JONAH HEX AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH #1 DC COMICS
It was only a matter of time until the gang at Doc’s Corner snuck in one of these Next Level, second place, we need new titles to keep the momentum going, books. But in all honesty, I believe that all of these new titles are part of yet another throw everything against the wall and see what sticks mentality. And so luck of of the draw got me Jonah Hex. And due to the fact that all of nwew Next Level title have been crammed down my throat due to all the preview pages in every title, I already have issues. And right off the bat, I have trouble with the title. Including a back up like Shadow of Death simply screams short lived mini-series! How do I know? Jonah Hex Riders of the Worm, Shadows West, Two-Gun Mojo, etc. You know when a Jonah Hex title is going to be decent … when it’s simply called Jonah Hex. That’s it. And thanks to the endless previews, I know that I am not a fan of Michael Walsh’s art. And even though Jonah used to appear in Weird Western Tales, that doesn’t mean he’s a dang Ghostbuster. And that’s what we have here. Evil has come to a small town. The townsfolk are all scared or possessed. A mysterious man gives the town a new bell. And spider like creatures try to crawl into a little girl’s mouth. But Jonah wants no part of it as it’s implied that he’s now immortal and is all Sixth Sense, I see dead people. What this title did is remind me how much, I wouldn’t mind reading an old school western comic. An All-Star Western or Western Comics. But sadly, the western is not a top end seller these days. But if you like your cowboys talking with ghosts that are a tad bit on the gruesome side, you might find something here. 4 out of 10 Grahams.
MIDNIGHT SPIDER-MAN #1 MARVEL COMICS
Ok. Wow. Just wow. If Marvel’s goal was to see just how nasty a comic image could get, they’ve succeeded (remember I’ve sat through Cannibal Haolocaust and Cannibal Ferox!). From the very first page, this goes dark visually. Scietronc’s art is completely disturbing, whether we are seeing a giant spider merging into human flesh or watching test subjects explode and slowly die. All while an off panel executive/scientist mocks the poor subjects. Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson mixes in some familiar Spider-Man items like Oscorp and Felicia Hardy but most definitely different than what you are used too. It’s at times like these that I wonder if writer Gardner Fox realised the pandora’s box he was opening with his Flash of Two Worlds story. Once a hero is well established and not shining as brightly, we no longer have to be creative about it. We can simply jump dimensions and start all over again. Some deeply disturbing content here with just a twist of interest. 5 out of 10 Grahams.
SWAMP THING #1 FACSIMILE EDITION DC COMICS
His very first outing! And while late to the party (Marvel’s Man-Thing beat him to the newstands by two months. With Marvel considering suing DC until they all realised that the characters both had a passing resemblance to 1942’s The Heap. Of course, it didn’t help that both writers Gerry Conway and Len Wein were roommates at the time as well.) The tragic tale of Dr. Alec Holland and his wife Linda and how outside forces not only destroyed their experiment but created the situation which turned Alec into the hideous Swamp Thing. This was all before his time travelling adventure, his time with the Green, and his protection of the Earth. Back when it was all about government espionage and spooky weirdness coming out of a dark landscape drawn by the amazing Bernie Wrightson. Humble beginnings for a character who has been around for 55 years. 9 out of 10 Grahams.