Dark Horse Presents 10 (September 1987)

This issue Concrete gets into a fight with a bear and nearly loses. In some ways, since Chadwick isn’t going for the saccharine, it works better than any other Concrete story so far. Except it’s basically a reluctant superhero story, so it’s not the traditional Concrete story.

Again, somewhat weak art from Chadwick.

It’s hard to judge Badger’s art on The Mask (spelled Masque here) since it’s supposed to be nuts. The story is only somewhat successful, since nothing happens. It’s an action scene where the bad guys we just met get killed. I guess it’s interesting the bad guys are federal agents, but not really.

The last story, from Stradley and Salmons, is a space alien marooned story. Salmons must like those. The art is, as usual for Salmons, a little too confusing to effectively tell the story. It’s decent enough, but far from spectacular–it’s way too slight.

CREDITS

Concrete, Straight in the Eye; writer and artist, Paul Chadwick; letterer, Bill Spicer. The Mask; writer and artist, Mark Badger; letterer, Tim Harkins. Soul Survivors; writer, Randy Stradley; artist, Tony Salmons; letterer, David Jackson. Editor, Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #7

I never thought I’d miss Concrete so much.

I guess Tony Salmons’s Monq is the best thing this issue. It’s a really dumb environment story, but the art’s interesting if not competent. Some of the writing is really bad, especially the conclusion, which literalizes the otherwise existential story.

Mattsson writes two crappy stories this issue.

First is The Vitruvian Man, with Mark Badger art. There are a couple good panels and it’s decent overall. Shame the story turns out to be some kind of xenophobic rambling. It’s easily one of the worst scripts I’ve read so far in Dark Horse Presents, just because it’s lazy. No effort at all. The other bad writing at least has integrity.

Doc Abtruse closes the issue. It’s probably a little better written than Vitruvian Man, but Mattsson’s still weak. The strip seems to be included to waste the reader’s time, which it certainly does.

Dark Horse Presents 8 (June 1987)

I can’t believe I missed Concrete–well, actually, I can, given Vitruvian Man is in here, but I can’t believe I was “looking forward” to it. This issue’s story is… it’s hard to describe. Chadwick’s writing is kind of like if you took “Seinfeld” and made the characters care about other people’s feelings. This time, Concrete mouths off to some crappy little kids then gets so upset he has to apologize. Big whoop.

Chadwick’s art’s a little lazy here, so there’s not even that benefit.

Vitruvian Man is about an annoying jerk becoming superhuman. It’s of some note because the protagonist’s sister is deaf and Mattsson’s trying to convey that detail without ever specifically saying it. It’s lame, but it moves and the artwork from Badger and Nichols isn’t bad.

Roma, on the other hand, is lame and doesn’t move. Workman’s hit a wall on his Love and Rockets “homage.”

CREDITS

Concrete, Water God; writer and artist, Paul Chadwick; letterer, Bill Spicer. Gene Shock: The Vitruvian Man, Growth; writer, Steve Mattsson; artists, Mark Badger and Art Nichols; letterer, David Jackson. Roma; writer, artist and letterer, John Workman. Editor, Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Dark Horse Presents 7 (May 1987)

I never thought I’d miss Concrete so much.

Mattsson writes two crappy stories this issue.

CREDITS

Monq, Message From Earth; writer and artist, Tony Salmons; letterer, Bill Spicer. Gene Shock: The Vitruvian Man, The Coming; writer, Steve Mattsson; artists, Mark Badger and Art Nichols; letterer, David Jackson. Doc Abstruse, Explains Infinity (More or Less); writers, Steve Mattsson and Jim Bradrick; artist, Bradrick; letterer, David Jackson. Editor, Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #2

Wow, does Chadwick ever try hard to be cute. His Concrete story this issue is a completely useless, inconsequential diversion… Maybe I’m missing the point. Maybe it’s supposed to be charming, but it just seems like he wastes a lot of energy. The art’s okay, Concrete being a really boring looking character but the desert setting is fine.

I certainly wish Chadwick was on Mindwalk, just because Emberlin is so weak. He’s got the occasionally well-designed panel, but the art tends to be broad or ugly. The broad stuff is fine, it just doesn’t look like he put in work. The ugly stuff… well, he put in work to no good effect. The script’s goofy in an annoying way.

Thankfully, DeMatteis and Badger’s Hellwalk, Inc. is fantastic. It’s this romantically involved detective couple who handle occult cases. DeMatteis grounds it in depressing and hopeful reality. A very nice closer.

Dark Horse Presents 2 (September 1986)

CREDITS

Concrete, Under the Desert Stars; writer and artist, Paul Chadwick; letterer, Bill Spicer. Mindwalk, Crystal Vision; writer, Randy Stradley; art by Randy Emberlin; letterer, John Workman. Hellwalk, Inc., Cortege; writer, J.M. DeMatteis; artist and letterer, Mark Badger. Editor, Randy Stradley; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

Doctor Strange (1974) #74

What can make the Beyonder whole? Why, sitting through a partial retelling of Dr. Strange’s origin, of course!

Every once and a while I’ll come across a comic where I’m completely unfamiliar–so far as I know–with the creative team. I’ve never heard of Peter B. Gillis, though maybe I’ve heard of Mark Badger, but certainly not in terms of mainstream work (maybe something at Dark Horse?).

I’ve never really read Dr. Strange so I don’t know if this issue, which opens after him helping free some kingdom in another dimension, is the norm. Strange talks a lot, uses a lot of mystical sounding proper nouns–all of them with threes, note, this of that, that of this–while remaining upbeat about the human condition, if acknowledging its problems.

This issue didn’t really make an impression.

Badger’s somewhat okay. He’s kind of safely indie, still mainstream enough for Marvel.