Marvel Unlimited: Signing Off

I have come to the end of my Marvel Unlimited subscription.  By conservative estimate, I would say I have read over 600 comic books over the past two years, average cost to me at 25 cents per.  That's a bargain by any standard.  I could hardly have asked for a better vehicle for my immersion in the Marvel Universe - got to spend some quality time with Star Wars comic books, too.  A big thank you to the Comic Book Herald for their reading guides as well.

To wrap up, a few awards...

Most Dependable Marvel Series: The Amazing Spider-Man

Most Dependable Star Wars Series: X-Wing Rogue Squadron

Best Story Arc: Daredevil: Born Again

Best Single Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man #121

Best Character: Wolverine

Best Team: X-Men

Best Writer: Frank Miller

Best Artist: Alex Ross

As I am dropping this feature, The Armchair Squid will have a new posting schedule, beginning next week:

Tuesdays: Family Adventures

Fridays: Star Trek

My Recent Reads

Age of Apocalypse One Shot

Cover Date: May 2005

Writer: Scott Lobdell

Artist: Alvin Lee

via Marvel Database

Blink #1

March 2001

Lobdell/Trevor McCarthy

via Comixology

State of the Blog 2021

Blogging Year 13, here we go!

It's going to be a big year for my family.  Our daughter begins her senior year of high school tomorrow.  Momentous occasions will abound.  Big decisions shall be made.  A year from now, we'll know the answers to many questions.  Big questions.  Suddenly, everything feels like a huge deal.

Obviously, I think a lot these days about things I want to be sure we do before she heads off to college.  I also project forward to the empty nest experience for my wife and me.  A few years ago, I told my wife that I don't want to be the sort of couple who waits for the kids to leave to get to know each other again.  I don't think we are that couple but I want to enjoy being that couple now.  So, as I think about how to spend my hobby time over the coming year, I think of new - and old - interests we should explore together. 

For instance, maybe it's time to give wine another try.  Mind you, it's still her default alcoholic beverage choice whereas I am a beer man.  Wine, particularly red, makes me sleepy.  That's not always a terrible thing but it's not what I want every night.  I also haven't been overly impressed by the classes we've taken.  Perhaps they at least taught us enough to do more informed exploring on our own.  Surely, there are compromises to be worked out here.  I don't know if I'll blog about wine again but you never know.

For now, I'm going to stick with the same blogging schedule...

Mondays: comic books

Wednesdays: family adventures

Fridays: Star Trek

As stated in yesterday's post, I am going to switch from Star Wars back to Marvel in comic books.  However, my Marvel Unlimited subscription runs out in January and I am not currently planning to renew.  So, I will probably move to a twice weekly, Tuesday/Friday schedule when that happens.

Family adventures posts will likely continue to focus on food, especially cocktails.  I will continue with Bitters of the Month as long as locally-available supply and shelf space allow.

As for Trek, I'm planning to continue as I have, beginning with TNG Season 5 right soon.  Deep Space Nine premiered during the middle of NextGen's sixth season so we should be able to explore that one together before long, too.  It will be my second time through DS9 as we binged it as a family this past year.  Without a doubt, it's my favorite of the NextGen era series.

As always, if you enjoy reading The Squid half as much as I enjoy writing it, we're all doing fine.  Keep in touch.

Star Wars Comics: Mara Jade #6, Crimson Empire II #4-6

It's time for me to move on from Star Wars comics and back to the Marvel line.  Mind you, I always enjoy my explorations of the galaxy far, far away but, frankly, talking about Marvel is more engaging for my readers.  And that is the whole point of this blogging thing, right?  Anyway, a few parting thoughts...

1999 is a natural jumping off point anyway.  The Phantom Menace was released in May of that year, significantly expanding the narrative possibilities for the comic books for the first time in 16 years.  To that point, I am considerably impressed with how much the comic creators had been able to expand upon three (admittedly extraordinary) films and a smattering of novels.  

Big picture, I think the biggest contribution the Dark Horse comics of the '90s made to the overall franchise was the development of its ancient history.  Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy introduced the holocrons, essentially the Jedi and Sith bibles, in their Dark Empire series.  Then Veitch (and others) went on to explore the material that might be contained within the holocrons in the Tales of the Jedi series, a mythology within the mythology.  While these were not my favorite series from the era, they were certainly the ones with the strongest legacy, perhaps most significantly in the Knights of the Old Republic video game line.  

Dark Horse is also to be commended for the many strong female characters developed during this era - less so for the obligatory tight-fitting costumes of same.

  

Here are my actual favorite series from the pre-Phantom Dark Horse era, along with the most interesting, morally-ambiguous character featured in each:

X-Wing Rogue Squadron - Baron Fel

Crimson Empire I and II - Kir Kanos

Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand - naturally, Mara Jade

My Recent Reads

Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand #6

Originally published February 3, 1999

Writers: Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole

Artist: Carlos Ezquerra

In-story Timeline: 4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood #4

February 10, 1999

Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley/Paul Gulacy

11 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood #5

March 10, 1999

Richardson and Stradley/Gulacy

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood #6

April 14, 1999

Richardson and Stradley/Gulacy

via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Comics: Crimson Empire II #1-3, Jedi Academy #2-4, Mara Jade #5

This week, I wrapped up the Jedi Academy: Leviathan series.  While I was hoping for a Hogwarts for Jedi, it's closer to an X-Men equivalent.  The Jedi in training, at least the ones in the story, are all adults.  Luke sends them on a mission as part of their training then worries about them while they're away - clear Charles Xavier stuff.

It's a decent series - light and rather obvious on the dialogue, heavy on the action sequences.  As such, it's certainly a quick read.  It was enough to reignite my interest in Jedi lore.

My Recent Reads

Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood #1

Originally published November 11, 1998

Writer: Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley

Artist: Paul Gulacy

In-story timeline: 11 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood #2

December 9, 1998

Richardson and Stradley/Gulacy

Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood #3

January 13, 1999

Richardson and Stradley/Gulacy

via Wookieepedia

Jedi Academy: Leviathan #2

November 18, 1998

Kevin J. Anderson/Dario Carrasco, Jr.

12 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Jedi Academy: Leviathan #3

December 16, 1998

Anderson/Carrasco

via Wookieepedia

Jedi Academy: Leviathan #4

January 27, 1999

Anderson/Carrasco

via Wookieepedia

Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand #5

December 16, 1998

Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole/Carlos Ezquerra

4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Comics: Crimson Empire #5-6, X-Wing Rogue Squadron #30-35, Mara Jade #1-4, Jedi Academy #1

With this stretch, I've wrapped up two strong series and begun, at least so far, two strong new ones.  I'm a little sad for the end of the X-Wing series, definitely my favorite so far.  By the end, they were trying to do too much: too many characters, too many threads, three - or was it four? - simultaneous romantic tales.  It was at its best when it settled on a narrow focus for a while.  In fact, in my experience, that's pretty much always the case in comic books.

I don't need to be too wistful about Crimson Empire because I'll be starting the second series soon.

Mara Jade might very well be the single best character introduced between the original and prequel movie trilogies.  Timothy Zahn deserves the credit, having invented her for his Thrawn book trilogy.  The truth is, quite a lot of badass female Star Wars characters were introduced in the '90s - heroes, villains and, best of all, in between.  Unfortunately, Padme was a step backwards in that regard but perhaps these others were important precursors for Rey further down the line.

The greatest contribution by the Dark Horse comic books to the broader franchise was the fleshing out of an ancient history for the Jedi/Sith struggle.  While I tired of that thread after a bit, Jedi Academy has renewed my curiosity.  It's actually the latest in the timeline of any series I've explored so far but it's well grounded in the earlier legends.

My Recent Reads

Crimson Empire #5

Originally published April 15, 1998

Writers: Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley

Artist: Paul Gulacy

In-Story Timeline: 11 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire #6

May 20, 1998

Richardson and Stradley/Gulacy

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #30: Masquerade, Part 3

May 6, 1998

Michael A. Stackpole/Drew Johnson

4 ABY

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #31: Masquerade, Part 4

July 1, 1998

Stackpole/Johnson

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #32: Mandatory Retirement, Part 1

August 5, 1998

Stackpole/Steve Crespo

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #33: Mandatory Retirement, Part 2

September 16, 1998

Stackpole/Crespo and John Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #34: Mandatory Retirement, Part 3

October 28, 1998

Stackpole/Crespo and Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #35: Mandatory Retirement, Part 4

November 25, 1998

Stackpole/Crespo and Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand #1

August 5, 1998

Timothy Zahn and Stackpole/Carlos Ezquerra

4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand #2

September 2, 1998

Zahn and Stackpole/Ezquerra

via Wookieepedia

Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand #3

October 7, 1998

Zahn and Stackpole/Ezquerra

via Wookieepedia

Mara Jade - By the Emperor's Hand #4

November 4, 1998

Zahn/Ezquerra

via Wookieepedia

Jedi Academy - Leviathan #1

October 28, 1998

Kevin J. Anderson/Dario Carrasco, Jr.

12 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Comics: X-Wing Rogue Squadron #28-29, Crimson Empire #4

Original Star Warriors - Leia, Han and Chewie - have joined the X-Wing series and Rogue Squadron has turned up in Crimson Empire, albeit seven years later in the timeline.  I like it when the various stories intersect.

X-Wing, while definitely my favorite of the Dark Horse Star Wars series so far, does have one flaw: too many characters.  More to the point, too many of the Rogue Squadron members are human and look too much alike so it's hard to tell them apart.  It's also becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of all the various narrative threads, especially with characters from previous arcs being brought back.  I think I've got everything straight at the moment but it's tempting to make a chart.

My Recent Reads

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #28

Originally published March 4, 1998

Writer: David A. Stackpole

Artist: Drew Johnson

In-Story Timeline: 4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #29

April 1, 1998

Stackpole/Johnson

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire #4

March 18, 1998

Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley/Paul Gulacy

11 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Comics: Crimson Empire #2-3, X-Wing Rogue Squadron #27, Shadows of the Empire - Evolution #1

Crimson Empire is a strong series so far.  It appeals to me for much the same reason Rogue Squadron does: it offers the perspective of a military grunt, though this one plays for the other side.  Development of the protagonist Carnor Jax is gradual which I also appreciate.

Shadows of the Empire - Evolution is about a droid.  No thanks.

My Recent Reads

Crimson Empire #2

Originally published January 28, 1998

Writers: Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley

Artist: Paul Gulacy

In-Story Timeline: 11 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire #3

February 18, 1998

Richardson and Stradley/Gulacy

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #27: Family Ties, Part 2

February 4, 1998

Michael A. Stackpole/Jim Hall and Drew Johnson

4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Shadows of the Empire - Evolution #1

February 11, 1998

Steve Perry/Ron Randall

4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Comics: Dark Force Rising #5-6, X-Wing Rogue Squadron #23-26, Shadow Stalker, Crimson Empire #1

Mara Jade, Baron Fel, Jix, Kir Kanos: the best characters are morally ambiguous characters.

My Recent Reads

Dark Force Rising #5

Originally published September 24, 1997

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

Writer: Mike Baron

Artist: Terry Dodson

In-Story Timeline: 9 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Dark Force Rising #6

October 29, 1997

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

Baron/Dodson

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #23: In the Empire's Service, Part 3

October 1, 1997

Michael A. Stackpole/John Nadeau

4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #24: In the Empire's Service, Part 4

November 5, 1997

Stackpole/Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #25: The Making of Baron Fel

December 3, 1997

Stackpole/Steve Crespo

via Wookieepedia

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #26: Family Ties, Part 1

January 7, 1998

Stackpole/Jim Hall

via Wookieepedia

Shadow Stalker

November 19, 1997

Ryder Windham/Nick Choles

0 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Crimson Empire #1

December 7, 1997

Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley/Paul Gulacy

11 ABY

via Wookieepedia

Star Wars Comics: Dark Force Rising #3-4, X-Wing Rogue Squadron #20-22

My Recent Reads

Dark Force Rising #3

Originally Published July 30, 1997

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

Writer: Mike Baron

Artist: Terry Dodson

In-Story Timeline: 9 ABY

via Wookieepedia

• Luke meets C'Baoth who starts training him in the ways of the Force... the Dark Side of the Force.
• Han and Lando are on New Cov trying to dig up evidence on a spy among Senator Borsk Fey'lya's advisers.  Their efforts are interrupted when Thrawn's forces arrive on the planet.  A couple of new friends help them to escape.
• Thrawn threatens the Noghri who are hiding Leia, Chewie and Threepio.  So far, they haven't caved but Leia's getting nervous.
• Kirk, Spock and McCoy make a cameo in one of the panels.  I never would have seen it without the heads up from Wookieepedia but it's there.  If you're curious, page 18, fourth panel from the top, lower left.

Dark Force Rising #4

August 27, 1997

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

Baron/Dodson

via Wookieepedia

• Mara Jade is back!  But whose side is she on?  
• Thrawn's?  She cuts a deal with him to get information but then he betrays her.  
• Talon Karrde's?  She does seem inclined to protect him.
• Luke's?  Well, that seems unlikely at this stage but when the our favorite Jedi finally catches on that C'Baoth isn't such a great guy, Mara helps him escape.
• Han and Lando meet with Garm Bel Iblis, a former Senator and a General with the Rebellion.  Unfortunately, he refuses to help them.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #20: Requiem for a Rogue, Part 4

June 2, 1997

Michael A. Stackpole and Jan Strnad/Gary Erskine

4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

• The good guys win.
• But not without high cost.  Dllr and Herian sacrifice themselves for the good of the cause.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #21: In the Empire's Service, Part 1

August 6, 1997

Stackpole/John Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

• It turns out the Empire has their own cracker jack pilot, one Baron Fel.  The character is an obvious homage to the Red Baron.
• He is being sent to destroy Rogue Squadron.  And apparently he has a personal beef with Wedge, too, though we don't yet know what it is.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #22: In the Empire's Service, Part 2

September 3, 1997

Stackpole/Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

• We learn more about Baron Fel.  In truth, he seems a decent guy.  He's faithful to his wife.  He's motivated by the idea of protecting the citizens of the empire.  I always appreciate characters like this - a sympathetic face on the enemy.  Lux Bonteri is a good example from Clone Wars.
• He's certainly a more honorable man than his general on Brentaal IV, Soto.  The latter is mostly interested in protecting himself.
• Rogue Squadron and the Imperials, led by Fel, square off over Brentaal.  Several are shot down, but survive.  Janson and Ibtisam are taken prisoner.

Star Wars Comics: X-Wing Rogue Squadron #15-19, Dark Force Rising #1-2

My Recent Reads

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #15: The Warrior Princess, Part 3

Originally Released January 1, 1997

Writers: Michael A. Stackpole and Scott Tolson

Artist: John Nadeau

In-Story Timeline: 4 ABY

via Wookieepedia

• Princess Plourr and Count Rial bond but then are attacked by resistance soldiers.
• The rest of Rogue Squadron is captured by Stormtroopers.
• Well, all except for Wedge and Tycho who find Plourr and Rial just after the latter two have kicked the snot out of the soldiers who attacked them.
• Plourr reveals she knows Harran is not her real brother... because she killed her real brother.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #16: The Warrior Princess, Part 4

February 1, 1997

Stackpole and Tolson/Nadeau

via Wookieepedia

• Plourr tells the story of her brother, the one driven by cruelty who became enamored of Darth Vader and the ways of the Sith.  She killed him in self-defense.  He wanted to turn her over to the nobles  when they rebelled so he could watch them kill her.  By killing him, she managed to get away.
• Tavira, the imposter Harran's Imperialist lover, holds several members of Rogue Squadron captive and reveals her sinister plans to them.  As you do.  She plans to kill them so she figures there's no harm in spilling her guts.
• The good guys win and Harran is revealed as a fraud.
• Plourr decides to say and help set her world in order.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #17: Requiem for a Rogue, Part 1

March 1, 1997

Stackpole and Jan Strnad/Gary Erskine

via Wookieepedia

• Rogue Squadron has been sent to find a lost Bothan cruise ship.
• They find the ship on Malrev IV, a presumably uncivilized war.  Once there, they're unexpectedly attacked by TIE Fighters.
• Wedge is shot down and feared lost.
• Then the planet's native attack them on the ground.  Presumed primitives, they wield Imperial weapons.
• Wedge has been captured by a Devaronian, as yet unidentified.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #18: Requiem for a Rogue, Part 2

April 1, 1997

Stackpole and Strnad/Erskine

via Wookieepedia

• The Devaronian reveals to Wedge that he was once an Imperial officer, left behind when the Empire abandoned the planet.  He has learned to bend the natives to his own will.
• Our heroes find the temple where Wedge is being held and attack it.
• Meanwhile, Wedge escapes to rejoin them.
• Girov Dza'tey, the leader of the Bothans is not what he seems.  His sympathies lie with the Empire.  
• They found the temple because Dllr has been drawn to it by mysterious music.  Now, breaking away from the group, he enters the temple, only to be taken prisoner by the Devaronian, himself.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #19: Requiem for a Rogue, Part 3

May 1, 1997

Stackpole and Strnad/Erskine

via Wookieepedia

• The Devaronian is finally named: Cartariun.
• The Rogues win an air battle against TIE-Fighters piloted by Cartariun's minions.
• At last, Dllr sees through the music which drew him to the temple and is able to rebel against Cartariun's control.  
• Then he digs into the Dark Side in order to fight Cartariun.
• But on the last page, Girov turns up and shoots Dllr in the back.

Dark Force Rising #1

May 1, 1997

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

Mike Baron/Terry Dodson

9 ABY

via Wookieepedia

• The Thrawn Trilogy continues.  Dark Force Rising is book #2.
• Talon Karrde, Mara Jade and their band are now on the run with Admiral Thrawn in pursuit.
• Leia, accompanied by Chewie and Threepio, heads to the Noghri homeland to try to convert them to the Rebel cause.

Dark Force Rising #2

June 25, 1997

Based on the novel of the same name by Timothy Zahn

Baron/Dodson

via Wookieepedia

• Luke (with Artoo) heads off to meet C'baoth on Jormak, not knowing yet that the older Jedi is in kahoots with Thrawn.
• Han and Lando are headed to New Cov to find evidence of a spy network.
• Leia, Chewie and Threepio arrive on the Noghri homeworld of Honoghr.  Thrawn is there, too, and suspects their presence.  So far, though, their hosts have managed to keep them hidden.