ALTER EGO #197     TWOMORROWS PUBLISHING

If anyone ever wondered why learning about the history of the comics was interesting, they would not have to look any further than this months issue of Alter Ego! While most people are familiar with some of the history of other major comic publishers, here we get an in-depth look at the wonderfully diverse and somewhat tragic backstory of Hillman Publishing. Aside from slick magazines, publisher Alexander Hillman would bring us a small universe of charecters that although not completely mainstream, endeared themselves to readers of the 1940’s. While he was not an immediate sucess, he would eventually hit the big time with Airboy. And then expanding his comic universe with such characters as the Heap, Flying Dutchman, Iron Ace, and of course Valkyrie. Providing characters that still exist today. But for me, the real fun is the behind the scenes tales. Raiding the creative staff at Quality Comics. Losing a lawsuit against Fawcett Publishing. And, of course, the many famous names before they were famous that worked there. This really was the Golden Age of Comics. 9 out of 10 Grahams.

 SANTOS SISTERS #10     AMERICAN NATURE PUBLISHING

What started out as an odd little comic the staff found me ten issues ago, has evolved into an award-winning independant comic that I am still enjoying 10 issue in! And with the return of villianous Bridget Spinner and the introduction of new baddies Billy Bitcoin and #404, we’ve got ourselves another gem. Plus the Boozy Beez return to get thrown out of the neighbor’s kids’ party. And with all that going on, the girls have enough page space to address big topics such as video gambling, home wrecking, and how to get out of tickets. Just not how you expected. Filled with some of the most interesting and unusual ads in a comic, issue 10 continues in the same vein as the past nine. 10 out of 10 Grahams.

DC FINEST WONDER WOMAN INTRODUCING WONDR WMN TPB

      Raise your hand if you knew that Wonder Woman’s first appearance was actually in All-Star Comics #8. That’s right, it wasn’t in Sensation Comics #1 nor in Sensation Comics #1. In a little nine page bonus feature in-between stories featuring the heroes of the Justice Society of America, we learned the backstory of one of the back bones of the DC Universe. And what about Etta Candy and the Holiday Girls? Remember them? Did you know that there was a nurse named Diana Prince who was a doppleganger for Princess Diana and that the nurse allowed the princess to take her identity? Or when the general public was introduced to the animal species known as Kangas? IOf you didn’t, don’t worry beacuse the DC Finest line is back with a loving look back at our Amazon Princess. Here are the stories that gave her her start to becoming part of the DC Trinity. 10 out of 10 Grahams.