NML Crossing, Episode 085 - Batman: Harley Quinn #1 (1999)

NML Crossing, Episode Eighty-Five

Batman: Harley Quinn #1 (October, 1999)
“Harley Quinn”
Writer - Paul Dini
Pencils - Yvel Guichet
Inks - Aaron Sowd
Letters - Willie Schubert
Colors - Richard & Tonya Horie
Edits - Gorfinkel, Vincenzo
Cover Price: $5.95

It's finally time to meet the clown girl! Today we're going to take a look at Harley Quinn's first in-continuity appearance, and talk about how I went about procuring my very own copy of the book!

The Bada-Bin!

NML Crossing on Youtube

https://gothamquake.com

https://chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

Batman and Robin Adventures #1 (1995)

Batman and Robin Adventures #1 (November, 1995)
"Two Timer"
Writer - Paul Dini
Pencils - Ty Templeton
Inks - Rick Burchett
Colors - Linda Medley
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Associate Edits - Darren Vincenzo
Edits - Scott Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75

Keeping things "light" this Sunday... and toying with the concept of "comfort food" once again.  Not so much my own personal comfort food... but, I know for a lot of folks, the ol' Batman: The Animated Series is a source of many "warm fuzzies".

For me, ehh, I didn't hate it... but, I wasn't really a religious viewer or anything.  It certainly didn't help that it seemed as though every time I tuned in, it was that same Mr. Freeze and the Snowglobe episode!  Man, that got old fast!

Anyhoo... let's check out the first issue from the Batman and Robin Adventures!

--

We open with a scene of Batman and Robin taking out some would-be arms-smugglers down at the Gotham City docks.  It's a pretty boilerplate scene, nothing we haven't seen a hundred times before, and only really serves to facilitate the "new normal" for this series of stories.  Ya see, Robin's in College... and so, his team-ups with Batman have become a little less frequent.  We also learn that, while Dick's got classes in the morning, Bruce has an appointment of his own to keep... ya see, he and Grace LaMont (Harvey Dent's on-again/off-again) have a weekly meeting with Two-Face to discuss the progress of his treatment at Arkham.

Harv' reveals that everything is going great... and he's making great strides toward living a normal life, and will even be undergoing a bit of reconstructive surgery in the not-so-distant future.  The Joker, whose cell just so happens to be like right next door, decides he rather prefers Harvey as a madman, and figures he probably ought to intervene to stymie his successes.  Once Bruce and Grace head off, he insinuates to Dent that they're probably banging behind his back.

We follow Bruce and Grace back to Wayne Tower, where they talk a bit more about their man Harvey.  The conversation does, in fact, change to something more personal.  Bruce invites Grace to a Press Party... in order to give her "one night free from worry".  Hmm... was the Joker on to something here?

Back at Arkham, the Joker is still rattling Two-Face's cage about his gal-pal's improprieties... and when Harvey chases him off, the clown drops his newspaper.  Ya know, on purpose... the front-page headline tells of Bruce Wayne's Dream Project coming true... and that Grace will be his "date" for the evening.  I guess with all the baddies already in Arkham, there really wasn't anything else going on in Gotham to be that cover story!

On his way out of the "common area", the Joker pops into a Guard Station to swipe a phone... with it, he makes a very important phone call.

We jump ahead to that Garden Party Dance thing, where Bruce invites Grace to cut a rug for a bit.  She doesn't seem all that into it, but agrees to anyway.  After dancing for a bit, they break away from the group to chat... and, naturally Harvey comes up in the conversation.  It's a pretty innocent talk, that ends with Grace thanking Bruce by giving him a peck on the cheek... a peck, that just so happened to be caught on film by... Harley Quinn!

Bruce grabs Dick... er, um... that is to say, Wayne grabs Grayson... to inform him of what just went down, and so they change into their work clothes and confront the rogue photographer.  Unfortunately, by this time she'd already handed off the Polaroid of the smooch to the press (with the story that Bruce and Grace are... engaged!).

The Dynamic Duo fights Harley for a bit, in what is... kind of embarrassingly for them, a pretty even-matched fight.  Finally... like three-pages later, the fellas manage to take the upper-hand.  I mean, really dudes... Harley-in-heels held you off for three pages?  What is this, a "current year" book?!

Harley backs off, and calls for her "babies"... which, are a pair of hyenas.  They pounce on our heroes, but are taken out pretty quick.  Unfortunately, it's just enough time for Quinn to split the scene.

We jump back to Arkham, where... hot off the presses, the latest edition of the Gotham Gazette is exchanging hands!  The Joker gleefully shares the cover-story with Harvey Dent... and, just as he'd planned, it reports that Bruce Wayne and Grace LaMont are... dun, dun, dunnnn... engaged to be married!

Harvey is... uh, displeased.  So much so that he beats the holy hell out of some orderlies and... escapes Arkham?!  Wow, who knew it was that easy?  Why hasn't the Joker thought of this?

Batman, Robin, and Commissioner Gordon decide to question the Joker about his part in this... and, well... he spills the beans completely!  What does he care about Harvey Dent's well-being, right?  And, what're they going to do to him... double-arrest him?  When asked why he was messing with Harv, the Joker reveals that he did so... because it was Tuesday.  This either means it was "just another day", or maybe he's playing with the "Two" in Twos-day?

We wrap up back at Grace LaMont's place... with Harvey kickin' down the door looking for revenge!

--

This was arright.

Weird, for a book named after Batman and Robin, it feels as though the Boy Wonder was something of an afterthought here, dunnit?  I guess DC just needed to put out a book with the same title as the current incarnation of the Animated Series?  Maybe I'm misremembering... I'm not quite so encyclopedic in my knowledge of the Timm/Diniverse... or whatever the hell we're calling it.

Anyhoo, for the story... it wasn't half-bad (HA! Half-bad!  I kill me!)... the Joker spends the entire issue screwing with Harvey Dent to the point where he actually busts out of Arkham in a jealous rage.  Fair enough!  Really shines a light on just how inept the Arkham Security System is, doesn't it?  First, Joker's just able to get into the Guard Station to swipe a phone... and, Second, ya know... Harvey just punches a couple of dudes, and is able to walk out the joint freely!  Bad look, Arkham.

Then, we've got Bruce and Grace.  Now, seeing as though Harvey Dent is... ya know, emotionally fragile (to say the least), why in all hell's is Bruce bothering to bark up this tree?  Even with the most innocent of intentions, if any of this got back to Dent, he was almost certain to flip out.  Honestly, the Joker could have just as easily showed him an article about Bruce offering to water Grace's plants while she's out of town (that's not a euphemism, folks), and Two-Face would've exploded in rage.  This is just an all-around bad idea.

The art here was cool.  You know me, I'm not the biggest fan of the "animated series" look, but this was pretty nice.  The Harley fight scene was especially well-done, though, as alluded to during the synopsis, perhaps a page (or three) too long.  I don't feel as though Harley-in-heels should've been able to dupe the fellas for quite this long.

Overall, had a decent enough time with this... and, if you're a fan of the Animated Series, I'd bet you will too!

--

(Not the) Letters Page:

--

Interesting Ads:

Action Comics #975 (2017)

Action Comics #975 (May, 2017)
"Superman Reborn, Part Two"
"The Man in the Purple Hat"
Writers - Dan Jurgens & Paul Dini
Pencils - Doug Mahnke & Ian Churchill
Inks - Jaime Mendoza
Colors - Wil Quintana & Mike Atiyeh
Letters - Rob Leigh
Associate Editor - Paul Kaminski
Editor - Mike Cotton
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Special Thanks - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Cover Price: $3.99

Alrighty, it's Part Two... otherwise known as that issue where we find out who the fake Clark Kent has been!  A plot point, which was unfortunately spoiled by a litany of comic reviewers on Twitter (and I'd assume other social networks) the day before the issue hit the stands.

Ya know, I get annoyed when Marvel and DC spoil their stuff... but I've come to almost expect it, because they're absolutely starving for any "mainstream" attention they can get.  It lets them feel like they're famous for a few minutes if USA Today decides to darken their doors and yawn their way through an interview.

But the fans/reviewers?  I expect better of us.  We should be above spoiling things... especially things that have been built to for a number of months.

The thing about this issue is that there was an embargo on the comps... they weren't released until Tuesday (we usually get them the Friday before they ship)... this was done to limit spoilers as best as possible.

But, it didn't stop a whole lotta "professional" reviewers from tweeting out four-panels of Mr. Mxyzptlk with a an adorable "Just Because, tee-hee..." as the message before the book hit the shelves.  Not technically spoiling anything, but I mean, c'mon... if you open up a social media site a day before a big reveal... and a bunch of people you follow are coyly poking each other's ribs about Mxy... that's going to spoil the surprise.  I know it did for me!

So, hey... professional reviewers, quit being jerks.  I'll letcha keep rating everything a 10/10, but please don't go out of your way to spoil-not-spoil the books.  I get that it's cool to have "privileged information", but c'mon, you've also got a responsibility.

--

We open with Lois and Superman, having just lost their son, heading to the Metropolis apartment of the fake Clark Kent.  After some expositional catch-up, they arrive to find that nobodies home.  The do some digging and, for whatever reason, check the fridge.  Inside they find a whole bunch of sweet goodies... certainly not the fridge of a grown man (unless that grown man is me).  Just then... fake-Clark shows up!

Superman asks where Jon is... to which, Clark plays off as not knowing what he's talking about.  Clark drops the pretense pretty quickly, and the conversation becomes more intense... he asks Superman if he likes Jon more than him... he asks why he was "left behind".

They have a little test of strength... and Superman is shocked by just how strong this phony Kent is.  In a pretty clunky bit of dialogue, he refers to Clark as an "enemy"... which facilitates the faker referring to himself as a "friend"...

... but a friend, who likes to play games!  He shape-shifts into... Lex Luthor!

But, that's just for starters.  He then shifts into the forms of Bizarro... then Brainiac.  Worth noting, the background is candy... like literally, candy canes and all sorts of sweets.

Next, he's Mongul... then Parasite!  As Superman is staring down the latter, Lois becomes distracted by a nearby snow globe.

As Lois gazes into the globe, the phony shape-shifts a couple more times... first to Cyborg Superman, Hank Henshaw... then into Doomsday!  Inside the globe are some familiar-looking impish characters... which sorta tips the whole thing off.

Bada-bing, bada-boom... it's Mxy!  Which... would've been a better reveal had it not been spoiled on social media!

Mxy reveals his plan.  Since Superman had forgotten about him... he's going to make Superman (and the entire world) forget about Jon Kent!  It'll be as though the boy never existed at all... which is a damn fine indictment on just how scarily powerful Mr. Mxyzptlk can be.  Also, how useful he can be when we're trying to cherry-pick continuity!

Mxy blinks away, leaving Lois and Clark standing alone in Clark's old apartment.  Superman tells Lois they've gotta find Jon... to which, Lois asks "Jon who?"...

What a strong cliffhanger... well, it would be... but we're not done yet.  This is a milestone issue (#975) and so, we gotta cram s'more graham into it.  So hey, were you wondering about how Mxy got tied up in this mess?  No?  Well, we're going to find out anyway!  It begins with Jon telling Mxy how his father would tell him stories of Mxyzptlk, only referring to him as "The Man with the Purple Hat", Ruppletat.

Mxy thinks the story is adorable... but has one of his own to tell.  Ya see, one time when he returned to "play with" his pal Superman, he found himself caught up in a transdimensional somethin' or another... and right into the grasp of the enigmatic Mr. Oz!  After a little back and forth, Oz is able to secure him in his Negative Space Prison.

Mxy doesn't mind so much... he knows his friends will come looking for him when he doesn't show back up soon.  Oz tells him that time works a little differently where they are, and it'll be as though two-thousands years have passed before anyone even realizes he's missing.

Mxy's undeterred.  He's sure his pal Superman will find him quicker than that... only, he doesn't!  The imp takes this as a sign that the Man of Steel doesn't actually care about him.

He tells Jon about how closely associated he's always been with Superman... even on different Earths where he's just in Superman comics and cartoon shows.  This is an especially neat little bit.

Anyhoo, Mxyzptlk was finally able to escape from Oz's prison (which we saw at the open of the previous chapter), and what's more... he found Superman!  How would he be able to get back into his life though?  Well, that's why he chose to come back as Clark Kent.  This would certainly get Superman's attention... and also, help put the secret identity genie back in the bottle.

It was only after visiting the "Smith" farm, that everything came back to him... he understood the changes made to reality, including the fact that he'd been written out of it!  Only now... he's back!

Back to, wherever he and Jon are, Jon suggests that maybe Superman didn't come looking for Mxy because he assumed he'd "grown up".  This gives the imp a nice belly laugh, and he decides to offer the boy a sporting chance to return home.  If Jon can say the one magic word... he'll be free to go.

Jon goes to say Kltpzyxm... but stops himself.  Instead, he says Tatelppur (Ruppletat backwards, natch).  Turns out, that was the ticket!  An imp of his word, Mxy sets Jon's free to return to reality.

Well... not really.  Ya see, Jon was allowed to go home... just not stay there.  Wonk wonk wonkkkk.

--

So yeah... here's the reveal!  The fake Clark Kent has been Mr. Mxyzptlk... you heard it here last!

And while that's pretty cool... the first half of the issue leaves me a little bit cold.  I'm not sure if it's just my peanut brain expecting more of a story when there are so many pages remaining... but, the "stop" felt rather sudden.  It was just... the big reveal... then, rather than digesting the information, we shift into an overlong back-up story.

Let's talk about the choice of Mxy.  I know I was a bit deflated when I first read this (or, rather, had it spoiled online).  I was hopeful that perhaps the Super-team was going to use someone a bit more obscure.  Really, the sky was the limit here... and theories were poppin'... I think I was hopeful that fake-Clark was going to be Superboy-Prime.  I mean, who betta to "fix" reality, right?

However, in retrospect, Mxy was as fine a choice as any.  Maybe that just means that I was so much more disappointed by the Mr. Oz reveal that I've softened on this one.  Who knows?

I mentioned above that Mxy removing Jon from memory is a real sign of just how insanely powerful the imp can be.  In "fixing" the secret identity snafu... I mean, it puts things back where they "belong", but... I dunno... I feel like that's a genie you can't truly ever put back in the bottle.

I mean, sure, we can make it so nobody knows... but, part of the fun/magic of the secret identity is the anxiety we readers potentially have when it's put in jeopardy.  Now, however, we already know what will happen... ya know?  Sure, it's just the New-52! Superman... but, still.  It takes a bit of the urgency away from subsequent situations.

The backup managed to fill in some blanks, and let us know where Jon is hanging out... but, I feel like it overstayed its welcome.  I mean, we really didn't need 3-4 pages of Mxy being locked up in Oz's prison.  Those pages would have been better spent fleshing out the "feature" story... even if it was just 3-4 different indulgent full-page shape-shifts!

Overall... just like I said yesterday... the "feature" took (maybe) five minutes to read... but, it was an enjoyable five minutes.  I do recommend checking this out, however, don't exert the effort of seeking out the singles... just grab the trade.

--

Et-Cetera:

--

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1046

Action Comics #1000 (2018)

Action Comics #1000 (June, 2018)
"From the City that Has Everything"
"Never-Ending Battle"
"An Enemy Within"
"The Car"
"The Fifth Season"
"Of Tomorrow"
"Five Minutes"
"Actionland!"
"Faster Than a Speeding Bullet"
"The Truth"
Writers - Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi, Marv Wolfman, Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, Scott Snyder, Tom King, Louise Simonson, Paul Dini, Brad Meltzer & Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils - Dan Jurgens, Patrick Gleason, Curt Swan, Olivier Coipel, Rafael Albuquerque, Clay Mann, Jerry Ordway, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, John Cassaday & Jim Lee
Inks - Norm Rapmund, Butch Guice, Kurt Schaffenberger, Kevin Nowlan & Scott Williams
Colors - Hi-Fi, Alejandro Sanchez, Dave McCaig, Jordie Bellaire, Laura Martin & Alex Sinclair
Letters - Rob Leigh, Tom Napolitano, Nick Napolitano, John Workman, Carlos M. Mangual, Josh Reed, Chris Eliopoulo and Cory Petit
Assistant Editor - Andrea Shea
Associate Editor - Jessica Chen
Editors - Paul Kaminski & Mike Cotton
Group Editor - Brian Cunningham
Cover Price: $7.99

Hey everybody... welcome to the, ahem, ONE-THOUSANDTH DAILY DISCUSSION here at Chris is on Infinite Earths.  Can you believe we've been talking about comics here every-single-day since January 30, 2016?!

I sure can't!

I'll save the personal beats for the "down below", but we've got a long issue to discuss today, so... just in case my normally dazzling writing doesn't hold your interest the whole way through, I'll drop a THANK YOU up here in the pre-ramble.  It's been a heckuva ride to this point, I couldn't have stuck with this without kind folks popping in from time to time and giving a wink, thumbs-up, and pat on the back.

Today we're going to be talking about... well, really the only comic book we can discuss when it comes to discussing "one-thousandths", and that is the semi-recent Action Comics #1000.  Full disclosure... knowing that this blog milestone was on the horizon, I purposely did not read this issue cover-to-cover until quite recently.  I wanted to come into this one "fresh"... and seeing as though it's an anthology, I figured (outside of the Bendis story) nothing was going to be all that "time sensitive".

Though, since this issue is new-ish, it's not going to be quite as in-depth as a normal post here.  I don't want to risk ruining the entire thing for folks who might decide to pick it up.

Anyhoo, let's get right to it.

--

Our first story opens with Superman sending some Khunds packing out in deep space.  This happens to be going down on Metropolis' Superman Day, where, one would assume he would be the guest of honor.  Down on Earth, Jon is a bit nervous that his father won't show up in time... Lois, however, has no doubt.  Sure enough, Clark arrives just as the festivities are about to kick off.

Metropolis Mayor Barnes addresses the crowd, telling them what today is all about.  While she speaks, Clark is distracted... he keeps using his telescopic vision to see if the Khunds have followed him home.  While this is going on, Lois is on the phone with Perry.

One by one, folks take the stage and share their experience being saved or aided in some way by Superman.  It's really this scene that that makes the entire story.  It's something we might not think about much, and honestly, I don't think we're supposed to... but, for Superman, saving a person is just "anther day at work", for that person however, it's a life-changing experience!

A man named Benning takes the stage... a reformed criminal.  Jon balks at the idea of a "bad guy" celebrating Superman Day.  Clark tells him to calm down, as the fella shares his story about how Superman's patience and kindness led him down a much better road in life.  Worth noting, this Benning mentions how low-level criminals were often used by the big names as a distraction... another neat little detail, that we might not think about all that often!

Then, Perry White takes the stage... but, waitasec, isn't Lois on the phone with "Perry"?  At this point, Superman knows something's up.  He "supes up" and heads out... thrilling the crowd when they notice that he actually showed up.  In the skies above Metropolis, he runs into Wonder Woman, who informs him that the Khundian threat has been neutralized.  Ya see, Lois was really on the phone with Clark's associates in the League, asking them for a hand so he could enjoy his day.

And we learn that it wasn't only the League that came to help... it was damn near the entire superhero community... including, Deathstroke the Terminator?  Well, that can't be right...

Our next chapter features Superman telling a story about having battled Vandal Savage... during the fight, he is sent back in time... to the 1930's.  This whole tale provides a really neat opportunity to viably depict Superman in each of his eras/ages.  These are all (beautiful) full-page spreads which we spend the first few of in the Golden-Age.

From there, into the more sci-fi and fantastical Silver-Age.

Straight through the Bronze-Age, and into the Grim and Gritty Dark Knight Returns era.

Into the post-Crisis, and the Death and Return.

Skipping past today, and jumping right into Kingdom Come!

At this point in the story, Lois and Jon are becoming rather bored... and insist that Superman stop yammering and just blow out his candles.  Happy Birthday, Superman!  And yeah, there are eighty candles on the cake!

Our third chapter is a shorter piece, which opens with Maggie Sawyer trying to convince a man to release a hostage.  This fella, Mr. Davis, claims that there are voices in his head telling him to do bad things.

Even Mrs. Davis shows up to try and talk her husband down.  In a weird bit, he shouts back that it's too late for him... the voices won't let him fight back.  At the same time, however, he actually does release the hostage.  I dunno, maybe I missed something.  Davis is then shot with a rubber bullet.

Turns out Davis was being controlled... by Brainiac.  Superman narrates, claiming that Davis was able to fight off the suggestion... and we can see that this will be a constant struggle.  It's really all about the power of humanity... and it kinda just ends.  Really anticlimactic.

Chapter Four features a man having his car repaired.  Upon checking out the damage, the mechanic wonders if he'd hit an elephant.  The man corrects him, he actually hit a man... wearing red underwear (c'mon, you're better than that, Geoff) who later hung him up on a telephone pole.

The mechanic continues to survey the wrecked rig, and more or less tells the goof that it's totaled.  As he walks home, he runs into the same "elephant" he hit the night before.  They talk... and basically, Superman tells him to stop being a jerk.  The story ends with the fella deciding to "fix" his life... by soaking some children with a fire hydrant.  I think you can get fined for that... possibly added to a watch list too.

Our next chapter takes place at the Smallville Planetarium.  Superman has found Lex Luthor, who himself, has found a few odd bits... the Eye of Xotar and the Time Scissors of Chronos.  These things have the power to excise an entire genealogical line out of existence.  Lex kinda shrugs off Superman's accusations that he might use these to finally take him out.

Instead, he talks about Smallville's propensity for having a "fifth season" every year, coming between Winter and Spring.  He says that's when his father would be most ruthless... and as such, when he himself would spend most of his time at the Planetarium as sort of a sanctuary.

During one of these times, he tried sending an S.O.S. into space using the Planetarium's telescope.  He nearly perished in the attempt... having forgotten to heat up the nitrogen he used.  Lucky for him, young Clark Kent was there to give the assist.

Lex then comes clean... he did fetch the artifacts in order to kill Superman.  And get this, he does just that!  What's more, the story ends with both of them vanishing.  I guess without young Clark there to heat the Nitro... Lex wouldn't make it to adulthood himself.

Next story features Superman in the far-flung future... and I mean faaaar-flung future.  He is visiting... well, I'll bury the lead here because it's pretty obvious from the get-go, he's visiting the graves of his parents for the five billionth time (his words).

It's also the last time... because everything is about to end.  We learn that by drinking something called "eternity formula" Lois has been able to remain at his side for all these years... and Jon's still kickin' around as well.  The short story ends with everything being engulfed.  Not sure if these panels are the "end" for Superman, though, if it is... I'm not sure why he's at his parents' grave instead of with his wife and son.

Next up, Perry White gives Clark five minutes to write up a story about House Corruption.  While he's ranting and raving, Clark is distracted, his super-hearing has picked up some nearby distress.  A train looks to be going too fast to take a curve.

After "suping up", the day is saved.  Then, our old friend Bibbo is almost mugged by some geeks as he nonchalantly carries a bag of cash down a Hob's Bay street.  Superman saves him as well.

Then, some space junk threatens to hit the Earth.  Superman takes to (further up in) the skies, and busts it into more fun-sized debris.

He rushes back to the Daily Planet to type up his story... only to have Perry put it on the back-burner, so Clark can write about the story of Superman saving that train from derailment.  Wonk wonk.

Next, we're off to Action Land... which gives me a similar vibe to that Superman Pavilion we talked about... yeesh, FIVE-HUNDRED DAYS AGO.  That's half this site's life ago!  Anyhoo, we're being given a tour by a woman named Gspie... or, Ms. Gsptlsnz, if you prefer.

She takes some park-patrons on a tour of Superman's life history, including his arrival on the Kent farm!  From there, we get his association with other heroes of the DC Universe (not including the Legion of Super-Heroes, by the way), and even meet some of his rogues gallery (with an homage to the cover of a Bronze Age issue for good measure).

She then goes into spinning a yarn about Superman's final battle... with his greatest foe, Mr. Mxyzptlk... whiiiiich, kinda peters out.  Ya see, Mxy can't commit to an ending for this story... there are just too many options.

Our next story opens in a subway... where a man has a woman held at gunpoint.  Basically, over the next six pages, we learn that Superman is... in fact... faster than a speeding bullet.  It may seem like a cop-out, but there's really not much more to say about it.  We'll expound a bit more about this kinda thing in the "below".

Our final story, is kind of the "main event" of the issue.  It's Brian Michael Bendis' long-awaited debut... and it opens with a bang.  Superman is sent careening through the LexCorp building before slamming into the street below.

He then bounces into what looks like a seafood restaurant.  A couple of women try and drag him away to safety, but find he's wayyy too heavy.  At this point, the new beast on the block shows up!  Also, we get the first cute remark about the "red shorts".

Before the monster can lay into Superman, Supergirl shows up!  She proceeds to pound away on the beastie, but it's rather ineffective.

Inside, Superman pulls himself to his feet... amid more cute remarks about the "red shorts".  He is attacked once more by the monster, who finally introduces himself as Rogol Zaar... what's more, he claims to be responsible for the destruction of Krypton!

--

Okay, I'm going to break one of my own rules here.  I usually hate it when people start a sentence with "Am I the only one...?" or it's cousin, "Is it just me...?", but... am I the only one kinda done with the "Anniversary Anthology"?!  I mean, I understand why they do it... but, I just can't get excited for it.  There are only so many times I can read a "love letter" to a character before I just wanna get on with a story.

Perhaps that's unfair of me to say... I have read probably more than my fair share of milestone/anniversary issues, so maybe my "fatigue" isn't indicative of everyone else's.  I'll concede that that very well might be the case.

That said... whatta we got here?

Well, it's... definitely a lot of "love letters".  And again, I get why they do this.  I'd imagine creators were lining up for the opportunity to take part in this landmark issue... and, "anthological" love-letter stories is probably the best way to make them all fit.

If it were me though, and "love letter" was the route we were going, I'd have simply expanded upon the Tomasi/Gleason "Superman through the Ages" story, and shoved as many creators as possible in there.  I feel like that story was the strongest part of this package... and really made it feel like something special.  Everything else... and I hate to say it, kinda felt like back-ups that would've been stuffed in an Annual to eat up pages or something.

That's not to say any of them were bad, because they weren't... they just didn't say "Action Comics One-Thousand" to me.  I mean, let's look at the "Faster than a Speeding Bullet" piece... was that really necessary?  Six pages to prove that Superman is... faster than a speeding bullet?  Do we still find that sort of thing clever?  Again, it wasn't bad (and the Cassaday art was wonderful), but... Why?!  It ate up pages, that.. I'd have spent fleshing out that Tomasi/Gleason story, popping Superman into six more eras/ages.

And again... I know why they did it this way.  I just wish they hadn't.  Then again, I'm a bit of an odd duck, so it's quite possible you're all rolling your eyes at me right now.  The issue is worth checking out if for no other reason than the novelty of owning a (legitimate-ish) one-thousandth issue.  Despite my crowing, it's clear that the creators involved do have an affection and respect for the character, which is something I definitely can't balk at.  I wish we had some more nods to folks like Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin, Roger Stern and John Byrne in here... but, whattayagonnado?  For your convenience, this issue is available digitally... and even has a "Deluxe Edition".

And there ya have it.  One-Thousand Consecutive Days... Tens of Thousands of Images... over a Million words.  Not a bad little "body of work" for a fella who was just trying to overcome some academic writer's block back in January, 2016.  Worth mentioning, I recently discussed the "genesis" of this site on the podcast feed.  If you're interested, please feel free to check it out here:



It's been an unexpected pleasure to be able to share so much of what I'm passionate about... this blog has afforded me the opportunity to broaden my horizons, overcome some fears, and meet some really great people.

I'm going to level with you though... it isn't always easy.  I think I have it in my head where "milestones" actually mean something.  That might actually be because of comics... growing up in the 80's/90's... milestones were usually covered in sparkly-stuff, portraying them with a measure of ceremony and novelty.

I've approached every milestone here similarly.  I try and pick out something "special"... and, when I finish typing, it's almost like I expect trumpets to play and confetti to rain from the ceiling.  But, it's never really that way, is it?  It's just me, leaning back from my kitchen island and exhaling... for about a minute, before beginning to plan what's next.

Which, hey, is a pretty good segue to... What's next?

Ya see, that's a difficult question... because, honestly... I don't know.  I'll come right out and say it... if it isn't eye-meltingly obvious, I have an addictive personality.  The idea of breaking the streak... kinda gives me hives.  I've actually lost a great deal of sleep in the past couple of weeks trying to figure out what comes after today.  And here I sit... still, without an answer!

I guess we'll just play it by ear.

I want to thank everybody who has popped in from time to time... reached out, said "hi", "liked" and/or shared these posts on social media.  That's another thing that has been challenging, especially with these last hundred or so posts.  Folks have reached out to me of late to let me know they hadn't seen any of my tweets in weeks (that almost rhymes).

So, with Twitter "burying" my tweets, as well as the sheer amount of content that comes from our little corner of the internet, the sad reality is... if I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind.  I can't expect folks to keep up this site when there are so many others out there, if they don't see my spam... er, "heads up" tweets.

I think I've probably said everything I want to say for this one.  Once again, thank you to everybody... as cliche as it may sound, there's no way I'd have stuck with this for 1000 days if not for the support and friendship of the community.  It means the world to me.

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C'mon, couldn't even edit it to say "Bendis is Here"?!

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