In 2021 I set a goal to post reviews here for 1,000 comics, and finished the year at 1,008 reviews. It was a stretch - - not to read that many comics, because I actually read quite a bit more. The challenge is to find and take the time to write a fair review of what I read - - but I made it. I’m up for a new year, and a new challenge. My goal for 2022 is to read and document 1,200 comics. That’s an average of 100 books per month, easy enough to check and update. Wish me luck!
# GOAL FOR MARCH 10, 2022 . . . 234 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 233 comics documented
#217 - #221 SHADOW DOCTOR graphic novel (AfterShock, November 2021) I read this again at one sitting. So powerful and sad while also inspirational and uplifting in the tale of a young doctor not caving in to the obstacles of denial because of his skin color. The true story of Nathaniel Calloway in Prohibition-era Chicago as the doctor to organized crime (Al Capone). Respectfully told by his grandson, who doesn't put him on a pedestal but reveals the mistakes and regrets as well.
A longer review appears on this blog for Monday, March 07. FIVE STARS.
#222 - #229 WILD CARDS, #1 - #4 (Epic Comics/Marvel, 1990)
If you're curious about the Wild Card series of novels/anthologies edited by George R. R. Martin, please do not start here. This is a mess. Not only will you walk away confused and not sure if you want to pick up any of the books (I recommend that you do) but you'll most likely be bored (can't wait for it to be over, like me). The series of books have a lot of heart. This does not. It's just a shell.
I bought many of the Wild Card paperback volumes when they were originally published in the 1980's and couldn't get enough. I didn't get tired of the format until I had finished ten volumes before finally stopping. While they lacked illustrations, these were bold, inventive novels allowing various authors to play around in a crazy world under George R. R. Martin's supervision. In this format the characters were fully developed, and so much more mature, adult-themed (sometimes shocking) than what was available in regular super-hero comics of that time. I liked it so much that I scooped up the four over-sized comics (under Marvel's Epic banner) with great anticipation. I liked them much better then than I did on a repeat reading now.
The Epic Comics series was described as an all-original story taking place in 1988 between the events of Wild Cards Book V: Down And Dirty and Wild Cards Book VI: Ace In The Hole. Like the novels, this series was co-written by various writers and multiple artists. The formula which worked quite well in the novels does not succeed in this format. (Most of the art is quite good, but that isn't enough to satisfy.
Back in 1946, the alien visitor Dr. Tachyon accidentally unleashed the wild card virus, resulting in the death of heroic Jet Boy as well as 90% of the infected. Ninety percent of the remaining survivors became monstrous "jokers". But one out of a hundred became an "ace", more than human, with a gift, a talent, a power.
Still feeling guilty in 1988, Dr. Tachyon hires Jay Ackroyd to investigate the bombing of Jet Boy's tomb, fearing the beginning cycle of a mad bomber. In the novels, Ackroyd can teleport anyone or anything by pointing. He rarely utilizes that power in this series, instead reduced to interviewing character after character and hearing their back-stories all over again, but in a severely condensed form that takes the guts/feeling out of it. There is very little original story between all these flashbacks, until the final issue confrontation. By that time I was too pissed off to care.
Avoid this. Also avoid the Wild Cards: Hard Times min-series published by Dynamite in the early 2000's. But do give the novels a chance, beginning with Wild Cards: Volume One.
TWO STARS.
Night Glider is an essential component of the Secret City Saga, which comprised five different titles (three of them one-shots, like Night Glider) over 12 issues in total. You’d think with that experienced creative line-up this would be really good. Not true.
Here’s an indication, just from the title of this story: “She Glides In Beauty, Like The Night.” Arrgghhh. Night Glider is lightweight and hollow-boned with membranes beneath her arms to allow her to ride the winds
.
An earthquake in Chicago awakens her from a 15,000-year hibernation.
She learns from two others that woke up before her that she has entered the Tenth Age. She and the others are from the Ninth Age: “15,000 years ago as the Ninth Age was coming to an end . . . the council of scientists knew they could do nothing to save the Ninth men from the pattern of world-wide destruction that had destroyed each of the Eight previous civilizations of humanity . . .So a plan was conceived to suspend a warrior in dreamless sleep till the dawning of a new age . . . this age, which we call the Tenth Age of humankind.” Double arrgghh.
Turns out they are not on the same page. Her new companions want to assume their place as the rightful rulers of humankind while Night Glider believes her purpose is to serve and protect. She escapes from them, and meets Bombast who she mistakenly believes is another foe until Captain Glory breaks it up. You can’t make up this stuff.
Don Heck’s art style hasn’t deviated much from his 1960’s work on Avengers, Iron Man, etc. I was never a fan of his work, considering him a B-level purely functional artist. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Now, six years later a monstrous threat bubbling beneath the surface manifests in the presence of new more aggressive monsters and giant beings determined to take down the remaining five Megalopolis habitats.
Young Hototo and his older sister Tala were beloved characters from the first volume, capturing the heartstrings of many readers with their bravery and teamwork. Hototo is now The Dragon, “the protector that never sleeps” and his sister Tala is leader of support Team Dragonfly. Along with the armored Mechs and Scouts they work with the other four members of the Palladions (Sun-Mother, Thunderwave, Zodiak, and Wargirl).
One of their most important and urgent missions is to reconnect various branches of the Punch, an energy stream that both charges the power of the Palladions as well as the shield that protects each Megalopolis. The monstrous force laying siege to the cities continues to cut and weaken the branches.
Story and art are intense, to say the least. It’s taken me two readings in order to digest the complexity of this fantastic world and I’m coming back for more. The more I dig into this, the more I find to like.
Please pay the appropriate attention to the color work of Eva De La Cruz. Her amazing and lush color palette does wonders to both art and story. The importance of her role is spotlighted in the extra content detailing the evolution of the finished pages. Inaki Miranda’s pencils are quite detailed and when he adds inks the depth becomes incredible. Things progress to the highest level of excellence once the colors are added.
Post-apocalyptic drab? No way. Bold, bright and beautiful - - also a reminder that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t give up hope.
I’m taking a half-star away due to the complexity of the story, which may unfortunately discourage some readers. However, this one is worth perservering with. Im in 100%. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Two new characters, Terrassa and Nesbo - members of the Megapolis 9 administration briefly featured in the Black issue, discuss and evaluate their options: “The ship still floats, and you want to jump without knowing what awaits in the water.”
Team Wolf 7, wearing suppressor Scout suits that make them invisible to the beasts, has to navigate a demolished section of the city beset with giant monsters and clear a pathway for civilians to evacuate. Hototo (The Dragon), fears he has failed the city while his sister Tala is saddened. There is still work for them to aid in the evacuation as the shields break down once again. The city is abandoned as the residents head for even colder climate to the northern mountains and the unknown.
There are some absolutely stunning double-page panoramas to marvel over, as well as a QR code that provides a link to musical accompaniment (as was done in the first WE LIVE volume). I read Black before White, and I believe the story is a bit easier to comprehend when done that way. Black is packed full of details while White has a more singular focus. Either way can be chosen, and you can enjoy this story without the benefit of having read WE LIVE Volume One. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Please don’t mistake my words. The new Sorcerer Supreme is no lightweight or toned-down version of Stephen Strange. This is Clea, Strange’s estranged wife, and she’s a badass (not even as forgiving as Stephen, more blunt and to the point).
Before joining the afterlife for the third and final time (we’ll see if that holds), Stephen Strange gave Clea his Eye of Agamotto, Cloak of Levitation, and another unnamed (so far) gift/skill. Doctor Doom shows up claiming those treasures for himself, and gets promptly turned away (kind of a beat-down. Yay!)
Clea’s purpose, with assistance from Wong, is to bring back Stephen permanently. She has to navigate the cool Shrouded Bazaar first and hold off an attack on the goblin and other fairy-like merchants from the Blasphemy Cartel. After a short break, Clea has to survive the mysterious scythe-wielding Harvestman (like the Grim Reaper) and a monstrous Thunderstrike.
This was fun. I may come back for another spell. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
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