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Post by codystarbuck on Jan 4, 2023 21:02:52 GMT -5
I actually like Ron Frenz's work and have since I noticed it on Superman Annual (2nd series) #2, with the Newsboy Legion & the Guardian. I also think DeFalco is a pretty decent writer, with the right kind of material. I didn't read their Thor stuff; but, I liked DeFalco's work on Marvel Two-in-One and also on the Archie Meets the Punisher crossover.
This looks like the comic book equivalent of 1990s WWF wrestling: loud, brash and it makes little sense. However, there is something to be said for fun. The art is way ahead of some of the Image imitations and I will take Frenz over most of the Image founders.
Well, a couple of them, anyway.
That was one 90s trend that I hated, of creating "duplicates" and spinning them off into new titles; but, Thunderstrike was better than some of those out there, as a character.
Carjacking was hardly an epidemic; but, it was a great way to sensationalize the media, which was the 90s to a T. It starts in the 80s (70s in some areas), but it was getting pretty bad, by the 90s, with corporate control of the media and fear mongering to attract ratings, then sell soothing products during the commercials. Carjacking usually involved forcing someone out of their car and stealing it (ala hijacking) rather than just standard car theft. About the only use for the Club, in that situation, is to beat the thief over the head and body.
I always had the ultimate in anti-theft devices for my cars: manual transmission! Hard for a thief to make off with your car when he is dumping the clutch!
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jan 4, 2023 23:11:50 GMT -5
I definitely have about 1/2 that run... I don't know if I'd call it good, but it's not terrible . I did really like his son (who gets to be a super hero in MC2)
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Post by arfetto on Jan 4, 2023 23:25:36 GMT -5
I definitely have about 1/2 that run... I don't know if I'd call it good, but it's not terrible . I did really like his son (who gets to be a super hero in MC2) Yeah, in A-Next, my favorite MC2 title and too short lived, running from only '98 to '99 - within the scope of this thread and as such I will eventually post about it here (I have every MC2 title).
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Post by commond on Jan 5, 2023 5:39:54 GMT -5
I love that you came straight out of the gates with Thunderstrike. That takes me back to the days where even if you didn't buy a book, you knew everything that was coming out because you read the previews, and you could flick through a book at the newsstands. Such a 90s name as well. The only way it could be more 90s is if it was called Thunderstike Force. It kind of speaks to how hard it was to jazz up books like Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, the Avengers and the Fantastic Four in the shadow of the Punisher, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the X-Men. At a certain point the attitude was if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, but those older Marvel properties didn't have the cred to match the hotter books.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 5, 2023 10:31:32 GMT -5
I definitely have about 1/2 that run... I don't know if I'd call it good, but it's not terrible . I did really like his son (who gets to be a super hero in MC2) I don't have the whole title run either, but from what I had read I actually thought Thunderstrike was better than Thor's title at the time. I also really like Thor Corp. But than what isn't good that has Beta Ray Bill in it?
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Post by arfetto on Jan 5, 2023 12:03:56 GMT -5
Switching gears, the '90s comic I read today was Sof' Boy and Friends issue 1 (1997) by Archer Prewitt "Sof' Boy" is this soft little guy: and his "Friends" are generally pigeons, rats and flies. Despite his rough living situation, Sof' Boy wakes up in a positive mood, ready to embrace life.
But as the phrase goes, "life comes at you fast"... What follows is a fast-paced tale of misadventure for Sof' Boy as tragedy befalls him across the not-so-jolly cityscape. But luckily, he is a soft fellow instead of a hard one, and rather than break, he bends and squishes and r-r-r-rollllls with the punches. It is a short read, but I love this comic's flow. It is the kind of story a person can re-read and enjoy more the second time (I read it twice in one sitting). Prewitt is a very skilled cartoonist. There are not many issues of Sof' Boy, which is a shame, but
What does exist of Sof' Boy is impressively pleasing even with a brutal, uncaring setting. Sof' Boy is the man.
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Post by Batflunkie on Jan 5, 2023 14:57:11 GMT -5
Switching gears, the '90s comic I read today was Sof' Boy and Friends issue 1 (1997) by Archer Prewitt "Sof' Boy" is this soft little guy: and his "Friends" are generally pigeons, rats and flies. Despite his rough living situation, Sof' Boy wakes up in a positive mood, ready to embrace life.
But as the phrase goes, "life comes at you fast"... What follows is a fast-paced tale of misadventure for Sof' Boy as tragedy befalls him across the not-so-jolly cityscape. But luckily, he is a soft fellow instead of a hard one, and rather than break, he bends and squishes and r-r-r-rollllls with the punches. It is a short read, but I love this comic's flow. It is the kind of story a person can re-read and enjoy more the second time (I read it twice in one sitting). Prewitt is a very skilled cartoonist. There are not many issues of Sof' Boy, which is a shame, but
What does exist of Sof' Boy is impressively pleasing even with a brutal, uncaring setting. Sof' Boy is the man.
Getting some serious Mr. Bill vibes from this
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jan 5, 2023 16:14:06 GMT -5
Getting some serious Mr. Bill vibes from this (...)
Holy cow, yes! I was wondering why there seemed to be something so familiar about it.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jan 5, 2023 21:29:45 GMT -5
Definite Mr Bill vibe. I think I saw an image of it; but, never an issue. I was a little slow getting into the more idiosyncratic alternative comics. A lot of the art styles didn't gel with me, at the time and some of it came across and whiney and depressing. I gravitated more to the loud and depressing, like Hate. It took me a while to read Dan Clowes' work or some of the other notables. Mostly after we started seeing some of it in B&N. I never really did get to see much from Drawn & Quarterly, compared to Fantagraphics, Kitchen Sink, or some other outlets.
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Post by MDG on Jan 6, 2023 11:29:34 GMT -5
I've seen Sof' Boy in a few things (maybe Blab or Zero Zero) and thought the art was good, but not much to think about.
By the early 90s, I was finding most superhero work (not just the big two, but Malibu and the others) unreadable. The idea of "picking up a random issue to see what it's like" went totally out the window--felt like everything required a long-term commitment, and I just didn't give a damn.
I was focusing on Clowes, Tomine, Deitch, Los Bros and random stuff. Never looked back on DC and Marvel (or, more accurately, only looked back with DC and Marvel).
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Post by arfetto on Jan 6, 2023 12:09:11 GMT -5
Today the '90s comic I read was
Thunderstrike issue 2 (1993) Ron Frenz & Tom DeFalco Pencils, Plot & Script
Al Milgrom Finished Art
Rick Parker Lettering
Mike Rockwitz Coloring
Ralf Macchio Editor
In this issue, Thunderstrike takes on The Juggernaut. Somewhat. The question to be solved this issue is how Thunderstrike can "stop" The Juggernaut, as Masterson, without Thor's abilities, is no longer in The Juggernaut's league in terms of pure power. Since he can't compete in a battle, Thunderstrike has to find out what it is The Juggernaut actually wants, why he is rampaging in a suburb of all places. The reader learns early in the story that The Juggernaut is trying to get a medical company located nearby to give him Black Tom Cassidy's confidential medical file, so figures to cause a little destruction until they finally hand it over. This issue also continues the "Who Is Bloodaxe?" mystery. Last issue, Thunderstrike was able to obtain the Bloodaxe axe that originally belonged to Skurge from Bloodaxe (Thunderstrike the character wields Thunderstrike the mace, and Bloodaxe the character wields Bloodaxe the axe haha), and its cursed presence is causing him to lose his cool at inopportune times. [Oh, I forgot, another mystery from issue one also continues into issue two: Who has been saving Thunderstrike with a long range energy blast at key moments? This is the second issue it happens in. Well, this mystery is one of those where it is pretty obvious if you read straight from the DeFalco/Frenz Thor run into Thunderstrike, but readers of just Thunderstrike will likely not know.]
This issue also really "hammers home" the idea that Bloodaxe is perhaps Bobby Steele, the current husband of Masterson's ex-wife Marcy. After getting carjacked and hospitalized last issue, and having a tough time at his job, Steele is going off the deep end (and if he is Bloodaxe, perhaps he is also incensed at losing the axe and still has an unhealthy attachment to it, craving violence - though, spoilers, he isn't Bloodaxe, I just mean this is another "clue" that is trying to push the reader into thinking he is). It leads to a domestic violence situation.
Basically, the entire issue is about characters going too far with their anger. Steele loses it, and Thunderstrike, now in possession of the Bloodaxe, almost does when he pulls the enchanted axe out to take off The Juggernaut's head. But, Masterson, even though he isn't the best at the "hero game" in terms of abilities, has a good heart and resists. Instead, he removes The Juggernaut's helmet with the axe to get his attention and then asks him what he wants. The Juggernaut wants to save Black Tom's life and needs the medical file. Thunderstrike convinces the medical company to hand over the file if The Juggernaut pays for the damage he has caused. It is not an ideal situation, and of course not a very "super heroic" solution (The Juggernaut gets away Scott Free/Mister Miracle), but it is logical. Thunderstrike can't beat The Juggernaut without killing him (via the enchanted axe), and The Juggernaut's wishes to save a life as well (though it is the life of another villain haha). The situation is resolved without violence. Well, after a bunch of violence anyway haha. Eventually. Eventually the situation is resolved without violence...after everyone is violenced out.
The one thing I would probably change in the story is, perhaps not reveal so early The Juggernaut's motive, to leave it a bit of a mystery as well. Now, it is a mystery for Masterson in the story, but DeFalco reveals The Juggernaut's goal to the reader early on in the issue. It isn't a big deal though.
Overall, it is an issue with a heavy theme (the domestic violence situation), a fun "battle" (The Juggernaut stomping all over Thunderstrike haha) and promises of more entertainment to come.
I also read another '90s comic: Sof' Boy and Friends issue 2 (1998) by Archer Prewitt In which Sof' Boy is used as a water balloon. All in all, it goes pretty well.
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Post by commond on Jan 6, 2023 17:05:34 GMT -5
Ooh, a Thunderstrike/Sof' Boy crossover.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,709
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Post by shaxper on Jan 6, 2023 19:20:14 GMT -5
Seriously thinking about getting into Sof' Boy now...
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Post by Mormel on Jan 7, 2023 2:46:46 GMT -5
I like how they render Juggernaut's being unstoppable with the 'stoom stoom' sound effect of his footsteps on the left part of the page, also pretty funny stuff in those panels between Juggy and Masterson.
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Post by berkley on Jan 7, 2023 8:17:56 GMT -5
I've seen Sof' Boy in a few things (maybe Blab or Zero Zero) and thought the art was good, but not much to think about. By the early 90s, I was finding most superhero work (not just the big two, but Malibu and the others) unreadable. The idea of "picking up a random issue to see what it's like" went totally out the window--felt like everything required a long-term commitment, and I just didn't give a damn. I was focusing on Clowes, Tomine, Deitch, Los Bros and random stuff. Never looked back on DC and Marvel (or, more accurately, only looked back with DC and Marvel).
Much the same here, with a slightly different set of creators, though overlapping with yours. For me it was the Hernandezes and Clowes, first and foremost, and such others as Seth, Doucet, Brown, etc, though more haphazardly. It wasn't until I started frequenting online comic book sites such as CBR some time in the early 2000s that I began to look again at Marvel and DC, because that's what was largely talked about there.
Speaking of Tomine, I sometimes wonder if I should give his work another chance: I've read very little of it - I think a single issue of Optic Nerve - probably because at the time it felt a little too close to Clowes's style, especially the artwork. I didn't see a strong, original creative vision there. But it probably wasn't fair to pass judgement by a single issue, so maybe I'll try something more substantial at some point, now that I'm revisiting the 1990s.
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