Chad’s Comments (group member since Mar 22, 2018)

Chad’s comments from the I Read Comic Books group.

Tonight's trip to the LCS before yet more snow tomorrow.

X-Men Legends #1
Young Hellboy #1
Batman / Catwoman #3
Abbott 1973 #2
Barbarlien: Red Planet #4
Black Widow #5
Cable #8
King in Black #4
Marauders #18
Miskatonic #4
Once and Future #16
Spider-Woman #9
Thor #12
We Live #5
TMNT: The Last Ronin #2

Last week's adventures in comics.

The Sword of Surtur: A Marvel Legends of Asgard Novel ★★★★
A prose Marvel novel. The Norse God of War, Tyr, attempts to steal the sword of Surtur in order to keep Surtur from one day killing Odin with it.

Courtney Crumrin: Tales of a Warlock ★★★★
This is a prequel to the Courtney Crumrin graphic novels, giving Uncle Aloysius an origin story.

Justice Society of America: The Demise of Justice ★★★
Set in 1950, when living constellations come to Earth to absorb our power sources, the JSA must band together to stop them.

Punisher: Nightmare ★★
The Punisher meets another soldier who has went through the same thing he did with his family. Then this devolves into some weird Nuke / Captain America gone wrong type story.

Untold Tales of Punisher Max ★★★
The first 3 tales should have stayed untold. They barely had the Punisher in them. Crappy art, crappy stories. The last 2 were solid though.

Usagi Yojimbo/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Collection ★★★★
Collects all of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appearances in Usagi Yojimbo. Good stuff.

Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers - The Ms. Marvel Years Vol. 2 ★★★
Ms. Marvel runs around like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model fighting skrulls and other villains while showing lots of side boob. It's amazing how dated this feels in 10 years.

Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers - The Ms. Marvel Years Vol. 3 ★★★
Nothing great here. Reed has an ADHD style of rating. He'll bring up multiple subplots that he never revisits. The title changes direction every few issues.

Rom: Dire Wraiths ★★
This should have been good. Humans first encountered Dire Wraiths during the moon landing? Sign me up. Unfortunately, it sucks.

Peepland ★★★★
Some great neo-noir set in the seedy Times Square area of the 1980's. This is a very adult book.

Deceivers ★★★
Two con men become embroiled with the CIA when a plot between spies of various agencies comes about. Tries its hardest to be Mission Impossible.

I.R.$.: Volume 1 - Taxing Trails ★★★
Larry Max is an accountant for the IRS. But he's not just any accountant, he's part accountant, part James Bond. This wasn't a bad start to this Belgian comic.

The Absolute Sandman, Volume Five ★★★★★
These Absolute editions are gorgeous with their oversized pages and blown up art.

This week's trip to the LCS.

Wolverine: Black, White and Red #3
American Vampire: 1976 #5
Rorschach #5
Eternals #2
Scout's Honor #2
Excalibur #18
X-Force #17
Sweet Tooth: the Return #4
Thunderbolts: King in Black #2
DC Love Is a Battlefield #1

Welcome Jason,

You're into some great comics. I look forward to discussing them with you. Feel free to hit me up. I love talking comics.

Welcome Julie.

Have you discovered Marvel Unlimited or DC Universe Infinite yet? They are subscription services that are great ways to catch up digitally on comics you missed for the big 2.

Last week's comic book reading material. Work has really put a crimp in my reading the last few weeks.

Candy Hearts ★★★★
A series of one panel comics centering on relationships using conversation hearts to tell inner thoughts.


Venom by Donny Cates, Vol. 4: Venom Island ★★★★
When Eddie Brock absorbed Carnage at the end of Absolute Carnage, he also absorbed its personality. Now it's a battle for control.

Venom by Donny Cates, Vol. 5: Venom Beyond ★★★
Venom goes to an alternate future where the symbiotes have taken over Earth.

Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers - The Ms. Marvel Years Vol. 1 ★★★
It's amazing how dated this feels given it was only written 12 or so years ago. Attitudes towards female superheroes and particularly Captain Marvel have changed drastically over the intervening years.

Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 4 ★★★
Both the current Clayface and Anarchy make their first appearances in this book.

Young Justice: Warriors and Warlords Vol. 3 ★★
Eight pointless issues as this series goes nowhere until DC mercifully canceled it.

Once & Future, Vol. 2: Old English ★★★★★
If you aren't reading this series, you should be. It has a Granny chainsawing beasties. 'Nuff said.

Lenny wrote: "Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff - really fun YA read! I wish this was around when I was growing up. Thank you Chad for nominating it for a BOTM last fall!"

You're welcome. The Delilah Dirk books are so much fun. I wish Tony Cliff would make another one. The Pillars of Hercules came out in 2018.

This week's trip to the LCS.

Swamp Thing: Future State #2
Fire Power #8
Hellions #9
Marauders: King in Black #1
Strange Academy #8
Venom #33
X-Factor #7
Hellblazer: Rise and Fall #3

Last week's comic reading.

Paris 2119 ★★★
The dark side of teleportation. Brilliant art.

The Preacher's Trail: Lonesome ★★★
A complex Western set in Kansas shortly before the Civil War.

Gamayun Tales II ★★★★★
I love these retellings of Russian fairy tales by Alexander Utkin.

Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 3 ★★★
A ho-hum collection of Batman stories.

Batman: Blind Justice ★★★
This had some interesting elements like the introduction of Henri Ducard as Batman's former mentor and now his opposite number.

Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 5 ★★★
The Peter Milligan story was terrible but the rest was pretty good.

Fantastic Four: The Prodigal Sun ★★★
An egotistical jerk floating around space with elemental powers. He randomly encounters the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, and the Guardians of the Galaxy across his journeys.

Coffin Bound, Vol. 1: Happy Ashes ★★
A woman tries to erase herself from existence before a hitman catches up with her. It's all very existential. Reminds me of a Vertigo book from the 90s.

Doctor Strange by Mark Waid, Vol. 4: The Choice ★★★★
Mainly a lead in to the new Dr. Strange series Surgeon Supreme.

Fantastic Four by Dan Slott, Vol. 3: The Herald of Doom ★★★★
Dr. Doom lures Galactus to Latveria so, of course, the FF head to Latveria as well to keep Doom from screwing up.

Fantastic Four by Dan Slott, Vol. 4: Thing vs. Immortal Hulk ★★★★
The Thing and Alicia go on their Honeymoon when things immediately go wrong.

Rocket Raccoon & Groot: Tall Tails ★★★
The Skottie Young half of this, surprisingly, isn't very good. It's full of bad art and boring stories. Once Nick Kocher comes on board things turn around tremendously.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series, Volume 2 ★★★
Four one shots featuring Splinter, Casey Jones, April, and the Fugitoid.

Mountainhead ★★
A boy is taken away from his family and returned 10 years later. Somehow, this turns into a ripoff of The Thing at a certain point. The art is terrible.

Batman: The Chalice ★★
Collects Batman: The Chalice and Batman: The Ankh. Both by Chuck Dixon and John Van Fleet. Nighter the writing or the art is very good in both.

Magnificent Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: Destined ★★★★
Saladin Ahmed and Minkyu Jung take over as the new creative team on Ms. Marvel and quickly show they have the chops to replace G. Willow Wilson.

Magnificent Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Stormranger ★★★★
Ahmed continues to ripoff Venom's origin with this Stormranger storyline but I like the family drama angle.

Anik-mamabearsbookshelf wrote: "Hi there,
I'm new to the group. I read a lot of Manga and Graphic novels and also comics. My favourite right now is Lock and Key by Joe Hill and Anything Harley Quinn. I post all my reviews on my s..."

Welcome Arik. Locke and Key is one of my all time favorite comics. It's crossing over with Sandman in April. I can't wait.

Nancy wrote: "Marvels by Kurt Busiek & Alex Ross was marvelous and a perfect way to start my 2021! Set from 1939-1974, a photojournalist & the rest of America adjust to new superheroes joining our world, and what changes they need to make to their everyday lives.."

I remember how groundbreaking Marvels was when it was released in the 90s. It spawned a whole trend of imitater comics from an outsiders perspective. Marvels is still one of favorites that I go back and re-read.

I'll second Once & Future and Harleen a well. Both are great.

Tonight's trip to the LCS.

X-O Manowar #4
X-Men #17
Batman: Black and White #2
Kaiju Score #3
Namor #3
Legion of Super-Heroes: Future State #1
Strange Adventures #8
Colonel Weird #4
Excalibur #17
New Mutants #15
Something Is Killing the Children #14
Strange Academy #7
We Only Find Then When They're Dead #5
Wolverine #9
Year Zero: Vol. 2 #3

Last week's adventures in comics. Got on a TMNT kick.

Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 4: Cold Vengeance ★★★★
I think Tomasi's final arc on Detective was his best. In the Year of the Villain event, Mister Freeze finally resuscitates Nora with some help from Lex Luther.

Wonder Woman, Vol 3: Loveless ★★★
Wonder Woman finishes her quest to find Themyscira before Cheetah returns as part of the Year of the Villain event.

Wonder Woman (2016-) #750 ★★★★
An all star anniversary celebration of Wonder Woman with several different creative teams.

New Teen Titans Vol. 12 ★★★★
The Titans finally go after Brother Blood.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 2: Enemies Old, Enemies New ★★★★
A new take of the old stories. Now the Turtles and Splinter were created in a lab but yet are also somehow reincarnations from a family in feudal Japan.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series, Volume 1 ★★★★
Four single issue stories, each focusing on one of the Turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 3: Shadows of the Past ★★★★
The Foot Clan finally makes its presence known in Enter the Shredder

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 4: Sins of the Fathers ★★★
A couple of smaller stories that play off the second half of the micro-series comics.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 5: Krang War ★★★
The Turtles get transported to Dimension X where they must help stop General Krang from taking over.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan ★★★★
Flashes back between now and feudal Japan times as we see the history of the Foot Clan unfold.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 6: City Fall, Part 1 ★★★★★
There's an issue drawn by Kevin Eastman that is just fantastic.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 7: City Fall, Part 2 ★★★★★
Tons of action and character moments as the Foot Clan grabs the reins of the criminal element of the city.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Villains Micro-Series, Vol. 1 ★★★★
Origin stories for Krang, Baxter Stockman, Old Hob, and Alopex.

The Harrowing of Doom: A Marvel Untold Novel ★★★★
A prose novel about Dr. Doom trying to rescue her mother from Hell.

Bone: Quest for the Spark, Vol. 1 ★★★★
A new prose adventure set in the Bone universe featuring all different characters from the original series.

Katusha: Girl Soldier of the Great Patriotic War ★★★★★
I was enthralled by this story of a Ukranian girl coming of age during World War II, first becoming a rebel fighter before joining the army and becoming a tank commander.

Nancy wrote: "Where We Live: Las Vegas Shooting Benefit Anthology"

That's a very sobering read. All the stories are from people who were there the night of the shooting.

Today's trip to the LCS.

Batman / Catwoman #2
Abbott 1973 #1
We Live #4
Miskatonic #3
Legion of Super-Heroes #12
Rorschach #4
Barbalien Red Planet #3
Cable #7
King in Black #3
Once & Future #15
X-Force #16

X-Ray Robot ★★★★
Mike Allred is always interesting. This is full of time travel and alternate dimensions. It's a lot of fun.

Drawing Lines: An Anthology of Women Cartoonists ★★
An anthology of short stories by female comix creators.

Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 5 ★★★


Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 6 ★★★★


Aliens vs. Predator Omnibus, Vol. 2 ★★★
The meat of this is a 12 issue maxiseries by Chris Claremont. He was more concerned about telling a story of genetic engineering and VR / dream scenarios than an AvP story.

Scream, Vol. 1: Curse of Carnage ★★
Meh. Andi Benton (Mania) has bonded with a new symbiote and fights an uninteresting big bad in Grendel's mother.

Seven Secrets Vol. 1 ★★★★★
Fantastic! But it's Tom Taylor so that's not surprising. It's about a secret sect that guards the seven secrets of the world. There's also a sect that is trying to obtain the secrets.

Absolute Carnage: Scream ★★
I gotta say, I was surprised how Scream was nothing more than filler considering they gave her an ongoing book out of this.

Absolute Carnage: Lethal Protectors ★★★★
This tie in actually furthers the story. It essentially regathers the heroes that team up to helped Spider-Man back in the 90's during Maximum Carnage.

Typhoid Fever ★★
Typhoid Mary is in the psyche ward when a doctor decides to operate on her. Of course, it goes wrong and her powers increase. She comes across, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and Iron Fist in these specials. It's really boring as most of the story is spent in Typhoid Mary's soap opera dream world.

Crypt Of Shadows (2019) ★★★
Al Ewing's ode to Marvel's horror comics for Marvel's 80's anniversary.

Adventureman, Vol. 1: The End and Everything After ★★★
I feel like there really wasn't enough story here for a full arc. It's about a Doc Savage type pulp hero who is only thought of as a character from a book when a mother becomes aware he was real 80 years later.

The Red Mother Vol. 2 ★★★★
Still a VERY slow burn but I dig it. I do think this will read better all of once when it's completely finished.

Ed wrote: "A somewhat similar story of detective plus horror is Weird Detective: The Stars Are Wrong. The main character there is a white male, but the main secondary character is a colored female Muslim and that plays a part in the story.."

Weird Detective is very good. I wish Van Lente would write another one.

Yesterday's trip to the LCS.

Swamp Thing: Future State #1
Sweet Tooth: The Return #3
Marauders #17
Seven Secrets #6
American Vampire 1976 #4
SWORD #2
Thunderbolts: King in Black #1
Chris Claremont Anniversary Special
The Autumnal #4
Serial #1 <-- Terry Moore's new book about Zoe, the 10 year old serial killer from Rachel Rising

Last week's easy reading.

Juliet Takes a Breath: The Graphic Novel ★★★
A lesbian coming of age story.

Great Naval Battles of the Twentieth Century ★★★
The title pretty much sums it up.

The Terrifics Vol. 4: The Tomorrow War ★★★
Bizarro gets a time machine and wackiness ensues. If there's one villain I can't stand in comics, it's Bizarro. I find Bizarro-speak completely exhausting.

The Fearsome Doctor Fang Vol.1 ★★★★
Chock full of pulp adventure goodness. If you like old movie serials or Indiana Jones type adventure stories, you'll probably dig this.

Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 3 ★★★
The Mike Mignola story in here is the best in the anthology.

Aliens Omnibus, Vol. 4 ★★★★
Stronghold by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke is fantastic. These 2 always bring out the best in one another.

The Absolute Sandman, Volume Four ★★★★★
And thus ends Sandman.

Justice League of America, Vol. 3: The Injustice League ★★★★
McDuffie brought in the Legion of Doom 10 years before Scott Snyder did it more recently.

Justice League of America, Vol. 4: Sanctuary ★★
Almost all of these issues require you to read other comics to know what's going on and that's never a good thing.

Justice League of America, Vol. 5: Second Coming ★★★
Amazo returns, giving each member of the Justice League a moment to be a badass, especially Black Canary and Zatanna.

Justice League of America, Vol. 6: When Worlds Collide ★★★
McDuffie brings back his Milestone characters before getting interrupted midstory for Final Crisis. DC really plagued his run with editorial changes and crossovers.

Coda, Vol. 2 ★★
Some cool fantasy concepts ruined by poor chaotic artwork with weak linework.

Tonight's LCS trip.

Juggernaut #5
Spider-Woman #8
Venom #32
Hellions #8
Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black #3
Thor #11
Firepower #7
Eternals #1
Death Metal #7
MODOK: head Games #2
Scout's Honor #1
Iron Man #5
Crossover #3
Walking Dead Deluxe #6