In 2021 I’d like to cross over the 1,000 comics review barrier, meaning reviews that I (Mike Clarke a.k.a. pghhead) contribute to the blog. That’s what this odyssey is about, beginning January 01, 2021. Wish me luck . . . . .
Three more from my comic brick / bargain bin purchases . . .
#151 ABSOLUTE CARNAGE VS. DEADPOOL #3 of 3 (Marvel, December 2019) Like most Deadpool stories, you can jump in anywhere and still follow it. I don’t think I missed anything by not reading Issues #1-2 of this short limited series.
Even back in 2019 there were tie-ins to the current King In Black saga. As the
credits page explains, every symbiote leaves a trace of it's genetic material within it's host, called a Codex. Carnage is collecting them to resurrect his god, Knull. Deadpool, having previously bonded with four symbiotes, is a prime target.
There are great battle scenes here, featuring engaging art and spiced with Deadpool’s funny retorts. Spider-Man comes to the rescue, but it’s Deadpool who sacrifices his body once again and saves the day. Oops, spoilers. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#152 COSMIC POWERS #4 (Marvel, June 1994) This issue features Legacy, the son of Captain Mar-vell. Legacy learns that his father got cancer from a leaking canister of nerve gas during a battle with Nitro, and vows revenge. Guest appearances by Jack of Hearts, Eros, Thanos in a tight script by Ron Marz enhanced by some fine art by Ron Lim. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#153 INVISIBLE WOMAN #1 (Marvel, September 2019) Mark Waid can usually be counted on to script a good story, always respective of the source material canon. I enjoyed this, but not enough to want to seek out and finish the story.
The C.I.A. recruits Sue Storm to rescue agent Aidan Tintreach, being tortured for intel in Moravia. He and Sue have worked together in the past (revealed in a wintry flashback). Aidan keeps referring to her as “Stormy” (very annoying).
There’s more to this mission than revealed, as Nick Fury meets up to warn Sue before she heads to Madripoor first, where Black Widow awaits her. Ho hum. THREE STARS.
#154 FUTURE STATE: WONDER WOMAN #1 (DC, March 2021) I really enjoy the art of Joelle Jones, so of course I picked this one up. The art is gorgeous here, and the story is not half-bad (also by Jones). However, I’m going to pass on Issue #2. I just don’t feel that it’s necessary to read it.
In this Future State world, Wonder Woman is Tara Flor, of Central or South American descent, who rides a unicorn and has a mischievous wood nymph as a companion. Tara is quite adept at dispatching the dragons and hydras that frequent the Amazon Rain Forest.
The front part of the book does a good job of establishing the fantasy setting of this new world, and then pulls me right out of the story when Tara speaks in common street language and the nymph admits to smoking cigarettes.(Hey, that will stunt your growth!) In order to reach the underworld and rescue her sister from Hades, they have to enter an airport-like terminal/subway station and get their tokens to ride with Charon across the river Styx to their destination.
I’m not taking this seriously when the book obviously is not meant to be taken seriously. That’s kind of refreshing. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#155-156 ACTION COMICS #964-965 (DC, November-December 2016) Superman, Meet Clark Kent Part One and Two. I want to admit upfront that I don’t read Superman on a regular basis, just sporadically. And, I thought that writer Dan Jurgens did an excellent job on the 2015-2016 SUPERMAN: LOIS AND CLARK mini-series of clarifying the alternate Earth versions of Superman that arose out of the New 52 era and preceded the Rebirth stories.
Now, here in November 2016 (not even one year later) I’m confused again by which version of Superman I’m reading about.
Prior to Issue #964, Clark Kent was investigating some unsavory activity at Geneticron labs, so dangerous that Superman warned him and suggested that Clark hide away so Superman could pretend to be him and continue the investigation. It also leaked to
the public that Superman and Clark Kent were the same person. Then a new version of Doomsday kills Superman, soon to be replaced by another Superman. Then Clark Kent comes out of hiding and has to make a public statement that he's not Superman, which no one believes.
This Superman (who is married to Lois and has a son, Jon) takes Clark Kent to the Fortress of Solitude to have his high-tech gadgets search Clark’s memories to establish that he is who he says and not another version of Superman. You still with me? (I’m not).
Issue #965 ends with images of Clark and Superman and his family alongside the text of the Daily Planet article "My Day With Superman" by Clark Kent. In it, Clark confesses that he and Superman are not the same person, Superman died, a new Superman replaced him who is just "as powerful, courageous and heroic as the
man we lost." So everybody should be happy with that. What a mess. THREE STARS.
#157 SCOUT’S HONOR #2 (Aftershock, February 2021) The story and the primary conflict heat up as this comic adds plenty of back-story and new friction to prove it’s so much more than a one-trick pony.
Yeah, it’s another post-apocalypse world, but one that you can fully immerse yourself in and be entertained by. It’s Ranger Scouts vs. brutal biker gang fighting over a revitalized drone from the before times. The Trials of the Eagle looks to be a fatal initiation ritual as the best scout in the pack agrees to participate. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#158 CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE #2 (Scout, February 2021) Another recommended horror comic from Scout. This is the first published comics work from the creative team, and it’s worth your time. Some new names to watch: writers Sam Romesburg & Ben Roberts, and illustrator Gioele Flippo.
I’m reminded a lot of M. Night Shyamalan’s THE VILLAGE film in so many ways: a cloistered Amish-like society led by a domineering pastor and hiding a big secret. Daniel is rebellious, seeking to find a new way when he encounters “The Mother” in a horrifying cliffhanger final scene in Issue #1. New developments this issue introduce some weird science-fiction elements. I’m not sure where this is going, but I’m taking the wagon ride. FOUR STARS.
#159 IRON FIST; HEART OF THE DRAGON #1 (Marvel, March 2021) You can usually trust writer Larry Hama to tell a good action/adventure story. I recall reading his Marvel G.I. Joe run to my young sons before they became adept enough to read and comprehend the issues without me.
I don’t recall viewing any of David Wachter’s art before, but he’s got my attention now. Danny Rand/Iron Fist gets called back to the seven mystical heavenly cities as Taskmaster and the undead are trying to destroy all the dragons under heaven. Lots of characters and interaction this debut issue, maybe too much: Luke Cage/Power Man, Lady Bullseye, the dwarf-like Fooh, undead ninjas, the Dog Brother clan.
I wasn’t fully vested in the story until Danny’s young ward Pei, the cute little girl that is good at martial arts, and her equally cute small pet dragon get threatened. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#160-162 BUG! THE ADVENTURES OF FORAGER #3, 4, 6 (DC/Young Animal, September 2017-February 2018) Parts 3, 4, & 6 of the Domino Effect story There’s a love/hate relationship among viewers of the distinctive art of Michael Allred. Not many are indifferent or neutral. I’ve appreciated his style ever since the Madman days; and I was happy to rescue these three issues from the bargain bin.
Mike gets an assist on the story-telling here from older brother Lee, and wife Laura does a bang-up job on coloring. The Allred’s get to play around here with Jack Kirby’s Fourth World characters, and it’s refreshing to see them again, especially Mike’s take on Miracle Man, Orion, and other New Genesis faces. Even Deadman makes an appearance.
The story is all over the place but revolves around stopping a foe using the boom tubes to jump into various past and future time-lines. It’s too complex to summarize here; plus I’m not sure I fully understand it with only half of the pieces. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#163 RED ATLANTIS #4 (Aftershock, February 2021) This throbs with suspense and danger, reminding me of a good Jason Bourne movie.
Quick take: Gifted or perhaps cursed with powers that she can’t control, journalism student Miriam Roberts is on run from the FBI and Russian secret agents, fleeing a crime she didn’t commit and can’t explain. Forced to question even her own identity, is there anyone left for Miriam to trust? FOUR STARS.
#164-167 THE GODDAMNED: THE VIRGIN BRIDES #1-4 (July-November 2020) This one missed the monthly release dates, which might explain why I never picked up the final Issue #5. I stored my copies, waiting for the last issue and then lost track of it. However, I have a pretty good idea of what happens in the final issue after reading the cliffhanger confrontation at the end of Issue #4.
Writer Jason Aaron and artist r.m. Guera return to the brutal pre-history land of the original Goddamned series, with a story that reminds me of The Village film as much as Children Of The Grave does. A sheltered society of nun-like “mothers” raise (with a healthy dose of cruelty) young girls to get them ready for marriage to “angels” once their “flower” blooms. An Amazonian tribe of fierce woman warriors transport the girls to meet their husbands, never shown but we learn that they have wings and fly. The warriors are actually destroying settlements, killing all but the young girls and then bringing them to the mothers.
It’s just a vicious food cycle, as two upstart girls discover and then break away. The story follows their flight and the struggles they encounter. It’s a nasty story, but told well. You’ll worry about these two and root for them. And, Guera’s art is fabulous. The images of this world are panoramic and stunning. FOUR STARS.
#168-170 HORROR COMICS #1-3 (Antarctic Press, May 2019 - May 2020) Here’s another delayed book, one that I think was intended to be bi-monthly but took longer because of the pandemic shutdown, etc. Talk about brutal. Whew. Unless you’re a regular fan of horror comics used to bloody and gruesome panels, I wouldn’t recommend this.
Everybody in this Florida community knows Thomas Wright, the ice cream truck man. Kids and parents love him and his delicious home-made ice cream, which has a secret ingredient. Thomas is also a kind of ladies’ man and has been married multiple times, mostly because the life span of his spouses is fairly short as they end up contributing to his business in the worst way.
Thomas does raise his young son and introduces him to the family business. The FBI eventually catch on to Thomas’ activities and bring him down, making young Brian an orphan. Like father, like son. Ugh. TWO STARS.
#171 ROM: DIRE WRAITHS #1 (IDW Publishing, October 2019) I never got caught up in the ROM fever when the toy/comic was so popular but this continuation, written by an admitted fan in Chris Ryall, is quite good.
It’s July 1969, the advent of the fabled U.S. Moon landing. However, in this version the three astronauts have back-up/assistance if needed from the government’s secret satellite base. Adventure-1 is tased with monitoring inhuman threats, but they failed to notice the entrance of a band of Dire Wraiths onto the moon’s surface. The Wraiths plan to overtake the astronauts and use their ship to invade Earth. There’s a backup story about a Spaceknight captured by Wraiths who plan to steal his essense/energy.
Good stories, good art. This is a quality production on premium paper with extra pages. I guess calculating that Rom fans won’t mind paying $4.99 for this. I rescued this issue from a bargain bin. THREE STARS.
#172 IMMORTAL HULK: FLATLINE one-shot (Marvel, April 2021) There have been some great stories in these guest creator stand-alone specials, and this one is no exception.
The great Declan Shalvey handles story, art, colors and cover. The Hulk meets an old professor who was also involved during the gamma accident that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk. She still has some things to teach him. FOUR STARS.
#173-174 ROM: DIRE WRAITHS #2, #3 of 3 (IDW, November 2019-October 2020) There was a nearly year-long gap between Issues #2 and #3, and that must have really hurt sales. Too bad, as this is a very good action/adventure story. I rescued Issue #2 from the bargain bin, but paid cover price for Issue #3 as I wanted to finish the story.
The plan by the Dire Wraiths to take over the first Moon mission in 1969 is foiled by both courageous astronauts and the timely arrival of Rom, Spaceknight. There’s also a cool back-up story featuring Rom.
I’m not familiar with the art of Ron Joseph, but his work here is really good - reminding me of the old space comics from EC and Wally Wood. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
