We looked at Masks last month, and I mentioned having no idea what the Black Terror's deal was. This issue, sorta-kinda helps, but not really. From 1990, the Black Terror #3, written by Beau Smith and Chuck Dixon, art by Dan Brereton. 

The Black Terror in this one is Ryan Delvecchio, undercover G-man working as a hitter for the Capone family--in 1990! Allison Capone steps up as the latest heir to the family name, with an elaborate scheme to destroy America's financial structure and put the mob in charge of it. Delvecchio was the ninth Black Terror--the rest having died in the line of duty, which isn't a ringing endorsement--but the Terror had been intended to be the real force of justice in the country, while the FBI was largely useless paper-pushers. But his handlers may be ready for a tenth Black Terror... 

Got two issues of this the other day, and it's neat but doesn't have any connection to the original Black Terror comics other than the costume, which Brereton updates slightly with a trenchcoat rather than a cape. Said trenchcoat also features multiple buttons, not unlike Brereton's next book, the Psycho.

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So the "Death of X" variant cover for Nightcrawler is him getting burned at the stake; and for Deadpool it's...him dying in bed, surrounded by loved ones, evidence of a life well-led, and a cat and a rubber chicken? Oh, that seems fair...from 2016, Deadpool #15, written by Gerry Duggan, pencils by Mike Hawthorne, inks by Terry Pallot. This cover's by Dan Brereton; there were four covers total for this one; and the amount of series just titled "Deadpool" made this a bother to sort out. And it's a Civil War II crossover, so I'm just getting more irritated.

Deadpool's Mercs for Money have ransacked Pool's office, and along with "so much porn" they've discovered he's been skimming them, presumably cheating them out of the profits. Pool also had a safe deposit box in "Ho-ho-kus New Jersey," and Solo advises they should check that for the contracts Pool made them sign. (Wouldn't the skimming be a breach of contract on Pool's side? And why was Pool skimming?) The guys barely get along, and Foolkiller is accidentally-on-purpose knocked unconscious, but they head for the box. Meanwhile, Deadpool himself sneaks into the Ultimates' Triskelion headquarters, to see--and possibly kill--the Inhuman precog Ulysses. Pool claims he doesn't believe in Ulysses' powers, since "you can't possibly know my future, because even I don't know what I'm going to do from minute to minute. It's like what happens next isn't even written." Subtly meta for this book; but Ulysses suggests if Pool really meant to kill him, his powers would've given him the head's up. He seemingly contradicts that after Pool asks about his daughter, claiming he only sees massive disasters, not little stuff. On the other hand, he sees the Mercs headed to Pool's box; looks like it's on channel 4?

Placated, Pool storms off, and immediately runs into the Black Panther, who is not amused. Especially when Pool ducks out to "deliver a glorious upper decker." Bastard! After exchanging kicks to the groin, Panther knocks Pool out a window, and mangled and broken Pool is somehow able to get away, even as Panther throws a toilet at him. Somebody probably had to clean that up, man! Pool is also able to get to Ho-ho-kus as the Mercs finally find the right deposit box, with the contracts and tapes of "the event that made him famous in Washington D.C." That refers to the first issue or so, I think; but Solo tells them that wasn't even Deadpool, it was him. That shocker is followed by another: Pool lobbing in a bomb, and telling the Mercs he was going to have to let them go..."into a fine pink mist."

I only read this run sporadically, so I'm not sure why Pool is such a dick to the Mercs? Did he need the money that badly, something with his kid maybe? Did he hate them because he hated himself? Was being the biggest jerk the only way to keep them in line? Or was he messing with them just because?


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'Kaiju Hellboy' is a bit dismissive, but...

From Giantkiller #4, story and art by Dan Brereton. And it's really a fun series: in California, 1999, Mount Diablo erupts and then just as suddenly stops. That's not the weirdest part: the area becomes swamped with poison gas, electrical disturbances...and giant monsters, straight-up Kaiju.

Using hybrid technology and human and monsters DNA, Dr. Steven Azuma creates Jack, the Giantkiller, and raises him as an American, with a samurai code. Jack quickly takes to killing the monsters, but is he killing his own kind? Will Jack turn on humanity? What caused the monsters' arrival? And, Jack wonders, if he's the only one who can go into the monsters' poisonous environment, who named them for the field guide?

The field guide, Giantkiller A to Z: A Field Guide to Big Monsters, is a great addendum to the main series. In fact, not all the monsters even get to appear in the book! It's a fun read, and might be easier to find as singles than in trade; but man, I wish Jack would've gotten an action figure. Giantkiller, Robot 13, Badger, Ghost, Atomic Robo...that would be my "B.P.R.D. of Extraordinary Gentlemen."

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Franken-Castle #21 came out on Wednesday, the conclusion of the storyline with the Punisher turned monster. I hadn't read the other issues, but this one guest-starred Morbius the Living Vampire, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, and Elsa Bloodstone; and featured Dan Brereton art. Sold!


It's so good, that the epilogue, featuring a return to form for Frank, is a bit disappointing. Sure, no one expected Franken-Castle to be a permanent change for the Punisher, but I just got on and wasn't ready for the ride to end yet. That, and Frank's method of sending a message to the local criminals, hit a false note with me. It seemed like something a super-hero would do, whereas Frank would just leave a pile of corpses and call it a "message."

It's also a little sad that Franken-Castle has come and gone without getting an action figure. A Marvel Universe 3 3/4" one wouldn't have been unappreciated; but a Legends scale version? Perhaps another Marvel Monster box set, with Man-Spider, Cap-Wolf, and, I don't know, BloodStorm maybe? (Man-Spider has had figures here and there before, but I missed him.) Ah, if only...

Scan from Franken-Castle #21, written by Rick Remender, art by Dan Brereton. Find it now, since I don't think a trade'll be ready for Halloween...


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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?
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