MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
I wonder if Jack Kirby had realized what he had created in April of 1978 when Devil Dinosaur made his first appearance. Appearing with his then friend Moon Boy, the original series only lasted for nine issues. And most scholars would agree that this title was created for all the wrong reasons. Done during Kirby’s third go around at Marvel, he was instructed to created a new character based on his Kamandi comic for DC but with a dinosaur in it (cause dinosaurs are cool!). Word had filtered that DC was trying to come up with an animated version of Kamandi and Marvel wanted some of that sweet sweet animation money and fame. Needless to say, none of it worked out and there would be no issue ten. But the character would pop up every now and again and reminded everyone that dinosaurs are cool. And that’s why he had to be brought to the official Marvel Universe. Gaining a new sidekick in the form of Moon Girl, another series that lasted 47 issues, and a 5 issue mini-series in 2023. This one-shot is a nice little reminder as to why the characters are still adored by fans. Whether they are gathering other heroes to fight(?) the Impossible Man or show off a variant version of the characters for a possible new series, this is still good clean fun with a moral lesson here and there. (Moon Girl demanding Doctor Strange repeat his classic phrases is priceless!) This one works on multiple levels. 9 out of 10 Grahams.
VAMPIRELLA #1 DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Another #1 issue of everyone’s favorite skimpyly dressed vampire. With such names and Forrest J. Ackerman, Trina Robbins, Frank Frazette, and Tom Sutton starting out her career, it was the art of Jose Gonzalez that made her a household name. And while there have been so many backstory revisions and art styles, no one has really captured that first series. This is the 6th relaunch of the character and shows a Legacy Numbering of 676 on the cover. And unfortunately, this one doesn’t either. Christopher Priest’s story is standard fare with Vampirella and baby son trying to make it work in Brooklyn until a future of the child arrives. And while Ergun Gunduz is a great artist/colorist and can illustrate the tightest most gravity defying costume, the ‘it’ factor is just not there. But that, I think is part of the problem. The first creative teams did such an amazing job that no one can simply match up. And to make matters worse, we are given like over a hundred different cover variants done by just about everyone. With each one trying to ramp up the erotic factor taking away from the real art inside. I will say that Willie Schubert’s various lettering styles is spot on from page to page. From regular dialog, to sound effects, to the old style typewriter lettering on the time of days is really appropriate for the different panels. Ok story, ok art, but just a bit off. Certain images of the classicly outfitted Vampi holding the baby are just a bit awkward. Still not as bad as the 1996 film adaptation with Talisa Soto. 6 out of 10 Grahams.
RESURRECTION MAN QUANTUM KARMA #1 DC COMICS
While he was no Immortal Man from the pages of Strange Adventure Comics, Resurrection Man made for some interesting storyline back in the late 1990’s. But this is a Black Label title, so things aren’t going to be pleasant. Writer Ram V is definitely digging deep into some metaphysical text books as Mitch Shelly dies again and rises with the ability to wield time. But it comes with other issues including a version of himself who acts as an instructor. And then it starts to get weird. How weird? World War II cannibals! The purple shaded creature that has come to devour the universe! A clockwork area in the center of the universe! Yep, you’re going to have to really read this story. This is not for you average comic reader. 7 out of 10 Grahams.
DC COMICS FINEST PEACEMAKER KILL FOR PEACE TPB
The good folks at DC Comics Finest strike again. This time taking us to another comic company all together. Peacemaker may have his own streaming series and showed up in big screen movies but once upon a time he was a backup feature in the pages of Charlton Comics the Fightin’ 5 title. And while he quickly graduated to his own title, he was still part of a tertiary comic company. With such future stars like Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, and Sarge Steel in house ads with him. And then, DC Comics swooped in and took over the characters. And unlike Captain Atom and Blue Beetle who got there own titles, Peacemaker got a mini-series and then started popping up in various titles. Checkmate, Suicide Squad, Vigilante, he was guesting in all of them. And I will admit, re-reading those Cold War early comics was quite fun. Then, we enter the disturbing late 1980’s DC version with some mental health issues and the voice of his dead axis power father added some real depth to the character. Then, it just sort of got silly. But for good or bad, it’s all here. At least, up until his apparent death at the hands of Eclipso. This is one of the ‘What were they thinking?’ characters that acts as a real time capsule. 8 out of 10 Grahams.
