Defenders #115

(Marvel)
January 1983

Good Guys: Namor, Beast, Valkyrie, Gargoyle
Bad Guys:

Cameos: Kyle Richmond/Nighthawk, Hyperion, Dr Strange, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Son of Satan, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Over-mind Grom.

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Review

"A Very Wrong Turn"

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Writer: J.M. De Matteis
Pencils: Don Perlin

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JMD has dedicated this story to Theodor Geisel (aka Dr Seuss).

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Defenders Namor, Valkyrie, Beast and Gargoyle are transported to the world of Dr.Seuss by mistake.

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Overall Rating: 6/10

A bizarre and yet funny read. Different ….very different.

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Favorite Panel:

Amazing Spider-Man #376

(Marvel)
April 1993



Good Guy: Spider-Man
Bad Guys: Styx & Stone

Cameos: Cardiac, Mary Jane Watson-Parker, Richard Parker, Mary Parker.

Review

"Guilt by Association"

Writers: David Michelinie / Steven Grant
Pencils: Jeff Johnson

Styx and Stone are confronted by Spidey after they are hired to protect a studio from vandals. A battle ensues and as S&S try to escape they are confronted by Cardiac. After a battle between S&S and Cardiac we learn of how Cardiac came into being.

Spiderman tracks down S&S to their ‘classy’ apartment on the upper east side and gets himself captured … the comic ends with Spidey being touched by Styx touch of death.

Overall Rating: 6/10

an okay read.


Favorite Panel:

Marvel Team Up #50

(Marvel)
October 1976



Good Guys: Spider-Man & Dr Strange
Bad Guy: The Wraith

Cameos: Iron Man, Jean De Wolff

Review

"The Mystery of the Wraith"

Writer: Bill Mantlo
Artists: Sal Buscema & Mike Esposito

Spiderman asks Dr Strange investigate what happened to Captain Jean De Wolff’s brother Brian in a shootout two years prior. They discover that he was shot by a thief, who in turn was shot by Jean’s father Phillip, and Phillip De Wolff carries his son away.

Meanwhile Jean De Wolff locates her father below her mother’s crypt believing him to be the Wraith.

Her father gained control of the brain dead Brian after an experiment to gain Brian mind controlling powers, funded by two wealthy ‘criminal’ benefactors, went haywire.

Dr Strange and Spidey catch up with the party and with help of Iron Man, who develops a mind numbing device to be put on Phillip De Wolff’s head defeat the Wraith.

Overall Rating: 8/10

An interesting read, especially if you like to know a little bit more about Captain Jean De Wolff, who was brutally murdered by the Sin Eater in the great Spectacular Spider-man arc #107-#110 - “The Death of Jean DeWolff”.

Favorite Panel:

Mister Miracle #20

(DC)
October 1990




Good Guy: Mister Miracle / Scott Free
Bad Guy:

Cameos: Oberon, Big Barda

Review

"How can I say “you’re missing” if you won’t go away!"

Writers: Keith Giffen / Doug Moench
Art: Ian Gibson

Oberon hurts Big Barda’s feelings by suggesting her cooking would give Darkseid heartburn. After Barda throws a couch at him he decides to spend the night at the creepy new motel that has opened.

The manager draws missing person’s caricatures and during the night draws one of Oberon. Oberon believes the manager is a psychotic killer and takes to him with a chainsaw. The manager comes running out of the motel and bumps into Scott Free (Mister Miracle).

Scott Free transforms into MM and captures Oberon. He explains the next morning that the manager drawing pictures of missing person’s is his idea of art as he is a failed cartoonist (I suppose this is where all failed cartoonists end up??)

Overall Rating: 6/10 ... An okay read.

Favorite Panel:

Defenders #110

(Marvel)
August 1982



Good Guy: Devil Slayer
Bad Guy: Devil Slayer

Cameos: Dr. Strange, Kyle Richmond

Review

"…Hunger…"
Writer: J.M. De Matteis
Layouts: Don Perlin
Finisher: Mike Esposito

The Devil Slayer is in the negative zone on an asteroid with his dead friend 'Sunshine' lying in his arms. In a previous issue Sunshine sacrificed himself to save the Devil Slayer from a demon. Sunshine awakes in spiritual form.

The Devil Slayer was a hired killer for a mob boss called Boccino. He killed an innocent wife and child in a hit gone wrong, and he lives with the guilt. He goes on a bender and threatens to kill Boccino in front of his family claiming it’s all Boccino's fault. He doesn’t. Instead he returns to the negative zone and eventually is drawn by the spiritual form of Sunshine to Jerusalem and his wife Cory.

A twist at the end may be that the spirit of Sunshine could have been Dr Strange in Astral form and he lead Devil Slayer to his wife for salvation. -- ??


Overall Rating: 8/10

A surprisingly good read as the Devil Slayer tries to slay his own Demons.

Favorite Panel: