Talking about comic books, TV shows, movies, sports, and the numerous other pastimes that make us Gentlemen of Leisure.

Monday, July 30, 2018

G. I. JOE #1 (June 1982) -- The Commercial, Not The Comic


Gene Kendall here, with the beginning of what might become a regular segment.  Or just a one-off we’ll all forget.  For the past few months, I’ve been revisiting the Marvel run of G. I. Joe on my Twitter feed.  One aspect of those early issues that deserves attention is the animated commercials commissioned by Hasbro for the series.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

X-amining Incredible Hulk Annual #7

"The Evil That is Cast..."
1978

In a Nutshell

Writer/Co-Plotter: Roger Stern
Penciler/Co-Plotter: John Byrne
Inker: Bob Layton
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Janice Cohen
Editor: Bob Hall
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As the Hulk is treated by Doc Samson at nearby Gamma Base, Angel & his girlfriend Candy Southern are visited by Iceman and his girlfriend, Terri Sue Bottoms. As the couples are enjoying the pool, the two mutants are attacked by a mysterious figure who soon transforms into Master Mold. After Master Mold captures Iceman, Angel lures Master Mold to Gamma Base, where Angel is captured but Master Mold manages to anger the Hulk in the process, prompting the Hulk to grab onto Master Mold as the Sentinel flies into outer space. Angel & Iceman awaken aboard a space station, where they learn that Master Mold houses the mind of Stephen Lang. Hulk doesn't much care, and proceeds to tear apart Master Mold. Angel, Iceman & Hulk proceed to an escape pod, but when Master Mold reveals he's sealed the pods, Hulk kicks the pod containing the two mutants free and goes back to finish off Master Mold. Angel & Iceman land in the ocean just as the space station above them blows up, though Hulk soon emerges from the water, having leaped free of the station before it blew and grabbed onto the escape pod. Hulk heads back to Gamma Base, while Angel & Iceman hustle back to their waiting girlfriends.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

X-amining Avengers #53

"The Battle Joined!"
June 1968

In a Nutshell
The Avengers help the X-Men defeat Magneto.

Editor: Stan Lee
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Inker: George Tuska
Letterer: Artie Simek

Plot
Spotting Cyclops standing over an unconscious Quicksilver, the Avengers, having been brought to the island by Angel, whom they left aboard their ship after discovering an electronic bug on him, are suspicious, and Cyclops responds to their suspicion by attacking them.Watching over a monitor, Magneto is pleased the Avengers have arrived & found the bug he planted on Angel before Angel escaped. After Cyclops escapes from the Avengers, they turn on each other, bickering, as Magneto uses his mind control device to set the X-Men against the Avengers. The Avengers manage to defeat the X-Men, but Angel, revealing that the Avengers' distrust of him and their infighting was all a ruse to lull Magneto into false confidence, manages to destroy Magneto's device, restoring the X-Men to their senses. Together, the two teams attack Magneto, but he flees along with the rest of his Brotherhood. However, as their escape craft leaves the island, Toad, fed up with the abuse he suffers at Magneto's hands, kicks him out of the craft, causing him to plunge into the water below, and disappear.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

X-amining Fantastic Four #28

"We Have To Fight The X-Men!"
July 1964

In a Nutshell
The Mad Thinker & Puppet Master team-up to pit the Fantastic Four against the X-Men.

Written by: Stan Lee (the Leader!)
Drawn by: Jack Kirby (the King!)
Inked by: Chic Stone (the Master!)
Lettered by: Art Simek (the Letterer!)
Colorist: Steve Buccellato

Plot
As the Fantastic Four discuss a news report involving the X-Men, the Mad Thinker enlists the Puppet Master to take control of Professor X. Once under the Puppet Master's sway, Xavier sends the X-Men to attack the Fantastic Four, telling his students the FF are plotting world domination. After arriving at the Baxter Building, the X-Men pick a fight with the Fantastic Four in order to lead them to a plateau outside the city where the Thinker has set a series of booby traps. With the FF captured, the villains reveal themselves, and Puppet Master orders Xavier to make the X-Men sleep. But with his control spread over five individuals across miles, Beast is able to resist his control long enough to shatter the radioactive puppet used by the Puppet Master to control Xavier. With the FF having freed themselves, the Mad Thinker unleashes his Awesome Android, which overpowers both teams until Xavier is able to use his telepathy to shut the creature down. Though the villains escape in the confusion, the two teams part as friends, with Mr. Fantastic considering the X-Men worthy representatives of the day's youth.

Friday, July 6, 2018

X-amining Cable #12

"Fear and Loathing Part 1: The Quick and the Dead"
June 1994

In a Nutshell
Cable & Lee Forester battle a resurrected Senyaka.

Plotter: Scott Lobdell
Scripter: Glenn Herdling
Penciler: Mike Miller
Inkers: Conrad, Hanna & Sellers
Lettering: Starkings/Comicraft
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor: Lisa Patrick
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Lee Forester, the last surviving member of her crew, fights off their killer, Senyaka, until Cable suddenly arrives in response to a distress call she placed to the X-Men. Though Senyaka manages to disable Cable's bionics, Lee knocks the distracted villain out, and she & Cable flee deeper into the Florida Everglades. Unable to teleport them to safety, Cable & Lee brace themselves for Senyaka's attack. When it comes, Cable is able to telekinetically hurl a battery of sharpened sticks at him, killing him. But their victory is short-lived, as Cable points out they're still stuck in the alone in the wild, with no food, supplies, weapons or means of contacting anyone for help.

Thursday, July 5, 2018

X-amining X-Men Unlimited #5

"Hard Promises"
June 1994

In a Nutshell
Xavier & Lilandra's relationship struggles as the Shi'ar formally annex the devatstated & defeated Kree Empire.

Writer: John Francis Moore
Penciler: Liam Sharpe
Inkers: Kevin Conrad, Steve Moncuse, Robin Riggs, Matthew Ryan
Lettering: Starkings/Comicraft
Colorist: Marie Javins
Editor: Kelly Corvese
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Late one evening, Professor X, Storm, Forge & Jubilee are taken by a Shi'ar ship to Hala, former capital of the Kree homeworld, in order to attend a ceremony led by Lilandra in which the Shi'ar will formally join Kree territory to their empire. During the ceremony, Jubilee befriends a young Kree girl named Shym'r, whose brother tries to assassinate Deathbird. Later that night, Shym'r takes Jubilee to a rebel cell led by a Kree named Malakii. Jubilee later convinces Professor X to meet with Malakii, and they are joined by Forge, Storm & Lilandra. Though Lilandra & Malakii makes some headway in developing a relationship that will address some of the Kree's grievances, two of the more zealous members of his resistance group take a ship in order to detonate the stargate near Hala, which runs the risk of destroying the whole planet. Working together, Lilandra, Malakii and the X-Men manage to stave off disaster, but in the aftermath, Lilandra allows Deathbird to arrest Malakii. She insists that while he did help stop the destruction of the stargate and that she will consider his words about how the Shi'ar treat the Kree, he is still the head of a terrorist cell and must be punished accordingly. Realizing once and for all that their respective duties will always keep them apart, Xavier turns from Lilandra and returns home with the X-Men, his heart empty & cold.

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

X-amining Uncanny X-Men Annual #18

"Trust is a Two-Edged Sword" / "And Nothing Will Ever Be the Same"
1994

In a Nutshell
Shadowcat & Sabretooth rescue Jubilee from Caliban

Writer: Gelnn Herdling, Jeph Loeb (2nd Story)
Penciler: Ian Churchill, Tim Sale (2nd Story)
Inkers: Hilary Barta & Bud LaRosa
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Joe Rosen (2nd Story)
Colorists: Dana Moreshead & Mike Thomas, Greg Wright (2nd Story)
Editor: Lisa Patrick
Group Editor: Bob Harras
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

Plot
Caliban steals food from a group of young campers in order to feed Jubilee, whom he's abducted and is holding in the Morlock Tunnels. At the mansion, the X-Men discuss the note he left behind, demanding that Kitty Pryde bring him Sabretooth in exchange for Jubilee. After Kitty arrives from Scotland, Xavier & Jean convince Sabretooth to help her retrieve Jubilee, though they have no intention of handing him over to Caliban. Sabretooth leads Kitty to Caliban, who floods the tunnel, telling Kitty to phase while Sabretooth drowns. But Kitty saves Sabretooth, at which point a massive squid attacks, knocking out Caliban. Sabretooth manages to kill it, saving them all, but then he tricks Kitty into phasing so he can pass his manacles through her arm, disrupting their electronic mechanisms and setting himself free. Unrestrained, he viciously attacks Caliban, but Jubilee intervenes, blinding him and helping Kitty get him back into his restraints. Kitty then asks after Caliban, but he tells them to leave, insisting that he's destined to always be alone.