DCeased, Stardust

DCeased: Dead Planet 1-7

None of the main plots (Constantine figuring out how to take on Trigon, a demon set on killing everyone on Earth; All the other heroes figuring out how to take on an army of Amazos, minions of Penguin set on killing everyone on Earth; Cyborg figuring out to unlock the Life equation inside of him to develop a cure for everyone on Earth) click for me, for various reasons.  Constantine’s cold and clinical approach lacks the humanity that defined the previous series.  The Amazo conflict is just a big fight.  And after spending all this time in a post-apocalyptic world, I don’t buy that there’s a magic cure that saves all of humanity.  

Still, the Plastic Man moment is awesome.

An amAzing reveal.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Stardust 1-4

I was surprised by how much I’d forgotten, particularly in the middle two issues.  It’s all still wonderful, the final issue especially.  All of the setups pay off so beautifully, every Chekov’s Gun hits its mark with a perfect bullseye.  The romance between Tristran and the star builds up so slowly, their eventual first kiss feels earned and unexpected at the same time.  Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess created a masterpiece here, and it’s a joy to read it again.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good (Pure joy for 4)

Amazing X-Men, New Comics

More new comics!

DCeased: Dead Planet 7

Have I reached the point of diminishing returns for this franchise?  Epic things happen, but they lacked any of the emotional intensity that previous Tom Taylor installments of this series have provided.  Ah well.  

Batman/Catwoman 2

How many times can I say the same thing about the early issues of a Tom King series?  Lots of seemingly disparate things happen, which will no doubt be tied together by the end of it all.

That's a nice Phantasm by Clay Mann.

Future State: Catwoman 1

Purchased entirely for the Otto Schmidt art, totally worth it.

Rorschach 4

Faux-Rorschach’s story isn’t nearly as interesting as The Kid’s Origin from last issue.  Maybe I’m just sick of all the crazy stupid conspiracy theorists IRL to put up with one in my escapist hobby.

Amazing X-Men 1-4

So I picked up the Age of Apocalypse issues I was missing for 7 bucks.  I don’t regret it for completionist sake, but these issues aren’t all that interesting, and it’s not Andy Kubert at his best, either.

What is up with that pose?

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, New Comics

New comics!

Fire Power 6

Another long action scene.  I’ve completely lost interest in this, and I’ve cancelled my sub.  Sadness, it started out with such promise.

Strange Adventures 7

Adam Strange goes through some sort of mindfuck acid trip.  Makes little sense, but it’s still fascinating.

Batman/Catwoman 1

Same with the second Tom King title this week.  He jumps around chronologically, and I’m going to say what I do for every single King first issue: I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m along for the ride.

DCeased: Dead Planet 6

More of the high quality same.  Not much more to say.

Blood Stain Vol 1-3

I’m slowly catching up on everything in the Sejic-verse, and got the chance to buy the first three volumes of this used for the price of one.  Excellent deal.  This story is enjoyable enough, but Linda has major pacing issues - One volume for Elliot to make it to the house, another to get through her first day...this is going to take forever to get anywhere.  Still, her work deserves supporting, and I’ll probably end up buying her work as it comes out in trade.  (They first show up in webcomic form.)

Okay, now I’m caught up to where I first started collecting X-Men, and therefore comics.  Exciting stuff.  I’ll be reading Uncanny and X-Men in parallel, so that the crossovers make more sense.  It’s also how I read them the first time around.

Uncanny X-Men 281-283

The first appearance of Bishop.  It can’t be overstated just how much 282 (my first comic, not counting my elementary school Transformers collection) completely captured my middle school imagination.  There was so much backstory I wanted to learn about, so much mystery with Bishop and the Upstarts.  I was obsessed with finding out everything I could about this universe.  That nostalgia completely carries over now, paired with the wonderful Whilce Portacio art.  

The issue that started it all for me.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Uncanny X-Men 284-286

This is where things start falling apart on the re-read - The writing by John Byrne is really sloppy.  So many things don’t make sense, like how switching minds somehow switching powers as well.  There’s a dissociation between the images and the words on the page that speaks to poor collaboration between the creative team.  And the story returning Colossus’ brother to the land of the living is uninspired.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

 

Uncanny X-Men 287-290

Things get a little bit better when Bishop becomes the focus of the story.  And then there’s Forge’s proposal to Ororo.  I’m really conflicted about how this is executed.  Forge proposes more as a solution for not spending enough time w/ Ororo than out of true love.  Storm seems ready to sublimate everything she is - a leader, warrior, strong woman - to be a wife devoted to her husband.  Then Jean suggests that Storm isn’t truly in love with Forge (who’s already expressing major proposal remorse).  So Forge preemptively dumps Storm and runs off with Mystique (?), who’s only now undergoing an identity crisis despite having spent decades as a shapeshifter (??).  Finally Storm reveals she was going to say yes; Was Jean wrong?  Was Storm deluding herself?  Was Forge an idiot?  It makes for good soap opera drama, but it feels very clunky and in service of plot more than any characterization I’m familiar with.  (Also what’s with the heavy undertones of pairing Bishop w/ Storm?  Gotta hook up the two black people on the team?  It’s like Rise of Skywalker.)

Great colors by Joe Rosas.

Love the lighting on Malcolm.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

 

Uncanny X-Men 291-293

My first exposure to Tom Raney’s art.  It’s unnecessarily posey, and I was pleasantly surprised when his Stormwatch run four years later turned out to be quite good.  A vast improvement.  Regarding the story, Mikhail Rasputin’s sudden turn to madness makes little sense, as does writer Scott Lobdell’s decision to write him out only ten months after his introduction.  (Though it’s not like he was the one who reintroduced him, so this may have been quickest way he could get rid of him.)

The situation doesn't merit this level of posing.

This one especially doesn't.

Raney really sells Peter's grief here.

What's with all the crying?  Seems out of character.  Also, her plants should already have been destroyed along w/ the mansion.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

X-Men 1-11

Jim Lee on the title that made him famous.  It’s just as fun to look at now as it was almost 30 years ago.  The writing was better on Uncanny (Chris Claremont leaves after issue 3, ending a legendary 15 year run), but middle school me hardly cared.  Present day me does, though, so this doesn’t rate as highly as one might expect.  (Doesn’t mean I’m not going to show a ton of pics here)

CLASSIC.

Never understood how Magneto could bend paper cards.

Psychic knife #7.  Surprisingly, the last one I could find.  Thought there would be more.

Bye, Chris.  Thanks for one of the best runs ever.

Their first flirt.

I love it when the X-Men play sports.

Beautiful coloring on Dazzler.

Heh, "Jubilation."

Love the smile on Rogue's face.  She looks so happy.

Cute polka dot bikini.

This was a Bo Derek "10" moment for middle school me.

I like seeing them all gathered like this.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good, Nice for 10 and 11.

Ghost Rider 26-27

Part of the Brood crossover w/ X-Men.  Perfectly serviceable, but comes across as worse when Ron Wagner’s art has to stand next to Lee’s.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

X-Men 12-13

Art Thibert, known for inking, comes in as penciller.  He’s basically a Jim Lee clone, with much stiffer posing.  It’s sad to look at.  The story isn’t much better.

Poor Thibert.  He's trying so hard, but just can't get there.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Boring

New Comics, Uncanny X-Men

New comics!

Captain Marvel 23

Lee Garbett’s art still rules, and the alternate future story is still fun enough.

Fire Power 5

I’m continuing to enjoy this, but I’m starting to wonder if it’s actually good enough to merit a re-read.  In the Robert Kirkman library, it’s better than Walking Dead, not as good as Invincible.  Where does that put it on whether I should keep getting it?  Not sure.

DCeased: Dead Planet 5

Jason Todd dies, Cassandra Cain gets the power of Shazam, and yet this really feels like a filler episode.  Am I starting to take Tom Taylor for granted?  This will probably get better on the re-read.

Uncanny X-Men 192-204, 206

X-Men/Alpha Flight 1-2

Continuing the run of X-Men I grew up with.  Even though these were published years before I started collecting, they’re the ones I read over and over along with the issues that were coming out.  As such, nostalgia might be responsible for an additional tick in the rating, but I think they’re still really solid on their own merit.

That is, if you can get past the rampant Chris Claremontisms.  Claremont’s like the Aaron Sorkin of comic books - There’s no one with a more distinctive voice, with certain phrases that he likes to reuse over and over.  Part of it’s due to the era - writers back then were in the habit of assuming that each issue was someone’s first, so they would always have to devote panels to recapping the story and summarizing everyone’s powers and abilities.  But even accounting for that, there’s no explaining Claremont’s love for body and soul.  

Why is he so in love with that phrase?!?

This is the first time I noticed how much Kitty likes to speechify...

...in profile...

...to people taller than her.

Somewhat apt that Claremont is so enamored of this quote...

...six years apart.  How things stay the same indeed.

John Romita Jr draws great oversized dudes.

Another example.

Can only think of the Friends theme here.

I love how even the X-Men just want to sleep in sometimes.

I usually gloss over property damage in comic fights, but this one made me wince.

Scott's such a dick.

Such a dick.

More examples of letterer Tom Orzechowski's genius.

Tickle fonts!

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good  (Nice for the Beyonder issues (202-203))

New Mutants Special Edition 1

Uncanny X-Men Annual 9

The Asgardian Wars.  This might be one of my favorite X-Men stories.  The Art Adams art is so so gorgeous and detailed, Claremont has the pages to give each of the characters their own time to shine, and the sprawling tale is suitably epic for the annual format.

Love how Art Adams poses the cast of characters.

Jim Lee would use it years later.

Great Volstagg by Adams

And great physical humor here.

Creepy skulls in her mouth.

Stellar costume designs for Storm in this story.

I want more Storm, Goddess of Thunder

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Uncanny X-Men 205

This Barry Windsor Smith-drawn standalone is particularly fine.  Another personal favorite in Claremont’s run.  

I mean, check out this fight scene!

So visceral.

Not from this issue, just another lovely BWS page.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Uncanny X-Men 210-212

X-Factor 10

The Mutant Massacre.  A classic in the X-Men canon, but a little lower in my estimation - it had been so hyped up in my mind every time I heard about it that the actual issues, while entertaining, couldn’t live up to how I had imagined it.  Still, there’s no denying its effect on X-Men history.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice