Meanwhile...

In Transition

2008-10-01T10:46:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone. Sorry for the long absence. Back in early September, Owen and I split up and I moved out. I've got a great new apartment, but things are still a little unsettled as we approach the one month anniversary of tenancy.

Sorry to have left this blog fallow for so long. In advance of the move, I did get all the long boxes out of the house and they are currently in a safe, but undisclosed location. I have no worries for my comics' well-being...but sadly, they are not available for inspiration just lately.

As I finish getting the apartment painted and set up, I'll be bringing the long boxes home and then we'll be cooking with gas (I AM cooking with gas at this apartment, for the first time in years, actually).

Thanks for your patience with me. Meanwhile (heh heh...), please feel free to check out the other blog for progress on getting a new household and life set up and underway.

I hope you're having a super autumn!!

Random Cover Friday

2008-08-22T23:54:00.001-04:00

Green Lantern #63, June 1995.

Olympic Heroes

2008-08-21T01:06:00.009-04:00

Batman and the Outsiders, #15. In 1984, the Games of the Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles. The Soviet Union boycotted the games, but Maxie Zeus was there and brought no end of trouble for the Dark Knight and his pals.

Every four years, the world turns its attention to a gathering of athletes. They come from all over our little planet, representing all walks of life, all religions and pretty much every other way in which we humans can be different from one another.

And they come in peace. Sure, there's rivalry, competition...maybe even jealousy. But I always see the Olympics as a sign that the world is not such a bad place, that we really all can get along together if we make even the slightest effort.

And every time, summer or winter, for those two weeks, I trade in my favorite fictional heroes and bask in the accomplishment of these young athletes. They've spent their lives training to be there, to show the world what they are good at. And the results can be amazing. World records are broken, always. That means each time these (or similar) athletes gather, they are better than those who came before them. And these games have been going on for something like Ever now.

It's just incredible.

This year, we've got the talented and tasty super-wonder aquaman Michael Phelps and his new status as the Greatest Olympian Ever, now that he's won eight gold medals at these games alone.

And of course, choosing someone like him as a hero, for inspiration and encouragement in whatever you attempt, there's nothing wrong with that at all. Everybody loves a winner. There's no better model for success.

But heroes don't always win, as was obvious last night. Lolo Jones was the gold medal favorite for the 100 Meter Hurdles race in the women's track and field events. She'd overcome adversity with every step of her life and was poised to change it all with this win. (And I suspect she'd agree that in the process of trying, she did change all that.)

There she was, rabbiting toward her goal when she clipped the last hurdle and lost all her momentum...and the race.

"It's the hurdles," she said, afterwards. "You have to get over all 10. And if you can't, you're not meant to be the champion. Today, I was not meant to be the champion."

Jones' misfortune made gold for her US teammate, Dawn Harper, who was unknown in the field before and now suddenly wears the medal Jones had hoped for. This sort of story, too, is what the Olympics are made of.

The thing isn't the Winning or the Losing. Not in my book. The thing that inspires me, anyway, about all these Olympians, is that they go up against their personal demons, challenges and roadblocks and take the chance, having faith in themselves that they can better than they have ever been before and maybe better than anyone's ever been before.

That they go to the Olympics ever four years to try...that makes them heroes to me.

End That War!

2008-08-18T08:54:00.002-04:00

You have to admire the golden-age Superman for his clear-headed thinking on the best way to end a war. If only he were here now to pick up a few people and put them in a ring together.

Just My Imagination...

2008-08-16T10:14:00.004-04:00

I've always admired Bill Watterson for his ability to channel the memory of life through the eyes of an eight year old. The way summer seemed to stretch on for eternity with nothing to do...although really, the options for entertainment are nearly infinite at that age.

Much as I love video games and television, I feel bad for kids these days who don't seem to get the opportunity to play in their heads, to explore the fabulous and ever-changing world of Imagination, or to get out there and play in the natural world, discovering bugs and ooze and slime and all the other good and bad things that make Life so rich.

To my "grown-up" pals, I hope your summer's been a great one. And I hope you get the chance to channel your internal superhero sometime before Labor Day comes around again.

Have a great weekend.

Wonder Wednesday

2008-07-30T08:05:00.000-04:00

Vacation Doodle

2008-07-17T23:48:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA from this blogspot for so long. As usual, the Garden has been completely ruling my life. But you'll be happy (or disappointed) to know that I opted to stay home from a midnight premiere of The Dark Knight to make sure I got some posting done.

Nah, really, that's not entirely true: I only found out about the midnight show around 10 p.m., and there was little hope of my getting out of work in a timely manner to make the fantasy happen. I do plan to see it sometime very soon, though...I'm virtually a-tingle with anticipation.

So, Greg, I hear you asking, if you're not here to post a quick review of your film-going experience, why are you bothering with the blog? Well, my friends, as you may know, it's Doodle Week, as declared by Claire and Laura. Today's theme is Doodle Vacation, and I dug through my old journals and found a few things to suit the bill.

That up above was a late-night doodle anticipating a spring vacation (the bulb doesn't give that away, does it?) to Cape Cod back in 1994.

While I was away on that vacation, I did get to spend a little time one afternoon sitting by the harbor in Hyannis, where I sketched this lobster boat. I spent some serious time getting at least some of the details of the boat right, so perhaps it's more a full-on drawing than a doodle...but check the background. That is a totally doodled background.
Are you a doodler? There's still three days left to get involved. Check the link to see if you've got what it takes for the next days' themes.

JSA: Critical Times

2008-05-29T20:36:00.009-04:00

The year was 1978. Something called the DC Explosion was happening, as the number of titles the company published jumped exponentially. It didn't last long and was followed fairly quickly by the less-discussed DC Implosion. However, during this time, the JSA made a comeback in the pages of All Star Comics. Here's issue #74 from October.

Now, this was an interesting time for the JSA. The team primarily featured the older heroes, all of them seasoned on the American homefront of World War II. Three young-ins had recently joined the team: a grown-up Robin, Huntress, the daughter of a retired Batman and Power Girl, the E2 equivalent of Supergirl.

Here's those two young female heroes in a gratuitous faux lesbian moment, responding to a call from Dr. Fate through the JSA communicator.

Now, it had already been established that a "crisis" was a story that teamed up the JSA and the JLA, so that wasn't really an option here for this, a solid Earth-Two based tale of adventure and derring-do.

So what did they call it: The Critical Time.

A giant creature (drawn as one dimensionally as every other character by artist Joe Staton)named the Master Summoner contacts Hawkman and Dr. Fate, and advises them that a "critical time" is coming for the[ir] earth and that the Justice Society will be called upon in certain locations around the globe to ensure that the demise of the planet can be averted. Fate says "Critical Time."

The heroes are dispatched to various locations, with Green Lantern, Power Girl and Hawkman heading to the border of China and the USSR, where they break up a battle between forces of the opposing nations. Green Lantern says "critical time."

For the first time, we begin to suspect that the Master Summoner (who looks just a little like Darkseid, now that I think of it) may not be entirely on the up and up. But that's for later.

We turn our attention Huntress, The Flash and Dr. Fate, who've been directed to Montreal. Now this brings up an interesting moment. I'd always assumed the primary differences between Earths One and Two were when the first heroes emerged and formed their teams to make a difference in the world...and in a few notable cases, there were costume differences. And the Daily Planet was called the Daily Star.

But here we've got something different.

Yes, you read that right, on Earth Two, Quebec successfully broke off Canada to become an independent nation. This was a big movement in the 70s, but I didn't remember this difference between the two Earths...and it makes me wonder how else things might've been different there. They were just starting this sort of story exploring when the Implosion occurred, followed fairly shortly by the Crisis on Infinite Earths, which took away all those possibilities.

This would be an interesting subject to explore, if the current DC ends up giving the new Earth 2's Justice Society a mini-series or something. And naturally, if they do this, then I should be on record as saying they had darned well better have an Earth 2 version of Wonder Woman on the team somewhere.

Anyway, digression over: Huntress says "Critical time."

Suddenly, Fate gets a clue that each of these (can I say crises?)situations actually gets worse for the efforts of the Justice Society members. It becomes clear that the Master Summoner is actually harvesting the powers of the JSAers to use to ensure the demise of the planet...(it also becomes clear that poor color seperation and one dimensional artwork seemed to go hand-in-hand back then, but please note the fifty cent cover price)and Fate summons the heroes and calls them all to the JSA headquarters...and gets to say "Critical Time" again.

It turns out his big solution for their solving this "critical time" and defeating the Master Summoner is for the Justice Society to do absolutely nothing. Without their active powers to harness for his evil purposes, the MS shows up briefly to offer a sort of "Oh, what a world, beautiful wickedness, yada yada" speech before saying he'll be back to try again in another millenia and vanishes in a puff.

And thus the JSA averts this Critical Time, and sort of foreshadows the Crisis on Infinite Earths (albeit on a small scale, and nobody important dies), by doing nothing. It isn't clear in the story if they have to stand absolutely still, or if they can pop popcorn and play canasta or anything.

As a nice change of pace to the art (I hate to say too much negative, as I've enjoyed Joe Staton's work elsewhere...but this seems a bit rushed, like he whipped it off in a night or two) in the story, this issue also offers a two page centerfold advertisement for a Clark Bar Promotional Contest, the first prize of which was being drawn in an issue of your favorite super hero's comic. A dubious distinction, if Staton was doing the honors...but whatever.

This art, featuring the five primaries of the then-popular Super Friends is uncredited, but pretty styling. But does anyone else thing Wonder Woman looks like the most masculine of the bunch. Those sideburns might be just a little thick.

Wonder Wednesday

2008-05-14T00:23:00.003-04:00

Thought I'd tip you off to the five preview pages for Wonder Woman #20, over at Newsrama today. Another great story from Gail Simone, all new and fabulous art by Aaron Lopresti.

I love this scene with the wolves. When it started, I was worried it was going to be forgotten that she can communicate with them. Shame these guys didn't want to listen.

Interesting new look to Diana's togs, that's for sure. Metal panties seem a poor choice for the climate, though.

Bat-Previews

2008-05-07T09:37:00.006-04:00

Well, big news for Batman fans yesterday, as the new trailer for this summer's The Dark Knight was released on the internet.

I'm not scooping anyone with it, but here it is just the same (MILD SPOILER WARNINGS for those of you too dense or uncaffeinated to figure that out):

F*ckin' awesome, no?

Yes, sure, you could nitpick...movie people don't always seem to remember that Batman probably wouldn't have long guns mounted on the front of his steroid-infused Bat-cycle...considering his origins. But we are a gun-loving country, aren't we, so of course they want as many of those as possible in a summer blockbuster.

But look at that flying Batman sequence, hmmm?? Just fantastic.

Also, it's becoming clear that while the Joker has received much press from this movie, owing to Heath Ledger's brilliant performance and sad, untimely death, Two-Face is here in big part, as well. Played by the beautiful and talented Aaron Eckhardt, the transformation of half his face with the acid splash (or however they play it in the film) should be quite a dramatic one.

Fans of Batman Begins may note that Rachel Dawes is not played by Mrs. Cruise this time around, but otherwise, this might go unnoticed. We can only hope, however, that there's a Batman just off the ledge of that building Joker tosses her from.

For the record, the release date for this move is July 18th: Only 72 days away!!!

Can I get a squeee?

Off The Rails

2008-05-05T09:07:00.013-04:00

If you're one of the big three heroes of DC's Trinity, then speeding locomotives can hardly make you break a sweat.

(And can I just point out: "64 pages of thrills"...for a f*cking dime!!)

But if you're the Golden Age Sandman and Sandy, even a loud truck can be a challenge!

I Just KNEW It!!!

2008-04-30T18:40:00.003-04:00

Today, the New York Daily News breaks the hot news that Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash, will be returning on the final page of today's release, DC Universe #0.

Of course, DC's been teasing us about this possibility for several years now. After all, the first Crisis (on Infinite Earths) took him away from us...(tho Marv Wolfman has admitted he built a fail-safe into the story so as to bring him back, if interest dictated)...it makes perfect sense that the impending Final Crisis might bring him back to us.

Newsarama's carrying the story as well, of course...but I have my dear Mom to thank for this tip!! Thanks, Mum, you're the greatest!!!

Long Live The JLA!!

2008-04-19T11:14:00.005-04:00

Check out this hot preview page from the upcoming DC Universe #0!!

I freely admit, I'm not quite up on my current artists in the DC stable. Is this Benes? I'm not sure. One way or another, I'm grooving on this image, which was released by DC this weekend, just in time for the NY Comic Con. If it is Benes, then I'm impressed at how everyone's bodies seem well proportioned, especially the women.

But I'm not here to be an art critic, only to drool over this image of what must be, again, retroactively...the original seven members of the JLA, along with the early Silver Age additions to that classic team. Looks like there'll be a history lesson for us in DC Universe #0. About time.

I'm not at the convention, and it'll probably be two years before I get my hands on the trade paperback for this and Final Crisis. But at least I have places to let my imagination run as I head back out to work in the garden.

Happy Earth Day! (Oh, and Happy Earth 2 Day, and Earth 3, and 4 and so on...!)

Fortress of Servitude, Maybe...

2008-04-16T09:07:00.004-04:00

...

I don't even know what to say about this cover, except maybe that I'm sorry it doesn't appear in my collection.

; )

Look, Up in the Sky!

2008-04-08T21:50:00.001-04:00

I can't believe I'd never seen this one before! It's a European ad, from 1997. Just love it. Always wondered what Batman did on a Friday night...

Great Krypton: Action #1 on Ebay!!

2008-04-05T09:45:00.003-04:00

Here it is, the "mac-daddy" of all comic books right here...or maybe that's the great-grand-daddy...

Anyway, thought you'd like to know there's copy of Action Comics #1 currently inspiring bidding battle over at Ebay. For those of you who've been sleeping through all your lives, this 1938 comic book is the one that launched the famous Man of Steel himself, Superman.

The bidding started back on March 27th, so there's no danger of this being a sad April Fool's joke. The first bid was for $25, and I have no doubt that person wasn't passing out the bid URL. As of this morning, the high bid is $90,100 and there's still a day left before the auction closes.

So kids, grab your checkbooks and call your credit card companies to see just how much available credit you've got. Me, I don't think I could handle the responsibility...and plus, how much gasoline could this buy?

I can't help but wonder, do the Seigels have a copy of this already?

Super Fool!!

2008-04-01T22:56:00.000-04:00

The Joker takes over Metropolis in Action Comics #714, from October 1995.

Extra!! Extra!! Seigel Family Regains Rights to Man of Steel

2008-03-28T23:27:00.008-04:00

A federal judge in Los Angeles this week has ruled that the heirs of Jerome Seigel, one of the creators of our beloved Superman, have the right to claim a share of the United States copyright on the Superman character.

The New York Times has the story here, and you can be sure that Newsarama will have more of the details as they become available, particularly as to how this news may impact the Metropolis Marvel.

Thanks to Lili for the heads-up!!

***

I'll be back with a new post real soon!!

Please Stand By

2008-03-16T23:59:00.008-04:00

Thought I'd share a bit of bat-love with you in lieu of a few posts. Tonight's fine art comes courtesy Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley of 1986's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. How is that over 20 years old?

I'm afraid I must ask you to stand by, though. Our furnace/boiler's been possessed by Satan or Neron or summat, and leaking fuel oil ($) onto the floor. We've been catching it in buckets, but the fumes have been terrific. My computer, BTW, is right beside the door to the furnace room/death pit.

It seems repairs have taken nicely, but exorcism or some sort of cleansing ritual may still be required. So forgive me if I pass on huffing/posting while we sort out the rest.

Back soon.

Oh, but meanwhile... tonight I found a great new snack at the grocery...and while I'm receiving no remuneration or other compensation from DC or Betty Crocker or anyone else, I thought I'd share my findings here: Batman Fruit Flavored Snacks!

I saw the name and hey, you know Batman's a name you can trust.

They're actually pretty darned tasty, too. The green Joker's are quite limey, the little purple Batmen are grape, the Batmobile's a cherry red...and well, I'm not sure what flavor the white bats are...hard to say so far.

The other shapes/colors weren't in my first pack, which are conveniently sized for the pouches of your utility belt.

Random Cover Friday

2008-03-14T23:14:00.005-04:00

Robin #20, September 1995.

Story by Chuck Dixon, art by Mike Weiringo and Stan Woch.

In which Robin wrestles with a circus lion named Nero, does great battle with a child named the General and a guy in a toga named Hadrian (who naturally is associated with Maxie Zeus), and then returns home in the wee hours to find his girlfriend Arianna hiding in his bedroom.

To Infinity and Beyond

2008-03-13T09:53:00.009-04:00

From March 1984 comes today's selection, Infinity, Inc. #1, brought to you by the creative team of writer Roy Thomas and arts/co-designers Jerry Ordway and Mike Machlan.

It's Christmas Eve 1983 (I guess Ma Hunkle was still MIA back then, but couldn't someone have slapped a wreath up on the building?), on Earth 2 and Hawkman has called an emergency meeting of the Justice Society of America. Everyone's there except Superman and Sandman (Wesley Dodd's had recently suffered a stroke), but before Hawkman can explain why they are gathered they are interrupted by four upstart new heroes who burst in, clamouring for membership.

Holy bad parenting, Batman...all four of these "new" heroes have ties to family ties to members of the League. For college kids, I thought they were sort of unreasonable to their parents (sure, in high school, kids can be a little mean to their moms and dads, but by college, you hope this will be settled down...it was for me, anyway...), but I suppose that was largely colored by the bad attitude of the Silver Scarab, aka, Hector Hall, child of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Between super-heroing and archaeology, the Hawks were apparently absent parents...and Hec pretty seriously resents his latchkey childhood.

Anyway, the Society ask the kids to wait in an adjacent room, while they have some discussion about whether or not to admit the younger generation. While they wait, the kids reflect on their origins.

The blonde with the the wierd red and gold costume and head-piece (is it a hat, a crown...some sort of modern tiara?!) is Lyta Trevor, daughter of Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, who's dating Hector and has chosen the name Fury for her superhero identity. She mentions her meeting with the Earth One Wonder Woman as one of the things that encouraged her to finally step up to the hero business (remember when they met in WW #300? No? You should read yesterday's review for the through-line).

One of the other two heroes is Nuklon, who's the godchild of golden age Atom, Al Pratt, who is over seven feet tall and endowed with great strength, as a result of his one-time villain grandfather's experiments against the All-Star Squadron back in World War II.

The fourth member is Norda, using the codename Northwing, who hails from Feithera, a mystical city which the Hawks discovered during their early hero careers, populated by a human-like race of bird people(I really can't explain it any better than that!). His father was an anthropologist whom Hawkman brought to Feithera to study the culture. Hector really has some attitude about Norda, since he resents the attention of the Hawks.

Anyway...the JSA open the doors and announce their decision in the negative (never mentioning that the vote was nearly a tie), which is when two more young heroes show up, showing off new abilities.

Despite their claim that Green Lantern is their dad, neither Jade nor Obsidian are welcomed into the Society...and the kids go off to sulk and scheme. The JSA's younger and most-recently-added members, Power Girl and Huntress go after the kids to talk to them...and to think some about the old-ster attitudes of their fellow JSAers.

Of course, the Brainwave bursts into JSA headquarters on the last page for a cliff-hanger.

This was an interesting first issue, although the kids have not yet come up with the idea for their own team here, nor even the name in the title. It's also strange that Brainwave Junior (the guy in red with the blue goggles) is featured on the cover while Fury and Northwing are not, since he doesn't appear in the series until the second issue, at least. By the time of their debut, we had also already seen this team, when they traveled into the past to meet the All-Stars of WW II.

On another note, this was one of like four experimental books at the time, featuring a new reproduction method which I believe was called The Baxter Process, or perhaps that was the kind of paper they were using. I know I shied away from these titles for a little while due to the higher cover price (can you imagine, that there was a time when we thought $1.25 was too much to pay for a comic book?)...but eventually, the new art reproduction won me over...

What Dreams May Come...

2008-03-12T10:06:00.013-04:00

The Wonder Wednesday festivities return this week, as we take a look at issue #300 of Wonder Woman, volume one, from February 1983 (just a few months before I graduated from high school, for those who are keeping track...).

And what a celebration this issue is, kicking off in fine style with a fantastic, wrap-around cover by Dick Giordano and George Perez.

Our wonder epic, by Roy and Danette Thomas, begins in a dark alley in Washington DC, at 3 a.m. Our heroine is facing off against a large, shadowy and shapeless creature, one which has been terrorizing her in dreams all week. But now it's taken physical form and Diana's fighting a loosing battle against the thing.

By the way, a host a wonderful artists provided their bit for this anniversary spectacular. The framing sequence is penciled by Gene Colon, the regular artist on the title at the time.

She's about to be hurled against a wall when a red and gold clad figure appears from the shadows and catches her, as the monster vanishes in the glow of a street lamp.

The mystery man is the Kirby version of the Sandman. He explains to Diana that during his duties of monitoring the Dream Dimension, he became aware of her nightmares and sleepwalking. He's very troubled that the creature of Diana's dreams is taking real form.

Diana is grateful to Sandman for his intervention, but a little non-plussed by the fawning comments he makes about her beauty. She admits that she's been feeling a lot of pressure about her job and from the man she loves. The Sandman suggests she should change the job..."or the man."

Diana points out its not really Sandman's business and they part company, as she dashes through the early morning streets of the nation's capitol, returning to the apartment she (as Lt. Diana Prince, USAF) shares with Etta Candy just before her roomie wakes up, but not soon enough to get the two of them to work on time.

Both Etta and D.P. are called into General Darnell's office, assuming they are to be berated for their lateness, but Diana is awarded a promotion to Major, with a promise that she may even be a colonel if the paperwork has gone through by the time she and Steve Trevor are to return from the upcoming Arms Talks she and Trevor are to attend in Mexico.

For Colonel Trevor's part, his ego seems to have been hurt by Di's promotion and when she calls him on thinking she got the promotion because she was a woman, he denies it, saying he's never really thought of her as a woman at all. (OMG!! Of all the stupid man things to say...) Naturally, she storms off.

But she realizes her recent lack of sleep from the nightmares has her on edge, and thinks Steve might not be deserving of the full anger she's feeling. She changes to Wonder Woman and summons the invisible jet, thinking to catch a cat-nap at 40,000 feet to restore her.

As her eyes close, the monster from her dreams reappears and attacks the jet. She begins defensive maneuvers to throw off the thing and swoops away, to return to the ground...only to discover that she's on a collision course with the Washington Monument. Believing she won't be able to get clear, she's surprised when a golden lasso catches the nose of her plane and lifts it above the monument...

...which is about when our Diana realizes she's broken the barrier between dimensions and found herself on Earth-Two, face to face with her parallel doppleganger, Wonder Woman. This segment of the story's art is capably handled by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano.

The two have met once before and are happy to catch up a little. But Diana is a little surprised by how the E2 Wonder Woman's life has turned out. She has long ago revealed her secret identity...and married her Steve Trevor.

"I know I once said I'd never marry him until all evil was vanquished from the world...but not even an Amazon can wait that long."

This other Steve Trevor insists this second (to him) Wonder Woman to stay for dinner before returning to her Earth. As they tour the Trevors' home, Diana meets her doppleganger's daughter, Lyta...who asks if this second Wonder Woman will stay to help her train, as she hopes to take over being Wonder Woman from her mother.

Diana does stay for dinner and her visit offers her some interesting perspective on her own life. She returns to Earth One in time to catch up with Steve at a twilight launching of a new nuclear submarine. Of course, there's a terrorist sniper to spoil the launch festivities, but she and Steve work together to make short work of the guy...and she carries Steve off to a nearby rooftop and says that if he still wants to marry her, she's ready.

He's flabbergasted, but thrilled...and even a little surprised that she wants to be married in just a few weeks, on Paradise Island. Even though we know this Wonder Woman never met Mindy Mayer, it's clear she has a hot publicist, as the next day, as the gang is headed to the talks in Mexico, Etta is reading a newspaper with the headline WEDDING BELLS FOR WONDER WOMAN!

Di is a little cool on the subject when Etta mentions it. Trevor overhears and thinks that it will probably be best for Diana Prince to get over him, now that he's marrying Wonder Woman, so she can find a nice guy and settled down. And then the radio message comes, advising them of a bomb hidden in the briefcase of top secret documents handcuffed to Diana's wrist.

She makes a show of being heroic, grabbing a parachute and leaping from the plane before anyone can stop her...and the bomb explodes, "killing" Diana Prince.

We get to see her funeral next and Wonder Woman even shows up to offer a few kind words. She's moved by just how upset her friends are at Diana's passing...but suggests to Steve that Diana wouldn't have wanted them to delay the wedding on her account.

After everyone's departed, the Sandman makes a return appearance. Diana's a little pissed that he knows from her dreams that she and D.P. were one in the same. He offers to tell her his own origins and how he came to live in the Dream Dimension, as a way of building trust. This segment, flashing back to the five issues of the Sandman's own title, are well-drawn by Keith Giffen and Larry Mahlstedt.

I won't recap his origin here, since it really does feel like a bit of a pause in the longer story...with no focus whatsover on Wonder Woman...but his back story is helpful for those of us who weren't at all familiar with the character. Essentially, he's trapped in the Dream Dimension and rides herd on the wild creatures who live there and inhabit our dreams.

And as it turns out, he's totally got a thing for Wonder Woman and even tells her that he loves her, and that if she would join him in the dream dimension, he would be totally happy. She brushes him off, saying that she feels gratitude for his help and sorrow for his situation...but not love. He leaves, but say's he'll be back when she needs him.

Now Diana travels to Paradise Island, where she is thrilled that the first wedding gifts have begun to arrive...but she quickly falls asleep, slumped in her mother's pillowed throne...and she dreams.

Here the art shifts to that of Jan Duursema and Tom Mandrake, as we see her familiar origin story play out: the crash of Trevor's plane, the rescue, her competition against her friend Mala, winning the tournament. And then, late in the night, Hippolyta prays to the goddesses, afraid for her daughter to be taken away from the magical protections of immortality of Paradise Island. And the gods show her the only way to keep Diana at home, which is to die.

Diana ascends to the throne, sending Mala in her stead to return the man she's already fallen in love with back to Man's World. Wonder Woman awakens, seeing the shadow-thing receding into the shadows of the Throne Room. She wakes her mother to talk about her dream problems...and Hippolyta suggests Diana might go look at the platform which is being constructed off shore, where the Wedding will take place.

She does, and then sits down on the beach, falling quickly into another uneasy slumber, as Dick Giordano takes the art reigns for this tale of "The Princess and the Sky Pirate", in which the man who crashes offshore of Paradise is a criminal named Trevor Stevens. Diana still falls for him and leaves the island with him when his flirting reminds the Queen of the silver-tongued Hercules. It isn't until they arrive in Man's World and Stevens kills a number of policemen that Diana realizes the error of her ways.

She wakes again, after yet another appearance by the Shadow Thing, and decides to hand deliver some wedding invitations to the Justice League satellite. Superman meets her there, congratulating her with a kiss, but gently chiding her that she'd not let him break the nuptial news story.

As Diana is about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere, she dozes off again, this time re-imagining her origin with Kal-El as the man who crash lands off the shores of Paradise. Rich Buckler does the pretty pictures here, as we see the story of a super marriage that can't last, it's two participants regularly torn away from one another to fight crime or rescue the world in some way or another.

(There is an amusing sequence on their honeymoon where Super husband and wife are stopping up a volcano...is this ever really a good idea?...and some hot lava splashes on Diana and burns away her costume.)

Diana returns from slumberland to discover the invisible jet has automatically returned to Paradise Island...and she has a few minutes of consciousness to call Steve. He's a little bummed that the Arms Talks have gone poorly...and he admits he hasn't had a moment to think about the wedding.

Their call is cut-off, or he hangs up, and she realizes she's not thought about much else besides the wedding...but she just can't stay awake.

This last dream sequence is handled, art-wise, by Keith Pollard, and we see the old story, but this time with a petulant, man-hating superior Wonder Woman returning Steve Trevor to Man's World. She makes short work of some criminals, but cuts off Steve's praise, saying he'll find she's an "avenging angel", if anything.

It's not long before she's selected Mount Rushmore as her headquarters--after she's made a few improvements--and only a short time later when Steve and some other officers try to stop her from getting the President to abandon his office in the White House to her. A game of bullets and bracelets goes wrong, and Trevor is killed, his dying words "how could I...have cared...for someone with so much...hatred inside her..." touching this cold-hearted Diana. She admits he was the only man she cared for...and now she's a fugitive for his murder.

She wakes up quickly from this one, and thank goodness, as the guests and the Groom are waiting for her on the Wedding Platform. As Diana arrives, in costume but with a white cape and pink roses in her hair, Trevor asks the reverend (what, gods-worshipping Diana will be married by a Christian preacher?!...oh the things we ignored in the early 80s...)if he may speak to the bride before they begin. The preacher harumphs that they are already late...and the ceremony begins.

Diana has said her "I Do", but Trevor says No instead, to gasps of shock and surprise. As the guests murmur to themselves, the bride and groom go off quietly to talk, unaware they are being watched from the Dream Dimension.

Steve admits that he has begun to realize what deep feelings he had for Diana Prince, now that she's died...and that until he's figured out how he could be in love with her, it doesn't feel right to marry Wonder Woman. Diana tries to tell him the truth, but realizes that her having kept the secret of D.P. for so long will only hurt him more...and he returns to Mans World.

Diana throws herself down onto the beach sand, her tears flowing even as she chides herself for acting like someone in a Rock Hudson-Doris Day film...and then the Sandman appears, trying to soothe her tears...and sprinkling some of his sleeping sand on her, as he carries her off to the Dream Dimension. As he shows her around, he tells her how happy they will be here...

...and then the Shadow Thing returns to attack one last time. Finally fed up, Wonder Woman attacks it full on, as Sandman warns that the Thing might have the power to kill her here. But she manages to lasso it, and commands it to explain why it torments her. The shadow-thing changes shape, becoming a dark silhouette of Wonder Woman herself...and confesses that it represents her fears, her self-loathing, "your Death wish"...but now that it stands revealed, it dissapates and the lasso drops to the ground.

The Sandman apologizes, saying that he knew all along the secret of the Shadow Thing. He hadn't told her in hopes she would seek comfort and protection in the Dream Dimension, to keep him from his loneliness...but he knows she loves Steve Trevor and counsels her to give her man time and wishes her well.

And here's Diana's (and Diana Prince's) happy ending:

All in all, this was a really terrific anniversary celebration and one I enjoyed re-reading as much as I enjoyed reading the first bunch of times when it came out.

While I've always been a huge fan of George Perez's WW reboot, there's a stilted business about the newly-arrived princess' careful speech which simply wasn't an issue in the early Eighties, when she'd been around for long enough that familiarity with Rock Hudson and Doris Day movies and comments like "bum a meal" didn't sound completely foreign coming out of her mouth. Actually, she took pretty quickly to Man's World when she arrived the first time back during WWII, as well. This Wonder Woman-as-immigrant thing is definitely a modern convention.

While this pre-Crisis Wonder Woman still had some antiquated ideas about men, at least she was comfortable enough in her adopted world to sound like she was a part of it...and not some strange visitor. I think this comfort in her own skin and her world is one of the things I like best about Gail Simone's take on the character.

Whew...thanks for joining me, if you've lasted all the way to the bottom of this recap. It's been fun to share with you!

Keith Giffen is Everywhere

2008-03-11T09:46:00.008-04:00

Plucked from the longboxes is All Star Comics #62, from October 1976. The title had been, at this point, recently revived to carry the continuing adventures of the aging Justice Society of Earth-2.

I'm a little confused on the provenance of this issue, as I'm pretty certain I didn't read it in real time...in fact, it felt like the first time I was reading it last night. Over the years, I made a few trades with other collectors, freeing my collection of my unwanted Marvel titles and picking up some DC ones. I suppose that's how this issue came into my hands.

It was Gerry Conway who revived the JSA, and he helms the creative list here, credited for Plotting. Paul Levitz is down for "patter", Keith Giffen for "pacing" and Wally Wood for "pictures". So the creative team gets a point or two for alliteration...but ASC #62 is the issue that, for me, begs the question, just how old is Keith Giffen, anyway?

I was always more interested in characters than creators, as a young reader, and I suppose the first thing I think of his being involved with was the post-Crisis Legion I enjoyed so. His writing there and elsewhere felt young and fresh,and I suppose I assumed he was some new upstart. I had no idea he'd been in the business as far back as 1976!! (But no worries, Keith, I won't actually calculate an age here...folks can visit your Wikipedia entry and do the math for themselves!)

Anyway...the story is already underway here, and numerous threads to follow...but the team, newly reformed has the younger characters of the Star-Spangled Kid and Power Girl at the core of the team, formed of older members Hawkman, Flash, Green Lantern and Wildcat. Dr. Fate's been working with them too, but as this issue begins, he's in some sort of magically-induced coma.

So everyone's pretty pleased when Rex Tyler, AKA, Hourman dons his costume and shows up to offer his Miraclo power to the team. Of course, Rex is a little confused by all the changes time has brought to the team, especially as regards the new addition of something called a "power girl".

I love his snippy and respectable response to Hawkman's description of the new girl on the team.

Amusing to note that here, as seems to be so often the case in more recent years, the JSA Brownstone has been ruined...but we still get this great cut-away of the JSA sub-basement, still in perfect condition.

Unfortunately, Wildcat and Power Girl seem to be forever sniping at one another. Ted's a little miffed that Kara's able to make short work of their recent foes, and she doesn't leave him anyone much to punch.

Their somewhat good-natured in-fighting leaves Rex a little cold, since he remembers the glory days, when everyone seemed to get along, or at least set aside those differences to focus on the Axis threats of World War II.

Meanwhile...Sheira Hall is attacked by a man-monster who has escaped from a cube of amber which had been stored in Carter's private museum. The creature calls itself Zanadu (yes, with a Z...but you can still hear Olivia Newton-John in your head, can't you?) and while he kills an intruder in the library, Sheira he transports to some alternate dimension, leaving a shimmering silhouette of the two of them for Hawkman to discover and ponder.

Hawkman sounds the JSA alert, which interrupts the bickering of Wildcat and Power Girl...and also reaches the quiet offices of the Editor of the Daily Star, in Metropolis. Although retired, the latest edition of the paper has gone to press and the editor finds that he's free to respond to his former team-mates's call for help.

This is, of course, the Golden Age (original) Superman whose appearance at JSA headquarters pleases Wildcat, who's growing tired of the verbal sparring with Power Girl. Kal-L defends her and says he's heard she's been doing a great job...but Kara isn't interested in being patronized...and feels a little threatened by the appearance of her well-known cousin.

Part of Kara's trouble is that Kal can't stop saying things like this, which to her mind are a little exclusionary of her considerable talents and abilities.

Of course, it's this team in-fighting that distracts them from their battle with Zanadu, who seems to be able to overpower Kryptonians easily...and perhaps has taken possession of Wildcat with strange hypnotic music; Wildcat attacks Hawkman as this issue draws to a fast close.

The next issue box promises a battle between Kryptonians, among other things. I always wondered why Power Girl was characterized as such a grump when she was a member of Justice League Europe, especially since then she didn't remember that her home planet(s) had been destroyed. Now I realize she's always been a grumpy puss...and I understand that Giffen was just carrying on the tradition years later.

COMING SOON: Justice League Week!!!

Explosive First Issue

2008-03-10T10:47:00.004-04:00

March 1978 brought this first issue of Firestorm the Nuclear Man to newstands everywhere. Here, Gerry Conway (listed as both writer and creator...but it's unclear, there's no penciller...did Conway draw as well? Anyone know?) introduces the first new DC superhero we had seen in some years.

Ronnie Raymond is a high school student (tho he and all his peers are drawn to look like adults...hey, it's the end of the Silver Age, after all) who's recently transferred to a new school. Ronnie's more of a jock than an egghead, though still a nice guy...and he's trying to win the attention of Doreen Day. She's already noticed him, though, and was interested enough to check the teacher's seating chart to learn Ronnie's name.

But school smarty Cliff Carmichael is jealous and sets out to make Ronnie look bad, goading him into fighting in the lunch room and trumping all his question-answering in the classroom. That night, Ronnie sees an interview with a protester at a new Hudson nuclear power plant, and decides that taking on the business of activism will show Doreen he's not "some dumb kid."

Of course the protesters are actually bomb-toting terrorists in disguise and Ronnie ends up overpowered and left for dead at the new power plant. He wakes up to find himself near the plant's atomic pile, where he sees the unconscious Professor Martin Stein, the plant's creator, and a very large bomb.

Ronnie is trying to get the bomb out of the plant when it goes off...

...and his life is changed forever, when he and Stein are fused together into a new being, capable of reading and changing the atomic structure of any material. Stein appears in Ronnie's head like the "voice of reason", providing information and guidance, though having been unconscious at the time of the "fusing", Stein is not the dominant personality in their combined make-up.

This first issue shows us the accident and Firestorm's self-discovery of his newly-formed powers and abilities. The new hero fashions a costume for himself with those new powers and is able to stop the terrorists from blowing up another plant. Unbeknowst to him, there's another who was at the site of the blast...who we'll learn more of in future issues.

As this issue ends, Ronnie finds that he can seperate himself and Professor Stein, and he puts the confused Stein into a taxi cab, not yet explaining their new-found relationship.

I always liked Firestorm, possibly because he quickly was welcomed into the Justice League of America, the first new hero to be inducted after I began reading (okay, Zatanna technically became a member after I learned of the League, but in the issues immediately proceeding my regular purchase of the title. more about that another day).

I was particularly sorry when Firestorm was accidentally run through with the Shining Knight's sword during Identity Crisis. I suppose it was the magic nature of the blade which kept Firestorm from transforming it into rubber or gas and saving himself. As a result, Firestorm's containment shell was breached...and he sacrificed himself to prevent his fellow heroes from dying in the resulting atomic blast.

Later, a new Firestorm came on the scene, whom I'm not as familiar with. I'm sure the character is great (an opinion bolstered by how many fans of Ronnie Raymond continue to protest him loud and long on the internet!), but I thought it was a pretty cheap shot on Meltzer's part...it seemed like just one more death in a series that featured a little too much of it and added a whole new level (mindwipes, rapes, secrets and lies) to the shiny JLA age in which Firestorm debuted.

We miss you, Ronnie, but still love those old adventures...and look forward to seeing how you fit into Rip Hunter's plan to repair a damaged timeline.

All the News

2008-03-10T10:37:00.003-04:00

What's that, you say? You're a little tired from "losing" an hour of time this weekend, and as you wait for the end of the afternoon in the office, you need something comics-related to read online? You'll find a thing or two at The New York Times today.

First up is the article, Batman's Burden, in which director Christopher Nolan discusses the challenge of keeping the Dark Knight fresh in the movies and also of honoring the memory of Heath Ledger's last performance, as the Joker, in this summer's forthcoming blockbuster.

When you're finished with that, you might want to surf over to the New York Times bookpage for a review of the new book The Ten Cent Plague, which chronicles the early comic companies implosion through the Wertham and MacCarthy scares of the 50s.

A Friendly Reminder

2008-03-08T21:56:00.002-05:00

Don't make your Sunday any stranger than normal...

...be sure to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed tonight!

But just for additional perspective, this Wall Street Journal article makes Daylight Savings Time sound like it really is some sort of criminal plot by Chronos or the Clock King.

Sleep fast, Spring is coming!

Take The A Train

2008-03-08T11:51:00.006-05:00

On this rainy day, we'll take a quick look at Green Arrow #104, from January 1996. Conner Hawke has picked up the Green Arrow mantle of his then-deceased dad, Oliver Queen and is on a cross-country journey with Eddie Fyers, in search of Connor's missing mother.

While in New York, Conner meets Kyle Raynor, recently chosen as the successor to Hal Jordan as the primary Green Lantern of Earth. Here's how well that goes:

Despite their differences of opinion (Kyle conjurs up a green motorcycle to help them chase the bad guys of the story, but Connor says he doesn't like it, so Kyle makes a green horse for Connor, and rides the ring-generated motorcycle himself.), they eventually work together and before the end of the story, they are indeed riding the roof of a subway in pursuit of the bad guys. A rare case of the cover artist participating in Truth in Advertising.

I also found there to be more than a fair bit of gun violence in this story, not just from the villians, as we expect, but also from one of the so-called heroes, Eddie Fyres...although really we can't categorize him as anything more than a semi-hero.

Still, since writer Chuck Dixon is on record as saying comics shouldn't be teaching kids about homosexuality, it's interesting how willing he seems to teach them about guns as a tool for problem-solving.

*****
COMING SOON: Justice League Week!!

My Martian Heart Will Go On

2008-03-07T10:43:00.004-05:00

This morning, let's take a look at Showcase '95, issue #9 from October. Showcase was a fun, monthly anthology title that featured stories of all sorts of folks from the DC Universe. As you can see, this issue spotlights Lois Lane, Lobo and J'onn J'onzz.

What a cover (credited to Phil G. and Chip W.): looking around our modern media, I just don't think we have anyone in the real world who compares to Superman's spunky, tenacious journalist then-girlfriend. She's also smart enough to know you don't shove a microphone in Lobo's face without having the Martian Manhunter, or some other powerhouse, handy as back-up.

Really, though, they ought to have worked Jimmy Olsen into the cover (maybe getting his camera crushed by the "main man"), since he was really a co-star in Lois' interior tale.

"The Flock" (by Cindy Goff, with art by Sal Velluto and Dick Giordano)is sort of standard fare but still a good read, in which Lois and Jimmy are working a missing persons story and uncover a cult in the sewers of Metropolis, which they manage to break up without any assistance from their Kryptonian friend.

The second tale of the book features Lobo. I have to say, I've tried on any number of occasions through the years, and never really warmed to this character and his one-note lifestyle of murder and mayhem...at least, until he was re-purposed for 52.

This story "Four Funerals and a Wedding" is, wisely, uncredited. A three-eyed alien bride waits for her groom at the altar, and we learned with some horror that her husband-to-be's best man is none other than Lobo(This is NEVER a good choice, btw, as we shall see.).

Anyway, he and the groom show up late, and drunk...and the wedding quickly decays into a deathfest, as it's revealed that the bride is Maggie O'Knuckles, known as The Widowmaker, and Lobo is here in his capacity as intergalactic bounty hunter. As the title suggests, the bride and the rest of her three-eyed family are dead in short order.

Even my work experience as a jaded catering director didn't help me love this stupid, stupid tale of drunken groomsmen and nuptial blood-letting. Ugh.

Fortunately, the Martian Manhunter tale that follows is almost as efficient as Zatanna might be at wind-wiping my memory of the story and the time I wasted reading it.

In "Deep Down", writer Peter Tomasi and artist Eduardo Barreto tell a tale of the ill-fated ocean liner Titanic, several years before the frenzy of the James Cameron film or the Broadway musical.

J'onn finds a pair of bathyscaphes on the ocean floor at the site of the famous wreck, one piloted by a team of licensed salvagers. The other vehicle holds two young men, who've come from another nearby ship. When he's brought them to the surface, they won't tell J'onn why they're down there. He takes them to that other boat and he meets their great-uncle, Harold Jean Thomas, a survivor of the Titanic.

Thomas is surrounded by video monitors which show different angles on the decaying wreck down below. He's very old and breathing through an oxygen mask and he tells J'onn the heart-rending tale of how he and his wife Georgia were separated on the deck of the sinking ship that fateful night.

Mindful of the deaths of his wife and daughter, the Martian Manhunter feels a kinship with the old man, and offers to enter his mind to help bring him peace. As he does so, he's transported back in time to the night of April 15, 1912, where J'onn is intangible (naturally, as these are only memories) and he watches in horror as the historic drama unfolds.

Leaving the memories, J'onn learns that Harold and his wife had a plan to meet in their stateroom if they'd become separated. Diving under the waters, he finds the body of the old man's wife...the old man watching on the monitor screens. From the ocean floor, J'onn hears the old man turn off his oxygen tank and he dies by the time the martian is able to return to the surface.

The salvagers have an injunction to prevent J'onn or anyone from placing anything on the Titanic not related to its sinking, but J'onn pushes them aside, and gently lifts the old man, carrying him down to his long-submerged stateroom, where he is reunited with his wife.

"So late that day, I took an old man home...left him with his wife...left them there alone. Eighty-three years is a long wait to be with the one you love."

It's very interesting that this story was released two years before the feature film, which included lots of similar images and themes: the salvage teams, the video monitors of the ocean floor, the reunion of lost loves beneath the cold waves of the North Atlantic. It's certainly possible that Tomasi wrote this independently of Cameron's film...there's no copyright on the concepts, after all.

Let's chalk it up to an interesting coincidence, and just enjoy the sweet, sad story.

Silver Age Remainders

2008-03-06T22:25:00.001-05:00

Hawkman Special #1, from 1986.

As the Crisis on Infinite Earths drews to a close, this was released to finish telling a tale from before the Anti-Monitor gave the Multiverse the finger. In a surprise turn toward the good (you could tell things were going to hell), the Gentleman Ghost joins with Shayera (Hawkwoman) to guide Katar Hol on a sort of Thanagarian spirit quest, in which he helps to bring peace to a group of Thanagarians Hawkman had to kill to prevent an invasion of Earth One.

Interestingly, a Hawkman monthly title debuted shortly after this, bringing us a year or two of stories of the pre-Crisis team of Hawkman and Hawkwoman, before the seriously-rebooting Hawkworld mini-series debuted.

Trinity

2008-03-06T10:10:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited to hear that the next weekly comic from DC will feature the heroic trinity of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. It's always so great to see these three working together...or trying to, anyway.

I lifted this image from Newsarama a couple of weeks back, but waited to post it here. I'm a little unsure of what I think of Mark Bagley's art: Superman seems to have the J. Jonah Jameson hair horns and Diana's got that uncomfortable Wonder Thong we've discussed at length.

I'm not even sure what's going on with Batman. Some say he looks constipated...but I suppose he might just be infuriated that the other two are insisting they pose for an artist's rendition.

Delighted as I may be that these three will be the focus of a weekly, I will still be going the "budget route", which is to say, I'll spend a year chasing reviews and scans around the internet and anticipating being able to finally read the whole story when it's released in trades.

For fun, check out this bit of advice to the creative team from Keith Giffen, who's been involved in both 52 and Countdown.

All Night Long

2008-03-05T09:53:00.008-05:00

Amongst the assorted titles in those unsorted boxes, I found Batman #526, from January 1996. I had originally thought just to present the cover of this issue (with great art by Kelley Jones and John Beatty) as a blog post before compiling it with the rest of its brethren (all the Batman related titles in the collection have been sorted from the other heroes, but not yet arranged into proper title and order), but after reading the issue, I realized it was important enough to talk about a little.

In this story, entitled "Constant Whitewater" (writer, Doug Moenche, with pencils by J.H. Williams III and inks by Mick Gray)we find the Dark Knight Detective on a "typical" night in Gotham City.

Bruce is driving himself hard tonight and his narration sets the scene:

"the engine's running rough. Like me at this point. Already a full night--two break-ins, three muggers, a crack house rip-off...and now an armed robber fleeing the scene with less than two hundred dollars and a gas station attendant's blood on his hands. More than three hours of nonstop action. But I can't slow down now."

Batman has only just subdued the thief in question by crashing their cars when he hears a report of another robbery on the police radio band and he manages to cut short a second high-speed chase, without benefit of the Batmobile.

Finally, he takes a break in the Cave to work on the car's motor and take a short break. Alfred is there, naturally, and concerned that his employer and friend acted this way prior to the back-breaking confrontation with Bane. Alfred broaches the subject of a corporate term, "constant whitewater", which he says he heard discussed in the news. Bruce thinks it's a reference to banking scandals and politics, but Alfred explains "perhaps if you were to spend more time with the business affairs of Wayne Enterprises you would recognize" it.

Alfred explains the term applies the risk of white-water rafting to the corporate scene, where downsizing means fewer people to do more work and creates a cycle of perpetual crisis management. All this as a means of gently suggesting that Batman ought to be going out with Robin as a partner more often.

Of course, this brings up a sort of flashback, as Bruce remembers what Joker did to Jason Todd, the second Robin (for those who don't remember or have become confused in recent years...he did die...even if he didn't stay that way...)and he tells Alfred that having Robin along can sometimes be a distraction, another factor to juggle in a confrontation.

With two hours remaining before dawn, Batman heads back out "to test the engine" and we see that Alfred was actually speaking for Tim Drake, the current Robin, who was hiding in the shadows of the cave, listening.

Back on the mean streets, Batman finds himself a gang of masked thugs willing to kill him to get into the Black Mask gang and it appears that he is badly out-numbered and about to be overwhelmed...when from the shadows appears the Teen Wonder, who's presence changes the odds enough to turn the tide against the maskers.

When they are finished fighting, Robin says "Heard you had a rough night."
Batman: "Its almost dawn. Just in time."
Robin: "Me, or the dawn?"
Batman: "Both."

As they get back into the car, Batman reveals that he knew Robin was in the shadows, and felt that his conversation with Alfred was a way for Robin to know how Batman was feeling without a direct confrontation. Tim says he doesn't mind them having solo careers in addition to working together, and wisely thinks that such an arrangement may help him to avoid the troubles that Dick Grayson dealt with when he was growing up.

This is a great, done-in-one issue that really highlights Batman at his most driven, but also shows off the capable partner at his side.

Say The Word...

2008-03-04T23:37:00.008-05:00

...Feel The Power.

The Power of Shazam #1, March 1995.

(*EDIT, 3/5)

Ten years after the residents of Earth 5 got "folded in" to the continuity of a singular earth, Captain Marvel and the rest of his family finally get a reboot. And it's quite fun.

One of the challenges of blogging about this collection is the collection's ability to suck me in (just as it did when I was a kid who was supposed to be cleaning his room!). In one of the recently discovered boxes, I discovered the first four issues of this series all together...and I couldn't help by dive into them right off, and I've been enjoying the ride.

The series is great, with all the classic elements of the earlier Captain Marvel series. First off, Jerry Ordway is writing, but also doing cover art, which means we have a Captain who looks as he should...which is to say, very square-jawed and heroic, and with more than a passing resemblance to the original model for the character, actor Fred MacMurray. Interior artists Peter Krause and Mike Manley do nice work on continuing that look, as well as establishing the unique look and feeling of the Cap's hometown, Fawcett City.

In these first four issues, Billy Batson is secretly living on his own and as the Captain, is moonlighting as a dockworker. This wreaks havoc-a-plenty with his school life and he finds that he's knocking heads with his teacher, Miss Wormwood.

Now, that little bit I found (and still find) distracting: Miss Wormwood is Calvin's third grade teacher in the Calvin and Hobbes strip by Bill Watterson...and having her here, in that purple polka-dotted dress, feels a little cheap. You'd think that Ordway could've come up with an original name.

I wonder how Watterson felt about this. With DC having only come out of a major lawsuit that tied up the use of Captain Marvel for so long, you'd think they'd have been a little more careful. But anyway, let's call it homage and move along.

By the third issue, Billy has his radio announcer job at WHIZ Radio again, and his employer has arranged a tutor for him...so that should draw to a close the little battles with Miss Wormwood, anyway. As announcer, he hosts a county-wide spelling bee and meets both his long-lost sister, Mary (who's suffering from some memory issues and doesn't recognize her brother...though she suddenly recalls that her father looked like Captain Marvel) and Freddie Freeman.

In the fourth issue, Mary's old Tawky Tawny doll comes to life and helps Billy, convincing Mary to "say the word" and become Mary Marvel...which she does, just in time to rescue Billy from a gang of thugs who were trying to kidnap her.

I look forward to finding whatever else of this series remains in my collection and sitting down some rainy morning or evening to spend a little more time in Fawcett City.

Progress

2008-03-03T19:17:00.003-05:00

Today I got to spend some time finishing off the painting project in my bedroom. Sure, the trim still remains for a nice fresh coat of white paint, but there'll be time for that another day.

But now I have finished The Stars, which means that I'm finally able to start putting up shelves to display things properly...meaning one teenzy-tiny step toward getting Greg's life less cluttered. Weee....

Now...if I wanted to round out my Justice League figures, I guess it would feel more complete with Flash, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and Hawkman. Bonuses for Martian Manhunter, Red Tornado and Aquaman.

While we're at it, how could it be the League without some Zatanna...or the Atom...or Firestorm...or Hawkwoman?

And why stop with the League. I do like the look of the Batwoman and Diana Prince figures I've seen recently...

AUGH...

The More Things Change...

2008-03-03T00:42:00.011-05:00

February 1982.

From the cover of Wonder Woman 288 (volume 1), a "sensational new" Wonder Woman busts loose. That's right kids, re-vamps of Wonder Woman are hardly a new thing...and changes were a-foot here. Really passive agressive changes.

This wasn't a full reboot of the character, but did welcome a dynamic new creative team, in the form of wordsmith Roy Thomas and artists Gene Colon and Romeo Tanghal. I think this might also have been the first issue of Wonder Woman I received via postal subscription.

I remember that Colon was coming from a great run on Batman, where I had loved his dark and shadowy style. But the 16 year old me railed that it was a style that would never work for Diana's bright and colorful world. I was, I'm glad to say, very wrong.

These guys had a great run on the series, that included a fun crossover story that had Wonder Woman gathering the superheroines of alternate earths to help battle the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse. If DC is looking for a classic run of late Silver Age Wonder Woman to put out in color trade they should give these guys a look.

Storywise, we had recently come from something like a reboot. With her Steve Trevor twice gunned down before her eyes, this Wonder Woman had abandoned Man's World to return to Paradise Island. Queen Hippolyte had worked some kind of Greek hokey-pokey and called out the mists of Nepenthe, or something equally ridiculous, to encircle the world and make everyone(including Diana, natch...)to forget that there had ever been a Trevor.

And so it was thus.

For a night, anyway, and then, in some unpredictably predictable cosmic twist of irony in that time of Infinite Earths, a rift between some un-named Earth and Earth-One opened, and an all-new Steve Trevor, Air Force Pilot crashed on the shores of Paradise Island. The Hippolyte of the time was always aghast about men, and never moreso when this latest Trevor returned to mock her tampering with the Fates. (I still can't help but laugh when I think about it...it's just absurdity piled high with ridiculous-ness...and it's pure "comic book-y-ness"...so radically cliche that it almost works...plus, if I don't laugh, there's that chance I'll clutch my head and yell "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!", as I may have done at the time.)

BUT ANYWAY...All That happened shortly before this issue, which marks the first appearance in her own title of the now-standard double-W insignia.

DC had caught on to the fact that they could trademark Superman's S and Batman's bat-on-yellow-oval but they had no similar logo for their grand dame. The crass commercialism of being able to market her action figures and lunchboxes more easily was cleverly concealed in a story point in which the Wonder Woman Foundation asks Diana to wear it as part of her uniform to help call attention to their cause of bringing equal rights to women.

The foundation, though, was real, the brainchild of DC publisher Jenette Kahn, who celebrated the fortieth anniversary of Diana's arrival in Man's World by creating the WWF, as a means to make grants of money to women over forty, "which honored their inner growth and depth of character."

Yah, a little hesitant to support women's equality there, aren't you, Princess? Though, to be fair, she was distracted with worrying for Her Man.

So, to conclude digression, this issue flashes back to the presentation of the bodice, which had actually occurred in a special preview in DC Comics Presents #41, where the snooty and bleach blonde Queen Hippolyte of the time sniffily approved, too.

And then there's plenty else going on here.

Diana has brought Steve to the hospital, as he is unconcious after a headwound received in the previous issues battle with spies. Now he's in some kind of coma, that baffles the doctor, who tells Wonder Woman "it's almost as if he--I don't know how to put this is medical terminology--as if his body and his soul are struggling to get out of this world...into another one." (Hmmmmm...and ever the Multiverse tries to repair itself...)

Diana gets a little alone time with Steve and is all weepy for her man (who at this point, she's known for like three issues...thanks to her memory loss)and she nearly gets busted saying the L word when he suddenly stirs.

Later on, Diana encounters the Silver Swan for the first time, thinking she's some brash new super-heroine, while Etta Candy signs up an ugly girl to be roommates with she and Diana Prince.

After Etta welcomes her with cake, we learn in secret flashbacks that Helen, the new roommate, was granted great powers by Mars, the God of War so she could exact revenge on all those who ignored her talent because of her looks...and is, of course, the Silver Swan. As a villainous cherry on top, a trio is completed with a last panel reveal of dirty little Doctor Psycho.

Plus, there's some intrigue with a missing briefcase full of secrets, that suddenly returns. Our Diana plays a scene that takes her from mildly fuming that it took so long for a coma-recovering Steve to remember to ask Wonder Woman about Diana Prince's well-being, to having to fend off General Darnell's romantic advances on Diana Prince.

And Etta Candy eats some chocolate. Woo woo.

Wanted

2008-03-01T10:24:00.005-05:00

Action Comics 717, January 1996:

Jeez, who knew Superman had a driver's license photo??

Don't worry, Kal, nobody ever looks good on their Wanted poster. Nobody.

Oh. Well, nobody except Diana.

Sadie Hawkins Day

2008-02-29T08:20:00.005-05:00

To celebrate the rare occasion of dawn on February 29th, today we'll take a little visit to Dogpatch, for a visit with some of Al Capp's well-known creations.

Of course, Sadie Hawkins Day in Dogpatch means its race day. Run fast, guys...and don't look back!!

Impulse #1

2008-02-28T09:41:00.003-05:00

Today I'll feature this gem, found in another of those three discovered boxes of random titles: Impulse #1, from April 1995.

Here we have Bart Allen, grandson of Barry Allen, the Silver-Age Flash, who's come from the era of the Legion of Super-Heroes to the end of the 20th Century. Recently instrumental in Wally West/Flash's success in the "Terminal Velocity" storyline, Bart spins into his own title.

It's a great issue, using Bart's first day in high school as the framing sequence for a recap of his origin. Having been raised by machines in the future and possessing the attention span of a flea, it's a riot to watch Bart try to figure out 20th Century technology, like when the class is assigned to write an autobiography, and he can't find the ON switch for his pencil.

Bart's living in Birmingham, Alabama, with perfect slow and easy backdrop for a kid from the future who's learning to control his super-speed. Because Wally's got so much going on in his own life, he's sent Bart off to live with Max Mercury, one of the Golden Age speedsters, whose known as the "Zen Master of Speed."

You can feel Bart's frustrations, when he has finally figured out how to use the pencil and told his origin tale, and Max rips it up, launching into a lecture about protecting one's secret identity. There's also a great set-up for future storylines, when Bart races some kind of secret guided missile and begins to uncover a mystery.

Ah, Bart, what a short time you were with us (is a spoiler warning really necessary to tell you that Bart died at the hands of the Rogues Gallery last spring, after taking up the red costume of his Flash forebears?). As fitting for a speedster, it went by all too quickly.

But there's been teases of a possible return, so we'll have to wait and see. Hey, nothing improves your chances of a return from the grave than dying in a comic book!

Spoiler's Return, 1995

2008-02-27T22:55:00.002-05:00

Lately in issues of Robin, there's a mystery playing out about a possible return from the dead for Spoiler, aka, Stephanie Brown.

Who knows if it'll really be her or not? Certainly enough others have returned from the grave in recent years that if Spoiler is indeed alive, it won't be that much of a shock.

Meanwhile...I thought I'd share this DC Comics house ad from 1995, featuring the last Return of Spoiler!

Super Friends

2008-02-26T22:02:00.001-05:00

Another must-see YouTube discovery:

Diana even looks a little like Courtney Cox, eh?

Serious kudos to Dylan(aka, wearactualsize).

The "Last" Batgirl Story

2008-02-25T14:34:00.002-05:00

Oops. I completely forgot this issue existed, but suddenly, near the bottom of the recently-mentioned errant box of comics, was this dynamic Mike Mignola cover on the Batgirl Special #1 from 1988.

Inside is a tale entitled, "The Last Batgirl Story" written by Barbara Randall, with art by Barry Kitson and Bruce D. Patterson. This was DC's opportunity to tie up some loose character ends with Barbara Gordon, who was scheduled to be shot and paralyzed by the Joker only a few short months later. And just in case you've forgotten that, there's a full page house ad for The Killing Joke at the end of the story.

We find Barbara at the Gotham Public Library, where she and her staff have just discovered a man brutally murdered in the stacks. And there's a clue with the body that leads her to believe that the murderer is Cormorant, a man whom she faced off against and lost to several years earlier.

Babs remembers the shaking her career took in her confrontation with Cormorant, who shot her and left her to die when she tried to rescue a little girl he'd kidnapped. The experience has shattered her confidence and she's a little hesitant to track him down, though simultaneously pleased to have the opportunity to regain something of herself. I enjoyed seeing that she is already portrayed here as the proficient computer hacker we will know later as Oracle, when Barbara subverts the library computers to support her crime-fighting efforts.

Meanwhile, a childhood friend, Marcy, appears on her doorstep and begins berating her about being Batgirl. It's a concept that Babs and Marcy created when they were little girls (according to a Secret Origins tale of the time) wherein they design ragdolls based on two big heroes in the news, thereby creating the concepts for Batgirl and Supergirl. Marcy has easily figured out who the Batgirl in the news was and is there to talk Barbara out of her crime-fighting career.

Of course, the timing couldn't be worse, and Babs has to deal with Marcy's anger when she insists on following up on Cormorant. To complicate things, there's a costumed serial killer in Gotham called Slash, who's been leaving the bodies of men who've escaped prosecution for crimes against women.

Marcy's unsuccessful at first, now that Barbara is building her confidence to go face Cormorant...and then surprises Batgirl while she's staking out the guy's house. Cormorant, meanwhile, has received a phone call from someone and he accepts a contract to kill Slash. Meanwhile, Slash has received a folder about Cormorant's past, and she's planning to hit him.

Barbara agrees that its time to retire as Batgirl, she insists to herself on wrapping up this last case and sneaks off back to Cormorant's house, where she confronts him. It looks for a moment like it will end poorly for Babs, as he has her at the wrong end of his shotgun and is laying a case for self-defense. He backs her outside to stage the scene properly, but his long-suffering wife locks the door behind him. When Slash shows up a moment later, Cormorant can't escape and the two villians of the piece begin to battle, with Batgirl caught in the crossfire.

Cormorant injures Slash and then turns his attention to Barbara. It looks like tough times again for Babs, but some distraction is gained when she saves Cormorant from another Slash attack and the two go at each other once again. Once more Slash is knocked down and C turns back to Batgirl...but Mrs. Cormorant sneaks out of the house and places one of her husband's guns in Slash's hand: "Here, it's his," she says, "Finish your work."

And the tale is essentially complete. In a short coda, we see some happy time between Barbara and Marcy, during which Barbara makes a gift of the Batgirl costume to her costumer friend and we get a nice upbeat ending.

And the page opposite is full of omen and foreshadowing (though only now, with the benefit of hindsight), as the house ad with Brian Bolland's mad-looking Joker fills the last page of the book.

Swimming With the Fishes

2008-02-24T10:32:00.006-05:00

Today's featured issue comes from 1989, the Legend of Aquaman Special. Here we have Keith Giffen on plot and breakdowns, with Robert Loren Fleming on script, with art by long-time Superman artist Curt Swan with Eric Shanower inking.

The issue is essentially a re-telling of Aquaman's origin story, which had changed slightly in the wake of the Crisis (1985). To be honest, it hadn't changed all that much, but I'm not sure the tale was ever told with as much love and care.

The story begins with the nameless child, who's been abandoned on Mercy Reef by the Atlanteans, who consider his blond hair anomoly enough to leave him to die of exposure to the sun. Of course, he doesn't, and his childhood consists of his exploring the seven seas and honing his ability to communicate with sea creatures.

Eventually, the young man comes to the shore and finds a lonely lighthouse keeper. At first, they are not friends, especially since the only surface speech the young man knows is the CAW of the seagulls. Aquaman (still unnamed) begins filling the keeper's traps with crabs and laying fish on his doorstep, which annoys the lighthouse keeper no end. But when the young man begins to absorb amusing bits of the English language (the terrific scene appears below, and should "embiggen" nicely for your reading pleasure), a friendship blossoms.

They become like father and son, teacher and student, friends. The lighthouse keeper teaches the strong ocean dweller English and the ways of the surface world. And then, "because happy years pass like weeks", the young man has grown and the keeper is old and knows that his end is near. When Aquaman returns the next time, the man has died, but left a letter, bequeathing his name to the younger man: Arthur Curry.

Eventually, Arthur returns to Atlantis, but is quickly captured by the government in power, who imprison him with other "freaks" and revolutionaries...and we see the classic green and orange costume for the first time, as it is the one issued to all prisoners.

Arthur sees his mother, recognizes her face amongst the female prisoners, but she dies before he is able to make contact, and in frustration, he breaks free of the prison and escapes...inspiring those he's left behind to rise up against the powers that be. Meanwhile, he goes off to the surface world and becomes a charter member of the Justice League of America and gains reknown for his heroic exploits.

When finally he returns to Atlantis, he discovers that his friend and fellow prisoner, Vulko, has led the toppling of the regime who'd imprisoned them, and Aquaman is welcomed as a hero. He learns that his mother had been the queen of the underwater society...and eventually, Arthur is convinced to ascend to the throne as Atlantis' King.

It's a great story, and a terrific retelling. There's a little coda that covers his marriage to Mera and the death of their son...which is where the story was to pick up in the Aquaman series that shortly followed this special. But more about the rest of Aquaman's story another day.

It's a shame that Aquaman gets so much flack as a hero, although much of the snark written about him can be amusing. Sure, the water thing definitely limits him, but there've been many times over the years when being able to talk to sea creatures was pretty convenient, and two-thirds of the world is ocean, right?

I suppose, though, that the lack of respect may be what's caused his character to be re-written and re-vamped and changed so much in more recent years. I really haven't been exposed to the newest version of the character yet, except in snips here and there found online.

I just read an account of a panel at this weekend's WonderCon in San Francisco that Dan Didio announced they'll be bringing Aquaman back, once they've determined which version of the character people want. So I'll go on record and say we ought to see the original's return. And find Fleming, or someone equally caring, who can capture the details of Aquaman the way this special did.

My first exposure to Aquaman was the Saturday morning cartoons of the late sixties. Here's a teaser commercial for the "Superman-Aquaman Hour", which featured these two heroes, with occasional guest stars from the rest of the JLA.

I was only two-going-on-three in 1967, but I was probably watching these just the same. I remember them better from later viewing, after the show was re-named the "Superman-Batman Hour", which featured cartoons of Superman, Batman and Aquaman (with Aqualad!)

To be honest, I didn't remember that other members of the JLA had been featured on television prior to the much-later "Super Friends" until I found this clip on YouTube, so perhaps I hadn't seen those earlier cartoons...but odds are good I saw them in reruns and was simply too young then to be remembering that now.

Detroit Duldrums

2008-02-23T10:29:00.009-05:00

Well, you should never rely too heavily on what you think is the truth. For example, I thought that I had thoroughly sorted through all of the comic collection and gotten then sorted into long boxes, well-before our recent move was to begin.

And yet, to my (sort of...it is a big collection)surprise, on one of the last days of Moving, I discovered three smaller boxes containing an assortment of titles which I had overlooked during the earlier project. So, as I sort through these, to place them with their proper titles, I thought I'd share a few here.

The first box I opened seems to be an assortment of titles from different years, but in a range that seems to stay within 1986 to 1989. These two consecutive issues are from that first year, October's JLA #255 and November's JLA #256.

These were interesting times in the DC Universe. The Crisis on Infinite Earths had just drawn to a close, and in its wake, things were briefly a little dull, before reboots and other interesting things began to happen.

Mostly we fans were catching our breath and reviewing just what all happened in that series. The letter columns are full of people asking questions of clarification: which Wonder Woman no longer existed, and which one was ascended to Olympus with her husband Steve Trevor (it was the E2 version who was brought to Olympus, tho Diana on E1 had also married her Steve [thrice incarnated at that point]in the Crisis' final days.)? Wasn't the JLA satellite destroyed? And so on...

Since actual comic shops were only just beginning to appear here and there on the horizon, one of the most exciting things was actually finding places where you could buy comics. Excitement certainly doesn't describe how I felt as I re-read these two issues, despite two of my favorite characters--Zatanna and the Martian Manhunter--being featured on the covers.

Prior to the Crisis, the League had sort of spun apart. I can't recall the actual circumstances that caused most of the traditional members to opt out (*I promise when I file these two, I'll revisit that particular part of the run and share what I find...), but suddenly we had a version of the Justice League led by Aquaman...who's first move, oddly enough, was to move the JLA headquarters away from the coastline to the lakeshore of Detroit.

By these issues, the new League was a blend of new and old characters, with Aquaman, Batman, J'onn J'onzz, Elongated Man (and Sue!)and Zatanna providing the Experience, while newbies Vixen, Vibe, Gypsy and Steel (late of the All-Star Squadron, but thrown through time by the Crisis, if I recall correctly...)made up the Next Generation.

These two issues comprise the center of an apparently-four-issue story, so perhaps not having re-read from the beginning or reaching some satisfying conclusion colored my enjoyment. Also, I note that Gerry Conway and Michael Ellis are credited for plot and script respectively for #255, while J.M. DeMatteis (who would soon be having way more fun with a fresher version of the League) gets the writing credits for #256.

As we find our heroes, Zatanna is in bondage and has recently been operated on by a whack-job named Adam, who has stolen some of her homo magi genes to graft onto his own...which then essentially transforms him into a sort of mad god. Although she sends out an emergency alert to the rest of the Leaguers, Adam creates an illusion of Zee to send them away, claiming a false alarm.

The image of Zatanna (even a fake one) convincing Batman that there's no need for the rest of the League there took on an interesting turn in the re-read, with the more recent context of Identity Crisis: by the Detroit era, the "mind-wipe" was already a thing of the past...and you kind of get the idea of Batman as Zatanna's puppet on a string.

But meanwhile, Adam has overpowered the Manhunter and Gypsy as well, who've stumbled into Zee's situation while trying to learn who framed John Jones for murder, and that's where this bit of the story wraps with a cliffhanger.

It's sort of tepid stuff, though being the JLA, still fun. But without this dim period in League history, we wouldn't appreciate the other teams and eras properly!

Chalk Drawings

2008-02-16T10:17:00.005-05:00

I've always been a fan of the scene from Mary Poppins where she takes the children into Bert's sidewalk chalk drawings for a Jolly Holiday in the pastel countryside.

So, when I receive an email forward from some e-pal or other featuring the work of Brit artist Julian Beever, it's always a good time. I bet you've probably seen his work--such emails seem to appear in my box with some regularity--once, maybe twice a year.

Beever does his chalk work with a skewed perspective that allows the images, when viewed from one particular angle, to appear to be three-dimensional objects in the world, to great effect.

Recently, my email netted me some fresh photos of Beever's work (at least some I hadn't seen...), including this two super-hero pieces.

So...I thought, just in case you don't have cool e-pals like me who keep you in the loop, that I would share them here, and encourage you to visit the website of Julian Beever, where you can check out some more and terribly cool examples of his work.

Enjoy!

Ralph Dibny VS. The Buffet Nazi

2008-02-10T15:18:00.000-05:00

As I start getting myself organized for a return to regular blogging here, I came across this cover of Flash 112, from May 1960. In this issue, we meet for the first time Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man.

Naturally, Flash and EM are initially at odds (there's that universal requirement about heroes battling when they first meet, before realizing their on the same side and teaming up together), but eventually, they solve the case and a great feast is thrown in the heroes' honor.

We see Ralph's powers give him the ability to make the most of the buffet. My question is this: where are the waitstaff in this picture?! I'm a catering director in my secret identity. On my staff we have a great waitress who is known fondly as the "Buffet Nazi"...and I just can't imagine Kathy being okay with Ralph's "boarding house reach."

In other news, you'll find a few new links added to the list, a few recent discoveries you may enjoy.

Wonder Wednesday

2008-02-06T23:51:00.000-05:00

Flash Seen In Harwich

2008-02-05T23:56:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to report a possible sighting of Wally West, AKA, The Flash, on Route 39 in Harwich, MA, around 5:40 p.m. this evening. I'll have to scan the police reports later and see if anything unusual was going on.

Because We Should Never Forget

2008-01-29T11:18:00.001-05:00

Kudos to Riley for the best in a long series of great strips!

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas...

2008-01-06T12:03:00.000-05:00

Hey, everyone: Happy New Year!

I know, I've been dormant for a while. I'm still sort of in recovery mode from the insane holiday season at work and the Great Migration which occurred in our home lives at the same time. But I thought this twelfth day of Christmas was the right time to address some thanks for two more bits of comic book holiday bling that came my way.

First up is this "JUSTICE" box set of action figures, which also includes the first issue of the recent Alex Ross limited series. I've not followed the series, except through online reviews and synopsi (is that the plural?!), but it sounds interesting. I did grow up with the Silver Age Justice League he's riffing on, after all.

I'm of two minds about Ross's art...sometimes it just takes my breath away. Other times, it seems it is too realistic. Anyway, I think I love it more than I hate it, and in any case, these action figures are tres cool...and I look forward to getting my new bedroom repainted and set to rights so I can get shelves up to properly display these and other comic book related stuff. After all, the Collection lives in there with me, too.

I've hesitated checking out the issue inside the set, since I want to keep everything safely in the box until I'm ready for displaying. I can imagine nothing more frustrating than being all ready and having misplaced a tiny golden lasso or green lantern power battery. So I can thumb through the issue and see if I'll end up being interested in the trade of that (I see the hard cover editions are out, but hey DC, any chance you'll collect it all in one nice, affordable soft cover for your less wealthy fans?).

Thanks to my good pal Kelly for gifting this in my direction!

And gratitude is offered, too, in the direction of my good friend Vickie, who gave me this cool Superman/Telephone booth Hallmark ornament. (Does anyone under thirty still know what a telephone booth is?)

This is a fun ornament, since it features a little "action", with Clark running in one side...

...and the Man of Steel emerging on the other!

I know this will look great on next year's Christmas tree, a fun addition to a growing assortment of hero-themed ornaments.

Odds are good, people, that I'll continue this delightful streak of laziness through January...but I'll try to pull my act together soon.

There are big things afoot, after all. Not only does it sound as though Countdown is getting more interesting as stories grow closer to their ultimate conclusions. I really enjoyed the 52 series (I finished the last trade during the height of the Moving, somehow...frankly, it may have kept me sane...), and look forward to seeing Countdown collected, as well. Meanwhile, DC's got lots of other stuff coming down the pike at us: Final Crisis and all the stories that will be a part of that.

Oh, and perhaps you've heard some internetal rumblings: something's brewing over at Major Spoilers. The forum has remained active during Stephen's hiatus, and you can visit there, so you'll be in the know when the big news breaks.

Merry Christmas To All!!

2007-12-24T16:36:00.000-05:00

Well, it's not usual for people to reach the end of the holiday season and find a few regrets. As regards this blog, at least, I can completely relate.

Christmas is my favorite time of year...all things comic books are some other favorite things...and I had big plans to entertain you with an assortment of instances where the twain meet. Some I'd even prepared on my hard drive, so I'd be ready when the Move was through.

But alas, the transfer of services from old household to new hasn't gone as smoothly as I'd anticipated and it will still be another week before we have telephone or internet access from our new digs...and so many of the things I'd planned will have to wait another year.

Still, it's been a terrific holiday, and as you can see, some of my favorite ornaments hang on our little Christmas tree this year.

And so, setting regrets to the side and looking forward to the coming new year, I join Diana in wishing each of you a Super Christmas, full of all the joy, peace, laughter, music, surprises, good company and great food you can handle!

Super Birthday Bling!!

2007-12-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

Great Caesar's Ghost, it's official.

Just moments ago, I turned forty-three. While the last couple weeks getting here have not been especially fun, today was a great day. More things moved to the new house. I can happily report some serious improvement with my back and it was a relatively delightful evening at work!

I have to add this latest gift to the list of blog-appropriate bling: "Superman: The Dailies, 1939 - 1942" from my dear friends Dana and Sara! I cannot wait to be settled into the new place so I can sit in front of the fire some snowy afternoon and page through this collection of newspaper strips.

I've read many of the comic book stories from this era, but haven't had as much exposure to what ran in the papers and I look forward to being educated.

And check out this back cover, with the second half of such a dynamic cover scene: More powerful than a locomotive!!

Some Birthday Bat-Bling and Other News

2007-12-11T23:59:00.000-05:00

Heigh-ho, everyone! Greg here with a report from the trenches. About the time of my last post here, I managed to mess up my back and shoulder pretty well.

(The multi-tasking of Christmas decorating at work and packing boxes at home seems to have been the culprit. Must write Martha to suggest she include a section on warm-ups and stretching before Decking the Halls in her next holiday issue.)

Because of that, I haven't been much interested in sitting in front of the computer for more than a few minutes here and there. And of course, there's been all the holiday parties at work (weee...) and that pesky business of moving taking up the rest of the time.

I am reading the last trade of 52 and enjoying it immensely. (Oh, Ralph Dibney, how we miss you and Sue already! And I have to say, I find the whole Black Adam storyline a little sad, really. I liked Isis and Osiris, and the redemption they seemed to be bringing Teth Adam and it's a shame that couldn't have lasted a little longer.)

This past weekend we rented a small truck and managed to move about three-
quarters of our Stuff to the new house. Here's a shot of the Collection in new digs, though certainly temporary ones, until we can take the time to settle in there a bit and figure out where everything's going to live. Because, Great Hera, 18 longboxes take up a fair bit of real estate!

Also, as I write this, it's one minute before midnight and the Big Four Three for me. Although technically, since I was born just before midnight on the 12th, I'm still 42 for almost 24 hours more.

As a result, remembrances and the occasional gift have begun to appear. A truly sweet custom, to be sure. And the bit of Birthday Bling which is deserving of mention herewith is this totally cool-ass Batman Tin Sign my pal Kelly gave me this afternoon! I think I already know where I'll hang this in the new bedroom.

The Batman wrapping paper was also quite excellent.

In fact, the contrast between the sign and the wrapping is interesting. The sign features the classic 70s Neal Adams Batman, with the logo which had been adopted from the TV series. This Batman is not quite as buff, though certainly still well-equipped, physically. His utility belt was more decorative than anything, and required that all the stuff he carry be super-miniaturized. And of course, there's the circle insignia "Bat-target" on his chest.

Contrast that with the more modern Batman depicted on the wrap. Here we've got a more muscularly well-defined Batman (check those abs, no?) and the more practical pouches and compartments of the truly utilitarian utility belt. And the bat-only black insignia. A completely different, but still classic looking Batman.

I say, let's love them both!

A New Age of Wonder

2007-11-29T22:05:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite exercises in writing - and here I speak of hero fiction, since that's when I've practiced this particular one - is when you write part of a story and then hand off to another writer, or vice versa. Over the years I've played this game with a few different friends, as we crafted our own versions of super heroic events. It's doubtful we considered what good practice this could be, if we ever found ourselves an opportunity to write for comics. After all, only the rarest of gigs lets you create fresh from whole cloth: usually, there's scads of baggage from previous creative teams to work within, years of established history and so on. We were just having fun.

The exercise can be a bit of a challenge, and often a lot of fun, too, as you decide which things from the previous author to incorporate, and which to gracefully ignore...and which to deliberately revoke. Of course the real fun comes in creating something new of your own in the midst of all that to pass back to the friend who's doing the other bit of the writing.

The ravening hoards of the internet will attack anyone, of course, but it seems folks are always getting down on authors who don't write the way they might. But when you try, you'll see it's not necessarily as easy as you thought.

But, man oh man, does Gail Simone make it look easy! Yes, I'm finally getting around to reviewing and discussing (it's all just a big jumble, really) the long-awaited Wonder Woman #14. And before we go any further, even though this issue's been out for two weeks, I warn you: spoilers abounding: if you haven't read the story in question yet...and for some reason don't want to know what happened...by all means, surf away now!

Ms. Simone hits the ground running, presenting us with a mystery right off: "What You Do Not Yet Know" is the title of this first chapter and like it says, we get some new information, with an opening narration referring to the night when the Amazon Queen sculpted her daughter from the clay of the island's shore and then asked the goddesses to breathe life into her. (The 'night', you say?)

"It was not as dear as you have been told; sunny skies over deeply azure oceans of calm, and the smiles, and tears of joy. It was more like a birth itself. An act of destruction, as well as creation. There was darkness. There was thunder. And yes, there was blood. But that fierce woman, that queen who dared make demands of the Gods and Lived...now walks as if unworthy of every step..."

And we see Hippolyta, former queen of the Amazons and currently the only resident of Themiscyra...well, one of the only residents. We watch as she traverses the island, north to south and east to west, stopping at four prison cells to ask unseen prisoners if they have repented. Each time the answer is the same: "Never."

But the last one asks for more time to talk and makes a gift to her queen of a carved wooden tiara, which she says she gnawed with her teeth, being allowed no tools in the cell. The woman (her name is Alkyone)says some mysterious things about about "the birth of the Dragon" and how it tore the Amazon community apart. (Can this person really be speaking of Diana? How could she possibly be a dragon? My lip slips over the hook of Simone's lure already, as I ponder how this may play out, fairly tingling with anticipation.) The mysterious prisoner offers to kill Diana and reunite the tribe. (!!!!)

And the scene changes to a jungle river where Wonder Woman is poised to do battle with a group of genetically-enhanced apes from Gorilla City, who've been brainwashed by Grodd to believe that all humans are evil and bad and such. Here, I'll let Gail's words and the brilliant artwork of Rachel and Terry Dodson set the scene (all images should enlarge reasonably).

They do fierce battle, of course; Diana is impressed that they fight so well and realizes they may do so until death - theirs or hers - and she takes a different tack, focusing on the leader. She gets the upper hand, dunking him underwater and entreating him to talk, which is all she wants.

The leader, Tolifhar, yields, but cites human poaching as the justification for their rage. Diana reminds him of Grodd's ability for "adorning lies with truth" and they actually talk. They discuss points, negotiate and then Tolifhar is holding the golden lasso and swearing not to "subjugate or devour any humans." He swears, and the others bow down calling Diana "majesty". Diana muses that the success of this peaceable approach "is why I prefer never to use Batman's methods," with a hint of a smile.

She offers to put in a good word for them at with Solivar, but suggests a cooling off period first...but where to house them meantime...?

Diana's solution is a classic one and absolutely true to her nature and personality. But she's no doubt remembering that the hospitality business is not always an easy one. (heh...a flinging incident)

With Tom (Nemesis/carpooler)Tresser's arrival, the gorillas make like good houseguests and hide, though not without observing that it smells as though "they will mate soon, if they haven't already". Hmmm, a bit of foreshadowing here? I think the relationship between Diana and Tom is amusing, as slightly adversarial partners with a possible spark of attraction. Teetering along the edge of this frontier is always fun, but lest we forget, "Moonlighting" nearly imploded when Dave and Maddy finally got their groove on.

But anyway, Tom actually does something sort of sweet-ish here and surprises Diana with an office surprise birthday party, complete with cake. Charming the way he admits he knew the date from scanning her personnel file.

(Have we ever seen Diana celebrate a birthday? Not recently, that I can recall. I do remember there's a Diana-as-little-girl story circa 1958-59 where dreadful things happen every year as she tries to blow out the candles on her cake. Most amusing was Hippolyta and the other amazons crowding around, recreating the neighborhood birthdays of America with the candles and Betty Crocker cake and all. Hmmmm.)

Anyway...I'm very fond of Diana's observations here: "In my society, a kindness like this would lead to warm sisterly embraces and perhaps even tears. Which I find is rather frowned upon in a workplace environment, and might even be cause for a reprimand. It is a strange culture that outlaws the hug. On the other hand...there is cake, and that excuses much."

The party fun is short-lived with the appearance of Director Steel, who wants to know the source of Prince's report on Gorilla Grodd and the possible of his reforming of The Society, but she dances around that question and he assigns she and Tresser to the case.

Returning to his office, we get the next big surprise, in the form of the return of Etta Candy. However, it's unclear just how much of continuity will be retained in this post Infinite Crisis world (especially with a Final Crisis looming on the horizon)and so I'm not sure if this Etta is still the wife of Steven Trevor (is he still Secretary of State, or was that in some previous DC Earth administration?) or some continuity re-jiggering bringing a fresh introduction.

Either way, t'will be interesting, as Steel has brought Candy in as a spy to see if there's anything unpatriotic about Diana Prince. And she's already got Steel's name and number. Detailed as their exchange is, I come away wondering if Etta's hero or villian here, and if one or the other, then to whom? (Nice. I can feel the hook tug against the side of my cheek now.)

Meanwhile, in Toronto, Diana and Tom are using a high-tech "invisible" craft recently donated to DoMA by a certain Gotham City billionaire, and she hopes she remembers to send him a note. I really like Diana's interconnectedness with the other heroes these days, especially with Batman. Of course Selina's the woman for him, but I think his own dark nature must make Diana's brightness utterly fascinating to him. In light of her earlier observation, though, I can't help wonder if her note will be one of thanks or gentle reprimand.

Anyway, more surprises, as they enter the suspected headquarters of the Society and discover Captain Nazi. Now, as Tresser is making short work of the door with some well-placed C4 explosive, Diana ponders how she could break the lock with her smallest toe if she were not in her unpowered state.

See, this is where I think the recent Circe gift-of-humanity may be troublesome. I mean, couldn't she just do the Magic Spin and "become" Wonder Woman when she gets out of the shower in the morning, but then go to work disguised as Diana Prince and then still be able to break doors and crap down? But already, in Gail I trust.

I'm a little concerned that Diana's still acting on instinct in her non-powered state, as she rushes ahead to protect Tresser from Captain Nazi and gets grabbed by the throat for her troubles. Of course, she can still protect herself and stuff, or at least still carry on a conversation, as she questions Nazi about his motives and plans...and he speaks of a new rise of an old Reich...and in a cutaway, we see a invading Nazi army sloshing through the surf of Paradise Island.

(Again: !!!!!!!! Suddenly, there's a yank, and I'm flopping happily helpless on the wet deck of Captain Simone's fishing vessel, a vague taste of seasalt in my mouth.)

And that's the issue.

Well, okay, I have to say something negative about Gail, or you'll think that we're like MySpace buds or something (well, actually, we are, kinda...)but anyway, here goes: there just isn't ENUF!!!! But in the pages we're given there's great treasure: a Diana who is wise and smart and funny and friendly (even to Steel)and caring and fierce and...wow!

Not only is it clear that Ms. Simone respects the character of Diana and her mythology, but it's also easy to see that she's having a hell of a good time writing this! The way the words dance together...the semi-colons(!!!!)...Diana's voice. It's all so good.

And I'm just going to gush if I get going on the artwork of the Dodsons. Their work really shows off Diana beautifully and I just can't get enough of their stuff! Coupled with Gail's words, well, it's "wonder"ful. I wish them all a very long and happy run!

This issue feels like turning a corner. I love that Diana was able to realize the To The Death nature of her battle with the apes, without it requiring the ubiquitous Max Lord flashback. (I sort of cringed with expectation, and was overjoyed when I realized, pages later, that it didn't happen.) Similarly, I was happy that we could see Hippolyta without a reminder of her recent time in Hades' Underworld. It's a brand new day and our Amazing Amazon is stepping off into a bright new future.

I welcome Gail to what I hope will be as long a residency on this title as she hopes for (which sounds like when they pry the pen from her cold, dead hand)...great Hera, our Amazing Amazon deserves such fine treatment!

For more with Gail, I direct you toward some good press she got from the Great Gray Lady this week.

Can't wait for the next issue!!

Super Sons

2007-11-28T21:36:00.000-05:00

Here's a little more time travel for you, with a flashback to July of 1975, and Worlds Finest #231. The art is by Dillin and Blaisedell and the story, natch, is by Bob Haney.

This is one of the issues that presented what were, at the time, imaginary stories of the sons of Superman and Batman, aka Clark Kent, Jr. and Bruce Wayne Jr. They were supposedly created...or their premise was...by some super computer, though none of the issues featuring them which I read ever mentioned that. As I understand it, the Super Sons now share an earth in the New Multiverse with the Kathy Lee Crosby version of Wonder Woman and the Debra Winger version of Wonder Girl. And that makes as much sense as anything.

Here, the "boys" decided that their Dads are too establishment and really only being heroes for the grandstanding and public adulation and they call for the heroes to be put on trial...and oddly, the jury comes back in favor of a conviction (of what charge is never really made clear...tho apparently it would be Grandstanding in the First Degree). The Super-Dads agree to stay within a barbed wire fence enclosure.

As luck would have it, the Super Sons are suddenly called on to work with other heroes - Green Arrow, Flash and Aquaman - in response to a series of natural disasters and other similar events, each time returning to the pen to be sure their Dads haven't escaped. (I guess this was part of the Don't Trust Anyone Over 30 mentality of the times.)

Eventually, the Sons realize, through working with the other heroes, that their Dads aren't bad people and really have been working to save lives and since they've been so good about not escaping, decide to let them out early. Of course, we readers learn that the Super-Dads have actually left their androids in the holding pen (everyone had an android double in the 70s--it was the way you disproved anyone who thought they'd guessed your secret identity, after all!) and impersonated the other heroes to prove a point. Seventies silliness at its finest.

[And a big Yes to the eagle-eyed amongst you, both Superman and Batman on the cover are sporting moustaches. What can I say? I guess I liked facial hair, even way back then.]

Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes

2007-11-26T00:36:00.000-05:00

This is Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes #244 from October 1978. But you'll have to look inside to find that. You can see the DC bullet is covered over with the Whitman name. This and an assortment of other issues I purchased around that time to jump start my knowledge of the DCU, were being resold in three-issues-to-a-pack shrink-wraps...a clever way to move those returned back issues. It was great for a kid with a limited budget who wanted more comics to read.

The Whitman packs were a bit of a grab-bag, though. With three issues packaged together, you could see the covers to two of them...but the third was a mystery. I don't remember if I got any duplicates that way.

This was my first introduction to them and this team-up with Superman when he was a boy. Of course, there was a pretty big cast to meet and a whole future I knew little about, so who knows what I thought of it at first. It's fun to look back now and see that the Legion were fighting off a Khund invasion (how many thousands of such attempts by those silly Khunds as of this date...) and actually formed an alliance with the Dominators(who were the Big Bads in the Invasion miniseries of 1993).

And speaking of well-drawn super-people. Check that cover, Hubba hubba.

Loose Ends

2007-11-25T22:09:00.000-05:00

And so here it is, at long last: the Wonder Woman Annual for 2007. I wish they hadn't hyped it with the words "First Issue" on the cover--it's not like there's going to be a second annual released for this year.

But it doesn't feel extra, as annuals in times past often did, like a bonus for the faithful reader. Here we get the final chapter of Allan Heinberg's epic re-launching story, "Who is Wonder Woman", which is reward in itself. And we get to enjoy some more of the Dodsons' fantastic depictions of not only Wonder Woman, but so many great heroes.

After the move, I'll have to dig into the long boxes and pull out the first four issues in Heinberg's brief run and then read all this at a clip. I have no doubt that it will play well as a whole...and this is a good conclusion to that storyline, if you can keep it seperate in your mind from the re-appearance of Circe in the "Amazons Attack" storyline that commenced while we waited for this final chapter.

When we last saw Diana, she had become Wonder Woman once more to battle the threat of Circe and the sudden reappearance of every villian she's ever faced. This was kind of cool...but we're left a little uncertain of a few things. Are these really all of Diana's rogues, or have they been conjured by Circe's magic? If they are real, then who's that as the Silver Swan...since Valerie gave it up years ago, and Vanessa was recently rehabilitated.

We don't really get time to think about that, though, as Diana manages to cycle through each of them at least once, before the Cavalry arrive...which is pretty much EVERYONE of note in the superhero community: JLA, JSA, the Titans (led by Robin, who we'd seen way back in the second issue of the run)...they've all come together to help Diana fight her enemies. As Batman says to Wonder Woman later, "They love you, Diana. They always have. Because that's what you inspire in anyone who's ever met you. That's what makes you more powerful than any of us."

Predictably, the heroes make short work of the assorted villians, from Angle Man to Osira, and Giganta and Minister Blizzard and great gods, all the others we've seen so much more frequently: Cheetah, Dr. Psycho, Doctor Cyber, the Duke of Deception. The list goes on. And finally, Diana can turn her attention to Circe...and they talk. And that's when things get interesting.

We see all of Diana's self-doubt and lack of confidence following the Max Lord incident: "I'm not even a real person. I'm a golem. A clay statue brought to life. I have no idea who I am. All I know is, I'm alone."

Circe poo-poos this, saying that's how most humans feel all the time. She motions outside, where the heroes are mopping up Diana's rogues gallery: "Look up there, Diana. You've never been less alone in your whole life...or more human."

And as she casts a bit of purple magic in Diana's direction, she disappears. Later, Diana discovers that, as Diana Prince, she is not invulnerable and can be hurt, but not after she has changed to Wonder Woman. "A gift" she says, from Circe.

As the story concludes, the heroes (including Batman, in a rare daytime appearance) join Diana at a press conference where she announces her return.

Overall, I'm pleased with how the storyline finished up. Heinberg has reintroduced the secret identity of Diana Prince, made her matter in a new way, established an interesting career for her, through which she may get to meet more new heroes as they appear and perhaps spread her influence and message further afield, and re-introduced all her grand and gloriously-diverse rogues for future conflict.

And just to shine it all up, Allan's done something that not every writer of Wonder Woman has been fond of doing--he's set her squarely at the heart of the DC Universe...or multiverse, or whatever. The heroes and heroines of this Earth are her friends and colleagues. One of the things I enjoyed best in this story was Diana's interactions with others: Robin, Batman, the Justice Society and Titans. And as Batman (BATMAN!) points out, she's doing it all with the Power Of Love.

Not a bad relaunch at all.

As a back-up that sort of continues on from the press conference, we get to see Diana at DoMA, where she and Nemesis review the origins of Diana, Donna Troy (she's firmly re-established here post Infinite Crisis as the magical twin of Diana, kidnapped and then restored to life as Diana's sidekick...which doesn't address any of the Harbinger parallel business we were hearing about during 52.), Nemesis and Sarge Steel, in a pretty entertaining framing sequence.

The art here, by Gary Frank, is serviceable, and in some places very nice...but there are moments when these women (the ones with the beauty of Aphrodite?) are downright homely.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I won't have as much to say about the next issue, Wonder Woman #12. I will say the cover, by Terry Dodson, is pretty swell.

This is a follow-up tale in the wake of "Amazons Attack" (I didn't follow the miniseries all the way through, but will grab the trade paperback when that's released.), but we don't see very much of Diana or Wonder Woman. Really, the book is mostly hijacked by Nemesis (making a miraculous recovery from the Stygian Killer Hornets) as he tracks down the shape-shifter, Everyman, who'd been impersonating Sarge Steel and causing events which led to the attack of the Amazons against the US.

True, Wonder Woman shows up at the end and makes short work of Everyman...but its really a deus ex machina wrap-up to a Nemesis story. The art for this issue, by Paco Dias, is plenty decent and I hope we'll see his work again in the future.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next issue, Wonder Woman #13, interested me more. What I wanted to know reading these issues was, "how did the whole Amazons Attack thing impact Diana...what changed for her...and so I got to see here some of the aftermath.

I didn't imagine this issue would be ground-breaking or earth-shattering or anything, not with Gail's debut coming so hot on its heels...but it was informative and enjoyable and we got to see Wonder Woman best yet another hydra and I really liked it.

The artwork, by Julian Lopez, is pretty great. He draws well, scenery, creatures, people...it's most often all quite lovely to look at and balances nicely between realistic art and cartoon (his Diana Prince covering "Clark Kent"-style as she dashes off to "a job for Wonder Woman" was classic funny stuff) and the story by J. Torres takes us on kind of a whirlwind of post-war stuff.

But I think that Julian fails in one huge and--to me--almost inexcusable, way: his depiction of the "Wonder Thong."

Now, look, I totally get that this kind of pandering to fanboy fantasies happens in comics. All the time. I've seen Power Girl's kryptonian knockers. And I'm not arguing that the Amazons are prudes about their bodies or anything like that. Far from it. And too, I realize that the thong is pretty popular, from a fashion standpoint.

And I don't think I'm a prude or anything (though my preference does lean toward the male form...give me a well-drawn man of steel any day...) but this seems an...
indiscreet
...choice for a super heroine and especially one as classy as Diana. I suppose I'm just old-fashioned enough to really like those shorts she rocked in New Frontier.

So, Wonder Woman goes to the Gateway City Museum, because Cassie (Wonder Girl)'s appearance at her mother's office has stirred up a near riot of protesters fearful in the wake of the Amazons' attack...and the crinkly curator guy says:

Relieved to see you, indeed, Amazon buttcheeks hangin' out like Daisy Duke. No wonder the public is rioting. After the whole Max Lord thing, it would seem an ill-thought fashion choice for someone who knows (and is reminded freshly later in the story)is a role model for women young and old. And really, what's a little more blue ink and a couple of stars, right?

Now with this whole puritanic rant I've got going on, you should be completely off guard when I say I laughed like hell when I caught the Golden-Age Flash peering down Diana's W when she stops by a construction site where he and Wildcat are rebuilding a hospital. I suppose any guy on New Earth would look if he had the angle. But is that the power of Love? In context of the starred thong, it makes Jay Garrick seem like more of an old perv.

Seriously, look at the "shorts". I mean, you can almost see stubble. Or don't you have to shave legs of clay? And do we want to have this conversation? Just a little more blue and another star or two, that's all I'm asking.

Anyway, it left me feeling just a little icky through the next scene, where fortunately Wonder Woman's drawn mostly from the waist up. She meets Vixen and Black Canary for a ribbon-cutting at a girls school re-opening in Georgetown. Nowhere does it say this is Halliday School for Girls...but that might be fun for a story or two down the road.

After the dedication, two girls pull Diana aside and introduce them to their friend who "hasn't said a word since her Mom died a few years ago, but she wrote an essay about you being this 'global maternal figure', whatever that means and won like $500 in a contest last year."

Diana introduces herself to the girl, who begins speaking with her right away and asks if she (Wonder Woman) will always be there to protect them, like she was during the war. Diana hugs her and reassures us all that, "yes" she will.

Then, almost a post-script (or a bit of foreshadowing, wot) we see Diana at the mystical barrier/bubble we learn that Hippolyta is using to keep Diana off of Paradise Island, while she sulks grumpily on her throne. Diana thinks perhaps her mother will speak when she has something to say, like the schoolgirl.

And we get a Big Finish speech from Wonder Woman as she flies off over the ocean: "I must follow the true ways of my people and lead by example. Yet I must remember that while I am daughter in my mother's house, I am mistress in my own [still no excuse for a thong]and in the world I have chosen to call Home I am a warrior who fights for what is right. I am a champion of peace. I am an Amazon. I am Wonder Woman."

Ah, just the sort of stirring interior monologue we might someday hope to hear in a Wonder Woman movie. Can't you just hear whatever theme John Williams would write for her building underneath? Hokey, sure. But come on, what's not to love?

The Wonder Thong, that's what.

Catching Up

2007-11-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

A belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

(Recently added tracking software assures me you're reading...if only I could figure out how to get you to say something!)

My best intentions had me posting more regularly last week, but an overpowering laziness set in after the long car ride to the Adirondacks, way before it could've been blamed as a side effect of turkey and mashed potatoes.

Perhaps it was the rain, or more likely, a lingering tiredness borne of moving a garden two towns away (see My Other Blog for details there.).

In the midst of that project, however, I was also addressing other things, such as the purchase of the last three long boxes needed for housing of the Collection. And while I was at the comic shop, I also prowled the Back Issue bins for some recent-ish Wonder Woman releases I hadn't read yet. More on those shortly.

With the move of the rest of the household coming our way shortly, I may be a little sporadic in my postings the next few weeks. But I do have some things planned; check back when you can.

Mean while... perhaps I can redeem myself for having failed to direct you to the JLA Ice Cream Social last summer. It appears that this holiday season will see a new epic over at Every Day Is Like Wednesday...and it's sure to be a good time. While you're waiting for me, why don't you surf on over and check out what Caleb's up to!

Wedding Bell Blues...and Greens

2007-11-20T23:37:00.000-05:00

With the exception of Lois and Clark, when has a superhero's wedding ever gone well? Okay, Donna Troy's wedding to Terry went well, even if their marriage went down the toilet...but generally, happiness of this sort eludes our heroes.

Tonight's spotlight issue is not my first issue of Green Lantern-Green Arrow, but since my first four issues (this is the fourth of those) of this title are non-consecutive and part of longer stories, this was the first one that started to make some sense to me. I also chose to focus on this one, because it was my first introduction to a character we would see much more of years later.

So, here we are, Green Lantern-Green Arrow #122, from November of 1979 and it's Hal Jordan's wedding day. His bride-to-be, we learn, is Kari Limbo, a gypsy woman/mystic. They are greeted outside the church when they arrive together (it IS bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, wait and see...)by assorted Justice League friends who are there for the occasion.

This is one more time when clearly these guys are thinking of their costumes/uniforms as formal attire. Seriously, and the priest had no problem with this? Dinah (Black Canary) is the only one of them showing any discretion, though describing that shade of pink she's wearing as "discreet" might be a bit of a stretch.

The problem the preacher refers to here is NOT the costumes, but a broken bell rope, meaning there'll be no ringing to celebrate the joyous occasion. Green Arrow saves the day with one of his bolo arrows, but then Kari goes into some kind of trance thing, and kneels to draw in the sand the image of a Phantom Zone projector. Superman takes this omen to heart and dashes off to the Fortress of Solitude to ensure that all's well, promising he'll try to return before the ceremony.

Of course, all is NOT well and a strange glowing green tendril snakes out of the PZ and grabs Superman, dragging him into the Zone. Meanwhile, back at the church, the ceremony begins, but Kari falls into another trance and begins describing the Phantom Zone and mentioning Superman by name. Hal dashes off to the Fortress, leaving everyone behind and fortunately missing hearing Kari murmur "my beloved Guy", though Dinah and Ollie both take unhappy note of this.

Hal goes into the Phantom Zone and comes face to face with Green Lantern Guy Gardner, who had apparently been thought dead by everyone. Somehow, the power battery that exploded and supposedly caused his death in some previous issue actually threw him into the Phantom Zone, where General Zod and the other villians sentenced there have taken control of Guy and his power ring and managed to make it stronger than the others. They've also beaten the snot out of Superman, who has no extraordinary powers in the Phantom Zone.

Guy explains, "We can see into the other world. I've watched you..."

Superman, it turns out, was not unconscious and comes to Hal's rescue, distracting Gardner long enough for Hal to escape from his attack...but Hal realizes that Zod is now strangling Supes and he leaves Guy to rescue Superman, dragging him to safety outside the Phantom Zone, and leaving confrontation with Guy Gardner for another day.

Of course, with the news of Guy being alive comes the realization that Hal and Kari cannot marry and they tearfully agree. Hal vows to rescue Guy and says he'll see how Kari feels in a month or two. What a thoughtful guy, that Hal.

This is a fun issue, partly because of the guest stars amongst the wedding guests, and since I already had some familiarity with the Phantom Zone at this early point, I was able to follow the story all right, though I certainly had no idea of any of the previous Guy Gardner storyline...and would have to piece that together from future issues. Still, who doesn't love an ill-fated wedding?

****

As an extra bonus, in the back of the issue, near the letter column was featured one of those great Fred Hembeck cartoons, which ran as part of the "Daily Planet" news feature at the back of most DC issues at the time. I include it here for your amusement...

...and encourage you to check out Fred's website Hembeck's Comic Strips for more!

(If you're noticing an improvement in my accompanying photos, you're not imagining things. Being at Mom and Dad's for a Thanksgiving visit brings the additional pleasure of a nice scanner to play with--I'm gonna have to get me one of these things after Christmas!)

The Good Omen

2007-11-16T23:21:00.000-05:00

When you're moving, there's all kinds of little stresses that sort of ebb and flow like the tide. Who pays for that? And why isn't there this? OMG, why did they paint it that color? Is there enough time to do all this?

And then, as you're sorting through the debris of previous tenants, you find something...and its a sign. Something that assures you that everything's going to be all right. There's uncertainty and chaos, but after that all will be well.

The good omen.

Wonder Wednesday

2007-11-14T08:01:00.000-05:00

Across the globe, Wonder Woman fans are waking this morning, filled with a sense of unbridled glee. That's right, today Wonder Woman #14 hits stands, featuring the writing of fan-favorite Gail Simone, enhanced by the delightful art of husband and wife team, Rachel and Terry Dodson.

La Simone is believed to be the writer who can save our Amazing Amazon from the sketchy writing she's been subjected to much of this past year, and sadly, for much of her heroic career. But no pressure, Gail. : )

Not excited yet? Go read an interview with Simone at Newsarama here, to help get your Squee on.

Yep, it may indeed be a wonderful Wednesday.

Red Tornado

2007-11-13T22:02:00.000-05:00

The sorting has brought to the surface any variety of mini-series, including this one shining a spotlight on the Red Tornado in 1985. As the Crisis on Infinite Earths loomed, writer Kurt Busiek joined forces with legendary artist Carmine Infantino to tell us a story of the JLA's often-sidelined android member.

The thing about this android, though, is that he was created as the weapon of perennial mad scientist T.O. Morrow, but somehow managed to garner something like a human soul and contradict Morrow's evil programming. The long and complicated saga of Red Tornado, before and since this mini, is found here.

As this series opens, Reddy does battle against a rogue tornado tearing through the New Jersey countryside, saving many people in the process. However, the news coverage of the event cast him unfavorably, and then the android is confronted by the membership of the Justice League, who say they are tired of his screw-up and revoke his membership. Confused and uncertain, the Red Tornado considers his place in the world as the first issue concludes, unaware that all this has been carefully orchestrated by long-time JLA foe The Construct.

Not being able to fathom what he's supposedly done wrong, Red Tornado carries on as issue 2 opens. He is confronted by a Construct-controlled Superman, who tauntingly literally tears Reddy limb from limb for disregarding the League's suggestion, and throws Reddy's parts into the East River.

It's so sad. They always do this to Reddy. It's like the one thing writers can think to do with the robot: dismantle him. Ho hum. Think I'm kidding, check out what they did to RT in last year's 52, twenty-one years later.

Fortunately, his self-repairing circuits bring him back together only minutes later, but this latest confrontation with a so-called friend has him doubting everything. His lack of confidence drives him away from his girlfriend, Kathy Sutton and the negative public perceptions of him causes problems in his friendship with Traya the orphan.

All the while, the Construct gloats. The Red Tornado is the only member of the JLA, we learn, who is immune to the Construct's mind control, thus explaining his targetting for this special torment.

Issue 3 of the series finds most of the world under the Construct's controls, and Red Tornado has abandoned humanity, to sulk in fine emo hero fashion atop a windy mountain top, as befits his name. Kathy Sutton still believes in him, and is finding that she is the only person who has not succumbed to the Constructs controls. The Construct seems to underestimate her ability to sway Reddy, though, and apparently prefers gloating to her about how he could take her mind away through any piece of communications technology. Talk about your computer with an attitude.

Finally Kathy reaches Tornado and tells him about the Construct's plans and entreats him not to abandon mankind. He's playing all cold logical machine here, but she touches him by suggesting that if he ever suspected that he might be human, then the answer had to be yes. Suddenly, the memories of his other lives are restored to him and he can feel his soul and he races off to confront The Construct and save the World.

In the final issue, Red Tornado takes on the Construct head-to-head and they battle to a draw. Entreating the assistance of his creator, T.O. Morrow, Reddy manages to infiltrate The Construct's operating system, where he systematically disconnects the Construct's control over the telephone networks, the radio frequencies and so on, breaking his hold on humanity.

Its sort of a leap, since we've not seen Reddy do this sort of thing before...sort of an "inside the video game" thing, I guess, in keeping with the times. Of course, Red Tornado is victorious and saves the world. It bums me out a little that we never see a scene with the League where they disavow the things they'd said earlier...but I suppose the page count was running out.

On the whole, I really enjoyed re-reading this series. Reddy's a character I've always enjoyed, but not known too much about. I'd forgotten, actually, that he was one of a series of characters who began on Earth Two and migrated to Earth One and served as a member of both the JSA and the JLA.

Carmine Infantino's art is a pleasure here (though I still chuckle looking at that first cover image of the Justice League. Notice how Batman's height matches the tapering perspective of the others, but his legs disappear just above the boot, as though he were standing in a hole.).

It interested me to read in one of the letter columns (remember those?)the comments of a reader who didn't favor Infantino as an artist, stating that all his characters look alike (true enough). And I realized, having read this same opinion from other fans on the internet about contemporary artists, that some things just don't change.

League Dickery?

2007-11-10T08:52:00.000-05:00

The Adventures of Superman #475, February 1991.

It looks worse than it is, of course. The Toyman, Intergang and the New God Sleeze wreak havoc at a new amusement park in Metropolis. Superman gets himself attacked by the animatrons from the park's Hall of Heroes. Also the issue where Jimmy Olsen decides to start wearing his Superman signal watch again.

Teen Titans

2007-11-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe I've been keeping this blog so long, and not yet given the Teen Titans a proper mention. I was very happy the other day, when I had a moment to slide this early issue from its plastic and give it another read. Being one of my earlier issues, Teen Titans #40 from July-August 1972 is easily one I've read hundreds of times...and it shows some. But how nice to revisit this old friend.

Being the early seventies, there's a real counter-culture feel to the story (or maybe its just that Bob Haney wrote it...whatta guy; his must be an interesting story). Even though they are in Scotland for this story, they're still riding around in a VW minibus with Peace and Love written on the sides of it (did they ship it overseas? Get it at a rental place? The T-Jet of today must be so much easier), and they refer to each other as "Flasher" and "Wonder Doll", which is fun in a silly sort of way.

Anyway, our story opens with the Titans (in this case, Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy, Wonder Girl and Mal Duncan, with their mentor Mr. Jupiter) on board a fishing boat on a Scottish loch, investigating reports of a deadly sea monster...and as you can see, before long, it appears.

Quickly, our heroes discover it is a gigantic metal robot operated by salmon poachers, but the mystery deepens when they see a ghost dancing on the loch waves and learn that Robin and Mal were attacked by water breathers while they were diving below. A second dive brings the water-breathers back, and after they've murdered the Titans' Scottish fisherman guide ("Gillkrankie"...you can't make this stuff up...but Haney could!)Robin announces with his usual flair for the dramatic that Aqualad was one of the attackers.

Outrage, shock, and drama follow before a quick investigation reveals that Aqualad is actually attending college classes in Scotland and they track him down, finding him in a kilt, with a new girlfriend, Nirka, draped on his arm(Despite the girl, the kilt just makes him seem more gay than usual...).

He offers his assistance, and quickly it is discovered that he's in Nirka's thrall and also that she is the daughter of the Black Earl of Moray (the earlier mentioned ghost), who raises his sunken castle from the depths of the loch once a century in hopes of trapping new souls upon whom he make practice his dark arts.

Here's Nirka and Garth out of their kilts, where we learn just what it is that she's offering to attract Aqualad to the doom offered by her father. Apparently, its her lips he wants, he needs, her lips that he must have. (Jeez, Garth, get your own. Sure, it'll be years before collagen injections and botox are all the rage, but surely you could suck on a blowfish or something and get your own voluptuous pair...)

Of course the Titans are able to rescue their friend and the story wraps up with him remembering nothing. Which is probably for the best.

I must have really enjoyed what I saw here(plus, "now only 20 cents!"), because I only waited a few months before picking up my next issue of Teen Titans, this one #43 (shame I couldn't get consecutive issues, but fortunately both of these were done-in-one stories), in which we get a slightly altered team here.

Mr. Jupiter and Mal are nowhere in sight, and now Lilith (the psychic/witch) has joined the team. They are on the craggy coast of New England and as this story opens, they are entreated by an old man to rescue his helpless grandchild from a quartet of demons who are playing catch with the child.

I won't go into as much detail about this story, which actually, isn't a bad take on the Titans going head to head with supernatural forces (or as the cover cries, "Whiz Kids VS. Witchcraft"). The art team for both of these issues was Art Saaf and Nick Cardy and looking back, I'm really pretty impressed with their work. There's a reasonable amount of detail, people look as they are supposed to (well, except for that kilt...but it IS Scotland, after all) and I really enjoyed it.

Issue #43 also includes a Lilith solo feature, in which she is crossing the country looking for her mother, and discovers a likely candidate on death row. Never able to resist a mystery and eager to reunite with her mother, Lilith reveals the true murderer, freeing the woman...who's real daughter appears to take her mother away from prison. Sad for Lilith.

I was always sorry we didn't see more of her when the Titans reunited in the eighties...and sadder still that when she did finally return to the team in the 90s, she was not only way younger than she should've been, but was killed so quickly by a rogue Superman robot.

We are not very kind to our minor characters.

And how could I talk about the Titans without discussing their rebirth as a team in 1980, at the able hands of Marv Wolfman and George Perez. Here's New Teen Titans #1, in which the mysterious Raven brings some of the old team together (Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash) with some new members (Cyborg, Beast Boy/Changeling, Starfire and herself) and the long run of fun had begun.

I think this might've been the issue that actually turned me into a mad collector for a while. After all, I bought it for 50 cents and within a few years, it was valued at $30 or better. I think the market's since leveled out and even if this one is still worth more, it's probably not representative of my overall collection, because the comic companies began glutting the market with so many issues, variant covers and so on.

Once we've completed the move, I'll have to begin the next part of the project for my collection, which will be doing some research into the over-all value of the thing, which is--in all honesty--immeasurable to me, anyway. But I'm also looking forward to a few lazy winter days, sitting by the fireplace and re-reading all those old Wolfman-Perez issues, which were so amazing.

In an interesting sidebar, I had already planned today's post when I read this morning at Newsarama that Judd Winick will be reuniting that classic team of the eighties in a new Titans East series. Should be interesting.

Up On The Roof

2007-11-06T09:51:00.000-05:00

Here's a random issue I pulled from the sorting, when this great cover by Matt Wagner caught my eye. I'm a bit of an architectural fan, so I enjoyed the rooftop setting, but there's also something about the depictions of Batman and Robin I enjoy here. Batman, as always, is pretty serious, scanning the city skyline, while Robin's gaze (he looks a little bored here) lingers over the street below.

This is Detective Comics #649, from Late September, 1992. The story within, by Chuck Dixon (art by Tom Lyle and Scott Hanna), actually includes The Spoiler (Stephanie Brown) as well. She has overheard her criminal father, the Cluemaster (bad name, I think...always thought the guy needed a clue...) planning a major heist of a charity event at one of Gotham's malls, and Stephanie is working with the Dynamic Duo to stop him.

Stephanie, for those who don't know, was a friend of Robin's who learned his identity and created her own costumed identity. For a while (long after this story, during a time when I was not reading comics at all...), she even picked up the mantle of Robin, after Tim Drake's father made him retire, and unfortunately died in that role. I haven't read the War Games trades yet where all this happened, so I can't say exactly how she died (tho I hear power tools were possibly involved). But I do know that there's some internet fervor over the fact that a memorial to Stephanie was never created in the Batcave, as one had been for the (now returned from the dead)second Robin, Jason Todd.

It could be that all that means Spoiler/Stephanie's in the process of crossing back across the River Styx and due to appear somewhere in the DC multiverse sometime soon. After all, characters seem to die at the drop of a hat lately, and return with almost the same frequency. Or it could just mean that some of DC's creators/editors don't feel that she was worth remembering...she is a girl character, after all.

Anyway, it's an okay story and the art is decent. Mostly, after we learn of the plot (and see it unfolding), it's a big fight scene between the Cluemaster and his Merry Men (his gang are dressed like Robin Hoods...) and Batman, Robin and Spoiler. Why it's notable (besides the great Wagner cover) is in the final stand-off, when Cluemaster takes Spoiler hostage, and threatens her to get Batman to leave off...and the Dark Knight outs her as the Cluemaster's daughter and the issue ends before Steph can tell Batman how she feels about that, though she takes good advantage of her father's shock to bring him down.

Further Proof

2007-11-05T23:28:00.001-05:00

Okay, remember this moment from Infinite Crisis, when some of the heroes witnessed the rebirth of the Multiverse at Alex Luthor's cosmic hands way back in 2006?

Well, compare it to this image, captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope in 2007.

I'm just saying, is all.

The Golden Age

2007-11-04T11:46:00.000-05:00

Last night, as a result of tropical storm Noel spinning past the New England coast, Cape Cod took a big whack and power outages and other damage abound. Fortunately, at our place we were spared the worst of all that, with only minor tree damage and a great many wet leaves to rake abounding...but the power was out for about twelve hours, beginning around 6:00 p.m.

We have candles (and safe candle holders) a-plenty, and a little battery operated radio to distract us from the rising/falling sound of the wind gusts and dancing treetops and battering rain. But I'm sorry, you just can't be entertained by the radio in the same way you can by television (had it been NPR, this might've been a different story, but they were off the air before we even lost power). And so I happily turned my attention to the comic collection for entertainment. Thank goodness for the LED camp light.

My selection to start the long evening was DC Comics' four-issue graphic novel miniseries "The Golden Age", written by James Robinson and brought to life by artists Paul Martin Smith and Richard Ory.

This is an "Elseworlds" story, which was the designation DC gave to so-called "imaginary stories" in the nineties. In an Elseworlds tale, the starting point is a comics scenario we're all familiar with, which then takes a turn in some new or unlikely direction, usually with pretty entertaining results.

Here, the story picks up in the late days of 1945, and continues the stories of the members of the Justice Society of America and the All-Star Squadron (which by this point, had been post-Crisis re-jiggered to no longer feature the adventures of the Big Three: Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.). World War II has drawn to its familiar end, and as America tries to resume it's rosey, pre-war lifestyle, the mystery men of the earlier half of the decade are feeling a little unnecessary. There aren't Nazis and Japs (don't send me email about being racist, its how they were known in the US at the time) to beat up, and the costumed villians don't hold the same interest they once did.

In some ways, this is sort of a Watchmen-style treatment of our Golden Age heroes. Johnny Chambers (aka, Johnny Quick) is working on a documentary about wartime superheroes, and through him, we catch up on how "real life" finds those shiny heroes of the Golden Age. He and Libby Lawrence (Liberty Belle) have divorced, and she has set up housekeeping with novelist Jonathan Law (Tarantula), who is unfortunately now suffering the proverbial Long Weekend of alcoholism and writer's block. Alan Scott (Green Lantern)is seeing his radio and TV station flagging and has gained the attention of Congress' HUAC.

Ted Knight (Starman) is in a sanitarium, having been driven a little nuts with knowing the information he traded with Einstein was in some part responsible for the atomic conclusion of the conflict with Japan. Rex Tyler (Hourman) is still working to perfect the Miraclo pill that gives him his hour of super-strength, but he's also discovering that he's become an addict to the stuff. Paul Kirk (Manhunter) has returned from Europe with no memory of why he's so paranoid about anyone discovering him.

Against a backdrop of All That, a former nobody of the superhero set, Tex Thompson (the Americommando) is being hailed as a national hero for his undercover work in Nazi Germany, where he was apparently nearly single-handedly responsible for the defeat of the upper levels of the Third Reich, including Hitler.

Now really, do we need more than Tex Thompson's cheesy little moustache to telegraph to us that he's the villian of this piece? Hardly, as it comes out rather quickly that his brain has actually been replaced ("We've replaced your regular brain with Folgers." Anyone old enough to remember those commercials...?)with that of the (da da DAH...) Ultra-Humanite.

Of course, no one knows that at the onset, and Thompson, with the encouragement of the President and Congress, begins gathering a team of carefully chosen heroes to be a government-sponsored supergroup, with an eye toward taking out the rising threat of Communism. Al Pratt (The Atom) and Johnny Thunder, two of the younger and more hare-brained members of the JSA, are quickly tapped for Thompson's team.

We are shown the former hero Robotman, tearing apart a team of jewel theives in a dark alley, in a style today's Black Adam would be pleased with. "There was a time," we are told, his face splattered with the blood and gore of men. "when Robotman's primary wish was to stress the MAN in his name."

He, too, is solicited for this group, along with former kid sidekick Danny Dunbar (DynaMite), who's feeling at loose ends following the end of the war and the death of his mentor, TNT. Dunbar is selected as the "benefactor" of new experimentation which grant him extreme powers to serve on this new team.

It's a pretty great ride, this story, and I won't give away anything more, in case you have a chance to pick it up and read it for yourself. But I can tell you its kind of a wild, moody ride through the post-war days of America...and in case all that, and a return of our four-color heroes toward the story's conclusion aren't enough to entice you, then maybe the promise of more Black Adam-style carnage during the big Fight Scene will help, and just wait until you see where Hitler's Brain ends up!!

Having been published over a dozen years ago, this may be a tricky story to find. Ask at your favorite comic shop, or look in those back issue bins. I'm not sure if the mini-series was ever collected in trade paperback form. Barring that, send DC some mail on the subject. I think its high time they start putting together some treasuries of these great Elseworlds stories, although they are unlikely to listen to my voice only.

Web Comics

2007-11-03T17:06:00.000-04:00

I want to start this entry with a nod to the now sadly-defunct MAJOR SPOILERS website, which closed shop on Halloween. Thanks to Stephen Schleicher for all his efforts there. I will miss MS, as it was not only a great way to get a sense of what was going on in some of the major comics of our day, but Stephen's reviews often helped me form an opinion about which trade paperbacks are required reading, and which I could safely pass.

And also, thanks for the Daylight Savings Time reminder, Stephen!! The art's easily recognizable as classic Aparo, but in what issue might we find this??

MS was just one of my favorite stops on the internet connected to the world of comic books and superheroes, however. I thought I take the sting out as we struggle for meaning in this post-Major Spoilers cyberworld, I'd share a few recommendations (all links in Explore Your Multiverse in the left column!) of things I've recently discovered, starting with Diesel Sweeties by R. Stevens.

Isn't it great to see some serious fun poked at all the comic book death?

The Rack by Kevin Church and Benjamin Birdie is an excellent webcomic which has been cracking me up lately, with its take on the world of comic book sales and fandom.

Another great discovery has been Brad Guigar's Evil Inc. Here's Lightning Lady, who works as the receptionist at this supervillian super-company. We love her!

DC Comics has recently launched their online arm, Zuda Comics, and there are a few intriguing webcomics worth taking a look at there, as well!

I'm always interested in trying something new, so please let me know if there's a webcomic you've discovered recently that I haven't mentioned and I'll be glad to check it out.

Daylight Savings Time Ends

2007-11-03T03:17:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour tonight, or this will be you on Sunday!!

Then and Now

2007-11-02T09:50:00.000-04:00

Batman and the Outsiders #1, August 1983.

Ah, how I love to see the old Jim Aparo art again!

Is it me, or does Diana look particularly heartbroken at Batman's announcement?

A little compare and contrast exercise: Batman and the Outsiders, November 2007.

So let's see: Black Lightning's graduated to the JLA, but his daughter (Storm?) is on the team. Her main squeeze Grace is there, and I couldn't be happier to have heard that she's "of the Amazons". (Clark has superfriends, family and pets, Bruce has Bat-Everyone...it's nice to see Diana growing a little more of a "family" beyond the Wonder Girls.)

From the original team, we have Katana and Metamorpho (yay and double-yay), but also GeoForce (meh, not so much...). Green Arrow's a good fit for the team, and its always interesting to see Ollie and Bruce playing off one another.

Speaking of Batpeople, the latest Batgirl's on this team, too! Not to mention the undercover (unpictured) Martian Manhunter and Catwoman. All in all, sounds very interesting.

Some Random Halloweeny-ness

2007-10-31T11:13:00.000-04:00

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #41, January 1993.

(Okay, all you English majors can go ahead and take a breath: if "truthiness", than "Halloweeny-ness". Let. it. go.)

To celebrate All Hallows Eve, I thought I'd randomly dip through some of the titles I'm currently sorting from the Collection. Sure, The Spectre, or Sandman, or any one of DC/Vertigo's creepier titles might have offered some Halloween goodness, but those are already filed and would be more work than I've time for today.

Yah, Batman's an easy sell for this holiday with the whole Bat-motif he's got going on. But I was happy to find some Halloweeny-ness on some Wonder Woman and Superman issues, as well.

So, with no further adieu: a brief ragamuffin parade of Creepy Covers.

Wonder Woman (original series) #298, December 1982.

Superman: The Man of Steel #41, November 1994.

Detective Comics #662, Late June 1993.

Superman #66, April 1992.

Super Heroes Anonymous

2007-10-29T11:11:00.000-04:00

This weekend, a group of self-styled superheroes gathered in Times Square for a clean-up mission in the city streets. The New York Times has the skinny.

Birds of Prey

2007-10-25T00:20:00.000-04:00

Another piece of the collection floated to the top recently: Birds of Prey #1, from 1996.

When I read "The Killing Joke" in 1988, I was a bit shocked by the Joker's attack on Barbara Gordon, as writer Alan Moore had meant me to be. At the time, she was a pretty stale character at best. Well-loved though Batgirl may have been, no writer had done anything interesting with her. Getting her elected to Congress was a bad move, as it is for most people, but only lasted for a term or two. The last thing we'd seen her do was to mourn the Supergirl that no one remembered.

And then, in series of panels, the Joker's bullets tore through her spine and ended that life. And for a long time, it didn't seem like we'd see her again. That Babs Gordon's useful life in the DCU was over. Oh, we of little faith.

(I read somewhere recently that Moore hadn't intended the KJ to stand firm within the continuity of the DCU, but they'd only just had the Crisis on Infinite Earths to weed down a healthy collection of "imaginary" tales...so DC accepted the decision to paralyze Barbara Gordon and moved on. And however incidentally, they set themselves up to eventually feature the story of a strong woman who overcomes great odds yadda yadda yadda...wow, positive role models for girls.)

I remember being intrigued by the mysterious Oracle, the anonymous computer entity which began selling information to Amanda Waller in the pages of Suicide Squad, and in other titles, too. It should've been no surprise that Babs had reinvented herself as the ultimate information specialist to the superheroes. It's perfect, and when she finally got her own series in 1996, well, the words "long-overdue" sprang to mind. I felt the same way about Babs' co-star in the series, adventurer Dinah Drake, the Black Canary.

As it turned out, that series was getting going at a time when comic purchases had to be trimmed, and I missed most of Barbara and Dinah's story, though I'm gradually enjoying it through trade paperback collections. I'm thrilled to see it's been such a good run.

Blue Beetle 3

2007-10-24T23:32:00.000-04:00

Here's the book you really ought to be reading. Jaime Reyes is a teenager, and the third in a line of heroes to take the name Blue Beetle, from the blue scarab found years ago by the original, Dan Garrett. The scarab has fused with Jaime's spine and sprouts really cool armor, offering advice and weapons as needed.

But I could go on about his origin for hours, and really, you can find all that on Wikipedia. The hero's secret origin tale is a staple of comics, and so it'll always be there, but this series offers something else.

The extra good stuff in this series that makes the usual all the sweeter. Consider the unfamiliar setting of El Paso and Jaime's cast of supporting characters, his good friends and his family, all of whom know he's the Beetle, all of them trying to support him as he makes the hero's journey through the DC Universe.

And it's funny, too. (I love when they make Batman funny.)

I think what touches me the most is that, aside from Martha and Jon Kent, we have rarely seen supportive parents of teen superheroes in comic books. Here, Jaime's mom and dad have accepted the Blue Beetle as part of Jaime's life, and they're doing their best to cope with that, and fold it into their otherwise normal lives. The results are both funny and touching.

In the meantime, we're getting a great run of stories as we watch this new hero find his confidence and explore his very-bizarre world, all without forsaking the fun of being kids and palling around with good friends.

Too often we see the miserable, lonely "I have a secret" cliche in superheroes, especially the teen-angsty ones. Jaime Reyes is a breath of fresh air.

Go out and buy this comic! Add it to your pull lists, request the trades at your local Borders or Barnes and Noble!! Here is a great title which needs a nice long run.

Why Steve Trevor Had to Die...

2007-10-23T21:59:00.000-04:00

Harken back with me once more to the steamy summer days of the Bicentennial and this comic, Four Star Spectacular #3, dated August 1976. FSS was another publication of the time, like DC Special and Showcase, which was retreading stories from the recent past (at least these days they make an attempt at re-writing, eh?). Included here are stories of Superboy and Green Lantern, but for our purposes this evening, we'll discuss only the Wonder Woman story.

This is another of those Robert Kanigher stories, from somewhere in 1958 or '59, with art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Although the stories of the time are often a bit wonky one way or another, but I do enjoy the art. Diana--tho the styles of the years have changed--has always been a beautiful woman.

Too often, though, she seems to have forsaken the wisdom of Athena, as is the case here, when she foolishly accepts a wager with Steve. He proposes that, if Wonder Woman has to save him three times during the course of one day, then she has to marry him. (What the?! The "I'm such a doufus you have to marry me" thing never works...)

So, anyway, she accepts this dumb bet, and *big surprise*, she has to start rescuing Trevor, and each time he's gloating about their impending matrimony, and you know, you can really see Diana considering braining this mouthy bastard.

It doesn't take long as a reader to get tired of him, either. Really, why was she hanging around this self-important rube? I guess because he was the first Man she'd ever seen...and she imprinted on him like a duckling.

Although more likely she just realized from their first meeting in his crashing plane that here was a creature who was absolutely incapable of taking care of himself and so she'd better hang around and try to make sure that he didn't die.

Of course she saves him three times, but whew, they discover that it's actually been slightly more than the 24 hours designated in the terms of the bet, and so Diana remains a free...er, single...woman.

In re-reading this story, I began to think this matrimony business had been a real obsession with Steve Trevor, and looking back through a few other stories from that era, I quickly found two more examples to share.

Here, Wonder Woman's been defeated by a robotic version of herself, and so the world no longer needs her...and Steve wastes no time hearing wedding bells.

Or here, where poor Diana's had her secret identity exposed to all the world, including Trevor, and is he sympathetic? Of course not. His mind spins at the possibility, now that she's no longer effective as Wonder Woman, she's free to settle down with him. AGH!

It really becomes clear why it was such a good idea for them to finally kill off the obnoxious pretty boy.

Of course, they couldn't even do that right, bringing him back TWICE to mess with Diana's head before the Crisis rebooted her and Perez recast Steve Trevor as an older man, who actually had a little self-respect and heroism about him.

But these old stories? They're crazy-making, and if you read them long enough, then all of a sudden you're doing THIS sort of thing in response.

If anyone else would like to have a go, I've included a blank version here (click to enlarge and save, then paste your own dialogue atop the file and send it back to me!); what have YOU always wanted to hear Diana say to Steve Trevor?

bat-love

2007-10-22T23:28:00.000-04:00

I recently realized that because I've been saving the assorted Bat-related titles in my collection for the end of the sorting, it's been a while since there's been any Bat-love on this blog. Today, I thought I'd address that issue.

I've been reading the trades of 52, the groundbreaking weekly series from last year. What a great trip it's been. So many terrific characters, and high on that list for me is Batwoman. It's about time they reinvented the character; that she's a lesbian, too, is just gravy!

I think it's a shame that so much time has passed since the conclusion of 52 and to my knowledge (reading only trades, I rely on others reviews to keep me in the know) there's not yet been a scene in which Batman acknowledges she exists. True, he's had other things on his hands, and at least Nightwing has made the effort (though we can't rule out that being just the Grayson's fascination with redheads).

Anyway, here's one of the new Batwoman's first appearances. I look forward to hearing more (and eventually reading) about her role in the upcoming Gotham Underground, in which she appears on the cast list in solicitations from DC.

For perspective, I thought it'd be fun to compare our new daredoll (check out those boot heels!!) against the original(check out that Bat-purse!!), as seen here on the cover of Detective 233, dated July 1956.

I'm sorry to say I didn't actually learn of the original Batwoman until after she'd died at the hands of Ras Al Ghul's League of Assassins, although that happened right about the time I was really getting into comics.

Interesting to note that this new Batwoman has also already (at least apparently) been killed by someone from the League of Assassins...but I've got a feeling that's not going to stop her!

Sunday Snapshots

2007-10-21T12:46:00.000-04:00

Before heading off to other things on this sunny Sunday, I thought I'd share a few glimpses of the collection which have floated to the surface during the continuing organization.

First is this issue above. Although the cover title is "Firestorm the Nuclear Man", this is actually The Fury of Firestorm #54, from December of 1986. I've always been a fan of Firestorm--he was one of the first new heroes to show up on the scene once I'd really begun to explore the DC Multiverse, and he was the first new member to join the Justice League during my reading tenure. This is a fun, but silly, done-in-one issue in which Ronnie and the Professor (the two personalities fused together to form the Nuclear Man at the time) work together against a sort of punk-era Maestro named Trash, who's controlling young people with his mesmerizing music.

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life rounded with a sleep."

Next up on the tour is The Sandman #75, from March 1996, the grand finale of Neil Gaiman's brilliant run on the series. This issue really deserves more attention than I'll give it here just now, due to the day's format, but it numbers among the finest in a run that was all top-notch.

In the early pages of Gaiman's masterful storyline, Dream of the Endless overhears a young Will Shakespeare telling Kit Marlowe that he'd "give anything to give men dreams that would live on long after I'm dead." and strikes a bargain with him: in exchange, the Bard will craft two plays during his career for Dream, commission works. The first we'd long ago seen, a gift to Titania of The Mid-Summernight's Dream, and in this issue, we see an aged Will write the last, The Tempest, as he reflects on his career and his life and eventually is brought to the Dreaming for a farewell visit with his patron.

Truly great stuff here!!

A few years earlier, Gaiman had ridden the success of The Sandman onto other projects, such as the four-issue miniseries, The Books of Magic (the cover of #4 presented here)in 1991. In the series, the "Trenchcoat Brigade" (The Phantom Stranger, John Constantine, Doctor Occult and Mister E) lead the young Tim Hunter on a tour of the magical world of the DC Universe, so that he may choose a way of magic or not.

Finally, with the recent return of Captain Carrot and his pals (please, DC, be sure to put this mini-series in trade!!) I'm happy to feature this fourth cover, of Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #7, as the Captain, Rubber Duck, Yankee Poodle, Alley Cat-abra, Fastbak and Pig Iron face the menace of Bow-zar the Barkbarian!! Woo hoo!!

Great news that they are "in continuity" now that there are 52 Universes to play with. Oh, please, oh please, let them all survive the Final Crisis!!

Just Because

2007-10-21T02:08:00.000-04:00

Be sure to turn your volume up!

Then and Now

2007-10-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

First, another random discovery while making sense of the Collection: Freedom Fighters #5, cover dated December 1976. I don't think I bought this one off the racks, tho certainly the prominent display of Wonder Woman (hey, big surprise: she wasn't really dead!) suggests that as a possibility. I think rather this was one of a collection of issues I received in a trade with someone who preferred the Marvel issues in my collection which didn't really interest me.

In any case, it's a dramatic cover, but the story inside is a little wanting. Bob Rozakis gets the writing credits, and I really "knew" him better from his Answer Man column in the back of DC titles later in the seventies. You could write him your queries about continuity and such and he'd be glad to set you as straight as was possible. Of course, in those pre-Crisis days, the "imaginary story" possibility was thrown around a lot.

And it's interesting that he was writing the Freedom Fighters in light of that, because there seems to be a little bit of a continuity wonk going on here. It's hard to be sure exactly on which Earth (yes, there were many back then...)this story takes place...though the presence of Wonder Woman suggests Earth One or Two...probably One, owing to some minimal visual cues in the interior artwork of Ramona Fradon which suggest more present-day than historical context.

But since I've only got the single issue, I can't be sure where the story was supposed to be set. After all, by then, the Freedom Fighters would long ago have migrated to Earth X from Earth 2 to fight the Nazis...but I don't believe there ever was a Wonder Woman on that Earth, so perhaps they came to Earth 1...or maybe it was just a big goof. Whatevs, this was exactly the sort of compound confusion the Crisis was designed to fix.

(Shame, though, that Ray Thomas and the gang at All-Star Squadron worked so hard to tell that tale properly ten years later, only shortly before the Multiverse got the finger, making it all a little moot...)

Still, it was fun to find this issue so soon after having read the recent Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters miniseries trade. There's no doubt that the FF are in proper continuity now (tho thanks to the appetite of Mr. Mind/Evil Skeets, it sounds as though there are TWO sets of Freedom Fighters out there...)
and I surely enjoyed this series, and look forward to seeing where this group goes from here, now that they're getting another regular series and will be dealing with the seemingly ill-planned Amazons Attack aftermath.

The story in the mini gives Uncle Sam and the Gang (most of them killed in the opening pages of Infinite Crisis, to be re-invented here) some new relevance in our post-911, post-Bludhaven/Crisis world, as they join together to take on the dark forces of S.H.A.D.E. (Super Human Advance Defense Executive), a team of meta-humans authorized by the President of the US, who's now been replaced with some alien machine creature who's running the country into the ground. Oh, if only the troubles in the current Executive Office were so easily explained.

Still, it's a rollicking story through the fresh environments of New Earth, which for the purposes of this story have more similarities with our "real" world than we usually see. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have woven a tale to recreate these great heroes, in a way that manages to draw some sharp parallels to the troubles of this dimension that's entertaining, too. I have to admit I nearly stood up and cheered when the new Firebrand (he's okay, but he's no Danette Reilly!)says,

"The war is a big oil-sucking lie and people are dying by the truckload because of it. The whole world knows there were no warehouses packed with nuclear warheads, no underground vats of bio-toxins, no super-agents dropping from the sky like human bombs. Our nation is anesthetized and divided but somehow our leaders are not ashamed."

Yep, that pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? Sure I like my comics as Escapism the same as anyone, but its also nice to see some real world issues addressed from time to time, especially when we have so very many to spare. In fact, as we watch President Gonzo execute sacrifice innocent Americans in terrorist attacks to discredit meta-humans and begin to circle around the Constitution for the kill, having your president replaced by an alien/machine actually begins to seem one of the more reasonable explanations for the past six years in our world.

Daniel Acuna is the artist and his style seems to reflect well the dark and bright contrasts of this all-out fight to preserve the integrity of the United States.

Boxes of Progress

2007-10-14T22:42:00.000-04:00

Well, as you can see, the sorting process is moving along well, as a result of a few minutes here, a half an hour there and the occasional multiple hour session. I've managed to sort the bulk of my comic collection into a dozen different longboxes. I've left the image large, so you can try to souse the logic behind why certain things are stored together...but to be honest, there's a randomness, too. Sometimes, it was just a matter of what run of titles happened to fit in the available space remaining.

But I tried to keep some thematic sense about things, too. Solo titles by characters from various Titans titles are grouped with those titles. Same with the various versions of the Justice League and their stars. Assorted Legion of Super Heroes titles are collected with related mini-series, and a few crossovers which threatened to impact timelines and/or The Future. Spooky titles like Spectre and the Demon got a box together. You get my drift.

Still remaining in the project (and make no mistake, it's a pretty vast chunk of the collection) are titles featuring both Superman and Batman and their costars. At the moment, I'm guessing another four or five boxes may do the trick. We'll see.

Meanwhile, I also stumbled across this issue of Whiz Comics 102, dated October 1948. It's possibly the oldest book in the entire collection, something I stumbled across at a flea market a number of years back.

The cover, featuring Captain Marvel facing off against the Dangerous Dollar is a classic piece of late Golden Age magic. How cool and surreal it might've been if Cap had actually been going up against an animated, human-sized dollar bill...but I suppose they might've gotten letters from the folks over at Dick Tracy for that kind of frivolity.

Inside, Billy Batson finds a dollar that the breeze carries to his feet, and he is quickly set upon by assorted gangsters looking to reclaim it. Of course he says the magic word ("SHAZAM!") and makes short work of these thugs, but then recognizes the mystery at hand, and before long figures out that one of these gangsters has hidden a considerable sum of loot, and the directions for finding said cache are coded onto the face of the bill.

Now, for ten cents, you got an awful lot of comic back then. In addition to this Shazam tale, there's also a post-war adventure of Commando Yank (yawn), an old West adventure of the Golden Arrow (double-yawn), four pages of inanity from Colonel Corn and Korny Kobb (puns too dreadful to mention, as their names suggest) and a seven page tale of Ibis the Invincible being turned into a bat.

You know, in light of all that (even for a dime)it's no wonder Fawcett Comics went out of business.

Snapshots

2007-10-09T01:25:00.001-04:00

The image above is Showcase #97, a pre-Crisis title that showed Power Girl emerging as a solo hero in her own right.

Spent today in the basement, moving forward on the organization process of the collection. I seem to have passed the halfway mark, as there are more comics properly long-boxed than not at this point. Still the Batman and Superman titles alone will probably take up four more boxes just by their lonesome.

Having spent the day in the company of assorted musty and moldy old boxes (who nonetheless have done a good job of protecting the collection through a variety of varying-quality storage situations), I have a bit of a headache and I'm not really feeling up to a full review of any random issues...I thought I would share some scenes of the work in progress, and some of my discoveries.

And then there's this finale image from Legends #6. This was the first crossover event post-Crisis, and I remember it was a bit of a relief to see all the major players on the same page together again! It was the start of Bad Costume Time for Black Canary (pictured here between Wonder Woman, Batman and Captain Marvel...and due to some poor perspective, appearing to be about ten years old...).

Now this I was particularly happy to find: The Question #1, and Blue Beetle #5. Both of these guys were new to me as the dust settled from the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and while I waited for the start of things like George Perez' Wonder Woman or John Byrne's Superman...these titles began first, and introduced me to heroes of the former Charlton comics, who'd recently been "folded" into the DC Universe.

Blue Beetle quickly took the comedy route in the pages of Justice League, but The Question, man, Vic Sage or Charlie, he was the real deal. I wish that I could take the time to re-read all those stories now that I've got them all in one place, and in the right order...but other things beckon just now, and so I'll have to wait.

I just this weekend read 52 Volume 3, the trade of last year's brilliant weekly series. What a great story (or collection of them, really...) they tell. I found this shortly after reading Vic's death scene in those pages. So sad to see him go, but--unlike so many vocal internet fans (is there another kind?)--I'm really kind of grooving on the idea of Renee Montoya taking up the dermaskin mask and seeking some answers.

As for Blue Beetle, well, Ted Kord was also sadly lost to us recently in the lead-up to Infinite Crisis...and his loss was a big one, too. However, I also highly approve of Jamie Reyes adventures as the all-new and different Blue Beetle; the latest trade of that title is actually sitting high on my reading pile at the moment and I look forward to diving in.

"Explosion"

2007-10-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

While doing a bit of late-night blogsurfing last night (if you have a blogger account, check your dashboard for the new BlogPlay feature, which scrolls through the newest photos uploaded to peoples' blogs! It's brilliant!!!), I discovered this breath-taking image by Tuan Hoang, who describes himself as an environmental and concept artist.

There wasn't much context, leaving me free to imagine that Tuan is another brilliant painter who's painting visions of the future, just as Isaac Mendez was last season on "HEROES". And then I remembered that Sylar killed Mr. Is-aac last year, which makes me a little sad.

Still, I wanted to share Tuan's image here, so you will hopefully find it and surf over for a look at some of his other work, which is equally stunning, including a recently-added photo of something that looks like one of those Martian invasion vehicles in action.

New Earth Now

2007-10-04T02:23:00.000-04:00

Oh, it's fun what you can find in the news! For example, this story in which scientists claim to have discovered the formation of a "new Earth". It so closely follows the theme of Real Life (so-called) becoming more like Comics (see my post of April 24th) that I have to believe that these astronomers and such are fans of DC.

What they mean, of course, is that they believe they have found the formation of a possible earth-like planet. But what if it did turn out to be a parallel of ours, just out of whack in the timeline. How bizarre the world is.

To be fair, though, I'm glad people are spending some time looking for other planets that might be like Earth out there. The way things are going, we may need to find a new one sometime soon. What if the "Great Disaster" is global warming?

More likely, I'm inclined to believe its got something to do with the recent revival of the Anti-Monitor, of all people. As always, I'm following the progress in my favorite titles via la Internet, lying in wait for the eventual release of the trades. And you know, Countdown is really starting to pick up the pace as far as the story goes...though it does seem to have spawned an almost unseemly amount of crossover/spin-offs.

I'm choosing to have some faith that eventually as this continues to unfold and mesh with other supposedly stand-alone stories like The Sinestro Corps War and such (for the record, I'm terribly sorry the Amazons Attacked. That does seem like a big gaffe. But sadly, not to be expected in the history of our Amazon's treatment at the hands of the comic creators of Man's World.)as it all builds toward the (oh, dare we hope...) Final Crisis in 2008.

Admittedly, this is a little on the gratuitous side...but I just love this Countdown cover art. (And I'm surprised Sally hasn't addressed it in more detail over at Green Lantern Butts, but then again, it might've been amongst the scans lost in the Great Housekeeping Disaster, too, so we shan't mention it again.)

Not only does it ensure that Kyle seems to have come out on the far side of Parallax okay, but its one of the great images of him. Of course, I'm also amused (as others online are, too) that everyone else seems to be checking out Kyle's goods in this particular shot.

Of the three onlookers, only Donna probably knows what she's really looking at...but doesn't Jason Todd seem kind of surprisingly interested? I'm just saying, it adds another layer of subtext/plot to this whole business of his crushing on Donna. I'm not sure it will do us any good to act surprised when one of the Dark Knight's former teen sidekicks turns out to be at least bisexual.

Of course, Bob's a monitor, so there's no telling what he's seen.

What I Wouldn't Give For A Sorting Hat...

2007-10-01T02:13:00.000-04:00

With recent news of a possible move coming down the road for us, I was able to spend some time this weekend down in the basement, sorting through the collection, dividing things down into individual categories.

This time out, as you can see, various versions of The Flash were sorted into their own box. You can see above some of the collection highlights, Flash #350, featuring the conclusion (almost) of the Barry Allen story...and also Flash #1, when Wally West picked up the crimson mantle.

They are joined in a box with assorted issues of Firestorm, Hawkman(and Hawkworld!), and most naturally, Impulse (we bow our heads and remember Bart). Yes, it's sort of a random grouping, but Firestorm was featured in a back-up of Barry's title back in the 80s.

Most other titles have now been sorted into individual (if not yet chronological) stacks, with the big exception being about four cartons of assorted titles all related to either Batman or Superman. I know...odd that I didn't sort them out first...but their titles are so numerous, it seemed wise to work into their stuff.

Will need to make another longbox run to Newbury Comics soon, as I've filled the nine boxes so far, and will likely need another five or so for the rest. Good lord, what a collection. But at least stored this way, it will be easier to tote when the time comes to re-settle somewhere.

In Your Woolen Tights, Fighting For Our Rights...

2007-09-10T02:04:00.000-04:00

A knitting friend recently turned me on to the good work of Kirsty, and the lovely Wonder Woman jumper (or sweater, as we say here in the colonies...)she has created. It is, dare I say, quite wonderful. I'm especially fond of the way she's made the stars all different sizes. We all await word that she's being courted by the world's top clothiers.

If you'd like to see the jumper (and Kirsty) in some action poses, then surf on over to Practical Polly and check it out! If you're feeling industrious, you can get some hints about the pattern while you're there!!

Ivy Did It!

2007-07-19T00:08:00.000-04:00

Would that I could blame Pamela Isley for my long absence from these pages. It was however, Poison Ivy, which snuck up on me unawares in the garden around mid-May.

I'd spent the first 42 of my years suspecting that I might be immune to the stuff, considering the sheer number of times I've wandered unwittingly into great drifts of the Leaves of Three, without ill effect.

Suddenly, this year, poison ivy is my kryptonite. Go figure. They say global warming is responsible for the plant's new potency and is effecting folks who've never been bothered before, so it would seem I've become a global statistic.

The Garden itself, has also been drawing me away from the business of organizing the old comic collection...but that was sort of a given as spring turned to summer. Plus June's exceedingly busy at work...and the weather's so nice. I've hardly even been able to keep up with all the blossoms.

I have now had the chance to read the first trade paperback collection of "52", and even though I know where the story's going, what a great read. It's absolutely worth the wait...anticipating the second volume's release in a week or so (tho to be honest, more immediately, I'm all about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).

I am still trying to stay abreast of developments in the DC Universe/Megaverse, through the wonder of the Internet. It's a mess, frankly, but it interests me. Everything seems convoluted at the moment, but I really do have this feeling that they've got some over-arching plan for the next year...and that (beyond the Crisis of Infinite Crossovers weariness...glad I'll be able to find things bundled in trades in a year or so...)we'll find that everything makes sense...or at least suitably entertained us. They are, after all, just comic books, right?

(But Amazons Attack?! I'm reserving judgement there. I'm not exactly sure how I foresee this coming out so that it's not a public relations nightmare for Themiscyra. Thank the gods that soon we'll have Gail Simone showing us the way on Wonder Woman!)

There's so many good resources for following what's going on, but I've recently come out as being rather fond of Ami Angelwings. If you aren't reading her review blogs, I can only ask, why the heck not? Her "text speak" style takes a little mental translation, but then she's just great.

I don't know much about this Squirrel Girl, but I sure like what I see.

And I just love love love that she gets around in something called a "squirrel-a-gig"!! Chee!!

I'm interested by some of the more thoughtful discussion on the internet about DC's latest teaser image about the upcoming "Final Crisis". I can't help but wonder (I know...ha ha) about the possibility of these being dopplegangers from one or more of the 52 earths. You'll note I'm sure, as I have, that Diana's wearing the classic silver age high heeled boots here.

But to be honest, this image from the upcoming Justice League of America #14 excites me a little more. Somehow, it feels like many a cover from my childhood. Plus, I like the colors, particularly in the shadows at the top--shame they'll be covered by the logo.

Super Moms

2007-05-13T04:10:00.000-04:00

Some moms are nurturers, taking children to their heart and doing everything they can to help their child fit into the world. They try to teach goodness and fairness and encourage their children to be a good example themselves.

Other mom's sacrifice the joy of having their children near them, for the sake of the world at large. They worry about their children and wonder if they've made the right decisions.

And no matter the length of each mom's life, they are always taken too soon. They can only hope that the examples they have set in the time they had are taken to heart by their mourning children.

Moms come in all shapes, sizes, colors and temperments. Today, I salute them all, but especially my own Super Mom. She comes to the title with qualifications quite diverse and I wish her a Super Mother's Day!!

Free Comic Book Day!

2007-05-05T23:18:00.000-04:00

Had an enjoyable and productive trip to Hyannis this morning. I needed assorted supplies for the garden and so I combined that with a visit to Borders, for a few graphic novels I'd ordered, as well as the latest issues of both Wonder Woman #8 and Amazons Attack. These are really hitting their stride now. It's becoming more obvious that Jodi Picoult is setting up Nemesis to be a potential Steve Trevor type to Diana, which is something she's long needed.

She's got a relationship growing between these two characters that has a sort of "Dave and Maddie" feel to it, for those of you ancient enough to recall the classic, but ill-fated Moonlighting. It seems like that could give us entertainment and good stories for some time to come.

To get myself excited about the arrival of Gail Simone as the new regular writer for this series, the graphic novels were actually two Birds of Prey collections, as well as the Secret Six mini-series, all featuring her work. I've read such great things, I'm really sort of looking forward to wrapping up this entry and going off to do a bit of reading!

In other current comics news, I've been reading all the online reviews, synopses, etc., of the final issue of 52, which came out this week. It sounds to have been a suitably big finish, with the "return" of an all-new Multiverse. Ah, the possibilities!!! Can't wait to read the trades on this...but will have to practice patience, since the first of the four volumes of the series won't be available 'til the end of the month.

Meanwhile...most importantly, today was Free Comic Book Day and so the highlight of the Hyannis run was my visit to Newbury Comics, where I was in need of a few more packages of polybags for the collections, and also picked out my five titles from the special display rack.

For the uninitiated, this event happens every May and its just great. In an effort to bring in some new fans, most comic publishers prepare a special issue which is available at stores for free that day. At Newbury, the limit was five. I picked mine out with my pal Sebastian in mind. He's eight and will hopefully enjoy my choices...and not mind that I gave them a quick and careful read before delivering them to him!

Report From the Field

2007-05-03T11:17:00.000-04:00

Alright, (I'm) back. The arrival (finally) of Spring has been distracting me from this blog (check over at the Midnight Garden for the details), as has the arrival of a busier work season.

I've been thinking about this blog more than posting here lately, as I continue sorting the collection. I've got some more longboxes now, so the progress is going well...there are so many titles, that I've been trying to subsort the like ones together.

And just how should I organize? Alphabetically? One of my goals is to have all the issues of each title in chronological order, so it's easier to reach and grab out a particular storyline for a re-read. But what of the business of the company-wide crossover?? Feggudaboutit.

I'm sorting by title, but then those are being grouped thematically. So far there's a box of just Wonder Womans (both of the first two volumes...the third run is still out for easy access as I reread the more recent issues in search of understanding.). Another box is home to issues of Justice League of America, Justice League (later JL International) and Justice League Europe (JL Task Force and Extreme Justice will just have to find other homes). After that, I get a little more creative.

The next box carries assorted Green Lantern titles, then Green Arrow (series and various minis)...and I'm currently trying to sort out other issues for quantity to see which other JLAer's solo title will join them in the space remaining.

Meanwhile, many of my Vertigo titles (Sandman and related, Hellblazer, Shade the Changing Man, Books of Magic, etc.) have fit comfortably into a fourth box.

As before, it continues to be great fun to see all these titles and try to remember the stories behind the covers (without stopping to look...). As it is, I've hijacked the entire run of All-Star Squadron (the WWII adventures of the Justice Society as chronicled in the 80s)for late night re-reading.

The other thing that's been delaying me is that in exploring the collection, I might've enjoyed doing so in the order that I entered the DC Multiverse, to kind of recreate that. But I'm not uncovering individual issues in chronological order...so I'm not going to worry about that so much. Piece it together on your own, I guess, is the best advice.

Doesn't matter in the end: no matter what your approach to this stuff, it's nothing but fun!

I Meet The Justice League

2007-05-03T10:43:00.000-04:00

Ah, 1976. It was our country's bicentennial. There were tall ships and parades and fireworks and celebrations galore. I wore a tri-corn hat and knickers myself on more than one occasion. It was quite a lot of fun.

By then the Super Friends were on Saturday morning TV, so I kind of knew who the Justice League was. That summer, DC released a number of over-sized comic books, all reprints of earlier stories.

Here were all the world's greatest heroes (well, most of them), coming together to save the world one way or another. 1963's "Decoy Missions of the Justice League" starts things off, featuring (alphabetically from the Roll Call) Aquaman, Atom, Batman, Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, J'onn J'onzz (the Martian Manhunter) Superman and Wonder Woman (with a special guest appearance from Adam Strange) in a tight little encounter with the bug-eyed alien Kanjar Ro, story by Gardener Fox, with art by Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs.

The second tale (from 1965)related "The Deadly Dreams of Dr. Destiny", featuring another great JLA villian, who went on to some fame in a few memorable issues of Sandman at the end of the last century. The roll call this time out included Atom, Batman, Hawkman, Snapper Carr, Superman and Wonder Woman.

What a classic pair of stories...and such a great introduction to the Justice League. DC really knew what they were doing when they released these. There were four pages of character sketchs from Super Friends, as well as a double-page centerfold featuring the entire 18 person full roster of the JLA in their satellite headquarters. This stuff was like crack to me.

From knowing just a few heroes, I'd known been introduced to all the world's greatest super heroes...and now I was hooked and interested in all of their adventures. With this one over-sized edition, DC had created an addict...uh, that is to say...a fan for life.

Even better, the back cover of the magazine offered the mirror image of the front cover shot...only featuring the parallel versions of our heroes from World War II...though it would probably be another couple of years before I learned that they now lived on something called Earth Two. (Please, give a kid a couple years to get through puberty before you break out that complicated sh*t...)

Childhood finances being what they were (and other comics to be collected), it was a year before I picked up my first "in-continuity" issue of JLA, that being #143 in June of 1977.

I'm glad to say it was a Giant-sized issue, with 80 pages for sixty cents! This was "A Tale of Two Satellites", featuring a particularly large roll call, adding Black Canary and Elongated Man, with special guest appearances from Hawkgirl and Mark Shaw, Manhunter, who by then was calling himself the Privateer.

Our story, by Steve Englehart, with art by Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin, begins with a blowout between Superman and Wonder Woman, since her performance is being a little heavily monitored and critiqued by other Leaguers.

I always thought they portrayed her here a little...shall we say...premenstrual (and who's to say she wasn't? Not that there's anything wrong with that.)...but she's still Wonder Woman. Just listen to her roar. She actually quits the team!

Diana teleports to Earth and all too quickly finds herself in the midst of a bank heist by Poison Ivy and Scarecrow, in which she and Mark Shaw cross paths. After the villians escape, he takes her out for dinner and she pours out her heart about about the JLA but when he doesn't say quite the right thing in response, she goes nuts and starts flipping tables over in the restaurant. It actually sounds more like menopause, doesn't it? It's always the waitstaff who suffer.

Anyway, the portrayal seems a little one-note and stereotypically female, until we learn that an alien construct...called Construct II, has recently taken over the satellite headquarters of the Injustice Gang, and has all of them (Ivy, Scarecrow, Mirror Master, Chronos, and the Tattooed Man) under mind control...and now add the Amazon to the unwilling army, which (say it with me, people) Construct II will use to rule the earth.

The JLA breaks down after Diana leaves and the heroes break off into smaller groups...and are eventually attacked by one of these villians. And of course, Mind Control Wonder Woman returns to the satellite and gets to kick some kryptonian ass. It's amazing that she and Superman didn't destroy the satellite, considering the damage the two did in the much more recent "Sacrifice" storyline, but Supes does realize that she's not herself, so he's holding back. In fact, he's concerned that her condition may kill her.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team have regrouped, compared notes and realize that they are being lured into a trap at the IG satellite, and so arrive by the backdoor, using GL's trademark green bubble to make a surprise entrance, and then...

...Fight Scene!!

The bad guys actually do pretty well with their sneak attacks, but clearly they're outnumbered by the full roster of the JLA.

Their defeat takes about a full page and then they've destroyed the infested IG satellite and Wonder Woman is freed of mind control: "a suddenly liberated lady is sobbing softly in Superman's comforting arms." and just in time, we run out of pages.