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Post by ultron69 on Aug 5, 2014 9:33:24 GMT -5
Where would the Marvel universe be without transistors and radiation?! And you're quite right, HB, never too late to nit-pick!
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 29, 2014 13:49:53 GMT -5
Who says comics have gotten more realistic? The only thing that's changed is that the terminology of the pseudo-science babble has gotten more sophisticated.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 28, 2014 9:12:47 GMT -5
If I still collected Marvel comics, I'd be more excited, but I do like the fact that Star Wars is returning to their original comic company, Marvel. I do have to say, though, that I really disliked the art on the Marvel Star Wars series.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 21, 2014 8:53:54 GMT -5
Ant-Man movie, I'll believe it when I see it. I hope it happens, though.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 21, 2014 8:48:24 GMT -5
Happy Birthday, Marvel Boy!
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 21, 2014 8:43:41 GMT -5
Words fail me. If the PTB at Marvel set out to try to make me lose all interest in their product, they couldn't do a better job than this. I keep thinking they have hit rock bottom (Disassembled, One More Day, Superior Spider-man, etc) but they always find a way to make me less interested. Thank goodness for my collection of the old stuff. Currently reading Spidey from the beginning (Mostly through essentials for now.) I'm up to #40 right now. There's still years of good storytelling awaiting me until...well, Marvel Now. I agree, SW. This sounds pretty lousy to me. Sometimes I like to pretend that there are no Marvel comics after 1989ish.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 16, 2014 9:57:06 GMT -5
You're right, Sharkar, omnipotence is another thing that Graviton and Nefaria have in common. Then there's Korvac!
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 14, 2014 7:19:45 GMT -5
Thanks for the reviews, Starfy. I'm not a fan of the anime style stuff as it applies to superhero cartoons, though I did enjoy the Teen Titans, after I got used to it. I know Dr. Strange is a skilled martial artist, and some of that would be OK, but there shouldn't be too much of that in a Doc Strange show. I remember a Dr. Strange animated movie from years back that I thought was quite good. The AVENGERS CONFIDENTIAL doesn't sound like my cup of tea, either.
Once again, it sounds like DC is ahead of Marvel in the animated stuff. Too bad they seem to have given up on it, for some reason.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 9, 2014 8:39:17 GMT -5
Happy birthday to my favorite Titan, Starfy! Okay, I think "Starfy" is the MOST AWESOMEST diminution of "Starfoxxx" I've heard yet! Good one, Ult (Ultry? Ultronny?)-! SFX, yer not gonna punch him in the nose or pixilate him with Charm Power or anything, are you--? HB Hey, I have learned something in 35+ years of reading Marvel comics, haven't I? Hmmm, would Stafy's charm power work on Ultron? A happy, eroticized Ultron? That's a scary thought. Oh, and I prefer "Ulty".
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 8, 2014 14:32:13 GMT -5
And I enjoy reading your dissertations over on BAB, HB. When I do get around to reading them, that is.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 8, 2014 14:30:18 GMT -5
I have these issue in color, and I still thought that Nefaria looked a lot like Graviton, sharkar.
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Post by ultron69 on Jul 8, 2014 14:23:21 GMT -5
Happy birthday to my favorite Titan, Starfy!
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Post by ultron69 on Jun 20, 2014 6:56:09 GMT -5
Happy b-day, dlw66!
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Post by ultron69 on Jun 16, 2014 7:47:09 GMT -5
I just love seeing this classic Avengers logo on the cover. It gives me a warm, tingly feeling.
Avengers 164 – Nice to see Beast (&T’Challa)in their lab coats, though the Beast gets left out a bit. Too many super-geniuses on the Avengers! Reasonable (comic book) explanation for Simon coming back to life. I like how the Beast gets some love from the ladies here. Nice reference to the flying belt from Avengers #16 – I had totally forgotten about that. We get to see the new & improved Wasp & Yellowjacket’s (via MTU #59-60) power here. I like this Wonder Man costume. It’s funny how Simon started out as an inventor but is usually shown as not being too bright. I notice a lot of Marvel references (Simon here, Ben Grimm & Hawkeye that I recall in other comics) to the Mets, but none to the Yankees. I guess the Mets were the team of choice for the Merry Marvel Bullpen. Wondy is a hothead in this issue, but somebody has to play the obligatory fool who rushes forward at the chagrin of the team leader, right? Wondy’s lack of confidence, and fear of dying, start here, I think. I know YJ & Wasp are powered up, but I’m surprised that YJ’s stings actually hurt the new & improved “Power Man”. Nice double cross be Nefaria here. Is there no honor among thieves?
Avengers 165 – Count Nefaria is almost Superman-like here, sans the power of flight. This makes Cap's shield being able to withstand his wrath even more impressive. Nice Psychological warfare by the Whizzer, instilling the fear of death into Nefaria. Iron Man gets read the riot act in this issue, doesn’t he? This battle almost started to remind of of the Korvac battle, though obviously on a smaller scale, though some very impressive building toppling feats. Interesting here how Iron Man can temporarily amp up his power in order to go toe to toe with Nefaria. I like how Nefy, in spite of his power, is scared of Thor. I don’t remember this run of Avengers too well, because my memory stinks, but it appears to be yet another last minute rescue by Thor.
Avengers 166 – I was thinking right away that Thor should just let Nefaria have the hammer, since he wouldn't be able to pick it up, anyway. Wouldn't that p*ss him off? The first appearance of Gyrich here, one of my all time least favorite characters. Jan is assertive here. I like her “Hank of the only one who can treat me like a helpless female” quote to Jarvis. Nice to see Cap swallow his pride and lend his shield to Simon. Vizh is very mechanical, and perhaps Spock-like here. I do't specifically remember what this led to, though. That bad memory of mine again. Wanda is a bit of a b*tch, here, also. At the end, we get a tantalizing lead-up to the Wundagore Saga.
All in all, a very fun 3 parter. Excellent art, and good storytelling. Nefaria didn't quite stick as the next Ultron, but I still liked his imperious arrogance here, though he's so powerful that you'd better make sure you've got Thor on the speed dial if he ever comes back!
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Post by ultron69 on Jun 13, 2014 7:57:00 GMT -5
I almost got the idea that Stan came up with a Wonder Man because DC had a Wonder Woman and Marvel wanted rights to the name, though I'm sure that's not the case. He does seem to have a very generic "super-guy" sort of start, though, eh? So, yes, the search for an iconic costume continues. Where is Dave Cockrum when you need him?
I don't like his red safari jacket, but if Wondy has an iconic look, that's probably the one. I think, at the back of my brain, I also thought that this could be a precursor to the bomber jackets. IIRC, though, I think the Legion of Super-Heroes may have beaten them to the punch in the late 80's. I at least remember Giffen giving everybody shoulder pads and gun holsters. Ugh.
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Post by ultron69 on Jun 13, 2014 7:46:10 GMT -5
OK, I'm going to try and read these this weekend!
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Post by ultron69 on Jun 12, 2014 6:48:54 GMT -5
My favorite Wonder Man costume is the one on the far right in your second link. The costume from the first link is pretty good, too. Overall, though, I don't like too many of Simon's costumes, including the red safari jacket, though I'm probably in the minority on that.
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Post by ultron69 on May 13, 2014 14:20:00 GMT -5
I haven't been here in a while, myself. Life just gets in the way sometimes. I almost never read new stuff, but I'm reading the JLA Trinity of Sin story. I'm not too impressed with it, but I'll stick it out. Every hero has an attitude, and talks tough, spouting action movie cliches, and they tend to slug it out with each other rather than do anything else. Maybe I'm just getting old.
I've also read issue 1 of the Hercules 2005 series. It's not bad, but not neatly as good as the two Bob Layton Hercules miniseries from the 80's.
Really, for the past 5 years I've almost exclusively read comics from the 60's through the late 80's, and mostly Bronze Age at that. I plan to go back to that, as those comics give me the most pleasure. As I said, I mighty just be getting old.
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 13, 2014 7:00:37 GMT -5
Is this what's known as bear baiting? Can't. . . breathe. . . Can't. . . breathe. . . Ha! Nah, I am really, really glad this little arc got chosen. My initial response to the choice was that it might fall almost into the realm of being a chore, and that proved not to be the case at all. It's probably the third time I've read it, and I got soooo much more out of it this time, and honestly enjoyed it. As has been mentioned by many, the writing & characterization hold up quite well over the course of time, and I'm pretty sure I've just breezed through in the past. It's definitely still better comics than at least three eras we saw later on. By far. By 'way, 'way far. HB Including the bomber jacket era.
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 13, 2014 6:58:49 GMT -5
Is this what's known as bear baiting? Gh! To be honest, it's part to do with how much I like Stern's arc, and part to do with how little I like the K-S War. Perhaps it's because I read it so many years after its original release, with its impact and scope having been inevitably diminished by successive, bigger stories, but to me it got pretty dull after an interesting beginning, and suffered from a very uninteresting - almost messy - finale. If the other topic went beyond five, I could almost find it a place in my worst-10-Avengers-stories list... just not my cup of tea. I loved the Kree-Skull War, but do agree that the ending was rather unsatisfying. Still, a fun ride for me up until then, though I, too, read it many years after its original release.
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 11, 2014 7:52:20 GMT -5
I just never in my life thought I'd ever hear such an abundance heart-felt, proud, fond, thoughtful praise for Stern/Milgrom/Sinnott run of The Avengers-! Even as someone who doesn't share that opinion by a long stretch, I find it incredibly charming-- and it's really made me look at this particular arc with a much more appreciative eye. Move over, Kree/Skrull War! Take a hike, Korvac Saga! Call in sick, Mansion Siege! Sooner or later, Marvel's gonna strike reprint GOLD with this, er, gem--! You know, I'd honestly rate this run over the Kree-Skrull war every day of the week Is this what's known as bear baiting?
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 7, 2014 10:14:56 GMT -5
Yes, Shiryu, it was probably me that pointed out that it's tough to keep Cap Marvel from taking over in a fight. By the way, nice Marvel Chronology link!
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 5, 2014 7:57:07 GMT -5
HB, I agree with you that the Eternals seem like an Inhumans ripoff, but weren't they both basically created by Kirby?... Right you are, Ultron69. Hidden/superpowered races (Inhumans, Eternals, the New Gods stuff Kirby did for DC, to name a few) was indeed a favorite topic for Kirby, one that he never got tired of exploring. A great resource that examines this concept (known as Vril-ya) in comics is Christopher Knowles's book Our Gods Wear Spandex.
Cool. I had to google Our Gods Wear Spandex. It looks interesting. I'll have to check it out one of these days.
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 4, 2014 7:57:03 GMT -5
HB, I agree with you that the Eternals seem like an Inhumans ripoff, but weren't they both basically created by Kirby? So, he'd be ripping off himself?
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 3, 2014 12:37:04 GMT -5
Good choice, HB. The acid-free backing boards taste much better. I'd said that I don't consider myself a Milgrom fan but that I thought the art here was good. So yes, Sinnott probably deserves a lot of credit. Nice art analysis, by the way.
I'm under the impression that Stern didn't approve of the Eternals' treatment of the Deviants. I don't have the books with me, but I seem to recall Jan & Monica's reaction was less than enthusiastic when they found this out, sort of like "what sort of people are we dealing with?" Still, if he did disapprove, he glossed over it pretty quickly.
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 1, 2014 18:51:21 GMT -5
I like fun comics, too Starfox, which is one reason that I despise 90's Marvel comics. And I vaguely recall enjoying that X-Men Annual #7.
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Post by ultron69 on Mar 1, 2014 10:48:52 GMT -5
Marvel Boy, I think that because the President is considered a public person (I'm sure that's not the right legal term) Marvel should be able to use his image without permission (sorta how the paparazzi & gossip rages get away with all that stuff) but, not being a lawyer, I could be totally of base on this.
I too liked the way Stern handled Monica talking with her family., and I too love the way Starfox unabashedly crashes Sersi's party.
Yes, what the Eternals did to the Deviants was disturbing, and I think that may have been intentional.
House ads and letters pages (though I don't always read the letters pages) are one reason why I prefer back issues to TPB's.
Yes, only two Avengers titles, the good ol' days!
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Post by ultron69 on Feb 28, 2014 9:53:57 GMT -5
Happy birthday Wundagoreborn! I had almost chosen your avatar's story for my Classic Book Club recommendation!
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Post by ultron69 on Feb 28, 2014 9:52:05 GMT -5
Thanks, Sharkar!
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Post by ultron69 on Feb 27, 2014 7:35:51 GMT -5
I thought you might like this arc, Starfoxxx! I did like Starfox. As I mentioned, I do like fun loving heroes (not to say that I don't love the Vision and Black Panther tough) so I did like having him around. His pleasure center power was also interesting.
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