Doug: Courtesy of Yahoo, and seen by me on Tuesday (7/20/2010) evening, you'll find below two posters that will be distributed to attendees at this weekend's Comicon International in San Diego, California. Both are artists' renderings, but both show in detail the costumes that will be worn in next summer's Marvel blockbusters. Drool, my friends!
So what say we get down to it?
Of note, however, is that the Thor on the ground wields not a version of mystic Mjolnir, but a sword! 
I just thought this section really stood out and showed one of Buscema's often-overlooked strengths: the ability to show emotion in quiet scenes.
Balder insulted and then engaged the impostors, of course Volstagg hid, and Balder was beaten. Thrown in jail, it's been two weeks. And Volstagg has done nothing, which doesn't seem to surprise Fandral. Leaping to action, Balder is freed in mere seconds.
Sal's inks over big brother John are pretty solid; as we remarked earlier on the Open Forum discussion of inkers, some of John's faces can seem a bit flat (particularly on the 3/4 angle). Sal doesn't necessarily fix that, but then that may be why John often preferred Sal's true treatment of his pencils. So as a done-in-one and a jumping on point, I'd say this was a Bronze Age beauty!
Doug: Today's discussion topic actually spins out of yesterday's comments on Fantastic Four Annual #14. As the BAB have spent the better part of the summer reminiscing about Giant-Size comics and the summer Annuals, maybe now is a good time to turn it over to you and let you bring forth your favorite books. And, let's not constrict it to just the Bronze Age -- if you have a fave book/story that was in the Silver Age, or if you want to head into the realm of the Treasury Editions (or DC's Limited Collector's Editions) and discuss a favorite tome, go right ahead. Make these discussions your own!
Still, we're doing Perez annuals, so....
The team hops out of their Jeep and greets some of the locals. Of course Johnny is drawn to the prettiest girl in town, who happens to be a "succubus" (don't think that I didn't giggle at that when I was 13 years old) and has been known to drain men's souls. While we see the FF getting acclimated to their new surroundings, we also see that there are those among the populace beginning to stir, those who recognize the Four and begin to set a plan into motion.
You guessed it -- big battle goes down, we see enough of the baddies to understand each of their powers, and the FF gets whupped. Little Franklin runs away into the desert, and then comes back the following morning to discover that all of the witches are still screwed up. You see, Agatha's little bad boy Nicholas got his rump handed to him in FF #186 and now he's trying to get amongst the living. No dice (yet). Franklin screams out that he wants him mommy and daddy and in the process unleashes a mental bolt that breaks the spell. Agatha comforts him, and then tells him they'll go find his parents.
In fact, he seemed to have the potential to alter reality much along the way that the Scarlet Witch is currently portrayed (and which is inconsistent with her past, but let's not go there now). The 'Days of Future Past' story line in X-Men showed us an adult Franklin who had learned to control his gifts. I'm not sure what the current view is of Franklin, and I suppose we'll never actually have him grow up in the mainstream books. But he was like a little deus ex machina just waiting to be used back in these years.
But that's a small gripe, as the rest of the story looks pretty good.
(seriously? That's almost as dumb as that old Marvel Team-Up when Hercules towed Manhattan Island on his back...) and we get the obligatory guest-shots of Spidey, the Defenders, and the Avengers. Cross-marketing, I suppose. In the end, the FF turn bad, turn good, and Agatha Harkness proves that she's a way-better witch than N. Scratch is a warlock, and even a disembodied one at that. All's well that ends well, I say!
Doug: Today's discussion is a request for testimonials from our visitors as to why you love this period we call the Bronze Age. Now if you're just stopping by and aren't sure exactly what the parameters are, most folks generally say that the Bronze Age started about the time Jack Kirby left Marvel Comics to start his employment at the Distinguished Competition (otherwise known as DC Comics). This would have been around the time Fantastic Four #102 was completed (summer 1970 -- I've posted the cover to FF #101, which was Jack's last cover on the title), 
although some would argue that Jack had really quit putting out for Marvel before that. At any rate, it's a bit tougher to pin down the end of the era, but I tend to focus on the release of The Dark Knight Returns (March 1986), the first "prestige format" series released by DC. I think you can also zero in on that title as the beginning of the rise of the anti-hero, as more violence and adult themes began to creep into comics and the envelope was pushed concerning what had formerly been taboo in the mainstream (sex, blood, etc.) and what was now not only becoming acceptable, but proliferating. Some comics enthusiasts place the end of the Bronze Age a bit earlier with the advent of the direct market for distribution and the rise of comic book specialty stores.
As those titles tended to be homes for B-listers, many liked the opportunity to expand characterization for "people" who might normally be lost in the shuffle of a group book, etc. Those books often became showcases for new talent as well.
But as the 1970's approached, many fans-turned-creators jumped into the market and reinvigorated it with new characters, different directions for established characters, and the opportunity for the Big Two to expand what they offered in that battle for shelf space.
But what we do know is that this lovely lady certainly pushed female-warrior-fashion to new levels in the Bronze Age of comics, and beyond.
The result was curious at best. I guess the main part of the suit is metal, or at least metallic in nature. Most artists/colorists seemed to depict it as having a gloss or glimmer, hence my conclusion. I don't think the color scheme is good at all, the royal blue cape now seeming at odds with the peach or orange hue of the costume (which also clashes with Val's blond hair). And what's up with the boots? I know I had a slight concern over the foot-coverings of the first costume, but this is to the opposite extreme. So while this one isn't a complete disaster, I'd label it a "fashion concern".
The little vamp wooed neurotic Hank Pym away from the memories of Janet van Dyne, becoming Hank's lover. To be honest, I'm surprised this version of Barbara was written as being 19-years old; certainly had she debuted in The Ultimates 3 under the watch of Jeph Loeb, he'd have kept the same storyline but made the character only 15. Or 14. Yuck. But, that's a story for another day. Obviously artists Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary have paid homage to the original Valkyrie costume, but isn't this just trashy? I know it fits in with the way modern waistlines are in pants, and it hearkens to the days of Brittany Spears' belly, etc. But c'mon. I guess I am getting to be just too old for some of this stuff. Needless to say, this last entry is a Fashion Disaster!
Courtesy of http://www.theheroblog.com/.Doug: Well, maybe he's not always cool...
she's chloroformed by Bronson, who obviously feels no remorse in taking his daughter down.
This one's a tour de force of frenetic Steranko energy. While his art isn't to the point of pushing the standard panel layouts, his writing is passable. This part of the tale is a breath-taker -- it really moves.
of his stupor and goes bananas. Being even closer to the moon has apparently enhanced his strength and he starts scattering the men like flies. It's only when the station shifts in orbit, so that the earth is between it and the moon, that Man-Wolf falters and is captured.
convince one of his captors that he is the real Jameson, but it doesn't really matter, as Garth knocks the guy unconscious. Garth frees Jameson and takes him with him as, "The Godstone is one with him!" I thought these guys were calling it the Weirdstone last issue. Oh well....
Doug: Today I'd like some feedback on violence in comics. I suppose that's a stupid question, as in the longjohn books we're somewhat disappointed if there are not at least a few scenes of sock-'em-up roughhousing. When I was a child, I'm not sure I dwelt on just what it would feel like if I ever got punched by the Thing. Sure, I'd stubbed my toe on the cement, maybe bumped my head on a brick wall. But I'd never had a solid piece of masonry smashed into my body at a high rate of speed. I imagine that wouldn't feel very good! Nor would taking a full-on swing from Thor's hammer. I think we've all missed a nail and hit our thumbs or fingers with a household-use hammer. 
That doesn't feel very good, either. But, in either case, it sure looks extemely cool when a super-baddie is sent flying out into the ocean, or even through a wall (another sort of pain altogether). 
