THE DEADMAN #1 DC COMICS
Another interesting ‘We’ve run out of ideas so lets do a bunch of short-lived titles until something better comes along’ from DC’s Next Level. Technically, this is like when DC’s New 52 did their third batch of new titles like the Green Team. The only difference is that Deadman has always been one of those characters that survived everything creative teams threw at him. Whether hale and hearty or a skeleton wrapped in tattered red cloth, he’s still with us. I think the main problem here is that the story doesn’t intergrate his pesonality traits. Treating each page or two as a different Deadman. One page, he’s a goofy smart aleck, next page, he’s moody and dark. And while these aspects are all Deadman, they don’t mesh here. In the beginning, you knew he was being a smart aleck because of the great depression he had. Both aspects right there, together, in the same panel. But it’s not all bad. The scenes in the hospice care facility are quite touching. Plus we manage to get a quick backstory for this generation that doesn’t really bore old readers. Plus it never hurts to throw on a nostalgic call out to the old Brave and the Bold series while previewing the next issue. 7 out of 10 Grahams.
TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1
Has it really been 40 years?! That’s crazy! The minute I saw this I could immediately hear the synth heavy progressive rock sounds of the movie theme by Lion! This was my goto album in my art studio back in the day, especially if I was working on a battle scene. And while the songs by Weird Al and Stan Bush definitely set a mood, so did the instrumentals by Vince DiCola. Mind blowing animation fueled by that music made us all forget that this movie was a giant commercial for the new toy line. And with this switch over, Marvel did a quick 3 issue mini-series to advance the comic to this point in the new continuity. A bold and well thought out gimmick that worked out well, at least until everyone started really missing Optimus Prime. So join the voices of Orson Wells, Eric Idle, Robert Stack, Leonard Nimoy, and Judd Nelson in this wonderful look back at a true movie icon. Just remember this art is forty years old. 10 out of 10 Grahams.
TOMORROW GIRL #19 ANTARCTIC PRESS
The Public Domain storyline crosses the halfway point as the master plan for war is revealed. Kaboom escapes from prison! The return of Tomorrow Man! And the main force heads to Russia! Leaving behind Tomorrow Girl and Knight Wolf to face off against Kaboom. A classic tale by creator Ben Dunn, writer David Furr and art by Terry Parr. This title is a little off but still manages to keep on track with traditional storytelling and getting to use many Golden Age Greats. 8 out of 10 Grahams.