moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) (12/14/84)
Ah, 'tis the season... ------------------------------------------------ "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 **************************************************************************** |==>A< One of the best of the year. Example: Byrne/Claremont's Starlord | |==>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< Rather boring, or a few good spots mixed with more bad ones. Ex:Mars| |==>F< Boring AND stupid or childish. Example: Secret Wars. | |==>Z< Actually offensive. Example: Several of Haney's UNKNOWN SOLDIERs | **************************************************************************** POWER PACK #8 [B]: Louise Simonsin isn't just playing this for chuckles anymore. She's throwing in the "realities" of power, and doing a thorough, insightful job of it, too. Also, she gives us one of the best renditions of Cloak & Dagger in months (they've been suffering from over-exposure in Marvel mags...). A touching, bittersweet ending. And Prof. Gilbert... I loved him! A very nice touch; hope the good professor enjoys Southern California (and Dragon Man isn't irked by LA freeway traffic...) JON SABLE #22 [B]: Finally... a storyline to find out what makes Sable click. This may be difficult... unless he can find a "good" reason to keep his mercenary work up, he will either have to quit it (thus making this a series about an incognito children's book writer) or state that he enjoys it for "bad" reasons (needs to hunt people for fun, (I know, I doubt this...)). Anyway, some of the best characters in comics today... none are more three-dimensional. ARCHIE AT RIVERDALE HIGH #101 (Moose's Dyslexia) [C-]: Not a title that I normally read, but I was pointed towards it... and it is very well handled. May have been more from a sense of nostalgia, tho'... SWAMP THING #34 [C+]: There are some SF writers who could take lessons from Moore on the relationships of human/alien (physically, anyway) love. Don't try to rush through it, tho'. Lord, I just hope the Moral Majority doesn't get their hands on this... they'd go nuts blabbing about blasphemy and brainwashing. In summary, an abstract, human, and subtly humorous episode. ALBEDO #1 [B-]: A local Seattle comic whose future is uknown... this may have to be purchased from Mr. Plant or somebody. A collection of three stories, in all-animal format (like QUACK)... but not necessarily funny. The lead & longest story, Erma Felina of the EDF, is a beautifully drawn story, with a good science fiction background. No surprises or great characters (yet), but ALIEN LEGION and SUN DEVILS could take some writing lessons from this. "Flinch Gideon" is the funniest four-page story I've seen all year -- at least, if you've ever seen the old Flash Gordon serial, and are conversant in 1960's cream of the Saturday Morning cartoon crop ("Bullwinkle" & "Beanie and Cecil" fans, take note). "Nilson Groundthumper" is obvious, but has a cute ending. A good first issue. BLUE DEVIL #10 [B]: Cackle Snicker Ho Ho Ha-Ha snort... you get the picture. Too bad Chen & Martin couldn't have stayed on as a steady art team for the book... they would've been perfect -- rather Japanese Animation-like drawings. BATMAN & THE OUTSIDERS #19 [C+]: For those of you who have disliked this book (I admit, it *is* uneven... it takes a lot to make up for the Olympics issue), I recommend this issue to you. Nicely scripted, if a trifle hammy; but no one, and I mean NO ONE, draws Christmas stories like Jim Aparo. NORMALMAN #6 [C+]: The C is for the standard, OK satire. The + is for the back cover... among the rave reviews for Normy, at the bottom of the list of critics saying good things, is a quote from the Comics Journal saying "sophomoric and juvenille". Hey, guys, it MUST be good! FF #276 [C+]: Ordway's inks really add to Byrne's... this may make FF the most dynamically drawn super-hero magazine on the market. And the party at the beginning was hysterical... I'd love to see Dennis the Menace vs. The Wizard. Glad to see Byrne appreciates Dick Moore & Gasoline Alley, also. AND IN BRIEF: WHO'S WHO IN THE DC UNIVERSE #1 [D-]: Very poor printing, and I'm not up for 26 issues of this... CEREBUS #68 [C-]: Hey, man, I just read the letters... AMERICAN FLAGG #18 [B-]: Usual splendid conclusion. NEW TEEN TITANS #6 [C]: Group encounter, much less well-done than in the mini-series. Dan Jurgens cannot convey the subtleties Perez can. STAR TREK #12 [C+]: Fast-paced cinematic action. Sutton at his best. WALLY WOOD'S THUNDER AGENTS #1 [C+]: Why all the guff? I have a complete collection of old Tower Thunder Agents, and I liked it! CAPTAIN AMERICA #303 [C]: Carlin is doing a very nice job, but Neary's art still looks like bad Zeck. AVENGERS #253 [C] X-MEN #191 [D]: One long involved D&D game. Blah & ack ack both. KITTY & WOLVERINE #5 [C-]: Why does everyone who I like in this mag have to be dressed in modern fashions? Makes me feel old. Only Steve Rogers still dresses in shammy shirts and Levis. CROSSFIRE #6 [B-] FUNNY STUFF STOCKING STUFFER [D-]: *groan* Bring back Fandom Confidential, guys... DREADSTAR #16 [D] MARVEL FANFARE #19 [D] SUN RUNNERS #4 [D-] FIRESTORM #33 [C-] STAR WARS #93 [C]: More on the Rebellion's problems. As long as Jo Duffy is scripting, I'll be reading. THOR #353 [C-]: Look's like Odin's out for another 20 issues or so... NIGHT MUSIC #1 [F]: Ah... no. "Hi. This is God." "Uh-Oh..." Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc. UUCP: {cornell,decvax,ihnp4,sdcsvax,tektronix,utcsrgv}!uw-beaver \ {allegra,gatech!sb1,hplabs!lbl-csam,decwrl!sun,ssc-vax} -- !fluke!moriarty ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA