chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Laurie Sefton, C/O chuqui) (09/01/85)
Oh well, we missed a week here... To be reviewed: X-Men #200 Heroes for Hope X-Men #1 Xmen & Alpha Flight #1 Alpha Flight #29 Infinity Inc #20 Infinity Inc (Ann) #1 American Flagg #27 Southern Knights #9 Batman #390 And passing comments on: Doctor Strange #74 The Outsiders #2 Blue Devil #18 Shadow of the Batman #1 LSH #17 DC Presents #88 ********************************************************************************Editorial Note- Since the author has decided that she may be doing the funstional writing equivalent of spitting into the wind, she has decided to "go with the flow" so to speak (and only three months in California, yet!), and adopt the rating system that Moriarty devised. This time, I'll use his examples, next time I'll have examples of my own... ******************************************************************************* **************************************************************************** |==>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 | **************************************************************************** X-Men #200 (B-/C+): There are some very good points in this issue, and some very *bad* points. Whoever designed Magneto's costume should be taken out and... well, have a few thousand copies of Vogue dumped on his head? The costume looks fairly slimy, and that big M in the fronts doesn't do anything for it. The story itself is something that Claremont seems to keep coming back to-the use of mutants as an "outcast" group for society--if society as a whole "puts away" mutants because of their differences, what's to keep them from picking *you* out as too different from the norm to be allowed to live? I don't like the crossover mania that appears to be rampant in this magazine-especially since Marvel can't get the crossovers out in time to make any sense... (you'll also notice that someone misspelled Shooter's name in the credits) Heroes for Hope/X-Men #1 (C): I, for one, am amazed that this comic has the coherency it does. Arthur Adams did a nice cover, Jim Starlin did a mediocre back cover. Brian Bolland does an *amazing* Storm--I'd like to see him do some X-Men in the future, just to see what he can with the rest of the characters. Also, anyone care to tell me who Gray Morrow is, and where has he been hiding? I'm impressed. Now, you'll notice that I've been mentioning the artists so far--that's because the story is so pat (and what else could it be for something like this?). The various mini-stories had their high points, but you *know* how things are going to end up (a problem with one shots in general). X-Men/Alpha Flight #1 (D+/C-): I would have been a lot happier if this comic had come out three or four months earlier. To have Maddy just pregnant in one line, and have her giving birth in the parent magazine in the same month shows a lot of disregard for the reader. I can see something coming out a little late, but this is ridiculous. Of course the X-Men and Alpha Flight go though the required fight. Which brings us to another point--Rachel-- she has been through some of the nastier experiences one would have to go through in the last 10-15 years or so, and still Xavier treats her like she was barely a recruit. You didn't see him taking Jean Grey to task like that. You also wonder why someone didn't notice that the "fully realized" humans were all wearing pseudo-asgardian wear. But then we wouldn't have a story, would we? Alpha Flight #29: I am continually amazed at how a comic that had such potential as Alpha Flight has come so far downhill (and it appears as it will in the future). Maybe it's just that I don't like the Hulk very much, and I don't appreciate the comics he stumbles into. There are some nice scenes in here --the one where Northstar and Aurora grieve the "passing" of Sasquatch was very nicely done. The artwork (except for the Hulk, who looks sillier than usual) as a whole, was nicely done. I think Alpha Flight is a group of characters searching for a plot. Infinity Inc #20 (B): Boy, Dr. Midnight is *really* rough on his sidekicks--14 Hooties in the last 42 years? A nice bit with Nuklon getting his X-rays--he's wearing just about the same he would wear at the beach, but since he is in a situation where he doesn't expect a woman to come in, he gets embarrased. Anyway, DC hasn't gotten around to having naked people in the comics, so that explanation will have to do. I think that the new Hourman will be excellent, but I have my doubts about the new Dr Midnight--a bit too contrived for my taste. But a mediocre Earth-II character is still a better bet than most of the Earth-I denizens. Infinity Inc (Ann) #1 (A-/B+): BUY THIS COMIC!!! If not for the sake of contiuity, do it for the way Green Lantern looks without his toupee. Turns out that the Harlequin has been a red herring all along as the purported mother for Jade and Obsidian; but what the heck, at least she'll make a great step-mother. yes, Green Lantern finally ties the knot with the Harlequin, who turns out to be none other than his secretary, Molly Maynne. Doiby Dickles even makes an appearance (with his Space Princeress, of course). This is the sort of book that an annual should be: something that ties up loose ends in one big issue, but doesn't throw the on-going story out of whack. It also came out in time to go with the main line book.... American Flagg #27 (C+): Buy this issue for the cover... I am very happy that the Kansas/Loveland story is finally wrapped up, but I am also glad to have an upbeat (for this comic, it's upbeat) issue for a change. Don Lomax *still* has to work on his art, though: people tend too look as if they are cutting teeth. Everyone who hates Raul will love to see the scenes where he is dragged about by a rather interesting looking Motormater. The usual sex and violence, but with American Flagg, you expect that.... Southern Knights #9(B-/C+): Well, it looks like I'll have to be hunting down the past issues of this comic--it has me interested enough to want to find out the background of all the characters. The story is good, with a few points you wouldn't see in mainstream comics- the secretary of the bad guy organization talking about her lover/husband/whatever getting into med school-let's face it, people are people, and who you work for doesn't change a lot of the variables. Mark Dragon is *very* nice--intelligen, sexy--a better dragon/human bi-mode in some respects than MacAvoy's dragon. Problems with the art, though--inconsistent quality across pages, and a tendency to flatten faces--I don't like that when Kirby does it, either... Batman #390 (B-/C+): Well, just because the story is good mechanically doesn't mean I have to *like* it. The Catwoman appears to be using up all of her nine lives (joke...) in one year of scripts. But the Batman does realize that he has one heck of a Whore/Madonna Complex going. I *like* the Catwoman--I wish she wasn't getting trashed out every 5th issue or so. Is this going to be another case of a writer not knowing what to do with an intelligent, strong female character? I hope not... ******************************************************************************** Dr Strange #74 (C): SWII crossover, but if you like Dr Strange, buy it anyway--rehash of origin in this issue. The Outsiders #2 (D): "Bob" and his family don't get to trash out LA. This book shouldn't be baxter--it diesn't have the right flavor. Blue Devil #18 (C-): The first BD I haven't enjoyed enough to re-read numerous times. I'm hoping that this was due to the crossover, and not the beginning of a trend... Shadow of the Batman #1 (C): These are the *classics*? I must be getting old.... LSH #17 (C): Okay issue, but the cover had *nothing* to do with the story..marketing gimmicks I don't need. They also filled up the *extra story* space with character drawings of the legionnaires -- this space could have been used to give a new artist or writer a place to play.. DC Presents #88 (D-): Keith Giffen cheaped out on the artwork on this one: it was very hard to keep track of the plot, I was so apalled at the artwork. And since when does the Creeper have a flesh-tone face? Laziness on everyone's part in this issue... ******************************************************************************** That's it for this week... Laurie Sefton -- Chuq Von Rospach nsc!chuqui@decwrl.ARPA {decwrl,hplabs,ihnp4}!nsc!chuqui Son, you're mixing ponderables again