All posts by La Cracha Handy

Unknown's avatar

About La Cracha Handy

My name is La Cracha Handy. I started blogging 7 years ago. I am currently building my brand as an independent author-publisher of nonfiction books on relationships and parenting. My first book, Leaving the Hidden Path: Motivational Guidance for Women with Young Children Considering Divorce, will be released in the spring of 2022. I am also a pop culture geek. I read and collect comic books, play Pokemon Go, and build model rockets. I love Star Trek: The Next Generation and Doctor Who. My name is prounced "Lacrisha."

Super Corporate Heroes (Vol. 1): Sticky Fingers Review

7 Robots, , , , , ,

stickfingercover

The title, Super Corporate Heroes, tells it all.  This hilarious comic, the first of four volumes by indie comic publisher, 7 Robots, Inc., grabbed my attention within the first pages.

In this alternate reality, non-profit superheroes is a thing of the past, thanks to powerful companies and wealthy lobbyists.  Superheroes are now required to have a license, and work for an insurance company.  Superhero, Inc. is a large insurance company, and is the only company registered to legally distribute superhero licenses.

The superheroes work for Superhero, Inc. and they receive a paycheck.  They receive their assignments from the call center dispatchers.

People have to pay to be rescued.  If they don’t have rescue insurance, then they are offered a selection of packages by the rescuing superhero.  And superheroes are required to not perform a rescue if a purchase is not made.

The pages below are from the beginning of this hilarious mini-series.  Sir Shroud has to go over the legalities, before he can rescue a man from a burning building.

stickfinger1

stickfinger2

The people are able to pay by cash and credit cards.  Personal checks are not accepted.  The superheroes travel with a credit card reader, and they even print receipts.

When people don’t make their insurance payments on-time, they are paid a visit by the insurance collectors, Meerkat and Big Brother.  You are forced to pay one way or another.  In other words, pay or die.

stickfinger3

You have to pay even if you don’t use your rescue(s).  You sign a legal contract when purchasing rescue insurance.  Therefore you are bound by its terms.  The man in the picture above, getting tortured by Meerkat, refused to pay because he didn’t use any of his rescues.

The package rates are so high, that you’re probably better off handing your wallet over to a thief.

stickfinger4

In the case above, the victim compared the price of rescue insurance to the amount the robber tried to steal from him.  The robber said he only wanted whatever was in the wallet.  Since the amount in the wallet was less than rescue insurance, the guy happily gave the robber his wallet!

I was impressed after reading Super Corporate Heroes (Vol 1): Sticky Fingers.  Miguel Guerra and his better half, Suzy Dias, are the writers of this phenomenal story.  Character interactions are amazing.  Although this is a superhero comedy, dialogue is motivational, strong and realistic.  Guerra and Dias mixed comedy with real-life situations, and produced a great story that will have you laughing, angry, and crying at the same time.

Guerra also provided the visuals.  The panels are drawn to perfection and finely detailed.  Character facial expressions are so life-like, my emotions were sparked several times.  When I look at the cute, but arrogant American Icon (who’s always smiling, by the way) I just want to punch him.  Blue Collar can easily generate sympathy from caring and compassionate females.  He’s hardworking and runs his body to the ground, trying to stay afloat with his finances.  I just want to give him a consoling hug.

If you’re looking for new comics to read, I highly suggest that you jump on this indie comic.  This title focuses heavily on politics, about who gets what in a society.  Discrimination, wage inequality, corporate greed and control, and monopoly are some of the themes in this comic.

Some of my favorite characters are:

  • Wyatt Lewis, aka American Icon.  Known as the World’s Strongest Hero, American Icon is the face of Superhero, Inc.  He also receives the highest pay.  But this pretty boy is also the bad boy of the industry.  Some of his many allegations include rape, assault, public urination, and being drunk in public.  I probably don’t even need to mention the paternity suits.
  • Ms. Titanium.  Beautiful, aggressive.  Stronger than American Icon.  Performs more rescues than American Icon, but gets paid less.  American Icon’s pay is twice that of Ms. Titanium’s.
  • Spinlar.  Part spider, part fly.  Very fast.  Has the super ability of shooting webs from his butt!
  • Jack Clementine, aka Blue Collar.  Divorced father of young children.  Works a lot of overtime to pay attorney fees, alimony and child support.  To make ends meet, he takes any job the company gives him, even performing at kids birthday parties.
  • Thomas Walters.  The original American Icon.  Has been in legal battle with Superhero, Inc. over 15 years.  Claims the company stole his identity and profits without his consent.  Walters never registered to be a licensed superhero, so his superhero identity went past the statute of limitation, and into the public domain.  At least that’s how the defendants see it.

With any superhero story, there has to be a villain.  Invisible Hand is the mastermind behind all the mass chaos.  He’s incredibly wealthy, powerful, controlling, and possess superhuman abilities.

For more information on this title or Guerra and Dias’ other creations, feel free to visit their website at www.7robots.com.

I definitely plan to read the entire series.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

There is no doubt that I strongly recommend this mini-series.  Super Corporate Heroes (Vol 1):  Sticky Fingers gets 5/5 stars.

Night of the Living Deadpool #2 Review

Marvel Comics, , ,

nightlivdpool2

If you are not reading Night of the Living Deadpool, a mini-series by Marvel Comics, then I highly suggest that you start immediately, so that you won’t miss out on a fun, horror comic.

The series began with Deadpool waking up from an all-you-can-eat chimicanga induced coma.  Having no idea as to why the city was deserted, he eventually discovers that he slept through a talking zombie apocalypse.  Their consciousness is alive, but they can’t control their bodies, or the killings.  Some of them even begged Deadpool to kill them.  Just as the zombies were closing in on the merc with the mouth, who finds humor amidst all the chaos, a small group of survivors rolled up in an El Camino, driven by an older, feisty woman, called granma by the kid survivors.

In the current issue, Deadpool and his rescuers blasts their way out of safety.  The apocalypse is worldwide, so their lives remain in danger.  Eventually becoming the sole survivor of the Deadpool scouts (yeah, that’s what he called them), Deadpool discovers a barricaded, but safe, community in West Virginia.

Surveying the community from a distance, Deadpool is approached by a group of women, both young and old.  One of the women tells Deadpool that they’re travelers, who came a long way to find the community, after hearing rumors of its’ purity.  The women all APPEAR to be nice and friendly.  BUT ARE THEY?

Cullen Bunn is the writer of this entertaining script.  The talking zombies are a major plus.  I laughed when the El Camino rolled up, I haven’t seen one of those in years.  There was a cut on Deadpool’s arm, but the wound healed itself.  Readers now have to wait for the next issue to see if he turns into a zombie.

Great artwork by Ramon Rosanas.  I especially like how the art is in black-and-white, giving that eerie feeling that is expected in a horror story.  Deadpool is very easy to find, because he’s the only one that’s in color.

There is no doubt that I plan to read this title until the end.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

I strongly recommend this Mini-series, by Marvel comics, for Deadpool and horror fans.  Amazing script plus amazing art equals 5/5 stars.

Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #22

Marvel Comics, , , , ,

ultimatespidey22

Even though I am not a fan of Peter Parker, I couldn’t refuse my son’s request, I mean command.  He didn’t ask, he TOLD me that I had to read and review this issue because the Guardians of the Galaxy were in it.

Rocket Raccoon and Sam Alexander, aka Nova, takes off on a dangerous mission.  Peter runs after them, not knowing that he would end up in deep-space to help the Guardians save Earth from Korvac and the Chitauri.

This was a fun issue to read.  Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, Groot, Nova, and  Spider-Man.  This is one kick-butt team (this is a comic for kids so I’m watching my language).  By the way, apparently Spider-Man wasn’t aware that no one is allowed to call Rocket a raccoon, and he made that mistake more than once.

The script, adapted by Joe Caramagna, is very entertaining.  Character interactions were lively, and Spider-Man was being himself, talkative and annoying (well at least he is to me).  I’m not surprised by this great story, as I follow Caramagna on Twitter.  His tweets are lively, and I enjoy scrolling past that one subject I know absolutely nothing about, HOCKEY!  I had always known of two hockey teams, Detroit Red Wings, and the now-defunct Flint Generals.  Thanks to Caramagna, I now know of a third team, New Jersey Devils.

I enjoyed this issue of Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man, it’s been on the pulls for my son since day one.  Now that Guardians of the Galaxy has made a special appearance, I need to go through his back issues to see what I’ve missed.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

If you are looking for new comics to read for your children, then I strongly recommend this title.  I am giving this fun comic 5/5 stars.

Happy Colorist Appreciation Day

Random Thoughts, , ,

I read a lot of comic books, so I have a long list of color artists that I am grateful for.  Without a color artist, we would just be staring at page after page of text and sketches.  And there is no way that I would read all of my comics in black-and-white.

Color artists bring our comic book pages to life, like Prince Charming kissing a damsel in distress.  Therefore, color artists are the backbones of the art team.

I am a bookworm, and I comb everything I read with a fine-toothed comb.  So it should be no surprise that I know the name of nearly every colorist on the comics I read, without looking.  I have no problem reading ALL of the credits on the inside cover, or wherever the credit page appears in a book.  I run an honest blog, and I feel the need to give credit where it’s due.

Just as comic fans are familiar with the work of their favorite artists, so am I.  But I can also spot the work of a few colorists, and I haven’t been wrong yet (I won’t brag too much, I don’t want to jinx myself and be wrong one day).

So I would like to wish the following people a HAPPY COLORIST APPRECIATION DAY!

  • Alex Sinclair
  • Alex Sollazzo
  • Andres Mossa
  • Antonio Fabela
  • Brad Anderson
  • Edgar Delgado
  • Frank D’ Armata
  • Ive Svorcina
  • Jeremy Cox
  • Jordie Bellaire
  • Justin Ponsor
  • Lee Loughridge
  • Frank Martin
  • Matthew Wilson
  • Mike Spicer
  • Paul Little
  • Rod Reis
  • Val Staples
  • Veronica Gandini

I read A LOT of comic books every month.  I read ongoing, mini-series, and one-shots.  Superhero, supernatural and horror have always been my favorite genres.  So that I wouldn’t omit the names of color artists on the books I’m currently reading, I went through my comics from the last 3 weeks and wrote down all their names, right before I started typing this post.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, here is what I’m currently reading.

  • Afterlife with Archie
  • Avengers World
  • Black Widow
  • Constantine
  • Curse
  • Daredevil: Dark Knights
  • Deadly Class
  • Deadpool
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Harley Quinn
  • Hoax Hunters
  • Justice League
  • Justice League Dark
  • Justice League of America
  • Mighty Avengers
  • Morning Glories
  • Night of the Living Deadpool
  • Sex Criminals
  • Superior Spider-Man
  • Thor:  God of Thunder
  • Trinity of Sin:  Pandora
  • Trinity of Sin:  The Phantom Stranger
  • Wonder Woman

I told you I read A LOT of comics!

If I missed anyone, then I am apologizing in advance.

If you’re reading this blog, and you’re a colorist who’s not on my list, then HAPPY COLORIST APPRECIATION DAY to you as well!

Curse #1 Review

BOOM Studios, , ,

curse1

This debut issue of a 4-part mini-series has already grabbed my full, undivided attention.  Published by BOOM! Studios, Curse is a horror story, with themes of survival, family values, and self-worth.

Laney Griffin will do anything for his chronically ill son, Jaren.  A former football player, Laney resorts to selling his memorabilia, and re-financing his home to pay for Jaren’s medical treatments.  When a bounty is placed on a murderer in his community, Laney engages in a nightly hunt to track down whatever it is that’s been killing people and animals.  Laney comes face-to-face with the murderer, and discovers that it’s a werewolf.

This horror story is written by Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel.  I am familiar with Moreci’s writing from Hoax Hunters, so I knew this horror comic would be worth reading.  Well-written script with great interactions.  Pacing is a little slow for a mini-series, so I’m anxious to see how the story will unfold over the next three issues.  Dialogue between Laney and his sister-in-law, Crystal, is heartwarming.  Crystal wants to take legal guardianship over Jaren, but Laney refused the offer.

The ghastly visuals are provided by Riley Rossmo and Colin Lorimer.  Blood, bones, guts.  Definitely no complaints here.

I don’t recall when I last read a werewolf story, and since I’m a horror fan (especially werewolves and classic vampires), I plan to follow Curse to the end.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

I definitely recommend this horror mini-series.  This debut issue gets a 4.5/stars.

The Phantom Stranger #15 Review

DC Comics, , , , ,

phanstrange15

Forever Evil, DC Comics crossover event, is still going strong.  The Crime Syndicate has claimed world domination, and many lives have been lost.  Forever Evil also has a crossover event, Blight.  An 18-part mini-event, Blight’s titles include Justice League Dark, Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger, Constantine, and Trinity of Sin:  Pandora.  We’re almost at the halfway mark, as The Phantom Stranger #15 is part 7 of Blight, a dark and gruesome event that involves the supernatural forces of the DC Universe.

We first saw Blight, composed of the billions of sins and evil of the human race, in Justice League Dark #24.  At that time, humankind’s darkness had formed into a dark, giant serpent.  Now it has taken Christopher Esperanza, a young man who Stranger brought back from the afterlife, as its host.

In order for Blight to fully control its host, it needs to destroy remnants of Chris’s human existence, including his family.  The Phantom Stranger plans to free Chris and save his family, but Stranger’s Divine Presence commands him to join, and support Blight.  Stranger confronts a possessed Chris, just as he was about to bring tragedy to his entire family.  Not able to bear witness to Blight wiping out the human presence of Chris, Stranger disobeyed the Presence for the first time.  But it may be too late.  Chris revealed to Stranger that he chose Blight.  Now they are one and stronger than ever.

Meanwhile, John Constantine makes a hologram of the Sea King, in hopes of learning what terrified him before he died and nearly drove Deadman insane.  By the way, Deadman is in the Sea King’s body.  Nightmare Nurse wants to free Deadman, but Constantine refuses to let her break the spell.

Stranger, who is wounded after his fight with Blight, drops in on Constantine, Nightmare Nurse and Swamp Thing at the House of Mystery.  Nightmare Nurse uses her healing powers to help Stranger.  The story ends with Stranger running through a mirror, with the others, including Sea King (remember Deadman’s trapped inside his body) at his heels.

J.M. DeMatteis is the writer of this chilling series.  Crisp dialogue, and phenomenal character interactions throughout the book.  Although a lot of ground is covered at a rapid face, it’s not hard to follow if you’re keeping up with the crossover.  DeMatteis also did a great job with the set-up for part 8, Constantine #10.

Amazing visuals by Fernando Blanco (artist), Miguel Sepulveda (artist), Brad Anderson (colorist) and Guillem March (cover artist).  Realistic looking characters.  The colors and tones produce the ghastly feel that’s needed to experience the full effects of this book.

I began reading The Phantom Stranger with the Forever Evil Crossover.  I plan to read at least the first arc after the Blight mini-event is finished.  If I like it, then I may have to make some adjustments to my current reading list.  But so far, I am definitely enjoying this title.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

This title is perfect if you’re already reading the crossover.  If you have not yet read this title, then I recommend that you read back issues (before the FE crossover) to get a feel for the Phantom Stranger.  Or start with the new arc once the crossover ends.

Great story with superb art.  I’m giving this issue 5/5 stars.