DC’s Hero Master Of The Elements Metamorpho!

Posted on June 3, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. As you can see, we find ourselves once more back in the world of DC Comics as we take a look at yet another superhero that they seem to overlook. I am talking about Metamorpho this time around, a hero who can turn himself into every type of element and is another overlooked character in the DC Comic Universe. When thinking about the updates for 2025, I wanted to at least cover two superheroes from DC. I knew that Plastic Man was a must, and I covered him back in May; and when choosing the second hero to cover I was torn between several as Catwoman, Black Canary, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Green Arrow were all considered but in the end I wanted to go for a hero who was not as mainstream as the above mentioned and that is why Metamorpho was chosen to get the Rotten Ink treatment. So with that, sit back and relax as we take a fun and brief look at Metamorpho, a DC Hero that is on the verge of being forgotten.

Rex Mason was a very famous archaeologist who found some of the world’s most priceless treasures. He was mostly on the payroll of Simon Stagg, the owner of Stagg Enterprises who needed him to go to Egypt and find The Orb Of Ra, and during this time Rex would even fall in love with Sapphire Stagg, the daughter of Simon. But once in the pyramid that held the orb he was attacked by Java, the bodyguard of Simon, and exposed to a meteor that disfigures and turns him into Metamorpho The Element Man as he got the power of turning himself into every type of element! He would also soon find that Simon could use the Orb against him to keep him for getting revenge for this betrayal. And while a good guy, Metamorpho can never turn his appearance back to normal and has spent most of his life trying to find a cure even at one point getting the help of Green Lantern whose Power Ring even fails to get turn him back normal. Over the years he has worked alongside such teams as The Outsiders, Justice League Europe, Doom Patrol and even had a crime fighter partner named Element Girl. He also has a son Joseph Mason who has the powers of turning object into other elements. And like every DC Comic character, Metamorpho of course has many different versions from all the different Earths with each having different paths and adventures. Metamorpho was created by Bob Haney and Romona Fradon in 1965 and first appeared in The Brave And The Bold # 57 and is a classic character that has also appeared in cartoons and animated films over the years. This is just a quick crash course lesson on Metamorpho and who he is and what he can do.

Metamorpho is one of those classic DC Comic characters that I remember seeing in issues of Brave And The Bold when I was a kid and while I liked his look, I never truly connected to him as I was way more into Plastic Man who had a similar ability and was created many years before him. But for some reason this weirdly colored hero always did get my attention as I can remember asking my brother all the time how you pronounce the character’s name as well as what his deal was because to me he looked like a super villain and not a super hero. Over the years as I was getting more and more comics thanks to comic shops and garage sales, I was able to read comics with Metamorpho in them as a hero and I found myself enjoying them as well as finding his powers cooler than I originally thought, as how cool it is that he can turn his whole body or even parts of his body into elements like gold, silver, helium and tin to name a few! Plus such things cannot hurt him as bullets and knives and only an ancient Egyptian orb can truly hurt him. And while he is not a topnotch hero in DC, I do find that they seem to overlook him when it comes to appearing in more comics as well as live action films as I think it’s time he gets to shine on the silver screen. I also have to say that back in 1975, as part of a vinyl record called “Songs And Stories Of The Justice League,” Metamorpho has his own song done by Arthur Korb and you must listen to it as its super catchy and can be found on YouTube. Also after reading this update, head to your local comic shop and grab yourself some comics featuring Metamorpho and give him a chance.

Well as you can see, Metamorpho is a classic superhero from DC Comics that has been around sin d the 60’s and has made his way into being a member of the Justice League as well as appeared in some animated shows and films and in the 90’s even got his own mini series again to showcase this hero to the comic reading masses. I would first like to thank Bell, Book And Comic for having this comic in stock and making 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 if you are ready, let’s see what Metamorpho has in store for us as this mini series will be a first time read for me and I am excited to see what kind of action awaits in these pages.

Metamorpho # 1 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 1 of 4

Rex Mason is an archaeologist on an adventure to get the Himalayan Ice Crystal and has to escape a pack of Yetis to get away. Years have passed and Rex is now the superhero Metamorpho and visiting the museum looking back at some of the items he had uncovered and talks with his friend Haney who runs it all. They chat about the past and why Metamorpho no longer gets these items, they speak of Joey who is the son of Metamorpho who is also cursed with powers due to his dad…and the possibility of a cure. Enter Jillian Conway, a fellow archaeologist who thinks a cure can be found inside a pyramid in Egypt due to some wall carvings she found and it is The Orb Of Ra that can reverse the super powered curse. Jillian also shows Metamorpho and Haney that she as well was exposed to the meteor that transformed Rex and his son as her face is hidden behind a mask, and she blames Simon Stagg who is the ex-father in law of Metamorpho and who is rich and abuses his power…he was also the last owner of The Orb Of Ra and claims it has been stolen and could be in Ireland. Metamorpho agrees to help Jillian to get the orb and tells her to get an extra seat for the plane ride as he heads to Stagg’s mansion and gets his infant son away from all the armed guards, as he wants the item that can cure him of his curse once and for all.

This is a pretty interesting first issue in a mini series that features Metamorpho, a hero who can transform himself into every type of element, and this series skips going through his origin story and takes it that you already know who he is and what he can do. The plot has Metamorpho teaming up with another archaeologist by the name of Jillian as they both have been effected by a meteor that was found in a tomb in Egypt and this has caused them to gain superpowers as well as be very badly disfigured and now they think that they might have found a cure and this is important to Metamorpho as this also has infected his infant son and he will do whatever he can to cure his son. Metamorpho is a hero who misses his old life of collecting artifacts and while he uses his new superpowers for good, he does feel guilty that his powers also has passed onto his infant son, and will do whatever he can to help his son and that even includes taking orders from his sleazy ex-father in law who only truly cares about money. Simon Stagg is that scumbag who runs his own company that collects artifacts and use to be the man behind paying for Rex’s quests to get the artifacts. He also is trying his best to ruin the relationship between Metamorpho and his ex-wife and baby’s mom Sapphire when he hides the note left for his daughter written by Metamorpho as to why he took Joseph from the Stagg mansion. And while the issue is not super action packed, the moments of Metamorpho fighting the Stagg Security Force and robotic Nanny are pretty cool as he kicks their butts and showcases his powers well. I also like that we get a look at some Yetis and that for some reason the flashback to getting the Himalayan Ice Crystal reminds me of Indiana Jones! The cover for this issue is pretty cool as it features Metamorpho looking all smug, and the interior art is very well done and was done by artist Graham Nolan. And if you are like me, I am sure you want to see if this orb can truly cure Metamorpho and his son Joseph and if they can trust Jillian Conway who I am starting to think might not be telling the full truth to our hero as I got a vibe from her that made me not trust her.

Metamorpho # 2 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 2 of 4

While on the plane heading to Ireland, Metamorpho remembers back to the time he was attacked in the pyramid by Java and left for dead, but instead found himself changed and infected by a powerful meteor. Jillian snaps him out of his day dream and talks up her theory that the Orb Of Ra will be the key to their cure. While back at Stagg Mansion Sapphire is besides herself as her son Joseph is missing and her father Simon is still acting clueless on why Metamorpho attacked and took the child, and when Java is raged and wants to go after Metamorpho to get Joseph back he is shot and killed by Simon who claims to Sapphire that her new husband went insane and that he had to kill him in self defense…he then makes some very creepy remarks to his daughter. While in Ireland Metamorpho and Jillian do some tracking and call in a few favors and find that a man named Peter O’Grady might have or know who does the Orb Of Ra…but once at the bar Peter hangs out in, a big brawl breaks out and lots of guns are fired and even a flamethrower used with Metamorpho standing tall as many goons are knocked out on the bar room floor. But while he beat up lots of goons he finds that his son Joseph is in the hands of Peter O’Grady who has a gun to the child’s head and is threatening to end his life!

Oh man what a cliffhanger to end this issue as poor young Joseph Mason is in the dangerous hands of the scumbag named Peter O’Grady who is known for being a thief and killer. Makes me wonder just how Metamorpho is going to save his son’s life…or I wonder if the son’s own powers will save the day is he touches O’Grady. The plot of this second issue can be summed up like this Metamorpho with his small group land in Ireland and find big trouble with criminal Peter O’Grady while at the Stagg Mansion Simon continues his sneak plan as he keeps his daughter in the dark and also kills her new husband for not listening to his orders. Metamorpho in this issue shows that he cares about his son as well as ex-wife and will do whatever it takes to get the orb if it’s a key to heal them of this terrible super powered curse. And with his powers he is able to beat the heck out of a bunch of goons as well as show off his amazing ability to shake off attacks. Peter O’Grady seems to have been waiting for Metamorpho to come for him and thought that he and his men could take the hero down, but soon found that he was wrong and comes to the final plan of trying to take the heroes son hostage. Jillian Conway is clearly new to having these powers and almost seems afraid to use them, but does so in the bar brawl to help Metamorpho out, maybe I was wrong about not trusting her. Simon Stagg is pure scum as he is a cold blooded killer, has to be in control at all times and almost seems to like to see his daughter Sapphire suffer…and I think he was also hitting on her…gross. Java was the new husband of Sapphire and the bodyguard who attacked Rex in the pyramid. He was also a caveman that was melted out of a block of ice who finds himself dead when he questions the orders of Simon who made the murder look like self defense. The cover for this issue is just ok and not as cool nor eye catching as the first issues, and like before Graham Nolan is the artist who did the interior artwork and it is solid good stuff. Over all another great issue in this mini series and thickens the plot a little more as Metamorpho seems to be finding himself more and more enemies on his search for the cure.

Metamorpho # 3 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 3 of 4

Peter O’Grady gets the shock of his life when Joseph touches the gun and it melts away, as Peter drops Joseph it’s Jillian that catches him and Metamorpho goes on the attack and gets the information out of O’Grady that he needs as the orb has been sold to Emir Abd-Al-Aziz from Egypt and that is were our hero heads next. Meanwhile Simon has his security force remove the body of Java as Sapphire heads to her room knowing now what kind of master her father really is as he still talks about the killing being self-defense. But once back in Egypt Emir finds his palace under attack by invaders and Metamorpho and Jillian save the day and are given the Orb as a reward…but this is a fake and Metamorpho figures out that a conman named Delacroix is the one who must have it now. This leads them now to Casablanca and to a little bar where Delacroix hangs out and learns that the Orb has been returned to the pyramid it came from, and while there Metamorpho also finds is able to read some of the papers of Jillian who has headed to the hotel to put Joseph to bed. Metamorpho learns that the orb can only cure one person and that Jillian was going to use it on herself and the two end up having an element fight with Metamorpho making a mistake and getting hurt just as Jillian revels that she has been working with Simon Stagg the whole time who is as well in Casablanca now, but unknown to them all is that Sapphire is also there.

I knew it Jillian Conway should not be trusted and while she tricked me into thinking that maybe she was not a baddie her true colors come out in this issues as she is really into hurting people, watching people be hurt, is enjoying her powers now and was just using Metamorpho in order to track down the orb so that she could use if on herself as the cure is a one and done. Plus it tells you want kind of person she is when her business partner is Simon Stagg, the rich scumbag who seems to really get his jollies in making life terrible for Metamorpho who is his ex-son in law. And while this issue is a cat and mouse game of Metamorpho trying to track down the orb from location to location it very much is a very fun issue as you as a reader feel like you are apart of this adventure to find this cure. Metamorpho also proves that he will do whatever he has to do in order to cure his son and that includes fighting baddies and uncovering every clue he can. Also it is great to see in this issue that Sapphire is starting to truly see the monster that his her father and with her now hearing his plan as well as the lack of care to have her son be cured will I hope make he help her ex-husband get to the orb first. Having a part of the comic take place in Casablanca was very cool as one panel has a person at the bar look like Humphrey Bogart and his character Rick Blaine from the 1942 film Casablanca…nice touch guys. The action is lots of fun as Metamorpho, Joseph and Jillian all use their powers to fight off baddies and in the case of the two adults against each other in a showdown on who will get the orb first to get the cure. The cover for this issue is cool and has Metamorpho’s hands as blades and he is looking very angry and like the past issues the interior art is done by Graham Nolan and is really cool stuff. With issue three being another great issue I am looking forward to the fourth and final issue to see how this story ends.

Metamorpho # 4 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 4 of 4

Metamorpho wakes up to see Sapphire and the two make up when he tells her about the note and she tells him how her father killed Java and now together they are heading to Egypt to get their son and the Orb to try and cure him. While at the pyramid Jillian holding Jonathan and Simon start their search for the Orb and are discussing the cure it could hold, and Simon lets her know that he wants to use it to cure Metamorpho so that he will return back to Rex so that he can kill him! Meanwhile Jillian knows she cannot trust Simon and has kept the fact it can only cure one person to herself figuring out a way to get the Orb in her hands to do so. As Simon and Jillian find the Orb Metamorpho and Sapphire arrive and are ready for a fight in order to get and cure their son, and as Sapphire attacks her father Jillian is able to sneak away with the Orb as Metamorpho gives chase. The Orb was no cure and when Jillian uses it on herself she turns to dust and dies as Metamorpho rushes to get his son and ex-wife to safety. In the end Simon Stagg is beaten up, Sapphire finds her inner power, Joseph is cured when he touches the meteor and Metamorpho gets his family back together and is happy once more.

The final issue has a happy ending for our hero as he gets his family back and his son is cured of his super powers by the meteor that had started this nightmare from the start! Metamorpho does what he can to bring his family back as it is clear that he has never truly gotten over Sapphire and loves her just as much as he does his son. And when the two find that common bond again its clear that she feels the same way about him. Metamorpho also while not sure caring towards others that he feels have done him wrong does try and save Jillian from her fate of turning to sand and dying, but she would not listen to his warnings and just wanted to be pretty again no matter the coast. And that is the thing about Jillian is that she used so many people to try and cure herself and would kill anyone that crosses her path and even is mean to a child in her attempt to make herself normal again. It is also great to see Simon Stagg get what is coming to him as he is beaten up by his daughter and even out smarted by Jillian when it came to getting and using the Orb and by the end of the issue he is a very broken man. Sapphire also finds her inner fighter and is sick and tired of being bullied by her father and fights back and because a stronger person by the end of this adventure. You also have to be happy that Joseph is cured of his powers, as that youngster would have had a super hard life if he had to live with them. And I am kind of shocked on how much I really did enjoy this mini series and how it really did remind me of a super powered version of an Indiana Jones adventure and Metamorpho was a pretty cool hero as while he is strong and powerful he also finds himself getting beat up and hurt throughout the series and that helps add to the drama and cliffhanger style endings. The cover for the final issue is pretty cool and is super eye catching if you are a fan of the character and like before the interior artwork by Graham Nolan is very good and his work is solid throughout the mini series. If you like Metamorpho as a character or just enjoy superhero comics that have a classic cliffhanger adventure feel make sure to give this mini series a read. Checkout the artwork below to see the art style of Graham Nolan used in this series.

Well that was a fun comic series to read and I truly miss the days of DC Comics like this as I feel that the modern stuff just doesn’t have the magic touch like these classic issues due. And I myself find myself being a bigger fan of Metamorpho now after reading this as he really is more of an interesting character than I gave him credit for. But with that, our time in the DC Comics Universe has come to an end for now as out next update will take us back to the Rotten Ink Arena as we will be talking about the masked heel known as The Dark Patriot! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! The Dark Patriot was a wrestler I grew up watching and his R.I.W Legend Update Event should be a fun one!

Plastic Man: The Amazing Silly Stretchy Superhero Of DC

Posted on May 2, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. For this update, we find ourselves in the world of DC Comics as what better way to start May 2025 off with than looking at a mini series that features one of their underrated characters like we have before with the updates on Hawkman, Red Tornado, Jonni Thunder and Steel The Indestructible Man, but this time around we will be talking about Plastic Man who was originally a character created for Quality Comics, a indie company that was around from 1937 to 1956 and was founded by Everett M. “Busy” Arnold. Once that company folded up Plastic Man along with many other characters would find a home at DC Comics. And for kids of the 80’s and 90’s like myself, Plastic Man was a pretty popular B-Team hero from DC and it’s about time that he gets the Rotten Ink treatment! So with that, let’s get this update started and go on a weird and silly ride with the stretchy hero known as Plastic Man!

Plastic Man’s real name is Patrick O’Brian, and he was created by Jack Cole in 1941. Because it’s DC, he also has two different origin stories cause Infinite Earth nonsense. His original origin has Patrick as a criminal as he grew up an orphan on the streets from the age of 10 and as he grew up he became involved in a burglary ring. One night, while trying to break into the Crawford Chemical Works, the robbery goes wrong and Patrick is shot, an unknown chemical spills all over him and his gang leave him at the scene of the crime. Patrick ends up running away in pain, and once he passes out, he wakes up in the mountains being taken care of by a monk who teaches him the ways of being good and this helps him turn on his life of crime. And Patrick’s body goes through a change due to the chemical as his body can stretch now and he can distort his body into all types of shapes and would become a true hero who would join the police and FBI in order to stop crime. The second origin story is covered here in the mini series that I will be reviewing, so for that story read the comic reviews to find out more about him and his kooky friend Woozy Winks. Over the years, Plastic Man has also became a member of such teams as Justice League, Freedom Fighters and All-Star Squadron to name a few. While Plastic Man is not as iconic as his fellow DC Heroes like Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman or The Flash, he is one that has a loyal following and is iconic in his own way as the character is still used to this day.

Kenner in the 1980’s had a very cool figure series going called Super Powers that was based around the heroes and villains of the DC Universe. And during the third series the legendary Plastic Man was part of the line and was a figure that was harder to get and was a “chase” figure for the series when it was released. Growing up my brother and I collected the Super Powers toys and always were on the look out for Plastic Man, but we never found one…my brother ended up getting him decades later and has him as part of his collection. The Plastic Man’s action feature was that he grows and for the time, this feature was pretty cool for an action figure. Just wanted to briefly talk about this figure as I find it to be very cool and part of Plastic Man’s history in pop culture.

Ruby-Spears in 1979 made the cartoon show “The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show” that was for ABC and aired after Super Friends and was a very popular show that had Plastic Man teaming up with Bad Luck Hula-Hula, Penny and later Baby Plas as they would stop criminals and silly super villains like Carrot-Man, Doctor Dome and many others. In the cartoon Plastic Man also worked alongside the police and would have to use his abilities to out smarty and trick his enemies. In the cartoon Plastic Man would be voiced by Michael Bell who lent his voice to many different cartoons such as G.I. Joe were he voiced such characters as Major Bludd, Duke and Xamot with other cartoons being The Incredible Hulk (1982), DuckTales (1987), Rugrats (1991) and Batman The Animated Series (1992) among many others. Other voice actors include Frank Welker, Joe Baker, Melendy Britt, Clare Peck and John Stephenson to name a few. The series would last for 5 Seasons and a total of 112 episodes and would find life again once it was reran on Cartoon Network and made it way to DVD. And this was a cartoon I watched when I was younger and back when it aired on Cartoon Network I would tape episodes on a old VHS and it was so silly and goofy that I loved every second of it as even the baddies in the episodes were so odd that it made for great watches. If you get a chance and find this DVD make sure to pick it up if you enjoy classic late 70’s and early 80’s cartoons. Also Baby Plas was terrible in the series and I use to hate the episodes that showcased him…he really is the worst thing about the cartoon series. I should also note that this cartoon series while it ran for five seasons really is two different series as at one point they add the Plastic Family and it becomes more and more about Baby Plas and the DVD set is the early episodes.

Growing up being a comic reader Plastic Man was a character that I knew about from an early age due to seeing him in the pages of DC Comics, his action figure via Kenner as well of course the Cartoon series and he always was a favorite of mine as he was silly and fun and was way cooler that the other stretchy characters in comics like Reed Richards (Fantastic Four) and Elongated Man as they lacked the charm of Plastic Man. And what is crazy is that I can even remember kids talking about Plastic Man on the playground. While he was not as popular as Spider-Man, Batman or Superman he still got some love. Heck, I can even remember some of my friends and myself drawing Plastic Man in art class. I think Plastic Man always stood out to me because he was a very colorful character who had a very goofy personality and had a superpower that is just basic as all he can do is stretch and mimic the look of people and objects. The cartoon as well as the Kenner Super Power figure also made him a standout for me as did his many appearances in my random comics when I was a youngster. While he never was one of my top heroes of the DC Comic characters, I would say he would be in my Top 15, maybe by Top 10 heroes from that company.

So as you can see, Plastic Man was a pretty big deal when I was a kid and he got way more attention from DC Comics than he does now, but sadly that seems to go for most of their heroes nowadays unless it is Batman, Harley Quinn or Batman…wait I said him already. But sadly I do not think that this will ever change at DC Comics as the focus seems to be far away from the comics and more on the movies, shows and cartoons. I would like to thank Bell, Book And Comic for having this mini series in stock and making this update possible. I also 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, their entertainment value and their art and story. I am looking forward to reading this mini series again as it has been decades since I read it last, and it will be interesting to see how well it holds up now. So if you are ready, let’s head to New York City and see what Plastic Man has in store for us.

Plastic Man # 1 ***
Released in 1988 Cover Price $1.00 DC Comics # 1 of 4

The Eel is part of a gang, and they are breaking into a safe when the security guard shows up and opens fire hitting Eel in the arm as well as shooting a barrel full of a gooey chemical waste that splashes on his wound, The Eel wakes up in an ally after running from the scene and being left behind by his gang and his body is oddly out of shape as he tries to make is back to the gang’s hideout. But as The Eel walks down the road his misshapen body freaks out the locals who run for their lives thinking he is a monster or alien. The cops are called in as it’s now a full riot to get away from him. The Eel, still unaware of his new stretchy plastic like powers, ends up causing chaos for the cops who are crashing cars and making fools of themselves trying to stop him as they think he is a monster. Once at his old hideout even his old gang fear him and after trying to shoot him, them run away in fear just as the army shows up with the plan to kill him! The Eel’s new super powers really have caused him to be feared and wanted to be killed by the authorities. The Eel escapes via the toilet by flushing himself and winds up in the sewer, than at a bar on Skid Row and then flirting with a lady of the night only to be rejected an decides that he is just going to kill himself. But while attempting to leap off a bridge, he meets Woozy Winks, a mental patient who wants to be his friend and who thinks his powers of stretching are cool! Together they hang out and test the powers The Eel has, get him a new snazzy costume and after flipping a coin they decide to use his powers for good and The Eel becomes Plastic Man and stops his old gang from robbing a bank. While they get no reward, Plastic Man and Woozy get some press and their run at superheroes has began.

This is such a weird and silly first issue as we join Plastic Man from his time as a criminal to turning into a hero all because of the outcome of a toss of a coin. The plot has small time criminal The Eel being injured and splashed with a chemical that turns his skin into rubber that can stretch who becomes feared and the target of the police and army who after meeting a mental patient turns into a hero looking for reward money and even stops his old gang from pulling off a bank robbery. Plastic Man is this issue is super depressed by his new stretching powers and even at several points wants to end his own life as he thinks he is a freak an that the world is out to get him. But when he finally finds a friend, he is able to cheer up and find a use for his powers and that is fighting crime. Plastic Man is also super silly in nature and now with a more stretchy face makes all types of goofy expression that clearly is freaking out those around him. Woozy Winks is a very strange man who goes fishing with chewing gum, is weird in nature and who was kicked out of the asylum he was in due to politics! But while Woozy is crazy, he does seem to be a good influence on Plastic Man…well for the most part. This origin story is similar to the other “Earth” version from the classic days of the character, and I cannot stress enough how mush I dislike all the other world stuff of DC Comics as its confusing and messes with characters’ backstories, secret identities and more…but I will get off my soap box on that topic. The issue also has lots of humor with most of it being kind of dark humor, but it works as Plastic Man kind of lends himself to humor. The cover for this issue is very cool and eye catching as it has Plastic Man punching people, and the interior art is done by Hilary Barta an is great stuff as it has a crazy look to it and truly set its apart from most of the superhero comics going at this time. So with a very solid and entertaining first issue, let’s see what the second has in store for us.

Plastic Man # 2 ***
Released in 1988 Cover Price $1.00 DC Comics # 2 of 4

A group of cops are running off homeless people sleeping in a New York park when they are given a fright by Plastic Man and Woozy Winks who then start looking in the newspaper for job listing, only to find no paying work for heroes. Plastic Man and Woozy apply for a job at a bank as security guards and as they are being told no, the bank is being robbed by The Ooze Brothers who are made of a snot like substance and who defeat Plastic Man and escape with the money. But Plastic Man gives chase and almost captures them but the stolen money is now all over the streets with people grabbing it. The Ooze Brother escape into the sewer, while on the streets Plastic Man feels awful about losing the money and meets a man who runs the local circus and who’s payroll money was stolen and makes a deal with him that if he cannot get the money back that was taken from them he will work in the circus as a freak! Plastic and Woozy sneak into the Police Department files and get the file on The Ooze Brothers and end up finding their hideout where Plastic Man is able to trick and capture them in a toxic waste barrel, but Officer McNulty by accident lets them free when he comes to arrest Plastic Man. When The Ooze Brothers come out of the barrel, however, they are all stuck together and end up exploding! But Woozy shows up with paper towels and soaks them up so they cannot escape again. In the end Plastic Man and Woozy head to the circus and find that The Ooze Brothers are now working for them as a comedy freak show.

What another fun issue that has Plastic Man fighting other freaks of nature in the streets and waste dumps of New York this time around and is very entertaining as it does a great job of blending action and humor. The plot has a bank being robbed by three brothers who are made of snotty ooze and Plastic Man and Woozy try to stop them and get back the stolen money of the local circus all to prove that they are indeed superheroes! Plastic Man in this issue is really into trying to become a hero and wants to prove to the world that he is a changed man and that his stretchy powers are being used for the good of the world. Plastic Man also shows that he is smart and is able to come up with several plans that end up truly saving the day and bringing in the baddies. Woozy Winks in this issue kind of wants flip flop from being a hero to being a criminal as he really wants money and doesn’t mind the means he has to use to get it, but at the end of the day while crazy, he does have a good heart and helps his friend Plastic Man when he is in trouble. The Ooze Brothers are three brother criminals who are made out of a snot like goo and who argue and fight with each other and like to hideout in toxic waste dumps…but once defeated they find their calling working in a Freak Show at a New York circus. I should also take a moment to talk about Officer McNulty who has been the pain in Plastic Man’s side from the start and is an officer who seems to be super moody jerk that even his fellow officers do not like. I really do like that in this issue Plastic Man has to tangle with other weirdo’s with super powers as the fight between the two sides are silly, gross and fun. The cover art is cool and has Plastic Man stuck to the wall in a sewer by snot goo and like before the interior artwork is really weird and fantastic and is done by Hilary Barta once more and he was the perfect choice for this series as his art fits so well with the silly and weird story arch of this mini series. Let’s see what issue three has in store for Plastic Man and what weird situation he will find himself in next.

Plastic Man # 3 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $1.00 DC Comics # 3 of 4

Woozy Winks is feeling a little down as he feels that Plastic Man is getting all the fame for the crimes they are stopping, and Woozy feels like he is useless to the team and when his name is misspelled on their new slum office door, he is very angry and leaves to deposit some money in their bank account. As Woozy is walking, he meets a crazy man who is preaching about a better life with his master Ramalama, and after Woozy sees the beautiful ladies in this strange cult, he joins leaving the hero business and Plastic Man behind. But when Plastic Man finds out that Woozy joined a cult, he heads to their base in California to get his friend back safe to New York. While looking for him, he meets Ramalama himself, a con man who is trying to get followers and taking life insurance out for all of them with the hope of collecting on them when some of his members die after dancing for three days straight via his orders. Woozy snaps out of it after he notices that Ramalama is a very bad man who wants to kill anyone who stands against his word. So now Plastic Man, Woozy and an old Wizard that is also an enemy of Ramalama must team up to save lives from this dance-a-thon of death! Once they arrive at the concert that find that Ramalama has even more of a sinister plan as he is having his followers dance on the fault line to cause a massive earthquake that cracks open the Earth and while Ramalama falls into this crack and dies, it is Plastic Man and the Old Wizard that close it up and save the day! In the end the Ramalama cult chase after Plastic Man and Woozy as they want them both to be their new leaders!

This third issue is a fun and entertaining read, but does lack a little of the charm that made the first two issue over the top weird and silly. While this issue is lacking a little something, you have to love the idea of Plastic Man trying to save his friend from joining a cult that’s leader is so wacked out of his mind his goal is to cause his followers to stomp around and dance on a fault line to cause a massive earthquake in California as he is from New York and is mad about the health food craze! Really, that is the fun plot of this issue, and you have to love that the cult leader Ramalama dresses like a Greek God. Plastic Man in this issue is a hero like always at this point, but does kind of ignore the feelings of his friend Woozy who clearly is feeling like a second banana when it gets to getting credit to their heroic deeds. But when he finds out that his friend is in trouble Plastic Man kicks into high gear and saves his friend as well as prevents a massive quake. The Old Wizard claims that he is from Atlantis and that California is indeed the lost city, and oddly enough he really does have magical powers. Woozy Winks while at first is drawn to the cult cause of the beautiful ladies soon figures out that this cult is shady and is about making money for its leader, he also gives away the money Plastic Man and he made for rewards. The humor in this issue works well and the story is one that is fitting as so many people do fall for these cults and their smooth talking leaders. The cover for this issue is odd as it’s Plastic Man as a surfboard that Woozy is riding and you guessed it the interior artwork by Hilary Barta is great stuff. With that, let’s see what the fourth and final issue in the series has in store for us.

Plastic Man # 4 **1/2
Released in 1989 Cover Price $1.00 DC Comics # 4 of 4

Plastic Man and Woozy Winks return to New York after saving California and find that their state is being overrun by homeless people and the Mayor Of New York wants to hire them to find out why some many of them are coming from all around to his city. But just as the deal is done, a Robot appears and beats up Plastic Man and takes the Mayor away, and once our hero shakes off the beating he and Woozy head after the Robot to save the Mayor. But once more the robot beats up Plastic Man and this time they lose the trail or the Mayor but do find that all the homeless people are heading to the park so they follow. Once at the park the find the Mayor as well as more robots that are the bodyguards for the alien Zircon who comes down from the sky in his UFO to greet the homeless masses. And Plastic Man finds out that the Mayor has worked with Zircon all along as on his planet they need the homeless and he even faked being kidnapped…but the aliens are also going to steal part of New York to transport back to their planet in order to get the homeless there! As the UFO lifts part of New York into the sky Plastic Man fights with the robots as Woozy leads the homeless into the ship and together they break it down and stop the stealing of the land as well as this massive alien abduction! Superman then appears and helps Plastic Man and Woozy get the land put back into the right space as the Mayor is mocked on the evening news and the aliens are now homeless on the streets of New York trying to trade for items for the parts of their ship.

The final issue of this Plastic Man mini series is a good read and yet also a very strange ending for the series as it’s kind of lackluster when it comes to Plastic Man’s final villains being a couple of aliens and their robot soldiers as he beats them all up with ease and leaves the aliens homeless on Earth! The plot is this the Mayor of New York City has made a deal with some Aliens to allow them to take many of the Earth’s homeless back to their planet, but Plastic Man and Woozy Winks are on the case and end up saving the Homeless from getting kidnapped, and we also get to see Plastic Man interact with his first big superhero as Superman stops in for a visit. Plastic Man in this series really does turn his life around and stays true to the side of the coin that won the toss on being either as Superhero or a Super Villain, and goes out of his way to try and help save and protect people…and well he also likes award money and the fame of being a hero. And while Plastic Man can he hotheaded and his powers are not the most useful in situations he makes the best on what he has. It is also clear that while he does get angry with Woozy Winks sometimes he does respect his friend and his thankful for all his help in life. Woozy while crazy and greedy is really a good person at heart and values his friendship with Plastic Man and for the most part enjoys being his sidekick. This mini series is very all over the place and odd and that is so fitting for this version of Plastic Man as he himself is odd and all over the place as a hero, and while a superhero he kind of falls backwards into really saving the day and for most of his big “fights” with the baddies in the series he has help to truly stop them. The cover for this final issue is pretty cool and showcases Plastic Man being used as a bridge, and you guessed it, the interior art by Hilary Barta is very awesome and fitting for the character and this story. If you are a fan of Plastic Man, your superhero comics with humor, lots of weird villains and DC Comics back when they were making these awesome hero mini series, then make sure to give this one a read. I for one really enjoyed this comic series and while I do feel it fell apart at the end when it came to a big payout it still has lots of charm to it and I feel is worth the read for fans of Plastic Man. Checkout the artwork below to see the style of Barta used in this series.

This Plastic Man mini series will not be for everyone as it really is silly and goofy and is not your typical 80’s DC Hero comic so its goofy nature might scare some readers away from truly giving it a chance. And to be honest with you, I miss the DC Comics of this time as they did lots of really fun story arcs, mini series and adaptations, something they are very much lacking in these modern times. But with that, let’s take a break from comics with our next update being to the world of Horror Movies, as we will be talking about the PG-13 arachnid fright film Eight Legged Freaks! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update as we try to survive giant spiders on the attack.

Voltron Defender Of The Comic Universe

Posted on December 24, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Merry Christmas Eve readers and friends! It’s hard to believe that it’s already one day away from Christmas 2023! And I know that the older you get, the less magical this holiday gets for you, but for me there’s something about the lights, trees, family dinners and even gift giving that just makes it a super fun time and always floods me with memories of past years and makes me feel nostalgic for toys, cartoons, movies, music and comics from my past and that is why this year I chose Voltron to cover as this Defender Of The Universe is something that was part of my youth as I watched not only the cartoon but also had several of the figures. This holiday season I am feeling a little nostalgic for toys from the past, and I feel that Voltron needs his time to shine here at Rotten Ink. Plus I know many of you readers have great memories of this Defender Of The Universe and got the figures under your Christmas Trees and even maybe have great memories of watching the cartoon during the winter months. So I will try and make this one brief and will try not to take you away from your holiday as we all know Santa Claus is on his way, so grab some hot chocolate and place another log on the fireplace as it’s time to talk Voltron!

Voltron was a syndicated cartoon series that started airing in 1984 and would run for a total of 124 episodes in three seasons. It was be distributed by Universal Television, and each episode was 25 minute long episodes. The series is set in space and features five pilots that control lions that once they come together build a sword-swinging robot named Voltron who must fight off a evil King and his followers who wants to conquer the universe. The show was super popular with young viewers as well as gained a viewership from adults who enjoyed the Sci-Fi Space Adventures. The cartoon would even get re-launches and new series over the decades with one even being for NetFlix. The original show is still be best one in my opinion as it is the one I grew up with and the one that always comes to mind when I hear people talk about Voltron. And for those who don’t know Voltron is really just a dubbed, reedited and rewritten version of Japanese cartoon series “Beast King Go-Lion” and that cartoon became Voltron here in America by mistake as the producers wanted “Future Robot Daltanious” but were sent Beast King by mistake. And this was just a quick crash course about Voltron Defender Of The Universe. If you have not seen the original series, make sure to do yourself a favor and give it a watch as it has been released on home media.

In 1984 toymakers Panosh Place made action figures of Voltron for fans of the cartoon series that included two versions of Voltron himself with one only being sold at JC Penny. The series had a total of twelve figures that included the good guys Keith, Hunk, Lance, Pidge and Princess Allura as well as the bad guys like King Zarkon, Hagger The Witch, Doom Commander, Prince Lotor, Skull Scavenger, Robeast Scorpious and Robeast Mutilor. Also in this series were two ships as well as the Castle Of Lions playset. These figures were very awesome and were on many kids’ must have lists in the early 80’s. And I was one of those kids that had to have some of these figures. Growing up I had Robeast Mutilor, Robeast Scorpious, King Zarkon and Hagger The Witch as well as The Blue Lion, The Yellow Lion and their pilots that were Hunk and Lance. I always wanted Princess Allura and Doom Commander. These figures always were part of my Toy Wars, and while they were slightly taller than my Star Wars and G.I. Joe figures, they fit in so well. Many of my friends growing up also had these Panosh Place Voltron figures in their toy collections, and I can remember many of us bringing them to school for some recess play on the playground. And for those wondering, the Voltron figure I had was the LJN release as many companies were making figures based on the cartoon during this time. To this day Voltron figures are being made and collectors have lots of action figures to collect. Oh and also I should say I still do have a few of these figures somewhere in the basement.

Voltron was so popular that tons of other merchandise besides the toys was made including items like Coloring Books, Lunch Boxes, Home Media, Books, Comic Books, Posters, Magazines, Halloween Costumes, Shrinky Dinks, School Supplies, Buttons, Shirts, Board Game and so much more. I myself had some much Voltron stuff as a kid as besides the toys I also had the board game, a pencil topper, many of the books, the coloring book as well as a some buttons. And I can remember some of my fellow classmates wearing shirts that featured Voltron. In other words, if you are a big fan of Voltron you can find lots of great merchandise to collect and add to your collection. Now that I am thinking about it when growing up many kids I knew had Voltron school supplies…not sure why that was popular it just was…for me I always had He-Man or Looney Tunes school supplies like erasers, folders and such.

So as you can see, Voltron was a very popular cartoon and toy line from the early 1980’s that took Japan and America by storm and lead to Voltron being a household name. Now by the late 80’s into the 90’s Voltron had lost steam and new cartoons and toys had taken his spot of being must watch and have, but his legacy was always still around as friends of mine would talk about him and I can even remember a few drawing him. And I have to also say that Voltron was one of many cartoons and toys that was based on robots as Transformers and Go-Bots were also two very big ones when I was a kid. But as you can see, we are almost out of hot chocolate and Santa Claus is out delivering presents so I think we should get to the review portion of this Christmas Eve update. I want 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, their entertainment value and theirs art and story. So if you are ready, let’s get defending the universe alongside Voltron!

Voltron # 1 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .75 Modern Comics # 1 of 3

Hagger The Witch has found a machine that allows him to control the mind of one single person at a time and after Prince Lotor makes them test it on one of his guards and it works, he comes up with an idea to use it on Keith the leader of the Voltron Force! Hagger does what he is told and uses the machine on Keith who in a trance takes the Black Lion to the battle ship of Lotor who thinks he now has the power to win the war. The next morning the rest of the Voltron Force gather to have breakfast when Pidge notices that Keith is nowhere in sight and also finds that the Black Lion is missing and after tracking the location they find that Black Lions location is inside the battleship of their enemy and the Advisor thinks that Keith might have turned traitor. The Voltron Force rush to their Lions and head to the ship to try and rescue their friend as they think he has been captured, while inside Lotor tells him men to get ready for battle and then orders Hagger to send Keith out to fight alongside his army…Hagger tries to argue this as he does not know how well the mind control will work for this order, but he is ignored. As Keith heads out to fight with his friends hearing their voices snaps him out of the mind control and they combine Lions to become Voltron and this causes Lotor’s army to retreat! Lotor blames Hagger for the loss as Keith returns to base and his friends are happy to have him back.

This is a fun first issue as the plot is very simple and it builds on the world that the cartoon has created as it showcases that Keith is the leader of the Voltron Force and that Prince Lotor will do whatever it takes to try and win the war and rule the universe. Keith in this issue is showed to be respected by his peers and is the true backbone of the team as he is in control of the Black Lion. He also shows that his mind is way too strong to be controlled and that he is feared by his enemies because he is such a great leader. Pidge is the one team member who seems to be the most bothered when Keith is missing as he knows that his disappearance is not like him to up and disappear. Prince Lotor is truly an ego driven man whose want to win this war clouds his judgment and causes him to make mistakes and blames others for his defeats. Plus it’s clear that Lotor fears the wrath of his father King Zarkon who puts pressure on his son to defeat the Voltron Force. Hagger The Witch, while very evil, is also one that Lotor should listen to as he tries to warn his leader that the mind control might not stick, and when it all falls apart he is blamed for the loss. This does a great job of capturing the mood of the cartoon and does the source material justice. The cover is very eye-catching if you are a fan of Voltron, and the interior art is done by Dick Ayers and is great stuff and looks like the cartoon. Over all a great first issue that fans of the cartoon should really check out, as it’s a fun read and a great kick off for this series.

Voltron # 2 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .75 Modern Comics # 2 of 3

At the Castle Of Lions a celebration is going on and Lance is bored as the Voltron Force has not seen battles in a while, so he decides to go on patrol in the Red Lion to get away from the party and finds a coffin ship in the wasteland and a Robeast attacks him and damages the Red Lion pretty badly before wondering off. Lance is able to get the Red Lion back to the castle and he warns them of the attacking Robeast and that his lion needs repaired so they start that night as they know they will need Voltron in order to battle this rampaging enemy. The next morning the Robeast is attacking the villagers and Keith leads the rest of the Force to fight the monster as Lance is left behind to keep trying to repair his damaged lion, and the battle for Keith and the others is not going well. While back at the castle, the advisor Coran speeks to the spirit of the castle’s old king who helps repair the Red Lion faster and this gets Lance into the battle and the Lions are able to come together and become Voltron and they defeat the Robeast! Meanwhile Prince Lotor ends up blaming the monsters defeat on Hagger The Witch who created the beast.

This second issue is great like the first and has a simple story that fits really well into the cartoon it’s based on and does a great job of bringing a solid adventure to the readers. The plot is pretty much a Robeast is out of control destroying things and The Lions have to try to fight it off as one Lion is damaged and they can not become Voltron…but with some help of a spirit, the Lion gets repaired and Voltron is able to kick the butt of the Robeast and once more Prince Lotor is defeated. Lance is the main focus of this issue who is craving a fight with the enemy and being sloppy leads to his Lion being damaged and almost the destruction of his teammates as well as the planet. But of course he learns not to be a hot shot and is able to save the day and sees that his teammates are proud of him. The Robeast is a yellow monster with a sword that is pretty much a creature of destruction and can defeat the Lions when they are their own, but does not stand a chance when he comes face to face with Voltron. And I like that like before the ego driven Prince Lotor blames Hagger The Witch for the defeat! The fight between Voltron and The Robeast is pretty cool and I like that Voltron uses his sword to destroy the creature. The cover for this issue is pretty great and has Voltron fighting a Robeast even if the one shown on the cover is not the one in the issue. The interior art this time is done by Chuck Wojtkiewicz and is great stuff and his art as well looks like the cartoon the comic is based on. This is a great read and this far Modern has made the best Voltron comic series as I feel they truly do the characters justice. Now let’s see what the final issue in the series has in store for us.

Voltron # 3 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .75 Modern Comics # 3 of 3

An Ambassador for another planet has arrived at the Castle Of Lions and speaks to Princess Allura and Coran about getting help for his planet as its being attacked by King Zarkon and they will have to give up if they cannot get help. Princess Allura tells him that they have done battle with Zarkon’s army as well and if not for Voltron they would have fallen, she then allows him to take a look at the Lions. The Ambassador then takes Princess Allura onto his rocket ship to show her his planet, but she soon finds out that The Ambassador was really Prince Lotor in disguise and that he is holding her captive and worse he has stolen all the keys to the Lions leaving the chance of Voltron to save the day slim to none! As a fleet of enemy ships head towards The Castle Of Lions the Voltron Force lead by Keith get into normal battle ships ready to defend their home planet and the people on it. The battle is not going well as both Keith and Lance are injured in their old ships, but Huck is able to get to Princess Allura and save her as well as get back the Lion keys! Once back to the castle the Lions come together and is able to defeat the battle ships as well as a giant robot that was originally Lotor’s ship. And once more Zarkon tastes defeat in his battle with The Castle Of Lions thanks to Voltron and the brave men and woman that make up the Force.

Well the third and final issue in the Voltron mini series was a great read and a nice way to end the series as it brings not only action but also drama as it looks like the Voltron Force just might lose this battle do to the underhanded tactics of King Zarkon’s army. In this issue we have Princess Allura kidnapped, the keys to the Lions stolen, both Keith and Lance injured and worse of all lots of the enemies starships and a giant robot attacking the Castle Of Lions…I mean those odds look very bad for our heroes! But the real heroes of this issue are Pidge and Hunck who are the ones who set up a plan that allows them to save the Princess and get back the keys that turns the tides of this battle. Princess Allura should have been more cautious when getting on a ship alone with a stranger who is playing the part of a friend…like she really leaves her people and kingdom behind to look at a planet with this man who turned out to be her worst enemy in disguise. The Voltron Force shows that even without their Lions, they still have heart and are super brave as they head towards a battle in run down ships knowing that they did not stand a chance of winning but knew they at least had to try…and clearly luck was on their side as they end up surviving and winning. Voltron showcases why he is the best choice to Defend The Universe as he makes short work of a giant robot that was set to destroy the castle, and his sword is one devastating weapon as it brings everything down it slashes. I think King Zarkon’s and Prince Lotor in this issue think that they have finally won this war, but soon find out that they counted the victory way to early as they once more are handed a defeat and this one had to sting pretty bad as they had the upper hand. This whole mini series was a great read for fans of Voltron as the adventures in the issue are lots of fun and do justice to the cartoon series it was based after, and for me they held up after re-reading them after all these years. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and eye catching for fans of Voltron and Dick Ayers returned to do the interior art and like before, it’s great stuff and his art looks like the cartoon. Over all if you are a fan of Voltron and like classic kids comics based on popular toys and cartoons then make sure to check this series out! Check out the artwork below to see the styles used in this series.

Voltron The Defender Of The Universe was a great cartoon, an awesome toy series and also a very cool comic mini series and I know that Voltron was a big character from my childhood as I am sure he was for many of you readers. It’s a shame that Modern Comics stopped this series after only three issues as they should have made many more comics in the series as they had the right creative teams behind it. Well I can hear the sleigh bells off in a distance and that must mean Rudolph had guided Santa to my neighborhood so I better get to bed quick so that he leaves some presents under the tree! Our next update will of course be after the New Year and will be my Best Of Cinema Films of 2023 as you know me and my love for seeing films in the theater! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a Christmas film or two and always support your local Horror Host. Also make sure to spend some time with your loved ones this Christmas whether that be family, friends, co-workers, pets or plants as it’s that time of the year to come together…see you next year.

The Mighty Titan Atlas

Posted on November 10, 2020 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink! For this update I think that we will take a look at another Greek Mythology/Sword And Sandal film icon, but his time it’s not Hercules or Samson, though I have taken a look at them in the past…this time around I am looking at a titan and a man who holds the world on his back, the one and only Atlas! When I was a youngster, Greek Mythology was a something I always tried my best to read about as I found all the Gods, Titans, Demi-Gods and Mortals that made up the myths to be very interesting. When it came to Sword And Sandal films, I was always more of a Hercules fan, but I did enjoy the Atlas movies I watched as well. So if you are ready to go on a big classic hero adventure with Atlas, let’s get this update started, shall we?

Atlas is a Titan and brother of Cronus and was one of the rulers of the world and spawned many children including Hyas and Calypso and was super powerful. When the Olympians went to war with the Titans, the mighty Atlas made the wrong decision and decided to fight alongside the other Titans. When they got defeated, the new king of the gods Zeus gave Atlas a punishment that had him walk to the western edge of the Earth and he is forced to hold up the sky on his shoulders for eternity. And only once was he able to relive his burden of sky lifting when Hercules during his 12 Labors needed Golden Apples from the Atlas’ daughter’s garden that was protected by Ladon, a fierce dragon, and the Titan switches place to get the apples and tried to trick the powerful youngster into just holding the sky up while he delivered the apples, but Hercules did not fall for it and tricked Atlas back into holding up the sky leaving the Titan once more stuck in place. And this version of Atlas’s story is just one of many as there is several variations of it over the centuries, as this is the most known and popular. Of all the Titans I would say that Atlas is the most popular with maybe Cronus being the only one that comes close. And I will say this at some point Atlas and many of the Titans might show up in future issues from Sparkle Comics as this writer and editor in chief has a few ideas knocking around his mind.

In 196,1 the world of cinema was flooded with Sword And Sandal films as movie watchers seemed to not be able to get enough of muscle bound heroes. Italy was the nation to rush them into production to flood the market and quench the thirst of movie goers. During this boom of Italian Cinema, other countries tried to cash in and America of course was one of them as Roger Corman, the master of B-Movies, had to jump on the Sword and Sandal bandwagon and get his slice of the pie when he directed and produced Atlas. This version of Atlas stripped away the Titan mythology and just had our hero as a muscle bound do-gooder who would fight for the weak and do what he thought was right. The film was shot in Greece on a very low budget, and Corman brought in actors Michael Frost, Frank Wolff, Barboura Morris and Walter Maslow with Frost and Wolff being actors he had used in the past. The film did okay when released but did not bring in the numbers or gain the cult statues of the Steve Reeves Hercules film that spawned it. The film at this point in time is believed to be in the Public Domain and has been released on DVD by companies like St. Clair and Cheezy Flicks and has been hosted by Horror Hosts as well as has found itself on multipack DVD releases. On another fun note when the film was being developed writer Charles B. Griffith wanted to call the film “Atlas, The Guided Muscle” because he wanted to base it on the SM-65 Atlas ballistic missile. Atlas is one of those films I have seen many times and while it’s not one of my all time favorite Sword And Sandal films, it is one that I enjoy as its cheesy and fun.

Michael Frost is the actor who played Atlas in 1961, and he has had a long career in the world of cinema and TV. Frost was born Gerald Michael Charlebois on April 17, 1929 in Harvey, North Dakota and had a pretty normal childhood and even went to college where he got a degree in English and Drama. But he discovered that he wanted to be an actor in 1955, and his first role was as Pug in TV series “Lux Video Theatre” and from here he could not be stopped as he took roles in shows like “Highway Patrol” and “Studio 57” and in 1957 he even had an unaccredited role in the Universal Monster film “The Deadly Mantis”! From there he had many other roles in some pretty great shows like “The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin” in 1957 & 1958, “Zorro” in 1958 and “The Rifleman” in 1959 showing he was making his mark on TV! In 1959 he made his return to Horror Movies when he plays Gil Jackson in the film “Beast From The Haunted Cave” and TV Series “One Step Beyond” in 1960 episode Encounter. With many more roles in film and TV in 1961, he landed the main role in “Atlas” a film directed by the great cult director Roger Corman! Over the following years he would take roles in such shows as “The Outer Limits”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Perry Mason”, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”, “Gunsmoke”, “Days Of Our Lives”, “I Spy”, “Branded”, “Gilligan’s Island” and in 1967 he got one of his most popular roles when he played Apollo in an episode of “Star Trek”. And this is just a drop in the hat of films he has done as he is also known to most Anime fans as he has lent his voice to many films such as Crying Freeman, Mobile Suit Gundam, Street Fighter II V and The Twelve Kingdoms, to name a few. And at the age of 90 he is still active in acting with his last role being in 2019 in the short film “When The Train Stops” playing the character Marshal Preston Booth. While he is older, Forest’s love for acting is not slowing down and I hope one day that the Monster Bash will bring him in as a guest at one of the conventions I am attending.

When growing up, I can remember in Kettering, Ohio a giant workout gym was on Wilmington Pike and they had a massive Atlas holding the world statue out front, and this was something my brother and I when kids always looked forward to seeing when we would be in town to visit family or eating out at Captain D’s that was near by it. When the gym closed a short time later, the Atlas statue disappeared and the gym’s building was turned into many different things over the years like Pep Boys and is now a micro brewery…but I always wondered what happened to the Atlas Statue. I had heard rumors that it was at a car wash on Airway Road, but to my best memory I don’t remember seeing it ever on Airway. But then one day when Juliet and I were driving to Danbarry Huber Heights for a Horrorama event and going down Troy Street at a local gold and jewelry business right out front was the classic Atlas statue and I proceeded to talk to Juliet about it and how awesome it was. And in 2019 when I first started this update I wanted to take a picture of the statue for this blog update, but sadly the Dayton area was rocked by very bad tornadoes in one single night on May 27, 2019 with 15 of them touching down and causing lots of damage and injuries. Juliet and I even had to hide in our basement as the Tornado Warning went off in our area. And during this night of Tornado Terror sadly Troy Street was hit and the Atlas Statue was hit and by the looks of it, the statue was damaged and gone. But thanks to Flickr user Scott for taking this picture back in 2010 (Wow 10 years Ago) I can share this amazing statue with you readers. So take a look at it and enjoy.

So as you readers see, Atlas is a Titan who has the all the power in the world and it’s because of him that the world does not fall into the sun or spiral out of control…or so they used to say. But while he is a Titan, he seems to not be talked about as much as others these days as Cronus seems to always be the most popular. For the comic based on this Titan, I decided to choose the mini series done by Dark Horse Comics. Now I want 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 it’s art and story. I want to thank Game Swap Kettering and Lone Star Comics for having these in stock. So if you are ready to stand with the weight on your shoulders with Rotten Ink and Atlas, let’s get to these comics!

Atlas # 1 **1/2
Released in 1994 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 1 of 4

It’s a normal day in New York, and a group of homeless people are wandering around the abandoned warehouse district looking for a place to stay for the night. The group is lead by old man Monti Harper, mechanic Troy Maxwell and youngster Andrew Ray, and for them this day turns weird when they find a giant that appears to have fallen from Space and crashed into the warehouse! The Giant is holding a goldenrod, and when Monti touches it he feels pain and also sees that this Giant is really a God and was fighting just about Earth with another, and when his friends get him away from the rod, they are all startled when the Giant wakes up and tells them that he is the Titan named Atlas and that the other gods want Earthlings to go back to being primitive so they will worship them once more. Atlas decides that he is going to use the goldenrod and make the homeless group his soldiers to help fight the evil that is coming, but before he can, he captures a little monster that has been set free on Earth by The Keeper who is tracking the Titan in order for an attack to take place on him. Atlas leaves his new “friends” behind and does battle with The Keeper in front of the people of New York, but things turn really bad when another massive Titan like being shows up and clearly wants to do battle!

Let’s start by saying that this is a fun comic that brings the classic Titans and old world Gods into modern times and does a good job of building Atlas as mankind’s protector. The plot has the Gods in the sky being pissed off with the people of Earth are no longer worshiping them and have become too obsessed with electronics, and the only Titan that is on the side of man is Atlas who has stolen the powerful goldenrod and is fighting with his fellow Gods! But when he falls to Earth after a terrible fight in space, he soon finds that he has lead the war to Earth and his only new friends are a trio of homeless people who seem to be craving the power of the goldenrod. Atlas is kind of cocky in attitude, but yet also very heroic and friendly. He can change size from being a massive giant Titan to becoming human size. He is a skilled fighter and with the help of the powerful goldenrod, he is almost unbeatable. The Homeless Trio come off as nice people at the start but after two get a taste of power of the Gods, I do not trust Troy or Monti as they seem more into becoming godlike and not about the fact the world is in big trouble. The Keeper is a freaky monster looking man who holds a box that allows monster to come out and do his will and that includes fighting and tracking, but while he is a fighter, he is also older and out powered by Atlas. I for one cannot wait to see whom the other monstrous Titan is and how the fight between it and Atlas goes! This is a pretty interesting story so far, and I like that Atlas himself mentions that over the centuries he has been called many different names making it clear that all the gods of ancient times are they same ones just given a new name by whatever society worships them. The cover is pretty eye catching and has a Greek Myth meets Indie Comic look to it, and the interior art is interesting and done by Bruce Zick and has an almost classic Heavy Metal Magazine style to it. While this is not a full Sword And Sandal style comic as its based in modern times, I must say this first issue has made me interested in seeing what issue two has in store for me.

Atlas # 2 **
Released in 1994 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 2 of 4

Atlas charges into battle with Sh’en Chui, and the gods go at it with Atlas using the goldenrod but not to its full power as he does not want to hurt the people around the docks watching the battle. After the goldenrod is knocked out of Atlas’ hands, he quickly goes into withdrawal as the power it holds is now something he craves, and once getting it back he makes the decision to use its full power and he “kills” Sh’en Chui with a power blast from the rod. As the people watch in shock, Atlas walks away not answering any questions from the press who has swarmed the area. On his way back to the warehouse, Atlas runs into an old enemy named Bol who threatens him that once he gets stronger a rematch will happens and then points out he seems to need goldenrod to fight his battles. Once back at the warehouse Atlas turns it into a home base that now looks like a place from mythological Olympus, and with this he also gives his new human friends a taste of power and gets mad with them when they crave the power. Meanwhile in the land of Gods, Neo figures out a way to prevent Goldenrod that is a living being as well from getting the sun energy it needs to have all its power, and this causes Atlas to be stuck in the middle of nowhere as Goldenrod loses its power while Atlas was trying to find the old God’s hang out to show to mankind to ease their fears.

This second issue has Atlas “kill” another god like creature in front of tons of New York, give and get angry with his human “friends” when they love the powers he gives them and takes back, scares the world with his battle and killing making him realize he needs to show them who he is and why he is…and lastly its clear that he is a junkie for the power that Goldenrod gives him as without it he withdraws! That’s right, Atlas in this issue is like a strung out addict who is also a cold blooded murder who commits his crime if front of hundreds of eyes…in other words while he might be a Titan, he has some major personal issues. We also find out that Goldenrod is alive and that its power comes from the sun and that all Titans and Gods want to control its power. The Homeless Bunch as I am going to start calling Andrew, Troy and Monti as I sadly at this point don’t think they are good people as they just want the power as well, and that’s sad as they could and should have been the true heroes of this mini series and lets hope that they come around and become it. Sh’en Chui, who looks like a badass at the start, gets knocked down to size real quick and is murdered by being blown into chunks, but I have a feeling he or something he will become will return. The Keeper meanwhile seems like a rat as he just barks orders and tells on whomever to get points with those above him. And Neo I am not sure about yet, he is definitely against humans and Atlas but it’s clear he takes orders from someone else. This issue is just an average read with long dialogue coming from humans that drags the pacing way down, and that’s a shame. The art is good again done by Bruce Zick and the cover is eye catching…but to wrap this issue up, it made my excitement sadly slip slightly, and I hope it becomes less talky and more action in issue three.

Atlas # 3 *1/2
Released in 1994 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 3 of 4

Atlas is holding a press conference for the people of the world and has given them the locations of God sites around the world so that they can discover the trueness of who he is and the others out in the universe. Once back at his new warehouse home base, he goes into a temple he built that has a statue of his love Eia and talks to it about how much he misses her and her advice…when he talks about Goldenrod loosing power and how he can stop the blocking of the sun rays he gets an idea and sends his homeless friends to go and get some powerful weapons, but this also causes a rift between the friends as Monti does not want to be a pawn in Atlas’s game of War of the Gods, while Troy is selected to go with Atlas in order to free Aox, a God who has been punished by the other Gods. Atlas asks Aox to get energy from a hidden well that has knowledge as the punished Titan is the only one that knows were it is. As Aox and Troy go on the quest to find the well, Atlas gives Andrew and Monti costumes that will give them a little god energy as he can not use Goldenrod. Meanwhile Neo now tells Bol that if he finds the location of the well he can and will give Bol back his beauty that the Gods centuries ago took away. As Aox and Troy enter the underworld, she is able to see a glimpse of the past and future that Aox is feeding her, meanwhile Atlas is feeling all alone and decides that he himself must go on a vision quest.

Man this series started out so promising and issue after issue it has became a very slow moving overly wordy so-so average read that does not deliver enough action this far. This issue is filled with so much set up as the plot is that Goldenrod is weak and Atlas himself is losing faith in himself and mission. Monti is getting jealous that Troy and Andrew are following the orders of Atlas as they find him wise. While Neo is just around his Kingdom getting updates and barking orders and Bol is just lying around giving said updates. This issue has zero action and is just filled with long drawn out drama and plot that could have been done way better in a faster pace. I do like that Atlas in this issue is more down and out as in the past issues he was very much ego driven as he knew he had the massive power of Goldenrod, speaking of Goldenrod it’s loosing power and life and this is a bad thing as it really is a tool for good…but I guess if evil has control of it bad things could happen. Aox is a Titan who was punished by the Gods and now is helping Atlas and has fallen in love with Troy, who in this issue is clearly the only one of the Homeless Bunch that has potential to be a hero. The rest of the characters are around and do nothing important. I should also say that the chunks of flesh of Sh’en Chui are up to something as they are moving around in the harbor. The cover for this issue is okay and not overly eye catching as it looks more like a pin up in an issue, and the interior art is good and done by Bruce Zick again. Over all this is a bland issue and did zero to build up the final issue in the series and created zero excitement for me to read it, plus it took me days to read this issue as I found myself getting more and more bored after every page.

Atlas # 4 *1/2
Released in 1994 Cover Price $2.50 Dark Horse # 4 of 4

The chunks of Sh’en Chui has spawned tiny little demon like monsters who are now attacking New York and Atlas along with Monti and Andrew (whom he has give power to via Goldenrod) try and save the day, but the odds are not good. Meanwhile Troy and Aox are still on the quest to the well and as they bond and Troy tells of her time as a nurse in Vietnam they reach they well and soon find that Bol and some demon minions are also there and a fight against the odds happens for them as well. While in New York the demons start to bring down tons of buildings and Atlas turns giant again and holds them up and people below run for their lives and Andrew and Monti have lost their powers and are helpless to save Atlas who gets crushed after all the people below are safe. While back in the Underworld the demons are swarming Aox and Troy as Bol barks out insults and orders and after being beaten down Troy finds her inner strength and breaks Aox free from his captives and he kills Bol and then makes the sacrifice of his life as he takes the energy of the well into himself and they travels fast with Troy to New York and gives Goldenrod and Atlas all of the raw energy and after Atlas and Goldenrod destroy all the demons, Aox falls dead as Atlas and his Homeless friends morn the loss. In the end Atlas and his friends burn the body of Aox and he tells them that this battle might have ended but the war is not over.

This final issue in the Atlas mini series is pretty much a let down and while the issue is action packed, it seems to end way too fast with no real pay off to this lackluster story and they could have done more to make a good ending if they wiped out the terrible long winded dialogue from the previous issues. The plot of this issue has Atlas going to New York and fighting demons and with a weak Goldenrod and Aox killing himself to give power to Goldenrod and in seconds the end battle is over and Aox is dead….yep its that cheesy of an ending and no major clash between good and evil, Neo is never seen at all and all of a sudden Aox and Troy become madly in love…this is just so cheesy. Atlas in this issue is the hero that Earth needs as he fights off demons and then risks his life to hold up tons of crumbled buildings to save lives as people have to run to safety, but think about this Atlas is also the Titan who held up the sky…but buckles under buildings…so they made this Titan a hero but also weak and not living up to his legend. Aox is just around and is creepy flirting with Troy and in the end is the real hero as he gives his life to save Atlas and Goldenrod from being crushed to death. And Goldenrod in this issues is weak, gets a little bit of power to help and then fails only to drain power from a Titan…and then is strong again. Andrew and Monti are a waste in this issue as they get powers for seconds and help a few people while Atlas fights the demons, and we do see that Monti cares about Andrew and looks at him almost as a son. Troy finds her inner power as she lets out her hurt of not being able to save lives in Vietnam, and oddly enough she also finds love with a Titan. Bol who is stuck in the body of an ugly grotesque creature is truly slimy as he finds the well and does what he can to make sure Aox can not save his friend by delivering the energy, but lucky for New York Bol is killed in the fight by the well. Neo and the Demons are waste and have zero backstory in this series and make me as a reader not care. And the end “battle” of this series is just so bad and lackluster it made this series a major dud for me. The cover this time around is good and eye catching and the interior art is once more done by Bruce Zick who tried his best as well writing this boring comic series based on a great Titan of legend. While I am not a fan I would say make sure to check it out if you like indie comic based on Mythology characters. Also check out the art below to see the style of Zick.

While I hate to say it this Indie Comic mini series by Bruce Zick and released by Dark Horse Comics was just not a well told story and has so many plot holes and filler that it makes for one boring read. And while the comic ends with the door wide open for a second mini series, it would never see the light of day as far as this blogger could tell, and while I was not a fan of this series and its style of storytelling, I would have for sure checked it out to see if Zick’s writing would have changed to deliver a solid Atlas comic story. But for our next update we will be walking away from the old sky holder and into the world of the seven seas as we take a boat ride with Morgan The Pirate, that’s right we will once more be taking a look at a Steve Reeves movie and the comic based on it. So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next time for a High Seas adventure!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: M (1931)

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Juliet Fromholt

Greetings, everyone! Juliet here once more taking the blog reigns from Matt temporarily. Today I’m going to take you From Horror Film to Horror Comic with a look at a film that made a huge impact on me, both on its own and because of its influence on the larger world of filmmaking that came after it. I’m talking about Fritz Lang’s M, a serial killer story that helped set the stage for so many of the movies we know and love and celebrate as classics today. So let’s get to it with a look at the killer Hans Beckert.

When we first meet Hans Beckert, he appears as a shadow on the poster warning villagers of the child murderer in their midst. Although his first line is seemingly innocent enough, telling Elsie he likes her ball and asking her name, it’s chilling — especially for those of us who grew up in the era of Stranger Danger. Although we never see it in the film (one of the many awesome things about M is that the murders are up to the audience’s imagination), it’s implied that he stabs or butchers his victims, likely very brutally. Among his advantages are Beckert’s ability to blend into society seemingly undetected until it’s too late, but being a mere man he’s subject to the same harm any man can fall victim to. Beckert’s mental state is another weakness; it drives him to kill despite his realization that it’s wrong, which pushes him to near madness and helplessness.

Now that we’ve met the titular “M” from M, it’s time to look at the film itself. The description will be taken from IMDB, and then I’ll follow with some production history and my own history with the film.

“In Berlin in the early 1930’s, children are being lured to their death by a psychopathic killer. In the space of a year, 8 children have been murdered. The police have redoubled their efforts to find the guilty man but have yet to find him and citizens are beginning to dispense their own justice on otherwise innocent people. The heads of the city’s criminal element are paying a high price due to the increased police presence and decide to find the psychopath on their own. They approach the beggars union to have their members blanket the city with spies. They’re successful in finding the killer and put him on trial in their own special court but the police make progress and have their own views on how justice should be administered.”

Dubbed the Master of Darkness by the British Film Institute, Austrian-born filmmaker Fritz Lang began writing some ideas for films when he was recovering from injuries and shell shock he sustained while serving in the Austrian army in WWI. Once he was discharged from the army in 1918, Lang worked briefly as a writer before being hired as a director for Germany’s UFA. The Expressionist movement was at its zenith, and Lang would quickly claim his place among its makers with his particular talent for combining the visual techniques of the movement with popular genre storytelling.

In 1930, Lang announced that he was making a film called Mörder unter uns (Murderer Among Us), which was to be about a child murderer, but when he went to begin shooting, he was denied access to a shooting stage because the head of the studio, a Nazi himself, assumed based on the title alone that the film was meant to depict Nazis in a bad light. However, when he found out what the film was actually about, Lang was given access to the stage. M would go through several other names before its simple title was adopted. The film was shot in six weeks and featured real criminals as extras in many of the mob scenes.

As with all of his films from this era, Lang co-wrote M with his then-wife Thea von Harbou. As of part of his research for the film, Lang spent time in a German mental institution talking to serial killers including Peter Kürten, known as the Vampire of Düsseldorf, who many people thought was a direct inspiration for Peter Lorre’s character, Hans Beckert, though Lang denied that.

Prior to his casting in M, Lorre was a comedic actor, but it’s said that Lang had him in mind for the role of the killer in M while the film was still being scripted. It began Lorre’s first starring role, though it also began a trend of the actor being type-casted as a villain that would follow him to Hollywood.

M was also, and perhaps most notably, Fritz Lang’s first sound film. Unlike other, sometimes disastrous first forays into sound, M’s soundtrack is complex featuring narration, off camera sound, and narrative silence to build suspense. It’s much more in line with what modern audiences are accustomed to the the majority of the “talkies” of the era. The sound element most people instantly remember from M, however, is the whistling. Using the tune “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” Lang used an opera technique called leitmotif where a melody is associated with one character throughout the entire story. Fun fact: Peter Lorre couldn’t whistle so the whistling you hear in the film is Fritz Lang himself.

Although M isn’t technically the first film to portray a serial killer (both The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Hitchcock’s The Lodger had already done so prior to M’s release in 1931), it’s considered by many to be the first official serial killer film in a lineage that includes Shadow of a Doubt, Psycho, and especially the boom of films in the late 80s and early 90s that includes Silence of the Lambs, Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer, and Manhunter. It gets this distinction because of its exploration of the complicated psychology of serial killers (without straying too far into the sympathetic) AND the conditions of a society where serial killers can thrive, if only temporarily. M, along with Lang’s other German films, is also considered to be one of the films which helped pave the way for film noir, both in terms of storytelling and theme elements and in terms of visual style.

I first saw M when I was in film school in the early 2000s. Although I left that program and pursued another major after two years, one of the things for which I’m most grateful from that time was discovering the German Expressionist movement. Although I was aware of a some of the films from the movement (Nosferatu being the most obvious choice) and I was already a fan of silent cinema, getting to really know the work that paved the way for some of my favorite historic and modern genres (horror, science fiction, and film noir) was amazing, Lang quickly emerged as my favorite director and the subject of several of my papers. Although Metropolis remains my favorite of his films, M is just stunning. It’s a long film (nearly two hours), but it’s filled with incredible angles and lightning that make you want to watch multiple times — for the story and for how the visuals help tell the story. You really can see the technical throughline from M to some of Hitchcock’s more seminal work to film noir to the serial killer films of the 80s and 90s. It had actually been a while since I watched M all the way through, but upon rewatching it to prepare to write this blog, I found myself once more enchanted and excited by this film…and wanting to do a full Lang rewatch.

Before I dive into Fritz Lang’s entire film catalog, however, it’s time to dive into the 90s comic miniseries based on M. Thanks to Bell Book and Comic and Lone Star Comics for having these issues. As usual, we grade these comics on a scale of 1 to 4 and look for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So whistle an eerie tune, and let’s see how a tale of murder translate from the silver screen to the page.

M # 1 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Price $5.95 Arcane/Eclipse #1 of 4

In a German town, children play and sing a playful yet cautionary song about a murderer who will chop you up if you’re not careful. In a tenement, neighbors go about their days work. One wishes the children wouldn’t sing “the murderer’s song,” while another says that as long as the children are singing, their parents know they’re safe. While her mother sets the table for dinner, young Elsie plays outside with her ball and encounters a shadowy figure who compliments her on the pretty toy. Soon the town receives news of a new murder, and the police receive a letter from the murderer saying that he could be anyone among them. The townspeople take this idea to heart as anyone perceived as behaving suspiciously is indicted by the mob. Meanwhile the police are working through their official investigation, trying to figure out patterns among the clues to narrow the search and figure out who might fit the psychological profile of the killer. The assumption, of course, is that the killer must be part of the town’s seedy underbelly. The denizens of said underbelly, however, are equally frustrated – the murderer on the loose is making it difficult for their usual criminal activity to go on undetected, and it’s scaring their children. The crime lords discuss this while they await Schranker, who, upon his arrival, tells his colleagues that they have business to discuss.

The first thing that struck me about this comic book adaptation of M is how of its era it is with art and layout styles feeling right at home with other dark/horror titles of the late 80s and early 90s, which would pave the way for companies like Vertigo a few years later. That said, I wish that the start of this book had richer coloring/shading. Although beautiful, some of it felt too soft for a film that’s noted for its high key, pre-noir style lighting and use of shadows. By and large this was a good, albeit abridged adaptation of the film’s opening in terms of the story itself, but as with the shading, it fell a little flat for me when it came to capturing the chilling intensity of Hans Beckert’s encounter with Elsie. Perhaps it does go back to the shading, but the lack of real, substantive shadows for Beckert in those panels made that moment less effective. All told, however, the first issue of the adaptation makes me want to continue reading the series. The sparing use of color is something I’ll discuss in regards to one of the next issues as I want to see how it plays out further into the story. Before we get to it, I want to note that this issue came with (or comes with if you’re lucky enough to get an intact copy) an tear out record featuring an original score composition to accompany the comic on the A side and “Hall of the Mountain King” on the B-side.

M # 2: Crackdown ***
Released in 1990 Cover Price $4.95 Arcane/Eclipse #2 of 4

Schranker calls the meeting of the crimelords to order saying that someone outside their union is making it impossible for their work of organized crime to continue. As the criminal leaders of the community, they must do something about this interference. Meanwhile the police discuss how to enlist the public’s help in identifying a killer amongst them without inciting a mob. Schranker and the crimelords make better progress with their plan, enlisting the beggars’ union to help keep watch on suspicious activities and individuals. As they station a man on every street corner, the police go door to door investigating a list of individuals who’ve been released from mental hospitals in the last five years. An officer arrives at the building of Hans Beckert, and after chatting with a neighbor, he searches Beckert’s Room for clues. Meanwhile Beckert himself is wandering the streets whistling, lost in his own torment. He focuses on a girl, presumably his next victim, but abandons that course of action when her friends arrive. Instead, he stops in a small eatery for a coffee and brandy, but leaves just as quickly as visions of dead girls are everywhere he turns. Beckert’s whistling tips off a blind beggar who had been vending balloons the day Elsie was killed, and a chain of actions is set into play resulting in a chalk M being placed on Beckert’s jacket to alert the criminal mob to give chase. But Beckert’s would-be victim notices the chalk, and when she offers to clean it off, Beckert realizes he’s being watched.

One of the things that M the film does really well is that it uses crosscutting to juxtapose the crime lords and the police planning and beginning their respective investigations. This issue of the comic portrays that really well with the tinting to clearly indicate each group being a nice visual touch. Like the first issue, however, there are also moments that fail to capture the magic of the film. This time around it was the whistling scenes where Beckert is grappling with and being tormented by his need to kill. I get it – it’s hard to translate something that’s so sound-dependent into a strictly visual medium. The other thing of note is Beckert doesn’t quite look like Peter Lorre; my guess is that was necessary/intentional because of likeness issues. It’s not a huge problem as writer/artist Jon J Muth captures the feeling of the scene with the chalk M well, it’s just a bit of a disappointment as so much of what makes that and many other scenes in the film is Peter Lorre’s facial expressions and acting. I did really like the way the final scene of the issue was drawn. The chase on top of the train is so iconic, both for its role in this film and for all of the imagery it begat in thrillers to come to, and I thought it translated well to the page.

M # 3: The Hunting ** 1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Price $4.95 Arcane/Eclipse #3 of 4

Having lost Beckert during their chase in the train yard, the crime lords and their men are on the lookout and receive a tip that their suspect is hiding in the railroad’s office building. Meanwhile the police have returned to Beckert’s apartment for a stakeout, having discovered several clues in their previous visit linking him to the killer’s letter. Schranker and his men perform an elaborate scheme to gain entry to the railroad office building after it is closed and neutralize the building’s guards without triggering any of the automatic alarms that will alert the police. They want Beckert for themselves and will go to great lengths to extract him from the building. As the police read a letter meant for Beckert that casts doubt on him as the suspect, Schranker’s men seemingly have Beckert trapped, but one of the building’s night watchmen manages to trigger the alarm. Schranker and his men only have mere minutes to flee the building with their prisoner.

Have I mentioned that M also has elements of a classic heist film? Well it does, though the target of the heist is a murderer not jewels or riches. This issue of the comic book focuses, by and large, on the “heist” section of the film, and while the pacing is pretty good, this is the first issue of this series where I wonder if someone who’s either never seen or isn’t super familiar with the film would understand everything going on at the beginning with Schranker’s men getting into and searching/breaking into various parts of the building. The end of the issue, however, is super solid and the back and forth between the action and Beckert’s reactions as his pursuers get closer is really great. The action is coming to a head so let’s get to the conclusion of the film and comic.

M # 4: The Trial **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Price $5.95 Arcane/Eclipse #4 of 4

Franz is in police custody, one of the criminals left behind in the confusion at the railroad building. The police are willing to let him go free as long as he provides them with information about who the criminals were looking for and where they’ve taken him. The answer is that Beckert has been taken to an abandoned distillery building, which Schranker and his men are using as a kangaroo court. As the trial gets underway, a near mad Beckert launches into an impassioned speech about how he didn’t ask for and can’t control his murderous urges but that all of the people trying him are criminals by choice. The criminal acting as Beckert’s lawyer argues for mercy, but the mob is thirsty for justice and blood. Before they can be satisfied, however, the police arrive and Beckert once more stands trial, this time in a legitimate courtroom, as the mothers of the murdered girls look on and lament not keeping a closer eye on their children.

In this conclusion to M, we see some larger deviation from the film in Beckert’s hallucinations of his victims. Although this doesn’t appear in the film, it’s a nice addition given how much adaptation had to be done to Beckert’s monologue. As for the monologue, I think it worked, but this was definitely the place where it was most noticeable that they weren’t using Peter Lorre’s likeness for Beckert. Not only were his incredible facial expressions missing throughout, but in this issue Beckert looked almost like a young Johnny Depp, really placing us in the era in which the comic was made, not necessarily the film. Overall, this series was a really solid adaptation of the classic film. Did certain things get cut? Of course. Having just recently written a film adaptation for Sparkle Comics, I have a renewed appreciation for the choices that have to be made when translating a film to comic. So I don’t begrudge Jon J Muth his choices. I also don’t begrudge him the graphite artwork, which I didn’t love in the first issue but got used to by the end of the series. It’s not the style I would choose for this story, but it was really lovely. See below for some examples.

Although M the comic doesn’t quite do M the film justice, it’s still an interesting read and worth checking out for fans of the films, especially those who are also fans of late 80s/early 90s comics. Speaking of the 80s and serial killers, for our next update, Matt will be exploring 80s talk show The Morton Downey Jr. Show with a special focus on the slashers episode. So until then, read a comic or 3, revisit your favorite classic films, and stay safe.

The Beyond # 1 Preview!!

Posted on October 18, 2019 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink! If you’re a first time visitor, this is a blog where I talk about things I enjoy from comic books to horror hosts and everything in between. For this quick update, I want to take a moment to tell the world about a comic company that I feel is doing amazing top notch comics. That company is Eibon Press, and they have a big release coming out soon: The Beyond, an adaptation of the classic Lucio Fulci film! I’m going to do something a little different, and I am going to talk about a comic before it’s even out, so sit back and enjoy this quick update!

For those of you who don’t know, Eibon Press is a comic company run by Shawn Lewis (of Rotten Cotton fame) and Stephen Romano that delivers very high quality comics based on many amazing films. They currently have two different comic lines going. First is Fulci Comics, based on the Godfather of Gore, Lucio Fulci, adapting and extending the stories of films like Zombie, Gates Of Hell and House By The Cemetery. All are done in amazing color and shipped in what’s called an Eibon Sleeve. What are Eibon Sleeves, you ask. They are a cardboard protective sleeve that goes over your comic that has a very cool design and is also packed with goodies like stickers and, in some cases, soundtracks and trading cards. Think of it like a record jacket for you vinyl collectors among my readership. Eibon’s second comic line is called VHS Comics and released books based on films like Maniac by William Lustig, Laserblast by Full Moon. And I can’t forget to tell you that Eibon also releases original comics as well like BottomFeeder that was at one time going to be a movie. All of the above titles are future updates for Rotten Ink, so keep your eyes open for that.

The Beyond is slated next for release from Eibon Press and Fulci Comics and is one of the director’s biggest movies so it’s perfect to get the comic book treatment. While a graphic novel based on the film was released in 1988, this new comic series is the must-have for horror comic readers as it’s surely going to chill your bones and give you nightmares. The Beyond is slated to be a four issue mini series that serves as both an adaptation of and prequel to the film as readers will get to experience characters’ pasts as well as The Beyond gateway. The plot of The Beyond is about a hotel that sits on a gateway to the Beyond, a Hell/underworld-like place that is filled with the undead. But when the hotel owner makes the mistake of wanting to restore the structure, she unleashes horrors the world of the living is not ready for. The Beyond was released in 1981 and also goes by the title “7 Doors Of Death.”

For the release of The Beyond # 1, the Eibon team is doing something very cool. If you buy any of the editions, you get a CD soundtrack of the score to the “7 Doors Of Death” version of the film that had a totally different score from the original release. This is amazing news as this is the first time this version of the score has ever been released! I am a massive fan of horror movie scores, and I cannot wait to listen to this CD while I read the first issue.

Eibon Press really is one of my favorite comic companies going today as they put so much heart and soul into their releases, and I cannot stress enough that if you have not picked up any of their comics, you need to do yourself a favor and go do so now…go on I’ll wait…I recommend any of them but would say start with Zombie or Maniac as both of them are amazing reads. The Beyond # 1 goes up for preorder via Eibon’s website on October 25, 2019 ,and I assure you this is going to be a must-read comic. Once all four issues of The Beyond are released I will 100% cover it here on Rotten Ink. So until next update, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie or two and as always, support your local horror host. And really readers, make sure to check out companies like Eibon Press, Rough House Publishing, Camp Comix, Full Moon Comix and Blood Scream Comics as all these companies are making top notch comics that blow away everything from the mainstream.