Excalibur 64

Posted by John Klein III on February 7, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Excalibur 64

Writer / Penciler Alan Davis

Inker Mark Farmer

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Cover Dated April 1993

Inside front cover ad is for the film, Fire in the Sky, which I still need to watch.  In November 5, 1975, there was an alien abduction, at 5:49pm, in the White Mountains of Northeastern Arizona.

Issue opens with an absolutely amazing three page sequence of what Rachel saw, right before dying.  We see Jean and Scott giving her a bamf doll, Xavier dying, Ahab (pre-cyborg days), the gravesite of Days of Future Past.  What I like, is that each panel is from Rachel’s viewpoint, so we are seeing what she is seeing.  We are treated to Kate Pryde, in the classic blue Excalibur outfit, the time traveling to the present, her joining the Uncanny X-Men, watching Maddie and Scott with baby Nathan, her feud with Selene, Wolverine stabbing her.  Which is pretty intense, as we get an extreme close up of Wolverine’s face with a SNIKT effect – which must be what so many people have seen, before dying.  Rachel’s time with Spiral in Mojoworld gets a panel, her joining Excalibur, Ahab as even more of a cyborg and the conclusion of the previous storyline, her big fight with Necrom.

Rachel comes around, surprised she isn’t dead.  She can’t locate Necrom, the Phoenix Force informs her that Necrom is dead.

On Earth.  Captain Britain and Meggan are having a tough fight with the Warpies.  They lose this fight and are brought to Cloud Nine.  Snoop is informing Peter, the director of RCX.

To be honest with you, I’m not crazy for this RCX arc.

Meanwhile, a well intended doctor, Nicholas, is with Nightcrawler and Shadowcat.  Kurt is training, so that Nicholas can learn more about mutants.  RCX has been experimenting and they want Excalibur to cure the children’s illness.  Except that they are tricking Excalibur, to be there.  Kitty is super suspicious of the whole situation.  Kitty fakes a reason to go off on her own, but the doctor insists that Static goes with her.  All Static can say is, meep.

I really do miss this art team together.  Kitty has a holographic version of herself, in a space opera – so this distracts Static.  There is a great moment when Kitty sees her holographic self and thinks about how old her uniform is.  She still won’t end up changing it for quite some time.

Now that Kitty is on her own, she can search around the complex.

Excalibur 64 Lockheed

Braddock Manor.  Now we get to the good stuff.  Davis’ Lockheed may be more cartoony than dragon but there is no denying the playfulness and expressiveness.

Poor Lockheed is stuck with Feron, so neither can understand each other.   Feron starts complaining about Lockheed’s “mistress” Lockheed angrily shows Feron the list of chores Feron is suppose to complete.

Things to Do –
Clean West Wing (done)
Disinfect Lavatories (done)
Weed Rose Garden (done)
Unclog Foundation
Wax Hall Floor
Clean Attic Room
Paint Stable Door
Catalogue Library

Just then, Widget appears.  It is trying to talk to Rachel, trying to get her to remember and trust it.  Of course, Rachel is nowhere near the planet.

I guess Lockheed and Feron can communicate, as long as Lockheed can stick to one syllable words.

Such a fun scene!

Cloud Nine.  Captain Britain has doctors poking him and he lashes out at him.  Peter tires to calm Cap down, it doesn’t help that the Warpies arrive behind Peter – so now Cap knows that Peter is with the bad guys.  Peter tries to explain that the Warpies would never have threw the first punch but since Captain Britain did, the fight escalated.  Peter explains that they might be able to answer the question of why Captain Britain’s powers have been broken, as of late.

Peter explains that 64 percent of parahumans are effected with genetic destabilization.  Cap has it, as does Meggan.  These special children, are being created so that they can try to eliminate the disease.  Kitty is watching from behind a vent, not being happy that Brian is falling for this.  Ferret, another one of the Warpies, shocks Kitty.  He isn’t happy that it appears to have hurt her.  Luke, who looks like 90s Lex Luthor, with the big beard of red hair and the red hair mane on top of his head.  I guess it would have been Lex’s “son” the “clone” but without the baldness gene.

Luke is going to put Kitty in a tube, next to Meggan, microMAX, Kylun and Alistaire.

Meanwhile, a fake Kitty Pryde tells Kurt that RCX can be trusted and there is nothing to worry about.  Pretty sneaky, RCX!

Hypeline : On Sale This Week – Dark Angel 10, Doctor Who 196, Doom 2009 4, Excalibur 94, Marvel Age 123, What If 48, X-Factor 89 and X-Men 19.

Meanwhile, in deep space.  Phoenix Force Jean is continuing to have a nice chat with its host, Rachel.  The issue ends with Rachel adopting the Dark Phoenix red suit.  Which I want to say, she keeps it for a while.

Next Issue – white lies and dark truths.

Sword Strokes, letters from – Mark Phillips of Knoxville, TN / Dan Woodward of Fresno, CA / Helen Moore of England, Dale Critchley of Madison, WI / Robin Bielefeld / Damien Cox of Beckley, WV and Kayla Griffin of Canada.

We’ve reviewed issues 66 & 67 already when we did our Days of Future Past Event Month.  So the next issue we are going to cover is – Excalibur 68!

. . .

For Super Bowl 50, we’re rooting for the Denver Broncos – my mother-in-law’s favorite team.

Deadpool Corps : Rank and Foul

Posted by John Klein III on February 6, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool Corps Rank and Foul

Head Writer / Coordinator Jeff Christiansen

Writing / Coordination Assistants Mike O’Sullivan, Markus Raymond & Mike Fichera

Writers Michael Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Mike O’Sullivan, Jacob Rougemont, Madison Carter, Markus Raymond, Kevin Garcia, Stuart Vandal, Chris Biggs, Rob London, Sean McQuaid, David Wiltfong, Eric J. Moreels and Mike Gagnon

Cover Artists Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado

Cover Dated May 2010

I own this for the Kitty Pryde references in two spotlights.

aDeadpool Corps Rank and Foul Doctor Bong

Doctor Bong gets two pages, that reference Deadpool Volume One Issue 27.  Deadpool’s entry references this adventure, but only that he fought Wolverine at Doctor Bong’s suggestion.

Deadpool Corps Rank and Foul Zero

Weasel’s profile sneaks in there next to Zero.  Zero’s Kitty Pryde reference is from Excalibur 77 – 80.

Other entries of note –

Due to Deadpool’s time with the Great Lakes Avengers / X-Men / Champions / Initiative (and formerly, Lightning Rods) many of the members make the handbook!  Big Bertha, Dinah Soar (probably my favorite team member, I love the pun of her name), Flatman, Grasshopper (who had a very brief stay as a member and a living person) and Mr. Immortal, their leader.

Blind Al

Bob, Agent of Hydra

GW Bridge, who has a first image of him being very old and overweight, when did that happened?

Zoe Culloden from the Joe Kelly run, and of LL&L.

Deadpool’s own profile is five pages – which makes sense.

Domino gets two pages

Madcap gets two pages, a character I made a reference to that I didn’t know too much about.  Still not seeing why he was worth bringing back.

Ilaney Brukner

Montomery, his life ends up being okay

Mercedes Wilson

Not a bad handbook, at all – such a great resource.

Excalibur 61

Posted by John Klein III on February 5, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Excalibur 61

Writer / Penciler Alan Davis

Inker Mark Farmer

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Cover Dated Late January 1993

We catch up with Rachel, who we haven’t seen in quite a while.  The Phoenix Force has been healing her, it has also been learning so much about life, through her eyes.  Rachel is on a different planet, one that is about to be consumed by Galactus!  Rachel tries to tell Galactus to not feed on this planet, as it does contain life.  Which has never stopped him before.  Rachel blows up his machien and now he is angry.

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 1

Earth.  Brian and Kurt are fighting, it is a fair fight as Cerise has given Kurt some armor.  Kurt believes he has the advantage but Brian is still faster than him.

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 2

Meggan doesn’t like that they are fighting, but Kitty corrects her that they are merely training.  Kurt knocks Brian out, which surprises everyone.

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 3

Brian comes to his senses, more embarrassed than anything.  Brian hasn’t been sleeping, wanting to seek out Sat-yr-9 and punish her for killing Courtney Ross.  This upsets Meggan, as he (foolishly) said that is the only thing that matters.

Kurt has yet another “how to love Meggan, properly” chat with Brian.

At a radio station, with DJ Scott Wright.  A lady chauffeur arrives, to take him to a television station – his star is on the rise.  The chauffeur is really part of the villain group, the Warpies, he tries to impress them than he is actually, microMAX.  They are not that impress, as they already knew that.  I didn’t know he was a DJ.

The issue, twice now, as cut to this beautiful full page splashes of Rachel fighting Galactus.

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 4

Beneath Braddock Manor.  Kitty and Lockheed are trying to figure out what is wrong with the mastermind computer, its organic circuitry isn’t operational anymore.  Feron is down there, as he won’t take a hint or become useful.  He refuses to aid Kitty, yet doesn’t leave her side.  I love this Kitty, super feisty!  Feron is suppose to be learning social skills, but his base personality of being a jerk, is a huge obstacle.

Feron tries to compare himself to Kitty, both of them had elders that were guiding and protecting them.  Feron had monks and Kitty had the X-Men, but the X-Men never sheltered her.     Kitty is about to get loud with Feron when . . .

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 5

Widget crashes into the room!  It isn’t in its cute ball form but in its humanoid form.  It warns Sentinels are coming, and it disappears again.  This story, will be what Davis & Farmer are leading up to.

Kitty is going to inform Kurt but she wants Feron to keep hooking up the computers.  If he doesn’t, Lockheed has permission to scorch Feron!

Another beautiful Rachel v Galactus page.

Brian has taken Meggan to the Braddock Summer Cottage, on England’s South coast.  Those Braddocks, sure had money!  The young couple are having fun, playing in the ocean and enjoying each other’s company.  They have decided to take a week off, and enjoy a brief vacation.  Brain has decided to fully accept his position as Captain Britain, both on Earth and in the Captain Britain Corps.  Brian finally musters up the courage, after two days, of finally proposing to Meggan!  So great!  It will still take twice as many issues (64 of them!) to get to issue 125, where they finally get married!  Sadly, the scene ends with them in the target of some goon.

Since Rachel stopped Galactus from feeding, he isn’t nearly as strong as he should be – so she has a chance.  He gets real with her, that he and the Phoenix Force stink of death and destruction.  Galactus, coldly, draws her attention to how she was trying to save this foreign planet but in their duel, she has destroyed it.

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 6

Excalibur has come together for a debriefing.  Kurt mentions how this is Widget’s ninth cryptic message.  Their phone rings, Kitty answers to discover Alistaire on the other end.  He has been searching for those who killed his sister, but he has gotten too close.  The issue ends with him being knocked out!

Sword Strokes, letters are from – Dietmar Dath of Germany / Daniel Hazard Jr of Milwaukee, WI / Jeff Maccubbin of Baltimore, MD / Dor Rumsower of Forestville, CA wrote a nice poem.  Matthew Pearson of the United Kingdom, Derek E. Wright of Sale Creek, TN, Jason P. Arnold of Canada and Richard Olney of Syracuse, NY – all wrote letters, as well.

Next issue has Excalibur v RCX, while Phoenix faces her future.

Inside back cover ad is for Wayne’s World VCR Board Game!  So silly

. . .

Lockheed next appears in Excalibur 64, so that will be the next issue we review.

Deadpool Volume Two Issue 16

Posted by John Klein III on February 4, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool V2 16

Writer Daniel Way

Penciler Paco Medina

Inker Juan Vlasco

Colorist Marte Gracia

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Dated December 2009

Cover Artist Jason Pearson

Want You to Want Me : Part Two of Four

I must have been reading this series, but I don’t recall much about it.

Deadpool V2 16 Recap

Here is what happened in Part One.  Essentially, it tied up anything from the previous storyline and ended with Deadpool watching Cyclops’ big speech that all mutants are welcomed on Utopia.  Deadpool wants to be an X-Man!

Deadpool V2 16 Magik probably

Right off the bat, with the first page, we have the reason why I bought it and maybe the reason why I shouldn’t.  This goes back to my issue with how Magma and Magik look similar, from a distance.  Typically, Magik has bangs and Magma doesn’t.  Magma usually has basketball sized breasts and Magik . . . doesn’t.  The Blonde, in the New Mutants costume, looks like the confusing combination of both, that we get from time to time.  She doesn’t appear later, so this is one of those, take it or leave it, situations.

http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=181455

http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Deadpool_Vol_2_16

comicbookdb agrees with me but Marvel Database believes it is Magma.  Now, to be honest, I was probably the guy who listed Magik, on the comicbookdb but no one has corrected that, so I still stand by it.

Deadpool asks Cyclops if he can stay on Utopia.  Cyclops says “hello no” which is super understandable.

Later That Day.  Wolverine tells Cyclops that wasn’t the way to handle Deadpool.  Dagger is there, as this is after the Dark X-Men.  Has her costume always been that revealing?  I know it has been but Medina has drawn her with larger breasts so it seems even more mature.

Deadpool is too volatile to be trusted on a small island nation but he is too dangerous to not be contained on a small island.  Dagger, who doesn’t know of Deadpool, wonders what is so bad about him.  Cyclops and Wolverine, in a fun moment, say at the same time “everything.”  I missed these days of Cyclops and Wolverine.

Dagger, proving how much of an outsider she is, says that people say the same thing about Wolverine.  How she is even in the same room with these two, I’m not even sure.  Dagger further points out that isn’t this the point of Utopia, to take in those who the world doesn’t want.   Dagger, looking outside, states that most mutants (at this point) have checkered pasts, and they are accepted here.

Meanwhile.  Deadpool is upset as the X-Men are hypocrites.  I’m reminded of why I didn’t like Way’s run.  Deadpool has his classic yellow narration boxes but now he has this second white narration box, running commentary as well.

Brian Cronin explains what that was all about –

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/08/16/abandoned-love-where-did-deadpools-second-inner-monologue-go/

which seems confusing to me but I’m not aware of who Madcap is.

Deadpool decides he’ll show Cyclops some of his sweet moves.  Just then, Mercury’s father – Ellis Kincaid – goes on live television and declares that the X-Men are keeping him away from his daughter.  The United States government are powerless to do anything, so he is trying to bring media awareness.

Cyclops is watching this, standing behind a sitting Prodigy.  Prodigy explains how Mr. Kincaid has been on financial hard times.  That is, until Norman Osborn bought out his businesses.  So Kincaid is working for Osborn, who is still upset about losing to Cyclops.  Cyclops doesn’t recognize the last name, Kincaid.  Luckily, Mercury comes into the room, apologizing for her father.  Turns out, Ellis has been the definition of a deadbeat father and barely has any connection to Mercury.  She’s afraid of being kicked off Utopia but Cyclops isn’t going to play that game.  It is a simple matter of having Mercury emancipated.  He’s going to call Angel’s lawyers and get them working on that.  A couple exchanges of paperwork and this shouldn’t be a story, after a few days.

There is an ad for Halo 3 ODST, I only played a little bit of it – I didn’t see the big attraction to the game franchise.

Deadpool has found an abandon warehouse and starts preparing to take out Mr. Kincaid.

Cyclops and Wolverine enlist Domino to seek out Deadpool.  These Domino pages, the bulk of the rest of the issue, are delightful! Domino is confused, as she has bad history with Deadpool but Wolverine believes that makes her perfect candidate.

Deadpool is sitting up his sniper post and completely ignores Domino, as she tries to offer him a place on Utopia.

Utopia, later that day.  Domino is telling Cyclops the story of what happened next – as we see the events unfold.  Deadpool takes note of Domino, finally, and threatens to kill her.  He is under the impression that she was sent here to kill him.

There is a half page ad for Sentry’s guest spot in Moon Knight 2, by Gregg Hurwitz and Jerome Opena.  Coming in October 2009.  There is a full page ad for Wolverine : Weapon X 6 by Jason Aaron and Yanick Paquette.

Early that morning.  We see Deadpool is making 372,944 pancakes.  Back to Domino, Deadpool forces her to walk on top of a sky light.  He breaks the glass under her feet and we see her land on the pancakes.  To which, she slaps Cyclops for making her even go through any of this nonsense.

Domino asks about the motivation of the pancakes.  Either, Deadpool would have ate pancakes with an old friend or he would have killed an old friend and ate pancakes afterwards.  I like how they both do end up eating pancakes together.

One of Deadpool’s conditions of joining the X-Men, is that he wants to be able to wear his own X-Uniform. Essentially it is one of the New Mutants costumes, but with Deadpool’s name on the back – like a jersey.

Deadpool still wants to show Cyclops his moves, so he reveals to Domino that he still plans on killing Mr. Kincaid.

There is a full page ad for Incredible Hulk 603, by Greg Pak and Ariel Olivetti – which has Bruce Banner, Hulk’s son Skaar, Wolverine and his son, Daken.

Either the next issue or the conclusion has this fun moment when Deadpool makes a reference that Domino completely gets and this frightens her because she is getting a glimpse of how his brain works.  I no longer own that issue but this was a fun arc.

Demi Lovato – Up

Posted by John Klein III on February 3, 2016
Posted in: Fun With YouTube, Songs. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Post 950!

Actually, this is Olly Murs’ song that features Demi Lovato

Thanks to OllyMursVEVO for hosting the video

I’m not that aware of Olly Murs but I really dig this song.

Really Don’t Care

Thanks to YouTuber DemiLovatoVEVO, for the rest of the videos.

Which features Cher Lloyd, who I also am not that familiar with.  This was my first video of Demi’s that I saw.

Heart Attack

My favorite sections are the ones that feature her in the white outfit and the black inked hands but not with the ink around her neck.  There is something that is haunting about those brief moments.

Demi Lovato Heart Attack Clean

One draw back is, around the two minute mark, it sounds like an alarm clock is going off.  That isn’t great.

Give Your Heart A Break

I’m pretty sure this was the first song of hers that I heard.

I was hoping for a fifth video but I couldn’t really settle on another one of hers, so I’m going with her version of

Frozen

Which is lame, I know but I dig the song.

Demi is also featured on The Vamps “Somebody To You”

Thanks to TheVampsVEVO for hosting the video!

Like the video itself, Demi seems to be just tacked on to the track.  Take her out of it, and it still stands as a decent song.

The main gal is Laura Marano, who is very pretty but way too young.  Reminds me of a slightly younger Danica McKellar.

Her latest video – Cool For The Summer – \

is pretty great!  I guess that answers the question if she still has body issues.  She’s in killer shape!

She also assisted Fallout Boy in their hit song, Irresistible –

Thanks to FallOutBoyVEVO for hosting their video.

Joey Fatone also shows up, as this video is a play off of NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye video but with action figures instead of puppets – which is better.

For my money, I like Fallout Boy’s solo version of their video –

Which is super fun to watch and great use of the audience!

To get it back to Demi, she has this video, that features Sirah – Waitin for You –

That is super intense!  Demi doesn’t blink, once!  Well, she does but the look she is giving me (the viewer) I can’t stop thinking about how mad she is at me or us.

Deadpool Volume One Issue 27

Posted by John Klein III on February 2, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool V1 27

Nightmare Specialist Dr. (Joe) Kelly

Art Therapy Dr. (Walter) McDaniel

Inkblots Dr. (Whitney) McFarland

Color Charts Dr. (Kevin) Somers

Handwriting Analysis Doc (Richard) Starkings & Comicraft

Paranoia Dr. (Matt) Idelson

Prozac Boy Dr. (Bob) Harris

Cover Dated April 1999

Joe Kelly is by far, one of my favorite Deadpool writers.  I owned all of his issues, before downsizing my collection.  I’m glad that at least one of his issues stayed in the collection.

This issue deals with the fallout of the incredible, Dead Reckoning, storyline.  In it, Deadpool had to fight Captain America so that he could kill an alien messiah so that people could have free will.  Thus, everything bad that happens – to anyone – is on him, as humans would have been walking mindless drones.  Which is a good thing, that we still have free will but it is a pretty heavy burden to carry.

The issue opens with Deadpool, screaming on Doctor Bong’s (an old enemy of Howard the Duck’s) couch.  Deadpool keeps seeing white bunnies and a brunette lady in a purple dress.  The brunette is setting up the next storyline.

Deadpool is Doctor Bong’s first patient as he has recently completed his psychology Ph.D.  So he is finally a real doctor.  Doctor Bong still postures, as it is hard to quit that old habit.

I miss this Deadpool, the one that kept making pop culture references.  Sure, the comments with Janet Reno makes the comic a tad dated but I like it.

Doctor Bong does have a suggestion that will help Deadpool’s situation.  A hero must die!

Bolivia . . . the former hacienda of a former Bolivan general formerly among the living.  I missed Montgomery, whatever happened to that guy?  It appears as if he just fades away, which is probably for the best as he had gone through some stuff.

http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=2396

I’m sure I read issue 81, I just don’t recall those later issues as much.

Monty doesn’t recommend Deadpool take Doctor Bong’s advice.  Deadpool’s depression is natural after making the decision that he made to save the entire world.

There is a half page ad for Avengers Forever, by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Paceco.  Such a great series!

Deadpool thinks it is a good idea as getting in a fight does help clear his head.  Deadpool calls his new lady pilot, Ilaney – who I also liked.  Deadpool had such a great supporting cast during this run.

The Next Day.  Ilaney is practicing her English – she’s Swedish, I believe or German.  Deadpool is using his image inducer.  They are in Chinatown of San Francisco.  Doctor Bong, in full costume, is also present.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 1

We finally get to the reason why I own this issue!  Kitty Pryde and Wolverine are guest starring!  Seeing Wolverine’s red narration boxes takes me back!  He’s inner monologuing about how smells and memories are so well tied.  Kitty and Wolverine are there to meet Black Crane, who I don’t recognize as a character.

An old lady shop keeper starts poking Wolverine with a stick.  The lady speaks in yellow dialogue balloons, so we know that is Deadpool.  S/he implies that Kitty is a prostitute and Logan is her client.  Wolverine knows it is Deadpool now.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 2

Wolverine doesn’t view Deadpool very highly even though he has to look up at most people.  He asks Kitty to phase the old lady, which she does and now everyone sees Deadpool.  Deadpool is embarrassed that now everyone knows about his cross-gender cross-cultural cross-age  cross-dressing!  So very funny!

This is Deadpool and Kitty’s first meeting!  I doubt she has even heard of him, before this moment.  He grossly hits on her, which disgusts her.

Wolverine doesn’t have time for this, he has that meeting to get to.  Deadpool is trying his best to get Wolverine mad, by insulting Kitty.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 3

Deadpool grabs Logan’s wrist, he wants to be snikt-ed so hard!  Logan isn’t taking the bait.

Deadpool knows what to do, and he shoryukens Kitty!  She goes flying!  It is now . . . ON!

Morocco.  We check in on Deadpool’s current financial backer – Alestaire Grunch, who is doing an experiment on a cat.  He gets an envelope in the mail and freaks out.

San Francisco.  Doctor Bong is having a fight with his lady friend, Barbara.  She’s not every understanding nor supportive of his new career choice.

We’re treated to an awesome double page spread, of Wolverine in full feral mode, and Deadpool in full pop cultural references mode.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 4

Deadpool gets the upper hand and puts a knife in Wolverine’s side.  This shakes Wolverine out of his feral state.

Kitty is slowly getting up from being sucker punched.  Doctor Bong asks her to not get involved in the fight.

Ilaney is shocked by the actions and the people that Deadpool knows, she’s starting to get excited about all of this – which is what Monty was worried would happen.  That Deadpool found this lovely and simple lady and is corrupting her.

There is an ad for Power Rangers Galaxy, for anyone keeping track of that.  I would have stopped watching by this point.  Once Amy Jo Johnson was gone and replaced with Kat who can turn into a cat, I was pretty much done.  Outside of that awesome Forever Red episode.

Wolverine and Deadpool are not able to exchange dialogue, which is all Deapdool wanted.  Plus, they keep fighting, as they are professionals.

A man says Logan’s name, startling Deadpool and he shoots the guy – the guy was Black Crane, who I definitely don’t recognize.

Bullpen Bulletins.  Comics on sale for March 3 –

Cable 67
Captain America : Sentinel of Liberty 9
Daredevil 7
Fantastic Four 17
Spider-Man : Chapter One 0
Thor 11
Uncanny X-Men 368 – Requim for an X-Man!  In the aftermath of “The Magneto War,” X-Men past and present gather at Xavier’s Institute for Higher Learning to bid a final goodbye to their fallen comrade.  By Alan Davis and Adam Kubert.
X-Men Manga 27

Wolverine checks with Black Crane, he’s going to live.  Now that his friend is okay, Wolverine starts to fight Deadpool again.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 5

Deadpool’s vision of the lady and the rabbits (who have been present, off and on) are now just standing around.  Deadpool asks Doctor Bong about the meaning of all of this.   Doctor Bong tells him that he is on a cusp of a breakthrough and to confront the hallucinations.

Kitty shouts to Wolverine about how she is stuck in a force field.  Doctor Bong hits the force field to silence her, and offers to give her therapy to work her daddy issues that she has with Wolverine.

Deadpool doesn’t know where to start with chatting with the hallucinations.  They started standing around when Wolverine was going on about the past so Deadpool asks for another story.

Wolverine starts talking for half of a page, all in mid leap!  Good for Ilaney for pointing out how odd that is to be able to do.  Wolverine is talking about how the past will always come back to haunt, so now Deadpool knows where to start.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 6

Look how great that two page spread is!

Bong hits the force field again and Kitty swears this is the last time she guest stars in a non-X-Book.  Look at Kitty getting into the fourth wall breaking fun!

Doctor Bong starts psycho-analyzing Deadpool, helping to explain what must be happening in his mind.  All of this is not correct, if I’m remembering the rest of the storyline correctly.  Deadpool is about to recognize who the lady is when . . .

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 7

Wolverine puts all six claws into Deadpool’s back!  Doctor Bong teleports himself, Ilaney and Deadpool away.

Ilaney is worried about Deadpool but he explains that he has a healing factor.  Deadpool tells Doctor Bong not to worry about who the brunette is, she broke his heart years ago and is dead now.

Epilogue.  Atlanta, Georgia.  We see the brunette, her name is Mercedes (I recall that) and she looks like she’s been running or escaping for a while now.

Such a good issue!

Back cover ad is for The Mod Squad movie, when old shows were getting the revamped movie treatment.  I didn’t watch it and I don’t recall anyone ever seeing it.  I don’t really know the television series either, it isn’t one of those that gets brought up.  Claire Danes, Omar Epps and Giovanni Ribsi are the Mob Squad.  There was a while there, that I was watching every movie Giovanni was making.  I wasn’t seeking him out but he kept coming into films I enjoyed or saw.  Josh Brolin is also in it.

Excalibur 60

Posted by John Klein III on February 1, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Excalibur 60

Writer Scott Lobdell

Penciler Scott Kolins

Inker Jon Holdredge

Colorist Mike Thomas

Letterer Michael Higgins

Cover Dated Early January 1993

This issue picks up right where the last issue does.  With the All New All Different Excalibur (the name Kitty gave them), which consists of – Shadowcat, Meggan (in disguise), Captain America, Iron Man (but really, it is the War Machine armor, with Rhody in the suit) and Black Panther.  They are trying to defend Wakanda from Icon, who is a wooden tree, given life!  With his touch, he has turn several Wakandians into tree people.

This is such a great line up, I wish they could have their own series!

War Machine doesn’t recognize the name, Excalibur, neither does Black Panther.  Captain America recognizes Meggan, even in her new form, so he knows who she is.  He recognizes Kitty Pryde, of the X-Men but also from her current team, Excalibur.  That Captain America, he stays current!

Since his people’s lives are at stake, Black Panther surrenders his throne.  Since he has done this, willingly, the new team are powerless to do anything about it.  If they did, it would start a war!

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Meggan worries about Brian Braddock, who is Captain Britain but Black Panther didn’t know that, so when Icon appeared, he placed Brian into a safety hut.  For some reason, Braddock keeps his identity secret.  Even though he doesn’t do anything, except be Captain Britain.  Also inside the hut, is Lockheed!

Braddock notices the soft mud, beneath his shoes and starts forming a plan.

Meanwhile, in London, Nightcrawler and Cerise is following the trail of The Knight Errant, who is stopping crime but in a harsh manner.  He’s an old gentleman, so I say, let him go out in style!

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Braddock punches through the mud, can can rejoin the fight!  He doesn’t care that Lockheed may have swallowed some mud!

Icon’s first decision, as King of Wakanda, is to kill Excalibur’s weakness member, well the member he deems the weakest, but he chose the wrong one!  Kitty presses the trigger on the gun, and it blasts her and War Machine!  War Machine learns that she can turn ephemeral.  She brags that is only one of her gifts, she is also great at trigonometry.  In the blast, War Machine’s armor got a super upgrade.

Groot, I mean, Icon, grabs Meggan.

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This upsets Jungle Man (Captain Britain, a la Tarzan, but with brown hair – from the mud), who Kitty names.  Lockheed is right behind him!  War Machine, Black Panther and even Icon, can’t believe yet another hero has arrived!  Yesterday, Wakanda had one defender and now she has seven!

Jungle Man tries to go with the name but tries to give the character a bit of a vocabulary.

 

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Captain America has heard less horrible names.  To which, Jungle Man calls Cap – Star Forehead Man, which is right up there with Hulk’s Wing Head.

Jungle Man is inspired (which ruins the previous joke) to call himself, Captain Wakanda!  Which may be the fastest hero name change, in a while!  Captain Wakanda saves Meggan, who preferred the Jungle Man name.

I do like how, Icon not being familiar with superheroes, just takes it that this team is known as, Excalibur.  War Machine points out that Excalibur is a name for a sword, an English sword – so he isn’t sure why they even have that name!

Previously, Knight Errant discovered a nuclear warhead and took off.  Nightcrawler and Cerise are now talking to Inspector Thomas, about how they didn’t go after the knight, as the warhead was enough of a win.  Over at the Eden Park Nursing Home, Mr. Mason (the knight) is going back to pretending to be a feeble old man.

Wakanda.  Captain Britain thinks to himself, that he has to really understand his powers more.  He is out of his traditional suit, but he should still have his strength and flight powers but he doesn’t.

With the power upgrade, War Machine is able to shut down all of the tech-inspired guns, so now Icon is powerless.  He falls to his knees and reverts back to human.  Black Panther instantly recognizes him as, Dr. A’Kurru, a brilliant scientist.  He blames himself for his daughter’s death as she died from radiation exposure.  Which is the entire reason why all of these heroes are present, as they were at the conference to settle what to do with all of this excess radioactive waste.

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Black Panther forgives the grieving father.  Kitty points out that Icon’s issue was about to be resolved, on its own so everything is okay.

Not a bad issue!

Sword Strokes, has letters from – Michael D. Krabbenholt of Maquoketa, IA / Mike Shamoto of Pearl City, HI / Matt Schrot of Newton, MA / Mr. Joey Marchese of Union, NJ and Dachelle Skipwith of Covina, CA.

Back cover ad is for the Super NES Hook game.

. . .

We kick off the Lockheed portion of the month with the last issue of Scott Lobdell’s brief run on the title, before Alan Davis and Mark Farmer take it back, which we will review in our next installment.

New Mutants Volume One Issue 34

Posted by John Klein III on January 31, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

New Mutants V1 34

Writer Chris Claremont

Artist Steve Leialoha

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Letterers Buhalis & Orzechowski

Cover Dated December 1985

So last issue, it looked like Magik betrayed the team to Shadow King, who is currently using Karma’s body, as a host.  Warlock isn’t happy about that.

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Warlock is out to hurt Magik!  Which is silly, as Magik can defeat every member of the team, but I guess trying deserves a few points.

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Magik believes that Warlock has been given some bad advice from that always-scheming S’ym.  Since this fight is happening in Limbo, the demons of the realm want to help their boss.  I could always be down for a miniseries or ongoing, of just the politics of Limbo, as I can only imagine that Magik has a slew of contacts and friends there.  Will, not anymore, since she absorbed the region, but during the classic years.

Warlock wants to attack but Dani told him never to absorb living matter, unless she told him too.  Since she is a hostage of Karma, all bets are off!

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He turns two of the demons into techno-organic matter, so that he can absorb them, properly.  Magik knows that this is her fate, if Warlock has his way.  But she governs this realm, and can do anything she desires.  I like how she refers to it as “my magick is law” does she pronounce it with a very hard k?

Magik changes from her New Mutants uniform to a powder blue dress, to calm him down.  She looks so different, dressed like an innocent girl.  She tells him that she has a plan and he is important to it.  Warlock is still not trusting of her, so if he wants to kill her, she won’t stop him.  This conflict blows up his head, as they are friends.

My copy is in VF condition, which I normally don’t really notice it but this copy of the issue, has some thick inks over some words.

Warlock starts melting, so disappointed in himself.  She gives him a very encouraging pep talk and he is back together.  I do like how he keeps calling her, OnceFriend.  Like Doug is, TrueFriend, and I want to say he calls Wolfsbane, FirstFriend.

Magik opens a scrying pool, to spy on Karma.  So they must not know that she is being controlled by the Shadow King, yet.  The rest of the New Mutants and Storm, are Karma’s prisoners and puppets.

Karma has instructed Storm to humiliate her body and have her soul savaged.  Since this goes against Storm’s true nature, she starts fighting the command.  Karma brags that only Xavier can resister her commands.

Illyana feels horrible, as she herself has been made into a slave of a foul and cruel master.

I do like Karma insulting her clientele, loud enough for everyone to hear.  They may think her disgusting but her club, Pharaoh, is the hottest place to be.

Karma starts toying with Storm, stating that Storm knows Karma’s true identity, that of Xavier’s oldest, bitterest and deadliest foe.  I suppose that is up for debate, who is the biggest opponent of Xavier’s, Magneto or Shadow King?  I think as exclusively Xavier villains, the Shadow King gets the point but I feel like Storm shares him with Xavier.  Magneto is more of a team villain but so is Shadow King.

Karma King’s big goal, for the night, is to do some psychic operations, to ensure that her puppets are her’s for all time.

Cairo, twenty years ago.  So Storm must be 26 or 28, I can buy that.  We see (as does Magik and Warlock) Ororo stealing Xavier’s wallet.  Xavier stops Ororo but then Xavier is stopped by an unknown force (Shadow King).  I adore how happy Magik is, with herself, for getting a time jump correct.

Magik witnesses the great mental battle of Xavier v Amahl Farouk, the Shadow King.  I love that Leialoha doesn’t cut to the astral plane.  We see Xavier sit down, Farouk fall face first onto a table and Xavier get up.  That is how you do it!

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Magik uses some sweet deduction skills, and figure out that Farouk may have physically died but may have lived on, psychically.  I do like how of the New Mutants, Magik and Warlock have the least experience with Karma, so they are having to figure out why this former team member has turn bad.

Warlock brings up the excellent point, that they should probably call the X-Men, but FriendIllyana tells him that they don’t have any time, after tonight, the stakes will be at an all time low, as Karma would permanently have control of their friends and Storm.

Is the kiss to Warlock, Magik’s first kiss?  It is on the check but still,, it should count.

Pharoh.  Shade-ma (Shadow King / Karma) tells Ororo how Shadow King survived.  Once his body was dead, he escaped onto the Astral Plane.  It took a while for him to focus, and once he did, he found Karma in a weaken form.  Shadow King’s scheme is to find another body, and leave Karma to be arrested for his crimes.  Plus, super overweight.  Shadow King plans on having Storm kill Xavier, which would be a bonus.

There is a two page ad for the NBC Saturday Morning lineup –

1985-1986
Snorks
Adventures of Gummi Bears
Smurfs
Punky Brewster
Alvin & the Chipmunks
Kidd Video
Mr. T
Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends
Plus : One to Grow On

During Shadow Karma’s big speech, Illyana interrupts, like a boss!  One can’t merely lock a door, against a teleporter.  Magik wants to be Shadow Karma’s partner.  S/he wants to seal the deal with a kiss.

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Shadow Karma starts crushing Illyana’s hands. As this is happening, Illyana is teleporting the team away.  As her hands are about to be crushed, her entire body melts away.  It was never Magik, it was Warlock!  Which is pretty awesome of Claremont, as I wouldn’t have anticipated that.  Thanks to their unique abilities, Shadow Karma wouldn’t have been able to read either of Magik and Warlock’s minds, so this twist is a real surprised.

Since Magik brought the team to Limbo, she can undo any damage anyone did, as in Limbo – she rules supreme.  The team returns, super enraged and ready for a battle!  Dani makes FarouKarma (Warock’s name and it really does work!) see their worst nightmare, which is invading helicopters in Vietnam.  So Karma is in confront.

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Poor Karma, wakes up, possibly in the worst situation.  Cannonbal and Sunspot are quick to think that Farouk has jumped into another body.  Wolfsbane is taken out, as she would be able to detect his presence.

Illyana shouts that Farouk must be in Storm’s body and jumps at her, with soulsword primed to strike!

The Checklist –

New Mutants 34
Squadron Supreme 4
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe 1, completely revised and up-dated!
Power Pack 17
Micronaunts 15
Alpha Flight 29
Longshot 4 – guest-starring Spider-Man and She-Hulk
Vision and Scarlet Witch 3
ROM Annual 4- Guest-starring Gladiator and the Imperial Guard, from the X-Men!
Marvel Heroes for Hope – A special event featuring the X-Men
ROM 73
Nightcrawler 2
X-Men 200 – Magneto is tried before the World Court in Paris, in this anniversary double-sized issue
X-Men / Alpha Flight 1 – Mutants united to battle the menace of Loki!  Special cross-over with the New Mutants Special 1
Secret Wars II 6 – Featuring the greatest super hero of all — The Beyonder!  With Cloak & Dagger, Power Pack, the Micronauts Thor, Power Man and Iron Fist!
New Mutants Special 1 – Up against the combined might of Loki and the Enchantress by Claremont, Art Adams and Austin!  Special cross-over with X-Men / Alpha Flight 1.
Marvel Agge 33 – A first look at X-Factor!

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 7

Magik does a classic fake out and stabs Doug!  oh Dani, she says (very loudly) that Doug is their weakest member!  That’s pretty harsh!  Pretty good plan, on Farouk’s part.  That could have been a decent What If, right there!

Storm fights DougFarouk but Karma gets to give the finishing blow.  Cool visuals, Doug v Karma, until we cut to the Astral Plane.  We get to see Karma’s original skinny body.

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Shadow King escapes.  Karma freaks out, as she rather die than have him take over her body again.  Karma starts straight weeping, as she is super overweight and ashame of everything that has gone on.  The team promises to stick with her, and will get her back to normal.  Which segues us to New Mutants Special Edition, where Karma will lose all of the weight due to Loki putting her in the middle of a desert, and letting her walk it off.  That Loki, he is a good guy.

There is a house ad for Nightcrawler’s original miniseries, that is awesome, written and drawn by legend – Dave Cockrum.  The minsieries also guest stars Lockheed!

Inside back cover is for Secret Wars II 6 with its tie in issues – Thor 363, Micronauts 16, Power Man and Iron Fist 121, Power Pack 16 and Cloak and Dagger 5.

. . .

So again, long time readers know this – but today is my birthday.  I am now 34 years old today – hence the issue 34 reviews.  I’m a clever one.

Please come back tomorrow for the beginning of . . . Lockpool Month!  Or, Deadheed Month!  We are going to do both Lockheed Month and Deadpool!  Sort of like last August, when I tried to do both Big Brother and a proper Fantastic Four Event Month.  I’m hoping it all works out though.

Greatest WWE Match of All Time

Posted by John Klein III on January 30, 2016
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Thanks to DailyMotion’s Rock Wrestling Inc for hosting the video!

Wrestlemania 21 (2005) gave us Shawn Michaels v Kurt Angle in the greatest match up of all time!  These two technicians gave us everything they had and then some!

The entire PPV was worth it just for these two fighting each other!

Groot 2

Posted by John Klein III on January 29, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Groot 2

Writer Jess Loveness

Artist Brian kesinger

Letterer Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire

I bought this for the cover.  So great that Kitty, Illyana and Rachel all made the cover, if only Lockheed did too!

Groot 2 Recap

Last issue, Groot and Rocket were on their way to Earth when a bounty hunter, Eris, captured Rocket and now Groot has to get him back.

Issue opens with Grrot’s fantasy of Earth superheroes, all appearing like Groot and all speaking his language.  We see Groot inspired – Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iceman, Falcon, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Cyclops, Black Panther, Howard the Duck, Thing, Doctor Strange, Elektra and Utau the Watcher.  The fantasy continues as we see – Galactus, Captain America, Thor, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Colossus and Storm.

This series takes place prior to Secret Wars 2015.

Turns out, this sequence was brought on due to Groot getting hit by a space bus.  Groot falls off the buss and we get a flashback to how Groot and Rocket met each other.

Years ago.  These jerkwad guards are harassing Groot, as he can only say – I am Groot.  Groot has enough and fights back, and is thrown into, The Pt.  In there, is also Rocket.  They spend so much time together, that Rocket eventually learns Groot’s language.

One day, the power goes out and Rocket and Groot fight a slew of guards and escape the prison.

Groot finds a tracker that can guide him to Rocket, when he is struck by something.  Issue ends with the reveal that Silver Surfer and his female companion, Dawn Greenwood, were the ones that hit Groot.  Silver Surfer gets the fun line of “He is Groot.”

The Letters page – Looseleaf – has letters from Mason, Cathy U, Anthony B, Jose S, Kevin Dean and Paul Abramowitz.   I sent an e-mail to mheroes@marvel.com – we will see if it gets printed.

Pretty nice issue.