*** We are CLOSED on EASTER SUNDAY 3/31/24 ***
Doc’s Reviews for the Week of June 27, 2018 – CANCELLED – Graham Crackers Comics

Doc’s Reviews for the Week of June 27, 2018 – CANCELLED

     DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY, DOC IS UNABLE TO REVIEW THIS WEEK’S BOOK SELECTION. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

     HOWEVER, WE DID COME ACROSS AN AMAZING FACT. DOC SCHAEFER HAS BEEN REVIEWING COMICS FOR US FOR CLOSE TO TEN YEARS (AND THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE WHEN HE WAS AT OUR PHYSICAL STORES GIVING HIS OPINIONS TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN!) SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE TAKING OVER THIS BLOG, HE’S MISSED A WEEK. WE DECIDED TO GO BACK IN TIME AND SHOW OFF SOME OF DOC’S BEST WORK FROM YEARS PAST. HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS LOOK BACK AND KNOW THAT THESE BOOKS ARE STILL AVAILABLE ON THE GRAHAM CRACKERS WEBSITE.  

 

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #49

I never thought I’d have anything but praise for the Justice Society but over the past few months, I have read with some dismay a changing of priorities on the book. 49 issues ago when the title changed from JSA to Justice Society, I worried that the wonderful superhero family building ideals of JSA would be lost. But from issue one, we were assured that the legacy of the Justice Society would be continued. Recently, that has been changing. The Justice Society has taken a dark turn and that family fostering mentality seems gone with it. If I wanted hardcore super-heroing, I would turn to the Justice League books. Issue #49 is a perfect example of all that has been lost. Evil politicians, unbeatable foes, and the total destruction of the city are just the beginning. Add in a psychopathic egomaniacal villain who likes to get beaten up, and a plot revolving around the moral dilemma of killing a child or allowing him to grow up into the afore
mentioned unstoppable super-villian and I’d think I was reading a Vertigo title not the good ole JSA. But turning Alan Scott into (as the cover raves) the Living Lantern is really too much. The costume is ridiculous (I don’t care if it serves a purpose!) and the last minute changes of heart cannot salvage the damage already done. I looks like the JSA All-Stars maybe returning to the fold. Hopefully, they can help get us back into the brownstone in time for some of Ma Hunkle’s chocolate chip cookies! I give it a 5 out of 10 Grahams.     

 

JUGHEAD #212     ARCHIE COMICS

Jughead’s quest to find a home away from home concludes. The funny part is is that it never dawned on me that he hadn’t stayed with Veronica. And the fact that this annoys Veronica leads to hilarity. However, the best part of the book is when Jughead, matter of factly, explaines that in between issues (Holy Breaking the Fourth Wall, Batman!) he had stayed with every other conceivable character in the Archie Universe. And heads up, I would have definately plunked down my hard earned money to see Judhead moving in with Mr. Weatherbee (Hey Archie comic guys! Special or Annual? Hint, hint.)
We have classic comedy bits served up by everyone’s favorite pointed hatted glutton by the spoonful and that’s exactly what I wanted when I picked this issue up. I give it 8 out of 10 Grahams.

 

KIRBY GENESIS #0     DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Pick a cover, any cover. Although I am not a big fan of multiple covers for a book, Alex Ross, Paul Renaud, and Ryan Sook each demonstrate their talents based on Jack Kirby’s neverending ideas. After Ross’s dynamic renderings in the Project SuperPowers titles, I thought I had seen the best. But after seeing Jack Kirby himself rendered by Ross, I was proven wrong. Kirby with pipe gently clentched in mouth staring down at his creation in the darkened office was inspiring. Any amature cartoonist or doodleist should frame that page and hang it on the wall directly over their drawing desk. All that wrapped in a story involving Pioneer 10 and a young Kirby and Bobbi is worthy twice the asking price. What many newer readers might not know is that some of these characters not only appeared in independant publisher PC Comics but in a short lived series of books from Topps Comics. Heads up people and check your local comic stores back issues for such titles as Captain Glory, Secret City Saga, and Nightglider. Welcome back again Jack, Thanks Alex. I give it a 10 out of 10 Grahams..     

 

ZATANNA #12     DC COMICS

Once again Matthew Sturges entertains as well as educates and shows again why I love to read this book.
I mean really, a magical battle fought with palindromes! Not only that but the revelation that Zatanna practices her magic words with flashcards. I haven’t been this entertained by a magical battle since Vincent Price fought Boris Karloff in the Raven!
Peek pu eht doog krow! I give it an 8 out of 10 Grahams.

Comments

comments