Category Archives: Uncategorized

90s Comics, 90s Marvel, Uncategorized

Dark Liaisons (part 3 of 4)

Leave a comment

Well, I’m back at last, Unspokenites. I apologize for the long delay in getting to this third part of the story. I blame global warming personally. Okay. That was lame. Would you believe that I barely survived an alien plague? Fine. I was being lazy. Happy now? Geez! You guys are relentless! Anyway, let’s shift the focus from me to the Spirits of Vengeance storyline. This part was originally presented in “Web of Spider-Man” #96. Enjoy!

In the inky depths beneath Manhattan, Spider-Man fought for air! He and the priest were so swarmed with the deadly Deathspawn that it was as if they were drowning in them! Suddenly, using his superior strength, Spidey broke through! Using this freed hand, he triggered one of his web-shooters, shooting a webline onto an overhead pipe. He then pulled himself and the priest to freedom! (I won’t make a “Braveheart” joke here. The Scottish people may thank me by ceasing all haggis cooking. Ugh!) Pulling them both up, Spider-Man spied a crack in the pipe. This gave him a desperate idea. He yanked with all of his might until the pipe burst and water came shooting down over the Deathspawn at an alarming rate! This disoriented them enough for Spidey to slip through another tunnel.

At this moment, Venom was crawling through yet another winding tunnel. Below him, he spied Doppelganger, Demogoblin, and a terrified Hobgoblin. Demogoblin had Hobgoblin pinned to a wall. The demon spoke of how it would tear the taint of it’s own demon blood from the Hobgoblin’s veins, leftover from when he himself had possessed his body! He would then slay every demon until only he was left to transcend to a higher being! (Can I just say here that Demogoblin might just benefit from some help with his metal health issues? Because he’s nuttier than a salted nut-roll!) Hobgoblin begged for the creature to see reason! He begged for his life! Uninterested in this exchange, the Doppelganger turned and spied a quietly approaching Venom! It attacked immediately and the two creatures began to tear one another apart!

Meanwhile, in yet another part of the sewers, Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze were having their own problems with this invasion of Deathspawn creatures. As they battled, Ghost Rider ensnared one of the beasts around it’s throat with his chain! Blaze attempted to end it’s unholy life with his hellfire shotgun, but the Rider had other ideas. He would terrify it with his Penance Stare, making the creature feel all of the pain it had ever caused others by looking into his cold eyes, and then it would be more apt to lead the heroes to the trapped humans. Staring into the frightened monster’s eyes, he began his terrible stare! But the Deathspawn merely exploded! Another plan would have to be conceived. (Umm, yeah! I know you’re only reading this and can’t actually see my shocked face, but damn! That’s definitely one for the books, folks! It felt so bad, it literally blew up! I’m still in shock!)

Just then, Spidey and the priest rounded the corner and almost ran right into Ghost Rider and Blaze as they fought the countless Deathspawn horde! With barely a word spoken between them, the web-slinger threw himself into their fight to help! The captive people were everywhere it seemed, free of their prison, but now in immediate danger! The heroes agreed that they needed to separate the victims from the Deathspawn somehow. Spider-Man instantly formulated a plan. He shot two twin lines of webbing overhead, catching the cracked ceiling over them all. He then instructed Blaze to fire at the largest crack, making it even bigger. Spidey then ordered Ghost Rider to throw his chain into the same area. When it took hold, the two pulled with all of their superhuman might as Blaze continued firing! The effect was that the ceiling collapsed, separating the humans from the deadly Deathspawn attackers by tons of concrete rubble! (Ah, teamwork. Not unlike the X-Men. Well, when Wolverine isn’t slowing things down by trying to get into Jean Grey’s panties. Hairy little pervert.)

While the captives begin their escape, Spider-Man and the others suddenly hear a blood-curdling scream! That’s when Spidey realizes that Hobgoblin is not amongst the other victims! He states that he must rescue the criminal before the Demogoblin has his way with him! Blaze argues that the other people’s lives mean more than Hobgoblin’s. He should leave him to die. Spider-Man looks to the priest. Both agree with a nod. No life is more important than any other. The wall-crawler crawls off to save one of his deadliest foes as the priest says a prayer for him. (Respect goes to Spidey here. I’d not only leave Hobgoblin behind, I’d post pics of his demise of Facebook. I take lots of medication…..)

Just as Demogoblin raises one razor-sharp clawed hand to end Hobgoblin’s life, webbing pins the claw to a wall as a foot connects with the demon’s jaw! The unholy one falls but orders the Doppelganger to protect him while he finishes his grisly work! The near-mindless creature growls and attacks Spider-Man from behind! But a well-placed fist from behind drops the Doppelganger! It’s Venom! Venom won’t allow anyone to kill Spider-Man but himself! That moment is when all hell breaks loose! All present combatants are now beating each other to a pulp! Spidey seizes this chaotic moment to advance upon Demogoblin! He beats the creature within an inch of it’s cursed life until the demon can no longer stand! But before this can go any further, the Deathspawn erupt from beneath Demogoblin and drag him downward with shadowy claws! (It seems as if you can’t even trust Hell’s forces in this day and age! Sheesh!)

Spider-Man reaches down to help the Hobgoblin to his feet. The man all but begs for prison at this point! But Spidey had forgotten all about the murderous Venom! Done with his prey, the many-limbed Doppelganger, he now attacked his true target, Spider-Man! The two had done this dance too many times. So much, that they nearly knew one another’s every fighting technique! But the fight is suddenly interrupted by a chain around Spidey’s symbiotic attacker’s throat! It was of course Ghost Rider! The Spirit of Vengeance demanded that Spider-Man flee with the innocents and make sure they got to safety! Begrudgingly, he does so. An enraged Venom then faces the Rider. This insult would not stand!

To be concluded…..

Dedicated to the memory of my stepfather, Bob Metz. Ten years have passed since the night you left this world behind. And you will be missed by those who loved you for all time. Rest in peace.

90s Marvel, Uncategorized

Dark Liaisons (part 2 of 4)

Leave a comment

Hello, Unspokenites and welcome back to my look back at the “Spirits of Venom” epic! Why is it an epic? Because this storyline literally made me drool as a kid at how amazingly badass it was! So I’m a little biased, sue me. (It’s true about the drool unfortunately. I’ve gone through more copies of these comics from slobber stains than a rent-a-Santa goes through pants due to pee puddles during the holiday season!) Well then, shall we return to our little tale? Let’s! I now bring you the second part of our story as it was originally presented in “Spirits of Vengeance” #5!

Blackness everywhere. Surrounding him. Forcing to pull him under. Johnny Blaze’s head throbs in pain. Must’ve hit it as he dove into the tunnel. As his vision clears, he’s met with a sight that can only be described as a war! Combatants on both sides are tearing into one another as the deadly Deathspawn surround them all! That’s when Blaze notices the priest from earlier! He’s down here too, caught in this chaos! But before the former Ghost Rider can react, the Deathspawn threaten to once again drown him in inky blackness! Only this time, he comes out firing! Hellfire blasts hit in all directions, causing the creatures to flee in fear! Unfortunately, they take the priest, Spider-Man, and others with them as captives! (Johnny Blaze is soooo cool! Long hair, sunglasses, trench coat, and a cigarette hanging lazily from his lips. Add to that the fact that he rides a motorcycle, and I’ve got a total man-crush!)

Ghost Rider demands that they pursue Spider-Man as he has been their ally in the past. Blaze begrudgingly agrees and fires once again into the crowd of Deathspawn! Unfortunately, Venom hears the sound of his web-slinging enemy’s name and rushes after Spidey at the same time! The result is winging the Venom symbiote with a hellfire blast! (Gulp! Venom’s gonna be a bit miffed. Maybe a gift basket with exotic soaps and a Hallmark apology card?) Venom screeches in anguish as it’s alien tendrils flail everywhere! A moment passes and the symbiote once again slithers to re-cover it’s human host. And then, with no warning, he grabs Blaze by the throat and pins him to a tunnel wall! The antihero’s boots dangle while he struggles to breathe! Blaze merely smiles as he presses the hellfire shotgun barrel closer into his attacker’s throat!

After harsh words are said, Venom turns away from Blaze and splashes after the creatures that abducted his arachnid arch-foe! His symbiote uses it’s camouflage ability to turn invisible as Venom presses on through the sewers. That’s when Ghost Rider looks down. The body of his own arch-nemesis, Deathwatch, lies at his feet! The Deathspawn must’ve been planning on resurrecting the villain down here! He places the corpse over his shoulder and listens to the nearest wall. Johnny Blaze questions his skull-faced partner. Suddenly, the Rider punches through the wall, stating that he can hear the cries of the innocent within the hidden chamber beyond! (Anyone else feeling slightly claustrophobic reading this? Yeah. Me neither. I think I’m gonna go pass out for an unrelated reason…..)

Ghost Rider and Blaze continue for a short while into the secret tunnel before the floor opens up into yet another chamber. As the two dark heroes examine this, Deathspawn suddenly spring from the large hole and lunge for Deathwatch’s body! They succeed in dragging it down into the darkness with them! Before the Rider and Blaze have time to think, Venom suddenly becomes visible nearby, knocking both anti-heroes into the dark abyss! Ghost Rider catches Johnny Blaze before he hits bottom and Venom lands next to them. But before the trio can fight further, Venom senses someone beyond this room and swings off to investigate! (Geez! Venom needs to chill out. He’s acting like my equally evil two year old great-niece, Eden! Someone needs to put him over their knee! Okay. Maybe that’s a dangerous idea.)

Thinking that the evil Deathspawn lie in wait within, Venom begins attacking the first solid bodies he finds! Ghost Rider quickly stops him though, forcing him to look at their surroundings. Terrified humans huddle amongst the decaying corpses of their fallen! They are meant to feed the very creatures they seek! That’s when Ghost Rider hears a familiar voice ask for help in the shadows. The three peer into the veil of blackness and see Spider-Man, the priest, and the others pinned to the wall with a sticky substance! As Ghost Rider works on freeing them, the minions of Deathwatch fill the chamber in mass! (Uh-oh! Looks like our heroes could really use a hand here! Where’s Spider-Ham when you need him?)

As Blaze fires into the horde of Deathspawn, opening a path for the humans to escape, Spider-Man swings off to get the priest to safety! That’s when things go from bad to worse as Deathwatch’s body is taken by his servants and drug away! Ghost Rider must now make a hasty decision. Will he follow his enemy’s corpse to stop his impending resurrection, or will he help the rest of the people escape? No contest. Innocent life must be protected. Venom, Johnny Blaze, and Ghost Rider run off to do just that!

To be continued…..

Dedicated to the “evil” great-niece I mentioned earlier, Eden Love Miller. You are truly the light in a sadly dwindling family line. I love you, sweetheart.

Uncategorized

Blood N’ Guts

1 Comment

Thirty years ago, Rob Liefeld’s renegade super-hero team, Brigade, went to war with the undead mercenaries of Bloodstrike in a brutal, bloody, and bone-crunching battle chronicled in a six-part epic called “Blood Brothers”

Every 90’s comic nerd is at least somewhat familiar with Rob Liefeld’s Image Comics launching mega-hit Youngblood.  The team book focusing on a UN sanctioned celebrity super squad was a smash out of the gate and paved the way for Todd McFarlene’s Spawn and Jim Lee’s WildC.A.T.’s, among others.  Liefeld wasn’t content with just one, however, and soon launched a second team book: BRIGADE.

In Brigade, a former Youngblood leader called Battlestone (civilian name: John Stone) had taken it upon himself to recruit a band of misfit super humans in an attempt to mold them into a squad that fit his own view of the war against evil.  It would later be revealed (in Youngblood #0) that Battlestone had actually been relieved of his position in Youngblood after inadvertently killing a member of his team in a confrontation while on a mission.

Rob and his buddy/protégé Marat Mychaels (creator of Blindside, y’all!), put together a solid group of superhumans for Battlestone to lead, including brothers Seahawk (powers of flight, superhuman strength/stamina) and Coldsnap (power to control/manipulate ice).  These two are mega-rich and fund the team.  The squad also features Kayo (human archer/martial artist), Thermal (heat and fire generation/manipulation), Stasis (energy manipulation), and Atlas (size-changing abilities).

The initial Brigade mini-series is fun stuff, if a little bland.  The team takes down some terrorists in issue one, then spends the next three issues battling a powerful alien called Genocide, first on Earth, and eventually on his home planet.  While there, Brigade loses one if its own in Atlas, a Giant-Man type, who get his chest blasted open and dies (interestingly, Atlas actually grows bigger at his death, rather than shrinking down to normal human size).  Mychaels art here is heavily influenced by Rob, and it works perfectly as this is essentially a Youngblood spin-off.

While Brigade was off-planet for awhile, the government was none too happy about their debut and set in motion a plan to get them off the table without bothering the big guns in Youngblood about it.  That’s where Bloodstrike came in. 

“Blood Brothers” didn’t kick off until the regular Brigade series started, but Bloodstrike #1, with it’s now infamous ‘Rub The Blood’ cover gimmick, served as an introduction to that team, as well as a prelude to the crossover.  The issue is fairly standard stuff as the team takes out a rando terrorist cell and we get the scoop on the team members.

Cabbot (a seemingly immortal soldier) leads the team consisting of Tag (ability to freeze enemies with a touch), Fourplay (a four armed bruiser), Shogun (a walking/flying tank), and Deadlock (a savage supervillain?). Cabbot also has access to ROAM, an artificial intelligence/teleportation device.

Penciller Dan Fraga is at his most Liefeld-cloney here (not a complaint!).  It also gave us this image, which I will never forget.

The issue wraps with Cabbot getting word that they are being sent to wipe out Brigade, and it’s revealed that Cabbot and Battlestone ARE BROTHERS!  WHAAAAAA?!  So we know after this, IT IS ON!

The opening to Brigade #1 (pt. 1) informs that the teams journey home on a stolen space craft has lasted three long months.  I’m not sure what they were living off of during that time.  Did they consume Atlas’ giant corpse?  It is left unaddressed.  What is addressed, is the high tension the team is feeling. Battlestone is withdrawn and being, well, kind of an asshole.  When Kayo and Thermal seek a little guidance now that they’ve returned to Earth, Stasis is more or less sickened by the display and tries to storm out.  Then the fun begins.

Holy Schnikes!  Look at Stasis’ cold, dead eyes!  This shit is serious!

From that point it’s several pages of back-and-forth battle and tough guy (or girl) talk.   Before Image, it was not that common to see giant battles that go on for several pages.  Often a few panels here and there is all you got.  Not when Rob Liefeld is charge. Strap in. 

While he might slack in providing detail, Marat Mychaels art is dynamic in the fight sequence.  He’s starting to separate his style from Liefeld and do his own thing, really packing in the panels on some of the pages.  The muted colors give it an ugly sheen, but I kind of dig it.

At one point in the fight, Coldsnap has his “regulation apparatus” damaged and seems to be getting consumed by ice.  Seahawk is also taken down and it quickly becomes clear that Brigade is outmatched.  Battlestone and Thermal recover Coldsnap and Stasis before high tailing it.  Once in the air, Battlestone is back at his blowhard routine answering every query with the equivalent of “Shut up!  I’m the leader!”

Stone takes his fallen teammates to G.A.T.E Industries where a man named Sandler seems to owe him a favor, but then it’s back to recruiting, because Kayo and Seahawk have been captured.

When we shift to Bloodstrike #2 (pt. 2) Dan Fraga is back, and while he’s still got a very Liefeld skew to his pencils, there are hints of early 90’s Jae Lee in there as well.  The inks are heavy and everything is dark as hell.  Whether intentional or not, it’s reflective of the tone.  Despite the balls-out action, the story is dire and depressing in a way. 

Anyway, I’m in on Fraga.  If for no other reason than that damn middle panel is an EXCLAMATION POINT! LOOK AT THAT BEAUTY!

In this chapter Battlestone has the opportunity to give a mysterious figure from his past, Boone, a recruitment pitch.  I’m sorry, but it’s hard to see why anyone would follow this jerk.  Every response to an honest question is just him being a dick.  But hey, it works!

But this is Bloodstrike’s book, so what are they getting into?  Why, another slobber-knocker, of course!  Cabbot sends Fourplay and Shogun after the remains of Brigade, while another mysterious newcomer, Lethal, somehow has access to ROAM and uses it to teleport into Bloodstrike’s base in an attempt to free Seahawk and Kayo.  Deadlock interrupts and the final nine pages (of nineteen) is Lethal in battle with Deadlock and Cabbot.

She holds her own, but quickly realizes a little help is needed and manages to blast open the stasis tube holding Seahawk and Kayo, setting up one of the best match-ups this battle royale has to offer.

There are a ton of 90’s “gimmick covers” out there.  Some really good, some really bad.  Well, Brigade #2 (pt.3) has one of my favorite covers of all time, gimmick or no.  Likely inspired by the famous Incredible Hulk #340 cover, we get a close-up of Seahawk’s face, blood spattered, teeth gritted so hard some of them seem to meld together.  His silver mask, embossed and enhanced by a foil-coating, reflects Cabbot, guns blazing.  They even went the extra mile with the foil on the back cover as well, framing the Deathmate Red advertisement! (This Blood’s For You! is a damn all-timer of a tag-line, btw.)

While theoretically Kayo is also freed from the stasis tube, we don’t see him in action. It’s all Seahawk, baby.  In part 2, ROAM informed Cabbot (and the readers) that during an analysis of Seahawk’s physiology, it was revealed he had a healing factor.  Who didn’t back then, amirite?  But ROAM couldn’t discern where it, or his other powers originated, setting up some “mysterious origins of Seahawk” intrigue for later.  But that wouldn’t matter if he didn’t take care of Cabbot, so how does that go down?  Read on…

Seahawk Vs. Cabbot may register as little more than a blip on the radar of all-time classic comic book battles, but for me, it’s top ten.  Cabbot has a couple teammates watching, but Deadlock makes sure it stays one-on-one.  The combatants toss out the obligatory one-liners, Seahawk with the young underdog verbiage, and Cabbot that of the old warhorse.  Mychaels gives us a fight that makes sense logistically, showing the characters reacting to each other’s moves, and countering appropriately.

But who am I kidding?  It’s the brutality that really gets me going.  And Blood Brothers brings that in spades. 

Dear Lord, he must’ve blown his heart out of his back!  Luckily that old healing factor is working overtime, and his pointy helmet isn’t just to remind people of Wolverine and/or Batman, it can be put to very good use in a scrap as well.

SPLORCH! is the best sound effect I’ve ever seen in a comic book.  It was likely that sound combined with the sight of their leader getting damn near gutted that distracted Tag and Deadlock long enough for Lethal to make her escape with Seahawk.

But if you think that’s the only action to be found in Brigade #2, I’m happy to surprise you.  There is not one page in this book that doesn’t have at least two characters engaging in a fight. Not one.

The rest of Bloodstrike (Shogun & Fourplay) manage to catch up to Brigade at G.A.T.E. International and engage two-on-two with Battlestone and Boone.  I mean, it’s kind of weak compared to that last fight, but we do see Battlestone  getting hacked with a buzzsaw and several holes blasted through his torso, which I feel is pretty sharp.

About this time, the rest of the Bloodstrike crew arrive and things look dire for Brigade… Until Coldsnap shows back up outta nowhere all Ice-Hulked out!  How the hell does that work?!

The cover to Bloodstrike #3 (pt. 4) gives us a great look at Dan Fraga’s obsession with curled tongues, which he puts plenty of detail into throughout the issue. 


Here are four examples of it:

I also appreciate the letterer using @$$ as a substitute for “ass” in that first panel.  I always got a kick out of that and $#!+ when I was a kid.  This book didn’t have a rating or “Approved By The Comics Code” stamp, so I’m not sure why they didn’t just go nuts with the cursing, but the 90’s were a different time, I guess.  Brutal violence is A-OK, but keep the potty mouth and sex stuff to a minimum.

This particular issue probably has the least amount of action in the storyline, with a full five pages devoted to Lethal and Seahawk jabbering about Battlestone’s past and whatnot.  During this exposition, Lethal refuses to tell much of her own story, but gives Seahawk the 411 on Battlestone and Bloodstrike.  The lot of whom are alive and kicking due to their participation in Project: Born Again, a government program that revives dead soldiers.  I’m getting bored, time for some more smashing.

Well, maybe Stasis is gonna be back soon?  It’s a bit odd that Cabbot is so hell bent on “saving” her from Project: Born Again, but he had no issue putting a bullet in her skull with no warning.  Maybe it’s because he’s psychotic.

Brigade 3 (pt. 5) brings us the finale to this ho-down.  Right away Shogun blasts Stasis out of that tube and her lifeless body drops like a rock.  I’m not even sure what to say about it, but something’s up with the way Mychaels draws her butt there.  It’s like he had finished it, and then went back later and beefed it up. 

It’s another free-for-all, with both teams finally at full strength and going toe-to-toe.  But as Shogun points out, it’s really all about those blood brothers.

And boy is Cabbot ready for it.  Mychaels really pumps the ‘roids into him for this panel.

A solid five pages of big, bold panels are devoted to Battlestone and Cabbot trading blows.  I especially appreciate this sequence of Battlestone spotting a knife to swipe and rolling through to brandish it. 

Battlestone eventually gets Cabbot on the ropes, but rather than kill him, gives him the option of a truce.  As long as Bloodstrike stays out of Brigade’s business, Stone will keep what he knows about all the government’s dirty secrets to himself.  Cabbot agrees and the whole mess comes to an abrupt end. 

Seahawk speaks for the reader.

Both leaders give their teams a pep talk as they lick their wounds, warning that while this battle has ended, there is sure to be another conflict in the future. 

There wasn’t.

Brigade certainly took the hardest hits, losing Stasis and having Coldsnap transformed, but they also gained some members and set a new status quo for the future.   Bloodstrike went relatively unscathed, but not for long.

Before signing off, I will leave you with these deliciously demented panels from Bloodstrike’s next conflict.  In issue #5 of their title, they face off with “Old Man Superman” himself, Supreme.  It goes… poorly.