The Beef #4

When it comes to miniseries, the next to last issue tends to be the weakest of the lot. That's one reason why I think this, the penultimate issue of The Beef by Richard Starkings and Tyler Shainline is so vastily different and unique from the first three issues.

Issue #4 of The Beef begins with a talking (and flatulent) cow. Not only does the bovine give the reader a recap of the the story so far, it also leads into a lengthy segment of the truths (and horrors) of the dairy industry. 

Being both a chef as well as product of a dairy farming family, and later working on a farm or two, I'm not shocked by the information. But I was quite surprised to see it here in such raw 4-colored glory. Or should I say 'gory?'

While I would like to say that farms are returning to more ethical practices, it's a slow road getting there. Giant corporate farms are just too in deep financially to ever change their ways. Plus, the average consumer is just too cash strapped to pay $5-7 dollars for local, humanely harvested products- especially on a regular basis. Then again, there are some pretty sneaky tricks that some farms will do in order to slide under the reigns of certain terms like 'free range' and 'organic.' 

For example, and this is one of my favorites- under USDA rules, a chicken only has to released from it's pens or cages for 1 hour a day in order to be declared a free range chicken. Don't blame our current administration on this loop hole. This is just one of many such bent rules that have been on the books for at least a decade.

The Beef #4 is most definitely a different change of pace from the series. But it was actually needed as I think this story really would be over in probably only 4 and a third issues without this giant interlude. Has the events and facts of the farting cow changed my ways of eating meat? Not in the least. But I greatly appreciate the efforts made to bring a serious subject such as food production ethics to the realm of comic books. 

Lastly, in terms of the cover, I really felt at first that the comic book cover of a comic book cover wasn't such a big deal. However, a great amount of effort went into it's development. Don't skip on the 'making of the cover' section in the back of this issue! It's very informative, especially for aspiring artists.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Despicable Deadpool Volume 1: Deadpool Kills Cable

The reign of the Despicable Deadpool begins with this volume that takes place immediately after the events of Secret Empire!

SPOILERS: 

The reign of HYRDA Cap has been thwarted. But the damage has been done. The public still doesn't forgive or trust the true Captain America. Wade Wilson has been declared and enemy of the state! And the Preston family is in serious disrepair. 

On the run, Deadpool now must complete a series of 4 murders in repayment of his debt to Stryfe. His first target: Cable!

I must admit when I first heard that Deadpool was going back to a baddie, I was afraid that he was going to loose all of the elements that led to me falling in love with the character over the past couple of years. Thankfully, he's the same old Merc with a Mouth- he just doesn't give a damn anymore!

Another thing that should have led me to not worry is the fact that Gerry Duggan is still penning the further adventures o Deadpool. The quality of the stories haven't diminished and Scott Koblish continues to pencil the series in his 'pen is mightier than the sword' ways. 

Though it's a more gruff Deadpool, everybody's favorite mutant- besides Wolverine, and Cable, and Kitty Pryde, and Storm, and Professor X...(okay, I could go on for ever)- anyways Wade Wilson is still in very talented hands and this is a series very much Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 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.

Deadpool: World's Greatest, Volume 10: Secret Empire

The world Deadpool knows is no more! Captain America has made his intentions known and the United States of America is now under the domain of HYDRA!

In order to keep his daughter Ellie safe, Wade Wilson will burn all of his bridges. That includes his relationships with Agent Preston, the Avengers, the Mercs for Money and even Rogue!

It's been alluded to for several volumes now that the Merc with a Mouth was going to bottom out and this is the beginning of that downfall.

Secret Empire was a great read. It's another Gerry Duggan triumph! I just hate seeing bad things happen to Deadpool. I know that he deserves a lot of what is coming to him. But this wasn't one of those things he deserved. 

Man, is that HYDRA Cap slimy. It's no wonder Captain America has fallen from being my favorite superhero of all-time to 4th or 5th. He and Marvel have a look of restoration to do to put him back in the top position. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool: World's Greatest Volume 9: Deadpool in Space

Deadpool raids the former domain of Uatu the Watcher in hopes of finding something that can destroy Madcap once and for all. This begins a galaxy spanning adventure that will pit Wade Wilson face-to-face with the Nova Corps, Asgardians, Brood and so much more. 

In light of all the chaos, it appears Deadpool is doing something he's never done before- have fun! It's a vacation in space unlike any other!

Some of the best work by Gerry Duggan. Along with Wilson's trek through the stars, there's also a special story formed by collecting 13 secret covers together starring the Merc with a Mouth and one of the most important characters in Marvel history in the past 40 years. 

A really fun read right before the crap hits the fan for Deadpool in the Secret Empire storyline.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out 10 stars.

America's Best Comics Primer

I didn't need much of a reason to be convinced of the quality in Alan Moore's America's Best Comics imprint. But to find this collection of first issues for only $3 was a deal I could not pass up. 

I had read about half of the issues contained within at one point of another. But I didn't own them and they were so very good that I did not mind reading them at all. In fact, I am glad I did because I am now wanting to give Promethea another try. Plus, I have a near complete wish list in which I can look for the remainder of the other titles still in need of my consumption!

Alan Moore might be a rather odd fellow in person. But I am a big fan of a lot of his work. His Swamp Thing tenure was amazing. Top 10 is probably in my top ten indy titles of all-time. And Moore's Vigilante stories and the Superman epic 'For The Man Who Has Everything' are probably some of my favorite one-shot tales ever!

The ABC books are not that hard to find. But it's not the easiest of stuff to locate either. So when I can get my hands on something from that 1999-roughly 2008 line, I snatch it up without hesitation. I know that the stories from Moore are going to be excellent. Plus with a line-up of talented artists like Arthur Adams, Jerry Ordway, Yanick Paquette and Gene Ha, I know that I am in for a visual treat!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

(Note: This book is also listed as the America's Best Comics Sampler.)

Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77

A decades spanning epic starring the cast of Batman '66, Wonder Woman '77 and Ra's al Ghul!

Jeff Parker does a masterful job starting the story in the 1940s in which the first season of the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman series was set. Then we jump to the 1966 era Batman and finally we end up in 1977 where we meet an aged and retired Batman, a grown-up Robin now Nightwing and a new Commissioner Gordon.

To me, there was one BIG continuity error as the first act had the Eartha Kitt Catwoman. But in the second two-thirds of the story, she's white. Jeff Parker claimed that he did this in order to honor all three actresses who played Catwoman during the run of the Batman TV show. However, in previous issues of Batman '66, it was established that both the Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether  Catwomen were 'copy-cat' thieves taking advantage of the Julie Newmar's Catwoman being incarcerated in Arkham. So while the tribute is great and all that, it contradicts canon that Jeff Parker himself had established in this franchise of Batman '66 titles.

Regardless of the mistake, this was a really good story. I only hope that this isn't the end of the Batman '66 tales. I really would like to see Batman '66 meet Superman '78 and Flash '90. That last one might be a little too far in the future to really happen. Though the Flash does have the ability to time travel. But maybe we'll see those Legends of Superheroes characters one day. 

Hey, a comic book collector can dream...

Featuring some great covers by two of my personal favorites Alex Ross and Michael Allred!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.