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Post by badwolf on Sept 26, 2021 15:52:53 GMT -5
For years I thought that was Red Sonja on the cover.
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Post by Batflunkie on Sept 26, 2021 16:07:04 GMT -5
For years I thought that was Red Sonja on the cover. It could very well have been intentional
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Post by Batflunkie on Sept 26, 2021 17:21:55 GMT -5
Hope you ate your greens because here's Howard The Duck #2
General Plot: After waking up from a fowl dream inspired by the make-shift musings an unpublished author named Arthur, Beverly and Howard recant how they got back from Pro-Rata's tower and discuss Arthur's heavy handed prose and then head back to bed. Meanwhile at a nondescript warehouse, Arthur stands guard as a window breaks. Arthur flings himself into action like all his heroes only to discover a sentient turnip laying in wait. The two bond over what each can do for one another and form a partnership; Arthur gets everything he can dream of while the turnip gets full control of his body. A steep price, but Arthur agrees. The next day, Howard and Beverly take the bus over to Arthur's house when they encounter quite possibly the most bizarre character (even more than a talking turnip), The Kidney Lady. The two get in a fight the results in the bus going off the interchange but is saved by a curious man in a turnip suit that turns out to be, who could guess?, Arthur. The Turnip, in full control of Arthur, takes Beverly to lord knows where much to the chagrin of Howard. Arthur fights for control, never actually wanting what the Turnip promised. Howard and Arthur get in a tussle. Howard, realizing that the greens are the true source of the Turnip's intellect, grabs them and goes on a mad ride, only to dump them smokestack. Back at his house, Arthur says that the truest and greatest adventure is the one that you can live out through your own mortality and the issue ends Thoughts: A good issue, still not one of my personal favorites, but you can still see the foundation being laid out for something greater. I think the message of "being fully in the real world and not in some intangible fantasy land" is a great one, especially for all those comic and general book lovers out there
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Post by Batflunkie on Oct 9, 2021 15:34:34 GMT -5
Everybody was for Howard The Duck #3
General Plot: Howard & Beverly go to see a martial arts flick and Howard is genuinely disgusted by it, even more so when a young man decides to exercise his right to kung-fu chop in Howard's general direction. The pair go to a diner, only to find more youths engaging in chopsocky hysterics. Suddenly, a body comes crashing through one of the windows; it's the young boy who Howard begrudgingly met earlier. He's invoked the wrath of a rather large brute named Count Macho. A fight breaks out and the young man is stabbed. Count Macho and his gang go to leave only for Howard to try and stop him, after which Howard's attention is drawn to the young man and giving him immediate medical attention (Beverly learned first aid as a lifeguard, who knew?). After the boy is driven away, Howard feels antsy, so he decides to peruse a local Book Shop and finds himself drawn to a magazine regarding ancient Chinese secrets. Inside he finds a local Count Dante' wannabe dispensing wisdom for a nominal fee and so Howard takes up the offer, only to find himself transported into the world in between; the reality of self discipline and enlightenment. During this Beverly is kidnapped by Count Macho over the small grievance of Howard taking his ceremonial necklace when he tackled him. After Howard's training is complete, he goes after Count Macho and saves Beverly. Only to learn that the young man died, ending our issue on low point
Thoughts: With America's lust for the exploits of far east fury reaching a fever pitch in the mid 70's, it seemed natural that Steve would want to comment on it in a rather poignant, but still rather silly sort of way. While it's a fine issue it's own right, I don't appreciate the fact that Howard knows "Quack-Fu" has become a sticking point for the character and also something of a gross internet joke for those who's only exposure to the character was the terrible George Lucas movie
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Post by brutalis on Oct 9, 2021 17:15:53 GMT -5
My brother bought Howard's Quack Fu solely off the cover and that bro' was full on Kung Fu crazy while taking a class. All for the wrong reasons of course. So he was very disappointed upon reading. Tossed it aside quickly and this became my 1st exposure to this other talking angry fowl and I kept it for myself.
Soon I built up a tiny collection of HTD as neighborhood kids and my cousins picking up issues thinking it was a funny animal book and not keeping them when they find out it isn't. I adored Gerber's "voice" and the sarcastic caustic black dry humor he infused the series with. Lucky me, I don't remember ever buying Howie new off the shelf and only bought a couple back issues on the cheap years later.
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Post by Batflunkie on Oct 9, 2021 17:42:28 GMT -5
My brother bought Howard's Quack Fu solely off the cover and that bro' was full on Kung Fu crazy while taking a class. All for the wrong reasons of course. So he was very disappointed upon reading. Tossed it aside quickly and this became my 1st exposure to this other talking angry fowl and I kept it for myself. Soon I built up a tiny collection of HTD as neighborhood kids and my cousins picking up issues thinking it was a funny animal book and not keeping them when they find out it isn't. I adored Gerber's "voice" and the sarcastic caustic black dry humor he infused the series with. Lucky me, I don't remember ever buying Howie new off the shelf and only bought a couple back issues on the cheap years later. I took Taekwondo for maybe a little over a year during the fourth or fifth grade, inspired by the Mortal Kombat film, TMNT, Power Rangers, and 3 Ninjas among others . I felt incredibly discouraged when my cousin, who joined a good while after me, moved farther up in the ranks than I did while I just stayed a 3rd Degree Orange belt (some of that might have had to do with my inability to go to the various Taekwondo conventions/meet ups). I also didn't much care for my Sensei, he came off as little more than an militaristic and arrogant redneck
I'd love to buy issue 16 on it's own purely due to how much it means to me on a personal level at some point
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Post by berkley on Oct 9, 2021 18:05:01 GMT -5
I'd forgotten that John Buscema pencilled this issue. Leialoha did a great job with the inks and even though it's only one issue, it ranks with my favourite things J. Buscema has done.
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Post by Batflunkie on Oct 10, 2021 13:48:52 GMT -5
Get some coffee in your system sleepyhead! It's time for Howard The Duck #4General Plot: After seeing the ceiling caving in for the umpteenth time in Beverly's apartment, her and Howard decide to investigate. It's there that they meet Paul Same; an artist by trade and general underachiever has never been properly able to deal with his own problems, so he lashes out by violent outbursts in his sleep. Howard feels a sense of kinship with Paul, having come from a similar childhood background himself, and just feels that the situation is genuinely uncomfortable. Beverly goes to bed while Howard feels that he's got some thinking to do. In the midst of mugging #782 for the year, a hero appears! Why it's Winky-man! Howard later meets this bonafide bedroom champion of the downtrodden in a seedy dive bar and realizes that it's Paul. But strangely, Paul is feeling better and also finishing masterpieces in record time while also dealing out justice, so Howard figures, "what's the harm?". Later that week, Paul has an art gallery showing where a famous critic appears. He doesn't particularly care for Paul's pieces and Paul loses it, quickly jumping ship and changing into Winky-Man with a Roman Candle by his side. Howard intervenes and sets off the sprinkler system. Now awake, Paul is confronted by Howard to call out the art critic, instead he just pulls off his toupee. A round of applause is soon heard by numerous people who thought that the critic was full of it. The critic sees this as a burgeoning partnership and Paul is able to finally sleep soundly. Thoughts: I think this is where the series starts to really shine and where Gerber starts to properly find his footing. Paul is a very relatable character and I'm glad that he was slowly worked into the story full time, which I can't say about old "Turnip For Brains" Arthur from ish #2. Gene Colan makes his debut in this issue with art that looks like a goddamned painting every time I look at it. Like brutalis has said previously, Colan's work further adds a sense of depth to the story
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Post by berkley on Oct 11, 2021 1:31:25 GMT -5
Get some coffee in your system sleepyhead! It's time for Howard The Duck #4General Plot: After seeing the ceiling caving in for the umpteenth time in Beverly's apartment, her and Howard decide to investigate. It's there that they meet Paul Same; an artist by trade and general underachiever has never been properly able to deal with his own problems, so he lashes out by violent outbursts in his sleep. Howard feels a sense of kinship with Paul, having come from a similar childhood background himself, and just feels that the situation is genuinely uncomfortable. Beverly goes to bed while Howard feels that he's got some thinking to do. In the midst of mugging #782 for the year, a hero appears! Why it's Winky-man! Howard later meets this bonafide bedroom champion of the downtrodden in a seedy dive bar and realizes that it's Paul. But strangely, Paul is feeling better and also finishing masterpieces in record time while also dealing out justice, so Howard figures, "what's the harm?". Later that week, Paul has an art gallery showing where a famous critic appears. He doesn't particularly care for Paul's pieces and Paul loses it, quickly jumping ship and changing into Winky-Man with a Roman Candle by his side. Howard intervenes and sets off the sprinkler system. Now awake, Paul is confronted by Howard to call out the art critic, instead he just pulls off his toupee. A round of applause is soon heard by numerous people who thought that the critic was full of it. The critic sees this as a burgeoning partnership and Paul is able to finally sleep soundly. Thoughts: I think this is where the series starts to really shine and where Gerber starts to properly find his footing. Paul is a very relatable character and I'm glad that he was slowly worked into the story full time, which I can't say about old "Turnip For Brains" Arthur from ish #2. Gene Colan makes his debut in this issue with art that looks like a goddamned painting every time I look at it. Like brutalis has said previously, Colan's work further adds a sense of depth to the story
Yeah, I think the first three issues were more like extended versions of the kind of Howard stories Gerber had already done in Man-Thing, but #4 is where the series itself begins to esablish its own identity. And yes, the Colan/Leialoha artwork is some of my favourite ever done in comics.
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Post by mikelmidnight on Oct 11, 2021 11:19:48 GMT -5
I think this is where the series starts to really shine and where Gerber starts to properly find his footing. Paul is a very relatable character and I'm glad that he was slowly worked into the story full time, which I can't say about old "Turnip For Brains" Arthur from ish #2. Gene Colan makes his debut in this issue with art that looks like a goddamned painting every time I look at it. Like brutalis has said previously, Colan's work further adds a sense of depth to the story
I think it's worth mentioning that the title had formerly been used in several issues of Captain America in which he fought the Sleepers (high tech robots designed by the Nazis meant to … uh … reawaken in case they lost the war … in order to accomplish … something).
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Oct 11, 2021 12:42:46 GMT -5
HtD #3 is one of the few issues I owned semi-contemporaneous to when they were released. I got it at a garage sale some time after it came out, but probably within five years of its release. It's still one of my favorites.
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Post by Batflunkie on Oct 11, 2021 14:05:21 GMT -5
I think this is where the series starts to really shine and where Gerber starts to properly find his footing. Paul is a very relatable character and I'm glad that he was slowly worked into the story full time, which I can't say about old "Turnip For Brains" Arthur from ish #2. Gene Colan makes his debut in this issue with art that looks like a goddamned painting every time I look at it. Like brutalis has said previously, Colan's work further adds a sense of depth to the story
I think it's worth mentioning that the title had formerly been used in several issues of Captain America in which he fought the Sleepers (high tech robots designed by the Nazis meant to … uh … reawaken in case they lost the war … in order to accomplish … something).
I figured that it was. The blurb at the end of issue three even announces it being "the coming of the sixth sleeper".
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Post by Batflunkie on Oct 24, 2021 10:15:16 GMT -5
You got money? Go and buy Howard The Duck #5! General Plot: While watching Beverly turn her apartment into the aftermath of a wickedly strong tornado just to find a bicentennial quarter for "two snickers by candlelight", Howard realizes that they're both flat broke. Going to local convenience store, Howard happens upon a funny animal book and gets enraged by it's supposed message that all ducks are instigaters. He destroys the book, but not before the manager intervenes, demanding payment. Howard begrudgingly gives the man what he's owed and leaves. (this also cuts to one of my favorite lines in the book, "I squandered thirty cents on my principles") Still mad, Howard voices his frustrations on a radio call in show, but gets shut down as soon as he professes that he's a duck. The next day, Howard waddles into a tv studio for employment and gets thrust into a kiddie programe where he goes after both the clown and the barker, much to the delight of the children watching at home and in-studio. On the way home, Howard is stopped by a seedy rent-to-own salesman who offers him employment after his stunt on the clown show. But Howard soon realizes that it's not a job he's cut out for an emotional level and quits. At home, Howard contemplates what do, even after Beverly made some money doing modelling for art classes. Fumbling with the newspaper, he sees a red-hot ad offering ten-thousand clams to anyone who can tangle with the monster of a man Emil Klout for three rounds. Seeing big dollar signs and dreaming of greener pastures, the two take the bus to the gym, only to be hassled by the darling of Cleveland bus route; The Kidney Lady. She berates Howard for what he did on the kiddie show, but the two walk off and ignore her. At the gym Howard battles Emil and wins, but as soon he takes off his bandana around his bill, the offer is forfeit because of Howard's anthropomorphic nature. But he and Bev are given enough to pay rent and maybe a little more and begin hitch hiking their way to New York. And the issue ends Thoughts: This issue is really the start of great things (I'm sure you folks at home are tired of me saying that, but it's true) and you can see the pieces coming together.
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Post by commond on Dec 5, 2021 4:42:17 GMT -5
I made it through all nine issues of the Howard the Duck Magazine. I'm not a fan of Howard the Duck, but I thought it was one of the better black and white Marvel mags. Mantlo is more concerned with continuity than Gerber. He wraps up loose ends from the color series. and even gives characters like the Kidney Lady an origin (which may not please some Gerber HtD fans.) There is plenty of satire, but it's not as outrageous as Gerber's work. There's some obligatory nudity in the early issues, and an infamous bedroom scene between Bev and Howard, but eventually they ditch the adult approach. Howard works as a cabbie in Cleveland for a while, becomes a vampire, returns to Duckworld, and eventually breaks up with Bev. Mantlo had a plan to have Howard become a huge TV star overnight, plummet out of popularity overnight, end up as an attraction at the Los Angeles zoo, and be reunited with Bev, leading to a wedding. However, he quit the series, and they decided to can the black and white magazine. They claimed he was returning to the world of color comics but that never materialized.
The magazine's biggest strength is its art. Colon's work looks better in black and white, and when Colon's not penciling the stories, you get art from John Buscema, Michael Golden, and even a Marshall Rogers Batman parody. There's even a pin-up page by Dave Sim. If you want to read about the further adventures of Howard after Gerber departs then the magazine is the closest thing to the original, and blows other black and white mags like Dracula out of the water.
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Post by badwolf on Dec 5, 2021 17:41:24 GMT -5
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