Reviews- Morbius The Living Vampire #8 and Bela Lugosi's Tales From The Grave #4

Morbius The Living Vampire #8 (Marvel, cover date October, 2013)

Writer: Joe Keatinge

Artist: Richard Elson

Colorist: Antonio Fabela

Here we are, the penultimate issue of Morbius The Living Vampire. Okay, so the Rose's Ultimate Nullifier is not a real Ultimate Nullifier. That makes more sense. The Rose has an honest to gosh throwdown with Morbius. Aside from him elbowing someone in his first appearance back in Amazing Spider-Man #253, I can't recall the Rose ever being involved in physical combat. I could be wrong, I don't know. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Like the other two or three dozen other Morbius fans out there, I am really bummed that the series is coming to end in just one month. I'm glad to see Richard Elson back for these last two issues, as his work with Antonio Fabela's coloring was “the look” of this series as far as I'm concerned. 

Do you remember last month when I said that if I were Joe Keatinge and Marvel told me that I had two issues left I'd say screw it and throw the Living Mummy, Werewolf By Night, and It! The Living Colossus in? Well, we have the Living Mummy and Werewolf By Night in this issue, and if It! The Living Colossus appears in the next issue then I will have a nerdgasm. Bravo!

I'll try not to get too misty-eyed as the series ends next month with issue 9. We've had a helluva ride, and if you would have told me a year ago that we would have a new Morbius The Living Vampire series next year I would have laughed at you. DREAMS CAN COME TRUE! ...only those dreams end up getting cancelled because everyone loves zombies instead of Morbius.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.5 out of 5. 

Bela Lugosi's Tales From The Grave #4 (Monsterverse, cover date July, 2013)

Writers: Mark Finn, Lowell Isaac, Ed Polgardy, Michael Leal, and Kerry Gammill

Artists: John Lucas, Bill Sienkiewicz, Lowell Isaac, Rob Brown, Nik Poliwko, and Kerry Gammill

Colorist: Kerry Gammill

Well done Horror anthologies are an easy sell for me. The EC template of a host presenting short stories has worked for decades, from Boris Karloff's Tales of Mystery to Creepy, Eerie, and even Vincent Price Presents. This title feels most similar to these great old Warren magazines, albeit these are in full color.

Four-Way Split is glorious, reeking of classic Horror with it's band of explorers in an uncharted territory, treasure beyond imagination, and human greed. Needless to say things don't end the way that they want them to. The cherry on the top of this sundae is Kerry Gammill and Bill Sienkiewicz's Prince Vlad's Banquet, which has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face. Great stuff.

This title is published roughly bi-monthly, so you have to keep your eyes peeled for it. I am hoping that this series will receive a trade paperback release down the road. I'll gladly double dip!

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.5 out of 5.

So there you have it. Two quick reviews of books out this week that are worth picking up. I am a wait for the trade guy but sometimes grab the occasional floppy if it is intriguing enough, or if it is smaller press stuff that I fear may not get collected.

Review- Bela Lugosi's Tales From The Grave No. 3

Bela Lugosi's Tales From The Grave No. 3 (Monsterverse, cover date April, 2013)

Writers: Sam F. Park, Michael Leal, Benton Jew, Mike Hoffman, Jonathon Sparks, and Joe Friere

Artists: Henry Mayo, Nik Poliwko, Benton Jew, Kerry Gammill, Mike Hoffman, Joe Friere, and Rob Brown

This was an impulse buy. I've seen this series listed in the back of Previews, and was curious about it. I was in a comic shop and saw it, picked it up and flipped through it, and bought it. This is a Horror anthology, “hosted” by Bela Lugosi in the tradition of Boris Karloff hosting his title for Gold Key in the '60s and Bluewater having Vincent Price hosting his series.

This issue is divided into four stories, plus one text piece and a one page gag. The writing and artwork are all good, solid stuff in the vein of post-EC/ Silver Age Horror like Creepy and Eerie. The Last Survivor is a clever riff on the zombie, while The Mummy's Ring is as traditional a Horror story as we could get. I love mummies. Second To None is the winner in this issue for me, though. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this series, and will definitely check out more in the future.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.