Dark Horse Presents (1986) #155

Dhp155

Another fine issue. The pleasant surprise is the Angel story finally approaches good. Golden and Sniegoski introduce a lot of humor into this installment (completing the story) and it helps a lot. Also, Horton and Lee are mostly drawing supernatural beings and they do it well. The end’s a bit weak, but it’s something to do with the TV show chemistry, which doesn’t work if one’s reading a comic book.

Iron Reich 3000 finishes too. Land includes a page about the history of the fictional future war for those interested… though it’s hard to believe anyone would care. Even though his script is adequate, it doesn’t intrigue. The art from Saiz and Blanco is quite good, with Saiz really getting in some iconic battle panels.

Then there’s another Full Throttle. Jarvis takes over scripting too and writes a fun, quick little story. His art’s good and the story moves well.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #154

Dhp154

Finally… a solidly mediocre issue.

Iron Reich 3000 isn’t bad. Land writes it like an infantry comic set in the future (one has to wonder about Starship Troopers influences) and Saiz and Blanco do a good job with the art. Saiz’s abilities are clear here… but he does draw all his characters like male models. It’s hard to believe they’re grimy soldiers.

The second installment of Full Throttle is better than the first. Sivasubramanian is only confusing when it comes to referring back to that first part, actually. More nice art from Jarvis. It’s a story about robotic gorillas—and a cute little robotic monkey. It’s got to be all right.

The second part of the Angel story is a little bit better than the first, as Golden and Sniegoski complicate the setup a little. Horton and Lee’s artwork of scary forest animals is good, far better than their people.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #153

Dhp153

I think some of these Presents licensed properties stories might be ideal examples of why properties should never be licensed across mediums. This issue’s Angel—and Golden and Sniegoski’s script isn’t even bad—is too short and too slight, even for the concept (one of the Angel cast makes a Blair Witch movie for demons). Horton and Lee’s art could be a lot better too.

The surprise of the issue is The Mask. Gilroy’s script is engaging and entertaining—even though the Mask (as illustrated by Marangon and Emberlin) is the laughing version, Gilroy’s approach is one of terror and foreboding. The two tones don’t match well, but it’s the best story the issue… and in the last few Presents issues, in fact.

Just when I think Armstrong’s art might be getting better on Doc Thunder, he loses his ability to draw the human body proportionately. Once again, it’s awful.

Dark Horse Presents (1986) #101

Dhp101

Wow, has Steve Niles ever been able to write? He has a story in this issue and it’s the worst written police procedural I think I’ve ever read. A hundred issues or no, if Dark Horse was publishing Niles… imagine what made the reject pile. The Paul Lee art on the story is bad, but much better than the writing.

Musgrove’s The Alienator is more bad writing. At least the art is good. Musgrove’s drawing a bunch of ugly stuff, but he does it well. His writing is… well, it’s almost as bad as Niles’s.

There’s some inexplicable Aliens story from Marz too. But Wrightson’s doing the art so it at least looks great.

Pope’s the saving grace—One Trick Rip-Off starts this issue. This first installment sets it up as a heist story. Fantastic art; a great eight pages.

Pekar and Sacco contribute a pointless “human interest” piece.

Dark Horse Presents 101 (September 1995)

There’s some inexplicable Aliens story from Marz too. But Wrightson’s doing the art so it at least looks great.

Pope’s the saving grace—One Trick Rip-Off starts this issue. This first installment sets it up as a heist story. Fantastic art; a great eight pages.

Pekar and Sacco contribute a pointless “human interest” piece.

CREDITS

Aliens, Incubation, Part One; story by Ron Marz; art by Bernie Wrightson; lettering by Sean Konot. Iced; story by Steve Niles; art by Paul Lee; lettering by Konot. The Alienator; story and art by Scott Musgrove. The One Trick Rip-Off, Part One; story and art by Paul Pope; lettering by Michael Neno. A Rose for Greg Selker; story by Harvey Pekar; art by Joe Sacco. Edited by Bob Schreck and Scott Allie.