Tag: David Michelinie

The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 27 (March 1985)

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While the Ditko art does leave a lot to be desired–the huge action finale, which takes up about half the issue, is a mess–it’s not a bad comic at all. You just have to get used to people not being in the right place in panels and some terrible action choreography.

Oh, and the female protagonist looking pensively off into space a lot.

But the story is fine. Indy and the woman are in Russia to recover Buffalo Bill’s golden guns (there are other phallic symbols too, presumably unintentional) and they team up with Cossacks to attack a fortress. Michelinie doesn’t waste time with flirting between Indy and his partner. He finds more interesting things to do–the Cossacks are on a suicide mission, for example.

It’s all action, no character, so it moves briskly. The series has been sorely missing Michelinie’s writing. He’s got the formula down.

C 

CREDITS

Trail of the Golden Guns, Chapter Two; writers, Ron Fortier and David Michelinie; penciller, Steve Ditko; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Diana Albers; editor, Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 26 (February 1985)

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David Michelinie is back. Maybe Marvel figured since they just had to adjust for Temple of Doom they would want someone competent on the book.

It’s still Ditko and Bulandi on the art and they’re fine.

I’m bummed out they waited so long to bring him back. Marion went stale as a character after Michelinie left and now, post-Temple she’s gone forever. At the end of the previous issue she even writes Indy a Dear John, but it’s unclear why. Now, however, it is… and is there going to be an actual Short Round meets Martin Brody scene?

Anyway, the rest of the issue is fairly standard silly stuff. Indy and Buffalo Bill’s granddaughter go to Russia to try to get back stolen pistols. Michelinie has a fine level of detail for their adventure, even if the girl’s really annoying.

The series might be interesting again for a while.

C 

CREDITS

Trail of the Golden Guns; writers, Ron Fortier and David Michelinie; penciller, Steve Ditko; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Diana Albers; editor, Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 22 (October 1984)

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The art, from Joe Brozowski and Mel Candido, isn’t great or even good (occasional weird background details break the perspective), but it’s generally competent. And generally competent for this issue isn’t bad.

Priest continues to play fast and loose with the characters. Indy’s sentiments towards Marion are this odd annoyance thing. I think Priest is trying to show he likes her so he has to pester her, which suggests Priest hadn’t been reading the comic until this point. Or maybe the LucasFilms contact told them to tone down the romantic stuff.

This issue’s adventure wraps up Priest’s tedious first arc on the series, involving Marcus Brody, action hero, trying to save his career. Priest can’t write Indy as having a villain.

Wait, I can’t believe I ignored the weirdest part. Priest writes this stoic, virtuous Nazi secret agent out to assassinate Jones. It’s really weird stuff. Not good, definitely interesting.

Priest is also really bad with the setting. He writes too modern.

CREDITS

End Run; writers, David Michelinie and Christopher Priest; penciller, Joe Brozowski; inker, Mel Candido; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Diana Albers; editor, Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 20 (August 1984)

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The issue opens with a full page spread–Indy looking at an artifact with a magnifying glass–but it’s the only uneconomical use of page space in the issue. Luke McDonnell has to pack panels on the page to get through all the action in Priest’s script.

David Michelinie gets a story credit, but it feels like a different comic without him. Even the art. McDonnell draws Marcus Brody younger than anyone else has before–and younger than Denholm Elliot; probably because Priest’s script implies Brody was once much like Indy in the adventuring department.

And Priest does have a lot of time for the romance between Indy and Marion. He dials it down quite a few notches but does at least acknowledge it.

In many ways, the issue doesn’t feel like a licensed property. But feeling more original doesn’t help–the creators are generally competent but the comic’s charmless.

CREDITS

The Cuban Connection; writers, David Michelinie and Christopher Priest; penciller, Luke McDonnell; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Rob Carosella; letterer, Rick Parker; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 18 (June 1984)

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It’s an interesting issue for a number of reasons. It’s a mix of Lost Horizon and Edgar Rice Burroughs with Indy and Marion finding their way to a lost city in the Himalayas. Yeti-like creatures protect the city, which has many secrets.

One of those secrets is the presence of Abner Ravenwood; Michelinie doesn’t resolve that mystery–probably not allowed to do it under the license–but his solution for it is fantastic.

There’s a lot of action and almost no story. The revelations about the lost city are mostly just to move the action along. After one moment of introspection from Indy, Michelinie solely concentrating on the action.

The writing makes it work.

The awful art is sometimes incredible. Trimpe’s little heads are something to see. He doesn’t even do well on the landscapes–but he gets better inks on those panels.

It’s an ugly comic, but decent.

CREDITS

The Search for Abner, Chapter Two: The City of Yesterday’s Forever!; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inkers, Vince Colletta, Danny Bulanadi and Ernie Chan; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 17 (May 1984)

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One could just sit and admire Michelinie’s storytelling economy. Not even the great character work he does on Indy, but just the economy of how he structures the catch-up.

He opens in a dangerous present, resolving a cliffhanger he never did, then (somewhat obviously but still competently) goes back to fill in the blanks. The awesome part is how he gives equal weight to flashbacks from the comic and the stuff he’s just filling in. It makes readers feel familiar with the new material, even though they’ve never seen it before.

Neat trick.

The finish involves an evil Frenchman and an evil Scot–I’m guessing, I wasn’t paying attention–teaming up with the Nazis to raid a lost city. They’re weak villains, but the rest of the comic makes up for them.

If only it the art were better. Trimpe and Colleta mess up action and quiet panels alike.

CREDITS

The Search for Abner, Chapter One: The Grecian Earn; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inker, Vince Colletta; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 16 (April 1984)

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It’s a very fast paced issue from Michelinie. Maybe he knew he had Trimpe and Colleta back on art and didn’t want to make the reader suffer. That explanation is as good as any, especially when one considers the resolution to the previous issue’s cliffhanger–crabs attacking Indy–is the longest sequence in the comic.

For example, the bottom of the ocean submarine sequence reads faster. Somehow Michelinie never feels rushed–Indy and Katanga (who continue to make a great pair) are always in constant danger, the speedy storytelling actually provides relief for the reader. There’s no delaying the constant twists.

The art does have its expected terrible points. Besides Indy looking totally different for the issue’s finish, there’s one amazing panel of him swinging through the air where the artists make it look like he’s sliding down something.

It’s a rushed read to be sure, but a decent one.

CREDITS

The Sea Butchers, Chapter Two: Death on Dark Waters; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inker, Vince Colletta; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 15 (March 1984)

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Herb Trimpe and Vince Colletta on art. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen more rectangular, two-dimensional headed people.

They actually don’t too bad. They don’t do well, but not too bad. Michelinie over writes Indy’s thought balloons for the action scenes, trying to make everything seem logical, so at least one can read instead look at the art.

The story involves Indy running afoul the Japanese navy–it’s pre-war so the animosity is there but not the hostility–which is cool. Sadly, he also runs into some very unlikely pirates. Michelinie would have done far better with just one villain.

But Michelinie does do really well giving Indy a sidekick in Captain Katanga, the smuggler from Raiders. The two men prove a fine pair. Michelinie really does do a good job developing the characters from the source material.

It’s nothing to get excited about, but okay.

CREDITS

The Sea Butchers, Chapter One: Island of Peril; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Herb Trimpe; inker, Vince Colletta; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 14 (February 1984)

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David Mazzucchelli does the pencils this issue. Best looking Indiana Jones so far.

It’s a strange issue, with Michelinie actually concentrating more on Indy and Marion’s romance than any archeological adventure. He even has a super villain type thing going on, with an irate handyman finding lost artifacts and going insane.

In an abandoned old hotel no less.

There are lots of scenes. The issue takes a while to read even though nothing really happens with the bad guy other than him being a nutty jerk. And Micheline doesn’t even spend much time with Indy and Marion as they chase him. Even though the bad guy’s thought balloons are dreadfully overwritten, Micheline clearly wants to pace the romance plot carefully.

The issue works out, even if it’s often boring, just because it’s absolutely gorgeous and Micheline does take his main characters seriously.

Mazzucchelli draws a fantastic, lush thirties Connecticut too.

CREDITS

Demons; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, David Mazzucchelli; inker, The Saint; colorist, Robbie Carosella; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Eliot Brown; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 13 (January 1984)

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What a difference a penciller makes… Ricardo Villamonte really doesn’t cut it. Indy’s always got a befuddled look.

Still, Villamonte isn’t responsible for the lame story. Michelinie send Indy out west on a field trip from the university. He and his students are on a dig, he runs awful bad guys. The plot contrivances are lame for even a done-in-one licensed comic; Michelinie wastes all his opportunities.

Michelinie opens with Indy’s female students talking about him being cute. One might think the issue would explore his professional life… But, no, it turns into this boring desert investigation thing with a truly silly explanation.

The comic actually shows the most life when Indy’s on the phone talking with the regular cast. Michelinie tried something new and it clearly didn’t work so much he had to remind the reader it’s not the norm.

It’s too bad, he usually does fine.

CREDITS

Deadly Rock!; writers, Archie Goodwin and David Michelinie; penciller, Ricardo Villamonte; inker, Sam de la Rosa; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 12 (December 1983)

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I can’t believe I forgot to mention Indy’s Spanish gypsy sidekick from last issue–he returns here–I think he’s based on Speedy Gonzales. There’s the yellow sombrero and the annoying dialect.

That lame character aside (made worse this issue with Marion falling for his “charm”), Michelinie continues to do pretty good work on Further Adventures. There’s this neat little subplot about these guys after Indy and Speedy continued from last issue; Michelinie just paces it all really well. I suppose Marion arriving so quick is silly, but she plays so well it’s forgivable.

Sadly, the art’s the problem here. Mel Candido is a terrible inker for both Kerry Gammill and Luke McDonnell, who split the pencilling chores. He’s a little better on McDonnell, which means the issue ends better than it starts, but not by much. It starts real ugly.

Great reveal of the relic at the end too.

CREDITS

The Fourth Nail, Chapter Two: Swords and Spikes!; writer, David Michelinie; pencillers, Kerry Gammill and Luke McDonnell; inker, Mel Candido; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 11 (November 1983)

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It’s another great plot from Michelinie. He writes some decent exposition too. His dialogue is inconsistent though. For whatever reason he can’t write Indy’s dialogue. Everyone else’s is fine though. Very strange. I think it has to do with him writing Indy as a tough guy first, smart guy second.

The issue has Indy sort of taking a second job as a treasure hunter for a mysterious rich guy. This guy’s band of Arab ninjas (Michelinie’s description) gets Indy out of a jam in the opening. The rich guy then appears to pitch Indy the job–finding the fourth nail from Christ’s cross.

It’s all compelling–it feels very grand–and there are some excellent moments. Michelinie implies subplots without expanding on them, which is interesting–or forgetful.

The Gammill pencils are rather nice too.

Problems aside, the comic has lots of charm and technical qualities. Not bad at all.

CREDITS

The Fourth Nail, Chapter One: Blood and Sand!; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Kerry Gammill; inker, Sam de la Rosa; colorist, Julianna Ferriter; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 10 (October 1983)

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It’s an adequate, underwhelming resolution. Michelinie handles the cliffhanger from last issue well then sends Indy off into the jungle. It’s the jungle from the beginning of Raiders, but there’s no fanfare to its return. There is another Raiders connection–the villain has a secret–but it’s lame.

Michelinie also gets history very wrong concerning when the Nazis starting plotting against the United States. Maybe it’s different in the Indiana Jones universe.

Like I said, the opening is fine. Reed does much better with two people in his action panels. So when it’s Indy alone, while the panels are sometimes good, there’s no excitement. It’s just Indiana Jones in another jungle, fighting another couple bad guys.

Michelinie’s steam runs out just after Indy gets back to the jungle too. He figured out how to resolve the issue and wrote the rest of the pages to fit.

Still, it’s not terrible.

CREDITS

The Gold Goddess, Chapter Two: Amazon Death-Ride; writers, Archie Goodwin and David Michelinie; penciller, Dan Reed; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 9 (September 1983)

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Michelinie–writing off a plot from Archie Goodwin–does a direct sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. It’s practically a reunion issue too. While Marion and Marcus show up all the time, a slimmed down Sallah is in the first half of the issue (Michelinie sticks to the established Further plot structure).

Sallah and Indy are after the gold trinket from the beginning of Raiders. They run afoul of bad guys, of course, who turn out to be the natives with the blowguns from the movie. Only Michelinie’s dialogue for them makes them sound like cartoon radical Muslims; a South American native wouldn’t call a Westerner the infidel.

Meanwhile, Sallah and Indy’s friendship is a great example of how Muslims and WASPs can get along. Very strange.

The finish has Indy fighting the natives on a skyscraper.

Nice pencils from Dan Reed.

As usual, Michelinie delivers an okay comic.

CREDITS

The Gold Goddess, Chapter One: Xomec’s Raiders; writers, Archie Goodwin and David Michelinie; penciller, Dan Reed; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 8 (August 1983)

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Michelinie wraps up the story with an all action issue. He splits it, after bringing everyone together a couple times, between the Nazis and Indy and Marion. They all discover this lost tribe of evil Atlantis descendants. It would seem the only reason the tribe is evil is to give Michelinie an excuse to keep killing them whenever a scene needs to progress. They’re really tall too; apparently Marion’s just as good as hand-to-hand combat as Indy.

Gammill and de la Rosa continue to do a good job on the art, but since it’s an action comic–with digressions–set in the jungle, there’s not much for them to draw.

There’s really nothing to this issue; Michelinie doesn’t even take the time for character moments. He rips off the end of Raiders, which you’d think Marion or Indy would comment on (they don’t).

It’s harmless and utterly pointless.

CREDITS

Africa Screams, Chapter Two: Crystal Death; writer, David Michelinie; pencillers, Kerry Gammill and Sam de la Rosa; inker, de la Rosa; colorist, Paul Becton; letterer, Janice Chiang; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 7 (July 1983)

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Michelinie definitely seems to have a formula–apparently based on Raiders–Indy starts the issue on one artifact hunt, it leads to a second hunt, which somehow has Nazis involved. It’s only the seventh issue of Further Adventures and it feels like there’s not going to be much interesting outside the little character moments.

The little character moments are because Michelinie has recast Marion as a reporter who follows Indy around the globe (at least this issue). It gives him a brassy damsel in distress to occasionally rescue and someone to ask questions to make the exposition seem more natural. It’s not a bad move, it just seems weird. As Michelinie writes her, Marion is reckless and loves to drink; she’s not the standard romantic interest.

Kerry Gammill and Sam de la Rosa take over on art, hopefully to stay. They handle the period and action well.

It’s just uninteresting.

CREDITS

Africa Screams, Chapter One; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Kerry Gammill; inker, Sam de la Rosa; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 6 (June 1983)

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Something goes very wrong when Terry Austin inks Howard Chaykin. Austin takes away all of Chaykin’s hard jaws, for example. I only caught one the entire issue. So while Chaykin does try some dynamic composition for the story, the art never clicks. Especially not on people. It’s a little better on the action.

The story concerns Indy and Marion opening a night club and dealing with a mobster who wants to take a controlling interest. It’s domestic activity Indiana Jones, running around New York City–Central Park and Long Island get the action set pieces–trying to protect Marion.

It’s slight, to be sure, but Michelinie writes the two characters well together. The first big such moment, with Marion casually stealing Indy’s drink, is fantastic. While Michelinie never tops it, the moment earns him a lot of goodwill.

Despite the predictable, underwhelming resolution, Jones is pretty okay for licensed stuff.

CREDITS

Club Nightmare!; writer, David Michelinie; pencillers, Howard Chaykin and Terry Austin; inker, Austin; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 5 (May 1983)

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Michelinie finishes his first two-parter quite well. The issue has a frantic pace with an interlude or two, usually for humor (sometimes for romance). Frenz keeps it moving in the art too; there aren’t any gradual segues for most of the action scenes. Michelinie and Frenz race through a bunch of action, pause for a bit, race again. Maybe there are three pauses, not two.

The issue has some sightseeing in England–Stonehenge, of course–along with some general tourism. It’s perfect for the license–“locations,” time period and action. Michelinie really gets how to make it work, especially when it comes to Indy. He’s not just not infallible, sometimes he’s not particularly strong either. Dumb luck plays a factor in his actions and his love interest proves to be made of stronger mettle when it comes to certain situations.

Again, Michelinie’s writing makes Jones a thoroughly decent read.

CREDITS

The Harbingers; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Ron Frenz; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones 4 (April 1983)

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I really hope David Michelinie is the new regular writer on this one. Like, really, really hope. I’ve never been a big Michelinie supporter before, but coming after O’Neil, he clearly gets Indiana Jones. Even with the expository stuff, Michelinie makes it seem like natural dialogue from an academic.

This issue puts Indy in London, which is full of anti-Nazi sentiment and war fears (see, Michelinie cares about the setting), working on something related to Stonehenge. The quest is secondary to all the action–there’s a fantastic chase sequence through the city. Michelinie and penciller Ron Frenz keep it all very exciting.

Frenz and inker Danny Bulanadi do decent work overall, but excellent when it comes to the action pacing. Frenz will slow down the funny moments and hurry through the boring stuff.

The cliffhanger doesn’t really work, but it’s easy to forgive. Michelinie’s enthusiasm makes Jones acceptable reading.

CREDITS

Getaway to Infinity; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Ron Frenz; inker, Danny Bulanadi; colorist, Bob Sharen; letterer, Joe Rosen; editor, Louise Jones; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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Daredevil 167 (November 1980)

This issue opens at a Long Island estate, but there’s no geographic reference so for a minute or two I thought it’d be Daredevil in Beverly Hills. It could be quite easily, since the estate is the center of the issue. When David Michelinie does take the action back to Manhattan, it’s just for a panel or two of a determined Matt Murdock.

Michelinie’s script, and his focus on keeping the action in one general setting, feels “low budget” but it works. He has a compelling enough mystery, a lot of good action opportunities for Frank Miller and Klaus Janson and a creative twist at the end.

The third person narration occasionally goes overboard, but the art–never spectacular, always solid–grounds the issue.

There’s a filler backup showcases Daredevil’s extremely expensive pad and his gizmos. If Matt and Foggy are always broke, how’d he afford the pad? Robbing banks?

CREDITS

…The Mauler!; writer, David Michelinie; penciller, Frank Miller; inker, Klaus Janson; colorist, Glynis Wein; letterer, Joe Rosen. Dark Secrets; writer, Michelinie; penciller, Miller; inker, Janson; colorist, Wein; letterer, Michael Higgins. Editor, Denny O’Neil; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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