Now That's More Like It

X-Men: Soul Killer
Boulevard Books
Richard Lee Byers, writer
Leonard Manco, chapter illustrations

This is another of those 1990s Marvel prose novels and one of the best ones I've read. I'm not well versed in X-Men history like I am with some other Marvel characters, but this adventure pits Storm, Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey and Wolverine of the X-Men against the demon-sorcerer Belasco. Apparently the X-Men have quite a history with Belasco in the comics as many past battles are referenced in this novel. The five members of the X-Men are joined by Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Colossus and Amanda Sefton of Excalibur. The two mutant teams also develop an uneasy truce with Dracula, lord of the undead, in opposing Belasco's scheme to bring the Elder Gods back to conquer the world.

It's also interesting that this series of novels has its own internal continuity of sorts. The last 12 pages of this book list all of the various 1990s Marvel-themed prose novels to date in "chronological" order of how they happened. That might not be a big deal when it comes to a Spider-Man solo novel and an X-Men novel, but several of the books team various heroes in one adventure. For instance, the Doom trilogy teams Spidey with first the incredible Hulk, then Iron Man, then the Fantastic Four. Another trilogy I haven't read yet teams Spidey with the X-Men for a time-traveling saga. That adventure apparently happens immediately prior to Soul Killer because several times in this novel various X-Men characters mention still being tired from the conclusion of that tale.

One further item of shared continuity for these novels is SAFE, the Strategic Action For Emergencies federal agency. This S.H.I.E.L.D.-like national police force has never appeared in any actual Marvel comic as far as I am aware. But they have made an appearance in all of these novels that I've read to date. The head of the organization is Sean Morgan. This book includes several nameless SAFE agents led by one of Morgan's lieutenants, Major Nefertiti Jones, who has also been in several of the novels I've read before. I'm not sure why the novels don't just go ahead and use S.H.I.E.L.D., the more familiar Marvel national cops. I wouldn't think it would be a rights issue because S.H.I.E.L.D. is typically mentioned in the novels, but SAFE is always the go-to agency involved in the action of the books.

And speaking of action, this book begins with Belasco assuming control of a nest of vampires in Natchez, Miss., and using them to put his latest scheme into motion. He generates a massive storm cell over the city, partially to cover his other actions and partially to lure the X-Men to the area. Storm travels to Natchez to use her weather-controlling abilities in an attempt to limit the storm and subsequent flooding. Rogue volunteers to accompany her teammate, which proves fortunate for Belasco, as she is the main X-Man the sorcerer is hoping to lure into his trap. Belasco uses one of his vampire brood and Rogue's mutant ability to leech energy from people to assume control of the heroine. Then he uses the controlled Rogue to attack Storm. The other X-Men get involved when they lose contact with their teammates, and Excalibur is made aware of the situation by Dracula, who is alerted to Belasco's scheme when control of his Natchez nest of vampires is taken from him.

Obviously, the book combines typical superhero action with no small portion of supernatural activity. Oh, and no small amount of good writing. I'm not saying the book is flawless. There are a number of coincidences in both Belasco's plan and the mutants' final victory without which the story would fall apart. But again, this is by far the best of these Marvel novels I've read. Check it out!

Enter The Lair Of The Beast

We’re not going to be talking about new comics this time. Nor will we delve into a typical retro-review posting. There’s a third category of comics reading I engage in, or maybe it might be more appropriate to say I’ve been neglecting it of late, and that’s why we haven’t discussed it here.

For almost a year, I concentrated my back issue purchases on completing the runs on Warlord and Jon Sable, as well as securing some coveted individual back issues fondly remembered from childhood. Those books were placed where they belong in my collection, and I’ve been reading them for the first time as I go back through everything in “chronological” order. Obviously that process started before I was regularly posting about comics on my blog, but maybe someday we’ll go back and do some retro-reviews on stuff even older than the mid-1980s.

Anyway, once I started going back through re-reading my collection, I didn’t stop buying back issues. Other old titles have become available and been snatched up. Trade ads in some of these older comics have prompted me to go in search of other titles and/or issues. In cases where I’ve bought something else and already passed the point where it should be inserted in my collection, I’ve set those issues aside as something to read once I’ve finished this initial run through. For instance, I’ve always been curious about Infinity Inc., but never purchased an issue except for #45 which was part of a crossover with The New Teen Titans. Recently I found a good deal on the first 12 issues of that title and bought them to finally give it a try. The title began in the early 80s, however, and our current retro-reviews have us in 1986, well past where these books “occurred.” So they’ve been added to the stack of stuff to read later.

Also in this stack are trades or hard-bound collections which are not “in continuity” such as Marvel Essentials or DC Showcase reprints. I have several of each of those, as well as a couple Marvel Masterworks and DC Archives editions. There’s also copies of Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams vols. 2 and 3. And some comics-themed magazines, both current and back issues which were of interest. Basically, it’s a hodge-podge stack of anything I’ve bought which either doesn’t fit nicely into continuity or is older than where I’m currently reading. And all of these books are set aside in this stack to read when I finish going through my collection in “chronological” order.

Except, that’s taking longer than I expected it would.

And the stack of other stuff is getting very large.

Very, very large.

Almost rivaling the stack of prose books I haven’t gotten around to reading yet. But that’s a whole other issue, and, of course, I’m working on it, too.

But I digress.

Back to the stack of comic “also-rans.” I decided I needed to start working on that stack, even if only occasionally, so that it doesn’t become too overwhelming. And at the top of the stack was ...

The Essential Tomb of Dracula, vol.1 (Marvel Comics) — This huge black-and-white trade collection assembles Tomb of Dracula #1-25, Werewolf By Night #15 and Giant-Size Chillers #1 for an entertaining romp through the most popular early 1970s Marvel Monster title. The tales are set in then-contemporary times and begin with American Frank Drake traveling to an ancestral castle in Transylvania, Castle Dracula. He brings along his girlfriend, Jeanie, and his “friend,” Clifton Graves. The trio are hoping to cash in on Drake’s infamous family name. Of course, the corpse of Dracula is discovered, the remaining stake is removed, the dark prince of the undead is revived and once again unleashed on an unsuspecting world. Many of these tales take place either in Transylvanian or London, and an assortment of vampire hunters are introduced to challenge Dracula. Some are descendants of famous vampire hunters, such as Quincy Harker and Rachel Van Helsing. This collection also includes the introduction of Blade, another vampire slayer who has gone on to a successful movie series starring Wesley Snipes.

Tomb of Dracula is a fun read, and I’m not even a fan of vampires, typically. And, the Essentials volums are a great price for this much comics reading. Well worth the price of admission.