together was another brilliant idea. And could it be true that we're going to be returning to the Amalgam Universe? Please say it's so! But man, has things fallen off for Frank Miller...

The artwork was primitive. But I can't really fault that. Arthritis and age have reduced many an artistic talent in the comic book industry to far cries of their glory years. But the dialogue for this piece. It was chopped full of cliches. It was such a jumbled mess. I didn't know what was happening nor what the hell either character was trying to say. 

Oh! And how could I forget that adorable play date between Krypto and Jeff, the Land Shark! Plus I loved the cultural exchange program between the Guardians of Oa and the Guardians of the Galaxy! Having Rocket Raccoon as a Green Lantern was hilarious. That adventure was way too short.

There was only one missed opportunity. No Deadpool meets Deathstroke. No Deadpool meeting Harley Quinn. Okay. That was 2 missed opportunities 

Thankfully, the DC/Marvel fun doesn't have to end just yet. In November, Batman and Deadpool will intermingle once more in a one-shot published by DC. Grant Morrison is set to pen it. Hopefully, Wade Wilson will meet Slade Wilson and Harleen Quinzel. Regardless, it should be epic. I can't wait. And hopefully, I won't forget about it this time!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #3 (3rd Series)

The Justice League is attacked by a group of all-new villains. It looks like these new foes are about to win when the heroes are saved by a never before seen hero, Janus!

This Greek god with long golden locks has stolen Wonder Woman's heart to the point that if any of her fellow Justice Leaguers questions Janus' true motives, she accuses them of being jealous of the Fabio looking protagonist.

I'm rather disappointed that Paul Kupperberg took Wonder Woman back to the days where she was more concerned playing housewife than super hero. This sort of fawning over Janus is more akin to what I would expect during the early days of the Justice Society of America when Wonder Woman was the team's secretary. Not in the 1980s when women were dominating the work force and DC Comics was being led by the mighty Jeanette Kahn. 

By the way, if you understand the significance of the name Janus, you might be able to figure out this cat's true identity. I won't spoil it until I review issue #3. But from my past two reviews of this miniseries and the details that I've provided thus far, the answer is there.

Good Luck!

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #3 (2nd Series)

Thanks to Darkseid's plan to turn planet Earth into a new Apokolips, the secret of the giant statues on Easter Island has finally been revealed! 

It's been nearly 40 years since this issue was released. So I don't think I'm really spoiling anything. Turns out these statues are actually petrified aliens. 

Okay. But how did they get there?

In the present day, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate and Green Lantern are tasked with destroying Darkseid's doom seed which is situated on the tropical Pacific isle. Guarding the pod is the energy vampire Mantis. When one of the heroes touches the seed, which has already begun germinating, it sends everyone to the past where they encounter an alien invasion force. 

If you ask me, these aliens look familiar. VERY familiar. Anyone remember the Stone Men from Saturn? Those extraterrestrial foes that Thor battles in his debut in 1962's Journey Into Mystery #83. That's who those giants on Easter Island look like! I wonder if Jack Kirby was inspired by those stone monoliths when he penciled JiM #83. In a meta twist, could the King's Saturn monsters have inspired his Easter Island aliens? If I ever got the chance to go back in time to meet Kirby, this might be the one question I ask him. 

If anybody reading this review can confirm such, please leave a message in the comment section! I'm dying to know more about the design of this issue's aliens. 

Another fun issue in the true Jack Kirby style in the time honored Justice League of America formula.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #3

Brainiac finally arrives on Earth to enact his plan of global dominance thanks to those new powers he's been given by Darkseid's disciples. Wonder Woman has become leader of the Amazonian army, driven blood thirsty thanks to Brainiac's de-evolution ray and the women warriors have begun an invasion of Earth. The plan looks to be working. That is until the combined forces of the remaining active members of the Justice League arrive on the scene. 

But wasn't Batman, Robin, Hawkman and Superman imprisoned into an endless limbo conjured by the Joker? Well, yes- they were. However, the woman Superman thought to be Lois Lane was actually the Joker's new therapist in disguise. With seemingly endless time on her hands, the doctor has managed to do something nobody thought possible: she's cured the Clown Prince of Crime! Unable to deal with the prospect of being in his right mind, the Joker ends the torture and banishment of the heroes, thus granted them a chance to defeat Wonder Woman's forces. 

This was definitely a predicament I didn't see coming. It can only come from the mind of Jack Kirby who never was afraid to play around with conventional norms. I could just see someone like Julius Schwartz or Dick Giordano telling the King that he couldn't make the Joker sane and Kirby's response was 'Just you watch me!' I'm not sure where the next issue is going to wrap things up. I remember owning and trying to read them as a 7 year old kid, this Super Powers miniseries. Kirby's work has always been high school level work and I remember just not enjoying it as much as I thought I should. But now as a middle-aged adult who has come to appreciate Kirby's genius, I've been enjoying giving this book a second try. I don't remember a lot of what I've been reading and despite some uneven plotting, I've thought the art and most of the plot have been quite good. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers #1 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

While Jack Kirby created a sizable chunk of the mythos of the comic book industry, he was not very well compensated for it. Some of that was because of how poorly comic book creators were paid for their work. That was the result of being employed in a young industry that didn't have copyright protections yet built in for its workers. A bit was due to poor business arrangements made by Kirby himself, as he was constantly trying to provide for his wife and children. Getting fast bored on his projects didn't help matters for Kirby much either. Sadly, a large portion was because others publicly proclaimed themselves the sole creative genius behind the characters that were like childhood friends to comic book collectors such as myself. 

1984's Super Powers Collection was one of the few times in Jack Kirby's illustrative career that he received both royalties and long overdue credit for some of his DC Comics creations. While the original team of villains were Brainiac, Lex Luthor, The Penguin and The Joker, both DC and toy manufacturer Kenner sought to add some heft to the toy line. However, the majority of Generation X kids weren't very familiar with Darkseid and his Apokolips cronies. Aside from a 1982 story arc starring the Legion of Super-Heroes, Darkseid hadn't really made that many appearances in comics since Kirby left DC in 1975.

Needing to get kids introduced to the New Gods characters, DC Comics released the first of 3 mini series devoted to the Super Powers Collection toy line produced by Kenner. In the first issue, Darkseid oversees a battle royale of his best foot soldiers. The quartet that remains are dubbed on the cover of this issue as 'The Disciples of Doom.' These fighters are given portions of the leader of Apokolips' power and ordered to invade Earth. 

To claim Earth in the name of Darkseid will not be an easy task as a band of super heroes led by Superman and Batman protects the planet from threats both terrain and extraterrestrial. Each newly empowered warrior selects an arch enemy of the Justice League to carry out their invasion orders. Lex Luthor is given the power to manipulate time. The Penguin gets the ability to control birds and to control minds; whereas the Joker is allowed to alter reality in his own warped image. The fourth villain bestowed new abilities is Brainiac. He is tempted with the chance to devolve a population into their most bestial selves in hopes that they might conquer the world through brutal force. However, the android baddie is in another solar system and cannot enact his part of Darkseid's plan until he re-enters Earth's atmosphere.

The first wave of Super Powers had 12 action figures total. 11 of those characters have active parts in the first issue. Wonder Woman is shown as part of Brainiac's plan to conquer Earth, as the race selected for the robot's experiment are the Amazons of Paradise Island. Other than a single page of hypothetical, the Themysciran Princess is notably absent from this issue.

Jack Kirby penciled the cover and crafted the plot which Joey Cavalieri scripted. Adrian Gonzales' pencils were inked by Pablo Marcos. Ben Oda lettered. 

Essentially a 24-page promotional comic for the Kenner line, the inside cover features a full color ad of the original 12 figure line-up with an action shot of a Superman action figure punching the lights out of an illustrated Lex Luthor in his iconic green and purple armor. 

Completing this review completes Task #27 (Based on a Toy Line) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight #3

A relatively harmless prank resulted in a misunderstanding that led to Santa Claus banishing Krampus to a nether realm. While in this 'negative zone', something caused Krampus to lose his mind. 

So now we know what turned Krampus evil. And we learn why the demonic being becomes a forgotten part of holiday lore. However, that's not what makes this issue worth the price of admission.

There's a ton of monsters unleashed in this issue. Big baddies. Ugly suckers. Some threatening to destroy London. A London defended by Wonder Woman and friends. But that's still not what makes this issue worth the price of admission.

What makes this the single most greatest DC holiday comic of them all is that childlike wonder of Superman in the presence of Santa. Add the contrasting skepticism Damian Wayne has towards Claus and you have this dichotomy of differing views on the magic of Christmas that is just universal. Marvel was a Scrooge this year focusing on a handful of Star Wars Life Day covers and variants of Avengers going skiing. I applaud DC Comics putting out such a book as this that promises to separate fans because of the subject matter. Yet, this is a timeless story that is for everyone and I believe it will become a DC classic.

Great story by Jeff Parker. Amazing covers by Dan Mora. Very good art by Michele Bandini.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Wonder Woman Annual 1989 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

With exception of the cover, this 1989 annual features artwork, including inks and colors by an all-female crew. Cover artist George Perez also pens this extra-large sized feature that chronicles Princess Diana's Post-Crisis debut. 

When the princess of Thermyscira first arrived in the world of men, she didn't speak much English and knew even less of modern day ways and norms. So, Diana needed an intermediary in order to spread her message of peace and unity. Enter Myndi Mayer; a press agent who sees dollars signs in the arrival of the DC Universe's newest heroine. A progressive feminist, Mayer believed in Princess Diana's message. That didn't mean that there weren't marketing opportunities to be found around this Wonder Woman.

This story takes place after the shocking overdose death of Myndi Mayer. The PR agent's death means that end of a chapter in Wonder Woman's life. Diana has decided that the life of a celebrity is not for her. So Mayer's agency must pack up all of the artifacts and effects of the Wonder Woman campaign so that Diana can transport it back to Thermyscira for preservation. As the team goes through these mementos, they reminisce about the highs and lows of Princess Diana's first months in modern civilization. 

This annual was both a closing chapter for established Wonder Woman readers as well as a starting point for newer fans. Along with the death of Myndi, Diana had just finished a climatic battle with Circe as well as Ares. But as we know, Wonder Woman's beef with the god of war is never over. The War of the Gods epic crossover is still 2 years away. But in this new stage in Diana's life, more battles with the upper echelon of Greek gods and continued alliances with the superhero community are in Diana's near future.

Perhaps the most notable segment of this story is the origin behind the logo that Diana wears on her chest. Just like as with Superman's S-shield, the supposed W's on Diana's armor are misinterpreted as English letters.  Kal-El's S-Shield is the Kyrptonian symbol of hope. Diana's double-W's are in honor of a great warrior who helped the Amazons of Themyscira centuries ago: the insignia of Steve Trevor's mother!

Due to the death of Hermes' son Pan, a rift in the fabric of time and reality opens. This anomaly ushers Diana Trevor back in time to Themyscira. The time displaced pilot arrives on the tropical island in the middle of a catastrophic scene as the Amazons are attempting to prevent demons from the underworld coming topside. 

We learn that Diana Trevor sacrificed herself to aid a race of people she did not even know. The Amazons as a result, bury Trevor with full honors and use the Air Corps insignia of a double-W on Trevor's uniform and incorporate it as a totem of strength and courage, which Princess Diana proudly wears. But we also learn that Diana wasn't named after the goddess of Greek myth but instead after Diana Trevor. So that means Steve Trevor is in love with the woman named after his mother!

Featuring Ramona Fradon, Jan Duursema, Colleen Doran and Trina Robbins among others.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Completing this review completes Task #32 (A Wonder Woman Story) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

DC Super-Heroes Post Cereal Superheroes Collection, Vol. 1: 1979 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

1979 was a banner year for DC Comics fans who liked Post Cereals. If you were a regular fan of Alpha-Bits, Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, or several other sugary treats, you could have instantly won one of thousands of great prizes including superhero themed kites and flying discs, bicycles, or a trip to Hollywood California. But the thing every kid wanted in these boxes of cereal were the free mini-comics!

Post Cereals offered 4 different books. They starred Batman (with Robin, the Boy Wonder), Superman, Wonder Woman and a group adventure including Aquaman! Each book was 16 pages in length but they didn't look like comic books. Instead of looking like a tabloid, these books were oblong in shape. Measuring 4.5"x3.5", each page had only 2 panels going from left to right. They kinda resemble an old fashion map atlas. 

As with most promotional giveaways of the day and age, no artist or writer credits are given. But the covers all look like the work of the amazing Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, who was DC's go-to promotional art guy during this time. It also could have been Dick Giordano who assisted with such projects when Garcia-Lopez was swamped, and had an art style that matched well with him. Giordano also inked a lot of Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's promotional projects, so it could have been both!

As for the interior artwork, I just am not sure. The Superman story looks like it was taken from stills of the Super Friends cartoons that ran in various incarnations from 1973-85. Unfortunately, the story didn't match the quality of the artwork despite an assist from Lex Luthor as the issue's antagonist. 

The best story was a rodeo romp pitting the Dynamic Duo versus the Penguin of all people! With nothing remotely bird related, this caper was very un-Pengy-like and quite refreshing. The Wonder Woman story pitted the Princess of Themyscira against her arch-enemy, the Cheetah in a typical cat-burglary story. Story #4 had the DC Trinity teaming up. Aquaman is also in the story. But in typical time period fashion, Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman have to save the king of Atlantis from a space alien who wants to make the underwater hero an exhibit at his planet's zoo.

I recently got to read all 4 books without having to pay an average of $30 per mini-book. And how was that possible you might ask? It's all thanks to Trident Studios. DC Super-Heroes Post Cereal Superheroes Collection, Vol. 1: 1979 is the Etsy seller's latest unauthorized collection of mini-books. Taken from the books of the seller's personal collection, there are a few blemishes related to the original print. But the colors are vibrant and rich and the images are ultra-clean. Once again, this collection is 50% larger than the originals, for minimum print requirements. Yet, this is actually not a bad thing for those adult readers who might need readers...

There are 3 sets in the entire Post Collection. The cereal company ran a second run of mini-books in 1980. A little later on, Canadian Post cereals offered a set of minis that included the likes of Supergirl and The Flash. Interested fans can purchase all 3 sets combined on Etsy and individually on eBay. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #37 (A Book You Didn't Know Existed) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Secret Origins: Collecting All Eight Mini-Comics Included With Leaf Candies

Trident Studios triumphs again. After presenting fans with a pair of beautiful collections of the Super Powers mini comics that came with waves I and II of Kenner's awesome action figures, there are more minis for fans! This set contains the 8 mini comics that were packaged with Leaf Tart n' Tangy Comicbook Candy!

There were 8 mini comics in the Leaf candy line that was released in 1980. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, The Flash and Hawkman's secret origins were examined. Book #8 reports on the creation of the world's greatest super hero team, the Justice League of America! 

The quality of these reprints are absolutely stunning. Vibrantly colored and as crystal clear as possible, based on the fact that the originals used for this book are over 40 years old! Once again, due to publishing and binding requirements, the reprints are 20% bigger than the original minis. Generally, when you increase the size of an image, it gets all smudgy and pixelated. The necessary enlargements have no evidence of poor quality here!

The only real crime of this volume is something that is more Leaf or DC's fault. In fact, I don't think you can blame any of my single grip on Trident Studios. The sole qualm I have is that whomever were the geniuses behind the writing and artwork of these mini comics appear to be lost in time. 

While Trident Studios does provide credit to the creators of all 8 stars of this book, along with notes to their first appearances, that's all the reader gets. When it came to this type of promotional work, DC and other comic book publishers didn't give writer and artist credits. From what I see, I think Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Gil Kane were probably some of the artists of these books. But I'm not 100% sure and I am glad that Trident Studios didn't try to make any sort of assumptions either.

Just as I thought that was it from Trident Studios, I received another surprise. Trident has a 3-volume set that collects all of the DC mini comics released by Post cereals from the late 70s. Will I be getting my hands on those? You betcha! Stay tuned!

As for this book and the Secret Powers collections, fans can find them on Etsy. Just be sure to look for the creator under 1 single word, without spaces: TridentStudios.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Super Powers Mini-Comic Collection, Volume 1 (Family Comic Friday)

I'm not one for buying bootleg material. If there's a legitimate version of something, I will buy that version and not the knock-off. If I have to wait to buy it used or at a steep discount to save money, I'll do it. But if the original owners go out of business or just never cash in on the copyright (I'm looking at you George Lucas with the Star Wars Holiday Special), then if something is fan made, then I have no ethical qualms buying it. That's the case with the book I am reviewing today... 

One of my most beloved memories of my mom is her taking me to K-Mart just to find the new Super Powers action figures. The store only had Robin and Aquaman. But oh what a start! To my absolute delight, both figures came with a 16-page mini comic! A toy AND something to read??? Yes on both!

Years have passed and the quest of finding the 12 minis that came with the original line and the 11 of Series II has been on my to-do list for decades. I've never come across any in person unless I plopped out $50 to $100 on one of the figures mint on card. While online shopping, I've seen the minis for sale just by themselves. But it's not worth a $20-35 dollar per mini comic price tag. Needless to say, DC has never stopped to take the time and collect these in some sort of collection.

About 2 months ago, while on Facebook, the metaverse itself made a suggestion of joining a group of like-minded Super Powers fans. A fan of the art of Jose Luis-Garcia Lopez and Dick Giordano, who did much of the packaging and figure design, I've enjoyed joining this digital time capsule of Kenner/DC. Recently, one intrepid member asked if the minis had ever been collected to which someone responded that they thought there was something 'fan made'. 

Well, the prospect of such a volume peaked my interest and I went to etsy and later eBay to which I found this book. Published by Trident Studios, this pocket-sized collection is a beaut! All of the books come from the publisher's personal collection of minis collected when they were a child. They did an amazing job keeping the books in great shape. Only 1 page looked smudgy. (Doing some quick math. 12 books times 16 pages... roughly 192 pages. I'll take it!)

The likes of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman take on the dastardly quartet of Lex Luthor, Brainiac, The Penguin and The Joker in a dozen stories. Just who were the authors and illustrators of these minis have become the subject of much debate as DC and Kenner didn't give any sort of credit to the art team behind these comics. The stories are a little clunky as it's hard to tell a full-fledged story on a sheet of paper roughly 2.8" x 4.25". But the art is of that unparalleled 80s era DC style! 

As I mentioned, the mini comics really were minis. However, these books are slightly larger (about 20%) than the original. Thus is due minimum requirements of the printing and binding. Whether this determination was made by Trident Studios or publishing contractor is unclear. I was afraid that the books were going to be massively large thus hurting the visual quality of the originals. But the slight increase does nothing to hurt the eye appeal!

It's always great when the older generation gets chance to share their toys with the next. It's even better when you get to share your books! Up till now it has been darn near impossible and totally expensive to share the Super Powers mini comics from the 80s with the children of the 2000s. But now grandparents, guardians and parents have a chance with this vibrant collection from Trident Studios!

A second volume featuring the Wave II collection of mini comics is also available. Check etsy and eBay for your copies!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman Annual #11

Have you ever thought really hard that you own something and yet for the love of it all, you just can't find it? That's how I was with this comic book. For the longest time, I thought I owned this beautiful issue. But it turned out that I merely had a reprinted version of the tale in the pages of DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore.

Well, that all ended this weekend when I found this book at the Raleigh Flea Market. It's a grail find! And I only paid $2 for a Fine or better copy!

'For The Man Who Has Everything.' 

The story has been made into both an animated episode of Justice League Unlimited and an episode of the CW's Supergirl. While I've never seen the Supergirl episode, the cartoon version was a classic. If somebody wishes to go into animation or adaptation script-writing, this should be required viewing. 

Right before he created Watchmen, Alan Moore scripted this delightful double-sized story. It's Superman's birthday. Batman along with Jason Todd, and Wonder Woman have traveled to the Fortress of Solitude to bestow the Man of Steel with gifts. But it turns out that someone has beat them to it. 

In the middle of the fortress stands Superman, entranced. A mysterious flower is wrapped around his body and its thorns are penetrating his supposedly impenetrable body. Inside Superman's mind, Kal-El is on Krypton. It didn't explode. However things are far from paradise.

Jor-El lost face and his position with the Science Academy because his prediction of mass destruction never came to pass. Now Jor-El is embroiled with a group of militants that long to see the old days of Krypton restored. This extremism has caused fractures between the members of Kal-El's family and now the entire House of El is in peril.

I've been a fan of this story for a very, very long time. I love how Superman loses control against the villain who is behind this plot. Normally, the Man of Steel pulls his punches. But since the antagonist is almost as powerful as he is, Superman just beats the living snot of them! 

As this is a re-read, I noticed how much more powerful and terrifying the scenes on Krypton are. Alan Moore's chaotic look on the formerly doomed planet reminds me of how bad things are these days on planet Earth. Jor-El's fanatic cronies remind me of several key players that on really putting a spin on things. I'll make sure that I DON'T SAY anything further about it.

With illustrations by fellow future Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons, Superman Annual #11 is one of the greatest stories ever told and one of my personal favorites. So glad I got to finally add this book to my collection!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Wonder Woman 1984

My satellite provider started showing the much delayed (and much maligned) Wonder Woman 1984 this week. The film seems to contradict much of Superman V. Batman and Justice League, as we were lead to believe that Diana Prince stayed out of the limelight after her time at the end of World War I. But that's not quite the case. 

In 1984 Washington, D.C., Wonder Woman saves the innocent. But the Amazonian princess does her best to stay anonymous, often telling those few who do spot her to keep mum about her. Her muted presence will be tested when megalomaniac Maxwell Lord comes into contact with a cursed gem that can grant wishes. As Lord uses the wishes of others to become more and more powerful, Diana unknowingly revives her long dead only love, Steve Trevor. But her wish comes at a cost, as her desires result in Wonder Woman's loss of invulnerability. 

Also making wishes for herself is the wallflower, Barbara Minerva. Now blessed with strength and confidence, Barbara finally starts to stand-up for herself. But it is at the cost of her humanity and good will towards others. As both Maxwell Lord and Minerva gain in power, Diana falters in her attempts to stop the pair. But in order to do so, Wonder Woman will once again have to sacrifice her happiness. 

I liked WW84 a lot more than I liked the first film. Maybe it's because 1984 is a year smack dab in my childhood. So possibly there's more nostalgia than actual enjoyment here. Clocking in a 2.5 plus hours, this is a lengthy film. There are several scenes that I don't think we needed, like an opening scene from Diana's childhood trials on Themyscira. But the extra scene in the middle of the credits- that was a surprise that was coming for a very, very long time!

There were quite a few humorous elements to this movie. Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have great chemistry together; much to comedic effect. Gadot's interactions with Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva, before her fall from grace, were rather good too. And Pedro Pascal's role as conman businessman Maxwell Lord is very good. He's slimy just like in the comics.  Although, I've never pictured Lord as a Latin Lothario. Max's creators have always aimed at him being a trumped up, um well, Trump. And while Pedro Pascal does seem to have the hair down pat- this guy just isn't a native New Yorker.

As I said earlier, this film has had it's haters. I'm not one of them. But I feel that this film had it's flaws. Along with being about 25 minutes too long, director Patty Jenkins falls into that trap once again of using slow motion during the fight scenes. Now, that super slo-mo isn't as frequently used as in the first movie. But the directors of the DC live action movies have got to say enough's enough with this oft used (and now worn-out) visual trope. 

I also felt that the awesome concept of having wishes come true but with negative consequences was a very good way to use Maxwell Lord in this movie without him becoming Lord Havok. But the way things wrap up with an impassioned speech by Wonder Woman that inspires the world to renounce their wishes, it felt like a remake of The Wizard of Oz. And I hated that part. 

Lastly, the ending itself. This has got to be the first super hero movie I've seen in which the baddies don't get what's coming to them. Lord seems to get a happy ending. And who knows where Barbara Minerva wound up. But it wasn't dead or in jail, I can tell you that. And not having justice served made the conclusion of this film seem unfinished.

We're supposed to have a third Wonder Woman film. The pandemic and the critics didn't seem to do too much to keep Warner Bros. from declaring a hit on their hands. But hopefully, the crew behind this film can learn from it's mistakes to make the third installment a flawless hit. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Vol.1

This is another book that I could have finished a month or two ago. But it had a holiday issue inside and I just couldn't pass up the chance to feel the intended yule tide feelings inside. 

The Christmas themed story has Billy Batson taking a shopping trip to Gotham City. Billy is expecting something out of the ordinary since Gotham is the playground of Batman's rogues gallery. But when Billy and Tawky Tawny step off their bus they are faced with the citizens of Gotham trying to kill each other! It's all due to the Psycho Pirate! Turning into SHAZAM!- The REAL Captain Marvel, it's up to the visiting superhero to find Batman and bring back that holiday spirit!

Along with the SHAZAM story, there's several more very fun team-ups. First, Batman heads to the bottle city of Kandor with Superman to solve the motive behind a break-in in a society that hasn't faced crime in centuries. Then Batman and the Flash are sent through the looking glass by the combined efforts of The Mirror Master and The Mad Hatter. J'onn J'onzz, The Martian Manhunter challenges Batman into helping the extra-terrestrial become a better detective. Plus Batman joins forces with Guy Gardner to help a troubled alien on the lamb from those dreaded Manhunters!

Those were all great stories. But besides the holiday story, the best adventure was an epic crossover that puts Wonder Woman in the arms of the Caped Crusader. The gods have paired the two unlikely lovers together on a sort of bet. In what becomes the wedding of the century, countless heroes arrive to witness the nuptials. But then a near unlimited line-up of villains crash the blessed event! If you thought Fantastic Four Annual #3 was the ultimate wedding day battle royale- think again! They've got nothing on the exploits of the Brave and the Bold.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold was a feel good TV series. Though it may be long cancelled, I get to relive that magic in the pages of this amazing volume comics based on the Cartoon Network hit. 

Total fun for the whole family. Full of a nostalgic cast of characters, this book didn't feel old at all. Sholly Fisch (Scooby-Doo Team-Up) has that magic touch in his writings drawing upon the stories I grew up reading as a kid but adding original twists and turns that keep the book from ever feeling stale.

The only thing I hated about this book is that it ended!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

The Doomed and the Damned #1

I am a huge fan of crossovers. My collection is full of titles that generally pits a well known superhero like Spider-Man or Batman with an assortment of pals ranging from A-list allies such as The Human Torch to B-listers such as Plastic Man to never-rans like the one-time Avenge,r Jack of Hearts. It was always a treat when a villain was paired up with a do-gooder, as those tales were often unpredictable. 

This year, DC Comics gave us 2 Halloween themed specials. I never got around to the Swamp Thing book. (I guess I have that to look forward to next year.) But I could not wait to get my hands on The Doomed and the Damned. 

This volume features 10 spine-tingling tales featuring some unbelievable team-ups. Green Lantern learns a lesson in facing personal demons when the rhyming Etrigan appears looking for the same criminal. Man-Bat and Madame Xanadu investigate a literal ghost story with a twist. The Frankenstein/Aquaman trip to the Moon was far-out and I enjoyed the Superman/Swamp Thing mystery but that one seemed to leave out some important details that left me wondering who really was the narrator of that tale…

The final story had the despot of Apokolips, Darkseid seeking solace in a Gotham City speakeasy only to be shamed by some social justice warriors into a drinking contest with some guy named Baytor. It’s needless to ask just what Darkseid is doing in a bar in Batman’s back yard. This story was insane. I liked it. But I was also surprised that it saw print. 

The tale was written by Garth Ennis, whom has become the target of a number of sexual harassment accusations from young women who sought the Preacher creator as a mentor and might have gotten hit on in return. Truly, I am shocked that there was not a fire storm of protests from the social media populace demanding the removal of the Ennis story from this collection. Especially since Ennis skewers the SJWs in their over-the-top needling of Darkseid. 

I felt that the Batman story wasn’t a true team-up. He helps an orphan boy who believes that his brother was kidnapped by a demon hiding in the orphanages’ lavatory. Then there’s the Wonder Woman adventure with Raven. The implications of that story. Was it canon? Because if so, Princess Diana is going to have a DEVIL of a time in future issues of Wonder Woman and probably even Justice League Dark. 

I was really confused by the semantics of the last story. It was written fairly well in terms of the plot. But I guess I am just too old nowadays to understand the nomenclature of gender/ non gender pronouns without a road map. 

The characters of Klarion the Witch Boy and his adversary Beast Boy keep referring to Klarion's cat Teekl as 'they'. And I kept thinking that I was missing something because only 1 character had kidnapped the Teen Titan Raven. Being a magical creature, I was thinking maybe Teekl is actually two characters fused together. Plus in previous stories, the cat has always been referred to as a boy. But that's apparently not the case in 2020 comics.

It seems that Kirby originally made Teekl a girl. But sometime in the 90s, Grant Morrison changed Teekl over to being a male. I'm guessing that writer of this story decided to end the confusion once and for all using the non-binary they/them to describe Teekl.

I support those wanting to use non-binary pronouns instead of he/she. But I also support good grammar. I was always taught that THEY was plural, meaning more than one. I know that I will never have the impact to change this. But I think to avoid confusion, those who are non-binary might consider the use of THY or THOU. Using THEM is okay as it can be grammatically correct for the most part. But using THEY for just 1 person doesn't sound right in terms of syntax. But maybe that's just me getting old…

Despite feeling (and possibly showing) my age, I enjoyed this book. It’s been a couple of days since I read this book to now writing up my review. And it’s probably best I did as I feel that my rating on this book has improved over time. (Except with that Wonder Woman story. That just really feels unforgivable in so many ways.) 

A chilling collection of classic crossovers with modern day advancements. They may not all make sense to me, a traditionalist comic book collector in his 40s, but they made for a fun read this pandemic ridden Halloween season.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Cursed Comics Cavalcade #1

This, the official 2018 Halloween special from DC Comics has it's roots in history. 

First is the amazing cover that pays homage to the EC Comics of the 1950s. EC is the benchmark for which all other horror anthologies are ranked. Nice work Doug Manke!

Then there's the title. Back in 1978, sales at DC were dismal and a slew of comic book titles were unmercifully cancelled. To finish up the titles' running story-lines and to finalize pay for the creators, artists and writers, a small hand full of ash cans titled 'Cancelled Comics Cavalcade' were produced. To find one of these two issues is to find a holy grail in which you'd have to mortgage a first child to be able to afford. If you were a fan of any of the books cancelled, it was a day full of horrors.

So that's where we get the cover and title of our book. What's inside is 10 spooky stories starring characters from the DC Universe. Some tales are set during Halloween; some are not. Just as the seasons vary, so do the quality of the stories. 

The Batman story involving horror-themed movies and the Robin/Solomon Grundy team-up are the best stories. Once again the Batman Family tales are the best. Is this because of some unfair bias on the part of DC to put better talent on these titles? Or are the Gotham City themed characters the best that DC has to offer?

In the almost perfect category is a New Orleans 1880s themed story starring Jason Blood and his counterpart, The Demon. Then there's a heartwarming tale starring Zatanna and her dad. Plus the Swamp Thing story was quite good though it was a bit too meta at times to thoroughly enjoy. 

The Black Lightning/Katana story was good but it wasn't great. For some reason, lately, nobody really seems to be able to do the character of Katana right. Black Lightning is obviously in this book because of his series of The CW. So why couldn't he have been given a solo story? Is it because Katana is currently a weak character? (I think she needs to show up on the TV show, but that's subject of a different review.)

Dragging up the rear was a poorly drawn Green Arrow feature that has a bunch of plot holes. Then there's the disappointing (because he's my favorite and this story sucked) Superman tale that have more holes in it than the Titanic. 

The Guy Gardner story was another tale that should have been better than it was. Plus, the art was a very pale imitation of the late Darwyn Cooke. And rounding out the book was....

And then there's that problematic Wonder Woman story. As if you could not tell, I forgot all about it and had to go back to see which story I was forgetting. It had great art. The monster was quite creepy. I was satisfied with the ending. Yet, I had completely forgot about this ghost tale.

Cursed Comics Cavalcade was a decent mix of horror themed adventures. But based on the title, I think it would have been cool to have had this special comprised of stories starring characters who were cancelled during the DC Implosion. Along with Black Lightning, we could have see scares starring Firestorm, Kamandi, Vixen, and Shade the Changing Man. To appease the DC Editors, you could still have a couple of Dark Knight capers as the anthology series Batman Family was cancelled during this time. 

It's a missed opportunity but hey, there's always next year! Come on, DC Comics! Give this idea a chance... if you dare!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Dark Nights: Metal

The DC event of the past 18 months. While most DC fans were clamoring for 'The Button' and the eventual meeting of Justice Leaguers and Watchmen in Doomsday Clock, those in the know hitched their wagon to Metal! 

Man did I pick the wrong storyline. 'The Button' was good but didn't really move the Rebirth Universe forward any. And Doomsday Clock has been a giant dud! If you want to learn of the origins of No Justice and the new age of DC superheroes, this is the title you will want to read!

This volume of the Scott Snyder penned tale contains issues 1-6 of Metal. The various one-shots aren't here unfortunately. But I am sure they will be collected together or have already and I just haven't run across it yet. 

This story pretty much returns the DC Universe to normal and I love it! It explains why there were only 52 universes for so long. Plus it introduces the dark multiverse. 

Most times when DC has a big metaphysical crisis such as Final Crisis or Infinite Crisis, I get really confused on the analytics. I understand what's happening, but I usually have to have a dictionary with me to understand all the $5 words! I didn't have here and that doesn't mean that Scott Snyder did a poor job either!

Metal was really an enjoyable read! The artwork by Greg Capullo was good and he had some very amazing and visually stunning moments. But the price of admission is all due to Snyder. How he ends this story is how I wish the Justice League movie would have ended. Plus, that unimaginable team-up! Holy Cow! You must see to believe. 

Dark Nights: Metal does perplex me in one way- how to rate it. It's one of the best multiverse crisis stories in DC history. But it still doesn't dethrone Crisis on Multiple Earths as the all-time best. I'm going to have to go down the middle on this one folks. It's rare, but I give this one a 9.5.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars.

DC Holiday Special 2017 #1

DC Comics made 2017 a holiday season to remember yet again! In a massive holiday special, a team of legendary writers and illustrators put together 10 amazing stories including a Neal Adams Batman classic from the 70s.

Highlights of this holiday special include:

• A World War II tale recounted by Sgt. Rock spans a frosty week in the life of a wounded Allied solider and his Nazi captive.
• The Teen Titans take on the Ghost of Christmas Past and the nasty memories of holiday horrors from yesteryear.
• The Flash struggles to find time for his nephew Wally on Christmas Eve.
• Batman Icon Denny O'Neil returns to Gotham with a Solstice story starring the Dark Knight and Wonder Woman.
• And much more...

For the second year in a row, DC asked a cover price of $9.99 and I willingly shelled it out. Last year, the entertained the hell out of me! And they did it again this year!

The 2016 special had Harley Quinn as host and a superhero hero holiday party as the centralizing element of the special. That stabilizer was the only thing missing from this edition. 

Worth every penny, if you only buy one holiday special this season (well, it's Christmas Eve, so what's left of it,) this is the one to get! Shame on you Marvel for being a Scrooge this year!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Dark Knight III: The Master Race

The latest chapter in the Dark Knight saga by Frank Miller has Bruce Wayne dead after being unable to recover from injuries in a battle with a super-powered Lex Luthor. Cassie, the Dark Knight's former apprentice has taken up the mantle of the Bat and has declared war on the corrupt cops of Gotham.

Meanwhile, Wonder Woman is ruling Themyscira alone with her new son; the product of a union between the Amazon and Superman. While their eldest daughter seeks her place in the world, the Man of Steel has exiled himself to the Fortress of Solitude after an unknown defeat. When a forgotten evil presents itself as the savior of the human race, which side will both Cassie and Lara, the Last Daughter of Krypton, take?

Yes, a lot seems to have transpired from the events of the Dark Knight Strikes Again. Some things which seem to contradict said events. For example, in the sequel to The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Green Lantern had become just a source of Emerald power. Yet here, Hal Jordan has seemingly returned to human form and no explanation is given.

One of the reasons for these inconsistencies maybe that Frank Miller isn't doing the majority of the writing here. Instead, it's 100 Bullets Brain Azzarello who has taken on head writing duties. Miller is still involved in the project but at the time of production he was suffering from a number of health problems. Thus Azzarello's need to take over.

Unlike in the first two books, Miller does more art. Original series artist Klaus Janson is still around but he is on inking duty only here. Frank Miller is instead assisted by Andy Kubert for a majority of the nine issue series. But it's what Miller focuses on throughout this mini's run was my favorite part of the Master Race. 

At the end of each issue was series of tie-ins called The Dark Knight Universe Presents. These back-up features focused on characters mainly unexplored in Miller's Dark Knight universe such as the Atom and Aquaman. I actually wanted more of those stories than the main story of the Master Race I was presented. 

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this chapter in the Dark Knight story. But I enjoyed the back-ups more. I am told that a fourth volume is in the works and if so, I really hope Miller focuses more on the supporting cast as they were a lot more interesting to me than what was going on with the DCU Trinity.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Justice League

Centuries ago the Apokoliptian war lord Steppenwolf sought to make the earth the latest conquest in the name of the Fourth World. But an alliance between the realms of men, Atlantis, and the Amazons resulted in his first ever defeat. Driven insane with embarrassment of his lost, Steppenwolf was exiled and his three mother boxes, called the Trinity were hidden away from the rest of the world. 

With the death of Superman, the time is right for Steppenwolf's return to conquer earth again. As mankind mourns the loss of the Man of Steel, morale is at an all-time low for the human race. Thus, fear and anguish are just what the New God needs in order to power his horde of Parademons for attempt #2.

Aware of a mounting attack, but hopelessly out-manned, Bruce Wayne seeks a to raise his own army of defenders. Aided by Diana Prince, Wonder Woman, the Batman has a list of potential helpers. But does the aging billionaire playboy have what it takes to recruit a speedster with ADHD and social anxiety disorder, an aquatic hippie, and a cybernetically enhanced teen who can communicate with Steppenwolf's mother boxes?

Justice League was been getting slammed in the press, mostly by critics and amateur online reporters that don't understand comic books. Everyone is making such a big deal of what Rotten Tomatoes has to say. That site is just an average of critics nationwide and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Back in my day, nobody cared what Siskel and Ebert thought about the movies. We just wanted to see them insult each other- and maybe throw a punch. Gene Shalit's mustache was more important to us than what he thought about films. The only critic worth listening to was Leonard Maltin. But he's more like Bob Costas in that his depth of film knowledge is so impressive, he's like the Stephen Hawking of movie history. 

Look, if you don't even want to read my review, that's fine. I do this blog because I like to write about geeky things and this is more like my personal reading and movie journal. If it inspires someone to give something a go- cool. If they decide not to consume something because of my opinion- that's fine too. But I am in now way the only opinion that should matter. I might be considered an expert in comics because of my 40-years of knowledge on the subject, but in the end- it's all up to you on whether to see the Justice League movie.

Anyways, now that I cleared that, here's my take on what went right and wrong with the film. 

Not Long Enough- The movie runs right at about 2 hours. DC is taking a huge gamble putting the League together first and then building solo films around it. They're having to play catch up to Marvel and the speedy pace is off-putting to many. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the movie about 15-20 minutes longer.

 I hope there will be a director's cut. But please DC/ Warner Bros, don't make it for Bluray only! I still have student loans to repay and can't afford one just right yet.

Music To My Ears- Composer Danny Elfman was behind a majority of the tracks in this film. Though he's been a bit of a dick about it, I did enjoy having the 1989 Batman theme and some of the Animated Series peppered throughout the film. It's a been a very long time since I left a movie wishing that the music store was open. I really do want the soundtrack to this. It's pretty great.

Lack of Heavy Hitters- Having Steppenwolf as the main bad guy is really not the best idea. Most people I talk to have actually responded to my naming of him by saying 'That 70's rock band?' I kid you not. Honestly, I was hoping for an appearance by Darkseid, Steppenwolf's master, but even he is less of a household name than the Joker, Luthor, or Penguin. 

Another relative unknown to many is that of Cyborg. Unless you are familiar with the New 52 Justice League or the Teen Titans, not many casual fans are going to be very knowledgeable of him. I had a Cyborg Super Powers action figure as a kid and I remember him from some version of Super Friends in the 80s and I thought newcomer Ray Fisher was really good as the reluctant hero. But for every 1 me out there who grew up with the character, there's probably 3 people who are asking 'Cyborg? Who's he?'

Hail to the King- Tapping into Kirby's Fourth World is smart. Jack Kirby's very short stint at DC sent the publisher into a quantum leap that rivaled Marvel. Honestly, I feel like Marvel's Infinity War stuff is way less interesting than Kirby's New Gods. The House of Ideas is banking on the creations of Jim Starlin to send the Marvel Cinematic Universe into it's next phase of films. But let's be real people- Jim Starlin is no Jack Kirby!

Casting- For the most part, DC got almost every character right. The dup of Gal Gadot, and Ben Affleck as Batman and Wonder Woman is perfect. As I said earlier Ray Fisher's Cyborg was great! And man I think I am in love with Jason Momoa. His portrayal as Aquaman finally made the character relevant and not the joke of the DC Universe.

But I have to talk about Ezra Miller's version of the Flash. I really don't think Miller's acting was terrible as that I think Zack Synder vision of the speedster is flawed. Miller's Barry Allen is hyper, socially awkward, and the comic relief of the team. That's not Barry Allen so much as how I would describe Allen's great-grandson Impulse (Bart Allen.) Maybe the heads at DC didn't want people to be confused between the Flash on Justice League with Grant Gustin's superior version of the Flash on the CW. But for a huge Flash fan like myself, I was a bit put off.

The Chuckle Hut- Finally, I want to talk some about the laughs. Apparently, Zack Synder's version of the film was too dark and so when he stepped down after a family tragedy, Warner Bros. called in Joss Whedon to beef up the lighter side of the film. I understand that the Flash was used ad nauseam for a majority of this. But did you have to turn Batman into a heavily armored version of Spider-Man? 

At about the halfway point of the movie, Batman starts making one-liners and kinds taunts both his teammates and the villain in a way similar to that of Peter Parker. We already had a great movie with Spider-Man and a billionaire playboy with lots of tech. We didn't need to morph the two together in the second act of Justice League.

I had a ton of fun with this movie. There's some great Easter Eggs and I personally have a theory about who the seventh member of the League is. All I will say is that he's already made a couple of appearances in the movie. But it will be some time before I post my theory as to not be accused of spoilers.

Despite the negative press, Justice League is a great way to spend a couple of hours. Though a bit scary with those Parademons, Justice League is a lot more fun for the whole family than current comic book movie competitor Thor: Ragnarok, which has quite a bit of innuendo and overt sexual content. So if you desperately need to escape the house with a nephew or cousin this Thanksgiving weekend for a little bit, flock to the theaters and check it out. In the end, after the two bonus scenes, I think you'll be glad you did. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.