From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: The Rage (2007)

Posted on August 14, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to The Valley Of The Rage…oh wait, I mean Rotten Ink and for this “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update we will be taking a look at the 2007 indie horror film The Rage that was created by FX man Robert Kurtzman and the Fangoria Comics series based around it. The Rage is one of those films that often gets over looked when it comes to direct to video horror films from this era as it slipped under the cracks, but it’s very cool that it ended up getting the comic book treatment and it’s about time it also gets the Rotten Ink treatment. So if you are ready, let’s dive into The Rage and see what this creepy infected humans undead twisted zombie film is all about!

Let’s start by taking a look at Dr. Viktor Vasilienko, a mad scientist that is working with The Rage Virus that turns people living and dead into deformed maniacs that have a lust for violence. He created the virus after he created a cure for cancer that was hidden away by his home country and never used by America who bought it as they wanted treatments not a cure, and this drove him into a madness. Dr. Vasilienko is from Russia and is a man who does not value human life any more, as he would rather take a life than save a life at this time all in his quest to control the virus he created as a plague. His lab is in the woods among a junkyard of cars, and he not only has his lab equipment but also his experiments that are infected people with the virus. When a normal person, he is not very threatening looking as he appears to be a very normal person, but when he is infected by The Rage virus, his appearance is ghastly as he gets bumps, sores and all his skin gets misshapen and gross looking causing his appearance to scare those who see him. Even when infected by The Rage Virus, good old Dr. Vasilienko retains his smarts and skills as his goal is to find a full cure for the virus, but he also has an idea to create a new race of people infected to make the world a different place. The infected Dr. Vasilienko is very strong and can toss a normal person around like a rag doll, he also can with stand lots of damage as being stabbed and burnt does not seem to bother him at all. He also can bite a person and in turn infect them with The Rage virus making this sickness spread. He also has minions that are like him, infected and very mean and dangerous with one being Gor, a massive blind flesh eater. The other is the little person The Misfit who sometimes dresses like a woman and loves to torture and kill his prey. Dr. Vasilienko also seems to love dealing out pain to his victims as well as his helpers as he is truly a madman now. But while the infected Dr. Vasilienko is strong, he still can be killed as if you destroy his brain he can no longer function and so ends his reign of terror. While Dr. Vasilienko and his Rage infected minions might not be the most dangerous villains we have ever covered, they still are very much dangerous as they love to kill and can infected the world with their bites.

Now that we have talked about Dr. Vasilienko and his infected minions, we should take a look at the film they are from and that of course is The Rage. Like always, I will be taking the film’s write up from our friends at IMDB and after that I will be writing about the film’s production and then about my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, let’s dodge the infected vultures flying around and see what terrors await us in The Rage!

The Rage (2007)

“A crazed scientist experiments with a rage virus on innocent victims in a laboratory in the woods. When his monstrous subjects escape and vultures devour their remains, they became mutations seeking to feed on humans.”

The Rage is an indie horror film that was from the mind of FX Master Robert Kurtzman, who not only directed the film but also co-wrote the script with John Bisson that takes place in a small town in Ohio and a mad scientist that has raged filled experiments running wild all cause of a rage virus. The film had a low budget with it rumored to be around $200 thousand, and when casting such names as Erin Brown, Andrew Divoff, Reggie Bannister, Ryan Hooks, Rachel Scheer and Alan Tuskes being some of the leads. The film focused lots of its budget on practical effects as they created zombie people and animals and lots of blood was used. Once the film was done and ready for music, the score was done by The Midnight Syndicate and the band Mushroomhead did a few songs for the film. Screen Media would pick up the film for distribution, and it would be released on home media and would show at many Horror Conventions and Screenings. The film was making a small buzz among horror fans as the effects as well as Erin Brown were a draw for them to give it a view. But once released fully, it was met with very mixed reviews from both critics and fans who seemed to not like the film’s plot and found it to be messy. But over the years, the film has gained a cult following thanks mostly to the film being viewed with more modern eyes and it being enjoyed for it’s more over the top parts. The film in 2007 was released alongside such other horror films as 28 Weeks Later, P2, Trick ‘r Treat, I Am Legend, Paranormal Activity, Wrong Turn 2, Hills Have Eyes 2, Halloween, Teenape Goes To Camp and Inside, to name a few.

The film is one that I seen when released on DVD, and it was on my radar for a while thanks to the Fangoria Comic series, the fact that I would see the band The Midnight Syndicate all the time at Cinema Wasteland Convention as well as the fact I was a big fan of Erin Brown aka Misty Mundae…plus you can never go wrong with a strange undead creature feature that was said to be a bloodbath! After watching the film I was not disappointed as I found it to be a very fun ride that was filled with very cool zombie like creatures as well as some very solid practical effects. The one downside was some of the digital effects looked really cheesy, but to be fair in 2007 they still were being perfected in smaller budget films. Seeing actor Andrew Divoff in another role besides The Wishmaster was very cool as he played another messed up creature this time a mad scientist who is hell bent on destroying the world after they would not allow him to save it, as I am sure you guessed it, he plays Dr. Viktor Vasilienko and does a great job in the role. My favorite bad guy character is The Misfit who is a very strange character that dresses like a woman, talks weird, is very mean, likes to use knives and is one violent little person! I also like Gor, a massive blind raged filled infected person who wants to eat human flesh and make people dead! Sure some of the acting is also a little cheesy, but I for one think that it is very fitting for this film’s plot and helps add to the classic cult film feel. After all these years and watching this film again in 2023 for this review I still found myself a fan and wished that it would have gotten a sequel as it would have been cool to see the return of Dr. Viktor Vasilienko and see where the story would go next. While The Rage might not be for everyone, if you enjoy the 2000’s direct to video indie horror films, this is one you might find yourself enjoying like I do. I mean, who doesn’t love seeing zombie vultures attacking zombie humans?!

The Rage might not be a household name when it comes to horror films, but it is a very cool cult film that brings lots of splatter and some cool zombie effects and as zombie vultures attacking zombie people! We are now at the point of this update that I will review the comics based on the film, and in this case it was Fangoria Comics that made the comic series back when the film was released. I would like to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics for having this comic in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to thank Fangoria Magazine for making a comic branch that sadly they folded up way to soon due to poor management. And lastly I would like to remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to the lab of Dr. Vasilienko and see who or what he has infected this time around. And on a side note, it has been a very long time since I first read these comics so it will be nice to revisit to see how I feel about them now.

Beneath The Rage # 1 ***
Released in 2007 Cover Price $3.99 Fangoria # 1 of 4

At an insane asylum in Guatemala, doctors and Agent Sadko watch as a man who has been infected by The Rage virus dies before their eyes in a very gruesome way. The man was Sadko’s husband and she would like to talk to the creator of the virus who is also an inmate named Dr. Viktor Vasilienko. Once in the room with Dr. Vasilienko who is chained up and in a straight jacket, she asks him to tell her about the virus, and he says if he tells her, it will cost her life. She blows off his threat and starts from the beginning. Dr. Vasilienko explains that at a young age both of his parents passed away from cancer and as he grew up he himself found a cure for it, but it was stolen by his home country and sold to pharmaceutical companies to buried it as he himself was locked away in a asylum. He escaped and later when messing with two cops sent to arrest him, he stumbled on a street that housed a place that showcased Circus Freaks and inside he meets Misfit a little person with ghastly features and learns from him that a witch cause him to be this way, and when a cop finds Dr. Vasilienko, it’s Misfit who saves him from being arrested by stabbing the cop in the back. Meanwhile the other cop who is looking through Dr. Vasilienko’s room triggers a trap that explodes and kills him. And then both Dr. Vasilienko and Misfit escape into the night and a twisted friendship is born.

This is such a fun issue as it really does a great job of going into the backstory of Dr. Vasilienko as well as shows his first meeting with his friend Misfit, not to even mention it starts off with a bang as we see a man vomit and poop out his insides all because of the Rage virus. The plot has an agent visiting the asylum that houses Dr. Vasilienko to learn about the virus he created and why he created something that if set loose would kill so many people very painfully, and he is willing to tell his tale. Dr. Vasilienko is a man who really just wanted to help save lives who turns bitter and cold when his country and the medical world turn on him for finding a cure for cancer, as they want to treat it to make more money. And with his Rage virus, he thinks that he is showing mankind his anger and this is his revenge on everyone who he thinks wronged him as well as stolen from him. Misfit is a foul person who has been cursed by a witch, is locked up and used in a sideshow due to his gross appearance and who is very blood thirsty and mean. Agent Sadko is there to do a job and needs to find out what she can about the Rage Virus, but she also really wants to kill Dr. Vasilienko as the man she watched die horribly was her husband…but she has a job to do and is trying to remain calm. I really like that this comic shows just how Dr. Vasilienko and Misfit meet as the two are a very odd couple together, but we all also know that the two will go on to do some pretty twisted stuff. The issue is packed with blood, guts and gore and holds true to the feel of the film it’s a prequel to. The cover is very eye catching and is done in the style of an old circus sideshow banner that would be in front of a tent. The interior art is done by Stephen Thompson and is really great stuff as the way he draws the gore is top notch. Plus he does a great job of making the characters look like the actors who played them. The first issue really held up for me, and I am very much looking forward to re-reading the second issue and see if it does as well.

Beneath The Rage # 2 ***
Released in 2007 Cover Price $3.99 Fangoria # 2 of 4

As they are walking, Dr. Vasilienko is getting more information from Misfit about the witch that placed this curse on him as her name is Solia The Eternal Queen and she lives in the jungle that is called The Valley Of Rage. But Dr. Vasilienko gets upset at Misfit after he kills a streetwalker for no reason, and makes Misfit promise to be his servant if he ever wants to be cured. The next day they go to a man named Gor, who sets them up to travel to the valley and their guide is a scumbag named Dirty Sanchez as he is the only one willing to take the gig. But Gor has set up Dr. Vasilienko, Misfit and Sanchez as he and the men he sends with them are all connected to Solia and he wants the three men to never make it out of the jungle…and the orders are understood. Once in the jungle, the group stumbles on a bunch of infected people on crosses, placed as a warning to those entering the valley and by mistake Sanchez shoots one in the head and this alerts the tribe that strangers are near. And worse, the group get captured when Gor’s man on the inside brings to life flesh eating zombies! While Gor himself is being forced to go to the jungle by Agent Sadko and Ivan, her husband, who are tracking down Dr. Vasilienko to bring him back to the asylum to face justice. As Dr. Vasilienko wakes up, he learns that Misfit has set him up as he is working with the Queen as she promised to cure him if he brought her a man of smarts.

The second issue is just as entertaining as the first and the plot thickens as Dr. Vasilienko and his band of weirdoes head into The Valley Of The Rage in order to find out the secrets of the virus. The Queen of a tribe created to make people into mindless monsters. But Dr. Vasilienko soon also finds out that he cannot trust his own “friends” as Misfit is working along side the Queen and lured him into the jungle. Dr. Vasilienko is driven by his quest for revenge as well as studding this new unknown virus, and he will kill and set up whoever stands in his way. Misfit is a crude man who loves killing and as well set up a group of people with the hopes of getting a cure for his illness from the person who cursed him. Meanwhile Gor is learning that while he was trying to do right by the Queen, he soon will find himself being tested as he is being forced back to the jungle by the Russian agents that are after the Doctor. What is bad for Dirty Sanchez as well is that he and other men are being used as pawns in this sick game of power as many of them are losing their lives for other people’s gains. The big plot details in this issue that come to light is that Misfit was ordered by The Queen to bring her a smart person and that Gor and his right hand man are working for The Queen as well. The issue has lots of death that includes blood, guts and gore and will please horror comic readers who love the red stuff all over the panels. The cover is pretty great and has Dr. Vasilienko, Misfit and Dirty Sanchez surrounded by rage-infected zombies. The interior artwork by Stephen Thompson is great stuff again, and truly he understands the mood and nature of the characters as well as the world of The Rage. Over all another solid issue that brings scares and gore to horror readers who enjoy the film The Rage.

Beneath The Rage # 3 ***
Released in 2007 Cover Price $3.99 Fangoria # 3 of 4

Dr. Vasilienko and his men as prisoners head deep into the cave kingdom and witness a man’s soul being taken as a tribute to allow them inside and closer to the Queen. Dr. Vasilienko also notices that there are some members of this tribe who are more mutated and are begging for death as they have all become immortal but the mushroom that helps them has been less affective on some and that is why he has been called on as they hope he can find a way to help these more mutated men and women. In a short time Dr. Vasilienko, along with Misfit and Dirty Sanchez, are brought to see Solia The Eternal Queen who rejects them all as she says they are insane and would poison their god with their madness if he were to drain their knowledge. She does however vomit into the mouth of Dr. Vasilienko given him some of her knowledge so he can understand the virus and how its made and effects. Later Dirty Sanchez is chosen to make love to the Queen as behind her back some of her men are going to allow their God to take the thoughts and knowledge of Dr. Vasilienko, but things go wrong as Dr. Vasilienko’s madness effects the God that shakes and causes the cave to crumble. Meanwhile Gor has been taken by the rage and is attacking and killing the Russians that have entered the jungle with him.

Sadly this third issue was the final issue released in print as Fangoria Comics would close up for the first time and that made this story end on a cliffhanger and for us horror comic readers to not know how the story ends. In this issue, Dr. Vasilienko is taken to see the Queen and shares his knowledge and madness and in turn gets his own reward of getting knowledge passed into him. And while Dr. Vasilienko is a bad guy who has allowed his anger to take over his want to help the world, he still is clearly a man of science as he wants to understand this virus and get a cure for it…but still has ideas to use it against his enemies once he can master it. Misfit as well is a true scumbag who plays both sides of the fence and will take a life and do horrible things to the body afterwards. Dirty Sanchez is just a dirt bag that treats ladies poorly and took this guide gig of taking Dr. Vasilienko into the jungle for money. Agent Sadko, Ivan and the Russian soldiers are also dangerous, but they are on a mission to stop Dr. Vasilienko as they know that his madness could do the world harm. But the true evil of this issue is Solia The Eternal Queen and all her followers as they are all killers, cannibals, zombies, infected and all take lives with zero remorse, and worse they are immortal and some are in constant pain…they are just terrible people who only care about themselves. The fact that they are cannibals and love the taste of flesh and enjoy chopping up people makes them truly scary monsters. The issue has lots of splatter like the past two issues and this is a great thing for fans of the film, as truly I think this comic does justice to the film it’s based on and the creators involved all did great work. It’s a true shame that Fangoria at the time could not get their act together and pulled the plug before almost any of their comic series were finished, and I truly think that it would be awesome of the new owners of the classic Horror Magazine would reopen the comic branch as well. The cover for this issue is pretty creepy and has Dr. Vasilienko in a room surrounded by weird rage filled infants as a soul is being dangled in front of him. Like with the other two issues, artist Stephen Thompson did the interiors and does a fantastic job as I really do like the way he draws the gore an the characters like Misfit and Gor once he rages out…and yes, I get the vibe Gor when normal was based off Tor Johnson. Over all Beneath The Valley Of The Rage was a great comic series based around the indie horror film The Rage as it helped flush out the backstories for many of the film’s bad guy characters, it really is a shame that Fangoria Comics dropped the ball by not finishing all their comics before closing up shop and its even more a shame that Scream Factory would release the final issue as a digital release only in the day when like .1% of comic readers bought digital. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by Stephen Thompson in this series.

As I was saying above, Fangoria Comics would close shop in 2007 and would do so in the middle of their mini series never giving readers the stories conclusions…this reminds me of Star Comics the kid branch of Marvel Comics that use to cancel series with no warning. And while it was cool that Scream Factory did release the missing issue digitally, it would have been nice to have print copies as I have stated back most comic readers did not read digital at this time and most horror comic readers enjoy their comics physical. But sadly so much time as passed and with Fangoria changing ownership hands many times over the years and with no sign that Fangoria Comics will every make a return, I fear that the time to get a printed version of Beneath The Valley Of The Rage # 4 has long passed and with no digital versions floating around the internet, this one is just lost to time. However here is a look at what the cover looked like for the Scream Factory release.

The Rage was truly a great pick for Fangoria to give the comic book treatment as the characters from the film had such weird personalities that needed to be explored, and this comic did just that by showcasing their backstories. I truly miss Fangoria Comics as they along with companies like Topps Comics, Dead Dog Comics and IDW is what made me fall in love with reading comics again back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. And in these modern times I hope that Blood Scream Comics is a publisher that has made it a fun and spooky for some of you. But our time with Dr. Vasilienko and his Rage Virus has come to an end, so I think that its time for me to tell you all that our next update will be about the slasher film The Tripper that was directed by David Arquette. So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update for a killer good time with a psycho wearing a Ronald Reagan mask!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter (1974)

Posted on July 25, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink, and our “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” updates continue for 2026 with this one being based on a true cult classic from Hammer Films called Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter that is considered by many to be their final great film before they would first go out of business in 1979. That is the thing about Hammer, they really loved making films about vampires as moviegoers at the time really did enjoy films about these blood drinkers. And when wanting to cover Captain Kronos I decided to choose the Titan Comics four issue mini series instead of making a custom comic of the adaptation by Top Sellers LTD. that that they did for an issue of their Hammer House Of Horror Magazine. So if you are ready, let’s grab some silver and stay away from the Durward estate and see what spooky adventures Captain Kronos has planed for us!

Let’s start by taking a look at Lady Durward and Hagen Durward, a vampire couple who enjoys dealing death to the living and striking fear into the hearts of the innocent. Lady Durward is a female vampire who is very old in appearance and the sight of her startles those who end up seeing her as she has long grey hair and a wrinkled pale face and wears a black hooded cloak when hunting her human prey. She is also very powerful as she is able to walk during the day and in the sun, she also is not scared of or hurt by crosses. She has sharp vampire teeth, and she mostly preys on young women as she drains them of their youth to make her young again and allow her to be more powerful in her vampire ways. Lady Durward when youthful is very charming and can trick those people she is hunting to trust her and fall under her charming spell. She also has two children Paul and Sara Durward that keep her safe and watch after her when she is in her old state. They are unaware that she is a vampire. Lady Durward also seems to get joy in her attacks on the youthful girls and even attacks one family killing every daughter a man has. She also has a stare that hypnotizes her victims and wears a mask to cover up her youthful look around her children and others. Her husband Hagan Durward passed away from the plague and was brought back to life by his wife. He suffers the scars of the disease that killed him but is still very skilled with a sword and has sharp teeth to kill his victims with. While the Durwards are vampire who can walk in the sunlight as well as avoid being hurt by the cross, they can still be killed with a sword blade that is made from holy metal and has been blessed, and once stabbed with the sword they shrivel up, turn into skeletons and die. While Lady Durward and Hagen Durward are not the deadliest or most powerful vampires we have covered here on a From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update, they still are dangerous and know how to deal death to the living.

Now that we have taken a look at The Durwards and their ways of drinking blood and stealing youth, I think we should now take a look at the film they are from Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter! And like always, I will be taking the film’s plot from our friends at IMDB and then after that I will write about the film’s production and then my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, let’s hunt some vampires with one of the worlds best vampire hunters.

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter (1974)

“Vampire hunter and expert swordsman Kronos finds himself in a small village where several of the local young women have been found in an advanced state of age, their youth drained from them by a vampire’s kiss. Kronos’ search leads him to the Durward estate where he is met by the effete children of the apparently aged and sick Lady Durward.”

In the 1970’s Hammer Films was having issues as many of their films were not doing as well in the theaters and some bad money decisions left them in a bad way. They needed a big hit, something that could spark sequels like Horror Of Dracula and Curse Of Frankenstein had for them many years before. Enter Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, a character and film idea from Brian Clemens who had the idea to make this into the company’s next major franchise as he has a series of films in mind. Brian would not only write the script but would also produce and direct it with this being his first and only feature film. Hammer Films was behind this project as they were hoping that this adventure horror film would be the big hit they needed and it was given a budget of around £160,000. Horst Janson was hired to play Captain Kronos, and John Cater and Caroline Munro would be casted as the sidekick characters Grost and Carla. Other names joining the cast include Wanda Ventham, John Carson, Shane Briant, Lois Daine, Ian Hendry, William Hobbs and Lisa Collings among many others. The film would be shot in England and would try to not only cash in on the horror film craze but also that of the swashbuckling action genre. The film when released was met with mostly positive reviews and would be released by Paramount Pictures in America. The film’s soundtrack score was done by Laurie Johnson, and the film would be released in UK theaters on April 7, 1974. Over the years the film has gained a cult following, and to this day I have many friends who rank this high on their favorite Hammer Horror film lists. The film in 1974 was released alongside such other horror films as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Black Christmas, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Phantom Of The Paradise, Horror High, The Ghost Galleon, Young Frankenstein, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell, It’s Alive, Killdozer, Beyond The Door, Sugar Hill, Scream Of The Wolf, The Bat People, The Night Of The Witches and many more, as 1974 was a great year for horror.

I first saw Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter on an episode of Commander USA’s Groovie Movies when I was a kid and found it to be a very fun action horror film and what is not to like about a skilled swordsman vampire hunter who is all business and will also defend his friends from not only bloodsuckers but also from rude people who want to do them harm. And the part is perfectly played by actor Horst Janson who had the look but had to be dubbed by Julian Holloway due to his thick German accent. And let’s be honest, every male my age who was a horror fan was taken by the beauty of actress Caroline Munro who played Carla and she was a true Hammer starlet and a great actress. One part that always creeped me out about this film is the look of Lady Durward when she was wearing her old woman mask as well as when she turned old as it was very weird looking. I also liked how the film had a twist as they make you think the vampire attacking young ladies is one character when it turns out to be another that for the most part you think is too old to even move out of bed. And I am happy to say that I even seen the film on the big screen thanks to a Horrorama event at a local cinema, and seeing it on the big screen was a really cool experience. And of course I had the film on VHS when I was building my horror movie collection and would later get the DVD for free from Paramount Pictures back in the day when they sent me films for review on a website I wrote for. In my opinion, the reason the film is such a cult classic and respected by fans is that it does a fantastic job of blending both swashbuckling action with horror and even has a dash of mystery to it that makes it very fun for viewers. And I feel if you want to see a vampire hunter sword fight a plagued infected vampire in a mansion castle, make sure to give this film a watch.

Now that we have taken a look at both the film and character Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, we should now take a look at the comic series based around it that was released by Titan Comics starting in 2017. And no joke when Titan Comics announced that they were teaming with Hammer Films, I was really excited as the possibilities was endless on great series that could have been made that they acted like would be a Halloween yearly thing that readers would get into their hands. The first two released where comics based on Captain Kronos and The Mummy, and after those two series ended no more ever were released and this was a total bummer. But while Titan Comics might have let me down on not releasing any more comics based on Hammer Films, the fine folks at Mavericks Cards And Comics did not as they pulled these comics for me when released and made this update possible. I would also like to remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So with that, let’s go vamp hunting with Captain Kronos and his friends!

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter # 1 ***
Released in 2017 Cover Price $3.99 Titan Comics # 1 of 4

Captain Kronos has hunted down the vampire named Porphyr and the two are in a battle to the death as the vampire calls in his goons that he has hypnotized to attack the hunter who in turn calls on his friends Professor Grost, an older man with a wooden leg and female hunter Carla, who is new to killing vampires, but is skilled in this trade. The three end up killing all the vampire using all the tools of the trade, and they even take down Porphyer with a well placed sword. After the carnage is over, the local law shows up and are about to arrest the three for murder, but once they figure out that Captain Kronos is a vampire hunter they take them to the small town of Sepechurch to meet Ermine who tells them of Slake, a vampire that has been tormenting them and that they need destroyed, and over breakfast they all speak on the details. Kronos learns that Slake appeared during a dark time when the plague broke out in the town and over the years as created his own clan of bloodsuckers that have over powered all attempts by the town to stop them. The town has gated off the part of the city that the vampires are in and Captain Kronos heads to the gate and with his sword carves a cross in the wood and this angers Slake who swears to his vampire clan that a war is coming.

This first issue is really great and does its job of hooking you into wanting to see how this series plays out as the war between Captain Kronos with his crew and Slake plus his vampire clan you know will be a bloody battle that will see lots of death and blood splatter. The plot for this issue has Captain Kronos killing a vampire that he has been tracking only to be hired by a small town to help them get rid of their vampire problem that seems to be more powerful than anyone is thinking. Captain Kronos is a skilled fighter and hunter who is very short with his words but his actions say much as he has sworn to kill all and every vampire that he crosses the path of. He also clearly has no fear as he is willing to go after a vampire and his clan that he knows nothing about, as his hatred for them runs that deep. Poor Carla is always being looked down on by not only the vampires she hunts, but also the people who hire them to rid the world of the vamps, as they misjudge her because she is female and are unaware that she is now a skilled fighter and hunter. While Professor Grost might have a wooden leg and a hunched back, he is a good fighter and his knowledge of vampires is priceless. As for the vampire called Slake, we know very little about him besides he showed up during the plague and that he has grown his vampire clan to army size and is ready for a war with Captain Kronos. The issue’s horror truly comes from the vampires as well as the very gloom feeling of the setting and mood of the story. And the issue has some blood being spilt but nothing major, but I would guess more will be splattered as we get further in this series. I am really liking the set up this far as a strange vampire that has no legend and backstory who seems to have taken over part of a town and who knows and does not fear Kronos is very interesting and makes me as the reader want to see how it all plays out. I would also say that thus far Titan and the creators of this comic have done a pretty good job of keeping true to the film and are doing it justice. The cover is pretty cool and has Kronos being surrounded by female vampires making it eye catching for horror comic readers. The interior art for the issue is done by Tom Mandrake and is solid stuff, but I will say that the characters only slightly look like the actors who played them but it works and his vampires look mean and badass. Over all a great first issue, and I am looking forward to reading the second issue.

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter # 2 ***
Released in 2017 Cover Price $3.99 Titan Comics # 2 of 4

In the town of Sepechurch in a shelter Captain Kronos, Professor Grost and Carla are getting ready for battle as Grost checks the books, Carla gathers the supplies and Kronos heads out to survey the area as the hunter is getting antsy and is wanting to do battle with the undead. As Carla and Grost chat, she informs him that she is happy that they have trained her to become a vampire hunter as it has given her something more in life, and as Captain Kronos jumps the fence into the land of Slake, his friend Grost is looking into the town’s history as well as telling the townspeople how great Carla has been as a hunter and they still doubt this as she is a female. Meanwhile Kronos comes across a vampire who is walking during the day, silver has no effect on him and only by cutting it’s head off does it die, but his day just got worse as he finds himself surrounded by the vampires. Meanwhile Carla is gathering the supplies and has to put one of his military guards in check who is being perverted with her. Meanwhile Captain Kronos fights for his life as he finds that these vampires also can not be hurt by cross nor fire as they just keep on attacking him as he swings his sword at them cutting off body parts and keeping them at bay, and finds shelter to get out of the heart of battle only to find that he is now in the home of Slake who welcomes the hunter into his home.

The danger for Captain Kronos and his friends is amped up as Slake and his vampire clan has way more powerful than they could imagine as they cannot be hurt by silver, crosses, fire nor sunlight and they can only be stopped by having their heads removed. Slake also seems to be enjoying that Kronos is coming for him and it’s clear that he has lots of stuff planed when it comes to facing this hunter in a showdown in this small rundown town. And while professor Grost is spending his time trying to learn all he can about the town as well as dig up any and all information on the vampire Slake, poor Carla is once more being looked down on as only eye candy and people are doubting her skill when it comes to killing vampires…and she keeps proving them wrong. The vampires also seem to be very bloodthirsty and are hunting Kronos in a pack as they clearly were pushing him towards their master’s home, and he falls for it and the issue ends with that big cliffhanger. This is a very cool issue as it showcases the rash and careless way that Captain Kronos is now hunting vampires as he foolishly rushes in to the unknown and quickly finds that he was not prepared for them, and it’s clear that Carla is going to be the big hero here as she is showing that she is skilled and even Grost is backing her and seeing that she could become the best hunter of vampires in the world. I also don’t trust the townspeople of Sepechurch as I think they are hiding something and know what Slake really is, and they might just be as evil as the vampires…but that’s just a theory that I have right now. The issue also amps up the blood and the scares are coming from the vampires that are very creepy in appearance and are clearly blood thirsty and looking to kill. I am really interested to see how Captain Kronos is going to get away from Slake as he is stuck in a small home with him while outside is a horde of vampires. The cover showcases all three of our heroes standing around the bodies of dead vampires, and it is really cool and great stuff. Tom Mandrake did the interior art again, and it’s really great stuff as it has a true comic book feel to it, and again while the characters don’t look like the actors fully they have a charm to them that you know who they are. I am ready for issue 3 as I really want to see how this very bad situation plays out for Captain Kronos.

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter # 3 ***
Released in 2017 Cover Price $3.99 Titan Comics # 3 of 4

Slake attacks Kronos as the home also starts to fill with other vampires all looking to end this hunters life, and during the start of the fight Kronos learns that the cross does hurt Slake. Professor Grost and Carla see smoke and hear the fighting and go past the gate in order to help Kronos in this fight and are shocked to see so many vampires walking around in the daylight. But with the numbers stacked against him, Captain Kronos dives out of the window and jumps onto the wagon being driven by Grost and Carla and they escape this part of the town, the hunters were defeated and forces to retreat by Slake and his vampires. Back at their base Grost goes off on Kronos for being sloppy and not only putting his life in danger but also that of his and Carla’s, but after the harsh words break they three head back into the bad part of the town this time via the sewer and they all have the goal to kill Slake and end his curse over this town. And while in the sewer tunnels they are talking about plans, but soon find themselves surrounded by vampires.

In this issue Captain Kronos finds that he has gotten himself into a very bad situation as he is being attacked not only by vampires that have no weakness but also Slake, their master who wants to take the hunters’ lives and is almost joyful in this battle they are having. And because of Kronos’s careless behavior, he has put the lives of his friend in danger when they have to go into the danger zone in order to rescue him. And because Captain Kronos is driven by his hate for vampires, he ends up going back to fight Slake after having harsh words with Grost over his behavior. And its clear at this point that something is truly bothers Kronos as he has become more reckless in his hunting and even seems to be brooding more often, but he still is very confidante in his hunting skills. Carla who is being trained by Kronos is staying loyal to him even though its clear that she knows that he has became a little careless with his safety. And 100% Grost is mad at his friend as he is pissed that his friend is playing with his life as well as the lives of others. And while Kronos and his friends are defeated in this first battle they are able to kill a few of the vampires as well as learn about the weakness that Slake has when it comes to the cross burning his skin and hurting him, plus it gives Kronos a chance to bust out his metal cross sword for the next fight. The issue has lots of vampire body parts being cut off and that is causing the blood to spill, and the fight that has Kronos having to fight for his life is very extricating and really draws you into the story and makes you want to see what the final showdown between Kronos and Slake will be like. Once more it’s clear that the writers of this series is pushing for Carla to be the new vampire hunter hero as she seems to have her act together and is having the backing of Grost who sees it in her to be a big hero hunter. The vampires are clearly just following the orders of Slake as they attack in waves and seem to almost guide you to a location that they want you to be in. The cover for this issue has Captain Kronos and Slake showing your readers what this demonic looking vampire looks like, and yep Tom Mandrake does the art once more for the interior and its good stuff like before. And with that, let’s see what the next issue that is the final issue in the series has in store for us and how this vampire hunting tale comes to an end.

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter # 4 ***
Released in 2018 Cover Price $3.99 Titan Comics # 4 of 4

While in the sewer surrounded by vampires Captain Kronos, Carla and Grost fight hard and remove the heads of the vampires as they try and attack and are able to get to the trap door leading to Slake’s den and block it keeping the vampire horde at bay. And after looking around his den and calling him out Slake appears and attack Kronos who uses his cross sword to stab at the vampire leader and this kills him, but to their shock the vampires are still around and killing their master did nothing to slow them down. But back in the town of Sepechurch the town’s elders during dinner get the message that Slake has been killed and then enter Captain Kronos, Carla and Grost who front out the elders as they themselves are vampires and wanted them to kill one of their own that had gone mad with power and blood drinking. The elders deny the allegations for as long as they can until their dinner is shown to be blood and then they turn into their vampire appearance and know that they must kill these hunters before they are killed themselves. Kronos and the others make short work of the elders as some are killed with swords and later they all die when Grost blows up the town hall and the elders are all caught on fire ending them as well as the vampire curse of Sepechurch. But as Kronos, Carla and Grost are leaving the town they learn that the townspeople are not happy about the death of the elders as they felt these vampires had kept them safe, and in the end our heroes ride off leaving this town behind and the world with less vampires in it.

In this final issue of Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter by Titan Comics, we get the final battle between Kronos and Slake that ends with the vampire being taken out pretty easily, as our hero learns that he has been played all along as the elders of the town he is protecting are vampires and just sent him in to kill one of their own that has went rogue. And even after he kills all the vampires in the town of Sepechurch, he gets no thanks from the town people who are mad that they no longer live under the protection of the undead. Captain Kronos while always rushing into battle still proves that he is very skilled at vampire hunting and is prepared almost for every situation as he is able to slay as well survive a massive vampire attack. And it appears that his sword skills are sharp as is his detective skills and he figures out and kills the elders who have been the real terrors of the town. And by the end of the issue both Professor Grost and Carla put more trust and stand behind Kronos even if they are frustrated with his sometimes reckless behavior. They both also prove that they are very helpful and are skilled vampire hunters as they do their share of slaying vamps as well as putting together a plan for to bring down the Elders. Poor Slake as well as the elders while strong are no match for our vampire hunters and all of them end up meeting their maker and their terror being stopped once and for all. The great thing about this comic series is that if truly feels like a new adventure of Captain Kronos like a sequel that we never got. The action is high in the series as the hunters clash with the vampires many times and the horror comes of course with the vampires as well as just the over all dark mood of the story. This issues as well has blood being spilt, and I really do think that fans of the film will really enjoy reading this comic. The cover for this issue is cool as it showcases our three heroes looking ready for battle, and I do like the art style of interior artist Tom Mandrake as his style captures the feel of the film as well really has a horror comic art look. If you are a fan of this film, make sure to track down this series and give it a read as I am sure you will enjoy it. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by Tom Mandrake for this comic series.

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter is one of those Hammer Horror characters that is perfect to make the leap into comic books as you can do lots with him and have him battle many different types of vampires all over England, and it’s a shame that Titan Comics pulled the plug of working with Hammer after only releasing two series in the line…I truly feel they have dropped the ball with us horror comic readers. But who knows what the future holds for Hammer Horror when it comes to comic books as I would like to see American Mythology or even Eibon Press take a crack at making Hammer Film comics as imagine a series based on Dracula that looks like Christopher Lee or a Frankenstein one were the mad doctor looks like Peter Cushing! But our time with Captain Kronos has come to an end, but do not fear our time with horror comics based on films has not as our next update will take us to the scary open waters as we try and avoid The Humanoids From The Deep! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update for a rampage of humanoids roaming the waterways and terrorizing the beaches.

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

Posted on May 12, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. For this “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update we will be talking about a 2014 film that was spawned from a short film and would become a super popular indie horror film that is talked about to this day and respected by those viewers who like a little art in their spooky films. That film is A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night! This comic is very cool as most comics based on horror films that are about vampires are tied into Dracula and this one is not as it showcases a female vampire simply known as The Girl. This has been a update I have wanted to do for a while now and with this year being all about the From Horror Movie To Horror Comic, the time has come for it to finally get the Rotten Ink treatment. So if you are ready, let’s grab our skateboard and head into Bad City and see what horrors await us.

Let’s first take a look at The Girl and her ways of dealing death to humans that become her targets and victims. The Girl is an attractive Middle Eastern female vampire who has the charm to draw people in with her looks as her beauty gives them a security of no harming falling on them by such a woman. She is very quiet and watches and stalks her prey without them even catching on that their time on Earth is coming to an end by her hands. She is seductive and cold and has eyes that will both make you call in love as well as fill your heart full of fright. The Girl is a music lover, skateboarder as well as likes to dance and this keeps her in touch with her human side and allows her to somewhat bond with humans. She is strong and fast and can uses these skills to rip apart a human to get what she craves and that’s blood. Being a vampire her main way to kill is her razor sharp teeth that she plunges into skin to drink blood and rip apart flesh. She also has a way of attracting the scum of city the ones who wish to do harm to the weaker people of the city. When she speaks her words can be very fearsome and scary and this as well helps her strike total fear into her victims. Being a vampire, she does have weaknesses with he major one being sunlight that will kill her, she also has a weakness as she is looking for love and her own place in this twisted world. The Girl is very dangerous as she is a vampire who kills for blood to feed as well as sport when it comes to ridding her city of scumbags. The Girl is very deadly and can kill a person very fast making her truly a dangerous being.

Now that we have taken a look at The Girl, I think that its time that we take a look at the film she is from, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night that was released in 2014 and was a hit among indie horror fans. Like always, our friends at IMDB will supply the films plot and after that I will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts about the film. So with that, let’s head deeper into Bad City and see what this film is all about.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)

“In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire.”

In 2011, Ana Lily Amirpour made a short film called “A Girl Walks Home Along At Night,” and it was a big success as it was traveling festivals and winning awards. In 2012 a crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo was launched as Amirpour had an idea to turn her short film into a feature, and she ended up getting over what she needed to get this film off the ground. The film would bring in such actors as Arash Maradni, Marshall Manesh, Dominic Rains and Sheila Vand would play the vampire The Girl. The film would be filmed in twenty-four days in California as it was cheaper and had fewer obstacles to over come if it was shot in Iran where the story takes place. Once the film was done, Bei Ru would score it and it would be released by Vice Films and Kino Lorber and would have a limited run in the theater released on November 21, 2014 and would bring in around $491,910.00 in America. The film would be well liked by both critics and fans and would gain even more praise and fans when released on home media. The film would be released alongside such other horror films as Tusk, As Above So Below, IT Follows, The Pyramid, Last Shift, Purge Anarachy, Annabelle, The Quit Ones, The Babaook and many more. Sadly this is one I did not get to see in the theater as I am not sure if any of the local theaters showed it.

The vampire genre in horror cinema has so many interesting films and one of the more artistic and well done in recent years is A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night as it brought the vampire into western cinema with an Iranian legend touch. The thing that made me very interested in this film, besides that fact it was in the horror genre, was The Girl, a vampire who tries to be like Dexter (from the Showtime TV show) and only deal death to those who are bad. Plus it is cool that she is a skateboarder in Iran who skates around at night looking for her next meal. I really enjoyed this film that I would end up having to watch on DVD as it reminded me slightly of one of my favorite Universal Monster films “Dracula’s Daughter” that was released in 1936, and by that I mean the atmosphere and beauty of the female vampire lead. The acting in the film is really good with Sheila Vand who plays The Girl really stealing the film as her performance is what makes it all work so well as I found The Girl to be haunting, scary, sympathetic, sad and stunning and that is perfect as that what a well played vampire should be like. The film does not rely on gore to bring the scares but more the fact that the world at times can be a very sad and depressing place and in the end all we want is to find our own happiness and place. The film also made the right choice of being shot in black and white as it truly adds to the films mood and feeling and brings out the city as well as the citizens that live in it. The film is slow paced and subtitled and that might scare away some viewers as will the fact that its very Indie, but if you like vampire films, I say that you should give this one a watch as you might just find yourself really into it…and I wish I would have gotten to see this one on the big screen.

So now that we have talked about The Girl as well as the film she is from A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, I think that it is time that we take a look at the comic book based on the film that was released by Behemoth Comics! This was original released as a graphic novel, but a few years later was released as two issue and those floppy issues are what we will be reviewing for this update. I would like to thank both Mavericks Cards And Comics and Bell Book And Comic for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I would like to also remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s walk together this night and see what The Girl and her vampire bite has in store for us.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night # 1 ***
Released in 2020 Cover Price $3.99 Behemoth Comics # 1 of 2

The Girl is soaking in the bathtub thinking about Bad City and how every night is the same for her as she heads into the night looking for a person to drain of their blood, and sadly this city is filled with bad people who she can pray on. The Girl also at night meets street cats as well as skateboards around in the darkness. She finds a young kid up late at night watching TV, but chooses not to take his blood as he is yet to show if he is a good or bad person…but she will wait and see where is life takes him and she will be waiting. A gay man is hanging around a fence putting on lipstick as a man filled with hate attacks him with the idea of doing him physical harm when The Girl arrives and drains him of his blood an stills his ring and ditches the body in a massive pile along with her past victims. We then join The Girl back in the tub as she is thinking about the sins of those lives she has taken as next to the tub is a large basket packed with all the rings of her victims.

I truly feel that this comic does justice to the film it’s based on as the plot of the comic is about The Girl, a female vampire skateboarder who lives in a rundown city in Iran who looks for victims by taking a look at their dark secrets they have, and she chooses those who have or are doing horrible things to become her next meal. The Girl is clearly a vampire who tries to live by her own code as she knows that she must feed on human blood, she tries her best not to hurt those who are innocent and only select those who are evil and just foul people. She is also very torn in nature as you can tell she enjoys aspects of her “life” but also very much loathes other parts of it as she is looking for something or even someone more…she is lonely. The Girl is almost like a protector of the innocent and weak in her own ways as she roams the streets saving people from the evil that mankind does. Her victim in this issue is a very nasty man who is homophobic and is walking the streets at night just looking for trouble, and he finds it when he messes with a gay man and ends up having his life taken by the fangs of The Girl who witnesses the attack. The comics horror comes from the mood and atmosphere of a rundown city that is filled with the down and out as well as criminals, and of course the main comes from the fact a vampire is loose on the streets. The comic does have some blood spilled but is by no means a blood bath, but for those looking for the red stuff via vampire bites will not be disappointed. The cover for this issue is very cool and eye catching and the interior art is really good and done by Michael DeWeese. And I have to say that this first issue is very well done and does justice to the film it’s based on and is making me look forward to reading issue two so let’s get to it.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night # 2 ***
Released in 2020 Cover Price $3.99 Behemoth Comics # 2 of 2

The Girl is in the desert buried under the sand she came there to die via the sun, but fear and instinct causes her to always hide right before the sun rays hit her undead skin. At night she rises and looks around at the skulls and bones of her past victims including a couple that were making love and she enters their room and slaughters them. The Girl wonders what her “life” is really about and even takes the life of a spider just cause she can and needed to feed, but her hunger is strong and she heads toward Bad City in order to find a life to take, and as she makes her way toward the city she remembers all the different countries she has been in and all the blood she has taken. And at the end she hits the city limits of Bad City and her hunt is about to start.

The second issue is just as good as the first issue and this time around The Girl is hiding out in the hot desert being upset over her own thoughts as she is conflicted about being a vampire as she both enjoys and hates the fact that she must kill a person for their blood in order to survive. And at times it seems like The Girl is looking for love and when seeing humans in love makes her more angry and makes their deaths more gruesome and painful. We also see that she will kill insects as in the first issue she shows that she cares about felines as she pets the animal instead of taking its life and here she chomps down on a big spider. This issue almost feels like the start of the story as well as it kind of has that vibe that this was her first time entering Bad City that she would end up making her “home” and hunting ground for some time. With this second issue it also is a very fast read with most of it being visual and very little dialogue, but this works so well for this issue as I feel this one is about finding oneself and coming to terms on who you are and what you have done. This issue as well has more blood and gore with the couples death aftermath being pretty gruesome as The Girl has their insides ripped out and even has removed heads! I really do think that this comic series did the film it is based on justice and I really do with that more Indie Comic Publishers would team up with Indie Horror Filmmakers and make comics like this more often. The Girl is a very interesting vampire and this issue really adds a new level to her as she is very torn about her existence but also loves her powers. The cover for issue two is also very cool and eye catching and has The Girls hand coming out of the sand, and like before the interior art is done by Michael DeWeese and his art style is really great and I love the way he draws The Girl as it looks mostly like the actress who played her. This was a very cool and entertaining series based on a very cool cult Indie Horror film that if you enjoyed you really should track down these comics as I think they will deliver some fright. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by DeWeese as his style is really spooky and truly captures the nature of the film and characters.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night is clearly not a film nor comic that is for everyone as they both are a little artsy and having many hidden messages and meanings behind them, but I do think that fans of horror films from companies like A24 and IFC will truly enjoy it. And as you can see, our update and time with the vampire called The Girl has came to an end and with that I think we should take our leave from Bad City, but don’t worry our next update will have us remaining in the world of horror as we will find ourselves this time a tourist in the world of Turistas a 2006 gut stealing Horror Film that got the comic book treatment thanks to IDW. So until next time read a Horror Comic of three, watch a Horror Movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. I wander what a kidney goes for now and days?

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Motel Hell (1980)

Posted on March 3, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update. For this one we will be revisiting a series that I covered way back in 2013 as I feel that I could have done better and that it deserves this update formula treatment. The film and comic series I am talking about is the 1980 film Motel Hell and the IDW comics based around it! Farmer Vincent deserved better as he was an icon of my childhood when it came to horror just because of the image of him wearing a pig head holding a chainsaw that was on a cover of Fangoria Magazine…but that story will come later. And this will be only the first of many that I revisit as I also want to cover Strangeland, Pumpkinhead, Dr. Giggles, Jason Goes To Hell, Psycho and Terminator 2 better so look for them to get the “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” treatment over the coming years! So if you are ready, let’s pack our bags and head to the Motel Hello and stay for a bit as I hear they have fantastic smoked meats!

Let’s start by taking a look at Farmer Vincent Smith, the owner of a motel as well as the maker of fine smoked meats and his ways of dealing death to those travelers that end up on his ingredient list. Farmer Vincent Smith is a businessman who owns a motel as well as a smoked meat company alongside his sister Ida. Farmer Vincent Smith is sort of a local celebrity because of his smoked meat as it is considered some of the best in the world, and this makes people not look at the older man as a killer or a psycho and with his friendly good nature many people fall into his trap as he has a calming manner when around the public. But it is said that Vincent does suffer from syphilis of the brain and this makes him act very odd and violent at times and gives him an odd look on life. Vincent kills humans to use in his smoked meat, as it is one of his secret ingredients that make his meat taste better than anyone else’s, Vincent is very clever and sneaky as he lures his victims in by using traps alongside the road like shooting out tires, leaving fake road blocks and even spike strips to cause accidents. Farmer Vincent Smith, once he has a person, he will bury them up to their necks in his secret garden where he will cut their vocal cords and then feed them via a tube, and when it is their time to be turned into smoked meats, he uses hypnotizing lights to put them into a trance and then breaks their necks with nooses attached to his tractor. Vincent is also very skilled with many weapons that can help him deal death like knives, scalpels, rifle, shovel and even a chainsaw plus he uses knockout gas to sedate some of his victims out cold. And when it comes to killing these humans for his meat treats, he has no emotions and truly thinks he is doing great work, almost like gods work. He is also joined in his killing ways by his younger sister Ida who is just as crazy as he is and also seems to love killing, running the motel and helping him smoke meats! And once fully crazed Vincent loses all control and his brain turns wild as he wears a Pig Head as a mask and this sight is enough to scare a person half to death as he laughs like a madman while swinging a chainsaw. He is also a cannibal as he eats human meat and truly sees nothing wrong with doing so, nor feeding it to other people. And while Farmer Vincent Smith is very dangerous, he is still just a man and that means he can be killed by all methods like being shot, stabbed, crushed, burned, natural causes and all other ways a person can die. He also has other weaknesses that make him open for attack or heartbreak as he is a fool for a blonde as he falls in love with one of his would be victims, and this clouds his judgment. He is also very upset that he lies about his meats as he does use preservatives, and this weighs heavy on his twisted diseased mind. While Farmer Vincent Smith is a dangerous cannibal killer, when he fully mentally breaks he is also downright scary with his laughter and Pig Head Mask.

Now that we have chatted about Farmer Vincent and his madness and ways of dealing out death to those who are in his way, I think that its time we take a look at the film he is from and that Motel Hell! And like always, I will be getting the film’s plot from our friends at IMDB, and then I will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, let’s grab some beef jerky and head out to the motel and see what kind of terrors await us.

Motel Hell (1980)

“Farmer Vincent kidnaps unsuspecting travelers and buries them in his garden. Unfortunately for his victims, they are not dead. He feeds his victims to prepare them for his roadside stand. His motto is “It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent Fritters”.”

The brothers Robert & Steven-Charles Jaffe decided to work on a horror film script together after being inspired by films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). They wanted to mimic its dark family weirdness, but they added comedy to their story and they got it done in 1977…but it took many years for a studio to decide to take the film on as many of them hated the script and wanted nothing to do with it. At one point the film was going to be made by Universal Pictures with them even going to bring on Tobe Hooper to direct, but they backed out once more due to them having issues with the script. Things looked hopeless until United Artists decided to give it a go even after passing on it before as horror films were becoming big again at the box office and they wanted something cheaply made that could bring the gross scares that they could make money on. The film was given a budget of $3 million by United Artist and Frank Cotolo and Tim Tuchrello touched up the script. The Jaffe Brothers would also act as the producers, and they would hire Kevin Connor to direct the film as many of you readers will know him for directing such horror & sci-fi films as From Beyond The Grave (1974), The Land That Time Forgot (1974), At The Earth’s Core (1976), The People That Time Forgot (1977), Warlords Of Atlantis (1979) and The House Where Evil Dwells (1982). When it came to casting, Rory Calhoun was hired to play Farmer Vincent Smith with Nancy Parsons casted as Ida Smith his sister. Other names hired for the cast included Nina Axelrod, Paul Linke, Wolfman Jack, Rosanne Katon and Monique St. Pierre to name a few. Filming would take place in California and would last a little over two months and once done Lance Rubin would score the film before it was released in theaters on October 18, 1980 and would be a semi hit for United Artists bringing in $6.3 million dollars at the box office. The film at the time of its release was meet with mostly positive reviews from both critics and viewers as they all praised its use of dark humor and weird characters. The film would gain a cult following thanks to Fangoria Magazine as well as its home media release on VHS as it was a big rental for stores, and later would be a must own DVD and Blu-Ray for horror film collectors. The film would also spark much merchandise over the years like t-shirts, toys and yes the IDW Comic series. The film in 1980 was released alongside such other horror films as The Fog, The Shining, Humanoids From The Deep, Mother’s Day, Terror Train, Friday The 13^th, Fade To Black, Prom Night, Island Claws, Alien Dead, Alligator, Maniac, Inferno, City Of The Living Dead and Nightmare City to name a few showing that this was a great year for horror!

Motel Hell is a film that I first learned about thanks to Fangoria Magazine as they had Farmer Vincent wearing his pig head with a chainsaw in his hands as one of the covers for their issues, and it became a film that I was obsessed with as I had no clue what the film was about but new that the Pig Head Guy had a chainsaw and looked liked he knew how to use it. As I said way back in 2013 when I first covered Motel Hell, I had no idea what the film was about and in my mind it was a slasher film that had a mutated pig running wild killing beautiful scream queens who would try to escape the blade teeth of his chainsaw. And it would be thanks to Commander USA’s Groovie Movies and USA Saturday Nightmares that would let me see the film for the first time, and I can remember thinking this was nothing like I thought it was…but also loved the weird and strange plot of the film plus the ending of Farmer Vincent wear the big head swinging the chainsaw and laughing like a mad man was awesome stuff and was always in my memory after seeing it. Rory Calhoun was the perfect choice to play Farmer Vincent as he is truly able to play the two sides of the character that is the sweet old country gentleman and the other is a human meat jerky making psychopath! And it’s crazy as Rory was mostly known for his roles in Western films and shows and was a popular leading man in the 1940-1960’s cinema, and was over all a really great actor. It’s sad to say that he passed away on April 28, 1999 at the age of 76 from the combination of diabetes and emphysema. In fact sadly Nancy Parsons who played sister Ida Smith who was a great actress and who was known for her role in the Porky’s films as Beulah Balbricker was a great choice as well for the part sadly passed away on January 5, 2001 at the age of 58, making Paul Linke who played the sheriff brother Bruce Smith the only one still with us of the Smith family. And as a kid I geeked out when I seen Wolfman Jack in the film and funny enough he was playing a Reverend and he had such an iconic voice. One thing about this film as well as when I was a kid I always thought that it was way more bloody then it really is, as don’t get me wrong the film does have blood being split and some gruesome deaths but its not a bloodbath like I remembered it being. Over the years I have owned the film on VHS, DVD and Blu-Ray and it remains one of the films I watch at least once every year or so. I even have the Farmer Vincent action figure from Trick Or Treat Studios that is in my horror collection, as this truly is a film that I have enjoyed since I was a kid. And in these modern times I am shocked that Motel Hell never got a remake or sequel film as in my opinion it would be easy to do a sequel to this film as you could have more of the Smith family taking over the family business of the motel and jerky making. But if you have never seen Motel Hell, make sure to give it a watch if you like horror films with a dash of dark comedy that is a slasher film from the 80’s with a crazy farmer and his sister who harvests human meat and try and run a motel in the middle of nowhere.

With that, we have talked about Farmer Vincent and his way of killing people to use for his meats as well as the film he is from and that is of course Motel Hell, and now it’s time for us to re-visit the comic mini series that was released by IDW Comics in 2010 as part of there Midnite Movies line, that sadly was very short lived. If anyone from IDW is reading this please bring back this line of comics, as it was great for us horror comic readers who enjoy comics based on films. And I would like to start by thanking Mavericks Cards And Comics, Bell Book And Comic and Game Swap Kettering for making this update possible by having these issues in stock. I would like to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s check into our room at Motel Hell and talk about comic books.

Motel Hell # 1 ***
Released in 2010 Cover Price $3.99 IDW # 1 of 3

Farmer Vincent Smith has now taken to making his own wine that sells for around $500 a bottle and he and his sister Ida Smith have just taken out a family to make into smoked meat, as Idea with a hatchet ends the husbands life and Vincent uses drugged wine to knock out the wife and the fate of the two young sisters is unknown. Meanwhile reporter Holly Bell has been chosen as a guest to stay at the Motel Hello along with the likes of shamed football player Freddie Stanford, oil man and sleaze ball Rupert Godrey, rich snob brat Desirae Childs, mortgage conman Joss Warburton and wannabe rockstar Gage Hardmiller and Holly is grossed out by all of the fellow guests. They are all ushered onto an old plane that is being piloted by Vincent and Idea as the guests are given lots of wine, smoked meats and drugs with Holly not consuming as she is working on her story about the experience for the paper she works for. Farmer Vincent leaves the cockpit and talks to his guests, with Gage rubbing him the wrong way when he uses the lords name in vein and snaps at him in front of everyone. Once they land and they are shown their rooms, Holly finds herself in the same room as Desirae and late at night they watch as the plane takes off, unknown to them the plane is filled with dead bodies as well as Gage who is strapped to a seat and Ida alerts him that he has to be the first to die as he annoyed her brother! And Ida uses a flamethrower to set the bodies on fire and then she puts on a pig head and parachutes out of the plane as it explodes killing Gage, and all the other guests look on in horror and Holly gets scared when she notices in the shadows Farmer Vincent in his pig head thinking he is a monster and freaking everyone out when she screams.

In this first issue of Motel Hell, the crazed Farmer Vincent and his sadistic sister Ida have added making wine to their businesses and have invited many rich and corrupt people to stay at the motel in order to get a look at the wine making, but also invited is Holly, a reporter for a newspaper who is looking at this gig as a fluff piece, but is clearly starting to see that this might be something more sinister, and when the plane that brought them in explodes in the air that night and she thinks she sees a monster in the dark…her suspensions could be true they are all in danger. Holly Bell is a reporter who is looking for a big story that will make her a bigger deal in her field, and while she is annoyed at first over this wine story she soon finds that it really could be the story of a lifetime. The rest of the guests are rich and weird people who have not been fully flushed out yet with one Gage already killed as he is blown up in a plane and crashes to earth on fire while strapped to his seat. It’s clear that the guests thought this was going to be a fun time of drinking wine and eating smoked meats, but are now a little scared as they watch the plane explode and cannot find Vincent nor Ida! Farmer Vincent has clearly decided to make some big changes to his business as while smoked meats are a big part of what he does, he has turned the motel into a spa retreat and his next big thing is making wine, and he is just as nice and yet crazy as ever. Ida is still around as well and doing what her brothers wants her to do, but for some reason now she wears a pig head a lot and even makes pig noises…just a strange change for the character from movie to comic made here. But what is nice is that the Smith siblings are just as weird and murderous as you would want them to be, and still think they are doing Gods work with all the killings. But one other puzzling thing about this comic is how did the Smiths live after the events of the film and who the heck are all the women that are working for them on the plane? The issue has two bloody deaths with one being a hatchet to the head and another being a man on fire falling to his death. And the horror of this comic of course comes from The Smith siblings as well as just the Motel Hello it’s self as it’s so far away from everyone and gives off a true spooky vibe. The cover for this issue is really awesome and showcases both Farmer Vincent and Ida looking all crazed and American Gothic styled. The interior art is done by artist Chris Moreno and is good stuff and while the characters don’t look like the actors that played them in the film, it’s close enough and you know who they are supposed to be. Over all I would say that I liked this issue a little more than I did back when I first reviewed it as I found it a great build to the story and a way to introduce our cast of characters, even if it does leave a lot of unanswered questions. With that, let’s see what issue two has in store for us once again.

Motel Hell # 2 ***
Released in 2010 Cover Price $3.99 IDW # 2 of 3

Farmer Vincent and his staff alert the guests that the plane was stolen and crashed by Gage Hardmiller who was high on drugs and that they are all stuck there for the time being. Over breakfast of smoked meats Farmer Vincent during the morning prayer insults each of his guest and this angers Freddie Stanford who is then tased by Vincent and then again by Ida and this leaves the rest of the guest confused and scared. As Vincent takes the others for a hike around the farm an vineyard to show them all that there is no escape, Ida puts on her pig head and goes to work on Freddie as in the corner in a cage is the two young sisters who are now captives. Vincent mocks his guests and will not allow them to have any water and Holly Bell calls him out for his cruel actions to zero effect. That night the guests are all locked in their rooms as Freddie wakes up in a caged ring as Ida lets loose a massive wild hog named Hogsquatch that ends up hurting the football star. In the end Vincent and Ida have to pull the massive hog off Freddie as they need him alive in order the planet and turn into smoked meat later on.

The terror for these guests goes into full effect as they watch as their only way to escape exploded in the air and now learn that Farmer Vincent and his sister Ida have tricked them all into coming with the idea of teaching them a lesson and not allowing them to leave alive! And reporter Holly Bell now has the story of a lifetime as she tries her best to figure out what is truly going on as well as standup to Farmer Vincent when he tries to bully her and the other guests with harsh words and threats. The other guest all seem to be trapped and confused besides poor Freddie who ends up getting shocked by a taser twice and then mauled by a giant hog for trying to stand up to these demented Farmers. Farmer Vincent is a delight as he is crazy as ever and uses his religion as well as his own warped morels to try and “teach” his guests a lesson of two, he even allows a small dog to die of dehydration and does not think that he was cruel as he was not the one to bring the dog even though he is the one with the water that he did not share during the hot hike. Ida is just as twisted as she has went full pervert as she likes to do sexual acts with many of the male victims before they murder them or even planet them for meat. And the brother and sister also have a massive pet hog named Hogsquatch that seems to enjoy trying to kill humans. The issue has blood as well as violence with the hog attack being the most gruesome. This is a very fun and bizarre issue, and while Farmer Vincent and Ida are around, it also kind of only some what feels like a comic based on Motel Hell as the characters are slightly off as is the plot of a vineyard and a massive pet hog…now it’s not a bad thing for the most part, I do have to say that mega fans of the film might be a little more annoyed by these changes in feel and mood. The cover for this issue is ok and showcases mostly our series villains, and like before the interior art is done by artist Chris Moreno and is good stuff, but again I have to stress the characters look nothing like the actors. With the cliffhangers being the remaining guests trapped in their rooms and poor Freddie being injured and ready to be planted in the earth to be harvested for meat later on, it makes me look forward to reading the third and final issue once again.

Motel Hell # 3 ***
Released in 2010 Cover Price $3.99 IDW # 3 of 3

With Farmer Vincent and Ida out in the fields burring Freddie up to his neck, the other guests take this time to escape their rooms with Joss and Rupert escaping via a broken window and Holly and Desirae using a credit card to unlock their door, but before the two ladies can escape they run into Farmer Vincent who they knock out of the way to get their freedom. The two old con men Rupert and Joss do not get far as they run into Ida and her sledgehammer, the ladies however end up finding the secret human crop and the hidden barn were they set the twin girls free but Desirae is killed by Ida who strangles her to death and even causes her eyeball to pop out! Farmer Vincent ends up killing two cops that come to the motel looking for answers about the plane crash and the he arrives just in time to save Ida who has been hit with a hammer by Holly. Vincent and Ida end up going out to the farm and removing the eyes of the humans they are harvesting as they use them for the wine as Ida stomps on them, and they send Hogsquatch free in order to track down the twin girls who have found the dead cops and taken the gun and free Holly to give it to her so she can save them all from the giant hog and the crazy farmers. Holly allows Hogsquatch to bring her back to the farmers and she then pulls out the gun and kills the hog, she then shoots Ida in the face and shoots Vincent who is now in his pig head and slinging a chainsaw! As Vincent is dying he tells Holly he used anti-freeze in his wine as well as he got the idea of doing all this from cult leader Charles Manson. Holly and the twins then set the farm and crop on fire just as a police helicopter is arriving to help save them.

Farmer Vincent and Ida have meet their end…again in this third and final issue of Motel Hell as they are killed by reporter Holly Bell, who escapes their motel and is able to use a gun to end their reign of terror…but not before all her fellow guests end up killed! But you have to give Holly credit as she is able to save the two young twin sisters, plus I am sure she will become a big star with her report on this motel of terror. The fact that Farmer Vincent uses human eyeball for his wine is great and gruesome stuff as we get to see Ida stomping on the eyes that are in a tub to make them into liquid. And while he is still very loyal to his motel and smoked meats, its clear he things that God wants him to also make wine from people. I am not sure why Farmer Vincent also acts as if he got some of his idea from cult leader Charles Manson, as he keeps talking about how the two wanted to slaughter the piggies of the world. The one puzzling thing about this comic is that they never explain a lot of things like how Vincent and Ida survived the events of the film and who all the pretty ladies that helped them throughout the comic are and were they went by the final events. And again I think many fans of the film would possibly enjoy this strange mini series, but they might also get very annoyed by the extreme changes in the Smith siblings who do act slightly different than they do in the film. But one thing that will make fans of the film happy is that Farmer Vincent wears his pig head and his sister Ida does as well! Missing from the comic is the killer’s police officer brother Bruce Smith as well as the films female survivor Terry, it would have been nice to have seen them involved in this weird plot. The issue has lots of blood and gore with Ida squashing the eyes being pretty gross and Ida’s death being shot in the face is the issues best kill. The cover is very eye-catching as it shows Vincent and Ida with a gun pointed at them, and like two times before the interior art is one by Chris Moreno an is pretty good stuff as I like the way he drew Famer Vincent with the pig head on. Over all I have to say that I really enjoy this comic series more now than I did when it was first released, as while it is a strange take on Motel Hell and the characters from the film it adds a new tale for them, and I am ok with that as maybe this is how The Smiths would be in 2010! If you like the film, I think you should check this comic mini series out and I also think that if you like Farmer Horror stories also give it a read. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by Moreno in this series.

Motel Hell is a truly cult classic and one strange horror film that I have been a fan of since I can remember and even before I seen it thanks to Fangoria Magazine. And when this comic was released by IDW, it once more helped spark my interest in comics as during that time I was reading a little less than normal as I was not getting into anything Marvel or DC was releasing. And I really do hope that IDW will return to making comics based on classic, cult and current horror films as for readers like me we miss them. So in other words, IDW, bring back the Midnite Movie Comics as MGM has lots of great films to choose from that should be getting the comic book treatment. Well our revisit to Motel Hell has come to an endm and I hope that I did it more justice with this one and I am looking forward to going back and covering a few more in the future. Our next update will of course keep us in the world of horror comics based on horror films as we will be talking about Final Destination and the comic mini series based on it. So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update as Death has lots of strange ways to deal it’s self out for us to read about on the pages of a Horror Comic.

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: The Island Of Dr. Moreau (1977)

Posted on January 13, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. Our “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update themed year is in full swing and for this one we will be taking a look at the 1977 film version of The Island Of Dr. Moreau that was released by American International Pictures and got the comic book adaptation treatment by Marvel Comics. I am sure many of you readers are fans of this story that was written by H.G. Wells in 1896, and most of you have also seen this film version of the story that use to play all the time on TBS in the 80s and 90s! Like so many others that we have done and are doing for this year’s overload of horror comics based on horror films, this update is long overdue, and I am very much looking forward to once more entering the Island Of Dr. Moreau, both the film and the comic! So with that, let’s get in our little boat and row ourselves to this island filled with animals that are also part man!

Let’s start first by taking a look at the Beast People who live on The Island Of Dr. Moreau and their way of dealing death and having order. The Beast People are animals that have had their DNA altered with that of a man causing them to be a mix between the two. While they talk and partly look like a human being, they battle their primal instincts of being an animal and have the lust to hunt and kill but also live by the law that is set for them by their creator Dr. Moreau. And when they no longer live in fear of Moreau’s law, they truly become wild and allow themselves to let their animal sides loose. The Beast People have many ways of dealing death to humans, as they are strong, fast moving and some have a true hunting nature. They come in all different species as you have such ones as Bullman, Lionman, Hyenaman, Boarman, Catwoman, Bearman, Chimpman among others and each have a wild look (with some being more fearsome than the others) and this easily chills the blood of their target and puts true fear in their hearts. The Beast People’s main attack is pure frenzy as they use their hands and teeth to rip apart flesh and do so with anger, hate and instinct. Once also in frenzy, their speaking is more primal and savage and they are only focused on bloodshed and murder. They are both pack and single killers as they don’t seem to mind killing alongside each other in their attacks. The Beast People can be killed like any normal man or animal as they can be shot, stabbed, burnt, crushed, blown up are mauled to death by a wild animal. They also do live in fear of their creator and this causes them issues as they obey his words out of pure terror, but on the other hand, when they are no longer under his law, they lose their smarts and act out in a mindless fury and this leaves them open to mistakes that will cause them their lives as they make very poor choices. While The Beast People might not be the most dangerous killers we have covered here, they are truly a killing breed when they are no longer living under man’s law.

So as you can see, The Beast People or the Humanimals are truly wild and pack killers that are clearly more beast than man. But now that we have chatted about them and their ways of killing, I think that its time to talk about the 1977 version of The Island Of Dr. Moreau that they are from. Like always, I will be taking the films’ plot from our good friends at IMDB and then after that I will write about the film’s production and then my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, let’s avoid The House Of Pain and just cite the law and take a look at this classic 70’s film.

The Island Of Dr. Moreau (1977)

“A ship-wrecked man floats ashore on an island in the Pacific Ocean. The island is inhabited by a scientist, Dr. Moreau, who in an experiment has turned beasts into human beings.”

In the late 1970’s American International Pictures were making films based on the works of H.G. Wells as they wanted to find their next big book author to based films around as they had found big success with doing ones based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe. They had already done “The Food Of The Gods” in 1976, and their next one was slated to be “The Island Of Dr. Moreau.” The film was able to get a $6 million dollar budget on the script by Al Ramrus and John Herman Shaner that of course was based on the book by Wells. The film would cast such names as Michael York, Barbara Carrera, Nigel Davenport, Richard Basehart, Nick Cravat, Fumio Demura and Burt Lancaster as Dr. Moreau. The film was directed by Don Taylor who had directed such films as Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971) and Tom Sawyer (1973) to name a few, with filming taking place on the Virgin Islands. The film had a 12 makeup artists on call who had to work fast, hard and cheaply pulling off the looks of the Animal People and would have to spend roughly five hours on the makeup on the actors. The film was a stressful shoot, and once done, Laurence Rosenthal was brought in to do the films score as he was not stranger to doing music for horror and sci-fi films. American International Pictures truly thought that they would have a big hit of their hands with this film as it was released to theaters on July 13, 1977, and with this release date it would come right after the July 4^th weekend. It was said that the film did poorly at the box office and barely did over its budget, and was met with very mixed reviews from critics and viewers. The film would later gain a cult following thanks to showing on TV as well as being released on home media. The film was released in 1977 alongside such other horror and sci-fi films as Orca The Killer Whale, Day Of The Animals, Empire Of The Ants, Tentacles, Kingdom Of The Spiders, The Hills Have Eyes, The Incredible Melting Man, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Return To Boggy Creek, Shock Waves and Suspiria, to name a few. As you can see, 1977 was a good year for animal themed fright flicks.

Growing up I was always a big fan of The Island Of Dr. Moreau, both the book and the films based around it with the first film version I ever saw being the 1932 one called “The Island Of Lost Souls” that starred Charles Laughton as Dr. Moreau. The first time I saw this 1977 version was when Grampa Munster hosted it on his TBS show Super Scary Saturday, and I was a fan as I liked the look of the animal people and I thought the jungle island setting was super cool. The Beast People are always the highlight of any film version ,and while many would think the special effects for The Beast People in this film is dated, I still really like the look with the Lionman being my favorite in the film. I also liked Bullman as he looks truly like a monster man; plus he fights a tiger near a pond! The acting in the film is good as I do think that Burt Lancaster was the right casting as Dr. Moreau, Barbara Carrera is stunning as Maria the cat woman and while Michael York slightly over acts I still find his performance to be good for the most part. The film really also plays up “The House Of Pain” being the place that none of the animal people want to go and that makes sense as who wants to be tortured in order to follow the rules of one crazed man. As a kid I always thought that this film was bigger than it was and can remember talking to my fellow classmates about it as we all liked the idea of animal people, and I can remember one time drawing pictures of them for art class and getting a good grade! Over the years of course I owned the Marvel Comics adaptation but I have also owned the film on VHS and DVD, not to mention have the film’s score on CD. For some reason this classic film has always been a big part of my life from a youngster to adulthood. If you have never seen this version of Dr. Moreau and really enjoy 70’s sci-fi horror films, you should do yourself a favor and give it a watch as you might just find yourself being a fan of the film like I am. Before we move on there are also many rumors that this film had many different endings filmed as they had a happier ending, a downbeat one and even one that saw Maria give birth to a baby kitten…not sure if it’s true as this mostly comes from actress Barbara Carrera.

We are now at the point of this update where we take a look at the Marvel Comics adaptation of the film, and this is a comic that I had as a kid and is one that I have read many times over the years…but it has been a very long time since the last time I did so I am very much looking forward to seeing if it still holds up for me. I want to first thank Mavericks Cards And Comics for having this comic in stock and making this update possible. I would like to also say that I wish Marvel Comics would still do these cool adaptations of horror and sci-fi films as they were always a big part of my youth reading comics. And like always I would like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head fully into this island and see what terrors await for us.

The Island Of Dr. Moreau # 1 ***
Released in 1977 Cover Price .50 Marvel Comics # 1 of 1

Andrew Braddock has wrecked at sea and has been in the ocean on his lifeboat the Lady Vain for a very long time, but he is filled with joy when he sees an island and quickly rows to get there. As his looks around the island for fresh water he is being followed and falls into a trap and is rescued by Dr. Moreau and his employee Mr. Montgomery who take him in and tend to his injuries. Braddock learns that Moreau has been on this island for eleven years and that he is very much happy here and that he does not get much visitors as boats do not pass by very often he also meets a little later Maria who was rescued as a child from being sold, meets M’Ling who is a weird looking servant, learns that Montgomery is a mercenary and heavy drinker who don’t like to answer questions and learns that the jungle is filled with wild animals and that he should not wonder around at dark and even during the day stick to one part of the compound that is not his temporary home. Late that night Braddock is scared when he sees a wagon appear and chained in the back is M’Ling who now looks more beast like and is acting crazy, and he soon sneaks into Moreau’s lab and finds people inside that look like animals and in shock again Moreau appears and tells him of his experiments that blend both animal and man together creating a new race of Humanimals and over the next nights Braddock both hates what is happing but also is very fascinated by it, he also finds himself falling in love with Maria and also witnesses how cruel Moreau can be to his created life as he whips a poor Bearman before Braddock’s eyes causing him to stop the attack, and during all this he is able to leave the compound with a rifle in hand to explore the near by mountain and what Braddock finds is a society of Humanimals that are not as happy to see him! He listens as The Law Giver says their laws, but the Lionman has heard enough and attacks Braddock who is saved by Moreau and Montgomery, and Lionman is taken away to The House Of Pain for breaking the law. Braddock watches as Moreau keeps his beast men in check and also learns that he might be stuck here forever, and with this he starts to think of a way to get himself and Maria off the island and away from this madness. But things go wrong when Bullman breaks the law and attacks and kills a tiger and is hunted down to be taken to The House Of Pain and during this he is injured and Braddock ends up shooting him to end his suffering…and this causes a major uproar with the Beast People. Moreau ends up being very upset and uses Braddock as an experiment to learn more about his drug that turns animals into man by turning a man into an animal, and this causes Moreau also to fight with Montgomery who ends up being shot and killed and the Beast People witness this murder, causing them to question the law! The Beast People end up killing Moreau and attack the compound to destroy it and the lab and only by luck is Braddock and Maria able to escape as M’Ling is not as lucky as he is killed by a tiger that got loose from the lab, while the rest of The Beast People are killed by the freed wild animals or the fire they started by accident. At the small Lady Vain lifeboat Braddock and Maria are confronted and have to kill Hyenaman before they can make their escape. Days pass and on the ocean Braddock returns back human and as they are about to be rescued by a approaching ship he turns to see that Maria is turning into a cat person.

This comic version of the 1977 film version of The Island Of Dr. Moreau is a really fun and creepy read, and Marvel Comics did a great job of bringing the film to comic pages and doing it right as the comic makes just enough changes to make it feel different but yet the same. The plot is about a shipwrecked man finding safety from the ocean he was lost on in a island that is ran by a scientist who has turned animals into people, and now he must survive this twisted new land and get himself and a young woman he meets off the island before they are torn to pieces by the Beast People who are revolting against the laws laid out for them. The main changes from the film to this comic is the ending as in the film Maria only has cat eyes and in the comic she turns full feline, another change is that at the start of the film Braddock has a fellow survivor who is attacked by the Beast People before he can find help and in the comic he just not shown. Also The Bullman trying to run to escape being punished in the House Of Pain, only to be shot and killed after a short time by Braddock is truly trimmed down to a few panels. But even with these changes I would truly say that Marvel Comics did this film justice with the adaptation that has held up for me after all these years as I was a fan of it when I was a kid and now as an adult I still find it to be a great read. The comic captures the uneasy horror of The Beast People turning savage after learning that they are not fully man and that the law they lived by was all a lie, plus the comic has some cool deaths that are not bloody but done effectively. My favorite kill is when Hyenaman is killed with a spike through his body by Braddock in order for him to truly get away from the island. The cover for this comic is really cool and eye catching as it shows the Beast People, Dr. Moreau and Braddock with Maria running away from them all. The interior art is done by Larry Hama is great stuff, and I really love the way he drew the Humanimals with once more the standouts being Lionman and Bullman! If you love the classic art style of 70’s Marvel Comics then truly Hama’s art will draw you into this story. Over all if you like this 70’s film classic and enjoyed the old comic adaptations of films make sure to give this one a read and add it to your collection.

The 1977 version of The Island Of Dr. Moreau is a great film that had some great creepy moments that featured Humanimals learning how to once more embrace their animal sides and fight against the laws and the man who created them and caused them so much pain and fear. But I think that it is time that we ourselves leave this island as it seems the Humanimals are not pleased that we have stayed so long. So as we make our way back to the boat, I should let you know that our next update will take us to The Black Hills Forest as we going looking for The Blair Witch! And as I said last update, 2026 is truly going to be the year of “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” updates, so strap in for a very spooky year! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update as we take a hike in some very haunted woods, I just hope the witch doesn’t make us stand in the corner!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: House II The Second Story (1987)

Posted on September 13, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update that is all about those awesome comics that are based on creepy horror and sci-fi films that give the fans a little more scares from their favorite films and movie baddies. I love talking about these types of comics and they are super fun to write about. This update will be a fun one as it’s about the horror comedy film House II: The Second Story and the Marvel Comics adaptation of it. Back in the day Marvel was a very cool company who made some great comics not only with their superhero series but also with their horror as well as the strange. So if you are ready, we have just been handed the keys from Marvel Comics and now it’s time for us to enter the House….House II that is.

Let’s first start off with talking about the main villain of House II and that is the undead supernatural outlaw cowboy named Slim Reeser and his ways of dealing death to those who cross his path. Slim Reeser in life was a cowboy adventurer who would help discover an Aztec Temple that house a crystal skull and after having falling out with his exploring partner and being shot and left for dead, his spirit felt wronged and could not find rest and returned to the land of the living twice as a zombie in order to get the skull back. Slim Reeser is undead and has a rotten zombie appearance and dressed in his cowboy gear. The sight of him alone is frightening and can cause panic and distress to those he crosses paths with; his voice is also very unearthly and can send a shiver down spines. Slim can also pass through time and this makes him very dangerous and unpredictable as he can come and go from current time back to his past time. Slim Reeser’s most deadly weapon are his guns as he is a good shot and is skilled with using six shooters the kill his enemies by pumping their gut full of lead. He is also fast and seems to kind of have teleporting ability. He can also take gun shot wounds and shrug them off. Even though he is a zombie, Slim Reeser does have weakness and can be stopped kind of as if takes a heck of a lot of bullets, his whole head being blown off and then having his body set on fire. Slim Reeser is pretty dangerous and can kill with skill with his guns, and while he is not like the other zombies we have covered here on Rotten Ink, he is a very evil one that we have covered on a From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update.

So as you can see, Slim Reeser is one mean outlaw cowboy who can deal out death with his trusty six-shooter and because he is supernatural he is very hard to kill. But let’s now take a look at the film he is from and that of course is House II: The Second Story. And for this part of the update I will be taking the film’s write up from our friends at IMDB and after that I will be writing about the film’s production and then after that I will be writing about my thoughts on the film. So if you are ready, let’s grab the Aztec Crystal Skull and hide as I am sure Slim is still looking for it.

House II: The Second Story (1987)

“Jesse moves to his biological parents’ house with his girlfriend Kate and soon he hosts his friend Charlie with his girlfriend. Jesse reads old documents and decides to go to the local cemetery with Charlie to unbury his grand grand grandfather to seek out an ancient powerful Aztec skull. They reanimate Gramps that soon befriends Jesse and Charlie. But demons cross gateways in the house to retrieve the magic skull and Jesse and Charlie need to go to other dimensions to retrieve the skull and keep Gramps alive.”

The 1986 Horror Comedy film House was a big hit for New World Pictures, and they as well as producer Sean S. Cunningham wanted to get a sequel out fast to cash in on its success. Ethan Wiley, who was the scriptwriter for the first film, returned to write the second film as well as would get on board the direct. House II: The Second Story was given the budget of $3 million dollars and was aiming for a PG-13 rating in order to get more younger viewers to the cinema to see it as it was going to play more for laughs as well as introduce a new mansion with silly characters. The film would not be connected to the first film and would be a sequel in name only and would showcase another haunted house this time tied into a Aztec Crystal Skull that also featured characters from the Wild West. The film would cast Arye Gross, Johnathan Stark, Royal Dano, Bill Maher, John Ratzenberger and Lar Park Lincoin in main roles and would also feature Kane Hodder, Mitzi Kapture and the voice work of Frank Welker. The film was shot fast and cheap, and Harry Manfredini was brought in to do the score work again. It was released to theaters on August 28, 1987 and was met with mostly negative reviews from critics and very mixed reviews from viewers. The film would go on to bring in over $10million dollars and would help spark two more sequels in the series and would be #94 for the year at the American box office. The film would find a bigger fan base when released on VHS and was a popular rental at the time of release. The film when released along side such other horror films in 1987 as Hellraiser, Evil Dead 2, The Lost Boys, A Nightmare On Elm Street Part 3: The Dream Warriors, Jaws The Revenge, Creepshow 2, Slaughterhouse, Monster Squad, The Video Dead, Predator, Slumber Party Massacre 2 and The Howling III to name a few. So as you can see, it kind of got lost in the shuffle of horror.

House II was one of those films I can remember seeing for the first time on HBO and watching it several times alongside my brother as I found it to be a fun film geared more towards kids and I was one of them at the time of seeing it. While even back then I would say that it was not even in the same league as the first film, it did bring something new to the growing series as it took place in a new home and featured a new group of people being tormented by the supernatural and added in the old western characters that made it stand out even more for me as I liked the look and badass nature of Slim Reeser and Gramps McLaughlin was silly and made me laugh when he had to try and get use to life in the 1980’s. Plus seeing actor John Ratzenberger, who I knew as postman Cliff Clavin on the sitcom Cheers, play the part of Bill who was a electrician was really cool as George Wendt plated Harold Gorton the neighbor in the first film and he was Norm on Cheers…so the House series has a connection to Cheers. And House II was one of those films that as I got older more and more people I knew who liked Horror would trash it and even many would rank it as one of the worst sequels in Horror film history. I think that is a little harsh as while it is not perfect I have see way worse from bigger series. The thing with House II is that it came out a big year for horror that featured many big series debuting and having sequels and I think House II was just lost in the shuffle and to be honest the PG-13 rating I think really hurt it when it came to horror fans checking it out. And when on home media I first owned the film on VHS and currently have it on DVD and have no plans to upgrade to the Blu-Ray release. House II was fallowed by House III: The Horror Show in 1989 and House IV: The Repossession in 1992 and with the fourth film the series would end it and no new plans for any future sequels are in the works as of this update. If you like 80’s horror comedies and have not seen House II, give it a watch and see if you enjoy it.

So now that we have talked about House II: The Second Story the film and Slim Reeser, the main villain of the film, I think it’s time that we take a look at the Marvel Comic version based on it that was released back in the day when New World Pictures owned Marvel Comics and they were making issues based on some of their films and TV shows and House II was one of them that got this treatment. I would like to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics for having this comic in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to that old McLaughlin Mansion and see if Gramps and the Crystal Skull are still around and what kind of danger they are into this time.

House II # 1 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price $2.00 Marvel # 1 of 1

At the McLaughlin Mansion, a young baby is taken away to safety as the parents are gunned down shortly after by a stranger in a long coat. Decades later that baby has grown up and is Jesse McLaughlin, and he and his record executive girlfriend Kate have inherited the mansion now and right as they move in Jesse’s best friend Charlie Coriell and his punk rock singer girlfriend Lana come to visit and help, and as Kate thinks about signing Lana to a record deal Jesse and Charlie come up with an idea to dig up his great, great grandfather as they think he might have been buried with a priceless and rare crystal skull after finding some old books about the families history. While at the graveyard Jesse tells Charlie about his great great grandfathers outlaw past and how he and his one time partner Slim Reeser became enemies. And once they open the casket they see the crystal skull and crazy enough the dead man rises as the skull has given him eternal life as long as its around and they end up taking him back to the mansion. They end up calling him Gramps and the next day he tells them about is life in the Old West as Kate and Lana go out to lunch with John Statmen the boss of the record company with the ladies unaware that Jesse’s dead relative is staying in the basement. Jesse and Charlie spend all day in the basement drinking beer and listening to Gramps tell stories, but as they hear a noise and head upstairs they find that a Halloween party is taking place an worse for Jesse his old girlfriend Rochelle is around and Gramps has made his way up stairs and is now at the party! As the party goes on a mountain of a barbarian shows up and steals the Crystal Skull and even knocks around Gramps before he makes his escape into a room that is now housing a jungle, and Jesse and Charlie go into it after sending all the party guests home in order to find the skull as with it away Gramps is getting weaker and dying. But they also make Kate and Lana angry who leave the mansion in a huff, but once in the jungle Jesse and Charlie watch as the barbarian is eaten by a dinosaur and when they get the Crystal Skull back they bring back also a baby pterodactyl and a Cater-Puppy! And before they can return the skull back to the mansion’s fireplace mantel Kate returns home and finds that Rochelle is still at the mansion and thinks Jesse is cheating and leaves the house for good this time, and after they also get Rochelle out of the house Gramps is attacked by a Aztec Warrior who takes the skull and disappears in the mansion with it. Jesse and Charlie thanks to an electrician named Bill Towner find a hidden dimension behind a wall in the mansion and they go in and defeat the Aztec Warriors and get the Crystal Skull back and even save a Aztec Woman who was going to be sacrificed. Once back at the mansion Bill leaves and Jesse has a “family” dinner with Charlie, Gramps, Aztec Woman, Cater-Puppy and the Baby Pterodactyl but the meal is interrupted by Slim Reeser who shoots Gramps and is able to not only grab the Crystal Skull but also kidnaps Charlie and the Aztec Woman and takes them to a western town! Jesse armed with a shotgun has a gunfight with Slim inside and outside the western town an the gunfire alerts the cops who arrive and surround the house! In the end Jesse is able to kill Slim for good, the cops open fire on the house when one of Slim’s bullets hits an officer and this sparks a house fire, Gramps dies from his bullet wound and Jesse returns to the western world and stays their with his new “family”.

House II made for a very fun comic and proves that Marvel Comics should have one more adaptations of New World Pictures Horror films when the film company owned them. The comic’s plot is very simple and has a young man being left a massive family mansion that has a curse around it all because of a Crystal Skill that is said to have powers including eternal life, but after his Great, Great Grandfather returns from the grave the mansion becomes a hotbed for other dimensions and many baddies want to get their hands on that skull and that includes a western outlaw that was once the friend of Gramps. The main hero of this story is Jesse McLaughlin whose parents were murdered and had to grow up in foster care, and once his Gramps returns from the grave he will do whatever it takes to keep him as well as his friends safe from the curse. Charlie Coriell is a goofy man but a loyal friend who goes along for the strange ride and adventure with his best friend and not only risks his life but also just accepts all the strange going things happening. Gramps McLaughlin has been dead for over 70 years when he returns to share his wild stories of the wild west as well as explain the powers of the Crystal Skull that has kept him alive some ways after all these years, but while he talks a big game he is the reason for all the trouble and looses the skull several times in the short amount of time its been back at the mansion, in other words besides stories Gramps is kind of a pain. The other characters like Kate, Rochelle, Lana, John Statmen, Aztec Woman, Baby Pterodactyl, Bill Towner and Cater-Puppy are all around and help the story in their own ways. Slim Reeser is the comic’s main villain and is a undead outlaw gunslinger who wants to get the Crystal Skull as he feels he should be the owner and not Gramps as they found it together, Slim is skilled with his guns and has killed many people in his time and will do what it takes to get that skull. Also around wanting that skull and adding danger are a massive Barbarian and Aztec Warriors all who will also do what it takes to claim it! This is a well done adaptation and while many elements are missing or told a little different to keep the page count down and the story moving along, it still for the most part keeps true to the film. The film is not bloody at all but does have several moments of death with my favorite kill of the issue being the death of Slim Reeser as he gets his head shot off and then his body is hit with multiple bullets and then catches on fire…a true brutal death for such an evil undead outlaw. The cover for this comic is really cool and eye catching as it show cases Slim standing in front of the mansion as the hands of Gramps are coming out of the ground, spooky stuff for the young readers. The interior art was done by Alan Kupperberg who is a talented artist, and his style fit really well in bringing House II to the world of comic books. He is also known for his work on Spider-Man titles for Marvel. Over all, this is a really fun adaptation that showcases a time when Marvel Comics was making some amazing Horror titles that tied into films, so if you have not read it make sure to do so if you enjoy the film. Checkout the artwork below to see the style of Kupperberg used in this comic.

House II is truly one of those sequels that fans either love or hate, but even those who hate it have to admit that it is pretty cool that the film got the Marvel Comics treatment. In fact, some years back, I did a write up about the House II comic book for a horror magazine released in Spain called Monster Mash by Fester Entertainment. I would also like for you readers to take a moment to think about what other horror comics based on New World Pictures you would have liked to have seen Marvel Comics do around this time as keep in mind they also did release Hellriaser and Elvira Mistress Of The Dark comics. But as you can see, we have reached the end of this From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update and I would like to say that our next update will be another From Horror Movie To Horror Comic one as our countdown to Halloween 2025 continues as it will be about the 1986 Musical Remake of Little Shop Of Horrors! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update for an update that will entertain you with both fear and laughter.

American Summer Hero: Popsicles

Posted on July 4, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink! I don’t know about you, but I both love and hate Summer time! I am all about the bright skies and the lazy evenings but what I do not like is when it’s way to0 hot and muggy out and it just makes your day miserable! But you know what makes for a great treat and a way to cool down during the heat of the summer sun? You guessed it, a good old fashioned Popsicle, the classic frozen treat that has been a staple of American summers for decades! And today’s quick update is about Popsicles and the Marvel Comic based on them…that’s right, in 2015 Marvel Comics did a promo comic for Popsicles that had a superhero team of them fighting the summer heat. And this of course had to get the Rotten Ink treatment at some point. So sit back, relax and let’s take a fruity frozen treat trip with the Popsicles that saved summer…wait, I wonder if they could stop global warming? We need to call The Flavor Force and find out! Oh and Happy July 4^th!!

Popsicle started way back in 1905 when youngster Frank Epperson left a flavored drink with a stir stick still in the liquid outside over night and it froze over into a tasty treat! When Frank grew up he would in 1922 make some of his frozen treats for a fireman’s ball and they were a big hit and this caused him to start selling them at Neptune Beach an amusement park in California and they were called “The Epsicle Ice Pop” back then as Epperson was very proud of his tasty mistake. But after a short while he would name it Popsicle as they were being marketed as frozen drinks on a stick. But in 1925 Frank would find himself at odds with Good Humor a frozen ice cream like products who felt that some of Frank’s tasty snacks were to similar to theirs and this caused him to have to pay them a fee, and later Frank would sell the Popsicle to Joe Lowe Company who by 1989 sold the rights to Good Humor who would in the end be the rulers of Summer Time treats! As once Good Humor took over the classic Popsicle would spin off into such things as Fudgsicle and Creamsicle both that are just as iconic as the treat that spawned them. And Popsicle is still a very popular treat that is a staple item for most Ice Cream Trucks and Carts all over America and Canada. I should also say that in 1939 Popsicle had a mascot with Popsicle Pete who was just a normal kid who loved his Popsicles and made his first appearance on the radio show “Buck Rogers In The 25^th Century”.

We have to take a moment to also talk about ice cream and other frozen treats as the small village I grew up in did not see the ice cream trucks very much, and we would have to get our frozen treats from the grocery stores like Big Bear or hit up the Dairy Corner. But when we would go to Kettering, the place my grandparents lived, we would get some ice cream from the trucks and some of my favorites to get was the WWF Superstars ice cream bars that would feature a wrestler on the snack and would also come with a collectible trading card. I would also get the Firecracker Popsicle, the classic Baseball Glove ice cream bar and another favorite was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ice cream bar! Also while in town, we would sometimes get some ice cream from UDF (United Dairy Farmers) where I would want Superman Ice Cream and we would get milkshakes from Jet Freeze, one of my favorite ice cream shops that I still go to. But when chatting with my friend Marc Gras, who lives in Spain and is a comic book artist that has worked on such titles for Sparkle and Blood Scream Comics as Final Revenge # 1-2, Black Lion # 0, Don’t Look In The Basement # 1 and Bone Hill Road # 1-2 to name a few, about ice cream and snack food mascots, he brought up that in Spain they have Dracula ice cream….yes ice cream bars that are named and inspired by the vampire Count Dracula that is black ice cream with a red center….this is awesome, and I wish we had this brand of ice cream here in America! Way back when we had a similar ice cream bar called “Vampire’s Deadly Secret” that was made by Good Humor for ice cream trucks, but it was long gone before I was a kid, but ours was more of a cherry flavor while many of the European ones have a more strawberry flavor. Come on Good Humor, bring back the Vampire Secret bars, they would make a perfect treat for the Halloween season!

Man I really do hope that Dracula ice cream or Vampire’s Deadly Secret or whatever you want to call it does make a return to American stores and ice cream trucks as it’s about time we put a little scare into our ice cream again! But let’s get back on topic and talk about Popsicles and the Marvel Comic based around them as superheroes! I want to first say that I love when companies do promo comics and really do think that more fast food restaurants and other food products that have mascots should be doing this! And then I would like to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics who saved me a copy of this comic way back in 2015 and made this update possible. I would also like to remind you all that I grade this book on a standard 1-4 star system and am looking for how well the comic stays to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So with that, let’s grab a Popsicle and sit back and see how The Flavor Force saves the world from a very hot summer.

Popsicle # 1 **1/2
Released in 2015 Cover Price FREE Marvel # 1 of 1

The issue starts with a brief history of Frank Epperson and how he created the first Popsicle in 1905, and the three Popsicle Heroes pay him respect! Next Cherry Popsicle is out hanging with some kids when Lord Weather Vane, the leader of the Anti-Flavor Foundation, strikes and is causing massive heat that melts Cherry! But thanks to his electric super powers he is able to freeze up again and cause all the air conditioners to work hard and help keep people cool and this angers Lord Vane! Some time later Lord Vane is in his hideout and is plotting more ways to try and ruin summer but his plot is over heard by Orange Popsicle who is super smart, and when he thinks he has frozen her, Orange makes a ice statue of herself and escape the hideout to alert her friends and it’s only sometime later that Vane figures out he has been tricked. We then join The Flavor Force on top of a building were Orange and Cherry ask Grape how he got his super powers and the purple hero mumbles about heat, humidity, and Lord Weather Vane and then coughs when he says what his power is as they others just go along with it as they fly around the city trying to save people from the summer heat. Lord Weather Vane meets The Flavor Force in the park with his own group of frozen treats that he calls The Freezer Burns that include Grass, Sea Water and Turkey Gravy and they are looking for a fight! And a fight they get when Cherry uses his electric powers to melt them and as they are puddles they thank them for saving them as they know that they were gross flavors! Lord Weather Vane then decides that he will attack a cruise ship next and this is quickly stopped when Grape knocks him over board and into the cold water below. Mad cause he keeps getting beat, Lord Weather Vane decides to make his robots build him a space ship so he can ruin summer in space, but Cherry stops him this time and throws a disco rave for the bots who stop working to party! The Flavor Force then travel to space as it appears Lord Weather Vane has made the sun even hotter trying to ruin summer, and Orange is able to use a cooling beam on their ship to make it cooler and saving summer for the time being. But Grape is finally the one who stops Lord Weather Vane as he asks him why he hates summer and is able to talk him down and leave summer alone! And then Grape showcases his power is laser eyes!

This is a very silly and basic kids promo comic that is used to promote a food product that most kids eat all the time for a treat during those hot summer days, and teaming with Marvel Comics to give away for free at Comic Shops was a very wise move to help spread the word even more that Popsicles are where it’s at! This comic’s plot is about three super powered Popsicles who are trying to save summer from blistering heat that is being created by Lord Weather Vane, a bitter man who can control weather who wants to ruin the summer fun for everyone! And of course by the end of this comic, our frozen pop heroes end up talking the baddies down and learn that he is doing this because his feelings were hurt by people who complain about the weather. The heroes of this comic go by The Flavor Forcem and while they do have names I just call them by their flavoring as I did not catch what the name of Cherry Popsicle was but he does have the power of electricity, while the female Orange Popsicle who is super smart is named Mandy and the Grape Popsicle who has laser beam eyes is named Pete. They all got their powers when facing Lord Vane and each use their powers to try and stop him and for good deeds. I think my favorite hero is Pete the Grape Popsicle as he is kind of a strange dude who does not share his powers nor how he got them with his friends until the end of the issue…and he is the one who really ends the summer heat as he just talks with their nemesis and learns to understand his sadness. The main villain is Lord Weather Vane, an older guy who can control the weather and seems to hate the happiness of others, he also clearly likes making things as hot as Hell and can even create his own beings that he tries to get to help him in his quest to ruin summer. But while he starts out evil it’s clear he is not a bad guy, just a sad one who feels people do not respect him and what he does. The Freezer Burns are a trio of gross flavored Popsicles that Lord Van created in order to fight The Flavor Force and also ruin the tastebuds of those who eat them! As who wants a frozen treat that taste like Turkey Gravy, Sea Water and Grass! But they are no match and our heroes take them down with ease. The action aka fights are more done with words with some time action as there is some melting going on and the jokes are as corny as you would think they world be, but I have to say I did really enjoy this as it made me think back to when I was a kid and read comics based on the Quik Bunny, Cap’n Crunch and Sugar Bear and brought some fun stories to the junk food I was eating. The cover for this comic is very eye catching and looks like a true kids comic that you would have found on your local comic shop shelves, and the interior art was done by Tom Grummet and is really good stuff and looks like a classic kids comic from the early 90’s. Speaking of classic kids comics, I wish that Marvel would have brought back the Star Comics brand to do this comic and would have continued making promo comics based on food mascots as well as cartoons to give away at shops and events…in other words bring back Star Comics! Over all this was a fun silly read and did it’s job as after reading it I wanted a Popsicle! Check out the artwork below to see the art style of Grummet used in this kids promo comic by Marvel.

While Popsicle the comic book was not Earth shattering stuff, it was a fun and quick entertaining read that did a great job of promoting the frozen treat and brought some life to a product that has been around for many decades and as well gave the company new mascots for a while as poor Popsicle Pete, the human version, had been in the mascot retirement home for many years…and you have to give them some credit as naming the Grape Popsicle Pete clearly was in honor of their first mascot. I would really like to see Marvel Comics do more promo comics like this in the future as items like this do help younger readers find their way to comic books and lord knows that the comic industry needs to draw in younger readers again. But now that we have cooled off and have had a Popsicle or two I think its time that I tell you readers about our next update that will take us away from The Flavor Force and back into the world of Horror as we will be taking a look at the 1896 Silent Horror Film “House Of The Devil” that is said to be the first horror film made as well as the first Vampire film! So until next time, have a great July 4^th, read a comic or three, watch a movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update for a spooky silent good time!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Predator 2 (1990)

Posted on March 12, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update as this is one that has been on my list to cover for a while now as it is a film that I grew up a fan of and even had these comics shortly after it was released in my collection. The topic is Predator 2, the cool sequel that takes our alien hunter out of the jungle and into the concrete jungle of a big city! And in this one he takes on a strong willed cop and not a mercenary. Predator 2 is one of those films that got a comic that could have also been covered on a “Alien Invasion” update, but I feel it’s more fitting for a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” on as this film brings on the kills, blood and scares as The Predator stalks the streets and makes anyone armed the prey, and that means good guys and not just the bad guys! So if you are ready, let’s head out into the city heat and not only avoid the everyday criminals but also one that has came from outer space and wants to collect skulls as trophies.

Let’s take a look at The Predator from Predator 2 ,and his ways of dealing death to those he is hunting! The Predator is a massive alien from outer space who is using the city of LA, California as his hunting ground and he has the means and weapons to make many people dead. First he has the ability to cloak and become invisible to the human eye, making it possible for him to stalk and kill you without even seeing him. And when you do see him, his massive monstrous appearance strikes fear into the hearts of those unlucky to lay eyes on him as he is one ugly creature. He also is very smart and wears armor and a helmet with the helmet making him able to see body heat, bright lights as well as mimic the voices of humans, making his helmet a very important part of his arsenal. The weapons he has are his arm blades, two razor sharp blades that are on his wrist that can shred human skin and cut through bone, Combistick a spear with a blade at the end of it, Netgun a gun that fires a net at high speed that can capture as well as kill as it cuts through skin, Energy Flechette a missile that he can fire from his wrist, Smart Disc a circle blade weapon that he can throw and it finds its target can cut a person in half, Self-Destruct Device that he wears on his write that once activated and goes off is like a mini nuclear bomb, and finally he also has his Plasmacaster a shoulder cannon that locks on a target and can blow a massive hole through them. As you can see, his weapons are all tools to kill and can make short work out of almost all he comes across. The Predator stands well over 7 feet tall and is also very strong as he can kill a person with his bare hands in seconds; he is also skilled at hunting and messing with his prey in other words The Predator is one mean killing machine who if he wants you dead…you are. While the Predator is an alien, he can be hurt and killed like any other living being as guns, sharp objects, extreme cold and falls can kill or injure him and make his green blood spill. His pride in hunting can also do him in as even when hurt his passion to keep going kicks in and can cause him to make some mistakes that could lead to his death. But while he has weaknesses luck is the only thing that will help you if you come face to face with The Predator as he is one dangerous killer and is one of the more dangerous killers we have showcased on a From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update.

So now that we looked at The Predator from the second film in the series, I think it’s now time that we take a look at the film itself. I would like to remind you that I will be taking the film’s write up from our friends at IMDB and then will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts. So let’s try and avoid being hunted and chat about Predator 2.

Predator 2 (1990)

“LAPD lieutenant Mike Harrigan and his cocky detective partner Jerry Lambert (soon realize that what seemed a bloody feud between voodoo high priest King Willie’s Jamaican gangs and Ramon Vega’s Colombian drug gang is actually the work of a scary third party. Peter Keyes’s federal team shields the crime scene even for the LAPD, but after forensics proves it must be an alien, who keeps making victims, the chase brings them all together.”

The 1987 film Predator was a big hit for 20^th Century Fox and this sparked them having interest in doing a sequel and had screenwriters Jim & John Thomas to come up with ideas and after many failed pitches it was the idea of having The Predator hunting in a urban setting that got the green light. The producer of the film was Joel Silver and his first action was to bring Stephen Hopkins to direct, and he worked closely with the Thomas Brothers to try and get the film as epic as they could, and Hopkins was no stranger to horror as in 1989 he was the director for “A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child” and he was a good choice to helm this film. When casting the lead role of Lieutenant Mike Harrigan names like Steven Seagal and Patrick Swayze was brought up but Danny Glover ended up with the role, others actors brought in for key parts included Gary Busey, Bill Paxton, Maria Conchita Alonso, Adam Baldwin, Ruben Blades and Robert Davi and Kevin Peter Hall returned to play The Predator and in small cameo rolls was TV talk show host Morton Downey Jr. and adult film actress Teri Weigel. And while Arnold Schwarzenegger was supposed to return as Dutch, a pay dispute seen him leaving the film but Elpidia Carrillo returned in a very small cameo as Anna Gonsalves from the first film. The look and suit of The Predator had some minor changes and they even made the decision to have a skull from a Xenomorph as s set piece. The film has a normal stressful production and was released in theaters on November 21, 1990 and did well at the box office in American brining in $30,669,413.00 on a budget of around $20 million, placing in at # 38 for the year and beat out such other Horror Films as Child’s Play 2, Jacob’s Ladder, The Exorcist III, The First Power, The Guardian, Tales From The Darkside The Movie and Tremors. The film was also scored by Alan Silvestri and is a great follow up to the original and over the years has built up a cult following.

I am going to say this first thing I am a fan of Predator 2 and have been since it was released and behind the original film, it is my second favorite in the series! I had not only the film on VHS but also had the comic adaptation, the novel adaptation and had the video game for the Sega Genesis and I have never understood why this film over the years has gotten so much hate from critics and fans of the series. The film has an amazing cast with Danny Glover being fantastic as the badass cop Lieutenant Harrigan who is a great hero for as he really goes after and takes the fight to the Predator. I also like his fellow officers and team Danny Boy, Leona and Jerry as they all make such a great team and are played by some topnotch actors Ruben Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso and Bill Paxton. Plus it stars Gary Busey who was an actor I liked at the time and before he truly became all crazy and touchy to female fans at Horror and Comic Conventions. Plus I really liked that the second film took The Predator out of the jungle and dropped him into a big city and having it take place during a heat wave was a smart move as the hot climate mirrored the jungle, and doing like this made it not seem like a rehash of the first film. I also think that the film had some really cool and impactful kills as the deaths of both Jerry and Danny Boy are sad and the brutal killings of the drug pushers have you cheering as the Predator shows no mercy. Also the film is very quotable as I cannot count how many times I have done the speech given by one of King Willies men to one of their victims about voodoo and taking souls. It’s truly a great line, and I have also done the “Want Some Candy” line with a robotic sounding voice. The film when released as well I can remember the TV ads, the poster in the paper for screening times at the local theaters as well as it being on the cover and covered in Fangoria Magazine. Again to sum it up, I am a fan of Predator 2 and do not understand the hate the film gets and I think that if you are one of those who hate it and have not watched it in awhile, go back and re-watch it and remove the “its not like the first film” from your mind and I think you just might enjoy it.

So now that we have talked about The Predator as well as the film Predator 2, I think we are now at the point of this update that we review the comic based around said film! And to be honest, this is one that I have had on the list of comics that I wanted to do an update about and it has taken me way too long to get to it so I am really glad that the time has come for me to do so. I want to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics for having these comics in stock and making this update possible. I want to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to L.A. as I hear they are having a bad heat wave and that The Predator has returned as he really has developed a taste for fresh beef straight out of the slaughterhouse here on Earth.

Predator 2 # 1 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 1 of 2

The year is 1997 and with the temperature reaching 109 degrees, a shoot out between the cops and some of the El Scorpios drug gang has broken out in the street leaving a cop bleeding to death and both sides exchanging gunfire. But when Lieutenant Harrigan shows up he is able to use his own car as a battering ram and gets the officers a chance to save the dying officer as well as take out a few of the gangs members. But Harrigan and his team that consists of Danny Boy and Leona are told to stay out of the building that the rest of the gang is hiding in as a special unit team has been called in, but Harrigan and his men don’t listen and go in and end up finding the bodies of many of the gangsters as they have been slaughtered and one member even falls from the roof to his death after seeing the outline of The Predator who was in the building and killed all the gang members. Back at the station Harrigan and his men are in trouble for disobeying orders, learns that a Federal Task Force has been called in to tackle the drug war and it will be run by an Agent Peter Keyes and he also gets a new part of his team with Jerry Lambert. Later that night the Predator attacks a group of the rival gangs member that are lead by King Willie who is a voodoo priest, and once more Harrigan and his men don’t listen to orders and get in big trouble when after Danny Boy is killed while looking into the murder scene. And Keyes and his men threaten Harrigan if he keeps interfering in their crime scenes. But after Danny’s funeral, Harrigan is on a personal mission to find the killer and even lets Keye’s know that his words mean nothing to him as Leona and Jerry stay with Harrigan and come up with a plan to find out who Keyes really is, what he knows about this killer on the loose and to find and track said killer to pay him back for taking out their fellow officer and friend. Later that night Harrigan meets with the drug lord King Willie to find out if he knows who this killer of his men as well as all the others is, and Willie tells him that the killer is from the other side before they part ways. The Predator then comes for Willie and ends the voodoo man’s life.

This is really a fun read, and if you are a fan of Predator 2 like I am this comic adaptation does the film justice as well as adds its own touch to the story as it takes away element from the film in order to speed up the story and make it fit into two issues. Like while much of the violence is around it is not as bloody as the film, the comic also has the events pretty much taken from the side of Harrigan as he acts as the narrator and moves the story along and moments that are cut from the panels are showcased in his words. The one part that I wish that was not cut from the story so much was Jerry Lambert joining the team as in the film it’s a really cool scene as they all kind of bust his balls, but in the comic he just kind of joins. The plot is very simple and has the city of L.A. in big trouble as a drug war is going on and the temperature is so high that tempers are out of control, and worse the cops are now having to find a killer who is killing people on all sides and that means the drug dealers as well as the officers…and things get worse when the government send a team in to take control and they are full of secrets and are hiding the truth from the cops. Lieutenant Harrigan is the hero of our story and is a cop who does not take crap from anyone, he breaks the rules all the time but it cause he wants to bring down the bad guys and do his job right and that is to serve and protect the innocent as well as watch the backs of his fellow officers. He is super skilled when it comes to shooting and his never back down attitude is what makes him the target of The Predator as he see’s Harrigan as the ultimate hunt in L.A. and he ain’t wrong. Harrigan’s team are much like him great cops who break the rules but get the job done and they are all very great characters and make a great team as Danny Boy, Leona and Jerry are the kind of partners you would want on your side if you were a cop. Keyes and his team are slimey as they threaten and use intimidation to try and get people to fall in line to what they want them to do. And while the feuding drug pushers are around they are a non-factor once The Predator enters the city as he makes quick work of them all including King Willie, who is a very powerful boss as well as a voodoo priest. I do wish that the comic was a little more bloody but I do think fans of the red stuff will not be let down by this comic. The cover is pretty cool and is a still from the movie and shows The Predator in all his glory, and the interior artwork is done by Dan Barry and is great stuff as he was working on many of Dark Horse Comics Predator series around this time. This is a great read and leaves us on the cliffhanger of King Willie being killed by the alien hunter, and makes me want to see what the second issue has in store.

Predator 2 # 2 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 2 of 2

Lieutenant Harrigan is visiting the grave of his friend Danny Boy when he finds apart of his friends necklace hanging from the tree and he knows that the killer is playing games with him. Once back at the station Harrigan meets up with Leona and Jerry who he tells to take the subway towards the slaughterhouse as a tip found on the body of Danny Boy leads them to the killer might be using it as a hideout and at one point Jerry confirms that while tracking Keyes he lost him around that area. But while on the train the Predator attacks and kills many of the civilians as well as kills Jerry and steals his skull as a trophy. And the Predator only let Leona live because she was pregnant, but when Harrigan arrives on the scene he see’s the Predator and gives chase for the alien through the streets of L.A. but losses him. As Harrigan keeps tracking The Predator he runs into Keyes and his men who finally inform the officer that the killer he is looking for is an alien who is the ultimate hunter and he is killing people in the city due to the high heat and the high crime rate as this is the perfect hunting ground for him. Harrigan then watches and Keyes and some of his men head into the slaughter house with the idea to capture the Predator in order to study its technology…they fail and are all killed by him. But Harrigan once more goes after the Predator and even is able to cut off one of the aliens hands! Harrigan tracks the Predator to his own ship and the two have a final showdown and Harrigan is able to kill it with his own Smart Disc, and as the Predator dies more of his kind appear on the ship and take their fallen friend away as one gives Harrigan a dueling pistol and allows him to leave the ship alive. The Predator’s ship takes off back to space as Harrigan looks to the sky and knows that they will return someday.

The second issue in this adaptation of Predator 2 does the film justice as well and is a great read for fans of the film as the plot of this second issue has Harrigan and the remaining members of his team going on the hunt for the one who killed their friend only for them to be the ones being hunted and Harrigan must come face to face with The Predator and have a showdown that will leave only one of them alive and the alien hunter learns he messed with the wrong cop! Lieutenant Harrigan in this issue has had enough as he totally goes against orders and even stands up to Keyes and his men letting them know that they don’t scare him and that he will do what he has to do to bring down the killer, and he does just that as even after finding out the killer is a massive alien he still goes after it full force and is able to cut the alien down to size using the hunters own weapon to end it’s life! Poor Jerry ends up getting killed in this issue and his skull and spine removed as Leona is left alive but is very much left in shock on what she has seen. The Predator himself is very skilled and also a little cruel as he seems to enjoy trying to bait and anger Harrigan throughout as he leaves Danny Boy’s necklace for Harrigan to find as well as removes Jerry’s skull right in front of him, but while The Predator is skilled I think he was also a little to cocky and that is why he ends up getting taken down in the end. Keyes and his men as well are way to cocky and think that they can just freeze and capture the Predator and they learn very quickly they are out skilled and out smarted and are left as dead as the meat hanging in the slaughterhouse! The second issue has some blood and cool kills and I have to say both human and alien blood is spilled. The cover for this issue as well is a still from the movie and is pretty great as its one of the most iconic images from the film, and like before Dan Barry is the interior artist and his work is great stuff and has the early Dark Horse Comics style and those who grew up reading such comics as Terminator, Pumpkinhead and Aliens from them will know what I mean. This is a very cool adaptation and while as I said moments from the film are missing or are condensed down it still is a very solid read and one I enjoyed back then and still do now. Checkout the artwork below to see they style of Dan Barry as I really do like the way he draws The Predator. Oh and I should also say for those wondering, the characters in the comic do not look like the actors from the film so those wanting to see Danny Glover, Gary Busey and Bill Paxton might be a little disappointed.

The film Predator 2 made for a great comic adaptation as the film is filled with lots of action and some great kills that are just perfect for pages in a comic book. The one thing is the first film from 1987 never did get the comic book treatment and that’s crazy as it really should have, as imagine seeing a drawn Dutch doing battle against the Predator in the jungle…that would have been awesome. And what is cool for fans of the Predator films is that over the years many different comic series have been made featuring them, and while Dark Horse Comics has the most released, even Marvel Comics more recently has released some issues. But as you can see, this “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update has come to an end as we have survived the heat as well as the Predator, and I think that it’s time for me to tell you that our next update will take us to the Rotten Ink Arena as we take a look at another Indie Luchador File! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update as this Luchador was a true legend on the indies and really likes the color Blue!

Thanksgiving Looney Tunes Style Starring Sylvester & Tweety

Posted on November 28, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. As you can see, it’s Thanksgiving 2024, and I think it’s time to once more take a walk into the world of cartoons and more specifically Looney Tunes as these cartoons were such a big part of so many people’s childhood and make for a fun holiday update. Who doesn’t want to talk about the likes of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, all characters we have covered before here on Rotten Ink, but for this Turkey Day update, we will be talking about Sylvester and Tweety, who are some of the biggest stars in the world of cartoon duos. This will be a fun and silly update that will add some fun and silliness to your Thanksgiving, and as the turkey and ham are still in the oven and the potatoes have yet to be mashed, let’s sit back enjoy this holiday and see what Tweety and Sylvester have in store for us. I also want to thank you all very quickly for spending apart of your Thanksgiving with me here at Rotten Ink, and I truly hope that these Thanksgiving Day updates make your holiday just a little more fun.

Sylvester Pussycat Sr. first appeared in 1939 as an early version of the character in the cartoon “Naughty But Mice,” and the Sylvester we all know and love came around in 1945 in the toon “Life With Feathers,” and the character was created by Friz Freleng. Sylvester is the sworn enemy of Tweety Bird and is a tuxedo cat whose fur is black and white with a red nose. He has a speech impediment and has several different personalities. Sometimes he’s sneaky and other times he’s more of a caring feline. He is has son named Sylvester Jr. and also is the mentor for Furrball. Besides starring in the regular Looney Tune cartoons, he is also featured in the films “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, “Space Jam”, “Lonney Tunes: Back In Action” and “Space Jam: A New Legacy”. Sylvester over the years in his many different appearances has been voiced by the likes of Mel Blanc, Bill Farmer, Jeff Bergman, Terry Klassen and Eric Bauza, to name a few. Tweety is a yellow canary who has a high pitched voice, big blue eyes and long eyelashes and made his first appearance in 1942 in the cartoon “A Tale Of Two Kitties” and quickly became one of the series most loved characters. Tweety is a sweet character for the most part, but also really does love getting cats that are trying to eat him in trouble or even causing them harm! Tweety was created by Bob Clampett and over the years has been voiced by such actors as Mel Blanc, Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen and Billy West. Tweety has appeared in films as well as many other merchandise and even at one point a very popular tattoo for women. So as you can see, both Tweety and Sylvester are very iconic and popular characters in the Looney Tune universe and are at the top of the pack just behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig for most toon fanatics.

Both Sylvester and Tweety have had their fair share of cool merchandise for fans to collect that include shirts, posters, trading cards, action figures, plush dolls, drinking glasses, board games, video games, coloring books, key chains, home media, comic books, candy, masks, hats, stickers, buttons, school supplies and so much more! No joke, if you are a fan of either of both of them you can have so many cool things to collect. Growing up I had lots of cool things that mostly were Sylvester as I was never a fan of Tweety, but I do know I had a Tweety drinking glass from Pepsi. For Sylvester, I had the Pepsi drinking glass, a big plush doll, a figure from an Arby’s kid meal, an eraser and trading cards. And stuff that featured them both I had the comics, coloring books, giant Sylvester stuff doll as well as some video games, they appeared in as well as home media releases of the cartoon. I have lots of great memories of being a kid and drinking chocolate milk from my Sylvester glass! So if you are a fan and a collector, make sure to check out some of the stuff I mentioned above.

Growing up I watched lots of Looney Tune cartoons on TV as well as on VHS that we would rent from the public library as well as buy at garage sales and dollar stores. I always enjoyed the antics of Sylvester as I am a cat person and his silly lisp and plans on how to capture and eat Tweety always cracked me up…and come on, we all know that Tweety was a pain in the ass and we all wanted to see him get eaten. Sylvester is in my top 5 favorite Looney Tune characters of all time! There was always something very special about pouring a bowl of cereal as a kid and watching a Tweety and Sylvester cartoon, and even to this day when I see an episode it makes me remember back to those days, and I get really nostalgic for not only them but for Looney Tunes in general as they were a big part of my childhood as the cartoons and comics always seemed to be on and around. In fact, I can even remember reading a Tweety & Sylvester comic one year right before a SuperBowl Game, and right before we chowed down on some chicken wings…while I can remember the comic, I cannot remember who played and won the game that year, showing that Sylvester and Tweety was bigger than the NFL Superbowl that year for me. The thing is Looney Tune characters like Sylvester & Tweety are kind of immortal when it comes to their impact and longevity in the world of entertainment as they seem to always be able to reinvent themselves in new cartoons or films that make that day and age kids become fans.

One of my favorite episodes of Sylvester and Tweety was called “Hyde And Go Tweet” that is super funny and ads a dash of horror to the humorous nature of a Looney Tune Cartoon. And honestly when you think about it Horror and Looney Tunes have crossed over lots in the classic days of the series with all types of monsters and ghosts making appearances and scaring the characters silly. But back to the cartoon at hand in this one Tweety is being chased by Sylvester and finds himself in the lab of Dr. Jekyll and after drinking some of a formula Tweety turns into a giant Hyde like monster bird and laughs and chases Sylvester around all the while turning back and fourth between regular Tweety and Monster Tweety. In the end it turns out have been a terrible nightmare that Sylvester was having but while awake it looks as if Tweety could get into the lab and turn into the monster and this cause Sylvester to run through a brick wall in order to escape the situation. Such a goofy spooky watch as Tweety as the Hyde Monster looks crazed and like he really could kill a cat and laugh while doing it. It’s great that Sylvester at the end of the cartoon is so overtaken by fear that he is willing to run through a brick wall in order to get away from a possibility. If you have never seen this episode, make sure to do so as you can find it on DVD, VHS and even streaming. Also they made a figure of the Tweety Hyde Monster and it was awesome as well.

As you can see, Tweety And Sylvester are true icons when it comes to the world of cartoons and just American culture in general as they have entertained for decades now and have proven to still be popular to this day. And talking about them both really has brought me back to my childhood and made me feel like a kid again, and reading these comics will also be a flashback to my youth as between my brother and I growing up we had so many of these Looney Tune comics that we would get from garage sales. I would like to thank Bell Book And Comic, Game Swap Kettering and Mavericks for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So with that, let’s get ready to laugh at the zany adventures of these two cartoon icons.

Tweety & Sylvester # 21 **1/2
Released in 1971 Cover Price .15 Whitman # 21 of 121

“Survival School” Sylvester is a nervous wreck as Tweety has opened a school for birds to be able to defend themselves against cats and every time Sylvester tries to capture a bird with his old tricks, the birds fight back and always escape with him looking like the fool. Sylvester gets an idea to dress as a bird and enroll so that he can have a chance to capture and eat some birds, but during classes Tweety uses the disguised Sylvester as an assistant and beats him up as it’s clear he knows its his enemy. “South Pole Cat” winter is coming and Tweety is about to head south to stay warm. Sylvester is upset that he has to stay and freeze so he buys a bird call whistle to use and keep Tweety around as he knows he will try and help a fellow injured bird! Tweety dodges Sylvester’s attacks and finds out that his feline friend is making the calls with the whistle and messes with it’s settings and this causes Sylvester to call all types of birds, who end up taking him south with them…but his joy in the sun is short lived as the larger birds run him off and he ends up in the South Pole running from penguins! “The Relaxed Cat” poor Sylvester is stressed and not sleeping well, and after reading a book he finds out that the tweeting songs of a Tweety Bird will help relax you, so he tries to force Tweety to sing for him so he can sleep. Tweety refuses to do so and gets Sylvester to all types of favors for him, from getting him seeds to taking him to the bird bath. Finally Sylvester climbs under a table and Tweety is about to sing and lets out a loud screech that causes Sylvester to jump and bump his head on the table and knocking him out cold.

This issue has three silly tales that features Tweety and Sylvester doing what they do best and that is entertain! And what is shocking is that this issue has zero guest appearances from any other Looney Tune characters and for this time for these comics, that is very shocking! Tweety in this issue is a teacher of self-defense, a would be savior to an injured bird, a tool to relax to and a little bird who is able to hold his own against a very hungry and angry cat. Sylvester in the issue tries his best to trick, capture an eat Tweety and is foiled at every attempt and even gets beat up by not just Tweety but other birds. The best of the three stories is South Pole Cat for me as I found it fun that Sylvester does not want to be the only one having to suffer through the cold weather of winter and tries to trick Tweety into having to stay and deal with it as well, and instead he gets taken south with the birds and gets bullied by them and forced to hide out in the South Pole that is colder than the winter he fled from. To be honest, I could not pick a weak story as I found the other two stories to be very fun as well and were on equal ground of fun. The cover for this issue is cool and has Sylvester trying to eat a plate of spaghetti as Tweety is playing a pungi and making the noodles act like hypnotized snakes. The unknown artist does the interior artwork and who ever they are they did very good job of bringing Tweety and Sylvester to the pages of comics. Reading this issue for this update was a lot of fun and made me feel like a kid again, and I am looking forward to reading the next issue.

Tweety & Sylvester # 33 **1/2
Released in 1973 Cover Price .20 Whitman # 33 of 121

“Look Before You Leap” In the living room of Granny, she and Tweety watch as Sylvester shows them is dance moves as he is going to ballet dance classes. As Sylvester and Tweety take naps after he danced for them, Granny heads out to try and get a surprise for her well behaved cat. But when she is away, Sylvester goes after Tweety who uses a firecracker to hurt his hand and this causes Sylvester to leave the home and blow off steam. As Sylvester dances down the ally, two cats trick him into jumping over a fence and get chase by a guard dog so that they can get inside the house and steal food from the refrigerator, and this causes him to even crash into the home owner and hurting the man. Meanwhile Granny gets home and tells Tweety that she has signed Sylvester up to be on a TV Show’s talent show…and Tweety finds him and once at the station Sylvester leaves in a hurry when the injured home owner was the sponsor. “Good Friend Charlie” Sylvester is hanging out with his owl friend Charlie Wiseowl in a tree, and Charlie tells Sylvester that the stars say that today is going to be his day and this causes the feline to go after Tweety who keeps dodging his attacks and causing Sylvester to be an annoyance to the people around him, all who end up beating him up! When Tweety makes it home to Granny’s he finds that a giant red parrot is in his cage as Granny is babysitting the mean bird for the neighbors, and Sylvester going on the good luck statement from Charlies rushes in and grabs the Parrot thinking it was Tweety and the mean bird beats him up! In the end Sylvester, who is injured, is told by Charlie Wiseowl that he misread the stars and that today is a bad day for him. “The Model!” Tweety is going to model for a marble statue for artist Jim, and Sylvester is hungry and tries to eat Tweety but things goes wrong for the feline as he keeps getting crushed by the chunks of marble, but in the end Jim wins a contest an the Tweety statues is now on display at the local museum.

Man in this issue poor Sylvester gets beat the heck up by so many different things as besides Tweety he also gets beat up by a dog, a red parrot, normal humans including a baby and he gets crushed by lots of marble. It is almost like in this issue Sylvester has switched place with Wile E. Coyote on the amount of abuse he takes throughout it. Tweety also goes from being a “friend” to Sylvester to being kind of cruel to him and enjoying watching him get smashed. It is nice to see Granny in this issue as she was a big part of many of the cartoons we all grew up watching so it was nice to have her in the mix. The best story in this issue for me had to be “Look Before You Leap” as it is a really zany story that has Sylvester learning how to dance and by accident ruins his chances of winning a contest all because he allowed some ally cats to con him into being a distraction while they steal food and the main judge is the man the cats robbed and Sylvester by accident is injured. And for my least favorite, while it is a fun read, it would be “Model!” as it is a very basic and quick story with a silly ending of Sylvester being booted out of the museum cause he wants to eat the marble statue of Tweety. The cover this time around has Tweety stealing the cherry off the top of a cupcake that Sylvester is trying to eat, and the unknown artist returns and does another great job of drawing these characters. Two issues in, and so far these comics hold up how I remember them and while they are different from the cartoons, they do have that touch that makes them feel like they sort of fit in.

Tweety & Sylvester # 54 ***
Released in 1976 Cover Price .25 Whitman # 54 of 121

“Afraid Of Flying” both Tweety and Sylvester are watching the news and they show a new roller coaster ride and this causes Tweety to be afraid to fly as he is dizzy and don’t want to crash! Sylvester comes up with an idea to keep scaring Tweety from wanting to fly again that way he can capture him and eat him! But all attempts backfire on the hungry cat as he keeps getting hurt in trying to chase the running Tweety. In the end Tweety is cured of his fear of flying, and Sylvester becomes afraid of walking but is cured quickly by the smart ass Tweety who gets the cat to once more chase him. “Door To Door Dummy” Sylvester decides that he wants to become a door-to-door salesman as he applies for free samples of the product that is little birds. Sylvester does not want to sell the samples but eat them and when the box arrives inside is one mean and angry vulture who is wise to the cats plan and picks him up and drops him off in front of a bulldog who wants to beat up the cat, and as the vulture flies off Sylvester is running from door to door trying to sell himself to a safe home to get away from the dog. “Nine Lives To Live” after chasing Tweety for around three hours Granny yells at them for making so much noise and Sylvester decides to watch some Soap Operas with Granny and falls asleep while watching them, and in his dream Tweety is like Cinderella and being mistreated by others and keeps getting bad news and when he wakes up he feels bad for Tweety and treats him well and stops chasing him around. “In The Middle” has Tweety being chased by Sylvester who is being chased by a dog when a scientist uses his change gun on the running animals that changes them in size it soon turns into Tweety chasing Sylvester who is running after the dog and poor Sylvester is still in the middle of this chase! Tweety then wakes up from his dream and feels bad for Sylvester and brings him some cat food for not even winning in dreams. “Don Catsonova” Sylvester is dressed in a Don’s outfit and captures Tweety in a box to give away to Chi Chi Cat a feline from Spain that he has fallen in love with, and when he tries to win her heart her bodyguard Diego tells Chi Chi that he loves her and goes after Sylvester who is saved by Tweety who bashes the bigger cat over the head with a vase and the two are able to escape as Chi Chi checks on the dazed Diego.

This issue of Tweety & Sylvester features five stories featuring the two frenemies with only Granny being the other Looney Tune character to make an appearance. This issue’s stories all flow really nice together and delivers a really fun read and I would say the best issue I have read up to this point as I feel all five stories are silly good reads with I think my favorite being Don Catsonova as seeing Sylvester dress up and try to win the heart of a Spanish lady cat only to be challenged for her heart by a bigger meaner cat was classic cartoon stuff. Plus I like how when Sylvester is on his way to his lady the other cats around the area make fun of his outfit that is until he pulls his sword on them and they back down and praise his look. Imagine if Sylvester would have been able to swoon Chi Chi, makes you wonder if she would have been featured in more comics? I also like that Tweety saves Sylvester from the bigger cat and as they flee from the fight he alerts him that Granny and himself love him and they should get home…very cool. If I had to choose my least favorite story in this comic I would pick In The Middle, as it is a one-page gag that is based around a silly dream that Tweety is having. This issue has lots of silly laughs and the cover features Tweety taking a bath via a water hose that he has poked holes in as Sylvester looks annoyed, and like before unknown artist does the interior and is great stuff as they once more captured the look of the characters so well. Let’s see if the next issue will continue the great work that these comics have showcased this far.

Tweety & Sylvester # 84 ***
Released in 1978 Cover Price .35 Whitman # 84 of 121

“First Class” Sylvester is crushing on Wanda, a cat who was born with class and is way out of his league, so he heads to be taught class by his friend Sissy Fenwick who teaches him the basics and even dresses him up in the finest hipster gear. Sylvester ends up talking Sissy into going with him when he tries to ask Wanda out. The next day Sylvester comes home and is happy and Tweety asks how it went and Sylvester says well only after he punched Sissy in the eye after he tried to flirt with Wanda and she was so impressed with Sylvester’s manly attitude that they have a date for that weekend. “Cat And The Giant” the chores are all done around the house and Granny sits in the living room to read Tweety and Sylvester the story of Jack And The Beanstock and as the story starts Sylvester drifts off to sleep. In his dream Sylvester and Granny are poor and live in a small shack and Tweety has been missing for days…and this makes Granny sad and she gets mad when Sylvester uses their last dime to buy a bone. But Sylvester ends up being a hero when he finds that the giant dog Butch has Tweety and thanks to tossing the bone and having Butch chase it he is able to save Tweety and return him to Granny! But when Sylvester wakes up he is back at it chasing Tweety around the house as he is now hungry. “Back Seat Driver!” Granny has to re-take her drivers test, and Sylvester and Tweety are worried about her passing as they think they will starve to death if she cannot drive to the store, so they two hide in the car to try and help her pass but they really end up helping her fail! And its Tweety and Sylvester that end up having to walk to the store to get the food, as she was to wait a week to take the test again. “Save Our Cats!” a representative for the group Save Our Cats is visiting the Knights Of The Alley Cats as they want to spread the message that cats need help, and they need volunteers to hand out flyers. Sylvester and Weezy are selected and have a terrible time doing so as people rough them up and they both end up getting hit by a car putting them in the hospital!

This is another really good issue that has a total of four stories featuring our star duo and each of them bring their own humor and entertainment! The thing about these comics is that after running so many issues, you know that the creators had to be stressing over ideas to make them fresh and funny and with this being issue 84 it seems that they still had their minds working on making one solid kids comic series based off of popular cartoon. I also like in this issue that many of the stories have Sylvester and Tweety working together and while at times they do have the chase around the house in a odd way it’s clear that they are friends of sorts. Plus this issue has Granny around again and she always helps add to the wacky stories. The best story for me is Cat And The Giant as I find it to be a fun one and I like how it had a basic retelling of Jack And The Beanstalk just missing the Beanstalk and its Tweety that the giant has taken. And I could not choose a bad one as I think these all are great takes and none of these are lacking in the entertainment department and all brought on some chuckles. And to be honest First Class almost took the top spot as I love that Sylvester gets a date after punching another cat in the eye as the lady feline thanks that he his macho! The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Tweety sleeping on a TV Set, and the unknown artist strikes again with his great interior artwork. Over all another great issue that made me feel like a youngster again. Also Weezy Cat is a cool side character as he has cool hair and sleeps lots.

Tweety & Sylvester # 87 **1/2
Released in 1978 Cover Price .35 Whitman # 87 of 121

“Cat Encounters Of The Bird-Kind” Tweety is sitting with his young relatives and tells them about a time when the Earth was ran by birds and this was long before man and cats came to be, but something was making birds disappear and it was the first cat! The cat is tricking all the birds in order to eat them, but one Scientist Tweety figures it out and saves the others. And as the story ends Sylvester tries to attack Tweety and he tells his young nephews how easy it is to out smart cats. “Hans Clicker And The Silver Skates” Tweety and Sylvester are in Holland and chat about Han Clicker a feline relative of Sylvester who was strange and wore wooden sneakers, but when he gets a pair of ice skates he by accident saves the town and becomes a hero when he plugs a whole in the dame with his thumb. “The Catnapper” Granny’s friend is going on vacation and his cat Reginald is staying with them until he gets back, and Reginald is a help around the house, plays chess with Tweety and even makes meals for them to eat and this attention is getting under Sylvester’s skin so he decides to attack this new cat at night only to get beat up himself as he did not know that Reginald knew Judo! “Merry Music Maker” Sylvester is being made fun of by his cat friends as well as Tweety for his guitar playing and singing and every time he starts people leave, but he swears that he will make money with his guitar and does when it bonks a robber on the head and he collect the reward money.

This issue is a really mixed bag as I did not fully enjoy the first two stories as I found them a little bland and generic, but the last two stores were super fun and silly and is what I would want from a comic book based on Tweety and Sylvester! This issue showcases the origins of cats trying to fake UFO’s in order to eat birds, showcases the hero relative of Sylvester who lived in Holland, has Sylvester getting jealous of another cat and getting beat up for it and lastly shows our feline friend’s lack of musical talent that still gets him paid! Tweety besides in the first story is very much a supporting character as most of this issue showcases Sylvester and his strange life, and I am ok with that as I think he is the more interesting character between the two. My favorite story is Merry Music Maker as I enjoy the fact that Sylvester is walking around town with a guitar and trying to make money by street performing and only buy luck does he make any money and that is cause a robber runs into him causing his guitar to flip in the air and bonk the crook on his head and knocking him out and then comes the sweet reward money. My least favorite story is Hans Clicker And The Silver Skates as its really kind of boring and while silly just does not bring in any laughs. The cover is cool and has Sylvester playing golf but Tweety is pranking him by putting gum on his club causing the ball to stick to it. With the unknown artist once more doing the interior art and doing a great job as one of my favorite panels in this issue has Sylvester and Tweety by a campfire and Sylvester calling his friends cowards! While not the best issue in the series I have read for this update, it still had two really good stories.

Tweety & Sylvester # 87 ***
Released in 1978 Cover Price .35 Whitman # 87 of 121

“Guests Not Pests” the owner of a small traveling circus has fallen sick and while he is in the hospital Granny takes in the animals as guests! And while Tweety likes having them there Sylvester does not and keeps trying to escape the house so he does not have to do any chores. And when Sylvester finally escapes he runs into Linda Cat who is hiding in some bushes as some mean kids have been throwing things at her and chasing her around the streets, Sylvester saves her and gets back to Granny’s house and the Circus Animals come outside and scare the kids away! In the end when an alley cat mocks the Circus animals Sylvester punches him in the eye as he respects them now for their help. “Jar Wars” Granny is making preserves and has to run next door to get a missing item as Sylvester goes after Tweety and by accident spills the preserves on himself and the chase continues into the near by woods where Sylvester is grabbed by a massive bear who wants to lick the sweet preserves off him, as Tweety mocks him as he knows that when they get home Granny is going to be really ma about her preserves being spilt. “Matter Of Habit” Sylvester is watching TV and sees about habits and learns about a boy who when he hears a bell will climb over pillows to find cookies to eat, so he comes up with an idea of using a gong to leave bird seed for Tweety in order to capture him and make him into a sandwich, but when the gong goes off bother Tweety and Sylvester snack and they figure out to never use the gong again besides for regular meal times as they both have gotten chubby and into a bad habit. “Friendly Fellows” Sylvester has built a skateboard and while learning to ride it looses control and crashes into the cat Friendly Fred and this causes Fred to break his glasses, later Sylvester is carring lumber to Granny’s house as he wants to build himself a small home outside to relax in and once more by accident smacks Fred in the face with the lumber knocking him out and when trying to help Fred, Sylvester drops him into the lap of a female cat who’s boyfriend punches Fred knocking him even more silly. In the end Sylvester gets his little house built but Fred appears with an axe and chops it down out of rage.

This is yet another fun issue and I really do think the creators behind this comic series deserve some praise for bringing the classic Looney Tune characters to the pages of comics and while the core of the cartoons are present the comics also kind of build a new world around them, like I feel that the stories in the comics is what took place between the cartoons. And I need to point out that in this issue a group of kids are tormenting a cat by chasing it and throwing object at it, and those kind of kids are terrible and if you have any of them in your neighborhood who do things like this call your local authorities on them as they are clearly youths who need mental help. And I like in this issue that once more most of the stories are about Sylvester as Tweety is more of side player and this issue our feline star goes from being lazy, to learning respect, to trying to be a protector, to being covered in food and being a treat for a hungry bear, becoming a jerk and of course chasing Tweety around as he wants to eat him for a snack. While Tweety showcases that while he does sometimes bait Sylvester into chasing him he also clearly looks at him as a friend and even tries to get him out of trouble. The issue also introduces use to a few more the neighborhood cats as we meet Linda Cat and Friendly Fred, and I like that in all these issues so far we do get to meet these other cats that roam around and know Sylvester. The best story in this issue for me was Friendly Fellows as I enjoyed the story of poor Fred getting beaten up and Sylvester being kind of a jerk about all the pain he has caused his fellow feline friend, only for Fred in the end to be pushed to far and armed with an axe he chops down a small home Sylvester spent time and money on to build. While the rest of the stories are good if I had to choose the weakest I would say Jar Wars as it is a short and silly story, but I do like that when the preserves fall on Sylvester he looks like a gooey version of the Pink Panther. The cover is goofy and has Sylvester and Tweety standing behind a photo stand, and yep you guessed it the interior art by unknown artist is great stuff and has that classic Looney Tune comic look that is iconic for those who grew up reading them. So with that lets see what the next issue has in store for Tweety and Sylvester.

Tweety & Sylvester # 94 ***
Released in 1979 Cover Price .40 Whitman # 94 of 121

“Count Me Out” Tweety and Sylvester are walking down a street as they find a poster that says if a cat can survive three rounds with Slugger Sam they will win $100! And after some pushing Sylvester takes the challenge and steps in the ring with Sam who wants to knock out his opponent fast. Sylvester acts silly for two rounds and is able to survive but the third round he runs into the fist of Sam and is knocked out, and while Sylvester did not win the prize money he does win free dance classes! “Color Scheme” Granny wants to get a new oil painting for the living room and as she goes for a walk to get it, Sylvester and Tweety think that she means to paint the walls an the two start doing so and cause a massive mess and the walls look terrible and once Granny get back home with the painting she is mad over the mess made of her walls. “Movie Buffs” Sylvester opens up a movie theater in the garage and is showing old bird watching videos that Granny made, but when the mean alley cats show up they refuse to pay and Tweety goes and gets a dog to be the door man and makes them all pay as they leave the showing. “Sleepwalker” in this one Sylvester is sleepwalking through the city as Tweety follows and makes sure he is not hurt, and in the end Tweety gets Sylvester back home safe so he can nap some more.

This issue has four adventures starring Tweety and Sylvester and is another really fun and entertaining issue that has some of my favorite stuff mixed into the stories as you long time readers know that I am a fan of seeing films in the theater and one of my favorite sports in boxing! And we also meet a few more of the alley cats around the town with most not having any names but they are bullies and try and steal movie tickets and the other is Slugger Sam a very strong cat who is a boxer. And my favorite story in this issue is Count Me Out as I love that Sylvester tries to box a massive cat named Sam to win some prize money and only takes the match cause Tweety is the one pushing for him to take the match and last the three rounds. And man Sam with one stiff punch knocks Sylvester silly and causes our favorite feline to not win the cash. The weakest of the stories is also one of the shorter ones as Sleepwalker while fun it is also very basic and has been done even then many times in cartoons and comics as one character sleepwalks around dangerous sites while the other character tries to keep them safe. The cover has Sylvester mowing the grass as Tweety is mowing the welcome mat and it’s a fun sight gag. The interior artwork is done by Unknown Artist again and is like before very cool stuff and I like the way they drew bother Sylvester and Tweety as well as all the side characters. And once more I have to say that I am shocked we have yet to come across a cameo for such other Looney Tune characters as Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny or even Daffy Duck! With that lets get to the next issue I own and see what’s next.

Tweety & Sylvester # 95 ***
Released in 1979 Cover Price .40 Whitman # 95 of 121

“Making Dough” a group of crooks run a bakery and in the back of the shop they are making fake money, but the mice are eating the money and this causes one of them to nab Sylvester off the street with orders to kill the mice! But Sylvester notices the counterfeit machine and money and with the help of the mice and the outgoing cakes he is able to get the attention of the police and the crooks are arrested. “Out With The New And In With The Old” Sylvester is damaging furniture to try and make it look like an antique cause he thinks he can sell it for lots of money, so Tweety follows and had his woodpecker friends help damage some furniture. “Tough Mutt!” Sylvester is watching a hypnotist on TV and falls under his spell as he watches and thinks he is dog and the TV is turned off by Tweety and this causes Sylvester to not be snapped out of it and he walks around barking like a dog and even starts a fight with Butch the bulldog! And after walking around town as a dog it is Butch who snaps him out of it when he snaps his fingers and Sylvester ends up running away a scare cat! “My Life As A Cat” Sylvester is sitting down to write a book about his life when both Tweety an Butch demand to be in it, and when Sylvester is done and leaves the pages on the table both Butch and Tweety add to it and this causes the book to be mostly about them and even the Publisher changes title name to feature their names. “A Lazy Crazy Day” it is Sylvester’s day off and when Granny calls for him he hides for her as he does not want to do any chores, and it’s Weezy that alerts him that he has seen Granny an Tweety drive away before Sylvester goes back home and falls asleep in his bed! But a little later Tweety awakens Sylvester and tells him Granny was looking for him to go to the amusement park with them and he of course missed out going by hiding.

In this issue we are treated to five stories with many of them once more being a bigger showcase for Sylvester with Tweety playing the supporting character. And you have to love the fact that Sylvester is catnapped in one of the stories and with the help of some mice and cakes is able to bring down a criminal counterfeit ring and be a hero as well as truly show that while he wants to kill his friend Tweety he still is a good feline…for the most part. And also in this issue Butch the Bulldog plays a bigger part and alley cat Weezy Cat also returns for a small cameo, and it was cool seeing both in these roles as they both now feel like apart of the series with Butch being in many issues up to this part. The best story in this issue is Making Dough as I like the fact that Sylvester is a reluctant crime fighter and uses his mind in order to stop crime! While the other four stories are good I would say Out With The New And In With The Old is the weakest as it was only a one page gag story over furniture and woodpeckers, but keep in mind this one page gag is even really good and is more cleaver than most modern kids comic being released in these modern times. And it is clear at this point that the creators of this comic series new that they could do more and better stories with Sylvester than Tweety and that is why he is given more panel time and more stories that revolve around him. The cover is cool and is a gag on exercise with once more the Unknown Artist bringing their great artwork to the interior pages of this comic. And with that let’s head to the next issue and see what it has in store for us.

Tweety & Sylvester # 110 **1/2
Released in 1981 Cover Price .50 Whitman # 110 of 121

“A Case Of Canary-Itis” Sylvester is walking down the street and sees Alfie Cat passing him by with a extreme tummy ache and Professor Cat tells him that he thinks Alfie has Canary-Itis a sickness that felines get after eating canary birds! Once home Sylvester sees Tweety and tries to avoid eating him as he does not want to get sick, but later in the day Sylvester and Tweety see Alfie and he is fine and Tweety tells Sylvester that the reason Alfie had a tummy ache was no sickness it was cause a canary he was chasing punched him in the gut! And this news gives Sylvester relief and he once more starts his chasing Tweety was back up. “Soft Landing” its snowing outside and Tweety wants Sylvester to go ice skating with him, but the feline refuses as last winter he slipped in the ice and got hurt…but after some encouraging words and some tied on pillows Sylvester heads to the ice with his friend Tweety. “Keep Calm!” Sylvester and his friend Bernie Cat are hanging out and before they part Bernie lends him a book about how to stay calm, and Sylvester rushes home to try and read it. But while at home Tweety keeps annoying him and no matter how hard he tries to ignore him the pesky bird just keeps getting under his skin. In the end Sylvester snaps and throws the book at Tweety and wants to have him for lunch! “Not For Sale” Granny is on the phone talking about selling some items at a bazaar and Tweety and Sylvester miss-understand her and think they are for sale and run away, but after wondering around trying to find a new home they are picked up by Granny a few minutes later who settles the misunderstanding and they all head to the sale to have fun. “One Life To Go” Sylvester is chasing Tweety around town and has an accident that has him hit by a truck and Tweety alerts him that he is on his last life of his nine! Sylvester runs home and hides in a closet as he does not want to die, but after chasing Tweety around the house and a bookshelf falling on him Sylvester thinks his nine lives have reset and is now wearing hockey pads in order to protect his next nine lives better.

This issue of Tweety and Sylvester is a pretty fun one but is a little basic when it comes to the five tales featured here as they bring some laughs but they also just seem like all are really just backup stories. And like before Sylvester is the main star of the comic but I will say Tweety also seems important in many of the stories. We also meet the ally cats Alfie Cat, Professor Cat and Bernie Cat with all of them being friendly with Sylvester and it’s clear that Bernie is one of Sylvester’s friends. The issue also features Granny and Duke with the later being super mean as when Sylvester and Tweety run away from home when they think they are being sold and need a place to stay Duke will let Tweety stay with him but not Sylvester. The best story in this issue is One Life To Go as I like that Sylvester is worried about his last life when he lost most of the others doing silly things like trying to get an apple from a tree and even gets killed four times by Butch the Bulldog! Plus the end laugh of Sylvester’s nine lives starting over again and him now wearing hockey gear to chase after Tweety is just fun cartoon stuff. The one story that did the least for me was A Case Of Canary-Itis as it was just kind of rushed to build the story of Sylvester being scared of eating a canary, but I do think the payout of the sickness really being that a mad canary punched a cat in the gut. The cover is great as I like that it has Sylvester and Tweety eating Chinese Food as it looks like Sylvester himself is eating some fried rice and that is one of my favorite things to eat! And you guessed it unknown artist once more did the interiors and killed it as they made them look like the cartoon characters but also have their own comic style and look. Over all a good issue that did it’s job as I was entertained reading it.

Tweety & Sylvester # 111 **1/2
Released in 1981 Cover Price .50 Whitman # 111 of 121

“Butch’s Party” Sylvester gets a letter in the mail that is a invite to the Birthday Party of the bully cat Butch who is so mean that if he does not like his gift he will beat you up! Sylvester goes and talks to some of his alley cat friends like Weezy and Norris to see what they are getting him, and then he panics when they have good gifts and he only has .36 for a gift! So he tries to make him a kite that ends up flying away and Tweety comes up with an idea to make it look like Sylvester was in an accident and can not attend the party, but it backfires for everyone as Butch now is going to have a second party later so Sylvester can attend! “ The Funaways” Granny has taken Sylvester and Tweety to the beach and as she takes a nap Sylvester chases Tweety around as he wants to have a juicy snack! But Tweety tricks Sylvester into following him into the beach’s amusement park and this causes Sylvester all kinds of pain and excitement and once back to Granny she is mad that Sylvester is passed out, as she wanted him to stay awake and watch Tweety. “The Photo Story” Sylvester has found Granny’s old box camera that only has three pictures left to take as he wants to enter the Knights Of The Alley Cats Photo Contest and his three subjects are Butch The Bulldog, Weezy and Tweety and all three end up getting hurt when the pictures are taken. And in the end Sylvester wins a prize that is about what not to do when you take photos. “Black Belt Birdie” Sylvester walks past a window and sees birds learning karate and gets scared of the idea of Tweety taking classes and beating him up! While walking home he finds that bulldog Butch’s house is destroyed an his arm is in a sling, and once inside Tweety’s cage is smashed up and this scares Sylvester silly. Sylvester goes to the basement and tries to learn to defend himself but when he finds out that Tweety does now know karate and that Butch’s injury was just an accident…and this means Sylvester chases Tweety around as he is hungry and doesn’t have to fear being beaten up! “Flight Of Fancy!” Tweety is outside in his cage with the door open in order to get some fresh air and Sylvester is trying to figure out away to capture him so that he can eat him! Sylvester uses all types of tactics from being fired out of a cannon, to swinging on a rope and even springs on his feet and each attempt ends the same way and that is with Sylvester being hurt! In the end covered in bandages Sylvester kicks some rocks that end up hitting Butch the Bulldog who chases the injured Sylvester up a tree. “Pills And Spills!” Granny has decided to give Tweety some vitamins to help him grow and Sylvester mocks it and even by accident knocks himself out while beating his chest. Meanwhile a tired and injured eagle crashes into a bucket of yellow paint and decides to rest on the roof of Granny’s and when Sylvester wakes up he thinks that the Yellow Eagle is Tweety who had already grew thanks to the vitamins, he uses a rope to wrap around the eagles leg that ends up taking him for a ride that see him crash through a window of a house that a realtor was showing who looses the sale and punches Sylvester for the lost house sell.

For this issue we are treated to six stories featuring Tweety and Sylvester and they are up to all types of mischief from heading to the beach to trying their hand at photography and of course sometimes the pair are friends working together and other times they are under each others skin and Sylvester is trying to have a birdie sandwich! And that is one of the more fun aspects of these comics as each issue from story to story the friendship between Sylvester and Tweety is present even when they are trying to annoy the other, as always when one is in need of help the other is their to do so. This issue also has cameos from Granny and Butch The Bulldog who both at this point are clearly supporting characters. For me the best story of the bunch was Butch’s Party as I like that the neighborhood bully cat throws himself a birthday party every year and makes all the alley cats attend and give him gifts, and this year Sylvester has no money to get a gift so he and Tweety try and figure out a way for him not to attend the party and get beat up…great silly stuff. If I had to pick the weakest story I would say Flight And Fancy and while it is a funny tale, it is also the one that feels like you have seen the gags many times in other kids comics. The cover is fitting for this issue as its about photography and yep Unknown Artist was at it again doing the interior art, but I will say you can tell different artists worked on this issue as many of the stories look different from each other. Over all another solid issue and one that I enjoyed reading!

Tweety & Sylvester # 113 ***
Released in 1982 Cover Price .60 Whitman # 113 of 121

“Elecronicat” Sylvester has created a robot cat to use in his attempt to capture Tweety, but things get crazy when Sylvester looses control of the robot cat and it destroys the house and even knocks down Granny as Tweety leads it outside! Finally Butch the Bulldog breaks the robot cat and stops it’s rampage as Sylvester is in big trouble and is forced to clean up the house. “Quarantined” Sylvester is chasing Tweety around and they end up in the kitchen when Tweety uses pepper to make his feline attacker sneeze and this triggers Granny to take him to the vet, and later Sylvester uses the pepper trick on Tweety and now Granny thinks both her pets are sick and place them in a room together! But Tweety thinks fast and uses the vents to get more pepper and uses it on Granny and now the three of them have to quarantine for 10 days together and this saves the birds life as Sylvester wanted to eat him! “World’s Fastest Feline” Sylvester is chasing Tweety around the block when the feline is asked to join a race for cats were the winner gets their face on a cat food box and gets me meet the companies female feline spokes lady! And in order to stand a chance Sylvester has Tweety fly in front of him in order to gain the speed, but things turn south when Tweety goes off the track in order to talk to a friend and this causes Sylvester to loose as well as all the other cats who end up following his lead! In the end in anger the cats are chasing Sylvester who is chasing Tweety. “Meating With Defeat” Sylvester is craving meat and cannot stand to eat anymore dry cat food, so he attempts to steak a steak from Butch the Bulldog and on his first attempt he gets tossed over a fence and his second one he by accident pulls the hot grill on himself with a fishing pole! In the end out of anger he once more starts chasing Tweety around the alleys. “Hooligan’s Island” Sylvester and Tweety have grabbed some snack food to sit an watch their favorite TV Show but the picture is bad, so Sylvester and climbs to the roof and tries to move the antenna around but things go wrong when it gets hooked in a helicopter and carries the frightened feline away. “Magic Madness” Sylvester is reading a book about witchcraft and learns that cats are the favorite pets for witches and he thinks that he has magic powers and when trying to use them things around start to move around! In the end Tweety figures out that the construction next door is what is causing the items to move and Sylvester still believes he has powers and walks around like a goof trying to use them. “It’s Okay, Chief” tiny aliens come to Earth and meet Tweety and Sylvester and by mistake both of our stars get stuck in the UFO and fly around town! And in the end the Aliens think that Earth and its people are silly and head back home.

Holy Cow we have seven stories in this issue and shocking all of them are really fun and many of them are all about the chase between Sylvester and Tweety and then a few others have them being friends and going on adventures together! And lets us also not forget to mention that this issue also has a few Horror and Sci-Fi elements as they add one story that is about witchcraft and another that is about aliens and UFO’s and this is what also made this issue very cool for me! And of course Granny and Butch The Bulldog show up and add to the humor and each have their moments to shine. When it comes to the best story in this issue it was really hard to pick as I liked several of them lots but I think I would choose Quarantined as my favorite as you can not go wrong with the classic pepper causing people to sneeze bit, plus I like the fact it was a war game with that pepper as using it at the right time is what made this story move and bring the chuckles. Almost taking the best was Magic Madness as it was so cool to see Sylvester thinking he was a witch and had magical powers, it was fitting to have a dash of Horror in kids comics at this time. And if I was forced to pick the weakest I would say Hooligan’s Island as while it was fun and silly it was very short and the payout was cheesy. The cover for this issue is bright and eye catching and classic comedy stuff and I know you are sick of hearing this but Unknown Artist did a great job on the issues interior art. So with that ,let’s head to the next issue and see what is in store for us.

Tweety & Sylvester # 119 **1/2
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Whitman # 119 of 121

“The Cat On The Flying Trapeze” Jenny Lush is a canary who works for the circus and Sylvester decides that he wants to eat her for dinner and tracks her down to a hotel and ends up getting beat up by her Hawk bodyguard. Meanwhile Tweety has fallen in love with Jenny and the two have dinner, and while having dinner Sylvester tries to attack the two but falls out of the window and is sent to the hospital as Tweety and Jenny end up having a relationship. “Canary Clean-Up” an alley in town is messy and Tweety and the Canary Scouts decide to clean it up and when Weezy and the other alley cats show up they find their home clean and all their trash food gone. They find Tweety’s scout cap and head to threaten Sylvester that he better have Tweety mess the alley back up or they will mess him up! Sylvester does not know what to do as Granny is happy with the alley being clean but he don’t want to be beat up by his fellow felines. Tweety heads back to the alley for his hat and meets the alley cats and shows them that they moved their old cans to a better location and all is well between them…well besides Sylvester who gives chase to Tweety once he figured out that he made him stress for no reason. “One Night Stand” Sylvester is trying to join a feline singing group and his voice is bad, and this causes him to not get the gig but as one of the cats goes to his house to tell him he stinks, Tweety is listening to an album and the cat thinks that the singing is Sylvester and he is hired in the group. But when they play their first gig Sylvester sings and they are booed off stage and he is quickly fired. “Final Fate” Sylvester finally captured Tweety and is heating up the oven and getting all his spices ready, and while this is happening Tweety reminds him they are friends and all the bad things that will happen if he eats him, and this gives Tweety enough time to escape and for Sylvester to fall out a window and wind up in the hospital.

Okay, first thing I need to say is this issue also has three shorter stories just called “Sylvster and Tweety” that are clearly reprints from another Looney Tunes comic book, one of these has Sylvester and Tweety on a farm and it’s a funny read. But it is clear by this point that this comic series was running a little low on stream as each stories are a little shorter and seem to rush to a ending with many at this point ending with Sylvester getting hurt and winding up in the hospital or wrapped in bandages. Also with them reprinting old strips shows that they were just trying to fill the pages. But with that said this issue still is really good and almost all of the stories bring a few chuckles and laughs as we go along with Sylvester as he tries to become a singer as well as try and kill a celebrity bird! While we also see that Tweety is super smart as well as supportive and a friend to Sylvester no matter how many times the feline tries to eat him. The best story in this issue for me was One Night Stand as watching Sylvester sing terrible and yet do to a miss understanding somehow able to join a singing group and in one night with less than one song gets them booed out of a feline night club is funny and epic. I would say the weakest would just be the reprinted stories as they are fun just a letdown that they took this route. The cover is cool and has Sylvester and Tweety listen to records and the interior art by Unknown Artist is great like before. Over all another fun issue that did its job of entertaining me, but up next is the final issue I have ready for this update.

Tweety & Sylvester # 120
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Whitman # 120 of 121

“The Jolly Joker” Sylvester has sent away for a Genie in a bottle in order to help him capture Tweety, but he soon learns that the Genie is a prankster and uses his magic to help but in weird ways that always ends with him getting joy out of the anger and chaos it is causing. Finally Sylvester and Tweety team up and trick the Genie back in his bottle to end his silly ways as they send him back. “Cat With A Hat” Sylvester is watching a magic show and returns home wanting to learn magic, and by mistake Tweety takes a nap in a box and Sylvester thinks his magic made him appear! But after a few tries Tweet ends up trying to help Sylvester with his magic but his help causes him to get be up by a bunny thats kids wind up in his hat. And Sylvester mad after getting beat up chases Tweety through the woods who ends up finding a bulldog to protect him. “School Daze” Sylvester decides to go to school in order to learn and use what he does learn in ways to capture Tweety, but of course Tweety comes to the school and causes trouble and Sylvester is blamed for it and ends up by the end being apart of the football team as he is a kicker and the team paints pictures of Tweety on the ball! “ Borrowed Trouble” Sylvester has lost his money purse and is now in need of cash and tries to borrow some money from Tweety who in turn plays up that he has lots of money and makes Sylvester get him food, draw a bath and even fight off another cat! In the end the money he gives Sylvester is his own as Tweety found his money purse and this causes Sylvester to be mad and chase him around! “Birdwatcher” Granny has Sylvester watch after Tweety while she is gone for the morning and Tweety acts as if he is sleepwalking in order to get outside and see his bird friends, and when Tweety gets away Sylvester buys a new cage and captures him at the pet store, but because he bought the cage he gets a free gift that is another canary and the two are now driving the feline crazy.

This is the final issue I currently own of Tweety And Sylvester and this issue is also the one before the series would come to an end at Whitman Comics and I have to say this issue was lots of fun and it seemed like the creative minds behind the series knew that it was coming to an end and tried to deliver a very fun and entertaining issues for the readers. And that is one thing I have to say that Tweety and Sylvester as well as all the other Looney Tune comics that was released by Whitman and Gold Key Comics were very well done kids comics as they did the characters justice and kept them close to the cartoons but also did a great job of building a comic book world around them. Sylvester throughout this series really is the star as we follow him through many adventures as well as his weird friendship with Tweety as well as the alley cats that live around his home. Tweety in this series loves to push the buttons of Sylvester but also very much looks at him as a friend as he does what he can most of the time to help him out of trouble as well as point out that they are friends. And their friendship that is on and off again is what makes this comic work as it brings lots of the humorous situations throughout the series. This issue featured five stories with all of them being really fun and for me the best being The Jolly Joker as I like that both Sylvester and Tweety get sick of the Genie and his pranking ways and team up to get him back in the bottle and sent back via the mail were he came from. But I also really liked School Daze as Sylvester going back to school and joining the football team reminded me of the Adam Sandler films “Billy Madison” and “The Waterboy”. I would say that Birdwatcher was the weakest story as while it had some great cartoonish moments I feel the payout of the new canary joining the house was just kind of meh. The cover for this issue is fun as it has Tweety and Sylvester playing with a train set, and the blue background makes it very eye catching. The interior artwork was done by the Unknown Artist as was the whole series and I like the different styles used throughout while some times I was not a fan of how the artist drew Sylvester as some would make him look super chubby I have to say over all I really dug the art in the series. So as you can see, Whitman comics back in the 70’s and 80’s really did bring great comics to the hands of Looney Tune fans and delivered some very fun and silly reads. Check out the artwork below to see some of the styles used by the Unknown Artists.

The Tweety and Sylvester comic series by Whitman and Gold Key Comics is lots of fun and reading these made me feel like a kid again as my brother and I use to read these all the time growing up, and these comics are truly great Kid Comics that are based on cartoons of the time. And thank you for spending a little part of your Thanksgiving with me here at Rotten Ink as doing these updates I hope make your holiday just a little more fun. And before we end this I also really want to say if you like Sylvester and Tweety track down a few of these issues and give them a read. Well for our next update and the start of our countdown to Christmas Eve 2024 I will be taking a look at ManTech a forgotten toy series from Remco that got the comic treatment from Archie Comics! So until next time read a Looney Tune comic or three, watch a Looney Tune Cartoon or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update and eat a little more mashed potatoes for me today and I hope you are ready for some ManTech in your life next update.

Top Dog: The K-9 Who Ruled Star Comics

Posted on February 2, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Star Comics, the kids branch of Marvel Comics in the 80’s, was one of many reasons why I became a life long comic reader. They did some amazing comics based on some of the most popular cartoons and toys of the time with Masters Of The Universe and Thundercats being some of my favorites that I can remember getting issues of at the grocery and convenience stores, and I loved reading about the adventures of He-Man and Lion-O in the pages. Besides the popular licensed characters, Star Comics also did a slew of original characters,t some of which we have already covered like Wally The Wizard and others being Planet Terry, Meet Misty, Royal Roy, Spider-Ham. Among my favorites of the original characters is Top Dog, a boy’s pet who was always up for adventure and oh yeah, could talk! And for those wondering Spider-Ham was always my favorite original character created for Star Comics. This update will also be kicking off Dog Month as I have two other updates about classic comic canines on tap to make this February just a little more fun. So let’s sit back and relax and spend some time with Top Dog, that canine of mystery.

Top Dog is not like your normal dog as he can talk as well as is super smart, and comes to live with the Jordan family after he befriends the son Joey who knows of Top Dogs smarts but is sworn not to share his secret…cause Top Dog was actually an agent who worked for the Government for many years and this has made him a target of many criminals of all types. Throughout the run of the comic series Top Dog and Joey would have all types of adventures and would even meet the likes of Royal Roy, Peter Parker and Heathcliff. The character Top Dog was created by the team of Lennie Herman and Warren Kremer in 1985 for Star Comics and it would run for 14 issues and would end in 1987, but even after the series ended the character would appear sometimes in the Heathcliff comic series. And years after that Top Dog would appear in the Marvel Comics series X-Babies showing that the character will never fully go away. Top Dog was one of the original characters created for Star Comics and for the most part was I think at least in my circle of friends was one of the most popular ones as I knew more kids that read his issues than I did Planet Terry, Royal Roy and Wally The Wizard and he was only rivaled by Spider-Ham. It’s a shame that Top Dog is just sitting around Marvel Comics collecting dust as they could easily place him into the Marvel Universe again as I mean they have all types of strange creatures around now, he is smart why not place him in New York or even have him lead a Animal version of The Avengers with the likes of Spider-Ham, Howard The Duck, Devil Dinosaur and Rocket Raccoon. But Marvel these days lack the imagination that use to make them the House Of Ideas and seem to be more into their MCU and creating the same plotted movies over and over again with the same style humor recycled over and over. And I can hear you all saying now “but the movies make billions” and I get it, but I think if they spent more time on the comics as well with fresh and entertaining ideas their sales would pick up and they could even…gasp bring in new readers! But don’t get me started on the state of Marvel and DC Comics as I could go on forever and this update is about Top Dog and I should say that fans of Star Comics as well as classic kids comics should track down his issues and give them a read, as they are enjoyable.

So as you can see, Top Dog really is a fun character that brought entertainment to his readers in the 1980’s and is truly a character that should be used and be around to this day, and now I think this is the time that we start reviewing the comics and I have to admit I am very much looking forward to reading these comics again as I have not read them sense I was a kid and they were originally being released, so it will be interesting to see if they hold up and still hold that charm like they did decades ago for me. I would also like to thank Bell Book And Comic, Mavericks Cards And Comics as well as Lone Star Comics for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So if you are ready, let’s see what kind of adventures Top Dog is going to have and if they are as awesome as I remember them being.

Top Dog # 1 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 1 of 14

Top Dog and Joey are playing baseball in the basement when his Mom hears him and they two have to be quite so that she does not learn Top Dog’s secret of talking. Then Joey and Top Dog think back about a few days ago and how they meet. Joey was playing baseball in the park with friends and chases a homerun ball into the woods and meets Top Dog a talking dog who friends Joey and the two make a pact to keep his talking a secret and Joey takes Top Dog home to live with him and his family. As Top Dog and Joey are walking home Joey tries to help Top Dog on how to act like a real dog, and once home Joey’s Mom falls in love with him as does his Dad and even his sister Lizzie seems to be coming around. The next day Top Dog and Joey start racing each other and rich kid Mervin Megabucks hears Top Dog talk and tries to buy him, Joey says no deal and denies the talking but Top Dog gets dognapped by Mervin and his chauffer Slyme and taken to the family mansion. And Top Dog watches as Mervin kicks out his old dog Bruno in order to make room for him, and in order to make Top Dog talk Mervin throws him into a heat box trying to fry him into talking. Joey sneaks around the mansion and ends up finding Tog Dog in the heat box and as Mervin and Slyme approach they trick them to let Top Dog out of the box by having him speak and then Joey makes it look like he was doing the voice to pull a prank on Mervin and then Joey and Top Dog make an escape from the Mansion even bringing down the robot guards that Mervin has sent after them, and once free they head home.

This is such a fun first issue and was a great one to get young readers hooked as it has lots of stuff to get their attention like a talking dog, a Spider-Man t-shirt wearing kid, robots, baseball and even a rich kid who gets made to look like a fool…so in other words those readers who dislike Ritchie Rich and Royal Roy will like seeing Mervin Megabucks being made a fool of as he truly is a terrible rich brat. Top Dog in this issue is hiding out in the park reading a newspaper and enjoying his life away from drama and his stressful life and finds that acting like a normal dog and living with the Jordan family could be a great life and get away for him, as it’s clear his new friendship with young Joey is something special as the youngster keeps his secret of being a super smart and talking dog. Speaking of Joey Jordan he is a normal kid who loves baseball and Spider-Man and is a good kid with a good family and is very loyal to his new friend and I guess pet Tog Dog. And while Lizzie Jordan is Joey’s mean older sister the true baddies of this comic is Mervin Megabucks who is a rich bratty kid who gets what he wants and steals a dog after not being able to buy it and then treats his old dog as well as his chauffeur Slyme terrible all the while seeming like he is taking great joy being as rude and snotty as possible. I mean you have to feel bad for his old dog Bruno that he just kicks out of his life when he thinks he has a new more special dog you know Mervin is truly scum. The stories are lots of fun and have that classic kids comic charm and yet also has that 80’s Marvel Comics charm to it making for a very enjoyable read that truly held up for me. The cover is great and very eye catching as it does a great job of showcasing Top Dog and the interior art done by Warren Kremer is great stuff and has that Marvel Comics charm with that dash of 80’s kid’s comic style. Over all a great read and if you have not read Top Dog check out this first issue as it does a great job of showing you want you are in for with the rest of the series.

Top Dog # 2 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 2 of 14

Joey Jordan has to go to sleep as it’s a school night and he has a big test the next day, as Joey gets ready for bed Tog Dog sneaks out the window to go disco dancing and later a dog that looks like Top Dog creeps into a hole in a fence at a military base and acts as the tech labs watch dog at night, they call him Spike and when everyone is gone Spike takes out a little camera and takes photos of all the Top Secret plans and deliveries them to Foreign Spies who call the Dog Vladamir via hidden in the morning paper. And the next morning Joey sends Top Dog out to get a paper so he can write paper for school and Top Dog runs into the spies who steal the paper form him thinking that more top-secret photos are inside, while Spike looses his paper and Tog Dog finds it and takes it to Joey and they find the film with the stolen secrets! You see Spike is really a little person named Vladamir who is acting as a dog in order to steal from the USA Military to help his country with these stolen tank blue prints. Top Dog and Joey set a plan in motion to get all the Spies captured by the F.B.I and after tricking Spike and getting the two other Spies to show up at the lab and Tog Dog acting as Spike and using things around the lab to trip up the baddies the F.B.I show up and arrest them as well as Spike who ends up showing up and getting blamed by his now captured spy friends for this missions failure. Joey and Top Dog sneak away and are heroes that helped save America from spies who wished our nation ill.

The second issue of Top Dog is just as much of a fun read as the first issue and in this issue Tog Dog and Joey Jordan setting up spies in order to stop them from taking stolen top secret tank designs back to their country, and after making the baddies look silly they are able to get them all arrested by the F.B.I who are more than happy to take them away. In this issue Top Dog is having fun living with The Jordan’s and being the best friend of Joey but also likes going out at night to hit the clubs, but when he stumbles on a Spy Ring he uses his smarts to bring them down. Joey Jordan is proud of his new “pet” dog as they two are quickly becoming best friends, and he is also very much down to help Top Dog bring down the spies as well and even endangers himself to do so. The Spies are tricky and use one of their own to dress as a dog and act as the bases guard dog in order to steal the plans, and yet they are also out smarted by a talking dog and a young kid. I like in this issue that we see that Top Dog is also good at throwing darts and likes to Disco Dance and will do what is right for America when he finds that people are trying to do our nation wrong. I also like that we get a look at Joey’s room and that he has a poster of The Incredible Hulk as all kids should. This issue also shows that Mom Jordan is wanting to know more about Top Dog as Lizzie Jordan is still being rude to the canine. The cover for this issue is very cool and eye catching as it shows Top Dog showing off is multi tasking skills. The interior artwork was done by the talented Warren Kremer again who I am a fan of as his kid comic work is great stuff and captures that 80’s style used in them. Over all a great issue and it as well held up really well for me as I liked this issue as a kid and like it now as an adult, lets see what issue three is all about.

Top Dog # 3 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 3 of 14

The TV News has been covering the Mad Biter a dog that has been biting people around town and has yet to be caught! While Joey and Top Dog are outside on a walk they run into Larry Lewis who wants Joey to go to the movies with him, but Joey tells him that he and Top Dog need to finish their walk and this upsets Larry who hates Top Dog and storms off only to be bitten by the Mad Biter! And Larry gets an idea and calls the cops and says that Top Dog is the Mad Biter and this leads to Top Dog betting arrested and put into a jail for criminal canines! But once Joey gets Top Dog out on bail and after visiting Larry late at night and making him think he his having nightmares about how he has wronged Tog Dog he is proving innocent and set free. Now Top Dog and Joey are looking for the true Mad Biter and they find a patron and know that he will attack next at the library and worse Lizzie is on her way to the library and finds herself in the path of The Mad Biter who goes for the attack but is knocked away by Top Dog who gets the dog to chase him into the park and then punches and knocks out The Mad Biter and the cops are able to take the crazed dog away and Top Dog is a hero. In the end Joey, Top Dog, Lizzie and Larry are all hanging out watching TV and enjoying the day.

Yet another great issue that held up and delivers a fun and entertaining read as this issue has Top Dog being framed for crimes he did not do and sent to jail and has to go to court in order to clear his name and when he finally does so he and Joey has to try and bring the real Mad Biter to justice as well as save Lizzie who is about to be the next bite victim! In this issue Top Dog is having a great day, but do to one young man’s jealousy he is blamed for a crime and finds himself in jail, court and later in the path of the true criminal dog and all the while the people of the town have turned fearful of him all besides Joey and his sister Lizzie who stick by him. Top Dog also in this issue shows that he can act like a dog even under pressure and can also fist fight with the best of them as he knocks the real mean dog silly with a series of punches. Joey Jordan is upset when his friend Tog Dog is blamed for the rash of animal attacks and even comes up with a good plan that ends up clearing his name and getting him out of doggie jail. And you also have to give Lizzie Jordan some respect as in court she stands with Top Dog and gives him credit when he saves her from being bitten. Larry Lewis who is a friend of Joey’s is the one that starts all the drama for him when he spreads the story that Top Dog is the canine going around biting people and this is all cause he feels that Joey spends to much time with his pet and not enough time hanging out with him! Oh course Larry learns his lesson and feels bad for what he has done to his friend innocent dog and makes things right. The Mad Biter is a dog that is mad at humans for some reason and is biting them all over town and causing fear and panic, but when he runs into Top Dog he gets knocked out and captured and now will pay for his crimes. The parts that have Top Dog in Doggie Jail is great stuff as he is surrounded by lots of mean dogs and even his fist fight with The Mad Biter are the highlights. The cover is really cool and the interior art once more done by Warren Kremer is solid great stuff. Another great kid comic read and shows why Top Dog was a well loved original character in the world of Star Comics.

Top Dog # 4 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 4 of 14

While at the mall Joey and Top Dog are looking around when a man named Morrison recognizes Tog Dog and this causes the talking canine to panic and he and Joey run all the way home. Once back and safe in Joey’s room Top Dog tells Joey that he use to be called Mr. X and was the creator of the super computer in Washington D.C and he is the only one that can work it, but he left due to the pressure and that Morrison is the only one who knows his secret, but they have been followed home as a rock with a note comes from the window telling Top Dog they need his help. Top Dog takes the job as he has to help his country and best part is Morrison has brought the super computer with him and the case is a threat that was made to the President about bringing down the country with fake money unless he is given real money and the criminal is Eddie Etch. Top Dog is able to trick Eddie and ends up in the criminal’s hideout but after going for a device that will drop the fake money all over America via a satellite in space goes off Top Dog and the computer must come up with a plan that will push all the money to the ocean and he is able to pull it off saving America from the fake cash drop. The government is able to arrest Eddie and the town people end up getting an Ice Cream shop as a fake one was built as a base and Top Dog makes Morrison open if for the favors that Government asked of him.

This fourth issue truly turns Top Dog into a man of mystery as his back story of working for the government is starting to come to light and now Joey knows just how smart and unique his new friend really is, as not only does he bring down a criminal but he is also the one who created and can control a Super Computer that America needs to solve some big problems. The comic also lets us know that this is only a small part of Top Dog’s secrets as it appears he did more stuff for our country than just the computer, and you know as this series goes on we will see more and more of his past. In this issue Top Dog goes from being in a panic about being found by one of his past co-workers to becoming a spy and hero that saves America from a rash of fake cash that will causes prices to skyrocket! Plus as before it shows just how smart and skilled Top Dog is as he uses them both in order to help America as well as the people of the town he now lives by getting them ice cream! Joey who is just a regular kid finds himself being apart of the plan to try and stop this attack and now being around Top Dog he finds himself on more and more adventures that most normal kids would never be able to go on. Eddie Etch is a criminal who wants to be rich and his idea of getting lots of money is to threaten to flood America with fake cash if he is not given real cash so that he can build a mansion, he also is super smart as he carries a remote control around that if he presses a button the fake money will fall from the sky as it will drop from space cause its all stashed inside of a satellite. Its lots of fun seeing Top Dog work his butt off super fast to solve this case and it’s also cool that we get to also learn that he is liking his life with the Jordan family. The cover for this issue is fun and has a big figure pointing at a shocked Top Dog and like before the interior art by Kremer is really great, and for some reason the way he drew Eddie reminded me of a drunk, addicted version of Bluto from Popeye. Over all once more a great issue and packs lots of fun and some silly moments and shows that Star Comics was the king of Kids Comics in the mid 1980’s.

Top Dog # 5 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 5 of 14

Top Dog has to do one more job for the government and he and Joey head to the backroom at the ice cream parlor and Morrison fills them in on what is needed and that is to stop the invisible criminal named Mr. Invisible who has grown bored of stealing jewels and money and now craves power as he wants the current President to step down and appoint him as the new President! Top Dog goes to work on the computer and finds that a pearl that is in Egypt can block the power of the amulet that give Mr. Invisible his powers. Once in Egypt Joey and Top Dog go looking for the pearl and unknown to them they are being followed by that sinister Mr. Invisible who makes it very hard for them to find the only item that can stop his crime wave. Once Top Dog has the pearl in hand Mr. Invisible tries to steal it from his hand, crashes their plane, pops their raft while at sea and tries to have one of his stooges get it…all attempts fail and in the end both the pearl and amulet fall into the sea and are lost and Mr. Invisible is arrested and his threat to America is over.

This issue has Top Dog and Joey Jordan once more on a mission for the Government with this time having to stop a invisible criminal who wants to become President of America in order to have power! Top Dog as always uses his smarts as well as skills to pull off this adventure as he is able to use the Super Computer, find the pearl, tricks Mr. Invisible and his Goon friend into dropping the amulet into the sea and is of course able to make the world think he is just a normal dog. Joey Jordan is also very helpful in this case as he helps trip up Mr. Invisible and he also is able to make people think he is Mr. X in order to cover for Top Dog. Mr. Invisible started out as a petty criminal and when finding the amulet during a museum heist gets the power to stay invisible and this helps him pull off bigger and better crimes, but also has driven him into a power trip as now he thinks he can bully the President Of The United States and force himself into that position…and of course he is wrong as Top Dog will not allow it! I like that in this issue Top Dog and Joey travel to Egypt and have to climb a pyramid in order to find a secret pearl hidden in one of the blocks, I wish that a Mummy would have showed up as that would have been lots of fun to see. Top Dog in these last two issues has truly turned into a canine version of James Bond as he is a government agent sent on missions that affect his country…just done more with a kids comic silly nature. The cover for this issue is pretty fun and has Top Dog and Joey being stalked by Mr. Invisible who has a gun pulled on them behind their backs. And to sound like a broken record the interior artwork is great and done by Warren Kremer who showcases just how great of an artist he is. We are five issues in and all of them have held up and are great solid reads.

Top Dog # 6 **1/2
Released in 1986 Cover Price .65 Star Comics # 6 of 14

Top Dog and Joey Jordan are swimming at a water hole and Mervin Megabucks and his chauffeur Slyme show up once more as Melvin makes another offer to buy Top Dog as he wants him for his collection as he knows he can talk, and this offer of course is shot down. Melvin then heads to the two mad scientists Frank and Stein that live in the castle lab on his land and gets them to use a hypno beam on Top Dog that will force him to want to live with Melvin, and the beam works as Joey watches as his canine friend leaves with the two scientist back to the Megabucks estate. Once inside the castle lab Top Dog snaps out of his trance and comes up with a plan to act like a rabid dog and chases Melvin, Frank and Stein all around the lab growling and acting as if he is going to bite them! Joey comes to the Mansion to talk to Top Dog about his rude leaving without saying goodbye but instead is given back Top Dog as Melvin thinks the canine is crazy! In the end Joey and Top Dog head home as Melvin and his two looney scientists are left back at the lab happy to have not been bitten. Days later Joey has to take Top Dog to the vet for a checkup and things get crazy when after given gross tasting medicine Top Dog sneaks into a bathroom to brush his teeth and the Vet sees all the foam and thinks he is rabid! But in the end Joey covers for him and acts as if Top Dog eats toothpaste and once home and a prank pulled by Joey that has toothpaste in a dog bowl, Top Dog eats a good dinner to end a stressful day.

Issue six is a very fun read but does something that the other issues did not and that is have a backup story as well as two single page gag stories to fill the page count as the main story falls a little short in the length department. The main story while a fun is also this point the weakest of any of the main stories as the issue has Top Dog being brainwashed to want to live with the rich kid Melvin only for him to snap out of it and acted crazy in order to scare his kidnapper who in return give him back to Joey just to get him away from his estate. The stories is filled with two mad scientists Frank and Stein who add a dash of kid friendly Horror elements to the adventure, but they are mostly used as a gag as they each say each others name like they are introducing themselves to everyone who gets their names mixed up. Mervin Megabucks is as scummy as ever as he tries to once more buy and steal Top Dog and treats everyone around him like dirt, so it’s nice to see him be scared silly by Top Dog who does a great job of acting rabid. Joey Jordan in this issue is very sad when he thinks Top Dog leaves his family in order to love with Melvin as it hurt him that his canine best friend didn’t even say goodbye, he of course learns later that his friend was dognapped. The second story is ok and is more just a long joke about toothpaste and Top Dog brushing his teeth in order to get a bad taste out of his mouth. While this issue is good it just lacks a little of the charm of the past five issues and leaves it feeling a little more lackluster. The cover is very cool and has Top Dog in the hot seat while being looked at by two mad scientists and as you guess the interior artwork is done by Kremer still and is really good stuff. Over all a good issue that only slips a little but still delivers an entertaining read.

Top Dog # 7 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 7 of 14

In the kingdom of Cashelot Royal Roy and his pet toothless alligator Gummy are listening as his father King Regal is arguing with the King of a surrounding natuon who wants to take over one of the kingdoms water reservoirs as there is empty and this is leading to a possible war between the two kingdoms. The United States steps in and calls on Morrison to call Top Dog in order to use the Super Computer in order to find a way for the war not to happen and for the nation of Lessavia to get the water they need. And the answer is for Top Dog to get to Cashelot and cook a great meal for the two Kings and this will cause the two to come to peace and work out this water crisis, and of course Joey has to go to Cashelot as well with Top Dog for his cover. Once at Cashelot Joey, Top Dog and Morrison under a hood going as Top Chef are greeted by Royal Roy, Gummy and Ascott who rush the three Americans to the castle, but unknown to them Count Archduke Von Krunch the sinister cousin of the Royal family is on the way to the castle as well to try and ruin the big meal to set a plan in effect that will have his take control of Cashelot. Once in the kitchen Top Dog gets to work on the meal as Joey and Morrison try and help keep everyone out of the kitchen, but when Joey is sent out to get some spices he is kidnapped by Von Krunch and this causes Royal Roy and Top Dog to rush out and find him and Morrison is left alone to continue the meal. Once Top Dog saves Joey from a locked room at the castle they all rush back to the castle only to find that the meal is done, and is super hot and both Kings have to help each other using water and this causes peace between the two nations as they both get a laugh out of the super hot meal.

This is such a cool issue as it brings Top Dog together with another Star Comics original character Royal Roy (Read Here For His Update) and it’s pulled off pretty well! In this issue’s plot Royal Roy’s kingdom is about to go to war with another kingdom over water and the only one who can save the day is Top Dog who is also a great chef and can make a meal that brings peace, but of course things go crazy when Joey is kidnapped and Top Dog and Royal Roy has to save him even though it puts the meal in trouble. Top Dog is shown now to be a chef that’s food is so good that it causes peace to breakout between warring nations. And because he is a talking canine he has to hide around the Kingdom of Cashelot as a regular dog and also must dodge Gummy the pet of Roy who wants the play. Joey does what he can to help Top Dog on this mission and is very honored to meet Royal Roy who is kind of an idol to many of kids. And poor Morrison has to wear a hood over his head and act as if he is the one known as Top Chef in order to cover for Top Dog so that the meal can be made. Royal Roy, Gummy and Ascott are around and do what they can to help get Top Dog and his friends to the Royal Kitchen as well as find the missing Joey when he is taken by the issues main villain that goofball baddie and Royal Roy cousin Count Archduke Von Krunch who fails in his attempt to try and ruin the meal and take over the Kingdom. I like how Gummy who is a toothless alligator that acts like a dog wants to play with Top Dog who tries his best to get away from him as he has a world saving meal to make, I also like that Royal Roy and his cast take more of a backseat and do not outshine Top Dog and Joey who are the main stars throughout. The cover is cool and showcases both the main Top Dog and Royal Roy characters and yep the interior is great and done by Kremer again. A very cool crossover issue that was a blast to read back then and even now as it did both comic series justice.

Top Dog # 8 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 8 of 14

Top Dog hears Mom Jordan and Lizzie talking about a surprise party the next day for Joey’s birthday and he leaves a note and heads out to find a gift for his friend, but the note is very basic and makes it sound as if Top Dog was leaving for good. While out looking for a gift Top Dog is hit by a car and this leaves him confused on who he is and the older couple who hit him take him home and call him Woofer. Meanwhile Joey is so upset that he cries throughout his Birthday Party and his family start to worry about his sadness. Soon the old couple find that Woofer is super talented and take him to an agency that gets him work for dog food commercials under the name Horace The Dog and when Joey and Lizzie see it they know that this new mascot star is their old missing dog Top Dog. Joey tracks Top Dog to the film studio and notices that his canine friends mind seems to be off as he does not recognize him, but after an accident that has a lighting rig falling and hitting Top Dog on the head he gains his memory back and gets himself fired from the commercials and returns home with Joey as the two friends are once more back together.

This issue has the plot of Top Dog loosing his memory and becoming a TV star and only after being hit on the head does he gain his memory back and return home to Joey as well as get himself out of the spotlight of being famous. You have to say poor Top Dog in this issue as he not only gets hit by a car and gets a head injury he also then take a hit to the head via a light and each time he has head trauma making you wonder if he has brain issues. Joey in this issue has a terrible birthday as he thinks his friend and pet dog Top Dog has ran away and this causes him to cry throughout his party and make his friend and family very uncomfortable. But Joey does not give up on his friend and tracks him down and helps him regain his memory and find his way back home. The plot of this issue is really simple and is very basic, as it has been done lots of times before in comics, cartoons and TV Shows and because of this familiar plot it makes for a read that brings a smile to your face as you know it will have a happy outcome. The cover is fun and has Top Dog being a superstar and the interior artwork is great and is of course Kremer who has done all the issues this far in the series and has done a great job every issue. Over all a simple plot but a very fun issue that brings the entertainment.

Top Dog # 9 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 9 of 14

It’s Pet Day at the museum and Joey Jordan and Tog Dog are attending as is Iggy Nutmeg and his cat Heathcliff who is very much into seeing the fish as he wants to eat them! Joey and Iggy decide to team up as they are both working on a project about Egypt and Top Dog makes a promise to Joey that he will keep an eye of Heathcliff to keep him out of trouble, and after the two you boys head to the exhibit Heathcliff escapes the pet area and Top Dog has to follow him and the two even fight with Heathcliff making his escape once more, Top Dog alerts Joey to the cats rampage but says he will stop it. Heathcliff is causing mischief all around the museum and Top Dog is given chase. Meanwhile both Joey and Iggy find themselves taken prisoner when the stumble on a robbery plot at the museum and one of the crooks is even dressed as a Mummy. Heathcliff stumbles onto the crime as well and is able to take the stolen jewels and after finding Top Dog the two pets keep the robbers busy and even set off the silent alarm, and once the police get their and Top Dog uses the Mummy’s bandages to wrap up the crooks the jewels are returned and Heathcliff and Top Dog are the heroes of the day.

This is yet another super fun crossover that has two of Star Comics popular characters coming together for one fun issue as this time around Top Dog is paired up with Heathcliff who was super popular not only in Star Comics but also on TV and Comic Strips. And this pairing was a great idea as these two were the Star Comics icons when it came to animal main character based comics. In this issue Top Dog and Heathcliff start off as enemies as the two just do not get along but their human owners Joey and Iggy do, but after a theft takes place the two animals team up and make a great team as they bring down the crooks and save the day as well as the priceless jewels the baddies were trying to steal. One of the best parts of this crossover is the brief paw fight between Top Dog and Heathcliff as paws are thrown and that makes for a fun few panels. I also feel that they use both Joey Jordan and Iggy Nutmeg well as they quickly become friends and work on a school project together and even both stumble on and taken prisoner when they find out about a robbery. The comic also has a cameo from Heathcliff characters Muggsy Faber and his bulldog Spike and that adds to the fun nature of this crossover. The villains of this issue are the three crooks with one that is wearing a Mummy costume while they are thieves they are not that dangerous and are out smarted really easy by Top Dog and Heathcliff. I should also note that while Top Dog and Heathcliff stop the criminals in the end, its clear that Top Dog is annoyed by the attitude of his feline friend. The cover is great and has Top Dog and Heathcliff running from a Mummy and yep you guessed it the interior art by Kremer is as good as ever. Once more a great Top Dog comic that held up for me and of course if you are a fan of Top Dog give it a read, but also fans of Heathcliff should check it out.

Top Dog # 10 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 10 of 14

Comic World the local comic shop is having Spider-Man as a guest and Joey is helping Danny the son of owner Mark Carter hang posters for this event, and once done Joey is paid in comics for his help and Top Dog wonders why people would read comics as they seem silly to him. While Joey is still looking Jim Osborn enters the shop as he is the actor who will be playing Spider-Man for the public appearance and all the kids in the shop want the actor to sign their comics. As Comic World is about to close for the day a man named Magee shows up just as Danny leads Joey, Jim and Top Dog to his house, but something does not set right with Top Dog who goes back to the shop and hears Magee tells Mark that he wants the money back that he put into the comic shop and that they should burn the shop down and collect the insurance money! Meanwhile Danny goes to Joey’s house for dinner and Top Dog has to wait to tell his friend what he over heard, and when he does Joey is torn about calling the police about the possible arson as it would really hurt Danny. But after talking to “Spider-Man” or Spider-Actor Jim about keeping secrets Joey comes up with a plan and goes to Comic World and confronts Mark on the arson plan, this causes the owner to change his mind but before they can call the police Magee shows up and at gunpoint locks Joey, Mark and Top Dog into a storage room with the idea of burning them alive inside the shop! But Top Dog is able to escape and gets help from Danny who is also quickly captured and thrown into the storage room. But Magee was not ready for Jim as Spider-Man who swings into action via a banner and knocks Magee silly and saves all his friend locked in the storage room and proves he his a hero not just an actor playing one and also saves the comic shop from a fiery death. The Comic Shop is now doing well and Danny is now working with his dad at it and Jim Osborn is a local hero and Top Dog and Joey meet Peter Parker who has been sent to take pictures and even see J. Jonah Jameson shows up to rant about Spider-Man.

This is the crossover that all the readers had been waiting for and sadly while it’s a good issue those who want to see Spider-Man and Top Dog work together to bring down criminals will be very much let down as the Spidey in this issue is just a goofy actor and the real Spider-Man is only shown in a cameo and as Peter Parker. The plot of this issue has Joey’s friend Danny and his Dad not having much time to spend together as the dad has made a bad business deal with a criminal to get his comic shop up and running and now faces the threat of arson in order for the shop to turn a faster profit, but of course Top Dog, Joey and an actor play Spider-Man save the day and bring down the criminal and turn the comic shop into one of the towns must stop shops. Tog Dog in this issue is the one who discovers the plot of arson and is also taken back by Joey who does not want to call the cops over it as he fears it will hurt Danny’s feelings, we also see that Top Dog does not like comic books and thinks Spider-Man is cheesy. Joey ends up saving Mark Carter the father of his friend Danny by not calling the police and also getting him away from Magee who is a true scumbag who wants to burn up a store full of comic books! One of the cool parts of this comic is seeing Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson at the comic shop covering the Spidey Actor saving the day, and its great that Joey who is a big Spider-Man fan not knowing that he is that close to his idol who is taking photos at his local comic shop. The cover for this issue is very iconic as I remember many of my friends having this issue in their comic collection and its super eye catching as it has Spider-Man swinging with Top Dog! The interior art this time is done by a team as Warren Kremer did all the normal Top Dog stuff and John Romita drawing Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson, making this a very fun comic to not only read but also look at. A great issue that holds up for me after all these years, and yes I do wish Spider-Man in the comic was really Spidey.

Top Dog # 11 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 11 of 14

Joey and Top Dog are heading downtown as a new comic shop as just opened and when they reach town they find that everything ran by computer has gone crazy so they rush to the Ice Cream shop and to the Super Computer that is going crazy, and after quickly fixing it Top Dog learns that his brother Dirty Dog is the one who made the computer go crazy and that he wants to meet his brother alone on top of a near by mountain. Morrison films Joey in on who Dirty Dog is and this causes Joey to follow Top Dog and once on the mountain they are both captured by Dirty Dog’s trap door. Top Dog learns that his brother has built human like robots of all the worlds leaders that will allow him to control the world, but he needs Tog Dog’s help to build in their speech and uses Joey as a hostage to get what he wants. Dirty Dog sends out a robot version of Joey to report back to Morrison and even stay at his home and be the perfect son to his parents, while Top Dog tries to figure out a plan to save the day. Top Dog ends up freeing the real Joey who goes and gets Morrison for help and he also has programed the World Leader Robots to fight his brothers robots and they all destroy each other, but before Dirty Dog can be captured he escapes inside a rocket. In the end Top Dog and Joey head home and have to take apart the robot Joey that has been living at the Jordon house while the real one was held prisoner.

This issue pits brother against brother as Top Dog has to face off with Dirty Dog as one wants to help the world while the other wants to rule over it. Dirty Dog is the dust cloud caring canine brother of Top Dog and is just as smart as his brother, but is also very bad as his whole world is just about him and his want to be a ruler. Dirty Dog is so smart that he knows how to hack into the Super Computer as well as can build robots that can look and act like anyone. Dirty Dog due to his creative and smart mind makes him very dangerous to all of the world as his mean nature knows no bounds. Meanwhile Top Dog in this issue uses his smarts and creative ways for good and is able to stop his brothers plans as well as get his friend Joey to safety, it’s a shame that the two canine brothers are at odds with one another and have different values. Morrison also is a hero of sorts as he comes to the aid of Top Dog and causes Dirty Dog to flee the scene of his crimes. I like that when characters are around Dirty Dog the sneeze as a dust cloud of dirt follows him, think Pigpen from Peanuts. This issue also makes the stakes seem high as Top Dog fears what his brother can do as he knows just how dangerous he is and the fact they can match wits makes for a entertaining showdown and read. The cover for this issue is fun and has the robot called Max holding Joey and Top Dog as Dirty Dog mocks them. And yep you guessed it the interior art is once more done by Kremer and is very great stuff! One other really cool thing I should say that in the letters page called “Star Signals” they ran a reader poll and the winner of “Favorite Character” went to Top Dog with the characters Lion-O (Thundercats) and Wicket (Ewoks) both tied for second place! I would have really loved to have seen the full list as were did He-Man (Masters Of The Universe), Royal Roy, Spider-Ham and R2-D2 (Star Wars: Droids) place on this list! But to sup this up another great issue from the Top Dog team and I can see why he was so popular back in the 80’s.

Top Dog # 12 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 12 of 14

Joey Jordan and Top Dog are heading to their booth at the school’s science fair and soon find out that their neighbor is Mervin Megabucks who is as rude as ever. Mervin tricks Top Dog with a kite that he claims only he can fly, and when Top Dog tries it turns into a rocket and flies the canine back to the Megabucks estate and to the lab of Dr. Frank and Dr. Stein who are waiting and once more capture Top Dog. Mervin gives Joey a ride to the lab and then informs him that they will be switching minds so that he can prove that Top Dog talks and with the help of a machine made by Frank and Stein they do just that! The switch only lasts 24 hours and once its done Joey who is really Mervin heads to Top Dog who wakes up in a fake version of Joey’s room that has been built at the castle. When Top Dog does not speak and Mervin who is really Joey shows up the plan is a bust, but Joey who is really Mervin decides that he will do the next best think and that’s ruin his nemesis life! The fake Joey tries his best to ruin the reputation of the real Joey at home and school but everything keeps backfiring as all his bad doings keep falling on Mervin and making him look like the bigger jerk. In the end a mix up at the lab turns Joey back to normal but Mervin, Frank, Slyme, Stein, a Rooster and a dog get all mixed up and the machine shorts out making it take time before they can all be back to normal.

That mean rich brat Mervin Megabucks is at it again in this issue as he once more makes an attempt at owning Top Dog and proving that he can talk, this time he even uses a machine the switches minds….but this of course backfires for him as by the end his mind ends up in a dog that has fleas! Mervin is such a rude young man who treats people and animals terrible and thanks his money makes him powerful, when in reality it just makes him a not likeable person with a massive ego. The Mad Scientist Frank and Stein are goofy doctors who just do what they are told and that includes kidnapping a kid and a dog. Top Dog is two smart to fall for this mind trick, well and he looses his voice for a short time that causes him not to speak to the fake Joey. Speaking of Joey the real one he is the true hero here as he saves Top Dog as well as stops all the antics of the fake Joey and even tricks Mervin into going back home so that they can switch minds back. This issue really does feel like a cartoon and is packed with lots of silly humor as well as a dash of Sci-Fi fun and that is why it’s a good read. The cover for this issue is silly and has the mind switching machine hard at work and the you know the deal with the interior artwork being great and who did it by now. So with that lest see what issue thirteen has in store for us and if it will hold up as well as all these issues have for me.

Top Dog # 13 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price .75 Star Comics # 13 of 14

After watching TV and a sci-fi show about time travel Top Dog tells Joey that he has ben working on a time machine and the two rush off to the Super Computer that is hidden at the ice cream shop that is watched over by Agent Morrison. But before they get their Top Dog helps out Brutus a dog that is being miss treated by his owner Tommy Turner by setting him free from pulling a wagon full of groceries. Once at the computer something goes wrong and causes the machine to go off and zap Joey who finds himself in the year 2007 and everything has changed from travel, to dress to locations and this makes Joey confused as he rushes to the new location of the Ice Cream shop and meets Morrison and later Top Dog who are both very old now and confused by why the younger Joey being there and the worse they are not sure how to get him back to his time! And worse he finds out that Vladimir and enemy of the state has captured the adult version of himself who is now an agent, and the mind of Top Dog is starting to go. But with the help of young Joey Top Dog is able to save older Joey and arrest Vladimir and send Joey home by accident when they bump into the time machine that blasts Joey back in time.

This is a fun issue as it really has a Sci-Fi feel to it as Joey is sent to the future by accident and must save the older version of himself from a spy that has taken him hostage! Top Dog when older is slowly loosing his smarts, but still is very much a fighter and still has is attitude and humor that makes him the well loved canine of comics. Joey lands in 2007 and well sense it’s 2022 nothing they predicted the future to be like came true…but Joey does learn that he will become a Government agent. Morrison as an old man still works at the Ice Cream shop as the secret base for the Super Computer. The issues villain is Vladimir who goes down really easy when Top Dog frees the adult Joey and he is punched in the face. While this issue does not have any real “danger” feeling to the mission it does bring some wonder as you start to wonder just how young Joey will get back to his time, and of course its just like the way he got to the future. The cover is funny and shows the future in the background and young Joey trying to talk to the very old Top Dog. And once again you know the deal when it comes to the interior art so I am not going to say it again. Over all a pretty fun issue that sadly leads us to the final issue in the series.

Top Dog # 14 ***
Released in 1987 Cover Price $1.00 Star Comics # 14 of 14

Joey Jordan is waken from a nightmare that had his best friend Top Dog leaving, and when up he and Top Dog head to the Super Computer to give it a tune up and meet up with Agent Morrison who is happy to see his friends. But unknown to them all they have been followed by Dr. Ominous who pulls a gun on them all and is ranting that he is the one who truly created the Super Computer (called The Brainstrain) and that Top Dog took the credit for it, and Morrison admits that Ominous built some of the computer but had a mental breakdown before it was even close to being finished and that Top Dog was indeed the one who finished it and made it better. Dr. Ominous is not hearing it and uses a transport ray gun to steal the computer and then also blasts Top Dog and himself leaving Joey and Morrison to have to rush to the basement to use a very talkative and old Super Computer to try and get the answer of were the Super Computer is now. Meanwhile Dr. Ominous threatens the lives of the Jordan’s in order to get Top Dog to help him install a new feature and then operate the Super Computer. Meanwhile the changes used allows Dr. Ominous to steal all the worlds landmarks from the Great Pyramids to The Statue Of Liberty all because the scientific world thought he was washed up when he had his breakdown, but of course Top Dog along with Joey Jordan and Agent Morrison stop this mad man and send the landmarks back, but Dr. Ominous is able to escape being captured. In the end Top Dog tells Joey that until Dr. Ominous is captured that he can no longer live with his family as it would put them all in danger and with that Top Dog leaves.

And with that ends the Top Dog series that ends kind of sadly as our canine hero has to leave his best friend and really his family behind all because of a fat crazy scientist by the name of Dr. Ominous who has threaten to hurt the Jordan family in order to get to Top Dog. I think the real kicker in this is that at the end they promised a new Top Dog series was in the works and would be released soon after the currant series ended, and we all know that it never happened and Marvel Comics was the master of not allowing Star Comics series to end in a proper manor…so imagine being a kid and reading this issue and the last image you see of Top Dog a character that you have read every issue of and have grown to love is him crying and running down a street away from his best friend who is also crying sad tears in the street in front of his home….like way to go Marvel! Sadly the new Top Dog series was never made and I truly do feel that this was a missed character opportunity as he was very popular with readers and already we seen that he was in the normal Marvel Universe as he crossed over with Spider-Man so why not continue is adventures in Marvel proper? The one thing that Marvel did at least somewhat right is they allowed this Star Comics character to have a final issue that alerted the readers that this was it for them on this run, as so many before and after just ended with no send off and true ending for the characters. I mean I would have really loved to have seen a comic that would have has Top Dog along with Agent Morrison and yes Joey Jordan going around the world taking down spies and villains on their hunt to bring Dr. Ominous to justice and along the way they could have meet up with The Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Luke Cage and even Spider-Man once more. Or even imagine an issue that had Top Dog in Florida and having a run in with Man-Thing that would have been awesome. Top Dog really was a well written kids comic that started out like your typical Harvey Comics with a dash of Archie Comics but really quickly it turned into something very special and of its own as it added many different elements together from action to sci-fi to even comedy it brought it all. I mean it also did a great job of having crossovers with such characters as Spider-Man, Heathcliff and Royal Roy and each was done really well. Speaking of Heathcliff for those wondering Top Dog would appear in solo back up stories in that series, so in a way he did continue on after his series ended. The cover for the final issue is sad and shows Top Dog crying and the interior art by the talented Warren Kremer was really great stuff throughout the series. While much time has past I say to Marvel Comics it’s never to late to bring Top Dog back into the world of comics and you should do so as he still has many adventures left to have with us his readers. Checkout the artwork below to see they style used by Warren Kremer.

I have an idea for Marvel Comics that they should do as they own Star Comics, Malibu Comics and CrossGen Comics all three they do nothing with…so why not mix them together in their own universe that runs separate from Marvel but gives the characters new life and makes their old readership happy to see them back, plus could give creators more to work with as well as give readers something different from their bland stories they are spewing out in their main titles…as some of modern Marvel is unreadable at this point. But we all now this will never happen as they have been a shell of a company sense Disney bought them and only care about films and shows with the characters. But with that I will say I was a Top Dog fan as a kid and after reading these issue again I am a Top Dog still! Dog Month continues with our next update as we will be taking a look at that comic strip canine called Belvedere. So until next time, read a Star Comic or three, watch a movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update as we spend some time with a dog with some major attitude.