From rubicon+chat-request@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Sun Jun 4 17:37:31 1995 Received: from vuse.vuse.vanderbilt.edu by marimba.cellbio.duke.edu via SMTP (920330.SGI/920502.SGI) for merlin id AA05266; Sun, 4 Jun 95 17:37:31 -0400 Received: from soong.club.cc.cmu.edu by vuse.vanderbilt.edu (8.6.12/SMI-4.1/VUSE-1.15) id QAA20544; Sun, 4 Jun 1995 16:37:29 -0500 Received: from DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU by DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU (PMDF V4.3-13 #7763) id <01HRBEI09T5C8WWBKO@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>; Sun, 04 Jun 1995 17:35:22 -0500 (EST) Received: from pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (132.170.243.2) by DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU (PMDF V4.3-13 #7763) id <01HRBEHW6G8091WA2V@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>; Sun, 04 Jun 1995 17:35:17 -0500 (EST) Received: by pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Smail3.1.29.1 #7) id m0sINKb-0001ymC; Sun, 4 Jun 95 17:35 EDT Date: Sun, 04 Jun 1995 17:35:37 -0400 (EDT) From: Matthew Gerber Subject: 000REVIEWS: Nifty Gadget Man #1 to Unsubscribe [one-shot] X-Sender: ind00597@pegasus To: Superchat List Cc: Chris Meadows Errors-To: rubicon+chat-request@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Reply-To: rubicon+superchat@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Status: RO Phew. Catching up for most of a week.... spoilers for all issues listed below. Nifty Gadget Man #1 Slivers #1 Adjusted League Unimpeachable #87 Wandering Morons #12 Soundbyte #2 Task Force Aurora #3 Team M.E.C.H.A. #58 Startrion #2 Mr. Morbid: H.M.J. #7 Tornado Knights #2 Historical Superguy: Half Life #1 Super Seven #30 Team M.E.C.H.A. #59 Unsubscribe [one-shot] 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 1: Very Poor 2: Poor 3: Good 4: Excellent 5: Exceptional (and fairly rare) /// NIFTY GADGET MAN #1 (Kenneth Cooney) /// Well, the good news is that Ken Cooney's back on Superguy. I've loved Mind Trekker ever since I read it in the archives, and I've been hoping to see more of it. The bad news is, this isn't Mind Trekker. It isn't even close. The concept could be amusing, but it just isn't very funny as executed. Further, the mechanics need work. I'm looking forward to seeing more from Ken, but this isn't anywhere near the level he's capable of. Nifty Gadget Man #1: TYPE: 2 RATING: 2 nifty gadgets /// SLIVERS #1 (Kenneth Cooney) /// Well.... it's better than Nifty Gadget Man. This parody of Sliders is actually _funny_ at times, and the mechanics are far better than NGM's. But it's still just not Superguy's usual level. I _know_ Ken can write better than this, and I really want to see him do so.... Slivers #1: TYPE: 2 RATING: 3 Arnold Schwartzenegger dolls /// ADJUSTED LEAGUE UNIMPEACHABLE #87 (Eric Alfred Burns) /// Arm-Fall-Off Boy? ARM-FALL-OFF BOY!? Now, as for the rest of the issue.... whoa. There's not much else that can really be said. All around excellent characterization, including absolutely beautiful framing for the flashback on both ends. What the burning question is now is how Mike and Trashman have messed up here.... as usual, I find myself with only wild-guess theories as to what's coming. Which is, of course, the whole point.... Adjusted League Unimpeachable #87: TYPE: 2 in Teaser, 5 in Issue RATING: 5 Tihorns /// WANDERING MORONS #12 (Jesse Taylor) /// "And now for something completely different...." Interestingly enough, Jesse is managing to make a set of villains into fairly sympathetic characters. Not quite sure where he's going with this characterwise, but it looks like the trip's going to be fun. Wandering Morons #12: TYPE: 3 RATING: 4 Planetary Annihilation Cannons /// SOUNDBYTE #2 (Mike Escutia) /// Gee, I wonder what Ergh's favorite regular comics are? :) You got your weird and slightly annoying hero, you got your certfiably nutso villain, and you got your obligatory sarcastic AI. What more can you ask for? Characterization, for one thing, and that's going very nicely here. The plot is fairly standard formula, but that's secondary to the humor and atmosphere in this miniseries. Soundbyte #2: TYPE: 3 RATING: 4 Cosmic Shoes /// TASK FORCE AURORA #3 (Chris Angelini) /// Liftmaster? BWA-HA-HA! Beautiful. So far, this series is just getting better and better. Some much-needed limitations on Wishstar, Doug and Peterson get their clocks cleaned, and some more characters come over from The Tribe Of Behn. Really enjoying this one. Task Force Aurora #3: TYPE: 3 RATING: 4 suits of power armor /// TEAM M.E.C.H.A. #58 (Chris Meadows) /// Ah. Always enjoyable when a parody of the Power Rangers gets treated with the respect they deserve. Was wondering how (sorry) Link's link with Pinto Sally would be handled, and this pretty much ties up that particular loose end. Still uncertain _exactly_ where Chris is going with this, of course. Generally excellent issue with nice characterization and a solid action sequence. Looking forward to more. Team M.E.C.H.A. #58: TYPE: 4 RATING: 4 Power Ranger "homages" /// STARTRION #2 (Matthew Rossi) /// Matt is in his usual form here, that is, excellent. Good characterization, a decent action sequence, and a nice little reversal of the tired "public thinks new hero is menace until he proves himself" cliche. This is shaping up to be an excellent new series. Startrion #2: TYPE: 3 RATING: 4 vaporized sets of clothing /// MR. MORBID: H.M.J. #7 (Don Cook) /// This is the first issue I've read of this series, so I don't know enough of what's going on to feel completely justified in rating it. The rating below is tentative and for this issue only. It seems decent enough, if nothing spectacular, with fairly nice characterization and fairly original characters. More once I've had a chance to read the back issues and get a better feel for it (hopefully by its next issue). Mr. Morbid: H.M.J. #7: TYPE: 2 RATING: 3 subliminal messages (tentative) /// TORNADO KNIGHTS #2 (Jesse Taylor) /// Not a lot to say about this issue that hasn't already been said about the last one. Hilarious as usual, but more of a plot is coming into focus.... it can't _possibly_ get as convoluted as Blorg Trek but it looks like things are going to get to the point where a program is required _very_ quickly. Looking forward to it. Tornado Knights #2: TYPE: 3 RATING: 4 mysterious spatula-wielding old men /// HISTORICAL SUPERGUY: HALF LIFE #1 (Lawrence Brown) /// Historical Superguy is almost always fun to read, and this issue is no exception. I'm a sucker for war stories and war comics, so I really enjoyed it. That's the good news. The bad news is that it loses a point from its rating for mechanics. This series would benefit _greatly_ from a spelling and grammar checker and/or a quick proofread, as the content is first-rate. Half Life #1: TYPE: 5 RATING: 3 salutes /// SUPER SEVEN #30 (Greg Fishbone) /// Actually remembered the issue number this time. Great character issue all around. Raises two questions: Who the heck is the computer, and what the heck happened to Kyle, Tracy and Stacy? (Actually, I think I've already guessed the answer to the first. As to the second one, though, I have _no_ clue....) Super Seven #30: TYPE: 3 RATING: 4 mutagenic-goo flavored slushcones /// TEAM M.E.C.H.A. #59 (Chris Meadows) /// Mostly a tie-up-the-very-LARGE-dangling-loose-end issue, well handled. Team M.E.C.H.A. seems to be getting bigger every other issue.... Pinto Sally's joining is handled well, with believable characterization all around. Of course, now the question is what the other Grangers _are_ going to try to do about it. (Besides wondering about the parameters of the apparently imminent crossover, that is....) Team M.E.C.H.A. #59: TYPE: 4 RATING: 4 exploding getaway cars /// UNSUBSCRIBE [one-shot] (William Shideler) /// Mechanics are okay except for an improper capitalization, but that doesn't help any. Way too short. No action sequence and no real characterization to make up for it. No angst, of any density. No humor. For that matter, not much of anything. This sort of thing just belongs somewhere other than Superguy. Unsubscribe: TYPE: ? RATING: 0 E-mail followups with LISTSERV instructions Matthew Gerber ind00597@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ind00597/