WONDER WOMAN #10 DC COMICS
This issue can be looked at in two ways. First off, it is a humorous story featuring Donna Troy and her Wonder Girls bonding. A story that proves while heroes in their own way, they are not the next Wonder Woman. And while their escapades in trying to get in and fly the Invisible Jet had me laughing outloud, it also showed that Diana hasn’t really trained them as well as we thought. Tom King’s story really portraits them as sisters. Fighting amongst themselves, teasing one another, but still moving forward to a common goal. That part of the story would have earned it an 8 out of 10 Grahams. But then we have the other part of the story with Diana and Cheetah beating each other up while bearing their inner thoughts to each other. And in the end, they are back to being friends. Whatever the plans of the evil shadow government, they suck at moving forward. Is this King’s way of pointing out that the population in the DC universe much like in real life is overrun with gullible fools? We’ve known that since DC’s 1986 Legends mini-series. Whatever the villians are up to, I wish they just admit defeat and get this storyline overwith. That part would have earned it 4 Grahams so I’m willing to split the difference, 6 out 0f 10 Grahams.
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #3 FACSIMILE EDITION
By now, the story was starting to really heat up! And DC was cracking open the vaults to let all the heroes and villians out! The Losers, Nighthawk, the cowboy Johnny Thunder, Kamandi! DC was out to prove that this story was the be all end all of the DC Universe. Shadow Demons popping up everywhere and disintergrating everyone! A white distructive wall of anti-energy that was the artists’ best friend! And, of course, the image of Barry Allen being shreaded into nothingness. This is the one time I remember looking at a panel with Batman where he looked absolutely freaked out. A peak into the World of DC when Wolfman, Perez, and Giordano were in the drivers seat! 9 out of 10 Grahams.
RETRO FAN MAGAZINE #33 TWOMORROWS
Never has the title of a magazine hit the nail right on the head. Forget current terminology, if you were growing up between the mid 1960s through the early 1990’s, this will bring back a lot of memories. Remember when the Fantastic 4 cartoon featured all of the original members? Or when the annoying Herbie had to fill in for the Human Torch? Not only because there was some concern that us idiot kids might try to set ourselves on fire while yelling “Flame On!” but mainly because the character of Johnny Storm had been optioned off to Universal Studios for a live-action television show that only saw a script written for. Highlighting a time when every television channel was overrun with Westerns. And the years where we all made “Nananananana” sound effects as we ran and jumped in slow motion! And, of course, where Mom couldn’t get the grocery bags (brown paper!) in the house without me and my brother rummaging through them to see if it was going to be Twinkies, HoHos, or Ding Dongs in our lunches! So much nostalgia crammed into one magazine. 8 out of 10 Grahams.
AMERICAN NATURE PRESENTS #1
From the good folks who continue to amaze me with their Santos Sisters title! Imagine that it’s the late 1980’s – early 1990’s and comic journals like Wizard and Comics Review have just been joined by a new independant magazine. Cause that’s what this is. A few comic pages featuring not only Greg and Fake’s Santos Sisters but Josh Pettinger’s Clown Meat and Rich Tommaso’s Carl the Costume Designer! Interviews, touching looks at old fads, and of course the insane Classified Ad page. And while it did strain my old eyes a bit, I do like the comic dimensions rather than the old magazine size. The perfect extension to the Santos Sisters universe. 9 out of 10 Grahams.