Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Let us see what awesome magic awaits us in that strange and foreign land they call, "The Past."
The Celestial Madonna Saga rumbles on, as our heroes roam around Immortus' back corridors and battle his Legion of the Unliving.
It's strange but this saga never seemed this interminable when I was actually reading it.
"The Goblins strike at midnight!" Which is a convenient fact to know if you don't happen to have a clock handy.
Sadly, I can shed no light upon the contents of this one, beyond there being goblins that strike at midnight.
Nomad continues his fight with the Serpent Squad which only seems to consist of Viper and the Cobra. Maybe it's just me but I'd struggle to call two people a squad.
Nomad continues his fight with the Serpent Squad which only seems to consist of Viper and the Cobra. Maybe it's just me but I'd struggle to call two people a squad.
It would appear that, while Cap is now Nomad, someone called Roscoe is now Captain America.
It's all the fun of the fair when Daredevil tries to prevent the Circus of Crime from using a TV appearance at Shea Stadium to rob the good people of New York.
Though I'm not too sure how Blackwing fits into it all.
I don't have a clue what happens in this one but it does look like the Silver Surfer's causing trouble.
I don't have a clue what happens in this one but it does look like the Silver Surfer's causing trouble.
I'm going to suspect Dr Doom may be behind it all, as I know he shows up in the very next issue.
The Hulk may have defeated many a foe but how can he hope to clobber his own shadow?
You guessed it. This issue sees the return of Warlord Kaa, the shadow creature from outer space who was last seen in the glory days of Marvel's pre-FF monster comics. 1960's Strange Tales #79, to be precise.
Mysterio is back.
Or is he?
And is he going to succeed in sending Spider-Man mad?
I've a feeling this issue sees the death of the Spider-Mobile when our hero accidentally drives it off a pier, thanks to the bubble-bonced bewilderer of blackguardry, bedazzlement and banjaxicating bonkersness.
I know nothing of this story but, from that cover, I'm going to assume Loki's fooled the always reasonable Firelord into attacking the god of thunder.
I certainly know what happens in this one because it's a reprint of the very first X-Men comic I ever read
In fact, it's one of the very first American super-hero tales I ever encountered, and it sees the Angel escape Magneto's island and set off back to civilisation, looking for help in his quest to free the rest of the X-Men.
Sadly, on the way there, he makes the mistake of resting on a rock in the ocean.
And that leads to a confrontation with Golden Age hero Red Raven who's gone totally mad and is plotting to destroy all humanity.
That's Marvel's big hitters accounted for.
But what of that outfit's deadliest rival? What will we find in a random sample of DC comics that bear the same cover date?
To be honest, there's not too much that stands out for me but the company does, at least, give us the following books.
And, this time, the wrongdoer's a man who hypnotises innocent people into committing bank robberies on his behalf.
By becoming human bombs!
From what I can remember, this somehow leads to him being eaten by barracudas.
And I'm 100% certain this comic is where I first encountered the word, "barracuda." Proving that, while Michael Fleisher may have his faults, he does, at least, introduce the children of the world to big fish names.
But let's not close this issue prematurely, because Paul Levitz and Mike Grell give us yet another Aquaman tale. This time, involving the Black Manta. However, I'm not sure just what that villain's up to. Is this the story in which he gases the farmers of Atlantis, in order to steal their seaweed?
The only one of those I recall is the first, which, I think, involves a Japanese and American soldier having to join forces against an alien menace that appears on the island they're both fighting over.
And, from that cover, I'm going to assume that island is one of the Easter variety.
OMAC hits his third issue and does it in a tale I've never read but I do, at least, know its title, thanks to that being on the front cover.
I do note that cover proclaims this book to reveal the world that's coming. I do also note that world has not yet managed to come.
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20 comments:
The Spider-Mobile is driven off a pier (hurrah) but will be back (boo) under the control of the Tinkerer at some point before we reach ASM #200.
Charlie did his homework and read the Spectre last week. Still had it in the longbox.
Art: nice. Story: below standard.
When Spectre follows the hypnotist into his cave and hypno pushes a fake boulder aside to push a lever to open a trap door for the Spectre to fall into a pit populated with Barracudas… well it is a wee bit 1966 Batman TV show, you know?
But who does one build a plot around mortal vs. god anyhow?
That Avengers/Kang storyline was enjoyable, bringing in the 'dead' foes was fun (not so much for the Avengers, naturally). I must admit this stretch didn't impress me as much as the first arc from Avengers 129. And Steve, your comment about the Kang War"s extended length is quite jusified. The blue-faced baddie occupied the book for almost a year...
The Fantastic Four story is a sentimental favorite, as it was my first exposure to the Silver Surfer. That said, the story itself seems pretty derivative of that classic Lee/Kirby story when Doom stole the Surfer's power. Nice Buckler/Sinnott art (admittedly, again derivative from Kirby).
Now Spider-Man- I loved that book. Fantastic Romita cover, and it featured my favorite Spidey villain (sort of, it was a temporary replacement Mysterio). It was good to see the Spider-mobile get dunked; and there was an amusing scene with the webslinger at McDonald's. Aaaand, a very solid effort artwise by Ross Andru.
Finally, though I had none of those DC books, I'd have liked that Unexpected 100 pager. That's a pretty generous pile of creepy surprises...
Steve, you put it perfectly. I remember liking the entire Celestial Madonna Saga well enough back when I was a wee sprout, but as a cantankerous curmudgeon I feel that everything after The Swordsman snuffed it in GIANT SIZE AVENGERS 2 is pretty much anti-climactic.
I believe CONAN 47 is the issue where half of John Buscema’s pencilled pages went temporarily missing in the mail, necessitating a reprint — in this case, a sword and sorcery story from TOWER OF SHADOWS by Wally Wood.
CAPTAIN AMERICA 182 features the debut of the mighty Frank Robbins’ pulsatingly pretzel-postured pencils.
While I’m alliterating, I have to admit being somewhat betwixt befuddled and bludgeoned into bafflement by the word “banjaxicating”. By Balder’s beardless bollocks, be that a bona-fide word?
b.t.
Coincidentally STEVE, the first back issue comic I ever bought from a comic book store (indeed, the first every comic book store I'd ever been in) was that X-MEN also!
It was in Alexandria Virginia in March 1976 - Spring Break!
I was thrilled to get it, being in decent shape and only costing a couple bucks. And then upon opening it later (it was bagged) i found that various panels had been cut out.
One of life's lessons, eh?
Even more interesting was the dead body we later saw floating in the Potomac whilst strolling with the family and taking in the cherry blossoms. It was in an advanced stage of decomposition though the suit the gent was wearing still looked decent.
Another one of life's lessons, I suppose.
Btw, the AQUAMAN story is a simple, formulaic thing. AQUAMAN needs a rest so he goes for a swim (yuk, yuk)) but encounters 3 serious events (arbitrary attack on his life by Black Manta, attack by a sea monster, rescuing a walking (?) girl about to be run over by a harvest combine (all this is underwater)). After the rescue he collapses and wakes up in the hospital with the doctor saying "He must rest!" (yuk, yuk). Nice Mike Grell Art.
I really find the differences between Namor's and Aquaman's realms sort of surprising.
CH
Should we Brits boycott American goods to show solidarity with Canada and Mexico (and the EU when Trump puts tariffs on them too)? Our grovelling Prime-Minister wants more trade with the US but according to a recent poll only 21% of the British public agree. Time to boycott Coca-Cola and Pepsi?
That was a heck of a day, CH - like a Ray Bradbury story.
Colin - Neither Coke nor Pepsi have passed my lips for donkeys' years. In fact, it's hard to think of American products I do buy. The thing would be to stop using Google, etc. But I think Trump will just claim he's forced some concession, then his tariffs will be rescinded. It's like his ploy of threatening to sue.
A couple of nights back, Sky's paper claimed Starmer hired an acting coach, to train him to be more relatable to the public. He ought to ask for his money back.
Phillip
has passed...Sky paper review - damned typos!
Phillip
You're right about Google, Phil, which shows that boycotting US products is harder than we think (no offence to our American friends here on SDC obviously but Trump is an international menace).
For months loony Liz Truss, the 50-day PM, has been wetting her knickers with excitement at Trump's return because he'll "save the West" but I'm not sure how putting 25% tariffs on your closest trading partners is supposed to save the West.
MATTHEW- it was an unusual day for sure. I’ve see a few fresh dead ones from motorcycle accidents in Germany but none decomposing. The skin appeared slimy and scaly… kind of like a fish’s.
But we didn’t ogle long… i mean after a few minutes… i was 14 at the time. A good age for that experience.
Charlie- wow, that must have been quite an experience. At 14, no less! Maybe your comics reading helped lessen the blow...especially if you had been reading any horror comics...
Colin- no offence taken! indeed, I'd be tempted to boycott American products too and buy Canadian /Mexican in protest, but I probably couldn't afford them. Probably won't be able to afford anything soon over here, thanks to He Who Cannot Be Named...
Steve, thats a fair point about Captain America #182, that two members don't make for much of a squad. However, in fairness to Marvel there were actually four in that iteration of the Serpent Squad, but Princess Python and the Eel got nicked the previous issue.
Personally, I struggle with the idea of the Eel being in the squad. Eels are not snakes, Englehart!
That issue of Cap was a "new look for comics' greatest hero, courtesy of comics' most dynamic talents" according to the splash page, thanks to two newcomers at the House of Ideas that month - fan fave artist Frank Robbins, and colourist Bill Mantlo.
Presumably Mantlo was later assigned work as a writer by mistake. That would explain a lot.
Not sure what the editorial reasons for Robbins were.
That FF story with the Surfer is the one where the fragrant Shalla Bal turned up married to Dr Doom. The ladies all like a bad boy!
Say what you like about Latveria's finest, but at least he wasn't a whinger.
-sean
My fave bit of dialogue in the awesome OMAC #3 is the part where our hero - engaged in regime change against a dictator with weapons of mass destruction - encounters a drone strike, and informs us that "They're 'smart bombs'!...guided by television!"
So Steve, I am going to question your observation that the world that was coming in OMAC hasn't come...
-sean
I’m thinking Steve was being playful with his description of OMAC this month.
Are you new here, Anon? Steve is always serious. He's well known for it, as are the regulars btl in the comments.
Comics are not to be taken lightly!
-sean
I'll take the view that the world that's coming has come when someone gives me an armchair that flies around inside a big glass bubble.
Bt, the word "banjaxicating" certainly exists. I should know. I'm the one who made it up.
And my thanks to everyone who's commented on this post. :)
Steve, i bet President Musk has his R&D gremlins working on an armchair that flies around in a big glass bubble even as we speak.
b.t.
CH thinks Tripe, Musk, and co should be put inside a glass bubble so the rest of us can watch the freak show from a safe distance.
There are one or two things from the worldof OMAC still to come, Steve. But I'm sure they will. You have to admit that there is something of the Jack Kirby villain about Elon Musk.
-sean
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