From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: American Psycho (2000)

Posted on September 3, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. Let’s kick off September 2026 right with a “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update that will make you think about business cards as well as 80’s music like Whitney Houston and Huey Lewis, but it will also make you think of axe and chainsaw murder,s and of course you all know that I am talking about, American Psycho and its serial killer Patrick Bateman. This is one of those films that was based on a book where for some fans the film surpasses the book, and that’s saying something as the book has a very diehard fan base! So if you are ready, let’s put on a suit, put on some 80’s music and try and get a dinner reservation at a posh restaurant as it’s time to spend some quality time with Patrick Bateman and Sumerian Comics as we talk about American Psycho! Also our countdown to Halloween 2026 starts right here with this update.

Let’s start by taking a look at Patrick Bateman who is an investment banker that is also a raging psychopath and his ways of taking lives of women, those who he is jealous of and of course the less fortunate. Patrick Bateman is 27 years old and is very well off due to his job and lives in a very swanky apartment. He is very self centered and takes care of himself by eating right and working out. Patrick is a lover of music, renting movies (horror and adult films) and likes to have control over women by telling them how to and what to eat. He also picks up prostitutes, who he likes to treat well at first only to disrespect them later as he is always cheating on his fiancé. He is a liar and truly a shell of a human as he does not know how to truly be normal and he knows all this himself. It’s clear that he suffers from extreme mental illness as he always thinks about killing people and even draws pictures of murder in his desk calendar. Patrick Bateman is a good looking guy and along with his money he is able to get away with much of his rude behavior as he also is smart and is able to handle fitting in when need be. He also does drugs like cocaine and likes to spend his time in fancy restaurants and clubs hanging with co-workers and flirting with women. Patrick being a true psycho has many ways of dealing death to his victims as he can use his bare fists to beat a person bloody and to near death or even death in some cases. He has been known to use axes, chainsaw, knives and even a handgun to end lives in violent and brutal ways as these are his preferred methods. Also when he is in the killing mode at times its like he becomes an animal, as he has been known to even bite his victims in a pure out of control manner. While Patrick Bateman is a dangerous killer, he is also just a man and can be killed like one so that means being shot, stabbed, burned, drowned, crushed and so on would put an end to his madness. Also Patrick Bateman’s narcissistic personality and complete mental illness can also lead to him making mistakes and almost get caught for his crimes, as at time he cracks and feels the need to bare his soul of all his terrible secrets. Also at times his own lies to cover his tracks can almost lead to the discovery of his murders. While Patrick Bateman is just a regular guy who is a cold blooded murder he still is very dangerous and a man filled with the urge to take human lives that he views lower than him or those who have more respect than him.

So now that we have taken a look at Patrick Bateman, I think that its time we take a look at the movie he is from American Psycho that was released in 2000 and was based on the 1991 book. So like always I will be taking the film’s plot from our friends at IMDB and then I will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts. So if you are ready, let’s head to Dorsia and see if Patrick is on the prowl for not just good food but maybe a kill or two.

American Psycho (2000)

“A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.”

American Psycho was originally a 1991 novel that was written by Bret Easton Ellis and later it would be optioned to be turned into a film as producer Edward R. Pressman thought that it would make a strange and bloody horror film. It would have many actors and directors attached to it in the early stages like Stuart Gordon and David Cronenberg for director and Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to star in the film. But the film would end up floating around for a while in developmental Hell before finally Mary Harron would join on as the director as well as screenplay writer as she would team with Guinevere Turner to turn the complicated novel into a terrifying film. But once more the search for casting the film’s psycho Patrick Bateman took place as the whole film would fall on the performance of the actor casted. Originally Billy Crudup was hired but he left the role, and Christian Bale would come in and become the part and the right choice. The film would get a budget of around $7million with Lionsgate set to distribute the film once done. Other names hired for the cast included Chloe Sevigny, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, Cara Seymour Bill Sage, Josh Lucas and Justin Theroux who made up the main cast. When filming Bale would stay in character and the other actors was said to be confused by him as well as thought he was a bad actor for his monotone delivery, but really it just showed how good of an actor he was as he fooled his fellow actors. Once done the films score was done by John Cale and such 80’s musicians like Huey Lewis And The News, Phil Collins and The Cure to name a few had songs featured in the film as the music was a big part of it. The film was released in theaters on April 14, 2000 and would be a big hit for Lionsgate as it would bring in $34.3 million and would also be meet with mostly mixed reviews from critics mostly over the violence, while it was better received by viewers who enjoyed the macabre nature. The film would be released on home media and would gain a big cult following over the years and even sparked a sequel in 2002 called “American Psycho 2” that would star Mila Kunis as Rachel Newman who is a serial killer. The film in 2000 was released alongside such other horror films as Final Destination, Ginger Snaps, Scream 3, Urban Legends: Final Cut, Hellraiser Inferno, Bloody Murder, Mulva Zombie Ass Kicker, Shark Attack, Leprechaun In The Hood, Bless The Child, Dracula 2000, Cherry Falls, What Lies Beneath, Blair Witch 2, Toxic Avenger 4 and Killjoy to name a few.

American Psycho was a film that had me and my friends all buzzing when it was released as we all kept hearing that it was going to be a bloody serial killer film that would mess with your mind of what is real and fantasy…and this had us all very interested. But the film was one that we all ended up seeing on our own and not as a group and I saw it once released on home media as I missed it in theaters as I was working lots of hours at my job at that time, and can remember loving every weird second of it when I was finally able to put that tape in the old VCR. I found Christian Bale to be perfect as the killer Patrick Bateman and his line delivery as well as mannerisms were perfect and I find myself to this day using quotes from this film in my everyday life and have even used the “Returning Video Tapes” line when its time for me to leave a place. My friends at that time all seemed to like the film as we all had different takes on if Patrick really killed people or if it was all in his head. I am in the camp that I think the killings are in his head but the beating and mistreatment of women is really his actions…but really who knows as the movie really does mess with your mind as the viewer as well. I think that Patrick Bateman in one of those characters who clearly degrades and abuses other people as a power play and to make himself feel like a big man, as clearly he spends most of his life comparing himself to others and being envious of those who do better than him. While the film had its supporters I also remember that it had a lot of haters as well as many people who were fans of the novel did not like the changes made in the film and many parents groups disliked it for its bloody kills and over all mean spirited mood. When I was working at Blockbuster Video I can remember some customers being mad that we stocked the movie for rent, yeah we had those kind of customers from time to time who for some reason targeted horror films. The direct to video sequel “American Psycho 2” was pretty much hated by my friends as spoiler….they kills Patrick Bateman off in the opening of the film and we follow a new killer named Rachael that is played by actress Mila Kunis. The film was super low budget and just failed to capture the magic of the first film, but keep in mind I don’t hate the sequel like so many others do. Love it or hate it, American Psycho has made its mark on horror cinema, and I am sure at some point it will get the remake or reboot treatment from Hollywood, but until that happens if you have not seen the film make sure to check it out if you like serial killer films set in the 80’s that blinds reality with delusions.

Now that we have taken a look at the film American Psycho and the film’s psycho killer Patrick Bateman, I think now we should take a look at Sumerian Comics comic mini series based around the film! And really in 2023 when this comic series was announced, I was both shocked and delighted as I think that the film could make for a good comic series and it also showcases what I have always said: more horror films should get horror comics as us readers look forward to them. I would like to thank Game Swap for having these comics 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 let’s put one some Huey Lewis And The News in the old CD player and spend some time with Patrick Bateman, a true American Psycho.

American Psycho # 1 ***
Released in 2023 Cover Price $4.99 Sumerian Comics # 1 of 5

It’s 1987 and Donald Kimball is a man who lives very modestly and likes to be under the radar so much so that even his own neighbor has his name wrong and he plays along. But his real goal in life is stalking a prostitute that he is angry at as he feels she thinks that he is not good enough for her, and one night he is stalking her and has a plan to make her pay but instead watches as she is picked up by Patrick Bateman who takes her home to his apartment and after having sex with her murders her with an axe. Donald approves of this killing as he was across the street with binoculars watching the whole time. We cut to 2011 and Charlene is drunk at a nightclub when a frat boy tries to take advantage of her in a bathroom stale and she is saved by her friend but not before she pukes on her would be attacker and drops her purse on the ground. As Charlene is taken out of the club and sent safely home, the would be attacker is thrown out of the club and is stabbed to death by an unknown killer who ends up leaving the drivers license of Charlene in the mans blood at the crime scene.

So far I am really digging this idea of an American Psycho comic mini series that is based around the events of the film as I truly think that Patrick Bateman as well as the 80’s sleazy business world makes for a great backdrop to horror. The plot of this issue follows Donald Kimball who we know is a private detective but who is also very much crazy in his own way and his stalking a woman that clearly he is either in love with or has been hired to follow, but he also seems to really hate her for sleeping around the city for money. And the strangest thing about him is he almost takes pleasure in watching her be killed with an axe and does not seem to want to bust the killer at all, as deep inside its like he thinks she got what was coming to her. Patrick Bateman the investment banker by day and killer by night is on the prowl in the city and is selecting his victims very easily as his appearance and money make him the perfect predator, and in this issue the young woman meets her end by the edge of an axe. And while Bateman and Kimball are roaming around in 1987 we also find that a new unknown killer is stalking the city in 2011 and has killed a clubber who was being way to pushy with a drunk female in the clubs bathroom, who is this killer? We are not sure but what we do know is that they are brutal in killing and seem to be framing the young woman they saved for the bloody crime. Charlene Carruthers is that woman who was drunk, saved and possibly framed and it makes you wonder if she will come into play more in this comic series, and I am guessing that she is the daughter of Luis Carruthers and Courtney Rawlinson both who knew Patrick Bateman. So far I am very interested in seeing were this comic mini series is going and like the idea of it bouncing from 1987 to 2011 and showing that at both times there is a killer on the loose. The issue does have blood being spilled and most of the horror of course comes from Patrick Bateman’s killing of a woman as well as of that of the unknown killer of 2011. The comic has many different covers but the one I have features Bateman with his axe and is really cool and eye catching if you are a fan of the movie like I am. The interior art is done by artists Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson and is pretty great stuff as it has a dark mood look to it, and I have to give them credit the characters kind of even loosely look like the actors who played them in the film. So far American Psycho is off to a good start, and I am looking forward to seeing what the next issue has in store for us and if we get more clues to who the killer is in 2011 as it makes you wonder is it still Patrick Bateman on the prowl?

American Psycho # 2 ***
Released in 2023 Cover Price $4.99 Sumerian Comics # 2 of 5

Donald Kimball has returned home after watching a woman get killed by Patrick Bateman, and he has become obsessed with following him around over the following days watching him dropping off stained sheets at a laundry mat, having drinks with his co-workers, eating dinner on a date and even after he stabs a homeless man to death and stomps on his pet dog. Donald also ends up finding Patrick’s business card and his stalking gets even more out of control as he even tries to call his office to find out from Jean his secretary where Patrick is at acting as a friend. One night Donald breaks into the home of Patrick and is there when he kills Paul Allen a man who is a co-worker who is very successful and kind of a rich prick. As Patrick is getting ride of Paul’s body Donald sneaks out of the apartment but also steals some money and buys a suit with it as he is coming up with an idea to force himself into Patrick’s world. Meanwhile now in 2011 Charlene Carruthers wakes up in bed and finds that her sheets are covered in blood and she is in a panic when the cops are at here door and inform her that her id was found near the body of the man who tried to attack her the night before, as the cops leave Charlene is not sure what is going on and if she really did kill a man.

The crimes of Patrick Bateman are ramping up as he kills a homeless man as well as a fellow investment banker and all the while he is unknowingly being followed by a man who has become obsessed with watching him commit his crimes and the rage and fury that he slaughters a person with, so much so that he wants to be apart of it all. While in our modern story Charlene finds herself very confused and now a possible suspect in a killing. Donald Kimball is truly a very unstable man as its clear that after watching a woman he was stalking get killed he becomes drawn to the killer as well as the thrill of watching someone die, now his new obsession is the killer and he just so badly wants to be closer to him as well as just be apart of his world. Donald is also so crazed now that he not only watches two other killings without helping the victims as well as steal money from one but he also kills his own cat…and this makes him truly a foul person. Patrick Bateman is doing what he does and that is go to work and do nothing, hangout with his shallow co-workers and of course kills people that he finds are lesser than him as well as one that he feels lives a better life than him…in other words Patrick is doing his best to seem like a normal person who has a very dark side. And Patrick is very much a psycho in this one as he uses a knife as well as his axe to deal death to his victims. I like the idea of this comic series so far as the events we are seeing are from the film but we are getting the view from a different characters eyes as we also are getting a backstory for a character that kind of is just floating around in the film but also seems like an important character and that of course is Donald Kimball who clearly is just a weirdo stalker who is gearing up to be a fake private detective in order to get closer to Patrick. The modern story moves forward slightly as all we know is that Charlene Carruthers is confused on if she has killed a man or not, and not much more to say yet for the 2011 part of our comic. The comic has lots of blood and violence and should very much please those readers who enjoy the red stuff being splattered all over the panels. The cover for this issue I have is pretty cool and shows Patrick Bateman and Charlene Carruthers whose refection is showing up on a knife. And once more Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson are doing the interior art and its good stuff as it really has a dark mood feel to it. Another good issue and I am very much looking forward to issue three and see how the stories are going to play out.

American Psycho # 3 ***
Released in 2024 Cover Price $4.99 Sumerian Comics # 3 of 5

Donald Kimball comes up with a fake identity of being a private detective who has been hired to look into the disappearance of Paul Allen and uses this made up life style to weasel his way into interviewing Patrick Bateman several times at his office and is amazed on just how calm Patrick is and how easy it is for the killer to try and act normal. At night Kimball still also follows Patrick hoping to see him kill again and gets upset when he allows his secretary Jean to live when he had her over instead of shooting a nail into her skull. Sometime later Kimball has lunch with and is disappointed in his hero as he thinks that he is a false prophet and is more of a coward than a alpha killer, and after lunch Kimball decides that he has to kill Patrick to show him what he has becomes. So armed with a knife Kimball heads to kill Patrick but before he gets close enough he witnesses the killing of a woman with a chainsaw by Patrick and once more finds that he worships and idolizes the madman. In 2011 Charlene Carruthers is hanging out with one of her friends at a bar and they are looking at social media on her phone as people are posting about the young man murdered when they come across an account that is using Charlene’s pictures and calling her a killer and sharing photos from the crime scene, and this freaks her out and causes her to return to her parents home were she is informed that mental illness runs in her family as her real father is Patrick Bateman is locked up in an asylum.

This third issue is really about Donald Kimball getting more and more drawn into the twisted killing world of Patrick Bateman and coming up with a lie in order to get close, speak to and even touch his new twisted idol as he gets a rush being near him. And it’s clear that at this point Donald Kimball is building a man crush on this killer and is living his kills via watching from the shadows as he feels just like his idol as he is only a shell of a person pretending to be normal. Patrick Bateman is in a spiral as he is getting more and more frenzied in his killings and is also getting a little more unhinged and sloppy as his need to take lives is getting bigger and bigger, but in this issue as well we see that he is starting to crack as Kimball visiting and showing him the CD that he played when killing Paul makes him sweat and also he shows that all of his humanity is not gone as he spares the life of Jean as he finds that he cares and respects her. The turn in this issue that is very interesting is that Kimball has lost his faith in Patrick and has set his sights on killing him, but once he watches him slaughter another female he once more gains his love and obsession with the madman killer and wants to learn from him. The 2011 set part of our story is also pretty great in this issue as Charlene Carruthers learns that someone on social media has created a fake account for her calling her a killer and she also learns that her real father in Patrick Bateman who has been locked up in an asylum for the past 24 years. The issue has blood being spilt as we see a woman be killed with a chainsaw and of course the Horror is coming from not only Patrick Bateman and his kills but also from the decent into madness from Donald Kimball. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has both Patrick Bateman and Charlene Carruthers in a maze and the use of blue and white makes it standout. The interior art is still being done by Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson and you guessed it is great stuff and they make a good team. This series this far as been really good and I am looking forward to reading the next and seeing how this all plays out.

American Psycho # 4 ***
Released in 2024 Cover Price $4.99 Sumerian Comics # 4 of 5

After Patrick Bateman leaves the place of the kills Donald Kimball enters dressed in a hazmat suit and cleans the whole area that so happens to be the apartment of the late great Paul Allen, and all through the place is dead female bodies, parts and blood…but he knows that he needs to clean so that Patrick will not be caught. As Donald is cleaning the landlord enters and she is threatened that if she speaks of what she has just seen she will be killed and worse her high rent apartment building will be shutdown when people learn that prostitutes have been murdered there, she agrees to keep quit and escapes with her life. After he is finished cleaning up the crime scenes Donald returns home and thinks about committing his first kill, when he gets a phone call from Jean as she has found Patrick’s planner that has lots of violent drawling’s in it as well as Allen’s business card that is covered in blood…and when Donald arrives at the office he ends up stabbing and killing Jean just as Patrick enters and is puzzled by what he is seeing. Donald then alerts Patrick that he knows about the killings and has covered them up for him as he even has called the police and confessed to them all clearing Patrick of all the crimes. Now back to 2011 a confused Charlene Carruthers pulls into the asylum that is more like a country club and sets up a meeting with her father Patrick Bateman who is unaware of her and ends up telling her about the killings as well as the fact Donald only killed one person that being Jean and is not the scary serial killer the world thinks him to be…and he also tells her that he thinks Donald is the man behind the fake social media account!

Well this issue really takes some wild twists and turns as I did not see it coming that Donald Kimball is willing to take the fall for all the killings that Patrick has committed because he idolizes and worships him that much, I also was taken back on the fact that they kill off Jean who is a well liked character from the film. The plot of this issue really is Donald doing what he can to cover up the killings Patrick has committed as he fears for him to be caught and stopped, with the more modern plot being Charlene going to the asylum were Patrick has checked himself in at in order to get answers and meet her real father for the first time only to learn he really is a serial killer! Patrick Bateman in the issue in the past is truly cracking up as his dive into madness and slaughtering is corrupting his mind and soul while in modern times he seems calm but also a little annoyed that he did not get any credit for his kills. Donald Kimball is a psycho who hides behind many different faces and truly loves the thrill of watching people be killed as well as really wants to know what killing feels like and sadly for Jean she becomes his victim. Jean who by accident sets up her own killing thinks she is doing the write thing by calling Donald who she thinks is a Detective about her bosses odd behavior and crude drawings. Charlene Carruthers is starting to question her own sanity as she thinks that maybe she did blackout and kill that asshole from the club, she is also being tormented by this social media account as some people are writing her hate mail while others lover letters! We will see if she is like her father and is the one killing or if its Donald back on the prowl or even Patrick doing these crimes. The plot this far really is drawing me in, as I cannot wait to see how this plays out! The issues has lots of blood and grisly shots of dead bodies and this is were the Horror comes in, and the cover for this issue is cool but a little strange as it shows Patrick in shadow with an axe and body bag in hand. The interior art done by the duo of Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson is still great stuff and I like the way they draw Patrick as well as the gruesome deaths. Over all yet another great issue in the American Psycho series and I cannot wait to see what the next and final issue has in store for us.

American Psycho # 5 **1/2
Released in 2024 Cover Price $4.99 Sumerian Comics # 4 of 5

Donald Kimball has been on the run since the 80’s as he has taken credit for all of Patrick Bateman’s crimes and has now traveled the world killing innocent people, he has found out he has cancer and is now returning to New York in order to see Patrick before he dies, and he has been the one doing the killings and is making it look like it was Charlene Carruthers doing them as he had an idea to kill her after a while and make it look like a suicide in order to draw Patrick Bateman out into the open. Charlene Carruthers hears her “real” father tell her all this and is confused by his words as well as if she should believe him, as she leaves Patrick asks her for her address so that he can write and she does leaving it at the front desk. As Charlene heads home she finds herself being stalked and chased by Kimball who wants to kill her as the ultimate message to Patrick who meanwhile has now killed a bunch of people at the asylum has escaped and is headed to his daughters apartment. Charlene is able to fight back against Kimball but she is stabbed several times and is dying but she is able to shoot Kimball who is also dying from his wounds by the time Patrick shows up. Patrick looks at the two dying people before him as Kimball gives him a letter he wrote him and his daughter begs him to get her help. In the end Patrick Bateman drives Kimball to the hospital and leaves his daughter in her home to bleed to death and she is now trying to fight for her own survival.

Patrick Bateman is back on the loose in these modern times after escaping the asylum that is watching over him as he is faced with both sides of his personality the psycho killer one and the other the want to act normal. The plot has Charlene Carruthers learning that her real father is a serial killer and that one of his biggest “fans” is now committing murders to blame her for with his end goal being to end her life. And when the attack happens Patrick is able to escape his captivity and chooses to get help for his fellow serial killer instead of his daughter when they are both badly injured in the attack. Patrick Bateman clearly has found his dark side again as he has no issues of killing workers at the asylum brutally and even walks away from his own daughter when she needs him the most. It also just shows that no matter how normal Patrick tries to act he is insane at his core and a cold blooded, soulless person. Poor Charlene Carruthers is being used by a serial killer in order to draw out another so that he can tell him farewell, so this young woman’s life is turned upside down all because of psychos, not to even mention she learns her real day is one of the psychos who ends up leaving her to die instead of getting her help when she is stabbed. Donald Kimball starts off just being a wannabe serial killer who after taking the life of his first victim ends up claiming the kills of his idol and then goes around the world killing, but wants to have a final moment with his killer idol when he finds out he is dying from cancer. And Kimball gets his moment when Bateman chooses to get him medical help over his daughter. While over all I enjoyed this series based on American Psycho the cult classic film it does sort of fall apart in this final issue as I feel that it was a little rushed and the payout while grim was lacking a big impact as I wish it was just a little different like Bateman killing them both in order to start fresh. I will say that the creators behind this series do a pretty good job of making it feel like apart of the film universe sort of and do a good job to bring the characters of the past into the year 2011. The issue does have lots of blood being spilt and deaths and both Bateman and Kimball are were the Horror comes from, and if Slasher or Thriller films or comics scare you I am sure this series will creep you out. The cover I have is very cool and showcases Patrick Bateman and the interior art is still really good and done by Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson and once more some props to them for sort of making the characters look like the actors that played them in the film. I think if you are a fan of the film American Psycho, like Slashers or just like Horror Comics based of Horror Films make sure to check this series out as over all it’s a really good read. Check out the artwork below to see the style used in this comic mini series.

I never thought that the 2000 film American Psycho would ever get a comic book series so when it was announced for 2023 I was totally shocked and also very much looking forward to reading it, and for the most part I can say that it was a good series with a slightly weak ending. I also have to say that Sumerian Comics could have been a bigger powerhouse in the world of Horror Comics based on films if they would have stayed with it as they besides American Psycho also did comics for The Fog (1980) and Basic Instinct (1992), who knows maybe they will do more of these type of comics in the future. But our time with Patrick Bateman is coming to an end but our time with a horror comic mini series based on a slasher film has not as next up I will be talking about the 1981 film My Bloody Valentine and the comic series from American Mythology! So until next time, read a horror comic of three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update as we celebrate Valentines Day in September as I hear that there is a crazed Miner out there that is just itching to celebrate.

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: King Kong (1933)

Posted on July 14, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update. For this one we will be heading to the uncharted island of Skull Island as well as to New York City as we will be talking about one of cinema’s most iconic, if not the most iconic giant monsters of all time, the one and only King Kong! And for this one we will be talking about the 1933 version as this one has yet to get this update theme treatment and that’s crazy to think as he is truly one of the biggest and most legendary monsters of horror cinema and one of my favorite horror monsters of all time. We will be taking a look not only at the film but the adaptation series that was released by Monster Comics in the early 90’s as this was the series I had as a kid and are the ones I want to cover here in order to give Kong the respect he deserves. So if you are ready, let’s climb aboard The S.S Venture as this ship is heading for Skull Island and that means that it’s the homeland of The 8^th Wonder Of The World, King Kong and it’s our chance to chat about Kong and his legacy in horror cinema as well as in my life.

Let’s start off by taking a look at King Kong and his ways of dealing death to mankind and those who enter his land or try and mess with his love Ann Darrow. King Kong is a massive 33 feet tall gorilla who lives on Skull Island where he rules over the other creatures that live there and is worshipped by the tribal people who offer him sacrifices of beautiful women to please him. King Kong has black fur and his size and appearance scare those who see him almost to death, as he is very massive and intimidating looking. King Kong has massive power and strength and can lift heavy items as well as crush both people and other massive creatures with his bare hands. King Kong is also a skilled fighter and can not only use his hands but also things around him like trees in his combat against other creatures that he will ram down throats if need be to win the fight. Kong is also pretty smart and understands the basic ways of survival as well as protecting himself as well as those in his protection. King Kong has a fearsome roar that also can scare a person half to death as it’s loud and lets everything know that he is in charge as he pounds his chest. Kong also has the killer instinct, as he will kill any person or creature that challenges him and will dispatch them in very violent ways from squashing to breaking jaws in two. Due to his massive size King Kong has also been known to step on people to end their lives, and with sharp teeth he also has eaten people making them die a very painful death. Due to his size and power as well King Kong can take a beating and while it hurts, he still fights on, as his pride and ego will not let him stay down and out of a fight. But while King Kong is a massive beast, he still is a living thing and this means he can be hurt and killed as one way for sure that he can be killed is by massive gunfire from multiple machine guns that cause massive wounds and bleeding. He can also be killed by a big fall from something high up. Kong is also very easily distracted by human women with blonde hair that he has claimed as his own and this causes him to rage and leave himself open for mistakes and attacks. While King Kong from 1933 might not be the biggest giant monster (Kaiju) we have ever covered, he still is very dangerous and a truly iconic monster of cinema.

Now that we have talked about King Kong and his ways of dealing death to those foolish enough to challenge his rule, I think we should now take a look at the 1933 film that he starred in and is the one that started it all for the Kong franchise. Like always I will be taking the film’s write up from our good friends at IMDB and then I will write about the film’s production and then my thoughts on the film. So if you’re ready, lets’ travel deeper into Skull Island and see what King Kong is unleashing on those who live there under his rule.

King Kong (1933)

“A film crew goes to a tropical island for a location shoot, where they capture a colossal ape who takes a shine to their blonde starlet, and bring him back to New York City.”

In the 1930’s films about primates and most notably gorillas were doing well at the box office so that is when producer Ernest B. Schoedsack and RKO Radio Pictures decided to work together on a picture about a beautiful woman and a massive ape. The film’s story came from Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace with Ruth Rose and James Creelman, and when it comes down to it Merian C. Cooper was the main creator of King Kong alongside stop motion effects master Willis O’Brien who did the film’s effects as well as created the look and characteristics of Kong. I also want to say that Buzz Gibson was O’Brien’s assistant on the effects, and he as well did a fantastic job helping bring Kong and all the other creatures that lived on Skull Island to life. The film had a budget of over $672 thousand and when casting such names as Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy and Victor Wong made up the main cast. Fay Wray’s beauty made her the perfect actress to play Ann Darrow, the beauty that ends up helping kill the beast, and Wray to me is truly cinema’s first scream queen as she would also appear in such other horror films as Doctor X (1932), The Most Dangerous Game (1932), The Vampire Bat (1933), Mystery Of The Wax Museum (1933) and Black Moon (1934). The film would be a production that was very innovative as new camera techniques were used to showcases visual effects as well as special effects, and it pushed all the actors to put on topnotch performances. Once the film was completed Max Steiner would do the soundtrack score, and it would be released to theaters on April 7, 1933 and was a massive hit with moviegoers as well as critics and would go on to make $5.3 million at the box office making it a major hit for the studio. The film also made New York City’s The Empire State Building an attraction for movie buffs as to this day fans of King Kong visit the site of his death…spoiler, Kong dies when he is gunned down while on top of the building and falls to his death. The film would spawn a sequel the same year in “Son Of Kong” and over the years has been remade several times, colorized and Kong as even fought fellow Kaiju icon Godzilla a couple of times. King Kong has also graced comic books, video games, novels, cartoons and toys as the films legacy is still very strong to this day. The film in 1933 was released alongside such other horror films as Son Of Kong, The Invisible Man, The Ghoul, Murders In The Zoo, The Monkey’s Paw, The Vampire Bat, La Llorona, The Mystery Of The Wax Museum and Terror Aboard to name a few. This was just a crash course of the making of King Kong, and I suggest that you track down one of the many books written about the film as they dive deeper into the film’s production and are worth a read. I also really do want to say 1933 was the year of Fay Wray for fans of horror and sci-fi films.

King Kong is one of the greatest films of all time and is hands down my favorite giant monster or kaiju film of all time as it really is a thrill ride that is filled with scares, thrills, chills and adventure. Something about King Kong has always drawn me in. Even as a young kid I was glued to watching this film as I saw it around the age of 7-8 via a VHS rental from the local library. I can remember my mom telling me stories of how the film scared her as a young child, it scared her so badly that she hid behind the couch while it was on. And that is the power of a great horror film, it was able to capture her imagination as well as scare her silly! I can remember the first time I saw it, King Kong himself was what interested me as watching him fight dinosaurs as well as rampage around was just magical. The film’s effects were amazing for 1933 and this to me is a film that should be shown in film school as it’s a perfect film to learn by as the story is classic and the pacing is top notch, and I know that James Rolfe aka The Angry Video Game Nerd agrees with this statement as he has said very similar stuff. King Kong has always been a big part of my childhood as growing up I had the Imperial King Kong figure, I had the classic paperback novel written by Delos W. Lovelace, I owned the Crestwood Monster Book of Kong and even as a youngster had the film’s score on CD. I can also remember drawing King Kong in school for art class, and he was always a topic when my friends and I would talk about classic monster movies as the debut of who would win or who is better between he and Godzilla was always a hot topic on the playground…and for those wondering I have always been team Kong…but don’t get me wrong I love Godzilla as well. Plus Fay Wray was one of horror cinema’s first true beauties as she is such a stunningly beautiful woman and a great actress. I am also going to admit it, as a kid when King Kong was shot and died I cried both in the 1933 version as well as the 1976 one…but give me some slack, I was a kid when I saw them and had a true bond with Kong as he truly was a sad case of a creature out of its element and being murdered by those who took him away from his home to make money on him as well as just make an attraction out of him. One thing that I have always regretted not doing as it’s too late now was going to Universal Studios in Florida to ride Kongfrontation where you got to interact with a giant animatronic King Kong who had banana smelling breath! Sadly the ride is no longer around as it was removed from the park. I truly can’t say just how important this film is to me and just how much I love the character of King Kong and next to a small handful of other classic monsters, this is one icon that I feel that everyone in the world should watch at least once and should enjoy all the sequels, remakes and reboots that have been made keeping his legacy alive.

With 2026 being the year of “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” updates, I had to cover King Kong as what would a celebration of horror be without him! I have been wanting to cover the Monster Comics adaptation of the film that were released in the 1990’s for a while now as these comics are ones I grew up reading as I found the issues at Mavericks Cards and Comics when I was a kid and remember really enjoying them as it brought Kong to the pages of comics. I have not read them in a few decades, so I cannot wait to see if they hold up still. I would like to thank Bell Book And Comic, Game Swap Kettering and Lone Star Comics for having these issues 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 take a look at Monster Comics’ six-issue adaptation of the classic 1933 film King Kong and see what horrors and thrills await us.

King Kong # 1 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $2.50 Monster Comics # 1 of 6

Captain Englehorn and his first mate Jack Driscoll are waiting on ship for film director Carl Denham who has hired them to take him out to sea and to an uncharted island as he wants to make his next big jungle picture, but he has also gotten the ship in trouble with the amount of explosions on board. While walking around the streets of New York looking for an actress to appear in his film, Denham ends up meeting Ann Darrow who is down on her luck and was caught stealing fruit from a stand, but after paying for what she stole, he hires her over a quick lunch as he is taken by her beauty. The next morning they all set sail for the island and over the next few days Ann and Jack seem to be getting closer and all the crew start watching out for her, but Denham tries to warn Jack to not fall in love with Ann as he is picking up the tension between the two. After shooting some test footage of Ann on the deck Denham heads to Englehorn’s quarters, and he tells him and Jack about the island they are heading to called Skull Island that is surrounded by a giant man made wall and in the jungle lives a primitive tribe of people. He then tells them of Kong, something massive that lives on the island and he wants to be the first person to ever film it. And as time passes, the ship goes through a thick fog and they find themselves at Skull Island where they hear tribal drums being played. Once on the island they stumble on the tribe who is sacrificing a woman to Kong, but spot that they are being watched and want Ann as the sacrifice instead…and thanks to the fast thinking of Englehorn, they are able to get Ann off the island and everyone back safe on the ship. That night the native sneak aboard the ship and kidnap Ann and end up taking her beyond the great wall to be taken by Kong a giant gorilla that takes her into his massive hand, just as Jack and the crew arrive and are powerless to help her.

The classic 1933 film comes alive on these pages and this first issue is a set up for our cast of characters. The plot has a ship filled to the brim with crew on a big job to get a film director and his assistant and actress to a uncharted island that is filled with lots of mysteries things like a skull shaped mountain, a giant wall, a tribe that worships something called Kong…that turns out to be a massive gorilla! Ann Darrow is a beautiful woman who is hired to star in a new jungle film, as she is down on her luck and was having to try and steal food just to eat. But once on the ship bound for the jungle, she finds love in first mate Jack Driscoll and as well becomes the obsession of the island’s tribe due to her blonde hair and them wanting to give her to their “God” Kong! Jack Driscoll is tough as nails but quickly falls head over heels for Ann, who he does not like is being put in danger all over filming a movie…he is also the first one to rush back to the island when he finds that she has been kidnapped by the tribe. Captain Englehorn is a very wise man who is allowing money to be his driving factor, but is also the one who can speak to the tribe. The rest of the crew including Lumpy and his pet monkey Iggy (who are was made up for the comic taking the place of Charlie) are all willing to help protect as well as get Ann back from the danger she is in. Carl Denham is a film director who is driven by making a great jungle picture and seems to not be bothered about putting peoples lives in danger as long as he can get the shots he needs to make the greatest jungle film ever made, and this is who he is and while the crew are his friends you can tell they are truly getting annoyed by him with Jack being the one who is the most angered by his actions. And as for Kong we only get a glimpse of him as he comes through the jungle in order to grab Ann who has been given to him by the island tribe that worship him. There are changes from the film to this comic as one of the biggest being that Charlie, the ship’s chef is missing, and we instead are given a weird looking crew member named Lumpy who has a pet monkey named Iggy, another big one is that the island tribe is more flushed out in their ceremonies, Carl Denham is more cold and we start off by meeting Jack and The Captain first…and that is just some of the changes. The comic is bloodless and the horror comes from the unknown of the island as well as the appearance of Kong who is massive in size and seems very annoyed when he appears. The cover for this issue is great and is iconic to me as I can remember the first time I saw it was when I bought the issue from Mavericks Cards and Comics when I was a kid. It shows Kong holding Ann and if you’re a fan of the film, this is very eye catching. The comics interior art as well as the adaptation story is done by Donald Simpson and is lots of fun as he has a cartoonish style to his art, and while the character’s look nothing like the actors who play them I really dig the way he draws them as well as Kong. Over all this first issue is a great read but is a little slow as it truly is the build to getting to know the characters as well as get them all to Skull Island in order to come across King Kong! So with that, let’s see what issue two has in store for us!

King Kong # 2 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.95 Monster Comics # 2 of 6

Jack Driscoll leads a group into the jungle to try and save Ann from Kong and with him is Carl Denham, who has also brought his gas bombs just in case. The other half of the crew stay near the gate with Captain Englehorn to make sure the tribe does not close the gate and leave them stuck inside. While following the trail of Kong, the heroes discover that the jungle is filled with dinosaurs, and they use some of the gas bombs to bring down as Stegosaurus before shooting it in the head to kill it. And as they get deeper into the jungle, Jack and the crew have to make a raft to get across a river only to be once more attacked this time by a Brontosaurus that kills some of the crew and as well makes them lose their guns and gas bombs they brought with them, but Jack makes them push forward as they need to save Ann. Meanwhile Kong himself is fighting off dinosaurs that are attacking him in order to protect Ann as the giant beast has fallen in love with her. He drives off the dinosaurs who end up stampeding and killing more of the ship’s crew who must flee across a nature made bridge that goes across a massive drop. But unknown to Jack and the others, they are rushing towards Kong who decides to shake the bridge and causes all the crew to fall into the abyss with some even falling into giant spider webs to become the lunch for the giant insects. Jack is the only one to make it off the bridge as he jumps onto a vine and holds on for dear life. And we are not sure what has happed to Denham just yet.

The adventure starts as Jack Driscoll leads a group into the jungle in order to save the life of Ann who has been taken by Kong, but they all soon learn that its very dangerous as the land is filled with dinosaurs, giant insects, dangerous nature and of course Kong who has taken a true liking to his gift from the tribe that worships him. And by the end of the issue most if not all of the crew is dead and Jack must find a way to save Ann from the massive grip of Kong who is willing to fight and kill to protect her. This is a very fun issue as we get to see any instances of man fighting dinosaur with the later almost always coming out on top, and because of these deaths the issue does have blood as people are eaten and impaled on a horn! Truly in this issue we find that Jack Driscoll is a man on a mission to save the woman he has just meet and fallen for as he risks not only his life but that of most of the ship’s crew in order to get her back, and if his crew show any fear or question what the heck they are doing, he quickly puts them in his place…so in other words, her life is more important than anyone else on the ship in his eyes. Carl Denham even while in the jungle is thinking about his movie as well as money as it’s clear he would capture all the dinosaurs if he could to make quick cash off them, he also seems less stressed about getting Ann back as when the tree bridge is shaken by Kong I am not even sure where this film director is! Kong is also not messing around in this issue as he holds off a group of dinosaurs as well as keeps Jack and the crew at bay as he truly has claimed Ann as his own! The horror comes from not only Kong and the jungle but all the blood thirsty dinosaurs that are roaming around on Skull Island! The adventure elements of the film are present in this issue and gives you as a reader a build as we are along for the ride as Jack and the others are hunting down Kong in order to save their friend, and we are also seeing that while Kong is big, scary and protective he is also gentle when it comes to Ann. The cover is awesome for this issue and has Kong shaking the tree bridge and the art for it is really great stuff. The interior art is again done by Donald Simpson and is really fun as his cartoonish style really starts to grow on you more and more as you flip through the pages. Another great issue and once more makes some changes but still holds true to the film it’s based on.

King Kong # 3 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.95 Monster Comics # 3 of 6

Jack Driscoll watches as his friends and crew fall to their deaths while others are being eaten alive by giant spiders, and he knows that he alone now must save Ann from the grip of Kong. Jack uses a knife to stab Kong in the hand and as this is going down a T-Rex called Meat-Eater notices Ann and goes after her but he screams bring Kong who starts to fight with the dinosaur, as Carl Denham comes from out of weeds as he hid during the dinosaur stampede and this is what saved his life. The fight between Kong and Man-Eater is very violent as both are fighting for survival now and it’s Kong that wins as he breaks the jaw of Man-Eater leaving him dead. Kong grabs Ann once more and heads deeper in the jungle, Jack and Denham then meet back up and they come up with a plan that will have Jack continue to follow Kong as Denham goes back for more men and gas bombs in order to fight Kong who they have both just witness kill a meat eating dinosaur with his bare hands. Jack follows Kong to the skull mountain cave and watches as a giant snake attacks him and he hopes that he puts Ann down so that they can get back to the boat and to freedom away from this cursed island.

The adventure and horror continues as Kong with Ann in hand heads deeper into the jungle and he protects her from all that he thinks is a threat and that includes a killer T-Rex as well as a massive snake! We also see that Carl Denham survived, as he was lucky enough to find safety in some weeds and brush from the dinosaur stampede and was not on the tree bridge that was destroyed by Kong! Also Jack continues is tracking of Kong while Denham returns to the gate with orders to get more gas bombs to use this time against Kong in order to stop him and get Ann back safe and sound. Jack Driscoll truly loves Ann as he keeps going forward even as death is all around him and the odds of survival is slim, while it’s clear that watching his friends and fellow crew member die bothered him its almost like it helps drive him to be a hero to make their deaths mean something. Carl Denham even after witnessing people dying and two giant creatures fighting only thinks about his movie as well as his own hide, but you do have to give him credit as he is going to journey back to the gate alone in order to get help. Poor Ann is being carried around and finds herself in danger as she is not only being dragged around by Kong but also finds herself on the menu for a very hungry T-Rex! And speaking of that T-Rex who is called Meat-Eater he is one of those true iconic characters from King Kong and I am glad to see him make it to this comic and have one epic fight with Kong as this fight is the true highlight of the issue! Watching Kong and Meat-Eater duke it out over Ann is fantastic and while Meat-Eater dies by getting his jaw broken in two he still puts up a good fight! Kong once more proves why he is the King of Skull Island as he takes on all comers and wins every fight he is in against both man and beast this far. The Horror elements of this issue are still Kong as well as Skull Island in general but also you have to say Meat-Eater is also part of the chills. The issue does have some bloodshed with most of that coming from the fight between Kong and Meat-Eater as the jaw break has the red stuff shown. The issue also ends on a big cliffhanger as Kong is being attacked by a giant snake with Ann still in his hand while Jack is in the shadows waiting for his moment to save her from this crazy island. The cover is really cool and has Kong fighting Man-Eater, and you guessed it, Donald Simpson did the interior art and it is as good and cartoonish as past issues. So with that, let’s see what the next issue has in store for us and if Jack is able to save Ann from this giant ape and get her back to the ship and safely to New York.

King Kong # 4 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.95 Monster Comics # 4 of 6

Jack watches on as the snake tries its best to kill Kong who sets Ann down but way out of the reach of him, and they both watch as Kong ends up bashing the skull of the snake on rocks killing it before grabbing Ann once more and continuing to his home cave, while Jack still follows. Meanwhile Carl Denham makes it back to the gate and tells Captain Englehorn of the fate of the crew and how Ann and Jack are the only ones alive, he also begs for them to get the gas bombs so that they can go back and save them from Kong as well as all the creatures that are in the jungle as he warns them its very dangerous. Kong is very curious about Ann and is studying her when Kong is distracted by Jack who makes a noise and this allows a Pterodactyl to swoop in and grab Ann, but the dinosaur does not get far as Kong grabs it and rips it into pieces! But this allows Jack to also grab Ann and they to hug before rushing off to escape. But the two don’t get very far before Kong is on their trail as he wants Ann back!

In this issue Kong makes it home but has to fight and kill a giant snake as well as a Pterodactyl all on order to keep Ann safe, but all along Jack is right behind waiting for his time to rescue and save his love and when he finally does so this makes Kong very angry and Jack is on his kill list! We also find that Carl Denham as made it back safe and is alerting the Captain and crew of the horrors beyond the gate and that they must go in and save Ann and Jack. In this issue Jack is tired and hurt but still keeps pushing forward as his only goal in life right now is to save Ann and he has almost forgotten about his own safety. Ann at this point as been carried around by Kong and has been on the dinner menu for many dinosaurs that live on Skull Island, and even at one point Kong kind of goes perverted on her as he removes her dress! Kong is a fighter and is killing all that challenge him or try and take Ann away from him. Carl Denham shows that while he is a director who is obsessed with filming his movies, he can be a hero as he makes it back to the gate alone and tries to get the others to go back in and help Jack and Ann. The scares and horror come from Kong as well as the other creatures he has to battle in this issue as what is more scary than giant monsters on a rampage! Plus the issue does have blood being spilt with Kong going brutal on both the snake and Pterodactyl and ending them both in very bloody ways. The cover for this one is also very cool and had Kong fighting the Pterodactyl, and I have to say I love the way they drew King Kong as he looks badass. Yep, Donald Simpson is on interior art again and it’s great and cartoonish, and I love the way he draws Kong and the other creatures. Another great issue that makes you look forward to reading the next.

King Kong # 5 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $2.25 Monster Comics # 5 of 6

Jack and Ann make it back to the gate, and they are tired and want to make it to the ship to get away from the island and rest. As the gates are opened, the crew are happy to see them both, but Denham is also hoping to see Kong as he wants to use the gas bombs to knock him out and bring him back to New York in order to make lots of money off him and he wants to use Ann as bait, Jack is furious over this but has no time to act as Kong has arrived and is very pissed off! Kong breaks down the gate as Jack and the others rush to the beach and their ship, Kong meanwhile kills many of the tribe natives as he is in full rage mode and only has two things on his mind death and Ann. From the broken down gate also comes many other dinosaurs that attack and kill the tribe members, as Denham has truly caused the death of many people all over wanting to make a film. Once on the beach Denham and the crew use the gas bombs that end up knocking out Kong as well as the dinosaurs saving them all from being crushed and eaten. They all watch as Kong goes down and the whole time he is looking at Ann while Denham is calling orders for the crew to get supplies to capture Kong and bring him back to New York.

In this issue Jack is able to rescue Ann and get her to the gate and with the crew, but they are not safe as Kong arrives and crashes through the gate and the dinosaurs follow. The poor tribe is almost all killed in Kong’s rampage, and he is only brought down thanks to the gas bombs that Carl Denham brought on board. And after Kong is knocked out the film director’s main goal is to capture the great ape and put in on display in New York in order to make lots of money. Carl Denham takes two steps back as just when you thought he was going to be a hero he shows that money and fame is truly what drives him, and when you think about it his greed and lack of caring has coasted many people their lives. In other words Denham is a true scumbag! Jack Driscoll is the true hero as he is the one who risked it all in order to save Ann and even is the one who has called out Denham all along for his terrible behavior and lack of caring for peoples safety, now don’t get me wrong Jack has done some bad things as well that has helped lead to people dying with his main focus being to save the woman he loves. Ann is so worn down by the time she gets to the gate that Jack has to carry her, as she really has had a very stressful day and I am sure all she wants to do is get back to New York and live her life. Kong is very upset in losing Ann as once she is taken away from him his rage takes control and he goes nuts and even kills the tribe the worship him as he eats some of them and steps on others. And poor Kong even when he is passing out just wants to see Ann, and little does he know what fate awaits him once he wakes up from his slumber. One thing that I really life in this issue is that when Kong escapes the wall so does all the dinosaurs who also want to rampage through the village, it’s a nice touch. The issue has lots of death and some blood as the frightening moments come from Kong and the dinosaurs escape and rampage as they brutalize the poor natives. The cover for this one is cool like all the others in this series and features Kong fighting the giant snake as Jack looks on. And do I need to say more about who does the interior art and how cool and cartoonish it is, I think not. Well the next issue is the final issue, and with that, let’s take a look and see what awaits not just us but Kong.

King Kong # 6 ***
Released in 1992 Cover Price $2.50 Monster Comics # 6 of 6

In New York City Carl Denham has a sold out show for people to see King Kong, The 8^th Wonder Of The World, and the place is packed. On hand are both Ann Darrow and Jack Driscoll as after this premiere the two plan on getting married. The press enter behind the scenes and talk with Denham and Jack and as the story is being told, and the director turned promoter brags that Kong was captured all because of Ann, she feels sad for the events that took place that caused this massive beast to be captured and treated like a sideshow freak. As the attraction opens and Denham gives his speech he shows Kong to the audience who are scared of this massive beast, who gets more angry when Ann and Jack are brought out followed by news paper photographers who’s flashing lights end up making Kong rage and break free from the chains that hold him as he thinks people are harming Ann! Kong breaks loose out of the theater and hits the streets of New York on a rampage and looking for Ann, and finds her and Jack in a hotel room hiding he crashes his massive fist through the building and once more has Ann is his hands and makes his way to the Empire State Building and starts climbing it as the near by Air Force gets the orders to fly to the building and combat the giant ape. As Kong makes it to the top of the building Jack rushes to the top as well in order to try and save his fiancé from the grip of Kong once more. Kong on top of the building feels like he is once more the King of this new land, but then the fighter planes appear and start their attack and at first Kong is standing his ground and even knocking some of them out of the sky. But after a short time and many machine gun bullets later, the mighty King Kong is bleeding and falls off the Empire State Building to his death as Ann watches on in sadness as she understands that the giant ape was truly just scared, lonely and in a place he didn’t belong. While Jack makes it to Ann and holds her as she cries, on the street below Kong is dead and Denham tells the newspapers that it was Beauty that killed the Beast.

In the final issue of this adaptation Kong finds himself in New York City as a prisoner of a con-man film director who looks at the great beast as a paycheck and not as a living creature, and when Kong breaks free to once more have Ann by his massive side he is gunned down by machine gun fire from planes that have been sent out to kill him once the beast climbed the famous Empire State Building. And I have to first say Carl Denham is a complete scumbag as he seems to once more not care that he has put peoples lives in danger and even when Kong escapes he seems to not be bothered by this destruction and is clearly just driven by money. And as Kong is dead in front of him Denham seems to still be working the press, just a terrible person. Jack and Ann just want to live their lives together and are once more tangled into the crappy world of Denham, and Ann really does seem sad for her part in the taking of Kong as well as his death. Kong is a protective creature and when he thinks that the press are doing harm to Ann he escapes from his chains and does what he can to protect her, and sadly this rampage of protecting leaves him open to being killed by gunfire. Kong really is just a beast who does not understand his new surroundings and really just wants to live his life and protect Ann who he has fallen in love with. Its truly sad when he is shot and falls to his death as Kong really is a great beast who cares about Ann who he has taken as his own. The climax of this story both in the film as well as the comic truly hits you as it’s sad to see Kong die and all cause of love and people fearing things that are unknown, while I get that he is a “monster” by all accounts he still had a life and should have been left on Skull Island and not exploited my modern people. The comic does make changes from the film, and while some are very odd and even big changes, the comic does do the film justice and really held up for me after all these years as it was a great read then and a great read now. One character I would have like to have seen was Charlie the ship’s cook as he was a big character in the film and even came into play in the sequel “Son Of Kong” and he should have been in this comic. The issue does have blood spilled as when Kong is being shot he bleeds, and of course the Horror comes from Kong and his rampage through the Big Apple. The cover for this issue has Kong fighting off the planes and is very eye catching as the border is a bright yellow. Donald Simpson’s art throughout this series was very solid work, and he has a very cartoonish style that brings a fun approach to the comics When I was younger I was a little more harsh on the art as I wanted Kong to be more scary, but looking at it now with adult eyes I find it very charming. While this series is great I still would say that the Gold Key Comic adaptation that I covered HERE is the better of the two, but believe me, I am not downplaying this series as I really do like it lots and think that if you are a King Kong fan, you should own and read these comics. Check out the artwork below to see the style of Donald Simpson used in this series.

King Kong is truly one of those films as well as characters that was made for not only being in films but also in comic books, and I am glad that he still makes his appearances in mini series from time to time over the years as it gives horror comic readers like myself something to read. And for those who want to read more about King Kong in the From Horror Movie To Horror Comic update theme, you can also check out my updates for King Kong (2005) here, Kong Skull Island (2017) here and lastly Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) here…so as you can see you can get a full course of King Kong here at Rotten Ink. And with that, it seem that our time with King Kong is coming to an end but do not worry as our next update will still keep us in the realm of horror film inspired comics as I will be taking a look at the Hammer Horror Film Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter and the Titan Comic mini series based around it. So until then, read a horror comic of three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local horror host! See you next update as we hunt down some bloodsuckers with The Captain!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: The Toxic Avenger (1984)

Posted on July 4, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Happy 4^th Of July, and welcome back to Rotten Ink and to a very special American Hero update as it’s connected to the “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” theme as for this Independence Day. We are going to be talking about a hero from New Jersey who is a hideously deformed creature of super-human size and strength that helps the good people of Tromaville and who has faced all types of criminals from killers to the corrupt. Of course I am talking about The Toxic Avenger, the cult classic hero that was created by Lloyd Kauffman and Troma Entertainment! That’s right, nothing says American hero in entertainment like a mop swinging monstrous hero that brutally murders evildoers. I mean Hell, he even defeated the Devil and an evil version of himself! So while the food is cooking on the grill and the fireworks are being prepped for the evening light show, let’s head to Tromaville, New Jersey and talk about The Toxic Avenger!

So let’s first start off by taking a look at The Toxic Avenger and his way of dealing with evildoers! The Toxic Avenger was originally Melvin Junko, a 98 pound weakling who worked as a janitor at a health club and was mocked and cruelly hazed by the members. One prank went terribly wrong, and Melvin fell into a barrel of toxic waste turning him into The Toxic Avenger, a hideously deformed creature of super-human size and strength! The Toxic Avenger is very gross in appearance as his skin is melted and even has one droopy eye, and this alone strikes fear into the heart of his enemies. Toxie also smells really bad, and the stench of him can repulse and burn the eyes of those in his way. The Toxic Avenger also has Tromatons, a chemical reaction in his body that alerts him when evil is around, and also when they go off it sets him off in a rage to destroy the evil that is around him in a violent way. Toxie is also very strong and can over power any man that he goes up against as he is also a skilled fighter. The strength of The Toxic Avenger allows him to break bones and remove limbs and guts from the baddies of the world, and this makes for a very gruesome scene. Toxie also uses a mop to beat the Hell out of evildoers, and this becomes his key weapon over the years of being a monster hero and early on his crime fighting ways he would ram mops down the throats of his victims. Toxie can also be around toxic waste as it no longer effects him, as his whole body has been changed by it. But while The Toxic Avenger is a powerful monster hero, he does have some flaws and weaknesses that can lead to his defeat. Toxie’s appearance leaves him at odds with the small people of Tromaville as they fear him and this makes it easy for criminals to set him up to look like a monster on the loose. Toxie can also doubt himself and get his feeling hurt and this can lead him on being on the losing side of a fight. He also loves his blind girlfriend Sara or is that Claire who can be used against him. But as of this update there is not clear way to defeat The Toxic Avenger, and thank goodness he is on our side.

So as you can see, The Toxic Avenger truly is a hideously deformed creature of super-human size and strength that keeps Tromaville safe and clean of evil! But now I think that it’s time we talk about his film that was released by Troma in 1984 and became a massive cult classic over the years! So like always, I will be taking the film’s write up from our good pals at IMDB, and then I will write about the film’s production and then my thoughts of the film. So with the hamburgers on the grill sizzling like Melvin Junko after falling into toxic waste, I think that it’s time to take a look at this truly fun horror film featuring a monster hero from New Jersey.

The Toxic Avengers (1984)

“Tromaville has a monstrous new hero. The Toxic Avenger is born when meek mop boy Melvin falls into a vat of toxic waste. Now evildoers will have a lot to lose.”

Llyod Kaufman & Michael Herz were the creators of Troma Entertainment that at the time was making and releasing mostly comedy films to theaters, but with the horror genre being blasted by mainstream media and critics, the pair decided to make a hybrid film a horror comedy that would be called The Toxic Avenger! Lloyd got the idea early on about setting a horror film in a spa when he was working on the set of Rocky (1976) and after a trip to the Cannes Film Festival in France is when the film truly came together. The original title was going to be “Health Club Horror” and was more of a spoof film, before turning into the cult classic film we all know and love. Writer Joe Ritter took the story by Kaufman and turned it into a script, and Stuart Strutin came on to produce along side Kaufman and Herz with the film having a budget of around $500 thousand. When casting the film actor Mitch Cohen would play The Toxic Avenger with Kenneth Kessler doing the character’s voice, and Melvin Junko, the nerd who falls into the toxic waste to become the hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength, was played by actor Mark Torgl who had worked on Troma films of the past. Other names in the cast include Andree Maranda, Gary Schneider, Robert Prichard, Cindy Manion, Jennifer Babtist, Pat Ryan Jr. and Dick Martinsen to name a few, but one fun fact is that in the directors cut of the film, a young Marisa Tomei was one of the people at the spa. The film would mostly be shot in New Jersey and some in New York and once done it would be released to theaters on April 11, 1986 and was met with mixed reviews from critics, but viewers loved it and sparked it into a true cult classic that would spawn three sequels, a cartoon series as well as a remake film from Legendary Pictures. The Toxic Avenger was released in 1984 alongside such other horror films as A Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13^th: The Final Chapter, Gremlins, C.H.U.D., Hills Haves Eyes Part 2, Ghostbusters, The Terminator, Splatter University, Rocktober Blood, Razorback and Monster Dog. Truly Toxie is the character that built Troma into one of the biggest independent film studios in the world.

The Toxic Avenger is a film that I have a very funny story about as when growing up my brother and I were always into horror movies and creature features and one we watched all the time when it was on TV was the Wes Craven film Swamp Thing based on the DC Comic series. So one evening at the video rental store my Dad saw the cover for The Toxic Avenger and thought that it would be like Swamp Thing, and after showing the box to us, that was one of the rental choices that night. With popcorn in hand, we prepared for the film to start, and then when it did and it was packed with nudity at the start, my Dad quickly stopped it and that ended movie night. It was a funny moment in my life as he truly thought it was going to be like Swamp Thing and not your typical Troma film. I would finally see the film sometime later as it was shown on USA Up All Night, and then I would end up buying on VHS when I found it at a second hand media store. The film just worked as it truly was a fun film that blended horror, comedy and superhero elements all together and added in some great kills like when Toxie makes a milkshake out of a guy’s head! In fact my brother one year got me The Toxic Avenger II on VHS for Christmas! It’s weird as looking back on it all The Toxic Avenger has been a big part of my youth not just for the films but also the Marvel Comic series, the cartoon Toxic Crusaders and the toys based on the toon were all big parts of my childhood. And as a kid The Toxic Avenger was a big hero, no different than Superman, Spider-Man, Batman and Captain America as he was a good guy who protected people and while he was more violent than them, he still fought for truth and justice. In art class in school I also use to draw The Toxic Avenger and would get good grades for it, so thanks, Toxie, for helping me get good grades in class! While The Toxic Avenger film series is not for kids, the character himself was very iconic for kids of my era and his legacy will live on forever as he is that iconic to fans of horror films.

So now that we have chatted about The Toxic Avenger the character as well as the film, I think that it’s time that we take a look at the comic series based on him! And I had a few to choose from as Troma Comics as well as Fester Comics both did comics based on him, but for me the Marvel Comics were the must as it was the first series to be made and are the ones I grew up reading! That is right when a youngster, The Toxic Avenger was a comic series I would read as I would find issues at both Mavericks Cards And Comics as well as Bookie Parlor, so a big thanks goes to both those comic shops for introducing me to the series based on a film I knew and finally saw thanks to USA Up All Night. And no joke I was a big fan of this comic series and can remember reading the issues several times as well as telling my friends at school about it. I would like to thank Lone Star Comics, Bell Book And Comic and Game Swap Kettering for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to thank Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz for being the creators behind not only The Toxic Avenger but Troma Entertainment, one of the worlds best indie film studios. And like always, I would like to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s enter Tromaville and see what Marvel Comics and The Toxic Avenger has in store for us.

The Toxic Avengers # 1 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 1 of 11

The Toxic Avengers is in the junkyard and he is very confused, but his body aka Tromatons alert him of trouble as three punks are near by and rush with guns in hand to his sounds with the intention to kill whatever made them. Toxic Avenger with his mop quickly kills to of the punks by blowing one up and the other melts in battery acid! The third punk runs away and speeds off in his car, Toxic Avengers follows in a cab when the driver gives it to him when he sees and smells him! A high speed chase takes place, and Toxie ends up crashing and having to chase after his attacker on foot all the while the people of Tromaville are scared of this monster hero who is confused about why he is this way. Meanwhile Ms. Mephi is trying to buy Pleasantview Haven Home For The Blind from its owner as she wants to use the land as a toxic dump site, and when he refuses she has her men cover the place with gas and burn it to the ground, and they have orders to shoot anyone who makes it out alive! But lucky for the blind people Toxie is running by and ends up doing what he can to save many of them and that means smashing the bad guys, but while doing this he meets Claire and falls for her beauty at first sight, but the two must run away when the citizens show up and blame Toxie for the fire. The two make it back to the junkyard where Toxie starts building them a house to live in, and after getting a kiss from Claire, he gets him memory back and remembers that he is Melvin Junko, a nerd that use to work for the towns health club, but was set up by his boss Mr. Ahriman and Linda, a woman who worked out there in a cruel prank that left him humiliated and falling into toxic waste an becoming The Toxic Avenger! We also learn that Apocalypse Inc. is moving into Tromaville and its Chairman is also coming and working for him is his nephew Mr. Ahriman, Ms. Mephi, a ton of punks and Eboni who acts as the general of the area as she is now given orders for her punks to go and get The Toxic Avenger!

The Toxic Avenger in his first Marvel Comic was a fantastic read as in this issue we get a backstory of how geek Melvin Junko fell into toxic waste and became the hero The Toxic Avenger and how he meets his blind girlfriend Claire and becomes the target of a corrupt toxic company Apocalypse Inc.! And man is The Toxic Avenger a hero as he brutally kills evildoers in the small town of Tromaville and even saves blind people from arson, but he is still very much feared by the townspeople as he looks like a monster and smells like a backed up sewer. And while at the start of the issue Toxic Avenger is confused, he soon remembers his past as a cleanup boy and knows that with these new powers he must help people. Claire is his blonde, blind and accordion playing girlfriend who falls madly in love with him once he saves her from the fire and being shot by a punk and says very nice things to her. The enemies of this issue are Apocalypse Inc. a corrupt group that hides toxic waste in small towns and seem to want to destroy the environment and turn America into a toxic dumpsite. And who knows how evil The Chairman is going to be as it’s clear everyone who works for him is very much scared of him as he sounds very cruel. The comic is lots of fun and The Toxic Avenger was a perfect superhero for the 90’s as Marvel Comics was doing really well with Spider-Man and X-Men comics, and this Troma Movie hero fit right in the mix. While this issue does not have blood, it does have its share of very gruesome deaths as Toxie punches a mans face in as well as tosses one into acid and pulls out his bones that still has some hair and flesh left…pretty gross stuff for a Marvel Comic. The story so far is also pretty cool as it’s the build of Toxic Avenger having to go up against Apocalypse Inc. in his own hometown, and you know that this hero is not going to go down without a major fight. The cover for this issue is very iconic for me, and if you’re a fan of The Toxic Avenger, I am sure you agree with me. The comic’s interior art is done by Rod Ramos and is really great stuff as I think he captures all the elements of the character as its party scary and part silly. Over all this is a great start to the series and truly held up for me after all these years. So let’s see if issue two does as well…shall we?

The Toxic Avengers # 2 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 2 of 11

A tank comes busting into the newly made home of The Toxic Avenger and his lady Claire, but with his mop, Toxie is able to blow up the tank when the mop plugs up the cannon right as they fire. Meanwhile The Chairman has arrived in Tromaville with his assistant Darkella, and he is happy with the new home base but is very mad over the setbacks and mistakes with the biggest being the creation of Toxie as each member has to tell of what operation they were doing and how he stopped them and even killed members in the process. The Chairman is not pleased as he angrily yells at his people and starts to almost turn into something demonic and hatred is in his eyes, as he wants to corrupt this city with no fight back. After killing the punk who got away from Toxie in the junkyard, he sets out his Red Team to start to work on bringing down the city from the inside and they are Demos, Luci, Asmo, Drekko and Astarte, and they all have their assignments to get those with local power to fall in line. The Chairman then orders another hit team to go after The Toxic Avenger and then sends more out to torment the people of the city. And oddly enough The Punks are not joined by mutated people who are monstrous in appearance as it’s clear that they have been around the toxic waste. Meanwhile Toxie takes Claire to meet his mom and it does not go well as she runs away from fear as his looks made her freak out. Aat the school’s gym, a group of mutants bust in to attack the cheerleaders as well as the jocks that don’t stand a chance against their power and strength. The Toxic Avenger shows up and makes short work of these mutants, but the cheerleaders still run from him think he is a monster! Once Toxie leaves, he is followed by the hit team and even saves an old human from more punks but again is called a monster! Toxie ends up going to the old gym he worked for as Melvin for a safe place to hide but finds that all the muscle heads have been turned into slime covered monsters thanks to the waste that was dumped in the pool by Mr. Ahriman. As the monstrous muscle heads go after Toxie, we see that The Chairman is getting news that the powerful people of the city are falling in line.

The cruel people of Apocalypse Inc. are truly taking over the town of Tromaville as they are bribing the town’s mayor, police chief and more with money, and they are sending out punks and mutants to torment the innocent people. All the while they have the goal of also killing off The Toxic Avenger as he has been a thorn in their side by beating them up at every evil attempt in town. And we also see that The Chairman is really The Devil as when he gets mad, his true appearance starts to show through and he even has small demons living inside him. He is all about destroying and killing. Plus it’s cool to see that he is the same character that was showcased in the films Toxic Avenger 2 and 3, as was Apocalypse Inc., but here they are done slightly differently to fit in the Marvel Universe and make them evil but slightly less crude evil. The Toxic Avenger is once more the monster hero we all know and love as he rushes around town and stops criminals, all the while he is being feared by all those he is saving and protecting…you have to feel bad for him as he is treated so poorly by everyone besides Claire who truly has fallen in love with him. The creators of this comic are doing a great job of capturing the heroic and yet sweet side of The Toxic Avenger and shows that no matter how bad he is treated he keeps trying to do the right thing and protect people. I myself cannot wait until we get the showdown between The Chairman and The Toxic Avenger, but first this issue ends on a cliffhanger as Toxie is surrounded by mutated meatheads as a punk hit squad is waiting in the shadows. So in other words, he will have one battle after another. And for those wondering about Claire, she was left at Toxies mom’s home so she is safe for now from all this madness. The cover for this issue is another great one and has Toxic Avenger fighting off mutants, and you guessed it, the comics interior art was done by Rod Ramos again and is solid stuff. Over all another great issue that makes you want to read the next to see how Toxie is going to get out of the mess he finds himself in.

The Toxic Avengers # 3 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 3 of 11

The Hit Squad doesn’t want to wait so they use a bazooka to try and blast Toxie, but they miss and hit the health club blowing it up and sending green meathead zombies all over the place as they fall from the sky. Toxie, meanwhile, dodges the explosion and takes the bazooka and bends it to make a double cannon blast and then uses his mop to take out the hit squad. As Toxie wonders what just happened, the people of Tromaville are running away from the meathead zombies as Mr. Ahriman exits the burning health club building and heads back to the Apocalypse Inc. headquarters. Downtown Tromaville is in a panic, and the police chief shows up and is taken back by all the destruction as back home Claire talks with Mom Junko about her son and tells her of the accident, and this causes her to kind of understand her son’s new monster like appearance. The Toxic Avenger returns to his mom’s home at early dawn he is a defeated hero as he never thinks the world will accept him as hero cause of his looks, and as his mother and girlfriend sleep he heads to his room for some shuteye. Meanwhile The Chairman is annoyed that Toxie has not been defeated yet as more of his Red Team get people of power on board for the destruction of Tormaville as they are being tricked into agreeing. And worse for Toxie, a tabloid magazine is now in town trying to get a picture to make him the next Bigfoot to sell papers, and he runs into their reporter on his way out to stop the meathead zombies after a quick nap. She of course screams and passes out. Toxie finds the zombies at the town’s lovers lane and saves the day by beating up the zombies and trapping them under a large fallen tree, but of course the lovers he saves are scared of him and hit him with their car and this angers him as it’s clear Toxie has hit his anger point.

In this issue poor Toxie finds himself the target of everyone in town as Apocalypse Inc. wants him dead, the meathead zombies want him dead, the people of Tromaville are chasing after him and even his own mother peaced out when she saw his face! And this whole time being hunted, feared and despised he still keeps on being a hero, that is until the end of this issue when he is hit by a car driven by people he saved and dragged around on the hood and then flung off while being insulted about his smell…then we start to see that he is cracking from all the fighting and lack of respect he is getting from those he saves. The Chairman himself also seems to be having his own personal war as the two little demons who live inside him keep telling him to do the opposite of the other, and this of course is making him even more cranky and wanting destruction. And you have to give Claire lots of credit as she is able to talk to Mom Junko and get her to see that Toxie is really her son Melvin and while he might look different, that good person is still there. The fight is fun and silly between Toxie and the meathead zombies and them attacking at a lovers’ lane truly reminded me of a drive-in B-movie, and that a great thing as it added to my enjoyment of this issue. That is one thing that is really great about this series is that from the start we get lots of Toxie fighting action and each of the baddies he is beating up all look different and weird making it really feel like a Troma film. This issue has lots of fighting but not as much death, but the more silly aspects of the character are at play here as I love that he ends up going home to take a nap before fighting the zombies that are loose in town, just really fun stuff. The cover for this issue is a little of a letdown as it’s just a still from the second film, but the Rod Ramos interior art makes up for the weak cover. Over all another great issue, and let’s see what Toxie does next as he is mad as Hell and might stop helping the people of Tromaville over the way they are treating him.

The Toxic Avengers # 4 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 4 of 11

The Toxic Avenger gets all the meathead zombies in a net and brings them back to Tromaville, and he is fuming over the way he has been treated. Meanwhile at his house, the tabloid reporter Miss Creach is having cake with Mom Junko and Claire as they talk about Toxie with his lady now being the only one taking up for him as the other two cannot get past his looks, and they end up calling him “Sludgeface” in the paper and do not want to report that he is a hero. Meanwhile Toxie brings the zombies to the police station and tells them what to do to lock them up and then is super firm with them that he is a hero and they better not call him a monster! But Police Chief Hoag busts out of his office along with Red Team member Luci and calls Toxie and monster and when he sees them, his Tromatons go crazy and the police freak out and starting shooting him. But the bullets do not hurt Toxie, and he shrugs them off and leaves knowing that he needs to be the town’s hero. Meanwhile Luci rushes back to Apocalypse Inc. in order to report her finding that Toxie is bullet proof as Miss Creach enters the police station to look for more information on “Sludgeface”. Meanwhile The Chairman gets the news about Toxie, and they also have the Linda Zombie that they plan to use against him; since she helped turn Melvin into Toxie, maybe she can help destroy him. On his way home Toxie gets his picture taken by Miss Creach who runs off and once more this makes him feel terrible, but once home he chats with his mother and Claire, and they make him feel a little better as does a phone call inviting him to a party at the mansion on top of the hill…the caller is Zombie Linda! As Toxie heads out of the house he finds himself surrounded by the police who open fire once more, annoyed Toxie walks past them all and heads to the mansion. Once inside Toxie finds Linda, but of course this is a trap and a steel cage falls on him and tons of punks, freaks and mutants appear with guns and all shoot into the cage and into Toxie…but our hero breaks free and starts massacring his enemies all the while The Chairman watches in amazement at the power of Toxie. As the fight is being lost, The Chairman and the rest of his goons leave the mansion and even possibly Tromaville as two toxic sludges mix and cause the mansion to explode! But Toxie is able to save Zombie Linda after he uppercuts her through the roof for breaking his mop and the catches her after the explosion and takes her to the police station to get help. Once home Toxic Avenger tells Claire that he thinks that the evil threat of Apocalypse Inc. is over as Mom Junko shows him the headline of the tabloid paper calling him Sludgeface and saying he is a terror to the city.

In this issue The Toxic Avenger has a showdown with Apocalypse Inc. at their own mansion base and shows them why he is a hero as he brings them all down and even causes The Chairman to flee the area with the thoughts of being defeated, but also with the idea of trying to get Toxie on their side. And of course as this is going on, Toxie is also dealing with the tabloid paper saying he is a monster and the local police force keep trying to shoot him every time they see him…but during all this Toxie finds his inner strength and sticks up for himself against foe and friend. And that is the thing, Toxie so far in the series has truly grown as a person and a hero and the creators of the comic are staying true to his nature, even if they sometimes add some truly cheesy jokes. Claire is also a hero as she is the only one who stands up for Toxie as she knows that he is a hero and not the monster the others are making him out to be, but it looks like Mom Junko is coming around as she likes that her son is becoming famous even if she faints when she looks at him. It is very interesting that The Chairman gave up his fight with Toxie so soon, but I am sure he and Apocalypse Inc. will return very soon to try and take over Tormaville. I also like that The Toxic Avenger is like Superman as they shoot him several times with many different guns and he is able to shake it off and beat up the bad guys. And we all know that the tabloid paper will I am sure give Toxie trouble as people will fear him and others might come to hunt him, so Toxie will have to use all his powers to survive what ever and who ever is thrown at him. The issue has lots of death as once more Toxie makes quick work out of many henchmen from punching into their skulls to even twisting a neck all away around, Toxie don’t mess around when it comes to stopping crime. The cover for this issue is great and has Apocalypse Inc. attacking The Toxic Avenger and like a broken record already the interior artwork by artist Rod Ramos is great stuff as I like how he draws Toxie. Once more a great issue that is doing justice to the film it’s based on with the only things lacking being lots of blood, nudity, crude humor and cussing…but what do you expect from a Marvel Comic.

The Toxic Avengers # 5 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 5 of 11

The Toxic Avenger has rebuilt the shack home for him and Claire to live in the junkyard as he needed to get away from his mother who is still hanging around Miss Creach who is writing more false articles about him being a terrible monster. And when the meathead zombies start dying after being treated, Chief Hoag wants The Toxic Avenger arrested for their deaths. As the cops go to arrest him, he tries to clear his name but they once more try and shoot him…but when that fails, they agree to give him 48 hrs to clear his name and show who did this to them and why they are all dying. Meanwhile Apocalypse Inc. has moved to a new office and The Chairman has gotten mad scientist Dr. Chemo who has created a brain that has the worst parts of some of history’s worst killers, madmen and warriors and he is going to use the body parts of the newly dead meathead zombies to build the brain a body in order to fight The Toxic Avenger, and they head to the cemetery to get the parts needed. And Dr. Chemo brings life to his monster and names it Biohazard, and as Toxie gets to the cemetery his sees the black truck and knows that something is wrong and when he finds the open graves as well as mutant Demos of Red Team who attacks our hero and the two battle in the cemetery. After Toxie beats Demos, the trucks back doors open and out comes Biohazard who is looking to do one thing and that kill Toxie!

The Toxic Avenger thinks that Tromaville is safe now that he defeated Apocalypse Inc., but little does he know that they just moved and are still coming up with ideas on how to take over the city as well as kill The Toxic Avenger as they have two plans going. One is to frame him with the police as all the meathead zombies are dying and he is being blamed for infecting them with his toxic touch, and the second is they are building a Frankenstein’s Monster Creature called Biohazard that is built from the body parts of the meatheads and has only one mission and that is to kill Toxie. But our hero only has 48hrs to prove that he is innocent before he is arrested for crimes he did not commit. And that is the thing about Toxie in this issue he is now becoming a clue hunter and is getting very antsy to find the answers and it is going on a late night walk that he finds the answer he is looking for and that’s Apocalypse Inc. is back and is building a monster in the local cemetery, and this monster looks big and mean and it might just give Toxie a run for his money. The fight between Toxie and Demos is really cool as they really beat the heck out of each other, and it takes a tombstone over the head to knockout out the mutant pig man. Plus who knows if Dr. Chemo has any fighting skills as he as well is around in the cemetery and might just help in the fight that is coming in the next issue. And it’s a shame that the cops as well as the tabloids just will not leave The Toxic Avenger alone and they are both causing him lots of issues. This issue is clearly a build to the return of Apocalypse Inc. as well as the showdown between Toxie and Biohazard, and it works really well. The interior art is done by Rod Ramos like before and the cover for this issue is cool and has Toxie being shot by the cops. Marvel Comics and Troma made a great team here, and man I have really enjoyed rereading these again as they have all held up this far, so let’s see what the next issue has in store for us.

The Toxic Avengers # 6 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 6 of 11

Biohazard attacks The Toxic Avenger and this created life made of the corpses of the dead health club meatheads is tough as his punches pack a blast of electricity, and he is truly hurting Toxie and even knocks him down. But Dr. Chemo forgot one major thing and that’s the remote to control Biohazard who is now roaming out of the cemetery and into Tromaville! Meanwhile The Chairman has decided to also try and corrupt New York at the same time as Tromaville and also has decided to kick out the two little demons that live in his body from coming back inside him. Meanwhile Tromaville is having a flower show and all the big people in town are there including Mr. Ahriman, Mom Junko, Claire and Chief Hoag, and a big topic is Toxie as well as the destruction and deaths at the health club. But as people are enjoying the flowers, Biohazard shows up and Toxic Avenger is right behind him trying his best to keep the people safe and they are noticing, as they watch on in shock and even some start to cheer him on. And as they fight, Toxie uses wires from a generator to slam into Biohazard and causes the monster to fall into pieces, and with that, the town looks at Toxie as a hero. And after the fanfare is over Toxic Avenger finds Dr. Chemo and makes the mad scientist tell him where Apocalypse Inc.’s new headquarters is and for this information Toxie then smashes him into a wall, and thinks about heading there to once more kick some evildoer butt.

This is a monster fight issue as we have The Toxic Avenger fighting with the undead creature Biohazard in both the local cemetery as well as at the town’s flower show! And this issue also shows that while Toxie is super strong, he can be hurt by other monsters who can match him in power. Plus we also get to see the people of Tromaville start to understand that he is a hero and not a monster! And Toxie in this issue shows that he cares about the environment and also has a “don’t stay down” attitude when it comes to being beat up in a fight. In this issue, we also find that The Chairman is mad at the little demons who use to live inside him and has banned them from his body, and he wants to try and takeover New York and his first strike is buying up the corner food carts and having them mixed now with toxic sludge. Also Claire and Mom Junko are standing with Toxie and are helping the people to accept him as part of their city. And while it’s not said, I am going to guess that Dr. Chemo is dead as his head is rammed into a wall and is stuck in it, so yeah, I would guess he is dead and that makes one less baddie for Toxie to have to worry about. Now while this is a fun issue as who don’t like to monsters fighting, but I will also say that I wish that the fight would have been a little more epic…but a cool finish as I like that Biohazard falls apart due to a massive shock. One more thing I have to say is that the people of Tromaville are also turning on the people of power like the police chief and mayor as they can see that they are not doing anything about the rise in crime and monsters showing up. It’s a little bummer that Biohazard is dead as it would have been cool to see him return and have another fight with Toxie, but it’s clear that each of these issues wants to introduce or even have Toxie fighting someone different. The cover of this issue is my second favorite of the series only behind the first issue, and it has The Toxic Avenger standing in in the cemetery with the massive Biohazard lurking behind him. The interior art was done by Rod Ramos and while his work is good, I will say that I feel that his art in this issue seemed a little rushed and not as grimy as the past issues. Over all another great issue and if you like monsters fighting or just want to see Toxie become the hero in the eyes of the people, then make sure to give this issue a read.

The Toxic Avengers # 7 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 7 of 11

The Toxic Avenger has made his way to New York as he is looking for The Chairman as he wants to stop him and his evil company Apocalypse Inc. once and for all, and he also notices that the New Yorkers seem to pay him no attention and don’t scream “Monster” at him. Meanwhile the food carts now owned by The Chairman are making food that causes some people to act weird and rush to hide in the sewers, as the food is changing them into something weird. Meanwhile The Chairman in his office is mistreating the two mini demons and is getting an update on his evil food plan and learns that those who are eating it are turning into weird creatures in the sewer that lose parts of their flesh that when in the nasty water can cause fires! He also learns that some of them will come together to create twisted creatures while others will come out of the sewer to eat and steal the flesh of the normal people. And best of all for The Chairman is that he will be the only one who has a cure for this sickness and this will cause a bidding war that he planes on making lots of money on. Meanwhile on the streets of New York, The Toxic Avenger is roaming around and comes across one of the meat eating infected who is trying to bite and attack the regular people, and with one punch Toxie knocks all the flesh off the poor soul and then realizes that something foul is happing in the sewers and heads down to check it out. Once down there, Toxie wanders around until he runs into the massive collected form of the infected that is calling it’s self The Gather Mass as well as a bunch of the ones that are turning into human meat eaters! They all attack, and Toxie does his best to defend himself but the odds are against him and he ends up being stuck in the mass of flesh and is dragged out of the sewer and to the Statue Of Liberty!

In this issue The Toxic Avenger arrives in New York in order to try and bring down The Chairman, but before he can find the new headquarters of Apocalypse Inc. he finds himself having to fight for his life against flesh eaters and a mass of human flesh that of course was created by the evil scheme of The Chairman and his goons. The Toxic Avenger in this issue goes to the Big Apple and finds that they people don’t fear him nor run away from him and this gives him more confidence in order to try and fight evil. And to prove that Toxie is a true hero, he is willing to go into the sewers of New York to look for the dwellers that are roaming around looking to munch on some human meat as well as squash together to become a massive being called The Gather Mass that is very creepy looking and wants all the infected people to join inside its mass. Think about the fact that these infected people who ate some food from the food cart as flesh that when falls off turns into fire…their flesh burns! And one has to wonder if these New York flesh eaters were based on the monsters from the 1984 film C.H.U.D., I think that they were! The Chairman is very angry ,and he really wants to destroy and bring down New York as well as he really hates The Toxic Avenger and wants him dead! And he is such a jerk as he is getting joy out of beating up the tiny demons as well as threatening and acting like a bully to those who work for him. I like the fact that Toxie is in New York, and I almost wish we would have had a Spider-Man or at least Peter Parker cameo in this issue as what an awesome team up that would be. The cover for this one is cool and has Toxie being attacked by The Gather Mass, and we have a new artist doing the interior artwork and that’s Val Mayerik. His style works pretty well for this series, and I will say I like it. Man, this series is holding up for me as I really am enjoying reading these again and I am looking forward to the next issue.

The Toxic Avengers # 8 ***
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 8 of 11

The Gather Mass is climbing up the Statue Of Liberty, and The Toxic Avenger is inside this mass slightly losing touch of reality and who he is while across town The Chairman watches as the infected meat eaters are roaming the streets and causing panic in their quest for human flesh. Meanwhile Demos calls in and tells them of the failure in Tromaville and the deaths of Dr. Chemo and Biohazard, and The Chairman is really pissed off and orders Demos to bring in the body of Dr. Chemo. While back at the Statue Of Liberty attack helicopters are sent in to deal with The Gather Mass, and as they start shooting at it, the bullet holes allow fresh air in and this snaps Toxie out of his sluggish trance and he busts out and uses his mop to try and fight off The Gather Mass who is nearing the top of the statue, but it loses its grip and falls and lurks back into the waters heading deeper in as Toxie keeps trying to fight with it. Meanwhile back in Tromaville, Dr. Chemo is alive and being cut out of the wall when Demo in the van shows up and the two get away heading to New York. The Gather Mass has moved into Manhattan and is ramping up as Toxie armed with his mop is trying his best to bring down the beast, as The Chairman and his goons watch on the massive mass roams around and even Miss Creach is there to take pictures of it for her tabloid paper. But as Dr. Chemo arrives at the office of The Chairman, they make the mistake of trying to keep The Gather Mass from their building by using a device that ends up drawing the massive mass to them and as it busts out the windows it knocks over chemicals that end up melting it away. And as the NYPD attack our hero Toxie who as saved the day for the Big Apple, he starts walking back to Tromaville as The Chairman and his people are arrested, causing the little demons to have to follow and think of a way to break them all loose.

The Toxic Avenger does it again…or is that toxic chemicals does it again? As The Gather Mass is taken down when it attacks the new base of Apocalypse Inc. and chemicals spill on it and that melts it away into a pile of goo! But while it was around, The Gather Mass really was a massive mess of skin that was stomping around New York causing panic and distress, and it looked like neither Toxie and his mop nor the attack helicopters were going to be able to stop it from its rampage. And let’s also not forget that the streets were also being infected by the meat eating people who made the mistake of eating from the Apocalypse Inc. owned food carts, so terror was all around New York. The Chairman in this issue loses his temper and then loses his freedom as he and his crew are arrested, and you know this Hellspawn is not happy about this! We also learn that Dr. Chemo is still alive even after getting is face rammed through a wall, but little does it do him any good as he is arrested alongside many others in New York after the defeat of The Gather Mass. The two little demons who are named Rahd and Bahd are being tormented by The Chairman who in this issues even has them by the neck on a string wearing them like a necklace, but even after all this cruel torture, they still at the end of the issue want to find a way to free The Chairman and the others from jail. One thing that I have noticed is that as this series goes on the more grimy and brutal elements are being phased out and they are going more in a silly route as it’s clear they started to get cold feet when it came to killing off punks and evildoers. Plus I miss the interior art style of Rod Ramos as he had more of a darker style, and Val Mayerik has more of a comedic, but I want to stress that Mayerik’s work is good stuff. The cover for this issue is cool and has Toxie fighting The Gather Mass on the Statue Of Liberty and its fun, silly and best of all eye catching. Over all a good issue that allows Toxie to once more defeat The Chairman and even takes our hero out of New Jersey and into the streets of New York. Let’s see what the next issue has is store for us.

The Toxic Avengers # 9 **
Released in 1991 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 9 of 11

The Toxic Avenger along with Mom Junko and Claire are rapping in the junkyard as Toxie is telling a story of how after a bad stomachache, he was adducted by aliens. Toxie is on the UFO that heads into space and this is when our hero decides to attack and with his mop he fights with the aliens who are no match for his superhuman size and strength. After defeating them and not knowing how to fly the UFO, it lands on a strange planet where Toxie is attacked by different aliens who seem very mean, and once more with his mop he starts butt kicking and once done more aliens appear and this time he understands that they brought him to this planet to help them repair their nuclear plant that as sprung a leak and is releasing harmful radiation into the air. Toxie tries his best to help and even eats the radiation core but this backfires as when he passes the radiation out, it infects the aliens and turns them into mutants who once more attack our hero who all of a sudden wakes up in his bed but looks over head and sees a UFO flying off as it appears this was no dream and for some reason they brought him back to Earth where he decides to hold this rap concert.

This is a very silly and goofy issue that I am not really a fan of as it’s all done in rap rhymes that are sometimes eye rolling bad and the action is really just Toxie beating up some small aliens that are really no threat, even when they are mutated. Toxie in the issue finds himself in space thanks to some aliens who bring them to their home world in order to help with a leak at their nuclear power planet only for Toxie to kind of fail to help and be brought back to Earth where all of a sudden he wants to rap for the people of Tromaville…and yeah, that’s the story for this issue….and the only major change that happens is that he raps….just bad stuff here. The issue truly feels like a novelty and is out of place in the story arc as well as in tone and mood, and this issue truly jumps the shark. While reading this issue I found myself laughing about just how weird and silly it was and that is the only reason I am giving it two stars as it did make me chuckle, otherwise this would have gotten one and a half stars. The cover is goofy and has Toxie dressed like an early 90’s pop rap star. The interior art is done by Rod Ramos, and it’s good, but man, I wish his return to this series was not the worst issue. Not much more to say besides I disliked this issue when I was young and still am not a fan as an adult, so let’s just get to the next issue. Man this one is just so silly and truly a product of its time.

The Toxic Avengers # 10 ***
Released in 1992 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 10 of 11

The Chairman in a New York jail cell is very upset and is yelling at his people all the while the little demons Rahd and Bahd have arrived and have an idea how to get their fellow evildoers and with the help of matches and some bullets, they are able to get the cell keys and set everyone free. They even are allowed to go back inside the stomach of The Chairman who says that Apocalypse Inc. is going legit in Tromaville now! The Toxic Avenger and his lady Claire decide to take a three week vacation as Tromaville is very peaceful now that Apocalypse Inc. is gone and the townspeople are planting trees and picking up trash. but once Toxie’s vacation is over, he returns home to find it a mess as traffic is bad and big business has moved in and the people of the town have turned into yuppies who only care about money and expansion. Toxie has seen enough and heads to have a chat with the city council and after roughing up the mayor, the beans are spilled that Mr. Ahriman is behind this change in Tromaville and that he even rebuilt the health club, and with this news Toxie heads out to pay him a visit. And after beating up some goons and meatheads, he makes his way to the office of Mr. Ahriman and threatens him just as the police come in and arrest Toxie as he has broken many laws in a matter of minutes and committed crimes against people who have done nothing illegal and even Claire alerts him that he is in the wrong. And the handcuffs are placed on his wrists and Toxie is taken in.

In this issue The Chairman and the rest of Apocalypse Inc. have been set free from jail and have a new idea on how to corrupt Tromaville, and they will go about it the legal way and with the help of Mr. Ahriman, they do just that as the turn the small town into a cesspool of greed and companies and the people forget all about the beauty of nature as they want money in their pockets. And during all this terrible change Toxie and Claire just wanted to enjoy a few weeks away at the beach, but return to find their hometown is now a terrible place to live. And with his town turning to big business and once more all the people of power taking money, The Toxic Avenger snaps and wants answers and roughs a few people up and this is not good as our hero is now breaking the law as the ones he has attacked have not done anything wrong! And what a great way to bring Apocalypse Inc. back by having them be as scummy as ever but play by the rules in order to get those changes done that will ruin Tromaville. Mr. Ahriman is the nephew of The Chairman, who is calling the shots once more from the shadows. Toxie’s rampage to get answers also makes Claire see him in a different light as she knows her hero boyfriend is going out fighting this change all the wrong way. And we all know that Mr. Ahriman and the others are doing illegal things but the people and the law of the town don’t know that. And now that Apocalypse Inc. has once more decided to focus on Tromaville you know that the people, the environment and The Toxic Avenger are all in deep trouble as The Chairman really just wants to bring chaos, pain and sadness. And it’s crazy that we only have one issue left in this series as Toxie is under arrest and Tromaville is changing for the worse. So it makes you as a reader wonder how they are going to wrap this all up. Like before I really enjoyed reading this comic again after all these years, and it was great to have the series back on track after the last issue being such a disappointment. The cover for this issue is kind of weak as once more it’s just a still from the movie, the third one to be exact. The art by Rod Ramos for the interiors is really good like always, and with that let’s head to the final issue in The Toxic Avengers run at Marvel Comics.

The Toxic Avengers # 11 ***
Released in 1992 Cover Price $1.50 Marvel # 11 of 11

The Toxic Avenger is arrested and found guilty in the court of law and must be humiliated at the town square for 90 days in order to shame him and warn others not to break the law in Tromaville. Meanwhile The Chairman gets word of Toxie’s arrest and is cheerful in his enemy’s shame and when talking to his nephew Mr. Ahriman he tells him that the major change from the townspeople came from help of a chemical that he placed in the water that makes people more greedy. And then later The Chairman gives a speech to his workers about taking over Tromaville, and it’s over heard by some hippies who go to the junkyard and find Claire and together they all go to Toxie who is bound in town square and talk him into breaking free to try and stop The Chairman from poisoning the water and land anymore. Toxie breaks free and first stops the polluting of the water, and then breaks up a beer drinking contest set up by the Mayor before heading to The Chairman’s mansion and turns the whole home over on its side and then enters the mansion and beats the heck out of all the workers of Apocalypse Inc. and then punches The Chairman so hard that he lands in the some waste and he then opens the jaw of The Chairman wide and pours down his throat toxic waste and then tosses in a lit match that causes his mouth to be on fire and then the earth opens up and The Chairman, the mansion and all his goons fall into the hole that is filled with flames and then seals up. In the end the people of Tramaville go back to normal but do miss their money and stuff as Toxie and Claire confess their true love for one another.

In the final issue The Toxic Avenger finds himself being convicted of all the crimes he did that including assault and destruction of property and is placed in towns square bound so that the people can mock him for his crimes, but once he finds out that The Chairman and his goons are the ones truly behind the big change in his home town he breaks himself free and heads to The Chairman’s mansion and kicks some major butt! And that is the thing, The Chairman was not ready for the full on attack from The Toxic Avenger who makes quick work of all his goons and beats them up very badly, before he basically murders The Chairman and sends him and all his people back to Hell. I like that Toxie once the chains come off and his Tromatons go wild, he goes crazy for justice and rampages through the evildoers mansion. The Toxic Avenger really is a big hero and a protector of the innocent people and will do whatever he can in order to keep them safe. And thanks to Claire and the hippie protesters they give Toxie the will to break free from his punishment for “breaking the law” by smashing some bad people’s property. The Chairman really thinks that he and the rest of Apocalypse Inc. have won, as they have fully curropted Tromaville and also got Toxie arrested and convicted of crimes, but instead he finds himself with a mouthful of toxic waste that gets lit on fire and a one way ticket back to Hell. And man the final fight between Toxie and The Chairman is one sided as our hero truly beats the heck out of him! It’s a shame that Marvel Comics cancelled this series as it really was a great one and better than most of their other series running at the time. It was said that Marvel Comics and Troma were planning to bring back The Toxic Avenger comic, but Marvel ended up not coming through with it breaking the contract and from what is said had to pay Troma money by doing so. The cover for this issue is fun and has a still photo of Toxie with a mushroom cloud going off behind him. It’s eye-catching for fans of Toxie for sure. The interior art for this final issue is done by Rod Ramos and is good for the most part, but some panels to seem a little rushed. Over all The Toxic Avenger from Marvel Comics is a great series and is a great mix of horror, comedy, superhero action and for the most part does justice to The Toxic Avenger film series just a little more “Marvel” friendly as the gore and blood is cut down as is the sex and nudity. Checkout the artwork below to see some of the style used in this comic series.

See I told you, The Toxic Avenger is a true American Hero and was the prefect topic for this holiday update, and Toxie’s Tromatons are much like the fireworks on the fourth of July! And it really was a missed opportunity from Marvel to have Toxie crossover with New York superheroes like Spider-Man, Daredevil, Luke Cage and The Fantastic Four to name a few. And like always, thanks for spending a small part of your holiday with me here at Rotten Ink as I am sure you are like me and are looking forward to eating some hamburgers off the grill and maybe a hot dog or two all while getting ready to watch the fireworks in the sky. But don’t worry, our next update will keep us in the word of horror comics based on horror films as it will be all about the 1933 film King Kong! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie or two and as always support your local horror host! See you next update for a spooky trip to Skull Island, the home of Kong! Also hope you had a great July 4^th!

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.

Malibu Comics Ultraverse Memories: Sludge

Posted on June 3, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Rotten Ink is a place to talk comic books, and like I have stated before, Malibu Comics is a company that sadly went under way too quickly and was bought out by a company that had zero clue about what to do with the characters they now owned. One of the characters that I was a fan of was the creature known as Sludge, who, thanks to toxic chemicals, was created to stop crime as well as be misunderstood by those who came in contact with him. And because he is a creature, a monster if you will, he is perfect to cover for one of our Ultraverse update as he is big and scary and is one of the Ultraverse characters that I have been looking forward to covering since I started these updates covering Malibu Comics. So if you are ready, let’s head to the dark and spooky swears and try to stay clear of Sludge!

Frank Hoag is a cop who was dirty and was on the take of a crime boss named John Paul Marcello, but he finds himself a target of a hit when he refuses to kill another dirty cop that is on his boss’ payroll. Frank is killed by being shot several times and then blown up with a bomb, but something happened to Frank. As the bomb exploded, it also hit some nearby chemical drums that came in contact with Frank and cause him to become an oozing creature when his contaminated body is tossed near sewage. Now as this creature known as Sludge, he has many powers including being strong, able to shrug off many attacks and poisons, does not need air to break, can grow back his own limbs and even has a deadly touch that melts human skin. Sludge is a superhero, but also walks that line as his grotesque appearance and messed up speech seems to scare people that he is trying to save. It’s clear that Sludge was Malibu Comics’ version of Incredible Hulk and Man-Thing and was one of the first characters that drew me into the Ultraverse.

So we all know that Marvel Comics became the parent company of Malibu when they bought them back in 1994. Over the following years after the purchase, they phased out the Malibu Ultraverse heroes, and as of this posting many decades have passed and these characters seem to be in limbo as none of them have seen the light of day in comics as well as other media projects. Now if I worked for Marvel Comics as a writer this is what I would have done with Sludge: first I would have him be hiding and lurking in the sewers of New York and after scaring some homeless people that are seeking shelter from a bitter cold night they alert the police who do not listen to their tale of a creature in the sewer but a person that does listen is Bruce Banner and this leads to him thinking that The Glob is back and as The Hulk he looks into this and we get an epic clash between The Hulk and Sludge as the two do not communicate and The Hulk thinks Sludge is a new look for his old foe! After the two work out this misunderstanding, I would keep Sludge in The Hulk universe but would also have him cameo in other Marvel titles set in New York like Spider-Man, Daredevil, The Avengers and Fantastic Four as you know as well as I do, comic readers would love to see him battle The Thing. And while in The Hulk universe, Sludge would be a friend and help him fight against the likes of The Abomination, Rhino, Absorbing Man and The Leader to name a few, but I would also do a mini series that would have Sludge finding himself in Florida and testing his death touch against the burning touch of Man-Thing! It’s a shame that Marvel Comics is not using Sludge as he could have been a very interesting character in the Marvel Universe and could have all types of possibilities in both comics and in film and could have stayed a good guy or even turned into a villain to be a thorn in the side of any hero he faced. Shame on you, Marvel Comics and Disney for allowing these character to fade away with time.

Sadly Sludge did not get the same treatment when it came to merchandise as besides the comic series, he got very few other items. Trading cards, promo posters and POGS are all I can really think of. He never even made it to the Galoob Ultraverse toy series as his figure was rumored but cancelled before release, but some really cool fan figures have been made of Sludge as well as a few other forms of items. It’s crazy that Sludge never did get his fair share of that merchandise bubble as his monstrous look was made for toys.

When Malibu Comics started their Ultraverse line many of the heroes caught my attention with one of them of course being Sludge as at this time monster hero comics were some of my favorite things to read when it came to superhero titles as new issues of Incredible Hulk, Toxic Avenger and even somewhat Pitt were comics you could find in my hands sitting around the house. When I saw Sludge what came to mind was that Malibu was mixing Swamp Thing, Man-Thing and The Hulk together to make a superhero that blends in a touch of horror, and that is why I knew I had to read this comic series. Sadly growing up where I did, it was hard to find indie comics and Malibu comics were not stocked at the grocery stores that I would have to get most of my currant comics from. But when I finally was able to discover the Ultraverse, I truly became a fan of many of their characters, and Sludge was one of those as the monster characters in comics always caught my attention. And after reading the Sludge issues for the first time I really enjoyed them as I felt they were a great mix of the 90’s style superhero comics that was going at the time of their release, and yet they also had that 70’s feel of classic horror comics that were being released by DC and Marvel at that time like Swamp Thing, Tomb Of Dracula and Man-Thing. And from that moment on I was a fan of Sludge. And over the years when I found myself buying back all the Malibu Comics I used to have, Sludge was at the top of the list of ones I must get back and cover on Rotten Ink, and now here we find ourselves at that update that is long overdue. Really I did poor Sludge wrong as he was slated to be the first “Malibu Comics Ultraverse Memories” updates but when the time came I covered the team The Exiles with Prototype and Hardcase to follow, and Sludge kept getting pushed back. While Prototype is one of my favorites as well from Malibu I should have covered Sludge at the start of these themed updates. I am very much looking forward as well to sitting back and re-reading these issues as it has been a very long time since I have read them and I am hoping they hold up! To sum it up, I am a Sludge fan and if you like horror themed superhero comics make sure to check him out as his issues can be found pretty cheap at your local comic shops or even online. Also I want to thank the gone but not forgotten Bookie Parlor and its owner Hal for introducing me to Malibu Comics.

As you can see, Sludge was one of the Malibu Comics that made me become a fan all those years back as I do find his look and backstory interesting! But growing up I never read the full series and only had spot issues in my collection so this will be a fun time reading them from start to finish. I want to thank both Bell Book And Comic as well as Game Swap Kettering for having all these issues in stock and making this update possible. I want to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, their entertainment value and their art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to the sewers and see what Sludge has in store for us.

Sludge # 1 ***
Released in 1993. Cover Price $2.50 Malibu Comics # 1 of 12

Radio DJ Chase Naylor is talking about the case of missing NYPD Detective Frank Hoag, who has gone missing after responding to a break-in where lots of blood and bullets are found. The DJ is saying that the city should be sick of all the deaths, and as he is broadcasting a gang of thugs shoot at a rival and end up also killing innocent people in the gunfire. As the gang members get away, they run into the monster hero known as Sludge who destroys their car and takes many of their bullets and even a sword stab without being hurt. One by one Sludge kills the punks with some dying painfully as if he touches you new lumpy tumor like skin grows, and Sludge has no sympathy for those he is killing. Sludge also finds that thinking and speaking hurts and that while he is a muck monster, he does still bleed red blood. Sludge thinks back to the night he went missing as he is Detective Hoag and that crime lord John Paul Marcello is the one who gave the orders for him to be killed when Hoag refused to kill a fellow officer. And when the crime lord’s goons shot Hoag, a toxic chemical spilled all over his body and caused him to turn into this monster when it mixed with the sewer water they dumped his body in. When the gang’s bodies are found the police are happy that someone took care of them for good as Sludge is seen by the homeless that are living in the sewer.

The first issue of Sludge holds up for me as it is a great and entertaining read that showcases a monster hero who deals death to a handful of punks who deserve to meet their maker after killing innocent people during a hit. The plot is mostly about Sludge and his former life as a regular human that was a police detective that was involved in some shady stuff with the local crime lords that mostly was allowing drug deals to happen on beats he was on, but once he refuses to kill for them, he finds himself the victim of homicide and only because of a toxic chemical split on him is how he is still “alive” if you want to call being a bright blue muck monster living. Sludge is a confused mess of a hero as his brain is on fire, his thoughts are a mess, his body misshapen and his own speech hurts him…but while a mess, he is very much doing the right thing as he is going after criminals and dealing death to those who a doing truly evil things in the streets of New York. And his powers of creating flesh on his victims looks like a painful and terrible way to go. John Paul Marcello is a crime lord that gets what he wants and does not like being told no, and if you cross him, you will find yourself swimming with the fishes or is that sewer rats? The comic is pretty violent and showcases lots of blood an killings and that is kind of what sets it a part from the Marvel and DC Comics at that time. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and shows Sludge’s face and lets the reader get a real good look at him. The interior art done for this issue was by Aaron Lopresti and is really great stuff, and I like the way he draws Sludge to look very goopy and gross. I have to also point out that when Frank Hoag is covered in the toxic waste his transformation makes you flashback to the Troma film The Toxic Avenger, or at least it made me do that. The comic also features a backup story that is all about that vampire character Rune so you get a little more bang for your buck here. What a cool read, and I know remember why I was a fan of this comic series when I was younger as you cannot go wrong with a massive creature hero killing punks on the New York streets. Let’s see what issue two has in store for us and if it as well holds up.

Sludge # 2 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 2 of 12

Bloodstorm is a paid assassin and his latest job is killing a man’s father so that he can collect the family fortune, and killing does not bother Bloodstorm as he is good at his job and nothing is going to stand in his way. Meanwhile Sludge stumbles on some of Mr. Marcello’s men who are beating up a guy who owes money, and they are going to take a body part as payment…but instead they all meet a bloody and painful fate. Detective Quinn is looking into these vigilante style killings, and he and the doctor are confused over the rapid skin growths that appear on many of the victims, and they come up with nothing. Meanwhile Bloodstorm once more is performing a hit and this time kills a woman as well as some security guards that works the apartment she lives in, and like before he takes joy in his deeds. Detective Quinn is working for Mr. Marcello and they are all trying to figure out who is killing the criminals on the street, and they end up calling in the services of Bloodstorm who costs them lots of money but they think he is worth it and will find the vigilante who is taking down crime. Days pass and many shakedowns take place all the while Bloodstorm is watching and waiting for his target, and it finally appears as Sludge shows up on a pier and attacks more of Marcello’s goons. Sludge and Bloodstorm fight with Bloodstorm getting the upper hand and using an exploding arrow that takes Sludge down. This is all witnessed by Detective Quinn who was part of the shakedown of the man who owned the crime boss money, truly showing he is a corrupt cop.

The second issue of Sludge has our goopy hero still on the prowl and killing off the goons of the crime boss Mr. Marcello who is now very much annoyed by the killing of his men and that is why he hires the assassin Bloodstorm to take care of his “issues”. And speaking of Bloodstorm he is one scary villain as he kills with ease and very brutally and gets joy watching people die, all because he was a bullied child who was laughed at and mocked. Bloodstorm also gets joy in hiring woman to come to his house were he will beat them almost to death with his bare hands…he is one sick psycho! Mr. Marcello and his men are you typical crime family who do bad things but they look tame compared to Bloodstorm. Detective Quinn is another corrupt cop who is on Marcello’s payroll and is the cop that was slated to be killed by Hoag, and this is unknown to him and he is still on the crime lords payroll. Sludge meanwhile is still killing the baddies and wondering around the streets even bonding with the cities homeless. We also see that Sludge has to eat as well to survive and he gets his food from dumpsters! It’s crazy that Bloodstorm is able to use his explosive arrow to take Sludge down at least for a little bit, but while the issue ends with Sludge hurt we all know that he will recover to continue his crusade to bring down the crime in New York. And it is nice to see that Sludge, while un-killable, does have some weakness and that can be challenged by skilled fighters like Bloodstorm who is also known as Unknown! The second issue as well really holds up and is way more bloody than most superhero comics going at this time, and truly Sludge was one of the best characters Malibu Comics made for their Ultraverse series. The cover is cool and has Sludge and Bloodstorm fighting with Aaron Lopresti returning to do the interior art that of course is really good! And with that, let’s head to issue three as I want to see how Sludge makes his comeback in this fight against a trained killer like Bloodstorm.

Sludge # 3 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 3 of 12

Sludge is hurt on the ground as a group of crazed people appear and pick him up and toss his body into the ocean and then start attacking Bloodstorm who holds them off before retreating out of this crazed mobs attack. Detective Quinn as well finds himself being chased by the crazed people and he dives into the ocean to get away from them. At the bottom of the ocean Sludge wants to just die and end his weird life as a hero, while above ground a young mobster named Pistol working for Lord Pumpkin has his men wait around the dock to take down Sludge if he appears again as they have interest in this creature that has killed many of Mr. Marcello’s men, and he heads to Pumpkin to fill him in on what he has found out. While Mr. Marcello and his men are hiding out in a skyskraper, and the crazed mob are running wild in the streets and even climbing the building talking crazy. At the bottom of the ocean Sludge is forced to fight with a race of sea creature monster people called The Rivermen who end up taking him down and as their prisoner and to Lord Pumpkin who promises Sludge death if he helps him in his war with Marcello. Meanwhile Mr. Marcello sends a massive tank to New Jersey to go after Lord Pumpkin who is pushing into New York and his territory, and after taking down the tank that attacks his base Lord Pumpkins offer to Sludge is also shot down as the mucky hero wonders into the streets that is still filled with crazy people.

For those wondering, the crazed mob of people are explained in the Malibu Mini Series called “Break Thru” and the events carried over into Sludge. They do a very poor job of explaining them to the readers who just read Sludge and not the other million crossover and events that Malibu constantly had going on. The plot of this issue has the streets being filled with people who are like a mindless mob just wandering around the streets causing chaos, while Bloodstorm returns to his home, waiting to be paid for the job he got done and that was “killing” Sludge who in turn is not dead but wants to die. And throw in now a turf war between Mr. Marcello’s gang and the gang of the evil demon Lord Pumpkin and you have a showdown in hell. In this issue Sludge is a creature that really just wants to find peace in death, as he feels he has gotten his revenge and frightened those who double-crossed him when he was a human. But even when he finds a way to truly die he does not take as it would mean that he would have to work alongside another crime boss that this time is also a demon. Speaking of Lord Pumpkin, he is a supernatural crime boss who is making his way into New York and seems to get more joy in the upcoming gang war than actually gaining any real power. He also seems to employ some very odd henchman as one is a young kid who is good with guns that is called Pistol, and with this youngster he also seems to be calling the shots in the streets and is Pumpkin’s right hand man. The action in this comic is really fun and Sludge’s fight with the Rivermen is great and showcases monster vs. monsters and at one point the Rivermen are called Creature From The Black Lagoon’s…so brownie points there. The cover for this issue is really cool and has Sludge in the water being attacked by the fish creature Rivermen and like with the other two issues the interior art by Aaron Lopresti is great stuff and his style for Sludge’s look would be hard to beat for any other artist at Malibu at the time. Over all another great issue that makes me look forward to rereading the next issue.

Sludge # 4 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 4 of 12

Two brothers are messing around in the New York sewers when they find Sludge and run away in fear, but only one makes it out alive as the other is killed by an alligator creature that rips the youngster apart, leaving the younger brother shaken and hiding in some bushes in the park covered in blood. The local newspaper get the scoop on the story and reporter Shelley Rogers wants to cover the case, and she gets a report that two city workers were also attacked in the sewer. Meanwhile Sludge finds the bloody coat of the murdered kid and starts wandering around looking to find him, and even comes above ground to get a newspaper to read. Meanwhile Shelley is getting no help from the police nor any photographer as she wants to head into the sewers and find what is causing these deaths. Shelley heads alone into the sewer and soon runs into Veffir Voon Iyax, the alligator man who also goes by “He Of Cold Blood And Boundless Appetites” and before he can attack and kill Shelley the wall shatters and Sludge comes to her aid an ends up killing Veffir Voon Iyax with some big hits to his skull! In the end Sludge crushes the camera of Shelley and tells her he does not want his picture in the paper nor does he want people to know who he is. Sludge then picks up the body of his fallen foe and heads into the sewer.

What a fun read as this issue has monster vs. monster as Sludge takes on Veffir Voon Iyax, a weird alligator man who can talk and loves to kill and eat humans. We also now have Shelley Rogers, a reporter who has seen Sludge and knows that he lives in the sewers. And while the fight between the two monsters could have been more epic, it does show that Sludge is very powerful as he is able to kill his foe with his bare hands and does so very easily. The character of Veffir Voon Iyax is pretty interesting as it makes you wonder where he came from and is he a God like he tried to pretend to be, plus why can he talk and is pretty smart with his words. Sludge shows that while he truly was a crooked cop he makes for a pretty great hero now that he is a muck monster who does what he can to protect people from those who are doing very bad things. And we all know that Shelley Rogers will more than likely become a pain in the side for Sludge as she will try and report about this monster hero from New York’s sewers. The issue has blood spilt as Veffir Voon Iyax murders many and even keeps body parts around his sewer home. Lord Pumpkin and Mr. Marcello and their crime family war is not spoken about in this issue, as this seems like Sludge who is very confused in his mind might have forgotten that the two crime lords even exist. This is such a great read as the plot being the build and final battle between two monsters was a great break from our story of Sludge hunting down and killing hoods. The cover for this issue is also very cool as it’s a showdown between Sludge and Veffir Voon Iyax and the interior art is done still by Lopresti who does a great job and his splash pages in this issue is really cool. Over all, this is once more a great issue in the series and like the others before it, I enjoyed revisiting this one as it held up really well.

Sludge # 5 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 5 of 12

A couple are walking home when they are attacked by a zombie looking creature that kills them and starts to eat them. The victims’ screams are heard by Sludge who busts from the sewer but he is too late to save the couple as the zombie creature runs off the police arrive and catch a look at Sludge standing over two dead bodies. Sludge is able to escape but the police blame him for the deaths and now he is wanted for murder! Shelley Rogers, the reporter who was saved by Sludge, is upset by the report as she is on the side of Sludge and says he is a hero and not a cannibal! Garrett Whale is a professor who is dealing with lung cancer and was fired many years back from the Aladdin Company due to his experiments dealing with the dead, as the cannibal zombie was his friend that died in an explosion and he brought back to life! And when hearing about Sludge and his touch that builds tumors on his victims he thinks that he can maybe use Sludge to find a cure for cancer and hires some thugs to get the creature for him. They are able to trick Sludge in the sewer and use a dart to knock the muck hero out and get him back to Whale’s lab. Meanwhile the Zombie is hanging out in the alleys with the homeless who take him in as one of their own, and it remembers back to the day it was created and how Whale buried it back in the ground when he thought it was a failure…the zombie ends up killing and eating the homeless man who took him in. Meanwhile Shelley Rogers gets the news and heads out to the location of these cannibal attacks, while back at Whale’s Lab, Sludge is about to be experimented on when the Zombie busts in and kills not only Whale but also his thugs! Sludge breaks free and the two monsters fight with Sludge ending the Zombies life again with his touch as tumors grow all over the undead monster as it once more slips into the abyss. In the end Sludge buries the Zombie in a cemetery and shuffles off to head back to his sewer home, as Lord Pumpkin watches his every move.

The fifth issue in Sludge is another monster fight as this time around our sewer muck monster hero fights with a cannibalistic zombie who is running around the city eating people, and worse of all Sludge is getting the blame for the crimes! And let us also not forget that a Professor who is dying from cancer is also on the hunt for Sludge as he thinks he might hold the key to cure him. Sludge in this issue is more confused than before as words do not come out right, his memories are jumbled and he still really just wants to die. But while he is dealing with his mind issues Sludge still is a hero and rushes to the aid of those screaming for help. Professor Garrett Whale is a very smart man who has turned bad when he finds out that he has lung cancer and this leads him into bringing the dead back to life, creating and spreading a new street drug and also taking Sludge prisoner in order to experiment on him! But of course Whale ends up paying for his crimes as the undead creature he created comes for him. The Zombie was once a very brilliant Doctor that might have found a cure for cancer but a lab accident leaves him dead and his cure gone with him, and due to desperation Whale brings him back from the dead…but the man he was is no longer and in his place is a flesh eating zombie. News reporter Shelley Rogers, who was saved by Sludge from being killed by the alligator man Veffir Voon Iyax, does not believe that her hero is the one eating people around the city and wants to help prove his innocence, and this shows that Sludge has some friends in the city with Shelley being one and the homeless being the others. The fight between Sludge and the Zombie is really cool as the undead human eater wanted to find peace, and thanks to the cancerous touch of Sludge, he finds just that. The cover for this issue is really cool and has a true indie horror comic look to it, with yet again Lopresti being the interior artist. And with them hinting that that war between Lord Pumpkin and Mr. Marcello is far from over, you know a crime land war is in our future, so with that let’s see what issue six has in store for us.

Sludge # 6 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 6 of 12

Tabitha works for Lord Pumpkin and delivers his drugs to very big clients all who do what is asked of them in order to get the drugs, but on her way to deliver she is attacked and killed with her body dumped at the base of Pumpkin and her drugs taken. Lord Pumpkin is angered as he was in love with Tabitha and sends Pistol and his men out on the streets to find out who did this hit, and while upset and saddened by the loss of his love Lord Pumpkin feeds her body to his plant that produces the drug he sells. We find out that business man and secret crime lord Wong Ten Yu is the one who placed the hit to get the Zuke drug to see what it is made of, meanwhile near the dock one of Yu’s ships explodes almost killing everyone on board with the only survivor being saved by Sluge who by accident tumors up her arm. This explosions sparks a talk between Yu and Mr. Marcello as they seem to both have a common enemy in Lord Pumpkin, and for the meeting each bring their top assassins and henchmen with Marcello even hiring Bloodstorm to watch his back. Lord Pumpkin gets the word of the meeting and gets a surprise guest as Sludge appears wanting to talk to the demon, as he will help him now if he grants him death. The meeting takes place at a cemetery and unknown to Yu and Mr. Marcello in the shadows watching is Lord Pumpkin along with Pistol and Sludge…and after a few moments Sludge goes on the attack! And then Lord Pumpkin shows himself to his two enemies and they are in shock of his appearance as he really does have a Pumpkin for a head and is a demonic looking creature. Lord Pumpkin lets them know that the war is truly on as he disappears with Pistol and Sludge as another fight with the crime lords is in the works.

In this issue the war between three different crime families is about to go down as each have made big mistakes that is causing lots of heat and New York is becoming a pressure cooker! It is clear that New York is not big enough for Lord Pumpkin, Wong Ten Yu and Mr. Marcello as all three want to corner the drug market as well as want the others dead or at least out of town…but I think death on one another is truly what is in their hearts. While Mr. Marcello and Mr. Yu are normal men, Lord Pumpkin is a true evil demon who while has love in his sinister heart for some does seem to be enjoying all the death, misery and abuse that this is causing. Sludge in this issue is really suffering mentally as his brain is truly turning into mush and he is having a real hard time dealing with it, while he tries to be a hero saving a woman from drowning his touch causes her pain and he even tries to kill himself but fails, and now he finds himself in a team up with the very evil Lord Pumpkin to try and end his life. Bloodstorm being added back into the series was a wise choice as he is the one villain who has really be able to hurt Sludge, as this far all others who have crossed him have meet a quick death. The other great part of this issue is showing that while Lord Pumpkin is a demon, he still has emotions as he was in love with Tabitha a woman he had working for him, and with her death now we understand why this crime war is going to turn deadly very fast. And if the killings in the graveyard is a preview of what is to come during this war many people are going to die. The cover is cool and once more has a very indie Horror Comic look to it and yep like we have seen many issues before this one Lopresti did the interior artwork. Over all another great issue that helps push this series story along as with each issue showcases the mental breakdown of Sludge and builds to the baddies of the city getting ready for a showdown.

Sludge # 7 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 6 of 12

Sludge is having a nightmare about Edna, the woman he was in love with when he was human, and in his dream he touches her and her skin turns to tumors and she dies as the evil Lord Pumpkin mocks him…but this time even when he awakes he sees the twisted face of Edna as his denigrating mind is playing tricks on him. At the cemetery reporter Shelley Rogers arrives as the cops are removing the bodies and meets Detective Quinn who refuses to answer any questions but she also meets Agnes who works for the Medical Examiners office and says after the autopsies she might be able to help Sheeley with her questions and story, this does not make Quinn happy. Meanwhile Lord Pumpkin has sent Pistol out to hire a lawyer, while Mr. Marcello is very much stressed over the cemetery attack and the sight of Lord Pumpkin himself and is skittish and thinks his own men are out to backstab him. While Lord Pumpkin is in a great mood and even gives Pistol a bigger cut on the sale of Zuke the drug they are offering, while Mr. Yu’s men are looking at how to duplicate Zuke so they can sell it themselves and later team with Mr. Marcello’s men to crack the code. Lord Pumpkin has created a new version of Zuke from the plant and is selling it cheap on the streets and this new drug is turning some of those who take it into psychos who feel no pain, and Sludge has to deal with one after the crazy kid kills a police officer. Later Bloodstorm gets hired by Mr. Marcello’s right hand man to kill Lord Pumpkin as Sludge is given the order to kill Mr. Marcello…and Sludge does just that as he touches the crime lords face causing it to be covered in tumors, and then the crime boss falls out of a window from his high rise building.

Well it looks like Mr. Marcello is no longer the leader of his crime family as he has splatted on the sidewalk below his penthouse home, and it looks like it will be Vittorio that takes over the operation as he is already setting in motion to try and work with his rivals, kill Lord Pumpkin and learn the secrets of the street drug Zuke. While on the other side it appears that Mr. Yu was injured in the cemetery attack and is also willing to work alongside his enemies to bring down the bigger threat to them both. While Lord Pumpkin is creating more drugs that appear make some people go crazy, is building up the trust of young Pistol, is getting legal eagles on his payroll and orders for the death of Mr. Marcello that is carried out by Sludge who finally gets his revenge on the man who gave the orders to end his human life and turn him into the muck monster he is. Sludge is really starting to lose it as his mind is playing tricks on him and he is even forgetting words now more often, it’s sad that he has to take orders from Lord Pumpkin in order to truly try and end his life. And with Bloodstorm now being called in to kill Lord Pumpkin you know that the action is going to heat up, as this hired assassin will not stop until his target is dead. Pistol, who is very young, is getting his mind warped by Lord Pumpkin as the youngster is starting to crave violence and power. I am going to say yet again that the interior art is done by Lopresti and is well done, and the cover for this issue is really cool and has Sludge going on a rampage. So with Sludge now truly being a henchman for the demon Lord Pumpkin truly shows just how confused our hero is as he is stopping criminals while working for one! So with that, let’s see what issue eight brings to our story.

Sludge # 8 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 8 of 12

The New York local TV News is covering the drug wars that is happing in the streets. They cover the death of Mr. Marcello as well as Zuke being sold in a cheap version on the streets that is turning some users into killers. Sludge is watching the news and has a weird vision of he and his ex-lover Edna eating dinner over a trash barrel, and when he snaps out of it he finds that he is just in a janitor room watching a TV and escapes back into the sewer as the worker returns. While at the cemetery during the funeral of Mr. Marcello, Vittorio learns that the others in the crime family want him to step up and take over, but he needs to bring down both Lord Pumpkin and Sludge! And Vittorio makes the call and hires Bloodstorm to kill them both, while Lord Pumpkin has a spy that over hears the hit and warns the demon who in turn calls on Sludge to help in the coming battle. While at the hospital Mr. Yu’s men take the survivor from the boat explosion out of there as they don’t want her to squeal on them. And while all this is going on Shelley Rogers is looking deeper into these drug killings, Zuke rages and the disfiguring deaths and Detective Quinn is now being asked by Mr. Yu’s group to spy on Vittorio’s group as they do not want to be double crossed. Bloodstorm has arrived and takes out some thugs and Rivermen along his way of getting to Lord Pumpkin, but the assassin is no match as he is blasted by Pumpkin’s demonic blast, shot in the hand by Pistol and then force to eat a ton of Zuke as Sludge makes his mouth cover over with tumors. As Bloodstorm is in pain and drugged up something odd happens as the Zuke that Sludge touched has made his hand human again! And during all this some of Yu’s doctors on staff are operating on the young woman who survived the boat explosion and they took from the hospital.

All Hell is breaking loose in New York as this crime war is getting out of hand and all three crime families are jockeying for that top position and each have their own slimy ways to try and achieve it. Mr. Yu and his men are playing it more quite and sending spies to watch what the others are doing, while they themselves are trying to crack the secrets of Zuke as well as are clearly doing something very bad to the young woman they took from the hospital. Vittorio finds himself in charge now that his boss is dead and buried and must do what he can to get the respect of the men who are shook by the death of their leader as well as the number of losses they have suffered on their side. Lord Pumpkin is kind of a sick puppet master during all this as he knows what each of his opposing sides are up to and almost loves the lack of a challenge they truly are to his power. Pistol is young and so willing to kill for Pumpkin who clearly is controlling the youngsters mind, and while I think Pumpkin likes him he would send him to die if it would further his game for power. Bloodstorm, who is a master assassin, soon finds that he was not ready to fight a demon and by the end of the issue is near death’s door! While Detective Quinn is playing all sides minus that of Pumpkin and reporter Shelley Rogers is getting so close to figuring out what is going on in the biggest story of her life. Sludge once more is just taking orders as he wants to die, but now that he sees that Zuke might be able to turn him human again…his wish for death just might change as being cured of this mucky curse might be the new agenda for him. This gang war story is lots of fun and reminds me of the Spider-Man story arch called “Gang War” that feature Kingpin, Hammerhead, The Rose and other super baddies at war with each other in New York…if you have not read this story, you should do so it’s a fun read. I am shocked just how easy Bloodstorm was defeated, but to be fair, the odds were very much against him. And the shocking cliffhanger ending of Sludge’s hand turning human adds even more drama to his sad story and makes you really want to read the next issue to find out how this plays out! Oh before we do move onto issue nine, I should say this cover is really cool as is shows both Sludge and Bloodstorm.

Sludge # 9 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 9 of 12

Lord Pumpkin has cleared the tumors away from Bloodstorm’s mouth and pumps him full of Zuke, and as the assassin starts to rage Pumpkin puts him to sleep. As a confused Sludge and Pistol look on Lord Pumpkin says that Bloodstorm has a use and must do a job for him that is why he did not let them kill him. Sludge takes Bloodstorm to the base of Vittorio and lets him loose as the madman now on Zuke opens fire and kills many more of that crime family, but finally Bloodstorm is gunned down and from his body Zuke gas escapes the bullet holes and chokes everyone in the room with its foul smell. Detective Quinn witnessed that massacre and runs from the scene to look for protection from Mr. Yu, but unknown to him, Shelley Rogers has hidden in his back seat and knows the officer’s dirty little secrets. While she’s listening to Mr. Yu telling Quinn they are working on a weapon that will help in this war, a Riverman appears and takes Shelley away to Lord Pumpkin’s hideout. Meanwhile Mr. Yu and his crime network unload an attack on Pumpkins pushers, sellers, customers and fiends. Lord Pumpkin’s operation is weakened and he once more calls of Sludge to help he and Pistol against the coming weapon that is being sent by Mr. Yu, with the promise being this is the final favor and he will be granted death or more Zuke to turn him normal again! Back at the lab the young woman has been turned into a cyborg and is a killing machine, Mr. Yu has her kill Detective Quinn before heading to the hideout of Lord Pumpkin were she makes short work of some of his men. Once inside she fights off both Pistol and Sludge and ends up “killing” Lord Pumpkin, with her mission complete the Cyborg sets herself to self-destruct, Sludge frees Shelley, and she and Pistol who is holding the head of Lord Pumpkin escape while Sludge grabs some Zuke before making his exit. After the explosion and the dust is settle several days later Pistol is holding and protecting the rotten head of Lord Pumpkin, before finally given up on his bosses return and placing the head into a trashcan.

The Gang War is finally over and so much has happened and changed and only one crime family is still standing tall after all the blood is spilt and the dust has settled and that is Mr. Yu’s who played a smart game and is able to create a Cyborg that brings an end to Lord Pumpkin for now. Mr. Yu seen weakness and took his shot and it paid off big time as he was able to give the orders that lead to him being the biggest crime lord in New York. While on the other side Vittorio and his family come off weak as their original boss is dead and he allows an attack at one of their own bases to happen that leaves many of his higher ups dead! Vittorio has lost the respect and fear that would have allowed his crime family to stay at the top of the crime food chain in New York. Meanwhile Lord Pumpkin’s own ego leads to his defeat as he thinking is was to powerful and bragging about it is what lead to his candle being snuffed out and his life for now ending, he leaves Pistol without a boss and lost on the streets as his own head rots in a nasty trashcan. Detective Quinn who is a no good cop meets his end by playing both sides as he was a narc for both Yu and Vittorio. Plus he was a trying to play a good cop on TV to save face. Poor Shelley Rogers gets abducted and forced to take Zuke for trying to crack the story of the crime war, but in the end she at least escapes with her life. Sludge who got a quick taste of the cure is now seeing a ghost version of his ex-girlfriend, is questioning if he wants death or life and finds himself used as a pawn in this gang war with his best interest never being taken to heart. This Gang War or Zuke War was such a great story arch in these Sludge Comics and some many characters played a part in this story with many of them meeting their fates by the conclusion, and so far can’t you readers see why Sludge was one of my favorites from the Ultraverse? The stories are very fun and the issues have monster fights, crime drama and even a hero that has issues that go very deep. The cover for this issue is cool and has Sludge fighting Lord Pumpkin as the cover reminds me of something you would have seen on an issue of The Incredible Hulk! And the interior artwork this time around is done by Robb Phipps, and his style is good and very fitting for the Ultraverse at this time. Over all another great issue that has held up to the sands of time for this blogger.

Sludge # 10 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 10 of 12

Sludge is in the sewer and takes the Zuke and it has no effect on him, his dreams of being back human are shattered. Meanwhile on the streets of New York weirdo Vinaigrette and her weird bird creature Organism 0.9B are running wild and causing issues for the cops, and when Sludge comes out of the sewer to try and help he is shot by an officer and this cause Zuke fumes to leak from his body and make our muck hero dizzy and as he returns to his sewer home he passes out. When he wakes up the next morning he is more human than before, can speak clearly and his head and thoughts are not mush! He heads up to the streets and gets some clothes and starts walking among the normal people again, and he heads to his apartment home only to find that a new couple lives their and the male armed with a baseball bat attacks Sludge to protect his home and lady! Sludge ends up getting away and finds the home of Shelley Rogers and fills her in on the whole story for a place to sleep and some food to eat, Shelley meanwhile hits the streets and starts to uncover the trail that will lead to finding out what the toxic waste was that turned Hoag into Sludge. The lead takes Shelley and Sludge to Pennsylvania to meet Dr. Ferdinand LaLama who worked at the lab and created a chemical that would re-grow damaged skin…the waste that was split on Hoag when he was shot and killed. At the clinic of Dr. LaLama they find it rundown, and after forcing his way in Sludge is attacked by Vinaigrette and her giant weird ride able bird friend Organism 0.9B who think Sludge is a threat for breaking down the door, and worse moments later Sludge finds that two hulking freaks called The Bash Brothers are joining the fight.

In this issue Sludge thanks to the power of the street drug Zuke has turned some what back to human and wants to find a full cure for his mucky curse, and is able to blend in with the right clothes and seeks out the help of reporter Shelley Rogers to find out what toxic chemical spilled on him and turned him into a monster and the person that created it! And of course nothing can be easy for Sludge as he finds himself being attacked by other strange powered and looking people that appear to be connected to the same man who might have indirectly been responsible for his own creation. Sludge while more human like still is super strong and seems to not be able to be fully hurt, while he does have aches and some pain now when it comes to combat. His mind and voice are clear and his one goal is to find a way to make himself back into just normal old Detective Hoag. Shelley Rogers is getting the story of a lifetime and it’s clear at this point that she has a friendship with Sludge and is willing to help him in his quest for answers. Vinaigrette and Organism 0.9B are very strange as Vinaigrette seems to sweating a slick oil like substance that makes her hard to grab onto while Organism 0.9B is a big silly looking bird who uses it’s head like a battling ram, while they were causing issues in New York I do not think they are baddies, and the same goes for The Bash Brothers who we do not get to see in action in this issue. Dr. Ferdinand LaLama is the man behind the toxic chemical and by the looks of it is also the keeper of the “freaks” it has created. While I am a fan of the classic muck monster Sludge, this more quick thinking version is a fun change of pace and is making for a good story of who and why he was created. And for some reason when reading this issue again I was getting Basket Case 2 vibes, if you have not seen the film its about a house of odd, strange and freaks living together in a home being cared for by a doctor. The cover for this issue is odd and yet catches your attention and for this issues interiors, Robb Phipps returns and does a great job, as clearly he likes to draw the ladies. With that let’s see what issue eleven has in store for us and if Sludge will get what he seeks from the mysterious Dr. LaLama.

Sludge # 11 **1/2
Released in 1994 Cover Price $1.95 Malibu Comics # 11 of 12

The Bash Brothers end up beating up on Sludge and knock him out for a brief moment, and that attack stops when Shelley informs them that they can to seek help, and once the Brothers take a look at Sludge’s face that is now starting to burn drippy and gooey again they see that they were wrong to attack and inform the two that Dr. LaLama is away and has been for some days now and none of them have heard from him for a week! So The Bash Brothers, Organism 0.9B and Vinaigrette join Sludge and Shelley on their hunt for the now considered missing Doctor, and the ride back to New York Vinaigrette tells them all about a Dr. Gross who is the one that made her the way she is, and how he is a very bad man. Once in the city Vinaigrette and Organism 0.9B break away from the group to get money, while the rest find a portal opened in the city land of Dr. LaLama and when they all enter it they find themselves in a weird world, but they do find Dr. LaLama! To return home The Bash Brothers and Sludge must stand on each others shoulders so Shelley can climb up them and get back through the portal to drop down a rope, and when she makes it up, weird water creatures bellow attack our heroes! They are able to fight off the water creatures and climb the rope and return to the lab where Sludge is starting to turn back into the muck monster so he quickly asks Dr. LaLama about the chemical he made that turned him into this monster. Dr. LaLama informs him that the chemical was created to heal damaged skin, and when he was shot an dumped in the sewer the chemical bonded his flesh and bone with that of the sewage, and he informs him that without the Zuke samples he can not help him…Sludge who is turning back into the creature leaves the lab to return to the sewers a defeated man.

In this issue Sludge who is starting to turn back into the muck monster goes to another world to find the missing scientist Dr. LaLama who is the one person who might be able to help cure him or at least give him the answers he seeks…but instead all he finds in disappointment and a one way ticket into turning fully back into Sludge! While the issue is fun and the plot moves the story along as we find out that the chemical was not toxic, but was a way to help injured people that just went wrong for Detective Hoag when his body was dumped in the sewer, I also feel that it was the one this far that kind of dragged and that was mostly do to the uninteresting characters called The Bash Brothers who ramble on with their smart talk and just kind of are dorks. The Bash Brothers are around way to much of this comic an take away from Sludge and his story, plus I just think that once Sludge left the home of Dr. LaLama to find him in the lab back in New York the only person with him should have been Shelley Rogers and not the rest of the weirdoes. I think with the Gang War being over and no appearances of other monster for Sludge to fight the pace of the comic just kind of stalls as his fights in this issue or so brief. While this issue for me is a little slow, we at least do get a little look into what the chemical was that made him as well as now see that he is turning back into the monster hero we all love. The cover for this issue is great and has Sludge’s face being it on both sides by the fists of The Bash Brothers and the interior artwork is once more done by artist Robb Phipps and is solid great work. Not much to say about this issue besides it’s the weakest issue in the series that does help give a little look into the sad life of Sludge who just wants to be normal again or at least find peace in death.

Sludge # 12 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $3.50 Malibu Comics # 12 of 12

A witch and her demon friend Phleeb have casted a spell and have Sludge under hero command, and as this event happens teenager Michael Green wakes up from a bad dream that was about Sludge’s cursed possession and this causes him to turn into the Ultra Hero Prime to go and investigate. The Witch orders Sludge to go to the museum and steal a stone tablet as if he joins that half they have with the half he has a smell can be done that will free the Witch’s son from another dimension and together they will take over the world. And with orders given the entranced Sludge makes his way to his mission and breaks in and gets the tablet, but Prime arrives on the scene and starts a fist fight with Sludge and for a brief moment Sludge snaps out of the mind control but quickly falls back under as the Witch uses her powers to do so as well as weaken Prime! The fight ends as Prime is getting weaker and Sludge makes it back to the Witch and she starts working on the spell to bring back her son as Prime recovers after many hours and goes back on the hunt for Sludge to finish their fight. Prime goes to the sewer and once Sludge appears the two start fighting with Prime being the one kicking butt, the Witch is bale to bring her son back who turns out to be a giant and he by accident crushes his own mom to death and this breaks the spell she had on Sludge who tries to stop the fight but is punched really hard and knocked out by Prime who gets out of the sewer and finds the city is being attacked by Demons! As Prime is fighting demons above ground Sludge wakes up and starts fighting them in the sewers before finding the witches body and then breaking apart the stone tablet sending all the demons back into their dimension. Prime and Sludge meet again in the witch’s lab and part ways once they figure out that neither have the answers on what just happened and why Prime is drawn to Sludge who wanders off back into the dark sewer tunnels.

And with this issue so ends Sludge is his own solo series and while this issue kind of just ends and the character just gets no breaks as this time around and old witch mind controls him to steal a tablet from a museum in order to bring her son and his demonic friends back from another dimension, but all this causes is for the witch to be crushed to death and for Sludge to get into a big fist fight with Prime, who is the strongest of the UltraHeroes. So the quest to be cured must be over for Sludge as he seems to not like it but has came to terms with the fact that he will be a muck monster from here on, but most of the issue he finds himself under mind control and only in the last few pages is he able to talk to Prime and clear his name. Speaking of Prime he was a nice guest star as he is able to slug it out with Sludge as well as the freed demons, plus his skin does not grow tumors when touching Sludge making him the hardest opponent that our muck hero has ever fought. And the side story of Prime for some reason being drawn to Sludge and as well kind of loosing control of turning form normal teenager Michael Green to the massive hero, and sadly in this series we are left on that cliffhanger and we never do get any answers. Sludge throughout this series goes from being a human cop named Hoag, to being murdered and covered in a toxic chemical, to having his body dumped in a sewer, to turning into a muck monster called Sludge, is in involved in a gang war, wants to die to wanting to be cured, fights monsters and so much more in-between! While this issue is a fun read I do also have to say that it is kind of a letdown when it comes to being a final issue as it seems like its more of a set up from a Prime story than a finish for the Sludge story. The cover for this issue is cool and has Sludge and Prime fighting it out, the interior artist on this final issue was done by Aaron Lopresti and it is nice to see him return to finish the series. I should also say that for the final villain for Sludge to fight with in his series being The Old Witch is also kind of a letdown as she is creepy and powerful and all, but is also very silly and dies at the feet of her own large demon child…I would have rather seen him tangle with Mr. Yu and his men or even a crazed madman on Zuke! But while this was the final issue in the Sludge main series we have one Christmas Special still to go, so our look at Sludge is not over yet!

Sludge Red X-Mas # 1 ***
Released in 1994 Cover Price $2.50 Malibu Comics # 1 of 1

It’s Thanksgiving and Sludge is in the sewer with a muddled mind and is annoyed that heroes like Hardcase have floats in the parade, while people just fear him. While on the street Pistol stops a purse thief Shifty and almost gets a reword from the woman as he returns it, as Shifty gets arrested Pistol heads to a strip club to try and get work from it’s owner Cornwell to do collections…but no jobs are going on during the holidays. Sludge stops a criminal from beating a woman to death with a crowbar as the woman he saves is the lawyer that Lord Pumpkin hired when he was alive and running the streets of New York. While Pistol is watching after some of the homeless people who are being bullied as well as running small jobs to get cash for them all to eat. Meanwhile Shifty has placed a hit on the officer that arrested him for the purse theft, and Pistol ends up talking to Sludge and tells him that Zuke was from the same place Lord Pumpkin was from and then stops Shifty from shooting the police officer! Pistol makes it in the newspaper for being a hero but will not give his real name, but his father Mack a man leading a city wide strike is a scum bag who use to beat Pistol and his mother and now he wants his son dead before he can talk and tell his dirty secrets. Pistol gets kidnapped and the officer as well as the female lawyer get shot and hurt during the abduction. Sludge stops the attackers and even roughs up Pistol’s dad who was going to kill his own son, later Pistol along with his crazy homeless friends, the cop and the lawyer lady are all hanging out in a ally opening gifts as Pistol to himself sends a silent thank you to Sludge for saving his life.

For me this is the better way to end Sludge and should have been the final issue in the main series instead of a special issue as I feel we get a slightly better ending for Sludge as he is a hero and even helps turn a criminal onto a path of doing the right thing. The plot has young Pistol wondering the streets looking for work from the loan sharks, but he is also stopping others from doing petty crimes like purse snatching and bulling. But he becomes a hero when he stops an assassination attempt on a police officer, but this new fame brings Pistol’s abusive father out of the dark who is trying to lead a government strike and who wants his son’s life taken so that his past does not leak out, but thanks to Sludge this does not happen and Pistol finds himself on a good path and friends with the officer he saved. It is really cool to see the character of Pistol grow as he turns from a lackey of Lord Pumpkin who would steal and kill on his boss’s orders, but once away from the demonic pumpkin he finds the hold broken and him choosing to do the right thing. Sludge is back in the sewer with visions of his ex-girlfriend in his muddled head, and still helping the innocent from those trying to cause them harm. The sad thing for Sludge is that during the holidays he himself spends alone in the sewers, as it would have been nice to see him spending time with Shelley Rogers or even his homeless friends. Christmas Comics are lots of fun and I am glad to see Sludge get involved and have one as growing up I remember reading Holiday issues of Hulk, Spider-Man, Batman and Superman. And I am shocked on just how well the whole Sludge comic series held up for me as I still find the character interesting as well as his issues being entertaining and keeping the story moving along, and a major plus being that it barely had the crossover annoyance that plagued so many of the UltraVerse titles were they would force you to buy other characters issues in order to finish a story arch. The cover for this issue is a lot of fun as it has Pistol and Sludge who has a wreath around his neck standing in the snow. The interior artwork this time around is done by Mike Ploog and is great stuff as Ploog does a great job of drawing Sludge. Over all this X-Mas Special and the whole series is a very great Indie Superhero Comic reads and I feel Sludge just like Rune was Malibu Comics way of bringing in Horror themed characters to their UltraVerse universe. And have to say that if you have not read Sludge you should check it out! Take a look at the artwork below to see the style used throughout this comic series.

Sludge is such a cool indie superhero and is one that I wish was still around, as I really do not understand why Marvel Comics have never did anything with him or any other Ultraverse character they own. As I truly think Sludge would make a great character in the Incredible Hulk series as well as it would have been cool to see him battle with the likes of Man-Thing! But we all know that the Disney owned Marvel Comics at this point will never bring the characters back as they are so lazy even with their creative stories for their own big heroes and characters, let alone they lack the creative minds to bring the characters into the Marvel Universe or even bring the UltraVerse back in general…or maybe it’s Disney to blame…who knows. But our time with Sludge has come to an end and our next update will take us to the world of Sci-Fi Horror as we talking about the film “The Man From Planet X” and the comic book adaptation of it! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. I hope The Man From Planet X comes in peace!

Tube Toons: Captain America (1966)

Posted on May 12, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to another Tube Toons update here at Rotten Ink, the themed updates where we take a look at the complete run of a classic cartoon series. For this one we are continuing our look at the 1966 Marvel Super-Heroes series and will be looking at the cartoons of Captain America! It’s a shame that today’s youth does not get to experience the joy that was Saturday Morning Cartoons. The morning was filled with so many great cartoons. They would be based on the toys or comics that were on the shelves at your local stores, and the commercials played was for toys, cereals, fast food, video games, candy, junk food and movie releases all things that us kids thought we needed. In modern times kids get their cartoons from stations like Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network and many watch the streaming services that have cartoon on tap making Saturday Mornings lame on stations like ABC, NBC and FOX. But here at Rotten Ink Saturday Morning Cartoons will live on with these Tube Toon updates, and with that, let’s see what Captain America and his mighty shield has in store for us!

The Marvel Super-Heroes was a cartoon series produced by Grantray-Lawrence Animation that started to air in 1966 and featured such Marvel Comics Superheroes as Iron Man, Thor, Namor, Hulk and Captain American. These cartoons would be 30 minutes long with each hero’s segments being done in 7 minute chapters, and this animation was used around the classic comic book art that they would crudely animate. With Captain America, much of the artwork used was that done by the legend Jack Kirby making the cartoon a much see for fans of The King. The series would run for just one season and would be pretty popular with the kids at the time and would even gain kind of a cult following over the decades for fans of Marvel Comics and classic animated shows. Sandy Becker was the voice actor for Captain America and had lent his voice to such other cartoons as “King Leonardo And His Short Subjects”, “The Beagles” and “Go Go Gophers”. While Paul Kligman would voice Red Skull, Vita Linder would voice both Peggy and Sharon Carter and Gillie Fenwick would voice Baron Zemo with other voice actors like Henry Ramer, Jack Creley, Max Ferguson, John Vernon and Paul Soles lending their voices to characters. In the Boston area actor Arthur Pierce would dress like Captain America and would film live segments to add to the awesomeness of the airing. The cartoon is very iconic and is one you have to track down and see if you are a fan of Cap like I am. Also the theme song for this cartoon is awesome, and if you don’t know it make sure to look it up on YouTube and be ready for it to be stuck in your head all day long!

Growing up I had seen many of the 1966 Captain America cartoons thanks to them being released on VHS, and I can remember being really into them as they featured the classic looking Cap as well as many of his big villains like Red Skull and Baron Zemo. You would also get cameos from many of the other classic superheroes. And to be honest I am very much looking forward to watching these cartoons again for this Tube Toons update as it’s been way too long since I last watched them, and I truly hope they keep their charm like they did for me when I was a youth. I would like to thank an Ebay seller for having this DVD in stock and making this update possible. For these Tube Toons updates I will be telling the plot and then reviewing each episode as well as giving the episodes a star rating of ½ – 4 stars. I will also be showing screen grabs from the episode to help give you a look into these cartoons. So let’s turn on the TV and see what kind of adventures Captain America has in store for us.

Captain America
Year: 1966 Type: Animated Brand: Marvel Episodes: 13

Episode 1: The Origin Of Captain America

World War II is going on, and America is having a draft. The government is working on a secret project that is taking place in a lab basement underneath a storefront. Steve Rogers is a very small man who volunteers for the experiment and drinks a secret formula that turns him into a muscular super soldier, but sadly the doctor who created the formula is killed by a Nazi Spy before Steve could stop him. Steve Rogers becomes the masked superhero Captain America and enters the fight of World War II, and even keeps his identity a secret, as around Camp Lehigh he is Steve Rogers, a clumsy private. As Captain America, he stops and brings down many of the attacks attempted by the enemy, but he makes a slip one night and young Bucky Barns finds out Steve Rogers is Captain America! The two end up becoming Nazi bashing partners as Bucky Barns puts on a mask as well as a costume and becomes hero Bucky. The two even stop a Nazi submarine by beating up its crew and then using explosives to blow it up! Meanwhile back in the states at a theater show, Sando and his freak friend Omar perform a hypnotist act and predict the future and the events happen. This causes Captain America and Bucky to investigate this act and soon Cap finds out that they are frauds! But Sando and Omar have help as they areapart of the Nazi party and have taken Bucky and a female news reporter hostage, who is really Agent 13 (Peggy Carter). While across town a Major in the army is attacked in his study by the sinister Red Skull who uses a gas to wipe the mind of the military man. Meanwhile Captain American, Bucky and Agent 13 end up beating up Sando and his men after Cap and Bucky find out about the attack on the Major. Cap and Bucky start looking for who could be responsible for this attack, and they split up with Bucky finding the hideout of the Red Skull. He is attacked, but Captain America soon finds him and comes to his rescue and starts beating up the baddies as the Red Skull is furious that his men are failing and makes his escape. The next day a new fighter plane is being tested and while in the air its engines blow and it crashes as Steve and Bucky watch on. Later that night as Cap and Bucky, they find that Red Skull and his men were the ones behind the crash, and before they can capture Red Skull, he makes his escape again thanks to his men who open fire on the superheroes. Later back at Camp Lehigh, Bucky and Steve are peeling potatoes and thinking of ways to stop the Red Skull.

Review: This first episode of the 1966 Captain America cartoon is a very cool one as we get a very fast origin story on how Steve Rogers became Captain America and how the government is keeping his identity a secret, all the while he is busting heads and kicking butts. The one downside to the cartoon is that at times you are not sure if it’s taking place in America or overseas as they do a poor job of really explaining that. We also see in this episode that Captain America gets a sidekick in Bucky after the youngster finds out the secret of Steve being the man behind the Cap mask. Captain America in this episode is very proud of America and will do whatever he can to protect it as well as deal out justice to those who mean to do it harm as well as harm the innocent people. Cap leaps into action at the drop of a dime and is such a skilled fighter. He makes short work of many of those who get into his way. Bucky is a great sidekick as he as well loves America and fights hard, but in this episode he does get captured twice by the enemies and has to be saved. Agent 13, who is Peggy Carter, shows up and alsowants to bring down the spies that are infecting the area with their sinister plans. The main villains of this issue are Red Skull, Sando and Omar, who of course are all part of the Nazi party and who have sinister plans for the world as they do what they can to cause fear, panic and destruction for America and it’s allies. Of course Red Skull is the most evil of the baddies, and while he is run off this time, he is not fully stopped. One scene in this cartoon that made me laugh is when Red Skull runs and jumps out of a window. It’s so stiff and weird. This first episode is packed with lots of action as well as some great humor as The Sargent’s dislike for Steve Rogers is slapstick level as at one point the Sargent even trips over a bowl of peeled potatoes that Steve left on steps. A super fun episode and a great kick off to the series as we get an origin story, lots of fights and even showcases Red Skull who is the biggest villain in the history of Captain America.

Grade: ***1/2

Episode 2: The Sentinel And The Spy

The Red Skull is at his hideout and is planning his next attack, to steal the American secret weapon called Project Vanish by using a spy prisoner they have in a camp who gets to go on supplies runs after the the original prisoner is shot and killed trying to escape. While in the army truck the spy prisoner uses a hidden gas grenade to make his escape as Steve Rogers and Bucky Barns go after him. The spy prisoner uses more of the gas to knock out the guards watching over the Project Vanish that is a massive gun that with one shot makes whatever it hits disappear. By the time Steve and Bucky get there it’s too late as the weapon is in the spy’s hands and he is not afraid to use it! As Bucky heads to get help, Steve becomes Captain America and is going to try and stop this madman from getting the gun to Red Skull. Captain America uses his shield and even a shot from a tank does not bring the spy down, but it does end up hurting the leg of Cap. The spy ends up blowing himself up by accident when he turns the Project Vanish gun on full blast and it over loads, but Captain America is hurt and Bucky has to sneak him his army uniform so when he is found it’s Steve Rogers who’s injured. A few days pass and on orders Steve, Bucky and the rest of his platoon are sent on a rest break, and this angers Steve who is being taken away from the war and finding Red Skull…plus he knows that it also removes Cap from the war. While on the ship heading to their rest area, an enemy submarine attacks and sinks it, and while the others get away, Steve and Bucky are hit by the torpedo and are left behind injured, but they were at least able to change to become Captain America and Bucky. The Red Skull sends his men to the ship and after using gas they are able to take Captain America prisoner, and Red Skull tells of how he became the crimson-headed villain that serves on the side of Germany. And then with the help of a mad scientist, the Red Skull is able to brainwash Cap into following his orders! While outside Bucky is lined up with other prisoners to be killed via a firing squad, but Bucky leads the prisoners in a escape. Meanwhile Captain America on the orders of Red Skull is set to kill a top ranking American military leader and before he can carry out the order, his friend Bucky is able to stop him and together they bring down a group of German soldiers.

Review: This second episode once more has Captain America and Bucky clashing with the sinister Red Skull, who this time around is hell bent on stealing a top secret weapon as well as having one of America’s top military men assassinated by a brainwashed Cap! And of course his plans are shut down and he is once more defeated, but again not captured. Captain America in this episode goes through a lot as he is injured in three explosions, is taken captive, is punched, gets brain washed and must fight to save America from the evil doers. The one thing you can say about Cap in this episode is even when he is down, he is not out. Bucky is a hero in this one as he helps not only snap Cap out of his mind control but also saves the lives of prisoners when he leads them in a escape. With the Red Skull once more being the main villain, we are treated to his backstory of why he is who he is, and also we see that even his own side fears him and his crazed madness for power and respect. We also get to see that Red Skull seems to enjoy toying with his enemies as well as he likes to sometimes be short to the point with wanting them dead. Some of the animation in this episode for the Red Skull in his hands and facial expressions make me wonder if some of Ren Hoek’s animation from Ren & Stimpy Show was inspired by it. The action is pretty hard hitting in this episode as Captain America even gets injured, but because he is such an amazing superhero he still is able to shake it off and save the day. A really fun episode, and it’s great to see Cap always shutting down Skull on all his antics.

Grade: ***

Episode 3: Midnight In Greymoor Castle

Steve Rogers and his platoon are called into action, and Bucky Barns is forced to stay back at the camp due to his young age. After most of the soldiers are gone, the camp is attacked, and Bucky must put on his mask and try to stop this attack on his own…he fails and is taken as bait to a castle to lure in Captain America. Inside the castle is Dr. Rollins, a man who has turned on America as he wants fame, money and power and doing science for his own country has left him with a metal hand. While in battle Steve Rogers finds a telegram about Bucky’s capture that is to the Red Skull and it calls for the young hero’s death. Changing into Captain America, he heads to the castle to rescue his friend. While at the castle Dr. Rollins gets word that Cap is on his way and starts using Z-Rays on Bucky as part of an experiment. Captain America hijacks an enemy’s plane and heads for the castle as Dr. Rollins sets a trap for the hero by using an explosive tank hidden on the table they have Bucky chained to, and all the while Dr. Rollins’ own sister tries to talk him out of turning on America to serve Germany. Once Cap gets to the castle and inside, he is warned by the Dr.’s sister that it’s a trap but after beating up some soldiers, he tries to free Bucky. The room fills with gas from the hidden tank, and Captain America is knocked out. When he awakens he finds himself in chains alongside Bucky and the Dr.’s sister. They are then loaded into a rocket to be blown up all the while Dr. Rollins begs for them to not to do this to his sister…they just smack and mock him. Cap is able to wake up before being loaded in and starts fighting back against the Germans, and this gives Bucky time to recover as well and fight off his attackers. During the fight, the sister is shot and as she is dying she is able to tell Cap that his fellow soldiers are being attacked. As she dies, Rollins uses his rocket to attack the Germans that have surrounded Cap’s men and as this happens, the castle catches fire and crumbles with Cap and Bucky being the only ones to escape.

Review: In this episode, Steve Rogers and his fellow rangers are sent on a mission that they complete, but soon he has to turn into Captain America when he finds out that Bucky has been taken prisoner to a castle and is to be killed on the orders of Red Skull. Once inside the castle, our hero of course saves the day and also sadly has to watch as an innocent woman dies and her brother who was a traitor burns to death, but not before he makes things right for America. In this episode, Cap is hard hitting and really wants to bring down the Germans as they have caused harm to so many, and when they once more try and kill his teenage sidekick, he is pushed to fight even harder to save his friends life. Bucky as well in this issue fights hard against his enemies and is very much a help to Cap in several fights. Dr. Rollins is an American who has turned on his country as he feels that they did not respect his work even when it cost him his own hand, and his own sister begs him to not to help the Germans…and this of course costs him his sister who dies, his sanity and well as his respect as the Germans mistreat him worse! And if you think about it, Dr. Rollins would be the main villain of the episode as his castle and his weapons are what come into play to try and take down Captain America and the American Rangers, and after two episodes of Red Skull, it is nice to see that Cap has made other strange baddies who wants to bring him down. This is a fun paced episode that truly feels like the comic from that time coming alive, and much of the action is lots of fun! I should also say that the cartoon does not say that the Germans are Nazis and even Hitler is replaced as the leader by just a generic looking guy, so I give them credit for trying to not show any logos or people that are connected to hate.

Grade: ***

Episode 4: Return Of Captain America

On a submarine Iron Man, Thor, Wasp and Giant Man find the floating body of Captain America and bring him inside, and when the masked hero wakes up he is confused and goes on the attack…but finally calms down and tells his new friends of his last memories before waking up in their sub. His memory was falling from a missile into the water. As it exploded, it killed his sidekick Bucky who was holding onto the missile trying to deactivate it. The group of heroes do not at first believe that he is the real Captain America as he was missing for over 20 years, but after they test his fighting skills they learn that the masked hero is still alive and in great shape as it appears he has not aged a day since his disappearance. The heroes introduce themselves to Cap and tell him that they are known as The Avengers and that they fight for what is right, and they welcome Cap into their ranks. As The Avengers arrive back home in New York, they are meet by the press and among them is a criminal who fires a gun at them and turns Iron Man, Wasp, Thor and Giant Man into stone statues! Captain America was asleep on the sub, and when he wakes up he sees the statues and is confused by why they left him and all the big changes to the city, and heads to a hotel and meets Rick Jones who asks Cap to help him find The Avengers. Cap and Rick do some research and find a clue that shows the man with the gun who turned The Avengers to stone. Cap then follows leads and tracks him down, and after beating up some evil henchmen, he gets the man and forces him to return The Avengers to normal. And while The Avengers go looking for the madman with the gun who’s name is Bull is able to slip away after he turns them back. Captain America is welcomed to stay at The Avengers Mansion. That night Bull and his gang try to attack Cap in the mansion but soon learn they made a big mistake as they are defeated with lighting speed.

Review: This episode is the first one that removes Captain America from World War II and places him in then-modern New York and has him meeting and then joining The Avengers! It’s pretty fun as in the cartoon Cap is not even in a block of ice, and they just find him floating in the ocean where he has been for over 20 years! They also kind of make Cap a sad sack for a bit as he seems to be really depressed by the loss of Bucky and even thinks Rick Jones is him for a very short time. The Avengers are around but are turned to stone pretty early on, and they return in the very end to fully welcome Cap to the team. The main bad guy is Bull, a crime boss who has a gun that turns people to stone, and while he is dangerous, and while the gun is pretty dangerous, he is defeated pretty easily! In fact The Avengers are defeated really easily by Captain America as well when he awakens on their submarine and is confused about where he is. While it is cool to see Captain America in New York and the war being over, it still is a little strange as I feel that we still had lots more adventures during the war that seem unfinished. Plus the episode is humorless as gone are the silly moments between Steve Rogers and the Sargent. And I have to say while I enjoyed this episode, I do feel it is lacking something that made the past few episodes special, and The Avengers really do just seem like a second thought in the episode as they are around and are mostly statues throughout.

Grade: **1/2

Episode 5: Zemo And His Masters Of Evil

Baron Zemo is at his jungle hideout reading a science journal that was brought to him by a pilot who flew in to deliver it as Zemo is looking for a way to get the glue that holds his mask in place off his head. He then tells the story of how it got glued on to the pilot after seeing a picture of Captain America in the journal. You see, Zemo created the glue foam that is unbreakable and it was to be use as a weapon of destruction, but Cap found his hideout and during the fight his head was covered in the glue causing his mask to forever be sealed to his face. Zemo then gives the order to set The Masters Of Evil loose on New York in order to get Captain America to appear so that they can kill him once and for all. First to attack the city is Black Knight who sprays the glue foam all over the streets! Meanwhile Melter is using his powers to melt metal as well as spray the glue foam all over while Radioactive Man as well is spraying the foam with the hopes to draw out Cap. And this plan works as Cap alongside Thor and Iron Man appear and try to stop the super villains. But while Thor and Iron Man are held at bay, Cap finds himself foamed glued to the street! Iron Man is able to cut out some of the concrete around Cap’s feet and lift him away so that they can free him at The Avengers lab. Once in the lab, Iron Man gets the idea that the only person who can free Cap from the foam glue is Paste Pot Pete, who knows all things to do with sticky stuff, and he gives Iron Man a formula that works and now Cap is free again. After tricking Melter, Radioactive Man and The Black Knight into spraying the un-stick formula around the city, our heroes defeat the villains and Zemo escapes…sort of as Thor uses his hammer to create a tornado that carries Zemo and his pilot away after they shoot Cap with the bullet only fazing him.

Review: This is a pretty fun episode as Baron Zemo is in a full rage when he finds out that Captain America is still alive and wants nothing more than to finally kill his arch nemesis! In order to try and get his revenge, he hires the help of super villains Radioactive Man, The Black Knight and Melter who are all armed with guns that fire the foam glue that Zemo created and is what has caused his mask to be stuck to his face forever. A part that made me laugh is how easy Thor and Iron Man give up the fight at the start of the battle, as they just kind of half heartedly try to defeat the baddies, and Iron Man even gives up on trying to save Cap from the glue with Melter only firing one shot at him. But in the end both Iron Man and Thor prove that they are heroes and not only help defeat all the super villains but also save Captain America from being stuck in the foam glue for the rest of his life. Baron Zemo is so overtaken with rage and the want for revenge that he even tries to fist fight with Cap as he wants to end the hero’s life so badly as he truly blames him for his life of torment of wearing the mask that is glued to his face. And because of his rage he fails to see that a way for him to remove his mask is there, but he looks past in in order to try and kill his foe. The episode has lots of action and Captain America is focused on saving New York as well as bring down Baron Zemo, and that is why this is a very cool episode as I also think that it brings back Thor and Iron Man back to being heroes.

Grade: ***

Episode 6: The Revenge Of Captain America

Time has passed, World War II is over and his friend Bucky is long been deceased as Cap has a workout where several pro wrestlers try and attack him. He of course is too much for them and tosses them around. Once home Captain America is lost in his thoughts and depression as he feels he failed Bucky all those decades back, and it is because of him that Bucky passed away at the hands of Baron Zemo! And when Rick Jones makes the mistake of dressing in Bucky’s old uniform, he sets Cap off in a rage who swears that he will bring Zemo to justice and get revenge on him. Meanwhile in the jungles Baron Zemo is in control of a tribe and is using them to harvest gold so that he can hire a team of mercenaries to help him kill his enemy Captain America. The next day one of Zemo’s agents attack Cap and Rick at the park. As they try and kidnap Rick, they open fire of Cap who blocks the many bullets with his shield, and all the while our hero knows that Zemo is the one who set up this attack. Rick Jones is taken to Zemo’s hidden jungle empire as Captain America follows them in order to rescue his friend, and even in the sky Cap in his plane must fight off Zemo’s planes who have orders to try and kill the masked hero. Once Cap beats the plane he then out maneuvers the tanks that are trying to blow him out of the sky. Cap lands to the ground after a scary parachute accident and finds himself trapped in a deadly pit. Zemo goes and gets his men to help finish off the American Hero, but Cap escapes the pit and uses Zemo’s own weapons against him and this causes Zemo’s men to flee leaving their leader screaming with anger. Cap is able to free Rick, and together they defeat the mercenaries and Cap is able to defeat Zemo who is crushed to death under falling rocks.

Review: The sixth episode of the series takes Captain America out of World War II and drops him into the 60’s with a new teenage partner this time it being Rick Jones who you readers will also remember from the Hulk cartoons from 1966. And Captain America is very much filled with rage, anger, sadness and pride throughout this episode as he has been thinking lots about his now gone friend and sidekick Bucky and wants nothing more than to avenge him by taking down the baddie who killed him way back when. Rick Jones is a hip modern teenager who once followed the Hulk around and is now following Captain America around and wanting so badly to be a hero like him. Baron Zemo is a very evil man who treats his own men poorly as he beats them with whips and gives sharp toned orders, he also has lots of gold and will hire blood thirsty mercenaries as well to do his bidding! And because Zemo is crazy and driven by ego, he is responsible for his own death as he fires the shot that brings the rocks down that crush him. While this episode is a fun watch for some reason for me it just lacked something to make it a great episode and it kind of just putted along. I think also the harsh time jump from Cap being in the war to now being in then modern time with zero explanation also was a very odd choice for the cartoon series to do and as well makes the episode a little jarring (well I guess I should blame episode 4 for this time jump). The one cool thing about this episode is that it’s our second appearance of Baron Zemo in the cartoon series and it also looks like it might be his final appearance.

Grade: **1/2

Episode 7: Let The Past Be Gone

Captain America is alone at The Avengers Mansion and looking through a photo album of his past as butler Jarvis brings him a cup of coffee. After drinking it, he checks the mansion and finds an intruder that looks like an enemy he faced in World War II that had been dead for years who quickly disappears, and then he starts hallucinating even more thinking he is kicking German butt with Bucky and even finds his old Sergeant in the Mansion given orders for soldiers to march! Captain America passes out and sees war all around him gunfire, explosions, death and destruction and it’s Jarvis who snaps him out of it, or is it Jarvis? We find out that Super-Adaptoid was posing as the butler, and this imposter had slipped something into the coffee of Cap and has taken the real Jarvis hostage. The Adaptoid then takes the appearance of Captain America, and we learn that this creature is working for A.I.M, a group of rogue scientist and creators who want to destroy Captain America once and for all! But shortly the real Cap wakes up and fights with his Adaptoid Clone knocking him out and keep him captive so that the now returning Avengers can see this odd new villain….and once they see him Giant Man, Wasp and Hawkeye all leave once more and this gives the Super-Adaptoid the chance to clone bits of all the Avengers and he once more makes a play at killing Cap. The two fight on land and in the air with Super-Adaptoid showing just how powerful he is, but Cap finally finds out Super-Adaptoid weakness is water and the two fight near a large body of water and in the end both fall into the water with Captain America surviving the fall and Super-Adaptoid meeting his end.

Review: This episode has Captain America with Jarvis at The Avengers Mansion on watch, and after drinking some coffee he feels odd and starts having visions and flashbacks and we learn that those creeps at A.I.M are to blame as they have created and sent a Super-Adaptoid to attack and clone himself to be Cap and as well learn and steal the powers of the other Avengers in order to stop all our heroes once and for all. And of course Cap is not having it as he goes after this cloning villain with extreme force and even brings him down for the count. Super-Adaptoid is truly a foe that could be a force to be wrecking with, if he did have the weakness of water that is! I like that Super-Adaptoid cloned all the powers and strengths of The Avengers he seen and for some reason decided to turn himself green! And his fight with Cap in the final really does show that he could be a threat, but also it showed his mind was not as sharp nor was he as smart as Captain America. I do like that for some reason Hawkeye has shown up and is in The Avengers and that Thor seems to be lost to the sands of time as they at least mention and show Iron Man’s suit. Also we see that A.I.M has it out for Captain America and that they have the feared Cosmic Cube at their headquarters, and if you readers know, that is a very dangerous item in the Marvel Universe. Over all this is a really fun episode as we get to see Captain America fight and out smart his foe, and we also clearly are taking the series in the direction of A.I.M being his new major foes for a bit, a very entertaining episode.

Grade: ***

Episode 8: Coming Of The Swordsman

The Swordsman has broken into The Avengers mansion and has a quick fight against Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, claiming he wants to join them, but also is fighting them with cheap shots. Finally Scarlet Witch brings him down with her magic, and Captain America shows up after the fight, and once they find out that the Swordsman is a criminal he is able to escape by cutting the power and slipping away in the dark. A few days later Cap decides to become a part time Avenger in order to help fight evil around the world, and this angers his fellow Avengers…but soon Hawkeye finds out that this was an evil plan from Swordsman and rushes to help Cap who has stepped into a trap. In a warehouse Captain America and The Swordsman have a big fight that leaves Cap on the losing end, and when the rest of The Avengers find him the Swordsman has him prisoner and will kill him if they do not name him the new leader of the team. But Cap breaks free and along with his fellow Avengers they fight with Swordsman…while in a castle in China, The Mandarin watches and uses his 10 Rings to bring The Swordsman to him. As Hawkeye and Cap argue and the archer explains he knows the Swordsman and once feared him as he tried to kill him as a youngster. Meanwhile The Mandarin wants The Swordsman to kill Iron Man and bring down The Avengers Mansion, and if he does so, he will make sure he leads the superhero team! The Mandarin upgrades his sword and sends him back to New York with the tools to fight The Avengers only after using a fake Iron Man to planet the seed of the team accepting The Swordsman. But once inside the mansion and a bomb placed, The Swordsman has a change of heart and removes the bomb and comes clean with The Avengers…in the end The Mandarin is mad over this betrayal.

Review: This is a very fun episode as Captain America is pushed to his limit by a foe that is skilled with a sword, but like always, no matter how hard this baddie tried, he is defeated by our hero. But to be fair, The Swordsman does get the upper hand several times and it takes The Avengers to truly stop him, that is until he has his big change of heart and decides to save their lives instead of end them. I also find The Swordsman to be a very strange villain as he does not think he is a baddie even though he acts like a heel and all he really wants to do is join The Avengers and most important to him is lead them. We also get a second villain in this episode as The Mandarin appears and tries to get an ally in his quest to kill Iron Man, but of course his ego is what causes the team up to be short lived and his evil plot to be unfinished. We also get the first cartoon appearances for Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver and we also get Hawkeye and they build up his jealous nature for Captain America. We also see Iron Man, but it is a fake one just merely a hologram. Lots of fun action and drama in this episode and another very entertaining one, also I have to point out throughout this cartoon series there are times that the animation is so bad as they try to add mouths and hands in spots that just look awkward and weird and even laughable at times.

Grade: ***

Episode 9: Bitter Taste Of Defeat

At The Avengers Mansion it seems that tempers are out of control as both Captain America and Hawkeye are always at each others throats while poor Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have to get in the middle to cool down the situation. We soon find out that The Enchantress along with her muscle bound goon Power Man are who is causing this drama with her powers. She then starts using her magic to create monsters that only they can see, and when doing battle with it they are causing damage and fear in New York as on one is seeing what the heroes are. Power Man even uses his might strength to knock out Quicksilver and leaves him on subway tracks to be run over, but lucky for him, his fellow Avengers show up to save him…but this is all an illusion as well and ends up costing The Avengers lots of money as well as respect…and as a fight breaks out between Cap and Hawkeye they get a letter from the government that says they must disband The Avengers! They all part ways as Captain America tries to keep them together as he has figured out that the stuff they are seeing and the sour mood are the work of The Enchantress. Captain America is mocked by The Enchantress and our hero ends up fighting off her magic and tracking her down but not before she is able to take Hawkeye hostage. But once Cap tricks the villains into telling their crime, he frees Hawkeye and along with Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver bring down the villains and clear their name and become a team again.

Review: This episode features the disbanding and the reunion of The Avengers and also builds up the rivalry between Captain America and Hawkeye on who should be the one leading the team into battles, and of course it is shown that Cap is the better leader and by the end the two become friends. Captain America is the first of the superheroes to figure out that he and his team have been tricked into not only fighting among themselves, but also into seeing things that are causing them to attack delusions in the own minds that is causing destruction and fear around New York as people thing that the heroes have lost their minds and are causing chaos in the streets. But of course all the bad stuff is being done by the very sly and powerful The Enchantress who is teaming with the power house fighter Power Man to try and defeat Captain America and The Avengers for her own amusement. She fails of course and Power Man proves to be no true threat to The Avengers. They also show that Scarlet Witch is the member who tries to keep The Avengers together and from fighting and that she truly does respect Cap. Meanwhile I have to point out that Captain America fakes his own suicide by jumping from a bridge all to get into a disguise and trick Power Man into bragging about the sinister plan they are pulling off on The Avengers. Over all this is a fun above average episode that’s main attraction for me was the heated fights between Cap and Hawkeye as well all want to see Cap book the hot shot archer in his place.

Grade: **1/2

Episode 10: Doorway Of Doom

Captain America is standing watch at The Avengers Mansion and informs Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver that he has been given thought on retiring from the team. They try and talk him out of it as they all then head out for the evening. The Avengers get a call from an Asian country that is calling for help on the words that they are under attack, as in reality this is a trap done by their mountain of muscle General who is stealing money from his own people and wanting to show his power by bringing down the heroes of America. Once in the country The Avengers soon find out that it was a trap to get them there and they start fighting off the Generals men with each hero showing their power and bringing down these criminals. But with the help of a trap door the baddies capture Scarlet Witch and keep her prisoner as the other three Avengers try and save her they are knocked out with gas! When they wake up they find that Scarlet Witch will be killed unless they fight the General one at a time, first up is Cap who he defeats and then Hawkeye is the next to fall…but Quicksilver’s speed tries and also fails. But in the end it’s Scarlet Witch that beats The General who turns out to be a robot! Once back home Captain America decides not to quite and stay on as the leader of The Avengers.

Review: This episode is very weird and clearly is out of order as in this one it says that Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are brand new members of The Avengers when as we have seen they have been around for several episodes now. And Captain America is once more talking about stepping away from The Avengers and it also is kind of the start of the bad blood between he and Hawkeye. The mission they are on pits them against a mountain of a man who has the power of The Hulk, but turns out to be a robot an is destroyed in the end giving all the people it ruled over freedom. And truly the main hero of this episode besides Cap is Scarlet Witch who uses her hex power to save the day several times. While the bad guy in this episode is not an iconic villain he serves his purpose well and is a true challenge for our heroes. And it’s odd to see Captain America in his own cartoon not be the one to save the day and in fact is beat in combat by the robotic General! Not much more to say here besides a fun episode that takes our heroes to Asia.

Grade: ***

Episode 11: The Sleeper Shall Awake

Captain America in Avengers Mansion is telling Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Hawkeye old war stories and about his fights with Red Skull. That night Cap has a terrible nightmare about his last battle with Red Skull during World War II and how even an exploding hand grenade did not stop his foe, and he remembers that Red Skull warned him that in 20 Years he would return and that his sleeper agents as well will awaken and cause chaos. The first Sleeper awakens and his a giant robot, and Cap flies to it and tries to slow it down from meeting with the other two. Sleeper 1 is very powerful and all Cap’s attempts fail to slow it down but he has an idea to use missiles against it and races to an old military base just as Sleeper 2 awakens and can fly and is causing lots of damage to the surrounding towns. And Cap is helpless as he watches as Sleeper 2 and Sleeper 1 combine into an even more destruction machine! Captain America is able to get the help of the US Army and they attack the Sleepers with all they got while in another location Sleeper 3 is about to be awakened that is a mechanical head that looks like that of the Re Skull and is a bomb! The now full combined Sleepers head towards the North Pole with the plan to dig into the center of the Earth and explode the bomb that would explode the world! But Cap armed with a blowtorch is able to blow up the bomb in the air stopping the rampage of The Sleeper and saving the world from the Red Skulls final plan.

Review: This was a fun and strange adventure for Cap as he flashes back to his past and his then final battle with Red Skull were the villain on his “death bed” threatened the world with big end of the world destruction but only 20 Years from that day that he was defeated…a very strange plan indeed that involves robots and the Earth’s core and agents that are loyal to Red Skull for two decades after he has “died”. Most of the episode has Captain America following and trying to stop the Sleeper robots from pulling off their plans and only by luck and a blowtorch is Cap able to stop them and save the day. The Sleeper Robots are very cheesy looking and yet so fitting for the 1960’s versions of bots, Cap for the most part is being out muscled by these machines, but thanks to his quick mind and battle strategies they are defeated and brought down. One strange part of this episode is that The Avengers do not join him on this mission and they would have been very helpful in trying to help stop The Sleepers. Over all not much to day about this one besides it entertained me as it is one of the more cheesy episodes in the series and Cap is a hero who uses a blowtorch.

Grade: ***

Episode 12: The Girl From Cap’s Past

Captain America is lost in his thoughts of being a hero out of time, and worse is when he watches a TV Documentary about World War II that shows a picture of him looking shocked, and Cap starts to remember back to the day he lost his true love during one of the final battles of the war as she lost her memory. While in modern times a group of very bad men have lost their powerful weapon Inferno 42 that can burn a city down in seconds to a secret agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and send Batroc The Leaper to get it back. Meanwhile Cap decides to go for a walk and sees a girl that looks like his lost love who does a hand off for a package and is confused by it all as he thinks is it really her and what is in the secret package. Batroc ends up going after the mystery woman and this causes Captain America to fight with him to protect her and the package. As Cap and Batroc fight the woman runs away with the package that is the missing Inferno 42 and later the two fighting masked men must work together to try and get it back as the package has cracked and the weapons awesome power could be released at any moment killing everyone in the city. As Captain America and Batroc give chase the woman who is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D uses all types of traps to shake them off her trail, as she does not realize her life is in danger…until its to late as she passes out from the leaking Inferno 42 and this causes Batroc to turn on Cap and kick him out of a window to make an escape with the package an deliver it to his shady bosses. But Captain America finds the criminals hideout and fights with Batroc and beats him up but the masked criminal is able to escape, Cap then rushes back to find the woman very sick and being taken away by paramedics and just like that he feels that he lost his lady love once more.

Review: In this episode we learn that Captain America had kind of a girlfriend during World War II and he lost her during a celebration after a hard fought fight when she was injured and her mind goes blank and she wondered off, but in modern New York he sees a woman that looks just like her who is working for S.H.I.E.L.D and once more he fights to save the world…but possibly loses her again when she falls very ill due to the mission she was on that had to do with a very dangerous chemical. While Captain America’s love life is the biggest part of the episode for me it was great to see Batroc The Leaper make his first appearance in this cartoon series as he was one of Cap’s big iconic villains in the early days of the comic series and it was cool to see him and Cap go at it all over a package that holds a world changing weapon…not pressure on Cap at all to get it back safely. It is really weird that they will not say the name of the woman Cap is in love with throughout the whole episode, nor do they say the S.H.I.E.L.D agents name that looks like her. And for those wondering, the original woman was Peggy Carter and the woman in modern times would be her niece Sharon Carter. Over all this is a good action packed episode that has some drama thrown in for good measure.

Grade: ***

Episode 13: The Red Skull Lives

A rocket ship lands in New York and a group of masked men start running wild in the streets, but oddly Captain America is the only one who can see them and chases them off. He then wonders if he is losing his mind and visits a Doctor and while at the visit one of the mask men attack again and like before only Cap sees him and the Doctor thinks the superhero is cracking. We soon learn that Red Skull is still alive and is working with A.I.M, and thanks to a special helmet, he is the one behind these masked men attacks as the helmet blocks everyone else from seeing the attacks! The next goal is to commit a murder and then blame it on Cap, but our hero stops the attempt and is able to knock the helmet off the mask man showing that these creeps are real to the New York crowd. Later Cap even saves the life of an A.I.M worker who warns that Red Skull has the powerful Cosmic Cube in his hands and this could be very dangerous for the whole world! Captain America makes it to the island were Red Skull is and has many obstacles to over come as he becomes temporarily blind due to a gun shot flash and even is knocked out by gas! In the end Red Skull is controlling the powers of the Cosmic Cube and Captain America fights with the madman and is able to knock the Cube into the ocean and Red Skull dives after it but is buried under rocks in the water and is presumed dead. Captain America stands victorious as he as stopped the Red Skull and Cosmic Cube for now!

Review: Captain America in this final episode showcases all his skill and proves why he is one of the world’s best superheroes as he uses his fighting skill and his mind to bring down the Red Skull as well as get rid of the Cosmic Cube for now. The Red Skull who for a brief time is teaming with A.I.M is very sneaky and uses hypno-waves in order to mess with the mind of Cap as he sends masked goons around New York to cause some trouble, but once Cap figures it out and learns of the Red Skull’s return the menace’s time is ticking down. The two bitter enemies have a showdown on a beach, and like always, good brings down evil as Cap is able to trick and defeat the Skull who even haves great cosmic powers on his side. I also like in the episode how A.I.M quickly learns that they made a mistake on trusting Red Skull and tries to stop him and when that fails they alert Captain America to his sinister plan. The final episode has lots of action and fighting, and I feel that it is very fitting that the final baddie he faces is Skull who is his most iconic villain in the comics. And what really makes this a great final episode is that it ends with Captain America looking into the sky while on top of some rocks that are in the ocean. While the animation style and voice acting might not be for everyone I myself really did enjoy this classic Captain America cartoon series and it held up after all these years.

Grade: ***1/2

The Marvel Comics 1966 cartoons are really an acquired taste, and compared to modern cartoons they are very, very primitive, but to me they have lots of charm and hold that classic Marvel feel that I love. And what I really liked about this Captain America series is that it featured all of his top villains that included Red Skull, Baron Zemo and Batroc The Leaper. Plus fans of The Avengers get many guest appearances from Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlett Witch, Wasp, Giant Man and Quicksilver! And while I myself wish the episodes had way less of The Avengers, it was nice having them around. Captain America has always been one of my all time favorite heroes in comics, and it was great to take some time and watch his first ever cartoon series again as it has been decades since I had seen them last thanks episodes being on old VHS tapes. And with this being the second in my Tube Toons updates, I want to remind you all to please check out my first update that covered the 1966 Incredible Hulk Cartoon here, and if I had to choose which was better between Hulk or Cap I would say slightly over all I enjoyed Hulk more but story wise Cap was better. But as you can see, this Tube Toon update has come to an end, and I really enjoyed this one and I think will continue on with this themed update series, but speaking of updates our next one will keep us in the land of cartoons but will take us far away from superheroes as I will be chatting about Grape Ape! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a cartoon or two and as always support your local horror host! GRAPE APE, GRAPE APE!

Comic Strip Funnies: Trudy

Posted on August 24, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Sorry to say that the Stella update is not ready for publishing so we will instead be taking a look at a classic comic strip character! It’s that time again to open up the old “Rotten Ink Daily News” and find the Rotten Funnies and see what comic strip we will be covering for this update…and I think we are going to take a look at Trudy! Oh I hear it, most of you readers are saying who the heck is Trudy and to be honest I was the same way, until I discovered this comic strip character while buying a lot of paperback books to cover for these updates. As far as I can remember the Sunday Funnies I grew up with in Dayton Daily News never had Trudy in the paper and to be honest if they did, that’s how little of an impact the strip made on me. But like in the world of Comic Books, Horror Hosts, Indie Horror Movies and 80’s Hairbands I love to discover something new and this could be a very funny comic strip or it could be one that is the pits…and only time will tell. So grab a cup of coffee or pour yourself a bowl of cereal and lets look that the Rotten Funnies and see what Trudy brings to the ha, ha funny table.

Jerry Marcus was born on June 27, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York and grew up poor, and sadly at the age of three his father past away and he watched as his mother raised him as well as his three siblings. Jerry dropped out of high school and tried to enlist in the Navy during Word War II, but was rejected for being underweight. But while he was bummed, Jerry did not give up and signed on with the Merchant Marine and shipped out fuel tankers to the North Atlantic and this was in 1943. When he was able to gain the weight Jerry was finally able to join the Navy and became a Seabees and was stationed in the Philippines. In 1946 he was discharged and attended New York’s Cartoonist And Illustrators School, and this lead him to the path of becoming a freelance artist his work shown in may major publications like Ladies’ Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post and The New Yorker. In 1963 Jerry Marcus created the comic strip Trudy that followed a housewife and her family, and the comic strip would debuted on March 18 and was not only a Sunday Strip but also was a Daily Strip in more than 200 papers worldwide. The comic would run until August 20, 2005 and ended when Jerry Marcus himself passes away after dealing with a long time illness on July 22, 2005. While not as iconic as other comic strips like Peanuts, Garfield, Andy Capp or Dennis The Menace, Trudy has made its mark on the comic strip world and on those readers who enjoyed her antics.

Lets take a quick look at the characters that make up this comic strip universe. Trudy is a housewife who lives her day-to-day life taking care of her family as well as taking care of the home all the while dealing with nosey neighbors and two silly pets. Trudy is a kindhearted woman, but also does not take any guff from her husband nor their son. She is a good person who does what she can for her family, and will stand her ground when pushed to far. Ted her husband and hard workingman who loves his family, enjoy playing golf and cards with his friends and hates mornings…he can also be forgetful as well as un-thoughtful to his wife, but not mean spirited just in his own world at times. Their son is Crawford a young man who loves baseball and hates baths, over all he is a good kid just has a messy room, gets into little trouble and argues with his mom from time to time. The family animals are Fatkat a cat that can be a little troublemaker and the loveable dog Rodney. Trudy also has an older lady friend named Mrs. Nozie who spreads gossip and has no tact. That’s is the cast of characters that make up comic strip Trudy.

So now that you got a brief history of Trudy and her creator Jerry Marcus and as you can see they are a typical 60’s family with pets. It’s crazy that I don’t remember this comic strip as growing up both my brother and I loved looking at comic strips at out house as well as our Grandparents house in the country that at times had the better comic strips printed in them as they got Dick Tracy, Spider-Man and Prince Valiant! Before we get into this paperback book I want to thank the Etsy Seller for having this book as part of a lot and also want to remind you readers that I grade this book on a standard 1-4 star system and am looking for how well the comic stays to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So lets get to the one and only Trudy!

We Love You Trudy PB *1/2
Released in 1978 Cover Price .95 Tempo Books #? of ?

Much like all these comic strip paperback books they feature on page jokes and stories so it makes it very hard to cover for these reviews, so like always I will pick 10 of my favorite gags from this book and give you a taste of the style of humor used in Trudy and again in no real order. # 1 has Trudy telling Tom a list of items that he should pick out including a very nice tie, as she is sending him to get her own presents for his Birthday. What I selected for # 2 has Ted eating what he think is a steak only to be told by Trudy that it was really hamburger she made to look like a steak…tricky, tricky Trudy. # 3 has snow coming down outside and its bedtime as Trudy is in bed Ted is asking if they have to put the cat out for the night as FatKat is wrapped around him clinging for dear life! # 4 has a dinner table with a large meal and candles as Trudy is on the phone with Ted as he informs her he was wrong and they are having dinner at their friend’s house. # 5 it’s Crawford’s birthday and Ted has a video camera out and is yelling at all there like he is a director, as Trudy and the kids all look highly annoyed with his over bearing orders. # 6 has Ted coming home with a line filled with fish he caught, as does his friend Ed and while walking in Ted is telling Ted to bring his fish in as well as he will have Trudy clean them all, she does not look happy! # 7 has Trudy and Ted in the room of Crawford and she is crying as his baseball player poster is taken off his wall and it his place is a sexy woman poster, and Ted is explaining to her that it was only a matter of time. # 8 has Trudy and Ted in bed with both cat FatKat and dog Rodney as they look all scared and Trudy worried and Ted annoyed as she tells her husband that the animals heard something weird downstairs! #9 Has FatKat at the vet and the veterinarian is telling Trudy that the cats main issue is that he is getting to much sleep. And for # 10 I went with Trudy at the meat market looking annoyed at the butcher Mr. Pipkin who is flexing his arms as she is once more asking to see what mussels they have in stock, his joke is played out with her. And these were the 10 best that I could find, and it was hard to even find 10 that were “funny”.

Trudy is very dated humor and I could never see kids getting behind this comic strip that is more about life being a housewife in the 60’s, and what young kid was laughing their head off about a joke that’s punch line is dinner being late or not feeling up to sweeping the house, none that I grew up with that’s for sure! And this “Housewife” humor is why I for one just did not get Trudy as I did not chuckle once while reading this whole paperback book, and I even read the most of it as one of my favorite quite places to read comics and that is one of our many massive local cemeteries, and even with the peace of nature and a light rain on the cars windshield it still was just a so-so read with flat humor. Now while I did find Trudy humorless, I do however have a few things positive to say as I found it to be charming as it does hold a real life household feel. Each comic as well has heart behind them and Jerry did an outstanding job of capturing things that real families go through from kids hating Thunderstorms to animals going being odd. And it does have to warm your heart a little when you find out that Trudy was inspired by his mother who worked very hard to raise him as a single parent, to that I must say that it proves Jerry had heart when making this comic strip. I feel that while reading this book that Trudy was a very likable character even if I found her humor bland and lackluster. I should also say that while I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters the standout to me was of course FatKat as many of the cat’s traits I have seen in the cats I have had in my life. The cover of this book is “Woman’s Day Magazine” welcoming and the interior art by Jerry Marcus is classic 60’s cartoonist style and is charming. Over all while I was not a major fan of Trudy I still respect the comic strip and its creator as I am sure she meant something to many readers as the longevity of the strip proves that it had an impact. Check out the art below to see the style of Marcus.

Again I do want to stress that just because Trudy is not for me does not mean that its total garbage and you are wrong for laughing at its humor, as that’s the beauty of humor we all have our own taste in what we find funny. And for me looking back and even discovering some of these old Sunday Funnies for Rotten Ink has been lots of fun, and I will continued to cover them as your friends and readers as well seem to be enjoying them. But with us being done with Trudy for our next update we are walking away from the world of Comic Strips and will be heading into the world of cartoons as I will be breaking down the 1966 Incredible Hulk series episode by episode in a new update theme that I will be calling “Tube Tunes” and don’t worry Juliet’s look at Horror Hostess Stella will be posted at a later date. So until next time read a comic of three, watch a movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update as we watch Hulk smash 60’s cartoon style!

The Marvel Adventures Of Indiana Jones

Posted on June 23, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Many movie goers lose their minds when a new Star Wars film is released in the cinema as they cannot get enough of the Jedi and their fight against the evils of the universe. In fact, most people only focused on Star Wars when Disney bought LucasFilms back in 2012 and seem to have forgotten about one of the company’s most iconic characters: the one and only Indiana Jones! No joke, when the sale went through I was more excited about the prospect of new Indiana Jones films then Star Wars, and while I love Star Wars I have always felt that Indiana was more of a special movie experience. I can remember watching the Indiana Jones movies while playing with my Kenner Indiana Jones figure based on Raiders Of The Lost Ark and being mesmerized by the over all adventures those movies brought to their viewers, and with it being almost July 4, 2021, why not do a update about an America Hero and with a new Indiana Jones movie hitting the cinema in just a couple of days. I knew this update had to happen as Indiana Jones is a true American hero in the world of cinema, novels, video games and comic books! So sit back and pack a backpack, as it’s time to go on an epic adventure with Indiana Jones and Marvel Comics.

Dr. Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr. is the son of Henry Jones Sr. and works as a professor of archaeology in New Jersey at Marshall College in the 1930’s. The college is the one to foot the bill when Indiana goes on research trips and expeditions that have him travel all over the world and find all types of artifacts from the Lost Ark Of The Covenant, The Crystal Skull, The Holy Grail, The Sankara Stones among so many more. During his adventures he has made many friends and colleagues with names like Short Round, Willie Scott, Sallah as well as Marion Ravenwood with whom he ended up having a son named Mutt Williams. At one point Indiana even had an adventure with his father Henry Sr. to find the Holy Grail and they ran into a ghost knight while on the hunt. He has gone up against Nazis, Cults, Natives and Thieves and everything in between, and all the while he is the hero needed in the situations he finds himself in. It has also been shown that even as a youngster Indiana Jones has went on exploring adventures and was a hero. Indiana Jones is a skilled fist fighter and as well skilled with a gun and a whip. This is only a small crash course of the history of Indiana Jones who I think is hands down one of the best heroes in cinema history and actor Harrison Ford was the best choice to play the character.

The first film in the series was “Raiders Of The Lost Ark” that was released in 1981 and has Indiana Jones looking for the lost Ark of the Covenant while trying to out step the Nazis who also want it! The film was a major hit with moviegoers and critics and brought the series into the world of pop culture. Raiders brought in $212,222,025.00 on a budget of only $18 million. “Temple Of Doom” was the second film and was released in 1984 and has Indy going after the Sankara Stones that are in the grip of Mola Ram and a Thuggee Cult, all the while he also saves children who are being used as slaves. The film was a prequel and was very popular when released with the kids who flooded the cinema to see it. The film brought in $179,870,271.00 on a budget of $28 million! The third movie was “Last Crusade” that was released in 1989 and has Indiana Jones and his father going after the Holy Grail and fighting with the Nazis again to get it! The film was a major hit with critics and fans and some even say it’s the best sequel and even best in the series! The film did fantastic at the box office bringing in $197,171,806.00 on a budget of $48 million. The fourth film in the series was released in 2008 and is called “Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull” and has Indiana Jones looking for the famed crystal skull while tangling with the Soviets and meeting his son Mutt Williams for the first time! The film was met with mixed reviews from moviegoers and critics, but was a hit at the box office bringing in $317,101,119.00 on a budget of $185 million. Now, with the fifth film about to hit theaters, who knows what true adventure Indiana Jones will have and how epic this one will be! But one thing is for sure, I will be there opening night and ready to find one of the world’s lost treasures along side Indy!

I grew up watching the Indiana Jones films and have seen them all so many times I have lost count! For me hands down the best film in the series is Raiders Of The Lost Ark as it’s the original and really has that adventure feel to it. Plus it’s just so pure and really is a great way to pay respects to all the cliffhangers that inspired it. But when it comes down to the sequels many fans are torn to which is the best. Most say Last Crusade is the best and Crystal Skull is the worst, as people seem to not be able to get past CGI Monkeys and Indy surviving a nuclear blast in a refrigerator. For me the best sequel is Temple Of Doom as it was a film I grew up watching and was the one I had action figures of as well as books, trading cards and even comics and would be one that my brother and I would watch all the time and even played toy adventures in that world. The film had that true big adventure feel and the main villain Mola Ram was pretty spooky as he was a High Priest who can steal the hearts of his enemies! Plus Mola Ram’s men kidnap kids and forced them into labor! Indiana Jones also has a sidekick in the film called Short Round who is a taxicab driver who was 11 years old and is wise for his age, he was played by Ke Huy Quan, credited at the times as Jonathan Ke Quan, who also played Data in The Goonies! Willie Scott a club singer is the love interest in this film, and she is alright but she is no Marion Ravenwood as I feel Willie is more of the damsel in distress. Plus moments from the film like the iconic Indiana Jones on the bridge fighting and bringing it and the bad guys down is pure cinema gold and has stuck with me over the decades. And for those wondering, my least favorite in the series is Last Crusade as I could not get into that one as much and while I enjoyed it, I feel that Sean Connery and his over acting dragged it down slightly…but again keep in mind I still like the movie. And now after talking about Temple Of Doom, I have to get the old DVD out and give it a watch! Also I should say that my brother had the Indiana Jones figure from LJN and I had Mola Ram growing up and I can remember us making them fight, and of course Indiana always won.

While not in modern times, back in the 80’s and 90’s the Indiana Jones franchise was hugely popular and was on track with Star Wars when it came to loyal fans. So with the popularity of Indy ABC decided to air a TV Show called “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” that followed the character as a youngster with even a cameo from Harrison Ford as a 50-year-old Indiana in an episode. This show would have two seasons and would run 28 episodes and had actors Corey Carrier playing Indiana age 8-10 with Sean Patrick Flanery playing him age 16-21 and George Hall playing him at age 93! And the show would also have some amazing guest stars like Christopher Lee, Daniel Craig, Elizabeth Hurley, Keith David, Michael Gough, Max Von Sydow and Catherine Zeta-Jones among many others. The show was created by George Lucas when he found that many crew members on the sets of the film would always chat about the life that Indiana Jones must have had growing up and this sparked Lucas to write out a timeline of what Indiana Jones did in his younger life, and with that, the TV Show was born! The score for the series was done by Laurence Rosenthal and was good, not John Williams level but still a solid score. The show was meet with mix reviews by critics and fans with mostly them being positive, and the show would even win six Emmy Awards. The show would be released on VHS as well as DVD and while not as iconic as the films it still has a following and is great for fans of Indiana Jones to continue his adventures. And for those of you wondering, yes, I watched this show growing up and very much enjoyed it, and while I have not re-watched it since I was a kid, it is a TV series that I plan on revisiting at some point.

We all know that Indiana Jones is a very iconic movie franchise, and one thing that all fans know is the amazing score work from John Williams that helps makes the films even more special! I mean you know as well as I do that as you have been reading this update you have hummed or heard “Raiders March” at least once! And while the Indiana Jones films are amazing, I truly think that the score work of John Williams really does make them even more top notch and adds to the adventure feeling of the films. I could never see another composer ever doing the score for any future Indiana Jones films, and if and when Williams is replaced, the new composer will have big shoes to fill. I just had to take this brief moment to praise the score as I truly do think that is some of the most iconic work done in modern cinema, so do yourself a favor and get these scores in your collection whether its on vinyl, CD, cassette or digital and give it a listen while you read the rest of this update.

Another thing I want to quickly talk about is the very cool novels that have been released that features not only novelization versions of the films but also new adventures giving fans even more Indiana expeditions while they waited for new films. One of the books even was choose your own adventure style and was written by R.L. Stine who of course is known for his Goosebumps and Fear Street books. Of course growing up I had many of these books that I would get from the School Book Fair as well as find at Half Price Books. I can remember enjoying them, and while I liked the comics more these were fun reads on lazy rainy days or even late nights before going to sleep. In factm I think I still have a few of these novels in my paperback book collection.

If the comics and novels didn’t give you enough new Indiana Jones adventures, he of course also made his way to the world of video games and has appeared on many systems as we are talking from computer to X-Box 360! Some of the games I want to highlight are the first Indiana Jones game was released for the Atari 2600 and was based on the film Raiders of The Lost Ark. In 1988 Temple Of Doom was released of the NES and had two versions of the game one official and one unofficial. In 1994 the super cool Indiana Jones Greatest Adventure was released for the Super Nintendo. 1994 also saw Instruments Of Chaos being released for Sega Genesis and had you play as Young Indiana Jones. In 2000 the N64 game Indiana Jones And The Infernal Machine was released and lastly 2003 seen the release of Indiana Jones And The Emperor’s Tomb released for PC, X-Box and Playstation 2, and this is really just a very small amount of games that have been released featuring Indiana as many PC games as well as even handheld and home console games have been released. The ones I highlighted here are the ones I remember playing the most over the years and are ones that have stuck with me. What was cool about these games and much like the novels, comics and toys they added new life and adventures to the film series and allowed the character to continue on as the fans waited for the next film or in some cases episode of air on TV. I keep the hope alive that for Playstation 5 we will get a new Indiana Jones game as I feel his return to the digital world is long over due.

When I was a youngster Indiana Jones made his way into the world of action figures as well and my brother and I had to have them! The first series was 3 ¾” figures based on Raiders Of The Lost Arch and released in 1982 by Kenner and lasted two series and a total of 9 figures, 1 horse and 4 playsets with Indiana Jones in his classic hat and jacket being the most popular figure in the series. The line had three versions of Indiana and also had figures of Marion Ravenwood, Toht, Belloq and Sallah. Growing up I had many of these figures and playsets and still have some of them to this day. The next Indiana Jones toys that were big when I was a kid were released by LJN in 1984 and were based on Temple Of Doom and lasted for only three figures that were of course Indiana Jones, Mola Ram and Giant Thugee. And again growing up we had these LJN figures well we had Indiana and Mola Ram, and they were pretty cool. we got them from the old department store Gold Circle. And in 2008 with the release of Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull more toys were released this time by Hasbro and had figures not only released based on that film, but all of the other films in the series! And I bought so many of these figures as at the time I was in the early stages of making my own stop motion movie based on Flash Gordon and many of the Indiana Jones characters were to appear in his quest. And this is only some of the toys released based on the films! But needless to say, if you, like me, grew up a fan of Indiana Jones these figures added new adventures for the hero as we waited for the next film to be released.

Indiana Jones of course had way more merchandise then what we have already talked about as collectors had so much cool stuff to collect over the years and this included shirts, posters, stickers, drinking glasses, board games, trading cards, statues, magazines, magnets, Halloween masks, watches, pocket knives, home media and so much more! I mean growing up I had some of the glasses, Halloween masks, trading cards and even one of the board games. And as you can see Indiana Jones has graced so many items both official and fan made that collect Indiana Jones stuff can be easy as well as a little pricy as some of the official merchandise has climbed in prices over the years. But if you like Indiana Jones and are a collector make sure to search your local toy, comic and antique shops as well as online shops and see what you can add to your collection today.

Well as I am sure you have guessed by now that I am a big fan of the Indiana Jones movie series and we are now at the point of this update that we review the comics and again the Marvel Comics series was a no brainer for me to select as they are the ones I grew up reading. And what makes this update even more awesome for me is that I get the chance to reread these issues again after all these years and it will be cool to see if they hold up and are as enjoyable as they were back then. I want to thank Mavericks Cards And Comics, Bell Book And Comic, Game Swap Kettering and Lone Star Comics for having these comics in stock and making this update possible. I want to also remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So if you are ready lets see what kind of adventures Indiana Jones can have in the Marvel Universe, and I am going to shorten the comics title from “The Further Adventures Of Indiana Jones” to just simply Indiana Jones.

Indiana Jones # 1 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 1 of 34

Indiana Jones gets a visit from a former student named Charlie Dunne who informs him that he has found the gold cursed statues called The Ikons Of Ikammanen and before he can tell Indy anything else a knife is thrown into the window killing Charlie! Indiana takes Charlie’s notes, maps and heads to the location as Dunne’s sister Edith in order to tell her the grim news as well as find these statues. Indy shows up in Africa and is greeted by Edith, and Indy tells her his main goal is to find who killed her brother and to then find the statues, but ones the enter his hotel room the are attacked by shrouded men who have knives, as Indy fights them off one kidnaps Edith and runs through the streets. Indy gives chase and soon finds himself in a trap that takes him to a underground base were he meets Solomon Black a criminal business man who wants Indy and Edith to find the statues so he can sell them as they are made of gold, and threatens the life of Edith if they do not help him as he is also in control of some very bad men and his hooded henchman Vont will do whatever he says and that includes murder. Indy and Edith are forced to head to the island with the gold statues and find that the beach is booby trapped when it kills one of the two guards, and once at the temple Indy finds that the statues are really just human bodies dipped in gold and he and Edith are attacked and about to be dipped themselves in gold by a tribal cult of old men that lives on the island.

This is such a fun Indiana Jones comic adventure and showcased why back in the 60’s-80’s Marvel Comics was the king of the comics. In this adventure Indiana must travel to an island in order to find golden statues that are said to be a legend, but he is forced to search for them when one of his old students is murdered and a crime boss threatens the life of a young woman. Indiana Jones is a true hero in this comic as he does the right thing when needed, wants to solve a murder, find lost treasure and protect the life of a young woman, and he uses his trusty whip and handgun to get himself out of danger as well as to set his adventure on the right path. Edith Dunne is a smart young lady who along with her brother found the secrets of the Golden Statue, and yet cause she is a woman the bad guys downplay her worth is the quest to get them, and you have to feel bad for her due to her brother being murdered. Solomon Black is a slimy crime boss who surrounds himself with cold blooded killers, and all he cares about his getting the gold statues so that he can sell them and make lots of money, lets hope he gets what’s coming to him soon. The issue is filled with drama, adventure and even a little dash of comedy as Indiana’s wit is in full effect. This was a great issue and story to kick off a comic series based on such an iconic movie character, and as I said proved that Marvel Comics use to truly know how to make great comics. The cover is very eye catching and showcases Indiana Jones and his whip surrounded by the other character in the adventure and the interior art is done by the team of John Byrne and Terry Austin is great stuff, but I do have to say I wish that they drew Indiana to look more like Harrison Ford the actor who plays him in the films. Over all this is a great read and makes me look forward to seeing what’s next!

Indiana Jones # 2 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 2 of 34

Indiana and Edith are being lowered by a chain into a molten gold pit by the islands natives and are trying to find away to escape this painful death, and that’s when Mr. Black and his men arrive and start a battle with the natives an this allows Indiana and Edith to swing the chain an hit the leaver to free themselves. Once outside the temple Mr. Black and his men have defeated the natives and Black gives the order to kill Indiana and Edith as he does not need them anymore and that’s when more natives show up and attack Mr. Black and his men given Indiana and Edith a second chance as they are forced to work along Black and his men in this attack. After the fight Indiana is able to save he and Edith’s life by claiming there is more gold statues an that only he and maybe 11 other people in the world can read it. While back on the ship Edith dresses sexy and lures one of the armed guards into a trap, and Indiana and Edith make their way off the ship but end up being caught by Mr. Black who makes the pair walk the plank into the ocean. But just then a German submarine fires a missile at Black’s ship sinking it and the German’s give our heroes a ride to New York, and best Edith is able to save one of the golden statues. Edith and Indiana get on a plane with one of the statues an that is when Indiana confronts Edith with being behind the murder of her own brother, and it’s true as the pilot of the plane was also in on the killing and quick thinking Indiana says the magic words that brings the golden statue alive and as it kills Edith and her cohort our hero Indiana Jones gets a parachute and dives from the soon to be crashing in the ocean plane.

This second issue is a pretty fun adventure as it has Indiana Jones along with Edith trying to survive natives who want to turn them into golden statues, avoid being murdered by Mr. Black and his band of cutthroat killers as well as for Indiana to try and find out who killed his friend and former student that started these crazy events. Indiana Jones as always is very brave and uses his not only his skills in fighting but it’s his mind that gets himself out of trouble, and is able to defeat all his enemies that seem to be all around. And he not only gets to bring down a scummy criminal organization but also stops a killer who was after fame and fortune. Speaking of that killer her name is Edith and she is the sister of the murdered friend of Indiana who has her brother killed so that she could get all the credit for the golden statues that they were close to discovering, an worse is Indiana had to protect this killer as they both get kidnapped by criminals…and at a point he already knew she was the one who killed his friend. Mr. Black and his men are cold blooded and they do not value human life as they as well just want money and lots of it. Plus while the ship he was on got blown up I think Mr. Black is not dead and will be back. I like the touch of the Golden Statue coming to life at the end to kill Edith and her cohort as it adds that supernatural cliffhanger feel that has made Indiana Jones films so special over the decades. And like I said before the creative team behind this series clearly knew how to make a comic based on this movie character as this was a very entertaining read. The cover for this issue is ok an not as eye catching as other comic covers of that time and the interior art for issue two is done by John Byrne and Terry Austin and I have to say that in spots it looks slightly rushed and sloppy but is still not bad. Over all a good solid issue and keeps up the great work that Marvel Comics was doing with this Indiana Joes comic series.

Indiana Jones # 3 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 3 of 34

As Indiana Jones lands from his air jump a terrible rainstorm rages on and he watches as a group of people are chasing a man and are about to hang him! Indiana Jones decides to save the man and as the two run away his attackers as well as now army soldiers are giving chase, as the unknown man says that they all hate him cause his grandfather has created an elixir that gives the person who drinks it immortality! After escaping their pursuers the man takes Indiana to meet his grandfather who is in a cave that has a stream and after brief introductions the grandfather attacks and beats up Indiana as he has drank some of the elixir water and is super strong and in a rage over Indiana being around and knocks our hero out. When Indiana wakes up he finds that he is tied to a rock with explosives all around as the grandfather wants to crush the army base below with the falling rocks, Indiana is able to escape but is taken prisoner by the army who find him and label him a traitor. Meanwhile the grandfather that’s name is Prospero and his grandson who is Dullard set to blow up the cave after the soldiers disappears and the older is a little annoyed that the younger helped Indiana escape by cutting the ropes that bound him. Indiana Jones is able to escape his cell and steals a army jeep that has a cannon on the back of it, Indiana makes its just in time to fire the cannon and save the lives of the army people as Prospero had set the explosives again…but saving the day gets the stream with the elixir water to be caved in. In the end two locals try to attack Indiana Jones and is saved by Prospero and Dullard who are now teaming with our hero and they flee from the coming army that is tracking them down.

Poor Indiana Jones goes from the frying pan into the fire as soon as he lands from jumping out of the plane he finds himself right back into an adventure! This time around Indiana saves a man from a lynch mob and this makes him the target of not only them but also the military as the man he saved and his grandfather have been a pain in the ass and are claiming to have an elixir that gives the drinker eternal life and super strength…that is if you keep drinking it. Indiana Jones once more does all the things he thinks is right and saves lives as well as gets himself in and out of danger throughout the issue, he even gets beat up by an old man in this issue! Prospero and Dullard claim to have found waters that will give them forever life, and its unsure if they truly have found this or if something else is giving them a boost of strength…are they good or bad it’s hard to tell. Meanwhile the army is being lead by General Hannigan who is looking for a war and so wants to take human lives but is being held at bay due to the rules of the military. And what is cool about this issue is that it takes place right after the last issue and leaves us on yet another cliffhanger as we have no idea where Prospero is leading Indiana Jones and we know that the army will be on their trail and Hannigan is not going to let them get away. The cover for this issue is great and showcases Indiana in the stolen jeep as the army is firing at him! The interior art this time around is done by Gene Day and Richard Howell and its pretty great stuff and has that early 80’s Marvel Comics charm. Over all a great issue that once more showcases that Indiana Jones is a fantastic film character as well as a comic book one and Marvel Comics was the right company to make Indiana leap into the comic pages.

Indiana Jones # 4 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 4 of 34

Indiana Jones is on a plan set to England and soon finds that it’s a trap as the pilot parachutes from the plane and Indiana has to use an old blanket to leap from the crashing plane. Once in the ocean he is picked up by an English ship and finds out that he has been sent to England by America in order to help look into cryptic writings on a cylinder that was found at Stonehenge and is being called “The Gateway Project” and the Nazis are also now after these secrets and the danger level is high. Indiana is paired with the beautiful Professor Karen Mays and together the solve the writings on the cylinder that proves a race of something that could be good or evil wrote it long before mankind walked the Earth, and soon find themselves being chased by the Nazis who want the cylinder! They run through the streets, the train station and finally Indiana has to “borrow” a car in order to drive away but finds himself crashed on a bridge and about ready to plunge to his death along side Karen.

This issue is pretty much a chase that has Indiana Jones and his new female friend Karen on the run from bloodthirsty Nazis who want the secrets that are written on a cylinder that predates the time of man that was found in Stonehenge, and even starts with a airplane pilot trying to kill him with a crash…so to sum it up this is a wild ride and super fun issue! Indiana in this issue is quick thinking as well does not trust the cylinder that speaks of beings coming back to the site of Stonehenge, as he questions if these beings are not going to be monsters. Karen Mays is a professor who helps solve the riddle of the cylinder and the writings on it, and by being so smart she finds herself now the target of bad guys who want what she knows. The Nazis are total scumbags and have places bugged in order to get information, have no issues killing people, stalk and attack their targets and prove that they will always be a thorn in the side of Indiana. The one odd thing about this issue is that it seems that the story of Prospero and his eternal life elixir just has no finish as this issue makes zero comments about that adventure and does not continue the story, so that was very odd. The cover is awesome and has Indiana Jones and Karen on the train rails surrounded by bad guys as the train is behind them. The interior art is done by Ron Frenz and is great stuff and has that classic 80’s Marvel look. This is a solid issue and while I wished they would have fully wrapped the last adventure up, this new one seems like it is going to be fast paced and filled with action and even maybe a little super natural monsters! So with that lets see what happens next in this tale.

Indiana Jones # 5 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 5 of 34

Indiana and Karen are able to escape the falling car thanks to his trusty whip and as they get back to the top of the bridge they find that Nazi’s waiting for them, but Indiana times it out perfect as he allows himself and Karen to fall back off the bridge and land on a garbage ship to make their escape. Karen takes Indiana to her mothers house so that they can hide and come up with a plan as Indiana is worried that the beings that could be summoned tonight could be evil and they can not allow them to be set free and that the cylinder not fall into the hands of the Nazis as this could end bad for everyone in the world. As Indiana and Karen head to the train they are unaware that the Nazis had Karen’s mom’s house bugged and they have the Cargo Pilot on the train to get the cylinder and kill Indiana Jones, as they are made at him for failing to kill Indiana with the plane crash. As he tries to attack Indiana and steal the cylinder the two end up on top of the fast moving train and with his quick thinking Indiana is able to go over the side of the train and get inside safely as the Pilot goes splat as he hits a tunnel. The Nazis end up stopping the train as they dress as cops and Indiana and Karen escape on a stolen motorcycle and make it across a broken down wood bridge that crumbles after they cross to get some distance between them and the Nazis who are hot on their trail. But Indiana and Karen’s luck runs out as they find themselves stuck in quicksand and this allows the Nazi’s to catch up with them and get the cylinder. The Nazis leave Indiana to die in the quicksand and head towards Stonehenge to make contact with the ancient beings. Indiana with his quick thinking and help from a gun and a tree branch saves Karen and himself from death and the pair rush to Stonehenge. As they get there the Nazis have the cylinder and in the sky are snake like demon creatures, and before they can fully return Indiana is able to break the cylinder stopping their return as well as take down the Nazis and allows the police to arrest them.

This is another issue that plays up on high action and builds the chase of the Nazis going after Indiana and the cylinder and by the end Indiana going after them so they don’t use the cylinder. The plot as Indiana Jones in charge of a cylinder that has writing the predates mankind and the spooky thing being is that the cylinder could bring the demonic race back the wrote on it! So Indiana must do his best of keeping it out of the hands of the Nazis who are chasing him as well as his fellow professor Karen Mays as if the Nazis use the cylinder at Stonehenge who knows what kind of evil will be unleashed on Earth. And in this issue Indiana chooses to break the cylinder a priceless relic so that the power it holds will not help the bad guys in their quest for world domination. And of course throughout this issue Indiana uses his smarts, quick wit and tools of his trade whip and pistol in order to discover and be the hero we all know and love. Karen Mays is smart and charming, but sadly her roll in this issue falls fast as at times she just kind of feels like a background player who has a crush on Indiana. The Nazis are as scummy as always and crave the power that the cylinder holds, and they don’t care who lives or dies in their quest to get it, and that even includes their own spies. The demons sadly barely appear and are sent back just as quickly as they appeared, making them spooky but zero threat to our hero. My favorite part of this issue is hands down when Indy tricks the Nazi assassin on top of the train that leads to the attackers death by being smashed by a tunnel, this is a segment that feels straight out of the movies. The cover is very cool and eye catching as it showcases both Indiana Jones as well as one of the cylinder demons. The interior art done by Ron Frenz is good stuff and I have to say I truly love the classic 70’s and 80’s Marvel artwork and miss this style in modern comics. Over all another good issue and a cool adventure to see Indy on.

Indiana Jones # 6 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 6 of 34

The Ravens Nest nightclub is opening in New York and is owned by Marion Ravenwood and even Indiana Jones has money in the club that’s opening night is for the rich and famous. But as Marion is crossing the street to enter the club a car almost hits her, and of course it was Indiana that saves her life. Once inside the club Jamal an art dealer with a shady past and is now decorating the club is upset that an attempt was made at her life. And before the doors open Marion warns Indiana that mobster Marko wanted to put money into the club to use as a gambling place, she rejected his offer and thinks he is the one that wants her dead. That night another attempt is made at Marion’s life and even after she and Indiana Jones confront Marko the next day someone tries to kill both our heroes in a horse carriage accident! Marion and Indiana investigates Marko and soon find that he is not the one trying to kill her, and in fact as they make an escape from Marko’s mansion via a boat they are attacked again by the assassin and Indiana is able to get the attackers knife and comes up with a suspect he thinks is behind these attacks. They head to the shop of Jamal who is away and Indiana knows he has their attacker, and they rush to the Ravens Nest to find Jamal placing explosives around the club! Jamal comes clean when he is confronted and says he has hidden stolen treasures inside the decorations and he used the drama with Marko as away for the mobster to take all the blame so that he could get his riches and make money. Jamal and Indiana start fist fighting and a fire breaks out in the club, Marion and Indiana are able to escape but Jamal stays behind to grab some of his stolen treasure and is blown up in the club explosion. In the end Indiana alerts Marion that he took insurance out on the club so they should be able to get their money back from the fire.

What a fun issue that brings back Marion Ravenwood back from Raiders Of The Lost Arch and has her and Indy opening a night club in New York and find themselves being targeted by a hitman that could have been hired by an angered mob boss but is really a sleazy stolen art dealer who wants to frame the mobster in order to get away with smuggling stolen goods through the club. Indiana Jones is a hero who once more risks his life in order to do the right thing and in this case he gets in the way of a killer who is targeting his lady friend Marion who herself is strong willed and one heck of a fighter and business woman. Really seeing these two back together was awesome and Marvel Comics and the creator behind this series are doing a great job of capturing the fun nature of the film series and the characters that make up that world. The main bad guy Jamal is a true scumbag as he deals in stolen treasures and even after Indiana Jones tries to help him out with the law, his main goal is to kill those who helped him in order to get away with more stolen goods…and like he plans on blowing up a night club filled with people…this guy is scum! The action is fast paced and I enjoyed the fight on the speeding boats by Indy and the masked attacker as the adventure is high in these panels. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Indiana leaping into a car being driver by a masked man. The interior art is done by Howard Chaykin and is pretty good with his drawing of Marion and Jamal being good, his Indiana is a little off and has zero resemblance to actor Harrison Ford. Over all a very good issue and makes me look forward to seeing what issue seven has in store for us.

Indiana Jones # 7 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 7 of 34

At a vineyard in France Indiana Jones has found a thief that is dressed as a monk and with a pistol in hand he wants his stolen ancient artifact back, well the one he has been hired to return! The monk is McIver and all the monks that are making wine are in fact thieves and after Indiana escapes with the artifact wrapped in map to keep it from getting damaged the very angry McIver swears revenge. Once back in America Indiana Jones discovers the map he used to protect the artifact leads to lost treasure from a Atlantian tribe and if this treasure is found could be priceless as well as prove that Atlantis was real! And as Indiana Jones sets out for Africa were the map leads he must take along Marion Ravenwood who over heard the importance of the find and wiggles her way into going along for the adventure. Once in Africa they try and hire some extra help, but find that someone else has hired all the extra hands to look for a rare flower, and Indy knows something is up and he and Marion rush into to the jungle to find the treasure. While floating down the river Indy and Marion are attacked by a hippo, alligators plus a python and escape the river but find themselves stuck in quicksand and are saved by flower hunter’s expedition that turns out to ne Nazi’s that are also after the treasure and are being helped by McIver! After escaping the camp Indy and Marion are hiding in the jungle from the Nazi’s who are now hunting them, but some sort of wild animal is also on their trail!

In this seventh issue of Indiana Jones we find him once more alongside Marion Ravenwood as they are on a adventure this time in the Amazon in order to find the treasure of a tribe that is said to have been from the city of Atlantis, but of course one of Indy’s past enemies is also after the treasure and he has brought backup with the Nazi’s and to both sides have to be aware of nature as the beasts of the jungle are also on the hunt. Indiana Jones in this issue by accident stumbles on a map that leads to what could be a very priceless treasure and by finding the map he also finds him self being the hero as always as he gets himself as well as his lady friend Marion out of trouble. The one thing they dropped the ball on with this issue is they do not play up on Indy’s fear of snakes. Marion is as strong willed as ever and wants to get the scoop on this treasure as well as just be alongside Indy as it’s clear the tension between her and Indy is thick. McIver is a treasure thief who hates Indy with a passion and even teams with those scumbag Nazi’s in order to beat him getting the treasure. Like always this is a very action packed issue and Indy has to use his wits throughout in order to outsmart the baddies who want him dead! The Nazi’s being the villains in the story is normal at this point as is adding a past baddie from his past with McIvers, but I do like the idea of adding the wild animals of the jungle into the mix as they do not choose sides and only have one thing on their minds and that’s to make humans go dead! The cover is very cool and eye catching and has Indy saving Marion from gators, and this time around the interior art is done by Kerry Gammill and is very good and I like the way he draws Indy. Over all a great issue that keeps up the high quality and delivers a new adventure for Indiana Jones to keep fans happy until the next film.

Indiana Jones # 8 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 8 of 34

Indiana Jones and Marion are hiding from a group of Nazi’s who are hunting them down and find themselves in a cave with a blood thirsty Panther who is only held at bay thanks to a small brush fire that Indy sets. As our heroes run from the cave the panther attacks a near by Nazi and Indy and Marion run into a Atlantis Giant who is then shot and killed by the Nazis and this goes very bad for everyone as the Atlantis army surrounds them all and takes them to their cave base and to their King who is not happy with the killing of one of his own. The King takes the Nazi that killed one of his men and uses crystals to kill the man as they burn him up from the inside out. As the rest watch on in horror they are rushed away and placed in a cell room, that in the morning turns into a crystal tomb when the sun comes up and the lasers start flying and killing! Indy does not panic and uses the mirrored compact of Marion’s to blast the lock off the cell door and this allows he and Marion to escape as well as McIver and what is left of the Nazis. As Indiana and Marion are trying to get away from the Atlantis Warriors they are also trying to find away out of the cave, while the Nazis and McIver have gotten back their weapons and are killing the warriors as well as The King as the Nazi Captain wants the main crystal and he foolishly grabs the crystal and this causes the energy to go crazy and his own men to be burned up alive and the cave it’s self to collapse onto it’s self! As the cave crumbles Indy and Marion escape with Indy being able to at least save one necklace from the tribe, and unknown to the McIver also escaped and swears revenge of Indy one day. As Indiana and Marion walk back into the jungle they realize that everyone is dead and they can not prove that the Atlantis Tribe even was alive as its all been crushed and blown to bits.

What a fun adventure that takes us into the heart of the Amazon jungle and into the cave of a tribe that is from Atlantis and who uses crystals in order to deal death as well as keep their cave in order. Indiana Jones in this issue as always has to use his brilliant mind as well as trusty whip in order to get himself out of trouble and of course he has to look out for Marion as well who is very strong willed and has no issues grabbing a wood board and putting up a fight. In this issue alone Indy and Marion survive attacks from Nazis, Atlantis Warriors, Deadly Crystal Lasers as well as a Panther! McIver who is a stolen art dealer makes the big mistake of teaming with the Nazis and soon learns that their greed and crave for power almost lead him to being crushed to death or even fried from the inside out by a crystal laser, and I do think we will see him again in another issue as he really wants his revenge against Indy. I like that this issue takes place in a cave that is covered in human bones and crystals and is pretty much a death trap if anyone moves one master crystal the wrong way…truly a deadly spot in the Amazon and adds to the lore of that river and jungle. The over is awesome and has Indiana and Marion in front of a skull cave with arrows coming at them and this makes it very eye catching. The interior art is done by Kerry Gammill again and is good stuff and really helps bring this adventure alive. We are eight issues into this series and I have to say that the creators and Marvel Comics had something special going as every issue has been great and for me has this far lived up to the re-reads.

Indiana Jones # 9 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 9 of 34

Indiana Jones is still in Africa as he is going after The Chachapoyan Idol that was stolen from him by Belloq and sold to a dealer, and as Indy is sneaking into the place he is getting the help of his friend Sallah who is in charge of keeping an eye out. But once inside Indy finds that he is not the only one after the idol as two armed hooded figures are also there trying and now are after Indy and Sallah who have the idol and give them chase on top of the rooftops and by luck Indy and Sallah jump off a roof into a truck that his hauling hay and they take the truck to escape. We soon see that the hooded figures are one scar faced warrior and a blonde woman who swears that she will kill Indiana and get the idol back. Back in New York museum currier Marcus Brody along with Marion Ravenwood are entertaining the press as they all wait for Indiana to arrive at the museum with the idol, and when Marcus takes the idol to a safe room he is confronted by the scar faced warrior and his friends to take the idol. Indiana Jones rushes out of the window that is 23 floors up to try and walk the ledge in order to save his friend Marcus, but once outside he finds that the warriors are as well on the ledge trying to make their escape! Indy almost falls once and is saved by Marion who followed him outside the window, but after taking out one warrior Indy finds off the ledge and the other warriors is stomping on his fingers to try and make Indy falls to his death!

This ninth issue really brings the characters of “Raiders Of The Last Ark” back together as Indiana Jones is joined by not only Marion Ravenwood but also Sallah and Marcus Brody for this adventure that all revolves around the idol that Indy gets at the start of that film. And after getting the idol back Indy finds himself the target of warriors from the tribe it originally belong to. And this issue has a pretty big cliffhanger as Indy is hanging off the ledge that is 23 stories up and a warrior is stomping on his fingers to try and make him fall to his death! I like that Indy as well rushes into a very dangerous spot in order to try and help his friend that is in danger, I also like that in this issue they showcase his friendship with Sallah who I hope makes more appearances. The baddies of this issue are the scar or later said tattoo faced Xomec and his warrior friends as well as a yet to be named blonde haired woman as they all want that idol. This issue really is a fun start to this story arc and does a great job of bringing the film characters into the world of Marvel Comics and I am not going to lie as I would love to see the likes of Steve Rogers aka Captain America cameo in this series or image if Indy had to tangle with the Red Skull! The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Indy on the ledge and one of the warriors ready for the attack, the interior art is done by Dan Reed and is pretty great, though I have to say that I am not a fan of how he drew Indy in some panels. Over all a great issue that makes me look forward to reading the next issue.

Indiana Jones # 10 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 10 of 34

As the warrior is about to stomp on the fingers of Indy one last time a shot rings out and the warrior falls to his death as once more Marion Ravenwood has saved the day armed with a pistol. Indy then gives chase to Xomec who is able to escape with the idol and even leaves Indy hanging from a flagpole. Back at the museum Marcus is ok and has gotten a phone call from the blonde woman who tells him they can have the idol for a price back and that Indy but deliver it to an old opera house in the amazon, but must come alone! Once back in the jungle Indy knows it’s a set up and he is quickly proven right when he is attacked by warriors, he is able to fight a few off but soon is captured and taken to Xomec as well as the blonde woman who is Ilsa Toht the sister of Ernst Toht who was the Nazi that had his face melted off by the Lost Ark, and she wants revenge and her plan is to have Xomec and his warriors leave Indy tied to some stakes in order for the wild animals to eat him alive! Once by the riverbank and left alone Indy escapes his binding and even fights off some hungry alligators, Indy then is able to get aboard the plane of Ilsa as it takes off. While in the air Indy is able to outsmart and out live Xomec who falls from the aircraft to his death, and then Indy is able to grab the idol and force Ilsa to crash the plane, with of course Indy being able to escape the crash just in time and he does not know the fate of Ilsa. In the end with the idol in hand Indy starts his journey back to New York to the museum.

The Raiders Of The Lost Ark connections continue in this one as we find out that the blonde female villain is the sister of Ernst Toht the main baddy from that film, and she is filled with hatred and wants revenge for her brother’s death and is following in his footsteps by becoming a Nazi as well. Her partner in crime the tattooed faced Xomec is a warrior who is also to cocky for his own good, and his ego is what leads to him falling to his death and going splat on the land bellow from a in flight plane. Marion Ravenwood is a hero like always as she once more saves Indy’s life by killing a warrior who almost had Indy’s number punched. It’s a shame that she did not get to sneak to the Amazon with Indy to get the idol back as it would have been great to see her punch and knock out Ilsa. Indiana Jones in the issue is like always a lucky hero who uses his wits and skills in order to stay alive as well as re-get a stolen idol for the New York Museum. In this issue as well if you think about it both main baddies are dead as one is blown up in a plane crash while the other falls from said plane onto the cold unforgiven ground below…but I have a feeling that Ilsa Toht is not dead and that she might return to get revenge on Indy once more. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Indy on the wing of the plane, though I am not a fan of the art style used for it. The interior art is done again by Dan Reed and is good stuff for the most part. Over all another great issue and delivers a fun Indy adventure and like before I cannot wait to see what’s next.

Indiana Jones # 11 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 11 of 34

Indiana Jones is in Australia and with an artifact in hand is running from a tribe who are throwing poisoned tipped spears at him during a sandstorm! And as Indy tries to frighten then off with his pistol and whip a group of masked Egyptian ninjas appear and kill all the tribe members and take Indy to a cave were the very rich art collector Ben Ali Ayoob who wants to hire Indy to travel to Spain in order to find the fourth nail of Jesus that is said to be in the hand of a Gypsy King, Indy rejects the offer and Ben sends three of his ninjas to follow him. Meanwhile back in New York Marcus has just hired Marion Ravenwood to work at the museum as they get a package from Indy that holds the artifact as well as a note, saying he is going to Spain to find that nail for the museum if it is indeed real. While in Spain Indy finds an old friend named Torino who is a thief and is running from a group of men he stole money from in a street game, and they pair hide in a nearby church. Once in the Church the workers have heard what Torino has done and they attack the pair and one that is built like a pro wrestler chases Indy around and thanks to a rotting roof that causes the big man to fall, Indy and Torino are able to escape just as the cops arrive. As Indy and Torino escape into the sewers they talk about the Fourth Nail and it scares Torino who once they exit the sewer goes missing! Indy finds himself in a bull fighter arena stable and with him is one angry bull that is charging.

This is a strange issue that takes Indy from Australia to Spain and his end goal is to find a nail that was said to have been selected to be the deathblow to Christ as he was on the cross, but was stolen by a gypsy in order to try and help him. And Indy of course finds himself in all types of trouble, but yet still always finds ways out of danger mostly thanks to his luck, pistol and whip. In this issue as well Indy faces lots of challengers from a Aboriginal Tribe, Egyptian Ninjas, Angry Workers and even on a cliffhanger ending a massive bull! Torino is his sidekick in this issue and is a Gypsy street thief who picks pockets as well as rigs street gambling games, he knows of the Fourth Nail and is scared to talk about it. One of the most fun moments in this issue is Indy trying to fight and avoid the massive muscled church worker who wants to squash Indy like a bug, and the way he defeats him is pretty cleaver by using the big man’s weight and the rotted roof wood to make him fall (to his death maybe?) was pure classic Indy smarts. I also like that this adventure takes him to Spain to find another missing religious artifact and we end the issue on a cliffhanger of a bull about to charge and gore him, great stuff and makes you really want to read the next issue to see how he gets out of this dangerous spot. The cover for this one is pretty good and show cases the drama at the church and has Indy holding onto a ledge as his attacker is about to attack, pretty good stuff. The interior art is done by Kerry Gammill and is pretty great stuff and I like the way he draws Indy as it’s got a touch of Harrison Ford’s look to it. Over all another great issue that leaves us on another big cliffhanger so lets see what happens next.

Indiana Jones # 12 ***
Released in 1983 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 12 of 34

Indiana Jones is stuck in a stall at a bull fighting arena with a bull that is very angry, and after dodging the beats for a bit Indy uses the fighters cloaks that are in the stall to cover the bulls head and this gives him the time he needs to escape and be back on the street. While looking around he notices that the police and the angry mob are still looking for him and the missing Torino, and he gets the shock of his life when Marion Ravenwood surprises him and has joined him in Spain as she has taken a job for the museum to cover all the discoveries of Indy’s. Marion also informs Indy that she seen his friend Torino being taken to a warehouse by the Egyptian Ninjas and they rush to the site to save their friend. Indy and Marion get to the warehouse and fight with the Ninjas and are able to knock some of them out by luck and Marion even shoots one of them wounding him badly. But as Indy and Marion save Torino they get away as The Ninjas come to and even the wounded one is up and wants to continue their mission for their master Ben Ali Ayoob who wants the Fourth Nail. Torino ends up taking Indy and Marion to a Gypsy Camp that the Fourth Nail is at and after Indy helps the gypsies fight off the town’s people who are armed with clubs, they take him to view the Fourth Nail as he has proven himself as a friend to the camp. Once inside the cave that holds the nail they are guided by an old woman who explains that it’s more than it seems, but just then The Egyptian Ninjas show up and they have Torino and drop him down a mine shaft and as Indy and Marion rush to save him the Ninjas take the nail…big mistake! The torches that light the cave flicker and the Fourth Nail glows and as Indy and Marion get Torino to safety they find that the Nail has killed the Ninjas by pearling all their hearts! As the old woman asks Indy if he still would like to take the nail he declines the offer and heads back home along side Marion. Meanwhile Ben Ali Ayoob has not heard from his Ninjas and knows that they have failed and swears that he will see the end of Indiana Jones.

In this issue Indiana Jones is in Spain and is being joined in his adventure by Marion Ravenwood and the gypsy named Torino as they go on the hunt for the religious artifact The Fourth Nail as they are being hunted down by the locals, the police as well as the Ninjas of the greedy Ben Ali Ayoob all who want Indy dead or locked up, so in other words the odds are against him in Spain, and yet its almost like Indy would not have it any other way! Indiana while on the hunt for the Fourth Nail also doubts it and even when seeing it he is not impressed with its rusted appearance, but once he sees that it does have power and kills an elite group of Ninjas in seconds…he changes his tune and decides that maybe the Nail should stay with the Gypsies. Ben Ali Ayoob is clearly now turning his rivalry with Indy into a game that he swears will only have one of them left alive, and keep in mind this is all because he could not buy him off to get the nail for him. The poor Ninjas who are just following orders find themselves nailed in the heart and dead as a doornail…you get it. One think that is always so cool about Indiana Jones adventures in both films and comics is when they can add that supernatural elements to the stories and make the quest a little more danger. Plus in this issue I like the Gypsy Camp and I really like that the Fourth Nail is real and deals death to those who want to steal it away from them. The cover is really cool and features Indy fighting a raging bull! The interior art is done by Kerry Gammill and is a solid as ever and is good stuff. A very fun issue that has Indy not getting the artifact for the museum for once!

Indiana Jones # 13 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 13 of 34

Indiana Jones has some of his students on a fieldtrip looking for Indian artifacts near a cave that is said to be unsafe and after a few accidents including Lucy Giles almost getting stung by a scorpion and a rockslide that almost crushes Indy and one of his male students they start to make their way back to camp in town when they are also run off by two gun caring strangers named Oinkster and Dominic who warn that people could get hurt around the cave if they snoop around. Later that night Indiana thinking that art thieves are inside the cave and sneaks back to it and finds that a criminal named Busby along with lots or workers are making a hidden city inside the cave for criminals on the run, and Indy has to swear and leave and not tell a soul as somehow they have also captured Lucy Giles and are keeping her hostage are insurance. The next day Busby watches as the trucks caring the students leave, but unknown to him Indy has stayed behind and takes out some of the criminals and enters the cave and finds Lucy who turns out to be the daughter of Busby and was in on this cave base idea all along! But Indiana was also smart and before he found her radioed the police who are now on their way! Before the cops get there Indy is able to stop the escape plane that Busby and he along with Lucy and his crew are all arrested.

This is a issue that wraps the full story that has Indiana Jones with his students being run off of the land by criminals who want to turn a cave filled with artifacts into a hidden base from wanted criminals, and Indy must use his smarts to bring them all down and to pay for their crimes. Indiana Jones in this issue also shows that he can be on an adventure and yet still be teaching his students about artifacts and history. I also like that as always Indy’s whip helps save the day as he is super skilled with it. Lucy Giles is a student who clearly has a crush on Indy and seems to be following him around as well as always trying to get his attention, and we then learn that she is really the daughter of a crime lord and is really trying to get his attention cause she is keeping an eye on him. Lucy’s father Busby is a scumbag who is destroying history all for the love of money and to keep criminals out of jail. We do get a very small cameo from Marcus Brody who has a phone call with Indy over the oddness at the cave and the actions of Marion Ravenwood while Indy has been away. The threat in this issue seems a little less dangerous as Indy is able to bring down Busby and his crew pretty easily as he outsmarts them at every turn and gets them all arrested and is even able to smart off to Lucy is tries to hit on him even while being arrested. The cover for this issue has Indy being dragged behind an airplane and is pretty eye catching. The interior art for this issue is done by Ricardo Villamonte and is good stuff and has that classic Marvel Comics feel. And to sum it up another great issue of Indiana Jones done by Marvel, and I really do think that modern Marvel should bring Indy back to comics and get a good creative team behind it.

Indiana Jones # 14 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 14 of 34

Indiana Jones is upset at Marion Ravenwood when she is doing a promotion for the museum that has her dropping flyers out of a hot air balloon on the collage campus as well as around town, as Indy thinks this is cheapening history. Poor Marcus Brody is stuck in the middle of this fight and even has to blow off Harvey Pondexter who works in the accounting department, and this hurts the old workers feelings as we feels he is never listened to. Meanwhile Indy storms away and will be flying out to Alaska soon as Marcus and Marion try to get to the bottom of why they fight so much and it comes down to Indy breaking her heart. Pondexter ends up finding a journal of a past worker at the museum who committed suicide and bones of a deformed god that he found in Mexico that he thought was evil and that’s why he hid it, and now Pondexter decides to steal the bones and sell to another museum and is caught by Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood who are trying to patch things up and they give a chase via cars. Pondexter ends up shooting at them as well as causing a landslide to try and crush them as its clear something is mentally messing with him. And Pondexter ends up setting a fire on a wooden bridge and Indy and Marion must escape by falling into the water bellow as Pondexter himself breaks into a hotel in order to rest and clear his head that is now very cloudy. Indy and Marion make their way to the hotel and Pondexter is waiting for them and is now armed with a poison tipped sword and he is able to cut Indy who is growing weaker and weaker, and as he and Marion try to dodge the stalking Pondexter, it’s Marion who saves the day when she tosses the trunk over a balcony and Pondexter leaps to his death after it. In the end and back at the museum the poison has worked its self out of Indy’s system and Marion gets a telegram that shocks her.

This issue is a pretty fun read as most of the action takes place on a very stormy night and has Indy and Marion on the hunt for a museum employee that they caught stealing who in turn is being possessed by the evil spirit of a Mexican God who is clouding his brain with thoughts of murder! And after trying to kill our heroes several times his connection to those cursed bones lead to his own death. Indiana Jones in this issue is very upset with Marion over her tactics of advertising for the relics in the museum, but its clear he loves her just as much as she loves him, but Marion is dealing with some issues as her father before he passed away in a accident was very upset with Indy for breaking his daughters heart and she has kind of held this against him. The baddie of this issue is Harvey Pondexter a long time employee of the museum who seems to always be over looked by the rest of the staff and treated not well as everyone seems to have no time for him, and after finding cursed bones and artifacts in the wall of the museum he is over taken with bloodlust and greed and turns into a drone for a curse. The action in this issue is lots of fun and kind of reminded me of an early slasher film, and the cliffhanger of the message Marion gets is a good way to get the reader to return for the next issue. I will say that the cover for this issue is pretty cool and has a real fantasty feel to it, in fact it reminds me of a cover you would have seen for other Marvel Comics like Conan The Barbarian or Saga Of Crystar. The interior art is well done and is by David Mazzucchelli who should have been working in Horror Comics as his art would have fit for Marvel Horror series. Another great issue and I cannot wait to see what the big shock is that was in that message.

Indiana Jones # 15 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 15 of 34

Indiana Jones and his friend Jock are in a plane taking pictures of some old ruins in the woods, but are also having to dodge a Japanese ship as well as fighter plane and of course Indy figures out a way to escape the ship and bring down the plane and this angers the ships Captain Commander Hiroto. Once safe back at the museum Indy and Marcus Brody talk about a Chinese Statue that looks like it’s in the ruins and that would be priceless as well as could change history, and Indy know that he has to get it for the museum and heads out to get a ship and a captain that would ask no questions. Now in Panama Indy bails Captain Simon Katanga and his crew from jail as they got busted with an illegal shipment of rum, and now are on board to help Indy get the statue and other artifacts off that island. Before they can even leave Panama they are attacked by goons and after dealing with them and while at sea they run into Commander Hiroto and his men who search the ship, and even semi make a threat to Indy for being American. Finally they make it to the island and to the ruins and the statue is there as well as lots of other treasures but their joy is cut short when female pirate Emeralda Vasquez and her men show up with guns and want to take all the treasures as one of her men was in the jail cell when Indy bailed out Simon and heard it all. Indy along with Simon and his men try to escape but The Pirates capture them at the beach and Indy notices that the Pirates have an American submarine and Emeralda forces Simon to alert his crew they now take orders from her and Indy is taken to the beach and buried up to his neck in the sand with the hopes he will drown with the coming tide and worse flesh eating crabs are also coming his way! Meanwhile Simon dives off his ship and is shot at by the Pirates who think that the Captain has drowned.

Indiana Jones in this adventure as found some ruins and a statue that could change the history books over Chinese culture in America and teams up with a smuggler ship Captain and his men in order to get the goods back to the museum, but along the way they have made big enemies out of the Japanese military as well as pirates who now all have Indy in their sights. This is another very solid and fun read that as always shows that Indy has not only a great mind to escape danger but also has lots of luck as he gets past attacking ships, plans and pirates…but to be fair he in the end of the issue is in threat of drowning or having his face eaten by crabs. Captain Simon Katanga and his men while they deal with shady people and haul some shady things and even kill some people, they are good people at heart and are loyal to tying to help Indy in his quest. And while Commander Hiroto and his men are around they truly are not the baddies as Emeralda Vasquez and her pirates are the true evil ones as they will take human lives as well as steal from everyone. This is a really cool issue as I also like that it takes place on the open waters as well as on an island as it helps add to the adventure nature of the comic. The cover for this issue is fun and the bright red makes it eye catching. The interior art is done by the legend Herb Trimpe and its great stuff! Over all a great issue and I am looking forward to seeing how Indy escapes these crabs! Also if we will get any answers on what the letter in the last issue said that shocked Marion Ravenwood.

Indiana Jones # 16 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 16 of 34

Indiana Jones is buried up to his neck in sand and crabs hungry for flesh are closing in and just as all looks lost Captain Simon Katanga saves the day and kicks away the crabs and digs up Indy and then the two head to the temple and find that the pirates have cleared it out of all the riches and have set bombs all around and Simon’s crew are tied up inside! The timer only has five minutes left and Indy ends up having to leave some artifacts behind in order to rescue the crew and they all make it out at the last minute. And the explosion also gets the attention of Commander Hiroto who sets his site now on that island. Indy and Simon take the submarine and go to the ship were Emeralda Vasquez is and threaten to blow them up and sink them and of course Indy is bluffing. Emeralda comes up with an idea to send a SOS message to Commander Hiroto’s warship that is on the way, and this causes the submarine to dive and once under water the pirates on board clash with Simon’s crew in order to try and take back control, but soon they all join sides as they are attacked by the Japanese warship! Indy fakes the submarines sinking and this causes the warship to go away and gives Indy and Simon along with the crew to get aboard Emeralda’s and a fight breaks out and Indy even punches and knocks out Emeralda, just as Commander Hiroto returns to the fight as he sees the submarine has returns to the surface. Emeralda goes overboard and gets on the submarine and gets behind the gun and is about to fire before she is blown up by Hiroto who leaves the scene after the explosion as he knows he could be in trouble if he attacks the other ship at this point. Indy returns home and meets up with Marcus Brody who informs him that Marion has taken time away from the museum and is going to Greece in order to find her father was suppose to be dead!

In this Indy adventure he finds himself being saved from being eaten alive by crabs and fights alongside pirates and seamen in order to save treasure and overthrow a female pirate captain as well as dodge the attack of a Japanese warship that is on the hunt to stop and kill any pirates they come across. But like always Indy uses his good luck, brains and skills in order to defeat the Pirate Captain, avoid being blown up by a warship and even helps his friend regain his ship and crew and even gets him new members that were once pirates who now have learned a lesson on trust. Commander Hiroto just wants to blow up ships that he thinks pirates are on and does so and takes down one of the high seas most cold-blooded pirate captains, and when he does his goal he and his crew calmly sail away. Captain Simon Katanga is a hero who fights alongside Indy but also saves Indy’s life twice as well as saves his own crew from being blown up by bombs. Pirate Captain Emeralda Vasquez has no quit in her soul and fights to her bitter end as she wants all the gold as well as really wants to kill Indy for getting in her way and being a pain in her ass and cause her plan to get out of control. I also like that Indy in the issue gets a mouth full of sand in order to spit at grabs to keep them away from his face, what a great way to fight back against those little flesh eaters. This besides being a fun adventure mostly set at seas gives us a great cliffhanger as it shows us that Marion has left for Greece in order to meet up with her father is was suppose to be dead, and keep in mind her father also did not like Indiana Jones as he felt he broke his daughters heart. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Indy above the ship as pirates are shooting at him and the interior art is done by Herb Trimpe again and is fantastic stuff. And with that another great issue from Marvel Comics as they keep proving their creative team really knew how to bring Indy to the world of comics.

Indiana Jones # 17 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 17 of 34

Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood are in some sort of catacombs in Greece and are being stalked by a Minotaur who is swinging a giant wooden club, and Indy remembers back to finding Marion in Greece and how a cult has chased them here to this maze! Indy and Marion try to fight the Minotaur and find that it’s just a man in a mask and by accident they fall into a whole that leads to a cave with blood thirsty bats, and Indy and Marion make barely make an escape to a door that they end up tricking the Minotaur into and the bats end up killing him. Back on the streets Marion and Indy meet up with the drunken Kershaw a man who use to work for her father who tells them for a price about a map that leads to a location in the Himalaya Mountains and about an old white man who leads people there and it’s the location of the disappearance of Marion’s father! The arrive at the location given to them for the map and find that it’s in the hands of Andre Lafonte another man who use to work with Marion’s father and is working along side a group of Mongols as well as McIver who Indy thought had died in the explosion in Africa and now a death order is given to kill Indy and Marion who in turn are able to get the map during a scuffle the make a big escape that includes a car chasing them on horses and getting to a train that takes them to the Himalayas. Once walking around in the deep snow they find a trap and know that people must be around, and when they cross a old rope wooden bridge a massive figure on the other side shakes the bridge and then breaks the bridge and causes Indy and Marion to fall.

Wow this adventure takes Indiana Jones all over the world and has him at the side of his lady Marion Ravenwood as she looks for her father that was suppose to be dead, but now rumors say he is alive and well and running a village in the Himalaya Mountains! And along this quest to find the missing man they come across a cult, a Minotaur, Warrior Mongols, a massive shadow figure and an old enemy in McIver. And of course Indy and Marion do a great job of surviving as well as escaping the grips of them all, well besides the massive shadow figure that causes them to fall off a broken bridge in the issues cliffhanger. And all through the issue you can tell Indy is doing all this for his love of Marion, but is also worried that her father if alive could come between them as he has always had it out for Indy after he first broke his daughters heart. It was cool to see McIver back even if it was for a brief moment and it’s clear his hatred for Indy is still burning bright, and I am sure if not in the next issue in the future their paths will cross again. The Minotaur who is just a muscle man in a costume is apart of the cult in Greece and he is really cool, even if he gets killed by a horde of bats and its clear as day that the massive shadow is the cryptozoology creature known as the Abominable Snowman or The Yeti as others call him. This is a very fun issue as I love the world travel and all the odd bad guy characters, it as a great mystery of is her father alive and ends with a great cliffhanger. The cover for this issue is just ok and is nothing special as it just shows the horse and jeep chase and the interior art is once more done by the great Herb Trimpe and is outstanding stuff. To sum it up this is a great issue and I cannot wait to see how they escape the fall and if Marion’s father is really alive and how they will get past The Yeti.

Indiana Jones # 18 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 18 of 34

Indiana Jones holds onto the side of the mountain and watches as Marion Ravenwood falls off the cliff, and when Indy is able to get to safety he sits in sadness thinking Marion is dead. A group of villagers appear and take Indy to their village that is under a dome and is heated all thanks to a stone that fell from the sky, he also meets the elder leader named Chen Sha who alerts Indy that Marion is hurt but will be ok, as he watches them take her to a temple. The next morning Indy is awaken from sleep by Marion who is healed by a stone from space and they two are very happy to see each other, and the two are taken to a ceremony and notice that a man is sitting with Chen Sha is wearing a Golden Mask and could be her father. They watch as the villagers bring a cage that inside is a Yeti who is very mad, they open the cage and the beast man rages on people and drags one of the villagers away who is happy to feel the touch of death and then Indy and Marion learn that they have been selected to take the place of the Golden Masked man who is dying do to his dependence on the healing stone. Indy and Marion are locked in a cell and use trickery to escape, they head toward the healing stone and find the Golden Masked man their as well who is voiceless, but unknown to Indy he is has been tracked by McIver, Andre Lafonte and his men who even already had a small run in with a group or Yetis. In the end Indy sets a bomb to destroy the healing stone, The Golden Masked man is clearly her father kills Chen Sha and McIver and his crew are killed by a pack of wild Yetis! When back home at the museum Indy and Marion find it closed and inside Marcus Brody informs them that an item Indy brought back has been called out for being a fake and he is now being replaced at the museum.

In this issue Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood find themselves in a strange village in the Himalaya Mountains that is being controlled by a power hungry old man who has them all worshiping a magical stone that fell from the sky that gives off heat as well as heals all manors of illness and even death. And to make things worse for Indy and Marion they are also being stalked by Yetis as well as McIvor and the Mongols and lets not forget the mystery of is the Golden Masked man really Marion’s father? Indiana in this issue of course has luck on his side that keeps him alive, but also for a brief moment he feels the ultimate sadness as he thinks his lady love Marion is dead who turns out not to be but also feels sadness as she never gets the answer of if the Golden Masked man was her father…and we as the readers of course see that it was her father. Chen Sha is kind of a cult leader as he leads his people to worship a stone from space and is willing to kill in order to keep his power over his people. McIver finally tracks down Indy only to seem to be killed off by Yetis, but who knows maybe he will come back as maybe he was able to escape. Marcus Brody this go around is down in the dumps as under his leadership he is accused of showcasing a fake piece and is now on the verge of loosing his job and being a laughing stock, so its an interesting cliffhanger for this important and yet background character. I really like the Yetis as they are wild and clearly hate humans and will kill any that get in their way, and I don’t blame them as its clear that Chen Sha and his people capture them for their weird ceremonies. The cover is very cool and showcases Indy and Marion on a bridge being shaken by a Yeti, and the interior art is once more done by the legend Herb Trimpe and is good stuff. Over all another great issue and Indiana Jones survived the Himalaya Mountains and now must save his friends job.

Indiana Jones # 19 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 19 of 34

Indiana Jones find himself once more near the Himalaya Mountains this time because of a letter from his friend Professor Kobayashi that alerts him that in a cave a primitive tribe lives and worships a dragon that is frozen in ice and the Japanese Military are wanting to get the dragon and use it as a weapon against America! Indy finds the cave but it’s to late as they have the dragon, and a solider even gets a shot off at Indy that grazes him, once the dragon and soldiers are gone Indy is helped by the tribe for his wound and they as well give him a script to control the dragon. Later Indy goes to Japan and finds that Professor Kobayashi has committed suicide after he wrote the letter and now has the help of his young daughter to find the location of the dragon that might be in a old temple, and Indy sneaks in as she keeps an eye outside for his escape. Once in the temple Indy is discovered by a sumo wrestler and soldiers, that want him out and he uses his skill and whip to hide, and later finds the frozen dragon in a lab in the basement. Indy is able to awaken the dragon in the lab and the beats goes on a rampage and as it is about to take flight Indy uses his whip to hitch a ride on the great fire breathing beast that is tormenting people in the villages, but Indy is able say the magical words that sends the dragon back in Himalaya Mountains cave frozen in ice and Indy along with Kobayashi’s daughter are able to get him safe passage home via a old ship.

In this issue we have Indiana Jones once more going to the Himalaya Mountains in order to stop the Japanese army from getting a dragon that they plane on using as a weapon against America! And of course because of Indy’s luck and skill he is able to dodge and defeat some of the army soldiers as well as stop the dragon all the while being a hero that the world will never really know about. Indiana Jones is not looking for artifacts at all as his goal really is to stop the dragon from reaching American shores and later to save innocent citizens in Japan from it’s rage. The dragon it’s self is massive and can not only fly but also breath fire and has zero issues with killing men, women and children and if not for Indy this beats rampage could have been deadly for the world. The weird thing about this issue is that the plot of poor Marcus Brody being called a fraud is not even talked about and makes you wonder what is going on with him and is Marion Ravenwood trying to help clear his name as Indy plays hero in Japan? But while they did not follow up on the cliffhanger of the last issue this pretty much stand alone story was lots of fun and I really am enjoying all the weird creatures and cults they are adding into this series as you cant go wrong with a dragon, Yetis and a Minotaur Cult! The cover for this issue is interesting and somewhat eye catching as it has Indy above the ground holding onto the handle of his whip as we see the shadow of the dragon below. The interior art is done by Larry Lieber and is really good stuff as I do like the way he draws the Dragon as well as he captures the likeness well for Indy. Over all this is another solid issue and I can’t wait to see what is next in this series as it has stayed great from the start this far.

Indiana Jones # 20 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 20 of 34

Indiana Jones is at the museum looking at the artifact that when he brought it there was real and now in it’s spot is a cheap knock off, while looking at it he also meets the new curator named Sloams-Hagen who is a combative way talks to Indy about it. Later Indy and Marion talk to Marcus Brody about the fake and Indy asks who had access to it and the only to people would have been two men that installed the new boiler, and Indy and Marion go to investigate and talk to them. And once at the workshop the meet Al who was one of the men who installed it and he starts to run away when the confront him about the real piece missing. The chase goes all around the warehouse and Al tries to hurt and kill our heroes at every turn, and its Marcus who shows up that saves them and they get the info from Al who tells them that Juan Soto from Cuba is who paid him to make the switch. Indiana, Marcus and Marion all head to Cuba and to the home of Soto that is surrounded by sugar cane that hides his drug operation, and when Soto finds out his land has intruders he sends out his men to bring them down. And after a few moments Indy and his friends are captured by Juan Soto who informs them that he got the artifact for a client that he will not revile their identity, and Marcus drops his cigar onto a box of ammunition that explodes and Juan Soto escapes on a boat and Indy and his friend give chase and they all end up on the same boat after a chase. After a fight Juan tells Indy who hired him and then jumps into the waters and is eaten by sharks. Indiana then tells Marion and Marcus that Ben Ali Ayoob is the mastermind behind the fraud and stealing of the artifact.

In this issue Indiana Jones is on the case to figure out how the real artifact was switched with a fake that leads to his friend Marcus Brody being fired from his job at the museum and all things lead to a game being played by Ben Ali Ayoob who hates Indy after he rejected his offer to join his hunt for the Fourth Nail and after Indy beat some of his Ninjas. Indiana Jones is filled with anger in this issue as he wants to clear the name of his friend and get his job back as well as find the real artifact for the museum. Also fired up is Marion Ravenwood and Marcus Brody who both go on this adventure with Indy to get the answers they seek. The baddies in this issue are warehouse worker Al and drug lord Juan Soto both who are deadly and don’t mind killing to save their own hides and both are just puppets for Ben Ali Ayoob who is the true evil mastermind of this plot all to hurt Indy. This adventure also takes us to Cuba and in this issue Indy almost gets killed by a fighter plane as well as a pack of wolves that are being used as guard dogs but like always his good luck and quick thinking saves his hide! The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Indy running from a plane and the interior art is done by Luke McDonnell and is good for the most part, though at times I think he makes Marion’s face look manly. So like before a good issue and I am looking forward to seeing how Indiana takes on Ben Ali as it’s clear the two are headed for a showdown with only one living through it.

Indiana Jones # 21 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 21 of 34

Indiana Jones along with Marion Ravenwood and Marcus Brody are heading to a small town in Indiana to find a old school mate of Marcus’s named Austin Coleridge who has bought the towns mine and shut it down putting everyone in the town out of work and might know were the new hideout of Ben Ali Ayoob! And when they head into the local bar looking for him they are attacked by the locals and as the fight spreads to the streets hawks come from the sky and attack the villagers and as Marion hides with them, Indy and Marcus are taken by Tarrant the right hand man of Coleridge to the mine where Coleridge informs them that he bought the mine to find The Gateway To Hell to find The Devil’s Heart as he has been hired by Ben Ali to find it! Meanwhile the townsfolk are now with Marion on their way to the mine as they want to stop this evil man and his crew once and for all. Indy is able to escape the mine, but Marcus trips in the escape and is told by Coleridge that he thinks behind that wall in a stone that turns everything to gold and proves it by showing his old school mate is hand that is now gold! Meanwhile outside Indy runs into Marion and the locals and head back to the mine to save Marcus and stop these evil men from destroying the mine and the town. Once inside the mine Indy fights and defeats Tarrant and his birds as Marcus and Coleridge fight near the Gates Of Hell and a small hole opens up and turns Coleridge into a ghostly monster spirit that ends up blowing up the entrance to the cave. In the end Marion and the townspeople capture all of Coleridge’s men, Marcus watched as his one time classmates now turned monster is crushed under the cave explosion and Indy finds a gun pointed at him from a Nazi that has been stalking him throughout the start of his quest in this small town.

In this issue Indiana Jones along with Marion Ravenwood and Marcus Brody head to a small town in Indiana in order to find a man who might know the hideout location of Ben Ali Ayoob, but instead they find a small town dying due to no jobs and a man who is on a mission to find the Gates of Hell! This is a strange one for sure and yet was super entertaining as I enjoyed the fights in the mine, the spooky supernatural nature of the gates and of course we get one step closer to the showdown between Indy and Ben Ali. Indy in this issue is able to once more escape deaths grip and is able to be the hero as he his fighting for the honor of his friend Marcus who is being framed by a terrible person who has an issue with him. In this issue as well we get a better look that Marcus Brody is not a weak as we think he is as he defends himself even knocking silly his one time classmate Austin Coleridge, and does not break when with his own eyes we watches a man turn into an evil spirit. Marion Ravenwood meanwhile helps lead the townspeople into an uprising to take their mine back. The one thing that is kind of bland and boring in this issue is the Nazi Soldier who is stalking Indy as he adds nothing to this adventure and just kind of around, and I hope next issue Indy kicks his butt and then he is gone. The cover for this issue is fun and has the hawks attacking Indy and the interior art is done by the legendary co-creator of Spider-Man himself Steve Ditko and is great classic looking comic stuff. Over all a fun issue that acts as a piece to the puzzle that is the showdown between our hero and at this point the series most evil villain. Lets see what the next issue has in store for use and if Indy gets one step closer in clearing the good name of his best friend.

Indiana Jones # 22 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 22 of 34

Indiana Jones has a gun pointed at him by a Nazi spy who informs him that Hitler wants him dead, but Indy ends up saving the life of the Spy when he throws a rock at Tarrant who had woken back up and was about to stab the Spy in the back, this act has now made The Spy go along with Indy, Marion and Marcus on their quest by lying and saying he is an officer from Scotland Yard. They arrive in Switzerland as a castle on a hill is the new base for Ben Ali Ayoob and the four split off into groups as Indy and the Spy climb up the hill and fight off the Ninjas Marion and Marcus use a hot air balloon to drop inside the castle to look around for records of art dealing and the stolen artifact. But the plan goes bad when all four end up being captured and taken to Ben Ali Ayoob who orders them all to be killed in the morning. Morning comes and Ben Ali Ayoob has Marion at a table with him eating breakfast as Marcus and the Spy are tied to a tree and Indy is free but all are in a pit with a very hungry Grizzly Bear! Marion tosses Indy a wine bottle and he pops the cork that hits the bear confusing it for a moment, and Indy frees Marcus who in turn frees the Spy. As Indy and the Spy fight the bear, Marion as run off and freed all the hungry animals from Ben Ali’s zoo and the animals attack the Ninjas as man fights against beast all around. Indiana, Marion, Marcus and the Spy all end up in the office of Ben Ali Ayoob who ends up shooting and killing the Spy who throws an old relic into the fire that was connected to The Devil and as Ben Ali Ayoob goes for it he catches on fire and goes up into a poof of black smoke. Once back home Marcus Brody gets his job back at the museum as his name has been cleared, the stolen artifact is returned and he enjoys a drink with his friend Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood.

The game of life and death between Ben Ali Ayoob and Indiana Jones comes to an end and it’s Ben Ali that meets his fate thanks to a mixture of fire and the Devil himself! Indiana Jones also in this issue teaches a Nazi Spy that human life is important and helping others is the right thing to do and this leads to the Spies death who sacrifices himself in order to save indy’s life, that man he was hired to kill. Indy in this issue not only is able to defeat Ben Ali and his men, but also fights a Grizzly Bear in a small arena in order to save the lives of his friends. Marion Ravenwood is also a big hero as she not only disrespects and escapes the grip of Ben Ali and his Ninjas she also sets all his wild animals free who end up taking care of all the Ninjas! Marcus Brody and the Spy as well do there part is shutting down the evil ways of Ben Ali and his men. I really liked the idea of the arena pit that was just the right size for a full-grown bear to do battle with Indy and his friends as it made me think back to the Gladiator days. The game of death between Indy and Ben Ali is pretty well done and while I wish that Indy had been the one to truly stop him with some well-placed fists to his jaw, his fate is pretty messy and well deserved. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and eye catching as it’s Indy squaring off with the Grizzly and the interior art by Joe Brozowski is well done. Over all yet another great issue of Indiana Jones and his Further Adventures this far have been outstanding.

Indiana Jones # 23 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 23 of 34

Indiana Jones gets a new expedition from Marcus Brody at the museum to head to the island of Kaloo to get the Crown Of Rurick, but the island is under the rule of Lord Harry and his drunken pirates who kill anyone that dare enter their land! Indy comes up with an idea to get to the island by joining a Hollywood movie that is in production as a stunt man with the promise he will do the stunt for free as long as he gets to pick the location of the diving stunt and of course he picks Kaloo Island. The films director is Samuel Greeley who makes a deal with Lord Harry to shoot on the island and that’s Harry gets a part in the film! The leading lady is Stephanie Windslow and the leading man is Alphonse Dumarr who is jealous of Indy as Stephanie keeps flirting with him. When they get to the island and during a rehearsal Stephanie keeps flirting with Indy and Alphonse snaps and attacks Indy and the two fight for a bit before they are broken up by the crew. That night Alphonse goes drinking at a bar with the crew and pirates and makes the mistake of talking about who Indiana Jones really is and that he is not a stunt man at all…this of course gets back to Lord Harry. The next day after filming and Indy finds the crown they Hollywood crew and Indy find themselves the prisoners of Lord Harry and his men who also take the crown, but Indy is able to escape and steal a old World War I tank and rescue the crew and they are able to get the Crown and head back to the plane to make it off the island in one piece. And along the way Alphonse mans the gun and canon on the tank making him a hero as well to make up for his mistake. Once they make it back to America and land at the San Francesco airport Stephanie gives Indy a big kiss and as she walks away Indy sees that Marion was waiting for him and witnessed the kiss and runs off heart broken as Indy wants to go after her.

In this issue Indiana Jones goes on a solo mission without the help of Marion Ravenwood or even Marcus Brody in order to get a crown that is on an island that is over ran by pirates and their blood thirsty leader who’s ego is out of control. And to even get to the island Indy has to go Hollywood and even gets the attention of a beautiful actress! And of course this mission can go smooth or easy for Indy as he has a actor who wants to beat him up for the attention of the lead actress and a pirate who wants to see him dead. What a fun issue as I love the addition of the Hollywood crew being apart of this adventure as cinema was just becoming a big part of culture at that time. Indy of course is a hero who’s skills, brains and luck get him the artifact and out of harms way. Alphonse Dumarr is a actor who starts all the trouble on Kaloo island as his ego and love for actress Stephanie causes him to run his mouth to the wrong people and this puts them all on the chopping block to be killed. Lord Harry and his men care about money, power, being known and feared all the while they do all this with great happiness and bloodthirsty glee. I feel bad for Marion as she watches as another woman kisses her man and given the fact he has broken her heart many times before lets hope Indy can smooth this over as he had no interest in Stephanie and she is the one who kissed him not the other way around. The cover for this issue is pretty good and showcases Indy over the waterfall, with the interior art and story being done by Herb Trimpe who work is great as always. And like all before this is a great issue and the cliffhanger of Marion being upset with Indy adds drama to the next issue.

Indiana Jones # 24 ***
Released in 1984 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 24 of 34

Indiana Jones is still in San Francisco taking a few days of vacation to relax and gets a call from a sleazy “friend” named Reeko who has big information for him, but once he finds Reeko something is off as he seems sick and soon Indy notices that Reeko is dying cause he has a knife in his back! And worse a semi truck tries to run Indy over, but Indy is able to dodge it and then hitch a ride to a warehouse on it but can not see who the man is who ordered for his murder but he does find a young woman tied to a chair, but before he can save her he is attacked from behind and knocked out. Once Indy comes to he beats up the thug that was left behind to kill him and also gets out of him were they took to girl and that is on a ship headed to South America. Indy is able to sneak aboard the ship and finds that scummy archaeologist Klexx along with his friend Flaggart are the ones behind the murder of Reeko as well as had him almost killed twice at this point, and he learns that they want to sacrifice the woman at a temple in order to get hidden gold and gems. Indy ends up getting the woman off the boat whose name is Julia Valdez but the two are captured by Klexx again who figured out that Indy was on the ship, once at the temple they have Indy tied up and Julia ready to be sacrificed, Indy uses his pocket knife to cut his ropes restraints and is able to save Julia and all hell breaks loose after. The temple door opens and heat, fire and light fills the area and burns the flesh from the bones of all of the bad guys as Indy and Julia hide from the burning death. In the end Indy and Julia leave the area to return home and we see the twisted hand of Klexx reaching for help that will probably not come.

Indiana Jones even on a mini vacation can not find quit times as adventure and trouble just seems to follow him around! In this issue Indy finds a man dead, has to try and save a kidnapped woman, stop a fellow evil archaeologist from unearthing a hidden treasure and of course has to try and save his own hide from being killed. Indiana Jones once more puts his safety to the side in order to save a young woman from a terrible death, and of course with his luck and skills he is able to save the day as well as avoid being injured or killed himself. Julia Valdez is a you collage student who was kidnapped and set to be killed at a temple all because of her bloodline that is linked to the natives that use to live around the temple. And Klexx is very cold blooded and loves wealth more than he does human life as he has killed and stolen his way through life and has no respect for anyone besides himself, and in the end he gets what he deserves as his own death is very painful. And the supernatural elements are back in play here as the occult is very much a big part of this comic series and it fits in so well and in fact helps add a dash of Horror as well as adds to the adventures of each issue. I wish they had shown what is going on with Marion Ravenwood who watched Indy get kissed by a film actress at the airport, as oddly this is not mentioned at all. In the issue as well the mention that the Crown Of Rurick that he got from Kaloo Island and had to fight Lord Harry and his men to get was a fake, all that travel and danger for a fake. The cover is great and has a painting look to it and the interior art and story is once more done by Herb Trimpe and is fantastic as always. Over all another great issue and again the death of the baddies in this issue is pretty damn brutal.

Indiana Jones # 25 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 25 of 34

Indiana Jones shows up in Peru to help Jessie Hale on her biggest discovery and she needs help in translating a few things as she thinks she found the lost city of El Dorado that is said to be the location of lots of treasures. As Indy starts to translate the rock slab that has the location a group of gun caring bandits lead by Ivar Reiss comes busting in as he wants the treasures for himself and threatens their lives if they do not help him get it. Meanwhile back in America Marion Ravenwood is mad when Indy does not show up for a lecture at the collage and instead Marcus Brody shows up, and this really makes Marion at wits end with her boyfriend. Meanwhile Indy with the help of paper and hot coffee is able to escape along side Jessie from Ivar and his men, and Indy and Jessie hop a train in order to get distance between the two. Indy and Jessie find what they think is the entrance to El Dorado and of course Ivar and his men also appear and they all enter the city together, and Ivar is made with power as gold is all around him and he thinks that this will all make his life easier, but they all soon find that the gold is all fake and that this room is a trap that Indy sets off and as he and Jessie make it to safety Ivar and his men are crushed to death by falling stones as instead of fleeing the room they continue to look for gold. In the end Indy returns to the museum and Marcus Brody hands him a note from Marion Ravenwood to alert him that she is gone and to not come looking for her.

So this is how it ends…and no I am not talking about the comic series or Indiana Jone’s life but I am talking about the relationship between Indy and Marion…it all ended after him not showing up for a speech at the collage…well and the mountain of other issues the two have been having for years. It’s going to be sad not seeing Marion Ravenwood on anymore adventures with Indy in this series as she really was a great character, but now this opens the door to allow Indy to flirt with all the ladies he comes across around the world. This issues plot has Indy looking for the lost city of El Dorado and along the way meets back up with an old friend who cant stand him as well dodges evil doers who want to steal goal. Ivar Reiss is a bandit who comes from a rich family that has been disowned due to his nasty behavior who is driven mad with power when he thinks he can find lost gold that will make him richer than his father, and his greed is what leads to his smashing death. Jessie Hale is a hard working woman who is close to finding the secret of the lost city of gold, but gets caught up in this adventure and must put her faith in Indiana Jones in order to find the location as well as survive it. This one is also a very quick read as the action and adventure moves the story along and the payout in the end truly reminds me of the old Jungle Adventure books I read as a kid. The cover art for this issue is pretty cool and has Indy hanging off the back of a train while baddies on horseback are giving chase. The interior art is done by Steve Ditko, who does a great job of drawing Indiana Jones as he captures the look of Harrison For pretty well, but I do have to point out that sometimes the characters eyes look very dead and wide. This is another fun issue and really by now you readers should be making a mental note to head to your local comic shop and grab this series as if you like Indy they are 100% worth reading.

Indiana Jones # 26 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 26 of 34

Indiana Jones is in the waters of the Caribbean islands looking for a tablet that could the secrets of the location of Atlantis and finds it in the home of a very angry eel that he ends up having to capture in a bag in order to get the tablet, but once he comes up he meets Captain Belgrade who is mad at Indy as he thinks he is stealing fortune from his land and when he demands the treasures Indy has he of course gives him the bag with the eel in it! And when Captain gets mad and orders his men to kill Indy our hero uses a flare gun to set the Captain’s boat on fire and he himself is saved by Short Round who is driving a speed boat and gets Indy out of danger. Once back home Short Round has to go back to school while Indy is bummed that the tablet turned out to be nothing and he then meets Efrem Decker and Elizabeth Cody who wants to hire him to get back a pair of gold plated, pearl handled guns that belonged to Elizabeth’s grandpa Buffalo Bill Cody! They think that Salkovich a rich Russian man has stolen them as he tried to buy them twice and after they rejected the offer the guns was stolen from a museum. Indy and Elizabeth head to Russia and while on a train they are greeted by Peter Rostoff and his men who inform them both that they know who they are and might have information on the missing guns. And soon Indy and Elizabeth find themselves riding with Peter and his men as the Russian army give chase as our heroes have no idea what they have gotten themselves into, Peter’s men end up ditching the army in the river. Once back at Peter’s camp Indy and Elizabeth meet Uri Rostoff the chief and grandpa of Peter who tells them the location of the guns that are indeed in the hands of Salkovich and his private army, he also tells them that Buffalo Bill won the guns in Russia in a shooting contest by beating him…and lastly he tells them that he will have Peter and his men help get the guns back only if they agree to another shooting contest with the guns as the prize against Elizabeth and Peter! They agree to the terms, and it should also be noted that when they first arrived Indy made an enemies of one of Peter’s men who was getting handsy with Elizabeth, who later that night attacks Indy from behind and ties his four limbs to horses to try and rip him apart, but this slimeball also alerts him that he works for Salkovich and is a spy in Peter’s camp!

This is such a great start to this arch that has Indiana Jones on a adventure in Russia alongside the granddaughter of Buffalo Bill Cody on a mission to get back stolen goons that he won in a shooting contest, and they are now the target of the Russian Army as well as a rich thief and his army of goons! Indiana Jones in this issue goes from striking out on finding the location of a tablet that could lead to the finding of Atlantis to being in Russia tied to horses and on the verge of being ripped apart. Elizabeth Cody is a skilled shooter who has her pride in her family name and is doing her part as well to get them back. Efrem Decker works for the American Government and wants Indy as well to try and see what is going on in Russia as they are not sure if they are teaming with the Germens. The coolest cameo in this issue is Short Round who of course is from the film Temple Of Doom and I wish he had been along for the full adventure. It makes so much sense now that they wrote Marion Ravenwood out of the series as we are now in the time of Willie Scott being the lady around Indy’s life. The cliffhanger in this issue is a good one as a spy in the camp has Indy about to be ripped apart late at night so who is going to be the one to save him, or how will he figure out how to escape. The cover for this is ok but not all that eye catching, and the interior art is one more done by Ditko and is top-notch stuff. So with that lets see what happens in the next issue!

Indiana Jones # 27 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .60 Marvel Comics # 27 of 34

The Spy cracks the whip and the horses start to run in different directions and the pain starts to rip through the body of Indiana Jones, but luck for him Elizabeth heard the attack and is able to shoot most of the ropes off and with his pocket knife he is able to save himself fully. As Peter Rostoff and the rest of his men arrive the spy is long gone and Indy films them in on what has happened. The next morning Indy, Elizabeth, Peter and his men head toward the mansion of Salkovich ready for the battle that is surly going to happen. When they get to the mansion they notice it’s protected all around and that the Russian Army even has housing there for many soldiers who are ready to fight and protect Salkovich and the stolen guns inside, and when some of Peter’s men attack the soldiers Indy leads some to the inside of the mansion to try and conquer it as well as get the guns. Once inside Indy, Elizabeth and two soldiers are caught just as they find the guns by Salkovich and the Spy, and Salkovich even guns down the two soldiers and tells the Spy he can have Elizabeth to have some fun with as he deals with Indy, but our heroes escape and Salkovich goes after Indy with his whip and Elizabeth is being hunted down by the slimy spy. While Indy has a whip fight with Salkovich, Elizabeth meanwhile uses her quick wit and uses caged birds in order to distract the Spy who trips and falls out of a window to his death. Indy ends up knocking out Salkovich thanks to an electric shock and he meets his life when the mansion explodes just as Indy and Elizabeth escape with the prized guns in hand. Back at the camp the shoot contest takes place and Elizabeth ends up throwing the match so that Peter can win and Uri Rostoff can get his pride back, and after they give Uri the guns he passes away and Peter ends up giving the guns back to Elizabeth as he knows she threw the contest in order to make a dying man feel better. In the end Indiana Jones and Elizabeth Cody have the guns in hand and are heading back to America as friends.

Indiana Jones is one lucky guy as he is saved from being ripped to pieces and even helps bring down a very corrupt and powerful man in Russia and best of all makes a new friend with a very skilled young woman who is a master shooter. The issue also showcases just how skilled Indy is as he uses his great mind also to quickly think of plans to get him out of danger and his mind is what brings down Salkovich once and for all. Speaking of Salkovich he is truly a rich man who kills, steals and smirks his way through life as his wealth allows him to get away with so much in his country as his land even houses so many of the areas military. So its nice to see Salkovich get what is coming to him and besides getting a bad electric shock he also gets blown up! I liked Elizabeth Cody as she is fast with a fun, is a hero in her own right and does not run from danger in fear as she uses her mind and skills as well to take out the baddies and save her life as well as those of her friends. The ending of this issue is also about compassion as Elizabeth is willing to throw a contest in order to give a dying man his pride back, and everyone of the old man’s friends and family know what she has done and are very pleased she was such a nice person. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and has Indy swinging in through a window and the art done for this issue is done again by Steve Ditko and is great stuff like always. I would also like to point out that in this issue in the letters page fans are asking for Short Round and Willie Scott to be added in as cast members, one even takes shots at Marion Ravenwood as he wants Willie in the comic more than her! But with that lets get to the next issue and see what adventure Indy is going to be on next.

Indiana Jones # 28 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 28 of 34

Indiana Jones is at a cocktail party with his fellow colleges from the collage when a young man named Alec Sutherland who is delivering the research diary of the recent passed away Doctor Arthur Hecht who thinks that there are seven towers around the world and had found the location of on in Iran…and Indiana to finish his old friends work heads to Iran to find the tower. Once in Iran Indy is being followed by Alec who wants to help in the discovery and when they run into some villagers they make the mistake of telling them they are looking for the tower that is called The Tower Of Tears, and the villagers go crazy by the mention of the tower as they say it is evil and they attack Indy and Alec who barely escape. Later that night they find The Tower Of Tears and watch a woman in a trance is called inside as her brother tries to beg her to not go in, Indy and Alec follow and see that a powerful Sorcerer is inside and uses a powder on the brother that turns him to dust. When Indy and Alec are discovered to be in the temple a fight between Indy and the Sorcerer breaks out and an eternal flame is put out that fills the tower with Natural Gas! Indy tells Alec to get the woman out of the tower and The Sorcerer makes the mistake of firing a gun that blows up the tower! As The Sorcerer is dying he tells Indy that there is no other towers and that he needed that woman as she was with child and he was going to use the child to take his place as watcher of the evil tower, and with that The Sorcerer dies and the woman’s village come for her and Indiana returns home closing the research of Dr. Hecht.

This issues adventure has Indiana Jones along with a student traveling to Iran in order to look for a tower that is suppose to be evil that is the first of seven, only to get there to find that is the home of a crazed Sorcerer that ends up blowing himself up and informs them that there is no other towers. Indiana Jones in this issue is really looking into these towers in order to finish the research of one of his friends who passed away, and as always his luck gets him out of trouble and he quickly wraps up the research and even saves the villages an towns around the tower from the evil doings of The Sorcerer. Alec Sutherland is a young kid who tags along for the ride who is skilled at riding horses and is one of my least favorite characters to go on an adventure in this comic series, I hope Alec does not show back up as at the end of this comic he acts like he will be sticking around the collage. The Sorcerer is pretty much evil as he kills and wants to kidnap a child to force it to learn dark mystic arts in order to take over living in the tower and tormenting all those who live around it. And like before this issue has that supernatural touch and I like the Tower Of Tears as what a cool and odd thing for Indy to be looking for. The cover for this issue is pretty cool and had Indy and Alec jumping from a plane, and while I would have made it a little more flashy the colors make this cover stand out. The interior art is done by Steve Ditko and like always its great stuff and you have to love his style. Lets see what is next and lets hope that Short Round, Marion Ravenwood and even Willie Scott join him in the next one and we don’t get the return of Alec Sutherland.

Indiana Jones # 29 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 29 of 34

Indiana Jones finds himself being attacked by a group of men, but he is saved by Jessie Hale who ends up shooting some of his attackers dead and they find that they are both heading to the shame docked ship as Jessie’s brother Peter is in charge of the cargo ship and Indy is there to buy a Chinese Mummy. But of course this can not ho smooth as Michael Cobb who is leading The Irish Republican Army and Shih Ho of The Tong have set their sights on getting the Mummy as well and will do whatever it takes to get it! The Tong end up capturing Peter Hale and the I.R.A end up capturing Jessie Hale and both sides threaten the lives of Indy’s friends if he does not turn over the Mummy and also it seems one of the Museum’s trustees has it out for Indy as he send a telegram that if he does not get the mummy to the museum then his job there will be terminated. Indy tracks down Peter who is being held in a basement and talks to him to find the location of The Mummy that Peter hid in a nearby cemetery and tells Peter to tell the Tong the location after waiting a few minutes and then Indy alerts the I.R.A to the location as well and they all show up at the cemetery. While at the cemetery Indy finds out that Peter has lied to him all along the to crate that was suppose to have the mummy really has guns inside it for the I.R.A or so they even think! After The Tong and I.R.A fight they come to a truce that if the crate has guns the I.R.A take it and if it’s the mummy the Tong take it…once open they find the body of a I.R.A member and learn that the man who set it all up in China has ripped everyone off! And Indy in the end is forced to go to China alongside Cobb and the I.R.A to get what’s owed.

This is such a fun issue as Indiana Jones is sent to pick up a Mummy that has been shipped from China and instead finds himself being attacked and tracked by two different groups with one being The Tong and the other The Irish Republican Army Who want the crate that the mummy is in all because Peter Hale the brother of Jessie Hale is a liar and a goof who has screwed up a deal that was originally a fraud that took place in China that was a scam to get money…yep its like that. Indiana Jones has to fully use his wits and skills in this issue as not only is his life in danger but so are that of Jessie and her brother, and the criminals they are messing with do not value human life! Jessie Hale is caught up in this adventure because of her brother, but good thing she is around and she saves Indy once as well as helps him slow down those who are tracking him. Peter Hale is a goof who lies and deals in stolen goods and because of his lies almost gets his own sister killed as well as Indy! Both The Tong and The I.R.A are very dangerous and both have their reasons for wanting the crate that in reality has neither items they want. The cliffhanger of the issue is good as it has Indy having to go to China along with the I.R.A in order for them to get their guns and Indy to get his Mummy and I think they both want revenge on the scumbag who ripped them both off…and Indy is also going and Peter Hale would be killed on site in China. The cover is pretty cool and has Indy and Jessie in a graveyard with the I.R.A getting a coffin from the ground and the interior art by Ricardo Villamonte is really good stuff and I like the way he draws Indy. Over all another great issue and one that makes me look forward to reading the next.

Indiana Jones # 30 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 30 of 34

Indiana Jones and Michael Cobb of the I.R.A have arrived in China and find that they are also the target of Weng Ho and his men and Weng Ho of course is the man who ripped them both off. After fighting off some of Ho’s men Indy and Cobb go their separate ways and both find themselves being captured, but Indy is able to escape his captors when Cobb sets off dynamite that distracts them and Indy himself then goes and rescues Cobb who was being tortured by a General and the two once more together escape, and each still do not like one another as they have a difference in how to get their revenge on Weng Ho and get what they are owed. Indy and Cobb end up finding the general again and force him to take them to the base of Weng Ho who has an army on his side and once our two heroes arrive at the throne room of Ho he alerts them that he knows that they are there and orders for them to be killed, but Cobb left dynamite to explode outside and this give him and Indy a chance to fight back and as Ho leaves the room Cobb is shot, as Indy goes after Ho a big explosion goes off and Ho and Indy think Cobb is dead. Ho leads Indy to the mummy and tries to get Indy to see his side of things that of course is very evil, and quickly Ho grabs a gun and before he can shoot Indy he himself is shot dead by the hands of Cobb who dies right after, but also makes Indy swear to get his men the weapons…Indy instead uses the last of the dynamite to blow up the shed that holds all the weapons and he wants the bloodshed everywhere to stop. In the end Weng Ho is dead and his army is disbanded, Michael Cobb is dead and his fighters do not get the weapons and Indy is returning home with one mummy ready for the museum.

Indiana Jones heads to China in this issue to recover his missing mummy as his job is hanging on it making it to the museum and finds himself having to go alongside a very unhinged man who is gun happy and have to go against a warlord in China who wants to bring war to his nation so that he can rise to power and part of his idea was screwing over many in order to get money and weapons of war. Indiana Jones shows that you can defeat your enemies without killing them and tries his best to showcase this to Michael Cobb who has been fighting for most of his life and only knows violence to get his point across. And the same can be said for Weng Ho who uses violence in order to get what he wants and that is power and respect and while he does end up being the reason of Cobb’s death he as well almost kills Indy! This issue also brings back Alec Sutherland that lame character from a few issues back and he is indeed now attending the collage so that he can take classes taught by Indy…lets hope he does not make more appearances. The payout for this issue is well done as all those who murder and use violence end up loosing it all and Indy who used his mind and skills is the one who gets what he needs in the end. The cover for this issue is ok and showcases the final moments of the fight from the issue and the interior art is once more done by Ricardo Villamonte and is good stuff. Over all a good issue that features lots of action and adventure all over a Mummy, so lets see what is next for us readers.

Indiana Jones # 31 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 31 of 34

Indiana Jones is in a plane being flown by his friend Smitty from China back to America when they crash and Smitty is hurt bad and the pair are found by big game hunter “Congo” Kate Crawford and her Native American scout Robert ThunderCloud as they are in the area hunting Bigfoot as many terrible mutilation deaths have taken place in the woods. And once back in town Smitty is taken to the hospital and Indiana Jones is asked by Kate to go on the hunt for Bigfoot, but before he can fully answer the local sheriff and some towns folk bust in to argue with her as Indy finds himself fist fighting some of the locals at the bar when they refuse to serve and attack ThunderCloud due to his race! After the fight and the next day Indy is set to head back home when the Sheriff and the Mayor show up with the body of the bartender from the night before and while the Sheriff blames Bigfoot the Mayor says that it was ThunderCloud who killed the man and this causes ThunderCloud to run away for his life and the town starts up a lynch mob to do justice. Indiana Jones and Kate head into the woods to find ThunderCloud and save him from the mob as well as to of course see if they can find Bigfoot, but things are getting more and more confusing for Indy as Kate runs off to hunt Bigfoot and he runs into Thundercloud who informs him that he is not a killer and that the bartender worked for the F.B.I and that others are the ones who are killing him to cover up a crime, and with that Thundercloud knocks out Indy and rushes to the cliffs and finds that The Sheriff is a traitor and killed people and made up the Bigfoot story to keep people out of the woods as he had a meeting set up with the Japanese to give them information about the areas Military bases! In the end Indy and ThunderCloud stop the Sheriff, Kate finds the truth about their being no Bigfoot, no secrets are passed to the nations enemy and ThunderCloud is shown to work for the Government and was their to stop this act of treason. Plus Indiana Jones flies home and Kate Crawford goes with him to checkout the museum.

This issue feels like an episode of some late 70’s or early 80’s TV Show that takes supernatural vibes and mixes it with a thriller and in the end it was some pesky human that was the monster that the town thought haunted the woods. Indiana in this issue is a little out of his element and is kind of sucked into the adventure even though he wanted nothing to do with the search of Bigfoot, but does want to save a man from being accused of murder and killed by a mob of townies who are scared. Kate Crawford is a skilled hunter who has came to town in order to hunt down and kill the legendary creature Bigfoot, and while she is a nice person her want and need to be the one to kill the legend also makes her kind of cold in emotions as she gives zero cares for ThunderCloud after he has to run for his life, but also lets see what comes of her as she is on her way home with Indy! Speaking of ThunderCloud he is a lawman who is acting as a guide in order to get to the bottom of the case of who is killing people in the nearby woods and who is the one giving information to the Japanese, a tough as nails fighter who does what he needs to keep America safe. I do wish that a Bigfoot would have shown up and helped fight off the bad guys, and I also think it’s odd that Indiana Jones does not believe in Bigfoot when he has seen a tribe of Yetis not to long ago. Plus poor Smitty man is rocked silly in this issue and this is a side character that has appeared in other issues and makes you wonder if he was left behind or if he was flying the plane that Indy and Kate leave in. The cover for this one is just ok and has more of a superhero comic vibe and the interior art is great like before as it was done by Ricardo Villamonte again. And with that lets see what is next for Indiana Jones in the next issue!

Indiana Jones # 32 ***
Released in 1985 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 32 of 34

Indiana Jones has just got done with his class when in the halls he is tracked down by Alec Sutherland who has found more writings of Doctor Arthur Hecht but also at the same time Marcus Brody warns Indy that he has been chosen to escort Victoria Keith around as she is from the British Museum. After showing her around as well as taking her to dinner and when walking her back to her hotel room she gives him a kiss and their night ends, but as Indy get home he finds Alec waiting outside for him and says that he has a tablet that tells the location of the remaining towers. Indiana Jones ends up leaving Alec at the house when he finds that Victoria has stolen his keys and is now inside the museum robbing it! Indy gets to the museum and finds that Victoria has already stolen many of the artifacts and even has rigged booby traps around to slow down Indy who is on her trail, she also lets him know that she wants the tablets but before he can answer her the cops show up and she has to make her exit by leaping out a window and then getting to an airfield and making an escape via plane. Indy gives chase and finds an old man to fly him after her and he plane walks to get into her plane and once he gets the stolen artifact back Victoria jumps from the plane and onto a ship and makes her get away complete with an old amulet that she also took that was connected to the tablet that Alec has. Once back at the museum Indy and Marcus find Alec and the tablet says that the amulet she stole is very powerful and brings back the evil sorceress and could doom the world, they also find out that Victoria Keith is really hire master thief named Amanda Knight and now Indiana Jones is going after her to get the amulet back as well as get revenge.

In this issue Indiana Jones as well as the whole Museum are played for fools when a master female thief named Amanda Knight is able to rob the museum of two artifacts and whoever has hired her is linked to trying to find the Seven Pillars that are said to house evil sorceress and could bring the end to the world as we all know it. Amanda Knight is truly a skilled thief who uses her good looks and skills in order to trick everyone into trusting her and even poor Indy ends up getting a crush on her and she plays them all for fools as she gets what she has came for and has planned it all out so well. Indiana Jones while played at first is fast thinking when he realizes that she is not the kind history loving person she claimed to be and risks his own life in order to try and stop her to get back the stolen goods, I mean he even wing walks across plane wings in order to get to her. And ugh Alec Sutherland returns in a big way as now he is also working at the museum and is still trying to find proof of the towers and is stalking Indy around talking about research he has found…this character needs to go away and Short Round or Marion Ravenwood need to comeback. Over all this is a pretty fun adventure filled issues and is setting up that Indiana is going to have to find and fight these magical menaces. The cover is fun and has Indy hanging onto the wing of a plane and Steve Ditko returns to doing the interior art that is great like always. Another solid issue in the Marvel Comics Indiana Jones series that proves that they knew how to do Indy comics right!

Indiana Jones # 33 ***
Released in 1986 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 33 of 34

Indiana Jones arrives in England and meets Percy And Clyde of Scotland Yard who in their own odd way give him a location to look for Amanda Knight at that happens to be an island, and once at the island he finds that the locals at the pub are not very nice as they don’t like people to go digging around their land and the only friendly one is lighthouse keeper Ian Soames who gives him a bottle of liquor before Indy leaves to rest for the night. Later that night Indy looks out the window and sees many of the folks from the pub heading towards the moors with shovels so he follows. That night he looses sight of the men but meets old Crazy Angus who attacks Indy before running away, Indy catches up with him the next day and the old man tells him of life force underground before once more being spooked away. But Indy instead of following Angus finds on a cliff the plane of Amanda Knight so know he knows he is close to capturing her. Later that night Indy is attacked in his room by towns folk and one even drinks some of the liquor that Ian gave him and dies from it, and because of this Indy is now being called a witch and the people are going to kill him and Angus for being witches! Indy runs to the lighthouse and finds it empty but bolts the door shut in order to hide there for the night, but while inside he his hearing terrible screaming from outside as well as below the building. And after opening a trap door he finds Amanda Knight tied up and once he frees her she runs away telling him to be aware that a evil Magician with powers is behind all the evil on the island and once they are both outside they find the dead bodies of many of the towns people and the Magician is Ian and he wants Amanda dead as well as Indy as you see he is one of the seven sorceress and he has awaken the dead of the Vikings that once walked the land and they are coming to kill Indy and Amanda on this night.

Oh man is Indiana Jones in trouble now as the cliffhanger of this issue has dead Vikings coming out of the ground armed with swords and all wanting to slice and hack him to death all on the orders of Ian who turned out to be a very bad man as he is one of the seven evil wizards who have tormented the world and now he has ultimate power cause he wears the stolen amulet artifact! And Amanda Knight is on the to be killed list as she failed to get Ian the tablet he needs as it holds the key on how to destroy all these evil sorcerers once and for all! Indiana Jones in this issue finds himself on a very hostel island that is filled with townspeople who think people are witches and always seem to be up to something when the sun goes down, and worse of all once more he finds himself as a target for black magic. Amanda Knight who might be a master thief finds herself being taken prisoner and shoved in the basement of an old lighthouse and even when freed she stares death in the eye as she is set to be killed by the one who hired her. Crazy Angus is well crazy and everyone thinks he is a witch, but in his words you can hear some wise thoughts that will help Indy in this one. Ian Soames is an evil sorcerer who is one of the guardians of the ancient evil pillars, and while he has magical powers he also uses poisoned liquor to try and deal death to his enemies. This issue has a great cliffhanger that makes you really look forward to reading the next issue, and sadly the next issue is the last in the series! The cover for this one is pretty cool and reminds me of the Doctor Strange comics of the 80’s and the interior art by Ditko is of course just as great as always. With another great issue read lets see what the final one has in store for us and how Indy will bring down this dark magic that threatens the world.

Indiana Jones # 34 **1/2
Released in 1986 Cover Price .65 Marvel Comics # 34 of 34

Indiana Jones is being over taken by the skeleton warriors and Amanda Knight is able to grab the amulet from Ian Soames and run off with it and as Ian gives chase Indy is able to break free of the skeletons and as well gives chase of the pair, but runs into Crazy Angus instead and the two rush off to stop this madness. Indy and Angus head to his small shack and find Amanda in there as well hiding and the three come up with a plan to use the amulet as well as the moonlight to burn Ian and stop his mindset of destruction. But they do not get much time as Ian comes busting into the shack with murder in his eyes, as Angus does his best to hold off Ian with his own Earth magic Indy and Amanda rush to town to get Indy’s whip and gun only to find that the townspeople have them and are waiting for the pair also with hate in their eyes. But Indy finds out that the townspeople are not informed on Ian and they only have been acting like jerks because of a hidden treasure that is on the island. But before things can be smoothed out Ian appears and uses winds to cause damage to the town as he does not care about anything now besides getting the amulet back and killing Indy. Indy and Amanda make it to the lighthouse and figure out that its his tower that gives him power and after fighting off more skeleton warriors and using the towers light as well as the amulet against Ian they both managed to survive as Ian dries up and dies. In the end Amanda heads towards her plane to get away from the island and Indiana Jones has what is left of the amulet and is heading back to the museum.

The final issue of Marvel’s Indiana Jones is both great as well as underwhelming as I wish that it would have gotten a more proper ending as this storyline of Alec Sutherland’s obsession of having Indy finish the work of his old professor that involves magical towers and evil wizards is a little bit of a let down as I would have liked to seen Indy on a more epic adventure that was not tied into Alec and Doctor Hecht as this story lasted for way to many issues and Alec got more panel time then Short Round who was the movie character that fans wanted to see in this comic series. Indiana Jones in this issue has to use his luck to really get away from a very pissed off wizard and if not for his quacking thinking and mind he would have ended up dead, and lets be honest all through this series Indy showcases why he was the worlds best adventurer! Plus you have to give Indy credit as well for his skill with fist fighting as well as the use of his gun and whip. Amanda Knight and Crazy Angus are his help in this issue and they serve their purpose, but really don’t add much. In fact I think way too much of this issue is spent of Amanda Knight arguing with the decisions Indy is making and this drags the pace down a bit. Ian Soames is a pretty cool villain as he has magical powers that can raise the dead as well as can create very powerful winds, and in the end he is the one who defeats himself when he uses all his remaining energy to try and take out Indy. The series as a whole is dang near perfect as they are all great reads and took Indiana Jones all over the world and had him finding all types of interesting items as well as crossing the paths with many strange characters…and while at first they did a great job of working in other characters from the film series like Marion Ravenwood and Marcus Brody as the series continued they would introduce ones like Short Round and Sallah only make short cameos and poor Willie Scott never appears and instead we get lame characters like Alec Sutherland appearing multiple times in several issues. I also feel that this comic series did a really good job of staying loyal to the film series in feel as well as the over all nature of the adventures. The cover for this issue is good and yet again reminds me of a cover you would have seen on a Doctor Strange issue. The interior art was done by the icon of comics Steve Ditko again and is great work as his art style is very fitting for this comic. I am not sure why Marvel Comics did not continue their Indiana Jones series I would guess it had to do with either poor sales or the licensing was to expensive, but I really did wish they would have continued as these were great reads back in my youth and are still great reads as an adult. Checkout the artwork below to see some of the styles used in this series.

Indiana Jones has always been a big part of my life when growing up and the films, games, toys, TV shows and comics all did their part to entertain me as well as make my imagination run wild with going on my own adventures to look for lost treasures. And I am sure if you are reading this update, you as well are a fan of Indy, and I hope that you like me are very excited to see Indiana Jones 5 in the theaters. I want to thank Harrison Ford for coming back to play Indy one last time for us fans…and let’s hope Disney does not screw this one up. Our next update will be on July 4^th and that means it will be about an American Hero that is from some sort of media and this year we are going to Pro Wrestling to find our hero, Corporal Kirchner, the real life military man who worked for the WWF in the 1980’s! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch an Indiana Jones film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update for some grilled burgers, cold drinks, fireworks in the sky and a update event at the Rotten Ink Arena.

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Love At First Bite (1979)

Posted on September 23, 2022 by bloodlinematt

It’s almost October and that means we are so close to Halloween 2022 and I have to bring you readers and friends another Countdown To Halloween update and of course that also means another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update and for this one I choose one of my favorite Horror Comedy films that I have enjoyed sense I was a kid and was even released the year I was born in 1979, a film that spoofs Count Dracula and I am talking about Love At First Bite a super silly, super fun look at Dracula coming to New York. And something I am sure many of you are not aware of is that Love At First bite was given the Photo Comic treatment in a paperback book, and that’s what we will be reviewing! So if you are ready lets put on our best cape, slick back our hair and head to a New York dance club and see what Count Dracula is up to as I proudly bring to you From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Love At First Bite!

Lets take a look at the one and only Count Dracula from this film and his way of dealing with humans that cross his path or ones he sets his sights on to become one of his vampire brides. Count Dracula has many ways of dealing with the living like he can change into a bat or dog and cause fear and chaos to those that cross him. He can use his cool and calm voice to help put his victim into a trance and make them do his bidding like fall asleep. He also has the ability to control devises like phones and TVs causing distractions and cutting off those from calling for help. He can call on “The Children Of The Night” like bats, rats and wolves to use against his victims, as he can also call on his faithful butler Renfield to help attack, get information from and subdue the target. He can also use a very powerful breath to push back against attackers as well as keep them off balance making them easier to bite. He has a super charm that makes humans feel at ease as well as draws them to him. And his main way to deal death is via his sharp fangs that he can drain the blood of his victim or even turn said person into a vampire and be under his control. But Dracula does have weaknesses like sunlight that will burn him up, he also can be killed with fire as well as a stake to his heart, he can also be stunned by a cross and garlic as both are very irritating to him. He also is very much out of touch with the times, is egotistical and sarcastic and this also leads him to trouble and can give his attackers a chance to stop him once and for all. Also this version of Count Dracula lacks the killer instinct and makes him less likely to take an innocent life and therefore not a massive threat as all he wants is love from his chosen lady, and that as well is a weakness. While this Count Dracula is not the most dangerous creature I have covered here on Rotten Ink he still is one that can deal death as well as charm the pants off any woman he wants.

Count Dracula from Love At First Bite is more of a lover then a killer but we have to keep in mind he still is a blood drinking vampire so he is dangerous. Now that we have taken a look at Count Dracula lets now take a look at the movie he is from and I will be taking the films plot from our friends at IMDB and will then write about the films production as well as my thoughts on it. So if you are ready lets take a night on the town with Count Dracula in New York!

Love At First Bite (1979)

“This vampire spoof has Count Dracula moving to New York to find his Bride, after being forced to move out of his Transylvanian castle. There with the aid of assistant Renfield, he stumbles through typical New York City life situations while pursuing Cindy Soundheim. But her boyfriend, Doctor Jeff Rosenberg, realizes she is under the influence of a vampire, and tries his bumbling best to convince police Lt Ferguson of what is going on, and to help him stop Dracula.”

This Horror Comedy started out when George Hamilton was doing an impression of Bela Lugosi for screenwriter Robert Kaufman and the pair laughed and decided that they should write a Romantic Horror Comedy that was about Count Dracula! The story they created had Count Dracula in New York during the 70’s falling in love with a woman who is engaged. When shopping the script around Melvin Simon was interested and bought the script for $1000,000.00 and while he was only a man who made his money from shopping malls he had a passion for films. Melvin Simon was the money man behind many cult classic films like The Manitou, When A Stranger Calls, The Stunt Man, Zorro The Gay Blade and all three Porky’s films, but later in life Melvin Simon would say producing films was a mistake as he lost millions of dollars doing so. When casting of course actor George Hamilton was hired to play Count Dracula and actress Susan Saint James was hired to play his love Cindy Sondheim and fellow actors Richard Benhamin, Dick Shawn, Arte Johnson and Ralph Manza were brought on to complete the main cast. The director brought on was Stan Dragoti who would go on to direct Mr. Mom and Charles Bernstein was hired to do the score, and he would go on to score such films as The Enity, Cujo, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Deadly Friend, April Fool’s Day and Rumpelstiltskin. The film brought in $43,900,000.00 at the box office on a $3 million dollar budget and was the 13^th highest grossing film in 1979 in America. It was released alongside other Horror Movies that year like The Amityville Horror, Phantasm, Tourist Trap, Nosferatu The Vampyre, Alien, Driller Killer and The Brood to name a few. The film was met with mostly positive reviews from critics and fans and was the top grossing indie film until the release of Amityville Horror that same year. The film would gain a following when released on cable and home media and is still well loved by classic Horror Comedy fans to this day.

Love At First Bite no joke was a film that I have loved sense I was a kid and I cannot count how many times I watched it when it aired on HBO or regular TV! I can remember laughing at how silly the film was and this flick also made me a life long fan of actor George Hamilton as he was perfectly silly as Dracula and played the part straight faced for the most part no matter how goofy the world around him started to get. And for years a rumor has been going around that a Love At First Bite sequel was in the works and that George Hamilton got the rights for the film back in 2009 and it would take place in modern times and have Count Dracula going to Hollywood for his sons wedding and meeting the brides family that are TV preachers…sadly as of this update the film has not been made. The scene in Love At First Bite that always gets me is when the character Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg goes to visit his one time fiancé Cindy Sondheim at her apartment and she tells him that she is marring Count Dracula and were they have registered for wedding gifts and he is a rage is screaming about how they will get nothing from him as he leaves on the elevator, no kidding I laugh every time. Also actor Arte Johnson who plays Renfield does a great job of being creepy, spooky and his laugh is based on Dwight Fryes with a touch of his own style. Richard Benjamin who plays Dr. Rosenberg is hysterical and next to Dracula almost steals the show with his crazy humor. And even Susan Saint James is funny as hell as Cindy Sondheim, and Susan I remember mostly from TV Show “Kate & Allie” as I remember my parents use to watch that one in the 80’s. I think that when it comes to straight Horror Comedies I would place Love At First Bite over such films as Dracula Dead And Loving It, Shaun Of The Dead and Dead Don’t Die but would say its not as funny as Young Frankenstein and Zombieland to name a few on both sides of the fence. If you like Dracula, Horror Comedies, George Hamilton and just having a good time make sure to check out love At First Bite.

So as you can see Dracula from Love At First Bite is both dangerous as well as humorous and this really is a fun and silly film that I am glad got the Photo Comic treatment so that I can make this From Horror Movie To Horror Comic possible. I would like to also thank an Ebay seller for having this FotoNovel in stock. I would also like to remind you readers that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So if you are ready lets head to New York and spend some time with Count Dracula.

Love At First Bite # 1 **1/2
Released in 1979 Cover Price $2.75 Fotonovel # 1 of 1

Count Dracula is in his castle in Transylvania with his assistant Renfield who delivers the mail including a fashion magazine that has model Cindy Sondheim on the cover and Dracula has fallen in love with her even though he never meet her, but yet maybe he has because her soul is an old one and keeps being reborn! At one point in time Cindy was even Mina Harker and many other loves of Dracula. Later that night Dracula get a visit from the Government who informs him that he must leave his castle as they are taking it over as a training camp for athletes. In two days time Dracula walks to his carriage as the towns people insult him and this forces him to use his breath to keep them at bay. Dracula and Renfield head to New York to find Cindy and while in his coffin in the luggage area Dracula tries to read up on the lingo of the 70’s in order to fit in. And once in New York a mix up happens and Renfield takes the wrong coffin with him to the hotel and Dracula ends up in a church in Harlem and has a run in with some people before finally finding his hotel and Renfield. The next day Renfield gets Cindy’s location from her agent thanks to his pet cobra and Dracula shows up and when held back by the cops as Cindy models he turns into a dog and gets close to her, but it taken to the pound for his efforts. Dracula is depressed as he drank the blood of a drunken homeless man that made him sick and has decided to just give up, that is until Renfield gives him the address of a club that Cindy is at and when meeting her the two fall in love and start an affair as Cindy is the girlfriend of Doctor Jeff Rosenberg who is a descendent of Van Helsing and when he notices the bite on the neck of Cindy he knows he has to stop Dracula before biting two more times as if he does so she will be damned to be a vampire forever. Cindy is in love with Dracula and while at a dinner out Jeff comes along and he and Dracula have a showdown at the dinner table, and their argument leaves Cindy to leave the pair and Jeff alerts Dracula to who is bloodline is. Later that night Dracula comes to Cindy’s apartment and tries to bite her for the second time but sunrise stops him, and this causes Jeff to have to try and get the help from the police and even breaks into Dracula’s hotel room and sets his coffin on fire with him still inside! Jeff is then arrested and taken to an Asylum and once out he tracks down Cindy and Dracula at a restaurant and shoots three silver bullets into the chest of Dracula and this attack fails and causes Cindy to faint and as Jeff is arrested Dracula takes his soon to be bride away and bites her for the second time. Jeff is taken back to the asylum and along with the cops tries to stop Dracula from taking Cindy back to England for the third time, and they even have a run in with Renfield. In the end Jeff confronts Dracula at the airport but before he can drive a stake through his heart Dracula bites Cindy for the third time and the pair turn into bats and fly off into the night as Jeff can do nothing but watch, and well take Dracula’s cape that he left behind.

This is a fun Photo Comic Novel that does a pretty great job of capturing the film’s goofy nature, but in comic form I do have to stress that much of the film’s humor is lost and does not pack the belly laughs. The plot is very simple: Dracula is kicked out of his castle and comes to New York to fund a Super Model he has a love for only to win her heart and must fight off her boyfriend and the cops in order to have his blood drinking happy ending with the love of his afterlife. Count Dracula is a vampire who is sick of being lonely and finds his true love in a model form New York and travels to try and win her heart, and yes along the way drinks a little blood from those who are in his way. He is not pure evil, but does have a little bit of an ego that tends to flare up. Renfield is loyal and dimwitted and does whatever Dracula tells him to do, but also it’s clear that he and Dracula are also friends. Cindy Sondheim is a magazine model who is a party girl who loves the night life and is drawn and falls for Dracula even though she is the on again off again girlfriend of a Van Helsing! And Doctor Jeff Rosenberg is our hero of the story a psychiatrist who is the grandson of Van Helsing and is part crazy, but also will do whatever he can to save his lady from the bite of Dracula, but does also have his folklore mixed up and fails many times to kill Dracula. As I stated before the humor is there, but is a little lost on the pages as the delivery from the actors is lacking. The Horror parts are still intact as they are light hearted to begin with and I do really like the parts in this Photo Comic Novel that has Dracula and Redfield stealing from the blood bank as well as the moment of him waking up in the coffin at the funeral in Harlem. The Photo Comic is bloodless and that’s fine as the film is as well, and for the most part this was a fantastic and fun read and a great way to kick off of Halloween Season for 2022! While elements of the film are missing in order to fit in this comic and at times the story jumps very awkwardly it is a must-read for fans of this very underrated 1979 Horror Comedy film. The cover is very cool and eye catching and the photos used in side are well selected. Give this one a read if you can find it, and check out the photo below to see the style of this Photo Comic Novel.

The Fotonovel version of Love At First Bite is a fun read and while it does not fully capture the silliness of the characters humor and feel of the film fully, it does do a great job of entertaining the reader. I for one would love to see a full comic book done based on the film with a solid artist on board like Jeff Potter, but sadly I don’t think that would ever happen. Well for our next update we will be leaving Count Dracula and New York behind and will be covering something that I have been working on for a very long time and that’s my list of my Top 20 Lost Silent Horror Films! This is something I really have wanted to talk about for so many years now and I think my blog’s 10 Year Anniversary is the perfect time to do so. Plus let’s be honest, it’s a great way to kick off October 2022 and I hope helps bring awareness to these lost films and one day they become found films. So until next time, read a Horror Comic or three, watch a Horror Comedy or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next time for a talk about Silent Horror Cinema.

Streets Of Poison: Captain America’s Battle With Addiction

Posted on July 25, 2022 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and another update in this blogs 10 Year Anniversary, and I knew I had to cover one of my all time favorite Marvel Comic superheroes for one of the updates and that of course is Captain America, but what was harder to choose was witch story arch to cover as I had many to choose from like “Bloodstone”, “The Superia Stratagem”, “Operation: Galactic Storm”, “Man And Wolf” and more as Captain America has had some great stories in his comic pages and the one I finally decided on was “Streets Of Poison” a anti-drug story that brings in heroes like Daredevil, Black Widow and Diamondback all to try and stop the drug trafficking in New York as well help Captain America fight addiction…that’s right you read that correct! In the story arch we are covering Captain America becomes addicted to a new street drug. So if you are ready lets go for an action packed update with Captain America one of my all time favorite superheroes.

Captain America was a superhero that captured my imagination as a young kid, back when the American Dream was something you could believe in and tried so hard to obtain as our Nation and the people in Government always did a great job of making you believe in this idea as even the media companies at the time did their part in making you have pride. And while I am older I still do love the core values of America even if you can not trust many of those in the Government all that much, but lets get back on track as we are here to talk about Captain America. Growing up I read lots of comics as growing up in a small village comic books was very popular among my friend groups and some of my favorites to read was Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Batman, Superman, Luke Cage, Shang-Chi, Hawkman and at the top of the list was Captain America! And I can remember buying back issues of him at garage sales and would pick up copies from Big Bear/Hearts and at one point had a subscription so I had Captain America delivered to the mailbox. But as I have said before on here back when I was a kid Captain America was not the popular superhero he is now thanks to the films by Disney and I was always teased about Cap being my favorite hero as most of my friends were Batman fans and they all said that Cap was lame and old and I would always have to defend him and talk about how great he was, and when DC versus Marvel mini series was released and Batman was voted by readers to beat Captain America it fueled the fire. But I always have and always will stick behind my fandom of Captain America as he is just a very classic hero, who like the Hulk and Spider-Man was a huge part of growing up. The old Mattel Secret Wars Captain America figure is one of my favorite toys of all time, I always liked the made for TV films starting Reb Brown as Captain America and really I enjoyed the 1990 direct to video film as well! Still to this day I read old Captain America comics and even read new issues being released from time to time and in the new Disney Marvel Movies the Cap films are my favorite in all the series. Was not ashamed to say it as a kid and not ashamed to say it now as an adult I am a fan of Steve Roger aka Captain America as he is truly a noble, brave and iconic hero who really does have a legacy in comics and media that will live on forever in some shape or fashion. And I promise this will not be the last time we take a look at Captain America here on Rotten Ink as we have lots of great story arches to get through. And for those who are wondering in live action films and serials Captain America has been played by the following actors Dick Pursell, Aytekin Akkaya, Reb Brown, Matt Salinger and Chris Evans.

When you think of rogues galleries for comic book heroes Captain America has some really cool ones with the likes of Red Skull, Baron Zemo and Baron Blood being some of his most iconic ones, but another name on the top of the list is Crossbones who was one of my favorites growing up as he was a bad ass hired killer who looked like he was a pro wrestler and even worse a cool skull mask. So I would like to take a few moments and take a look at who Crossbones is. The man behind the skull mask is Brock Rumlow a former leader of the street gang Savage Crims and who was a terrible person as he was know for assault and murder and did just this to Diamondback when he attacked her and killed one of her brothers. He would go on to be trained by the likes of Taskmaster and his school and would even be a trainer himself of up and coming assassins. He would go on to become a mercenary for hire and would be hired by the likes of Red Skull and from there would become a major thorn in the side of not only Captain America and Diamondback but also Baron Zemo who was on the bad side of the Red Skull. And Crossbones would stay loyal to Red Skull who was paying him very well and even would search for his missing boss when he went missing and formed his own group called the Skeleton Crew. And still to this day Crossbones is around in the Marvel Universe and is causing issues for Superheroes as he is a very skilled foe for any of them. Crossbones is a skilled fighter, has a great mind for strategy, is skilled with all types of weapons and does not mind killing in cold blood to get what he wants. In fact he has even kidnapped and tormented Diamondback in order to get into the mind of Captain America and lure him into a trap. Crossbones for me is my third favorite Captain America villain as I feel he was always a big threat, had a cool look and his fights with Cap were always brutal and entertaining. And yes Crossbones has made it to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is played by actor Frank Grillo and as well has appeared in Cartoons and Video Games.

While many fans of Captain America would say that their favorite love interest for Steve Rogers would be Peggy Carter, Sharon Carter or even Bernie Rosenthal but for me one of my favorites was Rachel Leighton who was known as Diamondback who was a member of the villain team Serpent Society and who’s love for Steve added a great layer of drama to the comics as she was connected to bad guys and he is Captain America the symbol of all things good. I think what made Diamondback so interesting is that she was willing to risk everything for her love for Captain America and even could have faced death by her fellow Serpent Society members who where not pleased with her decision of following her heart and not the code of the society. And the worse part of it is that at times Captain America would ignore and push away Diamondback and it would break her heart and add so much drama to the issues. And when she went missing thanks to being kidnapped by Crossbones who was tormenting her I as a reader found myself being frustrated with Cap for not going out and looking for her. But the thing also about Diamondback that makes her my favorite is that she is a skilled fighter and can throw sharp diamond like objects at her opponents. She has went from bad to good and back again and even has been a member of S.H.E.I.L.D and while her relationship with Captain America is long over she really is one of the best love interest the hero has ever had in his very long running comic series.

I am a kid of the 80’s and 90’s and one thing that was everywhere was the “Just Say No To Drugs” phrase and PSA’s that was geared towards kids in order to try and keep them from trying and becoming addicted to them and growing up into a life of crime. The buttons with the Say No To Drugs logo was given out at school and we would watch PSA specials about the dangers of drugs and would even get visits from McGruff the Crime Dog and local police officers trying to do their best to warn us to stay clear. On TV the likes of Pee-Wee Herman, Mr. T, Peter Weller and who could forget the egg in the pan being your brain on drugs ad! I was raised by great parents who also did a great job of warning of the horrors of addiction and that is why I have stayed away from it all, and it’s crazy to think that the War On Drugs is still going strong to this day and that is all I have to say on the subject as this blog is about fun and not drugs! But really seeing as a kid the animated special “Cartoon All Stars To The Rescue” was awesome cause who didn’t want to see the likes of Slimer, Papa Smurf, Daffy Duck, Ninja Turtle Michelangelo and more telling you to stay off drugs. I also have to say the old WWF anti-smoking PSA’s was also great as the Ultimate Warrior eating cigarettes is crazy stuff to try and get kids not to smoke. Or Pee-Wee Herman telling viewers not to smoke crack…I mean the 80’s and early 90’s was a strange time indeed.

Who don’t love a classic arcade machine, and I am talking about the classic machines that took quarters or tokens that use to be located in almost every pizza parlor, movie theater and of course malls across America! And growing up it always seemed like only rich people and kids on TV had their very own arcade cabinet, but some 7 years ago I got my very own, and cool enough its one that I grew up playing as I am the owner of “Captain America And The Avengers” and this is the classic four player arcade that not only allows you to play as Captain America but also as Iron Man, Hawkeye and Vision as you battle against the likes of Ultron, Crossbones and Red Skull. The game was ported to Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis and while they are good they cannot compare to the Delta East Arcade version. And while this is one of two Arcade Machines I own (the other being Superman) they will not be the last as at some point I would like to get the Spider-Man four player game at sometime. Below is a picture of my Arcade machine being stored and used at a local media store.

Speaking of arcade machines I really do miss the days of the big classic arcades from my past I mean sure we have DK Effect and Scene 75 to name a few around here in Ohio but I miss the days of Crazy Cats and Cap’n Bogey’s two places that as a kid I was at lots! Crazy Cats we talked about before way back in my “The Cougar” update from 2014. So now lets talk a little about the mega arcade known as Cap’n Bogeys that was in Beavercreek off of Dayton-Xenia Road and also had some amazing miniature golf courses and even bumper boats! I can remember going here a good amount of time with my Parents and Brother as well as with my cousins Dino, Norman, Nick and Stephen. I would play so many arcade games while using their tokens like X-Men, Street Fighter II, Spider-Man, House Of The Dead and WWF games. I was a masker of their claw machine and would always return home with a handful of plush dolls with my favorite one I got being cartoon icon Snagglepuss. I never did ride the Bumper Boats and I do remember playing the Miniature Golf a couple of times, and the golf was fun but not as iconic as the course at Magic Castle a still going entertainment center in Kettering. But the thing about Cap’n Bogeys is that as a youngster it felt very magical as they had so many arcade machines and as well had food and a walk around version of Cap’n Bogey himself and that was awesome seeing. And for some reason in the early to mid 2000’s it closed and the legacy was gone, it sat empty for awhile with rumors that the old site was going to be turned into a updates Krogers and over years it sat empty until it was finally torn down and in its spot a neighborhood was placed. In 2021 Juliet and I even drove around Beavercreek and ended up finding the site that it once was, and nothing is left and homes really do sit in its spot. I miss Cap’n Bogey’s and wish that some day it will return and bring back the games, golf and boats to a new generation of gamers.

But enough of the flashback and love for arcades as this update is about Captain America and the Streets Of Poison and to be honest I am very happy to be bring another update about the First Avenger and this time on Rotten Ink’s big 10 Year Anniversary! I would like to say thanks to Mavericks Cards And Comics, Lone Star Comics and Game Swap Kettering for having these issues in stock and making this update possible. I also want to say thanks to Jack Kirby, Joe Simon and Marvel Comics for creating Captain America comics that have entertained me over the decades of reading them. I do want to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and it’s art and story. So with that let’s head to the streets of New York and see how Cap gets ride of the poison that is running wild in them.

Captain America # 372 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #372 of 454

Captain America is ridding around his new Sky-Cycle and decides to swing by his lady friend Diamondback’s apartment to see if she would like to go for a ride, but before he can call on her he finds Serpent Society Member Boomslang spying on her, and when trying to ask questions the villain runs and makes a mistake as a youth gang opens fire and shoots Boomslang for being in their alley and Cap has to try and save his life, but the fight cause the teens to fire their guns wildly even shooting each other. Captain America returns to The Avengers base only to find that his friend and tech mechanic Fabian is addicted to a new drug called ICE that was given to him by a friend, and now he is hearing voices and is breaking down. Cap calls a place to try and get Fabien into a drug rehab place and suspends him from working with The Avengers as well as finds out the place and the name of his dealer, a man that goes by Kid Gloves who is around Queens. Once he tracks down Kid Gloves he gets the name Moosemeat who is another dealer who then tells Cap that the main distribution for ICE and other drugs is a warehouse…and Cap gets all this information making the dealers think he is The Punisher and would kill them if they don’t share it with him. Once at the warehouse he finds a young man calling himself Napalm who sets off a bomb blowing up the warehouse! Also while this is going on two gang members are at the sight of the shooting trying to break into the gangs hideout and are run off, and Bullseye escapes prison and even kills a guard while doing so.

Captain America and his war on drugs starts here with the first part of “Streets Of Poison” as he is super mad over his young friend being addicted and wants to stop those from poisoning others with their street trash, and starts following the slime trail to figure out who is the main supplier of drugs in New York. Captain America is a man who has so much going on in his life and is even at war with himself over falling in love with Diamondback a former evildoer who was a member of the Society Member, he also has to worry about being the hero America needs as well as a roll model for the countries youth plus getting his young friend drug free! Captain America once he sets his mind set on something he does not give up until he cracks the case and stops the evil that’s plaguing America. He has John Jameson the son of J. Jonah Jameson as his back up on this mission and acts as his ride as well as eyes when staking things out. Poor goofy Boomslang a super villain who not only gets caught spying on a superheroes lady, but is also shot by young kids in a gang for running down the wrong ally, this loser cant seem to catch a break and then also makes you wonder why Serpent Society has him as a member. Bullseye proves that he is deadly even being locked away in a prison cell with nothing he could use as a weapon, he is just one of Marvel’s most deadly assassins. The Street Gang is clearly the ones pushing the ICE on the streets and they are the ones who give it to the likes of Moosemeat and Kid Gloves, but makes you wonder who the hell is their head boss! I love that Captain America fakes being The Punisher dressed as an old homeless guy in order to scare the pushers, and the best part is they are the ones who gave him the idea by thinking he is the vigilante. One character that I always disliked during this era of Captain America was Fabian as he is always a goof-up who seems to always mess things up and always blames other for his issues like in this case he thinks that the pressure Cap and The Avengers is what caused him to want to do this drug to stay up longer so he can work on repairs and gadgets…he is a liar and a goon and the worst Avengers employee. The cover for this issue is pretty fun and has Captain America falling out of a window, and the interior art by Ron Lim is great and has that classic Marvel Comics look that I grew up with. This is a great way to start off a story arch as the stakes are high as drugs are running wild in the streets of New York and a new gang is moving in to start a war with Kingpin and we end with not knowing if Cap has been blown up! So with that lets find out how Captain America survived the explosion!

Captain America # 373 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #373 of 454

Captain America’s friend John Jameson who drove him around on his quest to track down the main source of New York’s drug trade watches in horror as the warehouse explosions goes off and the fire engulfs it! He thinks quickly and calls Peggy Carter and alerts her to send the police and fire engines as well as to call in a member of The Avengers as he is not sure if Cap made it out alive! Peggy calls the authorities and then calls in Black Widow and as well calls Diamondback and alerts them of the bad situation. The Gang shows up and watches as their warehouse base burns down and think that Napalm set off the bomb cause The Kingpin’s men must have found them, and they now are ready for war. As Diamondback shows up at the scene she is in tears as John alerts her that no sign of Cap has been found, and just like that Captain America appears and says that he was able to jump out a window just in time, but the blast knocked him out for a bit on the roof from the building across the street. Cap is shaken by the blast but after a quick shower he heads back out on the street to crack this case, he has John wait in the van by the warehouse as he and Diamondback watch from across the street. Meanwhile one of Kingpins drug houses was blown up and this angers him and he hires Bullseye to find out who blew up his crack house and who is are the other crime family bringing drugs into his town. John spots someone going into the warehouse and Captain America goes in as Diamondback flies around above on the Sky-Cycle were she is attacked by Black Widow who thinks she stole it from Cap, as she does not know that he made it out of the explosion alive. Meanwhile Captain America in the warehouse sees a light and tries to sneak up on the person only to by accident makes a small noise that alerts the snooping shadow that turns out to be Bullseye who is looking for clues in order to get info on the creeps trying to take over Kingpins drug sales! Meanwhile Diamondback and Black Widow who are fighting on the Sky-Cycle crashes into the river.

The second part of “Streets Of Poison” has us the readers learning that Captain America survived the explosion only because of his reflexes and instincts causes him to leap out a window just in time, we also learn that he is acting a little off after the explosion and even finally gave Diamondback a big kiss only to not even mention it again, he also makes a rookie mistake by making noise while fallowing an unknown shadow who was snooping around a crime scene. Plus the words that Fabian said to Cap is sticking with him as he brought up that the Super Soldier Serum was like a drug, and he seems to think that maybe it is a drug that makes youngsters think that its cool. Diamondback is a one time villain who has turned hero that is confused by the way Captain America is acting and is also a little mad at him when he leaves her flying his Sky-Cycle without even telling her how to control it! Black Widow gets the call that her friend Captain America is missing after a massive accident and finds a strange woman driving his vehicle and she goes into hero mode and starts fighting without finding out answers. You have to feel back for Black Widow as she thinks her friend and teammate could be dead and is ready to crack heads to get answers to her quickly asked questions. Peggy Carter and John Jameson are doing what they can to help Captain America bust this drug ring and are for the most part doing a great job, I just wish John would rage out and turn into Moon-Wolf that would be awesome. Kingpin is really mad as he has just lost one of his drug houses by an attack done by another gang who has moved into his part of town and is selling the goods on the streets, and that other gang only attacked his drug house cause they think he is the one that caused Napalm to explode himself. Bullseye however is trying to get back into good graces with Kingpin and even takes a job of being a detective in order to find out who these people are selling ICE on the streets to they can be dealt with. And if you think about it both Captain America and Kingpin with their crews are looking for the same people, but both have their own reasons, and who are these people…we have not learned yet but we do know they hired a man named Moosemeat to sell drugs for them. The cover for this issue is ok and your typical late 80’s and early 90’s Marvel and is eye-catching for fans of Marvel. The interior art by Ron Lim is well done like before and he is another of Marvel’s underrated artists of the 90’s. So lets see what the third issue in this story arch has in store for us.

Captain America # 374 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #374 of 454

Captain America takes a leg wound from his unknown attacker that we know is Bullseye and tries to figure out a way to not only get his attacker down but also survive! Meanwhile Diamondback along with the Sky-Cycle come out of the river and she flies away to help Cap at the blown up warehouse, while Black Widow also pops out of the water and badly wants a rematch. Back at the warehouse Captain America figures out the man in the shadows is Bullseye and when Diamondback appears the man who don’t miss his target runs away into the night. Back at Avengers headquarters Captain America is mad at Peggy Carter for calling in Black Widow on his private mission and then gets back at Diamondback and kicks her out of the building, something is wrong with Cap as his anger is out of control. Meanwhile the young street gang is now doing drive by shootings on Kingpins drug sellers, and this is making the crime lord very mad and he just might send Typhoid Mary to deal with it…that is if they can figure out who the other gang is. While Captain America is fuming and storms off to continue his mission alone, Bullseye is shaking down ICE users to follow that trail, Diamondback has changed her costume in order to blend into the night and follow Cap and even Daredevil is in town wondering why Cap is acting so weird, and speaking of Cap he is bulling a rich drug user and is proud of himself. John Jameson meets up with Diamondback and the pair are walking down the street and she informs him that she thinks Cap is on drugs and he inhaled ICE during the explosion and that the drug has bonded to his blood due to the Super Solider Serum, and as John agrees a car drives by and they shoot Diamondback!

In this third part of “The Streets Of Posion” we clearly see that something is not right with Captain America as he is very filled with anger and goes off even on his own friends as Peggy Carter, Diamondback and John Jameson all feel his wrath. It’s clear that Cap is on the ICE and that he is hyped up and filled with raw emotions and has no time for anyone who questions him or gets in his way. Captain America clearly is not his normal self as he is also almost enjoying being a jerk to his friends and loves scaring the drug sellers. Poor Diamondback is yelled out and talked down to by her boyfriend (Cap) all cause he is paranoid and thanks she is talking about him behind his back, and even after being made look bad she still stands by her superhero man and is trying to figure out his strange behavior. And for all these she ends up getting shot in the back while walking down the street, I am going to guess she will be ok cause what superhero don’t wear armor? John Jameson is a loyal friend to Cap, but also its clear he is getting a crush on Diamondback, and he is fighting his emotions about her. Kingpin is getting more and more bad that his drug ring is taking a hit as its under attack by a unknown younger cartel that has moved into New York, and you know that the war is really about to go down when Kingpin sends Bullseye and Typhoid Mary to deal with them. I also like that Daredevil has a cameo and he is clearly going to come into play as he as well had a run in with Cap (in Daredevil #283) and he knows that his hero friend is acting weird. The Drug War that is about to go off is going to get really bad as people are being shot and buildings are being blowup, just imagine when the two sides really go head to head! The cover is pretty great and eye catching and has Cap being attacked by Bullseye and the interior art by Ron Lim is fantastic again. So let’s see if Captain America can just say no to drugs and kick his accidental high in the next issue.

Captain America # 375 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #375 of 454

Diamondback took several bullets to her back and lucky for her she was wearing a bulletproof vest, while she is hurt she is not dead and John goes inside a small store to check on the people inside. Meanwhile Captain America shows up at a nightclub and attacks a pusher named Jerkweed in order to get info about The Kingpin. Meanwhile at the gangs hideout Bullseye has found them and takes one hostage and gets him to squeal about who is the moneyman behind the new drug cartel in town. Captain America arrives at a small Italian restaurant were Kingpin and his men are having dinner and pushes the crime boss for answers on who is running the rival drug gang, the meeting turns up no answers and worse once Captain America leaves he runs into his friend Daredevil who shares his concerns on how Captain America has been acting, this does not go well. As Daredevil talks Cap’s anger and paranoia kicks into full gear and he attacks Daredevil and the pair fight in the streets and go back and fourth trading punches and attacks. As the fight goes on Captain America gets frustrated and ends the fight beating up Daredevil pretty bad and leaving him on the ground in pain, as Cap walks away footsteps come closer to Daredevil and its Crossbones!

The fourth part of the “Streets Of Poison” has Captain America getting closer and closer to busting the new drug family and all the while he himself is being over taken by the very drug he is fighting to get off the streets and he don’t even see his own trip into madness and paranoia. Cap in this issue not only beats up street punks and hired goons but also looses his temper on a fellow superhero that he beats up and leaves dazed on the streets. For some reason Captain America thinks that The Avengers want to silence him and take away his hero card and even at one point thinks they are sending Daredevil after him so that he can become the new Captain America! And speaking of poor Daredevil he just is coming to check on his friend and see if he can help and gets beat up for doing so, but I will say that while Daredevil looses the fight he at least put on a good showing against Cap. John Jameson is spending his time watching after the injured Diamonback who was injured after being shot several times in the back by a druggie gang. Bullseye is getting very close to figuring out who the main man is who is running the gang that is challenging the power of his boss Kingpin, and I feel bad for the ones in charge and Bullseye plays for keeps. The issue really is one that focuses on just how crazy Captain America is becoming due to inhaling that ICE, he is turning on his friends, making up conspiracy theories in his own mind, becoming more violent towards those he thinks are the bad guys and has become way to focus on his goal and even seems to forget what really pushed him to look into this new street drug. Plus we now see that Crossbones is involved in this madness and makes you wonder who’s side he is on as we know he is not with Cap but is he working on his own, is he with the new drug kids on the block or is he one of Kingpins. The cover for this issue is action packed and has Cap leaping at Daredevil like a madman and I can say is very eye catching for readers of Marvel, the interior art by Ron Lim is great like before. Let’s see what Captain America goes crazy on next and let’s see how Crossbones fits into this drug war.

Captain America # 376 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #376 of 454

Daredevil is on the ground as Crossbones mocks the fallen hero, and even lifts his mask to get a peek at the man behind it. Crossbones then heads off to the Italian restaurant and busts in as he has been hired to kill Kingpin! Crossbones almost kills the crime boss, but he is saved by Daredevil who ends up fighting the assassin as Kingpin makes his exit. As the cops are called Crossbones makes a break for it as Daredevil as well retreats as he is really hurt from his fight with both Captain America and Crossbones. Diamondback and John are ready to try and find Captain America now that she is slightly better and even run into Black Widow who ends up joining them in their hunt to try and get Cap help! Meanwhile Captain America is coming down hard in a ally as he is feeling bad and even hearing voices, but he thinks he just needs some sleep and pushes himself even harder to get up and solve this case. Meanwhile Crossbones who has failed his first attempt at killing Kingpin gets a call from his boss the man who sent him and it’s the Red Skull and he is not happy that he failed. Meanwhile Kingpin tells Typhoid Mary that they need to bring in Bullseye so that he can track and kill Crossbones and get him to rat out whom hired him. Meanwhile Captain America is ruffing up more drug addicts when Black Widow and Diamondback find him and end up having to fight the drugged out Cap and after some intense fighting Black Widow is able to knock him out with a widow sting, and along with John the two ladies take the out cold Cap back home. Meanwhile as Red Skull is having a meeting with Crossbones about his failed attempt to take Kingpins life, outside the window is Bullseye who is about to try and take the Skulls life.

Captain America is out of control fully in this fifth part of the “Streets Of Poison” storyline as the ICE drug that’s in his blood has turned him into a true wild man who is focused on solving the case but has very much lost touch with reality doing so. Captain America who has last issue beatdown Daredevil almost as well takes the heads off Black Widow and Diamondback the two heroes that are trying to help him. Captain America has not slept in days, has not bathed and looks like a homeless superhero by this point and has zero clue that he is in fact been infected with drugs that he inhaled. Poor Diamondback and Black Widow are forced to fight and fight hard in order to bring their friend down, and once they have him down they have to try and sneak him away in order to protect his image and his reputation. Daredevil as well has been beaten pretty badly and you have to feel for him as he stumbles his way home to rest up after saving the life of his biggest enemy. Kingpin can not catch a break himself as being the big crime boss of New York gives you lots of enemies as not only is their a new drug operation in town, but now he has hits placed on his life by the Red Skull and as a reader you have to wonder if Red Skull is also the main man behind the new drug business. Crossbones and Bullseye are two very deadly hitmen who are on a path to fight each other on their respected bosses orders, and what a great fight this will be! Also now its even more clear that John is having major feelings for Diamondback and is doing his best to fight them off, but I think good old CarWolf will fail the test. The idea also that superheroes had to team up to bring Captain America down because he needs to get drug rehab is something I am sure readers of Cap would never think would happen. This issues cover is pretty great as it shows many of this stories main characters with only Red Skull missing and also has a classic EC Comics feel to it with the side character bar, Ron Lim as always rocked the interior art and I have to say this is a great and fun Captain America story that I have had a blast this far rereading after all these years. So lets she what is in store for Captain America in the next issue and if he can get clean in order to bust this case wide open.

Captain America # 377 ***
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #377 of 454

Bullseye busts into the hotel room and puts a bullet into the head of the Red Skull, and this of course angers Crossbones who goes onto the attack with each assassin getting the upper hand back and fourth finally Bullseye spits a tooth into the eye of Crossbones who was choking the life out of him, and then drives a digger into his harm allowing him to escape. Crossbones is pissed that he failed his boss who he thinks is dead on the floor, but he soon finds that the Red Skull is alive and that a robot dummy was the one to take the bullet. Bullseye calls the Kingpin and tells him the hit is done, Kingpin tells Bullseye that the money is waiting for him in a hiding spot and that he needs to disappear for three months or until he calls for him again. As Kingpin hangs up the phone he tells Typhoid Mary that he does not believe that Red Skull is dead. Meanwhile Crossbones gets a call from the real Red Skull to meat him at a bunker so that they can get plans ready. Meanwhile Captain America is out cold at The Avengers medical lab as his friends gather around him waiting on Hank Pym to show up to look at the effects of ICE in his blood, Black Widow takes her leave and builds a friendship with Diamondback before she does so, as both ladies have troubled pasts. Meanwhile Captain America is having a terrible nightmare about the Super Soldier Serum being a drug and that the drug is who made him, he wakes up in a feverish rage and trashes the medical room, as he is having a breakdown his friend Hank Pym comes in and talks him down and says he will help him get clean of ICE. The only way they can get the drug out of Captain America’s system is by giving him a total blood transfusion and that means he also looses the Super Soldier Serum…and he agrees to have it done. Meanwhile Red Skull has Crossbones call Kingpin in order to stop the drug war as he is the one behind the ICE and they pair meet at Yankee Stadium and speak for the first time in many years. Meanwhile the now drug free Captain America against doctors orders gets out of bed and heads out to solve this case and before he leaves he tells Peggy Carter that this is something he has to do as he has to know if the man or the drug made Captain America who he is.

I want to start by saying this is one of the comics I remember as a kid buying off the shelves at Big Bear when I was a kid and have read this issue so many times over the years, man I miss Big Bear and Hearts and wish someone would bring them back alongside Hills and Gold Circle Department stores. Captain America in this issue goes through very bad drug withdraws and has to have his blood drained in order to ride himself of the ICE that contaminates it, and by doing this he is also stripped of his Super Soldier Serum the very thing that helped him become Americas soldier. And now he can truly find the answer to his biggest question if Steve Rogers made the hero or if the serum did. And man I feel sorry for anyone who gets in his way right now as he is clean and focused and has lots to prove to himself! Diamondback, Black Widow, Peggy Carter and John Jameson take a backseat in this issue and while they are around they play more background support characters here. And Hank Pym is the man who comes in and saves Caps life from being a junkie by draining his infected blood, but don’t worry he is also working on a way to strip the ICE or the Super Solider Serum from the blood in order to make Steve Captain America again by injecting it back into him. Red Skull being the mastermind behind ICE as well as the one who is the head of the other side of the drug war is perfect as he is such a cold blooded villain who would not care about killing and spreading his addiction to the youth and lost, he also is never to be trusted and I like that he and Kingpin are having a meeting at Yankee Stadium in order to end a drug war. Plus let’s be honest, each side has very deadly people on their payroll as Crossbones and Bullseye have unfinished business and throw in Typhoid Mary into the mix and this could be a very bloody battle for territory. Funny part is that Captain America if he figures out the location of all targets he is walking into a very dangerous situation as the stadium is filled with trigger happy goons looking to please their bosses. One of the biggest highlights of this issue for me was the opening fight between Crossbones and Bulleyes in the hotel room as both fight hard and both go to kill and wound, and they are each other’s equals making it a very well matched fight. The cover is awesome and features a sedated Captain America in the middle as Bullseye and Crossbones fighting! The interior art by Ron Lim is great and has one panel that has always stuck with me over the years and that’s Bullseye stabbing Crossbones in his arm! Great issue that held up so well for me and next is our last issue in this mini series, so let’s see how Cap closes this case or even if he can.

Captain America # 378 **1/2
Released in 1990 Cover Priced $1.00 Marvel Comics #378 of 454

Captain America on his Sky-Cycle is going through a plan in his mind of what to do when he finds the ones responsible for the drugs and who have started a violent war in the streets of New York. Meanwhile Kingpin is not having any of the plan of teaming with the Red Skull as he flat out says he would never work with a Nazi! And Red Skull is not bothered by this and makes a wager with the Kingpin and its simple they two fight in a hand to hand combat with this on the line if Red Skull wins he stays in New York and they are able to sell ICE with no pushback from Kingpins men, and if Red Skull looses her leaves New York and sells his drug factories to Kingpin for a small fee…they both agree and start the fight on the field of Yankee Stadium with both men showing they are skilled and know how to defend themselves, and the fight is also taking place in a bubble that Red Skull put into place to keep others out of the fight. Meanwhile Captain America notices the lights on at Yankee Stadium and lands only to be greeted by Crossbones who wants to smash The Avenger to a blood pulp, so while Red Skull and Kingpin are fighting on the field Captain America and Crossbones are fighting off it. Captain America is able to outsmart and out fight Crossbones beating him after a very tiring battler with a chop to his throat and done on the field Kingpin is able to use his size and skills to defeat the Red Skull, sending him packing for now out of New York. In the end Red Skull and Crossbones escape, Kingpin wins his New York turf back as well as gets the ICE market and Captain America returns to The Avengers base and learns that he can get the Super Solider Serum back if he wants it, and he Just Says No as he knows now that Steve Rogers that man is who makes Captain America and not the drug.

Captain America in this issue not only kicks the drug that was polluting his body, he also finds the answer that has always bothered him and that’s if the serum is what drove him to be the biggest hero in Americas eyes or was it the drive, morals and standards of Steve Rogers! He also shows that even without his super strength he can still fight like a first class superhero when he takes on and defeats Crossbones is a fist fight, Captain America is back and while different he still is the man that America needs. But while Captain America finds himself, when you think about it he does not stop ICE or the New York drug issue as now Kingpin is in charge and will be selling the poison to those looking for a quick long lasting life changing high. The Kingpin while a crime lord and a guy who is responsible for many deaths, drug sales and over all bad deeds still has some morals as he in no way would ever work with Nazis and then beats the Red Skull in a fair fight to chase him out of New York so makes you feel odd as you find yourself cheering for him because of this. The one downside to Kinpin in this final issue is that he sends Bullseye away so he is not present for the big fight and he as well does not bring Typhoid Mary at all and she is one character I feel like they underused and wasted in this story. Red Skull is the one who has brought ICE to New York as he has a goal to kill America any way he can and he thinks what better way then watch Americans kill themselves slowly with his terrible addictive drug. He also has Crossbones a coldblooded gun for hire as his right hand man, so as you can see Red Skull means business and is truly a mastermind of crime. Peggy Carter, John Jameson, Hank Pym and Diamondback are all close friends of Captain America and care about him and all are helpless when it comes to helping him as he was on a mission to prove himself worthy of the name Captain America. I think Marvel Comics was taking a stand against the drugs that was running wild in the streets of New York at the time and was trying to make a statement that you don’t need drugs to be great and buying drugs helps put money in the pockets of organized crime, and most important that drugs are trying to ruin America. While Streets Of Poison is not one of Captain America’s most iconic stories it is one that I remember from my youth and one that I read when it was released way back in 1990, and one that I find myself still enjoying in 2022 so for me it has aged well. I would say that the story telling in this arch is a little sloppy in spots and has you as the reader fill in the holes, like the whole thing started with goofball Fabian being hooked on drugs and by the end of the story he is never mention. So in other words Streets Of Poison is not for everyone. It has Captain America appear in a Daredevil issue during so in order to get the full drugged out Cap you would need to read it as well. The cover for this issue is well done and has Cap punching Crossbones in the face, and again Ron’s interior work is great and captures the full mood of this story. Also you cannot go wrong with a fistfight between Red Skull and Kingpin going down at Yankee Stadium I wonder if Dandy their old Mascot was in the bleachers watching it all go down? Check out the artwork bellow to see Ron’s style and you can see what I mean about him having a great style that was perfect for Marvel Comics during that time.

So as you can see Captain America has kicked a forced on him drug addiction and tried to bring down two very big drug pushers and during the time played with the emotions of Diamondback and as well got help from his friends Hank Pym, Black Widow and Daredevil. This was a comic mini series that I really do remember reading as a kid and as I stated it held up pretty well after reading it again after these decades. And This was a great one to choose as you get so many villains as well as Red Skull, Crossbones, Bullseye, Kingpin, Typhoid Mary and even Boomslang make appearances with most beside the later playing big parts in this drug fueled story. Our next update however will take us out of the world of Marvel Comics and place us into the once created by Malibu Comics as we will take a look at another of there heroes who sadly is mostly forgotten by modern readers and I will be talking about Hardcase! So until next time read a comic or three, watch a superhero movie to two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you in a few weeks for an Ultraverse good time.