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Monthly Archives: October 2011

Kitty’s Nightmare Before Christmas!

 

Uncanny X-Men 143 cover from Marvel.com. An uninvited guest at Xavier's!

Uncanny X-Men #143 is a classic confrontation that’s perfect for Halloween. This issue titled “Demon” is one of the most my favorite comic book chillers.  It’s a true nightmare before Christmas as a rookie X-man is alone in the mansion being stalked by a N’Garai, a nasty hybrid of Alien and Michael Myers.

 The youngest X-Man is terrified by the relentless demon then learns the painful way that her mutant phasing power will not save her from the otherworldly predator. Just like the cinema horror heroines, Kitty uses the adrenaline and thinks on her feet to find way to kill the monster. I’m not giving anything anyway obviously because we know Kitty is alive and well – until the next villain goes after her.

You should give this one issue thrill ride a go to see how Kitty survives.  If you can’t find this single issue, this story is collected in Essential X-Men Volume 2, which includes another creepy one issue story with Cyclops facing the demon, D’Spayre, and features a guest appearance by Man-Thing.

This creepy cover image above features the art of John Byrne and Terry Austin. Check out Marvel.com for more of the X-Men’s clashes with these demons.

 

Spidey Buried Alive! A Creepy Comic Pick for Halloween.

Marvel.com. Art by Mike Zeck

In between scary movie marathons why not dive into a classic comic book tale of terror this Halloween?  An obsessed killer and a monster in the sewer are horror movie favorites. These are the driving forces that make “Kraven’s Last Hunt” also known as “Fearful Symmetry” one of my favorite comic book chillers.

J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck crafted this twisted tale of Kraven the Hunter, Vermin and a deadly double posing as Spider Man. My college roommate gave me this creepy collection one dark night in the dorms when I was in need of a study break distraction.  A psychotic Kraven the Hunter’s final scheme to bag his most elusive big game, Spider Man, delivers on suspense and playing on your great fears. And just like a horror movie with that one last shock, this hunt delivers!

Visit this Marvel.com link to learn more about specific issues of the crossover and the sequel “The Grim Hunt.”

The graphic you see is just of a series of amazing Mike Zeck covers in this storyline.

By Editor

My First Time

This is the image that started my love of comic books! Find this image on Marvel.com

  My first post will be about what started this lifelong love. What was my first comic book? The image of Colossus burning on the cover of Uncanny X-Men 116 jumps to the top of my mind. This is the issue that started it all for me. I was a little kid combing through the magazines in front of the soda fountain at my hometown drug store when I saw the issue – only 35 cents! While my mom was picking up prescriptions I was mesmerized by the X-Men’s adventure in the Savage Land!

  The images of Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Zabu braving the icy winds, dinosaurs and army of cult followers to rescue Colossus, Cyclops, Banshee and Ka-Zar from Garokk took hold of young imagination and wouldn’t let go.
I love everything about this issue but the most memorable thing is Storm. Ororo was the most beautiful image I’d ever seen. So what if she was wearing a bathing suit in the Antarctic? Chris Claremont and John Byrne demonstrated the tremendous power and childlike vulnerability. Ororo has grown one into the most formidable characters in the Marvel Universe but I will never forget her eyes after what happened* in the pit under Garrok’s temple.

  Thanks to Marvel, Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin for my first comic, igniting a little kid’s imagination and lifelong love of comics.

(*I’m still new to blogging but I know this but I do know better than to give away a key story development to potential new readers!) By Editor