Comics Review: Dollartree Comics Part 1

I did not expect to see a display full of comics entering Dollartree a couple of weeks ago. I also didn’t expect it to disappear when I went back for more two weeks later. That was a lousy Free Comic Book Day (5-3-26) for me. I did find the comics on my next trip. There were a few stuffed into the rack in the kids section. I had no shame, as I rifled through them to pick up a few more.

The selections were random DC comics in bags for $1.25. Looking online, these comics were apparently specially produced for Dollartree. They are full comics, but rather than straight reprints, they are basically promotions for DC trades and online comics.

Batman in Detective Comics: The Victim Syndicate #1

Certainly this one had the best artwork of the four comics I originally got. This title, in this itineration, is sort of a Batman Family book with the various Batman-related heroes. Really though, it’s a Batwoman comic with enough Batman in it to make it sellable. With the multiple versions of Batman, Robin, and Batgirl, all you apparently need to do is put on a cape and suddenly you’re a superhero. Like all of those Spider-Man derivatives, what’s the point? They feel like an unnecessary distraction.

Hand Batwoman’s creators credit for making a very visually striking superhero. Regrettably, she just boils down to an angry lesbian Batman-knockoff. What a waste. That goes for the rest of this beautifully drawn comic. It’s sort of soft-core Woke. (It can’t go all the way and still be a Batman comic book. It’d be a joke.) The villain group in this is the Victim Syndicate, which blames Batman for their unfortunate conditions. This is sort of an interesting take. I hate to say it; I’d likely read more of this (with reservations).

There’s an Absolute Batman preview in the back. This is the hot book of the moment. It’s Batman, but he’s not rich and he’s built like the Hulk and he’s super-violent. I don’t get it. I’ve looked over a couple of issues online. I just don’t get it.

JLA: Tower of Babel #1

Ra’s al Ghul attempts to take out the Justice League, so that he can then prune down most of humanity to save the planet. I guess in modern times, that makes him a hero, like Bill Gates. But nah, this isn’t the reason why this story is sort of famous. Ra’s is using Batman’s secret plan to take out the Justice League. This is the twist ending, which I’m totally spoiling. This isn’t the best artwork and story isn’t that clever. Apart from the ending, this isn’t a classic story. I was unimpressed with it.

In the back of this is an Absolute Wonder Woman preview. She reminds me of Taarna from the movie, Heavy Metal. That’s probably intentional. It’s a bulked-up Wonder Woman with a big sword. I don’t get it.

Supergirl #1

This character has been rebooted so many times it makes me sick. (Don’t even get me started on the Legion of Superheroes, a comic book I loved.) The upcoming movie will be the tramp iteration of Supergirl . . . errr . . . liberated, modern woman version.

This version is, at least, pleasant, if not sweet. This is sort of a kids comic, so that may account for this more likeable version of the character. Certainly it’s better than the rebellious for-no-reason b*tch version with a Kryptonite tattoo. The Joelle Jones-drawn version was stunning (9-30-18), but was a weak teen girl novel in reading. (All it needed was a future dystopian setting to make more sense.)

Anyway, this is firmly set in the classic Superman milieu with Krypto, Streaky, and the bottle city of Kandor. Kara heads off to her teen home in Midvale (also home of Josie and the Pussycats), where she finds herself replaced by a pudgy girl, not only as Supergirl, but also as her alter ego, Linda Danvers with her foster family. Good grief! This is cute enough, but I’m definitely not the audience for this one. (Shudder. Good Lord! What are they going to do to Supergirl in her Absolute version?)

DC Finest: Batman Year Two #1

This one was the best of the bunch and, unsurprisingly, it came from the 80’s, when they knew how to make entertaining comic books. The cover also said, “Free,” on it, which made me cringe having to pay for it. (It was a “Batman Day” giveaway. Why isn’t this holiday on my calendar? When’s Superman Day?)

This series isn’t anywhere near as iconic as Batman Year One, but it sets an interesting premise. There was a vigilante proceeding Batman, the Reaper, who cleaned up the streets in a violent manner. Reaper’s departure led to Gotham becoming the crime cesspit of Batman’s time. It also explains the difference between Batman and a vigilante. Batman works with the police and turns criminals over to them. A vigilante kills criminals.

Batman is not willing to debate the ethics or practicality of Reaper’s approach to crime and goes after him and gets his butt kicked. What’s worse, this Reaper guy’s outfit and kit is wildly impractical-looking, so it’s doubly humiliating. In the cliffhanger ending, Bruce takes up a gun to go after Reaper.

I do like that this comic features real Batman. He’s a suave billionaire playboy by day. At night, he dons a grey and blue outfit with a yellow oval around the bat symbol and fights crime. As God intended.

I’ll cover more comics in a ***Part 2,*** later.

Comic Reviews: Doctor Strange Epic Collection Vol. 3: A Separate Reality

 

I had a friend who insisted that Heavy Metal magazine from the 80’s was drawn in such a way that you had to be stoned to really enjoy it. The images would come alive. Well, I could hand somebody this thing for a trip that doesn’t even require psychedelics. This hefty tome is over 450 pages of mind-bending spectacle. You are not cheated on the $45 price tag.

I was more-or-less familiar with Dr. Strange in the 80’s. He was hard to collect being a bi-monthly title. Those kind of comics tended to be hard to find on your weekly visits to the old spinner rack in convenience stores. It was worth the search for the artwork and great supernatural superhero story, as the good doctor fought Dracula! Dr. Strange has fallen into lesser hands since then, but had a great MCU movie (and then a terrible one).

I’d heard and maybe seen a little of the original 60’s Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and illustrated by Steve Ditko. The illustrations were well-known for being wild. This volume expands on that greatly. The advanced philosophical and metaphysical concepts were probably there from the start and only become more prominent here. You will be exposed to concepts well outside your standard superhero comic in this.

Here was the biggest shocker of the book. There’s Dr. Strange and the cosmic entity, Eternity. No, that’s Dr. Strange in the full-face mask. I had no idea this era ever existed in the Doctor’s history. How and why he donned a mask to protect his secret identity (?) is outside the bounds of this book. I’m guessing it wasn’t part of his original presentation, which I’m not familiar with. It’s not a bad look, but it’s incomprehensible with the character.

The opening issues are written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Gene Colan. There’s some very good artwork (and some pedestrian stuff) to follow, but this part was my favorite to look at. Here we have Clea, Strange’s girlfriend, and a cameo by famous writer, Tom Wolfe, for a trip to Times Square for New Years. (I don’t know the backstory on this cameo, but I’m sure it’s interesting.)

The first storyline is about Strange’s old foe, Nightmare, somehow holding Eternity hostage and now having access to his power. Strange has to enter Nightmare’s Dream dimension to confront him. If you doubt Nightmare the power to subdue Eternity, you are correct. He didn’t need Strange rescuing him, but does him a favor anyway by giving the Doctor a “new secret identity?” Seriously, I never knew Dr. Strange had a secret identity.

A three-part Lovecraft-inspired horror story follows. He teams up with Namor and then the Hulk to defeat the supernatural threat. These team ups did prefigured the Defenders, which was established afterward. The book only reprints a Dr. Strange solo story from the first issue. The Doctor returns home to the Sanctum Sanctorum and finds . . . himself. He ends up in a fight with his masked alter ego, before defeating him and revealing him as Baron Mordo. Thankfully, the Doctor ditches the mask after this episode seeing how it even fooled his loyal man-servant, Wong. (You’re not the only one. I’m laughing while I write this.)

Barry Windsor-Smith draws the next story, as Doctor Strange fights himself again. It’s another attack by Nightmare.

A long storyline begins adapting a couple of Robert E. Howard Lovecraftian tales. Here we have cults, isolated coastal towns, haunted castles, and summoned demons. It’s all the familiar trappings of these kind of tales. Above, we are shown the Vishanti, whom Dr. Strange often calls upon for help.

Finally, Strange goes through a dimensional doorway to confront a minion of an elder god, where he ends up trapped on an alien world, alone. By the way, I hope you like breathless monologues by your protagonists. Since the Doctor mostly fights alone, you get a steady stream of narration from him on the action in most of these stories in the book. This page might be the most egregious one. Still, you mostly don’t question the voluminous text balloons while reading them.

The adaption part of the story ends, as Dr. Strange has to rescue his mentor, the Ancient One, from the elder god. In a twist, Strange has to kill him to prevent the enemy from manifesting. Don’t be sad. He’s still around. “I have become one with the universe. I am . . . . everything,” he tells Strange from beyond the Veil. The Ancient One has done this to officially anoint Dr. Strange as Sorcerer Supreme. This is a very metaphysical conversation, not at all like a comic book.

Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner take over as writer and artist and do so very impressively. In the next storyline, Strange attempts to track down Baron Mordo to make peace with him. Mordo has been studying the Book of Cagliostro attempting to become more powerful. This leads to going backward in time to confront the author of the book, Sise-Neg. As you can read above, this guy isn’t screwing around.

Further and further back in time they all go. Sise-Neg’s desire to recreate the universe turns into the revelation that everything already is at it should be. He becomes Genesis itself. This is sort of blasphemous, but it’s so artistically done. This is way more philosophical than your average comic book. Hold on, you’re going to get plenty more.

Dr. Strange finally regains having his own series and is promptly murdered in the first issue. (Marvel didn’t seem fully committed to the character.) An assassin, Silver Dagger, stabs Strange with a mystical dagger and abducts Clea. (Maybe having a secret identity wasn’t such a bad idea.) His mission is to destroy magic-users, but he decides he’ll try to redeem her. (Can’t fault his priorities. Clea is one ripe tomato.) To save himself, Strange retreats into the Orb of Agamotto.

Inside, he discovers a bizarre universe. Strange has an introductory chat with the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. He then meets doppelgangers of his Defenders teammates. Valkyrie lends him her horse, Aragorn, as he flees death.

Finally, Strange realizes he is combatting a foe he can’t escape from and can’t defeat. He surrenders. This has been a test from the Ancient One. Now, Doctor Strange no longer fears death. His spirit returns to the real world. Strange finds Clea and possesses her. They are able to escape and rejoin Strange’s spirit to his body. Silver Dagger confronts them, but they are able to turn the Eye of Agamotto on him. Dagger has a moment of revelation before being sent to the metaphysical universe to talk to the Caterpillar.

Dude. I’m trippin’ balls. This book was amazing. I’ve been so disappointed lately, but this gave me something I didn’t expect in a superhero comic: a lesson in philosophy. Granted, it’s superficial pop metaphysics, but it’s a bit deeper than a fortune cookie. This was a great purchase. You’ll get used to Strange’s relentless self-narration and will enjoy this.

Comic Reviews: Betty & Veronica by Adam Hughes

It was only 3-issue mini-series and I can’t believe how much trouble it’s been collect these issues. I am a fan of Adam Hughes’ “good girl” artwork, so I certainly wanted to see a series featuring his take on the world’s two most glamorous teenage girls. Cringe. I hate having to admit that Betty and Veronica are under-aged, though they’ve been around for over 80 years. Of course, they’re not real and they’re never drawn looking close to their actual age in their high school stories. (Yes, Betty and Veronica aren’t real. I consider them better than real: they’re iconic.)

I collected all three issues, but in different formats. One was in regular comic book form, one was in a digest, and another was in a Best Of trade. I later got one of the issues as a floppy on Free Comic Book Day as a reprint. Still, I wasn’t quite satisfied and couldn’t find the final issue full-sized. This thin trade suddenly showed up at Zia Comics in their voluminous graphic novel section and I snapped it up. I could question repaying for material I already owned, but it was pretty cheap and scratched the itch.

That prologue makes this review really awkward: I don’t actually like this series that much. I was maybe a bit disappointed reading this three-issue series one-at-a-time in different formats over a couple of years, but reading it altogether, it was just a bit too indulgent.

The plot is overly complex, which doesn’t entirely make sense in the end. Mr. Lodge is bringing in a Starbucks-like coffee chain to Riverdale and about to put Pop’s out-of-business. Betty and Veronica set up a plan to ruin the opening and save Pop’s. Part of the plan is that the girls pretend to be enemies on opposing sides. The deception is only revealed at the end, while the whole series is billed as Betty versus Veronica in a fight to the finish. Maybe if the plan had been more clever, this rouse would have been more fulfilling, instead it falls a bit flat and makes the rest of the story ridiculous.

Really, it’s the dialogue that mostly doesn’t work. It’s trying to be too cute and adult, while not directly saying anything edgy. It’s Whedon-esqe Buffy without being smart. Another example is the narration. Hot Dog, whom we all love, is speaking to the audience. It’s sort of amusing, but kind of unnecessary.

Hughes at least kept himself from trying to do “The Ultimate” Betty and Veronica story with all of the cameos and historical callbacks that made Riverdale historically interesting, if insufferable in every other way. (From reading Batman: Hush and currently The Long Halloween, it’s a bit exhausting reading a story that exists to showcase all of Batman’s rogues gallery.) That CW show did seem like an inspiration for this in the dialogue, though not overwhelming so (thankfully). Hughes was trying to do a funny, slightly dramatic, sweet story in the Archie setting. Saving Pop’s is relatively low-stakes given that it’s been done in other Archie comics to the point of being a trope.

There were critics who were concerned about a cheesecake artist doing a kids comic. These people obviously never read an Archie Comic. Betty and Veronica were always eye-candy. They’ve always been portrayed as the most beautiful, glamorous teenage girls ever. If anything, Hughes overly restrained himself. Apart from one single page where the girls are in bikinis, the rest of the time, they are bundled up in fall attire.

You can’t criticize the artwork, but I have some issues with the inking and coloring. With Betty in particular, the inking was in colors at times, rather than in black. The images were tending to look incomplete. This was an experiment that didn’t quite work. The earth-tone colors used throughout were meant to express autumn, but became oppressive at times, especially with the weak inking. That said, the character-work is brilliantly expressive in faces and poses. It would work so much better with typical Archie slapstick than trying to be “high-brow” in story and dialogue.

I hate being critical of this. I love Adam Hughes artwork. Even with my reservations, this is still probably the best illustrated Archie comic ever. Seeing the Archie gang elegantly portrayed by a master, rather than the house style (which is also great), is something I wish Archie Comics had done a long time ago. I’m sure there are plenty of comic book artists who would have loved to have done a story. (J. Scott Campbell drew an Archie cameo in his Gen 13.) As is, this is a nearly unique artifact in Archie history. For that, I’ll recommend it, but temper your expectations.

Owing to only be three issues, this volume includes an issue of modern Jughead, not to be confused with classic, likeable Jughead. Aside from being poorly illustrated, especially in comparison with the rest of the book, it’s more than weird and not in a good way. The take-away lesson of the story is to not take and post pictures of your friends that make them look “swishy,” especially when they’re not. Part of me is shocked that modern Archie doesn’t encourage this behavior, but this is the correct lesson. Just pretend this part didn’t happen in the book.

Baseball Journal: Dog Days

 

4-14-26

The Chihuahuas lost a day game to worst team in the PCL, Round Rock.    They had a lead, but coughed it up late.    Without any other baseball at night, I thought to see if the Las Vegas Aviators were playing.    This was because I’d remembered our new Aggie radio voice, Russ Langer, was their broadcaster.    They were playing and Russ was very excited calling a double no-hitter through the first 5 innings.    The Aviators won, 3-1, on only 3 hits.    Reno had only 1 hit and they took out their starting pitcher, who had pitched 5 hitless innings.

4-17-26

At Round Rock tonight, the Chihuahuas homered three times in four pitches to tie score at 7 in the fifth inning.    It was a real back-and-forth game.    The Express did retake the lead later and win, 9-7.    There was a bizarre play in the eighth.    There was a dropped flyball on the infield with an Express runner on.    The batter was called out on the infield fly rule, though Marcus Castanon dropped the ball.    The runner tagged up and took off and made it to the next base.    Everyone was confused, including Tim Hagerty on the game call.    Castanon ended up taking an error on the play.   

4-21-26

It was a great game between the Chihuahuas and the Aces tonight.    Unfortunately, I had to take two long phone calls, had a bunch of work, and I was watching an Internet show.    Broadcaster Tim Hagerty had a co-host for the game, Ian Napetian.    He was at the final A’s game in Oakland.    I was listening to that one on the radio (9-27-24).

The big news in the game was actually an opposing player, Ivan Melendez.    He’s an El Pasoan and had a lot of local support.    His nickname is “The Hispanic Titanic.”    The PA obligingly gave him walkup music, the theme to Titanic.   

The game was tied late, 6-6.    In spite of the drama, Tim and Ian were having a discussion about Tim never eating a hot dog or mac and cheese.    His excuse about those being fancy foods did not hold water.    They really should have a two-man booth all the time.    Chihuahuas took the lead in the eighth with a 12-batter, 9-hit, 7-run inning.    They’d win it, 13-6.

4-22-26

It was 11-4 Chihuahuas to start the eighth in their day game against the Aces.    By the end of the inning, it was 11-11.    El Paso native, Ivan Melendez, tied it with a solo home run.    You could hear his friends and family there cheering for him.  The pups loaded the bases in the bottom with one out, but strikeouts ended it.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Chihuahuas left a runner at second.    To the tenth and I had to leave for work.    I heard the end on the way there.    The first batter in the bottom of the tenth homered to give the Chihuahuas a 13-11 win (with the automatic runner on).    It sounded like there was a good crowd there at the end, so maybe it wasn’t a Kids day.    (They usually have to leave well before the end.)

4-23-26

After hitting a game-tying homer yesterday, El Paso native, Ivan Melendez, was released by the Aces and sent down to Double A.    He’d bought tickets for friends and family for the weekend.    Today, he’d scheduled a press conference with the local media, who wanted to talk to him.    He didn’t show up for it, obviously.    The Chihuahuas beat the Aces, 8-5, after almost losing an early 6-0 lead.    The team turned 4 double plays in the game.

4-25-26

Mason McCoy tied it with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the ninth, but the Chihuahuas lost, 7-6 in the tenth to the Aces.

4-29-26

Revenge on the Isotopes in Albuquerque.    The Chihuahuas won on Tuesday, 16-2, in front of the big crowd.    The fans booed a lot in that one. The Chihuahuas won a tight one on Wednesday, 7-6.  They’d had a 5-0 early lead, but the Isotopes got back in it.

Today was a day game with a bunch of school kids.    There was some early drama with the pup’s coach arguing with the third base ump on a play at the base.    This was dramatic because these two had argued on two calls last night.    No ejections though.

There was a slightly embarrassing moment for Tim Hagerty broadcasting in the fifth inning with the Chihuahuas up, 2-0, and runners on for the Isotopes.    The manager had gone out to get the pitcher and the broadcast went to commercial.    Tim came back on said there’d been a plot twist.    The new pitcher was announced, but the manager had left the original pitcher on the mound in and he’d just given up an RBI hit when the coverage came back on.    Tim had to vamp while the new pitcher came in to warm up.       

Forecast high winds showed up at the end of the game.    Dust forced players in the dugout to seek shelter.    The kids had left well before this and before the Chihuahuas had piled it on for a 12-2 win.    That’s four in a row for the pups.

I hate to admit this, but it’s really sucked not being able to watch Major League Baseball this season.    I’ve gotten to listen to a couple of Rangers games on the radio with some poor reception.    I keep missing the MLB games that are on a Mexican station on Sundays.    Losing the MLB.TV Free Game of the Day has been devastating.    I love the Chihuahuas, but I don’t know how much I’ll writing about baseball for the rest of the season.

NM State Aggies vs Liberty Flames Baseball 5-3-26

 

The Aggies dropped two of three to #1 in conference, Jax State, on the road. The Aggies won the opener, 6-3, Behind Connor Wylde’s six-inning, 1-run performance on the mound. Julio Ramos (who got the win) and Dylan Weekly shut the door. Aidan Taclas had the winner with a 3-run homer. Boston Vest and Chris Daniels also homered. The two losses were shutouts, however. The first was a 4-0. Jack Turner took a hard luck loss with 7 innings of work and 3 earned runs. The next was a 10-0 staff effort.

The Aggies came back to New Mexico and had a 16-15 win over the Lobos in 10 innings in Albuquerque. They scored 6 runs in the tenth for the win. Bryce Campbell’s 3-run double was the big blow. Weekly closed it out, but the Lobos did score 5 in the bottom. Camden Kaufman had 5 RBI’s, including a home run. Tommy Meluskey was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s. The Aggies went through 8 pitchers. Three of them worked 4 scoreless innings, including Ramos, who worked 2 of them. This was the Aggies third win over a good UNM team.

The Aggies began their next home series against #2 in conference, Liberty, on Friday night. Unfortunately, nobody cleared this game with the weatherman. It was tied at 3 when it was suspended for a downpour. The game restarted on Saturday afternoon, but without the Aggies showing up, as they lost, 15-4. Steve Solorzano had a good game, as he went 3 for 5, with an RBI.

Also not showing up at the game was myself. I was tired and depressed. The high humidity was slowing me down, as well. I had invited my new senior citizen neighbor, Monty, to the game, but I cancelled early when it looked like another rainy day, though it turned out to be nice in the afternoon.

I did walk over for lunch at Roni’s trying to make myself feel better. I mis-ordered and put green chili on my mac and cheese, which I didn’t want. (It didn’t really hurt anything.) It was also Free Comic Book Day, but our local store wasn’t participating. (I knew this a couple of days ago. I called. They said their distributor had gone out of business and they couldn’t order the comics.) Undaunted, I went next door to Dollartree, who had put up a display with $1.25 DC comics a couple of weeks ago. The display was now gone. Disappointments abounded. (I should have gotten all of the comics I was interested in a couple of weeks ago, instead of just four.) I’m surprised I didn’t go back to bed.

The Saturday night game was, at least, a closer loss at 9-7 Liberty. The Aggies had a 7-6 lead, but gave up 3 in the ninth. Ramos was working in his third inning in the ninth. The team had 3 errors for 2 unearned runs. Solorzano went 3 for 5 with an RBI. Campbell was 3 for 5. Turner worked 6 innings giving up 3 runs. It was an over 3 hour game with only 300+ in attendance. You know, I’m kind glad I didn’t go to either of these games in the mood I was in.

I was feeling better about life in general on Sunday morning. Monty was eager to go, so off we went. I had some initial shock at the ticket office getting his ticket. I didn’t know that Baseball had raised its prices to $10. That’s a bit steep for what you’re getting. Inside the stadium, it was a sparse crowd of 388 with a small knot of Liberty fans behind us.

Fan Michael was there and a surprise appearance by Ken, who’d sworn off Aggie Sports, at least for this season. He’d wanted to come to see everyone. Ken mentioned seeing a snapped bat in a Softball game, like I had (3-29-26). Trey Reese was also present. Since he was by himself, he gave up his good seats to sit with us. I was extremely pleased that everyone hit it off. Monty is a musician and Trey and Michael are big music fans, so there was something to talk about immediately. There was again a sudden Anthem playing that caught everyone by surprise. There used to be a musical cue before they’d do it.

Considering how much conversation was going during the game, I can’t believe these added up. I got one play wrong on it, but it was in pencil, so no ink corrections were needed. All of the scoring was fairly straight-forward, as well.

JT Price started for the Aggies. He began with allowing a single. The runner made it to third via a stolen base and bad pickoff throw, but was left stranded. Jonatan Clough began the bottom with a double from the leadoff spot for the Aggies. A double play and strikeout stranded him.

It was overcast, but enough sun was coming in-and-out that I was wearing sunblock. A couple of times I felt a sprinkle, which was forecast, but there was never a drop. Michael mentioned that there had been a sudden deluge at Friday’s game with no chance of playing later that night.

Price gave up a single, but picked off the runner. He then got a groundout, but hit the next batter. Kyle Hvidsten came up and crushed a home run to left to give Liberty a 2-0 lead. The Aggies went down in order in the bottom. The Flames only had a single in the top of the third. Liberty starter, Bradley Zayac, got two strikeouts in the bottom of the third, but gave up a massive shot to Clough that went out to left center to make it, 2-1 Liberty.

Trey mentioned that there were several scouts at the game last night. They were here for Jack Turner, who pitched pretty well. The scouts left right after he left the game. Trey said they disapproved of the players’ walkup music. (They are correct.) We were talking about the Texas Rangers’ stadium. A co-worker of mine had gone to a couple of games there and brought back a yearbook and a game program for me. (I may do a post on these in the future.) He said they were selling season tickets there for $299? That would be like $4 a game, which is way less than the single game ticket I bought for this game. That can’t be right.

The Flames again began with a single in the fourth. Cam Kaufman then made a jump catch on a liner at third. Price knuckled down and got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning, though a stolen base and an errant throw by catcher, Brandon Clizbe, advanced the runner on base to third. With two outs in the bottom of fourth, the Aggies started a rally with a hit and a walk. Jordan Jaffe at third made a catch on a sky-high infield popup against an overcast background for the final out.

Somehow we ended up having a conversation about MASH and Catch-22. I displayed my trivia knowledge here. Trey didn’t know that the MASH theme song is called Suicide is Painless and has words to it. (It’s only in the movie.) Also, the Catch-22 movie broke up Simon and Garfunkel. (Art was in the movie, but got called back for a reshoot, and it disrupted their tour schedule.)

Price got into trouble in the fifth with a pair of singles. An attempted double steal half worked. One runner made it to third; the other was thrown out. Two walks loaded the bases, though. Coach Angier had a long talk with JT before pulling him. Jaden Davis was ready to come in the whole time, so JT might have tried to talk the Coach into letting him stay in.

Davis walked the next batter to force in a run. It was on a 3-2 count with all the runners taking huge leads of their bases. A Liberty fan behind us said, “Thank you.” Davis got an easy grounder to second and Bryce Campbell completely whiffed on it. Two runs scored on the error and the Flames went up, 5-1. Davis reared back for a strikeout to end the inning.

We were getting attacked by flying bugs by this point. I can’t remember this happening before. Also, how did they afford the $10 tickets? Tommy Meluskey began the bottom of the fifth with a double. A walk to Clough and a beautiful bunt single by Steve Solorzano brought in a run to make it, 5-2 Liberty. Unfortunately, Steve was then picked off. A lone Aggie fan started an Aggie chant. A Liberty fan added an, “Aggies suck,” to it. A flyout ended the inning, so she might have had a point.

Yet another pickoff ended the top of the sixth. That one was a quick rundown. The Aggies got two on in the bottom with a walk and a single. Jackson Evans, who come in for Liberty in the inning, got three strikeouts to end it. Ken and Trey both got up and left in disgust. Trey did come back about 5 minutes later. He’d been angry that the Aggies didn’t even try to bunt the runners over with no outs.

Monty began a long story about being a kid in Milwaukee when the Boston Braves moved into the town. Everyone was so excited. It was a very safe city. He took a 10-cent trolley ride to the stadium by himself and snuck into games with his friends. He got autographs of great players like Hank Aaron. He was there for Warren Spahn’s 300-th win. Everyone was given a souvenir card after the card. (He still has all of this stuff.) When his Braves beat the Yankees in the World Series, everyone in the city walked around with a smile. The team was later moved to Atlanta later when Coca-Cola bought them. Later, I tapped Trey and said, “Aren’t you glad you came back?” He’d been listening in rapt attention. He sure was.

Bradyn Barnes came in to start the seventh. A walk, a single, a wild pitch moving up the runners, and an RBI single chased him from the game. Dylan Weekly came in. Aidan Lombardi, who come in last inning for Campbell for that error in the fifth, made a great dive play at second for the second out. Weekly struck out the final batter, but now it was 6-2 Liberty. Trey noticed that the Flames were actually choking up on their bats with 2 strikes. How Old School is that? In the bottom, the Aggies hit into a double play with a nifty glove flip by Tanner Marsh at short.

Then there was a lazy glove flip by Weekly in the eighth to let on a runner, but no damage. The crowd literally groaned during the play. Michael said, “We don’t deserve to win.” Cooper Reese came close by collecting a wild pitch during the warm up between innings. We gave him a wave. The bottom of the eighth began with walk. Lombardi came up and hit a high-arcing shot that landed just over the centerfield wall. 6-4 Liberty. This finally put a jolt into the crowd. You almost might have thought we were losing 10-0 the way this game was being played, but it was actually close.

Unfortunately, the Flames added another run in the ninth in a two-out rally. Solo had made a great play on a low-liner at first, but 3 singles in a row made it, 7-4 Liberty. Liberty brought out their closer, Cooper Harrington. The Aggies began the bottom of the ninth with a single. Clough then gave one a ride to center, but Josh Campos made a jump and catch at the wall. A groundout finished it. Liberty wins, 7-4.

Even with some efficient innings, this game took nearly 3 hours. That was another three-game sweep. It’s not that the team isn’t trying, but they’re not playing well, sloppy even. This seems like a discipline problem with the team, which is a coaching issue. If the Aggies miss the conference tournament, come back to that last statement for the inevitable result.

I needed to ask a Trey an important question before he left. I’d noticed Aggie Volleyball players, Maggie Lightheart and Bella Castro, had been showing up to games. He confirmed that they were dating baseball players. The boys did well there. (If any of them are going out with Tess Fuqua as well, one could only wish they were playing as well as they’re dating.)

Gameballs. Nobody had a better game than Nick Barone for the Flames, who went 4 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Their pitching was good with Bradley Zayac, who pitched 5 innings for the win giving up only 2 runs. Cooper Harrington got the save for a scoreless ninth. For the Aggies, Jonatan Clough went 3 for 4 with an RBI from a solo home run. Aidan Lombardi made the most of his mid-game sub appearance with a 2-run homer.

I had a free Whataburger coupon burning a hole in my pocket from a co-worker. I couldn’t talk Monty into getting anything when we were there, so we returned home to our respective apartments. I ate my meal while watching the Royals at the Mariners on Mexican TV and listening to a Chihuahuas game. I kind of got what I paid for with that burger. That wasn’t their best, but I’m not having good luck with food lately. We’ll hopefully be back to for the regular season finale and ***Senior Day*** in two weeks.