Blossoms 666 #1 (Archie Horror)
Cullen Bunn (w) Laura Brack (a)
The latest of Archie's re-imagining of it's characters as Cheryl Blossom and her brother are turned to the dark side. No really, THE dark side as their parents expect great things of them as the Coven prepares rituals for the evils that will done in their master's name.
So being set in Archie's world it's time for a..pool party to which the entire schools invited to. Even the dweeb Dilton, the always victim of Reggie. This time he's rescued by Cheryl but for what dark purpose. Meanwhile Jughead is in trouble again for losing an assignment when an unexpected saviour arrives in the form of Jason Blossom.
Exactly what is going on here. One of these two is the Anti-Christ but which one.
Rating: 5 stars
Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (Marvel)
Donny Cates (w) Geoff shaw (a)
Having been a fan of both the movies and enjoying a trade paperback of the Guardians whilst stuck in a hospital bed I decided it was the right time to pick up anew with comic as Marvel launched a new number one. There were a lot of surprises for me as I haven't read many modern Marvel comics for quite a while and had only kept in touch with the FF until that disappeared.
The FF are back and as great as ever and so are the Guardians? I suppose I'll have to catch up on how Thanos died (again) and find out why Gamorra is now a villain. Drax is also dead and Rocket Racoon? "We don't talk about him" is all I got out of this issue. Shame. Like the little bleeder. So only Starlord and Groot left.
There is a gathering,called by Eros, brother of Thanos who is there to deliver the last will & testament to the assembled group of shall we say "edgy" inhabitants of the Marvel MU. War is all around the universe and the dead Celestials head is missing.
This first oversized issue raises more questions than answers for anyone who like me has not been keeping up. Certainly worth the entry fee. Thanos is dead. Long live Thanos?
Rating: 5 stars
Crypt of Shadows #1 (Marvel)
Al Ewing (w) Garry Brown, Stephen Green & Djibril Morisette-Phan (a)
As part of Marvel Comics celebration of eighty years of publishing they are releasing a series of one-shots based on comics from their past. Crypt of Shadows represents the long lost horror/mystery anthology that many of us grew up with and no longer appear on the stands.
There is horror but not like these and James Beard gives us a history of horror at the end of the book. We have Stan Lee and Marvel to thank for the ditching of the comics code which allowed the comics industry to grow up into the modern art and literature form it is today.
It's difficult to review the contents of the book without giving away spoilers which I don't want to do because it's a good read even though a little predictable. I just hope you don't suffer from "Cynophobia".
Rating: 2.5 stars
War is Hell #1 (Marvel)
Howard Chaykin (w & a), Philip Kennedy-Johnson (w) Alberto Albuquerque (a)
Whilst I read British war comics in the form of those little "picture library" booklets that fitted your blazer pocket I was never a great fan of the American ones. Even as an adult I have only experimented with the likes of Sgt Fury or Sgt Rock both of whom fought everywhere and their entire force except one in each title always made it.
The British ones which were nearly always "one-off stories" tended to be as gung-ho but much grittier since people died. Battles were lost but of course the war was won by the allies. There is still one of these going, Commando which has now had over 5,000 issues published!
I knew there was something wrong with this comic in the first two pages which showed the wrong types of aircraft attacking the UK in 1940. Chaykin used the Focke-Wulf 190 fighter (which didn't appear until the autumn of 1941 and the Heinkel He 177 bomber (not in service until 1942) which showed pretty poor research by the writer.
Every schoolboy in this country knows the main German fighter in the early part of the war and the Battle of Britain was the Messerschmitt bf 109 and the main bomber the Heinkel 111 with the occiaional Dornier do 17 and Messerschmitt bf 110 twin engine fighter.
Chaykin's story had the obligatory non-Nazi pilot and Jazz fan which caused a tragedy. Think Glenn Miller. The second story was just simply a bad read and of no quality whatsoever.
Rating: 0 Stars (avoid)
Freedom Fighters #2 (DC)
Robert Venditti (w) Eddy Barrows (a)
The second issue of this excellent maxi-series continues with the public of occupied USA seeing the return of the heroes in the form of a new team of Freedom Fighters. A battle royal takes place as Doll Woman, Black Condor, Phantom Lady and the Human Bomb take on a giant Nazi robot. Eventually they overcome. The citizens start to believe and in the "Realm of Ideas" there is a stirring...
I don't want to give too much away but Nazi's always make good comic book villains because there evil was real and add to the mix superpowers and advanced science and you've got a winner on your hands. The writing and art in this book are superb. I cannot recommend it enough.
Just watch out for the Plastic men....
Rating: 5 Stars
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