Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Clea in
"A Sorcerer Possessed!"
Story by Chris Claremont
Art by Mike Vosburg and Gene Day
Colors by Petra Goldberg
Letters by Denise Wohl
Cover by Rich Buckler and Bob McLeod
After enjoying the Bard’s work at the Delacorte Theatre, Peter and Cissy Ironwood are crossing Central Park one midsummer night when they are attacked by, no, not a mugger but a werewolf, impervious to both the incognito Spidey’s powers and the bullets of a brave mounted cop. Driving “Shaggy” off with a faceful of webbing from a cartridge on his belt, Peter finds the Eye of Agamotto nearby, so after confirming that Cissy is out of danger, he heads for the Village, only to get the bum’s rush from an obviously terrified Clea. Next stop: fortune-teller Madame Xenobia, who asks her granddaughter Ruth’s help in interpreting the Tarot layout described by Peter (recalling Marie Laveau’s ominous words that “its prophecy is not yet done”).
“The cards said we’d win [against Silver Dagger], and by winning Doc would lose everything,” thinks Peter as he sees the mage return home, his Spider-Sense tingle confirmed by Doc slapping Clea, so he leaps in through the window shattered by a thrown chair. The battle goes badly until her intervention lets Spidey deck Doc, drawing the correct conclusion (no, not that one) from his hairy palms, and Clea uses the Eye to expose his lupine self. Wong rents a 707 to take his master to “a certain lamasery in Tibet,” planning to stay ahead of the moon, but it rises before the jet can leave JFK, the transformed Doc escaping in the resultant crash as the flight crew is rescued; meanwhile, Satana arrives to save Strange’s soul or, “if he has tasted human blood…to kill him.”
-Matthew Bradley
Looks like Voz will go on to draw all but the first issue of The Savage She-Hulk, which probably says it all, yet even with years of experience under his belt here, both Peter on the splash page and the cop on page 3 have shoulders that appear to defy basic human anatomy. Gene doesn’t seem to bring a lot to the table, because the faces—especially Doc’s, although he’s admittedly possessed—are all over the map, while I’m at a loss to explain what’s befallen poor Wong, who looks like Half-Face in panel 11 of the extremely crowded page 23. I suppose I have to express my admiration for page 15, but perhaps more for the concept, which replicates the Tarot layout thrown by Marie Laveau (right down to those inverted cards), than for its perfunctory execution.
Joe: That was a bit of a bizarre issue. Dr. Strange turns into a werewolf? And he's a nasty jerk to Clea? And Peter Parker is dating some hot blonde named Cissy? Not that I have a clue who Cissy is yet, but she seems to exist only in the pages of MTU. So lucky Peter, he gets a babe for every Spidey book! That's just the start of the mysteries, and we don't get any answers except when Satana shows up—if the question was "Can this issue get any stranger?" And how about that letters page? It's a fictional-person frenzy, with not only a "review" of MTU #74 by "Roseann Rosannadanna," but also a letter from "Generalissimo Francisco Franco."
I have another criticism: what’s with the plane almost-takeoff? Doc’s possessed, so now we have to charter a plane, and fly to Tibet? Then Doc snaps back to lupine-ness, and crashes the plane as it’s about to take off (scene missing)? And somehow, everyone walks away from the flaming wreck, after it had been moving at speeds well over 100 mph when it smashed to pieces? It seems like a needless bit of noisy carnage (in the letters page for MTU #86, Thomas O. of Tucson AZ seems to agree with me, as he posits “I think you just wanted a big plane so you could have the fun of destroying it.”). Wouldn’t it have been an option – and, possibly more visually interesting – if Clea (listed right there on the cover as the co-star) had used the Orb of Agamotto to reach out to these learned others, for direction on a potential remedy for Doc’s condition? No, Clea’s left at home again (maybe she has to sort Doc’s laundry, or something) while Doc and Spidey go crash a plane. Makes no sense.
The Thing and The Thing in
"Remembrance of Things Past!"
Story by John Byrne
Art by John Byrne and Joe Sinnott
Colors by Francoise Mouly
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by George Pérez and Joe Sinnott
Reed continues his tireless efforts to restore Ben’s human form, yet the tests inspired by his own recent power-loss show that unlike the early days, when Ben sometimes reverted spontaneously as his body tried to shed the effect of the cosmic rays, its evolution “from something akin to dinosaur hide…to its present rock-like state” means it is getting increasingly “comfortable” as the Thing. Told that Reed’s new formula would have cured him back then, but not now, Ben sets Doom’s time machine for a few months after their fateful flight, forgetting to set the space displacer. Glimpsing Reed as he prepares to rent their H.Q., Ben slips out unseen and heads to his old apartment block, frightening a tenant and drawing the attention of…himself.
Calling New Ben a “monster,” the more misanthropic Old Ben—no, not Kenobi—refuses to talk it over, and has never heard of “Doc Doom,” so he hurls New Ben into a condemned brownstone (“Coming soon on this site: another soulless glass and steel monstrosity with absolutely no architectural merits, courtesy of Rand/Meachum”). Finally, 1970s-style clobberin’ time prevails and New Ben cures his unconscious ’60s self, expecting he will also change when he returns to the present, but as Reed explains, “Any change you make in the past results in another reality—a new one caused by your presence.” Hey, that’s Earth-7490 to you, pal, if the Marvel Database it so be believed; Ben philosophically notes, “compared to him, I’m a reg’lar Robert Redford!”
-Matthew Bradley
Matthew: Byrne shifts into full writer-artist (or, per the credits, “words & pictures”) mode, and although as a scholar I’m compelled to admit that Sinnott’s embellishment—also gracing the Perez cover—downplays John’s distinctive style, the result is such Russell Stover-worthy eye candy that I’ll just start woofing down chocolate creams. As off-beat team-up stories go, Ben’s battling himself is tough to top, with two full-pagers among the 10 out of 17 devoted to a straight-ahead slugfest, as well as an unusual MARMIS. Byrne’s grasp of the characters of this half of the FF, whose own book he will write for five post-blog years, is better than some, and as one with an aversion to time-paradoxes, I appreciated how simply and straightforwardly he obviated creating one here.
Joe: I had quite a nice run of Marvel Two-In-One issues in my collection, and of course this one was included. A John Byrne comic featuring two Things? Yeah, I was there. I remember the story was almost like a What If?, which was a plus for me, and even though it's ultimately a bit hokey reading the recap now, I'll still hold on to the fond memories.
Joe: I had quite a nice run of Marvel Two-In-One issues in my collection, and of course this one was included. A John Byrne comic featuring two Things? Yeah, I was there. I remember the story was almost like a What If?, which was a plus for me, and even though it's ultimately a bit hokey reading the recap now, I'll still hold on to the fond memories.
Byrne knows a meeting of two Things wouldn’t be expected to play out along intellectual lines (even if one Thing happens to be an alternate-Earth Reed Richards, as seen in FF circa #162), so the action sells the story. The battle has its moments, but the Big Moment (wisely captured in a full-page illustration) is on p 10, as Things past (reddish dinosaur hide) and present (tan terracotta) come face-to-face.
For once, the armadillo-fed hype on the letters page proves true, as this issue kicks off the strongest year of this title’s history, featuring scripts by Macchio & Gruenwald, and art by Byrne and … Pérez! It’s fortunate we’ll have this opportunity to re-view the first chapters of the Project Pegasus storyline as part of the Marvel University curriculum.
Mark Barsotti: Had to chime in for the "Big 50th issue" Thing vs. Thing throw-down, and future FF auteur John Byrne makes it well-worth adding to my class load.
With long-time FF inker Joe Sinnott on-board, the graphics are great throughout, the "my enemy, myself" battle appropriately epic. So much so that it would almost be churlish of me to wonder how the vial of potion, which Thing-'79 pours down his counterpart's gullet (apparently creating a whole next timeline) at the end of the tale managed to survive all the carnage.
Mark Barsotti: Had to chime in for the "Big 50th issue" Thing vs. Thing throw-down, and future FF auteur John Byrne makes it well-worth adding to my class load.
Fighting yourself from a different era is the ultimate MARMIS, and to pop the obvious plot-pimple here, all Ben-'79 had to do to avoid a dust-up was tell Ben-'61 a personal secret only he/they would know. But then we wouldn't have much of a story.
So let's dispense with suspension of disbelief, class, and enjoy the show. While its been referred to occasionally over the years, Byrne's the first to gives us a flowchart of the Thing's evolving appearance (all - almost needless to say - at the whim & wisdom of Jack Kirby), but makes it key to the slender plot of Ben grabbing Reed's latest failed turn-the-Thing-human potion (that, Stretch assures Ben, woulda worked back when), firing up Doc Doom's time machine, and making for the New Frontier.
Mark: Thing-'61 doesn't really look like Kirby's, but invokes the proper spirit of melted-pumpkin grotesque. More interesting is Byrne recreating Ben Grimm's first, more formal voice, "And the Thing does not talk...he acts!" and "Now Reed will only have a corpse to examine," is a long way from Aunt Petunia 'n' Clobberin' Time.
What Ben's original, bitter adult voice reveals, of course, is that it took Lee and Kirby a while to evolve the characterization that made the Thing one of the most popular comic characters of the '60's, namely a wise-crackin', alienated outsider. No matter, since Byrne uses to it great effect to underscore that the differences between the "two Things" was more than merely cosmetic.
With long-time FF inker Joe Sinnott on-board, the graphics are great throughout, the "my enemy, myself" battle appropriately epic. So much so that it would almost be churlish of me to wonder how the vial of potion, which Thing-'79 pours down his counterpart's gullet (apparently creating a whole next timeline) at the end of the tale managed to survive all the carnage.
As Ben himself might say, "Jeez, do you expect me ta figure out everything?"
Master of Kung Fu 75"Shattered Crowns"
Story by Doug Moench
Art by Mike Zeck and Bruce Patterson
Colors by Michele Wolfman
Letters by Bruce Patterson
Cover by Mike Zeck and Rudy Nebres
Brynocki’s greatest threat, the immense undersea monstrobot, reaches for Shang-Chi & Co. He flicks Shockwave away, but grabs S-C; S-C twists out of the monstrobot’s grasp and kicks in its left eye, successfully disabling it. Tarr and Leiko swim to the surface to join Shockwave; S-C follows, but only after removing the small tape device that had provided the 'bot with its threatening voice. The rescue plane is behind schedule, so as the crew discusses their options, Shockwave offers the seaplane that had brought him here, which presently is on the far side of Mordillo Island. The journey across the island is soon interrupted by two giant crabs, which apparently are motion-activated; the only sure way to get past would be for one person to serve as a decoy, to allow the others to get thru. Tarr volunteers Shockwave, calling him a “freak,” which prompts an enraged reaction from Shockwave; he proceeds to recount his dream (back when he still was known as Lancaster Sneed) to follow his Uncle Nayland and pursue adventures as a member of MI-6. Sneed was injured and disfigured by a blast on his first mission, which resulted in his departure from the service, followed by a series of surgeries to repair and obscure his injuries, and finally his self-exile, as Sneed became Shockwave and occupied himself by entertaining carnival-goers with feats of strength. Shockwave then found his way to the employ of Fu Manchu, “and then,” he says, “I failed … at that … too.”
As he concludes, Shockwave describes how MI-6 then took him back, supposedly for deprogramming from his Fu days, but instead “fed” him orders, and made him “an assassin without [his] knowing it!” Back in Scotland, Sarsfield informs Sir Denis and Reston that MI-6 isn’t concerned whether or not they “know too much”; their fear is that the ex-agents might have been compromised by the enemy, even possibly without knowing it. Sarsfield expects their confessions; in an effort to buy time, Sir Denis indicates he and Reston will comply. S-C has travelled alone across the island and reaches the seaplane, but isn’t able to get it airborne, so he drives it over the water back to his comrades. By the time he reaches them, he is just in time to save them from a final onslaught by Brynocki’s robots. Once free of the island, S-C states he must speak to the Prime Minister about rectifying “what has been done to Sneed”; to help his cause, S-C produces the tape machine he had lifted from the monstrobot, and demonstrates how he had used it to tape Sneed’s confession. -Chris Blake
As he concludes, Shockwave describes how MI-6 then took him back, supposedly for deprogramming from his Fu days, but instead “fed” him orders, and made him “an assassin without [his] knowing it!” Back in Scotland, Sarsfield informs Sir Denis and Reston that MI-6 isn’t concerned whether or not they “know too much”; their fear is that the ex-agents might have been compromised by the enemy, even possibly without knowing it. Sarsfield expects their confessions; in an effort to buy time, Sir Denis indicates he and Reston will comply. S-C has travelled alone across the island and reaches the seaplane, but isn’t able to get it airborne, so he drives it over the water back to his comrades. By the time he reaches them, he is just in time to save them from a final onslaught by Brynocki’s robots. Once free of the island, S-C states he must speak to the Prime Minister about rectifying “what has been done to Sneed”; to help his cause, S-C produces the tape machine he had lifted from the monstrobot, and demonstrates how he had used it to tape Sneed’s confession. -Chris Blake
I’m not knocking Zeck & Patterson, since again they deliver solid and clear graphics. My one concern is that their art over the past few issues has been suitable for Mordillo Island and its funhouse attractions, but I hope it will translate as well to a markedly different setting, such as a dark and shadowy story, or one that requires smaller panels for faster action; as I suggested in the previous paragraph, Zeck hasn’t shown much inclination towards this well-established MoKF art-technique.
Mark: "Shattered Crowns" brings our latest trip to Mordillo's island to a largely satisfying, if unexpectedly muted conclusion. Most of my gripes are minor - giant robot sea-monster too easily dispatched; Lancaster "Shockwave" Sneed's expanded, neurotic childhood bio doesn't expand our interest; hordes of attacking robots play as more annoyance than menace (due, in part, to Mike Zeck's demented Disneyland rendering of same); even old fave Brynocki, without a boss to annoy, almost begins to annoy me - but they accumulate.
And we notice them at all because the pace here is askew throughout. The Big Threat (robo sea-monster) is dispatched on p.3. There's a long pause for Sneed's flashback, when Shang-Chi and company should be plotting to outwit giant crabs. S-C tapes Sneed monologue - on a recorder ripped from the sea-monster's throat (!)- as evidence to convince the Prime Minister MI-6 is rotten. That's gonna go well.
But we also - with ears perking up - get our first hint that Fu Manchu will return, when Sarsfield casually asserts he's still alive on p.22. One trusts we won't have to wait too long for more details.
And, despite the itchy nits, this one was entertaining, albeit far more leisurely wind-down than thrilling wrap-up. One might argue that this was deliberate, that instead of finding himself bereft of a Big Finale, Moench set out to subvert the tropes of the genre.
One might argue that, but this deep into the Presidential Sweepstakes, there's not a bag of fertilizer left to be found...
“A Hunting We Will Go!”
Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Michael Golden and Joe Rubinstein
Art by Michael Golden and Joe Rubinstein
Colors by Carl Gafford
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by Dave Cockrum and Joe Rubinstein
On Homeworld, Baron Karza’s Dog Soldiers swarm the subterranean sewer sectors hunting for fresh meat for their master’s Body Banks — they are also searching for a loyalist called Slug, unaware that the fugitive is a young woman. After the rebels are either killed or captured, a man named Tril claims to be Slug to protect their leader: Karza launches one of his detachable hands and crushes his throat.
Back on Earth, Commander Rann struggles to keep the heavily damaged HMS Endeavor in the air. Even as the solar collectors begin to fail, Rann pushes the limping ship towards Daytona Beach to rescue Bug from Steve Coffin’s backyard. At the Coffin homestead, Steve’s father Ray places the wreckage of the Wing Fighter from one of Prince Shaitan’s Galactic Cruisers into a shoebox and they jump into his pickup truck with their dog Muffin and drive off to NASA — Bug, after surviving a spray of “nauseating” water from a sprinkler, jumps on the vehicle’s back bumper. Ray, a former astronaut, is let through the front gate and parks at the agency’s Human Engineering Life Laboratories. Leaving Muffin in the pickup and taking Steve along, Ray meets with a former co-pilot named Philip Prometheus, now a high-ranking administrator, and shows him the miniature UFO. Unnoticed, the tiny Bug cautiously follows — the Insectivorid thinks that the Wing Fighter is his key to getting back home.
Meanwhile, Prince Shaitan breaches the spacewall in what remains of his Galactic Cruiser and returns to the microverse. A projection of Baron Karza appears before the traitorous Acroyear prince: enraged that his underling failed in his mission to destroy the Micronauts, he severs all ties. Karza also removes the thoughtwash he placed on the prince’s warrior race that made them believe that Acroyear, his brother, was dead. Shaitan screams that the Acroyears will destroy him if they know that he betrayed their beloved and rightful ruler. In Daytona Beach, the crippled Endeavor arrives at the Coffin house and Rann manages a rough landing into the garage through an open window. Leaving Biotron behind to begin repairs, the rest of the Micronauts blast off in the smaller Astro Station on board and begin tracking Bug’s unique brainwaves. -Tom Flynn
Tom Flynn: OK, never mind my confusion over why Ray Coffin used the terms “Cape” and “Institute” last month: yes, he was actually referring to NASA. Not sure why Bill Mantlo didn’t just come out and say so. By the way, supposedly the agency’s Human Engineering Life Laboratories was completely finished until someone realized the acronym was H.E.L.L. Really? We are talking about NASA, right? Besides, the spelled out name is worrisome enough.
Anyways, the Micronauts creative team seems to be settling into a fabulous groove. We haven’t really had a stand-alone issue yet — each month has pushed forward a single, sprawling storyline. But, after last issue’s slam-bang action, Bill Mantlo gives us a chance to catch our breath. Besides the introduction of Slug and Shaitan’s shame, Mantlo doesn’t move the plot forward in a major way: what we have are a few beautifully illustrated vignettes. But there is plenty of brutality on display. The Dog Soldiers basically slaughter the rebels for a few pages at the beginning using deadly weaponry straight out of the toy line. And the strangulation of the sacrificial lamb Tril is quite bloody. You can feel the crunch of Karza’s Thunderball Fist. I can’t remember if Slug becomes a major part of the proceedings, but with a name like that, it’s understandable that the Baron’s forces think she’s a he.
Matthew: Especially with last issue’s debut of the Duchess Belladonna, I kept thinking that Baron Karza’s whole selling-new-bodies-to-evil-rich-old-people (is that redundant?) routine reminded me of Jeddara Xaxa and Ras Thavas, the eponymous Master Mind of Mars. Yet while I’m sure that such a durable SF concept is scarcely unique to Edgar Rice Burroughs, the penny finally dropped when I sat down to read this: Mantlo conflated Master Mind and its immediate predecessor, The Chessmen of Mars, in his John Carter, Warlord of Mars Annual #2. Which is fine, don’t get me wrong; the Goldinstein art remains impressive, and I like the fact that they feel they can treat individual installments more as parts of an ongoing serial than stand-alone entries.
The Golden/Rubinstein art helps to underscore the savagery of Karza's attacks on the underclass; whether aligned with the resistance or not, they're fair game for the body banks. Highlights include: page one, as the scurrying, desperately-firing populace is contrasted with the dispassionate, cooly professional soldiers, as they pick their targets from above; a spectacular explosion, and a panicked look on the face of a fleeing citizen in the bottom corner (p 2, last pnl); spooky image of the giant fighter robots as bodies are swept up (p 3, last pnl); Karza's bloody hands-on (sorry ...) execution of Tril, who sacrifices himself to keep the heat off Slug (p 10, first three panels); the depiction of the crippled Endeavor, as it wobbles its way around the Coffin residence, looking very much like a self-propelled kid’s toy (p 23), which I find quite comical, since ultimately, that’s what all these things are.
"Suddenly... the Shroud!"
Story by Mark Gruenwald
Art by Carmine Infantino and Al Gordon
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by Dave Cockrum and Bob McLeod
Jessica and Jerry see Magnus off at the airport; he’s about to start a gig as a Vegas magician. Jerry then has to leave too, as SHIELD has called him in for a new field assignment. Jessica finds herself alone, now living in Jerry’s apartment while he’s away, and resolves to find work to support herself. She has a series of temporary assignments, but none last very long; Jessica is reminded that she seems to inspire an instinctive dislike in people. Discouraged and looking for harmless distraction, she catches an interview on the Tonight Show with an actress who credits the Hatros Institute for helping her identify and address her “innermost feelings.” Jessica takes advantage of a free trial session at Hatros, and finds it helpful, but can’t afford to continue weekly sessions; so, Dr Leaman offers Jessica a job at the Institute as a receptionist. Dr Leaman then excuses himself, and informs Ms Hatros that Jessica has accepted a job as their receptionist; Ms Hatros is pleased, as she expects Jessica may “hold the key to unlocking emotion!” A few weeks later, Jessica is at the front desk in the evening, when the room grows dark; she feels a pinch at the base of her neck, and passes out. Moving thru the spreading darkness is the Shroud, who is surprised a few minutes later by Spider-Woman (reviving quickly from the Shroud knockout grip). She chases him around the shadowy Institute, frequently missing with venom blasts, as the indoor gloom makes him hard to target. Spider-Woman then uses a fire extinguisher to coat the floor with foam; as the Shroud slips to the floor, S-W zaps him and knocks him out. As she crouches down and prepares to lift him, S-W notices scarring on his face. She has moved him from the darkened corridor to an unlit room, when the door slams shut, the lights come on, and S-W finds herself surrounded by “a dozen dagger-wielding men … crawling out of the woodwork … .” -Chris Blake
Matthew: I’ve always liked the Shroud—created for SVTU, we may recall—so I was naturally nervous about how Gruenwald will handle him, but apparently they have some big plans, judging by the admittedly impressive two-page spread recapping his history. I chuckled at the tagline about “A Secret Mission for Jerry Hunt, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!,” since so far he’s acted about as much like an agent as I am; in fact, my novelist pal Greg Cox immortalized me as one in his Gamma Quest trilogy. I’ll admit Mark stumped me with Margaret Huff, who made her only appearance in Nick Fury #14, but presume he expected duffers like me to recognize the names of Jeff Cochren and especially Laura Brown, so I’m interested to see what he has in store.
It’s probably worth explaining his new assignment, which is to find out what happened to field agents Margaret Huff and “Jeffrey” Cochren, who disappeared while investigating the cult of Kali, hence the Shroud tie-in; clearly, neither he nor his new partner, Laura Brown, is thrilled about their pairing. I’ll admit Mark stumped me with Huff, who made her only appearance in Nick Fury #14, but presume he expected duffers like me to recognize the names of Cochren and especially Laura, so I’m interested to see what he has in store. For you youngsters, it was Jeff Cochren who—under Nightshade’s influence—made a lot of trouble for Captain America and the Falcon in #188-191 (and perhaps was demoted to field agent as a result), while Laura, the daughter of erstwhile Supreme Hydra Arnold Brown, became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and, for a time, Nick’s pre-Val girlfriend.
"Dust to Dust!"
Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Jim Mooney and Frank Springer
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Gaspar Saladino and Irving Watanabe
Cover by Keith Pollard and Bob McLeod
The angry Carrion is choking Peter Parker at the campus library, with the words "DUST TO DUST" scrawled on Hector Ayala, whose friend Holly Gills is screaming in terror. Peter manages to break Carrion's stranglehold and gets Holly to go for security, dragging Hector with her. Left alone with the macabre mystery man, Peter is smacked around and has Red Dust thrown in his face. He leaps at Carrion, who disappears—and Peter plummets toward the pavement! Hector changes into White Tiger and leaps to his friend's side, taking him to the hospital after Parker lands in some bushes. The hospital stay doesn't last long, but neither Peter nor his friends can figure out the Carrion conundrum. Student teacher Peter walks into science undergrad Randy Vale, who shuffles off to a lab in the ESU Science Building—where Carrion awaits, ordering Vale to trap Parker! Peter's pals and landlord clean up his pad, while Hector/White Tiger keeps a close eye on Peter from the rooftops…when suddenly he's knocked out by a flying fiend called "Darter," one of Carrion's cronies! The dust-dealing devil pops up in a flash of light, goads Peter into donning his Spidey costume, and taunts him with cryptic conversation after they end up in the gym. White Tiger recovers and forces Darter to take him to Carrion. Darter smashes through a window (Hector on his back), and the distraction allows Spidey to grab Carrion and demand answers. He's told by the skinny scoundrel, "I accuse you of the murder of Gwen Stacy and Professor Miles Warren!" --Joe Tura
Joe: So mysterious, this crazy Carrion! Always talking of vengeance against Peter/Spider-Man, and he's aware of Peter's secrets. We get more clues during the second battle, in the gym, including "I am one you knew, Parker, but I am not who I was!," and "Revenge for what you stole from me! The only beautiful thing I'd ever known—the only thing I'd ever loved—and finally, my life!," plus "Liar!! You murdered them both—by fall and by fire!" Now, there are miles to go before we figure out Carrion's identity, but it does warrant an answer soon. All we know, without skipping ahead to next month's spinner rack, is that it has something to do with Gwen and the Jackal. Which can't be good!
Favorite sound effect is one that struck me as funny, when Carrion "repels" a library bookcase, books and more towards Peter and it strikes him with a mighty "FRUMP!" Probably would have been funnier, and made more sense, if it happened to "frumpy" landlady Mrs. Muggins.
Matthew: Since Mantlo has moved Carrion from the back burner to the front, I’ve started enjoying this run more, yet while I’m sure there are those lamenting the fact that the art has reverted from Miller—whose work, per the lettercol, was rapturously received (“Look for fabulous Frank in upcoming issues of Daredevil!”)—to Mooney, the Springer Effect mitigates the comedown, and honestly, I don’t really mind this. What I do mind is cheapening a formidable foe like Carrion with a boring, ugly, stupidly named flunky. I already liked that truly striking PolLeod cover, but I liked it even more when I got to page 22, and I thanked Crom that it does not feature “Marvel’s Newest Super-Villain Sensation, Darter!”
"The Scarab's Sting!"
Story by Mary Jo Duffy
Art by Trevor Von Eeden and Frank Springer
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Bob Layton
Well, the boys are up-and-running with their new Heroes for Hire venture but bills must be paid so the duo sign on to guard an exhibit of ancient Egyptian artifacts. The first night, a group of banditos attempts to make off with the antiquities but their efforts are easily foiled by Power Man and Iron Fist. In the excitement, the leader manages to escape. But that's not the worst news the boys receive: turns out all the exhibits have been stolen and replaced by forgeries. Question is: who managed to get in and swap the goods right under the noses of the Heroes for Hire partners? After Luke hits the street and "interviews" a boatload of snitches and Danny uses his police connections, the heroes discover the identity of the real swindler: Dr. Abdol, the man who hired them in the first place! They bust down the door to his crib only to find... the Living Monolith! -Peter Enfantino
Chris: Mary Jo Duffy makes her debut on this title, and will script most of the next twenty-eight issues, making her the definitive Power Man/Iron Fist writer of the Bronze era [Some achievement! -- MRB]. From the start, MJD establishes her understanding that this title is about the relationship of Danny and Luke; they do not always agree with or understand each other, but they are partners, and their friendship gains substance over time. There is hardly any action to speak of, but both characters are involved in the mystery that affects them; Cage doesn’t want their supposed mistake to cost Danny his fortune, plus he’s reasonably sure this has been an inside job. Danny mentions how the story of the robbery has been carried on the wire services, but Luke is similarly concerned about their rep on the streets. The battle with the Living Monolith (coming soon in our next pulse-pounding issue) is more exception than rule for Duffy; for the most part, she will keep the activity to the street level, where it belongs for non-super-powered, non- world-saving characters like Luke and Danny.
Trevor Von Eeden also is a welcome addition; the art of veteran Lee Elias was not going to become any more interesting (Von Eeden will become better known for his atmospheric work on various Batman titles for the Dustgathering Competition). Von Eeden sometimes misses the chance to show Cage to be as broad and solid as he can be (e.g., he seems much more muscular on p 3 pnl 5 than he does in pnl 6). More importantly, Von Eeden recognizes how he can contribute to characterization, such as: the sheepish look on Danny’s face when he doesn’t realize he’s insulted Luke (p 6); Luke’s frustration with the swanky new offices, as he knows his regular neighborhood contacts wouldn’t ever show up there, and Danny thoughtfully considers his point (p 10, pnl 2); Danny smirks at Luke when he complains about the dull nature of their detail (p 14, pnl 2), but then turns and is ready when Luke signals for him to be quiet (last pnl); an intriguing bit as Danny’s presence somehow compels a captured thief into spilling his intel, as Danny is pictured as an overwhelming, looming presence (p 26, pnl 7).
There are three nice humorous moments, first when Luke decks the bunch of would-be museum thieves, after Danny has tried so hard to teach Luke some martial-arts moves (p 16), next when a well-placed blow to the soda machine triggers a free drink for Luke (after all the times it screwed him out of a Coke he’d paid for!), which he doesn’t notice as he walks away (p 19), and finally when Luke offers to knock on Abdol’s door, and proceeds to kick it to splinters (p 27).
Matthew: First, we had Conan in the Guggenheim; then, Godzilla in the Natural History Museum (sic); next, Spidey and Red Sonja in the Metropolitan; and now, with breathtaking originality, the cover promises…“Mayhem in the Museum!” Echoing the lettercol, which touts Duffy and Von Eeden as the new “permanent” creative team—although Trevor will last a big four issues—a Bullpen Bulletin raves that “Jo has finally snagged her first regular series…and right off the bat she’s made a winner!...You just plain won’t believe who Luke Cage and the K’un-Lun Kid come to scratch against! It may be the mismatch of the century—and not in favor of the good guys!” Or readers, relegating the freakin’ Living Monolith to this crap book.
Matthew: First, we had Conan in the Guggenheim; then, Godzilla in the Natural History Museum (sic); next, Spidey and Red Sonja in the Metropolitan; and now, with breathtaking originality, the cover promises…“Mayhem in the Museum!” Echoing the lettercol, which touts Duffy and Von Eeden as the new “permanent” creative team—although Trevor will last a big four issues—a Bullpen Bulletin raves that “Jo has finally snagged her first regular series…and right off the bat she’s made a winner!...You just plain won’t believe who Luke Cage and the K’un-Lun Kid come to scratch against! It may be the mismatch of the century—and not in favor of the good guys!” Or readers, relegating the freakin’ Living Monolith to this crap book.
Neither the fake-out “rematch” splash page nor the labor-saving background-free panels endear this to me any further, and Trevor being a newbie, it’s hard to assess whether Springer was more of a help or a hindrance, although bitter experience suggests the latter. Either way, the results are wildly uneven, with Danny looking fierce in page 2, panel 5, and then like two totally different characters between panels 2 and 4 of page 6; Luke (“Jennie-love”? Seriously?) inviting an NAACP complaint in page 10, panel 2; and Jeryn one again being completely unrecognizable. I’m amazed that at this late date, Dr. Abdol—which I could’ve sworn was “Abdul”—can even show his face publicly without being held accountable for the mayhem the Monolith has caused.
"To the Last Gladiator"
Story by Archie Goodwin
Art by Carmine Infantino and Bob Wiacek
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by Clem Robins
Cover by Dave Cockrum, Carmine Infantino, and Bob Wiacek
Han and Chewie face each other in the Wheel’s holographic arena, which is projecting the illusion and weightlessness of deep space, complete with floating asteroids. Other warriors abound and for a time, the two friends are able to work together to defeat them, even though their blasters are not activated while those of their opponents are. All they have to protect themselves are small ray shields. Senator Greyshade and Strom discuss their plot to allow the Empire to take control of the Wheel, but Greyshade has a deeper scheme in mind. He has drugged Strom’s drink and the solider of the Empire loses consciousness. While this is going on, Luke and Leia trail some guards to the hangar bay, only to have them turn the tables and face them. They underestimate Luke, however, and the former farmboy ducks and fires. Just as Luke defeats them all, Greyshade arrives with a proposition: he will let them all go if Leia agrees to stay with him, as he takes the stolen Rebel treasure, and live a life of luxury in secret. However, in the arena, Han and Chewie are the only combatants left and only one can survive. If one warrior fails to kill the other, both are mandated to die. So, before Leia can make her decision, Chewie, at Han’s urging, fires at his longtime friend and partner, ending the duel. Grief-stricken, Leia agrees to go with Greyshade to save the lives of the rest, but she promises him this will be the most bitter victory he has ever earned. -Scott McIntyre
Matthew: If you’ll pardon the rather obvious pun, I’m starting to think this Wheel has been spinning a little too long; it’s been a largely enjoyable arc, but I’m not sorry that Goodwinfantino will wind it up next issue. And, since we know Lucasfilm would never allow Marvel to kill off Han, I presume nobody’s losing any sleep over his apparent death on the last page, although in general I think Archie handles the venerable “how can I duel my friend/lover/partner/whatever?” plot device pretty well. Having Senator Greyshade be motivated at least partly by unrequited love for Senator Organa—talk about reaching across the aisle!—is an interesting twist, while Bob Wiacek continues to take the money and run for the thankless job of inking Carmine’s work.
Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle 23"Fight to the Death"
Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Sal Buscema and Pablo Marcos
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by John Buscema and Bob McLeod
The cannon’s destruction fills Abdul Alhazred with the full power of the sentient, parasitic crystal that created the rift between worlds, and will feed on the strongest emotion in range, but to the Mad Arab’s chagrin, it might be his rather than Tarzan’s. Pierre fends off the cannibals while a dying Glenn shoots the Arab just as Tarzan stabs him, and the combined effect leaves him vulnerable to the crystal, which is silenced as he turns to dust. Finding Ayesha near death, her rescuer realizes she is mortal and, after killing the one-eyed chief scientist, carries her aboard a thipdar; the Amozites agree to destroy the crystal, and as Ayesha arrives to share a kiss with the savage—finally identified as Dangar—it is clear she will not be returning to the surface. -Matthew Bradley
Matthew: Another day, another one-time-only Tarzan inker in Marcos, who confounds my expectations by raising the bar and giving the saga a solid send-off. Bill’s conclusion leaves lots of unanswered questions (e.g., Pierre’s intended role in this caper, given his prior non-combatant status), mostly regarding that pesky portal, and how we’re gonna bring the boys back home with our Arab heavy blowin’ in the wind, but perhaps some answers will be found in next issue’s epilogue. ERB was obviously no stranger to SF, yet his was of a relatively low-tech variety—John Carter, after all, basically thinks his way between planets—so this tale of sound cannons and sonic crystals ill fits our hero, already a fish out of water under Pellucidar’s eternal sun in Tarzan at the Earth’s Core.
"Rites of Passage"
Story by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio
Art by Keith Pollard and Pablo Marcos
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Pablo Marcos
The Mighty Thor finds himself stuck in the butthole of Space Phantom's home planet of Phantus and things do not look good. Problem is, half of his body has transformed back into lame Doc Blake and that half can't survive the pressure of the world's core. Phantom suspects something's up and releases Don/Thor from the plug. Despite feeling some ill will towards the crafty little alien, the Asgardian agrees to help save Phantus but only if the Phantom takes our hero to his precious Mjolnir. To retrieve the hammer, the duo must travel to the crazy palace of Immortus, where they are met with hostility by Immortus' watch dog, Tempus (Keeper of the Castle!). Thor's had just about enough of this nutty Limbo/Phantus crap and beats the tar out of the giant. At last Thor and the Phantom have an audience with Immortus and the Master of Time only too happily hands over Mjolnir as he gives Thor a rundown on his origin. Thor saves the Phantom's world with a mighty burst of energy from deep inside his hammer and then remembers he has an apocalypse to catch. -Peter Enfantino
Matthew: I liked the conclusion a wee bit better even though, per Thor, “Thy tale mystifies as much as it enlightens,” because Gruenwacchio—accent on the “wacchi,” this time unassisted by Gillis and Catron—burdens us with a little less of the gobbledygook ’splaining that only made me more confused. Tempus seemed vaguely familiar, and the footnoted reference on page 16 to Giant-Size Fantastic Four #2, which I called “surprisingly underdeveloped,” explained both the vagueness and the familiarity. As usual, poor Keith suffers from the uncongenial Pollarcos blend (e.g., Thor’s face in page 16, panel 4 or page 23, panel 3), and as with the Forbidden Planet rip-off in the current FF, I think the extremely limited palette sharply reduces the impact of page 10.
The Pollard/Marcos art isn’t as smart as it had been last issue. Still, high marks for their depiction of the M. C. Escher-inspired reality-defying castle of Immortus, which undoubtedly required a painstaking effort by Pollard to get right, without looking fake or stupid; of course, points also to Marcos for sealing the deal (p 10).
"Batwings Over Transylvania!"
Story by Marv Wolfman
Art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer
Colors by Carl Gafford
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Dave Cockrum, Gene Colan, and Tom Palmer
Now that he's a vampire again, Dracula runs in fear. Not from the usual Fearless Vampire Killers though, but from his own kind. Vampires across the land have been ordered by the new Lord of the Undead, Torgo, to destroy the Count. Meanwhile, widow Maria must venture out into the bat-filled night to take her deathly ill daughter to the village doctor. She leaves her other small children in their cabin (with a crucifix to protect them) and warns them not to open the door. During the journey, Maria is attacked by Dracula but is able to ward him off with her cross. Next in his flight path is the small cabin housing three terrified children. Though they have been warned, the pleas of Dracula to open the cabin door convince the kids to let him in. The Count saves the children from the oncoming undead horde by clutching the crucifix and wading into the crowd. -Peter Enfantino
For said letter col - another Marv confessional - reveals artist Gene Colan's decision to leave the book, and that he and Wolfman plan to drop the curtain with ish #72. This pre-farewell address promises a Big Finish of long-percolating plotlines. Sounds great, except we know TOD gets axed after #70, prematurely snuffed out by Shooter in a naked display of schoolyard bully power. Wolfman's written about being a thorn in Shooter's side as - aside from Roy Thomas - the last early-'70's Marvel scribe to still be, not just around, but editing his own book, so why wouldn't Jimbo demonstrate the pecking order to all and sundry by staking the Count a couple months early?
Shooter went Lilliputian instead.
Mark: It's hard to read this - knowing the fate of the book - without wishing Marv would hurry up, at least at the beginning. But then Wolfman, amplified and abetted by Gene and inker Tom Palmer, segues into a storytelling device he once used with regularity on the title: putting everyday people into Drac's path. In this case it's young widow Maria Turaka and her four tykes, one of whom, Teresa, is in desperate need of medicine. And so Turaka puts crucifixes around the rest of her brood and heads out into the Transylvanian night with her sick daughter.
In years past, the story would end in predictable, if poignant, tragedy. But the Count's been changed by his recent bout of unwanted humanity, the residue of which prompts him to tell the kids, "Believe in your God - He is your only salvation now!" And then Dracula takes up the hated symbol of Christ himself and, hands burning, drives the vamps from the door and back into the inky sky.
Powerful stuff. And it works because we believe that, after all he's been through in recent months, Dracula's gained the capacity - if unwillingly and unwittingly - to both acknowledge and embrace a rare flicker of light in his coal-mine-black soul. The monster, at bottom, is still a man.
What's Jim Shooter's excuse?
"What If Sgt. Fury and
His Howling Commandos Had Fought
World War II in Space?"
Story by Gary Friedrich and Don Glut
Art by Herb Trimpe and Pablo Marcos
Colors by D. R. Martin
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Herb Trimpe and Joe Sinnott
The Watcher shows us Space Station Pearl on "this infamous day of December 7, 1941," based in an alternate reality with space divided into Alpha and Beta sections, and Nick Fury and Red Hargrove try to fight off invading forces. Suddenly, one Betan ship goes on a kamikaze mission and sends the two men flying. Captain "Happy Sam" Sawyer finds them in the wreckage and gets blasted for his troubles, telling Fury he wanted to form a new Commando Squad. Watcher describes how, in this reality, the inventions of Da Vinci were actually "built and utilized," leading to the advancement of technology where man landed on the moon in the 1800s.
In Part 2, Fury leads the Howling Commandos against training robots, with Dum Dum Dugan's fedora falling over his eyes under his helmet (!); Gabriel Jones showing off a "sonic laser bugle"; Izzy Cohen demonstrating his mechanical skills; Dino Manelli and Junior Jupiter loafing a little; and Rebel Ralston rounding out the squad. Inside a massive space station, they meet the new commanding officer—a talking computer! Before an angry Fury can blast the computer, a robot appears to immobilize the men with paralyzing gas, leaving Fury muttering under his breath. The Commandos' mission is to fly out with the initial assault wave and help defend Earth station Midway.
Part 3 begins with the Betans readying their attack cruisers, stressing victory at any cost, with the help of a "mole" Admiral on the inside of the Yorktown crew. The Betans lauch the attack against Midway, and Red is at the head of the "courageous rocket pilots" while Nick is leading the defense on Midway, even saving the robot superior he dislikes. Red is forced to eject from his damaged ship as they attack the Betan ship, while Sgt. Fury and his team land at the Yorktown to confront the Admiral—who is Baron Strucker! Suddenly, Betan ships appear, having changed their attack plans to the Yorktown, and the traitorous Strucker is escaping also! Fury tracks him down, and watches him fall out the escape hatch, managing to hold on himself and get back to the Commandos. As the Betans await the killing blow, the Terran fleet and a bomber attack their flagship, Fury saves Red, the robot pal is blown up, and the commanding-officer, computer tells the Commandos they did well, but disobeyed orders, much like Sam Sawyer would have.--Joe Tura
Matthew: Briefly dismayed to see Friedrich the Lesser’s byline before my training kicked in, I then remembered he had written countless issues of Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos (“countless” meaning I haven’t the time to investigate that title’s bizarrely alternating first-run and reprint material). So he’s eminently appropriate to plot this Glut-scripted tale, and even Trimpe, inked here by Marcos, has his one Howlers credit, having penciled the new lead story in #92. I’ve no idea what relationship, if any, this has to their “real” adventures—dimly recalled from brother Stephen’s occasional war-comic purchases in my youth, which gave this an oddly nostalgic flavor—yet it’s nice to be spared the footnote-choked “as we saw on page 18 of #6” bit.
Chris: The answer to the question posed on the cover is pretty simple: if Nick Fury and the Howlers had fought in space, it would be the same as when they fought on the European continent – plain ol’ flag-waving adventure and fun. This issue might lack the human-interest angle of last issue’s Conan-out-of-Hyboria story, and it might not address a portentous turning-point in Marvel lore; the fact is, though, this issue’s breathless activity makes this WWII story more entertaining than anything we’ve seen in the pages of the Invaders in quite some time.
This premise might’ve been seen as lacking appeal to the majority of Marvel zombies (after all, Sgt Fury has been in reprints for years and years by now), and as a result could’ve been consigned to backup status, as a 10-12 page backup to a sexier lead story. That would’ve been a mistake, since Don Glut (with help from Roy, natch) uses his full-issue time well, as he spends a few panels with most of the best-known Howlers; the interplay in the squad adds to the story’s appeal.
Mark: More half-baked alt-history that's halfway entertaining. Among the title's many bad habits is conjuring up parallel worlds in lockstep with our own, so that here Space Station Pearl is attacked on December 7, 1941, later followed by a comeback win at Earth Station Midway, which includes a sacrificial attack by the men of Torpedo 8, even though they neither have, nor apparently need, no stinkin' torpedoes!
One supposes it takes more time and talent to riff on history, ring changes on famous events, than to merely mimic them. But with a jumbo-sized mag to fill, semi-competent Don Glut is not the man to push the envelope. The semi-clever premise here, that Da Vinci's airship ideas became reality in his time, is completely subverted by the knuckleheaded notion that despite a centuries-sooner technological revolution this alt-Earth's politics play out pretty much just like ours, right down to Baron Strucker still being a Nazi spy even though...
There's no stinkin' Nazi Germany!
The half-fun part(okay, class, that's a generous fraction)? Herb Trimpe gives the Space Howlers a real Dick Ayers vibe. Fury smokes "she-roots" inside his fishbowl space helmet. Gabe Jones blows a "sonic laser 'bugle.'" But by far the best bit: Captain "Sam" Sawyer gets kills, his consciousness uploaded to a computer, which - I kid ya not - Fury later threatens with a can opener!
Stanley Kubrick, eat your heart out.
"Wanted: Wolverine! Dead or Alive!
Story by John Byrne and Chris Claremont
Art by John Byrne and Terry Austin
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Bob Budiansky and Terry Austin
In Canada, Major James Hudson – Vindicator, aka Weapon Alpha – is tasked by the PM to bring in Weapon X, or as we know him, Wolverine. Hudson activates his own team of mutants known as Alpha Flight: Northstar, Shaman, Snow-Bird, Sasquatch and Aurora. In Japan, Sunfire thanks the X-Men for their help in saving Japan. As they take their leave, Wolverine bids a private farewell to Mariko and finally introduces himself by his real name: Logan. The X-Men take Jeryn's custom-built plane home and are diverted to Canada by a massive man-made hurricane that even Storm can’t dissipate. When they finally land at Calgary, Alpha Flight intercepts. Sasquatch who, not knowing his own strength, tosses the plane into a hangar, destroying it. Under the cover of the storm, the team manages to escape; they split up and try to blend into the population. Nightcrawler is captured and Vindicator attacks Banshee and Storm as they are in a boutique getting her some clothes (to use to look like everyone else). Banshee instinctively tries to use his sonic scream, but the pain from his earlier injury causes him to black out. Storm, thinking Vindicator has hurt Sean, sends the Canadian hero through the wall. Hudson takes off to regroup, feeling the pressure of his failure. Meanwhile, in a seedier part of town, Sasquatch finds Wolverine and knocks him out savagely, capturing the scrappy mutant. Finally, the remaining four X-Men get their bearings as Scott vows to finish this fight even if it means taking the lives of Alpha Flight. -Scott McIntyre
Matthew: In retrospect, I found this marginally disappointing, for reasons I can’t necessarily enumerate, but it is after all the debut of Alpha Flight, and as my colleagues are inclined to point out, we’re talking about minor gradations of excellence here. One thing I did love, as a pathetic Pollyana who abhors strife between real or fictional people of whom I am fond, is the collegiality in page 15, panel 6 between Scott and Logan, whose references to Cyclops as “boss” display his level-headed acceptance of the leadership he sometimes challenges. Minor kvetch: when you’re introducing Anne McKenzie (Snowbird) and Walter Langkowski (Sasquatch), maybe you don’t want to confuse readers by also having a pilot named Annie and a guy in the tower (avec Shooter sight gag) named Walt.
Chris: Damnit Claremont – can’t you follow the manual? Look here: you’re supposed to have the whole team KO’d in a quick battle, maybe 3-4 pages, and then have them trussed up together in the same room, so the Big Baddie can strut around and outline his Devious Plan, roughly 2 pages. Okay? Then, either a guest star or Rick Jones or someone finds a way to sneak in and spring the team, another page or two, and once the team’s free, you need another 2-3 pages for them to rout the foe. Got it? It’s really not hard. And what’s the deal with the Canadian team, Alpha … Alpha Fight? Right, Alpha Flight. Where are they? I mean, we’ve got glimpses and such here and there, but howcum we can’t see, you know, their whole selves? Doesn’t Byrne know what these characters look like, for God’s sake -?
Once again, Claremont chooses the intricate over the simple, much to our enjoyment. Despite the X-ers being driven by Shaman’s storm to the Calgary airport, and despite Sasquatch wrecking Hogarth’s plane, Vindicator’s words and actions indicate he’s trying not to make the situation worse than it already is, and that he’s trying to avoid injuring both bystanders and Wolverine’s present teammates. As for Logan and his unaccepted resignation, he’s ready to fight Jimmy Hudson over it; but regarding the still-unknown Alpha Flight, he clearly states, “They ain’t villains, folks.” Alpha Flight appears still to be taking shape; we have to piece together who they are, and their capabilities, much as the X-Men themselves have to work this out. For all we know, this could be AF’s first mission as a unit; the winter storm provides a means to tip the odds in favor of the relatively-inexperienced team. Plus, having them strike from the shadows certainly plays into greater suspense, doesn’t it?
Byrne/Austin = Art/Highlights (and, it’s shame there isn’t a single moment like any of these in this month’s Avengers): Storm responds quickly to the storm outside the plane, as the artists react instantly to protect impressionable eyes against her immodesty (p 7, pnl 3); he’s under the wing, and he might not be at 20,000 feet, but the view of Sasquatch grasping the wing certainly is an evocative image, isn’t it? (p 11, pnl 5); the plane wreck is a Big Moment (p 14); rough moment for Banshee as he instinctively reacts and tries to fire a scream at Vindicator, but crumples to the ground instead (p 23); Storm blasts Vindicator out of la boutique (p 26, 1st pnl); touching view of the two derelicts, before Sasquatch reaches over to grab Logan by his lapels (p 27). I assume the blond-haired young man seated in the terminal holding a page marked “Terry – Ink This NOW!” is Austin himself (p 16, pnl 3); and, what’s with Scott getting cozy with Colleen (p 6, last pnl)? Wait’ll Jean picks up that stray thought!
So ah – Sasquatch? Now that you ah, wrecked that American lawyer’s private jet, I ah, wouldn’t expect a call to ah, meet the Prime Minister in Toronto for a Leafs game anytime soon, eh? Hose head.
Joe: When I read the summaries and comments on all these amazing, uncanny, sensational Claremont / Byrne / Austin / Orzechowski / Wein issues, I can just about see every single panel jump in front of my eyes, even without the actual illustrations and words in front of me. But one question remains: Why the heck did I get rid of my X-Men comics???? AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!
Mark: Political junkies will notice that although he goes unnamed, the Canadian Prime Minister directing Alpha Flight is indeed Pierre Trudeau. Which raises the What If?-worthy question: if Trudeau'd had a real Alpha Flight at his disposal, could they had prevented his wife from getting into tabloid trouble with the Rolling Stones?
Mark: Political junkies will notice that although he goes unnamed, the Canadian Prime Minister directing Alpha Flight is indeed Pierre Trudeau. Which raises the What If?-worthy question: if Trudeau'd had a real Alpha Flight at his disposal, could they had prevented his wife from getting into tabloid trouble with the Rolling Stones?
That question's lost to history, but here Major Maple Leaf (aka Vindicator) and co. give the X-ers trouble aplenty after Shaman uses his Storm-like, blizzard-controlling powers to force their jet down in the Great White North. And we're off to the races...
Along the way Claremont and Byrne demo how to invent a team of supes from scratch - with minimal introduction, just plug 'n' play and have 'em start smashing stuff, e.g., Sasquatch's don't-know-my-own-Hulk-like-
Between setting up an international rumble, Wolverine gives Mariko a white chrysanthemum and tell her his name's Logan, a bit of intel he won't share with his pards for nearly two more years. Storm goes clothes shopping and kicks Maple Leaf butt. Shiro has a non-dickish moment. Scott expresses a flexible attitude toward homicide, and readers would kill for a couple more pages...
But we can't get no satisfaction...until next ish.
"The Woman Who Fell to Earth"
Story by Chris Claremont
Art by Mike Vosburg and Bruce D. Patterson
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Gaspar Saladino and Diana Albers
Cover by Dave Cockrum, George Pérez, and Joe Rubinstein
Still on cloud nine after a date with Sam Adams (obliquely introduced at last issue’s party, and never seen again), the now-unemployed Carol answers the door and is shocked to find Salia Petrie, believed dead since the explosion of the Athena One space shuttle back in #12. Passed out and put in bed, Sal appears to be suffering from shock and fatigue, instead of having burned up in re-entry, and is unmarked despite the burn-scars on her pressure suit, yet upon rising, she fells Carol with eye-beams, saying, “I didn’t die, but I went to Hell. And now I’ve come to take you back with me.” Carol awakens a thousand miles up aboard Drydock, the orbital space station that is home to the Guardians of the Galaxy, known to her via the Avengers.
When Sal suddenly turns and runs, they follow her to the access hatch to the primary computer core, where “Faceless” hopes to consolidate his control; as Vance flattens Sal with his psycho-kinetic burst, MM literally knocks the foe’s globular head from its android body, only to be hit with the nerve toxin in its claws. His body shattered when a still-reeling MM freezes it with liquid helium, the Faceless One plans to return to his “own space,” but Vance stops him from bringing Sal along by disrupting the teleport sequence with his PK powers, which he then uses to destroy the psychic control module implanted beneath her skin. Disoriented and hysterical, Sal is about to snap when Ms. Marvel gets through to her by unmasking as her beloved friend, Carol. -Matthew Bradley
As tickled as I am at the Faceless One’s return, Stern’s footnote saying he was “last seen waaaay back when in Astonishing Tales” overlooks the fact that he was still scheming against Dr. Doom in, of all places, Hero for Hire #9. Don’t know if reading that legendary Stainless-scripted Luke-in-Latveria issue would clarify anything, but his presence here is a true WTF moment, raising more questions than it answers. Inked by the self-styled “Bruce D.,” the artwork is amateurish at times, with Sal’s body armor a total disaster and instances of what I’ve begun calling “Vosburg-Shoulder” (e.g., page 16, panel 4), yet our leading lady, despite mismatched eyes in page 7, panel 6, looks good much of the time, notably in page 3, panel 2; page 7, panel 3; and page 17, panel 5.
But, one shaky issue does not a cancellation make; this had to have been in the works for the past few months, which is surprising, considering Ms M’s recent dynamic Cockrum-designed costume change, and her affiliation with the Avengers. I’m inclined to blame Ms Marvel’s bi-monthly status, and a glaring lack of creative continuity; every one of the past eight issues has had a different art team, with four different pencillers and eight different inkers – that’s right, every one of those issues featured a different inker, and thus a different look, than the art for the issue preceding it. It tells me that, despite Claremont’s investment in the character, there wasn’t strong enough editorial backing to make this title a priority.
Also This MonthCrazy #49
< Kid Colt Outlaw #229 (Final Issue)
Marvel Super Action #13
Marvel Tales #102
Marvel Triple Action #47 (Final Issue)
Sgt. Fury #151
Shogun Warriors #3
After 31 years and 229 issues, Kid Colt the Outlaw finally hangs up his spurs, marries that wonderful bar maiden with the heart of gold (and checkered past), and settles in to life on a ranch with chickens and cows. Only a couple years later, Maybelle (his wife, not his cow but, at times, Colt couldn't really tell the difference) would give birth to... Kids, of course. Legend has it that, every Friday night, Colt meets up with Rawhide, Two-Gun, and the original Ghost Rider to have a poker game in town at Frenchie's. A tip of the hat, then, to the saddle-sore cowboy who outlived almost all the other pahdnas.
THOSE MARVEL-OUS MAGAZINES
“Legions of the Dead”
Script by Roy Thomas
Art by Sal Buscema and Tony DeZuniga
“A Portfolio of Robert E. Howard”
Art by Rudy Nebres
“A Gazetteer of the Hyborian World of Conan Including the World of Kull and An Ethnogeographical Dictionary Part VII”
Text by Lee Falconer
“The Moon of Skulls Part Three”
Script by Don Glut
Art by David Wenzel
“Swords and Scrolls”
A youthful Conan, fresh from the mountains of Cimmeria, has joined up with a band of Aesir barbarians who are battling a horde of Hyberborean albinos on the wintery borderland between the two kingdoms. Rann, the daughter of the Aesir’s chieftain Njal Njalsdatter, has been kidnapped and a band of the blond-haired men, led by the master huntsman Egil, has been sent to rescue her from Haloga, the great stone stronghold of their enemies. But when the raiding party does not return, Njal rallies the rest of his men and they go in search of their missing kin — under the brusquely ignored protest of the young Cimmerian newcomer. When the warriors arrive at Haloga, they are shocked to see their dead comrades hanging from ropes on the castle wall, their skin flayed by curved swords and hooks — all under the sinister, watchful eye of Vammatar the Cruel, Queen of Haloga.
The end.
Kane leaves as the doomed Atlantean finally succumbs to years of torture. Moving on, the Puritan soon finds another door: after opening it slightly, he spies the temple where Marylin is to be executed, a great obsidian tower rising above the Black Alter, the skull of Nakura looking down from a perch on its surface. Luckily, a guard standing nearby has Solomon’s musket tucked in his belt. The Puritan sneaks up from behind, grabs the man’s dagger and kills him, regaining his pistol. Just before the masked priest can thrust Kane’s own rapier into the heart of Marylin, the Puritan shoots and shatters Nakura’s ancient skull. The black warriors in attendance panic as Solomon rushes forward and frees the white woman. As Kane and Marylin make their escape, Negari crumbles, killing everyone including the vampire queen.
This issue also includes “A Portfolio of Robert E. Howard” by frequent Conan inker and Professor Bradley nemesis Rudy Nebres. We get five finely illustrated pinups, two of Conan and one apiece for Kane, Kull and Red Sonja. Enjoyed them all. Finally, there’s Part VII of Lee Falconer’s “A Gazetteer of the Hyborian World of Conan Including the World of Kull and An Ethnogeographical Dictionary.” This installment covers “Q” to “S,” from “Qirlata,” a Zuagir tribe, to “Sword, Cave of the.” Yup, the very same cavern featured in the aforementioned “The Thing in the Crypt.” Full circle, by Crom.
-Tom Flynn
-Tom Flynn
Cover Art by Bob Larkin
“A Cure for Chaos!”
Story by Doug Moench
Art by Ron Wilson and Rudy Nebres
“Countdown to Dark”
Story by Doug Moench
Art by Bill Sienkiewicz and Bob McLeod
“Readers Rampage”
After surviving the airliner hijacking of last issue, Bruce Banner finds himself in Switzerland, still searching for Dr. Feldstadt, the scientist who supposedly found the cure to radiation poisoning. Banner finally tracks the man to the remote mountain hamlet of Jungfrau but the townsfolk claim to have never heard of the doctor. Seeking shelter from the winter cold, Bruce stops in a tavern and chats up a friendly barmaid named Katrina — he finds out that a mysterious Dr. Klein lives in the castle on the edge of the village. Following a hunch, Banner heads out towards the looming stone fortress.
While Bruce manages to carry Katrina to safety, Feldstadt takes the full brunt when his gamma machine explodes: he is transformed into a huge, animalistic brute. Banner hulks out and the two giants exchange mighty blows — but Jade Jaws proves to be the stronger and his foe is soon laid low. After crushing the gamma machine into a ball to stop the radiation leak, Hulk picks up the Feldstadt-monster and leaps down, placing the mutated doctor’s unconscious body before the stunned townsfolk — only to jump off again.
The fanged freak reveals that he is suffering from hypertrichosis — the “hirsute disease” — and that he bankrolled the terrorists simply for revenge on those who have spurned his monstrous appearance. He then sneers that he will destroy Manhattan with the nuclear bomb even after the billion-dollar blackmail is paid. When Moon Knight informs Lupinar that the radioactive waste has been safely recovered by the authorities, the criminal refuses to surrender, instead forcing the hero to run him through with a rapier.
The last two chapters spent quite a few panels building Lupinar up as a brilliant Renaissance type but he basically boils down to a rich guy with lots of facial hair and pointy teeth who’s pissed at the world. Boo hoo. This is the character’s only appearance. There was a lot of chatter about N.E.S.T. as well but the agency doesn’t have much of an impact: Frenchie basically leads them by the nose to the radioactive waste. Oh, and the fake Moon Knight was one of Lupinar’s men but that useless subplot goes nowhere. There are quite a few dramatic panels on display: a shame they were wasted on such a disjointed story. Let’s hope that Doug can raise his game because the powerhouse art team returns next issue. -Tom Flynn
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| What's that you say? Not enough Solomon Kane? You got it! Tune in Sunday morning for Pulp-Man Gilbert Colon on Moon of Skulls! |
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