BONUS BOOK - Blue Devil (1984)

BONUS BOOK - Blue Devil (June, 1984)
Writers - Gary Cohn & Dan Mishkin
Pencils - Paris Cullins
Inks - Pablo Marcos
Colors - Bob LeRose
Letters - John Costanza
Edits - Len Wein

Sticking with Mssrs. Mishkin and Cohn today for the first look at Blue Devil!  I remember this being a fun one... and, we actually took a look at the first issue of the ongoing series wayyy back in the day!

This Prevue was included with The Fury of Firestorm #24 (June, 1984).

--

We open with James Jesse (though I'm not sure we're supposed to know that it's him quite yet) having a read of the latest Stuntman Magazine, where they're doing a feature on all of the awesome powers that have been implemented into Dan Cassidy's Blue Devil costume.  A young fella named Gopher is also taking in the article... and he just so happens to be reading parts of it aloud to Dan himself.  Sounds like this costume is one heckuva marvel.  So much so, that Jesse proclaims that it will soon be his!

Dan tells Gopher about all of the subsequent additions and features he'd like to add to the suit, but tells him to keep it all quiet from Marla... the Hollywood big-wig they work for.  Well, she saunters in just as he says this... and wants to know what's up.  Dan and Gopher come up with a lie on the fly... which appears to satisfy her curiosity.  She reveals that she's come to see them regarding some upcoming photo-ops.  Dan bows out, because he's got work to do... and suggests perhaps sticking a fella named Wayne Tarrant into an unpowered suit instead.  She doesn't seem to care who is under the mask, so long as she gets her photos.  Wayne, however, ain't exactly in love with the idea.

Tarrant tries to pawn the gig off on a cameraman... who turns it down flat, before Marla decides to pull ultimate rank and insist Wayne just do his damned job.  There's a blonde woman with a headband named Sharon present... and it seems as though Wayne's got quite an eye for her.  She, however, doesn't return those feelings.  In fact, if you ask me (or her), she's more into Dan Cassidy.  Gotta be dem muttonchops... women are powerless against 'em!

We jump ahead, and Wayne's doing the Blue Devil thang in front of the cameras... er, camera, singular.  Wow, heckuva photo-op!  Meanwhile, outside the movie lot, James Jesse chats up the security guard.  When he is not granted access (due to his being a stuntman at a rival studio), the baddie decides to go "full-Trickster"!

Once inside, the Trickster swoops overhead and snags the faux-Blue Devil on the hook of his weird fishing pole gimmick!

Marla and Company are completely bamboozled... Gopher, however, has the wherewithal to run off and grab Cassidy... and suggests he try using his "real" Blue Devil costume to catch the villain!

And, well... that's exactly what he does!  It really didn't take all that much in the way of prodding, did it?  Anyhoo, in a really cool (and much appreciated) bit, Cassidy springs into action... however, doesn't appear to have complete control over his awesome pitchfork!  He overshoots the Trickster and Wayne by a half-block!

Wayne tries laying in a solid left on the Trickster's jaw... but all that does is suggest to Jesse that this ain't no super-powered Blue Devil.  He unmasks his hostage, revealing not-Dan Cassidy... and is rather annoyed.  Ya see, James Jesse and Dan Cassidy have worked together before on various stunt projects... so, the baddie would've recognized him.

Then, the real Blue Devil calls over and tells the Trickster to knock it off.  He leaps from one rooftop to another, and before we know it, he and the Rogue are exchanging punches!

We get a couple of pages of blows and banter to follow... even a bit where Blue Devil recognizes the Trickster as James Jesse!  The baddie decides to use this to his advantage by feigning surrender.  Cassidy proclaims he doesn't want to hurt Jesse... the Trickster, however, doesn't have the same qualms.

More fighting follows... including Blue Devil getting wrapped up in a rainbow Slinky (ya know, I don't think I've ever typed the word "Slinky" before... and now I've done it twice!).  Ultimately, and naturally, Blue Devil overcomes.  With a flick of his finger he temporarily kayos the Trickster.

I say temporarily, as in the very next panel, the Trickster is fleeing the scene.  Blue Devil attempts to give chase, but again... he's not quite used to flying with his trident... so, he overshoots the villain.

We wrap up back at the movie lot with a pretty funny scene.  Blue Devil is trying to describe the Trickster to the police for their records... and can't understand why they won't just accept "It was the Trickster".  Good stuff.  The story ends with Dan Cassidy heading back into his workshop to make further improvements to the Blue Devil costume.

--

Can't deny that this was a lot of fun.  It makes me yearn for the days where we'd get new characters in "Big Two" comics.  These days, it's all about shoving a "new" person into a Robin or Spider costume... or passing down/usurping an already established name in the superhero community.  Everything's derivative... and nothing feels special.

This (Blue Devil) feels special.

It's a new concept and (at the risk of sounding like a complete internet-douche) a new "Intellectual Property".  We just don't get things like this anymore.  I could do further into kvetching about "current year" comics, where focus is placed on brands and iconography over character... but, I'll try and rein myself back in.

In this here story, we get to meet a whole bunch of new characters... but in a way where it doesn't feel like a parade, if that makes any sense.  A lot of times, when a creative team is trying to "world build", it can feel as though all of the new characters are zipping past the reader on a conveyor belt... ya know?  Here's "this character", and now "this character"...  The way it was done here, however... it didn't feel quite that, I dunno, intensely impersonal.

There are a few archetypes at play here... which is to be expected.  I mean, we run across archetypal people in our real lives everyday.  Marla is perhaps the most "boilerplate" at this point.  She's the business-first executive... and that's basically all we get from her here.

We can already tell that Dan and Wayne will likely be butting heads over Sharon... which, is fair enough.  Nothing wrong with a bit of romantic competition... helps to "suds-up" the soapiness.

I think my favorite part of this Prevue was Dan's unfamiliarity with his gear.  These days (yeah, I said "These Days" again), I feel like (and I might be projecting...) the "new" superhero being a goof-up at first is kind of played for laughs.  Kind of nudging the readership at the ridiculousness of the situation... being "superior" to the silliness of superhero comics.  Here, however, it felt... I dunno, almost earnest.  Dan's trying his best... while realizing deep down that he hasn't the foggiest idea what he's doing.  He's just trying to stop a bad guy.  We didn't need to see him crash into a pile of garbage cans, and mutter "Whatta revoltin' development!" to drive that point home.

He simply miscalculates his own equipment... which works on a few levels.  It shows that he's overzealous... and, that, on an engineering-level, he needs to better calibrate his arsenal... or at the very least, understand it better.

Had a really good time with this... and honestly, went on quite a bit longer talking about it than I expected to!  We've got two pre-Crisis "Insert Prevues" to go before we hop into the actual "Bonus Book" era.

--

From Dick Giordano's "Meanwhile... " Column:

--

Interesting (and Relevant) Ads:

An Ad for Firestorm #24... in Firestorm #24!

BONUS BOOK - Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld (1983)

BONUS BOOK - Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld (April, 1983)
"Duel in Dark Magic!"
Writers - Dan Mishkin & Gary Cohn
Pencils/Letters - Ernie Colon
Colors - Tom Ziuko
Edits - Karen Berger & Dave Manak

Keeping with Insert Previews debuting in issues of Legion (since that's the longbox I just unearthed), we're going to take a look at the introduction of Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld.  This is a property we discussed here wayyy back in the long ago, and even prompted a visit from Amethyst co-creator, Dan Mishkin!

Ya see, I sorta-kinda suggested that Amethyst might've been... maybe a teensiest tiniest bit influenced by the character Magik over in Uncanny X-Men.  He assured me this wasn't the case at all.  He said it was just part of the comics zeitgeist at the time... and, honestly, that's good enough for me.

This Prevue was stuffed into the middle of Legion of Super-Heroes (vol.2) #298 (April, 1983)... one of many, many, many Legion stories I'll probably never get around to reading.

--

We open in a Dark Keep on Gemworld, where a man called Lord Opal is being measured for a breastplate.  This piece must fit him perfectly... and, if all goes according to plan, he will be able to "unleash the mystic energies of Gemworld itself" with it.  Ya see, he is now in possession of ten fragments of Gemworld's gemstones... gem, gem, gem.  He thanks a weirdo named Sardonyx for his help... and, at this point, has entrusted his box'a gems to his goofball son Carnelian.  He laments that the only gem he is missing right now... you guessed it, the Amethyst!  Just then, a dullard bursts in with some news.

Looks like they've got a bead on the Princess of Castle Amethyst through a planted spy.  Turns out, she's on some sort of secret mission which has taken her away from the safety of the Palace and her Queen (?) Citrina.  Lord Opal decides this might be the best time to strike... and snag that Violet Gem.

Speaking of Amethyst... let's meet her!  At present, she (and her bestial escort, Granch) are about to enter the Bog of One Thousand Despairs... once, quite the tourist attraction, though far too commercial these days.  Okay, okay... it's just a bog.  Not sure exactly what their mission here is quite yet.

Lord Opal and Company are able to watch Amethyst and Granch via a handy "Well of Vision"... and a trio of bird-faced hags.  They celebrate finding her... however, since so much of the world is desolate and boggy... they can't exactly pin-point her location!  Lord Opal gives a rather chuckleheaded smile all the same.

Meanwhile, Opal's nudnick son Carnelian is off in the corner playing with his snake and baubles.  Err, that is to say, his weird pet snake and that box of Gem-Shards.  He doesn't seem overly keen at the prospect of his adopted father gaining all of these magical powers.  Hmm...

Meanwhile, Lord Opal has decided to send a ferocious dragon to Amethyst's location.  Least I think that's what's happening anyway... the art isn't overly clear here... though, I might just be a bit too dense.  Anyhoo, the dragon makes short work of Granch, kayoing him with ease.

Amethyst responds by blasting the ever-loving stuff outta the beast!  Lord Opal looks on via the well-pool, and suggests he might ought to try a different approach next time.

And by "next time", I mean right friggin' now.  Lord Opal's next "gift" comes in the form of a tornado.  Amethyst "outsmarts" the twister by having Granch toss a whole boulder into its funnel.  When asked how she thought of that, the Princess responds with an offhanded remark about having messed up a garbage disposal with a steak bone once before.  Hmm.  This infuriates Lord Opal... however, his frustration is short-lived.  Ya see, the Hags have discovered both Amethyst's whereabouts and destination.  Guess who's coming for dinner?

Meanwhile, at the Forge... Sardonyx oversees the forging of Lord Opal's bedazzled chestplate.  He's feeling overly cautious, and somewhat suspicious of Carnelian... and with good reason.  Elsewhere, ol' Carny is plotting how to stop his Father from attaining high-power.  And by "plotting", I mean, he just repeats to himself (and his weird snake) that he can't allow this to come to pass.

Then, the Blacksmith gingerly places the bedazzled chestplate into the forge... and Carnelian secretly "turns up the heat".  From this, something very strange happens!  The forces of chaos (or just chaos in general) are psychedelically unleashed all ova da place!  Carny looks on... we know he had concocted this mishap, but he's still somewhat surprised by this result.

Back at the wellpool, Amethyst and Opal exchange pleasantries... which is to say, Opal yells a lot... and fires off energy blasts.  Amethyst takes this opportunity to snatch up a... fistful of water?  I didn't know water could travel in "fists", but we'll allow it.  She and Granch then go to scurry off.  Looks like procuring water from the "Well of Vision" might've been Amethyst's mission!

Opal, not wanting the Princess to escape, transforms the trio of hags into a three-headed hydra... and sends it off to halt the escape attempt.  He then heads down to the forge to don his chestplate... and discovers the strange scene of chaotic horrors.  He is thankful that this mishap did not occur with all twelve stones set in place... because that could have meant the end of Gemworld altogether.  He nyoinks the Dark Opal off the chestplate... which somehow renders the "lunatic enchantments" inside the forge to be quieted.

Outside, Amethyst and Granch are caught by the hydra.  The former tosses the well-water to the latter and instructs him to make a clean getaway.  Naturally, he refuses... but she ain't havin' no backtalk.  She zaps the beast's talon which releases Granch to the ground below.

She then blasts the Hydra right between it's eyes... and eyes... and eyes, which reverts it back to the trio of bird-faced hags.  All four begin to plummet toward ground, however...

... Amethyst opens up a portal of sorts, which she falls through.  On the other side, she, as a child... lands in a bed.  Well, she kinda bounces off the bed and lands on the floor, but you know what I mean.  Upon hearing the racket, "Amy's" mother calls out to her... to which, our gal just reports that she had a "bad dream".

--

Okay, this wasn't my favorite... but it ain't Amethyst's fault!

Ya see, the most interesting part of Amethyst to me is... the duality.  Ya know, having a child in the "mundane world" actually be a super-powered Princess in Gemworld is a very fun idea.  Unfortunately, that only appeared in this Preview in order to subvert our expectations for the series to follow.  I mean, I can't fault it that... it's a heckuva subversion, and I'm sure it caught plenty of readers back in 1983 off-guard.  It's just less interesting to me in having all but a couple of panels of the thing occurring in a far-flung fantasy world.

Outside of ElfQuest, I've never been a big fantasy/Sword & Sorcery comics fan.  Conan and Red Sonja bore me to tears... Arion and Arak (who we'll be meeting in a few days) put me to sleep... Heck, I struggle with Warlord... which is something I'm not sure I'm allowed to admit online.  Sheesh, I hardly ever enjoy Thor over at Marvel!  That's not by any fault of this story... it's just my own personal tastes.  When it comes to comics (and the limited amount of time I get to actually read 'em nowadays), I suppose the kids today might refer to me as "basic"... I like superheroes.  There's another thing I'm not sure I'm allowed to admit online!

That said... I do appreciate the world-building Mishkin and Cohn engage in here.  In the limited amount of pages they're given, we get a pretty good idea what the "layout" of Gemworld is.  It would appear as though there are twelve "Kingdoms" all represented by a different Gem.  I'm guessing they'll be the Twelve Birthstones... but, I've been wrong before.  Lord Opal looks to be the main baddie... with Amethyst being the sole Gem he has been able to procure for ultimate control over the World.  He's got an adopted son, who isn't quite sure about his plans... and who I could see flipping sides, and perhaps even becoming romantically entangled with our lead.  It's all good, in as far as the "nuts and bolts" are concerned... however, the straight "fantasy" approach in this preview was just a bit too dull for me personally.

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #1 (1983)

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #1 (May, 1983)
"The Birthright"
Writers - Dan Mishkin & Gary Cohn
Artist - Ernie Colon
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Tom Ziuko
Editor - Karen Berger
Special Thanks - Dave Manak
Cover Price: $0.60

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld is the type of book that I started this blog to explore.  It's one of those "outside my wheelhouse" books that I always sorta kinda wanted to check out, but never really had the impetus to do so.  Over the years, I'd come to own a great deal of both the 12-issue maxi-series and the short-lived attempt at an ongoing, yet never actually cracked one open.

Let's rectify that today.

--

It's Amy Winston's thirteenth birthday, and an odd reptilian critter has decided to leave her a gift to commemorate the occasion... and swell thingie that he(?) is, he even wrapped it and topped it with a bow... okay, he uses the wrap and bow from her real gift, and replaces it with his.  It's the thought that counts, right?

Shortly, when Amy and her family return home from her birthday dinner, it's time to open her presents.  Inside the curious critter-left box, Amy discovers a large beautiful Amethyst necklace and excitedly puts it on while her parents both furrow their brows.

We follow Amy to her bedroom where she considers the thoughtfulness (and surprise) of her "parent's" gift.  Now in her (uncomfortably) skimpy nightie, she opens up her closet to hang up her clothes... only to find that a large snake-wielding ogre is inside!  He pulls her into a portal, where she finds herself aging into a young adult upon arrival into an odd next world over.

She finds herself in a palace stood before an evil looking mustachioed gent.  We learn that the ogre's name is "Belaz" which, to me is only a few letters away from Belasco (from X-Men's limbo stories, though he looks more like S'ym).  They threaten to kill her, however, hint that they have more nefarious designs on her.  One particularly gross Gemworld dweller approaches her while undoing his clothes.  Luckily, late-teen Amy is still wearing her precious stone... which blasts the would-be molester with purple energy.

This was a code-approved book...

In the confusion, a tall gray man enters the scene.  He takes Belaz out, and refers to Amy as "Princess" when he asks her to accompany him.  Considering her options, Amy decides to trust the devil she doesn't know rather than remain with those she does.

The tall man is called Granch, and he delivers Amy to an old witch called Citrina.  With Sardonyx (the bad guy) giving chase, Granch insists he stay behind to cover the ladies' escape.  Citrina refers to Amy as Amethyst, and the two whisk away... as we watch Granch snapping a critter's jaw.

Citrina brings Amethyst... who wears and amethyst... to Castle Amethyst... ay yai yai.  Inside she promises to answer any and all questions she may have.  She meets her loyal subjects and goes faint, overwhelmed by these incredibly strange events.  While she is out, she is bathed and put to bed.

The following morning she appears to be even more mature.  She stands head and shoulders taller than her followers and her hair is completely grown out.  Citrina reveals Amethyst's secret origin.  Her parents once ruled the Amethyst House of Gemworld.  Shortly after her birth (on Gemworld) war broke out between the Amethysts and the House of Opal, ruled by The Dark Lord... can't be a good guy with a name like that!

During a blitz on the Amethyst House... which ultimately saw it fall.  The baby was sent to Earth to be adopted by the Winstons.  On Gemworld, word was sent out that the child was killed to prevent her being sought out.  It was always the plan to bring her back when she was of age, however, it would appear that The Dark Lord had already sussed this all out.

Amethyst does not react well to this news, and demands to be sent home.  A dejected Citrina agrees... Before she can make good, Castle Amethyst is attacked.  Amethyst (the girl) finds herself unwittingly drafted into battle.

Sardonyx is the point man on the raid, and easily takes down a weakened Citrina's protective shield.  Amethyst screams out in fear... so loud, her Earth parents can hear it.  She hesitates before striking back at Sardonyx... Citrina does her best Yoda impression, by guiding Amy's hand while advising her "there is no think... only do" (or thereabouts).

Amethyst blasts the interlopers with a wave of purple energy... and actually sends them packing.  In the shadow of battle, Citrina sends Amy back home, inviting her to return only when she is ready.

The child form of Amy cries out in her bed as her parents scale the house steps.  Her mother makes mention of her being "back" much to her father's confusion... which leads me to believe she may be in on it.  Amy convinces herself the entire event was nothing more than a nightmare.

After being suitably calmed down, Amy lays in bed with her Amethyst stone wondering if it really was all just a dream.  She finds herself able to reopen the portal with the pendant, and steps back into Gemworld.  Unfortunately for her, she's not alone... a knife brandishing nudnik watches on from the shadows...

--

Overall, not bad.  Definitely not the type of book I would normally seek out, but I'm glad I made time for it today.  This series came out in 1983, nearly a year after the Uncanny X-Men story in which Illyana Rasputin becomes Magik during a stay in limbo.  I'm not sure that it's fair to compare Amethyst to that, however, I can't shake feeling that there may have been some inspiration for this there.  Even down to the lead characters shift in age, it just feels very similar.

I'll concede I may just be noticing this because I'd recently reread a bit of old X-Men... but to me, it's always a bit interesting to me to notice commonalities between the big two's offerings.

I really enjoyed the more Amy-centric bits of the story, rather than the wider Gemworld info dump.  Gemworld feels just like any samey Fantasy realm, nothing all that special... warring factions, swords and sorcery.  Nothing that really stands out as novel, at least at this point.  Perhaps apropos of nothing, I feel this would have been a bit easier of a read if not everything in it was referred to as "Amethyst" something or another.  Between the Castle, the stone, the girl, and her parents... dat's a lotta rocks.

It seems as though Amy's adoptive Earth-mother may have a deeper understanding of what is really going on.  I think that's a neat touch.  The fact that Amy's dad is relatively clueless brings about a potentially intriguing dynamic that I hope the creators explore.

The art is very nice.  My thoughts on the samey-ness of Gemworld aside, it is rendered beautifully.  I really enjoyed the aesthetic look of this issue.  Amy in her Earth form actually resembles a young girl... not just a smaller version of a full-grown woman.  I will admit that I could've really done without the see-thru effects on her nightie however... that just looked wrong.

All in all, a fun time.  Worth checking out, I would say.  Luckily, this run has been collected... if you don't mind reading the series in black and white, the ultra-affordable and ultra-thick (648 pages!) SHOWCASE Presents: Amethyst is available.  As of this writing it can be procured at instocktrades.com for just about ten bucks.  If you're in the mood for swords and sorcery with a twist, definitely give Amethyst a shot.

--

Interesting Ads:

SO EXCITING!

With video!

With video!

Excellent ad for this very series!