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Post by Mormel on Nov 13, 2024 7:25:10 GMT -5
^I like the X-Men Origins back-up stories. I kinda look at them as an X-Men # minus 4 to minus 1. There are some inconsistencies in them, especially concerning Cerebro, but they're fun and I like how Roth's more traditional art style contrasts with what's going on in the main book, particularly once Steranko comes in. I think the post Factor Three period in X-Men takes a while to find its stride, and it's often overlooked that Gary Friedrich and then Arnold Drake are writing the title for a bit until Thomas returns for the last stretch.
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Post by spoon on Nov 13, 2024 8:38:32 GMT -5
^I like the X-Men Origins back-up stories. I kinda look at them as an X-Men # minus 4 to minus 1. There are some inconsistencies in them, especially concerning Cerebro, but they're fun and I like how Roth's more traditional art style contrasts with what's going on in the main book, particularly once Steranko comes in. I think the post Factor Three period in X-Men takes a while to find its stride, and it's often overlooked that Gary Friedrich and then Arnold Drake are writing the title for a bit until Thomas returns for the last stretch. One reason I wanted to re-read this period is that I remember liking the issues either Friedrich or Drake wrote (or maybe it was both). It felt a new energy injected into the title after the first Thomas run. |
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Post by nairb73 on Nov 14, 2024 15:35:09 GMT -5
I recently got back into my read-through of MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE. Currently a quarter of the way through the run, at # 25, Ben's first meeting with Iron-Fist.
The book was still being used as a showcase for newer characters, like IF, as well as the Liberty Legion, (the 'Golden Age second-stringer' team, put together by Roy Thomas as a Marvel precursor of DC's 'All-Star Squadron).
MTIO was at times also a 'last chance' for certain new characters who simply didn't pan out, such as the Golem(the 'living statue' who was essentially 'put to sleep' in his appearance), and the 'not the Batman villain, and also not the Marvel villain' heroic Scarecrow, a 'painting come to life', who vanishes into a never-to-be-made series limbo at the end of MTIO # 19, essentially a wasted reading experience.
Things perk up a bit with # 21, a Doc Savage guest appearance. Borrowing from a technique used when Doc co-starred in 'Giant-Size Spider-Man', a 'parallel story' effect has Ben and Johnny in 1976, and Doc and his team in 1936, unraveling a mystery 'simultaneously', with two generations of a family. Unlike the Spider-Man story, Doc actually gets to interact with Ben, who recognizes the hero and his team('It ain't POSSIBLE!'), but there's little time for nostalgia before the time-traveling heroes are returned home...while, in the present a supporting character needs emergency surgery. This is (eventually) performed by Don Blake, but only after a two-issue struggle against Thor's old enemy, Set, the death god of ancient Egypt.
After # 25, Bill Mantlo steps aside, and we'll see what Marv Wolfman gets up to...one of these days!
I've heard good things about a lot of the issues 'yet to come', so I hope I've made it through the uneven part of the run.
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Post by Marv-El on Nov 14, 2024 18:10:58 GMT -5
 Captain America #273-284I recall buying #282 off the rack many moons ago yet somewhere along the line I must have traded it away with a neighborhood friend. So recently I wanted to get it back and ended up getting this bundle of Cap books. With J.M. DeMatteis writing the majority of these issues and David Anthony Kraft writing #273-274, all of them were solid fun reading. #273-274 featured a Howling Commandos reunion against a reborn Baron Von Strucker & Hydra. #275-279 is the introduction of the second Baron Zemo who with the help of Arnim Zola unleashes a diabolical plan to destroy the life of Steve Rogers. #280 is a solo confrontation against a insane Scarecrow. #281-283 features the latest dastardly threat by the Viper and Jack Monroe takes over the Nomad identity. #284 is a coda to those events. Plenty of action indeed but where DeMatteis shines more brightly is within the sub-plots. Bernie Rosenthal loves Steve Rogers yet she discovers his secret identity of Cap! No hysteronics, no mania ensues only a conversation and dialogue between two adults trying to figure out how to develop this new-found love. One of Cap's best friends, Arnie Roth, finally gives Steve some piece of mind about Steve's ongoing self-pity about being a man (and superhero) out-of-time. With Steve's help, Jack Monroe begins finding hope & direction for a new life in the new time of the 80s after deciding being a replacement Bucky isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Then in a set of back-up tales, Sam Wilson deals with mental issues surrounding his 'Snap' persona when his initial bid of running for Congress cranks up the stress level. The way these dramatic plots are weaved into the action of saving the day is handled wonderfully. Wrap up all of that in great art by Mike Zeck and John Beatty and it all makes for a terrific title. I hate to admit it but I never knew till now that Cap's book can be this good. |
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Post by chaykinstevens on Nov 14, 2024 18:42:44 GMT -5
Captain America #273-284All written by J.M. DeMatteis, this was solid fun reading. David Anthony Kraft wrote #273 & 274. |
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Post by Marv-El on Nov 15, 2024 18:16:06 GMT -5
Captain America #273-284All written by J.M. DeMatteis, this was solid fun reading. David Anthony Kraft wrote #273 & 274. Oops! I stand corrected and have corrected, thank you. One interesting aspect of those two issues is that with the exception of Fury obviously, the Howlers were all showing their age in spite of their zeal for action and duty. This carried over into the Viper three-part story with Dum Dum realizing that he's no spring chicken anymore regardless of his drive and that he may be more of a liability in the field now. Fury arrives at a needed solution to keep Dum Dum at his side but I thought it was a nice progression to see with those particular set of characters. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,860
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Post by shaxper on Nov 18, 2024 20:42:17 GMT -5
As most of you know, I get a kick out of "random" comics, the ones most sane people would never ever pick up, so how could I resist this relic of absurdity when I found it in a dollar bin a few months back?  The crazy part, though? It's not bad. I mean, it's Joey Cavaliari adapting the shooting script from one of the worst superhero films ever made, and yet the shooting script apparently made a little more sense than the final cut of the film did. Better yet, though, you've got Gray Morrow on art, and boy does his work look a million times better than the cheap ass film we got on screen:   Add to that some of the finest color processing I've ever seen done on newsprint, and I have to say: I kind of enjoyed reading this thing. Kind of. |
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Post by Icctrombone on Nov 19, 2024 5:59:21 GMT -5
Grey Morrow art is always a treat.
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Post by Batflunkie on Nov 19, 2024 12:10:55 GMT -5
As most of you know, I get a kick out of "random" comics, the ones most sane people would never ever pick up, so how could I resist this relic of absurdity when I found it in a dollar bin a few months back? The crazy part, though? It's not bad. I mean, it's Joey Cavaliari adapting the shooting script from one of the worst superhero films ever made, and yet the shooting script apparently made a little more sense than the final cut of the film did. Better yet, though, you've got Gray Morrow on art, and boy does his work look a million times better than the cheap ass film we got on screen: Add to that some of the finest color processing I've ever seen done on newsprint, and I have to say: I kind of enjoyed reading this thing. Kind of. Comic book adaptations of movies and television has always been a favorite of mine, though not as much as novelizations |
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