Just couldn't leave without posting pictures I found of Storm and White Queen by Liam Sharp. The Storm picture is from X-Men Unlimited #5 and the White Queen picture is from X-Men #35. Can he draw a hot woman of what? 8-) Enjoy.

Words & Art by Walt Simonson
Marvel Comics

What a truly fabulous run of Thor. Simonson does the impossible and the unbelievable and still remains true to Thor and the Norse Mythology. Many things have happened to Thor. In light of the late 90's, before the original title was cancelled, this is above and beyond. It had seemed by the time Marvel had gotton Thor to issue #500 that they had no thought as to what to do next. And so with Mike Deodato Jr.'s art and the many writers that covered the last remaining issues of Thor, it seemed like it was nothing but Fabio's block party. Thor looked like he was constantly in a cologne commerical. Surrounded by many scantily clad females. And the ability to NEVER have a shirt on. Of course there is nothing like a man with great abs, long blonde hair, and bisceps that won't quit. (Not to memention that Deodato's women's asses didn't quite either. Just take a look at The Enchantress in those latter issues.) If you can imagine that, then you know what I look like. 8-)



I will try to scan a better picture, but as of now that is all I could find on the web to get me out of a pinch.

But I wasn't going to write a post about the latter issues of Thor. I wanted to write about Walt Simonson's Thor. In these to issues, Thor is challenged by a dragon that is going by the name Fing Fang Foom. The ice giants wish to vanquish Thor, their sworn enemy. So to do this they will to call upon what is know in Norse Mythology as the World Serpent. A serpent supposedly so large that it wraps itself around the world. Well in their attempt, to litereally, fish out the World Serpent, they catch Fing Fang Foom. So after insulting FFF, for they were expecting a dragon of much bigger stature, they tell FFF of their enemy. How that in recent events, Hela (ruler of hell, which I can't imagine why the Norse picked a woman to rule hell . . . haha) had cursed Thor with brittle bones, like those of a human.

Well, FFF, seems intrigued by these trolls audacity to ridcule a dragon of such might, that he wants to meet this Thor and discover just how powerful he is. So he seeks out to find Thor. In the next picture, FFF runs into Thor, but because Thor seems just like "food", as FFF calls those smaller than him, he doesn't realize that it is Thor. Read on . . .



As the dialouge between Thor and FFF continues, Thor does finally reveal that he is in fact Thor. So FFF challenges him. He tells Thor that is he can lift just his foot off the ground, he will do the honorable thing and take Thor away from the city where they can do honorable battle, without harming other people. However, if he cannot lift his foot then he will battle him there with no regard for the other people. And if he will not accept the challange, then he will kill all the people and then Thor. Needless to say, Thor vanquishes the challange and off they are to the hill where they are to do honorable battle. As they travel, FFF tells Thor of his might and how this battle will matter little, as he will defeat Thor and he will be nothing more than food to him. Finally they find their spot to battle. FFF still boasting of his might, intends to reveal something to Thor that is suppose to make his turn tail and run. Check it out.



He reveals that he is indeed Jormungand, the legendary Word Serpent and that Thor has no prayer. And so we lead into Thor #380.



Thor #380
Words and art by Walt Simonson
Marvel Comics

This issue starts right into battle. As Thor and FFF trade massive blows. Each thinking that their's will be the finally blow to defeat their enemy. The pages that follow this battle are truely some of the most awesome full page spreads that really show off Simonson's great art. The power of his pencil brings to life a battle that no man has seen. But it makes it almost believable. As if the battle is jumping off the page right into your eye sockets and brain.

One of the best is the following two pictures. The first is of Thor as he is bitch slapped by FFF's tail and sailed across the countryside like a ping pong ball. The magnitude of the blow is, as comics in past like to do, puncuated by words that are suppose to bring the sound to life. You remember how Batman's punch to this ememies was always puncuated with a word like "BIFF" or "POW", blasted across the screen. Well that idea for the TV show was taken right from the pages of comic books.

The second picture, is Thor's answer to FFF. As he pounds FFF's mug with his enchanted hammer Mijolnir (I hope I spelled that right). It plummets FFF to the ground and the earth answers in a whine that no man has ever heard. And that reminds me of another reason why I like Simonson's Thor. The dialogue and the captions. The old language of Norse. He keeps it true to the old language without losing the reader, as the very old issues did. The older issues, as Thor was first premired in Journey Into Mystrey, was like reading a King James Bible. Very old dialogue. Anyway here they are.





And so at the end of the issue it would seem that both hero and villian were evenly matched as the finally page of Thor #380 shows. What is to happen to Thor? Did he defeat Jormungand? I don't know, but I'm sure he will turn up in another issue and you'll have to wait and see. That is unless you go to your nearest comic book shop and check out some of the awesomeness that is Walt Simonson's run on The Mighty Thor.



Once again, thank you for reading my comic babblings and I hope that you return to read more. And I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed posting it. Thanks again, and take care of yourselfs and don't forget that comics can entertain even adults. Enjoy life and drink beer, it's better than wine. 8-)

Deadpool has to be one of the most outragous and hilarious charecters in Marvel Comic's possesion. ALthough starting out as somewhat of a more serious charecter in X-Force (#2 I believe), he has since developed into a smartass mercanary that also has something to say. He spews more banter in battle than a politican does in their speeches. He also fancies himself a ladies man, although because of his apperance due to the healing factor he got from Weapon X project, his face lacks much to be desired. Still he hides it behind a bravo of pickup lines and one-liners. Check this out from his first mini-series By Mark Waid and Ian Churchill.



Just too funny. Everything he says is like that. It's like having a sideshow comedian in your presence at all times. And this is not to say that Deadpool is never serious. There are many things that he takes quite seriously. Like hiding his apperance behind a mask or image inducer. Although I cannot recall for some reason his face came back to him by the time Deadpool changed to Agent X. I believe it had something to do with the "Funeral For A Freak" storyline in Deadpool's ongoing series. Which is memory serves was around isssue #58-63 or somewhere in that neighborhood.

In that series however he never does stop trying so hard to hit on Syrn, Banchee's sister. Of cource drawn by Ian Churchill, any gal is a babe. But that is my impartial opinion. 8-)

One of the best apperances (or at least the one I remember the most, although there were many in his own ongoing series, which then changed to Agent X before it was cancelled) was in Heroes for Hire #10-11. Although issue #10 contained more of the introductions and the smartass quips, issue #11 had some too. Because if you know Deadpool, he has a remark to everything. Check this one out as Deadpool arives at the HFH's base of operations in an airplane. The first responses to the HFH is just too funny. Check out the remark he makes to Iron Fist, that has to be one of the best. Although the look on Luke Cage's face as Deadpool tries to be "hip" with him is also side-splitting.







You gotta wonder what is so damn funny about Iron Fist? Well for those of you that don't know what the hell is laughing at looking at Iron Fist's feet, obviously don't know Iron Fist well. It has something to do with the formal footwear for Oriental warriors. (Of course that also is an assumption that John Ostrander knows something of the culture there.) Check it out. Thanks to Pascual Ferry's version of Deadpool is one of my favorites.



Too funny. Not to say that Deadpool is never serious. There are many things that he is very serious about. One of them is hiding his face behind a mask or image inducer (who wouldn't like to have one of them?). Deadpool's face is less than handsome, as a result of the healing factor experients he was involved in at the Weapon X project. Although by the time he changed to the name Agent X, due to some amnesia, if I remember correctly, his face was much better. I think it might have also had something to do with the "Funeral For A Freak" storyline in his own ongoing series, shortly before the title change. It was around Deadpool #57-63 or somwhere in that neighborhood.

Deadpool is really one of the best charecters that can be a most entertaing read in so many catergories. There's comedy, action, and drama all in one book. Not many charecters are that versatile. One of the underappreciated charecters as well, I think. Not many people are familar with Deadpool, if they have just a passing knowledge of comic books. If you haven't read anything with Deadpool in it, I highly recomend it. It is well worth the read and there are several appreances and mini-series to start of with before you get into his ongoing series. Here's a quick checklist.

Deadpool (mini-series) #1-4
Deadpool: Circle Chase (mini-series) #1-4
Deadpool (ongoing series)
Heroes for Hire #10-11
X-Force #2 (1st apperance ?)
He also appears off and on in both X-Force and Cable as well.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the read and please leave any suggestions or comments on what you would like me to different. Or what charecters or comic books that would interest you for me to talk about. I'm making a call to all comic book readers, I don't get to talk comics much. When I do, mt wife just stares blankly at me and nods her head, so I think she is listening. 8-) Never could get her into comics much. The only thing she reads is Angel and Buffy and that is just because she already likes the TV shows.

Thanks again for reading and yall take care.

Now not having been a comic collector since my younger years, I hadn't been with Aunt May as long as some readers had. And yet still even though the whole Clone Saga thing was going on at this time (which I throughly went broke trying to read all the issues involved in this storyline, and was not impressed with the outcome) it did in now detract from the severity of Aunt May's death. The woman had been by Peter's side for so long that it was a phenomenal impact on him and those that loved her as well. Previous to her death she had taken Peter up on the Empire State Building and confronted him about being Spider-Man.

"What's it like up there? Swinging across the city like your flying?"

Ohh course Peter had no idea that she had know for so long that he was Spider-Man. But he was relieved to find out that she was very proud of what he had done and that she only didn't tell him for so long because she knew why he never told her himself. And he was only trying to protect her.



I can't really say much as regards to the Scarlet Spider. I was quite confused and had never gone back and read much of the clone saga to remember what had come about with Peter's clone. I remember that he took on the Scarlet Spider persona, once he had discovered that he was a clone. This is all if memory serves me right. However you can see that even though being Peter's clone, he still felt a closeness to Aunt May, and yet respectfully never entered. Reminds me of some families. Never shun the ones that love you, no matter the issue. I can say that reading this was very sad. I can't recall where I was, I do believe I was still at home with my parents, no doubt reading this book in my room after work. Mark Bagley, the artist really did a great job on the feel of the sorrow of these people.



Rest in peace Aunt May. Comic book geeks everywhere will mourn the loss of your presence in Spider-Man.

Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Chas Truog
Inks by Doug Hazelwood

This is a very excellent story and Grant Morrison's last issue of Animal Man. I always remember the impact that this issue had from the very first time I read it. For one, writers are always looking for a way to end their run on a series. Now many try to leave you on the edge with whatever they do. Kind of a way to keep you interested, as another writer picks up where they left off. Or they end their story with said charecter as a way for the new writer to take it in the direction that they want to go.

But no one, I think, has ever left a series like Grant Morrison did with Animal Man #26. It was quite obvious his intention was surprise his readers, by putting himself in the comic. And that in itself has been done. In fact, John Byrne did it so much in his run of Sensational She-Hulk that it quite frankly got old real quick. But with Byrne he was doing it as a cameo per say, a lot like Alfred Hitchcock did in his movies. Morrison was going for something else. Actually I retract my earlier statement about Bryne. I think She-Hulk was written after Morrison did his run on Animal Man. I won't swear to it, but I believe that is correct.

Just take a look at this first page, as Morrison explains to Buddy (Animal Man) who he is and what he is doing talking to him. (If you have any trouble reading it, try checking the gallery and enlarging it that way.)



Morrison is explaining to Buddy that he is in control of his life. That everything that Buddy did and does is what Morrison wants him to do. Buddy has no control over his life. He shows that what he just typed on his computer, and Buddy did exactly what Morrison said he would do. So it puts an interesting twist on a charecter's perception of who they are. Morrison further tells him that his adventure where all for the entertainment of the readers. And then Morrison actually takes out the Animal Man comic book and shows it to Buddy.



Of course Buddy is outraged at the fact that Morrison has done all these things to him that caused him such stress and turmoil. But Morrison tells him that, that is what entertains people. They want to see things that don't happen to them in real life. Things that they could never do themselves. Morrison even reminds Buddy of his cat, and how the name and the description of the cat was just like one Morrison use to have himself. So he's telling Buddy that he is really just a fictional reflection of himself. At one point, Buddy asks him what will happen to him when Morrison leaves. He tells Buddy that it will depend on what the new writer has in store for him. Morrison then says that the new writer may even make in a meat-eater, as Buddy is a vegetarian. Well Buddy screams at Morrison that he will never eat meat, he is a vegetarian. Morrison says no, your not, I am. I just made you a vegetarian because I am.



Buddy is just a super-hero created by Morrison and much of who he is and what he does is just reflections of Morrison's personality. Morrison tells him that there is no need to worry about what will happen to him and his life. The new writer will take over and you'll be just fine. There is no need to worry. Quite obviously, Buddy is, as he sits there on the ground as Morrison tells him that things will be no different, because he won't remember this. This last page is where Morrison leaves Buddy to his thoughts.



Quite the interesting story. One that I was moved surprised by. There are many comics I have read and there are a lot that I can recall. But very few that stuck with me like this one had. It was one of the most innovative ways for a writer to make his exit.

I hope that you have enjoyed this and there will be much to come on some of my favorite comic books. Take care all.