THE ADVENTURES OF MR. CRYPT & BARON RAT #3

“Slay Bells Ring!”
Writer: Troy Vevasis
Artist: Aleksandar Jovic

It is Chirstmas and Mr. Crypt comes home with some big news for Baron Rat. Miss Carlyle is coming and the three are going to visit Bigfoot. Miss Carlyle comes in a snowcat and the three go to the forest. While walking in the forest they are met by Bigfoot. He warns then to leave because some hunter is after him. Naturally the friends stay to help out Bigfoot. They stretch a rope across the trail and make plenty of snowballs. Soon the hunter comes in a sledge pulled by two dogs. The rope trips the sledge and Mr. Crypt disarms the hunter with a well thrown snowball. Without his rifle the hunter turns coward and slinks out with his tail between his legs. The friends go back to Bigfoot’s cabin and exchange gifts. Baron Rat painted a picture of him and Bigfoot together that he gives him. Miss Carlyle gives Mr. Crypt a trophy commemorating his race win. Mr. Crypt gives her a book on racing. Just then the wood fairies come and they listen to them sing.

So the final Christmas issue. A bit late but a fun and enjoyable issue. Mr. Crypt has all his friends together for Christmas. They chase out a hunter that was after Bigfoot. A very heartwarming Christmas issue. While Christmas has been over for a while it still gets me in the Christmas spirit. A fitting end to the this limited series. Hope to get more in the future.

THE ADVENTURES OF MR. CRYPT & BARON RAT #2

“Buckle Up, Mr. Crypt-The Great Race is Here!”
Writer: Troy Vevasis
Artist: Alexsandar Jovic

Mr. Crypt comes home and finds Baron Rat gone. Just then a race car drives up and it is driven by none other than Baron Rat. Baron Rat says the car is a gift to Mr. Crypt. Mr. Crypt doesn’t know how to drive but gives it a whirl. Soon him and Baron Rat are speeding through the streets. Apparently at such high speeds it becomes apparent to the locals that a living skeleton is driving the car. Soon a torch and pitchfork welding mob is after them. An approaching truck delivering tar and feathers has to swerve to avoid collision and dumps it’s contents on the mob.

Just than a woman stands in the road demanding that Mr. Crypt stop. She is the real owner of the car and had it stolen while gassing up. Miss Carlyle is impressed with Mr. Crypt’s driving and invites him to drive her car in the upcoming race at Fancy Town. He reluctantly agrees and with Baron Rat they accompany her to Fancy Town. Seems Miss Carlyle owns the town and takes them to the Fancy Palace home of the million dollar menu. There she orders plates of cheese which Baron Rat gorges himself on. Next morning Mr. Crypt drives in the race. He gets a flat tire but Baron Rat pull through with a quick change. Then Mr. Crypt wins the race and the beautiful trophy.

So this story has Mr. Crypt getting himself into another reluctant adventure. He also gets another friend in Miss Carlyle who knows that Mr. Crypt is a skeleton and will keep the secret. Baron Rat is proving the be the perfect companion for our lovable living skeleton. Another fun and simple story about the lovable Mr. Crypt and his adventures.

THE ADVENTURES OF MR. CRYPT & BARON RAT #1

“Bigfoot in the Wild!”
Writer: Troy Vevasis
Artist: Aleksandar Jovic

Mr. Crypt one bright morning finds a message from the mayor on his doorstep. The mayor needs to see him right away. So he goes down to his office and finds out the village needs him. Seems Bigfoot has been terrorizing the locals and since Mr. Crypt is such a renowned vampire hunter he should have no trouble taking care of this new menace. Reluctantly Mr. Crypt agrees and goes home. After delivering the news to Baron Rat his friend gets some new hunting clothes for both of them and off to the forest. There they find Bigfoot and he is really scary. He chases Mr. Crypt who trips and loses his hat and mustache revealing him as a skeleton. Bigfoot warms to Mr. Crypt since both have so much in common. He invites both Mr. Crypt and Baron Rat back to his cabin for cheese. Mr. Crypt agrees to get him food and books so he doesn’t have to go into the village anymore. He informs the mayor that Bigfoot will not be a problem anymore and goes to spend time with his new friend.

So now Mr. Crypt and Baron Rat are prominent in the stories. I approve of this since his rat friend is also lovable and the two work well together. Once again an enjoyable simple story about friendship and not judging people by appearances. Mr. Crypt has made a new friend and saved the day. Mr. Crypt and his friend Baron Rat are just as lovable as ever. Bigfoot while starting out very scary turns out to be a lovable guy. A fun book for all ages.

BARON RAT AND THE GREAT CHEESE CAPER

“The Great Cheese Caper”
Writer: Troy Vevasis
Artist: Aleksandar Jovic

Its another morning at the home of Mr. Crypt. As he leaves for work he finds the morning newspaper and gives it to his friend Baron Rat. Baron reads the paper and finds out that today a cheese festival is going on. He immediately heads out and tries to lift a big wheel of cheese. Only the owner chases him away with a broom. Not the be deterred Baron then climbs up on the roof of a building and repels down. He loads up a bag of cheese and takes off running. This pisses off the local residents who get together with a pitchfork and torch welding mob. Baron manages to evade them and make it home to gorge himself on all the cheese he can eat. Later Mr. Crypt comes back and tells about the news that some horrible monster had taken all the cheese. He asks Baron if he saw it and of course Baron Rat shrugs his shoulders innocently.

So Baron Rat the pet rat of Mr. Crypt gets his own one-shot issue. It is a charming little comic. Obviously written for children but I still found it entertaining as an adult. Troy Vevasis has an enjoyable humorous ability to make his characters so lovable. I have heard that next month a new mini-series called The Adventures of Mr. Crypt and Baron Rat is coming out. Looking forward to the enjoyable adventures of these two.

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #6

“Ashes to Ashes!”
Writer: Terry Mayo
Artist: Lucas Romero

So all the opposing factions have started in a melee. Lucas and his brothers manage to escape the building but Uncle Abe and his girlfriend remain. Unfortunately crazy Billy the creepy kid planted dynamite that goes off killing the two. Then he takes the youngest brother Johnny hostage. At this time JC escapes from her father and joins the brothers. The fighting stops when the Chin-Am army arrives. Made up of conscripted teens. The young conscripts rebel and shoot their officers. Then Berg takes her vengeance on Cruz and Fox. Cross manages to take out Cruz’s right hand man Guapo. Crazy Billy takes Johnny up in some museum and throws him down. Lucas then beats Billy and starts to choke him. JC comes and convinces him not to kill. So the four brothers are reunited and JC and Lucas are together.

The final issue of this series was all I hoped it would be. It had some tragedy in Uncle Abe’s death. It also saw justice to all the assholes. It ended with a happy ending. I hope that this series continues for the whole world it introduced is fascinating and so many questions left unanswered. The prologue had a scene two years ago where the cowardly President has a general give a press briefing to calm the public about the plague. It was a man made creation which still needs to get an origin. Also how the country was divided. A very enjoyable post-apocalyptic series.

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #5

“–Suffer the Little Children…”
Writer: Terry Mayo
Artist: Lucas Romero

Lucas and JC come back to warn Abe and the others to get out. Only Abe is in bad shape and not going to make it. The rebels that Cross is working with are on the way but Cruz and the Horsemen are already there. Cruz is JC’s father and that is why he is after them. JC agrees to surrender if her friends are left unharmed. Cruz agrees but after getting his daughter he has his men start to burn down the building. Fox is rebelling because Cruz is leaving him to Berg. Just then Berg’s men come in guns blazing. The rebel Air Cav is about to arrive but has news that the Chin-Am is also on the way.

The story is moving along at a fast rate. All the players are coming together for a big showdown. This issue also focused on Uncle Abe. We find out he was estranged from his brother and was some kind of criminal and drug user. He manages to reconcile with his family. Still don’t know the importance of JC to the rebels but should find out in the final next issue. This has been a real enjoyable series.

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #4

“Love in the Time of the Apocalypse!”
Writer: Terry Mayo
Artist: Lucas Romero

Three months ago JC is at home in Mexico. She witnesses her father kill a man that he accuses of being responsible for the plague. Now she is with Lucas running from her father. She takes Lucas to where she was living. She has a tent and four poster bed inside the San Diego Zoo. They have a moment that results in them sleeping together. Meanwhile Cross has got in contact with his people. He talks about soon having the girl as the rebel aircraft continue on to San Diego. JC’s father tortures the information out of Berg’s father and practically cuts off his head before he is done. Fox is in a panic because now his Horsemen gang will have to fight Berg. Crazy Billy comes and tells where they can find where Lucas lives. At the end Lucas has a dream that his family is in danger.

The story is getting better and better each issue. I am really liking this title. Each issue more of the story is revealed and also more questions are raised. Obviously there is something important about JC. Everyone wants her. It is building up to a big spectacular action packed finale.

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #3

“….Where They Go Death Follows!”
Writer: Terry Mayo
Artist: Lucas Romero

The creepy boy Billy we find out was committed to an asylum. Now he watches the family from a distance. The family has a meeting. Cross wants his sat phone and Uncle Abe wants to make a deal with Berg. So Lucas with one of his brothers takes him to the ballpark. The ballpark is a main gathering in the city. They find Berg a scary woman participating in a gladiatorial game wearing an exoskeleton that shoots acid. At the gathering they bump into JC who didn’t like being left behind. One of the Horsemen notices her and is approaching but Cross intercepts him and drags him off after killing him.

So they go to Berg’s place and meet her father. They negotiate for a sat phone when Fox comes. JC and Lucas sneak out since JC is very scared of Fox. Fox leaves but creepy Billy points out to them that one of their men was killed. At the end Berg’s father is visited by Fox and another man who is looking for his daughter.

This post-apocalyptic world is getting more interesting. We get some more glimpses of the outside world. Berg’s father has a map that shows the division of the country. In addition to Chinese dominated west coast their is a Caliphate dominated northeast , a breakaway south and Republic of Texas. Cross is revealed to be working for the Southern States. It also looks like JC is the daughter of a very important man. The only real complaint is that the story has these continuity jumps. Like it is never explained how JC and Lucas get separated from the others. Still a solid series.

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #2

“The Fury of the Fox!”
Writer: Terry Mayo
Artist: Lucas Romero

Two years ago in San Quentin. The plague is killing everyone and a guard decides to let out an inmate. Back to the present and that inmate is the one helping Lucas and his family. His name is Cross and he is helping this group for his own mercurial reasons. The group holds up in an abandoned apartment as the gang looks for them. The gang is lead by Fox and are called The Horsemen. Seems the girl the group rescued cut Fox’s face. Yet some more powerful figure is in charge and wants the girl.

Cross needs a new satellite phone since his last one was damaged by a stray bullet. Uncle Abe is dying from a bullet to the gut and promises Cross a new one if he gets his nephews back home out of the city. The group makes its way out and come on two guys abducting a woman. Cross doesn’t want to get involved but Lucas threatens to so Cross expertly shoots the two guys. Oh and that creepy kid from last issue is watching them.

So there is a lot of mystery to Cross. He seems like a cold killer concerned only for himself. So why is he helping Lucas and his family. The girl that was rescued JC is also a bit mysterious. Someone powerful wants her. Maybe Cross knows why. Also the Chin-Am are training an army of young boys at the ballpark. And creepy boy is still hanging around. A good post-apocalyptic series.

THE WICKED RIGHTEOUS #1

“…And The Children Will Lead Them All!”
Writer: Terry Mayo
Artist: Lucas Romero

A virulent plague is sweeping the world and civilization is collapsing. Four brothers in San Diego have to watch their parents die. Two years later one of the brothers Lucas is going through a pharmacy to look for inhalers for his brother. He is surprised and almost shoots another kid. He misses the kid Billy but offers him food for accidentally almost shooting him. The kid is creepy and Lucas leaves him since he has to get back to his family. Billy is somewhat mentally unstable and goes all psycho at being abandoned.

So Lucas links up with two of his brothers and uncle. They come on a young girl being chased by some of the psycho gang members that inhabit the city. They intervene but the gang has a member that ambushes them. Luckily a mysterious man comes and saves them.

The first in a new post-apocalypse series. Apparently in this future the Chinese are in control of the western coast. There is mention of the Chin-am army that still is active and weird Chinese type American flags all over the place. There drones make daily patrols of the city. There are also gangs that are referred to as psychos. Also children were the ones mostly immune to this mysterious plague so they make up most of the survivors. This first issue started out slow but has enough intriguing ideas that is shows possible potential.