Have A Little Faith

The Tithe Vol. 1 tpb
Image Comics
Matt Hawkins, writer/co-creator
Rahsan Ekedal, artist/co-creator

I like to try new things when my budget allows. Both my comics-buying budget and my typical pull list have shrunk considerably of late. But I still keep my eyes open when ordering my usuals for things that pique my curiosity.

This series, as might be obvious from the title, involves religion. But it was also solicited as a unique heist story. Either of those two topics alone would likely catch my eye. Combining the two made me very curious. But I was also guarded. Every storyteller wants potential readers to see his or her story as unique, but not all of them are. Matt Hawkins and Rahsan Ekedal have taken familiar elements from familiar genres and crafted a tale that, while maybe not so unique, is still a heck of an engaging read that is well worth your time.

A mysterious hacker group named Samaritan gains access to a Federal Bureau of Investigations list of mega-churches and the related founders currently under quiet investigation for fraud. Then Samaritan members gather proof of the illegal activities, often faster than the federal authorities can, and sometimes even uncovering additional crimes along the way.

Finally, Samaritan stages an elaborate robbery of each targeted mega-church, stealing vast amounts of cash donations while simultaneously revealing the truths it has uncovered about the church and its hypocritical leaders. The stolen cash is then distributed to a variety of charitable organizations, turning the group into modern-day Robin Hoods and winning them huge public support.

The two FBI agents heading up the initial fraud investigation — Jimmy Miller and Dwayne Campbell — are diverted to uncovering the members of Samaritan and shutting them down. The two agents couldn't be more different. Miller is the tech guy wrestling with his duty and a growing appreciation for the methods and accomplishments of Samaritan. Campbell is more of a people person who fears the escalating antics of Samaritan are going to get people hurt or killed if the group isn't stopped.

In the hands of lesser creators, all of this might boil down to an all-out condemnation of organized religion. There is certainly no shortage of real-life mega-church founders who have ended up in disgrace for their actions. But Hawkins and Ekedal take a different approach. They don't shy away from the evils committed in the name of religion. But neither do they condemn all religion or all religious people with one broad stroke. Rather this is an examination of a number of things people put their faith in and some of the possible benefits and consequences of such faith.

I expected to try The Tithe, hopefully enjoy it, then walk away from what I thought was a collected limited series. Imagine my happiness at finding that not only did I really enjoy reading this title, but it is an ongoing with a second collected volume to be solicited soon for an April release. In the meantime, I think I'll try to check out a previous graphic novel series by these two, Think Tank. If they are anything like this volume, I expect to be impressed.


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I apologize again that the posts have been so irregular of late, but if you enjoy reading this blog, you can get more by liking my page on Facebook and/or following me on Twitter. And of course, if you are looking for a good deal on some of the comics I am selling off to make room in our house, please check out my main Steve's Comics For Sale site or the StorEnvy version of the site.

Will My Green Arrow Please Stand Back Up

Green Arrow (2011) 41-43+
DC Comics
Benjamin Percy, writer
Patrick Zircher, artist

I know, I know. Last post was Green Arrow. But I felt moved to follow up on last time's follow-up.

The new creative team that started with this arc — Benjamin Percy and Patrick Zircher — did away with a number of the features I liked from the last team's wonderful arc. We're still in Seattle, but the cast is reduced to just Oliver, Emi and new tech guy Henry.

Having said that, I really want to stress that I very much enjoyed this team's first arc, "The Nightbirds." The story introduces a credible, real-world threat, albeit one pumped up with "killer robots" and a maniacal mastermind to make it fit more comfortably into the four-color world we all enjoy. It presents the kind of street-level problem Green Arrow is known for tackling with some fun moments here and there to keep the story from turning too dark. Percy has crafted a story with some subtleties that I appreciated, and Zircher has a clean, but moody art style that complements the narrative. Colorist Gabe Eltaeb also deserves kudos for matching the tone of the story with a limited, muted color palette.

The second reason I wanted to talk about this arc, though, is my problem with it. I enjoyed the story. It was an entertaining read expanding on the privacy versus security debate. But it was really only a Green Arrow story because it was in Green Arrow.

You could take Oliver out of the story, insert almost any other hero, and the basic story doesn't change. To get to the nutcase behind the plot, the hero has to go through the killer robots. Sounds like a classic Superman story. Ollie uses tech arrows to hack the robots' programming. Cyborg, anyone? Ollie has to do a little investigating to track down the villain. Batman could do that and would have been better and more efficient about it.

With the exception of a few subplots, there was nothing that made this story have to feature Green Arrow. And those subplots, likely laying groundwork for future arcs, were not integral parts of this arc.

Again, I liked this story. I was nervous about yet another creative team change on this title, but these guys have convinced me to stick around a little longer. That's their job: to get me to keep buying. If they want me to hang around for the long run, however, I need a little more reason for Ollie to be in the stories they are writing for his title.

And to peek ahead a little further, issue No. 44 is all about yet another character, George, introduced in "The Nightbirds." Now, I like George, and he has potential to be a nice addition to the cast. His origin was also an interesting read. But again, let's get some focus back on Ollie soon, please.

Not That You Asked, But …

Green Arrow (2011) 35-40
DC Comics
Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski, writers
Daniel Sampere, Jonathan Glapion, Gabe Eltaeb and Daniel Henriques, artists

OK, I'm behind on my reading. If you're a regular follower of this blog, that isn't news to you.

So why am I talking about these issues that are nearly a year old? Since the launch of the New 52, Green Arrow has been hit or miss with me, a miss more often than not. I talked more about that here. And I also raised the hope that the return of Andrew Kreisberg to the title might mean an upswing in the title's likability for me. Thus, here is the post where I answer that burning question I left you all hanging with.

Kreisberg and scripter/co-plotter Ben Sokolowski continue the trend of bringing elements from the hit CW show "Arrow" into the mix. They keep Diggle, introduced in a previous arc, and have added other television show elements such as Felicity Smoak. Katana, too. I like "Arrow," but I don't want my monthly dose of Green Arrow comics to too closely copy the television program. Well, that isn't what Kreisberg and Sokolowski are doing here. These characters aren't exactly the same as their TV show counterparts.

Also, Kreisberg and Sokolowski have re-introduced elements from past comic incarnations of Green Arrow, helping to further differentiate the comic from the TV continuity. The setting, for one, is Seattle, not Star City or Starling City. This story arc, "The Kingdom," also introduces the New 52 version of Mia Dearden and brings back Tommy Merlin, now a dark archer named Merlyn. Further cementing this continuity as different from "Arrow" is the inclusion of a number of DCU guest stars, including Lex Luthor and Batman from Justice League and Arsenal from the New 52 title he shares with Red Hood.

All of that adds up to a very enjoyable story arc that gives me renewed hope for the Green Arrow title. I still have the two-month Convergence titles to read, but this creative team seems to finally have gotten this title on track, reminding me why I like the GA character and making me look forward to each new issue of his title.

But then I remembered that the creative team once again changes with the issues post-Convergence. I hated the frequent creative team changes on this title before. And it looks like they haven't stopped. Maybe DC doesn't want me to like this title. I swear I'm about to give up trying to like it. But hey, if you get the chance, pick up these issues or the likely trade collecting them. This story, and this creative team, at least, are worth the price.

Turn The Key And Unlock Greatness

Locke & Key Vols. 1-6
IDW Publishing
Joe Hill, writer
Gabriel Rodriguez, artist

Finishing a really good book or series is always a bittersweet event. There's the joy of having experienced the story, the satisfaction of having completed the journey to its end. But if you really enjoyed the book, connected with the characters, then there's also a bit of sadness that their story is over and there will be no more.

That's how I felt after finishing the entire Locke & Key series at long last. I borrowed the first three volumes from my local library. You can read what I thought of those volumes here and here. But in short, I liked them enough that after the third volume, I decided to just buy the series, which I did after doing a little bargain hunting. But then, due to the craziness of life putting me quite behind on my reading, it has taken me a while to get back to the series.

Because of that delay, I decided to re-read the first three volumes. I still remembered the basic story of the Locke children — Tyler, Kinsey and Bode — and how they came to stay at their ancestral home, Keyhouse, in Lovecraft, Maine. But I wanted to refresh my mind on all of the details of the story before beginning the second half of their journey.

The highest recommendation I can give Locke & Key is that I did connect with the characters. I did enjoy the ride they took me on. And I can look forward to re-reading favorite parts again. After all, I just re-read the first three volumes of Locke & Key for this pass through, and I enjoyed them just as much the second time through as I did the first time. This is definitely a series I intend to read again at some point.

You may have figured out by this point that I am not going to share any story specifics. There are plenty of early story and set-up details in my earlier reviews of the first three volumes if you want to know more about the series before trying it. I don't want to spoil anything more for anyone who might be coming to the series fresh, like I did. But I will share one more personal reaction to Locke & Key.

As I started the sixth book, I realized I was uneasy. A number of characters die along the way; would anyone make it out of this story intact? This is a horror story, after all, and it might not end well for any of the characters. I haven't spoiled the ending by sharing that detail; I haven't told you if my fears were realized or not. But what that sentence does reveal is that this horror story scared me. It left me with a sense of dread for the characters and their fates. How often does that happen that a scary story really scares you in the reading of it?

If you've never read Locke & Key but you like a good scary story, then check this series out. You don't have to be only a horror fan to appreciate this story, though. Anyone who loves a good story, a gripping drama that unfolds slowly and pulls you in deeper with every page, will find something to enjoy with Locke & Key. Do yourself a favor and seek it out. I haven't heard from anyone who has read this book and didn't like it. That alone seems like high praise!

Well Worth The Price Of Admission

El Diablo 1-16 (1989-90)
DC Comics
Gerard Jones, writer
Mike Parobeck, John Nyberg and Paul Fricke, artists

I completely missed this series when it was new on the stands. I don't remember seeing it on the shelves, although I was buying similar "new format" DC books at the time and was also buying the 1990 relaunch of Green Lantern — also written by Gerard Jones — that debuted a few months into El Diablo's run. In fact, I didn't even know anything about the original El Diablo character whose adventures were serialized in All-Star Western beginning in the 1970s, or the modern New 52 version of the character from Suicide Squad.

But more than once I've heard Michael Bailey on one of the many podcasts he appears on praise this short-lived series. If memory serves, Bailey touted the strong characterization and writing Jones brought to the Rafael Sandoval version of El Diablo. I've also heard Bailey praise Mike Parobeck's clean, dynamic art style from this series as well as his short run on the phenomenal 1992 Justice Society of America (sadly, only 10 issues). So, I decided to seek out the back issues and give the series a try. I was not disappointed!

Readers never learn much about Rafael Sandoval's back story or his ties to the previous version of El Diablo, if any. In the first issue of the series, Sandoval has recently been elected to the city council of his home, Dos Rios, Texas, with the backing of the town's amiable mayor. Sandoval has accepted the position because he hopes to improve things for the Hispanic population of Dos Rios, a border town seemingly made up of mostly whites, a generous number of Hispanics and also some black residents. When issues come up that can't be handled in council chambers, Sandoval adopts the El Diablo identity for a more hands-on approach to problem solving.

There are familiar elements of superhero fare in the pages of El Diablo, but most issues of the series tackle much more "real-world" social ills, from drug peddlers to child abductions, political backstabbing to racial tensions. There wasn't a super villain in any of the issues. But there was plenty of peril, excitement and drama.

The title avoids the "preachy" problem so many relevant comics can fall into, too. Jones does an excellent job of presenting both sides of some tough issues without making either side wholly evil or genuinely pure. All of that careful scripting gives El Diablo and the members of his supporting cast multiple dimensions, fleshing them out like real people, not one-dimensional caricatures. The entire creative team makes this book a joy to read. So much so, I wish the title had been able to sustain itself for a longer run.

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Obviously, I'm back trying to post on the blog. I greatly appreciate those of you who have continued to check in here even though there haven't been new posts in quite a while. I can't promise even a weekly schedule yet, but I'm going to try to post here when I can. I never did do regular reviews on the Facebook page either, but I did recently post a little something about Dark Horse's Ghost Vol. 1. If you want to check it or any of my other non-review posts out, you can visit the page here.

Just Being Realistic

If you're coming to this blog, you want to read something about comics, not my current messed-up work situation, so I won't bore you with all of the details. But I imagine it is also pretty obvious to most of you who stop by here on a regular or even semi-regular basis, that new posts have become quite scarce indeed.

I'm very sorry about the lack of new material, but honestly, I don't foresee that changing in the immediate future.

This note isn't all doom-and-gloom, though. While I haven't had time of late to put up posts here, I still manage to read a comic whenever I can, and have posted some much more brief thoughts on my Steve's Comics for Sale Facebook page. Some of the recent posts there have made mention of the books pictured to the left and right. Follow the link and like the page if you want to keep up with me there. I'll also post information on that page if/when I am able to resume posting lengthier reviews and thoughts here.

And for those of you interested, I just updated the main Steve's Comics for Sale site for the month. Confidentially, I just completed a big sale of stuff from the site this past month, and I have another big purchase in the very early stages, so there has been some turnover. Check it out here.

Making It Fit

Star Trek (1984 series) annual No. 1
DC Comics
Mike W. Barr, writer
David Ross and Bob Smith, artists

These days, I try almost anything with Star Trek in the title. I've been a fan of The Original Series since growing up watching reruns in syndication in the 1970s. In fact, my brother and I used to plan our entire Sunday afternoons around the television when I was in grade school — we'd watch not only "Star Trek" but the Irwin Allen science-fiction greats "Land of the Giants," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" and "Lost In Space" all in one big afternoon block. When those shows were over, "Maverick" would come on (I don't know how the western fit in with all of those sci-fi programs; maybe it was the comedic aspects of the show since its lead-in was the unintentionally cheesy but lovable "Lost In Space."), and then it would be six o'clock, time to change the channel to catch "The Wonderful World of Disney." Those were great days!

Anyway, that helps show my love for classic "Star Trek" goes back a ways. But I didn't always buy everything Star Trek. I don't think I bought a single copy of the 18-issue Marvel Comics series that came out in the wake of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1979. This later DC version of the Enterprise crew was a little more on my radar, but still wasn't a guaranteed purchase month in and month out. A lot of what would catch my eye about this series were the "special" issues that didn't just continue the movie adventures of the classic Enterprise crew, but tried to shoehorn stories into that original television run, something in comics called a retcon, or retroactive continuity. This annual from 1985 is one of the first such attempts at such a story in this series.

There is a brief framing sequence at the beginning and end of this issue set in the then-current movie timeline. But the bulk of this comic is made up of a lengthy flashback showing "The First Mission" of James T. Kirk's classic crew in a story titled "All Those Years Ago ..." Now the easy thing to do would be to just show some mission where all of the familiar characters are getting used to working together, but Mike W. Barr and company take things a step further. Included in this tale is the actual change of command ceremony where Kirk assumes command of the Enterprise from Christopher Pike, who is being promoted to the rank of fleet captain. Pike, of course, was the captain of the Enterprise in the original pilot episode "The Cage," footage from which was repurposed into the only classic two-part episode, "The Menagerie."

Great attention to detail is shown including a number of characters who only ever appeared in one episode of the "Star Trek" television program and working them into this story. Gary Mitchell, Lee Kelso and Number One are all featured in this comic. Even important characters from Star Trek canon who really played minor roles in the television show — characters like Capt. Robert April, Dr. Mark Piper and Admiral Nogura — get at least a mention in this story. All of that work adds layers that make this story feel like it really could be the untold story of the crew's first mission together.

As more and more Trek is written, I can't swear that this story holds up and still fits in with everything else seamlessly, but at the time this issue was written, this WAS the definitive version of these events. It simply had to be to include so much attention to detail. And that's a great reason why I still enjoy reading this story three decades after it was first released, and feel justified in heartily recommending it to any Trek fan who hasn't had the pleasure before.

Requiem For A Series

Aquaman and the Others 6-11
DC Comics
Dan Jurgens, writer
Lan Medina, Allen Martinez and Wayne Faucher, artists

Both work and personal demands have kept me away from the blog of late, but as I alluded to in a previous post, it is not just the time to write blog posts that has been suffering. I haven't had time to read many comics of late either beyond a stray trade or random issue here or there or what little time I have spent in the past few months trying to go through issues from my collection deciding what to sell and what to hang onto. Bottom line: Its been a busy few months, and I am waaaay behind on current issues of the comics I'm buying.

How far behind, you ask. Well, while most of the current comics-reading public is diving head-first into Secret Wars or getting ready for the very near windup to Convergence, the last "current" comics I read were the various Future's End tie-in issues DC did more than six months ago. Yeah, I'm a little behind.

One perk of being so far behind is being able to read several issues of a given series at a time. It's almost like trade-waiting, but not really; trade-waiting would have been cheaper in the long run. It's also kind of a bittersweet perk when what you are reading is the very last arc of a title canceled much too soon.

The Others were first introduced in the second Aquaman story arc in his own New 52 title. The international cast of characters came together with a common purpose before the Justice League was formed, and Aquaman served as their leader in a quest to locate and safeguard several Atlantean relics. The Operative was an American, but Ya'wara hailed from Brazil, Vostok from Russia and Kahina was an Iranian. The final member of the group, Prisoner of War, was also an American, but he contained within his own body the souls of many fallen soldiers, maybe not all of them American. That was just one of the many avenues open for exploration with these characters.

The Others showed up again in Aquaman No. 20 and the first New 52 Aquaman annual, adding new member Sky Alchesay, a Native American, further spicing up the international flavor of the group. It was also no secret that these stand-alone stories were try-out issues meant to gauge interest in the group prior to them getting their own ongoing title, which launched in 2014.

This final story arc of the very short-lived Aquaman and the Others title pits the group against a similarly diverse group of assassins and mercenaries, some of them new creations for this story, as far as I know. Mayhem brings together the New 52 versions of Cheshire and former Soviet spies KGBeast and NKVDemon. Rounding out the cast of villains is a trio of new creations of undetermined nationality — Maelstrom, Stranglehold and Braze.

I'm not saying the "Alignmernt: Earth" story arc is perfect; there are some missteps and plot deficiencies. For example, none of those three new villains is fleshed out beyond a name and a basic character trait displayed in the fighting. The one exception is Maelstrom, whose heart doesn't quite seem in the fight during the final battle, but even that glimpse of something more never goes anywhere. Now, to be fair to Dan Jurgens, a talented writer and artist whose work I quite enjoy most of the time, maybe that is because once the series had been canceled, he didn't see much point in developing the other villains more only to have them fade away.

I also think the conflict between the Operative and Prisoner of War in this arc could have been resolved much more quickly than it was. But again, maybe Jurgens initially had more in mind with some of his moves here that the cancellation cut short.

Obviously, I was a fan of this series and was willing to continue to support the ongoing adventures of the Others. Now that the book has been canceled, however, I am reminded of an oft-repeated refrain on the Internet that some characters just aren't meant to support an ongoing series. Some characters, commentators say, are better suited to a miniseries or series of recurring finite stories.

I hope that at the very least, DC opts to go that route with these characters. They still show much promise, much potential for great storytelling. And I like how they interact with each other and team leader Aquaman. If the Others can't have an ongoing title, I hope Jurgens and company will at least trot them out from time to time with guest appearances or even their own mini, as time and inspiration allow. If I can't have a monthly dose of these characters, I at least want to visit them frequently.

Please DC, make it so.

Everything I Thought I Knew Gone In A Flash

The Flash Nos. 130-133 (1997-98)
DC Comics
Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, writers
Paul Ryan and John Nyberg, artists

I am NOT a Flash aficionado; let's be clear on that right from the start. I like Barry (Allen) and Wally (West) and Jay (Garrick), but I've just never followed any of their solo adventures on a regular basis. Mostly I've read of their heroics in conjunction with the various teams they belong to — the Justice Society, the Titans, the Justice League. But I know the basics.

Jay was granted his speed in the golden-age of comics by hard-water fumes, then Barry, and later Wally, were each doused in a combination of chemicals charged by a bolt of lightning in the silver age. Barry sacrificed himself to save a small number of alternate earths during Crisis On Infinite Earths, prompting Wally to end his career as Kid Flash, and take on the mantle of the Flash in his uncle's memory.

At first, if memory serves, Wally actually wore Barry's old costume as the Flash, but later he adopted his own with a few design tweaks here and there. Still later, Wally was able to generate a costume out of pure Speed Force, the energy the various speedsters tap into for their special abilities. This was around the time he started wearing a more shiny, almost metallic looking version of his costume with opaque white eye coverings — or so I thought.

Apparently, the shiny version of the costume pre-dates the Speed Force generated version by a few years. I know this now because I have just finished reading "Emergency Stop," the three part story that introduces the Speed Force costume.

Fan-favorite writers Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn had a very successful run on The Flash just prior to these issues, taking a break after issue No. 129 to focus on other projects. Following them was the writing team of Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, who started their short run with a bang, creating an imaginative, gripping and fun story that pushed Wally's Flash in new directions. In the course of a story I highly recommend, they first kill and then cripple Wally, leading to his creation of the Speed Force costume as seen above.

They quickly follow that three-parter with a done-in-one tale pitting the Flash against one of the Rogues, the Mirror Master. During their battles, Mirror Master splits Flash into seven rainbow-colored aspects of himself with a prism. Once Wally figures out how to reintegrate his seven personalities, the recombined Speed Force costume takes on the more familiar red and gold color scheme.

Now I've just spoiled all of the details about how the Flash really got his Speed Force costume, but there is much, much more going on in both of these two story arcs than just the wardrobe drama. I heartily recommend these books for anyone who is a fan of the Flash, be it one of the various comics versions of the character or even the currently popular and quite fun Flash television series. The threats feel very real for our hero in these tales and the challenges he faces daunting, but Morrison and Millar remember that key ingredient to any great comic story — fun. These are enjoyable reads!



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Quick peak behind the curtain: Still very busy so forgive me if this post maybe isn't quite as polished as usual. I wanted to get something posted after missing a couple weeks, but I'm writing this just a few hours before it goes up if I am to make this week's deadline. Hopefully I'll be back with more next week!

Being Busy Is No Excuse For Poor Manners

Work has been a  real chore the past few weeks. I'd elaborate beyond that, but reading about my job in the real work is most assuredly NOT why you are here. So instead, I will apologize for the lack of a new post the past couple weeks, extend the apology into the next week or so (but hopefully not longer) as I don't foresee a change in that hectic work status in the next week or so, and offer my heartfelt thanks to those of you who continue to stop by this space looking for something new. I very much appreciate those of you who return again and again to read what I have to say, and I promise I will be back as soon as I have a chance to take a breather, read something fantastic and share it with you.

It's A Little Different, But Hey, It's Free

Who doesn't like to get free stuff?

One of the places I look for comics or trades at what I consider to be a good price is eBay. And on auctions that I've won recently, more and more of the sellers seem to be of the generous variety, including some freebies in with the items I actually bid on, won and paid for. Some don't, and that's OK; as long as you get what you paid for, you can't really complain about not getting more. But it's a nice surprise when it does happen, and like I said, it has been happening a little more often of late.

Once in a while the freebies might be making up for a mistake: for example, the wrong stuff was accidentally shipped to you. Then by way of apology, the seller ships out the right stuff and tells you to just keep the incorrect stuff as a peace offering. But more often than not, it's simply an extra comic or two slipped in with whatever else you ordered.

Being on the receiving end of this has prompted me to do the same when someone buys comics from me. I don't always have the extras on hand, but I try to include some extras when I can. Single one-off issues work great for this, I've found.

When I receive these freebies, I usually read them regardless of whether I've heard of the title before. It is a great way to find some gems I would have otherwise missed, although admittedly, such gems can be rare. With one recent order from an eBay seller, I was surprised to find the box contained a couple trades and half a dozen or so single issues I didn't order. Thinking my order had been accidentally packed with someone else's, I immediately contacted the seller who assured me the extras were just bonuses. This was the first time I received such bounty from one seller, to be sure. I haven't read all of the books yet, but was surprised to find several gems in the bunch that have me looking for the rest of the respective series. All of the extras in this instance were Image books, and here is just a bit about some of the ones that piqued my curiosity:

The Adventures of Apocalypse Al No. 1 (2014)
J. Michael Straczynski, writer
Sid Kotian, artist
 
This is a fun little book that combines detective fiction, supernatural creatures and events and no small amount of humor to very enjoyable effect. The lead character is private detective Allison Carter, the latest in a long line of investigators specializing in preventing the end of the world. In just this first issue alone, Al thwarts a would-be demon raiser, gets a tip from a dead friend, has a late-night meeting with a very creepy dude while she's in her underwear and makes a number of unscheduled jaunts to alternate realities, and this is just the set-up for this story. Yeah, more please!

The Bakers: Babies and Kittens (2007)
Kyle Baker, writer and artist

This 100-page hardcover is a whimsical little cartoon story of a family that wants to get a cat. At least Mom and the three kids do, but Dad is allergic to the critters and forbids it. But the kids think some kittens they find are cute, and Mom has seen a mouse in the house. Adorable hilarity ensues. This book is very similar to a child's picture book although there are nuances to the story that only adults will get, so I enjoyed this one with my 3-year-old daughter who agreed the babies and kittens were quite cute! This was a complete story unto itself, but I understand there are other The Bakers stories out there I might have to try.

Infinite Vacation No. 1 (2011)
Nick Spenser, writer
Christian Ward, artist

Now this tale seems like the kind of story that could make your head hurt if you try to think about it too much. The premise is that the characters here live in a world where they can buy their way into alternate realities for a price. Having a crappy day? Jump over to another reality where your day is going much better. The possibilities for change are limitless, and changing his circumstances with a few clicks is what Mark, the lead character, is used to. That is, until Mark starts to notice that his alternate selves are dying off. And not just a few of them. A whole lot of Marks are dying. What's up with that? I'm a little curious to find out.

Imperial No. 2 (2014)
Steven T. Seagle, writer
Mark Dos Santos, artist

This last one was a little more bizarre than the others because of being dropped into the story in the middle instead of at the beginning, but I think I got the gist. Imperial is a superhero looking for a replacement. Mark (Yeah, another guy named Mark.) has been chosen. But not only is Mark not very interested in the job, he's much more focused on the fact that he's supposed to be getting married to his girlfriend, Katie. That doesn't stop Imperial from showing up and bringing danger into Mark's life. This one looks pretty interesting too.

I guess all these freebies are going to cost me something after all!

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If you enjoy reading this blog, you can get more by liking my page on Facebook and/or following me on Twitter. And of course, if you are looking for a good deal on some of the comics I am selling off to make room in our house, please check out my main Steve's Comics For Sale site or the StorEnvy version of the site.

Batman: In Color

Tales of the Batman: Carmine Infantino (2014)
DC Comics
Gardner Fox, John Broome, Cary Bates, Gerry Conway, Don Kraar, Mike Barr and Geoff Johns, writers
Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, Murphy Anderson, Sid Greene, Bob Smith, Steve Mitchell, Mike DeCarlo, Sal Trapani, Mike Esposito and Neal Adams, artists

I tend to run hot and cold on my opinions of Carmine Infantino as a comic book artist. At the height of his career, he was an incredible penciler, as evidenced by many of the stories in this very volume. He is most known for adding the yellow oval to Batman's chest emblem, defining the "new look" of the character in the 1960s, and for his well-known and lengthy run as the artist on The Flash. But to my eye, a great deal of his later work lacks the definition I prefer to see. Often his later comic pages could look sketchy, rushed and unfinished.

So why spend money on a tome like this, celebrating an artist whose work I don't always appreciate? The vast majority of this book comes from the aforementioned height of Infantino's career, when he worked on Batman and refined the Darknight Detective's "new look."

There are a number of covers from both Batman and Detective Comics from the mid-1960s era, but another plus of this book is that most of the interior work presented here, Infantino did for Detective. Those stories have a history of focusing more on Batman's deductive prowess and less on super-heroics. In fact, many of these stories eschew the more colorful members of Batman's rogue's gallery for costume-less street thugs and gangs. There's a later Riddler tale, as well as appearances by the Joker, Cluemaster and Blockbuster, but more often than not, the Gotham Guardian is matching wits with characters like Frank Fenton, General Von Dort, Eivol Ekdal, Frank Pragnel, Doc Hastings and Mr. Brains.

The biggest draw for me, however, are the covers of this era and the stories they inspired. Often the cover idea came first, presenting some horrific or startling scene, and then it was up to the writer and/or artist assigned to the book to build the story around that cover image. Julius Schwartz was very well-known for this technique as an editor at DC Comics, and it led to some very eye-catching covers that made young readers want to pick up the book and learn how such a thing could happen. Many of them still make me want to read the issue in question if I haven't already.

Often what was depicted on the cover might end up being a red herring for the story presented within or hint at the solution to some mystery the hero has to figure out, but often, the comics stories behind these covers were well worth a reader's time, otherwise the cover trick wouldn't have worked for very long. But one such Infantino cover presented in this book, along with the story behind it, handles things in a rather unique way. I can't say I've read every issue of DC Comics from this era — far from it — but I know I've never come across a story quite like the one associated with the cover above.

This tale pits the Caped Crusaders against a foe named the Bouncer, who has fashioned an outfit out of an experimental substance that allows him to safely rebound off any surface. The Bouncer escapes Batman and Robin in their first encounter because the unique properties of his suit catch them off-guard. After their first defeat at the hands of the criminal, the Dynamic Duo use their ingenuity to figure out how the Bouncer was able to achieve his stunning feats and devise a way to counteract his abilities. Despite Batman and Robin's resourcefulness, the Bouncer escapes from a few more encounters with the pair. But they use each new defeat to learn more about their foe until they successfully apprehend the Bouncer on Page 8 of this 14-page story. Nowhere in the span of that eight pages is Batman dead or even believed dead. Not even for a moment.

But then Page 9 is taken up entirely by images of Gardner Fox, the writer of this particular Bat-tale, in his home. Fox explains that after finishing such a story, he often retires to his "What If" room to reflect on a story before polishing and sending it to his editor. In this scenario, Fox wonders "what if" the Bouncer was prepared for Batman and Robin's latest attempt to foil his crimes. Naturally, in that case, the Dynamic Duo's plan does not work, Batman is gunned down, and the scene from the cover plays out, complete with cameos by several members of the Justice League and a surprise twist that leaves Robin still working with a partner at the end of the "what if" version.

I won't spoil all of the details of the story — the cover image is practically ordering me not to — but this was definitely one of my favorites from a thick 500-plus page hardcover that I very much enjoyed and highly recommend. Who knows what surprises you might find inside?

I Seem To Be On A Black And White Kick

True Story, Swear To God: 100 Stories (2004)
AiT/Planet Lar
Tom Beland, writer and artist

I don't remember when or where I first heard of Tom Beland's autobiographical True Story, Swear To God series, but I must have heard good things that made me curious to give the series a try. So a few years back, I purchased the first 10 issues of the second volume of the series.

I didn't know at the time I bought these issues from Image Comics that they were from the second volume of the series, but the first issue played catch-up, recapping how Tom met his fiance, Lily, on a trip to Orlando, Fla. Tom, from the Napa Valley, fell in love at first sight upon meeting Lily, who hails from Puerto Rico.

The rest of those 10 issues detail the point in the pair's relationship where Tom has relocated to Puerto Rico to be with Lily and must get used to a new culture and strange language. It's a funny, romantic, easily relatable story told in an entertaining way. And Tom's art is simple, clean and cartoony, and his characters are very expressive.

I wanted to read more of the story, so I recently went looking for issues from the first volume of the series and found the Image collection True Story, Swear To God Archives Vol. 1. Along with that volume, I also saw this trade, True Story, Swear To God: 100 Stories. While the Archives book collects the entire first volume of the title, originally self-published by Tom about meeting Lily and the early days of their relationship, the 100 Stories volume is a little different.

When Tom first met Lily, he was working as a cartoonist and page designer at a local newspaper. The cartoon strip Tom produced bears the same name as his eventual comic book series, and covers much of the same territory: his family, daily life in the Napa Valley, his budding relationship with Lily and his experiences learning about the Puerto Rican culture. The only major difference is that instead of a single, continuing narrative like in the comic book series, the True Story strip is more random slices of life.

This collection made me laugh and nod my head in shared understanding just as much as the True Story, Swear To God comic series, both volumes. My life is not identical to Tom Beland's, but the experiences he shares are told in a way that emphasizes the universal experiences we all go through. Pick up any of his books, and if you don't feel something, you're no longer human!

Here are a few more samples to enjoy:

It's Cold. So Cold. But A Great Read, Too.

WinterWorld trade (2011)
IDW Publishing
Chuck Dixon, writer
Jorge Zaffino, artist

I missed this story when it was originally serialized in 1988 by Eclipse Comics. I didn't even know it existed. But the story of the two main characters in this trade — Scully and Wynn — is being continued in a new series published by IDW and again written by series creator Chuck Dixon. Actually, I don't know for certain if their story is being continued or rebooted, as often happens in comics. But just in case it is the former, I wanted to catch up by first reading the initial adventure.

The first time I heard of WinterWorld was in the solicitations for the new version several months ago. The two characters exist in the far future when much of the planet is covered in snow and ice and every day is a struggle to survive. The descriptive copy made me curious about the series, largely because it reminded me of a great novel I had just recently read — Gordon R. Dickson's Wolf and Iron.

The Wolf and Iron novel takes place in an equally bleak future, this time caused by economic collapse and the subsequent fall of civilization. One man is trying to make his way across what used to be the United States never knowing if each new settlement will bring trade or death in the new lawless, violent reality.
In WinterWorld, the exact date and cause of the condition of the world is not disclosed. But much like an amalgamation of a couple characters from Wolf and Iron, lead character Scully is a trader making his way across the frozen landscape in a modified tractor. Using goods and equipment found in long abandoned shopping malls buried under the snow, Scully visits settlement after settlement, trading and making a life for himself and his companion, a badger named RahRah.

That is, until he comes upon the settlement where Wynn is being held. The backwards residents treat the young girl like property, but even that isn't enough to make Scully stick his neck out until the denizens of this settlement try to rob him. Wynn helps Scully and RahRah escape, which in turn leads them to take her in and care for her, even after slavers capture the pair.

In addition to the original three-issue WinterWorld series, this trade also collects a previously unpublished sequel titled WinterSea, continuing the adventures of Scully and Wynn.

Chuck Dixon provides a seat-of-the-pants adventure tale pitting two people against the worst their world and its inhabitants can throw at them. Jorge Zaffino's black and white art provides the perfect gritty visuals to bring Dixon's characters to life. I'm curious to see if the new version of the title lives up to this first collection despite there being a new art team working with Dixon to bring the current series to life.

Does This Story Ever End?

A Distant Soil
Image Comics
Colleen Doran, writer and artist

As my monthly buying has slowed recently, I've been making an effort to hunt down more things I've made notes about in the past — things I wanted to try at some point, most often books I'd heard good things about, but that I didn't have time or money to pursue at the time. One such title was A Distant Soil created, written and illustrated by Colleen Doran.

Doran is known primarily as an artist who has worked with writers such as Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, Peter David, Joe R. Lansdale and Keith Giffen. I personally have seen her work in books like Wonder Woman: The Once and Future Story, Teen Titans Spotlight, Star Trek and Valor from DC Comics and Marvel Icon's The Book of Lost Souls written by J. Michael Straczynski. She is also a writer, but I haven't read anything else penned by her at this point.

I don't recall now — and wasn't in the habit of writing down — where it was that I heard or read about A Distant Soil. Most likely, it was from an episode of Word Balloon or from a column written by Andrew "Captain Comics" Smith. I tend to think it was the latter as I don't recall a Word Balloon episode featuring Doran, but I might be wrong. Anyway, one note I did write down is "similar to Aquaman." Having now read the majority of A Distant Soil, that comparison puzzles me unless it maybe refers more to similarities with Peter David's The Atlantis Chronicles — a title I own but have not yet read. Once I read Atlantis Chronicles, I'll know if maybe that was the comparison made and my note was only slightly in error, or if the two series are nothing alike and my note was just an example of who knows what.

But getting back to A Distant Soil, I recently decided it was time to finally check this series out. I purchased the three trades I found at a good price, and once they arrived in the mail, I sat down to read them and see just what this series was about. It was not what I expected, but it was good.

The Volume 1 trade, titled The Gathering, collects the first 12 issues of the Aria Press version of the series. It serves to do just that, gather and introduce readers to the majority of the large cast of characters that make up this sprawling sci-fi/fantasy epic.

First, we are introduced to Jason and Liana Scott, 17 and 15 years old, respectively. The teens have spent most of their lives since being orphaned at a young age living in a mental institution. There's nothing wrong with the youths. Both possess paranormal abilities that the authorities can't explain, including a shared telepathic rapport with each other, and so their young lives have been filled with experiments, poking, prodding and confinement.

In the latest of a series of escape attempts, Jason and Liana run into a street gang and a gruff but compassionate cop. The cop, Tony Minetti, and the leader of the street gang, Brent Donewitz, have an uneasy friendship, and the two agree to help the Scott teens lay low for a while. And that's when the aliens show up.

It turns out that Jason and Liana have their unique abilities because their father was secretly an alien fleeing his home planet, Ovanan. A huge Ovanan warship, the Siovansin, has come to hunt down the teens on behalf of the Hierarchy, the rulers of Ovanan and its vast empire of worlds. Of course, there is also a contingent of the aliens onboard the Siovansin who are sympathetic to Jason and Liana's plight and who hope to enlist their aid in overthrowing the sadistic Hierarchy.

What isn't quite so expected is that even the resistance movement onboard the Ovanan warship is splintered into different factions, sometimes to the point that they get in each other's way. Minetti and Brent help Liana escape with two of the sympathetic aliens, Rieken and D'Mer, while Jason is captured by the Hierarchy minions.

The Hierarchy tries to use Jason to find Liana, and in the process, they seem to kill the teenager. However, he is not beyond the healing abilities of Ovanan science. While in the care of the Siovansin medical staff, Jason's body is captured by one faction of the resistance. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Rieken and D'Mer recruit Liana, Minetti, Brent and nine others to their faction of the resistance and attempt to sneak back aboard the Siovansin.

That is a very nutshell synopsis of the first trade and its cast of dozens of characters. The narrative — which text pieces in the volume explain Doran created while still a child herself — is very complex, but still engaging. Doran's artwork, presented here in black-and-white only, is detailed and quite pretty to look at. I stumbled over some of the characters' appearances in these early scenes because so much of the clothing worn by the humans is very dated to some of the most outrageous '80s styles. That took me right out of the story on a number of occasions, and I thought about giving up on the story a number of times early on simply because the costuming was so jarring to me. But otherwise, I have no complaints about the art, and subsequent volumes take place mostly aboard the Siovansin, where even the humans are wearing Ovanan clothing to blend in, so that problem is eliminated.

One other thing that gave me pause in this first volume was an advertisement in the back of the book soliciting the five trades that collect the complete A Distant Soil saga. Up until this point, I'd believed I had the entire story in the three trades I'd already bought. I tried to do some more research into the series and learned that the first A Distant Soil comics were published by WaRP Graphics and the series lasted for only nine issues. Creative control and rights issues led to a split between WaRP and Doran, who tried to start over with another publisher only to have problems there as well. She finally started over a third time, self-publishing under Aria Press and combining some old and new story elements. Then in 1996, the story continued at Image, the publisher also responsible for the trade collections.

The second and third trade volumes — The Ascendant and The Aria, respectively — advance the story with all characters aboard the Siovansin. The resistance faction holding Jason revives the young man and sets him up to assassinate the god-like figurehead of the Hierarchy in exchange for information about his father. Rieken and D'Mer continue to plot with their human and Ovanan allies to overthrow the Hierarchy from within, relying heavily on Liana's help. Some characters are slain along the way and many, many more are introduced.

I managed to track down a copy of the fourth trade collection with the help of my local librarian. That volume, Coda, sees one faction of the resistance discovered and wiped out and the stakes for Liana, Jason and the others raised to impossible levels as the entire planet Earth comes under threat.

There are a few parts of Doran's narrative that feel overly lengthy, but again, the overall story is an engaging one that I would like to finish. The art only gets better and more stunning with each issue. The only problem at this point is I can't seem to find that fifth and final trade collection, Requiem, available anywhere I search. I'm not even sure the fifth volume has ever been published. In fact, I am not even certain if Doran has completed the series in single issue form at this point. Do any of my readers know any more about this series, whether or not it has been completed, and if so, where I might get my hands on the final volume of the story? Leave me a note in the comments if you can help shed some light.

History Really Does Repeat Itself

Essential Captain America Vol. 4 (collecting Captain America Nos. 157-186)
Marvel Comics
Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, Roy Thomas, Tony Isabella, Mike Friedrich and John Warner, writers
Sal Buscema, John Verpoorten, Frank McLaughlin, Alan Weiss, Frank Giacoia, John Tartaglione, George Roussos, Vinnie Colletta, Frank Robbins, Tom Orzechowski, Herb Trimpe and Mike Esposito, artists

These massive, black-and-white collected volumes — Marvel's Essentials line and DC's Showcase editions — can be a great way to experience classic stories at a reasonable price. Or they can be a bit cumbersome to get through if you don't really have an appreciation for the character, group or time period being presented.

This volume is one of the good ones. Despite the abundance of names listed above, the vast majority of this volume is the brainchild of writer Steve Englehart and artist Sal Buscema, and that helps this volume maintain a unified voice throughout. The books reprinted here come from the mid-1970s when the title featured both Captain America and the Falcon on the cover and the real-life America was in turmoil. The creators used those turbulent times as a backdrop for an identity crisis of sorts for Captain America himself.

This series of issues brings Cap and Falcon into confrontation with a villain named the Cowled Commander and then a new version of the Serpent Society. The heroes quickly thwart the villains' plans only to have one of the Serpent Society hatch a new plan to drive a wedge between the pair and discredit Captain America in the eyes of the public. That latest plot unfolds over several issues leading into a battle with a new group named the Secret Empire, which in turn leads to yet another incarnation of the Serpent Society.

Captain America and the Falcon aren't the only heroes in these pages. Various members of the Avengers make a number of appearances, along with Nick Fury and various agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., both named and unnamed. The Black Panther and the X-Men also show up for several issues each. And a number of villains, both old and new, also make appearances at various times forcing our heroes to keep on their toes. These nefarious figures include names like the Porcupine, Madame Hydra, Yellow Claw, the Tumbler, the Eel, the Viper, Stoneface, Lucifer and, of course, the Red Skull.

The stories collected in this volume are some really great reads, but it surprised me, reading through a number of these issues for the first time, how many modern ideas began here and how many themes explored in these pages have also been explored in more recent Cap stories. For instance, issue No. 170 is where the Falcon first gets his Wakandan-engineered wings. Before that issue, he used a rope to swing around the rooftops like other non-flying heroes. And while this earliest version of his wings merely helped him glide, they look quite similar to the modern pair he wore right up until he assumed the role of Captain America in the most recent Marvel Comics issues.

Cap's girlfriend in these pages is former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter, the same as in current Cap comics, although her back story has undergone some revisions over the years. But Cap's former World War II-era love interest, Peggy Carter, is re-introduced in these stories and becomes a current agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., somewhat mirroring events from the modern "Captain America" films and the "Agent Carter" television series.

The conclusion of the confrontation with the Secret Empire — particularly the revelation of the leader of the terrorist organization — leaves Cap shaken in conviction and spirit. This is when Cap first decides to stop being Captain America and creates the identity of Nomad, the man without a country. The Nomad identity would return in several story lines since this time, but also, during this period when Steve Rogers is Nomad and there is no Captain America, a number of others try their hands at wielding the famous shield in his absence. The fates of these folks who try to be the new Captain America are quite different from any of those following the death of Captain America in Ed Brubaker's Cap run from a few years ago or of the Falcon assuming the mantle in the most recent comics, but there are also similarities.

These are really some great stories and some very key issues in the history of Captain America. Much of the credit for that goes to writer Steve Englehart, again the writer or co-writer on almost all of the stories from this era of the character. That single narrative voice allows the various story lines to weave in and out of each other and interconnect in a way that multiple writers would find harder to pull off. This book alone represents two-and-a-half years worth of Captain America comics at the end of Englehart's run on the title; he also wrote several of the previous issues, collected in Essential Captain America Vol. 3.

On a side note, one of the fill-in issues collected in this volume, No. 168, is a nice little diversion co-written by Roy Thomas and Tony Isabella titled "... And a Phoenix Shall Arise." This story, minus a few references to then-current continuity that dated the story, was turned into a Captain America Power Records book and record set, a copy of which I still own. If you aren't already familiar with Power Records, you should check out Rob Kelly's excellent Power Records blog (http://powerrecord.blogspot.com/) for more on these great little sets.

Switching to the art side of things, Sal Buscema lends his considerable talents to giving the look of these stories the same cohesiveness Englehart's writing does on the story side. Buscema had several different inkers on the issues included here, but the consistency in the pencils gives all of the characters distinctive looks throughout. Buscema's Cap is a strong, muscled defender of the American ideals and the quintessential silver age heroic ideal.


The drawback to that consistency shows up to horrible effect in four of the last five issues collected in this volume when penciller Frank Robbins takes on the art chores. I don't mean to attack the man's skill; I am no artist myself, so I have little room to criticize. More importantly, I have seen some absolutely gorgeous Frank Robbins art in some other titles. But his work in these issues of Captain America looks very rough throughout and downright awkward in a number of action panels. I've included a couple of the worst panels. The one on the left shows Steve Rogers in his Nomad guise traveling across the rooftops in a very strange pose, and the right one shows one of the Captain America wannabes traveling in the same manner with the Falcon. Neither image makes the subject look very comfortable, natural or heroic. These images are not typical of Frank Robbins' art in other venues, but his art on these final issues is the only downside I see in an otherwise great Captain America collection!

We Need More Fun Comics

Amazing X-Men: The Quest For Nightcrawler tpb
Marvel Comics
Jason Aaron, writer
Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines and Cameron Stewart, artists

I've talked previously about how much I like Nightcrawler and how he should be a fun, light-hearted character most of the time, at least if he's going to be portrayed correctly. I've also previously mentioned that I am not a regular follower of the various X-Men titles. I've read some of the bigger stories, and I've dabbled with the various titles and characters from time to time, but I typically am not an X-reader. For instance, I know that Nightcrawler was killed off some time ago in the X-books, but I don't know exactly when or how.

Enter the news of about a year ago that Nightcrawler was going to be coming back from the dead  — not a terribly unusual event for a comic book superhero — and I was happy to mark down a note to myself to watch for his latest solo title, hope for the best and try it when it came out. This is the story arc — presented in Amazing X-Men, not a Nightcrawler solo title — that brings the blue, furry mutant back to the land of the living. And it is an epic battle pitting a horde of demons against the combined forces of not only both heaven and hell but also purgatory! You can't get much more epic than that. And you wouldn't think a story could get much more grim than that, either.

But Jason Aaron and Ed McGuinness remembered that comic books can be fun. They don't have to be grim and gritty all the time. On top of that, they remembered that Nightcrawler, the focus of this particular little story can — and SHOULD — also be fun! So they made this epic, life-or-death, playing for all the marbles, grand battle not only epic, but also fun!

The story begins with Nightcrawler in heaven, but not exactly enjoying his time there. Rather, he is daydreaming about his many adventures with his fellow mutants in all of the various teams he's fought alongside, as well as his many solo escapades. Another of heaven's inhabitants comes across Nightcrawler and chastises him playfully for not enjoying his — well, heavenly — surroundings more when along comes the aforementioned horde of demons. And who is leading this brazen attack on both heaven and hell? None other than Nightcrawler's own father, the demon Azazel.

Nightcrawler knows he can not hope to defeat such overwhelming forces on his own, and so he summons aid from his former teammates still among the living. Thus various members of this latest incarnation of the X-Men find themselves suddenly in hell, while some are transported to heaven, and still more materialize in purgatory with no explanation whatsoever. Having thus imperiled his friends' very souls, Nightcrawler must gather the various mutants together and lead them in an effort to defeat his father's latest plans for conquest.

What results is a well-drawn, expertly written romp that was FUN to read. In fact, the only weak spot in this trade is the inclusion of the sixth issue, also written by Aaron, but this time illustrated by Cameron Stewart. The change in art style for this epilogue chapter is drastic enough to be a tad off-putting. Add in that the main adventure is over, and this is merely an aftermath type of tale, and I feel that the trade would have been much better without it. It just feels tacked on and serves only to weaken the strong ending of the fifth issue.

Having said that, the rest of this trade was so good and does in fact bring Nightcrawler back to the land of the living, that I only hope the creative team on his latest ongoing solo title — Chris Claremont and Todd Nauck — follows that same formula: Don't forget to make it FUN!

I Took A Chance, And I Liked It

Take A Chance 1-5 (2008-09)
Dabel Brothers Publishing
C.E. Murphy, writer
Ardian Syaf, Aleksandar Sotirovsk and Jason Embury, artists

Here's another book I had written down to try some time without knowing a great deal about the story line. I'm trying to do better about making a note to myself of where such recommendations come from, but in the case of Take A Chance, I believe Andrew "Captain Comics" Smith wrote about the miniseries in one of his syndicated newspaper columns or in his regular feature in the now-departed Comics Buyers Guide.

Whoever it was that talked the book up, I wrote down the title and the writer, and I've periodically checked for a trade collection of the series without any luck. I don't know, maybe the series wasn't successful enough to warrant a trade. But a few months ago, I decided to look for this series in trade format in earnest so I could request a copy from my local library. I couldn't find a listing for a trade on Amazon or anywhere else I looked, so on a whim, I searched on eBay and found a set of the single issues for sale at a reasonable price.

Chance is the name of a non-powered female vigilante operating in New York City. The first issue, mostly set-up, gives a glimpse into the world she operates in. Frankie Kemp took self-defense classes, created a costume and began patrolling the streets at night after a personal tragedy heightened her need for justice. That was five years ago, she explains, and Chance started out taking down simple street thugs, pushers and would-be rapists. Then a terrorist attack on the city left a number of people dead, but also inexplicably granted a percentage of the survivors with super powers. With so many super-powered individuals running around — some good, some not so good — Chance decided it was too dangerous for her to continue attacking criminals directly. Instead, she prefers to prowl the streets documenting crimes, gathering evidence and then anonymously turning that material over to the authorities.

With all of that established, the next four issues of the series follow Chance's efforts on a specific case where she promises to take down a narcotics trafficker if a young junkie promises to stay clean. In order to keep her end of the deal, Chance must again take direct action, confronting both criminals and well-intentioned others, both powered and non-powered allies and threats.

The set-up with the terrorist attack and various people developing powers makes me wonder if Take A Chance was part of a shared universe with other titles, but as far as I know, this is the only story that features Chance. Writer C.E. Murphy is known for writing several supernatural-themed novels with strong female protagonists. Maybe that's where the shared universe idea comes from. Any of my followers out there able to offer any insight on that? Anyway, I don't know if Murphy has any other comics writing credits under her belt, but she did a very nice job on this story, especially if it is her first for the medium.

On the art side, Ardian Syaf is a name familiar to me from some more recent DC titles. He draws the main character as attractive and athletic without going overboard to the hyper-sexualized imagery some heroine books are known for. As always, I'm more of a story-person, but the art in this title services the story nicely. My one quibble was going to be the cover to the second issue, which depicts Chance taking someone down with a powerful kick, but doing it while wearing a short skirt. Chance's costume does not feature a skirt, and I hate when artists get major details like that wrong on a cover image. But when I read the issue, guess what? Chance does indeed have to engage some criminals while wearing a skirt. Frankie was out dancing with friends when they run into trouble. When she goes to change into her costume, she has only brought the top and mask portion of her Chance outfit to avoid having to conceal the full costume.

All in all, this was a great series I'm glad I tried and am happy to recommend to others. As a bonus, house ads in the back of each issue brought some other Dabel Brothers books to my attention that I want to check out. So not only did I get a great read from this story, but a trail to some other possible reads as well. Can't beat that kind of outcome when trying a new title!