The X-Files Annual 1

You would think that with a cover titled 'Hallow Eve', that this story would be set upon Halloween. Alas, that is not the case. Now, on the plus side, I would have bought this issue regardless as I loved The X-Files and I thought that the comics made by Topps (yes, the same folks who make the baseball cards) were quite well made. So, this stays are part of my permanent collection. I'll just be moving it from holidays over to X-Files.

The story is both quasi-biblical and scientific with an anthropologist searching for the remains of 'Eve': the first female. During his dig in Africa, the researcher dies of a heart attack. This kind of case wouldn't even peak the interest of Mulder. But when both more characters involved in the transport of the fallen scientist's remains and equipment begin to die of heart failure as well, even Uber-skeptic Scully will admit something fishy is going on. 

It doesn't help that the FBI agent is having visions of her deceased father during this assignment. Or does it? 

There's definitely a creepy side to this story as with all X-Files tales. But this amazing whodunit goes slightly off the rails with a twist that honestly, I should have seen coming. But as with many adventures starring Fox and Dana, the reality is more confusing than the supernatural answers. 

And that last page. Holy crap! I loved it. So very eerie. I would love it if Topps or even IDW later on did a sequel to this tale. 

Nope. This isn't a Halloween story. It's a ghost story. So, the time is right for me having read this recently. But I'm now concerned that my supposed Winter holiday X-Files comic issue isn't set during Thanksgiving or Christmas. 

Could I expect anything less from 2020?

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Alan Robert's Killogy Halloween Special

Thanks to a grab bag of comics given to me as a Christmas gift, I became the proud owner of this Halloween one-shot. This 2014 special is set in the Killogy universe. For those of you not familiar with Killogy it's a series in which 3 killers share tales of how they ended up in prisoner. Set during a zombie apocalypse, the interesting thing about that story is that the main characters are based on the likeness of celebrities Marky Ramone (Ramones), Frank Vincent (The Sopranos) and Brea Grant (Heroes). 

That trio isn't in this story. Instead, former Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein is the main character in a creepy story that pits together zombism, cannibalism, fetishism and several other fetishes that haven't even been discovered yet. 

I'm pretty tired out with the zombie genre. But this special had a few twists that made this story quite refreshing in a originality sort of way. The level of violence and gore was pretty gross. Yet due to all of the unimaginable shocks in this book, I ended my readings wanting more. Maybe a hunt for the Killogy original series trade might be on my horizon.

On the flip side of this book, you get an introduction to another new series by Alan Robert. Shunned One is about the spectre of Death whom after being ordered to take several innocent souls, goes rogue on those who wronged those wrongly damned. Very scary stuff. But gosh-darn it, I was hooked. 

I'm name familiar with Alan Robert. But I really think I will be soon.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The True Adventures of Adam and Bryon #4

I have an extensive wish list of holiday themed comics. And yet despite how huge that list is, this 1998 Indy comic was not on it. If it wasn't for a search through some dollar bins at an antique, I still wouldn't know anything about this short-lived series.

Despite the title, I doubt that this book is comprised of true stories starring the creative duo of Adam (Walenta) and Bryon (Turner). What I do think this comic is is an attempt to create a CLERKS style comic. The troubles Adam and Bryon have with the ladies and the party-crashing overthrow of an acquaintances Halloween night bash are probably rooted in truth. But I doubt that the party was invaded by a group of escape mental patient mutants. 

I could be wrong. But I doubt it. 

I had a few laughs at this book. But it was rather rough. There's a supposed 5th issue which takes place during Thanksgiving. And I would be open to owning it for my holiday comics collection. But a quick Google search comes up with bupkis. 

Oh well... The search continues.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Walt Disney's Donald Duck Adventures #35

 
Not sure why this was published under Donald Duck Adventures and not Gladstone's Uncle Scrooge titles. This Halloween themed story was very much a Scrooge McDuck story. And it was pretty absurd.

Scrooge wages war on Halloween. As a result, he ends up buying all of Duckburg's supply of pumpkins, costumes and candy. By the time it's Halloween, Scrooge is bankrupt; just because the price of candy went up a measly 2 cents per pound and the miser doesn't want to give any handouts to trick-or-treaters.

The story is pretty goofy. And it makes for a funny story especially with the addition of Disney guest-star, Witch Hazel. But this just doesn't seem to be a typical Uncle Scrooge yarn. I find it impossible to believe that the gazillionaire Duck would allow his finances to be misused like this just to save a few pennies. He usually comes up with such harebrained schemes but the thought of spending money to save money seems to bring Uncle Scrooge back to his senses. 

I'm 50/50 on this issue. It's a fun Halloween themed story but it seems atypical of one of my favorite Disney characters of all-time. I'm also on the fence with this 1995 issue's format. For some reason, Gladstone decided to replace the shiny covers with covers that are more similar to the newsprint filler inside. It might have been a cost saving method. As this is only the second issue of such I have ever seen, I don't think this experiment lasted very long.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Blue Devil #13

30 plus years after it was published, this Madman got his wish. Issue #13 was far from unlucky with Zatanna, Jon Stewart and Etrigan returning to free Dan Cassidy from the long-distant Nebiros. 

It turns out Dan's hi-tech pitchfork has absorbed some of the demon's bad mojo. That's good news for the studio behind the Blue Devil movie as it turns out that the film footage shot isn't full of demonic influence. But for Dan Cassidy, it spells trouble.

The comedic elements of the past issue are all but gone. But I still enjoyed this supernatural chapter very much nonetheless. Full of great guest stars and chock full of new twists and turns; including a new player who promises to give Dan Cassidy the fits. That is, if he survives the events of this issue!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Blue Devil #12

It finally happened! The long-awaited premiere of Blue Devil at L.A.'s Chinese theatre promises to be a blockbuster. As they say, the devil is in the details and the moving images of the demonic Nebiros have unlocked the evil side of Dan Cassidy.

Wreakng terror on the movie goers, Blue Devil has unlocked powers unimaginable. It will take the combined efforts of Zatanna, Green Lantern Jon Stewart, the rhyming Demon, Etrigan, and an all-new hero named Kid Devil to defeat Cassidy's dark side without doing any permanent harm to the famed stuntman.

It's always great when you get an appearance from Jack Kirby's Demon. Plus Zatanna just has great chemistry with Blue Devil. I really wish she would have become a permanent fixture of this series. 

This caper to the first year of Blue Devil was a supernatural comedic masterpiece by the writing team of Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn with fantastic art by Alan Kupperberg.

Just about darn near perfect!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman Arkham: Two-Face

The dastardly career of Batman's dual villain Two-Face is explored in this giant-sized collection. Over 300 pages of crimes themed around the number '2'. But just who really is Two-Face?

The criminal started out as handsome District Attorney Harvey KENT. In a trio of tales from the early 40s, KENT finds himself partially deformed after Batman deflects a vial of acid thrown at the law man's face by a doomed criminal. This Two-Face's story is a roller coaster of plastic surgery fixes, re-injuries and lovers town apart by tragedy. But by the end, this villain's story ends well.

That would appear to be the end of Two-Face. But with the establishment of the Silver Age of comics, old ideas became new again. This time around Harvey Kent becomes Harvey DENT. This is probably because DC didn't want readers confused with a more heroic Kent, that being the secret identity of a certain Man of Steel, who appears inside in a World's Finest team-up.

With a jump into the 70s, Two-Face's stories become more complex and more deadlier. The 80s see more soap opera type drama between Batman, Catwoman and the Jason Todd Robin. There's also a heavy dose of sexuality with a maimed model turned stripper named Circe.

The 90s and 2000s see Harvey dealing with his daddy issues. Poppa Dent was a loving widower who turned violent during his lengthy drinking binges. Two-Faces crimes are still focused on the number two. But instead of lining the bad man's pockets, the true purpose of these new misdeeds were about payback against anyone who ever wronged Mr. Dent. 

A great time capsule of Batman stories from just about every decade of comics featuring the Caped Crusader. Though I am wondering why there weren't any stories from the 60s? Did the aborted fourth season of the Batman '66 TV series lead to an era of no Harvey Dent?

Found at an Ollie's for a literal song, this massive volume was a great read starring one of my favorite Batman baddies.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10