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Right Back Into It…

I had a good talk with Dre from Nerd! to prep for the show. Its good knowing you can hold a conversation with someone for an hour and not come close to running out of things to talk about. Feels better for going into a podcast recording.

First thoughts on issue two

  • This is dated april. The two month gestation period should help story.
  • Wonder if any thread from issue 1 will be picked up
  • Covers each promise to introduce an exciting new character
    • I don’t even know our team yet
  • From the included trading cards…
  • Bedlam is 16 and was transformed to a rock person in his dad’s lab
  • Diehard is a mysterious super-powered fighter with the background of being a mysterious super-powered fighter
  • Shadowhawk section looks like a promo for another book with zero Youngblood connections
    • Yup, that’s all it is
  • Without the team names in the front cover, I will be completely lost as to whos who
Page 1
  • Arm bands on Battleaxe look unnecessarily restrictive for combat - even for this book
  • Having the Prolog open in Media Res is double confusing
  • Beast + Wolverine’s Hair + Joker’s Skin = that dude in front (Wildmane)
  • Nice that they all refer to themselves tin third-person to keep track of names
  • Glad the respect to Kirby was reiterated in writing
    • Cuz He’s about to dress his namesake like a damn fool
It's... just Beast
Page 2-3
  • Good consistent use of Battleaxe being left-handed. Nice way to show off the axe. Credit where credit is due for panel 3
  • Who are these people?
  • They found Kirby. OMG
  • No shirt √
  • “K” on Belt Buckle √
  • Fury Chompin’ a Stogie √
  • POUCHES GALORE! √
  • Are those metal files positioned directly around his left nipple? Did Jack have to see this?
Look what they did to ya, Jack
Page 3-4
  • Villian Coded dude steps up
  • Talking about stopping a prophecy
  • vows to destroy Brezerkers
  • Berzerker steam that took three pages to introduce is gone from book
  • Page 4 starts something almost completely different with “Prophecy” - title
  • 80 year old dude in a cryogenic chamber
  • Nazi overtones immediately invoking nuremberg experiments
Page 5-6
  • Full page spread of Away Youngblood team (?!?) viewing jar man
  • Subtext is text talking about WWII and German Mad Scientists
  • I Bet Psy-Boi is psyched to be here
Page 7-8
  • Heh, “John Prophet”
  • Yup, straight-up uberman experimentation
  • 2 comics, two scenes with nazi apologists
  • Page 8 is Ad for comic stores featuring the Yellow Pages!
Page 9-10
  • What’s up with all the back-handed Nazi Praise?
  • “I will do my job as an escort for this man’s property. But I loathe the fact his work will be exploited and exposed”
  • That’s some serious apologist shit from Cougar
  • He’s also stupid, egotistical and stubborn.
  • Is it any wonder how we got to this place in 2025 with these as 1992 heroes?
Page 11-12
  • Another annoying page rotation revealing Prophet
Page 13 - 14
  • Part one of the best comic letters page of all time
  • This is the only part of Youngblood that makes me glad for my ebay purchase
  • Each letter is some form of “I love Youngblood and how they’re so badass. I have no idea what is going on and you probably should add a story”
  • Kevin McDonald was an early fan
  • Back to the action - what is their missions here. Cougar is “Here to take Prophet home”
  • Prime Directive? We’re just lifting Robocop here. And that’s not what Prophet is
Page 15-16
  • Exposition fight between Combat and Prophet
    • Wonder if Jeff similarly slips the word “Boxing” into casual conversation off-mic
    • I certainly do with music
  • Still very kind of them to refer themselves and each other by their - name
  • Combat seeme to play a game of interesting “Combat” into all his speeches
Page 17-18
  • Looks lke Prophet might have a couple disciples
  • Hey, Riptide referenced something that happened in issue #1 (making - water in a desert). Maybe there is some continuity
  • OK, so she’s using all the dude sweat from the fight to make that wave. Lovely
  • Oh yeah, there’sd another muscle guy with the proportions of an overgrown Puck
  • That’s Brama (thanks dialog!) - he was in the first issue and I completely forgot.
When all you have is dude-sweat...
Page 19-20
  • He’s one punch man, according to panel 1
  • Prophet sez that Dr. Wells warned hiim of Youngblood. WTF? That was the 30’s
Page 21-22
  • This page seems completely detached from the book I’ve been reading
  • Two robots that might be exoskeletons just brutally killed the host - scientist
  • Apparantly one of this is Psy-Boi, who is supposed to be on probation. Likely for Nazi sympathy.
  • So, we missed the issue where Psy-Boi goes rogue and joins the Disciples to support a modern Nazi regime. Great
  • Resistance is futile. I think a meme wrote this dialog.
Page 23-24
  • I think every one of Liefeld’s missteps is on full display in this page
  • It’s like finding new ways to show every part of your ass
  • This is a mirror world of Marvel featuring at least 10 different ways. Was there a lawsuit I missed?
  • “It’s Berzerkin’ Time!”??!?!?
  • “Kirby” is prominantly featured coming in gunz blazing
  • Kirby and the gy in the lower left are both just Cable
  • Liefeld feet are on display for 5 out of 6 characters. Each one more - awkwardly propoptioned and positioned than the last.
  • Bottom onomonopia reminds me of Simonson “RACKOFLAMB!!” without the wit.
  • For some reason, Liefeld decided on modesty for once in drawing both female members with no visible clevage or side-boob. You’re growing as a person, Rob!
Page 25
  • More confused letters to Rob. All shading the confusion in light praise.
  • Bringing up a guest appearance on the Dennis Miller show is the cherry on this sundae

Issue 2 Shadowhawk Promo

This is nothing more than a promo for a more violent vesion of Batman This Batman is not shy about literally breaking spines

At least Rob abandoned the flip book double-plot format after issue one. The “Home” team story is pushed aside for the worst character promo I’ve seen. Worst in that it just reminded me how much better Batman is than anything that came out of this era of Image.

Batman is clearly going through one

Afterthoughts

One more issue of Youngblood to go in thie series.