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With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Epic Comics
Number of Issues: 6
First Issue: December 1985 ($1.50)
Last Issue: November 1986 ($1.50)
Writer: David Michelinie
Artist: Bret Blevins

Amanda Flynn is a lady of the night who lived in Victorian England during the latter half of the 19th century. One evening she stumbled upon a yellow-skinned alien trying to hang himself in an abandoned building. He explained that he crash-landed onto Earth and had grown bored with the mundanity of life, here. Apparently, his civilization was much more advanced and the only way to keep him occupied was to get him involved in mysteries and strange occurences that warranted investigation.

So, Mandy and Bozz formed a detective agency, taking on the cases that Scotland Yard couldn’t handle. The business was mutually beneficial: Mandy could make a living in a more respectable profession and Bozzwell (as Mandy had taken to calling him) was happy to put off suicide as long as there was an investigation to keep him occupied. Along with a friendly (but rough) American named Salem Hawkshaw, the trio were involved in cases involving resurrected men, demon infestations, hidden societies, African curiosities and other interesting happenings.

The Bad: This series was cut down all too quickly. There’s quite a bit of fun untapped potential left.

The Good: A great mix of Sherlock Holmes and E.T.

The Verdict: Here’s a fun mix of concepts: Victorian England, an alien, a hooker, an American ruffian and Sherlock Holmes-style mysteries. Bret Blevins’ character designs are wonderful! Bozz is a wide-eyed alien who’s so advanced that everything bores him – and Bret captures that aloofness perfectly. His Salem is a bit reminiscent of Wolverine (but it’s quite likely that it’s intentional) and Mandy is instantly likeable! Michelinie manages to pack a great bit of characterization into these handful of issues and sets up (and resolves!) quite a few mysteries. I’m not too knowledgeable about Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories – but it seems that this series owes a lot to the famous detective. I imagine Sherlock fans are sure to enjoy this title and if you couldn’t tell, I’m quite fond of it myself; I wish there were a bunch more to read! This concept could go on for quite some time and continue to be just as enjoyable.

On Ebay: Bozz | David Michelinie | Bret Blevins
On AtomicAvenue: Bozz

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Epic Comics
Number of Issues: 6
First Issue: October 1988 ($1.95)
Last Issue: September 1989 ($1.95)
Writer: Tom Veitch
Artist: Cam Kennedy

Life hasn’t treated Lazarus Jones well. He lost a lot in Vietnam including both legs and the rest of his platoon. The years since have been filled with drugs, alcohol, war flashbacks and his only shining light – the ever-loving, Chris. But, when a car accident puts him in a coma, Laz discovers an all-new direction for his life. While his body lays immobile in our world, his spirit is transported to a star system called Abraxas where he’s united with Steven J. Huff, Munoz Slaw and Captain Archibald Engle – his entire squad – now entangled in an all new war: the war between Light and Dark.

As part of the Light Brigade, Laz and his pals are embroiled in just one of the many battles in the Light and Darkness War. However, their fight against Lord Na of the Darkness remains an important one. Utilizing the technology of Nicholas Tesla (Nikola Tesla’s nephew), Na has discovered a way to gain access to Earth – a notable concern since passage to Earth has long since been lost. Earth weapons will play a significant role in this war fought with wood and stone weapons devised by Leonardo Da Vinci. Perhaps even enough to swing the entire war in favor of Darkness.

Fearing an imbalance in weaponry, the Forces of Light seek the aid of Nikola Tesla (the legendary inventor from the 19th & 20th centuries) to equalize the playing field. But, just when the Forces of Light need all the help they can get, Lazarus awakens from his coma – returning to Earth and leaving the war far behind. Was it all just a big dream? And, if it’s not – how can he rejoin his friends and win the war?

The Bad: It seems Cam Kennedy tried out some experimental art styles with cover #3 & 6 that just don’t match up to the quality of the other four covers.

The Good: Tom Veitch has found a way to acknowledge the true warrior spirit of the average Vietnam Vet by placing him in a war where the forces of good and evil are more clearly defined.

The Verdict: The Light and Darkness War starts off with a great concept. It pitches the spirits of Earth’s warriors into an afterlife filled with an ageless battle between two extremes: good and evil. There is no question which side is the right side to root for and it’s in this backdrop that Veitch attempts to redeem the Vietnam Veteran (who were initially scorned for their involvement in a war many Americans felt we should never have engaged in). But, that’s where an important difference should be noted – and Veitch certainly wants you to be aware that even if you don’t support the war, you can still support the troops. By taking the Vietnam Veterans of this story and pitting them against the Forces of Darkness, Veitch gives the Vets an opportunity to show their true spirit and moral character – without the question of “Is there just cause for this war?” hanging over their heads.

Cam Kennedy’s art breathes life into this strange world filled with the spirits of Earth warriors and Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying stone ships (as well as other interesting inventions). Incorporating legendary inventors like Da Vinci and Tesla was a neat idea (one that Hickman has recently used in his ongoing S.H.I.E.L.D. series), as was the travel between Earth and Abraxas. And, even though Laz’s eventual return to Earth was expected, it played out nicely. His despair over losing his friends again and returning to the life he had loathed so much was quite palpable. By the end of the series, he seems to have everything all figured out – and you just can’t help but feel happy for the guy.

On Ebay: Tom Veitch | Cam Kennedy
On AtomicAvenue: Light & Darkness War