Web-Lapsed, Episode 2 - Amazing Spider-Man #76 (2021)

Web-Lapsed, Episode Two

Amazing Spider-Man (vol.5) #76 (December, 2021) [LGY#877]
“Beyond, Chapter Two”
Writer - Zeb Wells
Art - Patrick Gleason
Colors - Marcio Menyz
Letters - VC’s Joe Caramagna
Beyond Board - Thompson, Ziglar, Ahmed, Gleason, Wells
Edits - Cohick, Lowe, Cebulski
Cover Price: $3.99
On-Sale: October 13, 2021

Beyond rolls on with the (literal) fallout of last issue's cliffhanger!  Peter's in the hospital... and things might never be the same - ya know, until they are again!

Meanwhile, Ben Reilly has himself a severe case of the "Parker Guilt"... which he really needs help in getting over!

Another excellent issue of this brave new era for Spider-Man... and definitely a fun jaunt back into the webs for your humble host.

I hope you all enjoy - please let me know if'n ya do!

--

https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed

X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK)

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

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The All-New, All-Different chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

Web-Lapsed, Episode 1 - Amazing Spider-Man #75 (2021)

Web-Lapsed, Episode One

Amazing Spider-Man (vol.5) #75 (December, 2021) [LGY#876]
“Beyond, Chapter One”
“Love and Monsters”
“Kafka”
Writer - Zeb Wells & Kelly Thompson
Art - Patrick Gleason, Travel Foreman, & Ivan Fiorelli
Colors - Marcio Menyz, Jim Campbell, & Edgar Delgado
Letters - VC’s Joe Sabino
Beyond Board - Thompson, Ziglar, Ahmed, Gleason, Wells
Edits - Cohick, Lowe, Cebulski
Cover Price: $5.99
On-Sale: October 6, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we're doing something a little bit special for the holiday weekend... kicking off a couple of installments of a potential new program here at the channel, very much (as the name might suggest) in the vein of X-Lapsed.

I haven't been a regular Spidey reader since the first few months after the Marvel NOW! era Superior Spider-Man... however, due to the "Beyond Board" being comprised of creators whose work I very much enjoy, I couldn't help but to be yanked back in!

Today's episode is kind of a long one, kicking off with a (relatively) quick 'n dirty look into my Life and Times as a Spider-Fan... then, I'll discuss the first issue of this brave new era - from the point of view of a truly "Web-Lapsed" reader!

I hope you enjoy... please make sure and let me know if you do! 

--

https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed

X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK)

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

The All-New, All-Different chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

Superman (vol.4) #19 (2017)

Superman (vol.4) #17 (May, 2017)
"Superman Reborn, Part Three: Don't Pass Go"
Story - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Pencils - Patrick Gleason
Inks - Mick Gray
Colors - John Kalisz
Letters - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andrew Merino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Special Thanks - Dan Jurgens
Cover Price: $2.99

So yesterday, I discussed how the "professional" comics reviewers spoiled the Mr. Mxyzptlk reveal, right?  Well, guess what?  The following week, the jerks spoiled the last page of this one too!

Ya know, I don't wanna tell DC to quit handing out comps so willy-nilly... but, maybe penalize the jagoffs that go out of their way to show how special/important they are, and ruin the experience for everyone else.  Nahhhh, I guess so long as they rate everything 10 outta 10 they're safe!

--

We pick up right from the previous chapter... Lois no longer knows who Jon is.  What's more, she also doesn't appear to know that Superman and Clark Kent are one in the same!  A frustrated Superman calls out to Mxyzptlk, demanding to know what kind of "game" he's playing... and also why he's currently glowing with a blueish aura.  We'll get to it...

... but first, Mxy decides to strip away all of the rules of physics, gravity and reality.  As everything goes wonky, the imp shares that, regardless of which reality, Lois and Clark are invariably connected.  He finds it gross... which, I suppose he would!

Then... things get weird-er.  Mxyzptlk reveals that at some point there was a split... leading to two Supermen, and two Lois's's's.  I'm still not sure how I feel about this concept, but we'll play along for now.  Anyhoo, the other, that is the New-52! Superman exploded into red energy right before Rebirth hit.

Superman and Lois are escorted to a floating Daily Planet Building that stretches way up into the cosmos.  Mxy refers to it as the Infinite Planet, and offers up a challenge.  Ya see, young Jon Kent is currently up inside the Planet's globe... if Superman can beat the imp up there, he can have his boy back.  However, if he can't, Jon will remain in the Fifth Dimension forever, and Superman and Lois will be lost and forgotten.

Meanwhile, inside the Infinite Planet globe, Jon Kent is chatting up a pair of glowing balls of red energy.  They reveal themselves as being the New-52! Superman and Lois.  They're the same as his parents... only different, ya dig?

Back to the race... which is depicted as being run on an actual game board... which makes for a neat splash page, if nothing else.  Mxyzptlk sings a song... which, for whatever reason, convinces him that he'll win the race?  I dunno... these beats are kinda missing the mark for me.  Trying to be a bit too "out there" and esoteric... but, I mean, we're dealing with a race to the top of a building...

... which Superman and Lois still win, by... I dunno... telling themselves that they still exist?

Anyhoo, Mxyzptlk feels like this is cheating, and calls them out on it.  Meanwhile, Jon (who can hear all of this going down) pleads with the red energy to help his folks.

Outside, Mxy's had about enough of the fun 'n games, and decides to move on to the conclusion... he tells Superman to forget.  Forget about his son, hell, maybe forget about everything.  And... he begins to do just that!

Suddenly, when all hope (and memory) looks to be lost, the Infinite Planet globe explodes in a brilliant red flash.

We wrap up the chapter with a high-collared, very New-52! looking, Superman holding his wife and son!

--

So, yeah... Superman-Red and Superman-Blue.

I dunno about you all, but... I didn't have much of a problem with the way things were set up with the Supermen post-Convergence.  I was cool with the idea that the real Superman was hanging in the background, while the new, young, brash hip-for-the-kids Superman was "the guy" for a little while.

I feel like this "split into two" concept really just complicates things.  Seems like anytime we have the option to keep things simple, or add a bunch of confusing layers... we always get the latter.  I guess I just don't understand what merging the real Superman and the New-52! one really does for anyone.  I mean, the New-52! series'... ya know, kinda undelivered... outside of the "unmasking" I can't recall a whole heckuva lot from 'em.

As for the issue itself... it, like the other chapters, is breezy.  For dropping so much information, it's still kinda light on actual story.  Hell, we could'a (should'a?) deep-sixed that overlong back-up in Action #975, and just added this chapter there.  Really, this whole story should've been dropped in an Annual or Special.

Overall... it's an important issue, though a bit confusing at times.  Good thing this is yet another five-minute read, so it won't take you too long to give it a second (or third) look if you need to.  Worth a look... in collected edition.

--

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Superman (vol.4) #18 (2017)

Superman (vol.4) #18 (May, 2017)
"Superman Reborn, Part One"
Story - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Pencils - Patrick Gleason
Inks - Mick Gray
Colors - John Kalisz
Letters - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andres Merino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Special Thanks - Dan Jurgens
Cover Price: $2.99

I was working my way through my library, looking for a way to buy some time before getting into our third annual Twelve Days of Christmas on Infinite Earths, when I came across Superman Reborn.  Well, parts Two and Four of Superman Reborn... had to bobble some boxes to find the other two.

Haven't read 'em since the day they came out... and, quite honestly, I can barely even remember most of it.  The only thing I do remember, is that I was riveted, and couldn't wait for each chapter to arrive!  So hey, why not give it a whirl here over the next few days and see how it reads now?

An aside, and something that comic fans in particular might appreciate.  I just recently relocated all of my longboxes to a corner of the house... this way, when we have holiday visitors they're not stepping/tripping over my obsessive obstacle course on their way in.  So, yeah... everything is neatly stuffed out of sight... and that's when I realized...

... oh yeah, Twelve Days is coming up... and I'm going to have to rifle through 'em all over again.  Only now, in a much more cramped space!

Oh well, such is the life of an idiot comic blogger.

--

We open with flashes of energy, and settle on Mr. Oz's prison palace, or whatever it was (this really feels like it happened at least five years ago at this point).  Prisoner, Red Robin gleefully exclaims that "someone got out!".  The enigmatic Mr. Oz approaches a wall... or monolith... or something.  On it, several pleas for help have been scrawled for Superman.

Elsewhere, Hamilton County to be precise, we join the "Smith" family, as Clark and Lois are about to celebrate their anniversary.  Young Jon gives his folks gifts... a journal for his mother to write all about their recent adventures, and a Farmer's Almanac for his father... your hear about something like a "Farmer's Almanac" and it sounds like such a relic... then you realize you can grab the 2019 edition right here!  That's wild.

All three "Smiths" blow out the candles on the anniversary cake, then suddenly... the doorbell rings.  Jon rushes to the door, only to discover... his father walking away?!  Krypto runs up too... but the fake Clark Kent manages to sooth him before getting all bit-up.

Clark, the real one, Supes up, and flies out to see what's up.  By now the other Clark has left.  He did leave something, however... a gift for the "Smiths"... in the form of, a Kent Family photo album?!

Lois opens it... and inside there are photos of their entire history!  Ma and Pa, Lana, the Planet, a bit of the cover to Action Comics #1.  The only thing missing from these photos... is Jon.

The walk down memory lane is interrupted by... a fire!  It looks like their kitchen is burning up.  Superman goes to put it out... only to find out that it's not really fire.  There's no smoke, and it isn't actually burning anything up.  Instead, it appears to be "erasing" things...

... things that "don't belong" perhaps... and that includes Jon!

Superman rushes in to grab his son... however, he (Jon) keeps blinking in and out of sight.  He reappears in the basement, upstairs, all ova da place.  Superman is finally able to nab him... he wraps the boy in his cape, and dives out of the house.  It's too late, though... Jon disappears from existence!  Oh, their house does too... but, Jon's the important thing.

We wrap up with Lois and Clark in front of the empty lot they used to live on... with the photo album.  All of the photos have been erased... and we're off to the races!

--

Alrighty... heckuva opening chapter.

Gotta say though, before we go any deeper... this feels like it happened sooooo long ago.  I mean, it's been a year and a half (give or take) as of this writing... but it feels just so far removed from where things are now.  In these semi-early days of Rebirth, everything still felt so new... so exciting and optimistic.  We had so many questions we wanted answers to... and the way we were getting our information in drips and drabs was quite well done (for the most part).

Now... just a year and a half later?  It feels like we're spinning our wheels waiting for the next "event" while the current "event" issues take their sweet time hitting the shelves.  This kind of excitement and optimism is woefully lacking... it's frustrating, but it is what it is.  Man, what a difference a year makes!

But this isn't a discussion of late 2018 (DC) Comics, so let's talk about the first part of Superman Reborn.  This had been brewing for awhile, the mysteries of the second Clark Kent... the identity of Mr. Oz (which wouldn't be revealed until the next Superman crossover)... there was just a lot going on.  We had the Kents posing as the "Smith" family, which felt a bit nebulous... but, necessary for the ultimate pay-off.

What we get here... is, kinda "blink and ya miss it".  The entire issue took maybe five minutes to read, which... I mean, it's just the way comics are written anymore.  The thing about this issue was, I actually enjoyed those five minutes spent!  I do wish we'd get a bit more to sink our teeth into, but we do get from Point A to Point B in a pretty satisfying way.

Overall... a breezy read, one that I'd encourage you to check out in collected edition if you're so inclined.  The art is wonderful, and the Smith family dynamic is a hoot.

--

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Brightest Day #7 (2010)

Brightest Day #7 (Early October, 2010)
"The Secret of Life"
Writers - Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi
Artists - Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Ardian Syaf, Scott Clark & Joe Prado
Inkers - Vicente Cifuentes, David Beaty & Mark Irwin
Colors - Aspen MLT's Peter Steigerwald w/John Starr
Letterer - Rob Clark, Jr.
Assistant Editor - Rex Ogle
Associate Editor - Adam Schlagman
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

And so, we wrap up #BrightestMay... with, kind of a bang?

I wanna thank the folks who stuck around for this weird themed month... judging from the numbers, not all that many people really cared to read about this strange time in DC Comics.

Oh well, if I wanted a bigger audience... I'd probably have just become a famous actor or professional athlete or something.  Ya live, ya learn.

Speaking of living (and learning), Boston Brand's about to have quite the day!

--

We open with some hot cheeseburger eatin' action.  I mean, this stuff is intense... just look at ol' Boston's face!  He sinks his teeth into that mass o' meat... and, well, he likes it.  Better than he remembers to boot!  He and Dawn then proceed to get to know each other a little better.  She seems to be really interesting in what makes... or made, Boston Brand tick.

Their chat is cut short by the return of Hank Hall, who just took out some of his aggression on a Dixie Chicks-playin' jukebox.  Were people still talking about them in 2010?  Never let it be said that comics are behind the times!

Suddenly... the White Lantern Entity speaks!  Asks the gang if they enjoyed their meal (seriously) then teleports them to the White Lantern Battery in Silver City, New Mexico... all without paying for their food!  Hawk tries giving the battery a tug, and it won't even budge.  Then, it's Boston's turn... and wouldn'tcha know it, he's able to lift it!  Worth mentioning that a nearby Aqualad-to-be feels a bit... weird.

In a pretty great full-page splash, Boston is transformed back into Deadman, though with a White Lantern twist.

The Lantern tells Brand that it (the entity) is dying, and he must find a replacement.  Then, Hawk gets a White Lantern makeover...

We pop over to the Tanami Desert in Australia, where we last left the Martian Manhunter happening across the badly beaten body of Miss Martian.  The White Lantern Entity tells him to "burn it down".  Suddenly, he's surrounded with fire... and M'Gann appears to have made one heckuva recovery!

Next stop Pittsburgh University, where Professor Stein tells the Firestorms that everything that is going on is... his fault.  As he goes to "show them something" the White Entity speaks!  It tells Ronnie to study more, and Jason to study less.  Okay, mom.

As this happens... that third member of the Matrix creeps up... holding a Black Lantern.

Off to Hawkworld, where Hawkman is reconnoitering with the beast men who tried to kill him not too long ago.  He is suddenly bathed in white... and given a White Lantern upgrade.  He is instructed to "stop the Queen".  Hmm... couldn't be, right?  Nah, probably not.

Meanwhile, in the Nth City... Hawkgirl gets Whited-up as well.

She is warned that if Hath-Set happens to kill them here, there will be no more resurrection.  Wouldn'tcha know it... Hath-Set just so happens to be her captor.

Back on Earth, Mera continues to apologize to Aquaman... and I really just want this story thread to end.  Arthur is then summoned by the White Entity... and advised to "find him" (Aqualad).  Just then, the waters go clean... and all of the fish start flopping around alive!

Then we kick the vignette-a-palooza into overdrive... with a single-panel look at everything else going on in the Brightest Day crossovent!  Captain Boomerang is told to throw a boomerang, which we saw in the pages of Flash.  Jade is told to "balance the darkness", which... unfortunately we saw in the never ending "The Dark Things".  Osiris must free his sister, which we saw a bit of in Titans.  Max Lord is told to stop a Magog-led World War... which, happens in Justice League: Generation Lost... we just didn't get there this time around.  Also, Eobard Thawne is back... and Hawk is told to "catch" Digger's boomerang.

We wrap up with Boston Brand being given the order to find "the chosen one" to be the White Entity's "replacement".  Well, talk about a case of being "always the bridesmaid...".

--

Lotsa loose threads coming together here... probably one of the (few) "must reads" of the Brightest Day crossovent (so far).  So many of the things we've been reading about converge here... and kinda "get into place" to move into the middle-third of the story.

Off the top of my head... it's gotta suck to be Deadman, right?  The White Ring won't leave ya alone... actually drops you in front of the freaking Anti-Monitor just to teach you a lesson... then you come to learn that you're not the chosen one?!  Jerk move, Ring... jerk move.  What's wrong with Boston?  He not good enough for you?

One of the things I've taken this crossovent to task for is a bit of bait-and-switch cliffhangers... and this issue is no different.  We closed out yesterday with Martian Manhunter's discovery of Miss Martian's body... and now?  She's just a-okay?  I suppose it'll be elaborated on as we proceed... but, still... kind of annoying.

I'm not sure I've mentioned it (or mentioned it enough), but the art all throughout this series... is really fantastic.  Each art team has their own "segments", but it never looks jarring when we shift from one to another.  The whole artistic end of this was really very well done.

About Brightest Day as a whole (or at least the first third of it).  I'm not quite sure what I think of it.  After immersing myself in it over the past 31 days... I just dunno.  Ya know how Blackest Night was supposed to be "just" a Green Lantern event?  DC felt it could support a line-wide crossover extravaganza... and let it completely dominate the shelves for the better part of a year.

This is kind of the inverse of that.  This was intended as a line-wide extravaganza... but, if you ask me, could barely even support it's two "main" titles.  If we look at the tie-ins... the non-Brightest Day or Justice League: Generation Lost books... the Brightest Day "bits" feel forced... and at the same time, kind of like an afterthought.

We had eight-issues of Justice League/Justice Society crossover... and had, I dunno... less than a half-dozen panels that showed Jade in her White Lantern gear?  A six-issue Flash arc (which was fantastic, mind you) that Captain Boomerang (and poor Thawne) only get a smattering of appearances?

I'd call Brightest Day ambitious... if only it showed a little... ya know, ambition.  I leave this crossovent (for now) disappointed.  I recall being "all in" on this back in 2010-2011... it's only in reading it in a big "glop" and looking at what's come since that I can truly see what a middling event it really was.

Does this mean I feel like The New-52! was justified?  Hell no.  These are still great characters... and had this event not been so diluted throughout the line, we might've had something really special.

Oh well... tomorrow, the #BrightestMay "chains" are off... which means I'll have to actually put some thought into what I'm going to cover!  Scary thought!

--

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Brightest Day #6 (2010)

Brightest Day #6 (Late September, 2010)
"Dead Zone"
Writers - Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi
Artists - Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Scott Clark & Joe Prado
Inkers - Vicente Cifuentes, David Beaty, Mark Irwin & Christian Alamy
Colorist - Aspen MLT's Peter Steigerwald w/John Starr
Letterer - Rob Clark, Jr.
Assistant Editor - Rex Ogle
Associate Editor - Adam Schlagman
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

Welcome to the... ahem, penultimate day of #BrightestMay!

I was hoping to organize this in such a way as we'd end up with a little bit of "closure"... but, planning ain't exactly my bag.  Looks like we'll probably wrap up with "just another issue" from the Brightest Day box!

--

We open in Big Hendy Park in California, where a couple are having a peaceful picnic... sounds like the start of just about every horror movie there is, doesn't it?  Well... if you think this scene is about to get dark... you're right!  A multi-mouthed martian-ish creature rises from the stream... and kills 'em up real good!  This beastie is looking for J'onn... and has a little chat with itself (multi-mouths, donchaknow) to decide their next stop.

Speaking of J'onn, we next join him in Denver, Colorado as he visits the remains of Professor Erdel's Laboratory... which doesn't look like it's been touched in years.  I suppose that's convenient.  J'onn notices as he makes his approach that everything he comes into contact with... withers.  Hmm...

Next, we return to Georgetown... where Deadman, Hawk and Dove are... still knelt before the graves of the fallen Don "Dove" Hall and Holly "Hawk" Granger.  As Boston tries to raise Holly, the White Ring reminds him that he... er, loved cheeseburgers.  Anyhoo, Holly does rise... as a Black Lantern.  Before she can do much damage, a glowing white version of Dove (Don) interjects... and in a flash, everything goes back to "normal".  After the dust settles, Boston and the birds decide to go out for burgers.  It's as though they were bad enough dudes to rescue the President from ninjas.

We shift scenes to Pittsburgh University, where Jason Rusch is declining the advances of a pretty young thing who'd really like nothing more than to "study" with him.  As he walks by a construction site, a crane's molecular structure changes to that of... bubble gum?!

Jason taps into the Firestorm Matrix and rouses Ronnie Raymond from his... er, hangover.  Together they manage to save the day... but not without Ronnie puking on one of the construction workers... because, ya know... hangovers.

Jason lectures Ronnie on his irresponsibility... which Raymond kinda excuses away, because he's had so much on his mind... including what he did to Gehenna.  Jason is surprised to learn that Ronnie remembers... but before they can dig any deeper, they're interrupted by that mysterious third voice in the Matrix.  Ruh-roh.

We next rejoin Aquaman and Mera.  If you recall, we ended last issue with Mera confessing that she was originally sent to kill Aquaman.  Riveting stuff.  Turns out, she didn't quite have the stomach for it... and instead, fell in love with Aquaman.  It's then confirmed that the mysterious Mera-looking baddie is, in fact, Siren... Mera's sister.

We rejoin J'onn... who's still killing everything he touches.  That is, until a squirrel runs up his arm... and doesn't die.  Hmm...

After a brief stop at "the Still Zone" to check on his, uh, collection of White Martians... J'onn swings by the Batcave to have a chat with Oracle about the odd and brutal murder we witnessed a few issues back and J'onn used doggie-vision to "witness" an issue after that.  Babs tells J'onn that these are the kind of killings that scare the Feds so much that they often "bury" them... covering them up as accidents.

Suddenly, J'onn is struck by a familiarity about the case... and asks Oracle to patch him over to the... Teen Titans?!  Superboy answers the call... and J'onn asks to speak with M'gann M'orzz... Miss Martian!  Kon tells him she ain't around... and to check her little dwelling in Tanami, Australia.

Which is exactly where we end this outing... and it looks like M'gann ain't having the best walkabout.

--

Feels like things are going to get rolling here... but, it's starting to feel like... ya know when you "miss" a sneeze?  Like, you're expecting it... you feel it coming on... you might even stare into a bright light to prompt it, then... nothing.  It's kinda like when you're listening to Journey's "Don't Stop Believing"... and you feel like nearly every single line should be followed up with Steve Whatshisface belting out the chorus... then he doesn't!  That's Brightest Day to me.  Every time it feels like we're getting somewhere... the sneeze gets stifled.

Let's talk up some good points here.

Even though the scene at the gravesite felt a bit "off", I do appreciate the fact that Deadman has to relearn what it means to... ya know, not be dead.  His stomach rumbles... and he has to be reminded by the Ring to eat something.  I dig that... even if we took a roundabout way of getting there.

J'onn's walkabout was pretty neat, and is the first time we get the impression that Brightest Day and the Parliament of Trees might be crossing paths before all is said and done.  I can't remember if I picked up on these clues my first time through... but this time around, it's definitely telegraphed.  If you don't know what I'm alluding to... notice that J'onn's touch is killing things associated with "The Green" (plants and whatnot), but not "The Red" (the squirrel).

That was pretty cool... but, I still can't shake the feeling that we're wasting too many pages.  From here, we get a page of J'onn checking in at "The Still Zone"... then for a multi-page chat with Oracle which amounts to... J'onn just remembering something on his own.  Oh well... I guess it's always cool to see Oracle.

The Firestorm scene confused me a bit because... didn't we just spend a couple of issues prying Ronnie and Jason apart?  Seems kinda soon to bring 'em back together, also a little anticlimactic... but, what do I know?

The requisite Didio-DC gore is here in spades.  I mean, when we have a graphic decapitation on page 1... you'd assume that we can only go "up" from there.  That's not the case though... because on the last page we get a look at a bloody and beaten Miss Martian.  I dunno what it is, but it doesn't feel like such brutality should be used with M'gann.  Just doesn't feel right... which is probably exactly why they did it.

Overall... ehh.  Read it in trade.

--

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