Top Five Re-Purposed DC Comics Characters/Concepts (Flashback Land: 2016)

Another oldie -- this time from on-or-around June 9, 2016! I wrote this as a fill-in for Weird Science DC Comics for their "Top Five Fridays" when the regular writer of that column was outta town or something. I decided to write about some re-purposed DC Comics characters/concepts... some of which were the inspiration for the ol' DC "Near Miss" columns I wrote a couple years back here at the mothaship. Enjoy!

So, you've got a great idea for a new DC Comics character... or maybe it's a new take on an old property... that's great news!  The only problem is, DC ain't interested... or maybe they're on the fence and give you a few months before giving the thumbs down... or just maybe you put got a great idea for a pitch, and DC just couldn't get the rights.  

Either way, your creation went on to find a life outside the source-wall that surrounds the DC Universe... and just maybe took some of that source material influence with it for the ride, either wholesale or with some cosmetic tweaks.  What follows is my Top 5 re-purposed DC characters (in no particular order).

5. Planet of the Apes
Okay, this is a bit of a cheat... as neither Carmine Infantino nor Jack Kirby created Planet of the Apes.  It's still pretty interesting, and the Infantino did express a great amount of interest in publishing this title for DC.  When the brass failed to procure the license to do so (losing a bidding war with Marvel), he turned to legendary creator Jack Kirby to create a series similar in concept to Planet of the Apes.

Jack had worked on a story that was similar to Planet of the Apes... and which was actually published before the first Apes novel, so clearly Kirby was the best fit for the gig.

The King went into his archives and dug up a series of strips he'd worked on in 1958... called Kamandi of the Caves.  After reworking that into a series, what we were left with was, Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth.  Jack even gave a nod to some of the Apes film's imagery with the Statue of Liberty on the cover of the first issue.

4. Void Indigo
During the early 1980's Howard the Duck creators, Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik pitched a revamped Hawkman to the DC brass... they ultimately passed.  It's unknown just how in depth the pitch was, but judging by the story it morphed into it's easy to see why.  Void Indigo was the resulting title, and it was published by Marvel Comics under the creator-owned Epic Comics imprint.  

Initially commissioned as a standalone graphic novel to be followed by a six-issue series, Void was cancelled after only two... due to poor reception to it's "extreme depictions of violence".  In the comics press it was referred to as a "crime against humanity", which likely didn't help.  Having stumbled upon this title during the 1990's it feels quite tame in comparison to much of the extreme comics offerings of the day, however this would have been a pre-Crisis Hawkman title, and would certainly not have fit on the racks next to a Curt Swan Superman book.

3. Fallen Angel
This one's a toughie... as most of the connections involved in this one are only implied "on the record".  Back around the turn of the century, Peter David was writing a(n excellent) Supergirl title featuring Linda Danvers... a literal Fallen Angel.  This title needed to be shuffled off to make room for the returning Kara Zor-El (from the Superman/Batman series).

Following the cancellation of his Supergirl, DC Comics launched a series called Fallen Angel, which starred a young woman named Lee working out of the city of Bete Noire.  There were plenty of hints scattered throughout that Lee was in fact Linda, and Peter David played along... even going as far as to announce that issues #14 and 15 would be intriguing to fans of his Supergirl.

The title sadly never found an audience, and would only last 20 issues before being cancelled.  Peter David retained all rights to the character, and brought her with him to IDW Publishing where he continued documenting her exploits.

When asked about the connection in an interview with Comic Book Resources some years back, David responded with:
"Can I say this is Linda Danvers?  Of course I can't.  However, it's pretty freaking obvious that it is."

2. Nightcrawler
Before debuting in Giant-Size X-Men #1, the German mutant we all know and love was set to debut as a member of the Outsiders (not those Outsiders...), a team whose tales would spin out of the Legion of Super Heroes title.

In the X-Men 30th Anniversary Magazine published back in 1993, Nightcrawler creator Dave Cockrum pitched the character to editor Murray Boltinoff, only to have his creation rejected for being "too funny looking"... yup, good call Murray... there's certainly no odd looking Legionnaires out there!

1. Shaft
Before creating Cable and Deadpool... and doing the whole Image Comics thing, Rob Liefeld worked on some DC properties including a Hawk & Dove miniseries.  One of his favorite DC properties was the Teen Titans (he was even part of a Titans fan-writers association called TTalk).  This led to Rob putting together a pitch for his own Titans series (which just may have been called... Titans Force).

This was set to be a team run by Speedy/Arsenal who would be viewed as celebrities and work under the government... just like another team Rob would create... Youngblood.

In an interview with Newsarama, Rob gave the goods: "Shaft was intended to be Speedy, Vogue was a new Harlequin (Joker's Daughter) design, Combat was a Kh'undian warrior circa the Legion of Super Heroes, ditto for Photon and Die Hard was a S.T.A.R. Labs android."
It's strange to consider how (or even if) the comics landscape would be affected had DC utilized the characters in the above pitches, in the way they were intended to be used.  I suppose it all works out in the wash, however, had DC given Liefeld that Titans Force book... we would have been robbed of having the opportunity of buying Rob's fully-poseable 7" Shaft... and let's face it, there's no fate worse than that!

Superman: Family Album (Ruby Spears, 1988)

Another unearthed oldie from a guest-piece I wrote back in the long ago. This was featured at DC in the 80s, and was meant to be the first of many. In revisiting so much of my older "work" of late, I'm realizing that I have a pattern of starting things with a whole lotta P&V... but, follow-thru ain't my strong suit. Oh well. Enjoy!

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Ever wonder what happened between the time young Kal-El was adopted by the Kents and his arrival in Metropolis?  If I were to assume... and I probably shouldn't, I'd say most folks reading this site already have a pretty good idea.  For this piece/series, we're going to put all of that out of our minds, pre-Crisis, post-Crisis, whatever.  Where we're going... we have little need for such terms.

In 1988, Ruby-Spears Productions created an animated Superman series.  The episodes would feature an 18-20 minute feature, and be followed by a short Superman Family Album segment which served to fill us in on the Man of Steel's childhood and adolescence.  I figure those might be the best place for us to start our coverage!

Let's take a look at the first installment... The Adoption, written by a very familiar name... Marv Wolfman!

We open with Jonathan and Martha Kent sitting in the office of the Smallville Orphanage.  They explain that they found the young boy on their farm... and even considered adopting him themselves, after all they'd always wanted a little boy of their own.  Gotta mention that the Kents are portrayed as being at least in their 50's, which would put them at over 70 by the time (spoiler alert) Clark becomes Superman.  I don't recall them being of the same generation as Aunt May... but, at least in the Ruby-Spearsiverse, they just might.  They are told that the orphanage usually looks for younger folks to give children to, but they'll... erm, keep them in mind.  As the young boy is handed over, he begins to fuss.

I really appreciate that Mr. Warner from the orphanage isn't depicted to be evil or malicious in any way.  He's just a man doing his job, and has no ill-intent for the boy or his previous guardians.  As the Kents leave, the Walters family arrives... they're looking for a sweet young boy with no inclinations toward "roughness"... I never realized picking a child was like picking the flavor of ice cream you want in your waffle cone, but we'll let that slide.  Either way, Mr. Warner's got just the lad for you... or does he?

The Walters decide to... go another way.  Some time later, The Kenny's (and their cat) arrive.  At that very moment, our boy is flying off to visit the nearby Zoo... Mrs. Kenny is hopeful their potential new baby likes pets.  C'mon now, all young children like animals.  Though, this one might like his cats a bit on the larger side.

With another set of parents fleeing the facility, Mr. Warner must stop to consider the possibility that this young tot is acting in way that would purposefully scare potential parentals away.  Thinking aloud, he posits that perhaps the boy has his own idea for proper parents... to which, the baby begins clapping.  Warner and Conroy leave the baby alone and unattended to check who is next on their list... which seems a pretty unsafe thing to do.  Anyhoo... being left by his lonesome, our tot of steel heads out on a night-flight all the way to the Kent Farm, where he nuzzles in between his would be guardians and goes to sleep.

The following morning, the Kents awaken to the shocking appearance of the baby they'd dropped at the orphanage... um, earlier that day?  Busy day, right?  Martha asks what they should do, to which Jonathan suggests they go back to the orphanage... and convince Mr. Warner to let them legally adopt the child!  They (preemptively?) name the boy... Clark Kent.  The baby seems to dig the idea, because he chooses now to utter his first words... Mama and Dada. Oh c'mon, don't be such a cliche Clark-O.

A touching start to the series... really quite a cute story.

The strange thing about this series, at least to me, is that I have a difficult time reconciling that this hit network television in 1988.  I can't say for certain where I mentally "place" this... but the late 80's certainly ain't it.

I'm not sure what it says about the current comics/entertainment culture where when I sat down to watch this I thought for sure the orphanage's Mr. Warner was going to be revealed as a baby seller and slaver.  I was quite pleased to be mistaken... and for the light comedic take we received instead.

I find it funny that nobody thinks twice about this baby flying around a room on a rocking horse or abducting a lion from the zoo.  It's just accepted!  Imagine having to return a lion to the zoo!  How would one even go about doing such a thing?  Yeah, I'm thinking too hard about it... it's kinda what I do.

Overall, had a decent amount of fun with this silly short.  This (somehow) wasn't part of my childhood, so that's not nostalgia talking.  Hope this was an enjoyable read... if you dug it, let me know.  Also, if this show was a part of your childhood (or adulthood!) please feel free to reach out and share your memories of the series.

Weird Dose of X, Episode 4

 

Weird Dose of X, Episode Four
Ecks of Tens & Reign of X

As we trudge ever closer to Judgment Day, Chris and Jason catch y’all up on the fluffy middle section of the post-HoX/PoX landscape.

This time out, talking Ecks of Tens and the entirety of the Reign of X era… including that costume party where something happened on Mars and that one lady died. Titles covered include: Well, all of ’em — plus: Way of X, S.W.O.R.D., X-Corp, Children of the Atom, & X-Men: The Trial of Magneto.

Next time out, we’ll be talking about the Avengers and the role they might have during the upcoming cross-o-vent. If there are any Avengers-centric ditties you wanna hear us blather on about, be sure to let us know! As always, those deeper dives are already waiting for you on X-Lapsed over at https://chrisandreggie.podbean.com or https://chrisisoninfiniteearths.com!

Justice League of America (1997 TV Pilot), Part Three

And now... our senses-shattering conclusion!

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In the face of dodgy red-herrings and crippling awkwardness, can our heroes save New Metro from the Wascally Weatherman?  As we left off, the Flash was questioning our most-likely suspect... which in fiction often translates to least-likely.  Occam's Razor be damned, the sneaky sneak of the weather facility is no more a villain than the Flash himself... though he's just as nerdy... and potentially useless.

Back at the weather building, Tori is being her usual snoopy self.  She ascends to something of a server room that houses the facility's dish.  There she observes via satellite, the Weatherman making his latest threats against the citizens of New Metro.  Tori gets the feeling that something just isn't right.  Why is she seeing this?  It's not being broadcast as of yet... she peers around a bunch of Weather Manipulatory machinery and finds... Miguel Ferrer (!) recording the Weatherman's latest A/V missive!

busted...

The Ferrer-man gives chase, until he runs into his own brand of Kryptonite in the form of a closed door.  The 110 lb. Tori out-muscles his attempts at escape, then freezes the door with her Icy fingers.

In a rather unnatural scene shift, the sitcom "wonk wonk" music starts up as we rejoin the boys at the JLA clubhouse.  The Atom is happy to find that Barry was able to "get the stain out" of a piece of his apparel... which is unsettling at best.  Moments later Tori comes a'knockin' and she spills the beans on Eno Ferrer's true nefarious ambition... and hands over a scroll of coordinates for the next attack.

We quickly pop in on B.B. and the Boy in their would-be May-Octember romance.  This whole thing is just weird... Bea acts like she's not at all into this young fella, but still gleefully accepts the earrings he bought her (which cost him an entire month's allowance, dammit).  Her JLA communicator goes off, and she awkwardly takes her leave.  It's cold showers for you, boy.  Hope you got locks on your door at mom's house.

Scene shift! A News Reporter stands before a cliffside.  The location of the latest attack.  A freak rain shower would have caused a devastating landslide, if not for the JLA's Fire who "cooked" the mud into hardened Earth.  This is sadly a tell-don't-show endeavor, as we pop in on the proceedings after the fact.  Tori pulls up, and the League flocks to her.  Fire's communicator gives the all-clear to "bring her in".  The Leaguers all creepily gaze at Tori while she tries to avoid making eye contact.

While blindfolded and with Atom holding her by the arm, they march Tori under a nearby bridge... okay, not disturbing in the slightest...

Under the bridge, they gang loads up in a sort of capsule and get submerged far under the sea.  They soon arrive at the Justice League's... well, whatever the underwater version of a satellite is... where we meet... Miguel Ferrer?  Only it's not Dr. Eno at all, it's...

J'onn J'onzz the Manhunter from Mars!  Wow, they really went all out for this thing.  It is revealed that earlier he impersonated Dr. Eno at the facility in attempt to get to the bottom of the Weatherman fiasco.  Something seems really familiar about this Mr. J'onzz.

Oh, Winchester -- imagine what Hawkeye would say...

J'onn offers... nay demands, that Tori join up with the League.  Going so far as to tell her that her "old life" is no longer there.  We awkwardly (I feel as though I'm using that word a bit much today) shift back to B.B.'s forbidden love as he... hits up an ice cream truck for a vanilla shake (make it a double). He notices the news report featuring the JLA on the truck's tiny TV, and wouldn'tcha know it, Ms. Fire forgot to remove the earrings he'd gifted her earlier that very day.  Wowee... our little man now knows what's up.

Back at the sub-tellite, Atom gives Tori a pep-talk including his own secret origin.  We observe a bit of a montage with J'onn training Tori on harnessing her powers.  Then, the Weatherman pops on the screen and gives a five-day forecast that wouldn't be completely out of place in Phoenix during the summer... minus the reasonably pleasant temperatures, that is.

Manchild Martin (B.B.'s would be beau) confronts her about being Fire.  The League somehow watches this play out via monitor.  In order to throw the boy off the scent, Martian Manhunter takes the form of Fire, and literally threatens to burn the poor chap alive if he doesn't back off.  J'onn J'onzz does not eff around.

Ice heads out to steal the weather manipulator and runs into her former idol and mentor Eno, who asks her to take part in a super villain team-up.  He's on to her power set (though, she hid it sooo well), and sees a ton of potential for their alliance.  She gives him the ol' frost lip, and flees... device in tow.

The Weatherman conducts yet another broadcast, wherein he threatens the city... again.  It turns out that the device Tori stole was not the manipulator, but a tracking device.  Evil Ferrer now knows where the JLA are shacked up.  He fires a bolt of radiant energy that hits the League sub-tellite, and begins cooking the craft.  By the grace of brute strength and Barry's last stick of gum (seriously) the League (sans J'onn) are able to escape.

After observing an amazing exit montage, we are (finally) off to the endgame.  Guy confronts Eno at the weather manipulator's satellite dish... just in time to watch him initiate the sequence.  A bolt of lightning crashes against the water causing a huge tidal wave to rise threatening to wipe out New Metro.

Fire and Atom fly above and look worried, as the Flash rescues a bunch of latch-key kids on the ground.  Guy threatens Eno with a chainsaw construct... which only appears to (figuratively) tickle our super villain.  Guy demands he hand over the weather manipulator, Eno outwits our Lantern by... throwing the device into the bushes.  Ruh-roh.

All appears to be lost.  People are trampling each other in the streets... the League is completely helpless.  It falls to Tori to finally get up the gumption to neutralize this threat.  She summons her power of reenacting a York Peppermint Patty commercial, and stops the wave just as it's about to wipe out New Metro.

The day (and City) is saved.  Green Lantern wrangles Mssr. Ferrer, and we are outta he-- what?  There's more?  Okay...

Later, at Casa Tori... the League does a house call to try to pull her back into their ranks.  Fire even went as far as crafting her a wonderfully tacky leotard.  It doesn't take a whole lot of prodding, Tori decides to sign on the dotted line, and become a full-fledged Justice Leaguer.

No sooner does she join, than her teammates all realize they have better things to do than hang around her stuffy ol' house.  Guy's got another date that he'll probably blow off... B.B. is going to meet her former stalker's new "16 year old" girlfriend... and Barry's gotta get to the next job he's going to lose as a kiddie counselor (I'm sure he's totally qualified).  The Atom, however, would rather stick around and ogle the object of his deviancy.

We close out with Ice taking the Justice League pledge, where she likely states she will remain thrifty, brave, clean and reverent... and we are finally done.

Behold your Justice League, New Metro.  May whatever deity you hold dear have mercy on your souls...

Justice League of America (1997 TV Pilot), Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of our look at the 1997 Justice League of America television pilot -- this time, with Animated GIFs! I remember being very proud of this piece back in the long ago... mostly because of those GIFs. I was looking for ways to "wow" people... and add a little bit'a "pop" to my articles. Was I successful? Ehh... who knows? Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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When we last left our heroes they had just thwarted the sinister Weatherman's plot against New Metro.  With all those super heroic (and arguably interesting) antics behind us, we now get to experience the "softer side" of the gang.

We learn that not only do Guy and Ray team together, but they're also shacked up.  Stands to reason, I guess... couldn't expect Ray to afford his own place on a teacher's salary.  All seems comfy until... come and knock on our door... Barry moves in.  Never has a table been set so quickly.

The gang sits down to eat, but wouldn'tcha know it... Barry's metabolism is on the fritz, and he inhales the dinner himself.  The fellas are shortly joined by B.B., who didn't get the part she'd auditioned for, but almost got a teenage boyfriend for her troubles.  It is during this scene that it's implied that not only were Guy and B.B. an item at one point... but it's heavily suggested that Bea faked all of her orgasms during their relationship.

We rejoin the erstwhile Tori Olafsdotter as she bumbles about the meteorological facility.  Here we meet the likely villain of this story.  A secretive scientist-type called Arliss who only works at night so that they don't have to deal with looky-loos.  Tori weasels her way by him and into a lab where she promptly makes a mess of everything.  She happens across a hidden steel briefcase, and decides it'd probably be a bang up idea to see what's inside.

Ya see... this be her Secret Origin.  She finds that she has that magic touch where she can freeze things.  She hurries home and comes across a totally awesome 90's dude who fell into the lake.  Tori, already feeling some "hero pangs" steps into the water... and immediately freezes the entire lake.  Somehow this doesn't kill the poor almost-drowning victim, who instead just gives off a Joey Lawrence style "Whoa..."

This event makes local news, and lucky for the League the report begins just as their television set gets repaired.  The quartet watch, and upon seeing young Tori among the "witnesses" we get the feeling Ray's getting some feelings he will have to soon deal with in private.

Don't look directly at it...

That night, Tori gets abducted from her bed.  You may think it's the Wacky Weatherman behind the kidnapping... but, in actuality it's the League!  They fill her perky little lungs full of gas and take her to an undisclosed location to read her the riot act.  Ya see, they believe she may just be the Weatherman.  The League appears to be acting on the direction of a disembodied voice, which is sure to be important as we move forward.

We next find Tori back in her bed, the victim of what can only be called the Metahuman version of a nocturnal emission.  Luckily for our dear girl this is only a wet dream about a wet dream.

The next morning while speaking with Miguel Ferrer, Tori reveals that she's a tad bit suspicious of shady ol' Arliss.  I'm just now realizing that his character is called Dr. Eno, so I guess I ought to refer to him as such from this point forward.  His body appears to stiffen up (nyuk nyuk) while talking to Tori, and so he excuses himself.  Outside he pretends to tie his shoe, and we notice that all is not quite as it seems.

We rejoin Fire as she is wooed by a phony French film director... who in actuality, turns out to be the same teenage admirer from earlier.  He more or less admits to stalking Ms. Da Costa, which she handles surprisingly well.  She appears flattered and promises to call him when she next gets the opportunity.  Man, I guess I had it all wrong when it comes to how to get women.  I guess after faking-it with Guy for so long she's entitled... to be the next decomposing head in this loon's refrigerator.

Speaking of Guy, he's currently attempting to once more make good with his neglected girlfriend.  Just as he appears to be making some headway... the Weatherman strikes again!  This time with a blizzard of ping-pong balls!

Guy rescues his girlfriend from getting smashed by the balls.  We get the feeling that there's a Guy-whatever his girlfriend's name is-Green Lantern love triangle in the making.  Atom and Flash arrive on the scene, and the three fellas watch as Fire blasts the clouds with her powers.  The day is once again saved!

Back at the apartment... err, headquarters, the team is huddled around and receiving orders from their television set.  They are told to keep an eye on this Arliss fella.  It seems like they were considering "drafting" Tori into their ranks anyway (just get some uncontrollable powers?  wanna save the world?), so why not kill two birds with one stone?

The gang infiltrates Eno's facility posing as guests to some gala event they're holding.  Here they both meet with Tori, and get a better look at Arliss.  Arliss is acting all sorts of shifty, and is trying to smuggle a box out of the building.  The League puts the Flash on his tail and he follows him back to his suburban home.  Flash confronts the geek, accuses him of being the Wascally Weatherman and checks out the contents of the box for himself.

Turns out Arliss is just a harmless introvert.  His big top-secret invention is just a weather predictor (right up to 88% of the time, as of this writing).  With the good name of Arliss cleared, it appears as though our heroes are back to square one.  Just who is the nefarious Weatherman?

In addition to answering that question, one can only hope we get some resolution to other burning issues such as... Will Barry ever get a job?  Is Guy any good in bed?  Will B.B. get popped for statutory? when we conclude our look into the failed Justice League of America pilot.

Justice League of America (1997 TV Pilot), Part One

 Another piece from the dustbin of Christory, mostly because I just can't get motivated to write anything "new"! This is Part 1 (of 3) of a "review" I had done of the unaired Justice League of America television pilot for Weird Science way back in April, 2016. Figure it's been long enough that I can re-share it here. It's a trip -- I hope you all dig it!

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Before DC Comics hit it big with television series like Smallville and more recently with Arrow, Flash, Gotham and the rest, there was an unsuccessful attempt at a television series featuring the Justice League of America.  In 1997, CBS commissioned a movie-length television pilot featuring many of the JLA characters in an amazingly odd patchwork version of the League.

 One of the interesting narrative tools utilized are confessional-style interview segments in which we learn about each individual character.  As we open we are immediately thrown into one featuring Tora (Tori... really?) Olafsdotter (because she's Olaf's daughter, natch) better known to us as Ice.  She has taken a position at a meteorological facility where she works for Miguel Ferrar, who I know best as Albert from Twin Peaks... and frankly, I'm shocked he's a part of this.

Following the credits segment, we meet the Fastest (Unemployed) Man on Earth... the Flash, Wal... nope, even during his heyday, Wally gets the shaft.  Let's meet Barry Allen.

The outta work jerk is getting evicted from his apartment, when he gets a ringy-dingy in his earpiece which tells him the League needs him... at least somebody does.

We then pop over and meet Hal... no, Kyle... no... wait... this is Guy Gardner???  Software salesman???  You gotta be kidding me.  He laments that while Barry's life is easy and clear-cut, this two-fisted man of floppy-disks lives a life most complex.  This is made completely obvious as we watch him... set a table for a romantic dinner.

Back with Ice, she's tracking a storm that's headed directly for New Metro, which so far as I can tell is right across the bridge from New Goth.  This would be the first hurricane in New Metro history, and as such she brings it to the attention of Mssr. Ferrar.  She then shows him a televised rant of some loon who has foretold of this storms pending arrival.  Miguel tells her she'd best track this thing "outside".

Let's rejoin Guy... as he sings opera to his date.  This Earth's Guy is apparently something of a virtuoso.  He learned an entire opera, just to make it up to his ginger goddess (Hell, she resembles Guy Gardner more than this clown) for his recent disappearances.  Wouldntcha know it, just as soon as he promises to always be around... duty calls.

We now meet "B.B." Da Costa.  Can't really sweat the B.B. here, as her full name is Beatriz Bonilla Da Costa.  She's a struggling actress and we watch her audition for the part of a banana in a fruit commercial.  After having a bit of an awkward meet-up with a potential beau, her Justice League communicator starts beeping... so this banana's gotta split (urgh).

Ray Palmer is an excited though under appreciated science teacher.  As he lectures his class, the students are far too interested in the amazing weather phenomena occurring outside the window.  I don't want to shock you, but Ray's JLA communicator goes off as well.  He dutifully puts some late-90's slacker stereotype in charge of the class and jams.

Ice and Miguel climb up to the top of their lab, and observe a tornado just about to hit the city (I thought they said it was a hurricane?  eh, maybe it's both).  We then jump to a scene where Guy in full Green Lantern regalia saves a child from a falling power line.  Fire rescues a team of workers from a fallen piece of... what looks like sheet rock, actually.  While this is happening, the Atom... rescues a cat, and our oddly chubby Flash slows the wind by running in counterclockwise circles.

The day (and New Metro) is saved, thanks in no small part to the Justice League.

Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly present... your Justice League of America... in all it's awkward, operatic, and unemployed glory.

This is only the first segment of this relic.  We still have well over an hour of this awesomeness ahead of us.

DC Comics 1993: The Year of Change Editorial Presentation

 DC Comics: 1993 The Year of Change Editorial Presentation

[Another unearthed oldie -- this time, the first part of a (planned) multipart series I had published over on DC in the 80s on-or-about June 12, 2018 -- almost four years ago to the day! I was hopeful that the folks reading it over there would enjoy it enough to ask for more... buuut, you know how that goes. I still think it's an interesting bit of ephemera though, and thought it would be fun to reshare it here at the "mothership". Enjoy!]

It always tickles me when I happen across something I didn't even realize existed.  It's like so many of us feel completely "dialed in" to the comics industry via the internet, that nothing really excites or surprises us anymore.

Then, from the corner of your eye... you see the textbook-sized DC Comics: 1993 The Year of Change Editorial Presentation... on a shelf with a $2.00 price tag on it.  Now, tell me... who could say no to that (besides, of course, the dozens of folks who had already passed it by)?

So, just what is this thing anyway?  Well, it's part Previews Catalog, part State the Union Address... and if you care to join me, together we can take a deeper look into this odd little time capsule from the "boom era" of DC Comics.

Milestone Media

1993 saw the birth of the multi-cultural imprint known as Milestone.  With the mission statement of presenting "exciting heroes in a context of urban reality", we are introduced to the lines four titles: Icon, Blood Syndicate, Hardware and of course, Static.

For those unaware, these titles take place in the city of Dakota... sometimes referred to as the "Dakotaverse", much later as an actual city in the DC Universe proper (pre-Flashpoint).  During a gang war between three rival gangs, the secret police use a radioactive "tear gas", which leaves many of the survivors "altered".

Piranha Press

An imprint near and dear to my heart, Mark Nevelow's Piranha Press was DC Comics' first attempt at a true "Mature Readers" line of alternative comics.  It was also the first imprint from DC Comics to allow creator-owned material.  This imprint would run from 1989 until 1994 when it would morph into the more "boutique" brand, Paradox Press.

The big news out of Piranha in 1993 was the launch of its Factoid Book Project... otherwise known as the "Big Book" Series.  The "Big Book" line would actually never hit shelves under the Piranha Press banner... DC would hold off on the release until the "Paradox shift" was complete.

Worth noting that this very book does announce what would be, the final (though we didn't know that yet) Piranha Press offering... Prince: Three Chains of Gold.

What nobody really knew then, was... the very idea of Piranha Press was about to become redundant, because...

Vertigo

1993 also saw the official launch of DC Comics' Vertigo Imprint!  Bearing a Mature Readers warning... and playing with DC Comics-owned characters (as well as creator-owned work), the writing was very likely on the wall for Mark Nevelow and the gang.

My Chris Bachalo-signed copy of the Vertigo Launch Special!

Ongoing DC titles marked with a January, 1993 cover date... including Animal Man, Doom Patrol, Shade the Changing Man, Swamp Thing, Sandman, and Hellblazer were shifted over to the nebulous new imprint to continue their current volumes.  Seeing as though this was the early 1990's, Vertigo even went as far as to announce its first semi-line wide crossover event!  We know it as "The Children's Crusade", however, here it's pitched as "Family Values".

Bloodlines

After two years of using Annuals for crossovers (Armageddon 2001 in 1991, and Eclipso: The Darkness Within in 1992), DC sought to make 1993 the biggest one yet with... Bloodlines.  Interestingly enough... all of the issues announced would come out just as they were announced in this very book!

It's shocking to see such forward-planning and commitment from any given comic book company.  These days it feels as though DC (and Marvel) check the way the wind's blowing before committing to an order at the drive-thru!

Knightfall

One of the biggest events of 1993 for DC (and comics in general) was the "Breaking of the Bat" in Knightfall.  While this book does refer to the storyline as Knightfall, it does not elaborate much.  What we do get is the announcement that something big would be coming in Batman #500... a new costume (designed by Joe Quesada)... and the most shocking change in Batman's 50-plus year history.

Reign of the Supermen

Speaking of playing their cards close to the vest... "Supermen" is the watchword for the Superman family of titles.  But, get this... the retailers (who would likely be the only ones getting this book) received the same information as the readers... which is to say, not a whole lot!

All four of the new "Supermen" are introduced, via outlines... without nary a hint as to whether or not any of them are the Real Steel Deal!  This could not happen today.

By the Numbers

Flipping through this time capsule really affords us the opportunity to see, at a glance, where DC Comics' priorities were.  For a little fun let's take a look at the Top Three characters when it comes to who had the most "paginal real estate" in this very book.

Batman - 34 Pages
Lobo - 18 Pages
Superman - 14 Pages

To close out, this was a ton of fun to flip through... and lemme tell ya folks, we've only scratched the surface!  There's a lot of weird stuff we didn't look at (I mean, there are 18 pages on Lobo alone!).  If you enjoyed this piece, please let us know... and we can share a bit more of this massive tome with you.*

*The offer still stands... so long as I can find the book in my disaster of a library!