Thursday, January 21, 2010
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Posted by
Tony
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1/21/2010 08:24:00 AM
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Addendum: 'Tec Annual 11
That "Eighth Deadly Sin" story has an 18-page backup story, "Blacker than Black," written by Mandy McMurray (who?) with art by Kelley Jones(yay!)
The story's workmanlike -- it shows an aspiring vampire-themed serial killer called The Stygian getting obsessed with Barbara Gordon. Naturally, she calls in Looker, an extremely powerful telepath-turned vampire. There's some kind of subplot with a wrongfully accused man, that really ought to fit into 18 pages, but it doesn't quite get across.
Caleb's given me a new appreciation of Kelley Jones, though, and he doesn't disappoint here. I think Jones deserves some kind of special Eisner for making Looker look cool.
You heard me. Looker.Labels: geo-force
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Tuesday, July 07, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
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7/07/2009 09:24:00 AM
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Looker: I'm just sayin'
If you're Looker, you probably shouldn't make fun of someone else's costume. In this case, it's Firefly, but still.
 Labels: geo-force
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Wednesday, May 06, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
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5/06/2009 03:07:00 PM
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Reagan Strikes!
I disagree with a lot of Ronald Reagan's policies, but you can't argue with this:
(Criag's 2007 look at Comix Reagan put me in mind of this. This comes us courtesy of The Outsiders No. 24.)Labels: geo-force
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
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Posted by
Dara
on
3/26/2009 10:02:00 PM
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Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
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2/11/2009 01:09:00 PM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! A Way Forward
Well, my bid to bring Geo-Force up to the B-List has pretty much come to a close, so I've been brainstorming ways to help him find his niche. DC has plenty of royal heroes, and a few Europeans, so that's not it. It has people with Earth powers , and semi-strong guys, too.
Some new angle ... maybe something that's been there all along.
I've got it! Geo-Force is the male Empowered.
With the Martian Manhunter out of commission, the DC needs someone to do the J-O-B until Superman shows up.
That one's from Gail Simone's Birds of Prey a few years back, so you know this option is viable. Maybe she can do for the Markovian Marvel what she did for Catman?
But I figure if he never makes it in the DCU, maybe he can bounce over to Eros.
Or maybe Tom of Finland is hiring. What do you say, GF? Is that a plan?
So that concludes our look at Geo-Force. Keep flossing, big guy.
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Wednesday, February 04, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
2/04/2009 03:10:00 PM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! My work here is almost done.
In the back of my National Periodicals this month I see that DC Direct is coming out with a Geo-Force action figure!
The Duke of Oil and Madame Ovary can't be far behind.
Update The Laughing Ogre has sold out of its shipment of Geo-Force action figures! All three of them! So I'm wait-listed. Call your Local Comic Shop today and demand your Geo-Force action figure!
Next time: My 6-part series hits its 14th and final episode: A Way Forward!
Be there! It'll be good!
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Monday, February 02, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
2/02/2009 10:18:00 AM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! Because you demanded it ... Madame Ovary!
Who is Madame Ovary? Her given name was Dr. Ovarni, and she was a chubby, middle-aged woman who was unable to bear children. But instead of getting a dozen cats, she decided to clone Baron Bedlam ...
... and Adolf Hitler.
For those of you trying to follow along, Geo-Force threw Baron Bedlam into an angry mob here, in Batman and the Outsiders No. 2. Bedlam gets cloned back to life for Adventures of the Outsiders 33-34, again conquering Markovia. A moment in the life of Clone Hitler is here, then Geo-Force kills Baron Bedlam again here.
And if I may go all Craig Bogart on you, Adventures of the Outsiders No. 33 was the first comic book back issue I ever bought. I read about the Outsiders in a mid-1980s RPG manual and wanted to see what they were all about.
I got AOTO33 at one of the comics-and-card shows they used to have at the Zanesville mall, and the next day I went back and got the rest of the Markovian restoration saga. This storyline rocked my socks -- as you can tell, because I've now scanned in about half of it.
One more thing about Madame Ovary: In addition to knowing her way around a nucleus, she also kayoed the Bad Samaritan twice.
Don't get me started on the Bad Samaritan.
Next time: Another brief interlude, and then our 14-part (!) "Leave Geo-Force Alone" series thunders to a finish with: The Way Forward!
Be Here! It'll be good!
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Friday, January 23, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
1/23/2009 09:11:00 AM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! Inaugurations
Our 232-year tradition of peaceful transfers of power is OK -- for us, maybe -- but here's how Geo-Force does it:
(Additionally ... Mike W. Barr's Batman was unusually bloodthirsty.)
I thought I was done with "Leave Geo-Force Alone!" but I'm still having fun. Next time: Madame Ovary! Then: The Way Forward!
Be Here! It'll be good!
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
1/20/2009 05:03:00 PM
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Nothing can stop ... The Duke of Oil!
Because you demanded it! Here is the tragic tale of the Duke of Oil!
When we first meet Earl J. Dukeston, he's a Texas-sized Texas oilman visiting Markovia's offshore drilling platform, Station Markovia. Markovia's Dr. Helga Jace has discovered a way to extract oil from oil tar with 96.32 percent efficiency -- and extract gold from seawater. Suck on that, Martian Manhunter.
Dukeston has a number of affectations, including calling the brilliant scientist "Helgie." He's folksy. You betcha.
Inevitably, he attempts to steal the technology, and finds out that Station Markovia is really a front for the Outsiders. Along the way, we reveal his origin:
After suffering a near-fatal oil rig accident, the Duke's brain is recovered by a group of evil scientists called Skull. They promise to clone him a new body, but for now his brain is encased in a cyborg shell. He has to do their evil scientific bidding.
He stands off the whole team for about 20 pages, turning their own headquarters against them. Along the way he sheds parts of his human form, becoming this:
Looker notices she can't pick up his brainwaves, and later the whole team manages to open up his brain case. There's nothing there! He's all robot! The evil scientists have been lying to him! Realizing he has become an Outer Limits-style sci-fi plot twist, he throws himself into the Pacific Ocean.
This is the part where your brain starts to hurt. Why the deception? Why didn't Skull just build a robot? Why not get a volunteer? Isn't the DC Universe chock-full of people willing to sacrifice their physical forms for a powerful robot body? Did they need the brain engrams of specifically a Texas oilman?
So that's the Duke of Oil: A fairly powerful villain, a ridiculous backstory, a dollop of pathos, a small metaphor on the environment, and a bad pun. One-dimensional villain? Oh, no. This guy's an onion.Labels: geo-force
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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
1/14/2009 08:54:00 AM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! Villains make the man (or don't)
Batman was the Outsiders' original mentor, but one of the lessons he failed to teach the team was: You're only as good as the villains you fight. The big obstacle to Geo-Force becoming a B-lister is his strength of schedule.
The original Outsiders only fought two members of Batman's inestimable rogue's gallery, and they were Firefly and Maxie Zeus. At least arrange a bout with Calendar Man, Bats.
To make matters worse, Mike W. Barr had a real thing for pun-related villains in those days. Geo-Force found himself up against the Force of July, the Duke of Oil, Madame Ovary, Agent Orange, the Nuclear Family, and this unfortunate fashion victim here:
But still, he managed to get some licks in on some quality opponents. Like Soviet super-soldiers ...
... Vampires ...
... And he had an unusually strong outing against Superman.
But, of course, he failed to defeat his greatest nemesis: Free Willy.
But, like I say, this was early in his career.
Next time: It's the last "Leave Geo-Force Alone" post, and in it we find a new way forward for the Markovian Marvel. Be Here! It'll be good!
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Friday, January 09, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
1/09/2009 04:45:00 PM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! That's One Way To Do It.
This may not be the best way to escape from a death trap, but it is the most rugged.
Next time: The villains make the man -- or don't! Be Here! It'll be good!
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Wednesday, January 07, 2009
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Posted by
Tony
on
1/07/2009 01:05:00 PM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! A Look Back
I understand Geo-Force was momentarily on the JLA, but then got traded down to the Outsiders. I understand he was pretty salty about that, although there was a time when it was all he wanted.
Of course, that was the Mike W. Barr run, not the Winnick/Dixon/whoevertheheck run.
Next time: A Way Forward. Be Here! It'll be good!
Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
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Posted by
Tony
on
12/31/2008 11:16:00 AM
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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Posted by
Tony
on
12/24/2008 02:57:00 PM
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Peace on Earth, and goodwill to men ...
... even Clone Hitler. Here's Clone Hitler receiving life-saving care from his Jewish day nurse, who was a little slow.
Clone Hitler would later realize what he'd done the first time around, and shoot himself. That, folks, is a happy ending. Read all about in Outsiders No. 35, Sympathy for the Fuhrer.Labels: geo-force
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Friday, December 19, 2008
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Posted by
Tony
on
12/19/2008 01:26:00 PM
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Monday, December 15, 2008
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Posted by
Tony
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12/15/2008 08:40:00 AM
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Leave Geo-Force Alone! A Portrait in Pain
One of the things that can really deepen a character is trauma ... and Geo-Force has that in spades. For starters, there's that thing with his half-sister and that little dustup with Deathstroke. Then there's the fact that Markovia gets invaded every other year, with coups in the off-years.  He's seen his father, King Viktor, die:  And his brother, King Gregor:  He was framed for Gregor's murder:  And his sister-in-law's -- by a vampire, no less.  And then there was that time his mentor betrayed him to the Manhunters.  But he still takes time for the finer things in life. Next time: Geo-Force -- Ladies' Man! Be Here! It'll be good! Leave Geo-Force Alone, Tonygoins.comLabels: geo-force
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