Introduction

I last wrote a comics review just over 2 years ago. According to the headline of that one, March of 2021. What bring them back, suddenly, almost two years to the day? Why does anything happen around here? I get an idea, bake it about half way, then unleash it on an unsuspecting public. And, so, Independent Comics I Love April 2023.

When I started writing (remember the half baked part), I wondered if April 2023 represented the actual release date of these comics. I receive an automatically pulled list of comics from Discount Comic Book Service every month. So, while these comics arrived on my doorstep at the end of April, they very well could have been released as long ago as January or February and I’d never know the difference.

Note: Some research led me to the conclusion that all of these comics have April release dates. So, score one for the good guys.

Code Name Ric Flair Magic Eightball (Scout Comics)

(James Haick III – Writer, Raphael Loureiro – Artist) I noticed this comic in my news feed, perhaps, a couple of months ago. I remember that I texted Chris about it in some form or fashion. He showed no interest if I remember correctly. Me, on the other hand, as a wrestling geek from a young age, I knew that I had to have the book. After reading it, what can I say? Ric Flair, noted womanizer, alcoholic, and drug addict is given a pass by the book. All of the man’s very human flaws are written off as necessary to his secret life as a double agent. I never expected great literature out of this book, but it could have been handled so differently and much better. I think the book is supposed to be read as satire. Maybe that’s me giving it too much credit. Because, if so, the satire is clumsy.

Spawn #340 (Image Comics)

(Rory McConville – Writer with Uncle Todd given “additional script” credit, Carlo Barberi – Artist) I never read Spawn for the story. Sure, I enjoyed the story, but I never read the book because of the story. Todd McFarlane, and later Greg Capullo, Philip Tan, and Angel Medina, draw such a detailed and rich universe that I can’t help but be drawn into it. The story, while very good in parts, rarely was the driving force behind the book for me. That changed a few years ago when I started collecting again. I loved the Dark Horror story and then slogged through some of the stories after that where Spawn becomes a terrorist agent because the US government was infiltrated by demons or something. I

loved issue 300 and the promised “reboot” of Spawn’s powers. Then things went up and down. Finally, I stopped writing reviews for some reason or another. The point of this all is that I don’t know how I feel about this story. Again, I love the art. But, this story of Spawn and Haunt infiltrating heaven feels a little too much like the Enemy of the State story. Who knows? Maybe if I read some of the back issues I neglected, it makes more sense. Stay tuned.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #139 (IDW Publishing)

(Sophie Campbell – Writer with additional credit to Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, Fero Pe – Artist) I need to come clean and admit I haven’t read this on yet. I texted Chris a couple of months ago. While perusing the comics at That’s Entertainment, I found the TMNT Armageddon Game imprint and started flipping through the issues. They hooked me with the story, but not having had time until now to sit down and read the books, I don’t want to spoil the story for me. But, consider this a success that instead of simply one book on my independent reading list (Spawn), I now have three for this month.

The Verdict

Admittedly, my return to review writing with independent comics I love April 2023 is a bit rocky. Two books that didn’t live up to expectation and one that I haven’t even read yet. But, I plan to catch up on Spawn to try to get hyped for the next couple of issues. I also need to read the Armageddon Game to see if that one lives up to the hype I created in my head. Until Wednesday, fellow comic fans!