No Born Again today? Boo.

I've had Disney+ since like day one, on some cheap introductory offer that got progressively less cheap later, but I'm not sure it's ever been a huge value: sure, I can watch Avengers movies whenever, but I think I can count on my thumbs how many times they've had two new shows that I wanted to watch running new episodes at the same time. (To be fair, I'll watch new Doctor Who soon!) Still, I really did like Daredevil: Born Again, even though I was very disappointed at the end of episode 8, "Isle of Joy," that a creator or two didn't get their names in the thank-you section at the end. 

Spoilers after the break!  Read more.

In that episode, Bullseye--or rather 'Benjamin Poindexter,' since the show doesn't always use costumes or names--breaks out of prison; and he does it about the same way he did in this issue: from 1990, Captain America #372, "Sold on Ice!" Written by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Danny Bulanadi.

This was the start of the bi-weekly serial "Streets of Poison," best remembered for Captain America on crack; but Mark Gruenwald was trying to reconcile how, in the "Just Say No" era, was it okay that Cap got his powers from drugs? And the answer is yes, of course it is, because he got those drugs as part of a complicated regiment administered and monitored by the finest doctors and scientists in the world at the time; it wasn't something he was peer-pressured into huffing out of a glass pipe in an alley. Cap ends the storyline after a blood transfusion, with the Super-Soldier Serum no longer in his blood; but Gruenwald himself would backpedal on that shortly: the changes the Serum made in Cap were more than just serum floating around his bloodstream. Yet, despite starting on an iffy premise, "Streets of Poison" is a banger, with the cracked-out Cap becoming increasingly deranged, a Kingpin vs. Red Skull fight, and guest-star Daredevil getting wrecked so hard he'd lose his memory in his own title! (Setting up another classic, building up to DD #290!) But, today we're here for Bullseye's escape:

Most of his introduction here, regards his specialized cell in an upstate prison: because he could throw about anything as a deadly weapon, precautions had to be taken, like him sleeping on a mattress cemented to the ground and forced to eat mush out of a bowl on the floor like a dog. Was it cruel and unusual punishment? Gruenwald mentions the ACLU trying to get him moved; but after a hunger strike, Bullseye "trips" and smashes his face into the wall of his cell. When the guards go to check on him, Bullseye spits one of his own teeth into a guard's eye! Even with a mangled mouth, his cruelty still shows, as he tells the guard "Haff no illusions. You're gonna die." It's a horrifying bit, that Bullseye would use later in "Streets," as he spits a false tooth at Crossbones to get out of a headlock. (Crossbones is a quality thug, but not in Bullseye's league, except up close!) I'm not sure if I've seen Bullseye spit teeth since; although he very likely could've in his Thunderbolts stint.

Lim and Bulanadi are at their best in this serial; but Gruenwald may have unintentionally sold ice, as a weight-lost supplement: tech doofus Fabian is described as having lost 30 pounds since the last time Cap had seen him! Sure, he was paranoid and weird now, but still. Anyway, they should have got a mention at the end of the episode; but I'll thank them here.  Read more!

I scanned one panel from this one, about 15 years ago, for an out-of-office post: long since time for a proper blogging! From 1991, Silver Surfer #48, "Confronting One's Maker!" Written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tom Christopher.

Even though Thanos has just gotten the Infinity Gems and the entire multiverse was in danger, the Silver Surfer pauses on the way to earth with Drax the Destroyer, with the need to attend to a personal matter. He likewise sidesteps former fling Nova, on the way to see her boss and his former master, Galactus. Galactus notes the lack of deference in the Surfer's tone, as much as suggesting he check himself. The Surfer pauses, then presses on, for details of their initial alliance. To Galactus, what's to discuss? You saved Zenn-La and got a surfboard. Quit your bitching. It was a good deal for you.

Was it, though? A recent encounter with an alien murderer caused the Surfer to realize, he didn't seem to feel guilty for his part in Galactus destroying "hundreds of worlds," a death toll doubtless in the billions. (I was going to say that was from a seemingly throwaway story in SS Annual #3, but that story had as many pages as this one!) And a recent encounter with Adam Warlock had revealed "Alterations! Modifications! Tampering!" Someone had quite literally changed the Surfer's mind, and he had a pretty good idea who: Galactus. Who makes no bones about it: he needed his herald to do certain things, that Norrin Radd would not have been capable of. Without hesitation, the Surfer asks Galactus to "undo (his) handiwork," which warrants a somewhat gentler caution from Galactus: you sure about that? Your funeral...

There is no flash, no Kirby krackle for this change; merely as Galactus puts it, "a subtle epiphany." The Surfer is fine, for a moment, before the metaphorical blood seems to literally appear on his hands. And it's a lot. He sinks into a sea of blood, seemingly lost forever, until pulled out by Galactus. Galactus offers to put the mental barriers back, but the Surfer again refuses--is that three times he's denied Galactus this issue? I feel like that could be a Christ-metaphor in itself; no shortage of those here. Pulling himself together, the Surfer warns Galactus of the menace of Thanos, but he is as yet unimpressed.

After the Surfer resumes his journey to earth, Galactus calls Thanos out, he knew he was there. Thanos warns Galactus to stay out of it, and to underline his point, wipes away the world Galactus was about to eat, like it never was. His feeding cancelled, Galactus isn't done with the mad Titan. But closer than Thanos would think, in the Soul Gem, Adam Warlock tells the collected denizens within that he would be returning to battle him...

The cover of that one is still one of the most striking images of the Silver Surfer ever, y'ask me. As evidenced by the fact I knew exactly where I had this trading card of it! Let's check out the back:

Also, it's no laughing matter, but I find it darkly hilarious the Surfer thought he was fine--for about three seconds. "I feel nothin--OH CHRIST, BLOOD! BLOOD! AAAGH--!!"

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Do wolves make for good coats? His girl seems to dig hers, but she may just be creepy...

From 1988, Badger #36, "Dire Wolf" Written by Mike Baron, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Jay Geldhof. Cover by Mike Zeck!

 Badger goes to help out his friend Midge, who is trying to keep Ronson, the insane wolf-trapping descendant of an insane wolf-trapper, from running her off her ranch. Picking a fight with the local goons at a bar, Badger gets chased by the stereotypical redneck pickup, but is saved by a giant dire wolf. That doesn't mean it's friendly, though...

Ronson seems like he could be a match for Badger: he looks like Bluto in a wolf vest, with a vampire-looking girlfriend. There weren't a ton of recurring bad guys in this book, though. And there's a couple serious moments, as Midge isn't sure what to make of Norbert's Badger persona or his enthusiasm for "funny knives." This is also pretty early Ron Lim art, but he was pretty good then too!

Quick one today, so start the weekend early! Have fun.

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Mmm-mmm, Conan! That's good eatin'!

I know I had this issue from a subscription, but not unlike Fantastic Four around the same time, I was waiting for a promised new storyline to begin, and there was a lot of filler before we got there. From 1990, Conan the Barbarian #228, "Red Teeth" Written by Gerry Conway, breakdowns by Dwayne Turner, cover and finishes by Rodney Ramos.

Conan is seeing a hot dancing girl, Lyanda; and is getting a little tired of other men coveting her: he wants her to quit, and he will support her. She laughs at that, on a mercenary's salary? But their discussion is interrupted by an intruder in her bedroom: her brother, Rasu. Rasu was a captain in the palace guard, but had to keep his parentage and family on the downlow to protect his career. He had to hide out at his sister's, since General Mustafa may have suspected him of disloyalty, and several disloyal men had already disappeared mysteriously. In short order, they are attacked: Conan suggests they fight in the dark, but that doesn't seem to have put the other side at a disadvantage: instead, the small, bitey foes flee from the light.

Rasu explains Mustafa had risen quickly through the ranks, but demanded personal loyalty from his troops, and those who wouldn't swear to him often vanished later. Lyanda wants Rasu to flee, but he's not ready to give up yet, especially if Conan will join him. If Rasu could make general, he could make Conan a captain, and Lyanda would be all his...or so she suggests while giving Rasu a wink. Meanwhile, Mustafa is punishing another he felt betrayed him; so when Conan and Rasu sneak into his place, they find a trail of blood leading to a dank, dark stairway. Mustafa had discovered these cannibal, Moloid-looking creatures; and they had a good working relationship: Mustafa set them on his foes, and they got to eat them. Win-win!

Mustafa tells Rasu he has to die, but if Conan would offer his oath and his sword, he could live. Not unexpectedly, Conan gives him his sword, throwing it hard enough to impale Mustafa. The cannibals aren't really broken up about this, nor are they sentimental enough to not start eating Mustafa; which Conan hopes will give him and Rasu time to escape...This was a two-parter, and pretty sure Rasu and Lyanda were going to betray Conan in the next one.

There's also a preview on the letters page for the "new" Conan; which would be Young Conan with Ron Lim art, which wouldn't start until #232. Now I'm not sure if this was a fill-in, or scheduled; there was another two-parter coming.

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Along with an inexplicably large collection of Venom figures, I also have a curiously large pile of Venom comics. (Somewhere.) But like a lot of villains (and heroes, for that matter) he moves forward for several years, then gets put right back on square one, more or less. Or does he? From 2017, Venom #150, "Heart of Darkness" Written by Mike Costa, art by Tradd Moore, color art by Felipe Sobreiro; "Dependence Day" Written by Robbie Thompson, art by Gerardo Sandoval, color art by Dono Sanchez-Almara; and "Malled!" Written by David Michelinie (Venom's co-creator!) pencils by Ron Lim, inks by John Livesay.

Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote are together again: they're happy about it, but very obviously co-dependent as hell. Out for an evening swing, they stop some armored goons breaking into a biotech firm to steal a proprietary tomato, with what Eddie has to admit is excessive force. Unsure in himself and his "reunion," Eddie returns to the church where he first met the symbiote. He tells the priest there he no longer believes in God, but after discussing his "relationship" in broad strokes, the priest recognizes an unhealthy obsession. The symbiote doesn't care to hear that, and tells Eddie he wants to hurt anyone who comes between them. Like maybe Scorpion, who attacks wanting revenge on "that nightmare inside of you," that he used to wear!

The Scorpion has some add-ons to his usual look, courtesy of his employer Alchemax. Despite knowing the symbiote's sonic weakness, he gets outmaneuvered by it getting inside his own suit, and punched out by Eddie. Eddie passes out, with the symbiote assuring him it will take care of him...which it does, taking him back to the church, and attacking the priest!

The next story takes place sometime earlier, when Flash Thompson still had the suit: back in NYC, Agent Venom is attacked by an armored foe that separates them with a sonic weapon. Flash is then unable to calm the symbiote down, and it takes off. Flash stops the armored guy, but leaves him to go after the symbiote...and doesn't find him. Consumed by anger again, the symbiote seems to fall back into old habits, and takes over a bum in the sewers, presumably on his way to Eddie.

The next story is even further back, a flashback to Venom's early days hunting Spider-Man. Staking out a mall, they figure Spidey might show up to stop a gang; then ends up stopping them...themselves. Still, when a security guard freaks out and tries to give up an innocent to protect himself from Venom, they kill him, and muse about how betrayal is good, since it gives them a target.


Like Silver Surfer #200, this issue has the cover gallery of Venom's 150 issues; largely the string of miniseries he had in the 90's. And if you look for this in trade, the next issue has the great title, The Land Before Crime, featuring Venom vs. Stegron the Dinosaur Man!
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I think I had the whole run, minus one issue that I have now but still don't like, but I may have lost most of the Atlantis Attacks annuals over the years. So, I've been re-buying them here and there as I stumble across them, and set up a tag for them here as well; since they probably won't end up in the same box anytime soon. Today, chapter one! Even if we've checked out a couple others before. From 1989, Silver Surfer Annual #2, "How Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth..." Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Keith Williams. Englehart and Lim were the regular Silver Surfer team at the time, and would be until Englehart left after #31, which also features Williams.

This issue cleverly uses the space-travelling Surfer, without having to drag him back to earth, again. While the Dreaming Celestial stirs restlessly on earth, the Surfer loses control of his board, after passing through a mysterious cloud of space dust. Using the power cosmic, the Surfer reconstitutes the Deviant Ghaur, who had been disincorporated some time back. (In Iron Man Annual #6, even though the editorial footnote says #7!) The Surfer is less than pleased with this turn of events, while Ghaur goes on about this being his godlike destiny. Ghaur attacks the Surfer, but soon realizes he's not at full strength (or is way out of his league...) and traps the Surfer momentarily and flees. Now, the Surfer knows full well Ghaur will almost certainly be up to no good as soon as he gets back to earth, but he had his own problems, in the form of a new Kree-Skrull War, that had dragged Zenn-La in.

Ghaur returns to earth, and heads straight for the underwater city Lemuria, where he frees long-time Sub-Mariner villainess, Llyra. He needs her help, because he's learned about something called the Serpent Crown...Meanwhile, the Surfer tries to transmit his thoughts to earth--something I'm not sure I've seen him try since--and his warning is seemingly received by Dr. Strange, Alpha Flight's Talisman...and the Dreaming Celestial.

The rest of the issue features, like the rest of the AA annuals, a hodgepodge of back-up features and the serialized recap "The Saga of the Serpent Crown," written by Peter Sanderson, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Keith Williams. (Did they do the whole serial? Maybe we'll see!) We may check out one of the back-ups here later, in our ongoing exposé of pirates being dicks.
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"Paul Bunyan Machine my ass!"

I was looking for this issue over a year ago, when we checked out the prior chapter, so let's finally check out the fabled Paul Bunyan machine, from 1989's Badger #48, "Juju Jaguar" Written by Mike Baron, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Paul Abrams.

With the aid of the Juju Jaguar, the other assorted animals of the rain forest, and the cross-dressing Handmaidens of the Sacred Blood; Badger and Ham try to stop Gichen Rotsaruck from clear-cutting the entire Amazon. Which is a tall order, since Rotsaruck just received the Paul Bunyan Machine!

The machine does prove to be quite formidable, and between it and his martial arts skill Rotsaruck is able to fend off attacks from Badger, Ham, the head nun, and the Juju Jaguar; before falling prey to a boa constrictor. Just as silly as the previous issue, but fun. If I'm not mistaken, the somewhat more serious Badger Goes Berzerk mini-series was coming up, so Baron may have taken the opportunity to have as much fun as he could first.
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I absolutely love the current, Dan Slott/Mike Allred run on Silver Surfer. It swipes liberally from Dr. Who, and I mean that in the best possible way: the addition of a "companion," breaks the Surfer out of his somewhat stodgy shell. And the title is often funny, something the Surfer's comics usually aren't. Excepting today's issue, of course: from 1990, Silver Surfer #33, "Nothing is Impossible, Man!" Written by Jim Valentino, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tom Christopher.

This issue, the Silver Surfer runs into the Impossible Man. Pretty much literally.

Huh, it occurs to me that Impy predates the Surfer by several years: Impy first appeared in Fantastic Four #11, while the Surfer wouldn't show until #48. But it's not surprising they hadn't met until now, since Impy is fun personified, or at least trying too hard; while the Surfer hadn't shown even the hint of a sense of humor, ever.

We're just taking a moment to point out this miscarriage of justice, that the Impossible Man has an action figure, while Spider-Ham doesn't!

Impy's on the run from the Ergonian space fleet, over a "minor misunderstanding involving their queen," and the Surfer is forced to disable their ships to keep them from killing Impy. Still, the Surfer makes him apologize and promise to never return to their world, with a scathing lecture. The Surfer, figuring Impy is at the same level as a child, decides to stop wasting his time yelling at him, and takes the Ergonians home. Impy, having learned nothing, mulls over where to cause havoc next, when the Ergonian captain gets the drop on him! No, that was the Surfer, showing Impy how it feels to be on the other end of a practical joke. The Surfer then leaves, feeling the Impossible Man will have learned his lesson and may even need a new name...yeah, not so much.

As Marvel sometimes did, this was a lighthearted little issue, before events turned serious again: the next issue featured Jim Starlin and Thanos!
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Almost nine years of Random Happenstance, yet I still could've just named this stupid blog "Where did I put that goddamn comic?" Luckily, I found this issue the other day, and while it wasn't quite the one I was looking for, at least I didn't break my rule about buying a comic just because I can't find it right now...and actually that's not so much a "rule," as it is a "suggestion." Maybe just a notion...From 1989, Badger #47, "Handmaidens of the Sacred Blood" Written by Mike Baron, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Paul Abrams.

Harvesting rare hardwoods, corrupt corporations invade the Brazilian rain forest, closing in on the last habitat of the Juju Jaguar. The Handmaidens of the Sacred Blood, a convent founded by transsexual ex-Nazis but expanded to include ex-corporate types seeking redemption, defend the forest; but fear they may not be enough. So, they call Badger and Ham for help, who come a'running, with Badger's new wife Mavis as well. Badger's a little put out that Mavis helps herself to one of his shirts, his uniform in camo; but while Mavis loves her husband, she doesn't put up with a lot of his crap, either.

Captured while investigating the loggers, Badger and Ham face Gichen Rotsaruck, who may be borderline offensive; and piss him off with haiku. Or doggerel, at any rate. Badger challenges Rotsaruck, who reportedly was a "third degree black belt from the All-Japan Karate Club," and pummels him a bit around the head and shoulders. Rotsaruck dishonorably goes back on his word to free them, but Mavis does, also blowing up a batch of logging equipment. Rotsaruck swears bigger machines are coming, and as our heroes leave, they encounter the Juju Jaguar...

A somewhat silly issue, but a bit of fun. Ron Lim had a few issues left here, before Marvel grabbed him!
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A "Ghosts" Annual titled "Ghosts." Green Lantern Annual #7!

This issue has the same title as the crossover, and I wonder if it'll be the only one that does: Green Lantern Annual #7, "Ghosts" Written by Steve Vance, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Doug Hazlewood and Kim DeMulder.

While taking care of a highway accident, new GL Kyle Rayner is moping over his dead girlfriend Alex, missing the days when his life was a lot less complicated. Things don't get any simpler today either, since dead GL Abin Sur shows up to help him out. (At this point in continuity, Hal was dead but a Hal from the past was still around...) Abin tells Kyle something is bringing back the dead; and while Kyle wants to see if Alex is back, Abin tells him to put aside his personal concerns and deal with the problem. Then Abin disappears, leaving it to Kyle.

After recharging his ring, Kyle follows the ring's scan into space, finding a planet reforming itself with green energy: Mojo. And other GL's are rising from Mojo's surface, including Kilowog! Kyle's freaked out by the "Green Lantern Corpses," who immediately attack him. Kilowog points out Kyle had recently been to the past, and maybe could've given them a heads-up about Hal Jordan destroying the Corps and killing most of them. He might have a point, but really the dead GL's are being controlled by Nekron, in what I think was his first appearance since the Tales of the Green Lantern Corps miniseries in 1981. Kyle is sucked into Nekron's death-realm, forced to listen to a lot of recap, then fights his way back, where he realizes he has to re-kill the dead Lanterns.

Mogo and Kilowog give Kyle the most trouble, but Kilowog tells Kyle "Thanks, poozer. Ya set us free." Cool even in death, although I don't know how this reconciles with their later return. (A common problem in this type of comic; you'd see the same sort of thing in Avengers "Legion of the Unliving" issues.) Kyle tells Nekron to bring on anything else he's got, and Nekron's...got nothing. Whatever brought back the ghosts wasn't his doing, he just tried to capitalize on it. After the portal to Nekron's realm closes, Kyle flies back to earth and visits Alex's grave, and finally lets her go. (Maybe.)

We'll continue our look at the Ghosts crossover...at some point, when I find where I put those...

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Taking "straight repaint" off the table as an option.

I was actually looking for this issue, then ended up reading Mark Waid's entire (second) run of Captain America. And the twenty-some issues after it...and some of the Marvel Knights run. This is from 1991's Captain America #386, "For Righteousness's Sake" Written by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Danny Bulanadi; and guest-starring USAgent.

Since I was thinking about the possibly forthcoming USAgent action figure, I wanted this panel, to reference the height difference between Cap and USAgent. Oddly, I think Cap is likewise taller than Bucky-Cap, so USAgent must've towered over him, before his current status quo in Thunderbolts. But poor John's status quo seems to be extremely up to the writer. More so than most characters, I mean.

This particular issue, USAgent wants in on Cap's current case, involving the militia group the Watchdogs. An old friend of Cap's and his old girlfriend Bernie are involved, so Cap doesn't want him involved. Especially since he knows the Agent's parents were killed by a Watchdogs group, and John might be a little bloodthirsty in bringing them in. But USAgent plays it a little smarter than usual this time; both planting a bug on Cap's shield, then restraining himself from killing any of the Watchdogs this time. It's a better showing for the Agent than he would usually get in the pages of Captain America: he did not fare well in the issues I mentioned reading above, but we'll take a look at that some other time.

Also this issue: no animals were harmed.

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That cell doesn't have a toilet, but you don't think of the Surfer as having to use one...

Concluding the "Dynamo City" saga, Silver Surfer #43, "Termination" Written by Jim Starlin and Ron Marz, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Keith Williams. The Silver Surfer waits in a cell for trial, with his friend Zeaklar. The old-timer was knocked out last issue, and still hasn't regained consciousness. Having nothing left to lose, the Surfer fights the guard robots, and gets nowhere.

Knocked out again, the Surfer wakes up midway through the trial, as the robot prosecutor accuses him of attempting to murder the Great I. (The judge and jury are robots as well, which again makes me think Dynamo City's upper class were all robots, exploiting the meatbag peasants.) The Surfer exclaims he did not, and the Great I is a vegetable anyway; but his remarks are stricken from the record. For good measure, the defense attorney is unplugged, since it would be a waste of power, the judge tells the Surfer he's guilty as hell. Finally bound and gagged, a litany of witnesses for the prosecution testify; some of whom had actually met the Surfer. The jury renders the verdict:

The Surfer and the still-out Zeaklar are taken to the Termination Platform. While he never thought he'd go out like that, the Surfer does seem to be at least a little relieved that his ordeal there will be over. Worse, Zeaklar finally wakes up, and the Surfer has to tell him they've been tried, found guilty, and about to be executed. Oddly, he's not worried, as the Termination Platform lights up...

...and teleports them into space! While Zeaklar has to suck vacuum for a few seconds, the Surfer's powers return and he creates a cube of oxygen for him. Zeaklar had realized the Surfer was slated for execution, then remembered the method, and that it wouldn't hurt him. He was also smart enough to realize he could get out as well, if Dynamo City wasn't smart enough to use an alternative method of execution. Which is exactly what the arriving guard robots suggest: being sore losers, they try to take the Surfer and Zeaklar back. As you might expect, the Surfer isn't having that.

Destroying the robots, and reconstituting his board, the Silver Surfer plans on tearing Dynamo City apart. Zeaklar protests, and the Surfer asks how, since he was held there for ten years? (It was three years! That's the second odd number error in this storyline...) Zeaklar points out the city's got a ton of robots, and at some point the hull would get breeched, killing the people. The Surfer agonizes over that for a moment, but the only move left is to walk away, giving the cheerfully freed Zeaklar a ride home.

So, what's the moral of Dynamo City? Bureaucracy is evil, but doesn't think outside the box? You can't lay faith in any outside force saving you, since like Drax, it could be hopelessly inept. Ditto any appeal to authority, the I's not listening. Or, is the moral that the only way to deal with a corrupt system is to fold and walk away? I like to think the moral is that when the Surfer was forced to be Galactus's herald again, Dynamo City was the first place they went.

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The Silver Surfer is having trouble brooding without his board...

Silver Surfer #42, "A Second Chance" Written by Jim Starlin and Ron Marz, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tom Christopher and Christopher Ivy. Still trapped in Dynamo City, the Silver Surfer is at a loss for what to do next; and old-timer Zeaklar tells him "the same thing everybody else does: you keep right on trying and failing and trying again." That cheerful pep talk is followed by explosions, as all good pep talks should be: the city's security robots are on the losing end of a battle with Drax the Destroyer. Finding proof Thanos was still alive, he got the Surfer's whereabouts from one of the city's robots and came to get him. The Surfer jumps at the chance to get out of there, and Drax takes off...without him! (As mentioned, Drax was pretty severely brain-damaged at that point.)

The incident does snap the Surfer out of his self-pity: the universe could be in danger, and he can't waste his time there. He resolves to explain himself to the city's ruler, the Great I...except he can't get in to see him. Back to self-pity, then. Zeaklar also points out that like himself, the Surfer already has three strikes, and the city law gets tough on the fourth offense: termination. The Surfer figures he has to get out on his next try, then.

A passersby makes a suggestion: energy-casters are hired to make light-shows over the city once a week, cheap entertainment for the masses. The Surfer would be perfect for that, either to earn credits and buy his way out, or use the power against the government, or to merely escape. He invites Zeaklar to come with him, to help with the negotiations.

Reviewing the contract, Zeaklar realizes they would be charged for the power, and would end up owing the suits money. Unfazed, the Surfer tells him to take the deal: he's going to get out, or die trying. Even that plan hits a snag: a power damper prevents the Surfer from pulling enough juice to escape. But maybe he could get to the Great I...

During his light-show, the Surfer's cosmic senses come back. Sensing no evil from the Great I, he makes a break for him, using all the power he was able to absorb. Finally before Dynamo City's ruler, the Surfer makes an empassioned speech, imploring the I to stop the bureaucratic evil done in his name...before realizing the I can't hear him. An upper-crust suit (another robot? Was the whole city robots enslaving aliens?) explains the Great I is senseless, but an immense data processor; and that the Surfer is in a lot of trouble.

As the Surfer is beaten and dragged off by security, Zeaklar realizes his friend is doomed...when it seems he has an idea. He rushes forward and kicks one of the security robots, and is promptly one-punched unconscious. The two are dragged away, to Termination Court...next Friday, the conclusion of "Dynamo City!"
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This issue features my favorite Silver Surfer cover, but I didn't scan it...

Silver Surfer #41, "Job Hunting" Written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tom Christopher. Trapped and powerless on Dynamo City, the Silver Surfer is forced to try to find gainful employment, so he can make fifty credits for the exit tax and get out of there. After a long wait in line, a robot interviews the Surfer, who isn't exactly work-force material, and sheepishly admits his last job was Herald to Galactus:

Although he gets a job lugging girders around a construction site, the Surfer is fired when he overheats; his silver skin roasting him. Now a vagrant, he is directed to Tent City, a shantytown home for Dynamo City's underclass. Some are trapped there like the Surfer, but for others this is just a setback on the road to fabulous wealth. (Or not.)

The Surfer meets Zeaklar, an old man who's been stuck in Dynamo City for three years. He explains the underground economy, which pays in food or goods, but never credits; keeping the poor workforce right where the city wants them. Run by the never-seen "Great I," the city is supposedly a masterpiece of free enterprise, where anyone can make it big. In reality, that's propaganda, and the bureaucracy is a never-ending series of hoops to keep the poor jumping through. It's a theme Jim Starlin's used before, and I would love to go with him to say, the DMV. That would be a hoot.

A small urchin tells the Surfer he could sell his dreams, which would be broadcast as entertainment. Then, he could earn the five credits (it was fifty last issue!) and get out, but Zeaklar warns him of the negotiators. Still, the Surfer blurts out his price (200 credits, so he could take 39 people with him) before hearing their offer...

The broadcast doesn't go especially well either, with the Surfer strapped to a chair and mind-probes ripping out his memories to show. It does give Ron Lim five or so pages to run down the Surfer's history, which seems to run from sad to sadder. And then it gets worse: violated and enraged, the Surfer tries to restrain himself until he gets paid. And he gets: two credits.

The Surfer gets roughed up by the guard robots, and thrown out into the street. When he wakes up, even his two credits are gone (it's not like the Surfer had pockets...) and he's left to shuffle back to Shanty Town. Of course, this is merely fiction, and I'm sure none of this would never happen in real life. Uh-huh.

We'll check back with the Silver Surfer next Friday: will his luck improve? Well, it's part three of four, so I'm gonna go out on a limb and say no.

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As I write this, the Gary Friedrich/Ghost Rider case just broke the news, and suffice to say, I'm super-pissed at Marvel. It's one thing to not give creator credit or any sort of compensation, but it's quite another to shake down an older gentleman with health issues for $17,000. I wouldn't say I was looking forward to Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, but I probably would've coughed up to see it in the cheap theatre. Now, I don't want any part of it. We'll see if Marvel, as a faceless corporate entity, does anything to rectify this between now and when this posts; or more likely, if Friedrich has to appeal his case. (Steve Niles has set up to get donations to Mr. Friedrich: there may be more to his case, like Marvel being forced to defend their copyright, but it's still the right thing to help the guy out with a few bucks. And that movie is starting to look a little more tempting...)

But, today we'll start looking at a run of books with a series of lessons that are as true now, as when they were written. From 1990, Silver Surfer #40, "Welcome to Dynamo City" Written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tom Christopher. We mentioned before that the Surfer believed he had killed Thanos, and this issue opens with him returning the body to Titan. Although they don't say as much, both Thanos's father Mentor and brother Starfox are a bit relieved. Drax doesn't buy it: connected by "cosmic binds," he can feel Thanos laughing. Unfortunately, since his resurrection, Drax was, put politely, brain damaged; so no one believes him. (And nobody runs a DNA test or anything on the corpse...if Eternals have DNA; and the corpse could've been rendered inert matter as well.)

The Surfer takes his leave, resolving to stay vigilant to the possibility of Thanos's return; but is in short order surprised by a robot. It's a process server, from a place called Dynamo City. Thanos had recently become a citizen there, and by law any citizen's death had to be investigated. Although his 'death' was accidental, it was while trying to kill half the universe--literally, half--and the Surfer feels it was justifiable. Still, he has better things to do than go testify somewhere he's never heard of; but the robot mentions Thanos's last will and testament. Intrigued, the Surfer agrees, but warns the robot that he is not bound by Dynamo City's laws, and that trying to restrict him would be "hazardous."

Using a dimensional portal, the Surfer and the robot arrive at the mysterious city, a gigantic domed metropolis in space. The robot recommends Landing Bay #7, as it will have enough room for the Surfer's landing. Before the Surfer can finish asking what that's supposed to mean, his board disappears from under him, and he skids to an undignified crash. The robot explains, what he didn't tell the Surfer, is that Dynamo City is a "omni-energy absorbing complex," sucking in all forms of energy to the city's central battery; and that by law, all power belongs to the government. Most of that just flies right by the Surfer, since he's freaking out a bit, and tries to get back out.

The security robot goons drag him to his court appearance, where a robot judge uses a mind probe to view Thanos's death. While waiting for the robot jury to render a verdict, the Surfer views Thanos's video will. Magnanimously, he leaves all his holdings in the city to the citizens, "whom I owe so much," although he ominously mentions his holdings off-world are under separate contract--a thinly veiled warning. Then, an outright threat, specifically for the Surfer: figuring if he's dead, it was probably the Surfer who got him, and Thanos was not one to let something like that go. He went to great trouble setting this up...

The expression, "kangaroo court" occurs to the Surfer. He thinks the court will find him guilty, then execute him; but he's wrong. The jury finds "Citizen Thanos was involved in a conspiracy to murder half the population of the Milky Way galaxy, a class-A felony under galactic law." No charges are filed against the Surfer, who thinks this is one trap of Thanos's "that failed to snap shut." He's wrong again. Back at the landing bay, a robot stops the Surfer, saying he can't leave until he pays his exit tax, fifty credits. Unable to push his way past them, the Surfer is "trapped, powerless, and unemployed. What next?" Next, my favorite Silver Surfer cover ever, next week!

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