May 19, 2012 - It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
From blood to dust.
Dang. I don't know why I disliked so many of these later Rai issues so much. Is it a direct parallel to the earlier Rai 8 without a Rai? Most certainly. And it's more brilliant than that one. Yes, I'm saying that. Out loud. The courage that the issue took to kill the character and then go on - surpassed by this one. Clearly. It also has to cross years of time. Well done - and giving more sympathy to a mysterious character - Psylocke. With that said, the original Rai's son appears like quite a whiner in the issue. The sons all are whiners. Great cross - the boy - son of Rai - who isn't one. Son of Rai (2) who is called it. And Torque. Good paces.
The Silver Age was...
The Fantastic Four are more important than they are good. Which is a little bit sad, really. I'm comparing some of the most important comics - I know - bit of a strange complex here - to some ragtag bits of a crumbling universe - and find myself still declaring the garbage winners - that's the ugly Valiant, by the way. This issue is a strange exception. The issue isn't well written - it's clumsy at best. But the story is well crafted - or perhaps it's the other way around. The dialogue is clumsy, the workability is forced - but the story is pretty good. To have a character - especially a troubled one like the Thing - turn halfway through - is rather important. I can feel it against the upcoming Man/Monster storyline.