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.

"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. 

"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!

Let's see: we blogged #287 in 2019, #290 in 2011, #291 in 2014, and #289 today! Yeah, that makes sense. From 1979, Thor #289, "Look Homeward, Asgardian!" Written and edited by Roy Thomas, pencils by Keith Pollard, inks by Chic Stone.

This feels like the middle of the Eternals storyline, but it would go on, on-and-off, to Thor #300, a book I would need some kind of grant, stipend, large cash prize to even consider blogging. Lot going on in that one, probably too much. Still, here Thor has confronted the Celestial "One-Above-All," who like most Celestials doesn't seem to deign to talk to him, but shows him an image of Odin seemingly bending the knee to Arishem. Thor calls it treachery, but wants to know if Odin has sold out somehow. Instead, Thor and Hero, the Forgotten One, are teleported back to Olympia and the Eternals. (Sersi appears, to utter the epithet "by all the sailors I ever turned into swine!") Zuras, head Eternal, is furious at the reveal of the Forgotten One; calling him traitor. Thor rises to defend him, as manipulated by the Celestials; and it looks like it's going to come to blows before Makkari reveals Sprite's involvement, from Eternals #13...two years earlier? Thor also makes a comment about not tolerating tyrants, and Zuras realizes he's not mad at him...Thena and Ikaris present opposing views to Zuras, who decides to pair 'Hero' and Sprite together, to sort of account for each other.

The Eternals were gathering in numbers, to form the Uni-Mind and face the Celestials. Thor doesn't think even that has a chance, and asks for time to find another option: he's given a day, the time it would take for the other Eternals to arrive. Meanwhile, Odin stops by Mount Olympus, and briefly scuffles with some Titans before facing Zeus. Hercules doesn't want anything to do with Odin, since he knew Thor had been exiled from Asgard for standing up to the Celestials; but Odin proposes an alliance "...to smash any and all who would strive to save Midgard from death and destruction!" Was the All-Father turning heel? Back in Asgard, Balder was still in a deathlike state, as part of a "false Ragnarok" Odin had engineered to stave off the real thing; so there was maybe more evidence against him there. (Herc's mustache appears to have been left off that last panel there!) 

Thor arrives on the Bifrost, but is turned away at the gates of Asgard: even Sif tries to hold him off, since Odin had said he couldn't re-enter Asgard until he returned. Thor is a little steamed at that; like the gathered gods were being condescending. Crying, Sif activates the Destroyer, putting her spirit in it, which gives Thor pause. He's beaten and thrown off the Rainbow Bridge, hurtling towards earth, as Arishem glances upward, judging... 

Gods forbid I ever read this thing in order; with a little luck we'll probably see another chapter sometime in the next five or eight years. Still, a pretty massive cast this issue, and there would be even more characters later, then the plot really goes off the rails around #296 or so with the Ring of Nibelung stuff.

The GCD tagged this one with "Keywords: introspection; loneliness; misery." And maybe some jokes? Somewhere? From 1977, Howard the Duck Human #19, "Howard the Human!" Written and edited by Steve Gerber, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Klaus Janson.

The usually-miserable Howard was more so than usual today, because Beverly had been forced to marry Dr. Bong in order to spare his life, and oh yeah, Bong's "Evolvo-chamber" had turned him into a nondescript schlubb of a human! The GCD notes think human-Howard resembles Harvey Bullock, but I'd say Howard looks younger and more hapless, so...Depressed and wandering the streets, he finds a fiver; which of course leads to problems. He's accosted by drunken artist "Mad Dog" for a cup of coffee, then Mad Dog demolishes the restaurant that won't serve his smelly hide. Howard opts to split, but is joined by a young woman, who seems to be trying to ditch her date, while he fights Mad Dog.

Although Howard's duck-self tells him to get outta there, he's unable to get away from Amy, who drags him back to her apartment. Her date Elton had been a former co-worker, and she describes him as "thinking (she) was his mind," but she felt she had her hands full thinking for herself. Howard crashes out on her couch, although it appears Amy slept there with him; but when Elton storms in, they're surprised to find Howard was a duck again! Howard himself doesn't realize until he was in the shower and too short to reach the brush, and wonders if...whatever happened last night, got the adrenalin going and changed him. But, no time to ponder that, as Dr. Bong appears, to finish him...to be continued!

There's a few on the last couple pages, but really not as many jokes as you'd maybe expect.

I had mentioned this one a few times, but surprisingly didn't blog it until now! From 1993, Untamed #1, "Wounds of Equal People" Story and art by Neil Hansen.

This was part of a fairly big push at the time, Epic's "Heavy Hitters" of creator-owned limited series. We've seen Lawdog a few times; I think that was the only ongoing series of the lot, and it didn't even last long. I really liked Mike Baron's Feud and Spyke, and Howard Chaykin's Midnight Men, but I wouldn't have recognized Neil Hansen's name, even if I had maybe seen his work in Savage Sword of Conan and Badger, where he occasionally used the name "Spyder." He's got a great visceral style for action, but while I don't think he had a lot of writing credits, he comes out swinging here.

In a not-too-distant future, supercop Tokudane "Dane" Kuchiyama is sent from Japan to San Diego, to help stop the rise of a Yakuza breakaway gang, the Kosansui. Dane is partnered up with wildman Griffin Palmer, recently returned to active duty after the death of his wife in a car crash. Griffin gets a tip from one of his usual informants, which turns into a trap and sets up a solid fight scene; then later he murders the hell out of said informant. Meanwhile, Dane is visited by a strange woman, who claims to be Griffin's late wife: she further claims to have been kept in a safe house, but is seemingly as afraid of Griffin as of anything else. Before Dane can get more info out of her, Griffin calls; and when she tries to leave, the front door of his apartment explodes!

The next day, Dane plays his cards close to the vest, not mentioning that Griffin's wife had been there when his place was bombed. They get into a car chase after some cop-killers, which Dane stops short with a "hardened C-4 throwing star," but that causes a massive pile-up. Dane wakes up on the sidewalk, having been pulled from a burning car by Griffin... 

I don't know if this is a hidden gem, but it's three solid issues I still really like. If you see it in the cheap bins, it's well worth grabbing for a read.

"Quieter."

OAFE.net had a review of the latest Brother Voodoo figure, that lambasted it as largely unnecessary. It was basically the third figure of him, in the last ten years or so; with the second figure being pretty easily available, possibly even now. This latest one was in the "Strange Tales" wave, and aside from a slightly altered staff, the only thing going for it was the Build-a-Figure piece for Blackheart. But, a commenter pointed out, the Eye of Agamotto was removable...which led to this! 

And despite appearing on the cover of the first issue of "The Douglock Chronicles" in Excalibur, Nightcrawler wasn't there to meet Zero. He was in Germany fighting D'spayre! I don't know if he got back in time, since Stryfe would destroy Zero in Excalibur #80, a comic I know I've read, but...yeah.

This is a far more cheerful future, but technically it's doubly fictional.

I've picked up a bunch of Legion books lately, but the other day I found three issues of this series. They might've been the ones I needed for the set! From 1988, Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes, featuring "The Nik Feelds Show" Written by Ty Templeton, art by Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger.

This would've been the 30th anniversary year for the Legion, and they had more than enough characters for seven issues of reference; but each issue also had a short lead-in story. Most of this one was "Cadets," a fictionalized holo-vid of the Legion Academy; which then segues into a talk show promoting it, with one of the film's consultants: Colossal Boy's dad Wynn Allon, who was also married to Marte Allon, the former President of Earth! The story then moves to Wynn and Marte discussing his appearance, and how the producers didn't really consult him much, indicating the film wasn't especially accurate, but that might be dramatic license. Wynn then implores Marte to mingle at the Legion Parents' Reunion party: she doesn't want to, but Wynn reminds her, it's at their house, right then. There's about 90 continuity references in like 12 pages; something you can only get away with if you've been around 30 years.

Since this was the last issue, it's mostly the end of the alphabet, but still has some big names like Ultra Boy, the Time Trapper, and Wildfire. The Wanderers also get a big push, for their spin-off, which didn't really take off. I think I have one issue of it around here somewhere; but it might've got real weird by the end.

Say what you will, Elvis there doesn't get trapped by painting double lines around it, or fooled by a Wile E. Coyote painting.

You might have seen this online last week, but Tesla's self-driving feature only uses cameras--as opposed to radar, lidar, ultrasonic, anything--and can be fooled by a Wile E. Coyote style painting on a wall. I don't know if Teslas are particularly vulnerable to this or if it's been patched, but previously you could trap an autonomous vehicle almost by painting it into a corner: if it won't cross double-lines, you can herd it. That wouldn't work on Elvis here, which both leads to a lot of deaths but is way more entertaining. From 1986, Judge Dredd: the Early Cases #6, featuring "Elvis" Written by John Wagner, art by Ian Gibson.

This was a four-part storyline, beginning in 1978's 2000 AD #53; and was set during the relatively brief tenure of Judge-Marshal Dredd, head lawman of Luna-City One! It feels apocryphal, like something that would be retconned out; but no, I think it's still in continuity! Computerized-car Elvis was like a son to its owner, until an accident damages its personality, turning it into a psychotic, murdering brat. When the Judges have him cornered in a parking garage, Elvis was also clever enough to reprogram a bunch of other cars, making them maniacs like him and giving him the chance to escape. He then rampages through a department store and helps himself to a bunch of toys, so it can't be all bad--okay, yeah, it can.

Elvis hides out in a poor couple's apartment, then is incensed when Dredd calls him out on the news. Like, really calls him out; like a wrestling promo, he lays it pretty thick. Dredd may have outsmarted himself there, as Elvis uses tunnels to remain unseen, and surprises him in his own apartment! Walter the Wobot is tied-up, and instead of just killing him, Elvis takes Dredd as a hostage, figuring nobody would stop him if it meant killing Dredd!

Also this issue: "22nd Century Futsie" When his dad goes insane with "future-shock" on New Year's Eve, little Arthur Goodworthy Jr. goes to Dredd, to see if maybe, just maybe, his dad could be brought in alive for a change? Please? I don't think it was even future-shock that got Arthur Sr. as much as a hostile work environment and lousy co-workers, but sure. Dredd tells the kid dad'll be okay; but inwardly thinks he's never going to really recover from that; like a porcelain figure glued back together, scarred and fragile. 

 I don't think I had read this one before! I wonder if I have the rest of this mini, though. 

Ugh, we're not doing "Blame Canada" again, are we?

My local comic shop keeps a rack by the door, of maybe not minty fresh books, but interesting ones: a lot of the Gold Key Twilight Zones I blogged last year were from there, a fistful of early Swamp Things, and a bunch of Kamandi. I'm almost getting a decent run going, but I wasn't sure if I had read this whole series before: from 1993, Kamandi at Earth's End #4, "The Man at Earth's End!" Written by Tom Veitch, pencils by Frank Gomez, inks by Mike Barreiro.

Tom Veitch wrote Star Wars: Dark Empire, which I think had one of my favorite lines in Star Wars comics, with Palpatine badmouthing Vader in a fight. I mention that, because this one...enh. This was an Elseworlds modernization of Kirby's Kamandi, but it doesn't have the evolved, talking animals anymore; which leaves a rather charmless apocalypse. It's kind of like if the original Kamandi had been inspired by Mad Max and its sundry knock-offs instead of Planet of the Apes. Raised in a bunker by the computer "Mother," Kamandi is kicked out into the world with a mission, to kill the man Mother claimed destroyed the world...a familiar figure, with a big red 'S.' Kamandi quickly picks up a couple sidekicks, um, Burly Gun-Guy, and Girl. Okay, they have names, but they're no Prince Tuftan or Dr. Canus. They're chased all the way across the country by Ben Boxer and his Terminator-like friends, who are both less and more human than they were in Kirby's version.

I didn't love this one, but I guess it did well enough that Veitch and Gomez got a prestige format one-shot sequel, for Superman: At Earth's End.