Team 7/Team X, Think Tank, Tom Strong, Tomorrow Stories

Team X/Team 7 1

An extremely random crossover between Marvel and Image.  Larry Hama writes it like one of his classic GI Joe stories, complete with an overabundance of chatter between all the soldiers.  Team 7 and Team X (Wolverine, Sabretooth, and Maverick) are independently sent to attack the same facility, cross paths, team up, etc.  Nothing about their interactions or the plot scream out, “This was necessary in any way!” Entirely superfluous, easily cut.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine

Think Tank 1-8

I’m always impressed by authors who write characters with genius level intellects.  I don’t mean Reed Richards or Tony Stark, who just need to spout out technobabble and invent cool gadgets.  I’m talking about people who do things that make me wonder, “How in the world did he come up with that? That’s really next level thinking.”  Examples include Alan Moore with Tao in Wildcats and Matt Hawkins here with David Loren.  

Sure, David’s very purpose is to spout out technobabble and invent cool gadgets, but there’s a whole other tier of thinking that he brings to his planning.  It makes for a really fun read, and by the end of the eight issues, I was still eager for more. The rest of the trades are in the mail.

I like how Hawkins cites all of his research at the end of each issue.  His science is extrapolated from existing tech, and adds to the quality of the story.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Tom Strong 1-4

Tomorrow Stories 1-2

Meh.  Written around the same time as Supreme: The Return, Tom Strong continues Alan Moore’s predilection for Silver Age style stories.  But unlike his work on Supreme, these aren’t exaggerated enough to be entertaining.  (Comics from back then haven’t aged well for me, and I don’t find them nearly as interesting as Moore apparently does.)  The art by Chris Sprouse is great, but that’s not enough.

Tomorrow Stories is even blander.  Of the four stories that comprise this anthology series, three are outright duds.  Only Jack B Quick is humorous, but even his precocious gee-willikers narration rapidly wears thin.  Cut them all.

Regret buying: No (Yes for Tomorrow Stories)

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine (Boring for Tomorrow Stories)  Cutting all of them.