Comics Nexus Flashback 01/05/2005: Iron Man #2, JSA Strange Adventures #5, What if…Karen Page Had Lived?

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Inside Pulse launched on August 9, 2004, and has covered the world of comics for over a decade. Every day, we take a look back at what was happening in the world of comics 10 years ago, as reported right here at Inside Pulse!

The Monolith #11 Review

I can’t believe it’s nearly been a year since the Monolith debuted. This series has been a very pleasant surprise, and is unlike anything else currently being written. The issue begins with Alice tied up in a blood-covered room, with an unknown person chiding her. As the issue unfolds, we cut back and forth between the past and present to see just how she got in this predicament.

The Monolith has always seemingly been written with a “theme” of sorts for each issue (e.g. an “action” book, a “disclosure of past events/origins” book, etc.). This one falls under the “psychological thriller” category, as something terribly wrong has happened to cause our heroine to be in the sick and twisted situation that she is. You can also really feel the desperation that Tilt feels while looking for her friend with the help of the Monolith.

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JSA Strange Adventures #5 Review

JSA Strange Adventures has been another pleasant surprise for me. I picked it up because I’m a fan of the JSA, and I haven’t been disappointed. For those who don’t already know, this book follows the exploits of the original Justice Society of America. It also features Johnny Thunder as…well, not so much a POV-character, but more like just a well-grounded character we can sympathize with.

The main focus of this issue is not on the JSA, but on Lord Dynamo, the story’s antagonist. We finally learn his origin, and what a great one it is! The origin is familiar enough to “feel” like Golden Age, but also decidedly a more modern style of storytelling. The origin is a tragic tale (as they so often are), and I really found myself sympathizing with Lord Dynamo…to a degree.

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What if…Karen Page Had Lived?

SCENE: A Bar.

Bald Guy: Greetings! I am the Watcher! Or maybe I’m Brian Michael Bendis. Michael Lark’s dark and spooky artwork makes it hard to tell. At any rate, I am a man with a freakishly large bald head whose duty it is to tell you of tales that might have been.

CUT TO: Kevin Smith’s Study.

Bald Guy: Behold Kevin Smith- filmmaker and comic writer of immense popularity. And yet also an object of vast scorn! Mostly by wannabes, who are jealous of his being a writer of comics, maker of films and his actually having been bare naked with a girl!

Kevin Smith: Dig it.

Bald Guy: Ah, but what if… in some other world, it had been Brian Michael Bendis who had written that most beloved “Guardian Devil” story?

Kevin Smith: Folks, I apologize in advance for this. And for Black Cat being late. And Mallrats. Again.

CUT TO: A Church.

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Amazing Spider-Man #515 Review

You’d think that creating a good comic book villain would be a relatively easy task. All you really have to do is take normal but flawed soul, place him (or her) in a situation that exploits these flaws and finally have him snap at the world. It is preferable if you can manage an explosion or some other means of giving your characters powers. With such simple task you’d think there wouldn’t be so many poorly conceived, colorless bad guys out there. Character designs without characters if you will.

Following up the spit-take inducing controversial event “Sins Past,” (which I have very mixed feelings on) JMS travels more conventional ground in “Skin Deep” a tale who’s first chapter reads like a text-book example of Villain Creation 101. I do not mean this as an insult, merely a stating a matter of fact.

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Voltron: Defender of the Universe #11 Review

Just a few years ago the ’80s nostalgia wave was sweeping the comic industry. Titles like Battle of the Planets, Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe, The Transformers, and Thundercats were landing at or near the top spot on Diamond’s monthly Top 300. Nearly every publisher was looking to land the next can’t-miss toy property, and all was good. Then, rather abruptly, sales began to wane. These books that were, supposedly, bringing older fans back to the industry after years away were dropping like rocks from B-17. Everything from lateness, meddling toy manufacturers, poor quality books, ridiculous royalty fees, and the deluge of competing titles had an effect. Some of the books were good, some were even very good, in the end very few are still around, and there will be still fewer in the near future.

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Iron Man #2 Review

When Iron Man first started, my interest was piqued by the involvement of Warren Ellis, as I am a big fan of Planetary. However, that wasn’t enough to get me to buy the book. However, upon the recommendation of Chuck Seeley, of Seeley & Kane’s Cards & Comics at Delaware & Kenmore in Buffalo, NY (cheap plug!), I picked it up. I was not disappointed.

Warren Ellis writes a great science fiction story, as all of you Planetary fans know. This story is certainly no exception. It flows smoothly as it alternates between Tony Stark and his interactions, and an extremely violent man, who is the result of “tampering.” Ellis also does a good job conveying the complexity of Tony’s situation, as he hates his inventions being used by the military, but it pays the bills.

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Jonathan Widro is the owner and founder of Inside Pulse. Over a decade ago he burst onto the scene with a pro-WCW reporting style that earned him the nickname WCWidro. Check him out on Twitter for mostly inane non sequiturs