DOORWAYS #4

“Untitled”

Writer: George R.R. Martin

Artist: Stefano Martino

The old guy and his granddaughter are being robbed by the biker gang. They try to rape the granddaughter and she runs into the forest. They shot the grandfather. Only luckily Thomas, Cat and Trager arrive to rescue them. They go to a postal station and commandeer a delivery blimp to take the grandfather to the hospital in Denver. Thomas and Trager can’t come because there isn’t enough room. So they have to make their way by horse. The grandfather gets saved and Thomas and Trager arrive. Only Thane is on their trail. So, the three of them manage to make it to a doorway in an abandoned subway tunnel. A big alien and his servants are waiting. A fight ensues with Trager sacrificing himself so Thomas and Cat can escape. They land on Mount Rushmore only it has different faces.

The final issue of this failed TV pilot. Obviously, it ends on them in another alternate Earth. This was supposed to be an ongoing TV series. There were actually six scripts commissioned and written. It is a shame this was never picked up. It had a lot of potential. I doubt that Martin will ever bother turning it into a book. I mean the guy can’t write a continuation for a popular series with a solid fanbase. This has no fanbase. Well maybe some service will pick this up as a new series. They are always looking for content. This might actually be good.

DOORWAYS #3

“Untitled”

Writer: George R.R. Martin

Artist: Stefano Martino

Thomas and Cat have escaped Thane and are now on an alternate Earth. They find a highway with a sign saying Denver but no traffic. Only one abandoned car. Soon a horse drawn truck comes along. An old man and his granddaughter are carrying peanut oil to Denver. The old man gives the two a ride and they find out that on this Earth 15 year ago there was an oil spill in Australia. To clean it up, they released a microbe that eats oil. Only it got out of control and ate all the oil and other petroleum products including plastic. Now this world has no oil.

They stop at a truck stop and Cat gets a signal that Thane is now in this world. She tries to steal a horse and gets arrested by an alternate version of the FBI agent killed. He starts them off to Denver. The old man who gave them a lift joins up with a woman and her son to be safe in numbers. Only the woman was part of a biker gang (they ride bicycles) that rob them. Cat manages to grab a rock and beam the sheriff on the head.

Now the story is really getting interesting. The first of the alternate Earths has a lot of potential. A world without oil. They meet up with an alternate version of someone from their world which sets up that there are many alternate versions of people. Cat is a fascinating character. She is so naive and innocent but a very badass girl. Sad that this series never made it.

DOORWAYS #2

“Untitled”

Writer: George R.R. Martin

Artist: Stefano Martino

Thomas and Cat have escaped from the government agency and now head east into the desert. Cat only says the doorway is in this direction. She has to get there because someone is chasing her. The car breaks down and they hitch a ride. They end up in Truth or Consequences New Mexico and a men’s room in a truck stop. The doorway is supposed to appear here. Only government agents come to take them. Also the cyborg guy named Thane show up. He kills the agents, but Thomas manages to activate Cat’s gun which opens a doorway. They escape and fall in a river. Now they are on another Earth and Thomas has no way of getting back home.

The second issue in this TV pilot adaptation gives us a bit of insight to Cat. She is some slave on her world and the guy after her was her owner. A very powerful cyborg and now Thomas is with Cat traveling to alternate Earths. A good issue filled with some exposition and lots of visual fights.

DOORWAYS #1

“Untitled”

Writer: George R.R. Martin

Artist: Stefano Martino

A young woman appears on a busy L.A. freeway at night and blows up a truck. Later she is brought to the emergency room. After biting off an officer’s nose, the doctor a Thomas Mason calms her down. The woman is named Cat and wants to leave. Next day Cat is taken by government agents and so is Dr. Mason. At a secret facility he finds out that Cat has a very advanced weapon and other tech. The government is very interested in this and allows Mason to talk to Cat. He has the wrist device with him, and Cat puts it on. It works for her, and she finds out that something is after her. We cut to some weird cybernetic beings that materialize and are clearly after Cat. Cat manages to break out of her cell and with Mason they take off in his car.

“What If?”

By George R.R. Martin

An article on how George got a meeting to pitch some ideas and the execs loved his series idea of parallel worlds travel. Based on a short story he did in the nineties. It was accepted to be a pilot and the pilot was a success. Only it was delivered in August instead of May so didn’t get picked up right away. He did get a six-script order, but the regime changed, and the idea was scrapped.

I love alternate history and during the nineties, Sliders was my favorite TV show. There is speculation that it was based on this failed TV pilot from 1991. IDW decided to final bring us this idea in comic form. The pilot was released on VHS tape, and I hear can be found on You tube. I would love to see it. The idea so far has great promise. In fact, if probably would have been better written then Sliders. The comic has no visual basis in the pilot which probably helps as they aren’t bound to any budget that the real-world TV show would have been.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #4

“An American Killogy”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincenzo Federici

The plane that Ash and Elvis is on crashes into Graceland. Only it the Graceland in the present. The plane went forward in time for some reason. Ash has to fight Bubba Ho-Tep. The present day Elvis comes in to help out. Eventually Ash figures out an incantation from the Necronomicon and Bubba Ho-Tep is destroyed while freeing all the souls it ate. Ash and Elvis decide to go on a road trip where Elvis tells how he managed to escape the crashing plane back in the past.

The final issue in this series is a real disappointment. The art looked rushed and not very coherent. In fact the story seems like it was rushed in a hurry to end it. This is something I see so much in modern comics. The writer starts out with a strong idea. Then he seems to get bored or distracted and just sloppily ties up the ending. Anyway I loved the idea for this series. As I said the two Bruce Campbell movies are my favorite and the characters are a natural team-up. Maybe they can find a writer who is capable of following through on a good idea next time.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #3

“Can’t Help Falling in Midair at 20,000 Feet”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincenzo Federici

The Necronomicon mummy has been able to sneak aboard Elvis’s plane. Now Ash and Elvis have to fight it plus some nasty scarabs and the deadite pilot. Elvis arms himself with nunchucks and throwing stars. Ash of course with his chainsaw and shotgun. They tear up the plane and it crashes into Graceland.

Well this was a fairly simple story. Yet it was effective. Ash and Elvis fight the mummy and his minions on a plane. The plane ends up crashing into Graceland. The main highlight is the banter between our two heroes. Elvis actually offers Ash the opportunity to trade places with him. An offer that Ash seriously considers until he hears the part about reducing his chin. Nobody touches Ash’s chin. A quick but fun read with a cool cliffhanger ending.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #2

“Muertos Las Vegas”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincento Federici

Ash finds himself in ’70s Las Vegas. He notices that at the hotel Elvis is playing; there is also an exhibit for the Necronomicon Ho-Tep. So he goes there but the security guard won’t let him in. Only Elvis can enter. So Ash finds out from a cocktail waitress where Elvis’s dressing room is. There he puts on The King’s jeweled jumpsuit. Elvis finds him and big fight ensues. It is stopped by a scream. The two rush to the exhibition hall and find the security guard dead. They also find Ho-Tep and manage to take the Necronomicon from him. Elvis suggests the safest place is Graceland. So they hop on his private jet. While cruising along Ash discovers that Ho-Tep is on the plane and killed the pilot.

This was a real fun story. So Ash meets a younger Elvis and have a fight that Elvis was winning. Elvis is very knowledgeable about the occult and seems unfazed by everything. So he must have past experience with this stuff. I could actually see this as a movie with Bruce Campbell starring in both roles. That would be an awesome movie.

ARMY OF DARKNESS BUBBA HO-TEP #1

“A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Ashin'”
Writer: Scott Duvall
Artist: Vincento Federici

Ash travels to Mud Creek, TX because of a story he read that Elvis is still alive and fighting mummies. At the rest home the nurse says there never was any Elvis there. Going outside he meets someone named Dillinger who takes him to a house. There Ash meets Elvis. After a trivia test Ash is convinced that this is truly the King. Soon after that Bubba Ho-tep who was resurrected comes and fights the two. Bubba manages to grab Elvis’s Pharaoh suit. He opens a portal and Ash goes through after him. Ash finds himself in 1970’s Las Vegas.

I think that these two movies are the finest that Bruce Campbell has ever done. So naturally I just had to check out a comic that would united these two movies. So far I am impressed. The Ash and Elvis characters are just as in the movies. It takes place soon after the Bubba Ho-tep movie ends. Sadly we never did get the promised sequel Bubba Nosferatu. I guess this will have to do. A fun story that promises to unite Ash with Elvis in his younger glory days.

G.I. JOE VS. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN #4

“Untitled”
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: SL Gallery

Mike Power has managed to tear out the Cobra implants in Steve’s head. Now the Bionic man is back in control and ready to payback Cobra. Only Cobra had a plan B. They set off the atomic reactor in Steve’s bionic arm. Soon it will blow and kill thousands. The only option is for Steve to get on the rocket glider he was using before and get away from the island. He does this and there is a big atomic explosion in the atmosphere. Steve manages to escape. He removed the arm and tied it to the rocket glider. Then jumped into the sea.

Meanwhile in Switzerland Scarlet manages to defeat the twins Tomax and Xomat with her bolos. Snakes Eyes kicks Shadow Storm’s butt. Seeing his henchmen defeated Cobra Commander makes his escape. The explosion of Steve’s arm knocks out the electronics in the plane and it crashes. But Cobra Commander escapes the crash to cause trouble for another day.

The ending for this series was quite satisfying. Steve is brought back to being good. We have what looks like his self-sacrifice but he figured out a way to survive and save the day. Snake Eyes easily shows he is one badass and Scarlet also defeats the sadistic creepy twins. Seems sadism and overconfidence are the downfall for Cobra. This combined two properties that I remember fondly. I just love these kooky team-ups they are doing nowadays. Only disappointment is I would have liked to see Mike Powers fly with his spinning helicopter blade using his spinning hand. Well maybe next time.

G.I. JOE VS. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN #3

“Untitled”
Writer: Ryan Ferrier
Artist: SL Gallant

Steve Austin is continuing the beat up General Hawk as the other hide out in a bank. The Baroness is gloating on her easy victory. In Switzerland the team led by Scarlett is making good progress moving up the Infinity Tower. They start to just use their rifle butts or fists on the Cobra robots to conserve ammo. Snake Eyes manages to take over the control room. The team makes quick progress but runs into the twins Tomax and Xamot who beat down the Joes. Snake Eyes finds himself confronted by this old ninja brother Storm Shadow.

On the Frisian isles just as Steve is about to deliver the finishing blow to Hawk, helicopters come to the rescue. They carry Mike Power the Atomic Man and some more Joes. The two bionic men fight and Power manages to tear off the Cobra implants in Steve’s head.

So the tide of battle is turning in the Joes favor. Once again it is exciting to see my old childhood buddy Mike Power make an appearance. I thought he was forgotten all these years. He even wears the old Adventure Team logo on his shirt. A fun stroll down memory lane.