Solo # 7: Michael Allred

Writers: Mike Allred, Lee Allred
Artist: Mike Allred
Colorist: Laura Allred
Publisher: DC
Published: December 2005

It's been a while since my last Comix 365 post...so I thought I would kick start it with another spectacular stupendous stellar Solo issue from decadent DC! And which artist you may wonder is DC displaying? Well if you haven't read the title or looked at the cover image, then rejoice and hollar aloud: MIKE ALLRED!

If you don't know who Mike Allred is, then please take your head out of the muck and wake up (NOW). Mike Allred has worked on such hits as X-Statix, Deadgirl, and his own acclaimed Madman series. His style is sleek, poppy, dynamic, and with the Laura Allred coloring, his work is all the more awesome.

Anyway, enough Allred worship...this ain't no Perez Hilton-esque blog...

Solo # 7 has Allred focusing his whimsy on the DC universe. There are 7 chapters, with 5 complete stories. The first story 'An Hour with Hourman' has our hero battling a case of the highs and lows of being a superhero who derives his powers from a pill. The second story 'Doom Patrol vs. Teen Titans' involves a case of Doom Patrol having to deal with vitality of youth, which is even more pronounced when the youths in question are the Teen Titans! Thirdly, Batman A-Go-Go is a throwback to the swinging, care free 60s where Batman realizes that 'times are a changing'. Fourthly, 'Fourth World Wager' involves Mister Miracle taking up a wager of even he may not be able to escape from. Finally 'Comic Book Clubhouse' is a wordless, visual odyssey involving comic book heroes meeting the kids who draw them.

This was a great Solo issue, that was even more fun reading the second time around. Allred has an innocent playfulness with a sly nod to seriousness shining through his work. In my mind, the highlight tales were Fourth World Wager and Batman A-Go-Go. Mister Miracle taking up a challenge of escape, with Orion concocting the trap was probably one of the funniest moments in this issue. As for Batman I really dug the light, shiny optimism turned sour Lee Allred breathed into the Batman A-Go-Go tale. Mike and Laura's art was all the more exemplary as they turned Batman from the brooding hero of today back to the swinging, goody two shoes of the 60s.

As a side note, if you google this Solo issue and you see a cover of Batman, don't be fooled to look for an actual copy with that image. I looked for years at various comic shops for this cover, and not once did I find it. Turns out it was never printed...I guess due to legal likeness issues of Batman looking like Adam West they had to scrap it. Oh well, thank heavens to the internet preserving a digital copy...

Anyway, see you next time: Same Bat Time. Same Bat Blog!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles # 42: Juliet's Revenge

Writer: Rick McCollum
Artist: Bill Anderson
Publisher: Mirage
Published: December 1991

What do Mr. Howard, Bruce Lee, Mae West, Leonardo, Edgar Allan Poe, and the ninja turtles have in common?

This comic!

That's right, all these fantastic figures make a guest appearance in this issue, making this a star studded comic not seen since the Avengers assembled to battle some powerful earth shattering thing-a-majigy.

If you want to know more, T.S. I'm tired.

How come Donnie gets all the babes?

And what's her deal?

Jungle Girl S2 # 2

Writer: Frank Cho, Doug Murray
Artist: Frank Cho, Adriano Batista, Frank Martin
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Published: December 2008

Ladies Night # 5

So continuing on my comics with tentacle monsters, and this week lacking a comic dedicated to a female lead, I couldn't help but find a comic with both elements. Thus we have Jungle Girl! As all folks know, Frank Cho is the latest in a long line of pin-up artists, who has successfully fused cheesecake with action packed stories. On Jungle Girl Frank Cho provides stories with plot and cover, with Murray and Batista filling in the rest.

Issue # 2 has Jana (Jungle Girl) and crew boarding a submarine, only to be stalked by the seas most horredous monster: A GIANT TENTACLE BEASTIE!




But Jana ain't afraid of no beast!


Too bad it's bigger than she is!



More Comix 365 articles:  

TMNT #42

Superman gets engaged!

Superman # 50

Writer: Jerry Ordway

Artists: Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Kerry Gammill, Dennis Janke, Curt Swan, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway

Publisher: DC

Published: December 1990

Happy V-Day!

I thought that Superman 50 would be the best comic for this day. This is the one where Superman/Clark Kent finally 'officially' hooks up with Lois Lane. It's a 48 page SPECTACULAR, filled with action, humor, drama,...but lets get to the point. The cover states: "You will NOT believe the last page!" so to save you folks some time, check it out:

That just happened. Now check this:

Supes puts his pants on one leg at a time - just like us!

The Walking Dead # 3

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Tony Moore
Publisher: Image Comics
Published: December 2003

What's Valentines Day without jealousy, envy, and feelings of murder and desperation?

Zombies have taken over the world. Everyday is a struggle to survive. All you want to do is carve out a life for you and the ones you care about; and the one you really care about is a wife with a MIA husband.

Too bad for you, her husband has waltzed back into the picture and has advised her everything is going to be alright.

But it's not.

X-Factor # 61 (Part 6 of The X-Tinction Agenda)

Writer: Louise Simonson
Artists: Jon Bogdanove, John Caponigro
Publisher: Marvel
Published: December 1990

Anyone remember X-tinction Agenda? If not a quick recap: the country of Genosha with the aid of Cameron Hodge (a crazy psycho cyborg) have declared war on mutants. A bunch of mutants have been captured and have had their mutant powers blocked. Hodge tortures the mutants forcing them to fight one another. One battle had Wolverine and Archangel forced to fight, where Wolverine is left badly injured. He is tossed into a cell.

This issue picks up with Jean Grey and Cable being tossed into cells as well. Hodge has Jean Grey placed in the same cell as Wolverine. As everyone knows, Wolvie has always had a major krush on Jean. His love for Jean is just another tragedy in his life, as Jean is loyally in love with Cyclops and can never return his love. Now that he's dying (because his healing factor is being blocked) Jean is drawn to him and able to bring some comfort to his life.

There have been many Wolverine and Jean Grey moments in X history, but I always remember this one as being particularly poignant.

OMAC # 2

Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby
Publisher: DC
Published: December 1974

OMAC! He is the ONE MAN ARMY CORP!

Beyond knowing that Chris Sims has a major hard-on for this guy, I myself know very little about the guy other than that HE IS A ONE MAN ARMY CORP!

Issue # 2 has OMAC entering a city that has been rented to a private citizen for a special party. Omac is denied entry, but then again this is OMAC! Observe:


I AM OMAC!

Besides OMAC going where only OMAC knows, OMAC is given a lift by a two party dressed fellows and they take him into the city. OMAC then meets up with Professor Myron Forest who tells that OMAC is linked with Brother Eye. Brother eye will help OMAC do the job of thousands, and contain war. Too bad for OMAC, but Mister Big has different plans for OMAC - to destroy Project OMAC!


OMAC!
OMAC!
OMAC!

Gumby's Winter Fun Special

Writer: Steve Purcell
Artist: Art Adams
Colorist: Rick Taylor
Publisher: Comico The Comic Company
Published: December 1988

Now here's an odd one. We got Gumby and Pokey helping to rescue trapped toy miners who have been captured by Mole People, who then recruit Gumby and Pokey to save Ray Crabbe (aka Santa Claus) who has been captured by Beelzebub and is interned in Heck.

Ok, let that sink in...toy miners...Mole People...Santa...Beelzebub...Heck...Gumby & Pokey.

I know what you're thinking: "Awesome". Me too.The toy miners were pretty neat. The miners have to dig around in the earth, harvesting toys, but the toys can't be given out to kids right away because they are unrefined and unprocessed. The Earth has different pockets of toys, from plush toys to Etch-A-Sketchs. Oh also Gumby and Pokey own a giant robotic insect shaped drill. The Mole People are responsible for cooling the overheating Earth, and Heck is a land filled with 24/7 advertisements, concerts that don't end, forced gluttony, and Santa looks like a biker while Satan looks like the Lord of Darkness. The best part of the whole issue was when Gumby and Pokey are in Heck rescuing Santa, they start to melt cause it's so hot. By the end of the rescue, the little Mole girl, Natasha, has to carry them out in buckets. Oh, too funny!

One last thing I forgot: the issue ends with Santa piloting a giant Gumby Gundam Mech to battle giant monsters.

Jurassic Park in 1988? Gumby you're ahead of your time!

Marvel Holiday Special 1991

Writers: Scott Lobdell, Walter Simonson, Steven Grant, Tom DeFalco, Len Kaminski, Howard Mackie, Danny Fingeroth
Artists: Dave Cockrum, Art Adams, Klaus Janson, Sal Buscema, Ron Lim, John Herbert, Dennis Jensen, Ron Garney
Publisher: Marvel
Published: December 1991

Oh won't you take me to Christmas Town?! (to the tune of Funky Town)

I gots another Marvel Holiday Special on the go. Now, I swear I don't mean to keep forcing the ol' Marvel down peoples gullets, but I don't seem to have too many DC Christmas comics. The new one that was just released looked pretty cool, with the cover by Frank Quitely, but I couldn't justify paying $6 US for basically just the cover. I'll wait a bit, bit if a certain someboyd is reading this post, hint hint....wait, I change my mind, I'd rather a Raphael TMNT toy, that is based off the original Eastman & Laird TMNT comics from the 80's. Now that I mention it, a couple of months back I was down at the Silver Snail in Toronto, and I overheard some guy say that the TMNT toys designs were based off a Ninja Turtle video game. I privately snickered and laughed at his lack of mutant turtles knowledge...no I'm not a loser...

Today's issue has the X-Men in search of the most powerful mutant Cebero has ever detected: Kris Kringle. Yep, you heard it here first, Santy is a mutant of the highest order, but without that whole persecution complex most muties seem to have. Another tale has Franklin of the FF finding the true meaning of Christmas and releasing Scrooges old business partner Marley from his chains. Another tale that stood out was the one with a blind kid being rescued by Ghost Rider and returned to his parents. If I remember correctly, there were a lot of bad comics being done in the early 90s, but Ghost Rider was one of the few that really kicked ass. I mean it doesn't get much better than a bad ass biker with a skull on fire handing out penance stares like candy.
The remaining issue has some cute stories involving Punisher punishing, Captain America finding Bucky's long lost sister, Spidey and Jonah mixing it up, Thor verily doing his whole Thor thing, and Captain Ultra doing...wait, who the hell is Captain Ultra? Probably the most interesting chapter of this issue was one page where the folks at Marvel created their own lyrics to popular songs, like Jingle Bells, 12 Days of Christmas, and Vogue. I've taken the liberty of posting the lyrics to "Rogue" (to the tune of Vogue)

Look around, everywhere you turn they're mutants
They're everywhere that you go, look around
They will try everything they can to escape
the pain of life that they know as super heroes
Christmas time, they all long to be
hanging up mistletoe.
I know a mutant who must stay away.
A kiss would be kind, but she'll steal your mind.
They call her...
(Refrain)
Rogue, Rogue,

Get away from the mistletoe
A no no! Come on Rogue
get your powers under control
You know you can do it.

All you need is your own determination.
So use it. That's what it's for. That's what it is for.
Holidays, make you want to reach out to them.
ou'll leave 'em feeling sore. Feeling very sore.
It makes no difference if they're bad or good.
If they're a boy or girl.
It contact's made them unfortuantly.
You'll steal their powers and memories.
Just stop it.

(Refrain)

Lonra Dane and Domino. Psylocke and Ororo
Professor X, Scott and Jean, no one comes between.
You see Wolverine, on the cover of all magazines
Alysande, Alistaire, Archangel's dance on air.
They have style, they have grace.
Watch Mystique change her face.
Phoenix, Meggan, Kitty, too. Alan Davis we love you.
Mutants with attitude.
Christmas puts them in the mood.
Deck the halls. Let's get to it.
One X-Man can never do it.

Check the Batmobile toy Thing got from Santy. I had the same toy as a kid!

Marvel Holiday Special 2004

Writers: Tom Defalco, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Artists: Takeshi Miyazawa, Roger Cruz, Duncan Rouleau
Publisher: Marvel
Published: December 2004

Seven days till Christmas! Are ya excited yet?!

Today's comic is another holiday staple from the big mean Marvel folks. It has three tales, the first being J. Jonah Jameson reliving his own version of A Christmas Carol, the second about the X-Men dealing with the holiday blues of one of their students, and the last about Franklin Richards reflecting on the meaning of Christmas, God, and everything.

Of the holiday ish's this one was pretty good. The first tale played up all the elements of A Christmas Carol, but instead of J. Jonah Jameson facing the mortality of his own life, he is faced with the mortality of Spidey and the Avengers, and the future of his son as a derelict. What is it with Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol that captures so well the spirit of Christmas? I mean, in essence it is strictly a cautionary tale, where a life lived without joy, aimless pursuits, and filled with bitterness will lead to a lonely death. Well, I think I just answered my question. Moving on...

The second tale was ok, but the third was pretty deep stuff. It's not often you see God and religion brought up in superhero comics, but this last tale was downright engaging and sincere. Franklin's questions about the meaning of Christmas were thoughtful and open minded; and his dealings with his family exposed a wonderful side of the FF that is not normally depicted. I would go so far as to say that this tale was probably one of the best in the holiday comics I've read thus far.