Or – “Worth A Thousand Words…”
It’s a rare comic book that transcends it’s own medium. This issue promises to be ‘the most unusual G.I. Joe story ever,’ and nearly 30 years down the line, that promise still holds true…
Category Archives: Retro Review
RETRO REVIEW: Animaniacs #35 (January 1998)
Or – “His Brain’s Overloading! It Has A Chocolate Coating!”
Long, long ago during a dark period called “The 90′s”, Otter Disaster and I worked in a very small-market television station in the plains of Kansas. Part of the gig was aiming the satellite dishes the right way at the right time, allowing us to show the network programming that we were obligated to provide. Of course, I often took advantage of this technology to watch the daily broadcast of “Freakazoid” (even though we didn’t actually air it) purely for my own enjoyment. Recently, I learned of Dexter’s sole comic appearance, and discovered it to be a crossover with the Animaniacs as well. This ought to be interesting…
RETRO REVIEW: Justice League Quarterly #1 (Winter 1990)
Or – “It Wasn’t All Just Bwah-Ha-Ha-Ha…”
When I think back to the iconic days of the post-Crisis JLI, I don’t just remember the wacky antics. The character voices and interactions were some of the most realistic I’d ever read, and it was clearly NOT my father’s superheroes. If you don’t believe me, then I’d like to tell you about the breakup of the greatest superhero bromance of the last 30 years.
I would also like to apologize for using the word “bromance.”
RETRO REVIEW: Marvel Team-Up #74 (October 1978)
Or – “LIVE FROM THE 70′s! IT’S COMIC-BOOK GOLD!”
Many a comic writer has tried to add verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and insipid narrative by chucking in a topical reference or two. Witness Captain America’s battles against both Nixon AND Reagan, Alison Blaire’s original gimmick as Disco Dazzler, or the double-shot of concentrated 1990′s that is Doc Samson’s second uniform. And then, there was this issue…
RETRO REVIEW: The Avengers #1 (September,1963)
The Avengers has been a phenomenal success at the box office, and while many are getting their first taste of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the team has been battling Loki since their first team-up.
RETRO REVIEW: Phantom Lady #17 (April 1948)
Or – “Quoth The Elder: Hubba Hubba Zoot Zoot!”
When close attention is paid to the comic books of the Golden Age, it’s clear that the publishers were working to entertain all ages and various audiences, especially at the beginning. Certain titles were created for kids, sure, but there were comic books aimed directly at women, at teens of both genders, and (as Tom Baker reportedly said about Leela’s leather bikini) even a little something for the dads. As with many aspects of our modern culture, though, the 1950′s were approaching, and they would pretty much ruin everything… (Stupid Richie Cunningham.)
RETRO REVIEW: DC Special Series #16 – Jonah Hex Spectacular (Fall 1978)
Or – “He Died With His Boots On…”
I’ve occasionally talked about how the future setting has allowed the creators of Legion of Super-Heroes to take risks that other books couldn’t, such as the death of Ferro Lad, or the weddings of several major characters. Likewise, Jonah Hex has the benefit of living in our past, meaning that his entire LIFE is history. Thus, the story of how Jonah died was told within a decade of his creation, and the spectre of that death has resonated through every Hex story since…
I’ll say this, though: It ain’t pretty.
RETRO REVIEW: Amazing Spider-Man #86 (July 1970)
Or – “I Apologize, But I Must Refuse To Call Her ‘Scar Jo’ On Principle…”
I arrived at work last week to find that Deon, the owner of Gate Keep Comics and Hobbies, had purchased another longbox of comics on Saturday buying day. But instead of the usual quarter-bin fare, he had somewhere procured a complete run of Amazing Spider-Man from #39 all the way through #250. I’ve spent a lot of time grading and bagging these books, and among the surprises in the box was this issue, which may be of interest to fans of the upcoming Avengers movie. I had often wondered how the Black Widow went from frumpy love interest to butt-kicking leather clad dynamo, but I had NO idea that it took place in Spider-Man’s book!
RETRO REVIEW: Wonder Comics #1 (May 1939)
Or – “Strange Visitor From Another Company’s Intellectual Property!”
It was April of 1938 (remember, cover dates were generally several months early back in the day) that Siegel & Shuster unleashed Superman on the world, changing the nascent comics industry forever. When it became clear that the Man of Steel was a genuine game-changer, everybody wanted in on the superhero market share.
Some attempts were a bit less original than others…
RETRO REVIEW: Legion of Super-Heroes #300 (June 1983)
Or – “Y’know What’s Weird? I STILL Miss Punk Rock Storm…”
Retro Reviews, by their very nature, are a free-range beastie, as I have more than a century of comic books from which to choose, from hundreds of different companies. Of course, I was born in the year 1970, and began reading comics in a magical far-off world called 1981. (**Cue Rodrigo singing ‘A Flock Of Seagulls.’**)
Because of that timing, I find that when I think of the comics that mean the most to me, many of them come from my early adolescent collecting years from ’81-’87 , leading up to the point where *I* believe the Bronze Age of Comics ended. Last week’s review was one of my earliest introductions to the sprawling multi-level world of the X-Men, so it would seem only natural that this week we take a look at the heroes that I consider to be their closest equivalent in the DCU. And, seeing has how we’re in a particular sweet spot of comics history, we might as well stay right there in the summer of ’83…
RETRO REVIEW: Uncanny X-Men Annual #7 (June 1983)
Or – “I’m Suddenly Possessed By The Realization That I Miss Punk-Rock Storm.”
One Saturday I took a walk to Xavier’s School, I met a girl there, floating up above the pool!
Punk Rock Storm, lightning just struck me! Punk Rock Storm, can we please marry?
With my hair on fire it’s warm! Just you and me, Punk Rock Storm!
I tapped her on the arm and asked for my answer! She looked at me and said “I married Black Panther!”
Punk Rock Storm, please give me a chance! Punk Rock Storm, in your leather pants,
that to your hips conform! Just you and me, Punk Rock Storm!
Punk Rock Storm, your new hair is cute!
Punk Rock Storm, no more bathing suit!
We’ll have a fight with Swarm!
Just you and me,
We’ll make fun of Emma’s form!
Just you and me,
Your husband we’ll misinform!
Just yooooooou and meeeeeeeeeee, PUNK ROCK STORM!
RETRO REVIEW: Cyblade/Shi – The Battle For Independents #1 (1995)
Or – “The Face That Launched A Thousand Bad Girl Knockoffs…”
The 1990′s may be remembered as the dawn of the Information Age, or the decade where we finally perfected cloning, or maybe a period of economic over-exuberance. But, if you read comics from ’93 to ’98, you’ll probably think of it as I do: The “Bad Girl” Decade.