REVIEW: Daredevil #298

“Last Rites pt.2” a.k.a. “The fall of the Kingpin”
Writer: D. G. Chichester
Pencils: Lee Weeks
Inks: Al Williamson
Colors: Max Scheele
Letters: M. Hands
Review: Art Bee

Not long ago I stated my kid picked out an old comic to review and, since she has a good eye for it, it only makes sense to keep letting her do that. This time around she picked out Daredevil #298. It would have been nice to get the first issue of  “Last Rites”. This story arc is one of the most popular in the Daredevil series and was later referred to as, “The Fall of the Kingpin”.
After reading this issue it is clear why it is so popular. This issue is jam packed with suspense.

At the start of this issue we are reminded Matt Murdock is being disbarred. While he is going over the information he and Foggy put together to fight the disbarring, a pair of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents attack him. He tries to fight them off and they shoot him with some kind of green goo that expands and completely restrains Murdock.
When Daredevil is released, he is looking at Nick Fury, the cigar-smoking white version. He asks Daredevil to back off of Kingpin because Fury is working a plan to infiltrate Kingpin’s organization to figure out what other groups with which he is working. Fury lets Murdock know that Spider-Man and Punisher has already agreed to withdraw from engaging the Kingpin.   

REVIEW: The Return of Lum * Urusei Yatsura #3

Story and Art by Rumiko Takahashi
Translation/ Gerard Jones & Mari Morimoto
Touch-Up Art & Lettering/ Wayne Truman
Review: Will Dubbeld

Welp, I got got by 4-for-a-dollar manga.
No lie; 25 cents a pop.
I’m not a full-blown fanboy otaku/weaboo/Japanophile, but there’s plenty to like about Japanese culture and media. Godzilla, for example...
Iron King, Battle Royale, and Matango! (Attack of the Mushroom People) are all fine bits of film.
And samurai! There’s plenty to enjoy about kabuto helmets!

I’m admittedly more familiar with Japanese cinema than comics. Outlanders was probably my introduction to what I can safely consider manga, and it certainly was enough to pique the interest of a 10-yr old me. Fantastically detailed art and world building peppered with an acceptable amount of gore and nudity sealed the deal.

I’ve acquired a modest collection since, but nothing adequate to slake the thirst for collecting. Akira, Samurai Executioner, Lone Wolf & Cub, and a few that are Absolutely Not For Children!, have made their way into my archives, but there’s always room for more.
Especially at 4/1 dollar... 

REVIEW: Secrets of Haunted House #1

Cover Artist: Mike Kaluta

“Beware of 13”
Story: Carl Wessler
Art: Tenny Henson
Colors: Jerry Serpe

“An Ice-Cold Corpse”
Story: Al Case
Art: Lee Elias

“Water, Water Every Fear”
Story: Tom Defalco
Art: J. Jodloman
Review: Madman

Horror has always been a thing for me, no matter in what medium it is presented. I guess I would give all the credit to my sister, who was 13 years older than me to the exact day.
She was also fascinated by the horror genre and introduced me to Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kurger, the Crypt Keeper, Michael Myers, and on and on. She also enjoyed scaring the crap out of me when I was too young to know better…
Back when I still believed monsters lived under my bed, alligators would come up through the toilet and bite my ass while I shat if I didn’t periodically check, and demons would get me if I didn’t run up the stairs fast enough after I turned out the lights.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, scared me more than watching Bruce Banner turn into the Hulk on the old television program. My sister would wait until the climax of the theme music just before Banner changed, and then she would start screaming, “Dogs and llamas! Dogs and llamas! Dogs and llamas!”.

REVIEW: Captain America Theater of War: Operation Zero-Point

Writers: Charles & Daniel Knauf
Artist: Mitch Breitweiser
Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser
Letterer: Artmonkeys Studios
Review: Will Dubbeld

C’mon.
Like I wasn’t gonna review Captain America for Independence Day...

And not just any Captain America.
This one-shot takes place in 1944, long before the Star-Spangled Avenger joined the ranks of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
All eras featuring Cap’s adventures are dear to me, but I’ve a special attachment to his WWII stories.
It’s due to my grandfather having served in WWII mixed with a healthy love of seeing Nazis getting their shit kicked in.
Because fuck Nazis.
Which is incredibly odd to still be a thing in the year of our lord, two thousand and eighteen, but here we are.

In any case, the Knaufs hit the mark here. Cap runs a solo mission behind enemy lines, takes a ride on a bomber complete with nose art, and fights a giant Nazi with a mechanical eye.
The mission objective involves rescuing a scientist responsible for inventing Nazi flying saucers.
That’s right, Foo Fighters. More accurately, “Feu Fighters”, as I understand.
Anyway, Captain America versus death ray-shooting UFOs, folks.