The quarter bin again comes through; since I don't think I recalled this series, and I'm usually more than game for whatever Alan Davis feels like doing. This one is set during a very specific window, though! From 2014, Savage Hulk #1, "The Man Within" Story and pencils by Alan Davis, inks by Mark Farmer.
The story is set immediately following X-Men #66, which had been the last issue of the series before it went to reprints from #67 to #93. The X-Men had a brief scuffle with the Hulk, with Jean Grey turning him back into Banner, so they could get a gamma device to resuscitate Professor Xavier. (Resuscitate him from...? Something? Look, nobody was reading X-Men then.) But, the Leader had been watching that fight, and reviewing the tapes, catches Bruce say the word "Xavier," and begins investigating for the device.
Meanwhile, out in the desert, the Hulk was getting shot at with advanced missiles from the Hulkbuster division of the United States army, that are probably the reason America can't afford healthcare; and he still ends the fight by throwing a big ol' rock at the launcher. Back at Xavier's school, the Professor was still fiddling with Banner's device, having determined it had been intended to cure the Hulk: Xavier still felt a psychic imprint of Banner's torment, and was determined to help him. (Davis draws an excellent tormented Xavier: you believe he's seen how much being the Hulk sucks and was compelled to save him by any means he could.) The Hulk, momentarily at peace in the desert, reverts to Banner, who later is taken in by an elderly couple for dinner. The X-Men--a full boat of them, the original five, plus Havok and Polaris--investigate Banner's desert lab, but when they then try to follow a gamma radiation source, they don't find the Hulk, but the Abomination! Who is getting shot at by missiles like those shot at the Hulk earlier. To be continued...
This was a fun four issues, with gamma radiation affecting some of the X-Men in unusual ways, as they make a good effort to save Banner from the Hulk. Sure, it wasn't gonna happen, but still. The last two issues of the series were from
Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, and were set post-Hulk #300, with the mindless Hulk banished to the Crossroads, then Dr. Strange is taken from testifying in front of Congress, to save an alien world from the Hulk. Those were pretty good too, glad I grabbed the lot!
You aren't gonna believe this, but I actually had to go back to Humble Bundle for this one! But, I did have a good reason. From 1976, Star Trek #37, reprinting 1969's Star Trek #5, "The Ghost Planet" Written by Dick Wood, pencils by Alberto Giolitti.
So, last week I pulled a copy of Star Trek #37 from a random box, for a quick (and lucky!) scan of the Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote Hostess ad. (By the way, Coyote vs. Acme was great!) But, looking it up on the GCD, #37 was a reprint: a reprint, that left out three pages! Let's be honest: even a good Gold Key Star Trek story barely holds together; cutting three pages was not going to help it out any. Also, for good measure, the midsection of this issue had come loose, so the pages were out of order in my copy anyway! I was going to go to the DVD-ROM of Star Trek comics, but the only computer I have right now with a disc drive is my janky old laptop; so I guessed Humble Bundle would have this one--at least as issue #5, anyway.
So, on to "The Ghost Planet." The Enterprise investigates a planet surrounded by rainbow-like rings, and finds it civilized but seemingly abandoned. The landing party is led by robots, to communicate with the leaders of "Planet Numero Uno," Justin, and...Justin. Kirk is about out right there, but hears out their story: the rainbow rings emitted a "copper radiation" that was harmful to them, and the populace had to evacuate to two satellites, which were now over-populated. Could the Enterprise help them?
Before they can try to assist, the landing party finds a room guarded by robots, two of which grab a security guy who gets too close--note I don't say "redshirt," since this was real early on in these comics, and they did not have a wealth of reference materials for the artist or writer! Also, I thought those robots were going to squash that security guy between them, like the poor groundskeeper in the Doctor Who serial "Pyramids of Mars". Spock saves him with an electric shock, which probably should've got the security guy along with the robots. Investigating further, they find a war room: the two Justins had led opposing armies, and thousands had already died before the rings came.
Taking the Justins onboard the Enterprise, Kirk calls them out, then declines to help them; since even if their planet could be saved, they would just go back to war, and could spread to other planets. Pleading for help, the Justins claim they were out of weapons, and if the planet could be saved, the Enterprise could leave surveillance devices and bombs, to blow them up if they return to war later! This doesn't feel great, but Spock says their work is "to help planets--not watch them die." Which is both against the Prime Directive, and the first Gold Key issue where the Enterprise destroys a planet of dangerous plants! Pick a lane, Spock!
Working with the satellites, the Enterprise magnetically pulls the rainbow bands away from the planet. Kirk and Spock go back down to the planet, to see if the radiation lingered; but instead of the copper radiation they find atomic: the Justins had cached their weapons, before leaving the planet, and had been on the verge of developing atomic weapons. Worse, the Justins then attack the landing party, blocking the transporters: despite having phaser rifles--god, I love the old-school phaser rifle, they probably could've leveled half the planet with those--somehow this looks bad for the crew, until Spock contacts the ship, and brings back the rainbow bands! Spock tells them they could bring the bands back at any time, and the Justins are stifled. Spock later explains, he had Dr. McCoy play films of the bands, creating the illusion that they had returned.
I don't know how the Ghost Planet's governments worked: the two Justins seem pretty chummy, despite sending thousands of their citizens to their deaths: they work together against the landing party and even had their weapons stored together, with little "property of Justin I" and "property of Justin II" signs! Also, this is hardly my favorite Ghost Planet...now, please rise, for our national anthem:
.
Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, Peter Cullen...I'm hustling to type this before we lose anybody else. We all knew they were getting on in years and wouldn't be around forever; but we wanted them to be, and in a lotta ways they will be.
This week already was terrible, but somehow I didn't schedule today off from work, since I was going to go see Coyote vs. Acme. You should too! The early reviews have been pretty good, and honestly the little guy against the big evil corporation should be something we can get behind. Meanwhile, I didn't have a post ready for Friday, but since we saw one in an old Twilight Zone, I thought there might be another Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote Hostess ad, and sure enough, there was, in 1976's Star Trek #37. A lucky guess! Couldn't tell you if there were more yet.
We'll probably look at the rest of that book next week; I just want to see the back of this one. Be safe and we'll see you then!
I have zero attachment to Saved by the Bell, and I know there's a remake that maybe leans on the idea that everyone involved is a bit sociopathic. Anyway, the point is, the title for this one was a stretch: from 2022, DC's Saved by the Belle Reve #1. Cover by Juni Ba.
This was maybe a year after the Suicide Squad hit theaters, but in case you missed it or the reference, Belle Reve is the prison in those comics. And said Squad appears in "High School Lows," as substitute teachers, that go predictably awry: Harley as a counselor almost makes sense, but once Weasel has somehow become lunch-lady, even the Squad knows something isn't right. (Written by Tim Seeley, art by Scott Kolins.)
The opener this issue was a Gotham Academy story, which feels like burning it off? It maybe took a couple years off but had three issues earlier this year; although I'm not sure if the old cast aged out or continued: in comics, they would have the option to continue! ("Sophomore Year" Written by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher, art by Karl Kerschl.) "Back to School" follows Damian and Jon Kent, as they help a nonbinary student with a bully: the student does attempt to reach out to him, but when the bullying continues, time to get decked. (Written by Peter J. Tomasi, art by Max Raynor.)
There's a Green Arrow/Speedy story, where Ollie grounds Roy from the Titans, until he gets his grades back up; which feels like him being more involved in Roy's life than ever before. But, Ollie also has to listen to Batman's parenting advice, like twice: being a buddy didn't work, but neither did being a hardass. There's a bit of a happy ending, until you remember Speedy still becomes a junkie. ("Earn it Back" Written by Dave Wielgosz, art by Mike Norton.)
Art Baltazar and Franco bring the Tiny Titans to Belle Reve in "Piece Making," then Brandon Thomas, Craig Cermak, and Black Lightning try to answer the question of why Jefferson Pierce served as Secretary of Education under President Lex Luthor. It should be inspiring but just feels infuriating, especially when Jefferson still has to brownnose Lex like the rest of the Cabinet, in a scene that feels way too familiar.
I liked "How Angels Are Made" a bit more: Jean-Paul Valley comes out of the System, at an abandoned school where he was routinely tortured and abused as part of his training from the Order of St. Dumas. Azrael activates inside of him after one incident, where Jean-Paul is then dragged off of his abuser before he can kill him; but the overseers reset him, and tell the abuser not to go easy on him next time. (Written by Dan Watters, art by Juan Ferreyra.) Finally, "A Night Off" for Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson of course is interrupted, but they still make to their prom...y'know, I don't think Dick would'a been Nightwing then, but sure. (Written by Andrew Aydin, art by Nelson Daniel.)
OK, it feels like I haven't done one of this style strip in a while, although I probably have: where we visit a bunch of characters briefly and see if by random chance anybody moves the plot forward or if they're all part of the same problem. It's a good excuse to dig up a ton of figures, which I maybe have to organize now.
Moon Knight's sword is from real current continuity in his book, and it's great! Well worth grabbing. Gwenpool has obviously seen the second season of X-Men '97: I have not yet! But I know what happens and am okay with it. I'm kind of hoping in a season or two they speed-run Amazing X-Men. Also, pink fills! Ah, I didn't miss those.
I feel like there's a better MCU Valkyrie figure, and I have the MCU Sif as well but really prefer this Simonson-style look. Although, I seem to associate it with just before Simonson's run, where Sif seems to slowly realize her extremely long-term boyfriend loves stupid Midgard and its stupid people, maybe more than he loves her. Also, I like the Sylvie figure from the Loki show, except for her coat-cape thing: it makes her look hunched over, doesn't it? Sadly, I also think hers was not a well-selling figure; you might be able to find her on discount pegs still.
Gorr's cloak maybe does him less favors than Sylvie's: her articulation was perhaps hindered a bit, but Gorr's is buried. But I like the idea of Gorr more than the execution: Thor: Love and Thunder is kind of a mess tonally? The scene of Gorr scaring children and seemingly having a ball doing it, kind of undermines any sympathy for the plight that drove him to kill gods. Anyway, finding Gorr was strictly an accident, but a good-enough excuse to use him, largely for ridicule. Couple weeks back, the great Poe Ghostal showed off a new Elric figure; that I completely missed the bus on; the aftermarket is not gonna be forgiving on that one. But it reminded me that Gorr, Knull, Dagon Gera from some Star Wars; there's a lot of Elric-lookalikes out there. (Generally they're pale with an evil sword: the bad guy in Hellboy II: the Golden Army is very based on him.)
Humble Bundles and all are fine, but time to get back to random, actual comics! Today we have, um, part 9 of 12, and we're going in cold! From 2019, Adventures of the Super-Sons #9, "The Good, the Bad, and the Sons" Written by Peter J. Tomasi, art by Scott Godlewski. Cover by Dan Mora.
Damian Wayne and Jon Kent had been lost in space for most of their mini-series here, trying to get back to earth and warn the heroes about an upcoming invasion, from the "Injustice Army," which was seemingly a bunch of alien kids cosplaying as super-villains. This issue, Robin, Superboy, and Green Lantern trainee AI-X crash on a western-themed prison planet, and meet a robot Jonah Hex. Robo-Hex agrees to take them to try and steal a ship, but no further: he had been a soldier for some time, and was currently allowed to roam around until he was needed again, which he wasn't real excited about. Still, the robot didn't have free will, and kind of didn't want it: the idea of that responsibility seemed to weigh on him.
As Superboy and Robin fight security robots, AI-X clouts Hex from behind with a pipe; then reprograms him to release him from control and give him freedom. Hex joins the heroes, as they steal a very train-shaped transport to escape...to be continued.
I'm not sure they all ran the same time, but I see issues of this and Wonder Twins in the quarter bins every so often, but not yet a full run of 'em: the orders for the later issues might have been cut back, so they probably don't end up there. Huh, Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen was yet another 12-issue mini from the same time; I never see that in the cheap bins!
Read more!
You've probably noticed I've been on an Uncle Scrooge kick lately, so yeah, I had to get the latest Disney Masters bundle, even though it was a bit more Mickey Mouse heavy than I'd prefer. But that said, Zombie Coffee was pretty good!
The way I (probably mis-)understand it: while Disney comics haven't been produced regularly stateside in probably decades; other, frankly better countries, still make them. Inspired by Carl Barks, Don Rosa, and a host of others; foreign artists and writers have been cranking out new adventures for Donald, Scrooge, and the rest for years: they've not only gotten really good at it, but they've also built up quite the backstock, the cream of which is now released in America by Fantagraphics, for the cultured sophisticates amongst you. Or randos like me!
Again, Humble Bundle and digital is a great way to get to read a ton of those...except, I've seen some of those books for sale--Dragon of Glasgow is still tempting, even though I just read it! They're just quality work, presented really well; and I say that as someone who usually buys a ton of cheap stuff rather than one high-end piece. They'd look great on the shelf and would be worth re-reading again. I'm probably not going to run out and buy the collections...but I'll keep my eyes open.
I haven't made it all the way through that bundle, either! But, that's why I have the library, there.
