Your Happenstance page for today:

Entirely too much mustache coming at you from Astonishing Tales #34, featuring Deathlok the Demolisher; "And all the King's Madmen..." Produced, concept, plot and art by Rich Buckler; script by Bill Mantlo and inks by Klaus Janson. The "produced" tag never really caught on for comics, did it? Although, when I think of producers in terms of movies, I usually think "the guy that fronted the money."

I swear, I thought I saw Essential Deathlok in the Marvel solicits, but after a quick search, I either imagined it or saner heads prevailed. The collected Deathlok might not be a modern classic, but hey, it's not like Essential Werewolf by Night or Essential Godzilla are bloody Shakespeare, and I'm sure as hell glad I've got those. A collected Deathlok would be so much easier than trying to track all his appearances down; since I know he also showed up in Marvel Two-In-One and possibly Marvel Team-Up before his showing in Captain America in the eighties.
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Today's Happenstance panels...

...are late. Sorry. The one time I've had to blog all week, and my computer decides it's update-running time. I did finish most of next week's strip, though: I just have a little cut-and-paste left, and done, I think.

I'm not sure I've even read a comic this week, though. Busy, and I might not even get to the comic shop until Monday. Heck, even if I got in now, I wouldn't have the time to sit down and read them; especially Seaguy, since I want to read all three issues. (I enjoyed the first two more than most of Morrison's other recent work, though.) I saw the DC sales numbers yesterday over at the Beat (sorry, no link, just hit the sidebar) and they weren't great for Seaguy. Or the new Warlord either, which is discouraging. I don't know how either of those would stack up as trades, so again, discouraging.

I did get a bit of summer reading in, though. I re-read one of my favorite books, Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. And although I'm not a follower of his work, I may as well mention Chris Ware of Acme Novelty Library did some design work for the book cover. I also read again, as I often do in the summer, some Hellboy novels. The Bones of Giants by Christopher Golden is my favorite, and I'm in the middle of On Earth as It Is in Hell (by Brian Hodge) now. May have to keep an eye out for a couple new ones.

So: hopefully, panels or something to come...later.
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Your Happenstance Page for today:

From Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #2, "Shaman, part two" Written by Dennis O'Neil, pencils by Ed Hannigan, inks by John Beatty. Found my old copies of "Shaman" in a drawer the other day, and gave them a re-read. They held up pretty well, although I think this series led to an unfortunate glut of five-issue story arcs, most of which could've been edited down an issue or two. Most of those were set during Batman's increasingly busy first year in action, too...
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Your (non-Star Trek) Happenstance page for today:

Ugh. Did I say I was going to do the regular features, on top of the Star Trek panels? I was going to go to bed, but decided I better sneak in an extra little page. Of course, even then, it's almost Trek related, an ancestor, proto-Trek:

From Forbidden Planet #1, "Relief Ship" Based on the MGM motion picture, screenplay by Cyril Hume, based on a story by Irving Block and Allen Adler, directed by Fred McLeod Wilcox, comic script by David Campiti, adaptation and illustration by Daerick Gross. And I probably could've picked an easier book for a short post...

This was from Innovation Comics circa 1992, and I had to check the GCD: I never saw the other three issues of this series (even to this day!) but the first issue had a great Robby the Robot cover that sold it for me. As adaptations go, it's not terrible, although there are a couple of pages that seem to get stuck carrying the vast bulk of the exposition. The stated goal was to expand a bit on the classic movie, but with only one issue and not having seen my old VHS copy in a while, I'm not sure how much 'new' material there is.

I know Innovation used to have the Lost in Space and Anne Rice's the Vampire Lestat licenses, but I don't know what became of the company. Anyway, I'm out for the weekend, but the pulse-pounding, senses-shattering action-packed Star Trek panels will continue later today and all weekend!
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Your Happenstance Panel for today:

Yeah, no matter how friendly of a robot you might be, you probably don't want red-stained claws. Makes you look like a frakkin' Cylon. (In other news, I would totally buy a Colonel Tigh Battlestar Galactica action figure, but only if he comes with a voice chip! And removable eye-patch...)

From Trouble Magnet #1, "Saving the Galaxy" Written by Ryder Windham, and art by Kilian Plunkett, co-creators. This is yet another one of those DC mini-series I have three out of four issues for--why this problem for me seems restricted to DC, I couldn't say. Despite a pretty good creative team (Plunkett has done design work for the recent Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, as well as Aliens: Labyrinth and the Unknown Soldier for Vertigo) this series came and went without much of a ripple, like a lot of DC limiteds. (Anyone read Forever Maelstrom, for example? I know Howard Chaykin was in on that, but that's all I could tell you...in issue #2 of Trouble Magnet there are house ads for Relative Heroes and Supermen of America, also forgotten.)

Anyway, Trouble Magnet. Reminds me of like a beta-Atomic Robo, predating that series by a few years--and I really want to pick up Atomic Robo, by the way. Witlock is an internationally famous robot: astronaut, adventurer, hero. But after a skirmish with a disgruntled scientist and his exo-suit in Vegas, Witlock's CPU (Cognitive Processing Unit, which looks like a fairly large server) is stolen from his home base, leaving him running on a buffer of short-term memory. The rest of the series is a running quest to get it back, complicated by the U.S. Army trying to capture the now-rogue robot for their own purposes. Not a mind-blowing comic, but not too shabby, and I do like Plunkett's art. Never gonna find that third issue, though...

Gah, this is like the first time I've sat down at my home computer in days. Better get next week started! See you then.
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Your Happenstance (Page, Cover) of the Day:

Thundra in action, from Quicksilver #2, "The Wrong Day to Start a New Life!" Written by Tom Peyer, layouts by Rob Haynes, pencils by Casey Jones, inks by Jason Martin. A nice page, although, I'm pretty sure Thundra was in one of the first Fantastic Four comics I ever read--one of the old Perez issues, maybe around FF# 184--I don't have more than a handful of issues with her. I think I may have the issue, and I'm going to guess again, West Coast Avengers #75 or so, probably written by Roy Thomas; that pairs Thundra up with Akron the Imperion. Yeah, the tool with the lightning bolt javelins. Man, Thundra could do better.

I had another writeup and pages from Quicksilver's short-lived solo series, but I guess I haven't posted it yet. Well, it'll turn up.

God, I thought this was the end of the month, but there's still a few days left. Swell. Even though I've been super busy, I did have time to re-read most of this:

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Empyre, written by Will Murray. Cover by Joe Jusko. Huh, I knew Murray did a ton of Destroyer novels, but he also co-created Squirrel Girl with Steve Ditko! I have a ton of these Marvel novels from around 2000 or so, but haven't bought any recently, so if anyone has a newer one to recommend, let me know. Just based off the few I remember, the covers were better on the older ones...In the meantime, I'm going to finish this, and try to ride out the rest of this month. Wish me luck!
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Your Happenstance panel for today:

Ah, but it's a big panel, a page and a half from The Atom Special #1, "Shrinking from the Past" Written by Tom Peyer, art by Steve Dillon, of Preacher and Punisher fame.

Ray Palmer isn't doing well: his old friend Professor Hyatt has a ticking clock face stuck to his own face, the usual suspect Chronos is comatose, and Ray himself is tripping something fierce. He's been having visions of those he's lost: Laethwen, his tiny alien girlfriend; Adam Cray, his replacement that was killed in Suicide Squad; and his own father. Oh, and as a bonus, Ray keeps seeing his wife Jean Loring at the moment he first saw her cheat on him. The Atom's just about ready to give up and check out of society...when his friend Norm walks in and sees the visions too. Kind of tough to gaslight someone when there's witnesses, but I love the term "gaslight" as a verb.

Good stuff, even if it's lessened by the fact that years later, Ray finally would shrink himself out of our world, for a couple years after Identity Crisis.

The real world's intruded on blog time a bit this week, but we should be a bit more back on track next week. Might even get to see Watchmen and do my part to save future mature-themed comic book movies, as is apparently my sworn duty that I don't remember swearing to...
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Your Happenstance panel for today:

Say what you will, but I bet Cobra Commander would have one hell of an economic stimulus plan.

From G.I. Joe #98, "He's Back!" 'Scenario' by Larry Hama, 'dessins' by M.D. Bright, 'encrage' by Randy Emberlin. I'm not a huge Joe fan, haven't seen every episode of the cartoon, not all worked up for the movie; but I do fondly remember the digest reprints and the occasional issue. This issue, Raptor takes Dr. Mindbender to the grave of the original Cobra Commander; who had been shot in the back and replaced by Crimson Guardsman Fred VII back in #61. (Editorial footnotes, please come home, all is forgiven.)

Instead, the original CC returns. The Crimson Guard were his elite troops, and CC had made it policy for them to spy on each other: each one thought they were the only one spying...patched back up by his loyal men, Cobra Commander built up a new organization, and returned to his evil ways. He had been on the verge of going straight, but now blamed his son Billy for getting him shot in the first place. Billy, Raptor, Fred VII, Dr. Mindbender...and a bunch of other characters Larry Hama was doubtless sick of writing, were forced into a landlocked freighter. Cobra Commander had arranged for explosives to flood the channel and push the freighter into a volcano, which was then blown up a bit more. That's why Cobra was so great in the comics and cartoon (and why they're going to be the suck in the movie...), every Cobra scheme hinges on doing ludicrously impractical things, but goddamnit if they don't enjoy their work.

Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, General Hollingsworth and Hawk are shocked to hear the "Jugglers," a committee of generals that have pushed to disband the G.I. Joe unit before, are...pushing to disband the G.I. Joe unit, again. Hmm. The generals point out that Cobra seems to have moved into legitimate business: "Sleazy legitimate business," Hollinsgworth notes, but legit all the same. What, I wonder? Hama doesn't specify, although insider trading seems a safe bet...

What is Mark D. "Doc" Bright doing lately? I liked his Joe work, and he did a stretch of Green Lantern and Icon, but I'm not sure where he's at now. I haven't read much of the recent G.I. Joe comics, and I know they're on another reboot or Resolute or something; but I miss the old Marvel style ones.

Out for the weekend: I might actually finish Timing! See you later.
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Your happenstance panel(s) for today:

I didn't notice in Dark Reign, but did Dr. Doom have his fancy chair out? Although, I would have to imagine 90% of that chair's comfort is from the sheer envy it generates in others, and it is damn comfortable. Of course, knowing Doom it's probably also a mobile weapons platform with time machine and dimensional doorway options, and cushions made from the skins of those who have disappointed Doom in the past. And two cup holders.

Plus, doesn't Doom's armor weigh some absurd amount, like two hundred pounds? Can't just pull up a desk chair for him, can you?
From Punisher War Journal #13, "Confession" Written by Carl Potts, pencils by David Ross, inks by Russ Heath. I really thought Jim Lee did this issue until I looked it up there, and Lee only did the cover. Because he did do pencils and inks for this issue, duhr, it's miscredited, as pointed out at the Grand Comics Database: "Art Mis-Credited to David Ross and Russ Heath who begin next issue."

This was near the height of the Punisher's popularity, but he was in two Acts of Vengeance tie-ins this month--the other, Punisher #28. (God, I really need to just buy those Essential Punisher volumes. And Quasar appears on the cover to #29, which is weirdly entertaining.) In this issue, the Kingpin and Doom are having a little contest involving the Punisher: mocking Doom for letting the Punisher live, the Kingpin sets Daredevil villain, and former priest, Bushwacker on him. I always thought Bushwacker's transforming gun arm was cool: Rick Leonardi, I believe, was the artist in his prior appearances, and set the bar. Nicely, Lee keeps the gun-arm looking like a fleshy-plastic nightmare.

I had completely forgotten Frank was going to become a priest at some point. I don't think I ever read the issues or graphic novel that goes into it, and it doesn't seem like Frank anymore, does it? So, keep it under your hat. Instead, please enjoy a page with that Striker auto shotgun I mentioned on Christmas!

Frank remote-controls his van into Bushwacker's house, then busts in, shotgun blazing. And both Bushwacker and his wife are more pissed about him shooting up the house then at them. It makes sense there, really. Have a good weekend! Read more!

Your Happenstance panel of the day:

From Aquaman #2 (1992), "Both Sides of the Issue" Script by Shaun McLaughlin, pencils by Ken Hooper, inks by Bob Dvorak.

I count nineteen enemy helmets in that panel, and Aquaman knocks them right off the page: that's an OMAC-level punch, isn't it? It's a bit cramped, though: that's from a six long-panel page. While I'm usually one for cramming as much graham as possible, opening that one up a bit might have sold Aquaman's power a bit more.

This is from the brief early 90's Aquaman, which is still remembered fondly by the seemingly dozens that read it. Of course, later Peter David would rejigger Arthur and cut off his hand and briefly give him a much higher profile, but there's still a lot to like in McLaughlin's run. Still, it's a grim one: Aquaman's still racked with grief over losing his son (killed by Black Manta) and his wife Mera (who left him thereafter), which is simultaneously interesting yet drags a bit: pretty sure both of those happened what, in the seventies?

We might take a little longer look at that series some other time, but even before David, it started to set the stage for updating Aquaman a bit: getting rid of (or at least lessening) the "hour out of water" limitation, playing up the political turmoil of Atlantis internally and with the rest of the world, and giving Aquaman some limitations in controlling fish. (He has a hard time with some sharks the next issue, oddly, David would make it piranhas: Arthur could talk to sharks, but they were pretty dim.) Still, it's a pretty grim and brooding Aquaman; who already seems to be having anger management problems, or at least wonders if he's ever going to have a problem that doesn't require punching. Read more!

Your Happenstance panels for today:

From Captain America #376, "Cross Purposes" Written by Mark Gruenwald, art by Ron Lim and Danny Bulanadi. Like I said before, I had a whole Black Widow week planned, that never came through. Luckily, that means I still had this one squirreled away for just such an occasion.

In case you missed earlier Cap posts from the "Streets of Poison" biweekly summer event, by this point a crack-addled Captain America has already beat Daredevil so badly, DD lost his memory and wandered off. (Actually, DD receives a couple of beatings in this one, leading me to wonder if Gruenwald wasn't a fan...no, I'm pretty sure he was setting up a plotline for the regular Daredevil book.) Now a danger to himself and others, it's time to call in earth's mightiest heroes...or just Black Widow and Diamondback. Yeah, they've got it handled.

Right about here is Diamondback's high point as a character: Gruenwald did a great job of portraying her as someone willing to do anything for Cap, including become a better person. It's too bad that later on (this was maybe halfway through his run on Captain America) Gruenwald seemed stuck on how to use Rachel without moving her and Cap's relationship forward, or even backwards. I don't know if he was getting flak from some front for Cap dating a "villain," or if that was too mature for a pretty kid-friendly book. A later storyline where Diamondback's nearly beaten death by a rival, then becomes a scaredy-bear, isn't great; but it's a darn sight better than just about anything else she's been used in. (With the possible exception of her appearance in Cable/Deadpool, I haven't read that one.)

But as far as the Black Widow goes, unloading her Widow's sting in Cap's face is just another day at the office. She disparaged the sting on the last post, but does she wear those currently or not?
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Originally uploaded by googum

From Black Widow #2 (2004) "Right to a Life, part 2) Written by Richard K. Morgan, layouts by Goran Parlov, finishes by Bill Sienkiewicz. Had this lodged in the flickr too, since I had wanted to do a week of Black Widow. The timing never came out right, since I had thought there was supposed to be a third limited series from this team, but it's been years and it's never materialized.

Really enjoyed both of Morgan's Black Widow limiteds. The only downside to this series is that it, like Fury or the MAX Punisher, isn't part of the mainstream Marvel continuity, no matter how good it is or how much it makes sense. These series take the heroes in directions that would be problematic in keeping them in play in a universe with the Eternals, Fin Fang Foom, and Wolverine. It's mildly disappointing, that this Natasha isn't going to the same one in Bendis' Mighty Avengers, but this Natasha wouldn't support registration or any of that nonsense. (How did the Widow end up on the opposite side of Daredevil?)

Also, I liked that so far, these have been limited series, and they haven't tried to force the square peg of a novelist into the round hole of a monthly schedule. Yeah, you know how well that usually turns out. Morgan also scored points with me for working with a single character (and Fury and Daredevil cameos), rather than hopping with both feet into the toybox and breaking toys right and left...not to point fingers or name names or anything...

I do miss Natasha's short haircut, though...
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Your happenstance panel for today:

From Excalibur #103, "Bend Sinister, Reprise" Written by Warren Ellis, pencils by Carlos Pacheco, inks by Scott Koblish and Bob Wiacek. This was Warren's last issue, and would've been a good last issue for the series; since the last twenty-two issues are, in comparison, so terrible they'll hurt your feelings. And I don't clamor for trades of stuff I already have very often, but sweet Georgia Brown, I'd love Excalibur trades of the Warren Ellis run.

Oh, and Joss Whedon fans? Ellis wrote a better Kitty Pryde. Suck it. Read more!

Your happenstance panels for today:
From Bill and Ted's Excellent Comic Book #1, "Party On Dudes!" Written and pencilled by Evan Dorkin, inks by Stephen DeStefano. I have a copy of this somewhere, but I saved this one from the same yard sale I got a Dark Crystal Super Special. I don't know if someone thought they were going to be collector's items someday, they weren't in great shape, but I'll give 'em a good home. Read more!

"Your happenstance panels for today:"

From Deadpool #35, "Chapter X, Verse Two" Written by Christopher Priest, pencils by Paco Diaz, inks by Andy Smith. As if this scene wasn't enough, this one's got Death captured, Deadpool as a decoy for the Hobgoblin, and then the Frightful Four: the Wingless Wizard, Taskmaster, the Constrictor, and Pool. The Thing guest stars.

I don't think I appreciated this one enough at the time, but the above is still one of my favorite bits. Read more!