Soccer Hooligans!

PS238 #38

The kids from PS238 are competing against the kids from the wildly evil Praetorian Academy in a soccer match. So the Wonderburg sports complex has installed forcefields to protect the crowd from high-velocity soccer balls and soundwave cancellation systems to cut down on the sonic booms. The Praetorians jump to an early lead, thanks to the former Captain Clarinet and to the Praetorians’ willingness to cheat. But Tyler Marlocke, the Flea, and Cecil Holmes have discovered an invisible ship observing the game, and they sneak aboard to investigate. But can they escape the clutches of the Headmaster and keep a dimensional rift from eating the soccer field?

Verdict: Thumbs up. Great work with the plot advancing along with the soccer game, which is a lot of fun all on its own. Bernard Brenner, PS238’s pint-sized Hulk analogue, has a lot of fun cheering on his team. And Cecil is, as always, great to read — he’s really developing into one of this series’ best characters. If you’re not reading this comic, you should start reading it as quickly as you can.

Marvel Adventures: Super Heroes #9

This issue focuses on the Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Strange, along with his assistant, Jason Wong, and his teacher, the Ancient One. Strange and Wong are enjoying an afternoon at the Guggenheim Museum when they’re suddenly attacked by a spell-slinging squirrel. A squirrel? Turns out its actually Dormammu, Ruler of the Dark Dimension, temporarily forced to assume the form of a lowly rodent. When he finally claims his full power, he has some odd ways of going about conquering the world. He turns all the vehicles in the world into red convertibles, except for the ones parked close to a mailbox. And he eats a hot dog. What’s going on? Turns out the last time the Ancient One defeated Dormammu, he got him to sign a binding contract forcing him to follow all kinds of silly rules. Can Dr. Strange, Wong, the Ancient One, and Daredevil’s pal Foggy Nelson find the right loophole to banish Dormammu again?

Verdict: Thumbs up. This is pretty amazingly silly stuff. So of course, I approve wholeheartedly.