Showcase (1956-1978) #17

My first comic from the 1950s is also my first focusing on DC Comics' space based hero Adam Strange. Showcase (1956-1978) #17 is part of a series of anthology stories that DC used at the start of the Silver Age all the way to the middle of the Bronze Age to introduce new characters. Depending on how much each issue sold and how readers felt about each character, then DC would give a specific character their own series. Characters introduced in Showcase's run include the Barry Allen Flash, time traveller Rip Hunter, and the Metal Men. This issue introduces DC Comics' answer to such well known pulp sci-fi heroes like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, Adam Strange. Strange is introduced as an archeologists being chased by hostile villagers of a South American civilization. During that chase, Strange is teleported via Zeta-Beams to the alien planet of Rann where he befriends the scientist, who created what was supposed to be a communication device that then turned into a teleporter, and her daughter, Alanna, whom Strange becomes smitten. After spending some time with the two and learning about Rann's history, the planet is soon invaded by aliens. After Strange manages to help defeat the alien invaders, the Zeta-Beams wear off causing him to go back to Earth but vows to figure out how to get back. The next story in the issue sees Adam figure out where the next Zeta-Beams will reach Earth and uses it to get back to Rann. However it instead sends him to another planet where he finds Alanna and her father who were exploring space but were attacked by aliens who are planning to take over a domed Rannian colony. Donning what would become his iconic costume of a red spacesuit with a jetpack and ray gun, Adam defeats the aliens but right after is once again whisked away back to Earth. While there are certain things in Showcase (1956-1978) #17 that date it, many of those aspects is what makes it such a fun read. Creator and writer Gardner Fox tells such an engaging and fun story, managing to have a very mature story even if a few things don't age well like how Alanna is portrayed. Fox is definitely not afraid to be very out there with his ideas, from the giant space pendulum to the over the top science explanations. Mike Sekowsky's artwork and Bernard Sachs coloring perfectly encapsulates the pulp and fun that you expect from a story like this. Showcase (1956-1978) #17 may come from a period of when comic books were sometimes way too silly, but this one proves that not all of them are like that. Over all: 98%
Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:
1. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1
2. Showcase (1956-1978) #17
3. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1 is the first comic book I had to buy online and read digitally through Comixology. While this is the start of the second volume of the Doctor Aphra series, and though I have not yet read the first volume nor the story she was introduced in the Vader comics, the backstory of her previous stories are simple enough to read about that it's easy to get into this comic without reading the past ones. The Marvel series started out with Aphra, an archeologist with a keen interest in the Jedi being hired by Darth Vader right after A New Hope only to then be betrayed by him and faking her death to escape. Her first volume deals with Aphra getting her life back together and helping out a Wookie bounty hunter in finding those who hurt him. This first issue of the second volume, set between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, begins with Aphra and her crew, which include the bounty hunter Wookie and assassin Just Lucky, stealing from the Empire as it empties what's left of the Rebel base in Hoth. After Aphra is paid for what she found in Hoth she's told about an ancient and mythical artifact that is impossible to obtain due to a curse surrounding it. Aphra accepts the job but needs the help of another archeologist that she studied with, along with her droid, due to her greater knowledge of the artifact. At the same time, the head of a powerful crime family sets out after Aphra and her crew due to a previous run in. Even with a lot of stories before this one, Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1 is very fresh and manages to give out enough information without needing to go back all the time. The characters are all interesting, rounded, and each have their own personalities that at time clash with one another. Writer Alyssa Wong does an amazing job at setting up what the following issues will focus on, something very different in Star Wars than what you see in the films. The focus on archeology is interesting as it's something you never see discussed by even the most beloved characters. Though even with great writing, some of it is bogged down in this issue by the overuse of exposition. Combining Marika Cresta's artwork and ink with Rachelle Rosenberg's coloring gives very detailed and at times beautiful images. The opening fight in Hoth is one great example of showing the many artists' abilities whether through close ups or wide shots. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1 is a great start to a new volume without bogging the reader down about needing to know what happened before and getting them to keep reading. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:
1. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1
2. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018

Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018

Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018 is a fun and enjoyable collection of Simpsons based stories. Much like the Bongo Free For All of 2017, this comic tells various stories focusing on different characters and with some small artistic changes. In Lisa the Clown, Lisa has to fill in for Krusty after he gets electrocuted and, thanks to the support of a new executive producer, starts to add an educational aspect to the show. These changes turn out to be unpopular and leads Bart to investigate how Lisa's ideas keep being used despite the show's decline. Bored Walk has Bart go on small adventures all over Springfield as Marge does her annual house cleaning. Milhouse stars in Feets of Fury, wherein he imagines himself as a martial arts master fighting against bullies until he realizes that his money and pants were taken right in front of other kids. The last one is Hillbilly Abductshun and it focuses on Cletus being abducted into a spaceship by Kang and Kodos. Cletus's stupidity proves to be too much for the Rigelians as he ends up crashing the ship into his barn. Kang and Kodos try to defend themselves, causing Cletus's family, including his dozens of kids, to fight back. Whether they lasted for just about a page or up to six, this comic had some excellent stories that could make for either whole episodes, a small part in an episode, or a short similar to Longest Daycare. John Zakour's writing on Lisa the Clown is very similar to previous episodes but with some unique touches that make it stand out, while the artwork and coloring definitely feels like it's taken from an episode. Bored Walk has the same artist and colorist, but with a different writer that manages to take a small story that could perfectly be expanded into a thirty minute episode. The story and look of Feets of Fury are all done by Dean Rankine, who writes a fun little short and gives us a unique art style that's more rubbery and over the top when seeing Milhouse's imagination. Abductshun, written by Shane Houghton, is not only funny but has a lot of well done gags that it could fit into a Treehouse of Horror segment. John Delaney's artwork and Nathan Hamill's coloring is as good as the first two stories, but adds more detail in the textures and shadows. With these four stories, Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018 gives its readers what they can get from a great episode of The Simpsons, but much faster and without waiting through commercials. Over all: 97%
Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:
1. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018

Top 10 Moments From First and Second Ten Sets of Comics

First Set:
1. Supergirl's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
2. The Ghost Patrol always humiliating the Nazis in The Comic Cavalcade: Archives Volume 1.
3. The Fourth Doctor's appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2.
4. Batman and Superman's fight in The Dark Knight Returns.
5. The Hulk's death in Old Man Logan.
6. The villains killing off Falcone in Batman: The Long Halloween.
7. Jason's weekly life in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1.
7. The unnamed narrator plotting to kill Batman in An Innocent Guy.
8. Finding Captain America in Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1.
9. Batman's enemies revealed to be mutated in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5.
10. Alpha growing big in Justice League/Power Rangers #5.
Honorable Mentions:
Punisher refusing to fight back against Captain America in Civil War.
Goldar's backstory in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1.
The Rangers confront Batman for the first time in Justice League/Power Rangers #1.
The Flash's sacrifice in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Second Set:
1. The death of Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
2. Captain Marvel seeing through Shazam's Cerberus illusion in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2.
3. Doctor Octopus hijacking a plane in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
4. The Doctor preventing a fight in an alien diner in Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018.
4. Mister Mind tricking the Marvels into believing he grew giant in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
5. The destruction of Fairfield in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
6. The Necronomicon summoning an undead Deadite army against the Marvel zombies in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness.
7. Krang's defeat in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6.
8. The Laughing Man becoming the Joker in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4.
9. Batman meeting the Flashpoint version of his father in Batman/The Flash: The Button.
10. Wonder Woman using the Lasso of Truth on herself in Wonder Woman: Rebirth (2016) #1.
Honorable Mentions:
The altered origins of Batman and the Turtles at the beginning of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3.
The opening chase and fight sequence from Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR.
Zim's blob taking over and then restoring Earth in Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Schmoopsy.
The death of Captain Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
The reveal of Krang using the Anti-Monitor's body as a suit at the end of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1.

Overall:
1. Supergirl's death in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
2. The death of Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
3. Captain Marvel seeing through Shazam's Cerberus illusion in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2.
4. The Ghost Patrol always humiliating the Nazis in The Comic Cavalcade: Archives Volume 1.
5. The Fourth Doctor's appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2.
6. Batman and Superman's fight in The Dark Knight Returns.
7. The Hulk's death in Old Man Logan.
8. Doctor Octopus hijacking a plane in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
9. The Doctor preventing a fight in an alien diner in Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018.
10. The villains killing off Falcone in Batman: The Long Halloween.
Honorable Mentions:
Batman's enemies revealed to be mutated in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5.
Alpha growing big in Justice League/Power Rangers #5.
The destruction of Fairfield in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
The Necronomicon summoning an undead Deadite army against the Marvel zombies in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness.
Krang's defeat in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6.

Top 10 First and Second Sets of Comic Book Events As A Whole

First Set:
1. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
3. Free Comic Book Day: All New Guardians of the Galaxy 2017
4. Justice League/Power Rangers
5. An Innocent Guy
6. Batman: The Killing Joke
7. Batman: The Long Halloween
8. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1
9. Deadpool Kills series
10. Crisis on Infinite Earths
Honorable Mentions:
Star Trek/Planet of the Apes: The Primate Directive
Old Man Logan
Cartoon Network Super Secret Crisis War
Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1
The Comic Cavalcade: Archives Volume 1

Second Set:
1. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys
3. Howard the Duck Vol. 1 #1
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II and III
5. Deadpool Kills Deadpool
6. DC Comics Presents: Shazam! collections
7. Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness
8. The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
9. Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond-VARGR
10. Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Schmoopsy
Honorable Mentions:
Wonder Woman collection
Ant-Man collection
Thor collection

Overall:
1. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy
2. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys
3. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
4. Free Comic Book Day: All New Guardians of the Galaxy 2017
5. Justice League/Power Rangers
6. An Innocent Guy
7. Batman: The Killing Joke
8. Deadpool Kills trilogy
9. Batman: The Long Halloween
10. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1
Honorable Mentions:
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Doctor Who collection
DC Comics Presents: Shazam! collections
Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness

Top 10 Comics From First and Second Ten Sets Of Comics

First Set:
1. Justice League/Power Rangers #6
2. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
3. Justice League/Power Rangers #5
4. Free Comic Book Day: All New Guardians of the Galaxy 2017
5. Deadpool Killustrated
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6
7. Civil War: Choosing Sides Vol. 1 #1
8. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4
9. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
10. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Honorable Mentions:
Batman: The Killing Joke
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2016 Annual #1
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2

Second Set:

1. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6
3. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #5
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4
5. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #2
8. DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2
9. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys
10. Howard the Duck Vol. 1 #1

Honorable Mentions:Deadpool Kills Deadpool
Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness
The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018
Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy
The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500

Overall:
1. Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018
2. Justice League/Power Rangers #6
3. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6
4. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #5
5. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4
6. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3
7. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1
8. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #2
9. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2017
10. Justice League/Power Rangers #5
Honorable Mentions:
DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2
Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys
Deadpool Killustrated
Civil War: Choosing Sides Vol. 1 #1
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4

Top 10 Moments From My Second Ten Sets of Comics

1. The death of Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
2. Captain Marvel seeing through Shazam's Cerberus illusion in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #2.
3. Doctor Octopus hijacking a plane in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
4. The Doctor preventing a fight in an alien diner in Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018.
4. Mister Mind tricking the Marvels into believing he grew giant in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
5. The destruction of Fairfield in DC Comics Presents: Shazam! #1.
6. The Necronomicon summoning an undead Deadite army against the Marvel zombies in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness.
7. Krang's defeat in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #6.
8. The Laughing Man becoming the Joker in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #4.
9. Batman meeting the Flashpoint version of his father in Batman/The Flash: The Button.
10. Wonder Woman using the Lasso of Truth on herself in Wonder Woman: Rebirth (2016) #1.
Honorable Mentions:
The altered origins of Batman and the Turtles at the beginning of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3.
Superman's spirit helping his father in The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1 #500.
The opening chase and fight sequence from Free Comic Book Day 2018: James Bond 007-VARGR.
The Tick protecting Rubber Ducky in The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2018.
Beta Ray Bill offering Stormbreaker to Thor in The Unworthy Thor (2016-2017) #1.
Zim's blob taking over and then restoring Earth in Free Comic Book Day 2018 Invader Zim: Floopsy Bloops Schmoopsy.
Chirrut sensing future events at the end of Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1.
The death of Captain Stacy in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
The defeat of the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys.
All of the zombified heroes attacking Doom's castle in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness.
Gabby Gonzalez's story in Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2018.
Bruce and Alfred reuniting in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #3.
The reveal of Krang using the Anti-Monitor's body as a suit at the end of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Crisis in a Half Shell #1.