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Guesting Research

Dre from Nerd! asked me to guest on the next podcast in the comics series. The prompt he gave me was to talk about my comics origin story - where I first got interested in comics.

For me, the first time I went into a comics shop with my own money was to get the first issue of Youngblood. My friend was reading about it somewhere - likely Wizard - and told me it would be a good time to jump on. New stories plus a hotshot artist. My dad even encouraged me thinking they would be valueable someday. Like everyone else at the time, ensuring that wound never happen.

Reading the issue

I picked up a copy of the first three issues on Ebay. Since I’m taking notes on them, I’ll add them as posts. Might as well have some posts related to a podcadst I’m guesting on.

First thoughts on issue one

  • This is not the Shaft I know. I’ll be calling this guy Jeff Shaft
  • These card inserts are not great
    • I don’t remember these. Were they a big thing like X-Force style bagged w/cards?
  • How long will this double-sided gimick last? It’s not fun.
  • Surprised only ½ of team has wolverine claws
  • What is going on with away team cover?
    • rolling a giant beach ball towards me while outrunning a wave
  • Home Team just posing on their giant beach ball
    • Light and sand behind them?
  • Photon might have lady deathstrike fingers on right hand
Dumb headflame powers ignited via "pull my finger"

Issue #1 Home Team Notes

Page 1
  • Glad Liefeld at least hired someone for dialog
    • Hank Kanalz got scapegoat by Liefeld for the quality
  • 2-2 first two panels Wild on the angle perspectives
  • This guy hates paperwork
  • word balloons positioned wildly off
  • Panel 2 has background characters between both word balloons and the character speaking
  • Panel 3 Jeff Shaft looks like he’s having a closed-eyed shouting argument with himself as his concerned girlfriend stares at him.
Hello Jeff, it's Jeff again
Page 2-3
  • Did the shooter send the thief, or is this happenstance
  • Jeff Shaft transforms into quasimodo on page 3
  • Birth of the cap reborn perspective in reverse?
Form Of Cap!
Page 4-5
  • Gotta drop the signing autographs line
  • Same goofy smile on bg women on page 5 panel 2 & 5
  • Is “‘tall” a Baltimore accent?!
  • 3rd panel page 4 - how is he standing??!?!?
If I walk on knees, they can't sees me
Page 6-7
  • Is Bedrock eight years old?
  • Why are you talking to the other team. Please don’t make me turn the comic over and read the names of the Away Team to be sure that’s what’s up here. I’m old
Page 8-9
  • Looks like some kinda jail break. From a porta-potty.
  • I was distracted by Liefeld’s ability to draw everyone with feet and missed Badrock transforming into President Red Hulk from the abs down.
Gotta cut back on those pills
Page 10 - 11
  • Bad guys out. Lotsa punching.
  • I think this is their group therapy
Diehard is working through his issues positively
Page 12 - 13
  • 2 page spread of team. I guess that was it.

I know nothing about any of these people other than Jeff Shaft is famous enough to sign autographs and attract hired assassins. He’s the Hawkeye and the only time an action beat includes a character moment (throwing the pen). Chapel is the cad. Bedrock appears to be a child living with his mom.

All character interactions were limited to sarcastic and negative remarks about each other.

Everything else I know from the included trading cards and character designs. I’d say this is a world of top secret agents without powers - except for the giant rock-monster child. We’ll see if any of my curiosities are answered with issue #2.

Issue #1 Away Team Notes

Page 1
  • Oh shit, this is all based on a fictionalized occupation of Isreal
  • This is not going to have aged well
  • Hassan Kussien… yeah he’s just mixing and matching names he hears in the news without thinking of any implications
  • First mention of super powered soldiers in the super powered soldiers comic
Page 2-3
  • Action spread with a cheeky broadcast boasting getting around censors
Page 4-5
  • Who is that in the golden horn-ear mask?
  • He was clearly in on the briefing
  • Everyone else in the team photo is accounted for, he’s not in the cover team list
  • I think those shiny balls are soldier heads
I must pump those balls!
Page 6-7
  • First time power usages are underwhelming
  • Riptide can make water
  • Psi-Fire can glow and fly
  • Sentinal can’t glow but can fly
  • Cougar is a wolf-man
Page 8-9
  • They didn’t see that electric fence coming
  • According to balloon placment, Riptide’s hand is talking in panel 2
Page 10-11
  • Is psy-boi immune to the eclectic fence?
  • Who is this asshole with metal arms??
  • Not the same as gold-eared dude from earlier because of shoulder metal and different outfit.
  • Counter-point… shoulder things disappear and re-appear every other panel
  • So there are two members of the team who may or may not be part of the team
  • OK, I’m convinced they’re the same person whose outfit accessories spontaneously phase in and out
Page 12-13
  • Looks like metal-armed asdshole has pointy ears like Cougar. Is Cougar Daddy?!!? Nope, that’s Combat from the other team. It was Combat the entire time. What the hell are the rules here.
  • Also, “Combat”?!?
  • Whatever Liefeld thinks the Saddam character is aligned with, Psy-boi makes a point of insisting he likes the way he dictates
    • is this some sympathizer BS
  • Are these dudes also celebs?
He says his name every other balloon. How did I miss it so long?
Page 14-15
  • Psy-boi blows up saddam’s brain with psychic waves and really enjoys it
  • They should have named this team Wetworks
Psy-Boi keeps avoiding therapy
Page 16-17
  • Rest of team reacts to exploded man with much retching
  • Sentinal implies that they sneak out
Page 18
  • Fake news story blames Kussien’s death on suicide
  • Grenade in mouth
  • Implies assassination solved everything

Afterthoughts

Man, I kinda wish I lied and insisted on marvel cosmic or X-Men. Both of which I started reading at the same time but I actually stayed with. I’d recommend reading anything by Jonathan Hickman or Jim Starlin over this.