Finally, this blog is Osha-compliant!

OK, that's a groaner. But, if you go through the year-end totals, you probably notice I still buy a few Star Wars Black figures, even if they don't show up in homemade strips. Usually. The Emilia Clark figure from Solo showed up in a few; but I haven't done a full-on Star Wars strip in, woof, over ten years? But, they still turn up: I have a fairly good batch of Mandalorians! And I would love to assemble a proper cantina one day, and fill it with characters that belong there, and whoever else I deem fit. Then there's also some that I buy for fear of missing out, or because they were cheaper than dirt; the latter may apply today, I'm afraid. 

Counter-intuitively, I liked the Acolyte show, even though I'm in that subset of Star Wars fans for whom Jedi, lightsaber stuff, isn't the most interesting part of the universe? If you have Force-powers, your choices seem limited to either getting abducted as a child and forced into Jedi school/bureaucracy/space cops to live as a weird sexless monk; or becoming a full-on sociopath. No middle ground, although there may be one outlier in Skeleton Crew: the pirate Jod, played by Jude Law, appears to have Force powers, although he could just be tricksy; we've seen fake Jedi before on the Obi-Wan show. By the way, that's how I think they should be titled: "The Mandalorian Show," "The Ahsoka Show," etc. Anyway, there were more than a few figures made for the Acolyte, but spoiler alert: most of them get chopped. Up. If you remember Episode III, when Palpatine reveals himself as Darth Sidious, he wrecks up like three Jedi in as many seconds. (Including, noooo! Kit Fisto.) Light-side Jedi can block blaster shots all day long, steamroll droids, but the average rank-and-file guys were just sad in lightsaber fights against an equal opponent. (Well, for certain values of 'equal,' the bad guy in Acolyte has sneaky tricks as well.) I don't think Star Wars can do what the Alien movies sometimes do: here's a character that's cool as hell!...now they're dead as hell. Still, memorable! Although, that could be a time-limitation as well: I swear in the Darth Vader comics, the Jedi librarian, who looks about as formidable as old-school Aunt May, gets to put up a solid final battle. That's partly inverting expectations, sure; but a TV series usually wouldn't have time for that nowadays. (Eight episodes isn't a "season." Get back to work!) 

 I was just checking if the figure for Jedi Tracker Bazil was on sale: no dice yet. He's a proud Star Wars tradition of "weird little guy" that also doesn't speak English/"Basic," but there were a couple points where he seems to make choices, that are just baffling? They weren't even "idiot ball" decisions, to keep the plot moving in a certain direction; but more like from his point of view, ethically this was the way to go. Or not, he doesn't talk, so you don't really know! And the show does drop the ball on what should've been a slam dunk: finally, a Wookie Jedi!...who's dead and we'll only see in flashback. I don't think Kelnacca even got a big set-piece fight to go out on; but narratively maybe you don't show that if you want to maintain ambiguity and don't want the audience to double-extra-hate the bad guy. You try to build up that maybe the Jedi Order wasn't the perfect shining island of virtue it was made out to be, but it's tough to defend a Wookie-killer...

Yeah, I probably think about Star Wars a normal amount. Here's to that cantina, someday.  

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Feels weird to have the annual as the middle chapter of a storyline--it should usually be the beginning or end, right? From 2017, Supergirl Annual #1, "The Girl of No Tomorrow, part 2" Written by Steve Orlando, art by Steve Pugh.

I'm going to look it up in a second, but was there a Legion of Super-Heroes book on the racks the same time as this issue? I'm guessing no, but DC (or the writer!) maybe thought the Fatal Five was too good a name to just leave sit in the 30th/31st century. (Checking Mike's, there was a Legion omnibus collection, but not a current title!) As usual, the Emerald Empress leads the Five, this time intent on destroying Supergirl since in the future, she would be involved in her father's death. The Empress is usually really sociopathic, though: it's entirely possible she's mad because she wanted to murder her dad herself. Her "Fatal, gullible Five" here includes a kaiju-sized Solomon Grundy, Brainiac-girl Indigo, soreress Selena, and from Kingdom Come, Magog! All of whom had their own grudges against Supergirl, real or imagined, encouraged by the Empress, who also turns National City against her, by leaking footage of Supergirl and her captured father, the Cyborg Superman! Or "a" Cyborg Superman; not sure about the continuity there.

Actually, this took a lot from the then-current TV show, like Cat Grant, unstoppable publisher: after a year of Jeff Bezos, Cat seems like the most fantastic aspect of this whole issue. But, this storyline would wrap in Supergirl #13; still feels like it should've ended in the annual! Read more!

"Messed."

Plotwise, I kind of know where this is going to end, but it's still open enough for things to surprise me. I don't know if I had more planned for Hallow's Eve and Chasm right now: they might have been derailed by the last week of work! The TMNT Jack Kirby gets to make an appearance, because I really liked him flanked by Crystal and Sersi in the year-ender post. And Doc Samson came up before in this storyline, when Kurt mentions him to Moonstone, back in October! 

I know in regular Marvel continuity, he's a big green Sasquatch now, and...I don't see it? This might be me overlaying Frasier on top of him, but I see Samson as maybe being a bit fussy and fastidious, approaching snooty. He maybe thought becoming a gamma-powered he-man would change that, and maybe it did for a bit, but old habits...He probably overcorrected when he realized the amount of control he would have to maintain on his strength. That and Samson would never, ever allow himself to agree with someone like Moonstone, even if she was in the right on this one.

I really wanted to use the phrase "pardon my back" in the panel where Doc Samson moves to leave, since I remember it from an old Hulk comic! But it wasn't from Samson: Bruce says it to Samantha Parrington, after the Hulk/Valkyrie fight fizzes out, in Incredible Hulk #142, which was collected in a paperback.  

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Hey, masks go in the garbage! The Amazing Litterbug.

I did not greatly enjoy last week, and I don't have high hopes for this week...or the rest of the month. But, nothing to do for it but keep going: I'm not throwing in the mask--er, towel--like this issue! From 1990, Web of Spider-Man #61, "Dragon in the Dark" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Alex Saviuk, inks by Keith Williams.

It's an Acts of Vengeance crossover today, but more importantly, Spider-Man's got cosmic power this week! And somewhat typically, he is not overly enthusiastic about this: in fact, he acts like he's been diagnosed with leprosy. If "with great power comes great responsibility," then with too much power comes too much responsibility, and it's done Peter's head in. Sick of having the people he saved be afraid of him, Spidey throws away his mask in a rainstorm...but it's caught before it hits the ground, by the Wizard! He takes it to his AoV cronies: both Dr. Doom and the Kingpin are positive it was a fake, a ploy of some kind. The Wizard plans to use it, to finish Spider-Man once and for all, by setting the android Dragon Man on him! The Wizard really talks up D-M, and he is impressive; but it's not like he invented the thing or was anywhere near the first to control it. He probably feels the need to hype himself up a bit, to compete with the other guys, since yeah, he was not at the same level. Wizard might have been brought on as glorified tech support.

Meanwhile, Peter Parker...takes a shower, at his upscale apartment, and the bathroom seems laid out weird? He couldn't afford it in a million years, but Harry Osborn gave him a break on the rent. Which somehow adds to his responsibilities? Also, despite making a stink about quitting, he still puts his Spidey-suit on, under his street clothes! He has a brief visit with Liz Osborn on his way out, and Liz can tell he's depressed: she had known him for years, and probably seen that dozens of times. Then, on the subway, Dragon Man sniffs out Peter, and blasts him with his flaming breath!

We cutaway to Doom, plotting to steal the cosmic power from Spider-Man: it worked on the Silver Surfer, should work here, right? It doesn't, the power is too much, and the ensuing explosion nearly kills him. Mary Jane visits her cousin Kristy, who was getting treatment for her eating disorder: her parents sound pretty terrible, although I don't know if they, or Kristy, have returned. Meanwhile, cosmic Spidey was unharmed by the flames, and creates a new costume out of thin air. Then, immediately has to make another, after getting flamed again. The fight does a good amount of damage, but Dragon Man is no match for cosmic power. Still, as bystanders show legitimate concern to the fight, Spidey's had it, and tells them once he takes Dragon Man to the Vault, he is done. Except, a crowd of people from the subway sing Spidey's praises for saving him, and he's back in it. And the Wizard worries, what if the others find out, he gave Spidey his groove back?

Two final subplots: Doom realizes--or maybe just assumes--someone sabotaged his attempt to score cosmic power. Loki is watching, but may or may not have done anything? And Liz Osborn is worried about calls she keeps getting, from someone out of jail: probably the Molten Man, but maybe not. (Yep!) I know Spider-Man is a tough gig, but good grief, is Peter mopey in this one, and it kind of feels out of place: great wife, good friends, nice apartment, new powers, boo-freaking-hoo. And I didn't like how the ending made it seem like he needs adulation to keep going: everybody knows action is his reward. Still, now I need to check if I've read Web #65, where most of the villains Spidey beat with cosmic power, team up and come back! They'll give him something to cry about...nah, they'll bicker, get over-confident, fail to work together, and get clowned; if I had to guess. Read more!

Wha--I wanted to see giant robots, not the least compatible couple ever making out!

I know a lot of times around here, when I blog some random comic, it's part 9 of 47, and you're going to have to either catch up on the fly or figure it out from context. And that's how I came to this particular issue, almost 39 years ago! From 1986, Robotech: the Macross Saga #11, "First Contact" Written by Jack Herman, pencils by Mike Leeke, inks by Chris Kalnick.

Without getting deep into Macross/Robotech (or the plot this issue, since we don't have all day!) this was one of the first anime shows to break big in America; and it wasn't aired within 80 miles of me! I think it and Star Blazers were maybe sometimes on WGN from Chicago or something, at like four in the morning in some (relatively) nearby towns, but nowhere I could watch it. (See also: Spectreman, which was on TBS in 1978 every day while I was languishing in school! Goddamn Mountain Time...) Nor do I recall usually seeing Comico books on the spinner racks near me: for some reason, I only ever saw them in Canada, where I occasionally visited my grandparents. I bought this issue, but I'm pretty sure it was the only issue of the series I ever saw!

Two or three years later, I'd read the guidebook for Robotech: the Roleplaying Game, and then much later read the Jack McKinney novels. I recall different covers, though: I didn't read them as single novels, but rather omnibuses or collected up a bit. I don't think I watched Robotech until the late 90's! Enh, it's okay: I have an abiding love for Macross II, though. (Shiro Sagisu music! He'd go on to Neon Genesis Evangelion.) I don't know if I have a point to this, except that if something maybe interests you, maybe if you're patient you'll eventually find it. Especially now with that new-fangled internet: I hadda do some legwork! Read more!

"Well, look at that. 'Start Ragnarok, all die.' Even had it underlined."

I watched the last season of What If? over the holidays, and while it didn't knock my socks off, I don't know why it's ending, either: plenty of other stories out there, although I suspect they're limited by what actors are available to use. (Just use voice actors! They usually do a better job anyway.) Here's a recent one, that maybe could've used a Watcher, to ask, what was Loki thinking? From 2023, What If..? Dark: Loki #1, "The Song of Mjolnir...in minor..." Written by Walt Simonson, pencils by Scot Eaton, inks by Cam Smith and Scott Hannah.

This was "What If...? Dark," not "Dark Loki," and I think there were a few one-shots here that were all downbeat endings. I was flipping through old Journey Into Mystery covers, since I thought this might be based of a story from that era; but it didn't immediately jump out. (Maybe around Thor #138!) While Thor fought Ulik, Loki steals Mjolnir, having used enchantments of his own and from Karnilla so he could lift it. He then stabs Dr. Donald Blake in the back with Mjolnir's walking-stick form, and murders Sif for good measure! Then, he makes a quick trip to Nornheim, to kill Karnilla before she could take back her magic. Three murders so far, and Loki's just getting started! He's mildly annoyed that Mjolnir doesn't return to his hand and he has to dig it out, but as the hammer sparks lightning while he holds it, he thinks Mjolnir is starting to learn who was boss.

Spying on Odin, Loki sees how Ragnarok usually goes down, starting with his torture, then the death of Balder. He opts to move up that timetable, using Mjolnir to force-grow a sprig of mistletoe into a mighty spear, with which he backstabs Balder, right after he got the bad news about Karnilla. Loki then frees Fenris, and rallies his allies: the Frost Giants, Hela, the Midgard Serpent Jormungand, and Surtur. Heimdall gets clobbered by Mjolnir before he can sound the alarm, and Loki's forces storm Asgard almost without a fight. Odin is eaten by Fenris, and Loki is now in charge...for about three seconds, as Surtur was going to light his sword, and burn all of the Nine Realms. Somehow this comes as a surprise to Loki; and he can't throw Mjolnir hard enough to stop him; nor can he turn the lightning on Surtur. Instead, Mjolnir lightnings Loki into ash. Surtur lights his sword and destroys everything; even himself. But, a flash of lightning heralds a new universe.

Feels like Loki should have kinda seen this coming; but gods might be locked in on some of their actions. Still, he had been on a roll; did he really need Surtur? All he does is show up at the end to set everything on fire; maybe leave him on the bench. This issue would've been on the racks just prior to the first episode of the second season of Loki, and feels like a conscious choice, to remind readers when Loki was consistently an amoral monster. Read more!

There is currently a lot of hype over the newest New Gods books, and while Ram V has done some stuff I liked, I wonder if the hook isn't going to be like the recent-ish Green Lantern crossover Godhead. (From ten years ago? Geez.) In that, despite the absence of the "evil" Darkseid, the "good" gods of New Genesis were still locked into a war mindset and were not really any better than their counterparts, covering their decisions with platitudes like "hard decisions" and "for the greater good." Which, honestly, you don't have to look super-far to see parallels in today's culture for that, huh? Although, my enthusiasm for any New Gods stuff might be tempered by the fact that I have a drawerful of assorted last issues for them, but let's check one I grabbed at random: from 1996, New Gods #10, "Sacrifice of the Gods" Written by Rachel Pollack, pencils by Stefano Raffaele, inks by Brian Garvey.

The story opens with guest-star Superman, in a situation not unlike he would face in his own books: with earthquakes and angry electrical storms hitting Metropolis, he flies into action, frustrated at "choices," having to prioritize figuring out the problem rather than simply helping people. When a Boom Tube appears, Supes assumes it's going to be a Darkseid-thing, but instead receives a message in the form of Highfather's colossal face, who tells him to come to New Genesis, where the real problem was. Metropolis appears to be able to see Highfather's projection, so the effect is that of God seemingly summoning Superman away, which I feel would be a weird look for him. Travelling through the Boom Tube, Superman arrives to find Darkseid, and gets zapped by his Omega Beams before he can throw down, but Highfather tells him Darkseid wasn't the problem here. Instead, it was S'ivaa, the "dancer of destruction," a force from the "timeless time between the death of the old gods and the birth of the new." With the Source out of balance, only "sacrifice" could stop S'ivaa from destroying the universe; and Darkseid and Highfather had to prepare before giving themselves to the Source. (I really don't think Darkseid would be trustworthy on that sort of thing.) They need Superman, to help Orion stall S'ivaa.

Orion, for his part, isn't keen on Superman's help, but if Highfather says so, then whatever. They don't do well, and S'ivaa tears a hole in space, through which Superman can see multiple, seemingly tiny worlds, and hear them screaming as they burn. Orion's Mother Box advises them, to use Superman's heat vision and Orion's astro-force, to "cauterize" the universe-hole. This leads to a somewhat lengthy sidebar: to Orion, all other universes were "mere bubbles" in the one true universe of New Genesis. Superman argues no, but Orion goes on: that includes Superman's universe as well. But, wouldn't Superman be microbe-sized in New Genesis, and Orion a massive giant on earth? Nah, the Boom Tube adjusted sizes to relative conditions. Supes is seemingly befuddled by this revelation, which I think Kirby did a couple times as well, to underline the fact the New Gods were up there, and not just costumed baddies for fight scenes. On the other hand, is Orion a trustworthy source, as it were; or is he repeating the dogma?

Both Apokolips and New Genesis were being shaken by S'ivaa's incursion, as we see some Parademons try and stop some "Lowlies" from performing their own pagan sacrifices to the fire in the hopes of salvation. Meanwhile, Highfather and Darkseid have seemingly completed their preparations, which for Highfather appeared to mostly be lamenting that he couldn't kill Darkseid right there. But, greater good and all; and he and Darkseid fly into the Source Wall...Darkseid? Hey, Darkseid, you here? Yeah, Darkseid bails, laughing as Highfather gets sucked in. But, would that be enough sacrifice to save the universe...to be continued! Pollack would have one more issue, before John Byrne took over with New Gods #12: somewhat surprisingly, instead of a new #1, that would be a ninety-nine cent issue. The series would only continue to #15, though; before relaunching as Jack Kirby's Fourth World #1. The cycle continues to continue... Read more!