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Post by rberman on May 20, 2018 8:10:21 GMT -5
Synopsis: Deathlok is after the escaping thugs in the helo and hurls his bayonet (which is drawn more like a bush knife, and hits the tail rotor, sending it into a spin and a hard landing. Deathlok goes after it and lands on a fire escape, which can't support his weight...  This really ought to happen a lot more often than it does to the heavier/denser superheroes. Colossus and Steeljack should think twice before entering a New York City tenement building, for fear they would fall through the floor and kill someone beneath. Steeljack's weight actually did become a plot point in Astro City. As for the "major vs general" thing: Yeah, major is pretty low on the officer pecking order. It's a young man's job due to the "up or out" policy which makes room for new young talent coming up the pipeline. I found this chart describing the likely ages of various officers: And this link outlining the army's policy on promotions: www.thebalancecareers.com/military-commissioned-officer-promotions-4055887 |
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Post by codystarbuck on May 20, 2018 10:45:53 GMT -5
That chart pretty much coincides with my experiences. In the Navy, you are automatically promoted from Ensign (O1) to LTJG (O2) after 2 years. LT comes in 4, etc, etc. An Ensign/LTJG is a division officer, running one (or more) divisions of a ship's department (Engineering, Operations, Supply, Weapons, etc). A LT was a Department Head, running one of those departments, with one or more division officers reporting to him/her. A LCDR was usually the senior department head and the Executive Officer and a CDR was the commanding officer; the ship's captain. A Captain ran larger commands, including squadrons and larger vessels, like an aircraft carrier. An admiral ran a group, Naval Installation or similar command, as well as fleet commands, at higher admiral rank.
I'm not fully up on the Army; but, a 2nd Lt/1st Lt is a platoon commander, a Capt a Company Commander, and Major is usually an assistant Divisional commander, while Lt Col and Col are Division commanders. Generals are in charge of Armies and similar large scale organizations. May be a little off there.
Ryker appears to have been in charge of a special program, rather than a conventional line officer, which would be fine and he would have operational command of something like a training unit. However, per military protocol, would never address a senior officer the way he does in the flashbacks. He would still call him sir. Actually, we aren't sure that Manning is a colonel, in the flashbacks, since his rank isn't used in dialogue, though Ryker is a captain, bucking for major. However, Manning is killed during the exercise; so, he must have been a colonel. The story makes more sense if Ryker is senior in rank. The stars that Buckler draws on his collar suggests that he meant him to be; but, something got switched in the dialogue stage. My guess would be what was suggested before, that Roy or someone else thought he looked too much like Thunderbolt Ross and they changed his rank to avoid confusion (though he is usually just called Ryker). Being lowly civilians, those involved didn't know from major and colonel.
Given the apparent wartime footing, it is more likely for both Manning and Ryker to advance more rapidly in rank. Had the earlier scenario been a training exercise and not Manning's death, it would make sense for him to be junior to Ryker; but, be senior at his death, due to battlefield promotion or some such. However, the scene leads straight into his death, from the concussion bomb, on the training course.
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Post by zaku on May 20, 2018 15:20:57 GMT -5
Just for curiosity´s sake, did they ever hint in these first issues that the Deathlok's world is one of the possible futures of the Marvel Universe? If not, when did they start to connect them?
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Post by chaykinstevens on May 20, 2018 16:02:28 GMT -5
Just for curiosity´s sake, did they ever hint in these first issues that the Deathlok's world is one of the possible futures of the Marvel Universe? If not, when did they start to connect them? Simon Ryker appeared in the present day in Super-Villain Team-Up #4 (cover dated February 1976) and Marvel Spotlight #27 (April 1976), both written by Bill Mantlo. |
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Post by zaku on May 20, 2018 16:15:45 GMT -5
Just for curiosity´s sake, did they ever hint in these first issues that the Deathlok's world is one of the possible futures of the Marvel Universe? If not, when did they start to connect them? Simon Ryker appeared in the present day in Super-Villain Team-Up #4 (cover dated February 1976) and Marvel Spotlight #27 (April 1976), both written by Bill Mantlo. Thanks.  |
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Post by codystarbuck on May 20, 2018 22:02:31 GMT -5
The crossovers didn't happen until the end of the original run at Astonishing Tales. Deathlok meets up with Spider-Man just before the last issue came out, then goes to the Marvel Spotlight and Marvel Two-in-One appearances, after. The Marvel Spotlight issue, with Devil Slayer, was meant to be the next issue, before the axe fell. I'll be getting to those It also features the deut of Devil Slayer, who was a continuation of Demon Hunter, from the short-lived Atlas/Seaboard line, unofficially. The Marvel Team-up appearance followed on the heels of a crossover wit Killraven, where I believe Spidey was encountering some of these possible futures. I haven't read it in a while; but, I seem to recall that Dr Doom's time machine was involved, there. I guess I'll find out when I get to that point in the run, which won't be too long now.
Killraven was eventually linked to the original Guardians of the Galaxy future, though I can't recall if Deathlok was or not. There was an FF issue, from the Byrne era, where Franklin Richards' mental powers cause him to evolve into an adult form, which looked very much like the character Godwulf, who will be turning up in Deathlok, soon. At first, I thought that was who he was intended to be; but, later decided it was just a coincidence in character design (long blond hair and beard, loin cloth/torn clothes).
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Post by codystarbuck on May 20, 2018 23:03:30 GMT -5
Astonishing Tales #33 Creative Team: Buckler-plots && pencils, Mantlo-scripts, Jansen-inks & colors, Irving Watanabe (interesting mix of names, there) letters, Beth Bleckley-computer lettering, Marv Wolfman-howling at the moon and editing. Synopsis: Deathlok is walking away from the briefcase of counterfeit money, arguing with the 'puter. He still wants to find the cyborg surgeon, though the 'puter tries to make him see that the decaying flesh of his body cannot be reversed. Deathlok doesn't agree, then decides to take the money, just in case. He wants to know why the cannibals attacked the courier and why he was willing to risk danger over fake money. It gets kind of weird and Deathlok comes to realize that the damage he has suffered has sped up his "life cycle"...  Meanwhile, Ryker is undergoing surgery, with the Omni-Computer recording Deathlok and everything else, including a doctor who ponders how a minor slip could eliminate Ryker. He is tipped off that the computer is recording, wets himself, and heads off for a change of pants and a bus ticket to oblivion. Deathlok repairs a helo and heads for Long island, with the computer's aid and pre-programmed controls from the courier (it's his helo). Along the way, Deathlok and the computer play, "Why didn't you tell me/You didn't ask"...  The 'puter informs Deathlok that the estate, where they have landed, belongs to Ryker. Deathlok is puzzled as to why the courier would be seeking Ryker. he runs into thugs and knocks them away and finds himself, inside...  There, he meets Hellinger, the surgeon, and a clone of himself, presenting the possibility of a human form for his brain. Hellinger and the 'puter say no; but, Deathlok clings to the idea. The 'puter confirms what Hellinger tells him, then also confirms to Deathlok that Hellinger is not in its files and it, specifically, isn't a "target." Deathlok's human brain also has a feeling about the doc. Ryker is now one with the Omni-Computer, with the power of a god. he has become the Savior Machine. Deathlok and Hellinger swap stories. The 'puter says that Hellinger is not entirely original material. Hellinger says he has been a prisoner there and is afflicted with radiation poisoning, though he has been kept out of the Omni-Computer databanks. he shows Deathlok a possibility of striking at Ryker, and we see Mike Travers and Nina. Mike monologues and Nina's lack of an answer makes him think she is a zombie. She proves she can think and respond; but, not vocally. They are interrupted by the People's Revolutionary Army, who take them prisoner.  Hellinger tells Deathlok that he has been able to hack the Omni-Computer, to plant clues to lead Deathlok to him, to help find Mike and Nina, as Nina's link to the Omni-Computer will aid them in defeating Ryker. Deathlok makes a deal and is later seen carrying a case, handcuffed to his form, with a bomb. The 'puter tells him he cannot unlink it. They have 23 hours to deliver it and get away, before the bomb inside goes off. They have laser weapons, thanks to Hellinger's little arsenal. They run into a diversion, in a park and Deathlok finds the PRA soldiers, who take him in. Hellinger watches and reveals to the Luther Manning clone that his radiated skin was a fake and shows that he is a cyborg and Deathlok is a chump about to die. Deathlok shoos off the soldiers, then finally realizes he can't get free of the bomb... Thoughts: Now we are kickin' back into high gear. Ryker is nearing godhood, deathlok has met the surgeon and a clone of himself, Hellinger has been manipulating Deathlok (not Ryker), there is a rebel army, who now have Mike and Nina, and everyone seems on a collision course. This feels like we are entering climax mode. The art is much improved, as Klaus Jansen's inks really lift Buckler's pencils. Also, Buckler's load seem lighter, so he can focus more on the art. Bill Mantlo adds a mode comedic touch to the Deathlok/'puter dialogue. Moench had a dark humor to it; but, mantlo brings it out more and has better timing. You definitely want to stick around to see what is going to happen. Unfortunately, that slower middle segment had not done much for sales, so the series is on life support. However, this being 70s Marvel, thigs will not go to waste. Stick around for more about Helliner and the collision of Ryker and Deathlok.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 20, 2018 23:08:13 GMT -5
ps In my original copies of Astonishing Tales, the Omni-Computer narration was really difficult to read, with the white lettering on black background. The scans I have are just as bad. The on-line samples I found seem to be from the Masterworks version (or later trade) and that part is a bit more legible. It was something that sounded good on paper; but, printing technology of the era (well, the cheap comic book version) did't really make it work. Had Marvel been using printing techniques and better quality material, it might have shown up better. Magazines of the era show the technology was there; but, comic book publishers didn't want to spend the dough. By the 80s, Baxter paper and newer printing presses helped greatly improve the look of your average comic, compared the the cheaper newsprint of before. These days, computer printing and coloring makes it a breeze.
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Post by chaykinstevens on May 21, 2018 12:22:35 GMT -5
Astonishing Tales #25
Creative Team: Rich Buckler-creator, plotter and artist; Doug Moench-script, Glynis Wein-colors, Annette Kawecki-letters, Roy Thomas-editor. GCD credits Klaus Janson, Al Milgrom and Mike Esposito with inking assists. |
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Post by chaykinstevens on May 21, 2018 12:28:38 GMT -5
Astonishing Tales #32Creative Team: Rich Buckler-plot, part of the script, some of the art: Bill Mantlo-rest of the script, Keith Pollard, Bob McLeod and the Bullpen-rest of the art; Charlotte J-lettering, Janice Cohen. No editor listed, which probably explains why so many had their hands in the art. GCD gives the credits as: Script: Rich Buckler (plot, script pages 1-5); Bill Mantlo (pages 6-17) Pencils: Rich Buckler (layouts); Keith Pollard; Bob McLeod Inks: Rich Buckler; Keith Pollard; Bob McLeod; Al Milgrom; ? [as Marvel Bullpen] |
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Post by codystarbuck on May 21, 2018 23:29:14 GMT -5
All credits listed in the reviews are as displayed within the comic (with occasional sarcastic additions). In a couple of cases I skipped the listing of who did what specific pages. I generally only use things like GCD when credits are missing, I'm trying to work out timelines, or I'm trying to verify background details.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 24, 2018 17:00:53 GMT -5
Astonishing Tales #34 Creative Team: Rich Buckler-plot & art, Bill Mantlo-script, Klause Jansen-inks & colors, Karen Mantlo-letters, Marv Wolfman-editor Synopsis: Deathlok is still chained to a bomb, which Hellinger set up...  Deathlok is trying to get rid of it and the cable will not release ('cause ........ ...) Some folks open a door, see Deathlok, then try to shut it. He gets his hand inside and the bomb explodes on the other side of the metal door. Mike Travers shows up in some kind of exo-suit, which allows him to pick up Deathlok's body. Deathlok reawakens and finds his arm restored. Mike Travers is there and introduces Deathlok to Teresa Deveraux, head of the CIA, who are the opposition to Ryker. They have reprogrammed Deathlok to aid them in this, reattaching an input terminal, for orders. Deathol pulls a laser on Mike; but, he can't over-ride the programming.  Deathlok sends in a helicopter as a diversion, then hits Ryker's guards from the rear. he smashes his way in and finds Ryker's lifeless body. he is informed by a Luther Manning clone that Ryker is inside the Omni-Computer....  Deathlok is wired up and goes in after Ryker's consciousness. Hellinger watches, remotely. he calls his Manning clone and hooks him up, activating the first of his Doomsday Mechs. Deathlok is inside and comes virtual face to face with Ryker...  Thoughts: We are no into the climax. Things move rather quickly. We've been introduced to the CIA and Teresa Deveraux, and there are Luther Manning clones everywhere. Deathlok is rebuilt and put under CIA control. he's trying to end Ryker's threat. Hellinger wants both out of the way so he can unleash doomsday. Ryker has become a god. In the words of Ric Flair... Buckler's art, with Jansen's enhancement, is on fire. The visuals are hard and gritty and the fight desperate. Everything is at stake. Mantlo keeps up the insubordinate attitude, though he's a bit heavy on the cackling villain bit. The interesting part of all of this is the fight is now inside a computer. This was new stuff, back then. 1976 is well before "cyberpunk" sci-fi literature and movies like Tron, where we see a whole world within a computer, with living programs and bytes of data. Oh, sure, some sci-fi was already headed in that direction; but, this was more than a mouse running around inside the GEEC computer, on the Super Friends Expect big things next issue!
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Post by codystarbuck on May 24, 2018 17:27:20 GMT -5
Astonishing Tales #35 Creative Team: Buckler, Mantlo, Jansen, Mantlo and Wolfman Synopsis: Deathlok has gone inside the Omni-Computer, after Ryker...  Deathlok encounters Ryker and sees his weapons are useless. Ryker shows him the past. We see barges piled with bodies, headed to the body banks. Ryker picked Manning's body from it, to create the ultimate killing machine. In 1985, explosions rip New York City. The culprits are unknown. Ryker had people removed to Long Island, for their own protection. He brought order to chaos, in typical fascist tradition. Deathlok attacks and grapples with Ryker. he tells Ryker that death is chaos and can't be controlled. He builds up a charge, as does Ryker and Ryker starts to fear that Deathlok will destroy them both...  Deathlok and Ryker are pulled out of the computer by the doctors. They wake up in each other's bodies. The Doctor says to reverse the molecular flow... Ryker is back in his body, but is completely gaga and ends up crouching on the floor, weeping. meanwhile, Hellinger sends his Doomsday Mech out..  Deathlok recovers and sees that Ryker is no longer a threat. Soldiers show up, but they are the CIA, followed by Teresa Deveraux. They tell Deathlok that the threat isn't over and that Hellinger, Ryker's brother, is out there, waiting to destroy things. deathlok goes along with them, but smashes his input terminal so that he can't be controlled. He is brought to the administration headquarters, where the cybernetic surgery lab is housed and discovers that the Manning clone, with the surgeon's mind, is dying. However, Deveraux reveals that they can store his mind in a databank and that it can be used to restore Luther's mind to a clone body. He agrees to the procedure...  Luther awakens in a human body, the procedure a success. However, deathlok is still alive, with Luther's mental patterns. Before we can ponder this, we see the radioactive clone approaching Ft. Dix, about to go critical, as Hellinger watches... Thoughts: The big ending to Ryker, which comes in a virtual world, as we learn how Luther Manning became Deathlok and what happened to New York. We learn that Hellinger is Ryker's brother and is even more insane, launching a doomsday weapon. Luther is restored to a human body; but, Deathlok still lives. There is a whole lot to absorb. Again, more fantastic art and script. The whole body banks thing seems to inspire the same idea that Mantlo would use in the Micronauts, in a couple of years. That, in itself, wasn't exactly a new idea, as you can se in John Frankenheimer's movie Seconds, with Rock Hudson...
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Post by codystarbuck on May 24, 2018 17:49:44 GMT -5
Astonishing Tales #36 Creative Team: Buckler on story, art and colors, Keith Pollard finishes, Howard Bender letters, Marv Wolfman edits. Synopsis: Luther Manning is awake in human form...  Luther decides to leave; he's had enough. he is allowed to go, but soone reveals he still hears the 'puter in his head...  Hellinger's Doomsday Mech interrupts and the defecation hits the oscillator. Deathlok comes alive and smashes through doors, bringing himself face to face with the Doomsday Mech. he blasts it withhis laser and its energy dissipates, into nothing, surprising everyone. Later, We see a duplicate Deathlok, used to monitor the real one. Luther is given Deathlok's engrams and tasked with filling in the gaps in the info. Manning sets out to write the Deathlok Tapes. We then move into a new chapter...  Deathlok is back on a mission, in the city. he heads back down into the subways and runs into some of Ryker's men. A fight ensues, when out comes a guy in a loin cloth, who ain't Tarzan...  They run off the opposition and Deathlok trips a boobytrap. Godwulf takes Deathlok in hand and leads him elsewhere, promising answers. he tells Deathlok that they have come to the end of the line and Godwulf says goodbye. Deathlok follows after him ad Godwulf hooks into a machine, then Deathlok disappears...  The absence of Deathlok is monitored by the CIA, via their duplicate Deathlok. Deveraux records a condemnation of their use of Deathlok and Luther discontinues the Deathlok tapes and wonders why he is alive? Thoughts: Well, this is an abrupt shift. We get the wrap up of the last issue, then crash gears into something else. It's all rather messy and was probably built around the fact that this was the final issue of Astonishing tales and Deathlok. However, there is a notation about a next issue. Not really sure what motivated it; but, it is schizophrenic. From here, Deathlok turns up in Marvel Team-Up (around the same time as this issue), then in Marvel Spotlight (where this story sort of concludes) and Marvel Two-in-One. We will examine his team-up with Spidey, first, before moving on to this issue's conclusion.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 29, 2018 12:51:24 GMT -5
Marvel Team-Up #46 Creative Team:: Bill Mantlo-story, Sal Buscema & Mike Esposito-art, John Costanza-letters, P Goldberg-colors, Marv Wolfman-left standing when the music ended. Synopsis: "Future Shock, Part II: Spidey has been thrust into the future. In Part I, he was sent into the alternate future, where Martians had conquered the Earth and a former gladiator, named Killraven, led an uprising, with a band of free men, who travelled the landscape, fighting the Martians and their flunkies. (as seen in Amazing Adventures). Spidey originally travelled to the past (with Dr Doom) to the Salem Witch trials, then was using Doom's time machine to get home and ended up in Killraven's possible future. After leaving there, he turns up in Deathlok's alternate 1990. He runs into Deathlok, who is aiming at a bunch of kids, in green overalls, holding golden cubes. Spidey isn't going to let anyone shoot at kids and jumps Deathlok, launching the cliched hero misunderstanding and fight, before seeing that the kids are acting weird and attack them. Spidey fights a kid and Deathlok blasts a cube and the kids scatter. Then Deathlok explains...  They are interrupted by snipers, working for Ryker (who should be gone, at this point, based on editorial references). They fight back, Spidey by punching, Deathlok by laser blast, ending things permanently. They then see a gathering of the mutant kids, with some guy in a butt-ugly yellow costume, vaguely reptile-looking, and the kids attack with their cubes (Rubik's Death Cube!) Spidey and Deathlok smash and laser and the kids are down. The masked dude is some kid, with no further explanation why he was costumed and the others were just in overalls. Spidey gets all holier-than-thou, as he takes the time platform to another era, leaving Deathlok to move on to better written stories. Thoughts: Meh.........Not one of the better Marvel Team-Up issues and a real step down for Deathlok. Nothing is accomplished, nothing affects Deathlok's world; it all just seems to be a side story, while deathlok wanders the city, after defeating Ryker; but, before running into Godwulf. If it had been Brave & the Bold, it would be yet another Earth Haney story. I guess this is Earth Mantlo. The art is serviceable, with plenty of Sal Buscema grimacing and a fairly bland rendering of Deathlok. Buscema has done far better. mantlo really doesn't have much to say here, other than deathlok is pretty cold blooded (death will do that to you) and Spidey is kind of an ass. The guy in costume makes no sense and suggests that there was a change to the story, at some point. Maybe Buscema was working on a different plot when Deathlok was added or something got confused. The yellow guy looked vaguely like the Sons of the Serpent. Who knows? Not really worth seeking out, unless you are a completist. Spidey would go on to meat up with the Thing, in Marvel Two-in-One and MTU. Right after this, there was a better run of stories (#48-50), involving Jean DeWolff and the Wraith, along with Iron Man and Dr Strange. That was worth reading.
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