THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week-Year 2 - Week 42 _ _________________________________________________________________________
Reviews by John Norris, June 23 , 2008

This week, faithful readers, I present a fantastic tale from none other than Jack "the King" Kirby.

DEVIL DINOSAUR OMNIBUS (All Ages)

Jack Kirby (w/p); Mike Royer (i/l); Petra Goldberg & George Roussos (c); cover by Kirby

Publisher: Marvel

Format: hardcover trade

Concept: Back in the days of the prehistoric past-before the fall of the great lizards-there walked a creature, the likes of which the world had never seen! He strode through the Valley of Flame , where monsters dwell, a giant red-scaled demon known as-DEVIL DINOSAUR, his only companion, the young dawn-man, Moon-Boy.

Review: After having co-created characters such as the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Hulk and Thor, Jack Kirby left Marvel for DC, where he launched the Fourth World books as well as titles such as KAMANDI, OMAC and THE DEMON. When he later returned to Marvel, things didn't go smoothly, and according to Tom Brevoort's introduction, some people felt that his work was "stuck in the past, a relic of another era." In that context, it's rather fitting that he developed a story that took place in the distant past. The story concerns a huge, red T-Rex (how he became red is for you to discover) and his companion, Moon-Boy. This is not a prehistoric boy-and-his-dog story; instead, it is the tale of two beings bonded by friendship and loyalty. Kirby throws a lot at them-dinosaurs, ants, giant spiders, warlords, just to name a few-and it is their cooperation and devotion to each other that ensures their survival. Instead of asking 'what if dinosaurs and man had lived at the same time,' Kirby's approach is, "Who says they didn't?" He offers his opinion on the matter in several "dinosaur dispatches," which have been reprinted here along with all the letters pages. Everything has been beautifully restored, and Kirby's art comes alive like never before; it's absolutely gorgeous stuff. DEVIL DINOSAUR was Kirby's last series for Marvel; he soon left to work in animation. It might have become an animated series itself; one can only wonder what that would have been like. One thing's for sure, though: historically accurate or not, it's one HECK of an entertaining read.

"In an age of monsters, HE was the mightiest of all!"

DC SUPER FRIENDS vol. 2 #4: "April Fools" (All Ages)

Sholly Fisch (w); Dario Brizuela (p/i); Heroic Age (c); Randy Gentile (l); cover by J. Bone

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Introducing SUPER FRIENDS - a brand-new series for younger readers to meet the heroes of the DC Universe, based on the hot toy line from Mattel! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Aquaman are here to save the day - and be your friends, too!

In this issue : One villain is bad enough. But the Super Friends are in for a real struggle when they face six villains - secretly known as the Jester's League of America! Plus, puzzles, fact files and more! (from dccomics.com)

Review: Talk about a pie in the face.and that's just the beginning! Rising dough, banana peels, cans, seltzer, pepper.the Super Friends are in for some bizarre battles, thanks to the Joker and his fellow clowns of crime, the Jesters' League of America! Their strategy: to completely humiliate the Super Friends, so that they'll be too embarrassed to fight crime! But one of the lessons in this issue is one of the heroic group's main strengths: fighting the good fight even when it makes you look bad. There's another lesson in here as well, and I like that both Flash and Joker learn it: laughing at other people isn't funny. Extras include a fact file on Green Lantern, Joker's Wacky Wordplay, Make Your Own Bat-Copter, and a chance to own a Super Friends Membership Card.

FLASH vol. 2 #241: "Fast Money, part 4: Flash Mob" (Teen/Young Adult)

Tom Peyer (w); Freddie E. Williams II (p/i); Tanya & Richard Horie (c); Travis Lanham (l); cover by Williams & Horie

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept : Wally West returns as the Scarlet Speedster.

In this issue: A tidal wave of psychic terror sends Keystone's citizenry on a superpowered looting spree at the Flash Museum - and The Flash is forced to relive painful memories while defending it! (from dccomics.com)

Review: As crazy as things were before, the stuff really hits the fan here. Thanks to Grodd, the secret behind Spin's power is finally revealed-not that it does anyone much good, because the hysteria that's been building since the story began reaches new levels. One thing I've loved about this title since I started reading it is that the writers allow us to really go inside the Flash's mind, and Peyer allows the same thing here in an unforgettable scene. Confronting Inertia, whom he froze in time after the murder of Bart Allen, Flash bares his soul. As it turns out, his greatest fear isn't money. It's something that every father or mother has probably felt in their lifetime: the fear of being a failure as a parent. Given his kids' condition, that's a very tall order.

MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #25: "Who Wants To be a (Different) Superhero?" (All Ages)

Jeff Parker (w); Ig Graua (p); Sandro Ribeiro (i); Ulises Arreola (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Kirk & Guru eFX

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Super-soldier from World War II. Weather Goddess. Super-strong alter ego of scientist Bruce Banner. Spider-powered web-slinger. Giant-sized crimefighter. Brilliant armored inventor. Feral mutant brawler. Together, they are the world's mightiest heroes, battling foes that no single super hero could withstand!

In this issue: You're smart. DARN smart. You're so ahead of the curve, you've had your head removed and let your face be broadcast by a tv screen in your chest. That's not just smart, that's Arnim Zola Smart. And if the Avengers try to go up against that, well you can just switch their minds around so they don't know what to do with themselves. Oh Zola, you make M.O.D.O.C. look like a common street thug! (from marvel.com)

Review: Have you ever wanted to be someone else, even if just for a little while? Now you can, thanks to Arnim Zola. You can be a boxer, a singer, a member of the Avengers.whether they like it or not! And when Zola hires the Wrecking Crew to defeat them, things get interesting. Parker's script is a definite meeting of the minds, but with a message: Power is no good if you don't know how to use it.

COLLECTIONS

MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS vol. 6: MIGHTY MARVELS digest collects MA AVENGERS #20-23.

MARVEL ADVENTURES TWO-IN-ONE #12 collects MA HULK #3 and MA SPIDER-MAN #38.

To be reviewed in next week's column:

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #37

POWER PACK: DAY ONE #4

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #123

WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #4

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS vol. 2 #13

By thy side,

John "Figaro" Norris

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