moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (02/10/86)
Reviewed in this issue: FLAMING CARROT NEW MUTANTS CEREBUS POWER PACK WEB OF SPIDER-MAN SCOUT (Fashion in Action) DAREDEVIL NEXUS FIRESTAR LLOYD LLEWELLYN ------------------------------------------------ "There *are* standards. If you can't see one, you *make* one and stick to it come Hell or high water -- until you see a BETTER one." -John Gaunt "Well, if you can't believe what you read in a comic book, what *can* you believe?!" -Bullwinkle J. Moose **************************************************************************** |==>A< One of the best of the year. Example: ZOT #8 | |==>B< A very good issue, one of the best of the month (usually 6/month) | |==>C< A well done, entertaining issue. Satisfying. Example: Jon Sable | |==>D< Boring, but with a few good points. Example: SQUADRON SUPREME | |==>F< Boring AND stupid or childish. Example: Secret Wars. | |==>Z< Actually offensive. Example: Several of Haney's UNKNOWN SOLDIERs | **************************************************************************** FLAMING CARROT #10 [C+]: Ah, it's good to see the old rabid Flaming Carrot back in style, off his drinking binge and back to his original retarded state. Frankly, this is the only thing coming out of Renegade Press which is any good t'all; but it is very funny, if you have a bizarre sense of humor. NEW MUTANTS #39 [C]: This should provide an interesting confrontation -- back when Professor Xavier was the mutant's mentor, he was a passive leader; but Magneto is anything but, and so an active (and angry) rescue is indicated for the next issue. Should be interesting... CEREBUS #80 [C]: I'm surprised no one has mentioned this over the last couple of weeks -- some pretty heavy stuff has come down, and I'm not sure if this is a dream sequence or not. Bran Mak Muffin commits hari-kari, Cerebus is de-Poped, and many classic Warner Bros. gags are shown. Huh. Comments? POWER PACK #22 [C]: A very well-done look at the problems of seeing the future (or future possibilities) by Franklin; if I hand't read _The_Dead_Zone_, I would probably praise it higher. Also, Alex is showing himself to probably the Reed Richards of the 21st century (the way he talks -- "An INNOCENT GIRL!"), and I enjoyed the story about as well as I usually do, though I've had it up to HERE with Snarks (howsabout a few Boojums for a change, huh?). WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #13 [C+]: There is no doubt that Spider-Man is going through a bit of a Renaissance right now, almost entirely due to Peter David, who has (with a variety of artists) imbuded the strip with a gritty urban tone somewhat reminiscent of Frank Miller's old DDs, but not quite with such a grim tone. Unfortunately he can't do all the titles, so we just have to search around for his stuff. SCOUT #3 [Fashion in Action: C]: I simply don't read the Scout half of the book, but Fashion in Action is getting to be a half-bizarre/half-nostalgic look at some of the old super-spy strips. Reminds me a lot of some of my favorite Japanese serials (with art that looks like rough Walt Simonsin). DAREDEVIL #230 [B+]: What do you want, an invitation? I'm not analyzing this whole thing 'till the fat lady sings... (or the fat boy, in this case). NEXUS #20 [B-]: Can you say "Action Issue"? Wonderful stuff, especially the "Still waiting for Nexus to show up?" "Not any more." sequence, which would have been melodramatic without Steve Rude's pencils. Also, the harsh realities of governing show up here, and it appears that Tyrone doesn't make a bad Chief Executive after all. FIRESTAR #3 [C]: Actually pretty good -- I didn't think DeFalco had it in him. I look forward to the next issue. LLOYD LLEWELLYN #1 [C-]: Really does capture the kind of late-50's/early-60's mod art (at least what was shown on television, which is all I know about the subject), in the style and the shapes and texture. Even the storylines seem to be what you'd find with Peter Gunn or 77 Sunset Strip (the Miami Vice of the early 60s). However nothing there but the trappings of nostalgia, although well-done trappings. Think I'll sit the next dance out... "If a man chooses to do evil... it becomes my sacred duty to bash him to a pulp" 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! <*>