Showing posts with label luke mcdonnell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label luke mcdonnell. Show all posts

Friday, November 30, 2018

Justice League of America #248 (1986)


Justice League of America #248 (March, 1986)
"Interweavings"
Writer - Gerry Conway
Pencils - Luke McDonnell
Inks - Bill Wray
Colors - Gene D'Angelo
Letters - John Costanza
Editor - Andy Helfer
Cover Price: $0.75

I was refiling the Crisis on Earth-Prime! issues of Justice League of America we've been discussing over the past few days (available on the Collected Editions page), and started flipping through the rest of the run for fun.

Came across this one, and couldn't recall it for the life of me.  The cover just looked completely (pardon the pun) alien to me!  Had zero recollection of it.  And so, what betta book to take a look at?

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We open with Gypsy, Vixen, and Elongated Man... uh, caring for, a tentacled horror.  Apparently a baby tentacled horror, for which Gypsy seems to feel a strong maternal urge.  They're not sure what this thing is, or where it came from... and they wish the Martian Manhunter were around to give his two-cents on the issue.  Unfortunately for them, J'onn has returned to Tec'ing... and is currently hanging out in Brooklyn Heights on a case.



Turns out, the case he's investigating involves a young runaway.  From inside a building, he hears a scream... and a crash.  J'onn rushes into the building to find... a much older woman than he was expecting... and she'd been shot dead!



J'onn (or do we just call him "John" in his human guise?) picks up the gun... just then, a pair of police officers arrive!  They, naturally, believe J'onn to be the culprit and begin to treat him as such.  He tosses them the presumed murder weapon as a distraction, and vanishes.



He taunts the officers (for some reason... seems kind of a jerky thing to do) before shoving one off the stoop outside the building.  The Invisible J'onn reclaims the pistol and flees the scene.



From here, we jump to an interlude.  A green crystal spacecraft lands on a distant planet... where the red-skinned passenger is hailed by the sausage-headed aliens who live there.  Since this has been a Martian Manhunter story up to this point, I almost assumed this fella was Jemm Son of Saturn (it's not)... but I don't think their connection had been made until the late 90's.



We shift scenes to Zatanna, who has discovered a pile of ashes inside her Greenwich Village apartment.  She fears this might be the remains of Sheri Stanley, the girl who she sublet her apartment to.  She wonders if one of her enemies mistook Sherri for her, and decided to strike.



She goes to leave the room when she notices, out of the corner of her eye, a note on the wall indicating that something is going down at the Westside Marina at 9:00.  She whups up some winds and heads thaddaway.



We next hop over to De Bad Guy... Paco Ramone (hey yo).  He's putting down a deposit on some new digs... and is pretty proud of himself for finally having a home he can call his own.  Just then, he is approached by a pair of goons, who try and sell him some "insurance"... if ya know what I mean.  When Paco don't pay, they get rough with him... until he vibes out, and shakes them into the pavement.



Then, Commander Steel... who, in his civilian guise is a Hollywood stuntman.  He's dressed as a barbarian (of sorts) and is filming a scene with... a jackass.  Not an actual donkey, just a jerk of an actor who keeps trying to take liberties with the lowly stuntman.  Finally, Hank's had enough, and he bodyslams the geek.




We jump ahead five minutes, and Hank is leaving the set (fully dressed... which really says something about the studio's makeup department!).  Anyhoo, a woman named Robin Flynn calls out to him... she's the "continuity girl" (heh!), and she just loves what Hank did on set.  Fair enough.



We rejoin Gypsy and the rest as they search through the old Justice League Headquarters for a way to conduct tests on their tentacled horror (they've named it "Junior", by the way, and Gypsy is certain it's a "she"... except on this page where they call it a "he").  Vixen suggests they grab a scalpel and nab a sample of the thing... which freaks it out but good!



Vixen gives chase... but is suddenly overcome by a strange dizziness.  Then... there's something about a newly-mummified possum family in a box?  Okay... maybe that's what "Junior" does?  Mummifies rodents?  Either way, due to her power set, Vixen is feeling the effects.



Junior makes her way to the entry of the cave... and runs into the returning Martian Manhunter, Vibe, and Commander Steel.  Steel approaches... and Junior begins speaking in weird alien tongues.  Suddenly, Steel is engulfed in an inky blackness.



Vibe jumps in between Steel and Junior, and gets himself all inked up.  J'onn then shapeshifts into a similar tentacled horror... which provides ample distraction for Steel to wallop Junior with a punch.



Gypsy rushes over to the downed beast, and yells at her teammates for being so rough.  C'mon lady... really?  Were they just supposed to let this thing attack them?!



We wrap up this issue with Vixen stumbling out of the cave.  She collapses before the team... and looks as though she's aged several decades!



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Well, not exactly what I was expecting... but not half bad either!

Judging by the cover, I was expecting this to be a John Jones, P.I. spotlight issue... and, I was kinda psyched for it!  So, it was a bit of a deflating surprise that much of this story was focused on a tentacled horror named Junior.

But, that's what we get... so, let's talk about it.  It's a (presumed baby) tentacled critter... who is rather skittish around scalpels?  It's also a girl... until the heroes (and Gerry) forget and begin referring to it as a boy.  It's got powers... and apparently a glass jaw... and it might mummify rodents?  Ehh, who cares...

Personally, if it isn't abundantly clear by now, I felt like the Junior scenes were the weakest of the issue.  I really dug the little vignettes of the Leaguers away from the team.  Vibe getting his first apartment was cool.  I like that his first instinct was to tell his friends that he did it all on his own.

Steel as a stuntman... well, I can't say that doesn't make sense, considering he's get all'a da mesh underneath his skin.  I'm kind of intrigued by the "continuity girl" who approached him after his outburst... and again, thought it as neat that his first instinct was to share that story with his friends.

Zatanna's discovery of ashes... another very intriguing beat.  I like that she followed physical/mundane clues (as obvious as the post-it note might've been) to plan her next steps instead of just magicking up an answer/path.

Then... the cover story.  John Jones back on the street investigating a runaway, and discovering a corpse.  This is definitely the story I wanted to see fleshed out a bit more.  Not sure why J'onn acted like such a jerk to the officers (who, really... were just doing their jobs)... but, either way, I certainly enjoyed this (all too brief) scene.

Overall... an interesting issue, to be sure... and one with a lot to dig (your tentacle monster mileage may vary).  This issue is not yet available digitally... so, this'll be a bin dive.  Shouldn't break the bank though!

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Letters Page (featuring Beau Smith!):




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Sunday, December 31, 2017

Deadshot #1 (1988)


Deadshot #1 (November, 1988)
"Die But Once"
Writers - John Ostrander & Kim Yale
Artist - Luke McDonnellp
Letterer - Tim Harkins
Colorist - Julianna Ferriter
Editor - Robert Greenberger
Cover Price: $1.00

Looking through my last month or so blogging and I come to find that I've mostly been covering "current century" stuff.  Yes, part of that is due to the quickness in which a recent issue can be synopsized... but also, there's that "luck of the draw".

Today we're going to remedy that somewhat by travelling back to the late 1980's... and check out a Suicide Squad spin-off miniseries.

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We open with a woman arriving at a rather seedy apartment in search of Floyd Lawton.  She checks in with the super/landlord and learns that Floyd only used this address to have his mail forwarded to a post office box... so, it looks like our lady has got bupkis.  Well, not entirely... she does get the location of the P.O. Box, so there's that.  This woman, by the way, is Floyd's ex-wife.


We next shift over to the man himself, who is in a bar in some tropical locale meeting with a man named Silas (though, he refers to him as Silage for some reason), who he was once in the clink with.  We learn that they're the two last men standing from their little prison clique... the rest had all perished in convenient "accidents".


Outside, we can see that this meeting is being surveilled by Sarge Steel and Rick Flag of Task Force X.  Turns out Floyd's "on the job" trying to be connected with a man going by the moniker "El Jefe".


Speaking of the Suicide Squad, we jump over to Belle Reve Prison to check in with Prison Psychiatrist/Therapist Marnie Herrs.  This facilitates our getting a quick and dirty look at Deadshot's origin story... and his rather unsuccessful career as a criminal.  Herrs posits that perhaps Deadshot is truly on a "suicide mission"... as in, part of him hopes he dies.


Back with Deadshot, he is brought before a a stereotypical mobby dude named Ariosto.  Floyd introduces himself as "Orlando Furioso"... which, c'mon... that's just silly.  Anyhoo, to test Deadshot's loyalty, Ariosto drags a "traitor" into the room.  For them to trust Sr. Furioso, he's going to have to put a bullet in this poor dude's brain.  C'mon... that's never a problem for ol' Floyd.


Ariosto is impressed... and tells Deadshot he can meet with El Jefe... in six months... maybe a year.  Well, that's not going to work for Floyd, so he delivers an ultimatum.  They meet tonight, or he walks.  I'm not sure why, but Ariosto agrees.  I think, personally, I'd let this masked-madman walk and chalk it up as a win.


Back at Belle Reve, Marnie continues reflecting on her time analyzing Mr. Lawton... finding him a tragic figure, with women issues out that wazoo... but, still... something drew her to him.  Something which got her taken off his case.  She decides it's time for her to take a leave of absence from her position with Task Force X.


We rejoin Deadshot and company at a small airstrip.  A plane lands, and the group boards.  Inside we get a look at El Jefe.  He's... just a dude.  He greets Deadshot and suggests that this masked man might want him dead.  Floyd doesn't correct him.  El Jefe warns him that if he fires a gun, any holes in the pressurized cabin would kill everybody on board.  Kinda begs the question as to why El Jefe is packing heat... but whattayagonnado?  Perhaps it's just a fashion accessory to the guy.


So, you remember that thing about Deadshot being on a bonafide "suicide mission" from earlier?  Well, our man decides to throw caution (and bullets) to the wind... and blasts everybody on board!  This includes Silage... the final member of his "old gang", by the way... and perhaps the real reason why he took this gig.  As promised by El Jefe, the fuselage comes apart... and our man is thrown from the plane.


He plummets for a bit, before Black Orchid swoops in to deliver him to safety.


We wrap up with Floyd surrounded by his fellow Task Force X members, including his "Jefe", Amanda Waller.  She has another mission for him, but he decides he's going to take a little break.


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Now this is a fun little series!

It's weird in that so much actually happens... and yet, when I reflect on it, this feels like an issue I'd almost refer to as "quiet".  I feel like this uses the "right" cinematic sensibilities to make the story flow organically... and almost makes reading feel passive, just receiving the events.  I mean, I suppose that can be seen as a bad thing... in that active reader-engagement is low.  Luckily, we have Ostrander and Yale here... who made the whole magilla a great little experience.

I feel like my main takeaway here is the idea that Floyd Lawton might literally be suicidal.  It's been... forever, since I've read the main Suicide Squad title from the late 80's, so I don't remember if this was an ongoing plot thread concern... so I can't really speak to that.  As a "hook" for this miniseries, however, it's a great one!

Of course, we've got the benefit of... yeesh, thirty years of hindsight to tell us that Floyd's going to survive this miniseries, but I gotta wonder if readers of the day thought this might be a story to send him off?  It sure feels like it...

Having Floyd not care whether he lives or dies changes the whole dynamic of the Suicide Squad.  This isn't like Captain Boomerbutt who has to stay in line... Deadshot simply doesn't care.  Waller can strap a 'splody choker on him... and it doesn't matter.  Deadshot's only going to do what he chooses to do.  If The Wall doesn't dig that, and decides to blow his head off his shoulders... that's just fine by him!

The art comes from regular Suicide Squad artist Luke McDonnell... though, it didn't quite look like his style in the opening pages.  I had to check the credits to see if any of this was attributed to Keith Giffen.  That scene with Floyd's ex-wife... she looked quite "Giffeny"... probably the haircut.  I swear, I thought that was either Keith Giffen or Trevor Von Eeden.  Suppose that doesn't much matter.

Overall... I really dug this, and would definitely recommend checking it out.  The miniseries was recently released as the Deadshot: Beginnings trade paperback (likely timed to coincide with the Suicide Squad motion picture) and is also available digitally for two-bucks a pop.  I should mention, it's also pretty easy to procure from the cheap-o bins... at least in my neck of the woods.  Whichever way you go, you oughta check this one out.

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(Sorta the) Letters Page:


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Friday, August 5, 2016

Suicide Squad #1 (1987)


Suicide Squad #1 (May, 1987)
"Trial by Blood"
Writer - John Ostrander
Penciller - Luke McDonnell
Inker - Karl Kesel
Letterer - Todd Klein
Colorist - Carl Gafford
Editor - Robert Greenberger
Cover Price: $0.75

Feels like it's been a little while since I've said this but... we've got another comic book movie coming out this weekend that I'm not gonna see!  I've long wanted to discuss this series, however, kinda shied away in light of the property's recent run-in with relevance.  I do so hate being cliche... but, eh, whattayagonnado?

I mostly wanted to discuss this issue (in particular) due to the circumstances surrounding my acquisition of it... and a lesson I learned from it.  I decided several years back that I wanted to own as complete a run of DC Comics from post-Crisis onward... with a special emphasis on the mid-late 1980's.  This feels like something of a golden age for me.  Things are new, different, and exciting... and we hadn't quite run into that speculatory wall.  For the most part, these books are pretty easy to come by... they clog many'a quarter and fifty-cent bin.

One of those books, was Suicide Squad.  These were among the most ubiquitous in the cheap-o bins... cuz, after all, who's ever gonna care about this book, right?  I managed to find just about every issue I needed for under a buck... except the issue we're going to discuss today.  I searched high and low for this bugger... driving for, literally hours, to strange and exotic comic and used book stores... I always came up empty.  This would go on for the better part of a year.  I realize I could've just ordered the damn thing online... but I'm really about "the hunt".  It's so much more satisfying finally tracking a coveted issue down... for me anyway.

I used to work on the road.  I'd put on several hundred miles a day driving throughout the city (and neighboring... and not-so-neighboring towns/cities).  I was particularly far out one day... and during a break, decided to see if there were any comic shops in the area.  As luck would have it... there was one!

Rather than wander my way through this foreign-to-me town, I did perhaps the stupidest thing a person who is looking for a particular comic book can do... I called ahead.  I called them, and asked if they had a copy of Suicide Squad #1... from 1987... because there's been several.

Well, again... as luck would have it... they actually had a copy!  I did the next stupidest thing a person looking for a particular comic book can do... I inquired what they were asking for it.  Stupid!  The question was met with a pregnant pause... followed by a few "uhhh..'s".  I could almost hear the woman's eyes darting about... trying to figure out if she should check eBay or the Overstreet.

She finally manages to stammer out a "F...fo.... five... dollars?".  It was a hair more than I wanted to pay (at the time it was listed at $2.50 in Overstreet), but I agreed.  She then got cocky... she pretended she was looking at the wrong issue... then bumped the price up to $10.  I told her $5 was my limit... over my limit, in fact... and she relented.

Later on that day... I dropped a Lincoln-plus-tax on the counter and snagged my book.  It wasn't until I was halfway home that I noticed the price sticker (which was on the BACK of the bagged and boarded book)... for ONE dollar.  Oh well... ya live, ya learn.  I've never called a shop ahead of time to see if they had what I wanted since.

Now, onto my normal spoilery (and probably underwhelming... I doubt I can do this one justice) synopsis.

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We open at the busy and bustling Hub City Airport where they are both the Mayor and Governor are awaiting the arrival of the President of the United States.  A mustachioed man in a red shirt is our focus character for the time being.  He goes about his business, picking up his bags and people watching.  He gazes out the window as Air Force one touches down... then gives the signal...


A portal opens up in a wall, and a pair of mercenaries burst through it.  The man we've been following hops in the portal after being waved in by a masked woman.  The mercs begin mercilessly slaughtering the civilians.


As the police attempt to intervene, our POV man reenters the scene and drops a strange box that a digital genie appears to emanate from.  The Djinn makes short work of the law-enforcement threat.


The fella in the red shirt starts tailing the Governor and Mayor as they start fretting over the welfare and safety of the POTUS.  He garrotes one, and stabs the other in the chest.  Air Force One has been informed of the terrorist threat, and begins taxiing on the runway.


Unluckily for them, our man is armed with a flaming sword.  He's on the tarmac before they can take off.  He chops off AF1's landing gear and a wing, and it noses down before exploding in a fiery mess.


The group of mercs hop back into the portal... leaving nothing but disaster and death in their wake.


Three semi-well-dressed individuals begin walking through the wreckage.  They're calculating casualties, and time frames.  One is revealed to be Marlo the President of Qurac, who also operates the terrorist group, The Jihad.  We learn that this was all just a demonstration... the President is save... the people present were really killed, however.  These people are described as criminals... and actors thinking they were in a movie.  The next time around... those dead will be American citizens.  The Jihad have passed their test.


We shift scenes to Belle Reve Prison in Louisiana.  Warden John Economos is giving a guided tour to reporter Vicki Vale.  He takes her to the cell of Superman villain, Parasite... who they are keeping just barely alive... but not so alive that he an do any harm.  They feed him by sending one rat in every so often so that he may siphon its life energy.  Vale is visibly disgusted, however concedes that she herself has no better plan.  She eventually leaves, and staff member Flo Crowly gives the "all clear" to Amanda Waller.


Waller is currently chatting up a few of Belle Reve's mental health professionals.  Task Force X is on the other side of what I would assume to be a two-way mirror.  Here the Wall runs down all of the team members' stats.  Our "main" team consists of Rick Flag, Bronze Tiger, Enchantress and Captain Boomerang... they are joined by a pair of "newbies", Mindboggler and Plastique.


I'm glad they put a pair of new kids in the group.  It gives the Squad an opportunity to go over their mission statement without it feeling forced.  If you missed the Squad appearances in Legends or Secret Origins, this is all new information.  We get the skinny just as the new members do.  These folks volunteer for potential suicide missions, in the hopes that their jail sentences will be changed to "time served"... of course, they've gotta survive...


Plastique is a bit perturbed that she has to wear an explody bracelet.  Ya see, until Waller and Company trust you... you gotta wear the hardware.  If you wander a bit too far off the beaten path... you go boom.  Digger can't keep his fool mouth shut, and winds up sportin' jewelry himself for this mission.  Another great way to deliver this information to the reader without it looking forced.


Waller begins her debriefing with the team.  This is an awesome scene... she goes through the members of the Jihad via overhead projector slideshow.  I love that we can see her shadow on the "screen".  This is another awesome way of sharing information with the reader in a natural and organic way.  We learn that the digital genie is called Djinn, the ugly Sabretooth-lookin' merc is called Manticore, the spear-wielding Rambo lookalike is Jaculi, the masked woman is Chimera, and our point of view fella from the opening scene goes by Ravan.


Waller continues, discussing Quraci President Marlo, and international terrorist called Mushtaq, and the Jihad's mountainside headquarters Jotunheim... which is the Squad's target.


Task Force X readies for their trip east.  This is another fun moment... just watching the Squadies killing time until it's time to kill.  Col. Rick Flag, the point man for the Squad is surprised to see that they will be joined by one Karin Grace.  They were apparently lovers at once point, however, I'm not terribly familiar with her.


Captain Boomerang, being his flirtatious and delusional self can't seem to leave poor Plastique alone.  Mindboggler's seen enough, and so she... er, boggles his mind.  Digger don't dig bein' made to look a fool (if only he knew), and so he chucks a 'rang at her... which is caught by Bronze Tiger.  They share a contentious... and almost racist moment.  This promises to be quite the eventful outing...


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This is one of those stories I try and read through every so often... it's an awesome way to start this series.  This current reread was no exception, I really enjoyed my time with it.

The opening pages are designed in a cinematic style.  The credits pop up in consecutive panels, most of which have no dialogue, giving a feeling of progression and almost a "weight" to the seemingly innocuous actions occurring within.

Ostrander offers up introductions on the core Task Squad X as well as the members of the Jihad.  These bits feel organic, as while this is something of an info-dump... it's meant to be "in story" as well.  This all works beautifully, and at least for me, helped with my engagement to the story.

The team members hardly get along, and that also works well.  We've (already) got new members, and they fit in to the dysfunctional dynamic really well.  Captain Boomerang is definitely a fun one to watch.  He's just such a goofball... can't help but like him.  Amanda Waller... I've spoken about her before, but, Waller... this Waller, is such an awesome character.  The Rick Flag and Bronze Tiger as "parents" or, at least babysitters for the crew is fun to see as well.  They both give off that Martian Manhunter in the JLI vibe.  They know how dire and serious the situation is... and they've gotta somehow make that clear to the rest of the team.

Let's talk about the Jihad for a bit.  These guys are frankly, pretty terrifying.  The horrendous lengths they are going to... just for a demonstration (!) really speaks to their depravity... and how unlikely they'd be to listen to reason.  What's scarier than terrorists?  Well, terrorists with super-powers, of course.

Last thing I want to mention, is the amazing Howard Chaykin cover.  This is one of those that I like to call "immediately iconic".  Just beautifully laid out... even the heavy text doesn't take anything away from it... in fact, it fits quite well.

That's really all I've got... overall, great issue... great arc, and more often than not, a great series.  I doubt I did it the justice it deserves... luckily, in light of current events, I'm sure any interested parties can easily and affordably procure it in collected edition.  If you are headed out to see the film, hope you have a great time!

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