Adventures in Comic-Boxing: Time (Zoo) Marches On... From February to March!

Here's a little oddity that I noticed while indexing issues of RICK AND MORTY for GCD! 

It's something no one would ever notice... unless they had two versions of the same promo ad - from two consecutive issues - open at the same time!  ...And, frankly, who in the world would do THAT, unless they were making the world's greatest overall comics information site all the better each and every day?  

From RICK AND MORTY (2023 Series) #1 (Oni Press, Cover Date: January, 2023), we have THIS!

And from the next issue, RICK AND MORTY (2023 Series) #2 (Oni Press, Cover Date: February, 2023), we have THIS!

I guess if you're trapped in the titular "Time Zoo", you'd be prone to say... "February? March? What's the difference!"... and you'd be right!  

But, in the granular and detail obsessed world of GCD Indexing, it would mean all the difference in the "granular and detail obsessed world"!  As you can see HERE!  

...See you next TIME... in February... or March... but, hopefully long before that!  

...Then again, it COULD be a LONG WAIT after all!  

TIAHBlog at 16 Presents 16 Covers -- Number Ten: A Unconventional Convention!

With the close of the two American political parties' national conventions - and the presidential election just over two months away - comes this perfectly timed comic, released to help celebrate the excitement, or turn us even more cynical,  depending on which side you choose to support!  

Now, I'm not going to tell you which side I favor... Sorry, we don't do that here, but those of you who know me should easily figure it out.  And, given the wide gulf between the two candidates plus their respective running mates when it comes to simple human decency, I fail to understand how ANYONE can remain "undecided" at this point - but MY choice is CLEAR as a bell in broad daylight, when seen through a newly prescribed pair of glasses or contacts from a top flight ophthalmologist!  

I daresay, I would vote for ANYONE pictured on this cover, before voting for a certain ONE of those two choices!

...And that goes for THIS cover too!

RICK AND MORTY is a relatively new "interest" of mine... okay, it's more of a full blown mania, introduced to me by Thad (yes, that THAD) and Sam in summer, 2023!  Having sampled selected episodes of the TV series, expertly curated to my tastes by Thad and Sam, I was hooked enough to buy the series (up to that point and beyond) on DVD and accumulate a full run of the various comic book series!  

RICK AND MORTY is the story of the ultimate misanthropic mad scientist his cautious and worrisome adolescent grandson, and their misadventures throughout time, space, and especially other dimensions...

...And, even more difficult for the pair... negotiating ordinary family life! 

...Of course, where RICK AND MORTY are concerned, is anything ever really "ORDINARY"? 

 

Which (finally) brings us to RICK AND MORTY FINALS WEEK: CONTESTED CONVENTION #1 (Oni Press, Cover Date: August, 2024)!  

The fourth of five bi-monthly specials under the umbrella title "RICK AND MORTY FINALS WEEK"!

In my view, not only is CONTESTED CONVENTION the best (thus far) of the FINALS WEEK series... It may just as well be The Best Comic of the Year!  

I won't go into detail because I'd be writing well into the next day (... and I've still got SIX MORE of these darned things to do over the next six days) but suffice it to say this is one of  THE MOST CLEVER COMICS I HAVE EVER READ!  

Writers James Asmus and Jim Festante (Yay, writers!) come at EVERYTHING in the politics of recent years, skewering both sides - I must add, with a skill and precision not often seen in American comic books!  Especially, if you follow American politics closely, you will be in awe of what they do!  

As a fan (and a creator) of good dialogue and "peppered pop references" in comics, this one wins the Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Platinum!    

As I said about 1965's THE FLINTSTONES #28 in THIS POST: <i>"IF YOU'RE GONNA GET ONLY ONE ISSUE OF RICK AND MORTY, THIS IS THE ONE TO GET!"</i>

A knowledge of the show and it's characters is helpful, but not essential to the enjoyment of this uniquely satirical story!  Be warned, though, it is (as the back cover says) "SUGGESTED FOR MATURE READERS", and there will be language (though most of the bad stuff is obscured by some well placed "***"'s) and double entendres ...Triple, and Quadruple, even! 

But, again, if you're into the last few decades of American politics, you cannot help but find sharp and clever (and sometimes surprising) humor in nearly every panel!  

So, whatever you're doing on November 5th, MAKE SURE YOU STOP AND VOTE... and before you do - or after, or even at the same time - enjoy a copy of RICK AND MORTY FINALS WEEK: CONTESTED CONVENTION #1....

...It's the American thing to do! 

TIAHBlog at 16 Presents 16 Covers -- Number Three (x3)!

Everyone has their thoughts on, and their predictions for, THE FUTURE... but how many of them have ever turned out right?  I don't mean "right" in any sort of "general sense", but REALLY, ABSOLUTELY, BANG-ON, GOT-IT-IN-ONE CORRECT?   

...No, can't say that mine have either! 

I never imagined I'd someday be in a situation like my present one.  Rather, I thought that "everybody's-go-to-future-that-never-happened-example", FLYING CARS, was more likely to happen by now!     

...And, on the remote possibility that they DID, mine would most likely be out of Deutronium Hyper-Neucleonic Blend Rocket Engine Fuel!  

...I'd probably look more like the "Charlton Version of Myself", than the "Gold Key Version", as well! 

Nevertheless, predict we do, and we'll do a hypothetical exercise in "future possibilities"...

 ...Yes, "future possibilities"... phrased thusly because, in light of recent developments, and with good reason, we've become somewhat hesitant to use the phrase "What If" around here for a while!  

Indeed, if left unchecked, "What If" shows every indication of becoming the next "Legendary Super-Pickax"...

...And we wouldn't want THAT to happen, would we?  (But, I digress... "legendarily", of course!)

We present a hypothetical exercise in "future possibilities" relating to the 16th birthday/anniversary of TIAHBlog (...do Blogs even have "birthdays", "anniversaries", or some other unit of commemorative measure?)

THIABlog came into being on THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2008... just one day after Wednesday, August 14, 2008 - that is to say "New Comics Day - Wednesday"!

Now, I'll never be able to recreate exactly which comics I bought on that day, but it's a good bet that there would be something from GEMSTONE...

...Something from DC...

And probably some favorite licensed property put out by a small publisher, like JUDGE DREDD or LOST IN SPACE...

BUT, I asked myself because nobody else would, which NEW COMICS would you get on NEW COMICS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2024 (the 16th "DATE" Anniversary of TIAHBlog)?  

...Ya know I didn't really ask myself that back then, but go with the bit, okay?  

Well, to tie back to my opening paragraphs, I would have gotten THAT prediction wrong, too!  

No Gemstone, or any other regularly-published standard-sized Disney comics that would catch my interest yet!  

Little or no DC because, other than their SCOOBY-DOO titles, they seem to have driven me, and my interests, away. 

...But what did I say about "some favorite licensed property put out by a small publisher"?  Well set off the sparklers and drop the confetti because I GOT ONE RIGHT!  

But not exactly that REALLY, ABSOLUTELY, BANG-ON, GOT-IT-IN-ONE type of "right", because I had no idea which "favorite licensed properties" there might be, or which "small publishers" would furnish them.  

Finally, HERE, after all that 16th Anniversary and predictions blather, are our Covers for installment  Number Three - times 3.  Everything else above doesn't count toward the "Anniversary Cover Total" (Sorry, Yogi!), but you get a Three-for-One bonus for August 16, 2024!  Not bad, eh? 

DICK TRACY #4 from  "Mad Cave Studios":

JONNY QUEST #1 from "Dynamite Entertainment":

And, just in time for the Presidential Election Season, RICK AND MORTY FINALS WEEK: CONTESTED CONVENTION #1 from "Oni Press":

All of these "favorite licensed properties from these small publishers" are giving me the Joy-of-Reading that the bigger fish have moved too far away from!  I will be indexing all three at GCD soon!  Stop by and check them out!  

So, with Three-For-One Friday completed, let's see where we go next for installment Number Four!  

Limited Comics Review: Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime.

It's here! It's out! It's the subject of our post!  It's UNCLE SCROOGE AND THE INFINITY DIME (Marvel Comics, Released June 19th, 2024)!

I dub this a "LIMITED Comics Review" for two reasons... ONE: Time and my usual state of being (...all together now) HORRIFICALLY BUSY, which is even more so than usual lately.  TWO: My status as a member of the Fantagraphics team that handles these very same characters finds me in the unlikely position of discussing the wares of a larger and... um, more influential "competitor"! 

So, I'll tread lightly, fairly, honestly... and with some (unusual for me) degree of brevity.  

First and foremost, I think that everyone would agree that it's great to see a new Uncle Scrooge story even partially produced in the USA!  I add "partially" because it seems to be a collaboration between Marvel and Disney Italy.  ...And, if (Disney owned) Marvel doesn't have the resources to do this, then who does?  

The story itself was good.  An epic, sweeping, universe-shaking tale that is common today.  Structurally reminiscent of "Scrooge's Last Adventure" - seen in the USA in IDW's UNCLE SCROOGE #13 (legacy #417) thru #16 (legacy #420).  If you liked that, you'll like this.  

And while I DID like both "Scrooge's Last Adventure"  and "The Infinity Dime",  I find myself sorta burned-out on epic, sweeping, universe-shaking tales from other publishers.  Early Scrooge adventures with a more tightly-focused and specific scope, such as Carl Barks' great "Back to the Klondike", "Tralla La", and somewhat later ones like "The Twenty-Four Carat Moon" and "The Flying Dutchman" were more than stirring enough to make them forever classics without the now-seemingly-requisite universe-shaking. 

That said, "The Infinity Dime",  works well on a number of levels, including at least one that "strictly Disney" fans may or may not get.  

Writer Jason Aaron is to be commented for his efforts. I personally felt better about this project upon learning that he was its writer - having enjoyed his work on the limited series BATMAN OFF-WORLD (DC Comics, 2024) a series whose most notable flaw is the extraordinary gap between issues!  

(DIGRESSION:  Issues 1-3 were cover-dated January, February, and March , 2024.  Issue 4 was cover-dated JUNE, 2024... and Issue 5 is still... still "Off-World", I guess!  I bought # 1-3 in one purchase, waited a very long time for #4 and expect to wait another good while for #5!  I read # 1-3 in one sitting, but will need to review the WHOLE THING before resuming!  END OF DIGRESSION)

Jason Aaron clearly loves the character of Scrooge McDuck, as is evidenced by his foreword - literally titled "Why I Love This Duck"...particularly as characterized by Don Rosa.  Thus, "his" Scrooge falls squarely into the "mythically invincible hero" mold of Rosa, more so than the "classically adventurous hero" of Carl Barks. Given this, Aaron, quite effectively, takes his tale to a level even Rosa might not have imagined.  

You might expect Rosa's "Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck" to permeate Aaron's epic, and indeed it does - spreading itself thickly throughout "Infinity Dime's" 30 pages... but there is another influence decidedly at work here (as hinted at above), Marvel's six-issue limited series of 1991, "The Infinity Gauntlet" , with an alternate universe's version of Scrooge taking on the role of "Infinity Gauntlet's" villain Thanos and substituting  alternate universe versions of "The Number One Dime" for the "infinity gems" of the original.  

I'm not a fan of post Silver Age Marvel Comics, and have never read "The Infinity Gauntlet" , but the obvious title homage was enough to tip off even me.  

One unexpected - and impressively clever - additional influence, a reference to Carl Barks' "Christmas on Bear Mountain", occurs on page one and sets the events of Aaron's story in motion.  

The art, by a number of different Italian artists, is sometimes over-rendered and hyper-colored, but good overall. 

Brimming with enough oversized or full-page panels, and Jack Kirby-esque, cinematic two page spreads to satisfy even Marvel movie fans!  

Why, there's even a nice little nod to RICK AND MORTY's Council of Ricks...

...With this story's offhanded mention of a Council of Gyros!

Right now you're probably asking yourself "WHERE'S DONALD?"  Well, you won't find the answer to that question until PAGE 24, but it'll be worth it!  NO SPOLIERS HERE!  

To sum up, "Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime" is just enough on the "comfortable side of things" to satisfy a Barks traditionalist like me, while decidedly falling on the (all together now) "epic, sweeping, universe-shaking side of things".  

That means it should appeal to a wide swath of comics consumers, whose individual mileage will vary per their personal preferences. 

...And a big salute to writer Jason Aaron (we Disney comics writers and scripters must stick together) for walking such a fine line so successfully.  

I doubt I'll be able to say the same for Marvel's next foray into the world created, or otherwise enhanced, by Carl Barks, July's "What If...?  Donald Duck Became Wolverine", not written by Jason Aaron. 

...YES, REALLY! 

And here's the classic cover it's based on...

It will be followed up by September's "What If...?  Donald Duck Became Thor"... 

...Neither of which appeal to me!  Heck, I don't even like Donald as "Duck Avenger"! 

These are just too far removed from "my everyman-duck" Donald...

...But, again, your "traditionalist" or "non-traditionalist" mileage will vary.   I'll be passing on those, but do act according to your personal taste, and not some fogey blogger. 

I opted for the Alex Ross cover, not only because Alex Ross is such an amazing artist... 

...But because it's also (...all together now) more traditional!  

SO traditional, in fact, that Scrooge even appears to be diving into his MONEY CRIB, the 1951 precursor to his iconic MONEY BIN!  

But there are 13 (...count 'em 13!) variant covers, catering to all tastes!  While you're wondering why they didn't squeeze out just one more so as to avoid the potential bad luck in publishing 13 variants, you can see them all HERE at the GCD index that I'm presently preparing - and that should be completed soon. 

There are a host of additional features for your $7.99, including "Uncle Scrooge Cover Faves!" a gallery of Carl Barks Dell UNCLE SCROOGE covers and the wrap-around cover illustration by William Van Horn for UNCLE SCROOGE #250 - with no mention of Mr. Barks and Mr. Van Horn over its three pages. 

To tie in with events setting  "The Infinity Dime" into motion, there is also a reprint of Carl Barks' ultra classic "Christmas on Bear Mountain", which marked the first appearance of Uncle Scrooge - apparently using Fantagraphics' clean version of the original Dell/Western Publishing color, seen in The Complete Carl Barks Library Volume 5. 

A two-page preview of "What If...?  Donald Duck Became Wolverine", and other extras. 

I said I'd be brief... guess that didn't work out!  But, MY verdict on this much-awaited event is in.  Now, how about YOURS?  

Comments have been slower than usual lately... but I'm expecting you all to LIGHT IT UP for this one!  Have at it!  

When THIS Scrooge "lights it up"... he LIGHTS IT UP!