Wednesday Comics: DC, April 1985 (week 4)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis! This week, I read the comics on sale on January 24, 1984.

Detective Comics #549: Moench and Broderick/Smith complete Harvey Bullock's journey from villain to buffoonish minor character to secondary protagonist. Moench reveals that Bullock's slovenly appearance and gruff demeanor are a bit of a put on. The inner Bullock is really a more introspect fan of classic Hollywood with a very tidy apartment. When a gang trashes that apartment and movie memorabilia in revenge, Bullock proves himself a capable fighter as well. 

The Green Arrow and Black Canary backup, "Night Olympics" is a rare superhero story by Moore with art by Janson. It's a humorous piece where Green Arrow's opponent has a breakdown thanks to the number of times he's been unlucky enough to get caught by superheroes (and the last was Metamorpho!) while Canary confronts a couple of thugs who think she's Wonder Woman and surrender immediately to avoid being beat-up by a woman. Things turn serious when they're attacked by a crook who's gotten a bow and arrow from a super-villain armor.

Action Comics #566: Boldman and Randall bring back Captain Strong (DC's take on Popeye), not seen since 1981, for his last appearance. Clark Kent and Lois Lane go on a cruise with Strong and his wife Olivia and run into trouble on an island inhabited by the sorcerous Old Woman of the Sea (a Sea Hag stand-in) and Strong's long-lost Pappy.

The second story by Newell and Bender/Oksner has a young girl trying to get into an Autograph Hounds club by getting Superman's autograph. The Man of Steel discovers the girl is an orphan raised by an older couple like himself and helps her out.

America vs. the Justice Society #4: The committee hearing draws to a close, and I really can't see what they would have gotten out of hearing the JSA related their adventures, but a few character witness testify for them. One person who does get something out of the history lesson is Dick Grayson. He realizes the stories and the diaries seem to circle around the disappearance of Professor Zee. He goes to his residence and finds Per Degaton there, waiting for the return of the time machine so he can again make a bid for conquest. This was apparently what Batman's false account was meant to point at: the periodic return of the time machine and Per Degaton. Why Batman didn't just tell somebody is put down to the mental effects of his cancer and his distance from the JSA. Anyway, the whole team and the committee show up to rescue Grayson and capture Degaton.

Arion Lord of Atlantis #30: Duursema returns for this arc. Atlantis is beset by unnatural storms that Arion traces to mysterious ancient tower than looks like a nuclear plant cooling tower on the edge of the city. Arion and Chian go inside through an underground passageway and are attacked by a group of beast-men, who of whom is a transformed Wyynde. The scientist who created them then sends drones after our heroes. Arion's magic causes the drones to explode, and the feedback destroys the computers guiding them, killing the scientist. Now they must find a way to restore Wyynde. 

All-Star Squadron #44: Thomas/Kupperberg and Jones/Marcos have Hourman and Firebrand and Phantom Lady and Tarantula go on a double date to a costume party thrown by Firebrand's father, a steel magnet. Nazi supervillains Night and Fog crash the party because prior to Pearl Harbor Ed Reilly was helping the Germans against the Russians and the British (who, as an Irishman, he hated). The two threaten him to get him back on their side. When he refuses, they throw him out a window. Our heroes battle the villains, ultimately forcing them to flee, but Ed Reilly is killed.

Jonah Hex #90: Morrow comes aboard on art duties as it seems like Fleisher may be moving the disparate strands of his story to some sort of conclusion. Silver Ames, a woman out to prove herself the fastest gunfighter in misguided grief over her father's death, shoots Hart in the back after he refuses to duel her. Mei Ling identifies the body at the mortuary. 

Ames sets out to find Hex, who has left Mrs. Crowley's boarding house to find Emmylou. He has a run of bad luck, though, getting caught in a rockslide that kills his horse. Then he's attacked by a cougar. Meanwhile, Emmylou, in grief over believing she killed Hex, finally gets up the courage to make a break from the gang of robbers. She slashes Brett with a knife and escapes the house.

Hex visits the doc in Red Dog before he's accosted by Ames who admits to Hart's murder and demands Hex fight her. Hex tells her she'd lose and gives her some constructive criticism on her technique. When she draws on him, he shoots her in the chest twice and walks away, leaving her body in the street.

Spanner's Galaxy #5: Spanner and Gadj castle into a factory town on an alien world beset by a serial killer. Spanner is sort of drafted into the position of sheriff but also gets reunited with his family. Spanner and his sister (whose on the force, herself) discover the identity of the killer, and that he's being using robots to do the job. Baka and the intergalactic cops arrive, and we are finally given a reason why they are after Spanner: he's a carrier for a contagious illness. Seems odd that they couldn't have said this previously, but anyway, he turns himself in and is put on solitary quarantine on an asteroid.

Sun Devils #10: Jurgens takes over as writer and artist with this issue. After their defeat and betrayal last issue, the Sun Devils are disgraced, grounded, and soon to be disbanded. With the Sauroid fleet heading toward Centauri, Rik goes rogue and lies to the team to get them to go on a daring infiltration mission to recapture the Starcrusher weapon. He also gets a new look too, with stubble and a sleeveless vest with no shirt. Anyway, they manage to get onto the Sauroid cruiser but head the wrong direction and stumble upon Anomie.

Tales of the Legion #322: Dawnstar seems to be falling for the priest Jhodan and him for her even as the high priestess Awian orders them both brought in for apostasy. Jhodan's novitiate, jealous of the relationship, leaves vowing to bring her form superior down. Meanwhile, Brainy is taken by the apparently mentally ill guy he's fallen in with to a village where he is (surprisingly) accepted. Digging around, he finds the hint of a mystery and some ancient Earth recording tapes. 

The Newell/Levitz story here feels very Star Trek, but I'm not sure that's what the Legion needs. 

V #3: Bates and Infantino/DeZuniga complete the story of Sparkle Springs. Captain Devon and his troops arrive and manage to capture some of the resistance fighters. When the kid, Billy Lee, takes a shot at the Visitors to help the captives escape, he's killed by the soldiers. Donovan tries to get the townsfolk to rise up at Billy's funeral, but they don't seem to listen. Later though, after the resistance sabotages the aliens' extraction of the spring water with explosives, the townspeople finally join the fight and help drive the Visitors out.

World's Finest Comics #312: Cavalieri and Woch/Alcala reveal an unscrupulous company using substandard steel in a newly constructed bridge in Gotham. Superman works to stop its collapse while Batman saves a whistleblower from an assassin. Interesting, the Monitor shows up still testing the two heroes for weaknesses to sell. Apparently Cavalieri didn't know this issue would hit after Crisis #1 changed our view of the Monitor.

The Cat Completes the Mission

Our Land of Azurth 5e game continued last night as the party confronted the Wizard of Azurth and Morzengersturm over the fate of Roderick Drue, a young occultist, at the Columbia Exposition in 1893 Chicago.

The Wizard recognizes the party calls forth shadows in the form of Expo attendees to attack them. And there are a lot of them! Luckily these are minions (as per the minion rules in Flee, Mortals!), so the party is able to mow them done, but it takes a while and gives them a moment of fright as there are a lot of them. Erekose, Waylon, and the activated Figurine of Wondrous Power Bear takes down five at the entrance of the tent. Shade goes after those coming through the side of the tent with her bow. Zabra witchbolts a couple of them.

Zabra's familiar, a cat, is dutifully carrying the transport gem to the target, Roderick Drue. When it breaks the gem with a bite, a cloud of colorful smoke engulfs both cat and occultist and transports them to the Land of Azurth. 

Waylon gets frightened by the shadows, so moves inside for an attack on Mortzengersturm. The party has a history with the Mad Manticore as they killed him in--well, their past, his future. Zabra delivers a psychic bolt that incapacitates the Manticore wizard before he can act.

His ally and his minions gone, the Wizard teleports away.

The party uses their other jewels to return to Azurth themselves. After some healing they are ready to plan their next mission: black to the Shadow Tower.

Gifts of the Magi

In the Latter Age of Earth, magi are those few born with the Mark, a quirk or atavism of their genetic code, that supports full activation of the nanotechnologic interface within their brains, allowing them to become users of the system enveloping the planet. With this linkage made and mastered, a magus may command and the world responds. They can open the vast subterranean vaults of the Ancients, contain and control willful spirits, and send clouds of doom upon their enemies. 

The magi of the several collegia seek out newly emerged mages to teach them to use their gifts. Those wild talents who are not initiated into a collegium are known as sorcerers. 

The place of the magi varies across the cultures of the world. Where the Instrumentality is at its strongest their practice is generally restricted, regulated, and monitored. Occasionally they are outright banned, but their abilities are simply too valuable to governments and even to the clergy for this to be a common practice.

Nevertheless, the life of a magus is often precarious. Superstitious common folk can easily turn against them, and Instrumentality zealots are often eager to find a reason to punish or imprison them. Beyond that, the very forces they wield and the knowledge they seek can easily prove dangerous to them as much as anyone else.

Wednesday Comics: DC, April 1985 (week 3)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis! This week, I'm looking at comics that were published on January 17, 1985.

New Teen Titans #7: José Luis García-López arrives as new penciler so this issue looks gorgeous, whatever else. We get the return of Azrael (though he isn't given that name in this issue). I appreciate that, even though this book and Tales aren't taking place at the same time, similar topics (like this winged alien) come up concurrently in both. It does make it difficult keeping recent events in each title straight, though. Anyway, not long after Azrael shows up, again declaring his love for Lilith, she's kidnapped by her mother, who turns out not only to be a ruthless businesswoman also the Titan of myth, Thia. The (Teen) Titans go to the Amazons for help with this Greek mythology stuff, but they find Paradise Island in ruins and all the Amazons gone.

Batman and the Outsiders #20: Aided by Jane Denniger, the whip-wielding Syonide and some goons go to kidnap Halo and her parents. They are working for Black Lightning foe Tobias Whale, who believes Violet Harper is feigning her amnesia and still has in her "photographic memory" a formula her and her deceased boyfriend stole. Halo manages to summon the Outsiders, but her parents still wind up getting killed by Syonide. As they are dying, she tells them she has regained her memory, and she loves them. At their graveside, she reveals to Katana that she still doesn't remember her past life at all and the lie was to comfort them.

While Jane Denniger is likely unreliable, her version of events paints the previous Violet Harper as more than the delinquent I had taken her for but a full-on sociopath. Nothing in the issue contradicts this narrative, though obviously as we still don't know how she was resurrected, there is more to be revealed. 

Blue Devil #11: Klein and Smith/Gustovich sub in with this even more humor-oriented that usual story. The Blue Devil movie is over-budget, Werner is breathing down Marla's neck to wrap things up, and Dan is sick. When Werner's auditor comes for a visit, an unconscious Dan dreams a series of surreal sequences where he is pursued by the super-villainous Auditor. In the end, though, the real auditor proves a nice guy, the movie is completed, and Dan gets medical attention. 

These recent issues make it seem like they book doesn't really have a direction.

Conqueror of the Barren Earth #3: Cohn and Randall pick up where last issue left off with the armies of Zhengla confronting the Harashashan. Jinal maneuvers the situation so that the Harashashan join Zhengla's army of conquest. In all public ways she appears the loyal consort of the conqueror, but their all hints she may be playing bigger game. The rulers of D'Roz think so, as they fear Jinal will manipulate Zhengla into attacking them. They lay a trap with a community of stranded Qlov, but it backfires, and Jinal has to do little convincing to get Zhengla to turn his sights on the city.

Green Lantern #187: Well, the Wein and Gibbons run didn't amount to much, though they did introduce some new elements (namely the Predator and Hal giving up the ring) later teams will have to deal with. This issue is a fill-in by Kupperberg and Willingham before the new, regular team starts. After Rich's funeral, Carol and Hal both note the distance in their relationship, but neither knows the cause. It isn't helped when Carol finds the Predator in her house. He again declares his love, and Hal shows up to fight him, but gets beaten up. Meanwhile, Bruce Gordon decides to leave Ferris Aircraft, and Stewart as Green Lantern flubs the rescue of a space shuttle (though it turns out all right, no thanks to him). Frustrated by his mistakes, he goes to the Oans to request training, and they assign Katma Tui to help out.

There's a backup Tales of the Green Lantern Corps by Baron with atypically cartoony art from Rogers. It's the story of a mom Green Lantern that uses a bubble blown with her kid's toy to escape a yellow energy bubble.

Infinity, Inc. #13: This is the last issue penciled by Newton before his death. Shooter allowed Joe Rubinstein to temporarily waive his exclusive contract with Marvel to ink it.  Silver Scarab, Fury, Jade, and Nuke Four take a vacation on a secluded tropical island and do some skinny-dipping. They meet up with a woman named Rose who has been alone on the island sometime, studying its flora. That night they are attacked by Thorn who claims to be Rose's sister and wields plant control powers. They defeat her and leave, taking Rose with them, unaware that she and Thorn are actually the same person. 

There's a pinup at the end of this issue by a young artist named Todd McFarlane who we are told will be doing more work for Infinity, Inc. in the future.

Superman Special #3: The writing credit is Bridwell/Wein, and it definitely seems like a Bridwell story as part of it deals with tying up the loose end of a previous story establishing that a Daily Planet employee inadvertently discovered Superman's secret identity. After getting hypnotized by his nephew (a stage magician), he spills the secret. The nephew uses it to harass Clask briefly, all in good fun of course. Meanwhile, Superman is trying to deal with a reconstructed Amazo and bring in Professor Ivo. Superman manages to accomplish all this, then super-hypnotizes (with their consent) both the Planet employee and the magician to make then forget his identity.

Sgt. Rock #399: In the main story by Kanigher and Gonzales, Rock is with the remnant of Baker Company when they are ambushed by the SS and killed after surrendering. Easy finds the site of the massacre and Rock's dog tags, so they assume he is dead. But then who is pursuing and picking off the SS soldiers? Spoilers: Rock isn't dead.

The second story, written and drawn by Darren Auck is a futuristic story of two highly trained soldiers representing the two power blocs going at it one on one. The loser is surprised to find out he's being facing a robot.

Saga of Swamp Thing #35: Moore and Bissette/Totleben return to a bit of an environmentalist message as a toxic and deranged homeless man ("Nukeface") from a Pennsylvania town abandoned due to a coal seam fire and turned into a nuclear waste dump arrives at the swamps around Houma. He kills one man by sharing his deadly hootch, then poisons Swamp Thing. I had thought perhaps this issue was inspired by the 80s horror film Street Trash, but it predates it by over 2 years.

Warlord #90: I reviewed this issue here.

Who's Who #2: This issue has a lot of bat characters. Earth-One Batman's text crowds his picture into a small size. They'll be more willing to give major characters two pages in later issues. Interesting, Azrael gets a half-page here, though he's only really had teaser appearances so far, it doesn't give the entry much to go on. Also, Black Canary is shown in a new costume--one that hasn't appeared in a story yet!

The Instrumentality of Humankind

 

Lately, I've been thinking about my Scavengers of the Latter Ages idea, which is sort of a "hard" science fantasy setting, and reconsidering some aspects. Here's a new take on clerics in the setting:

"We of the Institute receive an intensive historical inculcation; we know the men of the past, and we have projected dozens of possible future variations, which, without exception, are repulsive. Man, as he exists now, with all his faults and vices, a thousand gloriously irrational compromises between two thousand sterile absolutes – is optimal. Or so it seems to us who are men."

- Jack Vance, The Killing Machine

Clerics are ordained individuals in the service of the Instrumentality of Humankind. The purpose of their order is the preservation of Humanity and its restoration as stewards of the Earth. To this end, they seek to discourage the worship of false gods such as digital minds and alien entities, and to limit and manage technologies that might alter humanity or thwart its destiny.

While the Instrumentality is technically a nonreligious entity, its organization and trappings mimic religious forms, and its exoteric teachings (officially allegorical) regarding the Earth Mother and the Primeval or Cosmic Man form the basis of a folk belief system, and this system, along with Instrumentality's ceremonies and rituals have developed into a civic religion in many places.

The Instrumentality is not a group of luddites, despite their goals. They hold technology must be understood and mastered, so that what is valuable maybe used for the benefit of humanity, but not it's transformation. They maintain, for instance, almost total control of advance healing techniques, and can wield terrible weapons if the need arises.

The Institute of Vance's Demon Princes series and the Church of Foster's Humanx Commonwealth are a big influence here but pushed in a more Dune direction by the Terran Chantry Ruocchio's Sun Eater series.

Demons in the White City

Our Land of Azurth 5e game continued last weekend, with the Clockwork Princess Viola revealing the new plan she had come up with for defeating the Wizard. Her worry was the full-on assault she and the other princesses had been planning was too fraught and would lead to too much loss of life. She had realized the Wizard could be weakened by denying him the strength and knowledge he had built up sending copies or aspects of himself into time. 

The party's adventures, as dutifully recorded by the fans in the Domed City of Yai, show that they had encountered the younger astral projection of the Wizard, Roderick Drue. They had also encountered a Shadow duplicate of him in the Half-Real Tower. If the Wizard could be denied these two, he would be weakened.

There was some debate over what "denial" entailed. It was decided killing was an option, but capture was sufficient, so long as the operation moved quickly and was followed by an attack on the Wizard.

Roderick Drue had claimed to have been sent from a place called Chicago in 1893. A time and place far in the past. Luckily, Viola has a time machine. After getting appropriate clothing from Yai, a map of a place called the Columbian Exposition, and a locator device, the party is ready to go.

Upon arrival, they are somewhat distracted by the strange sights and sounds, but they stay focused. As they get closer, they are startled to see the Wizard walking in conversation with Mortzengersturm (who the crowds don't seem to notice). They also are concerned when they discover they appear to be being shadowed by demonic creatures:

They trace young Drue to a hookah establishment in the Turkish Village, where he is meeting with Mortzengersturm and the Wizard.  The party has a jewel when crushed that will release a small cloud and transport anyone in it back to Azurth. When Dagmar and Zabra try to find a way to deliver that to Drue, the others have to leave the tent to engage the two demons encircling it.

The demons are defeated, but not before Mort and the Wizard become aware and move to beat a retreat with Drue in tow...

Wednesday Comics: DC, April 1985 (week 2)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) through Crisis! This week, I read the comics released the week of January 10, 1985. 

Batman #382: Moench and Hoberg/Nebres continue the story from last month's issue of Detective. Catwoman reveals to Vicki and Julia, and later arrivers Batman and Robin, that she tangled with Darkwolf in Egypt and in revenge he poisoned her panther and is out to kill her. After Diablo (the panther) dies, Catwoman vows revenge herself, and Batman agrees to help her. Meanwhile, Darkwolf has made it to Gotham Airport and has hijacked a plan, demanding flight to Damascus. Catwoman goes undercover as a flight attendant while Batman attaches himself to the wing with a parachute. Amazingly, this plan works (sort of) and Darkwolf is defeated, Batman takes the plan in for an emergency landing after the pilot is knocked out, and Catwoman appears to have been killed after falling out of the plan with a grenade in hand after grappling with Darkwolf. 

Amethyst #4: Schaffenberger is on pencils this issue and it gives it a more cartoony look. Amy wakes up back in our world, no worse for wear, but evil is still on the move in Gemworld, and she's soon called back for a brief visit. A muscular, hooded figure hovers over Citrina's bed and brags about his plans to destroy her, before Amethyst's appearance chases him away. Sardonyx has survived the destruction of his city, but a strange, little creature demands he do its bidding if he wants to see his people again. 

Back on Earth, new student Carl Nelligan starts school, but Amy and Emmy know he's Carnelian. When they catch a little gremlin spying on them, they chase it back to Carl's basement where they find a machine for enhancing magical energy. They are threatened then attacked by his Uncle Orville who looks like Dark Opal but turns out to be a robot. The issue ends with the girls in the robot's clutches.

Arak Son of Thunder #43: The Thomases and DeZuniga bring Arak to Kur, the Sumerian Underworld. He manages to rescue Satyricus from the procession of the dead, but Valda has already been brough before Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, and the stone judges of the dead. Arak begins to struggle against the beastmen Anunnaki. His loyalty inspires Gilgamesh, one of the judges, who jumps to join their fight and returns to flesh. Eventually Ereshkigal gives up and allows Arak and his companions to go free--if they can find a passage out of Kur. They succeed in doing so, but back in the living world Gilgamesh lays down and returns to dust. The others continue onward to Angelica's temple which now appears abandoned.

Camelot 3000 #12: After over 2 years, this series reaches its conclusion. Barr and Bolland bring Arthur and surviving knights of the round table to their final confrontation (this cycle, perhaps) with Mordred and Morgan le Fay and her alien allies. Mordred wears armor made of the grail, but that isn't enough to save him from his father's wrath. After Merlin is released, Morgan is left to the mercy of the disease warping her flesh. Galahad loses his life in the battle, and Arthur sacrifices himself for the others. In the epilogue, Tom Prentiss is helping rebuild the Earth, Tristan has at least decided to accept his female body and move on with Isolda, and Guinevere and Lancelot are expecting a baby, which they both hope is Arthur's. Meanwhile, an alien pulls a sword from the stone...

This series mostly gets by on Bolland's art, but Barr's story is better in collection form rather than dragged like it was in its original run.

Flash #344: I feel like what an already languidly paced story arc doesn't need is reprints to give unnecessary backstory, but that's just what we get as Bates and Infantino have Kid Flash take the stand. We get the origin of Kid Flash from Flash #110 and the story where Kid Flash learns the Flash's secret ID from Flash #149, both by Broome and Infantino. We end in the present on Kid Flash's bombshell admission that in his opinion it was unnecessary for the Flash to use deadly force against the Reverse Flash.

G.I. Combat #276: There's only one real Haunted Tank story this issue. The trauma of war has made Jeb cold and distant, an ironic parallel to a German cyborg tank commander that is sent against Stuart's Raiders. Confrontation with the cold steel foe awakens Jeb's humanity. 

There's also a Mercenaries story, where the trio is perhaps in North Africa, hired to help an Arab general, but they find the general has been overthrown by a people's revolution. They decide that's maybe for the best, but the General and his wife coerce them into working for them. As is the pattern of these stories, the Mercenaries manage to turn the tables, doing what's right, but they don't get paid.

One of the non-series stories is by Kashdan/Carillo and involves an aerial spotter for artillery who is forced to give his life in a kamikaze dive to hit one last target. The other is by Drake/Barnes and is one of those stories whose heart is in the right place as it deals with the prejudice faced by Japanese American soldiers but manages to engage in unfortunate stereotypes. 

Jemm, Son of Saturn #7: Potter and Colan/MacLoed seem to be bringing story threads together post the mid-point of the series. Synn and her Koolar warriors met Tull who is indeed much more powerful than I initially thought due to his knowledge of advanced technology. They make an alliance with him agreeing to lead them to the Red Saturnians in exchange for him being allowed to drain the energy of a Koolar to extend his life.

Meanwhile, Jogarr keeps Jemm virtually a prisoner in New Bhok. Given that Jemm fulfills an ancient prophecy he and some of his council fear knowledge of his existence would cause a religious frenzy and social disruption in their community. However, when the actions of a Bishop of New Bhok and an attack by a subterranean bentu accidentally conspire to reveal Jemm to the populace, Jogarr's fears appear to be coming to fruition.

Legion of Super-Heroes #9: Lightle and Mahlstedt are really working well here; this issue looks great. After their stopover in DC Comics Presents last week, the lost Legionnaires are home at last. Element Lad reunites with Shvaughn Erin, but duty keeps getting in the way of them being together until the very end of the issue, as Sklarian raiders are found in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, a much more assertive Shrinking Violet confronts Yera Allon, the investigation begins into who shot Laurel Kent and why, and Timber Wolf frets over his role in settling Karate Kid's estate.

Omega Men #24: Shawn McManus comes on for art on this story. Kalista returns to her childhood haunts to reminisce over happier times on Euphorix. She has also secreted Dulak away in a hunting knowledge nearby and visits him. Dulak has been duped by his Branx allies, though, and Harry Hokum directs a plan to kill Kallista. It fails, and Kallista forgives Dulak, even spends a night with him, but can't return his love because she is queen. She leaves the forest and returns to her duties.

This title has felt directionless for a while, but this issue makes me consider whether it really would been better just to lean into that and make it an anthology about the weird worlds and peoples of Vega. Apparently, the editors are thinking something similar as they've already announced the upcoming "Tales of Vega" backup series.

Star Trek #13: Kirk and crew run a daring gambit to neutralize the Terran Empire. In the Mirror Universe, the Excelsior reports to High Command and Kirk (impersonating Mirror-Kirk) argues now is the time to strike the universe of the Federation. He is tasked with leading the strike force, which he plans to betray. Later, Marlena helps him make contact with the rebels, who to his surprise include Mirror-David! Unfortunately, the Empire has spies. Just as the strike force has gathered, the High Councilor gives the command for the assembled ships to turn on Excelsior. Another good, very Trekian, installment from Barr and Sutton/Villagran.

Superman #406: You can frequently count on the Superman titles to have odd stories, and Kupperberg and Norvick/Hunt continue the tradition. Former wrestler Mo Ramboe is angry that Superman stole his former stage name. Since he's had prophetic dreams in the past, he's happy when he dreams he defeats Superman in the ring and takes back his name; His brother the mobster is also happy because he sees the chance to increase his power in the Metropolis underworld. Meanwhile, Superman begins to experience periodic failure in his Superman strength before he feels inexorably drawn to the arena where Ramboe is going to fight and beat him has the gang leaders of the city watch. Once Superman is beaten, though, his strength returns and he easily takes down Ramboe in an immediate rematch, and Ramboe's brother's mob boss dreams are quashed. 

The second story by Boldman and Saviuk/Kesel makes a more sense but is (perhaps) sillier. A "Can You Stump Superman?" contest is held on to benefit the Lung Foundation. The contest is realized as an attempt to determine what Superman can't do that Earthlings can. Two crooks try to take advantage of the contest to plant a bomb in the Fortress of Solitude, but most of the story is just people's guesses and Superman proving them wrong. In the end, it turns out Superman can't actually inhale if he tries to smoke.

Talent Showcase #16: As promised in last issues editorial, the talent is no longer "new," so that's dropped from the title. We still seem to be getting the same level of "not ready for primetime" stories, though. Eric Shanower is up first with a fantasy story in a vaguely Ancient Egyptian setting that doesn't amount to much, even lampshading it's pat resolution in the final panel. There are three one-page gag strips by Agustin Más, then the rest of the issue is given over the science fiction, albeit one story has a superhero bent. The first has a woman scientist overcoming sexism, but I can't remember much else other than it has to do with FTL travel.

The last story is multi-part and is the origin of the hero Collapsar by Ashley Tillman and Stan Woch. Tillman's only published comic work is in this title, though he was more involved in comics fandom, organizing the 1978 Charlotte NC comics convention. "Collapsar" is the story of a scientist working with a team planning to send an ape into a black hole who discovers he has a terminal disease and decides to take the trip instead of the ape. He doesn't die but finds an inhabited world on the otherside and is transformed into a cosmic superhero form with indigo skin, pupilless eyes, red hair, and these Starlin-y sparkles.  DC publisher a Collapser series from Young Animal about a guy who gets a blackhole in his chest and gains super-powers. I wonder if the writers were aware of this earlier character?