Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Numerous were the movies released in September 1980 but the only one that matters to the true connoisseur of cinema is Battle Beyond the Stars, the film which transposed The Magnificent Seven into the outer cosmos and taught Star Wars a thing or two about space opera.
Admittedly, it was probably more a case of teaching Starcrash a thing or two about space opera but never mind.
I also know it's drawn by Steve Ditko and Al Milgrom with a limited contribution from Walt Simonson.
However, I'd venture a guess, from the cover, that Hulkie's up against a bunch of robotic chessmen, which doesn't seem like much of a challenge to him. Can he possibly avoid being zugzwanged?
And what's this? This comic could be worth $2500 to me? How exciting! I must buy 25 copies of it!
It's the penultimate Marvel Treasury Edition and we get a bunch of tales reprinted from Marvel Team-Up.
It's great news for all fans of Richard Rory, as the She-Hulk finds herself in the Florida Everglades and having to tangle with the menace of the Man-Thing.
I really don't know anything at all about this one but it's clearly a case of the good, the bad and the ugly, as the Thing and Hulk get involved in whatever machinations the Stranger's cooked up this time.
In the first, the Chameleon tricks the Hulk into breaking his friend out of jail. Clearly, it can only be a matter of time before your friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler's on the case.
In the second, Zarrko the Tomorrow Man recruits Spidey and Iron Man to help him dispose of Kang the Conqueror. Somehow, the Inhumans and Avengers end up being dragged into it all.
And we finish off with what appears to be a brand new 5-page story starring the Angel, which seems an odd thing to feature in a Spider-Man Treasury Edition.
First, however, she must liberate herself from the denizens of La Hacienda, which I remember being some kind of conquistador fort hidden deep within the swamps.
Pluto and Hades are also involved, though I don't have a clue how.
But it's yet another comic that could be worth $2500 to me. I shall, therefore, buy 25 copies of it, as well.
I admit it, the only reason I've included this is because that's a surprisingly striking cover for a Battlestar Galactica comic, thanks to Walt Simonson.
And it's another book that could be worth $2500 to me!
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15 comments:
Whats this about the Florida Everglades, Steve? I thought the Hacienda used to be in Manchester.
Anyway, thats a nice (if somewhat formulaic) She-Hulk cover by... Mike Golden, surely?
Zugzwang?!? I'd be impressed by your erudite use of the language if I didn't also know the term. Did you also become familiar with it from that issue of the FF where Roy Thomas used it as a story title?
-sean
Sean - the Hacienda has 'sacred laws' you mustn't break - Jennifer Walters gets in trouble for bossily making the natives build a defence against alligators. As the leader of the immortals says:
"She (Jen Walters) made you work--forced you into a stress situation! She said it was for your own good" Hee hee!
The Manchester Hacienda's sacred laws - well...we can only speculate. References to the Happy Mondays - "Mad for it" - other such things, perhaps? The Charlatans? The Mock Turtles?
Richard Rory's trying to spend that money/winnings the casino showgirl tried to con him out of, by buying some swamp real estate - unsuccessfully.
Rory's jacket only has 2 pockets - no pouches whatsoever. Not the usual sort.
Here's a couple of recaps from SSM&H # 407/408:
"Four hundred years ago, Spanish conquistadores found a fountain of youth and have lived at 'La Hacienda' ever since. The fountain's waters have a calming effect on the She-Hulk, and she becomes normal before the astonished gaze of the immortals present!--She is happy and organizes a defence against alligators." As you do.
"Richard and Jen are in Citrusville to sort out his affairs... (you were thinking the showgirl, weren't you? No - it's the real estate deal!) Jen is taken prisoner by the natives of the swamp...sees the dreadful lethargy created by the fountain of youth and helps destroy it. On her return through the swamp she is attacked by the hideous..."
Phillip
Sean, I'm proud to boast that I know it from having read a book on how to play chess.
Phillip, thanks for that La Hacienda recap. I wonder if Tyrannus ever took an interest in its fountain of youth?
I can tell you what zugzwang is, Sean. It's when you put an opponent in the position where it's his move but he doesn't want to move because whatever he does hands you the win. Can I go left, no that loses. Can I go right, no that loses. Can I do nothing? No because it's my move and I'm not allowed to pass - that's the beauty of a zugzwang.
While it's a chess term, it's probably more important in draughts (checkers to you Charlie) and connect 4 where it underlies most winning strategies.
Well, I knew you'd know dangermash, from your chess mags, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more (there, that should confuse Charlie).
Seems like maybe I'm the only one to have got zugzwang from Roy Thomas.
Phillip, is that where Richard Rory gets Rick Jones-level annoying then?
-sean
Sean - more annoying. He's always complaining about "the old Rory rotten luck", and his only function in She-Hulk stories is to be well meaning, but clueless - always 2 steps behind Jennifer Walters, to show how much more knowing she is than him! You can understand how girls reading Marvel must have thought Betty Brant, for example, should have been a more fully realized character, when you see Richard Rory's function in She-Hulk. Of course, Reed Richard's treatment of Sue Storm, as the little wifey, is even worse.
At least Rick Jones - even if not much of a character himself - was located within some fantastic Captain Marvel stories.
If Richard Rory is supposed to be Steve Gerber, was David Kraft poking fun at Gerber, by using Rory in this way? In the Foolkiller stories, Rory wasn't such a dope.
As regards Monty Python, chess, etc - it's too late in the day!
Phillip
Steve - as regards Tyrannus, it's strange David Kraft is re-using the Fountain of Youth motif, but to no real purpose. There's no villain - when, as you imply, Tyrannus would be an easy tie-in; nor does the hero/heroine age prematurely and have to find a way to reverse this process - like in FF# 212 (?). As a story, it all seems a wasted opportunity!
Phillip
Geeze - you UK chaps have my head spinning, LOL.
All I was gonna say is those $2500 banners always confused the heck out of me and me buddies b/c there was no comma after the 2. I think, technically, a comma is optional in this scenario, until you get to 10 thousands?
Call Charlie crazy but She Hulk's white loin cloth just looks "off" almost suggesting she is hiding a cod piece?
Charlie:
I adore Mike Golden’s artwork, have since I first laid eyes on it (which was 4 or 5 pages in an issue of DEFENDERS, I believe) , but I’d have to say his ladies never had much sex appeal to me. I never paid much attention to She-Hulk’s “nether regions” on this one, but now that you mention it....
Hmm. I don’t really see a “cod piece” down there. Kinda reminds me of Zemnu The Titan for some reason.
- b.t.
Phillip, Rick Jones was in some terrible Captain Marvel stories too!
And the better ones were in spite of Rick, not because of him.
No idea if David Kraft was making fun of Gerber, but fwiw I do know that the Turnip Man in Howard the Duck #2 was Steve Gerber taking the piss out of Don McGregor.
Er... not that thats particularly helpful here.
Thats quite cool if Richard Rory was intended as role reversal in She-Hulk.
-sean
"Seems like maybe I'm the only one to have got zugzwang from Roy Thomas."
*raises hand*
FF #157, IIRC.
Sean - Terrible Captain Marvel story? Sacrilege!
Phillip
Phillip - Dr Mynde, Megaton the Nuclear Man.
I rest my case.
Admittedly the worst Captain Marvel stories were in the green costume era, pre Rick.
(Great, now I'll have Charlie on my back)
-sean
Sean - I've read all the non-green Captain Marvel comics, except for about 4. You've cunningly named 2 of those 4. Your "Sean sense" must have targeted 2 Captain Marvel stories I haven't read, & thus, can't defend.
Tag in Charlie...
Phillip
Charlie won't argue with folks if they don't like the stories of the green CM. He does think the art and costume as done by Gene the Dean were far superior to anything done for the Pepsi-can-color CM!
But it was short-lived... just the first 4 issues?
Now back to Sean... (LOL)
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