"Hiatus."

Some of today's strip is based on actual, factual, Marvel continuity--or at least hearsay about it--while the rest is nonsense I made up. Let's see if we can split them up.

Beast and Wonder Man are, of course, super bros; that I don't think ever get to hang out anymore. Everything has to be so serious all the time, and it's probably a problem for writers if Hank's invulnerable, super-strong, Nathan Fillion-level handsome pal is there when somebody is trying to start something. "Eek, Sentinels!...Simon?" "I got you, man!" Cue Wonder Man crushing giant robots into cubes and signing autographs for mutant kids while Hank sets up the barbeque.

It occurs to me Hank might be trying to protect Simon from having to be all 'woke' and alienating his audience; since Simon would definitely be on Twitter telling mutant-haters not to watch his movies or shows. I also forget how popular Simon is supposed to be as an actor right now: struggling B-lister, or America's sweetheart? Part of that is because I honestly can't remember the last Marvel comic I read with him. I know I was reading Uncanny Avengers for a while, but I think I lost track of it during a crossover, because I don't remember where Simon was disincorporated again and was trapped inside Rogue. At the last show I picked up (but haven't read yet) 2011's New Avengers Annual #1, where Wonder Man--rather out of left field--seems to decide the Avengers are a bad idea and maybe shouldn't be a team and he should settle the argument with his fists. (I remember blogs at the time calling that out of character, but at least one noted, not unlike his acting career, "It's work, man." Got to keep working it...)

I've never read Avengers Two, which I'd probably like. Stern and Bagley, although I think they're working too hard with plot: it should basically be the Hangover or Dude, Where's My Car? Well, maybe not; since I'm almost positive I've seen both of those but can't recall a bit of them.

Stunt-Master has had a TV show in the Marvel U. on multiple occasions--we saw Johnny Blaze doing a stunt for it last month. Legends of the Khonshu was part of Bendis's Moon Knight run; but there's no way that would be filmed in Hollywood, it would be filmed in Canada like Flash or Arrow. That's the 'hiatus' of the title too, the time between filming.

The younger, time-travelling Beast from that stretch of X-Men was learning magic at one point, possibly to try and reconcile the damage done to the timeline. I don't know how far he got. I also certainly don't see modern Hank having any aptitude for it, but it would possibly allow him to have a bit of fun, which he sure as heck doesn't get to in current books. For years he's had to fill the roles of 'adult' and 'science guy,' which hasn't left any room for hijinks or tomfoolery. I think he was allowed more fun when he was working on the Legacy Virus cure, and he wasn't allowed fun there. Last I saw he was one of the last X-Men, as most of the rest got sucked into the Age of X-Man crossover; but he wasn't playing with Cyclops and Wolverine's last gasp, clear-the-ledger team. (That still had a lot of members, and Dark Beast, for the science crap they needed...)

And lastly, I know Wonder Man has seen Dr. Strange perform legit magic more than once--the Infinity War for one--and I know he would've heard Wanda talk about him, but I'm not sure he'd be a believer. Didn't Dr. Strange hint 'Simon' might not even be real, in Avengers Disassembled? That 'chaos magic' wasn't a thing, and Wanda may have just brought to 'life' an imaginary version of Wonder Man. I don't know if I'd be a fan of someone who called me 'imaginary.' Well, maybe.


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Go on a Suicide Squad mission with four members, you'll probably be fine. Twelve, well...

I think I'm blogging this one just because it had a double cover! I've been buying comics for decades, yet don't think I've had more than a handful of those. From 1989, Suicide Squad #24, "Slings and Arrows" Written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale, penciled by Luke McDonnell, inks by Karl Kesel. There were two members I didn't recognize on said cover, which isn't usually a good sign for them...

Entering the second year of the title, and Amanda Waller is testifying before Congress about the Suicide Squad and their alleged illegal activities. To avoid having to answer where the Squad members were, she opts to send them on a mission, so she can dodge answering as "it would violate national security." While the team had a deeper roster than usual, they would be short one: Nemesis, who quits. He had been abandoned in Russia, and only rescued against Waller's orders by Flagg, who was gone, and Nightshade, who wants to quit herself. Waller attempts to bully Nemesis back in line, and he's not having it. Nor does the rest of the team leap to her defense.

Attempting to restore order, Waller tells the Squad they can leave or go back to their cells, no difference to her. Also, the rules had changed, to the effect that no one would get 'time served' for just one Squad mission anymore; which sounds like moving the goalposts. She sends the team to Africa, to rescue a captured nun. I'm sure that'll go over about as well as most of their missions...Waller was also starting to see even more blowback towards her managerial style, as she refuses to accept help from the mysterious Oracle, and some of her former supporters take other jobs and leave.

As for as the two Squad members I didn't recognize, I looked them up: one was Shrike, the other Ravan. One of them might've made it through this mission, maybe.
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I thought if you gave godlike power to someone who already had super-speed, they'd get more done.

Well, he still manages to do a ton of damage: from 2002, Impulse #87, "Crisis on Impulse's Earth, part two" Written by Todd Dezago, pencils by Carlo Barberi, inks by Greg Adams.

The Phantom Stranger seemingly implores the reader to "observe your boy" as this one opens: using a newfound time-travel power, Impulse had stopped the mystical entity Bedlam by taking those powers himself. (As opposed to letting a more troublesome host, Matthew Stuart, take them.) With near-infinite power, and absolutely no foresight, Impulse starts with fairly innocent changes like bringing back his dad and aunt and grandpa--the Tornado Twins from the 30th century, and Barry Allen! Then he gets down to the business of making the world a better place: fixing the hole in the ozone, making cars fly and run on water, giving dogs the power of speech; and a few selfish ones like outlawing asparagus and making the school week two days.

Bart's friend Carol points out that Bart's changes are all having unintended consequences: even saving the whales has messed up the food chain. Worse, the Twins and Flash point out, they died heroic, necessary deaths: if Bart took them out of the timeline, was that going to cause problems? Luckily, the Phantom Stranger hadn't been talking to the reader about fixing this, he was talking to Max Mercury! Who helps convince Bart to give up the power, then disappears since with the magic removed retroactively, Bart didn't save Max from the Rival. Still, Bart does think ahead at least a little: writing a note to himself on his hand, he uses one of his time-travel "scouts" to plant Carol's notebook on the Stranger, so he can retrieve it after his magic and his memories of it are gone. The Stranger doesn't seem to notice, but Bart seems to have something in mind...is the idea of Impulse with a plan terrifying anyone else?

The Phantom Stranger of course may have since gotten into "hop hip," we've seen him drop some rhymes. The medallion should've been your first clue...There were only a couple issues of this series left, and I think it may have ended with Max still possessed by Rival or something; a leftover from some crossover. Without looking I'm honestly not certain if Max Mercury has returned in the New 52, since a mentor figure like him would be seen as taking away from "Saint Barry," but then again I know there's like 90 speedsters out there, too...
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It was once again, "blog a random comic within arm's reach" time, but we got one that relates back to an old post! From 2018, Phoenix Resurrection #4, "Chapter Four: That a Great Princess Falls, but Doth Not Die" Written by Matthew Rosenberg, art by Ramon Rosanas, color art by Rachelle Rosenberg.

We're more than coming into this one midstream, and there is some fairly cool nightmare imagery in Jean's dream world sequences; but I noticed a throwaway line from Old Man Logan as the X-Men fight dead X-Men. (More accurately, Phoenix-generated copies of dead X-Men. Whatever.) "I've wanted to stab a Madrox since the first day I met him." That struck me as a bit much, but Rosenberg was one of the writers on Uncanny X-Men #9, which also featured some Madrox-bashing. But as CalvinPitt pointed out, Rosenberg also wrote the most recent Multiple Man series! (Which as I write this, the covers weren't on the GCD? The hell? If I wrote a comic, I'd have that uploaded so fast...)

Colossus and X-23 also take out some Maddoxes, but Colossus at least acknowledges they aren't really him. I don't think Rosenberg dislikes Madrox; but he seems to think the X-Men do. Weird. Elsewhere this issue, young Cyclops and Old Man Logan argue which of them should go into the Phoenix-guarded diner to confront Jean, which feels like a virgin and a long-time stalker fighting over who gets to mansplain to her first. That's not really fair, I may still be pissed about the Madrox crack.
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Admittedly, I bought this to see him fight Hemp, but...

The "BWAH-HA-HA!" era had ended and Justice League Spectacular had just introduced new lineups for the American and European teams, but I still don't think 1992 was a banner year for the team. Otherwise, they would've been on the cover instead of, "Hemp." From 1992, Deathstroke the Terminator #13, "Terminator Hunt: The Powers that Be!" Written by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Steve Erwin, inks by Will Blyberg. Maybe there were too many Justice League covers that month, or maybe cover artist Mike Zeck wanted to draw Hemp!

Deathstroke infamously owned the Justice League in Identity Crisis, which somewhat improbably ended up not even being in the top ten worst things about that series. He doesn't have quite as strong a showing today, but it's close; even if it opens with him captured by Superman! He doesn't appear to struggle, although he apparently put up a fight trying to escape the cops the previous issue: that may be worth looking up, it had a couple pages of art by Michael Golden, and apparently Lucy Lane got shot! (Post-Crisis I think she was a much blander, played-straight character; with none of her super-passive-aggressive Silver Age shenanigans. I honestly thought Lucy had appeared on this blog more than Deathstroke...)

At the federal building in Metropolis, Superman turns Deathstroke over to Agent Smith. (Not that one!) Supes is suspicious, partially because Smith seems mega-shady, and appears to have a pinky ring with a setting the size of a Maglite with a skull on it. Still, perhaps it's understandable why Deathstroke went easy with Superman, he knew he'd be able to escape in like three pages: Slade tells his guards he's not really Deathstroke, he's Blue Beetle, working with Superman to give Deathstroke time to flee. When the guards unmask him, Slade is able to beat the stuffing out of them even while handcuffed and shackled. Easier than pie!

Deathstroke's escape makes national news, since multiple Justice Leaguers have been asked to assist in the manhunt: we see Aquaman, this would've been during his '92 series when he was at the United Nations. Hal Jordan is there with his grey streak, and Guy Gardner almost considers helping out until the game comes back on. Picking up new weapons from his stuttering tech-support guy (I don't think he was named here, but he may have worked with Gizmo) Deathstroke is spotted leaving by Hemp and his team. They get flattened inside of three pages, but Hal and Arthur hear the gunfire and find him. Arthur is really talky, perhaps thinking he can convince him to give up. Instead, Deathstroke trash-talks Hal to get under his guard, then gets Arthur with a flare and drops a condemned building on him. That may be a better showing than the Flash (Wally!) who knocks Deathstroke down, but then gets tripped up after he shakes the cops and Smith again.

Elsewhere, the Titans watch another news broadcast that wonders if anyone can stop Deathstroke. Had they dropped the 'Teen' at this point? They do look kinda old, especially Changeling there. I think the book was headed into a crossover next. I also think Deathstroke has shown up on this blog more than the Titans have...
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"Trespass."

The cage is a piece from the Mattel DC Justice League Ultimate Justice Battleground Playset, which I only partially assembled but use in backgrounds a lot. Said cage is also available in green if you go with the Batman vs. Superman Ultimate Batcave Playset; and as usual, don't pay those prices.
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Feeling a bit run-down today.

It's his second issue, how did he have so many damn subplots going? From 1993, Thunderstrike #2, "Family Matters!" Written and co-plotted by Tom DeFalco, penciled and co-plotted by Tom DeFalco, finishes by Al Milgrom.

Admittedly, a couple subplots are actually bleeding over from Avengers: when Thunderstrike has Black Knight examine the Bloodaxe (that would eventually lead to his demise…) he notices Crystal and the Knight's attraction, as well as Sersi "glaring" at those two. What he doesn't notice, is that the Black Knight would probably be the best person in the world to discuss a cursed, blood-crazed magic weapon with; and as such doesn't really open up about it, even though the axe was already giving him nightmares. Still, he has other things on his mind as well: Eric was going to take his son Kevin to visit his parents; so of course something is bound to come up and wreck that.

Two things, actually, both of them throwing "We're family!" around, although technically neither were! Kevin's stepdad Bobby had beat up his mom, and was acting erratically; their drive was about to be held up by the Juggernaut, who is surprisingly level-headed this month. A genetic engineering treatment for his longtime partner Black Tom Cassidy was starting to fail, so Juggs needed to pick up his medical records. Huh, this issue actually predates HIPAA, but Genetech still won't release Tom's PHI without signed authorization. Juggs figures, probably correctly, he can intimidate them into coughing it up.

Juggernaut literally walks all over Thunderstrike, although Eric does get an unseen assist, I believe from Stellaris. Seeing his son with Bobby, Eric wanted to wrap this one up quick, and is forced to use the Bloodaxe...to chop off Juggernaut's helmet, and get his attention. Eric helps him get the file, and Juggernaut pays for the damages, even chipping in some extra for the volunteer fire department that had tried to hold him off. (He was impressed!) While he wonders if this compromise was a good idea or not, Eric gets to his parents' house, where Kevin is waiting safe and sound: Bobby had dropped him off and disappeared. The issue isn't over yet, though, as later Eric sees a familiar looking signal, from the lady Sif! In another just awful costume!

Sif has actually gotten two action figures in recent years, both of them in better outfits, thankfully. Still no Marvel Legends Thunderstrike, but maybe someday.
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The Lilac City Comicon has once again come and gone, and this year we picked up 176 books and a handmade stuffed Nightcrawler! I am not even sure how much he cost, I may have just thrown my wallet and run away with him...but I do believe I had her card from last year, so check out Kelly Lundblad at Etsy. (EDIT: That link did not appear to take; I'll keep looking.)

But, why not check out one of those comics today? We'll start with a real oddity: from December 2009, Ambush Bug: Year None #7, "Whatever Happened to Ambush Bug: Year None #6?" Plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, script by Robert Loren Fleming, inks by Al Milgrom; story and art Art Baltazar, script by Franco Aureliani.

This is one of those comics where the behind-the-scenes may be more interesting than the actual comic; or perhaps from the comic that we got: this was a six-issue mini-series, the first issue of which came out July 2008, and it came out regularly up to the fifth issue January 2009...then a long and not-entirely-explained delay. Ambush Bug: Year None #6 was solicited with a Darwyn Cooke cover that would never see print--well, not really. The series would skip #6, and return with #7, featuring the Bug tied up over a pile of Ambush Bug: Year None #6, with Cooke's cover, asking for a match.

The short answer probably is, Dan Didio probably got sick of Giffen and company's nonsense, or that one or more jokes hit too close to home. Since earlier issues featured Didio as a character, and the first issue had Ambush Bug trying to buy a new refrigerator without a dead girl in it ("It's a standard feature.") I have to wonder where they crossed the line. Baltazar and Franco were Eisner winners, and may have been brought in to fill enough pages to salvage some of the book so they could publish a last issue and get people to quit asking about it. (More people probably asked about it than read it, this is Ambush Bug we're talking about.)

The series ends about the only way it could: with Ambush Bug banished once again from the DC Universe. He wouldn't be gone long, though: Giffen would bring him back during his Doom Patrol run: Didio did not seem to hold a grudge against Giffen or the Bug, and Ambush Bug would be a mascot-like character in the New 52 "Channel 52" ads. I still have to wonder what the original #6 looked like, but some of the jokes were probably of the moment anyway.

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