Comics Corner: Secret Wars II 6

   

Title: Secret Wars II
Issue Number: 6
Release Date: December 1985

Highlights

• First appearance of Dave Shooter, an avid comic collector and reader, and clearly meant to embody Editor-in-Chief / writer, Jim Shooter
• First appearance of Mr. McCorkle, and the Council of Watchers
• First appearance of Sparta, Illinois and Perth
• Beyonder erects a giant headquarters in Sparta, Illinois
• Dave Shooter, reporter for the Sun-Telegraph notices the new building, and smelling a story, heads out to investigate
• Beyonder watches Power Pack "getting into trouble" on his large monitor, and heads out to help
• Reference is made to Power Pack 17, Fantastic Four 20, and Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars 11
• Beyonder helps them by beating up the gang who blast a train track, and then repairing the damage
• Back at his home, Beyonder meets Dave, and rather than answer his questions, shows him with his mento-projector
• Dave becomes Beyonder's personal coordinator, and hires staff to work under him
• Beyonder admits he doesn't need any of this, but is happy that Dave has found his own purpose in life through it
• Watcher comes to Molecule Man in his home, and is not greeted with happiness
• Watcher tells the origin of Molecule Man
• Watcher says the council of his people have agreed to ask Molecule Man to stop Beyonder before he undoes everything - Molecule Man declines, and tells him to find someone else
• With Dave's business model in place, Beyonder takes jobs across the world and universe, helping everyone he can
• Captain America and Reed Richards visit Beyonder, and tell him that while he's doing a lot of good, people will soon become to reliant on him
• Beyonder and Dave meet with Death, with the Beyonder's intensions to eliminate death for all life indefinitely
• Mephisto literally explodes on the scene with demons, ready to stop Beyonder from ruining his realm by destroying death
• Many cosmic beings arrive too, all led by Watcher, who ask Beyonder to hear them out, and not eliminate death
• Death drinks the cup, vanquishing death across every multiverse
• Molecule Man meets with Beyonder, and informs him he's destroyed the whole purpose of life, and people will now every living thing will exist without meaning
• Dave sacrifices himself to resurrect Death
• Beyonder realizes he too must find his purpose, otherwise it would be better for him to die

Low Points

• No Spider-Man
• You would have to read Cloak and Dagger 4, Power Pack 18, Thor 363, Micronauts16, and Power Man and Iron Fist 121 for the continuation of the story

Oddities

• None

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - The Distance

 

You know you have some sway in the industry when you can request your label release your album on a format that isn't even being produced anymore. Such was the case with Bob Seger's The Distance. Knowing many of his fans still utilized 8 track tapes, the artist was able to get Capitol Records to release the album on the defunct format.

As a whole, it sold over two million copies, and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200. With it came Billboard Hot 100 hits, Even Now (12), Roll Me Away (27), and Shame On The Moon (2). The latter being a cover of Rodney Crowell's tune from his own self-titled album released in 1980.

Seger drew inspiration from the Woody Allen film Annie Hall, initially intending the album to be about relationships. However, after realizing this would make for a rather boring record, he shifted course. Though ultimately some tracks ended up making the cut from this original vision. These included Even Now, Love’s The Last To Know, House Behind A House, and the album closer, Little Victories.

Playing though it, you immediately get treaded to the standard Bob Seger sound. I.E. songs that either dig into the roots of jukebox rock, or deep dive into the storytelling of the artist.

It's typical fare, but not without its high points. Take away tunes for me were Even Now Boomtown Blues, Shame On The Moon, Roll Me Away, and House Behind A House.

Overall, it's okay, but it doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table. I suppose that probably works for a lot of fans when an artist stays in their comfort zone and essentially releases the same album over and over, myself included in that camp. So, I can't fault Seger for not really doing anything mind blowing. He's found the formula that works for him, and he's running with it.

Sales for The Distance took a sharp downturn for Seger and his band. While it did reach platinum status, it failed to garner the numbers of his past three records, which achieved five- and six-times platinum certifications. This sudden downturn left the artist quickly becoming irrelevant in the MTV era.

While he contributed the 1984 song, Understanding to the soundtrack for Teachers, nothing else surfaced from him until 1986, when he released the studio album, Like A Rock. This would also be his last for the decade. Tomorrow is where I'll pick that one up.

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

Comics Corner: Web Of Spider-Man 11

   

Title: Web Of Spider-Man
Issue Number: 11
Release Date: February 1986

Highlights

• First appearance of Reno Candelario, Freddy, Dumbo, Ms. Kwan, Mr. Garrison, Mr. Tong, Mr. Lisle, Ms. Han, Bob, and Ray
• Reference is made to Web Of Spider-Man 6
• With his suit being laundered, Peter is forced to battle against a bunch of thugs as himself in the middle of a laundromat
• Word of Peter's heroics spread fast, and soon make their way to the Bugle
• The community forms, "Peter Parker Patrols", a neighborhood watch of sorts, and this doesn't sit well with Peter or the Bugle
• Ricardo's brother, Hector, makes a surprise appearance at their home, and Hector finds out he's a hitman for the mob
• Hector wants to be like his brother, but his brother tells him he's a loser, and he should find a real life for himself helping their mother
• Across town, Freddy's dad is lighting him up with a belt, yelling at him for lying, stealing, and dropping out of school
• The thugs keep breaking into Peter's apartment, first leaving a note knifed to his pillow, then rats in his fridge
• Peter seeks advice from Flash on how to deal with bullies, and Flash is shocked as to why, explaining he wasn't a bully in school, instead he only razzed Parker because he never wanted to join in any of the social gatherings, even though everyone always asked him
• When Spider-Man comes to the aid of Peter, and confronts the bullies, this only sets them off more, and they set Peter's apartment on fire, goading him to fight his own battles

Low Points

• Really? Spider-Man versus a bunch of street bullies? Does this really have to be a two part cliffhanger ending? Just punch their eyes out the back of their heads, and call it a day

Oddities

• Editor's Day Off: Panels with Spider-Man's lenses colored red

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Christmas Catalogs - JCPenny 1971

Hey! You want to spend the next two years looking at the fantastic Christmas catalogs produced by Sears, JCPenny, and Montgomery Ward? Cause I do! Yeah, I said two years, cause that's a lot of catalogs! Join me on most Monday's each month as I post up one of those fabulous books starting with 1970, and ending with 1989.

Look through every page, feeling every bit of nostalgia. Chuckle at the look and style of the wardrobes those zanny past decade people wore. Gawk at the toys you used to have, but long since parted ways with. Bring back all those memories of hours spent laying on the floor, combing every inch as your young mind pined over everything you wanted. Reminisce over the Christmas that followed as you unwrapped those lucky few that you got.

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