Try a silent page, yes?

I'm out today, or I guess tonight when I usually write these, so why not a Death's Head page? We saw the original issue some time back, but this is from the reprint: from 1993, the Incomplete Death's Head #6, reprinting 1989's Death's Head #5, "Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling!" Written by Simon Furman, art by John Higgins.

This would have been after Death's Head II had taken over, and the brief framing sequence finds him speed-running through the original's memories, which seemed to involve punching them again. (Maybe written by Dan Abnett, maybe art by Simon Coleby.) Read more!

From the monkeys on the cover, I was sure this was going to adapt a different story.

I had an eye appointment the other day, and had my pupils dilated for a bit, so I wandered around the mall until I felt like driving. Which got me this book! Haruki Murakami Manga Stories, volume 2, adapted by Jean-Christophe Deveney and PMGL. 

Haruki Murakami is one of my favorite writers; although if you asked me what any one of his novels was about, it's tough to break down. Although, with the three monkeys on the cover of this one, I thought it was going to adapt this brief sequence from The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. 

 Shoot, there's two more volumes of this; I'll have to keep an eye out.

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"Ergonomic."

I know Marvel has a TVA book out now, but I haven't really glanced at it: I believe it featured Spider-Gwen, Captain Carter, and a Gambit variant. I wonder if they snuck Judge Dredd-pastiche Justice Peace in there too. (Throw Justice Peace into a wave with Spawn-alike Nightwatch; shots fired!)  

My dad (who has a mustache somewhere between Mobius and Ned Flanders!) used to have a kneeling chair for his back; something I've considered but that I don't seem to find at Office Depot or anything? It also feels like that should be cheaper than a regular chair but somehow isn't. 

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"Pantheon" is apparently one of those names everybody gets a shot at.

I'm more familiar with the Marvel version from Peter David's Hulk run, but DC took a run at it first: from 1983, World's Finest #296, "The Pantheon, Part 1: A World Upheaval!" Written by David Anthony Kraft, co-plotted by Ron Fontes, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike DeCarlo. Cover by Ross Andru and Klaus Janson.

Huh, we blogged the previous issue last year, and snarkily hoped the last couple years of this title weren't all about how Superman and Batman weren't bestest friends anymore. No, this was an era where they didn't hang out together and didn't say they were friends all the time, but have to note how much they still appreciate each other all the time. Much more natural-sounding, absolutely. This was a more Batman-centric issue, and the start of a three parter; mostly setting up the new threat of the Pantheon. They seem like techie, action-figure ready thugs at the start; but are being changed by exposure to, or possibly huffing on, "the warm glow of the living diamond."

Not even once, kids!

Batman spots the crew, robbing the Metropolitan Museum; but has to let them go in order to save a shot guard. Later, Superman has a similar fix: still unseen, the Pantheon attack an airport, shoot up the place, and steal a plane. Supes is stopped from pursuing them, since he has to get the wounded to the hospital. Not yet realizing they were on the same case, Batman works the clues, while Superman has to contain earthquake damage, which is escalating to the point that he wonders if earth was going the way of Krypton. Batman discovers, the gang was going to Mount Ossa in Africa; but they were a step ahead: they allow themselves, to be forced to land by the local government, then kill everyone that gets in their way. Batman gives chase, but the jungle seems different, almost primeval; and Bats even thinks he might have seen a brontosaurus. He then fights several of the new Pantheon, who now seem to have a more finished, inhuman look. Batman is knocked out, while on the other side of the world, Superman discovers bizarre, diamond-like roots... 

This almost feels like a good start; but I think this run had a lot of one-off or short-term villains. Good on them for not just trotting out the usuals, but these new baddies may have gained less traction than your typical Firestorm villain. I don't think there was even a Suicide Squad member in the bunch!

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