Fools Like Us

Amazing Spider-man #225 by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr.

Another good issue by this creative team. Although not quite as good as the previous issue featuring the vulture this story still was very enjoyable.

If I was trying to pick any faults, it would only be that yet again, somebody in Pete's life turns out to have super powers. But that's dramatic license I suppose.

I also had a little trouble believing the Foolkiller's motivations - but he was mad.

Still an excellent Spidey tale and a great cover! Rating 8/10


Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man #63 by Bill Mantlo and Greg Larocque

Speaking of people in Pete's life with super powers, this issue had a number of examples! First there's Harry Osbourn, who's Dad was the original Green Goblin and had previously taken the role himself. Next there's Liz Allen, her step brother is Mark Raxton, the Molten Man.

Now I've always been partial to a Molten Man story as he featured in some of the first Spidey stories that I ever read. But this one wasn't a classic.In fact it was a bit of a re-hash of the last few MM stories which featured in Amazing (#173 was the latest).

I wasn't really satisfied with the way MM was defeated but it was nice to see Harry and Liz get a happy ending for once (even if their house burned down).

Rating 6./10

Top 100 Marvel and DC Characters

Well the results of the poll are now done and I'd thought I'd post to say how my votes did.

I voted back in the beginning of Sept.

These were my Marvel picks with the final picks in brackets

1. Spider-man (1)
2. The Thing (5)
3. She-Hulk (25)
4. Captain Britain (-)
5. Daredevil (3)
6. Dr Doom (4)
7. Mysterio (-)
8. Green Goblin (-)
9. Captain America (2)
10. The Vision (original) (42)

I'm quite pleased with that. I'm not surprised that Capt Britain or Mysterio didn't make the top 50 - but I was the the Goblin didn't. Many people said that one of the reasons that they love Spidey so much is that his villains are great. Well Gobby was/is the best. So go figure....

The full list can be found here.

My DC list was wacky and I didn't expect many to make the top 10. They didn't!

Guy Gardner (25)
L-Ron
G'nort
Batman (1)
Blue Beetle (15)
Jesse Custer (32)
The Joker (5)
John Constantine (19)
Superman (2)
Lex Luthor (19)

Let Fly These Aged Wings - Classic 1982 Spidey

Things start looking up for the main Spider-man title from this issue. After too many fillers, the creative team starts to settle in. In this case John Romita Jr pencils Amazing Spider-man#223 from an O'Neil plot and DeMatteis script.

Although it's another single issue story, the art carries it somewhat. However, compared to recent efforts the story featuring the Red Ghost ain't too bad. The RG gets away in the end, so you just know that he'll be back soon.

Rating 6.5/10

Similarly, the creative team for Peter Parker #61 of Mantlo/Hannigan/Mooney is on the beginning of a fairly successful run. Although this issue is from a Stern plot, Mantlo pens a good script. Sterns stories concerning Moonstone (his creation I think) are always good. Hannigan and Mooney' art is fine for this story.

It appears from this issue that Pete and and fellow teaching assistant Marcy Kane might start a relationship. I know that they don't but I can't remember why.

Rating 7/10


Amazing Spider-man 224 by Stern and Romita Jr.

Woh Boy! This is a stonking issue! Finally the character of Adrian Toomes aka The Vulture is explored and in such a brilliant way. I love the fact that he's sharing a nursing home with Aunt May and Nathan Lubensky. I love the irony that it's Nathan who persuades Toomes that he's not too old to still do what he wants to do. So Toomes promptly becomes the vulture again.

Best scene is when Pete meets Toomes and recognises him so Toomes tries to knock him out. I also love Toomes' hat in that scene. Smart!

Great job by everyone. Rating 9/10



Issue 62 of Peter Parker by Mantlo/Hannigan/Mooney was a bit silly mainly due to the fact that the villain, Gold Bug is very silly and never really poses a threat that you can take seriously.

Average really 6/10

A Bonus Trip to FP

As I was in town on a day off from work, I couldn't miss dropping into Forbidden Planet.

There was much in as it was only a week or two since I'd last been and, being Wednesday, this weeks new comics hadn't arrived. This is what I got.

World War Hulk 4
Captain America (2005) 30
Wolverine:Origins 17
Highwaymen 4

Music Update

I've been "spending time" with my music collection over the last few days.

Thanks to martin and Teresa, my friends with the clever record turntable, I am able to covert my old vinyl albums into CDs. They have kindly lent me the kit until December so I've got a few months to do as much recording as I can.

At first, I am concentrating on those albums which I can seem to find on Amazon etc. cause they have been deleted.

As I'm writing this I'm recording Tyketto's "Don't Come Easy". It's an album I've not heard for years. Great stuff.

On the music front, I've already received in the post today Joe Lynn Turner's debut solo album from 1985 "Rescue You".

B5 Season 5

I've now finished all of season 5 of Babylon 5 and it was way better than I remembered.

When it was first broadcast, I remember being diasppointed that the season didn't really match the previous ones with the defeat of the Shadows.

Well, it still doesn't but it's still good. It follows two (maybe three) storylines. The future of the telepaths (and Bester makes a fairly regular appearance in the first 12 episodes) and the fate of Londo and the Centauri.

The later story was more interesting as it featured Londo and G'kar who always made great scenes together. Basically, this sets up the events in "In the Beginning". So I suppose that JMS could be criticised for not finishing the story within the season and for having such a crap title for what is actually the last story featuring many of the characters.

As I've said before, I really didn't like Byron, the leader of the rebel telepaths. There was just something about his moral high ground, silly hair style, chatting-up Lyta, pathetic wimpiness that really annoyed me every time he was on screen. I'm pleased Bester eventually got to take him out.

It was a shame that the telepath wasn't resolved within the confines of season 5. I'll have to read the books to find out what happens there.

All the above seems like I'm moaning. I'm not. This was great entertainment with brilliant characters (even Elizabeth Lockley introduced at the beginning of the season integrates well, although I did miss Ivanova).

Best episodes. No.s 17 "Movements of Light and Shadow" and No.18 "The Fall of Centauri Prime".

Hey -that's me!

Wow.

I get a mention in todays Augie De Blieck Jr's CBR column "Pipeline" about which comic creators make up my comic collection.

Thanks for mentioning me Augie!

I'm now gutted that I didn't go into any detail.