JAY GARRICK: THE FLASH #5 DC COMICS
I really wonder if DC realizes what a good creative team they have here. Jeremy Adams story continues to move along at a good pace without losing the readers. Diego Olortegui does a great job illustrating all those super-speed moves. And it goes without saying that you almost have to wear sunglasses to take in Luis Guerrero’s color pallet! DC’s New Golden Age titles appear to be getting lost in the shuffle of Batman titles these days and it really shouldn’t. This is an excellent title that deserves some noteriety. With guest JSA members popping up here and there, this book puts a big smile on the Golden Age comic lover. (Ok, I’ll admit, I could do without RoBear.) But it still earns a 9 out of 10 Grahams.
VAMPIRESS CARMILLA 2025 ANNUAL
Warrant Magazine continues to recreate the Silver Age of black and white horror comic magazines. Including the wonderful annuals that went under the name Fear Books. With a multitude of stories from early issue and an amazing new story, this one really packs a punch. The best part is paring writers like Nicola Cuti, Don Glut, and Artie Godwin (among others!) with artists like Benito Gallego, Santos Zaballos, and Paul McCaffrey you can’t help but get a gem. And with Reno Maniquis’s version of Frankenstein (looks like Boris Karloff stepped right out of the screen!) and Nik Poliwko’s version of Dracula which came straight out of a Hammer film (Holy Christopher Lee!) These stories make a great little flashback to the good old days of horror. 9 out of 10 Grahams.
HACK/SLASH BACK TO SCHOOL #3 IMAGE COMICS
This is one twisted insane story that Zoe Thorogood has come up with. Side-stepping the “Mother” storyline for an issue, Thorogood’s Doctor Dante Andromeda is equally as demented. And while Cassie and Vlad are here, they are just a small part of the ensemble cast here. This title could easily spin off parts of the story into another mini-series as Thorogood provides the reader with a lot to work with here. 8 out of 10 Grahams.
BONUS FLASHBACK REVIEW !!!!!!!!!
AMERICAN HONDA PRESENTS SUPERGIRL (1984)
In the 1980’s, Supergirl had been rediscovered by DC Comics. She was in the process of having her own big screen spin-off movie. She had her own new comic series (1983’s Daring Adventures of Supergirl) after a successful run in the Superman Family title. There was also an in-depth look at car safety by the government. And so when Honda wanted to show off how committed to car safety they were, they went to DC and cut a deal for the immensely popular Maid of Steel to appear in a few mini comics in cooperation with US Department of Transportation. And thus we get this little give-away, where Linda (Supergirl) Danvers is driving a couple of kids named Jack and Sally. When the children fall asleep in the car, they are transported to Motorville where Supergirl cares after them. And DC gave all parties their monies’ worth. With such talents as Joe Orlando, Bob Oksner, Dave Hunt, and Bob Rozakis boosting it up. Sure it’s cheesy and definitely a little time capsule but it’s good clean fun. I give it an 8 out of 10 Grahams.