Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes - Posts Tagged "mr-t"

As I write Superhero Stories, it's important, I regularly read Comics, both newer and older. I've begun posting reviews on Amazon. Most of these are available in digital form through Comixology excluding Mr. T & the T Force.

With that said, here are the recent reviews of books I've read in the last couple weeks (mostly digital versions):

Flash (2011- Present) #21:

I have mixed feelings on this one. On one hand, the chase scenes with Kid Flash was fun and it was great graphic art. Barry's concern for the Kid Flash was actually kind of touching and there's a nice sense of mystery. Unfortunately, Kid Flash's reaction shows the tendency of modern comics to make their characters total jerks.

Plus knowing that someone is out there killing people related to the Speed Force, Barry continues to chase Kid Flash even after concluding that the Kid had nothing to do with it. Still, there was a building of tension and I'm concerned about Iris West and we'll find out what happens next in Issue 22.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5.0

World's Finest (2012-) #0

This book illustrates the difficulty of doing an Issue 0 for a two character book because Levitz tried to: 1) introdouce Huntress' origin, 2) introduce Powergirl's origin, and 3) explain how they met, and include the gut-wrenching death of Catwoman, Huntress' mom on Earth 2. The result is a rush work where the death doesn't even feel real or have the full impact. That's not to say there weren't a few good moments, but this should have been double length to allow time to develop the actual story.

Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0

Superman Adventures (1996-2002) #43:

One of the Mother Boxes belonging to a goon of Apokolips falls into the hand of a common thug and despite the fact that Apokilops thugs are defeated by the score by not only Superman but other Earth-based heroes. However, a common thug with one becomes undefeatable as it talks to him like a stereotypical mother.

The thug is a boring character and the story is hard to follow. Plus Superman's actions when he finallys meets the villain aren't really worthy of the man of Steel. Just the worst issue I've read of this book.

Rating: 1.25 out of 5.0

Batman Beyond (2012-2013) #21:

Following on the heels of Batman's epic battle against the Jokerz, this book sets up Batman's next story, "The Sound and the Fury." We catch up with Max who has been out of the book for a few issues as the Jokerz storyline comes to an end. Now a supervillain wants to use her to destroy the city. The end of the battler with the Jokerz gives Terry a brief moment to reflect on whether this is what he wants from his life but that moment ends very quickly as he has to deal with the next threat.

Overall, this book works for what it is. It transitions us into Sound and the Fury and leaves Terry facing an old enemy. I look forward to issue 22.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Superman Beyond (2012-2013) #18:

This story stars out with a lot of Speechifying and Internal Monologuing by Supes, but quickly gets back to the true emotional case. The story in this series has been solid as Superman several years before had liberated a group of enslaved people from their tormentors and now the formerly dominant race blames them for the rebellion while the people Superman freed are still being oppressed.

This is a War Superman doesn't want to take part in, but he's not left much of choice once the action truly gets under way and the ending hints at a very strong finale for the series.

Rating: 4.25 out of 50

Superior Spider-man #31 (2013-2014):

In this double length issue Dan Slott wraps up the loose threats of the Goblin War and the Superior Spider-man Saga. The first part of the comic Goblin War: Conclusion is the better part of the book and it even features a classic Spider-man ending with Spidey walking away in a bit of a downcast way. It really fits as a classic Spider-man story and a fitting return for Peter Park.

"Actions Have Consequences" wrapped up the entire Superior Spider-man saga and I have mixed thoughts on that. It truly acknowledged the consequences of having a supervillain run around in Spider-man's body for a year, but the way it wrapped up with Mary Jane felt like Slott and Marvel had once again been jerking around the audience, bringing Mary Jane and Peter back together towards the end of the original Amazing was merely Slot messing with the readers once again and for those of us who hate One More Day this was only another twist of the knife. (I'll have more thoughts on this in a future article.)

What actually intrigued me was the preview for Silver Surfer #1 which looks to be a good comic and there's probably more chance of me reading that than the new Superior Spider-man.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Mr. T and the T-Force #1:

his book does a great establishing shot at Mr. T in this universe where he is fighting a one man war on drugs. While it has its goofy moments, its heartfelt and sincere with a nice mix of Mr. T action and a solid cliffhanger.

From the '70s, the 90s, and the twenty-first century, here are my comic book reviews for the week. The Iron Man book I got off of an out of print Marvel DVD containing every Iron Man comic to 2006, and I own physical copies of Mr. T and the T-Force and Justice League Adventures. The rest come through Comixology:

Iron Man, Volume 1, Issue 52:

This issue features Iron Man refitting and retesting his equipment as he moves to California and enjoys fun in the sun,but quickly finds himself in a battle with a guy with fire powers who runs a satanic cult. The story has potential but is a little odd as he'd recently faced anther fire based villain and Firebrand. Also, the stories features Marianne Rodgers, probably the best girl Tony has encountered in this run and who he heartlessly kicked out of his life. She's still suffering and that's sad

I also have to say that I agree with the letter's page in wondering when we'll see a return of Classic Iron Man villains. The 1970s was a difficult time for Tony Stark and Iron Man.

Rating: 2.75 out of 5.0

Mr. T and the T Force #2:

This issue is T-riffic T-centered extravaganza as Mr. T battles an Incan warrior physically and then when forced to take drugs, battles demons that urge him to surrender to drugs. It's awesome call to stay off drugs and again reflects the heart and spirit of Mr. T in this series. Only problem with this is the somewhat silly and contrived rules that the T-Force operates under, particularly that no one in the T-force but one kid can actually save Mr. T. But for a 1990s Indie comic this was still awesome despite that.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5.0

The Flash (2011-Present) #22:

A solid issue as the story of the Reverse Flash's rampage against those connected to the Speed Force continues. In this issue, the Flash takes some precautions protect Iris and we get the first hint I can remember of her having a thing for Barry which could create a love triangle situation with Patti.

Also, we get the re-emergence of Darwin Elias who seems to have become practically a mad supervillain and is plotting to kill the Flash but instead becomes a target for the Reverse Flash.

Only complaint is that it's too short, that plus not having Barry working in the lab is dumb. Besides that, this is solid issue that has me looking towards the next issue.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5.0

Justice League Adventures #4:

In this book, the Amazons go crazy and start trying to take over the world by force. Part of the key to the Amazons success is that they have magic that makes every woman born on a country's native soil loyal to their cause. This leads to a suggestion that all female members of the Justice League stay at the Watch Tower since they might turn on them in battle which would be a valid point if not for the fact that Wonder Woman wasn't effect and more importantly that Hawkgirl was an alien from Thanagar which means the Amazons were unlikely to have her native soil lying around.

After that silliness, this actually turns into a really good comic. It's a lot of battle scenes but it's all well-told and well-scripted action. The story's plot bears a strong resemblance to the much-hated Amazons Attack. However, the big difference is that this story is actually good. It's helped by the one-and-done nature of the Justice League Adventures and also by having a more comprehensible plot with a satisfying conclusion. This is a fun story that really does work.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

World's Finest (2012-Present) #5:

This book doesn't quite fit the description. There's a bit of a framing story about Powergirl and Huntress talking about getting back to Earth 2 but the story ultimately revolves around the two flashing back to solo adventures. Karen goes to check out one of her investments in research that she hopes to use to get home and instead encounters a robot beast from another dimension that she has to fight in a decent action sequence.

At the same time, Helena is attending a "Take Back the Night" rally in Boston when a sniper begins taking potshots. We don't find out where the alien robot was from or why the Sniper was taking shots. Indeed, Huntress made it clear she didn't care why the guy was taking shots, though she assumed that it was because he was pro-rape rather than just a nut of a sniper which was probably more realistic.

In the end, the story has some moments but this was a pure filler issue and not very entertaining at that.

Rating: 1.75 out of 5.0

Superman Adventures (1996)

The mind-controlling villain, The Commander escapes from prison and implants a post-hypnotic suggestion on live TV telling people to kill Superman. Whenever Superman shows up for the rest of the book and performs a rescue, the crowd shouts, "Kill Superman!" and that's the plot. Even dumber is that Superman thinks of leaving Metropolis over this.

David Michelinie, famed Iron Man writer wrote this book which is what makes it so disappointing. There was a lot that could be done, but instead we get a lazy story. There's a twist at the end but at this point, Superman Adventures was being written by a rotating group of writers, so I'm not optimistic it'll be picked up.

Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0

This is another solid chapter in the continuing story. Batman battles Shriek in a battle that's a distraction from Rebel One's main plain. Max is part of that plan and has to find a way to get a message to Batman without alerting Rebel One who's threatened to murder her family. The book has real tension and the fight scene is solid. Batman Beyond really has the whole digital first thing down and it's a fun book to read.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Superman Beyond #19 (2012-13):

Essentially, this is a battle issue with Superman and the Justice League trying to stop the war. Some decent battle scenes and a promising ending sets up the finale of the series.

Fantastic Four: Volume 1, Issue 87:

Issue 87 brings to an end the four part storyline featuring Doctor Doom capturing the Fantastic Four. While the story isn't without its charms and good moments, it highlighted the big problems with the story arch.

It was padded and it gave a truly anti-climatic end to the arch facilitated by an all too convenient Nazi. The book featured some nice art by Jack Kirby but a few full dubious full page spreads including one of Doctor Doom at a dinner table with detailed drawings of what's on the table.

Clearly the great Kirby/Lee run appears to be past its peak. Whether it recovers in the next 15 issues that Kirby drew for it, or the next 28 issue that Lee wrote remains to be seen for me anyway.

Rating: 1.50 out of 5.0

What-The? #3:

This issue of What The? skewers the world of comics in the late 1980s and early 1990s with great humor and without being cynical. It pokes fun at the classic Kraven's Last Hunt, the X-men, and more. The one part parodying DC and Batman was hilarious and I loved the one page story where a poor comic book reader goes into buy a copy of the Avengers and gets horribly confused because there are too many titles and then asks for a copy of the X-men. Poor guy.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5.0

Doc Savage #1:

This book isn't horrible, but it just really isn't Doc Savage. Having experienced Savage through the 1970s Marvel comics, an '80s radio series, and a couple novels, I have to say that the comic book's portrayal of Doc is really weak. Doc Savage is the type of big hulking guy who stands out nearly anywhere with his bronze skin and golden eyes that make him look almost alien. In this book, Doc Savage is just a white guy in a suit.

All of Doc's assistants are there also decked like Ham Brooks (the team dandy) was in charge of dressing them, though maybe it was just the Brooks Brothers.

The Adventure isn't bad, but it doesn't seem to fit or even lay the groundwork for the type of epic adventures that Doc Savage was legendary for.. Apparently for 1933, they couldn't think of anything better.

The cover by Alex Ross was the best part of this book. Here's hoping future stories are better.

Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0

Mr. T and the T Force #3:

An okay issue of Mr. T and the T force with quite a bit less action. It also dealt with the issue of car jacking which was a little bit less emotional than the previous issue's topic. The last page of the book is the most interesting of the book and it gives a hint that we'll have a more action packed story in Issue 4.

Still Mr. T continues to be a very strong likable character with heart and that makes the book worth a read. Also fun fact from the letter's page: Mr. T actually read every line of dialogue in the book to make sure it sounded genuine to him.

Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0

Peter Cannon Thunderbolt #1:

This is a strong premier issue for Dynamite take on Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, an old Charlton comic character. The book could end up being a series I love but also could go the heavy handed route. The story establishes much of Cannon's backstory: how he saved the Earth from a dangerous monster and how he revealed his secret identity against all his better judgment to save others who were being harassed as potentially being Thunderbolt. This has brought unsought celebrity which has made him powerful enemies, plus he's keeping a secret. All great stuff to establish in your first issue.

What makes the book worth viewing is the artwork. This first issue features eight different covers, all of them pretty eyecatching and appeal plus the interior art is great. In addition, readers get to experience a lost Peter Cannon story. While working at DC, Mark Waid had gotten the right to do a Peter Cannon story for Secret Origins but the title was cancelled before it could run, and this book features the first publication. It's a very solid origin story that's published for the first time here.

This issue is dynamite. While there are some hints that the book might not keep up its high standards in future issues, the first issue is good and makes you want to read more.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

Star Trek (1967 series) #34:

The Enterprise Crew on an away team meet a group of powerful crystal based aliens who have amazing powers and think they don't need science, only poetry and arts. They determine the Enterprise Crew must die. Overall, this not a whole lot outstanding about this story good or bad. It just is. Unlike early issues, they have the character drawings right but I can't say much more for this story.

Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0

Mr. T: Limited Advance Edition Graphic Novel by Christopher Bunting

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is not Mr. T's first rodeo in comics. The character based on the real Mr. T featured in a 1990s NOW comic book series and then a brief stint in two comics for the British AP Comics prior to this book which was published by Mohawk Media.

Unlike those prior books which has Mr. T as an urban warrior, right wrongs for the poor, this book has Mr. T in his role as a bodyguard for celebrities, something he actually did in real life.

The result is a tad less impressive. In Mr. T and the T Force, Mr. T took on whole gangs of criminals, battled a giant Aztec, and showed incredible feats of strength. Here, it's a tad more routine. In four "episodes," he bodyguards a child, hunts for a kidnapped girl, and is hired to bodyguard an Anglican Priest in Issues 3 and 4. Overall, the stories are more realistic, but that's the problem. You don't pick up a Mr. T comic looking for realism.

The comic also fails for the look of Mr. T. The Costume is horrendous and doesn't suit him at all. The idea of giving him a body armor is also something that's not quite the Mr. T we know and love. The end to Episode 4 is dark and left unresolved and is a big violation of the Mr. T character.

The one saving grace of the book is the "Bonus" Episode which has Mr. T guarding an Australian "superhero" from a supervillain only to discover things aren't quite what they seem. There are some nice moments and some good action in this story. The art in this is decent throughout, but it's nothing special. Worst of all, the writer doesn't seem to get the appeal of Mr. T as a comic character.

The action should be a bit over the top and we ought to get some positive life lessons out of the story. There ought to be tenderness and tough love. If we can't support a proper Mr. T comic and have to settle for this stuff, than in the words of the man, I pity us foos.



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