My friend David Steckel got a copy before I did. As I've talked about previously, for whatever reason our area didn't get any copies of FANTASTIC FOUR #200, the long-awaited and heavily-promoted anniversary issue. For some reason, none of the oversized Marvel books, such as Annuals, turned up in this period. It was one of … Continue reading BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #200
The next issue of AMAZING SPIDER_MAN that came out introduced a character who would prove to possess remarkable staying power over the years, though it didn't really seem that way the first couple of years. This was the Black Cat, a sexy sneak thief who would go on to become a recurring love interest for … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #194
This era of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN is often overlooked but I remember enjoying it tremendously. Part of the reason for that is that once he got his sea legs under him, writer Marv Wolfman began to focus on running plotlines based more around the character's life as Peter Parker than his costumed alter ego. I also … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #193
I'm not entirely certain of the circumstances after all of these years, but I believe it happened as a result of my filling out and sending in a survey concerning Marvel's upcoming ODYSSEY magazine, which eventually reached newsstands as EPIC ILLUSTRATED. Or it may have been some other survey, possibly released through PIZZAZZ magazine or … Continue reading BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #206
It must be said, this isn't a great cover. The cover copy is doing all of the work of making the image seem interesting. And seeing Spidey entirely from the back, while that might work in certain circumstances, isn't a great choice when our central figure is an old guy in a green lab outfit. … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #192
It's tough to find a Marvel comic from this period that didn't feature any cover copy whatsoever, but this latest issue of FANTASTIC FOUR fit the bill. It probably could have used some, honestly, if only to contextualize what the FF were fighting. But it's a nice action piece either way. And I didn't need … Continue reading BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #205
This next issue of THOR was the second part of a two-part story designed to help get the book back on schedule as writer/editor Roy Thomas prepared to get into his long Celestials storyline. This was the fourth issue in a row that felt like a bit of a throwaway, so the series was going … Continue reading BHOC: THOR #282
The world of super heroes is never a stationary place, despite feelings among certain fans that nothing ever seems to change. And primary among the places where alteration can be seen is in the attire of classic characters. Giving a lagging hero a costume redesign can sometimes enhance their appeal and help carry them to … Continue reading 5BC: Five Terrible Marvel Super Hero Costume Redesigns
Another week brought another raft of new comic books at my regular 7-11's spinner rack, and I was right there on Thursday as I was every week to pick them up. First book this week was this month's issue of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, a title that I had been enjoying more and more thanks to the … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #191
Green Lantern had been my second-favorite super hero going back to my youth, when I found him occupying the back pages of THE FLASH. Once he got his own series again, I followed it regularly right from the jump. And I was particularly enamored of Marv Wolfman's run on the character which had wrapped up … Continue reading GH: GREEN LANTERN #162
The Tom Brevoort Experience 