Category: 1984

West Coast Avengers (1984) #4

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Hall hasn’t made much of an impression during West Coast Avengers but during the climatic battle scene here, he does a great job. He’s got Breeding and Berardi inking him (and this issue has no art hiccups like the previous three) but it’s really about his panel composition. Plus, he’s able to bring real drama to Stern’s scripting of the action sequence.

Otherwise, the issue lacks any distinction. It’s a mediocre superhero book. The Vision shows up again to congratulate the team (he doesn’t call them “Angels” though) and Rhodey reveals himself to be Iron Man II. Stern handles that revelation well. Though, by the end, Iron Man’s off by himself with Tigra paws Wonder Man.

There’s also some funny stuff about Graviton’s molls thinking he’s a lame creep.

Stern comes up with a decent plan for the team to confront him.

Again, it’s fine. Most impressive for Hall’s contribution.

West Coast Avengers (1984) #3

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There’s something weird about Graviton. It’s almost like he’s overcompensating.

This issue focuses mostly on Tigra and Wonder Man (Rhodey gets cast aside). First it’s about their insecurities, then it’s them teaming up with the Shroud to go after the bad guy (who’s secretly working with Graviton).

The splash page has some weak proportions from Hall and Breeding but it clears up fast. Except for Iron Man only showing his teeth through the mouth slot, I imagine in five more issues, the art would start getting good. Too bad there’s only one more issue.

Stern, being a professional superhero writer, is able to work through all the nonsense and expository dialogue and actually make Wonder Man sympathetic during his talk with Tigra. Still, it’s weird how she’s pairing off with him, sort of leaving Rhodey to be a third wheel to the still underrepresented Hawkeye and Mockingbird.

It’s okay stuff.

West Coast Avengers (1984) #2

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Is it possible for Wonder Man to be any more annoying? He spends every moment either bragging about himself or whining. And Stern loves expositional dialogue, so it’s a lot to get through.

My favorite line in the book is from him, though–“Who would be crazy enough to rob a bank in broad daylight?” Either Stern (who’s written a lot of comics and they must have had bank robberies) is out of it or he’s very subtly trying to point out Wonder Man is a complete idiot. Unfortunately, I think it’s the former.

The book opens with the team training, which leads to Rhodey (as Iron Man) and Tigra both having lengthy low self-esteem thoughts in balloons. It’s getting to be a problem, especially since Hawkeye and Mockingbird barely make an impression this issue.

Again, decent enough superhero art from Hall and Breeding. Nothing sensational, nothing too terrible.

West Coast Avengers (1984) #1

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Wow, Stern writes some tone-deaf dialogue. Not all of it, but some… there are some lines in here, it’s like he got out the thesaurus. Though I suppose naturalism wasn’t his goal. He goes overboard with the thought balloons too.

What he does do—which is actually quite neat—is set the issue up a little like an episode of “The Love Boat” and the superheroes are the guest stars. We get a nice introduction to everyone and a little backstory and it all feels very… eighties. But in an okay way.

And the Vision’s guest spot is a little like “Charlie’s Angels.”

The resolution is pretty funny (the issue’s conflict is due to Jessica Drew prying into Tigra’s personal business).

The art, from Hall and Breeding, has a lot of problems. Their people are awkwardly squat.

It’s not any good, but it’s particularly bad.

Though Wonder Man’s goofy.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984, W.D. Richter)

Buckaroo Banzai‘s greatest contribution to cinema–well, if it didn’t get Peter Weller the Robocop role at least–is as a warning against trying to adapt authors like Thomas Pynchon to motion pictures. Banzai goes out of its way–the Pynchon references are well-known, to the point Pynchon even referenced Banzai in a novel (Vineland)–and it’s not hard to imagine the film as a novel being a lot better. If the novelist were good, anyway.

But as a film, it’s mostly an example with what’s… maybe not wrong, but what’s lacking in the medium. Richter and writer Rauch are enthusiastic to a fault and do a good job–unintentionally, I assume, but maybe it’s another joke–making Banzai feel like there’s something else going on… when in truth, there’s not.

The film’s absence of subtext or genuine human conflict doesn’t work with Richter’s otherwise fine direction. Richter painstakingly tries not to let it get absurd, when absurd is about all you can do with a New Wave Doc Savage retread.

The script doesn’t allow for much in the way of performances. Weller’s solid in the lead, but nothing spectacular. Ellen Barkin is wasted as the almost always offscreen love interest, same goes for John Lithgow’s alien Mussolini. Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Lloyd have nothing to do–the film’s only really impressive performance is from Lewis Smith.

Even Clancy Brown disappoints.

I’m curious if they acknowledged they were trying to sell America a science hero–America hates smart guys.

1/4★

CREDITS

Directed by W.D. Richter; written by Earl Mac Rauch; director of photography, Fred J. Koenekamp; edited by George Bowers and Richard Marks; music by Michael Boddicker; production designer, J. Michael Riva; produced by Neil Canton and Richter; released by 20th Century Fox.

Starring Peter Weller (Buckaroo Banzai), John Lithgow (Lord John Whorfin), Ellen Barkin (Penny Priddy), Jeff Goldblum (New Jersey), Christopher Lloyd (John Bigboote), Lewis Smith (Perfect Tommy), Rosalind Cash (John Emdall), Robert Ito (Professor Hikita), Pepe Serna (Reno Nevada), Clancy Brown (Rawhide), William Traylor (General Catburd), Carl Lumbly (John Parker), Vincent Schiavelli (John O’Connor) and Dan Hedaya (John Gomez).

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The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #259

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Lot of Ditko homage on the last pages, even with the filmic–especially for the eighties–pacing of Peter suiting up in the red and blue.

It’s sort of a weak finish to a great issue. Most of the issue–except some ill-advised attention on Hobgoblin (providing the action)–is Mary Jane telling Peter all about her life.

DeFalco does an amazing job with the Mary Jane stuff. It’s this heart-wrenching confession–as Mary Jane assesses herself and her past actions–mixed with Peter’s internal reaction. It might be one of the most touching comics I’ve read about a major property, just because it’s so delicate. It doesn’t even with Peter and Mary Jane heading off to the altar–far from it. DeFalco seems to be aware if he went that route, it’d flush the story’s value.

Frenz does an excellent job (albeit within his abilities) here too.

Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man Annual (1979) #4

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Well, I’ve finally found something Bill Mantlo can write–little old ladies.

This issue is mostly about Aunt May and her mysterious behavior. Turns out her pre-Ben Parker boyfriend is back and sending her love letters and causing these very distracting walks down memory lane. Of course, New York’s in different shape than it used to be, so Peter and Nathan are freaking out. Spidey follows her, things get resolved.

It’s funny how well Mantlo writes May’s stuff, given how he overwrites the rest of the issue (and inexplicably retells Spider-Man’s origin). He doesn’t take any time to make Nathan sympathetic–he seems like a nasty old man–and Peter’s barely present.

The art’s fine, with some nice detail on the thirties New York panels.

Oddly, there’s the implication May never truly loved Ben Parker.

The Black Cat backup is moronic and infantile, though Randall’s art is decent.

Marvel Team-Up (1972) #146

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Oh, those young toughs, how dare they break up a date between Peter Parker and… Jack Monroe (Nomad). Seriously, they’re on a date. They meet in an alley, beat up some threatening toughs, then head to see Rio Bravo together. All while Nomad is supposed to be delivering art to Steve Rogers.

Unfortunately, it’s a star crossed romance, with Taskmasker showing up to train a bunch of gangs to fight superheroes. So Spidey and Nomad have to break it up.

The writing is occasionally weak, but it’s some of the better stuff I’ve read from Burkett. While it’s a complete waste of time, it’s not terrible. Even LaRocque is stronger than usual–it’s mostly action this issue, so no heavy lifting.

There’s some funny forced continuity to the other Spider-Man books here. Peter’s taking a break from the alien costume trying to kill him for his date with Nomad.

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #258

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I knew I liked these eighties Spider-Man issues. It just took DeFalco a while to bring it around (though it could all be the nostalgia talking).

What’s important about this issue isn’t the beginning, which cops out of the previous cliffhanger and then strangely sends Black Cat off to Neverland instead of resolving a new situation with her… but the end.

The majority of the issue is spent getting the black costume tested by Reed Richards and then taken off Spidey. There’s some funny stuff with the Torch–it’s amazing how much better DeFalco does when he’s writing Spider-Man around other superheroes instead of trying to handle his Peter Parker stuff–and a couple nice Ditko homages.

But the ending–Mary Jane shows up to talk to Peter. I didn’t think she would show up… figured DeFalco would draw it out.

He doesn’t and it’s a lovely move.

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #257

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What a cliffhanger! Mary Jane reveals to Peter she knows he’s Spider-Man! All with some weak Ron Frenz faces. I actually liked most of Frenz’s work this issue, when he was doing the action stuff–the fight between Puma and Spider-Man had some nice moves and it worked. But when Peter gets back to Mary Jane for a talking heads scene?

Ick.

Frenz can’t keep the faces constant from panel to panel on the same page.

He seems to get the hair right though, on both of them. I guess hair’s something.

It’s a somewhat boring, contrived issue–with the exception of the long fight scene. Black Cat bitches and moans–in thought balloons–about how common Peter Parker lives. She’s such an unsympathetic character. They should have killed her off at this point. Mary Jane shows up to annoy Peter, then reveals the secret.

Still, not atrocious.