Comic Review 231 // Scooby-Doo Team-up, Volume 3

2022 brought many new and exciting changes into my life, things like my Youtube channel and cutting back on drinking along with scooby-doo. I did not realize how much I had missed the cartoons until watching some with my kids. Now I find myself drawn to comics, especially crossovers. And have found them to be a wholesome series. Time for volume 3 which shows the Flash on the cover so I assume we are in for some fast action.

Title: Scooby-Doo Team-Up, Volume 3

Author: Sholly Fisch

Illustrator: Darío Brizuela

Blurb: The gang's all here! Scooby-Doo and his friends are teaming up with the most unlikely superheroes to save the world, solve mysteries and eat some Scooby Snacks!

From the ocean's depths to the heart of Africa, Scooby and the gang must investigate the deadliest threats imaginable! That is, with a bit of help from DC's greatest superheroes. The team is ready to take action and get a little help from the Flash, Aquaman, Shazam and more!

An all-ages series that collects SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP #13-17.

Format: 128 pages, Paperback

Buy on Amazon with my handy little link.

Review

These titles hit pretty well with their wholesome adventures. Easy reading and very light, they are great to enjoy with the kids. As an adult reading them, I like that they sometimes make fun of themselves, which is a sign of a great writing team and editor.

Overall every story had its highlights and was funny. Aquaman beat the rest, playing up to Fred not being the sharpest tool in the shed. He constantly kept trying to take off character breathing masks while underwater, much to the comedy of the reader but frustration to the characters.

The weakest story sadly goes to Scooby and his Super Dog pals; though fun to see all these characters, the story just missed the mark for me. Definitely wouldn't upset a young reader but jarred with this old man!

Overall give it a go. You are never to enjoy a comic!

 

Comic Review 225 // Green Arrow: Stranded by Brendan Deneen

Continuing my kid's training in the worlds of DC and Marvel. This week we tried Green Arrow, which overall was successful but not knocking Batman or Spiderman away anytime soon. 

Title: Green Arrow: Stranded

Author: Brendan Deneen

Artist: Bell Hosalla

Buy on Amazon.ca

Blurb: Following a plane crash on a deserted island, 13-year-old Oliver Queen must learn the skills he needs to survive and to protect his injured father.

Ollie has always hated the idea of hunting, but his dad insisted they go on this trip with his business partner, Sebastian, and his son, Tyler. When Ollie fails to take a perfect shot, the teasing starts, and he wonders if his dad will ever be proud of him again.

But just when he thought their trip couldn't get any worse, their private jet is struck by lightning and Ollie awakens to find himself stranded on a deserted island, with no idea what to do or where the other passengers might be--including his dad. He has never felt less sure of who he is...or if he will be able to hang on until help arrives.

This fast-paced and suspenseful tale from writer Brendan Deneen and illustrator Bell Hosalla is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seat!

Format: 144 pages, Paperback

Review

So most of us know the Green Arrow origin story by now? So when I saw this was the telling of it, I was excited. Unfortunately, we have hit a revamping of the tale, which is not how I remember it. Turns out, after some research, the Green Arrow I know is from the Silver Age of Marvel, whilst this hints towards the Golden era with the plane crash.

The story begins with Oliver Queen and his father returning from Zimbabwe following a safari trip. Due to harsh storms, the private jet crashes on a deserted island. Here is where the biggest change happens for me, Oliver is not alone. Instead, there are other survivors. So it becomes more of a can I find help whilst surviving alone rather than a boy becoming a man under harsh conditions.

It is meant to explore the character and how these events will mould him, but I found it lacked depth and ultimately failed to hold my attention. The artwork is pretty, which definitely helped, but the story was a real mess. We get an Oliver Queen who seemingly should never become a hero, too afraid to kill a creature on one page but then kills a snake with no issue on another? Also, there is seemingly a lack of threat; at no point would you truly assume Oliver is in danger. The only real threat is going hungry.

Where is the coming-of-age tale, the survivalist, the self-taught marksman? Is this volume one of a series?

Overall give it a skip unless you can find it for free. Rather disappointed.

Comic Review 224 // Superman Adventures: Lex Luthor

Can stop picking up these titles as I find them at the library. I've never been a fan of Superman, preferring my heroes to have flaws and issues. But I enjoy Lex Luthor as a villain, so I had to try this one out. 

Title: Superman Adventures: Lex Luthor, Man of Metropolis

Comic team: Mark Millar, Dean Motter & Evan Dorkin

Buy on Amazon

Blurb: As long as Superman has flown over the skies of Metropolis, one man has always sought to take the brave hero down Lex Luthor! But why does Lex hate Superman so much? See just how devious Superman’s greatest foe is as experiments with Kryptonite run amok. And Lex isn’t just Superman’s enemy here on Earth-their rivalry will take them to Apokolips and back, as seen in this collection of stories set in the world of the Superman: The Animated Series!

Collects Superman Adventures #27, #54-55, and #65-66.

Format: Paperback

Review

Superman Adventures: Lex Luthor, Man of Metropolis, is a weird mix. It looks and feels like the old Saturday morning cartoons. The ones from the '90s or early 2000s? The Justice League era of comics. But the themes of the stories are heavy hitters; we have racism, hatred and villains beyond Lex to handle. It really delves into the very human issues that mould Lex.

Of course, the stories are Luthor-focused, but as mentioned, he is not alone. We get back up characters like Granny Goodness and Livewire, who do a great job of breaking up the tales. Overall a fine collection but definitely designed for a 10+-year-old audience.

Comic Review 209 // Young Justice - Creature Features

Got to love the library! The kids found Volume 3 of Young Justice and were instantly drawn to it due to the Gorillas. Couldn't argue with the logic, so here we are reading out of order. Enjoy!

Title: Young Justice, Vol. 3: Creature Features

Author: Greg Weisman

Art Team: Kevin Hopps, Christopher Jones

Buy on Amazon.ca for Kindle (best deal)

Blurb: Based on the highly anticipated, all-new hit animated show from Warner Bros. on Cartoon Network, YOUNG JUSTICE collects single-issue, all-ages-appropriate stories featuring the popular characters from the hit Cartoon Network show.

In this volume, Superboy, Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Miss Martian and Artemis make their way to Atlantis to foil Ocean-Master's plan to purify the underwater city. Also, the team must fight off the menace known as Kobra and defeat an army of warrior gorillas in the dangerous Gorilla City!

Format: 128 pages, Paperback

Review

Personally, I was a fan of Young Justice and even started reviewing the series until we got rid of Netflix (this is something I need to revisit). The main cast is, in my opinion, some of the most easily understandable characters in the DC verse. Made up of Robin, Superboy (a Cadmus-Clone merging Superman DNA with Human), Aqua Lad, Miss Martian, Kid Flash and towards the end, Artemis.

This team was created by the Justice League to act as a covert arm because the media were constantly following the main heroes. It was also meant to act as their training school and keep them out of trouble.

As mentioned, there were many one-shot stories, but we got some good ones. Aqua Lad's adventure for me was a standout as he was a character that I didn't really know much about; also, dealing with racism is a meaningful conversation to have with the young ones. We also get to witness the origins of Gorilla City and Gord, along with the origins of Kobra.

Is this a title you need to read...no? Is it a title you should read...maybe? Did I enjoy it for an evening of reading with the kids...definitely yes! It all comes down to what you want from it. If you want some quick adventures to zone out to with a cup of tea, then this book is for you!

Let me know if you have read this book and if I should find the earlier titles.

Thanks for reading!

Comic Review 206 // DC Super Hero Girls: Powerless by Amy Wolfram

When your kids say they are interested in Superheroes, you embrace, inspire and get reading them some funny comics from the library. Up first is the DC Super Hero Girls; not sure if this is part of a series or not, but let's jump in.

Title: DC Super Hero Girls: Powerless

Author: Amy Wolfram

Artist: Agnes Garbowska

Blurb: The DC Super Hero Girls learn what it's like to be POWERLESS in the second original graphic novel based on the hit new Cartoon Network series.

When the electric grid and cloud computing get knocked out on the same night, the Metropolis High Hamsters aren't quite sure how to deal...with a cafeteria that only accepts CASH?! And some girls are more affected than others--Batgirl barely makes it to school without her smartphone, but Green Lantern is mostly determined to keep her friends safe. Speaking of which, has anyone seen Bumblebee?

With half the team out of commission, how will the girls find the source of the problem and fix it before Sweet Justice runs out of non-frozen desserts?!

DC Super Hero Girls: Powerless continues to develop the relationships forged throughout the beloved DC Super Hero Girls series. This story is perfect for ages 6-10 and a great entry point into the DC Universe and graphic novels.

Details: 144 pages, Paperback

Buy on Amazon

Review

First up, this is designed for a 6-10 year age group (which I am well past), and my kids haven't reached it. So some things had to be explained; if reading to your child, I would recommend reading first to see any possible issues or talking points.

The plot was actually quite good. The overall mystery is where/who has taken power. In this tale (which we discovered is in a series), Batgirl takes the lead. This was a clever choice, as this superhero is at a loss without her gadgets. And the story becomes one of growth and realizing your inner strengths and that sometimes you must rely on others for help. A very wholesome plot in a kid's book; I like this.

We also get a lot of characters in this book which was the point of me picking it. I could highlight and show off a great cast of heroes, including Batgirl, Bumblebee, Green Lantern, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna. All are unique and different, allowing the kids to pick their favourites for the rest of the day with little to no arguments.

The artwork is highly cartoony and not for me. But it works well for kids with its bright, colourful imagery. Pairing well with an easy-to-read story. As a dyslexic reader, I found this easy to read, so when it comes, I am sure my kids will enjoy reading the adventure for themselves.

Overall a good for kids to read. Well worth the evening reading to them and then googling the characters to learn more. I believe I have them fixed on Superheroes now, so mission accomplished.

What stories do you enjoy reading to your kids? Drop me a comment, as I would love to know.

Comic Review 82 // Lobo/Judge Dredd - Psycho Bikers vs. The Mutants from Hell

It's been a busy week at work, sorting out an all-new online system for the post-COVID-19 life and training of staff didn't leave me as much time as I hoped for comic reading. I did manage to read a quick one-shot crossover comic. Starring Judge Dredd from 2000 AD and Lobo from the DC Universe.

Details

Title: Lobo/Judge Dredd - Psycho Bikers vs The Mutants From Hell.

Author: Alan Grant & John Wagner.

Artist: Val Semeiks and John Dell.

Commercial Fluff: Law and order meet chaos incarnate in this one-shot! Transported to Mega-City One, Lobo teams up with Judge Dredd to crack skulls and beat down a wild uprising of the Undercity mutants.

Review

I remember reading this when it first came out way back in 1995 (25 years ago ouch!). I had fond memories when I was twelve years old but as I re-read this tale I see the flaws that I missed in my younger years.

I've started to read a few crossovers now and though not the weakest (F**k you Funkoverse Dredd!), it was definitely in the low rankings. The story itself is pretty straight forward Lobo chases a mutant across dimensions to Mega-City One and of course, gets the attention of one Judge Dredd. Soon we have multiple fights breaking out and a cameo from Mean Machine. The action is fast and furious and over the top, the comedy is low brow and a little lame. The artwork is the only true highlight from comic and I now realize how blinded I was as a twelve-year-old.

I'm glad I re-tried the story and I feel you can't win them all. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.