THE T-BIRD CHRONICLES #1 (1986)
PUBLISHER: M.E. COMICS
STORY & ART: PIERRE R. MCNEIL
B/W
COVER 4.5/5
ART 4.5/5
STORY 4/5
BUY
FLICKR

Unshaven and unstoppable, Thomas Bird is “the head of a one-man super security agency.” His futuristic computer The Mother Chamber aids him on his adventures, as he whizzes around Atlanta suburb Silver City in his modified classic T-Bird. Strapped to his side is the Ultra-Sonic Bren Liberator, “a gun that won’t kill.” Dang. Anyway, at the nuclear energy plant across town, Dr. Leornodis Von Crock mixes steroids and cocaine in the core reactor, creating a monster narcotic named The Bad Thing. Bird intervenes to bar the shipment from hitting the streets, and ends up in a pulse-pounding non-lethal shoot-out. In a fit of panic, Von Crock ingests a tremendous quantity of the drug and becomes “atomicized, super steroidized!” It’s a race against the clock before the reactor explodes! Can T. Bird get back to his trusty T-Bird before… wait a minute! His name is like what his car is called too! Hey!! -ZC

AFTER APOCALYPSE #1 (1987)
PUBLISHER: PARAGRAPHICS
STORY BY: CLIFF BIGGERS, ART BY: MARK BAGLEY & DAVE JOHNSON
B/W
COVER 4.5/5
ART 4/5
STORY 4/5
BUY
FLICKR

A nuclear war has hurdled the United States into a post-apocalyptic dark age. Hideously deformed victims of radiation roam the streets in search of sustenance. A nameless motorcyclist rides into a bombed-out ghost town on the outskirts of the desert to locate a secret cache of heavy-duty artillery. He radios central command for an immediate EVAC. The weakened, desperate local savages greet the armored transport with explosive hostility and suspicion - will our heroes escape alive? Includes the bonus post-apocalyptic side-story “Unwelcome Visitor.” -EH

Happy 2012…if there is one!

ULTRA FICTION #1 (1987)
PUBLISHER: PERETTI PRODUCTIONS
STORY & ART BY: MEL & SALVATORE PERETTI
COVER 4.5/5
ART 4/5
STORY 4/5
BUY
FLICKR

A deeply home-cooked anthology showcasing the wildly unique talents of the mysterious Peretti family. The first story, Daydreamers, explores the chronicle of an indestructible sword called Mankiller. A young warrior from the magical medieval land of Utope is assaulted by the henchmen of evil three-eyed Oculus Treis. Our hero awakens thousands of years later as a human vigilante in a mechanized society. He’s confronted by a robot guard that says: “No personal aloud out after curfew!” Someone hand that android a goddamn dictionary. Next up is a nine page adventure starring the Cosmic Force of America Team, a group of four firemen who are transformed into elemental superheroes by a space beam: “Maybe the Air Force can help us if we turn ourselfs in!” Last is All American, in which a pinstriped crimefighter beats two thugs into a coma: “Whoe! Cool it man!” The back cover promises that issue # 2 will be on sale the last week of September. But which September?! We’re waiting!! -ZC

MACABRE (1988)
ISSUE: #2
PUBLISHER: LIGHTHOUSE PUBLICATIONS
STORY & ART BY: ANGELO DeCICCO & JOHN RIGITANO
COVER 4/5
ART 3/5
STORY 4/5
BUY
FLICKR

In “Twinkle, Twinkle Brightest Moon,” six convicted murderers escape confinement in a hijacked space craft and land on planet Sar seeking tranquility and salvation. The local inhabitants seem hospitable at first, but after the ex-cons discover a series of foreboding relics depicting anthropomorphic wolf creatures deep within an ancient monument, they begin to suspect the natives’ horrifying, shape-shifting intentions. A mind-altering insect infects a well-to-do family man in “Lend Me Your Ears,” degenerating him into a domestic homicidal maniac. Despite some often hilarious crude artwork, the Canadian published Macabre #2 features two inspired fantastical one-off stories. -EH

BANYON OF THE HIGH FORTRESS
ISSUE: #1
YEAR: 1988
PUBLISHER: MILLER PUBLISHING COMPANY
STORY BY: BILL W. MILLER
ART BY: BILL HOLLOWAY
B/W
COVER 4.5/5
ART 3.5/5
STORY 3/5
BUY
FLICKR

Fearless medieval warrior Banyon decides that his kingdom The High Fortress should remain devoid of magic, as the power it provides will only spell man’s ultimate ruination. This revelation of course upsets the local hexcasters, as well as a “dawn demon” which has just been banished from its own dark dimension. Banyon sets off on a mission to eliminate all supernatural practices, and will face powerful enemies and vengeful beasts. NOTE: This comic book isn’t really a comic book at all, but rather a periodical illustrated fantasy novel. There is art — and it is sequential — so this does rightfully qualify as a Power Comic, but do be aware that 80% of the content is type-written text, i.e.”I am glad you are a no-nonsense sorceress!” -ZC

BLACKMOON
ISSUE: #1
YEAR: 1986
PUBLISHER: US COMICS
STORY & ART BY: JAMES CHALLETT
B/W
COVER 4/5
ART 3.5/5
STORY 4/5
BUY
FLICKR

A Soviet nuclear attack on the US obliterates everything in an instant. Stationed deep within Mount Fuji is American scientist/ex-espionage agent Frank Johnson who is determined to restore his home country. After finalizing his experimental time-displacement wristwatch, Frank suits up as silent assassin “Blackmoon,” and travels back through time to prevent the apocalypse. His target: greedy political tyrant Monroe - the man responsible for the annihilation. Stealthy air duct maneuvering, laser torches, flash bombs and a silenced machine gun bring Blackmoon face to face with his target - can the future be changed forever with a bullet? -EH

ADAM & EVE A.D
ISSUE: #1
YEAR: 1985
PUBLISHER: BAM PRODUCTIONS
STORY: BILL MURRAY, ART BY: SHAWN SHARP & TIM ZIMMERMAN
B/W
COVER 4/5
ART 3.5/5
STORY 3.5/5
BUY: $1.75 FINE
FLICKR

The earth is decimated by the follies of science and war. Eons later, the human race begins to rebuild in a sub-neanderthal state, and is aided by a race of hyper-intelligent humanoids from another galaxy who deliver advanced lifeforms Adam and Eve to assist in the reconstruction. However, progress is barred by the evil Lucifer, who manifests as a large snake with arms and then a leatherbound cyclops. Adam & Eve battle Lucifer to a standstill, discover evidence of a race of intelligent man-dogs, and eventually stumble across a giant mutant buffalo. The series — created by a Pennsylvanian named Bill Murray — would enjoy an uncommonly robust ten issue run, and is largely based on some outlandish mythology called “christianity.” -ZC

JONTAR
ISSUE: #1
YEAR: 1986
PUBLISHER: MATURE MAGIC
STORY & ART BY: TONY LORENZ & BILL W. MILLER
B/W
COVER 5/5
ART 2.5/5
STORY 5/5
BUY: $2.50 MINT <— DO IT.
FLICKR

Male stripper by night, street sanitation worker by later-night, Jontar - named by his deceased fantasy novel obsessed dad - finds himself wrapped up in a crime plot involving the assassination of an industrialist and a disappearing elf in a trashcan. After getting fired from both jobs, Jontar heads to the gym to sweat it out, but is fatally stabbed after a chance run-in with blackmailing local mob heavies. Jontar’s corpse is transported to the dream dimension of Master Elf-Keeper who resurrects Jontar as his earthly sword-bearing avenger. -EH

VICTIM
ISSUE: #1
YEAR: 1987
PUBLISHER: SILVER WOLF COMICS
STORY: KRISTOFFER A .SILVER, ART BY: PAUL SCHULTZ
B/W
COVER 4/5
ART 3/5
STORY 3/5
BUY: $1.75 FINE
FLICKR

A rogue hero prowls the midnight skyline of San Francisco, searching out and eradicating the darkness of man. His name: VICTIM. Meanwhile, wealthy young Casey Lockley is a magnet for trouble. Every time he steps outside, he’s witness to a mugging, a police shooting or worse. But his luck may have changed, as he suddenly finds himself stalked by a beautiful, mysterious woman. Nearby, spiked mandroid Deathborg unleashes his anti-human rage in a hail of automatic bullets. Victim emerges from the fog and chaos to bring this automated murder machine to its steel knees. Can Deathborg be destroyed? How does Casey fit in? These and many other questions will be addressed in the next issue, titled “The False Egg.”