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Post by spoon on Dec 22, 2022 22:38:13 GMT -5
I read the New Mutants graphic novel (via a 90s reprint). I've read it two or three times before. It was a quicker read/flowed better than I remember. I enjoyed it a lot. It's a very different feel than X-Men. Danielle Moonstar is a lot more strident in her distrust of white people than I remembered. I tend to think of her as more mellow than that. Also, I noticed on this re-reading that Danielle Moonstar may not have been intended as a given name/surname pair. Her grandfather calls her Moonstar. Then, at one point Xavier calls her Danielle and she reacts with surprise suggesting it's a secret name. So it seems like they are alternative names rather than components of a full name. Speaking of names, I don't recall most of the characters receiving code names here, though Sam does use the word "cannonball" in a simile describing his powers. The Hellfire Club mercenaries injured by Wolverine show up here. However, there are four of them, and when they later join the Reavers (and have individual names), there are only three. I wonder if that was oversight, change of plans, or something else.
I'm also more than halfway through Iron Man Epic Collection: Return of the Ghost (vol. 14). So far from the TPB I've read the Crash GN and Iron Man #233-241. I'm a little familar with this era having read #233 when it came out, and I think also an issue or two from the part of the TPB I haven't read yet. I figured I'd read this now since Crash has computer-generated art and I've recently read the computer-generated Batman GN. I can't I liked either one that much. Crash is a couple years earlier than Batman: Digital Justice and the art seems more simplistic. It was a little easier to get into storywise, but it comes across as having an Orientalist/fetishistic view of Japanese people. Ironically, in the back matter/afterward, the writer/artist mentions how saving the files to disk means it can manipulated to, for example, redo the captions to translate it into Japanese. In the afterward the writer/artist also comes across as very offputting. He writes in complicated syntax and throws in big words, like he's so sure he'll sound smart. I want to tell him to write more simply. It reminds me of the story itself, where there are couple of passages of techno-babble that are long to the point of tedium. Uh, I don't think most Japanese people would enjoy it. It takes place a couple decades in the future, so it's placement here is more about publication date than continuity.
In the actual monthly title, most issues so far are plotted by Michelinie and Layton, with Michelinie also scripting and Layton also finishing/inking. Jackson Guice does breakdowns on most issues. I was surprised by how much of dick Tony Stark comes across as in this run. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take this. It could intended as a three-dimensional warts-and-all character, but it reads more like Tony is read as heroic. It's got an 80s vibe like being a rich self-absorbed pushy alpha male is admirable. You should take all you get. For instance, the more traditional super-hero romantic plot lines are things like monogamy, will-they-or-won't-they, and love triangles (but well-intentioned, emotionally deep conflicts). Here, Tony is juggling two women (with other occasionally coming in for a single issue). They make it pretty clear that he intends to keep dating both indefinitely with no plan to commit to either and that (within the confines of the Comics Code) that he's having sex with both of them. The drama comes from the fact that one of them is too clingy. Rhodey is very critical of her clinginess, but never suggests Tony could resolve that by exclusively dating one. Tony also has the nerve to get offended at the government for suing him over damage done by Iron Man during Armor Wars, while disingenuously pretending that Iron Man is a different person than the current Iron Man (of course, actually both Tony himself). As if also the case during other Iron Man runs, a lot of Iron Man works involves fighting for the interest of Stark's company; the benefits to public safety and justice tend to be incidental benefits.
Don't get me wrong; the stories are pretty solid. I particularly like a Grey Gargoyle arc and a one-off story on a satellite (mostly for the action sequences). But the impression that Tony is a rich jerk, and that we're supposed to root for him because of this (rather than in spite of it), come across as the distinctive signature to this run that I didn't expect. For example, in issues during the Denny O'Neil run I've read, despite whatever problems Tony is dealing, I recall him being kinder.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 22, 2022 23:03:24 GMT -5
Being a rich, arrogant pushy alpha male that took what he wanted damn the rest of the world WAS the ideal in the mid 80s... See JR Ewing, Alex P. Keaton, and a host of others.
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Post by Mormel on Dec 23, 2022 8:44:19 GMT -5
I read the New Mutants graphic novel (via a 90s reprint). I've read it two or three times before. It was a quicker read/flowed better than I remember. I enjoyed it a lot. It's a very different feel than X-Men. Danielle Moonstar is a lot more strident in her distrust of white people than I remembered. I tend to think of her as more mellow than that. Also, I noticed on this re-reading that Danielle Moonstar may not have been intended as a given name/surname pair. Her grandfather calls her Moonstar. Then, at one point Xavier calls her Danielle and she reacts with surprise suggesting it's a secret name. So it seems like they are alternative names rather than components of a full name. Speaking of names, I don't recall most of the characters receiving code names here, though Sam does use the word "cannonball" in a simile describing his powers. The Hellfire Club mercenaries injured by Wolverine show up here. However, there are four of them, and when they later join the Reavers (and have individual names), there are only three. I wonder if that was oversight, change of plans, or something else. Dani does mellow out a lot over the course of the first 10 issues of NM, though she starts out very anguished (with good reason). I'm around issue 15, and Dani is typically contrasted with Rahne as the outgoing rebellious extraverted one vs Rahne's more timid character with the sheltered upbringing. |
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Post by Batflunkie on Dec 24, 2022 12:53:23 GMT -5
Green Lantern #30-#31 and The Flash #69-#70
So I got to the "Gorilla Warfare" storyline that went back and forth for four issues in-between GL and Flash. It was fairly interesting because the first two parts are told from the perspective of Wally and Hal. Basically Grodd, along with help from Hector Hammond, is trying to get his hands on a third meteor to further empower him so that he can take over anything
It was pretty good I thought, very silver age feeling, but I think that was intentional considering that all the issues are dedicated to John Broome
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Post by commond on Dec 25, 2022 21:36:59 GMT -5
I was a bit disappointed with Dan Clowe's Lloyd Llewellyn series, though suitably impressed that he went from that series to the mind-bending brilliance of Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron and the rest of Eightball.
Even more disappointing was Six from Sirius, which I'd have to classify as a dud. It's one of those sci-fi comics where the author tries to explain everything through expository dialogue instead of captions, which made it confusing and difficult to follow. There also wasn't a ton of story to fill a four issue limited series. Gulacy's art felt a bit static to me and didn't have the level of composition I've come to expect from him. I'd be interested in hearing from a fan of this series.
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Post by Mormel on Dec 26, 2022 5:46:23 GMT -5
Continued with New Mutants #13-16, and Generation X #10-12.
New Mutants still a great mix of superheroics and teen drama, as Magma adjusts to life at the school and her burgeoning powers, and Illyana Rasputin is brought into the fold as well; she struggles with the nature of the magicks that have been taught to her by the demon Belasco. The team embarks on a mission to rescue Kitty and Doug from Emma Frost at the Massachusetts Academy, Dani displays her leadership skills. I like how each of the New Mutants have issues with learning about their powers, like Dani's doubts about the ethics of conjuring up people's deepest fears, or Sam's limited air manoeuverability. Bit of a Sam/Rahne/Amara romance triangle going on. Cherry on the cake is the appearance of the Hellions in #12, and how their powers line up with their New Mutant counterparts (Thunderbird/Sunspot, Tarot/Psyche-Illyana, Jetstream/Cannonball, Catseye/Wolfsbane). Empath's emotional manipulation is here used in similar fashion to Karma's possession power, while Roulette is like a meaner Scarlet Witch.
I like how, similar to Warren in the original five, Roberto sometimes bails out the team with money, like when they need bus fare to get to Emma's school. Loving the Sal Buscema art too.
Generation X is doing interesting things with Chamber this time around. 2 explosions in previous issues have demonstrated that he's perhaps the most powerful member of the team, and in #11 he gets to showcase his power going up against Omega Red, who is revealed to share a past with the Banshee as well. Great exciting art by Tom Grummett interrupted in #11 by Val Semeiks in very similar style. Mondo is introduced to the team, but doesn't get to do much so far. This run of issues ends with Empath and his cronies capturing the whole team, gearing up for a new confrontation with the team's first foe, who turns out to be Monet's brother.
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Post by berkley on Dec 26, 2022 16:45:06 GMT -5
I was a bit disappointed with Dan Clowe's Lloyd Llewellyn series, though suitably impressed that he went from that series to the mind-bending brilliance of Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron and the rest of Eightball. Even more disappointing was Six from Sirius, which I'd have to classify as a dud. It's one of those sci-fi comics where the author tries to explain everything through expository dialogue instead of captions, which made it confusing and difficult to follow. There also wasn't a ton of story to fill a four issue limited series. Gulacy's art felt a bit static to me and didn't have the level of composition I've come to expect from him. I'd be interested in hearing from a fan of this series.
Love both of those. Perhaps having read them when they first came out is a factor: I didn't have Eightball to compare Lloyd Lewellyn with, so for me the latter was a totally pleasant surprise. Yes, it's a bit of a one-trick pony - but that's exactly why Clowes didn't carry on with it for more than six issues. Personally, I could have done with a few more.
Six from Sirius, again, I didn't have any of the problems you found with it: the expository dialogue was simply a convention of the comic-book story-telling of the time that I accept as a matter of course. And Gulacy's artwork seems up to his best standards to my eyes. The static effect is I think possibly in part a result of the colouring method used with the series, which sometimes gave the artwork a kind of painted look.
Shaxper did a review thread of Six from Sirius a few years back that you should check out, as I think he found some of the same problems you have with the series and a few more besides. I hope you're not too turned off to try the next Six from Sirius miniseries, which, while not a complete departure from the template set by the first, does present some changes, if I recall.
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Post by Batflunkie on Dec 26, 2022 18:14:40 GMT -5
The Flash #76  Was not expecting that ending, wow! |
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Post by spoon on Dec 26, 2022 21:54:30 GMT -5
I finished the remainder of Iron Man Epic Collection: Return of the Ghost (vol. 14) that I hadn’t read at the time of my prior post - Iron Man #242-244 and stories from Marvel Fanfare #22-23, 44. This starts with a wrap-up of a Mandarin storyline which is apparently the start of rich businessman version of the Mandarin. It’s kind of goofy (like Tony isn’t sure if he’s really the Mandarin at first). It’s a very cringey plot where Tony agrees to battle the Mandarin over his right to do busy in Hong Kong and the lives of his captive friends. The Mandarin was much better handled a few months later in Uncanny X-Men. Tony ends being shot, and the aftermath plays out in #243 and #244.
It’s funny that the first and last issue of Iron Man included in this volume are the only ones I’ve read before. When I read #244 fresh off the stands, I didn’t realize Tony’s shooting came from his messy personal life. Layton and Michelinie continue to imply that it’s admirable that Tony is a selfish, cutthroat corporate d-bag is fine, and the people he messes with are evil. Tony fired his previous attorney for settling government lawsuits too readily, when Tony wanted him to argue that Iron Man was going rogue (although of course Tony is Iron Man). Tony should be grateful to avoid discovery regarding Iron Man’s identity. But because the writers want to establish that anyone standing the way of maximum Stark profits is evil, his former lawyer then decides to represent Tony’s shooter and direct her to lie. The evil plan is to falsely accuse Tony of domestic violence because the lawyer says concern about domestic violence is a current fad. Unfortunately, having a woman lie about domestic violence isn’t far afield from some other aspects of the worldview here.
The Fanfare issues all feature art and plots by Ken Steacy. Their placement here is a little haphazard especially since the first two were published a couple years before the earliest issues in this TPB. The two-parter in #22-23 is pretty good, especially art-wise. It has an interesting cliffhanger. It does feature a weird legal plot with an evil “consumer activist” who doesn’t seem to fit that description, but it’s this weird vibe where in an Iron Man story you get to treat any critique of business as evil. The story in #44 is not nearly as good in either plot or art, despite coming from the same creator.
Did some other reading which will be in another post . . .
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Post by spoon on Dec 26, 2022 22:42:26 GMT -5
I spent an extended Christmas weekend at my older brother’s home. Little did I know he has this giant Crisis on Infinite Earths box set. It has hardcovers feature the Crisis mini-series, all of the crossovers, and all the pre-Crisis JLA/JSA team-ups that were reprinted in the Crisis on Multiple Earths TPBs. With way more than I could read, I blitzed my way through the Infinity Inc. volume (reprinting Infinity Inc. #18-25, Annual #1, and Justice League of America #244-245), the JLA/JSA crossovers of 1979 and 1980 (from Justice League of America #171-172 and #183-185), and the Crisis crossovers issues of Omega Men #31, 33.
I’ve read a few of the Infinity Inc. issues before, but I wanted to read it all together and check out the JLA issues. I’m ambivalent about Infinity Inc. because it’s a mix of interesting and sloppy stuff. Some of the backstory of characters is intriguing, but it feels like elements of personal lives are tossed about in haphazard and unclear ways. Like there will be thought balloons that seem to suggest love triangles, but it’s unclear. I realize some of it comes from issue I haven’t read, but this is an 8 issue stint of the title so I should get a better sense of the subplot. I kind love the madcap nature of Helix (a supervillain team), although it may seem like Roy Thomas just threw random ideas against a wall. I like the new characters that take up the mantles of older JSA members during this run (new versions of Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, and Wildcat). On the other hand, an issue where the new Dr. Mid-Nite (who is a black woman) and Hourman fight racist Union soldiers smacks of Lost Cause propaganda from Confederate apologists. There’s a weird division of the art chores. Todd McFarlane draws some full issues, but in other issues, he pencils just a handful of pages with another artist doing the rest. Apparently, before this period, McFarlane was penciling all the pages. So what was happening during this period? Was McFarlane drawing another series? Did he fall behind because the page counts on the series were about 28 pages? Why divide the issues then rather than having him draw alternate ones? Anyway, I like the more restrained McFarlane work here even though it’s not as distinctive as his style would later become. Unfortunately, the last JLA/JSA team-up (with Infinity Inc. too) goes out with a whimper.
The JLA/JSA team-up from #171-172 is a murder mystery aboard the JLA Satellite. I’m not too well-read on late 1970s DC outside of a few specific titles. It’s a mix of sophisticated/grim and cheesy. The moral of the story is that the teams conducted a fair investigation, although Superman really did jump to a conclusion on the beginning that was uncertain in a world of super-powers. The #183-185 is the New Genesis/Apokolips story. I’m not a big Fourth World person, but I liked this story and learned some about the Fourth World stuff. I haven’t read that much JLA from this era, so I didn’t realize this is when Dick Dillin’s untimely death ended his run. I do have an Omnibus waiting for me to read though. I also felt that regular plot device of splitting the team (or teams here) into smaller group was really well executed here. Even though it’s 1980, this marks Darkseid’s final appearance (outside of the Great Darkness Saga from the far future of the Legion) until Crisis in 1985.
I decided to read the two Omega Men issues out of curiosity. I used to see ads from the mid-80s where the series was ranked among comic readers’ top 10 favorite titles, but from a handful of guest appearances (mostly in Green Lantern), they didn’t seem like anything special. Even though these issues dropped me into ongoing plotlines, they’re interesting enough that I’d consider buying more issues. The character seem interesting and I’m curious to learn about the ongoing battle against the Spider-Guild and the worlds that are involved.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2022 9:11:24 GMT -5
The Amazing Spider-Man #2 via Marvel Unlimited.
The Terrible Tinkerer just doesn’t work for me, not as a Spidey opponent. I think Spidey works best in street-level stories, not opposing aliens (one might ask why the aliens weren’t concerned about the Fantastic Four, who would have been a part of the MU at the time). It just all felt very random and out of place in a Spidey story.
I know the MU consists of sci-fi and fantasy elements. That’s fine. And some superhero characters work well in any setting, I feel Batman can work whether he’s investigating haunted houses, battling muggers or taking on Darkseid. But I prefer Spidey far away from aliens.
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Post by Batflunkie on Dec 28, 2022 7:40:49 GMT -5
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Post by kirby101 on Dec 28, 2022 8:20:12 GMT -5
The Return of Barry Allen was very good, all due to Waid's writing. I found Laracque's art serviceable, but not really adding thing extra to the book. It told the story, but wasn't more than adequate.
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Post by chaykinstevens on Dec 28, 2022 8:53:35 GMT -5
The Fanfare issues all feature art and plots by Ken Steacy. Their placement here is a little haphazard especially since the first two were published a couple years before the earliest issues in this TPB. The two-parter in #22-23 is pretty good, especially art-wise. It has an interesting cliffhanger. It does feature a weird legal plot with an evil “consumer activist” who doesn’t seem to fit that description, but it’s this weird vibe where in an Iron Man story you get to treat any critique of business as evil. The story in #44 is not nearly as good in either plot or art, despite coming from the same creator. Does the TPB credit Steacy with plotting Fanfare #22 & 23? The original comics credited Roger McKenzie with script and Steacy with everything else bar editing. In the absence of an explicit plotting credit for someone else, I would tend to assume the scripter was also the plotter. The appearance by Judge Coffin, an obscure character from McKenzie's run on Daredevil, would seem to support this. I don't think McKenzie had any input into to story in Fanfare #44. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Dec 28, 2022 9:31:45 GMT -5
The Amazing Spider-Man #2 via Marvel Unlimited. The Terrible Tinkerer just doesn’t work for me, not as a Spidey opponent. I think Spidey works best in street-level stories, not opposing aliens (one might ask why the aliens weren’t concerned about the Fantastic Four, who would have been a part of the MU at the time). It just all felt very random and out of place in a Spidey story. I know the MU consists of sci-fi and fantasy elements. That’s fine. And some superhero characters work well in any setting, I feel Batman can work whether he’s investigating haunted houses, battling muggers or taking on Darkseid. But I prefer Spidey far away from aliens. If it makes you feel any better, Roger Stern agreed with you. In Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #50-51 (January-February 1981), he revealed that neither the Tinkerer nor his allies were true aliens, but freelance spies disguised as aliens for, um, reasons and their "spaceship" merely a helicopyer tricked out by SFX genius (and future Mysterio) Quentin Beck.
Cei-U!
I summon the second thought! |
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