Into the Jaws of A.I.M.!
By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Sep 1967
Cap rushes in to save an agent of SHIELD, the girl whose name he does not know. Using a long-distance mini-cruiser emblazoned with the logo of SHIELD, cap searches underwater for AIM's Submarine HQ. He finds it but is spotted and subdued by AIM.
They take his shield but he is only held captive temporarily. He escapes with some help from the SHIELD agent he was sent to rescue. She pretends to give him a kiss while actually using her anti-polar coveralls to release him from the magnetic baseplate to which he is secured.
How wacky is it that she just happened to be wearing anti-polar coveralls?
They fight the scientists of AIM and find Cap's shield. Cap wants her to leave but she insists on staying to complete her mission: gathering intel on something or someone called MODOK. He tries to profess his love for her but she cuts him off; there's no time for that. Distracted by their conversation, AIM gets the jump on the two SHIELD agents. Cap is hit with a paralyzingly ray. His companion is compelled by the voice MODOK to approach him and sinks into the floor as Cap worries that he has failed her just as he failed Bucky during WWII.
1/31
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21290/
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The Private Eye 6
by Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin
Mar 2014
Deputy Correspondent Strunk of the Fourth Estate shows up at the hospital, Schwarzenegger Medical Center, where Melanie is recovering. Her sister or mother or female friend is with her. Strunk can't get a moment alone with Melanie but he does let drop some of what he knows he about where she was and the death of Taj McGill and what went down at the library.
Raveena and PI harass the guy they caught up to in the previous issue; the one who mistook Raveena for Taj. Eventually he gives up Nebular's name and where he lives. Raveena also picks up from the guy that the man her sister was interested in was DeGuerre.
The visual storytelling in this issue (or maybe is is just the action) isn't quite as spectacularly beautiful as in earlier installments. Maybe it is just that this is an in between type of chapter.
Nebular and DeGuerre talk details about the rocket and the internet. DeGuerre is hoping to launch a satellite with the rocket. Presumably the satellite is what will facilitate the beginnings of the rebirth of the Internet.
DeGuerre's henchmen go to visit Melanie in the hospital. They have orders to bring her back alive. They sedate her and start to wheel her out in a wheelchair when Strunk spots them. A gun fight ensues in the hospital. A doctor and one of the kidnappers is killed. Strunk is hit in the gut but I'm a little confused because some of the rounds fired were paint ball rounds and it is unclear if he was hit in the gut with live ammo or a paintball round.
While all this is going on PI and Raveena have taken the subway out to Santa Monica to try and find Nebular. There's a beautiful splash page of Santa Monica and the Wonderwall. There's no explanation as to the purpose of the Wonderwall just yet.
Nebular isn't home. The pair breaks into his place and takes a look around. They find a sex doll and a shotgun. Just then someone approaches the apartment. PI suggests they should leave before they are discovered. Raveena has other ideas about how to handle the situation.
1/31
Mar 2014
Deputy Correspondent Strunk of the Fourth Estate shows up at the hospital, Schwarzenegger Medical Center, where Melanie is recovering. Her sister or mother or female friend is with her. Strunk can't get a moment alone with Melanie but he does let drop some of what he knows he about where she was and the death of Taj McGill and what went down at the library.
Raveena and PI harass the guy they caught up to in the previous issue; the one who mistook Raveena for Taj. Eventually he gives up Nebular's name and where he lives. Raveena also picks up from the guy that the man her sister was interested in was DeGuerre.
The visual storytelling in this issue (or maybe is is just the action) isn't quite as spectacularly beautiful as in earlier installments. Maybe it is just that this is an in between type of chapter.
Nebular and DeGuerre talk details about the rocket and the internet. DeGuerre is hoping to launch a satellite with the rocket. Presumably the satellite is what will facilitate the beginnings of the rebirth of the Internet.
DeGuerre's henchmen go to visit Melanie in the hospital. They have orders to bring her back alive. They sedate her and start to wheel her out in a wheelchair when Strunk spots them. A gun fight ensues in the hospital. A doctor and one of the kidnappers is killed. Strunk is hit in the gut but I'm a little confused because some of the rounds fired were paint ball rounds and it is unclear if he was hit in the gut with live ammo or a paintball round.
While all this is going on PI and Raveena have taken the subway out to Santa Monica to try and find Nebular. There's a beautiful splash page of Santa Monica and the Wonderwall. There's no explanation as to the purpose of the Wonderwall just yet.
Nebular isn't home. The pair breaks into his place and takes a look around. They find a sex doll and a shotgun. Just then someone approaches the apartment. PI suggests they should leave before they are discovered. Raveena has other ideas about how to handle the situation.
1/31
Monday, January 30, 2017
Jivaro Death!
By Harvey Kurtzman
Two-Fisted Tales 19
Jan-Feb 1951
Reprinted in Corpse on the Imjin and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzmsn
Slick Charlie kills a diamond courier in South America and takes his credentials. He gets away with it thanks to some help from Garcia, whom he later double crosses. After impersonating the diamond courier he takes a roundabout route to get to the Pacific coast. He gets caught by the Jivaro people. Smitty his new assistant is tortured to death while Charlie listens to his screams. Charlie avoids torture but not death at the hands of the Jivaro.
The twist at the end of this story wasn't the strongest. It felt a bit weak and tacked on at the end. The strength in this story is the way in which it is told up to that point.
1/30
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/8669/
Two-Fisted Tales 19
Jan-Feb 1951
Reprinted in Corpse on the Imjin and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzmsn
Slick Charlie kills a diamond courier in South America and takes his credentials. He gets away with it thanks to some help from Garcia, whom he later double crosses. After impersonating the diamond courier he takes a roundabout route to get to the Pacific coast. He gets caught by the Jivaro people. Smitty his new assistant is tortured to death while Charlie listens to his screams. Charlie avoids torture but not death at the hands of the Jivaro.
The twist at the end of this story wasn't the strongest. It felt a bit weak and tacked on at the end. The strength in this story is the way in which it is told up to that point.
1/30
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/8669/
Thursday, January 26, 2017
The Fade Out 11
Anyone Else But Me
By Ed Brubaker, Sean Philips, Elizabeth Breitweiser
Nov 2015
Charlie remembers a night he shared with Val. It was the night before Rath's party, which also makes it the night before she was murdered. He was sent to find Val and bring her back. She was staying at a small place in Malibu which looks a lot like the place Maya later stayed.
Charlie found her collapsed by the toilet. He helped her up. Listened to her and ended up telling her his story, about his problems and insecurities. They slept together that night, fully clothed.
Charlie can't be the killer, despite the holes in his memories. That's how I feel right now. Could it be Gil? Considering how this chapter ends I think not. Is there an answer, a satisfying answer, to the mystery of who killed Val? Possibly not. Drake Miller seems like too obvious a suspect. I'm not sure who else to pin it on.
Charlie tells Gil about that night just before they head up to Al Kamp's place. Their plan is to get him alone, get him liquored up and get him to spill the beans, find out what he had on Val. They take their time sneaking in, the tension builds until they find Kamp in the bathtub, dead.
They get chased out of Kamp's place by a man with a gun. Gil also has a gun. They run back through the woods to the car. The man shoots at them but they get away. It isn't until they are barreling down the road that Charlie notices that Gil's been shot and it looks serious.
1/26
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/1504118/
By Ed Brubaker, Sean Philips, Elizabeth Breitweiser
Nov 2015
Charlie remembers a night he shared with Val. It was the night before Rath's party, which also makes it the night before she was murdered. He was sent to find Val and bring her back. She was staying at a small place in Malibu which looks a lot like the place Maya later stayed.
Charlie found her collapsed by the toilet. He helped her up. Listened to her and ended up telling her his story, about his problems and insecurities. They slept together that night, fully clothed.
Charlie can't be the killer, despite the holes in his memories. That's how I feel right now. Could it be Gil? Considering how this chapter ends I think not. Is there an answer, a satisfying answer, to the mystery of who killed Val? Possibly not. Drake Miller seems like too obvious a suspect. I'm not sure who else to pin it on.
Charlie tells Gil about that night just before they head up to Al Kamp's place. Their plan is to get him alone, get him liquored up and get him to spill the beans, find out what he had on Val. They take their time sneaking in, the tension builds until they find Kamp in the bathtub, dead.
They get chased out of Kamp's place by a man with a gun. Gil also has a gun. They run back through the woods to the car. The man shoots at them but they get away. It isn't until they are barreling down the road that Charlie notices that Gil's been shot and it looks serious.
1/26
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/1504118/
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Eternals (1976) 14
Ikaris and the Cosmic Powered Hulk
By Jack Kirby and Mike Royer
Aug 1977
Rusty and Arthur, a couple students at the Maryland Institute of Technology, working late at night, create a mechanical replica of the Hulk. Doctor Timothy Ryan orders them to shut their experiment down. Before they dismantle their creation it comes back to "life" and goes on a rampage.
The energy source that revived the "Huk" is the waves of cosmic energy emanating from the Uni-Mind, the union of all the Eternals. After the Uni-Mind ceremony is over Ikaris, Makarri, and Sersi are drawn to the fake Hulk by readings of cosmic energy. The fake Hulk proves to be a difficult opponent to beat. It takes down Makarri fairly easily. In the end Ikaris uses a power he has not used before, disintegrating eye beams, on the monstrosity in the hopes that power will work where brute force did not.
This felt a bit more like a Hulk comic with guest appearances by the Eternals even though it is really the other way around. It lacked the grandeur that most of other issues of Eternals have contained and did very little to advance the overarching story.
The art also didn't seem to be on a par with earlier issues. There was just one splash page, page 1, and there were a lot more crowded pages and panels.
Eternal Utterings
3 more letters all more or less positive with some interesting perspectives on how to read the book. Editorial responses call for an end to debate over whether or not the series should take place in the Marvel Universe proper which today is known as the 616.
Marvel Bullpen Bulletins
Annuals: Iron Man (guest-starring the Champions); Captain America (versus Magneto)
7-Eleven Slurpee featuring Marvel characters are back
Godzilla; What If the Invaders Had Stayed Together After World War II; Remembering Bob Brown
1/24
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/31324/
By Jack Kirby and Mike Royer
Aug 1977
Rusty and Arthur, a couple students at the Maryland Institute of Technology, working late at night, create a mechanical replica of the Hulk. Doctor Timothy Ryan orders them to shut their experiment down. Before they dismantle their creation it comes back to "life" and goes on a rampage.
The energy source that revived the "Huk" is the waves of cosmic energy emanating from the Uni-Mind, the union of all the Eternals. After the Uni-Mind ceremony is over Ikaris, Makarri, and Sersi are drawn to the fake Hulk by readings of cosmic energy. The fake Hulk proves to be a difficult opponent to beat. It takes down Makarri fairly easily. In the end Ikaris uses a power he has not used before, disintegrating eye beams, on the monstrosity in the hopes that power will work where brute force did not.
This felt a bit more like a Hulk comic with guest appearances by the Eternals even though it is really the other way around. It lacked the grandeur that most of other issues of Eternals have contained and did very little to advance the overarching story.
The art also didn't seem to be on a par with earlier issues. There was just one splash page, page 1, and there were a lot more crowded pages and panels.
Eternal Utterings
3 more letters all more or less positive with some interesting perspectives on how to read the book. Editorial responses call for an end to debate over whether or not the series should take place in the Marvel Universe proper which today is known as the 616.
Marvel Bullpen Bulletins
Annuals: Iron Man (guest-starring the Champions); Captain America (versus Magneto)
7-Eleven Slurpee featuring Marvel characters are back
Godzilla; What If the Invaders Had Stayed Together After World War II; Remembering Bob Brown
1/24
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/31324/
Joe Kubert Presents 1
Dec 2012
- 1 -
Hawkman by Joe Kubert
19 pages
A bit of a throwback. The story feels dated especially the part where the bad guys are dark skinned people from a primitive culture. The art is very pretty. I believe Joe did it all, including the colors and it shows in places like the Hawkman logo above the double page spread.
- 2 -
Angel and the Ape by Brian Buniak
8 pages
Amusing. Not really my cup of tea. Reminded me of the kind of stories I read in Mad Magaxine back in the day, both in the tone and the look of the story except for the fact that this one is in color.
- 3 -
Spit by Joe Kubert
5 pages
Story of an orphan in a whaling village. A bit overly sentimental for my tastes. I'm not sure exactly how to describe the technique used here but it looks like pencils with a wash of tan.
- 4 -
U.S.S. Stevens by Sam Glanzman
10 pages
Stories of war from WWII. The art isn't the prettiest but it gets the job done. The stories, and depending on how you count them there are at least three of them in this short piece, all moved me. They are all sad stories, not very uplifting, but they are the sort of tales that need to be told. If there is any ray of hope in this piece it is how even in the savagery of war people are able to find time to make friends are care about others.
1/24
- 1 -
Hawkman by Joe Kubert
19 pages
A bit of a throwback. The story feels dated especially the part where the bad guys are dark skinned people from a primitive culture. The art is very pretty. I believe Joe did it all, including the colors and it shows in places like the Hawkman logo above the double page spread.
- 2 -
Angel and the Ape by Brian Buniak
8 pages
Amusing. Not really my cup of tea. Reminded me of the kind of stories I read in Mad Magaxine back in the day, both in the tone and the look of the story except for the fact that this one is in color.
- 3 -
Spit by Joe Kubert
5 pages
Story of an orphan in a whaling village. A bit overly sentimental for my tastes. I'm not sure exactly how to describe the technique used here but it looks like pencils with a wash of tan.
- 4 -
U.S.S. Stevens by Sam Glanzman
10 pages
Stories of war from WWII. The art isn't the prettiest but it gets the job done. The stories, and depending on how you count them there are at least three of them in this short piece, all moved me. They are all sad stories, not very uplifting, but they are the sort of tales that need to be told. If there is any ray of hope in this piece it is how even in the savagery of war people are able to find time to make friends are care about others.
1/24
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Tales of Suspense 92
Before My Eyes... Nick Fury Dies!
By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Aug 1967
Agent 13, Sharon Carter, has infiltrated AIM and told them where Nick Fury can be found. The scientists of AIM use this information to send a Mecho-Assassin to kill Fury. Captain America arrives just in time to see the barber shop (which serves as a front for SHIELD HQ) get blown to pieces by the Mecho-Assassin.
Cap attacks the mechanical man. The Mecho-Assassin proves to be tough to beat but Cap wins in the end. As he is catching his breath after the fight Nick Fury shows up.
Fury tells Cap that the Nick Fury Cap saw killed was a robot, a Life Model Decoy (LMD). It was all part of a plan to convince AIM that Agent 13 had really changed sides. Cap's interference may have just cost Sharon her life.
Love how this chapter ends with playing on Cap's conscience to get him to volunteer to "invade AIM single-handed". That final panel of him standing there thinking about the danger he has put Sharon Carter (whose name he doesn't even know at this point) in, preparing himself mentally for what he has to do next: awesome.
About half of this chapter is the fight between Cap and the Mecho-Assassin.
This is just the 4th appearance of Agent 13. Her previous appearances were in Tales of Suspense 75, 76, and 85.
1/19
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21221/
By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Aug 1967
Agent 13, Sharon Carter, has infiltrated AIM and told them where Nick Fury can be found. The scientists of AIM use this information to send a Mecho-Assassin to kill Fury. Captain America arrives just in time to see the barber shop (which serves as a front for SHIELD HQ) get blown to pieces by the Mecho-Assassin.
Cap attacks the mechanical man. The Mecho-Assassin proves to be tough to beat but Cap wins in the end. As he is catching his breath after the fight Nick Fury shows up.
Fury tells Cap that the Nick Fury Cap saw killed was a robot, a Life Model Decoy (LMD). It was all part of a plan to convince AIM that Agent 13 had really changed sides. Cap's interference may have just cost Sharon her life.
Love how this chapter ends with playing on Cap's conscience to get him to volunteer to "invade AIM single-handed". That final panel of him standing there thinking about the danger he has put Sharon Carter (whose name he doesn't even know at this point) in, preparing himself mentally for what he has to do next: awesome.
About half of this chapter is the fight between Cap and the Mecho-Assassin.
This is just the 4th appearance of Agent 13. Her previous appearances were in Tales of Suspense 75, 76, and 85.
1/19
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/21221/
The Werewolf Legend
By Gardner Fox, Harry Harrison, Wally Wood
Vault of Horror 12
Apr-May 1950
Reprinted in Came the Dawn and Other Stories Illustrated by Wally Wood
Walter Mallory wakes up covered in blood and with fuzzy memories of what happened the night before. After he reads a family history he starts to believe he is a werewolf. There is of course a twist in end of the story.
Not bad, not the Frazetta art I am used to but he didn't draw it alone.
1/19
Vault of Horror 12
Apr-May 1950
Reprinted in Came the Dawn and Other Stories Illustrated by Wally Wood
Walter Mallory wakes up covered in blood and with fuzzy memories of what happened the night before. After he reads a family history he starts to believe he is a werewolf. There is of course a twist in end of the story.
Not bad, not the Frazetta art I am used to but he didn't draw it alone.
1/19
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Tales of the Green Lantern Corps 3
Triumph!
By Len Wein, Mike W. Barr, Joe Staton, Frank McLaughlin, Anthony Tollin
Jul 1981
The Green Lantern Corps recover and regroup from what looked like a death blow last issue. As a group they attack Krona once again. Krona is stronger than ever with the power that Nekron has bestowed upon him.
It is Hal Jordan who finally turns the battle when he travels into Nekron's realm and calls forth the deceased Green Lanterns to attack Nekron. This weakens Krona and the army of the undead and the Green Lanterns save the Universe.
I wish there was more to this story but it really is just as simple as that.
I could talk about the monkey looking creature named Tylot who breaks free from Nekron's control and is made a GL temporarily by Hal. When the battle ends his life ends too. This felt like filler and I didn't see the point in all this unless it was laying the ground work for a future story. Even if it was it wasn't compelling in the least.
I wasn't crazy about this story at all. The visual storytelling wasn't anything too exciting or groundbreaking even if the panel layouts were fairly nonstandard.
Corps Conflicts!
By Michael C. Carmichael
Green Lantern's oath is explained and explored, the words and their origins. The piece ends with a call for reader's versions of the oath.
1/18
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/35470/
By Len Wein, Mike W. Barr, Joe Staton, Frank McLaughlin, Anthony Tollin
Jul 1981
The Green Lantern Corps recover and regroup from what looked like a death blow last issue. As a group they attack Krona once again. Krona is stronger than ever with the power that Nekron has bestowed upon him.
It is Hal Jordan who finally turns the battle when he travels into Nekron's realm and calls forth the deceased Green Lanterns to attack Nekron. This weakens Krona and the army of the undead and the Green Lanterns save the Universe.
I wish there was more to this story but it really is just as simple as that.
I could talk about the monkey looking creature named Tylot who breaks free from Nekron's control and is made a GL temporarily by Hal. When the battle ends his life ends too. This felt like filler and I didn't see the point in all this unless it was laying the ground work for a future story. Even if it was it wasn't compelling in the least.
I wasn't crazy about this story at all. The visual storytelling wasn't anything too exciting or groundbreaking even if the panel layouts were fairly nonstandard.
Corps Conflicts!
By Michael C. Carmichael
Green Lantern's oath is explained and explored, the words and their origins. The piece ends with a call for reader's versions of the oath.
1/18
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/35470/
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
The Private Eye 5
By Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos
Dec 2013
PI and Raveena survive the crash with the mail truck. The left side of hit face is cut up and her right arm is in a cast after they get attention from the EMTs. Melanie isn't dead but she's in much worse shape as she is carted off to Schwarzenegger Medical Center. The press and police try interviewing them but PI and Raveena refuse to answer questions and walk off without further harassment after Raveena says something nonsensical to the police officer.
DeGuerre deals with a scientist who has stumbled upon one of his secrets. The scientist doesn't suspect that it is DeGuerre's handiwork, he thinks someone else has hacked their system. He hasn't told anyone else yet so DeGuerre uses deadly force to silence the man; afterwards he calls in one of his gas mask wearing henchmen to clean the mess in his office.
There isn't a lot to this encounter but it is beautifully illustrated. I love the silhouette and the use of the company logo, KEEP WATCHING, in this sequence.
Raveena points out that Khalid DeGuerre seems to be central to her sister's library searches. They go looking for him but need some help finding him. They get a clue as to where he might be from Maps, another private investigator who is an acquaintance and former lover of PI, in exchange for a kiss.
They head to the Tubes where by chance they run into someone who mistakes Raveena for her sister. They chase him in this beautiful splash page of sorts, which is kind of a multi panel page without the panel borders. It is from him that they learn that DeGuerre wants to bring back the Internet.
Unbeknownst to PI and Raveena, his picture is in the paper and is spotted by one of DeGuerre's flunkies.
Maybe it's just me but I think the art in this installment, both the simple look of it and the visual storytelling are out of this world beautiful.
Included in the collected edition is the sales pitch for the series which lays out in black-and-white some things which have only been hinted at in the story.
1/17
Dec 2013
PI and Raveena survive the crash with the mail truck. The left side of hit face is cut up and her right arm is in a cast after they get attention from the EMTs. Melanie isn't dead but she's in much worse shape as she is carted off to Schwarzenegger Medical Center. The press and police try interviewing them but PI and Raveena refuse to answer questions and walk off without further harassment after Raveena says something nonsensical to the police officer.
DeGuerre deals with a scientist who has stumbled upon one of his secrets. The scientist doesn't suspect that it is DeGuerre's handiwork, he thinks someone else has hacked their system. He hasn't told anyone else yet so DeGuerre uses deadly force to silence the man; afterwards he calls in one of his gas mask wearing henchmen to clean the mess in his office.
There isn't a lot to this encounter but it is beautifully illustrated. I love the silhouette and the use of the company logo, KEEP WATCHING, in this sequence.
Raveena points out that Khalid DeGuerre seems to be central to her sister's library searches. They go looking for him but need some help finding him. They get a clue as to where he might be from Maps, another private investigator who is an acquaintance and former lover of PI, in exchange for a kiss.
They head to the Tubes where by chance they run into someone who mistakes Raveena for her sister. They chase him in this beautiful splash page of sorts, which is kind of a multi panel page without the panel borders. It is from him that they learn that DeGuerre wants to bring back the Internet.
Unbeknownst to PI and Raveena, his picture is in the paper and is spotted by one of DeGuerre's flunkies.
Maybe it's just me but I think the art in this installment, both the simple look of it and the visual storytelling are out of this world beautiful.
Included in the collected edition is the sales pitch for the series which lays out in black-and-white some things which have only been hinted at in the story.
1/17
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Eternals (1976) 13
The Astronauts
By Jack Kirby, Mike Royer
Jul 1977
Tode, leader of the Deviants sends three of his troops on a suicide mission to destroy the great spaceship of the Celestials. NASA also sends a spaceship to the great spaceship of the Celestials but it is on an exploratory mission to take pictures and learn about the great ship.
Third and finally a ship is launched from Olympia. Piloted by an unnamed Eternal who was sent by Sprite. He seems to be on a mission to stop the Deviants bomb-ship.
As the three ships near the Celestials craft at the same time a force within causes the occupants to change places. The unnamed Eternal winds up in the space-bomb. He rips the detonator to pieces at great personal cost to himself. The NASA astronauts find themselves in the Eternal's spacecraft which they pilot back to earth using the power of their minds. The Deviants find themselves in the NASA ship. Unfamiliar with the controls they are killed when it crashes as they try landing it back on Earth.
Lots of exposition which includes the introduction of a new Eternal. Not a hell of a lot to chew on here but there are hints that the story of the unnamed one is not over.
Eternal Utterings: more praise and grousing about the direction the book is headed
Marvel Bullpen Bulletins
Star Wars the comic book
Spider-Man & Nova crossover in Nova 12 and Amazing Spider-Man 171
Staff changes
Captain Britain to make his first stateside appearance in Marvel Team-Up
Annuals
1/12
By Jack Kirby, Mike Royer
Jul 1977
Tode, leader of the Deviants sends three of his troops on a suicide mission to destroy the great spaceship of the Celestials. NASA also sends a spaceship to the great spaceship of the Celestials but it is on an exploratory mission to take pictures and learn about the great ship.
Third and finally a ship is launched from Olympia. Piloted by an unnamed Eternal who was sent by Sprite. He seems to be on a mission to stop the Deviants bomb-ship.
As the three ships near the Celestials craft at the same time a force within causes the occupants to change places. The unnamed Eternal winds up in the space-bomb. He rips the detonator to pieces at great personal cost to himself. The NASA astronauts find themselves in the Eternal's spacecraft which they pilot back to earth using the power of their minds. The Deviants find themselves in the NASA ship. Unfamiliar with the controls they are killed when it crashes as they try landing it back on Earth.
Lots of exposition which includes the introduction of a new Eternal. Not a hell of a lot to chew on here but there are hints that the story of the unnamed one is not over.
Eternal Utterings: more praise and grousing about the direction the book is headed
Marvel Bullpen Bulletins
Star Wars the comic book
Spider-Man & Nova crossover in Nova 12 and Amazing Spider-Man 171
Staff changes
Captain Britain to make his first stateside appearance in Marvel Team-Up
Annuals
1/12
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Conquest!
By Harvey Kurtzmsn
Two-Fisted Tales 18
Nov-Dec 1950
Reprinted in Corpse on the Imjin and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzman
A story of violent and bloody conquest set in 16th century Mexico. Captain Juan Alvorado leads a force of Spaniards who have come for gold. They use their superior weapons to capture the city. Soon the Spaniards grow bored and less vigilant. The natives return and return bloodshed with bloodshed.
I have read this story before in color in Two-Fisted Tales Archive Vol. 1. I had my doubts going in but it really works well in black and white.
There's nothing particularly spectacular about the subject matter but the visual story-telling is great. Love the sense of motion in the action scenes. There's something about the shading effect Kurtzmsn uses in some panels that I really like.
If I had to single out one panel I guess it would be the opening splash page but there are no wasted panels in this story.
1/11
Two-Fisted Tales 18
Nov-Dec 1950
Reprinted in Corpse on the Imjin and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzman
A story of violent and bloody conquest set in 16th century Mexico. Captain Juan Alvorado leads a force of Spaniards who have come for gold. They use their superior weapons to capture the city. Soon the Spaniards grow bored and less vigilant. The natives return and return bloodshed with bloodshed.
I have read this story before in color in Two-Fisted Tales Archive Vol. 1. I had my doubts going in but it really works well in black and white.
There's nothing particularly spectacular about the subject matter but the visual story-telling is great. Love the sense of motion in the action scenes. There's something about the shading effect Kurtzmsn uses in some panels that I really like.
If I had to single out one panel I guess it would be the opening splash page but there are no wasted panels in this story.
1/11
Monday, January 9, 2017
The Fade Out 10
Where Angels Fear to Tread
By Ed Brubaker, Sean Philips, Elizabeth Breitweiser
Oct 2015
Charlie takes the reins of the operation that he and Gil are working together. He gets Gil to lure Brodsky out of his office and then breaks in to see what he can find.
He finds something but it doesn't make sense. It's a picture of Val but it is in a folder with Drake Miller's name on it. It isn't a recent picture but one from when she was still part of the Krazy Kids.
Charlie is still trying to remember what happened that night that Val was killed. He tries giving Earl Rath the third degree but that only seems to anger Rath and doesn't convince him of anything other than the possibility that maybe Rath doesn't know anything about what happened to Val.
There's another picture in the folder with Drake Miller's name on it. It is from the night Val died but it doesn't seem to help much. It is from the party. Val is in it, Charlie, Drake Miller, Tina, and Tyler Graves. I wondering if this may be a bit of misdirection on Brubaker's part. Charlie says it is him in the picture but his back is to the camera. What if he is wrong? What if it is someone else? I'm not sure who else it might be. Rath? I dunno.
What's Tyler Graves doing hanging out with them. He hasn't played much of a role in the story so far other than as a publicity stunt love interest for Maya.
This is a very Charlie-centric issue with the caveat that there's also a bit of insight given into Dottie. She catches Charlie coming out of Brodsky's office. Is she working for Brodsky on the side, snooping around and what not? Dunno. I don't get a strong feeling one way or the other. Honestly I was hoping for a little more reveal about her loyalties and motivations than was delivered.
She does warn him about continuing with his investigation. She deals in lies and tells him that the truth won't make it better. She seems genuinely concerned about it but it is hard to read whether she is concerned for him or some other reason.
In the backdrop of all this is the wrap party for the movie. It is there that Charlie questions Rath, after Charlie gets his clock cleaned by Franz Schmidt, the film's director.
I read this chapter twice, once before writing about it and once while writing about it. I'm still not sure how this is all going going to shakedown but I'm loving the ride.
The Secret Ingredient
Book Suggestions
- End of Everything by Megan Abbott
- Savage Lane by Jason Starr
Movie Suggestions
- Act of Violence
- Force of Evil
1/9
By Ed Brubaker, Sean Philips, Elizabeth Breitweiser
Oct 2015
Charlie takes the reins of the operation that he and Gil are working together. He gets Gil to lure Brodsky out of his office and then breaks in to see what he can find.
He finds something but it doesn't make sense. It's a picture of Val but it is in a folder with Drake Miller's name on it. It isn't a recent picture but one from when she was still part of the Krazy Kids.
Charlie is still trying to remember what happened that night that Val was killed. He tries giving Earl Rath the third degree but that only seems to anger Rath and doesn't convince him of anything other than the possibility that maybe Rath doesn't know anything about what happened to Val.
There's another picture in the folder with Drake Miller's name on it. It is from the night Val died but it doesn't seem to help much. It is from the party. Val is in it, Charlie, Drake Miller, Tina, and Tyler Graves. I wondering if this may be a bit of misdirection on Brubaker's part. Charlie says it is him in the picture but his back is to the camera. What if he is wrong? What if it is someone else? I'm not sure who else it might be. Rath? I dunno.
What's Tyler Graves doing hanging out with them. He hasn't played much of a role in the story so far other than as a publicity stunt love interest for Maya.
This is a very Charlie-centric issue with the caveat that there's also a bit of insight given into Dottie. She catches Charlie coming out of Brodsky's office. Is she working for Brodsky on the side, snooping around and what not? Dunno. I don't get a strong feeling one way or the other. Honestly I was hoping for a little more reveal about her loyalties and motivations than was delivered.
She does warn him about continuing with his investigation. She deals in lies and tells him that the truth won't make it better. She seems genuinely concerned about it but it is hard to read whether she is concerned for him or some other reason.
In the backdrop of all this is the wrap party for the movie. It is there that Charlie questions Rath, after Charlie gets his clock cleaned by Franz Schmidt, the film's director.
I read this chapter twice, once before writing about it and once while writing about it. I'm still not sure how this is all going going to shakedown but I'm loving the ride.
The Secret Ingredient
Book Suggestions
- End of Everything by Megan Abbott
- Savage Lane by Jason Starr
Movie Suggestions
- Act of Violence
- Force of Evil
1/9
Friday, January 6, 2017
Wolverine (2003) 31
Agent of SHIELD - Part 6
By Mark Miller, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson
Nov 2005
Wolverine tracks Gorgon to the Intensive Care Unit where Nick Fury is undergoing treatment. Gorgon is there to kill Fury. Wolvie arrived just in time and the rest of the issue is on big fight between Gorgon and Wolverine.
In the end Wolverine beats Gorgon by turning his own power, his gaze which turns people to stone, on him, using the reflective surface of his claws.
Beautiful art but definitely not a favorite story of mine. I thought the ending was a bit weak, shouldn't Gorgon be immune his own power? Or was that how Perseus slew the Gorgon Medusa? Either way I thought in terms of concept the story wasn't up to my tastes and was lacking in depth. The art was for the most part gorgeous. JRJR and Janson make one hell of a team.
1/6
By Mark Miller, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson
Nov 2005
Wolverine tracks Gorgon to the Intensive Care Unit where Nick Fury is undergoing treatment. Gorgon is there to kill Fury. Wolvie arrived just in time and the rest of the issue is on big fight between Gorgon and Wolverine.
In the end Wolverine beats Gorgon by turning his own power, his gaze which turns people to stone, on him, using the reflective surface of his claws.
Beautiful art but definitely not a favorite story of mine. I thought the ending was a bit weak, shouldn't Gorgon be immune his own power? Or was that how Perseus slew the Gorgon Medusa? Either way I thought in terms of concept the story wasn't up to my tastes and was lacking in depth. The art was for the most part gorgeous. JRJR and Janson make one hell of a team.
1/6
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
The Private Eye 4
By Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos
Oct 2013
The cover is a bit of foreshadowing which probably shouldn't be a surprise but that isn't always the case, generally speaking when it comes to comic books.
PI and Raveena go to a costume shop on Rodeo Drive (in Los Angeles?) looking for information on the guys in the gas masks. Raveena walks out with an orange and black spider superhero looking costume. The owner of the shop isn't very helpful with information about who might have bought a couple gas masks.
The guys in the gas masks who tried to kill Raveena and PI are working for De Guerre. Nebular is working on the rocket for De Guerre. From their conversation it is hard to tell but it seems like he is either fixing it, customizing it, or both.
PI and Raveena strong arm CG, a librarian, into helping them get access to Taj's records. Library records are sacrosanct. The late night/early morning operation goes smooth briefly until Ashleigh, another librarian, shows up. CG pretends like he doesn't know who they are but Ashleigh comes at them with a taser.
PI calls Melanie to come and pick them up. She isn't interested until she understands that they need a getaway driver. PI and Raveena get away from Ashleigh and CG and hookup with Melanie. Melanie tries some aggressive driving and that's where the cover comes into play as the small car they are in gets hit hard by a mail truck while trying to make a turn on red.
The final scene is of De Guerre. It looks like he is the president of some sort of corporation: "TeeVee Keep Watching" is the logo on the wall of his office.
Still enjoying the ride and eager for more.
1/4
Oct 2013
The cover is a bit of foreshadowing which probably shouldn't be a surprise but that isn't always the case, generally speaking when it comes to comic books.
PI and Raveena go to a costume shop on Rodeo Drive (in Los Angeles?) looking for information on the guys in the gas masks. Raveena walks out with an orange and black spider superhero looking costume. The owner of the shop isn't very helpful with information about who might have bought a couple gas masks.
The guys in the gas masks who tried to kill Raveena and PI are working for De Guerre. Nebular is working on the rocket for De Guerre. From their conversation it is hard to tell but it seems like he is either fixing it, customizing it, or both.
PI and Raveena strong arm CG, a librarian, into helping them get access to Taj's records. Library records are sacrosanct. The late night/early morning operation goes smooth briefly until Ashleigh, another librarian, shows up. CG pretends like he doesn't know who they are but Ashleigh comes at them with a taser.
PI calls Melanie to come and pick them up. She isn't interested until she understands that they need a getaway driver. PI and Raveena get away from Ashleigh and CG and hookup with Melanie. Melanie tries some aggressive driving and that's where the cover comes into play as the small car they are in gets hit hard by a mail truck while trying to make a turn on red.
The final scene is of De Guerre. It looks like he is the president of some sort of corporation: "TeeVee Keep Watching" is the logo on the wall of his office.
Still enjoying the ride and eager for more.
1/4
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