For the last three years I have embarked on a Comics Odyssey, reading and writing reviews of comics towards an ambitious goal which I only attained on one of three attempts. This year, I still want to read more comics and write reviews, but I’m not setting a specific goal. I’ll just document them and number them. We’ll see how far I can go . . . . . . .
#339 - #344 CHEW, VOLUME NINE: CHICKEN TENDERS by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image Comics, February 2015) Collects CHEW #41 - #45 plus the one-shot CHEW: WARRIOR CHICKEN POYO. Synopsis:
Tony Chu, the cibopathic federal agent with the ability to get psychic impressions from what he eats, has been busy – busy settling into married life, busy investigating one assignment after another that takes him to the most remote corners of the planet. Meanwhile, the people closest to Tony are conspiring to take on the brutal killer who murdered Tony’s twin sister. And this conspiracy includes Tony’s partner, his arch enemy – and his teenage daughter!
CHEW has distinguished itself in my comics reading experience by becoming one of the few long-running series that I never get tired of. I'm this far into the collection (getting closer to the end) and still find myself being entertained and amused and even laughing at the wacky situations that Layman comes up with and Guillory illustrates with great expression (as well as wonderful Easter eggs & surprises in the background).
Some of the highlights in this volume . . . . .
Tony Chu getting married in Vegas then getting called away on special assignment in the middle of their honeymoon. The two-page spreads throughout all issues featuring warrior rooster Poyo versus the clever monster-of-the-month. Tony solving the murder of a Navy Seal (yep, a real aquatic animal, twice-decorated). A group of Tony's associates trying to take on the faux vampire/cibopath collector on their own without Tony. The one-shot special issue with Poyo taking on terrorists and then surviving a Tolkien-like fantasy world with giant killer vegetables ("Gourd of the Rings"). Next case for Tony - solve the murder of a penguin in Antarctica. Babycakes, the not-so-lethal squirrel with a cybernetic eye. In between all the humor, there are some ferociously bloody fight scenes and not every character walks away from this volume laughing. FOUR STARS.
#345 - #348 MAGICAL HISTORY TOUR children’s graphic novel by Fabrice Erre and Sylvain Savoia, translated from French (Papercutz, 2021 - current)
This series is a great way for children to get an introduction to history. Digest sized hardcovers with simple appealing art, two engaging young characters who slip in the occasional joke about the subject matter (funny and relevant), and jammed full of facts and details.
Educational for all ages. For example, I did not know that the Great Pyramid was the only remaining Seven Wonders of the World. I also did not know that the existence of dinosaurs was unknown until the discovery and identification of bones and fossils in the 18th Century. FOUR STARS.
Volume One: The Great Pyramid
Current day kids Annie and Nico travel back to--ancient Egypt. That's about 4,500 years ago, when the world's largest pyramid was built, The Great Pyramid of Giza. It's also called the Pyramid of Cheops because it was built for the Pharaoh Cheops, who wanted to be buried in it when he died. That's right--pyramids are giant tombs! It was the first of seven buildings known as The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World--and it's the only one still standing! But it still has plenty of secrets waiting to be uncovered
Volume Fifteen: Discovery of the Dinosaurs
Join modern-day siblings Annie and Nico as they learn about dinosaurs, extinction, and the people who discovered the dino bones. Featuring jokes, brief historical bios, a timeline of events, and more in this educational and entertaining middle grade graphic novel – perfect for reluctant readers!
#349 BLOOD HUNT #1 of 5 by Jed MacKay and Pepe Larraz (Marvel, July 2024) On Thursday of this week a comic shop owner and friend asked me why I wasn’t reading BLOOD HUNT. I said I wasn’t persuaded enough by the FCBD previews to pick it up, as well as some other reasons which I’ve mentioned here before. He asked if I’d like to read Issue #1 and offered to give me his personal copy. That’s an offer I’ll never refuse.
This is well done, and there are several things that I like in the presentation. For one, the story is going to move forward a bit but also jump around a little based on the first few pages that show a Sundeath countdown clock at various times and tease a little about what dire things happened at each particular moment - - something I guess will be returned to in greater detail in future issues.
Basically, this is a threat that is too big for the Avengers to contain and the abrupt first strike has them one the defensive immediately and their numbers reduced. In a full-length Page 2 panel with the Sundeath clock at 00:00:00 and the Earth almost completely enveloped in dark red and black swirling mists, an unknown narrator speaks of “this is how the world ends . . . This in my work . . This has aways been my work . . and after so very long . . . I will complete it.”
That narrator is eventually revealed on the final pages, and it comes as a surprise. It’s a bit of a shocker, and I wonder if Marvel will implement a course-correct before this is over (considering the implications for future stories with this character).
Things begin with all Dark Force users being transformed into portals to the Darkforce dimension which then blot out the sun. That enables vampires worldwide to rise up. This time they are organized, led by a vampire cult called the Structure, and reinforced with their own superteam - - the Blood Coven, all new and horrifying villains that remind me of the Cenobites from the HELLRAISER film series. That immediately grabbed my attention, and I”m looking forward to seeing more of these baddies.
Not to mention, I’m having fun with this. FOUR STARS.
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