moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (02/10/86)
Yes, it's time once again for me to grab the Amazing Heroes
bi-annual preview of upcoming comics and attempt to weed
particularly good prospectives from the wealth of detail that
these folks provide (I always enjoy the introductions they give).
The trick, of course, is to avoid reading what's actually going to
*happen* in the prospective titles -- I hate to lose a good plot
twist or surprise. But it's worth the risk, because (as always)
some of this stuff looks pretty durn good. Below are highlights,
lowlights, midlites and generally interesting things I found in this
volume...
================================
Alan Moore is still trying to get his ALAN MOORE'S COMIC (or
DODGEM LOGIC or whatever...) out, with a story set at a comic
convention. The previously scheduled artist bowed out, and rumors
(and my guess) indicate that Donald Simpson may do the art. We'll
see...
================================
According to everyone connected with SPIDER-MAN, the old
Red&Blue costume will be nada in a month or two, and only the
black one will be worn from now on. Mechandising people, please
note.
================================
Oh, Lord, another AMBUSH BUG mini-series, supposedly starting in
March, by the Same Old Creative Team who make me guffaw in the
Same Old Manner until I split my Same Old Slacks. Ack-Ack.
================================
Looks like AMERICAN FLAGG! will eventually go to Steven Grant and
Mark Badger. Tough act to follow...
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AMETHYST is almost certainly what's-her-name in The Legion.
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BLUE BEETLE will be ressurected by DC with the artwork by Paris
Cullins, who did such good work with the first few issues of BLUE
DEVIL
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Fred Hembeck's next book will be called CHEAP SHODDY ROBOT
TOYS. I approve whole-heartedly.
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The fourth and fifth issues of CODENAME: DANGER will be done by
Paul Gulacy and Jerry Ordway, respectively.
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Marshall Rodgers will be adapting DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND to
DC graphic novel format. The story is from TV's OUTER LIMITS
episode by Harlan Ellison
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The summary of DESTROY!! does not particularly attact me to the
comic: "two great big muscle-bound guys beating the hell out of
each other for 32 pages." However it's by Scott (ZOT!) McCloud, a
man whose talent I can attest to. It *is* interesting to notice his
fondness for ending his titles in exlamation points...
================================
Steve Englehart believes that, in the long run, Guy Gardner should
become the leader of the Green Lanterns. Say What?
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The DC book for African aid, HEROES AGAINST HUNGER, is
apparently Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor team up to save the
earth. The contributors include Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson
(plotters and organizers), Chris Claremont, Robert Bloch, George
Perez, Kim DeMulder, Tony Isabella, Curt Swan, John Byrne, Paul
Kupperberg, David Ross, Howard Chaykin, Steve Englehart, Gil Kane,
and Ralph Reese. Quite a honor roll...
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The new JONNY QUEST ("Woof Woof!" Quiet, Bandit!) book will be
written by William Messner-Loebs. This will, I assume, not
conflict with JOURNEY and MR. MONSTER.
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Sometime in the next couple of issues, JOURNEY should end the
long "New Hope" plotline; something that even I'm happy about.
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The LOIS LANE mini-series looks very interesting, from the fact
that 1) Supes doesn't appear anywhere (Clark does); 2) the style of
the illustrations and the theme of the book (missing children) don't
seem sugar-coated. Of course, they may have gone off the deep end
in another direction, but with Gray Morrow artwork, I'll take a
chance. Debuts in the summer; a Moriarty check by it's name.
================================
MEGATON MAN ends with #12! Waaaaaaaaaah! (The title of the
last issue is "Forever ON PATROL!". Sniff).
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Speaking as an old-time S.H.I.E.L.D. buff, the NICK FURY VS.
S.H.I.E.L.D. story looks interesting. It'd be nice to show some
background power structure such as who Nick and Company is
responsible to -- directly to Ronnie, or the Pentagon, or the CIA, or
what. However, having Mark Gruenwald script the series makes me
nervous; as a writer, he'd often make a great librarian.
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THE PHONEY PAGES is a two-shot collection of Terry (MS. TREE)
Beatty's spoofs of famous comic strips. If all of them are as good
as the one shown in the Preview ("Little Nimoy in Slumberland"
("Nobody knows the Tribbles I've seen")), I'll pick this one up.
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POWER PACK is going bi-monthly. Editor Carl Potts says
"unfortunately, the newstand sales have been really pitiful".
Grrrrrrrrr... of COURSE they're poor! This is a great book! Make it
directs sales only, you cretins! On the other hand, then some of
the kids who could be benefitting by these fine stories would miss
out. *Sigh*
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Two other comics to look out for; THE SHADOW (by Howard
Chaykin) looks like almost a sure thing for quality and
entertainment; and THE SILENT INVASION just might allow
Renegade Press to have two good titles running.
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Steve Englehart is doing a 12-part SILVER SURFER mini-series
which also includes Mantis and child from that old "Celestial
Madonna" story (no, she married a tree, NOT Sean Penn...).
Englehart's work on GREEN LANTERN and VISION & THE SCARLET
WITCH have shown him to be in peak form these days.
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STAR TREK, one of my favorite comics, will feature yet another
Diane Duanne story in #28 about Dr. McCoy; and #29-33 will be
written by Tony Isabella. After this, Mike Barr should be
returning. Good news all around, I must say...
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STEELGRIP STARKEY is scheduled for Marvel's 1986 schedule.
SUUUUURE it is...
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SUPERMAN: The next-to-last issue (#422) of SUPERMAN has a
Brian Bollan illustration on it that will raise the hackles on your
neck unless you're immune to a good scare (it's previewed in the
AH Preview). #423 is a mystery, because it's the last issue
(tah-dah). After this, it may be renamed, or it may be called
volume II, but it will be re-started at #1, because (as you well
know) John Byrne takes over. No new details from what has
already been reported, except that "the Clark-Lois-Superman thing
is going to exist, but in a very different form, and it will, I hope,
be vastly more entertaining to modern readers.
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Chaykin describes Time*Time (I can't write the `squared' symbol
on this terminal -- stick to C basics) as "what you'd get if Philip
K. Dick and Damon Runyun collaborated on a prime-time soap
opera". Published once or twice a year by First Comics, in graphic
novel form.
OK, I'll bite...
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Next year's VIGILANTE ANNUAL will feature Adrian Chase on trial
for murder, so that "we can have more courtroom scemes to give
Bob Ingersoll something to write about in his column in the Buyer's
Guide". (Paul Kupperburg).
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I am assuming that WILLY WONKA'S T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS is one of
those joke titles you find in AH Previews all the time...
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Finally, ZOT! #10-1/2 will be available in March for $0.25 and a
self-addressed stamped envelope. Sounds good to me for eight
times the cost, but then, I'm biased...
================================
"Well, I'm glad you didn't
do something *sensible*...
such as use the *spare*!"
"Spare? Spare what?"
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb6, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>