Don Mangus' "It Only Hurts When I Smirk.": Marvelmaniac

Showing posts with label Marvelmaniac. Show all posts

Monday, August 5, 2013

Marvelmaniac: Marvel Masterwork Pin-Ups

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Marvelmaniac: The Red Skull's "Sleeper" by Jack Kirby and Various

The Fourth Sleeper was the most powerful of four robots designed in Berlin by Nazi Germany as agents of destruction.

After World War II, the Fourth Sleeper was entombed within a crypt that was sunk into the sea.

The first three Sleeper robots were activated by agents at a certain time in European villages, consisting of a giant human-like robot with blaster rays, a winged robot, and the 'brain', which resembled the Red Skull and was a powerful bomb.

Despite Captain America and the personnel of a nearby US Army base's attempts to stop them, the three Sleeper robots combined and flew towards the North Pole.

While in pursuit with the military, Captain America surmises that the first Sleeper would use its blasts to dig into the ice, enabling the robot to travel into the Earth and explode, destroying the world, as the Red Skull had vowed that if he could not conquer the world, he would destroy it.

To prevent this, Captain America is able to board the combined vehicle in midair and detonate the bomb early with a flamethrower, destroying the three Sleepers.

The crypt containing the Fourth Sleeper was retrieved from the sea in modern times, and when the Sleeper reactivated it destroyed a seacoast smelting factory and battled Captain America.

The Fourth Sleeper was ultimately rendered intangible by a "sonic crystal".

Similarly, the Red Skull later activated a Fifth Sleeper, only to have it stopped by Captain America as well.

The Fourth Sleeper was later restored to tangibility by the Machinesmith and was used as a "Trojan Horse" to gain entrance onto Avengers Island in order to liberate the various robots incarcerated there. It was thwarted by Captain America, and badly damaged.

The damage done to the Fourth Sleeper was later repaired by the Machinesmith. The Sleeper was animated by the Machinesmith to join the Skeleton Crew in search of the missing Red Skull. It battled Hellfire Club mercenaries, and the Black Queen. Replicas of the five Sleeper robots were then pitted against Captain America and Diamondback.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Marvelmaniac: Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott's Black Bolt of the Inhumans

In Those Who Would Destroy Us, script by Stan Lee, pencils and plot by Jack Kirby,and inks by Joe Sinnott; the Fantastic Four battle the Inhumans in only their second appearance (first Black Bolt cover and full appearance).

The Inhuman Triton is captured by the Seeker and the other Inhumans teleport away, while the FF are captured by the Seeker as they attempt to free Triton.

Black Bolt is King of the Inhumans.

The Inhumans first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (December 1965), though the members Medusa and Gorgon appeared in earlier issues of the series.

The Inhumans' home, the city of Attilan, was described as the home of a race that was evolutionarily advanced when human beings were still in the Stone Age.

The Inhumans are led by their King, Black Bolt, and his Royal Family, consisting of Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton, Crystal, Maximus the Mad, and the giant canine, Lockjaw.

Both Crystal and Medusa have been temporary members of the Fantastic Four. Crystal has also been a member of the Avengers.

Black Bolt has guided the Inhumans through some of the most turbulent times in their history, including several attempts by Maximus to usurp the throne, revolts by the worker class (with their eventual emancipation), attacks by human renegades, the kidnapping of Medusa, the destruction and rebuilding of Attilan, and the revelation of the Inhumans' existence to humanity.

The son of two preeminent Inhumans, Black Bolt was exposed to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist while still an embryo and gained the ability to manipulate electrons.

To protect the Inhuman community from his devastating voice, Black Bolt is placed inside a sound-proof chamber and is tutored in the use of his powers. Reentering Inhuman society as a young man — having vowed never to speak — he is attacked by his younger brother Maximus, who attempts, unsuccessfully, to goad him into speaking.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Marvelmaniac: Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta's Mangog

Mangog debuted in a multi-issue storyline in the title Thor, and is depicted as being the sum total of the hatred of "a billion billion beings" that were once killed by Odin, the ruler of Asgard and the Norse gods.

Imprisoned beneath Asgard, Mangog is accidentally freed by the rock troll Ulik, who sees a warning on the prison door not to release the occupant, and does so hoping they will make a useful ally against Asgard.

When Mangog is released, he easily defeats Ulik then storms Asgard intent on drawing the Odinsword from its scabbard which will end the universe.

Odin's son Thor battles Mangog to a standstill until Odin defeats Mangog by restoring the race he slew to life which reduces the creature to a diminutive size.