Starman #15 (October 1989)

Starman is not one of DC Comics' most famous superheroes, but various incarnations of the character have been active in the DC Universe for 70 years. The original Starman was Theodore Henry "Ted" Knight. First appearing in Adventure Comics #16 (April 1941), he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley. Ted Knight was a scientist and astronomer who created a device known as the Cosmic Rod (originally called the "Gravity Rod"), which allowed him to fly and to manipulate energy. The original Starman would go on to join several other Golden Age-era superheroes to be part of the Justice Society of America and the All-Star Squadron. Sadly, like many of his heroic compatriots, Ted Knight would seemingly fade into obscurity with the end of the Golden Age of Comic Books.

Unlike the Green Lantern, Flash, or the Atom, Starman never got a revamp like they did during the Silver Age of Comics. That was always odd to me as a character who uses cosmic energy for power would have been a great fit in the more sci-fi-obsessed 1950s and 60s. Ted Knight himself would get revived alongside his JSA teammates, their new adventures now taking place on Earth-2.

The 1970s would see a new Starman: Mikaal Tomas, who first appeared in 1st Issue Special #12 (March 1976). Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Mike Vosburg, Tomas was an alien who originally came to Earth to conquer it, but then ended up being one of its protectors. He would also eventually be revealed to be one of DC Comics's first gay superheroes.

The 1980s would introduce another new Starman, one of two in fact: Prince Gavyn. This Starman first appeared in Adventure Comics #467 (January 1980), written by Paul Levitz, and drawn by Steve Ditko. He was a mutant alien prince, who used a staff and jeweled wristbands to manipulate the cosmic energies in his body to fly interstellar distances and shoot energy bolts. He was a casualty of the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

In the 1990s, the Starman legacy would be taken to new heights thanks to an ongoing Starman series that focused on Jack Knight, the youngest son of Ted Knight. Created by James Robinson and Tony Harris, this Starman series would be critically-and-fan-acclaimed, lasting 81 issues with annuals and special issues. Jack Knight was a reluctant superhero, eschewing his father's classic red-and-green Starman costume for street clothes and goggles. Jack would go on to join the Justice Society until he retired and passed the Cosmic Rod to Courtney Whitmore, who would take up the name "Stargirl" afterwards. This Starman series was also notable for tying together all the previous incarnations of Starman u to that point...including the one we're going to focus on here.

Remember when I said that the 1980s introduced two new Starmen? Well, the second one is who I'm spotlighting here. After the death of Prince Gavyn in Crisis, the newly house-cleaned DC Universe introduced the world to a spanking-new Starman: William "Will" Payton. Created by Roger Stern and Tom Lyle, Payton first appeared in Starman #1 (October 1988). Yes, Payton was the first of the Starmen to get his own ongoing series, years before Jack Knight. Payton was once an ordinary man, until he got hit by an energy beam from a satellite. This energy beam gave him super strength, limited shapeshifting, and the power to fire energy blasts from his hands. His superhero career would be rather short, and he would seemingly get killed in an event known as Eclipso: The Darkness Within. The 90s Starman series would reveal that his gaining his powers was...more complicated than previously thought.

I had found this comic in the back issue bins of a comic shop that my dad found in a mall. I thought that it would be a fun comic to look at. The scans come from the actual comic instead of a trade (The Stern/Lyle Starman title has never been collected in trade as far as I know). Also, in a sad case of cosmic kismet, it turns out that one of Will's co-creators, Tom Lyle, had recently passed away. As such, I thought that looking at this comic would be a nice tribute to Mr. Lyle.

I would also like to say that I would like to apologize for the scan quality. You see, I normally scan from trades. But this is from an actual comic book that is about 30 years old. Please keep that in mind. So, for my 800th blog entry, let's take a look at Starman #15!

The cover is pretty neat. It's a Tom Lyle piece. We see Starman get ambushed by the villainous Deadline. The cover really does help show Deadline's skill and powers. I do wish this Starman included a mask with his costume. I know he can change his face, but having a mask would be a great additional layer of security for his secret identity. Can't be too careful with that.

"Look--Up In The Sky...!"
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: Tom Lyle
Inker: Scott Hanna
Colorist: Carl Gafford
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Editor: Brian Augustyn
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with a man in a rundown hotel room, being rather frightened.

"I worry too much. I should just go see a show or something."

Meet Daniel Finster, a man way in over his head. He's worried about some gambling debts he ran up with a local Mafia boss names Sal Galvagno. He tries to relax, as he's been in this situation before. However, Daniel Finster is a man who seems to like pushing his luck. As such, he's in debt again. This time, Galvagno is not going to be patient.

Danny gets a call from his brother Morris. He and Joey Finster, Danny's brothers, are in Las Vegas. They've actually managed to win big at a casino. They almost got the money they need to pay off Galvagno. However, Daniel finds himself having some company, and he's not there to have coffee.

"You don't think my armor is too garish, do you?"

Meet Deadline, assassin for hire. Galvagno hired him to...let's just say tie up the loose end that is Danny Finster. Finster tries to shoot Deadline, but it turns out that the hired gun is superpowered, particularly intangibility. Basically, he can pass through solid surfaces a la Kitty "Shadowcat" Pryde. Deadline kills Finster, and decides to pay the newly-deceased man's brothers a "visit" in Vegas. It's there that the scene shifts to Sin City, which has a superpowered guest of its own.

"VEGAS, YOU JUST GOT GRACED BY THE LIGHT OF STARMAN!"

Will Payton just wanted to enjoy the fruits of the Silver City. You know, see a show, do a bit of gambling, enjoy a buffet, that kind of thing. But a superhero is never truly off duty, as he finds a Lear jet about to crash into the city. Starman gets the pilot to cut the plane's engines. Once that's done, Will flies underneath the plane and with great effort, is able to save the Lear jet and keep it from crashing into downtown Vegas.

"Lifting a plane that is full of people who just left the buffet. How does Superman DO this?!"

The crowd goes wild, cheering for the cosmic champion. With the crisis averted, the Starman is able to return to being plain ol' Will Payton once more. He's off to meet a friend named Phil Easton. He heads towards Easton's room, where he hears someone covering Johnny Rivers' "Secret Agent Man".

"Huh. I didn't know Phil could sing."

Turns out Phil is doing a bit of performing for a captive audience. I'm wondering how he's got this party going in a hotel room. We also see that quite a few of the female partyers are quite interested in our hero. Will wonders how Phil is able to afford this. Well, it turns out that Lady Luck had smiled on Phil, and he won a very nice chunk of change at the slot machines. He invited Will here because he's got money to burn, and he wants to...well, burn it. Will thinks he should put that money away for the future. Phil has some of the money saved up, but he's never had an opportunity to really live it up before. He finally has, and he wants to take it!

Will agrees to come along and help Phil live it up and stay out of trouble...in exchange for him paying to see Jay Leno's comedy show at Caesar's Palace. The two get some nice tuxedos and live it up.

"Ohhh, we are going to have so many drunken misadventures..."

Meanwhile, Morris "Morrie" Finster heads back to his hotel room. Unlike Phil, his night was a lousy one. He lost quite a lot of cash, but that's the least of his problems as Deadline is in town to pay him a visit. The superhuman assassin tells him he killed Danny, and he's next. Joey Finster also arrives, just as Deadline fixes the kink in Morrie's neck by snapping it.

It happens to be then that Will is helping the drunk Phil into a cab. He hears a gunshot, and goes to check it out. But not before making sure the cabbie gets Phil back to his hotel room and reimbursing him for his trouble. It's then he spots Deadline going after Joey. Will changes his face to resemble Jay Leno and confronts Deadline.

"Hey, Guns! Wanna see my garage?!"

Joey takes advantage of Deadline being distracted to run for his life. Deadline also decides to make his escape, because he was paid to kill the Finsters. After getting two of them, he's not going to let the third get away because of some fancy-dressed superhero. Deadline pursues Joey into a casino. He manages to catch up to the portly man and is about to kill him, but Starman is all "Nope to that, pal!"

"Ohhhh, epic fail, Deadline!"

Deadline is able to use his intangibility power to escape the cosmic champion, and pursues him into the storage areas under the casino. Deadline tries to ambush Starman with his intangibility powers and a knife to the neck, but Starman's durability makes cutting his neck rather tough. Deadline tries phasing his shotgun partially into our hero's body and firing, but that doesn't work either. The super-assassin runs for it, and is able to escape Payton's alter ego.

Meanwhile, the cops managed to get Joey Finster. Starman warns the police about Deadline and his powers. They take the sole surviving Finster brother to a holding cell, where he feels he is finally safe.

"I'm the BOOGEYMAN, and I'm comin' to GET YOU!"

Yeah, a regular holding cell is not going to stop Deadline. The next morning, Will and Phil are enjoying some breakfast at a diner. Phil is nursing the mother of all hangovers. Will decides to check out the local paper...where he learns that Deadline managed to kill Joey Finster. He blames himself for it, but is brought out of his funk by Phil noticing a photo of a man who resembles Will, only much older. Does Will have any relatives in San Francisco named "Deming"? Well, as it turns out, the name is not an unfamiliar one to our man.

"Dad, what did you DO?!"

Yup, that's our hero's father. And it looks like he's not in a good place right now.

This was a fun issue. Although, I will admit, I may be a bit biased because I'm a bit of a fan of Roger Stern, thanks to his work on Spider-Man and The Avengers. It was quite fun seeing Will live it up and have some fun in Las Vegas. We also get some great action in the comic. It's a good challenge for Starman to face a foe that he literally could not touch.

Deadline himself isn't much to write home about. He's seemingly just your standard assassin claiming to be "the best" at it. Him having superpowers is a nice touch, though. And it would make sense that in a world of superheroes and supervillains, there would be superpowered assassins. I did like that he was shown to be a skilled assassin, using his powers to great effect, as well as very hard to catch...not to mention that he won in the end. All three Finster brothers are dead. Better luck next time, Starman. I did also like that Starman was shown to be competent. Deadline had to work to evade the rookie hero. That was good to see.

Tom Lyle's art is very-well done. It's detailed, and a joy to look at. That's pretty much all I can think of to say about it, really. It's very nice. There are some minor issues, but they're more nitpicky. Lyle's characters are expressive, and he can draw some good action.

If you want to read this for yourself, well...the original Starman has never been collected in trade as far as I know (DC never really tends to release a lot of their 80s stuff in trade outside of New Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinite Earths, or Dark Knight Returns), nor is it out officially on digital platforms (again, as far as I know, as I've never really bought comics in digital before). You'll have to search the back issue bins for this.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! Join me the week after next (I'll be out of town, so no comic review next week), where we join one of DC's most infamous Western-era characters as they deal with life in a post-apocalyptic future...

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Thanksgiving day, everyone!

Today is the day that we reflect on things that we are thankful for. Please forgive the awkwardness, because I am no good at things like this.

Like last year, I am thankful for my family and my friends. I'm thankful that I have a home and loved ones to celebrate this day with. I am thankful to everyone who has read and enjoyed this blog over the last five years or so. I'm nearly at 800 entries already. Thank you all so much for the support.

I know there are some readers here that maybe can't be with their families for whatever the reason. I just want to say that hey, you're not alone, and you do matter. You are valid. You are loved. Be safe, and take care of yourself.

I hope this day brings you joy and love, not to mention delicious turkey or whatever you choose to have for dinner tonight.

Dolittle Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1920, the children's book The Story of Doctor Dolittle debuted, written and drawn by British author Hugh Lofting. The first in a series of Victorian England-era-set books, it told the tale of Dr. John Dolittle, a veterinarian with the ability to talk to animals. Lofting first illustrated the character in letters he wrote to his children while he was in the trenches of World War I.

The book would be a hit, leading to a series of sequels (two published after Lofting's death in 1947). The Story of Doctor Dolittle would win the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958, and the first sequel The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle would win the Newbury Medal in 1923.

The series would get adaptations to various media over the years, including an animated series. The first film adaptation of the book series was done in 1967, with Rex Harrison in the title role. However, those of my generation may be more aware of the 1998 film with Eddie Murphy as the titular doctor. That film would spawn some sequels. Now, in 2020, a new Dolittle is coming to film, with the Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr. taking up the doctor's coat. Let's take a look at the trailer.

Ooh look, I think that's Polynesia the Parrot! He was one of Dolittle's animal pals in the books.

I wonder who cleans up after these animals? Because you know they're going to make a mess.

Riding an ostrich into a building. Now that is how you make an entrance.

I think it would be so funny if that goose there was just cursing out everyone.

That giraffe is like "Yo, you got any Funyuns? I got the major munchies right now."

Is it just me, or does that octopus and gorilla look like they're obvious CGI? Like, you can clearly tell they're CGI.

Dolittle, what did you DO?!

I do kind of find the voice that Downey Jr. uses as Dolittle kind of odd. Like he's trying to do a bit of a campier version of the voice he used as Sherlock Holmes. Those were good movies, I heard a third was coming, and I hope that's true.

That's quite a cast they got there.

The big thing I did like about this trailer is that we don't really get any idea of what the story of the film is about. All we seem to get is that this young boy meets Dolittle, and he ends up in jail somehow. I do think Robert Downey Jr. will do a good job, he's a very good actor. And I am quite impressed with the cast. The film does look like it will be a visual spectacle. Hopefully, it will be enjoyable.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Roof Rage Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

My two favorite game genres are RPGs and platformers. As a kid, platformers like the Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog series made me a gamer. Pokémon made me fall in love in with the role-playing genre. However, over the years, I have grown open to trying out other genres. One of them is fighting. My favorite fighting series is the Super Smash Bros. series. But this other fighting game has gotten my interest. This is Roof Rage.

Don't you just hate it when you're casually cleaning your sword and some dude comes to pick a fight? It's very annoying, happens to me a lot.

Huh. This game makes me think they slapped Brawlhalla and Samurai Shodown in a blender. Huh. Funny, I looked at the trailer for the reboot of Samurai Shodown yesterday and now this. I swear, I did not intend this.

Did that dude use one of Ryu's attacks from Street Fighter?!

I have played Brawlhalla, and I think that game's characters honestly have a bit more pizzazz. But to be fair, I think that's because Brawlhalla's characters can draw from a wider variety of influences.

Robot ninja is cool, though. Makes sense it would be. Robots are cool. Ninjas are cool. Put them together, the coolness factor gets squared.

I think the 8/16-bit aesthetic is really neat.

I also like that the game seemingly is making an effort to have a variety of stages.

Ooooooh, train to the face!

Imagine taking a beating from a roof tile. That would suck.

Nice batch of features there.

Not a lot to say about this, really. It does seem like a fun little game, especially if you like Brawlhalla. I also imagine you'd like it if you were a fan of Samurai Shodown. If there's a demo, I'll give it a shot myself.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Samurai Shodown 2019 Announcement Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1993, SNK released the game known as Samurai Shodown for their Neo Geo arcade machines and home consoles. Like other fighting game series such as Capcom's Street Fighter, it would spawn a franchise that brought about numerous sequels, spin-offs, and animated adaptations. The game stood out from many other games in the genre in two ways: Unlike the modern day, the game would be set in Feudal Japan, and it focused on weapon-based combat.

The game would be ported to various other consoles and handhelds of the era like the Super NES, Genesis, Game Boy, Sega DC, Sega Saturn, the 3DO, and even the first two PlayStations. The original arcade version would be highly praised, but the ports would get various levels of good reception. 

Earlier this year, a reboot of the series, titled simply Samurai Shodown, came out for the PS4, Xbox One, and the arcade. And next year, it's coming to the Nintendo Switch and Windows in the West! Let's take a look!

The year: 1787. The place: Japan, the Tenmei era.

Why can't spirits from beyond simply be nice? Just want to say hello and hang out?

I have no idea who any of these characters are.

From what I understand, the Samurai Shodown games tend to showcase the Japanese culture heavily, including letting the characters' speech go undubbed. Which does make sense, considering the setting of the series.

I have to admit, I like the music in this trailer. It's fast-paced, energizing, and the usage of traditional Japanese instruments gives it a cool sound.

OH MY GOD DID THAT GUY GET CRUSHED BY A GIANT FOOT?!

Huh. Samurai Shodown! 2. That's neat they're re-releasing an old game like this. That's a cool bonus.

Well, I have never played a Samurai Shodown game before. I have heard of the series, but that's about it. I may give this a try, though. Hope they put out a demo. The game looks pretty good.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! See you next time!

NWA Powerrr Episode 7, My Thoughts

Before we begin, I want to establish something. This episode of NWA Powerr did get some controversy attached to it. Basically, during one of the matches, Jim Cornette decided to show how much of an old man he is. It's led to him and the NWA parting ways. Also, NWA took down the episode and then re-uploaded it with the offending comment edited out. But I think the NWA should be called out as well. You see, these shows were taped. They were not done live. They had an opportunity to not let Cornette's remark be heard in the first place. A lot of ball-dropping there on their part.

I have considered no longer watching the show, but I thought that would be unfair to the wrestlers who were working hard to make the show so fun to watch. I feel it would be unfair to punish them for Cornette's stupidity. So, I still will watch because they deserve the support, and I've grown to like this bunch of mat maniacs gracing this series. Also, I found Cornette on commentary sometimes, so I'm not exactly sad to see him go. So with that out of the way, let's take a look at the seventh episode of NWA Powerrr!

Recap time!

Nick Aldis is going rrrretro!

Aldis vs. Murdoch, huh? This'll be a fun match.

Murdoch's like "Dude, I'm right here! I can HEAR you!"

Match #1 - NWA World Champion Nick Aldis vs. Trevor Murdoch (Non-Title Match)

Murdoch targeting that shoulder.

Awww, below the belt! That should eb a DQ, right there!

I think Aldis underestimated Murdoch a bit there!

I think Murdoch botched there.

Winner: Nick Aldis by submission

Good match, surprised to see THAT out of Murdoch. And I think we're getting a slow heel turn out of Aldis.

The Rock 'n' Roll Express have got to be in their sixties by now.

These guys need theme music. Would fit their characters really well.

Is Thom Latimer British?

This commercial is funny.

Match #2 - ?The Question Mark? vs. Ricky Starks

I'm surprised how quickly this crowd took to ?The Question Mark?. It's really cool, actually. I hope the person under the mask is very happy and proud of themselves.

You don't know a lot of things, Cornette. Like that it's not the 1980s anymore.

Aaand Aron Stevens ruins everything.

Oh thank God for Colt Cabana!

Winner: No contest

I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with Cornette. That should have been a DQ.

And it looks like we have a new tag team forming!

And we got a main event!

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

I...think Ken Anderson is dead. Eli Drake killed him. CALL THE POLICE!

Match #3 - NWA Women's Champion Allysin Kay/Ashley Vox vs. Thunder Rosa/Marti Belle

Kay and Vox are ready to throw some fists!

Belle and Rosa make quite a team.

Melina Perez would have been more of a surprise if we didn't see her in the intro of the show!

Kay kept her eyes off the prize.

Winners: Thunder Rosa/Marti Belle by pinfall

I call them "The Lethal Latinas". Got a nice ring to it.

Main event time!

Match #4 - ?The Question Mark?/Aron Stevens vs. Colt Cabana/Ricky Starks

Man, they got GOLD with ?The Question Mark?! I love this guy!

Ha ha, the scarf being used! I love it!

WHO IS HE?! WHO IS ?THE QUESTION MARK? UNDER THE MASK?!

Winner: Stevens/?Question Mark? via pinfall

The power of karate!

James Storm needs to grow up.

Kamille is telling James Storm to calm down, go buy a Nintendo Switch, and play some video games. It's got an epic library, I'm sure there's something he'd like.

It's a real shame the controversy over Cornette cast a cloud over this. This has been a fun show to watch, and I've really grown to like quite a few of the people on it. I'm hoping that the NWA moves forward and does better, because those wrestlers deserve it. They're splendid to watch.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars #11 (March 1985)

The Secret Wars rage on! Last time, we saw ol' Doctor Doom, the mad tyrant of Latveria, take on the Beyonder out a lust for his phenomenal cosmic powers. The armored madman appeared to be triumphant, gaining the power of a god. So, how would our heroes handle this seemingly unconquerable problem? Let's find out in Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars #11!

The cover, a Mike Zeck piece, is pretty awesome. You have Doom standing over the heroes. We don't see his face, and it makes sense. Doom's face has hardly ever been shown after donning the armor. At this point, we can assume most of the heroes on the cover have never seen it uncovered, hence their shocked reactions.

"...And Dust to Dust!"
Writer: Jim Shooter
Penciler: Mike Zeck
Inker: John Beatty
Colorist: Nelson Yomtov
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with...Doctor Doom removing his mask, revealing a handsome face.

"By me...I'm GORGEOUS!"

Wow. Cosmic powers can give quite the makeover, huh? Doom, being the egocentric maniac he is, claims that he is now the mightiest being in the universe. The heroes are naturally willing to take him on anyway, because you know, Doctor Doom. That's not exactly a name associated with peace and kindness. Spider-Man and Professor X think he means no harm. After all, Spider-Man's Spider-Sense would detect if Doom was to attack, and despite Xavier's inability to read Doom's mind (due to the cosmic enhancements to Doom's mind), he senses zero malice.

The villains also watch this, utterly confused. Why isn't Doom finishing the heroes off? Doctor Octopus and the Wrecking Crew think Doom is selling them out to the heroes. Some want to fight, like Absorbing Man. Enchantress, likely still a bit wine-drunk, is just amused by the whole thing. The normally arrogant and cocky Titania is very reluctant to face the heroes, especially Spider-Man. Yeah, remember issue eight?

Molecule Man, though, is furious. He believes Doom betrayed him and vows to kill him. He uses his molecule-manipulation powers to toss the heroes out of the way...alongside the chunk of the planet they were on. He starts to engage Doom, and Doom counters...with an inspiring speech?

"Owen, dude...you could make some weird stuff!"

The Latverian tyrant shows Owen Reece the fundamental forces of the universe. He points out that the Molecule Man can be the most powerful being in the universe...besides Doom himself, of course. He opens up the man's mind, removing the mental blocks that prevented him from being able to affect the molecules of living beings. You see, since his first appearance in Fantastic Four #20 (November 1963), Molecule Man's powers were ineffectual against living beings. It's revealed here it was due to his own mental issues, his self-loathing and self-doubt. Owen feels like a literal new man as Doom flies away.

He assures the other villains that it's okay. They don't need Doom, he'll take care of them. Doctor Octopus angrily challenges him, but Absorbing Man basically is like, "Shut up, Ock! This dude could kill us all!" Owen makes a ship for the villains, and they fly off. But what of the heroes?

"We well NEVER go parachuting with you again, Reed!"

They're alright. They head back to their old base, where they go lick their wounds and confer on what to do next. They recap the series so far, for those who just came in. Hulk just wants to smash stuff, as he's been losing his intellect.

So, where did the villains end up? Well, this Battleworld is a patchwork world, made from pieces of other planets. One of them was Earth, particularly a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

"The Masters of Evil got drunk again!"

Volcana has a place there, as it's her hometown. The villains come there to confer on what to do next. They generally at this point just want to go home. The Molecule Man agrees with this. So, he makes it happen by making a dome around the suburb, and taking it for a ride.

"Okay, does anyone know any David Bowie?"

The heroes discover it, but there's nothing they can do to stop it. The new Spider-Woman freaks out, because as it turns out, she's from that chunk of Earth as well. Cap suggests they hit the sack. There's nothing they can do about it, anyway.

Sleep evades the steel-skinned X-Man called Colossus. All he can think of is Zsaji. He realizes that he loves her. In the dead of night, he takes a small flying jetski-like craft to go see her. As he leaves, a streak of light races through the sky, and hits a slumbering Hulk. The light seemingly takes control of the Green Goliath, and it makes him walk towards an unknown destination. Spider-Woman notices this and tries to stop him, fearing he'll step on someone.

"Hulk is NOT eating all the food in the fridge again!"

This Spider-Woman has the power to create webs of psionic energy. Hulk proves to be too powerful, and she can't maintain the web. She tries to wake him up, but gets her head introduced to a wall for her efforts. There's a concussion right there. The light leaves Hulk and possesses her instead...for reasons. The possessed Spider-Woman heads down to Doom's old lab. There, the Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel still stands, a frozen holographic image. There also lies Klaw's head. He's made of solid sound, so being just a head won't hurt him. A light erupts, which wakes up the other heroes and frees the two heroines...but Spider-Woman has a strange buzzing in her head. Whatever this light was, it left an invitation on the wall: Doom has summoned them to his new home at dusk tomorrow. So, what is his new home?

"This is just the beginning. Doom is doing some further remodeling."

All the power of reality in his hands, and the best Doom can do is create giant gold crystal. it doesn't even look like a medieval castle or anything. You'd think that Doom, being Doom, would come up with something a bit more...grand, you know? Not to mention it would have made a cool playset. Remember, Secret Wars started as a toy line. At his big gold crystal base, Doom confers with Klaw. It's there it reveals that Doom dares not fall asleep. Again, he may have the power of a god, but Doom is still a man. And men need rest.

At Zsaji's village, Colossus comes by and gives her some flowers. He confesses his love for her, and despite the two having that big ol' language barrier (Remember, Zsaji knows neither English nor Russian and Colossus doesn't speak any...Zsaji), she does smile. Aww.

Eighteen hours later, the other X-Men finally notice that Colossus is missing. You'd think they'd keep a regular head-count. Strange unknown planet and all that. Wolverine believes that Colossus is obsessed with her because she used her healing powers on him...how do you know that, Wolverine?

The heroes gather up to meet with Doom. Thor, Wasp, and Spider-Man all admit to having bad dreams the night before. Interesting...

They arrive at Doom's gold crystal tower. The Latverian tyrant brags to them that he's all-powerful now, blah blah blah. But he's undergone some changes. You see, Doom has become a new man, in a way. He wants to make some things right. He can't undo all the villainous stuff he's done in the past because it could badly screw up the space-time continuum. But there are some recent things he can fix. One of those things is resurrecting Kang.

"Wait what's going on AGH!"

Remember when he was killed in issue 4? Well, he's back now, and on his way home. And then there's Galactus? After he was left drifting in space, his herald Nova would find him in Fantastic Four #244 (July 1982). Continuing to feel generous, Doom wants to grant boons to all the heroes there. He will grant their fondest desires. The heroes debate over this, but Captain America notices that Spider-Woman is staring intently at Klaw. Like she knows him or something.

Ultimately, the heroes decide "Yeahhh, thanks but no thanks, Doom." And Doom is all like, "Fine, get out. You come back, I'll destroy you." Looks like Doom hasn't completely changed, after all. The heroes do so, but then Cap notices Spider-Woman is missing. Despite Doom's warnings, Cap goes back in to find her. He carefully sneaks in and overhears Klaw singing. He makes his way into one of the Latverian tyrant's chambers.

"Oh, hello Cap. Doom was just relaxing."

Cap explains that he's just here to get Spider-Woman. She's gone missing, after all. Doom understands and sends Klaw to find her. Cap then notices the paintings in the room are all of a woman. He then realizes the paintings are of his mother Cynthia Von Doom. Klaw searches for Spider-Woman and gets caught in one of her psionic webs. She then seemingly collapses, and Klaw walking forward...with a strange buzzing in his head. Interesting...

Meanwhile, it turns out that Captain America and Doctor Doom had been...talking. That's literally it. They just sat down and talked to each other. Squirrel Girl would be proud, Steve. Cap learns that the spirit of Doom's mother Cynthia is trapped in the realm of Mephisto, which was established in Astonishing Tales #8 (October 1971). Doom explains that after he rescues his mother's ghost from the future eraser of Peter Parker an Mary-Jane Watson's marriage, he has no real desire to rule the universe. In fact, he needs to keep his power contained, as the slightest flick of a finger could cause a cosmic disaster.

Cap understands this, so he's just going to grab Spider-Woman and leave. Klaw returns and wonders what's going on, whatever had its hold on him releasing the Master of Sound. Doom fears it's the inevitable.

Meanwhile, Colossus and Zsaji are making out in a field. The steel-skinned Russian gets a
mental summons from Professor Xavier. It's time to meet up with the other heroes, Petey. They got stuff to discuss. Later at the Doombase, Cap leads a roundtable of all the heroes.

"Alright, everyone! What're we going to eat?"

If you ask me, they should have been doing roundtable meetings like this in the first place. What's the issue? Doom. Doom's essentially become a god thanks to his taking the power of the Beyonder. However, it causes some concern. This is Doom they're talking about. The man claims he's transcended humanity, but yet he still wants to rescue his mother from Mephisto. If he really has no human desires any longer, why would he still care about rescuing his mother? Also, one of the first things he did with his new power was fix his face.

The heroes all come to the agreement that yeah, leaving Doctor Doom alone with all this power is not the best of ideas...except for Colossus. He's unsure about this. After all, Doom hasn't done anything to the heroes since getting this power...and he may have genuinely changed. Shouldn't the heroes keep this in mind?

And then...this happens.

"We're a'splodin'!"

This comic was...alright. We finally do learn something more about the new Spider-Woman, but it's not much. The heroes' untrustworthiness of the newly-all powerful Doctor Doom does make sense, but I do feel that the Fantastic Four members in this story should have had a bigger role in making that decision to go after him. After all, he's their arch-nemesis. They're more familiar with him than any of the other heroes there.

The revelation of a suburb of Denver being part of Battleworld does raise a lot of questions. Yes, there is precedent for Battleworld to have other residents besides the heroes and villains in the form of Zsaji's village, but it does make me wonder. What were the people in Denver doing during this whole time? Did any of them try exploring around? Did they meet other residents of Battleworld? There's a lot of untapped story potential there. Yeah, Secret Wars had to focus on the heroes and villains, but I would have liked to have seen maybe a backup tale or maybe a one-shot comic or two that focused on these other residents. A solo story focusing on Zsaji would have been pretty good, for example. You know, explore the possibilities.

I did like the small character moments in this comic. The villains wanting to go home, Colossus and Zsaji, and Cap and Doom's interaction. Those were nice. And it was also neat seeing Spider-Woman in action. I do wish that we got more exploration of her connection to Denver, though. I never understood why she gets so little focus here. Why introduce her if you're not really going to do much with her? It's kind of a shame.

I did enjoy the scene with the villains convalescing. It was kind of hilarious to see all these people who are often seen as monsters just sitting around grousing. The bolt of energy possessing Hulk, Spider-Woman, and Klaw was also interesting. It's likely that the reader may have an idea who it is, though. All in all, this is an issue best read as part of the whole miniseries instead of a standalone.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! Join me next time when I shed some light on a lesser known DC Comics star, man...

Black Future '88 Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

The year is 1988...well, every year is 1988 in the world of this game. You see, in this grim alternate world, a nuclear war broke out and wrecked everything. In this world, you are a survivor with 18 minutes to live. What can you do in 18 minutes? Climb a tower. This is Black Future '88!

Nice animation. I wonder who did it.

Wow. Heart exploding. That will suck.

Oh, I don't know. If you work hard enough and have a bit of luck on your side, then maybe you can have everything.

Always good to have the right tool for the job. Or, the right weapon in this case. Sometimes, the best solution is not a rocket launcher, but a shuriken.

A codex! Great I'm going to need something to help keep track of my stuff.

Trade my humanity for power? Hmm, I don't know. I kind of like my humanity...

Combining buffs and skills is what separates us from the animals. That and using cutlery.

Hey, you can team up with friends! And you can do something about it if you're stuck with your enemies, ha ha!

Skymelt: Totally Not Skynet.

Well, this game looks fun. I'm a bit of a sucker for 80s stuff, and I like the aesthetic and music here. I admit, I think the idea of a procedurally-generated tower is nice, although I fear the 18-minute time limit may be a bit too overwhelming for a player sometimes. But I do like the evolving tower to keep up the replay value. I think I'll give this game a shot.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

A Knight's Quest Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Meet Rusty. He's got a clumsy streak, but he's a good kid. He never expected to be a hero. But sometimes, life puts people in positions that they did not expect to be put in. Rusty has been put in such a position. After pulling a Secret of Mana and accidentally causing the potential destruction of the world, Rusty must clean up the mess by grabbing a sword and shield, mastering the elements, and kick some evil. He must go...on A Knight's Quest. The launch trailer for the game is here, so let's take a look!

We do see what looks like Rusty wielding several swords and shields. So it looks like he can either upgrade his weapons or obtain better weapons as the game goes on. After all, you can't fight giant monsters with pieces of wood for a sword and shield.

So far, I'm really enjoying the look of the game. It kind of looks like a mix of Legend of Zelda and Secret of Mana.

Hey, Rusty can grind on rails! Reminds me of Sonic Adventure 2! I played the GameCube version of that game.

Wow. That area with the palm tress and rainbows looks like something out of a Disney park.

This game strikes me as a mix of platforming, puzzle-solving, and possibly action-RPG. Hope it pulls the mix off well.

Careful...caaareful...caaaaaaarefullllll...

It appears that we can visit a variety of environments in this game.

The combat here reminds me of Breath of the Wild a little bit.

If it were easy to be a hero, anyone could do it.

Yeah, being a hero involves sometimes getting a beating.

Rusty is okay! ...no, he is not okay.

This game does look like it's mixed up some things from previous games, as I pointed out. However, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I think it does look like the game is taking those elements and making an honest effort to create something unique out of them. The Switch already has one heck of a library as it is, and this looks like it will be another fine addition to it.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

NWA Powerrr Episode 6, My Thoughts

It's that time again! It's time to feel the powerrr with another episode of the National Wrestling Alliance's sensational YouTube show! If you want to get caught up on episodes of NWA Powerrr, you can do so right here. I'd recommend watching the episode before reading the blog entry! So, with that out of the way, let's start the show!

Man, I said it before, and I'll say it again. That RetroMania Wrestling game looks fun! Happy it's coming to Switch!

Recap time! I really liked Thunder Rosa.

You know your show did good when you got wrestlers like Edge complimenting it.

Cornette botched the tag names. It's Outlawz Inc. vs .Wild Cards. They're plural, Corny.

Rock 'n' Roll, baby!

I wanna see the Outlawz tag with the Rock 'n' Roll Express in an eight-man tag.

Match #1 - Trevor Murdoch vs. Caleb Konley

Hey, we get to see more of Murdoch and Konley. Haven't seen Konley since episode 3, I think.

OW. That spinebuster from Murdoch looks like it would hurt.

So, basically Murdoch is the "old man angry that wrestling changed" guy?

Not many people may remember this, but Trevor Murdoch had a decent singing voice.

Winner: Trevor Murdoch by pinfall

Murdoch be like  "Alright, where's muh beer?"

Heh heh, that Stevens/Starks 2-out-of-3 match last week was great.

Stevens, put on some pants. For the love of God.

Well, bye Aron.

...WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT ON SOME PANTS BEFOREHAND?! Save yourself some time!

"Shogun of Malibu" sounds like a really cruddy, but utterly fun to watch B-Movie.

Match #2 - Thunder Rosa/Marti Belle vs. Crystal Rose/Brooklyn Creed

First Women's tag match on this show! We last saw Crystal Rose in episode 3.

Brooklyn Creed's outfit looks more pink than red to me, Cornette.

Winners: Thunder Rosa/Marti Belle via pinfall

Match was a bit shorter than I expected.

Still a bit confused as to why Marti aligned with Rosa. I like the touch with Rosa only speaking Spanish.

This vignette is weird.

That National Championship belt needs a redesign.

I think Ricky Starks wants that belt.

Hey, it's Dan Parker! Remember him from episode 3 as well? I like his jacket.

Yeah, this ?Question Mark? guy is who those weird vignettes were about.

Match #3 - Dan Parker vs. ?The Question Mark?

Heh heh, Question Mark chants.

Hey look, Cornette said something actually funny.

Winner: ?The Question Mark? by pinfall

Another short match, establishes the new guy. But it looks like the crowd has taken to him.

I imagine Pokémon would confuse the bejesus out of Nick Aldis.

In case you're wondering, Thunder Rosa fought in an MMA match recently. I think she lost, but hey, she was willing to get in that cage. Woman's braver than I.

Maybe Kamille just...isn't much of a talky type. There are people like that in the world. Or maybe she thinks keeping people guessing like this is funny. She's getting a laugh from it.

The crowd really loves that Question Mark dude, huh?

Uh, the Wild Cards are aware that Eli's not talking about them, right?

AAAAAAANDERSON...ANDERSON!

Eli Drake be like, "Did I stumble into an episode of the Twilight Zone?"

Yes, Billy Corgan owns the National Wrestling Alliance. The very same Billy Corgan who sang for the Smashing Pumpkins. He's a big wrestling fan.

I take it the Waffles and Tire Irons shop didn't pan out, Mr. Falk?

Hmmm, looks like the champion, Nick Aldis, wants to see this main event match up close. I wonder why he's so interested in making sure things are fair and square in this match?

Main event time!

Match #4 - NWA World Tag Team Championship Match - Wild Cards (c) vs. Outlawz Inc.

This is gonna be good.

Cornette can be annoying sometimes. I doubt he knows what cosplay is.

We get it Jim, you read a thesaurus.

Winners: Wild Cards via pinfall, Wild Cards retain NWA Tag Team Championships

This was a good match.

And the show ends with more questions. What is Kamille mad about? Why is she getting in Aldis's face? And now EVERYONE is getting in Aldis' face! And each other's faces!

Well, the ending was certainly a surprise. It seems that there's plenty of chaos in the NWA roster.  I've been really enjoying the Stevens program so far. I also like what they're doing with Thunder Rosa, although I am still a bit confused as to why Marti Belle aligned with her. I would have liked to have seen Allysin Kay's response to that. I also was quite surprised as to how the audience took to this Question Mark guy. This was another pretty good episode. A very breezy hour.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Speedball #1 (September 1988)

In the mid-1980s, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz had developed a teenage superhero character named Ricochet for Marvel's New Universe line. However, the idea never really went beyond a proposal. Instead, it was suggested that they use this new character in the mainstream Marvel Universe. In Ricochet's place, DeFalco and Frenz developed the New Universe title known as Kickers, Inc.

In 1987, DeFalco would become Marvel Comics' editor-in-chief, replacing Jim Shooter. He set up a committee of editors led by the late Mark Gruenwald to oversee idea for new titles. DeFalco included his Ricochet idea, but changed the new hero's name to "The Bouncer". "The Bouncer" was approved, but the editors felt the name kind of...stunk. As such, the name was changed to Speedball, the Masked Marvel. DeFalco had no creators attached to the idea, so who could they get for this new character?

Enter Steve Ditko. He was already highly regarded as a legend in the comic industry by the late 1980s. After all, he helped give the world Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. He had returned to freelancing for Marvel in the late 70s, after working stints in DC Comics and Charlton. It was with them he showed his imagination further by introducing the Ted Kord Blue Beetle, the Creeper, the Question, and the original Hawk and Dove, among other characters. Upon his return to the House of Ideas, he picked up credits on titles like Machine Man, Micronauts, and ROM.

DeFalco and Ditko had crossed paths already, having worked together on Machine Man. It would be Ditko that would design Speedball, as well as his own little corner of the Marvel Universe: Springdale. DeFalco was unable to do regular writing duties on the title, as his workload was rather heavy. Remember, he was doing editor-in-chief duties and writing Thor.

Roger Stern would be brought in, thanks to editor Howard Mackie. They had worked together on the Avengers' book in the past. Stern was reluctant, as his plate was pretty full at the time. He had been writing two series for another company as well as a weekly comic strip. He also was about to work on a Doctor Strange graphic novel. But he was told that he'd get to work with Steve Ditko. Stern was a fan of is, so he found some time. And that's how this comic came to be. So, did the debut of Speedball bounce its way to the top, or was it destined to fall flat? Let's find out in my look at Speedball #1!

The cover is a Ditko and Jackson Guice piece. And it looks pretty good. You got Speedball leaping into action, ready to bounce the bad guys into jail. That dude shooting must've graduated from the Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy, though.

"Speedball, the Masked Marvel!"
Writers: Roger Stern, Steve Ditko (Stern for script, Ditko for plot)
Penciler: Steve Ditko
Inker: Jackson Guice
Colorist: Tom Vinceny
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Bob Mackie, Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with a plane flying over Springdale, Connecticut.

The passenger is a man named Mr. Roarke. He's not too happy to be returning to this little burg, as he grew up there...and did some jail time there, too. You see, there was an old man named Hammond who had his own castle in town. Yeah, a castle. It's the Marvel Universe, it's not that strange. Roarke was trying to bust in as he thought that like in medieval times, there was treasure kept inside. Which shows Roarke is an idiot. Ever since then, he's been wanting a bit of payback on the people who put him in jail.

One of the men who did so was one Justin Baldwin, district attorney. We join Mr. Baldwin negotiating a plea deal with a career criminal's lawyer...by throwing said lawyer right out of his office. He laments the idea of cutting plea deals, but it's a necessary thing for the sake of justice. However, this time, he knows that he can put a criminal away without a plea deal. So, that brightens his mood a bit.

Roarke's plane flies over the Hammond Research Center next, where a woman is giving a lecture about the importance of art.

This is Madeline Baldwin (nee Naylor). She was a stage actress once upon a time, but she's now a teacher. She laments that Justin couldn't be there, as she thinks he obsesses over the law a bit overmuch. Roarke's plane flies over Springdale High School, where the man himself thinks about how much he hated it there. To him, high school was almost as bad as prison, with the teachers and all that.

We focus on some boys playing what looks like rugby, but our hero is not among them. One Robert "Robbie" Baldwin is walking by. The boys invite him to play with them, but he refuses, claiming he doesn't feel so good. The boys are confused by this. Robbie's always been rather fearless. Maybe he was just bummed he didn't make the varsity team? Turns out Robbie has a lot on his mind lately.

You see, he has...a power inside of him. A power he has trouble controlling. He feels it churning inside of him like a shaken bottle of soda. The slightest bump could cause him to unleash it, making him a potential danger to everyone around him. And that's not all on his mind.

He feels like his parents are pulling him in different directions. They both want him to follow in their footsteps, he feels like they don't listen to him, typical dramatic teenager stuff. As such, he's afraid to tell them about his incredible new power.

Roarke's plane lands in an airfield, where he meets a man named Jenks. Jenks has managed to obtain some firepower. All the weaponry they need for Roarke's plan. We go back to Robbie, who is walking in a park. He thinks about Doctor Benson, the man he works part time for. He's got his power on his mind, and wants to talk to Benson about it, as he thinks Benson could be trusted. However, Robbie fears his assistants would make Robbie into a guinea pig. As he's walking, a group of bums are staggering by. They need money. They notice Robbie and think "Hey, that kid may have some money. Let's get him to give us his money."

They trick Robbie into thinking one of them got hurt and needs help. But when they try to beat him down, they get a heck of a surprise.

"Oh man, the special brownies are kicking in!"

Robbie's lightshow and bouncing around the tunnel give the bums a good fright, and they flee for their lives. The bums encounter a cop in the park. They consider telling him what they saw, but they figured he'd never believe them. Considering this is the Marvel Universe and all, I would not be so sure about that, guys. In the Baldwin house, Roarke and Jenks watch Justin and Madeline arrive. The two then argue over their plans for Robbie's future. Again, both of them want him to follow in their footsteps. Their argument is cut short when Roarke has them at gunpoint.

Robbie spots Roarke and Jenks and panics. He falls down a cliff, triggering his powers.

"Here comes BUBBLEFACE!"

Baldwin is able to use his new powers to save his parents, but he's clumsy. You see, Robbie was so worried about keeping his powers secret that he never tried practicing with them. Despite this, he is able to dispatch the criminals. The fight creates a big commotion, which draws a crowd. After knocking Roarke and Jenks for a loop, the Masked Marvel bounces away. He's able to find a quiet hidden place to change back to plain ol' Robbie Baldwin.

He returns to his parents, where he discovers they're now arguing about this mysterious new superhero. Madeline is in awe of him, seeing him as a real hero. But Justin is more suspicious of Speedball. He's clearly a vigilante, and he is not a fan of vigilantes. Taking the law into their own hands and all that. It leads Justin and Madeline to debate the mysterious Masked Marvel. The next day, the town is all abuzz over their mysterious new superhero, which makes Robbie miserable. He feels under more pressure than ever to hide his powers.

We got something special with this comic: A second story! How did Robbie Baldwin get his powers in the first place? Let's find out!

"The Origin of a Masked Marvel"
Writers: Roger Stern, Steve Ditko (Stern for script, Ditko for plot)
Penciler: Steve Ditko
Inker: Jackson Guice
Colorist: Tom Vinceny
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Bob Mackie, Terry Kavanaugh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with a bunch of men putting on some masks.

"We're gonna be the best scary monsters EVER!"

That mask on the right is definitely a Ditko thing. They're planning to do a little robbing. You see, some rare metals have arrived at a place that has very little security. Huh. You'd think a place that is preparing to receive some rare metals would have some security for it.

A van containing said metals is heading towards the Hammond Research Lab. It's there we meet Robbie Baldwin. He works there part time. He nearly gets tripped up by Niels, a cat owned by Dr. Benson. Benson tells Robbie he can leave after he finishes cleaning up. Fun fact, Niels the Cat is named after Danish physicist Niels Bohr. Cool, huh? Who says comics can't be educational?

Robbie is eager to finish his work, as he wants to see an experiment that Benson and his assistants are undertaking. He stays out of sight as the men perform their experiment. They're trying to tap energy from an alternate dimension...and it appears they have succeeded.

"Behold, gentlemen! We've just accessed the banana dimension!"

As prone to happen in stories like this, something has gone wrong. The energy beam goes wild, and Robbie gets bathed in the extradimensional bubbles. He goes to wash it off as Benson as his assistants are able to shut down the equipment. Nothing was damaged, and they hope no one got directly exposed to the beam. Robbie goes to the washroom, and he discovers the energy has changed him.

"Oh my God, I got hit by a makeover ray!"

It's given him a fancy new suit, complete with identity-hiding mask. It's even altered his hairstyle and voice to make him less recognizable. It's almost as if his destiny has been laid out in front of him. Robbie panics and flees to the roof, terrified of what he thinks the scientists will do to him if they find out he secretly watched their experiment...not to mention been morphed into a superhero. He tries to remove his suit, but it seems to be stuck, like it's become part of his body.

It's at this point in which the masked gang arrive. They make their way to the roof and spot the future New Warrior.

"Uh, hi. Is there a bathroom here?"

They toss him off the roof, but it's at that moment that Robbie discovers that the extradimensional energy he was exposed to has given him more than a fancy new suit and makeover. It's given him power. The power to...bounce. Yup, Robbie's body creates energy bubbles that allow him to bounce off the ground instead of being a splotchy mess on the ground. Robbie starts bouncing around, knocking around the criminals. They can't even get a grip on him.

One of the criminals is able to punch him, but to Robbie, it feels like he was hit by a pillow. Another one is able to get out a gun and fire at the young superhuman, but the sound of sirens is heard. The masked men try to shoot at Robbie, but their aim sucks. The criminals are forced to flee, but they vow revenge on the mysterious new hero. As this goes down, Robbie is left wondering what happened to him.

However, it won't come to be. They race away in their van at high speed, and end up in a fiery crash, likely killing them all.

The cops discover the wreck and go to the lab. They head up to the roof, as the robbers may have left some evidence behind. The scientists claim that they were in a soundproofed chamber, so they had no idea anything was going down. So...who called the cops? They didn't hear Robbie scuffling with the criminals, so who called the cops?

The cops find Robbie, who luckily managed to return to his normal appearance. One of them, a man named Al, is suspicious of Robbie. After all, what was he doing on the roof? But the scientists stick up for him and let Robbie go home. Upon his return home, Robbie thinks fearfully about his powers. He punches a locker and finds himself bouncing around again, transforming into his Speedball form. He vows to keep it a secret until he can find a way to control it...if it can be controlled.

"I feel like I'm trapped in a pinball table."

This comic was not bad. It does have a very Silver Age vibe with the multiple stories and the involvement of Steve Ditko. There is, like I showed in my review of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #1, a clear attempt to duplicate the Peter Parker formula: the relatable teenager who gets superpowers. It's understandable why they would try to repeat it. Spider-Man showed that formula can be a major success, so why not try again? That formula helped create characters that still endure today, like the original Nova (Richard Rider), the Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel, even the latest Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

The origin does have a pretty big plot hole when it comes to the cops' arrival. Again, if the scientists were in a soundproof chamber, how would they have heard the brawl between Robbie and the criminals? Who called the cops? Robbie didn't, as he didn't have access to a phone. And the scientists didn't, as they were in a soundproof chamber. So who called the cops?

One thing I did like was the idea that Robbie's parents have seemingly opposing occupations, and both wanting him to follow in their footsteps. It can make for some interesting drama. What I would have liked to have seen in this is that Robbie has potential talent both as an artist and as a potential lawyer. It could show that he's inherited the best aspects from both his parents, and it would reinforce why both parents want him to follow them in their respective fields.

A great arc for Robbie would have him discovering he wouldn't have to choose. He could do both law and have artistic pursuits. Look at Charles Soule, for example. He's an attorney, and he's also a writer. He wrote both Daredevil, She-Hulk (Appropriate as both characters are lawyers), and Star Wars comics.

This comic does have its awkwardness, but as a first issue, it does do its job. We get introduced to Robbie Baldwin, see him get his powers, and get introduced to the drama surrounding his life. I did also like that Robbie has trouble controlling his powers at first. It makes sense that he'd need to get the hang of his new abilities. And Ditko turns in some decent artwork. It does have a bit of a cartoony flair to it.

Speedball's series was short-lived, only ten issues. He would seemingly fall into obscurity...until the New Warriors came along. Robbie would be revived as part of that team, and would remain a member in good standing for many years, joining various incarnations of the Warriors. He would be a prominent part of the Civil War storyline, where he would undergo a change in powers and identity as Penance. However, the Avengers Academy title would see Baldwin's powers change back to their classic form and his return to the Speedball identity, as well as getting a new costume. He would last be seen as a member of the New Warriors during the short-lived (sadly as it was really good) fifth volume of the New Warriors title. The first issue of that title was the very first comic review I wrote...all the way back in 2014. Wow, does time fly. Hopefully, wherever Baldwin is now, he's happy and having some fun adventures of his own.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend hunting down the 2019 trade paperback Speedball: The Masked Marvel. It collects all ten issues of his original solo series, as well as his appearances in the late-80s anthology title Marvel Comics Presents. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! See you next time, when the Secret Wars rage on...