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.

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: Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates

Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates

Written by Kevin O'Malley & Patrick O'Brien
Illustrated and Book Design by Patrick O'Brien
Published by Walker Publishing Company, Inc.

As the universe cooled and the dust fell, the celestial bodies conferee and created the planet that we now search for in this vast nebula. Yes, a planet, a whole planet of treasure, no not the mouse one, no the one with the pulp hero that's a Raptor who scours the solar system protecting the Dino planet. Yeah, this is the part two that got me into the Captain Raptor series, nothing more amazing than pulp heroes and pirates. I'm bias when it comes to all things pulp, now there's pirates, also everyone is a dinosaur or a mutant/cyborg, yeah this Children's Illustrated Novel is tailored to me. Join us on this escapade atop the hype rocket, though I'd hope it was a Galaxy Train, but here's the exciting second part of the Captain Raptor series.

This was the first book in the series that got me attracted and devoted in wanting to read the amazing adventures of this Cretaceous Space Aviator Enforcer!

Initial response, the cover for this adventure of CAPTAIN RAPTOR is of him and his team defending the Dino-world against Space Pirates. It's interesting that this will be a book about a pulp adventurer in space clashing wits and blades or better yet talons and razor sharp-teeth, in the void that separates us all between the worlds we call our solar system. Yeah, a fall into madness on the swashbuckling inky seas of the cloudy infinite void, yep this is the direction that makes sense (behind the scenes Patrick O'Brien has been making a career on his talent as a nautical portrait artist, he has a stupendous portfolio and glorious gallery that displays his work, check out his site if you get a chance)

Tea Steeping isn't too shaken by things, but she knows a missing part could mean

soaring through the sky and landing or bouncing. Only one of these you walk away from...

The cover again (like the first volume of the series) is an example of what a good cover, sorry of a great cover. It's flat out enough information within the cover that one doesn't need to tell anymore of the plot. It shows our heroes and villains all of the cast on the cover, also lasers and a few planets. Now unlike the first cover this one is a little all over, in the sense that it's direct focus at the center of the cover. It's not bad, but it's the directional angles that point the vision left and right, though it bleeds off to the side that feels like a band, wrapped around the book cutting the title and credits on the cover. Again wonderfully illustrated and beautifully detailed. One last thing, there's not only dinosaurs on the cover, so there seems to be some evolution in this world.

As always in this series the first page is an amazing rendering of space, a representation of what space looks like in this imaginative part of the universe.

The following page holds the title and introduces the main crew of pirates. It's interesting to see all the different animals that comprise the pirate crew, since they're not all dinosaurs or they're animals that are from an earlier age then the present. I really like this pin-up more than the cover, since the title pops, and it's gigantic, screaming CAPTAIN RAPTOR in all capital letters then below "and the Space Pirates" that leads the eyes down to the focal point which are the cast of marauders that visually point to the credited contributors who created the Captain and the adventures that unfold. After the "second" cover we have the planet Jurassica (again) under attack (it really is this time), a shadowy force that came down from the sky (a beautiful arraignment of colors, purple and green with hints of brown to give it an ominous feeling).

The cannons fire on the crowd and land in the clearing.

"Misshapen Mutants and Reptilian Cyborgs" rage and start panic while raiding the people of their treasures and valuables. Then just as sudden blast off into the sky, the President exclaims their need for CAPTAIN RAPTOR! It's a great single full page pin-up of the Cap'n with his crew (and the Megatooth in the background).

They load up the Megatooth (their Rocketship) and introduce the crew: Professor Angleopterous, Sergeant Brickthorous, and Lieutnant Threetoe. In the last book they introduced the crew, but I didn't really like it, since it seemed to want the crew to be more ragtag, in this book they seem very professional. If I was an interplanetary space-pirate mutant cyborg I know I'd have brown pants by the thought of the Megatooth within the stratosphere of the planet that I'm at port in, though I'd know I wouldn't have time to preform any misdeeds with Captain Raptor not far away from the vessel. The rocket blasts into the sky, the Megatooth flying through the inky haze that is the dust of space, sinking deeper into the eerie colored galaxy. Then they catch up to the pirates, a wonderful spread though a horrible out come for our heroes. The blast sends them to the near by planet, hitting the ground hard, skidding through the mud. The rocket stops and the crew leave the ship to assess the damage done by the raiders.

 Professor Steeping is a little changed by the events of this tale.

He's changed Gom to fit his costume, our little automaton is always game for cosplay.

While on the planet they find a one-armed man, (well mutant mammal) Scalawag. He claims to be able to fix the ship so they can all leave the planet. Captain Raptor takes this misplaced creature, they all board the Megatooth and send off into the nebula. Scalawag suggesting a dangerous way, Captain Raptor doesn't like the idea, but concedes and follows the direction that will bring them fastest to Jurassica.

They are met with problems in the form of Robokron!
"The Giant Robotic Space Beast"
Yeah it's a great spread of the monster attacking the Megatooth.

Captain Raptor needs to take down this monstrosity and save his crew. With heroic thoughts and a space suit, the good captain plunges into the cold darkness and attacks a panel on the robotic beast, shutting down Robokron. Their race is not over, since they still need to chase down the horde of pirates that will be returning to Jurassica. Like the last review of Captain Raptor (and the Moon Mystery) I'm going to have you all enjoy what happens next. Find out how the good Cap'n reclaimed peace on the planet that he protects.

In short, this is a series that I would want to see explored more, even if there was another creative team, though given the blessing of the original team. If this was a book series or they continued the Children's Illustrated Novel with more parts, I will suggest nothing better than this serial. It couldn't be more exciting and pleasing to the eyes and stimulating to the mind. Make time, even if you don't like pulp dinosaurs fighting mutant cyborg pirates the illustrations will sway you as did the concept and execution did to me.

I trust you enjoyed the inspection, thank you for reading.
Support the creator, check out you're local library and read the books.
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Keep well and Stay well.

shorts SHORT Review: Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery

Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery

Written by Kevin O'Malley
Illustrated and Book Design by Patrick O'Brien
Published by Walker Publishing Company, Inc.

I've never been this impressed by a Children's Illustrated Novel, nor a Comic, nor a Production book. Think of an adventurer, then put that pulp hero in space, then turn them into a dinosaur. Yeah, that's what we're talking about this week. Dinosaurs from a far away planet and their heroic pulp hero as he rockets through space to defend the galaxy and the planet he calls home. This is my type of story, it's straight forward, it has the hero into a position that let's him seem infallible, though solve problems that are out of his hand (talons). It's a great endeavor that's fun to see well paced, crammed into thirty two pages of nebula soaring adventures.

Tom & Jerry: Spy Quest

If there was one thing to know about me my film choices you should take a look at ever pulp hero and see if there's a film or an homage to these types of heroes, since I've either seen it or I'm hunting it down. Jonny Quest is a classic, it's Hanna-Barbera's kid version of pulp adventurers, though it's still the most amazing limited animated series created. This was their first action series in 1964 on Prime-time, though like Tom & Jerry and Yogi Bear the name Jonny Quest became household. Then the years start passing and new generations come and go, then new prime-time series need to be produced. Lucky for people like me there's adventurous folks out there that want to see more of the Quest Family. In 2015 they completed and shipped out this amazing (about a hour long) feature starring Tom & Jerry with guests (and driving plot) Jonny Quest, Haji, Race, and Dr. Benton Quest with Bandit, of course. Enough history, let's swing into action and adventure in this Warner Bros. Animation that gives great respect for the series and a bright future for the characters.