From: barnejd@wkuvx1.bitnet
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: PROS & CONS (week of 10/15)
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:16:39 GMT
Organization: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

PROS AND COMICS
By Jeff "Drizzt" Barnes
NOTE: All things are solely IMHO

Hello, again!  After a layoff, I'm back with just a few comics I've
picked up over the last couple of weeks.

  The first is SPIDER-MAN 2099 #2.  I was impressed with SM2099 #1; I
expected it to be another dumb book, but Peter David gave a credible
(well, this IS comics) origin to it and Rick Leonardi's art was
actually not just passable but likable.  Which brings me to #2...
  I really wanted to like this.  Now, don't get me wrong - it's by no
means a bad book, but it's not in the same league as the first. 
Leonardi's art is uglier and more distracting, and the story is
missing a bit of the humor it had in #1 (I did love the "kill Aunt
May" scene, though!).  The powers and the costume are kinda neat, too,
but something was lacking.  A 7.0 out of 10.0.

  Next is UNCANNY X-MEN #295.  It's Lobdell, but it's infinitely more
readable than most of his stuff before has been.  The art varies
wildly; some stuff (pg. 4, 17, and 18 in particular) is beautiful,
while other stuff (pg. 20) is more typical of the Brandon Peterson I
saw on LSH.  A 5.3.

  WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #95 - Is it just me, or is Mackie's writing of the
Ghost Rider going downhill?  He writes a decent Spider-Man (though
Spidey dropping the Hobgoblin struck me as a bit out of character),
but Blaze is played as the comic relief here, a role which just does
not become him.  The priest was a good touch, though.  Too many characters
crammed into this book - a 6.5.

  The final book from last week is DARKHAWK #22, and I've once again
saved the best for last.  The plot of this story is picking up, with
mystery on top of mystery.  Even the obligatory Ghost Rider appearance
(poorly scripted in parts) can't ruin this issue.  The Manley art is
not to dark, not too light.  Best of all, we get quite a revelation
about St. Johnny at the book's end!  And they even mention Rob
Liefield in the letcol, instead of pretending he doesn't exist. 
Definitely an 8.4.

  Now, this week's books.  DARKHOLD #3 is up.  Apparently I'm one of
the few people who actually likes this series - or at least the first
two issues.  I swear, if they don't quit doing one-shot, one-issue
stories...  Also, the art is missing Richard Case, and it shows.  (A
minor point - why would the AWC call Dr. Kincaid on the East Coast?) 
Once again, too much is packed in here and revealed too haphazardly. 
And the final page - SABERTOOTH!?!  Do the sales figures already need
that kind of a boost?  A 4.6; better luck next time.

  You might recall I had low expectations for PROTECTORS #1.  They
were MUCH higher after the brilliant first issue, and I'm pleased to
report that (apart from the DUMB name of Mr. Monday) they were
fulfilled.  I still love Gravestone, and the additions of the Eternal
Prince and the Ferret are also neat.  In addition, the reasoning for
and consequences of a "no kill" clause for heroes is seriously
examined.  Get this book, folks, it's well worth the $2.50!  A 9.1 on
the Drizzt Scale (tm).

  I bought AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #370 mostly for the Bagley art.  The
lead story is okay; nothing really spectacular, mainly just a
continuation of the previous two issues.  Is it just me, or does it
seem like they're stretching this storyline out too much?  The backup
story left me wondering "Is Aunt May a psycho?"  (4.5)

  THOR #455 - Weeelll, this one left me with equally mixed feelings. 
I'll admit I *like* the Masterson Thor better than the old Thor.  It
just seems that after all the buildup they're rushing to get the
current storyline done.  And the backup story may be the worst piece
of trash ever to appear in a comic (well, maybe the Silver Surfer
issue featuring the Audience was worse...)  Dr. Strange could take
apart anyone this side of Norrin with one of the Vishanti tied behind
his back.  A split rating - 4.3/0.1.

  GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #31 - Against my better judgement (and my
vow never to buy this book after they ran off Valentino), I picked up
this issue.  I'm once again mixed about it.  The "shields destroying
the universe" bit at the beginning was just dumb.  The Aleta/Starhawk
thing is dumb, and not in keeping with past continuity.  The
destruction of the Commandeers - dumb.  The battle over who will fight
the Badoon - dumb.  What did I like - the mysterious new Guardian
running around the ship (yes, I know who she is - one of my favorite
characters), and the art.  A 2.2.

  THE MAN OF STEEL #18 - The upcoming "death" of Supes looks like it's
off to a decent start - not at all what I've come to expect from
Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove.  Not a great book, not a really
good one, but not a bad one.  Average - 5.0.
 
  Until next week.....
                                         -Drizzt

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Jeff Barnes                   "..The meek shall inherit the earth,
Western Kentucky University    And the bank shall repossess it." 
BarneJD@WKUVX1.BITNET                    -Sawyer Brown
The few, the proud, the LNH!              "The Cafe Down On The Corner"
My opinions are not necessarily those of WKU, but they should be!  :+)
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