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Ultraverse Revisited: Ultrafiles and Letters Pages October 1993

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

Now that we’re done with the actual issues/story contents for the October 1993 Ultraverse titles, on to the Ultrafiles and letters pages!

All of these are at half-size to fit on the blog page…just click on the images to open a larger version!

ultrafiles_october1993a

Ultrafiles page 1…

ultrafiles_october1993b

Ultrafiles page 2 with the Ask Diane section.

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The Exiles letters page from Exiles #3.

letters_freex0004

The Freex letters page from Freex #4.

letters_hardcase0005

The Hardcase letters page from Hardcase #5.

letters_prime0005

The Prime letters page from Prime #5.

letters_prototype0003

Prototype letters page from Prototype #3.

letters_strangers0005

And finally, the Strangers letters page from The Strangers #5.

It’s definitely cool to see letters pages–in 2018, they seem pretty much a relic of the past, so definitely a bit of nostalgia there. Several of these don’t even have a "name" yet, but letters were run anyway. And of course, the Ultrafiles pages deal with the entire line, and include a bit of information about the upcoming Break-Thru, as well as the Ask Diane blurb.

As said at the top of this post…click on any of the images to open them in a larger size, as they’ve been shrunk to fit this blog layout.

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Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts, Malibu Comics, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Ultraverse Revisited: Exiles #3

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

exiles_0003A Glimmer and Gone…

Writer: Steve Gerber
Penciller: R.R. Phipps
Inker: Scott Reed
Letters: Patrick Owsley
Colorist: Robert Alvord
Editor: Chris Ulm
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: October 1993
Cover Price: $2.50

With no preamble, we start the issue with a giant, humanoid mastodon hitting the ground, apparently from 30+ stories up. Right behind is Tinsel, using her power to slow her fall…though she realizes it looks like an attack, and tries to tell Tim (Mastodon) just that. Ghoul tries to rescue her, though that’s just another moment amidst everything else. Bloodbath is in the mix, as well as the creature that initially grabbed Tim. This time, it’s Tinsel and Ghoul that are grabbed. Mastodon also gets away…and the team follows him, as Tinsel and Ghoul can take care of themselves–they hope. In a (closed) mall, the team and Mastodon face off, with much destruction. Back at the Exiles’ HQ, Amber Hunt frets over whether or not they’ll be back in time for her to take the treatment for her instance of the Theta Virus. Kort has Ghoul thrown in the trash, and “gives” Tinsel to Bloodbath. Tim eventually reverts back to himself from the mutated/Ultra form…and Bloodbath prepares to rape Tinsel.  She’s able to take his sight…but as she escapes, he gets to one of his guns and starts firing away at her! Her shoulder’s grazed as she makes her way away…

…as she’s shot through the leg, abdomen, chest, shoulders, AND head. Bloodbath races off seeking help, and a poor-condition Ghoul finds his teammate’s body.

There was an ad already that referenced this issue, spoiling the fact that Tinsel DIES. I think the ad would have been better suited for after the issue, but then, it WAS the early 1990s, and deaths WERE a “thing,” where if some character (sometimes seemed virtually ANY character at all) died, suddenly that was a “key” issue.

I didn’t specifically remember where the previous issue left off, so dropping straight into the action worked, but wasn’t ideal for this particular reading. But then, we don’t have to worry about any “wasted space” playing catch-up, and since this was published before the “recap page,” it would’ve needed space for exposition.

The story is definitely advanced, with the Exiles team fumbling badly and pretty much failing to properly take down their opponent. They’re caught unprepared, and that costs them. Though by no means graphic or gratuitous, the page with Bloodbath and Tinsel was particularly disturbing, and I’d totally forgot about the aforementioned ad–I was rooting for her escape, and glad to see her get the start. That made it all the more discouraging to see her taken out, and so violently!

Visually, everything looked as I’d expect, all the characters are quite familiar, even where I don’t remember names. As a third issue, it’s still early enough that for a team book, and from the ’90s with all of its tropes, I’m not surprised names haven’t stuck for me yet. Of course, in general it takes me a few issues to really get a hold on full group/cast names for something I’m not overly familiar with.

rune_0hRune [H]: Aladdin’s Lamp
Plotted by: Barry Windsor-Smith & Chris Ulm
Drawn & Colored by: Barry Windsor-Smith
Scripted by: Chris Ulm
Inked by: John Floyd
Computer Color by: Albert Calleros
Lettered by: Patrick Owsley
Text Pages Designed by: Jim Chadwick
Edited by: Steve Gerber

Where the Rune stuff seemed choppy at first, jumping to vastly different time periods, here we continue in a linear sequence from the previous segment–again. This chapter, we find Rune in the desert, contemplating and then eating a skull with a bit of radiation from a bomb. He goes into a coma-like condition, and then finds some sort of coin or embossed logo of a lamp–Aladdin! He then takes off toward Scottsdale!

As usual, we have consistent art, and it’s clear everything that’s happening with the chapter.

On the story side, we do have another shift in narration/point of view, as we’re getting a running observation from someone watching Rune and reporting on what he’s doing. This certainly gives an interesting view, as no one knows what to make of him–who OR what he IS, and before they can even do anything, he’s off again.

The narration reminded me a bit from the Death of Superman–where someone’s communicating remotely that Doomsday was just there and headed for Metropolis…too late for anyone to prevent the situation or even really do anything about it.

Exiles #3 is another issue that doesn’t really stand alone…I see no reason to seek it out in isolation from any other issues, unless it’s simply a lone missing issue being sought out to go with others in the series. The Rune chapter sort of/kind of stands alone…for the narrator, it’s the first the creature’s been seen/observed, so if you’ve read none of the other chapters, you’re on equal footing, reading this.

It’s interesting in its way to see a team of superheroes bungle stuff so badly–and have an immediate “cost” to the situation in losing two of their own, as well as the shock of seeing someone escaping and then cut down so completely. (And by ‘interesting’ that’s not to say I’m glad to see any of it!)

I vaguely remember at least reading ABOUT Tinsel’s death…but that was just as some random character I wasn’t familiar with, from a title I wasn’t really following. This time, reading the issue in its entirety (if I’d read it before, I don’t remember detail, and may have only skimmed it looking for something about Ghoul) Tinsel’s death carries a lot more weight, and I’m eager to get to the next issue and seeing (now with context of these first three issues) the other characters’ reactions to things.

You could do a lot worse than this issue for 25 to 50 cents, but outside of getting several issues together, I would continue to counsel not going much above $1 or so to acquire this. Along with the first couple issues and the next issue, I remember there being some interesting stuff that’s leading into the first Ultraverse “event,” and it has me looking forward to getting there!

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Filed under: 2018 posts, 2018 Reviews, Exiles, Malibu Comics, Rune Month (Event), The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Ultraverse Revisited: Exiles #1

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

exiles_0001Exiles

Writers: Steve Gerber, Tom Mason, Dave Olbrich, Chris Ulm
Penciller: Paul Pelletier
Inker: Ken Banch
Letterer: Clem Robins
Color Design: Paul Mounts, Moose Baumann
Editor: Chris Ulm
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: August 1993
Cover Price: $1.95

It seems almost fitting to get to this issue, with Marvel having recently started yet another iteration of the title (by name). Thing is…this issue, this title, this iteration–this is the original. Before Blink was popular, before the rise of Generation X, and before the "X" was highlighted…we had simply Exiles. As in "cut off" from others, kept apart. A group that is different and kept out of the main body. Not yet another X-team

The issue opens in a high school, with teen Amber Hunt making out with her boyfriend–a football player. Before long, the school is attacked by an ultra (Supreme Soviet and some robots), and then another group of ultras arrives to oppose them. There’s some back and forth and the "Exiles" (Tinsel, Trax, and Deadeye) come out on top–though one of their own is badly injured–and they get Amber off-site. Once back at their headquarters–an island called Stronghold–Amber freaks out over being "kidnapped" (they saved her life, apparently), even as she meets further members of the group (Leader Dr. Rachel Deming, and Ghoul). While the apparent leader checks on the wounded, we find that Trax is quite a womanizer, and depicted (with Deming’s assistant Heather) in a way that sure as heck wouldn’t fly on the comic pages in 2018! Elsewhere, and in true ’90s fashion–Malcolm Kort–for whom Supreme Soviet works–shows off how "bad-ass" and "evil" he is by subjecting Supreme Soviet (for his failure to capture Amber) to a procedure that seems a lot like Marvel‘s Inhumans’ Terrigen stuff. If a body is brought into contact with this "Theta Virus" and the body is a "potential" they can emerge with mutations and powers. Otherwise, they have unpredictable but always fatal outcomes! The scene shifts to a couple other Exiles (Catapult and Mustang) sent to collect Timothy Halloran…though further villainous henchmen Bloodbath and Bruut get to him first. The battle is joined, and ultimately not only do the Exiles fail to keep the bad guys from making off with Timothy…but Timothy’s mother is killed. This leaves the Exiles angry and ready for payback.

I’m pretty sure I’ve read this issue before. At least, I’ve skimmed it before. Probably to see Ghoul’s first appearance…though I barely recognize him, given changes the character faces later in the Ultraverse stuff. And of course, just by name, Amber Hunt jumps out at me, given what I know of her importance to come–in Break-Thru as well as post-Black September stuff with the original Phoenix Resurrection.

Taken just as a first issue, this isn’t bad, though I didn’t get the same sense of "fun" or such that I’ve gotten with other Ultraverse issues. It also seems kinda strange to me that this is yet another group being introduced so soon in the Ultraverse, despite stuff like Hardcase suggesting so very few Ultras around. Then again, I suppose one could look to stuff like in Prime #1 news referring to the latest new Ultra and whatnot as there being an ‘explosion’ of ultras, beyond just the Jumpstart that hit The Strangers. I don’t get much of a sense of any of the individual characters here…they seem more two dimensional and almost caricature-like. While I was able to get most of the names from context, I had to go online to figure out Mustang’s name…yet he’s front and center on the cover!

The art is pretty good overall–definitely has that ’90s look–but I have to wonder at some of the layouts and such–particularly the inconsistent placement of "caption boxes" identifying several characters, but then not used anywhere else.

We’ve got a lotta characters and situations here…with a lot of potential. With multiple sub-groups of the Exiles, a leader, an island headquarters…this is set up to show us a significant group, major players in the larger world of the Ultraverse.

As with the other titles so far…this is well worth getting from a bargain bin; and as a first issue, it introduces the main characters, shows what they can do, introduces conflict, and baits the reader on what will be missed if the next issue is missed. So snag this if you’re interested and find it for 25-50 cents. If you find it with other issues, I do remember this is best read along with issues 2-4, an arc that makes for a better group purchase than single-issues by themselves.

I do look forward to seeing some more development with Amber Hunt and getting more of a sense of the character prior to her "big stuff." And to seeing some things play out with this title that I know are coming, but have never "experienced" reading along with the Ultraverse issues in general…I’ve always just been aware "looking backward" on them.

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Filed under: 2018 posts, 2018 Reviews, Exiles, Malibu Comics, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Ultraverse Revisited: Early House Ads July 1993

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Walt

ultraverse_revisited

Here are house ads from the second month of the Ultraverse line: July 1993! We have two with dates, one without…and then the "Ultrafiles" pages which were all the same this month across all five titles.

ultraverse_ads_prototype

I’m pretty sure that this one for Prototype is my favorite of the month’s ads. There’s just something to the design of the armor that I really like, and I swear this scanned image doesn’t do the print version justice…there’s just something I really like about the coloring. And as with many ads for comics, I really, really like the fact that the promo image basically IS the cover of the first issue. This shows us the character, as well as the image to look for to get the actual comic itself!

Helpful as the "text boxes" may have been on the first round of ads, I find the "tagline" format to be more effective here, making the ad more of a poster image than something in a pamphlet.

ultraverse_ads_exiles

Fighting to Save Themselves From Mankind and Mankind From Itself. Another large-font, central sort of tagline for a new title. Exiles gave us another super-team (seemed the Ultraverse was full of those!) and definitely has a very ’90s look from the ad.

ultraverse_ads_rune

Lacking both tagline AND text box, we have this add with some character and the small Rune logo serving almost as a signature, with the large-text format of Barry Windsor-Smith. This also lacked any date. So we had this image of something called Rune, associated with BWS, and based on other ads, one would only assume this was another title or such "coming soon."

Of course, years later, it’s interesting to look back on it, especially knowing that October 1993 became "Rune Month" with a 3-page story-chunk as flipbooks to the month’s issues, that collectively made up the contents to a Rune #0 issue, with coupons to send away for the standalone #0 issue as its own thing. But more on that in posts to come, as the house ads get closer to the ‘event’ itself.

ultrafiles_july1993a

Where text was swapped out for the Ultrafiles pages to make them unique to each title in the June 1993 issues, for July 1993 they seemed to all be exactly the same, and show all 5 titles out for Ultraverse month #2. The first page (above) is the "Ultratorial #2."

ultrafiles_july1993b

…while the second Ultrafiles page has quick quotes from the creators on the two new additions to the line: Freex and Mantra.

I really like these pages as a common piece across all titles, as well as the "checklist" of showing the covers of the month’s issues. And again, this was a time when the vast majority of comics DID only have one cover…or the "variant" was some sort of spot-coloring or foil in place of color or the presence or not of a UPC box. Not completely different art pieces!

Essentially, the issues thus showed off all of the current month’s titles, plus most of the  issues had full-page ads for the next month’s new series’ debuts. One would not even need the internet or such to know what they’re looking for in shops; one has what one needs from the actual single issue…NO "homework" required.

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Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts, Malibu Comics, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

The ’90s Revisited: The Phoenix Resurrection – Revelations

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Walt

90s_revisited

phoenix_resurrection_revelationsRevelations

Writers: Ian Edginton & Dan Abnett
Pencillers: Kevin West, John Royle, Randy Green, Rick Leonardi
Inkers: Tom Wegrzyn, Philip Moy, Rick Ketcham, Jeff Whiting
Letterers: Vickie Williams, Patrick Owsley
Color Design: Mike Tuccinard, Robert Alvord
Interior Color: Malibu Color
Asst. Editor: Scott Bernstein
Editor: Hank Kanalz
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: December 1995
Cover Price: $3.95

This issue was a bit of a challenge to read. In it, much as I hold very fond memories of the Ultraverse, this really drives home the notion that my fond memories precede the Black September event, that they come from the "original" Ultraverse, before it "rebooted" into a "Marvel-Lite" imprint sorta thing. And just looking at the credits, if only from a 2018 standpoint, this reeks of non-priority to the publisher. I recognize several names that SHOULD have meant this was an excellent issue–especially seeing Dan Abnett‘s name as a writer. But when you have two writers, four different pencillers and 4 different inkers, two different letterers, two different colorists…this screams "piecemeal" and generic incoherence.

Story-wise, we basically have these characters from two different universes spouting off at each other, commiserating generically over stuff (the X-Men recognize Black Knight, for one and he them). But once again, there doesn’t seem to be any real INDIVIDUALITY to any of the characters. Night Man shows up outta nowhere and Wolverine welcomes him as if totally expected…just pieces being moved around the board, so to speak. And then for as big a threat as the Phoenix is supposed to be, everyone winds up just throwing their powers or fists at it to drive it through a portal back into its own (the X-Men’s!) universe, and the problem’s solved? If it’s a threat here, surely it’s a threat there…

We get "big" story beats in stuff like Rex Mundi’s "Alternate"–somehow because he–in this universe–did such a perfect job of cloning himself, the Phoenix–brought into this universe from another–subdivides itself to match. We "see" Mantra, and get a moment of her seeing/thinking she’s been "warned" about Topaz, but why does she get the look she does? But there’s zero explanation as to who/what she is, or the relationship…and if nothing’s going to be expounded on, why include it to begin with?

Probably another problem with this comes with reading it now in 2018, after 15+ years of being conditioned to 6-issue (minimum, mostly) story-arcs and year-long mega-crossover-events and the like. As something spanning two teams from two universes, plus so many ancillary characters from one, with a huge, cosmic, universe-threatening entity…it just seems impossible for anything to be done justice. Something like this really WOULD be fairly justified to have AT LEAST one full issue apiece for each of the Ultraverse titles, a couple "main" issues for everyone, and even an X-Men tie-in or few. Not full 3-4-6-issue arcs per title, but at least a few more full-length issues. Everything crammed into just a couple issues after just a couple pages per title…it’s rushed, and sloppy, and overall just generic and mostly incoherent.

As I’ve read these, I’ve become all the more convinced that the beauty and depth and such of the Ultraverse–the "heart" of the Ultraverse–is definitely in its first couple years, its run of titles when they were actually their own thing, before being wholly given over to Marvel and all that.

I had a hard time getting through this issue–I think it took me at least three times situating myself with it to read to get through the whole thing. Where often that would seem a compliment to a well-done, dense comic proving its 2018 "value" of a $4 cover price, this happened for lack of engagement and interest. Really, I forced myself through the issue simply to have read it (and now typing all this, which is far from my favorite sort of review/write-up!)

The cover-art, and the CONCEPT is sound; and the idea of some crossover between the X-Men and most of the Ultraverse, and their facing the Phoenix Force, and it having counterpart/ties within the Ultraverse isn’t all that bad. But this execution of it all is not much to my liking, and really feels like the sort of thing I’d say one is better off passing on. Of course, if you find it in a 25-cent bin–the whole ‘event’, anyway–it might be worth $1 or so to get all four issues; but I’d encourage one to seek out older Ultraverse stuff if you’re just interested in "trying" an Ultraverse title.

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Filed under: 2018 posts, 2018 Reviews, Malibu Comics, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse, Ultraverse Revisited | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The ’90s Revisited: The Phoenix Resurrection – Genesis

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Walt

90s_revisited

phoenix_resurrection_genesisGenesis

Writrs: Ian Edginton, Dan Abnett
Pencillers: Darick Robertson, Mark Pacella, Greg Luzniak, Rob Haynes
Inkers: Tom Wegrzyn, Art Thibert, Larry Stucker, Bob Wiacek, Philip Moy
Letterer: Vickie Williams
Color Design: Robert Alvord
Interior Color: Malibu Color
Asst. Editor: Scott Bernstein
Editor: Hank Kanalz
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: December 1995
Cover Price: $3.95

As Marvel publishes Phoenix Resurrection in the present, 22 years ago it published The Phoenix Resurrection through Malibu Comics‘ Ultraverse line. Malibu Comics, which Marvel had purchased in order to keep DC Comics from buying the smaller publisher. And with the smaller publisher in-hand…looking back through this issue at least, it seems Marvel had no idea what to do or have done with the small superhero universe it now had in addition to its own.

This Genesis issue was preceded by a month-long promotion in which each of the 7 then-current Ultraverse titles had a 3-page flipbook segment showing the characters encountering some kinda reference to a phoenix, though taken as a whole that made for a disjointed mess. The seven chapters were reprinted/collected into a single issue in The Phoenix Resurrection: Red Shift.

Getting into the main/actual story of the "event" now with this issue, we get a prologue of the Phoenix Force being discovered by some probe from another universe. Before long, through machinations of the Gateway character, a squad of X-Men find themselves once more in a parallel universe that they’ve become increasingly familiar with (a footnote reference to the Mutants vs. Ultras special issue, itself collecting several previously-exclusive American Entertainment editions such as Prime vs. Hulk, Wolverine vs. Night Man, and All New Exiles vs. X-Men).

While bystanders and news media are focused on something coming from the sun, Ultra hero Prime engages the X-Men in combat, because of course they’ve gotta fight. The source of the aforementioned probe–a mother ship that’s buried in the ocean–reunites with a counterpart in the sun, and brings the Phoenix Force to this Earth, and then tries to drain its energy–its life–causing the Phoenix entity to be driven insane with pain. The entity bonds with Prime as a host body, and continues to fight the X-Men, as other Ultras are brought to the scene. (It should be mentioned that apparently the mutants’ powers are severely dampened in this reality…but that’s a crutch that doesn’t much matter for discussion of this particular issue). Eventually, the Phoenix and Prime are separated, and the Phoenix takes a new host, as the issue ends (to be continued in Phoenix Resurrection: Revelations).

Maybe it’s that I look back on the likes of Prime, Mantra, and Rune with memory of more complex, authentic-sounding stories and characters, as well as the same from the X-Men books from the early/mid-’90s (particularly stuff like Fatal Attractions or the Age of Apocalypse and immediate aftermaths) but this just does not feel like it has much depth, nor is there–even in an extra-sized issue like this–much characterization. It’s like the characters were chosen for the book by "popularity" and "mainstream-ness" (plus, of course, being characters appearing in books that survived into the pared-down 7-book line of Black September-onward), and not really for much else. We have a squad of X-Men and some major Ultraverse characters thrown together, but I get no real sense of depth, development, or motivation. The probe and mother ship have a far-too-convenient means of getting the Phoenix to Earth, Gateway seems nothing but "convenience" personified, and we’re told rather than shown that the mutants’ powers are lessened here. Prime comes off as nothing but some petulant kid–while he IS a kid, he’s lacking a depth I feel like I remember from his own original title. Bishop seems to be present for appearance’s sake, and with the mutants not even really trying to use their powers, there’s no particular point to any specific character’s presence…they’re interchangeable.

With the art, I recognize Darick Robertson and Art Thibert as names if not an actual art style here; but having numerous artists on this single issue doesn’t particularly do it any favors…at least for me reading it in a fair bit of isolation here–perhaps they’re the artists on the main books, in which case I’d welcome that (in idea at least), but just jumping into this issue after the Red Shift collection of 3-page shorts, I’m not thrilled with the visuals. I recognize the various characters–there seems to be an attempt to have them all look a certain way, perhaps using a "house style" or such–but virtually nothing stands out to me. Everyone is for the most part a generic iteration of iconic appearance (for lack of better phrasing). The only real stand-out bit for me was the large image of the Phoenix-possessed Prime (though zero mention or visual reference from the Ultraverse side OR X-Men side of the Prime body being healed/repaired after an obvious significant slash from Wolverine’s claws and Jubilee’s reaction to the green goop).

Ultimately, offhand, I didn’t so much "not enjoy" this as I "didn’t ENJOY" it. It’s cool–at least conceptually–to see the mix of characters thrown together and all. But after 17+ years of having "decompressed stories" that are clearly serialized graphic novels, I definitely am expecting much more depth of character and stuff from two sides like this to be brought out.

This is a definite novelty, one certainly worth 25 cents or so as a bargain-bin purchase, if only for the time it takes to read making it more worthwhile than most anything of its size published in present-day. You can definitely dive into this issue withOUT reading anything before it…the "crossover" stuff from the Red Shift 3-page segments are little but token reference-points thus far, making this a better "starting point" if only for having a big chunk of a single story that’s not jumping to a new setting/character every 3 pages. You could do worse than this issue…but much as I’m down on modern Marvel, if you’re looking for "return of Phoenix" stuff, you’d be better served with the contemporary Return of Jean Grey story in the 2017/2018 Phoenix Resurrection, or in 2012’s AvX event series.

phoenix_resurrection_genesis_blogtrailer

Filed under: 2018 posts, 2018 Reviews, Malibu Comics, The '90s Revisited, Ultraverse | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

The ’90s Revisited: The Phoenix Resurrection: Red Shift #0

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Walt

90s_revisited

phoenix_resurrection_redshiftRed Shift

Writers: I. Edginton, J. Smith
Pencillers: J. Royle, P. Peletier, C. Wojtkiewicz, R. Green, B. Murray, R. Haynes
Inkers: P. Moy, S. Moncuse, M. Farmer, T. Austin, G. Martin
Letterers: P. Owsley, V. Williams
Color Design: R. Alvord
Interior Color: Malibu
Asst. Editor: S. Bernstein
Editor: H. Kanalz
Published by: Malibu Comics
Cover Date: December 1995
Cover Price: n/a (American Entertainment Edition)

I remember the Black September ‘event’ back in 1995. Perhaps for its timing–Black September, this new era for the Ultraverse, this reboot/relaunch/renumbering–coincided with my entering high school, so for me my own life was starting a brand new direction and all that. I also remember stuff about this particular trail through the Ultraverse titles post-Godwheel heading into the event, though I missed out on the Ultraforce/Avengers issues, and so dropped in "cold" on the black-cover "Infinity" issues that September (with #1s in October). At the #2s in November, each book had a 3-page "flip book" chapter of this Phoenix Resurrection thing, in much the way Rune had premiered a couple years earlier. Then there were the larger issues Phoenix Resurrection: Genesis and Revelations, and Aftermath…and they led into some other title, Foxfire.

But I don’t recall if I ever got around to actually reading them all, or particularly caring about them all–this was late 1995, and rapidly heading toward one of my "off periods" with comics where I barely kept up with anything for about a year. So reading this now is like reading a whole new thing for me–I was aware of its existence, but have no conscious memory of actually reading the thing. And this Red Shift issue is something I don’t recall being aware of at the time in 1995–I discovered it some years after.

Red Shift is actually a collected edition of sorts: it collects the seven 3-page segments, making up a 21-page single-issue comic. The indicia shows it to be an American Entertainment edition–and its lack of cover price indicates this to be a special issue that would have been available through the mail-order comics company. This issue turns a ten-comic "event" into a 4-issue thing…making for a line-wide event of only 4 issues…something virtually unheard of in present-day, particularly from Marvel!

Marvel had bought Malibu by this point, and though the Malibu Comics logo remained on the covers, there were a number of Marvel characters that had crossed over into the Ultraverse, perhaps most notably Avengers character Black Knight, and X-Men villain Juggernaut. There were a number of other specific-story crossovers, where characters would cross for the story but not as a status quo.

Red Shift feels like what it is, as a collection of 3-page snippets, with numerous visual styles, and nowhere near enough room for any true story to develop, as they’re basically short little vignettes contextualizing each title’s "recent" prior experience heading into the main event story. Had I bought all seven issues specifically for the flip-book/backup, I’d have been sorely disappointed. Though I know the characters from my own prior experience reading Ultraverse stuff, as a standalone issue, this felt like a real mess trying to read it, and I really had to rely on memory of status quo from 22 years ago to have any slight idea what was going on.

The differing art styles seem–especially looking back–to be absolutely very "’90s" in style…with some generic and gratuitous posing, quasi- or wannabe "iconic" images, and so on…nothing overly dynamic or bad, exactly, but nothing great, either. Most of the creative team are names I don’t recognize (though I recognize several, as this would be early work by them before going to higher profile stuff). That leaves things to the characters, who are mostly recognizable, albeit as their relaunched looks, which were less distinctive and striking than their 1993/1994 debut appearances.

Story-wise, again, these were way too short and disjointed to really have any significance or development. Had they been simply 3 pages apiece within a main issue, worked into 3-page-longer-than-usual issues, they might have had more significance, serving as a universe-wide subplot, rather than being isolated out of whatever story was beginning in the respective titles.

All in all, I’m far from impressed by this issue, outside of the novelty of having these disparate segments brought together in a single issue like Rune #0. The art isn’t horrible but isn’t anything wonderful, and the story doesn’t do anything for me and doesn’t really do anything for the characters except provide a slight reference point. If you’re not already into these characters, I’d avoid this issue; there’s almost certainly more to be had in the "main" Phoenix Resurrection issues.

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The ’90s Revisited: All New Exiles vs. X-Men #0

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Walt

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Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Penciller: Ken Lashley
Inker: Tom Wegrzyn
Letterer: Patrick Owsley
Color Design: Shannon Blanchard
Interior Color: Malibu
Cover: Dan Panosian
Editors: Chris Ulm, Jerald Devictoria, Bob Harras, Ben Raab
Published by: Malibut Comics
Cover Date: October 1995
Cover Price: n/a (promo/mail-away issue)

I’ve long sought this issue…based on the cover date, it’s safe to say I’ve had at least SOME level of interest in this for 19 years. From what I recall, this was a send-away promo issue. Mail in some bound-in coupon from an ad along with $10 or so, and receive the issue in the mail once it shipped. Simple…but very, very EXPENSIVE…especially for a then-14-year-old. As such, the offer passed me by and my life moved on none the worse for it.

This copy, that I’m covering this in mid-December 2014, came from finding the issue loose in a 25-cent bin this week, and in remarkably good condition for its age and rarity. Of course, I say rarity as I cannot recall ever before coming across this issue in any sort of bargain bin. While it’s not a particularly expensive issue, it’s been expensive enough–more than “just” a couple dollars–that I hadn’t acquired it before now.

Unfortunately, this issue’s had nearly two full decades to build my anticipation of the reading experience…which made this the obvious let-down that one really ought to EXPECT from the situation. This is a one-shot, in-continuity for the Exiles characters but not so much the X-Men side. It was published as a promo outside the regular numbering of the post-Black September All New Exiles series. And it’s no “key issue” of any sort that I can tell…a fact that adds to the sense of disappointment. So let’s leave all that aside.

The cover feels a bit odd to me with the two teams’ logos seeming strangely small on the cover. Granted, each logo individually would usually fill the top space of a cover and it’s not likely anyone wanted to crowd out the image with logos. But these logos being so small and the image being what it is, the logos kind of get lost in the viewing. The image itself, though–of X-Men Storm, Beast, Iceman, Rogue, and Gambit standing in front of some sort of poster of the Exiles–works quite well for me despite the visual style seeming vaguely manga-esque and cartooney to me (particularly compared against some of my favorite Age of Apocalypse-era X-books from early 1995).

The interior art is not bad, and carries a definite ’90s “feel” to me. I recognize Lashley‘s name from Excalibur (and the title’s Age of Apocalypse iteration X-Calibre), so there’s that air of “authenticity” on the X-Men angle for me, even if Excalibur was never a “core” X-book to me growing up. Characters look pretty good throughout this issue with only moments of difference to me where something doesn’t look quite “right.” I do attribute this to the art not being Kubert, Lee, or someone I’m more consciously (and nostalgically) familiar with far more than I do any particular artistic fault. I’m not unimpressed, and other than the conscious analyzing for this review, the art remained relatively unnoticed and simply “there” as I read the issue.

The story isn’t anything fancy…it has a lot of potential but seems rather rushed. Of course, that particular fault I’d attribute to contemporary comics and the drawn-out 4-6 issue story arcs and lack of done-in-one single issues…especially something with only 22 pages, that isns’t even an over-sized/extra-length issue.

We open on Charles Xavier–founder of the X-Men–frustrated at his inability to locate the Juggernaut (Cain Marko, his step-brother) anywhere on Earth. Having picked up on their mentor’s frustration, the X-Men join a physical search, enlisting the aid of Gateway to check other dimensions. Once in another dimension, they find themselves face to face with the Juggernaut and others, where a fight breaks out. The two groups are then distracted when a creature attempts to come through the portal Gateway had opened, and they’re forced to work together to stop it. Ultimately, the status quo is restored with the X-Men returning to their dimension and the Exiles left on theirs with no way to follow the X-Men without re-energizing the creature they’d just stopped.

There’s not a lot of room for any characters to have actual characterization given how many are here and how few pages, along with the story being set up and moved along. Again based on contemporary standards, something like this seems like it would be best served existing as a 3-4+ issue mini-series. Crammed into one issue, we pretty much need to be familiar with the characters to get anything out of this. Familiar or not, everyone’s pretty much to be taken at face-value, with limited dialogue to contextualize things.

I would expect more of this issue–as a singular, special thing. Given its length and publication, this feels more like I picked up a random issue of All New Exiles that happens to guest-star the X-Men…something rather akin to what I picture of random crossovers in “indy” comics…that is, one side or the other takes more out of the story and the other property seems to have no reference to it other than the character(s’)’s existed in the given issue.

Despite my expectations and relative disappointment…for the 25 cents I paid, this was a very good issue and well worth my having bought and taken the time to read. It does also lift my interest in delving into the All New Exiles…though that particular reading project is quite a ways off yet as I seek to complete my Ultraverse collection.

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Mission: Ultraverse Revisited

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Walt

ultraversespreadA few weeks ago, a Facebook group I had joined some years back–for the long-dead comics universe, the Ultraverse–suddenly exploded into activity. It’s been stirring my interest back up in the Ultraverse comics. I already had a stack of PRIME issues on a shelf, waiting for a re-reading project I’ve had in mind for over a year.

In addition, this past weekend I snagged a handful of Ultraverse comics from quarter bins at a couple different comic shops.

Monday night, I decided to take a peek in my “most accessible” longbox, and lo! Ultraverse comics! So I pulled the Ultraverse comics, and decided to look at the next box. Then the two shortboxes.

Amazingly, I found QUITE the mix of Ultraverse comics in just 3 longboxes and 2 shortboxes.

ultraversepilesSeems that without particularly realizing it, I’ve actually been grabbing a number of Ultraverse comics the last few years from various bargain bins and such sales. I even found that I’ve got the Black September: Infinity issue, as well as the Ultraverse: Future Shock. And turns out the that special PRIME issue I picked up a couple years back for $1 at a used media store is one of those Limited-5,000 editions.

So, now have a mission before me: to dig through all the longboxes I have in this apartment, to pull together whatever Ultraverse comics I have. From there, see what’s out there that I’m missing, and begin very specifically hunting these things down.

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