Justice League of America #184: The second part of the JSA/JLA journey to Apokolips opens with a bang as the return of Darkseid from the dead is revealed. In time honored crossover fashion, the heroes have been divided into smaller groups to have their own adventures. Orion, Firestorm, and Power Girl discover the Injustice Society is behind this, but they prove unable to stop them. Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, and Oberon find and free Himon, when Superman, Wonder Woman, and Big Barda bring some hope to the kids in Granny Goodness' school. Huntress, Mr, Miracle, and Batman discover Darkseid's sinister plan: to transport Apokolips into Earth-2's universe, destroying Earth-2 in the process!
A good story here from Conway. Perez's art under McLaughlin's inks is more "70s" looking in a way I probably can't define than in the Teen Titans, but still looks good.
New Teen Titans #1: This series looms large in DC's (and comic's in general) emergence from the Bronze Age, and it starts out feeling a bit different from many of the other comics this month at its start. Perez's art (perhaps aided by Tanghal) and layout seem more sophisticated here than in other places he's turned up at DC. Wolfman's story and characterization is "of the era" but doesn't seem of the DC 70s. In many ways, this is a "Marvel style" story with occasionally bickering characters with "issues." He packs a lot of story in this issue, too.
A couple of things I noticed: for one, it's hard for me to buy the original Titans as still "teens." I know, comic time and all that, but Perez doesn't really make them look like teens, and Robin has been in college a while. That's only going to get worse, I know. The riff between Batman and Robin over Robin dropping out of college is created here. That hasn't shown up in Batman stories as yet (even one's written by Wolfman!) Also, Robin comments something to the effect that it's great to be in a team where he isn't second fiddle, but it's not like he's only been Batman's partner all this time. It feels like Wolfman wants you to ignore most everything that happened with Robin over the 70s. Continuity quibbles aside, it's a solid, if a bit overstuffed first issue.
Secrets of Haunted House #30: The first story here is weird, but I think the best of the three playing as it does (indirectly) off the fear of clowns. In the Middle Ages, a Court Jester rudely mocks a wizard who lays a course on him. Krokla is now unable to remove his make-up. Only death "at the hands of another" will bring him peace. He works as a clown down through the ages until a jealous circus co-worker, Marco, accidentally kills him in a confrontation. The two men exchange faces, and the other clowns think Krokla murdered Marco. They pursue him, and he falls off a cliff--then they all get Krokla's grease-painted face! In the next story by "Ms. Charlie Seegar" and Don Newton, a witch seeks to find a new body for her dead lover to inhabit. She finds a guy, but when she realized he's wearing a toupee, he just won't do. She marries a wealthy silver fox, but as she starts her ritual, the man calls out for his house keeper, who turns out to be a witch herself. The last tale by Kupperberg and Jodloman has kind of a Hitchcock Presents vibe. A projectionist and film buff wants to acquire the gun used in an obscure but celebrated suspense film, but it's in the hands of a rival. He tries to use a Russian Roulette trick just like the film to get it, but the other collector is on to him. When he calls him later as "a voice from the dead" the projectionist has a heart attack and dies.
Superman Family #204: In the lead story by Harris and Mortimer, Linda "Supergirl" Danvers returns to her job at the New Athens Experimental school. It has apparently gotten really experimental and hired "an expert in sorcery," June Moone. Suddenly, unnatural earthquakes start occurring, and Supergirl finds herself in conflict with the Enchantress, which I met originally in the 80s Suicide Squad, but first appeared in 1966 and hadn't been around much since. The Enchantress hasn't done a full heel turn yet, but she's looking to complete a ritual to give her power to defeat evil and doesn't care who gets harmed in the process. Supergirl kicks the moon slightly out of orbit to spoil her plans, then kicks it right back. With June Moone, the Enchantress, still around, it's not over...
Rozakis and Calman give us a very un-Marvel and certainly not "New DC" story: Clark Kent goes to the super-market for double coupon day for his elderly neighbor with limited mobility. We are "treated" to a number of overzealous shopper gags of the sort you saw in 80s daytime tv commercials and Superman foils a pickpocket. In the Bridwell/Schaffenberger "Mr. & Mrs. Superman" feature, Thunderbolt shows up to fill us in on what has happened to Johnny Thunder. It's very Silver Age-y as you might expect form those creators. Then we get into the modern (well, 70s TV style) action and suspension of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, whose storylines appear about to interweave. Lois still doesn't have her full memory back but, dodging guys trying to kill her, she makes it to a memory expert who at least restores enough for her to remember who did this to her. She confronts the crooked deprogrammer, but his machinery catches fire, and Lois may not make it out alive! Jimmy is also on the run from dumb thugs, but he finally manages to figure out that politician, Al Diamond, is crooked. This one includes an escape from a car crusher. Most of this stuff is fine, but it clearly isn't what most comics fans were looking for in 1980.
Weird War Tales #93: The lead here is the first appearance of the Creature Commandos by deMatteis and Broderick. I really liked these characters as a kid, though this first yarn isn't great. The concept is solid: the U.S. Army decides to combine psychological warfare with covert action (not completely unlike Aldo Raine's speech in Inglourious Basterds), and creates a team of horrors. The problem is the script wants them to be supernatural creatures in a Universal horror mode, when their stated origins are different, and none of them have nailed down characterizations. Still, the promise is clear, and this isn't the last we'll see of them.
Everything else in this issue pales in comparison. Kashdan and Denys Cowan give us the tale of the search for a superweapon in a neo-caveman post-apocalypse. That weapon is the wheel! Barr and Zamora deal with the U.S. internment of the Japanese Americans and have the sun itself punish a sadistic guard who's actually a spy for the Japanese. The last story, by Wessler and Alcazar, is a curious one, apparently affirming the superstitions of wartime pilots. All the pilots carry a "lucky charm," and a new kid (whose charm is a teddy bear) is a bit embarrassed by it and doesn't fully believe it. When his bear is getting patched up by a friendly nurse, one of his squad-mates doesn't want to let him fly, and punches him out. When the young pilot comes two, he rushes to join his squad, only to see his friend shot down--and his friends good luck charm, a death's head key medallion--hanging in his own plane.
Wonder Woman #273: Wonder Woman tangles with Angle Man in some sort of weird dimension, but mostly this issue is Conway establishing her new status quo in her secret identity. She also goes out on date with Steve Trevor as Wonder Woman. She just accessorizes her costume with a blue, Dracula-style cape, and they go to a disco. In the back-up story, Huntress is put in a golden cage by Solomon Grundy while Gotham's DA supports a crackdown on costumed vigilantes. Staton draws a neat Grundy, I think.
5 comments:
I once met a woman, a professional artist (not in comics) who was a long time aficionado ("aficionada?") of comics, who absolutely turned up her nose at anything NOT of the DC family (such as Marvel comics). Seeing as she was roughly my age (which would have put her DOB circa early to mid-70s), I just could not understand the appeal, but her conviction on DC being "the best" was clear and concrete. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to question her closely on her reasoning (she was a friend of a friend).
Is there something that deeply or fundamentally distinguishes the two big brands (Marvel and DC) from each other in the 80s (our formative years)? There was so much cross-pollination of artists and writers between the two companies, I would assume the main difference was simply I.P. However, I was always a Marvel kid myself so I have no real means of comparison...most of my DC "knowledge" comes solely from films and television with a minimal sprinkling of actual comic book material.
Perhaps sometime you could write a post on the subject? Or (if you already have) point me to a past post? I have to think your deep dive into DC lore must have given you some sort of perspective in this regard.
Thanks!
That is probably worth of a post. I would say that by the mid to late 80s the companies mainstream superhero titles are not really that different in style or tone, except accounting for sort of differences in characters. In the 70s and 60s though, in general, DC stories are more plot heavy but less violent and less emotional bombastic than Marvel. They tended to do more "puzzle stories." There are other things, but that's one of the biggest. Of course, this is a general tendency, not an absolute.
DC's war and horror titles are generally better than Marvels, but Marvel won the superhero game and DC just had to adapt to their style, more or less.
Would love to see that post, JB.
Awwww yeah, June Moone in the big floppy hat era.
I wonder if Superman Family (and Worlds Finest) was seen as a place to burn off material that fit in better with the old 80-page giant reprints than the new hits of "today." But the Wolfman is coming on strong so there's going to be less and less room for that old stuff.
I am, and have always been, a big fan of DC’s horror and war stuff. Even their western (the Two-Gun Kid has nothing on Jonah Hex).
But supers? Make mine Marvel.
; )
Between Teen Titans #1 and the first Creature Commandos appearance this was a pretty significant week in terms of comics history if nothing else. Perez was near the top of his game (at least for DC) in this stretch, although I'll agree, his "teens" don't sell their supposed ages at all.
June Moone always nice to see. Given that the supernatural magic, and the afterlife all demonstrably exist and regularly influence the lives of DCU citizens, I'd think any college that *lacked* teaching staff with some familiarity with the subject would be failing pretty hard. Be like not having a "superhuman studies" major ala Empowered, y'know?
That alien society in the Superman book with the "brain modification" tech sounds like the most horrific 1984-style dystopia imaginable, and Clark helps *improve* their tech for them to save himself some hassle. Good job. There's a reason the Superdickery page exists.
The contagious-when-killed clown face curse in Haunted House sounds like it belongs in an RPG. Given that it affected the whole crowd of pursuers it's bound to multiply further - and one wonders what would happen if you legally executed a victim of the curse? Would it affect just teh executioner, or everyone involved in the sentencing, or would it "blame" every citizen of that jurisdiction? Reminds me of a 90s era Specter story where he shows up in court during an appeal from a wrongfully-convicted murderer and makes it 100% clear that if the guy's executed, the entire state (NY, in this case) will be held responsible for his (legal, but unjust) murder.
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