X-Lapsed, Episode 13 - X-Men #1 (2019)

X-Lapsed, Episode 13

X-Men (vol.5) #1 (December, 2019)
"Pax Krakoa"
Writer - Jonathan Hickman
Pencils - Leinil Francis Yu
Inks - Gerry Alanguilan
Colors - Sunny Gho
Letters - VC's Clayton Cowles
Design - Tom Muller
Edits - Bissa, White, Cebulski
Cover Price: $4.99
On-Sale: October 16, 2019



Ladies and Gentlemen, we have finally arrived!

Welcome to Dawn of X... well, about a year later than everybody else. Today we're kicking off the new post-HoX/DoX X-Men landscape with a look at X-Men #1... or izzit, X-Men LGY#645? Ehh, who worries about silly things like numbering? Certainly nobody out there would ever devote like five minutes to complaining about something so silly. Err, please listen anyway.

We check up on Orchis, meet a posthuman in "current year", and have an uncanny dinner with the Summers Family. Prepare to be weirded out!

X-Lapsed, Episode 12 - Powers of X #6 (2019)

X-Lapsed, Episode 12

Powers of X #6 (December, 2019)
"House of X"
Writer - Jonathan Hickman
Art - R.B. Silva & Pepe Larraz
Colors - Marte Gracia & David Curiel
Letters - VC's Clayton Cowles
Design - Tom Muller
Edits - Bissa, White, Cebulski
Cover Price: $5.99
On-Sale Date: October 9, 2019



We have finally made it, gang! I can actually now say that I've read the entirety of HoX/PoX. I always intended to read it... but, I never saw myself actually talking about it on the air for something like ten hours (or would that be "x" hours?).

Today we wrap things up... but perhaps not with as tidy a bow as I'd hoped, as we read Powers of X #6. We've got A LOT to talk about here... and I'm so happy to finally be part of that conversation. Feedback is definitely appreciated! Thanks to those of you listening in real-time for your support... and for not spoiling me on anything!

What happened? What still "is"? What never "was"? Where do we go from here? I... well, um... I don't know if any of those questions get answered here, to be honest... and, if you listen, you'll probably have even more questions when we're done!

Join me next time, as we jump into the Dawn of X proper with X-Men #1... or, izzit X-Men LGY#645? Ehh, we'll save that senses-shattering discussion for then.

Morituri Mondays, Episode 29 - Strikeforce: Morituri #29 (5/89) w/John Celestri!!!

Morituri Mondays, Episode 29

Strikeforce: Morituri #29 (May, 1989)

"Dead Reckoning"

Writer - James D. Hudnall

Pencils - Mark Bagley

Inks - Carlos Garzon

Letters - Phil Felix

Colors - Max Scheele

Edits - Carl Potts

Chief - Tom DeFalco

Cover Price: $1.50 USD / $2 CAN / 50p UK

On Sale Date: January 3, 1989

For today's episode of Morituri Mondays, the comic we're discussing, while a goodie, is secondary to our special guest... the Animator behind the first appearance of Boba Fett (during the Star Wars Holiday Special), as well as Rock & Rule, He-Man, She-Ra, and Dragon's Lair - John Celestri!

Mr. Celestri hangs out for a couple of hours and gives the Chris's a wonderful and entertaining education as it pertains to the art and history of animation. We even get in on the fun ourselves as we deliver Season Two of Strikeforce: Morituri for the returning Pitchforce: Morituri segment!

Your regularly scheduled Morituri coverage is also intact... the story is heating up in a big way as we, ever so quickly, rush toward the end of the series proper! Only two episodes to go before we hop in the Electric Undertow... and Beyond!

--

Check out John Celestri (@CelestriJohn) and all of his projects at:

His Indiegogo!

His YouTube Channel!

His Web-Site!

--

Your May, 1989 Strikeforce: Morituri Roster - Scanner, Revenge, Lifter, Burn, (The Ghost, The Wind, The Tiger)

Alumni - Snapdragon (#4), Vyking (#6), Marathon (#12), Adept (#13), Wildcard (#13), Radian (#15), Scaredycat (#19), Blackthorn (#20), Toxyn (#21), Backhand (#22), Hardcase (#23), Silencer (#23), Scatterbrain (#24), Shear (#25), Brava (#28)

X-Lapsed, Episode 11 - House of X #6 (2019)

X-Lapsed, Episode 11

House of X #6 (December, 2019)
"I Am Not Ashamed"
Writer - Jonathan Hickman
Art - Pepe Larraz
Colors - Marte Gracia & David Curiel
Letters - VC's Clayton Cowles
Design - Tom Muller
Edits - Bissa, White, Cebulski
Cover Price: $4.99
On-Sale Date: October 2, 2019




It's the penultimate issue of HoX/PoX... and, boy these "other shoes" just keep droppin', don't they?

Join me for House of X #6, as I discuss Xavier stepping over the Rubicon... and also establishing the first Krakoan government, complete with a trio of laws! It's an issue that will leave your humble host with chills, a few times over! It's conflicting, scary, and so WRONG that it can't help but to feel RIGHT... plus, there's a party at the end that almost brought me to tears!

All that, plus listener mail, and an apology to Jonathan Hickman for ever discounting his work.
--
Damien's "Should I Love This Comic?" Podcast:
https://byvtwk.podbean.com/

Marvel Comics Presents #4 (1988)

Marvel Comics Presents #4 (Early October, 1988)
Wolverine: "Save the Tiger, Part 4 of 10: The Ordeal"
Man-Thing: "Elements of Terror, Part 4 of 12: Rage and Design"
Master of Kung Fu: "Crossing Lines, Part 4 of 8: Water"
Thor: "Silent Thunder"
Writers - Chris Claremont, Steve Gerber, Doug Moench, & Al Milgrom
Pencils - John Buscema, Tom Sutton, Tom Grindberg, & Al Milgrom
Inks - Klaus Janson, Tom Sutton, Dave Cockrum, & Al Milgrom
Letters - Tom Orzechowski, Bill Oakley, Michael Heisler, & Jim Novak
Colors - Glynis Oliver, Petra Scotese, & Greg Wright
Assistant Edits - Michael Rockwitz
Edits - Terry Kavanagh
Chief - Tom DeFalco
Cover Price: $1.25

Welcome to the fourth compilation post for Marvel Comics Christents... where I bring to you, well... unfortunately, four rather uninspired li'l chapters of our ongoing features.  Not a whole heckuva lot going on here... so, let's just get down to it!

Not going to bother with a poll this week... it just wasn't getting enough engagement to justify my spending the time putting it together.  Feel free to share your favorite story from this week in the comments below, though!

Let's peep across the street at DC and see what was going on in their anthology when this issue hit the shelves!

If you have the time or interest in checking out the Action Comics Weekly bits, lemme know if you think Marvel or DC had a stronger outing this time out!  That Catwoman feature does start out pretty strong over in ACW!

--

We open with Wolverine waking up... chained and bound.  He is soon joined by Sapphire Styx, that woman who wouldn't stop introducing herself back at the Princess Bar... and who, kinda sucked out his soul with a kiss last chapter.  She's here... well... to pretty much do the same thing again.  It would appear that she's some sort of energy-vampire or something.  She plants one on him, which envelops him in darkness... and leaves him as gentle as a pup.

Enter: Mr. Roche, Razorfist, and some dude whose just really happy to be there.  Roche introduces himself as the "Crimelord" of Madripoor... which is kind of adorable, and he plans to do whatever it takes to pry some information out of our hero.  He wants information on "The Tiger"... and they're going to get it, one way... or another.  He motions to the fella who's just really happy to be there... and it looks like it's about to be torture time!

Back at the Princess Bar, Jess and O'Donnell chat a bit about the curious hairy stranger that popped by earlier.  Jessan doesn't remember him, but notes that he said he knew her in the "old days".  O'Donnell reminds her that she's a different person now.  She acknowledges this fact, and comments that she doesn't even miss the woman she used to be.

From here, we get a page and a half of Wolverine being tortured.  The tormentors finally decide to throw it in for the day, and leave our hero to his lonesome.  It's here that Chris Claremont dutifully reminds us that our main man is packin'... both razor-sharp Adamantium claws... and a Mutant healing factor.  For those keeping score, I think we're now four-for-four on those reminders!  He cuts himself free of his shackles, and after a time, stumbles his way out of wherever the hell he's being held.  Unfortunately for him, he stumbles right into the path of... Razorfist!

Ol' Fist... well, he kicks the weakened Wolvie's ass... stabbing him in the throat... and tossing him into the drink, which rushes right into a waterfall.  Hmm... Roche ain't gonna find out what he wants to know this way, will he?  Whatever the case, Razorfist salutes the assumed dead Wolverine, and laments that they could've been great enemies.  Well, maybe don't flatter yourself too much there, Fist...

--

While I enjoyed this, for what it was... I gotta say that this was probably the weakest chapter of the Wolverine story up to this point.  Doesn't make it bad... just makes it "not as good" as they had been.

It's mostly an expositional episode... but, it's done quite well.  It never feels like we're being lectured... or just having information "dumped" on us.  Right now, as a sister-project here at the site, I'm going through the recent House of X/Powers of X event... and, I wish there were more of this in that... than what we're getting there.  Claremont was able to "show don't tell", or perhaps more accurately "show and tell", whereas today... we're just dolloped scoop after scoop of info-dump.

Even though all we're getting here was information... about Roche, about Jessan... it doesn't ever feel like we're reading a page in a textbook... and for that, I can't not like this for what it is.  That said, there also isn't all that much for me to expound on here... it really is a case of "it is what it is".  A foundational chapter, from which we'll hopefully build on in future installments.

Good... not great.

--
--

We open with a bit of a reminder of what we've read up to this point... and it's all horribly purple.  When we finally get with the "now", we see that our investigative reporter, Mr. Ditillio has been picked up upon arrival in Florida... by those two goofballs from the first chapter of this feature.  They push him into a car, and take him far away to "deal with him".  When we rejoin them, they're way out in the swamp... where this whole story began.  Looks like that house they were hangin' out in has been burned down.  They baddies assume that the "Demon" had something to do with it.  Just as they're about to "off" Mr. Ditillio, our mild-mannered reporter socks 'em in the face and runs away.  Our "heroes" ain't too frazzled, however, as they're sure if the gators don't get the guy... the Swamp Devil will.

We shift scenes to Maryland, and the home of our "Freedom, Rah Rah" strawman, Mr. Jody Choate.  He's meeting with a fella named Bressack... and he's got a plan.  It's a plan that might get him in trouble... ya know, if he wasn't working in the name of FREEDOM.  That's about all we get.

From here, we visit the Freedom Science Studies Institute.  Hrmm, I wonder if that's the "freedom" Choate keeps talking about.  Anyhoo, they're still experimenting on our sweaty Senatuh friend from Chapter Two... and, they've evidently transformed him into a super soldier.  That is, until he pops.

We now rejoin Dumb and Dumber, as they're trying to track down the Devil Woman who they believe burned down their shack.  They head into a... I dunno, dilapidated mansion or something... and are told that she's there... but, she's not looking to be bothered.

Our men ain't about to take no for an answer... which prompts Voodoo Mama Juju to show her face and tell them herself that she wants to be left alone.  When our heroes try to press the issue... we come to learn that she actually isn't alone... there's a (Giant-Size?) Man-Thing in the house.

--

Welp, if you ever told me I'd be pining for another story featuring the Feral Man, I'd have laughed in your face.  And yet, here we are!

This is... kind of a bore.  A pretty weak outing, perhaps compounded by the knowledge that we know what Gerber is capable of with this character.  Well, I don't personally... but, I have heard good things.  Lots of good things, in fact!

I always worry when I start seeing writers rely on strawmen... though, I am hopeful that the "freedom" that big-bad Jody Choate is talking about is that Freedom Science joint... and not just the good ol' American jingoism that writers seem especially keen on deconstructing time and again.

The art, I will say, is still top-notch!  Tom Sutton is doing all of the heavy-lifting here... and is really pulling out all the stops when it comes to the gore.  Not my cuppa tea to look at, but I can't deny that it looks pretty much exactly like it ought to.  Disturbing, dark, gross... just perfect.  If only he were drawing a better story...

--
--

We open with Shang-Chi, Reston, and Black Jack Tarr conferring to plan how they may go about rescuing the kidnapped (or, as they put it in this story "kidnaped") and newly one-handed, Leiku Wu.  They're assuming she was napped/naped by a one-handed fella called Argus.  It's a pretty contentious chat... with neither Chi nor Tarr really seeing eye-to-eye as to how they go about it.  Ya see, Chi wants to leave Tarr and Reston behind... which, causes Jack to flip out... it's really quite an annoying little scene that kills a few too many panels in my opinion.

Shang-Chi assures the fellas that, while he doesn't want them to accompany him, that doesn't mean he's going alone.  He's got frenemies (oof, I can't believe I actually used that word.  Stop me if I do so again) in low places... and so, we are introduced to Shen Kuei... the Cat.  I've never seen this dude before, but it seems as though he and Chi have had a tussle or two in their time... even had a few women come between them, one of them Leiko Wu herself!  Upon learning that she is in trouble, the Cat agrees to help out.

Speaking of Ms. Wu, we join her as she's been tied to a chair by... none other than Argus.  During her... uh, interrogation (?), she manages to break free... but is quickly kayoed with a (literal) right-hook to the mush.

We shift scenes to a boat (called The Junk), where Tarr is giving Chi and the Cat the quick and dirty on their mission.  He tries making it far more complex than it needs to be, but what it all boils down to is... Chi and Kuei are both Asian... and they're going to replace some Yakuza weapon-buyers in order to get in close to Argus.  Once they're inside, they'll assume the roles of "Red Wolves", whoever they are.

Chi and Kuei think the first part of the plan is solid... but, that second-half... they're not so sure.  They all board a little rowboat to head back to the docks from The Junk.  Just as they arrive on dry land, however, The Junk is blown sky-high.  Game on.

--

I have this little... hmm... problem with "Part 4's".  If you've listened to any of my audio exploits, I'm sure you've heard me mention it a time or two.  In today's decompressed comics landscape, "Part 4 of 6" pretty much means you're in for a garbage issue... full of poorly-told recaps, with the teensiest bit of momentum toward the climax.

Now, this chapter wasn't recappy in the slightest... but, it felt like quite the time-killer.  Which is kind of a shame, as I've been kinda digging on this story up to this point.  Hopefully this was just a lull... and next time out, we'll be back to business as usual.  I don't wanna be too hard on it, going by the "three chapters = one issue" model we've been using... I suppose this was decent enough "first third" of an issue.

Perhaps if I had any familiarity or attachment to Shang-Chi and his crew, I'd be a bit more excited seeing folks like The Cat.

--
--

We open with Thor fighting off some robot exoskeleton things... which, is pretty much all I picture when Thor has a "Midgardian" adventure.  Then... the sensational character find of 1988 shows his pervy face... why, it's the Fear Bug!!!  After giving us a page recapping his prior attempts to "feed", he sets his sights on Thor.  After a scan, he learns that this is no ordinary man... and it doesn't look like he has any fear.

So, what is a pervy fear bug to do?  Hey, I know... let's make Thor think he's participating in Ragnarok.  That doesn't happen like every fourth issue featuring the guy!  Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating... but, it sure feels that way, dunnit?  When our man refuses to go down, the Fear-Eater does... something... inside him to cause him to be kayoed.  What was it... and why didn't he just do it to the Surfer, The Captain, and The Thing?  Well, your guess is as good as mine.

Thor lays there a bit, dealing with his current situation... before, you guessed it, ultimately overcoming his fear... driving the Fear-Eater away to seek out another host.  When Thor comes to, he realizes he's still on Earth.

We wrap up with the Fear-Eater spotting his next victim... and, it's Daredevil!  Get this, though... whatta they call Daredevil?  Oh yeah, The Man Without Fear.  Wonk, wonk, wonkkkkk... R.I.P. in Pieces, Fear-Bug... we hardly knew ye!

--

Welp, I'll hand it to Milgrom, the Daredevil twist at the end was pretty clever... and it did elicit a chuckle.  Daredevil, if I'm not mistaken, will be our "anchor" story next issue... so, this is a neat way to build a bit more cohesion in the anthology.

The rest of the story?  Weak-city.  I don't necessarily feel like the Fear-Eater is "played out", in fact, I think I'd have enjoyed seeing a few more stories with him goofing around the Marvel Universe.  Heck, for all I know, he'll show up in next issue's DD feature!  Thor... I'm sorry, gang... I'm never going to be able to summon up enough interest to fully invest in a Thor story.  That ain't the fault of Milgrom... or the story, just my own personal tastes.

Overall... this is probably the weakest "Fear-Eater" feature.  I wonder if we'll ever see the li'l bugger again.

--

Credits: 

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Back Cover:

X-Lapsed, Episode 10 - Powers of X #5 (2019)

X-Lapsed, Episode 10

Powers of X #5 (November, 2019)
"For the Children"
Writer - Jonathan Hickman
Art - R.B. Silva
Colors - Marte Gracia
Letters - VC's Clayton Cowles
Design - Tom Muller
Edits - Bissa, White, Cebulski
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: September 25, 2019



Welcome to Episode X... er, Ten... er, 10. How are we saying that now? I'll never get it right!

Today, as we head toward the conclusion of the HoX/PoX Event with Powers of X #5, we do a little bit of world-building in X⁰... and a little bit of world-destroying in X³... guess which one I enjoyed reading more?

We learn how some of the Krakoan sausage is made, and also get a really awesome cameo from a certain Sub-Mariner. If only the issue ended there...

Also: Your listener mail, and a brief anecdote about the how this show became "a thing" that I do. Thanks everybody!

MCP #4 - Thor

Marvel Comics Presents #4 (Thor)
"Silent Thunder"
By Al Milgrom
Letters - Jim Novak
Colors - Greg Wright
Assistant Edits - Michael Rockwitz
Edits - Terry Kavanagh
Chief - Tom DeFalco

Here's the thing... well actually The Thing was our anchor story last issue... but the other "thing" I'd like to discuss is how it looks like Legacy Blogger might not be an option in a li'l bit.

Right now, every time I access my Blogger dashboard, it defaults to the new-look version.  Used to be, that it would force the "new-look" on me like once... twice a month, tops.  I hear through the grapevine that reverting might be going the way of the dodo pretty soon.  I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, eh?

I ain't happy 'bout it... I'll tell ya that much.  What else ain't I happy about?  Well, we gotta spend the next several minutes talking about Thor, for one!

--

We open with Thor fighting off some robot exoskeleton things... which, is pretty much all I picture when Thor has a "Midgardian" adventure.  Then... the sensational character find of 1988 shows his pervy face... why, it's the Fear Bug!!!  After giving us a page recapping his prior attempts to "feed", he sets his sights on Thor.  After a scan, he learns that this is no ordinary man... and it doesn't look like he has any fear.

So, what is a pervy fear bug to do?  Hey, I know... let's make Thor think he's participating in Ragnarok.  That doesn't happen like every fourth issue featuring the guy!  Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating... but, it sure feels that way, dunnit?  When our man refuses to go down, the Fear-Eater does... something... inside him to cause him to be kayoed.  What was it... and why didn't he just do it to the Surfer, The Captain, and The Thing?  Well, your guess is as good as mine.

Thor lays there a bit, dealing with his current situation... before, you guessed it, ultimately overcoming his fear... driving the Fear-Eater away to seek out another host.  When Thor comes to, he realizes he's still on Earth.

We wrap up with the Fear-Eater spotting his next victim... and, it's Daredevil!  Get this, though... whatta they call Daredevil?  Oh yeah, The Man Without Fear.  Wonk, wonk, wonkkkkk... R.I.P. in Pieces, Fear-Bug... we hardly knew ye!

--

Welp, I'll hand it to Milgrom, the Daredevil twist at the end was pretty clever... and it did elicit a chuckle.  Daredevil, if I'm not mistaken, will be our "anchor" story next issue... so, this is a neat way to build a bit more cohesion in the anthology.

The rest of the story?  Weak-city.  I don't necessarily feel like the Fear-Eater is "played out", in fact, I think I'd have enjoyed seeing a few more stories with him goofing around the Marvel Universe.  Heck, for all I know, he'll show up in next issue's DD feature!  Thor... I'm sorry, gang... I'm never going to be able to summon up enough interest to fully invest in a Thor story.  That ain't the fault of Milgrom... or the story, just my own personal tastes.

Overall... this is probably the weakest "Fear-Eater" feature.  I wonder if we'll ever see the li'l bugger again.

Tomorrow: Tyin' it together...