Part Eight: Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty...

Doug: Back again with some more haute not-necessarily-couture. Up this week -- Miss Selina Kyle, the Catwoman! To your left is a fine illustration by longtime DC cover artist Brian Bolland. Said illo is also available as a poster, by the way!

Doug: Working clockwise from the lower left corner of the image, we have the purple catsuit popularized in the 1990's by artist Jim Balent -- I'd argue that this version of Selina would certainly give Power Girl a run for the money in the "busty" category! Above is Frank Miller's interpretation from Batman #404-407, the Batman: Year One arc (the first of it's sort, and some would argue still the best in the genre -- although certainly controversial). Selina's first, non-costumed appearance as The Cat from the Golden Age precedes the Batman: The Animated Series version. At the top is one of the first versions I ever saw, primarily because it's the costume in which Mego outfitted Catwoman's The World's Greatest Super-Heroes action figure in the early 1970's. Continuing to the right is the more common Golden Age costume -- one of my favorites. I'm uncertain of the time period for the green costume, but the subsequent purple/green suit hails from the All-Star Comics revival -- this was the Huntress' mother's costume. And lastly, at center stage, is the modern catsuit.

Doug: I've always liked Catwoman. The male/female dichotomy between her character and the Batman, the sexual tension, the more-naughty-than-nice angle of her character -- I've just always thought she was a great foil for the Dark Knight. Throw in the 1970's Earth-2 characterization as told by Gerry Conway and Joe Staton in the pages of the aforementioned All-Star Comics revival, and the revelation that the Huntress was the daughter she shared with the Earth-2 Batman and it's a great story.

Karen: She's one of the best Batman villains, simply because she's one of the few that Batman holds any reasonable hope of redemption for. The mutual attraction between the two has always been fun to watch. I also agree that the concept that her Earth 2 version was wife to Batman and mother to Huntress was especially appealing.

Doug: Let's also not forget a couple of versions of the lady, as appearing on the silver screen. Fans (even detractors) of the 1966 Batman film and television series cannot forget the sultry Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt in the catsuit. In the 1992 film Batman Returns, it was Michelle Pfeiffer's turn to get into the leather in a dominatrix version of the costume. I hate to even mention Halle Berry's turn, so purge it from your memory and assume I didn't just do that.

Karen: I have to say, even as a child, I knew there was something terribly naughty about Julie Newmar as the Catwoman! My god, she looks like she was poured into that suit!

Doug: So, which of those outfits above are winners, and which are litter box fodder? My "likes" are the aforementioned "dress"-like outfits, as opposed to the infinitely more conventional and practical catsuits. That might seem odd, since much of the character is built around sex appeal. I don't know -- maybe I like the color scheme (works for the Hulk, doesn't it?). I think the best thing is the flow of the skirt and cape -- it jibes with Batman's scalloped cape and adds some real dynamism when they are "on camera" together in a panel or series of panels.

Karen: The Julie Newmar version beats all others in my book! That super-sleek, simple yet elegant outfit just blows everything else away. For the comics though, I like the purple and black, followed by the Batman Year One outfit. I just think a character based on a cat should be very sleek, and these one piece suits achieve that.Doug: My dislikes would be the two very early-1970's get-ups -- the green deal with the cat-o-nine-tails and the formerly-mentioned Mego outfit. I don't think the latter has anything to do with a cat -- you might argue that neither does the purple/green dress w/ cape costumes I mentioned above. But at least those have the cat motif working with the mask. These other two are just silly, and part of DC's redesigns that also saw Wonder Woman in civvies. Not a good change!

Karen: I really don't care for that funky blue and red ensemble. Weird colors, and what's with the buccaneer boots?

Doug: And the mask is just wrong for the character, too.

Karen: All in all, I would give Catwoman a thumbs-up. She's had a couple of whacky looks, but for such a long-running character, she's done pretty good!

My Name is Tony...: Demon in a Bottle, part 3

Iron Man #128 (November 1979)
"Demon In a Bottle"
Writer/plot: David Michelinie
Pencil Art: John Romita Jr.
Finished art/plot: Bob Layton
Karen: We've come to the conclusion of our look at Iron Man's 'Demon in a Bottle' storyline. This is a very unusual issue, one without a supervillain or a lot of action. At the time it was published, I recall thinking how different it was - I liked it, but I'd never read a comic like this before.
Doug: Character. Development. And it worked.
Karen: Tony has hit rock bottom. He's very close to losing control of Stark Industries to SHIELD, and he's still haunted over his accidental killing of an ambassador (even though he was cleared of responsibility). He goes on a bender, and makes the big mistake of putting on the armor. Far more dangerous than a drunken driver, Tony tries to do his usual superhero schtick when he comes across a train derailment. Of course, his brain is soaked in booze and while trying to remove a tanker filled with chlorine, he drops it and it begins leaking the deadly gas. The art is surprisingly effective in making Iron Man look wobbly and off kilter without being cartoonish.
Doug: I thought the best part of this scene was that Michelinie had Stark flee from the scene, rather than snap to his senses and save the day. So many people who have to deal with alcoholics must contend with their lack of commitment, and the fall-out from their poor deeds and decisions. As I said in last issue's discussion, the portrayal of a boozed-up Tony Stark is pretty real-life, and the creators are to be applauded for not sugar-coating the situation.
Karen: Tony returns home and just as he is about to pour himself a drink, his girlfriend Bethany Cabe arrives. She tells Tony about her former husband, a diplomat, who turned to pills to handle the job pressure, and wound up dying. When Tony offers his sympathy, Bethany gets angry and tells him she told that story because Tony is headed down the same path. Finally, he accepts her offer of help.
Karen: It's interesting that this comic dealt with Tony's addiction with roughly a page of him struggling to stay off the booze! We see a montage shot of him arguing with Bethany and falling into her lap, finally breaking down and sharing his problems. I can't help but think that a modern comic might take several issues to do this - or even a whole limited series!

Doug: Can you imagine, with all of the exposition, how long it would take Bendis to tell this story? This single issue would fill up a 6-issue trade paperback! Ugh... give me the writing style of the Silver and Bronze Ages, when it actually took 20 minutes to read a funnybook.

Karen: Even though Tony has managed to start getting himself back on track, he has another problem: when he goes to apologize to Jarvis for his earlier behavior, he discovers that Jarv has sold his two shares of Stark stock. Fearing that SHIELD will get a hold of it, Tony makes what seems to me a bad decision: he flies over to the loan shark in full armor and threatens him! Unfortunately, it's too late, the shares have been sold, apparently to SHIELD.
Doug: Two shares of stock? Did you think that was a little extreme? And, did you think it was a paltry gift from Stark to the faithful Jarvis? I don't know what Stark International would have been trading at back in those days, but you'd think a little more than two shares would have been necessary to show one's "thanks" for loyal service. And that the deal came down to Jarvis' two shares? I thought that seemed a little unbelievable. But it did work, and was the vehicle for the scene where Tony blows it yet again. This was necessary to show that even when on the road to recovery alcoholics make poor choices. This scene was angry, impulsive, and destructive -- and in the end it was going to cost Stark even more, as I'm sure Iron Man could have been sued for property damage.

Karen: Yes, I was surprised all faithful Jarvis had was two shares of stock. Then again, maybe Tony was still peeved at him for the whole Crimson Cowl thing years ago! But back to our story - this news sends Tony back to the bottle. As he prepares to pour himself a drink, Bethany makes one last plea, telling him to remember that his life affects so many others. If he won't stop drinking for himself, she asks him to stop drinking for all those who care about him. After moments of hesitation (and with a sweaty brow!), Tony puts the bottle down in triumph. As he and Bethany drive off into the sunset (literally), he tells Beth he's taken life's best shot and he's still standing. He's got a lot to deal with, but as he says in the last panel, "I'm going to win."

Doug: I thought it was a nice conclusion, because the door remained open for future troubles. The creators didn't try to wrap this in a bow all neat and tidy -- although the recovery began in this issue, we could tell that Tony was still shaky. This was good Marvel-style writing.

Karen: Yeah, very old school with the hero battered but not beaten. Of course, alcohol would again plague Tony later on, to the point that his pal Jim Rhodes had to put on the armor. If you haven't seen Iron Man 2 yet, you should stop reading the rest of my comment: I thought that the scenes at Tony's birthday party, where he gets blasted and out of control in the armor, and Rhodey has to put on the other suit to stop him, was a nice way of incorporating some of the ideas from the Michelinie/Layton run. Although not a full-blown alcoholic, the Stark in the films is clearly a man of excesses and could easily become an alcoholic. Again, he's a typical Marvel hero, with feet of clay. But he comes through when things get tough!

Why Can't We Be Friends? The Incredible Hulk vs. the Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing, Part 3!

Fantastic Four #167 (February 1976)"Titans Two!"
Roy Thomas-George Perez/Joe Sinnott

Doug: Conclusion #1 today, folks! And, in two short days we'll wrap up our other classic -- the Demon in a Bottle arc. This has been a fun couple of weeks!

Karen: Agreed!

Doug: When last we saw our battling behemoths, they weren't battling each other but had teamed up and stood together against the rest of the FF and the US Army. We pick it up this issue with a quite precarious position as Ben and the Hulk immediately move against the remaining three heroes. Ben makes short work of Reed, whiplashing him against a wall. As Johnny blazes toward Ben, the Hulk unleashes a tremendous concussion clap which extinguishes the Torch's flame. With Sue all that remains, Ben and the Hulk press forward. Sue launches a forcefield to protect herself, Johnny, and the army. Alas, her will is not enough, and she succumbs to the pounding.

Karen: Probably the only thing I didn't care for in these last two issues was the depiction of Sue, struggling with every single use of her powers! This is definitely old school Marvel, where the females characters are little more than ornaments. But this was also the era when writers like Steve Englehart and Chris Claremont would start giving us heroines who didn't pass out every time they zapped a bad guy!

Doug: Ben and the Hulk then burst through a wall, "built to withstand any natural disaster". As they enter a new chamber, they discover three hovercraft. Knowing one is their ticket out of the trouble, they destroy the other two. Now free to leave, they hop into the remaining craft and zoom away. Having no real plan, Ben asks the Hulk if he'd like to go to the desert. Hulk reflects on a natural bridge he used to sit on to think. At about that time, he spies something out the window and orders Ben to land... at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis!

Karen: Even though this is early in George Perez' career, his story-telling abilities shine through. The scene where Hulk is thinking about the stone bridge, and we see it surrounding his face in the panel, is really effective. And how about that large panel on the previous page, where he and the Thing slam the two hovercraft together? Wow!

Doug: A couple of notes on the creative team... As I mentioned earlier, Roy Thomas is really in step with the dialogue of all of the characters in this book. That's perhaps best explained by the fact that by this time, it had been around 10-11 years since Roy had become a major scripter at Marvel; or roughly the same amount of time Stan spent as the primary writer of the Marvel Universe. And the art... wow -- what a difference an inker makes! Of course we've noted (read: maligned or praised) Joltin' Joe Sinnott for his heavy influence on just about any penciller in the Marvel Bullpen over the course of Joe's career. But I'll be frank -- this is a very comfortable Fantastic Four for me looks-wise. Whereas we remarked in our last review that Vinnie Colletta didn't mesh well with the young George Perez, he we can see the Perez who would grow to become (forgive the hyperbole) the major star of the Modern Age of comics, both at Marvel and DC. And it's thanks to Joe Sinnott.

Karen: The Joe Sinnott style is evident here, yet as you say, Perez' own style still comes through. This is a very nice looking book. Sinnott brought a consistency to the FF that most titles lacked. His work is always very polished.

Doug: OK, back to our tale. I don't have any definite resource to say, but I'd wager that the city of St. Louis hasn't turned up too many times in comics over the years. So when it did, as in this issue, I guess I'd expect a native Missourian writing the story to take a little more artistic control over the depiction of the city. Living south of Chicago with relatives in central Missouri, I've been to or through St. Louis several times. And Perez just didn't grab the feel of it. First off, St. Louis really doesn't have much of a skyline. Past the Arch and a few large hotels, it's a pretty concentrated downtown area. Next, the two major features of the downtown area aren't shown anywhere in this book: the Courthouse (site of the famous Dred Scott decision) and Busch Stadium (click on the photo, and you'll get a nice look at the city, circa the 1990's). Major error, in my opinion. And I'll get back to the most grievous error later.

Doug: As the FF move in to stop Ben, so does the National Guard. Ah, the poor "weekend warriors" from Mizzou -- they don't stand a chance against the Hulk. And neither do the FF, after Reed's attempts to reason with Ben fail. A subplot -- twice in this story Ben has had to pause as dizziness comes upon him. Reed cryptically explains that Ben is in danger the longer he stays with the Hulk, but is interrupted before he can explain. The Hulk, sensing that Ben is being drawn away, attacks. What comes next is some serious action, and Perez is at the top of his game, particularly in a panel where Johnny attacks Ben.

Karen: One of the things I enjoyed in this book is Ben's annoyance at being referred to as "little" in comparison to the Hulk. Hulk calls him 'little man' a few times, and then Richards makes a comment about him being smaller than the Hulk. Ben just loses it - "Listen friend, I've had it up ta here with people referrin' to me as a 98 pound weakling!" The fact that the Hulk has always been acknowledged as being stronger than Ben has gotten under his skin over the years, and being called little certainly doesn't help!

Doug: The comic relief always provided by Ben was a hallmark of this title and one of the elements that separated Marvel from DC in this period.

Karen: I'm not sure what Johnny thought he was going to do, engaging the Thing hand to hand, but it sure is a cool looking panel!

Doug: The battle moves to the top of the Gateway Arch, as Reed is disabled and protected by Sue's forcefield. As the Hulk beats on it, Ben snaps to his senses and stops the assault. A battle royal ensues, and here's where Roy and George both get it wrong -- the Arch begins to crumble under the battle, to fall away in cracks and pieces. Trouble is, the Arch isn't concrete -- it's metal! A letter writer in a subsequent issue took editorial to task on this, and he should have! Anyway, Ben starts to get woozy again, but this time he also begins to revert to his human form. As the Hulk sends him sailing off the Arch, Johnny moves to break the now-human Ben's fall. Once on the ground, the team reassembles to greet Ben in the state he's longed for. The Hulk, now saddened at losing his "new friend", leaps off into the pages of his own magazine. And of course Reed, in his typical melodramatic fashion, wonder if this is the end of the Fantastic Four?!?

Karen: This was not your typical Hulk-Thing battle, and I liked it because of that. Despite all their confrontations over the years, Ben has always felt sympathy for the Hulk -when he wasn't annoyed over the fact that Hulk was stronger than him. The Hulk comes off as a very sad and lonely being - he's lost his only friend by the end of the story. Hard to believe how much things have changed for old Jade-Jaws.

Karen: This was a particularly good time to be an FF reader. I had a subscription when these issues came out, and let me tell you, I was always excited when a new issue arrived. Of course, Ben's (temporary) transformation back into his human form allowed the creative team to try some new things -like bringing Luke Cage in as Ben's replacement next issue! It seemed crazy -and it was -but it was fun.Doug: I agree -- shortly after this is, as you mentioned, the Luke Cage/Puppet Master/exo-skeleton story, then a nice Galactus arc, and then a long arc with the Frightful Four. This run of issues from, say, #164-179 was a return to the classic years of the team. These issues are among my favorite FF stories as well.

Gettin' Hammer'd: Demon in a Bottle, part 2

Iron Man # 127 (October 1979)
"A Man's Home is his Battlefield!"
Writer/Plot: David Michelinie
Pencil Art: John Romita Jr.
Finished Art/Plot: Bob Layton

Karen: This second issue in our review starts us off right with a great cover, with Iron Man pounding his way through a dozen or more villains. The inside is more of the same. Hammer throws a ton of minor leaguers at Shellhead, and he proceeds to tear them apart. When Discus -yes, Discus - attacks Stark, he's as incredulous as the reader: "Oh come on! I'm Iron Man, remember? My whole gamut of powers began with reverse magnetism..." Iron Man almost gleefully tears through second stringer after second stringer. When he tore the wings off the Beetle, I had to laugh. These pages were flat out fun.

Doug: The entire time I was reading this, I was thinking of the Scourge storyline that began in Iron Man #194 and ran through Captain America and other titles several years after this. It was repeatedly occurring to me that what Scourge did was a public service! Wow, was there some chaff in the Marvel Super-baddie Universe!

Karen: Just as it looks like IM has things going his way, Hammer pulls a trick out of his hat: he starts moving the island! It turns out his massive floating home is also equipped with huge jets that lift and propel the island across the sea, headed for international waters. Desperate to prevent Hammer from escaping with the evidence that will clear him of the murder of the ambassador, Iron Man launches himself straight at the center of the island! This splits it in two, and as it begins to sink, Stark somehow locates the computer programmer who engineered his frame-up.

Doug: The panel where Shellhead has the guy suspended way, way up in the sky over the ocean was very reminiscent of a couple of Batman scenes: in The Dark Knight Returns, when Batman holds a stooge out over a gargoyle above the Gotham City skyline, and in the 1989 Batman movie when Michael Keaton holds a mugger over the ledge of a rooftop and utters the famous line, "I want you to tell all your friends... I'm Batman!"

Karen: Once the evidence and the programmer are turned over to the authorities, Iron Man is soon cleared of the murder. However, an encounter with a small girl, who runs terrified of the killer of "that nice fat man on TV", puts Tony into a tailspin. He still harbors guilt over the death even though he was not responsible for it.

Doug: Michelinie and Layton have done a nice job addressing the psychological aspects of Tony's illness. The incredible high, the over-running self-confidence during the brawl on Hammer's island transitions immediately to the scene you mention. It's a quick bottoming out. I also thought it was a nice line, bringing home again Tony's mental state, that every time Tony sleeps he sees the ambassador's face. Good, thorough, writing.

Karen: Tony begins drinking heavily. He misses a date with Bethany, but assumes she stood him up. In a drunken stupor, he picks up a floozy and actually brings her to Avengers Mansion, where he angrily yells at the faithful Jarvis. The next day, a hungover Stark is shocked when Jarvis resigns! He is left staring at a bottle of whiskey.

Doug: The mood swings, the violence (if only in speech), the unreliability, placing blame on others -- deflecting that accountability to self and others, the repetitive behaviors, the down-spiraling self-destruction... for a funny-book, this storyline is very mature. It's a lesson for young readers, and I hope it changed a life along the line or at least served as a warning in its time. Powerful stuff. This is really one of the notable storylines of the Bronze Age, and its creators are to be praised for attacking such a sensitive subject.

Karen: I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book - there's really nothing to complain about as far as I'm concerned. We get some great action in the beginning, some character development, and some foreshadowing of what's to come. I should also point out that Tony's troubles have been building longer than just these two issues we've reviewed - we just didn't want to review 6-8 Iron Man books to the exclusion of everything else!

Doug: I agree. Each of these issues have been interesting in that they are essentially two-in-ones. In #126, we had the long recap of the previous issues, and then the time on Hammer's island. In this issue, it was the finish on the island, and then Tony's issues with the bottle. In each case, it's been an effective storytelling method.

Karen: We know what's coming. Stark faces his greatest enemy -himself!

Why Can't We Be Friends? The Incredible Hulk vs. the Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing -- Part 2

Fantastic Four #166 (January 1976)"If It's Tuesday, This Must Be the Hulk!"
Roy Thomas-George Perez/Vince Colletta

Doug: After last time's knockdown/dragout, this issue begins a two-parter that has an interesting twist. As we get rolling, just a couple of comments on the creative team. First, Roy Thomas seems to have really hit his stride by the time 1976 rolls around. Earlier looks at his tenure as writer on Marvel's flagship title found me wanting a return to the days of Stan Lee. But Roy seems right at home, establishing firmly each character's voice. George Perez makes a very early appearance in what has certainly become a hall of fame-worthy career. However, the inks of Vinnie Colletta, while familiar in their fine line and feathering, don't fit Perez's style. It's not an eye-appealing marriage of talents, although either man paired with another artist has certainly been incredible.

Karen: At this early stage in his career, Perez's art is still rough. While his talent for design and layout shows through, many of his figures appear stiff. Still, I agree with you Doug - Colletta was probably not the best choice to team with Perez. I felt the same way with the issues of Avengers they did together.

Doug: We begin this tale aboard a 737 bound for the Midwest, in what appears to be some sort of VIP lounge. The FF are joined by a young couple and their son, and mom and dad are definitely engaging in a Public Display of Affection. Ben, in his normally gruff manner, takes exception and a big blow-up results. The team is obviously under some duress, as Reed explains that their mission is to find, capture, and cure the Hulk. The restoration of Bruce Banner and a cure for his gamma-induced personality changes is the goal.

Karen: A VIP lounge? Do they even have these any more? It doesn't really make any sense that the FF would be flying on a civilian aircraft. It's just a way to get the action rolling.

Doug: You're right -- no Pogo Plane? Anyway, the FF is forced into action as, would you believe it?, the Hulk leaps right through one of the plane's wings. What I really liked about this scene, and even a later bit of action, was that this FF had a plan -- they acted like a team of heroes, rather than a bunch of self-indulged individuals. In a dramatic sequence, Reed, Sue, and Johnny save the plane and bring it to a smooth landing on a highway. Ben, however, feels useless as his skills were not appropriate to the rescue.

Karen: I suppose this is why Reed is considered one of the best leaders in the super-powered community. And I have to admit. it's a pretty cool scene. Although I could do without the stereotypical response by the Invisible Girl -"Oh Reed, it was horrible! But you and Johnny were wonderful!" Come on Roy, it's 1976! Ever hear of a little thing called Women's Liberation?

Doug: Once down, the team is immediately taken away on a military helicopter. Their mission is completely explained -- capture the Hulk so that Reed can remove the essence of the creature from Banner. Upon his cure, Banner would then be released to Reed's supervision. It's interesting that this is a goal held for quite some time, as this was a plot point in FF #112 as well.

Karen: It's interesting to compare how the heroes treat the Hulk over the years. Here, and in earlier times, the overwhelming sentiment was that Banner was a blameless victim of the an experiment gone awry, and that he could not be held responsible for the Hulk's destructive rampages. Later on though that attitude pretty much disappeared and that's how we wound up with a group of Hulk's supposed friends -including Reed - shooting the Hulk into space. Was it just a reflection of the times? Public outcry trumps personal rights?

Doug: I think part of the switch in philosophy had to do with a realization of the damage that the Hulk had done through the years. Mark Millar, to me at least, really put it in perspective in The Ultimates.

Doug: As fate would have it, who should appear on the gamma sensors but ol' Greenskin himself. The team moves quickly to board a military bird and zero in on the signal. The Hulk, sensing the same old/same old, uproots a tree and launches it at the craft. As the FF regroups, they spring into action with an obviously practiced plan. Johnny strikes first in an effort to stun, followed by Reed restraining the Hulk. Sue envelopes the Hulk's head in a force bubble, and Ben (with much coaxing from Reed) moves in for the final blow. Ben is obviously bothered by the fact that he just laid out a restrained, panicked creature on the verge of unconsciousness. It's a feeling that will hang on him for the duration of the issue.

Karen: It's a great plan, and it stinks. Roy does a nice job of making the reader feel how Ben feels - unclean. When he tells Reed to take his hand off him, it sounds absolutely right.

Doug: Once back at the military base, with the Hulk restrained, Reed begins the process of removing the gamma influence. But the FF's understanding of the next chain of events is betrayed as young Col. Sellers orders his men to grab the limp body of Banner and fit him with smaller manacles. This is about all the smoldering Ben can take and he lunges forward to destroy the machine. You guessed it -- it's Hulk time again!

Doug: Now free, the Hulk stands side-by-side with the Thing. Ben proclaims, "The Hulk and me -- you and the rest of humanity's had us at each other's throats -- when we shoulda been fightin' on the same side -- right, Hulk?" Game on, as they say!

Bronze Age Babies Bulletins

Doug: Happy Mother's Day, or May 9th, or whatever you are celebrating today! We're here with a quick look at a controversial issue that received some media coverage early last week. We're talking about the demise of the pirate website htmlcomics.com.

Doug: If you never saw htmlcomics.com, it was something to behold. Imagine the first time you went to a large comic convention, with tables upon tables of longboxes -- every conceivable back issue you could imagine. That's what htmlcomics was. It was a veritable treasure trove of just about anything from the Golden Age to the present. And it was all illegal.

Doug: The music and film industries' issues with piracy have been well documented, with some cases even reaching the judgement stage of litigation where large fines were handed down. But this was, to the best of my knowledge, uncharted territory. You can read about it here, on the Comic Book Resources website. Be sure to check out Colleen Doran's comments, linked within.

Doug: Now I'd be a liar and a hypocrite if I didn't tell you that I have dirty hands in this issue. Some of the reviews I've done for our Two-In-Ones came from books I read from the htmlcomics site. I'll admit -- I had the same smarmy feeling I got a few years ago when I somewhat regularly used Limewire for music. However, while I started legitimizing my audio purchases by paying on iTunes, I did get sucked in to the wonder that was this comic site.

Doug: The site's owner claimed that he was providing what amounted to a social justice -- he had created a library for all to use, and just as a library allows just about anyone to use or read a book, so did his website. It all seemed logical, although I knew it wasn't legal; at the very least it didn't seem moral. But when, as the CBR site tells, a consortium of publishers got together to put a legal beatdown on the proprietor of htmlcomics, the site was yanked. And the Wonderland ceased to exist.

Doug: What's really interesting about the case is the belligerence and defiance of htmlcomics' proprietor. Again, be sure to read Colleen Doran's thoughts, linked from the CBR report.

Doug: Thoughts?

Karen: Well Doug, I'm right there with you with my dirty hands as well. Although I've purchased thousands of comics over the years, scores of trades and Marvel Masterworks, and the wonderful DVD-ROM discs with nearly complete collections of Spidey, FF, Avengers, etc, there are just still many comics out there that I have yet to find. So htmlcomics was a nice resource for those books. However, it was always obvious that it couldn't be legal. In fact, I often wondered why Marvel, DC, and other publishers allowed it to go on -surely they were aware of it long before now?

Karen" I only discovered the site a few months ago but one of the things I've read was that it used to primarily have older comics only, and just recently began putting new books up online. Perhaps that is the reason for the legal action now?

Karen: In any case, the companies are fully within their rights to pursue this. The proprietor of the site has come off sounding not only ludicrous but perhaps even a bit demented. Certainly Colleen Doran's exchanges with him depict a deluded individual. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Stark, Tony Stark: Demon in A Bottle, part 1

Iron Man #126 (Sept 1979)
"The Hammer Strikes!"
Writer: David Michelinie
Pencil Art: John Romita Jr.
Finished art/conceptual assist: Bob Layton

Karen: It seemed like a good time to go back and look at one of the most talked-about Iron Man stories of all: Demon in A Bottle. It's hard for me to believe this story happened 31 years ago! Tony's been a recovering alcoholic now for most of his history. While it's certainly not what defines him as a character, it sure made for a lot of jokes in Twisted Toyfare Theater and Robot Chicken.

Karen: We've started with issue 126, which does a nice job recapping the plot of the previous issues. Essentially, Iron Man was framed with murdering an ambassador (his armor was remotely controlled), he has to give up the armor to authorities, and his alter ego, Stark, has to investigate and figure out who's behind it all.
Doug: I'm a novice to this story, as this was published right about the time I got out of reading comics for a few years. Not a regular buyer of the Iron Man title, I was pretty centered on his adventures in the pages of the Avengers. I thought the recap was helpful; however, had I been a regular reader of the magazine, I suppose I'd have been kind of ticked that editorial used almost half of the book to rehash old material. The scene where the ambassador was killed was quite intriguing -- I think we've all been there when the car doesn't start when it's supposed to, or some appliance suddenly malfunctions. Shoot, and not to be flip, but look at the quality control issues Toyota has experienced lately. This sort of thing, while grossly unfortunate, was certainly a believable plot point.

Karen: Unfortunately for Stark, he gets captured by rival industrialist/bad guy Justin Hammer, who looks an awful lot like British actor Peter Cushing. This is a cute little in-joke, as Cushing starred in numerous Hammer horror films in the 60s and 70s. Hammer escorts Stark around his luxurious estate, pretty much giving up his plans like any good James Bond villain would do. Just when Stark thinks he's made his escape, he discovers that the estate is actually a colossal floating island!
Doug: And also like any megalomaniacal do-badder, Hammer wears his ego on his sleeve and his name on the side of the floating paradise!
Karen: Stark is recaptured, escapes again, and manages to get to his brief case with his spare Iron Man armor just in time to greet a pack of grade-C villains Hammer has brought to the island. The Golden Avenger turns to face them and says, "So I tell you what I'm going to do: I'm going to take every one of those two-bit lackeys of yours and I'm going to rip them into so many pieces that you'll need a guide book to put them back together! And then Mr. Hammer - then I'm coming after you!" Whoa!
Doug: That was really a great scene, and the last page splash was a killer!


Karen: This was a fun issue in that Stark is definitely out of his element, yet manages to come out ahead. We do see signs of his struggle with alcohol; even when he is imprisoned he asks the guard for some liquor. Besides the problems with Iron Man being charged with killing the ambassador, SHIELD is attempting to take legal control of Stark Enterprises. Tony's under a lot of pressure and the strain is getting to him.
Doug: I thought it was interesting that earlier in this arc Stark had gone to seek the tutelage of Captain America in the area of martial arts. I'm guessing that's not the sort of thing one learns overnight, and let's face it -- with all of the tech, Tony's never had to really rely on fighting prowess. But, as you mentioned James Bond above, it does fit into the story and Tony puts a few moves on his captors. I had to laugh, though, at the scene when he pulls off his belt, and the buckle transforms into a grappling hook. If that didn't evoke memories of Adam West and Burt Ward, I don't know what would!!

Karen: I enjoyed the artwork in this issue. I've always enjoyed Bob Layton's work, and he does a great job here. This issue had a very cinematic feel to it. Not only does Hammer feel like a Bond villain, this whole issue felt like a 70s Bond movie! It's big and flashy and goofy. The ending, with a pissed-off Iron Man ready to take on a pack of baddies, just makes me want to get to the next issue already!
Doug: I think the best thing about the art is that Bob Layton shines through more than John Romita, Jr. Layton just has a polish to his linework -- he was quite suited for Iron Man. And a note on JRJr... I'm sorry, but I just do not at all care for his work over the past 25 years or so. I think in an effort to distance himself from his immensely talented father, John the Younger has achieved an oft-rushed, always-scratchy, somewhat-plain style that has never been to my liking. Give me the standard superhero fare that he offered us when he was first making his own name for himself, and I'd be happy.
Karen: Agreed -I don't know what happened, but his recent stuff just looks so rough. I picked up the free comic book day issue featuring Iron Man and Thor, and I can't say it has me excited for the new Avengers title. Between the scratchy Romita art and Bendis "all my characters have the same voice" writing, I don't think there's going to be much there for me.
Karen: Next up - Iron Man vs. Everybody!

Bronze Age Babies Bulletins

Doug: Quick-hitter today, fans!

I'm sure by now everyone has seen this image of Chris Hemsworth as Thor for the upcoming motion picture. What do you think? I think it looks good! However, in order to really pass as Marvel's version of the God of Thunder, one would have to look good in the helmet. I'm thinking the folks who released this image may have intentionally left the lid off, because let's face it -- there's a lot of "dork potential" in being seen in a silver chapeau with big eagle's wings sticking out of the sides. We shall see...

Iron Man 2 in just one day! Looking forward to it. Feel free to post comments (spoiler warnings where appropriate) either here or in tomorrow's first installment of Demon in a Bottle!

Have you seen any publicity on the new John Buscema hardcover? It's being solicited in the current issue of Previews, and will ship in July. Save up your pennies! I know I'm going to try to get my mitts on the limited edition hardcover. Here is the description, from the May Previews.

This should be a nice companion piece to TwoMorrows' recent Sal Buscema biography. I already have several books on Big John, but am waiting for the definitive biography. Hopefully this is it!

Why Can't We Be Friends? The Incredible Hulk vs. the Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing -- Part 1

Fantastic Four #112 (July 1971)
"Battle of the Behemoths!"
Stan Lee-John Buscema/Joe Sinnott

Doug: Happy Wednesday, O' Faithful Ones! We're back at a fun little BAB category we call "Why Can't We Be Friends?" It's been awhile since we looked in on Iron Man and Subby, and Spidey and Luke Cage. Today we begin a 3-parter spanning Fantastic Four #'s 112 and 166-167: Bronze Age Thing/Hulk tussles!

Doug: Is there a more iconic Marvel cover from the early 1970's than this baby you see just above? Wow. Two of the company's most recognizable characters in an all-out slugfest and drawn by the Michelangelo of Comics himself, John Buscema, at the height of his artistic powers. The black background only serves to heighten the excitement and power of this full splash. One of the best...

Karen: This was a sheer joy to read again. The first FF comic I can recall getting was FF #111. These were some exciting issues. They seemed to move at a fever pitch.

Doug: Stan remarks on the first page, "As the rampaging Thing battles the police in Central Park, the hate-maddened Hulk attacks him! And that's all we need to know!" Uh, well... no Stan. It's not. Why is the Thing fighting the police? How did the Hulk get to the heart of Manhattan? Where is the rest of the FF? We soon get up to speed, but I thought that was a funny way to start a book. To me, Marvel's strength in this period was it's long-running stories with subplots, tales beginning halfway through one book and ending a book or book-and-a-half later, etc.

Karen: It's been my feeling that as Stan approached the end of his writing career at Marvel, his stories became more rudimentary. Of course, the guy had been writing Marvel's entire line for years, so I think he can be excused for easing up a bit later on. Even so, this is still a very exciting story. Buscema's art is textbook super-hero dramatics.

Doug: As I went through this story, I was continually struck by what a true mismatch this bout should have been -- Ben enraged notwithstanding. Consulting the traditional Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, I reminded myself that the Hulk is 7' and 1000 pounds; Ben is only 6' and 500 pounds. But Buscema managed to convey to the reader that Ben was holding his own.

Karen: What I love about Hulk-Thing fights is the fact that everyone knows Ben is the underdog. But his great determination keeps him going (this is especially evident in FF #'s 24-25). He's like the Rocky Balboa of super-heroes.

Doug: The slow reveal is that Ben has run amok and is out of control, encountering Bruce Banner -- who ironically had been enlisted to assist Reed in helping Ben! Banner, seeing the duress that the Thing was being put under by the authorities, loses control and becomes the Hulk.

Karen: You know, for being the smartest guy on Earth, Reed is pretty dumb sometimes. He summoned Banner to the Baxter Building but had no idea he might Hulk out? Oh come on!

Doug: While Ben battles the Hulk, Reed is of course holed up in the Baxter Building laboratory trying to find a solution to cure Ben's madness. Johnny wants to fly out to help Ben against the heavy odds, but Reed won't hear of it. In fact, as Johnny flames out of the window, Reed douses him and reels him back in. Johnny's not happy, but he defers to his brother-in-law's leadership. Another burgeoning subplot is that the public (enflamed by none other than J. Jonah Jameson) is turning against the FF.

Karen: I got a big laugh out of that panel with a rabid JJJ yelling, "Put an end to violence! Smash them! Crush them! Kill them!" Boy, he'd do great with his own talk show today!

Karen: One thing that did bother me with this issue was the lettering. This was during a time period where I noticed that sometimes the letterer did not punctuate sentences properly - there are no periods at all in this issue. Many sentences end without any punctuation, except the ones that end in exclamation marks.
Doug: Basically 80% of this issue is an all-out war between the Thing and the Hulk. Buscema really moves the action, and his camera angles often add superior emphasis to the power generated by these two combatants. Trees, sculptures, an obelisk, a merry-go-round, a chimney, and a water tank -- all of these become weapons, projectiles, or simply tools in the hands of Ben or the Hulk. As the story wears on, what we all know to be true comes to pass: the angrier Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets! And as Ben starts to run down, he is distracted by his love-come-looking-for-him, Alicia... at the same instant the Hulk delivers the death blow!

Karen: I enjoyed the Thing heaving a statue of 'General Forbush' at Hulk. And the merry go round reminded me of issue #122, where Thing hurls a ferris wheel at Galactus. I've said it before, but I do think Stan had some sort of preoccupation with circuses. Although it's possible Buscema added these elements himself.

Doug: Reed and Johnny arrive with the gizmo Reed had insisted on building to save Ben; in a scene eerily reminiscent of the plot of FF #'s 140-141, Reed is left holding a gun-like device he's concocted to save someone dear to him. But unlike what will happen in several issues when he has the opportunity to affect his son Franklin, here he arrives too late to do anything other than apparently mourn over his still friend.

Karen: And of course Johnny is there to blame Reed. And why is it that Reed's 'helpful' devices always look like guns? I just read Incredible Hulk #152 the other day, and the machine Reed made to cure the Hulk also looked like a gun. Some sort of subconscious problem perhaps?