Year in Review: 2024

Year in Review 2024
Life is full of a lot of demands, 2024 was full of getting my life back together. Long and short my focus has returned, bit by bit, I’m making time to read and exercise, though the Internet has a pull that’s so charming I feel that magic twisting around my throat once more. Then I look into a mirror and realize, no, these are my choices. And like every good choice I’ve decided to talk about five great selections that I’ve read in 2024.


TOP FIVE YEAR IN REVIEW 2024
Table of Contents
    On-Going Series: Santos Sisters by Greg & Fake

    Graphic Novel: Secret Wars II by Jim Shooter & Al Milgrom

    Should’ve Been a Novel: X-Men: The Hellfire Club by Ben Raab & Charlie Adlard

    Single Issue: The City Beneath Her Feet by James Tynion IV & Elsa Charretier

    Honorable Mentions: Flavor Girls, Eye Lie Popeye, The Moon Is Following Us, My Bad, Galaxy of Madness

On-Going Series: Santos Sisters
At first glance this is an Archie parody, but it’s far from that, it’s completely it’s own thing, but using imagery that’s iconic, bridging your perspective and softening your thoughts on whether this is a good purchase. Let me ease your mind and congratulate you on your comic adventure through this wild experience into these vignettes of life. Each issue is filled with short stories about the two titular heroines as they save the day through different means each time, though a larger than required weapon is usually shaken about in the face of the cover’s featured danger. Most of the misadventures remind me a lot of those Comix of the ‘90s, things that you found printed in black and white from a defunct publishing house, usually within the 20 blocks from that comic shop. It was a long time ago that Zines ran the market and helped a lot of careers for modern legendary artists, though that’s kind of the selling point of this series. It’s not your modern superhero book, it’s something that’s very tongue-in-cheek, the appeal may not be for everyone, but it’s worth a read. If you don’t want to hunt down the single issues they have a collected edition available for purchase that will knock your socks off.

Graphic Novel: Secret Wars II
Maybe one of the best self-help books I’ve ever read. This isn’t a part two to Secret Wars, (don’t let the title fool you) I know rip-off, but it’s a little better than that. In the first series it was a means of advertising the toyline, and respectively it worked for the most part, though the story veered into a different direction the last portion of the series, that to me is how this volume came to be and why it’s not a direct sequel to the previous work. This is an intimate story about what it means to be human. That’s it, that’s the pitch, and that’s what successfully was produced into a twelve issue series. As the story opens we see the Beyonder has no true form and it’s not till issue three that he takes on his more iconic mien. I will say this till the last breath erupts from my corporeal form “I hate Origin Stories”, though this is how you do it. Introduce the setting not the protagonist, the supporting cast, and everything else that needs to be setup for them before you have the pleasure of meeting this character. This is all done nice and neat, then we get into heavy introspective talks, conversations of topics not many books get into at this time. Also the first appearance of teenage Mutant runaway Tabitha Smith [Boom-Boom {or any nickname for herself that she thinks is good}] makes her debut and stays for a few issues, tackling ideas and emotions from a point of view of a youthful Earthling. Remember this is 1985 and independent comics have just hit mainstream and are going to flood the ‘90s market. Though books, especially superhero marketed books, don’t touch on the subject matter of life (or the meaning of living). The ending like the first book had to have its superhero mandated end, but everything leading up to the point was a spectacular conversation between humans and a being beyond conventional understanding. This is not a traditional crossover comic, this is about one entity trying to comprehend existence through our eyes first hand. If you’re looking for something that’s all about heroes butting heads with other heroes and villains and everyone else that’s on the street, this is not the book for you. Though if you are apart of those few that want to enjoy a unconventional way to express the meaning of life and humanity and the emotional pinball machine that is existence, then you’ve got the right book in your hands.

Single Issue: The City Beneath Her Feet; Issue One
One of the best “Hook Stories” you’ll ever read! Honestly, this is how you should teach the future creative teams on how a story needs to capture the reader and have them locked into the next twelve issue (even if there’s just four). In this first issue we meet our main characters, three Women who’s lives intertwine as the story progresses. Their names in this tale are Zara, Liz, and Jasper, who are different is ways that are large and small, but intriguing enough that I want to know every intimate detail between their relation with each other. The setting is New York City, present day, starting off with our narrator Zara to a series of Flashbacks of her budding relationship with Jasper as she and Liz just finished a job. We learn that Jasper enjoys the company of Zara and Zara is infatuated with Jasper, but Liz knows nothing good will come from them together. Long and short, this is a plot about contract killers, misguided desires, and the lonely hope that life isn’t all chaos and violence. If that’s not a good enough selling point the stylized illustrations accompanying this piece should be enough to capture your sight, and only way to regain your vision is by purchasing the Collected Edition. (the plot is different though subtly reminds me of “My Faith in Frankie” by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, & Marc Hempel). Long and short, it’s only the first issue (of volume 1) and I’m ready to commit to queuing up a line for the second volume of the Trade Paperback, and these are my feeling on issue one respectfully.

Should’ve Been a Novel: X-Men: The Hellfire Club
Journalism is a competitive beast, though getting a book published isn’t a small feat either. This story is about Irene Merryweather a writer uncovering everything involved with Shaw from the Hellfire club for a publisher (book, news article, she really wasn’t consistent with where this would land ultimately). Sounds interesting, that would be a wonderful twelve part maxi-series comic or a TV movie- -no, it’s four issues of shallow pandering. Yeah, it’s really not that great of a story, though it’s plot sounds like an awesome series, even a wonderful novel on the different facets that the Shaw family (current and past) have placed themselves with the start of America positioning themselves into power and run the Marvel universe. Nope, just a run of the mill idea that had a lackluster flop of an ending. I feel the biggest problem is there wasn’t tangible danger in what Merryweather was uncovering, though the stories were interesting, but nothing that was direct (more unnerving) peril. Even Hallmark films have higher stakes than these four issues. Again this being adapted to film I could see it like an ‘Atomic Blonde’ (2017) kind of deal, lack luster comic [The Coldest City (2012)], though the premise was great, and that would be a good enough starting point that then sparked a better film, with astounding actors. This is one of those sleeper pieces of media that needs the right shaman to reanimate this corpse with the right souls to possess it. If I could have a period film about the social rise of this Mutant club in the financial sector, this would be my pick in an instant, since there’s so much a creative team can work with and the vignettes being within different generations, just the icing on the cake. Again, I thought this was going to be a story about uncovering the whole Hellfire Club, my first disappointment, then it felt like a reframing of an idea for a “Captain America through the Ages” tale, to ultimately focus on Sebastian Shaw, too late for it to have definition and the series was too short to explore anymore of his life nor anyone else’s to give refinement. If they ever make a book (or film), this will be a joy to consume, though for now I’ve got more novels in the queue.

Honorable Mentions: Mini-Top Five Suggestions
    -Flavor Girls
    -Galaxy of Madness
    -My Bad Volume 2
    -Eye Lie Popeye
    -The Moon Is Following Us

Honest suggestions, if you have similar tastes to myself, you wanna see a little violence with comedy, good story structure, and amazing illustrations, then these are my top five suggestions of 2024 in no partictular order. Though let me breakdown some of these amazing tales. Flavor Girls is a love letter to the Magical Girl genre, it’s a different perspective than their Shoujo counterpart, though it’s as serious as a bullet wound, I love the kinetic action and the story of the first part of this series, in 2025 there’s a sequel printed, I’m excited to read the second part next. My Bad Volume 2 was better than the first, though I feel the first really didn’t know what direction nor where it wanted to focus, this was focused and that depth in the stories that they spreads between the issues was perfection is humor. Galaxy of Madness is illustrated by Michael Avon Orming, there’s not much more needs to be expressed after that when you’re trying to visually create a stunning and mind bending thriller of galactic intrigue. Eye Lie Popeye is what you get when you combine an ultra violent 1929 sailor with the mind of someone that grew up with anime in their heart. The Moon Is Following Us is a combination of thoughts that make this stunning amalgam of ideas just right, for two parents trying to save their daughter’s mind and their sanity. This year’s Honorable Mentions have the theme of love letters to comics and these are beautifully penned by the creative teams that quilted them together.

I hope you enjoyed this list of stories that brought me through 2024 and if you agreed with this list, let’s talk, if you didn’t, tell me why, if you have new additions to your reading queue, you’re welcome. See you next year!

Year in Review: 2022

 [For those that may know I posted this on a new blog, which I've realized gets no attention, so I've moved it here, this isn't this year's review, but something I wanted to keep and incorporate into this blog]

 My Year in Review for 2022

 

-----Table of Contents----

    On-Going Series: Vampblade

    Series: Glory: The Complete Saga

    Limited Series: Raphael: Bad Moon Rising

    Single Issue: Dazzler: The Movie

    Honorable Mentions:
Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Amalgama: Space Zombie, Galaxy’s Most Wanted, Bonyeer: The Aromatic, Super Massive, Adventureman

On-Going Series : Vampblade
The reason why I’m keeping this here is because of the ending, it’s not over as a series (the series ended last year [2021 {I wrote this in 2022}]), but it’s over at the moment, but the series as a whole is still open to keep going. That’s a little confusing, but between when the series stated (2015-ish) and with 2020 happening publishing for comics got a little messy (financially speaking), just to throw some history about what’s still going on (currently as of this posting). Though with the book it’s in a bit of limbo till things settle for the creators (and publishing house), but at this point, you’ve most likely popped up an article or two about what’s going on within Action Labs and know, so we’ll go back to the review. I love violence comics, there’s something about cathartic beatings (whether verbal or physical) that really release a ton of serotonin (the happy brain juice) into my soul. This comic doesn’t let up with the amount of grandstanding for a character to have this beautiful moment of One Piece (manga by Eiichiro Oda) level of destruction. There are times within the series that stands out beyond it’s own two legs, that a spin-off series (I’m looking at you Danger Doll Squad) was developed to expand on story plots and connect parts of the World to other characters, that then inspires another spin-off series (I’m talking about you Amalgama) to expand that expansion. By the end of the series Vampblade had fallen through every Superhero trope in the book, from Time Travel to Body Double to Hell to Alien Invasion! Then the one thing that stops a comic from being ‘On-Going’, publication. As Superhero comics go this is their most shared trope, an unexpected ending. I had a blast and this is one of my Top Five comics of all time (and of 2022)!

Series : Glory: The Complete Saga
How we change between On-Going Series to Series is simple, there’s an end. If they come back, that’s a new series, but this was a rebooted character that got a second life in a more modern interpretation. You can tell this was intended to be a longer story, but I’m so glad that both Joseph Keatinge & Sophie Campbell agreed that this story needed an end and a really good ending. There’s not many series that I enjoy to the point of tears, but this is one of those magnificent comics. Again it’s another cathartic and violent series, that has a strong emotion base between the characters, whether you know who they are or not. It’s good writing when you can jump into something blind and not know anything more than what is being told to you and enjoy every minute. Like I said, not many comics pull me into an emotional state that takes days to get over, but took five pages to read. It’s really that good of a book.

Limited Series : Raphael, Bad Moon Rising
What started out to be me enjoying a cover to a book (thank you Sophie Campbell) formed into an obsession to find the first issue (since I have the other three) that then changed my mind on everything TMNT. I don’t really know what clicked into place, but I just finished reading TMNT: Urban Legends (volume 3 [Image Run {Reprinted in color, with ending by IDW}]) by Gary Carlson & Frank Fosco, so my desire to find more from the Teen Turtles was high on my reading queue. While thumbing through all the comics I have I was reminded about this four issue run, that I found out came from a Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (second Volume) where Shadow visits a cult (It’s New York). Anyhow, that’s the main reason why she was at the farmhouse for volume 4 of TMNT, though this takes place somewhere between. Long and Short, this focuses on the Werewolf Queen and the King of Atlantis, beautiful character moments, with some astounding Illustrations & ink work by Jim Lawson (solidifying him as my top five favorite TMNT artists). If you ever want to get into the weird world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this would be a good ground breaker between the TV shows/Movies and the comics.

Single Issue : Dazzler: The Movie
When thinking about characters that had a hard start Dazzler always comes to mind, since she started as a promotion, a mascot of sorts for Casablanca Records. Then just became a huge character within the X-Men ongoing series. I found her in a little Pilot called “Pryde of the X-Men”, where she was a headband wearing leather jacket toting finger gun shooting laser wielder. To say the least, she had a special place in my heart, so reading this comic was a distance from that character, and a recoupling within the same issue. Mostly because she was still a strong character that was still developing herself, emotionally (as a person does) and distancing herself from being just an Advertisement (as one does). By the end of the feature we see her more whole than when she started, though battle damaged within the landscape of Hollywood. As a single issue, without knowing anything about her, it’s a great story that stands on it’s own, maybe not a Movie in theaters, but I’d be excited for the TV movie’s annual screening.

Honorable Mentions: Mini-Top Five Suggestions
    -Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    -Amalgama: Space Zombie, Galaxy’s Most Wanted
    -Bonyeer: The Aromatic
    -Super Massive
    -Adventureman

Honest suggestions, if you have similar tastes to myself, you wanna see a little violence with comedy, good story structure, and amazing illustrations, then these are my top five suggestions of 2022 (even if it’s 2023 [though re-posted in 2024]).

Shorts SHORT Review: Worst X-Man Ever

X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever

Written by Max Bemis
Illustrated by Michael Walsh

Published by MARVEL

 

When thinking of Marvel the first thing that comes to mind is X-Men, then Spider-Man, but first (or forth) X-Men (or a specific X-Man [hairy, short, has knives in his arms]). This is more of a story about what it would be like if you were plucked out of your life and placed into this MARVELous new world. Through years future & past, the spectacle of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters has been a haven for mutants of any age. And with a community of empowered and powerful beings there’s always a chance that bad luck will arise within this fellowship. Bailey (our title holder for “Worst X-Man”) might just be the most unlucky mutant to walk the Earth, since his power is, well, it’s a surprise. Nothing all that special, like our main character, but it’s one thing that keeps the plot rolling in the direction that it’s in. Since everyone within the mini-series knows that he’s capable of doing something that is most dangerous and hard to control. There’s a lot of mutants out there that have time to play with their inherent genetic skills, but not all mutants have that luxury and that’s kind of the point of this whole tale. Let’s take a moment from this book, so I’m talking to you, yeah, the reader of this review, yep you, you have a chance to use your superpower, just once, for one time only, how will you use it and what would you do? That’s the simple question posed within this story and one that gradually Bailey concludes. Bailey is the one that walks us through his life, nothing really uncanny or astonishing, but it’s him, just an average teenager doing average teenager things (the opposite of xtreme). With all the amazing teams, adventures, and powers that the mighty Marvel mutants have, there’s not too many slice of life stories. Even another Marvel favorite, Spider-Man, has some downtime with his City and cast of characters, away from all the drama and villains. It’s nice to sometimes take a break from making a better tomorrow for mutant-kind and just seeing someone’s life who went to Xavier’s school, since most get a one bedroom apartment six feet in the dirt. Bailey gives us many details of his life, makes us aware of things that were plots happening back in the day to other X-Men teens, and he doesn’t leave out the awkward parts. I feel that’s the linchpin for all of this, if this was a retelling from an older Bailey it would have done better, I’m getting ahead of myself. The fifth issue (which is my favorite) the story felt right, the pacing, the dialogue, the plot, the characters just clicked into place, then boom it was done. What was different between the other issues was this is an older Bailey. There was a time skip, a pause, in the life of Bailey, which I really enjoyed, for a second we caught up to him and where he’s currently at in his life. Just gonna break in here and talk about the accompanying illustrations by Micheal Walsh, as the visual storyteller. His work makes for a gorgeous presentation, that was motivating, to see what he had in store for the next issue, since I was enamored with the backgrounds to the costumes to the character designs, everything was a delight. Back to what I was saying before. This was a nice jump and the documentary motif is perfect, overused, but for this series fits just so well. I would have liked it to be placed throughout the other four issues. Pretty much, it would be like a coming of age TV show where the older version of Bailey taking the role of narrator, but also blurring the lines between who’s speaking so a lot of the fourth wall breaking younger Bailey does make more sense. There was beautiful moments of satirical commentary on the X-Men publication as a whole that I feel fell flat, since how would this younger character know, it was good, but alien within the plot.

For what it’s worth this isn’t a series for someone new to X-Men, not someone fresh from a movie, nor even one of the many TV shows, this is a comic for comic X-Men fans. Not to say someone without decades of consumption wouldn’t enjoy it, but it’s not written for those people. In short, it’s a love letter to a never ending series that will reinvent it’s self, it’s characters, it’s team for decades beyond us all. There are very few Slice of Life X-Men stories out there, and this is one of the best, since this is a personal journey with no real destination, at least no desired finale, which makes Bailey’s story a good limited series.

I trust you enjoyed the inspection, thank you for reading.
Support the creators, check out your local library, and contribute to community comic & book shops.
If you want to stay up to date on my reviews, be here next year.
Keep well and Stay well.

Battling Boy Presents: The Fall of the House of West

When I finished the first volume of this arc I wanted more, I wanted there to be another book within the year or month from the first book, since I didn't know when it was published, though I had to wait a year, then another year, since moving and getting another job. Time has been an interesting concept in this present, though reading has been a pleasure in life. I can never thank those that make life more interesting and fantastic. Again thank you JT Petty  and Paul Pope for writing and David Rubín for your glorious illustrations in this stupendous fictitious tome. Let's dive into The Fall of the House of West (and the jetpacks)!

Battling Boy Presents: The Rise of Aurora West

This is the first volume of the Aurora West Arc, this means that you missed Battling Boy, since we were introduced with the astounding teen and her Father, Haggard West. Yes, this duo of jetpack might and brandishing plasma blasters in this action mystery pulp adventure. If there's anything more that I love it's a good character arc story and pulp fiction, just well written graphic novels. Though don't take my word in this introduction, come join us on this adventure into the favorite in the Battling Boy series written by Paul Pope and JT Petty with Illustrations by David Rubín, so let's dive into this golden pool of mythology and history.

Battling Boy

One thing that hasn't been seen in a lot of modern pulp fiction is a coming of age story. The number one story would be Tom Strong, next would be Tarzan, though the distance between the two is a great split, but like most pulp tales they go between extremes. They're a baby then a man, none of the trails and tribulations between these two points. Spin-offs do show more, but nothing that's official that feature a teen hero battling the world and taking on the challenges that a young adult would encounter that's not in a High School setting. This is something that comes straight out of nowhere, I haven't read a series that focuses on a teenager as an explorer, an adventurer on an alien world, that doesn't slap them into a school environment. It's refreshing and interesting to see where this could lead. This is my introduction to Paul Pope, I kid you not, this is the comic that introduces me to the artist and the talent. Well, my very first interaction was with a nameless artist that showcased his skill and ability for covers and such, though this is the only way I knew it was the same person. The line work and character features and the detailed backgrounds I knew it was the same person, though I wasn't convinced that the book would have a plot I would find interesting. Something about the cover and title didn't hook me, it wasn't pronounced enough (or full of robots). Though as people talk and slip a few pages here and there about the book and what came from the plot, I started to find curiosity. I'm a fan of high fantasy and magic, so no robots, but there's science and magic in this book about a pulp hero from another world, please do go on. And let's go on and dive into this specific piece of fiction, as we dig into the crust of what's to come in the further adventures of Battling Boy by Paul Pope.

shorts SHORT Review: Science Dog

Science Dog

Written by Robert Kirkman
Illustrated by Cory Walker
Art Director Drew Gill
Published by Skybound
An imprint of Image Comics

There's a beautiful series called Invincible (Written by Robert Kirkman and Illustrated by Cory Walker, also they were the original creators of this series) and our hero Mark Grayson enjoys the adventures of Science Dog, our featured piece of media this week. It was an interesting note that was placed into the series, since we all find our sense of justice in different ways. Spider-Man found his in death, multiple extreme emotional traumas that keep appearing in his life which built up/tore down the hero. Then we look at Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) who is a fan of Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), she knows everything publicly posted about Captain Marvel (also Carol Danvers). After being exposed to a strange gas that activated hidden genes within her body she decides to take up the mantle of this hero for her hometown, Jersey City. Mark Grayson is similar in idea, that he's the power double of Superman and the emotional state of Spider-Man, so Spider-Boy (if you've ever read Amalgam Comics, you'd know of the Superboy Spider-Man combined hero). Not quite, though he's brought his good nature of growing up in a positive home and the comic book Science Dog, a hero that is a good being and tries continuing to be a good person, even though given no reason to do so for any reason other then the will of the writer. Oh, I should mention that this character in the Invincible world is currently fictional (also female, well I think they mentioned that it was his sister, which is weird, since no sister was ever mentioned) and a Scottish Terrier. Science Dog is a running gag and moral compass that Mark Grayson uses, also the writer pokes a bit of satire at all of comics. My point with this little rant and history lesson is that Science Dog showed Invincible what's right and wrong and the hard moral choices that we all need to make in life, oh and how it's hard to take on a childhood hobby and balance life, especially interplanetary commuting. And as I'll always tell you citizens I love Pulp Fiction and one thing that this series is, it embodies the Silver-age and Pulp heroes like Doc Savage and Adam Strange. With this long introduction let's start from the cover and enjoy the tale it tells us before even a page is turned.

Shaman King Part 01

Manga Mecha Movie
Shaman King Part 01 of 04
-- Shaman King 1-9 --

by Hiroyuki Takei
Published by Shueisha
Translated and Distributed by VIZ Media

This is a show from my childhood, a series that I've sadly never seen the end of, though I have read the complete manga. So I want to relate my joy and passion for the series. I was a big fan, since Toonami got me into a lot of anime in my youth, so FoxKids was trying to do that to their audience, though that was after the success of WBKids and their hit show Yu-Gi-Oh. So those that watched FoxKids (later the FoxBox) got Fighting Foodons (In Japan it was called Kakutō Ryōri Densetsu Bisutoro Reshipi created by Naoto Tsushima) and Shaman King, there were other shows, but these are the one's that really brought me into the genre, well on Saturday mornings. Shaman King was that series that broke out from being one of those shows that was heavy and fun, it felt right for kids to enjoy, though it was a strong enough plot for someone that's older to get behind the dramatics. Here's the thing that really pulled me in, the tournament. I love anime with tournaments, two characters that should rightfully be the main character and here they are battling the worst of the worst and the best of the best, some of these fighters will become friends and others will suffer horrible punishments that we'll never see. That's what excited me, DragonBall was doing it, Yu Yu Hakusho was doing it, DragonBall Z, Yu-Gi-Oh was an endless tournament, it was prefect, since there was a lot of character building moments that built up the scenes of the characters, so when they lost it was a big deal, they died it was a big deal, they were killed it was a big deal, and the actors (both American and Japanese) brought that to the table and showed just how emotional this tournament was, how big the stakes were for there to be a Shaman King. Anyhow, let's focus on the first 9 volumes of the series and talk about the growth of our core cast.

My Dead Girlfriend

My Dead Girlfriend
by Eric Wight
Editor Julie Taylor
Art Director Anne Marie Horne
Published by Tokyopop

There's certain things combined that don't mix, though one thing at first glance that wouldn't couple well together, is Horror and Romance. Though that's where you'd be wrong, horror films, books, and art have a bit of intimacy. Horror is where we take what's safe and make it horrible, stressful, and have us second guess mundane tasks. Romance is very similar, it's a task that's not something one should feel pressure, though there's an internal fear while preforming with the shared event. Then you add in a little high school and now there's nothing, but stress over everything because literally everything is changing and the world around you will take you from your hometown and send you off on a new path. Though that's what Eric Wight wants you to feel, the struggle of being with family, the horrors of having your first love, the emptiness of losing that person, and the impending reaper following you, waiting for that next trip up to collect on your misfortune. Something important to remember in life is that things change from person to person, life to life, generation to generation, but that's what living does. We take paths that are different for each of us, either because of race, birth, or location. Though this is why I enjoy this graphic novel. It's from a place that doesn't exist and the characters involved can't be recreated, also the events that take place are impossible, but everything is parallel to reality. This today is all common place with paranormal romance being a genre and taking on all forms of mythology that were to keep youth safe. Fraying from the blazed trail and out of these polluted waters this is an interesting take on the supernatural and a glance into relationships that want to bring positive emotions and ideas to the dating pools. Join us as we take a dip into the world of the macabre and into the olden time as we relive moments from the past and engage the plot of the present.

Cleopatra in Space: Part One

This is a serial that will feature two volumes from the Cleopatra in Space series as will the proceeding.

by Mike Maihack
Phil Falco; Book Design
David Saylor; Creative Director
Cassandra Pelham; Editor
Published by Scholastic, Graphix

One of the most fun comics I've read for awhile, it's pacing and story are better than most stories and graphic novels. That's it, I'm flat out saying it, the story and art are amazing and fluid, structured with the skill of a seasoned professional with the charm and passion of a webcomic. The book it's self is the best and most interesting pleasing designs and reading experience I've had in awhile. Cleopatra in Space floats between the Epic Adventure (Lord of the Rings),  and a Space Opera (Flash Gordon, Star Wars), but has the feeling of a Saturday Morning cartoon (Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys). Though you'll have to read this series yourself to feel the enjoyment that I have, though experiences do change, so here's my impressions of the first two volumes of the series.

shorts SHORT Review: A Kidnapped Santa Claus

A Kidnapped Santa Claus
By L. Frank Baum
Adapted by Alex Robinson (Writer & Illustrator)
itbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Welcome to another shorts SHORT Review for the winter season where we look at the odd life and times of Father Christmas. Santa Claus bounces back and fourth between this being of distress and a hero (sometimes villain). It's interesting to see him as these different lives. Especially the tales that have him being helped by a hero that he'd know about, but didn't know of the evil that would attack him. This is seen in the films Nightmare Before Christmas and Santa Claus Vs the Martians, both films intended to steal Santa away and keep Christmas for themselves. And this is the theme of the comic A Kidnapped Santa Claus, a tale about dæmons that want children to walk their caves, so they can enjoy their specific and individual suffering, plot in a nutshell, though there's so much more to it than this little summary.

Santa Claus in this story is an impossibly tall man, though this is because of the helpers and workers that invest their time and desire to give back to the world. We follow over the shoulder of Wisk a Fairy that works side by side with the Jolly Red Man himself. The Workshop has more than Elves, since this is a L. Frank Baum story, and this is a 1900's story, so the fey have a wide interpretation, since the elf is a broad term. It's more defined today, though it was a general expression for magical creatures, mostly humanoid, but not always. There's a lot of helpers in the Workshop at Santa's, but these are the main ones. We have Faries (who work in the office and hand in hand with the Knooks) that help in all departments,  there's Pixies (which are like boy fairies, though without wings, closer to Brownies) that help in the stable, Ryls (the one's who make the toys, gift wrap, and pack) a bit grumpy and goat-headed, and Knooks (they are literal pug faced beings, so adorable) who tailor and organize the workshop. It feels a bit like a Role Playing Game's Bestiarium, since they talk about each dæmon's too. It's a wonderful introduction of all the characters in the book, within 5 pages, all the information that's needed to complete the comic. The plot is a joy, personally an improvement to the original work, though this is with help to the author and his contemporary writing.

Professor Steeping, Gom, and Tea Steeping all trading gifts and warm thoughts.

Speaking of contemporary skills, from the character designs to the inking, adept talent was spread through out this short story. I loved Wisk's design and the warmth I felt from Santa, even though he's a drawing, it felt like the man was beaming with positivity. Also the dæmons' human forms to trick Santa into their specific trait was wonderfully executed. Subtle uses of weight within the hair and clothes, also the wonderful expression of negative space and pacing was excellently projected. The expression of emotion and visual emotion is amazing, poses and panel use was superb and immersive.

My favorite part is the classic L. Frank Baum, where someone gets their head lobed off and it's reconnected later. I love that about his stories, it's interesting that weapons aren't deathly, though they're still dangerous. One of my favorite missing head moments of L. Frank Baum is The Magical Monarch of Mo, that mischievous purple dragon and his appetite for kings' crowns. Don't worry the King is fine, though it's just annoying more then the end for him (and I think a few other characters in that story). Anyhow, Alex Robinson is an alumni of the School of Visual Arts and has made a wonderfully illustrated tale of the Flying Postman and his airborne platoon. If you're like me and love heavy use of ink and full detailed shorts then you're in for a treat of a visual tale.

I trust you enjoyed the inspection, thank you for reading.
Support the creator, check out the links and read the short.
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Keep well and Stay well.

Shorts SHORT Review: Pug Davis

Pug Davis
by Rebecca Sugar
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Published by Albatross Exploding Funny Books

Welcome to the shorts SHORT Review, today we'll be talking about Pug Davis.
This was an original webcomic made by the ever talented Rebecca Sugar. A Space Opera and Galactic Adventure of two wondering souls, two men from Earth that found more peace in a rocket hurled through space then living on the Third Rock from the Sun. Though I'm getting ahead of myself, and behind, since I only read the webcomic when it was still active. Since the story is something you have to read for yourself, hold it and look at the beautifully designed work. One thing I haven't done was get the volume when I could, but if I could go back in time I know that I would have got a whole mess of comics from the past (RPG World… it was in my hands). Anyhow, let's get away from lamenting of the past and focus on the galaxy escapades of these men searching around the Universe for… reasons.

It's either my mind is a bit fuzzy or it was never truly said why they were flying around other than the assumption of finding Earth. Pug has every reason since the intergalactic travel would mean the Earth would be older and maybe more scientific, which would cure his canine appearance. Though the relationship of Blouse and Pug show that there are more reasons to travel the stars than stay in one spot. If you know Ms. Sugar's work, you'd know that she's a craftsmen of emotion, that she could get you to break down and cry or have you care about the living arrangement of a mayo sandwich eating being. This again is one of those times that I turned on a character that I didn't care about then wanted to know more. Blouse became more than a weak positive seeking character and as a reader we found out more on his past, his reasons to leave home and advance into the unknown. By the end of the series I learned about a strong man that I thought had no depth, and wanted with my heart another volume.

Now I just read the webcomic version, I know there was a published edition of the comic collected and a cover drawn by the amazing Eric Powell. (Here's a link to the cover and if you thumb through the photos you might see some of the pages from the book too.)

Honestly this webcomic, from start to finish felt like it was walking to running. It was really fun to see what was on the next page, I'm not saying that the writing and the art were weak, it was just the opposite. Every page was interesting and had a different way of seeing the characters in artistic forms and in different adventures. While wandering around the characters and the world, it feels that Ms. Sugar was creating everything from nothing, everything from organic space, and for the most part figured out what made a great story.

Professor Steeping, his niece Tea Steeping, and Gom his robotic protégé

pose for their space adventure, ever ready for action and excitement.

The plot is simple and complexed, let me explain, in the beginning of the series it was doodles, ideas, thoughts about ray guns and planets. Pug Davis is the idea of Flash Gordon or bits of John Carter and a little Lobo in theme and homage, it was a perfect modernization of the Space Adventure. Since it was less focused on the crusade and more on the adventurers, like the weird things were expected by both the reader and characters.

Now everything I'm talking about is from nostalgia (start that nostalgic engine on those evocative goggles), I hope to one day grab a volume in physical form, though that's the hardest part about this series. Trying to find something from the past, like Ian Jones-Quartey's comic RPG Wold, I've had a lot of comics that are rare to find today within my hands or feet away from me. So with his webcomic and her webcomic I've only been able to see them digitally and not in a form that settles in hand. Though I've held both volumes once in my life, but was in a position unable to purchase.

In short if this is your type of genre or the creator is someone that you've seen to find excitement over their work, you're totally going to enjoy this comic. I wish you luck on this hunt in the cosmos for this delightful treasure, though I'd suggest her other little macrocosm Steven Universe.

I trust you enjoyed the inspection, thank you for reading.
Support the creator, check out the TPB Comic and Show.
If you want to stay up to date on my reviews, subscribe to this page.
Keep well and Stay well.

R.I.P.D.

Rest In Peace Department

My first thought about this movie was interest, I'm interested with death and the afterlife, ever since Beetlejuice and the Halloween Tree. Though as any person that's seen Men In Black (M.I.B.) will tell you R.I.P.D. shares many similarities of the 90's film. The obvious points would be the car, the hidden police motif, and the new guy with the seasoned older partner. This doesn't bother me since all of these things are expected from action films of this type of genre. It's a Buddy Cop movie with a SciFi filling, though (in both media) they glazed over the fact that this whole story is based in Christian lore. As a framing device for the story it's great since it's not heavy on preaching, which is incredibly appreciated, though it's interesting that we know there's a God in this film, but never see an Angel. Since a lot of the subject matter revolves around virtuous characters like those aspiring to be an Angel and malevolent characters that are Demons from Hell, though that's only in the comic, in the film they're corrupted souls that have escaped or made a deal to stay away from Hell at all costs. It brings up the question, is Constantine a better film than this? Since he's a questionable cop-like character in Christian lore who also fights/bargains with the Devil directly. Roll that over a little, though let's dig a bit deeper into this film and comic series.

Cowboys VS Aliens

The Film was great, the Comic was horrible, that's the short and long of a lot of media translations, either one will be better than the other or both weren't good in the first place. Most of the time it's the film that does poorly compared to the written material, though there are exceptions to the rule based on the source material either being too great in length or poorly conceptualized. My first thoughts of the film by poster and trailer were excitement, even with the cover to the comic's collected volume made me interested in the tale, since Science Fiction and Westerns are two of my favorite genres.