Flash (vol.2) #161 (June, 2000)
"Honeymoon in Vegas"
Writer - Pat McGreal
Penciller - Paul Pelletier
Inker - Doug Hazlewood
Letterer - Gaspar
Colorist - Tom McCraw
Editor - Joey Cavalieri
Cover Price: $1.99
Today we're going to sorta-kinda pick-up on a story we discussed a few months back. This is the post-wedding of Wally West and Linda Park... we're just skipping all that Cobalt Blue stuff! Maybe we'll get to that some other time.
This is one of those "that cover, though" issues... I mean, just look at it? How could anybody resist reading a story featuring these folks? Steve Lightle absolutely kills it here... a very beautiful (and inviting) cover.
Let's see how the insides match up!
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Wally and Linda have finally wed (for real this time) and have shoved off on their Honeymoon. We pick up with several other speedsters who are sitting around sharing stories at the Flash Museum. While talk of honeymoons is in the air, Jay Garrick decides to share the dirty details of his own. Following their nuptials, Jay and Joan booked it for Las Vegas... which is quite a bit different than the Vegas of today. It was just, in Jay's words "a sleepy little cowboy town". Well, before the newlyweds can "hunker down" for the night, they are interrupted by...
Jay's Justice Society pals pop in and ask to take the happy couple out for a night on the town to celebrate. Joan gracefully bows out but insists Jay spend a few hours with his friends.
As the Society men head off to the "fabulous" Blue Heron Casino, we are introduced to this issues "running (pun!) gag"... a trio of tramps who resemble an amalgamation of several 1930's comedy acts hop out of a train car in search of... I dunno, wealth and fame?
The gang arrives at the Blue Heron, and we are filled in that it is being operated by Rocky Birnbaum, a well-known west coast mobster. The thing of it is, is he appears to be running this venture completely on the level. The Society ain't buyin' it... and decide a "pop in visit" might do just the trick... even if it's just letting Birnbaum know that they've got their eyes on him. At that very moment, Rocky is on the phone... being read the riot act by one of his "investors".
The Society heads inside and... well, immediately bully and badger Rocky. He assures him everything is on the up-and-up... and doesn't even have a problem with a super-speed search of the entire facility. In spite of there being zero evidence, Green Lantern still ribs poor Rocky.
Outside we meet another trio... not those vaudevillian geeks from before, but the Thinker, the Fiddler, and (a reluctant) Shade! Ya see, the Thinker wants to knock over the "fabulous" Blue Heron Casino.
He continues, claiming that Rocky Birnbaum is indeed running a scam... just a different kind of scam than usual. He is telling his investors/knee-cappers that the Casino is running at a loss so he can skim from the profits.
We rejoin the Justice Society at a table. They have a pretty interesting chat about whether or not masked heroes should inform their significant others about their dual-identity. Jay admits that, yes... Joan has known for awhile that he is the Flash... to which, the rest of the Society is aghast. In fairness to Jay, his "disguise" is a pie plate. Still, very cool little chat.
Jay then rushes off to check in on his blushing bride... running right over those vaudevillian geeks. The geeks then get up, brush themselves off and enter the "fabulous" Blue Heron Casino in search of a job. They're booted outside with the quickness... just as the Thinker and Co. are about to set their plan in motion.
Back at the hotel, Jay watches as Joan... seductively... sets her alarm clock. That's no euphemism, folks... I promise.
Meanwhile, back at the "fabulous" Blue Heron Casino... the Thinker has launched a hallucinatory attack. This, naturally, freaks out the patrons... however, the baddies certainly didn't expect to find the Justice Society this far west. Rocky looks on with glee... after all, a robbery might just be the perfect cover for his "skimming off the top".
While Jay and Joan... uh, consuma... er, celebrate, the Justice Society have their clocks cleaned by the bad guys. Green Lantern, with his weakness to wood, is the last to fall when he has a wooden chair cracked over his head. Jay returns just as the villains are celebrating their victory.
The Thinker tries whipping up some hallucinations for the Flash... but, no dice... get it? Um, look at the picture below... get it, now?
Jay then rushes through Shade's inky blackout goop and spears the baddie in the midsection.
Finally, the only one left is the Fiddler... who, upon seeing the Flash proceeds to... well, fiddle. This causes Jay to dance uncontrollably... and, wow... it's quite a panel.
Jay uses the momentum from his impromptu two-step and turns himself into a living tornado. This not only kayos the Fiddler, but it also sends the sack of cash that Rocky was trying to "skim" through a window and deep into the desert.
With a job well done, Jay and the gang leave. Upon return to the hotel, Jay passes out on the couch... leaving his new bride a little less satisfied than she probably hoped.
But, I hear you asking, what of that sack of money? Well... those lovable tramps from earlier? Yeah... they got it.
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Now there was a fun issue! If you're just getting over your sadness that the Justice Society is (still) in limbo, this probably isn't the issue you're going to want to read... because it will send you right back into your "I miss the JSA" depression!
This was just a really good time. A bright-colored adventure... lotsa laughs among pals... really, just so much fun. Makes you wonder why we haven't gotten a revival of the JSA... even if all they were going to tell were stories from the Golden Age. I mean, what harm could that do? It wouldn't mess with any continuity... it wouldn't have even messed with the precious "five year timeline" of the New-52! Tell me you wouldn't pop in for the monthly adventures of the Justice Society from the first half of the twentieth century!
I think my favorite scene here was the discussion the fellas had at the table regarding their secret identities. I don't think that's something we really think about as it pertains to this generation of heroes. I mean, these guys are the cornerstones of the hero community... everybody knows who they are (now). To be reminded that this wasn't always the case was really cool. Jay's response to all of it was equally cool... I mean, unlike his teammates, the dude doesn't cover his face one bit, he'd be a pretty easy one to point out!
Gotta talk about the art. I've been a Paul Pelletier fan forever... think he's just phenomenal. I'm looking at his Joan Garrick here... and despite her being in a negligee for most of the issue, she never comes across as hyper-sexualized. There's an innocence to her... though, I may just be conflating my own perception of 40's fashion with innocence. Either way, I was pleased to see her portrayed as... I dunno, modest? The art on the rest of the issue, it should go without saying, was fantastic as well.
So... if you're currently battling JSA-withdrawals, you might wanna check this issue out... though, be mindful, it might send you into a spiral when you realize that this team ain't around anymore... and it could be years before we see them again. Let's hope we just did a reverse-rain dance, and there'll be an announcement of their return in the coming weeks! For your convenience, this issue is available digitally.
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Chase #2 (March, 1998)
"Letdowns"
Co-Plot/Script - D. Curtis Johnson
Co-Plot/Pencils - J.H. Williams III
Inks - Mick Gray
Colors/Separations - Lee Loughridge
Lettering - Comicraft
Associate Editor - Dana Kurtin
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.50
No real preamble today... just taking a brief detour from our #Action100 endeavor to continue chasing Chase!
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We open outside of a pyramid near the Peruvian/Bolivian border... inside sorta-kinda Giger-esque robots speak to one another in broken English, code, and binary. Before they can activate... something (I think), the JLA arrives to take care of bidness.
We shift to Cameron Chase's apartment... and we can see that her boyfriend Peter has arrived. He's crashed out on the couch... and she decides against waking him before leaving on a D.E.O. trip to South America... which, we might assume has something to do with that pyramid/temple... because it totally does.
At the office, Chase is assured that this trip is "hers"... as in, she's running the show. It appears as though the elusive "Director" has been impressed with her work so far. Cam and Sandy enter the briefing room where they are... well, briefed... by Amanda Waller. The Wall fills them in on the goings-on by the Peru/Bolivia border.
Chase flashes back to an argument she had with Peter a day or two prior. He's not terribly pleased that she's working for the Department... and even less pleased that her next assignment will be in South America. He badgers her about the identity and motivations of this "Director" that speaks so highly of her... and she assures him everything is on the up and up.
Back in the "present", the Wall is still laying out the assignment. Cameron is tasked with... clean-up, basically. Taking out every piece of hardware in the pyramid/temple before members of the Shining Path Tribe start salvaging... and she's not going to be doing so alone. It's time to meet our new Suicide Squad.
Sixteen hours later, Chase and the Squad are hovering in the air above the jungles in a chopper. While the Squaddies try to make Cam feel as uncomfortable as possible, her mind begins to wander again... back to her argument with Peter. This time the subject is Chase's nebulous metahuman "talent". Things get heated, as a) she doesn't understand it herself, and b) there are laws in place for those with the "talent" (there are?)... and so, she needs this to remain a secret.
The helicopter lands... and the team is greeted by a young local named Paolo. Well, actually Copperhead attacks and threatens to eat him... but, he assures the gang that he is their guide.
And so, he guides them... for several interesting hours. This is a really fun page... it even has Bolt trying to get the "real news" on Roswell from Cam... she tells him that it was just a crashed Dominator craft, but he's sure that's just the "cover story". I mean, what? Isn't a Dominator craft bad enough? Very funny stuff in the context of a fantastical world.
The crew is frightened by the sound of movement... but it's just a rat, that Copperhead is more than happy to eat. Chase's mind wanders one more time... the argument continues, and now they're talking about Peter not having (or being interested in) a job. Cam insists that she'll drop a resume at the Department's Computer Ops... but he ain't down with working alongside freaks.
In the present, the Squad arrives at an overlook. Down below, the Shining Path confer. Paolo is able to listen in, and translates what they're saying. It would seem they already know about the Temple... but also, that there are already people at the Temple! People in armor, even!
The Suicide Squad kinda shrugs it off... and says if they can't complete their original mission, then they ought to move to Plan B... which involves escaping... and maybe, just maybe killing Cameron Chase.
Chase is all "b-b-but your collars", to which Bolt shows her a "jammer" he whipped up to solve that problem. Sledge appears to be the only member of the Squad who doesn't want to kill Chase. Copperhead, Bolt, and Killer Frost seem to be all about it.
Copperhead lunges toward Cam... sending them both off the edge of the overlook. The both manage to hang on... and Paolo begins to pull Chase back up. Copperhead insists that Paolo let Chase fall... otherwise he'll just kill her with venom. Cam tells Paolo to do what the snake-man says... and just let her fall.
And so... he does!
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Another really good issue of Chase. I mean, we've covered just about one-third of the entire series here... and haven't been let down yet! That's a pretty good sign, right?
I really dig the way this story is being kinda "weaved" together. We're getting story threads via flashback which really lend flavor to what is going on in "the present". Chase letting her mind wander and not being completely focused on the mission at hand is a very human way to be.
The flashback-argument scenes that her mind was wandering to were also incredibly well done. Johnson has done a terrific job merging real-world bones of contention into the unreal-DC Universe. The argument(s) felt incredibly real... and while we only saw a brief snapshot... it was more than enough to understand both sides.
Speaking of "real", I thought the page illustrating the several-hour jungle trek was pretty great. Just odd conversation... Bolt asking if anyone minds if he sings... that was pretty funny. The Roswell "cover-up" chat... also really good.
This new Suicide Squad... well, I suppose it could've been worse (though, I think that was kind of the point). I really want someone to punch Copperhead in the face, that's for sure. I dig that Sledge is kind of conflicted... he seems a-okay with escaping, but doesn't see any point in killing Cam. Gotta wonder if he'll play a more heroic role down the line.
Overall... one heckuva package here, words and art alike... all top-notch! A series definitely worth your time!
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Action Comics #445 (March, 1975)
"Count Ten Superman--and Die!"
"Find Black Canary, Dead... or Alive!"
Writers - Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin & Mike Grell
Pencillers - Curt Swan & Mike Grell
Inker - Kurt Schaffenberger
Editors - Julius Schwartz & E. Nelson Bridwell
Cover Price: $0.25
Well, there's an eye-catching cover...
I, like many of us I'd assume, am a sucker for any of those "Flash of Two Worlds"-esque... especially when they come from an era before "homage covers" were a fashionable thing... and of course, from an era where every book didn't come with (at least) two covers.
And who knew Nick Cardy drew such a striking Lois? I only wish he was doing the interiors here too!
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We open with Superman helping out a demolition crew by bursting a tunnel through a mountain. He doesn't hang around long to soak in their appreciation, however, as he needs to return to Metropolis tout suite for Clark Kent to attend a lecture, to be delivered by... Superman?! Well, yes and no. This fella giving the speech is actually Gregory Reed, an actor who portrays Superman in TV and movies. He shares the story of an accident which left him terribly disfigured... and how (the real) Superman was able to use some "super surgery" to give him back his movie star good looks.
After the lecture, there is a little meet and greet in the courtyard, and Lois attempts to get an interview with Mr. Reed. Everything seems to be going well... until Reed is blasted by an invisible ray, which knocks him into a fountain. This might just be a job for (the real) Superman!
We shift scenes to an alien craft hovering far above the Earth. Inside a trio of geeks from the Superman Revenge Squad celebrate blasting the Man of Steel with their magic ray. Until they realize that they got the wrong guy. Ya see... this is the Bronze Age, which means the Superman Revenge Squad knows... the secret! Yes folks, they know Superman and Clark Kent are one and the same. It's starting to feel like the the "investigative reporters" from Daily Planet were the only ones who didn't know!
Back on Earth, Superman (the real one) "arrives" at the fountain to help Gregory Reed. While he is scooping him out of the drink, he too is hit by the invisible ray!
So now, what in the hell is this "ray" all about? Well, get ready for this, because it's pretty dumb. The ray filled him with a "Puls-Flow", which would grow stronger and stronger with every "super feat" he performs. Upon completing his tenth "super feat", the Puls-Flow would poison the Man of Steel... killing him. Makes perfect sense, don't you think?
We jump ahead a little while, and Superman saves a trio of skydivers who, unbeknownst to them, had their gloves glued together so they couldn't pull their ripcords (It's just a prank, bro!). Superman yanks their cords (not like that) and their day is saved. Going by the Superman Revenge Squad count, this is his fourth "super-feat".
We next join Lois as she is visiting a recovering Gregory Reed. Much to her surprise, Clark Kent is already at his bedside... and boy howdy does this seem to be "getting" to him. Clark is a blubbering mess... which we soon learn is due to the growing Puls-Flow inside him. Guess it really messes with ones emotions before killing them!
Time for more "super-feats"... including dancing (I sure hope that's dancing) with a shark, putting out fires, and saving a crashing airplane.
Then we come to probably my favorite scene in the book. Clark is getting ready to leave work for the night, when Steve Lombard (with date) passes by... and he starts riding our man for being "Mr. Square". Due to his heightened (and fragile) emotional state... Clark starts sobbing! Lombard ain't sure what to make of it... and gets all apologetic. Meanwhile, his date pulls away from him for being a jerk-ass.
Then... another day and all the super-feats that come with it. Just as it looks like Superman completes his tenth (saving a little boy), he stumbles and falls to the ground.
The Superman Revenge Squad celebrates, but they aren't aware of... the rest of the story. Ya see, Superman gave Gregory Reed a super-power pill (yeah... really) which allowed him to perform half of the super-feats... so, the Real Steel Deal is still a-okay.
Well, okay... that's all well and good, but how could Superman know that he needed a "stunt double" to perform five of his ten final feats? Well, duh... he totally saw the Superman Revenge Squad in the reflection from the fountain earlier! From there, he delivered a Superman mannequin to the hospital as to not tip the baddies off. Oh, and also... in the time it took for Superman to explain all of this... the Puls-Flow (somehow) left his body. Perhaps it's best not to ask questions.
We wrap up with the Superman Revenge Squad Goons being shot down by their own base for their folly. That be one darker-than-expected ending, I tell you what...
But... We're not done, folks! We have some Green Arrow-flavored "Action-Plus" waiting for us. I get the feeling that these would be much more fulfilling reads if they weren't squished into six-pages... you're about to see why. This one opens with Ollie meeting up with a woman named Cherry Noler. He needs her help because Black Canary has been kidnapped... and very well may have been killed. That's actually three of the six pages right there... half of this back-up is recap!
Anyhoo... Ollie asks Cherry to enter a gambling den and cause a distraction so he might sneak in and check things out. She gets inside and calls him with the "all clear"... only, it's not! Upon entry, Ollie is attacked by a man wielding a 2x4... maybe it's a 2x2... either way, it's a big ol' plank of wood.
Ollie fights his way downstairs, throwing goons all along the way... perhaps even killing a couple! They do fall quite a distance. He busts into an office to find... Dinah, still alive!
He then pins the "Big Enchilada" Max Lucker to his seat with arrows and demands answers. Turns out Lucker's just a middle man... who answers to, well wouldja lookit that... it's Cherry!
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This issue is a pretty good example of my enjoying a story in spite of it being full of some undesirable (at least to me) tropes.
First... the threat here is... just some aliens. Sure, they're part of the "Superman Revenge Squad", but really... they're just fodder of no real significance. Superman may as well have been facing a lizard-man or a living daffodil. I've said it before, despite the excellent cast of villains the DC Universe has, it was because of "threats" such as this that I stayed away for so long. I mean, even Marvel's Z-list villains had more "character" than "rando-alien-trio".
Also... there's that whole thing about everybody knowing that Superman and Clark Kent are the same guy. Why were so many stories in the Bronze Age so focused on that? Weren't there other stories to be told? I mean, it's fun from time to time... but, it just seems like every time we discuss a Bronze Age Superman book here... somebody knows or learns "the secret"!
Then... there's the ending. Everything's okay, because Superman says so. "Oh, that plague I was injected with? It's gone now." Well, thanks very much... that was a thrilling conclusion that made total sense!
Then, there's the back-up. I'm really not a fan of these Action-Plus stories.. because they never feel like they have enough time to "breathe". I mean, we get six pages here... and three of 'em are recap! I couldn't imagine following this story month to month... it must've been maddening. Despite its brevity, it wasn't half-bad, and it was damn sure pretty to look at!
Now... in spite of the past several paragraphs of complaints... I can't say that I didn't enjoy this! It was silly... and ultimately pointless, but there was a lot of fun to be had here! Clark crying when Lombard was bullying him? Awesome! Superman working his way through the feats (including a very risque shot with a shark)? Great!
Overall, I'd recommend this for the cover alone... the fun story within is just gravy. It doesn't appear to have been collected... nor is it yet available via DC Digital... no matter though, I think if you want this one, the single-issue (not floppy) format is best... just for that Cardy cover!
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