Teen Titans #21 (May-June, 1969)
"Citadel of Fear"
Writer/Penciller - Neal Adams
Inks - Nick Cardy
Letters - John Costanza
Cover Price: $0.12
Today we're heading back to the... I think it was still the Silver Age... to take a look at an early team-up of the Teen Titans and Hawk & Dove... with art and words by Neal Adams!
It's sure to be a banger!
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We open with the combined forces of the Teen Titans and Hawk & Dove... tripping over one another while trying to catch a mustachioed gentleman who is fleeing into a teleporter. The Titans blame the Birds, and vice versa... so, we get some young hero on young hero action.
Speedy nails Dove with a psychedelic arrow, which causes him to lumber back into a stack of boxes... which look to be about to tumble atop Wonder Chick!
Hawk rushes in and nyoinks her out of danger... an act that sorta begins defusing the situation. They aren't all pals or anything, but there is an uneasy alliance taking shape. The teen-agers head over to that teleportation machine, and note that it has two settings... which means, it'd be in their best interests to split into two teams to track the baddie. Hawk, who is still carrying Donna, decides that them two plus Dove will be one team, leaving Roy, Dick and Wally as the other.
We follow the Birds and the (Wonder) Chick first... they are transported to Istanbul (not Constan... nope, not gonna do it!). They beat up a pair of guards, much to Dove's dismay. Meanwhile, in Berlin... a pair of shadowy men look on via monitors.
As the teens soldier on, they happen to wander into... a trap! One'a those rooms where the walls start closing in. That kinda thing always freaked me out... asamattafact, as a kid I was convinced that this would be one of the two ways I might die... the other was quicksand. Anyhoo, after the walls close in a sufficient amount, the remaining space is filled with knockout gas.
While they doze, we pop over and check in with the Boys... who have been transported to Berlin. They walk along some underground train tracks, fearful that they're entering a trap... because, ya know, they are. The shadowy men launch their second deadly threat... and from the looks of it, they're using a bunch of those automatic tennis servers to do so!
Well, it's actually a locomotive stuffed with armed fellas... the bullets still look like tennis balls though. I dunno, maybe it's NERF. The Boys git ta steppin' until they get far enough away for Wally to whup up a hurricane with his arms.
The Titans board the train and are able to disarm, and eventually wipe the floor with, the bad guys. The train keeps barreling forward until... it stops! Then, a pair of glass panels close them in... could this be the real trap?!
Well, of course it is... don't be ridiculous! The locomotive transforms into a giant spider and takes out the trio with ease! Holy Crippled Cockroaches, indeed!
As the bad guys collect Robin and Kid Flash (but not Speedy), we rejoin the Birds and Donna, who are locked in a prison, hands bound. Hank and Donna repeatedly slam themselves into the prison door in hopes of breaking free... while Dove sits off to the side. He suggests they just give a tug on their cuffs... since they're made of a fibrous plastic, they oughta be able to stretch.
Oh, and those plastic cuffs? Also combustible... which is, ya know, helpful. They press the cuffs into a crack in the wall, and with a spark created by Donna clanking her bracelets together, they ignite... blowing a nice-sized hole out of the wall and assuring the teen-agers' freedom. The trio saunters back over to the teleportation machine, and heads to Berlin.
Before we know it, they're standing right before that giant spider, maaaan... and they see that Speedy is pinned underneath it. Hawk and Dove rush in and free him from the heft of the mechanical beast.
The foursome decides to press on. Of course, they come to a fork in the road... which causes them to have to split up again. Hawk chooses Donna to accompany him, which doesn't sit well with Roy... and so, he punches Hank in the face. Dove intervenes and gets everyone to settle their respective tea kettles before things get uglier.
Turns out this was all a moot point, as the forked paths lead to the very same place. Guess we had an extra page or two that needed filling. The no-longer shadowy man is freaking out, and sends his agents in to take out the teens.
We then learn that the jolly gentleman is being controlled by... aliens from Dimension X! Say it ain't so. The alien leader knows that the game is up, and orders the fella to pull the self-destruct switch in order to cut his losses.
Hawk and Dove are able to stop him before he does... and when Roy and Donna try questioning him, he falls into a deep trance of "selective hypnosis".
Roy calls out to Hawk for some assistance finding Robin and Kid Flash, however... Hawk and Dove's powers are starting to wear off, changing them back to Hank and Don Hall. They rush back through the teleporter rather than be seen in their civilian identities.
Speedy blames himself... believing that the Birds ran off because he socked Hawk in the face... like three times. He then lashes out at the hypnotized jolly gentleman... but, ya know, he's hypnotized, so he doesn't get anywhere. We wrap up by learning that Robin and Flasher are being held captive by... well, duh, that alien guy.
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Well, this was a weird one, wasn't it?
Having not read Teen Titans #20, I'm not sure whether or not this was picking up directly from there... but, ya know... it is the Silver Age, so there's also a pretty good possibility that this was just the way a new story started.
Not sure what the threat of the Aliens of Dimension X might be... but, I mean, no good could come from a place called "Dimension X", right?
Thought the interpersonal conflict between the Titans and the Birds was pretty well done... Hawk is still a blowhard jerk, and Dove is still so wimpy you wanna smack 'im... so, I was definitely cool with Roy giving them both a few punches.
I thought it was cool that Hawk had an instant attraction to Donna. What I wasn't prepared for was how it seemed like that attraction might just be mutual. I was expecting an "Unhand me, you ape" and instead we get her sorta making goo-goo eyes.
Not much else to this story. A lot of spectacular art, but as a story, it was just okay. Full of Silver-Age trappings... I mean, how many times are we going to need to "split up" already? How many times are the heroes gonna fly off the handle and just throw punches? Not saying I didn't enjoy all'a that, but it's kinda formulaic. Though, it fairness... I'm saying all this one year shy of a half-century after this book hit the newsstands.
This being a Silver Ager, it didn't have creator credits listed. I had to check some of my usual online research haunts to fill'em in. I also checked DC Digital to see if it was available there. It is! What I also learned there is that this issue was retroactively "age rated" as "12+ Only"... the hell is this nonsense?!
For some context, a recent issue of Teen Titans (one in which Beast Boy claims his dinner gave him a "mouthgasm") is also rated "12+ Only". What the hell, DC? This is dumb... and you need to fix your rating system.
Overall... worth a read (for any and all ages). "Twelve Plus Only" my be-hind.
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Green Lantern (vol.3) #155 (December, 2002)
"Hate Crime, Part Two"
Script - Judd Winick
Pencils - Dale Eaglesham
Inks - Rodney Ramos
Colors - Moose Baumann
Letters - Kurt Hathaway
Editorial Assistance - Morgan Dontanville
Editor - Bob Schreck
Cover Price: $2.25
Today we're going to wrap up the two-part "Hate Crime" story.
I gotta admit, I was a bit nervous discussing this one... I wasn't exactly sure how it would be received. Haven't heard any complaints yet... which, I'm going to assume means nobody read it... or, that folks were so dazzled by my insight they were left speechless. Yeah, probably that second one.
This arc will be added to our "Collected Editions" Page for ease of chronological-enjoyment.
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We open with a news report on the beating of Terry Berg... even my man President Lex gets to opine! Vigils will be held, and legislation will be brought up to speed. Back at the hospital, we meet Terry's folks... and boy howdy is his father a cliche. He refuses to allow David in to see Terry, and goes off on a blaming-spree. He finally collapses in tears, at which point Jade escorts David into Terry's room.
Just then, John Stewart shows up with some coffees. Jennie is confused when she learns that Kyle put John "on the list". Not because of any hard-feelings toward John or anything, she's just not sure what Kyle has in mind. Kyle initially claims to have called John to keep her company because he needs to step away for a minute.
Kyle "steps away" alright, all the way to the Moon! Next we see him, he's inside the JLA Watchtower pleading with Wally West to use the Cosmic Treadmill so he can "undo" Terry's beating. Flash says "no go".
Kyle keeps pushing the subject... it's just "one day", what harm would there be in changing just one event on one day?! Well, if this ain't Batman's cue, I don't know what it is... so, enter Batman. Batman backs Wally's decision up, while giving Kyle a taste of the "I know what you did last night." Crestfallen, Kyle leaves.
Next we know, he's in deep space working out his aggression on the Asteroid Belt. This is where he encounters his predecessor... Hal Jordan. Hal let's Kyle express his frustration... even counsels him a bit.
Kyle suggests that had he not relinquished the power of Ion (that's a story for another day) he'd be able to undo Terry's beating. He kicks himself for "giving it all away", even though in so doing, he was able to bring back the Guardians of the Univer-- okay, maybe it wasn't the best idea.
Hal tells Kyle he must do whatever brings him inner peace. He wishes him luck... and reveals that, even at this moment, luck is on his side... there's good news waiting for him back at the hospital.
Indeed, back at the hospital Kyle gets the news that Terry has woken up! What's more, he'd asked to see him ASAP. Kyle heads into the room, where he has a "chat" with an intubated Terry.
Things start off pretty lighthearted, though the conversation does turn dark. Terry wants to know what happened to him... how did he come to be here. Also, he wants to know why no one will tell him what happened to him.
We jump ahead to Kyle and Jennie on the roof... I'm assuming it's of the apartment building and not the hospital... not that it matters. It's here that Jennie makes a pretty crazy discovery. While going through Terry's sketchbook... it becomes pretty clear that Terry Berg has known about Kyle's double-life for a while.
It's also here that Kyle... quits. He cannot protect the Earth anymore as Green Lantern. It's just too much for him right now. He suggests he leaves Earth for awhile... and he invites Jennie along with him. So then, who will be Green Lantern? Well...
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Well, I guess this one sorta had to come back around and be a superhero story, didn't it? It's not bad... just the change in tone is a little bit jarring.
Having Kyle at his wit's end was a good call. Though, he seemed to get stuck on that one step of the Kubler-Ross scale... bargaining. He pleaded with his teammates for the opportunity to change the past. I mean, time-travel in comics is always a hinky proposition... and I feel it's one that should be used sparingly and for "world saving" situations only. Had they allowed Kyle to "undo" Terry's beating... I feel that would have been a giant disservice to those who had been affected by similar situations in the real world.
I said this back when we discussed Nightwing #93... the issue where he is sexually assaulted by Tarantula, and I'll say it again here... Sometimes bad things happen to good people. In comics, and the real world. To use "comics logic" to undo things that happen in our everyday lives... just not a good idea, in my opinion.
Kyle's chat with Hal was good... for a few reasons. First, due to the mainstream attention this garnered, I gotta figure that this arc were the first Green Lantern comics for a decent sliver of the readership. The chat allowed for some expository "catch up" material to be dropped, without feeling like a blatant info dump.
In keeping with the "mainstream" for a moment. This issue ends with John Stewart taking the role of Green Lantern. This was right around the time of the Justice League Animated Series, in which John Stewart was Green Lantern. Really smart move, that serves both the narrative and potential marketing strategies.
Back to the chat. Hal really doesn't tell Kyle anything he doesn't already know... he just frames it all in a way for Kyle to gain a little perspective. With the powers of Ion, Kyle could've done anything (including resurrect a certain young lady whose last mailing address was a refrigerator... which he didn't), so relinquishing those powers was a) the only feasible solution, and b) a character-defining moment. Having him regret this decision is only natural... and I'm not entirely sure Hal was able to convince him otherwise here. Still, I like seeing Hal as a "mentor" to Kyle.
Terry's father... I mean, I get it. I wish Winick took the road less traveled here though. I don't see the harm in having Mr. Berg be a supportive father, instead of a mustached, mullet-headed, dirty t-shirt wearing jerk. I guess, given the situation, it's possible that even the most supportive of parents might lash out... but, there's just very little subtlety in this fella. I tell ya what though, I'd hate to see how this character would be portrayed in 2018.
Terry wakes up, which is good news... and he seems to be the same ol' goofy snarky kid, which is also good news. I really like the idea that people aren't telling him how or why he's in the shape he's in. I'd imagine that would be one of the more difficult conversations to have (and write). I dig the idea that those around him are still trying to process the sheer horror of the events... and aren't yet ready (or able) to relay them to the actual victim. This is a big deal... and really shouldn't be handled lightly.
Overall... like I said yesterday, you're not gonna enjoy reading "Hate Crime"... because you're not supposed to. That said, it is important... and character-defining/refining for much of the cast of Green Lantern. Even though I've just spoiled the entire thing for you, I'd still suggest giving it a look. This issue is available digitally.
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Green Lantern (vol.3) #154 (November, 2002)
"Hate Crime, Part One"
Writer - Judd Winick
Penciller - Dale Eaglesham
Inks - Rodney Ramos
Colors - Moose Baumann
Letters - Kurt Hathaway
Editorial Assist - Morgan Dontanville
Editor - Bob Schreck
Cover Price: $2.25
Now, I'm not usually one for "trigger warnings"... but, what you're about to read may disturb some of you. It's a very serious story about a very serious issue...
The quick of it is... Kyle Rayner's assistant Terry Berg is nearly beaten to death for the simple fact that he is gay. Some of you are probably at least somewhat familiar with this story... it did get a fair amount of press back in 2002. If this isn't a story you wish to read about, I totally understand. I feel like it's an important story... and one I couldn't just not cover here, but again... if it ain't something you want to read about... I get it.
Those who have been reading for awhile might have noticed that I usually blur out curse words and what not. There are some slurs in this issue that I decided to keep in to truly illustrate how ugly and horrible these events are. Again... if you wanna turn back... no worries.
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We open with David, the boyfriend of Terry Berg. We haven't talked a whole heckuva lot about Terry, but he's been like Kyle's "assistant" since he started working at Feast Magazine. David is recounting the events of the evening... and it's about to get grisly. He and Terry were leaving a dance club... and happened to share a kiss in front of the wrong group of animals. Slurs are thrown... and the young men are chased.
They came to a split in the path, and David suggested the split up... hopeful that their pursuers would just give up rather than split up themselves. What he wasn't banking on, however, was the gang simply deciding to keep following one of them.
Five minutes later, David would come across the body of Terry Berg, beaten within inches of his life... beaten to a state where he was unrecognizable... except for his sneakers.
This brings us to the present. Terry Berg lay in a hospital bed... and it's not looking good. Besides being comatose, he'd suffered several broken bones, a collapsed lung, might lose an eye! The narrative caption goes into grisly detail.
Also in the waiting area, Kyle Rayner and Jennie Hayden. Jennie is busy trying to comfort David, assuring him that this isn't his fault. Kyle is... well, he's just lost in thought. All the power in the universe, and he can't stop something like this from happening to one of his pals. He watches as Terry is wheeled out of the operating room... and he. is. ticked.
After a shot of a news report on the attack, Kyle is approached by the detective assigned to the case. They may as well have drawn horns and a forked tail on this guy. He tries to frame the event in a way where it was less about hate... and more about happenstance or a previous conflict. First he suggests that they were at a "gay bar" instead of a dance club... then, goes as far to claim that Terry and David were "hitting on" their attackers. I mean, I understand trying to look at something from "all angles", but this is just ridiculous. He also tries to blame drugs... which doesn't hold water with Kyle.
The detective breaks away to confab with an associate. Kyle wills up a construct "bug" to listen in on their conversation. Turns out, they caught one of the attackers... but suspect that the remaining two will probably split town before they can be apprehended. Well... not if Green Lantern can help it.
And so... we're off to Rikers Island, where Green Lantern is about to pay the arrested attacker a visit. At first, dude ain't talkin'... so, Kyle makes it crystal clear that... for all intents and purposes, they are the only two people on the planet. He can cry out as loud as he'd like... nobody is going to hear him. He then... snaps his wrist, like a full-on torturer!
Dude still won't squeal... so, Kyle snaps his other wrist... promising to get "more creative" from there.
Turns out this is enough to get the scumbag to squawk. Next we know Kyle is confronting the other two a-holes... and, lemme tell ya... he ain't messin' around. He taunts them with their own words... and beats the living crap out of them... it's really quite hardcore.
It gets to the point where it looks like Kyle's just going to drill his fist through one of their heads! He pauses just long enough for the scumbag to beg for his life... which is enough to get him to spare him.
We wrap up back at the hospital. Kyle returns to Terry's bedside, where Jennie had been holding vigil. He tells Terry that he "did his part"... and now it's Terry's turn... all he's got to do is wake up.
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Okay.
Cards on the table to begin. In my "real" life I don't socialize all that much (shocker, right?). That being said, some of my closest friends over the years have been gay. Trying to wrap my head around the idea that events like the one portrayed in this book actually occur... I mean, how could it even be, right? Getting beaten up... killed, even... for just being who you are?
I understand not "getting" something... I mean, there are plenty of things in this world I don't "get". But it's another thing altogether to beat someone to (as far as the scumbags in this story knew) death because you don't "get" the way they live their life.
Way I look at it, we only get one shot at this whole "life" thing... and we owe it to ourselves to live that life the happiest way possible. People often talk about and debate the "Meaning of Life"... and to me, it's pretty simple... it's "be happy". If your perfect soulmate and partner-in-life happens to be of the same sex... what's the harm? You owe it to yourself to be you... and be happy... and not be ashamed.
Now, coming from my standpoint... as a dude who never had to worry about anything like this... getting it through my head that these are legitimate fears my friends were faced with on a daily basis, it's enough to make my lunch come up and my blood boil. It's difficult to even find the words, ya know? And that's just one of the reasons why this issue of Green Lantern is so important.
With my "cards" now "on the table", let's talk about the story.
Terry Berg has been a pretty fun character since his introduction. He's a take-no-crap kinda kid... often depicted as a sort of fun-foil and overall irritant to Kyle as he works on his "day job". This story didn't feel "forced"... and made great use of the existing cast of characters to really drive home how "close to home" a tragedy like this could be.
Heh, I'm trying to look at this as "just a comic book", and I'm having a difficult time. I'm about to go off into a tangent wherein I say that this story didn't feel "forced" (which is doesn't)... but, I dunno... it just doesn't feel right.
Let's talk Kyle. His playing the role of a torturer is one of the more divisive things about this arc. There are a couple of ways we can look at this. First: Terry's attack was "personal" to him... and so, if he was ever going to "cross the line" from white-hatted hero to gray-hatted vigilante, now would be the time.
On the other hand... this is the same fella whose girlfriend was murdered and stuffed in a refrigerator, and he didn't react this severely. Also, this isn't even the first time Kyle has had to face off against homophobic villains.
With all that said... I'm really not sure where I stand on the whole "torture" angle. In the heat of the story... it makes perfect sense to me. Taking a step back, however... I'm a bit conflicted. I still think the attackers had it coming... but, I'm just not used to seeing Kyle in this light. I suppose desperation could lead a man to do things he normally wouldn't. All the power in the universe... and he can't save one of his friends.
Apropos of nothing, this issue does not carry the Comics Code Authority seal. Further apropos of nothing, this issue does have a whole bunch of ads catering toward young readers (included below). I'm sure ad-space is purchased and planned far ahead of time... but, it is a bit weird to go from a serious scene to an ad for Gummy Bears and Super Mario Sunshine.
Before we wrap up... I want to tip my hat to Judd Winick for handling this very serious and important topic without interjecting politics. To do so, I feel, would take attention away from the matter at hand. This was a very matter-of-fact take, and I appreciated it. I'm also happy that this issue hit shelves in a time before social media was "a thing"... I feel like, had this happened in 2018, the message of the story would be completely lost, leaving us with only vitriolic "hot takes" and divisiveness.
Overall... this is an important issue. It's also an "ugly" one. You're not going to enjoy reading it... because you're not supposed to. I still feel like this is important to comics history, and one worth owning and checking out. It is available digitally.
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