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Post by mikelmidnight on Feb 22, 2019 12:38:56 GMT -5
Golden Archer (also renamed, after being Hawkeye. Ironically, Hawkeye once used the name Golden Archer, to convince Steve Rogers to return to being Cap; or at least, Nomad) Clint Barton's one-issue tenure as Golden Archer was also written by Englehart. I found it weird in-character that the Other Earth Hawkeye would maintain the identity after this storyline. My headcanon: Marvel's Man from Atlantis series is the past history of Amphibion. |
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Post by beccabear67 on Feb 22, 2019 14:04:53 GMT -5
You can really see Perez becoming Perez over those issues! Cameo portraits along the sides of that first page in #148, detailed rubble, a rainstorm that looks drenching... I might want to pull these out and re-read them, and I liked the Squadron as JLA stand-ins (like the Imperial Guard were the Legion) but I was never quite sure who Tom Thumb was meant to be a stand-in for... more like the golden age Atom? I guess I just like comics with a lot of super-heroes in a story, the more the more fascinating to me (even if they look lame, like the mostly green Chemical King or the original hot-pink and white Element Lad were ever classics!)  |
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 23, 2019 0:51:58 GMT -5
You can really see Perez becoming Perez over those issues! Cameo portraits along the sides of that first page in #148, detailed rubble, a rainstorm that looks drenching... I might want to pull these out and re-read them, and I liked the Squadron as JLA stand-ins (like the Imperial Guard were the Legion) but I was never quite sure who Tom Thumb was meant to be a stand-in for... more like the golden age Atom? I guess I just like comics with a lot of super-heroes in a story, the more the more fascinating to me (even if they look lame, like the mostly green Chemical King or the original hot-pink and white Element Lad were ever classics!) Tom Thumb is supposed to be the Atom, though, I suppose, to be different, they went the dwarf direction, rather than someone who shrinks. Having chosen that, he needed a gimmick and the Micro- Module works pretty well. I think Roy went with a little of Al pratt, the GA Atom, and a bit of Ray Palmer, the SA Atom. Pratt had smaller stature (though not that short) and Palmer was a scientist. Really, he didn't do much in his first appearance, and; in this one, he gets to be the butt of a joke, as Beast pie-face's him, after destroying the Micro-Module. Gruenwald was the first to really do anything with him (or the rest of the Squadron, really). I do think he ionformed, if not inspired, John Byrne's design of Puck, in Alpha Flight. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 23, 2019 2:06:49 GMT -5
Marvel Two-In-One #40-41  Creative Team: 40-Roger Slifer-plot, Tom DeFalco-dialogue, Ron Wilson-pencils, Pablo marcos-inks, Irv Watanabe and Annette Kawecki-letters, Phil Rachelson-colors, Jim Shooter-editor 41-Slifer-plot, David Anthony Kraft-dialogue, Wilson & Marcos-art, Joe Rosen-letters, Francoise Mouly-colors, Shooter-edits Synopsis: Ben is making pizza in Matt Murdock's place, as a thank you for helping get him off a charge, for which he was framed.  Yellowjacket and a kid named Eugene, with probability powers, are there, as well. After dinner, Ben takes the kid back to school and runs into his teacher, Luke Charles, aka King T'Challa, of Wakanda aka Black Panther. Ben spends the day with the kids in class and finds out that they are worse than the Sweathogs, until mr Charles returns. After, he and T'Challa talk about the breakup of the FF and they stumble across news that many prominent black experts have been kidnapped. They narrow down the targets, thanks to a past article from the Bugle that named a list of such people. They hunt down the remaining people on the list, including a cellist, playing at Carnegie Hall. The man is attacked by a black vampire, who fights Ben and the Panther, then gets staked by the musicican. ben and Panther are about to move on, when we learn the vampire is also a zuvembie (zombie), who pulls out the stake and nabs T'Challa, by surprise, at the cliffhanger.  The next morning, Ben arrives at Panther's apartment and finds Brother Voodoo there.  After a brief skirmish, Voodoo calls peace and Ben simmers down. BV is also investigating the disappearances and they continue on, together. We see the captives being moved to an airfield, to be taken elsewhere, with the vampire/zuvembie ripping down the gate. Ben and Brother V arrive too late and the plane heads to an African state, where they will serve Dr Kinji Obatu, aka the original Dr Spectrum (Squadron Sinister).  He has taken the people as a gift to get back in the good graces of His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.Obatu's witch doctor is keeping everyone under control, when ben and brother V show up. Mayhem breaks out and Panther is freed of control. They take down zuvembies and free the people, giving Idi yet another defeat, after his Air Force was destroyed, on the ground, by the Israeli commandos who carried out the Entebbe Rescue and would soon be driven from power, by the Tanzanian army and Ugandan exiles. Thoughts: Well, this has the original Squadron Sinister Dr Spectrum; but, he long ago lost the power prism and is reduced to using zombie vampires. The first issue has a lot of fun, with Ben in a school classroom, where only T'Challa maintains discipline. That soon moves into the main plot, which carries over to the next issue. unfortunately, we get rather stereotyped views of Africa, as Obatu's juju man is in stereotyped tribal dress, as are others of the village. Amin is depicted in one of his uniforms, though the likeness isn't very good. The insanity of the whole thing isn't far off Amin, though. Amin was a butcher, who murdered his people on a vast scale, including his own wives and family members, before being driven from power. He was als complicit in the Air France hijacking, in 1976, where Palestinian and German terrorists hijacked a flight from Athens and forced it to fly and land in Uganda, where the Israeli passengers were separated from the rest and held hostage, in the old terminal building. The Israeli special forces quickly put together a rescue plan and carried it out on July 4, freeing the hostages, with the loss of one soldier, Jonatan netanyahu, brother of the current Prime Minister. A couple of hostages were killed in the crossfire and one hostage, Dora Bloch, had been taken to a hospital in Kampala, after choking on food, and was later dragged from her bed by Amin's security forces and murdered, her body dumped in a river. So, if anything, Amin is woefully underplayed for comic effect, here. This has little bearing on the Squadron, but does wrap up Obatu's story. The power prism will be seen later, in Avenger's Annual #8, which is our next stop.
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 25, 2019 0:02:47 GMT -5
Avengers Annual #8 I didn't know Dr Strange went to the University of Texas! Thundra is always a welcome guest star. Seriously, Marvel Studios; do a Project Pegasus Movie, with Thundra (and Ben, Quasar and Bill Foster). Do it now! Creative Team: Roger Slifer-writer, George Perez (Yay!)-pencils, Pablo Marcos & Ric Villamonte-inks, Joe Rosen and E Heinl-letters, Carl Gafford-colors, Roger Stern-edits. Synopsis: It's Jan's birthday and Hank Pym, being a brilliant scientist, with a penchant for doing stupid things, has pieced back together Dr Spectrum's (Squadron Sinister version) Power Prism. Nothing bad could come of that, surely? it's not like he's creating a sentient robot, with daddy issues, or something. Anyway, Jan is anxious for her prezzy but Hank says she has to wait. By the way, Jan is wearing a Perez creation...  Looks like a 70s bathrobe-meets-toga, as worn by a pirate (white buccaneer boots). With George retiring, I refrain from suggesting he take up fashion design. Still better than that weird white one, with one bare leg and arm (I did like the color scheme, there, though). Anyway... Jan, having the emotional maturity of an over-indulged 13 year-old (think Veruca Salt) sneaks into Hank's lab and shrinks down to slip inside the drawer, where he hid the jewel. She loves it and has to go and touch it; and, well... you can guess. There's an explosion and Quicksilver runs in and gets blasted. Wonder Man comes in and finds...  Wondy's mind is easy prey for the Power Prism and he is zombified and the waking Pietro ends up the same. they are put on ice while Spectrum/Jan hunts down Iron Man, to take him out, which she does, rather easily. he's added to an energy cage, at Jan's house. hank spots this through the window and figures out Jan is Spectrum (your fault, buddy). he goes to warn the others. Jan spots him and attacks and he fights back with ants, delaying her until the cavalry arrives...  Spectrum/Jan blasts Ms Marvel with a ton of volts, though Black Panther gets the drop on her, momentarily. She zaps Cap, beat and Panther, then Ms Marvel kicks her sorry butt....  Outside, she is surrounded by Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Vision and they take her down. They put out a call to Dr Don Blake, whos slams his cane and flies there, as Thor, then switches back. Jan is find, though unconscious and the prism is grafted to her hand. The missing Avengers are under the ocean, barely alive. They consult Dr Strange, about Dr Spectrum. He says the Squadron were given magical amnesia and to seek out the previous host of the prism, then goes back to watching Clea doing some kind of ritual, which, to me, looks like is going to involve a lot of tantric stuff...  Black Panther, Ms Marvel and Vision find Hyperion running the Arnold Columbu Gym (because Franco Schwarzenegger would have taken up too much room), where Thundra is answering a Help Wanted ad. She shows off her strength and the Avengers show up. Hype starts remembering the destruction of his people, Thundra thinks he is an innocent being hurt by the Avengers and knocks Ms Marvel through a wall, interrupting a ladies exercise class (pre-Jane Fonda, I believe). Vision actually talks Hyperion down and he joins them. Thundra is disappointed...  Cap, Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch find Whizzer at a pharmaceutical company and the sight of them triggers his memories. He attacks and Cap smacks him in the back of the head, with his shield...  Beast catches up with the former Dr Spectrum; but, it isn't Dr Obatu. It's an evangelist, Billy Roberts (ugh!!!). He got it from a sanitation worker, who found the prism after Iron Man's fight with Spectrum and gave it to the reverend. He accompanies Beast to try to free Jan. Soon as he touches the prism, he's back to being Spectrum. Next thing you know, the prism has inhabited Mjolnir and is controlling Thor. Iron Man and Simon & Pietro are released, as a result and Tony gets them to the surface, in time. meanwhile, Thor is, verily, takingeth names and kickingeth ass!    Iron Man recovers and hits Thor with ultraviolet light, which usually inhibited Spectrum; but, doesn't, since Thor is the host. However, the enchantment on Mjolnir recognizes Thor to be unworthy (due to evil corruption, don't you know)and he drops the hammer. Thor and Iron Man slug it out and IM dumps him in a pool, just as Mjolnir transforms into the cane and Thor into Don Blake. Tony rescues him, the prism is isolated, and Jan gets her birthday party, minus her present. The prism was destroyed, in the transformation. Thoughts: Humdinger of a story, from an action standpoint; but, predicated on Hank and Jan being morons and the whole rounding up the Squadron Sinister serves no purpose, other than bringing the former Spectrum to the place to get the prism off Jan. That is also a retcon, as Obatu was the Dr Spectrum, in the Defenders issues, though that sort of retconned the destroyed power prism. Thundra's cameo served no purpose, other than giving Ms Marvel a taste of her own medicine. The plot was good, with a good hook, but, the scripting needed a rewrite. Too bad Roger Stern was the editor and not the writer. The cutesy names got old pretty fast; like with the first gag. So, that is it for the Squadron Sinister Dr Spectrum. Next, a story with a bit of both worlds, as we get some Sinisters and some Supremes. No Diana Ross, though...
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 25, 2019 1:29:07 GMT -5
Thor #280 Thou hast sucker-punchethed the Son of Odin! Now we goeth to school! Creative Team: Roy Thomas-writer/editor (Take that Mr EIC Shooter!), Wayne Boring-Yes, that Wayne Boring-pencils, Tom Palmer-inks, Joe Rosen-letters, Carl Gafford-colors, Jim Shooter-twiddling thumbs. Special note about the plot originating with Don & Maggie Thompson. (more below) Synopsis: Thor is walking along the streets of New York, minding his own business, while some dude in hat and trenchcoat follows. Suddenly, a doorway in space open up and out comes.... Whoops, wrong doorway in space! Out comes Hyperion and he attacks Thor...  However, it is the Supreme Hyperion, not the Sinister Hyperion, even though he keeps punching Thor, for a bit (he's a bit miffed, apparently). He only attacked Thor to see if he was the real guy (un-huh!). Turns out, Hype is there to recruit Thor to be in a movie about Hyperion's life, with the Avengers recreating the battle that freed his world from the control of the Serpent Crown and the Cadre Cabal, Thor takes him to see the other Avengers, to see if they want to do this. The trenchcoat guy jumps through the dimensional doorway and is revealed as Sinister Hype.  Well, before he can do much, Supreme Hype and Thor beam aboard, after the Avengers weren't home. Sinister Hype hides in shadows and puts his cover clothes back on, though Roy misinterprets this as Supreme Hype and dialogues it as his starting to change into his civilian identity, then changing his mind. Instead, they beam down to the movie set, where they meet LL Burbank, director, who looks a lot like Lex Luthor (hence the LL). Thor looks around and Hype beams back up and runs into Sinister Hype, who is back in his civies, proving that Roy was confused before. Sinister is planning on doing an Eva Grubb... Sinister uses his atomic vision to cut Supreme's cape into strips and ties up Supreme. He tosses him out of the satellite and then beams down, where he runs into Thor and Lonni Lattimer, a co-worker of Mark Milton, aka Hyperion. Sinister Hype is clueless; but keeps his mouth shut. He is about to sneak away when he is attacked, by Emil Burbank, aka his greatest nemesis (and brother of the director)  Sinister flies off, learns who this guy is, then tells him he is a crook, from a parallel world. They plan to team up. We cut back to the movie set, where the whole Squadron Supreme shows up...  Hype punches Thor, thinking he is making time with Lonni (geez this guy is a steroided moron!), and then calms down. Sinister Hype & Emil Burbank are modifying a giant robot, from the film. it flies in and attacks, then out comes Sinister Hype, who attacks, and then Supreme Hype attacks Sinister Hype and KOs him. Cap'n Hawk grabs Burbank, while a woman (maybe Lonni, hard to tell) asks about his name change...  The robot grabs Sinister Hype and flies away, with Supreme Hype saying they will catch him later, and Thor is sent back to his Earth. Thoughts: This is all kinds of goofy!. First, the art looks fine, as Palmer gives Boring a more modern look, which works, while invoking the old school Superman, which is why Boring is there (at Roy's request, no doubt). However, Boring spent most of his career working from full scripts and it seems like he has issues with pacing and the whole thing gets rather confusing and Roy loses the thread. he mixes up Hyperions, leading to the silly scene of what Boring seems to indicate is Sinister Hype, changing clothes; but, which Roy thinks is Supreme Hype and has him change clothes of change his mind, in mid-dialogue. Some of it is Roy trying to homage old Silver and Golden Age stories and their simplicity; but, the end result is a mess. Ultimately, this issue ends up illustrating why a writer/editor is a bad idea and why I tend to agree with Shooter, on this subject. An editor is there to manage the publication, which also means getting the best out of the talent, for the best result. He/she is an outside observer, giving a different perspective to the writer. When the writer is the editor, you lack that outside perspective and a bad idea doesn't get challenged. Roy really needed to be challenged, here. This is a nice idea; but, poorly executed. Don & Maggie Thompson were fan writers and editors, who were part of the earliest fandom community, carrying over from science fiction. Maggie's mother, Betsy Curtis, was a sci-fi writer, who corresponded with Heinlein and Hubbard. Maggie and Don met through sci-fi fandom, married and had kids, while putting out a few different fanzines. In 1983, they became editors of the Comic Buyer's Guide (after several years of contributing the monthly column, "Beautiful Balloons", when it was Alan Light's fanzine The Buyer's Guide to Comic Fandom). Don was also involved with Xero, another fanzine, with Richard Lupoff, which spawned the books All In Color For A Dime and The Comic Book-Book, two early publications about comic history. Don passed away in 1994, after a heart attack and Maggie continued editing CBG, until it was canceled, by Krause Publications, in 2013. Roy and the Thompsons knew each other from fandom and into Roy's career as a pro (and their career publishing one of the leading industry publications). No idea when they came up with this plot; but, it's a pretty good idea. I assume Roy got Boring involved, to further dd to the homage. however, the Marvel method let things down. I think this would have worked better as full script, so Roy could guide Boring to what he wanted and kept the story clearer. There are a lot of bad jokes in this, most done as in-jokes about Superman and DC, such as the title, "Crisis on Twin Earths." This is also the first appearance of hyperion's alter-ego, as Mark Milton, cartoonist for a great metropolitan newspaper. In the Englehart story, we had a cameo for a Lois and Loni, though it is unclear if Lonni Lattimer is supposed to be the Loni who was sunbathing. What's more, Roy writes her as if she is this world's Lois, even though we saw a Lois. It almost seems like Roy is ignoring the Englehart story, until it is brought up in discussion about the movie being filmed. Meanwhile, the whole shift from American Eagle to Cap'n Hawk is dismissed with a Shakespeare joke, without ever answering why would you call yourself Cap'n Hawk. Captain Hawk is silly enough; but, the abbreviation is all the sillier. Hawkeye to Golden Archer made sense; but, not this. No wonder Mark Gruenwald dispensed with it and called him Blue Eagle. This story came after Roy finished up his tale of a false Ragnarok, which happens while a tv crew is filming in Asgard, and a crew member, thanks to Loki, becomes a new, red-headed Thor. That is soon followed by Thor encountering the Eternals, picking up the threads of the unfinished series. He started well there; but, I didn't care for the way that ended up, as the eternals got shoved aside for a multitude of other mythological pantheons, to stop the Celestials. It kind of ended up being a metaphor for Kirby's treatment, when he came back to Marvel (and how he was treated at DC). From here, we move back to Marvel Two-in-One, as we see what happened to the Serpent Crown and Hyperion re-enters the picture.
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 25, 2019 1:37:26 GMT -5
ps. Is it juts me or does it look like the Squadron Supreme is doing a dance number, in this panel... |
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Post by rberman on Feb 25, 2019 8:30:57 GMT -5
The most important transformation here is that Perez looks like Perez now. |
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Post by rberman on Feb 25, 2019 8:37:42 GMT -5
Thor #280There are a lot of bad jokes in this, most done as in-jokes about Superman and DC, such as the title, "Crisis on Twin Earths." This is also the first appearance of hyperion's alter-ego, as Mark Milton, cartoonist for a great metropolitan newspaper. In the Englehart story, we had a cameo for a Lois and Loni, though it is unclear if Lonni Lattimer is supposed to be the Loni who was sunbathing. What's more, Roy writes her as if she is this world's Lois, even though we saw a Lois. It almost seems like Roy is ignoring the Englehart story, until it is brought up in discussion about the movie being filmed. The joke that jumped out at me here is Emil Burbank, the anti-Lex who can't stop his hair from growing, instead of being bald. Does his name have any meaning? Burbank could be a California reference, but it seems a bit early for the exodus of comic book creators trying to make careers in Hollywood. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 25, 2019 14:19:26 GMT -5
Well, there are some Hoolywood jokes, on the movie set. Thomas and Gerry Conway had two scripts filmed: Fire and Ice and Conan, the destroyer, in the 80s; but, might have been working on them earlier. Roy had moved out to the West Coast, so he could have had a bit of Hollywood experience, before his scripts were filmed. I haven't read any interviews that touched much on his Hollywood experiences. Everyone always seems to want to focus on Conan and Marvel in the 60s and under his editorship.
One thing is for certain, Hyperion, on either world, is a moron.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2019 15:00:00 GMT -5
One thing is for certain, Hyperion, on either world, is a moron. LOL ... |
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Post by berkley on Feb 25, 2019 18:01:10 GMT -5
I remember wishing Pablo Marcos had done all the inks in that Avengers Annual. I didn't think Villamonte's feathery style was a good match for Perez's pencils.
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 26, 2019 3:01:58 GMT -5
Marvel Two-In-One #64-67    Creative Teams: Mark Gruenwald & Ralph Macchio-writers, George Perez (64-65), Jerry Bingham (66) & Ron Wilson (67)-pencils: Gene Day (64-67) & Many Hands (67)-inkers, John Costanza(64-67)-letters, Carl Gafford (64-65), Ben Sean (64), Bob Sharen (66) & Dr Martin (67)-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor. DR Martin is an in-joke, probably meaning multiple colorists, as Dr Martin was the brand name of the color dyes used in printing. Judging by the credits, I would say 67 was late and a rush job was done in the bullpen. At least we get Perez for half of this. Synopsis: Ben has broken off his relationship with Alicia (again), afraid of her becoming hurt....  ...well, what did you think this was gonna do, you lumpy orange lummox? Sheesh! He goes back to the Baxter Building, to unload on Reed, when they are interrupted by Walter Newell, aka Stingray (Stingray.....Stingray!) and Dr Henry Croft, one of the scientists kidnapped and taken to Hydro Base, back in the Sub-Mariner series, where they were turned into amphibians. They are trying to find a cure for Croft's (and the others) condition and noted the resemblance between his skin and Triton, of the Inhumans. They are looking for an intro to him. meanwhile, Thundra is helping look into the Nth Command, who tricked her into aiding the Grapplers into infiltrating Project Pegasus (during that epic story). She has gone to Kowalski's Gym (a Killer of a place), where she meets her wrestling manager, Herkimer Oglethorpe, and his new protege, Hyperion...  and Jesus.....er, Aquarian, rescues a deer.  Reed has been in touch with the Inhumans and they confirm that the Terrigen Mist is behind Croft and the others' transformation. Ben is to take Newell and Croft to California, to meet up with Triton. They arrive near San Francisco, with time to kill, and Newell notices an oil platform, where one shouldn't be...  They go down to investigate, with newel changing into his Stingray (Stingray.....Stingray!) duds. Bun surfs over on Stingray's back...  and requests permission to come aboard, which is denied. An underwater explosion tears up a support column and Ben and Stingray work to repair it. They succeed; but, the workers attack Ben on the platform and frogmen attack Stingray in the water. IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME! Ben thumps the workers, but Stingray gets tossed from the water, as a submarine emerges, carrying the new Serpent Squad...  Turns out the rig is there to search for the Serpent Crown and so are the snake dudes. Anaconda attacks Ben and Death Adder has the drop on Stingray, so Ben surrenders. He is chained on the opposite side of a column, from Stingray, so any attempt to break the chains will rip Newell's arms from their sockets. Clever! They depart and Dr Croft, watching from the Pogo Plane, calls a mayday. Meanwhile, Thundra and Hyperion get into a fight over who is being managed by Oglethorpe, then agree to become a tag-team. They recap their past meeting, in Avengers Annual 8, and we learn that Hyperion is working for Roxxon, secretly, who were also behind the Nth Command, secretly. Hyperion also seems smitten with Thundra. Back at the derrick, ben has figured out how to get loose. He stomps the deck around the column, until it collapses and he and Stingray pass downward, into the sea. Free of the column, Ben snaps the chains and surfaces with Stingray, where he meets Triton, who finally showed up...  Triton warns about the Serpent Crown and he and Ben head down to intercept the Squad and faster than you can say "Whacking Day," they are beating snakes, so to speak. Things go well at first; but, Triton misses Sidewinder, Ben is grabbed by Anaconda and then mind@#$%!& by Black Mamba. Luckily, Stingray arrives to save the day.  They surface, but early get hit by a depth charge. The Serpents get away with the Serpent Crown, which Anaconda discovered. Triton and Dr Croft head off to the Great Refuge, to examine his condition, while Ben and Stingray take the Pogo Plane. ben tries to contact Reed, who is out and Agatha Harkness suggests contacting Scarlet Witch (her pupil), as she has knowledge of the Crown. Aggie contacts Wanda, who then reaches out to the Crown, sees some snake imagery, and locates the Crown in Washington DC (a snake pit if ever there was one!) Ben and Stingray head there, as does Wanda. Sidewinder brings the crown to Hugh Jones, who already has one. This crown is the one from Other Earth and now Jones has the power of two of them. Ben, Stingy and Wanda meet up...  (humina, humina...) They track the crown to the Capitol Building, where we find Hugh Jones, and psychic manifestations of previous crown wearers (including Warlord Krang, Namor, Living Laser, Nelson Rockefeller, and more).  The green glowing boogeymen attack and IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME! Wanda ties to wrest control from Jones and he sends out some snakes to bite her head and suck out her soul (Uuuuuuuuuuuggggghhhhhh!!!!)  Ben fights his way to her and tries to rip the crown of Jones. It transforms him back to human, but he keeps fighting, eventually succeeding in getting it off, and back into his rocky form. The Crown then slithers around his arm and forces him to put it on...  But, it doesn't work. Ben thinks it is due to his rocky skin, Wanda thinks Jones fought to block his possession by the Crown. Whatever the case, Ben wraps the thing up and goes to put it in safekeeping. Ben brings it to Project Pegasus, where it is put in a containment field, for safekeeping and study (that can't possibly go wrong!). Thundra and Hyperion go to track down the Nth Command people and meet up with some mad scientist types, who have a machine that can send her home.She decides to steal it, after seeing it tested. She takes off with it, followed by Hyperion, who admits to being gaga over her. They flee the Nth Command's goons, smashing into a subway tunnel.  Ben arrives back at the Baxter Building and Reed gives him relationship advice. ben goes off to make up with Alicia; but, sees him leave with another man. He goes off to mope and is outside the BB, when Thundra and Hyperion smash up from below. Ben mistakes Hyperion for the enemy and attacks...  while Thundra fights Nth goons. They stop fighting and Thundra explains and uses the Nth Projector to return home, with Hyperion flying in after her. Thoughts: Gruenwald and Macchio were also behind the epic Project Pegasus and wrote some great MTIO issues, in this era. The Serpent Crown story start out well and looks great, in Perez's hands. However, some of the team-ups are rather brief, like they didn't really have an idea for the co-stars. Stingray makes it through to Washington, while triton is mostly a plot device to get them to the West Coast. Wanda helps with the finale and the Jerry Bingham art is suitably creepy. Perez is in his element with the first two chapters, though it would have been nice to see him on all 4 issues. Ron wilson handles the end, with Thundra and Hyperion making goo-goo eyes and smashing things. They do make a good visual couple, as their costumes have the same color scheme and they have the same taste in boots. Gruenwald and Macchio are wrestling fans (well, one of them is) and the Pegasus storyline had several references to actual wrestlers and Thudra's career in the ring (plus the lady grapplers attacking the Project compound). there is more of that here, as a big fat guy is called Haystacks, after Haystacks Calhoun (with a joke about designer jeans) and Kowalski is a reference to Walter (Wladek) "Killer" Kowalski, the legendary Canadian wrestler who was the Montreal champion, as well as a star in the old WWWF, taking on guys like Bruno Sammartino. He was also involved in the infamous match with Yukon Eric, where he did a knee drop onto Eric's head, which tore his "cauliflower ear" (heavily calcified cartilage, which was a trademark of wrestlers) off his head. He actually went to see him in the hospital and saw him with his head bandaged and inadvertently laughed, which caused sportswriters to think he had legitimately tried to hurt him and referred to Kowalski as a "killer," a nickname that would earn him a lot of money (and a really awful toupee). Kowalski later made an appearance on Late Night, with David Letterman (Letterman grew up with the Indianapolis promotion of Dick The Bruiser and Wilbur Snyder).  This wraps up the Sinister Hyperion, as well as Thundra, for many years to come. It's a shame, as Thundra and Hyperion would have made for an interest mini-series, at least. That just leaves Sinister Whizzer still around, plus Nighthawk, who is reformed. So, next up, we look at the career of Sinister Whizzer, as he becomes Speed Demon, and tangles with Spider-Man.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Feb 26, 2019 4:10:53 GMT -5
Definitely. My very favorite stretch of issues of MTIO runs from #50 to about #74 or 75, most of which were scripted by Mssrs. Gruenwald and Macchio.
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Post by mikelmidnight on Feb 26, 2019 12:49:26 GMT -5
Definitely. My very favorite stretch of issues of MTIO runs from #50 to about #74 or 75, most of which were scripted by Mssrs. Gruenwald and Macchio.
I disliked a lot of the work Gruenwald did for Marvel, but agree this was the best run of this title, making good use of a continuing arc and rotating guest stars.
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