Consult your local listings! Although, this first story looks like Perry Mason or something...

Also, now I'm remembering a pretty terrible horror movie...actually not remembering it, which probably explains why I think I've seen it twice; Down, also released as "The Shaft," with a killer elevator. And Naomi Watts, but don't let that sell you on it; you can watch better Naomi Watts' movies! Anyway, I don't know if the SyFy Channel still does them, but if you have an antenna H&I's annual? Semi-annual? Whatever, their Twilight Zone marathon starts today. I'm usually just trying to catch 'New' Twilight Zone episodes from the 80's; maybe some year they'll finally get the 2002-03 Forest Whitaker-hosted episodes in there...And, since I brought it up, let's look at yet another Gold Key issue! From 1975, The Twilight Zone #63; sadly, as usual, no cover credit.

In the opener, "No Perfect Crime," a little girl at the fair is gifted a power--and a terrible burden--by a fortune-teller; to see through people and know what they had done, and what they would do. She promises to only use her power for good, and grows up to become a devastatingly effective lawyer, seemingly making criminals confess at her will. Her technique does kind of seem badgering, but that's probably just shorthand for lawyer-stuff in comics, so...She gets on with a big firm, but one of the partners approaches her about a case, to maybe take it easy on a murderer who was also "an important leader in the community," as in, probably kicking back to the firm. Refusing, she knows her number was up, and is later murdered after winning her case. But, she gets the last laugh, as she had carefully taped notes with how her killer did it, the holes in his alibi, and where he would be afterwards. Well, she went out on top, at least. (Written by Himilce Novas, art by Frank Bolle.)

Next, "In Their Own Time" is one with no Rod Serling opening or closing, which probably means it was produced to slot into any of Gold Key's books like Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery or Grimm's Ghost Stories. An elderly couple finds a pair of Hong Kong "immortality statues," which start to turn them younger. The wife felt they had lived a rich full life already, but the husband is gung-ho for his thirties again: she dies peacefully in her sleep, he's killed in an atomic war instead! (Art by Jack Sparling.)

The cover story, "Going Up?" isn't so much about a killer elevator, but a mean little blackmailer that uses the security cameras for blackmail, until he starts see giant bird attacks in the elevators, that no one else sees. Sent away for a rest, he probably should've taken the stairs...or maybe jumped, instead. (Art by José Delbo.)

Finally, and appropriately so, "Last Request" finds a scurvy scallawag of a soldier, during the French Revolution, facing execution for his crimes. He asks for a second chance, and seemingly gets it, but can he change his ways? Maybe a little, although it maybe doesn't help him out much. (Art by Adolfo Buylla.) 

Huh, I'm almost never timely with this kind of post; I'm in the Zone! Hopefully a charming one where I learn a lesson and live...  

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"Stifle."

And that's a wrap for the Collector, and some of our Spider-friends! Maybe not all of them, though. I was also kind of hoping to keep Kurt in this costume for a bit, for a change coming hopefully in August...

The Hulkiverse and the Riderverse maybe aren't in regular continuity, but also feel like just a matter of time: I know there's a bunch of Venomverse stuff already. Some of those Hulks we haven't seen here before, but I bought the new Red She-Hulk a bit ago, and still haven't opened her: I really do like the old one! This is more of a space concern, but I've also bought the last two Legends Ghost Riders that came with their bikes, and haven't opened them either. The upcoming Robbie Reyes is short his Hellcharger, which will doubtless lead to still more 'Ghost Walker' jokes; but I'm looking forward to that wave and expanding Alpha Flight.

Also, if the Riderverse included not just Ghost Riders but Kamen Riders; that'd be a bit of alright! The Masked Rider there was a recent model pick-up; although I have a Shin Kamen Rider coming. I haven't actually seen Masked Rider--I believe there was an attempt to localize it, back in the Fox Kids days, that might have gone way younger and jokier than Mighty Morphin Power Rangers shows did. That didn't really seem to stick, and Kamen Rider maybe hasn't broken big in the states, but there's been a ton of versions, and some of the costumes get way out there. 

And, it's long been established, the Hulk likes beans! Like, a lot.

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That cover seems familiar somehow...

If you don't recognize it, the GCD has the answer for you! From 1990, Uncle Scrooge Adventures #19, "A Stitch in Time" Plot by Patsy Trench, script by Tom Anderson, US script by Geoffrey Blum, art by Daniel Branca. Cover by Don Rosa!

I really wish more people involved in finance or investing read Uncle Scrooge--actually, I just wish more people in general had read it, or maybe learned some of the lessons therein! Sometimes, Scrooge can make a bundle by being thrifty, inventive, and stubborn; and sometimes Scrooge can burn a ton of cash by being thrifty, inventive, and stubborn. You may guess where this one's headed, as Scrooge can't figure out how to unload a ton of silk: the market had changed to rayon and synthetics. Still, a conversation sparks an idea: Scrooge decides to use Gyro Gearloose's time machine, the TADPOLE (Temporal Axis Displacement Projectile and Ozone Layer Enhancer; of course that's a Doctor Who riff!) to go back to the middle ages and unload the silk there. Previously, the TADPOLE had run on smog, which I'm sure had been a problem when travelling to the past, so now Gyro had it converted to electricity; but it would take days to charge and because it would be carrying a load, Scrooge and the boys would only be able to stay in the past for three hours.

The sale hits a snag, since even a princely sum back then was lowballing Scrooge on the deal, so he opts out, which hurts the local king's pride, and the Ducks are chased out by guards. After returning to the present, Scrooge fumes that he should've bought the silk in medieval times and sold it now...so, maybe in 800 years, it would be worth something! Turning it around, he has Gyro recharge the TADPOLE, for a trip into the world of tomorrow, 2389! Where the silk is also not a big hit, but Scrooge's antique watch is, as he sells it for twenty million credits! They also miss the return window, so the TADPOLE returns without them, but so what? Gyro would recharge it and send it back...Except, Scrooge did not appear to take inflation into account, and was probably robbed on the watch deal: a glass of milk was twenty thousand credits, and a cheap hotel room two million for the night! Four million with shower!

Gyro charges the TADPOLE to a minimum for the trip, and finds the Ducks, wrapped in silk; which was all they had left to wear since they'd had to sell their clothes...Huh, does anybody wear proper silk anymore now? I'm not exactly stylish, although I'm remembering a pair of silk boxers I had once. Mmm, comfy! I wonder if I got tired of my butt slipping off chairs, though...

Also this issue: Scrooge tries converting to paper money and a round bin, in "Tricky Experiment," and a Carl Barks one-pager, where Scrooge helps Donald avoid making impulse purchases, with one last one. Shoot, I maybe oughta try that! Read more!

Even though posts have been going up, I haven't actually blogged anything--or even sat down with a comic, feels like--for over a week. Let's see if I remember how blog work...We'll start with a fairly recent one, that ties into a pretty old power for the Hulk, that always surprises me when it comes up. From 2025, the Incredible Hulk #27/LEG #808, "The Falling-Down Tree" Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, pencils by Kev Walker, inks by Cam Smith.

I'm definitely not up to speed on current Hulk continuity--I haven't even read all of Immortal Hulk--but this is a stand-alone story, mostly. Chilling in the forest, alone again as usual, the Hulk's solitude is disturbed by a small boy playing, who advises this were his woods, kinda, and did he want to be friends? Remembering recent betrayals and such, the Hulk does not, but the boy warns him to stay away from "the falling-down tree," and explains that he lives nearby, in a bus with his parents and baby sister. Sometimes Daddy gets mean, and they have to go somewhere else...

The boy continues to hang out with the Hulk, over the course of a couple weeks, and it becomes apparent the dad is both abusive and shady, involved with a thievery ring. Speaking through an animal's skull, the voice of Banner tells the Hulk he could help that kid. Sure enough, the Hulk hears a ruckus at the bus: after a shootout, the dad was pulling stakes, but the mom is reluctant to go, since she doesn't want to leave their son...buried alone, under the falling-down tree. Realizing the truth, the Hulk finds the body, then the terrified mom, left behind, finds the Hulk. She pleads for her life, as the Hulk just scowls at her.

The Hulk catches up to the fleeing dad, and over a four-page sequence just demolishes him, screaming "monster." He knew who the real monster was. Later, as the authorities arrive, the boy tells the Hulk his little sister was going to live with their grandma, but wasn't sure what he should do. The Hulk says, "there's no rules...when nobody's looking out for you." He's sorry he wasn't able to help the boy, but the boy's just glad his sister was safe, calling that "hero stuff," and opts to go with her, to teach her hero stuff too. 

 I'm not 100% positive on the issue, but I'm pretty sure the Hulk has been able to see ghosts since way back in Defenders, and that was probably just to explain why the Hulk could see Dr. Strange's astral form in some story! But, Peter David used that one maybe a couple times as well; and later writers have maybe brought that more to the forefront. If I recollect, maybe the Maestro pointed out the Hulk can see ghosts because he was afraid of his ghost dad or something...

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I've mentioned Paul Jenkin's Spider-Man work before, and I know there's an issue that's an all-timer, like "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" level good. This isn't it, but it's pretty good. From 2004, the Spectacular Spider-Man #14, "The Kid on the Roof" Written by Paul Jenkins, art by Pablo Rivera.

The issue opens with a couple pages of man-in-the-street style interviews with New Yorkers on the subject of Spider-Man; including one with J.Jonah Jameson and a smiling Betty Brant sticking her head in. But one person might know more than all of them: young Joey Beal, who narrates the rest. Born with cerebral palsy and wheelchair-bound, he knew he was lucky enough to have a dad and sister who took care of him; and often spent days on the roof of his apartment, watching the city and dreaming of flying. One day, he sees Spider-Man swinging around, seemingly looking for something; which Joey sees later: someone--or something--across the street, in an abandoned building. Sadly, Joey is unable to say anything, to tell anyone.

The next day, on the roof, Joey is visited at dusk by his new neighbor: it's Morbius, the Living Vampire! Who looks like Nosferatu today; not his best look; but he also knew Joey's name, which isn't something he'd usually be able to do. Morbius knew Joey had seen him, and might even think he'd be doing him a favor by opening his neck; but he's stopped by a boot to the face. The fight is larger than life, like an opera of gods, but it eventually moves out of Joey's field of vision. Near dark, Spidey returns, to tell Joey that Morbius wouldn't be back, and to apologize for using him as bait. (That sounds worse than it really was; Spidey does that sort of thing a lot, doesn't he? Following whoever around to draw out the baddie.) Before he goes, Spidey turns, and without saying anything, unmasks. Joey immediately realizes, Spidey was putting on a brave face for his benefit, and was actually almost inconceivably sad.

Great art this time around, although poor Morby isn't his best today: Spidey tells Joey, the poor guy can't help being what he was, any more than they could. Read more!

It's at least partly because I keep coming in midstream, but I haven't loved a lot of Captain America stories in his regular title for some time. There was something I enjoyed this issue, though! From 2024, Captain America #13/LEG#763, "The Last Stand of the Front Door, part 2" Written by J. Michael Straczynski, art by Carlos Magno. I got the David Yardin variant, which kinda looks like Morbius is giving Cap the business; I couldn't be lucky enough to get the Godzilla variant from the dollar bin!

Again, I'm coming in midway through a storyline, but I don't think I'd ever be onboard with pseudo-Starlin level metaphysics in a Cap book; as here he's working for Lyra, an embodiment of Life itself, to stop her brother Death from wiping out the human race, as he's somewhat understandably sick of watching us kill each other. With a small team of mutants (new ones, nobody we know!) and a Guardian (who I don't think is Heather from Alpha Flight? I was confused because she's had not-Canadian flag costumes before, but feels like that'd be mentioned somewhere, and she has a sword: OK, pretty sure now she's just for this arc) they have to get a psychic, Malik, to the "mystical safe house" of the Front Door Cabaret. Death gives a ton of power to a massive crowd, threatening them with their own demises if they don't comply and stop Cap and friends. Taking back some magic rings, which I hope isn't a Captain Planet riff, Cap throws down with Death, to force him to draw that power back. Lyra had offered Cap a chance, to go back to his old life, to "lay down his burden," which feels a lot like trying to comment on his MCU arc, but we know darn well Cap isn't going to cop out here, and he doesn't.

Death gives Cap a pretty bad beating, before he realizes Malik was safe and he'd lost; which to him meant the suffering of humanity would be extended. He threatens Cap, that a bad end was coming for him. With seemingly everyone gone, while healing up Steve wonders if they made it, but thinks he might never know...while unseen behind him, a flowerbed blooms.

So, that didn't work for me much, except seeing Cap being Cap, even in a plotline that didn't feel like it was for him; but the next issue had Spidey and Thor guest-starring, so maybe Straczynski could course-correct from there. What I did like, was a Deadpool and Wolverine "Street Ball" ad, in the style of the great Spalding Jack Davis ad from the 70's! I know I've seen Wolvie and Pool hoop it up multiple times (like when I first started reading Deadpool!) but my headcanon now is that they sucked and always have. Wolvie's short and heavy as hell, no way he can jump...(Pretty sure that's Ryan North and Scott Koblish.)

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"Contract."

How do you get a bunch of super-powered egomaniacs to play in your little fight games? Honestly, it's probably easier to take Grandmaster and Collector's route here, and just give them stupid crap that they want. Mind control is risky: they'll turn on you if they get free, and it also might dull their game. Hostages and threats will only get you so far, especially if you're also taking hostages and threatening the other players. Care and feeding of hostages, plus keeping track of who you threatened with what; what a hassle! The only other aspect that comes to mind would be overly competitive types, that will fight for glory and love of the game; like the Champion, or Power Princess if she doesn't stop to think about it. 

"Purgatory Island" is of course a riff on Wonder Woman's Paradise Island, although I'm not 100% sure Power Princess means it: she might allow some men, as cooks and servants and such. They may or not be castrati, depending upon how she feels at time of hire...I don't think Hyperion has ever been shown to have a Supergirl-style cousin, but we've made that joke a couple times here, as well as alluded that Power Princess does not buy that story at all. In case it's not obvious, I find the Princess fun! She would probably be around more, if she stood a little better: Sat is a much better 'actress' in these strips. Very stable, always hits her marks, rarely topples over. That said, that Satana figure is what, from 2013? I had started this plotline with maybe the idea of swapping the figure with Spider-Woman, who per OAFE.net uses the same body. Just to have a back-up plan...

Also, we finally see the 'guy' Spider-Man 2099 had been trying to get back: Spider-Hulk! One of the shrinking number of Toy Biz figures to not get a remake yet and still look good. Miguel seemed to want to rescue him pretty badly, but Pavitr seems less enthused...

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