Alice Cooper in
"From the Inside"
Story by Alice Cooper, Jim Salicrup, Roger Stern, and Ed Hannigan
Art by Tom Sutton and Terry Austin
Colors by Marie Severin
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Cover by Tom Sutton and Terry Austin
Evidently, Alice Cooper is in a mental institution of sorts and is trying to escape. He is held back by some guards, and when his friend Johnny tries to help, the nurse tells him that they are going to "patch Alice up." Then this crazy doctor guy comes in and he tells the guards to put Alice in the "quiet room," and that's where Alice breaks the fourth wall and begins to speak to us, saying we should know the real story. It turns out, Cooper used to be a performer with his snake, Veronica, and when he started having a "meltdown," Cooper decided to get help from a clinic. Little did he know, the man next to him was named Alex Cooper, and when guards went looking for a man named A. Cooper, they thought Alice was Alex because he had a snake. They threw his snake into the alley, and "made Alice normal" by washing him, cutting his hair, and shocking him. Doctor Fingeroth brings him into a room with the other crazy people and says that Nurse Rozetta will attend to all of their "needs." Alice meets the other patients, thinking each one crazier than the last and, as he meets them, his hair grows back to its original length. When he sees someone painting a picture of a snake, Alice decides to transform back to his original self so that Veronica will recognize him. Alice attempts to depart from the hospital, only to be stopped by a fellow patient who is hopelessly obsessed with the nurse. Alice is then strapped to a bed when he wakes up, but pretends to be asleep and the nurse gives him another sedative. Feeling bad for him, the nurse unstraps him and Alice escapes, finding his snake in the process. At a political rally for, ironically, Alex Cooper, Alice is caught again and tells the readers that everyone is crazy, but he doesn’t care.--Cassie Tura
Whether credited-writer Cooper had any input other than signing off on the work of Bullpen triumvirate Sterncrupigan, those with an affection for the original Mad comic book and Marvel's own Not Brand Ecch will find plenty of insane sight gag kicks here. Quality varies, of course. Every Subby in the shower sighting has a head-scratching Car 54, Where Are You? counterpart, but the rat-tat-tat machine-gun pace of the visual gags and graffiti eventually mows down all resistance. It helps immensely that the Tom Sutton-Terry Austin art conjures the spirit and mash-up look of pranksters and ghouls like Jack Davis and Graham Ingels. And while the estimable Marie Severin, who did yeoman (yeowoman?) work on Brand Ecch, is only officially credited here as colorist, no one's gonna convince me that she didn't pick up the pencil a time or ten.
As a bonus, this one had me scurrying to my CD collection for Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits...which I couldn't find anywhere...
Welcome to my nightmare.
Matthew: Presumably "Doc" Fingeroth is a nod to then-editor Danny Fingeroth.
Matthew: Presumably "Doc" Fingeroth is a nod to then-editor Danny Fingeroth.
"The Kingpin's Midnight Massacre!"
Story by Marv Wolfman
Art by Keith Pollard and Jim Mooney
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Joe Rosen
Cover by Keith Pollard and Frank Giacoia
Spider-Man comes to and faces his old enemy, Kingpin, who explains he survived the derrick accident of Amazing #164 by swimming through the sludge into a drainage pipe "free of water," but had temporary amnesia, wandering the streets until Silvermane hired someone to hit him with a car. But the resulting hospital stay helped his recovery and, 18 hours ago, he returned to sorta faithful wife Vanessa, who responded to his vow of vengeance against Silvermane with an ultimatum—24 hours to get out of crime or she will leave him! With six hours left until the midnight deadline, Spidey starts the festivities so he can get to the nursing home, but to no avail, as Kingpin is ready for his every move with powerful counterstrikes. Trading insults, deadly punches, and nasty kicks, the two battle to a near standstill. We get two quick asides that help us catch our breath, one to Restwell and an angry Dr. Rinehart and the other to the Bugle, where a sympathetic yet exhausted Betty and Glory Grant see Joe Robertson walk away from his job, and JJJ is actually apologetic and sad.
Best sound effect? Man, there are a bunch of loud ones here! Maybe not groundbreaking or wacky like a Gil Kane issue, but certainly painful and powerful. I'll go with the cleverly lettered "SOKKO" on page 23 when Spidey smashes Kingpin with a cabinet and knocks him out for about 1.3 seconds. Although anything on the epic page 22 would have worked just as well. "THBAMM!"
Chris: Of all the enemies Kingpin has earned in his uncompromising career, isn’t it just Spidey’s luck that he makes KP’s short-list for last-chance payback. It’s quite the knock-down, drag-out fight with the seemingly inexhaustible (and non-knock-outable) Kingpin. Part of me wants to complain that the fight at times verges on pointlessness, as it takes up nearly the entire issue, but that seems churlish; fact is, if this fight sequence were part of a movie, it would be among the highlights we’d talk about afterwards. Pollard clearly has fun bringing the brawl to us, which features these noteworthy points: Spidey gives KP an alley-oop, smack into the weight set (p 14); a wordless, but sound-effected page of close-quarters sparring (p 22, which Marv manages to spoil as he adds a box to point out how he hadn’t added any words to the fighting – well yes Marv, you did it just now); and, a clever bit as Spidey uses a web-line to drag in a large fridge from the next room, and slam KP in the back with it (p 23). The last panel, as we see Spidey trying – and failing – to regain his feet is particularly effective, as it reminds us how the wall-crawler had been pretty sufficiently beaten up (mentally even more than physically) even before he had the misfortune to fall into the Kingpin’s clutches.
This approach becomes more problematic, though, when these traits suggest a direction that isn’t in keeping with the established character. Take Jonah Jameson, for instance. He’s finally managed to drive Joe Robertson from the Bugle; Jonah recognizes “I’ve chased him away for good this time,” which shows some insight. What’s next, though – Jonah continues, as he ruminates over being alone, as he alienates himself from others (p 16). Two things to consider: what happened to Dr Madison? That seemed to be going fairly well, but obviously didn’t fit the moment Marv wanted to establish; and, Jonah’s about as likely to resort to self-recrimination as Victor von Doom. At a moment of doubt, Jonah turns the blame (and his attention) to an outside target – someone else is responsible. Jonah’s been doing this (to himself, and his entire staff) for too long to change his spots now; it’s a deeply ingrained part of his personality, and pathology. I mention this because of Marv’s able handling of Jonah’s grief at the (apparent) loss of his son; that occasion warranted a look at a different side of him, especially since his appearances in the Man-Wolf stories from Creatures on the Loose established Jonah’s vulnerability when it comes to his heartfelt concern for John Jameson. In this instance, though, Marv is manufacturing something to try to inspire sympathy for Jonah, but it rings false.
Mark: This is one of those almost excellent stories that leaves the reader (or at least your grouchy prof) more irked than satisfied over opportunity squandered. Still, thinking of Marv's Spidey tales that weren't even in the same zip code as excellent, this Kingpin 7-10 split continues the up-tick in quality as Wolfman slowly gins things up for the 200th-ish blowout. 
Also free of logic and plausibility.
Minor irk the second: last ish, Spidey had his broken wing supported by a thin strand of webbing, which had completely disappeared by the final pages. Yet when this issue opens, Webs has acquired a wide sling made of green cloth. Maybe K-pin tended our unconscious hero (the sling also switches from his right to left arm and back again on p.26. Hopefully, someone won a No-Prize over that gaffe), a touch of mercy before murder?
Thankfully, thirteen of the last fourteen pages are devoted to an epic battle, as Spidey tries to escape (so he can head to the old folks home and shake down the shady doc), but K-pin has a mad-on to slay the Web-Spinner before the midnight deadline, after which Tubby must forsake his life of crime or lose his wife, Vanessa. The extended fight scenes are the attraction here; they're exciting and well-staged by Pollard and Mooney in energetic if somewhat ham-fisted fashion, right down to the clock running out on K-Pin, even as he finally has Spidey in his laser-cane sights.
Yeah, yeah, I know the title ain't the Amazing Silvermane, but Marv's mishandling of motivation and brick and mortar details like impossible air pockets in underwater pipes robs the sock-o long-underwear action of that extra oomph of verisimilitude that Marvel's taught its readers to, if not expect, at least hope for.
And what in the Wide World of Sports does Glory Grant mean when she calls J. Jonah Jameson, "Laser breath?"
"Elementary, Dear Avengers!"
Story by Jim Shooter and Bill Mantlo
Art by John Byrne, Dan Green, and Frank Springer
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by Gaspar Saladino
Cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin
After defeating the menace Cththon, the Avengers drop Quicksilver off at the Inhumans' mountain retreat, Attilan, where the speedy one gets some good news: he and Crystal are going to be parents. The team congratulate the couple and then hop back in the Quinjet for the long ride home. Unfortunately, the vehicle veers into Russian airspace but the Beast (who is fluent in Russian) is able to hold off the MIGs surrounding them. Suddenly, one of the MIGs comes apart in mid-air, attacked by some force on the ground. The Avengers debate whether to land and offer their services, finally coming to an agreement that they should investigate. They track the MIGs to a nuclear plant and discover that some strange experiment has gone awry and beings have been created, each representing a different element (Vanadium, Carbon, Phosphorus, etc.). The Avengers engage the "elementals" and are finally able to overcome the menace with the help of a laser-cannon (very Avenger-like, no?).
-Peter Enfantino
“I’ll take the point! Falcon, you cover me!” --Wonder Man
“Sho’nuff, massuh. Shee-oot!” --Biggus Dickus
Because yeah, why would you send the nigh-invulnerable guy in first?
Joe: A nifty, albeit far from perfect, time-killer and one-shot that also includes some Marvel Universe revelations. For instance, in wrapping up the Quicksilver cameo by dropping him off at his Atillan abode, we learn wife Crystal is expecting a tiny Inhuman. Plus, Black Bolt watches from afar because of his missing Medusa, giving us some continuity. But enough of that, let's talk about the Avengers story, which has nice moments but raises some problems. Wacky premise set in Russia, silly villains that get dispatched quite easily even though they are pretty powerful, possible diplomatic issues with actually going into Russia, and destroying a nuclear core—does that sound like a good plan? And the Falcon schtick with feeling like he's the "Token Avenger" is so one-note it's nearly boring. Then again, at least we have Cap, Wonder Man, and Beast to save the month, along with boffo Byrne art. Small details like Beast clapping Pietro on the back on page 3 panel 2, and the hilariously unexpected Beast leaning up against the Quinjet window in panel 3 of page 7 make this Avengers run soooo memorable! Really, who would think to draw that window thing?
Chris: It’s a quickie little issue, as a team flight home runs into the inevitable imbroglio. It’s a clever device to have the A-team fly Quicksilver back to the Hidden Refuge, not only so we can be informed of Crystal’s pregnancy, but also to necessitate a direct route, thru Soviet airspace; not a prospect you take lightly. I’d forgotten Mantlo wrote this issue, and that Shooter had plotted it; part of my brain had recorded Dave Michelinie as the sole writer for #185-188, but he’s served only as scripter for the previous three issues, and not on hand at all this time.
Chris: It’s a quickie little issue, as a team flight home runs into the inevitable imbroglio. It’s a clever device to have the A-team fly Quicksilver back to the Hidden Refuge, not only so we can be informed of Crystal’s pregnancy, but also to necessitate a direct route, thru Soviet airspace; not a prospect you take lightly. I’d forgotten Mantlo wrote this issue, and that Shooter had plotted it; part of my brain had recorded Dave Michelinie as the sole writer for #185-188, but he’s served only as scripter for the previous three issues, and not on hand at all this time.
The first problem with Shooter/Mantlo taking over from Gruenwald-Grant/Michelinie is the Avengers’ means of getting home; the last time we saw the quinjet, Wonder Man had planted it pretty deeply in a Bulgarian mountainside, breaking off the left wing in the process (see Av #187, p 11 pnl 4). I can’t imagine they have a quinjet tow-and-repair shop in Transia, so in the interest of continuity, it would’ve helped to acknowledge the time and effort required to get the craft airborne. We also don’t know how the Darkhold was repaired after the Beast thrust a lance thru it in #187; it’s intact now, which allows the Beast to treat it as an in-flight magazine (p 3-6).
Mantlo does a nice job with some of the characters, but seems to focus most of his attention on the Beast (whose wit and knowledge of Russian keep him in the forefront), Cap (he’s running the show), and Wanda (wondering whether she and the Vision might have children, concerned about the Beast’s casual reading of the Darkhold, and preoccupied with the perils of life in Soviet-controlled territory); Ms Marvel and the Wasp have a few moments, but mostly are along for the ride. The Falcon has a frown on his face and a chip on his shoulder, feeling snubbed when no one asks his opinion about whether they should intervene to assist the Soviet military (p 11, pnl 2); well Sam, if you review the transcript, you’ll find that no one was asked – they’re all adults, so they chimed in and offered their viewpoints. Later in the issue, the team rallies to rescue the Falcon to prevent him from being transmuted to argon or xenon. It’s clear the team has no objection to Falcon’s presence on the team – otherwise, if he were changed to a gaseous form, they’d simply let him drift away, right? The Shooter/Mantlo presentation of the Falcon’s character comes off as simplistic, but it does help to illustrate how single-minded is his perceived inadequacy within the group.
I mentioned before I had forgotten our guest writers; that was an oversight. Now, to forget Frank Springer as our fill-in embellisher for six pages – that had to have been deliberate. It’s too bad, since Dan Green has done a respectable job on finishes lately; so, there’s a noticeable drop as we reach Springer’s pages, as faces and figures take on his stringy look. Getting back to earlier pages, the first look at the reactor (p 16 last pnl, with tiny Elementals visible in the distance, beneath the massive structure) and of the Elementals themselves (p 17, 1st pnl) both are impressive, but no image in the entire issue holds a candle to the vibrantly-colored Byrne/Austin cover.
"--Today the Avengers Die!"
Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Don Newton, Jack Abel, and Joe Rubinstein
Colors by Carl Gafford
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by Don Newton and Joe Rubinstein
Far below Avengers Mansion, the robot known as Arsenal suddenly clicks on with a "hum of machinery," commanded by "mistress," a machine designed by Howard Stark to defeat the Axis in World War II (Codename: "Project Tomorrow") but never reprogrammed afterwards. Coincidentally, the Avengers happen to be having a meeting upstairs about Arsenal (unaware that the menace is below their feet) and what to do about him. Later, Beast and Hawkeye come across a hole in the wall of one of the corridors and enter, discovering a passageway and a cavern below. Investigating, the duo encounter Arsenal and are quickly defeated. Sensing something wrong, Yellowjacket comes across the battle and, sensing that something is behind Arsenal's activity, he heads back to warn his teammates. The Avengers head downstairs, rescue Beast and Hawkeye and turn their attention to Arsenal. The giant is a formidable foe, tossing the heroes to and fro, until Iron Man gets to the root of the problem: "Mistress." Turns out Stark's father had programmed "Mistress" with the "persona of the woman he loved," Tony's mother. Once Stark convinces the machine that the war ended thirty years before, "Mistress" shuts herself down and Arsenal is all but defenseless. The Scarlet Witch and Thor combine to destroy the misunderstood villain, once and for all. -Peter Enfantino
Peter: I couldn't agree more with Matthew's theory of a two-parter sewn together. The story runs hot and cold for me; there's a lot of running around with nothing much being done but I liked the twist of "Mistress" being Ma Stark. Unlike the similar "I need a moment alone" scene at the climax of this month's Doctor Strange (reviewed below), Iron Man's melancholy seems a bit forced, no? The art, likewise, is hot and cold; there's a lot of good stuff but then NewtAbelRub have to ruin it with silly poses like Iron Man's on page 23 (two very awkward stances if you ask me). Still, Ma Stark's smiling visage gives me the creeps!
The annual format is the right time and place to vary the regular lineup to serve a specific purpose; proof yet again that Gyrich’s membership mandate doesn’t preclude writers and editors from bringing back favorite team-sters. Yellowjacket is put to good use, as he returns from the unscheduled advance-scout party to clue in the others, cleverly utilizing a micro-glass and voice amplifier to get everyone’s attention (p 23). It’s fun to have Hawkeye on board, even though he’s held captive for most of the issue (and why does Mistress wait for the entire issue, without ever enacting the mind-probes -?). It’s probably a mistake, though, to have Thor on board. Once the “mightiest Avenger of all!” is thru swimming under the Mansion and in Central Park Lake, he (aided by a revived Wanda) contains Arsenal very effectively. It would’ve been preferable for the Vision (seen in this mag for less than two pages) and Wonder Man to work with the others (Cap, Wanda, Hawkeye, Beast) to find a weak point to exploit in Arsenal, while Iron Man swaps Thanksgiving memories with Mistress.
The art is fine, as we have a rare Bronze-era Marvel appearance by Don Newton; although, too many panels – especially in the second half – lack backgrounds, making the fight with Arsenal look less like it’s happening in an underground complex, and more like it’s on a sound stage, or a really oversized black box theater. The art improves noticeably in the second chapter, as Rubinstein – making one of only two Bronze-age appearances as an Avengers embellisher – brings more fluidity to the figures and definition to their faces than had Abel.
"Snowfall Fury"
Story by Peter Gillis
Art by Fred Kida and Don Perlin
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by John Byrne and Al Milgrom
Nick Fury asks his estranged pal, Captain America, to look into a rash of telepathic assaults (the only survivor of the victims is the villain, Mentallo). On each victim was found a blank metal disc. While Cap is holding these strange discs, he gets a mental picture of a gorgeous girl calling herself Snowfall. The damsel is in distress and she tells our hero she is being held in an isolated cliff-top safe-house known as Dovecote. Cap heads there immediately, climbing the sheer wall without much in the way of climbing gear. He's attacked by men riding giant hawks but is able to repel the enemy with sheer toughness and fighting skill. Once at the top, he steals a vehicle and heads for the main building. He is attacked by men riding giant chickens (well, technically Diatrymas, but let's just call a fowl a fowl) but is once again able to overcome great odds and arrives at the gates to Dovecote. Cap enters through the gate but is immediately set upon by a giant nicknamed Widowmaker, who overpowers the exhausted Avenger and promises he'll learn "what it means to break into Dovecote!" -Peter Enfantino
Chris: The cold opening (sorry, couldn’t resist) is a good choice by Gillis. We might recall from the final page of #237 that Nick Fury had a mission for Cap, and we might figure this frozen cliff-climbing is part of it (Cap’s clearly not doing this for fun, although it’s possible he’s into it for the strenuous exercise …), so we have an opportunity to start with some action as Cap tries to avoid the hawk-riding guards; we can catch up with the exposition afterwards. I fully understand why Cap might be motivated to climb a sheer rock cliff to aid a woman like Snowfall – it’s because he would risk his life “for a dream!," not for any other reason (not based on how she looks in her skimpy costume, or how she’s holding out her arms to him …).
As we return to the action, we see Cap has a short-range back-jet, which seems kinda hokey; Cap admits it isn’t his style. But, as Cap approaches Dovecote, his quest loses all suspense as he encounters … well, these sort-of giant dodos; they look like something Terry Gilliam might’ve dreamed up, and I take them just as seriously as any of Gilliam’s fever-dreams. Cap suckers one rider into coming close enough for him to yank him off his mount, then tricks the whole group into a mine field (mind you, these are the elite guards), marked by a Warner Bros-type red sign reading “Danger"; now, all we’re missing is a gadget-crazed, slightly singed Arizona coyote (who, despite what he might tell you, is short of super-genius). The Widowmaker seems a legitimate sort of threat, especially by comparison with the others, but by the time we reach him, the story really has lost momentum, and credibility.
The art is perfectly acceptable, although as I’ve already stated, the dodos look pretty ridiculous. Fred Kida is a capable penciller, and the Perlin inks are good enough; we’re certainly better off with the team working this way, rather than have Kida finish Perlin’s pencils.
Matthew: It appears to be Guest Month at Marvel: with or without the wandering hyphen, that qualifier is applied to Mantlo in Avengers, Gillis and Kida here, McLeod in MTU, and all three principals in PPTSS. The auctorial byline and this title’s dismal recent track record gave me rock-bottom expectations, fully met by a far-fetched yarn whose cliff-scaling and aerial foes felt like leftovers from John Carter. As if the Super-Agents weren’t an abysmal enough idea, learning that said fiasco came at the cost of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s venerable ESP[er] Division adds insult to injury; the Perlin-inked art is largely okay, although some of it (e.g., page 22, panel 4) looks oddly like Tuska, while Fury evokes the depths of the Springer era (e.g., page 10, panel 3).
“Bride of the Vampire!”
Story by Roy Thomas
Art by John Buscema and Ernie Chan
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Joe Rosen
Cover by John Buscema and Bob McLeod
As the drelliks, the Men Who Drink Blood, force the Bamula warriors into a stone prison, their leader, the true vampire K’Chama, carries Conan to an inner chamber and places him on a slab. When the fist-swinging Cimmerian comes to, the fanged fiend tells how he was bitten by a giant bat generations ago: only after driving the wooden shaft of his spear through the creature’s heart did he manage to kill it. But the bat’s curse was passed and he turned into the undead freak he is today. Over time, he came to rule a nameless Kushite tribe: while he did not turn them, he forced the men to sharpen their teeth and sleep during the day. K’Chama adds that the barbarian is the only one he has found who is worthy to share the secret of eternal life after death — with a bite, they could conquer the world together. When Conan defiantly refuses, he is tossed in a cell.
-Tom Flynn
Tom Flynn: Conan the … Familiar? K’Chama is sure smitten by the brawny barbarian, convinced he is the only one worthy to stand by his side in a bloody conquest of the Hyborian Age. So, I’m not sure if this issue’s title — “Bride of the Vampire!” — refers to the Cimmerian or Eesee. If, after more than 100 issues and dozens of magazines, we haven’t realized that Conan is a stand-up guy, this one should seal it: he is willing to submit to an endless existence of blood and horror to save his men. Even as he scales the cliff, he frets that he is breaking his word to K’Chama. Luckily, the Bamulas decide to return and rescue their white war-chief so his worries are over. On the last page, a relived barbarian gives Felida, the bride of the Bamula’s former chief, to Basuto. Conan seemed to like the woman but, as he says, “He travels highest … who travels lightest.” Which is nice for Baguto but perhaps not so swell for Felida: she’s been passed around like a piece of meat the past three issues.
Let’s face it, does anyone really need to be told how someone was turned into a bloodsucker? They were bitten by a vampire. So when Roy took the time to have K’Chama explain how the big bat was only killed after the wooden shaft of his spear pierced its heart, we could all probably see what was coming. It became even more obvious when the fiend spent a few pages with a spear sticking awkwardly out of his back. Eesee is given a lot of facetime and she’s really not much of an engaging character: though she plays a pivotal role in getting Conan off the whole undead hook. And I’m thinking of calling bullshit on how the Bamulas routed the drelliks fairly easily towards the end after meekly surrendering last issue. Conan chalks it up to Baguto finally putting on his big-boy pants and rallying the troops like the born leader he is. But I did enjoy the psychological twist that The Rascally One gave to a vampire story: it had the feel of Interview with the Vampire at times, with a ghoul trying to convince a worthy companion to join in on the ghastly fun and games. Of course, Big John and Ernie swing for the fences as usual.
The Defenders 76
"Little Triggers!"
Story by Steven Grant
Art by Herb Trimpe and Steve Mitchell
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Gaspar Saladino and Clem Robins
Cover by Rich Buckler and Al Milgrom
The Wasp has offered her services to (what's left of) the Defenders in their search for James-Michael Starling. Even though they are scouring the countryside (in an Avengers quinjet), there is no sign of the strange orphan. Suddenly, a group of UFOs appears in the sky before the quinjet... But first, our attention turns to the Las Vegas city morgue, where fork-tailed Dibbuk and shape-shifter Ruby Thursday steal the body of... Omega the Unknown! Meanwhile, in the Pennsylvania Appalachians, James-Michael and his gal-friend, Dian, have spent the last two years, sitting on a couch, gawking at the two robots standing before them, exact replicas of J-M's parents! Outside, the Avengers quinjet hovers while the occupants of the UFOs, robotic soldiers, beam down to capture J-M. The kid's not all right with that plan and he aims his Omega-embossed hand at one of the villains and blows it to hell. The Semi-Defenders and Jan enter the picture but the odds are still great so Patsy heads back to the quinjet to phone Kyle. Speaking of Kyle, just as his phone is about to ring, the Feds tell him if he so much as puts on his Nighthawk jammies before bed, he'll be spending years behind bars. Meanwhile, the Hulk fights a giant white bowling pin (uh, yeah). Back at the melee, Moondragon arrives to attempt a peace treaty with the robots; the leader tells Moony that the energy they'd tracked to this spot has vanished so there will be no need for further violence. With that, the goons get back in their space-wagon and high-tail it. A piercing scream sends the group running inside the house, where they find Omega where once lay James-Michael! -Peter Enfantino
Matthew: Don’t know if the Kraft→Hannigan→Grant progression is a decline or a straight line—“flatline” may be more appropriate—but at any rate the poor man’s Two Steves (i.e., Grant and indifferent inker Mitchell) hit the bricks after this two-parter, the former returning for two post-blog issues. I think I can safely say that nobody on the faculty was clamoring for Omega’s resurgence; sure, we were curious about all the unanswered questions, yet not enough to want to read more, especially written without his creators’ input…more on that next time. Unfortunately we get no comparable break from the relentlessly ill-suited Trimpe, while despite my feminism and fondness for Jan, the coalescence of the Distaff Defenders does not signal great things ahead.
Chris: For those of us who heeded the warnings of fellow faculty, and never read an issue of Omega: the Unknown, the proceedings here don’t convey a whole lot of sense, and can’t help lacking imperative. How did this become a matter of interest to the Defenders, again? Dollar Bill’s chance meeting (see that – it’s this friggin’ Bill again -!) with Foolkiller then leads to the Defenders meeting Richard Rory, who has some stake in locating James-Michael. We have some explanation of why Omega’s resting on a morgue slab in Las Vegas, but when we meet James-Michael and Dian, somewhere in Pennsylvania, we join them already in progress, and we have to catch up to a lot of exposition about the whole Omega storyline.
As long as Defenders drew the short straw, and was required to recount Omega’s last chapter, there could’ve been a way to devise a smoother, more organic connection between the team and Omega/James-Michael. Wouldn’t it have been easier (on all of us reading at home, I mean) if Al Milgrom (purportedly, this title’s editor …) had asked Steve Gerber to address a letter and mail it out to the title’s few dozen subscribers, instead -? Yes, a far better way to close the book on Omega; this title’s having enough trouble maintaining readers’ interest (and perhaps, maintaining readership) as it is.
I’m not sure where to fit this story into existing Marvel continuity; I’m not sure the writers know either. On the letters page, Steven Grant explains why he felt it necessary to truncate the two calendar years between publication of Omega #10 and the present Defenders storyline; okay, fair enough. Jan is here with an official Avengers quinjet (does H. P. Gyrich approve this non-Avengers use of the craft -?); so, that means she’s here either before or after flying to eastern Europe to rescue Wanda and Pietro. Wait, now Moondragon’s here, saying that she’s coming from events depicted in MTIO #60, slated for publication four months from now? Hoo boy. (By the way, classic reaction as Jan sees the new arrival, and thinks to herself “Moondragon?! Oh, great …”. You and me both, sister.)
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| Defending S&M |
Doctor Strange 37
"And Fear, the Final Victor!"
Story by Roger Stern and Ralph Macchio
Art by Gene Colan and Dan Green
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Steve Leialoha
The Black Knight, reanimated via Ningal, threatens Stephen Strange's friend, Victoria Bentley, until the Master of the Mystic Arts zaps the demon with a "spell of elemental dissolution," reducing the statue to rubble and freeing Victoria. The victory is short though, as the demon reassembles its host and launches a second attack. Meanwhile, in "the Halls of Fear," the Dweller in Darkness has a pow-wow with D'Spayre, who's a bit peeved his boss isn't using him against Doctor Strange. As a demonstration of his power and to show D'Spayre that there's a bigger picture than just running bad guys at Strange, the Dweller possesses Marcia Trent and attempts to murder Murdoch Adams. The assassination is thwarted by the locket around Adams' neck (a talisman given him by Stephen), but Marcia is killed and the demonstration convinces D'Spayre that the Dweller has a lot of irons in the fire. Back at the battle, Strange (with a helping hand from lover Clea) shuts down the Black-Ningal-Knight one more time with a bit of trickery, but Stephen's attempt at peeking behind the curtain to see who's running the show is thwarted and Doctor Strange is left confounded. The Dweller puts his toys away for the day, confident he's rattled the sorcerer. -Peter Enfantino
Peter: I could go on and on about Gene Colan; how his art just seems to get better and better (just compare his work in this issue to that found in one of the early DC war books), that Colan's presence elevates any story he illustrates, how utterly evil his bad guys look (with a nod to Dan Green's excellent inking) swimming in a sea of blue and black, and how he just has that uncanny ability to make a grown man wish he were in the same panel as Clea (who has one of the most prominent posteriors in all of Marvel-dom, as evidenced below). That's not to ignore the quality of the story either; this is a solid chapter in the mega-Dark Dweller-epic, one that bedazzles as well as befuddles. Ningal-as-Black Knight has such a Harryhausen-esque vibe to him, you can almost imagine him moving in that magical, herky-jerky Ray-way. The finale is especially powerful, with Strange a victor and victim all at the same time, spurning Clea for some alone time to ponder the puzzle.
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| Unapologetic cheesecake |
Gene Colan! Art highlights! The unreal, high-energized look of the Whitman statue as Ningal (empowered by the Dweller) re-constitutes it (p 3); the other-worldly dark dimension of the Dweller, as he peers in on his plan’s progress (p 7), with the skull-head of sycophantic D’Spayre swimming in thru the gloom (p 7, last pnl); another look at the fluid reality of the Dweller’s command center, as he looms over D’Spayre (p 14); the undeniable physical presence of the steadily-expanding stony form of Ningal (p 22-23).
Matthew: “Scenarist” Stern’s last issue before the Claremont Interregnum (of which we will, alas, cover only the first) also marks scripter Macchio’s swan song, and even the Dweller won’t return for more than a decade. Plenty to applaud here, with Gentleman Gene back on one of his signature strips—and respectfully inked by Green—but I’m sure there are those who will be dissatisfied by the equivocal ending: Doc defeats Ningal, and the jealous Clea even gets to stifle Victoria, yet TDID insists to D’Spayre that “I have won my duel with Strange,” leaving the mage deeply fearful. Fond as I am of closure, I think it’s a nice touch, partly because TDID feels like such an almost primal force that a clean win over him probably wouldn’t seem appropriate...
Fantastic Four 211
"If This Be Terrax"
Story by Marv Wolfman
Art by John Byrne and Joe Sinnott
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Joe Rosen
Cover by John Byrne and Joe Sinnott
In his quest for a new herald, Galactus transports the FF to "a tiny, barren, rock-strewn moon of an immense, gaseous giant." Johnny calls it a planet, but either way it has not only a breathable atmosphere, but a humanoid society as well. This, the Fabs learn the hard way, as they soon come to the aid of telepathic natives (who look like samurais crossed with Goth rockers), on the run from robots who look like "stone knights." Wielding sonic lances, these "war-men" - settle on a name, Marv - take down Reed and Ben, but when Johnny lands and flames off to check on his pards, one of the humans they were fighting for rocks Torchie to sleep with a rock! The rock-wielder explains to Sue (switching from telepathy to speech for no apparent reason), "...punishment for resisting the war-men is torture and death but the punishment for destroying them is considerably worse," so they're turning on the Fabs to save their own skins.
Our captive heroes are marched to a city that "...looks as if it were carved out of a single stone" and presented to Tyros, the planet's (or moon's) "undisputed warlord." About this time (p.10), John Byrne starts drawing Reed, Sue, and even Ben with wrinkles and crow's feet, the first noticeable effects of the Skrulls' aging ray that's due to kill the trio in a day or so.
Even while not looking her best, Sue's offered a spot in Tyros' harem. The Big G pipes up, telepathically, to let the team know Tyros must be humbled. A two-page fight ensues, and after the Thing lays one haymaker on the warlord and is about to deliver another, Galax steps in and zaps Tyros with an energy beam, apparently having set the humble bar pretty low. The locals now approach the Fabs to report the war-men lost power when Tyros did, and to thank the FF for freeing them, this soon after betraying our quartet.
What suck-ups.
His herald biz attended to, Galax and the Fabs board his spherical scout ship and speed toward Earth, there to confront the Sphinx. An epilogue has the Watcher explaining that the Sphinx "has (already) made his base upon the Earth" and a great battle is coming.
Then Chrome Dome, in full bummer mode, predicts "Earth, fair Terra," is tabbed for destruction!
-Mark Barsotti
Mark: This one rolls along nicely, moon or planet confusion notwithstanding, building momentum toward next month's expected Galactus-Sphinx smackdown (my money's on the Big G, for an early round k.o.).
The Sinnott-Byrne art (Joltin' Joe gets top billing because John's only doing the rough layouts) is polished to the expected high sheen, from exotic splash page, to the creepy-if-hot members of Tyros' harem and clobberin'-time combat. No problem with the pretty pictures. As for the looong story arc itself (which stretched back to the Skrulls and Xandar, Nova and the Generics, and Johnny's solo foolishness with Security U), I've no real feel as to how it'll play out, quality-wise. The components are all in place for a memorable epic or an epic fail.
Matthew: Sure, it’s great that with Byrnott on hand (not that I had any complaints about Pollard), we have artwork befitting the so-called “World’s Greatest Comic Magazine,” but it’s not cool that in the first—and supposedly flagship—title of the Marvel Age, we have to say, “Thank goodness there’s some compensation!” Terrax? Feh. The FF quickly expose him as a cowering bully, yet this clown is considered a suitable successor to the noble Norrin Radd? The only part of this half-baked origin for which I give Marv any credit, assuming it was his own interpretation rather than the original intent of creators Lee and Conway, was having the former Tyros complete a quartet of heralds representing the classical elements earth, air, fire, and water.
Chris: Marv’s handling of this title finally is beginning to grow on me. Very good choice to attend to the process of identification, humbling, and transformation of Galactus’ new herald, all within one issue. I’m sure a part of Marv wanted desperately to check in with Agatha Harkness, and Frankie Raye, and Willie Lumpkin! (after all, who knows which other note-worthies might be on his postal route, right?), which would require the FF’s arrival at the city of Terran to eat up the entire issue, with the reveal of Tyros the Terrible Tyrannical Tamer coming no sooner than story-page 17. So, extra points to Marv the Editor for electing to move things along expediently.
Galactus’ heralds always manage to be impressive, but Terrax clearly represents a departure. Nice work by His G-ness to identify a fundamental flaw in his previous design, as the other beings to serve him had all been “men of morality! And thus their moral natures have forced them to betray Galactus who[m] they served!” Tyros doesn’t appear to be someone to be restricted by qualms about handing over planets for plunder; so far so good. Galactus also is “prepared for [his] treachery,” as the newly-empowered Terrax tries to take down the Biggest Gheese, prompting G to reduce Terrax to a squishable bug; as befits a true thug, Terrax swears loyalty, once he’s been put in his place. In a way, the earlier sequence of Tyros getting some push-back from the FF (“Never before has Tyros been struck!”) sets him up for Galactus’ assertion of dominance. Just as Tyros had been accustomed to rule, his rule had been uncontested; now, faced with a far-greater power, Terrax bows.
“The Cult of Doom”
Story by Michael Fleisher
Art by Don Perlin
Colors by George Roussos
Letters by Diana Albers
Cover by Bob Budiansky and Bob Wiacek
The fanatical members of the Cult of Death gather on a high desert mountain. Armed with flamethrowers, two Death Cyclists perform a joust on motorcycles — both are burned alive in a huge explosion. Their masked leader then commands that the daughter of State Senator Arthur Sterling be dragged forward: the kidnapped Karen is to be sacrificed as a warning to her meddling father. She is tossed off the cliff. Luckily, Ghost Rider is racing below on his Skull Cycle and catches her at the last minute. The Rider hails down a patrol car and hands Miss Sterling to the amazed officers.
Later, the Spirit of Vengeance transforms back into Johnny Blaze, absorbing his flaming bike. Walking along the highway, Blaze soon comes across Harley Baggs’ Cycle Shop and impresses the owner with his mechanical skill — Johnny is hired on the spot. The next day, Harley insists that his new employee enter the local rally. Even through riding a sub-par bike, as a professional stuntman, Blaze is concerned that he has an unfair advantage over the other contestants. So he is surprised when one of the riders takes a large lead.
Tom: Since this is such a horrendously plotted and written series, I have a theory. Now I haven’t read the next issue of Ghost Rider — I prolong that torture for as long as possible — but four new “characters” were introduced here: Arthur and Karen Sterling, Harley Baggs and the faceless leader of the Death Cult. Now Harley was quickly fried and Karen was nearly killed by the Cult. However, Senator Sterling is never seen only mentioned. So, I deduce that, in a “shocking” turn of events, the Senator will revealed to be the leader of the Cult. The lazy and unimaginable Michael Fleisher is not going to waste the effort of coming up with a character name and then just throw it away. The subject of a Marvel University Sunday Special, an issue of Atomic Comics' long-forgotten The Grim Jester used the same tack: the crusading Senator Wu was uncovered as the leader of the psychos murdering handicapped children in New York City, including his own daughter. Not sure who should be more embarrassed, the talentless creator of The Grim Jester or Fleisher.
Chris: Michael Fleisher sets the tone well from the start, as Ghost Rider (possibly responding to internal cues from Johnny Blaze, right?) saves the young woman plunging from the cliff, and thinks of the “vermin who require punishment … only the Ghost Rider can administer!” Once he’s handed the unconscious woman off to the law, GR proceeds to ride off, so he can … find a dark cave, revert to Johnny, and catch some ZZZs. Well okay, Ghost Rider’s an intense bag, I dig it, so after some shut-eye (which he has to do as Johnny, since GR has no eyes in his empty skull-sockets), GR’s gonna whup him some death worshippers, right? Uh, no, first Johnny’s got to get some breakfast, and meet a cycle jock, and then go to a road rally. O-kay.
Fleisher does manage to turn his attention back to the cultists at the very end, as they burn “Harley” (a real stretch for the character’s name …) and his garage, which prompts GR to act (“Yeah, that’s right – those cultists who threw the woman off the cliff! I meant to scald them with the very fires of hell for their misdeeds!”). Then we’re left with a cliffhanger – sorry, a cliff-faller, to be accurate. Not much suspense here, as falling a great height never has caused serious harm to GR in the past; Fleisher tries to pump it up with “a height which even he cannot survive!” but I’m not buying that for a minute. So, once GR does survive the fall, and makes good on his promise to properly punish the cultists (as we well know, to be seen next issue), something tells me this story will wind up fitting comfortably in a single issue; all Fleisher would have to do is cut the Johnny stuff by half, and keep the pedal down on the quest for vengeance.
"... And Now El Dorado!"
Story by Roger Stern
Art by Sal Buscema and Joe Sinnott
Colors by Glynis Wein
Letters by John Costanza
Cover by Al Milgrom
The Hulk (with the unconscious Goldbug in tow) is led to the peaceful city of El Dorado. The people there bow and scrape before him to offer their respect, but Jade Jaws will have none of it. The last thing he wants is to be crowded by puny humans. He is taken before They, three men in fabulous outfits: Prince Rey, the aged Des and Lann, so-called Keeper of the Sacred Flame. Des shows the Hulk an image of Jarella and convinces him her body is being experimented on by his enemies at Gamma Base. Hulk flies into a rage, but Des keeps goading him until his rage is so freaking huge, it triggers the transformation back to Bruce Banner. He is taken away and cared for.
Meanwhile, back in Nevada, Betty Ross returns to Gamma Base, now a pilot of all things, and wants to help her father. However, she is told that Doc Samson took Old T-bolt away somewhere for treatment.
Matthew: To give credit where it’s due, that is one seriously cool cover by Editori-Al, although I can’t remember when Milgrom starts calling himself that. Meanwhile, Sterno and Sal certainly could not “welcome Joe Sinnott to the pages of The Incredible Hulk” any more warmly than I, yet it’s, um, incredible to think that it is just his second issue after #226, followed only by fewer than a dozen between #274 and 292. So let’s enjoy the work of my favorite inker while we can, which isn’t hard to do anytime Joltin’ Joe embellishes a Buscema, giving us plenty of eye candy to savor as we start to wonder if, like the Machine Man trilogy, this arc is going on a bit too long, especially since the current installment is really little more than a protracted setup.
Addendum: Having now read the next issue, I know it’s not directly followed up on there, and I won’t provide any spoilers, but I loved how the supposedly not-so-bright Hulk looked at Aged Des and said, “Hulk knows you.” And by gum, he was right! That was a nice touch.
Sterno keeps us guessing as Hulk enters El Dorado. Hulk’s been wary about coming to They’s city since he was met by Tulak at the end of #239; since Hulk has been on edge – granted, for good reason, based on greenskin’s past experience nearly every time he’s found himself in new surroundings – we the readers have been kept in suspense too, awaiting the attack to begin. The reception by the populace doesn’t help us (or the Hulk) figure out what’s happening, as they (the populace I mean this time, not their rulers) greet him as a champion. But, what’s happening in El Dorado that requires a savior? We’re kept in the dark.
"... A Man's Home Is His Battlefield!"
Story by Bob Layton and David Michelinie
Art by John Romita, Jr. and Bob Layton
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Bob Layton
In a spectacular splash page, IM scatters the “Super-Army” with his wide-beam repulsor blasts, and as they regroup, Hammer explains, “It is my pleasure to offer sanctuary and financial aid to those particular gentlemen and ladies…for a mere 50% of their profits.” Aptly, Stiletto and Discus are the first to fall as he lowers his plexiglass shields, preventing the former’s projectiles from penetrating his mask, then repels the latter’s with reverse magnetism, knocking one partner out with the other. The rest attack en masse “in a multicolored wave of calculated violence” that mirrors Layton’s memorable cover; taking to the air, he rips off the Beetle’s wings and uses his tentacles to propel him into the Leap-Frog, turning the attempted rescue into a rout.
No doubt eliciting lusty jeers from Professor Tom, the indescribably lame Water Wizard (created by Jim Shooter, you will recall) uses his power to form a “surf-scooter” and flee while Hammer turns the equally ineffectual Spymaster into a messenger boy, ordering him to find the navigator and have him prepare the “lift pods.” Blizzard and the Melter fare no better with their hot-and-cold “Atlantic City stratagem” the second time, as IM knocks their heads together with a mighty “FLOB,” and then, after confusing Man-Killer with his image projector, he repeats his crack-the-whip routine by absorbing the electricity from the Constrictor’s coils and flinging him into her. Last, and perhaps least, the Porcupine’s costume explodes when his mini-grenades are aborted…
Matthew: As reaffirmations go, defeating a dozen villains in fewer pages isn’t bad, even if the threat posed by these mid-to-low-level heavies is due strictly to quantity rather than quality (demonstrated by the embarrassing ease with which most are laid low), and any sense of triumph is erased by the words I hoped I wouldn’t have to transcribe—“Next Issue: Demon in a Bottle!” But there’ll be ample time to bemoan that next month. I normally don’t provide so much blow-by-blow for the fight scenes, yet here it seemed suitable, partly because of the number of participants involved, and partly because such an “epic” conflict would appear to be this issue’s raison d’être, yet it’s over in no time, only emphasizing what losers these clowns are; Whiplash literally does nothing!
Chris: I’ve always found the battle with the “super-army” (as touted by the cover) to be too brief, and that’s because it is; by page 11 – the seventh story-page – the villains have been routed, and Hammer’s on the run. Iron Man’s ease with his opponents (the outcome is never in doubt) demonstrates the improved armor’s might, but also shows you what a fighting-mad Stark can do; Michelinie puts it best, when he tells us Stark “can think of nothing quite so purging as a fist well-planted in a threatening face” (p 3).
I’d forgotten Jarvis’ resignation following Tony’s insulting comment; it’s a very effective story device. Jarvis has seen and done it all with the Avengers (including being knocked out by the Whizzer a few times, you’ll recall). To think he’s been driven to the point of bowing out helps illustrate how unpleasant the environment has become thanks to Tony’s behavior; when you look back, there already had been tension brewing due to Iron Man’s Midas-crisis-enforced absences. I will say Michelinie gets the tone and content of the resignation letter all wrong; Jarvis would never grandstand (and certainly would not employ improper contractions) in a letter like that – if anything, a succinct one or two lines would be more professional, and in its way, more cutting.
Matthew: As we now know, Michelinie didn’t write it or—per a subsequent lettercol—approve of the substitution.
"Shuttle Diplomacy!"
Story by Bill Mantlo
Art by Sal Buscema and Klaus Janson
Colors by Ben Sean
Letters by Clem Robins
Cover by Rich Buckler and Klaus Janson
The prevention of Adama’s assassination by Sire Uri’s forces resulted in the commander being trapped in the memory machine. He cannot be removed forcibly without danger of being lost in his memories forever. Meanwhile the fleet is in danger, as three ships have gone missing in the starless void. However, rather than showing us this intriguing plot, they instead subject us to some of Adama’s creaky old memories of his time as a Captain with his buddy Lieutenant Tigh. Adama and Tigh are assigned to the planet Scorpia to transport the Scorpian ambassador to the Counsel of Twelve to sign some pact. Adama hates this place. The Scorpians have placed their total dependency in the hands of robots, letting them do the work while the population grows fat and lazy. On the way to the embassy in their hovermobile, Adama sees a walkway collapsing, so using his Jedi powers…I mean, using his superior warrior skill… he saves them from certain death. All the way to the embassy, Adama bellyaches about how crapulent this society is. Honestly, the guy’s a tool. Anyhoo, Adama and Tigh meet the Ambassador, a shadowy, robed individual, who declines fighter escort and prefers her own robot-manned, poorly-armed transport to the Galactica. On the way, they are attacked by Cylons. Without proper weapons, Adama takes the ship to the nearby planet Vesper, a planet ravaged by storms. They crash-land and the robots take up defensive positions. The human passengers refuse to fight; fighting is for robots. The Ambassador takes up arms and says she will fight then, boringly, she reveals that she is a robot. She gives her life for the lazy slobs in the shuttle and they fight back in her honor and agree to work hand in hand with the robots as partners. -Scott McIntyre
Scott: Oh lordy. Was this some leftover Star Wars story? It smells a lot like an old “tale of Obi-Wan” fill-in. This really sucks; BSG started off really strong and was building up momentum until they ground to a halt with this memory machine BS. Now we have flashbacks that give us NOTHING. No new insights, just fill-ins. Young Adama is more of a stuffed shirt than Old Adama, a guy continually on his soapbox and bitching about how lazy the people of Scorpia are. The art is middling, the story predictable, and I am struggling to stay awake.
"The Weapon-Makers of Mars!"
Story by Peter Gillis
Art by Larry Hama and Ricardo Villamonte
Colors by Bob Sharen
Letters by Diana Albers
Cover by Bob McLeod and Klaus Janson
On an atmosphere-mapping expedition with Kantos, Carter picks the dead city of Aaanthor as a campsite, yet eminent scientist Sasoom Thil’s dismay only grows with the appearance of a huge, hitherto-unknown bug. Inside a chamber they find a group of white apes, apparently paralyzed while clambering toward a throne equipped with shackles that are locked and unbroken, yet empty. Sentry Gur (sic) Hajus spots a thoat-drawn chariot that bears a light-skinned couple and is pursued by a horde of green men without rifles, one of whom suddenly grows gigantic, and then dissolves “in a coruscating blaze of color”; all have vanished without a trace, but that night, after they camp outside the gates, Kantos re-enters to investigate.
Confounding his foes with visions of Barsoom’s former glory, he believes that after sufficient sacrifices, the gods will give him their power and secret, yet as Carter overcomes the paralysis (presumably due to his Earthly physiognomy) and attacks, the vault opens at last to reveal...bugs. While the priest collapses in shock, John pushes buttons on the sceptre until he frees his friends, destroys it, and leads the group away, planning to seal off Aaanthor for Barsoom’s protection. No sooner have they left than the bugs, now activated, project a holographic image of a beautiful white woman, who prepares to share records of the knowledge—“wonders undreamed of!”—her long-dead civilization learned too late, as the oceans died and hordes of green men approached...
-Matthew Bradley
On a related note, while re-reading the final books, I learned that en route from Horz to Gathol in the second novelette comprising Llana of Gathol, Carter finds a “great rift valley” he compares to the Grand Canyon, a concept Claremont clearly appropriated for “Master Assassin.” ERB’s is inhabited not by winged offshoots of the Orovars, the white-skinned race Carter had encountered in Horz (seen in Annual #1), but by a contingent of the novelette’s eponymous “Black Pirates of Barsoom” from the Valley Dor, the self-styled First Born introduced in The Gods of Mars. This occasions the umpteenth retelling of the Tree of Life creation story adapted in #15; indeed, Llana touches on all three of Barsoom’s lesser-known races, the black, white, and yellow men of Mars.
"Amazons of Mars!"
Story by Marv Wolfman, Alan Weiss, and Chris Claremont
Art by Alan Weiss and Tony DeZuniga
Colors by Roger Slifer
Letters by Jim Novak
Cover by Alan Weiss
Visiting a mine on the Korz Plateau on behalf of the Jeddak, who is shaken by the extent of the guild’s aborted coup, Carter finds the men’s loyalty as firm as ever—as well it might be when he not only works beside them, but also frees foreman Kharis Hol from a boulder trapping him after the first of two gas explosions. En route back to Helium, he sees three fliers chasing a woman on the ground; downing two and driving off one, he learns that she is Klys, pursued by slavers, and offers to take her to her city, north of the Equator and the rift valley. Known as Paradise, it seems at first to live up to its name, populated entirely by lovely women...yet warning signs begin as, unresisting, he is relieved of his weapons.
Klys explains that “the ambush in the desert was a charade,” and Carter, a victim of “the will-destroying poison in our perfume and lip paint,” is chained to the pillar as a sacrifice to their goddess. Part II shifts to Dejah’s perspective as the ceremony begins and, unnoticed amid their hypnotic trance, one of the dancing Amazons vanishes. Tars Tarkas has plucked her up by the hair, in order that Dejah may change clothes with and impersonate her, while flashbacks reveal that seeking John, they found evidence of the ambush, slipped past the sleeping bat-men in the deserted avenues of a city, and discovered the cave; trusting in speed and surprise, Dejah orders Tars to return to their flier and, when signaled with her radium pistol, fly in with cannon blasting.
Matthew: Aptly, what might be considered this title’s true final issue marks a collaboration between its two regular writers: Wolfman, who plots with penciler Weiss, and scripter Claremont. It’s not a bad send-off for our favorite transplanted Jasoomian, an apparent original nonetheless seasoned with both Burroughs flavor and Chris’s trademark humanism, while our three stalwart heroes are very much in character. As in #28, where Kantos seeks to prove he has fully recovered from nearly dying at the hands of the guild, references to the aftermath of “The Master Assassin of Mars” give these two essentially stand-alone final stories the feeling of being in continuity, rather than fill-ins, and I share the sadness of the creators, who reportedly found Carter “a joy to work on.”
Chris: Warlord of Mars was one of those titles I didn’t read during my Bronze era dutiful-collector period. I wasn’t into ERB, and I typically didn’t pick up titles that weren’t woven in to the mainstream Marvel universe. That said, I now own most of the series, and while they aren’t earth-shattering comics, I’m glad to have had a chance to read and enjoy (most of) them. It’s a solid story to end Carter’s Marvel run; since both chapters are exactly seventeen pages in length, it’s my working theory that this had been plotted out as two regular issues, which then were pasted together into the Annual format, once Carter’s monthly title had been cancelled for the second, and final, time.
I’ve heard Alan Weiss is one of those people who could take forever to complete an assignment, so as much as I appreciate the look he brings to this title, and although I might wish he could’ve been a regular artist for JCWoM, I can understand why that might not’ve worked out. The great time-requirement also precludes Weiss from self-inking. DeZuniga is a curious choice (do I say that every time -?), but overall Carter and Dejah typically look the way they should, and the women of Paradise look fine (sorry, I meant fiiinne …), so I really can’t complain. The encounter with the goddess could’ve been a big mistake, but our art-team hits on the right other-worldly look for her (p 42); we also have a sense of her benevolence, when she restores Carter and Dejah (p 44). Points also to Roger Slifer for his colors, which not only contribute to the different appearances of all the women (p 19, 26), but also set the flashback apart (a greenish hue on p 27), and add to the unreal appearance of the lava-goddess.
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