Wolfpack #11 (June 1989)

It's that time again! It's time to rejoin the Wolfpack in their greatest battle against the evil Nine. Last time, the group suffered a horrible tragedy and ended up having to bury one of their own. So, where do we go from here? Let's find out in Wolfpack #11!

The cover is a Ron Wilson and Chris Ivy piece. It's pretty cool. It depicts the Wolfpack being attacked by a group we'll meet in the comic. One of the members of this group is front and center, implying that we'll have to keep an eye on him.

"Nine Ways to Die"
Writer: John Figueroa
Penciler: Ron Wilson
Inker: Chris Ivy
Colorist: Max Scheele
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Terry Kavanagh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins...with a geography fail.

This hotel is admittedly quite remote, but it has great views and amenities.

Yeah, this is supposed to be a place called Pagoda Ridge, in China. Thing is, there is a Pagoda Ridge, but it's not in China. It's in Antartica. Whoops. I don't know what Wilson was thinking here. There are plenty of actual mountains in China they could have used. Yeah, it's the geography nerd in me. Anyway, this building is the central HQ of the Nine, the evil organization that the Pack have supposedly been fighting this whole time. They're discussing our heroes, showing that they've managed to cause a lot of problems for this group in New York. Not bad for a bunch of teenagers that have presumably never stepped foot outside of New York City before now. 

The Nine are getting really fed up with the Pack and their antics, so they're bringing in the big guns.

When it comes to their assassins, the Nine always emphasize leg day.

This bunch are the Nine's top team of assassins. When they want someone dead, and I mean really dead, the Nine bring in this bunch. I do like that the assassins' uniforms all have some individual touches to them. The shoulders and color scheme all help show they are a unified group, but they all are unique in their own way. And many of them are quite proud of their legs. If I had legs like them, I'd show them off, too. 

But this isn't these guys' book, it's the Wolfpack's. Let's look in on them, shall we?

"Slippery Sam also knew the best sandwich places in town."

A month has passed since Slippery Sam was killed, and naturally, the Pack are still dealing with it. The Nine seem to be dormant from their perspective. Slag has been wanting to bring young Malcolm Brown (remember him from issue #6?) into the Pack. As such, they've been helping train the boy, despite Wheels's reluctance. After all, the boy still has his obligations to school, and well, Sharon and her father trying to be his legal guardians. It's understandable why Wheels would want Malcolm to just be a kid right now. 

But enough of that. Let's go play some basketball!

However, the game is ruined before it barely begins.

The NBA realized real quick that exploding basketballs was a BAD IDEA.

Somebody really does not like basketball. But seriously, a sniper starts shooting at the Pack from a nearby roof, Luckily, Wheels's super-wheelchair has a new gadget for just the situation: smoke bomb launchers. Smoke covers the court, allowing the members of the Pack to scatter and escape. 

Slag encounters three of the Nine's assassins. And he wonders if he is in Heaven.

"Hello, ladies..."

The redhead prepares to put a bullet in between Slag's eyes, but one of her comrades (the pigtailed woman) gets a bullet to the chest, making the other two scatter. Elsewhere, Sharon and Wheels are also ambushed by three more of the Nine's assassins, but two of them also end up eating bullets to the chest. At a subway station on 149th street, Rafael and Malcolm are also being pursued. Rafael tells Malcolm to run, and not stop for anyone. He'll try and stall them.

"Before you ask, no. We are not a glam rock band. Why do people ask us that?!"

The blond guy, Terrence, is the leader. He wants to see how well Rafael can fight. Our man Mr. Vega obliges him.

Rafael shows he can take Terrence on in a martial-arts scuffle. The trio of Nine assassins remember they have guns, so they whip 'em out and prepare to give Rafael some bullets. However, some shots send them scurrying away. That night, on Rafael's rooftop, the group discuss recent events. They realize the Nine are sending some serious big guns against them. They're going to have to play hardball. Wheels wonders who kept saving them. Slag notes that since the assassins are willing to slap iron (as they would say in the Wild West), they should so the same. Sharon agrees with this, wanting to thank their mysterious savior. And he's all too willing to accept the gratitude. 

"🎵 I'm back! And better than ever!🎵"

Yup, it's our old friend Mr. John Haux, aka the Missionary. How is his name pronounced? I keep thinking its pronounced like "Hawks". Remember him from issue #8? Well, it turns out the man was far from dead. Turns out he ended up landing on a balcony. He considered that event the death of the Missionary, and the rebirth of John Haux. He went to rehab, where he met a janitor named Joshua. 

In one of those coincidences you only find in fiction, Joshua knew the late Mr. Mack, the Pack's old mentor. He explained to Haux about the whole situation with the Nine and the Ten. It can be implied that in his time in rehab, Haux was able to successfully kick his drug habit, so kudos to him for that.

During those months, he also started helping young addicts. This allowed Haux to find his humanity once more. As for why he's back in the picture, well, he heard from Joshua about the Nine declaring full-on war on the Wolfpack, and he wants to help them out. Understandably, the Pack are disbelieving. Remember, he shot and nearly crippled Sharon. Thing is, the kids really do not have much of a choice. The attacks by the assassins show that the Nine is taking them dead serious. They need his help, and them liking him or not is irrelevant. They got a new sensei now.

Over at the 666 Building (kind of obvious, ain't it), Terrence is talking to the Nine's head, and he wants to see Melvin Crenshaw. Crenshaw has apparently shaved his mustache and lost some hair since his last appearance. The head of the Nine berates Crenshaw for failing them. Somehow, the Nine's head is aware that the Missionary is alive, despite Crenshaw claiming he was dead. To be fair to Crenshaw, it was not an unreasonable assumption. The man jumped out of a window in a high building. This may be the Marvel Universe, but people are still not immune to dying from jumping/falling off of high buildings. 

Despite this, the Nine's head announces that they no longer need his legal services. And Terrence is charged with giving him the pink slip...by smashing Crenshaw's head into the communications screen.

I'm guessing Slag's mother is out of a job now. He hired her in issue #3. We never saw anything of it. Hauk is able to provide a new training facility and home for the Pack in New Jersey, thanks to the money he made from his days as a hitman. He pushes them physically and mentally. One month later, Hauk provides a nice celebratory dinner for the Pack. They have grown very much and become much stronger in body and mind. The feel the Nine's end coming. They're feeling pretty good about themselves. Thing is, the Nine hasn't existed as long as they have without trying to take out their enemies all stealth-like.

"Aw come on! One taco night! Just one! That's all I ask!"

He orders the Wolfpack to retreat, as they have no weapons, but despite that, they managed to catch a ninja. Haux is delighted. 

We next look in on the China Club, in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

"I'm glum because the beer here is swill, Karen."

Remember Terrence from earlier? Well, he's feeling a bit glum. One of the other assassins, an Asian woman named Erica, wonders why he's so down. After all, things are looking up for the Nine. Drug business is up, and the Wolfpack has seemingly vanished. Terrence believes that the Pack are just licking their wounds and preparing to strike back. Makes sense. If it weren't for the Missionary giving then sniper back-up, the assassins would have likely been able to take the Pack out. The assassins need to get ready for their possible return.

Back to Jersey! The Pack interrogate the ninja, who reveals he was sent as a warning: The Nine will destroy them all. But Haux tells the ninja the Nine don't have to look for them. The Pack will be the hunters. And they'll have the Nine's heads. And the ninja will be staying in the basement for the time being.

Later that night, Rafael comes to visit Sharon. The two talk briefly, and then they share a kiss, their second since issue #7. This one is meant to be more serious, showing their forming romance. I don't think it was explored much earlier, though. The next day, the group are ready to move out.

Remington's new ad campaign is WEEEEIRD...

The Nine wanted a war? Well, the Wolfpack will be all too happy to give them one.

I liked this issue more than the last one, but I still think it was a weaker one. I was surprised by seeing Missionary's return, as well as his taking over the role of mentor. Seems a bit late, though. I do appreciate that the comic did explain what happened to him. His last appearance hinted that he was struggling with his conscience that led him to this point, so I would have liked some more exploration of that. I would also have liked to see some more exploration of the Wolfpack's feelings regarding Sam's death. Maybe we could have learned more about him, especially since we didn't learn much about him while he was alive. A shame, really. I would have loved to have seen him be involved in the upcoming final battle. 

I find the art rough, but I think it does work. This is supposed to be a gritty series, and I think it bizarrely works. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback Wolfpack: The Complete Collection. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! See you next time!

TMNT: Mutants Unleashed Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

If there is one other medium that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has made their name in besides animation, it's video games. The high-kicking reptiles have graced arcades and home consoles since the 1980s, from the era of the NES to today. Heck, they even got a pinball table. And many of their games have naturally been in the fighting/beat 'em up genres. Makes sense, since marital arts is a regular thing in various incarnations.

The latest TMNT game, Mutants Unleashed, is set in the universe of the movie Mutant Mayhem. I've watched it on Amazon Prime, and it was really good. 👍 Developed by Aheartfulofgames and published by British company Outright Games, this game is set after the events of that movie, with our heroes finding themselves having to deal with a new wave of mutants rampaging in the city. Let's look at the trailer!

Yeah, a glowing pink tunnel is nothing good.

"Leatherhead gonna dine on turtle soup!" Mmm, soup...

Man, Bebop's acting like they messed with his boombox.

That mantis girl is going to get a LOT of fanart.

Bebop also found that he lost his favorite Beanie Baby.

Considering everything lately, I think there's something in the air making us all crazy.

That one scene with Leo makes me worry something bad will happen to someone they care about.

I love their helmets look like those beer can helmets. You know the ones.

Yeah, those ones. 

Were those mutant bees?

Ooh, skin packs. Neat. I'd love to play with the 1987 cartoon skins. I think it would have been cool for them to have skins based on the 2003 cartoon. I loved that one.

Well, this game looks like it will be a lot of fun to play. I enjoy a good beat 'em up on occasion, and this seems like a great way to kill some time and relax a bit. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Veterans' Day

Today is Veterans' Day.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has ever served or is serving now. You are appreciated and loved. Thank you very much.

Justice League International #15 (July 1988)

Back in March 2022, I took a look at Justice League International #14 (June 1988). I had figured that since I had looked at an issue of Aquaman last week, why not stay in the DCU for a while? After all, I may be a Marvel head at heart, I am a big fan of DC, too. Funny enough, I chose this comic at random. I did not intend to follow up on a previous review. But this coincidence was a nice one. And I love the JLI, so that was even better! So, let's take a look at Justice League International #15!

The cover is a Steve Leialoha piece. I love it. This cover is awesome. It depicts Manga Khan front and center showing a hologram of the Earth. Behind him are screens showing the JLI and G'nort doing what they can, while Khan is throwing a sales pitch. You can have the Earth, and all for one low price: the lives of the JLI. It makes him look like a menacing supervillain, while subtly showing that he's ultimately a salesman. 

"Gnort and South"
Writers: Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Pencilers: Steve Leialoha
Inkers: Al Gordon
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: Bob Lappan
Editor: Andrew Helfer
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with Lord Manga witnessing the Cluster being attacked. He demands that his robotic assistant L-Ron tell him who would dare do this. L-Ron tells him it's a Green Lantern Corpsman. The Corpsman is not the member that is assigned to this sector of space. This means either this Lantern has gone Cowboy Cop...or is a complete blithering idiot. And considering that this is the JLI we're talking about, which do you think it is? 

L-Ron tries to assure Manga that everything is fine, and this one GL isn't going to cause any real harm. And considering which GL it is...

"All I did was ask for a cup of sugar!"

Yeah, I can see why they're not worried. For those not in the know, this is G'nort. He's not really the brightest of beings, but he does have a loyal streak and he has a hero's heart. G'nort manages to destroy Khan's ship's cloaking shield. And the ship's main power unit. Khan realizes he needs to up the timetable. Time to attack Earth!

Oberon notices the League's sensors picking up the fleet on the way to attack. The readings are so intense, they literally blow out the power monitor.

"Blasted cheap monitors! Last time I shop in a back alley!"

Oberon calls in the troops. The Justice League are here to save the day!

Mr. Miracle is able to track the surge to the Australian Outback. Booster wishes that Guy Gardner is with them, as they could use his power. Beatriz da Costa, aka the Green Flame, points out that she and Tora Olafsdottir, aka Icemaiden, can back them up. Thye may be on probation (they're not full League members yet), but they can still help. Out in space, the Martian Manhunter, Rocket Red, and Captain Atom are on a STAR Labs shuttle. They intend to keep the fleet from reaching Earth. Yeah, three superheroes and a space shuttle. That'll stop a fleet.

Meanwhile on Earth, the League arrives in Australia and find this big complex waiting for them.

"You guys think this place has a McDonalds? I'm hungry."

The heroes get attacked by one of Khan's armored troops. Meanwhile, out in space, the three Leaguers are trying to fight the fleet. Captain Atom is especially having trouble. Thing is, they're fighting an army. Captain Atom is a soldier, so he has to think like a soldier. That gives him an idea.

He suggests that the debris from the battle can be used to their advantage. Since he and J'onn both have superhuman strength, they can use it to batter the Cluster's fighter craft. A nice bit of psychological warfare. Make them think they're going up against something they can't stop.

I can imagine that they can also use chunks of debris as cover. The Martian is skeptical, but since nobody has any better ideas, he's going with it. A fighter manages to get a bead on the two, but G'nort makes the save.

"Eat THAT, Batman!"

Back on Earth, the rest of the League are battling two of Manga Khan's troopers. 

Scott notes that the future Fire and Ice have been pretty helpful, but the team could use some more muscle as Gardner isn't with them, not to mention as shown earlierm J'onn, Captain Atom, and Rocket Red are in space. He thinks his beloved wife Barda would fit the bill. After all, she's a powerhouse herself: Super strong, very durable, skilled hand-to-hand combatant, she got power armor and her Mega-Rod weapon. But now is not the time to think about recruiting, it's time for Mr. Miracle to do what he does best: work a miracle. Scott makes his way inside the complex, one of the big troopers chasing him in. This allows the others to worry about his twin. 

And the superhero bubble was about to burst.

I'm sure they'll be fine. So, how's the Space Crew doing?

"You messed with the wrong guy! I'm a champion at Asteroids!"

They're doing fine. G'nort, despite his reputation for incompetence, is actually shown to be pretty helpful. The remaining fighter craft retreat, confusing J'onn. After all, there's still a lot of ships. Manga Khan's forces could still overwhelm the planet. But the reason is simple: this operation is no longer profitable. Remember, Lord Manga Khan is an intergalactic trader. He's a businessman. Continuing the fight with the League likely will cause him to have to spend more on ships, pilots, etc. And he likely would not be able to recoup those costs with this operation. So, yeah. Time to write off the losses and get out of here.

Naturally, on Earth, the big trooper trying to take down Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Green Flame, and Ice Maiden also returns to the complex in Australia. There's one problem: Mr. Miracle is still inside. And the complex is leaving.

"Did they think we were Jehovah's Witnesses?"

Naturally, the League has to tell his wife Barda about this. And of course, she is not a happy camper about it. After all, he said he'd do the dishes tonight. She grabs her armor, and it's time for the League to go rescue him. Later on, the League are heading out to get Scott. Well, some of them. Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Green Flame, and Ice Maiden are left to mind the store, as it were. As they converse, they wonder where Guy is off to. The story ends with that question answered.

"No Guy, I will not tell Booster my hobo soup recipe."

Yeah, turns out he's in Gotham, looking for Batman. 

I enjoyed this issue, but then again, I freakin' love the JLI. I know that some may find the heroes' endless bantering a bit annoying, I can understand that. I always saw this banter as basically similar to the sarcastic humor that we see characters use in police dramas. It's a way of dealing with the craziness of the job. Superheroing is dangerous work, after all. But I love the bantering between Manga Khan and L-Ron the robot. It's honestly one of the funniest aspects of the book. It's like Manga Khan wants to play the "dramatic supervillain", but he can't quite pull it off. 

I also do like the portrayal of G'nort here. Many like to emphasize his goofier characteristics, like his supposed stupidity and incompetence, but he does show some skills in Green Lantern ringslinging. Which should make sense. G'nort may have gotten into the Green Lantern Corps due to a family connection (wouldn't be the first time. Look at Arisia Rrab, who comes from a whole family of GLs), but he wouldn't have been allowed to stay in the Corps if he did not demonstrate some skills and brains. He certainly had the willpower to be a GL.

While Kevin Maguire is considered the artist associated with the JLI, Steve Leialoha does pencil duties here, like he did with the last issue. I do enjoy his art here. As i said with the last issue, his has that cartoony vibe and his characters are expressive, which helps sell the comedy. It is a bit scratchier and less "realistic" than Maguire, but it's fine. It works. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2008 trade paperback Justice League International Vol. 3. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time! 

World Jellyfish Day

Today is World Jellyfish Day!

Jellyfish are invertebrate marine animals. Most of them are free-swimming critters, but some do get anchored to the seabed by stalks. Jellyfish are known for their body shapes. Their main bodies resemble an open umbrella (it's called a bell), and their trailing tentacles. 

Jellyfish can be found in waters all over the world. Most of them live in saltwater environments, but there are some that live in fresh water. 

Jellyfish are among the oldest multi-organed animals. Fossil records have indicated that they have been around for 500 million years, possibly 700 million. Speaking of fossilization, jellyfish fossils are rare because they have no hard body parts like bones or teeth. 

Jellyfish's bodies are comprised mainly of water, and most species have no brain, lungs, heart, or central nervous system. Well, they don't really need them. Jellyfish breathe by oxygen diffusing through their epidermis, which also contains their non-centralized "nerve nets".

Do jellyfish eat? Of course they do! They're carnivorous, believe it or not. Their diets include plankton, small fish, crustaceans, fish eggs, larva, and some jellyfish even eat other jellyfish. There are omnivorous jellyfish, like the Aglaura hemistoma.

Aquaman #2 (September 1994)

Back in...2019 (My goodness, that's a long time), I took a look at the first issue of Aquaman's fifth ongoing series. It was the beginning of a rather influential era for DC Comics' resident King of the Seven Seas. It's been a while since ol' Arthur Curry graced this blog, and I figured that I should let him take the spotlight again this week. As for what issue to showcase, well, why not the second issue of Peter David's run? Let's look at Aquaman #2!

The cover is a Martin Egeland, Brad Vancata, and Tom McCraw piece. It's really good, if a bit spoilery. It depicts Aquaman's hand being submerged and consumed, presumably thanks to the villain of the last issue. 

"Single Wet Female"
Writer: Peter David
Penciler: Martin Egeland
Inker: Brad Vancata
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Letterer: Dan Nakrosis
Editors: Kevin Dooley, Eddie Berganza
Executive Editor: Jenette Kahn

The story begins with our man Arthur, and Dolphin ending up at a table with Charybdis and a ladyfriend of his.

The lady is named Scylla. Get it? Scylla and Charybdis?

Arthur gets the reference, which Scylla finds impressive. Charybdis asks if Dolphin has anything to add, and she does. In the form of spitting in his face. Both Orin and Dolphin are still trussed up, Charybdis explaining that the devices they're in are meant to drain the two of their powers. So, how is Aqualad doing? 

Yeah, he's alright. Anyway, Charybdis explains why he wants Aquaman's power. He wants it so he can easily get to all of the sunken nuclear submarines around the world. Dolphin's powers have been helpful until now, but the fact that her power was given to her by aliens makes it much harder for him to get them. Since Artie is an Earthman (yes, half-Atlantean, but that's still part of Earth), Charybdis should have an easier time absorbing his powers. Once he gets to these submarines, he plans to detonate them, using their radioactive materials to poison the oceans. Arthur naturally points out that what he's doing...makes no sense.

Yeah. If the Earth's oceans are poisoned, Charybdis is screwed too because he lives on Earth! It doesn't bother him. After all, he and Scylla live in a world of terror. The two of them were the world's premier freelance terrorists, willing to work for anyone with money and a cause. That was...until late last year. Charybdis angrily turns to Scylla, saying he trusted her to blow up a mosque. She was an expert, and the bomb should not have gone off in her hands. Scylla says that enough is enough. She wore the outfit and played along, but she now wants to go home. However, Charybdis is not hearing it.

So, yeah. The "Scylla" we've seen here was not the actual Scylla, as she presumably accidentally blew herself up. Aquaman breaks out and tries to attack Charybdis but gets a tranq dart to the chest for his troubles. So, how's Aqualad doing?

He's still fine. But seriously, he was saved by this mysterious mermaid right here. He thinks she is the late Tula, who died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. The woman tells him where Aquaman is, and that "Cron One-Eye" will lead him to his mentor. She then leaves, which gets Garth all confused. A pack of sharks arrive, and the leader has one eye. Say hello to Cron One-Eye, everyone! 

Back in Charybdis's base, he puts a mouse in a tank full of piranha fish, hoping he can command the fish to not eat the mouse. It goes as well as you think.

Charybdis is enraged and confused. He has Aquaman's powers. He should have been able to command the fish. Why didn't they obey him? Arthur explains that's not how his power works.

He can talk to sea creatures. He can plead with them. He can bargain with them. He can make suggestions with them. And sometimes they'll obey him if he gives a command. But in general, sea creatures are independent beings with minds of their own. Pirahna are proof of that. Pirahna fish pretty much have only one thought in their minds a lot: EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD EVERYTHING IS FOOD. Mmm...food...

This is demonstrated with Aqualad and the dolphins. Wait, weren't they supposed to be sharks earlier? Anyway, Charybdis grabs Dolphin and threatens to put her face in the piranha tank unless Arthur teaches him how to use the power to command sea life. Arthur tries to get it through the terrorist's thick head that there is nothing to teach. However, Dolphin is saved by Aqualad's getting a whale to break a hole open in the base. Arthur busts free of his apparatus and attacks Charybdis as the base starts to flood. The terrorist escapes him and heads to his armory. After all, he must have something in there that can blow a hole in the King of Atlantis. But someone is waiting for him.

“Candygram!”

Remember, this is the 90s. In the 90s, a superhero never had problem finding a big crazy-looking gun if they need one. Thing is, Garth is not really used to handling guns, especially big 90s over-the-top guns. As such, he ends up blowing up the armory. 

But it's alright. Garth, Arthur, and Dolphin manage to escape...and so does Charybdis. He flees to some nearby land, and laments how things had gone so wrong. Things never were disastrous when Scylla was around. Arthur finds him and the two brawl. 

Arthur lays a beating on the terrorist, mocking him as a pathetic misogynistic creep, a joke who isn't a tough or clever as he thinks he is. The two struggle, Charybdis claiming that he's what the world made him...as he shoves one of Arthur's hands into the water, the piranhas chomping down on it. Charybdis ends up getting shot in the chest by Dolphin.

Nice little echo there. Earlier in the issue after shooting Scylla, Charybdis remarks to Dolphin "Women. Can't live with 'em". Despite this, he charges at her. Arthur trips him up and he falls into the river, the piranhas chowing down on him. Dolphin goes to check on the injured Arthur...

Yeah. A little ointment and band aids aren't going to fix that. 

I enjoyed this issue. Charybdis isn't a character with a lot of depth. He's basically just a jerkoff misogynist, but it works here. I got a good chuckle from the call-back line between him and Dolphin. I also got a nice laugh out of Garth accidentally blowing up the armory. I like it when superhero stories inject a bit of humor here and there. The genre is inherently silly, so lean into it a bit. I do have to give a shout out to Marty Egeland and Brad Vancata. Their (repectively) pencils and inking work does fit into some of the 90s tropes of superhero art of the era, but outside of the big gun, it's much more...restrained for lack of a better word.  

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2018 trade paperback Aquaman by Peter David: Book One. Thanks for reading this blog entry! See you next time!