You can listen to the episode by clicking: Episode 78
Schooooool’s Back AFTER summer!!!! Wow!!!! Yeah…I did just sing that line. New issue, with the same creator team from the past few issues…..sooooooo, here we are.
The most awkward memory of my first days of school never involved showing up in the wrong clothes or looking much older than my age. Mostly because I did not care about fashion and I never played my younger self. But that is just me, and your mileage may vary.
My speed at school was mostly being awkward and odd. Running into things, wearing t-shirts for things I thought were cool and hip but were not, and generally being a spaz. Looking back, I think of my time with fond memories, selectively editing out the teasing, bullying, and embarrassment I often faced. I did not have it as bad as others. And I never had to deal with being a pony alien and a teenager, so I had that going for me.
Oh yeah, you might not have noticed but…..Alex turns into a Kymellian in this issue. I bring it up because it is pretty subtle.
Also, the kids find themselves involved in a weird fight with alien snails that are poor stand ins for TMNT knockoffs. Something about the Puppet Master’s new step-son or something….I stopped paying attention, if I am being honest, because of reasons.
We did mention that Alex is a full on Kymellian now….right? Again, I bring it up because a lot of people missed this.
There are other things we could talk about, like Maggie waking up in sexy clothes, and Franklin starting school, but it really is not worth it to type. Let’s just move on for know and see….or hear what is on the podcast.
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Jeff and Rick Present 
Coming from the lofty heights of “meh!” last issue, Power Pack #60 really doubled down on the awful. There are many points during the story where I could only say “why?” The irony of a plot assist for this mess makes me wonder whether or not there was a lot of glaucoma medicine used in the plotting of this story. Not at all besmirching the positive effects of medicinal marijuana, but, there is a reason there still hasn’t been the great American novel written on pot. It would never end.
How could this confusing mess ever get accepted by the editor Mike Rockwitz? I’m still just wondering if someone really looked at this and said, “good idea!” On the art end, Tom Morgan is so unsuited for this title. Why does Julie look like a backup singer for Paula Abdul? Why all the big hair on Jack and the girls? The cheesecake pinup of Margaret Power? Why can’t any of the kids look like kids, let alone the Power siblings? These are questions in which an interview with Michael Higgins or Tom Morgan would be beneficial. (if he could recall his plotting for a 30+ year old book)
Not to say that this issue was a complete waste. There were a couple of beats that were rather touching. One was the puppet master’s little speech after it’s discovered Morty was playing with his figures. I also liked the bit of Jim Power’s acceptance of Alex in the best illustration of the entire issue. The whole metaphor of Alex as a horse could have had some interesting turns had you had a creative team that had a concrete and detailed plot rather than the randomness which these issues feel like anymore.
Carrie’s take on this issue was my reaction as well when I read it a few months ago. This segment is so precious!
Well, the end of the regular series is nigh, but, there are better books ahead.
Jeremy Dawe
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“Here’s your meds, let’s write a comic!”
I want to say that they had lofty goals and were trying to tie Power Pack into the larger Marvel world by giving them more points of contact with different heroes and villains, but a sad by product of that is making it seem like they were not the focus of their own comic and honestly, nerfing them and what they are capable of doing. They have saved planets, plural, they have stopped space wars, they are skilled and capable heroes that know things and care about things. These issues mute so much of that to introduce go nowhere stories and characters that are boring enigmas.
I do want to do more interviews, need to get back on to that part of the show. That said, I want to be as polite to our guests as possible and not make them feel attacked. I honestly would like to find out the back stories for these stories.
I do like the fact that Puppet Master, a character that I don’t like, was a reformed sweetheart in this issue. I don’t think that I have ever seen him portrayed this way ever before or since, and I thought it was an interesting story point.
Jim and Maggie really are the MU’s best parents. They need to be acknowledged more for that. I really wish that Maggie was used for more than just a sexy rag doll in these. I really really do. Might have been better if Jim was the vegetative one, it would have at least been different. I also wish that anyone would have seemed to care about any of the things that had happened to anyone as well. Oh well, off my soap box.
Better and worse books ahead apparently, so we have that to look forward to. 🙂
Later, Jeremy.
-Jeff
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