Green Lantern (vol.3) #3 (August, 1990)
"Sound and Fury"
Writer - Gerard Jones
Penciller - Pat Broderick
Inker - Bruce Patterson
Letterer - Albert DeGuzman
Colorist - Anthony Tollin
Assistant Editor - Kevin Dooley
Editor - Andy Helfer
Cover Price: $1.00
You just know it's gonna be a great issue when the cover shows Guy Gardner getting socked in the mush.
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We open with Hal Jordan waxing philosophical about life on the road. He is currently on some sort of quest of self-discovery... to see just how much of "Hal" is him, and how much is the ring. He is attempting to hitchhike five miles outside of a town called Kudzu, when his inner monologue is interrupted by a befuddled Guy Gardner. He can't wrap his mind around how Hal would not use his ring to fly to his destination... he really doesn't get it. They share some of their "playful" back and forth before Guy shows Hal how to catch a ride... he hikes up his pant-leg, and lets a passing pick-up truck slam into him! Well, that's one way...
Later in a diner in the heart of Kudzu, Hal and Guy continue their conversation. Hal accuses Guy of not being able to accept that he is trying to make his way without using the ring. Guy appears to take this rather personally... and the discussion escalates pretty quickly. He tells Hal he could take him down without using the ring... which is apparently music to Hal's ears.
The duo leave their rings under the... ahem, watchful eye of a waitress, who later just refers to them as a "couple crackers"... and take it outside. This being a small... kinda backwater town, this is the best entertainment they'd seen in a long while, and so a crowd gathers to watch the event. Hal lands the first punch, bloodying Guy's mouth... Gardner kicks Jordan in the gut and follows up with a right hand to the jaw. As the fight rages, a pair of Kudzu-ians decide they'd seen enough fightin' today and head back into the diner... more on them in a bit.
The fisticuffs turns to grappling with Hal getting the better of Guy. He drops him on his belly and cinches in a hammerlock... threatening to break Guy's arm if he ever tries to butt in on Hal's pseudo-vision quest again. Just then, they are introduced to the Kudzu Sheriff... who offers them a... ahem, place to spend the night.
And so, Hal and Guy are hauled off to the slammer... where they share a cell. Hmm, maybe Kudzu only has the one... but, you'd almost figure that you'd try and separate the pair of dudes you just arrested for fighting. Anyhoo... here is where Hal and Guy really get to the meat of their issue... this scene is a personal favorite. Guy is taking Hal's "walk across America" as a personal slight against him. He sees Hal being his own man, as an indictment on his own inability to do the same. He asks what he is without powers... and instantly answers himself with "just another jerk". Hal looks at Guy... and tells him he's been at this far longer than he has... he lifts his right fist to punctuate his thought with a look at his... uh-oh... they never got their rings back!
The fellas both spring to their feet and try to get the Sheriff to let them out. They kind of beat around the bush as to why they need their rings... though, c'mon Guy is wearing his Green Lantern togs... Sadly though, it's all for naught... the Sheriff calls the diner to check on the jewelry, and we learn that the pair of rings have gone missing!
We shift scenes to Oa where the mad-Guardian, the Old-Timer has John Stewart held in something of a stasis. This was during the time when the Guardians and the Zamorans all left Oa to procreate... or something... leaving the Old-Timer (Appa Ali Apsa) all by his lonesome... where he's become quite mad. This is the start of the upcoming Mosaic storyline... and it's pretty great. Apsa decides to take cities from different planets and make a patchwork civilization on Oa to assuage his loneliness. He starts with a city on the planet Maltus.
Back in Kudzu we learn the whereabouts of the Lanterns' rings... it was those two fight-watchin' boobs from earlier. They're using their newfound super powers to construct such things as a chainsaw, a six-pack of beer, and a giant raccoon. Pretty inspired, no? Anyhoo... they head into town and decide to rob a liquor store. The Sheriff arrives on the scene, but dem boys first crush his cruiser then literally swat him away... with a fly swatter...
The Sheriff runs like a fool into the Police Station, where Hal and Guy overhear his plight. Hal sighs and tells the cop that he can put a stop to the emerald rampage if they are set free... and so, they are. They run into Billy and Jeff (dem boys) straight away... and are immediately locked into will-power combat. By focusing really hard, Hal is able to interfere with their ring constructs long enough to sock these geeks but good.
We wrap up later on with Hal and Guy walking on the highway outside of town. Guy still doesn't quite understand Hal's "mission" but appears to be more accepting of it... or at least accepting that Hal feels it's something he needs to do. Guy begrudgingly admits that Hal is the greatest of all the Green Lanterns as Hal continues on his path to wherever the road takes him.
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Amazing issue... if you're a Lantern-fan that thought this franchise was boring until Geoff Johns came along, this is a run that I'd encourage you to check out.
Hal Jordan was not "my" Green Lantern... well, not really anyway. I knew him, of course... but I kind of grew up with Kyle. I'd always heard (or read) that Hal was kind of stodgy and dull... which dissuaded me from seeking out many issues prior to #46 which tied in with the Reign of the Supermen... and kinda did the whole vaporizing Coast City thing. Probably about... yeesh, 15 years ago, I came across a run of early Volume 3 issues... and so, I checked them out. It was with this issue that I started to get Hal... what's more, I started to get Guy as well. Before this, he was just the douche with the bad haircut on the Justice League.
Speaking of the bad haircut... that's really my only complaint/observation about the art... Guy really is in full-on mushroom-cap mode here... it looks horrifying (though, of course... it's supposed to)! Otherwise, the art here is fantastic. The grizzled five-o'clock (more like eight-o'clock) shadow on Hal, to the yokels... to the Apsa and John scene on Oa... everything looks amazing. Broderick is such an amazing artist, it's always a treat to come across a book he's worked on.
Back to the story... Guy actually voicing his feelings of... I dunno, jealousy? Inadequacy? Whatever it was... was so great to see, especially as he tends to keep that side hidden. It makes sense for him to try and make Hal's "journey" all about him. He overcompensates for his insecurities with his pompous and off-putting ego. So, of course Hal is walking across the country as a personal slight against Guy's value as a human being, right? It's this kind of depth and character exploration that makes these issues such a blast to revisit. Such amazing stuff here.
I gotta say, I laughed a bit seeing Hal salivating at the thought of getting Gardner in a fair fight. You can tell he'd been chomping at the bit for an opportunity to whoop Guy's behind for years by this point. I also can kind of appreciate Hal's tired "I'm getting to old for this" face. If I'm remembering right, this story takes place some 15 years after Emerald Dawn... likely putting Hal somewhere in his forties. He's seen some stuff, and we can see that he has become fairly road-worn.
I was listening to a podcast with a fella named Thomas Deja... he compared this point in Green Lantern with a New York City Police Officer winding down toward retirement. Hal's been at it for years, and it's about time for him to consider "what comes next". Just as the aging police officer must as he approaches that magical "year twenty". I really like this theory, and I think he's pretty much on the money with his idea.
Now, to be fair... if I set my biases toward this issue/era aside... I can say that this is not a perfect issue by any means. I'm talking about "dem boys" ability to wield the rings... first, I didn't know that it was just as simple as slipping on the ring, and suddenly you're as powerful as Green Lantern... I thought the ring had to choose its bearer... and second, how did they get so good so quickly? I mean, you'd figure they'd just be spooing out green globs, however, here they are chopping down trees and constructing wildlife... pretty weird... but, as I'm wont to say, I'll allow it.
Definitely recommended... fans of Green Lantern new and old should acquaint themselves with the Gerard Jones run with Hal and the gang. Available digitally for your convenience.
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Danger Girl #1 (March, 1998)
"Dangerously Yours"
Pencils/Plot/Creator - J. Scott Campbell
Script/Plot/Creator - Andy Hartnell
Inks - Alex Garner
Computer Coloring - Ben Dimagmaliw, Guy Major & Justin Ponsor
Color Guides - Joe Chiodo & Martin Jimenez
Lettering - Comicraft's Dave Laphear
Editor-in-Chief - Scott Dunbier
Special Thanks - Sandra Hope
Cover Price: $2.95
Whattaya call an imprint of an imprint? Today we're going to be taking a look at a comic from the Cliffhanger! line of the WildStorm imprint... of Image Comics (shortly before it was owned by DC Comics, natch). Ay yai yai.
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We open with a bit of a recap from the goings on in Danger Girl #0. Abbey Chase loses the (elusive) Golden-Skull of Koo-Koo Diego to Donavin Conrad, noted scoundrel, as the Danger Girls are (unbeknownst to her) trying to track her down. The last issue apparently ended with Abbey driving a Jeep of a cliff. Hey, a real... ahem, Cliffhanger! Caught up? Good.
Our real open features a chubby man called Duncan on a beach talking to a fella by the name of Deuce via a pineapple video-phone thing. He assures Deuce that everything's cool... and Abbey will be fine... just as we shift scenes to her plummeting off a cliff in that Jeep!
She bails out before it lands with a kersploosh as we see Donavin celebrating his believed-to-be clean getaway with the Golden Skull. Abbey goes underwater and just happens across a harpoon gun! She fires it at Donavin's boat and hitches a ride. Hovering above, the Danger Girls look on and comment on what a mess Abbey has made.
Abbey climbs up onto the boat as Donavin continues to gloat... he's really quite a character. She socks the creep, as some fellas with Jamaican accents watch on. They open fire on the boat... fillin' that sucker full of holes. Abbey is afraid they're about to go under, so Donavin does what any man fearing for his life would do... makes a boob-joke.
Abbey and Donavin fight as the boat takes on water. Abbey kayos him (and his toupe) with a helluva kick. Just then a blonde on a rope ladder enters the scene offering our lady a hand... which she accepts, with reservations. Abbey, this mystery woman, and the Golden Skull fly off as the boat goes over a waterfall... and explodes!
Later, we meet a couple more members of the Danger Girls. One is a tall brunette in a catsuit, the other is a short-haired red head with glasses and freckles... clearly, the "accessible" or "approachable" member of this troupe. The pair are arguing over what to watch on television when Abbey and the blonde enter the room. The manner of dress for these characters is... ya know, gratuitous. Abbey's clothes are barely even hanging onto her body.
Next we meet Deuce. He's basically Sean Connery as James Bond. He details his prior exploits as... well, more or less James Bond. He had to leave Her Majesty's Secret Service due to the worst thing to ever happen... World Peace. Well, not really... but at this point there weren't many Communists or Nazis to fight, so he got laid off.
Now we get our proper introduction to Team Danger Girl as Deuce attempts to get Abbey to join up... Former Russian Intelligence Agent Natalia Kassle, Australian bullwhip artist Sydney Savage, Techie (heh) Silicon Valerie... and finally, our Lara Croft/Nathan Drake/Indiana Jones-ish Abbey Chase... well, if she decides to become a "Danger Girl", that is.
Later that night, we get... for lack of a better term, a Danger Girl pajama party. Valerie is in her jammies, and the other two are in various forms of undress. Outside, Abbey is chatting with Deuce... expressing reservations about becoming a spy for him. It doesn't take all that much coercing for her to change her mind... and so, she is given her first mission. She is to check in on a fella going by the name "The Peach" who is into stealing stuff from museums. Here we go from PJ party to dress-up, as Abbey changes into the naturally too-small costume of a French waitress. She heads in to plant a bug (in the form of an olive) at his table, and gets whapped on her fanny for her trouble.
Next... The Peach, well... eats the olive-bug, and murders the man he is dining with.
A shootout commences... which leads to a high-speed chase. Abbey hops into Sydney's car and they are now in hot pursuit. Syd is able to hop from their car onto the baddies' truck. One of the Peach's men hop onto the Danger-1... but gets ejector-seated (and subsequently run over by a truck) pretty quick. Abbey exits a tunnel and finds herself right in the cross-hairs for a pair of helicopters.
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Well, that was some ridiculous fun, wunnit?
Sure, it's silly... maybe a bit shallow, but damned if I didn't enjoy it. The concept in and of itself is pure nutty action movie fun. It embraces the gratuitous nature of both it's high-octane pace and the... ya know, attractiveness of the protagonists. I appreciate how it walked that line between taking itself seriously and embracing its exaggerated bits.
Before we get into the story... we gotta talk about the art. J. Scott Campbell is just... an amazing artist. I can understand if folks have reservations about his style, or his subject matter, but I think most of us can agree that this book looks phenomenal. Everything here looks great... the pencils, inks, and color. It really is a beautiful book in an era where too many comics were experimenting with computer colors and glossy paper to worry about making an actual "nice looking" comic book.
I first experienced J. Scott Campbell's art in, of all places, an issue of Nintendo Power. It was the second issue of my first subscription wayyyy back in 1989 (Issue #6, May/June, 1989 to be exact... I received my Nintendo for Christmas 1988). In the back of the issue, there was some concept art for a would-be (ultimate) video game called Lockarm... which was drawn by a... (15 year-old!) Jeffrey Scott Campbell! Pretty crazy, right? I came across my old trove of Nintendo Power back issues a few years back, and that's when I discovered/realized this. The internet, however, already seemed to know. In case you weren't aware, here is that page from the issue:
So yeah, big fan of Campbell's art. Whether it be here, Gen13, covers for Amazing Spider-Man, or wherever... it's always quite impressive, at least to me.
The story? Well, it's crazy over-the-top action... and, as I've said a few too many times already, it's a lot of fun. We don't really get to "meet" the cast just yet, outside of their specialties... besides the unfortunately named "Deuce"... who is pretty much a semi-retired 007. I'm not much of an action-movie kinda guy... or any movie, for that matter... I can't sit still long enough for any of that... so, I couldn't say if any scenes here are cribbing from famous flicks... I'll bet there was some inspiration taken though. Not a bad thing... or even a good thing. I suppose if you pick up on it, it's great... and if you/I don't, it doesn't really matter.
Overall, this is a neat little read... doesn't require all that much thought (and that's not meant as a slight in any way... we all need a bit of "mindless" entertainment every now and again)... the art is absolutely gorgeous... definitely worth snagging if you find it at a decent price. Issue #1 is available to purchase digitally at Comixology. If you're on the fence, Danger Girl #0 is also available digitally... and is completely FREE. I'd say it's definitely worth a few minutes of your time.
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WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #1 (August, 1992)
"Resurrection Day"
Co-Creators/Co-Writers - Jim Lee & Brandon Choi
Penciller - Jim Lee
Inker - Scott Williams
Letterer - Mike Heisler
Colorist - Joe Rosas
Color Separator - Digital Chameleon
Editor - Ruth Grice
Cover Price: $1.95
Before we got all Christmassy, we dipped our toes into the WildWorld of WildStorm... today we're going to return there to discuss the very first WildStorm book... that even predates the imprint itself! WildC.A.T.S #1 was part of Jim Lee's Image Comics "fiefdom", however... that fiefdom was called Homage Studios! Soooo, maybe we're covering this one on a technicality... but, ehh... whattayagonnado, right? This is where the WildStorm "lore" begins... er, began... er, whatever... so let's just get to it.
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We open in "the past"... 1980. Two Antarctic researchers are hoofing it through a snowstorm to follow up on a spike in their sensor readings. What they come across is a metallic sphere... which starts to glow. In a glow of pink light, a metallic and angelic woman appears with a warning... she needs the sphere... before it's too late.
We then hop to "the future"... 1992. There has been an explosion in Georgetown... neighborhoods have been vaporized! One of the bodies was identified as a dwarf by the name of Jacob Mar--. The same metallic woman arrives, but only for an instant before blinking out of sight.
Next up, "the present"... 1990. Here we meet Jacob Marlowe, a diminutive homeless man, who is sleeping among the refuse of the city... including a flyer for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios, and a box of X-Men (vol.2) #1's (the Magneto cover variant). He is awakened by a pair of sad looking gangbangers, who rough him up a bit... before our metallic friend, who we learn is called Void, arrives to pull his fat out of the fire. She informs him that he is in actuality one of the Lords of Power... and his real name is Lord Emp.
We now move to "today"... which means we're somehow back in 1992. Marlowe again wakes up in an alley... but this time it's due to drunkenness, not homelessness. He stumbles out of the refuse and after getting hit by a cab, walks into his high-rise office building. On the elevator ride up, his attendants clean him up a bit, and inform him that the company stock is on the rise.
In his penthouse office, he meets Void who tells him about a recurring nightmare she's been having. She is in combat with a masked man who wields the glowing Antarctic orb. Somehow this affects the fabric of time and reality.
The pair take a special elevator to the Danger Room Combat Training Room, where WildC.A.T.S team-leader Spartan is training with Maul and Warblade. We learn that they are training for a battle with "the Cabal"... and due to a goof-up in their drills, a disappointed Marlowe wonders aloud if he might be able to "afford a Youngblood or two". Psst, hey Marlowe... check the quarter-bins!
We shift scenes to a giant aircraft called the Behemoth. On board are several movers and shakers of the Cabal... including their leader, the head-flaming Helspont (who I think actually battled the New-52! Superman at some point!). To show what a bad-ass the Cabal are (as if the dude with both an eyepatch and a monocle wasn't enough!), we get a first-hand example of what happens to folks that cross them. Poor Alberto Cassini never saw it coming...
After their traitor is dealt with, 'Spont turns his attention toward a woman called Providence (oy). She warns that "the one he seeks" is close... which perfectly segues into our next Marlowe bit, where he meets with a character called "Gnome" about, well... the same exact thing.
This brings us to Georgetown, where we meet Cole Cash. He bellies up to the bar, and it seems like he's old pals with the bartender. He watches as the "night's entertainment" commences. On stage there is a beautiful dancer only known as Voodoo (hey, we know her!). Cash lights up a smoke, and we can see that he's not the only person paying attention to the dancer.
A blonde man in sunglasses approaches the stage... and we pop into Voodoo-vision. It seems as though she has the power to see things, well, differently than others. It's as though she's always wearing Roddy Piper's sunglasses in They Live... because she sees the blonde fella as a horrifying monster.
Just as "business" picks up, Cash rolls down his bandanna revealing himself to be the guy we all know as Grifter! In a humorous panel, he is mistaken for Shaft (Hey, watchure mou-- nonono, the one from Youngblood). He keeps mentioning a "Sister Zealot"... but, we'll get to her.
We get a brief peek at Marlowe's office, where the WildC.A.T.S are... well, watching the news report about the goings-down in Georgetown. That's really about it. Spartan suggests they head in... Marlowe needs some time to think. Okay... Anyhoo, back at the bar, Grifter has snagged Voodoo and is protecting her from the Cabal horde... which is led by a woman he says is of "the Coda". He fires a "load" from his "magnum" into her gut... which, well... it slows her down.
Thankfully, the C.A.T.S have arrived on the scene... but the only thing they accomplish is getting a gun jammed up to Marlowe's head. Good job guys!
Thankfully (again), this is when "sister" Zealot chooses to make her appearance. I could'a sworn she had long hair... guess I misremembered that... anyhoo, she greets her "brother Grifter" and nails Marlowe's would-be abductor with a chakram... boomerang thing.
With the threat neutralized, the group gets cozy. This gives that Coda woman the opportunity to activate a detonator which... blows up Georgetown... which, er... is that from the opening pages of the book... or is it blowing up again? Well, nevermind all of that... before we wrap up, we see Helspont talking to his benefactor... Dan Quayle? And, wouldja lookit that... he misspells "potatoes" as "potatos"... wonk wonk wonkkkkk. Really, Jim... this is how you end your first issue?
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Decent enough first issue...
Reading it today, I couldn't imagine that I would've been all that compelled to come back for issue #2... but, back in 1992... I did! WildC.A.T.S was the Image Comics title I decided to "stick" with. This is very likely due to Jim Lee's art, which was part of the package when I got hooked on the X-Men. I think, based on art alone, my friends and I saw this as something of a spiritual successor to the X-Men... or at least the Image book most like the X-Men. Thinking about that now... it's fairly ridiculous.
I'd forgotten just how "universe buildy" these early Image books were. We get several mentions of Youngblood and Cyberforce stuffs... we see the news reporter from Spawn... just so strange, considering how all the founders kind of splintered their universes into their own things. Asamattafact, I was reading the first few issues of Spawn earlier today... and there are some other-Image-y name drops there as well! Such a weird time in comics.
Now, for the issue itself... like I said, it was decent enough. We get a bit of an info and character dump... but it flows quite well (minus the how-many-times-did-Georgetown-blow-up? thing). We don't have much of a reason to care about these folks yet... or any real reason to hate Helspont... other than the fact that he's clearly the villain. Grifter and Zealot are definitely primed to be the breakout stars here... and that's fine... they're really the only characters (outside of Marlow) that get the most screen time... and they're the ones that get to do the cool actiony stuff.
Can't say all that much about the story... because not all that much happened just yet. We get some nebulous warning about timelines converging and what-not... we learn that Marlow is really a Lord of Power called Emp... not too much to go on. Nothing wrong with it... but not much to go on, and to be honest... it's been at least 15 years since I last read these books, and I couldn't tell ya how any of it shakes out. I will say that the ending here... with Dan Quayle... lame. Layyyyyyme.
Now the art... it's Jim Lee, so yeah... it's preeeeeetty damn good. Okay, it's really damn good. I will say, and I do not mean for this to sound creepy... but the crotches are just line-filled shapeless masses... just check out the cover. The character designs overall are quite nice. When compared to something like Youngblood... this looks positively inspired. There is no "Wolverine with elf-ears" here, nor is there a "long-haired Cable". These characters all look original... though with some borrowed styles of the day. I'm not sure who thought that weird head-stocking was ever a good idea... but the early 1990's were full of 'em.
The breakout character design has gotta be Grifter. It's a look that, to me, became almost instantly iconic. It's really one of the coolest designs to come out of the 1990's. It's instantly recognizable, and doesn't look like anything I'd ever seen before. He was, to my small clique... the "Wolverine" of the team.
Overall... this is a tough one to give a "for" or "against" toward. It's interesting in that "Image opening salvo" kinda way... but, it's doubtful that any of these stories still matter anymore. The art is great, and the story is... fine. If you're down for some early 90's action, you could do far worse.
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