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Post by Calidore on Jun 10, 2023 19:03:27 GMT -5
I have to thank the folks who have recently talked up the Michelinie/Layton Iron Man on here. That's a series I've never really read, so I decided to have a look based on the recommendations, as a change from my ongoing Batman reading. I actually started with Bill Mantlo's run preceding M & L, and so far I've read through Dennis O'Neil's run and have just started M & L II. I was going to stop when John Byrne took over, but I've been reading good things about Len Kaminski's work on the other side, so I guess I'll go straight through.
Verdict so far: These are some highly readable comics, and I'm quite enjoying them. But boy, M & L sure did Clytemnestra dirty to start their second run. Was there a behind-the-scenes feud with Denny, or what was the deal? She was a good character.
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Post by Calidore on Jun 10, 2023 22:37:02 GMT -5
Perfectly innocent line in 1988 that hasn't aged well, from Iron Man #231:
"As head of public relations, Mr. Stark, might I suggest a new corporate spokesperson? Someone a bit less controversial than Iron Man? Why don't I contact Bill Cosby's agent...?"
Doh!
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Post by spoon on Jun 10, 2023 23:03:44 GMT -5
Perfectly innocent line in 1988 that hasn't aged well, from Iron Man #231: "As head of public relations, Mr. Stark, might I suggest a new corporate spokesperson? Someone a bit less controversial than Iron Man? Why don't I contact Bill Cosby's agent...?" Doh! I read the Epic Collection that reprints #233-244 a few months back. I remember that line. I think there were a few others that aged poorly. |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 11, 2023 14:47:04 GMT -5
The song lyric I always think of whenever people mention lines that didn't age well is Billy Joel's Zanzibar:
'rose he knows he's such a credit to the game...'
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Post by commond on Jun 11, 2023 18:57:46 GMT -5
King Conan #4 was the first issue of the series that I actually enjoyed. I even found myself warming towards Conn by the end. I'm glad they finally killed off Thoth-Amon (for the time being.) It was beginning to annoy me how they kept bringing him back each month as Conan's version of The Red Skull or Doctor Doom. I still hate the coloring, though. Why does Conan look so red?
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,190 
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Post by Confessor on Jun 13, 2023 13:13:19 GMT -5
Read a couple of my recent purchases: Doctor Strange #10 by Steve Englehart and Gene Colan, which is the first part of a 4-part storyline in which Nightmare has captured Eternity. It's quite a brooding issue for the most part -- the calm before the storm, so to speak. Englehart is at his most philosophical and trippy here, while Colan's artwork is beautifully atmospheric for a lot of the issue. Overall, this is a superior tale from the Englehart run. I also read Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #6, which is -- like Doctor Strange#10 -- quite a trippy issue. Scripted by Archie Goodwin (from a plot idea by Roy Thomas) and drawn by Frank Springer, the story revolves around S.H.I.E.L.D. test pilot Cliff Randall, who turns out not to be human at all, but is in fact one of "The Others", a group of inter-dimensional beings who were exiled to Earth when a tyrant from their dimension set of some big bomb doohickey thing! Anyway, turns out the "Others" need to draw a passing asteroid down onto the Earth, which would destroy our planet, but it's the only way to re-open the inter-dimensional door back to their home. Of course, only Nick Fury can save the planet! It's all ridiculous sci-fi b*llocks from cover to cover, but at least it's pretty enjoyable ridiculous sci-fi b*llocks!  Springer's art is serviceable and didn't bother me like it does sometimes. This was a fun comic, but not the best issue from this series by a long shot. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2023 13:17:17 GMT -5
Read a couple of my recent purchases: Doctor Strange #10 by Steve Englehart and Gene Colan, which is the first part of a 4-part storyline in which Nightmare has captured Eternity. It's quite a brooding issue for the most part -- the calm before the storm, so to speak. Englehart is at his most philosophical and trippy here, while Colan's artwork is beautifully atmospheric for a lot of the issue. Overall, this is a superior tale from the Englehart run. Nightmare captures Eternity? Oh no, that sounds bleak and dystopian.  |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,190
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Post by Confessor on Jun 13, 2023 16:01:45 GMT -5
Read a couple of my recent purchases: Doctor Strange #10 by Steve Englehart and Gene Colan, which is the first part of a 4-part storyline in which Nightmare has captured Eternity. It's quite a brooding issue for the most part -- the calm before the storm, so to speak. Englehart is at his most philosophical and trippy here, while Colan's artwork is beautifully atmospheric for a lot of the issue. Overall, this is a superior tale from the Englehart run. Nightmare captures Eternity? Oh no, that sounds bleak and dystopian. It actually results in the destruction of planet Earth. Eternity reckons that humanity will, inevitably, destroy the planet, so he does it first. Not a dream, not an imaginary story...the Earth actually gets completely destroyed by Eternity. So, yeah...kinda bleak and dystopian. Luckily, Eternity creates an exact copy of the planet and everybody on it. So, even though nothing in the Marvel Universe changes at all, in fact everybody and everything is different except for Doctor Strange. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Jun 13, 2023 17:50:11 GMT -5
I also read Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #6, which is -- like Doctor Strange#10 -- quite a trippy issue. Written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Frank Springer, Roy provided the plot but Archie Goodwin did the actual scripting.
Cei-U! I summon the footnote!
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Post by Calidore on Jun 13, 2023 18:30:38 GMT -5
Luckily, Eternity creates an exact copy of the planet and everybody on it. So, even though nothing in the Marvel Universe changes at all, in fact everybody and everything is different except for Doctor Strange.
Steven Wright joke: "Somebody broke into my apartment and replaced everything with an exact duplicate."
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,190
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Post by Confessor on Jun 14, 2023 3:21:09 GMT -5
I also read Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #6, which is -- like Doctor Strange#10 -- quite a trippy issue. Written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Frank Springer, Roy provided the plot but Archie Goodwin did the actual scripting. Cei-U! I summon the footnote!
Ah, my mistake...thanks, Kurt. |
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 14, 2023 16:09:52 GMT -5
I'm making my way through the Captain America Omnibus vol. 3, and so far have read Captain America #149-153. They're all Gerry Conway, except for #153, which starts Steve Englehart's classic run. I'm enjoying it overall. Nick Fury's been a real jerk. Acting like a child, picking with Cap because he thinks Cap was putting the moves on his woman - and Fury should have known better. Sam Wilson's girlfriends Leila is absolutely insufferable. I have no idea why Sam continues to date her. The letters pages (I'm glad they include those!) seem to have formed a solid consensus that they're not happy with Sal Buscema as the new penciller. They want either John Romita to return as penciller, or Gil Kane (who had been doing some of Cap's covers).
I've also been reading the first Werewolf by Night TPB. Pretty good stories, but, I'm sorry, I'm just not loving Mike Ploog's pencils, especially the way he draws faces.
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Post by Batflunkie on Jun 15, 2023 15:35:07 GMT -5
I'm making my way through the Captain America Omnibus vol. 3, and so far have read Captain America #149-153. They're all Gerry Conway, except for #153, which starts Steve Englehart's classic run. I'm enjoying it overall. Nick Fury's been a real jerk. Acting like a child, picking with Cap because he thinks Cap was putting the moves on his woman - and Fury should have known better. Sam Wilson's girlfriends Leila is absolutely insufferable. I have no idea why Sam continues to date her. The letters pages (I'm glad they include those!) seem to have formed a solid consensus that they're not happy with Sal Buscema as the new penciller. They want either John Romita to return as penciller, or Gil Kane (who had been doing some of Cap's covers). I've also been reading the first Werewolf by Night TPB. Pretty good stories, but, I'm sorry, I'm just not loving Mike Ploog's pencils, especially the way he draws faces. Englehart's run isn't particularly my favorite when it comes to Cap, mostly because of the a twist that I won't spoil involving Sam. I did enjoy Ploog's artwork in Man-Thing, guy draws a great monster, not so much people though
Also been speed reading through Flash, read 244-261 and the Dollar Comics Flash special from 78. Been really great and enjoyable. Something I have noticed though is references to Barry's "special aura" when he's the Flash that essentially prevents the friction of his intense speed from killing him. Was the germination of an idea for the Speed Force in Waid's run?
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 15, 2023 17:38:15 GMT -5
Is that 1978 Flash Special the one with Jay Garrick, Johnny Quick and Grodd?
I am not such a big Barry Allen fan, but I couldn’t pass up a comic with Grodd and Jay Garrick! Johnny Quick was a bonus as I don’t think I had ever seen the character before. So I picked this up back in 1978 and I loved it! I still have it around here somewhere. I haven’t read it for awhile.
My brother collected Flash, and I read each issue as it came out, so I learned to love his great Rogues Gallery. He had most of the issues from around 235 to 255, and I remember a few highlights. Like the one where The Top died and all the rogues gathered for the service. That was pretty cool.
I don’t really like Barry Allen, so I would generally root for the villains.
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Post by Batflunkie on Jun 15, 2023 17:51:59 GMT -5
Is that 1978 Flash Special the one with Jay Garrick, Johnny Quick and Grodd? I am not such a big Barry Allen fan, but I couldn’t pass up a comic with Grodd and Jay Garrick! Johnny Quick was a bonus as I don’t think I had ever seen the character before. So I picked this up back in 1978 and I loved it! I still have it around here somewhere. I haven’t read it for awhile. Yessir, that's the one! Thought it was a great story that was disjointed at first but really came together at the end. Loved the part where Jay, Barry, and Wally merge together to take out Grodd  My brother collected Flash, and I read each issue as it came out, so I learned to love his great Rogues Gallery. He had most of the issues from around 235 to 255, and I remember a few highlights. Like the one where The Top died and all the rogues gathered for the service. That was pretty cool. I don’t really like Barry Allen, so I would generally root for the villains. After reading the three part Top storyline where he passes away and leaves a nasty surprise for Flash and the remaining Rouges, I knew Bates was onto something special. Lately he's been amping up Cold's sister to be this really sinister villain who wants to avenge Top's death by killing Flash in the worst ways possible And yeah, I will admit that much like Hal, Barry is kind of a milquetoast lead. But growing up with a handful of the Silver and Bronze GL stories, I've grown to interpret Hal as an avatar for the reader more so than his own person. To reiterate what I said in the Flash thread I made, Silver Age, while very imaginative, is also kind of boring. So I wanted something a little more modern and Bates brings his own blend of Silver Age style tomfoolery with a slight counter-culture edge to it I feel that's a great mesh for the title |
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Springer's art is serviceable and didn't bother me like it does sometimes. This was a fun comic, but not the best issue from this series by a long shot.
