On The Shelf: An 80's icon returns

 The ThunderCats are on the loose again.

The popular action franchise from the 80's has returned to comics with a new series from Dynamite, the first salvo in a licensing deal with Warner Bros Discovery, which will also see Cartoon Network's We Bare Bears & The Powerpuff Girls coming later this year, along with an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, and, in May, Space Ghost & Jonny Quest are set to return.

Writer-artist Declan Shalvey only handles the scripting chores here, and has rebooted the classic origin from 1985, such that Lion-O ages into an adult when his suspended animation pod cracks while en route from Thundera to Third Earth. Aside from a few other minor tweaks, it's pretty much the same story you remember.

Turns out I've spelled the ThunderKittens' names wrong all these years. It's actually WileyKit & WileyKat. Drew Moss (Gargoyles: Dark Ages) is doing the art, and that might explain why Dark Ages has fallen behind schedule, aside from Greg Weisman's growing workload as a writer. I am begging Dynamite or another publisher to give David Nakayama some interior work to do. He also captures the spirit of the original series, which turns 40 next year.

Rating: A.

I have just two words for DC's Titans event, Beast World, which just wrapped. Epic fail!!!

Writer Tom Taylor is revisiting an old plot line developed by Marv Wolfman in the 80's, but what this miniseries didn't need or want is another effort to make Amanda Waller public enemy #1 in the eyes of fans. I get the idea of making Waller more ruthless, erasing the imagery from the 80's when she was introduced, and modeled after actress-singer Nell Carter. Modeling her after her portrayer in the "Suicide Squad" movies, Viola Davis, would be just fine, complete with the nasty attitude. The miniseries was built around Beast Boy and, oh, did they ever screw up.

Rating: C--.

J. Torres is sharing the writing chores on the now-ongoing Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries, but, oh, did he ever lay an egg in issue 2, out now. Solomon Grundy is meant to be the featured villain, but Torres gives away the game waaaaaaaay too early, earlier than normal, when you think about it. Artist Scott Jeralds worked at WB for a few years as a writer-director on shows like Krypto The Superdog, but he gets everything on point.

I am begging them to actually bring in the Wonder Twins before this series meets its inevitable end.

DC is experiencing delays with Batman '89: Echoes, with issue 2 now set to drop the first week in March. Apparently, artist Joe Quinones is having some issues that are being kept under wraps. Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham's revival of Fables is crawling to the finish line, as it, too, has fallen behind to the point where it's being released every 6-10 weeks. I can chalk it up to Buckingham's detailed artwork, but who knows?

Fellow blogger Sam Wilson noted the other day that Dynamite may be having problems getting their Jonny Quest book ready, as solicitations for a Free Comic Book Day 1-off in May don't list a creative team. I'm thinking Dynamite may be trying for a secret surprise. We'll see come May 4.