Favorite Irish Song

Posted by John Klein III on March 17, 2017
Posted in: Fun With YouTube, Songs. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

A visitor asked, “Mr. Klein, what is your favorite Irish song?”

Great question!

No doubt, it is Dear Old Donegal.

A song I was first exposed to in the episode, Mayonnaise, of Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Thanks to YouTuber catsamurai for hosting the video!

I so love George Lowe so much!  He does the voice over for most of the FX and FXX promotions.

Here is Dermont Hegarty’s version :

Thanks to YouTuber IrishMusicCounty for hosting the video!

If you want to see the episode of Space Ghost, here is a link :

http://www.funniermoments.com/watch.php?vid=625e988f7

It has a young Jon Stewart on the show, definitely pre-Daily Show.  This episode aired September 19, 1997 and he doesn’t host the show until 1999.  If you can believe he’s been doing it for so long now!

This website has the complete transcript!  Such dedication!

http://www.snard.com/sg/guide/?ep=43&fmt=0

. . .

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Wolverine First Class 14

Posted by John Klein III on March 16, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

Wolverine First Class 14

Writer Peter David

Artist Ronan Cliquet

Colorist Ulises Arreola

Letterer / Production VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover Dated June 2009

Wolverine First Class 14 Kitty 1

Issue opens with Elektra standing in front of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde.  The two assassins stare each other down and jump towards each other.

Wolverine First Class 14 Kitty 2

Turns out, they were only posturing, and they have a load of mutual respect for each other.

Kitty can’t believe that Wolverine knows an assassin.  Elektra is an enemy of the Hand and the Hand is an enemy of Wolverine’s, so an enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Elektra tells Kitty that she use to be a member of the Hand.

Last issue, while at a museum, Kitty was attacked the Hand with the issue’s guest star was Daredevil.  That was Peter David’s gimmick for his run on this title, to have a third hero appear in the title.

Kitty grabs the mask that the Hand is after and she phases through all of them.  Elektra is gong to assist them on the way out.  Elektra refers to Kitty as having a husband and now I am not sure if the lady in the blue isn’t Kitty.  Okay, I read along and the brunette above is not Kitty but the wife of the former owner of the mask.  Kitty is running around with the mask and trying to avoid the Hand.  Having two young brunettes wearing blue jackets, probably wasn’t the greatest idea.  I guess I shouldn’t include the above images but that is okay.  They work to illustrate my point about how that could have easily been Kitty, on first sight.

Elektra reveals that the mask isn’t just a demon mask, it is a demon in a mask.

A few floors down.  Daredevil is an awesome s-word on s-word fight.

Wolverine, Elektra and the third lady get to an elevator.  Wolverine doesn’t smell any ninjas and the broad doesn’t understand what he means by, smell.

Kitty is still running about when a giant explosion occurs.

Outside, Six Seconds Ago . . . Kitty’s friend, Sarah, is outside, waiting for Kitty to catch up to her when the explosion occurs.

There is a double page ad for the X-Men Trilogy being on Blu-Ray, for the first time.  Which I may have to buckle down and buy one of these days.

Kitty wakes up and Sarah is standing over her and she is holding the mask.  Daredevil gets thrown through a window, floors above them.  The ninja that was fighting him jumps out of the window but before he can strike, Elektra kicks him in the back.

Sarah is freaking out, a bit and the mask is telling her to place it on her face.  Wolverine shouts that she shouldn’t put on the mask – who would?  Of course she does and the demon comes to life, the demon’s name is, Shinigami.

Wolverine wants to attack the demon like a young lady isn’t inside of it but Kitty tells him that isn’t going to work for her.  The leader of this squad of Hand, and who has been fighting Daredevil, his name is, Akuma.  As he is wasting time giving his name to the demon, the demon kills him.

I really thought that the red mask was going to lead to Ogun but it didn’t go in that direction.

Elektra instructs that everyone should attack the mask portion of his face.  The demon is about to fly off when Daredevil snatches his leg with his billy club.  Daredevil meekly asks for help and Elektra & Wolverine, each grab a leg.

The combined weight brings the demon down.  Kitty sneaks up behind and phases his hand through the head and the mask comes off.  As the mask is in midair, Wolverine dices the mask.

Kitty helps Sarah to her feet and comforts her.

Issue ends with Wolverine thinking he forgot something and that something is the lady in the elevator.  Someone will come to her aid, eventually.

Next issue guest stars, Thor!  Which I have reviewed already.

What The 11

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

What The 11

Writer Scott Lobdell

Artist Rurik Tyler

Letterer Jade Moede

Colorist Kelly Corvese

Cover Dated 1991

I like the joke about what does, Auld Lang Syne, even mean.  It is also the title of this story.

New York City.  New Year’s Eve, 1991.  There is a giant party at Bud’s Sud, the after hours club for both heroes and villains.

In a vent overlooking the party, Mister Hyde plans on dropping a bomb on the party guests.  Once they are dead, he will be the master of the world.

Wolverina is going around getting people’s drink orders.

Thanos and Death are dancing, his name here in Thighnos.

USAgent (USAJerk) talks to the bartender slash owner, Bud, and he is crying about how 15 years ago, his wife left him and took his baby girl with her.

The New Warriors walk in like they own the place, they are hot shots now that their title is super popular.

Uatu the Watcher feels torn, as he knows who Bud’s daughter is, but his vow of non-interference forbids him.  Death says there are other ways to get the secret across.

What The 11 Kitty 1

Uatu offers up a game of charades.  People keep calling him, What-Iffer, his category is “Secrets You Shouldn’t Tell” – pretty handy!

Shadowcat is guessing better than anyone in attendance.

Daredevil (Duh Devil) shouts that Wolverina is Bud’s daughter – who does not look like she is 15 years old.  I guess they were married for five years and then she left him – yeah, that must be it.

Daredevil comments on how could he have been so blind to have missed the connections, then he asks if everyone is staring at him.

Bud makes Wolverina a partner of the bar.  As they enter the office, they see Hyde in the possess of disposing of the bomb.  Wolverina begins fighting him, to get the bomb.  She grabs it and starts heading upstairs to the roof.

What The 11 Kitty 2

So much fun, having Vision, Shadowcat and Red Ghost phasing up through the ground and only seeing their eyes and the tops of their heads.

Bud is worried about replacing his bar.  Hank Pym has a miniature replica of the bar and can enlarge it so that there will be no damage.

Story ends with all of the characters proclaiming, Happy New Year!

. . .

This is the last story of the issue.  The rest of the stories are :

Daredevil in “It’s Not Such a Wonderful Life”

What Is Your New Years Resolution? with various characters

She-Hulk in “This Man, This Meal”

Hazards of Being a Super-Hero, also with various characters.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 23 Minimates Variant

Posted by John Klein III on March 14, 2017
Posted in: Homage. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Minimates 141

Cover by Barry Bradfield

I got this variant for two reasons.  I am a sucker for all Uncanny X-Men 141 variants and a variant featuring Kitty Pryde on it.

This cover reminds me that I still want to buy this Minimates Days of Future Past set.

Minimates DoFP

My review for the issue proper, can be located here :

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 23

X-Men Divided We Stand 2

Posted by John Klein III on March 13, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

X-Men Divided We Stand 2

Writer CB Cebulski

Artist David Yardin

Colors John Rauch

Cover Dated July 2008

X-Men Divided We Stand Magik 1

I like having a glance at what Illyana’s life was like post-Colossus leaving.  She was always trying to get ahead in life.

Her father would try to slow her down with an old Russian proverb – Every seed knows its time.

He had an old watch.

X-Men Divided We Stand Magik 2

Now she haa her own trinket.

Look at those sexy legs!

Wearing a skirt is an easy way to work around having a tail.  Imagine how much time Nightcrawler spends each morning trying to get his tail through that small hole in his tights.

If she can get four more souls (or parts of them), she can get her own soul back.  I wonder why she just doesn’t go to terminally ill wards and take those soul potions.  That would be better than stealing homeless people’s souls.

Magik is determined to get her life back.

Before she can get her soul back, she wants to regain her heart.  She teleports to the mansion, it is in ruins.  After the events if Messiah Complex, I believe.  Mister Sinister got to blow it up for the second time.

In the wreckage is Magik’s old bed is seen.  She recalls Kitty’s fairy tale from Uncanny X-Men 159.

Story ends with Illyana choosing to not regain her soul, not through love but via the suffering of those who wronged her.

This was her last appearance before X-Infernus.  Which was such a good miniseries.

Uncanny X-Men 241

Posted by John Klein III on March 10, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Uncanny X-Men 241

Writer Chris Claremont

Penciler Marc Silvestri

Inker Dan Green

Letterer Tom Orzechowski

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Cover Dated February 1989

Inferno, Part The Second

This issue is infamous for ruining the character of Maddie Pryor FOR ALL TIME!!!  That’s right, ya’ll, the Sinister reveals she is a clone of Jean Grey issue and I own it now as Illyana is mentioned.

Inside front cover ad is for the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game on NES.

Issue opens with Maddie, in full Goblin Queen mode, meeting Mister Sinister.  I really wish I recall reading Inferno but I have no real memory of it, outside of the Excalibur tie-in issue.  I should have the New Mutants in my mind but I really don’t.

Mister Sinister tells Maddie that he is her father.  Is there any reason, at all, why Pryor had to be a clone?  Wasn’t it enough that Scott fell for her and that he left her and their son for Jean Grey?  Did we have to completely ruin the character?

Sinister tries to explain but Maddie blasts him and sends her Limbo demons at him.  Her second in command, her S’ym if you will, is N’astirh.  N’astirh is also planning on betraying Maddie, so that is why I never have a second in command.

Maddie tells her demons that she wants Sinister’s heart, they can have the rest.  Sinister holds his own against the demons.  Sinister refers to his homebase, which is in the high-tech catacombs of Scott Summers’ Nebraskan orphanage, as his Sanctum Sanctorum.  I really do believe that there should only be the one recognized Sanctum Sanctorum, and Doctor Strange has a claim on that for decades.

Sinister’s machines trap Maddie into a device that turns her energy onto herself.  N’astirh chooses this moment to betray her and side with Sinister.

May I add how great Maddie looks in her Goblin Queen garb?  You can see it on the cover, it is way sexy as heck and Jean would never wear such a thing.  It is highly impractical but there is something super sexy about it.  I just did a Google search and there are several brave women out there who have donned the outfit.

https://www.google.com/search?q=goblin+queen+cosplay&es_sm=122&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3rDqVKnhBIGNyASL2ILwAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=marvel+goblin+queen+cosplay

Back in Manhatten, the X-Men are fighting the Marauders.  The X-Men are – Longshot, Storm, Rogue, Dazzler, Havok, Psylocke, Wolverine and Colossus.  The Marauders are – Polaris (mind controlled by Malice), Scalphunter, Riptide, Harpoon (the bastard who severely hurt Kitty during Mutant Massacre), Prism and Vertigo.  The Marauders are fighting for keeps.

Because it is Inferno, inanimate objects like mailboxes have been demonized, which seems to work as comedy relief in the background to offset the harshness of the battles.  A fire hydrant beats a dog over the head.

Colossus recognizes Riptide, who he killed in X-Men 211 (thanks Bob Harris for the excellent editorial note!).  So we get the big reveal that Sinister has them all ready to be cloned whenever he needs to.

Everyone knows that Polaris is controlled by Malice, so they try to be gentle with the Mistress of Magnetism.

The battle is pretty intense, this is as playing for keeps as it gets!

Nebraska.  Sinister starts messing with Maddie, asking her for her earliest memories.  Sadly, her earliest memory is one of Jean’s, when her friend Annie Richardson got hit by a car and Jean experiencing her friend’s death – telepathically.

Manhattan.  Wolverine slashes a mailbox, after it ate a man.  It is too late and the guy is now a stamp on an envelope.  This reminds me that I read the Spider-Man tie-ins of Inferno, where Spider-Man mostly fought inanimate objects.

Nebraska.  Sinister reveals why he has been tracking Jean Grey, for her genetic material.  He had his clone body but she didn’t wake up from the process until Phoenix died on the moon at the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga.  By doing so, a Phoenix spark entered Maddie – giving her life.

Uncanny X-Men 241 Magik mention 1

Manhattan.  The X-Men are now fighting the machines of The Right.  Inferno really brought out the big bads.

Colossus grabs one of the smiling machines, as he recognizes it from an instance in Limbo.  It acknowledges that and states that Limbo is no longer under his sister, Illyana’s control.  S’ym, staying true to form, has taken control from Magik.  S’ym has been working with N’astirh.  The machine reveals that one of the plans is to transport Earth to Limbo.  Which Limbo tried to do in Power Pack 20, three year ago.  That is some long term planning!

Uncanny X-Men 241 Magik mention 2

The machine references that this is all going on at the top of the Empire State Building.  Storm and Wolverine are out for blood and want to chase down the rest of the Marauders.  Colossus decides he is done killing and needs to protect his sister.

Nebraska.  Sinister placed Maddie so that Cyclops will meet her and fall in love with her.  One way or another, this was always going to happen.  Mister Sinister really wanted to make sure that Scott got laid.

Manhattan.  Longshot encounters with a demon and it absorbs his pure soul.

Bullpen Bulletins.  “Best way to make people of one mind is bash their heads together.”  Hulk, Incredible Hulk 352.  Other titles out that month are – Wolverine 4, New Mutants 72, Alpha Flight 67, Excalibur 5, Incredible Hulk 352, Uncanny X-Men 241, Classic X-Men 30 and Cloak & Dagger 3.

All of these truth bombs finally irritates Maddie so much that she overpowers the machines.  I really like the panel of Sinister cowering in front of her.

Issue ends with Maddie being presented with her son, Nathaniel.  Maddie promises that Sinister may have the world but she is going to make it into dust.

The story continues in X-Factor 37 before coming back here.  I don’t own either issue.

Universe X 3

Posted by John Klein III on March 9, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

Universe X 3

Story and Script Jim Krueger

Story, Cover Painter and Character Designer Alex Ross

Pencils Dougie Braithwaite

Inks Bill Reinhold

Colors Laura Depuy

Letters Todd Klein

Cover Dated December 2000

I really enjoyed the Earth X series and then dropped out of Universe X and the concluding, Paradise X of this trilogy.  When I looked up the issue on the Marvel Database and saw that both Magik and Kitty are referenced in this issue – which I knew, but I clicked on their name links to see if I had all of their appearances.  I had to add issues 0 & 4 of Paradise X and Universe X : 4 Special (spotlighting the Fantastic Four).

I was e-mailing Krueger back and forth as Earth X was being released, as that series had various quotes at the end of the title and he provided his e-mail and I thought I would take a chance on learning more about the quotes.  A great deal of research went into making Earth X – which was sort of like Marvel’s Kingdom Come, especially with Alex Ross’ involvement and how both series take place in a possible future.   I do recall there being an issue when Joe Quesada and Bill Jemas took over Marvel and how this series was more like the old Marvel that those two were getting away from.  My memory is that there were more plans for the Earth X universe but they were haltered and they may have had to fight for Paradise X.  Which I can see it being far more continuity heavy for their New Readers mission statement.  I tried to do a quick Google search and couldn’t find any articles so maybe I’m misremembering a Wizard article.

Inside front cover ad is for the amazing first Activision Spider-Man game for the original PlayStation, I loved that game so much!

On the credits page, we get a text conversation between Kyle and Isaac – hopefully we learn their identities throughout this issue.  This was how Earth X started every issue with Machine Man and Uatu the Watcher having a conversation that sets up the issue.  This time, Isaac is done talking about mutants.  Kyle mentions how through mutants, the devil will come.  Which seems harsh, at the offset.

Issue opens with a recap of the Savage Land, Ka-zar, Shanna and Belasco.

Universe X 3 Kitty Magik

This segues into Belasco and his X-Men history, which of course, invovles Magik.

In the present, Black Knight has declared that he will not be the Inhuman King.  Luna, will not be his wife and Medusa is not happy at all.

Captain Britain (or King Britain?) is talking to Steve Rogers, it has been three years since Earth X ended.

There is an ad for Spawn coming to TBS, what an odd thing to promote?  Hopefully people bought the issue in a timely fashion to take advantage of watching it on October 29 @ 8:00pm, a Sunday night.  I feel bad that it only promotes starring Martin Sheen and John Leguizama.  Poor Michael Jai White gets left off.  Also, Todd McFarlane was available to chat on TBSsuperstation.com Wednesday, October 25 @ 7pm.

Steve Rogers and a boy Mar-vell is in the Savage Land.  Ka-Zar is dead, but Zabu is alive and walks like a man.  They are lead to the Master of the Savage Land, Magneto’s old kingdom.  Turns out, Magneto – in a Toad style outfit, is not the fool and Toad is the master.

Toad gives permission for Zabu to lead Rogers and Mar-vell to the portal that goes to Limbo.  Once their, they see that everything is frozen over.  There are a slew of references to how Limbo is Hell.

They are attacked by demons.  The demons are really Dire Wraiths (as in the Earth X timeline, everything is two things – sort of like Once Upon A Time) and the heroes are saved.  The awesome thing is that they are saved by legendary ROM!  Who Marvel doesn’t own the name of, so Rogers has to call him “the greatest of the space knights” so we know it is ROM in human form.  I’m not sure why Marvel can’t just reprint all of those issues but with this character.  Probably because it would be a little too in the face of the current owners, Parker Brothers.

Mephisto appears before the gathered heroes.

We cut to the Realm of the Dead.  The heroes here are -Iron Man, Jean Grey, Doctor Druid and an adult Mar-vell.  Also there is Thanos, who must be happy to be in his lady love’s realm.

Limbo.  Mephisto wants to make a deal with Rogers, but to shut him down, he throws his mighty shield at the statue of Belasco.  This is exactly what Mephisto thought would happen and now Rogers has unleashed Belasco to the past to repeat the cycle of history.

Issue ends with Rogers and Mar-vell having to make a new plan.

The ending quote is “The devil is good when he is pleased.” by John Clarke.

Ultimate X-Men 71

Posted by John Klein III on March 8, 2017
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate X-Men 71

Writer Robert Kirkman

Penciler Ben Oliver

Inker Jonathan Glapion

Colors Jason Keith

Letters VC’s Joe Caramagna

Phoenix?, Part Three of Three

Cover Dated August 2006

We finish the Ultimate X-Men issues that I bought at Christmas 2014.

If you want to follow along, this spectacular website has all of the pages :

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%2071/

Previously, Sebastian Shaw froze Xavier’s bank accounts.  Lilandra Neramani, Majestrix of the Church of Shi’ar Enlightenment, has offered to give Xavier the needed money – if she can get examine Jean Grey.  She wants to do this as Jean is suppose to be the manifestation of their god, the Phoenix – of course.  Xavier accepted, as he needs money.  The examine has been quite painful for Jean.  Emma Frost is trying to hold a dance at her school and the Brotherhood of Mutants has crashed it.  Cyclops has brought a team to fight the Brotherhood.  The X-Men have a new team member, Elliott Boggs, who will be named – The Magician.

The issue opens with The Blob on the attack.  The Magician is trying new techniques to bring Blob down.  Toad and Cyclops are fighting each other.

Xavier Institute for Gifted Children.  Jean is going full Dark Phoenix and Lilandra can’t believe it.  The Phoenix manifestation isn’t suppose to be a sudden transformation, more like a gradual change.  So she doesn’t believe Jean is doing it right.  Xavier comes into the room and tries to calm Jean down.

The Academy of Tomorrow.  Rogue still has Gambit’s powers at this point.  Magician makes it so that everything around Blog is light so he falls off his feet.  Once he is in movement, he is easier to deal with.

Xavier Institute for Gifted Children.  Xavier shuts down Jean and is knocked out in the process.  Gerald comes inot the room, I guess he is a partner of Lilandra’s.

Emma Frost’s Academy of Tomorrow.  These two couldn’t come up with a regular name for a school, I guess.  The media starts calling Boggs, the Magician, they are really digging him.  We start seeing that Scott isn’t a big fan of him.  He’s all powerful so him being on a team seems unnecessary.  He doesn’t last that long and gets his own three part storyline as the very next storyline.  So this is a three parter and the next is a three parter, so that makes up a trade.  Cyclops sees Angel, who was sent to Academy of Tomorrow, at some point.  Scott has an awkward greeting with his brother, they really don’t get along well.  Some things never change.  Scott tells Colossus that if he wants a ride home, they are leaving soon so he should say goodbye to his boyfriend, Northstar.

Xavier Institute for Gifted Children.  Jean wakes up, not proud of her actions.  Lilandra concludes that it must be the Phoenix that is coming through Jean.  Gerald speaks up and states that Jean’s parents were members of the Church of the Shi’ar Enlightenment, so Jean must be acting out what she overheard as a child.  Plus, her blood test results came back all wrong.  Gerald states that Jean has a split personalities.  This, naturally, makes Jean very upset as she has been called crazy, for all of her life.

Ultimate X-Men 71 Shadowcat 1

Later.  Kitty comes out of her room (I imagine she didn’t go to the dance, as she’s dating Spider-Man at this point) stating that the media is loving the Magician.  Kitty is excited about being on talk shows, unfortunately, Xavier will never put one of his better and smarter students on the news.  Even though, she is the best example of a non-threatening mutant – unless you really think about how deadly her powers are.

Storm wonders if Wolverine is back yet.  Kurt is still not talking to Colossus, we learn in the second annual that it is due to Kurt being disgusted with Colossus’ life style – which is way too harsh and unfair.

Cyclops looks for Jean and Xavier intercepts him first, as he has to tell the young man the news.

Scott goes to Jean, she wants to be left alone.  We see that goblins are all over Jean, but Scott didn’t see them, so she may be going to sleep.  I do enjoy Ultimate Jean getting to experience the Goblin Queen and the Phoenix Saga, all in one go.  That seems like a decent way to handle it as we will never get a Maddie Pryor in the Ultimate Universe, which is a real shame.  Though I don’t recall exactly what happens with the goblin subplot, we will have to watch and see.

The Church of Shi’ar Enlightenment Headquaters.  Gerald makes a call to Shaw, so we know he is a bad guy now.  He tells Shaw the truth, Jean is the vessel for the Phoenix and he suspects they can use her.  Actually, he is working for the Hellfire Club but not necessarily with Shaw.  This is how the issue ends.

Marvel Illustrated Swimsuit Special

Posted by John Klein III on March 7, 2017
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Marvel Illustrated 1991 Swimsuit Issue

Cover by Brian Stelfreeze

Writers

Ads Howard Mackie, John Rozum, Bob Washington

Features Gary Barmum, Tom Daning, Jack Morelli, Fabian Nicieza, Michael Rockwitz, Tony Stark, Rob Tokar, Ben Urich, Janet Van Dyne

Swimsuit Shoot Max Fleisher

Artists

Ads Paul Ryan & Tom Palmer, George Perez, Mike Zeck, Tom Morgan, Walt Simonson, Ron Frenz & Joe Sinnot, John Buscema & Tom Palmer

Features Donald Hudson, Joe Jusko, June Brigman & Al Milgrom, Jon Bogdanove & Stan Drake

Swimsuit Shoot Jim Lee, Steve Leialoha, Joe Jusko, Kevin Nowland, Rob Liefeld, Michael Golden, Jackson Guice, George Perez, Whilce Portacio & Scott Williams, Marc Silvestri & Terry Austin, Ron Frenz & Joe Sinnot, Steve Geiger, John Romita Jr., Rick Leonardi & Al Williamson, Walt Simonson, Paul Ryan & Joe Rubenstein, Bret Blevins, Mike Mignola

Cover Dated 1991

This is Marvel’s first Swimsuit Issue, so they try to match a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Special.  The four that follow (and I own them all as Kitty Pryde is in each one) are simply characters in swimsuits.

We’re reviewing this issue today, as we lost Paul Ryan this day, a year ago.

Special thanks to Le Messor, from the Comics Should Be Good post memorializing Paul Ryan’s death –

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2016/03/07/r-i-p-paul-ryan/

Without his help, I wouldn’t have known which pages Paul Ryan contributed nor who drew the Dazzler feature.

This issue has ads and features, which is pretty fun.

Marvel Illustrated 1991 Paul Ryan Wolverine Deoderant AdMarvel Illustrated 1991 Paul Ryan Wolverine Deoderant Ad

Paul Ryan gets the very first ad, starring Wolverine for Macho, Speed Stick Deodorant.

The photo shoot took place in the Savage Land.

Northstar gets an interview

Wonder Man gets an ad for underware

Super Olympics is a feature

Beast gets an ad for shampoo, Ultra-X

She-Hulk gets a workout feature

Silver Surfer gets a feature

Marvel Illustrated 1991 John Bogdanove Stan Drake Kitty Pryde Cats Laughing

John Bogdanove and Stan Drake’s art is featured in the Rockin’ in the Stone Age.

The Boys and Girls of Summer is the straight photo shoot pages

Reed Richards gets an ad for Kronex Watches

Quicksilver gets an ad for Spike shoes

Marvel Illustrated 1991 Silvestri Lockheed

Marc Silvestri gets to draw the X-Ladies and Lockheed!  Major points for Lockheed  and Kitty Pryde sharing the same swimsuit pattern.  Other ladies present are – Storm, Jean Grey, Rogue, Rachel, Psylocke and Dazzler.

Hercules gets an ad for Atomi-Flex.

Marvel Illustrated 1991 Paul Ryan Avengers v West Coast Avengers Tug O War

  Paul Ryan gets the final two page splash piece with the Avengers v West Coast Avengers playing a classic game of Tug O War.  The Avengers are – Thor, Hercules, Se-Hulk and Captain America.  West Coast Avengers are – Hawkeye, Mockingbird, US Agent, Wonder Man, Scarlet Witch and Iron Man.  Seris is the dame floating in the middle.  Quasar, Tigra and Wasp are watching from the sidelines.

Ben Grimm gets a feature

Matt Murdock gets the final feature, written by Ben Urich

Namor gets the inside back cover for his company, Oracle

Thor gets the back cover ad for Flic Disposables

For $3.95, pretty impressive that there are no real ads.

Ultimate X-Men 58

Posted by John Klein III on March 6, 2017
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments

Ultimate X-Men 58

Story Brian K. Vaughan

Art Steve Dillon

Colors Paul Mounts

Letters Chris Eliopoulos

Cover Dated June 2005

If you want to follow along, this amazing 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%2058/

A nice done-in-one issue.

Xavier is at a bank, all of his money is tied up as Sebastian Shaw is claiming that there was an unauthorized transfer of funds.  Xavier resists the urge to dilute the banker’s savings account.  Before Xavier can leave, the bank is held up by conjoined twins, who go by the name – Syndicate.  A lady calls them a Siamese twin but he isn’t from Siam, which is an awesome comeback and I imagine until the word, conjoined, caught up, was a point of contention.

The bank manager tries to give them the money, as the bank is insured and gets a gun to his face – which is completely uncalled for.

Xavier tries to play mind games but since they are conjoined at the brain (is that the wording?) they are able to resist the trick.  They kick him out of his chair.  He mentally calls out to the local police.  Xavier starts trying to mentally give the rest of the bank hostages courage to speak up.  He mentally calls to Jean, wondering how they are doing in New Jersey.

Ultimate X-Men 58 Shadowcat 1

Dillon draws a pretty nice Shadowcat there.  I really dug his style on his legendary Punisher run and the little I read of Preacher, but I’m not typically a big Dillon fan.

The X-Men are fighting Ultimate Warlock, making his first appearance here.

Syndicate sends out a kid to relay their demands.  They want a jet in an hour or they start killing people every 15 minutes.  They send the hostages into the vault.

Xavier quickly becomes the leader of the hostages, as he keeps calm.  Xavier wants them to come up with an escape plan.

Xavier turns to Sara and unblocks her doubt in her mind so that she can attack with her skills she learned in Tae Kwon Do.  Mr. Thomas doesn’t like Xavier sending children out to fight for them – which is super funny as that is what Xavier does best!  Mrs. Thomas revives Mr. Kleinfield, the bank manager.  Nice to see a fellow Klein in print, I feel like there are a few fictional ones out there.

Xavier comes out to Syndicate, as they are bickering to themselves.  He offers the contents of his safety deposit but they turn it down as everything in the bank is theirs.  He throws the bag at them.

The dye packs, anti-theft measures, explode and Xavier orders the two teams out of the vault.  Team One heads to the exit and Team Two attacks.

There is an ad for God of War on the Playstation 2.  I only played the third game and that was pretty fun.

Sara and a blonde dude attacks Syndicate.  Xavier tells the two of them, the man’s name is Kevin, to go outside.  Once they are gone, Syndicate chokes Xavier.

Xavier calls them by their names, Luke and Matthew.  They are robbing the bank so that they can pay for Alice’s (their sister) operation.  If they don’t do what he tells them to do, he will order Alice to jump off the roof of the hospital.  He tells them he is the leader of the X-Men, so they know he is serious.

They call him on his bluff.  He tells them that the cancer has weaken her mind so much that she is easy to locate and control, she is at Central Bronx Hospital.

They come out peacefully but change their minds and go hostile.  The police respond in kind and shoot the brothers down.  The police only believe they killed Syndicate and leave.  They will do better for Xavier’s cause as living beings than dead mutants.

The issue ends with Xavier wanting Syndicate to infiltrate the Hellfire Club, get his money back and he will pay for their sister’s operation.