TEX'S BACK-ISSUE QUEST #55 (NINJAS VS. ZOMBIES)

It's time again, fellow QUESTERS!

     It's time to hit y'all with more of that comic-book knowledge that you can't get in any college! Wanna know what's on the menu for today? Well, here's a hint: What happens when you parody three of my FAVORITE film genres (horror, science fiction/fantasy, and martial arts), adding in a lot of cool, low-budget special effects?

    ANSWER:

It's "Ninjas vs. Zombies" #1, featuring the first appearance of a zany team of zombie-slashing, vampire-staking, werewolf-murdering, magical, mayhem-making NINJAS!!!!

     

   I know. You're all like, "WHAAAAAT?!" Right? Who knew such coolness could exist on the face of the Earth? But wait! There's MORE! "Ninjas vs. Zombies" is a comic book adaptation of an independent film by the same name that debuted back in 2008. Written and directed by Justin Timpane, this film is a genre-bending, mixed-up, mashed-up, low-budget funfest that pits seven long-time friends against the diabolical powers of darkness. 

   Longing for the companionship of his dead brother, an amateur wizard uses a cursed book to enact his brother's resurrection. What he didn't see coming is that his brother would return as an evil, soul-eating, zombie-making prince of hell!!! Horrified by what he's done, he seeks help to stop his brother...From the cursed book (of course). The book, taking the form of a prepubescent girl, grants him a little help, just for funsies, by making three of his besties honest-to-goodness, monster-slaying, mystical ninjas!! Here is the trailer:

Crazy, right? Your next question is probably, "Is it any good?" The answer just depends on you. I am a fan of low budget horror films, so, to me, this movie is pretty cool. It's action-packed, over-the-top, campy, cheesy, corny, gory, chop-socki fun - and it NEVER takes itself too seriously. 

"Well, what about the comic?" you might ask. "Is it any good?" Well, my answer would be the same. It follows the movie's storyline pretty well; writer, Thomas Chillemi, really captures the spirit of the film, which, to me makes it loads of fun to read. Artist, Jaime Martinez pulls out the stops with pencils that are good, zany and gory. 

But wait! There's MORE! Publisher, Azure, turned the film into not just one comic, but a SERIES of  comics chock-full of monster-killing madness!

"Ninjas vs Zombies" #2

"Ninjas vs Zombies" #3

"Ninjas vs Zombies" #4

But WAIT!! There's STILL MORE! Since the film won critical acclaim from horror fans, Justin Timpane followed it up with two successful sequels: Ninjas vs Vampires and Ninjas vs Monsters. Each one is better than the last.  On to the FUN FACTS!!

FUN FACT 1 - At issue #5, the comic series became "Ninjas vs Werewolves," which did not correspond with the title of any of the films.

FUN FACT 2 - Yep. You knew that I had copies of "Ninjas vs. Werewolves" didn't cha?

Here's my copy of issue #5, fully loaded with autographs by the writer of the comic, Thomas Chillemi, the creator (film producer and director), Justin Timpane, and cast members, Daniel Ross, Cory and Carla Okouchi, Daniel Mascarello, P.J. Megaw, and Dan Guy.

And finally, here is "Ninjas vs Werewolves" #6.

FUN FACT 3 - Ninjas vs Zombies debuted on Halloween of 2008, at the Tally Ho Theatre in Leesburg, VA, a theater whose history reaches back more than 85 years. 

FUN FACT 4 - At 2009's Indie Fest, Ninjas vs Zombies won an Award of Merit: Feature Film. 

FUN FACT 5 - You can watch all three films on Amazon Prime! Here is the website for the film: http://www.nvzmovie.com. 

    That's all for today folks!!! Happy monster-hunting to you!!

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TEX'S BACK-ISSUE QUEST EPISODE #54 Part 2 (Místico)

Hello fellow Questers!!!

    Long-time no talk! I promise that I'll be back soon with more comic-book knowledge that you can't get in any college, but real life is cranked up to 10+ right now! I see that my article on the Mexican wrestler, Místico, has gotten PLENTY of love! Thank you all. As we get to know each other more, I'll reveal more gems of my private collection, including my RARE luchador first issues. I love lucha libre so much.

   Lucha libre is, in most cases, a beautiful sport filled with creative, artistic athletes wearing amazing outfits who give you all they can, their very best, when they step out onto the squared circle (the wrestling canvas). My favorites are the high-flyers who also use that exciting, high-energy, quick hold-and-counter-hold style (catch as catch can). With their legendary athleticism, willingness to risk their lives to please the spectators, their over-the-top portrayal of characters enacting stories in the ring (good vs. evil, rich vs. poor, light vs. dark, etc.), and their skillfully-crafted ring attire, which often includes a mask that hides the face of the mysterious hero or villain, it is no wonder that luchadors grew to be the stuff of legend in Mexico with the obvious parallels to American comic book heroes and villains who came of age right around the time that the masked luchador really took off (the late 1930s, early 1940s).

    Watching good lucha libre is, to me, like watching a comic book come to life before my very eyes. So, without further ado, I found some more of my Místico comics with those GREAT, classic Mexican painted covers!

"Místico: The Prince of Silver and Gold" #4, From the Orphange to Pankration. In this story, we are given the fictitious origin of the orphan that would one day become one of lucha libre's greatest luchadors!!

"Místico: The Prince of Silver and Gold" #9, The Attack of the Old Lady Killer. In this episode, Místico must stop a crazed killer that is bent of murdering elderly women...A killer using a replica of Místico's own mask!

"Místico: The Prince of Silver and Gold" #10, The Sacrilegious Impostor. In this story, Místico comes face to face with darkness in the form of a deranged killer who wants to destroy Místico, all that he stands for, and all that is holy. 

"Místico: The Prince of Silver and Gold" #18, Evil Incarnate. To save a beautiful girl, Místico must take on a powerful demon!

"Místico: The Prince of Silver and Gold" #19, Super-Luchador and Superhero. This story is a continuation of the dark story begun in #18. This cool cover is obviously an homage to Spider-Man's iconic upside-down kiss with Mary Jane Watson in 2002's blockbuster hit film, "Spider-Man." Check it out:

And finally: 

"Místico: The Prince of Silver and Gold" #23, Aerial Wrestling: His Best Technique."

On to the fun fact!!

FUN FACT 1 - On the cover of #19, in the background, you can see The Angel of Independence (El Ángel o Monumento a la Independencia) which is a monument done by artist, Antonio Rivas Mercado, during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz to commemorate the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence on September 16, 1810 (see SUPPLEMENTAL FACT). The Angel of Independence is located in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, on a roundabout on the Paseo de la Reforma.

SUPPLEMENTAL FUN FACT: Mexican Independence Day is September 16, not the 5th of May (Cinco de mayo). El Cinco de mayo celebrates the Mexican victory over the French at Puebla in 1862. France invaded Mexico in 1861 to recover a debt, but they also had designs on taking Mexico, and later marching to aid the Confederacy in the United States. Thanks to the Mexican victory at Puebla, the French army never reached the Confederacy, and the victory of the Union forces was secured. If the brave Mexicans had not defeated the French at Puebla, the United States might have become a very different place. 

And now you know. ;-)

Well, that's all folks!! Thanks for joining me! I will leave you with some highlights of a great lucha libre match: Prince Puma vs. Rey Misterio!! ENJOY!!!

If you like this article, please hit the +1 button below. We are on Google+, follow us and we'll follow you back.  We're also on Facebook. Like our page, and share us with your friends! Help me win one million readers over to the awesome world of comics!