moriarty@uw-june.UUCP (05/09/84)
Got quite a bit to review this time (most of it good), so here we go...
STAR TREK #7:
For anyone who has been disappointed in the last few issues of STAR
TREK, take heart, this one shows Barr's and Sutton's full talents. Not only
that, it shows that Barr is planning to make the movie ST III fit in very
closely to the comic's plotline; unlike so many film adaptation comics (Star
Wars in particular), there is a lot of work being done to prepare us for the
movie, and almost all of it is well-done (you'd think Barr had written for
some of the best episodes of the series, and for ST II, he handles the
characters so well). Included are:
David Marcus joins the crew enroute to the Genesis planet -- an
excellent reunion with Kirk.
Saavik's Pon Far (mating ritual, as shown in "Amok Time") and her
background.
Cameos with Sarek & Amanda (and hints of Things To Come).
... all very well done, both characterization and plot. A very busy issue.
Hint: if you are a Trekker or plan to see the movie, START BUYING THE COMIC
with issue #7... you'll be glad you did.
JOURNEY #9:
If you aren't reading this...
!!!!!WHY NOT!!!!
Loeb ties in so many small things, and this mag has the best letter column
in the biz (I include Comics Journal (ugh) and Comics Reader there).
For a humor magazine, Loebs does a hell of a good job with drama... Cooter
going under the ice was extremely frightening.
ALPHA FLIGHT #13:
Nice issue, but we've seen this before. All gravesides look the
same... However, to give credit where it is due, nice graphic dream
sequence. I really like the characters of Puck and Shaman.
FF #269:
Random notes:
Wyatt must REALLY LIKE T-shirts. Maybe everyone at Marvel thinks
he's the indian Doc Savage.
The aliens carving method: I've heard of advertising, but...
Gosh, what would comics and Sci-Fi do without Reed's world-famous,
patented Universal Translator? Say, John, where can I get one of these
handy-dandy gizmos?
So much for friendly aliens... guess we're heading back to the 50's.
CEREBUS #61:
Normal good issue, which says a lot for Sim. Particularly liked
"Boom" and "Mrs. Tynsdale-Clyde's Tea" (now THAT'S bawdy!).
But what I want to comment on is how much I loved Bill Burden's
FLAMING CARROT story (apparently they replaced his "Adventures in Limbo"
story with FC at the last minute). This is one of the few truly weird and
funny comics (for those of you with weird and funny senses of humor), and
one of the 3 best things I've seen to date this year. I suggest that those
of you who don't like this issue try out the first issue of A-V's FLAMING
CARROT, which (I believe) is a reprint of the only FC comic I've read, which
introduces you to the character and humor in a much better way... the story
in this issue is made to fit previous readers a bit more than the other. I
just love these stories' straight exclamation of obvious and time-worn
comics cliche's ("The Old Rubber Hand trick!"). Also the Carrot, who is
such a combination of the straight-ace hero and the deranged homicidal
maniac -- hell, I'm beginning to analyze him, and that ruins the whole
thing. I mean, what can you say about "Shoot Him! Shoot him in his shiny
bald head!" and "Inspector Keene! Your wrist-radio!" Hehehehehehehe....
Oh, the Marvel Lawyers: I understand this country has a surplus of doctors
and lawyers. Doctors are little problem, we can ship 'em to third-world
nations and let 'em do some good, but I believe controlled birth control
should be practiced on lawyers, especially those stupid enough to pull this
stunt, and perhaps that rodent Shooter (I fully apologize for that comment
if he was not involved in the letter. However, if he was, he's a big fat
stupid rodent with a putz as long as a yardstick (oh, dear, it appears I've
contracted Mudslinger's disease, too)).
TALES OF THE TT #45:
More random notes:
Nice to see Tula again.
It appears Changling can be effective, but only when he's
nuts.
As I have said before, the TT are great because of the attention to
detail in their characters and in their supporting characters (I mean art as
well as writing, and I am sure George is quite an influence on the plot...
he ranks up there with other great comics writers). Look what we've got
here: Vic's grandparents (I just know this is gonna get good), Terry's
bachelor party (nice to see how his friendship with Dick has grown),
Hipolyta's gift to Donna, Joseph & Raven and Raven's study of sign
language... not in one other comics (except The Teen Titans) do you see this
detail. It seems all I do for each issue is say how much I like it; it's
obvious most of you also like it a lot, but it is enjoyable to say it. PS
it's nice to see Kory making a good "First Officer" to Dick's "Captain" of
the TT.
Now, over the last few weeks, a few of you have told me how good several
comics were that I hadn't been reading. Thanks for the input, and here are
the reviews....
SOUTHERN KNIGHTS #3-5:
Yes, I'll probably keep getting this... It's a nice change from the
normal team format, although I think POWER PLAYS is much better in this
department, the writing is OK and the art has been deteriorating as one
artist leaves after another, but fun. I particularly like the dragon and
the super-female's parents ("Yes, supporting a super-hero team is
tax-deductible!"). Not for people if they are on a budget, though, as there
are other great things out there.
AMAZING HEROES #44,45:
While I found this interesting, it did not have the number of
reviews I was looking for, and much of it seemed too slick... I read
fanzines to read good letters, info on what's going on, and reviews of
comics by someone who isn't pretentious (like that weasel Groth... Rar!
Rar!) and reads a lot of comics. I found Amazing Heroes to be the other
side of TCJ, with the Comics Reader in between, at what would be my level.
The letters column in AH seemed rather uninvolved, not what you get in CR or
Journey's or Cerberus's lettercols. But I think that my objections are
strictly that my tastes in fanzines do not run towards AH (while I believe
that the CJ, mostly, is a tool of The Yellow Claw to make us kneel before
people with Human Resources Degrees who Can't Find A Job Anywhere Else...).
THE SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #20-25:
If I get nothing else out of this newsgroup (which is ludicrous, as
I have gotten hours of entertainment, interesting topics, and the chance to
correspond to lots of pleasant, intelligent, NICE people), I will have
gotten the recommendation to read the Swamp Thing again! This is the other
great thing to pop out of the comics world this year! The coordination
between artist and writer to tell a story, describe a character, set a mood,
is utterly amazing... I have never read any of Moore's stuff before, but
Bissette has never been better -- he makes me forget the messes he made in
EPIC and 1941, which take quite a bit of forgetting. Some highlights of the
series so far:
The incredibly original, beautiful use of the idea of the Swamp
Thing being a composite personality of Alec Holland (it doesn't even
interrupt continuity!!!!!), and his reaction to the knowledge.
Jason Woodrow's (i.e. the Fluronic Man's) plot to kill General
Sunderland with the Swamp Thing.
Woodrow's paranoid delusions (made into OUR paranoid delusions... we
(and the JLA) believe he is really talking for the plant world) that he is
the saviour for the world's plants.
Woodrow's destruction of the town on videotape, and the community's
reaction.
ST's rebirth as the true extension of the swamp ("NO MORE").
Abigail's platonic relationship with the Swamp Thing.
Jason Blood (aka THE DEMON) *as* a demon, and the thing he's after
(another old Kirby creation)... makes Spielberg's idea for Gremlins look
tame after this.
Lots of minor DC characters (Woodrow, Jason Blood) have their full
characterization potential realized. And the minor characters, period, are
so well done... the kid with the recorder, the kids in the car who are
Woodrow's first victims, especially the police officer who goes home and
begins destroying his yard and his trees -- you can feel the pain of his
cutting down something his father planted.
All I can say is, this book is superb... buy the back issues, right away!
It will become as much of a landmark as Wein & Wrightson's initial version.
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