Howard The Duck #16 is along those lines I think. What I liked about it was that it really dug into the psyche of Gerber as both a writer and as a person, something that I don't think is often explored much anymore in comics. It also kind of read like a free-form essay about his move to Las Vegas

Hellblazer #23
"Larger than Life"
Writer: Jamie Delano
Artists: Dean Motter (breakdowns); Ron Tiner

This was one of a pair of 'done-in-one' stories Delano did at the end of of his run on Hellblazer. He had just completed a major story arc and was filling in time till Grant Morrison took over the title. This one doesn't even have consistent art, with Dean Motter doing the breakdowns and Ron Tiner (who would do all of the art on the next issue) doing the finishes and inks. It definitely has the feel of a fill-in, but it is a cracking little story nonetheless.

The story (cribbed from comicvine):

It's been three weeks since John Constantine was fished out of the ocean after his friends Zed and Marj raised the dragon. Now, he is hitchhiking to the Borough of Northampton, to meet his friend Jerry.

Jerry is prone to prosaic speech, and he refuses to stop treating has life as though it is a work of fiction. At first, Jerry is reluctant to let John inside, and his reluctance proves worthwhile when a blind man pushes his way past John, through the door. The man delivers a scrap of paper to Jerry, before John manages to chase him out into the street. Somehow, John loses track of the man outside.

Jerry explains that the blind man came to give him the black spot - the legendary sign of doom for all pirates. As it turns out, Jerry has recently been plagued by visits from storybook characters. Just recently, Sherlock Holmes had come to his door and warned that Jerry had out-stepped his bounds, and belonged to literature - not the real world. He warned that someone would be coming for Jerry soon.

John decides to take his friend out drinking, but the bar they attend is full of characters from storybooks, and they are forced to sneak out the back. Eventually, Jerry is ensnared in a trap by the storybook characters, who lead him into the public library. John attempts to follow, but Sherlock Holmes prevents him from entering. Inside, the many characters hold a trial against Jerry for bending the lines between fact and fiction.

John watches as Jerry is sentenced and taken away.

I was impressed by Roger Sterns ability to match Gail Simones humour and tone in this one:

Issue: Hulk # 222
Writer: Len Wein
Artists: Jim Starlin/ Alfrado Alcala





The Story: The issue opens with the Hulk on the run from the military , who he happened to run into during war excercises in the desert. They attack him and, after a short battle , take him down with gas.
When He hits the ground he is found by two small children who call for their older brother who drags the unconscience Hulk to a cave. The Hulk wakes up some time later as Banner and talks to the two children who are called Donny and Marie. ( Yeah, I know). Banner begins to ask the kids how he got there and to explain what’s happening and sees a huge figure in the shadows. Bruce see’s a caldron with Human bones scattered around the it and he asks the kids to expalin why they are in the cave.

The two children tell the story of a family that had a newborne exposed to toxic waste and developed canabalistic behavior. After their parents “disappeared” Billy, the altered sibling, took them away to live far from the authorities that wanted to capture him. The Children leave the terrified Banner to his fate as the monsterous Brother attacks him. After a spirited battle, the cave begins to collapse and the Hulk escapes leaving the monster for dead.


Comments: I consider this a fill in because of the guest artwork by Starlin and Alcala. Their combined art is a treat to the senses. The way this adventure is dropped into the series makes it seem that it was meant as a fill in.

Avengers # 157



“ A Ghost of Stone”

Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Pablo Marcos


This issue begins with YellowJacket, Iron Man and the Beast in the lab when they are showered with debris from a wall that is being destroyed by an intruder. The shadowy figure attacking them is revealed to be the Stone Statue of the Black Knight ( Dane Whitman) last seen during the Avengers/Defenders war that ran thought Avengers 116-118 and Defenders 7-11. After he subdues them he searches the rest of the Avengers mansion and attacks Captain America and the Wasp taking them down, as well. There are flash backs to the stone BK being annimated by a metallic gloved hand touching him from a dimensional portal. Another flashback has him witness to the gathering of the Avengers and Defenders after their fight and he is angry that they left him in his stone form.

We cut away to The Scarlet Witch and Simon ( Wonderman) doing some Christmas shopping and some heroics as they save people from a runaway bus. When they return to the mansion, Wanda Is sucker punched by the BK and he knocks out Simon afterwards. While standing over the unconscience bodies the BK states that he has three of the seven Avengers that betrayed him with only Thor and the Black Panther remaining. He seems to know that the Mantis is “ no more” and unavailable to be hunted down. He drags all his captives to the lab when the Vision phases through the wall and confronts him. After trading a few punches , he demands to know who he is fighting with. The Stone figure tells him he’s Dane Whitman and the Vision tells him he couldn’t be because the real Dane is back in the 12th Century. Enraged and in denial ,the Statue resumes his assault of the Android but he is punching a diamond hard oponent and soon crumbles into pieces of stone.



Comments:


I rate this a fill-in even though Conway was the regular writer from 151-157 because of the stand alone nature of the story and the guest art by comic legend Don Heck.

The following issue is the start of Jim Shooters first run on the title.

Pablo Marcos seems an odd choice to ink Hecks art given the difference in styles but , to his credit, he doesn’t overpower Hecks pencils.

It is never revealed in this stand alone issue who is it that brought the statue to life. I’m not sure if in a future issue it is revealed to be Ultron, or just left a dangling plot point but it seems important to me.

It is a bit ghastly to see the statue dismember itself while attacking the Vision in the end.

I’m not comfortable with the ease the statue knocks out Wonder man. Simon is Thor level strength and shouldn’t have gone down as he did.

It’s never explained how the statue knows how the Mantis is no longer in existence.

I give this issue a 2 1/2 out of 5.

I see your point but the issue doesn't address any continuity relating to the issues surrounding it. It almost reads like an inventory story.