Short Lived Comic Series #13 - Evangeline (Comico 1984, First Comics 1987)

I can still remember the excitement I experienced when my parents took me to my first comic store back in the early '80s.  I started buying, reading, and collecting comics in 1979, but I didn't know that there were stores devoted totally to selling comics and comic-related items until a couple of years later - I always bought my comics at the local convenient food mart, where the comics were on a spinning rack.  When I discovered comic book stores, however, my whole world was expanded exponentially, as I discovered there was so much more to comic books than just DC, Marvel, and Disney comics!  Companies like Comico, Eclipse, Pacific, and others lined the shelves amidst the DC and Marvel comics, and I found titles such as DNAgents, Somerset Holmes, Elementals, and a unique little title with a female lead called Evangeline.

I've always been a sucker for female-led comics - from Wonder Woman to Supergirl to Ms. Marvel to She-Hulk.  So, this comic book with a gun-toting female that told the story of a nun (a very different kind of nun, that's for sure!) who was off-world saving the lives of the innocent - well, I could not pass it up.  So, I bought the first issue, and then the second ... and then, nothing. I waited for that third issue, but it never came. As with so many independent comics of that day that came and went, poor Evangeline lasted two issues at Comico, and then - poof! - it was gone. The stories by Chuck Dixon (who has since become quite the prolific comic book writer) were exceptional - a nun on the service for the Vatican, ensuring that the Catholic relics and traditions are protected, and that the lives of those who serve the church are protected from those who would destroy such organized religion.  The art by Judith Hunt (a female artist in the '80s!  talk about a gold mine!) was beautifully rendered, with some superb action scenes, as well as exceptional emotions expressed on the faces of her characters. In the first issue, Sister Evangeline took vengeance on a man who murdered her sisters at a church on Mars simply to get the land on which it was built; and in the second issue, she reluctantly teams up with criminal Jonny Six in order to stop a group of men who have taken over the ship on which she is traveling.

Flash forward a couple of years, and Lodestone Publishing put out an Evangeline special, which reprinted those first two Comico issues, but included extra epilogues after each story, that connected the first and second issues and then gave a preview of what was to come. Only, as with Comico, sadly, nothing further came out of Lodestone.  Thus, Evangeline's second chance at a series ended just as quickly as it started.  I was ready to just give up.  Then, along came First Comics...

First Comics was putting out some fantastic titles - Grimjack, American Flagg, among others, and they had become known for picking up titles cancelled by other companies - E-Man, Nexus, Badger, and Whisper, to name a few. So, in 1987, I was thrilled when Dixon and Hunt revived their series at First, beginning with an all-new issue 1, even though the story picked up exactly where the Comico and Lodestone stories had ended.  Landing on a planet filled with dinosaurs and a research facility - only, the hijackers from the spaceship from which they escaped are also there, and Evangeline, Jonny, and their new friend, Bernie Miller, must face off against them before they can be free.  The quality of stories by Dixon and the art by Hunt never falter, and with issue 2, Dixon and Hunt begin to reveal the "origin" of Evangeline - how did this young woman become the vengeful arm of the Catcholic church?  From there, we get stories of Evangeline hunting down gold that had been stolen from the church, rescuing a group of slaves from a nuclear wasteland, stopping a company from experimenting on human beings, exposing a space station spa that is brainwashing high ranking members of the church to destroy it from within, saving young women from sex traffickers, and ultimately crushing a group that is holding an entire planet hostage.  Along the way, we get more glimpses into Evangeline's past and see how she was trained in both warfare and subtlety to create the perfect weapon for the church.

Some may disagree with me, but one thing I liked about this series, and particularly about the character, is that not only was she strong and independent (she had male companions in the series, but she was far more capable then any of them), but she was not a stereotype.  She was firm in her religious beliefs, she knew right from wrong, and she never backed down from her morals and ethics.  In today's world, there seems to be a lot of criticism for female-centric titles written by men; yet, Dixon has proven time and again that he is more than capable of writing female characters that are not weak, that are not simple, and that are not anything more than fodder for gratuitous sex or violence.

While Dixon remained writer for the entire series at all three companies, Hunt vacated the art chores after issue 4 of the First Comics title.  Cara Sherman Tereno took over the art chores for issues 5 and 6, and honestly - her style was so similar to Hunt's that readers are unlikely to even notice the difference in artists.  Starting with issue 7, however, John Statema took over the art; and while it is still crisp and clear, the faces of his characters are much softer and rounder, and his backgrounds are not quite a gritty visually. He stayed with the book through issue 10, following which, Jim Balent took over for issues 11 and 12.

Unfortunately, Evangeline was not destined to last, and First Comics cancelled the series with issue 12.  And while the two-part story in issues 11 and 12 was nicely wrapped up, it is a shame that the character didn't have the opportunity for more stories and adventures. In today's more dark and gritty comics, perhaps now is the time for a revival of this series. I, for one, would love to see where Dixon would take his character now.

RATING:  8 blood-soaked rosaries out of 10 for giving comic-readers of the '80s a strong, no-nonsense female character who could stand on her own against the evils of mankind!

Nancy Drew: The Curse (Based on the Hit CW TV Show)

What better way to celebrate Nancy Drew's 90th anniversary than with a new Nancy Drew book? Yes, today marks 90 years since the first three Nancy Drew books were published way back on April 28, 1930.  Hard to believe she's been around that long - even moreso when you consider that very few series have continued publishing new stories on a regular basis for such a great length of time (Hardy Boys and Boxcar Children being the only two that come to mind).  And there is so much to celebrate this year - new comic book series that have been published in recent years from Dynamite Entertainment; new books published in the Nancy Drew Diaries and Nancy Drew Clue Book series; a new coloring book last year from artist extraordinaire Ruth Sanderson; the release of the new HER Interactive video game last Fall; and more recently, the new CW television series that brings Nancy, Bess and George to the small screen each and every week.  It is this new TV show that this book is based upon.

Nancy Drew: The Curse is a prequel of sorts to the CW hit television show.  Thus, fans of Nancy Drew who have never watched the new show may find some very jarring changes about Nancy and her world when reading this book. First, in this series, Nancy lives in Horseshoe Bay, not River Heights. Second, her mother did not die until Nancy was much older (meaning she is still alive in this story, set prior to the first episode of the television show). Third, Nancy's friends at this time are not Bess and George. However, in spite of these changes, some things remain the same.  Carson Drew is still a lawyer who dotes on his daughter. Chief McGinnis is still the local law in town. And Nancy Drew is still the determined sleuth who will set out to right any wrong and help anyone in need.  So, despite any changes, the true essence of Nancy Drew is still there!

That being said - the mystery in this book centers around the Horseshoe Bay Naming Day Curse. A curse that no one seems to know anything about. A curse that has no visible footprint online, nor any mention in the local town newspapers. A curse that - in a town filled with legends and ghost stories - seems to be hidden deeper than any other secret in Horseshoe Bay (which is really saying something). But when one of Nancy's friends, Daisy Dewitt, is selected to play a lead role in the upcoming Naming Day Reinactment  play, strange things start to happen. A raven carrying a warning note crashes against the window of the school newspaper. A threat is spray painted inside Daisy's locker. The word "Beware" is written on Nancy's windshield. Then one of the students disappears, and suddenly what started out looking like pranks turns into something much more serious.

While the book gives hints at supernatural elements (the television show, for those who don't watch, is filled with the supernatural), the author, Micol Ostow, keeps Nancy Drew grounded in reality. She questions things she sees, dreams she has, and things that occur, but ultimately, she is able to find logical, real explanations for everything.  A second disappearance, along with a warning to shut down the Naming Day Celebration or else puts Nancy on edge, knowing she has to solve the mystery before her best friend winds up dead.  Doing things the old-fashioned way, like going to the library, looking through public records, driving out and interviewing witnesses - it was great to see Nancy Drew in her real element again.  Fans who dislike the television show should really give this book a chance, as it definitely hearkens back to the Nancy Drew of days gone by!  And although there are no Bess and George, there are Daisy and Lena, who definitely channel elements of Bess and George (Daisy is the Bess archetype, while Lena tends to be more like George).

Fair warning: there are several profanities thrown out by the characters, so the book is not exactly squeaky clean. However, the words are mild (no f-bombs) and do not appear frequently.

Hope Simon & Schuster puts out some more novels like this one, based on the television show - it's a great way to expand on the characters and storylines from the TV show, plus provide fans with even more Nancy Drew!

RATING:  9 fat striped tabby cats named Sprinkles out of 10 for feeding the fans' need for more of the CW Nancy Drew!

DC Comics Secret Hero Society, Book 5 - Field Trip Disaster

Clark, Bruce, and Diana return for a fifth adventure in this world of DC Comics' Secret Hero Society. And while their supporting cast had been growing in recent books, author Derek Fridolfs takes a step back and returns to just the Big Three (or Small Three, as the case may be) in this book, as Clark, Bruce, and Diana take an unexpected field trip into the future!

Field Trip Disaster finds the future heroes pulled away from their classes - heck, from their very time! - to help the heroes of the future avert a disaster that could have devastating repercussions on the time line.  Enter: The Legion of Super-Heroes! Fridolfs introduces the 31st century superheroes into the world of young Diana, Clark, and Bruce. Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Bouncing Boy, Brainiac 5, Cosmic Boy, and the rest try to help the Secret Hero Society determine exactly what it is in the 21st century that goes so wrong that is creates ripples and dangers in the 31st century.  Diana, Clark and Bruce even get their own Legion flight rings (even though Clark and Diana don't really need them), and they take classes with some very esteemed teachers (including one Booster Gold!).  Ultimately, though it is through their own standard methods of clue-finding and deductive reasoning that our three heroes figure out who and what must be changed in order to save the future.

Dave Bardin takes over the art chores for this book, making him the third artist for this series. Bardin's art, though, is very similar to the prior artists, so for the target audience, it is unlikely to make a difference. The story, was with its predecessors, is told through prose, comic panels, and fun images (such as invitations, brochures, study guides, warnings, etc.), making it almost an interactive book as you read it.  For adults, it's likely you will spend less than 30 minutes reading the book from start to finish - but it is a well-spent thirty minutes (or less) and loads of good fun!

And, just like the prior books, there is a lesson to be learned, and Fridolfs gives his readers something to think about when it comes to friendship, pride, and sacrificing one's own wants to help someone else. Plus, Legion fans will get a kick out of some of the cameos and Easter Eggs throughout the story - and those who have been reading the series from the beginning will love the time travel jaunts into some of the characters' own past stories!

If you like fun and you like the DC pantheon of characters, then you'll enjoy this series. I am hoping there are more to com, but judging from DC's cancellation of the DC Super Hero High books, and the fact that there are no solicitations for a book six on Amazon or anywhere else that I can find, I'm guessing this may be the final book in the series - which would be sad, indeed.  However, it was fun while it lasted!

RATING:  9 selfies with Booster Gold out of 10 for remembering that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman can still have adventures that are fun!

A Viv and Charlie Mystery, Book Three - Dig Deep My Grave

Vivian Witchell and Charlie Haverman return for their third (and what appears to be final) mystery. Set in 1939, this installment finds our intrepid sleuths solving a murder that hits way too close to home. I find these period mysteries to be thoroughly enjoyable, as it is nice to see sleuths who have to solve crimes the old-fashioned way (without cell phones, internet, or any other technology that gives them access to information at the touch of a button). And while the previous two mysteries seemed to focus more on Viv's career as a radio personality, this one focuses more on Viv and Charlie's relationship, as well as revealing more about Viv's own childhood and rebellious teenage years.

Dig Deep My Grave brings Viv and Charlie to her family's lake house in Wisconsin. Charlie finds himself a fish out of water among members of the Witchell family, all of whom are used to opulent wealth and turn their noses down at the working class. And when Hap, Viv's old flame from her teenage years, shows up dead with Charlie standing over him, a bloody pair of scissors in his hands, what is Viv to think? Did her current boyfriend kill her old flame in a fit of jealousy? Did Hap somehow provoke Charlie into a rage? What really happened?

Author Cheryl Honigford writes her most intriguing mystery yet, as Viv sets about to prove her love's innocence of a crime that she's just not sure he didn't do. Her family is acting very strange about the whole thing, and her boss is on her back about the meeting she has in Hollywood with the head honchos at MGM about producing a live-action film of their radio feature, "The Darkness Knows," leaving Viv in a constant state of uncertainty and confusion.  And when she finally decides to head off to Hollywood, with the promise of her uncle that he will clear all of this up so that Charlie can go free, Viv begins to believe things will work out. Until she gets the telegram from Charlie's attorney...

C CHARGED - ON LAM - PHONE ME

Viv is faced with the toughest decision of her life - does she continue on to Hollywood for the chance of starting her career as a film actress; or does she get off the train and head back to Wisconsin to find Charlie and help him prove his innocence? Anyone who has read the previous two books knows right away which decision Viv makes - really, it's the only decision she can make (after all, this is a murder mystery series, and what good would it be if she ignored the mystery and headed off to Hollywood?). Instinctively knowing where he would go, Viv catches up with Charlie, and the two begin to formulate a plan to prove his innocence.  Viv returns to her family's lake house, where she sets about investigating her own family members, unsure if one of them isn't the murderer. What she uncovers though is the most unexpected surprise of all - even I didn't see this one coming! I mean, I did figure out the one person - even figured out that person's motive; but with all of the twists and turns that Honigford threw into this one, it was more fun than trying to figure out a game of Clue!

And one of the best things about this book (besides the well-written mystery itself) is the ending of the book - if this truly is the final Viv and Charlie mystery (and I see nothing to indicate any more are on the way), then Honigford gives the two characters a beautiful send-off.  This is definitely a must-read for any mystery fans, even if you haven't read the previous two books.

RATING:  10 copies of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express out of 10 for a superbly suspenseful mystery with a spectacular payoff at the end!

Starring Sonya Devereaux - a Series of Comic Book One-Shots

I'm a sucker for comic books that have a female lead. Now, I don't buy every single female-driving comic on the market (otherwise, I would be broke!), but when I see one that looks interesting in some way, I am willing to give it a try. So when a recent Previews had solicitations for a book called Starring Sonya Devereaux, with covers that parodied other comic book covers (such as Punisher, Tomb of Dracula, Walking Dead, etc.) and is described as a comic about a B-list actress who stars in really bad films, well, I certainly couldn't pass that up, now could I?

This is not an ongoing series, so each book is numbered as Issue 1 - thus, I did not realize until I got my first two copies that I actually had issues two and three - somehow, I missed the real first issue (which I will have to get off of eBay, I suppose, since I'm not finding it for sale on the American Mythology Productions website, other than e-reader version). But, that's okay, because these do not appear to need to be read in any particular order. Each book is a story within itself (which is a nice change of pace from so many 6 to 12 part stories in most comics today), and quite frankly, they are one heck of a lot of fun!

"Vampire Academy 4" opens with Shane, a stereotypical overweight long-haired geek from a website called scaredshitless.com, meeting our star, Sonya Devereaux, at her apartment for an interview. Sonya teases him a bit before sitting down and letting him watch her latest film, Vampire Academy 4. At this point, the comic switches gears, and the readers (like Shane) get to watch Sonya as Elsbeth, a young vampire who is getting ready to start her senior year at Bathory Academy (and if you don't know who Lady Bathory is, I'm not going to explain it to you). The "movie" has everything you'd expect from a less than B-list film: a group of mean girls; a super sexy teacher; a love interest for the main character (who she avoids biting or killing); a baddie who wants to kill the main character (and all of her friends and classmates); some gratuitous sex scenes (although they are tastefully drawn to avoid any actual nudity); a climactic battle; and a twist ending.  It crazy and kooky and will no doubt make you smile and even chuckle as you read it.

"Debutante Desparado" finds Sonya attending a screening of the final cut of her newest film, Debutante Desparado, The film itself - well, let's just say it is so bad, it is good! Four young girls in the old west heading out for spring break (uhm, don't think that was a thing back then). Sonya plays Prudence, a college student studying to be a school marm (really??). The girls' stagecoach is overtaken by bandits who take Prudence's three friends captive (where was Prudence? why, she had to use the outhouse!). Prudence follows them to town, where she meets the town cow hand (not because he tends to the cows, but because he actually was born with a hoof instead of a hand! I told you this was bad....) and gets into an argument with the town baron, Mr. Irving. With the help of cow hand, Prudence rescues her friends and sends them off, staying in town to help the people rid themselves of Mr. Irving's control. Hiding out at the local brothel, Prudence teaches the girls some of the finer things of being a lady, while they teach her ... well, they teach her other things (you can imagine - it is a whorehouse, after all). In true old west style, there is a huge shoot out, a country barn dance, an unexpected return from the dead, and a twist ending (which is apparently going to be a staple for these series of one-shots).

Authors Todd Livingston and Nick Capetanakis are clearly having fun with this series, poking fun at the various genres of films and giving readers a riotous romp through the memory of just how bad those B-films can be.  Artists Brendon and Brian Fraim (brothers? cousins?) provide a clean artistic style, which I find refreshing in a time when so many artists seem to be shying away from having people actually look like people (in other words - the art is not cartoony, it is not manga, and it is not abstract in any way). It is kind of a flashback to the '70s in so many ways, how could I not like it?

A fourth title is solicited (which I've already ordered), and I need to go back and find the first book; and hopefully, Livingston, Capetanakis, and the Fraims will continue creating more of these fun little one-shots for fans like to me to enjoy!

RATING:  9 blood-sucking decapitations out of 10 for keeping the fun in comics, for making parodies so enjoyable, and for creating a titillating character that doesn't have to get naked to sell it!

The Sky Racers - a New Prize Guild Library mystery

As many already know, Mildred Wirt Benson was the ghostwriter for a number of the original Nancy Drew books. She also wrote some Dana Girls books, Ruth Fielding stories, and a lot of other books for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. However, it is not quite as well known that Ms. Wirt (Benson) also wrote a number of her own books outside of the Syndicate - the Penny Parker series, the Madge Sterling series, the Ruth Darrow series, etc. In addition to series, she wrote a number of single titles as well - several for the Mystery Stories for Girls series of individual mysteries, along with two books based on aviation for the New Prize Guild Library of books published by Books, Inc. One of those titles was The Sky Racers.

Mildred herself was a pilot and loved to fly. So, it is no surprise that she would write some mysteries that centered around aviation. I happened across this book in a used bookstore in 2019 while I was in Toronto for - you guessed it, a Nancy Drew Sleuths convention. Complete with dust jacket, the book was more than reasonably priced, so I picked it up. I figured, even if I didn't necessarily like the story, it was a Millie book, and therefore, it had a 'round-about connection to Nancy Drew (being written by the author who ghostwrote the Nancys). After nearly a year, I finally pulled it off my to-be-read shelf and gave it a read.

Not gonna lie here - the opening of the book is rather slow-moving and, while it has a couple of slightly "thrilling" cliffhangers (will the plane crash?), they are relatively tame compared with the usually intense chapter cliffhangers in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys type series. Additionally, the main character, Jane Grant, does absolutely nothing to endear herself to the reader. Sure, it is evident pretty early on that she is a quick-study, intelligent, determined young woman (similar to Nancy Drew), but she doesn't have the personality that Nancy or some of the other series' girls do that instantly creates a bond with the reader. Rather, Jane falls rather flat as a character, which, of course, made it difficult to really get into the story.  But, I bought the book and it was written by Millie, so I persevered.

The mystery becomes apparent when a plane that Jane's father is building to enter into a race in California keeps having problems. It appears someone is sabotaging his efforts to build a super-fast plane, and Jane suspects the competition, Fletcher Aircraft Corporation, may have something to do with it. Fletcher allows his daughter to fly their plane, which won the prior year's competition, and she is determined to win this one at any cost. Jane doesn't like her one bit, and she wishes she could fly her father's new plane so she could beat the other girl.  Is it the one of the new employees? Is it one of Mr. Grant's two trusted pilots, who both want to fly the new plane? Or is it one of Fletcher's men doing the job? Unlike Nancy Drew, while Jane wonders all these things, she does not take any steps to actually discover the truth.  The only thing she does do is when she sees what she thinks to be a Fletcher plane watching their test run, she takes off in her own plane to follow it back to the Fletcher airfield.

The biggest suspense in the story comes near the end, just as the sky race is about to occur. Mr. Grant's pick of pilots disappears a day before the race, and Jane has to search for him in the nearby mountains, where she thinks his plane may have gone down. Jane, who is a relatively new pilot at this point, has to handle some very delicate maneuvers as she tries to rescue her friend, all the while dealing with the one who put them all in this predicament to begin with!  The ending is definitely filled with more suspense than the rest of the book, and, as anyone could predict, Jane does get her opportunity to fly her father's plane in the race.

Overall, not a very exciting read - the story was alright, but the characters were not overly engaging, nor were they well developed. In reading the story, I did not get invested in any of them, so I didn't really care what happened to them.  So, it is no surprise that while the end of the book hints at more adventures for Jane Grant, no such stories were ever published.

RATING:  4 rows of punch presses out of 10 for at the very least showing that women can do the same things as men (such as flying a plane) with as much, if not more, style and finesse!

Nightveil: Crisis at the Crossroads of Infinity (an AC Comics novel)

I remember back when AC started putting out some of their "good girl" comics back in the early to mid-'80s - titles like FemForce, Dragonfly, Black Diamond (based upon a movie starring Sybil Danning that never saw the light of day), She-Cat, and others. I still have the complete runs of Dragonfly and Black Diamond, as well as a title starring the mystical character, Nightveil. Nightveil was another of AC's scantily clad heroes, but instead of super powers, she was powered with the knowledge of the arcane. Originally known as the Blue Bulleteer, she changed her identity to Nightveil after the wizard Azagoth gave her mystical powers in order to save her life. Her comic only ran for seven issues, but they were well-written and enjoyable reads. She has since been a member of AC's FemForce title, so she did not simply disappear into obscurity...

Fast forward to DragonCon 2019, where I came across Bobby Nash, who was offering up a number of his works, including a novel starring none other than Nightveil!  Crisis at the Crossroads of Infinity (gotta love that title - "Crisis" from DC Comics, "Crossroads from First Comics" and "Infinity" from Marvel Comics - talk about a true crossover crisis!) is the first and only prose novel starring AC's mistress of the arcane. Nash said he had fun writing it, and the story clearly shows it - true to the character, true to the source material, and oh-so-true to the fans who have been waiting for something like this.

Interestingly enough, the story begins with Laura Wright a/k/a Nighveil fighting some unknown villain at the Crossroads of Infinity - only to be defeated, her very essence wiped from existence. Definitely not the way you would expect a book about Nightveil to start, that's for sure! And before you ask, no the story did not then go back and tell the story that led up to that point. It was indeed Nightveil that was vanquished by this all-powerful foe, just not the one we are familiar with. Just like with DC and Marvel and pretty much any comic company today, the AC comic universe is a multiverse of universes - an infinite number of universes that are constantly being created by different choices. And with those infinite universes, there are an infinite number of Laura Wrights. Some became Blue Bulleteer. Some went on to become Nightveil. Some retired from being Nightveil. And some never became Nightveil at all. Some are loved, some are despised, and some are still fighting the Nazis after all these years.  Until now, they have all lived their own separate lives on their own separate Earths, content in thinking of the singularity of their universe. Until now...

Something is threatening the very fabric of reality.  Something - or rather, someone - is messing with the Crossroads of Infinity, destroying one Nightveil after another in order to gain more power for himself or herself, intent on destroying the multiverse. And here, Laura Wright thought she was going to get a nice relaxing day on the beach. Yeah, like any super  hero ever gets a nice, relaxing day anywhere. It starts with a tiny green vortex that appears out of nowhere, wreaking havoc on the beach and ruining her day. Following the vortex to its source, Nightveil is lead to the Crossroads, where she discovers that the villain intent on wiping out all realities is none other than.... well, no, that would be telling (grin).

Needless to say, Nightveil barely escapes the fight and realizes she's going to need help. She reaches out to alternate versions of herself, asking them to aid in her plan to stop the end of everything. And like that shampoo commercial from days gone by - she told two Nightveils, and they told two Nightveils, and they told two Nightveils, and so on, and so on - until an unexpected betrayal and the final battle begins much earlier than anticipated! Are two Nightveils enough to stop not only one ultra-powerful villain, but also a raised army of undead Nighveils?

I give Nash credit - he doesn't spend a lot of time going over backstory or history. Just enough information for a new reader to know what they need to know is dropped here and there, often through dialogue among the various Nightveils, and without bogging the story down. Rather, the story moves at a quick pace, and by the time you finish with this 171 page story, you feel like you've read an epic on par with DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths. It's also a fun ride, seeing the various incarnations of Nightveil, and how her alternate selves deal with meeting other versions of themselves.

I hope that AC will do more of these prose novels for their characters - would love to see Dragonfly, Stardust, Ms. Victory, Tara, She-Cat, and some of the others get their chance, to see how authors would bring out the best of them.

RATING:  9 squadrons of Japanese Zeroes out of 10 for a mystical battle of multiversal proportions told in just one very enjoyable novel!

Short Lived Comic Series #12 - Secret Six (DC Comics - 1968)

I miss the old days of DC Comics, back when they published more than just 20 different Batman titles. Yes, back in the '50s, '60s, and '70s (and yes, before you asked, that was before my time - however, I have picked up a lot of series from these decades in the back issue bins at comic conventions through the years), DC experimented with a lot of different titles - from sci-fi to westerns to horror to espionage to, yes, a few superheroes or two. One of the more unique titles during the late '60s was a title called Secret Six. The premise was that six strangers were brought together by a mysterious benefactor known only as "Mockingbird." This Mockingbird had a hold over each of the characters, and as such, he (or she!) was able to get these six to form a team that would go on covert missions to save individuals, countries, or humanity as a whole. No one knew who Mockingbird was, but the possibility existed that Mockingbird was actually one of the six members!

Secret Six debuted with the April/May 1968 issue (it was a bi-monthly comic, something that seems to have only recently sprung back with a couple of DC titles this year), and the cover of that first issue said it all! Unlike today's stories, where an origin story will span 6 to 12 issues in order to fill trade paperbacks, the origin of the Secret Six occurs within just the first few pages...

Mike Tempest f/k/a Tiger Force, a boxer who refused to throw a match and ultimately testified as to the racketeers who tried to force him...Mockingbird helped him recover after the racketeers took out their revenge on him...

August Durant, a scientist who was given a deadly disease by foreign competition in order to prevent him from helping the U.S. advance...Mockingbird provides Dr. Durant with a pill that keeps his disease in check...

Carlo di Rienzi, a stage magician who refused to pay off the mafia in Naples, so they crippled his son; the doctors said he would never walk again...Mockingbird knows physicians that can give his son the ability to walk once more...

Lili de Neuve, a spa owner who was once convicted of murder and sentenced to die for a crime she did not commit...Mockingbird provided her an alibi, albeit a false one, and if ever revoked, she could face the death penalty once again...

King Savage, an ace pilot who flew in the Korean War until the day he froze in combat, and he was taken captive, where he was tortured until he ultimately revealed U.S. war plans...Mockingbird helped him escape and warn the U.N. forces to prevent any disaster...

Crimson Dawn, a beautiful heiress to millions of dollars who couldn't cope with a swindler who broke her heart and stole much of her inheritance...Mockingbird had Lili de Neuve transform plain jane Kit Dawn into the glamorous Crimson Dawn so that her own family would never recognize her...

Called togther, the mysterious Mockingbird, in the first issue, has them stop a madman from utilizing technology that could literally suck the oxygen out of the air, killing millions. The six must infiltrate his compound, steal the plans, and prevent him from blackmailing the world. The second issue finds the team stealing plans for an advanced nuclear weapon from the Pentagon - only, someone beats them to it! They must use all of their special skills to track down the thief and prevent the weapon from falling into the wrong hands. Starting with the third issue, the series begins to focus on each individual member, as they must face the sins of the past - in issue three, the team must help Tiger Force (Mike Tempest) confront the racketeers that threatened him all those years ago; in issue four, King Savage comes face to face with the man who captured and tortured him - only, instead of vengeance, he must save him; in issue five, Crimson Dawn faces off against Johnny Bright, the conman who forever ruined her life; in issue six, Lili de Neuve must face the one who framed her for murder all those years ago; and in issue seven, Carlo di Rienzi uses all of his tricks to once again escape the fate that certain mobsters have planned for him.

Sadly, the series ended abruptly with the seventh issue - no issue that focused on our dear Dr. August Durant, and no revelation as to the identity of Mockingbird (although every issue, the members of the team through around their suspicions of each other). However, in just seven issues, writer E. Nelson Bridwell, whose Super Friends comics back in the late '70s are what first brought me into comic books, tells some amazing stories about non-super powered heroes - characters with depth that you immediately feel empathy for and stories that are filled with drama, action, and energy.  I'm aware that the group returned to comics in 1988, featured in 8-pages stories by writer Martin Pasko and artist Dan Spiegle in the Action Comics Weekly title from issues 601 through 612, in which they revealed the identity of Mockingbird (I have my suspicions, but having not read that Action run, I can't say for sure). The feature picked back up in issue 619 and ran through issue 630. I figure while I'm stuck at home during this whole virus quarantine situation, I may finally pull those out and read them.

One thing I was struck by while reading this series was not just the stories, but the ads within the comics. I get a kick out of seeing some of the ads for other comics by DC at the time - various 80-page giants in the regular series, "Direct Currents" offering previews of other comics currently on the stands, the introductions of Hawk and Dove, and later Jonny Double and even Dolphin, in Showcase comics, the 30th anniversary issue of Superman (no 207), the new western hero Bat Lash, and ads for The Batman/Superman Hour on Saturday mornings and the Aquaman Show on Sunday mornings! Such a fun glimpse into the fun, carefree days of comic books in the past!

One thing I should note is that in recent years, DC has revived the Secret Six title several times, but these new series are no relation to the previous run. The new Secret Six series have been various sets of super-villains, but none of those series interested me as much as this original did.

RATING:  9 vertical take-off and landing planes out of 10 for a fantastic, non-super hero comic read that shows how well done-in-one stories really can be!

Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 20 - Return to Black Bear Mountain

The newest Hardy Boys Adventure does something that very few Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew books ever do, if at all - the undercover brothers return to the scene of a previous mystery! Usually, once a mystery is solved, the characters and the setting for that particular adventure becomes a thing of the past; yet, with this new series, Simon & Schuster decided to give the ghostwriter(s) an opportunity to revisit a previous adventure - in this case, book 12, The Madman of Black Bear Mountain. In that particular mystery, Frank and Joe Hardy dispelled the belief that a bigfoot type creature was roaming the mountainside and ultimately saved the life of a scientist who had been living remotely in the woods to conduct his work. Well, now they are returning to Black Bear Mountain to check in on Dr. Max Kroopnik, with whom no one has had any contact for well over a month, and whose regular communications have suddenly stopped.

Return to Black Bear Mountain sees not only the return of Frank and Joe to a familiar stomping ground, but it also brings back some of the characters from the first mystery - including Dr. K and Commander Gonzo, that cray pilot. The book also sees a bigger involvement with Jones, Frank's ex-girlfriend, who tags along for this adventure and actually becomes a potential suspect (at least, as far as Joe is concerned; Frank, well, he believes in her innocence regardless of the suspicions against her). And speaking of suspects, this book offers them up. There's the couple who own the last chance store near Black Bear Mountain. There's the young woman taking care of the lodge, who could have possibly poisoned Jones. There's the lodge worker who takes Frank and Joe up the mountain, where a tree nearly falls on the boys. There's the scientist who has come to the mountain to complete with Dr. K. There's the crazy pilot, Gonzo, who seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. And there's good ol' Dr. K himself - could this all be a set up, just so he could get away with the alleged treasure hidden somewhere on Black Bear Mountain?

This time around, rather than a Sasquatch-type creature in the woods, the boys are (a) searching for a missing scientist and (b) looking to uncover the truth behind the so-called treasure hidden somewhere on the mountain. The brothers face plenty of dangers, what with the previously mentioned tree-falling accident (which nearly crushes Joe on his ATV), a real cliff-hanger experience, a near-miss run-in with a hungry bear, a face-off with not one, but two different guns, and a left-tied-to-a-tree-to-die kidnapping that nearly spelled end for the Hardy Boys and their mystery-solving days! All of this, plus the climatic helicopter vs. airplane chase through the smoke-filled skies over Black Bear Mountain (oh, yeah, did I forget to mention that a portion of the forest was facing a huge forest fire?). This is another high-energy adventure for the Hardys, and I will admit, while I had one of the culprits figured out from early on, the second one came as a bit of a surprise - which was a nice change of pace.

The two things I did not particularly care for with this story: first, there was so much exposition about what happened previously on Black Bear Mountain - in the first few chapters, it felt like every other sentence was a rehash about something that happened in the prior adventure. After a while, it got a bit tiresome. Second, there was quite a bit of encyclopedia recitations about going green, protecting the environment, etc. It felt like this book was meant to be a paid advertisement for "Go Green!" Both of these elements took away from the story and bogged it down unnecessarily. Whether it was meant to be filler to pad the story, or whether it was merely the author promoting his own agenda for saving the environment - either way, it did not come across natural.

One thing I did note, however - the boys mention that their previous adventure happened over a year ago - meaning that the boys should each be a year older now than whatever age they were when the series began - also meaning that time in this series is slowly moving forward (although it is doubtful that will ever be acknowledged). 

Otherwise, it was a good mystery and I hope to see them use Jones more often in this series, as I find her to be a nice contrast to the boys.

RATING:  7 GPS tracking devices out of 10 for giving the series a bit of continuity and some new recurring characters!