This Monday I'm going to go see Blade Runner 2049. I am a huge fan of the original film and the Philip K. Dick book (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) and when I first saw the trailer for the sequel, I gasped. It's one of the few trailers I will watch everytime it's on TV. Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the double feature at AMC theatres in which both the original and the sequel were being shown back-to-back late Thursday night into Friday as I had to work early the next morning. It's also a good thing I didn't go to see the movie yesterday after work anyways. When I got home, I laid on the bed and woke up 6 hours later! I slept hard!
Since I didn't get a chance to see the first film to get reacquainted with the franchise, I was able to do the next best thing- I read it!
This 1982 adaptation from Marvel is a loving recreation from Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon. If those names sound familiar, it's because this trio was behind the Star Wars comic strip from the 1980s. Considering the amazingly renderings of Han Solo (along with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader), this was the perfect group to illustrate a comic book adaptation of a Harrison Ford sci-fi film.
If you notice on the cover it says that this comics adaptation of the Ridley Scott film is 'A Comic Art Classic" and they're not joking. There's a scene in which Ford as retired cop Rick Deckard is checking out a crime scene. The use of shading to illustrate city lights emanating through the shadows of some Venetian blinds was visually stunning!
Blade Runner is considered a masterpiece of not just science fiction but film noir and special effects- oh and costuming and set design! Folks, this film is a classic and a favorite of mine. This comic book is the next best thing to getting to watch it. Now having re-read it for the first time in decades, I can also declare this one of my all-time favorite adaptations in all of
comicdom!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.
Written by Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko
Art by Laura Braga
Covers by Amanda Conner & Paul Mounts, Adam Hughes
Published by DC Comics and Archie Comics
Let's Hear it for Ecology
Mr. Lodge is planning on putting up a state of the art community atop of Riverdale's Sweetwater Swamp. This includes a mini mall and new university with free education for all of the teens of the township. But the destruction of the swamp will mean that dozens of rare species of plant-life indigenous to the area will go extinct. For Poison Ivy, that simply cannot be.
So Ivy and Harley Quinn travel to Riverdale in hopes of changing Hiram Lodge's mind. But if that doesn't work, then maybe a little kidnapping for ransom might change old Mr. Lodge's mind. Of course Mr. Lodge is going to say 'No!'
Thus Veronica Lodge is in the cross hairs of Harley and Ivy's latest scheme to save the area wetlands. Add a costume party gala to the mix. Turn the rivalry between Betty and Veronica to eleven. Then watch the sparks fly when the two sets of ladies end up wearing the same costumes to the ball! You've got a recipe for disaster that will hopefully come to a head in the next issue.
The Chemistry of Crossovers
I've mentioned in the past that typical comic book crossovers follow a certain formula. The first issue has to bring the two parties together- first by establishing a motif and then the pathway narrows to a point where on the very last page, the groups finally meet face-to-face. That pattern is followed here to the letter. In other words, Harley & Ivy have yet to actually meet Betty & Veronica. But believe me, next month, it is going to happen and I expect the results to be epic.
One thing a little off putting about this issue was the sheer cattiness between Betty and Veronica. Maybe it's because Harley Quinn creator Paul Dini isn't quite as familiar with writing an Archie Comic. But he's got Archie scribe Marc Andreyko helping him out. So maybe the two Archie love interests really are that obnoxious in the rebooted Archie universe.
There were a couple of things really going for this book. The addition of Kevin Keller and Sabrina the Teenage Witch really added a much needed dash of humor to the petty rivalry between Cooper and Lodge. Plus I really liked the scene in which Archie is dressed as Captain Pureheart. In the 60s, there were a series of stories in which the Archie gang were superheroes. Having the new Archie refer to a comic book that shows classic Archie as Pureheart was a nice nod to the rich history of Archie Comics as well as DC.
The Verdict is...
I enjoyed this opening issue. It wasn't the most perfect team-up. NO- that's not right. The formula was executed flawlessly. I just think I had my expectations for this miniseries ramped up to high. I was suckered into believing that the two universes would really get into it sooner than they would.
Plus Harley Quinn is way too lucid in this. She's actually the voice of reason to a very off-the-rails Poison Ivy. An interesting twist. But I wanted a little more insanity in this story and less soap opera between all parties.
The art by Archie reboot mastermind Laura Braga is very good. I don't have any complaints there. But man are the regular and variant covers awesome! I love Amanda Conner's regular cover having the villains take Betty and Veronica's iconic place on both sides of Archie sharing a soda. And the Adam Hughes variant- OH MY GOD! He does stunning work of the ladies in a very tongue-in-cheek situation. It's my wish that he'll continue to be the artists on the remaining variants in this series.
Harley& Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica was a nice start that promises to only get better. Hopefully, more laughs and less drama will be infused. Often a crossover has great readership that dies off by the last couple of issues. Don't fall into that trap! Stick with this story. I have faith that Paul Dini will pull off one of the great crossovers in modern comics history. He just needs a little time to really get cooking.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
For those of you not familiar with Family Comic Friday, I write this weekly article(normally on my blog) to help parents, teachers, librarians, and guardians to better understand kid friendly comics and graphic novels. You'd be surprised the number of times I have been in a comic book store and a parent goes to the clerk and says 'My kid loves Wolverine. He's six. Is this book okay?" The volume is question is Old Man Logan in which the Hulk and his cousin She-Hulk and their children have become a tribe of incestuous cannibals! Even more alarming is how the clerk responded "Oh, Hell Yeah! Your little dude's gonna love it!'
For today's Family Comic Friday, I choose the 2016 graphic novel Malice in Ovenland. The debut title by Micheline Hess, it tells the story of a little girl from Queens named Lilly. Because of questionable school grades, the young girl can't go to camp like her friends. Instead, Lilly also has to work in her mom's garden where it's all hot and sweaty and even worse- mom has started cooking healthy! Eggplant puree instead of chicken nuggets and fries!?! YUCK!
Due to a family emergency, Lilly's stuck at home alone one summer weekend. Her mother has ordered that the house be cleaned from top to bottom by the time she gets back- including the oven!!! That appliance doesn't seem to have been cleaned in decades and it's going to require Lilly really get down and dirty inside of it! But don't get too close Lilly or you'll fall in.... too late!
On the other-side, Lilly finds herself in Ovenland. Ruled by a fierce Queen, Ovenland has undergone a bit of a famine. The life sustaining grease that once flowed into the kingdom has dried up... all thanks to Lilly's mom eating healthy. Unwilling (and unable) to get the grease flowing again into Ovenland, Lilly finds herself imprisoned and cellmates with a ghost! Will Lilly get back home in time to clean the oven? Or is she to become the main course for her ghostly roommate?
One main reason I choose Malice in Ovenland is it's similarities to that Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland. I have loved that story since I was a child and I was interested in checking out this take of the beloved tale. Lilly is a fiercely independent young lady with a lot of smarts. She encounters quite a few unusual characters like Alice. Plus, there's some riddles, poems, and mysteries as like in the Carroll book.
I really enjoyed Hess' artwork. My favorite character was a tiny resident of Ovenland named Crumb who assists Lilly in her journey. The little guy along with the cockroach Max were an adorable pair that made Hess' new land a wondrous place to visit; no matter how grimy or smelly it might be.
This is Micheline Hess' first graphic novel. In terms of story and art, I thought the book was fantastic. But there was one part that nagged at me a little bit and it has to do with grease. See, the soldiers of Ovenland use the valuable stuff as artillery for their weapons. If this stuff was so gosh darn vital as foodstuff for the Frites of Ovenland to live on, why is it being used as a weapon? There were a couple of other times it seemed that the logistics of things wasn't so clear cut. But I chalk that up as rough edges that would get polished out as an artist/writer gains more experience drafting up further adventures.
As for further adventures, I don't think this is the last we have seen of Ovenland. At least, I hope that is the case. Lilly, Crumb, and Max are too great to just be used once! Further fun starring the trio is requested!
Malice in Ovenland, published by Rosarium Publishing can be purchased via Amazon in a number of formats. The three single issues that make up this story can be purchased digitally individually. A collection of the four can also be bought in both print and Kindle form as well.
A fun story with classic roots retold by an up-and-coming graphic novelist. Malice in Ovenland and Micheline Hess are ones to watch!
Recommended for ages 8-12!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
Halloween is soon to be here. In order to get into the holiday spirits, er spirit, I selected a number of Halloween and horror themed comics from my vast collection.
In part one, I examined the more kid friendly comics available to put the fun in funeral. Okay, I'm not the Crypt Keeper, but I'm really trying folks. Anyways, part two looks at the more adult and classic horror titles that I plan to read over the next several weeks. Hopefully, these selections will inspire you to develop a Halloween reading list. So let's begin, shall we?
Modern Scares
The following are some selections from the past 30 years. They may not be classics, but they show promise to set an eerie tone to a cold October night...
Batman: Masque
This graphic novel is an Elseworlds. The premise is what is Bruce Wayne was the Phantom of the Opera. I hope there's no singing as I hate singing in comics. I never know the tune...
The Phantom of Fear City #10
Do I know how to segue or not? I have no idea if this book is scary. But I got it in a grab bag and since it's by Captain America legend Steve Englehart, I thought I would give it a try. By the long now defunct Claypool Comics, their website still stands like an abandoned cyber ghost town...
The Troll Halloween Special
I really don't know much about this shorter, grumpier version of Wolverine from Image. But I read the Troll Christmas Special a while back and it was really funny. So when I found this at a con, I just had to have it. Plus, it has a Maxx story and I really dug that mind-bending cartoon series when it was on MTV in the 90s.
Weird War Tales Special (Vertigo 2000)
There were two series that my dad would regularly read as an adult. Sgt. Rock and Weird War Tales. I'm more of a Howlin' Commandos kinda guy but I love Weird War Tales. I know I should have picked a classic story. But I just finished reading a large collection of those (Showcase Presents Weird War Tales Volume 1), so I went for the modern take.
Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood
Another classic horror title that got a modern make-over. This 2011 one-shot from Marvel promises to integrate the Dracula mythos with feudal Japan. I'm not sure how they're going to do that. But hey, it was only a buck when I got it!
Classic Horror Titles
For my final selection of spooky reads, I'm going to look at some of the all-time greats known and beloved to horror comic fans nationwide.
The Twilight Zone #47 (Gold Key)
Rod Serling's spooky anthology series is not only perfect for a good scare, but it was gosh darn good TV. Gold Key held the rights for decades after the show was cancelled, publishing an anthology series that included some of the earliest works by Bernie Wrightson and Neal Adams. If you don't mind condition, tons of these issues can be found in bargain bins at cons and your favorite LCS.
The Demon #2 (1972-74)
Since we celebrated the 100th birthday of Jack Kirby this year, I thought it would be appropriate to read an issue from The King's horror title from his days at DC. The Demon in my opinion one of the most visually appealing characters Kirby ever designed in terms of colors and how the character just looks some much more menacing when drawn in the King's blocky style. Fun Fact- Kirby's Demon didn't start rhyming all of his lines until years later when Len Wein used the character in a Superman team-up story.
Scary Tales #11
For some, the horror titles of Charlton Comics are amongst some of the best of the 70s and 80s. By far, horror titles are what kept Charlton in business for as long as they did considering how DC and Marvel were slaughtering them in the superhero genre. Featuring the work of greats like Steve Ditko, Joe Staton, and Dick Giordano, I had to include one of these books here, especially as a Charlton horror book was the first comic I ever bought.
Crypt of Shadows #10
This short lived horror anthology isn't one of Marvel's most reknown compared to titles like Where Monsters Dwell. But the series has a sizable cult following on Facebook groups devoted to classic horror comics.
Adventures of Bob Hope #87
The classic Hollywood comedian isn't really known for horror. That's more suited for Jerry Lewis or Abbott & Costello. But when I saw this cover, I just had to have it. 1) It's a classic DC title and 2) it looked like it would be a fun Halloween read. Plus, the doggie just seemed so darn cute.
The House of Mystery #250
The creme de la creme of the DC horror anthologies. It's host Cain is considered one of the all-time great horror hosts. The series was so popular and so beloved by fans and artists alike that in 2008, Vertigo not only revived the title but managed to add Cain back into the mix as well.
The Vault of Horror #14
Last but not least, it wouldn't be a Halloween comic book reading list if I didn't included an EC Comic. The brain child of William Gaines, EC's titles were the catalyst behind the comics scare of the 1950s. As a result, the industry created the Comics Code Authority and for almost 20 years, horror comics were virtually non-existent. Because of the acclaimed HBO series, most people tend to favor Tales from the Crypt. But my favorite of the EC horror books is Vault of Horror.
...And that's my reading list for Halloween 2017.
Over the month of October, check out my personal blog Madman With a Book where I will be posting my reviews of these books as well as many other titles.
I hope this list will inspire you to seek out some comic and graphic novel frights in time for Halloween. If you have any suggestions of you own for what makes the perfect Halloween reading list, please post theme in the comments section below...
The Shadow and Batman join forces again in the new crossover miniseries from Dynamite and DC Comics.
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Giovanni Timpano
Published by: Dynamite Entertainment/ DC Comics
It’s midnight: New Year’s Eve in New York City.
Professor Pyg and his army of Dollotrons have gone on a recruitment drive for more members of his gang. Thankfully, Batman has arrived from Gotham City to stop the psychotic menace. But the Dark Knight is quickly overwhelmed. If it wasn’t for the unexpected appearance of the Damian Wayne Robin, Batman would have become one of Pyg’s minions.
Upon Pyg’s capture, Batman and Robin are alerted to a forgotten evil known as the Silent Seven: a group of super villains long believed to have stopped operating sometime in the 1940s. The knowledge Professor Pyg obtains is a source of division between the Dynamic Duo. But for the champion of the Big Apple, the Shadow, it’s information that chills him to his very core.
The opening salvo in the Shadow/Batman crossover is very unusual.
The storyline doesn’t follow the established rules for a crossover. Generally, the first issue is balanced 50/50 between the two stars as they slowly merge to work the same case or adventure coming together by the final panel of the opening chapter. Here, the Shadow only appears in 5 pages. This premier issue is all Batman and Robin.
I’m not really sure where Steve Orlando (Justice League of America) is going with this miniseries. A crossover typically provides equal amounts of coverage for the two parties being brought together. If Orlando is going to follow this formula, then the next issue is going to be all about the Shadow. We’ll just all have to way and see what the writer has up his sleeve for issue #2.
Now let’s talk about the art.
I loved it! Italian artist Giovanni Timpano’s style is very similar to another Batman favorite of mine- Frank Quitely. The Lone Ranger/Green Hornet crossover artist, like Quitely, pays exhaustive detail to the tiniest of things, like the refuse on a snowy New York sidewalk or the banner logo for a 1930s newspaper in the background of the Batcave. Timpano’s art is really top shelf stuff!
At the heart of this Shadow/Batman miniseries is a mystery. The Silent Seven are foes of the Shadow. For someone like myself who is not really familiar with that character, I’m at a loss as to why these guys scare the bejeezus out of the Shadow among other things.
Will we see further Batman villains pop up in this series? Is the Shadow going to finally interact with the Dark Knight? Why is Damian Wayne playing such a large part in this story at odds with his father? I really can’t tell you because Steve Orlando isn’t playing by the rules of crossover story writing. But I think that’s okay. Compared to other team-ups, I feel more interested in knowing what happens next in this miniseries though I am clueless as to what’s going on for a large portion of this story thus far.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.
