Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Look out, Past! Here we come!
And so is the Punisher who uses the Boomerang's talents to escape the prison he's been held in.
I have a strong suspicion that, with all these vigilantes on the roam, It can only be a matter of time before the four of them come to blows.
But is there any trace of her left to resurrect?
But, back on Earth, the Richardses only concern is finding a new house to live in.
And, also, Sue's just revealed she's once again pregnant.
I remember this tale containing a strange sequence in which Galactus has a conversation with Death who's portrayed as being his sister or somesuch. Is this an element that's new or have I just not been paying enough attention previously?
Meanwhile, the triumphant Stane sends Rhodey on a wild goose chase to liberate a woman called Indries Moomji from people who call themselves the Sisterhood of Ishtar. He succeeds in that but is everything as it seems to be?
And walks straight in on Peter canoodling with another man's woman.
Is MJ upset about this?
Of course she's not. She's MJ.
But just why is she back and how does it relate to the rest of this issue?
That, I can't answer because I don't recall anything of the rest of this issue. Clearly, whoever is its villain is seriously unmemorable.
And that's the least of his problems because world-class party pooper Viper shows up and poisons the whole lot of them!
There's only one thing for it. Wolvie will have to go after her lackey the Silver Samurai - with Rogue in tow.
I have to say that cover wouldn't exactly get me desperate to buy this comic.
But, hold on. The X-Men are in Japan? Daredevil's in Japan? There's a bid to turn Bullseye into Wolverine Mark II? Do I detect an impending crossover?
Can the emerald scientist bring an end to the nightmare?
And can Marvel avoid being sued by Harlan Ellison over the yarn's resemblance to his tale Soldier?
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29 comments:
I suddenly have a bad taste in my mouth, and that is no fun since I have just eaten lunch. Reading about galactus eating the world of the skrulls, reminds me of marvel, zombie wars, and watching all the zombies eat galactus!. Of course, the zombies were various marvel, heroes, and villains, so in a sense there was some joy at watching galactus Finally get his due, lol…
Charles
Wow! Reading Steve does comics over the last five or six years did give me pause to wonder what happened to Thors alter identity and what happened to Jane Foster. Now, I am more curious than ever since I have to assume she was blowing up in a little bits and pieces? Charlie.
Glad to read the Cliff Notes version of “Hi! Im Mary Jane - aka Puff Pastry.”
Thor...the Runestaff. Which writer inspired that, I wonder?
Phillip
Just looked through ASM #243. Only villains there are a bunch of terrorists with hostages in a church and Spider-Man sorts that all out quickly.
Most of it's soap opera stuff this month and the story name, Options, is a good one. Mary Jane and and Lance from the Bugle disturb Peter and Lance's girlfriend Amy while she's trying to get into his pants. Lance and Amy make up. Peter seems to have the hots for MJ and wants to meet up. She's playing it cool. Peter visits Black Cat in hospital. Sounds like he might be going off her now MJ is back. Tells Black Cat not to call him Tiger. Peter finds out he's passed some exam he was worried about (I'm not sure why he's doing an exam in the middle of his PhD studies - some Stan-like writing going on there). But after a long think about Black Cat hospital bills, needing money, not having enough time to take photos and spin webs and a PhD not guaranteeing a decent job, he decides to quit studying.
Pendants corner:
Galactus ate the Skrull Throneworld in FF #257, Steve - ie the centre of the empire, Tarnax IV - not the 'Homeworld' (which would be where they're actually from, the planet Skrullos).
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Tarnax_IV
Glad we've got that sorted out.
Death does call Galactus her brother though... and also her husband! Fortunately I think that isn't intended literally, as the terms father and son are used too. Basically it's just a way of getting across their intrinsic connection as "two corners of the great triangle that is the universe".
We also find out that Nova - the (then) new herald, Frankie Raye - fancies Galactus. "She has witnessed the annihilation of a planetary civilisation older than human history, yet feels nothing but her growing love..." Hey, how often does a girl get to meet an eligible elemental force of the universe? He's at least got to be a step up from Johnny Storm, right?
Hard to see it working out though. For starters, iirc Galactus has the hots for Dazzler. And Nova doesn't even have nipples...
-sean
*Pedants Corner
Bloody auto correct!
Btw, besides Hulk #286, Harlan Ellison's 'Soldier' was also plagiarised by James Cameron for Terminator.
-sean
Cover of the month for me is Daredevil which, coming soon after Frank Miller's Japan-based Wolverine mini series, promised more of the same. Unfortunately only 6 pages were Klaus Janson and the replacement team were bland. Likewise The X-men promised more of the same and Paul Smith did bring some manga swagger to this issue.
My main memory of this era remains, however, the lessening attraction of Marvel titles. August 1983 also saw Cerebus #53 (first Wolveroach), The Comics Journal featuring an interview with Dave Sim, Grendel (the original pre-Mage run) #2, and Warrior #12.
DW
I've just watched 'Nosferatu' on YouTube which means I've now joined a tiny group who can say they've watched a film that's more than 100 years old!
I found Count Orlock more comical than scary but no doubt 'Nosferatu' was terrifying in 1922.
On the subject of Harlan Ellison - last weekend BBC Radio 4-Extra broadcast 'I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream' starring David Soul and Harlan Ellison himself as the evil computer AM.
DW, I too was losing interest in Marvel at this time. I stopped buying comics altogether by late '83 and didn't buy a Marvel comic again until 2008.
The fate of Donald Blake will be covered in about 6 months time, IIRC. Stay tuned!
I’m sure those six pages of Janson seemed like a good idea at the time (you know, to emphasise the change in tone once DD gets to Japan). But my God it’s jarring, and the new art team is terrible.
I’d either forgotten or never noticed that the cover is by Sienkiewicz, but it’s not a particularly good one. DD’s female companion’s stance is a bit theatrical.
I like the Thor cover best because the artist has clearly put a lot of work into the lighting effects.
MM
I assumed (even earlier today) it was Klaus Janson, but once you'd mentioned it, obviously Billy the Sink. I've mentioned many time that it was a shame he ended up on New Mutants rather than Daredevil. But then we may not have gotten Born Again.
Colin
I also stopped buying Marvel comics around the end of the year (for a few years, at least) but my comics purchasing actually increased as I kept adding new independent titles. I actually think the forthcoming decade will be comics best era. A big call I know...
DW
Charlie, I'm struggling to recall what happened to Jane Foster. All I do remember is that Sif ended up in her body and then, later, regained her original body with no sign of Jane remaining.
Phillip, it is indeed a total mystery.
Dangermash, thanks for the Spidey info.
Sean, thanks for enlightenment on Skrull planetary politics.
DW and Matthew, DD has the cover of the month for me, as well. I must confess I'd initially assumed it to be by Walt Simonson. It was just something about the way Bullseye's face is done.
Colin, congratulations on watching Nosferatu.
I must say that David Soul is an imaginative piece of casting for that Harlan Ellison broadcast.
But, hold on. David Soul was in Salem's Lot whose vampire was clearly inspired by Count Orlok from Nosferatu. Could this be more than just coincidence or is it Fate weaving its magical strands?
Matthew, I can't wait to find out just what happens to Don.
Steve - That Runestaff probably had some History to it...
I once watched David Soul performing in 'The Aspern Papers', at the Grand Theatre in Leeds (Soul's co-star was Hannah Gordon, I seem to remember.) The Grand was hardly packed, with only about 9 old ladies in the audience. At the time I felt sorry for David Soul. After all, for a (formerly) big Hollywood star, playing an almost empty theatre must be humiliating! Unless it shows Soul suffering for his "craft".
Then again, Kevin Spacey joined the UK theatre, and look what happened to him!
Is Bullseye sporting a moustache on that DD cover?
On Conan's cover, the water prevents Conan's damsel in distress being supine, as is customary.
Phillip
Steve, that David Soul connection hadn't occurred to me even though, as you said, Count Orlok was clearly the inspiration for the vampire Mr. Barlow in 'Salem's Lot' but Mr. Barlow was truly terrifying (well, he scared the bejesus out of me anyway).
Phil, perhaps David Soul should have carried on singing as another string to his bow! Coming up on Radio 4 is a new series of 'The Reunion' and one of the...er, reunions will be the team behind the controversial 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' which starred David Soul but I don't know if he'll be on the programme.
Good to see Kevin Spacey is now officially not guilty of anything, Phillip. I couldn't understand how someone in this day and age could have their career destroyed because a few men said he made passes at them. Like, so what?
Matthew, yeah, Daredevil's lady companion does seem a bit inappropriately dramatic. I thought she was dancing? Like maybe Sienkiewicz was in a rush and used some photo reference he was keeping handy for one of his Dazzler covers, even if it didn't really fit.
It does look like he spent five minutes on the DD cover. Even so, its still the best one here.
Also, it was much more interesting to see the Sink on New Mutants than Daredevil imo.
-sean
Just to clear up one of my earlier comments in which I said "I've now joined a tiny group who can say they've watched a film that's more than 100 years old" - I didn't mean that only a tiny group had watched 'Nosferatu' rather that only a tiny group have ever watched a film...ANY film...that's more than 100 years old. Obviously as the 21st Century progresses the number of people who've watched a 100 year-old film (or even older) will increase hugely but at the moment that number is minuscule and I'm now one of them!
I agree with you about Kevin Spacey, Sean.
Colin - To me, David Soul's image, as a singer, later became sillier, on adopting his 'tash! Was David Soul's version of Springer, entitled "Ringmaster" ? That name rings a bell with me, somehow. Jerry Springer was repeated on 'That's TV', a few weeks ago, just before the 80s music videos. What's notable is before 2 women fight, they were both barefoot, even before coming on stage (rather than wearing heels, which could result in twisted ankles, etc). It's all choreographed. I never noticed such small details, when I was younger. The anti-Spacey evidence clearly wasn't credible. Culturally, 1922 was a big year - Nosferatu, King Tut's tomb, the BBC, Ulysses, the Wasteland, etc.
Phillip
Can I just say, I despise that powder blue Muscle T was wearing around this time.
b.t.
‘I despise that powder blue Muscle T Conan was wearing around this time.’
Was what I meant to say.
b.t.
I've just been looking at the Billboard Hot 100 as I do once in a blue moon and I can report that Jason Aldean's 'Try That In A Small Town' is at #21 after being at #1 last week so obviously all the Republicans are getting bored of it already!
It is rather weird, not being able to see Conan’s nipples on the cover of his own comic book. Anyone recall which artist went out of his way to draw his nipples? Was it BWS?
In Robert E Howard's original stories Conan is described as wearing various kinds of clothing and not just the "naked except for a furry loincloth" look favoured by Marvel.
As a practical matter, wouldn’t one who wears a furry loin cloth prefer that the fur is facing inward and not the skin, which, presumably has animal guts still on it, and blood?
My issue with Conan’s baby blue muscle T is that it’s drab and uninteresting. For better or worse, Conan’s bare chest and loincloth with boots or sandals outfit is iconic, going back at least to the Frazetta covers. I can’t imagine why anyone at Marvel would think adding a bland sleeveless skintight shirt would be an improvement.
b.t.
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