Strange Academy #8 - Marvel Comics

STRANGE ACADEMY No. 8, April 2021

Featuring a marvellous guest appearance by Rocket Racoon and Groot, as well as a rib-tickling cameo by the God of Thunder, Skottie Young’s script for Issue Eight of “Strange Academy” must have delighted those readers familiar with the antics of young Harry Potter and his Hogwarts friends in J.K. Rowling’s highly popular wizarding world. Indeed, certain elements of this twenty-page periodical, such as Agatha Harkness teaching her pupils “how to perform the Illusions of Ikonn” with various degrees of success, could mistakenly be seen as having been ‘lifted’ straight out from one of the successful British author’s fantasy novels; “Yes! I did it. I have produced three copies of this… Whatever this beast is called.”

Fortunately however, this comic’s narrative doesn’t exclusively concern itself with just giving an appreciative nod to “the best-selling book series in history”, but also adds plenty more mystery as to the identity of Doctor Stephen Strange’s unseen prisoner located deep within the basement of the Sanctum Sanctorum. Emily Bright’s temptation to open the inmate’s heavily barred door is arguably palpable in this well-penned scene, especially once the young mystic arts apprentice learns the detainee has spent the past two years locked away in the dungeon’s darkness and seems to be on the verge of actually agreeing with their argument to release them.

Debatably this book’s most engaging sequence though is the college’s off-world excursion to Templo Offdom - “a planet a tragillion miles from Earth.” Just as soon as it’s revealed that the students’ field-trip will be ‘aided’ by Rocket and Groot, every reader knows their quest to find the “scribbit” responsible for eating some long-lost mystical gems is going to end very badly, and Young’s subsequent tongue-in-cheek tomfooleries simply don’t disappoint. Frantically-paced and predominantly consisting of the adolescent magic users running for their very lives from a nest of giant-sized budgerigars, this ‘laugh out loud’ pursuit is finally brought to a close thanks to Zelma Stanton teleporting the entire class from out of danger and back to the Academy’s library at the last minute.

Adding enormously to both this book’s jolly tone and more sinister shenanigans are Humberto Ramos’ excellent illustrations. The Mexican penciller’s superb sketches of the multi-beaked baby scribbits and the various supernaturally replicated animals are dreadfully cute, whilst his collaboration with colorist Edgar Delgado to portray a truly grim gaol for Strange’s captive imbues Bright’s naïve exploration of Stephen’s foreboding basement with a disconcertingly dark ambiance.

The regular cover art of "STRANGE ACADEMY" #8 by Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado

True Believers: Kirby 100th - Groot #1 - Marvel Comics

TRUE BELIEVERS: KIRBY 100TH - GROOT No. 1, October 2017

Despite Jack Kirby having “some pretty crazy stuff up his sleeve”, Editor Jordan D. White was probably right when he wrote in this anthology’s foreword that the “titan of the comic industry” would “likely never have guessed… When he first started drawing a giant tree-monster from space bent on conquering Earth”, that the “despot” would become part of “a big-budget Hollywood film in which” the extra-terrestrial was later “reduced to a tiny sprout dancing to some choice pop songs.” Certainly there's little in the way of the character’s modern-day likeability on show as far as this seven-page publication is concerned, with the rather two-dimensional “Monarch of Planet X” simply stomping about an American village and threatening to carry its entire population off into outer space…

Moreover, Stan Lee’s “overlord of all the timber in the galaxy” is far from heroic, and undoubtedly the villain of the piece, as he selfishly consumes vast amounts of wooden furniture and fencing, and then seeks to crush any of the local population who dares defy his fiendish plan to tortuously experiment upon Mankind. Instead, the New York-born writer pens for down-trodden scientist Leslie Evans to be the actual ‘saviour of the hour’, a man who supposedly lacks the manly ruggedness his wife Alice desires, yet is still capable of outwitting Groot by breeding a strain of termites in his laboratory which ultimately kills the giant alien; “Oh, darling, forgive me! I’ve been such a fool! I’ll never complain about you again! Never!!”

Fortunately, this book’s second script, a “Journey Into Mystery” reprint entitled “Here Comes… The Hulk”, proves a far more satisfying read, even if the orange-furred Xemnu the Titan is a far cry from the gamma-green character Marvelites will later much more readily associate with the name “The Hulk”. Far from telling a simple invasion yarn, the Will Eisner Award Hall Of Famer provides a thought-provoking plot featuring a planet upon which criminals are exiled in order to stop them “menacing the universe”, a failed escape attempt in an ill-equipped space rocket, a naïve resurrection of an alien abomination and the ‘zombification’ of every person on Earth.

Admittedly, Lee has to rely upon a number of cheesy coincidences to make the all-encompassing narrative satisfyingly speed along, such as the unconscious “part monster, part machine” being found by just the right sort of “small town electrician” to repair him, and the creature from outer space’s god-like ability to mesmerize “millions of helpless labourers” using his hypnotic spell rays. But such coincidental contrivances are easily forgivable considering the grand scope of Stan’s story, the succinctness of its page count, and “King” Kirby’s wonderful illustrations of the ever-menacing Xemnu.

Writer: Stan Lee, Penciler: Jack Kirby, and Inker: Dick Ayers

Rocket Racoon #4 - Marvel Comics

ROCKET RACCOON No. 4, December 2014

Issue 4 of “Rocket Raccoon” surely comes with some of the strangest variant covers “Marvel Worldwide Incorporated” has ever published. For none of them encapsulate the raw energy of the concluding action to Skottie Young’s “A Chasing Tale” and only one of the three illustrations actually portrays the title character. Indeed if you didn’t know what you were looking for then the Hasbro variant cover by Alex Kropinak, complete with action figure photographs, would have you firmly believing you held an issue of “Captain America” in your hands. Whilst the retailer incentive Deadpool 75^th Anniversary cover by Kalman Andrasofszky, which depicts a wonderful homage to “Tales To Astonish” issue 13, would easily fool you into thinking that Groot was the star of the show; something particularly difficult to achieve considering that the Monarch of Planet X is blown to pieces on page three.

However, having read the first quarter of this edition, anyone purchasing the ‘Stomp Out Bullying’ variant by Pascal Campion, which shows an uninspiring illustration of Rocket and Groot chatting over lunch in a school canteen, will probably think they’ve picked the cover most representative of the comic book’s contents – as its easily the wordiest and talkiest I’ve seen writer and artist Skottie Young be. Obviously there had to be some build-up for the big reveal as to who was behind Rocket’s framing for murder, but six pages worth… and then it turns out to be “… just a rabbit.”

Fortunately the inclusion of Blackjack O’Hare, first seen in issue 271 (1982) of “Incredible Hulk”, really sparks this comic back to life as laser beams fizz, fists crack and the fur really flies. Throw in the mightily miffed Amalya, and a horde of Rocket’s other ex-girlfriends, and it is panel after panel of endless fisticuffs. All of which are zanily illustrated by Young and his unique and cartoony drawings. Indeed this has to be one of the best ‘punch-ups’ seen in a comic book, with combatants exchanging everything from double-punches and ear-jabs to ‘lite’ pokes as they literally beat one another unconscious.

Surprisingly though this fun story does end with a real sting in its tail, and one that swiftly wiped the smile from my face as I guffawed at the sheer comical carnage taking place. There’s a genuine sensitive side to the wise-cracking raccoon not often seen and Young’s portrayal of a sad lonely tearful Rocket, upset at the fact that it now appears certain he is the only one of his kind is a poignant conclusion. At least until the very last few panels that is…

Numerous variant covers to "ROCKET RACCOON" Issue 4 by Pascal Campion, Kalman Andrasofszky and Alex Kropinak

Rocket Racoon #3 - Marvel Comics

ROCKET RACCOON No. 3, November 2014

Leaping straight into the action of a large space battle Issue three of “Rocket Raccoon” would appear to have attempted to cram in as many explosions, missiles and bullets as any reader could imagine in its opening few pages. This chaotic carnage is dynamically illustrated by artist (and writer) Skottie Young, and wonderfully coloured by Jean-Francois Beaulieu.

 

Indeed the American comic book artist really produces the goods with some ‘laugh out loud’ moments, such as Rocket going ‘splat’ into his ex-girlfriend’s spaceship, a huge missile with the effigy ‘Die Rocket’ scrawled on it, and the guppy warp being especially well drawn.

 

However this isn’t a virtuoso performance by the 2013 Inkwell Award winner, as the flow of the action in this opening third of the issue doesn’t always work; certainly I was momentarily confused when in one panel Rocket was ‘stuck’ to the exterior of the bridge to Amalya’s spacecraft and then the next sat safely inside the flying car of Macho Gomez, alongside Groot.

 

There are also a couple of double-page sequences in this issue which contain little to no dialogue. Such storytelling techniques can really captivate a reader if there’s plenty going on inside the panels artistically. Unfortunately this certainly isn’t the case for Young’s illustrations depicting the end result of the guppy warp as it simply shows the large bloated space-fish spit out Macho’s car and then ‘flump’ to the ground beside the now crashed vehicle.

 

There’s also an awful lot of words to read in the final third of the comic, almost as if Scottie Young was making up for its earlier absence. As a result the confrontation and subsequent conversation between Rocket and intergalactic bad guy Funtzel is actually rather hard-going, and contains none of the humorous one-liners the writer’s earlier work contains.

 

The book does though end on a particular artistic high note, with Young drawing one of the best ‘totally dark and blacked out’ gun fight sequences I’ve seen. The pencil work of which is once again extremely well coloured by Beaulieu, with lots of dark blues for the shadows but bright yellows for when the bullets start flying.

Rocket Racoon #2 - Marvel Comics

ROCKET RACCOON No.2, October 2014

Whilst possibly not quite as action-packed throughout as the first issue, this second comic book by the superbly talented Skottie Young, easily contains far more energy-packed explosions and zany mayhem than its predecessor when it does finally get going; and it’s not as if the first few pages aren’t entertainingly fun in their own right anyway as Rocket Raccoon is interrogated by the Police before being incarcerated on Devin-9. Certainly there’s a few film/television quotes thrown about that most should recognise… or perhaps “you can’t handle the truth”?

To be honest there is little if anything to fault with Skottie Young’s storyline or pacing for this edition of “Rocket Raccoon”. There’s some genuine ‘laugh out loud moments’ as the “innocent, foul-mouthed, gun-toting, bipedal woodland creature” leads an extraordinary prison break with the help of Groot.

 The American illustrator’s artwork is equally as perfect as his writing, and exquisitely coloured by Jean-Francois Beaulieu. The highlight being the two Guardians’ “prison break montage”, a centre-pages spread that is absolutely crammed full of action, adventure and utter destruction. One can only imagine the thought that went into composing such an aMAZEing piece of art.

 

Note must once again be made of the terrific sound effects used throughout the panels depicting this adventure. Whilst there’s still the now obligatory “Zz-zap!”, “Kaa-Boom!”, “Blam” and “Zigy zapp” on display, where else can you hear “Face”, “Boom Biddy Bye Bye”, “Hold up! Wait a minute” and “They came to drop bombs”?

 

But such creativity and imagination are clearly some of Young’s strengths as he finishes the book by conjuring up the most bizarrely diverse and strangely colourful space fleet I’ve ever seen; that of the Women of the Ex-Terminators. The promise of the ensuing space battle should have any reader pre-ordering the following issue in an instant, especially as the final panel depicts a space-borne Rocket complete with bloater fish space helmet and piscine mini-gun!?!

Rocket Racoon #1 - Marvel Comics

ROCKET RACOON No. 1, September 2014

I’m something of a long-time fan of the Guardians of the Galaxy, having first encountered them back during the late Seventies when they teamed-up with the Mighty Avengers. Of course that was when I was reading the old British monthly black and white reprint magazine “Marvel Superheroes” and the Guardians consisted of the likes of Vance Astro, Captain Charlie-27, Yonda Udonta, Martinex T’Naga and Starhawk. These days the roster for the spacefaring superhero team, reimagined a few years ago by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, are somewhat different… very different in point of fact.

 

Rocket Racoon and Groot appear to be the most popular of the new Guardians, and both feature prominently in this first issue of “Rocket Racoon”, despite the comic book only being titled after the medium-sized mammal. First impressions are really good if you like the cartoony zany artwork of Skottie Young, and I do. The American comic book artist’s pencils are absolutely perfect for the animated capers of the captain of the starship Rack ’n’ Ruin and the insane gun battles the furry fellow gets involved in.

 

Equally as compelling is the beautiful ‘color art’ of Jean-Francois Beaulieu, whose red-purple hues used for the wrestling match contrast wonderfully with the green-blue colour scheme used as Rocket escapes down “a pipe full of #$@%.” The sheer amount of sound effects used in this book are both staggering and worthy of note too, as panels are packed to the point of bursting with “Bigidy! Blam!”, “Thud”, “Chud”, “Ting” and “Splosh”. There’s even the odd “Smooch”, “Fragaboom” and “Pinky Out Click”!?!

 

Skottie Young’s plot is also a good bouncing romp to begin a comic series with, and manages to include all the other Guardians in some way shape or form, whether it be avoiding “death by evil spaceships” or ‘zigapping’ a giant alien monster. The writer even seems to throw a nod to the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation days of Mike Carlin’s time writing “The Thing” in the early Eighties, by having Groot grapple in the Bonavaglia Arena.