Justice League (vol.2) #40 (June, 2015)
"Darkseid War, Prologue"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Pencillers - Kevin Maguire, Phil Jimenez, Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins, Jason Fabok & Jim Lee
Inker - Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins & Scott Williams
Colorists - Brad Anderson & Alex Sinclair
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Amedeo Turturro
Group Editor - Brian Cunningham
Cover Price: $3.99
Remember Convergence?
Is this thing on?
Yeah, Convergence was pretty underwhelming... however, there was this one week where a few running-late ongoing DC Comics found their way into our shipments. One was an issue of Superman (vol.3), and the other... was the one we're going to be discussing today! A true hidden gem, this issue of Justice League finally gives us the updated History of the DC Universe!
Let's get right down to it!
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We open with the promise that worlds live... and worlds die, and suddenly my ears perk up! Is this really a New-52! book? The cycle repeats over and over again. We zoom in to take a closer look... and see one of the survivors of the Amazo Virus trying his hand at superheroics. He's shot... and as he lay dying, he (and we) meet our narrator... Metron!
He gives us the quick and dirty on the attempt he made to keep the peace between New Genesis and Apokolips... which, from how often it's told must've been the most important thing to happen on either planet... ever! We're, of course, talking about the son-swapping event. Highfather sent his son Scot(t) to live on Apokolips, while Darkseid sent his son Orion to live on New Genesis.
Metron pats himself on the back for prompting that pact to be made. War was averted... and the universe/multiverse was able to roll along. That is, until something else happened... something nobody was prepared for. Crisis on Infinite Earths?! I ask again, am I reading a New-52! book?
Our trip down memory lane doesn't end there though... since the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths, there have been several more attempts at rewriting reality... including Zero Hour: Crisis in Time, Infinite Crisis, and even... Flashpoint?! Metron continues, claiming that even up to today... reality hasn't completely stabilized!
Speaking of today, we join the Justice League as they battle with Parademons... presumably on Apokolips. Elsewhere, Metron approaches a man he greets as "Mobius", though we know him better as the Anti-Monitor.
Ol' Mobius doesn't take kindly to being called by his "real?" name, and fires a blast in Metron's direction. Since he's seated in the Mobius Chair (hmm...), he is left unscathed. The Anti-Monitor reminds Metron that at one time he himself sat in that chair... which is an interesting wrinkle.
They discuss the Anti-Monitor's motivations... last we saw him, he had destroyed Earth-3 (again)... something which "cracked open" the Multiverse, leaving it easily exploited by others... like Brainiac's Convergence! Anti-Monitor isn't impressed... and suggests that Brainiac isn't worth worrying over... he's just collecting data.
Metron, still worrying about the fate of the Multiverse... Mobius Chair insight, and all... he dips back into his bag of tricks, and suggests a pact between the Anti-Monitor and... Darkseid.
Welp, sometimes going to the well once too often is futile. Metron suddenly gets blasted with red energy... and as he lay smoldering, the Anti-Monitor informs him that he isn't looking for peace... in fact, a war with Darkseid is exactly what he's looking for.
He then proclaims that the Age of the New Gods is done (again), before introducing us to his partner in crime... the daughter of Darkseid?!
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So... everything happened? Like, everything everything?!
Well, I probably don't have to tell ya, this is the first time in half a decade where I really felt as though I was "back" with DC Comics. I first dipped my toe back in with Futures End, hopeful that it would somehow end with a return to tradition... a return to legacy. While that series kinda under-delivered... and the Convergence event that followed was nothing more than a blatant time-killer to facilitate DC's move from coast-to-coast... this one issue of Justice League told me everything I needed to know.
I'd go so far as to suggest that had The New-52! started with a similar bit... many of us disenfranchised "seasoned" DC Comics fans would have been okay with things. Just the acknowledgement that... yes, Crisis happened... yes, there was a DC Universe before the Fall of 2011. The adherence to the idea that from Justice League (vol.2) #1 (Nov, 2011) forward everything was NEW... except that... and this... and that... and maybe this too... turned a lot of us off.
I've gone down this path before, but once more... I, personally, want to know that the comics in my library "matter"... they "happened". I don't want to be condescended to with "Those books are still on your shelf" or "Nobody's ripping up your old comics"... I want to feel as though my quarter-century-plus investment in these characters (and companies) is appreciated... and that folks like me are not being tossed out with the bath water. This single issue of Justice League told me... yes, those stories that shaped my understanding and love of DC Comics still happened. The New-52! is simply the next evolution... and, had it been made clear from jump-street, I'd like to think I'd have been okay with it.
Now, onto the story itself... because, there was one! I run kinda hot and cold on the New Gods... and, if I'm being honest, I tire of them only being brought back under threat of destroying them. There doesn't feel like there's a status quo for the Fourth Worlders... it's just "Here are the New Gods... watch them die... until next time." Well, that and son-swapping.
The wrinkle with the Anti-Monitor having once sat in the Mobius Chair (hell, it looks like he's its namesake!) is a really cool way to tie things together. I don't want to go too deep into the Darkseid War epic... other than to say, it's really long... maybe we'll take a look at that later on.
Overall... this might be the most "must-have" issue from The New-52! era... at least from a history and 'splaining things standpoint. Definitely an issue I recommend tracking down, even if you're not interested in the pending Darkseid War.
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Teen Titans #26 (March-April, 1970)
"A Penny for a Black Star"
Script - Bob Kanigher
Art - Nick Cardy
Editor - Dick Giordano
Cover Price: $0.15
Welcome to a we-e-e-e-eird time for the Titanic Teens. No longer acting on their own as a force for good, they now answer to the enigmatic Mister Jupiter! Well, least that means we'll be getting some Lilith!
As you read along, keep the story title in the back of your mind... it turns out that it's a bit of a play on words. Though, perhaps I'm just thinking too hard.
Let's get to it... and while we're at it, let's meet Vox, er... Guardian, um... Hornblower... ehhh, ya know, Mal Duncan!
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We open with the Teen Titans, though here they're dressed more like Challengers of the Unknown... or, with those collars maybe like the SuperFriends Wonder Twins. They are being led through the darkness by a robot named Angel, before being sent through a string of death-traps!
The team emerges safely from the terrifying obstacle course, entering into Mr. Jupiter's strange office... through some holes in the wall. Really don't like seeing a bunch of holes in a surface... makes my skin crawl. Anyhoo, Mistuh J tells the Teens that they were never in any real peril, and informs them that they've all "passed". The second-half of this assignment is to... well, that's for the kids to find out, it seems. He hands them each a shiny penny, and sends them into Hell's Corner (which, I'm assuming is something like Hell's Kitchen... and I'll very likely use the terms interchangeably from this point forward!
The confused kids leave Mr. Jupiter's office, and try to wrap their heads around just what in the hell he expects from them. Suddenly, Lilith pipes in with the idea that they use the penny to find... a black star! Lilith, you're babbling again. Turns out she briefly tuned-in to a psychic message... which, is kinda cheating. Thought these "street clothes" Titans didn't use their powers... maybe Lilith doesn't count.
The Teens finally arrive in Hell's Corner... where they find a young girl selling cups of lemonade for... a penny each! Well, ain't that a fine howdoyado? The thirsty Titans all pony up their pennies... when they are descended upon by super-tough street gang... Hell's Hawks!
These geeks try to shake the poor girl down for a "kickback" of her profits. I mean, c'mon guys... she's selling lemonade for a penny a pop! Anyhoo, the Hell's Hawks proceed to kick over her lemonade stand, and knock the drinks out of the Titans' hands. Wow, these guys mean business! Hawk... that is, Hank Hall clenches his fists... until Dove reminds him of their secret shame.
Flashback time! Ya see, last issue the Titans failed to save the life of the most important Peacenik on the planet Earth... Dr. Arthur Swenson. Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination occurred just a couple of years earlier, and I would assume that this was DC's answer to it. Anyhoo, it was after Swenson's passing that the Titans swore to never again wear their costumes... or use their powers. Gotta wonder how somebody like Robin or Speedy "stop" using their powers. I mean, Robin's just a smart acrobatic kid... and Speedy can fire arrows. Is Speedy just never going to pick up a bow again? This new status quo doesn't really take... which isn't really a surprise.
Back on the street, the Hell's Hawks go to grab the gals... and, get this... the frickin' Titans allow it! Are you kidding me? Wally actually holds Roy back from intervening because... they're "down". Down with what, jackass? Wonder Chick getting molested? Well, to be fair... it also seems like Donna's down with it too... lest they act, and another Peacenik drops dead! Remember the old saying, "Every time a Titans balls his fist... a peace-loving man dies!"
Well, luckily that doesn't apply to neighborhood do-gooders, like... hey, it's Mal Duncan! It turns out that the lemonade girl is actually his little sister, Cindy! He hops to and starts beating up the baddies.
The Titans, who are still standing their twiddling their thumbs realize... hey, if we don't step in, this Mal is gonna get bum rushed. So, finally... we get some Titans fighting. I counted about ten punches, which likely means ten Peaceniks just bought the farm. When the dust settles, the Hell's Hawks have flown the coop... and Mal leaves with his sister. Lilith suggests that they haven't seen the last of him.
Now, without their shiny pennies, the Titans realize they're going to need jobs! Donna and Lilith break away to apply for a gig at a dress shop... and it turns out these groovy chicks are pretty good at slinging outfits.
Nearby, the fellas are approached by a coordinator for a local "boy's club"... like an after-school program to keep kids (boys and girls) off the streets. He asks if they're willing to work long hours for crappy pay... and boy howdy, are they!
That evening, the Titans share a meal with the club coordinator... and Donna has her first taste of Soul Food... delicious! The Titans learn that the next day will feature the club's big boxing matches... more on that in a bit.
That night, a brick-wrapped-in-a-note is hurled through the window of the boy's dorm. It's a warning for them to go back where they came from... and threatens that perhaps next time, instead of a brick it'll be a Molotov Cocktail.
The next day is the day of the big boxing match... turns out this year's feature bout pits our new friend Mal Duncan against... Storm from the Hell's Hawks! Now... okay. We've got the Hell's Hawks, right? Real no-good jerks... who would steal pennies from a little girl. Now we learn that they hang out at the Community Center? Wha--?
Mal kayos the crud with the quickness... to a mixed reaction.
... and after the bout, the Titans save him from a beat-down in the locker room. Looks like at least four more Peaceniks just bit the big one!
Donna suggests they celebrate Mal's victory with "a little rock"... didn't think crack-cocaine was really a thing back in 1970. Okay, okay... she means the music. Mal has a different idea... and so, he takes them to The Cool Cat Club for some smooth jazz and dancing.
While there, Mal engages in a little bit of projection... until Lilith asks if he's down for a dance.
While they shake-shake-shake, Wally suggests to Donna that they invite Mal to join their Mr. Jupiter brigade. After all... they spent a penny, and found themselves a... ahem... black star. Mal doesn't take to the invite right away, but comes around before the night is through.
He runs through the same death-defying obstacles that his new pals did, and passes with flying colors. He's certainly earned his Challengers' leisure suit. That night, after spurning Hawk's advances, he remains awake... wondering if he's made the right decision in joining up with these weirdos. After all, he's just a kid from Hell's Corner.
Over the next few days, we get a bit more insight as to what Mr. Jupiter hopes to accomplish... and boy does it seem pointless. He's planning to send an unmanned spaceship on a one-way trek to Venus. Why? Who knows. Why does he need the Titans for this? Again... who knows. Mal gazes longingly at the spaceship as lift-off fast approaches.
The night before lift-off, Mal sneaks out of his dorm. Lilith catches him in the act, but lets him go. He heads toward the spaceship... but why?
The lift-off is set for the following day... and it's a success! Well, until they learn that their unmanned ship is currently... ya know, manned. Our man Mal reports in... saying he'll provide "human reactions" for Mr. Jupiter's data. Which really doesn't sound as useful as he thinks.
We wrap up with the Titans promising to find a way to bring him back. If only they lived in the same universe as Superman... oh, wait.
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Toldja it was a w-e-e-e-eird time for the Titans!
We've got a little bit to break down here. This issue has the same cover month as the first iconic Green Lantern/Green Arrow "relevant" era book (April, 1970). So many folks attribute DC's leap into social relevancy as a result of that O'Neil/Adams run. Let's look to the Titans though... this issue (#26) deals with the fallout of a Peace Demonstrator being assassinated (in issue #25/February, 1970). Could the Titans have been the super-secret-start of the "relevant era" for DC Comics? We don't really hear about the Silver-Bronze Age Titans outside of "zany Haney" references... but, who knows?
Anyhoo... today we meet Mal Duncan... and he gets blasted to Venus his first time out. This sort of reminds me of that EC Comic that was almost banned by the Comics Code Authority for featuring a black astronaut. The Code would be relaxed about a year after this issue hits the stands (1971)... gotta wonder if DC got any odd flack from the CCA for this one.
It's also worth noting that Mal was sort of a "one and done" here. Wonder if DC had to compromise with the CCA to even do the story to begin with! Like, yeah... "we really want to introduce a black hero... but don't worry, he'll only be around for one issue." Man, the early-CCA era was a strange (and awful) time.
The "threat" (if we can call them that) of the Hell's Hawks was as silly as it gets... literally stealing pennies from a little girl... and kicking over her milk-crate lemonade stand to boot! Still find it hilarious that these menaces to society take part in the Community Center sports appreciation day.
I hinted at it during the synopsis... but it's really hard for me to muster up feelings of urgency for some of these stories. Yeah, Mal's been blasted to Venus... maybe one day we'll see him again. Or... or... or, maybe we call Superman and in about eight-seconds, we've got Mal back? I dunno. Guess maybe the street-clothes-Titans vow doesn't allow them to use anybody's powers?
Overall, this issue was a blast... had a great time with it, silliness and all! Nick Cardy draws some absolutely beautiful faces here, and is always a treat. Well worth checking... and has been collected in SHOWCASE Presents Teen Titans, Volume 2. Give it a look and get relevant with the Titanic Teens!
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Letters Page (featuring Alan Brennert):
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Action Comics (vol.2) #41 (August, 2015)
"Hard Truth, Part One"
Story/Script - Greg Pak
Story/Art - Aaron Kuder
Colors - Tomeu Morey & Hi-Fi
Letters - Steve Wands
Assistant Editor - Andrew Merino
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $3.99
We haven't talked much about DCYOU here on the humble blog. By the time I took up the digital-pen, the initiative was barely limping to the finish line.
I've mentioned in past discussions of The New-52!, that it felt like DC was pulling something of an "Ultimate Marvel" with their entire line... but, I gotta say... these books never felt more "Ultimate" than they did during DCYOU. In their attempt to look "with it", it seemed as though DC went further and further out of their way to prove just how out of touch they really were.
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We open with a de-powered, beaten, buzz-cutted, bare-chested... and rather chilly Superman shambling out of an Alaskan field onto a highway. He makes his way to a convenience store to buy a shirt... and burrito. He notices that a Superman-logo t-shirt is on clearance, likely a result of the big secret coming out. Wha--? Clark eats a burrito, actually satiating his hunger for the first time ever.
Outside, he approaches a pair of friendly-looking Alaskans and offers to buy their motorcycle. The incredulous fella tells him it'll cost him eight-hundred bucks... and is shocked to find that our man is able to peel that much off with ease.
Clark drives away, when a bunch of young rubelettes from inside recognize him as Superman. The goobers give chase, and lucky for them, their target hasn't gone far... just across the street to a Motel. They proceed to jump the former Man of Steel... but get their clocks cleaned for their trouble.
At this point, Superman realizes he just might've outstayed his welcome in the near-Arctic... so he hops on the motorbike and putt putts his way back to the east coast. Along the way, he eats some corn! He also comments on how his life has been ruined since his secret was made public. Fired from The Daily Planet and sued by all sorts of folks.
Arriving back in Metropolis, Clark is surprised to see that a block leading to his old neighborhood has been quarantined. The officers tell him to "turn it around", before one recognizes him as Superman. They draw their guns on him... until a stand-down order comes across on the walkies. Further, they're told to allow him to pass.
The next two pages feature a rather unfortunate Twix ad with a creepy humanoid synthetic robot... or something. In the slim bits of the page that actually feature comics, Superman is reacquainted with a very Bohemian-looking (and apologetic) Jimmy Olsen. Clark tells him he doesn't blame him for what happened.
Jim brings him around the corner, where it's a party in Kentville! I guess Clarksville was already taken. Anyhoo, this is Clark's old neighborhood... and a place where Superman is still celebrated as a hero. Women still love him, kids aren't scared of him... it's a pretty nice place, if you're Superman.
While Superman play-wrestles with some kids we're introduced to a short-lived L.L. in his life, Lee Lambert of the Fire Brigade. I remember feeling like this was kind of forced... and a couple of years later... yeah, it still kinda feels that way.
As they flirt each other up, an emergency call comes over Lee's radio. Without much thinking, Clark rushes into action. It takes him a bit longer to get to his destination... plus, he's gotta be a bit more creative about the path he takes. Remember, he's somewhat depowered at present. He finally arrives to confront this Gozer-looking creature. After wrapping his cape around his fist, he socks the shadow-beast.
Off to the side, an officer passes the information along to... somebody. He notes that, while depowered, Superman is still much stronger than a normal human.
With Superman occupied for awhile, the order is given to... burn down Kentville!
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This isn't a bad issue... nor is it a bad story. To me it's not really a Superman story... but that's okay... I doubt very highly that it was written for me either.
It feels like over the past few comics-reading generations (if that's even a "thing" anymore) we've written off concepts as "silly"... among them, the secret identity. Not sure why all of a sudden we're too cool for that... but, here we are letting just about the biggest cat out of the bag. I thought it was a bad idea than... and still do today. I've gone on at length in the past... it's just one of those genies you can never fully put back in the bottle. Sure, you can wipe memories of the people inside the books... but, we readers now know how such a thing would pan out. We know how everyone would react. There's no putting that away.
There's also this ridiculous (at least to me) notion that superheroes need to be relatable. Superman's supposed to be... young and cool? Hell, how many comicbook readers are (or ever were) young and cool? This smacks of rattling the chains of an audience that doesn't exist. I look at this cover... and it's a nice cover... but I think to myself, would a "young person" even give this a second look? And, let's say they do... what happens when they look to the left and see that it costs four-dollars? I don't think it matters how "relatable" the character is at that point... they probably have a better use for their four-and-change.
Not really sure where this rant is going... I probably ought to reel it in. Well, maybe a bit more. I know I've mentioned this... either here or on the podcast, but I have a theory that most kids picture Superman as being their father's age when they start reading. I don't ever recall wanting Superman to be "my" age (or God forbid, younger)... for that, we had Superboy! This "look" they're going for here would make for a really good Superboy! But... it's not Superboy. Thankfully, post-Rebirth, it's not Superman either.
With that disjointed ramble out of the way, let's talk story. Superman's been outed and depowered... but how? Well, ya gotta pony up another four-bucks a month for that, kemo sabe. It's all well and good though... working our way through a mystery isn't a bad thing. His homecoming is... odd. He meets a new L.L. who I have a sneaking suspicion was supposed to become a love interest had DCYOU panned out the way DC hoped. Then he fights a shadow-beast. The story gets Superman where he needs to be, so I can't fault it. It flew by, while at the same time didn't feel decompressed... which is a testament to the creative team.
Speaking of the creative team... this Aaron Kuder is pretty phenomenal! Just wonderful work here. From beating up baddies to eating an ear of corn... this was a very pretty book to look at. I wasn't sold on his Bohemian-Jimmy, but whattayagonnado?
Before we call it a day, a bit more on DCYOU, since I'm not sure if we'll be talking about it again anytime soon. I remember when the solicits came out, a lot of eyebrows were raised (mine included). It seemed like DC was using a shotgun to look for an audience. Everything had this kind of "pinch" of relevancy... but, there was an undercurrent of non-commitment. It was easy to look at the upcoming books and know which ones were going to be supported... and which ones were going to get the ol' Marvel "they were always meant to be miniseries" line of bullcrap two-months down the line.
I mentioned during the preamble that DC seemed rather out of touch throughout this era. This was the year of Convergence and DCYOU... now, when was the last time any of us thought about either of those things? I mean, even looking at some of the ads placed in these books... a Grayson ad with "You don't know dick" as a tagline... a Justice League of America (by Bryan Hitch) ad that uses the buzzword "widescreen" as a selling point. Widescreen comics? That was a big deal in the late 1990's... fifteen years before these books! What the hell was going on?
Okay, okay... I'm done. Apologies for the rantiness today... I guess sometimes it just happens. Even with all my gobbledy-gook, I still think this is a fairly decent story... even if I don't like it as a Superman story. At this point, it might be worth a pull just for the novelty (and the amazing art).
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