90s Comics, 90s Marvel, Uncategorized

Worthy of the Webs (part 1 of 4)

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I came across the original Scarlet Spider completely by accident. As many of you Unspokenites already know, I’m a Marvel symbiote nut! And the grandaddy of the symbiote family is of course Venom. This means that every time Venom appears in or just walks by (Hell, every time he passes gas!) in a 90’s comic book, chances are I have the issue. That’s why I originally picked up “Web of Spider-Man” #118. The cover boasted a Venom appearance within. But as I first read my copy, I became more and more enthralled by the new character appearing inside those pages. That’s the beginning of my love for the Scarlet Spider character. Like I said, completely by accident.

Ben Reilly was a man torn between responsibility and a desperate desire to escape. You see, Ben wasn’t technically a man at all. No. He was a clone. He was created by a madman, known as the Jackal, to be a perfect duplicate of Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man! It had taken him quite some time come to terms with that fact. Now the question was what to do next? First, he had to get out of New York City. This was Peter’s home after all and Ben needed to let him live his life without complicating his already-complicated existence. So, first a stop at the Museum of Natural History to clear his head. Ben found himself drawn to the spider exhibit. (No surprise there. Maybe he was looking for a date amongst the creepy crawlies? What? A man can’t have a specific taste?) The museum security walked over moments later and warned Ben that the museum would soon be closing. Nodding, the clone lowered the rim of his cap to somewhat hide his features and headed towards the exit.

But before he left, he spied something in a storefront window that seemed to call to him. It was a blue hooded sweatshirt that had a large, black spider printed on the chest. As he stared at it, he was suddenly interrupted by shouting nearby. Looking, he spied a frantic man pointing a gun into the face of a terrified clerk at the food court as another man played the part of lookout! Instinctively, Ben Reilly began to move towards the danger! But he halted as the police entered the shop and handled the threat with ease! (Weird! Cops actually did something productive in a comic book! Have we entered Bizarro World here, Unspokenites? No! Cuz thats a DC Comics thing, stupid-heads!) This scene got Ben to thinking. What if the police hadn’t been able to handle this situation? Could he have just stood idly by? Uncle Ben’s words came back to him as he once again stared up at the sweatshirt, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Elsewhere in the city, Venom swung high above the streets, deep in thought. They hated this city. It reminded Eddie Brock and his alien “other” of past mistakes and of personal pain. But they had discovered that Carnage had recently caused some problems at the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane and Venom decided that that was enough. They had to end the threat of their psychotic offspring once and for all! (Ugh! I hope Carnage isn’t in this story! I mean, don’t get me wrong. He’s an awesome villain. He’s just so overdone. Sorry. The nerd inside of me just felt extra catty…..meow.) Now, they searched for something to take their frustrations out on. A high-speed chase on the city streets below was just the thing they needed. Venom dropped straight onto the vehicle’s hood with a tremendous crash and punched through the glass! They turned the car’s steering wheel forcefully to send the car off of a bridge! Police arrived and fired at the symbiotic vigilante! They ignored the bullets that hit them as the symbiote simply spat the shells out! They then swung away.

Meanwhile, Ben decided that before he left the city behind for good, he had to check on Peter’s Aunt May in the hospital. His memories of her had been implanted, but he still felt as if he had to see the kind, old woman at least one more time. He clung outside of her room’s window and peered inside. He looked in lovingly and with great sadness until another visitor spied his shadow. He used his spider agility to make himself scarce quickly. (Remember when Doctor Octopus acted like he wanted to date Aunt May or something? Ugh! She looks like a living mummy! Barf! I couldn’t even fake that to get back at my worst enemy. Well…..maybe if she died her hair…..perhaps some makeup…..) Next on Ben’s trip through Peter’s memory lane was the abandoned warehouse that Spider-Man had caught his uncle’s killer so long ago. Ben relived the scene in his false memories as he continued to think about his future.

Venom was reminiscing themselves at this very moment. The symbiotic duo had swung to a church familiar to both of them. It was within that Eddie Brock had decided to take his life but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the rejected symbiote! They bonded that very day. They were reborn as Venom! Brock called the symbiote to once again cover his face as they shot a webline up into the rafters. Venom then left the church the way they had entered. Ben was now standing at the Brooklyn Bridge. It was here that Spider-Man had met his biggest failure and lost the love of his life. This was where the Green Goblin had thrown poor Gwen Stacy to her death. Ben Reilly wept. He knew these were not his actual memories, but they hurt just the same. (Anyone else sick of the characters having these meaningful flashbacks? Ugh! Feelings and stuff. Total wussies.) That’s when he noticed a woman walking along the bridge! She appeared as if she were about to jump!

Ben lept into action, firing a webline from his webshooters and swung towards the female just as she went over the edge! He caught her in the nick of time! In all of the excitement, the woman had passed out. But she lived. Ben swung through the city, holding her limp form close to him. He entered a nearby hospital, with his ball cap and sunglasses fit in place, carrying the woman in his arms. He quickly explained the situation to the doctor and nurses, but fled the scene before he could even be thanked. (That’s the sign of a true hero, folks. Me? I’d want some cash. What? I’m broke and thar be comics out thar ta read! Yarr!) Ben stood atop a rooftop and happened to hear a passing car radio. Venom had been spotted in the vicinity! That was it. He knew what to do.

(My apologies for becoming a pirate for some unknown reason in the last paragraph. ) He made a quick trip to the museum’s gift shop before returning to his apartment. He pulled a red, skintight costume from a drawer and pulled it over his muscled frame. Next, he tore the arms from the sweatshirt he’d just purchased and pulled that over the costume. He checked his webshooters for fluid and then lept from his window, swinging through the city in search of Venom and his own destiny!

To be continued…..

90s Comics, 90s DC, DC Comics, Uncategorized

Bird of Prey Reborn

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Sometimes the cover actually does make the book. Or at least it grabs your attention enough to read it. That’s pretty much the way it was in 1993 for me and the Hawkman poster above. It had been plastered to my local comic shop’s window for almost a month, and the owner was getting tired of me asking when the comic would finally be released. Now, I’d been reading older comics about Hawkman for nearly a year or so at this time, so I was interested in the upcoming title anyway. But this image was the frosting on a cake I was already going to devour. (And I’m diabetic, so you know I’m deadly serious! ) Anyway, it finally came out and the comic store owner even gave me the poster when I bought my copy. Over time, I’ve fallen in and out of interest with the character like most fans. But this issue will always be special to me because of the memories it brings back. That’s what a good book should always do in my opinion. That said, on to my look back at “Hawkman” #1…..

He perched atop a tall, decrepit building. To those passerbys lost in their own thoughts, he would appear as nothing more than a strange gargoyle. But to those who peered closer, they would see that this “gargoyle” peered back! He called to the creatures of the Earth for their aid this night. Their spirits would strengthen him. But mostly, he called to the predators. For that was what he was searching for tonight in these dangerous city streets…..prey. It didn’t take long to find what he was hunting for. He saw the gunman before he heard the gunshots. The man stood upon a nearby rooftop. He had hostages and fired blindly at a police helicopter. Not far from this hectic scene, a different man and his female companion were about to be attacked by murderous muggers in a dark alleyway. It was time. Unfurling his large, metallic wings, he shot up into the air at an incredible speed. He thanked the animals of the world for their power. But mostly, he thanked the spirit of the hawk. (And I thank the Titmouse for hours of hysterical laughter at the mere mention of his name. Yeah. I’m extremely immature. Surprised?)

The man with the gun demanded that the police bring him his child and his wife. He blamed the city for taking away his son and for his wife leaving him as a result. If they didn’t comply, he would begin killing his hostages! On the ground, the Police Superintendent asked to be briefed on the situation. An officer replied that the man had nearly beaten his son to death and that social services had stepped in and taken the boy and his wife into protective custody. Even if they weren’t terrified, they’d never make it here before he grew impatient and began executing the hostages. To make matters worse, the entrance to the rooftop had been blocked. The crazed man began to count to ten. But before he could get to nine, he was yanked into the air by powerful arms and deposited into police custody below! The police cheered but Hawkman had no time for this. He soared onto the next impending crime. (I’m still in awe at just how badass Hawkman looks! Forgive me as my nerdy self drools!)

The woman pleaded that they had already given the thugs everything they had, couldn’t they just let them go? In reply, a knife was drawn by one thief as another held the male victim still! It seemed that these criminals didn’t want the couple in their neighborhood because of the dark color of their skin. They were going to make an example out of them! Hawkman flew in and connected with a fist to the knife-weilder’s jaw! The other man pulled a gun and fired frantically at the dark hero! Hawkman used his metal wings to deflect the shots! He then threw a well-aimed shuriken into the gunman’s hand, forcing him to release the woman and his grip on the firearm! Hawkman then followed up this attack by knocking the blade-armed mugger unconscious as he snuck up from the rear with a nunchuck to the face! The gunman then pulled a knife of his own and came running at the winged vigilante! This attack was easily blocked by three long blades that slid from Hawkman’s gauntlet! (Holy God! He’s half Wolverine! Can this guy get any cooler?!)

The winged avenger then used his claws to knock the weapon aside and followed up by pinning the criminal by his earring to the wall with one of the claws! He waited as fear flowed through the racist thug. And just as it seemed the man would faint, the hero used his free hand to strike a blow to the other man’s temple, rendering him unconscious. (Okay, forget the Punisher! This is your new brutal antihero! As a man with two earrings, I nearly wet myself just reading this part! Let alone if it had happened to me personally!) The couple thanked him profusely as he took flight once again. The news was buzzing that night. Was this Hawkman the original, Golden Age hero by the same name, or perhaps the alien Hawkman that came to Earth in modern times from the planet Thanagar? Was this hero perhaps a new man altogether? To find out, a reporter was sent live to the last place the Thanagarian hero was seen, the strange place called the Netherworld. Only moments passed before the signal was lost, leaving the reporter alone with this place’s odd residents and fearful for his life!

The denizens of Netherworld were less than helpful. These often misunderstood creatures were different to say the least. They didn’t fit in with ordinary-looking human beings, so they took refuge here for safety and for a place to belong. They distrusted the outside world and feared it. When one of the beings that lived here, a cat-like female named Feralyce, heard the name Hawkman spoken aloud, she became instantly agitated and lept to enter the “real world” to locate him. Another resident stopped her, and tried to talk some sense into the feline young woman. After all, unless the people of Netherworld wore spandex and operated as either superheroes or villains, they were not accepted. Searching for this new Hawkman would put not only her in danger, but everyone here. (Sounds like entering the outside world directly from a comic convention.) Feralyce roared that the Hawkman she knew had saved her life and then vanished. If this was him, she must go to him. She must know the truth. She is eventually stopped however and another resident looked to the frightened reporter.

The man begins questioning the reporter as to why he came there, but his answer is interrupted by a sudden explosion! An armored man, floating upon discs and armed with high-tech weaponry, then flew into the Netherworld, opening fire upon everyone there without a care for who he killed! The people had heard of him. He was called Deadline and operated as a superpowered hitman! But who would want the people here dead bad enough to hire him? Seeing his chance, the reporter saw that his signal was back and began reporting the carnage! (Trust a reporter to really care about their fellow human beings. I mean, look at Lois Lane. Witch. Clark should be with Lana Lang!) As this terrible scene is broadcasted throughout the city, a local busboy takes particular notice as he cleans the tables at a popular diner. He immediately stops his work and sprints off as his boss threatens him with losing this low-paying job. The man then burst through the diner’s alleyway door and lept into the air! He landed atop a nearby roof and kept running! He finally came to a halt as he reached an abandoned church. He entered the darkness and was met by a growl from a wolf in the shadows! The man calmed the beast and pulled a set of armor from between the destroyed pews. Within moments, the new Hawkman stood in his place!

Back at Netherworld, Deadline continues his vicious assault! He stops momentarily to state that he personally doesn’t care one bit who lives or dies there tonight. He was paid well to remove them from the area one way or another. But before he can continue his speech, Feralyce springs from a rooftop, claws at the ready! But the hitman teleports away, leaving her to drop to the unforgiving concrete below! (I guess that disproves the whole myth about landing on their feet, huh? More like the neck. Too soon?) He aims, ready to end her life. Just then, Deadline feels a disturbance in the air behind his head! He turns to look, but seemingly too late. Hawkman strikes! However, the hitman is still faster and becomes intangible right before he teleports away from the punch! Deadline reappears and looks to the winged avenger. He admits that he was actually sent to this place tonight for him! Hawkman merely replies that he knows. The hero strikes with a quick swing of his nunchuck, smashing the barrel of the assassin’s rifle! Deadline doesn’t look pleased. He continues that his employer wants to know this new Hawkman’s identity bad enough to pay for news of it whether he lives or dies in the process!

The villain’s next attack was to fire exploding projectiles at Hawkman. And while the hero blocked with his wings so that they’d explode with his body safe within their metallic embrace, Deadline approached with a long knife to behead the winged one as he was stunned! Not so fast! Hawkman let out his three metal claws from his gauntlet at lightning speed and blocked the blade before a drop of blood could be spilled! (SNIKT! Sorry. I think I’ll read some Wolverine comics next. Why? I have my reasons.) He followed with a well-aimed kick, but Deadline laughed as he became intangible once again! But this time it was expected! Before the assassin could completely disappear, Hawkman swung his nunchuck not at the villain, but at the discs he hovered upon! The hovering devices caved inwards and Deadline came tumbling down toward the street! Now unable to concentrate enough to teleport away once again, the hero grabbed Deadline by his armor and rammed him into a nearby brick wall with tremendous force! Pinning the hitman, Hawkman began to speak through gritted teeth.

He spat out the words with malice that he was hunting those who feared the Hawkman name. The best way to call these men out was to become Hawkman. He then demanded to know the killer’s employer’s name. Deadline declined in terror. Hawkman threatened to drop him down to the enraged people of Netherworld below if he didn’t talk! Needless to say, he answered with the name, Johnny Van Overloop. (Dorky name for a villain, but what do I know? I’ve only forced others to watch that “Madame Web” movie with me on repeat. That’s right! I’m sick, man!) Hawkman struck the villain’s skull, knocking him out and carried him away with swift, razor-sharp wings. As he flew overhead, the denizens of the city below demanded to know which Hawkman he was. He simply replied that he was the current one. And then, just like that, he was gone. The man who asked the question turned to the awakening Feralyce as she sniffed the air. Surely her heightened sense of smell could answer what the winged vigilante would not. She replied with a grin that he was exactly who he said he was. He was Hawkman. That was all that they needed to know.

End.

90s Comics, 90s Marvel, Uncategorized

“Okay, Axis, here we come!” (Part 4 of 4)

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Here we are, folks! The epic finale of the 4-part “Invaders” miniseries! And boy, this series of articles has been a real treat for me to write! I’ve been fascinated by Golden Age superheroes and villains for years and this was an awesome opportunity. Talk about an amazing time to be alive! So many real life heroes and the emergence of real evil in that time period. So, before we begin this story, take a moment to remember your loved ones that fought in this horrific war and be proud of the bravery that they possessed. For they truly were the greatest generation. (Now, as the great sage, Forrest Gump, would say, “That’s all I have to say about that.”)

The villainous Battle-Axis gloat over the mighty Invaders as they are all encased within giant transparent prison cells! Dr. Death muses how America will soon be out of the second World War permanently! The Blazing Skull threatens the Nazi but Captain America calms him. Right now, the bad guys hold all of the cards. The Human Torch demands answers from the Vision. Why would he turn his back on humanity? Did he not realize that if the Nazis win the war, that’ll be the end of life on Earth as they know it? Evil will triumph! Vision merely states that he just wants to return to his home dimension and that life will continue on this planet regardless of his intervention. Cap interrupts. He can almost understand Vision’s point. He isn’t even from here. But the Golem! He’s a Jew! How could he betray his people in such a way? Golem answers that he knows that Dr. Death will most likely not release his brother after he has served him, but he must cling on to this small shred of hope. (Sad. I really feel for the guy. Mostly because he now has to now live in a body constructed of friggin’ clay permanently. I mean, why not adamantium? This is the Marvel Universe for cripes sake! Get inventive, people!)

The Silver Scorpion asks Dr. Death more about his fiendish plan to cause massive earthquakes with the oscillotron that will separate America’s west coast from the rest of the country. He continues though, caught up in his impending victory, and states that this part of the plan is only a trigger for the actual attack! The earthquakes will release poison gas from countless cannisters that were buried near the end of the last World War! This gas will cover thousands of square miles and claim countless lives! The Axis Powers will then be free to destroy Russia without the United States’ interference! To say that the Invaders are appalled and disgusted would be an understatement! But they aren’t alone. Dr. Death’s own men question this next phase of the plan! Surely he isn’t serious! (Man, you know you’re evil when even your minions question if you’re really sure about enacting your sinister scheme!) The Invaders try to escape their individual prisons, but are gassed for this escape attempt. As they sink into slumber, the android hero, the Human Torch, remains conscious! He begins to melt through his cell walls!

He doesn’t get far, however. Sadly, he’s caught by Volton and pummeled until he too is unconscious. Vision then freezes him as he is commanded. Dr. Death continues by ordering Strongman to carry the large doomsday device with them as Volton and Golem remain behind to guard the prisoners. Later, the villains enter a different subterranean chamber. Strongman positions the oscillotron as instructed as Dr. Death checks on Golem’s brother’s work. Johann pleads with the Nazi to not go through with this plan. Of course, this falls upon deaf ears. Dr. Death even adds insult to injury by telling the Jewish scientist that his brother is serving him as the Golem and it’s for his continued safety! Johann is shocked beyond reason! This obvious internal agony pleases the evil Doctor. (I wonder how many years of college are required to become an evil doctor? Asking for a friend…..) Meanwhile, as Volton taunts the awakening heroes, Captain America reveals to the Nazi what he suspects. Volton is in fact an android! Volton is amused and asks for proof. Cap asks why he isn’t burnt from his scuffle with the Human Torch? Why is he the only one who can’t remember his past? Also, remember that this Dr. Death once helped create the robotic Human Torch. He could easily have done so again!

Suddenly enraged, Volton smashes his fist through the Captain’s tube! Cap nods towards Volton’s fist. No blood from the glass! The Blazing Skull chimes in by asking if Volton remembers ever bleeding? Now furious and determined to prove these “fools” wrong, the Nazi takes a large shard of broken glass from the floor and rams it straight through the hand in question! Not one drop of blood! (I knew it from the very beginning! Okay, maybe I didn’t know positively that he was an android, but I suspected he was at least colorblind. I mean, look at his costume! Ugh!). As he marvels at this, Captain America strikes from the hole in his prison wall and connects with a mighty punch! As the villain staggers, Cap emerges, free from his translucent prison! But the Nazi uses his powers over electricity to shock the hero again and again as he stumbles towards his nearby shield! He throws the weapon but Volton dodges easily! The shield sails through the air, smashing through the rest of the Invaders’ cells! Captain America then jumps and kicks the distracted Nazi in the head, knocking him down! When the villain shakes off the stars he’s seeing, he beholds all of the Invaders standing over him! He tries to rise and attack, but Silver Scorpion’s stinger blasts put Volton down for the count! Now for the treacherous Golem…..

But the Golem raises a dismissive hand. He wishes not to fight the heroes. In fact, he’s pondered their words and decided that he will fight at their side! He leads them to where the lab is. At that moment, Golem’s brother has also had a change of heart it seems! Roaring that he will not work for Hitler, no matter the peril, he strikes at the Nazi scientists near him with his bare fists! He then flees the room! Unfortunately for him though, several shots ring out! Nearby, in another room, Dr. Death and his Battle-Axis have heard the gunfire and decided to ignore it. Dr. Death reaches for the lever to activate the oscillotron, but a sudden blast of flame stops him! In flies the Human Torch, followed by the rest of the Invaders! Dr. Death orders his team to attack and Captain America let’s the heroes’ battle cry sound! Both sides clash! In the mighty scuffle, the evil Doctor slips free and runs towards the device to start it! But a wounded Johann lunges at him to stop him! The scientist is shot dead by Sky Shark’s pistol! (Murdered by a dude with a damn fin on his head. No-one deserves to go out like that. Nobody. Sniff…..sob…..)

The Golem sees this through the titanic battle and roars as he tears through the Nazi soldiers in the room as if they’re no more than flimsy rag dolls! Vision hovers over all of this chaos, unmoving, but in deep thought. Dr. Death makes a run for the oscillotron once again and, though Captain America drops him with his thrown shield to the back, manages to start the machine! The madman turns to gloat, but is electrocuted by the flying Volton as he enters the room! Dr. Death is no more! The android then turns his attention to Cap, but the Torch intervenes with a strike in mid-flight! Elsewhere, Silver Scorpion uses her armor’s augmented strength to uppercut Strongman, knocking him stumbling to the floor! Namor flies over the others towards Cap. The Captain asks if even the Sub-Mariner could survive the backlash from destroying the oscillotron. Only one way to find out! The Avenging Son crashes through the enormous machine, creating a large explosion that rocks all involved to their very core! Silence fills the smoke-filled laboratory. (Damn! That was heroic as hell! Cheers to Namor for saving the day as he became no more than stinky, burnt chum. Too soon?)

But the Sub-Mariner did survive! He walked through the smoke, ready to continue the fight against the Battle-Axis! Too late. The villains quickly surrendered. That now taken care of, the heroes wonder if any of the poisonous gas was released in the tremors. Vision answers this question. It was! He points toward a large, leaking pipe! But before anyone can act, the Vision orders everyone to stay back. The smoke from the exploded machine has made it possible for him to create a portal home. He quickly flys in, taking the deadly gas with him! He then seals the mystical door behind himself! (Where’s he when I eat dairy? Hiding I bet. Coward!) Later, the Invaders crawl from a hidden passageway beneath the desert sands, emerging into the clear air. They had won this day not only for America, but for the world.

End.

The Gimmick Era Has Never Been Covered So Well.