40. Iron Man vol 1 #187 ... Marvel ...

This is my first review of an Iron Man comic. So you are right to wonder why I chose this instead of something more monumental from Tony Stark's vast library of tales. Well, the reason is more personal. This is the first comic I bought of Iron Man from the newsagents back when comics were found on spinner racks instead of specialty shops and this is my first!

Of course, the artwork is dead brilliant. Even without digital colouring and better paper quality or production quality, just PLEASE check out the line work here. You look at it and you can see the majestic quality of the hero. You can see the metallic effect in the balance of inking and basic colouring and the fluidity in the fight scenes

As for the story itself, for a first timer, it was quite confusing. We have a recovering alcoholic in the form of Tony Stark, a takeover of his company by Stane, a new company being formed by Tony with friends and his good friend in the Iron Man armour. All this are actually the main thrust of the comic but because it has to have some action, we have a new cardboard cut out villain of the day in the form of Vibro, a chap who can generate vibrations from his hands. Ah well ... even though handled well that can be awesome but his opponent is Iron Man, Iron Man ... you know Vibro is going to get so trashed! Bitch!

Ratings: 7/10

39. Impulse #1 and 2 ... DC ... Humberto Ramos ...

If you are a fan of the current Ramos comics, this is basically where Ramos hit the big times. He took a spin off character from the Flash mythos and made this a minor cult hit. I am not a fan of DC and yet I followed this religiously as it came out. Actually I still recall picking up issue 2 on the back issue bins and having a good laugh until I put it on my pull list ... and followed it for more than 2 years until Ramos moved on to other things and successive artists couldn't do what he did! Sigh!

Basically we have super fast teena

ger Impulse who unfortunately grew up in a future timeline and never had a normal life as he was raised in some sort of virtual reality. Hence the way he behaves and reacts are comical. Ramos does his well by using visuals for his thought balloons instead of words

There are many gags in the comics as the series progresses and these are literally laugh out loud moments! I kid you not!

This is also where Ramos artwork is so good it worked its way back into the words of the storylines ... like big feet ... big hair ... hahaha! I love this comic!

And best of all you can see Ramos growing with each comic. Just check out the covers to 1 and 2 and you can see the Impulse on 1 is not as cute and comical as 2, right?

Ratings: 8/10

38. Hulk Vol 1 #299 & 300 ... Marvel ...

From the latest volume of Hulk, we go backwards to volume 1. Why did I choose these 2 issues from the 400+ choices? First, these 2 issues is the culmination of the Hulk's past few years of storylines where he finally reverted back to savagery and this time total savagery thus setting the direction for the next phase of his series. Secondly, these are 2 issues that got me started collecting Hulk and loving it whenever there are tons of action. Hehehe!

#299 - we see the Hulk being manipulated by Nightmare and as a result, Bruce whose personality is tucked away in a hidden corner of the Hulk's mind has no choice but to turn into the Hulk even in that corner of the mind (yes, very confusing but you have to read it to enjoy it and enjoy it you will).

#300 - we see the Hulk as a complete monster this time and the world's heroes coming to either subdue him or help the fall out of his rampage. Example: DD and Spider-Man are wise enough to know they are no match for the Hulk and went about trying to contain the fallout. Power Man is stupid enough to think he can even slowdown the Hulk. Same as his partner Iron Fist. We see the Avengers as well and finally Dr Strange who came up with the solution

It is interesting to note how Strange felt at the end of this saga. Yet years later, during the Planet Hulk run, basically Strange and his mates did the same thing except that they used a scientific method achieving same result. Sort of makes you wonder, eh? Why would they do the same thing again?

Anyway these are amongst the best 2 issues of Hulk's entire run. Action galore and lots of character development and pathos. Try it. Enjoy!

Ratings: 8/10

37. Hulk Red #1 ... Marvel ...

I remembered when I was a kid, the few times I bought the Hulk comic or when I watched that Bill Bixby TV series, what really made me disappointed was the lack of violence and destruction. I mean, seriously! We are talking about a near mindless raging engine of destruction who is super strong and near invulnerable. So why doesn't he really destroy stuff? Hehehe!

The main issues I loved and have read repeatedly are issues 299 and 300 ... but those are for another review in the future, eh?

Here we finally have one relaunched Hulk series that meets the destruction quota. YESSSSS FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The book opened very well. It doesn't waste time explaining where is Bruce Banner and what not. It starts straight off with violence and a murder mystery where we found out that there was a fight and the Abomination was murdered not just trashed to bits but actually shot. So what gives right?

And then we were shown here and there fused footprints with shiny bits of quartz. What's it all about there?

The question then on everyone's minds is "Is there a new Hulk in town"? If so, who is he? Because unlike the Green Hulk, this one can think clearly, plan, cunning and ruthless i.e. worst case scenario for any Hulk on planet Earth

The only thing certain is that it is not Banner because ... Banner is trapped in a bunker and Ross/ Samson went to him for advice

To close this review,  I am advising you to go BUY THIS, DOWNLOAD THIS ... JUST READ IT!

O Yeah I was never a fan of Ed McGuinness not even when he was doing Fighting American but this? Holy cow! It fits him perfectly! 

36. Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2 #1 to 3 ... Marvel ...

Marvel Studios' next group or team superheroes movie is supposedly GOTG. Hence it is timely for us to do a review on a group that has the same name and that is the original itineration. The Marvel studios movie is based on a group after this

Basically we chose this volume to review because it is the longest running for this title at some 60 odd issues or over a span of 5 years with a few annuals of their own and guest starring roles in other issues. On top of that, Jim Valentino made his mark here before he moved onto Image and became Mr Self Indulgent (hahahaha)






So roll call:
Martinex - guy from Pluto looks like a diamond and can generate heat and cold; scientist; team leader

Charlie 27 - military chap from Jupiter (I think) and is super dense and strong; field strategist

Vance Astro - survivor from our timeline and a pain in the butt; telekinesis

Nikki - from the hottest planet and hence her fire hair; sharp shooter

Yondu - real alien hence blue and fin (before Larsen's Savage Dragon); he is like Hawkeye but is religious old world like American Indians and his whistling can control his arrows

Starhawk - another alien who is the mysterious member of the group. Most powerful; has premonition of the future; flight; energy blasts

As you can see from the above, they are not high on the power department except for Starhawk. So how the F*** do they think they are qualified to defend our galaxy from super nasty threats, right? Heck even the old Defenders have more fire and brain power than this group

But for some reason, I liked it. Maybe it's because it is retro yet set in the future with no continuity issues. Maybe it's because even though it is told in story arcs, each chapter moves fast enough that you don't feel like it is decompression story telling

Here is an example of these 3 issues:
Our heroes venture forth into the unknown looking for trouble to quell when Vance decided that he wants to hunt down the Shield of Captain America. Obviously he knows it doesn't have any special powers but its history is meant to be an inspiration. However, there is a vicious group after the same shield and so begins their race for the same object

Somewhere along the line, they encounter a new alien baddie (not just badoon) ... basically towards the end of Earth's fabled era, Stark sent off his tech for safety and landed in a backwater world. Aliens here thought it blessing from unknown gods. They learnt from it and took the name the Stark. So they have armour and are vicious

And as the cover shows to 3, Starhawk continues his own path regardless of his teammates plight. Of course, life could be better if he only bothers to communicate but then, where's the tension in the tale, eh? So naturally he has to be the mysterious chap that makes everyone hate him

35. Generation X #2 and 3 ... Marvel ...

At the end of issue 1, we are left wondering when the rest of the team will be assembled because in the promos, we saw a host of very interesting new mutants. So the story continues here as the kids try to get to know each other better and adjusting to their new environments while the co-headmasters also try to adjust to each other and their charges

And thrown into the mix is the next character ... a silent character who appeared on their lawn ... who doesn't speak but whose hands and supposedly her hair or body (based on Bachalo's drawings) are razor sharp and will slice anything and anyone she touches ... like an out of control Wolverine ... do note that this is before X-23

So the action moves fast and the beautiful Bachalo art continues

And naturally we have found out more about the supposedly most mysterious member, M or Money who comes from a moneyed background, is snooty, occasionally lapses into waking coma and is your typical knockout beauty who has the perfect superman powers of flight, superstrength and near invulnerability

There is some action scenes (naturally) but that is almost like a side entertainment to the soap opera drama of the school