STORMWATCH #23

[ KICK ASS SALE NOW ON ] 

Now if you had a name that began with the letter 'C', would replacing the first letter with the letter 'K' somehow make it more menacing to read? Oh! I don't know. Maybe we'll find out if we have a look at this rollercoaster ride of an adventure created by Jim Starlin, and Yvel Guichet; Published by DC Comics, in July, 2013.

Using GENERAL terms, answer the following 4 questions about this STORY entitled 'Memories'.

• WHAT'S THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS TALE: Not so long after their more successful second mission, Storm Control informs Stormwatch about the previous incarnation of their team, before he and Xiomar do a spot of globe-hopping.
• ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED: What objectives?  Well. Yes. I suppose they are. To a degree. I think.
• ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN: I won some money on the lottery. Not much though. Yet it paid for this book and a mega-sized sub.
• HOW DOES THIS STORY END: With the Engineer suddenly receiving an electrical penetration. 

All in all, what is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

Have you ever felt shocked one minute -- awkward the next -- only to end up laughing your ass off? If you haven't, please check out the following bi-polar conversation between the Stormwatch crew.

STORM CONTROL: There was another Stormwatch before us.

MIDNGHTER: There was another Midnighter and Apollo?

APOLLO: Were they also lovers?

LOBO: Who Friggin cares? I quit and am going home.

Ha! That's Lobo. He better not leave this team. At the moment his charm is one of the best things in it. 

What are the BEST bits about this issue?

(+) Thank f*ck! Finally we find out the current status quo on the previous incarnation of Stormwatch. If truth be told, I was still hoping they were relevant somehow. Let's just pray that the past and the present versions can meld over time; as it would be nice to see Jack Hawksmore back on this book again.  

(+) Is it just me, or is Yvels artwork getting better by the issue? I think he is. Or otherwise my own tastes are getting more dali-esque by the page turn. Ha!

(+) Now what the hell is going on with the Kollective and that whole alternate reality snafu? Hey! Don't get me wrong. I am very intrigued with how this concept is unravelling. However, in the same breath, I am slightly concerned that it might be a tad confusing in the execution.

(+) Another thing within this issue I was a bit ying / yang about, were those scenes between Hellstrike and the Weird, and Storm Control and X. I enjoyed the character both these scenes conveyed. I wasn't too sure about their placement within this particular tale. And overall -- hmmm -- 50 / 50 I'd say. 

(+) There was a scene in this book which indirectly implied that Storm Control was somehow associated with the Midnighters origin. I liked this implication. Honestly I did. Yet, err... how can I put this? What does this implication imply? Oh! I know. I'll try and guess during my silly summation! Yaaaahoooooo(tm).

What are the WORST bits about this issue?

(-) My one slight gripe about this storyline would have to be how it's overall narrative felt more like a collection of tales rather than one singular episode. Not that this is a bad-bad thing of course. No way Jose. Just worth mentioning is all.

Choose TWO CHARACTERS out of this comic book, and then compare them to A REAL-LIFE HISTORICAL FIGURE.

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AS STORM CONTROL: Now if you think about it for a moment, folks, both of these men are deductive, literate, and are always ready for a rip roaring adventure.

MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI AS XIOMAR: Alright. I know that the nationality is completely off. Nonetheless. X and M do share a very spiritual vibe that's both uplifting in nature, and herbal by default. Hint-Hint! Sniff-Sniff!

What QUOTE would be appropriate to sum-up this story?

'What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality' -- Plutarch

What SONG, THEME-TUNE, or MELODY, would complement this tale, as well as add and extra dimension to it by default?

'JOHN THE REVELATOR' BY TAJ MAHAL: When I came up with this comparison, I said to myself 'What song is simple in tone, righteous in implementation, and has a kick to it that's almost biblical in nature?'. And though and behold...

ANYTHING Else?

As I stated up above, there was a scene in this story that implied Storm Control was somehow associated with Midnighters origin. But how? Huh? Could it be because...

• By whim of fate, he was one of the scientists that abducted Nighter and transformed him into who he is today -- Ouch! I can see bad times ahead if so.
• He's his father --- Noooooooo!!!!!
• Believe it or not, he was the costume designer that suggested to Nighty-night that he should wear a chin strap -- Ooops! Me so solli Mistah!
• He's his brother -- Seriously? Half or step?
• Just before his romantic tryst with Apollo, secretly he was the hooded figure that popped MN's cherry -- Fair enough. Horses for courses.
• He's his mother -- What??????
• One day he tried to sell him car insurance and shafted him in the pocked -- No sexual innuendo implied.
• He's his chin-strap -- Errr...

OK. That's enough of my cr*p for the moment, folks. All I have left to say is that this issue of 'Stormwatch' was a pretty good read. The artwork was better than usual. The story was free-flowing and intriguing. Yet the only thing that let it down was its unevenly focused nature.

Nuff said.