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Post by commond on Jul 31, 2021 20:28:09 GMT -5
I finished the second and third arc of Sandman Mystery Theatre. Folks weren't kidding when they said the book gets even darker. I'm still not sure how I feel about that, to be honest. It's kind of weird reading a Golden Age hero involved in these dark, gruesome stories. Part of me thinks it's great and part of me thinks its gratuitous. In particular, The Brute arc escalated rapidly, and had a strangely off-putting romantic ending after a series of horrific scenes. Sandman isn't your typical early 90s anti-hero, but the series does have a Frank Miller feel to it, and I'm torn over how I feel about that, especially having read James Robinson's Starman recently, which balances the darkness with light and joy. It appears that the relationship between Wesley Dodds and Dian Belmont will be at the heart of the series. I'm all for romantic relationships being the heart and soul of a series, I just wish Wagner would stop having them meet by having Dian show up on Wesley's doorstep in the early hours of the morning. I mean, I get that one of the motifs is the night, and how Dodds can't sleep because of his nightmares and everything, but unless it was some deliberate reference to storytelling of the era, Wagner used that plot device way too often in the first three arcs. Having different artists on each arc is jarring as well. It worked in Sandman, but here I find the characters keep changing their appearance depending on the artist's style, which is confusing when you're in the early stages of a series. The art isn't bad per se, I just would have preferred a more consistent look and tone. All of this sounds like I'm more critical of the series than I am. It's still an intriguing read and early days in the series.
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Post by spoon on Jul 31, 2021 22:58:02 GMT -5
I read the Black Widow Epic Collection vol. 1: Beware the Black Widow TPB. It reprints the Iron Man stories from Tales of Suspense #52-53, 57, 60, 66; Avengers #29-30, 36-37, 43-44; excerpts from Avengers #16, 32-33, 38-39, 41-42, 45-47, 57, 63-64, 76; Amazing Spider-Man #86; the Black Widow stories from Amazing Adventures #1-8; and Daredevil #81. So basically it follow Natasha through early appearances as a villain in Iron Man's feature, as a recurring guest star/Hawkeye's girlfriend in Avengers, in the Spider-Man story that launched her new costume & springboard to a solo feature, the solo feature itself, and the first issue of her run in Daredevil. Except for the Amazing Adventures stories, I've read these stories before, albeit mostly in black and white in Essential TPBs.
Black Widow evolves over time, and her portray isn't quite consistent between various phases. She starts out as a villain and a spy without apparent physical skills. Over time, her actions are portrayed as more of a result of threat or coercion by the Soviet government (and later an unspecified Asian communist government). Eventually, she gets equipment like her widow's bite, shoes that stick to walls, and a line to swing on. It's really not until the Spidey appearance that she's portrayed as a skilled fighter. She gets shot or seriously injured a few times.
The solo feature is something that starts out interestingly, but turns out better in theory than execution. While I had assumed Natasha glamorous dress in her early appearances was just supplied by the Soviets to facilitate her work as a femme fatale spy, suddenly she's written as wealthy socialite. How she has that wealth despite the USSR is unexplained. The book starts with some nice John Buscema and Gene Colan art, but is hampered by multiple creative team changes and lackluster villains. The action is generally better in these stories, although I wish Natasha had more chance to fight on her rather than sharing the spotlight in battle with her chauffeur Ivan. Starting with Amazing Adventures #5, the series has a quota of one scene of Natasha partially undressed per issue. The shower scene in #5 was partially redrawn to satisfy the Comics Code, but the b&w original pages (with less hair & towel, and a less foggy shower door) is reproduced in the back of the TPB.
One interesting detail in the solo run is that a character remarks that Natasha has barely any accent. I always assumed she had a distinct Russian accent. So many Scarlett Johansson actually has fairly canonically correct speech patterns for the character.
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Post by profh0011 on Aug 1, 2021 12:21:43 GMT -5
Natasha!
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Post by dbutler69 on Aug 1, 2021 16:18:34 GMT -5
I read World's Finest #205. Steve Skeates, Dick Dillon, Joe Giella. Kinda weird, kinda preachy, and the Teen Titans don't really do much of anything in this one.
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Post by Batflunkie on Aug 1, 2021 16:37:45 GMT -5
One interesting detail in the solo run is that a character remarks that Natasha has barely any accent. I always assumed she had a distinct Russian accent. So many Scarlett Johansson actually has fairly canonically correct speech patterns for the character. It might be a similar case to the tv show "The Americans" where Russian spies learned to speak fluent English as to better blend into society and thus go unnoticed
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Post by Farrar on Aug 2, 2021 16:24:55 GMT -5
I have read to page 100 of Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Volume 1. I will likely finish the rest tonight, but I would like to share my thoughts so far.
The foreward by Mike Gold gives some nice information about the era these stories are from. ...
Adventure Comics was selling the worst of the Superman comics at the time, but this changed with the release of issue 247... Actually during the Silver Age Adventure was still usually the worst-selling of the Weisinger books even with the Legion, according to sources such as the Comichron.com site. There was one year (1965) when Adventure outsold World's Finest, but otherwise Adventure brought up the rear (even though it sold very well compared to non-Weisinger books). It's been reported that's why Weisinger took out the Legion out of Adventure in 1969 and installed Supergirl as the lead feature instead--he felt the lack of a "Super" headliner was the cause of Adventure's "low" sales.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2021 16:31:22 GMT -5
I have read to page 100 of Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Volume 1. I will likely finish the rest tonight, but I would like to share my thoughts so far.
The foreward by Mike Gold gives some nice information about the era these stories are from. ...
Adventure Comics was selling the worst of the Superman comics at the time, but this changed with the release of issue 247... Actually during the Silver Age Adventure was still usually the worst-selling of the Weisinger books even with the Legion, according to sources such as the Comicchron.com site. There was one year (1965) when Adventure outsold World's Finest, but otherwise Adventure brought up the rear (even though it sold very well compared to non-Weisinger books). It's been reported that's why Weisinger took out the Legion out of Adventure in 1969 and installed Supergirl as the lead feature instead--he felt the lack of a "Super" headliner was the cause of Adventure's "low" sales. Do you know if that was a consideration for keeping Superboy in the title later in '73 when the ongoing Legion run and name change of his series occurred with #197 (and Superboy still an active member as well)?
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Post by Farrar on Aug 2, 2021 17:04:50 GMT -5
Do you know if that was a consideration for keeping Superboy in the title later in '73 when the ongoing Legion run and name change of his series occurred with #197 (and Superboy still an active member as well)? Interesting question. I don't know--I haven't read anything pointing to that one way or the other, but it seems a safe bet that it makes sense to slowly change the focus of the book, based on sales, letters, etc. They couldn't kick Superboy out of his own book right away
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Post by james on Aug 3, 2021 1:48:35 GMT -5
Though not sure I’d call his run classic I am rereading Scott Snyder’s Batman. The first time I read it I was dealing with lots of anxiety in my personal life and I could never really focus. This time I’m enjoying this run much more. Anyone else revisiting storylines or runs that due to outside forces you couldn’t really enjoy or understand the importance of?
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Post by Batflunkie on Aug 3, 2021 19:36:24 GMT -5
Even more Legion! (#220-#229), braved through the many Shooter serials (laughed at the comments in Super-talk who said that they'd riot if Shooter left) and have settled into Paul Levitz being somewhat regular rotation. He writes the book almost like Chris Claremont does with an air of danger, excitement, and drama that I sort of like. Still prefer Bates' take on the title though, but maybe that will change?
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Post by profh0011 on Aug 3, 2021 22:08:54 GMT -5
Yeah. The Super Pets rule. After all the business about DC permanently getting rid of Superboy, Supergirl, Krypto, Streaky, Comet, etc... seeing that tv cartoon was a pleasant SHOCK. I mean, they took what I bet most older fans dismissed as a silly idea, and created a REALLY FUN cartoon show out of it!
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Roquefort Raider
CCF Mod Squad
Modus omnibus in rebus
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Aug 6, 2021 10:43:44 GMT -5
I just re-read my stash of H.A.R.D. corps books from Valiant (roughly the first twenty issues).
Valiant had its big stars like Solar, Harbinger, Magnus, X-O or Turok, but also a bunch of B-list books that built upon and expanded the Valiant continuity.
In the case of this particular series, a certain conglomerate of private industries (named Omen) sees Toyo Harada's Harbinger foundation with a jaundiced eye, and creates a paramilitary outfit to (a) counter Harada's agenda; (b) exploit Harada's success with harbingers and (c) presumably make money by weaponizing harbinger powers. The last point isn't mentioned in the issues I have, but come on... it's pretty obvious that it would be a big selling point to shareholders!
The series is interesting in that just like its main characters, we're not sure that H.A.R.D. corps is on the side of the angels. Omen uses the corps for activities that are downright illegal and might count as domestic terrorism, and it is quite ready to sacrifice lives (that of its own employees and that of total strangers). The characters are all pretty good people, though, with the possible exception of the ill-named Heydrich (Omen's representative). He's not moustache-twirling evil, no, but you really know that he knows what side his toast is buttered on and that the corps are just company assets, ready to be discarded if needed.
Omen has developed a technology that allows it to "sample" harbinger powers by scanning the brain of super-powered individuals, and to reproduce such powers in ordinary people with microchips implanted in their brain. The chips allow those powers to be shifted one for another, à la Ultra Boy, although that needs to be done from a distance; each corps member is in constant contact with a control room.
Members of the corps were all at one point in an irreversible coma; the chips allowed them to wake up, and they have to sign on to remain awake. Already there, we see the dubious ethical ground on which Omen stands! Oh, and industrial secrets coming first, if a member is ever captured, his brain will be exploded from a distance.
The missions our heroes undertake range from Valiant staples like fighting spider-aliens to fighting other heroes due to a misunderstanding, but mostly they either blow up Harada's properties or chase down Harbingers to scan their brain and add to Omen's catalog of superpowers.
One of the most impressive thing about Valiant is how its shared universe's whole timeline is tightly managed; from other titles, we know that the H.A.R.D. corps will eventually evolve into the space-travelling Psi-Lords who would interact with Magnus. It's all connected, but in a good way!
The stories are straightforward, the art is clean, and I enjoyed this re-read more than I expected. I hope the run doesn't end with an "everybody DIES" cop-out.
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Post by Batflunkie on Aug 6, 2021 11:18:47 GMT -5
I just re-read my stash of H.A.R.D. corps books from Valiant (roughly the first twenty issues). Valiant had its big stars like Solar, Harbinger, Magnus, X-O or Turok, but also a bunch of B-list books that built upon and expanded the Valiant continuity. In the case of this particular series, a certain conglomerate of private industries (named Omen) sees Toyo Harada's Harbinger foundation with a jaundiced eye, and creates a paramilitary outfit to (a) counter Harada's agenda; (b) exploit Harada's success with harbingers and (c) presumably make money by weaponizing harbinger powers. The last point isn't mentioned in the issues I have, but come on... it's pretty obvious that it would be a big selling point to shareholders! The series is interesting in that just like its main characters, we're not sure that H.A.R.D. corps is on the side of the angels. Omen uses the corps for activities that are downright illegal and might count as domestic terrorism, and it is quite ready to sacrifice lives (that of its own employees and that of total strangers). The characters are all pretty good people, though, with the possible exception of the ill-named Heydrich (Omen's representative). He's not moustache-twirling evil, no, but you really know that he knows what side his toast is buttered on and that the corps are just company assets, ready to be discarded if needed. Omen has developed a technology that allows it to "sample" harbinger powers by scanning the brain of super-powered individuals, and to reproduce such powers in ordinary people with microchips implanted in their brain. The chips allow those powers to be shifted one for another, à la Ultra Boy, although that needs to be done from a distance; each corps member is in constant contact with a control room. Members of the corps were all at one point in an irreversible coma; the chips allowed them to wake up, and they have to sign on to remain awake. Already there, we see the dubious ethical ground on which Omen stands! Oh, and industrial secrets coming first, if a member is ever captured, his brain will be exploded from a distance. The missions our heroes undertake range from Valiant staples like fighting spider-aliens to fighting other heroes due to a misunderstanding, but mostly they either blow up Harada's properties or chase down Harbingers to scan their brain and add to Omen's catalog of superpowers. One of the most impressive thing about Valiant is how its shared universe's whole timeline is tightly managed; from other titles, we know that the H.A.R.D. corps will eventually evolve into the space-travelling Psi-Lords who would interact with Magnus. It's all connected, but in a good way! The stories are straightforward, the art is clean, and I enjoyed this re-read more than I expected. I hope the run doesn't end with an "everybody DIES" cop-out. H.A.R.D. Corps is probably one of my favorite 90's Valiant series and I was so glad to see it come back in the 2012 revamp.
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Post by badwolf on Aug 6, 2021 11:26:53 GMT -5
Gerry Conway and most of the young writers really weren't the brightest lights in the field, all too often. I know a lot of readers who grew up with them will disagree, but they just didn't have the sense of professionalism that many of the older, more experienced writer had. Plus, too often they wouldn't stick around long enough on a series to actually figure out what they were doing-- I suspect Conway stuck around because he knew his limitations, and as a result appreciated steady paychecks more than most... heh. I think Conway would improve dramatically after this period. I have some issues from the 180s-190s and they are great, written better and more coherent. I really hope they do a fourth B.A. omnibus.
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Post by profh0011 on Aug 7, 2021 9:53:31 GMT -5
BLAZING COMBAT #3 (Apr’66) cover by Frank FrazettaAnother story I have as a reprint... " THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN!" -- by WALLY WOOD. I guess it’s always cool to see someone do a solo job without any “help” from a separate writer. Two pilots use a game of checkers as a metaphor for what’s going on. It’s a game of attrition, the person who loses the most pieces loses. One of the pilots gets shot down, and is reamed out by his C.O. The next day, he goes up again, get shot down again, and winds up in the hospital. But although the Germans still had the superior forces, they wound up calling it off. The explanation is simple. They were fighting over enemy territory. Any loss was total. But a English or American plane going down, the pilots could get into another plane and fight again. STUNNING artwork and excellent storytelling. But it’s too dry for me. Like I said earlier, for the most part, “war” stories just don’t do it for me unless there’s something else involved. I have this reprinted in the ALL- Wood EERIE #131 (Jun’82). The one with the Rudy Nebres cover.
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