boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) (05/17/84)
re: Jerry Ordway on X-MEN: quite frankly, I'm not sure what to make of that bit
of news, since it's only an off-hand comment by Thomas. I have no idea whether
Ordway will be doing the monthly book, or a graphic novel, or whatever. He does
some very nice stuff, although I find it a bit stiff. I, too, was just starting
to get used to Romita.
Bozo Fun-Time:
SECRET WARS #5: You're right, Shooter does seem to do a much better job with the
villains. Doom does act very, well, Doomsy. And I thought Iron Man gave too mild
(well, this *is* a family comic, after all) a response to the Torch about that
"mutant" crack. Now, this is what bugs me about Shooter's grasp of the charac-
ters: I cannot believe that the Torch would say something so utterly stupid as
that.
AMAZING HIGH ADVENTURE #1: I was rather disappointed in this, and, to be honest,
I'm having a hard time even remembering the stories. The Englehart/Severin story
was well done, but it had no emotional impact for me, and the story seemed some-
what trite; I expected better from Englehart. The Simonson/Leialoha story was
the high point, I think, though it wasn't anything to shout about from the roof-
tops. The other two stories were rather hum-drum. I'm not sure that they could-
n't've just put these stories in EPIC ILLUSTRATED instead of doing this one-shot
issue.
VANITY #1: Weeellll, this *is* amusing fluff, but I'm not sold on it, yet. Iffen
I had my druthers, I'd as soon Meugniot stayed with DNAGENTS. Speaking of which,
there was a wonderfully wacky letter in the latest issue complaining about Amber
losing her freckles (it's twue! it's twue!) and going from a double pony-tail to
a single. Personally, I agree with this guy; she definitely looked cuter with
the double pony-tail and the freckles.
ECHO OF FUTUREPAST #1: Again, I have to agree. BUCKY O'HARE was definitely the
highlight of the comic. Great Golden art, and a wacky script. To be honest, I
wasn't quite as taken with the O'Hare and Co. stuff (though I, too, liked the
name "Righteous Indignation") as I was with little Willy and his photon accel-
erator. Not to mention his hippy parents ("Let's take the V.W. bus -- it's so
much more `proletarian'."). By the way, I think they mixed the pages up: it
reads better if you read page 5 before page 4. I think I like the Adams stuff
second. It's very reminiscent of the old cornball Frankenstein/Dracula/Were-
wolf movies, and, oh, when Adams art is good, it's sooooo good! "Tippy Toe
Jones" *is* outrageously funny! ("What would your mother say if she saw you
now?" " Are you kidding?! *This* is our mother!"). I can't say much for Suy-
dam's humor --- he seems like he's trying to pick up where Vaughan Bode left
off --- but I really enjoy his artwork, especially the coloring because it's
so unlike anyone else's. "Virus" is almost incomprehensible, like most French
movies.
BLUE DEVIL #3: This issue sold me. I didn't like #1, but read #2 on your recom-
mendation and liked it well enough. This issue, however, is a gas!
NEW MUTANTS #19: Maybe it's me, but I don't recall much in the way of sub-plot
in this issue, other than the scene with the new Warlock and the Starjammers.
I'll have to look at this one again.
AMERICAN FLAGG! #12: Right on! It's amazing that Chaykin actually managed to
wind up just about all the story threads from the previous 11 issues (well, he
has to leave *something* to continue the book with). I wonder if "-- AND his
God damned CAT!" will become a new catch phrase, like "... and several butch-
ers' aprons". BTW, you should be careful if you teach your cat to talk like
tm
you-know-who; he might start demanding a Luther Ironheart body for his very
own. *Then* where would you be?
ACTION #554: I agree that as a tribute to Siegel & Schuster (where would we be
toady without them?), this was one fine comic. I wasn't quite taken with the
story, though.
And, now, some reviews of my own (you didn't leave me much, Moriarty, you
creep):
POWER PACK #2: Art has improved, characterization has improved; this is one
fine book! If the next issue is as good, this'll become one of my favorites.
GRIMJACK #1: After what I thought was a disappointing first issue, here we
are back on track. One needs to pay *very* close attention to the backgrounds
--- Truman has Staton's habit of sticking in amusing graphitti and newspaper
headlines, etc. --- highlight of this issue: "Kato vs. Butcherboy".
<"Can you say `quasi-dimension'? I knew you could.">
And for those of you who, like me, are sick and tired of the "Official <...> of
the 1984 Olympics" business, you'll get a kick out of the ad for JON SABLE on
the back of this month's First comics.
THOR #347: Curioser and curioser. Well, I'm pretty much convinced that I'm right
about who "DOOM!" is.
SUPER POWERS #2: This was almost -- repeat: *almost* -- worth reading for "Grab
your cape/And drop the phone/Your next stop is/The Joker Zone". But not quite.
Can't say that I'm that impressed with either THE WEST COAST AVENGERS or THE
SUB-MARINER mini-series (or at least the first issues of them). They're OK, but
nothing to gosh wow about. Same goes for the stories in PACIFIC PRESENTS #4. As
well as A DISTANT SOIL.
Well, this weekend should bring some good reading: the new CEREBUS, NEW TEEN
TITANS (Baxter), STARSLAYER, EPIC ILLUSTRATED (with a Berni Wrightson story),
MARVEL FANFARE (Frank Miller Captain America story), MARVEL SUPER-SPECIAL
("Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" if Lucasfilms allows them to release
it earlier than the movie), X-MEN, and whatever books Eclipse and Pacific
deign to bestow on us (ZOT! #3?? SOMERSET HOLMES #4?? GROO SPECIAL #1?? Hope,
hope!!?)
--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC Maynard, MA)
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