By Mitch Barracuda

The Danger’s Dozen #1 & 2
Stories by Branco & Cannonier, Mike Baron
Art by Norm Breyfogle, Jason Armstrong
Inks by Nick Runge
Colors & Pencils by Gabe El-Taeb
Letters by Thad Branco, Jason Armstrong
First Salvo Productions
Cover price: $3.50; Available now

There’s something about B-Movie material done on purpose that fascinates me. It makes me question the brilliance of the writer to an extent where I’m just in awe that he or she is able to write like that. As in, “It’s SUPPOSED to be like that. Clever, clever, Clarice.” That’s why I love Deep Blue Sea, Cabin Fever, Cellular, and Lake Placid. All B-Movies done with a brain. But for most B-Movies, they are just that. A “B” movie. The Danger’s Dozen doesn’t hide that direction at all as the title alone suggests that B.A. Baracus could jump out any second and steal your gold chains while Face laughs.

The Danger’s Dozen is basically a threesome of GI Joe, The A-Team, and Street Fighter, and trust me; it wasn’t long into the first issue that I started shouting out, “Sonic Boom!” as I turned the page. It features a hero named Aman; a name I kept saying in Jamaican accent even though I’ve never been to Jamaica. He fights bad guys with a flaming orb called a “wadjet eye.” The eye has magic powers.

Fans of the TV and video game threesome I mentioned will enjoy this book greatly. It has that classic 60’s TV serial feeling where life was simple, and bad guys just stood around a building to get their necks broken. The writing team of Branco and Cannonier jump in without fear as they pull together many influences to create a new one. Sorta like a younger sibling borrowing your old, hand-me-down clothes, but they fit and are Snuggle fresh! The art by Norm Breyfogle adds the extra-campy flair with a bit of 80’s cartoon influence. As I keep listing time periods, methinks this book has added a little bit of flair and action from each decade of media.

Along with the many cool pin-ups, I particularly liked the addition of backup stories to learn more about the characters, but also really to get your money’s worth. I think this is something all comic books should do. Give more. And why not? There’s a million writers and hundreds of artists that could use the work, so add some backup stories of Venom in your weekly Spider-Man adventure. First Salvo Productions appears to acknowledge this need for bonus material and happily obliges. But in the end, The Danger’s Dozen is what it is: A well-made B-movie, so you can’t praise it too much. Sonic boom!

Grade: B
Continue Reading? If you’re into this sort of genre, then this is your boat ride to Bangkok.