back issues

Back Issues [Deadpool Day]: Deadpool #1-4

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In February 1991, readers of The New Mutants were introduced to Wade W. Wilson, the wise-cracking, fourth-wall-breaking Merc With a Mouth, Deadpool. Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza’s sword-swinging immortal went on to become one of Marvel’s most popular anti-heroes thanks to his metatextual humour, violent nature, and massively successful live-action films. It’s perhaps no surprise that Sideshow rechristened April 1st as “Deadpool Day” to give fans of the chimichanga-chomping mercenary an excuse to celebrate all things Deadpool.

Writer: Mark Waid – Artists: Ian Churchill and Ken Lashley

Story Title: “If Looks Could Kill”
Published: 14 June 1994 (cover-dated: August 1994)

Story Title: “Luck of the Irish”
Published: 12 July 1994 (cover-dated: September 1994)

Story Title: “Deadpool Sandwich”
Published: 9 August 1994 (cover-dated: October 1994)

Story Title: “Mano @ Mano”
Published: 6 September 1994 (cover-dated: November 1994)

The Background:
By the 1980s, the X-Men had been established as one of Marvel Comics’ most successful publications and then-chief editor Jim Shooter was encouraged enough by their success to commission a few spin-off titles, birthing Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod’s New Mutants. These Mutant youngsters soon fell under the tutelage of the time travelling Mutant Nathan Summers/Cable, formed X-Force, and famously clashed with Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld’s Deadpool in The New Mutants #98 (ibid, 1991). Heavily inspired by James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine, Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and (most infamously) to DC Comics’ Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator, the self-styled “Merc With a Mouth” proved popular enough to receive this own four-issue miniseries in 1993. The series was a relative success, prompting Marvel to sign off on a second miniseries the following year, though writer Mark Waid later distanced himself from the character’s more violent nature. This was all a prelude to Deadpool graduating to an ongoing solo title and his greater popularity as a self-aware anti-hero, and his eventual appearances in Marvel/X-Men-related videogames, a cameo appearance in the beloved X-Men animated series (1992 to 1997), and the incredible success of his live-action feature films decades later.

The Review:
Deadpool’s second miniseries begins in a secret, heavily guarded facility where two thousand imprisoned inmates are forced to endure the agonised screaming of Thomas Cassidy/Black Tom as he sustains horrendous torture at the hands of Doctor Emrys Killebrew. Dr. Killebrew’s there to cure Black Tom of the “viral wooden growth” currently infecting his cellular structure, a procedure quickly interrupted by the explosive arrival of Cain Marko/The Juggernaut, Black Tom’s loyal (if thick-headed), brutish best friend. Though weak and in pain, Black Tom ensures the Juggernaut also grabs Dr. Killebrew and his files on cellular regeneration cases, namely one belonging to Wade Wilson. Weeks later, everyone’s favourite Merc with a Mouth is regaling patrons in a bar with stories of his recent tangle with Wolverine, removing his bandages and scarring off a girl with his tumour-riddled, scarified visage. As he downs beers, Wade shares a truncated version of his origin with the bartender, too busy dwelling on his situation and running his mouth to notice when a group of heavily armoured and well-armed mercenaries enter the bar. Though blasted by a bazooka, Wade easily recovers thanks to his advanced healing factor and opens fire, antagonising the mercs with his inane banter, though briefly slowed by a particularly gruesome close range shot to the gut. Too stubborn to go down, Deadpool continues to fight back; even being literally frozen doesn’t keep him down thanks to the unexpected arrival of Sean Cassidy/Banshee and his daughter, Theresa/Siryn, who catches Deadpool’s eye as much as their mention of Black Tom catches his attention. Since Black Tom is Banshee’s cousin, he has a vested interest in tracking him down and has been on his trail since his escape, though neither of the Irish Mutants know why their cousin targeted Deadpool. For Wade, it’s as simple as revenge since he’s tangled with Black Tom before, though all three are confused as to why Black Tom would order for Deadpool to be captured alive rather than simply ordering his assassination. On Siryn’s suggestion, Banshee reluctantly leaves to get some answers from Interpol and she chooses to stick close to Deadpool, sure that Black Tom’s goons will strike again, and immediately shuts down his lewd attempts to woo her.

Deadpool’s busted powers don’t stop him from making uncomfortable advances towards Siryn.

Still, as capable as Siryn is, it’s only thanks to Deadpool’s timely intervention and quick reflexes that she’s spared a sword in the back. Although Deadpool proves a master swordsman and eventually runs Black Tom’s merc through with his katana, it costs him a hand and he’s surprised to find the limb failing to instantly regenerate and himself blacking out from the pain. Siryn drags his unconscious ass to a safe spot and, when he comes to, Deadpool finally regenerates the hand but only after concentrating with all his might and enduring incredible pain. Deadpool’s concern about his slow healing factor is swept aside for further uncomfortable advances towards Siryn, who bluntly tells him that they’re partnership is simply one of convenience, and temporary. While waiting to meet with his old partner, Daniel “Danny” Peyer, Banshee recalls his time working for Interpol when Deadpool saved his ass at the cost of his career. Banshee asks Danny to help track down Black Tom and unwittingly gives Peyer the information he needs to settle his own score with Deadpool. Meanwhile, the severely suffering Black Tom is angered to see Theresa wrapped up in his business and orders his men not to engage without safely removing her from the line of fire first, causing himself incredible pain from getting so worked up. Black Tom’s affliction spreads further the more his adrenaline spikes, but Dr. Killebrew is sure that he can cure him if they capture Deadpool, a task the Juggernaut gladly takes up even though he hates to leave his sick friend undefended. Though Deadpool and Siryn take out another group of Black Tom’s men, Wade ends up being riddled with bullets when shielding Siryn and taking a nasty fall from a window. When the Juggernaut shows up, Siryn insists they make a stand in a knife factory and, though hesitant to tangle with Cain even if his healing factor was working, Deadpool showers the Juggernaut with blades in an unsuccessful attempt to stop him.

Complex relations see Deadpool reluctantly rally against Black Tom, who increases his powers!

Naturally, these simply bounce off the Juggernaut’s impenetrable hide and Deadpool ends up skewered by several blades before being saved by Siryn’s high-pitched sonic blast. Unfortunately, even molten metal doesn’t slow the Juggernaut and Deadpool’s issues are only compounded when he runs into Peyer and his men. Thinking fast, Deadpool lures the flaming-hot Juggernaut to the Interpol agents and causes them to flee, solving one problem but leaving Wade powerless to stop Cain. Though Deadpool shows no fear and keeps fighting and throwing barbs at his foe, he’s helpless against the Juggernaut’s strength. Thankfully, after a brief hesitation, Siryn saves Deadpool by bombarding the Juggernaut with her scream. Although they flee to safety, Deadpool chastises Siryn for hesitating and she reluctantly reveals that part of her still cares for Black Tom despite all the bad he’s done and that she considered letting the Juggernaut take Wade so Black Tom could be cured. This leads to a tender moment between the two where Siryn asks his real name and tries to see under his mask, only for Deadpool to scold her and Peyer to interrupt with a hail of gunfire. Although Wade gets Peyer bang to rights, he’s stopped from killing him by a convenient lack of ammo, getting himself shot a bunch of times as Peyer extracts a measure of revenge. Too stubborn to go down, Deadpool simply tanks each shot and sends Peyer plummeting off a rooftop with a punch, only for Banshee to swoop in and make the save. After chastising his former partner for acting so recklessly, Banshee offers Deadpool the chance to join him and Siryn in heading to Black Tom’s location (which he learned from Peyer’s files). Although Wade initially refuses to join them, he begrudgingly changes his mind seemingly to impress Siryn. Though enraged at the slow progress of his men, Black Tom is ecstatic when one of them returns with Deadpool’s severed hand, which Black Toom maniacally attaches to his own wrist after lopping off his hand!

Deadpool shows a surprising vulnerability and ultimately spares Black Tom for Siryn’s sake.

Deadpool, Banshee, and Siryn head to Bannerman Castle on the Hudson River and blast their way inside. Against Siryn’s advice, the three split up. While Banshee advises her to not get too attached to a ruthless mercenary like Deadpool, Wade stumbles upon Dr. Killebrew, the same man who turned Deadpool into an unkillable monster. Realising that Dr. Killebrew can fix his dodgy healing powers, Deadpool ignores the sounds of his friends battling Black Tom and the doctor’s snivelling begging and threatens Dr. Killebrew, only to be drawn back into the fight when Siryn crashes through the wall. Deadpool leaps into action and finds Banshee unconscious and Black Tom’s powers raging out of control. Incensed to see his hand grafted to the villain’s wrist, Deadpool desperately dodges Black Tom’s flaming energy blasts and the villain is driven mad from the pain caused from Deadpool’s cells regenerating his own. While taking cover, Deadpool is again accosted by Peyer but fools the vindictive agent into taking a blast to the face by tricking him into earning a promotion by apprehending Black Tom. Deadpool’s elation is cut short when he’s blindsided by the Juggernaut, whose massive fists accidentally tear off Wade’s mask, driving Deadpool into an insane frenzy as he desperately tries to recover his “face”. Siryn blasts the Juggernaut from the castle and retrieves the mask, finally getting a good look at Wade’s gruesome visage, though he’s stunned when she shows him kindness rather than fear. With Black Tom’s life equally threatened by the hand’s infestation, Deadpool renews his attack, breaking Tom’s arm and ready to end his foe… only to relent at the last minute and spare Black Tom for Siryn’s benefit. Deadpool then finally subdues the Juggernaut by holding Dr. Killebrew hostage and the doctor stabilises Black Tom’s condition, though Cain vows to break his friend out of whatever cell he ends up in. Wade parts ways with Siryn, with her inviting him to team up again some time, and then flees into the night with the terrified Dr. Killebrew, unaware that Peyer is still lurking in the background with a thirst for vengeance.

The Summary:
Eh… this was a bit of a slog. Let’s talk positives first, though. I enjoyed the artwork. Ian Churchill and Ken Lashley seem to be of the same school as the likes of Mark Bagley, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, emphasizing big, bold, ridiculously proportioned characters who are twisted into various physics-defying poses. It’s all very dramatic and bombastic, making for some very kinetic action sequences and memorable “hero shots” of Deadpool leaping, slashing his swords, or whipping out his pistols. Siryn is, of course, heavily sexualized; her costume is suggestively torn by the end to expose her bra and breasts and she’s no doubt suffering a great deal of back ache from her unnatural poses. Luckily, she’s written really well and isn’t some airhead or an emotional wreck. I never knew Banshee even had a daughter until reading this, though, and the two are depicted very strangely. They come across more like siblings or even lovers than father and daughter, something not helped by the fact that they look around the same age. They could’ve avoided this by making Banshee appear older, with more lines on his face or greys in his hair, or depicted Siryn as more of a teenager, smaller and slender rather than fully developed woman. This would’ve had the knock-on effect of sparing her (and the reader) from Deadpool’s lewd advances. He’s not too full on, to be fair, but it’s enough to make her uncomfortable and shut his shit down. Though she’s supposedly a fairly stoic character, Siryn does grow to respect Wade. He risks his life (literally, considering his janky healing factor) to protect her and she admires both his fighting spirit and is sympathetic towards his gruesome appearance. By the end, she’s more than happy to team up with him again and a potential romance is even hinted at, showing that Deadpool should rely more on his actions than his words to impress those around him.

Deadpool’s weaker than usual, but no less tenacious, lewd, and dangerous.

This ties into a recurring theme in this miniseries concerning Deadpool’s self confidence and his monstrous lifestyle. When we first see him, he scares off patrons with his scarified visage and he reacts with hostility whenever Siryn tries to remove his mask, before descending into Walter Kovacs/Rorschach levels of madness when it’s finally removed. He expects Siryn to react with fear and disgust, but is amazed when she shows him pity. In recounting his origin, Deadpool talks bitterly about how his terminal cancer was cured at the cost of his humanity, and he turns that bitterness and anger towards the world (or, at least, his enemies), masking his pain with a mile-a-minute banter that regularly antagonizes friend and foe alike. I’m not sure why, but Deadpool’s healing factor is on the fritz in this miniseries. It leads to some dramatic tension as Deadpool’s strategy is to throw himself head-first into a fight, shrugging off mortal wounds and coming out on top, something that costs him his hand and leaves him struggling to heal from wounds. As far as I can tell, it’s not said why this is happening to him and it is a bit inconsistent: Deadpool’s momentarily stunned from a gunshot wound but shrugs off a plummet from a window. His reflexes and skills are also unaffected by this handicap, though it does place him in a more vulnerable position and allow him to open up to Siryn and, perhaps, rediscover aspects of his humanity. Deadpool’s reputation precedes him, to the point where Banshee is reluctant to team up with him and warns Siryn against getting too attached to him since Wade is known as a cold-blooded mercenary who’s just as likely to stab them in the back as help them. However, Deadpool is clearly taken by Siryn, either legitimately or from simple lust, and not only accompanies them to Bannerman Castle despite being wounded but even temporarily forgets his own selfish desire to be cured to help Siryn when she’s manhandled by Black Tom. Deadpool’s really off his rocker here, ranting about nonsense during pitched battles and mocking his foes to throw them off-balance, overwhelming even groups of armed soldiers with his katana and guns. Though he’s no match for the Juggernaut, that doesn’t stop him trying and standing up to the brute, though this miniseries emphasises quite explicitly that much of his inane banter is to mask the pain and anger he feels at being turned into a ghastly, inhuman freak.

Juggernaut may be powerful but the story’s main antagonists aren’t believable threats.

I think what lets this miniseries down is the main villain. I’m vaguely aware of Black Tom but he’s a bit of a nobody, with weak-ass powers that can’t compare to Deadpool’s skills. Luckily for him, he’s got the Juggernaut in his pocket but, even then, Cain is just a rampaging brute and fights against him aren’t that interesting. Nothing Deadpool and Siryn throw at the Juggernaut can stop him and they’d been ridiculously outmatched even if Deadpool’s healing factor was working. Without it, we’re denied even the simple pleasure of seeing the Juggernaut tear Deadpool limb from limb and instead rely on a cat-and-mouse game. This is fun enough and shows Wade’s adaptability and certainly paints Siryn as formidable since she holds her own against the Juggernaut, but I feel more could’ve been done with these bouts. Instead, the story spends more time focusing on Danny Peyer and his childish vendetta against Deadpool for costing him his career some years ago. Peyer is just a regular guy with a gun and some soldiers; he’s way out of his league and just grinds the story to a halt. I would’ve rather seen Banshee simply pulling Interpol’s file on Black Tom and then devoted the panels wasted on Peyer to showcasing more of the Deadpool/Juggernaut fight and exploring Wade’s condition, especially as a mirror of Black Tom’s. Like Deadpool, Black Tom suffers from an affliction that’s slowly and painfully killing him (or transforming him into a tree-man? I’m not sure). His agony and desperation see him lash out and devolve into near madness after grafting Wade’s severed hand to his own, increasing his powers and finally making him a true threat but, in the end, he’s subdued with ridiculous ease because, as I said, Black Tom is a nobody. In the end, this was an okay miniseries for the Merc with a Mouth; it showcased a few more layers to his character and developed him further into the near parody of a character we know today, but it’s really just nonsensical fights. Every conversation is interrupted by some goon or another, it’s not always clear what’s happening or why, and the threat is just so low level that it feels like Deadpool could’ve ended things in one or two issues if his healing factor wasn’t mysteriously broken.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Have you ever read Deadpool’s second solo foray? Did you enjoy the exaggerated artwork and the violent action? What did you think to Deadpool’s characterisation, the vulnerability he displayed and his busted healing factor? Were you a fan of Black Tom or do you agree that he’s a weak villain? What are some of your favourite Deadpool stories and moments and how are you celebrating Deadpool Day today? Whatever your thoughts on Deadpool, feel free to share them below and go check out my other Deadpool content.

Back Issues [Stark Sunday]: Tales of Suspense #50

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Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man first lived, walked, and conquered in Tales of Suspense #39, published in March 1963 and brought to life by Marvel mastermind Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Don Heck. Since then, ol’ shellhead has gone through numerous different armours and shot into mainstream superstardom thanks to an iconic, career-defining portrayal by Robert Downey Jr.  

Story Title: “The Hands of the Mandarin!”
Published: 12 November 1963 (cover-dated: February 1964)
Writers: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck

The Background:
Back in 1963, Stan Lee decided to think up a character his readers would hate (a billionaire military industrialist), throw in some Howard Hughes and personal tragedy, and make him someone they could root for. Mounting deadlines kept Lee from writing Iron Man’s debut, so he turned to younger brother Larry Lieber, artist Don Heck, and the legendary Jack Kirby to bring the character to life. These days, Iron Man is a mainstream superhero, one who’s squared off with many colourful villains but perhaps none are more intrinsically linked to the character than the Mandarin. Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck, the supervillain was specifically designed to evoke the Doctor Fu Manchu stereotype of a mysterious and powerful Oriental menace with a maniacal list for world conquest. The Mandarin has dogged Iron Man ever since, pitting his magical ten rings against Stark’s technology time and again and even forming his own version of Marvel’s premier superhero team, the Avengers. I best know the Mandarin from his depiction in the 1990’s Iron Man cartoon (1994 to 1996), where he was brought to life with relish by Ed Gilbert and Robert Ito, but he’s consistently appeared as a boss in various Marvel videogames. However, the Mandarin’s culturally insensitive appearance and racially problematic depiction have caused some controversy. These issues saw him excised from Iron Man (Favreau, 2008) during the scriptwriting stage and his subsequent appearances have been divisive at times. Still, the Mandarin is largely regarded as Iron Man’s archenemy and one of his most complex and persistent foes.

The Review:
The debut of Iron Man’s greatest foe takes place in the “remote vastness of Red China”, where the legend of the mysterious sorcerer known only as “The Mandarin” has plagued the lands for years. Some say he’s immortal, others say he’s far more than human, but all fear this elusive and powerful figure. While the Mandarin is merely a legend in the Western World, the “most feared Oriental of all” is very real in his native land and lords over his underlings from his vast and technologically superior castle. The story opens with the Mandarin outraged by the arrival of military officers, “emissaries of the red Government”, stopping by unannounced. Though tempted to simply smite them on the spot for their insolence, the Mandarin decides to hear them out first and, with a mere gesture of his finger, makes his “all-seeing crystal globe” vanish and lowers the castle drawbridge so they can enter. The trio, led by General Ho Lee, are terrified of the Mandarin’s power and fear death for disturbing his hallowed grounds but have no choice but to seek an audience with him lest they be slain by their “communist overloads”. Awestruck by the Mandarin’s unbelievable power, which brings parts of the castle to life, they’re brought before the sorcerer and implore him to share his atomic knowledge with the government so that China can “menace the world with nuclear destruction”. Luckily for us, such a request angers and insults the Mandarin. He categorically refuses to share his secrets with the government since he has his own sights set on world domination. And, luckily for the military men, they’re given sixty seconds to flee and somehow escape with their lives.

Iron Man ventures into Red China to confront the feared and mysterious Mandarin.

Across the ocean, the United States military is also concerned about the Mandarin’s threat and, to that end, they enlist Iron Man to gain further intel on the mysterious dictator, who’s said to be the single greatest power in China. Iron Man’s only too willing to help, but first he must sort a few things out in his civilian identity as Tony Stark. So, he heads over to one of his weapons factories and slips out his armour and begs off an employee’s dinner he was scheduled to attend as the guest of honour. When he names his chauffeur, Harold “Happy” Hogan, as his replacement, Stark unwittingly insults one of his employees, Bill, who’s disgusted that his boss doesn’t have time for “poor stooges” like him. When his irritation gets the better of him, Bill is laid out with a left hook from Happy, who steps in to defend Stark’s honour, only to be chastised by Tony for acting so recklessly. None of that is as important as their bullish attitude leaving Stark’s secretary, Virginia “Pepper” Potts, feeling disregarded and she scolds both men for being do wrapped up in their antics that they fail to notice her new hairdo…because God forbid Marvel’s women should be written as anything but shallow and selfish characters! Anyway, a few hours later, Iron Man is dropped off on the border of Red China for what his Army cohorts believe amounts to a suicide mission. Correctly assuming that he’d be spotted by the Chinese, Iron Man ensures he slips into their nation by waiting until the last second to power up his transistor jets, fooling the painfully stereotypical soldiers into thinking the bungling democrats “cannot even make chutes [work] correctly”. Though Iron Man’s subterfuge doesn’t last long, the Mandarin’s guards are no match for his “transistor-powered muscles and jet-swift speed”. However, his reserve power levels drop dramatically due to a short circuit, meaning he must finish up quickly before he’s completely drained. Unfortunately for ol’ shellhead, he’s spotted by the Mandarin and forcibly dragged into his castle via a magnetic ray beam.

Iron Man’s forced to use his wits to counter the Mandarin’s rings and take out the madman.

Inside, Iron Man acts swiftly to avoid being crushed by the Mandarin’s wall trap and confronts the main man himself, easily shrugging off the Mandarin’s paralysis ray with his “ultra-beam chest light”. Though tricked by the Mandarin’s illusionary effects, Iron Man pits his technology against his foe’s ten mysterious rings, with the two blasting each other with high-frequency waves and proving evenly matched. Iron Man has no way to counter the near-deafening blast of sound the Mandarin hits him with, however, or the paralyzer ray the Mandarin shoots from one of his other rings, leaving the armour-clad Avenger little more than a statue. Iron Man impresses his foe by recovering faster than he’s ever seen, but the Mandarin’s resources seem limitless. With a gesture, he electrifies the walls to trap his prey and demonstrates his superhuman strength by splintering an iron bar with his incredible karate skills. The Mandarin then puts these skills to the test by throwing hands at his foe, who desperately dodges each strike and feels his power fading by the second, realising that the Mandarin tampered with his armour. To avoid being beaten to death, Iron Man frantically consults his “built-in slide-rule calculator” to calculate the trajectory of the Mandarin’s blow, which is actually a clever ruse to buy the Avenger the time to block the attack so effectively that the pain causes the Mandarin to black out. With no time or power to dismantle the Mandarin’s operation, Iron Man flees to his escape plane and makes the employee function after all, unknowingly scuppering Happy’s hopes to get in with Pepper and Pepper’s hopes to get closer to her boss. And what of the Mandarin? Well, he’s left seething in his castle with a bandaged hand plotting his next scheme.

The Summary:
So, the first thing I’m going to say is: man, do I hate this characterisation of Pepper. She isn’t just pining for Tony; she’s positively obsessed with him! She stands there, prancing around with her new hairdo and dress trying to catch his eye and, when he dares to focus on business and employee welfare, she yells at him for ignoring her! Then, she calls Happy and practically orders him to take her to the employee dinner just to make Stark jealous, relishing the compliments and adulation she receives from others and completely oblivious that Happy is in love with her. When Tony shows up at the end, she’s left fuming when a throwaway comment by Happy implies she and him are together. Of all the poorly aged characterisations of females from this era, I think Pepper comes off the worst. She’s only in the story for a few panels and comes across as an obsessive, manipulative, selfish bitch who badly needs some comeuppance. Thankfully, this is merely a small part of the story and shows just how hectic Stark’s social and business life is, especially compared to his superhero peers since he has so many more responsibilities as a businessman and employer. Indeed, when faced with his impending death at the Mandarin’s hands, Stark’s first thoughts (beyond his own end) are that Happy and Pepper won’t receive their Christmas bonuses if he’s killed! Iron Man is also a proud patriot; he eagerly accepts the assignment to enter Red China and investigate the Mandarin, even though his presence there is technically an act of war. Iron Man seems excited about confronting the dreaded Mandarin and boasts of his adaptability and technology during their fight, matching the Mandarin’s mysterious power and escaping his deadly traps while still being forced to think on his feet since his armour is low on power. In this regard, “The Hands of the Mandarin!” is a pretty good story for showcasing Stark’s tenacity. He has fancy armour and near-magical gadgets, yes, but he’s still human and must rely on his wits and cunning at times, which comes to the forefront when faced with the Mandarin’s awesome power.

Culturally insensitive and lumbered with a bad outfit, the Mandarin is surprisingly lacklustre here.

The Mandarin possesses ten mysterious rings, each said to contain a different power. We don’t see the full extent of this here, or learn of their origin, but they’re enough to keep Iron Man at bay if not out-right subdue him. The Mandarin can emit high-frequency waves, control his castle’s mechanisms, and paralyse his foe with a gesture, but we don’t see him commanding elements or anything truly impressive. As if his ten rings weren’t powerful enough, the Mandarin’s castle is one giant trap; he can electrify walls, control stone slabs, and has death traps aplenty scattered throughout. This is cool and all, but I feel like anyone can have a castle fortress; I would’ve liked to see these traps supplanted with more focus on the Mandarin’s rings. Like, instead of having Iron Man faced with crushing walls, have the Mandarin control the stones of his castle with his ring. Instead of electrifying the walls with a lever, have his ring send out lightning bolts or something. The rings are the Mandarin’s gimmick and tie into the whole technology vs. magic aspect that’s at the core of their conflict, but that’s not really emphasised here. We never learn the origins of the rings, so for all we know they’re technological in some way, and the Mandarin isn’t depicted as a sorcerer, despite his appearance. Speaking of which, the Mandarin is a…controversial figure, for sure. Exuding Fu Manchu vibes, he’s a stereotypical “Red Menace” type with his little goatee and painfully slanted eyes and clawed hands. His appearance is close to that of a demon at times but hampered by his bland outfit. Consisting of heavy green robes sporting a big, stupid violet “M” and a gaudy matching mask, the Mandarin’s appearance completely negates the very real threat he poses, which is a shame as the story goes to great lengths to build him up as this fearsome foe and then lumbers him with a truly awful outfit. We learn nothing of the Mandarin except that he’s greatly feared, quick to anger, proud, and boasts incredible, unknowable power. He has desires for world domination, sure, but doesn’t appear to have done anything towards that except amass power, yet Iron Man immediately recognises that he’s this formidable enemy to the free world. I dunno, I guess I just expected a bit more from this since the Mandarin is the quintessential Iron Man villain in my eyes, but he just came across as another madman in a castle and a “villain of the month” figure here, which was disappointing.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

What did you think to the Mandarin’s first appearance? Would you have liked to see more of his rings and their various powers? Do you consider the Mandarin to be culturally and racially offensive? What did you think to Pepper’s characterisation and he manipulation of Happy? What are some of your favourite Iron Man vs. Mandarin stories? Where does Iron Man rank in your hierarchy of comic book characters? Are you doing anything to commemorate Iron Man’s debut appearance and, if so, what is it? Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts on Iron Man so leave a comment below.

Back Issues: Captain America 22-25

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Story Title: “The Tomorrow Soldier” (Part 1 to Conclusion)
Published: 2 July 2014 (cover-dated: September 2014) to 1 October 2014 (cover-dated: December 2014)
Writer: Rick Remender
Artists: Carlos Pacheco and Stuart Immonen

The Background:
By 1941, Nazi Germany had decimated Denmark and Norway and World War Two was fully underway and, after some initial resistance, the United States joined the War against the “Axis powers” of Germany, Japan, and Italy. Patriotism and national pride was high, especially in America, during those dark days, making it the perfect time for Joe Simon and the legendary Jack Kirby to debut Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America and his kid sidekick, James Buchanan Barnes/Bucky, to encourage support of the war effort. Once the War was over, superheroes saw a decline and Captain America’s solo publication was cancelled in 1954. However, Cap got a second chance when he joined the Avengers as a “man out of time”, battling iconic villains like Johann Shmidt/The Red Skull and even opposing his fellow superheroes during a “Civil War”. After surrendering to the authorities, Cap was seemingly killed and his troubled sidekick, better known as the Winter Soldier, took up the mantle until Steve’s inevitable resurrection. However, in 2014, cybernetic supervillain Arnim Zola’s machinations saw Cap drained of the super soldier serum and rapidly aged into an old man! Thus the battle was on the see who would become the new Star-Spangled Avenger, a battle eventually won by Cap’s long-time ally, Sam Wilson/The Falcon, to much undue controversy, Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colon in 1969, the Falcon was the first Black American superhero in mainstream comic books and was specifically created to challenge social perceptions. After a lengthy career as a bit-player in Marvel Comics, Sam made headlines with his promotion, a story arc that achieved mainstream recognition due to Anthony Mackie’s celebrated portrayal of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Review:
Sam Wilson’s assumption of the Captain America mantle didn’t come easy, nor without drama. In the leadup to this story, Cap was kidnapped by Arnim Zola and spirited away to Dimension Z, where the mad scientist plotted to drain his super soldier serum to create a race of genetic super-beings! Cap broke free but was trapped in Dimension Z for ten years, during which time he raised Zola’s son, Ian, as his own. Though Cap eventually escaped with Jet Zola/Jet Black, Zola’s daughter, both Ian and Cap’s lover, Agent 13/Sharon Carter, were lost. Cap then spent some time working with Sam to mould Jet Black into a hero but, in a battle with former Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) agent-turned-madman, Ran Shen/Iron Nail, Cap’s super soldier serum was neutralised and he quickly aged into frail, infirm old man! Our story picks up with Steve sequestered at Avengers Mansion, stewing over sensationalist news reports demanding accountability for Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s dangerous and destructive antics. Steve’s offered council by S.H.I.E.L.D. director maria Hill and the decidedly Samuel L. Jackson-esque Nick Fury Jr., who assure him that he saved countless lives taking down Iron Nail. Unfortunately, his shield has been left too radioactive to be returned to him and Steve’s aghast when he’s told S.H.I.E.L.D. won’t be destroying Gungnir, the weaponised, Transformer-like Helicarrier Iron Nail hijacked and threatened the United States with. Steve is so angered that he starts to wonder if the reports of corruption within the government and S.H.I.E.L.D. aren’t valid, though Fury simply explains that contingencies such as Gungnir are vital to protect innocent civilians and keep the public from being overly reliant on costumed heroes, especial as the Avengers’ roster has dwindled lately.

When Armin Zola’s mutates invade, the Avengers gain an unlikely ally in Steve’s adopted son!

Over on the upper west side, Sam Wilson wakes up to a hell of a hangover and to find he spent the night with Jet Black! Though he’s not exactly thrilled at having crossed that line, he seems won over by her affections, but their tender moment (and the awkwardness) is interrupted when Jet spots a commotion outside. It turns out that her father, Armin Zola, is so eager for revenge that he rips open a hole in the fabric of reality and his monstrous, “hyperevolved mutates” come pouring into Central Park, followed closely by a mysterious man garbed in a spiked battle suit. Zola quickly contacts the Red Skull to co-ordinate their newest efforts in overthrowing the decadent West, asserting himself as a menacing force in his own right and seemingly earning the Red Skull’s respect with his army of mutates. While Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man and Doctor Robert Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk work to find some way of restoring Steve’s superhuman condition, they (along with Thor Odinson and Steve himself) are alerted to the crisis via the mansion’s monitors. Steve immediately recognises the threat as Zola; Stark is incredulous but quickly convinced of the danger when the armoured mutate comes crashing through the wall. Luckily, the Hulk is around to face the stranger (with Banner having more control over the Hulk at this point). Naturally, Iron Man adopts a snarky “shoot first, ask questions later” philosophy, leading to an explosive confrontation as he and Thor try to keep the masked intruder from reaching Steve. However, the masked man easily avoids their attacks and even gets the better of Thor, running rings around them, only to be astonished by Steve’s frail condition. This distraction allows the Hulk needs to strike; ironically, though the stranger deftly evades the Green Goliath, Steve easily subdues the masked man. However, Steve is stunned when the intruder unmasks to reveal himself as Ian Ziola, now Ian Rogers, Steve’s adopted son, who was regenerated from death by one of Zola’s “bio-mass [tanks]”.

Zola manipulates events to coerce his daughter, whom the Falcon rushes to defend.

Overjoyed to see Ian alive and that he’s come to help, Steve proudly introduces him to his fellow Avengers but distraught to learn that Ian’s been fighting Zola alone for the last ten years. Steve then gets a call from the Falcon, who relays the extent of Zola’s attack: thanks to the city’s birds, Sam has seen the monsters rapidly spread throughout New York City. Jet Black then reveals she knows a way into her father’s fortified tower that may help them to stop the invasion and calls upon the Avengers to go along with her father’s plan, which is to face him head-on, to provide a suitable distraction. The Avengers readily accept, taking the fight to the ravenous, near-mindless hoards alongside their new ally, and are initially unimpressed by Zola’s forces. However, they’re soon confronted by Zola’s “hyper-mutates”, warped, monstrous copies of the Avengers that call themselves the “Unvengers”! Meanwhile, Jet Black and the Falcon easily infiltrate Zola’s tower, affirming that her allegiances lie anywhere but with her crazed father and insisting on using her position as the madman’s daughter to throw off his mutate guards. The plan works and they advance through the tower, only to find Sharon held hostage in a pitiful cell! After learning about Sharon’s predicament from Sam, Steve immediately asks Ian to leave the fight to the Avengers and go rescue her; though Sharon warns that such an act was all foreseen by Zola. When Jet confronts her father in his control room, he all-but guarantees the Red Skull that he can win her over to their side, claiming everything she’s done – even her betrayal – was also all part of his manipulative will. The Falcon breaks up the tense family reunion, tackling Zola out the window and sending him crashing to the streets below. Zola recovers near-instantly, however, his patience with his “perfect child” wearing thin, but the Falcon immediately intercepts him in mid-air.

Though the Avengers turn on Jet, Sam survives to take up the Captain America mantle.

Raging at Zola for his ill treatment of Jet, the Falcon fights valiantly even as Zola smashes a bus onto the mis-matched hero. When Jet rushes to his aid and Zola sees how much she cares for the Falcon, Zola vows to murder him to rid her of such weaknesses all while hypocritically declaring his undying love for her! Thanks to Sharon, Steve warns the Falcon that Zola plans to blow up Avengers Tower, though Sam inadvertently kickstarts the detonation when he has Redwing remove Zola’s “telepathic broadcast doohickey”! When the Unvengers keep Iron Man from helping and Ian and Sharon are unable to disarm it, the Falcon bravely and selflessly grabs the bomb and flies high into the sky, bidding an emotional farewell to Steve and urging him and Sharon to enjoy their retirement with Ian before the bomb explodes in his arms. A horrified Steve thinks back to when he and Sam first met, the adversity he fought through, and how hard he worked to be a hero without any superpowers, fancy gadgets, or special serum as Iron Man sombrely retrieves the Falcon’s surprisingly intact body. Though Zola pleads with Jet Black to return to Dimension Z where she can be safe from the Red Skull’s looming threat, she angrily rebukes him. Sharon, Steve, and the Avengers gather in quiet mourning, only to be astonished when he comes to and reveals that Stark made him some Adamantium wings, which absorbed most of the blast! Though everyone’s overjoyed by this, Sharon blames Jet for Zola’s attack and accuses her of being a double agent. To Jet’s dismay, even Sam has his doubts and, when the Avengers try to restrain her to investigate, she angrily rushes to Zola’s tower, believing her father was right that her new allies couldn’t be trusted. One week later, seemingly every superhero around gathers at Avengers Mansion, where Steve announces his retirement from superheroics due to his condition (though he and Sharon plan to aid the Avengers with tactical support). He also reveals that Sam is the new Captain America and proudly hands him his shield, entrusting one of his oldest friends with his legacy, which Sam humbly accepts with a cry of “Avengers Assemble!”

The Summary:
This was a difficult story to just jump into without context. A lot of modern comics are like that, with one series of mini arcs leading to the next, all of it part of a bigger picture. I get it and I accept it and I know there’s some onus on the reader to maybe get some background before diving in feet-first. However, since I’m mostly going on some background reading and what the “Previously…” recap is telling me, there were a few characters and events that I wasn’t very familiar with. Jet Black and Ian Rogers were two main examples; I knew Steve aged into an old man around this time, but I didn’t realise he took a son and a protégé as well. Consequently, Ian’s big reveal didn’t impact me as much as other, more invested readers but I think Rick Remender did a great job of conveying Steve’s shock and joy at seeing his son alive and well. I loved that Steve proudly introduced him to his surrogate family, the Avengers, and that Ian wasn’t some bitter, twisted soul looking to kill his adopted father. Instead, we got a young man who’s actually happy to see and fight alongside his father for a change, something very rare in comics. Ian meshes well with the Avengers, sporting a smart mouth and a capable agility despite his years of fighting against his maniacal father and living in a nightmarish alternate dimension. Similarly, I didn’t have much of a connection with Jet Black but I think the story did a good job of showing her as a character just trying to find her way. I liked her blossoming relationship with Sam (even if his reaction at waking up with her was a little odd) and that she willingly and selflessly opposes her father once he arrives. She does nothing except lash out against Zola, rebuking his offers and voicing her hatred of him even as he tries to win her over with his silver tongue. And, for all her efforts and hard work and personal turmoil, Jet is met with suspicion and accusations from even her own brother. Thus, she’s driven from her newfound allies and retreats back to Zola, devastated to learn that he was right and that she would never be accepted as one of them all because Sharon blew her lid and Sam barely even vouched for Jet’s trustworthiness.

For a story meant to be Sam’s crowning moment, he was strangely portrayed throughout.

Indeed, I hope subsequent issues delved into Sam’s feelings regarding this. He barely says anything when Sharon accuses Jet and gets only one panel where he seems conflicted or upset by what he sees as a betrayal. It’s a weird way to end the conflict, especially considering everyone was just mourning Sam’s loss and celebrating his survival. Sam’s selfless actions and his commitment to justice despite lacking any superpowers are the qualities that make him suitable to take up the Captain America mantle, yet this feels somewhat tarnished since he didn’t showcase any loyalty to Jet or any conviction in defending her. He stood there, stunned, and let everyone run their mouths, which doesn’t scream “Captain America” to me. In fact, this is a bit of an odd story to introduce Sam as Cap in general, really. For most of the issues, he’s not really doing anything except flying around and reporting intel to the Avengers. Sure, this is useful from a tactical standpoint but the mutates were swarming everywhere; I’m pretty sure the Avengers would’ve spotted them without him. The Falcon does take the fight directly to Zola, infiltrating his tower with Jet Black, and he does valiantly fight the cybernetic madman despite clearly being outmatched. During this fight, the Falcon also sticks up for Jet in a way he fails to do once the conflict is resolved and his fighting spirit is certainly commendable, but I feel like any hero would’ve fought just as hard in his stead. The Falcon making the sacrifice play is a great shorthand for the mentality needed to be Captain America but, again, it feels a touch hollow. Like, Iron Man was just about to take care of the bomb before he got interrupted and Sam probably wouldn’t have had to make that call if he hadn’t yanked out Zola’s broadcast device. It just felt a bit rushed and out of nowhere to me and I can’t help but wonder if maybe it would’ve been better to play things a little closer to the ground. Like, have Zola threaten to kill a group of civilians and have Sam shield them with his wings and seemingly be beaten to death, or something like that. Just something a little less random and a bit more in-line with his status as a more grounded, “human” superhero.

I liked that Steve passed on the mantle but the story felt oddly rushed at times.

On the plus side, Carlos Pacheco and Stuart Immonen do good artwork. I liked Iron Man’s darker armour and Ian’s totally nineties emo armour (I mistook him for Robbie Baldwin/Penance at first), though Jet Black felt a bit overdesigned. Similarly, while Sam’s Falcon outfit is a vast improvement over his debut costume, I can’t say I’m a big fan of his Falcon/Captain America hybrid suit. He reckons it’s “sexy” but it looks a bit of a mess to me, with miss-matching colours and a far too “busy” design. Maybe if his chest emblem was just the star, which was an extension of his weird-looking cowl, I’d like it more. I dunno, it just looks uncomfortable to wear and a pain in the ass to draw. I quite enjoyed the passing of the torch, though, in concept. I like seeing Steve rendering incapable of continuing as Captain America and retiring to a more sedentary life, though I do think Bucky is a better choice to take up the mantle. I get the idea that Captain America is a symbol of what a normal man can strive to be, but Steve was at least partially superhuman thanks to the super soldier serum. Then again, considering the Falcon survived having a bus dropped on his head, it’s safe to assume he’s more durably than Joe Public. I really like seeing all the other heroes immediately accept and endorse Sam; there was no question or objection, and he slipped into the role effortlessly. However, I feel he didn’t play a big enough role in this conflict. He fought Zola, sure, but to a standstill and didn’t defeat him; he just stopped his plan, and he lost his girl in the process. It’s a weirdly, tonally confused story for me and a strange way to usher in a new Captain America, though I was left curious to explore how Sam adapted to the role and the fallout from this adventure.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to Sam’s promotion to Captain America? Do you agree that this was a strange story to make that change or did you like the way it went down? What did you think to Sam’s suit, and do you like seeing him in the role? Were you disappointed that the Unvengers didn’t do more, and that Sam didn’t try harder to defend Jet Black? What are some of your favourite moments from Sam’s time as Captain America? Use the comment section below to share your thoughts and go read my other Marvel and Captain America content on the site.

Back Issues & Knuckles: Total Chaotix

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With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994) in February 1994, gamers were introduced to Knuckles the Echidna. This mischievous, dreadlocked antagonist was created by Takashi Yuda and is my favourite of Sonic’s supporting cast so I’ve been dedicating every Sunday to Rad Red!

Story Title: “Total Chaotix” (Part 1 to 6)
Published: 27 May 1995 (cover-dated: 9 June 1995) to 5 August 1995 (cover-dated: 18 August 1995)
Writer: Nigel Kitching
Artist: Richard Elson

The Background:
After finally knocking Nintendo from the top of the videogame industry, SEGA almost immediately transformed Sonic’s popularity into mainstream success with an influx of ancillary merchandise, mainly cartoons and comic books. Six months or so after Archie Comics published their first Sonic miniseries, United Kingdom publisher Fleetway Editions Limited published “Britain’s Official SEGA Comic”, Sonic the Comic (StC), a fortnightly comic book I collected diligently until its unfortunate end. Largely taking its lore from the now defunct Mobius/Doctor Ovi Kintobor storyline that originated outside of Japan, StC portrayed Sonic as a mean-spirited leader of the rebellious Freedom Fighters. Like the Archie comics, StC included some loose adaptations that recontextualised the videogames to fit its noticeably different lore. After his introduction in a multi-part story loosely based on Sonic 3, Knuckles immediately graduated to his own back-up stories that, after tying up loose ends from his debuted, eventually expanded on Knuckles’s vague backstory. His second solo feature, however, would be this loose adaptation of Knuckles’ Chaotix (SEGA, 1995), a bizarre and obscure title released solely for SEGA’s doomed 32X peripheral, which dramatically reinterpreted the titular Chaotix Crew for StC’s purposes.

The Review:
“Total Chaotix” begins immediately after (or, at least, not long after) Sonic and Knuckles finally rid the Floating Island of Doctor Ivo Robotnik’s forces, bring down his Death Egg space station, and return the all-powerful Master Emerald to the island’s hot-headed guardian. Thus, Knuckles is in high spirits at the start of the story as, for the first time in centauries, the seven Chaos Emeralds and their gigantic master are fully powered, increasing them in size, keeping the Floating Island high in the sky, and protecting the island with an energy barrier to deter unwanted visitors. Speaking of which, Knuckles takes a Zoom Tube to check in on his new guests in the Mushroom Hill Zone. Realising that Dr. Robotnik would turn his wrath on the Emerald Hill Zone inhabitants, Sonic arranged a deal with Knuckles to shelter the Emerald Hill folk on the Floating Island in return for the Master Emerald. While Knuckles isn’t exactly happy with this arrangement since he prefers to live in solitude, he honours the agreement and hopes his new guests won’t bother him. While investigating the damage done to the Floating Island by the Death Egg’s powerful eye lasers, Knuckles is shocked to discover an old echidna relic: a stone ring whose ancient writing apparently reveals it to be a gateway to a “dream country”. Before Knuckles can properly examine the artefact, a portal suddenly opens and sucks him through, depositing the naïve guardian in the Special Zone. Bombarded by the bizarre dimension’s kaleidoscope of colours and surreal imagery, Knuckles realises he mistranslated the stone and prepares for a rough ride since the Special Zone is almost impossible to escape from. At that moment, Knuckles is confronted by the Omni-Viewer, a sentient television screen who watches over the Special Zone and allows for transport to and from the dimension. While the Omni-Viewer is an ally of Sonic’s and was once forced to do Dr. Robotnik’s bidding, his intelligence is massively out of date and he still believes Knuckles is the dictator’s partner. Thus, he ignores Knuckles’ pleas and teleports in the “Guardians of the Special Zone”, the Chaotix (Vector the Crocodile, Mighty the Armadillo, Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee (referred to as “Charmee”), and Nack the Weasel) to deal with the perceived threat.

Knuckles runs afoul of the Chaotix and discovers a Metallix plot in the Special Zone.

On Vector’s order, the group’s muscle, Mighty, leaps in to land the first blow, leaving him plummeting into the void when Knuckles glides to safety. Luckily, the peppy “Charmee” is on hand to rescue his cohort, who doesn’t care for the enthusiastic youngster’s commentary on his humiliation. While trying to escape the unreasonable group, Knuckles is blindsided by Espio’s camouflage ability. The chameleon then throttles Knuckles (!) and calls Nack for an assist, only for both to be shrugged off by the echidna’s superior strength. Vector then enters the fray and tries to snap his powerful jaws onto Knuckles’ head; however, Knuckles dodges and lands a solid uppercut to Vector’s chin, causing him to bite his tongue. The fracas is halted by the Omni-Viewer, who does a bit of research and finds that Knuckles is telling the truth. However, just as tensions are beginning to cool, “Charmee” notices some distortion appearing on the Omni-Viewer’s “face” and, to the horror of all, the warping solidifies to show not one, but two Metallixes forming within the Omni-Viewer! Despite recognising Sonic’s robotic doppelgänger from a precious encounter in Sky Sanctuary Zone, Knuckles is as powerless as Vector to keep the Omni-Viewer from being downloaded to a handheld device wielded by one of the Badniks. The Metallix then flee the scene, leaving the Omni-Viewer an empty void and giving the group no chance but to team up to rescue him, despite Nack’s suspicions that Knuckles is still working for Dr. Robotnik. When Vector mentions the ovoid dictator’s abandoned Egg Fortress base, the group makes haste on a rescue mission, unaware that the Metallixes are working under the command of a gigantic Emperor Metallix! Thanks to Mighty flying head-first at the Egg Fortress, the group’s infiltration doesn’t go as quietly as Knuckles wished, though it’s Rad Red who must keep Mighty and Espio from coming to blows when the short-tempered armadillo trips the base’s alarm. After “Charmee” warns of an incoming Metallix, the group squeeze into the base’s ventilation system. However, an errant kick from Nack compromises their position, forcing the wayward weasel to flee when they’re spotted by the Metallix.

Despite a double cross from Nack, Knuckles and the Chaotix defeat the Metallix…for now…

The Metallix attacks without mercy, blasting the group with its chest laser, easily sends them flying with a swing of its clawed arm, then buries them beneath debris by blasting the roof above. Although the Metallix believes it has killed its foes, Knuckles claws his way from the wreckage and flies into a rage. While the Metallix tanks his best shot and its speed throws Knuckles off-balance, Knuckles subdues the robot by hurling a girder through its chest. Though only a temporary reprieve, it’s enough for Nack to come out of hiding and for Mighty to muscle the debris off his team. With the damaged Metallix in hot pursuit and the Emperor Metallix’s plot to create a copy of the Omni-Viewer almost complete, Nack leads the team right into the “lion’s den” (as Vector puts it), betraying his team mates to the Emperor Metallix in return for “money, what else?” Although the Emperor Metallix thanks Nack for giving them the access codes to the Omni-Viewer, it immediately orders its Metallixes to attack him alongside his former allies, double-crossing the opportunistic weasel. Despite Nack busting out a hidden disruptor for just such a double-cross, he’s blasted by a Metallix. Still, Knuckles grabs the weapon and fires it, emitting what appears to be an electro-magnetic pulse that instantly disables the Emperor Metallix and its two minions. With the threat ended in surprisingly anti-climactic fashion, the Chaotix retrieve Nack and the Omni-Viewer and drop Knuckles back on the Floating Island. However, Knuckles can’t shake the feeling that there was something off about the Metallix and the Omni-Viewer finds he’s missing some memory banks from the ordeal. They’re right to be concerned by this for the story ends to show the Emperor Metallix and its brotherhood reactivating, having successfully feigned defeat, and that they now possess a corrupted version of the Omni-Viewer that will allow them to travel through time and space to realise their goal of world conquest!

The Summary:
As is often the case, “Total Chaotix” is bolstered by Richard Elson’s stirring and visually engaging art. Having him work on Knuckles’ early solo strips gave them an air of legitimacy not afforded to other back-up stories in StC and showed that they were just as important to the ongoing storylines (especially StC’s multi-part adaptation of Sonic 3 & Knuckles). Elson draws a fantastic Knuckles, capturing his toothy smirk and temperamental demeanour, and a wonderful Metallix. Unlike the Mecha-Metallix last seen in StC, these Metallix are a return to form, featuring that sleek, sexy aesthetic that’s become so iconic. Knowing how troublesome just one of these Badniks was makes seeing two quite the moment and the Metallix retain their menace by how fast and lethal they’re portrayed. They make mincemeat of the Chaotix, who get no chance to fight back and are nearly killed by just one Metallix. Even Knuckles struggles to go toe-to-toe with the doppelgänger since it’s built to match Sonic’s speed and even a girder to the chest doesn’t put the Metallix down, so seeing a whole army of the robotic doubles ends the story on one hell of a cliff-hanger! “Total Chaotix” also introduces the Davros-like Emperor Metallix, a gigantic robot hedgehog permanently sat in a massive throne and who’s modelled after Metal Sonic Kai (fitting, considering this is a loose adaptation of Knuckles’ Chaotix). Knuckles suspects that the Metallix have split from Dr. Robotnik and that’s revealed to be true. The Emperor Metallix no longer serves its rotund master and has instead commands a “brotherhood” of robotic Sonics to make its own bid for world conquest. Its scheme to facilitate this is to download a copy of the all-powerful Omni-Viewer, a scheme that works despite Knuckles’ best efforts and which ends the story on a cliff-hanger that’s not only picked up in a later Sonic story, but which lays the foundation for future appearances of the Metallix.

It’s nothing like the game but “Total Chaotix” sets up some big storylines for Sonic the Comic.

Naturally, the titular Chaotix make quite an impact in the story thanks, again, to Richard Elson’s artwork, which closely emulates the artwork seen in their debut title. It’s interesting seeing them reinterpreted as the “Guardians of the Special Zone” considering they had no stronger ties to the Special Stages than Sonic and the other characters, but it makes sense in the context given (the Metallix are based in the Special Zone and this story is about introducing their “brotherhood”). Each character gets a little time to showcase their personality but, with so many of them, they’re largely one-dimensional. Vector is the leader (his headphones and love of music don’t come into play here, or ever, as I recall); Mighty is the hot-tempered muscle; and “Charmee” is the annoying little kid who gets on all their nerves. Surprisingly, considering he gets second billing in Knuckles’ Chaotix and is now known as a stoic ninja, Espio is probably the least developed of the group. He turns invisible, which is cool, but doesn’t seem that different a personality from Mighty, with the two almost coming to blows at one point. If course, the odd man weasel out is Nack, who’s less of a disreputable treasure hunter and more of a self-serving sell-out. It’s implied that this group has been together for a while, so it makes me wonder how deep Nack’s infiltration went or if he just decided to betray the team in this story. I guess anyone who had played Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Aspect, 1994) would’ve seen this betrayal coming, but then nothing’s for sure in StC, which plays it fast and loose with fidelity. The Chaotix are seen to be a relatively competent group when faced with a reasonable threat like Knuckles but are ridiculously outclassed against a single Metallix and don’t showcase much of their abilities beyond the basics, which is a shame. Still, the art and the significance of this story in both the wider StC canon and the context of its ongoing Sonic 3 & Knuckles adaptation make “Total Chaotix” a decent story. The new characters add a lot, visually, to Sonic’s extended cast and I enjoyed the ominous nature of the Brotherhood of Metallix, even if the story barely has anything to do with Knuckles’ Chaotix.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever read “Total Chaotix”? What did you think to Fleetway’s version of the Chaotix and the reinterpretation of Nack as a traitor in their ranks? Were you happy to see the Metallix return? Would you have liked to see more elements from the videogame included in the story? Which of Fleetway’s Knuckles and/or Chaotix stories was your favourite and why? Are you celebrating Knuckles this month? Whatever you think about Sonic the Comic, and especially Knuckles and Chaotix, leave a comment down below and go show me some love on Ko-Fi.

Back Issues: Hulk #1-6

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Writer: Jeph Loeb – Artist: Ed McGuinness

Story Title: “Who is the Hulk?”
Published: 4 January 2008 (cover-dated: March 2008)

Story Title: “The Smoking Gun”
Published: 20 February 2008 (cover-dated: April 2008)

Story Title: “Creatures on the Loose”
Published: 23 April 2008 (cover-dated: June 2008)

Story Title: “Red Light, Green Light”
Published: 25 June 2008 (cover-dated: August 2008)

Story Title: “Rolling Thunder”
Published: 6 August 2008 (cover-dated: October 2008)

Story Title: “Blood Red”
Published: 24 September 2008 (cover-dated: November 2008)

The Background:
Created by legendary Marvel duo Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the depiction of Doctor Robert Bruce Banner transforming into the monstrous Incredible Hulk was inspired by a story of a hysterical mother summoning superhuman strength to rescue her child and classic screen monsters Frankenstein’s Monster and Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. Initially appearing as a stone-grey creature, the Hulk has appeared in many forms and at different levels of strength and intelligence over the years. We’ve seen an old, dictator-like Hulk, an intelligent gangster Hulk, a “Smart Hulk”, and even a “Devil Hulk” so why not a Red Hulk? The idea of a Red Hulk can be traced back to Kenny Johnson, producer of the popular and iconic Incredible Hulk television series (1977 to 1982), who lobbied for the colour change since red is commonly associated with rage, the Hulk’s defining characteristic, only to have his logic dismissed. However, a mere thirty-odd years later, then-Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada officially introduced a red variant of the Green Goliath, one whose identity was kept a closely-guarded secret for about three years. A dangerous, intelligent, and tactically-savvy villain who grew hotter the angrier he got, the Red Hulk was eventually revealed to be Banner and the Hulk’s long-time enemy, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a cantankerous military man who hounded both characters for decades. Naturally, General Ross appeared prominently in the Hulk’s ancillary media, appearing in cartoons and live-action many times, but the Red Hulk (or “Rulk” as he’s colloquially known) has not only been a card-carrying member of the Avengers but has also appeared in Hulk-centric cartoons and even unexpectedly appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, courtesy of Harrison Ford.

The Review:
Our story begins in Russia, where Doctor Leonard Samson/Doc Samson and Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk investigate the sight of a fierce battle between the Hulk and his monstrous rival, Emil Blonsky/The Abomination. Begrudgingly, She-Hulk allows Samson to recreate the fight, deftly surmising and reenacting both character’s movements based on footprints and the surrounding devastation. It’s Doc Samson’s learned belief that the Hulk was unusually vicious, that he sought to beat the Abomination to death no matter what damage he caused in the process, and that, with his foe at his mercy, the Hulk drew a pistol and shot the creature at point-blank range. General Ross, Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) commander Maria Hill, and S.H.I.E.L.D. director Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man, who are also present, question the legitimacy of such an outrageous claim. However, when Hill reveals that S.H.I.E.L.D. does make a weapon big enough for the Hulk to fire and Doc Samson points out the residual Gamma radiation, the evidence, however unlikely, becomes difficult to ignore. She-Hulk and Samson also note that the Hulk is apparently emitting so much radiation that he’s scorching the earth with each footprint. The team’s squabbling and theorising is interrupted by Russia’s equivalent to the Avengers, the Winter Guard, led by Anton/The Red Guardian, who demand to take charge of the investigation. Despite being invited by the Russian government, the Red Guard have issue with their unauthorised personnel, like Samson, who reacts by starting a fight with the Red Guardian. Not to be outdone, Mikhail Ursus/Ursa Major, Boris Vadim/Crimson Dynamo, and Sasha Roerich/Darkstar join the fracas, with the bear-like Ursa clawing She-Hulk’s arm and Iron Man blasting the mech-armoured Crimson Dynamo right in the face. The battle is violent but short-lived as General Ross discovers a survivor, a traumatised boy who can only repeat the word “Красногоin” (or “red”) over and over.

A mysterious Red Hulk murders the Abomination and trashes the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier,

On the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Maria shows Stark a version of the gun used to kill Blonsky, a weapon he had no knowledge of. However, their discussion is interrupted when She-Hulk is suddenly attacked by a monstrous, Hulk-like figure. Though Stark barely glimpses the creature, he sees that it’s red, not green, and is stunned when the unconscious and badly beaten She-Hulk is dumped at his feet. Stark armours up and meets agent Clay Quartermain, who’s been injured by the monster but no less determined to bring him, and any and all Hulks, down. Iron Man’s orders are cut short when the Red Hulk suddenly tackles him through a wall. Noting the strange contradiction of a Hulk that growls like an animal but apparently wields a pistol and systematically targets a Helicarrier, Iron Man scrambles to fend off the brute’s vicious attack and deploy his spare armours to help stabilise the Helicarrier and catch the jets that tumble from it following the Red Hulk’s attack. Though his armour’s severely damaged, Iron Man is saved from a plummet by She-Hulk, who reveals that the Red Hulk wiped S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secure files with a sophisticated virus, and that the Red Hulk threatened her with an eloquence not shown to Stark. Despite Iron Man’s best efforts, the gold-plated Helicarrier crashes in a New Jersey field (with, surprisingly, no causalities). Iron Man’s attempts to formulate an effective counterattack are put on hold when Maria shows him video footage of General Ross and Doc Samson meeting with Bruce Banner, who’s held captive in the Gamma Base located in Death Valley, Nevada. The footage confirms that there is another Hulk out there, one very different from Banner’s mindless alter ego, and Banner suggests it’s someone who’s previously been exposed to high levels of Gamma radiation. However, Iron Man’s enraged when a crucial exchange between Banner and Ross is rendered unintelligible and orders Maria to clean up the recording. Later, Iron Man is brought to a meat packing plant where Agent Quartermain has been found dead alongside a severely torn, Gamma-irradiated coat belonging to Doc Samson, framing the superhuman psychiatrist as the Red Hulk.

The Red Hulk easily overpowers A-Bomb and even the rampaging Green Goliath!

Elsewhere, the Red Hulk blindsides perennial sidekick Rick Jones outside Gamma Base, transforming him into his own Gamma monstrosity, the A-Bomb. It’s in this fight that we learn just how intelligent the Red Hulk is. While A-Bomb can only bark childish threats, the Red Hulk is goading, intelligent, and aware of his surroundings. Although Gamma Base recognises the Red Hulk as an authorised entrant, its defences fire on A-Bomb and Red Hulk takes advantage, swiping a massive cannon and taking great pleasure in riddling the armoured monster with bullets. When A-Bomb spits claims of his invulnerability, the Red Hulk gleefully tests his theory by pummelling him into the ground. The sheer force of the assault sends seismic shocks through the entire base and triggers Banner’s transformation into the Hulk when his cage attempts to gas him. As the battle rages, the base unleashes its Adamantium-taloned harpy robots (modelled after Banner’s long-time love, Doctor Betty Ross) to carry the two away. Unfortunately, the machines are no match for either monster’s strength, though the distraction separates them long enough for the Hulk to confront his red-skinned doppelgänger. Before the two can lock horns, however, the Red Hulk casually punches out Uatu the Watcher, who randomly popped up due to the significance of these two immensely powerful beings coming to blows (and, I guess, to show how tough this new Hulk is). After humbling the cosmic overseer, the Red Hulk finds the Hulk enraged by his appearance. The Hulk sees his red double an imitation and challenger to his title of “The Strongest One There Is”, a title he vehemently seeks to defend as aggressively as ever. Red Hulk, however, dives into the fight with relish, determined to make the Hulk pay for years of death and destruction, and for waging war against the entire planet after his return from Sakaar. Though the Hulk’s no longer as intelligent as his “World Breaker” persona, his strength only increases with his anger. However, the Red Hulk weathers the beating and easily grabs the Hulk’s wrist, breaking his arm and causing him to pass out.

Though he humbles Thor, the Red Hulk is outsmarted by the Hulk, his true identity left a mystery…

The Hulk awakens atop the Golden Gate Bridge and avoids a public execution by biting the Red Hulk’s gun. For his insolence, the Red Hulk decides to let his foe live with the knowledge that he’s not the strongest and knocks him into the bay, trigging the San Andreas fault. Thor Odinson then confronts the monster, only for the God of Thunder to be stunned when the Red Hulk shrugs off a blow from the mighty Mjöllnir. Savouring the chance to beat a God to death, the Red Hulk backs his words with blows powerful enough to draw blood and knock Thor flying. Thor fights back, not realising his foe is a different Hulk to the one he knows and is therefore left speechless when the intelligent Red Hulk gets around Mjöllnir’s enchantment by launching them out of Earth’s atmosphere. In zero gravity, the Red Hulk humbles Thor by beating him with his own hammer and dumping him on the Moon. After the Fantastic Four seemingly confirm that the Red Hulk is Doc Samson and A-Bomb pulls the Hulk from San Francisco Bay, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Ben Grimm/The Thing, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Prince Namor McKenzie/The Sub-Mariner, and Ares, the God of War, arrive to help save the city. While the Hulk initially rejects their assistance, he begrudgingly agrees to let them get San Francisco under control so he can confront the Red Hulk in Monument Valley. The Hulk’s efforts are aided by the returning Thor and A-Bomb, with the latter revealing the Red Hulk’s weakness (that he gets hotter the madder he gets) and restraining Thor so the Hulk can settle the score alone. Smartly, the Hulk absorbs the Red Hulk’s horrendous assault, causing the monster to overheat and grow weaker. The Hulk then asserts his dominance and knocks the Red Hulk out with a single punch. He then parts ways with Thor as friends before wandering into the desert, exhausted and reverting to Banner. However, when A-Bomb turns back into Rick and tries to reveal the Red Hulk’s identity, he’s shot in the back by Doc Samson. Both Samson and General Ross express disappointment with the Red Hulk, who they leave lying in the dirt as his eyes snap open…

The Summary:
First of all, I have to say that I love Ed McGuinness’s artwork. His work is always hyper-stylised and very bold and cartoonish, and he draws a wonderful Hulk and Hulk-like creatures, with them all being brutish monsters full of life and personality. You can tell so much about each of the Hulks in the way Ed McGuinness draws them: A-Bomb is constantly hunched over, as though weighed down by his armoured scales; the Hulk is always bulging and ready for a scrap; and the Red Hulk stands tall and confident, with a condescending smirk plastered to his face most of the time. The glue that holds this story together is the mystery of who the new Red Hulk is. At first, Doc Samson believes the Hulk is behind the Abomination’s murder. This is an odd hypothesis given he knows as well as General Ross that Bruce Banner is locked up in Gamma Base, but not one without merit; after all, Doc Samson himself once split Banner and the Hulk into separate beings. Naturally, given he was a bit of a dick around this time, Iron Man’s primary thought is to his culpability; he snaps and rages at Maria Hill about the Hulk-sized weapons S.H.I.E.L.D. developed and is desperate to ensure he can’t be held accountable for the murder. The evidence seems to ring true, but for the use of a gun and the scorched footprints, though She-Hulk remains unconvinced that her cousin was capable for such a cold-blooded act. Little moments throughout the story give some hints towards the Red Hulk’s identity, but there are numerous red herrings as well: Rick Jones, for example, seems tormented at the events, initially framing him as a suspect. We see that both Samson and Ross are authorised Gamma Base personnel, and that the base’s security recognises the Red Hulk’s iris. The garbled security footage seems to implicate Samson, as does his tattered coat, and the story even ends with the suggest that Doc Samson is the Red Hulk…until it’s revealed he’s not. But then again, General Ross is also seen standing over the Red Hulk’s unconscious body and he was right there when the Red Hulk attacked the Helicarrier, and he later turns out to be the Red Hulk! Indeed, the ending suggests more that Samson and Ross were in league with the Red Hulk, rather than being him, and I’d be interested to know or try and remember exactly how they explained how Ross and the Red Hulk could be in the same place at the same time (though it was probably a Life-Model Decoy).

The Red Hulk is an overpowered, egotistical, and incredibly dangerous Hulk.

As for the Red Hulk…well, this is a glorious showcase. Doc Samson’s intuitive nature reveals that the Red Hulk is a formidable foe, capable of beating even the super-tough Abomination into submission and fighting with a ferocity and power comparable to the Hulk. The Red Hulk is also seen to be tactically minded, launching an all-out assault against Iron Man’s fancy-pants gold Helicarrier and even wiping S.H.I.E.L.D.’s files. The Red Hulk’s intelligence is showcased in his eloquence; he delights in goading and taunting his foes as he fights them, displaying a familiarity with each and the defences of Gamma base. He repeatedly demonstrates a personal vendetta against the Hulk, first happy to frame him for murder and then delightedly besting him in a straight-up fight, even going so far as to break the Green Goliath’s arm and wish to publicly execute him. This, as he says, is payback for the Hulk’s years of death and destruction and more recent assault against the entire planet. The Red Hulk sees the Hulk as the true threat and is determined to stamp him out, but he’s also out to prove himself the superior being in mind and body. And what better way to do this than by not just beating the piss out of the Hulk and kicking him to the bottom of the San Francisco Bay, not just by punching out the Watcher, but by besting Thor in combat! Seriously, the Red Hulk is so massively overpowered it’s not even funny. Not only does he outmatch and humiliate Thor, even using insane logic to rob him of Mjöllnir, the Red Hulk completely disrespects and disregards the God of Thunder like he was nothing. A vindictive, calculating, ferocious opponent, the Red Hulk is so much than just another “Smart Hulk”. His blows have a purpose, striking at weak points and mixing pure power with tactical precision; he knows what he’s doing and enjoys doing it. His only weakness, one he doesn’t seem to realise, is that his body temperature rises exponentially when he gets mad, weakening him significantly. Well, it’s not his only weakness: he still needs to breathe, but that isn’t much of an issue considering he effortlessly trounced Thor while holding his breath.

The Hulk doesn’t care who his new foe is. He just wants to prove he’s the strongest!

The Red Hulk’s debut starts off as a showcase for the new Hulk on the block and a superpowered murder mystery. The investigation into the Abomination’s murder, the murder weapon, and the mystery of what’s happened to drive the Hulk to such an uncharacteristic action frames the first issue and a half. Once the Red Hulk makes his presence know, there’s some brief confusion as even Banner states that he’s been split in two and assumed different forms before, but then the crux of the story becomes trying to work out who this new Hulk is. Thus, everyone’s favourite Jade Giant doesn’t factor into the story for a few issues. Indeed, it’s up to the decidedly Hulk-like A-Bomb to carry the load when the Red Hulk targets him, but the action really ramps up when the two Hulks come to blows. I’m not sure what happened between Green Scar’s return to Earth and this story, but the Hulk has regressed to his mindless, child-like persona and is therefore at an initial disadvantage against his more tactile-minded doppelgänger. The Hulk’s driven to fight the Red Hulk out of a sense of pride (“Hulk is Hulk!”, after all) rather than to protect others, but his need to prove himself superior aligns with defending his few friends (such as A-Bomb) and allowing Iron Man and the others to save San Francisco. Thanks to Ed McGuiness, the Hulk-on-Hulk action is dynamic and interesting; it’s not just a senseless brawl as both Hulks weather their opponent’s onslaught to tire them out or strike when the opportunity presents itself. The Red Hulk, especially, stands out by using an enemy’s momentum against them and mixing brain with brawn, while the Hulk is naturally more savage and only tries a different tactic after seeing how dangerous his foe is. The art definitely makes his story a visually enjoyable experience and I did like the intrigue surrounding the Red Hulk. The red herrings and revelations are kind of odd knowing what I know now about the character, but it’s always nice seeing 2008-era Iron Man get his smug face smashed in and I loved that an intelligent Hulk proved to be such a threat. There’s definitely enough here to make me want to read up on what happened next with the Red Hulk and the lingering plot threat regarding Doc Samson, and the mixture of action and mystery were highly entertaining all-in-all.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Did you enjoy the Red Hulk’s explosive first appearance? Do you think the writers went a bit over the top in showcasing his threat, power, and intelligence? What did you think to the murder mystery sub-plot and who did you think the Red Hulk was? Were you impressed by the way the Hulk defeated his doppelgänger at the end? Which alternative version of the Hulk is your favourite? What are some of your favourite Red Hulk moments? Tell me your opinions on the Red Hulk in the comments and be sure to check out my other Marvel and Hulk content.

Back Issues & Knuckles: StC & Knuckles 2

Dr. K3 Comments

With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994) in February 1994, gamers were introduced to Knuckles the Echidna. This mischievous, dreadlocked antagonist was created by Takashi Yuda and is my favourite of Sonic’s supporting cast so I’m dedicating every Sunday to Rad Red!

Story Titles: “Mystery of the Sandopolis Zone” (Part 1 and 2), “Count Down to Disaster” (Part 1 and 2), and “Disaster!” (Part 1 to 3)
Published: 17 March 1995 to 9 June 1995
Writer: Nigel Kitching
Artist: Richard Elson

The Background:
After SEGA finally knocked Nintendo from the top of the videogame industry, the company almost immediately set about transforming Sonic’s popularity into mainstream success with a slew of ancillary merchandise, principally cartoons and comic books. Around six months after Archie Comics published their first Sonic stories, United Kingdom publisher Fleetway Editions Limited began their own series with “Britain’s Official SEGA Comic”, Sonic the Comic (StC), a fortnightly publication I collected diligently until its unfortunate end. Heavily influenced by the now defunct Mobius and Doctor Ovi Kintobor storyline that was popular outside of Japan, StC soon deviated from the source material, portraying Sonic the a mean-spirited leader of the rebellious Freedom Fighters, a group made up of both familiar characters and anthropomorphic characters adapted from the videogames. Like Archie Comics, StC featured some very loose adaptations of the videogames; these were often truncated or heavily altered to align with the comic’s noticeably different lore. Their introduction of Knuckles and their subsequent adaptation Sonic 3 was no different, though that multi-part arc did lead to the first of many solo ventures for the stubborn echidna. Many months later, StC’s creatives brought Sonic and Knuckles together as an unlikely and abrasive team in this loose adaptation of Sonic & Knuckles (SEGA Technical Institute, 1994).

The Review:
StC’s continuation of their Sonic 3 & Knuckles arc begins with Sonic and his sidekick, the perennial put down upon Miles “Tails” Prower, flying through the skies of Mobius to the Floating Island (as it was then known) in their biplane (which we now call the Tornado). Despite Tails’ worries, Sonic leaps off solo and lands in the arid desert of the Sandopolis Zone. He’s there to scope out some intel from his friend, fellow Freedom Fighter Porker Lewis, that maniacal despite Doctor Ivo Robotnik (who, at this point, currently dominates the entire planet) has secretly been repairing his ultimate weapon, the spherical Death Egg battle station, on the far side of the Floating Island. From the ancient ruins of Sandopolis Zone, Sonic spots the space station at the nearby Launch Base Zone but, before he can race to keep Dr. Robotnik from completing his repairs, he’s attacked by a particularly aggressive Sandworm Badnik. Caught off-guard, Sonic’s counterattack is interrupted by Knuckles, the pig-headed, super strong guardian of the Floating Island. The two immediately resume their rivalry, trading barbs with each other, and Knuckles clearly enjoys watching Sonic stubbornly refuse help. Of course, bashing Badniks is Sonic’s thing so he quickly trashes the Sandworm and the two realise that they’re there for the same reason since Knuckles is still cleaning up loose ends after he was tricked into helping Dr. Robotnik. Before they can reluctantly join forces to fight their common enemy, Captain Plunder and his Sky Pirates appear, angering Knuckles since he’s sick and tired of everyone and their mother showing up unannounced on his secluded island.

Sonic and Knuckles begrudgingly team up to intercept the Death Egg’s launch.

No strangers to each other, Sonic demands to know what the grim-faced walrus is doing there, and Captain Plunder eagerly reveals that he’s following an ancient treasure map, one he now realises led to the Floating Island since the mythical location has become common knowledge. With the aid of his newest crewman, known only as the Professor, Captain Plunder activates an ages-old control console and successfully raises the legendary Lost Pyramid of Sandopolis. The rag-tag group are immediately confronted by the pyramid’s guardian, a towering stone sentinel who easily reconstructs himself after being blasted with Sonic’s patented Spin Attack. Using his unparalleled knowledge of the island, Knuckles uses his head rather than his muscles and lures the guardian to some quicksand, subduing the titan just as the player would in the game. In the confusion, Captain Plunder and his cronies sneak into the cursed pyramid and discover a tomb full of riches, which they immediately pilfer. Naturally, Knuckles isn’t best pleased by this but, before he can stop the pirates, the tomb is plunged into darkness as the pyramid’s curse takes effect. Demonic ghosts chase them from the tomb, leaving them humiliated and penniless (though Captain Plunder spins a yarn of great danger and heroism to his crew). As for Sonic and Knuckles, they escape when Knuckles smashes a jar, flooding the room with sand and boosting them to a secret exit through a series of underground tunnels towards the live volcano that houses the looming Death Egg. When they reach the Lava Reef Zone, the duo is set upon by Dr. Robotnik’s rotund Eggrobos, which don’t just sport their master’s visage; Dr. Robotnik can see and hear everything through them. Sonic immediately attacks and is sceptical when Knuckles states he has a faster way to deal with them, though Rad Red comes through by smashing a nearby boulder and melting the hoard with a torrent of lava.

Though Super Sonic defeats Metallix, the Death Egg launches and prepares to fire.

Naturally (and correctly) surmising that Dr. Robotnik’s goal is the all-powerful Master Emerald, the gigantic jewel that keeps the Floating Island aloft, Knuckles leads Sonic to the Hidden Palace, where the Chaos Emeralds reside. Unfortunately, the Master Emerald is gone, dooming the island to drop into the ocean in mere hours. As for Dr. Robotnik, he’s already gloating about his supreme victory, not just because he’s close to the gem that will finally allow him to avenge himself upon the Emerald Hill Zone folk who so openly defy him, but also because an armour-clad, upgraded version of his ultimate creation, Metallix, is already drawing power from the Master Emerald. Sonic’s naturally shocked since the last time he tangled with Metallix, Sonic did a bit of time travel shenanigans to erase his metallic doppelgänger from history. The only explanation we get about how Metallix can still be around is a brief mention of a “brotherhood” of Badniks since exposition gives way to an all-out battle. Teleporting to the Sky Sanctuary Zone, the new Metallix proves its superiority by absorbing power from the Master Emerald and knocking Knuckles out. Despite Sonic trying to whip up a vortex to tear Metallix apart, he’s whacked by the Badnik’s extendable arm and socked into the air with a rushing uppercut. Unfortunately for Metallix, the shot sends Sonic flying towards the Master Emerald and, upon contact, the surge of Chaos energy transforms Sonic into his raging, demonic, invincible alter ego, Super Sonic. Super Sonic decapitates Metallix’s head with one blow and rips its remains apart in a mindless rage. Super Sonic then turns his wrath against Knuckles before the transformation wears off and Sonic regains his senses. Knuckles’ bruises are nothing compared to the sudden, dreadful realisation that the Master Emerald has been teleported away in the fracas. The two watch with horror as the mighty Death Egg finally launches, shaking what’s left of the Sky Sanctuary Zone apart with its vibrations.

An interior and external assault sees the Death Egg blasted from orbit once more.

Ecstatic at finally piloting his spherical space station once more, Dr. Robotnik sends a wave of Eggrobos after his foes. However, Knuckles begrudgingly carries them to safety by gliding on the turbulent winds. Sonic then pinballs off the Badniks to infiltrate the space station while Knuckles heads to a hidden chamber. Looking over some wizened scrolls, he activates an antiquated control console and literally pilots the Floating Island towards the Death Egg. Unlike the last time we saw Sonic explore the Death Egg, this rendition is gigantic, ominous, and filled with traps and Badniks. Sonic obliterates the Spikebonkers and then feigns surrender to enter  Dr. Robotnik’s main control room. There, he spots the Master Emerald and makes a beeline for it, desperate to remove the space station’s main power source before Dr. Robotnik can disintegrate the Emerald Hill Zone folk. Luckily, the Floating Island opens fire on the Death Egg using energy drawn from the very island. Enraged, Dr. Robotnik demands that his assistant, the long-suffering Grimer, turn the Death Egg’s main cannon on the Floating Island. However, the rotund dictator’s so caught up in his boastful gloating that Sonic knocks the Master Emerald free, disabling the Death Egg and leaving it wide open to Knuckles’ unrelenting barrage.

With Dr. Robotnik’s threat ended, Knuckles agrees to shelter Sonic’s friends on his secluded island.

Tumbling from the disintegrating space station, Sonic spots an Eggrobo snatching the Master Emerald. Thinking fast, Sonic swipes a laser blaster and destroys the Eggrobo, causing the Master Emerald to safely fall to the Floating Island. Sonic then saves himself by relieving another Eggrobo of its jetpack and riding it to safety, gloating as the exploding Death Egg falls from the sky. Upon spotting the Master Emerald, Sonic hefts it up (with no sign of Super Sonic this time around), determined to return it to the Emerald Chamber before the Floating Island crashes to the surface. Unfortunately, he’s taken by surprise when Dr. Robotnik fires upon a concussive laser blast from a gigantic suit of armour somewhat similar to the Giant Eggman Robo from the source material. Unlike that gruelling fight, where the mech boasted gigantic crushing fingers, fireball-sprouting nostrils, and a gigantic, Master Emerald-powered laser cannon, this suit’s primary attack is to try and crush Sonic with its fists. The desperation and high stakes see Sonic unleash aggressive Spin Attacks so savage that even Dr. Robotnik comments upon Sonic’s grim attitude. Still, Sonic is horrified when his final blow causes Dr. Robotnik to topple over the island’s edge. However, the maniacal dictator’s luck holds out as his damaged jet propulsion system means the fall isn’t fatal. Sonic’s equally as unimpressed to see Knuckles rushing up to him, too late to help with the battle and demanding the safe return of the Master Emerald. However, Sonic doesn’t hand over the gem that easily. Realising that Dr. Robotnik will never rest until he’s destroyed the Emerald Hill folk, Sonic agrees to return the Master Emerald in return for safe shelter for his friends. Thus, amidst the last vestiges of a downpour, the displaced Emerald Hill folk are safely hidden from Dr. Robotnik’s repercussions in the island’s Mushroom Hill Zone, high up in the sky. And good thing, too, since the injured Dr. Robotnik swears revenge against both Sonic and Knuckles.

The Summary:
StC was really at its peak around this time. This second round of Sonic 3 & Knuckles stories really ups the ante from Knuckles’ first introduction, which barely touched upon the gameplay mechanics, locations, and intricacies of the source material. To be fair, this was common in StC’s adaptations and subsequent stories did explore other aspects from the game, so basically Angel Island’s areas were incorporated into StC canon and formed the basis of plenty of other stories, short and long. But, at its core, the first arc was more concerned with the rivalry between Sonic and Knuckles, the fusion of the twelve Chaos Emeralds, and Dr. Robotnik’s attempt to attain Godhood. This second arc visits far more locations from the game and even incorporates mechanics seen in those areas, such as the pyramid from Sandopolis, the light gimmick and scary ghosts, and the crumbling Sky Sanctuary Zone. Every location and character is brought to life by the peerless Richard Elson, who brings a kinetic, visual power to every action. This is best evidenced in Sonic and Knuckles’ battle against Metallix, which conveys the speed and raw power of the Badnik like never before, instantly differentiating it from its predecessor and emphasising its threat. Things only escalate when Knuckles pilots the Floating Island and fires on the Death Egg, a unique plot thread obviously missing from the videogames but which adds further lore to the mysterious nature of the island, which holds secrets even Knuckles is just now discovering. While Super Sonic wasn’t much of a factor, his appearance was a welcome one and helped sell the threat of the Metallix, itself a lingering plot threat explored in later issues. I really liked that Sonic and Knuckles were teamed up this time around; Tails and the other Freedom Fighters were basically absent but it was a nice bookend to their previous meeting, where they fought against each other and begrudgingly teamed up in the finale.

Rivals Sonic and Knuckles team up against a common foe.

The two work surprisingly well together here. Perhaps because of their common enemy and the very real threat the Death Egg poses, there’s little bickering between the two. They’re largely on the same page, save for a few barbs here and there, and Sonic defers to Knuckles’ expertise regarding the island numerous times. Naturally, a spirited rivalry remains, with Sonic being the flashy showman who never admits when he’s wrong and Knuckles taking a more measured approach, utilising the environment or his know-how to quickly dispatch enemies and focus on the big picture. His primary concern is the safety of the Floating Island, which he feels has been defiled ever since Dr. Robotnik and Sonic arrived there. He just wants to clear out Dr. Robotnik’s influence and get things back to normal and is extremely intolerant of any intruders, even allies like Sonic. Unfortunately for Knuckles, he’s become part of a larger world, something even he acknowledges since he attacks the Death Egg not just for the Floating Island, but to safeguard the entire planet. Having previously experienced the Death Egg’s power before, Sonic knows all-too-well with the space station is capable of. Readers got a taste of this a few issues back when Dr. Robotnik ran a simulation that resulted in Sonic and Tails being vaporised, and the ever-present threat posed by the Death Egg clearly weighs heavily on Sonic’s mind. Sonic gives Badniks and Dr. Robotnik alike a taste of his smart mouth, but he knows what’s at stake and even welcomes transforming into Super Sonic if it means dispatching his metallic doppelgänger and safeguarding the Master Emerald. Consequently, Sonic defiantly battles a roomful of Spikebonkers, desperate to knock out the Master Emerald, only to despair when, for the first time in his life, he’s too slow to save his friends. It’s only because of Knuckles’ attack that Sonic dislodges the power source, and even Sonic must commend the echidna’s thinking (though, tellingly he, never expresses gratitude to his rival at any point in this arc).

Dr. Robotnik’ mad ambitions almost succeed but for the intervention of his worst enemies.

This focus on Sonic and Knuckles means there’s not much panel time for Dr. Robotnik. When we do see him, he’s raving about his need to acquire the Master Emerald, boasting about having acquired it, or anguished at having lost it. He constantly brags to Grimer about his superiority and the power of the Death Egg and relishes having a front row seat to witness the demise of his foes. Once the Death Egg launches, Dr. Robotnik is practically giddy with glee and immediately aims his ultimate weapon at the Emerald Hill Zone, ready to wipe the whole town and its inhabitants out. He’s aghast when Sonic and Knuckles destroy his beloved space station and finally takes matters into his own hands, piloting a mech suit far larger than the one seen in the last arc and taking the fight directly to Sonic. However, even Dr. Robotnik underestimates Sonic’s anger and determination; in the face of Sonic’s raw speed and power, the malevolent dictator is helpless, mech suit or not, and sent plummeting to a nasty landing, his dreams of all-out destruction quashed for now. By spreading the Sonic 3 & Knuckles story across intervening stories and giving the source material time to breath in this main arc, these issues tell one of the first great epics in StC’s run. The stakes were high and tangible: Dr. Robotnik wasn’t using magic gems to become a God or anything like that. He built the Death Egg just as he built Metallix and his Badniks, and it stands as the ultimate weapon of his vengeance upon those who defy him. Seeing Sonic and Knuckles properly team up, utilising their individual strengths in creative ways, was a blast and a taste of an ongoing begrudging alliance that would last until the comics were cancelled. Newcomers may be confused about Captain Plunder, Metallix, Super Sonic’s portrayal, and Dr. Robotnik’s vendetta against the Emerald Hill folk, but I’d still rate this as one of the best adaptations of Sonic 3 & Knuckles just because it takes the time to explore different locations from the games and provide a unique spin (pun intended) on some recognisable elements rather than simply taking the basics and weaving it into an all-new canon, as is usually the case.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever read Sonic the Comic’s second Sonic 3 & Knuckles arc? Did you enjoy seeing Sonic and Knuckles team up this time? What did you think to the use of locations and mechanics from the games? Were you surprised that Knuckles turned the Floating Island into a weapon? Which of StC’s videogame adaptations was your favourite? How are you celebrating the debut of Knuckles today? Please feel free to share your memories of StC and Sonic 3 & Knuckles below and go check out my other Sonic and Knuckles content.

Back Issues: Captain America #117-119

Dr. K1 Comment
Writer: Stan Lee – Artist: Gene Colon

Story Title: “The Coming of…The Falcon!”
Published: 3 June 1969 (cover-dated: September 1969)

Story Title: “The Falcon Fights On!”
Published: 1 July 1969 (cover-dated: October 1969)

Story Title: “Now Falls the Skull!”
Published: 30 July 1969 (cover-dated: November 1969)

The Background:
World War Two was in full swing by 1941. Nazi Germany had barrelled through Denmark and Norway in April 1940 and, after initially resisting joining the war, the United States entered the fray and provided much needed support against the “Axis powers” of Germany, Japan, and Italy. Patriotism and national pride was high at the time, especially in America, and it was during these dark days that Joe Simon and the legendary Jack Kirby introduced readers Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America and his kid sidekick, James Buchanan Barnes/Bucky, to encourage support of the war effort. However, after the end of the War superheroes declined in popularity and Captain America’s solo comic was cancelled in 1954. Luckily, Cap got a second chance as a “man out of time” when he joined the Avengers, reigniting his superhero career and butting heads with such iconic villains as Johann Shmidt/The Red Skull and even eventually battling his fellow superheroes. In the aftermath of this civil war, Cap was left seemingly dead and his mantle passed to his troubled sidekick, now also a superhuman figure, who operated in the role until Steve’s inevitable resurrection and, in 2014, Sam Wilson took on the mantle, to much undue controversy. Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colon, the man better known as the Falcon was the first Black American superhero in mainstream comic books. Specifically created to be a trendsetter during turbulent times, the Falcon went on to have a lengthy career in Marvel Comics, though mostly as a bit-player until his promotion into the shield-slinging role of Captain America, and has achieved mainstream recognition thanks to Anthony Mackie’s celebrated portrayal of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Review:
Sam Wilson’s debut in Captain America’s solo title came in the middle of a particularly trying time for the Star-Spangled Avenger. After almost having his identity made public, Cap was ambushed by his old foe, the gruesome Red Skull, who used the power of the Cosmic Cube to switch bodies with his hated enemy! As if being tapped in the body of a skull-faced Nazi wasn’t bad enough, the Cosmic Cube’s near-limitless power dumped Cap on a remote island home to the Exiles, a misfit group of would-be conquerors who hate the Red Skull with a passion. Observing through the Cosmic Cube’s omnipotent power, the Red Skull watches as the wheelchair-bound Franz Cadavus leads his venge-filled fellows in search of the one who robbed them of the Cosmic Cube’s power. When Cap crashes before them after falling from his hiding spot in a tree, he doesn’t even bother trying to explain the situation. Instead, he defends himself against Angelo Baldini and his deadly scarf, easily using his knowledge of his foe’s abilities to his advantage. Cap then uses his incredible agility to dodge Cadavus’s “murder chair” cannons, tossing sand in his eyes, and disarms Jun Ching. However, the numbers soon overwhelm the celebrated Avenger when Eric Gruning restrains him with his whip and “Iron-Hand” Jurgen Hauptmann closes in for the kill. For the observing Red Skull, the irony and glory of it all are too much to witness. Confident that his plot has succeeded, he decides not to witness his hated enemy’s final moments and turns his attention towards his greater goals.

Trapped in the Red Skull’s body, Cap nevertheless inspires young Sam to become a hero.

Consequently, the Red Skull doesn’t see the timely intervention of a falcon, later identified as “Redwing”, who distracts Iron-Hand long enough for Cap to fight him off with a swift uppercut. Redwing also helps Cap escape the iron grip of the brutish Ivan Krushki and, as Cap flees to the bushes, he notes that the bird seems to be trained, as if following orders. Cap surmises that the Exiles probably haven’t seen the Red Skull’s true face, so he removes the gruesome mask and manipulates his features with clay to move more freely around the island. In contrast, the Red Skull walks in the guise of Captain America, disgusted by the adulation and awe his appearance inspires and secretly conspiring to enslave everyone. The Red Skull revels in deceiving the masses, taking advantage of their goodwill, before deciding to further his victory against Captain America by destroying his enemy’s distinguished reputation. He is completely unaware that the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing/MODOK and his beekeeper-suit flunkies at Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.) are working to render the Cosmic Cube they created powerless to avoid it being used against them. Back on the island, Redwing returns to his master, the jovial Sam Wilson, a lone vigilante against the Exiles. When Cap spots him, he thanks Sam for his assistance and learns that he’s a simple Harlem man who came to the long-peaceful island to organize a resistance against the Exiles. Sam relates that he had an affinity for birds since boyhood, communicating with them in a way beyond a simple animal trainer. When he unwittingly answered the Exiles’ call for a hunting falcon, Sam turned on them, unwilling to help them enslave others. While he initially laughs at Cap’s suggestion that he turn his love for falcons into a symbol, a costumed identity for the natives to rally behind, Cap soon organizes the creation of a garish outfit that will better suit his radical goals and dubs him “The Falcon”.

Despite this God-like power, the Red Skull doesn’t foresee Cap training a new ally.

Back in New York City, the Red Skull finally realises, with anger, that his protégés have failed to find or kill their quarry. Realising that Cap must’ve taken off his skull-like visage, he resigns himself to the inevitability that his enemy can’t hide forever. Yet, the Red Skull decides he’s not willing to aid the Exiles or simply blink Cap out of existence with his God-like power and thus doesn’t bother to look in on Cap or witness him bonding with his new friend, whose connection with Redwing constantly impresses the disguised Avenger. Cap teaches the Falcon the basics of superheroing…And by that I mean they spar on the beach, Cap instructing Sam how to fight properly and use an enemy’s momentum and strength against them. Sam’s experience fighting for survival on the mean streets of Harlem see him take to the training like a natural, quickly becoming stronger and more sure of himself, and Cap impresses upon him that he must embody his new identity whenever he’s wearing his awful costume. When the Red Skull is awoken by concerns of an overexcited rabble of Cap fans in the lobby of his hotel, he sees it as the perfect opportunity to discredit Cap’s name. He shouts at the hotel manager and berates the fans, spitting spiteful insults every chance he can get, and even ostracises perennial hanger-on Rick Jones, who had aspirations of becoming Cap’s new sidekick. While A.I.M. continue their experiments, Cap and the Falcon blindside the Exiles, easily besting them even though Cap’s speed and strength are lessened in the Red Skull’s body. The Falcon proves very adept, dodging Gruning’s whip and inspiring the natives to rise up and drive the Exiles into fleeing for their lives.

Ultimately, it’s A.I.M. who quash the red Skull’s dreams of ultimate victory,

Unfortunately for them, the Red Skull happened to be looking in. Angered and determined to finish his enemy and his new ally off, the Red Skull assumes his more familiar appearance and effortlessly teleports himself to Berchtesgaden Castle, where he once conspired with Adolf Hitler to conquer the world, ravenous to stage his final victory in the castle’s opulent halls. Cap and the Falcon are then violently transported halfway across the world to Berchtesgaden Castle. Though Cap bemoans getting the Falcon caught up in his ages-old rivalry with the skull-faced dictator, Sam vows to face the threat no matter the outcome, but is enraged when the Red Skull’s first act is to cage Redwing. The Red Skull feeds the Falcon’s anger and spirit, goading him into attacking so that he can repel the fledgling hero with a forcefield. Sam is then stunned when the Red Skull uses the Cosmic Cube to undo the mind and body transfer, reverting Cap to his colourful costume and rearming him once more. Galvanised by this revelation, the Falcon willing follows Cap into battle, despite the Red Skull encasing himself in a protective rocky shell and spontaneously conjuring a tidal wave that threatens to drown the two heroes. While the Falcon’s caught off-guard by such tricks, Cap warns of the Red Skull’s power and insanity, which see the villain whisk them to an arid desert. With Sam exhausted, Cap hurls his shield and, incredibly, causes the Red Skull to drop the Cosmic Cube! The two fight valiantly over the prize but, just as the Red Skull reclaims the Cosmic Cube, he watches in horror as it melts between his fingers thanks to MODOK and A.I.M. activating their “Catholite Block” and rendering the weapon inert. Despite this, the Red Skull uses the melting cube’s fading power to teleport away, leaving MODOK victorious and Cap and the Falcon to head into the sunset as triumphant new allies.

The Summary:
I’m honestly not very familiar with the Falcon. This may very well be the first story I’ve ever read where he’s a part of the plot. I’m much more aware of his film counterpart and, honestly, never thought too much of him since his gimmick is very similar to Adrian Toomes/The Vulture, another character I traditionally find lacklustre compared to other, more colourful and appealing characters. However, his appearance here was enjoyable for what it was. There are some holes in his backstory, though, that the story didn’t satisfactorily explain for me. So, he’s a bird-lover, that’s great; he can communicate with Redwing on a near-telepathic level, sure, I’m all for that. But…why did he answer the ad for a hunting falcon? I mean, I guess he just wanted to leave Harlem and I can understand that, but it’s a bit random to jet off to a secluded island on a whim. Also, why did the Exiles need a hunting falcon anyway? Sure, they’re repeatedly shown to be useless at tracking their enemies but still…a falcon? And how did they place an ad for that when they’re exiled to the island? Still, Sam’s heart is in the right place; he won’t stand for injustice, especially slavery, and is determined to encourage the remaining natives to reclaim their land. It’s obviously a very racially and politically charged motivation and character, but I think it’s a universal truth we can all agree to: slavery and mistreatment of others is bad and should be opposed. Sam embodies this ideal before Cap shows up but lacks the proper means to enforce it. He seems to operate mainly from the shadows, but Cap encourages him to stand in the spotlight as a symbol for people to believe in, not unlike he is when in full costume.

It’s a good job Sam’s such a likeable guy because his superhero costume is unsightly!

Unfortunately for Sam, Cap and the natives whisk up one of the worst costumes I’ve ever seen. God, it’s so awful, with its lime-green and brown-gold edging, it’s weird-ass cowl and strangely angled boots. Considering Cap encourages him to take inspiration from his love and use the moniker “The Falcon”, nothing about Sam’s outfit screams “Falcon” to me. He doesn’t have a bird-like cowl like, say, Katar Hall/Hawkman, doesn’t match Redwing’s gold and red/brown feathers, and doesn’t even have his now-iconic wings. Just about the only thing this outfit has going for it is its sense of native tribalism, but otherwise it’s truly a ghastly sight. Luckily, Sam’s personality makes up for it. He’s not some jive-talking street tough or a shallow Blaxploitation cliché; he’s just a regular guy from Harlem with a friendly disposition who wants to do what’s right. His time on the mean streets toughened him, sure, but there’s no sense of malice or ego. The only time he shows any anger is when Redwing is threatened and when confronted by the embodiment of xenophobic oppression. Otherwise, he’s a level-headed, affable young man who luckily turns out to be a natural when it comes to learning how to fight. In a short time, Cap teaches Sam how to defend himself, how to fight smartly, and leads him into battle against the Exiles, a fight that puts them at a disadvantage due to the group’s numbers and weapons but which the heroes ultimately triumph thanks to putting their skills to good use. This also sees the Falcon inspire the natives to rise up, though this was very rushed for me. There was never any indication that the people even know the Falcon was heading into battle that day. All they knew was that Sam was wearing a costume now, not that he’d done anything worth riling them up. Of course, Sam’s natural abilities are only half the story; Redwing gives him a memorable gimmick that helps him stand out against his peers. The bird is exceptionally well trained and intelligent, turning the tide in every battle the Falcon is involved in and proving invaluable to their cause.

The story completely wastes the potential of the Red Skull’s unlimited power.

Beyond this, the story is a bit of a mess. I love the idea of the Red Skull attaining God-like power, and the Cosmic Cube effectively allows him to do anything. He can see anything he likes at will, switch bodies with people, teleport, conjure forcefields and the elements, and is functionally untouchable as long as the cube is in his hands. Unfortunately, the Red Skull is a cackling buffoon. Rather than simply will Captain America out of existence, he swaps bodies with him and dumps him on an island, where inept forces fail time and again to do his dirty work. Rather than reshaping reality in his image, brainwashing the masses and conquering the world a piece at a time, the Red Skull parades around in Cap’s body to take advantage of their goodwill, all while ruminating about how much he hates Americans and the many ways he’ll subjugate and destroy those around him. Rather than doing this, the Red Skull plots to destroy Cap’s reputation by…being rude to people! It’s ridiculous! He doesn’t even watch what’s happening on the island until it’s too late and gets so distracted bringing himself, Cap, and the Falcon to Berchtesgaden Castle that he doesn’t think to set aside his pride and just snuff their lives out with a thought. It’s typical, cliché supervillain behaviour to assume victory, bask in your superiority, and to toy with your enemies but I expected more from someone like the Red Skull! Despite demonstrating that he can protect himself from any attack with a thought, Shmidt is disarmed by a simple throw of Cap’s shield and then he completely fails to consider that A.I.M. might be angry at him swiping their most powerful weapon, leaving him undone not by his enemy, but by his own lack of foresight. Overall, this was a decent enough introduction for Sam Wilson; his costume was awful, but I liked his attitude and his gimmick. What lets it down, though, is the nonsensical main plot regarding Cap and the red Skull switching bodies. It’s a great concept but the story completely wastes it, having Shmidt lounge around thinking nasty thoughts but squandering his great power, leaving him undone in the lamest way possible.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to the Falcon’s debut story? Were you as repulsed by his costume as I was? What did you think to his moxie and his gimmick with Redwing? Were you also disappointed that the red Skull squandered his potential here? What are some of your favourite moments in the Falcon’s long history? There’s a comment section down below; use it to share your thoughts and then go check out my other Marvel content.

Back Issues [Sci-Fanuary]: Tales to Astonish #13

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January celebrates two notable dates in science-fiction history, “National Science Fiction Day” on January 2 and Arthur C. Clarke’s HAL 9000’s birthday on January 12. Accordingly, I’m dedicating January to celebrating sci-fi with an event I call “Sci-Fanuary”.

Story Title: “I Challenged… Groot! The Monster from Planet X!”
Published: 27 June 1960 (cover-dated: November 1960) 
Writers: Stan Lee and Larry Lieber
Artist: Jack Kirby 

The Background:
Nowadays, the lovable tree-monster Groot is all-but a household name thanks to his celebrated appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), courtesy of Vin Diesel’s surprisingly complex performance considering the character simply says “I am Groot” over and over. While Groot is best known as a key member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, his first appearance was in a decidedly less heroic role. Debuting in Tales to Astonish, a science-fiction anthology series perhaps best known for introducing readers to Doctor Hank Pym/Ant-Man, this far more eloquent portrayal of Groot sought to capture and study humankind. This version of Groot later joined the Howling Commandos, a paranormal strike team working under the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate (S.H.I.E.L.D.) He was largely supplanted by a different member of his species, also called Groot, who first appeared in the Annihilation: Conquest event (Various, 2007 to 2008) before joining the Guardians of the Galaxy and being the inspiration for the MCU’s version of the character.

The Review:
The story of how one brave man stood up to the hulking tree-monster from Planet X, Groot, begins late one night as married couple Leslie and Alice Evans return home from a trip to the cinema. Their mundane drive through the night is interrupted when Leslie spots a brilliant luminous object falling from the heavens and crashlanding in a nearby forest. While he’s eager to check it out, Alice easily convinces him to ignore it and take her home because she’s “tired” (*wink-wink, nudge-nudge*). However, being a curious biologist, Leslie can’t help himself and goes to investigate off-panel, bringing a sample of the mysterious object to his laboratory for study. One day, Alice comes charging into the lab claiming that two of their trees (as well as some of their neighbour’s trees) are missing. Though he brushes the phenomenon off as a cheap prank, Leslie’s sure that what he saw in the forest is somehow connect and heads over there. However, when he arrives, Leslie’s astonished to find the glowing object emitting a powerful light and to witness a gigantic wooden giant, a living tree, commanding and controlling wooden objects to fly to him and add to his monstrous stature. Panicked, Leslie naturally rushes into town to warn the sheriff. Luckily, one of the lawman’s men is on hand to report that the creature is heading to town and, before long, a barricade is erected and armed men are confronting the giant.

Unassuming biologist Leslie holds the key to defeating the monstrous, tree-like Groot.

Surprisingly, the titan halts its march and addresses the townsfolk, introducing itself as Groot, monarch of Planet X, and his intentions to take the entire village back to his home world to study the Earthlings. Terrified, the townsfolk prepare to defend themselves, only for Groot to mentally command the surrounding trees to encircle the town. Its intention is that the trees will bury beneath the town’s very foundations to form a giant net that will whisk the town and all its inhabitants into space, presumably somehow sustaining them for their journey back to Groot’s world. There, he proclaims he and his kind will conduct research on them; the exact specifics aren’t clear, but the threat is enough to rile up the townsfolk. Unfortunately for them, Groot easily shrugs off their small arms fire; however, Leslie bravely steps up and claims to know the key to stopping Groot’s plot. Yet, when he immediately runs off, his peers and even mighty Groot believe him to be a coward. Since the town’s bullets and even flaming torches cannot penetrate Groot’s thick hide, there’s nothing to stop the creature enacting his plan, and even Alice chastises Leslie’s apparently cowardice back at his lab. However, she and the others are amazed when Leslie rushes back to Groot and deposits two boxes to the ground. To their shock and relief, Groot is painfully felled and killed by “the deadliest enemy of wood”, termites! With the towering goliath slain, the town is in Leslie’s debt, stunned at such a simple solution, and even Alice sees her man in a new light by the end.

The Summary:
Well, this was a bit of schlock, B-movie-level fun! The entire setup is like something ripped straight out of a Roger Corman flick and the execution is on the same level as an ambitious monster movie from the 1950s. Our main protagonist is not some muscle-headed jock or even a cop; he’s just a simple biologist, one whose wife constantly chastises him for not being a “real man”. He’s much happier with his lab equipment and studying animals and fauna, it seems, and motivated by scientific curiosity first and foremost. Leslie wants to investigate the crash site simply to see what wonders fell from beyond our world and is driven to distraction studying a sample of the glowing material. It’s not made clear what he’s looking at or what it really does; I assume it’s a small piece of what would become Groot, but the story glosses over what Leslie’s research uncovers. It might’ve been good to setup the ending in these panels; have Leslie’s study of Groot reveal the key to defeating the monstrous giant rather than randomly having Leslie pull termites from his ass. While Alice doesn’t get much to do but react to stuff and criticise her sapling husband, the town sheriff and inhabitants are certainly gung-ho. Thankfully, we’re spared any lengthy scenes of Leslie being branded a madman and the cops and townsfolk are soon grabbing guns and torches to defend themselves against Groot. However, like Alice, they see action and gusto as the true mark of bravery. Thus, they throw insults and judgement at Leslie when he seemingly flees in fear and are confused and perplexed when their weapons and moxie are nothing compared to a few termites.

The mighty Groot has come to enslave, not conquer, but poses a significant threat.

Naturally, Groot is the main reason to read this bizarre story from Marvel’s golden age. The build up towards the creature’s big reveal is both brief and tense. Due to the limited page count, there’s only so much the writers can do, but I liked that the town’s trees went missing as a foreshadowing of Groot’s reveal. Those more familiar with the heroic Groot may be shocked by this creature’s more grotesque appearance. Groot is a towering, tree-like alien who adopts a menacing stance at all times. Interestingly, though, Groot is seemingly a scientist, like Leslie. It’s there to capture and study the town, not conquer the Earth, and makes no aggressive moves towards the humans even as they fire upon it. I mean sure, it wants to wrap the town up in a ridiculous cage of trees and branches, whisk them away to Planet X, and perform God-knows-what on them in its lab, but it’s not rampaging through town, squashing people beneath its trunk-like feet, or otherwise attacking them. Yet, Groot is framed as being “unconquerable” due to its incredible size and strength. However, it’s notable that the townsfolk only have small arms and flaming torches on hand; we have no idea how heavier ordinance would’ve fared against Groot. Of course, we have no need to discover this since Groot is easily and painfully taken down and killed by a group of termites. This simple solution is straight out of The War of the Worlds (Wells, 1898; Pal, 1953) and shows how man’s ingenuity is our greatest asset, rather than brute force. A peculiar and whimsical science-fiction tale clearly inspired by 1950s B-movies, “I Challenged… Groot! The Monster from Planet X!” is notable for its early depiction of what would become one of Marvel’s most endearing characters and short enough to provide a brief bit of entertainment, but you’re not really missing much if you’ve skipped this one and I wouldn’t say it’s really worth seeking out unless you’re really curious about Groot’s understated first appearance.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Have you ever read “I Challenged… Groot! The Monster from Planet X!”? If so, what did you think to it? Did you enjoy the B-movie feel of the story? What did you think to Groot, its design and motivations? Were you amused by the way Leslie managed to destroy the creature? Would you like to see Marvel bring back sci-fi anthologies like Tales to Astonish? What are some of your favourite Groot stories and moments? Feel free to share your thoughts on Groot in the comments and go check out my other sci-fi content on the site.

Back Issues [Sci-Fanuary]: Tales of Suspense #93/94

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January celebrates two notable dates in science-fiction history, “National Science Fiction Day” on January 2 and Arthur C. Clarke’s HAL 9000’s birthday on January 12. Accordingly, I’m dedicating January to celebrating sci-fi in an event I call “Sci-Fanuary”.

Writer: Stan Lee – Artist: Jack Kirby 

Story Title: “Into the Jaws of… A.I.M.!”
Published: 1 June 1967 (cover-dated: September 1967) 

Story Title: “If This Be… Modok!”
Published: 29 June 1967 (cover-dated: October 1967) 

The Background:
In addition to their colourful superhero efforts, Marvel Comics was once known for publishing various anthology comics. One of these was Tales of Suspense, a science-fiction anthology series that later hosted the first appearance of Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man. In time, Marvel’s peerless superheroes came to be featured in two-in-one stories and it was in Tales of Suspense that readers were first introduced to George Tarleton, a technician for noted supervillain organisation Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.) who was transformed by “mutagenics” into a grotesque, deranged cybernetic head dubbed MODOK (or, “Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing”). I’m most familiar with MODOK from the Iron Man animated series (1994 to 1996), where he was voiced by the legendary Jim Cummings and served as a secondary antagonist and lackey to the show’s big bad, the Mandarin (Ed Gilbert/Robert Ito). Though most mainstream audiences are probably more familiar with MODOK’s questionable appearance and portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he had better luck in his Robot Chicken-esque (2005 to present) animated series. Generally popping up as a boss character in Marvel videogames, MODOK has been a pretty significant villain in the comic books, tangling with various Avengers, directing A.I.M. towards world conquest, aggressively pursuing the Cosmic Cube, and eventually upgrading himself to a far superior form.

The Review:
The entire crux of this two-part story centres around Captain Steve Rogers/Captain America’s efforts to rescue Nick Fury, the gruff and tumble top agent of the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage and Law-Enforcement Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) spy organisation. To accomplish this task, Cap was forced to place the one woman he loves, the mysterious Sharon Carter/Agent-13, in mortal peril and, as this story opens, he’s hell-bent on avenging himself against, A.I.M., the group responsible for it all. Outfitted with a suitably Kirby-esque breathing apparatus, Cap follow his radar to a set of underwater coordinates provided to him by Fury, eventually locating A.I.M.’s massive submarine base deep beneath the ocean. Unfortunately for the star-spangled hero, the “eyes of MODOK are everywhere” and A.I.M.’s bee-suit-wearing operatives easily spot him, blasting him with knockout gas and bringing him aboard, where he’s held to a table by “sheer magnetic force” and told stories of MODOK’s dreams of world conquest. Though Cap’s mind is working a mile a minute to think of some way to escape, he’s relieved when Agent-13 is revealed to be alive. Although she makes a big show of chastising him for stupidly risking his life to rescue her, Agent-13 secretly releases his magnetic trappings with her convenient “anti-polar coveralls” when she leans in for a kiss. Though A.I.M.’s soldiers try to blast Cap, he easily and effortlessly dispatches them, much to Agent-13’s amazement, and rushes to retrieve his iconic shield.

Cap and Agent-13 infiltrate A.I.M.’s submarine base to learn the truth about MODOK.

A.I.M.’s scientists are conducting a series of test on the indestructible weapon, marvelling at its unique properties and preparing to present their findings to their mysterious master, MODOK. Naturally, Cap and Agent-13 get to them first, beating up the scientists and reducing their lab to flaming wreckage. Cap then follows Agent-13’s lead in taking cover to avoid A.I.M.’s shock troopers and agrees to stick around and help her complete her mission. Namely, discovering who or what MODOK is to better determine and combat his threat. MODOK’s authority is so absolute that A.I.M.’s troopers dare not speak against him or the strange circumstances that transformed their greatest weapon into their oppressive master, especially as his disembodied voice orders their death for failing him so completely. Watching from the shadows, the two heroes eagerly await MODOK’s big reveal but are suddenly attacked by a shock trooper. Cap bravely takes the shot, ending up paralysed as a result. His sacrifice is largely in vain since Agent-13 refuses to flee and is easily captured and brought before MODOK’s large viewscreen, where she’s dropped through the floor in dramatic fashion. Although an A.I.M. soldier is prepared to finish Cap off, one of his peers stays his hand since only MODOK can issue such an order. Angered, the soldier speaks of rebelling against their master and, though his fellows are sceptical of their chances against MODOK’s supreme power, they’re convinced to go along with an elaborate scheme to have Captain America defeat their oppressor to save his ally.

MODOK’s awesome power terrifies even A.I.M. and sees him fatally betrayed.

Thus, Cap is also teleported to another location to confront MODOK. Though freed from his paralysis, Cap is immediately felled by MODOK’s “brain beam” and approached by the man himself, a massive cybernetic head with tiny arms and legs that floats about! Once a “human guinea pig” for A.I.M.’s experiments, he has come to rule the organisation with his vast power thanks to his comically enlarged brain. Agent-13 is on hand to further MODOK’s narrative, urging Cap not to attack since MODOK’s “uncontrollable brain” is far too powerful. Yet, MODOK swiftly moves to strike, giving the Avenger no choice but to defend himself. Despite Cap’s superhuman deftness, MODOK easily manipulates his shield to toss him about and then sends him crashing to the floor. MODOK’s mind beams are incredibly versatile, allowing him to psychokinetically direct debris at Cap and causing the floor to erupt in flames. As the two battle, A.I.M. prepare to rally; while one squad escapes, another mobilises to attack MODOK while he’s distracted. MODOK’s power is so great he can freeze Cap’s shield as it flies through the air with “the speed of thought”, yet he fails to detect the betrayal of his own people, who open fire with a fusillade of shells that shatter MODOK’s cybernetic chair. A.I.M. then turn their weapons on Cap, who easily takes them out with an assist from Agent-13 before commandeering the escaping craft and apprehending the remaining scientists. As for MODOK, he’s left broken and dying. Refusing to go out in such a disgraceful way, MODOK uses the last of his power to overload the submarine base and cause a massive explosion, which Cap and Agent-13 assume means the end for A.I.M.’s grotesque commander.

The Summary:
This was an interesting two-part tale for me. My experience with Captain America’s adventures is quite limited and usually more focused on his team-based exploits, so it was a nice change of pace to see him in action. He’s working with S.H.I.E.L.D. here, which isn’t too uncommon these days; but back then, S.H.I.E.L.D. was more of a clandestine spy organisation than a global military power. Still, they have plenty of technology and resources on hand, enough to not only plant Agent-13 as a double agent in A.I.M. but also to get Cap to the group’s hidden submarine base. Although Cap and Agent-13 don’t know each other’s true identities at this point, it’s clear the two are smitten by each other. Cap goes solo to rescue her and constantly moves to protect her throughout these issues, and Agent-13 is in awe of his physical abilities and moral compass. Unfortunately, Cap does come off as a bit condescending here, referring to Afent-13 as “little girl” and “lady” a few too many times and Agent-13 mostly chips in here and there rather than being portrayed as Cap’s equal. Still, she’s not some blonde bimbo and she’s clearly a capable spy; her anti-polar outfit and A.I.M.’s respect for her reputation as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent speak to that. She’s also as stubborn and dedicated to her duty as he is; she refuses to flee when they have the chance since she has a mission to accomplish, and then equally refuses to abandon Cap to die. Still, it’s Cap who gets all the big action scenes, throwing punches, his shield, and cannonballing about the place like a man possessed while Agent-13 just fires her pistol. AI.M.’s nameless, faceless soldiers and scientists were very entertaining here. Though they appear ridiculous in their haz-mat suits, they’re well organised and have the numbers advantage. It’s nothing compared to Cap, but they give it a good go, retreating when necessary and even unloading enough firepower to seemingly kill MODOK.

The feared MODOK is a force to be reckoned with despite his ridiculous appearance.

At first, they’re depicted as the typical minions of an oppressive master; terrified into servitude since failure is punishable by death, they’re subservient to MODOK’s incredible power and forced to obey his every command. However, many of them speak out against MODOK, questioning why a creation of theirs is giving them orders. Though talk of insurrection is forbidden, they’re encouraged to turn on their grotesque creation and manipulate Cap to fight on their behalf, showcasing a deceitful nature that’s unlike most common minions. As for MODOK himself, he’s a bizarre and ludicrous figure with his useless little limbs and enlarged cranium, but he showcases a wide array of powers that have Cap on the ropes before A.I.M. turns against him. We don’t learn the specifics about who he is or what A.I.M. did to him, but we learn he was their greatest experiment and built to be their deadliest weapon, but he took control of the organisation when they succeeded a little too well in their efforts. Now an all-seeing, overpowered commander who violently punishes any transgression, MODOK exhibits cybernetically endowed “brain beams” that can stun, hurl, and blast his foes with ease. Essentially immune to conventional attack, MODOK’s only weakness is underestimating his downtrodden minions, who leave him to die as little more than a useless cripple. Yet, despite his explosive end and his absurd appearance, MODOK is seen as a very real threat. A.I.M. fears him and Cap struggles to fight him, making him a strangely menacing figure with a laughable visage. These stories were a fun exploration of A.I.M.’s goals and inner workings and I enjoyed seeing MODOK as the outrageous face of their organisation. There was a lot of action, and it built upon the relationship and mutual respect between Cap and Agent-13. MODOK definitely stole the show, but I would’ve liked to see him showcased a little more. Perhaps a three-part story would’ve worked better in this regard, with the first part building up to the reveal, the second showcasing his powers and origins, and the third detailing A.I.M.’s betrayal and MODOK’s vulnerabilities. Still, it was a fun read with some striking art and MODOK remains one of Marvel’s strangest villains yet and it was fun to see his first appearance.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to MODOK’s dramatic first appearance? Were you put off by his bizarre appearance or did you find his powers impressive? What did you think to the relationship between Cap and Agent-13? Did you enjoy seeing A.I.M. turn against MODOK and stage a revolution? Would you like to see Marvel bring back the Tales of Suspense anthology? What are some of your favourite MODOK stories and moments? Tell me your thoughts on MODOK down below and go check out my other sci-fi content.

Back Issues: The Amazing Spider-Man #15

Dr. K1 Comment

Story Title: “Kraven the Hunter!”
Published: 12 May 1964 (cover-dated: August 1964)
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko

The Background:
After his success with the Fantastic Four, Marvel editor and head writer Stan Lee created teenage superhero Peter Parker/Spider-Man, whose debut issue became one of Marvel’s best selling publications. Spider-Man’s popularity grew to the point that he headlined other comics, including being partnered up with other, less mainstream superheroes in the pages of Marvel Team-Up, and amassed one of the most colourful and memorable rogues galleries in all of comics. Sergei Kravinoff (better known as Kraven the Hunter) was created by Spider-Man co-creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and made his debut in this story, though he’s perhaps best known for his epic (if temporary) death in the celebrated story arc “Kraven’s Last Hunt” (DeMatteis, et al, 1987). Kraven has long hounded the web-slinger as part of the Sinister Six and across a variety of media, featuring in videogames and the 1990’s Spider-Man cartoon. Finally, after years of stop/start efforts to make it onto the silver screen, Kraven inexplicably made his live-action debut in 2024.

The Review:
Our story begins in classic sixties Spider-Man fare, with Spidey dropping in on a bunch of crooks and breaking up their party. In a change of pace, though, Spider-Man doesn’t just beat them up with ease and grace while expositing how his super strength gives him the edge of New York City’s normal, everyday mooks. Instead, he shoots out a web to trap three of the would-be bank robbers but the fourth, who he presumes is their leader, makes a hasty exit out the window. The leader manages to give Spider-Man the slip by activating a special gas from the inside of his suit that instantly changes his appearance into a harmless old man and, when he gets back to his apartment, reveals his true identity as Dmitri Smerdyakov/The Chameleon, the man of many faces who was the very first supervillain Spider-Man ever encountered. Realising the threat Spider-Man poses, and bitter about being deported and exiled after their last encounter, the Chameleon decides to hire an “old friend”, Kraven the Hunter, to destroy the web-spinner once and for all! It turns out that Kraven has amassed a hell of a reputation as the world’s most accomplished hunter. His achievement of having trapped and defeated every type of animal with his bare hands is so impressive that even cantankerous Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson is in awe of the hunter’s prowess.

Kraven’s world-famous prowess initially sees him get the upper hand on Spider-Man.

Seeing Kraven’s arrival in the United States as a big scoop, Jameson orders his secretary, Betty Brant, and his long-suffering freelance photographer, Peter Parker, to accompany him to the pier to get an exclusive. There, Betty is unreasonably salty when Peter arrives at the same time as Liz Allen and Eugene “Flash” Thompson but Kraven’s mere presence and physical stature are enough to turn their heads and put a stop to the relationship drama. Kraven turns down Jameson’s request for an exclusive with a dismissive bark, so determined is he to “hunt the most dangerous game of all”, and then gives Peter the shock of his life when he single-handedly rounds up the ship’s animal cargo with speed, strength, and wiles so honed that all Spidey can do is watch in amazement. So fantastic is Kraven’s display of power that Spidey completely forgets to take any pictures, angering Jameson. The newspaper editor’s vexation is replaced with intrigue, however, when Kraven lets slip that he’s there to hunt Spider-Man. Peter’s so stunned by this revelation that he’s speechless when Betty gives him the cold shoulder after Liz showers him with attention, which also riles up her muscle-bound flame, Flash. After all that drama, Kraven meets with the Chameleon to read up on his prey using the research and first-hand experience he has acquired, confidentially assuring his ally that the superhuman strength and reflexes he has been afforded by a witch-doctor’s secret potion will enable him to succeed where others have failed. To allow Kraven to stalk Spider-Man more effectively, the Chameleon hires some goons to cause a ruckus, which naturally attracts Spider-Man. Kraven watches with a begrudging respect for his foe’s power, agility, and cunning, impressed with how easily he fights, evades, and subdues multiple crooks, and then catches the web-spinner by surprise by waiting for him on a nearby rooftop.

Kraven’s potion and confidence cause undue stress to the troubled teenage superhero.

Kraven rushes his quarry, explaining that he’s motivated only by the hunt and the personal triumph that defeating Spider-Man will bring him. He immediately puts his enhanced abilities and research to good use by snatching Spidey out of mid-air and tossing him to the ground. Relentless, Kraven presses his attack with a “nerve punch” that Kraven boasts can “down a full-grown charging rhino”. Spidey takes the shot on the arm, which goes completely numb, and surprises Kraven by fending him off with just one arm. In desperation, the hunter resorts to pricking Spidey with one of his special potions, a concoction designed to sap his spider-strength. Kraven then makes a tactical retreat to allow the drug to do its work and Peter returns home, woozy and suffering from tremors as a result, while Kraven astonishes the Chameleon by revelling in the thrill of the encounter and the battle yet to come. Although Peter awakens back at full strength, he’s alarmed to find his hands are still twitching uncontrollably. He desperately tries to hide his condition from his doting Aunt May, who has arranged a blind date with him the niece of their neighbour, Anna Watson, and is relieved when the twitching dies down by the time he gets to the Daily Bugle. There, his exasperation with Betty’s unprovoked jealousy is quickly replaced by astonishment when Kraven comes barging out of Jameson’s office. Although Jameson hates Spider-Man with a vengeance, he refuses to endorse Kraven’s methods since there are laws against hunting human beings. Kraven’s confidence shakes Peter so badly that his hand tremors make a dramatic and embarrassing return while he’s in Science class, much to the amusement of his peers and the annoyance of his professor, Miles Warren. Peter’s condition is so bad that he can’t aim his webs straight and he’s forced to resort to leaping from building to building as Spider-Man as he aimlessly searches for any sign of his would-be hunter.

Kraven’s cunning and prowess ultimately fail to match with Spidey’s spider-sense.

Fully aware that his prey would seek him out, Kraven arranges for the Chameleon to brazenly walk around town in disguise as the world-famous hunter and lure Spider-Man into Central Park to renew the hunt. Despite his suspicions and his blaring spider-sense, Spidey follows the fake and ends up briefly trapped beneath one of Kraven’s nets. Thankfully, exerting the full limits of his spider strength is enough to snap one of the connecting chains, but he’s so disorientated by one of the Kraven’s loudly beating a drum that he’s unable to stop the other Kraven from slapping metal braces to his right forearm and calf. Designed to “hold a hunger-mad tiger”, the manacles have a magnetic attraction so strong that it takes all Spidey’s incredible strength to keep them apart. They also jingle every time he moves to instantly alert Kraven to his presence, however. Relying on his superhuman reflexes and spider-sense, Spidey stays one step ahead of his hunter and buys enough time to spray the manacles with “liquid web fluid”, which successfully negates their properties. His uncanny sixth sense alerts him to someone hiding in the nearby bushes and Spidey is stunned to unmask the Chameleon as the fake Kraven. This victory reinvigorates the web-head, however, and he quickly turns the hunt against his foe, chasing Kraven deep into the woods using his spider signal. No matter where or how he tries to run and hide, Kraven is continually spotted by his foe and resorts to trying to sneak attack him with his nerve punch, only for Spidey’s spider sense and unmatched agility to keep him off-guard. Angered by Spider-Man’s mocking taunts and realising that he’s lost every advantage, Kraven again tries to make a tactical retreat, but this time runs head-first into one of Spider-Man’s webs. Spidey thus leaves him and the Chameleon there, beaten and humiliated, to be deported by the authorities (though, naturally, they both swear revenge). In the aftermath, Jameson is so elated by Peter’s photographs of the action that he allows Peter to have one of his secret stash of chocolate bars. However, the youngster’s relationship dramas continue to mount even after Mrs. Watson’s niece cancels their blind that as Betty gives him the brush-off and Liz goes out dancing with the hunky Flash.

The Summary:
Considering I don’t think much of Kraven and consider both him and the Chameleon to be two of Spider-Man’s bottom-tier foes, I actually enjoyed “Kraven the Hunter!” quite a bit. Steve Ditko continues to set the standard for how Spider-Man should move and fight in his comics and the action is fast and packs a hell of a punch whenever the two are trading blows or showing off their superhuman skills. I always enjoy the visual difference between Peter and Spider-Man, how being in the costume is such an exhilarating and freeing experience for the socially-inept photographer, and it was a neat twist to see him go toe-to-toe with someone not just seemingly as strong and agile as he, but also far more cunning and ruthless. As ever, Peter’s relationship and personal drama is a constant distraction from his current predicament. While I’m always glad when stories from this era don’t reduce females to babbling bimbos, Betty’s raging jealousy was a serious pain in the ass here. She gets mad at Peter simply because he arrives at the same time as Liz and Flash, assuming he “[came] with her” even though they’re not even near each other in the panel, and acting like a clingy, co-dependent brat just because Liz fixes his tie and calls him “Petey”. While it’s true that Betty probably should be worried about Liz, especially as she’s one of the few to admonish Flash for his attitude towards Peter, all she ends up doing is pushing him towards Liz, with comical results. This may very well have been the first of many hints towards Peter’s most famous love interest, Mary Jane Watson, though Peter’s actually relieved when she cancels their blind date as he already has enough troubles on his plate and isn’t optimistic about the state of Mrs. Watson’s mysterious niece.

Despite the relationship drama and the Chameleon’s presence, Kraven gets a good showing.

Although this issue features the return of the Chameleon, his presence is thankfully downplayed in favour of the far more visually and physically interesting Kraven. The two are depicted as close friends, which is a nice change as it’s not every day you see supervillains palling about so amicably. Naturally, the story goes out of its way to show that Kraven more than meets expectations. The ship’s animal cargo spontaneously getting loose is the perfect excuse to show how fast, smart, and strong he is and prove that he’s more than capable of subduing even the most dangerous of animals with his bare hands. Living for and relishing the thrill of the hunt, Kraven sees Spider-Man as the ultimate prey and goes to some lengths to get a sense of his prowess. I say “some” as Kraven only spends a few panels observing Spider-Man rather than days, which may have contributed to his downfall as he underestimated Spider-Man’s strength and tenacity and was forced to resort to one of his potions and a hasty retreat. Although Kraven’s potion causes Spider-Man some troubles, all it really does is take away his ability to shoot webs straight and in the end all Spider-Man needed to win was his extraordinary spider-sense and superhuman reflexes. Still, Kraven does match blows with Spider-Man and even briefly cripples one of his arms and is proven to be just as agile and physically strong as the web-spinner but, ultimately, he’s undone, in part, by his own hubris. This all made for a surprisingly enjoyable first appearance of Kraven the Hunter. I can’t say it’s changed my opinion of him, or his lame outfit, but it definitely made for a pretty entertaining villain-of-the month Spider-Man story.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

What are your thoughts on Kraven’s debut? Are you a fan of the character and, if so, what are some of your favourite Kraven tales? Were you annoyed by the relationship drama in Peter’s life, or did you enjoy it as a character-building tool? What did you think to Kraven’s depiction, powers, and personality? Are you a fan of the Chameleon or, like me, do you find him disappointing? How excited were you for Kraven’s live-action debut? Feel free to leave your thoughts on Kraven below and be sure to check out my other Spider-Man content.