Date: Sun, 12 Nov 95 23:09:53 EST From: mbg84022@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Matthew Gerber) To: superchat@awenet.com Reply-To: superchat@awenet.com Errors-To: postmaster@awenet.com Precedence: bulk X-Mailer: PMMail v1.1 UNREGISTERED SHAREWARE Subject: 000REVIEWS: Sentries #12 to Sentries #15 Complete spoilers for all episodes in all Superguy Subtopics from Sentries #12 to Sentries #15 follow. The "review crew" consists of myself, Mason Kramer, Jon Lennox and Rick Rechowicz. Mason and Rick do not review episodes they're affiliated with and anyone can choose to abstain from any review. I still write the capsules. Story type scale: 1: Full-tilt wacko 2: Generally humorous with serious elements 3: Equal balance of seriousness and humor 4: Generally serious with humorous elements 5: Lethal serious, perhaps with flashes of humor Rating scale: 0: Abysmal (As bad as it gets.) 1: Very Bad (Thoroughly wretched, few life signs.) 2: Bad (Still thoroughly bad, but less so.) 3: Very Poor (Might have potential, but needs a lot of work.) 4: Poor (_Does_ have potential, but needs work.) 5: Mediocre ("Eh." Okay, not bad, but not good either.) 6: Good (Genuinely good read. Basic Superguyage.) 7: Very Good (High basic Superguyage. The difference between 6 and 7 is fairly slim.) 8: Excellent (Very high quality writing.) 9: Exceptional (Really excellent, even for Superguy. Can have no serious flaws.) 10: Perfect (The kind of thing that leaves you sitting there in front of the screen going "whoa...." for a while. These are VERY, VERY RARE.) /// [Superguy] Sentries #12 (Jon Robertson) /// A lot happens in 215 lines (counting headers and signature) here. Sentries is still improving episode to episode. The length problem isn't _gone_ yet, but it's getting better. Characterization is also still improving, and the "guest villains" are suitably ludicrous. If you aren't reading it, start now. /// Sentries #12: Type 3, 6.25 run-on sentences /// Matt: 7 Mason: 7 Rick: 5 Jon: 6 /// [Legion of Net.Heroes] Dvandom Force #53 (Dave van Domelen) /// Dvandom Force is one of LNH's better series, and this issue, while not particularly spectacular, isn't an exception. Dave's characterization is rock-solid as usual, although with a higher angst level than most Superguy series. Superguy readers with no knowledge of the LNH Looniverse will (correctly) feel like they're jumping into the middle of a running plotline, but there's enough exposition to keep them from feeling completely clueless as to what's going on. /// Dvandom Force #53: Type 5, 6.67 encrypted surnames /// Matt: 7 Rick: 7 Jon: 6 /// [Superguy] Task Force Aurora #9 (Chris Angelini) /// Aurora crosses over with the Hero Patrol's Television Dimension arc in Chris' usual hilarious fashion. The episode manages to involve an imminent collission in space, a 20-foot cat, a combination of Automan and the Flintstones, and the destruction of the universe by two ADVANCE operatives. Whoops. (Although, presumably, Chris is going to have to put it back by next issue....) /// Task Force Aurora #9: Type 2, 7.00 20-foot cats /// Matt: 7 Mason: 7 Rick: 7 Jon: 7 /// [Superguy] Super Seven #34 (Greg Fishbone) /// /// Type 3, 7.50 exploding Budweiser frogs /// Matt: 8 Mason: 8 Rick: 7 Jon: 7 /// [Superguy] Sentries #13 (Jon Robertson) /// /// Type 3, 6.00 cream-pie-vulnerable force fields /// Matt: 6 Mason: 7 Rick: 5 Jon: 6 /// [Superguy] Task Force Aurora #10 (Chris Angelini) /// This episode gets a 3 by virtue of jumping all over the type scale, but it can't really be classified with a single number. Highlights include a really hilarious Red Dwarf parody, a _very_ intense.... conversation.... between Wishstar and Anaesthetic, and the death of a character who in most stories would be an expendable extra, but who Chris manages to make a likeable character in less than 100 lines of appearance. _Excellent_ characterization work, particularly on the latter two, and all around a very good episode. /// Task Force Aurora #10: Type 3, 7.50 Big Sharp Things(tm) /// Matt: 8 Mason: 7 Rick: 7 Jon: 8 /// [Superguy] The Mind's Construction #2 (Rob Furr) /// Rob Furr simply does things with the English language that most people don't do. Combine that with the fact that this is just plain a good story in every way (characterization, dialogue, humor, and plot) and you have just about everything you could ask for in a Superguy episode. Getting to see the inside of Intercontinental Salvage is a _lot_ of fun, too. /// The Mind's Construction #2: Type 3, 9.00 transdimensional tractor-trailers /// Matt: 9 Mason: 9 Rick: 9 Jon: 9 /// [Superguy] Sentries #14 (Jon Robertson) /// /// Type 3, 6.50 automatically re-inflating whoopee cushions /// Matt: 7 Mason: 7 Rick: 5 Jon: 7 /// [Superguy] Preteen Patrol #15 (Greg Fishbone) /// /// Type 3, 7.67 Rice Krispy(tm) Treats /// Mason: 8 Rick: 7 Jon: 8 /// [Superguy] Good Guy Syndicate #1 (Ben Rawluk) /// Ben's latest Superguy effort.... leaves quite a bit to be desired. This feels like it belongs more in LNH than Superguy, but even disregarding genre problems, it needs help badly. Characterization at least exists this time around, but needs more depth to it--and all the characters come out of nowhere, with no explanation as to who they are, how they got here, what they're doing or why we should care. Rawluk _has_ the potential to write genuinely amusing stuff someday, but this isn't it. Two points for effort. /// Good Guy Syndicate #1: Type 3, 2.00 6-year-old (sort of) cosmic entities /// Matt: 2 Mason: 1 Rick: 2 Jon: 3 /// [Superguy] Sentries #15 (Jon Robertson) /// /// Type 4, 6.50 substandard narrators /// Matt: 7 Mason: 7 Rick: 5 Jon: 7 -- Matthew Gerber - mbg84022@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~mbg84022/ (currently out of order)