The Mighty Thor #445 - Marvel Comics

THE MIGHTY THOR No. 445, March 1992

For those Thunder God fans not following the New York City-based publisher’s “Operation: Galactic Storm” multi-title event, Tom DeFalco’s opening to Issue Four Hundred and Forty Five of “The Mighty Thor” probably brought them bang up to speed with past incidents, courtesy of some fast-paced dialogue and a momentary “spacequake!” Indeed, the American author sets out this twenty-two page periodical’s stall rather nicely, and soon throws his audience into a truly titanic tussle between two of the Avengers’ strongest members and a disagreeably arrogant Gladiator; “For the safety and security of my people, I cannot suffer this interloper to live!”

One of this comic’s biggest draws however, is arguably the uncertainty surrounding Eric Masterson’s place within the supergroup’s roster, and his lack of belief at successfully wielding Mjolnir. This internal struggle really lies at the very heart of “The War And The Warrior!” by depicting Ron Frenz’s co-creation as battling both his own inner doubts and demons, as well as the formidable superhuman strength of the Shi'ar Empire’s egotistical Praetor of the Imperial Guard.

Likewise, there’s arguably a fair amount of satisfaction to be had in this book’s later stages by witnessing the utterly insufferable Kallark getting his clock well and truly cleaned by the titular character. Admittedly, some bibliophiles may well point out that the extra-terrestrial probably didn’t deserve the death which the new Thunder God momentarily had in mind for him - having allowed his towering rage to blind him from sound reasoning. But the Gladiator definitely deserves a good beating bearing in mind he completely refuses to listen to a surprisingly reasonable Wonder Man in the first instance, and then goes on to covertly conclude that Masterson must be executed immediately due to the human having too much power for the extra-terrestrial’s grand civilisation to permit.

Undeniably imbuing all this pulse-pounding pugilism with plenty of “KRAK!”, “TWAKK!” and “SPWATT!” are Patrick Olliffe’s pencils and Al Milgrom’s inks. Together, the duo make every punch thrown and hammer-blow landed reverberate within the readers’ minds, and help sell the notion that this tale features some seriously sturdy powerhouses trading shots with one another which would easily flatten an ordinary hero within mere moments.

Story: Tom DeFalco, Pencils: Patrick Olliffe, and Inks: Al Milgrom

The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman #6 - DC Comics

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN No. 6, September 2018

Described by “DC Comics” in their pre-publication publicity as supposedly featuring “an epic battle for Tir Na Nog” in which “both Fomorian and Dé Denann creatures are spilling into our own realm”, Liam Sharp’s actual finale to this six-issue mini-series probably left its audience feeling badly let-down, if not entirely mislead. For whilst the Derby-born writer’s concluding instalment to “The Brave And The Bold: Batman And Wonder Woman” does feature certain elements of King Elatha’s fight against the forces of his tyrannical brother, it does so in arguably the most cursory of manners, and definitely fails to deliver any lasting satisfaction with its “End Of Book One” conclusion.

Indeed, in many ways the narrative for this twenty-two page periodical seems to be far more concerned with raising more questions for an evident sequel publication than it does answering, or at least eloquently exploring, any of the issues its previous chapters created. For example, having been a mainstay of the central cast for this storyline’s entirety the formidable-looking Captain Furf is disrespectfully dispatched ‘off-screen’, presumably during some great pitched conflict, and is subsequently given just the simplest of death scenes in the presence of his mournful king. Likewise, Gotham City’s invasion by Balor’s armies would surely have made for a short-lived series in its own right, and yet the “co-founder/CCO of Madefire Inc” squanders such an opportunity courtesy of a double splash which straightforwardly depicts the Batplane dousing the orcish trespassers with sleeping gas so Commissioner Gordon can simply “send your men in now.”

Perhaps this comic’s biggest disappointment however, is in Elatha’s highly-anticipated confrontation with Balor Evil-Eye, which initially looks set to simply be a portrayal of the king impotently being roasted alive by his all-powerful sibling. Considering that Ethné’s husband was somewhat cognisant as to what his foe was capable off, it seems utterly ludicrous that such a powerful ruler would simply stand still in front of so lethal an attack, especially when the quickly badly burnt leader doesn’t even bother to carry a shield with him..?

Of course, such a ludicrous lapse in judgement does provide Sharp with the opening to have Wonder Woman literally come out of nowhere to smack the God of Blight and Droughts squarely in his laser-beam eye and resultantly save the day. But such a contrivance seems to have been lazily orchestrated just so the Princess of Themyscria had something to do besides bewail Cernunnos’ shocking death at the hands of an unknown spearman, as well as allow Balor to escape justice and rather mercenarily set-up a follow-up publication…

Writer/Artist: Kevin Sharp, and Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

West Coast Avengers #4 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 4, December 1984

Having initially started with Jim Rhodes ‘shellshocking’ his teammates by revealing that he’s replaced Tony Stark as Iron Man, Roger Stern’s script to Issue Four of “West Coast Avengers” subsequently transforms itself into an all-out action fest which not only sees the super-group rescue a truly waterlogged Wonder Man from the clutches of the formidably powerful Graviton. But also hand Franklin Hall a considerable ‘smackdown’ in the process. Indeed the Wackos' victory over “the Master of Gravity” is so compellingly conclusive that few readers must have shown surprise at the Vision’s ringing endorsement of the “…progress… made in just the first few weeks since the founding of our Western Division!”

However that doesn’t simply mean that the co-creator of the Hobgoblin has the heroes wade into the villain’s Santa Monica Retreat and just start throwing punches or firing repulsor rays. Instead the Noblesville-born writer pens a genuinely engaging plot packed full of intrigue and guile, as well as occasional bursts of raw power, that sees a fast-maturing Hawkeye using his brains as opposed to his team’s brawn in order to get the job done. In fact, up until the sudden appearance of the golden Avenger halfway through the twenty-three page periodical, it doesn’t appear as if the master archer's team have even yet arrived at the Canadian physicist’s lair. Let alone infiltrated it by disguising themselves as a barmaid, Maggia henchman and Madame Masque…

Such a well-devised cleverly-executed scheme really helps draw in the reader, and even provides a few stand-out moments such as an overconfident “amateur Iron Man” directly tapping into “the entire south-western power grid” and Tigra viciously slapping a moustached Clint Barton around the face when he momentarily gapes at the submerged ‘cadaver’ of Simon Williams in full view of Graviton; “Louis! What is the matter with you?! You’ve killed dozens of men! How dare you weaken at the sight of one corpse!” Is it any wonder that a year later in 1985, “Marvel Comics Group” launched a “second ongoing Avengers series” based upon the self-same line-up?

Bob Hall’s breakdowns are also nicely rendered throughout the majority of “Finale”. Finished by Brett Breeding and Peter Berardi, the American artist manages to pencil some incredibly expressive close-ups of the main cast, most notably Hawkeye, as well as draw some awesomely dynamic set-pieces like Wonder Man literally tearing down Hall’s lavish retreat just before “Phase Three” of the West Coast Avengers' plan takes effect.

Writer: Roger Stern, Breakdowns: Bob Hall, and Finishers: Brett Breeding & Peter Berardi

West Coast Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 3, November 1984

Fans of Wonder Man were probably in two minds about Roger Stern’s handling of the Ionic-energy empowered superhero in this penultimate issue of the “West Coast Avengers” Limited Series. For whilst Simon Williams is shown ruggedly clearing the Santa Monica Freeway of unseasonal snow at the start of the comic, and later provides an enjoyable plotted history of his origin, Don Heck’s co-creation is for the most-part depicted as little more than a sullen, brooding super-hero who is rather worryingly solely preoccupied with his public image and the perceived battering it has taken following “that Blank… getting away… a couple of weeks ago.”

Admittedly such a flawed personality trait as hubris does make “the son of rich industrialist Sandford Williams” a far more compelling character, especially when he quite touchingly confides in fellow ‘Wacko’ Tigra that he doesn’t feel much of an Avenger having let the force field generator-powered felon escape his custody. But any reader’s sympathy to his confidence-lacking plight is then soon dispelled by the Noblesville-born writer dressing him up with the most absurd-looking curly blond wig and shades imaginable, just so the ‘experienced stuntman’ isn’t recognisable when escorting the Shroud on a visit to “what was once the home of one “Lucky Man” Galeno…”

Fortunately the narrative to “Taking Care of Business!” also spends a considerable time focussing upon former gravity researcher Franklin Hall and his return from being “exiled to the interdimensional void” by Thor. Able to manipulate “the subatomic particles that carry the force of gravitational attraction”, Graviton proves as formidable a foe for Wonder Man, Maximillian Coleridge and Greer Nelson in this comic’s later stages as he is mentally deranged. Indeed the supervillain’s spiteful toying of Clyde, the man whose charging field actually helped rescue the Canadian physicist from his “state of suspended animation” shows a decidedly nasty streak to a criminal clearly capable of taking on “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”; “There is no room in my organisation for whiners, Blank!”

Equally as engrossing as Graviton’s determination to “organize California’s criminal element!” is Bob Hall’s wonderful artwork for a twenty-three page periodical that is rather dialogue-heavy in parts. In fact the University of Nebraska-Lincoln attendee’s drawings of the Shorud repeatedly stepping from out of his Darkforce is arguably worth the cost of this comic’s cover price alone, even if the ‘Master of Darkness’ is accompanied by a ludicrous-looking Williams.

Writer: Roger Stern, Penciler: Bob Hall, and Inker: Brett Breeding

West Coast Avengers #2 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 2, October 1984

Featuring the debut of Roger Stern and Bob Hall’s creation The Blank, Issue Two of “West Coast Avengers” disappointingly pits the ‘fledgling’ super-group’s rather formidable roster up against one of the New York publisher’s most uninspiring and frankly third-rate villains ever. Indeed, if the “unemployed drifter” hadn’t conveniently encountered a Stark International Research scientist whilst waiting for a bus and subsequently stolen the inventor’s force field generator, then the Wackos really would spend the entire length of this comic book battling nothing more than an ordinary, powerless, criminally-minded “disgruntled” nobody.

Presumably however, such a forgettable foe was actually devised in order to allow the American author to spend a considerable portion of this twenty-three page periodical concentrating upon the doubts and fears of this “expansion of the main Avengers team”. Something the Noblesville-born novelist does to a disconcerting depth as practically every single one of the super-heroes featured within the narrative inwardly demonstrates some considerable team angst; “I’m not anywhere near being in his league… Why did I let Hawkeye talk me into joining his new Avengers team?”

Foremost of these doubting Thomas’ is arguably Wonder Man, the son of a rich industrialist who is clearly not half as confident with his “personal performance” as his self-assured Simon ‘stunt man’ Williams alter ego would suggest. In fact having demonstrated his inability to “handle one gimmicky bank robber by myself” the angry “ionic” powerhouse becomes worryingly obsessed with “nabbing” the Blank by himself just to prove ‘what good he is to the Avengers’.

Equally as image-driven, and quite possibly power-mad as well, is Jim Rhodes’ Iron Man. Concerned that Hawkeye’s gruelling daily workout showed him up and that he may be trading “on another man’s rep” since replacing Tony Stark “inside this metal suit”, the armoured “amateur” admits to revelling in the power bestowed upon him because it “felt good… read good!”

Fortunately this magazine does feature some incredibly lively action-packed artwork by Bob Hall. Admittedly the one-time “Charlton Comics” inker isn’t as consistent with his illustrations as some readers may have hoped for, particularly when sketching the Blank’s origin flashback. But the former “Marvel Comics” editor’s drawings of Iron Man, Tigra, Mockingbird and Hawkeye during the Wackos ‘mock’ battle against “Shellhead” prove to be an incredibly dynamically-charged way to start an otherwise rather run-of-the-mill story.

Writer: Roger Stern, Penciler: Bob Hall, and Inker: Brett Breeding

West Coast Avengers #1 - Marvel Comics

WEST COAST AVENGERS No. 1, September 1984

Whilst Roger Stern’s somewhat pedestrian-paced script for Issue One of the “West Coast Avengers” limited series is nowhere near as frustratingly tedious a read as Stan Lee’s Silver Age story “The Old Order Changeth!” There is, perhaps understandably, a number of similarities between this “bold new chapter in the annals of Earth’s mightiest heroes” and the May 1965 “spectacular special issue” of “The Avengers” which heralded “the start of a great new Avengers line-up!”

In fact the narratives for “Avengers Assemble!” and its thirty year old predecessor are in some ways upsettingly undistinguishable from one another with both featuring a new team leader pulling together a fresh collection of hesitant, nervous and somewhat unproven super-heroes, and then housing them within an expensively lavish state-of-the-art compound. The Noblesville-born writer even goes so far as to include several ominous nods to the one-time publishing President’s original storyline by having 'his' Hawkeye once again refer to the Super-soldier serum enhanced Captain America as an Avenger who doesn’t have “any amazing powers” and then offer a perceived super-villain, in this case the anti-hero Maximillian Quincy, a place on the “Wackos” having been impressed with the Shoud’s skill in penetrating their Los Angeles-based estate's defences; “Besides, what you did reminds me a little of how I introduced myself to the Avengers -- I broke in too!”

Putting aside such potential plagiarism of a “classic Avengers” comic however, Stern’s twenty-three page periodical also proves to be something of an inauspicious experience due to its failure to live up to its initial concept’s promise. Bob Hall and Brett Breeding’s cover art genuinely gives the impression that this ‘new’ title could really be something innovatively different, and even suggests that diverse characters such as Rom the Space Knight, the diminutive acrobat Puck and “genius psychiatrist” Doc Samson may be permanent cast members. Disappointingly though, with the exception of Mockingbird, the American author instead simply regurgitates a number of arguably failed former “New York team” associates, and even portrays a couple of these “out of my league[rs]” as being somewhat displeased when awarded a “spot” on the line-up. Indeed Tigra is actually paid $1,000 by the Vision just to catch “the next shuttle flight” to California and “help the [West Coast] Avengers out.”

Fortunately Hall’s precise and detailed pencilling goes a long way to help make amends for the graphic novelist’s uninspiring storytelling. With the former “Charlton Comics” inker’s depictions of an overly enthusiastic, somewhat pushy Hawkeye and self-doubting "Jimmy Rhodes" Iron Man, resplendent in his shiny red and gold armour, looking as good as any bibliophile could ask for.

Writer: Roger Stern, Penciler: Bob Hall, and Inker: Brett Breeding