Heroes - Chapter 11

So much happens in this episode that it's difficult to remember the slow pace of the first few.

It's difficult to say too much without giving major plot details away but many of the characters feature, one looks like they die (!) and major things happen to others. It's good to see most of the characters interacting now. Hiro is no longer my sole fav character with Matt and Peter now up there too.

It's great stuff.

Which path should I take brother?

Desmond takes centre stage again in the latest episode of LOST.

I've only just managed to watch this last night and the next episode is on tonight. It's been a funny week and with Champions League games on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings then things get put back a bit.

I'll comment on the footie after the second legs later this week.

Back to LOST. This wasn't quite as good an episode as the last couple but I find Desmond quite an interesting character and his flashbacks or predictions (call them what you will) are an enjoyable way to move the story along. Charlie probably doesn't think so.

Good things about this episode include Charlie and Hurley arguing about whose the fastest The Flash or Superman (that'll be Brian K. Vaughan's influence on the script), Desmond's dilemma and the latest romantic involvement between Kate and Sawyer. I also liked the end.

All They Want to do is Kill You, Spider-man..

Amazing Spider-man #214

by Denny O'Neil, John Romita Jr and Jim Mooney

Issues 213-215 of Amazing featured a three part story about the Frightful Four and their revenge against Spidey for their latest defeat back in Spectacular #42

Back in 1980, I quite enjoyed this story especially the mystery surrounding the new member of the FF. However on re-reading, while it was still alright on one level , there are a lot of bad things about the story.

Firstly, the good things. JR Jr's art is still good even though Jim Mooney's inking is a bit heavy for him. Even back in 1980 he still draws a mean Spidey.

I also still like the mystery member. The clues are there and Llyra (an old Sub-Marnier villain) I still think was a good idea. She wanted revenge on Subby and so wanted the rest of the FF to help her after she'd helped them against Spidey.

But it's with Llyra that the main problems start. It is too much of a co-incidence that she, in her beautiful human guise, moves into an apartment just down the hall from Pete. If she'd moved in after Spidey's encounter with the Wizards Robot Spider which could home in on his Spider-sense it would have made more sense. But no, she moved in before that which is too much of a co-incidence. Thus Pete falls for her beauty and it looks as if Deb Whitman may be forgotton.

This beautiful neighbour plot device is then used a few times in the story including, at one point, Subby crashing into her room (which Spidey happens to see of course). So Spidey and Subby start slugging it out for the second time in a day or three before the Wiz zaps them with his gun.

This is another bad point - this gun removes Spidey's spider-sense and transfers it to the Sub-Mariner! What rubbish! I never like it when this sort of thing happens and I always wonder why bad guys don't finish the job off properly when they've got the heroes reeling!

At the end Llyra's secret is revealed and she is defeated but even that is handled in a contrived fashion which jut doesn't feel right somehow.

Overall, then, not the greatest of stories in my opinion.

Rating 6/10

Crewe Alex 1 - 1 Tranmere

On a nice sunny afternoon, it looked as if it was going to be a disappointing last home game of the season as the Alex went into the final minutes trailing 1-0 against 10 man Tranmere.

Tranmere had defended well and our attacks were just not quite good enough. It was a relief then to see young Liam Miller pop up with a header at the death to earn a draw! It looked like it was going to be one of those days.

I hope that next season we will be pushing for promotion so games like this will have more importance.

Match report here.

Alone Against the Aliens

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man #50
by Roger Stern, John Romita Jr. and Jim Mooney

This is a very enjoyable, normal-sized 50th anniversary issue.

The story picks up right after issue 49 with Spidey in a dilemma about what to do with the Smuggler. After cleverly getting himself out of that one, Pete goes off to a posh lunch, accompanied by Deb Whitman, to celebrate Aunt May's engagement to Nathen Lubensky.

Things go badly when it's revealed that the waiters are the Aliens from Amazing Spider-man issue 2 who are after Aunt May!

In fact, the Aliens are actually working with Mysterio who is still after Aunt May's treasure (See Amazing 198 & 199).

Another good Frank Miller cover, but issue 51's cover by big Frank is better in my opinion.

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man #51

by Roger Stern, Marie Severin and Jim Mooney

All is revealed in this well thought out and plotted conclusion to the story.

The link between the Aliens and Mysterio is logical and clever at the same time. I love it when old plots are given a new twist without taking anything away from them. Although for the majority of the issue, Spidey is fighting Mysterio and the aliens, the characterisation shows through. Marie Severin's art isn't as good as JR Jr's but it's still fine.A good two-parter and as I've said before issues which feature Mysterio are going to score highly with me.

Rating 8/10

Enter:The Smuggler

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man #49

by Stern, Mooney and Patterson

This was again another fine read from Roger Stern with solid support from Jim Mooney. I think Bruce Patterson's inks suit him.

The Smuggler is a fairly mundane villain and even Stern reconises the fact that his name doesn't tell you much about him. It tells you what he does. Thus Spidey is constantly saying that he's surprised about how strong the Smugglar is.

Still it was a good issue with the highlight being Spideys predicament at the end of the issue. He's managed to web-up the Smuggler but now he's run out of web fluid and realises that he can't put him down because he'll get away. Not your usual cliffhanger.

Rating 7.5/10

More FOUND than LOST

It was a top notch episode of LOST last week (episode 19) - (I've still to watch this weeks offering) .

It was one of those stories which at least answered as many questions as it posed, if not more. Again, Juliette's backstory about how she arrive on the island was revealing, but it was the action on the island which took up most of the screen time and this was welcome.

I was getting slightly annoyed at certain co-incidences towards the end, but then all was made right again as some explanations for various character's behaviour were given.

For Jack, that is because he's a knob.

We are now heading towards the season finale. Let's hope the stories are as good as this one.