"Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun!" Is that a Bradbury reference? All I can think of is "For Science."

The title reminds me of Ray Bradbury's "The Golden Apples of the Sun" but also reminds me of the last line of They Might Be Giants "For Science":  

Oh, it's a Pink Floyd song! Yeah, they do nothing for me, sorry. From 1986, Fantastic Four #297, "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun!" Written by Roger Stern, art by John and Sal Buscema.

We don't see the FF for a bit in this one, as we start on an alien Warworld (not that one!) as cruel Lord Umbra has his armor loaded with a new weapon, the "star-tap siphon!" Umbra incinerates his toady-scientist after install, and prepares for a final battle against his rival, and brother, Jaagur. Back on earth, She-Hulk and Wyatt Wingfoot land Reed's newest hypersonic plane at a South Pacific military base, reuniting Franklin Richards with his family. After their fight with the Mole Man, Reed had been asked by the government to investigate disturbances in the sun. While she understands that's probably serious, Jen is more curious about the return of the Thing, who is crabby as hell, approaching surly. Ben had been mutating at the end of his solo book, and while he looked more or less normal (for him) mentally he was not okay, bitter and self-conscious, not unlike when he first became the Thing. Reed would give this more attention, if he thought Ben would allow the usual barrage of testing, and if the sun wasn't going to implode unless they did something...

Most of the time, the FF go on this sort of thing with about as much drama as loading the family up for a Target run; but Johnny tells Alicia, this might be a dangerous one: they were kind of rushing, with slapped-together equipment. Johnny asks Alicia to marry him if he makes it back, and she says yes; but the Thing is within earshot, and even with his mask you can tell that just wrecked him. (Of course, this would be retconned, and "Alicia" was really the Skrull Lyja, but there's absolutely no indication of that here.) The Four, plus She-Hulk, launch a few hours later, to finish constructing the "counter-phase cannon" in space, to disrupt whatever was siphoning the sun. (It's hardly Sue's first rodeo, but she considers the notion that the four of them might die on a rocket trip someday. And Jen too, I guess.)

Meanwhile, on Warworld, war intensifies, as Umbra and Jaagur's forces slaughter each other, in that cool sci-fi way John Buscema used to draw every so often in Avengers or Silver Surfer: I don't know that he ever did a full book like that...

While Umbra and Jaagur face off, in space construction has nearly completed, so Ben decides he's done. Not done working, but rather done with life, as he starts to drift away. Johnny refuses to let him go, which Ben considers just his guilt showing: the Torch manages to get Ben back, but then runs out of air himself, and Sue has to save him. Reed doesn't have time for that, though, since he has to fire the beam, which wrecks the Umbra/Jaagur final battle, as well as Warworld. The FF escapes, and the sun is saved...while Umbra and Jaagur appear to have merged into a single being, in space near the sun! To be continued... 

Ben today acts closer to his very first appearances, like almost 300 issues didn't happen for him; but I think it's the first time we see him actively attempt suicide. Like, there had been times where he thought about dying, or giving up and letting himself die, but this was different. I don't think he would be like this for long, thankfully.

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"See."

Although the plot doesn't move even incrementally forward this week, I think we're maybe coming up on the end of the D'spayre storyline. Maybe. I did have this notion, of the bar getting trashed, if not leveled; then building a new, "remodeled" bar set. But I don't really have the time right now, even though I have maybe another set piece coming in the mail this week. Which, co-incidentally, we mentioned, um, about a year back. Read more!

If nothing else, this is a GREAT book to read with a flashlight!

There's an ad for something-or-other on TV, where a young woman seemingly has an epiphany: "Oh, that 'book club' that always wants to meet in the woods, that's a cult." Sure, maybe, but the woods are awesome, books are great, and hey, what are the odds they want you for their wicker man? Anyway, the phrase "culty weirdos" came up for me multiple times today; finally in today's book, which doesn't have any woods but does have a neat cover: from 1993, Cyberspace 3000 #1, "Judgment Day" Written by Gary Russell, pencils by Stephen Tappin, inks by Michael Eve and Andy Lanning. Cover with glow-in-the-dark accents by Liam Sharp and Andy Lanning!

This was another Marvel UK book, like Warheads, that despite a plethora of guest-stars and references still feels more like a 2000 AD somehow: the feel of the coloring or the lettering, perhaps. And it also feels a lot like another Marvel book with a similar title, that may not have been related: Seeker 3000, which would get a mini-series in 1998. Both feature a massive ship in space, on a lengthy voyage, with a fair-sized cast, and wearing their Star Trek influences on their sleeves. Maybe more literally for Seeker, since the costuming and designs in Cyberspace are so 90's: the intrepid Captain Jennifer Cabre-Rios really looks like Dazzler, in the kind of short leather jacket and tights look Black Widow had in the Avengers then. Still, the Captain spends much of this issue missing or unconscious, as a massive disaster seemingly destroys half the ship, the Sol III (it's shaped like a dumbbell, imagine the weights falling off one side) but that might be just the tip of the iceberg. (Aside: I'm mildly surprised we hadn't hit Seeker 3000 yet? The first issue was very, very 70's.)

The Sol III seems massive and not particularly fast in sci-fi terms--think Red Dwarf rather than the U.S.S. Enterprise--and more populous: there were the insectoid Trilexia aboard, who seem to have discovered a mysterious portal; and the religious order/doomsday cult the Clan Cyorse. It feels very British, as the cult takes to the proverbial streets, to cheerily tell everyone the end was near and they'd all be dead soon. The Clan Cyorse's "god" is not a friendly, benevolent force; in fact, they seem to be worshipping a familiar looking fist...And Captain Cabre-Rios is worried the cult might be up to something, when Galactus arrives!

Kind of like Warheads, I wonder if this might not have been more successful in 2000 AD: with other characters to help carry the load, it maybe could have continued and been allowed to build up its own fanbase. And it maybe might have gone somewhere interesting, faster, without Marvel guest-stars? (More were coming!) There already felt like a bunch going on here, we don't know this issue why they're even out there at this point, and then Galactus? But, you maybe need him for that cover, so...

Of course, with the glow-in-the-dark gimmick, I think the print run for this first issue was pretty big: you could probably find it in quarter bins near you. But later issues...well, if you find them cheap, let me know! Read more!

I was more excited to see "Mystery in Space!" on the cover, than anybody else that's on there.

There's an Adam Strange cover that used "Misery in Space!" I'm a sucker for whenever DC uses this or a variant of it. From 1994, New Titans #111, "The Extra Mile!" Written by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Matt Thompson, inks by Rus Sever.

At first glance, I thought this was from the much later Dan Jurgens/Young Atom era of the Titans: nope! It's Arsenal, Changeling, Pantha and Kid Wildebeest on the cover; but none of them are the main focus inside. In South America, Dick Grayson has found Starfire, who has apparently been living with the natives, and doesn't seem to recognize Dick. But no time for love, as her adopted village is attacked from space, by a satellite controlled by the "Teraizer." Or Teraizers, that might have been the group's name: they were extortionists running under cover of being environmentalists. The other Titans were there in a LexCorp shuttle, and after Starfire takes a hit, Russian member Red Star risks flying out to save her.

Back on the ground, Dick shakes it off, and falls back on Batman's training to help rescue villagers. The Teraizer leader increases his demands to earth's governments, and one of his underlings worries that he's overplaying their hand, when the Titans bust in. The Teraizers are of course no match for the Titans, and Starfire refrains from killing them to make an example of them: she asks "green boy" to turn the cameras back on, to tell earth a story...At a glance, Starfire would regain her memory next month, then an issue of Dick working through his Bat-issues, just in time for a big line-up shake-up for Zero Hour. They also seem determined that Arsenal is a marquis name, and I don't see it. Read more!

That seemed like a lot of shiny at the time, too.

Even though I have a copy next to me, we saw Avengers #366 some time back. Fortunately, we have another shiny cover to go to: from 1993, Avengers #369, "Bloodties, finale: Of Kith and Kin" Written by Bob Harras, pencils by Steve Epting and Jan Duursema, inks by Tom Palmer.

Exodus kills Fabian Cortez, to avenge his murder of Magneto, but doesn't return Magneto's granddaughter Luna to her parents Quicksilver and Crystal. The Avengers and X-Men, having fought earlier in the crossover, team up now, and receive a summons from Professor X. They're able to stop the Genoshan Magistrates, but then have to face Exodus: the Professor describes him as a "boy...seeking to fill the boots of a giant," but don't make excuses for him; I'm pretty sure he was older than that, which was part of why Black Knight seems to recognize Exodus but can't place him. (They had met when the Knight was living back during the Crusades.) Exodus worshipped Magneto, but sees Luna--a powerless human--as a throwback and maybe as a betrayal. The Knight and the Professor stop Exodus, and the Professor makes a speech to the warring factions of Genosha. Still, Exodus gets in a parting shot, zapping Quicksilver. He nearly dies, but the Black Knight manages to save him, which seems to end his relationship with Crystal, as he tells her "that's what friends are for!"

The immediate crisis was over in Genosha, but as Captain America and Professor X consider the situation, Genoshan mutate Jenny Ransome gives the Professor an earful, suggesting it was hypocritical for him to hide his mutant status from the world. Cap defends him a bit, but the Professor has to admit, she might be right. 

I did stop to look up: that 'death' didn't keep Fabian Cortez down for long. He would be back about the same time the "Joseph" version of Magneto turned up. I was going to say, even though I ordered one, I can't believe there's going to be a Fabian Cortez Marvel Legends, but it's currently mis-labeled as Husk now! But it also appeared to have, maybe some new shoulder pads and a new head; much less of an undertaking than an Exodus figure would be.

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Same, Jen, same.

Although, in continuity, Doc Samson might still think Jen's crazy for talking back to the reader, from way back in Incredible Hulk #442; but she could find a better headshrinker if she wanted! I figure she probably did, in her grimmer grey Hulk series, but today's book is way more colorful and cheery, even if it's still not smooth sailing. From 2022, She-Hulk #3 (LEG #166), written by Rainbow Rowell, art by Rogê Antônio. Cover by Jen Bartel.

I mention the cover, because Jack of Hearts hadn't looked that good in years, and we still didn't get a Marvel Legends of him? Missed a window there. Anyway, Jack looks better, because he wasn't currently dead or zombified or leaking radiation or anything. Although they had some bad experiences when they were on the Avengers together, Jen's put that in the rear-view mirror; and Jack was staying with her for a bit while he tried to figure out what to do with his life. Meanwhile, Jen tries to get back into the law game, which does involve the return of supporting character fave Awesome Andy (rebooted by his boss-slash-girlfriend Mallory Book) but she was hard-pressed for clients, since she was not supposed to be taking superhuman clients. Of course, that goes awry almost immediately, as Ben Grimm calls up trying to beat a leash-law summons--seriously, who would want Lockjaw leashed up? Who hates everything that much? Regardless, by issue #6, Jen would have some quality clients!

Later, Jen calls Hellcat, trying to get some background on Jack of Hearts; and Patsy helpfully volunteers to get Jack's Avengers file, from her then-boyfriend Tony Stark. And Jack discovers, not only can he eat and drink again, he can wear people-clothes and take off his power-containing armor! Jen gives him an oversized tee with a heart on it.

I had to look if it was still running, but this series would wrap at #15, then 10 more issues as Sensational She-Hulk. She and Jack would be a couple for most of it, but I would be surprised if he wasn't sent back into space at the end there, best case.

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"Greenie."

I've never had therapy--which hopefully doesn't show--but Doc Samson irritates me sometime. In fact, I was thinking of him getting clowned by a training robot in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, but he appeared in a strip in 2008, where Nightcrawler teleports him away! Sometimes he's a bit smug and know-it-all, and I felt like he was leering inappropriately at Polaris's new costume in X-Factor #87... 

Because I don't have a big yellow bubble to use, we've seen Quasar put people in a quantum-construct jail before, too. Oh, and Quasar's hanging out with an old friend: Makkari! Who is now a girl, because of the Eternals movie: regular 616-continuity has played it off as "Eternals change up sometimes" and left it at that. Quasar'd be cool with it, although I wonder how much sign language he knows.

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