Comic Review: Doctor Muscles Journal One

Doctor Muscles: Journal One is a 146 page full color paperback that collects the first five issues from Bogus Publishing. The mature science fiction stories were written by Austin Tinius and Robert Salinas. Various artists include Andrew Whyte, Stefano Cardoselli, Antonio Brandao, Cecilia Latella and Ilaria Bramato. The cover artwork was done by James Brunner. The publisher’s synopsis states “The smartest man in Philadelphia, Dr. Arthur E. Muscles, is about to retire from a life of science when things go awry. A fortuitously modified formula at his research laboratory transports Dr. Muscles to another dimension, known as Quargo. Dr. Muscles now finds himself the lab rat in a maze full of perverted wizards, enslaved species, beastly giants and western motifs. His only shot at returning to Earth is to reach the Ultra-Lord at the end of the maze. Along the way, Dr. Muscles picks up various misfits and does his best to do the right thing, which usually ends up backfiring.”

“The Doctor Is In” is the first chapter and introduces Doctor Arthur E. Muscles, the smartest man in Philadelphia. One of his experiments goes wrong and the resulting explosion sends him to a planet in another dimension named Quargo. The planet has seven suns and is ruled by the Over-Lord. Muscles tracks down Mickey, a humanoid rat that stole his shoes, who he enlists as his guide to Vinny’s castle. The ratman is annoying but he quickly becomes my favorite character. The pair run into a giant Droxin that Muscles kills but Mickey will brag throughout the series that he did it thus earning him the title of Droxin Slayer. They then run into bat-like creatures that are slaves to Vinny. Muscles finally has a showdown with the perverted mage. I really like this chapter and give it a solid A.

The next two chapters are “Back In Black” and “Escape From Hell” that finds Doctor Muscles in the other dimension’s version of Hell. The Devil is an Old West sheriff and wears a key to the gate out around his neck. A duplicate key is rumored to be buried and everyone is looking for it. Muscles and Mickey meet Doris, a busty robot. She guides them to search for the duplicate key but they are quickly captured by the Bone-Heads, a group of sand burrowing skeletons. Overall, I give these two chapters a B- because the artwork was such a contrast to the first chapter.

The forth chapter is “Dear Droxin” and introduces Herb Boyer, a fellow scientist that was in the same room with Muscles when the explosion happened. He crossed over to Quargo two years to Arthur’s two weeks. Mickey is captured by a giant Droxin and takes him to an arena. He must fight the family of the the young Droxin that was killed in the first chapter. I give this chapter a B+ mostly because of what happened to Mickey even though it sets up the next chapter. Chapter five is “Junkyard Memoirs” and gives more background for Muscles and Mickey. This is my favorite story from the entire collection and earns an A+.

You can purchase Doctor Muscles: Journal One at Bogus Publishing for $14.95.