Blue Devil 23 (April 1986)

Blue Devil #3 The issue's all action, which makes up for Alan Kupperberg and Bill Collins's artwork. The proportions are weird, even if Kupperberg's fight choreography and panel composition are generally okay. It's a forced crossover issue, with Blue Devil passing through Pittsburgh so of course he's going to get into the middle of a fight between Firestorm and his foes.

Writers Gary Cohn and Dan Mishkin do a fairly good job for the visiting Firestorm readers. There are maybe three pages of regular Blue Devil stuff going on, all of them compelling and inviting enough to try to get those visitors back for the next issue. There's a big reveal for Blue Devil too and the writers are able to make it palatable to new readers.

It's a fairly neat issue, all told; Firestorm gets almost as much to do as Blue Devil and their protracted conflict makes narrative sense.

It's fine.

CREDITS

Caught in the Firestorm; writers, Gary Cohn and Dan Mishkin; penciller, Alan Kupperberg; inker, Bill Collins; colorist, Michele Wolfman; letterer, Albert DeGuzman; editor, Alan Gold; publisher, DC Comics.

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man 36 (June 1985)

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #36 Whatever magic Kupperberg had been working on the inks is over now. All of a sudden, he’s doing a bad job. The faces in particular. The features aren’t in the right places on faces. It’s an ugly comic, which is a shame because it’s got some great settings and should look amazing.

Worse are the talking heads moments, when Kayanan and Kupperberg are doing the civilian side of things. The figures look tacked on to the backgrounds, then the faces look tacked on too.

It’s a peculiar issue. Conway shows how Ronnie can handle the world on his own–the villains have Firestorm knocked out and they escape, leaving him to recover (why wouldn’t they kill him?). When he does come to, Martin isn’t part of the Firestorm matrix, Ronnie’s flying solo.

Sadly, Conway immediately invalidates the personal growth while apparently dismissing other subplots too.

It’s ugly, messy, but okay.

B-

CREDITS

Slowly I Turned… Niagara Falls!; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Rafael Kayanan; inker, Alan Kupperberg; colorist, Nansi Hoolahan; letterer, Helen Vesik; editors, Janice Race and Conway; publisher, DC Comics.

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man 35 (May 1985)

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #35 Conway doesn’t just address Ronnie and Martin’s partnership as Martin has to move for work, he also makes time to give Ronnie’s father both a personality (or hints of one) and a girlfriend. There’s also intrigue at Martin’s new job. Lots of subplots this issue, including two villains.

The opening cliffhanger resolution, with Firestorm having to escape the new Killer Frost’s trap even figures into the later talking heads scene between Ronnie and Martin. Conway seems to be taking a new look at his characters, a fresh one without as much baggage.

It’s a strange approach, given he’s over thirty issues into the series, but it does work.

Kayanan and Kupperberg’s art has its moments–like the action scenes or the date scene for Ronnie’s dad–but the talking heads sequence doesn’t work out. With too many faces to ink, Kupperberg gets a little lazy.

It’s a thoroughly solid issue.

CREDITS

Winter Frost; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Rafael Kayanan; inker, Alan Kupperberg; colorist, Nansi Hoolahan; letterer, Ben Oda; editors, Janice Race and Conway; publisher, DC Comics.

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man 34 (April 1985)

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #34 The Kupperberg inks continue to give Firestorm all the emotion Conway’s scripts have been lacking. Only this issue has some emotion in the script–Ronnie having a talk with ex-girlfriend Doreen (who he jilted for Firehawk)–and the result, even though Conway cops out for a conclusion, is fantastic. Kayanan’s panel composition and Kupperberg’s details make for a great talking heads scene.

There’s a lot of movement with the subplots too, more than with the action plots. At least for this issue, Conway’s doing something of a shift–the action is spectacular but finite, while the character moments get a lot of space, whether it’s Martin, Ronnie or just the supporting cast.

The art also has a lot of fluidity, whether it’s how the characters talk or how Firestorm handles threats in the action sequences. Kayanan seems to be composing for his inker too, which makes the work better.

B+

CREDITS

The Big Freeze!; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Rafael Kayanan; inker, Alan Kupperberg; colorist, Nansi Hoolahan; letterer, Phil Felix; editors, Janice Race and Conway; publisher, DC Comics.

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man 33 (March 1985)

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #33 Kupperberg sticks around this issue to ink Rafael Kayanan and it’s an interesting result. The figures and composition are still Kayanan’s, but–with a couple exceptions–Kupperberg’s really bringing the personality to the faces. While Conway does do a little character development on Ronnie and Martin, the newly expressive faces are what sell the scenes.

Though, they’re very likable scenes–Ronnie falling asleep studying, bonding with his dad, bonding with Martin–it’s like Conway finally realized giving Ronnie endlessly negative scenes wasn’t helping endear the character.

Conway also establishes a new A plot, B plot, C plot structure; hopefully he’ll keep with it. The A plot has Québécois terrorists threatening New York City. The B plot is the return of Killer Frost, then the regular cast gets a couple C plots. The visual disconnect–the playful inks from Kupperberg–gives Firestorm a much-needed boost of energy. It seems to have reinvigorated Conway as well. For now.

CREDITS

“Burn, Manhattan, Burn!”; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Rafael Kayanan; inker, Alan Kupperberg; colorist, Nansi Hoolahan; letterer, Phil Felix; editors, Janice Race and Conway; publisher, DC Comics.

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man 32 (February 1985)

The Fury of Firestorm, The Nuclear Man #32 It's Firestorm versus an undead foe who's getting into the ethereal mix with Martin and trying to take over control. The Phantom Stranger is on hand to help out. Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier guest write this issue, which feels a lot more supernatural than it turns out to be. The only real supernatural elements–besides a ghost haunting Firestorm–are the strange settings where the possessed Firestorm ends up fighting the Phantom Stranger.

The writing, which is fine and does have more character development than the civilian halves of Firestorm usually get (and by more, I mean a scene as opposed to no scenes), is nothing compared to Alan Kupperberg's art. Kupperberg is rather cartoony and it brings a real energy to the comic. It's a strange story and a straightforward art style wouldn't get the job done.

So Kupperberg's the essential here.

It's silly and long, but not a bad comic.

B-

CREDITS

Ghosts!; writers, Jean-Marc Lofficier and Randy Lofficier; artist, Alan Kupperberg; colorist, Nansi Hoolahan; letterer, Bob Lappan; editors, Janice Race and Gerry Conway; publisher, DC Comics.

The Incredible Hulk (1968) #300

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I don’t think I’ve ever read such an overwritten comic book. Mantlo’s endless expository narration is, no pun intended, incredible. It’s not well-written narration–it does get better after a while, once he’s done introducing guest stars (I’m pretty sure he retcons out Daredevil getting doused in radioactive goo).

The story–if the issue has a story–is the Hulk going nuts and destroying New York City and everyone trying to stop him. It ends with Dr. Strange exiling him to live between worlds… or somewhere along those lines. It’s not an all action issue in the modern sense, since those read in four minutes at the most. With Mantlo’s narration, this issue is a time commitment.

Luckily, there’s Sal Buscema to pull it together. There’s occasional awkwardness in the art, but Buscema’s design–his panel composition–is wondrous. This comic book moves; with that narration, it has to.

The Incredible Hulk 300 (October 1984)

CREDITS

Days of Rage!; writer, Bill Mantlo; penciller, Sal Buscema; inkers, Gerry Talaoc, Alan Kupperberg and Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterers, Jim Novak and Janice Chiang; editors, Jim Massara and Carl Potts; publisher, Marvel Comics.