MY WEEK IN COMICS - - - for the period from June 09 through June 22, 2025
#393-#394 = ALIEN WORLDS #7 (Pacific Comics, April 1984) All the stories in this science-fiction anthology series were scripted by Bruce Jones, with the occasional exception.
This issue’s guest writer was the late William F. Nolan (Logan’s Run) with the lead story - “The Small World of Lewis Stillman” with art by Richard Corben.
Lewis Stillman thinks he is the only adult survivor of an alien attack on Earth until he finds a female companion. They decide to come out of hiding and communicate with some children they see frequenting a public library - only to learn the children that remain have turned savage.
The two-page “Small Change” with art by Brent Anderson shows how a young boy wins a bet with a Frisbee - that is really a flying disc piloted by a tiny alien.
Invisible flesh-eating creatures attack scientists investigating an abandoned compound on an icy planet in “It All Fits”, with art by Gray Morrow.
Want to see some early art from the late George Perez? Check out the Twilight Zone-like “Ride The Blue Bus”. Most survivors of a devastating war have been deformed and look malnourished, except for a young man who desires to ride the blue bus - that only stops for survivors who can help to rebuild civilization. FOUR STARS.
#395-#396 = CONGORILLA #1, #4 of 4 by Steve Englehart and Neil Vokes/Jay Geldhof (DC Comics, November 1992-February 1994)
I pulled these two issues from the bargain bins because I spotted Neil Vokes (long-standing Captain Blue Hen guest artist) on the cover credits. I really had little interest in the title character. Vokes’ art is the best thing about this ho-hum mini-series.
My prior knowledge of Congorilla came from reading the biography from one of those DC character encyclopedic series that were popular in the 1980’s. The character dates back to the early days of DC, and More Fun Comics in 1940, with Congorilla being a merger of the great ape with William “Congo Bill” Glenmorgan. Congo Bill was a long-running DC adventure comic strip (like Jungle Jim) that ran in the back pages of Action Comics in the 1940’s.
Janu The Jungle Boy also came out of Action Comics in 1954, a young boy brought up in the jungle after his father was killed by a tiger. Janu was later adopted by Congo Bill, whose solo series was last seen in 1955. Congo Bill first meets the legendary golden gorilla in 1957, and in Action Comics #248 (January 1959) Congo Bill becomes transformed into Congorilla.
Which leads into this 1990’s mini-series where Janu betrays Bill, blinds him, and takes over the Congorilla identity. But it all works out in Congo Bill’s favor, happily ever after.
For fans of comics nostalgia and/or Neil Vokes. The rest can skip this. Not one of Steve Englehart’s noteworthy scripts. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#397-#398 = THE SIXTH GUN: ROAD TO THE SIX #0 by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt (Oni Press/Lion Forge, June 2025) This is a prelude/teaser to the upcoming SIXTH GUN: BATTLE FOR THE SIX mini-series coming in July.
Three short stories hint at what may be occurring in the new series. It’s not necessary to have read all nine volumes of The Sixth Gun to follow this, but it certainly helps to have a familiarity with the material.
The first tale occurs 600 years before The Sixth Gun series, where it appears that six swords held the eldritch powers, one of them wielded by a knight, who is fighting off the minions of The Grey Witch. Unnamed, he swings the Second Sword, which spreads the Fires Of Perdition. He barely escapes, and we can expect to see him again in the new series.
The second story occurs shortly after the climatic events of Volume 9 as the mercenary gunfighter Andre Belton travels some underground caverns to a mysterious hotel, The Mizzadori, where the owner introduces him to a mystical pope who looks to follow the dark side.
The final story inserts two characters from Bunn’s other weird western series, Shadow Road, where apparently the Crossroads will intersect with the world of The Sixth Gun. It’s the return of feisty young female gunslinger Izzy and the mysterious rifleman Ghost Eyes.
This one-shot does the job, with Bunn creating curiosity for the new series. Hurtt’s art is always appealing. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#399-#403 = PRAIRIE GODS #1-#5 of 5 by Shane Connery Volk (Mad Cave Studios, 2024-2025)
The weird western genre gets a modern update with a twist in the capable hands of writer/artist Shane Connery Volk (of Nottingham fame), and makes for an engaging reading experience. The five issues feature one-shot stories with some recurring characters, all centered around the isolated desert town of Broadacres.
Issue #1 introduces Freddy Davis, retired race car driver, who returns for one last challenge versus . . . the devil. The story also introduces Ned Reade - the perpetual Sheriff of Broadacres, who appears in several stories, a tall mysterious white-mustachioed man who favors long black coats (like Australian cattle ranchers wear). Sheriff Reade gets the spotlight in Issue #2, as he tracks down a wanted fugitive who makes the mistake of wandering where he shouldn't in Broadacres.
Issue #3 focuses on 127-year old resident Bill Roberts, who is visited by Fred Davis on his birthday to share some whiskey and memories. Roberts tells the story of his experience in the trenches of World War I where he was near death and saved by a mysterious stranger in an even stranger machine.
Issue #4 centers around the now closed Broadacres Silver Mine, reported to harbor even more valuable assets within its mine shafts and corridors - but fiercely protected by its' owners in both 1877 and present day.
Issue #5 details the 1927 harrowing ordeal of airman Eddie Norris, who manages to survive a plane crash in the wilds of Broadacres as well as the strange beasts that reside there.
Volk has art style distinctly suited to these types of stories and reveals a storytelling gift for intriguing Twilight-Zone tales. Fun and twisty. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#404-#408 = PHOENIX #1-#5 by Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo (Marvel Comics, September 2024-January 2025)
The promotional synopsis:
“Founding X-Man Jean Grey once again units with the power of the immortal entity, the Phoenix, and takes to the stars in this cosmic solo epic!”
Last year I tried out several of the “From The Ashes” X-books, and this was the one I liked more than I expected to. I might have gone further, but I set a goal to not buy any new super-hero comics in 2025. (That Issue #5 really came out in November 2024. That’s just the way Marvel dates their books).
At first I wondered why the new series would base Phoenix in space, but it makes total sense. She is a hero of cosmic/epic proportions and the new settings allow her to explore her powers to the fullest (and she does).
Phillips also explores the character and make-up of Jean Grey to the fullest, exploiting that dichotomy between what she yearns to do (protect innocents throughout the galaxy) and the dangerous elements of her often uncontrollable power (that has the ability to cause mass destruction). How does a mortal handle unlimited power?
The consequences of her epic actions can be seen through the eyes of new character Adani, as her planet is spared destruction by a dying sun through the intervention of Phoenix. Then, Phoenix has to travel to the site of an intergalactic prison within a black hole. The black hole is collapsing, and Phoenix has to choose between stabilizing the black hole (which may afford some prisoners a method of escape) or allowing it to implode and destroy a vast section of space. One of the escapees is the Dark God Perrikus, who crash lands on the same planet Phoenix rescued, and then kills the father of Adani. Perrikus twists Adani to his purpose, turning her against Phoenix.
There’s a lot that happens within the first five issues, including brief team-ups with Nova and Corsair of the space pirate Starjammers. She also has a heart-felt conversation with Captain Marvel learning how to balance responsibility and power, and is invited to become part of Creation by Eternity.
There’s also the Black Armada, a fight with Gorr the God Butcher, and a meeting of the Galactic Council where Gladiator warns of an alleged Phoenix threat. Plus, Thanos shows up at the end of Issue #5.
Good stuff, with some neat art. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
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