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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 16, 2021 14:44:22 GMT -5
My favorite is in the origin of Loki in Tales of Asgard where he erased King Laufey’s head.
Oh, Vinnie, you scamp!
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jun 16, 2021 15:07:42 GMT -5
My favorite is in the origin of Loki in Tales of Asgard where he erased King Laufey’s head. Oh, Vinnie, you scamp! Was that in Thor vs the Red Queen of Jotunheim?
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 16, 2021 15:37:29 GMT -5
I read Iron Man #109, continuing with my Iron Man stuff. Entertaining story overall, with the typical Marvel superheroes (yes, even Ruskies can be superheroes) fighting each other for no good reason. Iron Man attacks the Russians because he's got a grudge against Crimson Dynamo for killing his girlfriend years ago, but this is a totally different Crimson Dynamo, and they wait for a few pages of fighting before Darkstar mentions this little fact! Iron Man is going to be training Jack of Hearts. I'll bet that plot point gets dropped as soon a Bill Mantlo (Jack of Hearts co-creator) leaves the book in about 7 issues. Pretty good cliffhanger ending.
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Post by MDG on Jun 16, 2021 15:55:50 GMT -5
Spurred by Slam_Bradley and Crimebuster 's podcast, I've been re-reading Sandman Mystery Theater. I read some of these as they came out, and liked them, but not as much as this time. It's a really good series, as "realistic" a take on a gas-gun-wielding pulp hero as you're likely to get. The stories are indeed pulpy, but not too far out of the "real" world. The storytelling is thoughtful, efficient, and natural, with the dream sequences limited enough and not too intrusive (I'm not a fan of dream sequences). Character work is better than most comics; just about all, to be honest. And the creators have, so far, managed to avoid overt pretentiousness (though I'm up to the Annual, so… Guy Davis' art is head and shoulders over the others so far. I see it less influenced by pulp illustrations of the time (which seemed to have a stronger "structure") and more harkening to magazine illustration of the 20s. (Forgot who did the first example; second is John LaGatta.) Also, some resemblance to German Expressionist Egon Schiele. It made me think a bit of Kyle Baker's work on the Shadow as well. What Davis does really well is have the characters relate to each other; Watkiss and Taylor sometimes revert to discussion scenes that are one closeup after another. I think Watkiss was trying to emulate 50s Raymond/60s Williamson, and he gets close at times. Also read Avengers 11-20. Wow, they really don’t know what they wanted to do with this title, did they? Felt like they were just throwing stuff at the wall—a couple issues could've been 60s Mighty Heroes or even Fass books for the ham-handed characterization and nonsensical plots. I did, though, like Heck's art. It's good at the beginning, but after the one or two issues over Kirby layouts, he does a good job internalizing Jack's storytelling style.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 16, 2021 16:08:36 GMT -5
Avengers #11 to #14 in particular are a mess.
And then #17 ... also a bit of a mess.
I love 15, 16 and 18 to 20.
My favorite thing is trying to figure out Wanda’s powers! Is there anything she can’t do when nobody else can get it done?
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 16, 2021 17:55:49 GMT -5
Finished up a re-read of Preacher. It's been 5-10 years since I last read the entire run. Damn...this book is so good. Some of the best characterization in comics, both for the main characters and the supporting characters. A book that's almost impossible to classify in a genre...one part black comedy, one part neo-western, one part horror, etc. An Irishman writes about the American myth and journey in a way that no American is likely to ever be able. This book is about love, friendship and redemption. It's about facing your Gods and if you find them failing, pissing in their eye. It's so full of absolutely perfect MOMENTS that even when it occasionally goes off the rails it doesn't matter. Because those moments keep everything going. And it emphasizes that there is a problem with weak chins.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jun 16, 2021 19:15:14 GMT -5
I can't help thinking about the chin line whenever I see someone from the KKK...
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 16, 2021 19:23:43 GMT -5
I can't help thinking about the chin line whenever I see someone from the KKK... I have that panel saved on multiple computers. It may be my favorite single panel in all of comics.
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Post by MWGallaher on Jun 16, 2021 20:29:54 GMT -5
I finally got around to reading the collection of Voyage to the Deep that I supported on Kickstarter some time back. The physical book itself is great. Well produced. Nice foreword and historical information. Great package. But that is a HARD read. I bought it mostly to support Sam Glanzman and because of his artwork. And the art is mostly fine, though it's among the weakest work by Glanzman that I've read. But the stories...holy crap...they are just awful. It's not clear at all who wrote the book. But this is close to as bad as comics got story-wise. The science in this book about an atomic sub appears to have been concocted by a not very bright 4th grader. It honestly makes me long for magic radiation and magic transistors and magic magnetism it's so bad. And, while I don't expect much characterization from Dell adventure books, the characters here have as much depth as a sheet of low-cost one-ply toilet paper. The only thing the book really had going for it were the painted covers by John McDermott. I feel really sorry for any kids that spent their hard-earned 12 cents based on those covers. It's a good thing the book looks good on the shelf, because it will never leave it again. Hey, I like insane premises like "this submarine can mechanically extend itself to be way longer than it normally is"! As I recall, a huge percentage of the "action" in this series was characters' speculation about what might happen if the mission fails, so Glanzman gets to draw page after page of catastrophe like massive flooding that never really happens in the narrative itself. I wouldn't call that "bad" comics, I'd call it "bonkers", and I loved it!
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Post by earl on Jun 16, 2021 22:56:15 GMT -5
One of my favorites is the "that's a big snake" panel in Preacher.
I read about the first 30 issues of Sandman Mystery Theater and never finished the run. It is a really good comic. I always thought in that 'style', I would have loved to see Matt Wagner do a Batman '39 series. Really that and Superman '39 could be interesting to be done with the right creators. I thought Wagner was pretty successful in his updating of some of the classic original Batman tales, but Sandman Mystery Theater was a step beyond. Eventually I will get back and read the whole series.
Way back in the late 80s when I worked at a comic shop, Stephen T. Seagle was a customer when he was going to grad school at Ball State. Him and Gary Barker were the two 'pros' that were regulars at the shop, although Seagle was just getting started in indie comics at the time.
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 17, 2021 5:03:40 GMT -5
Avengers #11 to #14 in particular are a mess. And then #17 ... also a bit of a mess. I love 15, 16 and 18 to 20. My favorite thing is trying to figure out Wanda’s powers! Is there anything she can’t do when nobody else can get it done? Which is the greater dues ex machina - Wanda's powers or Hal Jordan's power ring?
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Post by Icctrombone on Jun 17, 2021 5:07:30 GMT -5
Avengers #11 to #14 in particular are a mess. And then #17 ... also a bit of a mess. I love 15, 16 and 18 to 20. My favorite thing is trying to figure out Wanda’s powers! Is there anything she can’t do when nobody else can get it done? Which is the greater dues ex machina - Wanda's powers or Hal Jordan's power ring? Wanda. Hal's ring is a given in every story.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2021 7:00:52 GMT -5
Which is the greater dues ex machina - Wanda's powers or Hal Jordan's power ring? Wanda. Hal's ring is a given in every story. Yeah, with Wanda there's enough ambiguity with her powers that she can do pretty much "anything" when needed, or for plot convenience be knocked out by the second panel of action. Reminds me of Dr. Fate or the Spectre...one minute they sneeze and the universe shakes, the next they're weak as kittens. For the power ring, I think the conventional uses of it (literally green energy objects/power beams) can be wildly creative, but the deus ex machina to me is a lot when "all of a sudden the ring can let you do this..." and he's teleporting and other things beyond zapping green stuff out. Plus, Hal could (back in the day) always be taken out by a well targeted yellow paper airplane (cue his Super Friends "deep Hal voice": "that seemingly harmless children's paper airplane...my ring is powerless to stop it...I have seconds to save myself.")
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2021 7:28:26 GMT -5
Spurred by Slam_Bradley and Crimebuster 's podcast, I've been re-reading Sandman Mystery Theater. I read some of these as they came out, and liked them, but not as much as this time. It's a really good series, as "realistic" a take on a gas-gun-wielding pulp hero as you're likely to get. The stories are indeed pulpy, but not too far out of the "real" world. The storytelling is thoughtful, efficient, and natural, with the dream sequences limited enough and not too intrusive (I'm not a fan of dream sequences). Character work is better than most comics; just about all, to be honest. And the creators have, so far, managed to avoid overt pretentiousness (though I'm up to the Annual, so… I really enjoyed that series back in the day. I had no idea what I was in for, I kind of just bought anything with an old JSA character in it back then. It was not the Wesley Dodds stories I thought I wanted, but quickly found it brilliant for the reasons you listed and was hooked, I need to pull them out and give a fresh read. It really was a perfect marriage of writing and art style. I always thought in that 'style', I would have loved to see Matt Wagner do a Batman '39 series. Really that and Superman '39 could be interesting to be done with the right creators. Definitely, would LOVE that!
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 17, 2021 10:18:52 GMT -5
Wanda. Hal's ring is a given in every story. Yeah, with Wanda there's enough ambiguity with her powers that she can do pretty much "anything" when needed, or for plot convenience be knocked out by the second panel of action. Reminds me of Dr. Fate or the Spectre...one minute they sneeze and the universe shakes, the next they're weak as kittens. For the power ring, I think the conventional uses of it (literally green energy objects/power beams) can be wildly creative, but the deus ex machina to me is a lot when "all of a sudden the ring can let you do this..." and he's teleporting and other things beyond zapping green stuff out. Plus, Hal could (back in the day) always be taken out by a well targeted yellow paper airplane (cue his Super Friends "deep Hal voice": "that seemingly harmless children's paper airplane...my ring is powerless to stop it...I have seconds to save myself.") Oh, I don't know. If you read enough Silver Age Green Lantern and JLA stories, you'll find that Hal's ring can do just about anything. I believe he's read minds, wiped minds, walked through walls, and all sorts of stuff. Plus he can make green kryptonite to take down Superman...but only if the story calls for it. Having said that, pretty much anybody with magic powers is going to be a dues ex machina, to an extent. Zatanna can do pretty much anything by just saying it backwards!
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