Marvel Comics Presents #167

After spending the past few issues trying to kill each other, Michael Badilino and Sam Buchanan find themselves both on the NYPD's paranormal task. Add to the fact that both Badilino and Buchanan have the hots for teammate Rebecca Taylor, you know that things are going to run smoothly for the two. 

In the first chapter of the newest Ghost Rider epic, a seedy televangelist is rising public fervor against the demonically powered Vengeance. But on the flip side, a new gang of rowdies that are devoted to the Spirit of Vengeance, called the Revengers, have taken to the streets of the Big Apple. Dressed as the Ghost Rider, these guys enact their own form of vengeance against those who wronged others.

The Man-Thing story comes to an end. After several very good Marvel Horror style chapters, the last chapter got really philosophical. There's a lot of symbolism in this finale and I am sure that a lot of it is the author Simon Jowett's (Black Axe) way of journaling some of his insecurities and fears as a creator of words. At least I understood most of the ending...

The Turbo story also comes to a close. It was only a 2-parter. But it was such an entertaining two-parter that was very wacky. I would've been okay if this story had continued for another couple of chapters. 

Lastly, the Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman is dealing with a stalker who is taking her rejections out on the populace through a series of sniper attacks. Now Carpenter's daughter (and subsequent school) have been named as the next planned assault and Spider-Woman and her Force Works allies must race to find the killer and save her child!

Every story was engrossing enough to have something that I enjoyed. After a very rocky start, I keep finding the character of Vengeance and especially alter-ego Michael Badilino to just keep getting better and better. The Man-Thing story had that gothic antebellum edge that makes me a fan of the character. I'm just not real big on symbolism. The New Warrior Turbo romp could have extended for several more issues. But man, what a fun ride. As for the Spider-Woman story. It's a great psychological thriller. However, being a teacher, I'm finding that the subject matter of mass shootings and potential school violence hitting a little too close to home.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #163

Issue #164 appears to be full of promise as 3 segments come to a close in this issue. 

If you recall what I said in my review of the last issue, the Vengeance/Diabolique story has been straddling the line between chilling thriller and occult horror that I just can't stand reading. Well, the finale crossed that line and scared the hell outta me. If you ask me, I don't think that this is the last we've seen of evil little Diabolique. That prospect is going to keep me up at night...

The New Warriors story ends with a pleasing guest cameo from a bizarre and rarely seen member of the FF Family. It was a great story if only for the inclusion of Slapstick, the Living Cartoon. I'm more than willing to give this era's New Warriors regular series a read in hopes it captured just a fraction of the insanity and laughs. 

As for the Mace story, it ended on an uptick. The middle two chapters had been rather cliched what with ninjas and clones and such. But the ending added a depth of mystery missing since the introductory chapter. Still, it wasn't enough to turn my into a fan.

Tigra's story rounds out the quartet. The former Avenger has taken refuge in the Australian Outback and everything seems idyllic. That is until a group of mercenaries arrives at the village that houses Tigra and kidnaps most of the population. Now Tigra is on the hunt for her missing 'kinsmen'.

The plot of the Tigra story doesn't really do anything for me. But that John Czop (New Warriors) artwork is just breathtaking. Pretty risque stuff for 1994 Marvel Comics.

2 great stories come to an end here. A third story at least comes to a thankful end. And the 4th is at least a feast for the eyes. Overall, it's a good read. But I can't wait to see what the next issue brings with 3 all new stories waiting in the wings.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars. 

Marvel Comics Presents #162

The lone segment that is brand new stars the former Avenger, Tigra. Having found a new home in the Australian outback, the bikini-clad hero has become a defacto leader of a tribe of indigenous peoples. She'll hopefully become their savior when a group of guerrillas arrives and enslaves a good chunk of the village population.

The Vengeance story continues to chill me to my very core. The demonic moppet known as Diabolique is pretty uh, well, demonic. We learn that while her green pal Playmate is technically her servant, Diabolique is servant to an ancient Persian evil...

I love the New Warriors story. Slapstick is a great addition to it. The time bending properties of the villain is awesome. The banter is hilarious. Art is excellent. I just love everything about this story.

When it comes to the story about Mace, the cloned ninja assassin, I've gotten bored with it. Just seems like every clone action movie story that floated around in the early 90s. I'll be glad when this one ends.

If Slapstick would have joined the New Warriors around this time period, I'd probably be adding those books to my wish list. While the Living Cartoon does eventually become a New Warrior, it's not until later on and probably not as hilarious as this story starring Slapstick has been.

I like the Vengeance story. It's a horror tale that is a good scare. Demons and that sort of terror isn't really my thing and Diabolique is just barely tolerable. If things get more evil, I probably will find my enjoyment of this story start to 180. Plus, that big baddie reveal; I feel it's taken some inspiration from Stephen King's It...

As for the Tigra story, the narrative is still building. But that artwork by John Czop (New Warriors) is, well, I like to think of myself as a gentleman. Put it this way, if you remember the Marvel Swimsuit Specials of the 90s, then you'll get my drift with how Czop has illustrated the very slinky Tigra. It's very risque stuff for a Comics Code approved work.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #161

Take a look at this image. The female on the cover is a superhero named Turbo. That has got to be the most ridiculous headgear I have seen this side of Hela. And what is up with the laser disc sized braclets? Seems quite unwieldy. 

Now the story in which Turbo stars is one that I am taking great delight in. I like the time travelling slant. I'm totally digging the inclusion of Slapstick. Plus I like the gender-bending twist with Turbo as a pair of college students trade off wearing the costume. One week it's Ms. Mickey Musashi. The next week, it's Mr. Michael Jefferies wearing the suit. As you can tell from the cover, it's Mickey's week to play superhero. 

The latest Vengeance story continues to creep me out. There's the demonic little girl who goes around asking for help finding her missing playmate. Adults take interest, thinking 'why is such a youngster walking around Manhattan all by her lonesome?' In the end, they find Playmate, which happens to be this gruesomely hungry green blob. Through osmosis or some other devilry, the little girl gets stronger and as a result, the Spirit of Vengeance gets more terrified of the evil that is growing. It's kinda like how the Hulk refused to Hulk out after being b-slapped by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity Wars.

The Hawkeye story comes to an end. Pretty lackluster if you ask me. The Mace story begins with a death and dips into a birth with the origin of the cloned ninja master revealed. It too was pretty lackluster as the origin story sounds like so many other 90s cloning tales.

Overall, this wasn't a bad read. Just after 2 very strong segments with the New Warriors/Slapstick and Vengeance, the Hawkeye and Mace chapters were rather cliched. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #160

Where to start with this issue?

The cover feature is a cloned ninja assassin who goes by the moniker of Mace. He's the product of a secret society to be it's ultimate killing machine. With DNA from some of the Japanese based Sunrise Society, Mace is nearly unstoppable. But Dr. Ito, Mace's creator, has developed a fatherly bond with the assassin and hopes to help Mace escape the warrior sect he was designed to serve. 

This issue is technically Mace's first appearance. Maybe a week prior, the character debuted in a Symbiote heavy miniseries titled Venom: Mace. Though the 3-parter came out first, this story occurs chronologically first. The premise is interesting but with elements from TMNT, Species, Remo Williams, and countless other 90s action franchises, I feel that the originality factor is servely lacking.

Vengeance returns in another multi-parter that chills me to my core. The antagonist is a scary-ass witch-child called Diabolique. The little blonde haired demon has a special friend named Playmate. Playmate is a real killer. But it's Diabolique who gives not just me, but Michael Badilino nightmares. So much to the point, Vengeance is refusing to come forth to smite this duo of evil.

The Hawkeye segment opens in a way that reminds me of a scene from the first Lord of the Rings film. There's a scene where the dwarf Gimli is terrified of being in the forest realm of elves. At one point, an elf sneaks up on Gimli and tells him that he's so loud that the elf could've killed him in the dark. Well, that's basically how this segment starts when U.S. Agent thinks he's got the advantage on Hawkeye. But the archer is the one in the catbird seat. 

I still don't have a clue as to why Hawkeye is playing the fugitive here. But I love this cloak and dagger type story. It's clever and kinda mysterious.

Our last segment continues with the New Warriors and their very special guest star, Slapstick. The young heroes are visiting the American Museum of Natural History when a time-traveling villain named Dr. Yesterday runs amok. History is literally repeating itself as the exhibits come alive. But unlike A Night at the Museum, when these exhibits become animated, it's because Dr. Yesterday has figured out a way for the past to come alive; not because a wax dummy of Teddy Roosevelt came to life. It's a tool many a history teacher probably wishes they could utilize and with the inclusion of the Living Cartoon, Slapstick, this has been a fantastic story thus far.

Scary. Thrilling. Funny. And maybe a bit cliched. But this was another solid issue of MCP.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #155

The stories starring Wolverine, War Machine and Vengeance come to an end in this issue. 

The War Machine story gets interesting as we learn just who is behind the stolen Stark tech that has wound up in the hands of several gangs of L.A.. 

Wolverine's story, which had been a laugh riot, ends on a more serious note. A little bit of a disappointment. But the previous 3 chapters were just great.

Vengeance's story ends just about how I expected it to. That's not a bad thing. Hopefully, we've not seen the end of fellow NYPD cop Rebecca Taylor. She's the yin to Michael Badilino's yang.

Our lone new segment is supposed to star the New Warriors. However, only one actually appears in the story: Namorita. Recently, the Atlantean had undergone a mutation that makes her look more like an aquatic creature than a human. Now going by the moniker Kymaera, she awakens in an oversized aquarium; the lab subject of a deranged geneticist who calls herself Mother Matrix. The scientist's plan: utilize Kymaera's genes to become the mother of a new race of super humans. 

The 3 tales that ended were all satisfactory. Though I do wish that the Wolverine adventure would have ended with those slapstick hi-jinks that had filled the first 3 chapters. 

With the New Warriors thing, I don't know what to think. If this is supposed to star the New Warriors like the cover promises, where are all the other New Warriors? Why wasn't Namorita or Kymaera listed instead? Maybe her teammates will pop up in the next issue like when each member of Excalibur were featured players in their own chapter from issues #31-38. 

We shall see next issue. So I will withhold full judgement on that story for now.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars