HUMAN TARGET #9 DC COMICS
A Cat and Mouse game without the Cat! Christopher Chance is dead but it’s only day 9. But with the help of Doctor Mid-Nite and Ice, Chance is back for his 3 remaining days. And now the chase is on as he realizes that there is one man who could see through his Guy Gardner scam. The Batman! Where is he? What disguise is he wearing? When will he swoop in to take the Human Target into custody? Better than a Where’s Waldo? See if you can spot the Batman. Or you can figure out the astounding plot twist at the end of this chapter! No spoilers but this one is a doosie! 10 out of 10 Grahams.
BATMAN SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES #2 DC COMICS
“It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s Fritters.” I’m sorry, I can’t help it. Dario Brizuela’s cover is straight out of the classic cult film Motel Hell! The only thing missing is the car headlights in front of the faces. And aside from that more adult reference, Ivan Cohen and Dario Brizuela present us with another amazing all ages book that appeals to everyone. And Daphne fans rejoice as our heroine trades in her signature purple dress for some Batgirl fighting togs! Oh, and Scooby and Shaggy get to eat! Poison Ivy doesn’t stand a chance! All ages books are not a bad thing. I give it a 9 out of 10 Grahams.
ACTION JOURNALISM #3 ONI PRESS
You can tell that Eric Skillman and Miklos Felvideki’s Action Journalism is hitting the big time as issue #3 is hitting the racks with an alternate cover this time around. And it should. The stories of journalist Kate Kelly are clever, a bit out there, and fill that void of comics that can appeal to teenagers. The character of Kate Kelly is taking names and kicking @sses. There is a certain appeal to a strong character type like Kate even though some of her adventures start off just shy of a My Little Pony/Adventure Time style tale. We have fun and attitude all wrapped up into this … well … journalist. When Kate’s story ethics are called into a fellow journalist, it takes being swallowed by a giant fish and dragged into a “Chosen One” scam to prove her point. Oni Press, celebrating their 25th Anniversary, show why they are still presenting us with new titles. I give it an 8 out of 10 Grahams.
KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE #1 TITAN COMICS
I do love it when a somewhat obscure television hero get their own comic. And with current versions of Ultraman and SpectreMan being featured in current series, it seems like a good time to bring Shotaro Ishinomori’s 1970’s franchise to western audiences. Also known as the Masked Rider series, the character has appeared in multiple tv shows and movies. And like many Japanese created programs, there have been multiple Kamen Riders. With the insect grasshopper motif, the different versions of the character have been around since 1971. And like the media that it’s sourced from, writer Brandon Easton and artist Hendry Prasetya give us plenty of action and presents it to us as if we were watching it on screen. I give it a 9 out of 10 Grahams.
WITH THANKSGIVING JUST AROUND THE CORNER …
For decades, it seems that the Christmas holiday has been the holiday of choice for the comics’ industry. From the 324 page jumbo X-Mas Comics from Fawcett Comics in the 1940s to the treasury size editions of XMas With the Super-Heroes of the 1970’s, Thanksgiving has largely been overlooked. And so when Geoff Johns and Don Kramer treated us fans in JSA #54 (2003), it simply blew us away! A one and done JSA/JLA crossover filled with humor, character developement (the likes that hadn’t been seen since the days of Oliver Queen’s chili tastings), and an amazing amount of humor, this one was an instant classic. With a Norman Rockwell inspired cover, the story of the annual gathering between the groups being turned into a day to celebrate the holiday and sit down for a good meal was genius! This is a holiday treat that is totally worth digging through the back issue boxes for. 10 out of 10 Grahams!
