Marvel Comics of the 1980s

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T07:57:00.001-05:00

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Marvel March 2010 Solicitations - 1980s goodness

2009-12-22T21:26:00.001-05:00

A light helping of Marvel 1980s influenced content for March 2010.

X-FACTOR FOREVER #1
Written by Louise Simonson, pencils and cover by Dan Panosian.
They're back. Once they were Xavier's young charges: mutant teens who bore the responsibility of protecting a world that hated them. But time has hardened these five X-Men, forcing them to reimagine their mission and purpose. And now, the original dream-team returns to fight the one threat that's haunted them since the day they took on the X-Factor name. Join legendary X-scribe Louise Simonson as she reunites with the title and characters she made famous for an epic in the Forever tradition! 40 pages, $3.99.

CLOAK AND DAGGER #1
Written by Stuart Moore, pencils and cover by Mark Brooks.
Marvel's most-requested duo return in this all-new one-shot, spinning out of X-Men: Nation X! Cloak -- dark, brooding teleporter. Dagger -- deadly, shining mistress of light. Having quit the Dark X-Men, Cloak and Dagger find their partnership strained as they struggle to fit in among the mutants of Utopia. But when a new menace targets Cloak, Dagger must make a fateful choice for both of them. Guest-starring the X-Men. 40 pages, $3.99.

NEW MUTANTS CLASSIC VOL. 5 TPB
Written by Chris Claremont , penciled by Arthur Adams, Mary Wilshire, Rick Leonardi, Keith Pollard and Jackson Guice, cover by Rick Leonardi.
Mutantkind's best class takes a road trip via the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard and medieval magic madness, with evil god Loki to guide them to all the wrong places! Then, it's back to class under a new schoolmaster: the master of magnetism, Magneto! The ex-terrorist has turned teacher to atone for his crimes, but even if the New Mutants and the guest-starring X-Men trust him, the Avengers will be much tougher to convince! Featuring the Beyonder, Emma Frost and the Hellions! Collecting New Mutants Special Edition, Uncanny X-Men Annual #9 and New Mutants (1983) #35-40. 280 PGS

AVENGERS: THE CONTEST PREMIERE HC
Written by Bill Mantlo, Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, Steve Englehart and Tom DeFalco.
Penciled by John Romita Jr, Al Milgrom, and Bob Hall.
To return his fellow Elder of the Universe, the Collector, to life, the Grandmaster enters a cosmic wager with Death herself, using Earth heroes as their chess pieces! Heroes from around the world, including several never-before-seen, battle it out for nothing less than the fate of Earth itself in the Contest of Champions! Featuring every Earth hero, circa 1982! Then, Grandmaster causes more problems for the Avengers when he plans to wipe out all life in the universe, and he pits the Avengers of both coasts against each other to claim his prize! Starring 15 Avengers and special guest star, the Silver Surfer! Collecting CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #1-3, WEST COAST AVENGERS ANNUAL #2 and AVENGERS ANNUAL #16.
168 PGS.

1985 - X-Men and Alpha Flight

2009-12-22T08:15:00.000-05:00

X-Men and Alpha Flight - 2 issue miniseries
December 1985
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek

The Canadian super-hero team, Alpha Flight, made their first appearance in The X-Men #120-121 and were featured a second time in The Uncanny X-Men #139-140. Their popularity eventually earned them their own series, which was written and drawn by John Byrne, who had grown up in Canada and had created them with Chris Claremont.

After the usual super-hero mix up that leads to a battle between the X-Men and Alpha Flight, they team up and travel to Northern Quebec to investigate a downed plane that was piloted by Scott (Cyclops) Summers and his new wife, Madelyne Pryor. They discover that Scott, Madelyne, and the other passengers have had their greatest wishes fulfilled by a mysterious benefactor. However, they’re the usual catch involving their mysterious benefactor, the Norse God of mischief Loki who is still bitter from the X-Men's adventures in Asgard earlier that year. Our heroes are forced to make a moral decision, each believing that they’re doing what’s right, and leading to the climatic, all-out battle.

There’s a lot of characterization by Claremont, who relies on his usual technique of focusing on a character’s identifiable trait. For example, Wolverine has a constant struggle with his animal/berserker side, or Cyclops has uncontrollable eye beams. Unfortunately, if you’ve read a lot of X-books, this technique quickly becomes repetitive.

Another fault is the numerous characters. The rosters of both the X-Men and Alpha Flight, as well as Cyclops, Madelyne Prior, and the rest of the crew and passengers is simply too large. This fault forces several main characters into secondary roles, like Nightcrawler .

The art by Paul Smith is beautiful and lavish. Unfortunately, Bob Wiacek runs out of time and several inkers come in to help with the last issue. These fill-ins upset the feel of the book, but the story does finish well.

1982 – The Real Story Behind Spider-Man’s Black Costume

2009-12-16T18:24:00.004-05:00

One of the more significant changes in the Marvel 1980s was the introduction of Spider-Man’s black costume. This costume first appeared in Secret Wars #8 and would later evolve into Spider-Man’s archnemesis Venom through the 1990s.

Interestingly, the inspiration behind the new costume actually came from a fan, Randy Schueller.

Here’s Schueller original idea:

“I thought it would be cool if Spidey needed to upgrade his powers and his look, so I came up with this idea that Reed Richards had made a new costume for Spidey using the same unstable molecules that the FF costumes are made of. The unstable molecules would flow into Peter's pores and allow him to cling to walls better. I think my original idea was to increase his sticking power by 25% or something like that.”

“Anyway, I saw the new suit as a stealth version of the original costume - jet black so he could blend in with the shadows. At best, all you could see of him was the blood red spider emblem, emblazoned on his chest. (Yeah, in my design the spider was red, not white. I also gave him underarm webbing like in the original Ditko design.)”

That red costume design was also part of the original sketches of the new costume.

And seeing the success of the black costume through Venom and in Spider-Man 3, it sucks that Randy didn’t get any kind of acknowledgement either in the comic book or in the movie.

Well, if it helps: “Thanks Randy!”

See here for the full story and Randy Schueller’s point of view of what happened.

1986 - Whatever happened to ... the Phoenix miniseries?

2009-12-07T23:15:00.003-05:00

From Marvel Age Annual #2:

Phoenix 6-issue limited series
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artists: Rick Leonardi/Dan Green.

“It is basically Phoenix discovering who she is, what she is and why she is and discovering her origin,” Chris Claremont said. “It is a much more psychologically oriented series than most.” The Limited Series begins with the results of what happens in X-Men #209. Power Pack and Franklin Richards are among the guest-stars. And the featured villain will be Spiral.

This limited series was also announced on the letter pages of the Uncanny X-Men #208, 213, and 215. It was to occur between the Uncanny X-Men #209 (when Rachel leaves with Spiral) and the Excalibur Special (where Rachel escapes from the Mojoverse and ends up in London). In the Uncanny X-Men #209, Phoenix was mortally wounded by Wolverine and then lured into the Body Shoppe by Spiral, the former assassin of Mojo.

From the letter page of the Uncanny X-Men #208:

As you have no doubt seen from this issue, Rachel's going to need all the friendship and support and affection she can get, not simply in the X-MEN but also in the upcoming PHOENIX Limited Series we have planned for later this year, which Chris Claremont will be writing and Rick Leonardi penciling. We think it'll be something as different and special as the lady herself.

And then from the letter page in the Uncanny X-Men #213, it was apparently delayed until late 1987. And lastely, the Phoenix Limited Series was promoted in the Uncanny X-Men #215 letter page:

We have a PHOENIX Limited Series in the works, written and inked by the X-MEN team supreme of Chris Claremont and Dan Green, and penciled by the aforementioned Rick Leonardi! This series should answer all your questions about Rachel and them some!

Another blurb from Marvel Age #43 (Oct. 1986):

Coming Soon: PHOENIX Limited Series
She's from a future that may or may not be ours. She's living in a past that isn't quite the way she remembers it. She's Rachel Summers, daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, Cyclops and Marvel Girl of X-FACTOR! But her mother was Phoenix, and in the Marvel Universe Scott and Jean aren't married. In fact, Scott has a son by his wife Madelyne! These are definitely not the average problems that face most young women. But then, Rachel isn't exactly average.

This is the background for THE PHOENIX Limited Series, written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Rick Leonardi and Dan Green. Rachel having retreated to current time to escape from a grim anti-mutant future, has joined the X-Men and is using her telepathic powers as the new Phoenix. But since she adopted her mother's name in the battle against the Beyonder, nothing has gone right.

The plot of the Limited Series deals with the dread villainess Spiral (remember her from LONGSHOT and, more recently, the Freedom Force?) and lots of psychological ramifications and complications. It examines how Rachel is coping with being in a past that resembles - but isn't quite - the one that proceeded her world. She will meet Power Pack in the first issue and see little Franklin Richards. In her time, Rachel is in love with a grown Franklin! Here he is a child, and she is much older than him, and this situation will cause her to do some serious soul searching.

There will also be lots of cameos and guest appearances, lots of flash-forwards, and lots of fantastic visuals by Leonardi and Green. We'll have more information on the Limited Series as its publication approaches, so stay tuned.

In an installment of Cup of Joe, Quesada had editor, Andy Schmidt contact Rick Leonardi about the project:

The series was going to be written by Chris Claremont and inked by Dan Green. Rick said it dealt with Rachel and her relationship with Franklin Richards and the Power Pack. The going logic at the time was that it got too complicated with past/present/future continuity and was subsequently shelved with I believe less than an issue having been penciled. That’s the whole story, folks, wish I had better news to report but it seems that this project was no where near completion before it was killed.

Chris Claremont wrote the script for at least the first few issues. Rick Leonardi penciled the first issue and a few pages were inked and lettered.

This Phoenix Limited Series is not the same as X-Men: True Friends miniseries published in 1999 featuring Phoenix and Shadowcat.

1982 - Vison and the Scarlet Witch

2009-12-10T22:53:00.003-05:00

Vison and the Scarlet Witch
Written by Bill Mantlo
Illustrated by Rick Leonardi (penciler) and Ian Akin/Brian Garvey (inkers)

Bill Mantlo deals with a lot of subplots which were not getting the coverage they deserved within the pages of the Avengers. His script and plot are well done, particularly the non-linearity of issue #2. Rick Leonardi’s pencils are sketchy and I’m not normally fond of them. However, Akin and Garvey’s inks add a softness and texture to the penciled art which I really enjoyed. The colorist, Bob Sharen, also does a wonderful job. And all-around good and consistent production for all four issues.

In issue #1, “Trick or Treat”, The Vision and the Scarlet Witch have stepped down from their duties as Avengers and move into their new home in Leonia, New Jersey. Jarvis gives the Scarlet Witch an ancient spell-book (recovered by Captain America #256), and unfortunately, as it is Halloween, Samhain, the eternal embodiment of all Hallows Eve attempts to free himself from the book. The Vision is kept busy battling some transformed trick-or-treaters, while the Scarlet Witch destroys the book ending Samhain’s threat.

Issue #2, “Faith of our Fathers”, has Robert (Whizzer) Frank asks the Scarlet Witch, who he believes is his daughter (see Avengers #185-187 where we learnt he wasn’t), to help him obtain custody of his son, the mutant-powerhouse Nuklo. The Vision accompanies them to the lab where Nuklo’s powers are regulated and they meet the scientist who is attempting to cure Nuklo. The scientist, however, turns out to be one of the Whizzer’s old enemies, Isbisa, and attacks them using powers that have been siphoned from Nuklo. With Nuklo’s help, they defeat Isbisa, but Robert Frank suffers a fatal heart attack.

Wonder Man guest-stars in issue #3, “Blood Brothers!”, to provide Vision with an energy transfusion to pull him out of a coma caused by the injuries he sustained last issue. Mantlo’s coma sequences are wonderful pulling in the Vision’s past, which included Ultron and the original Human Torch (whose body the Vision now occupies with brain patterns based on Wonder Man). The Grim Reaper (Wonder Man’s brother, and therefore the Vision’s as well) attacks eager to kill both the Vision and Wonder Man to satisfy his crazed lust for revenge. Wonder Man helps the Vision out of his coma and they defeat the Grim Reaper.

Magneto discovers, in issue #4 “Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself...!”, that he is the father of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto tracks his children to the moon, where the Scarlet Witch and the Vision are visiting Quicksilver and Crystal, who have just had their first child Luna. During the battle, Magneto reveals himself as their father and the battle comes to an end when it begins to threaten his granddaughter. Mantlo does a good job handling these characters considering they all are strong, distinguishable characters, such as Magneto, a powerful mutant striking back against humanity for their ill-treatment of him, or Quicksilver, the hot-tempered misunderstood mutant who has to settle into the role of father.

Mantlo demonstrates his strengths as a writer in this limited series. Perhaps most famous for his long run on the Incredible Hulk, Mantlo works each character effortless and lets them tell their story.

1981 - Whatever happened to … Frank Miller on Doctor Strange?

2009-12-03T07:14:00.001-05:00

In February 1981, the following house ad ran through several Marvel comics that month:

Following up after Chris Claremont and Gene Colan, Frank Miller was set to join Roger Stern on Doctor Strange with issue #48.

However, from Roger Stern:

I’m afraid that the story of why Frank never drew Doctor Strange isn’t very interesting. As I recall, Frank was under consideration for some sort of James Bond project, so he bowed out of drawing Doc — temporarily, we thought at the time — to get ahead on his other deadlines. Luckily, Marshall Rogers came along and delivered six very tasty issues. And after that…well, by that time Frank was really caught up in writing and drawing Daredevil (and later, Ronin), so we never did get to work together on Doctor Strange.

File the Stern/Miller Doctor Strange with the Stern/Miller Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. – under "Things That Might Have Been"…

What?! A Stern/Miller Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.? That would have been amazing…

1983 - Cloak and Dagger

2009-11-28T12:01:00.001-05:00

Cloak and Dagger miniseries - #1-4
November 1983 - January 1984
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Art: Rick Leonardi/Terry Austin

Cloak and Dagger made their first appearance in Spectacular Spider-Man #64. After a few sporadic appearances in that title, the powers that be at Marvel decided that it was time to try them on their own.

This four issue miniseries was clearly setting the stage for a ongoing series. It successfully established a secondary cast of characters that tempered Cloak and Dagger's vigilante tendencies. Mantlo introduced two characters, a police detective, Bridgid O'Rielly, and a priest, Father Delgado, who would challenge their vigilante behavior from the point of view of the law and of the church, respectively.

In their early appearances, Cloak and Dagger had no problems killing the drug dealers they preyed upon, but if they were to now be heroes they would have to stop killing. The series also focused on the powerfully symbiotic relationship between Cloak and Dagger that bind the two teenagers together.

Issue #4 retells their origin and goes into a bit more of the background of who Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen were before they become Cloak and Dagger.

After this miniseries, they would make an appearance in Marvel Team-Up Annual #6. In 1985 they would get their own regular series which would run for 11 issues. And after a run in Strange Tales (1987), they’d get another regular series that actually ran 19 issues before being cancelled.

Cloak and Dagger was always a tough sell for me. I enjoyed the odd issue when it crossed over, but I never found it compelling enough to add to my pull list. Interestingly, the two supporting characters, Delgado and O’Rielly stand out in my mind more than Cloak and Dagger actually do!

1980 - The Uncanny X-Men

2009-11-26T08:13:00.003-05:00

The Uncanny X-Men #128-138
Writer(s): Chris Claremont and John Byrne (co-plot)
Artist(s): John Byrne (pencils) and Terry Austin (inks)

Although John Byrne and Chris Claremont had been collaborating for over two years on The Uncanny X-Men, they reached their creative peak with the Dark Phoenix Saga. The Uncanny X-Men became Marvel’s flagship title in the mid-1980s and its success spawned a rather bulky family of titles that still manages to keep Marvel Comics afloat financially.

However, there was a time when an X-Men story could be told without a twelve-part crossover involving dozens of mutants making cameo appearances simply to promote their own titles. Also, this story line is uncluttered with the multiple and obscure plot threads which tend to drag down the current X-Men titles.

The Dark Phoenix Saga didn’t bring much attention to itself: no cover captions, no in-house ads, no gimmicks. Despite the lack of hype, solid story telling, compelling characters, and beautiful art ensured this story line’s legendary status.

In X-Men #101, Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), an original X-Man, sacrificed herself to ensure the safety of her teammates. However, she was resurrected and was given new powers that allowed her to tap into a cosmic source called the Phoenix force. Unfortunately, one of the X-Men’s oldest foes, Mastermind tampered with Jean’s mind and upset her control of the Phoenix force. The power corrupted Jean and she was transformed into the Dark Phoenix. Jean became a cosmic threat and its up to the people who care about her the most, the X-Men, to stop her.

The return of the Angel and Beast to the X-Men’s ranks for this story line was a nice touch, especially when you consider their close relationship to Jean. It was unfortunate, that Ice Man, the only other original X-Man, wasn’t brought back to participate. The Dark Phoenix Saga also introduces several key characters like Kitty Pryde, who would later join the X-Men, Dazzler, who would earn her own regular series, and the Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle, a group of powerful and wealthy mutants who would plague the X-Men in years to come.

Scott Summers, alias Cyclops, had fallen in love with Jean the moment he first set eyes on her. Claremont and Byrne leverage this emotional tie and at several points along the story line there seems to be moments where love will conquer all. However, that’s where the tragedy comes in and makes Jean’s suicide and sacrifice that much more poignant.

A couple of years after this story line was published, the original ending to the Dark Phoenix Saga surfaced in Phoenix: The Untold Story one-shot. This ending had Jean Grey survive the Dark Phoenix ordeal, but she was exorcised of her connection to the Phoenix and stripped of her mental powers. This issue also included an insightful interview with the Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter and the creative team, and brought to light the fact that there was a bit of a dispute over where the story was going. As the story goes, Jean’s destruction of an inhabited star system, in issue #134, caught Jim Shooter’s attention and he felt strongly that the Phoenix hadn’t been held accountable for her actions.

Shooter spoke with Claremont and asked him to change the story. He felt that “Marvel really does treat these characters as if they were alive. And, that there will be consequences and there will be logical ramification for whatever happens, and that there is no limit to what may happen to our characters”. Byrne, however, “thought of the Dark Phoenix as a tenant” and he was satisfied with the first version.

Claremont didn’t see it that way, and backed the theme that power corrupts. However, in an interview with Comic Book Profiles, looked back at the decision in a different light: “Without meaning to, we stumbled into the right ending for the story; an ending which defined the X-Men better than anything did at the time. It gave the book a weight it hadn’t had before and that no other book had achieved.

The Dark Phoenix Saga is a story line that is worthy of being called an epic. It’s a defining moment in the history of the X-Men and a fabulous example of a well-told story that modern X-Men writers and editors have clearly forgotten.

1987-88 – The Mighty Avengers

2009-11-22T23:35:00.004-05:00

The Mighty Avengers #275-286
Roger Stern, writer
John Buscema, penciling/breakdowns
Tom Palmer, finishes and inks

Roger Stern is perhaps the most underrated writer for Marvel Comics in the 80s. Despite the volume and quality of his work, which included major titles like Amazing Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and the Incredible Hulk, he never really broke into that superstar category, like Chris Claremont, John Byrne, or Frank Miller. However, the collaborative energy between Roger Stern and artists “Big” John Buscema and Tom Palmer produced the best Avengers stories in decades.

A key ingredient that made this run so successful was Stern's strong characterization. Each character had their distinct attitude and direction, as well as flaws, which provided a solid impression that these characters weren’t just stereotype, but actually real people. For example, Hercules, the Greek god of strength and the most powerful Avengers on the roster, didn’t take to well being ordered around by the team’s current leader, the Wasp, because she was a woman. His attitude, assisted by a bit too much alcohol, put his teammates in a dangerous situation. Stern succeeded in making these characters feel real despite their extraordinary powers.

Stern also paid particular attention to his female characters and developed them into strong, leading women. Captain Marvel had joined the team as an Avenger-in-training, and had developed into a formidable member in a relatively short time. She gradually became more skilled with her powers and gained confidence as an Avengers which lead to an eventually leadership role.

Another female character, the Wasp evolved throughout his run during her tenure as the Avengers' chairwoman. She was no longer a lovesick teenager, or dippy female sidekick who cared more about her clothes that she did her place among the Avengers. The Wasp matured and she earned her place as Avengers’ chairwoman and commanded respect. During the “Siege of Avengers Mansion” (Avengers # 273-277) story line, she faced her toughest challenge as chairwoman and as an Avenger. The Wasp was faced with the total defeat of the team and turned the situation around and freed her captured teammates which eventually led to Baron Zemo’s defeat.

Also, during the “Siege of Avengers Mansion”, Stern's portrayal of the super-villain team and its leader Baron Zemo II was notable. The dynamics and infighting within the Masters of Evil was realistic and broke the super-villain stereotype. Baron Zemo II, the son of the original Baron Zemo who died in a battle with Captain America, set his sights on destroying the Avengers in order to utterly defeat his arch nemesis, Captain America. Rather than having a group of super villains pursue their goals of world domination and eventually be stopped by the good guys, Stern came up with a wonderful idea that had the villains take the battle to the good guys directly. Once the good guys were defeated, then the villains could leisurely continue with their plans for world domination.

Zemo II patiently waited for the precise time to strike, and plotted and schemed to take advantage of the Avengers' weaknesses, and vulnerabilities. Zemo II had assembled a rather large group of super villains to form the Masters of Evil and Stern didn’t shy away from presenting some realistic problems in terms of keeping the group together as a team. The more physical members of his team itched for some action, while others were completely unpredictable including some who refused to acknowledge his leadership and became defiant rivals for leadership. Stern kept the story’s main villain busy juggling the logistic of keeping everyone busy, and also ensuring the team’s loyalty through respect or fear.

The veteran art team of John Buscema and Tom Palmer was a familiar one for long-time Avengers fans. Buscema enjoyed an earlier stint on the Avengers and was joined at the end of it by inker Tom Palmer. Buscema had since worked on other Marvel titles such as Conan the Barbarian and The Silver Surfer, while Palmer’s work graced the panels of Dr. Strange and The Tomb of Dracula.

Buscema’s dynamic layouts are seasoned with a wonderful sense of perspective. He employed a variety of “camera angles” that heightened the intensity of an action scene. His elaborately rendered figures and his mastery at drawing faces and expressions stood out in this run.

Tom Palmer’s inking style truly deserved to be described as embellishment. His finished art and lavish inks completed the overall artistic effort. His inks created the mood and added to the overall panel flow.

Unfortunately, the Olympian story line that ran through Avengers #282-285 was Stern’s last. He was fired by Avengers’ editor Mark Gruenwald after a disagreement over the upcoming story line. Here’s what Gruenwald had to say about the situation:

“I was not interested in doing any injustices to the characters either, but I also believed that the story line could be done without hurting any characters. I was also not interested in forcing a writer [Roger Stern] to write something he didn't want to. So, despite our five years' plus of amicable working relations, we had developed what seemed to be irreconcilable differences. Something had to give. I informed Roger that I wanted to proceed with the agreed-upon story line and thus, I would hire another writer who could get behind the scenario enough to do it justice.” (Taken from the letter column in Avengers #288.)

John Buscema and Tom Palmer chose to remain as the title’s art team, but despite the best efforts of Ralph Macchio and Walter Simonson, it never returned to same level it had enjoyed under Stern. The Buscema/Palmer art neatly complemented Stern's writing and allowed the title to reach one of its high points.

Marvel Solicitations February 2010 - 1980s goodness

2009-11-17T21:31:00.004-05:00

WEST COAST AVENGERS: ASSEMBLED PREMIERE HC
Written by ROGER STERN, ROY THOMAS & BOB HARRAS Penciled by BOB HALL, AL MILGROM, DON HUDSON & LUKE MCDONNELL

After operating for years out of New York, the Avengers form a second team -- this time based in California! Fresh off their honeymoon, Hawkeye and Mockingbird -- under the direction of the Vision, chairman of the East Coast Avengers -- gather Tigra, Wonder Man and Iron Man (secretly James Rhodes) to fight the forces no single super hero can withstand! See the team's earliest adventures against the deadly Maelstrom and his Minions! The malevolent Crossfire! Spider-Man foe the Blank! The ionic-powered Goliath (later Atlas of the Thunderbolts)! The all-powerful Graviton! Guest-starring the Shroud, Tony Stark and honorary Avenger Moira Brandon! Collecting WEST COAST AVENGERS (1984) #1-4, IRON MAN ANNUAL #7 and AVENGERS #250 -- plus material from AVENGERS #239, #243-244 and #246; and AVENGERS WEST COAST #100. 208 pages, $29.99.

Jay's Notes:
Another excellent Marvel Premiere HC collection. Not sure what Avengers West Coast #100 is doing in this collection. Would have liked to see the first few issues of the Regular series. Hopefully, that'll be up next.

CAPTAIN MARVEL: THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL PREMIERE HC
Written by JIM STARLIN, STEVE ENGLEHART & DOUG MOENCH Penciled by JIM STARLIN & PAT BRODERICK
Witness the classic and tragic end of one of the greatest heroes of all time, Mar-Vell of the Kree, who became the Earth hero Captain Marvel! After dozens of battles on Earth and across space, and with the power of his Nega-bands and his all-knowing Cosmic Awareness, can Mar-Vell fare well in his battles with Nitro (the exploding villain who later sparked Marvel's super hero Civil War), the death-defying Stellarax and the seemingly dead Thanos? Guest-starring Rick Jones, Drax the Destroyer, Starfox and all your favorite Earth heroes! Collecting CAPTAIN MARVEL (1968) #34, MARVEL SPOTLIGHT (1979) #1-2 and MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL #1: THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL. 128 pages, $24.99.

Jay's Notes:
Not sure about the other issues included in this collection, but the Death of Captain Marvel is a wonderful story worthy of this nice HC reprint.

DAREDEVIL: LONE STRANGER TPB
Written by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr. art and cover by Romita.

The Man Without Fear becomes the Man Without Hope as Manhattan falls beneath the fangs and claws of Inferno! Losing everything in more than one kind of fire, DD leaves Hell's Kitchen to walk to and fro upon the Earth ‹ but no matter where he goes, Mephisto's waiting for him! Inhumane experimentation and Inhuman secrets abound! Guest-starring Spider-Man and Freedom Force! Collecting Daredevil (1964) #265-273. 216 pages, $24.99

Jay's Notes:
One of my favorite DD runs continues in this TPB collection. Great art by Romita Jr and a wonderful storyline by Nocenti that gets DD out of Hell's Kitchen.

Marvel 1980s goodness out this week

2009-11-14T22:51:00.004-05:00

Alien Legion Omnibus Vol. #1 (Dark Horse Comics)
Writer: Alan Zelenetz
Artists: Frank Cirocco, Chris Warner, Terry Shoemaker, Terry Austin, and Randy Emberlin

Originally published under Marvel's Epic imprint, this series was pretty kick ass for the day and featured great art by Cirocco.

Footsloggers and soldiers of fortune, priests, poets, killers, and cads-they fight for a future Galarchy, for cash, for a cause, for the thrill of adventure. Culled from the forgotten and unwanted of three galaxies, they are trained to be the most elite, and expendable, of fighting forces. Sometimes peacekeepers, sometimes shock troops, the Legion is sent into the Galarchy's most desperate internal and external conflicts. Legionnaires live rough and they die hard, tough as tungsten and loyal to the dirty end. 352 pages

The 'Nam TPB
Writer: Doug Murray
Artists: Mike Golden/Wayne Vansant

Don't worry about choosing sides, because this far into the heart of darkness, things get pretty gray. Follow Private Ed Marks and his fellow soldiers through a jungle of blood, lies, betrayal and valor. It's the war that defined a generation, where the heroes may not be super, but they're all too human. Collecting THE 'NAM #1-10. 248 pages.

1984 - Alpha Flight

2009-11-11T12:41:00.003-05:00

Alpha Flight #6-17
John Byrne, writer and artist

After the initial story arc, which ran through the first four issues, issues #5 through #10 were dedicated to individual characters rather than to the team as a whole. By issue #11, the team subplot had picked up enough steam to become the main plot and gathered Alpha Flight for the climatic finale in issue #12.

To sort out some inconsistencies and contradictions in characterizations, Byrne ran a backup feature in the first dozen issues that detailed each member’s origin. The cast of characters was richly developed: Aurora’s multiple/split personality; Northstar’s arrogance and bitterness; the deity-like Snowbird’s attempt to deal with real life; the insecurity felt by the team’s leader Guardian who was a pleasant mix of Reed Richards and Captain America; Puck’s mysterious past; Sasquatch’s scientific mind totally in control of his monstrous side, or was it?

Issue #6 stood out as an interesting experiment that showcased 6 pages of all-white panels with only narrative and sound effects. Byrne took advantage of the Assistant Editor’s month, which normally resulted in goofy antics, and decided to cleverly play around with the medium.

By the end of issue #12, Byrne completely changed the rules. With perhaps his most gutsy move, he killed Guardian. It was an unexpected twist. Sure, a team could survive the loss of its leader, but Alpha Flight was nowhere near a cohesive team.

I remember anxiously waiting for issue #12, reading the in-house ads, guessing at who would be the one to die. I was convinced it was Northstar that would receive the Grim Reaper’s cold touch. Some readers saw it as a gratuitous death, other saw it as Byrne’s attempt to infuse the comic with a bit of reality. Personally, I didn’t like it. However, that in itself was a testimonial to Byrne’s characterization. I cared about Guardian and certainly didn’t want him to die.

The story line was well plotted out and executed. The ending carried with it a haunting sense of tragedy that was still there when I re-read it. In another respect, Guardian’s character wasn’t as established as say Mr. Fantastic or Captain America. Byrne probably didn’t have to work hard to convince his editor of what he planned to do. This event provided him with a unique opportunity to explore a situation which he could never have done on the Fantastic Four.

Byrne’s portrayal of strong female characters, like Guardian’s wife, Heather Hudson, who got stronger as the series progresses, was refreshing. With the Guardian’s death, Alpha Flight needed a leader. However, none of the team’s members seemed up to the task. In house ads hinted at Wolverine leaving the X-Men and joining Alpha Flight as their new leader.

Alpha Flight #17 had a wonderful Byrne reinterpreting Cockrum’s cover to Uncanny X-Men #109. The story is a retelling of that classic X-Men issue in which Weapon Alpha confronted Wolverine over his departure from Department H to join the X-Men. However, Byrne made another unexpected turn and set Heather Hudson up as Alpha Flight’s leader. Throughout the series, she represented the team’s spirit despite the fact that she didn’t have any super powers.

1987 - Marvel Graphic Novel #27 - Emperor Doom

2009-11-09T22:44:00.001-05:00

Marvel Graphic Novel #27 - Emperor Doom
Writer: David Michelinie
Artists: Bob Hall and Keith Williams

Okay, up front I’ll admit I’m a big West Coast Avengers fan. There I’ve said it. I really enjoyed the 1984 miniseries (which also featured art from Bob Hall) and loved how these B-level superheroes came together as an A-level Avengers team. This graphic novel took place before the regular series.

Dr. Doom kidnaps the Purple Man and uses his powers in his latest scheme to take over the world. He enlists the aid of Namor to help him gain control of those who aren't susceptible to the Purple Man's powers. His plan, for once, goes rather smoothly and in no time he's declared Emperor of the World. Interestingly, Doom proved to be an intelligent, resourceful leader solving most of the world's problem by bringing it peace and stability.

Meanwhile, our Rip Van Winkle, Wonder Man who's been undergoing a test in a stasis chamber for a month, awakens and to his horror discovers that Doom now rules the world.

It’s a fun story that you should definitely try and pick up. Michelinie really makes Wonder Man shine in this story. He's usually been used as a bland, second rate hero. But in this story, we get into Simon Williams' head and really get a good feel for who he is.

However, the really interesting part of this story is that Doom is so bored with ruling the planet that he lets the heroes defeat him.

This story was based on a concept jointly developed by Mark Gruenwald, David Michelinie, and Jim Shooter.

The art isn’t as solid as the miniseries. Something just felt off. Bob Hall is a respectable penciler, but his inking seemed inconsistent. The inking assists by Keith Williams probably came into play here as well lending to that inconsistent feel.

Hercules Full Circle Premiere HC

2009-11-06T19:53:00.004-05:00

Not sure how this one slipped by me, but I'm a huge Layton Hercules fan and wanted to pass this on. If you enjoyed the two Hercules miniseries (reprinted in the first Premiere HC), check this one out!

Written by BOB LAYTON Penciled by BOB LAYTON Covers by BOB LAYTON Bob Layton had a vision of the future - Greek gods, sarcastic robots, transvestite aliens and more - and it's time to share it! The Prince of Power encounters the Wonder of the World of Wilamean, his own half-human son! Can the man-god who changed the courses of rivers and history steer his son to the path of justice? It'll help that there's a lot of fighting involved! Plus: rare creator interviews, artwork and more! Collecting MARVEL TALES #197, MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL #37, MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #39-41 and material from MARVEL AGE #4 & #65. 120 PGS.

And a quick plug for the current Incredible Hercules series. Check it out as well, great writing and good art. It reminds you that comics can be fun even among the more serious Marvel titles these days.

J.J. Abrams in Talks to Produce Micronauts Movie

2009-11-06T09:53:00.002-05:00

Full story here.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Star Trek director J.J. Abrams is in talks to produce a movie about the Japanese interchangeable toys Micronauts, which Hasbro just acquired.

First released in Japan in 1974 (under the name Microman), the toys were imported to the U.S. by the Mego Corporation in 1976. The line consisted of 3.75-inch tall toys which used a universal, five millimeter inter-connective design. Mego cancelled the Micronauts line in 1980. In 2002, Palisades Toys bought the rights to reproduce Micronauts.

The Micronauts comic books were published by Marvel Comics, Image Comics, and Devil's Due Publishing. Their first comic appearance was in "Micronauts #1" (Marvel, Jan. 1979) with characterizations created by Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden.

Abrams tells the newspaper that those who doubt whether a board game or science-fiction toy should be accorded star status will be proved wrong.

"Sometimes, when someone is not a celebrity and you are casting them in a role, everyone who is in a seat of authority voices questions about that actor's talent, sex appeal, looks, ability -- their everything," he says. "But then they get the role, and suddenly they are on the cover of every magazine, and nobody questions those things again. In retrospect, everyone says, 'Of course that person is a star.'"

1989 - Avengers West Coast

2009-11-01T22:26:00.003-05:00

West Coast Avengers #42-53
March - December 1989
Writer: John Byrne
Artists: John Byrne/Mike Machlan
Editor: Howard Mackie

John Byrne’s run on the West Coast Avengers (renamed Avengers West Coast later this year) was a controversial, but pleasant run. Editor-in-Chief Tom DeFalco felt that the title needed a change of direction. So, West Coast Avengers editor Howard Mackie hired John Byrne, who returned to Marvel after a stint at DC Comics doing Superman. Byrne filled both the position of writer and penciler, while Mike Machlan remained on the title as inker.

Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom finished their 39-issue run on the West Coast Avengers and had cleared up most of their plot lines. Issues #40 and #41 were fill-in issues that miserably attempted to finish up the remaining plot lines. When Byrne started in issue #42, Tigra, Wasp, and Dr. Pym had all rejoined the West Coast Avengers without any explanation. It was nice, however, to see the Wasp, who had been normally associated with the East Coast Avengers, and Dr. Pym rejoin.

In Byrne’s run, Pym no longer had doubts about his role, in fact he took over the leadership of the team from Hawkeye. Hawkeye was portrayed as a less competent authority, which many had argued contradicted his character development throughout the limited series and the first 40 issues of this series. Byrne did a welcome job restoring Pym to his rightful place as one of the founding Avengers.

Pym’s mental instability was the catalyst that led to the break up of his marriage to the Wasp, also another foundering member. Byrne set the stage for their reconciliation and had them revive their romance off panel. Byrne “never liked it when they broke up. So we’ll be sort of pushing them back together again” (Peter Sanderson Marvel Age #70, 1988).

Hawkeye never seemed to stand out as an Avengers leader, but seemed to carry enough spirit for the entire team. And by issue #46, Hawkeye tired of being pushed aside takes a leave of absence. Hawkeye becomes a supporting character throughout the run and he eventually finds himself leading the Great Lakes Avengers.

Now to address the source of a lot of fans’ displeasure: Byrne’s treatment of the Vision and the Scarlet Witch. The Vision and the Scarlet Witch had been happily married and Wanda had just given birth to twin sons. Well, in Byrne’s defense, he was hired to shake things up, and shake things up he did.

Byrne followed up an Avengers story line call “Unlimited Vision” (Avengers #251-254) in which the Vision attempts to seize control of the world computers and thereby providing a guiding “vision” (forgive the pun) to humanity. However, Byrne felt the story didn’t hold the Vision responsible for his actions. Well, Byrne’s story called “Vision Quest” has Vision abducted and disassembled. The West Coast Avengers rescued their teammate, but learned that his memory had been erased and that he had become a logical, unemotional machine.

They also learn that the Vision’s abduction had been an international intelligence effort to neutralize the potential threat the Vision posed to worldwide security. A lot of fans saw this story as a direct insult to the efforts of Steve Englehart who had developed the Vision into a distinct character. Also, there was a bit of “suspension of disbelief” required when it turned out that Mockingbird had been tricked into betraying her former teammates. This action also prompted the U.S. to assigned special agent U.S.AGENT to the Avengers team much to his new teammates’ displeasure.

By issue #47, Byrne had also taken over writing The Avengers (East Coast branch) title and worked to increase the interaction between teams. In The Avengers #305, Byrne took a bold step and created a revolving membership system that basically put every Avengers on call. By consolidating the Avengers into one team whose members could be appropriately called upon to deal with any threat or menace.

When the Vision was original created, it was believed that his body was actually that of the original Human Torch whowas an android that fought for the U.S. during World War II but had since been deactivated. However, Byrne reveals that the Vision’s body wasn’t the Human Torch’s, which sends the Avengers West Coast on a quest to find the body of the original Human Torch.

Byrne enjoyed the character interactions of this title. The Vision - Scarlet Witch - Wonder Man love-triangle, the Wasp-Dr. Pym relationship, and the Hawkeye-Mockingbird relationship all get a lot of attention and are dramatically changed. For example, Wonder Man’s brain patterns were originally used to infuse the Vision with a personality. Now that the Vision’s personality has been erased, Wonder Man’s is asked to donate his brain patterns once again. However, he’s in love with the Scarlet Witch and if he restores the Vision he can never have a chance with her.

This run also sees the return of another founder member, Iron Man, to the active roster.

Byrne identified the Scarlet Witch as a favorite character. However as Byrne put it mildly, “the Scarlet Witch is not going to be having a good time ...” (Peter Sanderson Marvel Age #70, 1988). She basically lost her husband, the Vision, and was left with an unfeeling machine. Things didn’t get any better for her. Her twin sons turned out to be pieces of the demon called Pandemonium which she inadvertently used to complete the spell that made her pregnant. Pandemonium showed up and forcibly reclaimed what was his.

Less than a year later, Byrne left the title. Roy Thomas, who had written the Avengers in the 70s, and his wife Dann, became the new writers and were joined by artist Paul Ryan. Unfortunately, both The Avengers and The Avengers West Coast would slip into a period of decline well into the mid-1990s.

For details on Byrne’s departure from the Avengers West Coast, check out his FAQ.

1982 – Alpha Flight

2009-10-26T23:12:00.002-04:00

Alpha Flight #1-5
John Byrne, writer and artist

John Byrne's Alpha Flight was a comic book about characters that was disguised as a team book. Unlike other team books where heroes would gather each issue and battle the latest world-threatening menace, an issue of Alpha Flight focused on one team member while it kept the team story alive as a subplot.

After the debut of Canada's super-hero team in The Uncanny X-Men #120-121, overwhelming positive fan response prompted several guest appearances of Alpha Flight across the Marvel Universe and eventually spawned their ongoing title. John Byrne, the co-creator of Alpha Flight with Chris Claremont and former Canadian resident, was given the creative reigns of this new team book. Alpha Flight was originally designed as a super-hero team that was meant to match up against the X-Men. Byrne challenged himself to bring the characters to life beyond a supporting role and shake the title's billing as an X-Men spin-off.

Interestingly, the first story arc read much like an X-Men adventure. These heroes were still confined by their X-Men stereotypes: Guardian's insecurity seemed much like the X-Men's leader, Cyclops; the playful relationship between Sasquatch and Puck was similar to Wolverine and Nightcrawler; Snowbird was as quiet and powerful as Storm. However, the comparison ended with this initial story arc.

Byrne successfully brought the team together in a great story, but then boldly had them go their own way once the threat had been dealt with. It was bold in that Byrne set up an interesting team dynamic, but then decided to move away from the familiar device. The team concept seemed to be a means for Byrne to branch out into each character' story. Each character resumed their life and had adventures independent of each other, which was a revolutionary idea seeing that the more successful team books, Avengers and Fantastic Four, spend most of their time in the comic together.

Byrne's early notable contributions to the team were the agile and mysterious Puck and the innocent amphibian Marrina. Puck was another uniquely Canadian character complete with his "eh" accent and was a solid addition to the team despite his unspectacular appearance. Marrina was a bit more of a reluctant hero and carried with her an ominous past that would prompt the events in issue #2-4. Marrina would leave the team until she returned the following year in issue #14.

Growing up with Pryde - Part Three

2009-10-13T21:03:00.003-04:00

GROWING UP FASTER THAN SHE’D LIKE
The Brood Saga, which ran through Uncanny X-Men #161-167 (Sept. 1982 - Feb. 1983), provided Kitty with her first off-world adventure and her first real confrontation with death. Wolverine described Kitty in Uncanny X-Men #162 (Oct. 1982): “Kid she may be, but she’s proved - time an’ again - that she’s got more guts an’ smarts than most adults. Than most heroes.”

Kitty faced the possibility of dying as her body hosted a Brood embryo. Haunted by the prospects of a horrible death, Kitty tried to be tough, but like any other teenager faced with a similar situation, she was terrified. Fortunately, Colossus was there to comfort her as many fans wished they might have been.

As their fates came to a climax in Uncanny X-Men #166 (Feb. 1983), Wolverine entertained the possibility of killing his teammates to spare them a horrible death. Kitty stepped up and boldly showed her resolve: “I know what’s happening inside me. I’ve never been so scared, but I’m not gonna give up, maybe this is a hopeless fight, but I won’t quit. And part of not quitting means standing beside my fellow X-Men, all of us, together to the end - as a team, Logan! A family.”

Lockheed also made his first appearance in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #166. Although not really a dragon, but rather an alien species that looks like one, Lockheed would be forever associated with Kitty as her pet “dragon”.

PROVING HERSELF ONCE AGAIN
In the aftermath of the Brood Saga, Professor Xavier announced Kitty’s demotion to the ranks of the New Mutants. The look on Kitty’s face and the look on her teammates’ faces on the last panel of Uncanny X-Men #167 (Mar. 1983) said it all. Despite having proven herself capable, she was still considered a child and unable to make her own decisions.

How could any teenager not empathize with Kitty over Professor Xavier’s stinging words? You didn’t have to go far into a teenager’s life to find a similar situation in which a parent has made a decision that they vehemently disagreed with. It was a wonderful plot device to pull in readers who had followed Kitty’s exploits and develop a loyalty to her. This issue’s ending set up a wonderful spotlight issue on Kitty in Uncanny X-Men #168 (Apr. 1983).

Who could forget that memorable splash page drawn by Paul Smith with Kitty spinning about, finger pointed, yelling out “Professor X is a Jerk!”? This issue focused on Kitty Pryde’s attempts to convince Professor Xavier that she belonged with the X-Men rather than the New Mutants, who she labeled as the “X-Babies”. With her pride wounded, Kitty struggled to impress Professor Xavier on multiple fronts and was forced to change. Rather than continue to complain about her situation, she does the adult thing and takes action. She eventually won over the Professor and forced him to reverse his decision.

The next milestone in Kitty Pryde’s life occurred in Uncanny X-Men #179 (Mar. 1984) when she presented her devotion to her teammates in a speech that brought an end to the conflict between the X-Men and the Morlocks, an underground colony of misshapen mutants. “This mess is my fault -- My responsibility and it’s up to me alone to resolve it. I’ve brought enough people pain, I won’t be party to causing any more. Colossus is what’s important -- With the Morlocks’ help, we might have a way to save him!” The key to Kitty’s speech was the use of the word “responsibility” and the personal acceptance of everything that it entailed, something very adult, something a certain web-swinging character might say.

GROWING PAINS
Storm’s new rebellious and death-defying attitude proved troublesome and it came to a head in Uncanny X-Men #180 (Apr. 1984) when Kitty confronted her. “Life involves growth, and growth continual change,” Storm told Kitty. “You may not like those changes, but you cannot run from them, you must face them, child.” Kitty responded with “Some things shouldn’t change! They should be constant! It was bad enough my parents couldn’t keep the promises they made to each other -- but I thought I could count on you! (…) I’m scared, Ororo. Will it happen to me, too, like this? If I fall in love, will it only be for a while? Or worse, will the person I love stop loving me --?”

Kitty expressed insecurities and doubts that fell within the realm of real, believable teenagers. Her relationship with Storm evolved, moving from that of a mother and child, to friends: “Stand by me -- I need the strength of a true friend, even if, in days to come, that strength may be the ability and willingness to let me go.”

This heart-to-heart with Kitty foreshadowed the drastic changes to come in Kitty’s life. Their discussion also evokes John Byrne’s comments earlier in this article on how things had changed beyond his original vision of this character.

In Marvel Age #16 (Jul. 1984), Chris Claremont explained that “Kitty’s growing up faster than she’d like. The kind of life she leads as a super-powered mutant who confronts danger from day to day is pretty hard for a girl her age to handle. Add to this the fact that her best friend is a demon sorceress and her other best friend is a dragon!”

When her teammates returned from the Secret Wars event, Kitty learned that Peter (Colossus) Rasputin had fallen in love with an alien woman who had died saving their lives. Reading Uncanny X-Men #183 (Jul. 1984), who couldn’t feel Kitty’s heart break: “Tell me it’s a joke. Tell me anything but the truth. (…) Hey, God, why me huh?! What’d I do to deserve this?! It isn’t fair. It isn’t right?” This turn in events shocked a lot of X-Men readers who had expected their relationship to blossom.

Growing up with Pryde - Part Four

2009-10-14T12:52:00.004-04:00

SHADOWCAT
“One of the things you do as a teenager, one of the jobs you have, is that you have to work out your own relationship with the world,” said Louise Simonson, editor of the Kitty Pryde and Wolverine miniseries, from her interview in Marvel Age #11 (Feb. 1984). “This involves a moral relationship as well as a physical one. This series is going to help Kitty define what hers is going to be. It’s really Kitty’s series. Wolverine is just there because he likes Japan a lot, he likes Kitty a lot, and really doesn’t want to see her get killed.”

After Kitty had her heart broken by Peter, she took a leave of absence from the X-Men and went home for a change of location. Unfortunately, she didn’t get much of an opportunity to relax as her father’s ill-advised financial dealings with the Japanese mob end up stranding her on her own in Japan. The use of Kitty’s first person point of view in Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #1 (Nov. 1984) really grounded the reader and allowed them to develop an instant connection with her.

Events escalated as a Yakuza bodyguard named Ogun captured Kitty and put her through a drastic re-conditioning that reshaped her as a ninja assassin. You couldn’t help but feel for Kitty as she was helpless to prevent what was happening to her.

Fortunately, Wolverine made his way to Japan to check up on Kitty and after a near-deadly confrontation with her, they began the arduous task of de-programming her. Wolverine played it tough as her teacher, forcing her to choose to live and fight and struggle. In the end, Kitty’s strength and stubbornness served her well.

In this miniseries, Claremont had more time to focus on what he excelled at: developing character. Unlike a lot of comic book stories, the characters in this series actually changed.

“At the time, she [Kitty Pryde] seemed like an unusual choice; she was a younger, less significant character,” remembers Al Milgrom, miniseries penciler. “But, Chris Claremont really liked writing female characters and invested a lot of himself to make them interesting, diverse, and very strong characters. Teaming her up with Wolverine, a down and dirty character, was an interesting contrast. The tone of the miniseries was a lot darker than you might have anticipated with Kitty Pryde in it, but it turned out to be an interesting story.

“Claremont really liked what he did with the character and liked the way the storyline went. Originally, the miniseries was supposed to be four issues, and as Chris started writing, I guess he got carried away and liked the direction it was going in and begged for another couple of issues to make sure he didn’t short change the process. There was a lot of surprising depth to the story.”

For Kitty, this series was a coming of age story and she symbolized it by taking a new codename, Shadowcat. It also served to solidify the relationship between Kitty and Wolverine and their teacher/student roles revisited the original theme of the Xavier’s school. In the series climax, Wolverine defeated Ogun, and offered Kitty Ogun’s life. Although tempted, Kitty turned down the offer, ultimately proving to Ogun and to herself, that her spirit couldn't be broken.

GROWTH REQUIRES CONTINUAL CHANGE
The explosion of X-titles in the late 1980s and early 1990s saw the disassembling of what a lot fans consider to have been the X-Men dream team. Kitty and Nightcrawler moved overseas to join the ranks of Excalibur, Cyclops rejoined the original X-Men as X-Factor, and what was left of the X-Men relocated to the Australian outback.

After a lengthy run in Excalibur throughout the 1990s, Kitty faded into the background making a few appearances here and there. In 2004, Joss Whedon returned Kitty to the fold in Astonishing X-Men. Whedon also restored Colossus to life and rekindled their romance. The resumption of their relationship in a more adult fashion was interesting since that level of feeling and intimacy couldn’t really be addressed twenty years ago when Kitty was being portrayed as a 14 year-old girl. Interesting as well was the open hostility between Kitty and her nemesis, Emma Frost, who was now a member of the X-Men.

Around the same time, a modern take on a teenage Kitty Pryde in the Ultimate universe was being undertaken by Brian Michael Bendis in the pages of Ultimate Spider-Man. The formula for her character was strikingly familiar and I can’t help but smile wondering how many readers developed a crush for Peter Parker’s cute and spunky mutant girlfriend.

What stands out years later is how Kitty’s character changed as she grew up, unlike a lot of other comic book characters whose development stalled, especially in terms of their age. That change also made a lot of us realize that we were also growing up. However, all I have to do is pick up my well-worn copy of Uncanny X-Men #168 and I’m a teenager again along with Kitty, flooded with emotions and memories as I flip through each page of that wonderfully, unforgettable issue.

Marvel Solicitations for January 2010 - 1980s goodness

2009-10-20T13:33:00.005-04:00

A rather light month for 1980s-related content.

EXCALIBUR VISIONARIES: ALAN DAVIS VOL. 2 TPB
Written by Alan Davis and Scott Lobdell, penciled by Alan Davis, Dougie Braithwaite, Will Simpson, James Fry, Joe Madureira, Sam Kieth, Steve Lightle, Ron Lim, Brian Stelfreeze, Dwayne Turner, Jae Lee, Malcolm Jones and Rick Leonardi, cover by Alan Davis.

Secrets of the Phoenix Force! Dinosaur subplots resolved! Captain Britain and Spider-Man vs. a pack of human dogs! These and other astonishments await as co-creator Alan Davis takes Excalibur into space and down the rabbit hole! Plus: a battle with the X-Men across time and a team-up with the X-Men against Trolls! Collecting Excalibur (1988) #51-58 and Excalibur: XX Crossing One-Shot.

DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN TPB

Written by Frank Miller, penciled and cover by David Mazzucchelli.

"And I have shown him ... that a man without hope is a man without fear." The definitive Daredevil tale, by industry legends Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli! Karen Page, Matt Murdock's former lover, has traded away the Man Without Fear's secret identity for a drug fix. Now, Daredevil must find strength as the Kingpin of Crime wastes no time taking him down as low as a human can get. Collecting Daredevil #226-233.

248 pages, $19.99.

Growing up with Pryde - Part Two

2009-10-11T20:13:00.002-04:00

THE NEWEST X-MAN
We didn’t see Kitty again until the last page of Uncanny X-Men #138 (Oct. 1980) when she’s dropped off at the steps to Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. After the death of Jean (Phoenix) Grey and the departure of Scott (Cyclops) Summers, Kitty’s arrival signaled a change and provided hope for a new beginning. Her arrival mirrored the arrival of Jean Grey way back in X-Men #1 (Sep. 1963), as she too was dropped off by a taxi at the steps to the school. Kitty was the first mutant to join the school since the X-Men were re-envisioned in Giant-Sized X-Men #1 (May 1975) and was the youngest student ever accepted.

In issue #139 (Nov. 1980), Kitty put on her X-Men uniform for the first time and turned down Professor Xavier’s codename, Ariel, to chose Storm’s suggestion, Sprite. This issue showed the growing mother-daughter bond between Storm and Kitty as Storm remarked: “Incredible. Kitty reasons as calmly, as sensibly, as Professor X -- yet, for all of that, she is still a child, struggling to hold onto her childhood.”

With Uncanny X-Men #141 (Jan. 1981), the first part of the famous “Days of Future Past” storyline, an alternate future version of Kitty, Kate Pryde took center stage, suggesting that Kitty’s tenure as an X-Man would be something significant. This issue also demonstrated the quick attachment that the X-Men had formed with their newest member. After inadvertently putting their lives at risk as she walked into the Danger Room and disrupted their session, Kitty was given the opportunity to test her phasing powers. The young girl closed her eyes and walked through the Danger Room, phasing through all of its deadly perils. Her escapade resulted in a round of cheerful and welcome laughter from her teammates.

Another noteworthy moment in this issue highlighted the awkward relationship between Kitty and Nightcrawler. Ever since their first meeting, Kitty had been put off by Nightcrawler’s demon-like appearance. However, we got a glimpse into the future as Kitty, with Kate’s mind in control, embraced Nightcrawler, letting us know that Kitty will eventually mature beyond her fears and prejudices.

Uncanny X-Men #143 (Nov. 1981) spotlighted Kitty Pryde as she was left on her own in the mansion over Christmas since she was Jewish and didn’t celebrate the holiday. While the story paralleled the movie Alien (1979) with its similar monster and premise, it successfully employed some of its cinematic devices, like the heart-pounding climax and the shock ending. The story showcased Kitty's resolve and resourcefulness and showed us that she had the wherewithal to be an X-Man.

John Byrne left Uncanny X-Men after this issue and Chris Claremont took creative control of Kitty Pryde. Like a loving father, Byrne was clearly disappointed in how Kitty would evolve over the next decade: “Kitty Pryde was created by me and only ME. Chris Claremont got a lot of "credit" for developing her into something she was not supposed to be. Kitty went from a sweet regular girl named after a young lady I knew in school (who spurned my advances more than once I must say!) to a psycho ninja magician.

“What bothers me most is that now that is the version that counts. And Chris gets all the glory and all the royalties while I struggle to clean my pool and feed my cats. I’m not angry - I understand that when you play in someone else's House of Ideas you cannot control what happens to the character after you let her go. That’s just the way it works. But when it comes to Kitty I’m a little sensitive and I find it hard to forget the treatment she has received after she left the safety of my loving arms.”

CLINGING TO HER CHILDHOOD
Claremont continued to put Kitty through tough times to build the reader’s investment in her. In Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 (1982), Kitty learned of her parents’ plan to divorce after failing to reconcile their marriage. Storm stepped in, again in her role as substitute mother, and tried to soothe the inconsolable Kitty. This world-altering problem wasn’t something that could be dealt with using superpowers and readers really sympathized with Kitty as she felt betrayed by her parents.

Kitty Pryde’s life took a sudden and unexpected turn in Uncanny X-Men #151 (Nov. 1981), as her parents withdrew her from Professor Xavier’s school and enrolled her in the Massachusetts Academy (run by the X-Men nemesis Emma Frost, the White Queen) where she’d be with students her own age. Teenage readers recognized Kitty’s frustration with her parents who thought they knew what was best for her.

The storyline that ran through Uncanny X-Men #151-152 (Nov.-Dec. 1981), established Emma Frost as a significant arch-enemy for Kitty. Frost served as a great foil for Kitty as she represented the establishment and conformity with her mind control powers and authoritative position as headmistress.

Uncanny X-Men #160 (Aug. 1982) had a significant effect on Kitty’s development as Colossus’ young sister Illyana, after an encounter with the demon Belasco, lost seven years in Limbo and emerged as a teenager. Over the years to come, Kitty and Illyana would become best friends and be there for each other through the highs and lows of their respective X-Man and New Mutant careers.

1989 - Acts of Vengeance

2009-10-05T21:32:00.005-04:00

Just a heads up to save your pennies. In March next year, the Acts of Vengeance Omnibus will hit the stands. Over 700 pages of Marvel 1980s goodness. It was a company-wide crossover that brought the 1980s to an end and ushered forth the 1990s.

More details ...
Two dozen of Marvel's top talents set more than 40 super heroes against at least as many super villains in the premier crossover event of the 1990s! Plus: the debut of the New Warriors! The destruction of Avengers Island! Spider-Man's cosmic power and the madness of the Scarlet Witch! A three-headed monster, a three-faced robot, a trip through the worlds of What If? and more! Special guest-appearance by Abraham Lincoln!

Collects Avengers (1963) #311-313, Annual #19, Avengers Spotlight #26-29, Avengers West Coast #53-55, Captain America (1968) #365-367, Iron Man (1968) #251-252, Quasar #5-7, Thor (1966) #411-413, Cloak & Dagger (1988) #9, Amazing Spider-Man (1962) #326-329, Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #158-160, and Web of Spider-Man #59-61.

Hardcover: 744 pages

Growing up with Pryde - Part One

2009-10-07T09:32:00.003-04:00

(This article was originally written for BACK ISSUE #32, January 2009)

Kitty Pryde ranked #13 in Wizard's Top 200 Characters list of 2008 and, what surprised many, was that she was not only the first woman, but also ranked ahead of the iconic Wonder Woman. How could a plucky, resourceful teenager rank ahead of a battle-hardened warrior-princess? Approachability.

Kitty has been around for 30 years with roughly a few hundred appearances while Wonder Woman has been around for 65+ years with a few thousand appearances. Kitty is your girl-next-door with a mutant power, while Wonder Woman is an Amazon princess with the backing of the gods of Olympus. Would you rather spend an evening in casual conversation with Kitty or be intimidated by Wonder Woman?

Kitty’s notable ranking in the Wizard poll is a direct result of her loyal fans which in turn is a direct result of a cleverly designed teenage archetype. If you were a teenager in the 1980s and read Uncanny X-Men, you were probably like me and had a crush on Kitty Pryde.

Kitty was molded to be a love interest for their target audience of teenage boys. She was a geek’s dream: she was smart, loved sci-fi movies, excelled at video games, belonged to a superhero team, and kept a pet dragon. Kitty was never drawn as the typical comic book “babe”, instead, she was drawn as a perky teenaged girl with a glint of fun and mischief in her eyes.

KITTY’S ORIGIN
Kitty Pryde was created by John Byrne in 1978. From Byrne’s first sketch of Kitty, he outlined: "My concept here is that Ariel should be not so much a new member of the X-Men per se, but rather the first member of a second team, a kind of "X-Men-in-Training" team.” Byrne’s “X-Men-in-Training” would come to fruition years later in the form of the New Mutants.

On the creation of Kitty Pryde, former Uncanny X-Men editor Roger Stern recalls that “Jim Shooter expressed an interest in seeing the X-Men get back to the original concept of being a school for mutants. Not a bad idea, but it wasn't easily going to work with Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops. None of those X-Men were really kids. And could you see Wolverine turning in a homework assignment? [Laughs] Yeah, me neither.”

Younger readers in the early 1980s might have had difficulty relating to the adult cast of the X-Men, but Kitty was the ideal character through which to view them and their world. She embodied everything the readers wished they could be and they lived the X-Men’s life vicariously through her.

“Kitty works because she’s cute and funny,” Louise Simonson, former X-Men editor, said in Marvel Age #11 (Feb. 1984). “She’s a youngster in a group of older people and therefore gives a fresh vision to a lot of the stuff the others take for granted. A lot of questions she has and the turmoil she goes through is something that they are beyond, so she gives a younger dimension and insight into the book, characters, and stories. She provides freshness.”

Katherine “Kitty” Pryde made her first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #129 (Jan. 1980) as her developing mutant power triggered Professor Xavier’s mutant-detecting device Cerebro. Her life suddenly got much more complicated.

“I liked her as John [Byrne] had presented her,” explains Roger Stern. “She was supposed to be the "normal" one -- the average middle-class kid from the suburbs of the Midwest -- I think her house even had a white picket fence. And then, out of the blue, she has a weird mutant power click on. Kitty was scared by what was happening to her, and seriously weirded out by all of the bizarre mutants and the strange world she suddenly found herself in. But, at the same time, she was a little jazzed by the thrill of it all, just like most of us would have been at that age. There was going to be something new and fantastic around every corner for her, and we were all going to go along for the ride. What a great, fun character Kitty was! Of course, once John and I were both off the book, she became a girl genius and a ninja and a spy, and lord knows what else by this point.”

Dazzler also made her debut in Uncanny X-Men #129 and served as an interesting contrast to Kitty as both of these characters couldn’t be more different. Dazzler was older, on her own, flashy, and loved to be the center of attention. Whereas Kitty was younger, still living at home with her parents, quiet, and used to being overlooked or ignored. Which one of these characters was more likely to create a bond with teenage readers?

Kitty was popular from the moment she first appeared. In the letter page of Uncanny X-Men #135 (Jul. 1980), Chris Claremont answered a reader’s letter: “You were one of the many - heck, why be modest? - the multitude of fans who applauded the debut of Ms. Katherine “Kitty” Pryde of Deerfield, Illinois. John [Byrne] and I figured we were creating a pretty nifty character, but we never counted on the incredible - completely favorable - response she generated. Whew!!”

1987 - Mephisto Vs …

2009-10-05T13:54:00.003-04:00

Mephisto Vs #1-4
April-July 1987
Writer: Al Milgrom
Artists: John Buscema/Bob Wiacek

#1 vs the Fantastic Four
#2 vs X-Factor
#3 vs the X-Men
#4 vs the Avengers

Mephisto’s initial motives was revenge, as he was humiliated by Franklin Richards in Fantastic Four #277. He exploited each member’s fears in an attempt to win Franklin’s soul. However, by the end of the issue, he has tricked Susan Richard into giving up her soul.

Early in issue #2, Mephisto’s “true” motive arose; he sought the soul one truly noble spirit, like the Silver Surfer. He manipulated Susan Richards and the rest of the Fantastic Four into drawing X-Factor into mix and tricked Jean Grey into giving herself up.

In issue #3, Mephisto moves on to the X-Men where he tricked Rogue into becoming another pawn in his great game.

And finally in issue #4, Mephisto’s “real” motivation was made clear. Hela, the Norse goddess of Death, has been moving in on his territory and he has been unable to push back her advances. Only the soul of a god can turn the tide in his favor. Mephisto tried to get his hands on Thor’s soul.

Every time I read this series, I can’t help but chuckle at Mephisto using “mystic mylar” to capture souls. It just seemed silly to have Mephisto put these giant mylar bag around the souls when he can easily use his powers to contain them.

Milgrom shouldn’t have waited until the final issue to unveil Mephisto’s true motivation. I can understand hiding it from the heroes, but since this story is taken from his point of view, it seems rather confusing to keep switching his motives. And while I’m on the Mephisto point of view thing, usually the protagonist of the story has to undergo some kind of change. Unfortunately, Mephisto doesn’t learn anything from these events and doesn’t change in any fashion. I’m not expecting to have a radical character change, but there just seemed to be little reason for this series other than to create a crossover.

Buscema’s pencils are classic Buscema. Bob Wiacek’s inks on John Buscema’s pencils are strong and sometimes seem a bit overpowering. Milgrom’s inks in issue #3 seemed rushed, but Wiacek’s return for issue #4 is welcome. The coloring is terrible in this series; check out Rogue’s hair throughout issue #3. This series was printed on a higher quality paper and unfortunately did nothing but make the colouring stand out that much more.