Thursday, January 19, 2017

"Friendly Neighborhood Morbius" doesn't seem to have the right ring.


I was vaguely aware of this book when it came out, but didn't pick up any issues until Hastings' clearance sales. Which means I could be culpable in the title's low sales and subsequent cancellation, but honestly a lot of books I actually pay money for get cancelled too. From 2013, Morbius, the Living Vampire #2, written by Joe Keatinge, art by Richard Elson, color art by Antonio Fabela.

After escaping from prison in a Spidey crossover (around about the start of Superior Spider-Man, I think) Morbius plans on heading to Horizon Labs and curing his condition, and on the advice of a helpful homeless man lays low in the superhero-free neighborhood of Brownsville. The homeless fellow admits the people and the cops aren't exactly making it a great place either; but Morbius pretty quickly runs afoul of the local crime boss, Noah St. Germain. Who straight-up looks like a bad guy from Double Dragon or Final Fight; but in best videogame--or comic--tradition, he's nowhere near the final boss. A mid-80's Spidey villain would turn up around issue #5, although I have no idea if he was the original or a replacement; and there was a new (and previously unmentioned?) big bad behind him.

For his part, Morbius admits he's not a great person, and that he's made bad choices, and will probably make more. He shows slightly more restraint than I'd have expected here, possibly so St. Germain lasts more than three pages. Despite the above, he wasn't quite done yet!...pretty much though, yes. I think this run of Morbius ran about nine issues, but now I suspect finding the last few could be a problem, since the print runs were probably a bit low...

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