The Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular

Way back in issue #175 of the Fantastic Four (October, 1976, to be exact), Galactus devoured Poppup, the home planet of that interplanetary pest, the Impossible Man. As a result, after a really bad case of indigestion, the life essence of Galactus was transferred to the Impossible Man who cloned himself a wife and a whole slew of kids. They then choose to wander the stars as refugees about the world devourer's ship.

In this summer special from 1990, the Impossible Man and the fam are rather bored. So they take leave of Galactus' spacecraft to have a fun-filled vacation on planet Earth! That means none of the superheroes OR super-villains of the Marvel Universe are safe from inter-dimensional hijinks, pranks and overall tomfoolery. Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Quasar and even Doctor Doom will rue the day they meet the first (and only) family of Poppup. 

This overall Summer special was a fun read crafted by a number of talents such as Roy Thomas, Jackson 'Bruce' Guice and Ron Marz. The Doctor Strange segment, which co-starring one of my favorite characters from that part of the Marvel Universe, Rintrah, was probably my favorite section of the book. Though the extremely unexpected pairing of the Impossible Man with the Punisher, complete with an entry from his war journal was a hoot. It was written and illustrated by Jim Valentino, who is such a master at skewering the superhero dynamic. I would pay good money if Marvel ever came up with an Impossible Man/Punisher special. Especially would love it in Valentino crafted that one-shot as well.

The Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular might be almost 35-years old. But it's not something that will break the bank either. I got it a couple of years ago out of a bargain bin and I'm seeing it for less than $12 bucks online at several online retailers. Lots of laughs and a very fun way to beat the summer heat.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #103

The backup story is the most memorable part of this issue. It involves a pan-dimensional being that looks like a lime green Minotaur. Named Rintrah, he's the apprentice of Doctor Stephen Strange. 

This is Rintrah's second appearance in MCP. I really liked him in my first encounter with him. After this story, I am in love with him! 

Rintrah has made the acquaintance of a human female. She knows he's not human. But in order to not start a panic, if Rintrah is to leave the confines of the Sanctum Sanctorum, he must cast a spell to look human. Everything seems to be going well on Rintrah's date. That is until the spell begins to wear off in the middle of a Central Park concert!

While I really loved this story, I don't understand why the sight of Rintrah is such a cause of panic in the Big Apple! Manhattan is rife with battling mutants, avenging superheroes and uncanny villains. Why would 1 lone chartreuse bull-man cause a panic in Central Park? Now if I saw a regular white dude morph into a monster, sure, I'd freak out. But since sights like The Thing and Tigra are a dime a dozen in NYC, why does Rintrah have to disguise himself? 

Is it because his isn't orange? I bet it's because of his color! Wow! Is MCP masking a statement against racism in a charming yarn about magic and mirth? 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.