moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (08/20/85)
Gad! For a while, I thought maybe I was going through grade inflation
again, but, no, looks like a very good month for comics...
Reviewed:
SHE-HULK GRAPHIC NOVEL ECHO OF FUTUREPAST ZOT
CEREBUS SWAMP THING MAGE NEXUS
------------------------------------------------
"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 |
****************************************************************************
SHE-HULK Graphic Novel [C+]:
Well, I'm an old lover of S.H.I.E.L.D. (I have the complete run of
Strange Tales and the SHIELD comic, including the Steranko stuff),
and if the Nick Fury Mini-Series is anything like this, I'll follow it
through. The main question that has been brought up here before
is, is it worth it as a Graphic Novel? Frankly, I would say yes, due
to the large panels and extremely good color -- I thought it more
entertaining than it would have been in a mini-series, printed on
standard paper, with smaller frames. While I was not crazy about
the partial nudity (does Shooter make this a requirement of all
graphic novels?), I still thought it a very good piece of work, and
some of the best storytelling out of Byrne in a long time, especially
in the graphic design area (remember those old X-Mens, and first
FFs, where a sequence almost progressed without a script?).
Oh, is this the place Fury starts his exploration of S.H.I.E.L.D.? And
I was glad the side effects of the atomic pile were what they were
-- I was afraid we were going to get into the "the extra radiation
could make you turn into a REAL Hulk someday" plotline (it's
something Marvel would think of), and I'd hate to see it. One tragic
behmoth is enough...
ECHO OF FUTUREPAST #5 [C-]:
With Bucky O'Hare, Mudwog and Tippie Toe Jones, one of the best
anthology books on the block. However, jeers for the fact that
while TTJ has his mug on the cover, the story inside is only two
pages long! Grak!
Well, several of the poorer stories ended with this issue, and next
issue promises the premiere of Torpedo, a European creation I've
heard many good things about. It's expensive, but I guess I just
don't notice these things (after I pass $50 for a month's worth of
comics, I don't notice much else...).
ZOT! #10 [A- (only in comparison to two issues ago, which was an
A+ )]:
LAST...
ISSUE...
ARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
"No, officer, the last we saw of him, he had an Uzi machine gun and
was heading for Jim Shooter's office... said he was going to `force
that great hairy booger to print ZOT!', or else introduce him to the
`Great Beyonder'..."
Well, it looks like poor sales weren't the only reason ZOT! is gone
for a while... McCloud seemed to feel that Zot was stagnating, that
the quality was lower than it should have been. Myself, I think the
man doesn't realize that you have to have low spots too, and his
low spots are gold when compared to other comics high points.
Anyway, I'll write him and plead.... This issue is fully worth your
while, as all ZOT! issues are. Fantastic art (look at that center
spread! Just LOOK at it! Wowsa!). And, Oh, I liked the final
panel...
CEREBUS #76 [A]:
Quit possibly the best Cerebus story of the year, which means (due
to the calibar of Sim's work) one of the best comics of the year. If
I'm correct, there is a LOT of interesting things revealed here, and
quite a few more hinted at. God only knows where the plot will go
next, which is, of course, one of the great features of this book. Oh,
and a letter from Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman, in the
letters page. However, the Connie Lingus bit is getting real old, real
quick...
SWAMP THING #42 [B-]: Grotesquely funny; I found the pawky
humor much more distinctive than the Gothic Romance features.
As normal, about eight great characterizations; but the nice (and
funny) touches include a Hollywood Prop that fools even possessed
spirits, and a zombie who finds just his line of work (I think we
have one of these guys running the *projector* at a theater I
frequent...)
MAGE #8 [B-]:
1) Anyone commented on the beautiful coloring done in this comic
yet?
2) How many black Captain Marvel T-shirts does Kevin have,
anyway?
NEXUS #15 [C+]:
Has Nexus gone from decadent to fanatical?
Beats the Hell out of me, but I'll follow this comic anywhere...
"You... VILLAIN, you."
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb1, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want to me, but leave my employers alone! <*>moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (08/20/85)
REVIEWED:
SAVAGE TALES TIMESPIRITS WHISPER MECHANICS
NEIL THE HORSE MS. TREE 3-D CODENAME: DANGER
CROSSFIRE
------------------------------------------------
"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 |
****************************************************************************
SAVAGE TALES #1 [D+]:
Technically, I can't complain: there's some good-to-excellent
dialogue and plot in this book. However, the majority seems to be
spent on plots which I found either boring or stupid, or pointless.
Just a lot of, well, violence. On the other hand, that's what they
advertised it as, so I guess I don't have any beef. The only story I
enjoyed was "Blood & Gutz: A Pizza", which had some black (not an
ethnic slur) humor in it. The rest tended to be either tough-guy
fighting or post-apocalypse stuff. Still, technically very good.
TIMESPIRTS #6 [B+]:
A fine mesh of good writing and GREAT artwork. The drawings of
Hendrix and the various robed politcos (the expression on George
Bush's face was worth the cover price alone, and it appears Jerry
still has some problems with stairs) were amazing -- better than
Gulacy, who loves to put Bogart and others in a picture; however,
Yeates portraits are less slick and contain more shadow and
texture.
And, on the writing side, how many books can introduce such great
supporting characters, all in a single issue? The political
statements are not harsh, and certainly are striking (I suspect
Steve Perry of having gone to see "El Norte"), and the whole
disparate plot becomes precise and accurate in its course. Kudos to
Perry, Yeates and Goodwin; this comic alone justifies the Epic line,
and is a title which I look foward to with anticipation at every
reading.
WHISPER SPECIAL #1 [C-]:
Entertaining, though still having the rather cold characters that Grant
seems to specialize in. The art is very sketchy, and there is a heck of a
lot of blood being spilled by everybody in this book.
MECHANICS #2 [C+]:
Just out of curiousity, does Jaime have something about all those Stan
Lee/Larry Leiber/Jack Kirby monster comics? I noticed at least three spoofs
of them in here (though how you could do a NON-spoof of "Watoomb, the
Aqueduct that Walked like a Man!" is beyond me...).
NEIL THE HORSE #12 [F]:
<The Moral Equivalent of FLAME ON!>
I have HAD IT with Saba turning every other issue into a collection
of reprint material! Yes, when the stuff is original, it is VERY good,
but I already HAVE 70% of the material printed in this comic in
OTHER comics -- so this is a rip-off for me! I can understand this
happening once in a while -- but this kind of frequency indicates
sloppy scheduling to me. If he can't meet a quarterly deadline,
publish NEAL three times a year. Just don't yank me around like a
nim-no!
<The Moral Equivalent to DOUSE OUT!>
MS TREE 3-D #1 [D+]:
Standard Spillaine. From the preview of Ms. Tree #21, it looks like the
assumption that Ms. Tree is heading for a nervous breakdown is on target....
CODENAME: DANGER #1 [D+]:
OK, I'll admit that, after reading David Singer's little speech in the
back of the book, that he sures sounds like one of those demented
geeks who should be removed from the gene pool as quickly as
possible. And I will admit that this comic seems to be little other
than a bunch of nasty spies and rotten people killing one another.
However, the premise of super-heroes for hire and such, and a
certain amount of the humor, will keep me reading it for at least
one more issue -- I want to get more of an idea of what this thing
is like before I drop it.
CROSSFIRE #13 [C]:
Good...
"REVERT!"
"REVERT!"
"REVERT!"
"REVERT!"
"Hi HO! Hi HO!"
"SHUT UP!"
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb1, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want to me, but leave my employers alone! <*>moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (08/20/85)
REVIEWED:
ALBEDO NATHANIEL DUSK II JON SABLE
BLUE DEVIL
------------------------------------------------
"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 |
****************************************************************************
ALBEDO #4 [Usagi, Yojimbo C; Erma Felina, D-]:
The former is fun, the latter is getting too technical for a comics
story this short. But on to more important things: at the end of the
Yojimbo story, there is a HUMAN in the works! Hey, I thought this
was an Anthromorphics comic! What gives, eh?
Sorry, I'm just being picky 'cause I met the creator of Erma Felina
and the publisher of Albedo and didn't like him (and have had my
opinions re-enforced when he calls Ellison's _The_Glass_Teat_ one
of the finest things around (now, Moriarty, don't get into that
argument again....)
NATHANIEL DUSK II #1,2 [B]:
Gosh, quite a few extremely good comics this month. This is a fine,
well-crafted non-Spillaine (that's a compilment) detective story,
just on the writing itself -- certainly the finest thing McGregor has
done in five years, and the first bright spot in a long line of flops
he's produced. A few rough spots where his old style breaks
through in the first issue, but it has completely disappeared by the
second.
But the writing, no matter how good it is, is secondary to the
artwork, though the two are certainly not seperate. I don't think I
can elaborate on what Jerry or Don Thompson have said, but the
colors are very good, the panels (especially the faces) complement
the script extremely well. This would be a good detective story
without Gene Colan's drawings, but with them, it becomes
something more. Again, I haven't looked at much of Colan's art in
the last few years -- haven't read much Batman. But after his DD
and Tomb of Dracula years, I had felt the last few had been rather
lax (including the Ragamuffins stuff with McGregor for Eclipse).
But here, the quality paper and coloring gives him the forum he
has deserved.
JON SABLE #30 [D+]:
Rather boring, but I'm not sure why. I suspect my tolerance for
spoofs of _The_Maltese_Falcon_ has been reached...
BLUE DEVIL #18 [D]:
Whoof! A really bad Blue Devil, but I'll assume someone came in
and said "You must have BD team up with The Omega Men!" and
walked out... all in the name of Crisis. The Omega Men have almost
always been turkeys, and it doesn't seem too different now.
BLUE DEVIL ANNUAL #1 [C+]:
Now THIS is more LIKE it! They got Paris Cullins back on pencils,
and got every truly weird character DC has had for the last few
years and threw them together and what a mess! What a glorious,
filthy mess! Plus, the debated origin of Black Orchid (brother, do I
remember those old stories). The Phantom Stranger looses his
temper ("HEY! Cut it out, you two...! The Phantom Stranger is
talking!"), and actually resorts to (dare we say it?) fisticuffs!
Egads! What will these boys think up next?!
"If this is foreplay, I'm a dead man!"
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb1, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want to me, but leave my employers alone! <*>moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (08/20/85)
And Now, on to the CRISIS:
------------------------------------------------
"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 |
****************************************************************************
NEW TEEN TITANS #14 [C-]:
Liked the intro with Raven. Liked the ending with the exploding
rat (easy way to get my vote, kids... fried rats! Just another reason
I like The Firesign Theatre...). Rest of it is pretty tedious; in
particular, I think it was pretty sloppy for Vic and Gar to go at it
while Questor was having his ribs turned into Captain Crunch.
From Gar I expect it, but from Vic...
GREEN LANTERN 194 [B-]:
As I've said, the art is improving, but finally, FINALLY, Englehart
begins to resemble the writer of yore that I remember. Catch the
dialogue scene in the car with Tom. For two pages I don't know
what is going to happen next; haven't the slightest -- and then
Englehart comes out with the words "Good for you!" which, in the
hands of almost any other writer and artist, would look rather silly.
But it works -- that's W-O-R-K-S. Also, the relationship between
Katma and John just gets better and better. This might get the
most improved award this year (it amazes me that Len Wein had
so much trouble with it...).
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #8-9 [C+ Overall]:
This is really turning into a masterwork that is going to be
remembered for a long, long time after it's over. The amount of
detail, the excellent writing and editing, and the consistently
intriguing plotline... the best compliment I can give it is that when
I heard George Perez was leaving the Titans books, I was appalled.
Now I'm glad he did, because the work he and Marv have done
here, if not as personal as their work on Titans, is fantastic
storytelling. And now, onto a few points and questions...
#8:
As has been said before, Darkseid seems to be up to par; I suspect,
however, that this is the last we'll see of him in this series.
Yes, Flash seemed a little rushed in his demise, but the more tragic
tone of it (especially the ring, which so many of his stories turned
on -- Infantino used to love spotlighting that ring...). Certainly
more foreboding.
#9:
One of my favorite issues, and having a lot for analysis in it. The details
I loved was the general return to normal of Earth after things begin to
settle -- the Warp Zone becomes a novelty, and the UN meeting was excellent.
Alex Luthor and Harbringer have taken almost the positions of moderators;
and having every DC newsperson on hand was cute. The takeover by Braniac's
armies has the proper air of the horrible (with Braniac doing play-by-play),
for which Lex Luthor is the perfect foil and color man-- he's a snide,
smart-alec, and he lends a little more of the familiar to the proceedings.
Looks like the Guardians (if they live...) and the Green Lantern
Corps have become very different things. Apparently they're going
to have a law-enforcement side, and then a bunch of GL's (all
looking like something out of Soldier of Fortune) going around
playing Dirty Harry to various planets ("Make my solar cycle.").
Certainly an interesting concept...
And as long as I'm continuing to underline details, a very good
transformation scene by a very restrained Superman. "This is a job
for SUPERMAN!" Indeed, and after his cousin's death, it seems all
the more determined. Funny how that line still works...
Tula's death may have gotten to me more than any other
character's in CRISIS. Unexpected, and someone who I had liked
quite a bit. Hope that Braniac was wrong, but I think not... Under
Wolfman & Perez, she and Aqualad had become much, much more
three-dimensional, especially after Donna's wedding and the Hive
finale. Again, this really hit me.
Perez amazes me with scenes of characters I NEVER would have
expected to see fight against one another. Penguin vs Firestorm,
Captain Nazi vs Superman of Earth-2, Warp vs. Steel. And
Wolfman has the Joker down pat...
Finally, the ending was a bit of a let-down. Psimon has been
overused for the last year in Teen Titans, and his appearance (and
destruction of Braniac) is a bit too pat. He has the power for a
major-league villain, but the personality is lackluster, and so he
has never struck me as anything other than run-of-the-mill.
And now, some interesting observations and possible boo-boos:
How can The Predator and Star Saphire be in the same place --
they're the same people! Besides, this is (if I'm correct) supposed
to take place *after* The Predator & Carol Ferris merge into SS.
Yes, the thought of the other Star Saphire crossed my mind (the
French one), but that still doesn't explain the Predator, who should
be gone...
And I thought The Terminator had given up the ghost as a villain, after his
little talk with Gar. Oh, well, maybe we'll have it explained later...
"A man who has no business being anyone's role model..."
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb1, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want to me, but leave my employers alone! <*>moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (08/20/85)
A whole buncha very short reviews...
------------------------------------------------
"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 |
****************************************************************************
VISION & THE SCARLET WITCH #1-2; WEST COAST AVENGERS #2-3
[Writing: C]: Lots of nice touches here, though a few get somewhat
maudlin. Englehart can handle emotions very well (see the latest
Green Lantern), but in group books I find it a little rushed. Better
are the ideas that he's throwing in -- Hank Pym as the
caretaker/tech person at the headquarters, and Ben Grimm as the
missing sixth member. Looks good enough to follow for a while
longer, though the Vision comic needs a better artist badly (WCA
will manage as long as Joe Sinnott inks...)
THE SQUADRON SUPREME #3 [C-]: Fallible, if stereotypical (and
rather dull) characters, but I am enjoying the concepts. Things
Gardner Fox would have a seizure over if they happened in the JLA
going on all over the place. Still, Marvel has no right to go around
heckling Moon Roach or any other Marvel satire after this...
A DISTANT SOIL #6 [D]
GRIMJACK #15 [Munden's: B] : The best Munden's in quite a while.
Phil Foglio is getting a real reputation for humor, and Gordon has
never been done so well...
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #27 [C-]: So Bats is on the outs with
the government, hmm? And I've always assumed that he could
take Kobra, though it may be I'm underestimating K after his
Ambush Bug stint.
BALDER #1 [C]: Just gol-durn entertaining... and Jerry's idea that
Balder will be the next ruler of Asgard makes more sense all the
time.
NIGHTCRAWLER #1 [C]: Fluff? Yah, but entertaining fluff, thanks
to Cockrum's art. As long as ya know what's you're gettin' inta,
mate, ya gots no right ta mutter, arf, arf...
STAR TREK #20 [D-]: Hope Barr gets back soon, because this is
slowly going down the tubes... It would help the plotters if the
next movie didn't have to be planned for every year, but life's
tough all over...
FF #284 [D+]:
The... whah? In.. Invisible WOMAN?
Pfffffttt....
X-MEN #199 [C]: Competent. Not great, but Competent.
MARVEL FANFARE #23 [C+]: Good story, excellent art, but the
ending is TOTALLY unrealistic -- I mean, there is not one waiter
with any sense of humor left in the entire city of New York...
IRON MAN #200[D+]: The new logo sucks, and not enough
follow-up to the other characters in the book. I'll probably buy
#201, also, but that's it, unless things improve...
THE SWORD OF SOLOMON KANE #2 [C+]: Without the
Chaykin/Thomas version to compare it to, this is much better in
perspective. Very moody and atmospheric, no cliches, and a very
complex character -- certainly Howard's best. I'll keep up with the
rest of the issues...
STAR WARS #101 [D+: story & art; F: continuity]: Huh? This issue
takes place BEFORE last issue? It must, because Bey turned traitor
in SW #100. What kind of shit is this? Ridiculous...
"The word is no, therefore I am going anyway."
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA
UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb1, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want to me, but leave my employers alone! <*>ciaraldi@rochester.UUCP (Mike Ciaraldi) (08/23/85)
> > 2) How many black Captain Marvel T-shirts does Kevin have, > anyway? > I don't know, but they are easy to replace--a local comics shop, Comic Book Heaven, has them in stock. Mike Ciaraldi rochester!ciaraldi