Comic Book Hangover

Just sharing my opinions on comics and sharing my collection that's now over 25 years in the making! This blog is just a part of what I'm doing. Join my Facebook group Comic Book Hangover where I'm posting pictures of every comic book in my collection: https://www.facebook.com/groups/829271473783614/ I'm also on Instagram as comic_book_hangover

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Has it really been 3 years?!?

It’s been a long three years since I’ve done anything here. But with being in shut down I started wondering it this is worth taking up again.  So, what’s been going on Tumblr-verse? Is this thing still a viable source for entertainment and information?

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Motor City Comic Con 2017 Haul, Part 2

Yeah, it’s a little later than I expected but here you go:

https://youtu.be/I6cQP-w56ts

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Motor City Comic Con Haul, Part 1

Ok, so I’ve been skipping on writing reviews lately. Honestly, after doing these for something like 5 years I’m a little burned out on them so I’ve decided to try something a little different. Rather than do the same boring old reviews every week I’m going to try my hand at doing something with videos.

So far I have two videos on my YouTube page. Both are haul reviews, the little bit of stuff I picked up last month at Motor City ComiCon. This is the first part, I’ll be posting the second part soon...

So, the question is, for those who actually read this thing, would you prefer I stick to the standard format or would you like to see videos, which I am trying to keep under 5 minutes, instead?

I’m still planning on writing stuff here, some reviews and maybe an editorial or two, but I’m curious as to what would keep people interested in this blog.

I’m still new to this video thing so any and all suggestions are very welcome!

https://youtu.be/SJ5JIvBDCAI

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Alterna Comics Review

First:

Happy FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, everyone! I hope the day is a great one and you get as many of the books you want!

So, for a while now I’ve been looking forward to these books from Alterna Comics. It’s not a publisher I was familiar with but they are a creator owned publisher that’s been around since 2006. I was shocked when I found this out but this year seems to be the year of my discovering new publishers that are making waves by doing what they can with what they’ve got.

So what does Alterna Comic have? Well... They are releasing a series of books, all parts of miniseries, that are printed on newsprint and with cover prices UNDER $1.99! This is what brought them to my attention and after looking into it some I told my LCS I wanted at least the first issue of every one of the #BringingBackNewsprint releases because this is something I really want to support. Now, the first four have been release so here are my thoughts..

ADAM WRECK #1 (of 3) This is an all age sci-fi story about a family of explorers, well, two explorers and their son Adam who would rather be back on earth. He thinks life in space is boring but quickly changes his opinion when their ship is attacked by space pirates. With his mothers help he’s able to escape to a nearby planet where he has to keep his wits about him in order to survive. Including trying to make a deal with a rather odd looking alien. This was one of the books I was iffy on so I was happy when I actually ended up really enjoying this one.It’s a fast paced story, which I hope will slow down enough in issue two so that more emotion can be put in play, with a surprisingly interesting young man as our main character. He’s pretty easy to relate to and not as annoying as many kids in his situation tend to be. Writer and artist Michael S. Bracco puts together a rather nice package, I mean I really liked this art it reminded me of some of the indie books we used to have back in the day. I also really enjoyed the use of color in this book. It’s an unusual way of coloring a comic book but goes a long way in adding to the mood. VERDICT: I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this one. I figured it would be one I would enjoy reading but not enough to continue with but I’m sticking with it! Also: The cover price is just $1.50 and you get 40 PAGES! Top that, house of ideas!

Check out the creator on FACEBOOK and Twitter  @Spaghettikiss

AMAZING AGE #1 (of 5) So imagine your a kid who creates a comic and puts yourself and your two best friends in it as a super hero team. But something happens in your life that destroys everything... you stop drawing and you drift away from your friends. That all certainly sucks but what happens when one day your book shows up out of no where and you, along with your two friends, are somehow zapped into the world you created as a young child? That’s the foundation of Amazing Age. Written by Matthew David Smith with art and cover by Jeremy Massie and Christine Brunson this is seemingly another hit for Alterna Comics. It’s a basic old-school super hero comic with a slight twist in that the heroes are fictional but our main characters aren’t. It really is an interesting twist on a basic concept.  What makes it even more interesting, to me anyway, was reading that the heroes in this series were created by Massie when he was a kid himself. He’s finally being able to bring his creations into a brighter spotlight and, having long dropped the idea of drawing comics myself, I love this whole thing! VERDICT: This one I kind of expected I would like and, well, it delivered exactly what I wanted. It’s being added to my pull list.

Your creative team: FACEBOOK And on Twitter: MATTHEW D. SMITH CHRISTINE BRUNSON JEREMY MASSIE AMAZING AGE

CROAK #1 (of 3) This is the mature title, the horror title of the line.  Croak is about a camping trip that goes the way camping trips tend to go but the the hook here is what does their friend have to do with what’s going on in these woods? Does he have a connection or was it just dumb luck? Three friends go on a camping trip in woods that have a history. One of the friends is attacked but everyone is shocked at who the attacker is and I was curious about what we see at the end of this issue. Writer Cody Andrew Sousa was able to set up our characters and setting with ease, letting us know some of the rules of his world. There are a lot of elements here that horror fans like myself will find familiar and these make it easy to continue with the story. Add to this the art of Francesco Iaquintawho does a great job of setting the tone of the story with some truly great double page spreads, which are beautifully colored by Chris O’Halloran, and you have what could be a surprise hit of the line. VERDICT: Honesty time: Of the four this one had some of my favorite art but what my least favorite. Some parts of the story didn’t flow as well as it could have but even with a few trip ups here and there I still want to know more about what’s going on. This is where having a book under $1.99 per issue is an advantage. I’m still going to check out the remaining two issue because I really liked the art and, hell, it’ll be less than $5 to finish the story! 

On Twitter: CODY SOUSA FRANCESCO IAGUINTA

LILITH DARK #1 (of 4) I have a feeling this was the book Alterna feels will be the break thru hit. Created by Charles C. Dowd, Lilith is a little girl with a very nice imagination. She’s bored with her life so she retreats into a world where she fights all manner of nasties but has a hard time coming out of that world when it’s time to. This creates some issues with those around her but when she starts to see the creatures from her imagination in the waking world things go a little pear shaped. I really enjoyed this one. Lilith is a fun and interesting little girl and I’m eager to see how she is able to face off against real versions of her imagined monsters. The art compliments the style and tone of the story almost perfectly and makes the whole book a real joy to read. Honestly, I can’t say much more without giving away details of the story but I will say this is a book that would be perfect if you have a little girl who is interested in comics and reading. This is her gateway and it’s only $1.50! VERDICT: I know, this one was a quick one but I can only say I liked to so many different ways. I’m adding it to my pull list for sure.

On Twitter: CHARLES C. DOWD

So, four books in the initial #BringingBackNewsprint launch and there are no absolute losers. I expected to want to continue with one, MAYBE two, of these books but I find myself wanting to continue with all four. I can’t remember the last time Marvel was able to offer up four books and I was interested in all four. Plus, at $1.50 a pop it’s hard to rationalize not at least trying these books. I’d rather try a book at $1.50 and not like it than a book at $3.99 and not like it. Plus, with the exception of Croak, these are books that you can share with your kids. Croak is clearly for an older crowd so hand it to a teenager!

I also want to mention the overall quality of the books. These are on newsprint which means the paper isn’t glossy. This was a great walk down memory lane for me. The feel of the newsprint was something I didn’t realize how much I missed until I got home and cracked open the Adam Wreck. These guys also did their research because the colors are some of the best you can get on the format. They don’t bleed, the dark scenes in Croak aren’t so muddy that you can’t see what the heck is going on it’s great! I’m looking forward to seeing what the other books are like!

There are my humble opinions, I enjoyed the lot. 

Alterna Comics: On the WEB FACEBOOK TWITTER

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Bullet Reviews #50

I wanted to wait until I had a nice amount of books for the Big 5-0!

HARLEY’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK #6 (DC) I thought this book was never going to come out! Lobo and Harley have their first ever meeting and its drawn by the Main Man’s Main Man, Simon Bisley! The book was a lot of fun but Lobo was a big out of sorts, probably because the writer was largely unfamiliar with him and what makes him tick.Regardless it’s still a fun read even if it felt uneven.  I’m hoping to find the variant cover for this!

HATCHET #0 (American Mythology) First the bad stuff... not my favorite cover but it was the only one my LCS had.  Now, the cool stuff. Hatchet was one of my favorite horror films of the past decade or so. It was a near perfect homage to the 80′s classics and even included some of our favorites from the day. This is the second time Victor Crowley has been in comics but the first time he was the main feature. This zero issue basically recaps the events of the first film and Victor’s origin through the eyes of a crazy character who made one small appearance in the movie. Normally, this is a lame way to do this in my opinion but it’s done perfectly here. I’m excited to see where this series goes and will be adding it to my pull list as soon as I see it solicited! It’s all the great stuff you saw in the movie but now in a comic book!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #3 (DC) A second Lobo book! Honestly, is there any doubt that the only reason most people are reading this book is because of Lobo? It would explain why he’s prominent on promo stuff and look at this cover! He even gets a full page pin-up style piece inside. Sadly, the story is really lacking excitement and interest plus all the teases of Lobo being able to cut lose have, so far, just been teases. I’m sticking with it because I love the character but even I have a limit. Pick it up, DC or I’m going to have to drop it!

THANOS #5 (Marvel) Despite the current comments by one of the most moronic people working for Marvel these days I’m still enjoying a few of their titles. Thanos is one of them. The Mad Titan is still dying but that doesn’t change the fact he’s still THE Mad Titan and Thanos always has a plan. This time it just happened to include getting defeated and imprisoned.  I honestly am enjoying this series and I’m getting to the point where I’m ok with his current look, it will never hold a candle to this classic look but it’s not Squirrel Girl ugly. My only concern here is there doesn’t seem to be much of a B-story. Everything is about Thanos dying and his son gathering forces to finish him off for good. But what happens when this story ends? Thanos isn’t going to die but what would the next story be about? Could it maybe have something to do with Thane finding and trying to use the Phoenix Force against Thanos? How would Thanos and the Force interact with each other? Interesting questions but is it enough of a story to carry the book a few more issues?

THE THREE STOOGES: APRIL FOOL’S DAY SPECIAL (American Mythology) The Boys are kindly asked to leave a bus and end up at a Ren Fest. How could that end badly? Well, when they think they’ve traveled back in time it could make things interesting. These Stooges one shots have been extremely fun and I really hope they continue. They have managed to bring the Stooges into modern times without changing the essence of the characters. Every one I’ve read I’ve been able to easily hear the voices of the Stooges and I always look forward to getting a new one! I really hope they continue to come out!

EVERAFTER: FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #8 (Vertigo) Alright! Finally we are getting a good strong story that begins to show more about what the world is really like post Fables. It’s a scary one where teens can get their hands on powerful magical weapons and take over a school. It’s up to Connor and the rest to try to get into the school and disarm them. Presumably without killing them. How’s it going to play out? Who knows, but I’m finally getting the storyline I’ve been waiting for!

INVADER ZIM #18 (Oni) ZIM takes over with burritos!  If you’re familiar with the show and this series you know that isn’t all that far fetched.  That’s really all I can say about this other than, again, if you loved the show and you’re excited about ZIM’s ‘soon-ish’ return you MUST read this series!!!

MOTOR GIRL #5 (Abstract Studios) Walden steps up his game to get the junkyard and Sam is all that stands in his way. Unless the aliens get more involved. Yeah, it’s kind of a unique series but it’s so much fun and proves Terry Moore hasn’t lost a step. Motor Girl is easily one of my top 5 favorite books now.  Here’s hoping it had what it takes to last!

SLAPSTICK! #5 (Marvel) Honestly, while I do enjoy this book it does seem to be having an issue finding its direction. But I don’t think it’s going to be much of an issue because, well, I think it’s already coming to an end.  I think this character is better served in miniseries or one shots. An ongoing just seems to much for him.

THE WALKING DEAD #166 (Image) Negan. What is his deal? I mean, what’s he up to? Is he legit and has he changed his ways or is he trying to make Rick more like him? But with Andrea having been bitten and fast changing it might be even easier to push Rick over the edge which means we might, MIGHT have a major changing of the guards in this series very soon! It’s been a long time since we’ve had a major shake up and I’m looking forward to it!

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Bullet Reviews #49

Last week was actually a small haul. 

DOLLFACE #1 (Action Lab) Nothing new to say here. This was the second printing of the first issue. Also, I believe it’s the first Action Lab title to ever get a second print! 

EVERAFTER: FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #7 (Vertigo) Variant cover by Mark Buckingham. 

I HATE FAIRYLAND #11 (Image) The most obnoxiously fun book on my pull list is finally back! This time Gert is trying to meet her idol and ends up becoming an idol herself. She takes in a girl who wants to be just like her but things get out of hand and Gert has to lay down the law. This book was gone far to long. It’s needed in this day and age. It’s rude, crude, mean spirited... it doesn’t take prisoners because it’s all done in fun.

MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS #13 (Boom!) Tommy and Billy are still trying to figure out what happened and how to help the people in this doomed timeline. The problem is in this reality Tommy rejoined Rita and is just as evil as she is. It’s messing with the main Tommy and is making him wonder if he’s capable of such evil. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: what makes this series work is they are able to take established concepts and make them a bit more serious without overdoing it. It’s a perfect blend. I can’t wait to see what happens when Zedd shows up! Also: GO SEE POWER RANGERS!!! IT’S AWESOME!!!

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Bullet Reviews #48

Last week at my LCS I picked up...

DARKWING DUCK #8 (Joe Books) Darkwing and Launchpad try to take down a whole bunch of loaded potatoes in what has become an homage to zombie movies! We also get a guest shot of Gizmoduck and some mysteries laid down on the whereabouts of other characters. This issue has it all, plenty of set up for the next storyline so... Why is the writer, Aaron Sparrow, talking about this being the last issue? It can’t be! I’ve had so much fun with this book that it’s become a closer to the top of the stack book. It perfectly captured the spirit of Darkwing Duck and his entire world! Here’s hoping that we will be getting dangerous again real soon!

GWENPOOL #13 (Marvel) I have to be honest, as much as I love this character the series had started to weaken some and I was wondering if dropping it could be a possibility. This issue put everything back on track AND we got to see her first run in with Marvel’s other resident 4th wall breaker: Deadpool! While the meeting could have been a bit more entertaining it does remind us that while Gwen isn’t of this world she can be hurt, even killed, in a more permanent way that the traditional comic book character can. Aside from that we also get our supporting cast taken care of and begin to move very much forward into what I hope will be more painfully entertaining adventures! Also... that Venomized various is awesome! While I hate variants I have to admit SOME are worth having. This one is worth having two of!

JUSTICE LEAGUE/MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS #3 (DC/Boom!) First the annoying stuff... I had considered dropping this despite how much I love the story because of a recent announcement by series writer Tom Taylor. He’s yet another anti-Trump creative type who has decided to punish fans because he doesn’t like President Trump. In a Facebook posting he claims America doesn’t feel like a “safe” and “welcoming” destination and goes on to repeat unvalidated claims he’s heard on social media about how horrible things have become since Trump won the election. Personally, I’m sick of all this crying and moaning. I was blocked by Marvel’s Dan Slott because he’s gone so over the edge if you simply disagree with him he opens the flood gates of insanity that you can’t begin to wade through. I personally couldn’t care less about a creators politics if I tried. Give me good stories and what political you side with doesn’t matter to me. But don’t shove your politics or political temper tantrums in my face. Fortunately for Mr. Taylor this series is very entertaining and doesn’t show his political crybaby-ness. The Rangers and the League have begun to figure out what is going on and start working together to defeat the monsters only to have things go from bad to worse as the Rangers lose control of their Zords to Brainiac! But the question still is where is Lord Zedd!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #2 (DC) Continuing the story of an invasion of sorts. These people want to protect us by either killing or enslaving us. Batman and his Justice League are having none of it. So, there is a slight issue I’m having with this. It seems as if DC is trying to push some social justice agenda in this series with some of the things Batman is saying about wanting to show people that the heroes are just like them and everyone can be a hero, blah blah. It isn’t over the top like what Marvel does but it does seem out of character for the Batman and I can’t begin to see Lobo going along with something like that. Still, not a bad book. NOVA #4 (Marvel) I stuck with this because it’s the REAL Nova and it also had Death’s Head in the 2nd and 3rd issue. But the kid Nova is sticking around and Death’s Head is no longer in it. Nova tries to connect with Gamora who no longer seems like the Most Dangerous Woman in the Galaxy, and tries to explain that his return isn’t without issues. Seems some of the Cancerverse is still with him. I was thinking this was going to be my make or break issue, I’m leaning towards dropping it, but I think I’ll give it one more issue. Still not sure what the point of having Death’s Head in it was,

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Bullet Reviews #47

I’m still not sure if I should always wait until the week AFTER books come out to do these or do them by Saturday...

DOLLFACE ST. PATRICK’S DAY SPECIAL (Action Lab) Special one-shot probably done more to pad the issue selection than anything but it’s still entertaining and unlike when Marvel does this, it teases an upcoming fight! A leprechaun is sent to kill Dollface but who sent it? Well, we readers don’t know but she does and all it took was for Ivan to lick the ugly little thing. Sorry, I know this was probably done just for sales but it was fun and pretty much cements my interest in this character. I’m glad Dollface came along. It’s what I needed!

EVERAFTER: FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #7 (Vertigo) MARK BUCKINGHAM! Yup, Mr. Fables himself is on this one drawing characters old and new (for him) and it was great! I would love to see more stuff like this to help bring this series in closer to Fables. This issue is a flashback focusing mostly on Maddy our favorite “cat” as she does some business with Feathertop. This is the sort of story I’ve been waiting for. While the run, in general, has been fun there hasn’t been a feeling of continuity. My hope is this is the beginning of a trend for this series because it needs this, badly. As much as I like Fables I have to admit the light amount of ongoing stories have made it feel less than Fables.

MOTOR GIRL #4 (Abstract Studios) Things are coming to a head, I feel, as we begin to get more and more pieces to the Motor Girl puzzle. The interesting piece might be why she imagines a gorilla and I think it may have something to do with the time she was captured and tortured while in the military. Then there’s the alien thing. I love how Moore is able to take the gorilla and the aliens and keep it fairly well rooted in reality. For me, it’s done in a way that the Strangers in Paradise cast could show up and it would still have a nice flow to it. All in all, this is easily the kind of unique book I needed in a time when Marvel is fast losing its collecting mind.

SLAPSTICK! #4 (Marvel) Case in point. Why does Slapstick need his own ongoing and why are we focused so much on his lack of dangling unmentionables? It’s funny for a one off gag but as a long running gimmick it doesn’t help the book at all. Slapstick should be a funnier series with a dash more insanity. I’m going to stick with it because he’s been a favorite of mine since I picked up his first appearance way back in the 90′s but I really can’t imagine this series lasting much longer.

THE WALKING DEAD #165 (Image) Zombie overload. That’s the only way to describe this issue. I’d become so involved with the living characters I all but forgot about the zombies but they reminded everyone that they are still around and still a major threat! Everyone is scrambling to keep themselves and others alive little realizing that a much worse threat seems to be looming on the horizon. This issue is why I love this series still!

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Bullet Reviews #46

This time I’m doing two weeks worth. Last week was a bad week with the death of a long time friend.

BATMAN/TMNT ADVENTURES #4 (DC/IDW) The Turtles and Batman take on The Scarecrow and it’s a major fight, especially for the Turtles who have never faced a madman like this! This series has, and continues to be, a more than entertaining series. It’s so much fun I’m curious about this version of the Turtles. I’m hoping to see more from this creative team in the future. Another Batman: TAS story specifically because I’m really loving how these guys are handling it!

FATHOM #1 (Aspen Comics) I’ve known about this character for years. I think I might have some Free Comic Book Day books featuring her but I’ve never had an interest in reading the character before now. What changed? Well, her name is Blake Northcott (check out her website HERE) and she’s one of my favorite people on Facebook. As far as I’m aware this is her first major work for a major publisher and she shows no signs of being nervous. Now, I have no points of reference on how Fathom acts or really who she is but this first issue gives me everything I needed to know. A mark of a great writer. I was fully informed but not at all overwhelmed by the end of this issue. I’ll likely check out the next few issues to see if this is the right series for me but regardless, if you want something fun and with action and some great characters then I can recommend this whole heartedly!

GWENPOOL #12 (Marvel) Finally! Gwen is back to acknowledging what she really is and not as a back handed remark, it’s front and center as she and her friends are captured by Arcade. But, before he can do his usual stuff, she calls him out on who he is and what he’s doing. It’s great seeing the wind leaving his sails but he has an ace up his sleeve. It seems he’s been capturing mercs and forcing them to go through a D&D type game. You escape you live... you don’t and you’re dead. While Gwen and Co. seem to have a handle on this due to her real world experiences it all falls apart when she runs face to face with Marvel’s top Merc with a Mouth! Yup, the meeting we’ve all been waiting for is finally going to happen!

INVADER ZIM #17 (ONI) ZIM and Dib have been kidnapped by aliens... again... and to live they must prove which of them is the most impressive. We all know who it is (ZIM!) but the stories they make up are so much fun. This is one of the issues that truly captures the essence and spirit of the series. This is one of those issues that makes this series worth reading.

MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS #12 (Boom!) I’ve been reading this series for an entire year! Tommy and Billy are in an alternate timeline... or the future? Not sure which but whatever it is Tommy has joined forces with Rita and have destroyed everything the Rangers have fought to protect. In one part of this issue we see the many variations of the Rangers trying to hold their own and failing. So what’s next? Tommy has to fight himself and his own self doubt in order to overcome this horrible version of himself. This story is really showcasing what this book can do. It keeps the spirit of the original series but makes it into something bigger, something the show simply couldn’t do. I thought I would have stuck with this for four, maybe five issues then drop it but every new issue is so much fun I can’t drop it!

ULTIMATES 2 #4 (Marvel) Honestly? I only bought this issue for the Corner Box variant cover. I don’t know much about the series and after reading it find the human part of the story confusing and unnecessary, filled with characters I guess I’m supposed to be impressed by but I’m not... A side effect of only picking up one issue of a series that’s been around for over a year so don’t let that sway you. On the flip side... the cosmic part of the story, with Chaos and Order becoming one and going bat crap crazy, is something I could get into. But, bottom line it had a great Joe Jusko variant cover and I had to have it.

THE WALKING DEAD #164 (Image) Holy cow! The largest zombie swarm ever has overrun everything! While everything seems to be falling apart Negan and Rick seem to be getting on the same page. We also see a new side of Negan... he had feelings and humanity at one time? Perhaps, but it could also just be a ploy to get Rick to lower his guard. I guess I’ll never trust Negan.

EVIL DEAD 2: REVENGE OF EVIL ED #1 (Space Goat Publishing) Evil Ed, a character introduced in Evil Dead 2 30 years ago, is back for revenge (which explains the title of this two-parter) Ed now controls Hell and is determined to destroy Ash. He uses some of history’s worst human monsters, Hitler and Bin Laden among them, to lure Ash to Hell then try to capture him. But Ash being Ash, he ends up winning and Ed decides to let things play out. Arguably, this is the most entertaining Revenge story we’ve had so far. It’s also interesting to see that the demon that possessed Ed still looks the same way he did when we saw him in the movie. Here’s hoping SGP has more Evil Dead 2 30th Anniversary specials coming!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1 (DC) Rebirth has given me some new books to check out. While I dropped All*Star Batman due to the price per issue, this one might be around longer for two reasons. First it’s cheaper and second it has Lobo. The Original Main Man, not the sissy version we’d been stuck with the past few years. The other characters, outside of Batman, I barely know and right now don’t care about though I’m sure that will change as time goes on. This first issue has the new team facing off against a group of maniacs from an alternate reality who say they want to save earth by ruling it with an iron fist. Needless to say Batman doesn’t agree and he’s got some back up to get his point across. I’m happy with how this series has started, I hope it doesn’t go south fast... or as long as Lobo is on the team!

SPIDER-GWEN #17 (Marvel) Part 4 of the crossover with Miles’ series and it’s starting to lose steam. The whole story was pushed on the love interest they have in each other but it just isn’t there. Honestly, this story is boring and I may end up skipping the Spider-Man parts of this story.

THANOS #4 (Marvel) This one focuses on Thane, the son of Thanos (I’m still trying to understand that) and what he went through leading up to the point where he decided to go all Ocean’s Eleven and gather a group strong enough to take out the Mad Titan. All in all it was a nice filler issue that didn’t feel like filler. It gave enough important information on how Thane reached the point we have seen him in at the beginning of this series and it’s always interesting when the title character doesn’t appear in the book but it’s still an interesting read. I’ll be giving this an issue by issue trial run. Meaning I’ll drop it the moment it gets weak.

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Bullet Reviews #45

Last Week

DOLLFACE #2 (Action Labs) Who is, or rather, who was Dollface? We know the Necronomicon was used to give a lifeless doll a soul but where did the soul come from? This issue begins to uncover the answers and they are interesting! Along with answers we see her first run in with a witch and all this combined does nothing more than add to the over all fun of this book, Seriously, if you can get passed some language and nudity then you are in for one of the most entertaining and back to basics fun comic book on the racks today!

JUSTICE LEAGUE/MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS #2 (DC/Boom!) Speaking of fun... You would think that there is no way to make a crossover between the Power Rangers and the Justice League work but it does. It’s also an old school style story: two groups of good guys meet for the first time and the first thing they do? FIGHT! But they quickly figure out that they are on the same side and the Rangers are out of there reality. On top of that, Lord Zedd is running around and needs to be stopped. Especially since he’s joined forces with Brainiac!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: REBIRTH (DC) Bottom line is this is a set up book, plain and simple. Batman sees something big on the horizon and he needs a special team to face it down. This brings me to the only reason I picked this book up: LOBO! THE Main Man, not the Twilight looking mockery that we were force fed for the past few years. This one is the real deal and they do a pretty good job balancing his natural temperament with him being, essentially, forced to be on this team. I’ll be checking out the first regular issue for sure!

SLAPSTICK! #3 (Marvel) This series is starting to come together nicely, it’s also aware of the fact it might not be around long. That makes it more fun.  Also, it’s nice seeing My Little Pony and Smurfs getting killed. This book puts the comic in Comic Book!

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Bullet Reviews #44

Last week:

EVERAFTER: FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #6 (Vertigo) This issue tells the story of Szymon Nowak, a mundy who obtained magic by way of the Everafter event which brought Fable magic to our world. It feels like a one and done origin story for a character we probably won’t see again which makes me wonder what the point was in dedicating an entire issue to him. Sadly, there isn’t much more to say about this issue. It was fairly forgetful and probably my least favorite of all the Fables books. 

GWENPOOL #11 (Marvel) After the devastating events of the last issue, which included the loss of all of her allies, Gwen is doing her best to push ahead. Thing is, she’s not enjoying her job as much as she used to. Until she finds a job killing vampires! Well, that’s almost what she was hired to do. Things go south for her when she learns the odd nature of the town she’s protecting and even further south when she discovers it wasn’t exactly a vampire she was hired to kill. It was a certain Vampire Killer, a man with the powers of the bloodsuckers: Blade! But still, all is not as it seems. The one who hired her did so because he is using the townfolk for his own vile needs. It’s a mess but what would you expect from Gwenpool?

NOVA #3 (Marvel) I like having Richard Rider back. He’s a far better Nova than the annoying child we’ve been stuck with in recent years but I’m wondering if there is enough here to keep my interest. I grabbed the first issue because it was Richard’s return. The second issue surprised me with an appearance of Death’s Head which brought me to this issue. So, with no more Death’s Head, I’m guessing, and the annoying continued presence of Sam... what reason do I have to continue with this series? Well, when Nova exerts more power to protect Knowhere from Death’s Head’s bomb he changes...It reminded me of what the things from the Cancerverse looked like. I’m sticking with this series until I find out what’s going on with Nova... and if it somehow ties in with Thanos dying.

THE WALKING DEAD #163 (Image) It’s Rick and his people against the largest swarm of zombies ever seen! It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before and the chances of surviving are extremely slim. I have a feeling that we are going to be losing at least some very important person. Question is: Who?

VAMPIRELLA #0 (Dynamite) I haven’t read this but it’s the set up for a new ongoing. I think this is the one where they ruin her look with an embarrassingly bad costume redesign. 

[comicbookhangover]

Bullet Reviews #43

BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ADVENTURES #3 (DC/IDW) I knew this series was going to be entertaining but I was not expecting it to be THIS entertaining! The Turtle’s reactions to Batman and Co. as well as his villains is golden. They really have seen nothing like Gotham’s Dark Knight before and I’m glad they are expressing this. But the questions are will the heroes be able to figure out a way to stop the portals from opening and keep everyone in their respective universes? What happens when the Kraang show up and how is The Shredder going to handle The Joker? There is a lot going on but it’s happening at a pace where it doesn’t feel like a lot. This one is for fans of either Batman: The Animated Series or the current TMNT show on Nick. And, for the record, if DC ever wanted to do a new B:TAS comic I would be on board!

DARKWING DUCK #7 (Joe Books) Take Darkwing Duck, add a potato based invasion of the body snatchers situation and you get Darkwing Duck’s The Walking Dead! It seems like a stretch but it isn’t and it’s so much fun!  I wasn’t even expecting this book to come out but from the cover to the story it was just really fun. Seeing the DW characters recast as members of The Walking Dead was a new level of fun and gave some laugh out loud moments. I actually went back and just looked at the panels and artwork after I finished reading it.  It would be great if Joe Books made a poster out of this cover!

MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS: PINK #6 (BOOM!) It’s the final issue of this miniseries and we see the emotional conflicts within Kimberly. This is one of the things I really enjoy about Booms series, while we have known these characters for decades this is the first time we are actually getting to know them. It isn’t just fight the monster of the week anymore, the Rangers are finally becoming fully former characters, they feel more real now and books like this only help to add to that change. I do hope there are plans for minis or one shots featuring the other rangers because it would be great to see more stuff like this. 

THANOS #3 (Marvel) The only Marvel book this week is the most surprising one for me. I have been a fan of Thanos since the Infinity Gauntlet and always enjoyed seeing him show up because he wasn’t used much. Sadly, because of the movies, he’s not only use far to much but he’s also no longer a threat. The Thanos Rising miniseries basically made him into an emo kid who just wanted to be loved and that really turned me off.  When this series was announced I had no hope for it because of that but also because of his redesign. I just don’t get why his face looks like this now. But they put out a Ron Lim variant cover that I couldn’t resist and I figured what the hell and I read it. Thanos is actually seen as a threat again. Even more so now that he’s dying and is desperate to find a cure. Although it doesn’t make sense considering Death banned him from ever entering her realm but stuff like that never bothered Marvel. Aside from that, this book is one I’m not planning to drop. I thought I would but I am really enjoying it enough to overlook the mess that made of his face and even his outfit.  My only question is will this be an action only series or will the writer be able to dive into the philosophy of Thanos. He’s a very complex character which is why the recent stuff has sucked in my opinion. He’s become a gimmick more than a threat but this series seems like it’s determined to change that and return The Mad Titan to his roots. I can dig that!

[comicbookhangover]

Bullet Reviews #42

Read Comics, ignore politics.

DEADPOOL THE DUCK #2 (Marvel) You know I had hopes for this one. It’s my fault because I’m still a Steve Gerber Howard the Duck fan and it appears that absolutely no one these days knows how to write the character.  I’m not sure what there is to say about it. For some reason Deadpool is willing to help Howard (now a voice in his feathered head) help Rocket Raccoon, an alien he was hired to take care of.  That’s the premise and this issue spent a great part of itself spinning its wheels, going nowhere fast.  Needless to say I’m dropping it. 

DOLLFACE #1 (Action Lab: Danger Zone) This one was nothing short of the most pleasant surprise in a long time. Everything from the art, colors, tone, and characters were different and fun. This is the sort of series that kept me into comics when I started years ago.  Dollface is a living sex doll who was given life by way of the Necronomicon. Anyone who is familiar with The Evil Dead knows what a bad idea this is but for some reason Dollface decides to hunt down and kill witches but she ends up face-to-face with Zombie Tramp. From there, let’s just say, it’s a very fun trip and this entire issue is a showcase as to how to do modern comic books. It’s the right amount of fun, action, over the top horror... all wrapped up in some of the nicest covers I’ve seen in a while. I even picked up one of the variants and I never do that for an indie comic! I’m proudly adding this one to my pull list!

GWENPOOL #10 (Marvel) This is one of the few female lead books that Marvel has that isn’t beating their whole “look how diverse we are” line to death. She still feels like a fun character being done for fun rather than some fake attempt to show how diverse the Marvel Universe is (which is only possible if you ignore or don’t know the history of the Marvel Universe) The only problem with Gwen is her longevity. I’m not certain she can sustain a series for the long haul. Don’t get me wrong, I would love it to happen, it’s fun seeing her adapt to life in a fictional world. But how long can it last? I’m still willing to stick around and find out especially now that this storyline has ended and Gwen appears to have lost everything. What do you do the day after you defeat aliens and a Doombot then lost your entire team?  Whatever it is I’m certain it will be fun. That seems to be the ongoing underlying theme of this book: Don’t take it too seriously, it’s a comic book. Have fun with it!

MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS #11 (BOOM!) Billy and Tommy have landed in what looks like a possible future for Angel Grove. One where a statue of Rita and a mysterious new Ranger stand tall over the ruins of the world. What happened? Can it be stopped? The question might have a very complex answer when they discover who is the mysterious new Ranger. Spoiler alert: It’s Tommy! But what happened? Did he finally give in to Rita and somehow gain the power to destroy the other Rangers and the world?  Next issue we find out more but I have to say I really like how this series is unfolding. It’s being taken seriously and the threats feel real. This is Mighty Morphin’ for the original fans. It grew up with us. Also: if you haven’t seen the trailer for the Power Rangers movie you MUST check it out! It;s Morphinominal!

MOTOR GIRL #3 (Abstract Studios) When I saw Terry Moore’s name on this book I knew I would get the first issue. Now I’m on the third and I’m remembering why Moore is one of my favorite indie creators of all time.  This series has the perfect mix of reality and fantasy, to the point where it’s hard to tell if what we are seeing is real or if it’s all in Samantha’s head. And at this point, either conclusion will be fulfilling. But there is also a mystery... exactly why is the land the junkyard she works at so important? It’s fun finding out. Anyone crying that there aren’t enough women in comics needs to either check this series out or stop reading and talking about Comic books. This series has quickly become a top of the stack book!

SPIDER-GWEN #16 (Marvel) The crossover with Spider-Man (Miles Morales) continues but, oddly enough, it seems to be losing steam. At least it did until the last page. Gwen and Miles are on the hunt for his dad who might be in Gwen’s reality but is also being hunted by Matt Murdock, The Kingpin! We find out that the guy everyone is looking for may not be the same guy Miles knows as his dad. This alternate reality stuff is a bit loopy but when you have two genuinely fun characters it seems alright. 

VENOM #3 (Marvel) This is going to be a short review. Emo snot. I have no interest in emo snot so this is my final issue of the series. I’m dropping it.

[comicbookhangover]

Bullet Reviews #41

New week, new comics!

INVADER ZIM #0 (Oni) This was the 2016 Local Comic Shop Day release. It isn’t really a story, though, it’s set up as a file, obviously, a collection of articles from Dib’s favorite magazines and such. It’s just a fun little thing to have and I have to again thank my friend Cody for helping me get this!

JUSTICE LEAGUE/MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS #1 (DC/BOOM!) This is a classic heroes team-up story and I love it!We begin in the Power Rangers universe as they fight their long time enemy Lord Zedd. A series of events happen that take Zedd and Black Ranger Zack out of their universe and into another. It’s fast established that the Black Ranger has landed in Gotham when he comes face to face with The Dark Knight! This is where the classic part comes in: Both think the other is an enemy! Things escalate as more Rangers and more Leaguers show up and while we end this issue in the middle of a free for all the ultimate question is if the Rangers are in Gotham City... where in the DCU did Lord Zedd end up? And keep in mind this isn’t the goofy Zedd from the show, this guy is a serious monster. I was only going to check out the first issue then grab the trade but I’m adding this to my pull list!

NOVA #2 (Marvel) More of the mystery of Rider’s return but this best part of this issue, one of the best parts, is Rider trying to figure out all the replacement heroes and who’s alive and who’s dead. Which clearly illustrates the pure stupidity of the current state of the Marvel Universe. How trying to make things less confusing while catering to fringe groups has actually made a total mess of Marvel. Later in the issue Sam and Rider head to Knowhere, the former base of operations of the Guardians of the Galaxy (when they were interesting) and after a conversation with Cosmo they head out to have a drink. This leads to my second favorite part of this issue: Death’s Head shows up! Aside from the rather annoying Sam Alexander, this series is shaping up to be fun. I was planning on dropping it with this issue but when Death’s Head shows up I tend to stick around!

SPIDER-MAN #12 (Marvel) Miles and Gwen. Apparently they have a thing but it doesn’t feel natural. Probably because Marvel seems more interested in having a white character and a black character get together and kiss because they hope it creates controversy. That’s pretty much the only reason for this.  Marvel’s inability to do a story for the sake of a story aside, this starts out pretty good. Granted I’m not a regular reader of Spider-Man, he’s a great character I just have yet to find a story I really want to invest in yet, so some of the stuff with his dad missing is kind of lost on me but not to much it’s just the regular story and not why I’m here. I’m here for Spider-Gwen! She isn’t in this issue much but it’s a start.  Also.. not a bad cover. I was hoping to get one of the variants but this is a nice looking image!

X-MEN ‘92 #10 (Marvel) ...and so comes to an end the one series that shows someone at Marvel still knows how to make a Marvel Comics. It’s going to be a long time before we get another book like this I think and that’s sad. This is what comic books, especially Marvel, should be like: FUN! I recommend this series to anyone who wants an entertaining old-school Marvel Comic to enjoy!

[comicbookhangover]

Bullet Reviews #40

Welcome to 2017 and a whole new year of Bullet Reviews hopefully being done on time every week!

This year I’m hoping to be able to expand on this thing by adding more than just these quick reviews of new books. Should be fun.

ALL*STAR BATMAN #5 (DC) This is a very fun series but I’m making this my final issue for no other reason than it’s just plain expensive for a monthly ongoing series. $4.99 per issue just means I’ll be looking at this in trade. That said, this story with Batman trying to cure Two-Face was more intense and entertaining than I expected it to be. From the writing to the art, it was a good package... just not $4.99 and month good. Sorry...

DEADPOOL THE DUCK #1 (Marvel) I don’t know what’s going on with Deadpool, Howard, or Rocket Raccoon (I can’t stand what they have done to Howard and the Guardians) but the good thing about this series is aside from the sequence with a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Deadpool getting a new safehouse, you can walk into this one cold and still have a good time. So, Deadpool is hired to take down a rogue E.T. and Howard ends up in the mix. This series looks like it might play into the classic Howard concept of him knowing what he is: a character in a story. Regardless, we end up with the most interesting amalgamation involving Howard since Lobo The Duck. I only expected to get the first issue then walk away but I’m actually very interested in how Howard and Deadpool will react to each other’s minds. Rocket is just a means to an end so...

EVERAFTER: FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #5 (Vertigo) Our first story wraps up with more of a revelation than a resolution. It’s revealed that the introduction of Fables magic into our world has led to the creation of magic beings, like Fables, in our world. Aside from being curious about how this will impact this world and this series, I’m also looking forward to seeing these new characters develop over the years. I really am having a good time with Peter Piper, Bo Peep and the rest. I was worried about not really having much of a connection to the original series, aside from Conner Wolf, but it feels like the natural progression of things. It’s organic and I love it!

SLAPSTICK! #2 (Marvel) Here’s a title I never thought I’d be talking about again. Now, I’m a fan of Slapstick from his first appearance in The Awesome Slapstick! #1 back in 1992 (25 years?!?) but didn’t really get into the changes made to his character during Civil War and The Initiative so i’m kind of playing catch up with his new status quo. Steve Harmon is now stuck as Slapstick and it’s driving him insane. He wants to be able to change back into a human, and this is the part that annoys me about this series, because as Slapstick he doesn’t have sexual organs. It’s the only part of this concept I think is worthless. But as long as they don’t beat it like a dead horse I think I’ll be able to continue to enjoy this series. The first story involves the dimension where Slapstick originally got his powers. Energies and cartoon characters from that reality are entering ours and the result is cartoon characters really killing people looking for a champion to fight. Slapstick might be that champion and it’s up to A.R.M.O.R., a division of S.H.I.E.L.D. that deals with alternate dimensional threats, to figure it out before its too late. See? That’s a great start for a series and you don’t need all this fluff about sex organs. Keep this up and I’m in for the long haul!

THE WALKING DEAD #162 (Image) The Whisperer War ends with, well, the biggest thing to me here involved Negan’s bat.  Aside from that I really can’t say much without giving away spoilers and that’s not what we do here. It was good, a nice conclusion to a major arc but leaving the door wide open for the massive amount of carnage that’s coming next month!

[comicbookhangover]

Reviews: The Marvelous Box 3

The third Marvelous Box, my second, has been released and JUST arrived!

What is The Marvelous Box (TMB), you ask? Well, it’s one of those subscription boxes from the fine folks at The M6P which consists of Jarid Mayo and The Andy Kirby. They host a podcast, they just released their 100th episode (CONGRATS, guys!), and have a massive online presence which covers Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their home site.  These guys are Marvel Zombies so if you’re looking for a fun podcast that talks only Marvel then this is the one for you!

Now, TMB is a quarterly box (that’s four times a year for you hipsters out there) that consists of Marvel trade and graphic novels. It’s for Marvel fans only. These books are new. You won’t find library rejects or second hand store copies here, they are all crisp and sharp, perfect for any Marvel trade collection. Each box costs $30 (including shipping) or you can get a full year of boxes, 4 all together, for $110 (shipping included) but is it worth it? Well, my first box clocked in at a collected retail cost of $111.95 so let’s jump into my newest box and see what we got!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN EPIC COLLECTION: RETURN OF THE SINISTER SIX Now, I’m a big fan of collection of classic Marvel books. I have 50 of the Essentials in my collection currently, but they stopped publishing them for some reason and started doing these Epic Collections. The order they are released confused me at first because they don’t seem to have an order to them. But, after reading the information in this volume, I see that’s done on purpose. They aren’t in order and it’s okay that my very first Epic Collection is volume 21. This collects Amazing Spider-Man #334-350 as well as Spider-Man: Spirits Of The Earth. The main story is the big return of The Sinister Six and is highlighted by the always amazing art of Erik Larson.  This is a great book for me because I’ve been trying to collect these issues but some are hard to find. At least now I can finally read this story! Cover Price: $39.99

BLACK PANTHER: WHO IS THE BLACK PANTHER?  I’m not sure what the attraction to this character is (besides the unexplained forced diversity thing) but this trade collects Black Panther (2005) #1-6 as well as his first appearance in Fantastic Four #52-53. This story is drawn by JRJR, a personal favorite of mine, and tells the story of someone else wanting to invade Wakanda to plunder it’s riches. Kind of a basic story but I flipped through it and saw Rhino and... Black Knight? Ok, my interest is piqued! Cover Price: $24.99

DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS This collects the 8 issue miniseres of the same title by Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack.  I’ve never been much of a Daredevil fan but these ‘last stories’ are always interesting to me. Add to that the art of David Mack, Alex Maleev, Klaus Janson, and Bill Sienkiewicz and I’m ready to jump in! This is going to be one I look forward to and a happy addition! Cover Price: $29.99

ESSENTIAL WOLVERINE, VOLUME 5 Make that 51 Essentials in my collection and the first from the X-Men universe. I bet Jarid snuck this in because he knows how I generally feel about Marvel’s Merry Mutants. I flipped through this and have to wonder why Marvel just took the pages and turned them black and white rather than using just the original uncolored art.  All that aside even I can’t deny this cover is awesome! So, this collects Wolverine #91-110 (Man, I miss triple digits), Annual ‘96, and Uncanny X-Men #332. This has some Onslaught studd as well as appearances by Alpha Flight, Elektra, and Generation X as well as ...Landau, Luckman, and Lake which I know from She-Hulk! I’m going to have to read it just for them! Cover Price: $16.99

THOR, VOLUME 1: THE GODDESS OF THUNDER The final trade this time around collects Thor (2014) #1-5 which are some of my favorite issues of the current Thor run.  I recently dropped her current book, The Mighty Thor, but I will happily re-read this one. It was a lot of fun and still recommended! Cover Price: $19.99

Alright, this month’s total is... $131.95! All for just $30! Well worth it even if you get one or two you might not be into, there is no harm in trying them out and possibly finding a new character or series to follow! Or, at the very least, pay it forward, they make great gifts!

Now, go, head over to their website and subscribe! The M6P  And check out the guys on social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

[comicbookhangover]

Bullet Reviews #39

I’ve let to many books, good and bad, pass by without offering my humble opinion on them. Family life, it’s madness.

Last weeks pulls:

THE CHAMPIONS #1 (Marvel) Let me be honest here: The ONLY reason I picked this up was because of the cover.  I had no intentions of reading it because of how it was solicited. But, I was bored and had read all my other pulls so I read it. What I found was a book that was worse that I thought. It was nothing more than a group of young heroes trashing the efforts of long established heroes because they don’t have the experiences necessary to see the big picture. These characters have degraded from possibly respectful to second rate social justice warriors who think they know more about helping people than the people who have sacrificed everything to do just that. It made them just like the people in our world who openly bash the police and it was insulting to read. 

Marvel has allowed itself to become an overly politically correct publisher more interested in impressing people who neither know nor care about comics or its long history of inclusiveness. It’s pathetic and why there is an ever decreasing number of Marvel titles on my pull list. Great cover. Horrible comic.

DOCTOR STRANGE #12 (Marvel) Speaking of books that are no longer on my pull list. Doctor Strange has become a book that goes nowhere fast. I’ve stuck it out for a year and simply cannot rationalize keeping it on my pull list. Apparently this issue begins a new story but it just isn’t interesting so, it’s with a heavy heart that I have dropped this series. Let’s move on, shall we? I really don’t like all this negativity...

EVERAFTER: FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #2 (Vertigo) Ah, now I can talk about a book I love! Fables was, and still is, one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. Even the stories that were less than interesting still entertained me. I was sad to see it end but I still have Fables: The Wolf Among Us which gave us the story before Fables... eventually that ended and I felt I would be without Fables again. Imagine how happy I was to see this series announced and that it woulf feature characters we knew but hadn’t spent much time with before: Peter Piper and Bo Peep who are joined by Connor Wolf (Snow White and Bigby’s son), and Hansel... although he might not be a member of the series anymore unless the whole being exploded thing can be reversed. This team of Fables is trying to prevent someone from gathering magic items for some unknown purpose. So, yeah, it’s basically a spy series (sad that Cinderella isn’t around anymore) and it is, so far, as entertaining and surprising as Fables ever was. Welcome back to the world of Fables!

GODZILLA: RAGE ACROSS TIME #2 (IDW) This series is amazingly exciting. Each issue features a different moment in time. This issue features the King of Monsters having a run in with the Gods of Olympus! Yup, Godzilla Vs. Zeus happens here and it is epic! This is my second favorite IDW Godzilla story, a very close second to The Half-Century War. Hey, if Godzilla Vs. The Gods of Olympus doesn’t interest you... I don’t know what will!

THE WALKING DEAD #159 (Image) The Whisperer War continues! Negan is still on someone’s side but the big question is... who’s? I don’t know what Rick’s end game is going to be big every issue of this story just gets bigger and the stakes get ever higher. It’s going to be nasty. Whatever is coming.