comics

Find myself agreeing with Chad Nevitt’s fierce admiration for Kieron Gillen’s coordination of Marvel’s A.X.E. event: “I was stunned by the complexity of the narrative he is telling. It is absolutely stunning to see the various threads weave in and out of different comics, pulling together all of these characters. Most events have a variety of narrative threads that the writer must hold together, though I find that they’re usually left loose for others to pick up or cast aside when the time comes to focus on a specific, singular endpoint. Somehow, Gillen’s narrative for this event has grown more…

Very glad I found this in W.H. Smiths. Written by Alec Worley with art by Dani, Black Beth is the revival by Rebellion of an obscure British comic originally created in the 1970s (but unused at the time) with one published story appearing in the Scream! Holiday Special in 1988. This is the third adventure of the current version of Black Beth, a sword-and-sorcery “slayer” character (Worley has described her as a mashup of Red Sonja and The Punisher). Beth’s motivation, established in the original story, is “to combat evil in all its vile forms”. Dani’s art is gorgeous and…

Micronauts vol 1 #7 July 1979“Adventure into Fear!”by Bill Mantlo, Michael Golden and Joe Rubenstein CoverMan-Thing is “Guest-Starring” in this issue. He is standing in water holding unconscious Marionette and Rann while the remaining Micronauts are positioned about his feet. While Microtron and Biotron appear to flee, Acroyear wields his energy sword. PAGES 1-2: The Micronauts and Steve Coffin spend time at Ray Coffin’s fishing cottage in the Everglades. This issue takes place in the Everglades. Bug and Acroyear spend time with Steve Coffin. Bug is revolted by the idea of fish living in water. They are fishing for food…

Micronauts vol 1 #6 June 1979“The Great Escapes”by Bill Mantlo, Michael Golden and Joe Rubenstein CoverThe Micronauts are attacking a Folorida Highway Patrol car. Bug is using his lance to melt through the windshield, Acroyear swings a piece of wreckage, Marionette points a gun at the cop. PAGES 1-6 (1-3, 5-7): The Micronauts and Steve Coffin escape from H.E.L.L. Rann refers to Prometheus’ robots as humanoids. They only appear to operate in Prometheus’ inner lab. The rest of H.E.L.L. is operated by humans. Bug reminds us that his homeworld is Kaliklak. Rann is unable to communicate with Biotron because a…

Micronauts vol 1 #5 May 1979“The Prometheus Pit”by Bill Mantlo, Michael Golden and Joe Rubenstein CoverTiny Micronauts – plus Muffin the dog – defending Steve from a Deathlok-type cyborg at the edge of a circular Prometheus Pit. (It’s a great cover!) PAGES 1-2: The Micronauts arrive at H.E.L.L. The Astrostation has an “ultimate flight-ceiling”: it can’t fly over a wire fence. It does seem that Astrostation isn’t the most appropriate name for the vehicle. Acroyear is impervious to electricity as he’s able to rip through an electrified fence. PAGE 3: Biotron has almost repaired the Endeavor. Biotron’s constructed an adaptor…

Micronauts vol 1 #4 April 1979“A Hunting We Will Go!”Bill Mantlo (writer), Michael Golden (artist) and Joe Rubenstein (embellisher) CoverKarza facing the reader, blasting rebels. In the background dog soldiers are shooting down unarmed people who are running from them PAGES 1-6 (1-3, 6-7, 10): Dog soldiers raid the underground and round up the survivors as resources for the Body Banks. One of the rebel leaders, Slug, is taken to the Body Banks. The underground resistance to Karza is supplying rebels with LASER-SONICS, according to a dog soldier. The dog soldiers are under orders to kill anyone carrying a weapon…

Micronauts vol 1 #3 March 1979“Death Duel at Daytona Beach”Bill Mantlo, Michael Golden (breakdowns) & Joe Rubenstein CoverA space cruiser battling the Endeavour on a street corner. Acroyear and Rann flying. A couple of people in the street shocked by what’s happening (a typically Marvel cover). Michael Golden and Joe Rubinstein. PAGES 1-2: Ray Coffin, Steve’s father returns home to find the garden wrecked by last issue’s attack by space cruisers. The family’s dog, Muffin, seems dead. Presumably killed by Acroyear last issue. (We’ll find out that Muffin isn’t actually dead. It just looks like it.) Steve’s father is Ray…