Longbox Junk Halloween Horror 2022 Part 10 - Baltimore: The Play

Welcome to Longbox Junk, the place to find comic reviews you never asked for!

*Looks at the blog proudly*

Just LOOK at all that Halloween Horror fun this year!  A fine batch indeed.  Zombies, maniacs, ghosts, demons and the Bogeyman.  Yessir. . .a MIGHTY fine batch.  But wait. . .there's something missing!

Vampires! What's Halloween without Vampires?

Let's get some vampires up in this Halloween Party!

BALTIMORE: THE PLAY

Dark Horse (2012)

COVER: Ben Stenbeck

THE COVER:

I really like the colors on this one a lot!  The red and orange hues set off by deep, shadowy blacks with a single, mysterious white rose in the foreground give this cover a creepy gothic atmosphere that doesn't really say much about the story, but practically demands you buy this comic to find out!  It's a really cool piece of horror comic art.  Let's see what's inside!

THE PLAY

SCRIPT:  Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden

PENCILS: Ben Stenbeck

INKS: Ben Stenbeck

THE STORY:

Verona, Italy. 1917.  Lord Henry Baltimore arrives in the city and finds it consumed by a virulent plague.  Inquiring about the creature he pursues. . .the vampire called Haigus, the monster who had destroyed his life and family. . .he is directed to a theatre, but discovers that it is a burnt-out hulk, his quarry nowhere to be found.

After the prologue, we flash back to two weeks prior to Baltimore's arrival in Verona.

Haigus is working with a theatrical director named Gnecco on a play, La Morte Rossa Trionfante (The Triumphant Red Death). Helping Gnecco with his masterpiece is the severed and preserved head of Edgar Allan Poe in a jar, kept alive by black magic. Wait. . .WHAT? Never mind. Just roll with it!

ANYWAY. . .

Haigus, Gnecco, AND Poe's severed head are all in love with the play's star, the beautiful Isabella.

Haigus finally comes to realize the mysterious power Isabella holds over him is because she is actually a Muse. . .an immortal vampiric spirit that feeds on the creative souls of her victims, one of the deadliest forms of vampire, capable of even making other vampires her victim!

But Haigus is no ordinary vampire! Once he realizes what sort of creature Isabella is, Haigus manages to break her hold over him during the debut performance of the play.  As he is attacked by Gnecco and Isabella's other slaves in a jealous rage, Haigus kills Gnecco and burns down the theatre.

Isabella barely escapes the carnage, taking with her the severed head of Edgar Allan Poe.  Haigus also flees Verona.  A week later, Lord Baltimore arrives at the burned-out theatre.  Seeing that his quarry has escaped him yet again, he moves on. . .knowing that he is leaving behind the remnant of Haigus' vampire cadre to prey on Verona, but he cares only about his pursuit of Haigus.

The End. . .To be continued.

THE REVIEW:

Okay, not bad.  This one leans in the direction of a more gothic, atmospheric kind of horror than most of the other comics I've reviewed for this Longbox Junk Halloween party.  It has a dark, oppressive feel to it all the way through.  Mignola and Golden definitely know how to set a gloomy scene!

Fans of horror literature that read this comic will be able to see that it rests on the shoulders of quite a few different stories that came before. . .whether it's paying homage or just borrowing elements is a hard call.  Mignola and Golden successfully combine the influences and put their own stamp on it, that much is certain.

Readers will spot moments that call back to Interview with a Vampire, Masque of The Red Death, Phantom of The Opera, Conqueror Worm, and even a splash of Moby Dick. It's an interesting mix, to be sure.

The art is a perfect companion to the dark, gothic tale. . .lending a foreboding and gloomy feel throughout, with heavy shadows and a muted color palette set off by splashes of bright color to bring the drama of a scene forward.  It's the perfect art style for this sort of story!

CONCLUSION

Although this is a stand-alone story, it has enough connection to the overarching tale of Baltimore's relentless pursuit of Haigus across war-torn Europe in the early 20th Century that it makes me want to read more.  I'm not familiar with Baltimore beyond this and a Free Comic Book Day offering I picked up, but now that I've dug into one of the chapters, I definitely want to read more.

Mignola and Golden deftly mix together multiple influences and come up with a tale that reeks of hopelessness and doom.  Stenbeck's art reinforces the gloom and darkness of the story with bold, deep shadows and muted colors.  Together, they bring a strange little supernatural tale that will surely appeal to those who like their horror a bit more on the gothic and literary side of things.

Up Next. . .

This party ain't over yet!  MORE Longbox Junk Halloween Horror fun!

Be there or be square.

Longbox Junk - Star Wars: Battle of The Bounty Hunters

Welcome to Longbox Junk, where the comics are cheap and the reviews are free!

It's Star Wars month here at Longbox Junk!  Unfortunately, with pandemic restrictions being lifted and life getting back to (somewhat) normal, I've been super-busy at work (night manager of a hotel) and haven't had the time I would normally like to spend on readin' and reviewin' some great Star Wars comics.

That said, I think I can squeeze in another visit to that galaxy far, far away before the month ends.

The comic at hand is one of the more unusual items in my collection, and I've been meaning to spotlight it here at Longbox Junk for a while.  It's a hardcover one-shot comic from Dark Horse's days holding the reigns to the Star Wars comic franchise.  

It's one of the many tie-ins to Dark Horse's multimedia Star Wars "Event" called "Shadows of the Empire", which included interconnected novels, comics, trading cards, toys, a soundtrack album, a video game, and a handful of other items revolving around a tale set after Empire Strikes back and setting the scene for Return of the Jedi.   It was actually a really interesting and ambitious project.

What makes the comic at hand different than other comics is that it's a pop-up comic!  As far as I can tell, it's one of the few that's ever been made (until recently) with adult readers in mind, and was actually the first pop-up comic book produced.  Due to the unusual nature of the comic and the increased bulk of the pop-up mechanics, the comic is a short one. . .at 14 pages it's more of a vignette than a complete comic story.  

Because it is such a short comic, I decided to go ahead and scan it in full for this review.  I quickly found out that pop-up books are NOT scanner-friendly at all, so please excuse the iffy quality of the pictures below.  They don't do justice to how great this comic looks in the hand.  I've included a few pics of the comic folded out as well, to try and give more of an idea of how it actually looks.

Enough introduction!  Let's take a look at this unusual little artifact of Dark Horse Star Wars, shall we?

STAR WARS:

BATTLE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS

DARK HORSE (1996)

SCRIPT: Ryder Windham

ART: Christopher Moeller

COVER: Christopher Moeller

THE COVER:

Christopher Moeller might not be the most famous or prolific comic artist out there, but he's got a detailed, gritty style that fits the Star Wars universe perfectly, especially when it comes to the darker corners inhabited by characters like Boba Fett.  This is a fantastic example of his work. . .a collage of images held together by a very nice portrait of the fan favorite Bounty Hunter.  If this wasn't an awkwardly-sized hardcover, this cover would definitely take some turns up on the "Wall O' Covers" in my office at work.  Let's get inside and feast our eyes on some more of Moeller's art!

THE STORY:

We start off shortly after the events of The Empire Strikes Back.  Bounty Hunter Boba Fett is delivering his target, Han Solo, to crime lord Jabba The Hutt on Tattooine.  Solo has been frozen alive in carbonite by Darth Vader.  The bounty hunter anticipates an easy time collecting on Solo, but when he comes out of hyperspace over Tattooine, he spots a rival bounty hunter waiting for him. . .the droid called IG-88!

Acting quickly, Fett targets and destroy's IG-88's ship, but his easy victory is TOO easy.  It was a distraction from IG-88's actual ship, which attacks Boba Fett, taking him by surprise!

Once again, apologies for the way the pictures look flattened on a scanner.  Here's a camera shot of the first couple of pages folded out, so you can get more of an idea of how this comic actually looks. . .

After damaging Boba Fett's ship with his surprise attack, IG-88 demands that Solo be surrendered to him and he MIGHT let Fett live. . .

Despite the iffy situation, Boba Fett isn't one to be taken down like a chump.  The bounty hunter pulls one of the many tricks he holds up his sleeve and hits the inertial dampers (the brakes) on his ship, putting him behind IG-88 and lined up for the perfect shot!

Boba Fett takes the shot, destroying IG-88 in a spectacular explosion!  His rival now out of the way, Fett continues to Tattooine to deliver his bounty to Jabba The Hutt.

As Boba Fett lands, his ship is noticed by an Imperial patrol.  They investigate and confront the bounty hunter, telling him it's a restricted area. . . 

Unfortunately for the stormtroopers, Fett doesn't care much about Imperial restrictions.  He opens fire and quickly decimates the patrol before continuing on to Jabba's desert palace, where the crime lord's lieutenant, Bib Fortuna, meets him.

On his way into Jabba's palace, Boba Fett is attacked by a giant sand dragon!  However, it's no match for Boba Fett, who takes the creature down easily.  Suspecting that the conniving Bib Fortuna tried to lead him into a trap, Fett forces him at gunpoint to lead the way to Jabba The Hutt's throne room.

Below is another pic of the comic folded out, to give more of an idea of how it actually looks.

In Jabba's throne room, Fett negotiates for an extra bonus because he brought Solo in alive.  Jabba agrees, but has another proposition for the bounty hunter. . .

Knowing that Solo's friends will eventually attempt a rescue, Jabba offers Boba Fett more money if he stays on for a while as protection.  Fett agrees without hesitation. . .setting the stage for the opening scene of Return of The Jedi.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

Like I said in the introduction, this is a very short and simple story that's really more of a vignette.  It's actually an abbreviated version of some of the same events as depicted in (mostly) the first issue of the main "Shadows of the Empire" comic series, but featuring the fantastic painted art of Christopher Moeller instead of the more standard comic art (Which is still some pretty darn nice work by Kilian Plunkett, with inks by P. Craig Russell) in the regular comic.

Shadows of the Empire, Issue #1

Despite the extremely slim story to be found here, the real star of THIS show is the pop-up mechanic, featuring the painted art of Moeller.  As I mentioned in a couple of places above, the flattened images of the comic on the scanner don't really do it much justice.  Even the couple of regular camera shots don't quite display just how nice this unusual comic actually looks when it's folded out. 

I was familiar with Moeller's gritty, realistic, painted style from my favorite series to come out of DC's short-lived Helix imprint, "Sheva's War".  A fine little nugget of Longbox Junk gold itself, and highly recommended for any fan of good hard military science fiction.  I've always wanted to track down and enjoy more of his work, but he wasn't the most prolific artist.  His art in this comic doesn't disappoint!

With interesting angles, perfect colors, and gritty realism, the art in this short comic is simply a feast for the eyes!

CONCLUSION

There's not much story to be found here, and what little there is, is a retelling of events in another comic.  But the story isn't the draw here.  This unusual pop-up comic book features some really great painted artwork that makes me want more!  At the end of the day, there's not much to Battle of The Bounty Hunters, but it IS fun.  Say what you will, there ain't nothing wrong with having some fun in a comic book!

It might be a little hard to track down a copy, but Battle of The Bounty Hunters is just a fun little Star Wars artifact that Star Wars fans both young and young at heart will surely enjoy.  I give it an official Longbox Junk gold seal of approval.

Until next time, remember that comics are worth more than money!

Longbox Junk - Star Wars: Rebel Heist

Welcome to Longbox Junk, the best place to find comic reviews you never asked for!

Once again, apologies for my sketchy posting "schedule" this time of year.  The summer tourist season is starting to gain some steam and my spare time at work for readin' and reviewin' comic books is getting a little sparse.

ANYWAY. . .

It's the merry month of May! Spring is in the air, the grass is green, the flowers are blooming.  Summer is just around the corner.  But most importantly, it's STAR WARS month!  

Star Wars is what got me into comic collecting in the first place, so when May rolls around I like to spotlight a few of the comic book adventures that have taken place in that galaxy far, far away.

For quite a while, Dark Horse had the rights to publish Star Wars comics, and they definitely ran with it in a big way.  They went WELL above and beyond the established lore of the movies and put their own stamp on Star Wars. . .for better AND for worse.  The Dark Horse Star Wars mythology is dense, convoluted, and a little hard for newcomers to jump into.  

That said, toward the end of their time holding the keys to Star Wars comics, Dark Horse stepped away from their tangled continuity and started to return to the basic foundation of what made Star Wars great in the first place. . .the tight relationship between the original heroes of the Star Wars saga, Luke, Han, Chewie, and Leia, as they fought against the evil Empire.  

The comics at hand are a perfect example of Dark Horse's return to the simple roots of Star Wars, being a look at the four main heroes of Star Wars through the eyes of others.  A bit of research tells me that it's actually the LAST original Star Wars item published by Dark Horse before they handed things over to Marvel.  Did they go out on a high note?  Let's find out!

STAR WARS:

REBEL HEIST

DARK HORSE (2014)

SCRIPTS: Matt Kindt

PENCILS: Marco Castiello

COVERS: Adam Hughes

ISSUE ONE

THE COVER:

Adam Hughes really knocked it out of the park on ALL the covers for this series!  This one showcases the reluctant rebel and smuggler, Han Solo.  Frozen in a moment of gun-slingin' action and with a vibrant background, this cover perfectly captures the roguish essence of the character.  

THE STORY:

We begin the series on the planet Corellia, where a young rebel recruit named Jan is unexpectedly thrown into a chaotic adventure when he meets with his contact (none other than one of the most wanted men in the galaxy, Han Solo) and Imperial agents burst onto the scene .

Through a series of mishaps and narrow escapes, Jan becomes convinced that Solo is less of a hero and more of a lucky maniac with a death wish.  Eventually, the pair are captured and imprisoned on an orbiting Imperial space station.  But is there more to the story than Jan knows?

THE REVIEW:

This first issue shows us Han Solo through the eyes of someone not used to Solo's brand of improvisational adventure.  I found this issue to be pretty funny as the situation got more and more out of hand while Jan desperately wondered what sort insanity of what he'd been dragged into.  Of course, to Star Wars fans, we know that's just how Han Solo does it.  But to the narrator of the story, it was sheer lunacy.

Overall, a lot of adventure and a few chuckles make this a great start to the series.

NEXT!

ISSUE TWO

THE COVER:

It's Star Wars' rebel Princess showcased in a confident pose that lets you know she's not one to be messed with!  I really like how the stark white of her outfit contrasts with the cool blues of the background.  Another great Star Wars portrait from Adam Hughes.

THE STORY:

We shift scenes to the pleasure planet of Feddasyr, where neutrality in the galactic conflict and easy access to any sort of vice makes it a perfect world for the "cold war" of spies and intrigue between the Empire and Rebellion.  Our narrator is a very rare red Twi'Lek, whose one in a million color allows her to hide in plain sight as a highly-desirable dancer, able to infiltrate Imperial ranks as a Rebel agent.

When her cover is blown and she fails to deliver an Imperial code, her contact, none other than Princess Leia Organa, enlists her to assist with plan B. . .Leia infiltrating a high-class party thrown by a wealthy industrialist who has the code the Rebels need.

Although the Twi'Lek is unimpressed at first by Leia's royal background, she quickly comes to realize there's more to the princess than meets the eye as Leia accomplishes the mission and makes a narrow escape with a turncoat specialist "code carrier' stormtrooper who has the Imperial code imprinted in his DNA.

In the end, the Twi'Lek watches Leia allow herself to be captured in order for the code carrier to escape the planet and deliver the Imperial code to the Rebels.

THE REVIEW:

Where the first issue was about the madcap insanity that follows Han Solo wherever he goes, this issue tells a tale of Princess Leia as a highly-focused undercover operative.  Each move is meticulously planned, and even when things go wrong, Leia thinks of nothing but accomplishing the mission.  It's less humorous than the first issue, replacing the chuckles with tension and danger.  

Overall, this is a great little espionage story set in the Star Wars universe.  

NEXT!

ISSUE THREE

THE COVER:

CHEWIE!  Everyone's favorite Wookie stands ready for action in another great portrait by Adam Hughes.  Hughes really manages to capture the essence of these characters on these covers!  I love the detail on Chewbacca's fur, the fierce expression on his face, and the contrasting green background on this one.

THE STORY:

We continue the story from the viewpoint of the Imperial code-carrier Stormtrooper rescued from Feddasyr at the cost of the capture of Princess Leia last issue as he makes contact with the next Rebel agent, the Wookie warrior Chewbacca, on a backwater Imperial planet.

As an Imperial trooper, he looks down on Chewbacca as an uncivilized beast, but slowly changes his mind as Chewie helps him infiltrate the Imperial base where a "Galaxy Drive" needed to unlock the secret code in his DNA is located.

After a tense battle where Chewbacca saves the code carrier's life, they manage to transmit the code to the Rebels, but in the end they are captured and thrown into a Rancor pit, where they are left to die!

THE REVIEW:

Where the first issue was humorous and light, and the second issue dark and tense, this third issue is focused more on combat action and adventure as Chewbacca and the turncoat Imperial code carrier fight their way to the Galaxy Drive in order to release the Imperial code from his DNA.  I liked the whole "reluctant allies become comrades through battle" storyline running through this issue.  

Overall, this issue doesn't stand alone as well as the first two (Ending on a cliffhanger setting up the final issue), but it's still a very nice combat-oriented story, packed with explosive action and gunplay.

AND FINALLY. . .

ISSUE FOUR

THE COVER:

And we finish off this series of four fantastic portraits of the original Star Wars heroes with the young, but determined, Luke Skywalker.  I REALLY like the warm colors and the interesting background montage, making this one my favorite of the bunch.

THE STORY:

This story is told from the viewpoint of an Imperial spy tasked with following a suspected rebel on Corellia.  We see the events of the first issue from another viewpoint as Luke Skywalker helps Han Solo get captured.  

We then follow the spy (and Luke) to Feddasyr, where he frees Princess Leia from captivity and the two head out to rescue Chewbacca.  The spy is confused as to why all the rescue missions when the rebel operatives have obviously been successful at their tasks.  He stows away on their ship to learn more.

Arriving at the Imperial base, Luke and Leia find that Chewbacca and the turncoat code-carrier have already defeated the rancor.  They help the pair escape the base and flee off-world to rendezvous with Han Solo, who has managed to escape and steal an Imperial freighter.  At this point, the spy reveals himself and surrenders, wanting to be part of something that values friendship just as much as success.

At the end, it's revealed that the whole plot was to find the freighter and its cargo. . .a shield generator that will be used to protect the rebel base on Hoth.  

We then quickly revisit the various narrators of the issues for a glimpse of them in the near future. The rebel recruit from the first is now a recruiter himself.  The red Twi'Lek from the second continuing to spy for the rebellion.  The turncoat code-carrier of the third as the leader of a rebel combat squad.  And the Imperial spy of the fourth now a double agent and discovering the first hint of the second Death Star being constructed.

THE END

THE REVIEW:

A very nice ending to the story, wrapping things up with plenty of action and adventure, and giving the reader another viewpoint of the events taking place in the previous issues.  I liked how (just as in the original movies) Luke Skywalker is the glue that holds everything together.  This issue is very much focused on the bond of friendship that is between the main heroes of Star Wars and, as a huge fan of Star Wars, it had a pretty heartwarming feel to it.

Overall, a great ending to the story that hit this old Star Wars fan in a surprisingly heartfelt way.

CONCLUSION

I said in the introduction that this was Dark Horse's last original Star Wars project and wondered if they went out on a high note.  In my extremely humble opinion, I say YES!  This has everything a Star Wars fan could want in a story. . .action, adventure, humor, friendship, and more!  

In these four issues you get a madcap chase story, a tense spy story, a rousing battle action story, AND a heartwarming story about the bonds of friendship. . .all tied together to make one big entertaining tale about a band of rebels stealing a shield generator.  

There's no two ways about it, if you are a Star Wars fan, you'll like this story a lot, and I highly recommend you checking it out if you haven't already.  

If you're not a Star Wars fan you might not get as much mileage out of Rebel Heist.  It's definitely written with existing fans in mind.  That said, give it a try. . .because it touches a few different genres and is told from several viewpoints, you might find it to be a pretty entertaining piece of science fiction action/adventure despite the Star Wars framework around it.

Up Next. . .

One of the more unusual comics in my collection. . .a strange little experiment by Dark Horse in their Star Wars line.  You'll see what I mean.  It's the Star Wars: Battle of The Bounty Hunters one shot!

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk - One Shots (Part 2)

 Welcome to Longbox Junk, where the comics are cheap and nobody asked me to review them!

 After spending several months grinding through all sixty issues of Marc Spector: Moon Knight, I've decided to cleanse my palate a bit by returning to my favorite kind of comic. . .One shots!  Tight little packages of comic book goodness where the creative team is tasked with giving the reader a complete story in one and only one issue.   

With a single issue to work with, the creative team has nowhere to hide.  It's easy to fail, but when the team is up to the task, the results can be some of the best stories to be found in comics.  

In PART ONE , I was pleasantly surprised to find a handful of decent little stories, without a single stinker among them and a couple of them even being real nuggets of Longbox Junk gold.  How will this batch fare?  Let's find out!

ONE SHOTS (Part 2)

INDIANA JONES AND

THE SHRINE OF THE SEA DEVIL

Dark Horse (1994)

Cover: Gary Gianni

Shrine of the Sea Devil

Reprinted from Dark Horse Comics (1992), Issues 3-6

SCRIPT: Gary Gianni

PENCILS: Gary Gianni

THE COVER:

Indiana Jones is all about action and adventure, and this wonderful painted cover delivers exactly that! Indy clinging to wreckage with a sinking ship in the background and being menaced by a giant tentacle? THIS is the kind of cover that makes me want to get right inside and see what it's about, so let's do it!

THE STORY:

1935. . .The South Pacific. Indiana Jones recovers a map leading to the legendary "Shrine of The Sea Devil".  Unaware that the crew of the ship he has hired is plotting mutiny based on rumors of a rich treasure to be found, Jones and his colleague, Professor Casper, steam toward the undersea location marked on the map.

Anchoring off the coast of an active volcanic island, Indiana Jones suits up to dive into the shark-infested waters.  While Jones explores the mysterious underwater ruins, the crew make their move!  A fight breaks out as they take over the ship.  

Unknown to either Jones or the mutinous crew above, Jones' exploration has awakened a gigantic squid.  It nearly kills Indiana Jones before turning its attention to the ship above.  Frantic crewmen desperately fight the creature's huge tentacles before the ringleader of the mutineers uses explosives in the ship's hold to drive off the giant monster. . .but in the process, he also sinks the ship!

Indiana Jones survives both the squid's attack and the sinking of the ship.  At the end, he is rescued by a passing plane piloted by none other than Amelia Earhart.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

I'm a huge fan of the Indiana Jones movies.  I'll even take a beating trying to defend Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull!  But I'm not very familiar with the comic adventures of Indy.  This is actually the first comic beyond Marvel's straightforward adaptation of Temple of Doom featuring Indiana Jones that I've read.

Unfortunately, my first impression of comic book Indy isn't as high as I'd like it to be.

It's not that the story is BAD.  It's not bad.  It's okay.  But I expect more than okay from a story featuring a character that literally personifies action and adventure.  This story really just wasn't very exciting at all.  I'd say that it was more interesting than anything.  Once again, not bad, but I wanted more.

As far as the art goes, I'm a fan of Gary Gianni and his gritty, sketchy, realistic style.  I REALLY like his painted cover. . .I think this might be the first time I've seen any of his painted work.  The interior art is a touch sketchier than I'm used to from Gianni, though.  It's nicely done, but looks just a little rushed in places.

Overall, this wasn't a BAD story, it's just that I was expecting a little more than what I got.  It's too bad that the first comic I've read featuring one of my favorite characters' adventures outside the movies was just "okay".

NEXT!

KID COLT 

Marvel (2009)

COVER: Luke Ross

Kill The Kid!

Physical collection of Kid Colt (vol. 2 - 2009) digital comic Issues 1 - 5

SCRIPT: Tom DeFalco

PENCILS: Rick Burchett

THE COVER:

A very nice action shot of the title character!  I love the sense of motion and the feeling of a moment frozen in time the artist gives us here.  What more can I say? It's simply a great western comic cover!

THE STORY:

After helping a man during an unfairly-matched gunfight, Everett Hawkmore discovers that he's accidentally fallen in with the wanted criminal known as Kid Colt.  Hawkmore rides with Colt as he tries to clear his name by finding a witness to the gun battle where Kid Colt killed six men in self defense, but was labeled a murderer.

The vengeful Sheriff McGreeley, brother of one of the men killed by Colt, hires a notorious bounty hunter named Sherman Wilks to bring Colt in for a hanging.  During a confrontation with Colt and the Bounty hunter, a gang of brutal scavengers attack, forcing Kid Colt and Wilks to join forces to fight them off.

After the dust has cleared, Kid Colt gives Wilks his side of the story (re-telling the origin of Kid Colt), but Wilks is a man of his word and is still determined to bring Kid Colt in despite him saving his life.  It comes down to a quick-draw gunfight, with Kid Colt being the one to walk away alive.  

In the end, Hawkmore disguises himself as Wilks and uses Wilk's body to collect the bounty on Kid Colt, then rides out with Colt to accompany him as he continues to try and clear his name.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

Okay. . .not a bad little story!  It's got action, adventure, likeable characters, and a couple of twists and turns along the way.  Not much more that I could ask for in a good western tale.  It's not a deep story.  At heart it's actually a pretty simple narrative.  But sometimes all I want in a comic is just a decent story that keeps me engaged without making me strain my brain too much.  This comic does exactly that.  There's not many western comics out there these days, so it's nice to find a good one.

As far as the art goes, I thought Rick Burchett's art from Impact's Black Hood (a severely-underrated nugget of Longbox Junk) was the best part of that series, but his cartoony and sort of exaggerated style isn't really a great match for a western story.  There's nothing wrong with the art and it tells the story nicely, but in my humble opinion something darker and grittier (like the cover) would have worked better.

Overall, this one shot gives the reader a solid western story with lots of action and adventure.  It's not a GREAT story, but it's a GOOD story.  Sometimes you just want a good story.  If you're a fan of western comics, then this is one to keep your eye out for in the bargain bins because there's not many newer ones out there.  

NEXT!

TACO BELL / FANTASTIC FOUR

Marvel (2011)

COVER: Steve McNiven

Originally from Marvel Knights 4 (2004) Issue 1

Wolf at the Door / A Day In the Life of the Fantastic Four

SCRIPT:  Paul Tobin (main) & Colleen Coover

PENCILS: Craig Rousseau (main) & Colleen Coover

THE COVER:

A stunning portrait of Marvel's First Family with sharp details, a fluid sense of motion, and outstanding colors.  The characters almost seem to leap right off the page! Such a great cover.  Too bad McNiven didn't do the interiors.

THE STORY:

The Fantastic Four leap into action when a giant robot runs amok in New York City, draining power and causing massive blackouts.  

As Mr. Fantastic, The Human Torch, and The Thing battle the rampaging robot, Sue Storm follows the trail of destruction back to its creator. . .The Wizard.  It turns out that the robot was never built for evil purposes, but somehow malfunctioned with an ever-growing hunger for energy.

As the battle continues in the streets of New York City, the robot senses a powerful energy source and sends a probe to investigate.  The energy source is none other than the Silver Surfer!  Following the probe back to Earth, the Surfer uses his Power Cosmic to overload and shut down the out-of-control robot.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

So this one's a bit of an odd bird.  From a bit of research, I've found that it's a giveaway comic (hence the Taco Bell logo on the cover) and its "value" varies wildly (as in from $2.00 to $95.00!) enough for me to not really know exactly HOW much this strange little thing is "worth".  I bought mine for a dollar, so I guess I got a good deal.

But enough about that.  The comic itself is pretty thin, coming in at twelve pages long.  The story is just on the good side of okay.  It's obviously written for a younger audience, but it's not bad for what it is.  I liked that they didn't use Doctor Doom as the obvious villain choice, and the guest-starring role of Silver Surfer was also an interesting choice.

The art is light and a bit sketchy, but tells the story nicely.  The scenes with Silver Surfer were actually very well done and probably the most enjoyable part of the comic. . .which is interesting since this is supposed to be a Fantastic Four comic.

There's also a one-page "gag" story showing the individual members of the Fantastic Four fighting crime around the world, then gathering at the dinner table and talking about their day like it was nothing special.  It's a nice little addition that I got a small chuckle out of.

Overall, this is a decent little Fantastic Four story.  Not the best I've read. . .not the worst.  It's written for a younger audience, but is perfectly readable for adults as well.  It's actually more of a Silver Surfer story than anything else.  I'm not even a Fantastic Four fan and I found it pretty enjoyable.  

AND FINALLY. . .

STAR WARS: PURGE

THE HIDDEN BLADE

Dark Horse (2010)

COVER: Chris Scalf

The Hidden Blade

SCRIPT:  Haden Blackman

PENCILS: Chris Scalf

THE COVER:

If you're a Star Wars fan, you don't need ME to tell you how great this cover is!  A dark, menacing portrait of the villain everyone loves to hate, set off perfectly by the brilliant glow of Vader's red lightsaber.  It's a simple cover, but the artist really captured the essence of Darth Vader here!

THE STORY:

Set shortly after the events of Revenge of The Sith and in the aftermath of the Jedi Purge of Order 66, Darth Vader has been tasked by the Emperor to oversee the defense of a vital factory producing armored AT-AT walkers needed to continue the Emperor's brutal takeover of the Old Republic.

While fighting off repeated attacks by rebellious natives, Vader learns that they are led by a Jedi.  He leaves the base he was ordered to protect and goes on the hunt, first tracking down the Jedi's Padawan and defeating him, then barely winning a battle against a gigantic native creature before finally confronting the hidden Jedi.

After a short and vicious battle, Vader defeats the Jedi and returns to the base to find it destroyed in his absence.  He realizes the Jedi revealed himself on purpose to distract Vader and make him neglect command of the base's defense.  The Emperor arrives and is disappointed by Vader's failure.  He leaves his apprentice in the ruins of the factory to meditate on his mistake.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

This short tale of Vader's early days as the Emperor's enforcer was a great read!  It had all the action I want from a Star Wars story, and the ending with the mighty Vader brought low by a simple trick of misdirection aimed squarely at his obsession with hunting the remaining Jedi was surprising and clever.  I was expecting Vader to come out on top in a Darth Vader comic, but having him defeated in such a small and easy way was really interesting!

As far as the art goes, I really enjoyed the moody, painted artwork!  It has a mysterious and hazy quality, with muted tones that are set off by occasional slashes of bright color to great effect.  Every panel on every page invites the eye to linger an extra moment.

Overall, this is a great read for Star Wars fans!  The story of Vader's defeat by a simple trick is engaging and interesting, and the moody painted art is a feast for the eyes.  This is definitely one to keep your eye out for in the bargain bin.  It's a certified nugget of Longbox Junk gold!

CONCLUSION

There you have it. . .another little handful of Longbox Junk one-shots.  All in all, not a bad bunch.  Not quite as good as the first batch, but still not bad.  The clear winner here for me was the Star Wars: Purge Darth Vader comic.  At the bottom of the bunch I'd have to say would be the Fantastic Four comic. . .just because it's such a slim story.  Once again, I'm pleased that there aren't any actual BAD one-shots in the bunch.  All of these are worth keeping an eye out for while Longbox Junkin' through the bargain bins.

Up Next. . .

It's been a while since I did a Longbox Junk Retro Review.

How about a little trip in the paper time machine back to 1966 for a look at Gold Key's G-8 and His Battle Aces?  It's Hun-Punchin' action and espionage in the trenches of World War I battlefields!

Be there or be square.

Longbox Junk - One-Shots (Part 1)

 Welcome to Longbox Junk, the place to find all the comic reviews you never asked for!

I've said it before and I'm gonna say it again.  Of all the different kinds of comic books out there, I'd have to say that my ultimate favorite is the one-shot.  To me, the one shot is a supreme test for a creative team. 

 By giving a team one and ONLY one issue to tell a complete tale, their storytelling ability is put to the test.  There's nowhere to hide.  No room for error.  To fail the test is easy, and actually pretty common.  There's PLENTY of bad one-shots haunting the bargain bins.  But when a team succeeds?  It's often pure Longbox Junk gold!

So let's take a look at a random handful of one-shot comics rescued from the bargain bin and given a moment in the Longbox Junk spotlight. Will they pass the test of giving the reader a good story in such a limited space?  Or will they fail to make the grade?

Let's find out!

ONE-SHOTS (Part 1)

STAR WARS SPECIAL: C-3PO

Marvel (2016)

COVER: Tony Harris

The Phantom Limb

SCRIPT: James Robinson

PENCILS: Tony Harris

THE COVER:

If you're a big Star Wars fan like me, I think you'll agree that this cover is one SWEET piece of art!  A simply fantastic painted portrait of C-3P0 with warm colors that grab the eye and don't let go.  I really like how Tony Harris left some of the brush marks visible on the painting, making it imperfect, yet perfect at the same time.  This is just a great Star Wars cover!  Let's get inside.

THE STORY:

After their ship crash lands on a hostile planet, leaving no human survivors, C-3P0 and a motley group of droids (including a captured First Order protocol droid with vital information leading to the location of an important Resistance prisoner) must work together as they make their way across the dangerous world to a homing beacon that will lead the Resistance to their location.

During the journey, C-3P0's companions fall one by one to the creatures and natural hazards along the way, until there is only him and the First Order droid left.  Finally in sight of the homing beacon, but prevented from reaching it by a deadly acid rain, the First Order droid gives Threepio the information the Resistance needs, then sacrifices himself by going into the rain to activate the beacon.

When the Resistance shows up to rescue him, C-3P0 takes the only thing left of the First Order droid, his arm, and uses it to replace his own (which was torn off during a battle with a creature during their journey) as a way to pay tribute to the enemy that became his friend.

THE REVIEW:

So there's a tiny moment in "The Force Awakens" when C-3P0 is first shown and he has a red arm and he points it out.  It's never mentioned again.  This is basically the story behind that 10 seconds of film.

Star Wars has always been a little strange about having to have a background for EVERY character and thing that shows up on screen, but despite this being created to fill in a tiny little detail that's never mentioned again, James Robinson delivers a really good story!

The scenes where Threepio and his First Order protocol counterpart discuss how their memories have been wiped so many times over the decades that the wipes no longer completely work and they have been left with vague memories of past lives is really interesting, and is something that made me think of the droid characters in Star Wars in sort of a whole new way.  Not bad for a one-shot comic meant to fill in a tiny plot hole that nobody really asked (as far as I know) to be filled.

As far as the art goes, Tony Harris does a stellar job! Get it? Stellar?  Never mind.  His thick inks, wonderful colors, and interesting, cinematic angles really bring this story to life!  I was a big fan of Harris' (And Robinson's) work on Starman, and this comic reminds me why.

Overall, this first one-shot knocks it right out of the park!  An emotional story with unusual characters backed up by some great artwork makes this comic something that any Star Wars fan should enjoy very much.  If you're not a Star Wars fan, you might not get as much mileage out of this, but as far as I'M concerned, this one is a pure nugget of Longbox Junk gold!

NEXT!

BATMAN: DREAMLAND

DC (2000)

COVER: Norm Breyfogle

Dreamland

SCRIPT: Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle

PENCILS: Norm Breyfogle

THE COVER:

A great painted cover with an interesting composition and some very nice, muted colors.  It's mysterious, moody, and makes me want to jump right into the story. This is the sort of thing I always keep my eye out for when digging for comics to take a turn up on my "Wall O' Covers" rotating display in my office at work.  I like this cover a lot!

THE STORY:

Batman is drawn into a government conspiracy when he investigates the strange deaths of three scientists. The daughter of the last victim claims that her father told her that he had proof that aliens and the government were working together at a hidden base called Area 51.  

Batman discovers that all of the victims are tied together by a connection to a mysterious "Doctor Staines". Following leads to a former criminal recently released from Arkham Asylum with the power of mind control named Franklin Selly (alias The Kook), Batman discovers that he is working with the daughter of the murdered scientist to try and solve the same mystery.  Batman declines a team-up because, well. . . he's Batman.

We next find Batman in Nevada, infiltrating the high-security precautions of Area 51.  At the same time, the scientist's daughter and Selly are taking a more direct route into the base using Selly's mind control powers to go right through the front gate.  Their ruse is quickly discovered and they are taken prisoner.

As Batman makes his way through the base, he discovers that Dr. Staines is involved with a project to wipe people's minds and rebuild them into slaves.  He also discovers Selly and the Scientist's daughter, and his focus changes immediately to a rescue mission.

After letting himself be taken prisoner, Batman and Company escape and fight their way through Area 51 to a waiting off-road Batmobile hidden in the desert.  In the end, Batman leaks the information he downloaded at Area 51 to the media and government authorities, but it's treated like just another conspiracy theory and Doctor Staines goes unpunished.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

This one was pretty average.  Not the best Batman story I've read. . .but not the worst.  Just sort of riding down the center line.  I found it a bit strange that in this story, Batman doesn't believe in aliens. . .but he regularly works with Martian Manhunter (not to mention Superman) on the Justice League.  

The Selly/ Scientist's Daughter team seemed unnecessary to the story.  It looked like padding to pump this one shot up to "Prestige Format" page count (and dollar count) and could have been cut completely to make this a leaner, tighter, solo Batman story.  That said, it's still a decent read.

As far as the art goes, Norm Breyfogle is always a reliable choice for good 90's/early 2000's Batman art.  I like his sleek lines, slightly exaggerated figures, and the way that Batman is always partly hidden in shadow.  He's not my number one Batman artist, but I know I'll at least be sure to enjoy the pictures when I see Breyfogle's name on a Batman story.  

Overall, Batman: Dreamland is a decent, but ultimately pretty forgettable, solo Batman tale that falters over some poor story choices that seem to be aimed at padding out the length. Even so, Dreamland is still a pretty good read with some nice, solid art.  

NEXT!

GODZILLA COLOR SPECIAL

Dark Horse (1992)

COVER: Arthur (Art) Adams

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

SCRIPT: Arthur (Art) Adams & Randy Stradley

PENCILS: Arthur (Art) Adams, Gracine Tanaka & Steve Moncuse

THE COVER:

I really like the "In your face!" composition of this cover. . .but for some reason, Godzilla doesn't look as menacing as he should.  It's a very nicely drawn portrait with some great colors, but it's just not hitting me the way I think the artist intended it to.  Maybe Godzilla looks a bit too "cartoony" here?  I can't put my finger on it.

THE STORY:

Our story begins with a race against time as a unit of the special anti-Godzilla task force called "G-Force" speeds toward the small Japanese island of Kiryoku to warn the inhabitants, who have turned their backs on 20th Century technology, that Godzilla is approaching and to help them evacuate.

As the United States Navy desperately tries and fails to delay Godzilla, G-Force hastily assembles the residents of Kiryoku and tries to convince them to leave their home.  They refuse to go, and instead lead G-Force to a shrine with a giant statue of an ancient demon warrior they claim is actually the stone form of the warrior (named Gekido-Jin) held in place by the spirit of a monk until needed.

As Godzilla begins rampaging across the island, the priestess performs the ritual to rouse Gekido-Jin from his stone slumber, and to G-Force's surprise, the statue comes to life and attacks Godzilla!  A brutal battle between the two giant titans ensues, but Godzilla is ultimately victorious.  

In the end, Godzilla heads back to the ocean, leaving the island in peace because of the fierceness of their ancient protector.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

Hmmmm. . .okay.  Interesting.  A little research shows me that Dark Horse had a whole Godzilla continuity I never knew about, which is probably why this one-shot seems to start in the middle of an ongoing story and ends a bit abruptly.  

It's well-written and is actually a pretty good read, but I was a bit lost on the G-Force characters that the writers expected me to know about already.  I prefer a one-shot to tell a complete story that doesn't rely much on being connected to continuity, so this one didn't really hit the mark. 

That said, when you boil it down to the broth, this is basically an extended fight scene between two giant monsters.  And for THAT, it's not bad at all.  At the end of the day, the story doesn't seem to matter as much as this one-shot being a showcase for the fantastic artwork of Art Adams. . .and a fine showcase it is!

Adam's finely-detailed linework has a great sense of motion.  The cinematic angles and interesting staging of the action make the figures almost seem to move across the page as they battle!  The story may be a bit iffy, but the fantastic artwork is the REAL star of the show here.

Overall, this one-shot is a bit too connected to ongoing continuity to stand on its own.  But taken just as a fight between two giant monsters with some really great comic book artwork, it's not bad at all.

AND FINALLY. . .

CONAN THE BARBARIAN: EXODUS

Marvel (2019)

COVER: Esad Ribic

Exodus

SCRIPT: Esad Ribic

PENCILS: Esad Ribic

THE COVER:

A fantastic painted cover in Ribic's signature "Sorta Frazetta" style!  I really like the sense of a moment of action frozen in time here, but as much as I generally enjoy Ribic's art,  he never really seems to get human faces right.  Maybe it's just me.  In any case, this is a really good comic cover that tells a story before you even open the book.

THE STORY:

A young Conan sets forth from Cimmeria for the first time to see the world.  Along the way, he encounters savage wolves, mountain lions, and a giant bear.  Sometimes fighting, sometimes running for his life.

Once he has left the Cimmerian wilderness and begins to encounter inhabited lands, the young barbarian quickly learns that his fellow man are the most savage creatures to be found on his journey as he is taken prisoner and left for dead, hanging beside the road to a castle as a warning to thieves.

Conan manages to escape and kill the nobleman who sentenced him to death, then continues on his journey, now well aware that the dangers of the wilderness are nothing compared with the dangers of civilization.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

As a huge Conan fan, I really enjoyed this tale of young Conan leaving home and encountering the dangers of civilized lands for the first time!  It's completely silent (except for a sparse handful of dialogue balloons written in undecipherable runes), leaning on Esad Ribic's painted art to tell the story.

In the hands of a lesser artist, this could have gone badly, but luckily Ribic's art has the expressive nature and cinematic ability to allow the reader to understand the flow of a story without words.  

That said, it ain't perfect.  Like I said in the look at the cover, above, Ribic is an extremely talented artist, but he's always had a bit of a problem with human faces and expressions.  That problem is amplified in a story that relies on expressions to help tell a story.  Fortunately, there are only a few places it's REALLY bad.  

One other small thing that nags me about this story is that it is supposedly a tale of fifteen year old Conan on his first journey outside of Cimmeria. . .but through the comic, Conan is depicted as burly and mature. Look at the page scanned below. Does that look like a teenager?  Once again, it's just an effect of Ribic's art style, but it did take me out of the story a bit.

Overall, this is a fantastic one-shot tale of young Conan discovering the dangers of civilization.  It's told completely through art, and each page is a feast for the eyes.  There are a few problems with facial expressions and Conan being drawn older than he should be, but other than those couple of bumps, this one-shot is a nugget of Longbox Junk gold.  

CONCLUSION

All in all, a pretty fine handful of one-shot comics!  Not a single stinker in the bunch, and all of them worth keeping an eye out for in the bargain bins.  I'd say that Star Wars: C-3P0 was probably my favorite, with Godzilla coming in last (just because it has in-continuity elements that don't stand alone very well), but overall, I'm happy with each comic in this batch of one-shots.

Up Next. . .

How about some more one-shots?  

Kid Colt, Fantastic Four, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars!

Be there or be square.