It's My Favorite, and I'm Sticking to It!

Doug: Today we are asking for your favorite comic book of all time -- whether you own it now or not. This topic spins (somewhat) out of several comments left in our request for creativity that we ran last week. What is that one book that if lost, stolen, or hopelessly misplaced, you'd miss the most? Is it your most valuable book, the one with which you a) plan to send your kids to college on or b) retire on (good luck with either!)? Is it the first book you ever bought/received? Is it just one you love for whatever reason? We're going to hold you to just one book, so perhaps a pinch of pontification prior to posting would be prudent. This question is different from the Open Forum we ran a while ago where we asked you what was the best done-in-one ever -- that was a critical analysis. This one's just a personal, self-absorbed favorite of yours.

Doug: For this guy, I think if you really pressed me on the subject (which I guess today we are...), I'd go with Avengers #28 -- the introduction of Goliath. As I've said many, many times around here I am a sucker for giants and for that tortured soul of all tortured souls: Dr. Henry Pym. I really love this story -- it's got all of the early Marvel action and angst, with words by Stan "the Man" Lee and some nifty pre-rigormortis pencils by "Dashing" Don Heck. I liked the idea of the Collector when I was a waif, and the Kirby cover is just a killer. I come back to this tale often, and it never gets old. So, while this is one of the first comics I can remember owning, it's also one that holds up for me. And that is perhaps the hallmark of a favorite comic book!

Karen: This is an easy one for me: Avengers #92. This book has had the single largest impact on me of any comic book. It was the right book at the right time. The Neal Adams cover is burned into my brain. It was my first Avengers issue, and the beginning of the greatest (IMO) comic saga of all time, the Kree Skrull War. I've told the husband, when I die, put Avengers 92 on my funeral pyre. I mean it.

Discuss: Avengers and Spider-Man Trailers

Karen: Surely by now everyone has seen the trailers for the upcoming Avengers and Spider-Man movies -and if you haven't, then check out the links on the left hand side of the blog. So let's all share our thoughts about these tantalizing glimpses of these films. I'll get the ball rolling. I've been very excited about the Avengers, and this trailer didn't disappoint. Wow! Love that little bit with Hulk battling ships in mid-air! My only complaint so far is that Chris Evans looks kind of puny, and his Cap mask just is goofy. But otherwise, I am very excited. I had sort of dismissed the Spidey reboot as a film aimed at the Twilight generation. But now that I've seen this trailer, I am really interested. I like Andrew Garfield (the kid playing Peter) much more than I ever did Tobey McGuire -I never thought he was right for the role. And it seems we will get some much-needed wise-cracking by Spidey. I'm not completely sold on the Lizard or Dr. Connors -he seems too sinister -but I like the tone they are taking with Spidey as outlaw. Dennis Leary is an interesting choice for Captain Stacy but I think it will work.

Doug: I have been a big booster for the Avengers since the component films have been released. The little Hawkeye teaser in the Thor picture was great, as was the Easter egg of Cap's shield in the background of the first Iron Man film. All of this calculated build-up has me in great anticipation for this film. While I loved the "Ultimate Captain America" look of the Cap movie, I'll side with Karen on Cap's current headgear -- tell me Chris Evans isn't channeling his inner Reb Brown! But if that's the worst thing about the Avengers, I think we'll make it. As to Spider-Man, count me also among those who were put off by the initial publicity. As Karen has stated, I figured this was just a retooling with the Gossip Girl/90210/Hart of Dixie crowd in mind. Perhaps I've been hasty. We get just enough of the Lizard to make me want to see more, and my first impression is that they'll do him up closer to the depiction of the Sandman than to the Green Goblin -- a bit more faithful to the source material. And isn't Gwen Stacy just gorgeous, as she should be?
 
Karen: So, let's get this thing going, shall we?

Classic American Television

Doug: Today's post spins out of a comment our pal david_b made last Friday on our Comics Code post. In the midst of his pontification David slipped in a reference to the television program Dragnet, which (for most of us who see it in reruns; there were earlier radio and TV versions) ran during the 1967-70 seasons and featured Jack Webb and Harry Morgan as LA policemen. That made me smile, and immediately got me to thinking of some programs my wife and I enjoy.

Doug: One of my favorites that I actually watched in reruns when I was a child is The Dick Van Dyke Show. Now that I'm older and fully understand the plotlines I really appreciate it. Van Dyke was so gifted at physical comedy, and it's that aspect of the program that stands out to me. Of course we were of the age that The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family were still being first-aired when we were little. Watching those today is a bit different from viewing "Dick Van Dyke" or The Mary Tyler Moore Show; the Bradys are a part of our personal history -- can you think of another program in the lives of people born in the mid-1960's that has been watched for virtually forever, as in the case of The Brady Bunch? Sure, it's not particularly fine as literature or cinema, but each show was it's own little whitebread morality play.

Doug: These are just a few examples -- I could go on with the sitcoms and then on into a few old dramas that we'll sometimes sit back and watch. But I'll let the conversation begin to flow through you, our readers. Which series of decades past did you enjoy, and perhaps still watch in reruns -- Green Acres (also mentioned by david_b last week), I Love Lucy, M*A*S*H, Mr. Ed, Happy Days, or The Honeymooners? Are there classic series that you've purchased on DVD? And, just to balance the equation, are there some shows that just make your eyes bleed? -Why in the world would any producer have wasted the celluloid? Thanks in advance for your comments!

NOTE: We certainly don't want to exclude our international friends from the conversation. Sidebars for British television, etc. are perfectly appropriate to today's topic. I'm sure if the comments get to flowing, there will be something that comes along that we can all get involved with.

Stay -- Just a Little Bit Longer

Doug: It feels good to be back with the Claremont/Byrne X-Men, doesn't it? It was certainly a golden age of sorts for that title, and many of us have proclaimed throughout our time together here on the BAB that their run was one of the best things about comics in the 1970's. Who could argue? As much as I dislike what the X-Men became in the 1990's and beyond, this was the rocket that launched all that.

Doug: Today we'd like to hear you discuss your answers or feelings on the following query: If you could have any creative team from a favorite run (any title, any company, and really -- any period) continue at the height of their collaborative powers, who would it be? Who were those two or three (above, I certainly should have tossed in Terry Austin's name) creators you wished would never stop? Again, we're not looking for a "reunion show" decades later, but a continuation of a run or even a spin-off into a new book. And just to show that yes we are losing our minds around the BAB office, we did a variation on this topic over a year ago -- you can read it and check out the comments that were made way back when.

Doug: Personally, I'd have liked to have seen an extension of the Roy Thomas/Neal Adams/Tom Palmer run on the original X-Men. They'd already done stories with the Sentinels, Sauron, the Savage Land, and Magneto. Certainly the Juggernaut, the Blob, and the revival of the Mimic could have provided some fun storylines. But unfortunately we all know that the ax fell on a great run, and on the title as we'd known it.

Doug: So how about you? Stan and Jack on the FF, maybe an extension of when they were really hot (the #40's-#70's)? Lee and Romita on Spidey? How about later stuff, like the Stern-Buscema Avengers? What sayest thou?

When Weapon Alpha Met Weapon X: X-Men 109

X-Men #109 (February 1978)
"Home Are the Heroes!"
Chris Claremont-John Byrne/Terry Austin

Doug: Man, this issue just feels like a warm blanket on a snowy day (how about that, Karen?) or a well-worn pair of blue jeans. After several months away, it's good to be back with the All-New, All-Different X-Men!

Karen: Hey, I may not know about snow, but a warm blanket is always a good thing, as is a return to our favorite period in X-Men history.

Doug: And speaking of being home, as I did above, the X-Men are home after their battle with the Imperial Guard and basically saving the Shi'ar universe -- well, after one short detour involving Danny Rand. It's not lost on our heroes that they've done nothing but fight, fight, fight since the new team was assembled. With the exception of the time off right before the Sentinels story (which led directly into the birth of Phoenix), they've been at if full-tilt since G-S X-Men #1. This is a special issue in the X-canon, as Chris Claremont uses the majority of the book to really let us know who these X-Men are. I'd certainly invite our readers to jump into this part of the review, as I am positing that we've certainly never seen the amount of characterization (indeed, some of what we are told is for the very first time) that takes place in this book.

Doug: Some readers might find it a waste of space, but John Byrne and Terry Austin really treat us to a beautiful 7-panel introduction to Storm's softer (ahem...) side. They just add another layer onto the exciting Egyptian-thief backstory we'd learned of in the Juggernaut tale of X-Men #'s 101-103. I'd like to also make a fashion-police comment on this scene, and I know my partner will want to leap atop her soapbox on the issue of female bottom coverings. Just check out this panel of Storm's costume as she enters her apartment. Simply tasteful. That is it.

Karen: The whole scene just screams "Mother Nature" and certainly in those days, Ororo had that Earth Mother personality down flat. Now I do sort of wonder how the attic floor stood up to all that water, but that's just the homeowner in me. As for her "bottom attire," it was nice to go back to a time when female heroes were not all dressed like strippers or porn stars. Pretty much all the women you see in comics today would need Brazillian waxes for the suits they "wear." Storm's costume here is sexy but tasteful -of course, having said that, I have to note she also sheds said costume at the end of the scene!

Doug: Well, I guess you could say there's something for everyone then! I do recall that, as a pre-teen reading these stories, they were quite titillating. There were just certain scenes that were being marketed to my demographic...

Doug: We then get the oft-obligatory recap of the past few issues' events, as seen through the eyes of Jean Grey. As long as we're soliciting your opinions on old school vs. new school, does anyone want to sound off on a debate of the in-story flashback as opposed to the modern version, which is a page one summary? The big revelation in the flashback is that Corsair doesn't want Jean to tell Scott that he is Scott's father (question -- was Alex mentioned in the Shi'ar story? I think he was shown very briefly). Jean agrees, Ororo overhears, and chastises Jean for her decision in the conspiracy.

Karen: The flashback, just like narrative boxes and thought balloons, has its place in comics. They are tools, and when the writer knows what he's doing, they can be effective. I thought this flashback was well-done. Storm came off as a bit haughty in those days. You know, one thing that never truly worked for me was Claremont's attempt to show some sort of powerful friendship between Storm and Jean. It seemed like it mostly developed off-panel somewhere and I never felt it.

Doug: In many ways their only connection was as the female members of the team. If I recall, and we know that's risky, I think Claremont and John Bolton delved a bit further into the relationship in the add-ons that ran in Classic X-Men. But don't anyone hold me to that -- I haven't read those since publication, but would like to acquire the two tpbs of those stories -- X-Men: Vignettes.

Doug: Other characterization upgrades are the growing romance between Banshee and Moira MacTaggert. Charles at one point gives a bit of a sideways glance at Sean, but he's brought Princess Lilandra back for himself, so no worries I suppose. Look-ins on Nightcrawler and Colossus in their quarters reveal that Kurt is a classic film fan and Piotr misses his parents, and the good ol' USSR, deeply. Further building on the relationships between teammates, Kurt "bamfs" into the living room where Scott Summers sits, brooding. Imagine that. Scott's extremely rude to Kurt, but Kurt holds his own in the conversation. As they talk, with Kurt somewhat lecturing Scott, there seems to be a moment where Scott begins to soften. But that is interrupted by the entrance of Banshee, who is recruiting people to go on a picnic.

Karen: Peter's growing homesickness would come into play later on. It made sense for this character, who was the least worldly of all of them (even Ororo). Kurt has a date with Amanda, who we would eventually discover was his adopted sister...there were some ideas that really should never have seen the light of day! But Kurt's speech to Scott was excellent. It's hard to remember how much Scott isolated himself because of his deadly eyebeams. I don't think it's ever even discussed any more. But at the time of this story, he still questioned whether he could even have a relationship with Jean.

Doug: Whoa -- what about Kurt's "sister"? When did that happen? If it was shortly after the Jim Lee book, then I have no knowledge of that.

Karen: It was all part of Claremont's need to over-complicate everyone's backstory. Took place in one of the annuals, I think. Turned out Kurt's adopted gypsy mom was a powerful sorceress and so was his girlfriend/sister. But he didn't recognize Amanda as his sister because of magic or something like that. You really don't want to know.

Doug: I will take that Jedi-mind trick from you -- "I really don't want to know". Solves that problem, then.

Doug: As part of this vignette, we get one of the most memorable scenes of this early Claremont/Byrne/Austin collaboration, as Storm rebukes Wolverine for wanting to go along on the excursion "to hunt". However, the runt defines his version of hunting in a way that has always stuck with me: "I said huntin', Honeybunch -- I said nothin' about killin'. It takes no skill t' kill. What takes skill is sneakin' up close enough to a skittish doe t' touch her..." Storm apologizes. In between, we've gotten a couple of teasers about a military operation apparently targeting one of the X-Men. The second time we see these guys, it's apparent that they are Canadians, and one of them looks to be in costume.

Karen: This was a masterful scene, because it revealed a facet of Wolverine the readers never saw before, and did it quickly. We realize this guy is not a total thug. I think it was around this time that we began to see Wolverine's desire, at times, for peace. Of course, at other times, all he desired was tearing someone apart.

Doug: We are moved ahead in the story a bit, and Wolverine's at the river now, about to touch his doe. Suddenly she starts and darts, and a menacing-looking Canuck bursts up through the ground. Calling himself "Weapon Alpha", he speaks as if he knows Wolverine. Ah ha -- this is James MacDonald Hudson, of the Weapon X project from which Professor Xavier recruited Wolverine. It seems that our neighbors to the north want their investment back! Of course, Logan isn't going to take this lying down, so it's game on! Hudson is surprised at the ferocity of Wolverine's attack, but is able to right his defenses and dispense a little punishment of his own. As they battle, our other merry-makers splash around or sun themselves on the river bank.

Karen: Byrne and Austin do a great job depicting Wolverine's fury in that panel, as well as the sheer power of Hudson's punch to Wolverine's jaw. You could almost feel it yourself! I had to laugh when Hudson, puffed up about his battlesuit, claimed it made him the "equal of any Avenger!" Yeah, sure, pal. I think Thor or Iron Man would have him on his ass in a couple of seconds. One last comment: notice in the lake scene that Moira has a one-piece swimsuit on; comic artists today have no idea what that is. Ororo also has a suit on that is not just a piece of string between her buttocks. That is all.

Doug: I didn't included that art sample due to space considerations, but did notice it when I read the story. Ororo's definitely "sexed up" a bit in the beach scene, given her more modest coverings we referenced above. Did you feel that there was a relationship between Piotr and Ororo in these days? It was always somewhat ambiguous to me.

Karen: It was hard to say, as it seemed to change a bit over time. I think back in the Cockrum days he exhibited an extreme protectiveness of her. But she never seemed to reciprocate those feelings. Of course, Kurt seemed interested in her too for awhile.

Doug: Of course the battle between Weapon Alpha and Wolverine eventually intrudes on the solitude of the picnic-ers. As Wolverine's temporarily out of commission, Piotr rises to confront Hudson. Hudson threatens him, and it's a Colossus-sized punch that deposits Hudson about 40 yards away! Sensing that this is not going well, Hudson uproots a large fir tree, only to have it incinerated in his hands by Storm. As she brings the thunder and lightning, Hudson makes a little lightning of his own. However, his blast glances off of Colossus and grazes Moira's forehead. Banshee's immediately into the water to pull her out, and then lights into Hudson with his full sonic powers. Hudson decides that escape is better than valor at this point and flees. As he blinks out, he mentions that the next time he'll have to bring "Alpha Flight" with him. The X-Men rally to get Moira back to medical attention, but before they go they ask Wolverine what this is all about. He says he and Hudson used to be like brothers, but this is going to be serious. And we're left holding the bag for another year!

Karen: I loved how powerful Colossus was here. Peter was so much the backbone of the team, unflinchingly loyal, brave, and true to himself. He was uncomplicated; not stupid, but he knew who he was, and was comfortable with it, Plus he just looked fantastic! Speaking of looks, when Banshee goes nuts and goes after Hudson, is it just me, or does he look a bit like the freaky-looking Banshee of old? you know, the one with the long face and blanked out eyes? I recall at the time I read this book I assumed that Hudson had some sort of teleportation device in his suit, but I believe he actually had something that allowed him to stay stationary relative to the Earth's rotation, so it only seemed like he suddenly disappeared. That sounds like a Byrne idea to me.

One of These Days...

Doug: Happy Weekend, everyone! Today's Open Forum is all on our friend Richard, who gave several suggestions in our plea for creative participation which went out this past Wednesday. Here's what Richard typed (with some minor editing by me):

Richard: Somewhere on your shelf is a comic, series, Treasury or trade paperback/hardcover that you have never, in all these years, got round to reading. What is it, why have you never read it, and when will you? Series you own but never completed reading can count here.

Doug: So there you have it -- answer the man's questions! And by the way, since we always need a little art to liven things up around here, I've included an image of a famous "Richard" from the Bronze Age of Comics:

Wasn't Everyone Happy With the Relaxation of the Comics Code Authority?

Doug: Last week, while preparing our review of Thor #222, I paused for a few minutes to read the letter column. I don't always do that when writing for the blog, but the yellow box in the top left corner caught my eye. As I read, the tone of it dragged me right in. Check it out for yourself (clicking on the image will get you a larger size -- all the better for our readers' middle-aged eyeballs!), and we'd invite your reflections in our comments section. Thanks!

Thorsday Thrills! The Mighty Thor 223

Thor #223 (May 1974)
"Hellfire Across the World!"
Gerry Conway-John Buscema/Mike Esposito

Doug: Well, what to do with the cover of this mag? Talk about a bad first impression. I knew this issue was the conclusion of the Hercules/Pluto storyline, but that sure isn't Pluto on the cover! Yes, it's a scene taken directly from the climactic battle at the end of the story, but ol' Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia -- and whoever colored it -- must have been given some sketchy instructions.

Karen: Yeah, that's a pretty bland super-villain suit he has on. Although truth be told, his outfit inside isn't much better, but at least it's an appropriately dark color.

Doug: We open right where we left off, with Thor and Herc descending on the path straight into Hell. And what should we make of this? We were here just about two years earlier in the Mephisto story we reviewed in Thor #205. Is there more than one Hell? Certainly the concept of such appears in many of the world's religions, and even among those faiths that have faded into history. So is there more than one dark lord? I thought it was funny that Thor complained to Herc about how dark it was. There were fires burning everywhere, and even if not, why couldn't Thor have summoned a bit of lightning to light their path?

Karen: Marvel ran into this problem -multiple Hells - with the satanic characters later on. At some point, I think all of them (Ghost Rider, Son of Satan, etc.) were retconned so that the 'real' Devil and Hell were no longer actually connected to them, which is just a huge cop-out. I know we touched on this a bit in the Hellish Heroes post the other day. I'm sure Mark Gruenwald must have cataloged them all. Maybe in the Marvel Universe handbooks?

Doug: That's interesting. I did not know that. It's no walk in the park as our heroes are set upon by some bat-winged nasties. Thor beats the crap out of his attackers, but Herc is limited by the curse placed on him by Pluto way back in Thor #130 -- a spell which halves his strength! Thor helps his buddy, though, by just smoking a bat-guy with Mjolnir. Herc, once liberated, socks a baddie as well. Then we cut to Pluto -- that ugly sucker. And speaking of ugly... let's just say Mephisto gets some pretty hot temptresses to bait the Surfer. Pluto's got some severely disgusting snake babes. Yuck. But sweet Krista, the sister of Hildegarde, is still in chains, and unable to speak. It is she our heroes have come to save.

Karen: Pluto's realm is a decidedly unpleasant place. All sorts of weird, ugly things running around. I'm sure Buscema had fun drawing them. On a side note, when Conway refers to Pluto as "Lord of the Nether Regions" well, it conjures a very nasty image in my head. Yech.

Doug: Ha! The "Master of his Domain", so to speak! As Thor and Herc get close, Pluto casts a spell and he and Krista vanish. But unbeknownst to the good guys, they think they are almost there. As they reach a chasm, Herc remarks to Thor that while his hammer could certainly spirit them across, Hercules is not helpless. Ripping a huge stalagmite from it's base, the Lion of Olympus fashions a bridge to allow them to cross. But no sooner do they set foot on the other side than Pluto's serpentine consorts (or whatever the heck they are to him!) attack. With their snakelike coils, they pose more of a threat to the weakened Hercules than to Thor. I'll tell you -- Thor is not at all opposed to busting people right in the chops with Mjolnir. He creates a vortex which entraps one female, but uses his mallet against most of the others. Once Herc is freed, they discover that Pluto is nowhere to be found. So it's off to Asgard to consult the All-Father.

Karen: As you say, Thor doesn't mess around. He actually incinerates those dime store gorgons by having Mjolnir drop them in the fiery lake! And what's with Hercules insulting Asgard? He says it's not a handsome place...c'mon, it was designed by Jack Kirby!

Doug: Those little exchanges between our two heroes really exemplify what set Marvel apart from DC at this time (shoot -- or any other, for my money!). Odin isn't too happy to see his son, however. Accusing Thor of harboring an enemy (based on events that occurred in Thor #221), Odin does end up listening and heeding Thor's explanation. He uses his amazing Odin-flashlight to locate Pluto -- who is in Manhattan of all places. Odin then transports Thor and Hercules to Earth, where they immediately engage the Dark Lord. It's not too much of a fight. Hercules is taken out of it by a spell, so it's the Thunder God fighting alone. Pluto crafts a flaming sword, but the only real shot he manages to get in dislodges Thor's helmet. The end result is never in doubt, and after a brief skirmish Pluto is beaten, hightails it to somewhere else, and Thor ends up with Krista in his arms. Once Pluto is gone, the spell under which Hercules was immobilized is broken. But Krista seems to be fading -- which sets up next issue's surprise return of Dr. Donald Blake!

Karen: Kind of shocking to see Odin actually listen to Thor for once, but this was the new, improved Conway version. Odin Flashlight indeed! I still don't really get why Pluto traveled to Earth -seems like he would have had a better chance back in Hades. I agree that the fight was anti-climactic.

Doug: I liked this issue up until the last scene. It just didn't enthrall me as far as super-fisticuffs go. As I said above, the end was never in doubt, and I felt a Thor/Hercules team-up against a truly powerful Pluto would have been more fun. John Buscema's art was reliable, but I felt Mike Esposito's inks fell somewhere in between Joe Sinnott and Vinnie Colletta (referencing the issues we've reviewed over this past month). Espo was solid, but his linework was certainly softer than Sinnott's. Don't read me wrong -- I liked the art, but it just didn't have that classic look.

Karen:Llike most of Esposito's work, I found it serviceable, but that's about it. I felt this story was really going well and then petered out at the end. I guess I was hoping for a more spectacular ending.

You Tell Us...

So at the last BAB editorial meeting (which looks an awful lot like the image above at times), we were discussing some ideas for Discuss, Open Forums, and miscellaneous comic reviews. But one of the things we'd like to do is come up with another comics-related, yet not comic review, series.

Here are a couple of ideas we chewed on: a revisiting of our Side-by-Side series where we focus on the creators of a given year and their output. Perhaps the goal would be to come up with an MVP for a given year, and see how many different writers and artists we end up with by the end of the 1970's. Another thing was to come up with a bracketed tournament again with some sort of hero or villain face-off. Shoot, maybe we could even take the creators we single out and play them off against each other.

So today, we'd like to solicit some ideas from our faithful readers. Let us know if there's anything that's been eating you, just really giving you an itch in a bad place -- like, "Man, I wish those Bronze Age Babies would run a post on X!" We'll have another meeting and who knows -- maybe your idea will be chosen.

Thank you!