Immortal Reviews: Iron Lantern #1 [SPOILERS]
Roland X
Amalgamated Review:
At last! Hal returns as Iron Lantern, in action-packed
Amalgam adventure from:
Busiek/Smith/more inkers tahn you can shake a stick
at/Scheele/Comicraft/Grenberg/Brevoort
Iron Spoilers:
Recognition Code:
In brightest day!
Countersign issued:
In blackest night!
Second recognition parameter:
No evil shall escape my sight!
...YES!
We persevered through Emerald Crossing. We survived
Infinity Hour. We got through Final Onslaught. And now,
our faith has been rewarded. Hal Stark is back.
Coming straight from the Iron Lantern/Mariner special,
Iron Hal brings H.E.C.T.O.R. to the living planet of Oa for
safekeeping. After he tells off Oa for the millionth time,
it's back to earth, where Pepper is about to test yet
another superplane from the brilliant minds of Stark and
Rhodes. (I forget-did Stewart build the Monarch armor,
or did his brother Jim design it?)
Oh, the plane is sabotaged, and Hal flies to the rescue.
A classic scene. Yet, it is far more sinister than it first
appears (as if sabotaging a plane isn't bad enough!).
It's worth noting that the nickname for EC-Emerald
Crossout-has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is
no mention at all of the time loop where Hal Stark
went crazy and betrayed Oa and his friends. I never
thought I'd feel sorry for poor Kyle, though-some small
part of him remembers what happened (as the events
of SoS 84) and he suffers for it. He really isn't the bad
guy here, either, though.
Busiek, who I must now join Elayne as praising as Like
Unto a God, weaves all the classic elements of the Iron
Lantern together seamlessly. Pepper is as volatile and
courageous as ever, though she falls prey to the power
of the Madame Sapphire gem. Ol' Great White is as
ferocious as ever. And waiting in the wings...Mandarin-
estro! Not one character gets short shrift, unless you
count Mandy-but he'll get his next issue. (I hope. <g>)
The art was less wonderful, but still well done. Hal's
back in the classic 'Emerald Avenger' armor, and the
villains are sufficiently menacing. But Oa looks like Tip
O'Neill, and Pepper's height and weight seem to change
regularly. This, however, I can't really lay at Paul Smith's
feet-this book has _way_ too many inkers. OTOH, who
can balme _any_ comics pro for wanting to be part of
Stark's fantastic return?
Overall: What can I say? BUY THIS BOOK!
Regular review:
Not much else to say. The amalgams are a kick, all
well done and balanced amazingly well. I wish they
hadn't ended this one on a cliffhanger-I _really_ want
to know what happens next! <g> I just might have
to do a fanfic of IL #2!
--
=== / "What good is life...without friends?" -Barry Allen
O (/) "No evil shall escape my sight!" -Hal Jordan| Roland X:
=== / Support the Green Lantern Net Corps | Freelance
Jinx by Design: http://home.earthlink.net/~jinxmccoy | Immortal
Kurt Busiek
Roland X wrote:
>
> I wish they hadn't ended this one on a cliffhanger-I _really_ want
> to know what happens next! <g>
Okay. Here's what happens next:
SPOILERS
Pepper Ferris does not know that Hal is really Iron Lantern, but Madame
Sapphire does, and when she realizes just what that shooting star is,
her submerged love for Hal spurs her to save him. She powers up his
armor with sapphire energy, and the two of them go looking for the
lantern. They catch up to Kyle just as he's realized that Mandarinestro
is bout to kill him, and save both his life and the battery. Kyle
becomes the Green Guardsman, and the three of them open up a can of
whupass on Mandarinestro -- which, for all their power, would go badly
for them if not for the timely arrival of Tagak, Lantern-Lord.
Mandarinestro escapes, but Tagak has some revelations for Hal about Oa,
the Living Planet -- and Janice Doremus is back at Stark Aircraft, and
she's got secrets of her own, secrets that involve the deadly Lamplight
Phantom...
kurt
Vermilion
>SPOILERS
Hey, that's not too bad! Ever think about doing a fan-fic withr it? ;)
- Vermilion, who'd die if he saw this turn up on a.c.f-f.
Tom Galloway
In article <33455E...@teleport.com> kdbu...@teleport.com writes:
>Okay. Here's what happens next:
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>SPOILERS
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OooooK. Tagak the Leopard Lord (last appearance I believe in the
"You're a Defender, He's a Defender, Wouldn't you like to be a Defender
too" story way back when) and a Green Lantern amalgam.
>the Living Planet -- and Janice Doremus is back at Stark Aircraft, and
Janice Cord, head of Cordco and a love interest of Tony Stark and
Crimson Dynamo mark 3 or so amalgamed with Eve Doremus, Hal's love
interest after Carol Ferris and another heiress. A bit odd for this
amalgam to be a secretary, but perhaps that's part of her dark secrets.
>she's got secrets of her own, secrets that involve the deadly Lamplight
>Phantom...
OK, this one's got me. Lamplighter (obscure one issue GL foe) and who?
Space Phantom?
tyg t...@netcom.com
thad a doria
In article <33455E...@teleport.com>,
Kurt Busiek <kdbu...@teleport.com> wrote:
>Roland X wrote:
>>
>> I wish they hadn't ended this one on a cliffhanger-I _really_ want
>> to know what happens next! <g>
>
>
>SPOILERS
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>Sapphire does, and when she realizes just what that shooting star is,
>her submerged love for Hal spurs her to save him. She powers up his
>armor with sapphire energy, and the two of them go looking for the
>lantern. They catch up to Kyle just as he's realized that Mandarinestro
>is bout to kill him, and save both his life and the battery. Kyle
>becomes the Green Guardsman, and the three of them open up a can of
>whupass on Mandarinestro -- which, for all their power, would go badly
>
>Phantom...
>
Tagak? TAGAK?
Oh you're just sick!
--
-Thad Doria
"We *don't* like the atomic bomb. WHAT IS YOUR MEANING, LARRY?!"
--The Monks, 1966
andrew (MELBOURNE)
Kurt Busiek <kdbu...@teleport.com> writes:
>Okay. Here's what happens next:
>SPOILERS
>Pepper Ferris does not know that Hal is really Iron Lantern, but Madame
>Sapphire does, and when she realizes just what that shooting star is,
>her submerged love for Hal spurs her to save him. She powers up his
>armor with sapphire energy, and the two of them go looking for the
>lantern. They catch up to Kyle just as he's realized that Mandarinestro
>is bout to kill him, and save both his life and the battery. Kyle
>becomes the Green Guardsman, and the three of them open up a can of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>whupass on Mandarinestro -- which, for all their power, would go badly
>for them if not for the timely arrival of Tagak, Lantern-Lord.
I'd much prefer if he became Kyle O'Brian, Guy Guardsman.
That's just me.
--Andrew
______________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Melbourne (215) 417-VENT PO BOX 962
-jack-of-trades- melb...@sas.upenn.edu 3910 Irving Street
available at-> http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~melbourn Philadelphia, PA 19104
ALBERT B. CHING
It's just you Andrew. I wanted to see Guy Rhodes, Warrior
Machine. But that's just me!
Albert
--
Roland X
> Roland X wrote:
> >
> > I wish they hadn't ended this one on a cliffhanger-I _really_ want
> > to know what happens next! <g>
>
> Okay. Here's what happens next:
>
> SPOILERS
>
>
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>
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>
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>
>
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> Pepper Ferris does not know that Hal is really Iron Lantern, but Madame
> Sapphire does, and when she realizes just what that shooting star is,
> her submerged love for Hal spurs her to save him. She powers up his
> armor with sapphire energy, and the two of them go looking for the
> lantern. They catch up to Kyle just as he's realized that Mandarinestro
> is bout to kill him, and save both his life and the battery. Kyle
> becomes the Green Guardsman, and the three of them open up a can of
> whupass on Mandarinestro -- which, for all their power, would go badly
> for them if not for the timely arrival of Tagak, Lantern-Lord.
(Amalgam Roland)
OOps! Sorry, Elayne-
Followups to: rec.arts.comics.amalgam.universe
Now then...
Oh, come ON! Hal's whupped Mandarinestro's ringed butt
all over the universe all by his iron lonesome-and he can't
beat the guy with Madame Sapphire and T-faced guy to help?
(/Amalgam Roland)
Cute. You were waiting for some sucker (aka me) to open
their big mouth so you could pull this one out of your hat,
weren't you? <G>
> Mandarinestro escapes, but Tagak has some revelations for Hal about Oa,
> the Living Planet -- and Janice Doremus is back at Stark Aircraft, and
> she's got secrets of her own, secrets that involve the deadly Lamplight
> Phantom...
Geez-is this a one-shot, or a 40s serial?!
Now, if you're trying to get us to call for an Iron Lantern
ongoing series, well-it's working. I know _I'd_ buy it.
(Can I still write the fanfic? Can I huh can I huh can I?) <G>
Bala Menon
Roland X <rol...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
<rolandx-0404...@dby-ct1-17.ix.netcom.com>...
> In article <33455E...@teleport.com>, kdbu...@teleport.com wrote:
>
> > Roland X wrote:
> > >
> > > I wish they hadn't ended this one on a cliffhanger-I _really_ want
> > > to know what happens next! <g>
> >
> > Okay. Here's what happens next:
> >
> > SPOILERS
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> Oh, come ON! Hal's whupped Mandarinestro's ringed butt
> all over the universe all by his iron lonesome-and he can't
> beat the guy with Madame Sapphire and T-faced guy to help?
Apparently, this was Hal's first encounter with Mandarinestro, which is
why he didn't expect him after Great White's appearance.
Besides, Kyle'd probably be a liability in a fight :-)
> Cute. You were waiting for some sucker (aka me) to open
> their big mouth so you could pull this one out of your hat,
> weren't you? <G>
Nope. He had this plotted out at least as far back as when he chatted
with us on Wednesday.
Man, I wish this one Amalgam had been a Silver-Age 80-page special.
> Geez-is this a one-shot, or a 40s serial?!
> Now, if you're trying to get us to call for an Iron Lantern
> ongoing series, well-it's working. I know _I'd_ buy it.
I'm subscribing :-)
--
Bala Menon (b.m...@worldnet.att.net)
colleen campbell
Kurt Busiek (kdbu...@teleport.com) wrote:
: Roland X wrote:
: > I wish they hadn't ended this one on a cliffhanger-I _really_ want
: > to know what happens next! <g>
: Okay. Here's what happens next:
: SPOILERS
That is by far the coolest thing I've seen on Usenet in a long time.
-A (impressed)
__________________Adam Hardy (b074...@bc.seflin.org)_____________________
"...but i fear i have nothing to give; i have so much to lose here in this
lonely place tangled up in our embrace; there's nothing i'd like better
than to fall..."
-sarah mclachlan
Kurt Busiek
Tom Galloway wrote:
>
> OK, this one's got me. Lamplighter (obscure one issue GL foe) and who?
> Space Phantom?
Night Phantom, obscure three-issue IM foe.
kurt
Kurt Busiek
Roland X wrote:
>
> Geez-is this a one-shot, or a 40s serial?!
It's a Showcase of Suspense...
kurt
Michael R. Grabois
On Fri, 4 Apr 1997 21:39:30 GMT, t...@netcom.com (Tom Galloway) wrote:
>In article <33455E...@teleport.com> kdbu...@teleport.com writes:
>>Okay. Here's what happens next:
>>
>>she's got secrets of her own, secrets that involve the deadly Lamplight
>>Phantom...
>
>OK, this one's got me. Lamplighter (obscure one issue GL foe) and who?
>Space Phantom?
>
I think this is another of the dreaded Signs O' The Apocalypse. First MAGE II,
then Galloway doesn't know a comics trivia question. What's next, Waid returns
to rac.*?
--
Michael R. Grabois | http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mgrabois
Houston, TX | or...@ix.netcom.com CI$: 74737,2600
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"People say losing builds character. That's the stupidest thing I ever
heard. All losing does is suck. " -- Charles Barkley, 9/29/96
shut...@aol.com
In article <Pine.SOL.3.91.970405...@haas.berkeley.edu>, Mario <mend...@haas.berkeley.edu> writes:
>
>My theory is that part of the fun of reading comics is the "hidden
>history"..once we've collected and read a whole line some of the thrill
>is gone...what amalgam or a well done retcon does is bring back some
>gaps to fill...
>
>or i've always been a sucker for alternate reality stories...
>
>what do the rest of y'all think?
>
>
D) All of the Above
-- Rob E. Boy
==================================================
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else!"
Alan Travis
the amalgamation of Great White? ---Alan
Shawn Hill
Mario (mend...@haas.berkeley.edu) wrote:
: On Fri, 4 Apr 1997, Kurt Busiek wrote:
: > Okay. Here's what happens next:
: >
: > SPOILERS
: > kurt tells us the the 2nd part of Iron Lantern
: How is it that this stuff seems better than the regular comics?..
: is it just seeing the heroes from a new POV?
I think because the regular comics often purposefully ignore past history
in an attempt to focus on what's new. Whereas, for me, the best comics
are those that build on the past, incorporating old elements into a new
tapestry. This was, for example, what was so great about Levitz' Legion:
he kept reviving races, villains, even relationships that had only been
one-shots, or half-hinted at, before. And yet he was able to create those
threads a convincing whole cloth that included a UP place for the Khunds,
the Dominators, Daxam, etc., etc.
The same could be said for how self-conciously Claremont and Cockrum, then
Byrne dug through Marvel's old Rogue's Gallery to keep the X-men
interesting. Or even a more truly retro-event like Byrne's FF run where
he purposefully emulated the Lee/Kirby glory days.
: My theory is that part of the fun of reading comics is the "hidden
: history"..once we've collected and read a whole line some of the thrill
: is gone...what amalgam or a well done retcon does is bring back some
: gaps to fill...
Kind of relates to the way I buy back issues (or even new issues). I
always miss some, I only buy a couple at a time, because the whole joy is
building the collection, not having it perfectly built.
: or i've always been a sucker for alternate reality stories...
Me, too, because it throws the regular versions into high relief, and
gives the artists room to play and riff.
Shawn
* . * . * . * .
Q: "Am I still your woman?"
A: "You're the captain's woman...until he says you're not."
. * . * . *sh...@fas.harvard.edu
:
Bala Menon
Alan Travis <amtr...@earthlink.net> wrote in article
<334827...@earthlink.net>...
> I know I am going to feel real dumb when I hear the answer, but what is
> the amalgamation of Great White? ---Alan
The Shark (old DC foe of GL and Aquaman) and Ultimo (giant robot
built by the Mandarin)
--
Bala Menon (b.m...@worldnet.att.net)
Richard D. Bergstresser Jr.
ALBERT B. CHING wrote:
>
> It's just you Andrew. I wanted to see Guy Rhodes, Warrior
> Machine. But that's just me!
I was wondering whether Stewart Rhodes would become War Lantern or Green Machine.
Alan Travis
I had a Green Machine when I was a kid. It booked, MAN! ---Alan
Douglas Vandiver
In article <01bc4172$f6a7cac0$cb2b74cf@bala>,
Bala Menon <b.m...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Man, I wish this one Amalgam had been a Silver-Age 80-page special.
That's ... an 80 page giant amalgamated with -- what?
--
"From fourth estate To fifth dimension,
A cryptic mention Sets you straight." -- a TV game show riddle.
E-mail me the solution and receive a free e-Baldy!
Rodney Boles
|>
|> How is it that this stuff seems better than the regular comics?..
|> is it just seeing the heroes from a new POV?
|>
Well, in this case, both Hal and Tony have been horribly shat upon.
Heck, Hal is dead now and some real loser has taken over his book.
Kurt simply brought back the essence of both characters and series.
Thank Heavens he is taking over Iron Man, although after reading this
I'd actually prefer him to bring back Hal Jordan.
Rodney
Jack Grimes
There aren't enough Kurt Busieks, I say. We need him on Green Lantern,
Superman, Iron Man, Avengers, Astro City, Thunderbolts, etc, etc..
---
Jack R. Grimes | http://www.epix.net/~lbmgmd/glc/glcorps.html |
|Email: lbm...@epix.net Nuclear Warhead: 31.63N, 54.34W|
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"Super-heroes were created to represent the best in all of us. We should|
aspire to match their nobility, not their ability to shoot big chrome |
guns." -- Mark Waid. |
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