ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #4

“An American Killogy”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincenzo Federici

The plane that Ash and Elvis is on crashes into Graceland. Only it the Graceland in the present. The plane went forward in time for some reason. Ash has to fight Bubba Ho-Tep. The present day Elvis comes in to help out. Eventually Ash figures out an incantation from the Necronomicon and Bubba Ho-Tep is destroyed while freeing all the souls it ate. Ash and Elvis decide to go on a road trip where Elvis tells how he managed to escape the crashing plane back in the past.

The final issue in this series is a real disappointment. The art looked rushed and not very coherent. In fact the story seems like it was rushed in a hurry to end it. This is something I see so much in modern comics. The writer starts out with a strong idea. Then he seems to get bored or distracted and just sloppily ties up the ending. Anyway I loved the idea for this series. As I said the two Bruce Campbell movies are my favorite and the characters are a natural team-up. Maybe they can find a writer who is capable of following through on a good idea next time.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #3

“Can’t Help Falling in Midair at 20,000 Feet”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincenzo Federici

The Necronomicon mummy has been able to sneak aboard Elvis’s plane. Now Ash and Elvis have to fight it plus some nasty scarabs and the deadite pilot. Elvis arms himself with nunchucks and throwing stars. Ash of course with his chainsaw and shotgun. They tear up the plane and it crashes into Graceland.

Well this was a fairly simple story. Yet it was effective. Ash and Elvis fight the mummy and his minions on a plane. The plane ends up crashing into Graceland. The main highlight is the banter between our two heroes. Elvis actually offers Ash the opportunity to trade places with him. An offer that Ash seriously considers until he hears the part about reducing his chin. Nobody touches Ash’s chin. A quick but fun read with a cool cliffhanger ending.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #2

“Muertos Las Vegas”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincento Federici

Ash finds himself in ’70s Las Vegas. He notices that at the hotel Elvis is playing; there is also an exhibit for the Necronomicon Ho-Tep. So he goes there but the security guard won’t let him in. Only Elvis can enter. So Ash finds out from a cocktail waitress where Elvis’s dressing room is. There he puts on The King’s jeweled jumpsuit. Elvis finds him and big fight ensues. It is stopped by a scream. The two rush to the exhibition hall and find the security guard dead. They also find Ho-Tep and manage to take the Necronomicon from him. Elvis suggests the safest place is Graceland. So they hop on his private jet. While cruising along Ash discovers that Ho-Tep is on the plane and killed the pilot.

This was a real fun story. So Ash meets a younger Elvis and have a fight that Elvis was winning. Elvis is very knowledgeable about the occult and seems unfazed by everything. So he must have past experience with this stuff. I could actually see this as a movie with Bruce Campbell starring in both roles. That would be an awesome movie.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #1

“A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Ashin'”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincento Federici

Ash travels to Mud Creek, TX because of a story he read that Elvis is still alive and fighting mummies. At the rest home the nurse says there never was any Elvis there. Going outside he meets someone named Dillinger who takes him to a house. There Ash meets Elvis. After a trivia test Ash is convinced that this is truly the King. Soon after that Bubba Ho-tep who was resurrected comes and fights the two. Bubba manages to grab Elvis’s Pharaoh suit. He opens a portal and Ash goes through after him. Ash finds himself in 1970’s Las Vegas.

I think that these two movies are the finest that Bruce Campbell has ever done. So naturally I just had to check out a comic that would united these two movies. So far I am impressed. The Ash and Elvis characters are just as in the movies. It takes place soon after the Bubba Ho-tep movie ends. Sadly we never did get the promised sequel Bubba Nosferatu. I guess this will have to do. A fun story that promises to unite Ash with Elvis in his younger glory days.

G.I. JOE VS. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN #4

“Untitled”
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: SL Gallery

Mike Power has managed to tear out the Cobra implants in Steve’s head. Now the Bionic man is back in control and ready to payback Cobra. Only Cobra had a plan B. They set off the atomic reactor in Steve’s bionic arm. Soon it will blow and kill thousands. The only option is for Steve to get on the rocket glider he was using before and get away from the island. He does this and there is a big atomic explosion in the atmosphere. Steve manages to escape. He removed the arm and tied it to the rocket glider. Then jumped into the sea.

Meanwhile in Switzerland Scarlet manages to defeat the twins Tomax and Xomat with her bolos. Snakes Eyes kicks Shadow Storm’s butt. Seeing his henchmen defeated Cobra Commander makes his escape. The explosion of Steve’s arm knocks out the electronics in the plane and it crashes. But Cobra Commander escapes the crash to cause trouble for another day.

The ending for this series was quite satisfying. Steve is brought back to being good. We have what looks like his self-sacrifice but he figured out a way to survive and save the day. Snake Eyes easily shows he is one badass and Scarlet also defeats the sadistic creepy twins. Seems sadism and overconfidence are the downfall for Cobra. This combined two properties that I remember fondly. I just love these kooky team-ups they are doing nowadays. Only disappointment is I would have liked to see Mike Powers fly with his spinning helicopter blade using his spinning hand. Well maybe next time.

G.I. JOE VS. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN #3

“Untitled”
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: SL Gallant

Steve Austin is continuing the beat up General Hawk as the other hide out in a bank. The Baroness is gloating on her easy victory. In Switzerland the team led by Scarlett is making good progress moving up the Infinity Tower. They start to just use their rifle butts or fists on the Cobra robots to conserve ammo. Snake Eyes manages to take over the control room. The team makes quick progress but runs into the twins Tomax and Xamot who beat down the Joes. Snake Eyes finds himself confronted by this old ninja brother Storm Shadow.

On the Frisian isles just as Steve is about to deliver the finishing blow to Hawk, helicopters come to the rescue. They carry Mike Power the Atomic Man and some more Joes. The two bionic men fight and Power manages to tear off the Cobra implants in Steve’s head.

So the tide of battle is turning in the Joes favor. Once again it is exciting to see my old childhood buddy Mike Power make an appearance. I thought he was forgotten all these years. He even wears the old Adventure Team logo on his shirt. A fun stroll down memory lane.

G.I. JOE VS. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN #2

“Untitled”
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: SL Gallant

Oscar Goldman is with the military at the Pentagon debating the current crisis. The military want to destroy Steve Austin but Oscar is convinced that he is under some kind of mind control. Sgt. Mainframe suggests implementing Protocol: Powerplay. Meanwhile at the downed Air Force One the Joes are under siege by the Baroness with Steve and Cobra soldiers. A team lead by Scarlett and Snake Eyes head off to hi-jack a Cobra jet and fly to Switzerland. General Abernathy distracts Cobra by challenging Steve to a one on one fight. Steve agrees and proceeds to kick the general’s ass. This allows the other Joes to get the world leaders to safety. The other Joes arrive in Switzerland and start to assault the Infinity Tower and find Cobra Commander already waiting for them. At the end Goldman is introduced to Powerplay. It is another bionic man named Mike Power The Atomic Man.

Well this is a typical action filled G.I. Joe comic. The guys and girls don’t let a little thing like being outnumbered slow them down. Steve does seem to be completely under the control of Cobra. The big surprise for me at the end was the reveal of Mike Power. This is a classic action figure when G.I. Joe action figures were a lot bigger. I had a Mike Power figure. He was an obvious rip off of The Six Million Dollar Man. He had clear bionic legs and a bionic arm. Came with his own helicopter blade that could spin with his bionic arm. Had a bionic eye you could look through. They have him here in his trademark brown Bermuda shorts and flower pattern shirt. They should have more retro characters from the seventies. I would love a series based on those old toys. I think it would sell.

G.I. JOE VS. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN #1

“Untitled”
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: SL Gallant

Steve Austin parachutes into Siberia to rescue an American tech mogul. He succeeds in taking out the guards and freeing the man. Only the mogul is working for Cobra and knocks Steve out with an electric wand. Later the G.I Joes are escorting the Presidents of U.S., Mexico and Prime Minister of Canada to a world conference on the island of Frisia. The conference is to unify the world in its fight against terrorism namely Cobra.

As Air Force One flies to the conference it is attacked by Steve Austin who is flying using a jet pack. He takes out the escort fighter then tears off the tail. The plane crash lands on an island full of Cobra troops. Meanwhile Cobra commander takes over the Infinity Tower in Switzerland. This tower is home to most of the worlds banks and corporations.

Well this sounded like another cool crossover series. I used to read G.I. Joe back in the eighties and loved the Six Million TV show. So far it is living up to expectations. Seems Cobra has managed to take over Steve Austin and turn him against the Joes. Cobra is gloriously evil and megalomaniacal in its quest to conquer the world. Filled with bigger than life characters this is bound to be fun.