Marvel: The Lost Generation #6 (September 2000)

It's that time again! It's time to look in on the adventures of the Marvel Universe's Lost Generation of superheroes! Last time, the First Line battled the "Invaders", Black Fox thinks retirement is for wimps, and the Line gets hit by the Watergate Scandal. As we go backwards, what other adventures did they have? Well, they did get involved in a certain other very important event. You'll see what I mean when I look at Marvel: The Lost Generation #6!

The cover is a John Byrne and Al Milgrom piece. It's pretty cool, if a bit deceptive. It depicts a monstrous creature about to attack an astronaut on the Moon, as shown in the astronaut's visor. It's a coo visual, like something out of a horror movie poster. As for why it's deceptive, well...you'll see what I mean.

"Crisis of Conscience"
Writers: Roger Stern, John Byrne
Penciller: John Byrne
Inker: Al Milgrom
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

The story begins on a very special time, date, and place. The time? 9:32 AM EDT. The place? Cape Kennedy, Florida. In particular, launch pad 39A. The date? July 16, 1969. Ladies and gentlemen...we are witnessing the launch...of Apollo 11. 

Yup, the beginning of man's first trip to the Moon. I'm a bit of a space nut, so I was excited to look at this issue. The world is watching this historic event, including the Robert Paine, aka the stalwart First Liner known as the Black Fox. He isn't alone in his home at Foxwood Farms.

In the coming years, Katyusha would inspire Rod Stewart and ZZ Top.

Yes, he has the company of the beautiful Katyusha with him. Fun fact, her name comes from a Soviet rocket launcher created and used during World War II. Also, the name "Katyusha" is a pet name for "Yekaterina", the Russian form of the name "Catherine".

She remarks that truly; the Apollo 11 launch is a great day for world peace. Even though this means America will ultimately win the Space Race, the Moon Landing can be seen as a sign that ultimately people will be able to unite together regardless of things like national origin. 

Seeing this has gotten Kat in the mood for some sweet lovin'. She also wants to help thank the Black Fox for helping her defect. He warns her that if it's a relationship she's looking for, she won't find it with him. He's never been able to commit to anyone new ever since Miriam was killed by Nocturne, as established in issue #8. That's not a problem for her. She's not interested in relationships.

The date? July 20th, 1969. The time? 4:58 AM MDT. The place? The Hideaway (the original HQ of the First Line before Nixon stripped away their government privileges in the last issue). The First Line (Blackjack, Effigy, Nightingale, Firefall, Mr. Justice, Oxbow, Pixie) have been called in. 

"This better not be because somebody lost a contact lens again!"

Expect for the Fox, because he's...very busy with Katyusha. 

It's not like the Fox to remain incommunicado, so they leave it be. Effigy didn't call the Line in because he wanted to host a Moon Landing Watch Party. Effigy reveals that in the past, the Line discovered a spacecraft. Not the one in issue #11, the one Effigy is talking about will eventually be seen in a future issue. Remember, this maxiseries is numbered backwards, 12 to 1. 

Yeah, it is a bit confusing, I admit. Anyway, Effigy has been monitoring for signs of alien activity ever since. Two days ago, he picked up a signal. The signal revealed that the aliens that built that craft are back...and he believes that they're here to stop Apollo 11 from reaching the Moon. The Line are eager to stop, especially Oxbow and Mr. Justice, but Pixie points out a problem: How are the First Line going to get to the Moon? Well, ol' Effigy has an answer for that, too. But we'll have to see what Effigy has planned later on. Right now, we need to meet the villains of this adventure.

Howler also didn't want Axis anywhere near his LSD.

Meet Luke "Howler" Garrow, Typhoon, and Axis. They've agreed to work for a group of men who appear to be fond of bad Challengers of the Unknown cosplay. However, Howler is not a happy monster man. He fears he'll be short-changed when it comes to his fee. The Challengers cosplayers assure Howler he'll get his full pay. Axis doesn't trust these men. You see, Axis is an early example of a Neo-Nazi, and he doesn't like the idea of working with the monstrous Howler or the foreigner Typhoon (He's from Japan). Howler and Axis nearly brawl, but it's broken up.

"You'll all find out what it's like to be slapped by a laser!"

Meet Scythe and Positron. You may remember Positron from issue #9. That issue was set in the 1980s, so presumably at some point between 1969 and then, she had reformed and become a First Line member herself. She takes a dig at Axis, as to her, Neo-Nazis are no better than any other street criminal. The Challengers cosplayers make everyone settle down, as they have something special to show them. Which is when we cut to the First Line's reaction to Effigy's little revelation. 

"Even better?! This ship has a theme park in it!"

Yes, it's a flying saucer. It had crashed around 20 years earlier, so math says that means at some point around 1949. Wait, in issue #8, Cassandra Locke's researching allowed her to discover that Skrulls were running around as far back...as 1947. This could be the craft from that incident. The timeframe fits. Huh. Anyway, Effigy reports that it has taken him around ten years (so that means he's been working on this thing since circa 1959) to find a way to recharge its fuel cells. It also can't fly around outside the solar system, but to the Moon? No problem!

The reason it's here in the Hideaway is because when it was found, Effigy used all his government influence to have it brought here for study. Secretly, he wanted to repair it. Remember, Effigy is a Skrull living as a human. He had hoped to get this craft so he could go home. It's here that Mr. Justice raises a valid point. If the government had a hidden interstellar craft, why did NASA spend so much money on its space programs? Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo? Why do that instead of just reverse engineering the spacecraft? Likely would have saved some cash!

Well, there is a reason for that. NASA never reverse-engineered the Skrull craft...because they didn't know about it. Yeah. The Air Force's best minds pored over it, and they didn't learn much due to it being so advanced by Earth standards at the time. And with that, our heroes are going to the Moon.

On the trip, Mr. Justice thinks about how he had arranged for something from his elder brother the Yankee Clipper on Apollo 11's lunar lander, and how he's going to the Moon. 

So, how's the Apollo 11 mission going along? Well, rather seemingly rather swimmingly so far. The lunar lander is making its way to the Moon. Unknown to Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, they are being observed by another Skrull craft. The men inside the craft reveal their mission is to destroy the lunar lander. The deaths of Aldrin and Armstrong on the Moon will be a crippling psychological blow to the Earth's populace and make them too reluctant to pursue space travel This will make Earth much less of a threat to other worlds. Yeah, that's their plot. 

The villain Howler starts feeling funny. Positron recalls his powers are affected by the Moon. Being this close to it must be feeling like he's on overload...

The lander successfully makes it on to the Moon's surface. It's here we cut to the 22nd century. Alexander Locke is with Pixie and Gene. By this time, the site of the lander has been made into a memorial park to commemorate the lunar landing, the first step towards humans living on Earths only natural satellite. 

This fills Pixie with nostalgia and admiration for humans. They accomplished this feat with so much less than the Eternals have. Alexander just wants to know when the immortal ex-heroine saw Cassandra. Pixie can't say much, as the last time she crossed paths with the time-traveler was in issue #12. She did learn later on that she passed along the message for her father that was hidden on the lander. 

Gene doesn't believe this. When this park was established, the lander was thoroughly checked for authenticity. And there was nothing in those checks to indicate any such hidden message. Pixie is willing to bet that said message is there. Like Gene, Alexander is disbelieving of this.

But that's going to have to be shelved as a new problem comes up. The future cops have come to arrest Pixie. 

"You're also under arrest for mooning President Schenkel!"

Yeah, she's charged with threatening the Skrull Ambassador, likely something trumped-up. Pixie tells Gene and Alexander not to worry about her, she'll be fine. I'm presuming it's because it's because she's got one heck of a good lawyer. She tells them there's a key to all this. She's not sure where, but she suggests looking under the porch.

And speaking of porches, we go back to 1969. In particular, July 20th. The time? 10:42 PM EDT. Neil Armstrong climbs down the ladder of Apollo 11's lunar lander. He steps down onto the surface of the Moon and speaks the immortal words.

That's one small step for a man...one giant leap for mankind.

And with that, history is made. Man has stepped foot on the Moon. Meanwhile, on the Skrull craft, the First Line get ready for their own lunar jaunt. Unlike Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the First Line have access to Skrull technology. And among that tech is what is known as "Lifeboat Tech". What this does is temporarily supercharge the body's natural electromagnetic aura and hyperoxygenate its tissues...somehow allowing people to survive in the cold vacuum of space for a period of time.

I think we can also presume that Effigy modified this "lifeboat tech" to be used safely on humans. Anyway, the Line waits for Armstrong and Aldrin to step on the Moon. After all, their mission is not to upstage NASA, it's to stop the villains going to attack them. The Line doesn't need to take their glory. While on the Moon, Blackjack encounters Positron. 

"Oh, I don't have your music player, Blackjack."

She blasts at him, calling him a sellout. Howler roars that he's going to kill Blackjack and charges at him. And with that, the First Line and the supervillains duke it out.

Notably, Firefall engages Typhoon, thinking he can warp weather. But that's not exactly true. You see, the Japanese villain actually has the power to command particulate matter. Basically, he can make small particles of solids or liquids move around. Which he demonstrates by hitting her with a blast of moon dust.

As the fight continues on, Effigy makes his way to the Skrull mothership. He notices that it's more advanced now. Which does make sense. Anyway, he enters the ship and finds that the benefactors of the villains in this story are actually Skrulls in disguise. He reveals his own Skrull nature to them, playing that he had been long trying to get home. The other Skrulls pick up that the First Line are fighting their own superhuman operatives, and they believe Velmax betrayed them and led them here. 

Elsewhere, the battle is falling into chaos. Howler, enraged and crazed on moon power, literally tears Axis in half. But Axis was a Neo-Nazi, so nobody cared. Scythe slashes Howler open. Typhoon watches the infighting and decides that he's had enough.

He heads to the ship and sees the dead Skrulls inside. The Japanese villain ends up trapped inside the ship as it leaves Earth and then explodes. 

And with that, the day is saved. Apollo 11's mission goes off without a hitch, presumably with Armstrong, Aldrin, and even Michael Collins none the wiser as to the Skrulls' dark plans against them. The surviving villains (Howler is not seen in the arrest scene, so it can be presumed Scythe killed him) are taken into custody. Efifgy tells Pixie that he wanted to seize their ship to study, but the Skrulls on board refused to surrender, setting the ship to self-destruct. Oxbow thinks there's something he's not telling them. And Effigy confesses there is.

This wasn't the Skrulls' first mission against the Earth. And it won't be the last. Considering their future encounters with the Fantastic Four and the next generation of Marvel heroes, and stories like Secret Invasion, Effigy's prediction will turn out to be quite dead on. 

Days later, Velmax heads to a courthouse in Washington DC in his Jake Scott identity. He thinks about how crazy Earth is, but not much crazier than this idea he could ever return to the Skrull Empire. He sees himself as an immigrant to the planet, which is shown by him watching a ceremony welcoming some newly naturalized American citizens. He mentally says their oath of citizenship with them, and the story ends with him declaring that Earth is his home with tears in his eyes. 

This honestly so far has been my favorite issue of the maxiseries. Admittedly, the main reason is because it's set during the Moon Landing. As I said earlier, I'm a bit of a space nut. It does make sense that an alien race that has been secretly fighting the Earth since the 1940s would want to sabotage the Moon Landing. 

What I also like is that we get little bits of characterization from the heroes and villains in this story. For example, Scythe is shown to be a bit sardonic, Blackjack is shown to be cocky and fond of Positron, Howler is a hothead who becomes feral on the Moon, etc. Stern is great at this. Also, I love the twist of Typhoon's powers not being related to weather but allow people to think that he can. It does make sense that there are some villains who have names that don't fit their powers. It can be surmised that maybe Typhoon thought he had weather powers at first but discovered the true nature of them later on and kept the codename to keep people guessing. At least, that's my headcanon on it. And the scene with Fox and Katyusha. She was a fun character. Very likable. Shame things didn't work out with her and Robert.

I also liked the "cuts" in the comic. The Skrulls showing the villains their ship cutting to the First Line being shown their own, Pixie talking about the Lunar Module leading to the scene of the fateful Moon Landing, the landed Module cutting to the lunar park in the far future, it helps make the comic appear more cinematic. 

Velmax's storyline of fully embracing the Earth and America as his home is something I think that is hurt by the format of the maxiseries. Remember, it's going backwards through the First Line's history. However, this is not about him. This is not his story. So, it's not anything major. I can imagine some would have an issue with the story trying not to interfere with the Moon Landing. To be fair, the First Line's job is not to upstage the Moon Landing (Mr. Justice outright says that in the story). Also, in 2000, both Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were still very much alive. As of July 2026, Aldrin is still living (Armstrong died in 2012). Marvel probably wanted to avoid a potential lawsuit if the Line were shown outright interacting with them. 

Byrne and Milgrom also turn in some strong art for this issue. It also helped contribute to the characterization of our heroes in places. Like in the arrest panel. Firefall is shown scowling at Nightingale in the back when she's talking to Mr. Justice. It makes you wonder if maybe she was fond of him. 

If you want to read this for yourself...sadly, Marvel: The Lost Generation has never been collected in a standalone trade paperback or hardcover. It was collected in a 2018 Omnibus: The Marvel Universe by john Byrne Vol. 2. But otherwise, you're just going to either hope you find it in your comic book shop's back issue bins or look online. I got all 12 issues on eBay. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

National Cherry Day

Happy National Cherry Day!

Cherries are a beloved snack, the fruit of the flowering tree genus known as prunus. The word cherry comes from the Latin word "cerasum", a reference to a region in Ancient Greece that is now Giresun, Turkey. It was believed that it was in this area that cherries were brought to Europe from Asia Minor.

There are many species of cherry, like the Japanese bush cherry and the St. Lucie cherry. Arguably, the most famous cherry species is the sweet cherry, aka the wild cherry. This species of cherry was originally native to Asia Minor and has been believed to have been enjoyed by people for centuries. Archaeological evidence suggests that wild cherries have been consumed since the Bronze Age. The Greeks would also cultivate cherries, presumably introduced to Europe by migrating birds. 

England would get wild cherries thanks to Henry VIII. He tried them in Flanders, Belgium, and presumably thought they were delicious. The 1600s would see them come to the United States. Eventually, they would find their way to other places around the world, including Australia. 

So, yeah. The cherry would eventually find its way to being a beloved sweet treat. So, if you like them, enjoy something with cherry today! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

National Hot Dog Day

Today is National Hot Dog Day!

Hot dogs are a food that is heavily associated with American culture, especially when it comes to sports. It's not unusual to see hot dogs be sold at stadiums during sporting events, nor is it strange to see tailgate parties in which hot dogs are grilled. Hot dogs can also be prepared by steaming or boiling. I like my hot dogs boiled myself.

So, where did the hot dog come from? Well, the sausage part of the hot dog (the wiener or the frankfurter/frank) was brought over by German immigrants. In fact, the frankfurter was named for the German city of Frankfurt, where they were born. They were referred to as Hot "Dogs" due to accusations of being made from the meat of dogs. While consumption of dog meat was common in some parts of Germany (like Saxony and Bavaria), and some hot dogs did contain it in the past, in general hot dogs were actually made from pork, beef, or a mix of the two. And in the modern day, there are vegetarian/vegan hotdogs made from plants. 

As for the origins of serving hot dogs in buns, that's a bit more debatable. There are a few claims to the creation of this concept. One was that English food concessionaire Harry M. Stevens used French rolls to hold the sausages when he ran out of wax paper while working at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901.

Another is that the wife of a German immigrant known only as Feughtwanger suggested serving them in buns to help protect the hands of people he was making the sausages for from being burnt by said sausages. A third possible origin is from German immigrant Charles Feltman, who ran a hot dog cart in Coney Island in the 1860s. His cart would have a stove to cook the sausages, and a compartment to hold fresh buns. He would build this into a restaurant that lasted until 1954. 

Hot dogs started being associated with various events in the 1920s. People ate them at parties and sporting events. And it's not hard to see why. Hot dogs are a simple thing to make. Just boil/grill/cook the sausage, slap it in a bun or some bread, put some toppings of your choice on it (I like mustard, ketchup, and cheese myself), and voila! A delicious little food that'll keep you going for a while. 

So, yeah. Hot dogs have been a beloved street treat for decades now. I hope you go enjoy one today! Thanks for readig this blog entry! If you like it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

International Rock Day

 Today is International Rock Day!

The history of how this day came about is rather vague, but the goal of the day is clear: the celebration of rocks! Because, well...they rock, ha ha!

Yeah, sorry. All rocks on earth come in three main forms:
- Igneous: These rocks started out as molten magma and are formed when it cools. Naturally, you mostly find these around volcanoes. Granite is an igneous rock, for example. It's comprised of magma with a high silica content.
- Sedimentary: These rocks are formed by sediments (like minerals or organic matter) basically being cemented together thanks to the effects of erosion. Sedimentary rock covers over 70% of the Earth's land mass, but it only comprises a small amount of the Earth's crust. It's basically a covering. One example of sedimentary rock is sandstone, which is rock formed, naturally, from sand.
- Metamorphic: Metamorphic rock is formed when a rock is changed into a new form thanks to heat and pressure, hence the name. Igneous and sedimentary rocks can be changed into metamorphic rocks. Marble is an example of metamorphic rock, formed when limestone (a sedimentary rock), undergoes the metamorphic process.

Rocks are also rather important to human development. It's believed that humans and earlier hominids started making tools from rocks in the Lower Paleolithic Era. Stone tools found near Lake Turkana in Kenya from 2011 to 2014 have been dated to be about 3.3 million years old. As time went on, these stone tools would evolve further, until the development of metallurgy caused rock tools and weapons to be superseded by metals like bronze and copper.

So, yeah. Rocks are pretty darn neat. Check out some today! Thanks for reading this blog entry! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

Captain America #247 (July 1980)

All the way back in March 2017, I took a look at Captain America #247 (August 1980). It told the tale of Captain America battling the android monster known as the Dragon Man. It was the second issue in the all-too short Roger Stern/John Byrne run on Cap's book. But every run has a beginning. Also, I wanted to make up for not reviewing an issue of Cap's book on the week of America's birthday. As such, here's my look at Captain America #247!

The cover is a John Byrne and Josef Rubinstein piece. It's an exciting and dynamic cover, depicting our man Steve Rogers and SHIELD stalwart Dum-Dum Dugan being ambushed by a flying car driven by the evil Baron von Strucker. This makes you want to crack the comic open and see how this happened and how they're going to get out of this mess.

"By the Dawn's Early Light!"
Writers: Roger Stern, John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Josef Rubinstein
Colorist: George Roussos
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Jim Salicrup
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with our man Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, running across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Naturally, the pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and all manner of transportation-users are in awe. After all, even in the Marvel Universe, it's not every day that you see a superhero run through the streets. As he runs, Cap thinks about a few things. He's glad he moved to Brooklyn Heights as he thinks it's a nice neighborhood and thanks to said Brooklyn Bridge, he has easy access to Manhattan. 

But he's not running for fun or to get some exercise in. He's heading towards SHIELD's New York headquarters, hoping to get some issues sorted out. The man realizes that he may be as fast as the best Olympic runners, but even he's going to need some extra speed. So, he takes a ride on a bus. As in he literally rides on a bus.

Cap would ride inside the bus, but he's a cheapskate.

In a nice little moment, Steve asks the driver where he's headed. He's off to Broadway and 75th! Hey, Broadway! Steve can go catch a show while he's out! 

However, Steve has other plans. he gets off at Midtown and does some roof-hopping. So, you may be wondering something. Why is our man in such a hurry? Does SHIELD have an important job for him? Did Vision make some brownies at Avengers Mansion, and Steve has to have one? Well, no. Our man has some memory troubles. it started a week earlier during the events of Captain America #245. One of his fellow tenants, Josh Cooper, threw a surprise party for him. It got ol' Stevie thinking about his sweet 16th birthday, growing up in New York City. Thing was, he remembers his childhood a bit differently, thanks to some "lost" memories that were restored to him in Captain America #225. He makes his way to SHIELD's New York HQ.

And speaking of Joshua Cooper, we look in on him at 569 Leaman Place in Brooklyn Heights. This was where Steve was living at the time. 

"It's the check for $75,000 his Uncle Mike left him in his will."

Joshua has a letter for Steve, but unknown to him, our man is off getting his head fixed up. His fellow tenant, firefighter Mike Farrell, has someone he wants him to meet. Meanwhile, back at SHIELD's offices, Cap doesn't find Nick Fury Senior, but instead his right-hand man, Aloysius "Dum Dum" Dugan and his bowler hat. 

"Whaddaya want, Cap? Yer interruptin' my loungin' time!"

Cap explains his predicament to Dugan. Thanks to the events of issue #225, he remembers growing up in Maryland. He was the son of a diplomat, and that he had a brother named Mike who died in the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. These memories are vivid, but they don't feel right. Cap has looked into the Army's records. They do substantiate these memories, but as Dugan has pointed out, Army records can be altered or faked. Cap was hoping Fury could help him find the truth. Thing was, Fury was just as suspicious as Steve was of these memories. As such, he had some checking done. They haven't found all the answers, but SHIELD may have found something that could help clear things up.

So, where is Fury off to, anyway? He's gone to jail.

No, he didn't commit a crime. He's visiting a maximum-security prison outside of Ithaca, New York. You see, an inmate there was an old..."friend" of his.

"Yes, the monocle makes me feel classy!"

Yes, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, the founder of the modern incarnation of HYDRA. Fury is surprised to see him alive as the last time these two old enemies met, Strucker was seemingly fried like an egg by the events of Strange Tales #158. And then Strucker returned to battle Rogers in Captain America #130-131. Strucker has been interrogated about his survival since then. He didn't reveal how he survived then, and he will not now. Especially to Fury. But it doesn't matter, as Fury's got some news for him: Strucker is going to get extradited to Israel, where he will be tried for war crimes for his actions during WWII. However, Nick gets a call from Dugan. 

Cap has arrived. Fury tells him to take the Star-Spangled Avenger to Fort Dix. Strucker takes advantage of Fury's being distracted to reveal a nasty little surprise: a smoke bomb.

Meanwhile, at Fort Dix, Cap and Dugan find something in a storage depot: Cap's old foot-locker from the war. Evidently, it's just been lying there in the decades since WWII ended. Among the items our man finds in it are his first badge-shaped shield, and most importantly...

"I wrote my first fanfics in this!"

His old war journal. If this doesn't clarify his memories, nothing will. And yup, it does indeed do the job. The journal reveals that on Christmas Eve 1941, General Chester Phillips had Cap participate in an experiment that planted false memories in his head. This was a way to help protect Rogers if he got captured by the Nazis and pumped for information. This would help confuse them. The false memories would be based on a Walter Rogers, a man who worked for the State Department. This may put him and his wife at risk, but they're willing to take it. After all, they lost their sons Mike and Grant in the Pearl Harbor attack. It's the least they can do. A couple days after Christmas, Steve was given the false memories.

"I-also-freakin'-love-cheesesteaks..."

The old war journal helped get everything straight. Steve Rogers' middle name being Grant? Having an older brother named Michael? Growing up in Maryland with a father named Walter and mother named Elizabeth? All false. Rogers grew up poor in the Lower East Side in Manhattan, the son of Irish immigrants Joseph and Sarah Rogers. He was orphaned in his teenage years and wanted to go to art school. That's his true past. Cap's head is all back together.

And not a moment too soon, as Baron von Strucker has chosen to pick a fight with the All-American Avenger.

"Surprise, motherfreedomlovers!"

Nick Fury's hovercar was made not just because hovercars are freakin' cool. According to Dugan, it has more weaponry than a bunch of tanks. Which Strucker has no qualms using on our heroes.

Making things worse, Cap is cut off from his round Mighty Shield. As such, he's forced to use his first one. Thing is, that badge shield is not as durable (thanks to it not being made of the vibranium-iron alloy like the round shield), so Cap has to improvise. Which he does in the form of tossing a rock into one of the hovercar's turbines. This causes Strucker to crash.

However, the old monster doesn't go down that easy. He shoots at Cap and Dugan, managing to hit Dugan in the shoulder. Good thing Strucker missed his hat. That would have made Dugan mad. Cap charges and tosses his old shield at the HYDRA founder. It works in distracting the baron, allowing Cap to lay a Mighty American Punch to Strucker's face. But Baron Strucker has one more trick up his sleeve.

Baron Strucker takes the phrase "Red Right Hand" very literally.

Behold! The Satan Claw! If you ever watched the animated series Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, you may have seen Strucker use this fancy glove. First appearing in Stange Tales #157 (March 1967), there have been several Claws over the years, all fitted with various weaponry. Strucker continues battling with the Claw, having Cap on the backfoot.

Meanwhile, Cap is wondering how Strucker managed to fit said Satan Claw under his jumpsuit's glove.

Thankfully, Fury wakes up from the gas bomb. He finds Cap's round shield, and tosses it to the Star-Spangled Avenger, and Cap uses it to crush the Satan Claw.

With that, Strucker is defeated. Cap gets him to his feet, Fury saying that the HYDRA founder's next stop is Tel Aviv. Cap notes that Strucker is taking this far too calmly. Something is up. And it's revealed that, well, yes. Something is up. Strucker gives one final defiant Nazi salute...and then explodes. 

Yes, the Strucker that we had been dealing with...was a robot. It was a pretty well-made robot, too. Not to mention this is the Marvel Universe. There are no shortage of skilled robot-makers out there. There are plenty of suspects. Thankfully, the comic ends with the revelation of this robot's builder.

"Soon, Captain America...you will gawk in amazement of my weird beard!"

Yes, it's Samuel "Saxon" Starr, aka the Machinesmith. First appearing in Daredevil #49 (February 1969), he's a brilliant roboticist, and he's one of Marvel's few openly gay supervillains. He also briefly held the mantle of Mr. Fear before this point.

I think this comic was really good. It's a very strong start to what would be a great run that was sadly cut all too short. We set up some potential drama with Cap's personal life, as well as a bit of continuity-fixing, revealing the supposedly-back from the dead Strucker was a robot. The real Strucker would return from the grave, but that is another story from another time. Not to mention the re-establishing of Cap's canon origins as an Irish-American immigrant from NYC. The fight between Cap, Dugan, and Strucker was pretty darn exciting as well. 

Strong writing in this comic was backed up by equally strong art from the tag team of John Byrne's pencils and Josef Rubinstein's ink brushes. They work very well together. There's great storytelling and expressiveness in the art. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2007 trade paperback Captain America: War and Remembrance. This comic has also been reprinted in the 2014 trade paperback Captain America Epic Collection Vol. 9. Dawn's Early Light. This trade was reprinted in 2021. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

World Chocolate Day

Today is World Chocolate Day!

Chocolate is a rather delicious substance mainly produced from cocoa beans. The plants that produce these beans are native to the tropical areas of the Americas, mainly in South America. This plant was first domesticated around 5,300 years ago in what is now Ecuador by the Mayo-Chinchipe. They served it as a bitter drink mixed with spices and corn. This would spread to Latin America, where there is a modern descendant of this drink served in southern Mexico and Central America: Chilate. From there, it would spread further to Pueblo peoples in what is now the Southwest USA. The Maya used chocolate for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. It was also seen as a luxury drink by the Aztecs.

The word "chocolate"'s exact origins are not exactly clear. The word was first recorded in English in 1604 and Spanish in 1579. There are theories that it descended from words in the Nahuatl or Nawat languages, but that is also debated. 

Chocolate would be introduced to Europeans in the 16th century, thanks to Christopher Columbus. Columbus seized a canoe used by natives to trade. Said canoe had cocoa beans on it. However, it would be Spanish friars that would make the big impact, thanks to them introducing chocolate to the Spanish royals. It was originally a luxury item, enjoyed only by the rich, where sugar was added to counter its natural bitterness. But when the steam engine was invented in the 1700s, it became possible to mass-produce chocolate. It would also help lead to the rise of the transatlantic slave trade thanks to the Portuguese introducing the cocoa crop to Africa after their South American colonies gained independence.

Over time, various improvements in technology would make chocolate more accessible to the common man, like Walter Churchman's mechanical cocoa grinder in 1729. Dutch chemist Coenradd van Houten's father patented a press that removed half the natural fat from chocolate in 1828. Houten discovered how to treat cocoa mass with alkaline salts to not only remove chocolate's natural bitter taste as well as make it more water-soluble. This led to the creation of Dutch processed chocolate. These innovations, among others, made chocolate cheaper and easier to produce, also allowing its transition from strictly a drink to something a person can eat like a food. It would take until the 1860s for wide usage of cocoa butter.

In 1847, the chocolate firm J. S. Fry & Sons created a method to mix cocoa butter with cocoa powder and sugar to create the first chocolate bars.

In the late 19th century, several chocolate companies were born. Some are still around today, like Cadbury and Hershey. In 1875, Swiss chocolatier and entrepreneur Daniel Peter could create modern milk chocolate, which would grow popular with the dawn of the 20th century. Concerns about the treatment of cocoa growers would lead to the rise in demand of fair trade chocolate in the 21st century. 

Chocolate has had a long and fascinating history which fits its long journey to become the beloved sweet treat we know it as today. If you want to learn more, you can read here and here. Thanks for reading this blog entry and treat yourself to some chocolate! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

Nintendo Classics July 2026 Update, My Thoughts

Four more games have come to the Nintendo Switch Online service! A platformer, a puzzle/fighter, an RPG, and a puzzle compilation! Not big in number, but hopefully big in quality! Let's look at the trailer!

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 - Developed and published by Nintendo, released in 1993. The third game in the Super Mario Land trilogy (although it's not about Mario), you play as the "Bad Mario" himself, as he travels an island seeking treasure so he can have a castle of his own. This was the first game in which Wario was the protagonist (his debut in the last Mario Land game was as a villain). This game was praised for its graphics and length but was given more mixed reception for its difficulty.

I have played the first two Mario Land games and enjoyed the heck out of them, although admittedly, I liked the second one more. I have never played this one, and I don't know why. Maybe because it didn't seem like a Mario Land game to me. I mean, it wasn't even about Mario! Of course, nowadays, I know they gave it the subtitle for the purpose of marketing. It clearly worked, as the game sold five million copies and Wario got his own series of games out of it. I loved Wario World.

Fortified Zone - Developed and published by Jalico. Released in Japan in February 1991 and America in September 1991. In this game, you play as a pair of mercenaries named Masato and Mizuki as you fight through various environments to penetrate a military fortress/stronghold. The game was given mixed reviews on release. It was praised for its mix of action and puzzle elements but got criticism for its short length and difficulty curve. It would get a sequel for the Game Boy in 1992 that was not released in Japan.

I personally think this game will be an interesting playing experience. It seems like a game whose big strength is its concept.

And of course they have to deal with giant enemy crabs!

The Sword of Hope II - Developed and published by Kemco. Released in Japan in 1992, North America in 1996. The sequel to the 1989 game The Sword of Hope, you play as Prince Theo of the kingdom of Riccar. As Theo, you must retrieve the titular weapon from the evil menace known as Zakdos. The game was given mixed reviews, mainly for slow battles that made the game a chore. It was still seen as a good enough game for those who wanted an RPG on the go.

Heh heh. Blop. That's a funny name for a monster. I'm guessing Blops are kind of like Slimes in the Dragon Quest games, the easy enemies that you beat to learn how to play.

Dr. Mario and Puzzle League - Released in 1995. A port of the 1990 Nintendo-developed NES game Dr. Mario bundled with the Intelligent Systems-developed Puzzle League, a pair of puzzle games. In the former, you play as the titular doctor, who uses multi-colored vitamins to destroy viruses. In the latter, you must form rows or columns of three identical blocks to keep them from filling up a well. What reviews I did find heaped praise on this compilation. 

One of the first games I remember playing a lot was Tetris back in the day. And I think I did play a little bit of the original Dr. Mario back in the day. I remember doing so, but not exactly when. If you like puzzle games, these are a fun option. 

Out of these four, I think I'm most excited to play Wario Land and Dr. Mario/Puzzle League. Those sound like the best games in the batch. I do enjoy a good RPG, so I may also give Sword of Hope a shot as well. It's nice that these games are being brought here not just for the people who played them in the past, but that these games can get new fans. And I hope they do. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give my blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!