2.47 (412) Dazzler vol 1 #31 ... Marvel ...

It has been a while since we reviewed anything on Ms Blaire aka Dazzler so let's take a few minutes and cover yet another part of her 4-year series. Yes, surprising to those who didn't know, Alison Blaire who at that time didn't join the X-Men actually had a series that lasted 42 issues plus a 4-issue miniseries with the Beast towards the end of her run and also a graphic novel so she is officially more successful than a lot of the X-ladies

Anyway, this issue sees her in her non-superhuman guise ...

She is a young woman who is very much alone as she has had issues with her dad when she decided to embark on a career as a singer while he very much wanted her to follow her footsteps in the legal profession. On top of that, her mom had disappeared when she was but a child. So now, on the cusp of her big movie break and stardom, she has been badly advised about going public on being a mutant

I guess her publicist thought any publicity is better than no publicity

So this issue sees her being swept up in the arms of a man who made it big in the movie industry and she is staying at his place seeing the rewards of being at the top echelon of his chosen industry. Unfortunately, this being a comic, and as the cover clearly indicates, disaster strikes in the form of a tsunami ... and boy did we get an awesome scene of Dazzler standing there a wee little human against this titanic wave ... just ... plain ... wow!

Ratings: 6/10

2.46 (411) Daredevil vol 1 #268 ... Marvel ...

Six months down the line, a different writer and artist ... and we see a different direction for the Devil

After the mess in New York and Inferno, we see DD travelling incognito through small towns and suburbs across America ... trying to find himself I suppose ... although being a blind dude? And in this issue, what works really well is that we see the tale from so many perspective and not just from DD's. Even the narrative boxes works so well about appetites

SPOILER ALERT

DD or rather Matt has come to a small neighbourhood and in here, there is the usual "big" man who thinks he is really something when he is nothing compared to people like the Rose or Kingpin. Still big fish in small pond and all that, he takes what he wants and even tries to espouse his own weak knee philosophy on the rest of the people

And that's when our dear Matt realizes that like it or not, he has the urge to do something ... to balance the scales a little bit ... and it's just great the way he did it ... not just jumping in and knocking teeth out ...

Ratings: 6/10

2.45 (410) Daredevil vol 1 #262 ... Marvel ...

There was a time when all things mutants took centerstage and when there is an event, all other titles will try to tie in. Sad to say, Daredevil was cashing in on the Inferno storyline. For those who didn't know, the Inferno storyline takes on a few front in the various mutant titles. Example: in New Mutants, Illyana and her demons were instrumental in bringing the demons of Limbo to Earth while in the regular X-Men titles, it was Cyclops first wife, Madelyn who is now transformed into the Goblin King and instrumental in a deal with demons to devastate our world (yes we know it sounds ludicrous but you have to read it - quite good actually)

Anyway, here in this issue, after being beaten to near death in 260, we finally see DD coming to ... just as the world around him goes nuts and more and more things are being infected by the techno organic virus ... basically making all metallic and electronic items come alive hence the cover

What's cool about this issue is the fact that you really feel for DD ... the pain of gaining consciousness ... the struggle to survive ... and yet that fighting spirit that doesn't give up!

And o that awesome John Romita Jr artwork ... one of his best comic runs ever in our opinion is his work on DD

Ratings: 7/10

2.44 (409) Deathstroke the Terminator #27 ... DC ...

A few issues down the line and we open up this review with yet another issue where we have jumped right into the middle of yet another story arc. That's the thing with completing your collections from the quarter bins, eh? But I enjoy it. Never know what you may find and this one? It's awesome!

If you actually read the last 2 reviews, you will know what I like about comics like this that is not about super heroes and this issue delivers in spades

We see a reunited Deathstroke and his buddy Green ... as they find that all their past ties have come full circle and now rush to aid one of those ties ... unfortunately for them, the baddie of this arc is still one step ahead and reaches the destination before them

So while Death and his mates came upon the scene in time, it wasn't that much in time for some of the supporting cast. Mayhem ensues without a doubt and the best parts is ... there is no lame ass grunts ... well the grunts or rather cannon fodder are lame but it is deliberate and part of the storyline as you will find out before the end of the issue ... so great thinking ahead Mr Wolfman!

Love the scenes of the men in green getting their just desserts from bad ass Slade!

Ratings: 8/10

2.43 (408) Deathstroke the Terminator #20 ... DC ...

You know, not everything that was launched in the 90s were all about grimacing and posing and having spittle dripping between your clenched teeth and this comic book is one of those surprises. After enjoying the last issue, I decided to go back to the quarter bins and dug this and a few more up

And in 20, the tale that began issues earlier comes to its conclusion!

The crazy Amazon? SPOILER ALERT She decided to snatch the warheads from her boss and instead uses it to blackmail the world. I mean, come on! So our dear old Death naturally went in to spank her bottom

Why do we call her Amazon? Because not only is she dressed up like a superhuman but she surrounds herself with enough lady soldiers or bodyguards and that Mammoth fool? He is here and is a mental midget so naturally he is upset when he sees Slade aka Deathstroke is no longer his buddy

The last page or rather the final scenes in the last page is almost as good as the opening scenes in the last issue ... at least for this reviewer

Ratings: 6/10

2.42 (407) Deathstroke the Terminator #19 ... DC ...

I didn't know much about Deathstroke when the series came out and so it was refreshing to pick it up on the back issue bins and finding that while it is not about superheroes and costumes, it is still an entertaining read

This issue is in the middle of a story arc but still easy to follow through

We see Deathstroke going undercover to Russia to "assist" some psychos in retrieving Nukes when Russia was undergoing political turmoil and collapse of the USSR. And in the midst of all these is another undercover agent who decided to pull the plug early ... thus resulting in mayhem ...

As if that isn't bad enough, amongst the baddies, there is yet another betrayal by Ms Amazon (not her character's name - heh) ... and those who know Deathstroke's background would be wondering where his trusty sidekick Wintergreen was ... well Mr Wintergreen is shown as a prisoner in a jail cell!

So lots of things going on and while we do not know why certain things are happening, like I said at the start of the review, it's still easy to read and the artwork though workmanlike is sufficient and up to the task for this type of stories. I especially like the opening pages where Mammoth (big strong guy who seemed to be a superhuman) whacked the Russkies! Yes, man!

Ratings: 7/10 (1 point just for those opening scenes)

2.41 (406) Uncanny X-Men vol 1 #251 ... Marvels ...

If there is one person we all respect when reading all these old Marvels, it is Chris Claremont. He certainly brought life to a flagging title and made it the superstar it has been since then until now. The mutants have never slowed down ... gotten lost yet but slowed down no ... regardless of artist he is paired with ... sounds like Bendis, eh?

Anyway, before the big 250th, we saw that this incarnation of the X-chums have come to an end and all their thoughts of bringing the fight to their enemies lasted less than a good 2 year run ... oh well ... that's why they are predominantly heroes and not villains, eh?

So what happens after that? Before the return of the team?

Well, this issue kicks it all off as we see the old base of the X-Men ... it was by a team of semi-robot and partial-humans ... and now they have come back to reclaim what was lost ... and from the cover you can see that Wolvie encountered them .. and is left strung up in the open to die ... and yes it happened inside too so it's not a hype

However, a minor character introduced several issues ago ... the Asian American Jubilee who has since then stowed away in the home of the X-Men ... is still around and is shocked by what happens so will she go help Wolvie or is he bad ass enough to free himself? What do you think? Heh!

This is the start of the next incarnation of the X-Men and it ran on for another good 2 years before it morphed into something else ... so this issue is a definite must read ... the muddy inking and colouring and rush pencilling styles merely enhance the mood!

Ratings: 7/10