The Man of Steel #1

   This issue kicks off writer Brian Michael Bendis' run on Superman's titles, using a weekly mini-series, The Man of Steel, to lead the way.

   Somewhat surprisingly, it doesn't really do much to change the statue quo for the world's most famous hero.

   Most of the issue is given over to more personal stories, as Superman tracks down some ne'er-do-well criminals, and fights a mysterious skyscraper fire.

   Bendis has a good touch in this story, giving us a Superman who "feels" like a real person, with a sense of humor and a dedication to duty.

   We check in with some classic characters and meet some new ones - including a powerful foe whose roots lie in the disaster that claimed the planet Krypton.

   Aided by the terrific art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado and Jay Fabok, it's a strong start for the new series.

   I'm reserving judgment on the new villain, who seems to have a bit of retcon business hanging over his (its?) shoulders, but by any standard, this issue is a strong entry and does exactly what it's supposed to do: breathe some new life into the Big Blue Boy Scout.

   Luckily, we only have to wait a week for the next chapter!

Grade: A

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New Comics Day

     Here's what I picked up at the comics shop today:

- BANE CONQUEST #11 (OF 12) - The war with Kobra - and the Bat!

- BARRIER #5 (OF 5) - The shocking conclusion!

- DAREDEVIL #603 - The fight for New York!

- DOOMSDAY CLOCK #5 (OF 12) - The Comedian, the Mime and Marionette run wild in Gotham!

- MAN OF STEEL #1 (OF 6) - A new era begins!

- MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #6 - The fate of the Four revealed at last!


     And I received these comics for review:

- 2021 LOST CHILDREN #1 (OF 2) - The only hope of retaking the city lies with four superpowered children.

- BLOODBORNE #4 (OF 4) - Based on the best selling videogame!

- DARK SOULS COVER COLLECTION HC - Art gallery!

- GHOUL SCOUTS TWEENAGE WEREWOLF #3 - How to catch a werewolf!

- HARBINGER WARS 2 #1 (OF 4) - An Earth-shaking confrontation!

- HELM #2 - Secret powers revealed!

- JUPITER JET TP VOL 01 - Protecting home from a threat that may - or may not - be from this Earth!

- MIRACULOUS TALES OF LADYBUG CAT NOIR TP BUG OUT - Ladybug and Cat Noir must face off against three more of Hawk Moth’s victims. 

- PRINCELESS RAVEN YEAR 2 #8 - Something is wrong.

- QUANTUM & WOODY #6 - A great jumping-on spot!

- SHRUGGED VOL. 3 #4 (OF 6) - It’s a clash of astronomical proportions!

- SUBSPECIES #3 - Who can you trust?

- SURVIVAL FETISH #2 - Can Saheer survive the latest jobs?

- TOYETICA #8 - An endless chase across campus.

- TOYETICA TP VOL. 2 - The best toys for the job!

- VALIANT HIGH #1 (OF 4) - The heroes as teens!

- WE ARE DANGER #1 - Building a new band!

- WILDS #3 - At the mercy of monsters!

     And that's it!

Executive Assistant Iris #1

 
   I like the concept of the Executive Assistant series - beautiful women who are trained to be deadly fighters. They work as security guards - or assassins.

   Aspen Comics is reviving the series - this one stars Iris, a freelance agent who is recruited by a high-powered security agency.

   Unfortunately, the issue doesn't give us much to work with here. There's a quick action sequence and the rest of the issue is given over to a meeting with a recruiter who's trying to recruit Iris.

   And... that's about it. the rest of the issue is the equivalent of the scene in a Bond movie where "Q" trots out the latest gear that you know will show up later in the story.

   The art is nice, but a first issue needs to sweep the reader into the action - and this issue kind of Power Pointed us there. 

    Hopefully next issue will be more on track.

Grade: C+

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Her Infernal Descent #2

   I admit to being a fan of the "journey through Hell" genre of stories - and Her Infernal Descent is shaping up to be a very good addition to the genre.

   The title from Aftershock Comics follows an old woman named Lynn who mourns the loss of her family.

   One day she finds the ghost of a famous poet - William Blake - in the attic of her house, and he extends a remarkable offer. He'll guide her through the circles of hell where she'll be reunited with her loved ones.

   The trick is, she's not actually dead - so that makes her unusual in the land of Hell.

   Her journey brings her into contact with the famous and infamous, and her reaction to each different situation is unique and entertaining - this is a woman who takes no guff from anyone.

   The story is by Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson, and it's smart (without being too precious) and entertaining without being gratuitous. 

   The art is by Kyle Charles is impressive - gritty and raw without being overly grotesque or offensive, with strong layouts and great visuals of a troubling reality.

   While certainly not for young readers, this series is compelling and clever - an excellent start!

Grade: A-

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"Solo: A Star Wars Story" - Movie Review

  
   There were lots of rumors flying about the Solo movie before anyone ever saw it: that it was a bad movie, that it was going to flop - the usual chatter from the haters.

   But see, I have this crazy approach to movies: I go see them and then make up my own mind.

   And in my humble opinion, those who were trashing the movie before they saw it are full of hooey.

   Solo, like any good Star Wars Story, is full of great action sequences, good humor, unexpected plot twists and terrific characters.

   It offers up an origin story for Han Solo (played with lots of swagger and appeal by Aiden Ehrenreich), a street rat who hopes to build a life for himself and his beloved Qi'ra (a sexy and mysterious Emilia Clarke).

   The best hope for that seems to arrive with the capable and conniving scoundrel Beckett (a crusty and clever Woody Harrelson) and his gang, who plan a heist (or two) that will make them rich.

   Their adventures also brings them into contact with some familiar faces including the wookiee Chewbacca (now played by Joonas Suontamo) and Lando Calrissian (played by a smooth, scene-stealing Donald Glover). 

   Oh, and another important "character" also plays a big part - Han and Chewie's (eventual) ship, the Millennium Falcon, which never looked better.

   Look, I'm not going to say this is the best Star Wars movie ever - it has a few slow moments as it deals with the necessities of explaining the origin of certain characters - but those are minor quibbles.

   The movie rolls along at top speed, it has lots of heart (and just enough hard-edged reality to keep it sharp), lots of humor and a great lineup of characters.

   I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing it again. Oh, and the good-sized audience at the theatre when I saw it applauded at the end. So there.

   Ignore the chatter - go see it and have fun! (You can thank me later.)

Grade: A

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The Terrifics #4

   This series continues to focus on "the fun," as it combines four unlikely heroes - Mr. Terrific, Plastic Man, Phantom Girl and Metamorpho - into an unorthodox "family."

   This issue is all about a visit home for the team's youngest member, as Phantom Girl returns to Bgtzl (which looks like a spellcheck failure, but is actually her home planet), where everyone has the power to become intangible.

   It's a nice mix of action (the trip runs into a few big, scaly, tentacled bumps along the way) and some more tender moments, as we learn a bit more about PG and her life before she became tied to the team.

   Doc Shaner - as always - provides delightful, inventive artwork, and Jeff Lemire crafts a clever story that crackles right along.

   This continues to be one of my favorite DC Comics - a nice balance of upbeat and offbeat.

Grade: A-

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Barrier #4

   I owe you an apology, readers.

   While I credited Barrier as one of the best of the comics offered on Free Comic Book Day, I haven't reviewed the five-issue limited series which is being printed weekly by Image Comics.

   Which means the final issue is being published next Wednesday!

   I feel bad because... it's a terrific series! The topic seems well-worn - a man and a woman are abducted by aliens. But there's so much more going on here!

   The series is set on the U.S. / Mexican border, and focuses on a rancher named Liddy, who encounters a man named Oscar sneaking across the border.

   One of the interesting things about the book is that she speaks only English - and Oscar only Spanish, and the comic makes no effort to translate his side of the story (the same for the snippets of his history we see).

   They both find themselves in a strange alien environment, unlike anything I've ever seen before.

   The credits on the book are minimal, but I presume the book is written by Brian K. Vaughn, drawn by Marcos Martin with color art by Muntsa Vicente (just their names are listed in the credits), and their work is just amazing, creating a world and a story that's unique, unpredictable and absolutely riveting.

   Don't miss it! Sorry to tell you so late in the game, but there's still time to catch up - it's amazing stuff!

Grade: A

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Invincible Iron Man #600

   This issue of Invincible Iron Man marks the final Marvel work by writer Brian Michael Bendis, who's had quite an impact on the Marvel Universe in his almost two-decade-long run as one of its most significant authors.

   He's had some hits and misses over the years (which is only to be expected with such a significant body of work), and this is his chance to tie up a lot of threads he's introduced during his run on the adventures of Tony Stark.

   Even with an oversized issue, I'm not sure he was able to quite pull it all together - among the threads are: the future of Ironheart (Riri Williams); wrapping up the story of the new Dr. Doom (the Infamous Iron Man); explaining Tony Stark's disappearance; War Machine's death; the threat of a takeover at Stark Industries; and probably a few others that I've forgotten.

   But it's fun to see the big wrap-up chock full of amazing artists (most of whom did some of their most significant work with Bendis), and the deck is cleared for a new creative team and a new direction.

   Let's hope Bendis manages to shake things up at DC as effectively as he did at Marvel - and that Marvel finds someone as skilled to fill in the large gap he lives behind in the writing staff.

Grade: A-

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New Comics Day

 

   Here’s what I picked up at the comics shop this week:

- BARRIER #4 (OF 5) - Language barrier!

- CHAMPIONS #20 - Helping an enemy?

- DOCTOR STRANGE #390 - Home at last!

- INCREDIBLE HULK #717 - The monster’s end!

- INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #600 - End of an era!

- SHIELD BY HICKMAN AND WEAVER #5 (OF 6) - An ending at last!

- TERRIFICS #4 - Journey to the Phantom World!

     And I received these review copies:

- DARK SOULS AGE OF FIRE #1 (OF 4) - Video game tie-in!

- EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS VOL. 5 #1 - The hit series returns!

- FACTORY #3 - The future is a nightmare!

- FOREVER FREE #2 - The sequel to the Forever War!

- HER INFERNAL DESCENT #2 - Facing a mad judge in Hell!

- PRINCELESS RAVEN YEAR 2 #7 LOVE AND REVENGE - The perils of living on a ship!

- PRISONER #2 (OF 4) - A new story based on the cult classic TV show!

- SHADOWMAN #3 - Every sin casts a shadow.

- X-O MANOWAR #15 - Back on Earth!

- ZOMBIE TRAMP #47 - Can a Zombie die?

     And that’s it!

Deadpool 2 - Movie Review

   I enjoyed the first Deadpool movie, which managed a fun balance between humor, violence, being vulgar and lots of inside references.

   The new film, Deadpool 2, doesn't quite manage to reach the heights of the first one - though there are lots of fun sequences and over-the-top action scenes.

   Ryan Reynolds is perfect as DP, just one step removed from Bugs Bunny (if Bugs were also a brutal killer), bouncing between high-test action, funny comments and occasionally breaking the fourth wall.

   His main opposition is Josh Brolin (Marvel is keeping him very busy this year), playing Cable, a soldier from the future whose goal is to kill the mutant who causes devastation in his time. He's perfect as a brutally efficient (yet tragic) figure.

   Most of the supporting cast is back, and we see DP put together his own version of the X-Men (to less than stellar results). The real standout is Domino, played by the stunning Zazie Beetz, who shines in several action sequences.

   There are lots of cameos and guest spots, none of which I'll spoil here - oh, and be sure to stay for the mid-credits clip, which is a lot of fun.

   So why does this one fall short? There are a couple of places where the script drops the ball (avoiding what could have been easy fixes for the big problems), and it lingers a bit too long on some of the more tragic elements. And I'm not much of a fan of the "kid's life is in danger" bit.

   Don't get me wrong, most fans will love this movie - it's loaded with gags and violence and inappropriate behavior. 

   I was just hoping for more consistency with Deadpool himself - they play him as both a hero and a villain, and you can't have it both ways.

Grade: B-

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Sick Leave

   Apologies for the lack of posts, folks - I've been been knocked down for several days by a nasty stomach bug.

   The good news is, I'm almost back to normal, so I'll hopefully be back to my usual schedule soon.

   Thanks for your patience - I'll have a Deadpool 2 review when I return!

Usagi Yojimbo: The Hidden #3 (of 7)

   You might not expect a ronin (a masterless samurai) to find himself involved with solving murders - but Usagi Yojimbo often finds himself in that position, especially when he encounters his old friend Inspector Ishida.

   When two corpses are found - one bearing a cross, the symbol of the (then) forbidden Kirishitan religion - Usagi and Ishida must try to track down the mysterious item stolen from a dead man.

   Like any great character, Usagi lends himself well to almost any story format, even a detective story - and here he makes a great assistant for Ishida, right down to an entertaining bit of comic clumsiness that forces a suspect to talk.

   As always, writer / artist Stan Sakai builds an amazing world and a powerful story.

   How I love this series! Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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The Avengers #2

   Two issues in and the latest version of The Avengers is off to a solid cosmic-flavored start.

   This story arc is, of course, all about putting the team together, and they have a massive problem to face.

   To be exact, something is killing the titanic, incredibly powerful space aliens known as the Celestials - and now that "something" is threatening the Earth!

   That brings the "Big Three" back together - Captain America, Iron Man and Thor - adds in some former Avengers - Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel and She-Hulk - and a new fiery addition, the Ghost Rider.

   The focus is on action and adventure, and it's a great jumping-on spot for fans of the team. 

   The script by Jason Aaron is sharp and funny, and the art by Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales and Jay Leisten is big and bold and a blast throughout.

   Highly recommended!

Grade: A-

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New Comic Day

     Here's what I picked up at the comics shop this week:

- NEIL GAIMAN AMERICAN GODS MY AINSEL #3 - On the road again!

- AVENGERS #2 - Fight against titanic foes!

- BARRIER #3 (OF 5) - Silence is golden!

- BRAVE & THE BOLD BATMAN & WONDER WOMAN #4 (OF 6) - A mystery unfolds!

- CAPTAIN AMERICA #702 - Promised Land continues.

- DAREDEVIL #602 - The fight for New York!

- MIGHTY THOR GATES OF VALHALLA #1 (OF 1) - Final farewell!

- USAGI YOJIMBO #3 (OF 7) THE HIDDEN - Assassins are afoot!

- WILD STORM #13 - John Lynch is on the move!


     And I received these review copies:

- ASSASSINS CREED ORIGINS #3 (OF 4)
- ATHENA VOLTAIRE 2018 ONGOING #4 - Nazis and hidden temples!

- BLOODSHOT SALVATION #9 - The origin of Bloodhound!

- DANGER DOLL SQUAD GALACTIC GLADIATORS #2 - It's a mash-up!

- HARBINGER WARS COMPENDIUM - Collecting the original war!

- JIRNI VOL. 3 #3 - Fantasy and swords, oh my!

- NINJA-K #7 - What is the Coalition?

- RUIN OF THIEVES BRIGANDS #1 - A comet brings disaster!

- VAMPBLADE VOL. 6 WORLD WAR DETROIT - Danger at the comics shop!

     And that's it!

Farewell to Margot

   Sad to hear today of the passing of actress Margot Kidder, 69, who had a distinguished career as an actor in movies and television, but is best known to comics fans as Lois Lane, paired with Christopher Reeve in four Superman films in the '70s and '80s.

   She was an excellent choice for the role, playing Lois as a tough, no-nonsense reporter who knew what she wanted and had the determination to overcome any obstacle. (I wasn't crazy about the "Lois can't spell" gag.)

   With her unique, sandy voice and an undeniable sex appeal (and great chemistry with Reeve), she was a lot of fun to watch, and she brought an original approach to the character.

   Sad to realize that we've now lost both stars of that classic film - and they were among the youngest actors in the cast! 

   Margot gave us lots of terrific performances along the way - sad to lose her far too soon.

Charismagic Vol. 3 #4 (of 6)

  
   As the third volume of Charismagic continues to roll towards its incendiary conclusion and a cosmic battle for universal control, I must point out the thing about this issue that makes it a "must buy" for me.

   Easter Island.

   That's right, part of the story takes us to Easter Island and a magic spell that affects the statues there.

   I'll say no more (lest I spoil any key story bits), but any comic that wants my hard-earned change need only include those giant marvels of stone - and I'll pony up.

   The issue is all about revealing cosmic secrets, fighting a powerful sorceress and a jail break - but I still want more about the island.

   Judging by the cover of the next issue, there's more where that came from. To which I say: Yay!

Grade: B+

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Warhammer 40,000 Deathwatch #1

   In the depths of space, a handful for warriors try to hold the line against the forces of evil.

   Warhammer 40,000 is a stunning world of exotic weapons, massive armored suits, monstrous aliens and fierce battles.

   You get all that and more as a squad faces a deadly mission - but what started as training becomes something much more threatening.

   This is a terrific series (and I should admit that I know almost nothing about the Warhammer games). The art by Tazio Bettin is lush, with powerful layouts and impressive character and environment designs. 

   The story by Aaron Dempski-Bowden is clear and easy to follow, despite the dense backstory.

   This Deathwatch series is off to a great start - very impressive!

Grade: A-

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The Immortal Men #2

   This series seems to be determined to get on my nerves.

   That's because The Immortal Men is shaping up to be just another team comic.

   It's well concealed because - well, just about everything about the book is hidden.

   It focuses on a young man who finds himself the target for some powerful creatures, and he's surprised when a bunch of powerful characters turn up to fight the bad guys.

   So you have the big strong one (hey, a female!), the feral wild child, and the brutally efficient assassin (who has a truly unusual and completely improbable power) fighting their way through the story, but we never really find out why.

   Nor do we find out what motivates the bad guys, other than a delight in death and destruction (and there's lots of pointless death here).

   A book about immortal characters should be so much more than this. An examination of how history affects the modern world! The sights they've seen! The people they've met! 

   Instead, it's just lots of explosions and car crashes. 

   Yawn.

Grade: C

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Maestros #6

   It is no easy task to create a popular series when the protagonist isn't all that likable - but Maestros does just that, and is also mighty compelling.

   Written and drawn with great skill by Steve Skroce, with colors by Dave Stewart, this series follows the (mis) adventures of William, a young adult who has become a virtual god, thanks to the (rather brutal) death of his father and everyone else in line for the throne.

   Unfortunately, he also has gathered up some incredibly powerful enemies, and to save his own life - and that of his loved ones - he may have to turn over the ultimate power to (shall we say) less savory characters.

   It's a funny, dark and powerful tale that offers lots of surprising twists and turns - and by the way, this is not a comic for young readers, as it includes... well, lots of inappropriate things.

    But for the grownups out there, it's a cracking good tale of love, revenge, death, family disfunction, conquest and dealing with the big questions.

   Highly recommended! (For adults.)

Grade: A-

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New Comics Day!

      Here's what I picked up at the Comics Shop today:

- BARRIER #2 (OF 5) - The weekly series begins, following Free Comic Book Day!

- INCREDIBLE HULK #716 - World War Hulk II continues!

- IMMORTAL MEN #2 - The end of Forever?

- MAESTROS #6 - The dawning of a new age!


     And I received these copies for review:

- CALEXIT #3 - Fighting the Nazis!

- CHARISMAGIC VOL. 3 #4 (OF 6) - The forces of magic have returned!

- DOCTOR WHO 11TH SAPLING VOL. 3 BRANCHES - The finale to the Sapling story!

- ROBOTECH #9 - Secrets and lies!

- SEA OF THIEVES #3 (OF 4) - Avast ye swabs!

- SEASON OF THE SNAKE #2 - Return to a unique science fiction world. 

- SUPERMANSION #2 (OF 2) - Based on the animated comedy.

- WARHAMMER 40000 DEATHWATCH #1 (OF 4) 

     And that's it!

Harbinger Wars 2 Prelude

   So what would happen if a group of young people started developing superpowers?

   That's what Harbinger Wars is all about, as those Psiots (as they're called) are trying to find a safe place to live.

   With the guidance of the incredibly powerful Livewire, that seems to be happening - but then the war with humanity begins.

   It's brutal and raw, but imaginative as they fight for their lives with their unique powers.

   It's a smart story by Eric Heisserer, with powerful art by Paul Allen, Patricia Martin and Borja Pindado - I love the clever, involved layouts!

   It's a powerful start / prelude to the upcoming series, and a great jumping-on point!

Grade: A-

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Infinity Countdown #3

   Rather than write another review of the latest issue of Infinity Countdown, which is just another issue filled with action and not much else, let me just refer you to my comments about the second issue, which you can read at this link.

   This issue is just more of the same, with one exception: this issue made me weep even more for its treatment of Hank Pym, one of Marvel's classic heroes (and a personal favorite of mine) - for some reason, he's always treated like crap, and this series is no different.

Grade: B-

The Ghost, The Owl

   This publication is more storybook than comic book (in appearance), but this isn't a story for young readers. 

   Set in a mysterious forest, it features an Owl that's different from most animals, because it tries to help others as a way to repay past kindnesses.

   When it discovers the ghost of a young girl, it decides to unravel the mystery of her life. 

   She remembers nothing of her previous life, and only with the Owl's help does she discover hints of the past.

   It's a lovely horror story by Franco, featuring lush, exotic, nature-centric art by Sara Richard, who has a unique, ornate and organic style.

   It's not a perfect story - there are a few logical stumbles in there - but it's compelling and thoughtful, with several interesting turns along the way.

Grade: B+

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Free Comic Book Day!

    As always, your pal Chuck can’t read all of the dozens of Free Comics gathered up on this holiday by comics fans everywhere. 

   Here are the issues I tracked down (presented in the order in which I read them) - feel free to share your scores in the comments below, or email it to us at chuckscomicoftheday@gmail.com.

    Here’s my list:

 Avengers / Captain America (Marvel) - Here we have an issue #0, previewing the upcoming first issues for both other these Marvel flagship books. Both stories are pretty light and fluffy, not really giving us anything of substance (and running a few days late, since Avengers #1 arrived on Wednesday). 
   
Grade: B-

DC SuperHero Girls (DC) - This one will make your continuity brain hurt, as all the DC female heroes and villains are teens, go to school together, and fight crime in their free time. Here they rescue people from a big explosion and then investigate the accident - and that’s all you get. Shouldn’t a free comic trying to bring in new readers tell a complete story? Even though it makes no sense in DC’s continuity, I hope this series is scoring with young readers - it’s the perfect fit for them. 

Grade: B-

The Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel) - Spidey is also getting a makeover - a new apartment, a new roomie, and all we get is a lousy fight scene with an odd mix of baddies. Eh. 

Grade: C

Star Wars Adventures (IDW) - Here the focus is on young Han Solo, early in his career with his friend Chewbacca. Quick and fast and all in good fun. 

Grade: B

Doctor Who (Titan) - An entertaining trio of quick visits with different versions of The Doctor. If you’re a fan of the shows (or a specific version of the title character), this series has something you’ll like. (Don’t miss the last page in this issue.) 

Grade: B+

Bongo Comics Free-For-All! (Bongo) - Always one of the most reliable free comics, Bongo as always serves up lots of Simpson goodness at a price you can’t beat. 

Grade: B+

Starburns Presents (Starburns Press) - Obviously tied to the creative minds behind the TV show Community, this is a nice sampling of stories, including a thoughtful short bit of business from comedian Patton Oswald. 

Grade: B+

A Brief History of Tank Girl (Titan) - Being a birthday tribute and quick recap of the dear girl’s varied history in comics and beyond. A hoot! 

Grade: B+

World’s Greatest Cartoonists (Fantagraphics) - Some of Fantagraphic’s top talents are on display here. They’re certainly impressive, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but the irony is in the Stan Lee-inspired title of the comic. 

Grade: B+

Shadowman (Valiant) - Ah, a reprint issue featuring highlights from Shadowman, X-O Manowar and Harbinger Wars II. Original stories are more fun. 

Grade: B-

Relay (Aftershock) - Wow, the best thing I’ve see yet - a science fiction tale of faith and mystery. Not sure where it’s going, which is a good thing, I think. 

Grade: A

Strangers in Paradise (Abstract Studio) - A sharp intro to the series for those who might have missed it so far. (Shame on you.) 

Grade: A-

Barrier (Image) - OK, this might be the best of the bunch. You can’t go wrong with Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin, and this huge comic previews their published-during-the-month-of-May mini-series. It’s about a rancher on the border dealing with invaders and it looks very, very good. 

Grade: A

The Ghost in the Shell (Kodansha Comics) - A snappy action story told in one issue - a bit fuzzy in places but pretty solid. 

Grade: B+

Silver (Dark Planet) - An impressive film noir story set in the ‘30s about the descendants of a famous vampire hunter, an auction that goes wrong and surprising source of precious silver. Interesting. 

Grade: B+

The Tick (New England Comics Press) - It’s the Tick! Wacky goodness! Spoon, for crying out loud! 

Grade: B+

   That’s my list! What did you get?