A Fun Comic, Less Fun Fantasy, & My November thoughts

NOVEMBER Buffet of fun
By Alex Ness
November 1, 2022

LIFE AS AN OLD MAN

The first person I looked up to as an adult male in my life, was my Uncle Leo, and when he passed in 1994 it was a dozen torpedo strikes in my thinly protected underside. I'd say to people, the sun didn't come up for me for almost a year afterward. But the point of is, I'm now the same age as that great man when he passed. I have health issues, and I am in enough pain that leaving this world doesn't sound so bad. Who knew a handsome fellow with unlimited potential would be so unfairly dealt a hand of cards of so poor quality.

A LOOK AT NOVEMBER

I am a fan of horror, so I've always seemed to write more during Halloween's month than others, and that is good, something I like doing. But I've also enjoyed the writing about comics and such, and the freedom to write as often as I like. I think most people who read this blog do so for happy reasons, no one is paying for it, no one is making me do it, it is a case of writing for those who might be interested. I'm going to post at least one if not a couple interviews in November and perhaps more. I am looking at not doing Interview week projects and just utilizing the opportunity to post whenever something comes into my inbox and is ready to go.

REVIEW:

Super Team International ‘88 #1-5
By Scott Brown and Carlos Gabriel Diaz
Provided by Sphinxgroup PR for review

This comic features a great deal of nostalgia, colored as parody, and it isn't for children, if it is also somewhat enjoyably childish in certain ways. It plays upon the superhero teams and comics from both DC and Marvel from the 1970s and early 1980s in terms of look. It touches upon the style of team comics that took the lead in the late 1980s, where teams of vastly powerful heroes gather in groups, and the makeup of the teams makes them as likely to bicker and feud within the team as they are to solve crimes and bring villains in for justice. It has similarities in particular to the JL and JLI of Keith Giffen and Kevin Maguire, but, oddly, my feel for this is as much about the X-Men of Chris Claremont and John Byrne, as it uses these conflicts to push forward the story and create drama as much as the actual drama. However, there is violence that isn't for children, there are consequences of behavior that most comics ignore. So as parody I think it works more as satire, and as a homage it is less in homage as it is in the style of...

In a different art form, Country music of the 1990s into the 2000s, the band The Mavericks made music that was completely and stylistically different than other bands and performers in the genre of the day, and when they made several hits, somewhat against the grain of the hits of the day, some were puzzled how they thrived with such a different sound. When asked what they were about, one member of the band said, stylistically our music pulls from and is enhanced by the country music of the 1960s whereas current Country music sounds like it recycles rhythms and tone of 1970s hits in popular rock. The point being, sometimes the source material of the inspiration is more important than otherwise realized. The original works found in homage and satire that are mentioned above were popular to begin with, because they were homages to the past works also. That is, they evoked memories fondly, while showing in exaggerated detail, they worked on the surface level, in the present.

The 1960s X-Men were a family of young students and Professor X. They were young and teens, but they didn't fight like teens do amongst their own. The X-Men of the late 70s and beyond as written by Chris Claremont bickered and had angst. The JLA and JSA reunions and typical JLA adventures of the 1960s were lessons in friendship and teamwork. The Giffen Maguire JL was all about how they won the day, DESPITE themselves, and despite their disunity. A look at the style of art and cover designs are clearly love notes to the DC JLA comics of the early 1980s. Both stylistically unique, and growing obsolete. And I loved the close homage.

Writer/Letterer Scott Brown clearly did more than just blow a superhero team story out his ass. This was carefully constructed, intentional in the moments that are familiar, and clever in his use of darkness and light. Artist Carlos Gabriel Diaz is more than adequate in terms of creating the look, and accomplishing something that is new, at the same time as it comfortably and happily reminds the audience of what we love.

I absolutely recommend this comic, especially if you like quality in your stories rather than easy and mindless offerings from mainstream publishers.

DC: Piranha Press

While the other entries are individually considered, my outlook on the Piranha Press is that the works were not typical comics, and as they were not the usual variety of stories and images, I am going to write about what seemed to be the philosophy and quality of the works, more than the details of these works... ETC, THE SCORE AND BEAUTIFUL STORIES FOR UGLY CHILDREN were created, both written and in image for a far more mature audience than mainstream DC comics. While they were not wildly successful or popular in sales, they had a uniform quality of excellence about them. The ideas of mature considerations of life outside of the universe we live upon, codes of honor among the world of strippers and criminals, and dark stories using templates for modern audiences that would play even better in the present, are all worth exploring and these comics definitely achieved quality considerations. Sadly, I think most people of that era were interested in long term stories, with mainstream characters, and not expensive short term stories or series.

DC: Helix

SHEVA'S WAR
Christopher Moeller

The story and art both in Sheva's War are rather stunning and well done. The world shown is one where the human race has been nearly driven extinct and fights for its survival across space. It is an intelligent work, and one that has immediacy, and a better basis than most military science fiction I've read. 

THE BLACK LAMB
Timothy Truman

Less horror than dark fantasy, and not truly science fiction but speculative and thoughtful.  There are people who live in the darkness, on the fringes of society at best, underground or hidden more commonly... they are freaks, monsters, children of the darkness.  And even they have laws and guardians of their way.  Truman's writing is great here, and the art is pretty damn near perfect.

STAR CROSSED
Matt Howarth

This work is from a science fictional setting, but it plays more in a realm of fantasy and also social commentary that would seem apt for the present day. A genetically advanced woman, of enormous abilities has become drawn to and in love with a sentient asteroid.  Other life forms similar to her tell her it is vile to love a different species romantically, and she discovers that her romantic feelings don't seem to follow the borders and boundaries of others.  You could easily label this a fictional narrative that shows the outlook of new considerations being Transgender or possessing different Sexual Orientation than bipolarity of Heterosexuality. In three issues the work doesn't have enough time to explore and espouse its outlooks and p.o.v., but it has worth.

DC: Vertigo

THE EXTREMST
Peter Milligan & Ted McKeever

As might be expected within the Vertigo imprint, this series brings into view all of the darker and dangerous aspects of costumed vigilantes. In the moment of a heroic act, is the person wearing a mask nonetheless amoral, secretly pursuing acts of murder, risque sex acts, and further amorality? Does wearing the mask allow the wearer immunity from moral considerations? Can a vigilante be corrupted by the ability to do, anything? It is a great work that lingers, but one that society might ignore due to the story not being typical, easy to accept, and doesn't play with tropes and stereotypes, archetypes or stories to entertain. This series is meant to disturb. And it did just that.

INDUSTRIAL GOTHIC
Ted McKeever

What is beauty? Is beauty perfection? Ted McKeever's art style is often called post industrial, symbolist, and surreal. It isn't romantic in the least. So this series is actually two fold in the storytelling. Is the world we live upon one that confuses beauty for truth, worth, kindness or honor? Is the human body only able to become made perfect by surgery and changing it to fit modern society values? McKeever isn't the world's favorite comic artist, I get it, but the questions asked are important, and we need to find the answers. This series is among my favorites from Vertigo.

SCARAB
John Smith and Scot Eaton

In this work, the cost of being a hero is investigated, and the motives for, and ability to be a hero is also shown. The Scarab is a hero who originally was an actor in the Golden Age of superheroes, but his history is wildly different than all of the other heroes, and is investigated in ways that have relevance to the Scarab in the present. It is a work that is not hard to appreciate, the art is gorgeous and the story is detailed and intriguing. Ultimately through the 8 issue run, it had two aspects that were disappointing ... it felt at times as though there were other plot lines that were being laid, but unrealized in final form, and similarly while the work is entertaining and I got these cheap, so it was easily worth the money, it had a feeling of an unfinished quality about it. Perhaps it was a chapter, instead of a book, and if so, I wish they'd do more. But I don't think DC will.

FANTASY BOOKS/SERIES THAT DIDN'T WORK ENOUGH FOR ME

At one time I think I found it rather bizarre that readers here would want to know what I didn't like. I think, like most people probably, if I am not enjoying a work, I won't keep reading it, and there is not a chance that I'll keep buying the series. The question that inspired this short piece is, which fantasy book series did I read, but didn't really know why I kept reading, or most likely, a series good enough in the concept but not the end result or execution, or, a series that I kept reading hoping it would improve, and it never did.

DRAGONLANCE
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

I didn't hate these books, but I found them more about the setting and archetypes than characters you love or hate. They had a welcome humor about them but, that wasn't enough for me to like them. I did     like the art for the covers and all. However my taste and preferences aside, I definitely know people who read every book and series tangent, and know that they definitely loved them. 

MOONSHAE
Douglas Niles

I have liked other works by Douglas Niles. This work was less fun to read, and beyond that, I thought of it as more to show how certain narratives should be done, than a story of an epic event. I did like aspects of the story, and it wasn't a waste of time to read it. My copy was given to others when finished and the recipients enjoyed the series, so maybe I'm an idiot, or have really bad taste.

DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN
Anne McCaffery

I like dragons, and don't care the gender of the writer of books.  But this never felt epic or interesting enough to pursue very deeply. I was told it has worth, many looked at it from a perspective of dragons being more interesting than the humans. As such, it was ok.  I just never went far into Pern.

THE DUNGEON
Assorted Authors

I confess, I bought the first four books of the series entirely for the cover art. The stories were mildly interesting, and competent but the art went far beyond the prose. That I was schnookered by the art has happened more than once. And that's ok by me.

AT LAST! I PRESENT SOME ANSWERS TO NEVER ASKED QUESTIONS

MY FAVORITE POET

Ezra Pound.

MY FAVORITE STOOGE

That'd be Samuel Horwitz or Shemp Howard.

MY FAVORITE MARX BROTHER

I love Adolph later Arthur Marx a.k.a. Harpo Marx.

MY FAVORITE MONTGOMERY CLIFT MOVIE

From Here to Eternity, as if there were ever a question about it.

MY FAVORITE AKIRA KUROSAWA FILM & FAVORITE ACTOR in Kurosawa's films.

Seven Samurai.  Toshiro Mifune

MY FAVORITE BOOK BY ALAN DEAN FOSTER

Cachalot, but Midworld, Icerigger and Mad Amos are close.

To Get Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



MY LINKS:


My Poetry blog with 5000+ poems:   AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

All of my published Work:                AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

An Amazon Author Page:                 Amazon.com/author/AlexNess

Cthulhu Based Horror:                     CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com

Atlantis & Lost Worlds:                    AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

Please click upon the link below... it will take you to works that I have for sale, and there are more, but I chose to share these because you can write to me at AlexanderNess63@gmail.com and inquire after books I've written.  Not all remain in print, in fact, about half are in print still.  I have author copies to sell, so, please feel free to inquire...  FOR SALE

ALL IMAGES AND CONTENT ARE USED AS FAIR USE AND THERE ARE NO COPYRIGHT CLAIMS and all rights are served to the creatives and/or publishers.

GREAT HAPPY HALLOWEEN READING

REAL HORROR
By Alex Ness
October 30, 2022

HAPPY HALLOWEEN WEEK

I don't read horror as often as people who read me suggest that I might. Yes, I love horror. Yes I read and enjoy works others describe as being horror. But, they don't work for me as that.

You see, I deeply enjoy the Cthulhu Mythos but I rarely see it as working for me as being horror. It is more an archeology of horror or scientific dissection of horror, as I think it shows how horror could work, and why it should lead to fear. I love Brian Lumley's writing, whether it is horror or otherwise. But, there is horror that works as horror for me, and I reserve that for the opportunity to escape the issues of life through the adrenaline and rush in response to threat. I think perhaps I've read too much history and am aware of the evil that men have done. Genocide, war, murder, and worse are more than the genre horror can hope to evoke, even the most extreme of it.

I've mentioned here that I believe that should Stephen King wrote in genres outside of Horror, or Dark Fantasy or Science Fiction, he'd be celebrated as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th and 21st Century. The reason I say this, isn't that I love his work, I think it is very good, and a variety of his books I've very much thought to be great. It isn't that his work always works for me, it doesn't. But, he has a collection of stories that is consistently wonderfully written. His creation of concepts and story is masterful, and he has an ability to say in words what most require images to impart. Now his writing is beyond normal and good, because it creates scenes and real sounding dialogue that make the reader have to respond, somehow, via their emotions or intellect. And, for me, I tend to find my senses emotionally drained after reading his work. Which is, I think, exactly, what good writing does. 

This piece ends the month of October, and celebrates Halloween, with some great writers to seek out, buy the works of, visit the library, pursue...

Author/Director JOE MONKS and Extreme Horror

Joe Monks is my friend. He is quite easily the funniest person I've ever met, and there are loads of people who are funny and clever that I've met over my life. But, why I start this with him, and his works, is due to the kind of horror he creates, and is a bit of pariah due to his brand of such. He did more than write horror, he is a film director and screen writer. He also spent time in the trenches of magazines of all sorts, honing his craft. His horror is dark, but more, where other authors write horror that the reader responds to, views, lets soak in, Monks goes further. His horror is extreme, but it is something that pursues the reader, finds them where they are comfortable, and changes that. His variety of horror has an effect of causing fear, certainly, but it does more than that. It makes you realize that upon completion of the story, you are not done, it lingers in memory, and disturbs your peace. If you love Horror, his work is exactly that. If you prefer softer work, it might scare you into coma. 

THE HORROR BOOKS OF STEVE NILES

Steve Niles created horror in the comic book world with his concepts of Thirty Days of Night, Cal McDonald and Freaks of the Heartland. I've been told people find them sexy, but, that wouldn't be my take. They have something about them, though, that isn't sexy, but makes them effective. The horror of them is in the fact that these being exist and we are surrounded by them, only to become aware that we are, ourselves, monsters, if not mutated or ugly. There is a celebration of the darkness in Niles' works, and it functions powerfully as a means of disarming and getting beyond the layers of mental defense a reader puts before him. There are fun avenues we go down in Niles' writing too. Cal McDonald might be Steve Niles in a different form. The vampires unleashed in his 30 Days of Night mythos are evil, but more than that, they hunger. That hunger is dark, violent, malevolent, but that hunger exists in us all, making these monsters reflecting our nature, rather than threatening our nature. 

RAMSEY CAMPBELL

I am a fan of great authors writing in the Cthulhu Mythos of Lovecraft. But Ramsey Campbell's versions were ok, but feel like there is less of an ownership of the concept, becoming somewhat forced, or jaded. And if you leave his works there, they'd be ok. But, Campbell's original work in his own literary universe, are amazing, dangerous, and have a flavor that lingers in the readers mental palette.  That might happen as a result of a writing style better suited for the concepts he deals with in his own work, versus what is needed when writing in the Cthulhu Mythos. It certainly is the case that the books of Campbell grew in quality over time, as if the mastery of writing is the reason for effective horror, rather than a new or different take upon known subject matter.

ANNE RICE

As readers here know, I adored Anne Rice. She answered some questions over time, and was very generous with her time, which for a popular author is rare, and difficult. Her death in December 2021 was shocking, and I will miss her output and her presence online. Rice didn't write new concepts in horror. She wrote intriguing characters and addressed interesting subjects, without the standard horror outlook that one might find elsewhere. The reason her concepts and subjects worked was due to her treatment of them in a real, less mythologized way, giving them interests and needs that we normal humans also possess. Her graceful words and softer approach works well, because in horror we have become used to tropes and common styles in the genre that alert us to impending danger or doom. Her soft voice allows her evil to be perceived so, after serious reflection. I guess I am saying, she doesn't tell us to be afraid, we become it.

MARY SHELLEY

I've written about appreciating the work of Shelley for a long time. I just wish there were more of it.  Her concept/foundations of Frankenstein was more than horror, it was a question that has no answer yet. If God creates, what if humans could in a laboratory create life, would that make humans God? In the Last Man, her concept appeared at a time that couldn't perceive the enormous concept, what if humans could be snuffed out by a pandemic? Her works are written in the style of the day, but still, the truth of both ring loudly.

EDGAR ALLAN POE

In my early days of writing poetry for print and to be read by others, there was a perception in some that I was trying to evoke Edgar Allan Poe's works. I was not, however, if anything did rub off on me, it wouldn't be odd, since I did really enjoy Poe, and think he was courageous at his time of writing, for pursuing subject matter that didn't yet exist.  His poetry is more my thing than short prose, but I like both.
 

About Getting Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



MY LINKS:


My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess

Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com

Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.

WHEN MONSTERS RULED MY LIFE

STORIES FROM MY ANCIENT ORIGINS
By Alex Ness
October 27, 2022

Long ago, before VHS or BETA, Cable tv or television for 24 hours a day, I lived.  It was Hell for not seeing the films you wanted to see. One time I was excited to see The Mole People was the Friday night movie, on channel 13. However, it was replaced by Bedtime for Bonzo. Well I made it my bedtime too, screw Bonzo, I wanted monsters, DAMMIT!

In February in 1971 I remember very clearly when I was at Cinema 8, on 8th St. in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. My friend Glenn Gregg had called early on Sunday morning and after church, I'd go over to their home and his mother would take us and drop us off for the matinee. I had read in the local paper it was a kid's show with cartoons, but that turns out to have been on the Saturday. I thought, meh, not great but still Glenn was my bestie, and I would get to see a film instead of staying home. But Sunday's show? IT WAS GODZILLA. Lord it was good. And, in addition to it being good, it remains my favorite Godzilla film, however, I prefer the original name, Godzilla vs. Mothra. It was renamed for us sophisticated Americans, with Godzilla vs. The Thing. Pffft so unnecessary.

I'd seen Godzilla vs. King Kong about two months prior, and I was in awe of the magnificence of movie monsters. Eventually at the same cinema I saw Destroy All Monsters and Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster. I read magazines featuring monster movies, and discovered a fighter of monsters, and hungered to watch Ultraman. It took a considerable time before that happened, but I loved it once it happened.

By 1978 there was cable, vcr's and more television choices. My high school friend had visited family in Michigan and he told me about a show where Godzilla was friends with a monster fighter.  Zone Fighter was that man. It was exciting to hear about but not until Youtube and Archive.org was I ever able to watch him fight. It was glorious.

When Netflix announced an Ultraman show, I was happy. So I rewatched the original series, and when it was clear the Netflix version was a direct sequel to the original, I was very happy. By the end of the first episode I actually had tears in my eyes. It was a victory of the highest order. It is indeed, my very favorite TV show.

CEREAL KILLERS

I was recently asked why I am so "against" political correctness. Well.. I'm not, actually.  Various people have reason to not want words used, those with ethnic slurs or those that perpetuate wrongful treatment or racist beliefs. In those areas I am fully aboard.

But other words? What I am against is replacing understood words for false ones that we wished were true, or using  language that is so sanitized it shortly creates new words and language inflation. You can pull words out of usage and know they will immediately be replaced by new ones. What I appreciated about growing up when I did, compared to the present, they didn't act like certain things were taboo that were actually normal for most and understood by even more. They sold cereal aimed at kids, powered by sugar and they'd say get your morning energy from sugar.

Nowdays they act like sugar is a murderer. They used awesome toys as lures to have children get their parents to buy the cereal. And those toys were amazing. No one was hurt by this, and the only problem was people overly worried about stuff that doesn't matter. So, I don't think I am bald, I am scalp enhanced. I am not fat, I am calorically blessed. I am not stupid, I am constantly learning new facts. Aye Carumba. Just enjoy the pic of the many fun cereals I got to eat that will soon be canceled.

Get Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



MY LINKS:


My Poetry blog with 5000+ poems:  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

All of my published Work:               AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

An Amazon Author Page:                Amazon.com/author/AlexNess

Cthulhu Based Horror:                    CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com

Atlantis & Lost Worlds:                  AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
Support: Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com/2022/06/for-sale.html

About Getting Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.

BACK ISSUE COMICS FOR YOU TO SEEK & FIND

BACK ISSUE COMICS TO FIND
By Alex Ness
October 23, 2022

WELCOME

Another somewhat brief entry for me here, and like the others of this month, comic books again. These are books that I think are well worth pursuing the issues of or the various collections. The reason isn't for not having been popular when first released, some were that, but the purpose I attempt to fulfill is to drive readers to reading good and entertaining works. Some of these have been forgotten, others revered and well remembered, but most didn't find an audience they deserved.

9 Series to Find, Buy and Read

On the Far Side with Dead Folks
From Avatar Press
Joe R. Lansdale
Timothy Truman adaptation and art

I admire the talents of Timothy Truman, his pencils are among my favorites, and I have enjoyed his writing as well. It is true that I consider him to be a friend, but I thought this all prior to knowing him.  I did not, strange to say, love this work initially. I liked the art a lot, and while I was less moved by the writing, I realized it wasn't the writer but me the reader who had issues. It is adapted from a story by Joe R. Lansdale, who I like the work of, and like him. But I notice a difference in how Tim adapted this, compared to the words he writes when he does his own works. I know, it is the sign of a geek that he knows the fingerprints of the creative talent that he admires. So, when I reread the work, I tried to just take it for what it was, and what it is is a dark, violent work, featuring a mad scientist, zombies and a lone wolf mercenary or bounty hunter who finds himself in the clutches of people who use sex and violence to conquer, but then use mad science to make them zombie servants. It runs swiftly, and is told clearly and with some of the greatest art I've seen from Timothy Truman.

Mister X
Published by Vortex, Calibur and Dark Horse Comics
Written by Dean Motter, The Hernandez Bros
Art by Hernandez Bros, Klaus Schoenefeld, Seth and many more.

The idea of sleep being the backdrop of the city and the realm of sleep being the ultimate reason for everything in the story, make this a work that thrives in the realm of metaphor. From an artistic perspective, there can be enormous worth in the areas of story telling and image. But from a personal story, sleep is something we do, some for as much as 40-50% of their life, for me the attempts to sleep and failure, make the concepts here to be poignant in ways I suspect others might miss. From February 2019 to October 2021, I averaged less than 4 hours of sleep each night. I had such pain as to make a night of full sleep, and enough depth of sleep to dream, almost impossible. That situation makes the exploration of the realm of sleep particularly powerful for me. I especially have enjoyed the writing and works of Dean Motter, and this was the first work of his I discovered. I've long since gone away from review grades, but this is a perfect 10 for me.

Sanctum
From Humanoids Publishing
Writer: Xavier Dorison
Artist: Christopher Bec

This isn't going to be easy to find, nor is it going to be cheap. But it was a series that I cannot believe wasn't a hot fire of sales and popularity. The art is great, the writing a little tin eared in dialogue, but the concept of a US submarine discovering lost ruins and ongoing dark sorcery/magic made the work well worth the read. It had the scent of Cthulhu about it, and that mystery and uncommon sort of story, made me hunger for much more of it. If you see it, buy it.

Eagle
Published by Crystal, Apple Comics
Writer Jack Herman
Artist: Neil D. Vokes

Eagle was a comic that mixed some genre areas, and told stories that were good but different and rather unconventional. Presented in some ways as a ninja story, Eagle is actually quite different than ninja related, being a modern day samurai. The concept is rather nicely done, and it enters new story telling ground, with art that is not anime or manga inspired, but really high quality line work and fantastic story telling through the art. I'd not argue that the story is new, but it is quite enjoyable.

Gene Day's Black Zeppelin
From Renegade Press
Writer/Artist: Gene Day

Gene Day was a highly talented artist. He seemed to be a bright man, who wrote as often as he illustrated. This series is made up of short stories and imagery, all done prior to his being "discovered" by Marvel Comics and his death in 1982. The quality of each story or chapter is good, but, while I appreciated this series, it felt a lot like it was Dixie Cup of water, when you were so thirsty a fire hose wouldn't have done the job. That is, it had great art, intriguing concepts, nicely done writing, but as a whole it didn't satisfy.  However, I read five issues (I don't know if there are more), and enjoyed those, and would have bought more.

Alien Fire
Kitchen Sink Press
Writers Anthony Smith & Erik Vincent
Artist: Eric Vincent

Way back I used to read the comic book newspaper the CBG or Comic Buyer's Guide. In it I seemed to repeatedly see an ad for Alien Fire from Kitchen Sink. It suggested that the work was a pure aim at science fiction, with a deeper story to tell from those origins. The work is reminiscent of the best 1950s SciFi alien attacks or horror from the intruder aliens. But I do not think it worked as a science true story. The covers were good, the story interesting, and the art was fantastic, but I'd suggest buying it to read it, whatever your genre preference. I say that because I think it is good, just not what I was told it would be when I was finished reading it.

Streetfighter (Or Street Fighter, it varies throughout.)
From Ocean Comics
Writer Ron Fortier
Artist: Gary Kato

This might sound like it is a criticism via feint praise, but that isn't my intent, at all. But as a younger man I found the art to be entirely too close to mimicking or aping the art style of Steve Ditko. But in the present, as an older man, I recognized homage and the artist's style rather than pure mimicry or direct swipe. So having got that out of the way, Gary Kato's art tells action with ease and clarity. The concept is good enough, as in I found it interesting, but perhaps, for the comic book world not altogether new. The story follows an agent who fights crime, and seems to be an expert in martial arts, courageous and is linked in through electronics to the headquarters who possess electronic means to trace, track, and guide the Streetfighter to take out organized crime, their criminal gangs, and the leaders of such. Ron Fortier knows how to write, whatever else you want to say, it is a pleasure reading his words/stories. Now, with all that said, I could understand people not digging it, as it feels like a superhero story, without a 'superhero' lead character. But there is a uniform/ costume, great amounts of action, and quality writing.

Icarus
Writer: Don Lanouette
Artist: Dave Cooper

As I mentioned in a previous article here, Icarus and his father Daedalus are mythic characters whom I am drawn towards. In this case, a spacefaring ship is attacked by pirates, and the Icarus, a ship of heroes and in general, good guys comes to the rescue. But the battle leads to casualties and loss. The series then follows how one event leads to the discovery of a much more dangerous possibility. I found the art of less quality than the writing, but for the money, I thought this was quite fun.

Lost Continent
From Eclipse Comics
Writer: Akihiro Yamada; Alan Gleason & Toren Smith (translation)
Artists: Akihiro Yamada; Tom Orzechowski

During the 1980s, in the US comic market the works of Japanese creative talents were celebrated and generally appreciated, popular, and were sought out. But that did not mean all fans like those works or felt able to appreciate them. People might not understand the conventions of the Japanese format/style and were thus limited in how to approach the works. Lost Continent seemed to be an attempt to change how a comic from Japan would be sold, would appear, and what impact it might have when on the comic book shop shelf. It is reminiscent in title and in theme to certain works by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the comic series is good. I will say, I have suspicions that there was a concerted effort, by edits, by art manipulation, and dialogue translation changes, that this was changed for western audiences. As such, a variety of pages seem or feel unfinished, other scenes are odd, as if there was a change that affected the ultimate impact of the work. I again say, though, that I did enjoy this. Perhaps it wasn't perfect, and that it had unnecessary changes for the audience it was being sold to, but it had a certain flavor that was unique and good, it told a story that was interesting, and it felt like the money spent was well worth it.

About Getting Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

MY LINKS:


My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com

Published Work  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html

Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess

Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com

Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com

All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.

Cold War Renewal?

THE 3RD WORLD WAR?
By Alex Ness
October 20, 2022

“You’re too young to remember it,” Verity's mother said, “but we were expecting nuclear war all the time, really, up into my early thirties. Later, all of that felt unreal. But the feeling that things became basically okay turns out to have actually been what was unreal.” William Gibson

I try to be both serious and not serious here. While I treat works that we read for pleasure or enjoyment seriously, the real world is often at arm's length, for the reason that politics, current events and history often divide us, depress us, or obscure the point of the media shown.

But recent events in Ukraine suggest that the world is nearing a catastrophic and final conflict, with Russian aggression aimed at challenging the West in the form of Nato, and Ukraine. As such I don't want to post about that issue specifically, but to show, quickly, some images of how the West comic book series treat Russians, how they interpret Russia, at least over the last 40 years, and why it is important to understand, that Americans and Western Europeans view Russia, and prior to Russia of Yeltsin and Putin, the Soviet Union.

I am not suggesting anything about the war, about the leaders, or about America's thoughts and behavior regarding. I just found it important to acknowledge the Russian choices and impact upon the world, and hope that it all ends better than it looks to end, at this time.

BATMAN and KGBeast

The KGB cybernetically and otherwise enhanced a KGB assassin, and when he is to face Batman, he proves more than dangerous, being more than a match for Batman.  The character is not a stereotype of a vicious beast, however he is named, but he is an elite warrior with reasons for his actions.

CRIMSON DYNAMO 

The Crimson Dynamo has a varied background as far as who wore the armor, but the character, whoever is within the armor, is an adversary of the US hero Iron Man, and fights through much of the Cold War over international issues, not criminal ones. The series shown below was by John Jackson Miller who gave a look towards a young man who finds the armor, and uses it for purposes that are personal, not international or anti West. It is a really fun read, and it is sad that Marvel canceled the publishing wing Epic, where the work appeared, since it seemed, to me at least, a viable and interesting option.

Graphic novels

There have been a number of graphic novels featuring Russia and the Soviet Union, of mixed varieties, as there isn't a single artist creating them. But of the four shown, Tin Tin was a work that presented a look at other countries, and in this case the USSR, from a reporter viewpoint, and gave a pov that was new and interesting, rather than to use stereotypes or tropes. The Black Widow is a great character, in ways, being a sexy Soviet spy who leaves the orbit of the USSR to help the West.  Other graphic novels are of the sort the remaining to present, which are instructive with a narrow and mostly non fictional narrative.

MOTHER RUSSIA

This series is rather fun, but kind of silly too. It features a Russian woman who fights while carrying her babe. Therefore, it is a case a real Mother Russia.  Available through two different publishers, Fubar and Alterna. I think it deserves to be read, and is a fun clever work, and one that probably should receive a sequel... The art and story entertain.

THE RED STAR

This work is well worth searching for. I enjoyed it for the art and concept, perhaps more than the issue by issue story. It considers a world where the Soviet Union did not collapse, and it considers the legacy therefore of what had happened to keep it alive, and what might have happened if it endured. It has a look inspired by anime, but it is not chained to that, and the writing is good, and not comic bookesque, rather it is modern and tells stories episodically but not over dramatically. The series has layers, and I'd enjoy more stories from the creative team.

SUPERMAN: RED SON

This was a series that I really enjoyed. Superman Red Son, by Mark Miller and Dave Johnson considers the impact upon the world of DC superheroes had Kal El landed in the Ukraine of that world's USSR, and how he'd have been used as a hero of the Soviet Union as the ultimate hero of labor. I enjoyed it greatly and think that it is really good, but it does make use of the tropes and stereotypes rather freely. So, you might think it limited or gimmicky. However, the ending and story told actually presents a way to see the story from new eyes, and appreciation of the myth of Superman, and the myths of the world that we live upon.

SKULL & BONES

Ed Hannigan is a talented creative artist and writer, who did the art chores for Green Arrow, when Mike Grell wrote it, and so, I bought this work out of loyalty to that work. It tells a dark story, around the time of the fall of USSR, of a need for heroes and revelation of secrets that were toxic to the survival of the state and people of the Soviet Union. This was less about the adventures of a hero, but the desperate acts of true patriot, who fought for his people, or even smaller scale, his friends and neighbors. As much as I liked it, and found it worthwhile, it hasn't lingered in my memory. That might mean it wasn't a classic, but what it surely was, was worth my time reading and my money to buy it.

The comics shown below are good to great, enjoyable each and every one of them, but beyond that, they are shown to depict how the West displays heroes from the perspective of the Soviet Union and Soviet people. It is an exaggeration perhaps, since comic book covers are meant to immediately influence the possible buyer into buying the product, as to take a subject and present it to tell them, exactly what they, the potential reader is looking to first buy, and then read. 

MY LINKS:

My Poetry blog with 5000+ poems:  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
My published Work:  AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
An Amazon Author Page: Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Based Horror: CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds: AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
Sales: Poplitiko.Blogspot.Com/2022/06/for-sale.html

If interested in purchase of my works, write to me at AlexanderNess63@gmail.com and inquire about the various books I've written. Not all remain in print, in fact, about half are in print still. But I do have author copies to sell, so, please feel free to inquire...

About Getting Reviews from Me

I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.



ALL IMAGES AND CONTENT ARE USED AS FAIR USE AND THERE ARE NO COPYRIGHT CLAIMS and all rights are served to the creatives and/or publishers.

OMAHA PEREZ Announcing HOLMES one shot//HOLMES Vodou Curse Tee Shirt

UPDATE: The Hollywood CityCon has been postponed to Saturday, November 19th! As a result I have downgraded the shipping from the printer, I should receive the books by Tuesday the 25th. I will have a limited number available via my website at that time. Hello! To celebrate the impending release of my newest HOLMES comic book I have made tee shirts available. HOLMES: Monsieur Georges & the Vodou Curse is a 40 page, black & white, stand alone, perfect bound, comic book written by me, interior art by Alfonso Ruiz, cover art by me, and cover colors by Wes Wong. SIGNED copies will premiere this Saturday, October 22nd at a pop up CityCon, fittingly enough at ADULTS ONLY BAR in Hollywood. The hosted event runs from 4pm - 8pm, features 8 comic book creators, a cosplay/costume contest, DrinkNDraw, and DJ @databaesmusic. Save $5 off this ticketed event by pre-purchasing your tickets. Not familiar with my first HOLMES series/GN from way back when? A limited number of HOLMES v1 (signed, of course!) are now available at my site. Omaha Perez' vicious skewering of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic literary creations is finally collected! This version of the Sherlock Holmes mythos expands on Dr. Watson's revelation that Holmes was a narcotics addict. The World's Greatest Detective is a maniac completely out of his head on drugs at all times and Dr. Watson, his own personal "Dr. Feelgood," isn't much better off! Appearance meets reality as the duo must cope with their handicaps while recovering composer Joseph Haydn's missing skull. Omaha www.omahaperez.com P.S. Check out this cool video Reel featuring HOLMES Vodou Curse

Back Cover to HOLMES: Monsieur Georges & the Vodou Curse

HOLMES Vodou Curse tee shirt

"MASTER OF KUNG LOU" Lou Reed/Marvel's Shang Chi mashup MetalPrint