My sister handed me that first book, saying she wants it back.   I want to keep it.  I may splurge on it as a paper back book.   Barnes and Noble doesn't have it, so Amazon may be getting my business for this.

 

I flipped through this book and went, 'oh, shit, is this just punching Hitler in the face?'

 

To which my sister gleefully responded, 'yes, yes, it is.'   Of course, I was more gleeful about it.   Keep in mind, one half of my family was almost nearly wiped out by Hitler, and thus my sister and I believe that, say, punching nazis in the face is okay.   (I was worried, because she's a better person than I am, but her belief is also that they spout genocide and thus seeing Richard Spencer punched in the face to music is a thing of beauty.)

 

I want a copy of this book, dammit.   I do.   It's twenty bucks, though, and I can always borrow my sister's book for now.   (She let me have first read so this will be the priority this weekend.   It's mostly covers about comics set in WW2.   And, no, not all of the covers are punching Hitler, or nazis, in the face centric, but there are enough to make me go swoon-y over this.)

 

I saw Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud for the first time today about the rise of outspoken women, women who don't conform to the perception of what they should be.   Too gross, too pregnant, too queer, and I believe too rude are also plastered across the cover, although not part of the title.  

 

I was pretty much absent yesterday doing emotional wellbeing recovery things.   Watching Netflix - oddly enough, 13 Reasons Why calmed me down, and I now want to read the book which I hear is way better, playing games, just trying to breathe and not have a panic attack.   Thus I am still just as behind on reviews, and got very little reading done.   When I was present, I was sullen and withdrawn.  I think the whole buying a bathing suit didn't help: it reminds me of my body, makes me more present in my body, and it's not about being too fat.   It's about no matter how skinny I was, it's still meat, and I find organic life... um... too gross.   I've been reeling from doing this yesterday.  I've been too freaked out by water for a decade to take a bath - something I've managed to do recently, so progress - so I haven't had to go shopping for suits.   So that's ten years of not having to go through this grueling process that is an exercise in hatred of my body, futility, nihilism and not being able to find a comfortable top that fucking supports boobs. I already had a bottom and I have a rash guard shirt - UPF, made for the water - so I'll wear that.   Contemplating getting swim pants, but, ugh, expensive, and I want to see if I can make it. 

 

If anyone has suggestions, much appreciated.   Right now, I'm thinking a skirt wrap thing, and seeing if I can go in the water with that.   Although I might just go in the bikini and see what happens.   After all, I want to start swimming again - I used to love it! - and this will acclimate me.   I also have free access to the pool at school, yay, so I should get used to showing off my fat, gross body.   Maybe this book will help me cope with that, though. Or maybe not.   Someone suggested parading around in the bottoms until then, just to get used to it, and I'm thinking that might be best!  I've been walking a lot, and I want to swim, not to get slimmer so much as to feel healthier.   

 

Anyway, explanation of my going away yesterday.   I'm going to a friend's house to watch TV, although I'll try to get some comic reading in while he changes DVDs/under covers if it gets too boring.   Prolly not since we're hopefully watching more of The Maxx.  I will try to catch up on reviews in the next couple days, although I may wait until the weekend and flood you with like twenty or thirty reviews.   I know, right, cringe.  I'll try not to do that for you.   Little nervous today, but much better.   (Getting my oil changed because I remembered I needed it and panicked helped, and the guys at the place are go to are fucking amazing.)  

 

I don't have time to post the pic right now, but I've acquired a Black Bolt funko.   Yass.   I will most definitely post one of him and DD and some special guys all at once in a post in the future.   Hopefully tonight as a reward for getting through reviews, maybe tomorrow as a reward for getting through reviews.   Because I'll get to play with my guys!   (Yeah, yeah, I tend to focus on guys.   It's an attraction thing.   I'm not cutting women out of the equation, but I skew towards guys, mostly because I like 'em violent, and dumb, and well... tends to be guys.   Y'know what?   I just skew towards them.   Throw me some Virginia - Vision is not her last name - or some Arcee or Windblade or Nautica, and I'll bite, but I skew towards dudes.)

Marvel Masterworks – The X-men Vol 1

(collects The X-Men #1-10)

 

This collection comprises of the first ever ten issues of The X-Men.

Written by Stan Lee. Drawn by Jack Kirby.

 

I’ve only recently become interested in The X-Men (even the films never really appealed to me) as I’m currently reading The All New X-Men line. So I thought now was a good time to catch up on their origins.

 

The team: Cyclops, Iceman, The Beast, The Angel (thankfully they dropped The eventually) are students at a special school for mutants and are taught by Prof X. They are joined in the first issue by Jean Gray, who becomes Marvel Girl.

 

The Evil Mutants (and The X-Men’s for in most of the issues in this collection): lead by Magneto. Toad, Mastermind (who I’ve just read about in a Titan’s comic but had never heard of prior to that), Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver. The last two are reluctant members of the team. Scarlet Witch was saved by Magneto when her mutant powers (which are kind of vague in these stories) had her branded as a witch in her village. And Quicksilver only joined to keep an eye on his sister. This makes both Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver the weak links in the team. Spoiler Alert! In fact, in one issue Quicksilver diffuses a bomb that would have killed the X-Men and wiped out the city above there liar.

 

Pros

Interesting to see the origins of such a famous team.

Artwork. Distinctive 60s style with bold colours.

Historically a great indication of the period. Visually, clothes/cars etc. Everybody wore hats and even the teenage X-Men wore suits when not in costume. The language. Other things that may seem out of place today: the obsession with the nuclear threat (we’re far more blasé about this now, even with maniacs with their fingers far too close to the trigger), carnies and the use of people (or mutants in this case) as side show exhibits. The fact that everyone hangs about in coffee houses, oh…wait, scrap that. Although the bohemian coffee shop the 16-year-old Bobby (Iceman) drags Hank (Beast) to is hilarious. And no place for a teenager.

 

Cons

Stan Lee explains everything. I've read somewhere that he wanted to be a novelist. It shows. I was rolling my eyes... ‘Dude, it’s a comic. Jack Kirby is literally drawing what you’re talking about.’ Consequently the panels are overly wordy and busy.

The speech is really dated (as to be expected).

The storylines are very formulaic. I think in part this is due to the same foe being used issue after issue.

Everybody (and I do mean everybody) lusts after Jean Gray. Even Prof X. She’s a teenager FFS and you’re her teacher. That is just wrong. Once Scarlet Witch turns up a lot of the males lust after her too, especially Mastermind (who looks like a skeevy flasher).

Not written to be read as a collection. Issues were published two months apart and are unconnected stories.

 

Points to Note

The X-Men were added to the Marvel roster as a team to rival The Avengers. Where the Avengers were powerful individuals that were celebrated by the public, the X-Men were teens, not fully in control of their powers, and who the public were often afraid off even when they were obviously doing a good deed (e.g. when Beast and Iceman save a child suck on a roof, and they get chased and mauled by a mob of angry people). Also they work better as a team than as individuals.

The relationship between Jean Gray and Cyclops is set up very early on as a possible romance.

In the very first issue Bobby (Iceman) expresses a definite disinterest in girls. Foreshadowing of his current storyline or the benefit of hindsight?

Prof X is ruthless. He thinks nothing of messing around in people’s brains and is not bothered by the state he leaves them in.

The conflict between the Avengers and the X-Men is already set up here in the first 10 issues. Even if on this occasion it is a misunderstanding, they do still fight each other.

Favourite issues:

The one with Sub-mariner.

The one with The Avengers scuffle (which also includes a nuclear bomb rigged up to the evil Lucifer’s heart. If his heart stops beating... Ka-boom).

The ‘land that time forgot’ issue (aka the one with the sabre-toothed tiger and a Tarzan wannabe).

 

Verdict

Did I enjoy it? Some issues more than others.  Way too wordy in comparison to the comics I read now. I’ll confess I was finding it a bit of a chore to read by the time I was halfway through.

Would I re-read? No. Definitely not.

Would I continue reading? Issue#11 onwards? Probably not. I’ll stick with my All New X-Men, thanks.

Any final words?  Homo Superior. I found that hysterical. Every. Time. They. Used. It.

 

 

 Someone’s been reading his fan-fiction again...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantastic Four Omnibus, Volume 2, contains Fantastic Four 31-60, plus annuals 2-4.

Annual 2: Doctor Doom's origin is retold and he teams with Rama Tut against the Fantastic Four!

Yeah, Doctor Doom again. While I already knew Doom and Reed went to college together, it was nice to read the story for the first time.

31-34: The Fantastic Four take on the Mole Man, the Invincible Man, Attuma, and a billionaire named Gregory Gideon.

Introducing Franklin Storm, Sue and Johnny's father, only to kill him off seemed like a waste. The Invincible Man battle was the best issue of these four. Special bonus: Since this omnibus includes the original letters page, George R.R. Martin has two letters published, starting his long tradition of writing frivolous things when he should be working on something important.

35-38: The Fantastic Four take on Dragon-Man and Diablo, The Frightful Four, go to the Skrull homeworld, and take on the Frightful Four a second time.

Kirby's dynamic pencils drove the debut of two new threats, Dragon-Man and the Frightful Four. It's not very often you see super heroes defeated but the Frightful Four did just that. How is the Fantastic Four going to operate powerless?

On a side note, Medusa's hair is kind of a ridiculous super power. "Your clumsy fists and guns are no match for my uncanny hair!"

39-43: A powerless Fantastic Four go up against Doctor Doom with Daredevil as their ally. No sooner do they get their powers back than The Thing leaves and joins forces with the Frightful Four!

Yeah, you know you're in deep shit when Daredevil joins your team and he's the heavy hitter. The three issue conflict with the Frightful Four went a little long but I'm really digging the silver age cheese factor from Medusa.

Annual 3: It's the day we've all been waiting for! Reed Richards and Sue Storm are getting married. Too bad Doctor Doom is assembling an army of super villains to attack the Fantastic Four when they are the most vulnerable.

Doctor Doom sets out to ruin the wedding of Reed and Sue, setting a precedent for every future super hero wedding to follow. Doom's allies include but are not limited to The Puppet Master, Red Ghost, Mole Man, The Mandarin, Kang, Grey Gargoyle, The Super Skrull, Cobra, the Executioner, The Enchantress, Black Knight, The Melter, Mister Hyde, Elector, the Beetle, the Mad Thinker, and the Awesome Android. Luckily, the X-Men, Daredevil, Spider-Man, the Avengers, and Doctor Strange are on hand.

44-47: The Fantastic Four meet the Uncanny Inhumans!

This proved to be a timely read since the Inhumans are the surrogate X-Men until Marvel gets the movie rights back. This is the story that introduces them, starting with Medusa on the run and ending at the great refuge, with plenty of super hero misunderstandings in between.

The Inhuman Royal Family act much as they do these days. I'm glad someone besides Stan Lee eventually writes the Fantastic Four, though. His dialogue is kind of terrible and Sue Richards has almost no personality beyond wanting to please her husband.

48-50: At last, the Galactus Trilogy!

Fresh from their debacle with Maximus the Mad, the Fantastic Four arrive home to find New York in chaos, but that is nothing compared to the shitstorm headed their way, for the Silver Surfer has arrived and, soon, Galactus! Galactus' arrival and the following two issues are some of the best comics from this era. While I haven't read all of Lee and Kirby's run, I'd be shocked if this wasn't their prime. The art is quintessential Kirby and Lee's also at the top of his game.

51-56: A mad scientist steals the Thing's powers and has a change of heart. The Black Panther battles the Fantastic Four and helps them battle Klaw. The Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot meet Prester John. The Thing battles the Silver Surfer and the Fantastic Four, minus the Human Torch, battle the much improved Klaw!

The Fantastic Four continues to expand the Marvel Universe, this time by introducing the Black Panther and Wakanda. The Kirby-ness goes up another notch as Kirby machines and Kirby dots are all over the place.

Annual 4: The Fantastic Four battle the original Human Torch and the Mad Thinker!

The FF, primarily Johnny, battle the original Human Torch, who was revived by the Mad Thinker. Due to [b:Marvel Comics: The Untold Story|13623814|Marvel Comics The Untold Story|Sean Howe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339631158s/13623814.jpg|19227562], I'm pretty sure this story was only written to retain Marvel's copyright on the original Human Torch. Kind of a shitty thing to do to Carl Burgos. Also, this story also illustrates how much Marvel has played fast and loose with time over the years. At this point, Reed and Ben were still acknowledged as being in World War II.

57-60: Doom steals the power cosmic!

While the Kirby-tude of this story can't be denied, it was kind of a letdown in the end. Still, it was great seeing Doctor Doom running wild for a few issues... with no other heroes stopping by to help.

Closing Thoughts: The second big honkin' Fantastic Four omnibus was even better than the first. So much of the foundation of the current Marvel Universe was established in these issues. While the dialogue is almost unbearable at times, the concepts and the art were the top of the game at the time. Five out of five stars, adjusted for the passage of sixty years.

The Fantastic Four Omnibus, Volume 1, contains issues 1-30 of the Fantastic Four, plus Annual 1.

By now, most people know the story of the Fantastic Four. Scientist Reed Richards, his girlfriend Sue Storm, her brother Johnny, and Ben Grimm, a friend of Reed's from World War II, fly an experimental rocket into space, passing through a cosmic storm and gaining super powers in the process.

Issues 1-4: The team encounters the Mole Man and his monstrous subjects, has Skrulls impersonate them, battles a hypnotist called The Miracle Man, and face the wrath of Namor, the Sub-Mariner.

Things start off rough for the foursome. Lee and Kirby were laying the foundations of the Marvel Universe, whether they knew it at the time or not. Kirby's panels were already pretty spectacular, though that art wasn't as polished as it would become a couple issues later. Stan Lee's writing has a high cheese factor, however.

Issues 5-8: The team battles Doctor Doom, confronts the combined might of Namor and Doctor Doom, encounter Kurrgo from Planet X, and thwart the Puppet Master for the first time.

Both Lee and Kirby are finding their rhythm. Lee and Kirby are expanding the Marvel universe, although it's looking like they're going back to the Doom and Namor wells a little too early. After the issue with the Puppet Master, I have to wonder how much thought they actually put into Reed and Sue's powers at this point, and would they have went a different way if they knew the Fantastic Four was going to be successful. Things to ponder.

Issues 9-12: The gang battle Namor again, Doom again, The Impossible Man, and The Hulk!

Yeah, Namor and Doom again. The Namor/Hollywood thing was hokey but Doom swapping bodies with Reed was good. I'm not a fan of Impossible Man but he was tolerable in his first appearance. The Hulk fight was actually a little bit of a letdown. Let's hope Thing and Hulk get more time to duke it out next time.

Issues 13-16: In these issues, the Fantastic Four battle the Red Ghost and his super apes, Namor, The Mad Thinker, and Doctor Doom in the Microverse.

I felt like the FF turned a corner with the Red Ghost story and things started clicking more. The Mad Thinker and the Doom story were both also really good for the time period. Ant-Man shows up and the Marvel Universe is really starting to feel like a universe. Oh, and the Watcher is introduced.

Issues 17-20: The gang battle Doctor Doom, The Super Skrull, Rama Tut, and the Molecule Man.

The stories continue the momentum set by the previous four. The menaces are more inventive and I have to think this is the point that Kirby started contributing more to the plot. It's crazy how many books Lee and Kirby were working on at this point in Marvel comics history.

Annual 1: Once again on the throne of Atlantis, Namor declares war on the surface world!

The origins of Namor and Atlantis are told, and Namor goes to war. This was a much larger scale story than the Fantastic Four's adventures up to this point. It would probably be a title-spanning crossover in today's terms. It's also a damn good tale.

Also, I love Namor's cheesy dialogue. For some reason, Stan Lee's ham-fisted dialogue fits Namor like a glove.

There's also a pinup gallery and an expanded version of the story from Amazing Spider-Man #1 where he tried to join the Fantastic Four.
Issues 21-24: The Fantastic Four battle The Hate Monger, The Mole Man, Doctor Doom, and an omnipotent alien child.

The Fantastic Four continues rocketing forward. Sgt. Nick Fury makes his first appearance outside of World War II but before he starts wearing his trademark eye patch. Was it a sign of the times the way Sue Storm was portrayed or just a sign of Stan Lee's mediocre dialogue?

Issues 25-30: The Fantastic 4 take on the rampaging Hulk, clash with the Avengers while battling the Hulk, take on Namor, battle the union of The Mad Thinker, the Awesome Android, the Puppet Master and The X_Men, tangle with the Red Ghost at the Blue Area of the Moon, and encounter Diablo!

The Fantastic 4 ratchets up the pace yet again. The two-parter featuring The Hulk and The Avengers must have been the comic book equivalent of the summer blockbuster in its day. The battle between Namor and Mr. Fantastic was the only time I've ever thought Mr. Fantastic was a bad ass. The X-Men battle was decent but not in the same league as the Hulk or Reed vs. Namor. The Red Ghost encounter was a little better than the team's first encounter with him. The Diablo story was decent but how many mad scientists can the Fantastic Four encounter?

Closing Thoughts: Volume 1 of The Fantastic Four Omnibus laid the groundwork for much of the Marvel Universe. Things really started clicking at the halfway mark and I have to think Kirby had something to do with that. Marvel's First Family's adventures have just begun. I'm looking forward to reading the next omnibus. 4.5 out of 5 stars, adjusted for inflation and the evolution of comic books as a medium.

Daredevil (1963-1998) #43 - Stan Lee,Gen... Fresh from a break-up with Karen Page, Daredevil swings around NYC in a foul mood. After some radium scrambles his brains, he picks a fight with... Captain America?

Back in my pre-pubescent days, I frequently bought comics mail order through Mile High Comics. This was one of the ones I bought based purely on the cover. Daredevil vs. Captain America, one of my favorites. Sold! It was the first Daredevil comic I ever bought after reading an issue of Marvel Team-Up where he teamed with Spidey.

The story was pretty simple. Radium turns Daredevil into a dickhead and he interrupts one of Captain America's fighting demonstrations. The fight rages all over the building like one of those falls count anywhere wrestling matches. Old Horn-head eventually comes to his senses and all is right with the universe.

Gene Colan drew the shit out of this! After experiencing this issue and [b:Captain America (1968-1996) #132|25782628|Captain America (1968-1996) #132|Stan Lee|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435092839s/25782628.jpg|45632432] in rapid succession, I have a new found admiration for Gentleman Gene's art. The fight was pretty dynamic and I'll be digging up more Colan from my back issue bin at home. Four out of five stars, adjusted for the passage of time.