Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,190 
|
Post by Confessor on Jun 26, 2023 15:12:05 GMT -5
Re-read Amazing Spider-Man #105–109 from 1972 the other day.  These issues feature a Stan Lee scripted story that begins with J. Jonah Jameson commissioning and paying for yet another Spider-Slayer from the dastardly Professor Spencer Smythe. Unfortunately for Jonah, the professor double-crosses him in a bid to steal the Spider-Slayer technology and use it himself to become the city's newest crime boss. This leads into a fanciful, but hugely enjoyable storyline about Flash Thompson having stumbled upon a legendary hidden temple in the Vietnam jungle, while wandering wounded during his tour of duty out there. Inside the temple, Flash met a venerable old mystic and his beautiful daughter Sha Shan (who will later become Flash's girlfriend and eventually wife). Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed by Flash's unit – though Thompson desperately tried to prevent the bombing – but the angry temple worshippers still blame him for the sacrilege and have come to New York City to murder Thompson in revenge. Luckily, Spider-Man manages to save Flash, with a little help from Dr. Strange, who actually brings the old man back to life using magic. It's all glorious early Bronze Age nonsense, of course, but it's certainly hugely enjoyable nonsense. The first issue of this arc is drawn by Gil Kane, and he does a decent job on the artwork. ASM #106–109, however, are all drawn and mostly inked by John Romita Sr. (Frank Giacoia inks ASM #106 and 107). Suffice it to say, Romita's artwork in these issues is fantastic. |
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Jun 26, 2023 23:05:03 GMT -5
I found a copy of Darkhold #11 in between the pages of Barry Windsor Smith's Monsters, which I lent to a friend last year. Maybe it's his? I'll have to ask. But since it was there I read it and... ...It's probably the absolute worst comic book I ever read. The quintessential awful 90s comic, with bad fake Image art, clichéd and nonsensical script, zero character development, amateurish storytelling and LOTS of gnashing teeth. Characters strike poses, shout nonsensical itty & gritty things, shoot at each other, get torn in half with no lasting repercussions, and then it all ends in a "to be continued" coda. I feel blessed to have been away from any LCS or newsstand in those days, because such comics strike me as the nadir of American comic-books. Hard to believe that so much great material would see print just a few years down the line, after the implosion of the market! Striking a huge contrast, I checked out the Providence compendium from the public library. An excellent Lovecraft pastiche by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows, well worth reading, and showing that the comics can absolutely still be good when creators have something to say.
That's too bad, because I think a series based on the Darkhold is a great idea. If only it had happened in another era, maybe it would have had a chance. There are a few 1990s Marvel things I've heard about that trike me this way - Elsa Bloodstone, for example: good idea for a character, but what I've seen of the execution has kept me away from sampling even a single story.
|
|
|
|
Post by EdoBosnar on Jun 27, 2023 2:04:34 GMT -5
(...) There are a few 1990s Marvel things I've heard about that trike me this way - Elsa Bloodstone, for example: good idea for a character, but what I've seen of the execution has kept me away from sampling even a single story.
Well, she was good in NextWave. But that's all I've ever read that has her in it. |
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 28, 2023 16:11:16 GMT -5
 Started up a re-read of Batman: Black and White (vol. 1 1996). I think this is the second time I've read it since it came out. I've said before and I'll say again that I am, by and large, pretty tired of Batman. But I do still think he works well in certain contexts and this is one of them. A number of short stories by high quality creators who aren't, generally, identified with the character. Looking at issue #1 (I haven't re-read the rest yet) the cover is by Jim Lee, who I don't think had done any work for DC up to that point. I'm not a fan, but the cover is fine, except that Bats' face makes it look like he's trying to grunt out a big old turd. The inside cover is by Mike Allred. I'm a fairly big fan of Allred, but this pin-up is just kind of okay. Story One is written and drawn by Ted McKeever. I'm not generally a huge fan of his work, but I like this one a fair bit. Bats does an autopsy on a mugging victim with the overarching purpose of determining who she is so she's not a Jane Doe. It plays in to Batman as detective (which I like and has been an afterthought for over three decades) and him caring about people, whether they are able to appreciate it or not. "Two of a Kind" finds Bruce Timm giving us a tale of Harvey Dent being cured and finding love and loss. Timm is an amazing artist and the story is good, if a bit predictable. Harvey/Two-Face is always a great subject for pathos. "The Hunt" art and story by Joe Kubert is a surreal fever dream of a story. Kubert's art is amazing as always. But the story did absolutely zero for me. "Petty Crimes" by Howard Chaykin finds The Bat chasing Civic Virtue who has been killing people for rudeness. The lady who takes 12 items to the cash only 10 items or less lane and pays with a check. Loud teens in a movie theater. The kind of people most of us have at least thought of thumping now and then. It's all very Chaykin and if you like his work, you'll like it. I am a Chaykin fan. "The Devil's Trumpet" written by Archie Goodwin and art by José Antonio Muñoz. The story finds a technically brilliant trumpeter looking for an instrument won from the Devil that will allow him to play with true passion. That way lies murder and a meeting with a Bat that will bedevil evil-doers. A decent story. I run hot and cold on Munoz, but the art definitely fit this story. A very nice issue. I'd love to see more of this kind of thing. |
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 29, 2023 10:05:26 GMT -5
Batman: Black and White #2, on the other hand, is kind of a stinker. Nice cover by Frank Miller. I'm generally a big Kaluta fan, but the inside cover did nada for me. The first story by Walt Simonson is okay. Simonson's art is beyond reproach, but the story is very slight. I get that it's a bedtime fable but the story is still pretty small. "Monster Maker" by Jan Strnad and Richard Corben...oh my! I've said before, I'm not a big Corben fan, but this is fine if you like his work. But the story...is...well it's really just racist as hell. Maybe they were trying to go for a "The Wire" vibe. But they failed miserably by forgetting the empathy and the nuance and actually thinking about the story. Appallingly bad. Story three has writing and art by Kent Williams. Again...not a big fan of Williams' art, but it is fine at what it's trying to do. But the story does absolutely zero for me. Allegorical mess. "The Devil's Children" by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino. I'm totally unfamiliar with Zaffino. The art is fine but not special to me. Dixon is pretty much always Dixon. Reliable but not outstanding in any way, good or bad. The story is nothing we couldn't see in a regular Batman comic of the time...just shorter. "A Black and White World" by Neil Gaiman and Simon Bisley. The saving grace of the issue. But I'm an unrepentant Gaiman fanboy. And I like Bisley for the most part. The story is fun and funny and it's not something that I remember seeing a few dozen times like so many others. I honestly had forgotten over the years that Gaiman wrote this one. Oops...forgot the inside back cover pin-up by Tony Salmons. I only know him from the Vigilante mini-series he did with James Robinson and from Dakota North. The pin-up is a little busy, but it's good. Salmons' style honestly seems prime for Batman and it seems like he should have done a retro-Bats mini-series at some point. |
|
|
|
Post by Rob Allen on Jun 29, 2023 10:17:58 GMT -5
Re-read Amazing Spider-Man #105–109 from 1972 the other day. [...] ASM #106–109, however, are all drawn and mostly inked by John Romita Sr. (Frank Giacoia inks ASM #106 and 107). Suffice it to say, Romita's artwork in these issues is fantastic. I'm pretty sure this is the year I voted for Romita as Best Penciller in the Academy of Comic Book Arts' annual Shazam awards. |
|
|
|
Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 29, 2023 11:55:18 GMT -5
They seem to being a thing with the Darkhold this summer..all the annuals seem to feature heroes fighting each other, with Agatha Harkness trying to restore the Darkhold as the cause. Seems like it might exist to make MCU Agatha exist in the comics, but maybe it'll be good (I'll probably pick up the one with Tiger Division in it anyway)...
I finished the Ant-Man/Giant-Man Epic vol. 2 today... it's quite an interesting collection. I was curious what they would fill it with, since I knew there weren't enough Hank Pym stories to do so. After the rest of the ToS run (which I liked alot).. there was apparently a revival in 1972-1973 that is a must less well done version of Sword of the Atom, so that's in there. Then we move on to Bill Foster... his mini (though perhaps it wasn't meant as a mini) and his guest appearances in Power Man (which is solid) and Champions (which definitely didn't need to be included)... finally, there's the first solo Scott Lang stories in Marvel Premiere. I feel like some Avengers-centric Hank Pym stories would have made more sense, but then I suppose those are clearly collected in the Avengers Epics, so this way it's other uncollected stuff.
Next up in from my Epic shelf is the last Star Wars epic.
|
|
|
|
Post by badwolf on Jun 29, 2023 14:58:26 GMT -5
No Agatha's not a baddie!
|
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Jun 29, 2023 15:46:06 GMT -5
I finished reading the Taschen XL Spider-Man which included ASM 1-19. Amazing Fantasy #15 and Annual #1. I very much enjoyed revisiting thees stories, especially in this format, which is scanned from the original comic and printed 2 up.
I hope to find the time and energy to write a longer post about my thoughts on these issues.
|
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Jun 30, 2023 9:04:45 GMT -5
While on vacation, I’ve been binge reading the Ostrander/ Morgan Spectre series. Very interesting series that redefines The Spectre and actually gives him limits. The complaint about Superman is that he’s too powerful , but what do you do with a Spectre comic? Apparently, this comic answers the question. Good stuff. I’m up to issue #8.
|
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 30, 2023 9:32:48 GMT -5
While on vacation, I’ve been binge reading the Ostrander/ Morgan Spectre series. Very interesting series that redefines The Spectre and actually gives him limits. The complaint about Superman is that he’s too powerful , but what do you do with a Spectre comic? Apparently, this comic answers the question. Good stuff. I’m up to issue #8. One of my all-time favorite comics runs. |
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Jun 30, 2023 13:32:47 GMT -5
Amazing Spider-Man #1-#19 and Annual #1. Taschen XL Edition. I loved reading these stories again. It's been at least 20 years since I last read them. So, some thoughts. I can see the appeal, especially to young males. Peter is not a typical alter ego, he is the nerdy kid who smart and secretly due to his Spider powers, better than everyone else. His ongoing problems make him even more relatable. It is here where Stan's dialog really works. Though it sometimes falls into the "Woe is me" territory, it keeps Peter as a real person. And the snappy, one liner, dialog during fights also makes this a different book (Leifeld didn't invent the hero with a mouth). Peter is so serious as an alter ego, that you see him letting it all out as Spider-Man. The only problem it runs into is Stan's habit of having a character explain the action that is obvious from the art. "Quick, run to the other side of the building", "Oh no, he has leaped over the building and now stands before us." or "If I use my webbing to hit that flagpole I can swing into that window." It's already on the page Stan. I think this might be from Stan writing dialog for pages he has just seen. The plots are either bare bones or a bit silly. The coincidence that lead to the battles start piling up. But I don't think it's out of line with early 60s comics in general. It gets a little better with the second 10 issues, as they can delve into the characters more.
One more thing about Peter, he can be a dick. He starts off as a kid who can't get a date, and in a short time is dating Betty Brandt and has Liz wanting him. And he treats them like crap. Every time he can't see Betty because of some Spidey thing, he just blows her off. "Sorry Babe, i got something else to do." He doesn't try to make it sound important, or beg her forgiveness, he takes her for granted. And Liz, he strings her along without ever telling her if he is interested.
Now the best part of the books, Steve Ditko's art. I don't think we ever saw a hero who moved like that. Every page is a treat, even a page of Peter in class or at the Bugle feels like it's moving due to his changing angles. And the action...while I would say Kirby is always dynamic, Ditko is always kinetic. It is just a joy to see his inventiveness and energy. The villains he designed make it all the more exciting as each one gives Spidey an different kind of fight. The fight with Mysterio in the TV Station is a classic with good reason.
Which brings me to Annual #1. The Sinister Six. This is a Ditko tour de force. The simple plot "Let's get together to beat Spider-Man" is all that is needed for a series of fight scenes, each one with an incredible full splash page of Spidey and the bad guy. The only other thing I noticed is the plot involves Doc Ock holding Betty and Aunt May hostage. May never realizes they are in danger and thinks Octavius is a perfect gentleman. Setting up their romance decades later.
I'll end my rambling here, only to say the XL format was well worth the price.
|
|
|
|
Post by badwolf on Jun 30, 2023 14:49:04 GMT -5
Even into the 80s Peter was treating girls like Deb Whitman poorly.
|
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Jun 30, 2023 14:59:17 GMT -5
Even into the 80s Peter was treating girls like Deb Whitman poorly. He got Gwen killed and Mary Jane was so fed up she removed their marriage from history.  |
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,190
|
Post by Confessor on Jul 1, 2023 11:44:10 GMT -5
Even into the 80s Peter was treating girls like Deb Whitman poorly. In his defence, though Deb Whitman was a a sweet girl, she was also a pretty big neurotic mess and that only got worse when she began to suspect that Peter was Spider-Man. Of course, Peter essentially gaslighting her (in modern parlance) in order to protect his secret identity didn't help matters. But honestly, Deb Whitman was a bit of a nightmare girlfriend. ...and Mary Jane was so fed up she removed their marriage from history. Ha! You spelled Joe Quesada wrong.  |
|
