Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet #1 (October 2000)

In the Marvel Universe, Earth has a very long history of contact with various intelligent lifeforms from all over the cosmos. Some species were benevolent, others were malevolent, and some's relationships with humanity were...more complicated. As such, these species were not only aware of humanity, but they would also naturally have varying views of it. Some of them began to view humanity as a potentially very dangerous force in the Marvel Universe, and something had to be done about them. As such, the events of Maximum Security rolled in. 

Maximum Security was a Marvel crossover event published from 2000-2001. It crossed over with numerous Marvel titles going at the time. The main titular mini-series was written by Kurt Busiek with artwork by Jerry Ordway. Busiek came up with this crossover as a form of "self-defense". Marvel had been wanting to put out a crossover event, and they gave Busiek a choice: Come up with one, or he'd have to participate in another. 

The first idea he had was known as "Y2Kang". The year 2000 was coming up, and the idea was that when the clock struck midnight using in said year, Kang would bring the world back to the year 1900 and the Marvel superheroes would be transformed into early 20th century versions of themselves. However, due to the time it would take to solicit the story, the timing would be wrecked.

The second idea he had was this one, inspired by Great Britain's history with using Australia as a penal colony. Busiek thought it would be interesting if the intergalactic powers of the Marvel Universe decided to take a cue from the UK and dump their criminals on Earth. 

The comic we're looking at here is a one-shot that sets up the beginnings of Maximum Security. Let's take a look at Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet #1!

The cover is a Jerry Ordway piece.

"A Very Dangerous Planet"
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Penciler: Jerry Ordway
Inkers: Will Blyberg, Paul Ryan
Colorist: Jason Wright
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Comicraft
Editor: Tom Brevoort

The story begins with a Skrull speaking to a gathering of various alien species, calling humanity a menace.

He justifies his accusation by telling the tale of Cadre K. Cadre K (making their debut here) were a group of young Skrulls that were born with powers and abilities beyond those of the standard Skrull. Basically, there were mutants, like the X-Men of Earth. Their name came from the Skrulls referring to them as "K-Class". The Skrulls would regularly purge such mutations to keep the Skrull line "pure". The said group attacked a Skrull hatchery that was about to perform such a cull on K-Class newborns. This group of young Skrulls was brought together by a man who had plenty of experience bringing together superpowered youths and making them into a crack team of heroes. 

Yup, one Charles Xavier himself. The Skrull, an Ambassador Kreddik, claims this is just humanity yet again imposing their wills on other races. He also cites examples like their harboring the Dark Phoenix, and encounters with the Celestials. The head of this Intergalactic Council, one Majestrix Lilandra of the Shi'ar Empire, shoots down the ambassador. This Council is rarely convened, and she feels it has more pressing matters. Ambassador Kreddik insists that humanity is an ongoing danger to the cosmos. 

Lilandra sees the other aliens of the Council debate on humanity, and it makes her realize that this is an issue that she just can't table for now. It doesn't help that she's known for her own alliance with humans, in particular the X-Men.

She agrees to address the issue, after some careful study. She then turns to the real reason for this Council being convened. A mysterious new alien race has been appearing. Not much is known about them, just that they are called the Ruul. They've been petitioning for membership into the Intergalactic Council. They've visited many of the member races, helping them out with various issues. And they've come to see the Council today.

The Ruul look like a hybrid of the Yautja and a catfish. The Ruul are about to introduce themselves, when Lilandra gets an urgent message. The planet Krylor just went kablooie.

Krylor is known as the homeworld of the alien filmmaker known as Bereet. Bereet debuted in Incredible Hulk #269 (December 1981). Regular readers of this here blog may remember her from my review of Incredible Hulk #276 (October 1982). So, how did her homeworld get wrecked?

Ego, the Living Planet. You may be familiar with him if you watched Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Unlike in the MCU, Ego is not a Celestial in the comics. Although it can be argued that he sees himself as one. His name is Ego after all.

Anyway, Ego is looking for other planets like him. He visits planets, trying to get them to "wake up" and become sentient like him. And if they don't, he destroys them. Lilandra assures the Intergalactic Council that they can stop Ego if they unite against him. You know, Lilandra, you could also call the X-Men, and through them, call on Earth's other superheroes. I mean, if the FF can drive off Galactus, they could help here. Just a thought.

Anyway, despite the united front, Ego still continues on his rampage. Many planets fall under his tantrums. It leads to the Council becoming fragmented, and Lilandra with little options. The Ruul delegation offers to help. Days later, a massive fleet of ships from many worlds try to blast Ego. It doesn't work. Ego tries to absorb the survivors into his biomass, but they care saved by the Silver Surfer.

The Surfer warns Ego that if he doesn't knock it off, he will destroy the Living Planet himself. Ego scoffs at this, recalling that in Silver Surfer #22 (April 1989), he nearly destroyed the Silver Surfer. Back with the Council, another alien ambassador reinforces Kreddik's belief in humans constantly meddling in alien affairs, referencing the Kree-Skrull War and Operation: Galactic Storm, among others. More recently, a group of Avengers are currently dealing with a group of cosmic beings called the Infinites. That adventure would be recounted in Avengers Infinity #1-4 (September-December 2004). There are also the activities of the Starjammers, who are led by the human known as Corsair. And the previously-mentioned Cadre K. Not to mention the Inhumans aiding the Kree in a rebellion against the Shi'ar. It makes the Council's views of humanity grow dimmer.

A few days later, Lilandra inspects some new defenses against Ego, including some fancy cannons, and a Psyche-Drone provided by the Ruul. It will allow the Ruul to strike at Ego's brain. When she leaves, one of the Ruul delegates reports to an unknown being that the pressure on the council needs to be increased. The being assures that will happen soon. 

Five days later...

Ego attacks the planet of Selandiar. The defenses open up on the Living Planet. The Shi'ar's Imperial Guard is spread thin, and wouldn't be able to be recalled together fast enough to help. Luckily, the planet does get help in the form of Charles Xavier, Cadre K and the Silver Surfer. The heroes have trouble with Ego, as he's a big ol' planet, and they're...five Skrulls, a bald telepath, and a cosmic wanderer. Xavier and Cadre K member Zcann combine their powers and harness the psychic energies of everyone on Selandiar. Ego is successfully knocked into a coma.

However, this has only led to more infighting from the Intergalactic Council. Lilandra believes that it's partially because the Council felt a bit of embarrassment about how a human helped save them from Ego. Despite Lilandra's and Zcann's pleas, the Council ultimately rules that humanity is too dangerous to continue moving unchecked. 

The story ends with the Ruul delegate approaching Lilandra, suggesting that there's another way to deal with Earth without having to exterminate its native life...

I personally enjoyed this issue. It's fun to see some intergalactic intrigue among some of the main interstellar powers of the Marvel Universe. It was neat seeing Busiek use Marvel history and its own mythos to show why alien races would be apprehensive towards humanity. This wasn't long after Avengers Forever, so I do think that there is a bit of a continuation of the theme of humans being potentially the most dangerous form of life in the universe. 

I can see why some would find this issue a bit tough to get into, but if you ask me, those references to past stories are important. They explain how these aliens came to this point. Jerry Ordway turns in some fine artwork for this issue.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2010 trade paperback Avengers/X-Men: Maximum Security. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time! 

Justice #4 (April 2006)

It's that time again! It's time to join the Justice League of America in their greatest battle against the Legion of Doom! In the last issue, the Red Tornado got wrecked, the Legion of Doom learned the secret identities of the Justice League, and Lex Luthor had an announcement to make. So, what happened next? Let's find out when we look at Justice #4!

The cover is an Alex Ross piece. It's pretty cool. It depicts Superman being attacked by Superman. I'm not sure how to describe Luthor and Brainiac's being here. I do get the impression that this is basically Superman's show from this cover. He's in it, and the villains that are also on the cover are traditionally associated with him. 

"Chapter Four"
Writers: Alex Ross, Jim Krueger
Pencilers: Alex Ross, Doug Braithwaite
Inker: Alex Ross
Colorist: Alex Ross
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editors: Joey Cavalieri, Michael Wright
Executive Editor: Dan DiDio

The story begins with Lex Luthor making a broadcast to the world.

Page 1, Panel 1

His speech talks about how the Justice League are the true criminals because they never really tried to save the world, actually help people, yada yada yada.

This speech is watched by various people, including Clark Kent. And then he is ambushed by Bizarro. 

Page 4, Full Page

Remember that strange city the Martian Manhunter found? Well, it is one of many. These cities are meant to be perfect paradises for humanity. As Luthor explains them in his message, more heroes get attacked. Hal Jordan by Sinestro. Green Arrow and Black Canary by Scarecrow and Clayface. Wonder Woman by Cheetah. Hawkman and Hawkwoman by the Toyman. Atom is shot by a sniper. I think it's someone independent Luthor may have hired there because the sniper is clearly a woman, and this doesn't fit either Cheetah or Giganta. 

Back in Metropolis, Superman tries to fight Bizarro, only to discover that this is a handicap match. As Bizarro has a tag team partner here.

Page 19, Panel 2

Yup, Solomon Grundy. And it gets worse for the Man of Steel. Parasite shows up to weaken Superman further by stealing his power, commanding Grundy and Bizarro to hit Superman some more. The Metropolis Marvel is able to activate a hidden signal device in his belt during the ambush.

In Central City, Barry Allen is enjoying some soup with his beloved wife Iris. The soup is red, so I'm assuming it's red clam chowder. I like chicken noodle myself. Mmm, chicken noodle soup...

Anyway, Barry gets Superman's signal on his watch, and he heads out. Unknown to them, Captain Cold is watching from the kitchen.

Page 22, Panel 8

"Captain Cold is watching you eat." Barry zips into action as the Flash, but something weird happens.

Page 23, Panels 4-5. 

Barry seems to be trapped in super-speed, causing him to outrun himself. As for Superman, things get worse.

Page 24, Panel 4

Yup, Metallo shows up. The cyborg blasts the Man of Steel with radiation from the Kryptonite chunk that was also his power source. Luthor condemns the Justice League in his speech as the attacks on the League continue. He boasts that he and the Legion of Doom will be the new people of tomorrow, the true saviors of the world. The story ends with Superman calling for help.

This was an enjoyable issue. Despite that, it's one of those issues that is best read as part of the whole story than on its own. On its own, not much seemingly happens. Heroes get attacked, and that's really about it. There is some cleverness to this story, though. One thing it does so well is transpose the attacks on the superheroes with Luthor's speech. His speech was trying to promote the Legion of Doom as the true saviors of humanity, while the League just protected a status quo that never truly helps anyone. As I have said before, even though this is based on the Silver/Bronze Age-era Superfriends, this is very much a modern Luthor. 

Superman gets the main focus of the attacks and having him be besieged the way he is makes sense. He's one of the most physically powerful members of the League, so naturally, Luthor would send multiple powerhouses to take him down. Metallo, who can poison him with his Kryptonite heart. Solomon Grundy and Bizarro, who can match Superman in raw strength and durability. And then Parasite, who can absorb Superman's power, weakening him further. It contrasts Luthor's making his speech. Modern Luthor believes that Superman prevents humanity from progressing, holds its potential back. This is Luthor's message to Superman: His human brain triumphing over Kal-El's alien brawn. It helps further give the vibe of a "darkest hour" for the League. 

Thor: Love and Thunder Teaser, My Thoughts

After the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Avengers' resident God of Thunder is ready to hang up Stormbreaker. He's found himself with some new priorities in life, mainly finding a place for himself and some long-deserved inner peace. However, an evil god-killer has forced Thor to pick up his hammer/axe one more time, and he must fight with the power of love and thunder. Let's take a look at the long-anticipated teaser for the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Thor: Love and Thunder!

Ha ha, cameo of the classic comic costume! I love little nods like that.

You know, in Norse Mythology, Thor is not only associated with weather. He's also associated with trees. I am not kidding. Trees. I think it would be a nice nod to see him taking up forestry in this film as a retirement activity. That's a nice peaceful thing to do, help maintain forests. And forests are good. I like forests.

Look like Thor's taken up meditation. Maybe he met the Buddha in his travels with the Guardians post-Endgame?

Ahhhh, "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns 'N' Roses. I can imagine that song is bringing up the idea that Thor is thinking of a certain astrophysicist back on Earth...

Good to see Thor getting himself back into shape. I admit, I do like the idea he still has a bit of a belly. It's a nice bit of visual symbolism. Thor's still not quite recovered from his issues, but he's getting there. He's healing. It would be nice if he was shown eating some salad. A nice nod to Endgame.

I think that's a Watcher's skeleton he's using there.

Wow. Just...the visuals, man. The visuals.

I think that's Olympus we're seeing here. Which means we could have Hercules showing up.

Looks like Valkyrie's reign as the new King of Asgard's has gone well. I wonder if between this movie and MiB International, Tessa Thompson will do a role if it allows her to wear a suit. Not a complaint, I'm just wondering. She pulls it off. I can imagine that maybe like Thor, she's struggling to figure out who she is as a king. Would be a nice parallel. 

He's not looking at you, Peter. Funny enough, Guardians of the Galaxy #9 (February 2021) established that Peter Quill was bisexual. He had entered into a polyamorous relationship with a male and a female alien and was with them for nearly 150 years. I friggin' love comics.

And we get our first look at Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor. She looks great! I wonder who got the pieces of Mjolnir and put them back together. Asgard must have some amazing Gorilla Glue.

Well, I'm going to say it. I'm hyped! I'm hyped to see this movie! I really loved Thor: Ragnarok, so I think this'll be a fun film. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated and boosted! See you next time!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone!

Hope it was a good one! 

Amazing Spider-Man #252 (May 1984)

Sometimes, one event can change your life in many ways, and continue to have an impact on you further down the line as time goes by. For Peter Parker, participating in the 1984 Secret Wars story was one of those moments. During that event, he got a new costume that seemed to almost be magical in nature. It was the ultimate convenience for him. The costume was able to store objects like his wallet and his keys. It created its own webbing, allowing Peter to save on materials needed to create webbing. It even was able to morph itself into civilian clothes, saving the often cash-strapped young man money on clothes.

However, that costume would seem to come at a price. Peter discovered that it was a life form: The Klyntar. Klyntar, or "symbiotes" as they are more popularly known, were liquid-like beings that bonded to host beings. They can bring out the host's darker impulses and give them superhuman powers. Peter would free himself from the Klyntar's attempt to bond with him...and it would play a role in the birth of a character that would become both a nightmare and ally to the original Spider-Man over the years: Venom. Venom would be the most famous and longest-lasting consequence of the Secret Wars. 

But I wanted to take a look back. Back at a time when Peter was still blissfully unaware of the true nature of his miracle outfit. So, right after he returned from the Secret Wars. Let's take a look at Amazing Spider-Man #252!

The cover is a Ron Frenz and Klaus Jansen piece. It's pretty awesome, but then again, it's not hard to see why. It's an homage to the iconic cover of Amazing Fantasy #15 by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. It shows off Spidey's new costume, which looks rather sleek, if you ask me.

"Homecoming"
Writers: Tom DeFalco, Roger Stern
Penciler: Ron Frenz
Inker: Brett Breeding
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Danny Fingeroth
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins at the Daily Bugle, where publisher J. Jonah Jameson and editor-in-chief Robbie Robertson are discussing a headline.

If you've read Secret Wars (or saw my monthly reviews of it), then you'd know many of the heroes (and some villains) are duking it out on Battleworld. Anyway, Jameson is impressed with the reporting, but he wonders why Robertson didn't use any photos from Peter Parker. After all, he seems to specialize in the superhero beat. He's on Battleworld, but neither Jameson nor Robertson know that.

Jameson demands that Spider-Man's involvement be investigated, as he thinks (in typical Jameson paranoia) that the Wall-Crawler is behind it all because reasons. Robertson refuses, saying that if Jameson wants to go blaming Spider-Man for everything, he can do it in editorial columns. In Central Park, the large complex that brought the heroes to Battleworld reappears, and Spider-Man comes home.

With him is Curt Connors, aka the Lizard. Spidey is overjoyed to be back home from Battleworld at last.

Heh. He and Curt swing away, revealing that Reed had suggested the other heroes keep quiet about Battleworld as people would never believe it.

Spider-Man retrieves his wallet and keys and then takes Curt home to his family. He then heads to his own home, and discovers that among the properties of the new costume he got on Battleworld, it can change form to resemble civilian clothes. He makes some calls to Aunt May, and to Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat. He isn't able to reach Felicia. He was hoping to talk to her, as he wants to sort out what kind of relationship the two have. 

Also, he wants to talk to her about some troubles she's been having. You see, in previous issues of this series, she's been trying to find a way to get actual superpowers because she believes that being a regular human makes her incapable of fighting by Spider-Man's side. Peter is naturally worried about that. So much can go wrong in her quest. But right now, he's got a bigger priority right now: Food. Man's hungry! Fighting a Secret War can work up an appetite. As he heads out, Felicia arrives at his apartment.

Felicia's thoughts reveal her quest wasn't fruitless. It was discovered by some science experts she let run some tests on her that she has a latent superpower: appropriately for someone calling herself "Black Cat", she can subconsciously cause people to suffer bouts of bad luck. She then discovered that the scientists that discovered this were in the employ of the Kingpin. She fears that Fisk may want to use her and her powers against his foes, guys like Daredevil and Spider-Man. She leaves as he returns with some pizza. Oh, dear...

After his dinner, Peter goes to his bathroom. Using it as an improvised darkroom, Peter develops the photos he took during his time fighting in the Secret Wars. He then decides selling them as he thinks nobody would believe these photos are real. It leads him to destroy his prints and the negatives.

I hate this. More on that later. Anyway, Peter decides to turn in for the night. He has some trouble sleeping. Welcome to my world, Pete. He needs to unwind a bit. And as if the costume he took off and put aside read his mind, it flows over him.

He goes out for a swing. He breaks up a mugging, but the victim freaks out at the sight of Spidey's new look. He then finds a teenage couple arguing over a date gone bad, so he decides to take them out web-swinging. He takes them to a high building to give them an epic view. One of the teenagers said their neighborhood stunk, but Spidey uses it to show that New York City may have its problems, but it has its good points, too. The girl, Weezie, tells him she had a great time. The story ends with a happy Peter swinging away, feeling happy to be home. After all, he may occasionally end up involved in epic battles, but at heart, he's a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, the hero of the people. 

I enjoyed this issue. I got a good chuckle out of Peter and Felicia end up just missing each other. I also liked that bit with Felicia. It's a nice reminder that just because Peter was away at the Secret Wars, his supporting cast, friends, and allies were still dealing with drama of their own. It was also rather heartwarming to see Curt Connors be reunited with his family. I also really liked the part where Peter took the two kids to show that New York City still is worth saving. 

There was one thing about this issue that bothered me. The scenes that revealed that Reed asked the other heroes to keep the Secret Wars...secret, and the scene where he says he'll destroy the photos he took there because he thinks nobody would believe him. ...what? This is the MARVEL UNIVERSE. At this point, people have been seeing weird, wild, and fantastical stuff for decades. Superheroes and powered beings are common knowledge. You really think the Secret Wars would freak people out that much?! Also, Peter probably would get some good cash for those photos! Am I being naive here?! 

I do enjoy Ron Frenz's art on this comic. I first noticed it in his Thor stuff when he did an amazing job imitating Jack Kirby. It's cool to see him doing a style of his own here, and I think it's very nice to see. I do think there is a Romita Sr. vibe to his portrayal of Peter Parker. I think it's the two curls in his hair. 

Roger Stern's work on Spider-Man is very underrated, in my opinion. It should be talked about more. If you want to read this issue for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2014 trade paperback The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! See you next time!

The Final Night #1 (November 1996)

The DC Universe is often seen by fans as a bright and shiny universe, one where paragons of heroes stand up against great evil to ensure another bright day shines. But what if there was a literal darkness out there that ensured that worlds would never have a sun shining on them again?

In the DC Universe, such a thing exists. This darkness is called the Sun-Eater. Created by Will Forte and Jerry Siegel (Yes, the same guy that co-created Superman), and debuting in Adventure Comics #305 (February 1963), the Sun-Eaters were weapons created by an alien race called the Controllers. They were essentially a "nuclear option" deployed by the Controllers to destroy worlds they deemed too infected by evil to save. The Sun-Eaters were normally associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, most famously with the "Death of Ferro Lad" story. 

In 1996, a Sun-Eater attacked the "present-day" DCU, threatening to bring about the DC Universe's...final night. An epic crossover event, the Final Night touched many of DC's titles at the time. Unlike most crossover events, this was not a fight against a powerful villain, but a tale of survival. But how did that tale start? Let's find out in Final Night #1. 

The cover is a Stuart Immonen and a Jose Marzan Jr. piece. It's pretty cool. It depicts six members of the Justice League standing at the Daily Planet during what seems to be a cold night. The facial expressions give the impression that our heroes are in for a rough time. Superman having his cape wrapped around him gives him a sense of vulnerability we don't usually see from the Man of Steel. Which makes sense considering what happens in this event.

"Dusk"
Writer: Karl Kesel
Penciler: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Editors: Alisande Morales, Dan Thorsland
Executive Editor: Mike Carlin

Ironically, for a story titled "Dusk", the story begins with a sunny day in Metropolis. It's bright and shiny. It's a perfectly normal day. People are heading out to work and/or play. Until a spaceship comes a-flyin' in.

Last time we saw a spaceship fly into Metropolis, it contained a kid. Anyway, the ship crashes into a dock, and its lone passenger finds herself with quite the welcoming party.

Naturally, since it's Metropolis, Superman is involved. Here, he's joined by members of the Legion of Superheroes. The purple-haired alien woman points at the Sun, but her language is unknown to Superman. Thanks to the universal translators in their flight rings, the Legion is able to...and they realize this might be what they describe as the "darkest night" which is ancient history from their perspective. Ehhhh, they're a few years off. 

Saturn Girl uses her telepathy to help bridge the language gap. Thanks to this, Earth's heroes learn this visitor is named Dusk...and she has a dire warning. Something called a Sun-Eater is coming. True to its name, the Sun-Eater consumes stars. And since this is the DC Universe, many of those stars have inhabited planets orbiting them. Without the stars and their light and heat, their crops withered. Oceans froze. And entire civilizations were doomed to a slow, cold death. 

Dusk's homeworld was one of those planets. She's traveled from world to world trying to warn worlds, but they've never been able to stop the Sun-Eater. And now it's coming to Earth.

Earth's heroes are gathered at S.T.A.R. Labs. 

Dr. Kitty Faulkner, aka Rampage, reports that a strange black shape is flying through the Solar System. It's on a path directly towards Earth's sun, and it will arrive in six hours.

It lends a lot of credibility to Dusk's story. The heroes discuss ways to stop it, but Dusk is cynical about it. She's seen lots of races employ a lot of strategies to stop the Sun-Eater, but they all failed to even slow it down, much less stop it.

Big Barda and Mister Miracle suggest creating a giant Boom Tube to transport the Sun-Eater to the Source. it could work, but they'll need a way to basically stuff the big cloud into it. They also hatch a backup plan involving all the heroes that can create light and/or heat.

Team Boom Tube (Mister Miracle, Captain Atom, Maxima, Cosmic Boy, Takion, and Dr. Polaris) arrive at the coordinates of the Sun-Eater.

This group gets to work, using their powers and a Boom Tube to create a vortex. They hope it'll suck the Sun-Eater up like a vacuum sucking up dirt. Something seemingly goes wrong. It's here we get a cutaway to a man jumping out of a window of an apartment building. The Spectre strikes again. The Phantom Stranger wants his help against the Sun-Eater. The Spectre tells him he can do nothing to help. After all, if this is the will of God, well...the Spectre has no choice in the matter. He must abide by it. Thanks for nothing, ya green-cloaked jerk. 

Back with Team Boom Tube! They end up vanishing and materializing elsewhere in space. Evidently, the Sun-Eater was messing with the Boom Tube, making it about to go critical, and explode.

Yeah, the Sun-Eater was messing with the Boom Tube due to the Sun-Eater's properties. You see, the Sun-Eater only partially exists in their dimension. So, it's time to unleash the backup plan. Superman and a bunch of other heroes, including the Ray, Fire, Firestorm, and the Alan Scott and Kyle Rayner Green Lanterns (Although I think Alan was going by Sentinel at the time), use their powers to create a second smaller sun, hoping it lures the Sun-Eater away from Sol. 

It seems to work. The Sun-Eater absorbed the smaller sun...but it didn't satisfy it. It's heading back, and it left the sun-creating heroes freezing cold, even drained of body heat. Dusk watches this, lamenting that yet again, another world will suffer a frigid death thanks to the Sun-Eater. Elsewhere, Lex Luthor and his then-new wife, Contessa Erica Portenza, notice the sun going out. Lex calls for his private plane to get them back to Metropolis. As far as the man is concerned, mankind is not going out without a fight.

I enjoyed this comic. It's always fun seeing DC's heroes gather together to face an epic threat like this. What was cool was that we saw the heroes try more than one strategy to stop the Sun-Eater. Dusk and the Sun-Eater kind of remind me of a twisted take on the Silver Surfer and Galactus. Instead of finding worlds for consumption, Dusk tries in vain to warn worlds of a creature that consumes stars. I would have liked to see the heroes try a few more things.

Immonen and Marzen make a nice team on the art. It seems to have, for lack of a better term, a cartoony vibe to it. I'd love to see an animated adaptation of this story. The comic has a nice balance of large panels to show big moments and storytelling. Immonen has been praised for his storytelling, and I can see why in this comic. His work shows some very nice character moments. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2021 trade paperback The Final Night. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated and boosted! See you next time! 

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Reveal Trailer, My Thoughts

The Ghostbusters have had a long history in the world of video games. The first Ghostbusters video game was released in 1984 for various computers and consoles of the time like the Commodore 64, NES, Master System, and the Atari 2600. In March, this new game was announced to be released for Windows, PlayStation 4 and 5, and the XBox One X and S. Let's look at the trailer!

Holy cow, they got Ernie Hudson for this game!

That can't be either of the art museums from the films.

I like the nod to Zeddemore's line from the first Ghostbusters film: "We got the tools, we got the talent!" 

I wonder if one of those Ghostbuster avatars is a nod to Leslie Jones's character from the 2016 film. It strongly resembles her.

The first-person view is something I'm surprised I don't see more games in this franchise do. It's a perfect way to immerse a player into the game's world.

That ghost looks like Slimer's evil cousin, ha ha!

Nothing more fun than busting ghosts with your friends!

"One in the box, ready to go! We be fast, and it be slow!"

Hey, cool! It makes sense Dan Ackroyd would be involved with this. The franchise was basically his baby.

Ah yes, Tobin's Spirit Guide. The Ghostbuster's Bible. Every 'buster worth their salt swears by it.

Playing as a ghost is actually a pretty cool idea. I know there are some who would love to give the Ghostbusters a bit of pain. I hope the game provides a wide variety of ghosts with various abilities that can test the Ghostbusters in a variety of ways.

Well, consider me excited. I have a PlayStation 4 that I could use a game or two for, so this seems like a good choice to start with. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated/boosted! See you next time!

8th Anniversary!

Hello everyone! This is a special day on this blog!

Yup, today marks the 8th Anniversary of this blog! Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed it over the years, and I hope you continue to follow and enjoy further content on here!

Fantastic Four #184 (July 1977)

When I was trying to figure out what comic to look at this week, I figured, "Hey, the Fantastic Four hasn't appeared in this blog for a while, why not give them some spotlight this week"? I also thought it would be nice to show off another comic with art by one of my favorite artists: George Perez.

Perez may most be known for his work with the Avengers, the Justice League, and the Teen Titans, but he also did a run on the Fantastic Four in the 1970s. During this time, he penciled Fantastic Four Annual #14 (1979), which marked his very first collaboration with Marv Wolfman. Since mobody seems to talk about his time on FF, I thought I'd give it a little spotlight with a look at Fantastic Four #184!

The cover is a George Perez, Joe Sinnott, and a Danny Crespi piece. And naturally, it's pretty cool. It depicts the villainous Eliminator standing over a defeated Fantastic Four. And naturally, it has some of that trademark Perez rubble. This cover makes the Eliminator look like a serious threat.

"Aftermath: The Eliminator"
Writer: Len Wein
Penciler: George Perez
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Len Wein
Editor-in-Chief: Archie Goodwin

The story begins with the FF and their allies Thundra and Tigra aiding Reed Richards.

In the previous issue, an alternate version of Reed Richards that was an insane villain ended up regaining his sanity and helped rescue the mainstream version of Reed from the Negative Zone (This Reed was the one who put the mainstream Reed in it in the first place), during a battle with the villainous Mad Thinker that also involved Annhilus. It was a whole thing.

But now that's over, and Reed needs rest. Ben notices the mess the battle left behind. Thundra, Tigra, and Johnny Storm all head out, leaving poor Ben with the task of cleanup. Johnny flies towards his then-girlfriend Frankie Raye's Greenwich Village apartment, only to seemingly get blasted out of the sky.

Ben is cleaning up when he notices the Impossible Man floating nearby, reading a newspaper. Ben tries to get the green Poppupian's help, but the shapeshifter is more interesting in seeing a movie...as soon as he learns what that is. Ben tells him it's basically a bigger version of television. Having grown rather fond of TV, the Impossible Man is amazed, and flies off in the form of presumably a frisbee to watch one. Leaving poor Ben to clean up alone.

Reed wakes up, and Sue briefs him on something else that has gone down: Their young son Franklin. You see, in issue #181, Franklin's nanny Agatha Harkness made off with the boy. The next issue revealed they ended up captives of a shadowy group. She needs Reed up so they can find him. Reed is reluctant to aid them, as he feels that since he no longer has his powers, he would get in the way. 

Yeah, in issue #157, Reed's stretching powers were starting to fade away. They would eventually fade completely in issue #178. Sue gives him his uniform anyway, pointing out that he is more than his powers. Back to Ben's cleanup attempt!

Talk about sweeping it under the rug. With that all taken care of, the rest of the FF head out to where Agatha and Franklin were last seen.

Whisper Hill, Agatha's home. The heroes get blasted out of the sky...sort of. They're actually caught in a tractor beam. The Fantasticar's powerful engines try to fight the beam's pull, but the beam is too powerful, and it ends up tearing the First Family’s trademark ride to shreds. Reed, Ben, and Sue are saved from being paint splats on the ground by Sue's forcefields. As the FF recover, Ben spots what looks like the remains of a metallic egg. It's like something hatched out of it...

But that's a mystery that can be investigated another time. The heroes head into the darkened mansion, where they find Johnny Storm. 

Remember when he was seemingly blasted earlier? Well, he was actually caught in a tractor beam, like the one that destroyed the Fantasticar. So, what kind of being could do something like this? Well, this guy.

Meet the Eliminator. His job is, well...pretty obvious. His duty is to eliminate all evidence of Agatha Harkness being among humans. And that includes the Fantastic Four. Reed demands to know what this seemingly cybernetic monster has done to Franklin. The Eliminator tells him that his masters will deal with Franklin. With his classic battle cry of "IT'S CLOBBERING TIME", Ben Grimm gives the big red monster...

No, not Kane! Ben gives the Eliminator a Mighty Punch. And with that, the fight is on.

The Eliminator proves to be quite a formidable foe, able to withstand the Thing's punches, and is able to counter Torch's flame powers with vacuum engines in his boots. Reed hatches a plan to deal with him. Sue attacks the Eliminator, only to seemingly be vaporized by the cyborg monster.

A grieving Reed attacks the monster, only to seemingly suffer the same fate. The Eliminator then seemingly beats Ben to death, and blasts Johnny Storm with flame, causing him to go nova.

The Fantastic Four are dead. Long live the Fantastic Four. With that done, the Eliminator has one job left. A panel in his chest opens up. The chest has five holes in it, arranged for a quintet of fingers. The cyborg places his fingers in the holes and triggers the flamethrowers in his fingers. The vacuum engines in his boots stick him in place. This is his final act: Destroy Whisper Hill...and himself. It seems his mission is successful. 

Well...except for one little wrinkle.

The FF liiiiiiiiiive! How, you may ask? Well, thanks to a bit of trickery. When the Eliminator blasted Sue, she used her forcefields to protect herself and then went invisible, faking her being atomized. She used a her forcefields to protect Reed and Ben from the Eliminator's attacks, and they faked dying. In Johnny's case, he pretended to lose control and go nova. Nice little bit of wicked trickery there from our heroes.

Since the Eliminator is about to self-destruct, the FF decide to make tracks.

The FF realize they won't be able to get far enough away in time to avoid the explosion. Sue whips up a forcefield as Whisper Hill goes kablooie.

The story ends with the FF looking over the smoking remains of the house, vowing to find Agatha and Franklin...despite the house's destruction meaning that whatever clues may be there are now basically up in smoke.

I personally enjoyed this issue. The Eliminator himself isn't much to write about. He's a one-note villain created just to give the FF something to fight. Although considering the eventual villain of this storyline, the Eliminator's appearance is strange to me. I get the impression from the character's design (detailed as it is, which is classic Perez), that he's some kind of cyborg. You'd think he'd look more like...an evil wizard or something. I dunno.

One of the fun things about the issue was the nice character moments. Especially with Sue reminding Reed that he is more than his powers, which he showed in the battle against the Eliminator. I got a good chuckle out of Ben's way of cleaning things up...as well as Ben getting left to do the job all on his own. And the battle with the Eliminator itself was pretty awesome, although I have to admit, the end of it did make me scratch my head. They took quite a gamble on the Eliminator, well...eliminating himself when he thought they were dead. 

And naturally, George Perez turns in some awesome artwork. It's detailed, and his usage of layouts is awesome in places. We see some of the classic Perez artistic trademarks here: usage of multiple panels to show motion, lots of detail, and the rubble. The man loves his rubble.

If you want to read this issue for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2005 trade paperback Fantastic Four Visionaries: George Perez Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated and boosted! See you next time!