Batman #273 (March, 1976)
"The Bank-Shot that Baffled Batman"
Writer - David V. Reed
Penciller - Ernie Chua
Inker - Frank McLaughlin
Editor - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $0.25
It's the Underworld Olympics '76! That's gotta be fun, right?
--
The American Bicentennial is approaching, and as such the Gotham Colonial Minutemen Corps is preparing to play out a reenactment of the Revolutionary War. During this rehearsal in particular, it would appear that some of the "Red Coats" swapped out their prop Howitzer Cannon with the real-deal. Oh! They're using real bullets too, so there's that. The scene ends with the Union Jack being planted in the "war zone"... something Batman sees via the Justice League Satellite.
The next night, Batman and Commissioner Gordon scan the scene for clues... but come up empty. Elsewhere, points are being tabulated for... the Underground Olympics '76... the, what now? Anyhoo, the Revolutionary War reenactment scheme scored the European Team a cool 20 points. In an adjoining room, the Europeans meet up with the Liaison Man (there's a sweet name!) to discuss their next caper. A couple of dudes named Paolo and Boris take point.
The next day Bruce Wayne is toiling away in his office... signing some stuff. By the way he's talking about it, you'd figure he was digging ditches up there. On the ground level is a bank, where Boris and Paolo are dropping off some things for their safe-deposit box. At that very moment, a robbery takes place!
Upon hearing a bit of machine gun fire, Batman suits up and swoops in. He's able to wrangle all the baddies but one... but, that's okay... Batman thinks he recognizes the one that got away with the loot. Back at the European Team Headquarters, the Olympians are quite annoyed that one of their boxes was swiped... turns out, they need them all for the coming caper.
Across town, Batman is doing a bit of reconnaissance on slippery bad guy, Speed Durkin who is meeting with his regular fence, Simon Hakes... with a bunch of random safety deposit boxes! He swoops in to shut down the exchange... but gets nailed from behind with an iron bar. Before he can get his wits about him, the attacker leaps out the window.
We return to the European Team Headquarters where they are celebrating the return of the missing safety deposit box... thanks to Boris Chomsky! Now they have everything they need to proceed with their Olympic plan.
Back at First Gotham Bank, Batman and Gordon are meeting with manager Mr. Haines. He's making the apology call tour... and is informing a particular client that his safety deposit box was stolen. Batman listens in on the extension, and they're both a bit puzzled to find that the owner of the box (Paolo, in this case) doesn't seem too terribly bothered by the loss.
The next day, Bruce Wayne watches while Boris and Paolo drop some more boxes off at safety deposit... and so, that night... as Batman, he starts searching the vault. He finds bits of machinery stowed in each one, that when put together forms the stolen Colonial Cannon... and an artillery shell.
A few hours pass, and the European Team returns to the vault. Batman is still lingering, and uses his Bat-stethoscope to listen in. He makes a call to Alfred to watch for any ballistics emanating from the bank. Moments later, the Europeans fire a shot into the sky.
Batman beats up the baddies before Alfred guides him to the approximate landing site of the artillery shell. He arrives at Standish Hill just as Boris and Paolo are digging it up. He beats them up as well.
We wrap up with the Underworld Olympics Council deducting points for the sloppy European caper... and Batman getting a new addition to his trophy room... eh???
--
Welp... didn't much care for this.
It feels like something went over my head here. I really didn't understand the point here. The European Team switches out a cannon... hides the old cannon in pieces at the bank vault... then sets to fire an artillery shell from the bank vault to the hill they swiped the cannon from? Wha--? What was the point of all that?
Yesterday we read and discussed a Superman comic from around this vintage and I was pleased at how "low-stakes" the entire deal was... but this, while relatively low-stakes (minus all the murdered Revolutionary soldiers) was just kinda boring, and confusing... I really didn't dig it.
Not a whole lot more to say, unfortunately. I was hoping a story featuring the "Underworld Olympics" would have been a bit sillier... perhaps a bit more engaging. What I got instead felt a lot like filler. Probably not worth tracking down, though your Bat-mileage may vary.
--
Letters Page (featuring a very unfortunate name...):
--
Interesting Ads:
643
Superman #277 (July, 1974)
"The Biggest Game in Town!"
"The Pizzeria Peril!"
Writers - Elliot S! Maggin & Martin Pasko
Penciller - Curt Swan
Inkers - Vince Colletta & Frank Giacola
Editor (and Creative Coordinator) - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $0.20
Here's one that's haunted me for a little while. It's got quite a striking cover... actually, many of the "The Amazing World of..." covers are really neat. Anytime I've come across this one in the wild, they're asking at least $5.00 for it.
These days, I'm not sure what kinda comic I consider "worth a fiver"... I'm tentative anytime I'm asked to spend actual "folding money" on a back-issue anymore! As luck would have it, I happened across this sucker in a 75-cent bin just yesterday... and plopped it right on top of my "read pile".
Was it worth the wait? Let's find out...
--
We open at a V.I.P. airstrip at what I assume to be Metropolis International Airport where Clark Kent and Lois Lane await the arrival of big game hunter (and former Daily Planet reporter with the hots for Lois) Ted "Pappy" Mailerway. Fella's been known for vanishing without a trace for spans at a time (sometimes believed to be dead!)... only to return with an amazing scoop. This return, however, was expected... hence the hub-bub at the airport. Mr. Mailerway ain't a fan of crowds and swats at the waiting reporters with his cane. Superman swoops in to yank him from the thick of it.
Mailerway is irritated, complaining that he didn't need Superman's help... to which, Superman replies that he only intervened to save the reporters from him! He drops him in an alley, where he slips into a disguise. When Pappy exits the alley, he finds he eluded all of the reporters... but one.
Clark Kent introduces himself and requests an exclusive interview. Pappy appears to dig the cut of his jib, so he invites him into his cab. He says that he's only planning to stay in Metropolis for a single day... and that he's looking for his biggest game yet. Holy Kraven the Hunter, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
As the cab makes its way through the big-city traffic, Clark notices (via his telescopic vision) that a water main has broken in the distance. He covers his exit by heat-visioning the cab's radiator and sneaking out under the cover of steam... and proceeds to save the day. What he doesn't notice is Pappy also exits the cab, and provides aid to the sopping wet Metropolitans. Watching Superman "do his thing", ol' Mailingway notices a striking similarity between the Man of Steel and the nosy reporter he'd just shared a cab with.
After the torrent is tamed, the pair return to the Daily Planet offices... where they are immediately approached by goofball Steve Lombard. He rushes toward Clark with designs on "playfully" tackling him. Knowing that would result in many many broken Lombard bones, Clark hits him with a puff of super-breath... sending ol' Steve into Pappy's path. We see that Pappy's made of some pretty stern stuff here, as Lombard's tackle is rather ineffective. Pappy proceeds to pummel the fool with his walking stick. Let the punishment fit the crime!
Turns out that perceptive Pappy might've noticed the super-breath usage... and he's just about to theorize as to Clark's alter-ego, when Morgan Edge pops his head out of his office to send the pair of 'em to the circus where some tigers have been released... and enraged! On the van-ride over, Pappy is able to share his theory with Clark.
Upon arrival, Pappy pops out of the van and heads straight for the wild beasts... knowing that Superman would have to save him, which would validate his claims that the Man of Steel and Clark Kent are one in the same. Well... Superman does swoop in to save the day... but was also quick enough to duck back into the news van before Pappy could return.
Well, Pappy's visit is over... seems hardly worth the trip, to be honest... and we're back at Metropolis International. While Clark and he wait for his private jet to be prepared, Pappy hops off the observation deck... knowing that Clark would have to quick-change into Superman to save him. What he doesn't realize is that there's a pile of mail sacks stacked below... allowing him to land safely. Whoops. Ya see, though... this doesn't disprove anything. His whole thing would be null if he saw Clark and Superman at the same place at the same time... here, he fell... and Superman didn't show his face, but Clark was still there. If anything, this might've emboldened his belief... while also making Clark look like kind of a jerk. Also... wouldn't landing on a pile of mail, ya know... still hurt? Hell, it might've even killed him!
Anyhoo... our episode of Three's Company ends with Pappy on board his private jet doodling on the latest edition of The Daily Planet... and wouldn'tcha know it, he doodles a pair of specs on Superman's face. Dun dun dunnnnnn....
We're not done yet, folks... it's time to take a peek into The Private Life of Clark Kent! We open with Morgan Edge telling Clark that he's been working too hard, before giving him a week's vacation. And so, Clark excitedly heads home to pack for... Kandor, or something... when he gets a knock on the door from, oi... Steve Lombard... who asks if he could move in for a little while while his place is being redecorated. Clark, being the milquetoast boffo guy that he is, agrees.
Steve's not done dropping knowledge on our man just yet, however... there's more! Steve's aunt, the famous mystery novelist Kaye Daye is also coming for a visit. It isn't long before Clark realizes that Steve's fulluvit... and asks for the straight dope. Steve admits that he's worried about his aunt seeing his swinging bachelor pad... and figures Clark's more... muted apartment would be a better look.
Aunt Kaye arrives... and boy is her stomach empty. She's looking for munchies... and yeah, that's how she asks for food. Anyhoo, they order a pizza, which in 1974 dollars costs $4.50. Kaye notices that the delivery boy looked pretty jittery, and thought it was odd that he was joined by a creepy-looking dude. Wouldn'tcha know it, when they open the pizza box, they find an S.O.S. spelled out in cheese. Wow, that's some mighty stable mozzarella! I'd figure my tool of choice for "pizza writing" would be pepperoni or peppers!
Aunt Kaye, being a mystery writer is excited at the prospect of following this lead... and so, the three of 'em head out to Giovanni's Pizzeria. Kaye insists that weakling Kent remain outside as a "lookout" while she and Steve head inside. Steve burst through the door, and gets his butt-kicked. Kaye follows, and proceeds to swing her pocketbook around like a lunatic.
Clark realizes that the Lombard-kin are woefully under-qualified to take down a Pizzeria cabal... so he heads inside. Not being able to quick-change into Superman (because... reasons?) he puts on the ol' Clumsy Clark act... bumping into things, causing havoc... you know the drill.
The day is saved, thanks to the Klutz, and Aunt Kaye drags Steve back to his sleazeball pad by the ear. Wonk wonk....
--
A couple of sitcom-Superman-stories here... but, ya need that every now and again. Had a lot of fun with these low-stakes sillies.
It's always so fun to check out these Bronze-Age stories, where priority-one always seemed to be "protect the secret identity"... and everything else (even saving a nosy dude's life) is secondary. I wonder if this is a result of these bits occurring during one of the first generations of fans-turned-pro. I feel like things like "secret identities" might've tickled the fans a bit more than the creators back in the early days... though, I might be projecting. If that's the case, I suppose it might stand to reason that the focus on fan-turned-pro-written stories might be protecting the secret.
I don't think I'd have minded Pappy coming back every now and again as a foil for Clark/Superman... but from what I can find, this appears to be his sole appearance. I could be wrong... though, my normal quick-and-dirty research haunts indicate the same thing. It's too bad, as I feel like they could've gotten more mileage out of him. There's also the eluded to Lois/Pappy relationship that could've been further explored too!
The back-up story was another low-stakes silly bit of fluff. Not a bad thing... I actually quite enjoyed it. The ending left a little bit to be desired, but the lead-up with Lombard barging in, and Aunt Kaye suggesting the weaker Clark stay outside while they barge in on the baddies was a lot of fun.
Overall, I'd say if you come across this one for a buck or two, you're in for a great time. As I've mentioned (a few times by now) these are low-stakes, no "end of the world" threats... just fun stories, and sometimes that's more than enough!
--
Letters Page:
--
Interesting Ads:
642
Power of the Atom #5 (December, 1988)
"Comings and Goings"
Writer - Roger Stern
Penciller - Dwayne Turner
Inker - K.G. Wilson
Colorist - Nansi Hoolihan
Letterer - Bill Oakley
Assistant Editor - Renee Witterstaetter
Editor - Mike Carlin
Cover Price: $1.00
Since my comics library is still in shambles post-move, let's skip ahead a bit in the Power of the Atom run and see what we've got.
--
We open with Ray sitting atop a phone in C.I.A. Agent (?) Everett Bailey's office. Man, I skipped ahead a few issues hoping this C.I.A. stuff would have passed by now. Anyhoo, the next few pages consist of Bailey attempting to get the Atom on board... and Ray declining. This entire scene builds to one final panel... where, after the Atom scrams, Bailey makes a comment implying that he might've had something to do with Operation Fireball... which, was that mess in Brazil.
We shift scenes to an opulent home in San Clemente, California... and we're in for another page of talking heads. One of the fellas here (we'll find out exactly who he is in a bit), receives word that the Atom turned down Bailey's offer... and he's pleased.
Next stop, the Justice League International's New York Embassy, where Ray direct-dials right into Oberon's lap. After an awkward introduction, Ray is given the quick and dirty about what's been going on with this "new League". In a cute bit, Ray asks what's the deal with Captain Atom taking his name. Their chat is interrupted by the entrance of an excited Maxwell Lord...
... who assumes Ray is there to join the League! Of course, the Atom, being the independent fella he is, declines. Max tries to sweeten the deal, but no dice. Ray heads outside, and finds himself having a half-dozen microphones jammed in his face.
Ray shrinks and flees the scene... however, those fellas in San Clemente catch the entire thing on television. The more nefarious of the two tries on his new glove. Remember, we'll find out exactly who this is in a bit... and boy-howdy, will it be underwhelming!
We shift to a diner in Manhattan where Ray is trying to get a bite to eat while keeping his identity on the down-low. I should probably mention, thanks to the book that was written about his life (we saw that in the trunk in issue #1), his dual identity has been revealed. He kinda regrets that, but... ya know, he was planning on living among the Katarthans for the remainder of his days, so what'd he care at the time, right? While reading the paper, he sees a piece on Ralph and Sue Dibny... and decides to check with him to see how he deals with having a public identity. And so, a few direct-dials later... and we're in Florida.
Ray and Ralph head down to the docks to meet up with Sue. We learn that the Dibnys are on the trail of some... bird smugglers. Ray asks Ralph how he deals with his public persona... and learns that he actually quite likes it. Being a show-off... and having a pretty loud personality, he doesn't exactly shy away from publicity. Fair enough... but, probably not the answer Ray was looking for.
The trio boat out to a cargo ship, and the Atom and Elongated Man hop on board. While admiring the smuggled birds, a bad guy enters... gun drawn. The heroes make quick work of him... and the rest of the baddies.
With the day saved, Ray and the Dibnys stop at a cafe... where the latter two are asked for their autograph. Ray is pleased... but a bit disappointed, that the kid doesn't ask for his. Ralph tells him he can't have it both ways...
We wrap up back in San Clemente, where our nebulous baddie reads about the bird-smuggling dealie in the Society pages of the Los Angeles Standard. He recognizes Ray alongside the Dibnys... then, suits up. Hoo-boy, lookit this... he was Chronos--The Master of Time, the whole... time!
--
Yawn.
Here's an issue that I feel peaked with the cover. By looking at that, you'd almost think the story was going to be fun! Instead it's a few pretty boring conversations, and a lackluster, one-sided and overlong fight scene on board a ship. Plus, the C.I.A. subplot is still ongoing... eesh.
I couldn't imagine reading this book from month to month and maintaining any sort of excitement for it. It just feels like nothing much happens. The Chronos reveal at the end here was underwhelming... to the point where I wasn't sure if I was meant to take it seriously. Though, I did get a bit of a giggle when he dumped his "cartoony" joke costume in favor for an even worse one! I don't think I was supposed to receive the scene that way though... oh well.
The scene at the JLI Embassy was probably the highlight here. It was pretty neat having Ray learn a bit about the "new" League, just to contrast it with the one he was a part of. It didn't veer into the deep-end of bwah-hah-ha... but it didn't have to.
The art here felt a bit uneven... some of the faces were a bit on the homely side. The first time we saw Ralph I had to assume he was doing some sort of facial contortion... because, woof. The cover is great though!
Overall... I'd say unless you're an Atom or Justice League International competist, you can safely skip this one and not miss a whole heckuva lot.
--
Letters Page (Featuring Uncle Elvis!):
--
Interesting Ads:
641
