80-Pagecast Episode 7: Distinguished Competition

The 80-Pagecast returns!  This week, we three Marvel Zombies journey to the other side, as we discuss what the deal with DC is.  Also, Rob and Dave try to coax Jen into visiting her comic store, Dave and Jen try to explain Game of Thrones to Rob, and we all try not to laugh at nuclear nipples.  Show notes after the jump.

80-Pagecast Episode 6: Sales Charts

We will not be canceled! Unfortunately some comicbooks we like get canceled. Jen Ulm, Rob London, and David Henion take a look at some with lows sales they hope don't get canceled. Plus they talk about Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye (yes again), Superior Spider-man (no surprise), and the all new adjectiveless X-men #1. Show notes after the jump.

Sal's Sunday Punch #23

Oh right, we still have this blog.  So hey, let's get our punch on.

It's Memorial Day weekend in the States, so this week we're paying homage to America's top super-soldier...times two!  See, after Steve Rogers ended up in the deep freeze, America still needed a Captain America...and there were a few of them.  One in particular, William Burnside, the Captain America of the '50s, didn't lead the charmed existence that Rogers did.  He wasn't the sanest of individuals to start with, and when a botched Super-Soldier process damaged his sanity, he went super-crazy.  Eventually the government had to put him in cryo-stasis, but eventually he got out and went on a rampage. In Captain America #156, by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema, he and Rogers have their big throwdown.  As could be expected, it's the real Cap who delivers the Sal Buscema Punch:

Wait, that's not Ultimate Captain America!  He'd be making fun of the French or something.

Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting paid it a nifty homage in 2012's Captain America #19, in an issue that recounts Cap #156 while Steve has another encounter with Burnside.

I guess we forgive you for giving the Avengers leather jackets now, Steve.

80-Pagecast Episode 5: Guilty Pleasures

We're back!  Jen Ulm, David Henion, and Rob London join you once again, to tell you about their deepest, darkest secrets...or at least the schlockiest, cheesiest guilty pleasures in their comics collections.  Also, we talk about bunnies, '90s hair, and guys who are Satan-ish and/or Satannish.  Show notes after the jump.

80-Pagecast Episode 4: Iron Man Three

Who's got six thumbs and has seen Iron Man 3? Jen Ulm, Rob London, and David Henion. They spend a a while talking about what was good and bad about it. But only after celebrating everyone's favorite holiday, Free Comicbook Day. And of course take the time to talk about recent issues of Superior Spiderman (again), Gold Digger 200, and Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye (again). Show notes after the jump.

80-Pagecast Episode 3: Badguy Books

The bi-weekly 80-Pagecast becomes tri-weekly for this special episode! This week Jen Ulm, Rob London, and David Henion spend some time talking about terribly great villains in Superior Spiderman, Thanos Rising, and Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Plus some of our favorite books starring villainous casts from the past. Show notes after the jump.

80-Pagecast Episode 2: We Feel Ways About Stuff

It's back!  The 80-Pagecast returns for a second scintillating episode!  This time, in the emotionally-traumatic wake of Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #15, Jen Ulm, Rob London, and David Henion discuss our feelings.  We also touch upon such vital topics as space cursing, giant metal breasts, and tracksuit Draculas.  Show notes after the jump.

Full Metal Snakeskin

Aaaaaancient scans of Cobra Commander's battle armor from the last few issues of Marvel's original G.I. Joe comic. To date, this design has never received a toyline counterpart, which is kind of striking considering how much the modern G.I. Joe toys take inspiration from the comics. I had attempted to remove the backgrounds from all three of the images, with varying degrees of success. I don't think I have the unaltered versions anymore...
 
Anyway. Using this armor and a specially-manufactured Ninja Disorienting Hallway installed in the Silent Castle, Cobra Commander was able to defeat and capture the then-heroic Storm Shadow. This led to Snake-Eyes mounting a rescue attempt for his sword brother - and surely he'd fall for CC's new tricks, too! However, Snake-Eyes (seen in the background of the third pic) was able to get through the special Ninja Disorienting Hallway by... CLOSING HIS EYES! Then he hit Cobra Commander with a flechette round, because he decided to rescue Storm Shadow in a commando-y way instead of a ninja-y way for some reason. I'm not sure why this ignited CC, but it's been a while since I've read the story. Maybe Snake-Eyes had a flamethrower, too?

Scans from G.I. Joe #150 and 151. Art by Phil Gosier and Crusher Wallace (#150) and Phil Gosier and Scott Koblish (#151).

Comic Comparison -- MTMTE #15 and Transformers #66.

Mmm. Visual metaphor.

So I finished reading a comic called Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #15. It was the climax of an ongoing set of plot threads from the book, ending in a huge battle with a super-powerful Decepticon aboard an Autobot space ship.

More Than Meets The Eye is a great book -- especially if you're a hardcore Transformers fan.

So I was a little taken aback when I was reading the Allspark and found that reactions to the issue were far more mixed than is normal for MTMTE. So I went and read the issue again. The second time I started to notice a strange feeling; I'd read this story somewhere else.

So I read it again and it twigged. It's the Furman-ness. Simon Furman was a long-time writer on Transformers in the 1980s and a very big and obvious influence on MTMTE's writer James Roberts. But it was more than just stray scenes that were similar to the old days... it was... the whole issue.

More Than Meets the Eye #15 (Under Cold Blue Stars) was beat-for-beat a copy of Marvel's Generation 1 comic #66 (All Fall Down).

Big big spoilers follow guys, so if you haven't read these two comics yet do so, then come back here with them both in your lap and join me for a little journey of comparisons.

80-Pagecast: Episode 1

We're trying something new at 80-Page Giant this week - the 80-Pagecast, a podcast featuring 80-Page Giant contributors David Henion, Rob London, and Jen Ulm.  This week, our main topic is retold origins, so enjoy as we mostly ignore that topic and discuss bad wigs, Two-Face's facial hair, and molten cobalt instead.  Have a listen and tell us what you think!  Show notes after the jump.