I’ve been numbering my entries, picking up where I left off with the I LOVE COMICS 3000 CHALLENGE as one of the participants on the Captain Blue Hen Facebook page. This started as a challenge from friendly comic shops in Ohio and Texas, originally as the 1,000 Comics Challenge, then the 2021 Comic Book Quarantine Odyssey, and then I Love Comics 3000 - - all goals met by the group of Captain Blue Hen customer participants. I’m curious to see how long it takes me to read that many comics. My journey began with the 1,000 Comics Challenge on approximately March 15, 2020.
#694 IMMORTAL HULK #39 (Marvel Comics, December 2020) “The Stars Move Still.” In addition to Al Ewing’s story themes, artist Joe Bennett really focuses on the horror undertone to this title. His version of The Leader is a shocker. The two-page sequence where The Leader attacks Dr. Brian Banner (Bruce’s father) is absolutely gory in a good way.
How did The Leader get into The Below Place and open a Green Door into the living world, The World Above? As he says: “One part concentrated gamma, one part occult knowledge. Mix and serve.” The Leader wants to make the connection with The One Below All and help him destroy the multiverse. However, isn’t all this existing within the mind of Bruce Banner? And the battle with the Devil Hulk (just one of several Hulks inhabiting this space) takes place within Banner’s mindscape as well? But, if the Below Place is an actual setting and not another piece of Banner’s mind, then who is The One Below All (only his/her dialogue displays in the panels)?
If so, I’m guessing Mephisto. While all this is going on inside the mental scape, the Hulk is a subdued captive aboard the Alpha Flight Space Station. Why not jump right in and join me in the ranks of the often confused. I’m sure this will sort out eventually. I’m still enjoying this book. FOUR STARS.
#695 BATMAN: THREE JOKERS BOOK THREE (DC Comics, December 2020) Even if the story was shite, I’d purchase this for the art alone. Jason Fabok knocks it out of the park! Also utilizes the multi-panel per page style which I have new appreciation for.
I was wrong about which Joker version would be remaining by the end of the story - - and I didn’t foresee how the second Joker would be taken out of the picture. I’m pretty satisfied with this story, although I expect to hear some gripes out there (“nothing has changed, blah, blah, blah).
On the contrary the resolution and understanding between Batman and Joe Chill (the killer of Bruce Wayne’s parents) was deftly handled and provided a sensitive moment. Likewise, the actions of one character has apparently doomed a relationship. There’s a bit of irony in the apology as well. No spoilers, how’s that? Some of my comments won’t make sense until you read this. FIVE STARS.
#696 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50 (Marvel Comics, December 2020) Last Remains, Part 1 of 5. Before I get to Nick Spencer’s story, I’d like to draw your attention to the art of Patrick Gleason, one of my unsung heroes of comics. His fluid style is perfectly suited to action scenes. For example, just check out the 12 panel-per-page fall of Spider-Man (out of web fluid) until he crashes into a trash dumpster.
I had not been paying much attention to Nick Spencer’s run on AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. On a whim, I picked up Issue ##37, then Issues #38-#39. While I liked the story it did nothing to persuade me to keep going. A comics friend in Minnesota asked me to find him a copy of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50, which I did - - and now I’m hooked. There is so much meat on the bones of this story, which I hear Spencer has been building up to for two years.
I recommend you at least check out this issue and decide for yourself, so I’m going to do my best to avoid spoilers. Sin Eater is an interesting Punisher-like adversary with a quite different m.o. He comes head to head with Norman Osborn, now director of the Ravencroft Institute. Pulling the strings behind Sin Eater’s campaign is major foe Kindred, who has a vendetta against Spider-Man/Peter Parker.
Kindred appears to be a kind of hell spawn who robs graves and turns Spidey’s allies into demonic foes.He may be a phony, and his true identity is revealed in a twist ending. Kindred is one of the more horrific villains to look at, a hooded skeletal figure with a toothy grin, and a body crawling with huge threatening centipedes, bugs and flies.
The story also features Spider-friends The Order Of The Web, and Doctor Strange. What makes this work best for me is the first-person commentary of Peter Parker and the various insights into character psyches. Nobody appears to be all-bad, just complicated. FOUR STARS.
#697 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50LR (Marvel Comics, December 2020) Running alongside the Last Remains storyline in the main title is this
sister mini-series (5 issues planned). Matthew Rosenberg assists Spencer on the script, with Federico Vincentini on art.
There’s an expansion of some events from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50 and Peter Parker/Spider-Man makes an appearance in this issue. However, this is planned to devote more pages to the side stories, specifically those of Norman Osborn, The Order Of The Web, and Mary Jane.
I almost like this better than the main title, mostly because of the deep dive it takes into characters here. There’s a very revealing counseling session between a distraught Norman Osborn and psychoanalyst Dr. Kafka. FOUR STARS.
#698 MAESTRO #3 of 5 (Marvel Comics, December 2020) This issue is the most fun yet!
Hercules. Rick Jones. The current Maestro/leader of Dystopia. The Hulk’s campaign to undermine the current rule and start a rebellion/takeover.
What’ the first thing Hercules does when he sees the Hulk after all these years? Punch him out big-time! I love Peter David’s sense of humor and irony, and the art by German Peralta is perfect. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#699 VENOM #39 (Marvel Comics, December 2020) “Venom Beyond Part 4 of 5.”
Don’t be fooled by the cover image of Knull/King In Black - - he doesn’t appear in this story. The Annie of this strange world (Eddie Brock’s ex-wife in his world) carries the Venom symbiote and leads the rebels against Codex.
There is a surprise reveal when the identity of Codex is revealed.
Kind of a lead-in issue to the big finale. Oh yeah, Scorpion rolls out in his new costume. Nicely done interlude between Peter Parker and Annie Brock. THREE STARS.
#700 WEB OF VENOM: WRAITH #1 (Marvel Comics, November 2020)
Formerly a Kree scientist, Wraith was exposed to the parasitic Exolon. He gained fast reflexes, a healing factor, and immortality in exchange for his soul that Exolon feeds on slowly.
Seems like a Venom story in a way, doesn’t it? Guess what? Exolon’s god turns out to be Knull, and they have a confrontation. Knull doesn’t feel that Wraith is worthy of his attention and release him into the void.
But the void ends up in New York City, just in time for Wraith to warn him that Knull is coming for him.
Marvel readers already know this, which makes this book non-essential. The art is good, but seems like the double-page panel was intended as filler. TWO STARS.
#701 THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #1 (Image Comics, September 2020) “Up is down and down is up.”
This was so good it deserved multiple readings. Lee Harvey Oswald was coached during his interrogation following Kennedy’s death. Right-wing nationalists and their online communities. Conspiracy theories. An FBI employee attends a Flat Earth Conference, gets to meet the rich elite financing the event, and gets taken into their inner circle.
He’s now the perfect recruit for The Department of Truth, who’s primary mission is “making sure that conspiracy theories stay conspiracy theories.” This covert government agency is led by an unexpected historical figure. “The more people believe in something the more true that thing becomes. The more reality tips in the favor of that belief.”
Martin Simmonds draws and colors James Tynion IV’s quirky topical tale in a style that helps maintain the sense of head-spinning uneasiness. It resembles a meeting of Alex Maleev and Ben Templesmith’s styles. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#702 CYBERPUNK 2077: TRAUMA TEAM #1 of 4 (Dark Horse Comics, September 2020)
This is adapted by master scribe Cullen Bunn from a video game that I know nothing about.
The Trauma Team members have to be skilled in both S.W.A.T. tactics as well as E.M.T. procedures. Their mission is to extract high profile criminals (often with medical conditions) from gang-controlled territories apparently in exchange for information and witness protection privileges.
Nadia is the lone survivor of a failed mission. She’s assigned to a new squad who consider her a rookie and don’t appreciate her abilities. This is very promising. I need to see more. The art has a European style/Heavy Metal/2000A.D. look. FOUR STARS.
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