Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site vax4.fluke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!moriarty From: moriarty@fluke.UUCP (The Napoleon of Crime) Newsgroups: net.comics Subject: EvenMoreMoriartyReviews (WholeBunchaMutants) Message-ID: <2684@vax4.fluke.UUCP> Date: Sat, 21-Sep-85 04:49:19 EDT Article-I.D.: vax4.2684 Posted: Sat Sep 21 04:49:19 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 06:23:50 EDT Distribution: net Organization: The Institute for Criminal Masterminds Lines: 134 Reviewed in this issue: X-MEN AND ALPHA FLIGHT NEW MUTANTS SPECIAL EDITION X-MEN #200 NEW MUTANTS #35 HEROES FOR HOPE ------------------------------------------------ "There *are* standards. If you can't see one, you *make* one and stick to it come Hell or high water -- until you see a BETTER one." -John Gaunt "Well, if you can't believe what you read in a comic book, what *can* you believe?!" -Bullwinkle J. Moose **************************************************************************** |==>A< One of the best of the year. Example: ZOT #8 | |==>B< A very good issue, one of the best of the month (usually 6/month) | |==>C< A well done, entertaining issue. Satisfying. Example: Jon Sable | |==>D< Boring, but with a few good points. Example: SQUADRON SUPREME | |==>F< Boring AND stupid or childish. Example: Secret Wars. | |==>Z< Actually offensive. Example: Several of Haney's UNKNOWN SOLDIERs | **************************************************************************** X-MEN & ALPHA FLIGHT #1 [B-]: Like a breath of fresh air -- this reminds me of the days when Claremont would tell a story with just enough subplots to keep it interesting. And he does a very nice job here, indeed (Loki's interest in this is suitably mysterious). Paul Smith has always been one of my three favorite artists, and quite possibly the favorite; and his work here is excellent, though Wiacek's inks make it a bit sketchy for my tastes. His faces are wonderful -- Wolverine, Scott, Illayana, Kurt and Rachael are expressive in a way that brings back old memories of Japanese cartoons -- is that what he based much of his work on? Very good indeed; if Claremont's failings (except for the Windsor-Smith/Ororo issue, which was great) were due to his work elsewhere, I'd feel a lot better... NEW MUTANTS SPECIAL EDITION #1 [B+]: Claremont's redeeming himself in one lump sum these days, isn't he? I must agree with Jerry -- the best New Mutants story ever; and the Arthur Adams art is tremendous -- utterly magical. Will he be doing the art for the conclusion in X-Men Annual? A few comments and questions: LOVED the in-jokes. Mr. Steele, Miss Holt. Somehow, you KNEW Terry Austin was inking when you saw the Vikings, didn't you ("Arf! Arf! Arf!")? Warlock/Longshot and Hela -- nice routine. And I need help here: obviously one of the giants is Ed Grimley ("It certainly is a decent reindeer, I must say!"); but the other two? I assume the red-haired one is generic, but the other one looks a little like Fred Flintstone, or that Harvey Comics Giant. And 'Berto's run-in with Volstagg had me rolling. I agree that Asgard's Weight-Loss Clinic is rather stringent compared to our standards, but in a magical realm... Why must Illayanna always be tied up and possessed? I know Claremont has this thing about sorceresses and evil (and by Gum, doesn't Amora look good?), but the Enchantress hasn't been that rotten in other stories -- think he got her mixed up with the White Queen. Anyway, imagine what Dave Sim's counter-part will do with her! Make her read Mike Bannon letters! Have her pose nude for the CEREBUS letter page! The potential is endless... X-MEN #200 [B]: What a 200 issue should be. A milestone. And a damn fine one. Thanks, Chris (but can we start easing up on the anti-mutant tensions, pleeeeeeease?). NEW MUTANTS #35 [C-]: OK, just exactly *who* is doing the art for this book? Bill Sienkiewicz is back doing inks, and thus has possessed the spirit of this book once again. Nice to see Magneto as head of the place, and this is probably going back on my list of titles to buy... his approach may be much better that Xavier's at this point. It will certainly be more interesting to watch. HEROES FOR HOPE [As a comic story: D; Under autopsy by comics fan: B] Worth the money, but (face it) not as a comic book story. I don't think there's much of a problem with the fragmention of the writing styles -- these hold together pretty well (the shift in artists takes a little getting used to, though); but the plot did not move me, either as an X-Men story or as something dealing with the problems currently in Africa. However, the donation is made when you buy the comic, and for comic fans, this is a very interesting animal, allowing you to see talent teamed in unlikely combinations. A few individual comments: Stan Lee's writing style has changed some, but it still pretty obvious which pages he scripted. Damn, but it's nice to see John Byrne and Terry Austin drawing the X-Men! After this, I want to see Stephen King script a SWAMP THING story. "Good Food... Good Meat.... Good God... LET'S EAT!" I've always respected King more for his writing style than his ability with horror, but this just how talented he is at both. And, of course, no one can illustrate King like Wrightson. I didn't think Mantlo could write this well -- I was very surprised when I read the credits afterwards... Alan Moore's writing, though, was easy to spot (good stuff -- what'd ya expect?), and Corben's art surprised me -- his sequence looks like he ran through the complete X-Men archives, which I just have a hard time seeing with Corben. Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz, together? Man, they must have had to send out for the India ink to do this sucker! Before reading this book, I kept thinking it might be 15 black panels with little eyes sticking out of them and word balloons pasted over. Not my favorite sequence by any means, and Ellison's writing is not very steady in this sequence. I really like Brian Bolland's art, but apparently he can only do one woman's face; Ororo looks pretty generic Bolland. Paul Gulacy + Bob Layton = Dave Cockrum. And finally, I was amazed that was Chaykin pencilling the last few pages. Simonsin's inks totally overpower his pencils. "I can tell a Moriarty when I see one. This crime is from London, not America." 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! <*> Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com