Spectacular Spider-Man #147 (February 1989)

Last week, for Halloween, I took a look at Spectacular Spider-Man #148 (March 1989). It was a nice character piece exploring Flash Thompson and Betty Brant overcoming their own demons, both literally and figuratively. I wondered where Spider-Man himself was during all of this. Well, we did see him deal with a wild factory in my review of Spectacular Spider-Man #146 (January 1989). But that was not the only trouble the Web-Slinger found himself in. As a nice Halloween bonus, I thought it would be awesome to show how the Daily Bugle staff were dealing with this crisis. So, let's take a look at Spectacular Spider-Man #147!

The cover is awesome, depicting J. Jonah Jameson and Spider-Man fighting demons together. If you know these two characters and their traditional relationship, this gives the idea that something really serious must be going down if these two are actually joining forces for something.

"When the Bugle Blows"
Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Sal Buscema
Colorist: Bob Sharen & Wilcox
Letterer: Rick Parker
Editor: Jim Salicrup
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with the Hobgoblin (the Jason Macendale Jr. one), flying around New York City, grumbling about how unfair things are.

You see, in Amazing Spider-Man #312, he got beaten by Spider-Man teaming up with Harry Osborn, who was using his father's Green Goblin equipment. Hobgoblin is furious about it as...well...his equipment and experience as the Hobgoblin was superior to Harry. He sees himself as the true heir to the Goblin legacy, not Harry Osborn. However, the Hobgoblin has other problems.

Yup, a bunch of demons erupt from a billboard and attack the Hobgoblin. I can imagine they're also not happy about this guy running around dressed like one of them. An angry Hobgoblin blasts them away and basically hands them their butts. He rants that he doesn't care about the demonic madness of Inferno as long as he's left alone. He grumbles about the demons taking umbrage to him dressing as one, but then he gets hit by a bolt of inspiration as he glances at the demonically-mutated Empire State Building...

Across town, Spider-Man is witnessing the demon invasion in shock. Last issue, he dealt with a living fan vent and Osborn's factory trying to kill him. He swings towards the Daily Bugle so he can check on his co-workers. He also plans to visit Mary Jane who is doing a photo shoot at a studio. A strange wind blows out of nowhere. Spider-Man's Spider-Sense couldn't detect the dangerous wind, so it's able to catch the web-slinger and slam him into the a building hard. A groggy Spider-Man is able to catch a gargoyle. But the gargoyle turns into a monster and instead of taking a bite out of crime, it decides to take a bite out of the crimefighter.

Spidey falls to the ground and goes unconscious. He wakes up and finds himself near the Daily Bugle building, so he staggers towards it. Inside, J. Jonah Jameson has got the Daily Bugle staff preparing the building for another demon attack. He's got Kate Cushing making barricades, and Ben Urich putting out fires. Heh. Just last issue, he was going on about how all the reports of the craziness of Inferno was all just cranks looking for attention. Life comes at you fast, JJ.

JJ orders Joy Mercado to organize a first aid group to help any injured, as it could be a while before they could get anyone to a hospital. Jonah is turning out to be a surprisingly good leader when the Bugle staff need one, but he's also trying to cover up his own fears. After all, he's not dealing with criminals or corrupt politicians here. However, JJ's fear gets replaced with rage when he sees Spider-Man stagger in. However, he calls for Mercado when the injured webhead collapses in front of him.

Back in Manhattan, Mary Jane Watson is affected by the chaos, too. The photography crew are barricading the door. Despite this, a demon bursts in. He attacks one of the crew, but MJ is able to fight it off by beating it with a pipe. She notes that the demon seemed to be fragile, as it shattered under a single blow, like it was made of glass. She and the crew get back to work rebuilding the barricade, but she worries about Peter.

In the skies over New York, Harry Osborn, having once more donned the gear of the Green Goblin, is heading home to his family. He's amazed that he managed to beat the Hobgoblin. A water demon erupts from the ocean to attack Harry, but he's able to easily destroy it. He then decides to take a detour to May Parker's house to check on her.

In Queens, the streets are running with madness, as people are fighting demons...and each other. A crazed man with a chainsaw attacks Joe Robertson.

Robertson is able to dodge, which makes the man drop his chainsaw. The weaponized tool then shatters when it hits a wall. Joe feels something is rotten in the state of New York, and it makes his own legal troubles seem unimportant. His son Randy and daughter-in-law Amanda arrive. They want to take Joe and Martha home so they'll be safe with them during this craziness. However, Joe refuses. He's done running. There's a mob coming, and he's going to fight back. Yeah, maybe now is not the best time, Joe.

In the city, the Hobgoblin approaches the eldritch-mutated Empire State Building. He tries to sneak into this building, but the sidewalk demons have something to say about that.

They think the Hobgoblin will make a tasty little snack. However, he is able to convince them to let him see their master. He wants to make a little deal. The demons agree, as their master N'astirh will find this amusing. And the man...or more appropriately, the demon of the hour arrives. Hobgoblin offers his soul for the power of a demon. The sidewalk demons' prediction turns out to be dead on, as N'astirh bursts out laughing. What would he want with the Hobgoblin's soul? Keep in mind, Jason Macendale Jr. is the Hobgoblin at this point. He was an amoral man with a violent nature. He was a mercenary who also previously operated as the supervillain known as the Jack O'Lantern. His soul is not exactly pure.

However, the Hobgoblin did manage to make N'astirh laugh, so he figures that the former mercenary should be given something. He blasts the Hobgoblin, sending him flying. Back at the Daily Bugle, some demons burst their way into the building, and the Daily Bugle staff valiantly try to fight them off. One demon tries to attack Ben Urich, but a waking and injured Spider-Man is able to save him with some webbing and a Mighty Punch.

Spidey is able to get up to see J. Jonah Jameson fighting off some demons. Spidey is able to even the odds for the old man, and this does lead to a rather funny moment when JJ is forced to team-up with the Wall-Crawler.

Spidey and the Daily Bugle staff are able to fight the monsters off. It helps that the demons are very fragile. Spidey jokingly asks if they won. The veteran newsman looks like he's trying to keep every blood vessel in his body from undergoing rage-inducing explosions. Jonah notices that Spidey's wound is bleeding, and the Webhead faints.

Meanwhile, the Hobgoblin wakes up from his little trip, and notices something is wrong. His eyes seem to be screwed up. He can barely see, and what he can see looks all wrong. The story ends with the Hobgoblin's face revealed.

Yeah, all the plastic surgery in the world isn't going to make you pretty again, Jason. The Hobgoblin has paid a price for his little deal with the devilish N'astirh. He got the power of a demon, alright. He actually ended up merged with a demon, who would eventually get separated from the Hobgoblin and become the Demogoblin.

This issue is pretty good. I loved seeing the Daily Bugle gang fighting demons. It was also neat seeing Hobgoblin attempting to make a deal with N'astirh, and paying for it. The demons that the Bugle staff were fighting did seem awfully fragile, though. I mean, Spider-Man has superhuman strength, so his being able to shatter a demon with one punch is more believable. To be fair, it can be argued these demons aren't meant for combat. I also wish that we did get a scene of the aftermath with MJ. Sal Buscema's art is spectacular, and he's very good at making the demons look freaky. I also loved that full page of the Hobgoblin's demonic face. I highly recommend this comic for Halloween!

Hope you all enjoyed this little Halloween bonus! Next time, we see Captain America being forced to give up the shield...

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

I hope you enjoy this day when the barriers between the living and the dead are at their weakest. The day where spooks, demons, and goblins roam the Earth. Where man can become monster. The werewolves are howling, the mummies are moaning, and the witches are brewing. The costumes are being worn, and the candy is being consumed. Hope everyone gets to enjoy some of that. And I got a special bonus. I will be putting up a special bonus comic review tonight for the season, so get ready! I think you'll enjoy it! 

Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1980, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures released a little film called Friday the 13th. The film, directed by Sean S. Cunningham, would be a box office success, despite mixed critical reviews. The film told the tale of a group of camp counselors who attempt to re-open a summer camp...while a deranged murderer kills them one by one. would give birth to one of the biggest film franchises around, including ten sequels, a crossover with the Nightmare on Elm Street series, and a 2009 reboot.

The franchise would also come to other media, with novels, comics, and of course, video games being released. Jason Voorhees, the hockey mask-wearing serial killer and central character of much of the franchise, would be a guest character in Mortal Kombat X. And he's put back on his mask and grabbed his machete again, because he plans to slash his way into the Nintendo Switch. Since Halloween is coming up, what better time to take a look at the launch trailer for his fourth video game: Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle!

It's kind of weird to see a character like Jason Voorhees in this style.

Just because Jason is chibified does not mean he won't brutally kill you.

I love the music to this trailer. It sounds very 80s. Which is appropriate as the 80s were Jason's heyday.

Jason using a dude's head as a mop. That is hilarious in a rather brutal way.

Basically, the point of this game is to find way for Jason to get to people so he can kill them. Because that is what Jason does. He kills people. Seriously, that zombie needs a hobby. And a ton of therapy.

There's something darkly humorous about seeing Jason do his thing in such a cutesy style.

Hey, Jason X!

Is he going to kill that girl with a...fish?! Aw, it's Jason Voorhees, anything is a weapon in his indestructible decaying hands.

Well, this sounds like a bizarrely cute game. If you're a fan of the franchise, and like puzzle games, it might be right up your alley.

Spectacular Spider-Man #148 (March 1989)

Spider-Man is no stranger to horror, as my previous reviews have shown. When the Inferno raged, he was not unaffected by it. He saw the city itself turn against people.

If Spidey himself could be affected by the Inferno, then what of his supporting cast? The demonic invasion of New York would prove to be some bad times for one member of the Webhead's supporting cast: one Betty Brant. At this point, the poor woman had gone through some rough times. She had recently lost her beloved husband Ned Leeds, which also led her to being part of a cult for a while. So, the Inferno is really not something she needs in her life right now. However, the demons do not care where it's a good time for them to bother her or not, and so we'll see how she and Flash Thompson deals with the demonic invasion in Spectacular Spider-Man #148!

The cover is awesome. You got Ned Leeds, Gwen Stacy, and Spider-Man erupting from their graves, all zombified. It has that spooky vibe, perfect for a tie-in to a crossover about demons in New York.

"Night of the Living Ned"
Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Sal Buscema
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Letterer: Rick Parker
Editor: Jim Salicrup
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with a dark and stormy night. We look at the grave of one Ned Leeds, who was killed in the one-shot Spider-Man Versus Wolverine (February 1987). A hand seemingly erupts from said gravesite.

A zombified Ned erupts from the grave, basically saying "Hey, Betty! Hubby's home!" And he's not alone. A zombie Gwen Stacy also bursts out of her own grave, saying she is back. And she's accompanied by a zombie Spider-Man. But wait, Spidey's not dead. No, but he does have a gravestone. Thank the events of Web of Spider-Man #31 (October 1987), part of the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline for that. The zombies call for Betty, asking her to join them in death. And Betty Brant can only scream.

However, it's only a vision Betty is having. She's actually in Flash Thompson's apartment's kitchen, as she has been staying with him for a while. The former high school jock runs in and gives the freaked-out Betty a hug. They had been boarding up the windows and door in his apartment when she had her vision. Flash tries to tell her it wasn't real, but Betty is left wondering if she is going insane.

Flash can understand why. Betty had gone through a lot. Her brother Bennett seemingly died years ago back in Amazing Spider-Man #11 (April 1964). Betty had a nervous breakdown after Ned died, she nearly got killed by the Sin-Eater in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #109-110 (December 1985-January 1986) and joined the Cult of Love in Web of Spider-Man #40-43 (July-October 1988). It's why she is staying in Flash's apartment. He took her in so she could get back on her feet. Flash, however, doesn't think Betty is going mad. He thinks it's more the city itself is going mad. Weird weather, blackouts, riots, the Empire State Building is growing in size, cars trying to eat people...the Inferno is here, and madness comes with it.

Flash eyes a gas heater that Betty is running. She was cold, which was weird as the morning was sweltering hot. He shuts it off, as running a gas heater in a closed apartment is very dangerous. Fire hazard, and all that. Betty feels like she can't think straight. In a nice heartwarming moment, Betty thanks Flash for letting her stay with him until she can get her own place again, and Flash is happy to do so. After all, they knew each other for years, and friends always help each other out, regardless of the years and the changes. They hug, but are watched by a pair of demons.

The demons decide to have some fun with the two, as their master N'astirh says they can do that now. The two demons vanish. Flash Thompson goes to get some more boards, noting how cold the building is despite the heat outside. The phones are down, power went out, and he saw a riot on the corner. He is left feeling useless and wanting to do something about it. He hears someone greeting him.

It's Flash's hero, Spider-Man! Flash perks up. Hey, maybe the web-slinger wants him to help out with a team-up with the Avengers or something! That would be awesome! Flash is wondering how we're going to get out of this mess, and the webhead has an answer...in the form of a mighty backhand to the former jock. Flash is understandably confused. Spider-Man is a hero! He's one of the good guys! Why is he attacking?!

As if things can't get any more insane, Betty Brant hears a tapping at the window. Thinking it's just a bird, and trying to assure herself that she is not nuts, Betty opens the window.

Neddy's home, and he's looking...a bit decayed. A little moisturizing cream could fix that right up. Ned bursts into the apartment, and Betty flees for her life. Ned follows her, taunting her about him being back and why she's not happy to see him. She manages to lock herself in a room, wondering why Ned is back and he's doing this to her. Flash Thompson himself is...not doing much better.

As you can see, he's a bit tied up. Spidey explained that he tied Flash to the TV antenna because, well...TV antennas can make great lightning rods. And Spidey just removed the building's lightning rod, so when some lightning hits the antenna instead of the rod...Flash will get...flash-fried. I know, bad joke. Flash wants to know why Spidey is doing this. Why? Well, Spidey explains it.

He thinks Flash is annoying. He is sickened by the former football player's whole 'hero-worship' routine. To him, Flash is nothing more than a pathetic loser. Flash reaches for a screwdriver in his tool belt, distracting Spidey by keeping him talking. Spidey says he doesn't consider Flash a friend, just a thorn in his side that he's finally going to deal with once and for all.

Back with Betty, she thinks about how she has always needed someone to lean on to save her, and how she has lost almost everyone she has loved, like her brother Bennett (who didn't really die, but that's another story) and her husband Ned. She needed them, and they're both gone. But she gets a visit from...Ned Leeds.

Whether it's Ned's actual ghost (which is certainly plausible considering what's going on), or something from Betty's own mind, it's never really revealed. I like the ambiguity of it. Anyway, Ned tells her that she depends on others too much. He reminds her of the love they shared, and assures her she's stronger than she thinks. She can do it. She has to save herself now. Ned disappears, and the words seem to light a fire in Betty Brant.

Back on the roof, Spidey is gloating about how he's going to kill Flash. He gets a hammer to the back of the head, and tackled by Flash. Flash is convinced that this Spider-Man is a fake, because Flash was easily able to cut his way out of his web trap with a screwdriver. Also...the real Spider-Man would have been able to dodge the hammer Flash threw because his Spider-Sense would have warned him of the hammer heading towards his head. Another detail I noticed. He starts beating on the fake Spidey, screaming that the fake Spidey is lying about his friendship with Spider-Man, and he is no loser. He tears off Spidey's mask, and "Spider-Man"'s real face is revealed.

Not quite as scary as I expected. The demon Spider-Man starts to strangle Flash, taunting him about his glory days of being a high school football star having long passed him by. Flash is a boy who fears growing up, because he's nothing. He has no potential, and is not worth anything to anyone, as far as the demon is concerned.

Betty returns to Flash's apartment, and found a ton of lit candles all over the place. The wax smell is overwhelming. She grabs the gas heater, as she has a plan. Zombie Ned returns and reveals that he lit the candles. Betty tells him that he's not really Ned. The zombie Ned returns to its true demonic form.

Ahhh, that's a nice creepy face! The demon, feeling sporting, gives Betty a chance to run and hide. She refuses, as she's done with that. He tells her to scream. He likes it when they scream. She won't do that, either. Instead, she turns on the gas heater. On the roof, Flash is grappling with the demon Spidey. A bolt of lightning hits the antenna, causing it to collapse. Flash grabs a wire attached to the antenna and uses it to swing himself and demon Spidey into his apartment. Flash gets a whack in the mouth from the demon impersonating Ned, but Betty jams the gas heater into "Ned's" body, grabs Flash, and gets out of there. You see, when Flash and demon Spidey burst into the apartment, they knocked over some of the candles, causing a fire. And Betty turned on the gas heater. You can guess what happens next.

Yup. The apartment goes up in smoke, and it takes the demons with it. Betty and Flash laugh in relief about surviving. They notice something else, too. The screaming, the craziness...it's over. It's all over. Even the Empire State Building is back to normal. This is due to the events of X-Factor #38 (March 1989), in which the X-Men and X-Factor were able to defeat N'Astirh and his demon horde. Betty is overjoyed. They survived the night by themselves. Just themselves. But Flash thinks of it another way. They had help. As he watches Spider-Man swing by, he points out that it was not the superheroes who saved himself and Betty, it was the heroes within themselves that allowed them to survive.

This issue is awesome. I love that the creatives took the opportunity to take this tie-in into a crossover event and make it into a nice little character piece. I liked that we got to see Betty Brant discover her own inner strength and Flash find his own internal hero. I also liked that it was kept ambiguous whether it was really the ghost of Ned Leeds that visited Betty or just her imagination. It would have been easy to say it was Ned's ghost considering the circumstances, so I think that it's very clever that they decide to let the reader make their own interpretation. Betty Brant overcame both her metaphorical and literal demons in this story, and it's a joy to read.

Sal Buscema's art makes some great creepy sights, like the zombies at the beginning and the demons. He also is great at making characters rather expressive. I still got a bit of a chuckle at his portrayal of a terrified Betty Brant. He drew her eyes very big and wide with small pupils, like she's a cartoon character. It's amusing.

I hope you all enjoyed this little Halloween treat I made for all of you. You know, I can't help but wonder. What was Spider-Man himself doing during the Inferno? Well, let's find that out in a nice little Halloween bonus! Next time, Spider-Man deals with a demonic siege of the Daily Bugle...

Reign of the Supermen IGN Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in August, I gave my thoughts on the trailer for the animated film Reign of the Supermen, which was going to adapt the return of Superman after his death battling Doomsday. Unlike the animated film Superman: Doomsday, this one was promising to be more true to the comic storyline. I wonder how they'll do that, as it's a pretty big story. Will it be a two-part film like the animated adaptation of Dark Knight Returns was? That would make sense.

Anyway, IGN has a special exclusive trailer for the film, so let's take a look!

Oh hi, Steel! How you doing?

Nice to see the Eradicator in action.

Heh heh, I love that wink. Early Conner Kent Superboy was a cocky little twerp.

The Cyborg Superman looks rather menacing in that shot. But it makes sense. Trust me. Read the story.

That guy's speech is kind of funny considering that the rest of the Justice League and the Titans are still kicking. I mean, if all the heroes died fighting Doomsday, then yeah, his speech would make more sense. Just my opinion.

Cyborg Superman wants to create heroes? This won't end well...

Hey, Bibbo! How ya doin', Bibbo? I like his design and voice, even though I do miss the incarnation from the DCAU Superman cartoon.

Yeah, I'm guessing those flying people are from the Cyborg Superman's "create heroes" thing.

I wonder how they'll do the final battle in this adaptation, because it looks like the League will be involved.

Yeah, Earth is a target, but it's not like Superman was the only superhero. He was one of the more powerful ones, yes, but there are others. The League is still active. Also, if the comics are any indication, Steel, the Eradicator, and Superboy will also be helping out, so...I think Earth will be alright.

Well, I have to admit, I am excited for this. The Reign of the Supermen was one of the first complete comic book storylines I ever read. It was a part of an era of Superman I love and consider criminally underrated. I am happy it's getting attention, and I hope it brings interest in an era of the Superman comics that I think deserves a LOT more love. I hope they do a good job of adapting it. I can understand some changes will be made for this, but I hope they get the essence of the story down. Bring it on, WB Animation!

Super Mario Party Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in July, I gave my thoughts on the trailer for Super Mario Party, the Mario Party series' debut game on the Nintendo Switch. Well, now that the game is out, they released a launch trailer for it! Let's take a look!

Wow. Crab mech with hammers. Scary, but awesome.

CHAIN CHOMP ON THE RAMPAGE! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

A contest of...who can vacuum up the most dust? I think they're running a bit low on ideas for party games. Wasted opportunity to pay homage to Luigi's Mansion as well.

Pie fight!

I'm assuming those are all the playable characters. Is that a female Boom-Boom next to Yoshi and Rosalina? Is that a new character they're introducing in the game? ...Okay, on further research, I found out her name is Pom Pom. She first appeared in Super Mario 3D Land, and she throws boomerangs.

Oh, I can imagine this game will give the wrists a workout.

Based on what I saw of the Sound Stage stuff, you'd better make sure you and your friends are playing this game in a very large room.

The Mario gang go whitewater rafting! I want to see a cartoon of that!

The image of Bowser and Bowser Jr. corralling penguins is hilarious.

Those are some BIG Cheep-Cheeps! What the heck have they been fed?!

I like the idea of how putting two Switches together can affect the gameplay of certain games.

And of course, the classic board game mode returns.

That haunted house board looks neat. I hope they have some fun and go nuts with the boards. Do stuff that can't be done with physical boards in real life. Take advantage of it!

Heh heh, fishing for those eels from Mario 64. I can imagine those must be baby eels.

KING BOB-OMB IS SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THESE PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND ON HIS BOARD LIKE MANIACS!

Hey, tag-teams on the board! Awesome!

Challenger Road sounds neat.

How did a Goomba lose to Mario in a bike race?! Wait, they got no legs. And no arms, so they can't steer.

Is this the first Mario Party to have online play? About time, I say.

Well, this game looks like it'll be a ton of fun. I've never really played the Mario Party series, so I can't wait to give it a shot.

The Spectre #1 (December 1992)

The Spectre. The DC Universe's resident Angel of Vengeance. Created by Jerry Siegel (yes, the same Jerry Siegel who co-created Superman) and Bernard Baily, the character first appeared in More Fun Comics #52 (February 1940).

Who is the Spectre? Well, the Spectre was a fallen angel named Aztar who had participated in Lucifer's rebellion against heaven, but ended up regretting it and repented. As part of his penance, he would serve as an embodiment of God's anger. But he needed a human spirit to guide him. Enter James "Jim" Corrigan. A police officer who was murdered by criminals. They stuffed him into a barrel of cement and tossed him into a body of water. His spirit would be chosen to guide Aztar, and they would work together as The Spectre for years.

Being one of DC's oldest characters, he understandably has a very long history. He was one of the members of the first superhero team: The Justice Society of America. He would be revived with the rest of the JSA in the 1960s. The 1970s saw him get some stories in Adventure Comics by  writer Michael Fleicher and artist Jim Aparo that would be seen as controversial for the gruesome punishments the Ghostly Guardian would hand out to criminals.

In 1986, there was a series planned for the Spectre, to be written by Steve Gerber and drawn by Gene Colan. However, Gerber missed the deadline because he was visiting the set of Howard the Duck's cinematic debut, which was on its last day of shooting. As a result, DC cancelled it. He would get a self-titled series under the pen of Doug Moench, which lasted 31 issues. This series recast Jim Corrigan as an occult-leaning private detective.

This comic I'll be looking at is the first issue of his 1992 series, which was written by John Ostrander and featured art by Tom Mandrake. It was his third solo series. Ostrander was a good fit for the Spectre, as he was a former theology student. During his run, he would put the Wrath of God in complex moral situations and also re-examined James Corrigan, the man bound to the angel.

And I figured...hey, it's October, Halloween is coming up, what better time for the Spirit of Vengeance to get spotlighted here on this little blog? Let's take a look at The Spectre #1!

The cover is pretty awesome. A Tom Mandrake piece, you got the Spectre standing in front of a pile of skeletons, and behind him there's more skeletons forming a giant skull. It's awesome and creepy. Perfect for a Spectre cover. I love it! Evidently, I heard this cover had a "glow-in-the-dark" gimmick. That's really neat. I can imagine how it would look in the dark, the Spectre's body glowing like that. So creepy.

"Crimes of Violence"
Writer: John Ostrander
Artist: Tom Mandrake
Inker: Tom Mandrake
Colorist: Digital Chameleon
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editor: Dan Raspler
Executive Editor: Jenette Khan

The story begins with Jim Corrigan walking towards a hospital.

In a nice nod, it's known as the "Siegel-Baily General Hospitals". Get it? Because Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily created the Spectre, as I said earlier. He's looking for a man, a man named Louis Snipe. And said Mr. Snipe happens to be a patient at this very hospital.

In the hospital ward Mr. Snipe is staying at, we meet a nice woman named Amy Beitermann. She's a social worker who is helping another patient with some forms. She closes the curtain around Snipe's bed, giving the sleeping old man something resembling privacy. A voice wakes him up, and the Spectre appears over the old man.

Jim Corrigan used to bust him...before his death fifty years earlier. Yeah, this was from 1992. They shoved him a barrel of cement and tossed him into the river. Evidently, they felt cement shoes were cliché. Corrigan wants Snipe to remember this. Corrigan is a tired man. For fifty years, he's confronted evil, and...the world has only seemed to get worse. More evil acts, more kinds of evil acts. He is convinced Snipe may know, and wants answers. However, Amy Beitermann finds Corrigan, so he decides to leave.

Beitermann introduces herself, saying she overheard him, and offers to help him out. Corrigan turns it down, saying his problem is beyond therapy. She notes that he's the way she likes 'em: cute and weird. She then spots him out on the street, wondering how he got down there so fast. She witnesses a drive-by. Corrigan is hit, but the bullets seem to not only pass through him, but he vanishes in green smoke.

The shooters drive away, only to encounter the Spectre peeking out of the street. They drive into his mouth, and end up...in space.

Criminals! In Spaaaaaaaace! However, the shooters wake up, thinking it was just a dream...or was it?

Yup, they got grafted to the Spectre's fingers. The embodiment of God's Wrath lecture them about how they brought death with no remorse. Their weapons and drugs brought pain, and it does not bother them. So, he's going to give them some of his own idea of karmic retribution. The Spectre creates a syringe and injects himself in the arm, causing the shooters to burn alive. They ended up in their overturned car...yeah, it's weird. The Spectre seems to get into a bit of a funk about it.

Amy runs out, curious and confused. She notes that an old friend has arrived.

Meet Inspector Nate Kane, policeman. No relation to Kate Kane, so don't ask him. She asks him about a Jim Corrigan, thinking that he may have had a dad or grandfather who was a cop. Kane recalls there was a detective named Corrigan, who had left the force and became a private detective, specializing in the occult. This is a nod to his previous solo series. She wonders if he's still in business, but Kane has no idea.

Elsewhere in town, a pair of men are leaving an office building after working late. One of the men, a young up-and-comer named Danny Trofft, buys some flowers and heads to an apartment. Young Mr. Trofft has a date tonight. However, his date seems to think his name is Eddie. How odd. She takes his flowers and puts them in a vase. She tells him there's something he needs to know. However, he assures her that he knows everything he needs to know about her...while coming at her with a knife.

I'm guessing he was adopted, and his birth name was Bateman. That night, The Spectre visits Snipe, wanting to know why they are the way they are. Corrigan was a ruthless, violent cop back when he was alive. Why? The Spectre intends to find out...by going into Snipe's soul.

He finds himself inside a twisted city, the way Snipe remembers it. He also discovers that he's Jim Corrigan again. He then gets ambushed by Snipe. Corrigan finds himself in a familiar pickle.

Corrigan finds himself reliving his death, but he wondering why Snipe is here. After all, Snipe was just some informant, a snitch. He wasn't even there when he was killed. However, Snipe has a secret: He was the reason Corrigan was killed. He gave the cop a tip that led to his death by cement barrel. Corrigan wants answers. He knew Snipe's family. They were good, decent, God-fearing people...except for him. Why?

Snipe then goes into a rant about how being good gets you nowhere in life, how his father got fired when he couldn't work anymore, how they were poor despite all of it, his brother dying in the war (presumably WWII),and he starts ranting about how rich kids were able to get out of fighting. Basically, Snipe has become a nihilist. He believes nothing matters, and there is no point in doing good or caring about others. There's also no Heaven or Hell, as far as he is concerned. You just get suckered in the end. So, best to sucker everyone you can. However, Corrigan does disagree with him on one thing.

The Spectre tells Snipe that the afterlife does exist, and he will face justice. However, Snipe is quick to remind the Spectre that this is his soul, and as such, it's his turf. He tries to shoot at the Spectre, but it's no good. Keep in mind, Jim Corrigan is already dead. Not one to give up or learn from anything, Snipe keeps on shooting. Spectre points out that this "city" is burning. His body is dying, and his soul is nothing but a black hole. The Angel of Vengeance shows this by forming a pair of his own guns, and shooting a hole in Snipe. The hole sucks the man inside, Snipe realizing the Spectre was right. He's sucked into the hole, screaming to be filled. The Spectre is nearly caught in it, but manages to escape.

He flees Snipe's now dead body. He had always suspected Snipe's role in his death, and he wanted to be sure. The story ends with James Corrigan lamenting that even though all his killers are now dead, he is still not at rest.

This issue was pretty awesome. It was neat seeing Jim Corrigan's origin explored a bit more. I also liked the twist of Corrigan not finding any rest or freedom after Snipe dies. Helps foreshadow the general theme of the series. Things are going to get murky. I also liked the serial killer plotline setting up, and the nod at his previous status quo. Gives us an ongoing threat for the Spectre, and helps us feel like the transition is more natural. Tom Mandrake's art is so perfect for the Spectre. It gives that creepy, moody vibe that is a good fit for the character and the darker tone of his stories. I also liked the comic's use of panel shapes and placement to indicate mood and motion in places.

All in all, I recommend this comic. If you want to read it for yourself, I recommend picking up the 2014 trade paperback The Spectre Vol. 1: Crimes and Judgements. It's a great read for Halloween. Next time, we keep the Halloween spirit going with Spider-Man as two of his supporting cast make their way through the Inferno...

Text Play: Pokemon Mega Adventure #14

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to the Akiba Region! Let's have some fun as we take on my fourteenth entry in my Text Play through Pokémon Mega Adventure!

Grinding, grinding, and more grinding. I have done a ton of grinding for Mary's gym. During the process, I caught my first shiny Pokémon in the game ever: A Pidgeotto. I had taken breaks by trying to win some coins at the Fairy City Game Corner. Nearly got 250 so far. Almost enough to get an Abra at the prize shop. I don't get why it's a separate building. You'd think they'd be part of the same building. The architect must've been drunk. Anyway, I don't want to hold this off much longer, I have to beat this Gym to go further in the game.

I hate this Gym. I just stepped inside, and I already hate this Gym. I hate the teleporters. I have theorized in the past that this game started out as a remake of the original Red/Blue, and I would not be surprised if this was originally meant to be a new version of Sabrina's gym in Red and Blue. I hated Sabrina in those games. Seriously. I've ranted about her in previous entries, so I will not annoy you all by doing it again here.

This Gym's teleporters are going to be so fun to try and find a way through. The game does have a wiki, but it's not very helpful as there's barely any info in it. Yes, I have been basically going blind throughout this game. But at least there will be trainers I can battle to give my Pokémon more experience. But I think I managed to figure it out. From the entrance, you go to the teleporter on the right, which takes you to the first room.

From there, you go straight to the bottom right teleporter, which takes you to this room.

From there, go to the top right one, which will take you to this room.

And then go to the bottom left to enter this room.

And finally, go to the top right teleporter, and there you are! Mary herself! God, I hate the teleporters here. Anyway, we're finally at Mary's room. Red is waiting for me to challenge her already. So, here we go!

She starts off with an Azumarill. Magnus the Magnemite easily took care of that one with a couple of Thundershocks. Her second Pokémon was a Sylveon. I sent out Gearloose the Klink in response to it. Its Gear Grind attack nearly took it down with one shot, but Mary had a Hyper Potion for it. Despite that, and Gearloose taking some heavy damage from its Dazzling Gleam, the Klink won out with Gear Grind. The last Pokémon Mary had was a Gardevoir. And it turns out Mary has a Gardevoirite, allowing it to Mega Evolve into Mega Gardevoir.

I have to admit, Mega Gardevoir looks very graceful. And as the screenshot shows, she beat my Klink. I sent out Yeaworth, my Grimer, out against her. She managed to beat Grimer, but it did some heavy damage thanks to its Sludge Bomb. Magnemite went out next, and was downed in one hit thanks to Dazzling Gleam. Amy the Sandslash was no help, either. Torracat went out next, and thankfully, was able to finish it off with a Fire Fang. And with that, the battle was won. Mary awarded me the Pixie Badge, which allows the player to use Surf outside of battle. I also got TM97, Dazzling Gleam.

Red has a little gift for me from Professor Oak: HM03...aka, Surf. He also gave me a Mega Bracelet. He's also told me my dad has returned to Okimira Town. Wait...my player character has a DAD I this game? That's...not unheard of, but somewhat unusual. He said he'll meet me there. I gotta backtrack all the way back to the town I started in. On the way to leave Fairy City, I found that Red and Brandon have themselves a battle going on.

Yup, Team Prime are at it again. Evidently, they haven't learned their lesson from the beating they took at the Power Plant, so the three of us have got to hand them another beating...well, considering this is a Pokémon game, beat them in another Pokémon battle. And I learned something new. A Mr. Celestial was behind the Team Prime attack at the Power Plant. Interesting...

Anyway, the grunt I fought had a couple of Dratinis and a Dragonair. The first Dratini had Dragon Rage, which hit my Pokémon hard, but Amy the Sandslash shook them up real good with Magnitude. The grunts fled, but Red and Brandon advised against chasing them. They explain that the grunts ran into Misty island, and there are lots of Dragon-types around there. They are also very strong. I should get stronger before going to Misty Island. Red and Brandon have stronger, more experienced Pokémon, so they're going ahead.

I looked in my map, and I found that Misty Island is on a stop to Misty Village, which may have a shortcut to Okimira Town. I guess I'll have to travel through the Island. And I think that's where I'll stop for today. Next time, I'll go through Misty Island! Wish me luck!

Pokémon Obtained:
Windflow Bridge
- Pidgeotto (Shiny)

Starlink: Battle for Atlas Star Fox Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in September, I looked at two trailers for the video game Starlink: Battle for Atlas: The story and gameplay trailers. The Nintendo Switch version of the game would also cross over with the Star Fox franchise. It does make sense. Both franchises are science fiction-based about space heroes fighting tyrants. Makes sense they would meet up. The heroes of Starlink could afford to learn some tips from the group that's been kicking Andross's head in since 1993.

Well, the Star Fox team has their own special trailer. Let's take a look!

Ohh Fox, you are not in the Lylat system anymore.

Heh heh, I can imagine in this shared universe, the Star Fox team are seen as legendary heroes. That would be a great interaction base for the two groups. Although I do wish Krystal was part of the team. Yeah, I liked Star Fox: Assault.

Ugh, that leg does not look tasty, Wolf.

I hope these special Star Fox missions allow us to see some character depth from the Star Fox gang.

I liked the footage imitating the typical rail shooter and free-range modes of Star Fox games. Nice touch there. And the remix of the Corneria theme is awesome. It's become an iconic theme for the franchise, so its inclusion in something Star Fox is always welcome.

"Do a barrel roll!" YES!

I hope one of those extra weapons the Arwing can get is a smart bomb launcher. Those things were so helpful in Star Fox 64.

Well, this seems rather neat. I never really thought about this game until the whole Star Fox crossover stuff was announced, and then it had my attention. I hope this game is good.

Daredevil Season Three trailer, My Thoughts

In 2015, Netflix released the first season of its television adaptation of Daredevil. It starred Charlie Cox as the Man Without Fear.

The series would get critical praise, albeit the first season got more than the second. It was nominated for many awards, and won several. It also kicked off the Netflix side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as it would lead to series focusing on Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher. The Man Without Fear would join forces with Luke, Jessica, and Iron Fist in The Defenders.

I myself have been slowly going through the second season. I love the show, so I was very excited to learn that a third season was coming. And here's the trailer for it!

Ahh, New York. The City that Never Sleeps. The city that goes insane on a regular basis in the MCU.

No good deed goes unpunished in Matt Murdock's world.

Looks like Matt's going back to his roots, based on his going back to his "black sweats". I really gotta finish Season 2.

Uh oh, Fisk is back. Matt and the gang are in trouble. Hay, doesn't he have some other super-powered friends he can call for help?

Hey, he's rockin' the white suit! Awesome! Fisk wore white suits in the comics, so it's nice to see him in one here.

I think that'll be the theme of this episode, how far will Matt go? Will he become a monster himself, a true Devil?

Holy cow, that whole bit with the fake Daredevil? That reminded me of Born Again. that makes sense. I heard this season will be using elements of Born Again. Makes sense, as that is considered one of the greatest Daredevil stories ever. I talked a bit about Born Again in my review of Daredevil #233 (August 1986). Man, has it really been six months since Daredevil graced this blog? Wow. Gotta look at another adventure of his some time. Maybe something from Annie Nocenti's run. I do have one issue in mind...

Anyway, you can see Born Again's influence in Matt's state here. He looks like he is at his lowest point. Man, I need to finish Season 2.

I am hyped for this. I loved the series so far, and I can't wait to watch it!

Crisis on Infinite Earths #10 (January 1986)

The Crisis on Infinite Earths rages on! During a lull when it seemed like the Anti-Monitor was dead, the supervillains of the Multiverse saw an opportunity for conquest. And so, they did, conquering three of the remaining Earths. However, there's a coup in the ranks, and the Anti-Monitor isn't quite dead yet. So, how will the coup go? What's the Anti-Monitor got planned? And how will this miniseries ring in 1986? Let's find out in our look at Crisis on Infinite Earths #10!

The cover is awesome. You got the Anti-Monitor and the Spectre facing off, standing in a swirling galaxy-like thing in a void. It gives the impression that these two are going to have an epic face-off. It makes sense because the Spectre is literally the Wrath of God. And then there's all the heroes and villains being scattered all over the place. It shows that for all the power they have, it's nothing to what the Spectre and the Anti-Monitor are going to bring into play here. It's a great cover, and you do get an idea of what's going to go down here. I love it so much.

"Death at the Dawn of Time"
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciler: George Perez
Inker: Jerry Ordway
Colorist: Anthony Tollin
Letterer: John Costanza
Editors: Len Wein, Robert Greenberger, Marv Wolfman
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with Psimon trying to use his powers to turn Lex Luthor's brain into mush. Psimon, being the suspicious type, had stayed behind while Luthor and Brainiac sent the other villains out to conquer Earths 4, X, and S. Psimon liked the idea, but he felt that he should be the one to pick up the pieces and rule. As such, he waited to strike. However, Psimon's plan had a fatal flaw.

Yup. Brainiac. "But wait," you may ask. "Didn't Psimon destroy him?" Well, yeah. Kind of. You see, Psimon did destroy the body Brainiac was using. But Brainiac himself is a disembodied consciousness, and is part of the awesome skull ship itself. As a result, he was able to build himself a new body while Psimon was busy trying to make Luthor's brains into mush. And with that, the robotic rogue is able to literally blow Psimon's brains out.

On Earth-1's prehistoric era, Anthro spots the same storm that the Balloon Buster and the WWII characters saw in the last issue. This, combined with his seeing the 31st-century city in issue 2, leaves the First Boy on Earth wondering if he is going crazy.

On Earth-4, in its New York City, Chemo just stares at the sea he poisoned. Despite him just being a living blob of chemicals, he feels a strange satisfaction. An enraged Negative Woman is able to wrap herself around the chemical vessel and shatter it. Aqualad desperately tries to get Tula to safety, despite knowing she's going to die. Black Adam is battling the Don Hall Dove and Robotman, but Kole stops him by turning him into crystal. In a nice character moment, the Hank Hall Hawk is about to smash the crystalline statue Black Adam has become, but Don is able to stop him.

On Earth-S, A group of villains including Dr. Sivana have the Marvel family bound and gagged and on ice as it were.

Heh heh, on ice. I am funny. They get attacked by the Martian Manhunter and Platinum of the Metal Men. The Ray Palmer Atom frees the Marvel Family, and Billy Batson transforms into the original Captain Marvel. On Earth-X, more heroes are trying to depose the ruling villains. Batman clobbers Calendar Man. Firestorm and Vixen take down Captain Cold and Icicle. Speedy brings down the Shaggy Man. Brainiac and Luthor are watching the battle, and Brainiac notes that the villains' unwillingness to work together is causing trouble for them. A disappinted Luthor was hoping they'd still have a better showing. They, as well as the heroes' human allies, discover a massive energy influx.

It's the Spectre, and he's basically here to tell the heroes and villains alike that they need to knock off the Super Smash Bros. antics. You see...the Anti-Monitor is still alive. He plans to go to the beginning of time, and alter time to prevent the forming of the Multiverse. I'm not sure how he's going to pull that off. The heroes and villains must join forces to stop them. Half of this combined force must go to the beginning of time so they can engage the Anti-Monitor. The other half must go to Oa, to do some history-changing of their own. Brainiac and Luthor consider this, and ultimately decide the Anti-Monitor is indeed the greater threat.

Over a hundred heroes and villains meet on Earth-1's Death Valley. The Lord of Time has provided his temporal transporter, the Legion brought their Time Bubbles, and Rip Hunter has his Time Sphere. Here we get a very nice moment with the Earth-2 Superman and his world's Lois Lane. Alex Luthor watches them as Lois and Superman converse for what might be the very last time. The group prepare to take a trip though time, but they find someone wanting to join them.

Yup, it's Superboy-Prime. Earth-1 Superman recognizes him as they met in DC Comics Presents #87 (November 1985). Superboy had vanished after the events of that comic. Prime himself says he's unsure of how he vanished, but he's here now, and his Earth is gone. I'll be frank here, I think the only reason why this guy was created was just so they could have Superboy appear in some way. Uncle Sam gives the assembled heroes and villains a speech.

I don't you about you, but I feel motivated. And with that, it's time to do some time-travelin'. The Metal Men's Gold has connected himself to the time machines. All the electrokinetic characters blast him with their lightning, with the Metal Men's Gold focusing it into the time machines. The Lord of Time takes his spaceship with a bunch of super-villains on it and heads off to ten billion years in the past. Jay Garrick and Wally West start running around the time machines as all the characters with magnetic powers fire off their abilities. With that, the big assemblage to the dawn of time. Brainiac observes this and notes that the chances of this plan working are very low.

In Atlantis, Garth managed to get Tula to help, but the prognosis is...she's gone. Aqualad collapses into Mera's arms in grief. Superman is pushing his way through the time stream, Alex Luthor in tow. He had never been able to reach the dawn of time under his own power, but thanks to the additional push of electromagnetic energy, he's able to reach it. At the right moment, Alex Luthor uses his own powers and opens the door to the antimatter universe. And once they arrive, the group are face to face with the Anti-Monitor himself.

He also has Pariah, who screams at the assembled heroes to flee. But then he also yells at them to destroy him. Make up your mind, man. He tells them not to worry about him, as he deserves his fate. The Anti-Monitor mocks this, saying that Pariah did not awaken him. All the former scientist did was inadvertently give the Anti-Monitor an opportunity to gain some extra power. This shocks Lady Quark, as she had been understandably angry at Pariah for the deaths of her family and world. Pariah is understandably surprised, too. He had been carrying around all this guilt for something that was not his fault. The heroes attack the antimatter-powered menace, firing various energies and hitting with mighty blows.

The scene then shifts to the past on the planet Oa. The villains rampage through a city, trying to get to Krona. A group of ancient Oans watch this and wonder why they're attacking. One senses that they want to help. Despite this, the Oans prioritize their property, and use their power to knock out the rampaging villains. Three villains manage to make it to Krona's lab, where they find the screen where he'll view the beginning of the universe: Mirror Master, Icicle, and Maaldor. The three end up arguing over which one gets to destroy it. Their arguing distracts them, allowing Krona to ambush and kill them.

Meanwhile, things are not going well for the heroes at the dawn of time. The Anti-Monitor wrecks them, saying that he wanted them to follow him here. He starts to drain their life energies, as he expended his own to get here. He plans to alter time by having his hand be the one Krona sees when he peers into the origins of the universe. The hand that destroys his and all the positive universes once and for all. Pariah pleads for someone to stop him, but nobody can. Well, nobody except one.

The Spectre grips the Anti-Monitor's hand and some weird...tug-of-war thing happens, I have no idea. The Spectre is boosted by the sorcerers of the DCU, their magicks flowing into him. They have to contain the Anti-Monitor, as killing him would doom their fellow heroes. Him having their energies and all. Jennifer Morgan notices a window in the air, and they realized the villains failed to stop Krona from doing his experiment. Dr. Fate believes all is lost, but the Spectre absolutely refuses to give up. He demands more power, and the story ends with everything...shattering like glass dropped from a great height.

There is something I must point out. Throughout the issue, Lyla is hanging out somewhere, presumably on Earth-1, making recordings in a 80s-futuristic recorder in black-and-white strips. This segment is called the Monitor Tapes, and it's basically a supplemental info dump, Lyla talking about various other things out of focus in the main story, like the heroic deaths of the Prince Gavyn Starman and Tommy Tomorrow rescuing the population of fourteen worlds.

This issue was perfectly fine. My one big complaint was the whole thing with the Spectre and the Anti-Monitor. What exactly were they doing? Was it some kind of cosmic tug of war or something? I don't get it. There are some great points. I enjoyed the moment with the Earth-2 Superman and Lois Lane. That was very nice. It was also a surprise to see the villains fail to prevent Krona's experiment. I also had a chuckle seeing Psimon's attempt at a coup fall flat on its face. I still would look at this as an issue that stands better when read as part of the whole storyline than on its own.

Speaking of the Spectre...next time, in the spirit of Halloween, we'll take a look at the embodiment of God's Wrath during the start of one of his solo series...

Luigi's Mansion 3DS Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in 2001, Nintendo released the game Luigi's Mansion as a launch title for the Nintendo GameCube. It was the 5th best-selling GameCube game of all time, and it was received well by critics, although they did point out its short length. It would get a sequel for the 3DS, and a third game has been announced for the Nintendo Switch.

The original Luigi's Mansion had also been announced to get a remake for the 3DS, and now the Launch trailer is out! Let's take a look!

Ah, this brings back memories. I loved this game so much. You know, you'd think Luigi would be at the very least suspicious that he was given a prize for winning a contest he never entered. But then again, there'd be no game.

Gotta admit, this remake looks good so far.

I am just having so much nostalgia watching this trailer. I really am.

Ooh, an upgraded Strobulb. that will come in handy. I think that's from Dark Moon.

Death will not stop those two from dancing the night away.

One good thing about being a ghost? Being able to eat all you want and never gain a pound.

Ghost!Hans is going to PUMP! *clap* YOU UP!

Having the map on the second screen is going to be SO handy and helpful. I'm not be sarcastic, I think it actually will be handy.

Wow, time attack mode that can also include two player co-op AND you don't both have to own the game? Sweet!

Gooigi. He's going to be an Echo Fighter for Luigi in Smash in the future.

Hey, a harder New Game+! That's neat!

I have to admit, I am excited for this game. But I admit, I am hoping for something. I would like to see more new bosses and rooms. That would be pretty cool. One of the big criticisms of the game was its short length, so I do hope that is addressed. Otherwise that, I am excited to play the original Luigis Mansion on the go!