2016 Comic Challenge 181 Freex #06

TITLE-Freex #06
PUBLISHER-Ultraverse a Malibu Imprint

Freex was the Ultraverse version of the X-men. A group of outcast teens with powers. I have at least 10 or so issues of the series. But this is one of the few I have read.

So not only is this issue tied into the Ultraverse Breakthru crossover,which was kind of shit,but Night Man shows up.Night Man was the Ultraverse's total ripoff of Shadowman. But somehow Night Man got a syndicated live action TV show that lasted at least 1 season if not 2.

So how was the issue? The art is decent. But with the story being part of a bigger crossover and my not knowing that much about the Freex it didn't entertain me that much.

Freex #06 gets a pass.

2016 Comic Challenge 180 Cassidy:Blood & Whiskey #01

TITLE-Preacher Special Cassidy:Blood & Whiskey #01
PUBLISHER-Vertigo a imprint of DC Comics

Yep  another Preacher one shot. And again it has a beautiful Glenn Fabry cover. This time not only is Garth writing it,but they also got Steve Dillon to handle the pencils.

Set before issue 1 of the main series,Cassidy is hitchhiking when on I-10 near New Orleans he smells something he hasn't smelled before. Another vampire. So he gets dropped off,tracks the other vamp down. And they have adventures.

IIRC this came out right before the main series took a 5 or so issue trip to New Orleans. So this one shot was used to explain some upcoming stuff.

But really what makes this stand out to me is the main theme. The other vampire Cassidy meets is obviously a clone of Lestat from the Anne Rice series of novels. I get the feeling Ennis is like me and hates all the horrible clones of what was at one time a decent character. So he takes the piss out of all the tropes from the Anne Rician Vampires.

Cassidy:Blood & Whiskey #01 gets a BUY!

2016 Comic Challenge 179 Baron Weirwulf's Haunted Library #070

TITLE-Baron Weirwulf's Haunted Library #070
PUBLISHER-Charlton Comics Group

I never read much of the Charlton horror anthology comics back when they were coming out. Then in the late 90s my local comic shop got in a huge stack of reader copy condition of them. The shop owner had said how much he wanted an issue but was offering a decent discount if you bought at least 10. So I went thru the stack found 20 that caught my attention and went up to the counter. The shop owner chuckled and said "Yeah I knew when I got them you would go after the one with the Ditko cover."

Now I haven't bothered doing much research for this issue. But under that Ditko cover you get your normal Charlton horror short stories. They never reach the levels of say the greatest stuff from EC or all the 70s DC horror titles or even Creepy and Eerie. But they are almost always worth a read. And usually have some good art.

Seems over the past decade the demand for these titles has went up. And I am seeing more and more shops/con dealers wanting $5 an issue for a beat up copy. Now for me yeah I would pay $5 for a reader copy version of this issue.Mostly cause of the Ditko cover.

Baron Weirwulf's Haunted Library #070 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 178 Airboy #05

TITLE-Airboy #05
PUBLISHER-Eclipse

Years and years ago when I discovered the cheap bins in comic shops,back when cheap bins were either 10 cents a comic or maybe 25 cents a comic,this issue of Airboy was one I grabbed for cheap. Just goes to show you what a good cover will do. And this cover is done by the late great Dave Stevens,RIP Sir RIP.

Of course over the years I lost that copy. But I keep finding more copies in cheap bins or flea markets. Got the one pictured above for a quarter.

The story is pretty good. The Airboy of this series is the son IIRC of the Golden Age Airboy. And this is the first time in this series that the old Golden Age enemy/friend Valkyrie appears.

And yeah the comic has good art,that sadly pales when compared to the cover.Plus the story is well written. But honestly I picked this up again just cause of the cover. I have started framing various comics to hang on my walls and this was one I had to have for framing.

Airboy #05 gets a BUY!

2016 Comic Challenge 177 Afterlife with Archie #09

TITLE-Afterlife with Archie #09
PUBLISHER-Archie comics

After a long ass delay,7 or so months if not more,the new issue of the Archie zombie comic is out.

Reggie is out scouting with Kevin. And tells Kevin how Reggie is the one that started the zombie outbreak. After telling his story,Reggie decides to leave. And asks Kevin to tell the inner circle of the group why he left.

Back at their newest camp Archie,Betty and Veronica find out about Reggie.After debating they end up telling the rest of the group that Reggie just left.

Cut back to Reggie.He is heading towards the swarm of zombie lead by Jughead. Reggie is expecting to be bit and die. But the herd parts. Reggie looks up and there is Jughead and Hot Dog in front of him. He waits for one of them to kill him. But out of nowhere Sabrina appears. And talks about how the dark lord is pleased with Reggie and if he does something for him,the dark Lord will reward Reggie with the one thing he has always wanted but could never get. Midge Klump,who is a zombie. But Reggie is told if he goes back to Archie and the gang,gains their trust again. Then kills Betty,the dark lord will bring Midge back to life and she will be Reggies. Reggie quickly agrees to the deal.

I really enjoyed the focus on Reggie.And the return of Sabrina was damn good. With this story arc being titled Betty RIP,or some shit like that,I have been waiting on Betty to die. So it looks like Reggie will be her killer.

Yeah I am fed up with the delays on this comic. It has been coming out for at least 2 years and only 9 issues have hit the stands. Hell make it a 4 times a year comic and I am happy. I just want to know  that it will come out regularly. Instead of this annoying wait 10 months for a new issue stuff.

Afterlife with Archie #09 gets a BUY!

2016 Comic Challenge 176 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #05

TITLE-Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #05
PUBLISHER-Archie Comics

After a way too long wait,I love most of the new stuff coming from Archie but am getting a bit sick of the constant late shipping on over half the titles,issue 5 of the not for kids Sabrina title is out. So was it worth the wait............. Yeah it was.

Sabrina has to face the Witch's Council cause of Harvey seeing her induction into the witch group. While on trial she has to face a few tests. Which she passes so she gets declaired innocent.

But it seems Sabrina had help passing the test. Ms Porter AKA Madam Satan made sure Sabrina passed. And now has recurited Betty and Veronica from Riverdale. Yep Betty and Veronica are part of a coven with Ms Grundy in Riverdale.

And with the help of the two ladies from out of town and Ms Porter,Sabrina casts a spell that will bring Harvey Kinkle back from the grave. She gets told it will take 3 days for him to come back.

3 days later we are in the Kinkle house. Ms Kinkle is still setting a place at the dinner table for Harvey,believing since his body hasn't been found he is still alive.Mr Kinkle is sure Harvey is dead. Harvey rises from the grave and makes his way home.

Once he gets there we see that his mother might have lost touch with reality in a major way. Then in the last few pages learn that while it is Harvey's body the mind controling it is someone from Sabrina's past.

The art is fucking stunning. I love the look of the coloring,looks a bit like chalk to me.And the story is not only well written,but also well researched.  I hope there is no more huge ass delays on future issues.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #05 gets  BUY!

2016 Comic Challenge 175 Crossed Badlands #098

TITLE-Crossed Badlands #98
PUBLISHER-Avatar

Smokey has run into a pair of "Smart" Crossed twins. After impregnating them he wants to move them to a safer location.

They relocate to an organic farm outside Key Largo.And Smokey scavenges all the local cities for supplies.

And finally at the end one of the twins gives birth to a boy. The final panel has Smokey smiling and holding his newborn son.

2 more issues and I am loving how it seems like we are getting a bit of Crossed history happening.

Crossed Badlands #98 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 174 Crossed Badlands #97

TITLE-Crossed Badlands #97
PUBLISHER-Avatar

Our lead Smokey is in Port Arthur Texas aka the armpit of Texas. But quickly makes his way across the  gulf coast area of Louisiana before ending up in Gulfport Mississippi.

It is in this city where Smokey and his gang attack a Navy vessel off the coast. After gaining control of it,Smokey enlists the help of a sailor. And they head off to the Florida keys. An area that supposedly has a pair of female Crossed twins that are "smart" like Smokey.

Of course seeing mention of quite a few cities I goto often or lived in made me enjoy this issue a bit more than normal. Really my only complaint is the cover. It looks wonky.

Crossed Badlands #97 gets a buy.

3 VHS from the Junk Box 05/19/2016

Kids

Vidmark Entertainment

102 mins

Unrated

This is one of the few VHS I got even though I have the DVD. Last year the local library started a year long sale. And one day while I was there I saw they had a stack of VHS up for sale. And mixed in with piles of Veggietales and Bibleman tapes was a copy of Kids. 

Mostly known now as the film that launched the careers of Rosario Dawson and Chloe Sevigny. This was Larry Clarks first and best film. Set over on full day. It shows in graphic detail what happens to a group of street kids.

Now that I found my copy I might end up watching it soon. I know I threw it in when I bought it. Just to make sure it worked. But I doubt I have watched it fully on VHS since I first rented it years ago from Video Showboat.

The Making of Tremors 2 Aftershocks EPK

MCA Universal Home Video

??

Unrated

Got this Electronic Press Kit VHS in a trade a few years back. Tapes like this were sent around to video stores to help hype up the home video debuts of films. 

I have no idea if what is on this tape has appeared anywhere's else. The only copies of the Tremors films I have on DVD are all bare bones.

Really there isn't much to say about this VHS. So if anyone reading this wants it,let me know. I am sure we can work out a deal.

New Kids on the Block Hangin' Tough

CMV Enterprises

30 mins

Unrated

I have noticed lots of music video based VHS never made the jump over to DVD. And knowing that even now the New Kids have a huge fan base,when I found this VHS I had to get it. Planning on quickly selling it. Which never happened. It got put away and forgotten.

The tape has 4 music videos. And mixed between them some BTS stuff on the New Kids.I doubt I ever watch this tape again. But I love that front cover.So this is gonna go on display on one of my many shelves.

2016 Comic Challenge 173 Dead of Night Werewolf by Night #01

TITLE-Dead of Night featuring Werewolf by Night #01

PUBLISHER-Marvel Max

After having enjoyed Duane Swierczynski's work on The Black Hood,I tracked down this mini series from a few years back. And he didn't disappoint me.

Jack is a werewolf. Since the month before he turned 18 every month during the full moon he becomes a killing machine. During his first transformation he killed his parents and went on the run.

Current Jack is living in Philidelphia with his fiance. Who is pregnant. Every month he tells her he has to go on a work trip,then locks himself inside a steel room.

At the end of the issue he returns home from one of his trips to the room,but finds his fiance dead,her stomach ripped open. And the message It was a girl written in blood on the wall.

Dead Of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night #01 gets a buy.