In the ’90s, Iron Fist was wack.
Real wack. He was stuck in the disco era, still rockin’ the open vest, ballerina slippers, and with no writer having ANY idea what to do with him. That said…
#20 – Namor 16
John Byrne always did draw a MEAN Danny Rand.
I would say in the Terrible/Bad/Eh/Meh/Ok/Good/Great, Byrne’s Namor run for about the first 20 issues was strongly in the Ok-Good range. It was never steadily great, but this was a great issue. Worth picking up.
It’s easy to tell when a series is destined for a short lifespan. Even if it’s critically acclaimed, there’s NO way a Moon Knight series will ever make it past 50 issues. It’s just the way it is.
More recently, everyone was treated to the IRON FIST monthly and it ran it’s course in under two years. Name two better solo, mainstream super hero books from the past five years that were better – you can’t. But the numbers weren’t there. I don’t bemoan this point – just acknowledge, accept, and appreciate quality when it appears. If it’s in longevity admire that, but don’t be disappointed in something being GREAT for a short period.
#21 – Mystique 14
Mystique was NOT a great series. But it was surprisingly good. Despite my anti-reformed-villain-as-a-hero stance, this was well done. Sean McKeever did a superior job of writing an already interesting character and wisely steered away from cluttering the book with too much x-continuity. I remember vividly reading this issue, enjoying the series thoroughly, and still looking at the “Part 1 of 5″ and thinking NO WAY does this series make it to 20 issues. But it did. And though this issue stands out in my memory particularly, the entire series is worthwhile reading.
All 24 issues of it.
Things that often don’t work together.
Ghost Rider and super hero teams.
Ghost Rider and crossovers.
Ghost Rider and outer space.
Ghost Rider and the future.
Somehow, four wrongs made a right.
#22 – Guardians of The Galaxy 13
So it’s not the Ghost Rider that you know. Regardless, it shouldn’t work. This story somehow (like much of the Valentino Guardians of the Galaxy run did) managed to be a fun, well crafted story that brought maximum satisfaction. In fact thinking about that, I would say it’s not a stretch to say that Guardians (and their underrated parallel, New Warriors) have held up better than McFarlane’s Spider-Man, Liefeld’s X-Force, or EVEN Jim Lee’s X-Men. Statement of fact. Go back and re-read if you want to argue.
Continue reading
A very special installment today. An issue that holds a place in my heart for a lot of reasons, and none that particularly extend from the story itself.
#23 – Doctor Strange 2
The cover itself jumps off the rack. It did back then, and it still would today. Love the image, somehow this has always been my favorite cover for any Dr. Strange or Dormammu story, period. I must have read this issue 300 times – but it’s probably been a decade since I last did. Excuse me on that fact. I will say the first 25 or so issues of this, the Dr. Strange series that started in the late ’80s, were excellent. They had a dark edge that made them stand out a bit from the rest of the group at Marvel at the time.
But why I really felt this issue when I came across it was that Dr. Strange was my father’s favorite Marvel character. I remember him being visibly excited when he picked up this issue, having missed the first issue when we had gone to the comic shop the previous month. We wouldn’t go every week, my pops worked way too much for that, and the closest shop was downtown, a solid 20 minute drive for us. But we would go and he would let me pick up just about as many books as I wanted. He would read a lot of them, and he would always talk to me about what was going on if he wasn’t up to date on the latest story.
When I saw him excited for a comic book it must mean that that book was not just good, it was GREAT. And so I read it. And read it. And read it.
I guess what this all comes down to is the importance and influence you can have on a child. I’m not a parent, and have no impending plans on that, but I will never forget what having my father, the person who was without question my best friend and biggest influence, talk to me, encourage me, and engage me in reading. Thanks pa. Miss ya’.
A quicky today, my room’s a mess and I can’t get dressed. Gotta get… this post done.
#24 – Warlock and the Infinity Watch 1
1. Dig the cover. Powerful Warlock pose, got Eternity just chillin’ in the background. So cool.
2. How cool is Adam Warlock?
3. No surprise that 4/5 of the members of this cosmic team are now members of the new Guardians of The Galaxy. If you’re a fan of that series, spend the buck it will take to pick this up. Guarantee you’ll see some redeeming qualities. It still resonates with me.
4. The remaining 1/5th who was apparently replaced by a Russian space dog, an intergalactic Raccoon, and an outerspace Ent? That would be Pip, the cigar smoking troll who liked vests.
SOLD.
Wow, last quarter to go. Feel like we should get a good sprint to the end here.
Let’s start with what I wouldn’t call a classic, or even a modern classic… but somehow a ’90s classic feels right. So that’s what this qualifies as.
#25 – X-Men 25
I’m not going to lie, this issue really did surprise me. I was shocked at almost the entire circumstances. Wait, Magneto pulled the adamantium off of Wolverine’s skeleton through his pores? Jeez. And then Xavier wiped Magneto’s brain clean, basically rendering him an invalid?
PS THIS ALL TOOK PLACE ON ASTEROID M, aka the hurling space station that had been co-opted by Magneto into essentially an outer space mutant casino. Yeah, that’s right, casino. Or rather maybe Magneto’s version of the Playboy Mansion. Please see this if you are a nonbeliever.
This issue has a certain relevance, but let’s talk about the meat and bones first.
Longshot, who doesn’t like him? Well, I bet a lot of people, but most people my age are alright with him. He was the original vapid alterna-hero. He basically is the archetype for Gambit, Every Image character ever, and many spinoff Marvel characters who would make you think that head bands and long hair were HUGE in the ’90s. They weren’t. But this was the last great story featuring the Mojoverse, and had Longshot taking a slightly more heroic turn. Scott Lobdell wrote him straight, and it was a perfect story. Dazzler and Longshot struggling against the oppressive Mojo.. it was good. Real good. And then…
#26 – X-Men 11
… It was over. This was Jim Lee’s last issue of X-Men. Done. Some of the plot threads from this (pregnant Dazzler, the rebellion in the Mojoverse) were completely abandoned. Despite Lobdell’s long run on the x-books, for some reason this was never really touched on again.
That said, it’s ironic that Jim Lee’s creative influence was supposedly one of the reasons that led to Chris Claremont being ushered off of the X-Men books… and eight issues later, at the height of the X-Men’s popularity, Jim Lee leaves. And never comes back. So who knows what would have been if decisions made with regards to the formation of Image had come two, three, six months earlier? Would Claremont have left? Would Jim Lee had lasted even 11 issues? Would (self titled) X-Men even been created? And conversely, what if Lee had stayed on? Would Liefeld? There were many little promotional hints and posters put out there that had me (and many others) salivating at what storylines were to come… What could have been.
Nonetheless, this is a great read. And it exists. So find it.(And by find it, I mean, click the image and buy it.)
When I first read that Hulk was going to be on an alien planet, my brain groaned.
Why. How can that be cool. Ugh. Stupid gimmick. This will suck.
But then… it didn’t. It really didn’t. It was actually awesome.
Greg Pak did it right. The trick – he developed and built out the world around the Hulk. No pre-existing stories, no muddled continuity, just a raw story and a civilization that felt new, weird, and in general, foreign. In many of these stories, where a character is jettisoned off into a completely new and different direction, the path is paved with a lot of missteps, failed attempts, and bland crossovers to try and draw in a new audience. Outside of a well placed appearance by the Silver Surfer, this storyline was devoid of anything close to those well-beaten roads.
If there was another Fantastic Four movie, there’s only two conditions under which I will pay to watch it.
1. Complete straight up hard sci- slant, like some straight Greg Bear level of heaviness and galactic implications. Normal version – 3.5 hours. Extended DVD version 5+ hours.
2. If they could get that bunk cast from the first two involved in a movie based LOOSELY on this issue…
#28 – Fantastic Four Annual 23
Movie version: FF return home, but something’s wrong. Little things. They are then attacked by a dated, retro version of themselves, full with grown son Franklin, looking like the loose fitting psycho from this issue, in tow. Make Franklin someone who seems to be teetering on the edge of sanity, searching for his time displaced girlfriend (let it be vague here, no need to drag x-continuity in…) and have some time villain chasing him.
Look, there’s a lot that wouldn’t work in a straight translation. I love Ahab, but he’s not good enough for a movie appearance. How about Kang? No cutesy, sassy , time traveller garbage. I want him to look like his face went through a purple dyed meat grinder. Some loose resolution, a quality Jessica Alba v. Jessica Alba fight, retro garb… it would be awesome.
If you’ve never read this one, please do. Perhaps one of my favorite off kilter stories featuring the FF with a truly great take on insane Franklin.
A gem from a few years back by a writer, Matt Fraction, who has taken on a huge roll in the Marvel U – yet for some reason this series just slipped through the cracks.
#29 – The Order #3
Maybe it was the name. Originally it was supposed to be called The Champions but some overly examined and wack reasons got in the way so… The Order. It’s a little more utilitarian, but it worked. The team was all new characters, and to be honest was on it’s way too really building a nice synergy. Unfortunately, it was given about three hours to breath before it was tossed to the curb. I anticipate this group to eventually be given a 2nd shot by someone else who saw the admirable qualities of the group… be that now or in 5, 10, or 15 years.
Until then, pick up this issue and see my favorite mutilation of the skid row population. Hobos becoming Zombies… Zobos. I guess that’s better than Hombies.
![[ToyNoize]](http://thenoizecorp.com/banners/ad_fam_toynoize.jpg)
![[VinylNoize]](http://thenoizecorp.com/banners/ad_fam_vinylnoize.jpg)
![[GearNoize]](http://thenoizecorp.com/banners/ad_fam_gearnoize.jpg)
![[KarmaLoop]](http://www.thenoizecorp.com/ads/karmaloop125x125.gif)
![[MERCH DIG]](http://thenoizecorp.com/ads/merchdig_banner_ad_125x125.jpg)
![[Your Advertisement Here]](http://thenoizecorp.com/ads/125x125.gif)
©2010 The Noize Corp | Advertise
