Detritus of the Mind

So... still not in the new house yet. Between cleaning it out, getting relatives down to look through everything for something they might want, and getting paperwork coordinated, it's taken a LOT longer than I expected.  My goal is to finally be in there and getting settled as of the end of this month, but I said that back in March... Anyway, I'm hoping once I'm settled and on my own, I can turn out more substantial content for this blog.  I can finish the SW6 Omnicommentaries, I can move on to some other series including: A bit of the post-Zero Hour Legion, Jurgens' Teen Titans,  A late 90s attempt at "modernizing" Power Pack,  An Ultraverse entry called Freex that will be my first foray into Malibu's short-lived heyday, The legendarily bad Mutant X, and Should the fates align & some light be shed on some urban legends, X-Men 2099 at long last. Along with some other off-the-cuff stuff, I hope to at least get an entry or two a month done o...

So once again, real life has been kicking me repeatedly in the butt.  But I still want to keep this going.  I plan to finish the Bierbaum Legionnaires this year (friggin' finally! ), but after that, I have a list of possible subjects to address.  The only thing I wanted to review that I've put on the back-burner is X-Men 2099 , and that is entirely because the Great 2099 Creator Walk-Off still can't be verified/refuted/what-have-you.  If it's true, it's important to address; if not, I don't want to keep repeating it as fact.  When it's a comic rumor and Brian Cronin can't help you verify or deny it, you're in trouble. So here's a list of potential projects to review: - Several comic series are on the proverbial docket.  I have a couple that are either notoriously bad or have hidden potential buried in layers of badness - namely, Marvel's Mutant X  for the former and DC's Son of Vulcan  mini for the latter.  I wanted to do a review tha...

Shockingly, this blog isn't dead. I have had an exceptionally hectic private life right now, so I spend time off catching up on necessary things instead of doing fun stuff like blogging. I have a special thing planned for next year called "Pilot Program", a look at the unsold pilots for merchandising toons that aired in the 80s & 90s as "specials" but never went to a full series (although the subject planned for the finale is sort of a special case).  But that won't be ready until after the holidays. I don't anything I feel is worthy of doing a year-end wrap-up to discuss.  The same things that annoy & disappoint continue to multiply, and the handful of happy things can probably be predicted if you've read enough of my ramblings.  Smarter folks out there have sung the praises of Ms. Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy (and its amazing stinger guest star), so it's better to just read them. In magical girl news, the new Precure season hasn...

Huh.  It's been since June that I've had time to update this?  Yikes.  How do Gentlemen of Leisure do it? My life has been its usual mix of mundane craziness that leaves little free time, so now I'm going to make some time for a brief to-do list. I am still continuing my Legionnaires Omnicommentaries.  I wish I had a scanner I could trust to show you why the next few issues are going to be a slog, but they are (I'll do my best the next time I get actual non-pseudo-emergency time to myself, which is rarer than any commodity).  I plan to do Legionnaires through the Zero Issues (a.k.a. the start of the Archie Legion), along with a few annuals.  Then it's on to something that's at least fun-bad - Howard Mackie's Mutant X!  So many missed opportunities, so much bizarre dialogue... Unlike the waning days of Legionnaires, this one might actually be fun. I've been trying to get some original stuff written, but my brain keeps going back to something I had...

Legionnaires #9: Skin Deep Creative Team:  Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (penciller); Karl Story (inker); Adam Hughes (guest artist pp.16-20); Brian Stelfreeze (guest artist pp.21-22); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); December 1993 Legion Roll Call:  Andromeda; Catspaw; Cosmic Boy; Dragonmage; Inferno; Invisible Kid; Live Wire; Matter-Eater Lad; Lifetime Lass; and Shrinking Violet. Miscellaneous Notes:  From here on out, we'll be seeing a mix of artists for several issues.  Chris Sprouse does a little in each, however, and it's not until #12 that you get a lousy artist.  Until then, at least they all feel "of a piece" and blend well. Summary:  How boy, this is more a bunch of subplots than a single story.  First, we've got Andromeda, Catspaw, Dragonmage, Tenzil, & Vi tracking some Khunds to an isolated planet; after a crash landing, they encounter mysterious natives that resemble people beloved to the Legionnaires ...

Legionnaires #8: In Heart and Conscience Free Creative Team:  Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Colleen Doran (penciller); John Nyberg (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); November 1993 Legion Roll Call:  Alchemist; Andromeda; Brainiac 5; Cosmic Boy; Saturn Girl; Chameleon; Computo; Dragonmage; Invisible Kid. Miscellaneous Notes:  I'd say about half of those listed in the roll call are just in the first two pages, which are a fan-servicey pool party.  Since there's beefcake along with the cheesecake, I don't mind (even with that last panel - Ayla should really wear more than one leaf on her lower regions if she's gonna belly-flop like that.) Summary:  Brainy & a few friends travel to Colu to watch him receive a special honor, only for him to disappear.  It turns out the Coluan chancellor had him spirited to the mountains and has asked him to choose between staying with the Legion or serving his homeworld.  When he choose...

REVIEW: New Mutants Forever: The Fall of Nova Roma” Chris Claremont (writer); Al Rio (penciller); Bob McLeod (inker); Guru EFX (colorist); Tom Orzechowski (letterer); collected in trade 2011, originally published between 2010 & 2011 (months not given in the trade indicia). Issue 1, “Shadows in the Night”:  The New Mutants are staying the night at the Hellfire Club’s NYC headquarters after the big dance/race with the Hellions in #54 (see below).  While Doug helps Amara determine whether Selene’s claim that they’re related, the others go to Central Park (right outside the club).  While in the park, they are attacked by armed men, and they discover that Amara’s father is one of their targets.  The armed men rush the club, resulting in Rahne & Emma being hurt, and only stop fighting when they are killed en masse.  In the fight, Doug & Amara are kidnapped.  Amara’s father reveals he was trying to warn the Club (Selene in particular) about so...

Legionnaires #7: Devils in the Deep Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Adam Hughes (pencils); Mark Farmer (inks); Pat Brosseau (letters); Tom McCraw (colors); October 1993 Legion Roll Call: Brainiac 5; Andromeda; Apparition; Ultra Boy; Inferno; Shrinking Violet; Triad; and Matter-Eater Lad. Miscellaneous Notes: The credits roll along the bottoms of the first few pages, which is understandable.  This isn't art you want to clutter up if you can avoid it. Summary: Big fight's over, so let's have a downtime issue.  What's survived of the underwater city of Tritonis is a tourist trap & luxury resort which a handful of Legionnaires set off to enjoy.  They go to a resort run by a family of sorta-Asian merfolk & proceed to live it up.  However, after Inferno's date (the owner's daughter, Keiki) is hurt by a local packing heat & hunting a shadowy "sea devil", he learns a horrible truth - Tritonis has had numerous attacks...

Legionnaires #6: An Eye for an Eye Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (artist); Karl Story (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); September 1993 Legion Roll Call: Chameleon; Computo; Dragonmage; Ferro; Gossamer; Invisible Kid; Matter-Eater Lad; Shrinking Violet; Triad; Ultra Boy; "and the other Legionnaires". Miscellaneous Notes: The note at the end of the roll call isn't a joke; the entire team gets play is this issue to some degree, and listing them all would be kind of pointless. Summary: Cera & McCauley have an Emerald Eye duel, where we learn he was the one who actually had control of Ingria's Eye.  Back at the capitol, there's an excellent fight between Persuader, Tharok, Mano, and many Legionnaires; we get to see Computo use her powers to make Tharok beat himself up, Alchemist give Mano a nice set of indestructible mittens, and - best of all - Matter-Eater Lad eats the Atomic Axe to disarm ...

For those familiar with my Twitter feed, I said these would be back next month.  Well, I'm home sick with a particularly weird thing, so I might as well do something halfway practical with my time.  Behold - the return of the Omnicommentaries! Legionnaires #5: New Life, New Death! Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (artist); Karl Story (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); August 1993 Legion Roll Call: Andromeda; Apparition; Catspaw; Computo; Cosmic Boy; Ferro; Matter-Eater Lad; Shrinking Violet; and Ultra Boy. Miscellaneous Notes: I have nowhere else to put this, but it's worth a mention.  Mile High Comics is opening another Mega-Store, now in Anaheim!  Rob Liefeld is appearing in person on June 25th, but that's not important.  No, what is important is that Jim Shooter is appearing on the 26th.  So let's travel back in time and see if we can convince him not to take the run on the Three...

The drafts are at the halfway point for Legionnaires, not counting a smattering of random issues from the reboot I want to discuss. I am still feeling oddly nostalgic and want to prove to myself as much as to the internet that not everything from the Nineties that isn't in the "this is the exception" column was automatically crap.  So I thought about a series I really enjoyed that I only stopped following because the newsstand where I bought most of the books dropping the title around issue #15 or so.  Something that had a fairly short run. Something... X-Men-y. As soon as the Legion is done, we'll be taking a visit to the year 2099 and see if, when the rest of the Marvel Universe goes to hell, if this means things actually improve for mutants.  This will be as much discovery for me as nostalgia, so I hope it'll be fun.

( I told you these weren't dead yet.  Schedule is still hectic as sin, and I won't be able to do the review-a-month I'd hoped, but I'm still doing them.  Apologies for the delay.- Mela) Legionnaires #4: If Looks Could Kill Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (artist); Karl Story (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); July 1993 Legion Roll Call: Catspaw; Chameleon; Ferro; Inferno; Invisible Kid; Live Wire; Matter-Eater Lad; Saturn Girl; and Ultra Boy. Miscellaneous Notes: The roll call starts a new running gag.  Whenever Tenzil is in the roll call, they describe as powers as "Eats Matter (stupid!)" or something similar.  I like it - it fits with Tom Bierbaum's view of him as a humorous & not at all serious but still competant character, and that's probably how Tenzil himself would describe his powers if asked. Summary: Cera Kesh has the Emerald Eye, and she wants righteous vengeance for her h...

Legionnaires #3: The Beast Below Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (artist); Karl Story (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); June 1993 Legion Roll Call: Andromeda; Brainiac 5; Cosmic Boy; Dragonmage; Gossamer; Invisible Kid; Inferno; Leviathan; Live Wire; Shrinking Violet. Miscellaneous Notes: This issue's note is "Special thanks to Gaijin Studios".  Chris Sprouse was part of this art group, along with Cully Hamner, Adam Hughes, and other notables.  Sadly, as of early 2011, Gaijin has shut down and parted ways. Summary:  Leviathan tries to fight the stony monster (seen last issue killing two tech workers), but he accidentally knocks out Gossamer & winds up being knocked out himself.  Brainy identifies the monster as Mordecai, gets a rescue party together, and intends to hit it with a suspended animation gun to move it to safety.  Gossamer, of course, is safe - Mordecai has locked her in a little cag...

Legionnaires #2: In Death's Grip Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (penciller); Karl Story (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); May 1993. Legion Roll Call: Apparition; Gossamer; Inferno; Leviathan; Live Wire; Saturn Girl; Shrinking Violet; Triad; and Ultra Boy. Miscellaneous Notes: This month has a note of "Special Thanks to Wade Grawbadger". Probably better known as Wade von Grawbadger, he's an inker whose best known run was on James Robinson's Starman. Summary: Mano & the Hand gang are quickly taken down thanks to some quick thinking by Triad & Violet, and he's turned over to the Science Police.  Back at the HQ, we have a *sigh* love triangle brewing between the three founders before tryout time.  Here we meet Cera Kesh, a plain & slightly pudgy (which means "morbidly obese" compared to standard comic designs) telekinetic girl who is publically humiliated by Live Wire ...

Legionnaires #1: Baptism by Fire! Creative Team: Tom & Mary Bierbaum (writers); Chris Sprouse (penciller); Karl Story (inker); Pat Brosseau (letterer); Tom McCraw (colorist); April 1993. Legion Roll Call: Apparition; Chameleon; Cosmic Boy; Computo; Ferro; Live Wire; Saturn Girl; Shrinking Violet; Triad; and Ultra Boy. Miscellaneous Notes: There are two dedications in this issue.  The first is "Special thanks to all the Gaijin guys!"; this is for the sadly defunct Gaijin Studios,  which boasted artists such as Sprouse, Adam Hughes, Brian Stelfreeze, Jason Pearson, and Cully Hamner among its members.  The second is the enigmatic "For Carl" - maybe this is a friend from the Interlac APA? Summary: On New Earth, the Legionnaires find themselves trying to stop the destruction of the powergrid that keeps the cities linked.  A gang called the Hand (not the one from Daredevil) is responsible, but Mega, a girl forced to join the gang, volunteers to help th...

(The following is the first of the Omnicommentary reviews for Legionnaires ; due to RL time constraints & the desire to get a good backlog of reviews, these will appear monthly.  This first entry is not so much a review as an explanation for the reviews' existence and will be rather long compared to the reviews proper.) Before we visit the future, let's go back in time for a bit. 1994, small town South Jersey.  The local main street had one block that seemed to have new stores every other month.  One that lasted the longest (18 months) was a bizarre combination ice cream shop/comics and collectibles/video rental store.  While Dad bought the not-that-good ice cream, I'd look at the comics tossed in long boxes and sold two for a dollar. These were the heady days of the Speculator Bubble; soon, I would learn what what real comic shops run by legit businessmen/fans were like and just how close the industry came to self-destructing.  But for now, I bought t...