What the hell is Manhua?

 

Back in 1988 I was at Magnolia Jr High. And my best friend was excitedly telling me about this "Japanese" comic he had found the previous weekend at Waldens Books in the  nearby mall. The  way he was describing  it  I just figured he was making stuff up. Out of his book bag he pulled a copy of the above pictured comic. Jademan Kung Fu Special #1 a full color 64 page comic. Once I was home from  school I started bugging  my  mom to drive me  to the mall to get a copy.  Now at the time I like my buddy just assumed this was more Japanese comics. And unlike say Mai the Psychic Girl this was in color. 

Few days later I went  got  my own  copy. Wasn't happy with the high cover price. But the next day at school a kid  paid me 2  bucks for the poster that  was  inside the comic. A poster of  The Stan Lee  of Hong Kong Comics Tony Wong standing in front of a red Ferrarri. I must have read that Special 20 times  that month. Eagerly awaiting the 4 monthly titles from Jademan. And then they never appeared. Never saw them  at Waldens.  Never saw them  at Gulf Coast Comix in Biloxi and never saw them at Sincere Comics in Mobile Al. For years I just assumed that Kung Fu Special is all that came out.

Skip ahead decades. I had forgotten about Jademan  and the Kung  Fu Special. Right around the  time  I got back in touch with the friend  that  showed me his copy ,the Cartoonist Kayfabe Youtube channel  did an episode on Kung Fu Special  #1. And I learned that  it was Chinese comics aka Manhua. And  there was a pile of these  issues.  

Off I went to the  online branch of Lone Star Comics.  Bought the Kung  Fu Special. Loved  it and since  then  when I find them  cheap I buy any comic Jademan put out.

Cause even now there isn't another company that has the combo of great art plus extra long books with some of  the best coloring  I have seen. 

Also learned that while  that Kung Fu Special was nothing but action  comics  Jademan  branched  out. I now have a few issues of their  horror anthology series. Plus all three issues of Jademan Comics,a anthology series that has 6 to 10 page stories  of all genres.

Doing  some research seems  I am not  the only  person  that got that Kung Fu Special and was hooked. A quick Google search  led  me to  a blog with  scans of all 55 issues of Oriental  Heroes. Plus the various online comic shops have  issues for cover price or cheaper if you  dont require Minty Mint copies.

Don Simpson's Megaton Man iBooks TPB

 

TITLE-Don Simpson's Megaton Man

SOURCE-iBooks TPB

Ahh Megaton Man,the 80s superhero parody that sadly got outshined by The Tick. Created a few years before the Tick,and using a similar premise,Megaton Man has been erraticly published for close to 40 years now.

I first heard of Megaton Man thanks to a short review of one of the issues in some fan press magazine I had gotten. Next trip to the comic shop I grabbed one of the issues from this first volume and loved it. Wasn't until the early days of Image that I found another Megaton Man comic. This time his crossover with Savage Dragon. I read Bizarre Heroes when I found the issues. And then kind of forgot about not only Megaton Man but also his creator the uber talented Don Simpson.

Megaton Man is kind of your basic Superman parody. His secret identity is a reporter for a newspaper. And of course there is a lady reporter he is in love with. Simpson takes the somewhat insane stories from the Silver Age Superman and transforms them into parody and also a warning. Warning the readers of the this series back in the 80s what was coming in the 90s.

Look at the art in Megaton Man. It looks like that early Image overly muscled look. And the being dropped into a comic world with a history that isn't explained. Yep that happened in many of those early Image titles.

5 issues,all in color,with some of the funniest writing of the decade. Really my only complaint about this TPB is the colors are a bit dark. 

Don Simpson's Megaton Man TPB from iBooks gets a B+

Arak Son of Thunder Issue 1

 

TITLE-Arak Son of Thunder #1

SOURCE-DC Comics

Back in what I guess is the summer of 1981 this oddball comic came out. Now I was a kid back then and by 81 all I wanted from Comix was superheroes and horror. So that cover made me think this was another Conan the Barbarian ripoff from DC. I skipped it. Many times over the decades since I have found big runs of Arak in the cheap bins and just flipped past them. Then back in the spring was at a big annual community yardsale. One guy had a pile of longboxes. Got issue 1 for a buck. And few weeks back as I ate dinner I read this and now am on a quest to get the rest of the run.

Arak is a Native American. Who is found in a boat by some Vikings. He gots adopted by one of them and grows up to be one of their fiercest warriors. While on a raid on a monestary Arak rebels against a very cruel Viking and we get a small hint at where this series is going. The issue ends with Arak fighting a giant sea serpent.

Created by Roy Thomas and Ernie Colon Arak was as I figured when I was a kid another attempt by DC to get some of the Conan  audience Marvel had. First appearing in an issue of Warlord,which is a series I need to write about one day,Arak lasted a few years and from what I have seen is a good series that cause it wasn't a superhero comic when that was the big thing,has been forgotten.

Arak Son of Thunder issue 1 gets a B+

Swamp Thing by Rick Veitch Vol 1 Wild Things TPB

 

TITLE-Swamp Thing Vol1 Wild Thing

SOURCE-DC TPB

Oh yessss after years the start of the run of Rick Veitch writing and penciling Swamp Thing is back in TPB form.  This is a series I was reading back as it came out. Was one of the reasons I made sure each month to get to the comic shop.

After the stint out in space during Alan Moore's run the Parliment of Trees has started creating a new Earth Elemental. And Swamp Thing is in charge of finding it a host. 

Lots of set up for the future issues. And like the Moore run,Veitch takes some older forgotten DC characters and brings them back updated for the modern world of the 80s.

The art,with Alfredo Alcala on the inks,is amazing. With the Moore run the writing was amazing and so was the art. This time the story is just damn good,which on my scale is a bit below amazing. Now part of that might be this is the start of Veitch's run and stuff that felt dropped to me might get picked up in the next volume.

Swamp Thing By Rick Veitch vol 1 Wild Things gets a B.

Juni Ba's Monkey Meat Issue 3

 

TITLE-Juni Ba's Monkey Meat #3

PUBLISHER-Image 

Not that long ago I got 200 random indie comix. So one evening while dinner was cooking, I will make a pizza once a week for dinner, I sat down and just grabbed a handful of these random comix and started reading them.

This issue starts off with what appears to be two bums sitting up against a wall. Telling stories of the past. About a delivery boy. With a very important package. Seems this boy was stolen as a baby by the Fae. Then once he was a teen released back into the real world. He became the best delivery person in the world. 

So he was tasked with delivering a very very important package. Just one thing 

A TROLL UNDER A BRIDGE!!!!

Yep this tall tale told by drunken bums is a retelling of a classic fairy tale. 

The Troll is strong and tough. The Delivery Boy has a secret weapon. A potion that allows him to keep on living after dying. A potion that caused a zombie outbreak. Still this package must be delivered.

Then the ending> SPOILERS<

The package was another young child that was stolen by the Fae and out Delivery Boy brings her home to her parents.

And this tall tale telling ends with the parents and that child visiting the bums and giving them beer.

This was wild. Feels like there is a very hidden story under all this. One I would catch more of if I had read the first 2 issues. 

Juni Ba's Monkey Meat Issue 3 gets  B.

Lilo & Stitch Ohana TPB From Dynamite

 

TITLE-Lilo&Stitch Ohana

SOURCE-Dynamite TPB

Now before this I had read some Stitch Manga and it was good. Found this TPB cheap took a chance. And like with most comics it sat around for a bit before I read it.

In it is the first 5 or so issues of Dynamite's Lilo&Stitch comic. Set it appears not long after the first film. A group of robots wants to get Stitch's dna to make them more like him.

In issue one we see Lilo and her sister plus their extended family getting use to the change. Stitch learns that being part of a family means you are responsible for stuff. After the robots attack Stitch flees.  With each issue being another adventure in a new place. While Lilo and crew try to figure out where Stitch is.

Got an issue set at a NYC convention. Stitch ends up helping sell some ugly koala plushies. Got another with Stitch in the outback of Australia. Where he learns about how the land and rocks have a history to be preserved.

Then the last issue wraps it all up. This time Stitch and the two robots sent after him help some kids make a monster movie.

Great art good writing and the only real complaint I have is it read super fast. 5 issues read in under 30 minutes.

Lilo&Stitch Ohana TPB gets a B-.

SGT Rock vs The Army of the Dead

 

TITLE-DC Horror SGT. Rock VS The Army of the Dead

FORMAT-Hardcover

Over the past 4 years I have re-discovered my love for the War genre of comic books. I have a circuit of thrifts/junkstores/pawn shops/antique malls I hit up a few times a month. At one at the booth where I normally find comics and dvds cheap I saw a huge stack of late 70s/early 80s Charlton War comics. Grabbed an issue with a Vietnam War cover. 

Then as sometimes happens that comic sat unread for over a year. Late one night when I couldn't sleep I did what I have always done if it is late and I can't sleep. I grabbed a stack of unread comics and sat at the bar in my kitchen listening to music and reading. 

After reading that Charton war comic,Battlefield Action, I went and set my clock. I wanted to get up and be back at that Antique Mall as soon as it opened. Knowing that odds are good most of those war comics are still there.

3 hours of sleep and I am off ot Vendors,yes the Antique Mall I wrote about close to 10 years ago. Go straight to the booth and not only is those Charlton War books there but so is a nice stack of DC War titles.  And seeing a cover of Sgt Rock I had a memory flash back on me.

When I was a kid on my mother's side I was the only grandchild for right at 6 years. Usually once a month my parents would drop me off at my Grandparents' home on Friday and I would stay there until Sunday or Monday. And every Sunday after Church Grandpa would drop Grannie off at the house then him and I would walk to a local newstand. Grandpa would grab the local Sunday paper and the New Orleans Sunday paper. Tell me "Grab you some comics." Which I quickly learned grab 3 bucks worth of  comics,and back then that was 4 to 6 comics. And Grandpa would grab either a SSgt Rock or GI Combat comic. If there was none of those he would grab whatever Charlton War comic was available and had a WWII story.

Sure as a kid I knew Grandpa had served in the  navy. But I really had no clue that this World War II I was reading about was the time when Grandpa served.

Once back to the house,while Grannie made us lunch Grandpa would read his comic and newspapers. Then he would have me read him at least a story or two out of whatever comic Grandpa got.

So I am standing in Vendors,head full of memories of my now dead Grandpa. I bought every war comic in the bin. And since I have learned how much fun these comics could be.

In early 2023 I heard about how Bruce "Ash from Evil Dead" Campbell was writing a Sgt Rock mini series for DC. Thought it was odd that an actor mostly known for horror&comedy was writing a war comic. Then saw this mini series would be part of the DC Horror line.

With the mini series being 6 issues and the average comic now priced at almost 5 bucks an issue I decided to wait till this mini came out as a TPB. I love horror and love SGT Rock. But wasn't ready to drop 30 bucks to read a story. Not when I knew the TPB would be 20 bucks.

Skip ahead to a few days after Xmas 2023.Flush with Amazon giftcards,and wanting comics to read I saw that not only was SGt Rock vs the army  of the dead was out in collected form but also Amazon had the hardcover for cheap. Thinking it was 12 bucks shipped. Ordered it along with a pile of other TPBs.

Been after dinner a few nights a week sitting at the bar listening to a podcast or music and reading a tpb/hardcover/OGN out of my huge unread stack. The day Sgt Rock came to the house I was reading it while having dinner.

Under that gorgeous Gary Frank cover to issue 1 this tale starts. Nearing the end of the war Germany is losing. Low on supplies and troops Adolph Hitler has one last hope. One of his scientist thinks he has come up with a way to reanimate the dead.

After some US soldiers encounter these Zombie Nazis the comic gets going. Sgt Rock and Easy Company are stuck with a boring duty. When Rock gets a message telling him they are needed for a top secret mission he is ready.

In this first issue Bruce Campbell shows he is a Sgt Rock fan. This series is made for the older audience. Which means we get an unrestricted war book. And Bruce uses this to give us the SGT Rock that was always hinted at in the old series.

Rock and Easy get outfitted with top of the line weapons and gear. Then are told what they have to do. They gotta go deep behind enemy lines And do whatever it takes to destroy the Nazi Zombies and how they are being created.

Issues 2,3,4&5 are just jam packed with action. Pages full of Easy Company doing what they do best. Killing Nazis! With issue 6 containing what we have all been waiting for. A fight that anyone that has ever read any SGT Rock before has wanted to see. Sgt Rock vs Hitler during the last days of World War II.

The twist is this Adolph Hitler has been injected with the serum that reanimates the dead. Yep Zombie Hitler vs SGT Rock!!

Of course SGT Rock wins. Hitler dies. Skip ahead and Rock is in the hospital recovering. Where we get a hint that we might get another SGT Rock mini series. 

Yea the story is damn good,the art is really good. And let me speak on the art a bit. The main covers,this series had a pile of variant covers,are by Gary Frank. An  artist I have enjoyed since the 90s. The interiors are by Eduardo Risso. Eduardo's art is nice. Has this dark feel to it that works well with the horror story.  My only real complaint about this hardcover is I do wish Gary Frank had did the interior art.

Being a hardcover I was expecting this to have some extras. Which it does. The art above is one of the variant covers. And a pile of variant covers are reprinted after the main story. Another extra and I have noticed DC does this often,is under the dust jacket on the front cover is an Army Sgt's rank patch. Little small things like this make this Hardcover stand out.

If you like horror comics grab this and read it. If you like war comics grab this and read it. 

DC Horror SGT Rock vs The Army of the Dead Hardcover gets a B+

Manifest Destiny Volume 1 Flora and Fauna TPB

Manifest Destiny VOL 1 Flora & Fauna

Image Comics

Off and on for the past 5 years I have had people talk about how Manifest Desting from Image was a neat twist on a historical adventure comic.

Last year I was at the  nearest Books a Million and  found vol 1 on their used shelf. I think I paid 5 bucks,cover price is 10 bucks. Then it got put into the TPB/Hardcover/OGN read pile. 

And got forgotten about until today. Sure it is summer but there was enough breeze to make it bareably to sit out  on the pier. I brought a huge stack of comics with me and Manifest Destiny Vol 1 caught my eye. So put on some music and 30 minutes later I was looking to  see if the rest of the series is out in  tpbs and how much it is gonna cost me. Cause damn folks this is good.

Written by Chris DIngess with Matthew Roberts handling  pencils and  inks Manifest Destiny started at Image in 2014. In the series you are following  Lewis&Clark as they explode the mid west/western part of the  USA.

With in the first 3 pages we get hints that something isn't right. Cause while this comic is based on  actual history,they add a nice twist.

They dock their boat and head to a nearby fort. Which is the furthest west settlement in the US. Here is where Lewis and Clark are suppose to meet Sacagawea. 

On the land they get attacked by a creature that is part horse,part man and part buffalo. Yea not a minotaur not a centuar but some weird hybrid.

When they make it to the fort it appears to be abandoned. Until a few of the guys,while looking for supplies,discover that some of the  fort denizens are still around but now look like  Swamp Thing.

So now our group adventurers are stuck in the  fort,cause a pile of the Buffalo-taurs have surrounded it. And got a pile of these planet people in the  fort after them. Shooting the plant people does nothing. Cutting them up just makes the parts cut off come alive and attack. They figure out that fire works. And this is when a few of the survivors from the  Fort appear.

The survivors explain how some kind of infection hit and turns you inside and out into a plant based life form. Who all share one mind. 

The group is worried about how they will survive,cause while they  can handle the plant people in the fort. They doubt thhey can get around the Buffalo-taurs. And have a very limited amount of food left.

Our leads come up with a decent plan. Having 5 people sneak out and lead the buffalo-taurs one way while the rest run  for the ships.

They are about to execute the  plan when  Sacagawea shows up. She has killed all the Buffalo-taurs. And wow there is a great scene showing her killing them  looks like  something out of a John Woo Hong Kong  action movie.

After making  it back to the  boats. And digging out some greek fire from the ships storage,they  plan on going and burning all the plant people. To try to prevent this infection from  spreading. It  kind of reminds me of kudzu. 

Anyone that gets the  plant people liquid on them  will turn into one and it works the same on animals. So  you  get a scene with a plant possessed deer.

And a great scene where one of the  good guys meets a plant possessed skunk

Lewis and  Clark get captured by the big plant that is the  hive mind of the plant people. And it's plan is like the killer plant from that one Superman annual that Alan Moore wrote. IE give the victims their heart's desires while the plant feeds off their bodies.

Native American  Ninja Sacagawea comes and saves our leads. And this trade  ends with her joining the group as they plan  on  leaving the next morning to finish their expadittion.

Really Really hoping this series is either over or near ending. Cause I plan on ordering all the tpbs at once and spending say 4 days just reading this series.

Never heard of the writer or the artist on the series. But the writer has a good way with dialogue. And the artist makes all the scenes full of 100 shades of green be super interesting to stare at.

Manifest Destiny VOL 1 Flora & Fauna gets a A.

                                                

Manifest Destiny VOL 1 Flora & Fauna

Image Comics

Off and on for the past 5 years I have had people talk about how Manifest Desting from Image was a neat twist on a historical adventure comic.

Last year I was at the  nearest Books a Million and  found vol 1 on their used shelf. I think I paid 5 bucks,cover price is 10 bucks. Then it got put into the TPB/Hardcover/OGN read pile. 

And got forgotten about until today. Sure it is summer but there was enough breeze to make it bareably to sit out  on the pier. I brought a huge stack of comics with me and Manifest Destiny Vol 1 caught my eye. So put on some music and 30 minutes later I was looking to  see if the rest of the series is out in  tpbs and how much it is gonna cost me. Cause damn folks this is good.

Written by Chris DIngess with Matthew Roberts handling  pencils and  inks Manifest Destiny started at Image in 2014. In the series you are following  Lewis&Clark as they explode the mid west/western part of the  USA.

With in the first 3 pages we get hints that something isn't right. Cause while this comic is based on  actual history,they add a nice twist.

They dock their boat and head to a nearby fort. Which is the furthest west settlement in the US. Here is where Lewis and Clark are suppose to meet Sacagawea. 

On the land they get attacked by a creature that is part horse,part man and part buffalo. Yea not a minotaur not a centuar but some weird hybrid.

When they make it to the fort it appears to be abandoned. Until a few of the guys,while looking for supplies,discover that some of the  fort denizens are still around but now look like  Swamp Thing.

So now our group adventurers are stuck in the  fort,cause a pile of the Buffalo-taurs have surrounded it. And got a pile of these planet people in the  fort after them. Shooting the plant people does nothing. Cutting them up just makes the parts cut off come alive and attack. They figure out that fire works. And this is when a few of the survivors from the  Fort appear.

The survivors explain how some kind of infection hit and turns you inside and out into a plant based life form. Who all share one mind. 

The group is worried about how they will survive,cause while they  can handle the plant people in the fort. They doubt thhey can get around the Buffalo-taurs. And have a very limited amount of food left.

Our leads come up with a decent plan. Having 5 people sneak out and lead the buffalo-taurs one way while the rest run  for the ships.

They are about to execute the  plan when  Sacagawea shows up. She has killed all the Buffalo-taurs. And wow there is a great scene showing her killing them  looks like  something out of a John Woo Hong Kong  action movie.

After making  it back to the  boats. And digging out some greek fire from the ships storage,they  plan on going and burning all the plant people. To try to prevent this infection from  spreading. It  kind of reminds me of kudzu. 

Anyone that gets the  plant people liquid on them  will turn into one and it works the same on animals. So  you  get a scene with a plant possessed deer.

And a great scene where one of the  good guys meets a plant possessed skunk

Lewis and  Clark get captured by the big plant that is the  hive mind of the plant people. And it's plan is like the killer plant from that one Superman annual that Alan Moore wrote. IE give the victims their heart's desires while the plant feeds off their bodies.

Native American  Ninja Sacagawea comes and saves our leads. And this trade  ends with her joining the group as they plan  on  leaving the next morning to finish their expadittion.

Really Really hoping this series is either over or near ending. Cause I plan on ordering all the tpbs at once and spending say 4 days just reading this series.

Never heard of the writer or the artist on the series. But the writer has a good way with dialogue. And the artist makes all the scenes full of 100 shades of green be super interesting to stare at.

Manifest Destiny VOL 1 Flora & Fauna gets a A.

Deadpool Samurai Volumes 1&2 Manga

 Title-Deadpool Samurai Vols 1&2

Publisher-Viz Media

I had heard that Marvel was licensing out some of their caped heroes to a manga company in Japan. But never heard who it was or when it came out. Then early in summer I found these 2 volumes on sale. Want to say I paid 5 bucks each. Not bad.

VOL 1

Deadpool is in Japan and after running into what is basically Japan's version of Spider-man (Sakura Spider) he gets recruited to form an Avengers team in Japan. 

So you got Deadpool,Sakura Spider trying to find more members. No idea why none of the normal Marvel 616 Japan based heroes/heroines appeared. But we do get an Idol singer who just so happens to have a Symboite that she has control over. Yep a Japanese Venom... And Sakura Spider is a huge fan of the Idol Singer.

After setting up this 3 person team the rest of the volume is them facing Thanos. Yep Thanos... I know way to powerful to face this trio. But the writer makes it work.

Want to take a second to point out 2 things. One is that I have never given a shit about Deadpool. Read him when he first appeared and was just Marvel's clone of Slade Wilson. And read some of the later stuff that made Wade the 4th wall breaking Spider-man that kills. So  not really sure why I bought these two manga volumes about Deadpool. Might be that I will pick up any cheap comic I find locally hoping this will get the store to order more. Second thing is the writer of this manga is great at making Wade Wilson pointing out all the Manga Tropes.  Sure I haven't read much  Manga since the late 90s, but for about 8 years I wwwas reading piles of it. And even being disconnected from modern managa the tropes havent changed.

Overall this first volume was so  much fun. I started reading it  one night  while waiting on my sleep meds to kick in. Normally I can read for 10 to 20 minutes then get sleepy. Well I got sleepy but was so into this comic I had to finish  it. And it was hard to not just go ahead and read the second and final volume. 

The art is really well done.With Deadpool and the other Marvel properties appearing in  an art style that feels like a mixture of manga style plus that kind of IMAGE CLONE style Marvel was asking  artists to do back in 96.

Writing wise this was a fun fast read. Never did I have to go "wait what the fuck is he talking about". And besides the  normal getting use again to going from back to front,right to left,reading style manga uses this was a easy  read.

Also this volume 1  tpb contains a few pages that are exclusive to the tpb. 

Deadpool Samurai vol 2

Viz

Now Deadpool has his team,bootleg Venom and bootleg Spidey. They  won the  big fight in the first volume. But here in volume  2 they must face a villain so powerful that he caused the Avengers to form back in the 60s.

Yep Loki is the big bad guy in this volume. I love how Loki is drawn. Oddly unless I forgot I don't remember sseeing Thor show up in  this volume,not even near the end when the Avengers show up.

Not sure if the same artist/artists handled the pencils and inks on this volume. Because the art to me is more detailed and  has the appearance of thicker lines. 

Nothing really new in  this volume. Deadpool and his teammates face off againt a super powerful villain. And thanks to Deadpool's mouth they win. Yep Wade's smart aleck mouth defeats Loki.

Where as it took me close to 25 minutes to read vol 1 I got vol 2 read in like 15 minutes. But there was way  less writing and more battle scenes. Lots more 2 page spreads.

Seems these 2 volumes appeared in the weekly Shonen Jump comic. I  don't think this gets published physically anymore in the States,I did read it for close to a year in 2008. But I know it gets a digital release in the states. I do like how the art is bigger in  Shonen Jump,which is easier on my eyes. But It is way way cheaper to just buy the 2 volumes. And I never mentioned it but this series is only 2 volumes. Which is good. Most Manga seems to run FOREVER. So I hate starting in the middle of a series and  hate knowing the series might not get a proper ending. But with Deadpool Samurai you  got two volumess to buy.

Looked and these are $9.99 a volume. So 20 bucks to get the  full story,even though each of them can be read withut  reading the other. And keep in mind  I am not a fan of Deadpool and not  really that much into Manga.But if you  are a fan of either this is easily worth the cover price. And for someone that isn't,this is still good and if you can  find the two volume lot for say 13 bucks or less it is worth the cash.

Deadpool Samurai vol 1&2 Gets a B.

2017 Comic Challenge 306 Southern Bastards #16

TITLE-Southern Bastards #16
PUBLISHER-Image

Fuck yeah the two Jasons are back with another issue of Southern Bastards.

With the Rebs losing their past 2 games Coach Boss is gonna make sure they don't lose a third in the row. So him and 2 of his guys head to the home of the star player of a rival team.

It looks like Coach Boss is gonna injury the kid bad enough so he has to miss a game. But the kid stands up and explains how it was Coach Boss that inspired him to be the best he can be on the field.

And of course during all this Coach's goons are holding the kid's parents at gun point. The parents turn the tables and it gets nasty. Both of the parents get shot/beaten so bad they end up in intensive care.

It looks like the Rebs got the game won. When the star player kid actually shows up. The game ends a tie,which we find out from a radio that a few of Coach Boss's goons are listening too. Out of nowhere two guys armed with fully automatic weapons shoot and kill the goons.

As it has so far with each issue Southern Bastards ends leaving you hoping that in 4 weeks you will get another issue.

Southern Bastards #16 gets a BUY!

2017 Comic Challenge 305 The Walking Dead #162

TITLE-The Walking Dead #162

PUBLISHER-Image

The battle is over. Some troops reach Hilltop and see what is left. Dwight's group makes it back to Alexandria. Carl has a sweet moment with Lydia. All looks good. The war is over. Our leads have once again won. Sure they suffered losses of people and Hilltop is almost totally gone.Plus Eugene has worked himself to death to manufacture and deliver to Alexandria a huge wagon packed to the rafters with ammunition.So it looks good. Maybe a time of peace for our survivors.Time to mourn the dead and keep on surviving.

Then in the last 5 pages shit hits the fan. Dwight is explaining to Rick how his army managed to stop the Whisperers and their herd of around 1000 zombies. And we find out that Beta and what is left of the Whisperers have lead what looks to be millions of zombies towards Alexandria.

There is so many beautiful 2 page spreads in this issue. The first being when the troops on horseback finally make it to Hilltop. The other two are near the end. It is just millions and millions of zombies being lead towards Alexandria.

Just guessing but I am gonna say before the end of this year our leads will be back on the road again. But who knows with this title.

There is a reason I get Walking Dead every month. A reason why I end up buying every issue twice,digital for monthly issues and then whenever the next Compendium comes out.And it is cause even after 162 issues it still finds a way to keep surprising me and keeping my interest.

The Walking Dead #162 gets a BUY!

2017 Comic Challenge 296 Astro City vol 01 #02

TITLE-Astro City volume 01 #02
PUBLISHER-Image

Been 20 years since I read the first volume of Astro City. But recently found a bunch of them cheap in the local comic shop cheap bins.

A reporter in Astro City learns how hard it is to be a journalist in a city full of super powered beings. After witnessing a gigantic battle,were the fate of reality is in jeopardy,he writes about it. But quickly learns that he isn't working for a J. Jonah Jameson style rag.

The art is great. I love how with just a few panels and well written pieces of dialogue I feel like I have known the various heroes appearing in this issue for years.

Astro City volume 01 #02 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 214 Jughead #07

TITLE-Jughead #07
PUBLISHER-Archie

A new story arch has started. Chip Zdarsky is back writing the issue,but we get a new penciler.Derek Charm handles the pencils. Sure his style is different from Erica Henderson's. It actually looks closer to the modern Archie House Style.

It is summer break,and Jughead's Dad wants him to get out of the house and go do something. So after talking to Archie,who is working at the pool as a life guard,they decide to go up to Dilton's cabin and spend a weekend.

They get up there and it looks great. But then they discover that the Mantle family is having a family reunion near the cabin. So to get away from all of them they go on a hike in the woods.

While in the process of getting lost Jughead discovers Archie came along mostly to go check out some girls at an all girls camp near them. This is enough to take the usually peaceful Jughead and cause him to beat the fuck outta Archie.

After their fight they finally realize they are lost. No reception on their cell phones. Jughead has little to no outdoors skills,and Archie isn't much better.

This is a nice change of pace from the first 6 issues. Hell for a bit I thought this might be a 1 issue long story.

Jughead #07 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 056 The Black Hood #08

TITLE-The Black Hood #08
PUBLISHER-Dark Circle Comics an Imprint of Archie Comics

The hood is trying to facing a group of petty criminals. And does manage to get the upper hand. But not before some of them steal his motorcycle.

Most of the issue is about him dealing with the aftermath of this fight. His struggle to stay clean and keep his fellow police officers and his therapist from knowing he is being the Black Hood again.

The art is gorgeous as always. And fits the mood of the book.And Duane Swierczynski has quickly become one of my favorite authors.With  his blending hardboiled crime fiction and a very pulp like masked hero comic.

Between this,Afterlife with Archie,Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and the revamped Archie and Jughead titles,Arcie comics has in less than a year become one of the best comic publishers.

The Black Hood #08 gets a Buy!

2016 Comic Challenge 055 Dr Strange #02

TITLE-Dr Strange #02
PUBLISHER-Marvel

So some kind of goblin looking demons have come out of the librarian's head and Dr Strange's magic is acting strange.

Holy fuck is this good. Aaron has managed to take what made Lee/Ditko's Dr Strange tales so good. And put his own twist on them while staying true to Dr Stranges core.

Chris Bachalo's art is so good. Been a fan of his since I saw his art on the first Death mini series from Vertigo.And he is a great artist for Dr Strange.

Dr Strange #02 gets  BUY!

2016 Comic Challenge 054 Mandrake the Magician #04

TITLE-Mandrake the Magician #04
PUBLISHER-Dynamite

So now the demon possessed Narda has merged with the castle and is on a rampage. Mandrake is trying to come up with and plan. And decides to get some advice from his partner Lothar. And after a talk with Lothar he figures out how to stop this demon.

And he does manage to stop it. But in the process Narda dies. So while Mandrake won he suffered a great loss.

With the delays and stuff I get the feeling this is the last of the King Feature heroes we will see from Dynamite. What I have read from this line is well done. But sadly it seems like the sale figures just aren't there.

Mandrake the Magician #04 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 053 Mandrake the Magician #03

TITLE-Mandrake the Magician #03
PUBLISHER-Dynamite

After a long delay issue 3 came out. Mandrake is trapped in the dungeon of his now former wife. Who is head of the Cobra.

And while Mandrake is trying to escape Narda is gaining more power from a demon. Who ends up taking over her body.

Mandrake and his newish sidekick escape the dungeon and make it to the throne room. But it is too late the demon has possessed Narda.

While the story is good. The art,which changed from the last 2 issues,is good.But the change from the more cartoonish style of the previous 2 issues to this way more realistic style is jarring. I am assuming whoever did the first two issues got behind and that is why the long wait happened.

Mandrake the Magician #03 gets a borrow.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 074 Project Superpowers Chapter 2 volume 1

TITLE-Project Superpowers Chapter 2 volume 1
AUTHOR-Alex Ross & Jim Krueger
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-$3

This series picks up pretty much where Chapter 1 ended. The heroes have taken over DC and NYC. But we see that all the sidekicks are now back. Hiding in some Eastern European country. And are of the mind that the returned heroes have been brainwashed.

So we got that plotline going on. Plus Captain Future has returned. Going around killing people. But it isn't until he shows up and majorly injured Samson that the heroes realize there is something majorly changed about their old friend Captain Future.

Once again the art is good. The writing is well done. And I love how many new heroes are crammed into these 7 issues.

Project Superpowers Chapter 2 volume 1 gets a 3.62 outta 5.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 067 Project Superpowers volume 01

TITLE-Project Superpowers volume 1
AUTHOR-Alex Ross and Jim Krueger
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-$7.50

I remember first hearing about this mini series in early 2008. I have always liked the Golden Age public domain heroes. With Malibu's Protectors being one of my favorite series. So when I found out Alex Ross was doing a mini series at Dynamite that was reviving lots of PD Golden Age heroes I had to read it.

I managed to grab issues 0 thru 7 out of the cheap bins at the comic shop on the coast I was going to a few times a year. The owner and I ended up chatting about the Black Terror and the Golden Age Daredevil for a long time that day.

Then a few years later the Science Fiction Book Club was having a big sale. I went to see what they had on clearance and they had the trade reprinting the first mini series for cheap. I gave away my copies of the issues. Cause everything in them is reprinted in this trade.

So what is the story? Starting in WWII the Fighting Yank is going around and trapping the various heroes into Pandora's box,which is a urn actually. By doing this he is told it will cause all the evil in the world to also return to the box.

Then in modern day he realizes he was duped. So with help from the Green Lama,he breaks the urn and all the heroes return. But cause of their time in the urn they have changed.

The main thrust of the story is these now free heroes dealing with not only being betrayed by one of their own,but dealing with how different the world is now.And by the end of the mini series they have taken control of New York City.

I ended up re-reading this because finally after a few years of nothing Dynamite has a new Project Superpowers series on the stands. Written by Warren Ellis,and up to it's 3rd issue. I wanted to refresh my memory on this series before starting the new stuff.

Project Superpowers volume 1 gets a 3.99 outta 5.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 065 The Marvel Encyclopedia

TITLE-Marvel Encyclopedia
AUTHOR-Various
FORMAT-Hardcover
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-X-mas Gift

Back almost a decade ago I got this along with the DC Encyclopedia for X-mas. If you remember the old Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series,this is a mass market version of that.

From what I remember,I really haven't read much from Marvel since the late 90s,it seems to be fairly accurate.And most of the time the artwork is pretty good.The selection of heroes is well done. You get all the big names,plus a decent amount of lesser known heroes.

I think there is a newer version out now. So finding this one cheap shouldn't be hard.

The Marvel Encyclopedia gets 4.11 outta 5.