Thor's day Thursday

Cross the rainbow bridge Bifrost and enter the nine worlds of Asgard!

 

The city of Asgard is home to the Asgardians and the royal family, lead by Odin. 

Here is a look at three of the more noble and notorious Asgardians.

Odin, All-Father and Lord of Asgard

 

marvel.com/universe/Odin

Thor, mighty champion and defender of Asgard and Earth

marvel.com/universe/Thor

Loki, Trickster and Lord of Mischief

http://marvel.com/universe/Loki


My knowledge of Thor, his family and adventures is limited so I included the Marvel Comics web address for them. I haven't read many Thor comics, other than the great Walt Simonson issues and that hasn't been recently.

I thought the Thor movie starring Chris Hemsworth was fantastic! That's kind of why I did this post. With all the buzz about the movie I wanted to show what the characters, at one time, looked like in the comics.

Dan's Comic Book Collection

I want to start with a big, heartfelt thank you to my friend Dan for letting me borrow his comics. They helped motivate this blog.

Dan is an improv actor/stand-up comedian and fellow comic book fan. He's friends, and one time neighbor, with my boyfriend Matt. Having spied several long boxes of comics while visiting his apartment on occasion, I finally asked if I could look through them.

I found a lot of similarities between Dan's collection and my own, like he was my comic book soul mate. I got excited seeing all the comics that I do have, but aren't easily accessible, and ones that I hadn't read before.

Some of the best have been Capt. America, Batman and Detective Comics from the '80s and '90s. Also found nice consecutive issue runs of Action Comics Weekly, Justice League International and a handful of fun Todd MacFarlane Amazing Spider-Man issues.

I'd like to post about most of these comics, we'll just have to see what I actually do though.

Anyway, the reason for the "Dan's Collection" label is hopefully to help me stay organized. Provide a listing of his comics to keep them separate from my own.

I've been collecting comics for 30+ years but most of those books are currently in Kansas City. I do have plans to move them, but that's a task I'm not ready to take on just yet.   

I want to thank Matt too, for encouragement, proof-reading and just for being there. Sometimes my thoughts and ideas, along with wording and sentence structure sound better in my head.

This blog wouldn't be quite the same without Dan and Matt - thanks guys.

Retro Read - Meet the New Fantastic Four!

The new Fantastic Four team is made up of The Thing (Ben Grimm), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Crystal and Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura). At first I didn't see the connections for this team, but Crys has been in the FF before and Sharon has an odd, strange past with Ben involving super powered wrestling.

It was nice of them to send Dr. Doom a team photo and letter. 

I'm not sure what happens when Ms. Marvel shows up to the join the team, but Crystal's arrival sets off all sorts of fireworks. I was never really a fan of Crystal, or the Inhumans, but after reading her introduction into this new team I changed my opinion a bit.

            "Thing vs Torch. 'Nuff said!"

Teammates battling it out, especially two as close as Johnny and Ben, are always fun covers. Makes you wonder how it plays out in the story.  Is it mind control?  Is it a simple misunderstanding gone to far?
Is it just a bait and switch cover to get you to buy the comic?

We'll get to the reason for them fighting later, but lets start at the beginning and see how things develop.

Ben has set himself up as new team leader and seems quite pleased that Reed and Sue have left.   Especially Reed.

The Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic are taking a break from the team to spend more time with their son Franklin. The kid seemed to be forgotten and left behind a lot. Once with an old lady, Agatha Harkness, that ends with the team battling Mephisto. We may get to that story another time.

Back to Ben and his real reason for wanting to lead the FF - Bossing the Human Torch around.

Johnny has married Alicia Masters, Ben's blind ex-girlfriend. They started a relationship while Ben was off world. He stayed on the planet created by the Beyonder after the Secret War, there Ben was able to control changing into the Thing. That was something Reed could never do for him.

Johnny has also had a relationship with Crystal, when she was on the team before.
Now she's come to Four Freedoms Plaza to see her husband, Quicksilver. The FF have him in a holding cell after he attacked them in the previous issue.

Crystal and Pietro have always had a strained marriage. They seemed to be apart more than together. She's pretty upfront about not wanting to see him too. Crystal even refers to him as her "crazy husband". Ben and I are thinking along the same lines, she's not the same innocent, sweet Crystal.

Here is where two characters I've never really liked become very interesting.

Crys and Pietro's marriage seems to be coming to a boil in 3,2,1...

                        "Oh, shut up!"

Those three words made me sit up and notice Crystal, I was finally interested in her.

How was Pietro going to respond to that? He isn't known for his cool temper and had just accused Crystal of ruining his life, of being "The woman who seduced my purity with the errors of the flesh!!!"       Ouch

Quicksilver comes across as an angry asshole most times, but I didn't see him becoming so physical with Crys. I didn't expect him to attack her, grab her by the arm and twist. Crystal does fight back though, but using her elemental powers against him only escalates the battle.

If they weren't super heroes and I didn't enjoy seeing them fight, this might be considered domestic violence. Hey, it's not like its Hank Pym slapping around Janet van Dyne.

Crys has to really think fast to counter Quicksilver's super speed. Using the water from the sink and toilet was smart, funny, and insulting all at the same time. Crys just keeps surprising me.

After Pietro shouts a few more platitudes about his "glorious mutant heritage" Crystal has had enough. She seems to win, if you consider beating your husband in physical combat winning.

Now that that little business is done what's going to happen when Crys runs into Johnny and his new bride? Not much it seems, they have a nice, pleasant enough conversation but that could be changing soon. Before Crystal can leave Ben decides it's the perfect time to ask her to join his FF team.

This couldn't be a way to get back at Johnny, hurt him in some way, could it? Johnny certainly thinks so and decides he and Ben need to have a talk, on the roof, of course.

Johnny can't believe Ben, asking his first love to be part of the team. He's just gotten married! Of course he did marry Ben's first love, but I don't think Johnny's concerned about that. Ben reminds Johnny that he's in charge now and Johnny can leave if he doesn't like it. I do believe Ben was hoping to pick a fight and he got his wish.

      "Flame on!"
Finally we get to the why for Johnny and Ben fighting on the cover - bruised egos. That could lead to a civil war between heroes. At least it's not the over used first-meeting-misunderstanding-battle.

Johnny gets to shout out his catch phrase, but no "clobberin' time" from Ben? Instead he jumps right in and questions Johnny's feelings for Alicia and Crys. Another surprise by a character I don't care for.

Not quite the "nuff said" battle promised on the cover, but we got two hero v hero battles in one book. This new Fantastic Four team is off to a good start so far.

There had been rumors that Crystal slept with another man, and seeing her relationship with Pietro that isn't surprising. I'm not sure who or when this happened, but Sue is certainly interested. She's kind of accusatory and "I'd never do that" towards Crys. Has Sue forgotten her Malice costume - leather and hooker heel boots?

Love Crys' comeback - "I'm not Tigra!" Not sure what she means by it but its bitchy and I like it! Tigra does run around in a bikini but thats her costume.

Now Sue is going to question Crys about Luna, Crystal and Pietro's daughter? Who will take care of her? I like Sue, sometimes more (see above Malice comment) than others, right now is not one of those times. Crys just replys she'll do the same that Sue always did with Franklin, have someone else do it.   Ha! Crystal really is starting to grow on me.

Does Sue think that Crystal will try to break up Johnny and Alicia? Was that the point of her little girl talk with Crys?  If she's so concerned she should be talking to Johnny too. I don't think Crys is setting out to come between them, but there is a great dinner party coming up in another issue.

The book wraps with Johnny and Alicia apartment hunting and Dr. Doom arriving, but thats so blah. The best parts, I think were above.

Steve Englehart did a great job getting me interested in and caring about some characters I typically skip over. Crystal and Pietro certainly jumped to the front of the line. When I read their scene I was really blown away, I think I even let out a gasp. Ben and Johnny fighting was enjoyable, but that happens a lot. I read the Fantastic Four off and on, each time really wanting to enjoy the book, this time I did. I'm already thinking about the next FF post.

Fantastic Four #305

Writer: Steve Englehart

Art Team: John Buscema / Joe Sinnott

 

Tragic Retro Read - Fantastic Four #285

Quick note about this post - most of the time my blogging will be fun and silly, sometimes even nonsensical or absurd. My memories and feelings about school and growing up being what they are, when I came across this comic again I knew I had to post about it.

I remember getting this issue of Fantastic Four, I was about 13 or so. At the time I thought it was a bit too "after school special".

With the recent news stories about bullying and suicides, this Human Torch story seemed to touch a nerve I don't recall before.

Meet Tommy Hanson, #1 fan of Johnny Storm. His locker is decorated with pictures and clippings of his favorite hero. Tommy loves all things Human Torch and would do anything for an article or photo he might have missed.

Unfortunately others in school see this as a weakness and use that interest and enthusiasm against Tommy.

His lunch money for a month and doing your school work is a small price to pay, right?

It seems even the teachers are against Tommy.

Granted he was reading the magazine when he should have been paying attention.

Taking the magazine, throwing it away in front of the whole class and having that snot behind him laughing is almost too much. I can feel Tommy's tears in my own eyes. 

It's only after class does Ms. Welsh seem to soften and sympathize with Tommy. Even relating a story about her own childhood crushes.

She'd like to talk to Tommy's parents but they aren't home a lot. His dad has an ad agency to run, and his mom has her community action groups.

Tommy isn't able to get his magazine back but that doesn't stop this little bastard from reminding him of their deal.  

After tripping him and calling him dumb.

Once home things don't improve much. There is a message from Tommy's mom asking him to record a program for her, against the Human Torch interview he had circled.

You can almost feel the loneliness and sadness Tommy must be experiencing. No one at home to talk to about school, or anything it seems.

Even if his parents where there, I get the feeling they wouldn't listen anyways.

Tommy does appear to have at least one friend, of sorts. Joss Kincaid has a model airplane that just doesn't get the boost that he would like, so he mix and match his own fuel. That lapse in judgment only gets worse when he decides to leave Tommy alone to clean up.

Sometimes the wrong words at the wrong time, mixed with feelings you can't control and don't understand collide with disastrous results. 

The story now shifts to the reconstruction of the Baxter Building, world famous headquarters of the Fantastic Four. Doctor Janet Darling has come seeking the Human Torch. She has a patient who is dying and is a big fan of Johnny Storm.

Her patient is Tommy Hanson, he is in a great deal of pain after suffering severe burns to his body. He speaks for the first time in a month. What he says is devastating for Johnny.

"I only did it to be like you" 

The usually high flying, care-free Human Torch can't even bring himself to use his powers to fly away. 

Back at his fiance Alicia Masters' place Johnny talks to Sue and Alicia about the young boy, who wanting to be like the Human Torch, set himself on fire. 

Johnny is feeling tremendous guilt over Tommy's death. He can't help but feel responsible and does not what this to happen again to someone else. From now on, the Human Torch is dead.

The Beyonder, a meddling cosmic being with unknown, seemingly limitless powers arrives. He has already whisked heroes and villains away before for his own personal Secret War.

Now he takes Johnny to the past, showing him the life of young Tommy Hanson.

Johnny sees that Tommy is a quiet boy without many friends. What friends he does have he's found in magazines. Living vicariously through the heroes he reads and cares about.

The Beyonder points out to Johnny that these books and exploits are the only real joy Tommy had in his life.  His death is not Johnny's fault. It was through Johnny that Tommy lived, not died.

Johnny may still feel guilty for what happened to Tommy, but he can't let that stop him from being the hero others need him to be - that Johnny needs to be.

"Show me a hero, and I'll show you a tragedy" - F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

Again, after re-reading this comic I saw it differently than I did as a 13yr old kid. Now I can see myself a bit in Tommy. Bullied at school for having other interests and being different. Feeling lonely and lost, escaping into comics, wishing for powers or an ability. I didn't seriously think about killing myself and I don't think that's what Tommy had in mind either. He just wanted to be like someone else, someone he looked up to.

Fantastic Four #285

Writer/Artist: John Byrne

Out with the old, in with the new, then back again. John Walker - New Captain America

Long before Steve Rogers died and a revealed-not-to-be-dead Bucky Barnes took up the shield as Captain America, John Walker was given a chance. Walker had been introduced in earlier issues as Super-Patriot, a new patriotic hero for a new America. John would eventually take over as the hero USAgent, an identity created by Steve Rogers during Walker's Captain America run.  

Confused? This posting isn't going to help, sorry.

I remember when all this happened but I wasn't interested in Captain America at the time - Steve Rogers or John Walker. The impression I got about Walker was that he seemed to be a poor man's Guy Gardner, from DC Comics' Green Lantern. All mouth and no brains.

Now that I've read this issue I realize there was more to Walker than I thought. He wanted to do the name Captain America proud. Studying and watching countless videos of Steve, analyzing all his moves and techniques.

Throwing the shield seemed to be his biggest obstacle. I can imagine that's no easy feat, I can barely throw a Frisbee.

Since there is a new Cap, there has to be a new Bucky, so here he is!

I know it's the 80's and all, but was this the best idea? Maybe I'm looking at it with PC glasses but a black guy named Bucky sounds wrong. Lemar does eventually become known as Battlestar, but that wasn't much better.

Bucky's name wasn't the only problem, his costume just didn't seem to work either -as the Blob loudly announces. Of course taking fashion tips from the Blob is like taking diet tips from the Blob.

I really enjoyed this bit cameo by Mystique, Destiny, Blob, Avalanche and Pyro and it made sense. It's during the time when the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants was the government mutant team Freedom Force. This scene added to the feeling of the book being part of a bigger, shared universe.

If Freedom Force made an appearance you know that Val Cooper couldn't be far behind. She seemed to be the government liaison for both Freedom Force and the New Cap and Bucky.

Val is like Henry Gyrich, another government agent, always popping up when and where you least expected. In Gyrich's case not for the better either, he was swarmy and had his own agenda. Val for the most part seemed to be on the side of the good guys.

After lunch its time for some team building exercises. Though Walker and Lemar are old friends and have worked together before, this is the first as Cap and Bucky. Seems more practice is going to be needed.

Walker still can't get the hang of throwing the shield and have it return to him.

Enter Taskmaster, sometimes villain, mostly villain combat trainer. He claims to have photographic memory and the ability to recreate any movement he's seen, even only once, which he likes to call "photographic reflexes".

Walker questions his ability to teach, so Taskmaster sets out to school him.

I'd say he did a really good job if it, and great visuals too.

The government has brought Taskmaster in the help Walker learn how to properly throw and retrieve his shield.

More great visuals, you can almost hear the musical montage as the scene plays out.

I thought this was a really solid introduction issue. Nice to see that becoming a hero, especially such an iconic one like Captain America isn't easy. John Walker may not have been Cap long, but he certainly made an impression and continues to make one as USAgent.

Captain America #334
Writer: Mark Gruenwald
Art team: Tom Morgan/Dave Hunt

Happy Valentine's Day

Time for love and romance with a super hero twist. 

What happens when Wonder Woman and Superman fall under the spell of Eros, the God of Love? 

I love how romantic this cover looks, the Washington Monument in the background, Superman's cape wrapping around Wonder Woman. Lois and Steve watching, their reactions are priceless.

The story starts innocently enough with Wonder Woman on monitor duty aboard the JLA satellite, some 22,300 miles above Earth. Monitor duty stories seem to have a way of starting out boring and mundane before going balls to wall crazy.

  

Diana thinks to herself  "I didn't join the League to watch monitor screens, I joined to battle forces of evil." Careful what you wish for - evil can come in many forms, including love and passion.

Eros, the God of Love, may appear to be an adult but he ends up acting like the baby Cupid when Wonder Woman doesn't return his kiss or love.    

  How dare she?! He's the God of Love!

 

If he cannot force Wonder Woman to love him, he will force her to love another. Unfortunately that's when Superman arrives on the satellite. Being susceptible to magic Superman quickly falls under the angry god's spell.

At first the two heroes succumb and share a passionate kiss. They then try as hard as they can to fight Eros' spell. From the looks on their faces and the quivering of their hands it shows how powerful the magic of love can be. 

They know what they are feeling is wrong, their hearts belong to others. Superman loves Lois Lane and Wonder Woman feels the same for Steve Trevor.

Wonder Woman returns to Washington DC, passionately kissing and embracing Steve. That passion though is quickly replaced with jealousy and anger as she sees Superman in Lois' arms.

This is my favorite part -
Wonder Woman arrives in Metropolis and in a fit of rage throws Lois into on-coming traffic. (Haven't we all wanted to do that at one time or another?) Superman may have saved Lois but it's Wonder Woman who gets the kiss.

Lois is left to find comfort in the arms of another one-time rival for Superman's heart, Lana Lang. 

Knowing that something must be done to end this madness, Superman and Wonder Woman travel to Mount Olympus. They confront Eros and demand he end his magical spell.

Eros, not accustomed to being confronted calls out to his mother for help. Aphrodite is upset by her son's behavior and releases the two love struck heroes from the spell. I never did like this interpretation of Aphrodite, with the heart tiara and heart belt buckle.

The story ends with Superman and Wonder Woman explaining everything to Lois and Steve and all is forgiven.

The minute I read this comic I thought it would be perfect for Valentine's Day. 

Numerous story cliches are on display. You have Cupid, sort of, meddling in peoples lives. There is love, rage and jealousy flying all over the place. Misunderstandings are resolved neatly in the end. The tunnel of love even makes an appearance.

DC Comics Presents #32

Writer: Gerry Conway 

Art team: Kurt Schaffenberger/Vince Colletta