The Golem Walks Again!
By Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, Frank Springer, John Costanza
Feb 1977
The Invaders have been captured by Col. Eisen, aka the Face. He has special devices to hold each of them. Cap and Bucky are in chains. Human Torch and Toro are in a tank of water. Manor is imprisoned in a block of cement and has heat lamps focused on him. Spitfire is tied down with ropes.
Cap and Bucky try to fight back despite being chained to a wall. They are quickly subdued.
This issue's recap/flashback is told by Spitfire.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Warsaw, Jacob Goldstein makes a golem out of clay and uses hard water that was stolen from the Nazis. A bolt of lightning animates the giant which merges with Jacob. The Golem seeks out and finds the Invaders. He liberates them and kills Col. Eisen.
Jacob separates from the clay and becomes human once again, after the Nazis have been defeated. The Invaders want him to return to England with them but once again he says no. He prefers to stay in Warsaw despite the danger.
The Golem has a word written on its forehead, emeth. If it was accurate the word would have been in Hebrew. Watching Jacob revert from Golem to human made me think of the Hulk.
Not a bad issue but what strikes me about these stories from the last 3 issues is that they are all action. There is very little in the way of character moments.
3/31
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/30761/
Friday, March 31, 2017
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Jack Staff (UK) 1
By Paul Grist
Apr 2000
This seems like a riff on Union Jack from the Invaders but it is much more than that. The main character so far isn't Jack Staff but Betsy Burdock, Girl Reporter.
I really like the look of this book. I especially like the way artist/writer Paul Grist uses negative space in this black-and-white comic book. The art reminds me of of Tim Sale, Mike Mignola, and Guy Davis.
A lot of characters have been introduced so far, many of them super-heroes. The glue that ties them together is Burdock. She wants to write a story about Jack Staff. Instead her editor tells her to write a story about the murder of a couple women. From the looks of it they were killed by a vampire.
The killer, vampire or not, is being hunted by a trio of investigators (Helen Morgan, Ben Kilmer, Harry Crane) known collectively as Q. They chase a man who holds up a woman with a knife but I'll bet even money he's not the killer. He almost gets away but Tom Tom the Robot Man steps in and lends a hand.
There is a flashback to World War II. The Freedom Fighters (Jack Staff, Sgt States, Blazing Glory, Tommy Twister) are digging through the rubble of a bombed out building. Instead of survivors they find a heavy metal door. Sgt. States pries it open and a swarm of bats comes flying out. This feels like foreshadowing.
Burdock goes out to take pictures of the place where one of the bodies was found. Something foul, a dark cloud, is sneaking up on her when she meets someone. The cloud quickly retreats. The someone is Albert Bramble, Vampire Hunter. She doesn't take him seriously. They part ways. She hears a scream, runs towards it, and finds Jack Staff standing over an unconscious woman.
There's a lot going on here and so far I like it all.
As I understand it this collection is of the first 4 issues of the 12 issue series that was published in the U.K. Unfortunately there is no clear delineation of where one issue ends and the next begins. There was another series of Jack Staff published by Image. I think that was new material. This is my first time reading Jack Staff.
3/29
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/293753/
Comic Book DB: http://www.comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=124493
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
The Punisher (2000) 6
Spit out of Luck
By Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, and Jimmy Palmiotti
Sep 2000
Ma Gnucci gets word of where the Punisher lives and sends several car loads of her men to kill him. They catch Frank by surprise but he is still very deadly. He kills most of them but collapses at the end of the fight and blacks out.
Detectives Doap and Von Richthofen stake out Ma Gnucci's place.
Nothing too special. Not much worse or better than the previous issues.
3/28
By Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, and Jimmy Palmiotti
Sep 2000
Ma Gnucci gets word of where the Punisher lives and sends several car loads of her men to kill him. They catch Frank by surprise but he is still very deadly. He kills most of them but collapses at the end of the fight and blacks out.
Detectives Doap and Von Richthofen stake out Ma Gnucci's place.
Nothing too special. Not much worse or better than the previous issues.
3/28
Friday, March 24, 2017
The Private Eye 10
by Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin
Mar 2015
Gramps flies with the CNN reporter and her new cameraman to the Wonderwall. They arrive just in time to see the aftermath of the rocket putting a giant-size hole in the wall. The pages of the rocket putting a giant size hole in the wall are absolutely stunning.
PI, Raveena, and Mealanie just barely survive and dodge the rocket blast. Raveena and Melanie are on one side of the hole. PI is on the other side and has fallen down a ways. He is holding on by one hand. After hitting the Wonderwall the rocket splashed down into the reservoir which is starting to drain. The rocket explodes sending a tidal wave out to the Wonderwall. PI is swept away by the wave and isn't seen from again.
The CNN team starts filming. People around the city, some of whom have appeared before and some who have not are shown watching the live broadcast.
Flash forward to 3 months later and the the epilogue. Gramps doesn't believe that PI is dead, just laying low, as he puts it. The only part of PI that was found was part of his dreamcoat. Strunk meets with Raveena and gives her the piece of the dreamcoat. It is implied that she is taking up the mantle and becoming a paparazzi. Strunk warns her against doing so.
Great read. Both this chapter and the story as a whole. The ending was wonderfully cryptic and open ended. It fits the mold of what I expected of futuristic noir and was also very satisfying. In a way it is a shame that this is just a one-off.
3/24
Other: http://panelsyndicate.com/comics/tpeye
Mar 2015
Gramps flies with the CNN reporter and her new cameraman to the Wonderwall. They arrive just in time to see the aftermath of the rocket putting a giant-size hole in the wall. The pages of the rocket putting a giant size hole in the wall are absolutely stunning.
PI, Raveena, and Mealanie just barely survive and dodge the rocket blast. Raveena and Melanie are on one side of the hole. PI is on the other side and has fallen down a ways. He is holding on by one hand. After hitting the Wonderwall the rocket splashed down into the reservoir which is starting to drain. The rocket explodes sending a tidal wave out to the Wonderwall. PI is swept away by the wave and isn't seen from again.
The CNN team starts filming. People around the city, some of whom have appeared before and some who have not are shown watching the live broadcast.
Flash forward to 3 months later and the the epilogue. Gramps doesn't believe that PI is dead, just laying low, as he puts it. The only part of PI that was found was part of his dreamcoat. Strunk meets with Raveena and gives her the piece of the dreamcoat. It is implied that she is taking up the mantle and becoming a paparazzi. Strunk warns her against doing so.
Great read. Both this chapter and the story as a whole. The ending was wonderfully cryptic and open ended. It fits the mold of what I expected of futuristic noir and was also very satisfying. In a way it is a shame that this is just a one-off.
3/24
Other: http://panelsyndicate.com/comics/tpeye
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Joe Kubert Presents 5
Apr 2013
Sgt. Rock: Farewell
By Paul Levitz and Joe Kubert
8 pages
A father and son visit Omaha Beach in Normandy where their father and grandfather, respectively, fought. They are there to scatter his ashes. They remember the stories he told them about Easy Company, the unit with which he served, and Sgt. Rock, the man who led the unit.
So the title is a bit of a mislead. It isn't really a Sgt. Rock story although he does play a part in it.
By far the best of the Joe Kubert drawn stories in this collection and so far the only one that he did not write.
U.S.S. Stevens: Back and Forth (1941-1944)
By Sam Glanzman
10 pages
From Pearl Harbor to Kwajalein the tale of the war in the Pacific Ocean is told with some highlights of the role the Stevens played in it. Not as personal as some earlier installment in this series but told just as effectively.
The Biker
By Joe Kubert
13 pages
An American veteran of the war in Afghanistan encounters something that reminds him of the moment he lost his leg.
Nicely drawn and well told although there is still a bit of overly descriptive narration that gets in the way of letting the pictures tell the story. On the whole this story is much more contained and much better than the Redeemer.
Spit
By Joe Kubert
5 pages
Spit's life continues. He scrounges for food. He gets into fights. I'm not sure where this story is going but I have hard time getting interested in it. I like the look of it but the story itself feels like it is told this way just to elicit sympathy for the main character. It feels like his life just gets worse not better. No arc, just a downward spiral.
Angel and the Ape: When Hairy Met Angel
by Brian Buniak
8 pages
Angel tells her origin story. As usual there are lots of gags on the page but I think it is lost on me.
Inner Thoughts Et. Al
By Joe Kubert
4 pages
Kubert opens this text piece by writing about Sgt. Rock and Bob Kanigher. He also writes about his family and how the biker character was inspired by his oldest son.
3/21
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/1087036/
Sgt. Rock: Farewell
By Paul Levitz and Joe Kubert
8 pages
A father and son visit Omaha Beach in Normandy where their father and grandfather, respectively, fought. They are there to scatter his ashes. They remember the stories he told them about Easy Company, the unit with which he served, and Sgt. Rock, the man who led the unit.
So the title is a bit of a mislead. It isn't really a Sgt. Rock story although he does play a part in it.
By far the best of the Joe Kubert drawn stories in this collection and so far the only one that he did not write.
U.S.S. Stevens: Back and Forth (1941-1944)
By Sam Glanzman
10 pages
From Pearl Harbor to Kwajalein the tale of the war in the Pacific Ocean is told with some highlights of the role the Stevens played in it. Not as personal as some earlier installment in this series but told just as effectively.
The Biker
By Joe Kubert
13 pages
An American veteran of the war in Afghanistan encounters something that reminds him of the moment he lost his leg.
Nicely drawn and well told although there is still a bit of overly descriptive narration that gets in the way of letting the pictures tell the story. On the whole this story is much more contained and much better than the Redeemer.
Spit
By Joe Kubert
5 pages
Spit's life continues. He scrounges for food. He gets into fights. I'm not sure where this story is going but I have hard time getting interested in it. I like the look of it but the story itself feels like it is told this way just to elicit sympathy for the main character. It feels like his life just gets worse not better. No arc, just a downward spiral.
Angel and the Ape: When Hairy Met Angel
by Brian Buniak
8 pages
Angel tells her origin story. As usual there are lots of gags on the page but I think it is lost on me.
Inner Thoughts Et. Al
By Joe Kubert
4 pages
Kubert opens this text piece by writing about Sgt. Rock and Bob Kanigher. He also writes about his family and how the biker character was inspired by his oldest son.
3/21
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/1087036/
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Invaders 12
To the Warsaw Ghetto!
By Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, Frank Springer
Jan 1977
Human Torch visits Prof. John Gold (aka the Blue Bullet) where he is being held prisoner in the Tower of London. Turns out that he is Jewish. (I wondered about that.) He lived in the Warsaw Ghetto but fled and made his way to England. He was only working for the Nazis because they threatened to kill Jacob, his brother, if he didn't help them.
Once again there is s recap of what has happened in earlier issues starting with the end of the battle with Baron Blood. This time Human Torch is the narrator.
Human Torch returns to Invaders HQ. He tells them Prof. Gold's story. They decide to go to Warsaw to rescue Jacob Gold. Jacqueline goes with them in her new costume and using the code name Spitfire. They try to talk her out of it but she won't hear it and in the end they agree to let her join them. Spitfire's look is wild and streaky, especially when she runs fast.
The Invaders arrive in the Warsaw Ghetto at night. They have a quick fight with some German soldiers who are accosting a young Jewish woman. She repays the Invaders by leading them to Jacob Gold's home.
Captain America tries talking Jacob into leaving with them but Jacob won't. He tells them about the legend of the Golem. A German tank rolls into the neighborhood. The Invaders attack but are forced to surrender after the Germans threaten the lives of innocents. The issue ends with Jacob saying something cryptic: and so the die is cast!
Not great but fun. I usually enjoy these stories of superheroes behind enemy lines. This one was no exception. It would be nice if there was some actual character development in this story but maybe that's asking a bit much considering the decade from which it emerged.
3/16
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/30671/
By Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, Frank Springer
Jan 1977
Human Torch visits Prof. John Gold (aka the Blue Bullet) where he is being held prisoner in the Tower of London. Turns out that he is Jewish. (I wondered about that.) He lived in the Warsaw Ghetto but fled and made his way to England. He was only working for the Nazis because they threatened to kill Jacob, his brother, if he didn't help them.
Once again there is s recap of what has happened in earlier issues starting with the end of the battle with Baron Blood. This time Human Torch is the narrator.
Human Torch returns to Invaders HQ. He tells them Prof. Gold's story. They decide to go to Warsaw to rescue Jacob Gold. Jacqueline goes with them in her new costume and using the code name Spitfire. They try to talk her out of it but she won't hear it and in the end they agree to let her join them. Spitfire's look is wild and streaky, especially when she runs fast.
The Invaders arrive in the Warsaw Ghetto at night. They have a quick fight with some German soldiers who are accosting a young Jewish woman. She repays the Invaders by leading them to Jacob Gold's home.
Captain America tries talking Jacob into leaving with them but Jacob won't. He tells them about the legend of the Golem. A German tank rolls into the neighborhood. The Invaders attack but are forced to surrender after the Germans threaten the lives of innocents. The issue ends with Jacob saying something cryptic: and so the die is cast!
Not great but fun. I usually enjoy these stories of superheroes behind enemy lines. This one was no exception. It would be nice if there was some actual character development in this story but maybe that's asking a bit much considering the decade from which it emerged.
3/16
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/30671/
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
The Curse of Harkley Heath
By Harry Harrison and Wally Wood
Vault of Horror 13
Jun-Jul 1950
Reprinted in Came the Dawn and Other Stories Illustrated by Wally Wood
The three surviving members of the Harkley clan (Sybil, Charles, Edgar) read about the family curse which dates back to 1820 after murdering their Uncle Roger. Mr. Hagers, their uncle's lawyer informs them that Roger left all his money to Sybil. Charles and Edgar murder Sybil and then Charles turns on Edgar
All 3 are dead by the time the story ends. Story-wise not so great or innovative but I like visual storytelling, especially the horrific facial expressions. They really covey the sense of greed, panic, and dread the characters in this story are experiencing.
3/15
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/223228/
Vault of Horror 13
Jun-Jul 1950
Reprinted in Came the Dawn and Other Stories Illustrated by Wally Wood
The three surviving members of the Harkley clan (Sybil, Charles, Edgar) read about the family curse which dates back to 1820 after murdering their Uncle Roger. Mr. Hagers, their uncle's lawyer informs them that Roger left all his money to Sybil. Charles and Edgar murder Sybil and then Charles turns on Edgar
All 3 are dead by the time the story ends. Story-wise not so great or innovative but I like visual storytelling, especially the horrific facial expressions. They really covey the sense of greed, panic, and dread the characters in this story are experiencing.
3/15
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/223228/
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
The Punisher (2000) 5
Even Worse Things
By Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, and Jimmy Palmiotti
Aug 2000
While Frank heals up other people are busy. Ma Gnucci wants blood and she starts with her own family. Detectives Soap and von Richtofen go out for lunch at a dive bar. Father Redondo continues murdering people. A couple new vigilantes Mr. Payback and Elite make their first appearances. One of Frank's neighbors tells Ma Gnucci where he lives.
There are some nice visual gags here but I'm still not loving this book. I just thought I would give it another try.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/65678/
By Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, and Jimmy Palmiotti
Aug 2000
While Frank heals up other people are busy. Ma Gnucci wants blood and she starts with her own family. Detectives Soap and von Richtofen go out for lunch at a dive bar. Father Redondo continues murdering people. A couple new vigilantes Mr. Payback and Elite make their first appearances. One of Frank's neighbors tells Ma Gnucci where he lives.
There are some nice visual gags here but I'm still not loving this book. I just thought I would give it another try.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/65678/
Monday, March 13, 2017
The Private Eye 9
by Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin
Dec 2014
The chapter opens with a flashback to 20 years before, to the funeral for PI's mother. A mysterious man, who is dressed just like PI will later dress, approaches Patrick and his grandfather. His grandfather has a car just like Mel. Same make and model, same color. Coincidence or clue?
What followa is a big showdown at the launch site. Raveena and PI think they've got the drop on Nebular but they get sloppy and he turns the tables on them. Nebular pulls a gun. They disarm him. Raveena goes after DeGuerre and Mel. PI gets stabbed. It doesn't look good but then somehow he kills Nebular and impersonates him and kills DeGuerre.
I thought this was all a little too predictable. I wasn't really fooled. I had a strong suspicion that it wasn't Nebular under the mask. Wouldn't DeGuerre have noticed that his voice didn't sound like Nebular's? The visual storytelling is great. I love the action.
CNN interviews grandpa about what he knows. He tries to play it cool and is able to help them when they don't know what sort of device his would be assassin was carrying. It was a Zune.
With DeGuerre dead and the assassins dead or in custody what's left for the final chapter, other than the missile? Maybe an epilogue?
3/13
Other: http://panelsyndicate.com/comics/tpeye
Dec 2014
The chapter opens with a flashback to 20 years before, to the funeral for PI's mother. A mysterious man, who is dressed just like PI will later dress, approaches Patrick and his grandfather. His grandfather has a car just like Mel. Same make and model, same color. Coincidence or clue?
What followa is a big showdown at the launch site. Raveena and PI think they've got the drop on Nebular but they get sloppy and he turns the tables on them. Nebular pulls a gun. They disarm him. Raveena goes after DeGuerre and Mel. PI gets stabbed. It doesn't look good but then somehow he kills Nebular and impersonates him and kills DeGuerre.
I thought this was all a little too predictable. I wasn't really fooled. I had a strong suspicion that it wasn't Nebular under the mask. Wouldn't DeGuerre have noticed that his voice didn't sound like Nebular's? The visual storytelling is great. I love the action.
CNN interviews grandpa about what he knows. He tries to play it cool and is able to help them when they don't know what sort of device his would be assassin was carrying. It was a Zune.
With DeGuerre dead and the assassins dead or in custody what's left for the final chapter, other than the missile? Maybe an epilogue?
3/13
Other: http://panelsyndicate.com/comics/tpeye
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Young Heroes in Love 2
Look Before You Leap into the Telekinetic Prototype-Bomb!
By Dan Raspler, Dev Madan, Keith Chsmpagne
Jul 1997
Bonfire and Thunderhead go on patrol together.
Junior spies on Hard Drive and Monster Girl, presumably unintentionally, and learns that they didn't just meet for the first time. He tries to tell Frostbite and Bonfire about what he saw but Hard Drive intervenes. He pulls Junior aside and uses his mental powers to talk Junior into forgetting what he saw.
Frost Bite senses that something isn't quite right. He tries talking to Bonfire about it but she doesn't share his concerns.
The chapter ends with the team fighting a giant, sword-wielding mummy. They obliterate the creature. Hard Drive delivers the coup de grace.
On the final story page, after the fight, Monster Girl apologizes to Hard Drive for doubting him about the readiness of the team to battle evil. He accepts her apology and then there's this evil gleam in her eye (which he can't see) in the final panel. Maybe she has plans of her own, to double cross him.
After the story there are a couple of fact sheet looking pages titled Not Your Basic Super Team. There are pictures of Bonfire, Junior, Monster Girl and Thunderhead. There's also some text but not in the way of information about them.
Bonfire: Not your basic primp and preen. Not your basic head of steam. Not your basic peachy keen. Not your basic teenage dream.
Junior: Not your basic green. Not your basic "eat-your-beans". Not your basic seldom seen. Not your basic tiny teen.
Monster Girl: Not your basic beauty queen. Not your basic metallic sheen. Not your basic what-she-seems. Not your basic human being.
Thunderhead: Not your basic Hercu-lean. Not your basic music scene. Not your basic love machine. Not your basic has-been.
3/11
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/60530/
By Dan Raspler, Dev Madan, Keith Chsmpagne
Jul 1997
Bonfire and Thunderhead go on patrol together.
Junior spies on Hard Drive and Monster Girl, presumably unintentionally, and learns that they didn't just meet for the first time. He tries to tell Frostbite and Bonfire about what he saw but Hard Drive intervenes. He pulls Junior aside and uses his mental powers to talk Junior into forgetting what he saw.
Frost Bite senses that something isn't quite right. He tries talking to Bonfire about it but she doesn't share his concerns.
The chapter ends with the team fighting a giant, sword-wielding mummy. They obliterate the creature. Hard Drive delivers the coup de grace.
On the final story page, after the fight, Monster Girl apologizes to Hard Drive for doubting him about the readiness of the team to battle evil. He accepts her apology and then there's this evil gleam in her eye (which he can't see) in the final panel. Maybe she has plans of her own, to double cross him.
After the story there are a couple of fact sheet looking pages titled Not Your Basic Super Team. There are pictures of Bonfire, Junior, Monster Girl and Thunderhead. There's also some text but not in the way of information about them.
Bonfire: Not your basic primp and preen. Not your basic head of steam. Not your basic peachy keen. Not your basic teenage dream.
Junior: Not your basic green. Not your basic "eat-your-beans". Not your basic seldom seen. Not your basic tiny teen.
Monster Girl: Not your basic beauty queen. Not your basic metallic sheen. Not your basic what-she-seems. Not your basic human being.
Thunderhead: Not your basic Hercu-lean. Not your basic music scene. Not your basic love machine. Not your basic has-been.
3/11
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/60530/
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Eternals (1976) 17
Sersi the Terrible
By Jack Kirby and Mike Royer
Nov 1977
The Eternals battle Dromedan. That is the sum of this issue. The Eternals are the same ones that were in the last issue: Ikaris, Makarri, Sersi, and Zuras. As the title implies, Sersi proves to be the deciding factor in this fight. Her powers help to confuse Dromedan enough that he doesn't use his mental powers on them. The fight ends with Ikaris killing Dromedan with his laser vision, or whatever it is called.
Not the most satisfying of chapters in the Eternals story. It is all action and no character development. Not much in the way of new information is imparted.
Eternal Utterings
More praise for the book which includes a letter that suggests that Jack Kirby is inspired by the writing of Arthur C. Clarke.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/31640/
By Jack Kirby and Mike Royer
Nov 1977
The Eternals battle Dromedan. That is the sum of this issue. The Eternals are the same ones that were in the last issue: Ikaris, Makarri, Sersi, and Zuras. As the title implies, Sersi proves to be the deciding factor in this fight. Her powers help to confuse Dromedan enough that he doesn't use his mental powers on them. The fight ends with Ikaris killing Dromedan with his laser vision, or whatever it is called.
Not the most satisfying of chapters in the Eternals story. It is all action and no character development. Not much in the way of new information is imparted.
Eternal Utterings
More praise for the book which includes a letter that suggests that Jack Kirby is inspired by the writing of Arthur C. Clarke.
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/31640/
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Joe Kubert Presents 4
Mar 2013
The Redeemer: The Golden Warrior by Joe Kubert
24 pages
Jim Torkan aka the Redeemer is now a soldier in the Confederate Army at the end of the US Civil War. After the war ends he heads west until he meets a man who tells him about a suit of Golden Armor. It once belonged to the Spaniards but was taken by Indians. Together the two men go searching for the suit of golden armor.
They meet an old Indian who claims to know where to find the armor. After he guides them to the spot, Jim's companion kills him. They climb a mesa. They meet Fire Hair. They run from the Indians who want to kill them. A young Indian comes with them.
This story is very complicated considering it's length. I'm still not crazy about it. Jim Torkan doesn't seem like much of a hero. He keeps teaming up with ne'er-do-wells who seem to be more interested in money than anything else. Joe Kubert is a fine artist but his writing leaves something to be desired. I also have to wonder since this was published posthumously if anyone made any changes to the text or it was just left as is.
Angel and the Ape by Brian Buniak
8 pages
U.S.S. Stevens: The Figurehead by Sam Glanzman
10 pages
While driving through New England Sam spots an old ship's figurehead. It reminds him of a shipmate from aboard the Stevens, an old salt, Buck. Buck was a bit of an oddball. Sam tells some stories about him including some things he saw Buck do that made him wonder if he was seeing things. Sam also spends a few pages talking about destroyers, specifically the Stevens including their weapon systems. Once again this is my favorite part of the book. Glanzman' art isn't the prettiest but he tells stories that hold my interest and keep me hungry for more.
Good and Evil: The Redeemer, 30 Years Later
6 pages
Provides more insight into the idea behind the Redeemer. It includes promotional and concept art. Some of the text was new at the time the comic was released in 2013. The rest of the text was from Amazing Heroes 34 (1983) and D.C. Coming Attractions (Oct 1983).
Reading this gives me a different perspective on the story. Kubert didn't view Torkan as a Christ figure. I guess my big problem is the title and the way it is set up. The term Redeemer has strong associations with Christianity in western culture. Moreover if he is just a man then why set him up as this pivotal figure in the history of humanity? I don't think the Redeemer is worth reading unless you are a big fan of Joe Kubert or a completist.
3/8
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/1060926/
The Redeemer: The Golden Warrior by Joe Kubert
24 pages
Jim Torkan aka the Redeemer is now a soldier in the Confederate Army at the end of the US Civil War. After the war ends he heads west until he meets a man who tells him about a suit of Golden Armor. It once belonged to the Spaniards but was taken by Indians. Together the two men go searching for the suit of golden armor.
They meet an old Indian who claims to know where to find the armor. After he guides them to the spot, Jim's companion kills him. They climb a mesa. They meet Fire Hair. They run from the Indians who want to kill them. A young Indian comes with them.
This story is very complicated considering it's length. I'm still not crazy about it. Jim Torkan doesn't seem like much of a hero. He keeps teaming up with ne'er-do-wells who seem to be more interested in money than anything else. Joe Kubert is a fine artist but his writing leaves something to be desired. I also have to wonder since this was published posthumously if anyone made any changes to the text or it was just left as is.
Angel and the Ape by Brian Buniak
8 pages
U.S.S. Stevens: The Figurehead by Sam Glanzman
10 pages
While driving through New England Sam spots an old ship's figurehead. It reminds him of a shipmate from aboard the Stevens, an old salt, Buck. Buck was a bit of an oddball. Sam tells some stories about him including some things he saw Buck do that made him wonder if he was seeing things. Sam also spends a few pages talking about destroyers, specifically the Stevens including their weapon systems. Once again this is my favorite part of the book. Glanzman' art isn't the prettiest but he tells stories that hold my interest and keep me hungry for more.
Good and Evil: The Redeemer, 30 Years Later
6 pages
Provides more insight into the idea behind the Redeemer. It includes promotional and concept art. Some of the text was new at the time the comic was released in 2013. The rest of the text was from Amazing Heroes 34 (1983) and D.C. Coming Attractions (Oct 1983).
Reading this gives me a different perspective on the story. Kubert didn't view Torkan as a Christ figure. I guess my big problem is the title and the way it is set up. The term Redeemer has strong associations with Christianity in western culture. Moreover if he is just a man then why set him up as this pivotal figure in the history of humanity? I don't think the Redeemer is worth reading unless you are a big fan of Joe Kubert or a completist.
3/8
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/1060926/
Monday, March 6, 2017
Invaders 11
Night of the Blue Bullet!
By Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, Frank Springer, John Costanza
Dec 1976
The Invaders arrive at a hospital in London with Lord Falsworth and his daughter, Jacqueline. The doctors and nurses of the hospital tend to the wounded members of the Falsworth family while Cap provides a one-page recap of the battle with Baron Blood.
The doctors try a number of things to save Jacqueline Falsworth without success. Her body seems to reject every blood transfusion they attempt. What saves her in the end is a blood transfusion from the Human Torch, an android. Not only does it save her life but she also wakes up after the operation with the ability to move super fast. She returns the favor done by the Human Torch and saves his life when an armored villain, Blue Bullet, attacks the hospital.
Blue Bullet is actually Prof. Gold, a scientist who works for Nazi Germany. He attacks the Invaders after being ordered to do so by his superiors. He comes off a bit like a villain from a Scooby-Doo cartoon, especially after he has been unmasked. He makes an ominous threat after he has been apprehended: Everything that happens from this moment forward is your responsibility.
After the fight Jacqueline decides that she is going to become a superhero. She shakes Human Torch's hand gives Captain America a hug, which really irks the Torch who has a crush on her.
I realize that this is a comic book but I still don't understand how a human can get a blood transfusion from an android. Even if there is something resembling blood in his body how can that help a human in desperate need of a transfusion?
I really had a problem with the art in this series when I was younger. I thought it was weird and not in a good way. I can appreciate it much better now.
I would like to get my hands on some of these issues so I can read the letters columns. From what I have seen on various web sites they will probably cost me $5 or more per issue. Maybe I will get lucky and find some beat up copies for a bit less at a convention.
3/6
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/30517/
By Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, Frank Springer, John Costanza
Dec 1976
The Invaders arrive at a hospital in London with Lord Falsworth and his daughter, Jacqueline. The doctors and nurses of the hospital tend to the wounded members of the Falsworth family while Cap provides a one-page recap of the battle with Baron Blood.
The doctors try a number of things to save Jacqueline Falsworth without success. Her body seems to reject every blood transfusion they attempt. What saves her in the end is a blood transfusion from the Human Torch, an android. Not only does it save her life but she also wakes up after the operation with the ability to move super fast. She returns the favor done by the Human Torch and saves his life when an armored villain, Blue Bullet, attacks the hospital.
Blue Bullet is actually Prof. Gold, a scientist who works for Nazi Germany. He attacks the Invaders after being ordered to do so by his superiors. He comes off a bit like a villain from a Scooby-Doo cartoon, especially after he has been unmasked. He makes an ominous threat after he has been apprehended: Everything that happens from this moment forward is your responsibility.
After the fight Jacqueline decides that she is going to become a superhero. She shakes Human Torch's hand gives Captain America a hug, which really irks the Torch who has a crush on her.
I realize that this is a comic book but I still don't understand how a human can get a blood transfusion from an android. Even if there is something resembling blood in his body how can that help a human in desperate need of a transfusion?
I really had a problem with the art in this series when I was younger. I thought it was weird and not in a good way. I can appreciate it much better now.
I would like to get my hands on some of these issues so I can read the letters columns. From what I have seen on various web sites they will probably cost me $5 or more per issue. Maybe I will get lucky and find some beat up copies for a bit less at a convention.
3/6
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/30517/
Friday, March 3, 2017
Young Heroes in Love 1
Your Lips! Your Eyes! Your Nuclear Breath Vision!
By Dan Raspler, Dev Madan, and Keith Champagne
Jun 1997
Hard Drive gathers a group of heroes, the Young Heroes, to fight crime but everything isn't quite as it seems.
This issue is devoted to introducing the team to the readers and to one another. Some of them have met before, some have not. Some of them are very new to crime fighting.
There's some sexual tension in the book. When Frostbite and Bonfire meet there seems to be something there. Later Hard Drive steps in and uses mind control to talk Bonfire out of teaming up with Frostbite and into teaming up with ThunderHead. After that I viewed the issue in a whole new light as I started to wonder if Bonfire is the only one on whom Hard Drive has used mind control.
There's a two-page backstory spotlight, in the middle of the book, on Hard Drive and Off-Ramp. it tells the story of how they met during a stock car race.
The issue ends with Hard Drive and Monster-Girl in bed. Is she there of her own free will? Is there a double meaning to Hard Drive's last line? Well we really did it.
Gotta say I wasn't sold after the first few pages. It was the mind control moment that got me. I have the first 17 of 18 issues of the series. I am only missing the 1 Million issue which I think is a one shot.
Young Heroes
- Off-Ramp
- Monster-Girl
- ThunderHead
- Hard Drive
- Bonfire
- Junior
- Frostbite
Watch This Space No. 45
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) forum report; Funny Tie Day; John Byrne and Paul Kupperberg talk Wonder Woman and New Gods over lunch; more
3/3
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/60410/
By Dan Raspler, Dev Madan, and Keith Champagne
Jun 1997
Hard Drive gathers a group of heroes, the Young Heroes, to fight crime but everything isn't quite as it seems.
This issue is devoted to introducing the team to the readers and to one another. Some of them have met before, some have not. Some of them are very new to crime fighting.
There's some sexual tension in the book. When Frostbite and Bonfire meet there seems to be something there. Later Hard Drive steps in and uses mind control to talk Bonfire out of teaming up with Frostbite and into teaming up with ThunderHead. After that I viewed the issue in a whole new light as I started to wonder if Bonfire is the only one on whom Hard Drive has used mind control.
There's a two-page backstory spotlight, in the middle of the book, on Hard Drive and Off-Ramp. it tells the story of how they met during a stock car race.
The issue ends with Hard Drive and Monster-Girl in bed. Is she there of her own free will? Is there a double meaning to Hard Drive's last line? Well we really did it.
Gotta say I wasn't sold after the first few pages. It was the mind control moment that got me. I have the first 17 of 18 issues of the series. I am only missing the 1 Million issue which I think is a one shot.
Young Heroes
- Off-Ramp
- Monster-Girl
- ThunderHead
- Hard Drive
- Bonfire
- Junior
- Frostbite
Watch This Space No. 45
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) forum report; Funny Tie Day; John Byrne and Paul Kupperberg talk Wonder Woman and New Gods over lunch; more
3/3
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/60410/
Search!
By Harvey Kurtzman
Two-Fisted Tales 21
May-Jun 1951
Reprinted in Corpse on the Imjin and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzman
In 1943 near Anzio two GI's man a machine gun post and fight to stay alive. During breaks in the fighting Joe tells his ammo man about how he is searching for Mario, his brother. Joe was born in Italy. Mario stayed behind years before when Joe and their ma moved to the United States.
There ain't a lot to this story. What struck me the most about it isn't the twist at the end but the relationship between Joe and the ammo man whom he calls kid. It felt real, not forced or fake.
This is the first Kurtzman drawn war story in this collection. From the looks of it the rest of the stories, whether drawn by Kurtzman or not, are all war stories. I suppose arguably the first story in this collection, Conquest, could also be considered a war story.
3/3
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/8951/
Two-Fisted Tales 21
May-Jun 1951
Reprinted in Corpse on the Imjin and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzman
In 1943 near Anzio two GI's man a machine gun post and fight to stay alive. During breaks in the fighting Joe tells his ammo man about how he is searching for Mario, his brother. Joe was born in Italy. Mario stayed behind years before when Joe and their ma moved to the United States.
There ain't a lot to this story. What struck me the most about it isn't the twist at the end but the relationship between Joe and the ammo man whom he calls kid. It felt real, not forced or fake.
This is the first Kurtzman drawn war story in this collection. From the looks of it the rest of the stories, whether drawn by Kurtzman or not, are all war stories. I suppose arguably the first story in this collection, Conquest, could also be considered a war story.
3/3
GCD: https://www.comics.org/issue/8951/
Thursday, March 2, 2017
The Private Eye 8
by Brian K. Vaughn and Marcos Martin
Jul 2014
CNN, Citizen National News, the Feds have taken over the investigation. They arrived at PI's grandfather's place. He delays them long enough for PI and Raveena to get away.
De Guerre isn't feeling too friendly after his encounter with PI and Raveena last issue. Once he finds out the Feds are on the case he orders his one remaining hired gun to kill everyone in gramps place. The other hired gun was killed by Strunk in the previous chapter.
Strunk is a patient in the hospital now, Schwarzenegger Medical Center. He gives the only clue he's got to his boss: a card with the Greek letter PI on it. It was delivered with the only bouquet of flowers delivered to Melanie at the hospital.
Raveena and PI head to the Brown Derby where they charge the iPad they found at Nebular's place with a cord and charger they got from his grandfather. On it they find schematics for the rocket that will carry the satellite De Guerre plans to use to restart the internet. PI guesses that De Guerre will launch the rocket from the site where LAX used to be. So that where they go.
This happens while De Guerre's assassin tries to murder PI's grandfather and the two person CNN news crew who are there to interview him about why he sent flowers to Melanie. The assassin is only partially successful in his mission and is apprehended by the surviving member of the news crew.
Nebular drives the rocket out to the launch site, where LAX used to be. PI and Raveena aren't far behind him. They stop short of crashing his party while, unbeknownst to them DeGuerre and Melanie argue about the value of the Internet atop the Wonder Wall.
Still not disappointed. Still loving this story. There aren't many action beats in this one. For the most part it is a more thinky-type installment.
I was a bit surprised by how the CNN reporter dealt with the assassin. It wasn't so much what she did as how she was able to do it considering where she was just before she took him out from behind.
3/2
Other: http://panelsyndicate.com/comics/tpeye
Jul 2014
CNN, Citizen National News, the Feds have taken over the investigation. They arrived at PI's grandfather's place. He delays them long enough for PI and Raveena to get away.
De Guerre isn't feeling too friendly after his encounter with PI and Raveena last issue. Once he finds out the Feds are on the case he orders his one remaining hired gun to kill everyone in gramps place. The other hired gun was killed by Strunk in the previous chapter.
Strunk is a patient in the hospital now, Schwarzenegger Medical Center. He gives the only clue he's got to his boss: a card with the Greek letter PI on it. It was delivered with the only bouquet of flowers delivered to Melanie at the hospital.
Raveena and PI head to the Brown Derby where they charge the iPad they found at Nebular's place with a cord and charger they got from his grandfather. On it they find schematics for the rocket that will carry the satellite De Guerre plans to use to restart the internet. PI guesses that De Guerre will launch the rocket from the site where LAX used to be. So that where they go.
This happens while De Guerre's assassin tries to murder PI's grandfather and the two person CNN news crew who are there to interview him about why he sent flowers to Melanie. The assassin is only partially successful in his mission and is apprehended by the surviving member of the news crew.
Nebular drives the rocket out to the launch site, where LAX used to be. PI and Raveena aren't far behind him. They stop short of crashing his party while, unbeknownst to them DeGuerre and Melanie argue about the value of the Internet atop the Wonder Wall.
Still not disappointed. Still loving this story. There aren't many action beats in this one. For the most part it is a more thinky-type installment.
I was a bit surprised by how the CNN reporter dealt with the assassin. It wasn't so much what she did as how she was able to do it considering where she was just before she took him out from behind.
3/2
Other: http://panelsyndicate.com/comics/tpeye
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