Damage Control #2 (June 1989)

All the way back in 2022, I took a look back at the first issue of the first Damage Control miniseries. Basically, in the Marvel universe, Damage Control is a group dedicating to repairing the, well, damage and destruction caused by superhero battles. I think the concept is really neat, and the Damage Control miniseries that have been done over the years are hidden gems, underrated bits of Marvel output, and I wish they got more love. As such, I wanted to look at the next issue. What further adventures do these brave fixer-uppers get up to? Let's find out what happens when they cross paths with a certain Latverian dictator in Damage Control #2!

The cover is an Ernie Colon piece. It's one of the outright funniest covers I have ever seen. It has Dr. Doom looming over Albert Cleary, who declares that Doom will pay his bill. It's such a dramatic cover for something seemingly so mundane as paying a bill. But this is Dr. Doom. He does nothing in a mundane manner.

"In It Up to Arrears." 
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Ernie Colon
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Colorist: John Wellington
Letterer: Rick Parker
Editor: Sid Jacobson
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins in Manhattan, in particular on the Upper West Side. A group of German-speaking scientists are working on a new weapon. And as it goes in these things, something is about to go horribly wrong. 

"I told you not to order those parts off Temu, Hans!"

The overloading cannon caused the brownstone and everything inside to be turned to glass. This gets the scientists worried, as it turns out, ol' Doctor Doom gave them this project to work on, and this is not supposed to be the result. 

This gets the attention of, naturally, our heroes of rebuilding. Robin Chapel calls in a meeting of the main characters of the team: Account Executive Marie Leahy, Senior Foreman Lenny Ballinger, R&D Director Gene Sailors (I accidentally said his last name was "Strausser" in my look at the last issue), and fellow Account Executive John Porter. Sailors gives the group the 411 on what Doom's new weapon did to the brownstone. Ballinger has no clue how to fix it, as evidently the transformed building is putting out vibrations that shakes any equipment that comes near it to pieces. 

Comptroller Albert Cleary points out that Doom has not paid his bills to the company in six months. Why on Earth should they fix this? I mean, it's not like people lived in that brownstone or anything. But to be fair, Damage Control is a business, and they can't stay in business if people don't pay their repair bills. Hoag asks Cleary to send the bill over as the company doesn't have a collection department yet. He agrees, even though Porter is quick to point out that Doom is a killer. 

We get the skinny on who Doom is, because evidently, Cleary has no idea who he is. Does he live in a cave with no TV? Victor Von Doom in universe is the dictator of a nation. He's fought various superheroes for years. How can Cleary not know who Doctor Doom is?!

The rest of the gang realize Cleary can't go alone, so they draw straws to see who goes with him. And guess who "wins"?

"Ha ha ha ha...I'm gonna die."

...John Porter is a dead man. Nice knowing ya, Johnnie! Well, not really. An intern named Bart Rozum wants to come along, as he never gets to do anything. There is a good reason for that. Kid hasn't even graduated from college yet. Cleary decides to bring him along anyway, much to Porter's relief. 

Cleary and Bart head out to the Latverian Embassy. After all, when he's not battling American superheroes, or crushing Latverians with his iron-covered fists, that's where he likely hangs his green hood. But Doom is not the only one with issues with Damage Control right now. Here's the Thing!

"THE BEER WAS WARM!"

You may have noticed that Ben is a bit...spikier than normal. That's because of the events of Fantastic Four #310 (January 1988). In that comic, during a battle with a villain called Fasaud, Ben Grimm got exposed to cosmic rays and they mutated him into this new spiky form. Fun fact, the animated series Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes paid homage to this form in the episode "Annihilation". 

Benjy Grimm is in a Karen mood today, as he demands to see the manager about the FF's own bills to the company. So, the secretary throws Porter under the bus. Well, Porter's able to handle himself just fine. Ben has an issue with the FF's insurance, but Porter's found the problem.

It turns out the FF's insurance only covers the original roster of the FF, but not their current roster. Yeah, like any long-running superhero team, the FF have had their fair share of roster shake-ups over the years. If you know of the Scott Lang Ant-Man and She-Hulk from the MCU, in the comics, they both served as members of the FF for a while. Not at the same time, but yeah. 

Porter is able to clear that up, with a little help from Ben's angry growling. Meanwhile, Cleary and Rozum arrive at the Latverian Embassy. They are greeted by a Count Gunter Flounder, who is supposedly speaking on behalf of Von Doom. He announces that Doom is not only discontinuing the usage of Damage Control's services, but that the bills will not be paid. However, Doom himself is seemingly in the house.

"No, Dr. Doom! We didn't see you playing with your dolls again!"

Cleary plays with Doom's ego a bit, telling the mad monarch that he and Flounder were discussing the money that Flounder was embezzling from Doom. Flounder tries to tell Doom is a lie, but he's not hearing it. Gunter Flounder, you are fired!

Back at Damage Control HQ, Ben Grimm is amusing the employees by telling some stories of his misadventures. He has one for every occasion. He's about to leave as the insurance issue is settled (just needed to write a check for the deductible) until Robin remarks that she hopes Cleary is doing well trying to get Doctor Doom to pay his bills. Ben thinks he's in danger (this is Doctor Doom after all), and so, calls in the FF. 

"Oh my God, that meteor has the FF logo on it!"

At the time, the FF is not comprised of its classic roster. Instead, we got Ben, Johnny, Crystal Amaquelin of the Inhumans, and Sharon Ventura, aka She-Thing.

Sharon Ventura, aka formerly the second Ms. Marvel. Yes, in the comics, there was a Ms. Marvel between Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan. First appearing in The Thing #27 (September 1985), she first met Ben during his time as a pro wrestler. She joined the FF in Fantastic Four #306 (September 1987), and then was mutated into the She-Thing in Fantastic Four #310 (January 1988). She would appear on and off over the years. In her most recent appearance as far as I know in Astonishing Avengers #17 (June 2025), she somehow gained the ability to switch between her human and She-Thing forms at will. 

Anyway, the FF fly into action, however...it turns out that Cleary and Rozum are just fine. Doom not only willingly pays the bill, he even offered Cleary a job. 

So, yeah. The FF can go home, although Ben does wonder if that's the actual Doom or it's just a Doombot, robotic doubles Doom's been known to deploy on occasion. I believe the concept was introduced by John Byrne in Fantastic Four #258 (September 1983) as a way to explain inconsistencies in Doctor Doom's characterization over the years. 

With that taken care of, Damage Control can get back to work. There's still one problem, though. Lenny and his crew have no idea how to approach repairing the building. Thing is, Porter has not only a knack for insurance law, but he also has a knack for finding the simple solution to a problem. He picks up a rock. He throws the rock at the glass building, and...

John Porter unintentionally ruined a piece of art.

Just sweep up the glass and rebuild the building. Porter even found the original blueprints. Lenny tells him he should ask for a raise. Porter agrees, as he feels overworked. 

This was a fun issue. I always loved the concept of Damage Control as a way of exploring the Marvel Universe from the perspective of a regular person. It makes sense that in a universe like this, there would be an organization dedicated to cleaning up the messes caused by superhero battles. I also loved this miniseries as it's a way for Marvel to tell a more comedic story than in their standard titles. The characters are a delight.

I know some would count this appearance of Doom as a Doombot, but I actually would personally prefer if it was the actual Doom here, as having it be the real Doom would not only be much funnier, but I can imagine that Dr. Doom, petty as he can be at times, would do this if only because I can imagine him thinking he can rub this in Reed Richards's face somehow. "DOOM ALWAYS PAYS HIS BILLS, UNLIKE THAT DEADBEAT RICHARDS!" 

I can imagine that the late Ernie Colon was having quite a good time drawing this comic. He has said growing up that he wasn't fond of superheroes outside of the Billy Batson Captain Marvel because he found him fun and willing to be silly. Makes sense a more humorous title would be right up his alley. His art is fun to look at. It does remind me of the style the (sadly recently passed) Sal Buscema would adopt in the 90s, only less heavy with the lines and angular. 

In a way, I think Damage Control was ahead of its time. If this came out when the US version of The Office started broadcasting, I can imagine it would have become an ongoing series that would have lasted quite a while. If you want to read this story for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2015 trade paperback Damage Control: The Complete Collection. 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 wish to give my blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

International Bat Appreciation Day

 Hello, everyone! Welcome to International Bat Appreciation Day!

This day celebrates a little flying critter that is rather misunderstood: The bat. It's celebrated in April as this is the time of year bats start to emerge from hibernation. Bats are often misunderstood creatures, associated with witchcraft and vampires. But bats are actually rather important to the ecosystem. Not to mention, bats are pretty cool.

Bats are mammals, just like humans. They are also the only mammals that are capable of true flight, thanks to their forelimbs being adapted into wings. In fact, what could possibly be considered the smallest mammal is a species of bat: the Kitti's hog-nosed bat, native to Thailand and Myanmar. These little guys have a six-inch wingspan, are around an inch in length, and weigh less than an ounce. The biggest known species of bat is the giant golden-crowned flying fox. Native to the Philippines, this bat can weigh about 3.5 pounds and has a wingspan of over five-and-a-half feet. 

There are about 1,400 species of bats, and they can be found in every continent except for Antarctica. They are the second largest order of mammals, only beaten by rodents. Most bats are nocturnal, and they feed mainly on fruit, nectar, and insects, depending on the species. There are bats that do feed on other things, most famously the vampire bat. 

Despite the reputation bats have in the West, bats are actually very important to their ecosystems. Because many species of bats eat insects, they can help reduce the need for chemical pesticides. In fact, one bat can eat up to one thousand mosquitoes in an hour. Bats are also expert pollinators. Many plants in tropical regions need bats for this purpose. For example, you like tequila? Well, tequila is made from the agave plant. The agave plant needs the lesser long-nosed bat to pollinate.

In some cultures, bats are associated with protection from disease, long life, and even rebirth. 

So, yeah. Bats are awesome critters and deserve a lot more love. They are fair more than an inspiration for a certain superhero and a form a certain vampire can assume. 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!

World Art Day

 Today is World Art Day!

What is World Art Day, you may ask? Well, World Art Day is a day to celebrate, well, art! The reason why it's on April 15 is because it's the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, considered one of the greats in fine art. The day was first declared in 2015 by the International Association of Art.

Art comes in a wide variety of forms, and people use art to express themselves in a variety of ways. Painting, drawing, filmmaking, writing, photography, it's all forms of art. Since humanity started scribbling in caves, art has been used for a variety of reasons: to express themselves, draw attention to issues, to show off their creativity. Art helps make this crazy world a little more interesting, a little more vibrant, a little more beautiful. Art is something that transcends culture and language. It truly is one of those things that we all have in common.

So, enjoy some art today, or make some art, whether with paints, words, or a camera. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! If you enjoy what I write, please make a donation to my ko-Fi! See you next time!

National Dolphin Day

Today is National Dolphin Day!

Dolphins are aquatic mammals that share a close relation with beluga whales, narwhals, and porpoises. "Dolphin" and "porpoise" are sometimes used interchangeably, but in reality, they are different animals, and there are ways to tell them apart. Mainly that porpoises have shorter beaks and spade-shaped teeth (dolphin teeth are conical in shape). They also behave differently than dolphins. There are about 40 known species of dolphins, the arguably most famous being the bottleneck dolphin due to it being the most common dolphin in captivity.

Most dolphins live in the seas, but there are some dolphins do live in freshwater bodies as well as in brackish waters (Brackish waters are basically between fresh and saltwater in salinity). Dolphins also lack gills. Like whales, they use blowholes to breathe, and their time in the water is just them holding their breath like humans. Dolphins are carnivorous, often feeding on fish and squids, but some do feed on other dolphins and even seabirds. The term dolphin comes from a Greek term meaning "fish with a womb", a reference to the mammalian animals giving live births like humans instead of laying eggs. 

Dolphins are social animals, and they form pods of various sizes. They are also rather vocal, communicating through clicks and whistles. Dolphin are among the noisiest marine animals, and that's because they use echolocation to get around. Dolphin pods can be close-knit, and they have been known to aid injured members. In fact, dolphins have been shown to be among the most intelligent animals in the sea. They are capable of grieving, scheming, teaching other dolphins, and even cooperation with each other. 

In Ancient Greece, dolphins were seen as protectors of humanity, and since dolphins have been known to help human swimmers, it makes sense. Dolphins in the wake of a ship was seen as a good omen. They were seen as messengers of the sea god Poseidon. Hindu mythology ties the dolphins of the Ganges river to the goddess Ganga. In the Amazon, it's believed the Boto dolphins of the river are shapeshifters than can have children with human women. There's a similar belief in the Caroline Islands.

So yeah, dolphins are wonderous critters. Hope you learned something neat 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 my blog some extra support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time! 

 

International Day of Human Spaceflight

Today is the International Day of Human Spaceflight!

This day is for the celebration of human exploration of space. It was on this day in 1961 that Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968) became the first human to go into space onboard Vostok 1. The word "vostok" means "east" or "Orient" in Russian. He completed one orbit around the Earth in 108 minutes, his craft launched from Kazakhstan, then known as the Kazakh SSR. This event, combined with the earlier launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 (the word "Sputnik" means "satellite" in Russian), the first artificial object in space, kicked off the Space Race of the 1960s. 

On April 7, 2011, a few days before the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's trip to the stars, the United Nations General Assembly declared this day. However, this celebration is a bit older than that. You see, it was originally known as "Yuri's Night" in honor of Gagarin.

"Yuri's Night" was created by Trish Garner, Loretta Hildago Whitesides, and George T. Whitesides, and first held on this day in 2001, to honor the 40th Anniversary of the flight. These days are celebrated by space-themed parties at NASA centers and various other places. Events can be large or small, and held all over the world. Russia refers to this day as Cosmonautics Day.

This day also commemorates the first launch mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-1, which also happened on this day in 1981. That was actually not intentional. The Columbia had actually been intended to launch a couple of days earlier but got delayed due to a technical issue. 

The purpose of this day is to not just honor the brave men and women who traveled to the stars, but to also knowledge the pioneering innovations that came from man's desire to explore said stars. Wondering what is out there is a question people all over the world have asked for centuries. Maybe one day, we will meet intelligent life. This day is special to me as I was a nut for space as a kid. Still am in a way. I hope that one day, space travel will be as commonplace as it is in Star Trek. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you like it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Marvel: The Lost Generation #9 (June 2000)

It's that time again! It's time to look in on the Lost Generation of Marvel Super Heroes! Last time, we saw the First Line fight off the forces of the Deviant Warlord Kro, saw the birth of Gadfly, and the beginnings of SHIELD. So, where do we go from here? Let's find out in Marvel: The Lost Generation #9!

The cover is a John Byrne and Al Milgrom piece. It depicts what looks like some members of the Line, almost like it was a poster. However, what makes it unique is that the characters' heads all have crosshairs over them, like they're targets. And in a way...they are, as the comic promises that one of the First Line will be lost here. However, it doesn't quite work because of how the mini-series worked. We saw Black Fox, Flatiron, Nightingale die in issue #12, which showed the team's final adventure. Presumably Pixie and Oxbow also met their ends in that issue as well. As such, the only suspects are the three new characters we see on the cover. It's still a cool cover, though.

"Unholy War"
Writers: Roger Stern, John Byrne
Penciler: John Byrne
Inker: Al Milgrom
Colorist: Glynis Oliver
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-in-Chief: Bob Harras

The story begins some years earlier than the events of the last issue, at the estate of one William Carmody, aka the Eternal Brain. We look in on said Eternal Brain with his daughter Mary and her main squeeze Jim Fitzpatrick. 

"And now, it won't be long before I can rock out on guitar again!"

William and Jim have developed a prototype body to allow William to, well...walk about. If you didn't guess, this body would eventually become Walkabout. Mary laments her father's current state, but Carmody's accepted it. After all, better a brain-in-a-jar than dead. Yeah, believe it or not, these three characters were not created by Stern and Byrne for the mini-series. They were actual pre-established characters from the Golden Age of Comics. All three of them appeared in Red Raven Comics #1 (August 1940). 

As for why they're in a story set in the early 1980s? Well, you see, the original 1940 story said that it had been around 50 years since Charles Lindbergh started researching in 1930 for his 1938 book The Culture of Organs. So yeah, that original story took place around the early 1980s. Pretty clever on Roger and John's part.

The three get a visit from Jake Scott, aka Effigy. He was able to get into their home despite its advanced security system because of his shapeshifting powers. Remember, he is a Skrull. But he's not here to show off his powers. He's actually here because he needs some help from the Eternal Brain and his telepathic abilities. Two day earlier, Mr. Justice was flying an experimental aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz as part of a mission he independently went on to save a trio of diplomats that were being held hostage over the Kingdom of Halwan. The craft was shot down. It was feared Justice was dead, until they got word that he is very much alive...

...But he is now a captive of the Halwanis himself.

Scott wants Carmody's help to rescue Mr. Justice. But he won't have to do it alone. 

"We were promised beer. Where's the beer?" 

Meet the First Line's roster at this time: Reflex, Flatiron, Positron, Black Fox, Blackjack, Oxbow, Pixie, and Nightingale. The members imply that Nixon screwed with the team in some way. Carmody remarks that the team broke up in 1972, around the time of the Watergate scandal. As for why Carmody's telepathy is needed, it's because sunspot activity is messing up satellite communications. In this situation, Carmody's telepathy is more reliable. And they'll need it when they head to Halwan. So, let's check in on Mr. Justice, shall we?

"Lady, I keep telling you, I'm not into this!"

Yeah, Tim Carney has seen better days. Despite being tortured for two days, he's refused to talk. One of the torturers, a Jameel, has developed a bit of respect for the man as a result. Princess Zafina is not impressed by Carney's toughness. Back in the USA, the First Line are plotting out the assault on Kamilabad, the capital city of Halwani. A team of covert agents will also be aiding them. Blackjack wonders why they should rescue Mr. Justice, as his screw-up caused this. Thing is, Mr. Justice is still a First Liner, and they don't abandon their own. 

We also get a bit of character moments here. Oxbow gets aggressive with Reflex after she accidentally runs into Reflex, triggering his power to cause anything that hits him bounce off. Jim notes that Oxbow is certainly loyal to Pixie. William tells him they've been together a long time, joining the Line together in the early 60s. Thing is, there's something funny about them. Back then, Pixie looked like the elder of the two, Oxbow likely being in his late teens when he joined, but now in the 1980s, he looks like the elder of the two...and Pixie has seemingly barely aged at all. Remember, Pixie is an Eternal, but as the last issue showed, only Oxbow is aware of it. 

Carmody has no desire to telepathically pry into Pixie's mind to find answers...and he couldn't if he wanted to, anyway. Her mind has psychic blocks in them that are incredibly powerful. Like Effigy's mind. 

In Kamilabad, the sun is about to rise on another day. But a group of men, led by a certain near-immortal WWII veteran, is at work. 

"Gleason, if you crack one of your stupid fart jokes, I'll kill ya myself!"

Fury and his team make their way into the royal compound, only to find the place empty. The team is left wondering. Are the Halwanis moving around the hostages...or have they been set up for a trap? Or maybe both? One man finds one of the doors is closed, with the others all open. Fury roars not to open it, and boom.

Elsewhere, in another castle, Mr. Justice wakes up in a rather comfy bed. And he is not alone.

"People make bug jokes around me for some reason."

Meet Dr. Khadijah. She's the cousin of Princess Zafina and spent some years in America training to be a doctor. It's a time in her life she considers a happy one. Zafina charged her with treating those who survive her torture chambers. And Tim Carney is her first patient in that capacity.

Even though he's been through the ringer, Tim tries to turn on the charm. Seriously, dude? You're banged up ten ways to Sunday! 

Cassandra Locke then arrives. She thinks she's finally arrived somewhere quiet...only to nearly get blown up. She is not a genre-savvy woman. Thankfully, she isn't hurt. And the explosion was caused by Positron, Blackjack with her. The two split, but not before sharing a kiss. Their dialogue makes Cassandra realize something: this is a mission in which things go horribly wrong.

The Black Fox flies towards the royal compound in his...Flying Fox (yes, I am aware that flying foxes are actually a genus of bats...which makes sense as Black Fox is a Batman pastiche), and fires something at the building. It manages to blast into the building. The Halwani guards think it's a crashed aircraft and shoot into the cockpit...realizing too late that it was a trick. The Fox managed to make his own way into the building and gives the guards a Mighty Thrashing. 

Cassie is found by Nightingale. The time-traveling scientist is shocked by this, as they're not supposed to meet yet (remember issue #12?). Nightgale says they have...in their past.

Nightingale knows the future, implying the healer is of many lives living in one body. Cassandra sees Flatiron, Oxbow, and Pixie in action. The scientist remembers seeing them die in issue #12, and is determined to do something to save a least one person. She looks around the castle, remembering this mission led to the death of a First Liner. However, she doesn't know who it is. She gets caught by a man known only as Scimitar. This Scimitar is the predecessor of the Scimitar that first appeared in Iron Fist #5 (June 1976). Blackjack takes him on, only to get the man's named weapon across the gut.

Time travel causing the thing it was trying to prevent. An enraged Positron vaporizes Scimitar, and the two share some last words, the dying Blackjack telling Positron he'll save a table for her on the other side. Cassandra vows to find a way to make up for this...by doing some more time travel. Cassie, you're going to end up destabilizing the universe at this rate!

Anyway, the battle between the First Line and the Halwani forces continue until Oxbow forces a surrender.

"If you don't let us go, we'll give her back...her old nose!"

With Princess Zafina a hostage, the Line leaves the country. It's then revealed that she's not a hostage at all. In fact, she wasn't even there with the group. It was Effigy in disguise.

They head out towards the Ben-Gurion Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel. And Black Fox is furious. Mr. Justice's capture? The hostage rescue? Effigy used all that as a distraction to help destabilize the regime in Halwan. The First Line were set up, and if something went wrong, they could be disavowed as a bunch of costumes that went rogue, the story earlier implying that the First Line did not have government clearances anymore. Right now, though, Mr. Justice is the priority. He's alive, but he many never truly recover from his injuries. Not if Nightingale has anything to say about it.

"Man, this new skin scream is great!"

Effigy praises them for a job well done, but Black Fox points out the CIA team (outside of Fury, naturally) and Blackjack are still dead. He storms out, muttering that he's getting too old for this, setting up his status quo in issue #11. Pixie laments that this is the end of the First Line. Not quite there yet, lady. But it's coming.

I enjoyed this issue. One thing I love about this miniseries is how much personality that Stern is able to give these characters with only a little bit of time. Oxbow is shown to be a protective hothead over Pixie, Reflex is the team jerk (and possibly a bit racist, considering he calls the half-First Nations Oxbow a 'half-breed'), Mr. Justice is shown to be a man of strong will and determination, Blackjack is a bit hard-hearted, etc. I also liked the scene with Black Fox snapping at Effigy over the mission realizing the Line was set up. It makes sense the government would do this. At this point, the Line is independent. It would not be out of character for the CIA to use them as a distraction so they can do their own dirty work. And considering what we'll learn of the Black Fox's past in future issues, it makes sense that he would not appreciate the Company setting his team up. 

I do wish we got a bit more exploration of Nightingale. There was some hinting at her nature that I found incredibly tantalizing. Nightingale's dialogue implies that there is more to her, that she may possibly not be a singular person. The Marvel Appendix entry on her theorizes that she may have been a group of life-forces/souls unified in one body, and I think it's a theory that makes sense. Her healing powers may have burned out those souls until there was nothing left, making her fade away.

Halwan is a fictional country, but its placement is rather...goofy. You see, the country is, according to Cassandra Locke, in the Middle East. That does make some sense here, as Mr. Justice was shot down near the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait borders Iran in the north, and the south is the Musandam Peninsula, which is shared by the United Arab Emirates and a territory of Oman. However, the country was not created for this maxiseries. It was originally from the first Iron Fist series. And in that series, it was established to be hit by "the winds of the Hindu Kush". Said Hindu Kush is an actual mountain range, in Afghanistan/Pakistan. The later Power Man and Iron Fist series would establish that Halwan is neighbors with another fictional country called Martakesh. Martakesh is in the Sahara Desert...which is in Africa. The Marvel Atlas puts Halwan in northern Africa, but that was published long after this. 

I am sorry about this, I'm a bit of a geography nerd, and it's just something I wanted to point out. I can see why Stern put Halwan in the Middle East here. This story is set in the 1980s, and the Middle East was becoming prominent in American politics and in culture at the time, so it does fit here. Princess Zafira is a one-note villain, nothing special about her, really. It can be argued that she does draw from Middle Eastern stereotypes. I do wish we got some interaction between Zafira and Dr. Khadijah (the story did say they were family, after all), to help deepen their characters a little bit. I can imagine that they did not always see eye-to-eye, considering Khadijah defected to America. A scene setting that up would have been nice.

I have said this before about Byrne's art on this miniseries, but it does come off as having a bit more "grit" for lack of a better term than in the past. But that could be because of age and the inker. It's still good, though. And a lot better than the Liefeld imitators of the preceding years.

Sadly, this maxiseries has never been collected as part of a standalone trade paperback. It was collected in a 2018 Omnibus: The Marvel Universe by John Byrne Vol. 2. Otherwise, you're going to have to look in the back issue bins at a comic book shop and hope you find copies. I found the series on eBay myself. 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, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

National Pet Day

Today is National Pet Day!

This day is about celebrating pets. Pets of all kinds. Dogs, cats, fish, bunnies, even gators. Yes, I would not be surprised if there are people who own pet gators. I can imagine that's especially a thing down in Florida, ha ha!

National Pet Day was created in 2006 by Colleen Paige. An animal welfare advocate, she came up with this day as a way to celebrate the joy and health benefits of owning pets. It's widely believed that pet ownership has positive effects on health, both mental and physical for humans. There have been studies that suggest that there may be some truth to that statement, like here and here.

Paige also created this day to raise awareness of the many pets in shelters looking to be adopted. And there are a lot of them. About 6.5 million pets come to shelters every year, according to the ASPCA. There are a lot of animals out there needing just a little bit of love. Adopting a pet would bring joy and love into a home. Pet owning can be hard work, but it worth it for the love and companionship it provides.

Pet ownership is an old tradition that crosses boundaries and cultures. It's believed that dogs were the first animals that humans managed to domesticate around 30,000 BC. In Ancient Egypt, beloved cats were mummified. In China, the rich would keep dogs and birds. Loving and being loved by an animal is a truly universal thing.   

So give your pets a little bit of extra love today! If you wish to adopt, go to your local shelter. 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, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

The Punisher: One Last Kill Teaser, My Thoughts

The Mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe marches on! The franchise has touched various forms of media, including, naturally television. And coming soon is another television special starring Marvel's resident lethal vigilante: Frank Castle, the Punisher.

The Punisher: One Last Kill has Jon Bernthal reprise his role as Castle. He's previously appeared in various other Marvel series: Daredevil, Daredevil: Born Again, and will also appear in the film Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Bernthal also co-wrote the special with the director, Reinaldo Marcus Green. This upcoming special will see Frank Castle finally try to live a life of peace, but sadly as it goes into these things, Frankie will have to pick up his guns one final time. This special also will introduce iconic Punisher villainess Ma Gnucci to the MCU. Let's look at the trailer!

Bill, he's busy meditating. Come back later. 

That'll hurt.

I get the feeling Frank's an atheist.

Frank forgot to shut off the tub faucet again!

"OH GOD FIRE HURTS WHY DID I LET MY LEGS GET ABLAZE I NEED WATER!"

Frank loves his new hoodie and he wanted to show it off. I don't blame him. It's a nice hoodie. Seems cozy.

Remember kids, if your assault rifle has no bullets left in it, you can still beat up people with it.

"Man, I can rock a hoodie!" 

The bulletproof vest with the skull painted on it always looks cool. It's always nice to see it in live action.

I think this will be a fun watch. While the Punisher is not exactly my favorite of Marvel's menagerie of mayhem-fighters, I have enjoyed Jon Bernthal's performance as Frank, and I have enjoyed some comic stories with him in it. I also am curious as to how Ma Gnucci will be portrayed here...and if she'll end up mauled by polar bears like in the comics. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

International Beaver Day

 Today is International Beaver Day!

Beavers are mammals native to North America and Eurasia. In fact, they are considered the national animals of Canada. 

They are members of the rodent family. They are the second biggest rodents on Earth, as they can weigh up to 110 pounds. They are closely related to gophers, kangaroo rats and kangaroo mice. They are also nocturnal but can be active in twilight. Beavers form families kind of like humans, with monogamous pairs. Beavers have their kits in the spring or summer, taking about 3-4 months to gestate. 

Beavers are known for their big buck teeth, flat scaly tails, and their love of building. They are semi-aquatic animals, living regularly on land and water (their back feet are webbed). But the thing beavers are most known for...is building dams. They love building dams. Building dams are a beaver's life. It's why in pop culture; beavers are portrayed as construction workers and associated with industriousness. They don't just build dams for the heck of it, they do it to create ponds for them to live in.

Beavers construct their dams from mud, tree branches, rocks, and vegetation. They also use a substance called castoreum, a substance that is generated from special glands to help mark their territory. Beavers are also known for their incisors, which constantly grow throughout their life. Examinations of their brains have shown that they are rather intelligent critters. 

Beavers predominantly live in fresh waters, like lakes and ponds. They also prefer wider slower streams and don't like areas that flood a lot. They are primarily herbivorous, but they can adapt to various environments by eating barks. They also are known to cache away food for the winter. 

Beavers are known as a keystone species, as their activities can have a major impact on their environment. They create wetlands, which can help purify water and prevent soil loss. Other animals like muskrats and otters have been known to shelter in beaver lodges. Their presence can increase the amount of salmon and trout in the area. They can be as seen as nuisances by humans, as they can wreck crops and even roads. Beavers have also been known to attack humans in defense of their territory, or if they have rabies. 

So yeah, beavers are fascinating creatures. And they are an important part of maintaining biodiversity. They're pretty neat. 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, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

Happy Easter!

Hello, to all my blog readers! I just want to wish you all a happy and wonderful Easter Day today!

For those of the Christian faith, Easter is basically the day that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after he got crucified. Here in the United States, where I live, the holiday often falls on a Sunday, so it has not been declared a federal or public holiday. State and federal employees don't work on Sundays anyway, that's why. And many cities hold Easter parades. You can read more about Easter, it's history, and it's traditions here.

One of the most iconic symbols of Easter is the Easter egg. The egg is meant to symbolize rebirth and new life, which makes sense, considering what Easter is supposed to represent. Another Easter symbol is of course, the Easter Bunny. Originating among German Lutherans, the Bunny is a Santa Claus-like figure who gives colored eggs (and originally toys) to good children. You can read more about the bunny here.

I hope your Easter was a wonderful one. If you don't celebrate, that's fine. I hope you still had a great day and have a very happy spring. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you want to giv this blog a little additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi. See you next time!

International Carrot Day

Today is International Carrot Day!

Carrots are biennial root vegetables, meaning they take generally around two years to complete its life cycles. Carrots are generally orange in color thanks to their high amounts of beta-carotene, a red-orange pigment. While carrots are generally orange, they actually can come in a variety of colors. There are variants of carrots that can come in red, yellow, purple, white, even black. These all came about thanks to the domestication of the wild carrot.

Carrots were originally grown for their leaves and seeds. In the 1st century AD, Greek physician Dioscorides described the carrot, saying the root can be cooked and eaten. While wild carrots originally grew in Europe and Southwestern Asia, they would spread all over the world. The Moors brought the plant to Spain in the 8th century. The modern carrot's history can be traced to Afghanistan in the 10th century. The 12th century saw cultivated carrots in China, and they'd come to Japan in the 16/17th century. It was also around that time that it would be introduced to Colonial America.

The orange carrot as we know it was born thanks to Dutch farmers in the 18th century. Even though there is evidence the color did exist as far back as 512 AD, it would be around this time that it was a known stable variant. There was a legend that the Dutch bred this variety to honor William of Orange, but the reality likely is that the Europeans embraced this variety because they thought it was prettier in soup. Yeah.

There is one fun urban legend around carrots. You see, carrots are rich in Vitamin A, which is good for eye health. When I was a kid, my mom told me a tale that British pilots would eat lots of carrots to give them good night vision, allowing them to make nighttime bombing raids during World War II. That was propaganda to hide the fact that they were using radar. 

Carrots have a very fascinating history, so enjoy one today! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

Amazing Spider-Man #233 (October 1982)

If you ever watched the trailer to the upcoming film Spider-Man: Brand New Day, you may have noticed a cameo by a red and black-wearing man with what looked like a spike in his boot. That man was an actual character from the comics: the Tarantula.

There have been several Tarantulas over the years. The first was Antonio "Anton" Miguel Rodriguez, who debuted in Amazing Spider-Man #134 (July 1974), created by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru. Conway drew inspiration from the political upheavals in South America going on in the 1970s, with the US supporting the oppressive regimes that rose up in the era, like in Chile. Additional inspiration was drawn from a conversation he had with fellow Marvel writer Don Glut, which postulated that that larger countries in the Marvel Universe would not be the only ones that had superhuman beings and superheroes of their own. Smaller countries would likely have them, too. Which is something that does make sense in the MU when you think about it. 

Conway intended Rodriguez to be a South American version of Captain America, but the character would be rather short-lived. Rodriguez would get killed off later in the 1980s, but he would be revived decades later in the Clone Conspiracy storyline. Other characters would take up the mantle of the Tarantula, including Anton's daughter Jacinda and former Hero for Hire Maria Vasquez, who was unrelated to the other Rodriguez Tarantulas. There had been other characters that have used the Tarantula name, but that's not important here. 

I had actually wanted to look at the issue in which Rodriguez debuted, but I'm afraid I do not have it. However, I did have access to another story in which he plays a significant role...and would lead to his downfall and death later on. This is Amazing Spider-Man #233!

The cover is a John Romita Jr and Al Milgrom piece. I love this cover. It's pretty darn funny. You see Tarantula come down and try to bring down Spider-Man with his trademark boot blades, but thanks to his Spider-Sense and superhuman strength, our man is easily able to avoid it and send the South American assassin to dreamland with a Mighty Punch. It's a good and funny cover, my only complaint is that it seemingly does not fit the tone of the interior story at all. You'll see what I mean.

"Where the @$%# is Nose Norton?"
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Jim Mooney
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Diana Albers
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with J. Jonah Jameson being as cheerful as he usually is known to be, demanding to know where on Earth a man named "Nose" Norton went off to. You see, "Nose" is an informant, and he has some juicy information the Bugle could use to expose the Brand Corporation. Jameson paid good money for the info, and the old skinflint fears that "Nose" made like Steve Miller and took the money and ran.

Sitting in the office with him is his wife Marla, and his fellow Buglers Robbie Robertson and Ned Leeds. Robbie tries to assure Jameson that Norton will surface, as the cops are looking for him. Ned adds that that there are whispers of some out-of-town muscle that is looking for "Nose" as well. And it does not take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out that said muscle is after Norton because of what he knows.

Jameson, ever the brilliant mind he is, theorizes that Spider-Man is also after Norton as the web-slinger fought the villain known as Cobra (as in the long-running Marvel villain, not the ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world) just as Leeds was about to get the info from Norton in issue #231. Leeds naturally finds it ridiculous. 

Of course, Leeds finds Jameson's theory dumb, because Spider-Man was the one who saved him, Betty Brant, and Norton from the Cobra. Also, Jameson is so obsessed with smearing Spider-Man that if he stubbed his toe on a sidewalk curb, Jameson would scream that Spider-Man deliberately put that curb there.

As such, Leeds refuses to let him use the expose to commit libel. Robbie has Leeds's back, saying that dragging Spider-Man into it will make the paper look bad. I can imagine that under Jameson, the Daily Bugle has had to print many a retraction about the Web-Head over the years.  As this is going down, Peter Parker is swinging his way back to the Bugle's building. It's then the Parker Luck strikes again.

It's not mentioned here, but someone covered the outside handle with gum as well.

Yeah, no going in that way. Peter has to use the elevator shaft to make his way inside. Once he does, he goes to wash his hands, as elevator cables are friggin' filthy.

After he gets that handled, Jameson shows up in the newsroom, and he's making an announcement. 

It was then that the Daily Bugle workers knew he had gone utterly mad.

Yeah. $1,500. In the 80s, that's a nice chunk of change. Considering how much of a skinflint scrooge he is, the rest of the Bugle staff see it as a sign that Jameson is that desperate to find Norton...or he has some serious health issues. Our man Peter sees dollar signs in his eyes. That money would be very helpful to him. Not to mention with his powers, he has the best chance of finding Norton.  

On his way out, he passes by a blonde beauty named Amy. She's looking for Lance Bannon, another Bugle photographer at the time. However, the man is late. Again. Get him a watch! 

She learns about Peter from another staffer...and it inspires her.

"I always wanted to be a femme fatale..."

Yeah, the Parker Luck combined with the Parker Rizz...it's a dangerous combination. But this is a book about Spider-Man, right? What's he up to?

This is why nobody wants to play pool with you, Pete.

Well, looking for the Nose, of course. The sight of the webslinger gets the pool players running.

Our man uses his webs and powers to get some answers. Unfortunately, Peter makes a goofup.

"I also lost a bet thanks to you, you webbed jerk!"

Yeah, he accidentally grabbed an undercover cop and ruined a bust. The Parker Luck strikes again. 

The scene shifts to the blue waters and warm sun of Miami Beach. People come here to surf, tan, and have a good time, and for one man, he just wants to sit at his table and have a smoke. He gets visited by a Senor "Smith". Smith wants to hire this man to kill Norton. You see, this is Anton Rodriguez, laying low under a pseudonym. Smith offers coverage of all expenses and will provide some new equipment...as well as $250,000. In 80s money, that's a very nice chunk of change. Anton is all like "You got yourself a Tarantula". 

So, now we got the players set, both after Norton. Both Anton and Peter are after him for different reasons, the only commonality is the need for that sweet cash. But where has Norton himself been hiding out? Well, he's naturally been laying low in his apartment above a bar in Staten Island called Murray's. But the cabin fever has gotten to him, and the Nose needs to get out. I know the feeling.

"This beer smells so good..."

That may have ended up being the last beer that the Nose would enjoy. One of Smith's men spots him and calls it in.

Elsewhere, Ben Urich also gets a call to head to Murray's. He rushes there, being followed by Spider-Man. 

Peter meets Ben on the Staten Island Ferry, and the two head to Murray's. They find the Nose.

"Hey there, Nose! Did you get that thing we sent you?"

Peter's Spider-Sense goes off, signaling the Tarantula has arrived. 

"BEHOLD MY GLORIOUS FOOT!" 

Anton knocks Ben aside. Peter moves to save the reporter, allowing the assassin to make off with the Nose. He goes to interrogate the terrified informant, but's all an act.

You see, Tarantula knows Ben is watching him, so he's trying to mess with Urich by portraying Nose as a cowardly liar. Spider-Man shows up and engages the Tarantula. 

Peter easily tosses the South American assassin into a garbage scow. Yeah, people tend to forget that Spider-Man is a powerhouse in his own right. Sure, he's no Hulk, Wonder Man, or Thor, but he is hardly the stereotypical 98-pound weakling. Anton tries to stick our man with his poison-tipped boot blades. These new ones are now retractable. Spidey webs his boots to the ground. 

Meanwhile, Ben tries to talk to the Nose. However, Norton is too freaked out, pulling a gun on him. The two then hear what are presumably New York's Finest calling for everyone to freeze. Tarantula reveals another new trick. 

"I am invincible because I have the power of jazz hands!"

Yup, he now also has retractable poison blades in his gloves. It's a respectable upgrade, but Peter Parker still has a couple big advantages: His Spider-Sense and his superpowers. This allows our man to take down the Tarantula easily. He hears gunshots and goes to check it out.

"He also threw shoes at us! Who throws a shoe?! Honestly!"

Ben is alright, as he hit the ground when the shots started flying...although he has got to quit smoking. I'm not making a joke, Ben does say that. The men who shot Nose are private investigators, claiming they shot him in self-defense. They had been after Norton because of his activities as a fence. A fence is someone who buys stolen goods to be resold at a profit. Fences will often use legit businesses like pawn shops as a front, a way of "laundering" the stolen goods.

Spider-Man finds the whole thing a bit convenient. These two guys happened to show up and shoot Norton while Spidey was trying to stop the Tarantula from killing him? Yeah, it does sound a bit convenient. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on who you ask) Nose is still alive. He needs an ambulance. Spidey also wants the cops called to take care of the Tarantula...who also has vanished. Someone evidently has, so it's time for Spider-Man to make an exit...and Peter Paker to make his entrance. Peter's camera has gotten some pictures. Hopefully, they have photos of the supposed PIs shooting Nose first. Our man isn't sure, but he's willing to find out.

I enjoyed this issue. But then again, I am a fan of Roger Stern's Spider-Man run in general. We get a couple bits of humor with Spider-Man accidentally ruining a sting and having to find another way into the Bugle's offices, some set up of a bit of drama with Amy Powell, and plenty of action with Spider-Man fighting the Tarantula. Peter easily beating him does make a bit of sense. Anton at this point is only human. He's a good fighter, but Peter has actual superpowers. He's super-strong, presumably more durable than the average man, and got great reflexes. Not to mention his Spider-Sense. It's a nice solid entertaining little story.

John Romita Jr turns in some fine art on this issue. What is interesting is that we're starting to see his style slightly differ from his legendary father. There is still a slight bit of Senior in the style, mainly in how he renders women and Spider-Man himself in full costume. I do wish he had stuck to this, as it looks really good. 

As I said earlier, this issue would lead to the downfall of Anton Rodriguez. In the next couple issues, agents of the Brand Corporation would subject Anton to an experiment in an attempt to give him powers like Spider-Man's, presumably to make him a better match against the Wall-Crawler. However, a battle between Spider-Man and the Will O' The Wisp would wreck it, causing Anton to get powers...but also to slowly mutate into a giant spider. In his giant spider form, he would leap into the gunfire from some cops. Anton would remain dead for decades until as I said earlier, he would be resurrected (with his humanity restored) in the Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy storyline. 

If you want to read this issue yourself, I got the scans from the 2013 trade paperback Amazing Spider-Man: Mark of the Tarantula. It will also be included in the upcoming (as of the time of this writing) 2026 trade paperback Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 13: Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you want to give this blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!