Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site colossus.fluke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!moriarty From: moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) Newsgroups: net.comics Subject: "I'm a surgeon, blast it, not a MORIARTY REVIEWS!" (Part II of II) Message-ID: <2420@colossus.fluke.UUCP> Date: Sun, 10-Nov-85 21:50:29 EST Article-I.D.: colossus.2420 Posted: Sun Nov 10 21:50:29 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 13-Nov-85 08:17:59 EST Distribution: net Organization: The Institute for Criminal Masterminds Lines: 107 REVIEWED IN THIS ARTICLE: MR. X DR. STRANGE SPECTACULAR SPIDERMAN (Annual) THE PUNISHER POWER PACK (Thanksgiving issue) STAR TREK VISION AND THE SCARLET WITCH NORMALMAN HULK NATHANIEL DUSK II ------------ MR. X #5 [D+]: Much of the charm of the series has been lost now that the Brothers Hernandez have left. Ty Templeton struggles to keep some of the atmosphere around, but I'm afraid he's not up to it. I wish he'd let Mr. X die and go back to STIG'S INFERNO, which is (was?) about the best humor comic on the market today. DR. STRANGE #75 [C-]: Just a question for long-time Marvel historians -- you may remember that Mephisto has been dissolved (by Franklin Richards). In this issue, a mysterious creature crawls out of the now-vacant (who rents out Hades, anyway?) Pit and heads for Earth. The good Doctor transforms the creature back to it's original form, which is a woman who looks vaguely familiar. However, she seems to have a past she cannot remember. Well, I know that Mephisto has been the tormentor of two major Marvel characters: The Silver Surfer and Doctor Doom. The Surfer's love was returned to his home planet, but Mephisto still had hold of Doom's Mom's soul, last I heard. Perhaps with Mephisto gone, this is Doom's mother? Think about it... PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #109, ANNUAL #5 [B, C+]: I think the reason I like Peter David's writing so much is that it reminds me of the kind of stories you get in Hill Street Blues. Mostly streetwise, with a large repatory cast of characters who work off one another. While Parker/Spiderman is the main character to be sure, we have long stretches dealing with lots of supporting characters, and David is always anxious to fill in a little more of their personalities. My only complaint at this point is that SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #110 finishes the Jean DeWolfe story -- and it's already been out, and I CAN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE!! ARGH! (and to top insult to injury, #111 is out and it's a Secret Bores tie-in by Jim Owsley. Pfeh.). THE PUNISHER #2 [D]: I still don't like this, and I think I'll drop it -- but did anyone notice that that the Marvel Universe's biggest racketeer next to the Kingpin bought it during two panels? I'm speaking of Morgan, the Harlem boss who was a major character through all those Steve Englehart CAPTAIN AMERICA/FALCON books. POWER PACK #19 [B+++]: Even if you don't read Power Pack, read this issue. If you enjoy it 1/8 as much as I did, you'll thank me for it. Absolutely, positively the most delightful thing I've read all year. One wonders at the kind of genetic comics talent any children the Simonsins produce will have passed on to them. The mind boggles... (Marvel should get a first-round draft choice on them). STAR TREK #23 [B]: Not quite as good as the previous issue, but one of the finest Trek adaptations to comics. The final closing scene reminded me of the best of the Trek closing speechs -- probably the best of it's kind. A very, very nice job. THE VISION AND THE SCARLET WITCH #5 [C+]: This is quickly turning into one of my favorite comics; Englehart brings out so much from these two characters that no other writer seems to be able to (he should, though -- he scripted their romance together for several years in the Avengers). If you've hesitated, this is a thumbs-up vote for trying it out. NORMALMAN #11 [D-]: Heavy-handed satire (the TradeMarked gag gets old after two pages) which amazingly tries to combine some sort of quasi-drama with the whole mishmosh. A soggy, moist fungus of a comic. Avoid it. THE INCREDIBLE HULK #316 [C-]: Let's just call this Marvel Nostalgia Punch-Out, shall we? NATHANIEL DUSK #4 [C+]: FINALLY, a mini-series with an ending which isn't a let down. Look at the coloring on this thing! Colon hasn't been this good since the color Tomb of Draculas. McGregor doesn't gush, and the whole thing ends tightly and compactly, just as a good detective story should. A big round of applause for everyone tied up with this. "Listen, Kalina, I can either be Johnny Nemo or I can be careful -- I can't be both!" Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer ARPA: fluke!moriarty@uw-beaver.ARPA UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, allegra, sb6, lbl-csam}!fluke!moriarty <*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>