Shazam #13 (DC)

Shazam #13 (DC)

Geoff Johns (w) Dale Eaglesham (A)

Once a character that outsold Superman but beaten not by any villain but by a corporate law suit Captain Marvel eventually changed hands from his original publishers to DC Comics who had ended his adventures in the first place.

Originally a young boy given powers by the Wizard living in the Rock of Eternity Billy Batson became Captain Marvel and featured in a comic now called "Shazam" after the magic word that transformed him into a super-powered adult.  The name "Captain Marvel" was now with DC's rivals Marvel Comics.

Never high on my reading list I have purchased the odd back issue or mini series some of which have been entertaining others not so much. When done right there is potential with the good Captain. However the New 52 version was not for me so it's been a while since I've picked up a copy and to be honest the reason I did so was because the solicitation gave the impression that Superboy Prime would return in this issue.

The story itself is Chapter 12 of an on-going adventure which features an army of Captain Marvel's foes including Mr Mind, Black Adam, King Hull and more facing Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel plus a few unfamiliar faces. The ultimate enemy is Billy's father mind controlled by that alien Caterpillar that should have been trodden on a long time ago.

The villains are taking control of the seven lands (I am baffled as to how this fits into DC continuity) and it is in Monsterland that we find Superboy Prime wandering around wondering where he is. A one panel cameo that with the breaking of the panels releases the menace into the DCU once again.

I doubt I'll be picking up this comic in a hurry again but may watch out for Superboy Prime elsewhere.

Rating: One Star. (Avoid)

2000AD Prog 2196 Regened Edition

 

The latest issue of 2000AD hits the stands today and is an oversized special "all-ages" issue which includes no less than five complete stories starting as usual with Judge Dredd though this isn't the tough street wise experienced character we have all come to love its Cadet Dredd!

Bad Seeds sees the Judges being called to a hostage situation where some radical juves have not only taken hostages but appear to manged to construct a bomb. They want to free all the juves who have committed non-violent crimes to be released. But not all is as it seems and young Dredds on the case!

Next up is a comedy adventure Pandora Perfect who needs a key before a bomb goes off on her leg. And off she goes to get it by ..... babysitting? All will be explained.

There's ghosts in the British Museum which Meera Hundal and Eliot Hunter need to deal with as part of their school trip as Finder & Keeper in The Curse of Kreepindeth. Yeah it's really called that.

There's a rather bizarre Future Shocks in a story called Boss level. Playing computer games isn't my "thing" perhaps that's wise...

Last but by no means least is the tale of an interns first outing in Department K. I really liked this and want to see more. No spoilers. Tharg must employ a regular droid on this strip.

Next week it's back to normal (heh) with Judge Dredd, The Diaboliks, The Out*(recommended) another of Thargs 3rillers and a Future Shock. In stores September 2nd

Subscriptions available from: shop.2000ad.

Brave & the Bold #101 (DC/1972)

 

Brave & the Bold #101 (DC)

Bob Haney (w) Jim Aparo (a)

One of my favourite titles from back in the day was Brave & the Bold which was (mostly) a team up comic featuring Batman with one of DC's more minor characters getting a well deserved outing. Sometimes these team ups were quite bizarre as Bruce found himself fighting alongside the Joker or Kamandi but those are stories for another day.

This issue features one of DC's most under-rated superheroes, Metamorpho. I recall picking up copies of his short lived comic back in the sixties which along with the action was actually quite educational. Oh yest the stories were quite absurd and Rex's supporting cast somewhat eccentric to say the least but they were a good read.

This team-up is no exception as Batman faces the return of a dangerous opponent in the for of The Bounty Hunter. A murder is committed and a list found which includes not just Bruce Wayne but Sapphire Stagg who just happens to be Metamorpho's girlfriend. 

Metamorpho is revived early by Sapphires duplicitous father in order to protect her from being murdered. Immediately Rex blows his top and fights ensue but Sapphire is his hearts desire so as usual Rex complies.

The story itself is a simple set piece murder mystery around the sale of an estate and a conflict between two brothers. One needs the money, the other slightly deranged wishes to to retain his inheritance and has hired the villain to remove all the bidders.

With wonderful stylish art from Jim Aparo the adventure leads to it's obvious conclusion as Batman and Metamorpho save the day though the Bounty Hunter makes his escape.

This is also one of those 52 page editions that DC mistakenly launched in the early seventies that contributed to companies decline in market share against Marvel. The extra pages feature a story of The Viking Prince which was of no interest to me at the time nor now. Not worth the extra cost in pocket money.

However the main story is a great read and is 25 pages long and complete in one issue. I miss those types of comics. Everything is an on-going story arc these days which makes random pick ups impossible. No wonder they no longer sell anywhere but specialist shops. Comics are no longer for the masses it seems. 

And DC never seems to learn as it runs into trouble again with a disastrous distribution decision by breaking with Diamond. They couldn't have picked a worse moment for the industry.

Still there will always  be back issues....

Blackhawk # 247 (DC/1976)

 

BlackHawk #247 (DC)

David Kraft (w) Ric Estradoa & Al Milgrom (a)

With DC contracting it's publishing schedule for the immediate future it seems appropriate to look at a title that fell in the last DC "implosion". Having already been cancelled as the Blackhawks had fallen out of favour as more modern material this "pulp" series inherited from Quality Comics had once been a top seller. 

Blackhawks was not on my reading list as a kid having not being impressed by the one issue I did read. However with a higher budget as an adult I did buy a few and honestly every time I read one I cannot make my mind up about the team.

This particular issue is just typical fare for the seventies. There's a threat in Belgium which is to be dealt with by Duchess Ramona Fatale a one eyed curvy seductress with a team of equally hot sidekicks, Tani, Ayn and Prudence. One of the Blackhawks who has (cough) previous "experience with Prudence buggers off with them.

Meanwhile the team receive a call from the CIA asking for the Blackhawks to escort something from Greenland to old Blighty. However as usual not all is as it seems as Agent Robertson takes off his mask and introduces himself with a monologue in an empty room .

Ambushed over Greenland by flying robots the team are eventually shot our the sky and taken prisoner by our villain. He states his purpose as wanting to save the world by nuking bits of it starting with Britain using a bomb made with a stray atom of anti-matter found in South America.

Of course   the Blackhawks escape Biolords clutches and watch in horror as the anti-matter missile takes of for England's green and soon to not be pleasant lands.

To be continued.....

Now I have to decide whether to bother to find the next issue. It's not that memorable as a story and the team soon fade away. Taken after their prime by a financial crisis.  There were a couple of revivals later down the line but that lasted.

Oh and don't bother with the "New 52" version that was awful.

Judge Dredd Megazine #423 (Rebellion)

The latest issue of the Judge Dredd Megazine hit subscribers doormats over the last couple of days and well worth the price entry as usual. Dredd himself appears in Grand Theft Royale involving a cloned Sov agent and an ambush. What is at at stake that the Psi-Judges cannot reach?

An extra length Black Museum tale features some demonic goings on in a tale called The Obsidian Ingress featuring some genocidal demon worshippers wanting to destroy the world and have found a use for Judges helmets in the process. Didn't see that one coming. Neither did the Psi-Judges from what happens.... 

Next up is our favourite degenerate Vatican agent and his companion demon trapped in a Dildo. In Whilst I was A Young Demon Devlyn Waugh is having himself checked out for STD's when he realises something is amiss. Could Doctor Simp be something else and if he is where's the real one and that lovely nurse. And why the need for all those bodily fluids?

Finally a double length helping of Lawless as developments start to happen despite the peace. Plots everywhere involving Judges, businessmen and a scroat called Roke. Always a crowd pleaser this one.

All this plus the mini graphic novel featuring Haven which I had read before and is a worthwhile effort have you not seen this.

All this building up to the next issue which will be the 30th Anniversary edition of Judge Dredd Megazine with an oversized 100 page Special out on September 16th! 

Don't forget the latest issue of 2000AD is also out!

Subscribe: shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/subscriptions

DC/Vertigo on TV: Lucifer (Season One plus)

 

Continuing my consumption of DVD box sets featuring comic book characters comes Lucifer very loosely based on the DC/Vertigo series of the same name.

The original comic book ran for 75 wonderfully bizarre and esoteric issues all of which I have in my collection. It's well worth checking out as the stories are somewhat different. perhaps it's time for re-read if I can dig them out which is easier said than done. Collected editions are available.

 

In this version Lucifer played by Tom Ellis (of Miranda fame)has had enough of Hell and with his faith demon sidekick Mazikeen played by the stunning South African actress Lesley-Ann Brandt has opened a bar in Los Angeles. Where else?

Photo: By Sue Lukenbaugh - (CC)

Of course this is not supposed to be the way things are since Lucifer was cast out of Heaven by his father. There's an Angel on his case and talking of cases there's plenty for him as our little devil finds himself helping the police catch the people that end up in hell. Ironic.

Tom Ellis excels as the errant ruler of hell whose life revolves around hedonistic sinning. Sex, drink and drugs whilst partying in LUX his exclusive club. This first season introduces Detective Chloe Decker who has several unexpected effects on Lucifer not least of which is his failure to bed her. Who is this woman and what else does she mean for the fallen Angel?

Of course being on Earth Lucifer has upset the status quo  and Amenadeil is here to put things right but things go badly wrong for God's messenger. How all these cosmic beings end up needing therapy remains to be explained. 

This is on hell of series to coin a phrase that seems more than appropriate for a quick overview and just wait till you get to the second season. Yeah started it already. Ordered this before finishing this 11 episode season. This programme has me hooked.

 

Photo Credits: By pinguino k (CC) & By Gage Skidmore - (CC)

Oh and just wait for the next series to up the ante. There's Lucifer's mother Charlotte played by the extremely hot actress Tricia Heifer who had the part of  Cylon Number Six in Balthazar's brain in Battlestar Galactica. 

There's also a short appearance of Charisma Carpenter of Buffy fame. I always wondered what happened to her after a long run in Buffy and then Angel. Still looking good.

I'm still exploring the series as I write. There are four seasons available on DVD with season Five to launch this month. Season six has been commissioned and will end the series, but at this moment lots of surprises to come. Ill see this one through!

Tales To Astonish #95 (Marvel/1969)

Tales To Astonish #95 (Marvel)

Sub-Mariner - RoyThomas (w) Raymond Marais & Bill Everett (a), 

Hulk - Stan lee (w) Marie Sevrin (a)

It's a while since I picked up one of these double feature comics but they were always fun even if as a kid I couldn't either rely on actually finding or even affording the next issue. So many comics never enough pocket money! The same problem still exists. A lot of these especially in good condition (which my copy really is not) cost far too much.

However with detached covers this was a cheap buy and a good read seeing firstly the Sub-Mariner in typically arrogant mode finding a human settlement of the seabed exploiting his realm when in bursts The Plunderer of Daredevil fame with a pointy well armed submarine.

The settlement is destroyed and looted by the villain and his lackeys despite the intervention of Namor himself as the lady Dorma finds herself in danger and Subby has to break battle to rescue her and then help the humans. All heart really.

Then next up the Incredible Hulk is heading into space but the daft brute has knocked out the pilot and has no idea how to operate a radio as the High Evolutionary tries to warn them of a close-by radiation threat. The pilot revives, saves the ship but a burst of said radiation kills him but leaves the Hulk unharmed and alone.

Until that is he transforms back into puny Bruce Banner and is captured by the High Evolutionary who has need of him to suppress the revolt in paradise. To be continued.

And yes a reasonably priced #96 would be welcome.

 

The Creeps #24 (Warrant Publishing)

 

The latest issue of the horror anthology The Creeps is out with a new collection of tales to raise the hairs on the back of your neck and send a chill down your spine. Even the inside cover is disturbing with a tales of witchcraft....

Kicking off your scary entertainment is the story of an undertaker and the Devil. Even a man with good intentions should never make a deal with the Devil. He'll always find some way to trick you..won't he? The Undertaker From Gravesend from the pen of the late Nicola Cuti with art by Benito Gallego.

Winters Crossing by Nicola Cuti & Reno Marquis is a bit different being set in the freezing cold with the undead on the warpath. This is followed by a fifties style "B" movie style story The Seed of Destruction. Giant plant menaces Manhattan. Great stuff from Billy Grimm & Nik Poliwko.

There's strangeness abroad in Fake ID and an equally disturbing tale of revenge in The Creep In The Iron Mask.  Two more chillers that might cool you down in this heat.

Finally we return to undertakers in an adaptation of HP Lovecraft with Into The Vault. Should you check your coffin size?

Plus of course all your usual letters and The Creeps Fan Club pages as well. And there's an ad for a companion comic Vampiress Camilla! Move over Vampirella there's fresh competition from Transylvania!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

The 77 #2: British comics anthology only gets better.

 

The second issue of The 77 arrived through my letter box yesterday and an excellent read it turned out to be. British comics were always anthologies unlike most american fare which featured a single character or genre. The 77 isn't yer traditional IPC/DC Thomson material either. It's new and refreshing, the product of a lot of effort by those involved.

Of course as I always warn anthologies are designed to appeal to a broad range of readers so there are always strips and features that appeal and some that don't it's the nature of the beast. My tastes may differ to yours it's as simple as that and no offence to any of the creators after all I spent my entire childhood skipping over any football or sport related stories. Not my thing.

The issue opens with the second instalment of V by Steve Bull & Ade Hughes, one of those kill tournament stories that seem quite popular. There's more to the killing than might be seen is the message I got from this chapter. Still on the fence on this one.

Next up is the second chapter of of Mal Earl's post human genocide story Prodigal as the creatures of legend reclaim the Earth following our continuing destruction of the world we live in. It seems a bit harsh that people were simply exterminated. The human race is seemingly gone forever and the story of mankind's downfall is explained. More to come from this excellent story that has plenty of potential.

There's a stray velociraptor in The Ship That Screamed featuring Jericho-5 and mad pensioners brains in bottles in the full colour but ultimately disappointing Martian Law.  However The Collector by Steve McManus and Charlie Gillespie makes up for that with this excellent story. 

The Screaming Hand makes it's enigmatic way through five pages of The House That Never Was with a promise that it will return soon. Good.

The excellent centre pages and colour feature Division 77 by Dave Heeley & Sinclair Elliot opens up a mystery as one soldier finds himself seeing the conflict from a different point of view. This is followed by a short story of family and loss Trompe La Mort by David Bedford & Andrew Redmond.

One of my favourite strips in this issue (especially as I am watching the re-runs of Buffy) is Penny Pentagram: Occult Detective.  promising story with appropriate matching art from D. Thomas and J. Roydon.  This is followed up with a traditional science fiction tale about space whaling in Gut Crawlers. Not a job I'd fancy even if the Galaxy depended on it.

Then there's a dark tale The Cell. Pain and freedom with the threat of death. The future? Then there's a flooded world in Undertow by Joe Dunn & Jeremy Dunn an almost silent tale to be continued.....

To end there's a sports story of sorts but I did read Ghastly United by Barrie Tomlinson and Neil Sims. An amusing short strip.

There's some good stuff in this comic and comes highly recommended. My only complaint? It's not weekly! But I'm just being greedy. Next issue is due out in the Autumn and there'll be a Kickstarter to support this project.

In fact support British Comics where you can. There's some good stuff out there and this is one of the best!

Rating: 4 Stars.

Obtain your copy from: getmycomics.com/The77

The first issue is also still available:

 

DC on TV: Swamp Thing

Having binged through several DVD box sets recently I was surprised to discover that there was a season of new Swamp Thing. This wasn't the first attempt at bringing Swamp Thing to the screen big or small. I had seen one of the three movies they did back in the eighties but never realised there were three seasons of a Swamp Thing TV show. Guess it was never shown over here  or I'd been down the pub.

 

There is only one season of the new Swamp Thing despite having apparently fair ratings when it started out. The DVD set is advertised as "The complete Season" which it is but there is so much potential in this programme which also introduced three of DC's supernatural characters. Madam Xanadu, The Phantom Stranger and the Blue Devil.

 

Although a big fan of DC Comics since childhood the Blue Devil is actually a hero I know zilch about but the TV adaptation looked interesting and if Swamp Thing doesn't return perhaps they'll give him a tryout? In the meantime I'm just going to have to pick up some of the Blue Devils comics.

As for the programme it is an excellent adaptation of the Swamp Thing from origin through to the "conclusion". Plenty of drama, greed corrupt cops and unrequited love.  I highly recommend this DVD collection and note that there is a possibility another company could pick up the tab. Only time will tell.

Also worth grabbing a copy (still available on Amazon I just discovered) is this hardback edition of the original Swamp Thing Stories by Len Wein with art from the great Bernie Wrightson. This edition collects the first 13 issues of the seventies series plus the proto-story from House of Secrets.

Undiscovered Country TPB (Vol 1/Image)

Undiscovered Country Vol 1 TPB (Image Comics)

Scott Snyder & Charles Soule (w) Various (a)

When I first saw the first three pages of this series in Previews my interest did peak but for one reason or another this did not get added to my regular order so when the budget priced collected edition of the first six issues came along I decided to give Undiscovered Country a go.

This is a very different kind of story one I was not quite expecting and remain unsure of how this will pan out. It seems that the United States of America cut itself off from the rest of the world with a big wall built around it. Not even transmissions get out. The USA is completely cut off.

Then comes an invitation. 

The rest of the world is facing a quiet death from an unstoppable virus. the two main powers, one based on Asia and the other on Europe are maintaining an uneasy peace but this brings the two sides together for a mission.

They have been invited into the United States by it's President who offers them a cure for the virus. An invitation that they cannot refuse. But is all as it seems.

 

In the preview we saw the team heading towards the states and seeing the USA for the first time in an an age. They pass over the barrier without being destroyed. Then things go wrong.

The team get shot down and then "men" on strange beasts chase them down. Their protests that they were invited hold no interest to these nomads.

In many ways this series reminds me of European science fiction but I also couldn't help but think of the "Great Disaster" that led to the creation of Kamandi's world.

In terms of how I feel about the story all I can say the Jury is out and it's a while before I have to risk ordering the second volume as Undiscovered Country #9 has just been solicited. 

Rating: 2.5 Stars

DC on TV: Watchmen (Limited Series*)

Doctor Manhattan and Rorscach may not exactly be "household names" in the same way that Superman or Batman may be but the graphic novel the Watchmen is probably the most widely read comic book story of all time especially outside the "normal" circles of fandom. 

One of Time Magazines top 100 Novels of all time and continuously in print since the original 12 issue Maxi-series appeared in 1988 this tale of flawed heroes and the human condition was penned by Alan Moore with art from Dave Gibbons. 

Appearing towards the end of the Cold War (if indeed that ended or simply entered another phase is a question for future historians) this tale saw mankind facing Armageddon as the two superpowers prepared for nuclear war. The countdown to Midnight was a common feature of politics back then and appeared on the cover of each issue ticking down to the ending.

 

The Watchmen consisted of a group of costumed adventurers plus the worlds only real super-powered individual Doctor Manhattan whose abilities seemed limitless. If you have not yet read the book please do so especially if thinking of watching this TV series because this is the sequel.

You could watch the movie but for some reason I will never understand the producers changed part of the ending so the graphic novel will explain the background you need to appreciate a lot of the references made in the show.

Starting with Tulsa race riots and the tragedy of racism existing in much of white America we get to meet one of the main characters whose influence on events will be clear as the story progresses. We then meet Sister Night, a costumed police officer in Tulsa in the present day who is the central character. Feisty, committed yet in herself a normal flawed human being the story takes across time and space as we meet the others in this quite excellent continuation of the Watchmen.

Jeremy Irons plays a wonderfully deranged individual whose identity and staus eventually becomes clear as the story progresses. I have no wish to make any spoilers as this nine episode "limited series" from DC/HBO progresses. 

Disturbing and not for the faint-hearted this tale of love, heroism and race in an alternative history of the USA is a joy to watch and although Dave Gibbons participated in the show's production. Alan Moore as usual sadly didn't. His right of course. He has never forgiven DC Comics for the deal they made about ownership of the Watchmen.

The rights were supposed to revert to him after the comic went out of print but it never has, becoming one of DC's top selling books constantly in print in various formats around the world since the late eighties with no end in sight. Good for the genre though not for the creator.

For those interested the idea originally pitched by Alan Moore was to use the Charlton Action Heroes which DC had purchased the rights to but the company had other ideas for their use so the watchmen became pastiches of the Charlton characters and probably all the better for it.

 

Comics Unlimited #1

There have been a number of attempts to create a British magazine for comic book fans and in recent times these have floundered so I was pleased to see this weighty bi-monthly edition being offered via Amazon where it's printed to order. Not a bad way of doing business and with 100 US comic sized square bound pages this is also a welcome addition to the bookshelf.

The creators were previously involved in the production of Crikey! a short-lived magazine aimed at fans of British comics. With this they try and succeed in combing the two worlds. They also manage to fit in interviews with Guy Dorian and Howard Chaykin as an added attraction to a breadth of articles most of which will appeal to every comic fan.

There's a brief history of Namor who it turns out is currently dead something I wasn't aware of having given up on Marvel following the Secret Invasion debacle. May have to track that story-line down and have a read. followed by a look back at 2000AD Britain's most succesful comic.

 

Articles include the first part of a look at the (original) Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel Team Up (the only Spider-Man title I ever collected), a look at Moon Maddness a story from Smash! which I had completely forgotten about plus Charlton's Action Hero Line which never got the success they deserved until Alan Moore turned them into The Watchmen.

The emphasis of this first first issue is heavily Marvel & Power Comics orientated which as a fan of both back in the day is fine but hopefully they'll cover my favourites from DC in future issues.

It's actually well worth the cost of purchase and comes highly recommended by this fanboy at least!

Rating: 5 Stars

Order from Amazon UK.

TechnoFreak #3 (Sunday Lunch Comics)

TechnoFreak #3 (Sunday Lunch Comics)

John Charles/Barry May (w) Tom Newell (a)

At long last the third instalment of the excellent TechnoFreak independent comic arrived yesterday and was at the top of the pile as I relaxed on Saturday afternoon. I had intended to review the second issue some time back especially since it was set in my home town of Dorking but for one reason and another did not get around to doing so. My bad. 

So to make amends to the guys at Sunday Lunch Comics I thought I'd make sure their latest got read and reviewed in good time. As usual the story is narrated by the hard drinking Maurice the cat a robot of sorts though I'm sure there's more to him than the writers let on. One day we'll see.

The story opens with a recap of a fight in TechnoFreak #1 in which our heroes killed Yuri Samakoto. Now how was anyone to know he had a very psychotic sister and why does a kidnapping and threat have to happen on Karoke night. What a bummer even if the victim was a clone.

Now the writers have said no spoilers please in the covering letter sent out with my copy so that's all you are going to hear from me folks except a recommendation. Buy this book and grab the back issues while you can. 

Rating: 4 Stars

Copies available from: www.sundaylunchcomics.com