Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Random lots of comics on ebay can be fun.


I love those 100 comics for 10 cents each plus 8 or so bucks to cover postage deals you can find on ebay. In one of the more recent ones I got I got in the first issue of the early 80's Marvel Comics "Indiana Jones" monthly comic. From what I can remember at first it had a hard time getting a steady art team on the book. The first issue has John Bryne doing layouts with Terry Austin doing the finishes and inks. And you can see examples of the typical "John Bryne" faces on some of the characters. This first issue was also written by John,and it turns out to be a quick fun read. The story starts off with Indy in his college class room,and one of his students is standing there with a matchstick in her mouth. Indy shows off his amazing whip handling skills and knocks the match stick outta her mouth with out ever touching her. Turns out this is a way to earn extra credit in Professor Jone's classes. From there the Dean of the college shows up to info Indy that a former student is on campus and would like to talk to him. Indy goes and meets up with the student,who it turns out has seemed to found some legendary lost giant golden statues somewheres in Africa. But before he can explain more he dies. It seems a mysterious man has thrown a knife threw the open window into the back of the former student. So Indy declares he is off to see if he can find these legendary artifacts. When he finally reaches the town that the former student had been conducting his research in ,He runs into the dead man's sister. Who tells Indy she has more info back in her hotel room. Indy follows her back to the room to find it torn to shreds. And then they are both attacked by some white robed men that manage to keep Indy occupied long enough for them to escape with the sister. Indy follows his assailants through the back alleys. And then realizes it is a trap. And is dumped down a chute into a dark tunnel underneath the city. He then is introduces to a large sinister man who tells Indy that he wants Jones to find the statues for him. And since this man is holding the sister hostage Indy agrees. It seems the dead man who found the statues has marked a spot on a map where they are supposed to be. And it is a fog enshrouded island that doesn't seem to be on any map. After landing on the island Indy encounters a few booby traps.But He finally finds a tall gleaming tower right in the middle of a mountain range. Inside the tower he finds the legendary statues,and is checking them out when he is knocked unconscious. When he comes too the sister and Indy are chained up hanging over a pot of molten gold. And are slowly being lowered by what seems to be the worlds oldest Jungle Jim serial villain rejects. So with this cliffhanger the issue ends. The artwork besides that some of the faces look the same,a problem I have always had with Bryne's art,is adequate. And the story moves fast and feels like the first chapter in one of those old Republic serials. Next time I am at the comic shop or a con I will be sure to look for the further issues of this series. The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 gets a B-.

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