PGHHEAD'S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part Three

    This marks the third consecutive year that I will attempt to document my comics reading by writing at least a mini-review. The goal is 1200 books read and reviewed in 2023, although I missed the mark in 2022 by 88 books.  Still, I like that number as it’s easy enough to track - - - 100 books per month on average. Wish me luck!

# GOAL FOR January 20, 2023. . . 67 comics documented

CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 60 comics documented

#35 - #36  AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME #1 by Paul Levitz and Alan Davis (Marvel, March 2023)  At one time, AVENGERS #11 (December 1964) was the prize issue of my young meager comics collection. Spider-Man vs. The Mighty Avengers. Who wouldn’t want to read that?  It was also the second appearance of Kang and my first introduction to this character, who would go on to become my favorite all-time Avengers villain. I must have read that comic twenty times. 

   This brand-new story features the early Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Giant-Man and the Wasp) and occurs immediately following the events of Avengers #11. In that issue, Kang created a robotic version of Spider-Man to go up against the Avengers. Thwarted in his efforts to conquer the 20th Century, in WAR ACROSS TIME Kang is determined to try again and sends out a robotic Hulk (powered by a gamma-irradiated heart).

  Veteran writer Paul Levitz is respectful of the source material and scripts a story that really feels like it could have followed that December 1964 tale. He nails it, down to the snappy dialogue, group interaction and fight scenes. Another comics veteran, Alan Davis alters his appealing art style just enough to simulate the best of classic Don Heck (long time Avengers artist).
    If you’ve ever had a chance to read that landmark two-issue Thing vs. Hulk battle from Volume One of the FANTASTIC FOUR, you will be delighted by what happens here. Some very welcome nostalgia. FIVE STARS. 

#37 - #42  THOR, VOLUME ONE: THE DEVOURER KING by Donny Cates and Nic Klein (Marvel, 2020)  Following in the footsteps of Jason Aaron after his classic lengthy run on the THOR title could not have been easy. So, Donny Cates goes big with an epic story but thankfully not epic in length. This one wraps up in six single issues, which make up the story arc collected here in The Devourer King.

     Thor is now the king of Asgard during a time of peace across the Ten Realms. The quiet is very short-lived, as the Black Winter is coming which threatens to wipe out everything. Galactus shows up and enlists Thor in his attempt to stop the Black Winter. He gives up some of his cosmic power to Thor, and makes him his new all-powerful herald. Thor has to find five planets for Galactus to devour, gaining him enough strength to take on Black Winter. 

     Can you ever really trust Galactus? Before this ends, there are several surprises including Thor having to battle friend and lover (Beta Ray Bill and Sif) because they don't understand his involvement. The ending is especially unexpected, and I hope it sticks (but I doubt it). 

     Seems like Cates will be exploring the lofty aims of Thor as king as well as how he handles the awesome responsibilities. The art is equally epic in scope and gorgeous to ponder over. Some of the early panels in Issue One are expository in nature, and really create that mythological sense aided by the art and font style that recall a Classic Illustrated feel . 

This was a welcome change of pace from standard Thor fare. FOUR STARS.

#43  MANIAC OF NEW YORK III: DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK #1 of 4 Written by Elliott Kalan with art and colors by Andrea Mutti and letters by Taylor Esposito (AfterShock Comics, January 18, 2023 release date) “The Theme Is Rebirth”

Goodbye Harry, Hello Mary.

   A full review of this title was posted to the blog for Tuesday, January 17. FIVE STARS.

#44 - #49  SHE-HULK, VOLUME ONE: DECONSTRUCTED by Mariko Tamaki with art by Nico Leon and Dalibor Talajic (Marvel, 2017) This was different from any previous She-Hulk stories that I had read. That's the reason I enjoyed this more. For the first time, I came across a She-Hulk tale that I could actually engage with. 

DECONSTRUCTED is more about Jennifer Walters than it is about the huge creature she turns into. In fact, that Hulk persona doesn't appear until the final issue of this collection. This is a well-written story about PTSD and recovery. 

Following the events of Marvel's Second Civil War, She-Hulk endured a savage beating by Thanos and fell into a coma. When she recovers, she learns that her cousin and mentor, Bruce Banner/The Original Hulk was killed by Hawkeye in the final days of the Civil War. Jen returns to law practice and does her best to adapt/adjust to her new situation while suppressing her transformations into She-Hulk. When a new client struggles with eviction, some strange revelations about the client's background come to the surface. "What happens when a fear is so strong, it becomes a destructive force in its own right?" Jen Walters has to revive She-Hulk in order to solve the case and obtain a winning verdict. THREE STARS.

#50  AVENGERS FOREVER #13 by Jason Aaron and Aaron Kuder (Marvel, March 2023) “Avengers Assemble, Part 5: The War Of Wars” Just as I was getting discouraged by this multiversal epic, an issue pops up to engage and entertain me. This one benefits from a more cohesive story and a focus on a single incident and fewer characters.

   The centerpiece this time is the three goddaughters of Thor, all eager to engage in a war they can call their own, and narrated by one of the trio (Ellisiv). There’s a cool flashback to an epic showdown between two fiery birds - -  Old Man Phoenix (Wolverine) and Dark Phoenix (Mystique). Mystique wins and scatters pieces of the defeated Wolverine across the universe. The three goddaughters gather and reassemble the immortal Wolverine so he can join in the battle at Avengers Tower. 

   Avenger Prime, who gathered all these Avenger forces together, finally shows his face - - and what a surprise reveal! Plus Doom goes to work via multiple versions of himself, including Doom The Living Planet. Lest I forget there’s also an army of hammers!

   My favorite line of the issue: “We’ve got plenty of Caps and Carols and Thunderers, but, at the moment, we’re woefully short of sorcerers!” FOUR STARS.

#51 - #53  BACK TO THE FUTURE #7, #10, #14 by John Barber and Bob Gale with art by Marcelo Ferreira, Athila Fabbio, Emma Vieceli (IDW Publishing, 2016)  If you enjoy the movie trilogy you’ll like the comic. It’s very faithful to the source material, from the behavior and dialogue of the characters to how much the art resembles their film appearance. Not to mention that the situations seem like they could be scripts for more films.

   Issues #7 and #10 are Part 2 and Part 5 of “The Continuum Conundrum” (say that fast three times). Marty McFly in 1986 receives a letter from Clara in 1893 revealing that Doc brown has disappeared in the time stream. Marty and girlfriend Jennifer find a secret lab and a second DeLoran. The’s lab’s burglar alarm goes off and entraps the intruder — it’s Doc Brown, but he has no idea who Marty is. Marty and Doc head to 2035 for answers, get labeled as terrorists with Officer Griff Tannen in pursuit. Doc gets a bump on the head that helps him remember (to be concluded). 

   Issue #14 is Part 2 of “Who Is Marty McFly?” Marty goes back to 1955 and causes some damage to his family by improving the character of his father. As a result, he realizes that his memories of his wimpy father no longer match the revised events of this timeline - - and it drives him nuts.

THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.

#54 - #55  H. P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH  #1, #2 adapted and drawn by Jason Thompson (Mock Man Press, 1997-1998) Before I dive into the new version of UNKNOWN KADATH from  Ablaze Comics I wanted to explore this black-and-white quarterly independent comic. I have yet to read Lovecraft’s novel but have been interested in investigating his dark fantasy landscape. This will suffice until I can get to it (so many to-be-read lists!) 

    And a very complex landscape it is, as evidenced by both the story and the elaborate art here. The only detractor is that Thompson chose to give main character Randolph Carter and everyman/stick figure cartoonish appearance (in order to contrast with the dark detail of other characters, monsters and backgrounds). That took some getting used to.

    Carter has dreams of a marvelous sunset city (Kadath) and sets out to seek it in the Dreamlands, where every night he is reborn. Descending the Seven Hundred Steps of Deeper Slumber he goes on a quest to find the Hidden Gods, who brood above the clouds on Unknown Kadath.

  So far, he’s traversed the Enchanted Wood met uneasy allies (the zoog), made friends in the cat-filled city of Ulthar, gets drugged and kidnapped by pirates/traders  and sailed off the edge of the world into space where they land on the moon. There’s more, but I think that’s enough to give you an idea. Wild, psychedelic wonder. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.

#56 - #60  NECROSCOPE #1 - #5 of 5 by Martin Powell and Daerick Gross (Malibu Comics, 1992-1993) This begins Malibu’s adaptation of the popular 1986+ series of horror novels by Brian Lumley. I read several of these when they were first released, and the comics adaptation is a good one. The painted art style is especially appealing and effective.

    Lumley takes vampiric folk-lore and blends it with espionage and science-fiction to bring something new to the table. His vampires (old school spelling/pronunciation - wamphyri) are the furthest thing from romantic interpretations (Dracula,etc) and went on to influence the vampires of THE STRAIN. They are large, monstrous, hideous things that have additional powers and can infiltrate a body and possess it. 

     Both British and Russian intelligence forces have special task forces utilizing those with extra-sensory perceptions and powers. Brit Harry Keogh can speak to the dead and pull their knowledge and memories as well. Russian Boris Dragosani can also learn everything a person (living or dead) knows, but only by eviscerating them and consuming their hearts. He decides to revive a long-entombed ancient vampire and steal his powers.

There’s also an additional sci-fi twist added in the entry of a möbius strip, which Harry learns of from speaking to the dead inventor and utilizing it to teleport. Harry also can raise an army of the dead to assist him. 

    Fascinating stuff. FOUR STARS.