Morituri Mondays, Episode 31 - Strikeforce: Morituri #31 (7/89) w/Brent Anderson!!!

Morituri Mondays, Episode Thirty-One

Strikeforce: Morituri #31 (July, 1989)

"The Bitter End"

Writer - James D. Hudnall

Pencils - John Calimee

Inks - Carlos Garzon

Letters - Phil Felix

Colors - Max Scheele

Edits - Marc McLaurin & Carl Potts

Chief - Tom DeFalco

Cover Price: $1.50 USD / $2 CAN / 50p UK

On-Sale: March 7, 1989

Finally folks... we come to the end of our (regularly-scheduled) run on Morituri Mondays... but, never you fear - we've still got (at least) five thick issues of Strikeforce: Morituri - Electric Undertow on their way in the not-so-distant future.

But, that's a story for another day...

Today, not only do we wrap up the monthly run of Strikeforce: Morituri... but the Chris's had the absolute pleasure and privilege of chatting with Strikeforce: Morituri co-creator and artist - Brent Anderson!!!  Brent was kind enough to join us for nearly two-hours to chat about, not only this franchise that we hold so dear... but to answer some questions from our faithful friends and listeners!

It's a bittersweet episode - and we cannot wait for you all to hear it!

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Check out Brent's work and upcoming projects at:

http://www.brentandersonart.com/

El Jaguar: Origins:

http://eljaguarorigins.com/

In exchange for a $6 donation to the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco - you can get yourself an awesome Strikeforce: Morituri Insignia sticker - Make your donation through Brent's Contact/Order link at: http://www.brentandersonart.com/contact.asp

To order an email file of this art (see just below) from The Cartoon Art Museum Scrawl-O-Ween Fundraiser go to: https://cartoonart.org/store And make a $5.00 donation to the museum.

Follow Brent on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BrentEA

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Your July, 1989 Strikeforce: Morituri Roster - Scanner, Revenge, Lifter, Burn, (The Ghost, The Wind, The Tiger)

Alumni - Snapdragon (#4), Vyking (#6), Marathon (#12), Adept (#13), Wildcard (#13), Radian (#15), Scaredycat (#19), Blackthorn (#20), Toxyn (#21), Backhand (#22), Hardcase (#23), Silencer (#23), Scatterbrain (#24), Shear (#25), Brava (#28)

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@acecomics @Charlton_Hero

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.com

morituri.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

charltonhero.wordpress.com/

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For some extra fun, check out Brent having some fun with our faves with a patriotic take - It's Strikeforce: Amerituri!

Strikeforce: Morituri #1 (1986)

Strikeforce: Morituri #1 (December, 1986)
"Though Some Have Named Thee So--"
Writer - Peter B. Gillis
Pencils - Brent Anderson & Whilce Portacio
Inks - Scott Williams
Letters - Jim Novak
Colors - Max Scheele
Edits - Carl Potts
Chief - Jim Shooter
Cover Price: $0.75

It's Monday... and, for me... that means it's Morituri.  For the better part of a year, Chris Bailey and I have been talking Strikeforce: Morituri on the air darn near every single Monday (we did take a break around the Holidays).  As of this writing, we've covered the first 19 issues in great depth.  This is a very important comic to me... and, if you've followed my audio-exploits, you'd probably know that.  I shoehorn it into any conversation I can, after all.

This will be... yeesh, the third or fourth time I'm discussing this issue... though, the first time I'm doing so in writing, which will be an interesting experience... ya know, talking about it with visual aids.

Here are some of the other times I've talked about this one, if you're interested... which, you're not... but, what do I have to lose?







During the above Chris is on Infinite Earths episode (#24), I discuss, at length how and when I first heard of Strikeforce: Morituri... and how, the first time I read it I was able to draw a lot of sorta-kinda parallels between the basis of the story... and my own real life at the time.  It might be a bit of a reach... at least insofar as the "mortality" of it all... but, suffice it to say, I feel like I first read this at exactly the right time in my life.

I suppose this also gives me the opportunity to share some "hype videos" I made to promote the show:

So yeah, this is a very special property to me... and, I'm hoping that through the work we're putting into it, maybe some folks will "discover" it.  Unfortunately, at the end of the day... it's still Strikeforce: Morituri... and the only time people actually seem to care about it is when they think they've discovered it.  Once the novelty of that "discovery" wears off... and they get their 15 Twitter or Facebook "likes" from sharing a picture of the cover they found on Google Images... it's forgotten once again.

Well, here's me trying again to promote this wonderful book as best I can!  We who are about to... read the same damn comic for the eleventy-hundred skatey-eighth time... salute you!

--

Our story opens in 21st century New Roanoke, Virginia... a former thriving port now decimated my an alien invading hoard.  We discover that a group called "The Horde" took over the Earth... plundering stores and factories, took slaves and killed millions melting half the city with their engines.  Earth was woefully unprepared for the attack. 

As a result we next observe the "Paideia Emergency Volunteer Unit", as they're looking for survivors.  They don't find any... but take solace in the fact that they can now, at the very least, bury the dead with dignity.  We catch up with the central character of the story, who is on his last day of duty with the volunteer group... he is nicknamed R.B. by his colleagues or Rabid Beaver for short.  His civvie name is Harold Everson, and he's just about to leave in order to undergo something called the Morituri Process.  His pals note that he is moving on to become a superhero and a celebration ensues.  We could assume this is gonna be one heck of a going away party!

Later, we rejoin Harold while on a train headed home to Alexandria, Virginia.  It's here we get to eavesdrop on some of his true thoughts and discover that he feels that being part of the few individuals selected to be involved with the Morituri Process is like hitting the jackpot... at the same time, however, he struggles with the fact that others disagree... namely his parents.

He arrives at the station and meets up with his parents who take him home to relax before he leaves to join The Morituri.  An argument ensues as his parents try to convince Harold that he is making a mistake and that maybe he should stick to writing for “The Local Net”.  Harold says he is tired of hauling bodies and wants to do something about the Horde himself.  His parents quibble as he storms into his bedroom that their son is off to "become a dead man".

As Harold rushes off to his room he grabs “The Book” which we see is a comic called The Last Stand Of The Black Watch.  The Watch, as we would discover, were the fabled original superheroes of the Morituri Process.  We see three futuristic looking soldiers dressed in traditional black leather style uniforms, complete with metal shoulder pads and pouches.  They are Clint, Bruce, and Woody... and they're riding on top of a space cruiser flying directly into the heart of Horde territory looking to bring a fight.

Their superpowers and bravery are evident as they easily combat the monstrous horde armies with their bare hands,and super strength.  Worth noting, this is just a comic book... but it really does a great job motivating Harold to be just like his heroes of The Black Watch.

We jump ahead some time later, and rejoin Harold as he's being driven into a gated compound named “New Haven”.  Upon arriving Harold observes the well manicured gardens and iron wrought gates and compares it to... a cemetery.

Immediately, Harold notices that the air is filled with flying crafts, which he calls “Contrails”... which he recognizes as part of the Alien Hordes flying fleet.  Harold and his driver are about to leap into action but discover that these are actually some Paideia on patrol... and, instead head inside the large compound.  It's here that Harold meets the Morituri Commander, Beth Luis Nion (lookin' a lot like Brotherhood of Evil Mutants era Rogue) and the creator of the Morituri Process Kimmo Tuolema. Harold is introduced to the other recruits...  

... Robert Greenbaum, Jelene Anderson, Louis Armanetti, Lorna Raeburn, and Aline Pagrovna... who appears to have already undergone the first stage of "The Process", as when she shakes Harold's hand... she nearly crushes it with her super-human strength!

Harold tried from his journey retires to his room where he curls up in bed with his issue of The Last Stand Of The Black Watch... yes, the same issue.  The only issue, in fact!

As he continues through his comic, he gets to the part where it shows the final fate of those three original members.  They are surrounded by the Horde legion who are rather ticked at all of the damage the Black Watch had done them... and so, the Watch is killed!  Though, not before warning the Hordians that there will be more to replace them... ie. the Strikeforce: Morituri.  Hmm... feels like this innocent little comic book might just be a propagandist brochure, dunnit?

Lorna is watching Harold from the hallway, but he is way too caught up in his comic book to notice.  It's here that Lorna sorta plants the seed of doubt in Harold that the story he just read was not how this scene actually played out.

As the night rolls on, the Compound is stirred awake by some terrible noise and clatter.  We see fellow Morituri recruit, Aline who is absolutely terrified and crying for help.  It's as though she just now realized what she's given away in order to join the team.  She is taken away by Dr. Tuolema, while Harold watches on in confused horror.  This is our first real indication that there is a certain "sacrifice" involved in undergoing the process.  It's been "in the air" for much of the issue, but this is where it really hits.

The following morning, Commander Nion interviews Harold for the process... by asking him the simple question of “--Why do you want to die?”  Harold struggles to answer the question before finally saying he wants to use his life the best way it can be used...in defense of the planet.  Beth, like Harold's parents earlier on, reminds him that he is a writer and this is dead serious and not just some “story”.  She continues... and drops the big bombshell on the readers, by telling him that once he starts the Morituri Process... he will die within one year.  Harold doesn't seem all that phased and suggests that he will write his memoirs regarding his Morituri Process experience in order to share with the world.  This way, he'll sorta-kinda become immortal.

A bit later on Beth gives Harold the nickel tour of the lab facility where Louis Armanetti is about to undergo his initial Morituri Process.  While Harold, Commander Beth and Dr. Tuolema look on with Armanetti's procedure they decide to show Harold the actual video of what happened to the real members of The Black Watch.

While the heroic battle appears to have been not unlike what had transpired... it's the ending that is dramatically different from the pages of Harold's one-and-only comic book.  Instead of going out in a blaze of glory from Hordian fire... Woody the team leader spontaneously combusts and burns to death as a result of the Morituri Process. Harold is rather shook.  It is explained that the human body is not compatible with the Morituri Metabolism... and is eventually bound to reject it and kill its carrier... which explains why those who undergo the Morituri Process are doomed to die within a year.

It is also revealed here that people will react differently to The Process, and will likely develop radically different power sets.  Beth reminds Harold that this is the price the Morituri are being asked to pay (hmm, just like that Twisted Sister song I've heard a few times)... and he she implores him to truly think this over before crossing the Rubicon.

Moving into mid-day, it's lunchtime at Camp Morituri.  Harold and Aline are talking shop over some non-descript foodstuffs.  Aline reveals that she is taking the Morituri Process because... get this... she has been overlooked by men her entire life and The Process will make her strong and give her purpose.  Otherwise, she would have likely committed suicide a long time ago.  Yikes.  Now, she's stronger... her skin's cleared up, she has a bigger bustline... and she's gonna be a superhero. The makeshift meal is interrupted by the emergency alarms.  The Horde are attacking! 

Our new recruits leap into action and are immediately sent underground to a bunker where they're told not to engage the combat.  Remember, the majority of 'em don't have any powers yet!  Harold is stompin' mad about being left out of combat.  It's here that Aline stumbles upon a newly manifested element of her Morituri-Power Set!  She transmits an odd energy through her hands and melts the locks off the bunker's doors, allowing the recruits to escape.  Disobeying orders, they... get this... steal several land ships and fly into the shock zone.

Aline the only one with developed powers leaps out of the ship and joins the battle.  Harold and the rest land their ship and bust out of the tub guns a'blazing!

Harold is taken by surprise by a Horde warrior by surprise and is very nearly killed!  Before that can happen, however, Commander Beth Nion makes the save... which reading this idiot the riot act for disobeying orders. but not without chastising the new recruits for disobeying their orders to remain on base.  While Beth is busy, ya know, saving lives... she herself gets hit by a "parting shot" by the fleeing Hordian!  She survives... they all do.

Back at base, Commander Nion continues to berate the newbies for their stupidity and informs them that the place the Horde was attempting to rob was... a chocolate factory.  So, they all put their lives in jeopardy... for chocolate.  She, rightfully calls them all morons... and boots 'em from her office.

We join Harold back in his room as he... once again... flips through his one and only comic book... The Last Stand of The Black Watch.  It's now where he realizes that everything he thought he knew regarding the Morituri Process was... a lie.

Harold drops the comic... and heads over to the Commander's office.  Beth, who is in the middle of writing up her days report, is more than a little surprised when Harold brazenly enters and proclaims that he's decided to sign on after all!

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Man, I've talked about this issue so many times... it's starting to feel like I'm turning into Harold with his stupid Black Watch comic!  Still though... I love it!

It's very hard to talk about in a vacuum, however... ya know?  I've been so embedded in Marvel Earth-1287, that it's difficult to just talk about this one singular issue... but, I'll do my best.

Let's start with The Last Stand of the Black Watch.  It's weird... the Black Watch even gets the cover of this first issue.  We don't see Harold, or any of the Morituri... it's three dead guys!  It really sets up a strange expectation, dunnit?  We might expect an issue rife with firefights and intergalactic yadda-yaddas... but instead, it's a (relatively) "grounded" and almost soapy affair.

I do love that Harold's lone comic gets so much "play" here... as it really informs us as to the propagandist angle of the Paideia-approved Black Watch "lore".  This comic wasn't made to top the Diamond Top 300... it was made to foment Earthen "jingoism" (if that's a thing) and ultimately result in a new generation of recruits.  Harold bought the propaganda... hook, line, and sinker!

I mean, this wouldn't be the first time comics tried to inform a generation as to how they ought to think.  Comics from way back in the Golden Age would feature our "enemies" as not much more than evil caricatures... and, would also promote things like "war bonds"... with the message that in order to be a "Good American", you'd support the war effort.  Pretty clever stuff here from Gillis.

Harold finding out "the truth" was also very well done.  I appreciate the lengths the go to show Beth Nion as... I dunno, sympathetic to Harold's naivete?  She knows he "came in" via the propaganda brochure... and rather than just scoop him up, and push him through The Process, she makes sure he understands exactly what he's getting himself into.

The bombshell that those who undergo The Process are doomed to die within a year was very well handled... and we get the impression that this may... or may not be known by the public.  Sure, the Eversons referred to their son as "becoming a dead man", but... that could mean many things.  Think about military parents who aren't exactly "on board" with their child's decision to sign up.

That spotlight gets a bit brighter when Aline wakes in the middle of the night in a panic over dying... but, again... that could be taken in a few different ways.  Again, think of a new military recruit who has just found out they're being sent into battle.  I can't speak from experience... but, it stands to reason that might cause a bit of anxiety and stir up some mortal fears, no?

It's not until Harold is told, in no uncertain terms, that... this is a one-way trip.  Once you're part of The Process, your clock starts tickin'.  It's a heavy prospect... and, it was dealt with here incredibly well.  Harold struggles... he's got a lot to mentally digest... but, ultimately, after tasting just a little bit of battle, comes around to the idea.

I tell ya... this is a very special book.  Oh, and the art... oooh... Brent Anderson absolutely kills it!  Just awesome stuff!  The characters aren't like "TV pretty"... they're just normal flawed folks... and it's that normalcy juxtaposed with the extraordinary situation they're in, that keeps these characters relatable... and cheer-on-able.  Whilce Portacio delivers the art for the Black Watch bits, which... I like.  It drives home that these are two different stories... one "real", and one... less so.

Now, one thing about Strikeforce: Morituri that I sort of tire of hearing is that it would "make a great movie/TV show".  I get that... that's where a lot of folks' heads are right now.  But, here's the thing... Strikeforce: Morituri already exists.  The comic is here... and isn't hard to find (check your Marvel Unlimited).  Don't "wait for the movie", because you can experience the whole story... right now.  It ought to go without saying, that I recommend ya do so!

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Interesting Ads:

Action Comics (vol.2) #2 (2011)

Action Comics (vol.2) #2 (December, 2011)
"In Chains"
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencillers - Rags Morales & Brent Anderson
Inkers - Rick Bryant & Brent Anderson
Colorist - Brad Anderson
Letterer - Patrick Brosseau
Associate Editor - Wil Moss
Editor - Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $3.99

They say never to judge a book by its cover... but, have you ever... just by looking at a cover, been able to instantly tell which books you would soon be tripping over in the cheap-o bins?

No sooner did I see this cover... probably in a solicit, did I know that this book would be clogging quarter-bins all over the place.  And wouldn'tcha know it, just a few months later that's exactly where I began seeing them pop up!

Perhaps there is a measure of region specificity to it... and maybe I just unwittingly have my finger on the "pulse" of the Phoenix fandom... but, this is the one issue of Action Comics (volume 2) I see in nearly every single discount bin I flip through.

Has this happened to anybody else?  Am I just losin' it?

Oh well... let's quit looking at the cover, and get to the chewy center.

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We pick up a little bit after where we left off with Action Comics #1.  Superman stopped that rogue train... but it caused him to be captured by Thunderbolt Ross... er, General Lane.  He is strapped to an electric chair... and is being tested by Dr. Lex Luthor.  Did he have a Doctorate in the pre-Flashpoint continuity?  I don't recall.  The other science-types aren't terribly comfortable with the idea of torture... even if they're doing it to an alien.  I guess that's a good sign.  A Doctor Irons (hmm) busts in and tries to put a stop to the proceedings.  When Luthor refuses, he quits the project.

Elsewhere, General Lane is having Superman's cape tested... by having it shot hundreds (thousands?) of times over.  As the smoke clears, we see that the cape is unaffected.  Hell, by the looks of it, it might even be tougher than the New-52! Superman himself!

Lois Lane shows up to the base to chat up her father.  She is trying to track down this "Superman" for a story.  The General almost coyly admits that he has Superman... and that he's "safe".

Back inside, the tests continue.  Superman has woken up at this point... and is presented with... like a goat or something.  He is asked if his "natural state" is something similar to that of the goat.  Superman laughs... and laughs.  Which angers Luthor... and causes me to shrug.

Back outside, General Lane takes all the information Lois had gathered thus far on Superman... and heads back inside.  He has his flunky Glen Talbot... er, John Corben keep her occupied.  Turns out he (John) has the hots for her... so, he's pretty easily manipulated.

Back inside, Superman is losin' it!  He's broken out of the electric chair and is wrecking the place.  He busts through the thick door to the observation area and grabs Luthor, using him as a human shield of sorts.  After whispering some sweet nothreats into his ear, he drops him to the ground and takes off.

Not before grabbing his indestructible cape, of course.  I mean, wouldn't you?  From his bloody and beaten face, it's clear that the thing is more resilient than he is!  He rushes into the next room and finds... a rocket!  Upon touching it, it changes into a crystalline form and begins "speaking" to him.

Superman tells the rocket that he will be back for it... before continuing to flee.  Soldiers chase him up a flight of stairs and toward an elevator shaft.  By now, Lois has made her way inside... and she's pretty surprised to catch Superman in the act of his great escape.

We wrap up with a couple of pages of epilogue.  First, John Corben volunteers to take part in the top-secret Steel Soldier project... that was once under the purview of Doctor Irons. Irons... Steel?  Ohhhhhh.  Welcome to the All-New, All-Different DC Universe, folks!

The second epilogue features Lex Luthor on the phone from with... an alien?

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Ehh...

I feel like every time we discuss these early New-52! Superman books, I have the same reaction... this feels more like "Ultimate" Superman than anything that should've been pushed as the "real" Superman.

I mean, we're two issues in... actually... we're not even two issues in when we are introduced to "Doctor Irons".  That feels so much like an Ultimate move.  This is part of the reason why the whole reboot bugged me so much.  It's like... "It's all new... except for all of these names we're going to drop to keep you on the line".  I mean, if we're going "all-new", why not just make some new characters?  Just feels like a case of DC wanting to eat its cake, and have it too.  For whatever reason that really got to me during the initial months of the New-52! initiative.

While we're looking at characters... I know I joked about it above, but when did Sam Lane become Thunderbolt Ross?  He comes complete with a Glen Talbot-like lackey in John Corben... I mean, dude's even got the Glen Talbot mustache!  That's gotta be on purpose, right?

For the story... well, Superman can withstand torture.  Is that worth your four dollars?  I mean, you and I already knew he could withstand torture... so, we didn't exactly learn anything here.  All we get is... Lex Luthor is an a-hole, and the military is working on a Steel Soldier project.

I think it was with this issue that the "new normal" set in for me.  There was no longer that weird anticipation/excitement around seeing what a brand-new #1 would bring... now, it was just "the next issue" of Action Comics.  Without the excitement and uncertainty, I feel like it fell to this issue to really deliver something special... and it didn't!  Hell, they had to use a second penciller... which tells me how much of a priority this was for those involved.  If they can't stay motivated two months in... why in hell should I?

The "back-up" feature... remember, this was one of the few New-52! books that didn't "draw the line at $2.99"... was a complete waste.  Really, we get no more out of this than we would've in a CBR interview... it definitely didn't warrant adding a dollar to the cover price.  Should've dropped the "feature", and the price for this issue.  Luckily... if you are interested in checking this out, it isn't likely you'll have to shell out four-bucks for it... as mentioned during our preamble (at least in my neck of the woods), this bugger is in just about every buck-n-below bin I come across.

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"Inside the Action" Featurette (aka. the reason why you expected this story to run a few more pages):

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