Anyone currently reading comics?

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Silver Age

Why is that age controversial?

Some say it was a magical time and others dislike it.

I mean there's the same discourse with the Dark/Iron Age (with edgy stuff).

 

[Octopus]

Why is that age controversial?

Some say it was a magical time and others dislike it.

I mean there's the same discourse with the Dark/Iron Age (with edgy stuff).

I think just people finding it far too silly nowadays, and not being able to take any of it seriously. Something people seem to routinely forget looking back at the Silver age at that point, and for silly entertainment. Sometimes you get people who are used to the bronze age of pulp vigilantes also complaining about it, but again it's the same core issue of the silver age was meant for children.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

I think just people finding it far too silly nowadays, and not being able to take any of it seriously. Something people seem to routinely forget looking back at the Silver age at that point, and for silly entertainment. Sometimes you get people who are used to the bronze age of pulp vigilantes also complaining about it, but again it's the same core issue of the silver age was meant for children.

So in a way it's like how Showa era Tokusatsu are ridiculous but I actually enjoy watching them for the fun.

I have a different mindset for the Heisei ones.

I could try reading some stuff but I guess it's a mindset issue.

 

[ATenderLad]

And we had the also now infamous issue of Spider-Man where they body swapped, and MJ revealed at the end that Wolverine totally tried to take advantage.

View attachment 48243

Snikt.

Why was it always weird sex things with the Ultimate universe? Or cannibalism in Ultimatum.

Maybe Bendis has a pitch for a "Freaky Friday sex comedy" he's been shopping around, starring Ed Asner and Taylor Lautner?

I guess I kinda get it though, they wanted the Ultimate line to be what standard Marvel wasn't, right? Krakoan Age X-Men got folks excited for a lot of reasons, but at least some of them were hyped for mutants inventing "Eternal Woodstock, where the orgy clock don't stop!" (In retrospect, it's almost disappointing we didn't get anything *more* tawdry; like accidental parents, or someone being resurrected with an "old" backup of their personality and forgetting a one-night stand).

Why is that age controversial?

Some say it was a magical time and others dislike it.

I mean there's the same discourse with the Dark/Iron Age (with edgy stuff).

Yeah, I'm not sure people really find it controversial, for example all of the classic Marvel comics are part of that era. If someone is arguing, the topic is usually Silver Age Superman, and that's usually about how goofy it could be. Just wall to wall goofs; like we got a clearance sale on goofing and goof accessories.

I think it was all sort of lumped in with the 60's Batman show as "your dad's superheroes", and became the childish thing that later creators tried to distance themselves from. To be fair to them, most artists and writers that grew up with those books freely admit to loving those stories and drawing inspiration from them. It was more an audience expectation that publishers catered to, in my experience; folks wanted to feel like comics grew up with them, to put it gently.

 

[Mr. Daddy]

Ultimatum was...shit, I've got nothing nice to say about that book. A lot of people die but it feels empty and pointless, which is made worse by the big reveal at the end about mutants. "Meaningless" is kinda the theme of the book, which I guess it nails to it's...credit? (There's probably something to be said about writer Jeph Loeb and his personal life, having tragically lost his son Sam a couple years prior. He wrote some very touching stories dealing with that initially, and then went through a pretty dark period creatively....then again, maybe he thought this was good? I dunno, psycho-analysis is probably best left out of it).​

So, kinda like I alluded to earlier, I don't think everything is bad in Ultimatum. I generally agree that the things that you pretty much always hear people complain about like the unnecessary deaths, the cannibalism, the weird out-of-character moments, and all the other little oddities are genuinely pretty bad. But, then I think of other things, like pretty much everything Ultimate Spider-Man related. How his whole part in Ultimatum is just freaking out like a teenager, only for Professor X to try to encourage him to keep saving lives and he dedicates himself to it all in, despite some initial doubts because of how many must already be dead. Getting to really see J. Jonah Jameson witness firsthand Spidey putting everything on the line just to save average people and admitting he was wrong might be one of my if not my all time favorite moment from the character. Ultimate Thor's sub-plot of trying to save Cap and Valkyrie from Valhalla (and by extension, Hela), is pretty well done until it becomes another weird sex thing. Really though a lot of what I like boils down to more little or specific things, like the very concept of Magneto just deciding he's done and shifting the magnetic poles of the planet, a lot of the shots in the book (especially ones like this, or this. That's why I'm not completely comfortable calling it just outright bad as an overall event. It's certainly far from good. Any book that makes the active decision to kill off the most popular characters from several lines of the universe it's in fundamentally can't be a good book. I just think it hits more of this weird, mixed bag grey area like the rest of the Ultimate universe itself. It's like a weird little microcosm of everything right and wrong with the Ultimate universe as a whole.
​

Why is that age controversial?

Some say it was a magical time and others dislike it.

I mean there's the same discourse with the Dark/Iron Age (with edgy stuff).​

Yeah I'm also not quite sure I'd call it controversial, just maybe more of an acquired taste. A lot of modern comics readers who have only read comics from the bronze age onwards try to go back to them, to some mixed success for different reasons depending on the publisher. A lot of marvel readers can't really handle Stan Lee's "Have the characters and sometimes their thoughts and sometimes the narration bubble all say what is obviously happening on-panel, sometimes all at the same time" writing style. DC did this sometimes too, but Stan the man was a lot more infamous for it. Another thing is the goofiness though, because not only were these comics made for children, but the Silver Age is the age of comics most heavily affected by the Comics Code Authority, and I think a lot of people unfamiliar with the Silver Age don't understand just how strict and vague the rules actually were, and how much it really screwed over certain characters. Like yeah, Superman wasn't really hurt much by it, but there is a stark difference between pre-code Batman and post-code Batman. One hangs monsters from his bat-plane with a noose, the other looks at the reader and tells them that only bad guys use guns before putting on a zebra pattern batsuit. Even back then a lot of these changes hurt some characters. Batman's book itself almost got cancelled from poor sales. But when you combine goofiness that often doesn't make any sense, stories that are pretty simple, rules that include things like "Crimes shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal, to promote distrust of the forces of law and justice, or to inspire others with a desire to imitate criminals.", or "In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds." essentially preventing criminals and villains being presented as anything but evil and preventing the heroes from ever being allowed to lose ever, redundant writing, and just in general a lot of other rules that forced hard changes on writers for many types of comics (and nearly outright killing certain genres like horror), you definitely start to get something that's a bit more of an acquired taste. Go into it with the mindset of just having pure, creative fun though where you know realistically anything can happen for any reason, and you'll have a good time. I think people often try to take this era way, way too seriously, and it prevents any fun to be had.​

 

[ATenderLad]

*I'm so sorry, I love the Star Wars opening but you're about the only person I've had to ignore the style settings for!*

So, kinda like I alluded to earlier, I don't think everything is bad in Ultimatum. I generally agree that the things that you pretty much always hear people complain about like the unnecessary deaths, the cannibalism, the weird out-of-character moments, and all the other little oddities are genuinely pretty bad. But, then I think of other things, like pretty much everything Ultimate Spider-Man related. How his whole part in Ultimatum is just freaking out like a teenager, only for Professor X to try to encourage him to keep saving lives and he dedicates himself to it all in, despite some initial doubts because of how many must already be dead.​

The initial flood and everyone dealing with it is a strong start, it just becomes so nihilistic as it wears on. Death is a pretty powerful tool in a story, and I think it was used kinda thoughtlessly in Ultimatum. (Personally, I think the word had come down that editorial didn't really care about most of the Ultimate line anymore, and it was time to start "cleaning house").

Getting to really see J. Jonah Jameson witness firsthand Spidey putting everything on the line just to save average people and admitting he was wrong might be one of my if not my all time favorite moment from the character.​

The best thing to come out of the event was probably Peter being out of work because his job ran on Jonah demanding pictures to blast Spider-Man with! Just a great bit of Parker Luck, finally getting recognition and now he's out job hunting.

 

[Mr. Daddy]

*I'm so sorry, I love the Star Wars opening but you're about the only person I've had to ignore the style settings for!*


The initial flood and everyone dealing with it is a strong start, it just becomes so nihilistic as it wears on. Death is a pretty powerful tool in a story, and I think it was used kinda thoughtlessly in Ultimatum. (Personally, I think the word had come down that editorial didn't really care about most of the Ultimate line anymore, and it was time to start "cleaning house").

The best thing to come out of the event was probably Peter being out of work because his job ran on Jonah demanding pictures to blast Spider-Man with! Just a great bit of Parker Luck, finally getting recognition and now he's out job hunting.

Yeah I can understand ignoring the style setting, no worries.

But yeah, they really really went overboard on the death. I think it's really telling that they walked back so many of the deaths that happened in that event.​

 

[Cuestionador]

So, I was going to post about the last two weeks of new comics, but I read Squadron and lost my train of thought, and now it's late and I'm rambling. (I don't wanna sleep, there's work on the other side of that fuckin' thing!)

​

Sorry for my late answer! Bob Hall did a couple of better comics artistic-wise, like Emperor Doom and the elseworld I, Joker. His art is serviceable to the story and works better with a basic style, giving room to the story to shine. A more modernist and indiosincratic approach loses half of the appeal of the Squadron, but i think Paul Ryan in the graphic novel Death of a Universe did a good job (also John Buscema in his Captain America tie-in). If you're curious about the build-up of the classic Squadron, check the Defenders issues with Nighthawk written by J.M DeMatteis. The influence of the Squadron in things like Kingdom Come, Identity Crisis and Civil War is very clear, even Alan Moore was curious at the time about Gruenwald's work (this was mentioned in an old Amazing Heroes interview).
Regarding the pulp and golden-age characters, i have a pulp novel of The Shadow in my reading pile, but i read many of his comics. Here's are some of them:
The Shadow: Blood and Justice

An unforgettable tour-de-force relaunch of the classic character done in the eighties by Howard Chaykin, Ken Bruzenak and Alex Wald. My first contact with the character and the author: his narrative innovations in terms of design and composition (like the use of widescreen panels) and the plot revelation regarding the true identity of Lamont Cranston are forever carved in my mind. There's sex, vulgarity and violence, but with a sense of sophistication, design and class who many other relaunchs of the eighties lack. The sequel series of Andrew Helfer, Sienkiewicz and Baker are worth getting, too.
The Twelve

A murder mistery told in 12 chapters by J.M Straczynski, Chris Weston and Gary Erskine. Sort of a response to Watchmen done with many Golden-Age characters of Atlas/Timely, is more prescient and relevant every day. In the end, it's a story about social issues like aging and feeling alone in an uncertain world.
The Shadow: Hitler's Astrologer

it's the Shadow again! Written by the classic team of Dennis O'Neil and Mike Kaluta, but this time published by Marvel, an adventure against the nazis. An absolute classic, i know some people complain about don't like the inks of Russ Heath, but they work well. Originally, Wrightson was the first choice to ink the book, but he declined regarding the lack of promotion of the proyect by Marvel.
It's not much, i hope to re-read some classics of the caped crusader soon (the 30th of this month it's the Batman Anniversary).

 

[Octopus]

The Shadow

That whole post was perfectly timed; I'm listening to the radio plays again for like the 30th time right now while grinding away on Marvel Heroes. I fuckin' love the Shadow. Any other comic recommendations others than the ones you gave in there? I've read a good amount of the novels already, but have yet to try any of the comics.

 

[Mr. Daddy]

grinding away on Marvel Heroes​

I'm assuming you meant Marvel Rivals, but I just needed to say I miss Marvel Heroes Omega so, so much ​

 

[ATenderLad]

Sorry for my late answer! Bob Hall did a couple of better comics artistic-wise, like Emperor Doom and the elseworld I, Joker. His art is serviceable to the story and works better with a basic style, giving room to the story to shine.

It was worth the wait, this was a fantastic comment! A random tangent about Bob Hall, I was checking Marvel Unlimited to see what else I'd seen of his work, and this one stuck out to me.

My cousin gave me this issue decades ago, it was my first introduction to Moon Knight, actually. I dug it out of my closet and realized *this* is the source of that fucking "Where's my money, Dracula?" meme. I'd forgotten all about it! (It also made me a life-long fan of Batroc...somehow).

A more modernist and indiosincratic approach loses half of the appeal of the Squadron, but i think Paul Ryan in the graphic novel Death of a Universe did a good job (also John Buscema in his Captain America tie-in). If you're curious about the build-up of the classic Squadron, check the Defenders issues with Nighthawk written by J.M DeMatteis. The influence of the Squadron in things like Kingdom Come, Identity Crisis and Civil War is very clear, even Alan Moore was curious at the time about Gruenwald's work (this was mentioned in an old Amazing Heroes interview).

I haven't read Death of a Universe, I'll have to look that up. (I have read the early Squadron stuff).

Squadron is a really interesting...I'm gonna call it "evolutionary link" to telling those larger political stories in comics. It really expanded the kind of story you could tell in a comic book. It's overshadowed by Watchmen (what isn't, though), but you're dead right that it's a clear influence on what came later. Kingdom Come is practically a mash-up of Squadron and Moore's unused "Twilight of the Superheros", with some Book of Revelations sprinkled on top.

Regarding the pulp and golden-age characters, i have a pulp novel of The Shadow in my reading pile, but i read many of his comics. Here's are some of them:
The Shadow: Blood and Justice
View attachment 48498
An unforgettable tour-de-force relaunch of the classic character done in the eighties by Howard Chaykin, Ken Bruzenak and Alex Wald. My first contact with the character and the author: his narrative innovations in terms of design and composition (like the use of widescreen panels) and the plot revelation regarding the true identity of Lamont Cranston are forever carved in my mind. There's sex, vulgarity and violence, but with a sense of sophistication, design and class who many other relaunchs of the eighties lack. The sequel series of Andrew Helfer, Sienkiewicz and Baker are worth getting, too.
The Twelve
View attachment 48500
A murder mistery told in 12 chapters by J.M Straczynski, Chris Weston and Gary Erskine. Sort of a response to Watchmen done with many Golden-Age characters of Atlas/Timely, is more prescient and relevant every day. In the end, it's a story about social issues like aging and feeling alone in an uncertain world.
The Shadow: Hitler's Astrologer
View attachment 48504
it's the Shadow again! Written by the classic team of Dennis O'Neil and Mike Kaluta, but this time published by Marvel, an adventure against the nazis. An absolute classic, i know some people complain about don't like the inks of Russ Heath, but they work well. Originally, Wrightson was the first choice to ink the book, but he declined regarding the lack of promotion of the proyect by Marvel.
It's not much, i hope to re-read some classics of the caped crusader soon (the 30th of this month it's the Batman Anniversary).

Ooooh, I need to re-read The Twelve, I remember convincing some guys to buy it at my old comic shop.

I haven't heard of those two Shadow books, but Chaykin, Dennis O'Neil? I'm tracking 'em down *tonight*. Lovely recommendations, keep 'em coming!

 

[ATenderLad]

I'm assuming you meant Marvel Rivals, but I just needed to say I miss Marvel Heroes Omega so, so much ​

That tentacled sumbitch has got me playing it now, I never even heard of it before this week and now I'm blowing up Midtown with Silver Surfer.

 

[Octopus]

I'm assuming you meant Marvel Rivals, but I just needed to say I miss Marvel Heroes Omega so, so much ​

I'll just drop this here.

GitHub - Crypto137/MHServerEmu: Server emulator for Marvel Heroes

Server emulator for Marvel Heroes. Contribute to Crypto137/MHServerEmu development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

You just need to have the game files either through downloading the steam version or other methods, and you're good to go. The vast majority of content is completely playable with every hero, but I discovered there's no power talents yet; shouldn't be much longer for that according to the dev blog.

 

[Mr. Daddy]

I'll just drop this here.

GitHub - Crypto137/MHServerEmu: Server emulator for Marvel Heroes

Server emulator for Marvel Heroes. Contribute to Crypto137/MHServerEmu development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

You just need to have the game files either through downloading the steam version or other methods, and you're good to go. The vast majority of content is completely playable with every hero, but I discovered there's no power talents yet; shouldn't be much longer for that according to the dev blog.​

Well this is likely something I'll be messing with later tonight. This game was basically crack to me for about a couple years. I originally stopped playing because I didn't like a lot of the changes made to bring the game to consoles (I really particularly missed the omega system and did not like the infinity system replacement) but at this point I' just wanna play it however I can. Seriously like, thanks, I very much look forward to playing whoever I can in this again.​

 

[Octopus]

This game was basically crack to me for about a couple years.

You and me both man. I had been playing since it launched, continued almost all the way through its life (I stopped maybe a year before it went offline). I was there every Monday for Midtown Madness, clicking goons into oblivion. I had a fully specced War Machine I was running the raids with, shit was so fun.

I originally stopped playing because I didn't like a lot of the changes made to bring the game to consoles (I really particularly missed the omega system and did not like the infinity system replacement)

Yeah I missed the omega too. The whole console version release was the beginning of the end for the game behind the scenes too, it's really sad how it all went down. If someone were to make even just a re-release I think it would be even better recieved now considering the success of Rivals in the mainstream.

 

[ATenderLad]

For The Thread Is Hollow, And I Have Touched The Sky!

...nah, it's just another weekly-ish look at what's new and what I read.

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Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers continues to be fast and furious have a need for speed Pixar's Cars
banish all my doubts (in sixty seconds, natch) that a book like this could be good. Johnson's extremely expressive/"messy" artwork is a surprisingly good fit for these malleable characters, and makes them feel more like living things than machines. It's a war story that takes the subject matter pretty seriously, and treads a fine line between staying entertaining and becoming too bleak or nihilistic. It's also almost overwhelming how many new names and faces the book keeps bringing in, but it's never boring! On that note:

The best "Giant Combiner robot suplexing *another* Giant Combiner robot off a skyscraper" of the week!​

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Over at DC, the Absolute line is expanding beyond the "Trinity"; Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern next week. Let's start with....

Absolute Flash #1​

Absolute Flash - with Jeff Lemire writing and Nick Robles/Adriano Lucas on layouts/inks respectively - feels ready made for a television pilot. A pretty interesting one, to be fair, but it's hard not to recognize some of that structure. The first issue features multiple Flash-backs and forwards in time, with a teenage Wally West stuck in the middle of nowhere thanks to his distant fathers secret government job on a desert R&D base. A kindly Barry Allen - seemingly *not* his uncle in this version - tries to cheer the kid up, and shows him around the top-secret lab his old man works at. (The military kid in me is a little aghast at that, but maybe the MP's just didn't trust *me*, personally).

Weird shit ensues, as you might expect, and Wally seems to be slipping in time and on the run from a government hit squad version of his Rogue's Gallery. (Fuck, how can he be Captain *Cold* when he's *Hot* now?!) Also pictured are, I believe, Captain Boomerang, Golden Glider, and the Trickster. Something terrible happened in the lab, Barry Allen might have died, and Wally has superpowers now! All of this is wrapped up with a "One Year Later" final page that's ominous but light on any real details.

The art style is "clean", but the colors are really something. The yellow and red that personifies Wally's speed really pop, and there's a cinematic flair to the shadows and lights in the lab, or the way the sun leaves shadows in the scenes in the desert. That said, the fidelity to "realistic" lighting is another nod towards this being camera-ready, if that makes sense.

(Again, not a criticism, it just kept jumping out at me while reading).

All told, if I were ranking the debut issues of the Absolute line, this would be bottom of the list so far, but I am genuinely interested to keep reading it. The bar has just been really high so far, but I wouldn't bet against Jeff Lemire; his run on Animal Man was one of the best things to come out of the New 52, and I enjoyed his tenure on Justice League Dark too.

I expect a lot of fans to be happy that Wally West is in the spotlight for this one, and if you're a big fan of the character I'd recommend checking this one out. (Fingers crossed the next issue hits the ground running).

Next up, the latest Absolute offering!

Absolute Martian Manhunter #1​

From writer Deniz Camp and artist Javier Rodriguez, Absolute Martian Manhunter is a wild start to a book. This one's gonna be weird, and I'm so excited.

John Jones, an FBI agent with a wife and young son, blows up on the first page. A man in a harness (the Human Flame) detonates and puts John in the hospital. Despite his wife's urging, he insists on getting back on the job; anything to distract himself, and not think about the smoke he sees *everywhere*. It comes off of everyone around him, and he can almost "taste" the...damn, are those thoughts?

Seriously, this is the most fun depiction of mind-reading/telepathy I've seen in a comic; a smoker gagging on the inhaled consciousness of the people around him. Yes, John is probably a Martian, but he doesn't know that yet. His mounting paranoia - coupled with the shit he hears people thinking about him - and details like the colors, layouts, and even the smoking lend a psychedelic throwback vibe that this book is nailing. It's not standard super-hero fare, or the blockbuster movie that Absolute Batman is going for, and I love that variety.

(It also evokes a retro comics gag, with MARTIAN VISION to "reveal" John's identity at the end).

Basically one face super-imposed over the other, with the smoky form rising out of John like a tulpa.(Picture a Stand from JoJo's, if that helps).
​

We're only one issue in, but I'd eagerly recommend this one to anyone who wants a little more Twin Peaks in their capeshit comics!

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Just to do a quick wrap-up, here's some other tidbits from DC recently!

Justice League Unlimited isn't doing much with it's concept, I'm sad to say, but that's on writer Mark Waid. The artist though, Dan Mora? That sumbitch was born to draw comics, I'd say. The overall concept is just a nebulous threat to keep all the characters busy, and while there's a bit of drama with a planted snake in the grass on the team, I'm having a hard time being engaged. Nice looking book, at least!

Speaking of Justice Leaguers, the Black Canary has an ongoing titled Black Canary: Best of the Best, from Tom King and Ryan Sook. It's a bit more conventional than King's usual stories - the whole thing is a no-holds barred PPV match between Canary and Lady Shiva - but there's a solid story running alongside the fight, and the depiction of the fight itself is a blast. That said, big splash page action is a dime a dozen in comics, here's a great spread of the League watching the fight on TV.

I love all the characters having, well, *character* in their expressions and actions.
​

Finally, I probably have to mention that Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee are back on Batman as of this week, with the "official" sequel to Hush.

...I don't know how to feel about this one. Here's Batman surrounded by Joker-themed pirahnas.

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I'm a little antsy about where the character limit is right now, so I'll finish Marvel/older re-reads in a bit or after someone else comments.

 

[Mr. Daddy]

Bumping to add that I am very interested to see where Absolute Martian Manhunter goes. Absolutely loved that first issue.​

 

[Octopus]

Absolute Martian Manhunter

That looks really sick, love the art and the seeming reinvention of Manhunter. The art reminds me of Trad Moore's recent-ish art for Dr. Strange mixed with a bit of Mike Allred popart style. I may actually check this out, I both love Martian Manhunter and unique art.

Black Canary: Best of the Best

I also really like Black Canary, glad to see she's still popping up and getting her own series.

with the "official" sequel to Hush.

I'm also a little cautious, just because I don't really know how you make a sequel to Hush. Is it just another 'rogues gauntlet'? Is there a new Hush? No idea what Tommy Elliot is doing in main continuity anymore, but the name referred to him; it would be kinda weird if someone else just stole his name.

 

[ATenderLad]

That's a timely comics bump, my thanks!

And speaking of Timely Comics!

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Marvel's hip-deep in a Big Event:

One World Under Doom! ​

The second issue of the main event is out, but there's nothing quite as visually entertaining as "Doctor Doom the T-Rex" this time around. Instead, we're getting right into the meat of the matter, as Doom answers a point-blank question from his goddaughter Valeria: "Why are you doing this?" From there we get a polite debate on the political ethics of Doom's actions as they magic about the Earth for dramatic effect.

Tough question to throw at a ten-year old, man.​

Doom's reasoning can be summed up as "Benevolent Absolute Monarchy", as the monarch of Latveria expands his rule to the rest of the Earth. (Funny aside, Doctor Doom doesn't canonically refer to himself as a king; the only title he ever uses is "Doctor").

It's ironic that some of us have been talking about Squadron Supreme; the big argument presented in the finale of that book will probably apply here as well. To paraphrase, even if some truly altruistic super-powered beings *can* fix the world and abolish injustice, eventually they have to pass the reins, and there's no guarantee the next hands holding power will be quite so compassionate. Seems relevant here as well, unless Doom plans to magic up some immortality while he's at it.

(Another relevant reference for this story is the graphic novel Emperor Doom, *also* mentioned earlier in the thread by @Cuestionador!)

Anyhow, while he's chatting with Valeria, her parents and the rest of the Fantastic Four plan to beat Doom's ass and get him to blurt out all his dumb intentions the way he has for....shit, sixty years now? Since it's only issue 2 though, that won't work yet! Instead, Doom gloats and stunts on Richards, removing Ben Grimms "condition" as the Thing; a service Reed has never been able to provide to his best friend. (It does kinda beg the question, "Why hasn't Dr. Strange been able to do that?" Obviously, Stephen Strange isn't looking to subjugate populations and the other shit Doom's getting up to, buuuut he's known Grimm for years; he couldn't do the guy a solid?)

I'd still give the book a pretty light recommendation, but if you *do* look into it, you should follow the main Fantastic Four comic as well. It's the same writer - Ryan North - and the books go hand in hand. (This weeks entry was mostly Grimm dealing with the fallout of not having powers anymore....it's a decent bit of drama).

Elsewhere, the event continues in...

Thunderbolts - Doomstrike​

Bucky "Please don't call me the Winter Soldier anymore" Barnes relives his glory days and organizes the resistance to Doom's regime. For writers Lanzing and Kelly, this mostly means Bucky quoting Churchill to a bar full of yokels. It's fine though, last issue ended with Doom nuking Indiana; this book is about striking a tone. With artist Tommaso Bianchi, that's not a problem. Last week we got nuclear hellfire. This week, it's Hellfire Hellfire!

​

It's a crossover with another recent book on the shelves, Hellhunters! Barnes calls an old war buddy out of retirement - the G.I. Ghost Rider of WWII - to help hijack a magic supply train. (The train design is also *perfect*). Sure, I like the debate and theory happening in the main event, but this right here? This goes down just as smooth.

I will say, if you didn't read the previous Thunderbolts series, there's some characters and plot that aren't gonna make much sense here. *Technically* that series served as a lead-in to One World Under Doom, but it feels so tangential to the main event. It is damned fun in places though; it's another light recommendation to anyone who wants a bit more grit to their big comics crossover.

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There's a few other event spin-offs, and one interesting new addition this week was Doom's Division by writer Yoon Ha Lee and art by Minkyu Jung. It's primarily set in South Korea, but the premise of the book is a Pan-Asian Avengers, tasked to safeguard Doom's Pax Victoris. (Peace Under Doom). It's a little fun, and features that Luna Snow character that you hate to see on the enemy team in Marvel Rivals.

It is nice to see the rest of the world having super heroes, and other cities and cultures bringing a touch of variety to Marvel's ubiquitous "We live in New York, thanks".

That said, being a mini-series team book tied into an ongoing event puts a short clock on the lifespan of this thing. Some of the character writing is charming, but it's mostly a "getting to know you" setup for this debut issue. If it catches fire over the next few chapters, it would be nice to see these yahoos spun off into a mainstay book though; the closing pages show some new team members, including Karma from the New Mutants. Some of my earliest comics were the original Wolverine series by Claremont and Frank Miller, and Karma had a major role in one of the first arcs of that book. She's unironically one of the first X-Men I knew about, it's nice to see the character in more stories.

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Oh oh oh, this one's yet another Ryan North/Fantastic Four book, but I have to mention it!

Godzilla vs. The Fantastic Four​

They printed a ton of variant covers, but this ass-whuppin' number comes courtesy of Lelini Francis Yu (easy to recognize if you were reading Marvel circa 2005-2010), with colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr.

This one is fun because it's not *just* a Godzilla crossover, it's a pitch-perfect homage of Stan Lee's Fantastic Four. The dialogue is just right, and it's functionally a sequel to the original Galactus story! That's probably all that needs to be said, I think the rest of this can speak for itself.

Art by John Romita Jr., of course. (Plus another variant cover from Skottie Young).

---

There's also been a crossover happening in the X-Men books, X-Manhunt, but I'd be lying if I said it was worth following. It's mostly been an impediment to the books dragged into it, I feel.

I'll do another installment with some details soon, got sidetracked with some other things annoyingly.

 

[ATenderLad]

Sorry, I took so long writing I missed this!

That looks really sick, love the art and the seeming reinvention of Manhunter. The art reminds me of Trad Moore's recent-ish art for Dr. Strange mixed with a bit of Mike Allred popart style. I may actually check this out, I both love Martian Manhunter and unique art.

I hope you do, and let me know what you think!

I also really like Black Canary, glad to see she's still popping up and getting her own series.

Same here, she's one of my favorites! (This series is delving into the legacy hero part of it all, and her relationship with her mom. You know, alongside a knock-down, drag-out, slobber-knocker of a fight with Shiva).

I'm also a little cautious, just because I don't really know how you make a sequel to Hush. Is it just another 'rogues gauntlet'? Is there a new Hush? No idea what Tommy Elliot is doing in main continuity anymore, but the name referred to him; it would be kinda weird if someone else just stole his name.

It *seems* to be Tommy Elliot again? There was a point where he had been surgically altered to look just like Bruce Wayne, but I don't remember what happened to him after that. This new issue opens with him and some mysteriously allies kidnapping and torturing the Joker, of all people.

The Joker was doing a return to the old "poison the reservoir" gag, plus the Joker-ized pirahnas thing from the 80's. The torture then takes place at the old carnival from The Killing Joke; all the references to old classics seem like a sign we're doing another Greatest Hits Gauntlet, yeah.

 

[Octopus]

removing Ben Grimms "condition" as the Thing; a service Reed has never been able to provide to his best friend. (It does kinda beg the question, "Why hasn't Dr. Strange been able to do that?" Obviously, Stephen Strange isn't looking to subjugate populations and the other shit Doom's getting up to, buuuut he's known Grimm for years; he couldn't do the guy a solid?)

I've always thought of this too. Like, I can suspend disbelief enough for Reed to be able to do it since it makes it all melodramatic within the team and "the price of his hubris" trope and everything, but it's weird how in the Marvel universe not a single person can de-rock Ben for some reason. Mutants can be cured, other mutates are always being changed and reverted; but poor Ben just cannot get his rocks off, and yes this was just a set up to be able to say that sentence.

It's a little fun, and features that Luna Snow character that you hate to see on the enemy team in Marvel Rivals

"It's time to put on a show!" A voice line you can hear when you read it. There were so many annoying characters in that game to be honest, one of the reasons I stopped playing. I'm considering giving it another go now that the Thing and Human Torch are out though.

Godzilla vs. The Fantastic Four

Fuck. Yeah. I'm in.

all the references to old classics seem like a sign we're doing another Greatest Hits Gauntlet, yeah.

I'll hold judgement until it's done of course as there obviously has to be some big twists in it, but I'm not terrible interested if it's more of a retread.

According to the eldritch tomes of the DC Fandom wiki, there's been like 4 or 5 other arcs with Elliot after Hush? Jesus, I had no idea. They all seem to generally follow the same idea of "I'm going to become Bruce Wayne" only for him to of course inevitably get fooled.

I have a theory crafting/fan fiction exercise for you fine folks in this thread. Say that hypothetically you were given free reign on any comic character with absolutely no restrictions; what would your perfect run or one-off or whatever be? I'm just curious, it's something I do alot just for fun. I have a lot of ideas, but for the purpose of this thread I'd say that I'd love to do a Taskmaster run. He hasn't had too much solo focused work other than the fantastic UDON series, and I think he has the potential. I'm also biased since he's one of my favourite Marvel villains behind Doom and Green Goblin.

 

[ATenderLad]

I've always thought of this too. Like, I can suspend disbelief enough for Reed to be able to do it since it makes it all melodramatic within the team and "the price of his hubris" trope and everything, but it's weird how in the Marvel universe not a single person can de-rock Ben for some reason. Mutants can be cured, other mutates are always being changed and reverted; but poor Ben just cannot get his rocks off, and yes this was just a set up to be able to say that sentence.

10/10, well done.

Fuck. Yeah. I'm in.

I'll hold judgement until it's done of course as there obviously has to be some big twists in it, but I'm not terrible interested if it's more of a retread.

According to the eldritch tomes of the DC Fandom wiki, there's been like 4 or 5 other arcs with Elliot after Hush? Jesus, I had no idea. They all seem to generally follow the same idea of "I'm going to become Bruce Wayne" only for him to of course inevitably get fooled.

Hush is in a weird place of being extremely popular, but no one can think of a good reason for him to exist beyond the initial story. (New 52 brought in an in-universe Owlman/Thomas Wayne, and I think they overlap a bit. Bruce can only have so many villainous foils related to his childhood before you start to think the kid just had bad vibes).

I have a theory crafting/fan fiction exercise for you fine folks in this thread. Say that hypothetically you were given free reign on any comic character with absolutely no restrictions; what would your perfect run or one-off or whatever be? I'm just curious, it's something I do alot just for fun. I have a lot of ideas, but for the purpose of this thread I'd say that I'd love to do a Taskmaster run. He hasn't had too much solo focused work other than the fantastic UDON series, and I think he has the potential. I'm also biased since he's one of my favourite Marvel villains behind Doom and Green Goblin.

I'm gonna think on that and get back to you!

Okay, the last "shower thought" story I had in mind was something really silly for Superman. I figure, he's basically never been intoxicated, right? So imagine there's this engineer at Star Labs with a side project, "The Turnt Emitter"; it's just some doohickey that makes everyone in the vicinity (not wearing special earbuds) spectacularly sauced.

So naturally, they rob a bank! Superman shows up, but quickly finds out that being housed is fucking weird, and he can't actually touch these guys without turning them into paste, or stumbling through a wall at Mach 9. He flies off in a random direction for everyone's safety, and the goons get away with the money.

Then it happens again. And again. The Man of Steel needs help, he needs....a mentor.

Enter the most terrifying barfly you've ever seen, just a permanently shitfaced woman named Marge or something, with a beer-stained leather jacket and cirrhosis of the liver to match. Clark Kent watches this woman hop from bar to bar performing acts of dexterity left-and-right. Catching her keys when they fall out of her pocket, walking a straight line every time she gets pulled over; tipping her bar stool to damn near 45 degrees while she sleeps sitting up, but never falling over. The student is ready, and the teacher has appeared.

Cut to a training montage at The Fortress of Solitude, where Kal-El's little Kryptonian robots have ginned up a stellar brewery. The most potent hops from New Genesis, fermented in caskets with dwarf stars contained inside, compacting them into the most concentrated alcohol ever devised. Superman keeps downing pints of the stuff while Marge shows him the ropes; throwing darts, convincing the bartender "one more for the road" for the fifth time, and stumbling into the shower instead of the bed when you've pissed yourself. I'm picturing the Last Son of Krypton struggling to pick his change up off the counter, gouging deep marks into the material with his fingers while Marge shouts "AGAIN!"

There's a tip-off from an informant; another robbery is going down tomorrow! Clark looks to Marge, but she shakes her head; partly just to clear her vision, but also to imply "You're not ready".

Superman awakes in his tub the following morning, a grim line of determination on his face. He *has* to be ready. Alarm bells are ringing, and they're so fucking loud and if everyone could just shut up ohmygod

At the notorious Sloshed Bandits next bank job, Big Blue swoops into the joint and lands awkwardly on all fours. He's already drunk, he pre-gamed the robbery!

The head of the gang watches him stagger to his feet and says, "You look like *shit*". Superman replies, with an confident voice that's only a little slurred, "Drunk enough to kick your ass".

One of the other guys interjects "He didn't set you up for th-" but Superman is upon him already, tossing him through the banks skylight window, a small figure vanishing into a blue sky. The rest of the gang panics and tries to flee, but our hero intercepts each of them with super-speed and minimal vomiting. The leader nearly makes it out the door while Superman is distracted, holding a crook far too intimately and telling him how much he loves him; an outstretched boot trips him up at the door, and he tumbles ass over end down the steps of the bank. Before he loses conciousness, he looks up to see who ruined his escape.

It's Marge of course, and if you had X-Ray vision to see around the can she was draining, you'd notice an expression of pride on her too-red face. She looks to Superman, who drops the crook he's holding awkwardly on his head and calls out to her.

"You're here! You knew I could do it, you were just motivating me!"
"I told you what you needed to hear, son."
*To onlookers, this all just comes out like slurred babbling.*

They walk off to the nearest bar, arms on each others shoulders and laughing without a care in the world. Just as they exit frame, a screaming bank robber lands with a terrible thud on some guy's Mazda.

(I'm just fucking kidding, can you imagine? Superman goes "Oh shit" and catches him at the last second).

 

[Duke_11037]

Recently finished Eltingville, funny ass comic with decent critiques of comic book fan but made into humor. Wished that they'd rerelease a physical edition, the author said that he's trying to make it happen but that was a said a bit ago.

 

[marky]

Actually, it is a collection of stories from different years where their paths crossed and they either fought each other or had to work together. Quite a good read.

 

[AceOfAces]

Fake would love this. (Personally I've read like two issues recently and mostly felt confused, the cast is enormous and I don't know a one of 'em).

As is kind of traditional for IDW it's very serialized - probably not to the extent of e.g. 2005 Transformers (yet) but in addition to peppering in some original characters or semi-original characters (e.g. Whisper, who is essentially a stand-in for the custom character in Sonic Forces) it also has what is arguably a bad habit of assuming that you're only reading the comic if you're a Sonic fan, which is a fair assumption, but makes the comic prone to just plopping in Sonic characters with no real preamble because you're expected to know who they are.

Post automatically merged: Apr 4, 2025

Fake would love this. (Personally I've read like two issues recently and mostly felt confused, the cast is enormous and I don't know a one of 'em).

As is kind of traditional for IDW it's very serialized - probably not to the extent of e.g. 2005 Transformers (yet) but in addition to peppering in some original characters or semi-original characters (e.g. Whisper, who is essentially a stand-in for the custom character in Sonic Forces) it also has what is arguably a bad habit of assuming that you're only reading the comic if you're a Sonic fan, which is a fair assumption, but makes the comic prone to just plopping in Sonic characters with no real preamble because you're expected to know who they are.