ted@usceast.UUCP (06/25/84)
<mutant ninja line>
First some reviews. Sorry if this is late, I have the feeling I see things
after everyone else.
New Mutants 20 :
The spirit bear turns out to be not quite what it seemed. It was Dani's
parents all along, trapped and enslaved by an (unspecified) evil power.
On the whole fairly well done, but the plot raises some uncomfortable
(for Marvel) questions: They are coming closer and closer to saying
that everyone's myths and religions are true (the bear seems to have been
stymied somewhat by Indian magic) and Storm's having the Morlock healer
heal Dani raises the question "Why not heal everyone?". Not doing this
violates the internal consistency of the Marvel Universe, but doing it
would diverge the MU too far from ours : a double bind.
Subplots :
No more on either Warlock or the girl from the future, but Illyana
keeps sprouting armor, and the nurse and the policeman will have some
tall explaining to do. ("Why yes, I was white yesterday").
Art :
I still don't care for Sienkiewicz's art : too shadowy, too many low angles.
Overall : 7/10
Hulk 300 :
For anyone who hasn't heard, Bruce Banner is dead. If I had any doubts, this
issue buried him. The Hulk is on a rampage in NYC (doing the usual millions
in damage) and the Avengers and Dr. Strange have to stop him. There is the
obligatory inconclusive battle between H and the A's before DS uses magic
to exile him from Earth. This feels like it should have been the last "Hulk"
but it isn't. I don't see any way to salvage the character again though.
I for one felt the Hulk had come into his own during the "intelligent hulk"
issues; I can't really see following the book any longer.
Subplots : who dey?
Art : typical Sal Buscema type. He's done some really great looking stuff
in ROM, but there's nothing much here. (I'm getting tired of his
faces, esp the way they always have a strand of saliva in the mouth)
Overall : 3/10. Don't waste your dollar (this is a double size issue)
Xmen 186 : "Lifedeath - a love story'
I really wanted to like this more than I did. Any time there's a double
size XM, I expect great things, but this time it didn't quite pan out.
There should have been a certain poignance to the story of Storm being
grounded and of her (first? I doubt that) love but it didn't grab me
the way it should have. For one thing, Forge seems a pretty poor love
interest; he doesn't have much presence despite the build up Claremont
gives him. This is in part intentional, since we are supposed to come
to see that Forge is running scared , but the two goals of building him
up and knocking him down are clearly incompatible : it makes Storm's
falling for him implausible, even as shellshocked as she is (of course
I could just be jealous). Another problem is that Storm's loss of powers,
central to the story, doesn't hit me hard enough. I can't really give
a glib reason why. Her listlessness and indifference to life are portrayed
graphically enough but they still don't seem quite real. Maybe it's because
we know that she can always fall back on magick (like the Storm in the
Belasco stories), or maybe it's the thought in the back of my head that
she can just call on the Morlock healer (see above).
By the way, Forge's mutant ability is his inventiveness! No one here but
us mutants. (Do you actually know anyone who is average to 6 decimals?)
Subplots :
Dire Wraiths
Rogue on the loose and hopping mad (R is rapidly becoming my favorite XM
though this story does little for her).
Art : not bad, not great
Overall 7/10 : low for the XM. Probably would have made a better normal size
issue. (Storm's closing line almost brings it back up to an 8)
New Teen Titans 2
This might have been called "In Search of Raven" (actually I can't find
a title) and that about sums it up. Wally's back (and hurting) and Lilith
puts in an appearance. Seems Raven is missing and unnatural clouds blanket
the earth. Our heroes join in a seance to go after her, finding themselves
in Azarath, where they all die (?!). In the meantime, a drastically
altered Raven shows up on earth and presents her father as god. Things
look pretty grim.
Subplots : not many that I recall, it's too late to go back and look.
Art : Impressive. This is one baxter book that actually looks good to me.
There are some annoying washed out scenes in Azarath, but that is
intentional.
Overall : I'll give it an 8/10. There've been better NTT issues, but
this ain't bad.
SHORT REVIEWS
Star Reach Classics 2 :
These are classics? Why?
Secret Wars #6 :
This isn't getting any better folks. Too bad they can't bring in some
more people so they can act out of character too.
DNAgents 12 :
First time I tried this title. Seems rather silly to me. (An empty
box? Come on!) I'll try one more and see if it grows on me.
Westcoast Avengers 2
Average
Iron Man Annual 7 :
Poor. A pointless exercise in Marvel historical closet cleaning.
News : There will be no XM/NTT crossover, at least not any time soon.
They (DC) didn't give a reason, anyone out there know the reason?
Question :
Did anyone out there understand the final RONIN?
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Ted Nolan ...decvac!mcnc!ncsu!ncrcae!usceast!ted
6536 Brookside Circle
Columbia, SC 29206 ("Sixty-sixty?" he suggested)
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