Chris Bachalo

Posted by John Klein III on February 27, 2017
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Bachalo is one of my favorite artists.  There is simply something about the way the gentleman draws boots and gloves that I really enjoy and appreciate.  Maybe it goes back to hearing how artists do not like to draw feet.  Which is silly, as how can you show a guy being kicked in the face, and not draw a foot (as well as a face)?  One would think it is impossible.  I know one of his biggest criticisms is that it can be hard to follow what he is showing.  I will admit that there are times when I have to look at it twice, or just read the speech bubble and move on to the next panel, but for the most part, I just like seeing his art.  He may have a team of inkers with him at all times, but he does his own coloring, which I like, as you get the exact image he had in his head, or in the very least, we see the image he wants us to see.  Inkers add depth, shading and mood.  They probably do so much more, but that’s what I’ve always been told what inkers do and what I recognize them doing.

I have enjoyed his runs on Uncanny X-Men (the first and third volumes), Generation X (which he co-created with Scott Lobdell), Wolverine and the X-Men, New X-Men, I haven’t read his Spider-work as I was not following the character at that point, but I am interested in seeing what he did over there.  Generation Next is probably the title I saw of his first and really dug his style, really stood out there in the 90s.  Though his style hasn’t changed, but has improved, he is very daring these days.

I like that Marvel used him to open both Wolverine and the X-Men and the third volume of Uncanny X-Men.  He really set the tone and style of those titles. Especially with redesigns that are still being used today.   Not so much in terms of costumes in Wolverine and the X-Men, but the school’s overall design is the lasting impact.  The Uncanny costume changes are still very present and used in every appearance that team makes.  Which is in several different titles.

His Ultimate War is an interesting use of his, it looks better on the Motion DVD than it does in print.

It wasn’t until Grey’s End in Uncanny 466, 467 and 468 that I realized the name of that artist that I really liked.  He rarely ever has more than four issues in him but what he gives in that short amount of time is stunning.

He also did Death: The High Cost of Living, which is a quieter book and I couldn’t believe that was him then, but that is a very nice read.

He has started writing now as well, writing a very nice Black Widow and Rogue short in A+X 2.  He wrote it and drew the story.  He could be the next Walt Simonson if he isn’t careful!  Also, the second story in that issue is Peter David’s Kitty Pryde, Lockheed and Iron Man short story, which is very funny and awesome.

I haven’t gotten around to reading his creator own work, Steampunk, but one of these days.  Written by Joe Kelly, so it has to be wonderful.

 

 

 

Ultimate X-Men 18

Posted by John Klein III on February 24, 2017
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate X-Men 18

Story Mark Millar

Artist Chris Bachalo

Colors Dave Stewart

Letters Chris Eliopoulos

World Tour, Part Three of Four

Cover Dated July 2002

I found a reason to buy an issue of Ultimate X-Men prior to issue 21, Shadowcat’s first appearance.  Marvel Database states that this is Illyana’s first and only appearance.  On her page, it states that Colossus mentions her but she doesn’t really appear.  This issue shows Colossus having a blonde sister and a brunette brother; so I would understand the assumption that the blonde must be Illyana.  I rechecked Marvel Database for the bulk of Ultimate X-Men issues and I don’t see her being mentioned in any of the issues that I don’t own.  He also doesn’t name her in this issue.  Another point, in issue 32, Colossus’ family is flown to the mansion and there, he has several siblings and I don’t recall seeing a blonde amongst them.  Regardless, I’m counting it as well, until otherwise told.

If you would like to follow along, this website has the entire issue :

http://www.spumonte.com/files/pdfs/_Ultimate%20X-Men%20%5BSeries%201%5D%20Vol%201%20(01-100)_/Ultimate%20X-Men%20%5BSeries%201%5D%20Vol%201%20-%20Issue%2018/

I read this originally in a trade, when it first came out, 13 years ago, so my memory is a bit faded – hence how I barely recall Illyana being in it.  I was probably looking for her name, to make it official.  So the non Colossus parts, I’m going to just use the context of the issue, to guide me through it.

Prior to this, the World Tour title comes from Xavier’s book tour that half of the team is with him – Storm, Wolverine, Iceman and Beast.  Cyclops and Jean are in Russia, trying to get Colossus back on the team.  Xavier is on Muir Island, spending time with his ex-wife Moira MacTaggert.  In the Ultimate Universe, Proteus is also Xavier’s son, which makes sense as an Ultimatation of a character.  Proteus, being who he is, is body jumping about.  STRIKE agent Betsy Braddock has been enlisted to aid the X-Men, helping her is Dai Thomas – who I must not have recognize the name of the old inspector who was annoyed by Excalibur, that is uncanny research on Millar’s part!  Apparently, last issue, Proteus jumped into Wolverine’s body.

Saint Petersburg : Scott and Jean are bugging Piotr, at work.  69 Russian sailors are stuck in a submarine.  If Colossus isn’t willing to rejoin the X-Men, these two are trying to get him to at least save the sailors.

Piotr makes the excellent point of it not being his problem.  They live in the world of governments and the Ultimates, clearly Iron Man can fix the problem.  Piotr is 19 years old and very practical.  Stupid and jerkwad Scott throws in Piotr’s face that he only makes three dollars a week in a car factor – what a jerk!

Pitor tries to make Jean and Scott feel bad by explaining to them how badly they need Xavier’s school.  Jean is on the verge of going insane and Scott needs the glasses and visor that Xavier created to see.  Colossus is a power that he can turn on, at will, and when he doesn’t want it, he can turn it off and look like everybody else.  In London, people actually spat on them, and that was too much for Piotr.  Jean tries to make an analogy about how their mutant powers are like a bird choosing not to fly.  Piotr, in maybe my favorite thing any Colossus has ever said, spins the analogy around and says, “No, it is like a skunk that refuses to stink.”    I wish a fourth character was there to shout, oh snap!  Rasputin leaves so that he can eat dinner with his family.

Berlin.  Storm wishes they were sunbathing instead of chasing Xavier’s crazy son.  They are at the airport to meet the new super team that Nick Fury is sending.  Betsy Braddock is the psychic on the team, and she is able to track Proteus.  Xavier isn’t able to as Proteus has already been inside his mind and can block him.  Braddock is spending a lot of time with Xavier.

Moira has realized why Proteus picked Berlin.  This was the site of where Glasgow Rangers drew with Borrusia Dortmund in the European Cup in 1995 which was also the last Xavier Family Holiday.  Betsy and Xavier are having a psychic conversation.  She can’t believe how shaken up Wolverine is.  Xavier is planning to rehabilitate his son, which surprises Betsy as she figured he was grooming his son to be an X-Man.  Xavier reveals that poor Proteus has spent seven years of his nineteen years tied to a bed, which would drive anyone bonkers – to use the medical term.

Xavier tells Betsy (and us) of his and Moira’s history.  They were madly in love and young.  After knowing each other for only three weeks, they got married.  He respected her enough to get married in a kilt.  Moira and him wrote the book on post-human medicine.  Moira created the prototype of the giant Cerebro machine.

Magneto eventually learn of their research and wanted in.  Xavier grew to have a man crush on Magneto.  Their human wives couldn’t compete with each other’s bright eyes and fast minds.  They would talk on the phone for 72 hours on the phone.  Which sounds maddening to me.  I barely want to talk to people for five minutes on the phone.  Magneto’s twins, who are older than Proteus – so their mutant gene kicked in before his – had no interest in talking to a flatscan.  Xavier couldn’t keep watching television at night with his human family so he left to join Magneto in the South Sea.

On the island, Utopia, Magneto crippled Xavier over an argument.  After that, Xavier received secret funding for his school and he hired his ex-wife.  She is the second best mind in genetics and he also wanted to provide for his ill son.  Betsy wonders if Xavier ever feels guilty for abandoning Proteus, whose real name is David – like Legion’s – so they really are an amalgam of each other.  The day after Xavier left, David’s power kicked in.  Xavier doesn’t feel guilty about that, but he does regret not guiding him when he needed it most.  This page ends on the worst note a father can say about a son.  Xavier does love David but that love is more akin to an owner’s love for pet.  It is still love but ooof, that isn’t nearly enough.  Betsy just stares at him.

Ultimate X-Men 18 Illyana 1

Jean and Scott, who I can only imagine invited themselves to the Rasputin home OR just creepily followed him home.  Jean updates Piotr about how the Russian government failed with the submarine and now it is up to Iron Man to save the navy men.

I imagine that must be Illyana who is sucking on her thumb.  Scott can’t believe Piotr isn’t more grateful for all that Xavier did for him, as he got him out of the Russian mafia.  Piotr feels like they are even as he has helped Xavier plenty.  Plus, he only knew Xavier for a year.  It isn’t like he is Scott, who has been with him since he was a child.  If Ultimate Cyclops has the same origin story, he may not.

Piotr disagrees with Xavier’s decision to not kill Magneto but try to rehabilitate him.  All he wants, is to stay here with his family.

Ultimate X-Men 18 Illyana 2

Scott throws in Piotr’s face, he really is a grade A jerk in these scenes, that he hasn’t spent time with his family since he was twelve – so seven years.  Jean tells Piotr that the X-Men are his family now, so the X-Men have the same policy as the Proper X-Men, join the team and forget your old family and friends – the X-Men are a gang.

The two semesters Piotr spent at Xavier’s were the lonely of his life.  He didn’t train with anyone and no one invited him to hang out, either.  He quizzes the two on what his favorite show is – Jean is quick to say it is Will & Grace.  Piotr doesn’t appreciate that the team telepath took the guess.  I like Karen as much as the next guy, but that show really fell apart at the end.  I remember being all types of angry when they cast Harry Connick Jr as Grace’s husband, as I knew even then, that he wasn’t going to join the show so the characters’ divorce was already written.  Which wouldn’t happened in today’s television culture, they would have filmed all of his scenes at one moment or sign a contract to film around his schedule.

Piotr doesn’t want to be a superhero, he wants to be a normal person.  Jean takes this opportunity to be really inappropriate and an arse, and takes a “guess” that another reason why he doesn’t want to come back to the school is that he has a crush on a teammate who will never return his affections.  He sternly tells them to leave, good for him.

Ultimate X-Men 18 Illyana 3

The news updates on the submarine situation.  Iron Man is no longer available to assist as he has been called elsewhere.  The newscaster essentially reports that all hope is lost.

The Barents Sea : Colossus suits up, I feel bad that he doesn’t have a non-X-uniform, so he has to represent the school.  He dives down and brings up the submarine.

There is an ad for the various Ultimate titles.  Spider-Man 22 – Green Goblin returns.  Spider-Man Special 1 – All Star Artist Jam.  Ultimates 5 – first mission.  Marvel Team-Up 16 – Shang Chi.  18 – Colossus’ Home Turf.

 Russia loves Colossus now.

Last three pages of the issue is Xavier and Betsy talking.  Colossus is back on the team and the team is meeting him at the airport.  We learn that Xavier’s line about how he loves his son, was only to get a rise out of him as David is in Betsy’s mind.  David is excited to have the X-Men all in one place, so he can kill Xavier’s second family.

David has killed Inspector Thomas and the Ultimates were never called.  Also not coming, is the other superhero team Betsy was the leader of.

The issue ends with Xavier and Betsy / David knowing each other’s plan.  As I don’t own the next issue but I do know that Colossus apologizes for this in issue 32 – Colossus kills Betsy / Proteus, just like how the Proper Colossus does.

There is a back up feature starring Jay Leno & Spider-Man.

X-Men Legacy Volume Two

Posted by John Klein III on February 23, 2017
Posted in: Retrospective. Tagged: , , , , , , . 2 Comments

Now, I never referred to it as Volume Two as Volume One started with issue 208 so there was no need to clarify which volume of the title it was but this has been Volume Two of X-Men Legacy.

Of the 24 issues, I own 14 of the issues – 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 14.  On my Wishlist are two issues – 20 and 23, both of which are due to Hastings not having my comics in.

The reason I own so many of these is how often Magik showed up in this series.  A few of them are due to Kitty being there for Illyana being part of Cyclops’ Uncanny team helped keep her involved.

There have been some great storylines in this series, such as Prodigal, Invasive Exotic, Hope and Glory, Wear the Grudge Like a Crown and the concluding storyline.

This series was written by the mastermind that is Simon Spurrier.  Along the way, he had some excellent artist on board.

1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 23, 24 – Tan Eng Huat

4, 5, 6 – Jorge Molina

10, 11, 12, 16 – Paul Davidson

17, 18, 21, 22 – Khoi Pham

My favorite would have to be the Wear the Grudge Like a Crown.

Some might have dismissed the title as a solo David Haller title or as a satellite title but it tied into and used the current titles’ continuity to both enhance and place this title.

This was also Blindfold’s title, as she was in each issue and was crucial to the overall story arc.

There will be an issue 300 of Legacy but issue 24 concluded this second volume.  Spurrier does have a section of 300 that will involve his Legacy run but that is technically part of volume one with the renumbering.

Generation X Movie

Posted by John Klein III on February 22, 2017
Posted in: Film, Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Thanks to YouTuber TheX-MenFiles’ channel for hosting this video.

Also, thanks for making this one big video instead of the two different parts ones that I’ve been watching (or trying to watch) for months now.  Still can’t get through the movie but that’s because I keep starting it when I know I can’t commit to it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X_%28film%29

Still can’t believe that Emma Frost and Banshee were the first X-Men to be adapted to live action.

This film came out in 1996 and I still remember being so excited for it coming out and counting the days and making sure my VCR was set up to record it.

Still wish we were able to get Husk instead of the made up character of Buff.

Whenever I see Matt Frewer in anything (which sadly, isn’t enough these days), I get in the mood to watch this again.  So yes, I have now seen 50/50 and it wasn’t the depressing ride I was told it was.  Anna Kendrick is great in it though I do question the ending of it, as far as her involvement.

Also, thanks to BBC America, I see the Star Trek : The Next Generation episode – A Matter of Time, pretty regularly or at least, I have the option to do it.

I didn’t know he was the voice of Sid in the Batman : The Animated Series episode – The Man Who Killed Batman.  Such a great episode!

 

Ultimate Spider-Man 109

Posted by John Klein III on February 21, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate Spider-Man 109

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Mark Bagley

Inker Drew Hennessy

Colorist Justin Ponsor

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Ultimate Knights, Part Four of Five

Cover Dated July 2007

So after taking a detour with the reviews that I wanted to do after Ultimate Spider-Man 200, I went and checked all of the issues of Ultimate Spider-Man, with various volumes and such, to see if Kitty Pryde is referenced in any issues that I don’t own.  Turns out, Kingpin mentions her name in this issue, lucky for me, this was still in my Lonestar Comics To Sell comic boxes, so I was able to take it out and not add yet another comic to my Wishlist.  Which I had to do for Ultimate Spider-Man Volume Two Issue 15.  I did check Miles’ two series as well.  She has yet to appear in any of his solo titles.

So after this, I will get back to my Christmas 2014 comics.

I reviewed issue one of this storyline during Daredevil Month (April 2015) and now I’m reviewing part four.  I’ll get to parts two and three, at some point, and I don’t own the concluding chapter.

Okay, onto the issue!

Matt Murdock, while in a courtroom, overhears a radio announcement that Midtown High School has become another site of a super powered showdown.

One of the main scenes of this issue, and I really dig it, is a conversation between Kingpin and Spider-Man, who is unmasked.  This is Bendis at his very best.

Spider-Man wakes up to Kingpin holding an action figure of his.  This starts essentially a seven page monologue of Kingpin’s.  Kingpin wonders if Spider-Man is a mutant.  He still doesn’t know who Spider-Man really is, he was tempted to run his fingerprints but he knows that he is on Nick Fury’s watchlist.  If he ran his fingerprints, within five minutes, the Ultimates would be crashing through his window.

Kingpin wonders why Spider-Man isn’t on the Ultimates.  All he really cares about, is that this kid is Spider-Man.  He does know which high school he attends, so if he ever needs to find him, he easily can.  While talking to him, he starts hitting him with his action figure – which is pretty funny.  Kingpin threatens to blow up his high school.

Ultimate Spider-Man 109 Shadowcat mention

Spider-Man is a teenager, so he may not care about his school.  Kingpin then steps too far and threatens to blow up the Xavier School of Mutants.  It is amazing that Spider-Man can stay silent for all of this, but he probably is feeling bombarded by all of this information.  Clearly, Kingpin has this entire speech rehearsed.

Kingpin knows that Spider-Man is dating Kitty Pryde, the X-Men’s Shadowcat.  He knows this due to the Internet.  Man, I would really like to see how quickly Kingpin tries to take on the X-Men and be handed his large ass to him.  Lard ass, look at me making jokes.

Kingpin mentions now they have something in common.  Spider-Man knows where Kingpin works and he now knows where he goes to school, he can get in touch with Spider-Man, whenever he needs to.  Kingpin starts making counter arguments.  One day, Spider-Man may reveal who he really is to the world – when that happens, Kingpin will know exactly who his parents are.  Kingpin could easily kill Spider-Man, right now.

Kingpin rather not kill him, as he owns a parent company that owns the license rights to Spider-Man.  He is going to flood the market with Spider-Merchandise.  So killing Spider-Man, is bad business.  Spider-Man can try to stop Kingpin’s criminal campaigns but Kingpin is making crazy amounts of profit off of Spider-Man.  Anytime he does something good, Fisk is making money.  Legitimate money.  Kingpin repeats, several times, that he owns Spider-Man.

Kingpin gets to the point, he wants Spider-Man to go back to his vigilante knights pals and tell them to stop coming after him.

Kingpin starts punching the assassin that he sent to Midtown High to capture Spider-Man.  He knows that this is yet another identity of Moon Knight’s.  He tells Moon Knight, in a Ronin style outfit – the Ronin that Echo and Hawkeye later wore.  Kingpin reveals that Matt Murdock, Daredevil, works for him.  Murdock is his lawyer.

The Knights are playing a game, that Kingpin invented – which is a very cool thing to say.  If the Knights keep coming after him, Kingpin will beat them all like he is doing to Moon Knight.

Kingpin knows that if Spider-Man died, people will seek out Spider-merchandise and he will get some last money that way.  I like Kingpin, recognizing Spider-Man’s silence, asks if Spider-Man would like to make any fat jokes now.  Spider-Man has been knocked out, at this point.  Kingpin wants Spider-Man to keep saving people.  Kingpin knows that Green Goblin is his old golf buddy, Norman Osborn.

If Peter decided to stop being Spider-Man, Wilson Fisk will just simply hire someone to be Spider-Man.  I really like the idea of how Spider-Man has brought Peter no benefits but now, Kinpin is making loads of profits.

Meanwhile, Daredevil crashes through a window.  He is investigating an office.  He finds something and calls Doctor Strange.  Wong answers the phone and states that Strange is in deep mediating, which is code for sex time.

Doctor Strange teleports to where Daredevil is.  Daredevil is the leader of the Knights.  Strange recognizes the office as belong to the Kingpin.  Ultimate Doctor Strange is sort of a celebrity, who appears on talk shows.  I like how neither Daredevil nor Strange knows how each other’s powers work.  Doctor Strange casts a spell and can follow the trace that Daredevil senses.  He creates an image for him (and us) to see but Daredevil can’t see it.

Moon Knight wasn’t working according to the plan, he went rogue.  Maybe they shouldn’t have let a mentally unbalance person lose on his own.

Strange wonders why no one is on this floor.  Daredevil reveals that this Kingpin’s personal floor, the only people who work on the floor are related to his criminal empire.  That way, he doesn’t have to worry about the wrong people eavesdropping.  Daredevil has been working on bringing down Kingpin, for a very long time.

The two heroes go down an elevator shaft.  Strange isn’t happy that his cloak got filthy.  The trail leads to a giant door and Daredevil can’t sense what is behind it.  Strange can’t teleport inside as, like Nightcrawler, he needs to be able to know w hat is inside so he doesn’t merge with a desk.  They go into the room, the door wasn’t lock and it appears no one has been there for a while.  This is the room that the Kingpin / Spider-Man conversation occurred in.  Daredevil wants to get the Knights together.

Daredevil, Shang Chi, Iron Fist and Doctor Strange are on a rooftop.  Daredevil wants to locate Spider-Man but no one knows how to do that.  Daredevil tells everyone that he is Catholic.  Iron Fist isn’t surprised that Moon Knight went a tad crazy, he is dressed as the moon, after all.  Just then, Daredevil gets some webbing to his face.

Spider-Man starts wailing on Daredevil.  He keeps calling Daredevil names and he is disgusted with him.  Daredevil is clearly outmatched by an angry Spider-Man.

Daredevil takes off his mask, that way he is free of the webbing.  He gets Spider-Man to calm down enough to explain himself.  He tells Daredevil that he knows that Murdock works for Fisk.  Daredevil really don’t know what is happening.  Daredevil is very surprised that Kingpin knows his real name and his profession.  Spider-Man isn’t buying this mock confusion.

Just then, Murdock’s law office is blown up.  It is what all Kingpins do to Daredevils.  Murdock doesn’t care, no one was working this late at night and he isn’t going to give Kingpin the satisfaction of running around the debris.

Daredevil reveals that Kingpin killed his father, all because he wouldn’t throw a boxing match.  Before he dies, he wants to make sure that the Kingpin has been dethroned.  Sadly, he will die before Kingpin does.  Murdock doesn’t want to kill the Kingpin, he wants to bring him into a courtroom and have the system take him down.  He feels like he is so above the law, that he needs to see how it officially works.

Somehow Kingpin figured out who Daredevil is.  He poses the question and instantly hears a heartbeat spike.  He starts choking Iron Fist, as he is the mole on the team, which is how the issue ends.

Daredevil dies in Ultimatum (actually in an issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, 131) and Kingpin is killed by Ultimate Mysterio, in his rise of power, in Ultimate Spider-Man Volume Two Issue 1, so the issue right after Ultiatmum ends, so he doesn’t live in a Daredevil-less world for long.

Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart

Posted by John Klein III on February 20, 2017
Posted in: Fun With YouTube, Songs. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

One of the greatest songs of all time!

Thanks to bonnietylerVEVO for hosting the video!

Whenever it comes on the radio, I turn it up so loud!  It was a go-to Karaoke song for me for the longest time.

The Dan Band, who I just love, also covered it –

Thanks to WesologyRadio for hosting their video!

Ever since seeing them in the film, Old School, and I became an instant fan.  Their Bravo special is a real treat to see and I own their first album, which was pretty good.

. . .

Happy Presidents’ Day!  We have 45 American Presidents now.

Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends 3 x 7

Posted by John Klein III on February 18, 2017
Posted in: Cartoon, Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

The X-Men Adventure

This time, Kitty has a much larger role!

Though her outfit is as skimpy as it gets!

Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends X-Men Adventure Kitty

Like, did one of the producers not like that she was wearing a full body outfit, covered from head to toe – true to the character.   Then wanted to see what she didn’t look like without pants and we got this outfit?  Someone probably didn’t mention how she is only 14, the producer wouldn’t have cared.  Show me some legs!

The outfit is like the complete opposite of the other one.  Maybe one is her summer outfit and the other is for those cold New York winters.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155

Posted by John Klein III on February 17, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate Spider-Man 155

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Artist Chris Samnee

Colorist Justin Ponsor

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Cover Dated May 2011

Death of Spider-Man : Prelude

Before Bendis kills Peter Parker, he gives him one last nice day.  This is also our last revisit to Ultimate Spider-Man for some time.

Issue opens with Peter being fired from his fast food job.  Him being Spider-Man, meant that he couldn’t go to work for two days and he didn’t call in so he is fired.  He was off helping save the world with Iron Man.  Peter gets a call from Jameson, who wants to meet with him.

Spider-Man swings over to the Daily Bugle, he was hoping this was going to go away.  Jameson revealed recently, that he knows Peter is Spider-Man.  One benefit to his knowledge is that the Daily Bugle has been Pro-Spider-Man, as of late.  I like that the Daily Bugle is in the same building that it is from the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies, the Flatiron Building.

While waiting for Jameson, Peter has a chance to remember how much he loved working there.  Urich says hello and Jameson waves him into his office.

Peter slash Spider-Man saved Jameson’s life and he now wants to help Peter.  Peter tells him that there isn’t anything he has to do for him.

There is an ad for Uncanny X-Men 535 & 536, the Breakworld sequel brought to us by Kieron Gillen and the Dodsons.

Peter asks to have his old job back.  Jameson can’t believe that is his request, as he wasn’t paid anything for it.  Peter is trying to save for college.  Jameson wants to know why Peter wants to go to college, as from his point of view, Peter doesn’t need college.  Peter explains that being Spider-Man brings him no money.  Jameson is going to pay for Peter’s college.

There is an ad for Ultimate Avengers v New Ultimates 3, the issue wherein Punisher shoots Spider-Man, weakening him for his big fight with the Green Goblin, though it is a whole mess how the two stories interlock.  That’s my memory, at least.

Peter is shocked, as that wasn’t even what he was hinting at.  Jameson is rich, so he doesn’t mind.  Peter really can’t accept such a gift, he wants to pay his own way.  Jameson gives Peter his old job back but with a raise, he will also be starting a scholarship for Peter.  He hints that Peter may not be alive to go to college.  I like Peter setting out the parameters of the job he will need.  He needs a job where he can not show up for a couple days and have it be okay.  He wants absences to not be a reason to be fired over.

Jameson agrees, he also wants every exclusive on whatever Spider-Man does.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shroud 1

An explosion occurs and we get Ultimate Rocket Racer, with a buddy.  The Shroud calls them idiots.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shroud 2

Look how effective the Shroud takes these fools down!  That silly guy, Spider-Man shows up, even though there isn’t anything for him to do.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shroud 3

Well, he does web them up, so that is something.  Spider-Man starts calling the Shroud, Kitty, to which, I wish Kitty started calling him Peter – that would have shut him up.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Kitty 1

Queens.  Peter and Kitty are catching up.  See Kitty’s shirt?  That Bendis really likes to try to sneak in Lockheed – first in Ultimate Spider-Man Annual 1 in the Danger Room when they went up against a giant purple dragon and now this appearance on her shirt.

Kitty refers to her current look as, goth, but those are some bright colors!  Peter takes credit that they beat the two villains, but he merely was on clean up duty.  He is right, that she is getting stronger.  She gets lots of opportunity to beat on some fools.

Peter makes a mistake of saying that he is glad she hasn’t turn bad or evil.  She is right in being insulted by the comment.  Peter tries to change the subject by asking about Kenny.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shadowcat 2

Kitty is surprised about Peter’s lack of knowing.  Kenny couldn’t take life on the run, and went home to his mommy and she moved them to Wisconsin.  Hello, Wisconsin!  There was a time when I wanted to name a daughter, Wisconsin and I’m not even that big of a fan of That 70’s Show.  I still think Nadia is a great name for a girl.

Kitty emphasizes that she isn’t okay, she is merely living.  Peter invites her to come inside for some dinner.  She agrees and asks him how his life is going.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shadowcat 3

I really like the idea of Peter forgetting that his birthday was today.  He has had quite the life since he was first bit by that Oz infected spider.

That is pretty messed up of Bendis to turn Peter 16, just to kill him in five more issues, right?

Bobby is super excited to see Kitty.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shadowcat 4

Mary Jane gets Peter alone and she is immediately jealous of Kitty, who is the better girlfriend but Peter is destined to end up with Mary Jane.

Mary Jane gives Peter the gift that Tony Stark gave him.  I like how Aunt May invited him to this party as well as the two year anniversary of Peter’s death, she has his address, might a well send the invitation.  The gift is pretty amazing, a pair of high tech webshooters.  Peter gets lost in thought and forgets Mary Jane is in the room.

Samnee draws Mary Jane more like how I imagine a 16 year old Proper Mary Jane would look like.

Ultimate Spider-Man 155 Shadowcat 5

Peter tells Mary Jane he loves her.  Mary Jane really wants to hear Peter say he isn’t in Kitty, so jealous.  He is willing to earn Mary Jane back but all it takes is him wanting her to get her back.  That is pretty nice!

The issue ends with them kissing and Mary Jane calling him, Tiger, which she apparently likes to say nw.

How great is that final caption in the last panel, next issue : The Death of Spider-Man.  It doesn’t get more serious than that.

I like how Bendis gives Peter one last great day and returns Kitty to the title, though she really doesn’t come back as this is my last issue of Ultimate Spider-Man until issue 200.

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends 3 x 3

Posted by John Klein III on February 16, 2017
Posted in: Cartoon, Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Education of a Superhero

This was the first of two appearances Kitty made on the show.  She doesn’t get a speaking part and the entire team only shows up at the end but still, an appearance and her official first animated appearance too!

Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends Education of a Superhero Kitty

She’s in a decent outfit too, her next and final appearance, now that outfit is a little scandalous.

 

Marvel Zombies 5 Issue 5

Posted by John Klein III on February 15, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

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Writer Fred Van Lente

Artists Fernando Blanco with Frank Brunner for the cover of Marvel Team-Up 151

Colorist Val Staples

Letterer Simon Bowland

Cover Dated September 2010

I straight up own this issue simply because Wendell Stuart has named his purple parrot, Lockheed.  Which, if Walker ever gets a pet, I swear I will try to get him to name all of his pets Lockheed, purple or otherwise.  At least have it be in the conversation.  Does it count as a Lockheed appearance?  Probably not but if someone asks if I own it because the name Lockheed is used, then I can say yes.

I own a couple comics with that rationale in mind.

As far as the Marvel Zombies franchise goes, I like the concept but definitely have not followed every miniseries or appearance.  I guess I could be doing these issues for Halloween, I’ve been scratching my head trying to come up with something for that holiday.

I own these :

Ultimate Fantastic Four 23

Marvel Zombies / Army of Darkness 1, a crossover series between Marvel Zombies and Army of Darkness.

Marvel Zombies Dead Days One Shot (the origin tale)

Marvel Zombies The Return 3 (Wolverine)

 Marvel Zombies 5 issue 5 (naturally)

Marvel Zombies : The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities, a handbook

In my Wishlist I have :

Marvel Zombies The Return 5 (Avengers)

Marvel Zombies Halloween

That Halloween issue is what I’ve been waiting to kick start the Halloween post with but we’ll see what happens by Halloween this year, October seems like forever from now.

So I read the the Ultimate Fantastic Four issues that introduced this universe.  Then I followed the first two miniseries, which were quite good.  Then Marvel started making these an annual event and I jumped out.

The Zombies have shown up in a bunch of various other comics and I couldn’t keep track of it.

So onto this issue :

The issue opens with a quote :

Bill Schelly from The Golden Age of Comic Fandom: “In an earlier contact with DC, a youthful (Roy) Thomas had been informed that trading and selling old comics could not be officially sanctioned by the company, for it might spread disease.”

Which takes several pages before that plays a role in this issue.

Wendell is a huge comicbook fan, in our universe.  He is at his local comic book store, complaining about the quality of his comics.  He has bought Marvel Zombies 5 Issue 4 and complaining about how the previous creative team was better, which was Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips. I had forgotten that Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman had done the first two Marvel Zombies miniseries.  He also wrote the third volume of Marvel Team-Up.

He’s a completionist so he has to keep buying the comics, even though he’s not a fan.

Wendel goes home and sees a box in front of his door and on top of his Spider-Mat.

He goes inside, tells his purple parrot, Lockheed, that his box has finally come in.  He opens the box and, once doing so, a cloud of dust comes up and he breathes it in.  He complains that the shipper did not wrap the comic.

The comic is Marvel Team-Up 151, which doesn’t exist in our actual universe, but they explain it away by saying there was a printing error of a vulgar expression so the issue was destroyed but a few got out (as it always does).  The cover is done by Frank Brunner, who gets a shoutout in the issue itself by Wendel.  I like it when Marvel gets an older artist to draw stuff like this, such as flashbacks or old art.  They don’t have to so its a nice thing to do, giving older artists a chance to be seen again and maybe create new fans who go back and buy their older work.

Marvel Team-Up has Machine Man and Howard the Duck teaming up.  Those two have been the stars of this miniseries, so that makes sense.

Wendell goes on with his nightly duties.  He goes to the Marvel Comics message boards, complaining about a latest issue of a comic, calling Quesada out on his Editor in Chief decisions.  He brushes his teeth with a Spider-Man toothbrush, this guy is a superfan.

He goes to bed.

When he wakes up, his is moaning.  He goes to the bathroom, turns on the light and he is now an actual Marvel Zombie!

Which is what hardcore fans of Marvel use to be called back in the day, I’ve always counted myself amongst them as I only flirted with DC but have always been more Marvel and now, I’ve solely Marvel.

Issue cuts to the Proper Marvel Universe where Morbius is helping ARMOR, Altered-Reality Monitoring and Operational Response, which is an off-suit of SHIELD.

Morbius is trying to help his friend, Jack Russell – Werewolf at Night (get it?), who is infected with the Zombie virus.  The point of this miniseries is that Machine Man and Howard the Duck have been tasked with going to five different universes and obtaining samples of their zombie virus so that Morbius can create a cure.

Machine Man, Howard the Duck and Jacali Kane are on our Earth.  Howard’s handtop refers to it as Earth-0000.  He tells them that everyone on the planet, is normal.  This scares Jacali and Machine Man pities us.

Wendell is examining himself. He knows he is undead.  He becomes hungry and starts eating all of his food.  This doesn’t satisfy him, at all.

Lockheed draws attention to himself, and Wendell puts the parrot into his mouth.  He gets a tear and breaks the window, freeing Lockheed.  It is an awesome page.

There is a knock on the door.  There is a girl scout, selling cookies.  He thought it was the government.  This sequence keeps zooming on the girl’s neck.  He just buys the cookies, in a fun next page reveal.  He knows this won’t ward off the hunger.

He looks outside and sees people.  First, he is tempted by some large bone citizens.  Then he sees a jogger, and is tempted to eat lean.  He starts to reflect on his new circumstance.

Wendell decides the best course is to kill himself.  I like how he questions all Patient Zeros before him.  If they killed themselves, none of those outbreaks would never have occurred.

He’s about to do it, when he hears a lady’s scream.  He realizes that he should use his new found powers to aid mankind.  He doesn’t have a healing factor, he has an undead factor.

Turns out, it was a lady just being excited and loud on her phone.

Wendell doesn’t know this, he’s too busy creating a superhero outfit out of old outfits.  He will be known as The Zombie Marvel, get it?  Very clever.

Howard the Duck busts into the room.  Wendell has fallen to rigor mortis.  His costume is – Thor’s hammer, Captain America’s mask, Spider-Man’s right sleeve, Iron Man’s left armor portion, Daredevil’s shirt and Wolverine’s pants.

Machine Man takes a sample of Wendell’s DNA, calls him a nerd and burns his body.

Issue and miniseries ends there.  Morbius must cure his friend, as I believe there is no Marvel Zombies 6.

Howard the Duck asks some great zombie questions, to leave us thinking.