BOC 3 of 3
Monday, April 26, 2021
Blue Oyster Cult: Fire of Unknown Origin
Starting a new playlist. Exploring the SOUNDS OF 1981, another great
year for rock music.
Book Review: LIGHTNING by Dean Koontz
LIGHTNING by Dean Koontz (Berkley, September 2003 - first published 1988) Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages. ISBN # 0425192032 / 9780425192030
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
A storm struck on the night Laura Shane was born, and there was a strangeness about the weather that people would remember for years.
But even more mysterious was the blond-haired stranger who appeared out of nowhere – the man who saved Laura from a fatal delivery. Years later – another bolt of lightning – and the stranger returned, again to save Laura from tragedy.
Was he the guardian angel he seemed? The devil in disguise? Or the master of a haunting destiny beyond time and space?
My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
When I picked this up at the local library, I was under the impression LIGHTNING was a horror novel. The early chapters of the story tend to lean that way, but it soon becomes apparent that this falls more neatly into the category of a science-fiction suspense novel revolving around time travel. Not that I'm complaining -- this was a very satisfying read and an enjoyable adventure.
I like what Koontz did here to establish his own rules regarding time-travel and what works and what won't work as far as altering fate/destiny. I don't want to spoil this for anybody who hasn't read this yet - - and I recommend that you do, especially if you haven't previously been exposed to the wonderful story-telling abilities of Dean Koontz. I'm just going to say that World War II and Nazis play a significant role.
The story slows down in several sections, and I would normally get impatient with authors who tell too much or think they need to include every minor detail. However, Koontz's ability to spin a compelling yarn and pull readers in kept me going. Beyond the suspense story is another story about finding love, romance, and achieving career ambitions despite stacked odds. A good one.
Comics Review: CHECK, PLEASE! BOOK 1: #HOCKEY by Ngozi Ukazu
CHECK, PLEASE! BOOK 1: #HOCKEY by Ngozi Ukazu (First Second, September 2018) Hardcover, 288 pages. ISBN # 1250177952 /9781250177957 Harvey Award Nominee for Digital Book of the Year (2018), William C. Morris YA Debut Award Nominee (2019), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2018)
Summary on the Goodreads website. . . . .
Helloooo, Internet Land. Bitty here!
Y’all... I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking. And then, there is Jack—our very attractive but moody captain.
A collection of the first half of the mega-popular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.
My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
You can't help but root for "Bitty" in this heart-warming, feel-good collection of the first volume of webcomics featuring a good-natured coming of age story about comradeship, hockey, pie-baking and secret love.
What is more remarkable and admirable to me is the story of the origination of this work, and that the author knew nothing about hockey before writing this book. Created during a screenplay-writing seminar during her senior year of college, Ukazu wrote HARDY, "a 120-page screenplay about a hockey player who tragically falls for his best friend -- a dude." That story morphed into CHECK, PLEASE! as a webcomic and later a successful crowd-funded graphic novel.
There may be not quite enough hockey scenes to satisfy those looking to read a sports comics, as the story is at its' core "a slow-burn romance" (as many of my fellow participants in Captain Blue Hen Comics monthly book club described it.)
Ukazu's simple art style is as charming as her characters and her writing. A highlight for me included the very amusing "Hockey Shit with Ransom and Holster" section that explains some of the popular hockey terms and phrases among the inner circle of players and fans.
This graphic novel is one that I would recommend to middle-grade and high school readers interested in something more grounded in reality than superhero or fantasy comics.
Sunday, April 25, 2021
Supertramp From Now On Live In Great Hall Queen Mary College London 197...
Sounds of 1977: SUPERTRAMP 3 of 3
𝗛𝗗 | Even in the Quietest moments - Supertramp (Live in Paris '79)
Supertramp, from Even In The Quietest Moments 1977
Give A Little Bit --- SUPERTRAMP (Live at pavillion at Paris, 1979)
Revisiting the SOUNDS OF 1977 - - #21 SUPERTRAMP from the
Even In The Quietest Moments album
Friday, April 23, 2021
Rocketman (2019) - Official Trailer - Paramount Pictures
Excellent, even though its' a sad story . . but it ends happy. Exceeded my
expectations. Good show. FIVE STARS.
TOMORROW: Here's A Comic Con We Can All Attend = ITHACON
EDITOR'S NOTE: This looks like fun, with a lot of great panels and activities - - and almost all of it is free! I'll definitely check out the Aftershock Panel at 1 p.m. with creators Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler. Click the link to go to the ITHACON homepage and preview the schedule of events.
HISTORY OF THE COMIC BOOK CLUB OF ITHACA, SPONSERS OF ITHACON
The Comic Book Club of Ithaca, the longest-running comic book club in the country, grew out of a middle-school comic book club, and was formally established as a community organization in 1975. The first Ithacon took place in 1976, and featured 2 guests. The show has grown considerably since then, but the goal has always been to run a convention that is fun for fans, guests, and vendors alike. The convention has had several homes: GIAC, the Ramada Inn (now Hotel Ithaca), the Masonic Temple, the Boynton Middle School, the Women's Community Building, and the former Race Office Supplies storefront. The partnership with Ithaca College began in 2014, with Ithacon 39. Through the years we have continued to be a fan event, run by fans and for fans, with nobody receiving compensation for their efforts in organizing the convention. We have maintained a focus on comic books and providing a way for fan creators to showcase their works while allowing all of us to meet some of the most famous comics creators.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Official Teaser Trailer (202...
Seems like martial arts movies are making a big come-back!
Chopping Mall Trailer
Stay-At-Home Theater: CHOPPING MALL on The Last Drive-In Show with Joe
Bob Briggs on Shudder streaming service. Enjoyable, good for a laugh. It's
so over the top. The title is misleading. You might think this is a slasher movie,
but it's not. Security robots at a shopping mall turn into killer bots, complete
with head bursting laser blasts. Joe Bob's commentary is worth the watch alone
THREE STARS.
Crawling Eye Trailer
Stay-At-Home Theater: THE CRAWLING EYE (1958) A slow build until
the end. Watched this on the Svengoolie Show on MeTV. Good for a
laugh. Bare bones special effects, but still pretty good for the 1950's.
I think I saw this for the first time when I was eight or nine years old. It
scared me a little. Times have changed. THREE STARS.
Monday, April 19, 2021
Comics Review: PUMPKINHEAD by Cullen Bunn and Blacky Shepherd
PUMPKINHEAD by Cullen Bunn and Black Shepherd (Dynamite Entertainment, October 2018) Trade paperback, 128 pages. ISBN # 1524107654 / 9781524107659
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
“For each of Man's evils, a special demon exists.”
For thirty years, the demon of vengeance has been still, its corpse buried in a pumpkin patch graveyard in the hills. But when a reckless driver accidentally kills a pair of children, the creature is called up once more.
This time, though, the monster's intended target is protected by a cruel backwoods crime family. They hatch their own supernatural plans for dealing with Pumpkinhead. For each of man's sins, a special demon exists, and when seven infernal creatures roam the hills and the hollows, no one--guilty or otherwise--is safe.
Plus! A backup story about everyone's favorite, Haggis, by Cullen Bunn and Kyle Strahm!
My Three-Star review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
As horror comics fare there's nothing earth-shattering here, just an entertaining and satisfying read - - especially if you crave a bit of escapism with no big message, just subtle undercurrents if you want to reflect longer on what you've just read. For a better example of hillbilly horror with more engaging and disturbing concepts, check out the HARROW COUNTY series, also by Cullen Bunn.
Based on the film series, Bunn takes the framework of the original movie and builds on it. Cursed with that don't-take-this-seriously title (really, Pumpkinhead?) I passed on the 1988 film during its' very limited and unpromoted theatrical release. I finally saw it on a television rerun and enjoyed it, especially for an early career appearance by actor Lance Hendrickson. PUMPKINHEAD did enjoy a cult following during the VHS rental phase. It also prompted three sequels made-for-television or direct-to-video which I suspect are of dubious quality. The original was noted for its original premise, special effects, and the directorial debut of special effects/makeup master Stan Winston.
Pumpkinhead is a demon of vengeance (sprouting out of a pumpkin patch when summoned). Once revived it continues in its relentless pursuit of the accused until vengeance/death is achieved. Pumpkinhead has a physical bond with the person who requested its assistance, via an appeal to the witch Haggis. Any pain or injury that Pumpkinhead experiences will also be realized by the petitioner. The only way to stop the demon and return it to the ground is to kill the person who summoned it.
Bunn adds a sisterhood of witches to the Pumpkinhead mythos, who then summon the other demons (based on the Seven Deadly Sins) to prevent Pumpkinhead from finding vengeance against a drug runner who recklessly killed some backwoods children in a hit-and-run collision with a wagon.
The art is good, with lots of visually stimulating fights between monsters. The subplots added here prevent this from just being a five-issue mindless bit of fluff. I am satisfied.
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Comics Review: TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE
TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE by author Joe Hill and illustrator Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW Publishing, March 2017) Hardcover, 104 pages. ISBN # 1631408194 / 9781631408199
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Joe Hill's nerve-shredding re-imagining of Tales from the Darkside never made it to TV...but the dead are restless and refuse to stay buried! Adapts the episodes written by Hill and illustrated by Locke & Key co-creator Gabriel Rodriguez!
Three stories of the macabre and malevolent! One coulda-been, shoulda-been TV epic on paper with pictures that don't move! Step out of the warm, sunlit world you think of as reality and get ready to take a chilling walk... on the DARKSIDE.”
My Four-Plus Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
“Man lives in the sunlit world of what he believes to be reality. But . . . there is, unseen by most, an underworld, a place that is just as real, but not as brightly lit . . . a Darkside. . . . . .”
I read TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE in the original monthly issues. For this mini-series Hill teams up with Rodriguez again, the perfect artist to capture the facial expressions of the characters and bring Hill’s dreamworld to fantastic life.
“SLEEPWALKER”: Issue #1 opens with this bittersweet and dreamlike tale of justice too late to atone for an unfair death.Ziggy is a college student working summer as a lifeguard who burns the candle at both ends. He parties all night, and then slips the sunglasses on while sitting in the lifeguard chair so he can get some sleep. When someone drowns on his watch, he loses his job and becomes the unwitting catalyst for a “dark side event” with dangerously sleepy consequences. Hill adds an extra twist at the end to keep readers on their toes. FIVE STARS.
“THE BLACK BOX”: This nerve-shredding story spanned two issues and overlaps into the final issue. Brian Newman has suffered from spontaneous seizures since his childhood. Plus, bizarre events accompany these episodes. But Brian has a special otherworldly friend, Big Winner, who sometimes assists him through tight situations. He accepts an offer from Briterside Corporation to implant a chip in his brain to help control matters.
Something goes wrong, of course. Brian does his best to fix things, but . . .
FOUR STARS.
“A WINDOW OPENS”: It seems like Brian’s unfortunate situation has resulted in Darkside events all over the world. Young Joss Waldrop thinks she just ran over a familiar character while texting and driving. Or was it a mailbox? She takes a babysitting job for an odd couple with even odder children who seem to have smart tablets that can alter reality. FOUR STARS.
The title of that final story appears to be prophetic, as this series ends just as things seem to be kicking into a higher gear. Too bad Hill’s scripts for a revised TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE television series were never made.
I’d like a chance to see all of them in comics adaptations.
“The Darkside is always there, waiting for us to enter - - waiting to enter us. Until next time, try to enjoy the daylight.”
Comics Review: HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES, VOLUME TWO
HELLRAISER MASTERPIECES, VOLUME TWO by Jan Strnad, D.G. Chichester, Erik Saltzgaber, Scott Hampton, Faye Perozich, John Rozum, C.J. Henderson, Vincent Cecolini, Sholly Fisch, McNally Sagal, Clive Barker, Anna Miller, Malcolm Smith, Fred Vicarel, Bernie Wrightson (Illustrator), Kyle Baker (Illustrator), Mike Zeck (Illustrator), Phil Zimelman (Illustrator), John Van Fleet (Illustrator), Gerry Talaoc (Illustrator), Mark Texeira (Illustrator), Jimmy Palmiotti (Illustrator), Bo Hampton (Illustrator), Mike Hoffman (Illustrator), Rod Whigham (Illustrator), Colleen Doran (Illustrator), Shawn Martinbrough (Illustrator), Tristan Schane (Illustrator) (BOOM! Studios, September 2012) Trade paperback, 192 pages. ISBN #1608862747 / 9781608862740
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
The master of horror returns with a second offering of truly poetic gore, blurring the line between pleasure and pain. The greatest creators in Comics find themselves stitched together in Clive Barker's Cenobite sandbox with a hellishly delightful host of classic HELLRAISER tales.
Dive deep into the lands of Leviathan with: Bernie Wrightson (Swamp Thing), Kyle Baker (Nat Turner), Mike Zeck (Spider-Man, Punisher), John Rozum (Xombi), Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil). Walk deeper into the bowels of Hell as Pinhead, Face, and the rest of the Cenobites welcome you with open arms...they have such sights to show you.
My Three-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Like Volume One, this collection reprints short stories from the HELLRAISER comics anthology series of the 1990's from Epic/Marvel Comics.
Almost all of these thirteen stories by various creative teams stay true to the Hellraiser universe created by author Clive Barker. They capture the fear, creepiness and overall uneasy atmosphere that began with Barker's short story The Hellbound Heart and later transferred to the series of Hellraiser movies.
However, nothing here matches the magic and shock value of the films, including "The Harrowing, Part Two: Insurrection" - - the story that Clive Barker wrote for this series.
The best story in the bunch is also the most disturbing - - "The Tontine" with story by Scott Hampton and art by Scott Hampton and John Van Fleet. Other stand-outs include "Babycakes" by Faye Perozich and Gerry Talaoc; "With My Lips"any John Rozum and Rod Whigham; and "Later" by C.J. Hendersonand Vincent Cecolini.
Final Days To Support BLACK STORIES MATTER Kickstarter
EDITOR'S NOTE: You can still get a copy of The Black Stories Matter anthology.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ramongil/black-stories-matter
With work from Trevor Von Eeden, Stefan Jackson, Omar Mirza, Mauricio Cordero, Evan Virilli, David Branstetter, Derwin Roberson, Jill Pratzon, Bezzz Studios and friend of the blog Ramon Gil.
There are three days left in the Kickstarter campaign, and editor Ramon Gil reports that they will add an addiitonal 4 pages of content if the campaign can break $2000.
So here's hoping you or some folks can help them get them to the stretch goal!
I just sent my pledge in.
Mike Clarke, editor/founder - - Pop Culture Podium
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Comics Review: BASKETFUL OF HEADS by Joe Hill
BASKETFUL OF HEADS written by Joe Hill with art by Leomacs (DC Comics, September 2020) Hardcover, 184 pages. ISBN # 1779502974 / 9781779502971
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
June Branch visits her boyfriend, Liam, on Brody Island for a relaxing last weekend of summer. After an escaped group of criminals breaks into the house that June and Liam are watching, Liam is taken by them.
June grabs a strange Viking axe and flees from the intruders. When one of the attackers finds her, she swings the axe and takes off his head, which rolls away and begins to babble in terror. For June to uncover the truth, she'll need to hear the facts straight from the mouths of her attackers, with...or without their bodies attached. Collects issues #1-7.
My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website .. . . .
BASKETFUL OF HEADS deserves a ranking within the Top Five Horror Comics Titles written by Joe Hill. I rank it second, right after my favorite Hill comics series - - LOCKE & KEY.
This one is a kind of tribute to the darkly funny and often bloody violent horror comics of the EC era, following in the footsteps of CREEPY and EERIE magazines in the '60's and onto the homage films of George Romero like the CREEPSHOW movie and TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE television series, and most recently the CREEPSHOW series on the Shudder streaming channel and AMC network. I also appreciate the references to dad Stephen King's SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.
In fact, the story revolves around a band of prisoners who escape from the Shawshank prison during a violent rainstorm that knocks the power out on the island community. They are alleged robbers, but actually it's a ruse to deter attention from the real criminals. The roots of corruption run deep on the island, and some prominent citizens and public servants are involved.
Hill manages to work a few plot twists into the conflict before the eventual resolution in Issue #7. I read this in single monthly issues as they were published, and have new appreciation for this work after re-reading them as a single work.
Main character June Branch is a combination of spunk and determination, fending off her assailants with a Norse collector's Viking axe, which turns out to have magical properties. Anyone she decapitates (or cuts in half, or sections) remains alive- - hence the title.
The book does get bogged down a little in the middle with exposition, but it's the odd dialogue between June and the talking heads that provides the entertainment and amusement that carried me through to the end. If you've never tried a horror comic before, this would make an excellent starting point.
Comics Review: WORLD OF WAKANDA Trade Paperback
BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA by Roxane Gay with Ta-Nehisi Coates, illustrated by Alitha E. Martinez (Marvel Comics, June 2017) ISBN # 130290650X / 9781302906504
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
”YOU DESERVED SO MUCH MORE, LITTLE FLOWER. YOU DESERVED A WAKANDA THAT CHERISHED YOU."
Writer ROXANE GAY (Bad Feminst, Hunger) spins a Wakandan love story — its tenderness matched only by its brutality. You know them now as The Midnight Angels, but in this story they are just Ayo and Aneka, young women recruited to become Dora Milaje, an elite task force trained to protect the crown at all costs. What happens when your nation needs your hearts and minds, but you already gave them to each other?
Illustrated by industry veteran ALITHA E. MARTINEZ (Iron Man, Black Panther). And in a special backup story, acclaimed poet YONA HARVEY (Hemming the Water) explores the true origins of The People's mysterious leader Zenzi. Black Panther thinks he knows who Zenzi is and how she got her powers, but he only knows part of the story… Illustrated by rising star AFUA RICHARDSON (Genius).
My Five Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
I’m glad I went into this cold, without any expectations except that I did know that Black Panther was not the featured predominant character of the mini-series collected here.
I'm also glad that I didn't read any of the reviews here or Goodreads or elsewhere before picking this up. I respect many of those Goodreads reviewers, and had I read their comments in advance it probably would have influenced and tempered my opinion. As it turns out - -without Black Panther playing a major role in the events chronicled here I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did.
This works best as a companion piece to the activities and major events occurring in the main Black Panther title. However, it's not essential to read those as those events serve as reference points to the story here rather than a major part of the plot.
The first four issues of WORLD OF WAKANDA is actually a very well-done romance comic in disguise as an action book. There's just enough action sequences here to satisfy but at its' heart this is a love story with some good messages about love, devotion, sacrifice, and being true to yourself without being preachy about it. The love between Dora Milaje warriors Ayo and Aneka is not without complications.
Issue #5 is a spotlight on the mysterious Zenzi, a young woman from the Niganda border with Wakanda that has the ability to control and amplify people's emotions. Issue #6 is a solo story about the White Tiger / Kevin Cole who juggles a double life as a New York City police officer and a vigilante by night (under guidance from the Black Panther).
Friday, April 16, 2021
Book Review: THE CASE OF THE VANISHING BLONDE by Mark Bowden
THE CASE OF THE VANISHING BLONDE: AND OTHER TRUE CRIME STORIES by Mark Bowden (Atlantic Monthly Press, July 2020) Hardcover, 232 pages. ISBN #0802128440 / 9780802128447.
Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .
From Mark Bowden, a "master of narrative journalism" (New York Times), comes a true-crime collection both deeply chilling and impossible to put down.
Six captivating true-crime stories, spanning Mark Bowden's long and illustrious career, cover a variety of crimes complicated by extraordinary circumstances. Winner of a lifetime achievement award from International Thriller Writers, Bowden revisits in The Case of the Vanishing Blonde some of his most riveting stories and examines the effects of modern technology on the journalistic process.
From a story of a campus rape at the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 that unleashed a moral debate over the nature of consent when drinking and drugs are involved to three cold cases featuring the inimitable Long Island private detective Ken Brennan and a startling investigation that reveals a murderer within the LAPD's ranks, shielded for twenty six years by officers keen to protect one of their own, these stories are the work of a masterful narrative journalist at work. Gripping true crime from a writer the Washington Post calls "an old pro."
My Five-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Fiction writer Stephen King has the ability to make any subject he choses interesting and pull the reader in, compelled to keep turning the pages. Journalist Mark Bowden has the same ability, but his task is even harder as he can't create the story - - he just writes about what happened. However, just like King, Bowen can make any subject interesting and pull the reader in, compelled to keep turning the pages.
In this collection, Bowder relates six different true crime stories of varying types, including three that feature the same investigator, private detective Ken Brennan, a true-life character to rival the best of fictional characters from Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, and the like. Bowden's detailing of three separate investigations featuring Brennan, exhibit that same ability to engage the reader as great detective fiction does.
Highly recommended for fans of true crime stories and/or detective fiction.
Thursday, April 15, 2021
The Bequest - Prequest with AfterShock Comics
Learn more about THE BEQUEST, a great new fantasy comic from AFTERSHOCK and watch the creators and others play a Dungeons & Dragons game based on the comic characters. NOTE:
The video actually begins at the 5:51 mark on the timer. You can fast forward to that point and start watching.
Monday, April 12, 2021
Buy The IDW D & D Comics Bundle For Children's Charity
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PGHHEAD's 2021 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part Eleven
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 . . .
#246 CAPTAIN AMERICA ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE (Marvel, May 2021) I was glad to see that Marvel did something just a little bit different compared to previous special tributes. The stories are all reprints, spotlighted here with a light touch on the script and minimal alterations to it.
What makes the difference is the presentation: top Marvel artists were asked to reinterpret and reimagine a single page from any of the three stories. How did they meet the challenge?
In a word, respectfully. Very few of the artists went out on a limb and tried something radically different. Why mess with a good thing? So the art resembles classic Kirby with a blend of each artist’s personal style. And I respect that. I tried my best to look at each page and guess the artist, but I found myself flipping back to the contents pages much more frequently to see who it was. FOUR STARS.
Mr. E is a shadow entity, kind of an early prototype of the symbiotes, and also created by Knull (from his imprisonment far, far away). His purpose is to destroy the Ebony Blade, one of only a few weapons capable of destroying Knull.
In the previous issue, Mr. E was trapped within The Collector’s showroom. But all he has to do is ask The Collector to release him, and the Collector feels “generous” and does it. Which, to my mind, makes his entrapment last issue nothing more than the dreaded “filler”. Peter David is a better story-teller than this, and I’m disappointed.
There’s more humor in this wrap-up issue than before, but it seems kind of misplaced. Anyway, you can guess what happens. Mr E gets defeated and the good guys remain in possession of the blade. THREE STARS.
#248-#252 STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #4, 6, 8, 9, 10 (Marvel, October 2020-April 2021) I picked up Issue #1 of Greg Pak’s version of Darth Vader, returning him to earlier times in the Star Wars canon. I liked it enough to bookmark the first trade paperback as a future purchase. I just picked up some back issues for a friend, which gave me a chance to preview the books and see what I’ve been missing.
Issue #4: Darth Vader is upset that Luke Skywalker rejected his father confession and offer to join the dark side of the Force. He wants revenge on everyone who hid Luke from him.
The trail takes him to Naboo, where he’s betrayed and almost killed by a Godzilla-like creature. He comes up against two separate groups of Amidalans who find him guilty for the murder of Queen Padme and battle him. Darth visits the cemetery and enters her crypt.
Issue #6: The big Darth Vader versus Emperor Palpatine battle. Vader apparently learned something about the death of Padme in Issue #5, enough to make him confront Palpatine. They fight, but Palpatine beats the crap out of Vader and kind of dismantles him, leaving him alone on the planet Mustafar to force him to try to re-assemble himself and teach him a lesson. Not satisfied that this is cruel enough,Palpatine dispatches a Sith assassin. Says Palpatine: “I will turn his anger back to fear . . . and his fear back to pain . . as many times as it takes.”
I’m sort of glad I”m reading these issues before I buy the trade paperback, which seems less likely now. I’m just not feeling it. I don’t fault Greg Pak’s writing. He’s sort of handcuffed by how much he can do with the character. I’m also not worried about Darth because I know Pak can’t kill him or change him too much, so the suspense has been drained for me.
Issue #8: Remember the scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Luke walks into a cave and confronts a mental vision of the dark side of his heritage? That plays out in reverse here, with Darth hiding in a cave after his battle with Ochi the Sith assassin, confronting the mental vision of the light side of his heritage and searching for answers. The answers aren’t coming, obviously, as Darth has to fight the big monster - The Eye of Webbish Bogg, who apparently also confronts its’ opponents with inner challenges meant to cause a mental breakdown.
Darth doesn’t bend, which leads the Eye to conclude “If you’ve been chosen . . . who cares what you choose?” Darth replies with the best line of the issue: “I . . . have chosen . . . and you will care.” Darth emerges from the cave with brain intact to find Ochi and some droid mercenaries waiting for him. Best issue so far.
Issue #9: Another big battle scene with Darth versus droids, allowing him to obtain the parts he needs to complete his reconstruction. Darth keeps Ochi alive to help with using the Wayfinder device to learn the location where the secrets to the Emperor are hidden. They leave in Ochi’s ship, only to find their path blocked by a giant one-eyed squid monster.
Issue #10: Darth’s next objective: the planet Exegol, where he hopes to discover the Emperor’s true plan for the galaxy. He’ll have to escape the pursuing forces of the Empire first and get past the squid monster. This monster also has mental powers, and gets into the brains of both Darth and Ochi. It torments Darth with key scenes from his past, before finally showing him an image of his death and an outcome that all of us who’ve seen the movies know isn’t going to happen. Darth shakes free of that, escapes the monster, and lands on the planet. But the monster lands as well and a chase ensues as the issue ends.
After finishing these issues, I’ve revised my opinion. They are good, but just not essential to my reading choices. If you’re a bigger Star Wars fan than I, you’ll enjoy reading these. THREE STARS for the lot, with FOUR STARS for Issue #8.
The U-Foes may think they’ve reduced the Hulk to a pile of bones, but never underestimate what the other Hulks in the world below can do. Looks like yet another Hulk is rising, this one a hybrid of cosmic and gamma rays.
Looks like Doc Sampson has also been separated into two versions. Love the sideburns. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Shaman is trying to separate Rick Jones and the young man that’s been fused into a bendable, upside down Hulk straight out of John Carpenter’s THE THING. Can the Leader maintain his control/influence now that he’s fused with The One Below? What’s the difference between the green door and the red door?
Bennett’s imagery is truly monstrous and a joy to behold. Ewing keeps building the story with so many subplots now that I need another scorecard, or switch to legal pads.
If all that’s not enough to satisfy, Ewing/Bennett throw in some cool Easter eggs, like the lady drinking a can of beer on the Staten Island Ferry. The label says “St. Peter David Premium Lager”. My favorite current Marvel title. FOUR STARS.
I had to read this twice to get it all sorted. Both Eddie Brock and Flash Thompson are dead, but exist as memories / codex in the Symbiote Hive where a manifestation of Knull (but not the actual one who’s above on Earth where he covered the planet in a symbiote dome) torments him. Flash escaped to the world of the living but as a white symbiote dragon. Now, the Venom symbiote unites with Eddie and he escapes too.
Both head on separate missions: Flash to the cemetery to resurrect his human body; and Eddie to meet The God of Light/Captain Universe/ Enigma Force. Sheesh.
I apologize if I spoiled too much here. I needed to write this out in order to make sense of it for myself. FOUR STARS.
#255 KING IN BLACK #5 of 5 (Marvel, June 2021) The extra-long finale!
As much as I’ve enjoyed this series (and some spin-offs) I’m also glad that it’s now over. Everyone following this series knows how it must and has to end, so it’s a bit anticlimactic. Although, Donny Cates gives the end a little twist that hints at some interesting times ahead for Eddie Brock/Venom.
What propelled me through this final issue is the dynamic art of Ryan Stegman and some brilliant coloring work by Frank Martin & Jason Keith. FOUR STARS.
#256 NOTTINGHAM #2 (Mad Cave, April 2021) A nice Issue #2 continuation. Think I’ll stick around for this one. I believe it’s a five-issue series.
Blackthorne, the investigator and nightmare-plagued former Crusader, loses his captive before interrogation can continue. There’s a traitor within, as a vicious murder occurs within the prison cell.
The elusive and perhaps mad Hood (a shortened version of Robin Hood, which this series is based on) continues his spree of murdering government officials. “England is sick. We are the cure.”
Not so much Merry Men. More like Melee Men. FOUR STARS.
#257 BETA RAY BILL #1 (Marvel, May 2021 - $4.99) If you’re a fan of this character, then you’ll want to see/read Daniel Warren Johnson’s (story and art) version of him.
The art is the best thing here, a cool style that looks like a Kirby/Larsen collaboration.
The story isn’t bad, a slow build, let’s feel sorry for Beta Ray, but I need more if I’m going to jump on for five issues.
There’s a great interview with Walt Simonson on the back pages. One and done for me. THREE STARS.
#258 CHILDREN OF THE ATOM #1 (Marvel, May 2021 -$4.99) This offers teen-age versions of familiar X-Men characters, with similar abilities and modified costumes.
I intentionally avoid the X-books because I don’t want to get sucked in. But lately whenever I read a new #1 it fails to engage me. I picked this up because I like writer Vita Ayala. Her LIVEWIRE mini-series at Valiant was spot on. This is not the same.
There are books featuring teen characters and their high school and social struggles and worries that can be enjoyed and appreciated by older readers as well.
Not here. I’m definitely not the target audience. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#259 FANTASTIC FOUR #6 (Marvel, 2019) The world-eater comes to Earth and lands in Latveria.
Galactus versus Doctor Doom. Who’s got the new herald? It’s Dr. Doom this time. The FF want to intervene, but they just get in the way here. Part One gets underway.
Good story and art from Dan Scott and Aaron Kuder. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#260 MARVEL’S VOICES: INDIGENOUS VOICES (Marvel, January 2021 - $4.99) This does a much better job than VOICES: LEGACY.
Rather than feature a bunch of characters in too-short stories, this focuses on only three heroes.
There’s a neat three-page story with cultural art to open the book as the Watcher name-checks all the indigenous Marvel characters. The stories feature Maya Lopez/Echo, Dani Moonstar/Mirage, and Silver Fox.
As far as I know, the Silver Fox story marks the comics debut of Stephen Graham Jones. Jones is a Texas writer of horror fiction that I admire.
Aside from the uneven art in this book, the stories are quite good, wrapping up their conflict/resolution and leaving enough space to showcase what motivates these characters. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
I sense a trend here, but hope we can still pick up an occasional $3.99 book. At least every page of this one is printed on premium, heavier paper. The art and colors burst with intensity.
This is the first time ever I have picked up a Lady Death book, and I’ve seen them in comic shops for decades. If you like Vampirella, you’ll appreciate this as well.
There’s a big cast of characters, most of them either demonic or monstrous in nature. The contents page gave me a quick summary of the story so far. After some time as a reformed champion of the downtrodden, Lady Death has returned to her evil ways and seeks a young man who can morph into the wolf-like Devilock as her new herald. Too bad there’s at least three other groups looking for him as well. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
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