Paneled Goods: Captain America Epic Collection Volume 12

How was your Thanksgiving? Hopefully you had time to kick back and relax. My original plans were to basically eat and drink a bunch while catching up on movies in the theater but I got sick like a loser. Instead of venturing out to Happy Hour or the multiplex, I spent most of my long weekend napping, reading and online shopping. I did manage to hit Pulp Fiction on Friday as they have a giant store filled with discount graphic novels and comics. Marvel has begun releasing Epic Collections, full color runs of their most iconic titles. While on my quick trip across America, I stopped into Des Moines, Iowa to see some friends who were holding my comic book collection from Ohio and sadly did not find my cache of Captain America! Maybe it's in some different boxes but I had a sizeable run from the 60's through the 2000's. I did find the Cap cache of toys and trinkets though. Anyways, coming back to California without my stack of comics, I wanted to see what Pulp Fiction had and ended up with Volume 12 from 1985-1986 with issues #302 through #317.

These Epic Collections are quite nice, full color with some supplemental material like Letters to the Editor, corresponding Annuals or sketches and concept art. Paul Neary does most of the art with clean pencils, detailed backgrounds and a kinetic style supplemented by a chipper pastiche of smiles while editor Mark Gruenwald officially takes over writing as he feels like he's got a grasp on our Star Spangled Avenger. We get some excellent character snapshots with staples like Jack Monroe's Nomad trying to get out of the shadow of Cap, fiance Bernie Rosenthal losing her job and questioning her future with Steve. Our boy is all over the place here, hard charging and idealistic. One issue he randomly goes to Britain after being hit with some crazy psychic bolt to team up with Captain Britain to fight a contemporary of Merlin, you know from King Arthur, like you does. In another he rails against his ad agency editor about advertising putting possessions over people. Which is good though because it leads him to drawing for Marvel Comics, on Captain America! In a bit of meta-hilarity, we learn that Avengers butler Jarvis provides basic stories to Marvel and signs off, another revenue stream and positive exposure, I guess. Thanks to Jarvis we also learn that Captain America's favorite post workout repast is a GRILLED AMERICAN CHEESE SAMMICH AND GLASS OF MILK. Holy shoot, time to get Captain America YOKED.

Later on Cap runs into the Serpent Society who have formed an organized mercenary squad to carry out all your criminal or murder-centric needs. Our favorite flying head MODOK is sadly their quarry and is taken out. Later, Steve ends up with a million bucks from Army back pay and instead of using it on himself or his lady, decides to start up his national hotline. Through and through we see his relationship with Bernie deteriorating because come on, Cap's gotta fight the good fight, but it's still sad when she up and leaves him for law school, putting their engagement in limbo (psst, they don't make it). It's great to have the issues in full color but I miss seeing the ads from regular issues so you can get a context of the era. There's a funny inclusion of readers writing in, freaking out about a panel where Cap's nose is missing a line so it looks like he doesn't have one? I honestly didn't notice it and thought the schnoz was outlined plenty but whatever.

In addition to Gruenwald and Neary, these issues would not be possible without the contributions of Michael Carlin, Roger Stern, Frank Miller, Josef Rubinstein, Dennis Janke, Al Williamson, Jim Massara, Howard Mackie, Michael Higgins, Lynn Varley, Ken Feduniewicz, Al Milgrom, Jim Novak and Diana Albers.

Gotta Go! Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Orlando

After spending a mad dash time at Disney World, we ventured to Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure the next day. There's two separate parks so again we opted for a Hopper that would get us into both. Like Los Angeles, there's a vibrant scene of restaurants and shops before the park. Unlike Disney World, these two parks were more or less connected so you didn't need to hop on a 15 minute shuttle bus ride. Right away you walk into a section of Beverly Hills streets and there's the Terminator 2 3D show Battle Across Time. This has closed in LA but was still packing them in at Orlando. It's been a couple years since I saw the show and I was impressed by how much pageantry and set up there is between the Cyberdyne waiting room with host, warm up video and pre-show in the theater with actors, pyrotechnics, giant props and the like. The finale fills the theater with fog and then your seats drop, it was truly shocking. Masters of the Universe director and theme park attraction specialist Gary Goddard worked closely with James Cameron to produce the immersive show that transports you to the Future War to take on a T-1 Million. Arnold, Edward Furlong and Linda Hamilton all reprise their roles from the 1991 summer blockbuster for a 12 minute short film that cost an alleged $24 million!

Walking around there were plenty of other movie and TV tie-ins like The Simpsons Land, a Men In Black ride along with the flying train and Delorean from Back to the Future III! The big noise however was for the recently opened Harry Potter land. There's a London looking facade but walk through the doors and you're transported to Diagon Alley, an intricate reproduction of one of the films' major settings. You had sweet shops, gift shops, wand shops and stands selling Butter Beer which was surprisingly tasty and not too sweet. There's a couple rides, a fire breathing dragon perched atop a building and you can take the Hogwart's Express to the other park but it was a long wait.

Between the parks was a Hard Rock Cafe which offered double Jameson's for just $3 bucks more next to a giant steampunk chocolate factory and restaurant. Straight out of Willy Wonka, it was a truly unique establishment even if I couldn't figure out the theme of the food. I'd long heard about Island of Adventure from Wizard Magazine as in the 90's they had a Marvel restaurant with props and suits way before any studio backed film had come out. Right away we hit Marvel land which had a Hulk roller coaster, a Spider-Man 3D ride, gift shops and a Captain America diner! Cyclops, Cap and Wolverine were strolling the streets and buildings had giant images of Captain America fighting MODAK! These were truly my people. Walking further and further in there were more lands with old school comics and cartoons like Flash Gordon, the Phantom and Blondie then there was Jurassic Park and a new attraction based on Kong: Skull Island. In the back was another Harry Potter land with snow capped buildings, more gifts and several more rides. The one we went on was kind of crazy, it's a car on a track but you're in a seat hoisted by hydraulics with giant video screens taking you through various locales in the HP canon. While we didn't spring for it, Universal offers a Front of the Line pass, it's not cheap but you can also basically walk onto any ride so it would be worth it if you wanted to save half a day.

Paneled Goods: The Incredible WeirdCool

Let's get this month started with a double shot of WeirdCool panels, shall we? Coming at you from December of 1983, Incredible Hulk #290 from Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema, Carlos Garzon, Bob Sharen and Michael Higgins opens with the Abomination bringing kidnapped S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Katherine Waynesboro to a secret A.I.M. base where the yellow domed science terrorists want to create a new Mechanical Organism Designed Only for Killing aka M.O.D.A.K., only one they can control. Throwing Waynesboro into the Alteration Chamber where "intensive hypnotic suggestion" will turn her into a super mind, the physical manifestation of pure intellect! Hulk shows up to rescue his friend and teams up with ol' Modie to take on A.I.M. but it's a huge multiple back stabbing, double, triple crossing deal as Bruce Banner's scorned former father in law General Ross lets the DAK use Abomination if he'll kill the Hulk, who kidnaps Waynesboro for A.I.M. in order to take out the uncontrollable Mod, phew! The real victim here is Abomination who is basically used for muscle and has the emotional stability of a child. Waynesboro morphs into flying head/mind weapon MS. MODAK and immediately bonds with her male counterpart as you can't overcome the yearning of a match of the mind! But the big headed couple doesn't last as Modak wants kill everybody while the Ms. believes all life has value. No signs of Hostess baked treats, instead we get ads for two different networks Saturday Morning cartoon line ups, where NBC's includes Hulk, Spider-Man, Smurfs and Mr. T!

Next up is January, 1984's #291 that boasts a suicide dripping cover and note that it's Assistant Editor's Month. More weirdcoolness entails as assistant editor Ann Nocenti is visited by one Robert Bruce Banner at the Marvel offices one rainy night. Typical meta Marvel, you know, like Steve Rogers drawing the Captain America comic book in his own comic? Nocenti informs us that the top brass are at a convention, in San-Diego! Even though Comic-Con isn't until July, come on! Anywho this issue deals with General Thaddeus Ross, father of Betty who of course is Banner's love and eventual wife. We learn that the Ross family has a long history of military service and valor with Thad earning the nickname Thunderbolt for his hard charging ways on the battle field. But after his wife dies, the solider doesn't know how to deal with his feelings and pushes Betty away. Things don't get any easier when Betty falls in love with gamma scientist turned jade giant Banner and Ross is tasked with bringing the down the beast.

Things get weirder when Betty ends up with military guy Glenn Talbot after Banner is unable to control the monster but the Hulk then goes into Talbot's mind to fight some aliens controlling his mind? Phew! Now Ross feels like a total failure because the target he's been sworn to slay, has now been giving a Presidential pardon! So ol' Thunderbolt debates taking a dirt nap or eating a lead salad as he feels he doesn't deserve to wear the uniform or medals. But at the end of the day suicide is easy, learning to live with disgrace will be the toughest war the old warhorse has to fight...that real life sh!t...Some solid one issue adventures issues with smart, talking Hulk, excellent art, lots of character cameos and nice backstory fill in. I was just reading how comic book sales are taking a small dive since everything is super heavy handed, talking heads and a year long event leading to a special edition graphic novel. That of course has been my qualm with comics since 2000's X-Men and 9/11 as I don't read comics to be reminded of the real world per se, I read comics to be taken away into a new one. Graphic Novels are great, allegedly Wal-Mart is discussing installing a dedicated section in their stores but you won't get any sweet of the era advertisements for movies, video games, sweets or cartoons!

Paneled Goods: Captain America '86

Working on a stack of Captain America comics acquired at Comikaze, several important story developments popped up over the course of a half dozen issues from 1986.  The creative team of Writer Mark Gruenwald, Rough Penciler Paul Neary, Finishes by Joe Sinnott and Dennis Janke, Inker Al Williamson, Letterer Diana Albers, Colorist Ken Feduniewicz, Editor Mike Carlin and Editor In Chief Jim Shooter presided.

In January's #313, Cap's newly established national Hotline needs a full time staff as alter ego Steve Rogers' girlfriend Bernadette Rosenthal just can't handle the volume.  An anomaly sends Cap off to Montclair, New Jersey where he meets young Hiram "Ram" Riddley, a *Hacker who uses a *Modem to extract and correlate relevant information from Cap's line while sifting through pranks and police matters.  According to this issue, a Hacker is computer enthusiast while a Modem is a Device that links the computer to a telephone.  See how far we've come?

Meanwhile, The Serpent Society has a contract on MODOK(!), the Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing and find him living in the ocean in a downed Advanced Idea Mechanics vessel.  Who hires them we don't know.  Petty criminal and future Captain America girlfriend Diamondback makes an early appearance here and can't get over how Jean-Claude Van Damme foxy Captain America is.  While MODOK uses his mind blasts and flying chair to fend off the Serpents, they gather in full force with Cobra, Anaconda, The Asp, Cottonmouth, Black Mamba, The Rattler, Death Adder and Sidewinder tracking him down at a shopping mall to carry out their contract.  Cap reaches him too late and the mentally powered, physically disabled tragic villain is seemingly killed by some poison laced talons...But the Shield Slinger does set up Ram and his friends as his secret assistants to be his network, sending him updates and leads.  As a bonus, there's a sweet special offer inside from Dorman's Cheese for a Spider-Man backpack!  Valued at $9.95, this 100% nylon backpack with reflective tape for nighttime safety is only $2.95 with 6 UPC symbols!  Order now!

Skipping ahead to May's #317, West Coast Avengers Hawkeye and Mockingbird show up, having been called to testify against villain Crossfire.  Outside the courthouse, a group of circus themed baddies known as The Death Throws, armed with flaming bowling pins, throwing knives and flying grenades, grab Crossfire before he's taken to trial.  Over in Brooklyn, Steven's squeeze Bernie is packing up, moving away to go to law school.  The two met 6 years earlier during Roger Stern and John Bryne's seminal 9 issue run in #247-#255 along with neighbors Joshua, a school teacher and Mike, a firefighter who later joins a violent watchdog group Cap takes on.  At the going away party, Steve busts a move and ends up break dancing before going off with Hawkeye to take on The Death Throws where they trade shield for bow and arrows.  Wouldn't you know that Cap is a pretty good shot.  Steve returns but the party is over and Bernie has left a note, essentially dumping him without saying goodbye.  Oof...

June's # 318 brings The Serpent Society back in as member Death Adder's serpent saucer malfunctions and he's forced to take a cab, it turns out to be a deadly ride as the driver turns around and shoots him through the front seat!  Thus begins a multi-issue crossover arc where a vigilante known as The Scourge is taking out low level supervillains with extreme prejudice.  Usually getting close to them in a non-threatening disguise then serving them a lead salad.  Steve ends up moving into Avengers Mansion with the help of Hercules and Namor the Submariner before they depart for an evening of maidens and mead.  The Wasp aka Jan van Dyne checks in with Steve who plans to hit America and travel wherever the ol' gale needs him.  The Wakanda Design Group under T'Challa (The Black Panther) soup up Cap's Chevy van and he's ready to hit the road, working as freelance artist and seeing, touching, feeling America like the masses on a roadtrip versus flying.  At The Bar With No Name, minor villains are getting paranoid and call a meeting after criminal comrades like Miracle Man, The Melter and Titania have all been whacked.  Tough talking Blue Streak ain't one for joining as he's the meanest mother on 8 wheels equipped with rocket skates and laser beam shooting wrist gun things.  He mixes it up with Cap but then gets picked up by a trucker who you guessed it, tells him it's Glock, Glock o'clock.

July's # 319 brings Cap to my home state to Cleveland, Ohio where he takes out Blacklash, letting everyone know he's not exclusive to New York and that all America is his stomping grounds.  The Scourge continues to off supervillain fools and The Serpent Society is mighty pissed, putting the word out to find the killer.  A hot tip sends Cap to Indiana where he runs into the young and shapely, magenta haired Diamondback once again.  And again, she's got the hots for him, bad.  So bad that she thinks a good influence like Cap could make her go straight after a life of trouble making, petty crime and as a diamond throwing, costumed crusader/criminal invited to join the Society.  Diamondback comes on strong but Cap ain't no one night stand kind of guy and when DB threatens to crash the serpent saucer they're flying in, Cap grabs a parachute, ready to jump out, calling her bluff as even a passionate night with his macho studliness isn't worth dying for.  Back at The Bar, the supervillains meeting is called to order as 18 crooks of various standing including Birdman, Commander Kraken and Hell Razor discuss how to protect themselves and stop The Scourge.  It's a moot point though as Scourge is already there, disguised as the bartender and mows the lawn, so to speak, as he guns down the entire room.

August's # 320 opens with Cap fighting Water Wizard on Lake Erie!  WW tells Cap he's scared for his life and about the meeting at The Bar.  A Cap Trap is set and the star spangled Avenger nabs Scourge, unmasking him to reveal some random ass dude who thinks the law is too lenient and that all his victims were convicted criminals who had it coming.  With his brand of vigilante justice, known of these cons would be back on the street in 3 months due to some court room or legal technicality.  As Cap hauls Scourge to his feet, a shot rings out and the killer of supervillains falls to his knees, killed by another anonymous vigilante serving up their own justice!

In a nice and light fun run, these issues highlight the fact that Cap doesn't have the greatest of rogues gallery but does impart character defining points like Bernie, Diamondback and his traveling across America that will soon become more important when he gives up the costumed mantle.