Infinity Inc. #1 (March, 1984)
"Generations!"
Writer/Editor - Roy Thomas
Co-Plotter - Dann Thomas
Penciller/Co-Designer - Jerry Ordway
Inker/Co-Designer - Mike Machlan
Colorist - Anthony Tollin
Letterer - John Costanza
Cover Price: $1.25
Going to check in on a series I never really read... but somehow find myself having quite a bit of in the ol' library. It's JSA: The Next Generation in Infinity Inc.
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It's Christmas Eve and the Justice Society has come together for a meeting. Before the current chairman, Hawkman can call the session to order, a foursome of colorfully clad superhero types burst through the double doors. They insist they are the Society's newest members. Hawkman and company are visibly confused.
So confused, in fact, that a battle breaks out. I mean, these youngsters didn't burst in and threaten to kill the JSA... they offered to join them! That matters not, and the Society pounces into action. The fight is hardly competitive, and before long the foursome find themselves bound by Wonder Woman's lasso. Here we learn that the female among the group is Hippolyta Trevor... the daughter of Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor.
The Society demands their new captives take off their masks... though only one of them wears a full face mask. Now we discover that the newbies are Nuklon, the Godson of the original Atom... Silver Scarab, the son of Hawkman... and Norda, who has some link to Hawkman.
The oldsters read them the riot act, and advise them that they won't be needing their services. Doctor Fate soon pipes up as the lone voice of reason... why wouldn't the JSA want to bring in some new recruits? Three junior members of the Justice Society, including Robin, the Huntress, and Power Girl agree.
Hawkman continues stubbornly contesting their taking this foursome in, and Robin suggests they put it to a vote. The youngsters agree to abide by the decision of the vote, and are shuffled off into a side room to await the result.
We now get a bit of "alone time" with the gang... and they take the opportunity to recount their secret origins, starting with Hector Hall... the Silver Scarab. He discusses how absent his parents were during his youth, always fighting crime or out on archaeological digs. He enrolled in UCLA and while there ran into a face from his childhood. (Hippo)Lyta Trevor.
Lyta continues... she discusses being raised on Paradise Island and being named after her grandmother. As she reached adolescence, she sought to take over for her mother as Wonder Woman. Her parents tell her that won't be an option until she graduates from college. As we know, she opts to attend UCLA... and she recounts that during her tour she saw a certain seven-and-a-half foot red-haired boy playing basketball.
Hector resumes... he discusses his and Lyta's budding romance, and the night they decided to go all the way... and become superheroes. Hector shows her his Silver Scarab costume, which we learn is made of ninth metal. Here Lyta decides to take on the code name, Fury.
After giving us a brief recap on Nuklon's origin (he's got "bad genes" or something), Al recalls meeting with Hector and Lyta a few days earlier. They tell him that they're planning on doing the hero thang, and convince Nuklon to throw in as well. After which, he heads off to the restroom and gives himself a ridiculous looking mohawk.
Last up, we hear from Norda. Hawkman discovered a hidden city in Greenland called Feithera which was comprised of bird-people. The footnote tells us that this occurred in 1946... wow. Anyhoo, Carter brought a friend with him to live among the birdfolk for a time. In that time... well, I guess he fell in love... or got lonely, because next thing we know we've got a half-human, half-bird abomination is hatching from an egg!
Checking in with the Justice Society... the vote has come down to the wire, seven for and seven against. It is up to the chairman, Hakwman to make the deciding vote. The Star-Spangled Kid informs our gang that the vote is in... and it's not the one they were hoping for.
Suddenly another couple of newbies enter the scene. They introduce themselves as Jennie-Lynn and Todd... and claim to be the children of Green Lantern, Alan Scott!
So they all gather around the conference table and proceed to rationally talk things out. No, no... none of that... we get another fight... albeit a short one.
It doesn't last long... and as the dust settles, Silver Scarab considers the possibility that the Justice Society just might not be for him. He and the gang take their leave... only to be joined by Jade and Obsidian.
The junior members of the Justice Society are pretty peeved by what they'd just experienced, with Huntress and Power Girl ultimately deciding to walk out. Robin and the Star-Spangled Kid attempt to reason with the gals, but it is to no avail.
Now we go from a JSA that was positively bursting with members... to a team that is two members short. Seems like the perfect time for a super villain to strike! Enter Brain Wave... to be continued...
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Well... this was a pretty good issue, however, I can't help but feel it could have been a lot better. Not that I expected a whole lot more than the introduction of the new team or anything... which we did get... I dunno, the whole thing felt kind of disjointed and for lack of a better term, weak.
We were beaten over the heads with just how old the Justice Society members are here. They called the Infinity Inc'ers everything short of "whippersnapper" here. I mean, we get it... the Society has been around for awhile... but the dialog here just really drives that point home, in an unnatural and forced kinda way.
The fact that they didn't recognize these kids... in some cases their kids... is really quite silly. Outside of Silver Scarab, none of them are wearing terribly obscuring face masks. This whole bit just didn't sit right with me. Speaking of not sitting right... why would the JSA turn away perspective pledges? Especially those who are part of the biological or figurative bloodline? Just seems strange. I would imagine they'd be real keen on taking on some younger members... as for no other reason, it would allow some of the senior members to perhaps retire.
I did like that the JSA turning the Inc'ers away caused a schism in the ranks, with the younger crew doing a little walk-out. It would stand to reason that they would see the value of injecting new blood... being as though they themselves are new blood.
I suppose if we are going to do an origin info-dump, the "let's reminisce while the old folks vote" scene was as good as any to take care of that. I really dug seeing some of Hector and Lyta's early days recounted, being as though my only real experience with them is from Neil Gaiman's Sandman. This was a neat way to fill in some blanks.
We also learn that Green Lantern has a pair of children he never knew about. Ruh roh... you'd figure Alan would wanna keep these two around to get to know them... or at least find out who their mother is!
Overall... not a bad initial outing. Though the conflict feels contrived, and the dialog is a tad bit old-fashioned, it's still a decent enough read. This is a series I definitely want to continue tracking down.
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(Not the) Letters Page:
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Batman #416 (February, 1988)
"White Gold and Truth"
Writer - Jim Starlin
Penciller - Jim Aparo
Inker - Mike DeCarlo
Letterer - Agustin Mas
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Editor - Denny O'Neil
Cover Price: $0.75
Once upon a time... one Robin met another. Today we're going to go back in to the early post-Crisis era to check out the first meeting of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.
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We open on a rooftop with Robin (Jason Todd) gazing into a skylight window. Inside is a cocaine lab with a general assortment of shady folks lingering about. What Jason does not account for is that security is top among this drug den's priorities. He gets sucker-punched from behind and winds up falling through the skylight into the lab below. The baddies, as you may assume, do not take kindly to interlopers.
Luckily, young Jason had himself something of a guardian angel on this night. The rooftop bouncer soon plummets into the lab, thrown in by Robin's predecessor... Nightwing.
Rather than starting a bruhaha, Dick just tells the gang to stand down. He apologizes for Robin's transgression, and tosses a wad of bills at the boss... which should cover all the damages made. He grabs the new Boy Wonder by the elbow and proceeds to drag him out... despite Robin's protests to the contrary.
Ya see, Robin struck this particular den a day too early. There were no drugs in the house... yet. They were set to deliver the following day... at which point, Dick assumes they will bug out and find new digs to process the powder. In other words, Robin screwed up his sting. No Drugs = No Bust. Dick tells Jason to go home and tell Batman how bad he bungled things tonight... then tells him that he will talk to "Bruce" in "the cave" the following day. Jason is shocked to find that this Nightwing knows Batman's secret identity.
The following morning we join Jason and Bruce in the middle of their daily workout. It is here that Bruce informs Jason that Nightwing was in fact his predecessor. Bruce does not appear to be all that thrilled that Dick is going to pay him a visit. Jason heads off to school, and Nightwing arrives in short order. Bruce comments that it annoys him that Dick still appears to treat the Batcave as though it's his home.
Dick and Alfred have a brief reunion before our "main event". I gotta say, it starts out preeeetty chilly.
Nightwing removes his mask, and begins what is perhaps his first true man-to-man talk with the man that raised him. He wants to know why Bruce has enlisted a new Robin. Batman seems incredibly displeased with the conversation right off the bat (pun!). He faces Dick and implies that he owes him no such explanation. It's really quite powerful, and we haven't even gotten to the "big" stuff yet.
Dick reminds him of what they'd been through together over the years, including the time he (Dick) was shot in the shoulder by the Joker. That was the event that kinda knocked some sense into the Batman... where he realized that he was endangering the life of a child in his war on crime.
It was after this encounter with the Joker that Bruce dumped Dick as a partner. To which, Dick decided to finally leave home. With only a bit of cash Alfred had "forced" on him, he went about living life. He enrolled in college, though was unceremoniously asked not to return after only a single semester... he worked with the (old) Teen Titans... he adopted a new identity... and is the leader of the (New) Teen Titans. He's been a rather busy boy since leaving the manor.
Dick continues... he expresses disappointment that Bruce himself never told him about the new Robin, instead he found out while reading the newspaper. Again, he asks why Batman took on a new sidekick... and again, we get no reply.
Dick demands Bruce take off the "damn mask" and tell him why he kicked him to the curb, and then took on another boy sidekick. Man, I hope my commentary doesn't ruin the flow... but, the first time I read this, I got a bit goosebumpy.
Bruce tells him the only reason he "fired" him, was because he'd already learned everything Bruce might have taught him. This really sets Dick off, as it appears as though young Grayson is seeing patterns in Bruce's M.O. where he always hurts the people around him before they have the chance to hurt him.
As for the new boy, Bruce recounts Jason's (post-Crisis) origin... stolen Batmobile wheels and all. He talks about Jay's self-destructive tendencies, and makes the rather bold statement that by taking him in, he just might have saved Jason Todd's life. A-hem, 'fraid I got some baaad news, Bruce.
Dick sees right through this, and calls Bruce out on it.
Bruce seems incredibly rattled by Dick's call of "B.S." After a moment of silence, he fires back... he claims Gotham is too big a job for just him alone. Again... and this is great... Dick calls him out.
What follows is an amazingly powerful page. Bruce lashes out, smashing a glass table. He finally breaks down and admits... that he brought Jason in because he was lonely. He missed Grayson. Dick reaches out, however is stopped. Bruce asks him to please leave... and so he does.
We jump ahead to the evening. Nightwing is camped out on the rooftop of the new drug den. He is shortly joined by his successor. Dick suggests the two of them team-up on this caper, and even gives Jason his last (and largest) Robin uniform. More importantly, he gives him his phone number. He knows what it's like to be a Robin... and he wants to be there if the kid ever feels the need to talk... or vent.
It isn't long before they witness the drugs being delivered... and then it's time to kick butt. They make extremely short work of the gang members and even partake in some witty banter as they do so.
We wrap up with the Boys Wonder shaking hands and celebrating a job well done. What neither of them notice is they are being watched... by the Batman, who for the first time in this issue, perhaps the first time in a long while... cracks a smile.
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Damn.
Damn damn.
This was one helluva comic book. I mean, I expected it to be good... but to say it exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. This is such a wonderful examination of the Bruce Wayne / Dick Grayson relationship... all leading up to Bruce admitting that he experienced something of an (heh) empty nest syndrome when Robin "flew the coop".
I appreciate there being a contentious relationship between Dick and Bruce. There is that concept that familiarity breeds contempt... and with these two... they were the only other person with which they could relate on a deeper level (in the post-Crisis anyway). On a personal level... you know like there are those times you can joke around with your boss... like you're real pals? Then suddenly something comes up... rank is pulled... and you're back to being a subordinate? That's kind of how I look at Bruce and Dick's dynamic. Bruce can (and will) "pull rank".
Now Dick has grown into his own man. He assembled and leads the Teen Titans... and he's even gone so far as to shed the Robin identity. Not only is he an adult, he is someone that Batman sees as an adult. Having Dick call Bruce out on his BS excuses for taking on another sidekick was such a powerful scene. You'd figure someone as smart as Batman would realize when he can and cannot get away with lying.
The bits between Dick and Jason were also great. You really get that big brother-little brother feel... which I think is the best way to play it. I really like how it seems that Dick feels a measure of responsibility for the welfare of his successor. I dug Dick giving Jason his number... hell, I swear I'd read an entire issue filled with nothing more than a phone conversation between the two of them. You gotta figure they've got a whole lotta Bat-venting swelling up inside of them.
This is definitely one of the best comics I've read since starting this blog... nearly a year ago, jeez! I'm not sure if it's collected anywhere, but as luck would have it... DC's got it up on their digital site. This gets one of my highest recommendations.
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Teen Titans (vol.3) #89 (January, 2011)
"Bruised Egos"
Writer - J.T. Krul
Penciller - Nicola Scott
Inker - Doug Hazlewood
Letterer - Sal Cipriano
Colorist - Jason Wright
Editor - Rachel Gluckstern
Cover Price : $2.99
So, ya say Damian is in charge of the Teen Titans? Nah... never happen.
Today we're gonna discuss an issue from such a bright time in Titan's history... from the criminally short-lived J.T. Krul run. One of the worst casualties of The New 52! initiative. Ever since Geoff Johns left this title, thirty-some-odd issues in, the Teen Titans were put through the wringer. The team routinely fell apart... team members routinely died, sometimes gruesomely bloody deaths... the book just really turned to garbage. J.T. Krul's arrival was like stumbling upon an oasis in the desert. The addition of the ridiculously talented Nicola Scott... and dammit, you've got an awesome Titans run goin'.
Anyhoo... this is the tail end of the pre-Flashpoint Titans where Batman (who is currently Dick Grayson) decides it may behoove young Damian to spend some time with folks closer to his own age. Let's hit it and git it...
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We open at the Silicon Valley Tech Expo. There is a young man with a hoodie... and strange circular burn marks on his head. He is joined by a man in a suit, who appears to be his handler. At one of the exhibits, a man is giving a demonstration on robotics... which, for whatever reason seems to rub our hoodie-wearing friend the wrong way. He grabs him by the wrist... which somehow allows him to make the robo-pieces levitate... and the man falls limp.
Meanwhile at Titans Tower... the gang meets, the new boss? Batman, who is now Dick Grayson, has decided to drop off his new Robin, Damian Wayne so that he can learn both the value of being a hero... and working as a member of a team. He, of course, assumes he's there to lead the team... which is great. Right out the gate, he threatens to "fire" Beast Boy... unless he ever comes across the need for a talking chipmunk, that is!
It should go without saying that Damian is something of an unwelcome presence at the Tower this day. Kid Flash and Ravager joke about his diminutive stature... which nearly causes an all-out brawl. The tension is only diffused when Bart nyoinks his Robin-a-rang away.
Cassie pulls Batman out into the hallway to "talk". She really isn't feeling this new team member, and... perhaps projecting a bit... claims not to be the Bat-babysitter. Dick pleads his case... which, honestly... shouldn't even be necessary. I mean, if Dick Grayson talks to you about Titans business... you kinda just take him at his word, right? Cassie ultimately relents, and Dick drops the tot... much to Damian's dismay. He feels as though he's being punished for something or another... though Dick assures him this is all in his best interest. Ravager overhears the exchange, and razzes the Boy Wonder a bit for it.
What follows is a brief cameo introducing an incoming character. Seems there's something of a tradition among Titans creators, where they get to introduce new members. For Krul it's Solstice. She actually makes it into The New 52! version, although she hardly resembles this bright, shiny, hopeful version.
Back at the Tower, the Titans are engaging in a bit of R 'n R... all except Cassie and Damian. Cassie is busy following up on some research with the help of the Justice Society of America's Dr. Mid-Nite, and Damian is... ya know, brooding.
Brooding, until he notices a bit of a hub-bub going down at a nearby Silicon Valley convention center. Wondy gathers the troops, and Raven 'ports them into the thick of things... but not before we have an interesting exchange on parentage between Robin and Ravager. Their dynamic during this era is a ton of fun.
At the Tech Expo, the Titans confront their spotty-headed man. Robin runs directly at him without thinking... and almost gets splatted on the floor for his impetuousness. Gar shifts into a pterodactyl and pulls who we believes to be an innocent bystander out of harm's way... but we astute readers will recognize him as the hoody-guy's handler.
The baddie unleashes a burst of energy. He then uses his powers to form all of the wreckage robotage into a swarm of insects.
This manages to keep the Titans busy for a bit... however, the distraction is enough for Raven to sneak up behind the baddie and 'port him to her "safe place".
While there, they have a bit of a heart to heart. The young man introduces himself as Barney. Raven assures him he has no need to fear, and that he doesn't need to be alone ever again... finally earning his trust. So of course, when they return to the real world... Robin socks him right in the mush.
Which proves to be a pretty bad idea indeed... Barney bursts with energy before fleeing into the San Francisco sky.
When the dust settles, the Titans stand around Damian with "Smooth moves, ex-lax" looks on their face, while the lad looks bewildered. To be continued...
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I get so mad reading these issues... just knowing that we are less than a year away from DC flushing it all down the turlet. This was such a great time for the Titans! We had an amazing creative team in Krul and Scott, and... man, we had the history. The characters had bonds to one another... there was lineage... inter-connectivity... just a great cohesive little corner of the DC Universe.
When this initially came out, I was still a bit on the fence about our young Damian Wayne. It wasn't until I saw him jawing with the Titans that I really got him. I love his back and forth with his new teammates here... threatening to toss Beast Boy off the team, and telling Ravager he'll take her other eye... so good! The very fact that he walks into Titans Tower and just assumes he's there to lead the team is amazing. The big "reveal" that Damian would join the team (in Teen Titans #88) was great as well. Maybe I'll get to that one someday.
Upon rereading this, I was a bit disappointed when the team jumped into action. I was hoping for more of the interpersonal stuff at the Tower... however, the action half of this book is absolutely vital to setting the stage for Damian's learning a thing or three about what it's like to be a part of a team. Loved the ending!
Actually... strike that... loved the entire thing! This really felt as though it was going to be a Titans Renaissance... and honestly, if not for The New 52!, I bet it would have been. Krul's writing here is spot-on, and Nicola Scott... c'mon, she's just a gift. Definitely among my top comics artists going today. Criminally cut short... but immensely enjoyable while it lasted. Definitely recommended.
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