I’ve been numbering my entries, picking up where I left off with the I LOVE COMICS 3000 CHALLENGE as one of the participants on the Captain Blue Hen Facebook page. This started as a challenge from friendly comic shops in Ohio and Texas, originally as the 1,000 Comics Challenge, then the 2021 Comic Book Quarantine Odyssey, and then I Love Comics 3000 - - all goals met by the group of Captain Blue Hen customer participants. I’m curious to see how long it takes me to read that many comics. My journey began with the 1,000 Comics Challenge on approximately March 15, 2020.
#721 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #53LR (Marvel, January 2021) Morlun vs. Sin-Eater, or Gluttony vs. Zealotry. Meanwhile, the Spider-Friends get Dr. Strange’s help to enter the astral plane, following the trail of Peter Parker and hoping to find his exit portal, so they can rescue him from Kindred. One of the better spin-off issues, with Matt Rosenberg’s contributions very welcome, especially the Ghostbusters references. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#722 MAESTRO #4 (Marvel, January 2021) In this desolate future world, Hercules rules as The Maestro. Hulk would like to steal that title from him. Hercules vs. Hulk in a thundering throw-down. Will the brutal Hulk prevail against the might of Hercules, or will it take the scheming brain of Bruce Banner to take him down? A very entertaining issue, with a cool twist. FOUR STARS.
#723 THE AUTUMNAL #3 (Vault/Nightfall, November 2020) “May the leaves always fall on the right side of the fence!”
This is the issue where I really begin to worry for the main characters, to empathize with them. Two misfits, mother and daughter, move to Comfort Notch to settle grandma’s estate and end up staying, albeit reluctantly. Daughter Sybil begins to blend in at school and embraces some of the strange ways of the residents, usually involving leaves. Mother Kat is trying her best to fit in, but has to leave town one day to frequent a seedy bar that doesn’t end well. She gets sage advice from an unlikely source, the owner of a tattoo removal service.
Creepy images of Clementine Briggs (a treelike wraith of a woman) keep showing up in strange places. A good samaritan neighbor dies and Kat finds herself being blamed by his unfriendly wife. FOUR STARS.
#724 CROSSOVER #1 (Image, November 2020) Wow! This book is getting some real praise on many comic review websites. I like the premise, and I’m always interested in stories that pay homage to the Golden Age of Super-Heroes. And, Donny Cates is on my short list of writers-to-watch.
However, while I like what’s presented here in Issue #1 I just can’t pretend to claim that this is great. I’m not feeling the love yet. Part of my problem is that while this does a decent job as a set-up issue I can’t figure out where Cates is going to take this. His text afterword explains how he wanted to capture the excitement of an eleven-year-old discovering super-hero comics. I didn’t get that from the story.
What would happen if a 2017 rift in space/time brought all the comics super-heroes into existence in . . . Denver, CO? They fight, the city suffers, and then a dome/force field encases it all. Now, in 2020 Provo, Utah “super-hero” is a bad word but a comic shop that caters to pre-event books thrives. A former hero is out and about and is shunned and harassed. Now another one gets out of the force field/dome.
I’m already reading more comics on a month-to-month basis than I care to. I think I’ll take a pause on this one, and wait for the eventual CROSSOVER trade paperback — provided the reviews are favorable. Guess I’m in the minority of opinions on this one. I do think comic fans should pick up Issue #1 and check it out - so I actually recommend it. Where is Cates going to take this? I just don’t know. It could be magical, or it could be meh. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#725 ONCE & FUTURE #13 (Boom!, November 2020) “The Parliament Of Magpies.” I’m still loving this book. A new story arc begins here, so anyone curious about this title should pick this issue to jump in. You’ll pick up on the premise soon enough.
Kieron Gillen’s script is crisp and clever, and the character of bad-ass Granny is one of my favorites. Dan Mora’s art is a delight to pore over, and Tamra Bonvillain deserves some recognition for her amazing color work.
ONCE & FUTURE is a mash-up of Arthurian and other legends (including Beowulf). Gran, along with grandson Duncan and girlfriend Rose do their best to keep the characters of myth and lore from creating havoc in the modern world. They all get a warning of a new impending threat, and the investigation leads them to a pub where a brawl ensues. Enter The Green Knight who “wishes to play a game!” FOUR STARS.
#726 THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE, BOOK ONE (DC Black Label, January 2021) If this debut is any indication, this could be a very engaging look at some disenfranchised heroes of the DC Universe, the secondary players who don’t get as much time on the big stage because of race, gender, or sexual preferences. Prior to this, I can only think of a handful of DC books I’ve read that featured Black Lightning. At the hands of writer John Ridley he really comes to life, revealing a deep, complex character - - perhaps the most fully-developed character portrayal that I’ve yet to read in the DC Universe. Black Lightning is fresh, independent, and has a lot to say about contemporary society and the role of super-heroes in it.
The story covers the period of time in Jefferson Pierce’s life (1972-1995) when he began by emulating his heroes with his physical sports accomplishments, then channeling his inner energy into a masked vigilante working the streets to rid them of drug pushers, guns, and gangs. It covers is disillusionment with the Justice League and his time as a member of Batman And The Outsiders.
There are no word balloons here or dialogue, just text boxes that contain the first-person narration of Pierce/Lightning and let readers to fully explore the man inside. Gorgeous layouts, finishes and colors take full advantage of the extra-sized Black Label format. Recommended. FIVE STARS out of a possible Five Stars.
#727 DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES #1 (Boom!, October 2020) I was very excited at the announcement of a new DUNE movie, unfortunately delayed due to current conditions. I haven’t read a Dune novel since high school, but the news of the film gave me an itch to explore those fantastic worlds again.
The original DUNE novel by Frank Herbert made a huge impression on me during my seminal science-fiction reading years, beginning in middle school and continuing through college. The world building was amazing, as well as the complex characters, political intrigue, unique cultures and secret societies. I read DUNE and DUNE MESSIAH with relish, then struggled to finish CHILDREN OF DUNE. I never continued to any of the DUNE sequels after that.
DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES is planned as a 12-issue adaptation of the novel, a prequel (and part of a trilogy) that takes place 30+ years before the events of DUNE. It’s being scripted by Brian Herbert (son of Frank Herbert) and Kevin J Anderson, writers of the DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES novel. It’s full of even more complex characters, side plots, and unique worlds and governments. I felt like I needed to take notes while reading Issue #1.
Don’t pick this up unless you are willing to immerse yourself within the world of planet Arrakis (Dune), the only known source of the Spice which enables safe interstellar travel - - and like catnip to giant sand worms. I’m going to follow this for at least the first four issues, and then decide whether to take the full 12-issue ride. The new comic has already whetted my appetite for the original, and I plan to check the local library for a copy of DUNE to read again.(Boom! has also announced a DUNE graphic novel, and includes a preview in the back of the HOUSE ATREIDES comic.)
As you might imagine, Issue #1 is pretty wordy which doesn’t leave much opportunity for the art to shine. However, when the panels open up for action sequences, etc. the imagery is quite good. Artist Dev Pramanik seems to have a little trouble drawing eyes, which can be distracting. Sometimes the facial expressions are right on, other times they seem exaggerated. Too bad Jae Lee is only drawing the covers. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#728 RED ATLANTIS #2 (Aftershock, December 2020) Issue #1 set up a very intriguing premise. After reading Issue #2, the stakes got higher and exponentially more dangerous. I’m in for the full run on this one! Here’s the quick summary from the Aftershock folks . . . .
The Cold War is hot again as Russian sleeper agents with mind-control abilities exploit America’s political divide and sow lethal dissent. Unexpectedly thrown into this world of science-fiction espionage, Miriam Roberts is left to question her government’s motives and even her own identity.
What she learns about her past is a shocker. The FBI wants hers. Russia wants her. Who can she trust? And what is that unusual ability she just utilized. FOUR STARS.
#729 AVENGERS #39 (Marvel, February 2021) “The Burnt Place” by Jason Aaron & Dale Keown. “The fiery cosmic force known as the Phoenix has inhabited countless mortal hosts over the millennia. The Phoenix Force’s history on Earth dates back to the very dawn of human - - and mutant - - life, over one million years ago . . .”
This is the prologue issue for “Enter The Phoenix”, the next epic Avengers story arc. All but a few pages this issue are devoted to telling the beginnings of the first human on Earth to bond with the Phoenix force, a pairing that occurred over one million years ago. Coincidentally, she (never named) just happens to have red hair. Back in primitive times, cave dwellers left their odd and/or deformed babies out in the wild to be the food of buzzards. ( I guess having red hair back then was enough to freak out the common folk.)
She is rescued and raised by wolves until the day she meets a strange floating man who lets her know there are “others” (mutants) like her and welcomes her into his pack, where he acts as a caveman version of Professor X.
Aaron never reveals what her mutant powers are. Because of a tragic event, she somehow finds the Phoenix force - or it finds her- and things get fiery and scorched.
In the final pages Aaron fast forwards the story to Asgard and an Odin that is not only still alive but has both eyes. The editor’s notes place the time as occurring after The Mighty Thor #12 (2015). She/Phoenix shows up with a pack of wolves to recruit Odin to her world-saving team.
Is this the same Phoenix from over one million years ago? Is there going to be another flash foward to the time of the current Avengers team? (Not according to the next issue blurbs on the last page). Seems like this entire issue is a set-up just to put down a marker about the Phoenix Force.
I’m not going to say. Don’t want to spoil it. Some may say that I’ve already spoiled it by telling too much about this issue. I’m just giving you some background in case you missed this, but want to pick up with the next issue. Seems like #39 is interesting but not really essential to what comes next. Not sure I’m coming along for the ride. THREE STARS.
#730 FANTASTIC FOUR: ROAD TRIP (Marvel, February 2021) A very amusing story with equally amusing art in a one-shot comic with a mix of horror and comedy. This is definitely on the lighter side, despite the horrific nature of what happens to the FF family vacation on a road trip to the Grand Canyon.
Writer Christopher Cantwell shows a side of him that I haven’t seen before - -humor (albeit on the slightly darker side). Filipe Andreade’s caricature-like, indie art style would not ordinarily be suited for serious super-hero fare, but it works perfectly here. It helps maintain the tone of the storyline.
This is more fun than I expect to have with a super-hero book. It does require accepting the set-up/trap that the FF find themselves in — otherwise it raises too many questions about the probability. However, considering the nature of the villain, maybe he could figure all that out. FOUR STARS.
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