X-Factor #200 comes out this week, along with some other books. Whad’ja get?
PAD
34 comments on “Stash Wednesday – December 16”
I got X-Factor #200, obviously. I see what you did there.
What’s the email address for the letters page? I can’t find it in the current issue and the rest of my collection is in storage.
I got the newest Essential volumes for Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Marvel Team-Up.
I also got to wondering when we’ll get a new chapter of Potato Moon. (see what I did there?)
I was wondering that myself. 🙂
Allow me to tell you you’re a brilliant hand at dialog and character as it happens…
.
Let’s see, already read this bit. DEADPOOL. … No amount of exclamation marks could express my joy at this moment. Please allow me to relate candidly that it is immense. (IMMENSE.) Did anyone NOT know about Rictor and Shatterstar? There’s a punchline here, but it would be impolite to pick on an unarmed man. Oh noes. Monet! Haaa, Shatterstar vs The Thing. Layla’s back already? yay! Or not. If she “knows stuff” maybe this already happened for her…hum. Madrox!priest. lol. “That’s probably why.” Heh. …traditionally female. Very on the ball this bit.
.
Well done! And…that was my stash Wednesday. Only comic I read, and all.
Not a comic, but the Iron Man 2 trailer was released this evening. I am happily bouncing about the room. 🙂
Funny thing is I was just showing my son, among other books out of second really big box, my copy of X-Factor #1 the other day. I’m going to try to get to the comic shop Friday.
I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to go to the comic book store until after Christmas. I did go Christmas shopping at the regular bookstore today, though. I got SWORD #2 and Web Of Spider-Man #3. (Remember when you were writing that title?) I haven’t read them yet.
I didn’t even think to look for X-Factor. I’m really sorry.
I’m starting to feel guilty every time I come on here.
Hi, Mr. David, just wanted to say that issue #200 was AWESOME – Shatterstar kicking the Thing’s ášš? Brilliant! And please can we keep the art team forever?
Best,
J.
Peter-
Tom Lyle here – formerly of ROBIN and SPIDER-MAN fame.
I am currently teaching at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. I’m in my fifth year here. They offer a degree in Sequential Art and the program is quite effective. Our school (with the Atlanta campus) has about 8,000 students and is growing all of the time.
I’m trying to get in touch with you about a convention (actually, the first year is more of a symposium – we are inviting Film and Comic talent to the event) that the school is having and I’d like to see if you would come to. You’d be a first year guest.
I never got to work with you, but I know we have spoken briefly in the past.
Anyway, should you be interested at all or want to know more (some of the potential guests), please email me. I will then phone you (don’t want to put my phone number up here) and we’ll talk about this.
The convention would be in early April of 2010. Event on Thursday night of the 8th – panel on the 9th – time for yourself in sunny Savannah on the 10th.
Hope we can talk more about this.
Thanks.
Tom
In the hopes of getting my hands on X-Factor #200, I managed to google and find the only “Ame-Comi” Shop in Tokyo (most likely the only one in all of the Kanto Plain), hoof it over there after work, and ask them to reserve a copy for me. #200 will not be imported into Japan until Sunday or so, but I’m betting this shall be well worth the wait. 🙂
Thank you, Peter David. Now the only LCS in the city has me as one more regular customer. ^_^
Happy Holidays
Ariana
Batman: Streets of Gotham was a bit scattershot. Dini tried to advanced the plot, but seems stalled out and took a very odd sidetrip to what’s up with Humpty Dumpty. Never mind that Dini just doesn’t have Damien’s voice down. Andreyko does a better job with him in one sentence in the Manhunter back-up.
Speaking of which, that back-up is really getting good. Andreyko seems to be getting the hang of a short page count, and I’m really getting fond of Kate, even though she is not exactly likeable or even sensible.
The end of the current story arc in Fables was undermined by the lack of a proper ending and by Willingham’s insistence on bouncing between subplots almost at random. But the arc with Buffkin was very well done, and the character play is strong.
Also, just started reading the Fables novel. Good stuff so far.
Lastly, found the Hulk: The End hardcover at the library. Both stories are amazing. Not the first time I’ve read Future Imperfect, of course, but it holds up very well and as a companion to The Last Titan, it’s perfect. There is no question in my mind that PAD remains the best Hulk writer, no matter if it’s the Professor Hulk or the classic version.
When is the next issue of Fallen Angel due out?
It seems to be running late.
That’s my big reading in the comics world these days.
(It’s because there’s a body/casket occupying the space of the “extra” dirt)
Well, in this one case, that may be, but the comment in question applies to almost every “filling in the hole” situation. You might note that in well-kept cemetaries, few gravesites have that “extra” dirt despite those graves having a body/casket occupying the holes. What makes the real difference is that, in most cases, people don’t bother to pat down the dirt that went back into the hole. (Bear in mind that when you refill a hole with that dirt, the dirt has been “disturbed” and generally spreads out so that the dirt going back in has a bit of air going back in with it. If you pat down the dirt, as in done by groundskeepers in cemetaries, it’s pretty tough to tell where a hole has been dug–unless the hole was dug in a grass-covered lawn or turf-covered field.)
I only bought two comics — the latest X-Men Legacy (all because of one measly page of Gambit) and of course X-Factor #200. Actually, this particular issue only confirms that I made the right decision in dumping all other X-magazine purchases (unless Mike Carey stops being an annoying Rogue fanboy and gives Gambit more pages) EXCEPT for X-Factor. I couldn’t stop laughing at Guido’s relentless teasing of Rictor and Shatterstar (although Shatterstar remains utterly clueless) and the morgue scene with Longshot. And there’s the mysterious but very lovely Layla Miller…she’s become my all-time favorite female X character. SQUEE! Shatterstar whooped the Thing’s ášš! (He he!) But I have to admit that the story with Siryn and the Rev. Maddox struck a chord in me. RL circumstances have also led to my seriously questioning my faith, so it really touched my heart. All in all, a GREAT issue! Congratulations to you and the talented artists!
I must admit though that I’m particularly intrigued by Nation X: X-Factor #1. Why oh why is Shatterstar kissing women left and right? Poor Rictor doesn’t seem to happy about it. How about giving some joy to a certain depowered mutant *wink*? (And, BTW, when is Shatterstar going to get that milkshake that was promised in a past issue solicit?)
As we say in Tagalog here in the Philippines, MALIGAYANG PASKO SA IYO AT SA INYONG PAMILYA! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Never mind; I found the address and sent my letter to X-Pert Witnesses. I did enjoy the issue, by and large. I really appreciate how you explore the characters’ relationships to each other. Looking forward to seeing Monet spring her father and seeing Layla in Latveria.
Loved X-Factor #200, all the bonus material included. Great stories, probably my favorite single issue of this series yet.
I also picked up on the Deadpool thing. Is there any history there that I’m missing or this something that’s as shocking to everybody else?
Deadpool and Siryn were sorta-kinda romantic during Joe Kelly’s Deadpool run.
I probably won’t get to go to the comic-book store until after Christmas. I did do some Christmas shopping at the regular bookstore yesterday, though, and I got SWORD #2 and Web Of Spider-Man #3 (remember when you wrote that title?)
I didn’t even think of looking for X-Factor. I’m really sorry. I’m starting to feel guilty every time I come on here now.
I tried to write all this here last night, but for some reason my comment never appeared, and then it wouldn’t let me try again. I don’t know what the problem was. You haven’t blocked me from commenting because I still haven’t bought X-Factor, have you?
Oh good! It worked this time. I’m not persona non grata after all.
As a baseball fan, I loved the little tirade in your latest issue…but I must say that THIS Yankee fan doesn’t give two craps about the ’04 Red Sox. That happened five years ago and we’re back on top NOW. 🙂
Sorry about your Mets, though. 😉
Mighty Avengers – I continue to enjoy this romp. For me, it is the best Avengers book out right now. They truly are the “real” Avengers! And Pym’s retort to Osborne about their pasts was priceless. Thought PAD had written it.
.
X-Factor #200 – For once, an oversized issue was worth the extra money! The main story alone was great. Loved the interplay. If PAD were to write The Fantastic Four, I would have to read it.
.
The second story where Theresa meets the priest John Maddox was intriguing. While I feel there is far more hope than the priest offers, PADs writing of the views gives room to ponder. It was nice to see her working through her grief.
.
And the tease for next week was great. A sense of impending doom? Someone who knows things? What in the word is coming? Can’t wait to find out.
.
Iowa Jim
I finally read that Web Of Spider-Man I bought. Is Aunt May an anti-Semite now, or did I read that wrong? Has anyone else here read this issue?
Wait, what?
Web Of Spider-Man #3
Okay. I finally had someone explain this to me on some other website. Apparently, when May said ‘Hebe’, she was referring to the Greek mythological Hebe (pronounced Hey-ba), whom I’m told had a date with Peter in a recent Hercules issue. I had no idea.
Since I don’t normally expect May to know any goddesses, it never occured to me that this was who she meant. The way the statement was phrased, it really looked like she was calling some girl a ‘Hebe’.
This is why they need to bring back footnotes for whenever they refer to another series.
I wonder if anyone at Marvel even noticed it could be interpreted the wrong way. I assume not, or they would’ve phrased it differently.
And I wonder if anyone else read it that way, or if I’m the only one and I just looked like a total dork here.
X-factor #200 brought it back to what I really liked about the series. I had no problem with the Cortex storyline but I wasn’t quite sure about the new direction. X-factor #200 was amazing and I was particularly impressed with the art. PAD you hit another homerun. Happy Holidays, can’t wait till the next issue!
Loved #200, but someone needs to send a memo to whomever was responsible for the character write-ups in the back pages. Swing and a miss on the origins of Layla’s “knowing stuff”. Did they forget to pick up #50?
They were also referring to John Maddox’s wife as Sheila rather than Susan. That’s a wince-making typo.
Having given up on X-Men around #200 or so I knew nothing of the characters from before X-Factor v3 #1 so the backstory to Monet was something of a revelation. I think her (or their) biography is definitely one that needs some kind of flow chart. And dear me, the boys’ old costumes were kind of awful. I’m in favour of Cassidy changing her fisticuff name to Banshee (even if generational superheros are more of a DC thing). Intentionally misspelled trade names are so 1990s.
Fables, in which we discover how even the mightiest beings can be subject to slapstick, and that Bucky is following Disney lead by not drawing men’s nipples.
Hellblazer I have picked up for the first time in years and years because Peter Milligan is writing it and the artwork is great. Constantine has gained a hideous scar since I last read the comic, but (unlike Shatterstar) as not changed his hairstyle.
I actually bought this a couple of weeks ago but only recently got around to reading it, Asterix and Obelix’s Birthday — The Golden Book. It’s a celebration of 50 years of the two most indomitable of Gauls, a look back at their adventures.
I discovered Asterix in 1975 when I checked Asterix and Cleopatra out of our county library. The art was beautiful and the humor up my alley, especially some of the puns. (“We’ll be driven into the Nile!” “We’ll be annilated!”) While I was in college, I gradually collected all the adventures, either hardcover or softcover. It didn’t matter as long as I could read them. (In English — I know very little French.) I’ve followed every volume since, even the ones dones only by Uderzo. I enjoyed most of them. If you’ve never read Asterix, I recommend them, especially Asterix the Gladiator, <Asterix the Legionary, the aforementioned Cleopatra, and Obelix and Co. Be warned, the French haven’t learned to be cautious in portrayals of some races.
I also got the latest Power Girl, which I’ve been enjoying. This issue, however, I could’ve done without some of the captioning. Also, it heralds the post-Crisis return of a character I didn’t need to see return, Vartox. Besides his name sounding like a nonprescription drug, he’s now got the problem of having a Herculean ego. He thinks Power Girl will automatically have the hots for him. I hope in the next issue, she kicks certain glands up to where his brain should be.
Well, I had to go back to the regular bookstore today to exhange one of the Christmas presents I’d bought. I looked for X-Factor #200, but I couldn’t find it. But I did get #50, so you should be happy.
I wasn’t crazy about the main story. Maybe I would’ve liked it better if I’d read more of the preceding issues and I understood more about who some of these people are. The second part with the set-up for the next issue was a lot better, I thought. Valeria creeps me out, too. (I didn’t get the gladiator-movie joke, though.)
I also got the first Deadpool issue I’ve ever read, so I could finally see what the big deal is. It was okay, but not as silly as I was hoping for.
(I’ve been hoping for more comedy in X-Factor, too. Back when you were doing Spider-Man the first time, the comedy issues were always the ones I loved the most. They’re still what I think of when I think of Peter David. [But more serious stuff like the Sin-Eater was good too.])
Dear Mr. David,
I was re-reading X-Factor #200 and was once again struck by the use of John Maddox in the back-up story. You have a mastery of “getting” an Episcopal priest. I have written in to the letters column before and have praised you for this before.
Next week, I will be leading a group of clergy in a meditation on “pastoral care in the midst of anxious times.” I was rereading #200 in preparation for #201 and was reminded of how good this interaction between John and Theresa highlights what I want to say in my meditation.
I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to use this story as my prime example in this meditation. I will be using it in slides to communicate the point.
In anxious times, we have to hold each other. The old platitudes of “God’s plan” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle” are not helpful, if they ever were. All clergy need to be reminded of this.
Thank you for your work, and for inspiring this Episcopal priest.
• 
I got X-Factor #200, obviously. I see what you did there.
What’s the email address for the letters page? I can’t find it in the current issue and the rest of my collection is in storage.
I got the newest Essential volumes for Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Marvel Team-Up.
I also got to wondering when we’ll get a new chapter of Potato Moon. (see what I did there?)
I was wondering that myself. 🙂
Allow me to tell you you’re a brilliant hand at dialog and character as it happens…
.
Let’s see, already read this bit. DEADPOOL. … No amount of exclamation marks could express my joy at this moment. Please allow me to relate candidly that it is immense. (IMMENSE.) Did anyone NOT know about Rictor and Shatterstar? There’s a punchline here, but it would be impolite to pick on an unarmed man. Oh noes. Monet! Haaa, Shatterstar vs The Thing. Layla’s back already? yay! Or not. If she “knows stuff” maybe this already happened for her…hum. Madrox!priest. lol. “That’s probably why.” Heh. …traditionally female. Very on the ball this bit.
.
Well done! And…that was my stash Wednesday. Only comic I read, and all.
Not a comic, but the Iron Man 2 trailer was released this evening. I am happily bouncing about the room. 🙂
Funny thing is I was just showing my son, among other books out of second really big box, my copy of X-Factor #1 the other day. I’m going to try to get to the comic shop Friday.
I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to go to the comic book store until after Christmas. I did go Christmas shopping at the regular bookstore today, though. I got SWORD #2 and Web Of Spider-Man #3. (Remember when you were writing that title?) I haven’t read them yet.
I didn’t even think to look for X-Factor. I’m really sorry.
I’m starting to feel guilty every time I come on here.
Hi, Mr. David, just wanted to say that issue #200 was AWESOME – Shatterstar kicking the Thing’s ášš? Brilliant! And please can we keep the art team forever?
Best,
J.
Peter-
Tom Lyle here – formerly of ROBIN and SPIDER-MAN fame.
I am currently teaching at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. I’m in my fifth year here. They offer a degree in Sequential Art and the program is quite effective. Our school (with the Atlanta campus) has about 8,000 students and is growing all of the time.
http://www.scad.edu
I’m trying to get in touch with you about a convention (actually, the first year is more of a symposium – we are inviting Film and Comic talent to the event) that the school is having and I’d like to see if you would come to. You’d be a first year guest.
I never got to work with you, but I know we have spoken briefly in the past.
Anyway, should you be interested at all or want to know more (some of the potential guests), please email me. I will then phone you (don’t want to put my phone number up here) and we’ll talk about this.
The convention would be in early April of 2010. Event on Thursday night of the 8th – panel on the 9th – time for yourself in sunny Savannah on the 10th.
Hope we can talk more about this.
Thanks.
Tom
In the hopes of getting my hands on X-Factor #200, I managed to google and find the only “Ame-Comi” Shop in Tokyo (most likely the only one in all of the Kanto Plain), hoof it over there after work, and ask them to reserve a copy for me. #200 will not be imported into Japan until Sunday or so, but I’m betting this shall be well worth the wait. 🙂
Thank you, Peter David. Now the only LCS in the city has me as one more regular customer. ^_^
Happy Holidays
Ariana
Batman: Streets of Gotham was a bit scattershot. Dini tried to advanced the plot, but seems stalled out and took a very odd sidetrip to what’s up with Humpty Dumpty. Never mind that Dini just doesn’t have Damien’s voice down. Andreyko does a better job with him in one sentence in the Manhunter back-up.
Speaking of which, that back-up is really getting good. Andreyko seems to be getting the hang of a short page count, and I’m really getting fond of Kate, even though she is not exactly likeable or even sensible.
The end of the current story arc in Fables was undermined by the lack of a proper ending and by Willingham’s insistence on bouncing between subplots almost at random. But the arc with Buffkin was very well done, and the character play is strong.
Also, just started reading the Fables novel. Good stuff so far.
Lastly, found the Hulk: The End hardcover at the library. Both stories are amazing. Not the first time I’ve read Future Imperfect, of course, but it holds up very well and as a companion to The Last Titan, it’s perfect. There is no question in my mind that PAD remains the best Hulk writer, no matter if it’s the Professor Hulk or the classic version.
When is the next issue of Fallen Angel due out?
It seems to be running late.
That’s my big reading in the comics world these days.
(It’s because there’s a body/casket occupying the space of the “extra” dirt)
Well, in this one case, that may be, but the comment in question applies to almost every “filling in the hole” situation. You might note that in well-kept cemetaries, few gravesites have that “extra” dirt despite those graves having a body/casket occupying the holes. What makes the real difference is that, in most cases, people don’t bother to pat down the dirt that went back into the hole. (Bear in mind that when you refill a hole with that dirt, the dirt has been “disturbed” and generally spreads out so that the dirt going back in has a bit of air going back in with it. If you pat down the dirt, as in done by groundskeepers in cemetaries, it’s pretty tough to tell where a hole has been dug–unless the hole was dug in a grass-covered lawn or turf-covered field.)
I only bought two comics — the latest X-Men Legacy (all because of one measly page of Gambit) and of course X-Factor #200. Actually, this particular issue only confirms that I made the right decision in dumping all other X-magazine purchases (unless Mike Carey stops being an annoying Rogue fanboy and gives Gambit more pages) EXCEPT for X-Factor. I couldn’t stop laughing at Guido’s relentless teasing of Rictor and Shatterstar (although Shatterstar remains utterly clueless) and the morgue scene with Longshot. And there’s the mysterious but very lovely Layla Miller…she’s become my all-time favorite female X character. SQUEE! Shatterstar whooped the Thing’s ášš! (He he!) But I have to admit that the story with Siryn and the Rev. Maddox struck a chord in me. RL circumstances have also led to my seriously questioning my faith, so it really touched my heart. All in all, a GREAT issue! Congratulations to you and the talented artists!
I must admit though that I’m particularly intrigued by Nation X: X-Factor #1. Why oh why is Shatterstar kissing women left and right? Poor Rictor doesn’t seem to happy about it. How about giving some joy to a certain depowered mutant *wink*? (And, BTW, when is Shatterstar going to get that milkshake that was promised in a past issue solicit?)
As we say in Tagalog here in the Philippines, MALIGAYANG PASKO SA IYO AT SA INYONG PAMILYA! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Never mind; I found the address and sent my letter to X-Pert Witnesses. I did enjoy the issue, by and large. I really appreciate how you explore the characters’ relationships to each other. Looking forward to seeing Monet spring her father and seeing Layla in Latveria.
Loved X-Factor #200, all the bonus material included. Great stories, probably my favorite single issue of this series yet.
I also picked up on the Deadpool thing. Is there any history there that I’m missing or this something that’s as shocking to everybody else?
Deadpool and Siryn were sorta-kinda romantic during Joe Kelly’s Deadpool run.
I probably won’t get to go to the comic-book store until after Christmas. I did do some Christmas shopping at the regular bookstore yesterday, though, and I got SWORD #2 and Web Of Spider-Man #3 (remember when you wrote that title?)
I didn’t even think of looking for X-Factor. I’m really sorry. I’m starting to feel guilty every time I come on here now.
I tried to write all this here last night, but for some reason my comment never appeared, and then it wouldn’t let me try again. I don’t know what the problem was. You haven’t blocked me from commenting because I still haven’t bought X-Factor, have you?
Oh good! It worked this time. I’m not persona non grata after all.
As a baseball fan, I loved the little tirade in your latest issue…but I must say that THIS Yankee fan doesn’t give two craps about the ’04 Red Sox. That happened five years ago and we’re back on top NOW. 🙂
Sorry about your Mets, though. 😉
Mighty Avengers – I continue to enjoy this romp. For me, it is the best Avengers book out right now. They truly are the “real” Avengers! And Pym’s retort to Osborne about their pasts was priceless. Thought PAD had written it.
.
X-Factor #200 – For once, an oversized issue was worth the extra money! The main story alone was great. Loved the interplay. If PAD were to write The Fantastic Four, I would have to read it.
.
The second story where Theresa meets the priest John Maddox was intriguing. While I feel there is far more hope than the priest offers, PADs writing of the views gives room to ponder. It was nice to see her working through her grief.
.
And the tease for next week was great. A sense of impending doom? Someone who knows things? What in the word is coming? Can’t wait to find out.
.
Iowa Jim
I finally read that Web Of Spider-Man I bought. Is Aunt May an anti-Semite now, or did I read that wrong? Has anyone else here read this issue?
Wait, what?
Web Of Spider-Man #3
Okay. I finally had someone explain this to me on some other website. Apparently, when May said ‘Hebe’, she was referring to the Greek mythological Hebe (pronounced Hey-ba), whom I’m told had a date with Peter in a recent Hercules issue. I had no idea.
Since I don’t normally expect May to know any goddesses, it never occured to me that this was who she meant. The way the statement was phrased, it really looked like she was calling some girl a ‘Hebe’.
This is why they need to bring back footnotes for whenever they refer to another series.
I wonder if anyone at Marvel even noticed it could be interpreted the wrong way. I assume not, or they would’ve phrased it differently.
And I wonder if anyone else read it that way, or if I’m the only one and I just looked like a total dork here.
X-factor #200 brought it back to what I really liked about the series. I had no problem with the Cortex storyline but I wasn’t quite sure about the new direction. X-factor #200 was amazing and I was particularly impressed with the art. PAD you hit another homerun. Happy Holidays, can’t wait till the next issue!
Loved #200, but someone needs to send a memo to whomever was responsible for the character write-ups in the back pages. Swing and a miss on the origins of Layla’s “knowing stuff”. Did they forget to pick up #50?
They were also referring to John Maddox’s wife as Sheila rather than Susan. That’s a wince-making typo.
Having given up on X-Men around #200 or so I knew nothing of the characters from before X-Factor v3 #1 so the backstory to Monet was something of a revelation. I think her (or their) biography is definitely one that needs some kind of flow chart. And dear me, the boys’ old costumes were kind of awful. I’m in favour of Cassidy changing her fisticuff name to Banshee (even if generational superheros are more of a DC thing). Intentionally misspelled trade names are so 1990s.
Fables, in which we discover how even the mightiest beings can be subject to slapstick, and that Bucky is following Disney lead by not drawing men’s nipples.
Hellblazer I have picked up for the first time in years and years because Peter Milligan is writing it and the artwork is great. Constantine has gained a hideous scar since I last read the comic, but (unlike Shatterstar) as not changed his hairstyle.
War on Frogs #4. Ghost frogs! Or frog ghosts?
AIR #16
ASTONISHING X-MEN #33
CHIMICHANGA #1
DODGEM LOGIC MAGAZINE #1
HELLBLAZER #262
LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #2
ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #3
X-FACTOR #200
ROCKETEER COMPLETE COLLECTION (Miss ya Mr Stevens)
I actually bought this a couple of weeks ago but only recently got around to reading it, Asterix and Obelix’s Birthday — The Golden Book. It’s a celebration of 50 years of the two most indomitable of Gauls, a look back at their adventures.
I discovered Asterix in 1975 when I checked Asterix and Cleopatra out of our county library. The art was beautiful and the humor up my alley, especially some of the puns. (“We’ll be driven into the Nile!” “We’ll be annilated!”) While I was in college, I gradually collected all the adventures, either hardcover or softcover. It didn’t matter as long as I could read them. (In English — I know very little French.) I’ve followed every volume since, even the ones dones only by Uderzo. I enjoyed most of them. If you’ve never read Asterix, I recommend them, especially Asterix the Gladiator, <Asterix the Legionary, the aforementioned Cleopatra, and Obelix and Co. Be warned, the French haven’t learned to be cautious in portrayals of some races.
I also got the latest Power Girl, which I’ve been enjoying. This issue, however, I could’ve done without some of the captioning. Also, it heralds the post-Crisis return of a character I didn’t need to see return, Vartox. Besides his name sounding like a nonprescription drug, he’s now got the problem of having a Herculean ego. He thinks Power Girl will automatically have the hots for him. I hope in the next issue, she kicks certain glands up to where his brain should be.
Well, I had to go back to the regular bookstore today to exhange one of the Christmas presents I’d bought. I looked for X-Factor #200, but I couldn’t find it. But I did get #50, so you should be happy.
I wasn’t crazy about the main story. Maybe I would’ve liked it better if I’d read more of the preceding issues and I understood more about who some of these people are. The second part with the set-up for the next issue was a lot better, I thought. Valeria creeps me out, too. (I didn’t get the gladiator-movie joke, though.)
I also got the first Deadpool issue I’ve ever read, so I could finally see what the big deal is. It was okay, but not as silly as I was hoping for.
(I’ve been hoping for more comedy in X-Factor, too. Back when you were doing Spider-Man the first time, the comedy issues were always the ones I loved the most. They’re still what I think of when I think of Peter David. [But more serious stuff like the Sin-Eater was good too.])
Dear Mr. David,
I was re-reading X-Factor #200 and was once again struck by the use of John Maddox in the back-up story. You have a mastery of “getting” an Episcopal priest. I have written in to the letters column before and have praised you for this before.
Next week, I will be leading a group of clergy in a meditation on “pastoral care in the midst of anxious times.” I was rereading #200 in preparation for #201 and was reminded of how good this interaction between John and Theresa highlights what I want to say in my meditation.
I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to use this story as my prime example in this meditation. I will be using it in slides to communicate the point.
In anxious times, we have to hold each other. The old platitudes of “God’s plan” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle” are not helpful, if they ever were. All clergy need to be reminded of this.
Thank you for your work, and for inspiring this Episcopal priest.