2016 Comic Challenge 251 Alien Encounters #04

TITLE-Alien Encounters #04
PUBLISHER-Eclipse comics

I love anthology comics. And this is one of the best 80s Sci Fi anthology titles. Originally it was published by Pacific Comics. Until the name Alien Worlds.When Pacific went under Eclipse brought it back under a new name.

This issue has 3 stories. And they are a nice blend of various sub genres of Science Fiction. You get a serious story,followed by a comedy story,followed by a story that would have fit perfectly in Weird Science from EC.

Of course this being an anthology title you never knew from issue to issue how it would be. This issue turned out to be damn good. With the great Gardener Fox writing one of the stories.

Alien Encounters #04 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 250 Hellstorm Prince of Lies #01

TITLE-Hellstorm Prince of Lies #01
PUBLISHER-Marvel Comics

During the early to mid 90s comic boom lots of odd titles came out. Hellstorm was the one that stood out the most to me. I figured when I heard it was coming out it would be similar to the 70s Son of Satan series. Turns out I was wrong.Instead of the standard superhero stuff Hellstorm felt more like Marvel's attempt to  take a forgotten character and do a Vertigo like series with it.

Hellstorm has his powers back. His wife Patsy Walker is catatonic. And instead of being the hero/anti-hero he was decades ago,he is pretty much pure evil. He has embraced his inner demon.

Rafael Nieves wrote this issue,and the great Michael Bair handles the art chores. Never read much from Nieves,and this is a decent issue. Bair I have loved his art for a long time. But I have always heard he is too slow to do a monthly series.

Since this came from Marvel during the speculator boom of course it has to have a cover gimmick. The gimmick is the cover is made of this odd paper. The solicits referred to it as a parchment cover.I do question the idea of using a gimmick cover on this issue. Mostly cause Damien Hellstorm is a very niche character. Plus there is a segment of the comic fandom that will not read this series because of Damien being the son of Satan.

Another thing that caught my attention was how this issue has the approval of the Comic Code. I seriously doubt they even read the issue. Really this entire series would at least get a PG-13 rating and sometimes going into R rated territory.

Hellstorm Prince of Lies #01 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 249 New Kids on the Block Chillin' #06

TITLE-New Kids on the Block Chillin' #06
PUBLISHER-Harvey Comics

Back in the early 90s NKOTB were hot. So hot that they got at least 2 comic series from Harvey Comics. About a year ago I found the above issue at a junkstore. Paid the buck the guy wanted for it and tossed it into a box.

The first story starts off with all the New Kids out by the pool Chillin'. And they start talking about what it would have been like to live in the Stone age. So we get a story that is a mixture of New Kids plus Flintstones.

The second story has the New Kids over in Russia.Shit happens and they end up performing in the Russian ballet.

The third story has Danny in a comic shop. And he starts imagining what if he was a super hero. Dyno Danny is his hero name and I haven't seen a super hero this lame since the 60s Mighty Crusaders line.

The final story is a two page about Joey going to the library. And of course all the females freak out.But they can't say anything since you are suppose to be quiet in the library.

I know I am not the target audience for this comic. But even then it is super lame. The art is generic. The stories read like stuff Sid&Marty Krofft turned down.

New Kids on the Block Chillin' #06 gets a PASS!

2016 Comic Challenge 248 Sons of Anarchy Redwood Original #02

TITLE-Sons of Anarchy Redwood Original #02
PUBLISHER-Boom Studios

Really this just seems to be a set up issue. We see more of Jax and Opie as kids. Plus the Sons dealing how to get rid of the heroin they were recently given.

Clay goes to check on the guy that gave them the smack,and finds his home ransacked and lots of blood. While at the same time Jax and Opie are getting trashed and hanging with a friend. Jax starts to talk a little bit too much about club business. Then has a violent outburst and beats the fuck out of the friend.

I need to find out if this is going to be a limited series or a ongoing series. It is reading like it is a ongoing.

Sons of Anarchy Redwood Original #02 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 247 Nemesis #01

TITLE-Nemesis #01
PUBLISHER-Icon an imprint of Marvel Comics

I heard about this series when it was coming out. But expecting delays between  issues I waited till it was finished to get it. Then it ended up in the bottom of the stack for a bit.

A guy dressed all in white,Nemesis,is in Japan with some big shot cop hostage. Seems Nemesis loves taking down police.

Back in the States a hero cop from DC gets a note. Saying that he will die soon. And to prove his point Nemesis manages to ,by the air,take control of Air Force One. Then take the President hostage.But we get a few clues as to why Nemesis doesn't like cops. And that maybe this DC hero cop is connected to Nemesis's past.

Mark Millar shows me once again why I have been a fan of his work since his short run on Swamp Thing volume 1. Steve McNiven is a great artist.

Nemesis #01 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 246 Afterlife with Archie #10

TITLE-Afterlife with Archie #10
PUBLISHER-Archie

I knew it would happen,that finally a crappy issue of this series would come out. And what a pile of crap this one is.

Instead of continuing on the main story,the one we are lucky if we get 2 issues of a year,we get what really feels like a fill in issue.

Before the zombie outbreak a reporter is out west interviewing Josie of Josie and the Pussycats. The rest of the issue a 3rd rate hack of the highly over-rated Interview with  the Vampire book from Anne Rice.

The art was great as always,but really there was no need for this issue. Not when we are lucky to get 3 or so a year.

Afterlife with Archie #10 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 245 The Walking Dead #158

TITLE-The Walking Dead #158
PUBLISHER-Image

Part 2 of the Whisperers war is out.Gabriel is on lookout when he falls,loses his rifle and breaks his ankle. So he is left hanging there as a herd of walkers and Whisperers go by. One of the more gruesome deaths in this comic in a long ass time.

Out on the frontlines Dwight has a line of troops ready. Negan is with them but unarmed. Then the herd gets to them. Thanks to some flanking manuevers and Negan's quick thinking most of them manage to escape.

But it looks like this war has just begun. Like pretty much every month Kirkman and Adlard have me gladly forking over right at 4 bucks for my fix.

The Walking Dead #158 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 244 Jughead #09

TITLE-Jughead #09
PUBLISHER-Archie Comics

After 8 issues we get a new writer Ryan North. The story starts off with the gang heading to Pop's. And out front is a lady dressed as a burger helping drum up business for Pop's Chok-o-lot shop.

Jughead falls in love with Burgergirl. And over the course of a few weeks gets to know her. Oddly our titular lead agrees to go out on a date with her.

So he goes to the rest of the gang asked for dating advice. Not surprisingly Betty Cooper gives the best advice.

Jughead shows up for his date and we are all shocked when Burgergirl turns out to be Sabrina the teenage witch.

No idea how long this story will be. But it has me already since Sabrina is in the story. I do wonder overall how these revamping of classic comics are working out for Archie. I see way more talk online about Archie's stuff that I have in decades.But at least at my local comic shop they only order one copy of any Archie title that isn't Sonic or Afterlife.

Jughead #09 gets a buy.