Dueling Review

It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a review of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer #1 rang out into the darkness.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

MICKEY SPILLANE’S MIKE HAMMER #1

Story by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins

Writer: Max Allan Collins

Artist: Marcelo Salaza, Marcio Freire

Publisher: Titan Comics

Imprint: Hard Case Crime

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 27, 2018

When a chance encounter with a captivating femme fatale leads to a violent mob retaliation, hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer finds himself dodging both bullets and hard broads as he undertakes the most dangerous case of his career.

 [su_quote cite=“Matthew’s Thoughts”]This art is wholly inappropriate for the story being told, and the coloring is strangely garish for a noir story. The story feels like a boilerplate detective tale, which makes me wonder if the scripts it’s being adapted from was actually complete or not. Collins has the voice and the tough-guy dialogue down, though… [/su_quote][su_quote cite=“Stephen’s Thoughts”]There’s a reason why Spillane’s books are so controversial. Titan Comics takes a story that should have been left untold and told it, complete with art that looks more like a weird DAZ 3D comics than what you normally expect. Still, if you like hard crime tales where the hero isn’t afraid of taking down anyone who is on the wrong side of the law, then Mike Hammer is the hero for you.[/su_quote]

This week, we dive into the creepy world of Edward Grey, Witchfinder, as the mystery of the spooky ghost continues to baffle investigators in Witchfinder: Gates of Heaven #2 from Dark Horse Comics.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

WITCHFINDER GATES OF HEAVEN #2

Writer: Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson

Artist: D’Israeli

Publisher; Dark Horse Comics

Cover Price: $3.99

Edward Grey starts to run out of leads when a familiar enemy tries to throttle his investigation. Meanwhile, the stakes only get higher as a ghostly thief continues to terrorize London.

He’s bouncy, he’s stretchy, it get’s a little messy, and in this review, we’ll look at Plastic Man #1 from DC Comics.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

PLASTIC MAN #1

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Andrea Melo

Publisher: DC Comics

Cover Price: $3.99

Meet Eel O’Brian: a petty thug, thief and con artist who runs a strip club. Hey, he’s also dead, at least according to the gang that tossed him out like last week’s garbage. Literally. Don’t worry, though—he bounced back from all that, and now he’s trying to make a new life for himself, but the effort is stretching him pretty thin. How can he get revenge on his old boss, keep a street kid out of trouble, make a dancer fall in love with him and stop a mysterious society from taking over the world? Eel has no idea!

Because you demanded it!* This week, we take a look at John Byrne’s Stowaway to the Stars Coloring Book from IDW Publishing.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

JOHN BYRNE’S STOWAWAY TO THE STARS #1 SPECIAL EDITION

John Byrne (w & a)

Robots, aliens, and a spunky teenaged girl. John Byrne explores a whole new way of storytelling in “Stowaway to the Stars,” where Byrne (Star Trek New Visions, John Byrne’s Next Men) takes you on a journey through brand-new worlds and galaxies with this beautiful series of full-page, full-color illustrations, accompanied by a light, evocative, science-fiction storyline.  FC • 48 pages • $12.99

*You actually did demand that we review this book. Each week, we ask listeners to vote for the comic we review next week, and we review it! find out more, and cast your vote for the next Dueling Review at http://patreon.com/MajorSpoilers

Death lurks all around us. Jon Kent and Damian Wayne look death in the face and discover Dynomutt is there to lend a paw. Who will live, and who will die in this week’s Super Sons Dynomutt Special #1 from DC Comics?

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

Super Sons Dynomutt Special #1

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artist: Oclair Albert, Fernando Pasarin

Publisher: DC Comics

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 30, 2018

It’s no fun for Jon Kent to be visiting Big City with his parents for the funeral of an old friend. So his best pal Damian Wayne decides to follow along and give him the inside scoop on the city. But when they go to meet Robin’s local friend, Dynomutt, they find him injured and in need of help. And Dynomutt’s human superhero companion, Blue Falcon, has seemingly turned evil. What’s the reason for this betrayal between once-loyal companions, and what role might the evil Red Vulture play in this scenario?

A DRAGON IS ATTACKING PHILADELPHIA! Will the Musketeers be able to stop it? We take a look at Musketeers #4 from Zenescope Entertainment on this week’s Dueling Review.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

MUSKETEERS #4

Writer: Terry Kavanagh

Artist: Daniel Maine

Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment

Now that Merlin and Morgan’s true colors have been revealed, they won’t let the Musketeers stand in the way of their plans. The Musketeers are in for the fight of their lives– and their souls. Can they finally learn to work together as a team in time to save themselves, and the city of Philadelphia?

What really went on in that meeting between President Nixon and Elvis? Are space vampires the key to figure out what happened that night so long ago? Find out as we dive into Bubba Ho-Tep and the Cosmic Blood Suckers #1 from IDW Publishing.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

Bubba Ho-Tep and the Cosmic Blood-Suckers #1

Writer: Joshua Jabcuga

Artist: Tadd Galusha

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Cover Price: $3.99

From the mind of creator Joe R. Lansdale comes a prequel to the cult-classic film! President Nixon has discovered an alien threat, and he knows there’s only one man he can reach out to for help: Elvis Presley. But will Elvis be enough to defeat a horde of Cosmic Blood-Suckers?

 [su_quote cite=“Matthew’s Thoughts”]Really not what I was expecting, but enjoyable in a dark, dangerous, unexpectedly adult way. Otter Disaster would love it.[/su_quote][su_quote cite=“Stephen’s Thoughts”]This is not the type of book I expected from IDW Publishing, but rather a smaller publisher looking to make a name for itself. Bubb-Ho-Tep is a dark indie movie, and this book caries on that indie feel, with all the gory details and rawness found in the movie.[/su_quote]

If you are feeling blue, and your creativity levels are low, you just might want to pick up a copy of Fraggle Rock #1

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock #1

Publisher: Archaia, an imprint of BOOM! Studios

Writer: Jared Cullum

Artist: Jared Cullum

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 9, 2018

Synopsis: In honor of the 35th Anniversary of Fraggle Rock, the Fraggles are back in an all-new stand-alone adventure illustrated in beautiful watercolor and presented in a format perfect for longtime fans to share with the next generation.

The heroes return to Baldur’s Gate! But will it be a welcome home party, or a party of one? Find out in this week’s Dueling Review of Dungeons and Dragons: Evil at Baldur’s Gate #1 from IDW Publishing.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS EVIL AT BALDURS GATE #1

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Dean Kotz

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Cover Price: $3.99

SOLICITATION: Minsc the Mighty—Evil Beware! The Baldur’s Gate heroes return to the city at last, but their time adventuring in Ravenloft and the frozen northern reaches of the Realms has changed them. Each of them must face great trials ahead before they’ll be ready to embrace their destiny.

A new hero of the people roams the streets of Baldur’s Gate, and Minsc feels left behind despite his own legend. Can he reclaim his place as the city’s Beloved Ranger? Whatever happens, evil is going to get its butt kicked most thoroughly!

Will your deathbed confession be full of regret and sorrow, or will you reveal you created a sex cult in the ‘70s? We take a look at one of those scenarios in Deathbed #3 from Vertigo.

Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Dueling Reviews continues far into the future!

DEATHBED #3

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Riley Rossmo

Publisher: Vertigo

Release Date: April 18, 2018

Cover Price: $3.99

Have you ever felt alone? Lost? Like you needed a friend?

If so…join the Cult of Luna! Started in the heyday of the cult movement, the Cult of Luna follows the words of the great Antonio Luna. Every single word. No matter how random or insane, the Cult of Luna treats them as an eternal gospel. He is their God. And he will be your God, too. So, come on down and join us! Bring the kiddies! Journey to the center of your inner mind. Meet exciting people who want to meet you! Find out what you’re really made of! Share yourself with our hungry followers! And most of all…have fun!