On the advice of my attorney, I'm not supposed to discuss any "crystal in my blood."

We added a tag for "Starstream" but this'll be the last one! From 1976, Starstream #3.

I looked up the author of the first story here, Jack Williamson, since I thought "Born of the Sun" might have been an early death-ray story; the "poison flame!" Nope, but he did come up with the word "terraforming" first. This is an end of the world story, with a scientist, his girl, and his gunslinging uncle trying to escape both the doomed planet and the Cult of the Great Egg. The Cult, while creepy and evil, is legitimately right about a few things...(Adapted by Ed Summer, art by Don Heck.

"A Day in the Life of Dr. Moon" is another original, as opposed to an adaptation of a pulp story; which follows a doctor sweating out 15 years on the moon to cover his medical school bills. He's run pretty ragged with a plague-carrier on the loose, assorted moon-crazies, and performing a plastic lung transplant; all on two hours of sleep! If this was updated at all, that doctor would be on so many drugs...(Written by Harry Dawes, art by Frank Bolle.)

"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon feels like another story that has been stolen from bit by bit over the years: an enterprising young scientist and an up-and-coming financier team up, which is profitable for several years, until the scientist starts devoting himself to some real science: creating life in the lab, then through selective breeding raising a miniature society of hyperfast lizards! Giving the lizards problems like changing their environment, the scientist is able to copy their work for even more advances, but the financier decides to use those discoveries to blackmail the entire earth. Ooh, a financier turns out to be a dick. Shocker. (Adapted by Arnold Drake, art by Adolfo Buylla.)

"Last Voyage of the Albatross" is an A.E. Van Vogt story about the missing crew of a whaling ship--y'know, screw them, leave whales alone. (Adapted by George Kashdan, art by Al McWilliams.) Those pages could've been used for more of Anne McCaffrey's "The Crystal Singer" since that would go on for a trilogy of novels and more. When young Killashandra's hopes of being an opera singer are dashed, a chance meeting with a member of the Heptite Guild gives her a new--and dangerous--opportunity. With her perfect pitch, she can hear the crystal 'sing,' and can mine it for the big money; but the call of the crystal is addictive, and fatal in the end...Still, Killashandra was unwilling to do anything, if she wasn't going to be the best at it; but for her first mission, guild by-laws say she has to be accompanied by a partner, who is obviously fried. (Adapted by Dan Weiss, art by Frank Bolle.) Read more!

It's weird that the world ended six, seven years back.

Honestly, it makes a lot of sense though, doesn't it? From 2019, B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know #13, "Ragna Rok" Written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, art by Laurence Campbell.

This was the unlucky 13th issue of the series, but it's really B.P.R.D. #160, and very nearly the end of a storyline that had been running for 25 years at that point! The entire planet was besieged by the monstrous, Lovecraftian kaiju Ogdru Hem--369 of 'em, give or take--and the Bureau had recently lost long-standing members Kate Corrigan and Johann Kraus. (I'm not sure Kate was really dead, although I might be thinking of an earlier story; and Kraus had been a ghost the whole series, so...) With S.H.I.E.L.D.-like aircraft and troops, the B.P.R.D. fights on, trying to get as many people as they can to safety in caves; led by agents Fenix and Howards. Both were later additions: if I recollect, Fenix had a ghost watching her back as she tried to save her friends, but those may both end here; while Howards had been a typical agent until grasping an ancient, and distinctive, sword; he was basically Conan now.

But, three of the B.P.R.D.'s finest were still there, at their darkest hour: the pyrokinetic Liz Sherman, and returning from their own journeys, Abe Sapien and Hellboy. In a nice touch, Hellboy recalls another lost member, Roger the Homunculus, remembering the bigass thing (another of the Ogdru Hem) they killed at Hunte Castle. Hellboy is almost confused, though; since for years he had been told that he was going to be the one to bring about the end of the world, but it seemed to be ending just fine without him.

When a group of humans, including (whatever was left of) Fenix's friends, get to a cave, her ghost Eris takes her leave, saying she was finally free. Howards leaves some agents to hold the entrance against the monstrous 'frogs,' as they push into the caves. Back in New York, Hellboy has a brief talk with the ghost of Edward Grey, who confirms that yeah, this one was going to hurt. Abe calls for Hellboy, as they see Rasputin rising like a kaiju himself in the distance... 

I have a longbox full of Hellboy and related books, including all of B.P.R.D., but I found the last three a couple weeks back in a dollar bin, which was a great chance to revisit the end. There were two issues left, but while there have been numerous Hellboy series since, those have been set in the past; with possibly only Frankenstein set going forward. No spoilers: it's not a completely unhappy ending but it's not without a lot of changes.

Read more!

"Captured."

Kurt and Elektra probably didn't want to do "get help" with Dragon Man, he could throw them too hard... 

Because I'm not particularly organized, I know there's some Dragon Man parts--like his little glasses--still in his box. I'm not convinced he needs them, though.

Read more!

This isn't a news site, but you probably heard that Sam Kieth passed away over the weekend. The next day I dug this one out, and while he only did the cover, I maybe should've tried it earlier. From 2002, (the Craptacular) B-Sides #1, featuring "Points of Interest" Written by Brian David-Marshall, art by Brett Weldele; and "Graduation Day" Written by Brian David-Marshall, pencils by ChrisCross, inks by Caesar.

Along with the Kieth cover, two other somewhat surprising credits: the book was "Bill Jemas presents: Stan Lee presenting" which feels weird? Like Jemas was involved in trying something different, but, uh, this series would only run three issues, so...Don't let that put you off, though; as the characters were designed by Evan Dorkin! This was set in the Marvel universe, but at Raven's Perch, NJ; which still featured multiple familiar staples like Kree, Skrulls, a Silvermane...part of the Fantastic Four also make a brief appearance, setting up something for later. The leads were three super-powered youngsters: Fateball, Jughandle, and Mize. They were all basically aimless troublemakers, but a local huckster approaches them with a pitch, for a local super-hero team: "You'll be the X-Force of Raven's Perch!" The kids are dumb enough to think 'sure, why not,' especially since he worked at a bar and was getting them beer...

The threesome had another friend, Feeva, who on the night of their graduation, took them on what seemed like a wild goose chase to find "the Nazi Sleeper of New Jersey," which they do; which leads to a fight with a bunch of little "Piney" monsters. But, they then find out this had been Feeva's final exam to join something called the Pegasus Institute. (Presumably, related to the Project: Pegasus of old Marvel Two-in-One stories.) Feelings are hurt, as you would expect. I found the first two issues of this in an actual, twenty-five cent quarterbin Sunday; but finding that third issue might be a hassle. Read more!

I hope that title refers to an arrow, not...anything else.

I'm having scanner issues today, so I'm not sure when we'll see this post, but OK! (Actually, this'll make Monday; all I needed was a new cord! How the scanner outlasted the cord, well, whatever.) From 1992, Arrow #1, "Shaft of Steel, Heart of Stone" Written by Roland Mann, pencils by Lee Moder, inks by Deodato Filmo.

This probably isn't the Arrow you're thinking of: this was Rick Palmer, a.k.a. Arrow of the Protectors. I mainly remember them for a gimmick "forcebeam hole" cover for a death-of-a-hero issue; but they were Malibu's revamp of Centaur Publications characters that had lapsed into public domain. It's tough to say why he got his own one-shot, though: Arrow seems like a jerk, and hits not one but two civilians with friendly fire here, killing a kid. Later, he also puts four arrows in his bad guy's arm, telling her he was "through playing." (I might be reading too deeply into it, but whenever Arrow might almost be on the verge of showing remorse or feeling guilt, his inferiority complex kicks in like 'you think you're better than me?' and keeps that at bay.)

Sadly, while they seemed to be doing well enough for several spin-offs, the Protectors books were apparently later phased out in favor of Malibu's Ultraverse. Somewhat surprisingly, Arrow #1 doesn't get a gimmick cover: it came up on BlueSky the other day; there had been an issue of the Ferret shaped like the character's head! I'm almost positive I grabbed one of those from the quarter bins, wonder where I put it...? Anyway, I don't have many of the Protectors titles, but I got this issue in a lot, when I bought most of the rest of the Mighty Magnor, which had also been from Malibu. Read more!

Aw, man, Death's bookshelves are better organized than mine.

Another batch of shorts today, from 1980, Weird War Tales #91. Cover by Joe Kubert. Intro page by Romeo Tanghal.

"The Fire Down Below" is set a dark period of American history: firebombing Japan towards the end of WW II. (It was arguably excessive: Japan was by and large done by that point, although its leadership might not have thrown in the towel yet.) A gung-ho and unsympathetic pilot butts heads with his pacifist navigator, but both die after they bomb a young Japanese boy, who had survived an earlier firebombing and had developed firestarting powers of his own. (Sunfire?) No one learns anything, and the narrator Death is like, yeah, that'll happen. (Written by J.M. DeMatteis, art by Ernesto Patricio.)

"The Miracle of the Catacombs" is slightly more cheery; as a band of Italian soldiers have about had it with the war and their Nazi "allies." They're about to surrender to the Allies, when the Nazis stop and then turn on them. The Italians escape into the catacombs, with one staying behind to cover their retreat. He looks like a goner, but is saved by the rising Roman skeletons, who slaughter the Nazis, ala Tombs of the Blind Dead, except friendlier and chattier. (Written by Robert Bernstein, art by Dick Ayers and Dan Adkins.)

I had to stick in Wikipedia for this next one, as it's a six-page speedrun of Harold Godwinson, last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England. Spoiler alert: his reign would not be a long one. ("Conquer or Die!" Written by Bob Haney, art by Tom Sutton.)

The issue closes with a future war story, post-nuclear apocalypse; which felt almost like a fair accompli, a done deal then. In this one, radioactive mutants were "2nd Class Citizens," forced to fight by cruel, Roman-centurion looking thugs. But this batch plots against the overseer, through his unborn son...who's born a mutant, you see it coming, yeah. (Written by Paul Kupperberg, art by Dick Ayers and John Celardo.) Read more!

Me too, random subway guy, me too.

The Demolisher's arm on the cover reminds me of something--it's basically a big gun with a knife stuck to it. Also, now I'm annoyed that I have a mess of Deathlok figures, but they don't have modifications like that! I oughta at least get them some ratty cloaks or something. From 1994, Deathlok #32, "Cyberstrike, part 2 of 4: Into the Past" Written by Gregory Wright, pencils by Kevin Kobasic, inks by Greg Adams.

We mentioned this one years ago, when we looked at the last issue, the conclusion of this storyline. Now I've got two of the four issues of "Cyberstrike," and the Captain America issues this is running in the background of; and I still don't have a firm grip on what's happening. The cyborg formerly from the future, formerly known as Deathlok, now the Demolisher, was working with Timestream to alter their future, starting with killing Cap and the clone of Luther Manning. The Demolisher isn't really sure about this, but his future does suck pretty bad, so...They are stopped by the present Deathlok Michael Collins, shirtless future redemption-seeker Godwulf, and big Marine cyborg Siege. Lot of cyborg scrum this issue, Cap's mission goes on uninterrupted (in the distant past of 1983, hence the Return of the Jedi poster seen in the subway!) and the issue ends with several characters sent to maybe an even worse future.

Last time we also mentioned the USPS Statement of Ownership: "C. Total Paid and/or requested Circulation (sum of 10B1 and 10B2): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 106,938. Actual no. copies single issue nearest to filing date: 54,385." The book was running out the clock at this point, I'm afraid; even though Wright would use the Demolisher again in Daredevil #336. Read more!