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 April 30, 2022 . . . 400 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 388 comics documented
#367 CULT OF IKARUS #2 of 4 by Jenna Lyn Wright, writer and Karl Slominski, art and colors (Scout Comics, March 2022) Question: “What’re those — U.V. headlights?” Answer: “Little trick I picked up from these kids that used to run a comic shop out in Santa Carla . . . You got rats, get traps. You get roaches, bug bomb those suckers. But if you’ve got Vamps? Get the sun.”
Main character teenage Hunter left her foster parents in search of the truth about her real parents, carrying a book in a strange foreign language that she hope has the answers. She’s befriended by a punk rocker vampire who helps her escape from the ancient, deadly vampiric Cult of Ikarus.There’s mystery, clever and witty dialogue and engaging art and colors.
I’m not an avid vampire comics reader, but I’m fascinated by this series, which becomes even better in Issue #2. This book has a lot of style, reminding me of the DARK RED series by Tim Seeley. Both take familiar tropes and twist them a little bit, adding humor and interesting situations.
Punk rocker Gracie tries to use her vampiric glamour powers to erase events from Hunter’s memory, fails, and the trio head to a nightclub to ask a powerful warlock to help. Meanwhile, the Cult gains access to the book left behind in Hunter’s flight, translate it, and we get a hint at her origins. Very cool story, and did I mention how awesome the art is? FIVE STARS.
#368 ETERNAL WARRIOR YEARBOOK #2 by Rob Johnson and Peter Grau (Valiant, 1994) In 1695 England Gilad, the Eternal Warrior, seeks out one of his eternal adversaries - this time posing as Victor II, who wants to become the royal king of England. They’ve fought before, a hundred times over the centuries. Gilad’s sword decapitates him, but not before his spirit manages to seek a new host in Gilad’s newly born son. The son is spirited away by his mother’s maid servant who then raises the boy in hiding.
Twenty years later, he resurfaces as Captain Corbin, a ruthless pirate with vast ambitions. Gilad has to fight him, his own son and someone as strong as he is, and resorts to his favorite method: decapitation.
I’m not familiar with Peter Grau and his art is very good, as is the story. The first iteration of Valiant could usually be counted on for quality story and quality art, at least 80% of the time. (The same holds true for current Valiant releases). I thought ETERNAL WARRIOR was one of their weaker titles back in the day, not even half as good as the reboots by Greg Pak and others in the 21st century.
One little detail in this story took me aback, as the Geomancer reminds Gilad how his children are somehow always cursed, born with two different colored eyes and a propensity for evil - - so they must be killed. Gilad regrets: “It has happened too many times over the centuries. Never again may I sire a child.” So, why is he still producing children? To be fair, surgeons of that time had no idea how to perform a vasectomy and condoms and birth control pills were not invented yet. Nevertheless, a weird story element that fortunately wasn’t repeated in the second iteration of Valiant. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#369 - #370 ETERNAL WARRIOR: FIST AND STEEL #1, #2 of 2 by Jerry Prosser with hart by Hannibal King (Issue #1) and Bo Hampton (Issue #2)
This limited series gets bogged down with mystical mumbo jumbo that is not only the crux of the story but also what makes it tedious and boring. Thankfully, only two issues of this.
Gilad returns to Tibet to witness the monk who trained him create a “tulpa” a necromantic double to out-live the monk and then train his successor. However, it’s a dangerous process and the monk might lose control of the puppet. Guess what happens?
Years later, the current geomancer, a biker-type dude with a bandana, meets the tulpa who torments him and begins to eat his spirit. Gilad shows up to lead the geomancer through a ritual to turn the tables so that the geomancer can “feast on the illusion” and make it end.
TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Monstrous beings from another dimension threaten the Earth. Investigating the peril since its’ first outbreak through a West VIrginia coal mine in 1911 and attempting to thwart it are five resurrected men called Inquisitors. They are profiled across the five-issue mini-series and are just as quirky as many of Mike Mignola’s B.P.R.D. characters.
The story jumps back and forth between past and present which can be confusing if you read these issues too quickly. The origins of the group aren’t revealed until Issue #4. An army chaplain, witness to the West Virigina outbreak, sees evidence of even more to come and can’t believe that God is unaware and decides to make a direct plea to him from a church pew in 1913. The archangel Michael shows up and promises Jeb (the priestly leader of the Lazarus Five) that he’ll never grow a day older (but he can still die) if he serves the Lord. God provides the soldiers to make the “inquisition” - - five lost souls that led wasted lives.
I enjoyed this as much as many of the Hellboy universe stories, which it continues to remind me of. FOUR STARS.
In his unique and inimitable style writer/artist Richard Corben re-tells some classic Poe short stories. You can always recognize his art and coloring; and it’s a style I enjoy.
I’ve never read Morella, so this was a pleasant but creepy surprise. Corben adds a narrator to his stories, Mag the Hag - - to bookend the stories with some wry comments a la the Crypt-Keeper: “Gosh! When you mess up an introduction there’s no telling what trouble you’re causing.”
I’ve read and watched enough versions of The Murders In The Rue Morgue (recognizing Dupin as one of the earliest fictional weird detectives) to appreciate when a good adaptation captures all the notes.
FOUR STARS.
#377 EDGAR ALLAN POE’S THE RAVEN AND THE RED DEATH by Richard Corben (Dark Horse, October 2013)
If you only read Poe’s poem (The Raven) you might gloss over some of the visual elements due to the old-school language. Corben brings them to life vividly. Nicely done.
Likewise for his adaptation of The Masque Of The Red Death wherein the entitled elite/nobility believe they can wall off and screen themselves from the plague threatening their medieval village during a costume party where one visitor really stands out.
FOUR STARS.
#378 - #383 BATMAN NOIR: THE KILLING JOKE by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland (DC Comics, 2016) A full review of this was posted to the blog on Friday, April 29. FIVE STARS.
Even though I’ve been critical of this title, I’m still picking it up because I enjoy it. The criticisms still hold true, but I appreciate M.J. HIblen’s art and feel we may be viewing an up and coming illustrator (except for the overly murky panels). I also like the slight spin on classic monsters and what the writers are doing with them.
However, if you’re not a patient reader be wary. Someday I expect the writers to tie everything together but I’m beginning to feel that is not their intent. There are 14 scene changes in Issue #4, usually occurring after just one or two pages of the previous scene. As if there weren’t enough monsters, a new one is added: a sea creature a la The Black Lagoon that is the product of mating between a sailor and a mermaid. Also, some Gods and Un-Gods are thrown into the mix with the appearance of Poseidon and mention of Cthulhu. Whew.
THREE STARS.
The story centers on a 1991 rivalry between competing car dealerships where both owners have shady pasts. The smaller owner decides his only solution is to hire a hit man to wipe out his competitor. Instead of seeking out a big city professional, he turns to the local private investigator, who’s a little shady as well. Not experienced enough, the p.i. subcontracts to a bail bondsman, who’s not confident enough to do it himself, so he subcontracts, and so on. Every time the offering price goes down and down as the “man” in the chain tries to hold onto some money for himself
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Many of the characters in this story bear a striking resemble to movie actors, and it’s fun to pick them out: Paul Giamotti, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, Jim Paxson, James Caan, etc. Writer McComsey was a guest at Maroon Hornet Comics today, so I asked him about this. Anyone familiar with the photo-realistic art of Mike Deodato knows that he often uses photos and reference books to provide models for his characters and settings. In the story discussion, both McComsey and Deodato discussed what actors they wanted to utilize for these characters. It’s a hoot to spot them, and Deodato does a fantastic job as always. FOUR STARS.
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