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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 8, 2019 23:11:39 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #21 You know, they make a shampoo that could help that lady with her problem there. Comes with a little comb, too. Don't know why Killraven still only has trunks, on the cover, as he has pants, inside (or trunks and tights) Creative Team: Don McGregor has arrived! Herbe Trimpe-pencils, Yolande Pijcke-inks, Artie Simek-letters, Petra Goldberg-colors, Roy Thomas-edits No idea about Yolande Picke. This issue is the only credit I can find. Synopsis: Killraven is busting up the joint, throwing the Warlords goons about. A woman, named Carmilla Frost taunts the Warlord, then sends in her own mutant goons, who distract Big Red, allowing Warlord to Pearl Harbor him. He gets strapped to a table, though he still gets in a kick or two. M'Shulla, Old Skull, Hawk and the other freeman are in a cell, where M'Shulla tries to batter the door down. Old Skull laughs at him. Carmilla leads her pet mutant, Grok there to release them and they then got to release Killraven. Something ain't kosher here. Warlord is playing Goldfinger and has a laser headed for Killraven, when the boys burst in and start tearing up the joint. Everybody breaks out and they emerge in what was once Yankee Stadium. They move cautiously and then Killraven gets crabs.  Other mutants are released and the freemen fight them off. Killraven kills the crab, which has oozed acid everywhere. Warlord sucker punches him from behind and Killraven shoves hos prosthetic arm into the acid pool, destroying it. Again. Warlord is sad.  Carmilla still won't reveal why she helped Killraven, when she was working with Warlord, yet Killraven seems okay with that and lets her come with them. Thoughts: Old Skull appears for what seems to be the first time; first time called Old Skull, at least. Carmilla Frost and Grok debut, as well. Lots of fightin' and killin', and it sucks to be this Warlord (cool to be Travis Morgan!) Other than that, kind of a light issue. McGregor's here at least; give him time to start cooking. Yankee Stadium makes for a pretty cool gladiatorial arena, with a big ol' chunk missing from the center. Steinbrenner was probably POd. Damn Martians! We have talks of Washington DC and we see a fat tentacled thing wrapped around the Capitol Building; and, it isn't Trump.
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Post by hanzotherazor on Apr 9, 2019 7:51:25 GMT -5
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Post by rberman on Apr 9, 2019 7:57:18 GMT -5
Why do so many characters sport speedo bottoms and thigh high boots?
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Post by berkley on Apr 9, 2019 10:50:53 GMT -5
Why do so many characters sport speedo bottoms and thigh high boots? Is it ironic (in terms of stereotyped expectations) that Craig Russell, the one gay artist to work on the character, was the one to tone down the costume and get rid of those elements? |
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 9, 2019 12:31:48 GMT -5
Why do so many characters sport speedo bottoms and thigh high boots? Pro wrestling influence on the idea of modern gladiators, would be my guess. Look at the original gladiators; not that different, really, other than big, funky helmets...  |
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Post by badwolf on Apr 9, 2019 13:30:42 GMT -5
That crab guy is freaking me out man.
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Post by rberman on Apr 9, 2019 13:39:30 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #21Don't know why Killraven still only has trunks, on the cover, as he has pants, inside (or trunks and tights) The pants appear to have been added at the colorist level rather than the pencil or ink level; one suspects editorial interference is more likely than "honest mistake." |
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Post by MWGallaher on Apr 9, 2019 14:08:58 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #21Creative Team: Don McGregor has arrived! Herbe Trimpe-pencils, Yolande Pijcke-inks, Artie Simek-letters, Petra Goldberg-colors, Roy Thomas-edits No idea about Yolande Pijcke. This issue is the only credit I can find. Ah, the mystery of Yolande Pijcke...Given that this is professional quality inking, evidently American in style, and there are no other comics credits or other art credits outside the industry that can be found in any of my searches, I think it's highly likely that this is a pseudonym. But for whom? And why a pseudonym? Perhaps someone then working at DC who didn't want to be seen working for the competition? The inking looks consistent, so I don't think this is a "diverse hands" job (and Marvel was usually pretty up-front when a comic had to be gang-inked). If it was a well-established inker for Marvel or DC, a reasonably decent art-spotter ought to be able to recognize the work, but no well-known inkers are coming to my mind as I peruse the pages. There is a very strong Jack Davis influence on display, but I doubt that Davis would be slumming on a low profile superhero comic at this point in his career. Trimpe was always influenced by Davis, but those influences were often softened by his inkers. My hunch is that Trimpe inked this himself ("Herbert Trimpe" takes up the same lettering space as "Yolande Pijcke"), but when I compare this to Marvel Feature #4, where Trimpe inked himself around the same time, I don't see nearly as much of the Jack Davis cartoonishness. Maybe Herb was experimenting with a more direct Jack Davis impersonation this time around--after all, Trimpe later remolded himself into an artist in the Rob Liefeld style! |
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 10, 2019 0:08:13 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #22 Abraxis? He doesn't look like Jesse Ventura....  The title of the issue is "Washington Nightmare," which is a tad redundant. Creative Team: Don McGregor-lots of words, Herb Trimpe-lots of pencils, Frank Chiarmonte-some inks, Charlotte Jeter (and Gaspar Saldino)-a few letters, Linda Lessman-a dash of color, Roy Thomas-an edit here or there. Synopsis: Killraven and his freemen are travelling down the Potomac, in a tugboat, when they run into a wee beastie...  They make it to shore; but, they are attacked by Sabre and his band of "cavaliers," who work for the Martians. Old Skull and Hawk are taken away, though Grok fights some off, keeping he and Carmilla free. Killraven and M'Shula hack at the monster and M'Shula kills it with some well placed crossbow bolts. They make it to shore and Killraven implies that Carmilla might have had something to do with the attack, which she denies. They move on. That night, they camp at the base of the Washington Monument and Kilrlaven goes to scout around, telling M'Shulla to keep an eye on Camilla and Grok. M'Shulla and Camilla get to talking and she speaks of her father, one of the few scientists to fight the Martians and die in the process. Most were made keepers. She speaks of knowing she had no choice, until Killraven came along. M'Shulla seems taken by her, when they are ambushed by a green woman, called Mint Julep. Killraven surprises her, makes a sexist crack, and ends up dumped on his hinder and has a gun put to his head. So there, buddy! Turns out that Minty is hunting for the slavers who took her free women; so, they join forces, reluctantly. This sounds like Shaun of the Dead, with the alternate group, led by Jessica Stephenson. They scout around and trace the gang to the Lincoln Memorial (across the mall from where they are , actually) and find a guy with tentacle arms, running a slave market in front of Honest Abe. For shame! Killraven has no plan, again and thunders in, while Mint Julep and her ladies of violence attack the cavaliers. Sabre jumps into a fight with Killraven and they are well matched, until Abraxis buts in and snags Killraven, and offers hm as the next item, to the Martians. Thoughts: Well, some cool monsters (Herb is really good at that stuff), the debut of Mint Julep, and a bit about Camilla. This also seems to be the start of te attraction between Camilla and M'Shulla, as he has sympathy for her past experiences. Mint Julep would seem to be a potential love interest for Killraven; but, that won't work out. Abraxis gets the cover; but, is barely in this. Something goes a bit wonky when Herb draws Sabre. Same is true with Camilla, whose eyes are really out of whack. Sabre looks almost Undergroundish, if you get my meaning. This will also, eventually, lead to one of the first graphic novels (to use the name) when Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy create Sabre. McGregor actually had some unfinished, unused ideas for Killraven that formed the basis for Dabre. He gave us a new Dabre, visually based on Jimi Hendrix, with a dose of Clint Eastwood, then took us through a weird dystopian future,with some satire, as one of the locales was Disney World (or D-Land; I forget). Mint Julep would be used in Alan Davis' Killraven mini-series, in the 00s. The name Abraxas dates from Gnostic beliefs, with a lot of different interpretations. Still not much of a focus to this, as we seem to tumble from one fight to the next. McGregor is working on character, a bit; but, no long form storytelling is evident, yet. Herb Trimpe could use better inkers. I'm still not as much of a fan of his linebacker Killraven as I am the sleeker, more decathlete/wrestler Killraven of P Craig Russell and Neal Adams. Of course, by the time Russell did the graphic novel, Killraven was looking more like a gymnast or dancer.
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 11, 2019 11:05:28 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #23 Okay, few things. Note the reference to the movie Willard. That was released in 1971, 2 years before this comic, about a weirdo who keeps rats. Next, we are finally on point with the costume, on cover and interior, as Killraven has his trousers. Lastly, the basic concept of the cover is an old one from men's adventure pulps, with cover blurbs about weasels ripping flesh.  There were all kinds of animal species attacking people on the covers of those things. This one seems to be a subtle message about who you date...  Creative Team: Don McGregor-wordy, Herb Trimpe-pencilly, Frank Chiarmonte-inky, John Costanza-letterry, Petra Goldberg-colorry, Roy Thomas-editry Synopsis: Killraven has been grabbed by Martians and isn't taking it lightly...  The Freeman fight to get closer and rescue Killraven; but, the numbers are too great. Tripods take Killraven away, while the freemen watch. grok rescues M'Shulla from attack and he gets all verklempt with Camilla. They all head after the tripods and Sabre and his cavaliers stand down, after saluting the bravery and skill of the freemen. Killraven is brought before the High Overlord...  Apparently, he is always baked! Killraven is to be staked out in the catacombs below, where our Willard ripoff resides. Turns out, he is a mutated Secret Service agent, who was in a White House bunker, when a gas attack came and it changed him. The freemen have stopped at Mint Julep's base, the derelict Pentagon complex. She agrees to lead them to the White House, via underground tunnels (the Washington subway system). Old Skul is very happy about this, Old Skull is. KR is strapped down to a table, after killing 10 guards. The High Overload (whooooa, dude.........) monologues about the psychic communication system that will broadcast KR's death to the slaves everywhere. He then hangs KR's sword above the table as an F-U. In come the rats and faster than you can say Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, it turns nasty.  The freemen take off in dyna-gliders, hovercraft, and M'Shulla has a bit of control trouble. At the White House, KR is attacked by hordes of big ol' rats and is able to reach a torch, after some of his bonds have been gnawed. He fights rat with fire and flips the bird to the High Overload. He gets free of the table and grabs his sword and starts aking rat shishkabob and Rattack calls a retreat. Finally the freemen show up, a bit late for the party. Thoughts: Well, things picked up a bit. McGregor is finding his groove as we get some vermin horror (which works pretty well, in most corners) and a new Martian villain, in the High Overlord. He kind of looks like Darth Vader's grandpappy, except all silver and red. We get some more bonding between Camilla and M'Shulla and Old Skull finally opens his yap and then won't shut it. Poor Hawk seems to have been forgotten, other than getting name checked, in dialogue. I guess the muttonchops fell out of style, when the chick and the mutant came along. Herb Trimpe is doing a fine job with the wasted city and the mutant creatures, mixing action, horror and sci-fi well. The anticipation of the rat attack page I posted above shows how he is playing around with the visuals more. He's only got one more issue though, before we get a Rich Buckler fill-in and one from Gene Colan. Then PCR arrives to make this series a classic.
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Post by Rob Allen on Apr 11, 2019 11:35:43 GMT -5
Lastly, the basic concept of the cover is an old one from men's adventure pulps, with cover blurbs about weasels ripping flesh. Frank Zappa must have read that issue.  |
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 11, 2019 14:18:23 GMT -5
Lastly, the basic concept of the cover is an old one from men's adventure pulps, with cover blurbs about weasels ripping flesh. Frank Zappa must have read that issue. Oh, certainly. Men's adventure pulps lasted until about the 70s, or so. They were filled with stories of GIs fighting Nazis and Commies, white slavers, mobsters, sadistic madmen and plenty of scantally clad women in peril. Then, there were the animal dangers, with snakes and crocodiles, big cats, sharks and what not; but, the attacks by smaller animals were a whole bizarre subset. You had weasels and rats, crabs, piranha, and all kinds of critters. Taschen put out a nice review of the genre, edited by Dian Hanson, who also edited their books on girlie magazines (which tended to have overlapping audiences with the men's adventure magazines). Martin Goodman was one of the publishers of these things, with his Men's "sweat" magazines. The Taschen book had a whole chapter devoted to the critter attacks. In fact, they used one image as the cover. I've collected several of the Taschen art and pop culture books over the years and we got this one in our bargain section, at B&N and it was just pure goofy delight.  |
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 13, 2019 0:29:10 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #24 Not one of Buckler's better covers. Sight lines are all wrong on High Overlord (must be baked). Creative Team: Don McGregor-writer, Herb Trimpe-pencils, Jack Abel-inks, Dave Hunt-letters, Petra Goldberg-colors, Roy Thomas-edits Synopsis: Killraven and his band are in the catacombs beneath the White House. After fighting off some mutated vampire bats, they take refuge in an acrhive. Camilla convinces KR to stop and relax a bit and celebrate New Years. He finds some old tapes and decides they have little use, except as streamers. The High Overlord tells Abraxas to get off his butt and send out his men to find KR. he details Sabre and his cavaliers, though Sabre gives him a warning. Rattack is also looking for KR. The cavaliers find KR first and get the drop on him. They haul him out to the Lincoln Memorial, to the High Overlord, when Rattack shows up and tries to grab Killraven and Abraxas attacks him. It all goes pear shaped and Killraven squares of with everyone, with his back to Abe...  Well, there is blasting and hacking and the Lincoln Memorial ends up like the Philistine Temple, after Samson pulls down the pillars. KR and his gang go free, while Abraxas, High Overlord and Rattack all die (Rattack is attacked by his rats). Thoughts: Meh...Not the strongest issue. The excuse to stop and celebrate New Years is pretty weak, especially since they are on the run from the Martians and their goons and are still in Washington. Pretty poor strategy. The tapes that Killraven finds are dated 4/15/72, which I believe is the date for the missing audio tape from Nixon's secret recordings, during Watergate. Their absence was a major component of conjecture and satire. Killraven scrawls some graffiti at the end, which says "Killraven Was Here," a play on the old "Kilroy Was Here." This is Herb Trimpe's ;last issue and it isn't his best, artistically. Jack Abel's inls aren't the strongest here. Trimpe didn't get much to sink his teeth into, in this one. From here, Killraven will head to Indianapolis, which is quite a haul. Then, they will tool around the Midwest, for a bit. Stay tuned; business is about to pick up!
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 13, 2019 1:18:13 GMT -5
ps Forgot to mention; since this is New Year's, we are now in the year 2019!
Wait, what's that sound outside? Sounds like three legs stomping around......
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 13, 2019 20:37:29 GMT -5
Amazing Adventures #25 Per GCD, cover by Gil Kane, with Esposito credited as inking, though Romita may have done the inking or the layout and corrections. Much better cover than last time, though Killraven's sword has changed, looking like a falchion.  Skar's got a cutlass, which goes well with the buccaneer boots and whatever that hole in the middle of his face is. Skar was one of the better villains, design and personality, in the series. He sticks around a while. Pretty creepy looking. "Death stalks the Indianapolis 500." I wonder how a tripod would do in the race.... Creative Team: Don McGregor-words, Rich Buckler-pencils, Klaus Janson-inks, Dave Hunt-letters, Linda Lessman-colors, Roy Thomas-edits. Synopsis: Aquaman is on the run from a tripod....  Wait, how did he get there? Next thing you know, a flying craft swoops in and Killraven drops down to attack the tripod pilot...  It's Skar, our guest star, who basically says he's gonna fillet him a human. KR responds by trying to punch his way through plexiglass and Skar gives him a hot foot. KR was already wounded from one of the tripod's blades amd he tumbles off and hits pavement. Skar leaves him for dead, which is his first mistake. Then KR gets a psychic episode, seeing the destination of the tripod, in his head, which discombobulates (great word) him. M'Shulla hops down to check on him. They make camp and we see that Camilla got a sexy change of clothes and that red is her color.  Camilla is leading them towards their destination; but, others question it. She and Killraven tear at each other, verbally and even Grok snarls. Killraven gets physical and M' Shulla tells him to back off. KR accuses him of being whipped....er, bewitched, and M'Shulla decks him and threatens to walk. KR calms down and offers his hand. The next day they are watching the Martian complex, built on the remains of the Indianapolis Speedway. The Martians test tripods on it (though it looks more like a drag race. KR and the gang sneak down, though you couldn't tell by all of the dialogue. They are like a high school class on a field trip. Kr comes across Roy Thomas, who fills him in about Skar and the tripods they are testing....  Killraven hotwires a tripod and takes it on te course, where the tripods play demolition derby. KR catches up to Skar and says, "Come on mo-fo" and they get all smashy-smashy. The tripod smashes into the computer center and KR goes to get Roy and finds him dead, a victim of editing too many titles and falling rubble. KR mopes about Camilla's previous rant about him forgetting his goals to seek vengeance every other fight. Thoughts: Okay, the tripod slave mechanic is called Hobie; but, looks a lot like Roy Thomas, including glasses. Camilla looks like se is working the Sunset Strip; but, that fits in with everyone else. Hawk lost the muttonchops and is getting little or no screen time, as he is mostly hidden in shadows. Sorry dude. If Chaykin was still drawing this you'd probably be front at center. The Indy 500 connection is pretty tenuous; but, whatever. There aren't many other landmarks to Indianapolis and a race track looks pretty generic. Wait 'til they get to Chicago! The stockyards will look really different! Buckler does a decent job with things, though that opening page looks rather like similar layouts in Deathlok. That series would start the next month (which is probably why Buckler only did the one issue). Things are getting more interesting, as McGregor is throwing more conflict into things, as Killraven's behavior gets called out by his bestest bud, M'Shulla (no relation to Don Shula) and he learns, by the end, that Camilla was right. Skar is a great new villain and a real Richard, right down to kicking mechanics for the hell of it. Try that with Maggie and Hopey will kick his ass! Next issue is Gene Colan and then PCR hits the scene. Next, we're off to Battlecreek, Michigan, for some Frosted Flakes and Martian butt-kicking!
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