2016 Comic Challenge 039 Brat Pack Maximortal Super Special #01

TITLE-Brat Pack Maximortal Super Special #01
PUBLISHER-King Hell

Starting right at the end of Brat Pack #05,this comic was Rick Veitch's attempt to test the waters and see if their was an audience for his King Hell universe. Since only this issue and issue 2 came out I doubt there was a big audience. I didn't even know this comic existed until I found it while digging thru the cheap bins at 5 Alarm Comics.

Dr Blasphemy is confronted by Maximortal. And we get glimpses at where Veitch is wanting to take this story line. Lots of meta-fictional stuff in this comic.And at the end Maximortal gives Dr Blasphemy a copy of the first Maximortal comic. Which shocks the good Dr.

The artwork is great as pretty much everything Rick Veitch does. And if you have read Brat Pack and Maximortal,which I have read,the writing in this issue is damn good. But if you haven't I doubt it would make any sense to ya.

Brat Pack Maximortal Super Special #01 gets a borrow. Unless you are a huge King Hell fan then it is a Buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 033 Brat Pack #05

TITLE-Brat Pack #05
PUBLISHER-King Hell/Tundra

Set a bit over a year since the last issue. Rick Veitch starts the issue off showing us how in a bit over a year all of the Brat Pack have become corrupt pieces of shit.

We see the priest from last issue. Who is trying to hang himself in the bell tower of the church. But his former alter boy,who is now Chippy,shows up. And lets the priest know the rest of the Brat Pack is waiting inside the church.

Down in the church we get more images of how bad off the Brat Pack is now. With the King Hell universe's version of Speedy smoking crack. Kid Vicious,who is the sidekick for the fascist Judge Jury,is now a roided up mess. And the single female member is preforming a coat hanger abortion on herself.

Then a coffin rolls itself into the room. We know it is being remotely controlled by Dr Blasphemy. I had been wondering why the heroes even bother with having sidekicks. When the sidekicks really don't do much. And once the coffin is open we find out why. Seems all the Brat Pack members are part of a huge merchandising deal. Which is how their heroes get the money to fund their war on crime.

Of course this is a trap set up by the evil Dr. And all of the Brat Pack dies. The heroes show up. And manage to capture the Dr. They rip off his mask and we find out the Dr is really the priest. Then while all the heroes are gathered in the bell tower horrible weather hits. Which we find out is caused by Maximortal's return. And the series ends with that happening. Plus we find out that this universe's version of Green Arrow,well his butler is the real Dr Blasphemy.

I can see once again why Mr Veitch changed the ending a bit for the trade paperback. The one in this issue is kind of confusing. And if you haven't read the Maximortal series ,well this ending doesn't make a lot of sense.

Now I am wanting to go and re-read the trade. Just so I can see what all was changed. And I also really wish  Rick Veitch was able to finish up the King Hell storyline he started with Maximortal. I know years after this series ended he put out a two issue series that was suppose to connect and explain the gaps left after reading Maximortal and Brat Pack.

Brat Pack #05 gets a BUY!

2016 Comic Challenge 032 Brat Pack #04

TITLE-Brat Pack #04
PUBLISHER-King Hell/Tundra

The priest who has been helping the heroes get their new sidekicks has had enough. One night the Midnight Mink and Chippy come to visit him. And the priest whips out what appears to be an Uzi and shoots Mink multiple times. But Mink brushes this off like it is nothing.

Now I was wondering how this could be. When since Mink is basically Batman,that means he has no powers. But a few pages later Mink lets Chippy know about Mink's previous relationship with Maximortal/True-man.

Seems Mink found out he has infected with HIV. So Maximortal gave Mink a blood transfusion. Which not only would hold the virus in check. But also gave Mink fast healing.

We then find out that each of the heroes has a connection to Maximortal. And once he was gone is when they took over. And also when the world really went to shit.

Chippy also meets the last living member of the previous Brat Pack. Who we find out is the previous Chippy. And I must assume that Mink gave that Chippy some of his blood. Which is why he survived.

Brat Pack #04 gets a Buy!

2016 Comic Challenge 031 Brat Pack #03

TITLE-Brat Pack #03
PUBLISHER-King Hell/Tundra

With the Brat Pack dead,the heroes are wanting replacements. And most of this issue is about the new Chippy. Who is the Midnight Mink's sidekick. Think of Robin and Batman.

We also see the other 3 heroes getting their new sidekicks. And get more of an idea how corrupt and morally bankrupt these heroes are.

Then we see that it looks like one of the previous Brat Pack members isn't dead. And is now living in
he bell of the church's tower.And of course Dr Blasphemy is curious how this one member survived. And I had no idea how they did.

Brat Pack #03 gets a Buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 030 Brat Pack #02

TITLE-Brat Pack #02
PUBLISHER-King Hell/Tundra

With this issue we see the heroes getting their new sidekicks. And everything that has ever been hinted in the subtext of heros like Batman,Punisher,Wonder Woman and others is brought right in to the forefront.

But as we get towards the end of the comic all these new sidekicks lose their parents in mysterious circumstances. I get the feeling the Doctor Blasphemy is behind all this.

Brat Pack #02 gets a Buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 029 Brat Pack #01

TITLE-Brat Pack #01
PUBLISHER-King Hell/Tundra

Been at least a year since I read this seemingly forgotten piece of classic indy comics. So this time instead of grabbing my trade off the wall,which has a different ending,I dug out the issues. Pretty sure outside of issue 01 all the rest of my copies are first prints.

We start off seeing a slum like city,that is named Slumberg. A call in radio show gets a call from someone calling themselves Doc,which is all about the city's group of teen sidekicks. The Brat Pack of the title.

There is your Robin analogue,taken the Robin and Batman relationship past the levels Whertham saw. A Punisher like hero with his kill them all partner.And others.

But not long after we get to know these teens they get bamboozled and killed. Seems Doc is actually Doctor Blasphemy. And he did this to set the Brat Pack up and kill them.

I am always surprised that this doesn't get broughten up when the talk of the grim and gritty series like DKR,Watchmen and Moore/Gaiman's run on Marvelman/Miracleman happens.

Brat Pack #01 gets a Buy.