Got a second?

Today, we've got another short one up at Articulated Discussion! This one isn't my favorite--I've got one with one of my son's toys that I like better coming up--but it'll kill a second.

In the meantime, I'm thinking about getting my nephews some Iron Man 2 figures. And maybe one for me to boot...

"If he be worthy, or Poolhammer."

Let's see here: off the top of my head, these heroes were at the Secret Wars:
Captain America (dead from 2007-2009)
Thor (dead/MIA 2004-2007)
Iron Man--Jim Rhodes, now War Machine
Captain Marvel--Monica Rambeau
Wasp (currently dead since 2008)
Hawkeye (dead 2004-2007)
She-Hulk
Human Torch
Mr. Fantastic (dead 1993-1995)
the Thing (dead briefly in 2004, but that was a good one)
Hulk
Spider-Man
Colossus (dead 2001-2004)
Cyclops (dead 2000-2001)
Magneto (multiple times)
Professor X
Rogue
Storm
Wolverine (probably? A couple fake ones, anyway)
Lockheed (even he was thought to be dead once)
Nightcrawler (just a coma, 1986-1988)

Actually, that wasn't off the top of my head at all; I had to look up most of those dates. And this doesn't count stuff like being lost in space--Professor X has been off-planet for years, on multiple occasions; so has the Hulk. Or the year or so the Avengers and Fantastic Four were believed dead for the Lee/Liefeld Heroes Reborn reboot attempt.

Did I miss any? I wouldn't even hazard a guess at doing this for the villains that were at the Secret Wars--especially since characters like Dr. Doom, Ultron, and the Absorbing Man seemingly 'die' most every defeat. Still, if you've been reading Blackest Night, it seems like even more DC characters have shuffled off the mortal coil...then stumbled back, I guess. I think Black Canary was the most major DC character I could come up with that hadn't been dead at some point or another.

A couple quick notes: I don't know if I got the idea for the Secret Wars reunion barbeque from Bleeding Cool, but they did post Secret Wars in a pub, so check that out. And while I know I've seen other people pinned and/or crushed by Thor's hammer, Mini Marvel's Chris Giarrusso nails that bit in "Welcome Back Thor" in Thor #600. Super funny, and it also hits the highlights of Thor's return and the utter dickery of Iron Man, among others.

And of course, we covered Deadpool #37 here some time ago; suffice to say, Deadpool is not on the short list of those who can pick up Mjolnir. But, the Deadpool/Suicide Squad strips will continue next week! Probably.

They aren't Secret Wars if you keep telling people about them, damnit!

As you can probably guess, I like getting comics with my toys--even if I already have said comics. For example, I've picked up a couple of the Marvel Universe Secret Wars 2-packs; and through that ever-present happenstance, I got two of the issues I actually had: Secret Wars #1 with Captain America and Klaw issue #5 with Nightcrawler and Storm. For some reason, I didn't get every issue when it was coming out, maybe every other one? I still have a nice copy of #8, and know I have #12 as well.

(In the same vein, I had Crisis on Infinite Earths #7-9 and got #12 years later. And I've read the trades of both multiple times, but can't remember the last time I owned either of them.)

So, these remaining two-packs have been pretty tempting, in particular Secret Wars #11, since I'm not positive I still have it; and it comes with Thor and the Enchantress. I've been having some fun with the modern Thor figure, but it would be nice to have the classic version; and I don't believe the Enchantress ever had a figure before. Of course, I couldn't say why they come with issue #11, and not #3 or #4, where Thor and the Enchantress have a little conversation.

I thought it was because the issues were packed in order, but they're not: Nightcrawler and Storm were in the last wave but came with issue #5. Or, they could've packed Thor and Enchantress with Thor #383 and perhaps squeezed in an extra, thirteenth pair of figures into the Secret Wars set.

With a framing sequence of the Enchantress--who had made a few faltering steps towards redeeming her evil ways--and her sister, Lorelei, who was even more evil and conniving; this issue was a flashback to the first Secret Wars. After she was injured in the fighting, Thor takes the Enchantress aside, since as the only two immortals of Asgard there, they could discuss things that mortals wouldn't be privy to. Well, that's what Thor says, but he's mostly just thinking about the glory the victor of the war would garner, although it would give the Enchantress the chance to make up for her past crimes.

Feeling like Thor just wants her as another soldier on his side--and not for anything else--the Enchantress conjures up a couple of tree monsters. But they're only a distraction, since she's amping up all her magical power to her lips, in the hopes of kissing Thor and ensnaring him forever. Before she gets the chance, though, she's attacked by one of the wandering monsters of the Beyonder's patchwork Battleworld. Thor easily saves her, and the Enchantress tries to bewitch him: he resists. Thor explains that a pretty goddess like herself doesn't have to resort to spells to win a god's heart, but whether he's leading her on or trying to encourage her better nature is unclear.

Meanwhile, in one of the bigger moments of the whole Secret Wars, the Molecule Man drops a mountain on top of the beleaguered heroes. The Enchantress and Thor return, as Dr. Doom's forces occupy the heroes' fortress. Doom charitably offers a merciful death, since Thor is outnumbered thirteen-to-one. (Charitably for Doom, anyway.) Thor glances briefly at the Enchantress; but knows in a moment those odds aren't going to become thirteen-to-two. Thor takes on the lot, fighting bravely, before apparently being incinerated by Ultron.

The Enchantress ends the story by explaining Thor of course survived; although he would be missing his traditional helmet and cape for most of the rest of the series. And to this day, she regrets not seizing the opportunity to prove herself to Thor. The point is completely lost on Lorelei, who is still at that point in a young woman's life when she is having too much fun turning young men to stone...maybe there's a metaphor in there somewhere, I'm not sure.

Did it ever bother anyone else that in the Secret Wars, the heroes side outnumbered the villains 22 to 16? (Counting Lockheed and latecomer Spider-Woman on the heroes side and latecomers Volcana and Titania for the villains.) Granted, the villains get Galactus and the heroes Hawkeye...

From Thor #383, "This Secret Love--!" Written by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Brett Breeding.

Some fun facts with Namor for Monday:

For one: Namor has always liked the blondes. Always.

In 1943, Namor had a little girlfriend living in a castle on the Irish coast. Unfortunately, with the war, his responsibilities in Atlantis, and 'Namor-time,' he didn't get to see her that often. Which led to her looking for a more available fellow...

...and she went with Baron Blood? Really? Was every man in Ireland taken, or gone to war or something? Also, the Baron must have a very distinctive voice; because I'm not sure how else Namor would've recognized him.


Apparently, on the Bad Boy Scale of Attractiveness, "Vampire" trumps "Fish guy." Siobhan, sick of waiting for Namor, turns to Baron Blood and a new life, or unlife, as a vampire. Namor, who apparently felt pretty strongly for her, turns pretty quickly when spurned, and leaves the new couple...after threatening them both with death. Pretty sure that's not cool, Namor, but vampires...it's a grey area, let's leave it at that.

From Namor Annual #2, "The Gift" Written by Ron Marz, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Terry Austin.

And I'm working overtime again this week, so who knows what else we're doing here. New strip on Wednesday, though. Tomorrow? Who knows!

Don't we have a remote for this stupid thing?

I like this page, from Excalibur #102, "After the Bomb" Written by Warren Ellis, pencils by Casey Jones, inks by Rob Haynes. Previously, the Excalibur team missed out on the Onslaught crossover since their planes were all broken; and now they wonder if they could have helped. (So Excalibur could've maybe saved us from Heroes Reborn and failed. That sucks...) That's as good an excuse to get out of a crossover as any; and beats the hell out of the old standard where the Fantastic Four/Avengers/anyone else helpful is conveniently out of town at the time. I wouldn't mind seeing the FF claiming their Pogo Plane was broken mid-crossover.

This was the second-to-last issue for Warren Ellis, so a few things are wrapping up, Pete Wisdom eats breakfast, and Kitty Pryde pummels a few guys good and bloody. All this before everyone bags off to the pub. Seriously. I'm underselling it, I quite like this one...

I was hoping to start a strip last night, but I'm really tired. Also, my Deadpool figure was in the couch and I had to look forever for it. It'll keep. But, I do have another short one up at Articulated Discussion! Check it out, and have a good weekend!

I'd say lift with your knees, but it won't help...

While I wasn't as big a fan of Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz's Thor--to be fair, anyone following Walt Simonson on that one would've had a tough time of it--they did have their moments. In one issue guest-starring the Avengers, former Captain America Steve Rogers, at the time just the Captain, lifts Thor's hammer Mjolnir. I don't think he smites anyone with it, sadly; but he passes it off to Thor in time for him to do something.

Unlike using Green Lantern's ring, Cap usually can't just pick up Mjolnir; and neither can most of the other characters who have done so in the past. After Superman uses Mjolnir in Avengers/JLA, Thor explains that doing so is a special occasion, last-ditch, hail mary; not membership to the club.

I had to look up which of Cap-Bucky's arms were the replacement, feels like I haven't read Cap in ever. I was tradewaiting Rebirth or whatever, then ended up reading Who Will Wield the Shield early. How do people refer to Cap-Bucky now? There should be something pithy to call him, but I don't like that name, not as much as DickBat for Dick Grayson as Batman; yet Cap is Cap to me. They don't call him Buck, do they? 'Cause that just makes me think of Kill Bill.

Next week is also looking like a ton of overtime for me; so I'm hoping to get a batch of posts, homemade strips, and sleep in this weekend. Now that I've said that, something will happen, so we'll see.

Seriously, I kind of like my Avengers like this:

From What If? #34 again, "What if everyone who'd ever been an Avenger had reamined an Avenger?" Written by Jim Shooter, art by Bob Hall and Brett Breeding. About a year before, Shooter himself had reduced the Avengers' roster to six in Avengers #211, which still ticks me off...I like my Avengers in the double-digits. At least!

"Deadjunk."

So, even though he would be on the same work-for-parole program as the rest of the Suicide Squad; for our purposes the Penguin would be in charge of the team. Mainly since Amanda Waller would be waaaaay too smart to get anywhere near that trainwreck with Deadpool on it, no matter who ordered it. (And we don't have figures for Amanda, Rick Flag, Bronze Tiger, and so on down the chain of command!)

I don't have the classic Suicide Squad issues featuring the Penguin, but I think Ostrander was one of the first to get Oswald away from his tired gimmick crimes, and play up his nature as a planner and schemer. Penguin's problem is, he's very smart. He's definitely smart enough to outsmart most opponents...but most doesn't include Batman.

Confession: I usually have an idea where these strips are going, but I've been busy with other work, so I have no clue. I don't know if I've written myself into a corner yet, but we'll see. New one next Wednesday!

Actually, I'd read this. Or at least say I read it:

I'm trying to recall if Spider-Man really struck me as a philosopher. Oh, Pete's a bona-fide genius, but in a math kind of way: he's an objectivist, a scientist. Not to say the two can't meet, but aside from the great power/great responsibility riff, Spidey's main examination of life is dwelling on his failures...hmm. Still, it'd be fun to read Spidey defeating his villains with brutal, savage logic; instead of webbing and fists. Maybe.

From What If? #34, "What if... Marvel Comics and the National Endowment for the Arts presented: Spidey Intellectual Stories" Written by Roger Stern, art by Ed Hannigan and Al Milgrom. (It's all right there in the scan, but I guess I have to type this for the search engines, eh?) As that ever-popular happenstance would have it, I re-read this the morning before I saw CBR's mention of Roger Stern's new Amazing Spider-Man story. A fortunate break!

What If? #34 was the somewhat infamous all-comedy issue--a good six years before 1988's What The--?! Both are somewhat uneven, but have their moments. And we might have another one from this later!

Hey, not a review! Marvel Universe Thor:

Even though I worked a twelve-hour shift today, it was still a lucky day, since I found the new Marvel Universe Thor! I might have more pictures and whatnot up for it later, but I wanted to get some in-package pictures since I had a question:
As you can see in the first two pictures, Thor can hold Mjolnir in his right hand, with the left being a closed fist. (Oddly, Mjolnir isn't mentioned by name on the packaging or the top-secret H.A.M.M.E.R. file. And yet, I can spell it off the top of my head.)

But the back has a reversed-photo, which makes it look like Thor's a lefty. I don't know if this was used for the publicity stills, either.

I may have another picture later, with the larger Marvel Select Thor, who also has the hammer-holding right. Incidentally, MS Thor is a great figure as well, probably my favorite Marvel Select figure, but the larger Thor may actually have a couple less points of articulation than his smaller counterpart! A quick heads-up: not unlike some of the other Marvel Universe figures I have, the balljoint on Thor's neck occasionally pops his head off! It pops right back on, but I'm not used to that.

I don't plan on buying every single Marvel Universe figure, but this is a pretty damn good one. I may crack and get Bucky, the first Bucky figure (as Bucky) I'll have ever bought; but that may be due to the two tommyguns he comes with. That Secret Wars Dr. Doom/Absorbing Man set (with a bonus Wasp!) is looking mighty tempting now as well, so Thor has someone to smite upon...

Way to set an example for the kids, Supes:

Geez, no wonder the Daily Planet's circulation is in the toilet...

Working more overtime this week: good for the bills, bad for the blog, my mental health, and so forth. Wednesday's strip is up, but we'll have to see what the rest of the week brings...

From Superman #27, "Of course you know, this means war!" Written by Roger Stern, pencils by Kerry Gammill, inks by Brett Breeding.

More Danger at Articulated Discussion!

The full strip is up at Articulated Discussion, but I ended up with an extra page afterwards! Check out the rest there: it's robots drinking abusively, what more do you want?

Suicide...Squad?

Ofttimes, it would probably make sense for the operatives of the Suicide Squad--most of whom were usually super-villains working off their sentences--to go plainclothes. Um. Hmm.

That would make sense, except Deadshot--up top, in black, shooting at someone we can't see--is wearing a black shirt and shoulder holster ensemble that look like they're from the Charles Bronson collection. Bronze Tiger--taking a kick at Batman--looks neither bronze nor tigerish in what appears to be a purple gi and matching puffy pants. Captain Boomerang and Count Vertigo (he's flying with the ring-shaped blasts) look somewhat incognito, though.

And I'm not sure who some of the others are, especially the one with the loincloth, the fishbowl on his head, and the Rocky the flying squirrel underarm wings. That's either a trainwreck, or fashion brilliance; as they all draw attention from each other...per the GCD listing for Suicide Squad #62, that appears to be Piscator, of the Jihad or Onslaught, as it seems to be called now. I also believe that name is Latin for 'fisher', and can't think of anyone who got a good name out of the Latin.

Frankly, and you're gonna laugh? I bought this issue mainly because the Atom, Ray Palmer, was on the cover. Superman, Batman, and Aquaman were investigating the death of their old JLA teammate; while a young Adam Cray becomes the new Atom, working for Squad head Amanda Waller. Ray's death is a trick to draw out Micro/Force, shrunken rogue CIA agents (leftover from the tailend of Power of the Atom); but works too well. Blacksnake kills Cray and most of his fellow agents, before Ray reveals himself and takes him down. Way down. Submicroscopic. He considers leaving Blacksnake there, but takes him to jail instead.

Later, as Sarge Steel and Waller discuss Cray's death, she says Ray plans on training a replacement then retiring again--this is circa 1992, a good...fourteen years before Ryan Choi took the job! Steel says Cray's death got to Waller as well; but Waller isn't ashamed to admit every death on the Squad does. Even if she doesn't like them, she doesn't spend them easily; and she pointedly tells Steel it's too bad everyone doesn't feel that way.

A lot going on in Suicide Squad #62, "Number the Dead" Written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale, pencils by Geof Isherwood, inks by Robert Campanella. Wish I had the previous chapters!

I've had a lot of meetings lately, and feel a lot like Doc Terror here:

From The Nocturnals #1, "Black Planet, part one" Written, created, and illustrated by Daniel Brereton. I liked this series when it started at Malibu, and I know it's been a few other places as well: Dark Horse, Oni, and Image.

I started re-reading this last week, got interrupted, and haven't had time to finish it yet. Maybe in a bit, since I want a couple Gunwitch pics, and to maybe research what happened to the proposed Nocturnals action figures. Besides, this is March 18th, I know you're all hungover as hell, so more tomorrow, 'kay?

More over at Articulated Discussion!

Over at Articulated Discussion, I've got another One-Shots up! Also, earlier this week, I was moaning about not having a character I want made, and another short one! Check them out!

Usually, if I have something there, I'd like to have a corresponding bit here, but I've been sickish, so the funny is all over there, hopefully...

"Capture."

Deadshot's closing thought? Ooh, so unprintable. Even by my standards!

Hopefully by now, I've gotten to the comic shop to pick up Nemesis: the Imposters, since I was kinda looking forward to it. And I did! Like the previous series (Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape, where Nemesis didn't even get cover billing on probably the best covers he's ever had) there's a lot going on and none of it can be taken at face value. But it loses some points for using one of my least-favorite villains, who admittedly I'm surprised the Batman editorial team let be used.

Just like last time, I'm willing to give writer Ivan Brandon some rope to see how it plays out; although I'm glad it's only a four-issue limited this time. Of course, Nemesis is really getting a book as a name-block to Mark Millar's new project; but we'll put that aside for the time being.

The DC Direct Diana Prince figure was another one that I picked up on the cheap, and had no real plans for. It would either be kinda weird and creepy for Nemesis to be disguising himself as his ex, or it could be possibly justified revenge at Diana's leading him on to try and use him as breeding stock...apparently, he loved her, but she didn't and just wanted kids? What's up with that?

Next week: the aftermath of Deadpool's first Suicide Squad mission! It goes about as well as you'd expect...

Compared to the Destroyer or the Punisher, the Grackle isn't a name that strikes fear...

...although, it isn't really supposed to be. From 1997's the Grackle: Doublecross, written by Mike Baron, pencils by Paul Gulacy, with some inks by Charles Yoakum.

Derek Cross used to be a cop, then was moved to internal affairs after a shoot-out where he allegedly abandoned his partner. Cross would go on to bust thirty-nine dirty officers, earning himself "a lot of hatred" and the nickname "the Grackle," after the bird that makes its home in others' nests. Eventually, his luck ran out, and an investigation of "a group of rogue cops moonlighting as hitmen" ended up with Cross himself under indictment. At his lowest point, Cross was recruited by the mysterious Colonel, and now performs the odd job of investigation or security.

A lotta backstory for a little four-issue miniseries, but it's never dumped all at once like that: everything about Cross is doled out in small portions over the course of the book, and even by the end you don't know it all. Looks like they were leaving something for future books, but Acclaim's Crime Fiction line didn't go much further than this.


One of the points I most remember from this one, was Baron's one fantasy/sci-fi conceit for the book: Firefly. Not the TV show, but a drug, like a better crack, but one that occasionally causes spontaneous combustion. Cross describes the users at one point as smelling like cooked meat, and several smoke themselves into flames over the course of the series.

While Cross is a bit of a gloomy-gus, despite not completely hating his job and having a hot model girlfriend; the Grackle does have it's fair share of black humor to go with the manly action. It's nowhere near as brooding as Baron's work on the Punisher, but it's a good read. And Paul Gulacy delivers the fight sequences you would expect. (I wasn't as impressed with the covers, and the odd cover copy.)

This is another one that I don't think was ever collected, and the sales may make it a little harder to dig up, but if you're a fan of Baron, Gulacy, or seventies-style men's action novels like the Destroyer, it's worth a look.

If Girl Comics had featured this Girl...ah, if only.

It's funny: I didn't think I was a huge fan of writer Peter Milligan--we've only seen a few issues from him here, like his Scarecrow one-shot or the Minx. But, I liked the Minx up until it's premature end, I liked Milligan's Batman work (especially his more oddball Detective stories) and a lot of his Vertigo work, like Face, Human Target, Egypt, the Eaters...and then his X-Force/X-Statix run. Huh, yeah, that's a pretty good batch of Milligan.

Then there was Girl, a surprisingly amusing three issue limited, under the Vertigo Verite label, and following the misadventures of young, charming, and imaginative Simone Cundy. Trapped (not unlike every teenager) in the terrible urban blight of Bollockstown, she struggles to deal with her identity, with her frankly horrible family, and with her grip on reality. It's hilarious, even when a murder mystery shows up later...


Milligan usually does pretty well with artistic collaborators, and this time is no exception: Duncan Fegredo is one of those artists, who, if there's any justice, should be getting paid to draw whatever the hell he feels like right now. (Actually, that may not be far off, since Fegredo is currently Mike Mignola's replacement on Hellboy.) Great facial expressions, a ton of detail, and a lot of fun.

And, as I have a lot lately, it seems I've picked another series that hasn't been collected to date. (In fact, Fegredo is the subject of a recent interview at Newsarama and Girl comes up.) I don't think Milligan's later Vertigo Pop! limited London has been collected either, but we might have to scan a few Philip Bond panels from that one sometime.

Hey you kids! Get off my continent!

Huh, I've been doing this for how many years and haven't brought up Magnus, Robot Fighter yet? It wasn't a book I read as a kid, since Gold Keys were somewhat few and far between in my neck of the woods. I never read Valiant, either; but over the years I've picked up a few back issues and reprints, and the Magnus crossovers with Nexus and Predator. (Why Predator and not Terminator? I imagine the Terminator people vetoed the idea of a guy in a red skirt karateing Arnold to death...)

More after the break!

While I haven't read every single Magnus comic, it seems like a common theme that just about everyone, except for Magnus himself and on rare occasions his girlfriend Leeja, are completely useless. Most of the citizens of North-Am are spoiled rotten and completely dependent on their robot servants, except for the underclass of Gophs (or whatever they were called...) that are fiercely independent to the point that you can't help them or get them to do anything except live free in their own filth.


Since I don't read them often, though, it doesn't bother me as much that much that Magnus never seems to make a lot of headway in getting the citizens off their lazy asses. But, I remember Magnus fondly for one reason more than any other: the song "The Death of Magnus" from Servotron's CD No Room for Humans. Servotron was an indie-rock band that in-character, was like Devo assimilated by the Borg. Surf-guitar songs about robot superiority and the inevitable human extinction. If Bender had been around at the time, they would've been his favorite band.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a video for "The Death of Magnus," so here's "I sing the body cybernetic" from their second album, which I wish I had right now...I had a Servotron t-shirt for years from one of their shows, and wonder if it's still around here somewhere.



Scans from Valiant's Vintage Magnus Robot Fighter #2, "Giant from Planet X" Written by Robert Schaefer and Eric Freiwald, pencils and inks by Russ Manning.

What, I didn't post about Guns of the Dragon already?

"Idiotisch!" is right, since I thought I posted on this one years ago! Guns of the Dragon, a four issue limited by Tim Truman, that I think I referred to as "Enemy Ace and Bat Lash versus Vandal Savage and Communism."

Set in China in 1927, the political climate is changing faster than gambler and cathouse owner Bat Lash would prefer: foreigners are becoming less welcome, but Bat doubts he'll ever be able to go back to America. With the aid of his bouncer, Biff Bradley (brother of longtime DC P.I. Slam) Bat has a plan to ensure his residency, but needs a flyer, so he enlists the help of Baron Hans Von Hammer, also known as Enemy Ace. Hammer has been wandering around the world since the end of the first World War, and still has his trusty Fokker DR-I. And apparently, not much else to do.

Twice during the series, Lash tricks Hammer with a rigged deck of cards; but it's also entirely possible that far from being tricked, Hammer went along with the trip to Dinosaur Island in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, he could get killed. Hammer may not particularly want to die, but he doesn't seem that keen on living either, and that would stop the ghosts of those he's killed.

Lash gets the best lines in this one, and seems older but not entirely wiser. Throw in Vandal Savage working the long game, a brief discussion on the final fate of Jonah Hex, dinosaurs, ninjas, shape-changers, and a cameo by Mao Tse-Tung; and you get the point why I liked Guns a lot.

Sadly, I don't think Guns of the Dragon has been collected to date, but you can find the issues easily enough; and I suggest you do so.

"Coldpool."

Actually, um, even though there are literally thousands of variables, I'm still pretty sure a lot of environmental problems could be fixed with a gun that shoots absolute zero, or close to it.

Who else is in our little Suicide Squad, besides Deadpool and the soon-to-split Captain Cold? Hmm, well, if you think about DCUC figures, to the best of my knowledge, only four (counting Cold) were in the classic, John Ostrander-written Suicide Squad, and only Deadshot was a major, longterm member. No Captain Boomerang (classic, of course) or Bronze Tiger or Rick Flag...yet.

There is one Batman villain, though, who I believe Ostrander was able to use quite well, and quite differently than he had been for some time in the Batman books. We'll get to him...

Darkseid, or Wideseid, am I right?

That's actually a pretty traditional looking Darkseid there, very barrel-chested, let's say. This issue, investigating the appearance of a Superman-corpse in his tomb, Superman wrecks up Apokolips thinking Darkseid might be behind it. (As opposed to any of the other myriad reasons there might be to go kick Darkseid's ass sideways.)

While Supes wades through the Female Furies, Parademons, etc, Darkseid puts his personal assassin Kanto to the task. Now, I honestly can not recall Kanto ever managing to kill anyone with a name or important or anything; and yet he's still Employee of the Month compared to the rest of Darkseid's lackeys. This time, Kanto knows he can't kill Superman, so he tries to get a pile of Lowlies to kill themselves getting to Supes, in the hopes of driving him insane with guilt. Supes saves the Lowlies, then tosses Kanto in a firepit. Kanto's tough enough to survive that, though; but it can't feel pleasant, and probably wrecked his fancy Renaissance duds.

From Adventures of Superman #518, "The Armagetto Run!" Written by Karl Kesel, pencils by Barry Kitson, inks by McCarthy, Montano, and Kesel.

A quick one here, since I got the Secret Wars Nightcrawler/(punk!) Storm two-pack the other day, and had heard Kurt was a little too tall. Eh, maybe, but I'm OK with it. I figure he's probably a reasonable height, when he's not all hunched over and crouching. May have to compare him against some other figures, Marvel and otherwise, later.

If you're an action figure collector, you probably feel Hank's pain here:

This is probably a pretty typical afternoon at the West Coast Avengers compound: at the time, Hank Pym wasn't shrinking or enlarging himself, but other weapons, which he would then carry in his jumpsuit's pockets. Or lose in the couch, either or.

If you collect action figures, particularly G.I. Joe or Star Wars figures, it's a given that this has happened to you at some point. Admit it.

And there's little more aggravating and embarrassing than searching forever, only to find...a different gun than the one you were looking for. Over the course of the story, Hawkeye finds a gum wrapper, a dime, and the "non-Euclidian geometric protractor," proving he has the sharpest eyes on the team, and that the Avengers are slobs.

From Avengers West Coast Annual #5, "Honey, I shrunk the hyperatomic anti-proton cannon!" Written by Carrie Barre, pencils by James Fry, inks by Chris Ivy.

Questions answered at Articulated Discussion!

Over at Articulated Discussion, I've got another new strip, on the Question! Question's been around since 1967, and this time we're taking a look at some of the various interpretations of the character. Also, I misspell Ayn Rand, but I confess I have at best a nodding familiarity with Objectivism, and wouldn't read the Fountainhead if Steve Ditko did the adaptation. Well, maybe. Check it out!