Text Play: Pokémon Xenoverse #8

 Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw Region! 

Now, as is tradition, I will warn you, I will be spoiling this game.

As such, I recommend that you play the game for yourself first before reading this. You can download it here. Don't worry, it is playable in English. I wouldn't be doing this Text Play if it wasn't. And with that out of the way, let's rock! 

Last time, we ended with me looking over my Pokémon collection to see which ones I can use against Princess Vanilla. Vanilla specializes in Fairy-type Pokemon, which makes her vulnerable to Steel and Poison. 

One Pokémon I considered using was Beedrill. It's fast, hits hard, and is part-Poison. Not to mention it knows Poison Sting. Another I considered was the Grass/Poison Oddish. It knows Acid, and it also has Absorb. Really good for weathering opposing Pokémon down. If it knew Leech Seed, that would make it devastating for Vanilla. I'm also considering Grimer, as it's a Poison-type, and it knows Poison Gas. Blingrimm was out, as it didn't know any Steel or Poison attacks. Ekans knows Poison Sting, and it's a Poison/Sound type (Remember, Sound is a new type for this game). 

I decided to bring in Beedrill and Grimer for my team. I wish I had an Alolan Grimer, though. That thing was a beast when I used it in Sun and Moon. I also am keeping Trishout because it's been real handy so far. I am also considering keeping Phantump on board as it knows Leech Seed and Absorb. Could help wear down Vanilla's Pokémon.

That's four out of six down. Now I just need to figure out the other two.

Maybe I can bring in my Zubat. It's Poison/Flying, and it knows Absorb. I'm not sure if it can learn any Poison-type attacks, though. I looked it up on Bulbapedia, and based on the attacks it already knows (Absorb, Astonish, Supersonic), it appears to have its Generation III (Ruby and Sapphire) moveset. And it can learn Poison Fang...at Level 41.

Ugh. And I have no TMs that have Poison-type attacks. So, I guess Zubat is out. A shame, as I think Zubat is a neat Pokémon. Ah, well. I'll just use Ekans instead. So, that's five out of six. But I also have to think about the trials. Remember, in the last entry, it was revealed that we have to pass through three trials. I think is the first is the Fire Trial, so I'll have to keep my Pelipper on board, just in case. Yeah, I may have to play a bit ahead to figure this out. But first, I'd better grind up my Pokémon a bit so they're a bit more ready to fight the princess and her menagerie.

Upon agreeing to enter the castle to start the trials, you end up here.

This Lurch-looking dude here explains the regulations...well, he tries to, but Princess Vanilla is more interested in knowing where her sweets are...the sweets she already ate.

And she throws a tantrum demanding more when she realizes this. Oh, this is gonna be fun...

Luckily, we manage to get back to business. The Trial of Fire is basically us having to fight some kind of "Beast", most likely some wild Pokémon the Princess somehow managed to tame. There are some rules:

1) The "Beast" can't be caught.
2) You can't flee it, ya gotta fight it.

And that's it. Let's do this.

The "Beast" is actually a level 30 Druddigon. I'm dead. Well, not really. My Pelipper was able to beat it with a bunch of Wing Attacks. And Princess Vanilla is already bored. How did this girl become a Gym Leader?!

We get a Golden Cup for winning the first trial. For the second, the Trial of Water, we're going to need a Fishing Rod. Unfortunately, we don't have one. Not to worry! In Stellato Town, there's a fisherman who teaches people how to fish. So, do you know what that means? That's right! We have to backtrack!

I'm honestly a bit mixed about the idea of having to backtrack here. On one hand, I do think from a realism perspective, it kind of works. Sometimes we have to go backwards to go forwards, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, I can see why some would find this annoying. It doesn't help that in my case, I can't seem to get the hoverboard activated by pressing F5. 

I do like that we do get a break between the three Trials...even though I thought we had to do them one right after the other. Was there a goof-up in the dialog writing?

While grinding in the Miltank fields, I found this little lady wandering around.

Clearly based on the manticore, this Pokemon is Fairy/Poison and is armed with Poison Sting. It has left me wondering if I should bring her in against Vanilla.

I mean, it would be a nice surprise. But if I bring her in, who do I remove from my team? Maybe my Pelipper? I mean, I can use Phantump to help weaken her Pokemon as it knows Leech Seed, Absorb, and Horn Leech. And Trishout has shown itself to be a beast time and time again. Combined with Grimer, Beedrill, and Ekans, I think I have a good team to take on Vanilla. I just wish I had a Steel-type or two to help, but I haven't really encountered any so far. Well...any with useful Steel-type attacks. But I'm not too worried about that now. I gotta head back to Stellato Town and get myself a fishing rod.

Backtracking isn't such a bad thing here. I can grind up my team on the way. I wish the F5 command worked on this game, because riding a hoverboard there would be so much faster. It's not a long trek, but...yeah. The F5 command not working is a bit annoying. I don't think it's my computer. Anyway, one of the first things you can do is visit this house that is two houses away from the Star Sider kiosk.

It's one of the people we saved from the X Garvantula. In gratitude, he gives out TM17 (Protect). Another TM for the collection. But now, down to business. I have to find a way to get a fishing rod. Remember that fisherman we met back in entry #6? Well, we have to play his fishing mini-game to get a fishing rod. 

Remember, he also charges 500 Pokedollars per try. That means the amount of tries you have is limited based on how much money you have. That is admittedly a bit annoying as the mini-game is not easy. You have to dodge not just seaweed and detritus, but wild Pokemon are attracted to the hook, and they will go towards it. You can catch a couple wild Pokemon this way, but that means you'll have to try again to get the Golden Magikarp statue. So you have to spend more money.

I would recommend going to where the fisherman was, save your game, then shut down the game and start again until you get the statue. That's the only way to keep trying without spending tons of money. I know, it's annoying. I am sorry. Don't blame me, I did not make this thing. I'm just talking about it.

I had to do it a couple of times, myself. Eventually, after a couple tries, I did it. Unfortunately, the fisherman decides to that the statue is his because we used his rod to get it. Hey! I caught the thing, you jagoff!

We may not have gotten the statue, but we got 2500 Pokedollars and his fishing rod. We kind of really needed that rod, anyway. So with that all done, we've got to go back to Milkiway City and perform the second trial.

And I think that's where we'll stop for now. Join me next time when we tackle the second trial! Wish me luck! 

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 homes, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Pokemon Obtained:
(String Forest)
- Cottonee
(Route 6)
- Buneary
- Pikachu
(Milkiway City)
- Manticoeur
(Stellato Town)
- Kidoon

Shovel Knight Dig Release Date Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2014, Yacht Club Games released the game Shovel Knight for the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Microsoft Windows. Over the next three years, it would be ported to various other consoles and operating systems. It would be highly praised, and additional campaigns would be released, focusing on various characters in the game.

The game has spawned a minor franchise in its own right, with it getting a dungeon crawler pulle spinoff called Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon. And a second spinoff is on the way, an action-platformer roguelite called Shovel Knight Dig. Let's look at the trailer!

Okay. Who is this guy?

He should take up reading if he's so bored.

Hey, Jirard the Completionist! I love his videos!

Heh heh. Unearth.

"Yes, right now, stupid! Let's go!"

Heh heh heh, dig dig dig dig. I dig it.

Ooh, looks like they're going 16-bit with the graphics. 

You ever played Mario 2? No, the American one, not The Lost Levels. This reminds me of that one level where you have to dig a lot.

I love the look of the game, very colorful. And it's nice to see retro-style games embrace the 16-bit aesthetic. That was my era. Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, they were my consoles growing up. 

Music is catchy, too. 

Ooh, big swords. Don't wanna get hit by those.

Does Shovel Knight have to collect Rupees from the Legend of Zelda games?

I imagine that caravan is where you have to buy upgrades with your treasure.

Shovel to the face would hurt. 

Yeah, they're going to be met by the cops.

Yeah, this looks like it will be a ton of fun. I enjoyed the original Shovel Knight, and I think this game will be just as enjoyable as the original. I do hope we get a true sequel one day, though. But this will do for now. I can't wait for this game to be released! 

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 your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Avengers #239 (January 1984)

In a superhero universe, it does make sense that superheroes can end up being really famous. People may follow them like people in the real world follow singers and actors. And naturally, superheroes may end up making appearances on talk shows. The Avengers did a talk show once. And not just any talk show, a rather legendary one: Late Night with David Letterman!

Late Night with David Letterman was a talk show that debuted in 1982. It was the first iteration of the Late Show series that is now hosted by Seth Meyers. Letterman was the first host, and he would host from its start to 1993. He left the series after being denied the opportunity to host The Tonight Show after Johnny Carson's retirement a year earlier.

This comic was part of what was known as Assistant Editor's Month. In 1984, a bunch of Marvel Comics' editors went off to the San Diego Comic-Con going on that year. As a result, the assistant editors took over the books for that one month. As a result, the stories tended to be a bit different, usually more humorous to sell the idea that the inmates have taken over the asylum temporarily. I haven't been able to find anything about how it ended up involving David Letterman's show, unfortunately. So, with that out of the way, let's look at Avengers #239!

The cover is an Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott piece. It is admittedly somewhat basic, but what makes it unique is David Letterman himself. The cover depicts the talk show legend front and center with the Avengers behind him. There are a couple details I like. One is Hawkeye subtly referencing his hearing issues with his hand on his ear, Beast hanging from the ceiling, and Black Panther trying to look cool. The checkerboard on top is meant to be a parody of DC Comics' cover dress in the 1960s. And in another fun detail, the Avengers on the corner box have their heads turned around, almost as if they're embarrassed by this whole thing. 

"Late Night of the Super-Stars"
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: Al Milgrom
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Michael Carlin
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter (GONE TO SAN DIEGO, BAY-BEE)  

The story begins with Mr. Clint Barton, aka the Avenging Archer Hawkeye, marching into Avengers Mansion, his blushing bride Bobbi "Mockingbird" Morse with him.

There's no one to greet him...well, not quite. 

The role of the Big Giant Head will be played by the Vision.

Vision greets them and guides them to the medical labs. When they arrive, Hawkeye notices Vision's body is in a futuristic iron lung-type contraption. This was due to damage the Vision's body suffered when the Avengers battled Annhilus in Avengers #233. Then-new member Starfox set up a link between the Vision's systems and the world-computer of Starfox's native Titan called ISAAC. The link ended up giving Vision his new ability to project himself all over the Mansion, as well as power over the Mansion's computer systems.

The reason why the Mansion is empty is because it's Jarvis's day off, and the other Avengers are busy with other things. Hawkeye recaps the events of his miniseries, which resulted in his deafness and marriage to Mockingbird. Clint shows Bobbi around, when Vision gets a call.

It's Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man. He's Vision's "brother", that's a whole other thing. Simon's announced that he's been booked on the David Letterman show. His agent did this without Simon's approval, and the show wants him to bring some other Avengers along. Vision says it's no issue. But Simon's agent isn't going to be employed much longer.

Vision sends out calls all over. The Black Panther, Black Widow, and the Beast agree to appear. Elsewhere, a young man is tinkering.

This is from the pilot of the TV spinoff of "Help! My Son is a Nerd!"

This is Fabian Stankowicz, young tech genius. He hopes to make a name for himself one day, much to his father's disbelief. Fabian sees a promo for the Avengers' appearance, and a plan forms in his mind.

The Avengers meet up in the Green Room, while Fabian sneaks in. You see, Earth's Mightiest Heroes are not unfamiliar with Mr. Stankowicz, as he's encountered them before in issues #217 and #221. He's still a bit sore after those two defeats, and he's intent on making sure the third time is not the charm.

We get a fun little character moment with Black Widow (Hawkeye's ex) meeting Bobbi (Hawkeye's wife). Thankfully, they're getting along. Bobbi got a list of questions Letterman will ask the team, as Hawkeye refuses to wear a hearing aid. He claims it's for security reasons (the less who know an active Avenger is deaf, the better), but I personally think it's a bit of a pride thing on his part. Bobbi stays in the green room while the Avengers head out to the stage, watching the show on a monitor.

Fabian is in the audience, and he's not happy with the roster showing up. He wanted the big guns. The Beast takes an opportunity to make an announcement.

"So long, suckers!"

The other Avengers are shocked about Beast leaving for the Defenders, but Hawkeye's oblivious. We get another funny moment with Hawkeye getting thrown off by the questions as a result. Fabian presses a button on his watch, and an unused camera unleashes a laser on the Avengers, blowing then away.

Tabitha Smith had chili again.

Boom, baby!

Mockingbird rushes to help, but is ambushed by another of Fabian's machines. The battle rages in the studio, but the audience thinks it's all a skit.

While the fight breaks out, Fabian takes the opportunity to sit at the seat next to Dave's desk. He explains to the talk show host that he made these machines to fight the Avengers for simply one purpose.

Pretty much. He wants to make a name for himself. He wants to be famous. And hey, what better way to do that that be able to say he whupped Earth's Mightiest Heroes? David plays with Fabian's ego, getting him to talk about the machines that the Avengers are fighting. The devices are cleverly designed to challenge Earth's Mightiest, especially the steamroller-like machine that Wonder Man is fighting. Black Widow is able to alert Hawkeye to Stankowicz's presence next to Letterman. The Avenging Archer tries to take him down with an arrow, but...

"Sue Storm, eat yer heart out!"

Yup, Fabian's packing a forcefield. He also makes sure that Dave is protected as well. Fabian tells him that the forcefield is powered by a battery pack on his belt. Tapping into his own inner Avenger, David Letterman gives Fabian a nice trip to Dreamland with a giant doorknob.

The audience cheers as the Avengers finishing turning Fabian's machines into scrap metal. Fabian wakes up and tries to flee. And he would have gotten away with it if it weren't for that pesky Mockingbird. David goes to commercial. Hours later, at Avengers Mansion, we learn that Fabian is on his way to prison, and Wonder Man waits for the episode to air. It starts to air, but gets pre-empted by a news bulletin about a burning chemical barge. The comic ends with the Avengers leaping into action.

I enjoyed this comic. It's a fun, silly romp. It seems that the Avengers can't even avoid action while doing a darn talk show, ha ha! The only issue I had with the comic was the audience. The reaction to them seems to give the impression that they thought this was just one of the sketches the Letterman show was known for at the time. Why aren't they running away? You'd think people in the Marvel Universe at this point would be savvy enough to realize they're in a superhero brawl. But still, it's an enjoyable little story. 

Fun fact, if you remember my review of Captain America #372 (Early July 1990), the name Fabian Stankowicz may be familiar. That's because he goes on to be a member of the Avengers' support crew in the 80s and 90s. Sadly, the dissolution of the Avengers in the wake of the attack by Onslaught left him a bit bugnuts, and he hasn't been seen since.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2013 trade paperback The Avengers: Absolute Vision Book 1. I was surprised to see this in the trade. I thought it would never be collected in a trade because David Letterman is in it, and there would likely be rights issues to clear up. 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 your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1988, the film Killer Klowns from Outer Space was released in theaters. The film told the tale of a small town being invaded by extraterrestrial beings that resembled clowns. And they killed people. They were not called Killer Klowns for nothing. The film was the only movie written and directed by the Chiodo Brothers, a trio of special effects artists. The film received positive critical praise and has gone on to be a cult classic.

Over the decades, there have been attempts to do sequels, but nothing has come of them. In this month, it was announced that Teravision Games has created a multiplayer video game based on the film, which will be published by Good Shepherd Entertainment for the PS4/5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Let's look at the trailer!

I was four years old in 1988. 

That Walkman looks cool.

Heh. That takes me back. The first computer I remember having was a Commodore 64.

"YOU GOT ANOTHER THING COMIN'!"

Uh, buddy? You may want to look outside...

"I ordered that pizza 45 minutes ago! It's free!"

Man, these new pizza delivery guys are weeeeird...

I have this song on my iPod.

This game looks like it will be a lot of fun. However, I do wish there was a single-player campaign. I do like the idea of being able to play as the Klowns or survivors. Gives it some replayability value. I can imagine this would be fun to play with some friends.

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 your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Justice #8

It's that time again! It's time to join the Justice League in their ultimate battle against the Legion of Doom! Last time, the Justice League seemed to be in dire straits. The Marvel Family were captured, Hal Jordan was trapped in his ring, and Aquababy got kidnapped! How do our heroes recover? Let's find out in Justice #8!

The story begins with Batman and Superman discussing their approaches to crime-fighting. 

Page 1, Panel 1

Batman operates through fear, through intimidating criminals, whereas Superman does not. Batman points out that criminals exist in Gotham and Metropolis. There may be differences between criminals in those cities, but that have one thing in common: They all fear getting caught. That's why Batman operates the way he does. It's also necessary for him to operate this way because he doesn't have the abilities Superman has. Superman can see through walls, he's superhumanly fast, he's extremely durable. And everyone in Metropolis knows that. Because Superman said so in interviews. Batman sees it as Superman instilling fear in criminals in his own way...and he actually thinks Superman is quite clever for it.

(whoa)

Batman points out that now the League in the position of Metropolis criminals. Someone has seen through their walls, can strike any time...and seems implacable. This ignites a bolt of inspiration in the Man of Steel.

(idea)

He takes to orbit above the Earth and sees the giant city orbs touching down. The Metropolis Marvel realizes that Brainiac is behind all this. After all, collecting people in cities...this is his MO. In a desert, Captain Cold is enjoying living life like a king, but the Flash plans to put a damper to it. 

The Master of Absolute Zero tries to use his cold gun to freeze Flash. The Scarlet Speedster vibrates out of the iceberg. Cold tries to confuse Flash by borrowing a trick from fellow Rogue Mirror Master, but it doesn't work. Even creating a ton of ice statues doesn't work. Flash is able to nab the Rogue and take him to the Fortress of Solitude...so Batman can interrogate him.

(gulp)

Why Captain Cold? Well, as Batman would say, criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot...and Captain Cold is especially superstitious and cowardly. He also likes money.

(money) 

In the Fortress of Solitude, Batman begins interrogating Captain Cold. Meanwhile, we go out into deep space, where we join Hal, still trapped in his ring. Hal is showing off his plane to his brothers, but they think he's trapped himself in memories of the past. It makes sense considering his current situation. Back in the Fortress of Solitude, the Atom is examining the little worms that the Hawks found in the last issue. Superman believes they were mass produced, then shrunken by Brainiac. Thanks to the interrogation of Captain Cold, Batman is able to brief the league on the apocalyptic dreams the Legion of Doom had. 

This saving of humanity is actually a part of a much bigger scheme. Those cities will be "governed" by the Legion. As for the worms? Well, the worms are a form of mind control of the people that will go into those cities. It's tied to the "cures" and the "help" the Legion have been providing. But things are looking up a bit. Aquaman is back in action.

Page 12, Panel 8

Meanwhile, the Joker heads up towards one of the cities (he was seen waiting in line to go to one in the last issue). We also get to see Luthor, Scarecrow, Clayface, and Parasite go after some other League members and people close to them, like Supergirl and Commissioner Gordon. Back in Hal's ring, the EMerald Knight himself has seemingly regressed to childhood, playing with a toy jet with his brothers. They leave, saying he's living in a dream world. But he gets a visitor.

Page 15, Panel 5

Mr. Deus Ex Machina himself, the Phantom Stranger. He's also an honorary Leaguer. Zatanna asked him to find Hal. Back at the Fortress, Captain Marvel checks up on the clearly wounded Wonder Woman. She reveals that when Cheetah scratched her up, her claws were dipped in the blood of the centaur. This is baking her body from within, reverting Diana to the clay she was once made from...and she doesn't have a lot of time left.

Plastic Man and Elongated Man discuss them both being stretchy heroes. Plastic Man debuted first, and his powers are arguably greater than Dibny's, as Eel O'Brien can shapeshift into other forms, whereas Ralph can't. Even though Ralph is an actual League member, Eel's abilities still clearly gives him a bit of low self-esteem. Eel doesn't see a problem, as even though they're both "stretchy guys", they can still co-exist. After all, Captain Marvel and Superman have similar powersets, and they work together fine. He taunts Ralph by saying that maybe he should change himself into something the League needs.

(ouch)

The Phantom Stranger draws Hal out of the ring and gives him his battery so he can recharge his ring. Hal vows to kill Sinestro for trapping him. The Stranger warns him against returning for revenge, as it will only trap him in the way he was trapped in the ring. The world needs a hero, not a sword of vengeance. As Hal recharges his ring, he reminds the Stranger the world needs the League...as much as Hal does.

Mera heads to the Fortress of Solitude, where she tells Arthur about Garth kidnapping Arthur Jr. Hal also returns and uses his ring to clear all the worms out of Batman. Arthur is happy that the League has seemingly survived all of this, but there's something to remember: Brainiac is still out there. He cut into Arthur's brain to figure out how to control Gorilla Grodd. This is all part of a bigger scheme. Brainiac is a machine that this waging war on all living organic beings. 

Red Tornado reports that the Legion has kidnapped all the League's loved ones, their allies and friends. Likely as a fail-safe in case the League survived their assault. As the Justice League process this, Rita Farr asks the Chief a question. What if the dream was true? What if stopping the Legion of Doom ultimately dooms the Earth? The Chief just answers that it's certainly a possibility...

I liked this comic. This the recovery. We've seen the League take some hard hits, but they're getting their second wind. I liked the battle between Captain Cold and the Flash. It was neat seeing Cold try various tactics against the Scarlet Speedster, even taking a nod to his Rogue comrade Mirror Master. Also, it was neat seeing Hal's struggles to maintain his sanity within the ring. He may claim to have no fear and to never panic, but I think these scenes show that Hal can, he expresses it differently. The scene with 

Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2020, Warner Bros. Animation released the film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge. The film told the tale of the titular ninja as he underwent the classic "get revenge for the murder of the family" story. In 2021, it was followed up in 2021 with a sequel: Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms. This film saw Liu Kang embrace his destiny as a tournament champion while Scorpion tried to prevent a mystical artifact from flling into evil hands. Now a third film in this series has been announced: Snow Blind. Let's look at the trailer!

Kano should record audiobooks. Give the man some money, give him a good book to read, and there ya go!

"It's okay, everybody! I got a permit from the city!"

Oh hey, Ferra/Torr! And Kabal! And a couple others I don't recognize.

When did Kano get old?

"As my first decree, I hereby declare every Tuesday be...TACO TUESDAY!" 

Yeah, peeking into a hole can only lead to good things. That's science.

Kenshi's eyes now know the pain of reading a comic with Rob Liefeld art.

Yeah, you're blind and all...but at least you got a shiny magic sword out of it.

Ouch.

And of course, the other reason why this film is called Snow Blind is here.

Sub-Zero wants his money, Kano!

Well, this looks like a fun little animated adventure! I think I'll rent it from my local library when it comes out and give it a watch. I'm a bit of a fan of Mortal Kombat, so this looks like it will be something I'll enjoy.

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 your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of our Fathers #1 (June 2010)

With the film Wakanda Forever coming, I thought this week I'd take a look at a comic that explored the legacy of the Black Panther. In the comics, the Black Panther is a legacy character. T'Challa's ancestors have all held the mantle of Black Panther at some point. One of those was King Azzuri, who was the Black Panther during WWII.

Azzuri was introduced in Fantastic Four Unlimited #1 (January 1993) as "Chanda". Yeah, it's kind of an issue this miniseries has, I'll talk more about that later. The title is presumably an homage to the 2000 book by John Bradley and Ron Powers, which would get adapted into a 2006 film. It's an appropriate title as like the book/film, this comic miniseries was set in WWII. So, let's take a look at the first issue of Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of our Fathers! 

The cover is a Denys Cowan and Klaus Janson piece. It's pretty good, if a bit on the basic side. It just shows Captain America and Black Panther posing. Cap's pose is amusing as it's almost like a cheerleader cheering on the team while Azzuri looks like he's ready to kick some Nazi heads. 

"Part One"
Writer: Reginald Hudlin
Penciler: Denys Cowan
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colorist: Pete Pantazis
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Editors: Sebastian Girner, Alex Alonso
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada.

The story begins in 1941 with Gabriel "Gabe" Jones. 

Who is Gabe Jones? Why, he's one of Nick Fury's legendary World War II-era Nazi-stompin' unit known as the Howling Commandoes. His narration talks about how he understandably doesn't like Nazis very much. His fellow Howling Commandoes feel the same way. When Nick Fury put together his Commandoes, he was allowed to pick any soldiers he wanted for the unit...even men of color. The Army hadn't integrated yet at that point, but Fury didn't care. He wanted men who could kick Nazi heads in, and skin color was no issue to him. 

The Commandoes are pinned down by those nasty Nazis, but luckily, the Commandoes got some very special backup.

"Here I come to save the dayyyyyyyyyy!"

The appearance of the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan throws the Howling Commandoes off for a moment, but eventually, they're able to rout their Nazi foes. Over at Nazi High Command in Berlin, Adolf Hitler is none too happy about this. You see, with help from Captain America, the Howlers were able to set back their missile program half a year. The goal is to create an ICBM, which would allow them to blow up the White House from all the way in Europe. 

One of the Nazi commanders states that there is a substance out there that can help make the missile a reality: Vibranium. The alien metal's ability to absorb vibrations can be very handy, as it can ensure a missile can't be knocked off course. 

Thing is, it's only found in the African nation of Wakanda. Little is known about the country, as it's very closed off from the rest of the world (It is logical to assume Wakanda declared itself neutral during the war). The Nazis aren't too worried about heading there and getting the metal. After all, as far as they know, this nation has no nasty surprises, just stereotypical spear-wielding tribesmen. Wolfgang Von Strucker is assigned to lead the operation into Wakanda.

On a ship in the Atlantic Ocean, Cap joins the Howlers in some lunch on board the ship. Fury asks if Rogers keeps in costume all the time, including staying masked. Cap basically tells him yes, as it's part of his job as a symbol. One of the cooks announces they made a special meal for Cap, but they need some silverware for him. Cap's not bothered. He asks Gabe if he's using his. Gabe is done with his meal, so Cap takes his fork. Gabriel is amazed. Keep in mind, this is set in the 1940s. Most white people would not use a fork that was just used by a black man then. But Cap does without issue. It leaves Gabe wondering one thing: "Who is this guy?"

Eventually, Cap and the Howlers themselves on the way to Africa on a mission of their own, presumably related to Wakanda and its Vibranium Mound. When Cap parachutes down, he gets...a scary greeting. 

"Oh my God, they decapitated Kenny!"

Well, that's not intimidating.

The heads once belonged to a bunch of Nazi soldiers who trekked into Wakanda. A survivor reports to Baron Strucker that they were picked off one by one by traps, straight out of a horror movie. They made the survivor apologize then sent him back to Strucker's camp as a warning. Strucker has the survivor killed to avoid panicking the camp. Meanwhile, Cap makes a new friend.

"I am a very pretty kitty."

This isn't T'Challa under the suit. As I said earlier, this is the "Golden Age" Black Panther, Azzuri. Cap naturally wants to ask about the heads, but Azzuri basically says "Bye", and tries to leave. Cap confronts the monarch but finds himself surrounded by Wakandans armed with guns. The Howlers watch this in disbelief. Azzuri deduces that like the Nazis, the Allies want Wakanda's Vibranium. Cap points out the world is at war, and Wakanda needs to choose a side. Azzuri tells him they have: Their own. Cap and Azzuri end up fighting.

Azzuri may be a king, but like Black Panthers before and after him, he's also a scrapper. He's able to match the super-soldier very well in battle. The Howling Commandoes watch the fight and prepare to move when they get surrounded themselves by Wakandans. 

This just ain't Nick Fury's day...

At the Nazi camp, Baron Strucker calls in some help to take on the secretly-advanced nation. 

"What is this 'One Piece', and why does everyone say I look like I stepped out of it?!"

The Red Skull is in town, and his idea of painting the town red? Spreading the blood of the Wakandans all over Africa. 

I personally enjoyed this comic. I think that the idea of both the Axis and the Allies having an interest in Wakanda during WWII is actually a clever idea and one that does make perfect sense. After all, as the comics and the MCU have shown, the alien metal that comprises the Great Vibranium Mound is a wondrous substance, and whoever controls it could likely turn the tide of the war. I also think that the usage of Gabe Jones as the narrator is a good choice. Jones is an African-American soldier in the 1940s, so seeing his thoughts on the advanced world of Wakanda would be quite interesting.

As I said, the biggest flaw with this miniseries is that it's hard to place into canon. For example, as I said earlier, Fantastic Four Unlimited #3 established that T'Challa's grandfather was named "Chanda", but here, it's Azzuri. Neither the Marvel Handbooks nor the Marvel Atlas provided any clarification. This miniseries is also meant to be the first meeting between Captain America and the Howling Commandoes. However, Sgt. Fury #13 (December 1964) and Captain America #383 (March 1991) both establish that they met in France. Also, Wolverine: Origins #18 (December 2007) established that Nick Fury knew Cap before the USA officially entered WWII. 

I struggled to figure out how to describe Denys Cowan's art for this comic. I think it has a nice bit of grit to it, which works for a war story. I also think the muted coloring is a nice artistic choice. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers. 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 your vaccine/booster! See you next time!