Dark Horse Presents (1986) #103

I want to take back all the nice things I said about Shaw’s Alan Bland. This installment is annoying and idiotic–Shaw has so many sight gags, he eventually runs out of space on the page. And the script thinks old hippies (who look more beatnik) are hilarious. It’s atrocious.

Pope’s got second slot, which is nice… makes the issue more digestible. One-Trick continues, with Pope complicating the heist aspect of the narrative. It’s such a delicate mix, overall, between genre and tone. Lots of concentration on race and culture here.

Musgrove and Chamberlin contribute The Pink Tornado. No surprise from Musgrove, it’s decently illustrated and terribly written. Presents‘s emphasis on cartoonists continues to fail.

It has to be bad (besides the Pope) because Niles’s mystery is actually the second best story in the comic. There’s less bad dialogue, only because there’s less dialogue, and the mystery’s mildly interesting.

Dark Horse Presents 105 (January 1996)

Dark Horse had a misprint this issue. A couple pages were out of sequence on Niles’s Cal McDonald. Well, that misprint in addition to continuing Shaw’s Alan Brand and Musgrove and Chamberlin’s Pink Tornado.

What’s funniest about Shaw this issue is how lazy he gets. Lots and lots of white space here. Alan Brand started out interesting and then got idiotic very quickly. As it did, Shaw’s art got lazier and lazier.

As for Pink Tornado, the art’s a bit better this issue. Musgrove and Chamberlin have problems with eyes. They also, again, write poorly. It’s amazing someone at Dark Horse thought this material constituted quality. Given the subject matter (a fetus as a superhero), maybe they were just trying to get press.

Niles’s story ends. It’s bad, but fine.

This installment of One Trick finds Pope plotting a very European twist. The cliffhanger’s sort of confusing, but excellent overall.

CREDITS

Cal McDonald, Hairball, Part Four; story by Steve Niles; pencils by Casey Jones; inks by Bruce Patterson; lettering by Sean Konot. Alan Bland, That’s Mr. Painter to You, Part Four; script and art by Stan Shaw. The One Trick Rip-Off, Part Five; story and art by Paul Pope; lettering by Michael Neno. The Pink Tornado, Part Three; story and art by Scott Musgrove and Darick Chamberlin; lettering by Konot. Edited by Bob Schreck and Scott Allie.

Dark Horse Presents 104 (December 1995)

Musgove and Chamberlin have a Helen Keller joke in this installment of The Pink Tornado, presumably because they thought it makes them edgy. They’re really just incredibly stupid and rather terrible writers. Their dialogue’s endless and their art’s bad.

As for Niles’s Cal McDonald, it’s fine. I mean, it’s bad, but it’s Jones’s fault. Niles writes an action story and Jones isn’t capable of illustrating an action sequence. It’s maybe the best thing I’ve ever read with Niles’s name on it, as he doesn’t profusely narrate the action sequence.

Shaw’s Alan Bland is, again, weak.

But then there’s Pope and The One Trick Rip-Off. Pope injects magical realism into his urban gang story here. While Pope’s art does lend itself towards the fantastic, his story is set–until this installment–in reality. It’s an odd development, one he handles beautifully.

Oh, and another harmless Pekar and Sacco one pager.

CREDITS

The Pink Tornado, Part Two; story and art by Scott Musgrove and Darick Chamberlin; lettering by Sean Konot. Cal McDonald, Hairball, Part Three; story by Steve Niles; pencils by Casey Jones; inks by Bruce Patterson; lettering by Konot. Alan Bland, That’s Mr. Painter to You, Part Three; script and art by Stan Shaw. The One Trick Rip-Off, Part Four; story and art by Paul Pope; lettering by Michael Neno. Felipe Alfau; story by Harvey Pekar; art by Joe Sacco. Edited by Bob Schreck and Scott Allie.

Dark Horse Presents 103 (November 1995)

Musgrove and Chamberlin contribute The Pink Tornado. No surprise from Musgrove, it’s decently illustrated and terribly written. Presents‘s emphasis on cartoonists continues to fail.

CREDITS

Alan Bland, That’s Mr. Painter to You, Part Two; script and art by Stan Shaw. The One Trick Rip-Off, Part Three; story and art by Paul Pope; lettering by Michael Neno. The God Trilogy (excerpt); pencils by Jack Kirby; inks by Mike Royer. The Pink Tornado, Part One; story and art by Scott Musgrove and Darick Chamberlin; lettering by Sean Konot. Cal McDonald, Hairball, Part Two; story by Steve Niles; pencils by Casey Jones; inks by Bruce Patterson; lettering by Konot. Edited by Bob Schreck and Scott Allie.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #102

Shockingly, the Niles story story this issue–one of his Cal McDonald ones–is mildly inoffensive. It’s poorly written detective narration, but at least he’s work in a recognized genre (badly written detective narration). It’s stupid and Casey Jones’s art isn’t any good… but it’s not intolerable.

Oh, the Marz and Wrightson Aliens story ends this issue too. It’s not as predictable as I thought it was going to be, but it’s still pointless. Maybe it’s setup for a series or something.

Shaw’s Alan Bland, about a floundering painter, is all right. Shaw’s art isn’t quite finished enough for the cartoon look, which he seems to be going for. He’s too busy with lines. But it’s not bad.

Pekar and Sacco contribute another page–this time so Pekar can tell jazz enthusiasts to check out Sun Ra. Thanks Harvey.

The issue ends with a sublime Pope installment. It’s just lovely.

Dark Horse Presents 102 (October 1995)

Oh, the Marz and Wrightson Aliens story ends this issue too. It’s not as predictable as I thought it was going to be, but it’s still pointless. Maybe it’s setup for a series or something.

Pekar and Sacco contribute another page–this time so Pekar can tell jazz enthusiasts to check out Sun Ra. Thanks Harvey.

The issue ends with a sublime Pope installment. It’s just lovely.

CREDITS

Aliens, Incubation, Part Two; story by Ron Marz; art by Bernie Wrightson; lettering by Sean Konot. Alan Bland, That’s Mr. Painter to You, Part One; script and art by Stan Shaw. Sun Ra; story by Harvey Pekar; art by Joe Sacco. Cal McDonald, Hairball, Part One; story by Steve Niles; pencils by Casey Jones; inks by Bruce Patterson; lettering by Konot. The One Trick Rip-Off, Part Two; story and art by Paul Pope; lettering by Michael Neno. Edited by Bob Schreck and Scott Allie.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #100-3

The Concrete story goes on forever, but it’s actually pretty funny how it turns out. Not funny enough to laugh at, but Chadwick definitely comes up with something amusing. Oh, I’ll just spoil it–a mom and son pull a long con on Concrete for something he did back in his first appearance. Decent art, nothing spectacular. Concrete’s just such a miserable character, he’s hard to read sometimes.

Pekar and Sacco have a little story. I still don’t get the appeal. It’s too affected to be real life, so….

Brunetti does a page of funnies, some of which I’ve read. They’re still awesome.

The strangest entry is from Savage, Waskey and Patterson. Waskey and Patterson illustrate an anecdote from Savage about being gay. It’s decent enough, but the art should have been better, more able to adapt an anecdote to comics.

Kelso’s got a socially conscious, depressing piece about homelessness.

Dark Horse Presents 100 3 (August 1995)

Pekar and Sacco have a little story. I still don’t get the appeal. It’s too affected to be real life, so….

Brunetti does a page of funnies, some of which I’ve read. They’re still awesome.

Kelso’s got a socially conscious, depressing piece about homelessness.

CREDITS

Concrete, The Artistic Impulse; story and art by Paul Chadwick; lettering by Bill Spicer. Breakfast at Billy’s; story by Harvey Pekar; art and lettering by Joe Sacco. The Funnies; story, art and lettering by Ivan Brunetti. Faggot Story; story by Dan Savage; art by Jason Waskey and Bruce Patterson; lettering by Sean Konot. Whistle and Queenie; story, art and lettering by Megan Kelso. Edited by Bob Schreck and Scott Allie.

Detective Comics (1937) #518

It’s decent, underwhelming issue.

In the feature, Batman recovers from his vampire attack–and it’s apparently forgotten Dick was a vampire for a while (he’s fully recovered here, with the explanation being he was hypnotized not converted)–and then gets into a big fight with Deadshot, teaming up with the Human Target posing as Bruce Wayne.

The issues long subplot about Vicki Vale and the Bruce Wayne is Batman photos is resolved and everything is just hunky dory at the end… except the possible suggestion the priest who helped Batman fight the vampires is bad.

Oh, and Dick and Alfred act like sitcom morons. Thank goodness Batman recovers fast.

The Bruce Patterson inks make Newton look like (a better) Jim Aparo. It’s clean, solid superhero art but it’s missing the Newton feel.

The Batgirl backup is overwritten; Randall loves her some wordy exposition. The art is too design oriented; way too static.

Detective Comics 518 (September 1982)

It’s decent, underwhelming issue.

Oh, and Dick and Alfred act like sitcom morons. Thank goodness Batman recovers fast.

The Bruce Patterson inks make Newton look like (a better) Jim Aparo. It’s clean, solid superhero art but it’s missing the Newton feel.

The Batgirl backup is overwritten; Randall loves her some wordy exposition. The art is too design oriented; way too static.

CREDITS

The Millionaire Contract; writers, Gerry Conway and Paul Levitz; penciller, Gene Colan; inker, Bruce Patterson; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. He with Secrets Fears the Sound…; writer, Barbara J. Randall; artist, Trevor von Eeden; colorist, Jerry Serpe; letterer, Milt Snapinn. Editor, Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.