RED 2

I don’t recall if I have ever reviewed the first film. For those of you not familiar with the movies, RED stands for ‘Retired, Extremely Dangerous’ and stars Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren.  From the Vertigo comic of the same name, a group of aging ex-CIA operatives must run for their lives while trekking across the global in search of those who have them marked for death.  Only when they can become ‘righteous’ again should life return to normal for these tired agents that still got it. Yeah, right.

As in the first film, the Frank and Marvin, played by Willis and Malkovich, are on the lam again when a WikiLeaks type website ‘outs’ them as nuclear terrorist traders. This time, the demure Helen Mirren has been hired by MI-6 to eliminate them as the actor who plays Storm Shadow in the GI Joe films is too. With the fugitives is Willis’ characters girlfriend played by the feisty star of Weeds, Mary-Louise Parker

Anyway, this film captures the magic of the first Red with great buddy cop banter between Willis and Malkovich’s character. Adding the girlfriend to the mix as well as Catherine Zeta Jones as a Russian KGB operative that is considered to be ‘Frank’s Kryptonite’; the sequel has a sass and sex appeal missing from the first film. Also missing from the first film is the character of Joe played by Morgan Freedman. He was really funny in that film but wasn’t really needed, I guess.

I enjoyed much of the film and suspended much of my dis-belief until the final 15 minutes which involves a car chase with a helicopter. Those scenes were really far-fetched and I could see the ending from about a mile away.  That’s really a shame as earlier in Paris, there’s a great car chase involving Frank and his girlfriend in separate cars trying to catch a fleeing baddie on a motorcycle. Sure, I knew a couple of things before they happened, but that chase was funny and believable. This final chase in the streets of London and English countryside was not.

The ending also seemed hastily thrown together. You get an hour and 30 minutes of great action only to have the whole film end with a shell game. It’s a bit of a let-down. That being said the closing scene was a hoot and left a RED 3 open as a possibility. Despite my dislike of the ending, I would sit through a third film; especially if John Malkovich’s awesomely paranoid Marvin is in the film.

With not very many swears and little in way of gore, this could be a great film for parents with kids over the age of 14. It could also be a date night film on DVD if both parties like action films. There’s a little bit for just about everyone, though the violence could be intense for younger children and those who don’t like the sight of blood.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Damage Control (Series 1) #2 of 4

Damage Control has a new project- to restore the Latverian research lab in the Latverian Embassy in Manhattan. Looks like a fairly routine job. But Damage Control also has a new delinquent account- The Latverian Embassy in lonely upscale Manhattan. That same Latverian Embassy that is home to one Victor Von Doom!

Will the company’s accounts executive be able to make Dr. Doom get his accounts up to date? Will the new intern be in need of clean pants after his visit to the embassy? Can the lab be fixed?  Will puppies be injured? All of this and more await you in this original story that I don’t think Stan Lee or Jack Kirby would’ve ever seen possible in a million years.

The writing continues to be very clever and the plots are just brilliantly executed. The art is still a little rough but it works. It’s another great chapter to one of my favorite mini-series of all-time.

Worth Consuming.

                                                                                Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Damage Control (Series 1) #1 of 4

Meet John Porter. It’s his first day as the new accounts executive for Damage Control. It’s his job to find creative yet cost effective ways to repair the damage done after super heroes and villains fight it out. Case in point: a giant robot with Spider-man trapped inside has crashed into the base of a famous Manhattan sky scraper and it’s looking to topple fast. It’s up to John to preserve a New York landmark as well as a friendly neighborhood Spider-man alive or this very well might be his last day as the new accounts executive for Damage Control.

  This ‘sitcom’ style comic by Dwayne McDuffie and Ernie Colon is something I’ve read twice before. I remember reading this as a kid when it first came out in 1989 and then I read it again right before I got married in 1999. I laughed so much during those readings. I liked seeing what the average Joe did when the superheroes were busy elsewhere taking down the next megalomaniac. I think that many these type of story has stuck with me as I often find that the things that happen during a super heroes off hours is more interesting than their battles.

Reading this for a 3^rd time was new to me once again. I remember much or the plot but the jokes and art were as fresh to me now as they were both times prior. The art is very good, a little sketchy but humorous at the same time. A fantastic opening chapter for one of my all-time favorite mini-series.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Walt Disney’s Goofy Adventures #8

I like Disney, but I’m not an active collector of Disney comics. I actually find that statement kinda weird because I think the comic books of Disney are American classics and I’ve never really read a bad one. I got this book because of its patriotic theme. Since I collect holiday comics, I thought that this might be an enjoyable read for the July 4^th holiday.

Though I read this book on Independence Day, the actions of this book take place in the very patriotic time of Christmas, 1776. Goofy portrays General Washington, who is facing losing his troops at the end of their enlistment on New Year’s Day. The cold and ice of winter has made morale and supplies scarce in the encampment of Valley Forge. Washington and the nation itself very well could lose their bid for Independence if a victory of some sort isn’t soon forthcoming.

With Donald and Mickey portraying real-life aides to Goofy’s Washington, the majority of action in this story is pretty historically accurate. Not bad, Disney, not bad at all!

Including in the comic is a slightly bizarre sci-fi tale about Commander Goofy and his space ship crew in search of food. The jokes for this story are pretty corny and I knew most of what was going to happened pages before- it was that predictable. Saving the book from being an utter failure is Goofy’s history lesson on the film industry. It was a very funny story that reminded me of some of the old Goofy Sports shorts from the 40s and 50s that had a documentary quality to them. Those tales are mostly factual with the exception of the punchline. I loved it!

Would I add Goofy Adventures to my wish list? Probably not. But if I found a bunch of them in a bargain bin, you can believe I would snatch them up in a minute. Heck, who I am kidding, I’d pick up just about any Disney comic if the price is right. The stories are well thought out for the most part and the art is of the clean, classic Disney style. Would expect anything less from the House of Mouse?

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Big Bang Theory and Damage Control- which came first?

First of all, I want to give a shout out to a new website I found. It's called Sheldon Shirts. This website has an in depth look the many tees one by Dr. Sheldon Cooper on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. I love the show. It's a funny but true look at America's geek culture that has tons of cool shirts I wish to one day add to my collection. Not only does Sheldon Shirts show you the shirts, but the provide links in which you can find them for sale. Other geek fashions worn by the gang are also examined on the site along with some of the many cool items featured such as the Periodic Table shower curtain in Leonard and Sheldon's apartment and Star Trek 3-D Chess. Now if they'd only tell me where I could find Donkey Kong Jinga...


When you think of the Big Bang, you can't not help thinking about a gigantic explosion and with explosions comes damage. In order to prevent damage, you set up a series of measures for preventative reasons called Damage Control. Damage Control is a fictional company in the Marvel Universe that repairs damage caused by super heroes and villains duking it out. (Like my segue way?)It's also a trio of 3 mini series from the 00s- make that 4 as their was a smaller miniseries set right after the World War Hulk event that happened in 2007. Each issue featured a super hero or villain guest star and usually involved the Damage Control team trying to find creative measures to repair damage in Manhattan without going over budget or sacrificing the many landmarks of the Big Apple.


Well, starting tomorrow, I will be reviewing the Damage Control books in order as they were published. I just recently finished a marathon reading of them and I liked them all very much. So, stay tuned as I explore a little seen aspect of super hero comics that are vital in order for heroes, villains, and citizens alike to be able to continue on with their merry little lives.

Dogs of War

I must admit, I broke one of my most cardinal reading rules with this book! I looked ahead! Spoilers! (And with that, be warned as my spoiling will probably spoil this book if you wanted to read it!)

But I did it with a very good reason. In this book there are heroic tales about 3 dogs used by the Brits and US Armies to aid for the war effort. The first story takes place in the trenches of the Western Front (WWI) where a young medic and his rescue dog wind up with an Irish unit after a massive shelling attack. I just knew the dog was going to die in the end and there was no way I was going to read this book if I got attached to a 4-legged friend only for him or her to buy it Old Yeller Style.

But, I finished the book, so obviously the dogs all lived, right? Well, with two of these dogs, their fate is left up in the air, but all 3 remained alive and well by stories end. So if they died tragically in combat, it’s a story for another time to be told in their future.

The other two stories involve American dog handlers. The first of those tales involves an Artic rescue team in Greenland as they provide safety and rescue for planes using the island nation as a way station before heading to Europe. I did not know that we secretly set up air strips in Greenland a good 6 months before Pearl Harbor and if the Nazis found out, it would’ve been an act of war on our parts. I also did not know that we fought Nazis on North American soil, although some consider Greenland to be part of Europe (See: A Risk board game)

The final story is told in flashbacks with a GI trying to adjust to life back home after a stint in Vietnam. PTSD, racism, and a touching story between the wounded vet and a young neighbor who’s struggling to train his new puppy makes this perhaps the most powerful of the 3 tales. But I enjoyed all three stories.

The afterword in this book gives a small history lesson on dogs and their roles in times of conflict. Events in Korea, the Gulf War, and the current war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq are briefly mentioned along with the three wars covered in this book. I would be pleasantly surprised if another volume covering the wars I mentioned early was published as a companion piece to this book. I’d very much have to read it.

The art and coloring varies. There’s a Paul Pope quality to the works with splashes of Darwyn Cooke. I really love Cooke’s art but Pope’s is hit and miss. However, it was very detailed and I enjoyed the use of color schemes as well as varying art-styles during flashbacks and scenes from a soldier’s private sketches.

Lastly, I want to talk about the rating for this book. The book itself has no rating on the front or back cover.  But I found this in the Children and Youth graphic novel shelf in New Arrivals at my local library. Amazon considers Dogs of War to be for ages 8-12. I just think 8 is too young for kids to be reading and seeing (this is a graphic novel) war and death. There isn’t any swears but at least one Nazi buys it Rambo style (Knife slit to the throat from behind) and several soldiers are gunned down violently. Yes- red ink flows from the colorist’s marker in these stories. So, I would at least advise parents and schools to possibly let only ages 10 and up read this book and with anything war/ violence/ and adult themes related, use discretion when letting youngsters read this book.

   And for adult readers like me, this book isn’t dumbed down. It’s the same quality of work I would expect from DC or Marvel’s voluminous war titles that were geared to teens and adults from the 60s onward. You too can enjoy this book and not feel like you’re reading a Disney novel!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey by Nick Bertozzi

I’ve had a fascination with ice and snow since I was born. My favorite film in Empire Strikes Back and I’d just love to visit Hoth. Living in the South, you don’t get a lot of snow but I just adore it. I long for snow days. I don’t care if the roads are bad- just give me a warm pot of soup, a good book, and my wife and kitties and I’m in Heaven. In fact, if I could take a job as a chef for a polar research station, you’d see a me-shaped cloud of dust heading either due south (preferred) or due north.

My wife recently gave me this book as a gift. She knows I love snow and the Antarctic as well as shipwrecks! Plus, comics and graphic novels, naturally. This book combines those passions.

I’ve read a few books on Shackleton’s ordeal on the Endeavor and his treacherous return to civilization, including his autobiography. Most of those books are very much oriented on the exploration of the Antarctic as well as Shackleton’s rescue attempt. This book provided a lot of information on things I’d always wondered about but didn’t ever find the answers to. The book starts with a tutorial on the race to being the first man to reach the South Pole. I did not know Shackleton had been a member of 2 such expeditions prior to launching on Endeavor. I also did not know that the first people to reach the Pole beat another team by just 2 weeks and some fatal hypothermia.

Much of this book focuses on the crew’s attempts to relax during there long periods of down-time. Events like a soccer match, dogsled race, and numerous card games were first played on the continent thanks to Shackleton’s men. These 50 some odd men were stuck in ice flows and on deserted islands and icebergs for days and weeks on end. The boredom would be enough to make one bonkers.

But, Shackleton and his previous experience in the region helped him keep the sanity and safety of the men in order for all to return to the UK alive! Sadly, I learn in the afterword, that many of these men lived for a short amount of time back in their native land as they were soon conscripted and sent off to fight in the First World War which began right as Shackleton’s research vessel was leaving the English Channel.

The art was mostly sketches and doodles- but it worked. It’s mostly in black and white with a limited icy blue palette. Again due to frigid conditions and well nothing but ice, ice, and more ice- the art technique works.

This book is the second in a series of works planned by creator Nick Bertozzi to be devoted to explorers. His first book focuses on Lewis & Clark. Based on this wonderful read, I must get my hands on that book and (hopefully) others in the series (should they ever be published.) Shackleton is a great read that could be devoured in a couple of hours. But really, this book and all of the minute details should be consumed over a span of several nights.

Also, though it’s not an all-ages book, most children 10 and up should be able to enjoy this book with only a couple of light swears and a traumatic amputation scene, along with some hunting of seals and other sea life.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.