My Thoughts On - "No Hire Until Obama Is Gone"

Steven V commented on portfolio.com.

I can understand wanting to make a point but I can't imagine a business owner, with the opportunity to grow his business, refusing to do so out of spite. Don't get me wrong, of course there are many other implications of the policy and legislature being forced on business owners driving this thought process but at the end of the day it comes down to bottom line. Business owners need to find the line between increasing their volume and the decrease in profit margin due to expense increases and make informed decisions about their work force instead of the knee jerk reactions being seen.

Feedback Loop: The "No Hire Until Obama Is Gone" Case

www.portfolio.com

A Georgia small-business owner's pledge not to hire any new employees until President Barack Obama leaves office has led to a passionate online debate about Obama's job and health care policies. Read on and offer your take.

 ·  · 3 minutes ago

The Punisher is a Jerk - Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #82

Don't get me wrong, I love the Punisher, he is awesome.  Also, I am all for street justice but this portrayal of him in Perter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #82 is laughable

The first page (above) is a classic inner monologue, which the Punisher is famous for but that's where things start to get screwy...

Page 2-3: Punisher thinks, "Yes, It's gotten worse. When society's incapable of curbing crime, even the common citizenry become criminals."  He hears a couple yelling in a building across the street and looks in time to see the man back hand the women.  So, what does he do?  He OPENS FIRE!  As a husband, men that hit their wives disgust me but shooting at them with an automatic assault rifle is maybe a bit extreme.  I could maybe understand the Punishers decision here when he thinks, "Crime, if left unpunished, breeds further crime.  A man's crime of battery against his wife today makes him a capable of committing a crime against others tomorrow", but lets move on.

Page 3:  The Punisher see's a couple walking together in the rain holding a newspaper over their heads to keep them dry...

Page 4:  The couple drops the paper, missing the waste basket.  The Punisher thinks (and this is my favorite), "Littering is a crime against society." and OPENS FIRE on the couple.  Seriously?  What the hell Frank?!  When did you lose your damn mind?

Page 4-5:  A cab enters the scene and hears the gunshots.  Looking to see what is going on he misses the traffic light turning red.  The Punisher thinks, "That light is red.  The cabbie is plowing right through it. Another crime..." and again OPENS FIRE!

Since when is the Punisher a psychopath that uses a sub machine gun to rain down righteous justice for traffic violations?  This is the most extreme and ridiculous thing I've ever seen the Punisher do and couldn't help but laugh the whole time I was reading it.  This book was written in 1983 and the character has evolved a ton since then but I can't believe this was typical for him even then!  I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more outrageous Punisher "judgments" now that I've seen this.

Wishing I had a submachine gun,
~Steve

Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #79

What a fight!  This conclusion to the arch I posted about a few days ago was really a perfect closer.  The fight scenes in this issue are epic and easily my favorite battle against Doctor Octopus yet!  See for yourself:

Spider-Man and Doc Ock really push their abilities to the edge with this one which is apparent as they tear through the hospital.  This fight is a big reminder of just how dangerous Doc Ock is.  He uses his arms with finesse to handle delicate situations while also demonstrating the brute strength at his command.

Did anyone else know that Doctor Octopus is strong enough to throw a train car and stop a moving train coming head on without breaking a sweat?  Apparently I need to study up on my Marvel power charts.

When I read these last pages I couldn't help but wonder if the idea for the location of the final fight scene in the second Spider-Man movie, was based on this story because there are a ton of similarities.

Wishing I didn't need to sleep,
~Steve

I Love Old Comics - Flash Comics #1 Jan 1940

I love comics for many reasons but one of them is because comics are are an amazing reflection of the times they are created in; giving the reader an impression of the people, politics culture and society during that point in our history.

Case in point: Flash Comics #1 from January 1940

Did you know that Jay Garrick was originally given his power after knocking over a science experiment while he was enjoying a well earned smoke break?  That would never happen today!

Also, he uses his first act with his new amazing powers to impress his later wife Joan, by checking out a book from the library for her at super speed!

Courting a lady just isn't what it used to be, you know?

Dreaming of the good ol' days when I was -45,
~Steve

Captain America #286-288 - Deathlok Lives

What a let down.  This arch had such potential.  J.M. Demattis built up a huge back story in Captain America 286 & 287 but then SPLAT!  The way it ends is very unsatisfying.  Apparently the story line bleeds into 289 but we'll see.  Here are the highlights.

Yes that is a shot of New York circa 1991, apparently we weren't supposed to last this long.  But never fear even though the world ended the mighty A-Team carries on!  HAHA

Love those crazy early 80's,
~Steve

Dark Knight Rises - Bane Vs Predator

So, is it just me or does anyone else see the similarities?

Just me? hmm...
~Steve

Arch Reading - Spectacular Spider-Man #74-78

I just finished reading Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 and these were awesome issues!  Bill Mantlo really picks up the pace in these issues and does a really good job juggling multiple story lines without sacrificing details.  If you're a fan of Spider-Man you know that the PPTSS title was created to put more focus on Peter Parker and deal with the effects of being Spider-Man on his personal life.

If I'm being honest this series really dragged for me in the beginning and was really hit and miss which is part of the reason why these issues stuck out to me.  Five awesome issues in a row has been unheard of to me with this series but it finally happened!

PPTSS #74 was the perfect setup issue.  Bill Mantlo brings closure to an ongoing Deb Whitman story line, introduces the main players (Doctor Octopus, The Owl and the Kingpin), advances the Ock/Owl war and heralds the return of the Black Cat all with great pace and fluidity.

PPTSS #75 is a double sized action packed issue full of some really great fight scenes drawn by Al Milgrom and Jim Mooney.  The gang war between Doc Ock and The Owl comes to a head in this issue as both of them pull out all the stops and go at each other head on!  Of course Spidey would never miss a party like this, especially since Doc Ock kidnaps Black Cat soon after her big return.  As Spidey foreshadows the Owl is felled in battle against Doc Ock's power but the best part in this issue comes when Spider-Man and Doc Ock are at the height of their battle and Doc moves to make the game changer and Spider-Man is forced to RIP OFF HIS ARMS!

PPTSS #76 Typically after a battle packed issue like 75 I would expect the follow up issue would start off with minor aftermath follow up and an intro into the next arch but apparently Mantlo isn't finished.  In the after battle confusion the Black Cat and Spidey count out Doctor Octopus as finished, which is a huge mistake.  An attack by Doc's unattached arms and remainder of both gangs catch them off guard and the Black Cat is shot and stabbed multiple times while destroying Ocks plans for good.  Barely clinging to life Spider-Man gets her a hospital in time to save her.

PPTSS #77 While the Black Cat is recovering Doctor Octopus has his arms reattached and made stronger than ever before.  Furious about his defeat he attacks the Cat at the hospital and defeats Spider-Man.  Instead of finishing them off he lets them both live so they can live in fear and vows to destroy them both in 24 hours. (oh, and the Gladiator makes a meaningless appearance)

PPTSS #78 By far my favorite book of this series so far.  This story follows Peter through his day as he prepares to face Doctor Octopus and probable death.  Bill Mantlo masterfully presents this story with great pacing and personal meaning.  It was easy to see myself in Peter's shoes as he spent time with each of the people he loved most in the world as he prepared to leave it.  Seriously great story telling all leading up to the first moments of battle.

Descriptions and story details can be found for Spider-Man titles all over the net but since I'm actually reading through the books thought I should share some of my favorite panels along with my favorite stories!

Next: Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #79 "The Final Battle!"

Thinking about taking issue review requests,
~Steve

Punisher TV Series - Please be Good!

If you've seen one "cop" show on TV you've seen them all.  So, the question is: will a cop show with the Punisher be any different?

I really REALLY want to say, "YES!" but my gut says, "I doubt it".  If the article comments are anything to judge by this will be an enormous failure and a spit in the face of every Punisher writer and the work they've done on the character, since his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #129 in 1974.

Being the glass is half full kinda guy that I am, I'm going to watch this and pray that they work magik on it.  Even though the premise of the Punisher being an active police officer doesn't work in the Marvel Universe doesn't mean it can't work on TV.  Right?

Check out the article here: Punisher TV Series

Also, since we're on the subject, the Punisher has always been kinda hit and miss for me but my all time favorite Punisher issue is Punisher War Journal #12 during the World War Hulk event written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Ariel Olivetti.  Ok so the Punisher can take out gangs and drug lords but what's he going to do again'st an alien invastion?  Kick their ass is what!  GREAT issue.

Waiting for my Frank Castle casting call,
~Steve

Creepy Inanimate Object Award - Queen Sonja #8

And the award for creepiest inanimate object goes to . . .

The sword of Ariok seen in Queen Sonja #8

Art by Jackson Herbert published by Dynamite

Queen Sonja is certainly the best Sonja story yet (that I've read).  

Onto #9,

~Steve