MCP #3 - Man-Thing

Marvel Comics Presents #3 (Man-Thing)
"Elements of Terror, Part 3 of 12: Ritual and Belief"
Writer - Steve Gerber
Art - Tom Sutton
Letters - Agustin Mas
Colors - Petra Scotese
Assistant Edits - Michael Rockwitz
Edits - Terry Kavanagh
Chief - Tom DeFalco

Dunno what it is... but I feel like I need to get something of a "running start" each time we have a Man-Thing feature here in Marvel Comics Presents.  It's just so daunting... and, in that sorta-kinda "try-hard" way that really makes it a chore to push through.

Let's see what we see...

--

We open with a small plane arriving at the Freedom Science Studies Institute that we learned a little bit about last chapter.  A gurney is rushed off the rig and rolled into a waiting ambulance.  On the gurney?  Well, it's our believed-to-be-dead Senatuh Wycombe... and he don't look all'at hot.  In fact, he's about to be injected with a shot of whatever the hell "Project: Glamour" is all about.  Meanwhile, in the swamp... Man-Thing is absolutely smothered in precious narration panels.  Woof.  He's trying to cope with his new lot in life.  If you recall (though, I might not be the best "tour-guide" for this story), our hero "merged" with one'a dem crispy critters... and was left looking much worse (and weaker) for wear.

Now comes... well, a lot of exposition... not all of it interesting.  First, we meet a reporter named Mick Ditillio who is interviewing another Senator about Wycombe's "murder" and the nebulous "Project: Glamour".  This new Senator (Miller) doesn't have much of a comment... but hopes Mick uses a bit of discretion when it comes to putting together tomorrow's newspaper headline.  We follow Mick home, where he's trying to connect the dots... while his very, uh, "perky" girlfriend tries to entice him into maybe putting work aside for a bit.  They must keep the apartment pretty chilly, I tell ya what.

Next, we meet Colonel Jody Choate, who is on the phone being sinister as all get-out... talking about a Demon (that he's totally not scared of!) and everything.  His wife pops her head in to check on him... and we learn that he's doing... whatever it is he's doing... for "freedom".  So yeah, it looks like we might be getting one'a those stories.

Back to Man-Thing.  He shambles through the swamp, before coming upon a... I dunno, witch's house?  Whatever the case, she's just about to sacrifice a puppy dog when our Muck Monster bursts in the place.

The art doesn't really convey this... nor, unfortunately, does the story (unless I'm just completely dense), but I believe this scene wraps up with Man-Thing and Voodoo Mama Juju making a "deal".  She'll fix him up in exchange for a "path to Hades".  Alrighty then.

--

Y'all remember that little run on Swamp Thing that Alan Moore had back in the long ago?  Ehh, probably not... it's kind of obscure and nobody ever talks about it.  It certainly didn't inspire a whole crop of writers to explore deconstructing superheroes or anything.  Of course, I'm being facetious... 

I remember the first time I read that stuff.  Sure, there's a whole lot of "heady" concepts in it... but, it never felt (to me) like it was trying to be smarter than I was.  It was just a well-told story, that felt accessible and inviting, regardless of how "heady" the concepts became.

Gerber's Man-Thing?  Not so much.  This is a story that is begging you to tap out.  It wants you to know that it is so much smarter than you (or at least, me).  The storytelling is really weird... and, at the risk of sounding like a complete jackass, "insists upon itself".  The precious and few scenes where our titular hero actually shows up are the worst of all!  I think I'd have gotten more out of his scenes if they were completely "silent"!

As for the rest... ehh, government conspiracies... some "good ol' boy" doing what he's doing in the name of "freedom".  A reporter hot on the trail of the hoo-doo.  Nothing we haven't seen before, and presented here with the subtlety of a sledge hammer.

The art still continues to impress!  Really excellent stuff here... even if, in more esoteric scenes, it's really hard to follow.

Tomorrow: Fuhgeddabout Shang-Chi fish "references", this story's just called "Fish"!

MCP #3 - Wolverine

Marvel Comics Presents #3 (Wolverine)
"Save the Tiger, Part 3 of 10: The Gals"
Writer - Chris Claremont
Pencils - John Buscema
Inks - Klaus Janson
Letters - Tom Orzechowski
Colors - Glynis Oliver
Assistant Edits - Michael Rockwitz
Edits - Terry Kavanagh
Chief - Tom DeFalco

Welcome to Week Three!

Once we get through this issue, we'll have the same amount of Marvel Comics Presents under our belts as we have DC's New Talent Showcase.  Hmm... 

So tell me, gang... would you rather we just press on with the MCPs... or maybe flip-flop from this point on?  Does anyone have a preference?  Does anybody even care?  *tap-tap* is this thing on?

Lemme know!

--

We pick up right where we left off... with Wolverine surprised that he'd run into Jessan Hoan.  Whodat?  Well, let's find out.  She is a financial whiz-kid from Singapore, who got caught up with the X-Men during a Reavers attack in the Australian Outback days of the team.  We jump ahead to Roma offering the X-Men the opportunity to pass through the Siege Perilous... which is a pretty big (and nebulous) subject unto itself.  Jessan refused to pass through... and so, Roma offered to just send her back to the moment before she got all entangled with the merry Mutants.  So... while Logan recognizes her... she hasn't the foggiest idea who the weird hairy creep she just met in the street is.  Man, an editorial footnote here might've been of assistance.

Wolverine and Jessan start to rumble... she ain't takin' kindly to him pawing all over her, and so... she takes a page out of the Mr. Fuji playbook, and blinds him with some powder before hip-tossing him into the street, right into the path of an oncoming truck.  This allows Claremont to drop a reference to Wolverine's mutant healing ability... which makes us three-for-three!  The fight s'more, with Jessan giving our hero the slip... and then running him over with a stolen motorcycle!

While our man licks his wounds, he is approached by sweet, sweet Sapphire from the Princess Bar.  Whatta thirsty broad!  She attempts to sweet-talk him, however that doesn't work all that well.  So, instead... she just plants a kiss on him.  This is one whopper of a kiss, from Sapphire "Styx"... as Wolverine is suddenly "consumed... by a sea of shadows".

Logan pushes Sapphire away, and attempts to flee the scene.  Unfortunately for him, he stumbles right into the waiting spikes of... Razorfist!  Wolvie's kayoed... and Sapphire (who is in cahoots with Roche... and prob'ly ol' Fist) looks about ready to strike.

--

Another solid chapter!

I tell ya what... I was not expecting any references to The Siege Perilous.  That seems like one of the more esoteric bits of Claremont's X-Men run... and, it's kind of weird seeing a nod to it here.  I know a lot of folks feel like the X-Men line of books (even back in the late-80's), were daunting to downright overwhelming.  I couldn't imagine what those on the outside might've thought upon seeing the team pass through a giant brooch to begin their new lives!

As a fan of the X-Fam, I loved seeing this reference... though, as mentioned during the synopsis, I feel as though an editorial footnote (or five) might've come in handy for the uninitiated.

Outside of the callback, this is basically a big fight scene.  Wolverine underestimates Jessan, and gets thrown in front of a truck... and run over by a motorcycle for his troubles.  Thankfully he's got that (oft-mentioned) Mutant healing ability!  We also get the "swerve" on sweet, sweet Sapphire.  She of the soul-sucking kiss... or something.  I thought it was weird that Claremont kept making sure to give her a little bit of panel-time over the last couple of chapters... so, it was neat to see it pay off here.

Razorfist... the character we spent half of last chapter building up, gets a panel and a half of play-time... but, I don't really have a problem with that.  I'm sure we'll see plenty more of him during the remaining five chapters.

Overall, I really dug this... and I'm looking forward to more!

Tomorrow: Body Horror!

BIZARRO BREAK #12 - Super-Dumped!

BIZARRO BREAK #12 - Super-Dumped!
"Super-Dumped!"
Story by Johnny Ryan
Art by Dave Cooper
Edits - Joey Cavalieri

What in the... a #BizarroBreak?  Why it's been 120 days (17 Weeks and a Day) since we last did one'a these!!!

We've got us a story that... I'm sorry, ain't got no alibi, today.  I've been dreading covering this story, just because I don't even like looking at it in the book.  Somethin' about this art... it's like those "hyper-realistic" bits from the old Ren & Stimpy show... you know, the ones that are super-gross... like if they focused in on a very large pimple or something?

Let's do it!

--

We open in a park... or at least a somewhat-wooded area, with Wonder Woman dumping Superman.  Ya see, she's found another... a nerd named Kerky.  She lays into Clark that his only answer to everything is to resort to violence.  Her Kerky, however, is a kinder and gentler li'l soul.  As Clark sobs, Diana and her new beau strut outta the scene...

... all the way to "Ultimate Bill's Comic Book Sweat Box!".  This might've given me the only chuckle I'm going to get outta this one.  Comic shops are some sweaty places... especially in the age of Covid, where we're wearing facemasks in public!  A couple weeks back, I swear I sweated at least a cup and a half into my mask!  Good thing masks don't need to be laundered... right?  Err... nevermind... moving on.  Now, our hero Kerky becomes verbally abusive to our Wonder Woman... because, ya know... ain't nothin' comin' tween he and his comics.

Once the doors open, he rushes to the back wall to pick up a copy of Industrial Strength Cleaner... a comic featuring a super-heroine with the body of an old school vacuum cleaner.  We're treated to a two-page spread featuring her exploits... and they might be the least off-putting this artwork is going to look!

While Kerky reads, one of the other nerds recognizes Wonder Woman.  This briefly excites her, until the nerd goes on to say that she ain't all'at... and she's certainly no Industrial Strength Cleaner!

Just then, Supergirl arrives!  And get this, she also claims to be Kerky's girlfriend.  Gotta wonder what this li'l nerd is packin'.  Supergirl and Wonder Woman get in each other's faces... and before we know it, they're brawling all over the place!

Okay, I lied before... there is one more line in this that did make me chuckle.  Wonder Woman hurls Supergirl into a nearby taxicab... and says it can take her back to "Uglytown".  Don't know why that made me laugh... but, it definitely did!

So, the super-ladies keep fighting... until Kerky shows up to introduce them both to his new(est) girlfriend... dun-da-da-dahhh, the Industrial Strength Cleaner.  He bids the two "pigs" adieu, and struts outta the scene.

The ladies clean themselves off, and vow never to date a nerd again.  Just then, Clark Kent in full-on nerd-gear arrives to try and woo Diana back.  Both super-women haul ass down the road in fright.  Uh, Supergirl... ain't dat your cousin?  I don't think he was propositioning you.  Then again, these are Bizarro Comics.

--

Baw-haw-haw... aren't comic book fans, da woist!  What a bunch of stereotypical stinky, ugly, unkempt nerds!

I mean, I don't think that's supposed to be the main takeaway from this story... but, damned if that's not the only thing we're left with, right?  I mean, why would Ryan and Cooper purposely create a story just to mock and stereotype the people reading it?  Almost seems counterproductive to the concept of selling comics, dunnit?

Now, if I'm somehow "missing" the subtle genius of this story... please enlighten me!  You know I can be somewhat dense, and I can also totally be prone to "tunnel vision".  If I'm missing the forest for the trees, I'd really appreciate getting an education!

I've mentioned time and again how strange it is that comics is one of the very few entertainment (and therefore "non-essential") industries out there that openly and explicitly runs-down and derides their customer base.  It's almost like the industry wants to die.  Heck, after reading something like this, I can almost make a case that it might be time to start tugging on that plug.

This wasn't good.  It was mean-spirited and oh-so-ugly... which, I might've forgiven if the story made up for it... but it didn't.  We've likely all read some comics that poke fun at the fandom... but this lacked any and all charm of say, an Evan Dorkin Eltingville story... and instead relished in playing up every comics fan stereotype... down to our hero Kerky literally drooling at the thought of getting his latest "fix" of Industrial Strength Cleaner.

Not a good look... and, it might make you (or at least me) stop overthinking why comics sales are in the toilet and shops seem to be closing down by the week (pre-Covid).  Oh and, as mentioned, the art is very off-putting.

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode 147 - Omaha the Cat Dancer #1 (1984)

Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, Episode #147


Omaha the Cat Dancer #1 (1984)
"The Adventures of Omaha the Cat Dancer"
By Reed Waller
SteelDragon Press
Reprinted by Kitchen Sink Press (October, 1986)
Cover Price: $1.60 / $2.00

What's New, Pussycats?

Keeping our limited-engagement"Final Five" episodes of Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill rolling on... we're covering an interesting little comic, created by perhaps an even more interesting fella, in Reed Waller.

It's classic Cosmic Treadmill, as we go deep on the life and times of the creator... and his battles with various global governments attempts at slapping obscenity charges on his work.  So, all the stuff you love about the show... with all the explicit cat sex ya don't!

Just like with last episode's look at Cherry Poptart #1... listener discretion is strongly advised!  In fact, if you do decide to listen in public... without earbuds, you might get looked at even weirder for this one!

Marvel Comics Presents #2 (1988)

Marvel Comics Presents #2 (Mid-September)
Wolverine: "Save the Tiger, Part 2 of 10: The Bad Guy"
Man-Thing: "Elements of Terror, Part 2 of 12: First Witness"
Master of Kung Fu: "Crossing Lines, Part 2 of 8: Bait"
The Captain: "Cold War"
Writers - Chris Claremont, Steve Gerber, Doug Moench, & Al Milgrom
Pencils - John Buscma, Tom Sutton, Tom Grindberg, & Al Milgrom
Inks - Klaus Janson, Tom Sutton, Dave Cockrum, & Al Milgrom
Letters - Tom Orzechowski, Agustin Mas, & Jim Novak
Colors - Glynis Oliver, Petra Scotese, & Greg Wright
Assistant Edits - Michael Rockwitz
Edits - Terry Kavanagh & Michael Higgins
Chief - Tom DeFalco
Cover Price: $1.25

Welcome to the second Marvel Comics Chrisents Compilation Post... talking all about MCP #2!  Boy, the weeks are just piling up, ain't they?  Well, not really.

Y'all wanna hear something funny?  Well... maybe not funny-funny... but, one'a those "yeah, of course that'll happen now!" sort of situations?  For those of you who frequent this joint, you might remember that early in 2020 I embarked on a project to chronicle all of the stories in DC's New Talent Showcase anthology.

That project came to a screeching halt when I was unable to procure a copy of New Talent Showcase #4... and, you all know my rules about "finding comics" for the blog... 1) they've gotta be physical copies, and 2) I have to find them "in the wild", ie. no "Buy it Now" online shopping.

Welp, no sooner do I spend several hours "gimmicking up" the first slew of Marvel Comics Presents covers to fit the "Chrisents" project... do I come across NTS #4 (and all of the issues from that series I was missing) in a cheap-o bin!

Truly a "you gotta be kidding me!" moment!

Speaking of DC Comics... let's hop across the street and see what was going on in their anthology series when MCP #2 was hitting the shelves.  As this issue is given a "mid-September" cover-date, I've got to assume this bugger came out smack dab in the middle of a five-Wednesday month.  That really narrows us down to the exact issue of ACW that came out.  Click the GIF to check out the discussion!

Let's get to the poll!

For Marvel Comics Presents #1... we had a decent li'l turn out:

Unsurprisingly the Claremont/Buscema Wolverine story got the nod.  That's the story I voted for as well!  Poor Shang-Chi, despite being the most widely read (or bot-squatted) MCP post of the week, didn't get a single vote!  I hope that isn't a reflection on how I approached covering his story!  I guess we'll find out as we continue on, eh?

Here's this week's poll!  Please vote in good health... and if you have any pals who you think might have an opinion on these stories, please pass 'em along!

Best Story in Marvel Comics Presents #2

Wolverine Man-Thing

Master of Kung Fu The Captain

--

We open with a bearded fellow informing a group of "young gentlemen" that he is quite disappointed in them.  This man... well, he doesn't bother to introduce himself, but he's referred to as "Mr. Roche".  These "young gentlemen" are comprised of the punks that Wolverine beat the hell out of in our prior chapter.  The geeks make excuses... but, our well-dressed financier isn't havin' any of it.  He decides it's time to introduce them to a... um, less well-dressed individual.  In fact, this guy looks damned goofy.  Ladies and gentlemen... I give to you: Razorfist!

Could this be... could it be we've already found our "Malvolio"?  What ol' Mal was to Action Comics Weekly... could Razorfist be to Marvel Comics Presents???  Ehh, probably not.  Anyhoo, Razorfist makes short work of the punks.  Mr. Roche then gives him his next mission... which is, duh, kill Logan.

Speaking of Wolverine... when last we left him, he had a whole lotta guns pointed at his mug.  That O'Donnell character has taken point on the discussion... and would really like to know how this hirsute stranger knew the late Dave Chapel.  Logan explains that he happened across the fella while on one of his many leisurely treks through the desert... ya know, like ya do.  Chapel was in a bad way... professionally tortured and left to perish.  Before he died, he gave Wolverine a locket to return to Madripoor... and so, that's what he's trying to do.

O'Donnell isn't so sure he's buying this story... and so, Logan more or less dares him to try somethin' funny.  O'Donnell proves that he's no dummy by pocketing his firearm.  This impresses sweet Sapphire, who thirsty broad that she is, introduces herself to Wolverine yet again.  He still isn't terribly interested.  Out the window, our hero notices a familiar figure wearing one'a those Raiden from Mortal Kombat hats.  Could this be one of those guys Shang-Chi fought at the flophouse last issue?  Nah...

Wolverine gives chase... in a scene that reminds us both that he: a) is a mutant with super-keen senses, and b) has unbreakable Adamantium-laced bones.  We might have to start keeping track of how many times we're going to "learn this"... I have a keen interest in that old chestnut that "every comic is somebody's first", so this tickles me... perhaps more than it should.  Anyhoo, Logan catches up to this stranger... and we find out that it's actually Jessica Hoan!  You might be asking, "Who's Jessica Hoan?", to which I'd respond with "How dare you..."  No, actually, I haven't the foggiest myself (maybe she's Tiger Tyger?  Or izzit Tyger Tiger?), but I'm looking forward to finding out more... next time!

--

Chris Claremont has proven to be such a versatile writer during his career... but, I'm honestly a bit surprised (and impressed) at how well he's adapted his style to an eight-page format.  Sure, he did a bunch of weeklies in his time, Captain Britain and what-not... but, man... this had some great flow to it that, sadly, cannot be said for a lot of the stories we got across the street in Action Comics Weekly.  Over at DC Comics, the shift to eight-pagers seemed to be the bane of most writers' existence.  Stories were uneven, weirdly paced, and sometimes just a total mess when it came to the "nuts and bolts" of comic book storytelling!

Mr. Claremont doesn't have that same problem... in fact, he seems to have the ability to tell his same style of story... ya know, very wordy... but still with plenty of action and characterization, in any-size-chunk he chooses!  It's a true testament to his talents!

So, whatta we got here?  Well, we get some information on the punks from the previous chapter, as well as meeting the mastermind and the new "big bad" on the block.  Logan's story at the bar gets picked up perfectly, and we find out a bit about Dave Chapel... and our hero's motivations for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Then, we get a decent enough cliffhanger with the arrival of Jessica Hoan (who I'm like 87% sure is Tiger Tyger/Tyger Tiger... however the hell the name actually goes).  Feels like we're getting actual progression... and we're only 16-pages in.  Really enjoying this.  The art... well, it's the same as last time.  Good stuff, but I really don't care much for this frumpier-faced Logan.  And, Razorfist?  Sweet Lord... that's one dopey-looking character!  Yikes.

--
--

We open in a Washington, D.C. courtroom, where General Selbert (that fella from last issue who met up with those geeks in the swamp) is being grilled by a bloated, slow-tahkin' Suthin' Senitah.  He's being questioned about possible involvement in the Colombian Drug Trade... and some nebulous book-keeping involving a Swiss Bank Account... which, is like a sure-sign of not being on the up-and-up in the 1980's, right?  Selbert manages to "massage" an explanation that almost makes sense (if you squint).  All the while, there's a drug-deal going down in a parking structure.  It's cash-for-coke... and then a car explodes.  Okey doke.

The Senitah keeps Selbert on the hook for a bit... almost as though he knows more than he's letting on, and might just be giving the General enough rope to hang himself.  The line of questioning shifts to a facility called the Freedom Science Studies Institute... a place where General Selbert sits on the Board.  The Senitah inquires about the goings-on inside, to which, we learn that they're working on your run-of-the-mill super-soldier studies.  Our man is very nonchalant about this... could you imagine someone coppin' to this in real-life?  It might come as no surprise, but these "super soldier" rejects look a whole lot like those abominations we met last issue.

As the courtroom back-n-forth continues, we a page featuring the one and only Man-Thing crawling from the muck.  Senator Wycombe changes the subject to the matter of something called "Project: Glamour"... which, I believe is those pictures they take of you at the mall after coating the camera lens in copious amounts of Vaseline, right?  Welp, Selbert plays ignorant... and so, the line of questioning ends.  Now, this entire proceeding has been televised (which is friggin' nuts... I mean, they're casually talking about human experimentation and super-soldiering here).  One fella (maybe the General?) who is watching the trial looks to have placed a target on owa ahn'able Senitah.

Later that night, we catch up with Wycombe... who is still trying to get to the bottom of the Glamourshots gambit.  Unfortunately for him, an assassin (I assume) bursts through his window... and kills him!  Well, maybe kills him... for all we know, it might've been a bloody abduction.  The front page headline the next day attributes his murder to a "Cult"... though, it confirms that no corpse was found at the scene.

Speaking of the next morning, we next arrive at Sunshine Air Cargo in Florida, where a gawky burnout called "Skinny" has arrived... and he might have a package?  Or he might've just done something bad?  Or... who the hell knows... he's here, and he's greeted by another bloated fella who sticks a pistol in his face.

We wrap up with a preciously purple page of Man-Thing... still crawling outta the muck.  He feels feels, sees memories, hears laughs... yadda, yadda, yadda.  Hopefully we'll find out a little bit more... next time!

--

Well... I didn't love this, and I didn't hate this.  I swear, this story in particular is really giving me Action Comics Weekly flashbacks.  I feel like we're reading a blend of the first arcs of Deadman and Secret Six.  Story, art, and that odd feeling of "what in the world are we reading?"... just so reminiscent of those two features!

So, we've got a trial... we've got ties to the Colombian Drug Trade... we've got a weirdo Science Institute trying to concoct Super Soldiers... we've got a Murder Cult... we've got Man-Thing being all goth and poetic... izzit me, or are we perhaps trying to cram a little too much graham into this little cereal... err, serial?  We've seen that sort of thing before... Black Canary, we're lookin' at you!  Though, in fairness... I do have a great deal more faith in Steve Gerber's ability to pull this all together than I did Sharon Wright.

The art here continues to impress... and now, I can finally give credit where it's due... to Tom Sutton!  I'm still getting some underground comix vibes from his style... which feels very much right for a story of this tone.

I'd have liked our titular Man-Thing to do a little bit more than repeatedly rise out of the muck... but, I suppose I can give 'em a pass due to the "world-building" Gerber's engaging in during this early chapter.  One of the reasons I'd started this project was to better familiarize myself with the "fringe" Marvel characters.  So far, and yes... we're only 16-pages in... I'm not feeling all that confident.  I'm optimistic this will pick up over the course of the next ten (ten???) weeks.

--
--

We open with Shang-Chi, having been reunited with some of his old running buddies, getting suited up.  Reston suggests that his new costume would do Bruce Lee proud.  Our hero hasn't the foggiest idea who "Bruce Li" is.  Is that funny?  I think that's supposed to be funny.  Anyhoo, once dressed, Black Jack Tarr gives us the quick 'n dirty on how he got into his new position.  Having zero familiarity with any of this, I suppose this is kind of helpful.  Then again, since I do have no familiarity with this, it comes across as pretty meaningless.  As Tarr bloviates, Shang notices how chummy Xiao and Leiko have grown... more on that later.

After Jack shuts his trap, Shang notices that Reston has taken up the old past-time of... smoking!  He questions him on this decision, leading to our fair-haired boy nearly hacking out a lung.  I think this was supposed to be funny as well.  Anyhoo, Tarr suggests that with Shang's return, everything will go back to the way it used to be.  This causes our hero to kind of flip out.  He didn't return just to repeat the past, you see.  He dramatically throws up his fist... then stomps out of the room like an eight year old girl whose parents wouldn't buy her a pony.

Shang hangs out in the courtyard... for like hours, it seems.  Thankfully there's a pond/pool out there, so he could make more fish references.  We definitely haven't seen enough of those yet!  After awhile, he grows tired of this... Lord knows I am... and decides to, uh... try and get a li'l alone time with Leiko?  She turns him down, promising to explain everything the following morning.  Shang-Chi... De-Nied.

We follow our hero to bed... where he's awakened by nightmares of demons or something... probably has something to do with his old title.  It's a darn good thing our man does wake up, however, because the compound is under attack!  Shang's friends are bein' sliced and diced... and so, he springs to action - but is held off by a ninja with a gun.

The baddies ultimately flee... and it looks like they've taken Leiko with them!  Tarr, Reston, and Shang reconnoiter, and we learn that Xiao did not survive the attack.  We also learn that Xiao and Leiko were recently engaged... ya see, Shang noticed that the ring Leiko was wearing (which we saw in that attempted booty call panel) was new.

--

Much like yesterday's Man-Thing chapter, I didn't love this... nor did I hate it.  Despite knowing next to nothing about them, I'm kinda digging these characters.  I guess where I'm struggling a bit is with the threat.  I don't know that's it's really been established properly... especially for folks who are new to this property.

Are we just to assume that Shang-Chi will be attacked by a group of ninjas every night?  Is there going to be some big reveal that the old man Tarr took over for is behind this?  If you're new to Shang-Chi (or even if you're familiar with his adventures), will that even "move the needle"?  I dunno.  It feels like the obvious route to take... but that doesn't make it any more interesting, does it?

For this story... I thought the character bits during the first half were pretty strong, especially those coming from Shang's sorta-kinda displaced point of view.  He gets this weird melancholy feeling that... despite the fact that he was "away", life for everyone else went on.  I've been in a similar situation as that... and, lemme tell ya, that's a tough pill to swallow.  The realization that the world, and even your friends' lives don't necessarily "revolve around you" is a humbling, and almost spirit-crushing sensation.

Shang sees that Xiao and Leiko have moved on... together.  Black Jack Tarr has taken over whatever the hell organization he's taken over.  Reston... uh, started smoking.  Life goes on... with or without our involvement.  Trying to reconcile that, with Jack's suggestion that, with Shang back, everything could go "back to the way it was", was too much for our hero to handle... leading to his odd (and, assumedly out-of-character) emotional outburst.  Sure, I had a little fun with it during the synopsis... but, it was very effective if you stop and think about it.

Overall... this was a bit of an uneven chapter... could've done without the ninja attack, though, it couldn't be avoided if we want to move the story along.  I'm sure we'll talk more about Xiao and Leiko as we move forward through the serial.  I'm definitely looking forward to more!

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We open with Steve Rogers... The Captain arriving at a rather strange crime scene.  Ya see, there's some frosty hoo-doo goin' on at the Cryo Lab.  The nearby police are a little surprised to see our hero... not so much due to the fact that he's, ya know, a superhero... but more for the fact that he's wearing this weird black costume.  Steve-O tells them just to call him "The Captain", and that's good enough for them.  Just then, our new friend the Fear Bug arrives on the scene... he's now officially being referred to as the "Fear Eater", which sounds moderately cooler than "Fear Bug", but a lot less cool than Parallax.  The F.E. focuses on (The) Cap and attempts to latch onto his deepest, darkest fears.

Here's the thing, though... The Captain doesn't appear to have any!  Well, that's not entirely true... Steve's got fears, yeah... but, he's both faced and mastered them.  The Fear Bug's gonna need to take another tack.  Just then, our hero heads inside the Cryogenic Lab... and goes into flashback mode.  Folks familiar with Captain America will know that he and ice go back a long ways.  We get the quick n dirty about his own time in the deep-freeze, and how he wound up a man "out of time" with the Mighty Avengers.  Nothing we haven't seen a million times before (or since), but whattayagonnado?

Suddenly, our hero has this weird revelation that he's something of an anachronism in contemporary times.  At this point, The Captain finds himself... scared!  Uh-oh.  Just then, he finds himself attacked by COLD WAR... who is basically just a spiky Iceman.  According to our baddie, this "Cold War" character is just an innocent frozen human that the Fear-Eater animated to "embody Captain America's greatest fear".  More on that in a bit.

Cold War zaps Cap wit'a da ice... and starts to surround our poor hero in the stuff.  (The) Cap has a moment where he (no pun intended) freezes up... before realizing that he is stronger than this fear.  He refuses to give up... and smashes his new ice dungarees with the edge of his shield!

He then slip-slides his way toward Cold War... and kayos the poor innocent ice puppet.  The Fear-Eater chalks this up as another loss and flees the scene.  We wrap up with The Captain turning Cold War over to the authorities.

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So... anyone unfamiliar with Captain America's origin?  Because so much of this... is that.  Not a bad thing... especially if we view this under the scope of "every comic could be somebody's first", right?  Now, how many of us are super familiar with why Steve Rogers is wearing a black costume right now?  Shouldn't that be at the very least mentioned?  I know the police officers made a comment about the new duds... but, we get zero explanation... not even a tiny narration box, or an editor's footnote!

I mean, if I was coming into this story "cold" (pun... uh, intentional?), that's what I'd wanna know about!  I don't need to see Peter Parker get bit by the friggin' spider for the hundredth time... but, maybe catch me up on what's gone on in his world over the last few weeks, right?

Outside of that... let's talk about this story.  Did the Fear-Eater concoct this entire Cryo-Lab thing... because, it didn't seem like it in the reading.  I thought the Fear Bug showed up after the fact, and just decided to use it to put a li'l fright into Cap.  Maybe I'm missing something.  If that's the case... ya know, that the F.E. wasn't responsible for the hoo-doo at the Lab... then, who was?

I mean, "Cold War" was just a frozen human that the Fear-Eater "animated" to embody Cap's worst fear... right?  I mean, it said as much.  Was Cold War an actual baddie here?  Because, if not... the poor dude's going to wind up paying for the Fear-Eater's crimes, no?  I don't see him getting a "fair trial", know what I mean?  The whole thing is... kind of a mess.

So yeah... we spend too many pages on Captain America's origin... we have a nebulous timeline... and an even more nebulous villain.  Well... at least it looked nice, and it was fun to see The Captain in his darker togs!

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