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.

Comic Review: Holli Hoxxx Volume One

Holli Hoxxx: Volume One is a ninety-six page color graphic novel with story by Austin Tinius and Adam Tinius, artwork by Stefano Cardoselli and cover by Glenn Fabry. Published by Bogus Publishing and released in September 2012. The synopsis from the publisher states “The year is 2051 in New York City, and gravity is a thing of the past. For the last thirty years Tycho Industries has remained the only manufacturer and seller of gravity boots. Now a new company has entered the ring with a plan to finally restore gravity back to the city once and for all. The former face of Tycho, Holli finds herself thirty years in the future braving an unfamiliar world. With the ceremony to restore gravity back to New York in less than twenty-four hours, and a paralyzing illness weighing her down, Holli must find her father and discover her destiny before time is up.”

The artwork and story of Holli Hoxxx: Volume One feels like something straight out of Heavy Metal magazine without any nudity. The science fiction story starts with two construction workers finding her buried in the sand. They report the finding to their boss only to find her gone when he returns with them. Holli enters a dinner to get something to eat. A television set is on and the reader gets a quick history lesson about Thyco Boots that allows the wearer to stay on the ground provided that they are kept charged and the Newton, a small pyramid-shaped device that provides a wider range of artificial gravity. Seven much bigger Newtons have been built around the floating Manhattan island. They must be turned on at the exactly the same time so not to destroy everything.

The story switches from Holli making her way to Manhattan to the construction workers and other characters. She is not what she seems even though she became one of the hottest models in the world and the best spokes model that Tycho Industries ever had. Her journey and the various characters provides more insight to how different the world is without gravity. Overall, I give Holli Hoxxx: Volume One a B+ mostly because I got hooked on the young construction worker more than Holli herself.

You can order a copy at Bogus Publishing for $11.99.

Book Review: Spider-Man and Fantastic Four: Wreckage

Spider-Man and Fantastic Four: Wreckage (Boulevard/Bryon Priess, November 1997) by Eric Fein and Pierce Askegren is the third and final book in the Doom's Day trilogy. Five big black robots breaks Doctor Octopus out of prison and five more steal his tentacles, which are held elsewhere. Peter Parker aka is married to Mary Jane and investigates the break out. SAFE enlists the help of Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic to study one of the robots. The robots are based on ones used by Hydra but the weaponry is so advanced that only Doctor Doom could have sent them. Doom forces Octopus to work on a device that will harness the energy from the Negative Zone and that means sneaking into the home of the Fantastic Four.

I finished reading Spider-Man and Fantastic Four: Wreckage a few nights ago and I found it slow at first but picks up quickly. I have not read the first two books in the trilogy but there is enough explanation of what went on before that this book can be read without having to read the other two books. The ending was predictable but the epilogue made up for it. Overall, I give the book a solid B.

Comic Review: Double Jumpers #2

Action Lab Entertainment's Double Jumpers #2 is just as good as the first issue if not better. Kane Darkheart and his band of adventurers hit a casino for coin of the land and Peepers for food. Meanwhile, Jason and his friends try to figure out how they can get out of the "game". While there are jokes aplenty, there is some seriousness too. One of my favorite moments in Double Jumpers #2 is after the fight at Peepers: The artwork and story continue to be great so I give Double Jumpers #1 an A+ also. I highly recommend this mini-series to everyone but especially to those cosplay and gamer fans.

Now Reading: Jack Hammer: Political Science

I'm currently reading a review copy of Jack Hammer: Political Science from Action Lab Entertainment that collects issues one to four. This superhero/crime novel story is not light reading but I'm greatly enjoying it so far. Imagine if Power Man retired from being a superhero and became a private investigator like Mike Hammer. Jack Hammer: Political Science is now available for pre-order from Diamond (APR120744) with a June 2012 release in comic book shops and elsewhere.

Green Lantern Movie Review

I finally watched Green Lantern on one of the movie channels earlier this evening. Why did I not watch it in theaters or buy the DVD? To be honest, I could not afford the movie ticket nor can I afford the DVD at this time. I liked the special effects and the costume works on screen. I really did not like the Hector Hammond (he looked more like the Elephant Man towards the end) and Parallax scenes. I really loved when Hal was on Oa and interacting with the other members of the Green Lantern Corps. Ryan Reynolds did an okay job as Hal Jordan but the aliens stole the movie for me especially Sinestro. Overall, I give Green Lantern a B+.

Comic Review: Double Jumpers #1

Double Jumpers #1 (May 2012) is the first issue of a four part mini series from Action Lab Entertainment. Dave Dwonch did the story, script and letters while the art and colors where done by Bill Blankenship. The story is a twist on gamers getting stuck in their favorite fantasy video game. In this case, the group consists of the designers and programmers. There is drama with relationships such as Danielle Miyamoto being the daughter of the original game along with humor. The colorful art is crisp and the text is easy to read. The characters are unique with their own quirks. Be warned that there are some naughty words and adult situations. I enjoyed the first issue of Double Jumpers enough to want to the read the rest of the mini series. The art and story are enough for me to rate this issue an A+ so I highly recommend picking a copy up.

Comic Review: Princeless #3

Princeless #3 (December 2011) from Action Lab Entertainment picks up where the previous issue left off with Princess Adrienne being carried upside down with her bloomers showing by her dragon, Sparky. She believes that it is time to find a blacksmith and get some armor that fits her. Instead of finding the smith, she finds his daughter, Bedelia Smith, who shows off her women warrior's collection that includes the sonya, the diana and the warrior princess. The scene and conversation that the two girls have is hilarious. Princess Adrienne convinces her to make something less revealing and more practical for her. After she gets measured, she steps out to get some gold to pay for the armor so she puts on the diana armor that only comes with a rope. Wearing the skimpy armor draws some unwanted attention. Sparky gives her some treasure and on the way back runs into two soldiers that are looking for her. Princess Adrienne manages to defeat the two armed with only a rope before running back into the smith's building, where her new specially made armor is waiting for her. I have to say that the new armor is very cool looking. Princeless #3 gets an A+ just for the introduction of Bedelia Smith and her women warrior's collection of armor.

Book Review: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

I finished reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay: A Novel by Michael Chabon (Picador, 2000) earlier this evening. I found it a local thrift store for two dollars and had to get it. The story follows two comic creators, Josef Kavalier and Sam Clay, as they create the Escapist in 1939 and ends after the two are reunited in 1953. I will not go into much detail but the book will appeal to comic book historian buffs for legends such as Stan Lee makes appearances. Overall, I give the book a B because it does drag in some places.

Comic Review: Space-Time Condominium Season One

Space-Time Condominium Season One is a collection of Dave Dwonch's webcomic published by Action Lab Entertainment. Basically, the story is about a reality show with the contestants being the same person but from parallel worlds tossed together on condo outside of the space time continuum. The Gatekeeper is a scientist that brings them all together. The humor is a mixed bag since there is a "normal" Griffin from 1985, Griffin the uptight computer programmer, Griffin the white trash alcoholic, Griffin the flamboyant aerobics instructor and Griffin from a world where white people think they are black. My favorite part is when the tough female version named Griffine is introduced to the rest of the contestants. Overall, I give Space-Time Condominium Season One a solid C since most of the jokes fall flat for me and Griffene is just not enough to keep me interested and the cow version of Griffin was really lame.

Comic Review: Ehmm Theory #2

The beginning of Ehmm Theory #2 from Lost Story Studios is a flashback to 1982 where Aaron Ehmm, Gabriel's father, is a college student full of ideas. He catches the attention of two Russian sisters, Dominika and Alyona Tarasov. The scene shifts to the present with Gabriel Ehmm and his talking kitten, Mr. Whispers, riding in a car with Alyona, who is telling the story. She tells him of Lanny, the night shift janitor that was once in the military. He told Aaron and the sisters of an expedition to the South Pole where the team encountered a talking rabbit. Aaron is intrigued because he had theories of other planes of existence and plans to go to the South Pole.

A giant lobster with machine parts attached to its claws and back attacks the car with Gabriel and Alyona. She retrieves a strange gun with large ammunition from a briefcase. Before she can fire the weapon, two shots are fired elsewhere. Members of G.O.D.D. (Guardians of Dimensional Defense) spring into the battle and take down the giant lobster but Alyyona puts it out of its misery. The team consists of Mindwolf, Thermal Ghost, the Alchemist, the EMP and T.A.M.M.I. (Technologically Advanced Mechanized Military Instrument). The funniest moment is when Mr. Whispers and T.A.M.M.I. gets into an argument. G.O.D.D. wants Gabriel to go with him but Alyona manages to convince him to continue with her. The two teams go their separate ways.

The final scene of Ehmm Theory #2 finds Peter, who gave Gabriel his mission talking to his true boss. Seems that all is not what it appears to be. I will not spoil whom the big boss is but it deepens the mystery of what is really going on in this series.

The art and story of Ehmm Theory #2 is just as great as the first issue. Brockton McKinney and Larkin Ford are very talented and this book shows that they can keep the momentum going. This issue also gets an A+ from me.

Comic Review: Ehmm Theory #1

From the creators of DeathCurse comes Ehmm Theory #1, a twenty-four page black and white independent comic. Gabriel Ehmm gets killed by his girlfriend and wakes up to find Mr. Whispers, a cute kitten that he had gotten her, talking to him. Saint Peter arrives and explains that he needs to complete tasks before he can get into Purgatory. Technically, he is a ghost but he does not have any special abilities. Ehmm's first task is to find out why midget zombies are being created outside a small carnival town. They are teleported to the graveyard and battle a group of monsters before being saved by an old lady, who mistakes Ehmm as his father, Aaron. She agrees to help find him if he is still on this earth.

Ehmm Theory #1 by Brockton McKinney and Larkin Ford (Lost Story Studios) is a mix of science fiction (Saint Peter has an actual teleporter) and horror (midget zombies). While Gabriel is the main focus of the series and makes for a great hero, my favorite character is Mr. Whispers, the cute kitten (hey, the only reason why I watch the Shrek movies is for Puss in Boots). I give this issue an A+ because the art and story are both great. I highly recommend that you check out Ehmm Theory #1, which can be purchased at Indy Planet.

Comic Review: DeathCurse #1

If you are looking for an old fashioned horror anthology comic, then check out Death Curse #1 (November 2011) from Lost Story Studio (their website is under new construction and will be back online soon). The thirty-two page black and white independent comic book is hosted by Mr. Latch and The Curse. The pair are even visited by Ms. Haven and her zombie bodyguard, Larry, from The Haven of Horror. This issue has the following stories: "Pack 666", part one of the ongoing "Vacculus", "Parting Out" and the startling secret of Mr. Lotharen Latch in "Storybook Origin". The stories were written by Brockton McKinney and Bo Fader. The artists include Bridgit Scheide, Chris Moreno, Jason Strutz, Larkin Ford and Jonas Britt. Death Curse #1 is rated R for gore and nudity.

While the stories have a great mixture of horror and humor (my favorite being "Pack 666"), the real fun is the interplay between Latch and Curse. I give the first issue a solid A. If you are a fan of the old EC Comics horror anthologies or DC's The House of Mystery, then you will want to check out DeathCurse #1.

Comic Review: Princeless #2

Princeless #2 (November 2011) will be available in stores and on Graphicly on November 30, 2011. This issue picks up right after the events of Princeless #1 with Davin sparring with his father when news that his twin sister, Adrienne, was killed by a dragon arrives. He is more upset than his father is and the dragon arrives soon after with a mysterious rider. I will not go into much detail here so not to spoil Princeless #2. I will say that this issue was also worth reading and I give it an A just like I did the first issue.

Comic Review: The Order of Dragonet #5

The Order of Dragonet #5 is written by Jeremy Whitley while Jason Strutz provided the artwork. The issue is published by Firetower Studios and you can order a print or digital copy from their website. The first four issues are also available and they will be collected in a trade later this year.

The issue starts with Merlin talking to a oddball band consisting of what he calls “two knights, a Jew and a Moor who consorts with faeries.” The only one called by name is the black woman named Laverne, who does not like the way that the old mage talks. He considers them the knights of the realm as he tries finds the entrance to the crystal cavern. Once open and inside the cave, they find a large round table with chairs. Merlin admits that Camelot used to stand between Cornwall and Wales.

The Order of Dragonet #5 switches to a group of centaurs enjoying a man that looks like Elton John playing the piano in the woods. An older centaur tells a white-haired man that they have been trapped for centuries. He gets snatched by a mysterious person that says that he is in danger and is going to get him out. The issue shifts scenes again to a blonde fairy looking for the queen. Her sister fairy is watching Shark Week on the tv and seems to enjoy watching the humans getting attacked. There is a little man sitting next to her on a sofa but I cannot what he is. The blonde fairy tells her sister about throwing up on Merlin after drinking some beer.

The issue shifts back to the old mage and the so-called knights. He opens a magical bag but no one is impressed and in fact one of the guys says that it is just special effects. Merlin stuffs his staff in the bag so it appears that it may be a bag of holding. The scene shifts to the old man who bites the mysterious person’s fingers in the woods. He yells for Angus, the centaur that he was talking to earlier, who arrives with his bow at the ready. The mysterious person turns out to be a redheaded woman and we learn that the old man’s name is Patrick. Angus admits that he should go with her because the centaurs practice human sacrifice. She introduces herself as Jenny and he tells her that he is Patrick Tottington, a knight.

Back at the crystal cave, the guy with the thick accent pulls out a magical lute. Merlin tells them that the musical instrument is the weapon that will set England free. The one wearing glasses argues with the old mage that the weapons should be at the lake. Merlin gets very angry and tells him to withdraw his weapon from the magic bag. He is very surprised when the man wearing glasses pulls out a huge sword. The old mage claims that Arthur should have shown up by now and tells the group that their queen is held in a place called the Globe. The knights are about to leave when they find out that it is dawn. They decide to rest and go after the queen that night. Merlin gets a headache and wishes that Arthur would hurry up and arrive. Speaking of the king, the issue ends with him waking up on a boat

I enjoyed The Order of Dragonet #5 even though this was not a good jumping on issue. I have yet to read the first four issues but this issue does make me want to read them. Merlin and Arthur was easily identified but some of the characters are never named. I did like the dialogue especially when Merlin and Patrick were talking. The artwork does take some time getting used to. If you enjoy reading about Merlin in the modern day with some humor thrown in, then you will enjoy this issue. Overall, I give The Order of Dragonet #5 a solid B.

You can view more art by Jason Strutz at Strutz Illustration.

Comic Review: Princeless #1

Princeless #1 (October 2011) is the first issue of a four part mini series that will wrap up by year’s end. Another four part mini series will start shortly after that. Jeremy Whitley is the writer while Mia Goodwin provided the art and colors. Letters and “Mr. Froggy” colors was done by Jung-Ha Kim while the “Mr. Foggy” art was provided by D. E. Belton. Princeless #1 will be published by Action Lab Entertainment and Firetower Studios. The book will be available through Diamond, local comic book shops and at conventions this fall. A preview copy should be made available in time for the San Diego Comic Con.

The issue starts with a young princess named Adrienne finding fault with fairy tale that her mother reads her. She then finds herself in a tower guarded by a female dragon named Sparky about ten years later. She insults a young prince coming to her rescue before the dragon shows up. While the pair battle, Adrienne finds a sword under her bed. She decides to rescue her five older sisters from their towers with Sparky’s help.

The prince that Sparky was fighting with earlier finds his way back to Adrienne’s father, who is not happy with his failed rescue attempts. He claims that he has seven daughters in seven towers guarded by seven mythical beasts. The king even says that Sparky was chosen in hopes that she would be easily slain. He calls his own son, Devin, not worthy to be king since he would rather play dress up. There is more but I do not want to give everything away in this review.

I really like the art and story of Princeless #1 but the characters are what really shine. There are several amusing moments with Adrienne but my favorite are the scenes with Sparky, who has an appetite for princes. This comic book is suitable for all ages and fans of Disney-like fairy tales will get a kick out of it. I give Princeless #1 a solid A.

Heroes #3 Comic Con Promo

Heroes #3 was exclusive to San Diego Comic Con 2008 and has a cover by Michael Turner featuring Echo (right), Mohinder Suresh (middle) and Takezo Kensei (left). The cover characters are featured in three stories. "Blackout" is a two-part story that has Suresh finding a man that absorbs electricty in a hospital. My favorite story of the comic book by far is "The Ten Brides of Takezo Kensei" that has the character reflecting on all of his wives while he's buried in the coffin that Hiro teleported him into. The ending has a nice twist that I will not give away. Finally, "Going Postal" is about Echo De Mille, the main character of the new Heroes webisode series. I find his nemesis to be more interesting than he was but the story was still pretty good.

The cover of Heroes #3 Comic Con Promo

Justice League: The New Frontier Review

I received a complimentary copy of the Justice League: The New Frontier DVD in yesterday’s mail. I watched the animated movie earlier this afternoon and I was greatly impressed. I have been a fan of the Justice League since the mid-1970s when I first starting reading the Justice League of America comic book. I used to watch the Super Friends cartoon series with a bowl of cereal on early Saturday morning. I caught most of the Justice League animated series and the follow up series, Justice League Unlimited.

Justice League: The New Frontier is set in the 1950s when America was dealing with the Korean War, the McCarthy hearings and rise of the Civil Rights Movement. Wonder Woman speaks of the horrors of war to Superman in 1952 in a village in Indo-China where only the women survived. Hal Jordan is shown as a jet pilot on July 27, 1953, which is the day that the Korean War ended. One of the headlines at the beginning of the animated movie states that Washington declared war on the mystery men. Later, there is a report on the mob beating of a black man named John Wilson. The title itself is from John F. Kennedy’s acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention in 1960.

While Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman appear throughout Justice League: The New Frontier, the animated movie is more about the Hal Jordan, Martian Manhunter and the Flash. After the Korean War, Hal becomes a test pilot for Carol Ferris. The Martian Manhunter arrives on earth and becomes a plainclothes policeman. Barry Allen dons his Flash uniform and runs from Central City to Las Vegas after hearing the attack of Captain Cold while talking to Iris West on the telephone. Other characters in the DC Universe that appear are Ace Morgan from Challengers of the Unknown (the graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke has more with them), King Faraday, Rick Flag, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Robin, Green Arrow, the Blackhawks, Adam Strange, Aquaman and Ray Palmer before he becomes the Atom.

I won’t bore you with a scene by scene description of Justice League: The New Frontier because I want you to enjoy some of the same surprises that I did. Those who have read the six-issue mini-series, DC: The New Frontier will know the basics anyway. The animated movie has tons of surprises that a DC Comics fan like me will enjoy. One of my favorite surprises is Batman’s costume change and the explanation for it. The basic plot is about an alien threat and the mystery men team up to combat. Part of the movie’s fun is when the Martian Manhunter and Batman finds that a mysterious force is growing stronger.

Justice League: The New Frontier had fluid animation and coloration. The voice actors were great especially David Boreanaz as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Miquel Ferrer as J’onn J’onz/Martian Manhunter, Neal Patrick Harris as Barry Allen/The Flash and Lucy Lawless as Wonder Woman. The animated movie is rated PG13 for some violent scenes and adult situations.

Fans of the Justice League animated series may be disappointed by Justice League: The New Frontier and the “retro” look. However, fans that still remember Hal Jordan and Barry Allen in their early days will greatly enjoy this animated movie. I watched the widescreen version that lasted for seventy-five minutes. The bonus features included Super Heroes United: The Complete Justice League History, an exclusive sneak peak at DC Universe’s Batman Gotham Knight, an audio commentary featuring the filmmakers of the animated movie (Bruce Timm among others) and an audio commentary featuring Darwyn Cooke. I greatly enjoyed watching Justice League: The New Frontier and the feature is now one of my favorite animated movies.

A special thank you for the person that sent me the DVD to review.