Arts
      and
      Entei
      ent
     
    

    
     
      the
      pure-blooded
      vampire
      tribe,
      led
      by
      a
      slinky,
     
     
      scantily-clad
      Queen
      who
      bears
      a
      disturbing
     
     
      resemblance
      to
      Deanna
      Troi
      from
      Star
      Trek:
     
     
      The
      Next
      Generation.
      They
      want
      Team
      7
      on
     
    
   
   
    
     
      their
      side...
      and
      plan
      to
      use
      all
      their
      wiles
      to
      do
     
     
      it.
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It’s
      not
      a
      bad
      comic.
      The
      Image-style
     
     
      bloody
      violence
      is
      almost
      overshadowed
      by
      the
     
     
      neat
      bio-armour
      concept.
      The
      snappy
      banter
     
     
      between
      teammates
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Hellstrike
      (a
      Brit)
      and
      Fuji
      (Japanese)
      spout
     
     
      more
      national
      cliches
      than
      Supreme
      can
      shake
     
     
      his
      hammer
      at:
      Fuji
      continually
      refers
      to
      every-
     
     
      one
      as
      ‘(name
      here)-san’,
      while
      Hellstrike
      says
     
     
      “‘bloke”’
      and
      ‘‘mate’’
      almost
      every
      other
      word.
     
     
      This
      in
      the
      face
      of
      Storm
      Watch
      continuity
      that
     
     
      has
      Hellstrike
      in
      a
      coma!
     
    

    
     
      So
      far
      I’ve
      managed
      to
      find
      only
      two
     
     
      things
      I
      liked.
      One
      wasa
      panel
      in
      issue
      #14
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dale
      Keown
      was
      one
      of
      the
      first
      to
     
     
      draw
      in
      the
      Image
      style,
      and
      remains
      one
      of
     
     
      the
      best
      at
      it.
      Every
      one
      of
      the
      zillions
      of
      little
     
     
      lines
      seems
      well-placed,
      and
      the
      overall
      value
     
     
      of
      the
      composition
      is
      very
      high.
      There
      are
     
     
      also
      fewer
      of
      those
      lines
      than
      in
      most
      Image
     
     
      books,
      which
      adds
      strength
      to
      Keown’s
      work.
     
    

    
     
      Like
      I
      said,
      it
      has
      loads
      of
      potential.
     
     
      The
      down
      side
      is
      that
      each
      issue
      is
      heavier
      on
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
          
     
     
       
     
     
          
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      seems
      natural,
      as
      opposed
     
     
      to
      the
      forced
      characteri-
     
     
      zation
      of
      Force
      Works.
     
     
      And
      there’s
      a
      weird
      sense
     
     
      of
      humour
      underlying
     
     
      everything:
      the
      tainted
     
     
      vampires
      boast
      Geordi
     
     
      LaForge-style
      headgear,
     
     
      and
      the
      plague
      container
     
     
      is
      a
      giant
      beach
      ball.
     
     
      And
      so,
      despite
      |§
     
     
      reservations
      about
      the
      |}
     
     
      eventual
      development
      of
     
     
      the
      concept,
      I
      say
      it
      might
     
     
      be
      worth
      your
      while
      to
     
     
      checkout
      Wetworks.
      Nor-
     
     
      mality
      need
      not
      apply.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Supreme
     
    

    
     
      Issues
      14-17
     
    

    
     
      Story
      by
      Rob
      Liefeld
     
    

    
     
      Image
      Comics
     
    

    
     
      Supreme
      is
      the
      eXtreme
      Studios
      rip-off
      of
     
     
      Superman.
      The
      one
      interesting
      and
      original’”’
     
     
      thing
      about
      him
      is
      his
      supposedly
      enormous
     
     
      ego.
      It
      would
      make
      for
      a
      nice
      twist,
      Supes
     
     
      flying
      around
      showing
      off
      instead
      of
      humbly
     
     
      saving
      the
      world.
     
    

    
     
      Unfortunately,
      Supreme’sego
      has
      taken
     
     
      a
      trip
      and
      left
      Madness
      in
      its
      place.
     
    

    
     
      Yousee,
      circa
      Supreme
      #11,
      thebig
      guy
     
     
      lost
      his
      powers
      to
      Quantum.
      Fortunately,
      he
     
     
      fought
      with
      Thor,
      won,
      and
      got
      Thor’s
      ham-
     
     
      mer.
      Unfortunately,
      he’s
      now
      out
      of
      his
      mind
     
     
      and
      it’s
      taken
      six
      issues
      to
      work
      it
      out.
     
    

    
     
      Unfortunately,
      his
      therapy
      consists
      of
     
     
      nothing
      but
      fighting
      with
      various
      guest
      stars
     
     
      instead
      of
      character
      analysis.
      In
      every
      chapter
     
     
      some
      other
      big,
      burly
      Image
      hero
      shows
      up
      and
     
     
      has
      a
      badly
      done
      fight
      with
      Supreme.
      The
      sole
     
     
      €xception
      so
      far
      is
      the
      Spawn
      guest
      issue
      (#15),
     
     
      Wherein
      Supreme
      and
      Spawn
      standaround
      and
     
     
      bitch
      about
      their
      horrible
      lives.
     
    

    
     
      There’s
      just
      too
      much
      wrong
      with
      this
     
     
      Comic
      to
      go
      into
      here,
      but
      I'll
      hit
      the
      high
     
     
      Points,
      First
      of
      all,
      none
      of
      the
      various
      artists
     
     
      Seems
      to
      have
      any
      sort
      of
      grip
      on
      drawing
      the
     
     
      characters.
      Pedi’s
      (his
      real
      name?)
      art
      on
      #15
     
     
      'S
      especially
      grotesque,
      distorted
      and
      unap-
     
     
      Pealing.
      Everyone
      looks
      like
      Plastic
      Man
      on
     
     
      Steroids
      in
      a
      blender
      while
      high
      on
      LSD.
     
    

    
     
      Secondly,
      the
      story
      and
      dialogue
      are
     
     
      Unbelievable.
      Supreme’s
      ‘mad
      ranting”
      is
      not
     
     
      only
      unconvincing,
      it
      sounds
      like
      Fantastic
     
     
      Four
      dialogue
      circa
      1964.
      Also,
      the
      characteri-
     
     
      ation
      of
      the
      guest
      stars
      isn’t
      consistent
      with
     
     
      their
      own
      books.
      Excellent
      example:
      Storm
     
     
      Watch,
      the
      issue
      #16
      guests,
      are
      a
      multina-
     
     
      “onal
      U.N.
      group.
      In
      their
      own
      book,
      the
     
     
      Nationality
      of
      individual
      characters
      is
      played
     
     
      ‘UD
      only
      rarely
      in
      order
      to
      give
      a
      feeling
      of
     
     
      UNitedness,....In-
      this
      appearance,
      however,
     
     
      peed
      seul
      osu]
      eyz
      leo
      too:
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a]
      "
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      aN
      AlN
     
     
      featured
      cameos
      by
      several
      dozen
      famous
      action
     
     
      figures,
      like
      the
      Transformers
      and
      Thundercats.
     
     
      The
      other
      was
      a
      stapling
      error
      in
      my
      copy
      of
     
     
      Supreme
      #17
      (guest
      star:
      Pitt,
      sans
      Timmy
      and
     
     
      Jereb)
      which
      left
      page
      7
      a
      free-floater.
      I
      had
     
     
      endless
      fun
      inserting
      page
      7
      in
      various
      point
      in
     
     
      the
      story.
      Know
      what?
      It
      made
      perfect
      sense
      in
     
     
      all
      of
      them!
      This
      comic
      book
      Lego
      was
      the
      most
     
     
      fun
      I
      had
      with
      the
      book
      (besides
      naming
      all
      those
     
     
      action
      figures).
     
    

    
     
      Don’t
      buy
      it.
      It
      sucks.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Pitt
     
    

    
     
      Issues
      #5
      and
      6
     
    

    
     
      Story
      and
      Art:
      Dale
      Keown
     
     
      Image
      Comics
     
    

    
     
      It’s
      a
      weird
      story
      that
      has
      the
      potential
      to
     
     
      be
      cutting-edge
      work,
      but
      it
      doesn’t
      quite
      make
     
     
      it.
     
    

    
     
      You
      see,
      Pitt
      is
      an
      alien
      halfbreed
      with
     
     
      enormous
      muscles,
      a
      violent
      temper,
      a
      denim
     
     
      vest
      andcool
      chains.
      Moderating
      his
      Incredible
     
     
      Hulk-like
      nature
      are
      a
      disembodied
      voice
      named
     
     
      Jereb
      and
      a
      small
      boy
      named
      Timmy
      (Pitt’s
     
     
      answer
      to
      Rick
      Jones!).
      But
      for
      some
      reason,
     
     
      Jereb
      has
      merged
      his
      mind
      to
      Timmy’s
      brain
      and
     
     
      now
      poor
      Timmy’s
      in
      a
      coma.
     
    

    
     
      Since
      I
      didn’t
      read
      the
      back
      issues
      of
      Pitt,
     
     
      I
      have
      almost
      no
      idea
      what’s
      going
      on.
      The
      letter
     
     
      columns
      were
      invaluable
      in
      shedding
      enough
     
     
      light
      on
      the
      backstory
      to
      help
      me
      review
      it.
     
    

    
     
      Issue
      #5
      begins
      with
      Pitt
      standinga
      lonely
     
     
      vigil
      over
      Timmy’s
      hospital
      room.
      He
      is
      dis-
     
     
      tracted
      by
      a
      mugging
      in
      progress
      in
      the
      alley
     
     
      below.
      Three
      guys
      are
      about
      to
      tear
      up
      a
      woman
     
     
      who
      stiffed
      them
      ona
      drug
      bill;
      Pitt
      leaps
      into
      the
     
     
      fray
      and
      saves
      the
      lady
      by
      wrapping
      a
      signpost
     
     
      around
      her
      attackers.
      Bad
      move!
      The
      miss
      turns
     
     
      out
      to
      be
      a
      head-eating
      were-fiend!
      Pitt
      rips
      its
     
     
      heart
      out...
      and
      gets
      nailed
      by
      a
      local
      superteam
     
     
      when
      the
      corpse
      turns
      human.
      Issue
      #6
      features
     
     
      Pitt
      in
      a
      fight
      with
      said
      superteam.
      Meanwhile,
     
     
      unidentified
      bad
      guys
      kidnap
      little
      Timmy.
      Pitt,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      and
      the
      superteam
      set
      aside
      their
      differences
      to
      .
     
     
      ”
      chase
      the
      bad
      guys.
      Hooray!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ug
     
    
   
   
    
     
      9v002ID
     
    
   
   
    
     
      2z9001q
     
    
   
   
    
     
      bloody
      violence
     
     
      |
      than
      on
      plot
      de-
     
     
      i
      velopment.
      But
     
     
      this
      gripe
      aside,
     
     
      it’s
      still
      kind
      of
     
     
      |
      cool.
      Keepan
      eye
     
     
      |
      on
      it,
      ‘cause
      if
      it
     
     
      ever
      lives
      up
      to
     
     
      #|
      the
      potential,
      it’s
     
     
      @|
      gonna
      be
      one
      of
     
     
      fame)
      the
      best
      ‘big
      mon-
     
     
      (aaa
      ster’
      stories
      go-
     
     
      ae
      ing.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Codename:
     
     
      Stryke
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Force
     
     
      Issues
      #4-6Story
     
     
      by
      Mark
      Silvestri
     
     
      Art
      by
      Brandon
      Peterson
     
     
      Image
      Comics
     
    

    
     
      In
      keeping
      with
      the
      horror-or-horri-
     
     
      ble
      theme,
      the
      current
      story
      arc
      in
      Codename:
     
     
      Stryke
      Force
      isa
      not
      terribly
      good
      retelling
      of
     
     
      the
      classic
      nail-biter
      Alien,
      except
      with
      big,
     
     
      burly,
      superheroes
      versus
      the
      grotesque
      thing
     
    
   
   
    
     
      7
     
    
   
   
    
     
      from
      beyond.
      Oh,
      and
      Storm
      Watch
      guest
     
     
      stars...
      again.
     
    

    
     
      Here’sthestory
      ina
      nutshell.
      Skywatch,
     
     
      the
      giant
      orbiting
      head
      quarters
      of
      Storm
      Watch,
     
     
      has
      somehow
      been
      invaded
      by
      a
      shape-shifting
     
     
      alien.
      Weatherman,
      the
      base
      commander,
      is
     
     
      menaced
      by
      the
      creature.
      To
      deal
      with
      it,
      he
     
     
      calls
      in
      Stryke
      Force!
     
    

    
     
      Chasing
      the
      alien
      around
      takes
      about
     
     
      four
      issues.
      That’s
      not
      the
      problem
      (heck,
      it
     
     
      took
      twice
      that
      for
      X-Men
      to
      tie
      up
      that
      whole
     
     
      alien
      Brood
      mess
      back
      in
      the
      eighties).
      The
     
     
      problem
      is
      the
      thinness
      of
      both
      the
      plot
      and
     
     
      characters.
      Stryker
      (from
      whom
      the
      Force
      gets
     
     
      itname)
      does
      almost
      nothing.
      Ditto
      most
      of
      the
     
     
      team.
      The
      only
      character
      who
      gets
      any
      sort
      of
     
     
      development
      at
      all
      is
      Black
      Anvil
      (the
      name
     
     
      says
      it
      all.
      Really.)
      and
      most
      of
      the
      time
      it’s
      as
     
     
      comic
      relief.
      He
      leaps
      out
      ofa
      helicopter,
      mugs
     
     
      for
      the
      camera,
      spouts
      one-liners,
      gets
      into
      bar
     
     
      room
      brawls,
      etc.
      It’s
      not
      that
      he
      isn’t
      funny,
     
     
      its
      just
      that
      he’s
      about
      the
      only
      cool
      thing
      in
      the
     
     
      book.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      polymorphous
      alien
      is
      cool
      and
     
     
      appropriately
      gross,
      but
      his
      English
      has
      an
     
     
      almost
      Yoda-like
      syntax
      problem.
      Also,
      he
     
     
      imitates
      Black
      Anvil
      one
      too
      many
      times.
     
    

    
     
      Oh,
      by
      the
      way,
      it
      looks
      like
      Killrazor
      is
     
     
      gonna
      be
      offed
      in
      the
      last
      issue.
      I
      don’t
      know
     
     
      if
      he
      lives
      because
      I
      haven’t
      read
      part
      four
      yet
     
     
      and
      don’t
      care
      to.
     
    

    
     
      As
      a
      stand-alone
      book,
      Codename:
     
     
      Stryke
      Force
      is
      mediocre
      superteam
      fare.
      Asa
     
     
      companion
      piece
      to
      Cyber
      Force,
      it
      only
      cre-
     
     
      ates
      continuity
      problems.
      For
      the
      fans
      only.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      4
      TAK
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ave.
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ross
      from
      U.PE.I.
      566-4466
     
     
      November
      1,
      1994)
      /\\