Action Comics #434 (April, 1974)
"The Krypton Connection!"
"Zatanna's Double-Identity!"
Writers - Cary Bates & Elliot S! Maggin
Pencillers - Curt Swan & Dick Dillin
Inkers - Vince Coletta & Frank McLaughlin
Editor - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $0.20
Being a comics collector who has no thoughts of ever "striking it rich" by selling my collection, it's sometimes fun to come across books that have a "story". Sometimes it's an issue with a mail-away that's been filled out by kid in the 1960's... other times, it might just have the owner's name written on it somewhere.
Hell, I've got some oldies where the newsstand proprietor (I assume) crossed out the cover price and wrote in their own! I'd imagine for "pristine" collectors, this would be mind-bogglingly frustrating... but for a fella like me, I think it adds a bit of character to the book. You can tell it's "been around". You can imagine that it's been on various newsstands... in various collections... it's just an interesting thing to think about (or maybe it's not... and I'm just a lunatic).
Another bit of "character" I don't mind seeing is... the old subscription crease. The book we're discussing today has one (though, it's pretty slight). I think this is so cool... this copy was actually mailed out to someone who might've been anxiously awaiting their next issue of Action Comics. I'm probably just projecting... but, it's still pretty cool to consider!
Anyhoo... let's get to it!
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We open with Superman returning from rather a busy hour indeed... he's been all over the world saving lives and, ya know, Super-ing. Upon return, he runs into a garbage truck that has transformed into a crazy tank that attempts to rob a bank (rhyme!). Worth noting, it's very apparent that Superman is being watched by a pair of folks who know about his dual-identity. In fact, they've planted a trap for him in the form of a gift at his office at the Galaxy Building!
Superman takes on the tank... which is said to be armed with an "ultimate weapon" specifically made to, well... kill Superman. Before Superman can land his first blow, however, the "weapon" is atomized by an unseen Super-ally. Superman's just as confused as we are.
He deposits the tank-guy into the back seat of a nearby police cruiser before heading back to his office. It's confirmed that the pair of observers were responsible for taking out the "ultimate weapon" because, had they not... it would have very likely killed Superman. Yeah, right.
Back at the Galaxy Building, Clark Kent enters his office to find two odd items on his desk. The first is a rifle... the other, an innocent-looking box of chocolates. Clark picks up the rifle first, which sets off a psychedelic light show! We (and he) soon learn that this was a gag gift from Steve Lombard... a toy rifle that is triggered by body heat. Uh-huh.
With Lombard gone, Clark begins chowing down on his chocolates... the first bite, however, gives him a terrible toothache! Lois overhears his agony and insists he visit the dentist.
Luckily, her dentist is in the next building over. While Clark is being tended to, Lois realizes that the receptionist is the very same girl who delivered the box of chocolates! Realizing she knows too much, the gal zaps Lois with a forget-me-pen thing... there's definitely something sinister at play here!
Lois returns to the Galaxy Building... insisting that she hasn't seen Clark all day... despite Jimmy Olsen having seen them just leave the building together.
Back at the dentist office, it's revealed that the pair at play were Dr. Xadu and Zeda... Phantom Zone criminals! We get a bit of their quick and dirty origin, including their first run-in with Superman... as a boy, where he left them on a Red Sun Planet or somesuch.
Superman is told all of this while under the gas... and warned that they'll next strike when he least expects it. Clark wakes up grabbing the dentist by the collar... and it's a totally different dude! It's as though Dr. Xadu was never there at all.
Clark apologizes (good thing he didn't unwittingly kill the doc!) and heads back to his office. He sits at his desk and thinks about an upcoming project... one in which, he begins destroying the world!!!
That's not all folks... we've got some Action-Plus to take care of. We join Ollie and Dinah in the former's office as Zatanna strolls in and plants a big kiss on the Emerald Archer.
As you might imagine, this doesn't quite sit well with the Pretty Bird... and so, she storms out. Before she leaves she insists Ollie "sort this out"... and so, he decides to take Zee out on the very date he and Dinah were preparing for. This will hopefully give him enough time to figure out how to break whatever "spell" Zatanna is currently under.
The date was to view a demonstration for a burglar-proof bank... which, naturally, draws the attention of some would-be burglars. Green Arrow and Zatanna spring into action... with Zee accidentally transforming one of the nogoodniks into a wolf. Before resorting to her magics, however, Zatanna was acting very much like Black Canary... using Judo and whatnot.
After the dust settles, we learn that this whole thing was a giant mistake. Earlier, Zatanna was fighting off some criminals... and used her magic to give her Black Canary's Judo skills... only problem there is, her spell was "Zatanna become Black Canary". This gave her not only Dinah's Martial Arts skill... but her attraction to Oliver Queen as well! Oops.
We wrap up back at Ollie's where Dinah has kicked in his door looking for the home-wrecking Zatanna. Ollie explains everything... and it's apologies all around. Wakka wakka wakka.
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Man, we sure get a lot of story for two thin dimes, don't we?
I gotta admit, when I saw this cover... I wasn't expecting the story that we get here. I figured it would be a silly story (which, I mean... there is some silliness here), and very low stakes. What we get instead is Superman implanted with a post-hypnotic suggestion to destroy the world!
The way they go about this is... again, silly... but at the same time, kinda genius! The Phantom Zoners already have Superman off his game by inflicting him with a kind of pain he'd never experienced before. You gotta wonder what might've been running through his head... were his powers going away? Was there Kryptonite in the candy? I mean, I'm glad we didn't actually see all of that play out... because this would've been stretched into a six-part story, but it's neat to let your mind wander a bit.
The opening bit with the tank was a bit "ehh", but it does give the issue a bit of action. Seems like they always tried to make sure readers got at least a little bit of action every issue... can't really fault'em for that. I think we let this tank driver off a bit easy though... if his "ultimate weapon" was really strong enough to kill Superman, that probably should be investigated further, no? On the subject of "weapons", though of the far less "ultimate" variety... Steve Lombard's amazing technicolor rifle was a cute (and dumb) bit.
Overall, a fun opening story... with a pretty killer cliffhanger. Which brings me to my usual complaint about books with back-up features... they totally take the impact away from the cliffhanger that comes before it. By the time I was done reading about Ollie's night out, I'd all but forgotten that Superman is about to attempt to destroy the Earth. I mean, that might just be an indictment on the strength of the cliffhanger to begin with... but, I still think it would have had greater impact if the book just ended there.
Not that I have a problem with getting more bang for my buck (or dime)... but, maybe pick a month where we don't have such a big cliffhanger to pop a wacky Three's Company back-up behind the feature.
Now that isn't to say that the Green Arrow story was bad... because it was pretty fun! The action bits were a bit "ehh", but the interactions between Ollie, Dinah and Zee more than made up for it. Worth reading, to be sure... but I'm still a bit bugged that it took away from the impact of the lead-off story.
In the shell of a nut, an issue worthy of any fan's Bronze-Age library. A relatively rare for the time "to be continued" story... and one that I'm really looking forward to continuing. It doesn't look like this bugger's been collected nor been made available digitally just yet. The back-up, however was collected a decade or so back in the (likely out-of-print, but not impossible to find) Green Arrow/Black Canary: For Better or Worse trade paperback.
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Green Lantern (vol.3) #0 (October, 1994)
"Second Chances"
Writer - Ron Marz
Penciller - Darryl Banks
Inker - Romeo Tanghal
Colorist - Steve Mattsson
Letterer - Albert De Guzman
Assistant Editor - Eddie Berganza
Editor - Kevin Dooley
Cover Price: $1.50
It's been awhile since we discussed Zero Hour... it's actually been just about a year! I meant to cover this issue right afterwards, as it feels like it could be the sixth chapter (#-1?) of the event... but for one reason or another, never got around to it.
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Spinning right out of Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #0, Ollie just shot Hal in the chest with an arrow... while Kyle had him in a full-nelson. Turns out this sent both of the green guys into the timestream... or "outside of time" long enough for the universe to be recreated. Either way, they wind up on Oa... and they start'a fightin'.
Hal pulls away, knowing that Oa might just be what the doctor ordered... he can "recharge" here, and go back to trying to make everything "right"... only problem is, it's not working!
Hal frantically pounds into the ground... realizing he cannot access the power since he has no battery nor ring. Kyle uses this distraction to sock'em in the mush with a construct... cyber-glove-thing. Hal is sent flying... and lands, as luck would have it... right next to Kilowog's charred remains.
Hal's guilt really starts to eat at him here... he wishes he'd have just one more chance to fix things. Kyle places his hand on Hal's shoulder and tells him that he's plum out of chances. Hal pleads... and recounts his recent failures... his inability to save Coast City. Since he failed his city... he feels as though he can no longer be one of the "good guys", and so... he'd have to become "a bad guy".
This is where Kyle starts to buy in. These two might have more in common than their taste in jewelry. Kyle tells Hal about what happened to his girlfriend Alex when he became Green Lantern... and fills him in on his quick and dirty origin. I guess that's kind of the point of these #0 issues.
Hal tells Kyle that being Green Lantern was what his life was all about... and then, in a really odd bit... that doesn't feel terribly organic, Kyle removes his ring... and hands it over to Hal. Really weird. Anyhoo, Hal proclaims himself as "Green Lantern again!" to which Kyle responds "--Probably bound to happen sooner or later anyway." If you only knew, pal!
And so, with his new-old ring, Hal continues rooting through Oa in search of the "power". It's at this point that Kyle realizes he juuuuuuust might have made a mistake. No duh. Hal's going on and on about restoring everything... having learned absolutely nothing from his Emerald Twilight... or Zero Hour missteps. Kyle calmly asks for his ring back... whiiiiich doesn't go over all that well.
Hal and (a depowered) Kyle fight their way into a Green Lantern crypt. Kyle is able to get the jump on Hal... toppling a glass coffin on top of him. This is also a bit weird. Hal is surprised because the ring should have protected him. Kyle informs him that the "rules changed"... I don't remember it ever becoming less powerful... maybe I missed something. Anyhoo, Kyle reclaims the ring... but it might already be too late!
Parallax rises... he's been recharged just enough to continue the fight! After a brief skirmish, he makes Kyle an offer. In his new "perfect" world, he can have his girlfriend Alex back. Ya see, this is why we don't try and get buddy-buddy with the bad guys, Kyle... they will use your secret shame against you!
Kyle, of course, turns down the offer... though it looks like it breaks his heart to do so. He's about done with this mess... and decides it's time to wrap this caper up. Seeing as though Hal thinks Oa holds all of his power (like a battery)... Kyle sets to overloading it.
And he does!
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Not a bad little brawl! I'm kind of a sucker for Hal vs. Kyle drama anyway... but this was really well done.
That's not to say it's perfect though... so let's get my minor quibbles out of the way to start. First... Kyle handing over the ring? That just seems... I dunno, stupid? I get that we're supposed to think of Kyle and inexperienced in his role and somewhat naive... but this act really misses that "off ramp" altogether! This is just pure stupidity. It's not like he didn't just see Hal almost restart the entire universe, right?
There's also the bit about the rules of the ring having changed. That might just be me forgetting that part... I know some of the rules changed (the yellow impurity)... but didn't realize the ring-wearer was no longer protected. Can't hold that against the book... just something that doesn't make all that much sense to me.
Finally... the ending. It just... ends. Kyle overloads and explodes Oa... then it's just on to the next thing? I feel like there should have been a bit more in the way of resolution here. Especially if we're treating this as a coda for Zero Hour. I dunno, maybe that's just me.
For everything else... I enjoyed it! Kyle's inexperience is highlighted... and outside him handing over his ring, was handled quite well. He wants to believe the best in Hal... and truly seems touched when his predecessor starts "opening up" to him. Kyle and Hal's relationship was always kinda weird... but in a good way.
We look at different "families" of characters... take the Flash, for instance. The Flash "family" is a pretty tightly-knit crew. Jay, Barry, Wally and the rest were portrayed as close, often guest-starring... or becoming supporting characters in the main title. Even the Superman and Batman "families"... they were tight.
The Green Lantern "family" (remember, there's no Corps anymore) was never quite that way. Alan and Hal... besides sharing a name, didn't seem to have any real "bond", at least not to me. The same can be said for Hal and Kyle... they know each other, and might share a few awkward conversations... but they don't feel like "family"... and they don't need to! Of course, post Green Lantern: Rebirth so much of this is lost... but, whattayagonnado?
Overall... I'd definitely recommend checking this one out... try giving it a look the next time you read through the Zero Hour event! This issue is available digitally.
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Letters Page (Featuring... a lot of freaked out Lantern fans!):
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Action Comics (vol.2) #36 (January, 2015)
"Horrorville"
Writer - Greg Pak
Artist - Aaron Kuder
Colorist - Wil Quintana
Letterer - Carlos M. Mangual
Assistant Editor - Jeremy Bent
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $3.99
Well, the Bloggiversary is over... and what a day it was. I was overwhelmed by the kind words from my friends and our little community. I can't even begin to thank you all for making me feel like this silly little blog, in some small way, matters.
That was yesterday, and as they say... no rest for the ridiculous. I can't promise we'll have a three years of daily posts celebration next year (I'd say it's unlikely... but I've been saying that all along), so well just do the best we can. Today begins:
And, how are we gonna start it? Well, it's business as usual! We're diving right back into our #Action100 Project... and we're going to discuss a book from pretty late in The New-52! run. It's actually the last story arc under that branding!
This was one of the first storylines I was "back" for... this was during the time where Futures End was a "thing", and I was pretty psyched by the possibilities... and rumors that everything was about to go back to how I remembered (and wanted). Also remember, the Doomed storyline that just wrapped up showed us some verrrrrry familiar things.
Let's see how it reads with all we know now. This issue, by the way, would have been Action Comics #940 had they kept the original numbering.
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We open in the wake of Superman: Doomed (well, two months hence)... where Brainiac did some stuff. A bearded Clark Kent looks on while Metropolis rebuilds. We suddenly shift scenes to Smallville, where Lana Lang is awoken from a nightmare in which her (recently departed) parents ask her "Whyyyyy?"
She springs awake, which also wakes her boyfriend... John Henry Irons. I never glommed onto Steel being a younger guy. I always appreciated that he was an older, more established dude. Just makes more sense to me that way. Anyhoo, we learn that these nightmares have been haunting her for a month now, and John gets up to fix her breakfast.
We jump ahead a bit... to Lana and John arriving in town to test the townsfolk for residual Brainiac-related maladies. Here we meet a trio of older fellas... who bring with them some down home sass.
Lana notices that a fog has rolled over the town, and is surprised at the sight of a hearse riding down the street. I guess having just lost her parents, things like that sorta stand out to her. For some reason, she insists that she and John follow it... and it leads them to the graveyard, where we see that the Langs are no longer in the ground.
We check back in with Superman, who has also noticed the odd fog surrounding his hometown, and decides to call in his friend Amadeus Cho... er, waitasec... ahem, I mean Hiro, the Toymaster. This dude is... annoying. Anyhoo, he taps into his satellites (did you know he has satellites?) to peek in on Smallville... and finds that there's nothing there!
Speaking of "there", back in Smallville Lana's zombified parents approach!
Also, a local Sheriff... who looks to have been taken over by some sort of Lovecraftian horror!
Back to Superman... he makes his approach toward Smallville. Let's look at this "logically". Superman can travel around the world in the blink of an eye... but still called freaking Amadeus Hiro to use his satellites instead? Seems our writer really wants to include this kid. Anyhoo, Superman is making his approach, while Hiro "beat-boxes". I've mentioned that he's annoying, right?
Superman arrives in Smallville, just in time to beat the glorp out of the horror. The beastie bugs out at the last second, leaving the now-dead Sheriff in its wake. Superman checks in on Lana... who really ain't in the mood for a chat.
In a neat bit, Superman attempts to get a hold of the Justice League... only to learn that there's no escape from Smallville! Also worth noting, phones no longer work.
We wrap up back in front of the Barber Shop where our three sassy elders are loitering... they wonder aloud how Superman's going to react when he learns just what's going on. The camera pans back to reveal the townsfolk... well, they be weird.
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All in all, a pretty great issue here!
This definitely takes Superman out of his element... I'm not used to seeing him take on actual "horror". I mean, we've seen him face vampires... and magically-powered baddies, but this feels like new territory for the Man of Steel.
This is a very atmospheric tale... Smallville, even on it's best day... feels a little, I dunno, too idyllic? Ya know, the kinda "perfect" where you can sense a sort of evil lurking just under the surface. Feeling as though there's something sinister behind every smile and neighborly wave.
Here... things are a bit more obvious... and ominous. Was never really keen on zombies, always felt like they were one of the lazier "scares", but under the circumstances... this was handled quite well. Also, the idea that nobody can escape Smallville lends a claustrophobic element to an already tense situation. This was really quite well done.
And then there's Aaron Kuder. Holy cow, this dude is great! From the Lovecraftian horror... to the dead-eyed Smallvillians... to a bearded Superman, everything looks phenomenal! Truly a gorgeous book to behold. Such a great creative team here.
My only complaint... and it should be obvious if you read the synopsis... but, what's up with Hiro? This kid... this kid is so annoying, and his inclusion feels so forced. I was only half-joking when I referred to him as Amadeus Cho, because I felt very much the same way when that character was crammed into Hulk and Herc stories a decade ago at Marvel. I wouldn't mind as much if we weren't going to such lengths to illustrate how "quirky" he is. He's just... annoying. Not a character I care to follow.
Overall though... it's a relatively rare thing where I read a book from The New-52! and wholeheartedly recommend it! It's decompressed as Hell, but that's just the day we're living in... that said, it's still a rather satisfying read. We wrap up with a strange and unsettling cliffhanger, which only makes me want more.
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Hell, I've got some oldies where the newsstand proprietor (I assume) crossed out the cover price and wrote in their own! I'd imagine for "pristine" collectors, this would be mind-bogglingly frustrating... but for a fella like me, I think it adds a bit of character to the book. You can tell it's "been around". You can imagine that it's been on various newsstands... in various collections... it's just an interesting thing to think about (or maybe it's not... and I'm just a lunatic).
