“As children, we all grew up and played together. Sometimes we even shared our toys, our bicycles, and our skateboards. But the cardinal rule was to take care of the toys or bicycle that you borrowed. Woe unto the kid in the neighborhood who returned that toy broken or the bicycle with a flat tire. You didn’t want to be the one who couldn’t borrow any more.”
By BOB FREEMAN – Paint Monk’s Library Writer
I have long referred to a comic creator’s role on an established property as that of a child being invited to play in someone else’s sandbox. While there, their imagination can flourish. They get to have fun — real fun, but while playing with someone else’s toys. And when playtime is over? Well, a good child leaves the toys where he found them. Unbroken. Largely unchanged, save for a little more wear and tear.
More and more, creators are losing that perspective. Why? Because editors are letting them. Change, not just for change’s sake, but splashy, over-the-top changes to long established characters, hoping for a bit of press to spike a sale here or there. Deaths. Power creep. Gender/Race swapping. Good guys go bad. Bad guys turn good. Or worse, everything’s morally ambiguous or filtered through flavor-of-the-month social awareness.
I don’t want to sound like an old curmudgeon, but let’s face it, the comic industry that many of us have been fans of for decades, is faltering. The slow rot has reached the roots, and I’m afraid what little life remains cannot be revived…
Here’s where I show my age…
When I was a kid, growing up in rural Indiana, I used to pick up pop bottles as I walked toward the nearest town and cash them in at Cain’s Sundries, an old school soda shop that had a magazine rack filled with comic books.
The comics were 15¢ then. I usually could snatch up anywhere from 6-10 comics every week (along with a fountain drink and a pack of bubble gum cards). The thing that was interesting, and that I really didn’t wrap my head around until later, is that many of those comics were reprint issues. Stuff like Marvel’s Greatest Comics, or Marvel Tales, or any of the anthology books DC was spitting out. All reprints. And yet, they all seemed right in line with the current books.
Why? Because Batman was Batman. He looked and acted liked the Caped Crusader. Always. Same for Spider-Man, the FF, and all the rest. Even when artists changed, the new guys were expected to stay on model.
All that eventually changed. And the characters began to change stylistically, they also began to change internally. Everything started to turn dark. Everything got grim and gritty. The heroes weren’t as heroic as they had been before. Sales fell off. Kids found other interests…
The hobby was now made up of adults who had been reading comics since they were kids. An industry that used to rely on fresh blood coming in every year was suddenly saddled with people like me who continued to read comics into college and beyond.
Well, those comic fans became writers and artists and editors, and the shift began. The stories became more adult. All those bad ideas that editors used to curb were now filtering into the books. Heroes began to age. Become bitter.
Creators began to break the toys in the sandbox.
New readers became fewer and fewer. Speculation gave way to gimmick after gimmick until we’re where we’re at now: an industry in crisis.
How do we correct this? Fix the toys. Give them a fresh coat of paint. Clean up the sandbox. Make comics that are timeless. Make comics about heroes again. And when it’s time to move on, creators, please, leave the sandbox like you found it.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: A special thank you to Jim for answering my questions and taking the time to do so, and a special shout-out to the Marvel bullpen editorial folks who allowed this interview to move forward! Both this monk and our loyal readers are looking forward to this new chapter in the Conan the Barbarian saga!)
By WALLY MONK – Paint Monk’s Library Editor
Following Jason Aaron’s 12-issue story arc “The Life and Death of Conan,” Marvel writer Jim Zub will be picking up the scripting duties on Marvel’s flagship Conan title beginning with Conan the Barbarian #13.
Like Aaron, Zub has a healthy resume already at the House of Ideas, where he’s scripted fan-favorites like The Champions, Avengers: No Road Home, and the Mystery in Madripoor mini-series featuring Wolverine. He’s also the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Award, which he won in 2018, and is a two-time Harvey Award nominee.
Jim graciously agreed to an interview with Paint Monk’s Library in anticipation of his Conan the Barbarian series premiere.
***
WALLY MONK
So your first comic, Makeshift Miracle, came out in 2001. At the time you had your first comic published, what were your goals in the industry? Had comics always been something you were interested in? Can you share the beginnings of your journey in the industry, and what led you from there to your current gigs at Marvel?
JIM ZUB
“I grew up as an avid comic reader but, to be honest, I didn’t consider it a viable career path for a long time. As far as I could tell the only people who were making a go of it in comics were based in the U.S. (especially New York) or were brilliant and British. My knowledge of Canadian comic creators was limited and, even then, I just didn’t see how people made their way into the business.
My post-secondary education was in Classical Animation and that was originally where I expected to work. I wanted to be a Disney animator or work on other animated productions. It was a creative goal, but one that seemed reasonable. I could get focused training and be one of a few dozen names that scrolled by during the credits.
As soon as I got out into the business, I could feel the animation industry shifting under my feet. Computer animation was rapidly overtaking traditional production methods and I felt like I was out of date almost as soon as I began. The first couple of industry jobs I got were fine, but at an entry-level you don’t have much creative input, so I felt like a cog in the machine. Makeshift Miracle was a creative outlet I worked on in the evenings. It was a way to make my own story without interference. I slowly taught myself Photoshop and basic HTML so I could post up pages online a few times per week. That would connect me to the growing webcomic community and build my excitement for comics all over again.
When animation freelance work slowed down, I originally planned to go back to school for computer animation, but instead an opportunity popped up to join UDON, an art studio full of illustrators and animators who were working on concept designs, advertising art, and comics. Through the studio, I learned a ton about publishing, storytelling, project management, conventions, and marketing. It was the kind of energizing place where the more you put into the job the more opportunities you could take on and I really dove in with both feet. Over time I realized that at the heart of all these projects I was involved with, the stuff that really engaged me was story development. I wrote a few stories at the studio when clients needed a writer and would eventually take what I learned to help me launch Skullkickers at Image.
Skullkickers was an action-comedy built from the things I loved about sword & sorcery stories like Conan and Dungeons & Dragons. I didn’t put it out intending it to be an “audition” for more writing work, but that’s eventually what it became. As I started freelance writing for other comic companies (Dynamite, IDW, DC and eventually Marvel), the experiences I had working at UDON meant I understood the whole publishing pipeline and could anticipate what editors needed. That has served me well right through to the present day.”
In 2010, your series Skullkickers ran an amazing thirty-four issues at Image, and was followed by Wayward, described by some as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer set in Japan.” You also wrote Samurai Jack for IDW. It’s clear you have a fondness for stories in Eastern settings. What inspired that fondness? It’s interesting your first adventure on the Conan title takes place in Khitai!
JIM ZUB
“Sword & Sorcery is definitely my jam, with Conan and D&D at the heart of my fandom for the genre. Skullkickers was me trying to take the strange unexpected turns that happen in D&D game sessions and attach them to a very pulpy and weird Conan-style story.
In the early-mid nineties I was still in high school when my brother came home to visit from university and brought a bunch of Japanese animation and comics he was getting into. That really opened me up to the variety of comic stories being published in Japan and keyed me into Japanese mythology as well. I found it really fascinating as I dug into the similarities and differences between Japan’s myths and the Euro or Greco-Roman myths I was used to. Years later I would travel to Japan a few times on business trips for the UDON studio and that reignited my excitement for those myths all over again.
Classic samurai stories share a lot of connective tissue with pulp fantasy tales like we see in Conan – Characters venturing into the unknown to confront threats way out of their league or heroes choosing between the bonds of duty and the chaos of freedom. It’s all pretty primal stuff.
As far as taking Conan to Khitai, it wasn’t an intentional riff on things I’ve done before, it was more about finding places where a lot of Conan stories hadn’t already been told. With hundreds of Conan comic stories already out there, I’m feeling the pressure to try and strike a balance between the familiar tropes, the stuff about the genre I absolutely love, and the unexpected. Putting Conan in different environments is a way to shake things up a bit without losing the heart of what makes him so great.”
WALLY MONK
In addition to Japanese-influenced work, you tackled four different Dungeons and Dragons comic series for IDW. Are you an RPG gamer? Were you familiar with D&D before taking on the projects at IDW? And how will your previous work in fantasy influence your take on Conan?
Dungeons & Dragons: Evil At Baldur’s Gate was one of several D&D comic series Jim wrote for IDW.
JIM ZUB
“I’m a lifelong D&D player. I started playing D&D when I was 8-years old. It became a way to bond with my older brother and carries a ton of great memories for me. I even did a TEDx Talk about how D&D has influenced my creative career (link).
“One of the challenges I’m enjoying is making sure my writing on Conan feels very different from my writing on D&D. Fantasy is not homogenized approach and two fantasy properties I really like can and should be unique.”
Jim Zub – Paint Monk’s Library Interview
Getting the chance to write D&D comic stories has been a dream come true, but I’m quite conscious that D&D is not Conan. D&D was influenced by the work of Robert E. Howard, but it also carries strains of Fritz Leiber, H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, Poul Anderson, Michael Moorcock, J.R.R. Tolkien and a slew of others. It’s a high fantasy/low fantasy mash-up built on a miniature wargaming engine that has grown and changed in many ways over the years, building its own look and feel that changes with the settings and each new edition of the rules. I love D&D, but it is its own thing.”
WALLY MONK
Unlike many comic book characters, Conan is what some might consider a legacy character. His background was established by Robert E. Howard, and people – especially hard-core REH fans – are very critical of new interpretations of the Cimmerian. Conan is not like other Marvel characters who have been killed off and brought back, or changed repeatedly with reboots or relaunches. What is your vision for Conan in light of such history and his often critical yet loyal fan base?
JIM ZUB
“You’re absolutely right that Conan is a legacy character with very specific characterization at different points in his adventuring ‘career’. Like Howard says, he has ‘gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth’. I want to try and evoke that feeling of plunging readers into a sweeping adventure against crazy odds with brutal action.
Part two of the “Conan the Gambler” storyline in Savage Sword of Conan.
For me, Conan stories have particular elements that make them special. Many of my favorite Conan stories are about morally dubious miscreants struggling to survive in a mad world they will never fully understand. They’re about good people making bad choices, warriors fighting against insane odds, and misplaced courage. The kind of misplaced courage that makes you look death in the face and laugh.
I love the feeling of mystery inherent in the Hyborian Age. Magic is not about casting spells or destined heroes with prophesized magic items, it’s forbidden secrets unleashing curses and creatures that can only be stopped by an indomitable will and a strong arm swinging cold steel.
Conan the Gambler, the 3-part Savage Sword story I did this summer, is as good a preview as I could give of what I enjoy and what I’m hoping to keep rolling as I take over the flagship series – Conan in over his head, using wits and a wicked blade to take on everything he comes up against.”
WALLY MONK
In light of my last question – and I’m not asking you to bite the hand that feeds you here (winking at Marvel) – but how do you respond as a newer Conan writer to critical fans who are not happy with Conan showing up in the mainstream Marvel universe?
And how do you think you can make a “believer” out of fans who are not embracing a new take on Conan’s adventures? Is there a way to “bridge the gap” between older fans not willing to budge on classical interpretations of Conan and newer fans hoping for something new and untried?
JIM ZUB
“I wrote Conan meeting the Avengers in No Road Home because we were asked by Marvel editorial if we could do it and I figured I could make it feel like the classic Conan comics I grew up with. Selfishly, I also wanted to write the character again (I’d previously co-wrote him with Gail Simone in Conan Red Sonja back in 2015) and felt I could do him justice even in the weird situation of him getting mixed up with superheroes.
That first issue where he shows up (Avengers: No Road Home #6) is a straight-up sword & sorcery tale as Conan travels across Stygia with the Scarlet Witch. I did my damnedest to bring them into his world instead of “fish out of water” stuff in modern Marvel Earth. That’s also why we ended that story by depositing Conan in the Savage Land. It felt like the most pulp-appropriate place to set up future adventures.
Conan travels Stygia with the Scarlet Witch in Avengers: No Road Home #6.
Gerry Duggan’s been writing Conan’s adventures in Marvel Earth over in Savage Avengers and obviously I’ve been keeping up on it. Gerry’s done a nice job at keeping the character intact and consistent even in some really strange circumstances, so my hat’s off to him for that. I might have hesitated in spots where he’s gone for the team-up gusto.
Personally, I prefer Conan in the Hyborian Age so that’s where my focus is. In the upcoming Conan: Serpent War mini-series, he stays in the Hyborian Age and the other characters come to him to complete their quest. In Conan the Barbarian, he won’t be teaming up with forces outside of classic sword & sorcery. Barbarian is the pure Hyborian Age series, just like it always has been. In other series or places, I think it’s fine to experiment, but keeping that spot carved out for pure Hyborian adventure is important to me, and I know it’s important to the fans too. I hope REH fans give my run a try and support that vision of the character.”
Conan: Serpent War #1 hits stands on December 4th, 2019.
WALLY MONK
Roy Thomas is considered by many to be the consummate Conan writer in comics. Others that have taken up the torch, like Tim Truman, have done a commendable job with the character. In light of this, was being selected to take on Conan intimidating? How do you view your work on Conan when considering the previous scribes who have taken on the title?
JIM ZUB
“It’s absolutely intimidating! The whole thing is surreal at times. They’re called “dream projects” because you don’t actually ever think the dream will become reality, but here we are. I feel a lot of pressure to try and measure up to the kinds of stories that have influenced me so much. In October, I had the chance to meet Roy Thomas at Paris Comic Con and in private conversation I let him know I was taking over the series. He was incredibly kind and it made my whole trip extra-special.
I wish I could say I have the perfect characterization that will please old fans and new, but all I can do is write Conan the way I feel works and hopefully, it hits the mark for the majority of readers.
Conan isn’t a character who needs radical reinvention, but it’s also important to try and steer clear of clichés that have become too well worn. Putting him in new locales, brainstorming unexpected threats, it’s all a way for me to try and honor the character’s legacy but also not endlessly recycle what has been done before. Will I succeed? Only one way to find out…”
WALLY MONK
Your three-issue arc “Conan the Gambler” was well received and hopefully was a preview of what you’ll be doing in the new series. Can you give us at “Paint Monk’s Library” an exclusive hint of something we can look forward to in your time with Conan the Barbarian?
JIM ZUB
“The Gambler distilled a lot of the elements I love about Conan stories and the response from readers has been really heartfelt. It’s even more special now since it went over just as well with the Conan license holders and started me on the path to taking over the flagship series.
Into The Crucible is the first of a series of connected stories of Conan in his younger days. He’s the more headstrong Conan we see in The Tower of the Elephant or The Frost Giant’s Daughter. He’s venturing further than he’s ever gone before and the exotic locales he treks through are steeped in opulence, opportunity, and otherworldly danger.
The cover to Conan the Barbarian #13 with art by E.M. Gist.
Variant cover artwork for Conan the Barbarian #13 by Toni Infante.
In a city in Uttara Kuru, Conan joins a wild celebration underway but doesn’t know the local language or customs, so that revelry takes a dark turn and puts him in a life or death contest called The Crucible Tournament. He needs to figure out who he can trust and a way out before everyone gets sacrificed to the warped whims of a dark god.
I love putting Conan out of his comfort zone and far from the places he knows. The Demon’s Den in the Gambler story was a place where Conan didn’t have control and didn’t know what might happen next. Now it’s whole countries filled with the strange and the sublime – Beautiful women, vast treasures, and bloody vengeance are all coming up.”
WALLY MONK
Thanks, Jim, for taking the time to share your thoughts with me and library readers. I have one last question – and it’s a personal one. Savage Avengers began in the Savage Land, and personally, I’m hopeful Conan might return there at some point. Since Conan is headed in many different directions in different Marvel titles, is there any chance he’ll cross paths with Ka-Zar, Shanna or Zabu? That would make this monk smile.
JIM ZUB
“I wish I could definitively answer that for you, but I really don’t know. That’s a question for Gerry Duggan or Saladin Ahmed since they’re now handling Conan stories where he’s interacting with Marvel Earth. Right now, my sights are firmly set on the Hyborian Age.
One last thing – I’m not trying to give people the hard sell, but I do want to stress that starting a new run with issue #13 is tougher than a new #1, so it’s extra important that readers let their local comic retailers know that they want to get on board. Please read Conan the Barbarian #13-17 and let us know if we deliver the goods. I would love to build out a long and healthy run on a book that has meant so much to me, but I can only do that with reader and retailer support.”
***
FEBRUARY 2020 – INTO THE CRUCIBLE AS THE MARCH TO KHITAI BEGINS!
“Conan has faced many foes since leaving Cimmeria, but the greatest challenge lies ahead! A perfect jumping-on point for new readers as Conan finds himself in a city in the mystical Uttara Kuru, further on the eastern border than the young barbarian has ever traveled. And with the new city comes new dangers! Unfamiliar with the language, Conan inadvertently agrees to be the latest entrant to the Great Crucible. The people of the city support their foreign champion…but what deadly traps does the Crucible hold, and what will Conan sacrifice to overcome his ordeal?”
Writer JIM ZUB (SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN, AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME) and artist ROGÊ ANTONIO (CONAN 2099, X-MEN RED) lead Conan on an all-new journey, as we begin a new era for CONAN THE BARBARIAN into undiscovered country!
May 4th, 2018 UncategorizedComments Off on Countdown to Conan Month #1 Ends Tomorrow
Issue #12 Marks the Halfway point of Barry Windsor-Smith’s Legendary Run on Conan
The beastmen of Brutheim don’t take kindly to Cimmerians who fall behind while reading Countdown to Conan.
If you’re new to Paint Monk’s Library and checking out the Countdown to Conan series for the first time, we’ve reached a milestone with tomorrow’s review. Tomorrow is the review of Conan the Barbarian #12, and it’s the halfway point to the final issue penciled by legendary Conan artist Barry Windsor-Smith.
I’m proud to say that for a small but growing blog, each individual issue review has had well over 1K unique visitors, and the blog’s reader statistics have grown by nearly 500% since the Countdown to Conan began in early April. Thanks to each and every one of you for your continued support. If you’re enjoying the Countdown, please help me by spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (or on your own blog!)
A Big Thank You to Paint Monk’s Guest Bloggers!
I’d like to take a moment to thank all of the “Guest Librarians” who have contributed greatly to this series as well. Thanks to Joeseph Simon, who has taken on the role of associate editor and a growing number of writing assignments, and John Jack, who has filled in when needed and been a tremendous help. A quick welcome also to new Guest Librarian Dean Plakas, who will be taking over the Wednesday Countdown to Conan review slot beginning with Conan the Barbarian #17.
Also a quick shout out to David Conine, who has provided a few really nice non-Conan review pieces. Hopefully he’ll have some spare time in the future to contribute more of his inspiring thoughts! The man is super busy in the comics world, and I hope for his return soon.
Email Subscriber List – Get Free Conan Comics!
If you haven’t added your email to our subscriber list at the top right corner of this page, please consider doing so. It’s free, and I randomly pick a name each week for a free Conan comic book. These aren’t “scrap books.” While I’m a little slow to mail (those of you still waiting, they’ll be on their way soon!) there are some excellent books in our giveaway pile – many are under issue #100, including copies of Conan the Barbarian #9, 11, 14, 15, 24 and more.
Like the winners, each comic is randomly packaged (I don’t even know which issue you’ll receive if you win) and they ship to you for free if your name is randomly selected. The only catch? You’ve got to live in the CONTINENTAL U.S., as international shipping is too much for this humble monk to absorb.
No purchase necessary, and I don’t share email info with anybody. Plus, you’ll get Paint Monk’s Library’s daily posts delivered in a neat, digest format right to your email.
Catch up on “Conan” Reviews!
Below are images and links to the issues of Conan that have been reviewed so far. It’s a good time to catch up what you’ve missed as we head into the weekend.
Thanks to each and every one of you.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
Click on the images to view an enlarged image of each cover. Click on the links below the images to read the reviews.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to The Classic Conan Countdown, a series of reviews focusing on the original 275 issues of Marvel Comics’ Conan the Barbarian, which were published from 1970 to 1993. This is a review of Conan the Barbarian (Vol. 1) #2).
When Conan the Barbarian hit the shelves in 1970, it was a hit with readers. Sales of the premiere issue were brisk – originally scheduled as a bi-monthly title, the strong sales prompted the move to make Conan a monthly book.
Sadly, sales would continue to dip until issue #7, when Stan Lee made the announcement that Conan would be cancelled. An article from Comic Book Resources in 2013 revealed that not only were sales slow, but Stan Lee was hoping to use newcomer Barry Windsor-Smith’s talents on more prominent titles. Apparently Roy Thomas wasn’t happy with the decision, and lobbied Stan Lee to continue the book. Lee caved in, allowing Conan to continue, but as a bi-monthly title beginning with issue #14, according to CBR.
Conan’s popularity would again be on the rise after issue #20, making it a staple for many readers during the 1970s. It’s interesting that the popularity dipped progressively after issue #1, since both Thomas’ writing and the pencils of Windsor-Smith continued to be first-rate.
Review: Conan the Barbarian #2
Conan has slain a great white ape, and he muses that perhaps the ape had misjudged the Cimmerian based on his smaller size! Once again, we’re treated to a gorgeous splash panel on the opening page by Barry Windsor-Smith. These splash panel pages become a recurring theme in Windsor-Smith’s repertoire, and in this author’s opinion are some of the nicest pieces of stand-alone art in the Marvel Comics library.
It doesn’t take long for Conan to take his eyes off the dead ape – he sees a woman running through the snow, barely dressed for the weather. Conan follows close behind as she flees from him, and despite Conan’s protests and shouts for her to stop, she continues to run.
Soon it is clear why the woman didn’t wait for Conan to catch up. She is actually Moira, human consort to Zha-Gorr, king of a tribe of beastmen. These man-beasts have made their home underground in an ancient city, where it is always daytime due to a luminescent phosphorus found only undergound. Here, humans serve them as slaves. Moira has successfully lured Conan into her trap!
Conan is taken unconscious into the city which the man-beasts call Brutheim. Here, Conan will join the pool of slave labor that all humans perform and there he will spend the rest of his days.
Upon regaining consciousness, Conan meets a small group of these slaves led by a man named Kiord. Good natured and welcoming to Conan, Kiord urges the barbarian not to act out or try to escape for fear of repercussions from the beastmen. Conan is not impressed and tries to escape anyway, despite his restraints.
As you would expect, Conan is not compliant and assaults a beastman captor who tries to take away his helmet. Conan is then sentenced to death in the arena – the rest of the human slaves will learn from his example to be more compliant and not resist their rulers.
But Kiord is inspired by Conan’s strength despite his own reservations. Will Conan meet his doom in the arena? And will Kiord lead his people to be more than slaves to the brutish beastmen?
CAPSULE REVIEW: Of the first ten issues in the Conan the Barbarian series, Conan the Barbarian #2 is probably my least favorite issue, but that doesn’t mean it is bad in any way. The problem with many Conan comic books is that the plots are tremendously predictable – Conan meets bad guy, bad guy gets the best of Conan, and Conan wins in the end. To me, this issue was the most predictable of the first dozen issues.
The writing of Roy Thomas continues to channel the classic fantasy novels of the 1960s and is enjoyable, again accentuated by the quality art of Barry Windsor-Smith, which continues to get better with each issue. In some of the panels, Windsor-Smith’s work could almost be mistaken for that of Jack Kirby, especially the scenes showing the underground city of Brutheim.
A predictable yet good story earns this issue an 7.0 out of 10 rating.
It’s interesting to note that like many of the early Conan stories, this issue has been re-printed at numerous times in other special issues throughout Conan’s time at Marvel. In addition, an adaptation of the story was featured in the 1997-1998 Conan the Adventurer TV series in an episode called “Lair of the Beastmen.” High grades of this issue are expensive, but not cost prohibitive. As of this review, CGC 9.6 graded copies sold on eBay for between $399-440. Mid grade copies at CGC 5.0-7.0 generallysold for less than $100. Ungraded copies claiming to be in “F/VF” condition sold for less than $75 and as low as $35 in some instances.
This issue can also be found in Chronicles of Conan #1, from Dark Horse.
REVIEW: MOON KNIGHT #193 (Written by Max Bemis with art by Jacen Burrows)
When the avatars of the sun and the moon get ready to do battle, there can be only one winner. The avatar of Ra has already prepared his final ritual, and the Fist of Khonshu is broken in mind and body. Who will be the victor?
Moon Knight #193, on sale today in comic shops, features the end to the six-part story arc “Crazy Runs in the Family” by Max Bemis and Jacen Burrows. The creative team handles it nicely and with as few of the “happy ending” sighs as they possibly could.
Marc Spector has essentially been defeated. There’s hardly any fight left in him, and the new residents of Isle Ra where Marc has been taken are eager to see Ra ascend and Khonshu’s avatar defeated once and for all.
Most of the exposition in this comic book is Marc Spector heading off to the chopping block. We even get a look at his daughter, Diatrice, who is at home with Frenchie praying to Khonshu for the safety of her dad. The religious part of me isn’t a fan of the kid kneeling down in bedtime prayer fashion and making a plea to Khonshu; but this is all the little girl has known, and she’s heard Khonshu is a god, so it makes sense in the context of the storyline.
Marc even gets to see Marlene, presumably to say his goodbyes. For a few moments, they talk about Diatrice, exchanging some niceties. But even Marlene knows that this mess isn’t something Marc will come out of unscathed…or at all.
As Marc faces the avatar of Ra – the Sun King– he’s tremendously outpowered, beaten down, and ready to give up. How can the Fist of Khonshu survive?
Once again, writer Max Bemis takes us into the into the darkness of Spector’s mind; but this time, its a defeatedSpector. Even the voices in his head – including Khonshu – are afraid he’s given up the ship and this will be his final battle.
Bemis explores this well, and his writing is excellent. This is rapidly shaping up to be my favorite Moon Knight run since Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz tackled the character in the 1980s. It’s different, it’s captivating, and it keeps Moon Knight out of the mess that’s been made of much of the Marvel Universe.
Penciler Jacen Burrows is excellent with open space on the page – he knows just what perspective is needed to achieve a proper mood or theme and he excels at panel transitions. The duo of Bemis and Burrows is shaping up to be one of my favorite Marvel creative teams.
Add to this the quality inks of Guillermo Ortego and the coloring of Mat Lopes, and you’ve got a winner. It’s a good ending to an interesting storyline that neatly avoids most of the cliches found in comic writing these days.
Rating: 7.4 out of 10
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
March 24th, 2018 UncategorizedComments Off on Sunspot, Cybernetic Lobsters & A Classic Villain
What do Sunspot, Warlock, The Vanisher, Devil Dinosaur and cyborg lobsters have in common?
They’re all members of the Fallen Angels, a wacky super hero “non-team” featured in a 1987 8-part comic series. The series, collected in a nice hardcover book by Marvel, connects the Fallen Angels to the X-Men; it’s listed as an X-Men title.. But with the exceptions of Sunspot, Warlock and longtime X-Men villain The Vanisher, there’s nothing that connects this book to the main team in terms of continuity. In other words, there’s really no impact on the X-Universe as a result of this story.
The impetus for the tale is Sunspot’s angst over nearly injuring fellow New Mutant Cannonball (Sam Guthrie) during a heated exchange in a soccer game. Apparently, Roberto (Sunspot’s real name) feels terribly worthless – and dangerous, leaving the team because he doesn’t want to lose control and hurt anybody again.
Warlock, the “self-friend” of everyone, follows along, worried about Sunspot and his mental state. At this time, Magneto has taken over day-to-day operations of Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, and he sends Jamie Madrox (AKA The Multiple Man) and Siryn (Theresa Cassidy) off to find them and return them to the mansion. Instead, the duo remains with the Fallen Angels (apparently acting as babysitters?)
Sunspot and Warlock eventually settle into a place called “Beat Street” where long-time X-Men villain The Vanisher has set up shop.
Welcome to Beat Street, where you’ll find all of the 1980s teen angst that you will ever need.
Despite Sunspot’s misgivings, the Vanisher claims to have turned over a new leaf, caring for a bunch of misfit superheroes who just wouldn’t cut it on mainstream teams. It’s here that we meetGomi, a super-nerd with two cybernetic lobsters. The lobsters are Gomi’s friends, and he can communicate with them. I’ve got to admit, the lobsters really do steal the show in this book.
Other characters on the team are Ariel, a teleporter with the mutant power of persuasion, and Chance, a tomboy who only discovers she has mutant powers later in the series. The group – rather than a group of “misfit heroes” are more like a group of super-powered petty thieves who keep the Vanisher comfortable in exchange for shelter, a home and a sense of belonging.
Halfway through the series, Ariel teleports the group to another dimension, where Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy join the team. The last few issues introduce what should or could have been the overall theme of the series, as the team is betrayed by one of their own and sold to a being on the mysterious planet of Coconut Grove.
Where are Crockett and Tubbs when you need
them? The Vanisher in all his gaudy 1980s glory.
1980s references abound in this book, both in the dialogue and in the attire of the characters. The Vanisher looks like a villain from the 1980s hit Miami Vice. Coconut Grove looks like an odd mish-mash of the world in Logan’s Run (1970s) and one of the sordid Miami nightclubs from the previously mentioned 1980s drama.
The artwork – by Kerry Gammill, Marie Severin and Joe Staton in later issues – is nothing to write home about but its not bad. It moves the story along, but seems far too busy in many places. Thankfully, solid inks by Tom Palmer and Val Mayerik manage to make the best of what really is average comic art at best.
Much of the dialogue consists of arguments between characters who are all strong personalities and don’t get along. Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy don’t even speak the same language as the rest of the tem, so the communication gap there is huge. It really makes no sense why they even joined the Fallen Angels – unless it’s just part of the “misfit” concept in the series and the fact that the two were misfits from their own land.
The big problem with this book is that writer Mary Jo Duffy doesn’t make clear what exactly the book is supposed to be. Is it a super hero team book? Is it a story of adolescence and learning responsibility? Is it about Coconut Grove’s plight and kidnapping of the heroes, or bringing misfit characters together? It’s clear that not even the author knows.
Duffy has an odd yet varied resume with Marvel Comics, her longest runs on any series being Crystar, the Crystal Warrior #1-11 and Akira #1-37. She’s written solo stories and had short runs in Conan the Barbarian, Epic Illustrated, Star Wars and Power Man & Iron Fist.
While not a great collection by any standards, Fallen Angels is definitely worth picking up. Gomi and the bond he shares with his cyborg lobsters, Don and Bill is clever and an enticing story arc (Devil Dinosaur does step on Don at one point, killing him.)
The book will also be an anomaly in your collection – it’s a mainstream Marvel series that utilizes excellent characters, yet it’s driven by many plots that really go nowhere and don’t work cohesively together. It’s an anomaly in a sea of X-books that for the most part don’t make sense or collectively create an ongoing sotryline. It’s “Marvel on LSD“ and some seriously strange reading.
This book earns a 6.0 out of 10 rating because the whole point of the series just isn’t clear. It could have been an attempt to create a new super team, as a second part was pitched in an issue of Marvel Fanfare, but that never came to fruition.
That’s probably for the best.
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
March 18th, 2018 UncategorizedComments Off on Magik, Wolfsbane, Strong Guy and….ZOMBIES!
SCI-FI SUNDAY: Guest librarian reviews hard-hitting New Mutants: Dead Souls #1
Rick Grimes and the crew from Alexandria can’t compete with Magik and her line up in New Mutants: Dead Souls #1.
“Zombies like on the Walking Dead…I heard they were making comics now, too.” — New Mutants: Dead Souls #1
(LIBRARIAN’S NOTE: This review was written by guest blogger David Conine. David is a freelance writer and the content editor at Comic-Watch.)
In the first issue of New Mutants: Dead Souls #1, writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Adam Gorham do not disappoint. They deliver a blazing introduction to the series, with a character-driven supernatural tale that keeps things fresh from page one to the final penel!
Readers may not get what they expected, though. Much like Tom Taylor’s X-Men: Red introduced a flavor of X-men that readers haven’t seen
in some time, Rosenberg raises the bar yet again with the New Mutants characters in Dead
Souls.
As our story begins, the New Mutants hit the ground running under the direction of Magik: field team leader, mutant teleporter, witch, and sometimes Demon Queen of Limbo. The group is investigating supernatural phenomenon in a small Alabama town devastated after a hurricane. It seems the dead are refusing to stay dead.
Rounding out the new field team are Strong Guy, Rictor, Tabitha (AKA Boom-Boom) and Wolfsbane.
They’ve offered their uncanny abilities as humanitarian aid to those who are being disturbed by the things lurking in the creepier corners of the Marvel universe. The group and their outing is funded by the HATCHI Corporation, which is run by former New Mutant Karma (X’ian Coy Manh). She’s assisted by David Alleyne, formerly known as the mutant Prodigy. While Alleyne is no longer a mutant, he’s still freakishly smart. He helps Karma determine where and when the new team is needed.
In Alabama, these new New Mutants face off against a horde of zombies, and we get to see that this group isn’t Professor Xavier’s “little league” team any more. Rosenberg and Gorham shine, an incredible creative team, using their skills in unison. It’s clear through the writing and the art that all these characters have experienced spiritual trials, tribulations and loss, creating some very intriguing dynamics.
Illyana Rasputin and her New Mutants are ready to kick some serious Zombie butt.
Here, Rosenberg isn’t afraid to speak through the voice of the characters, lending more depth to each of them and making the story far more than words on a page. It seems there is an intense amount of mystery among the team and extreme contradictions exist. For example, Magik tells Rictor they’re not X-Men anymore and she tells a survivor of the initial zombie attack that the members of the group aren’t superheroes. Yet when the dead arrive, Magik doesn’t hesitate to pull the team together and do what she calls “the big super-hero thing.”
The dynamic continues between members of the team, and each is written true to Marvel canon. Rictor is still the “snarky jerk”and Wolfsbane still holds to some of her earlier naivete. The whole idea of eradicating the supernatural corner of this part of the Marvel Universe is an incredible setting for these characters.
Rosenberg has really outdone himself, and his work is complimented by Gorham’s beautiful line work. One must credit Michael Garland’s
wonderful use of colors to help set the overall supernatural tone, helping to create some incredibly powerful panels that effectively
bring the entire book together.
New Mutants: Dead Souls #1 leaves readers (even a “Die Hard Old
School New Mutants Fan” like myself) not only wanting to know what’s
next, but waiting to see who or what the mysterious “Alone Man” might be.
— David Conine
March 17th, 2018 UncategorizedComments Off on Max Bemis Keeps MOON KNIGHT Going Strong
REVIEW: MOON KNIGHT #192 “CRAZY RUNS IN THE FAMILY” PART 5
I’m happy to announce that I’ll be regularly reviewing MOON KNIGHT over at Comic-Watch! My first review is Moon Knight #192 – and what a wild ride it is!
In addition, I’ll be tacking RED SONJA (Dynamite Entertainment), JOHN CARTER (Dynamite Entertainment) and SACRED CREATURES (Image Comics) reviews as well.
Short-Lived Marvel Comics Series Lasted Only 7 Issues
From the Internet Movie Datebase:
In the year 2274, young residents enjoy an idyllic, hedonistic lifestyle within the protective confines of a domed city. The general belief is that when each person turns 30, they are reincarnated for another blissful life cycle. Those who know the much darker truth become “runners” and flee to a hidden sanctuary. When law enforcement officer Logan (Michael York) goes undercover to locate the refuge, he winds up instead trying to initiate a revolution with runner Jessica (Jenny Agutter).
Logan’s Run was a movie based on a novel by William F. Nolan and GeorgeClayton Johnson.
Marvel’s adaptation of the series lasted only seven issues – five issues to recount what happened in the film, and two issues to come up with stories about what happened after the novel and the film ended. Each of the issues was drawn by famous artist George Perez; Gerry Conway scripted the first issue, to be replaced for the remaining six issues by David Kraft.
(Warning: Spoilers follow!)
The first issue takes off at a brisk pace; Logan is chasing a runner through the underbelly of the city. It’s sort of refreshing to read “the movie” in comic book form. The actual film was filled with really bad acting; to see Gerry Conway (and later David Kraft) adapt the film to comic book form actually gives the story more credibility, and with the ability to be more descriptive, the story makes more sense.
Logan is called a “sandman” – as are all the police who chase down those who are trying to escape their “rebirth.” They’re universally feared throughout the domed city. All people have a gem in their hand that while they are young, glows white. As they get older, approaching their 30th birthday, it begins to glow red, which means they’re ready to be “reborn,” or in other words “killed off to make way for the younger generation.” People here aren’t referred to by last names – rather, they’ve got a first name and a number. If you’re the first Eric, you’re Eric-1. If nine other Erics came before you, your name is Eric-10.
In the first few pages, we also learn about Carrousel, the special event that heralds the rebirth (aka execution) of all those who’ve reached the ripe old age of 30. Dressed in attire to hide their identity, they enter a chamber where they levitate to the ceiling – at which point they seemingly disintegrate. It’s billed as a glorious ceremony, but some people know better and try to flee! Carrousel is a huge event in the dome, much like a baseball or football game today.
Carrousel – it’s not as fun as it looks.
Throughout this issue, Logan has some encounters with people who are fleeing the dome and headed to sanctuary – and he learns that people really don’t “renew,” they just die.
Logan has a moment of revelation.
I really enjoyed this comic, and plan on reading the rest of the issues in the series. The art is 1970s Marvel good (how bad can George Perez be?) and the writing is serviceable. Truthfully, it’s more refreshing than much of the science fiction we’ve seen on TV and in the comics for the last decade and it’s from the 1970s.
What do you think? Had you ever heard of Logan’s Run or read the comics? And if not, do you think you might check them out?
As always, I am – Wally (AKA Paint Monk)
February 13th, 2018 UncategorizedComments Off on Bendis Slated To Develop Marvel Movie Script
There’s something to be said about being at the right place at the right time. I was setting up the Twitter widget for Paint Monk’s Library when this tweet came in from Brian Michael Bendis’ feed.
It’s my first piece of “breaking news” since I left the newspaper business in 2000. Enjoy – I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had being “back in the newsroom.”
Do you enjoy Robert E. Howard's classic Cimmerian in comic book form? Join Paint Monk's Library bloggers, as we review all 275 issues of Marvel's original Conan the Barbarian series. New installments added regularly!
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August 27th, 2020 
