Monty’s World is an anthology series that collects different stories from various creative teams all under the guiding hand of T. Warren Montgomery’s Will Lill Comics. These stories are a callback to the classic comics of yesteryear. They feature over-the-top characters making big speeches, wearing outrageuous costumes, and fighting dastardly villains. The stories are a lot of fun with just enough camp and corniness to be entertaining without going overboard.

“The Exiles” (1988) by Lloyd Smith Jr. and Lonnie Weems, with art by T. Warren Montgomery is a classic mix of He-Man and the Justice League. These are big, buff heroes who seemingly fell out of a Kirby book and are searching for lost artifacts so they can save their Princess from a terrible fate. The characters have fun, little quirks, and there are a couple nice throwback jokes to the ’80s, as well.

The second story, “Oddball,” tells the tale of a reluctant, new superhero and his techie best friend who aids him from their secret base. As another fun nod to older superhero books, this tale features a lot of dialogue in big, thick bubbles like something out of a Claremont book. The art suffers at times from the crowded panels, but the characters and their story are interesting, so I still enjoyed hearing what they had to say.

In this story, two friends find some alien technology, and the nerdy friend decides they should use it to create a new superhero, but his friend who is volunteered to wear the suit is less than pleased at the decision. This book really succeeds when it shows them bickering via the suit’s microphones over how best to fight crime. Their dynamic is very funny and even leads to the hero getting the name Oddball, because he is always seen arguing with himself.

Monty’s World is a fun take on classic superhero stories and offers a fun alternative to the dark, gritty, modern comics that fill the shelves today. To learn more about Monty’s World and to purchase your own copy, check out www.warrenmontgomery.com.