PGHHEAD’S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, PART 27
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 August 31, 2023. . . 800 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 581 comics documented
There are three stories here, none of which I can truthfully say got me excited or even entertained me for a bit. No knock on the artists involved. Overall, the art is pretty sweet.
Dream-Spider in “Here Comes The Ruckus” by B. Earl & Taboo with art by Juan Ferreyra: This marks the first appearance of Dream-Spider since her debut in the DEADLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN series.
This apparently takes place on our Earth, and Dream-Spider inhabits the world of “nightmares and dreamscapes”.She’s being trained to use her powers (not clearly defined) against the “Dream Denizens”. When a denizen invades a young boy’s bedroom and steps into our reality, she exits the dream world, pops into her home in Pasadena, CA fully clothed, then jumps into a neighbor’s pool in order to enter another portal that takes her to Kent, UK to change into her costume and save him.
This serves the purpose of introducing Dream-Spider to more readers, but where it’s going from here is anybody’s guess.
Headline in “The Spider-Reporter of Earth-1755: by Daniel Kibblesmith and Chriscross: What if on an alternate Earth J. Jonah Jameson was bitten by a radioactive spider? Peter Parker is just a sixteen-year old camera lackey and is kind of an awestruck observer when the Shocker attacks and JJJ becomes Headline. (Groan).
Arana in “Charging Station” by Alex Segura and Enid Balam: This story will do absolutely nothing to increase the interest in Arana (not a brand new Spider-character). She’s part of a team with Spider-UK that’s led by Madame Web - - and has to take a backseat in the story so some time can be devoted to them, as well as Earth-616’s version of the villain Electro. Top-heavy with details and exposition, someone forgot to tell Segura he’s only got a limited number of pages and to keep it simple.
Pardon my cynicism, but I can’t help feeling that Marvel threw this mini-series together to try and capture some of that interest in the recent Spider-Verse movie. Are you wondering why I even bothered to pick this up? I was just doing a favor for a comic shop that ran out of copies for interested customers. Of course, I took the opportunity to read it.TWO STARS.
#548 - #551 A CALCULATED MAN #1 - #4 by Paul Tobin and Alberto Alburquerque (AfterShock Comics, trade paperback releasing August 09, 2023) If you are a fan of crime comics, especially those that inject a little humor into the proceedings, you need to check this one out. A full review appears on this blog for August 08. FIVE STARS.
#552 DARKWING DUCK #1 by Amanda Deibert and Carlo Lauro (Dynamite Entertainment, January 2023) When I learned that my eight-year old grandson is enjoying re-runs of the 1991 cartoon on Disney+ (that my two sons used to watch) I thought he’d appreciate getting a gift of my copy. I wanted to pick a more recent random issue, but scanned through them at the comic shop and learned that every issue is a continued story. So, it’s back to my copy of Issue #1 which I re-read just to make sure it’s appropriate for him. There’s some big words but overall he is more than ready for this, even the snarky-ness of some scenes and comments.
Everyone seems to call this concept Disney meets Batman, but I see a dash of The Shadow and other pulp heroes as well.
The art has the cartoon look of the show and the writing seems true to the source material. Darkwing is about to get some recognition from the Mayor of Canard City at a news conference when things get interrupted by the electrical manipulations of Megavolt. In the middle of the action is a hidden message about when it’s appropriate for a youngster to ask for a cell phone from his parents (which I surely hope my grandson isn’t thinking of doing). THREE STARS.
#553 - #568 MISTER X: THE ARCHIVES by Dean Motter with art by Dean Motter, The Hernandez Brothers, Paul Rivoche, Kalus Schonefeld, Seth, Ty Templeton and short stories by Rob Eggleton, Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean, Bill Sienkiewicz (Dark Horse Comics, Library Edition, 384 pages, October 2008)
Mister X is a wild ride in a futuristic setting (inspired by the Fritz Lang METROPOLIS film, art-deco, and 1920’s/1930’s architecture) that blends fantasy, social satire, and science fiction with a generous does of noir and mystery. The style of Motter’s creation (both writing and art), especially the expressive surreal (sometimes cubist) cover illustrations, was an inspiration to many creators since then. I wasn’t aware of Mister X until Caliber Comics’ followup series in 1996 and the later mini-series from Dark Horse - none of which I picked up on. This is my very first exposure to the world of Mister X and while the story can be hard to follow at times, I’m impressed.
This high quality edition of the early issues (Canadian publisher Vortex Comics, 1983-1990) is first class, with vivid reproduction and enhancement of the original pages, along with several informative essays by Warren Ellis, Jeffrey Morgan, and Dean Motter.
Radiant City exists in a dystopian world, with Mister X (in several different personas) serving as one of the original architects of the city , employing designs based on “psychetecture”, which causes the citizens to go mad. Mister X sets out to undo his wrongs, and his efforts take up the bulk of the series, along with a revolving cast of off-beat and intriguing characters. Mister X is thin and bald, wears a trench coat and sunglasses at all times (to protect his damaged eyes). He never sleeps and stays awake by taking “insomnalin” and other pharmaceuticals from a manipulative drug manufacturer. FOUR STARS.
#569 - #576 ARCA original graphic novel by Van Jensen and Jesse Lonergan (IDW Publishing, July 2023) 176 pages.
Synopsis: The planet is dying, but the rich elites have a plan: a spaceship to the nearest livable planet full of the luxuries they are used to. They are cared for by teenagers who are willing to serve in return for freedom and a new life at age eighteen. Teenager Persephone discovers that it’s all a facade, and recruits her friends to help expose the truth. They have to fight for their survival against the powerful rich.
Part of IDW's Originals movement, this complete graphic novel tells an enjoyable tale of class struggle within a caste-like system on a generational starship. It's a familiar theme, and the truth behind the governing system (the very wealthy being cared for by indentured young adults with the promise of freedom on their 18th birthdays) is foreshadowed and hinted at early, but author Jensen leaves a few more twists and surprises in the final pages.
The world-building is engaging, but often gets bogged down in necessary exposition in several places. Character development is well-done, and the art by Jesse Lonergan reminds me of the style of early Jeff Lemire in a good way. There are some impressive images when the story allows the art to expand into larger panels in some scenes.
Thanks to Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, Delaware for sharing their advanced review copy with me. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#577 THE SMURFS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY (Papercutz, May 2013) I’ve always admired the mission of Papercutz, established in 2005 to publish family-friendly comics and graphic novels. Their early days featured Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Power Rangers, Classics Illustrated and a watered-down version of Tales From The Crypt as well as English translations of popular European comics including The Smurfs and Asterix. Since then, they’ve evolved into a publisher of graphic novels for children and middle grade readers. I expect that to remain their niche since their acquisition by Mad Cave Studios.
This is a fun book, suitable for gifting to my 8-year old grandson, featuring a Smurfs story and two other series.
In the “Ogre And The Smurfs” with story and art by Peyo a huge hungry ogre captures the wizard Gorgamel, who promises he can
lead him to a better meal - - a village of Smurfs. Grandpa Smurf manages to cleverly talk his way out of being eaten as the tables are turned on Gorgamel.
The Annoying Orange is featured in “Bowling For Hollers”, a wild bowling competition between two mis-matched teams with Team Durain (Grapefruit, Coconut, Watermelon, and Durian) having a distinct size and oval-shaped advantage over the other team of Annoying Orange, Pear, Marshmallow, and Grandpa Lemon. However, the orange manages to squeak out a victory but annoys everyone with his tactic and ruins the bowling alley.
“Ariol” features weird looking animals in human clothing. Mother deer drops off son Ariol (a weird looking anteater type with big eyes) at a bookstore so she can go shopping. Once he gets his nose in a book he is oblivious to everything around him, including a ladder-climbing accident which disables the moose bookseller.
Weird but amusing. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#578 - #580 THE GRIM GHOST #1 - #3 written by Tony Isabella and Stephen Susco with art by Kelley Jones (Atlas Comics/At Last Entertainment/Ardden Entertainment LLC, March-July 2011) This is a revival of a character from the late-but-not-lamented Atlas Comics (a one-year lifespan in 1975). The Grim Ghost is a costumed horseman with arcane powers who exists in the Fringe (a limbo land between life and death) and battles Braddock, a man turned into an ogre-like dark spirit.
Tony Isabella adds a new character, a recently deceased policeman named Michael Colavito, who has some suppressed powers and is caught between the two. I picked these up solely on the strength of Tony Isabella’s reputation. The story is interesting and plays out like a mystery. Kelley Jone’s art is equally interesting, but not the best representation of what he is capable of. Sadly, I never saw any issues beyond #3 and the title ended (as well as the second reincarnation of Atlas) with Issue #6.
Originally, as revealed in small pieces by Isabella, a silversmith named Matthew Dunsinane immigrated to Colonial America and became the masked highwayman The Grim Ghost. Captured and hung, his soul went to Hell where he opted to become Satan’s agent on Earth to bring him evil souls. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Even more interesting is the backstory of Atlas Comics, the brainchild of Martin Goodman, former publisher of Marvel Comics. Some years after selling Marvel, Goodman started up Atlas, hired Stan Lee’s brother Larry Leiber and a host of well-known artists and creators and flooded the market with titles in a variety of genres. They just didn’t catch on. Goodman’s son Jason attempted a second revival in 2010-2011 and it went a little bit further . . . until Jason Goodman learned that the Atlas Comics trademark was the property of a different owner, and had to cease publishing. Since then, Dynamite Comics owns the Atlas Comics trademark. Whether they intend to do anything with it is unknown.
#581 WHAT IF . . . ?DARK: LOKI one-shot by Walt Simonson with art by Scott Eaton (Marvel Worldwide Inc., September 2023) The cover art by Simonson got my attention. The story by Simonson prompted me to pick this up. I loved his run on THOR back in the days. This story reminds me of that, as well as the better Thor stories from Stan Lee. Also, the art looks like a homage to both Kirby and Simonson.
In THOR #153, Lee and Kirby have Loki stealing magic powers from Karnilla the Norm Queen, which enables him to lift Mjolnir - - and take it away from Thor. In that story, Sif helps Thor overpower Loki and take his hammer back.
In Simonson’s alternate take Loki kills Thor (traps him in the form of Don Blake first, which made it easy) and then uses the hammer and the lightning powers to put into action his plan to conquer the Nine Realms, which he does. But, he didn’t choose his allies wisely and his reign is short-lived. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
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