Harley Quinn, Volume 3: Welcome to Metropolis

It's just too hot to be in Gotham right now. So Harley and Poison Ivy hightail it to Metropolis! If they're going to make it big in Superman's hometown, they've got to find a place to live, find jobs, and even make friends, like Jimmy Olsen and Bizarro!

Then Harley Quinn finds herself in the hottest water imaginable when she awakes in Hell. It's okay. This isn't a spoiler since the back of the book talks about Harley's final destination. 

A very interesting collection of stories. Many years ago, I saw a Bizarro Harley Quinn action figure and thought to myself that DC will do anything to sell action figures. Little did I know, that the Bizarro-Harley was taken from an actual comic! Okay, maybe this one was a spoiler. But these books are nearly 15 years old now!

Another interesting aspect of this volume is for an early 2000s book there is a frank depiction and defense of homosexuality. It's not something I have a problem with in this book. It's just how bent out of shape people are on social media about gays in comic books nowadays. Even though I wasn't actively collecting or reading comics at the time these Harley Quinn comics were being released new, I really do not recall people losing their minds over the same-sexual content of this series. 

Maybe I missed something. Well, there is one thing I miss- the utter civility of comic book fans, new and old in 2000-2005. 

Another great addition into the Harley Quinn mythos, though I wasn't so fond of the J'onn J'onnz storyline. It just didn't seem to fit. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Radioactive Man: A Radioactive Repository, Volume One

As a fan of the Simpsons comic books, I've come across a couple of single issues of Radioactive Man. I had noticed that some issues were numbered really high, like in the 6 and 700s. I thought it was quite odd as the Simpson title hadn't even hit the 200s yet (at the time.)

Well, at a recent library graphic novel rummage sale, I found this issue for just a few dollars and I ended up getting my answer about the high numbers. See in the Simpson universe, Radioactive Man has been going on since the 1940s. The books are published by Bongo Comics. In a unique art becomes life way, the real Bongo Comics issued several issues of Radioactive Man classic releases as they would have appeared on the shelf of the Kwik-E Mart.

The issues were from different decades of the history of Radioactive Man, going all the way to his 1940s origin to the swinging 60s and onto the grim 90s. To make the release of these books complete, Bongo went on to collect those issues as well as add in a few extras to create this compendium of the most important chapters in the life of Radioactive Man and his sidekick, Fallout Boy!

This book goes so far as to have the great Paul Dini (creator of Harley Quinn) to pen a forward about the history of how Radioactive Man came to be and his extensive run on stage, screen, and TV. 

It's all rather quite funny and silly. And to only pay $4, it was a freakin' steal. I can even overlook a few of the continuity errors, since I'm not really 100% sure if they were intentional or not. 

Bongo went on a few years later to put out a second set of classic issues. To my knowledge, there has never been a volume two. But that's okay. Because all of those issues are contained within as well! 2 whole series/ only $4 whole bucks. What a bargain!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Cyko KO #1 (Family Comic Friday)

They say to not judge a book by it’s cover. It’s a good thing I didn’t listen to whomever THEY are or I wouldn’t be sharing this week’s Family Comic Friday offering with you! This week’s selection is Cyko KO #1 from Alterna Comics. And I chose this book thanks to the awesome cover!

Cyko KO #1
Writer/Artist: Rob Feldman
Letters by Peter Simeti
Background by Toon360
Published by Alterna Comics

Let’s start with that crazy cover. It’s got our hero, Cyko KO, racing down a river of lava, while being attacked by a radio-controlled squid! First of all, it looks like it was drawn by those amazing Hanna-Barbera illustrators of such shows like Jonny Quest and Herculoids. Then it has elements of the silly 1960s Batman TV episode in which the Caped Crusader has a surf-off against the Joker. And third, it looks completely off-the-wall wacky!

I’m not sure what Cyko KO is. Is he a robot with faulty programming? Is he a complete loon with a cool looking mask? Regardless, he’s the newest fourth-wall breaking totally insane superhero in the vein of Freakazoid, The Tick, Madman, Harley Quinn, and Deadpool. But unlike the last three heroes, Cyko KO is appropriate for all-ages.

Cyko KO is the creation of animator and illustrator Rob Feldman. For the past few years, Feldman has been bringing Cyko KO and friends to life in a series of animated comic shorts based on classic cartoons from the 70s and 80s. Along with Jonny Quest, Cyko KO has a definite Scooby-Doo and Space Ghost vibe to it.

Feldman held a successful 2017 Kickstarter campaign to turn Cyko KO into a graphic novel coloring book. Due to the project’s amazing outcome, the folks at Alterna Comics got the KO-fever and became the publisher of the Cyko KO: A Comic Book Adventure You Can Color! Spurred on by sales, Alterna  commissioned Rob for a Cyko KO miniseries of which I am sharing the first issue with you!

The story of this issue finds Cyko KO and his sidekick/girlfriend Peaches on the way to the beach for the annual surf contest. The heroes are alerted to the mysterious presence of a giant squid and the disappearance of their friend, Dippy Dolphin. But before the duo can investigate the kraken, Cyko KO is challenged by his arch-enemy Cudo Cano to the ultimate surf-off ever- in the lava fields of a nearby island volcano!

I loved just about everything about this issue. The art was retro awesome! The backgrounds were so amazingly crafted. The story was very silly with some great one-liners and crazy twists and turns. Though I was not very impressed with the last couple of pages. They felt a little rushed in terms of art style. But the yucks were still great!

Cyko KO is a three-issue limited miniseries. Rated E for Everyone, it’s got a cover price everyone will love- just $1.50! Issue #1 debuted in stores on July 25th in print and is available now! One caveat- you’ll have to wait another 60 days until issue #2. The horrors! I don’t know if I can wait that long. I guess I’ll have to re-read issue #1 again… and again… and again...

Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #40

Those meddling kids of Mystery Inc., along with Scooby-Doo, take to the Louisiana bayou to investigate the report of a Voodoo Queen. In her command are dozens of zombies: mindless townsfolk kidnapped from a neighboring parish. When it looks like the Cajun witch is just about to capture the teenage detectives, to their rescue comes the legendary Swamp Thing. But can he save the day when another unexpected player enters the swamp. One so rotten, so evil, the only side he’s on is his own!

Scooby-Doo Team-Up! #40
Written by Sholly Fisch
Art by Dario Brizuela
Published by DC Comics

Yet another entry in the Scooby-Doo Team-Up series that proves why I love this all-ages crossover so much! The opening page reads like a lost Alan Moore tale of the Green. The art of that page and several other panels involving the mutated body of former scientist Alec Holland look like never-before-seen works by the late Bernie Wrightson! And this is coming from what is traditionally thought of as a kid’s book.

SDTU offers some much more than the same old Scooby-Doo plot. Yes, some of the earlier issues ran the gamut of having Shaggy and Scooby act as bait for the villain of the month. But the series has evolved into one that reflects the lore of the DC Universe and the nostalgic fun of multiple Hanna-Barbera properties. I’ve even gotten to where I enjoy the running joke about pulling masks off bad guys as it’s done so creatively now.

Writer Sholly Fisch (Teen Titans Go!) has become a master at scripting the DC kids titles. His brilliant has allowed for him to trim off any rough edges of his writing talents. In return, Fisch has smoothed those quirks out into this diamond of a book that awaits my pull box every month!

As for Dario Brizuela, I once was upset that he reused characters and set pieces ad nauseum. But Brizuela has really upped his game in the past year adapting his art style to match that to some of the great artists who created the monthly guest star of SDTU.

Next Month, the series returns to the Hanna-Barbera side of things with a pairing with Penelope Pitstop. But I am really looking for to the issue after that as the Mystery Gang will be matching wits against some of the most feared gorillas of the DCU! Start saving your pennies. It’s an issue not to be missed, no matter how old you are!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

This review was also published concurrently at Outrightgeekery.com.

Harley Quinn, Volume 2: Night and Day

Spinning out of the events of the first volume (Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes), Harley Quinn has ended things with the joker and starts her own gang. Now on her own, a price has been placed on Quinn's head for destroying that Gotham villains theme park. It seems like just about every criminal element known to the Dark Knight is after her including Two-Face, Killer Croc, a some petty criminal named Matches Malone.

Plus, Harls has a sleepover with her friends in a two-parter that will bring the safe house down- literally! 

I enjoyed this volume very much. Really enjoyed it! In fact, I think I liked it more than volume one! Karl Kesel has amped up the insanity, stuffing this book with laughs, and having added so much sex appeal and heart. Kesel also adds to Harley's origin with a look at her tumultuous college days.

The art also gets better and better than that in volume 1. Along with Terry Dodson, a number of guess artists take a swipe or two at the Joker's EX-girlfriend including Larry Lieber, Paul Chadwick and Amanda Conner. One neat element is the frequent change over from more traditional DC looking Harley Quinn to Animated Series classic Harley, especially when we go inside Quinn's head. It's a really neat plot device that pays homage to the Paul Dini/Bruce Timm days introducing us to the Maid of Mischief.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Harley Quinn, Volume 1: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes

A businessman seeks to turn Gotham City into the next vacation destination. His plan is to infringe of the copyrights of the Batman's Rogues Gallery and freely use their likenesses in a villain themed theme park. Upset that he wasn't asked, the Joker seeks to get the permission and respect he fells that he is due.

Feigning illness, the Clown Prince of Crime manipulates his gal pal Harley Quinn to do his dirty work for him. The Joker really just wants to get her out of his hair.  But with this new batch of responsibility, Harley starts to feel independent and gains a new sense of worth-while. Thus starts the beginning of the end of the relationship of Harley and her Puddin'.

I was very excited about finding the volumes that reprint this entire first series devoted to the Joker's girlfriend. I've been a Harley Quinn fan since day one and I really want any and everything of her's in terms of comic books and trades. These are among some of the most difficult and not cheapest ones to find.

The Final Night's Karl Kesel does a really excellent job here. I thought only Paul Dini was able to write definitive Harley Quinn stories. I can now add Kesel to that list. 

As for the art, I was really impressed with the work by husband and wife team Terry and Rachel Dodson. They add a very soft ink whimsy to Harley. It's a stark contrast to Bruce Timm's very sharp curves used in Batman: The Animated Series. Yet, the Dodson touch works!

Volume One was a wild ride. I can't wait to see where volume 2 goes next!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Archie Meets Batman '66 #1

The Batman '66 franchise continues it's run of epic crossovers with some of your favorite characters from the swinging 60s. This time Batman and the Boy Wonder are joining forces with Archie and his friends from Riverdale High in the 6-issue miniseries Archie Meets Batman '66!

Written by Jeff Parker and Michael Moreci
Art by Dan Parent
Inks by J. Bone
Published by Archie Comics & DC Comics

Poison Ivy has unleashed a deadly botanical creation on the attendees of the 1966 Gotham City World's Fair. As The Dynamic Duo are tasked with stopping the chaos, Batman's greatest foes are teaming up once again to bring the world to it's knees! Only Catwoman, The Joker, Riddler, and Penguin aren't targeting Gotham. Instead they have their eyes on a defenseless plum ripe for plucking- Riverdale!

Meanwhile, Veronica has noticed that her father is acting rather strange. As she goes to the Riverdale police for help, she finds that the police chief is acting just like Mr. Lodge! Has Veronica uncovered a sinister conspiracy among the rich and powerful of her burg?

Issue #1 of Archie Meets Batman '66 moves the all players into position. However, if you are expecting to see the World's Oldest Teenager hanging out with Batman and Robin, you will have to wait until issue #2. Not having the two parties meet is the standard structure for a multi-issue cross-industry crossover. While I love crossovers, it's always infuriated me when this happens. Yes, there are a few cases of both stars of a crossover joining forces right from the start. But those instances are the exception, not the rule, when it comes to team-ups.

Despite the lack of having Riverdale and Gotham's elite join forces, this first issue was rather good. There's some awesome cameos, of which I expect more in the remaining 5 issues. But there was one noticeable anachronism in this story. As I mentioned earlier, the story is set during Gotham's 1966 World's Fair. Yet, there's Batgirl in the crime-fighting mix with Batman and Poison Ivy. Jeff Parker and/or Michael Moreci: somebody made a big goof as Batgirl didn't appear on Batman until 2 years later!

I had zero issues with the amazing art by Dan Parent. The Die, Kitty Die artist was a long-time illustrator for Archie Comics. His art style became the standard for how Archie was to look in the early 90s through much of the 2000s.  His renderings of the Batman Family in the style of Archie Comics is very retro cool!

Twice in the past two years, residents of Riverdale have had their lives turned upside down by Gothamites.  But this go-round is a very different beast from Harley and Ivy Meets Betty and Veronica. That series was a little more aimed at older teens and adults. Archie Meets Batman '66 has an almost universal all-ages appeal that should delight fans of both franchises- ONCE THEY FINALLY MEET!

While this issue will let you down a bit, the awesome cliffhanger is going to perk you up like 12 cups of espresso. The Caped Crusader dancing the Batusi while the Archies play Sugar, Sugar is more than a given, gonna happen in this miniseries. You're just going to have to wait a few issues for it to occur.

Archie Meets Batman '66 #1 debuted in print and digital medias on July 18th, 2018.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The review was originally posted July 16, 2018 at Outrightgeekery.com.