Volume XII
The Drunken Guide To The Characters Of The DC Universe
The Drunken Guide To The Characters Of The DC Universe
Showing posts with label JSA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JSA. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2022
DC Special Podcast: DK Encyclopedia Diaries 12
Rolled Spine Podcasts are on iTunes, Anchor, Stitcher Radio, and the Internet Archive.
Coarse Language: Listener Discretion is Advised
A
Air Wave 0
Iris Allen / Linda Park 2
Amazing Man 4
Amazo 9
Ambush Bug 11
Andromeda 25
Angle Man 28
B
Black Zero 8
D
Doctor Psycho (New 52) 8
L
The League of Ancients 11
Legion of Super-Heroes (New 52) 20
P
Linda Park / Iris Allen 2
S
Superboy Jonathan Lane Kent 11
Superboy Kon-El (New 52; cont.) 0
W
Wild Girl 27
Wildsiderz 22
Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark (New 52) 3
We Think You're Special!
- Hashtag us as #RSPDCS
- Friend us on Facebook
- Email us at rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
- Tweet us as a group @rolledspine, or individually as Diabolu Frank & Illegal Machine. Fixit don't tweet.
- If the main DC Bloodlines blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
DC Special Podcast: DK Encyclopedia Diaries 11
Volume XI
The Drunken Guide To The Characters Of The DC Universe
The Drunken Guide To The Characters Of The DC Universe
Download MP3
Rolled Spine Podcasts are on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Anchor and the Internet Archive.
Coarse Language: Listener Discretion is Advised
G
Gen¹³ 31
J
J.J. Jakeem Thunder 11
Johnny Thunder 7
R
The Ravagers (cont.) 20
S
Static Shock 0
T
Teen Titans (New 52; cont.) 13
W
White Canary 17
We Think You're Special!
- Hashtag us as #RSPDCS
- Friend us on Facebook
- Email us at rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
- Tweet us as a group @rolledspine, or individually as Diabolu Frank & Illegal Machine. Fixit don't tweet.
- If the main DC Bloodlines blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.
Black Canary, DC Comics Encyclopedia, DC Special Podcast, Gen13, JSA, Milestone Media, Podcast, Teen Titans, Wildstorm,
Rolled Spine Podcasts are on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Anchor and the Internet Archive.
Coarse Language: Listener Discretion is Advised
G
Gen¹³ 31
J
J.J. Jakeem Thunder 11
Johnny Thunder 7
R
The Ravagers (cont.) 20
S
Static Shock 0
T
Teen Titans (New 52; cont.) 13
W
White Canary 17
We Think You're Special!
- Hashtag us as #RSPDCS
- Friend us on Facebook
- Email us at rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
- Tweet us as a group @rolledspine, or individually as Diabolu Frank & Illegal Machine. Fixit don't tweet.
- If the main DC Bloodlines blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Comic Reader Résumé: March-May, 1983
ré·su·mé [rez-oo-mey, rez-oo-mey]
noun
1. a summing up; summary.
2. a brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as that prepared by an applicant for a job.
As I mentioned last time, March, 1983 was a bad month for continuing storylines. I failed to follow-up on cliffhangers in Captain America, Power Man and Iron Fist, and come to think of it, anything else. Maybe I'd tapped out my change tips from picking up packs of cigarettes for my grandmother at the 7-11? Times must have gotten tough, because I skipped April, as well.
The first book I bought after the slump was May, 1983's Alpha Flight #1. At a dollar, it was a big ticket purchase, although a bargain at its double length page count. Like most of the comic world, I loved John Byrne in his prime, and all those great looking Marvel heroes on the cover made it an easy sell. However, I soon realized that of those heroes, Alpha Flight were clearly the least. For instance, grouping Snowbird, Northstar and Aurora together made it clear that they barely had one costume color between them. Puck's defining character color is his own hairy flesh. The same was true of Marrina's jaundiced skin, her suit coming out of Namorita's closest. Sasquatch was a poor man's Beast, and Shaman seemed rejected by the Global Guardians. Guardian was the only well designed character in costume, but that costume was the sum total of his personality. The "Alphans" (blech) fought a bunch of giant muck monsters from Canadian Native folklore, which today I would find neat, but as a kid bored me. They reminded me of a movie called Shadow of the Hawk that tripped me out, but it was spooky because it was normal humans against an alien form of the supernatural. Brightly colored super-heroes following in the footsteps of Jan-Michael Vincent were considerably less impressive. For years, it was a book I'd toss through for Byrne, but not actually read.
I next bought All-Star Squadron #24, lured in by what amounted to Spider-Man versus the Justice Society. I had trouble wrapping my brain around heroes still fighting World War II in 1983, but to this day I think the redesigned Tarantula looks fantastic. I'm sure Ditko's version of Blue Beetle was a big influence, but the uncommon use of brown classed the Tarantula up. Chuck Dixon teased the character's return throughout his Nightwing run, only for Devin Grayson to pull a gender switch with necessary adjustments to the costume that ruined its gracefulness. The art by Jerry Ordway and Mike Machlan was lovely, but Roy Thomas has never been a favorite of mine, and the story's the thing. I might have given the book another try, but I specifically recall buying this off the spinner rack at Gemco, the only place I ever saw the title in my pre-comic shop days. Shopping trips there were momentous, but irregular.
The New Teen Titans Annual #2 was a huge book for me. It was the debut of a new Vigilante, who I recognized as a Punisher knock-off. However, Punisher appearances were few and far between back then, and I hadn't read any but a two-parter from 1977. The Hitman had kidnapped J. Jonah Jameson, so Spider-Man had to not only save his despised boss, but also keep Frank Castle from murdering anyone, all while fighting on the Statue of Liberty. While a cool action piece, the story was only slightly less silly than average.
The Titans were comparatively hardcore in "The Murder Machine," as they pushed the boundaries of heroism in their dogged pursuit of justice for a friend's family's murder by mobsters. Basically, it was my introduction to the type of "grim n' gritty" super-heroes that would dominate the '90s. Wolfman clearly relished getting nasty and playing around with the darkest tropes of old school gangster flicks (I especially loved the game of Ding-Dong Ditch.) Perez was at his most cinematic and detailed, finally inking himself in a tour de force.
Besides looking amazing and being lethal as hell, the comic finally offered me (and likely, a generation of haters) a version of Robin to cheer on. One of my favorite comic moments was when Robin plays at intimidation in a restaurant, kicking a bodyguard in the face with his little green bootie. The mobster's bimbo says something like, "I always thought he was a boy, but he's a man!" If only Nightwing had followed through on that promise. I loved the heck out of this book, and still have most of my original copy, although some of it is in pieces. This story insured a loyalty to the Titans that would make me a hardcore DC fan in the '90s, although DC shot itself in the foot by making it direct sales only at a time when the newsstand was my only regular source of new comics.
Finally, there's The Saga of Crystar, Crystal Warrior #3. I had wanted to try the first issue, but it was prohibitively expensive at $2.00. I liked the Crystar toys, and had inherited an interest in Dr. Strange from my uncle, so this standard issue got the nod instead. Nice cover, decent story, solid interior art, but nothing to inspire further reading. What makes my memory of the book fond was that for some reason, my grandmother decided to write my name under the indicia as a theft prevention device. It was the only time she ever did that, and while I have (mostly) lost and (occasionally) gained a great many comics through grift, I still have this one.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
DC/WS DreamWar #6 (November, 2008)
Mr. Majestic relished almost being killed by a beast as "magnificent" as Doomsday. Superman kept being a "boy scout" while Apollo and Midnighter kept cursing, being homicidal, and ribbing the Man of Steel.
Chimera birthed a Sun-Eater within the moon, as detected by Green Lantern Hal Jordan and relayed telepathically by the Martian Manhunter. All the DC and Wildstorm heroes gathered in one room like you're supposed to for Crisis events to be badly drawn in cramped quarters before being deployed. There was arguing, reminders that there's a gay couple in the room, and that Grifter managed to shoot Dr. Fate to death with silly looking guns. Brainiac 5 was irritable and patronizing. Most everybody ended up on the moon.
The Doctor went onto the dream plain to try to convince Chimera to stop being a genocidal jerk, but he was a "petulant brat" who put his own hurt feelings above the welfare of billions.
Midnighter and Raven had a suspicion, and returning to the Larkin, Arkansas trailer, found it defended by the Shadow Thief (who made an unfortunate reference to rapey Dr. Light.) Defeating him, they learned the Atom's size-altering belt had been removed from his trampled body and used to conceal Chimera's sleeping nerdboy form. The Engineer was able to detect and reveal him. From the moon, Superman convinced Jenny Quarx to order Chimera to be woken up.
Everybody involved on the Wildstorm end woke up from "one bad damn dream."
The Doctor visited Morgana at the Athenaeum to return the DC book. It lifted light, as pages were still missing. At least Chimera would not be a problem, as the Doctor made it so that he could never sleep again.
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part six, "...Perchance to Dream" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott. It was an ugly, painful thing to endure, and to no real end besides a series of cover commissions pairing up two universes' characters for a fight.
DCnÜ Year's Wildstormin' Eve
- Captain Atom: Armageddon #9 (August, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
- Demon Knights #2 (December, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
- Justice League #1 (October, 2011) @ Justice League Detroit
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
DC/Wildstorm DreamWar #1-5 (2008)
Like Captain Atom: Armageddon, this was a series I started covering earlier this year, only to abandon due to lack of interest from all parties (myself included.) I guess the main problem was all those tedious links involving poorly used characters, plus I was trying to concurrently write character-specific coverage of the same insipid stories for other blogs. Unlike Armageddon, I hadn't realized that I only needed to cover one more issue, which I had not yet written (whereas Armageddon has sat completed in the can since December of 2010,) plus I didn't even need a bunch of new scans (as I chose to do for Captain Atom.) It's been so long, and I want to link to the final two Captain Atom issues, so I decided to "reissue" coverage on this mini-series prior to the concluding chapter.
DC/WS DreamWar #1 (June, 2008)
Happy Harbor, Rhode Island was rocked by a tsunami. The Silver Age Justice League of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow and the Atom looked on from the cave entrance to their Secret Sanctuary.
The Carrier trawled "the edge of existence" known as The Bleed, a space that flowed between realities in the Wildstorm multiverse. Aboard, The Authority viewed a number of anomalous entries into their universe: a T-shaped tower on top of Riker's Island Prison... a rocket ship in Siberia ("as envisioned by a grade school kid.")
Mr. Majestic investigated the former, and was taken down by The New Teen Titans. He recovered just after Spartan came to his aid. A scuffle ensued, and the Titans escaped. That is, except for Cyborg, possession of whom came into dispute when the Authority hit on the scene.
In Tranquility, Oregon, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick and Ted Grant looked into a retirement home.
In Siberia, Stormwatch argued with local authorities over access to the crash site. Invisible Kid and Chameleon Boy spied on both parties.
In a Larkin, Arkansas trailer park, a fat man with a slit throat sat in a chair. A younger, heavyset man lay in bed. Superman looked in on him as he slept and smiled. "Kf... Never again."
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part one, "Chimera Rising," was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #2 (July, 2008)
In New York City, Wonder Girl and Starfire attacked Gen13.
Within their rocket ship headquarters, the Legion of Super-Heroes considered how they were going to move against their foes. "Chimera Lad wants us focused on Stormwatch. The Justice League will see to The Authority."
During an interrogation aboard The Carrier, Cyborg told members of The Authority and the WildC.A.T.s that the heroes of the DCU had come to bring down all the crumb bums of the Wildstorm Universe. To illustrate the point, the Justice League of America teleported onto the ship and started busting heads. Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow gravitated toward the Carrier's power source, while Green Lantern, the Flash, Superman and Batman addressed Cyborg's captors. Jenny Quarx, The Engineer and Jack Hawksmoor escaped the ship through a teleportational door, but most of their cohorts were taken down. However, Green Arrow was killed in the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Justice Society of America began systematically destroying Tranquility, Oregon.
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part two, "First Strike," was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #3 (August, 2008)
In Siberia, Stormwatch and the Legion of Super-Heroes had a brutal confrontation.
The Amazons of Themyscira launched an attack on the vampire nation from Wetworks.
The Justice Society of America continued their assault on Tranquility, Oregon. Grifter gunned down Dr. Fate.
Batman, Superman and Green Lantern launched an attack on the WildC.A.T.s headquarters. After a lengthy battle with Zealot, the Dark Knight died by her sword. This shook Superman to the core, as he realized something was very wrong when Green Lantern never mourned the death of his own best friend, Green Arrow. Kal-El reached out to Martian Manhunter's telepathy, only to have the Alien Atlas again assert that Chimera wanted the Wildstorm heroes dead. "Tell me who Chimera is, J'Onn. J'Onn?"
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part three, "Mettle!" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #4 (September, 2008)
Back at the Carrier, Superman helped the Justice League of America remember who they were, then began working with the Wildstorm protagonists to help wrangle the other murderous DC super-teams. The Doctor (with telepathic tag along Martian
Manhunter) metaphysically learned from his predecessors that Chimera was the trailer park kid from WS Earth that could add to reality from his imagination and a volume stolen from the "mother of all libraries," the Athenaeum.
Gen13 was attacked by Raven and Changeling from The New Teen Titans. The Atom was sent to rein them in, but was knocked out before he could reveal himself.
Deathblow, the WildC.A.T.s and Stormwatch fought a war with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Only Bouncing Boy seemed to recall the Legion's prohibitions against killing, and with the help of the Flash (and only after having been stabbed by Warblade,) honor finally prevailed.
The Doctor spoke with Chimera on another plane, learning his stepfather had killed his mother and made him do... "stuff." The kid murdered the man, and figured out a way to "piggy-back" so he could watch the s.o.b. go to Hell. En route, he found his way to the Athenaeum, and stole the DC Comics volume from the library. However, Chimera had used heroes to do the work of villains, which wouldn't stand once their realization in the Wildstorm reality was complete. After all, they were heroes. Chimera recognized his error.
Apollo and Midnighter were waiting outside of "Chimera's" trailer in Arkansas when Doomsday burst out of it. "I knew we shoulda wasted the little #&@% when we had the chance!
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part four, "Resurrection!" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #5 (October, 2008)
Doomsday was rampaging, and Mr. Majestic vouched for the man this "Superman" was supposed to be, so the pair flew off to help Apollo and Midnighter.
In Tranquility, Oregon, a whole host of DC super-villains fought the assembled heroes. Among them were the Golden Age Cheetah, Mano, Blockbuster, Solomon Grundy, Captain Cold and the Royal Flush Gang. Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick convinced a skeptical and justifiably hostile Grifter that the assembled heroes needed a field commander with military experience. "We're outnumbered and on the defensive. That's how these things are lost... Tactics, son. Organization. Looks like you're just the man for the job..."
In Siberia, Stormwatch and the Legion of Super-Heroes battled Validus and the Thunderers of Qward.
Back in Larkin, Arkansas, Midnighter let the Superman tackle Doomsday while he ran into the trailer in hopes of gutting the sleeping Chimera and ending this mess. He was halted by an armed Joker. "Batman Lite, I presume."
WildC.A.T.s headquarters was being torn apart by Giganta, with help from Dr. Light, the Iron Age Cheetah, the Weather Wizard, Firefly, Charaxes, Dreamslayer and more. Martian Manhunter, Jack Hawksmoor and Zealot emerged from a door to help.
The Aegean was dominated by Starro the Conquerer, whose possession of various Amazons, Coda warriors and followers of Kobra troubled Wonder Woman and Wetworks. One had trouble with the term "Super-villains?! And said with a straight face?" Diana replied, "I'm glad you find this so amusing." The Amazing Amazon was just about to take the battle directly to Starro when it fell from the sky dead from indigestion related to a Wildstorm character.
The Carrier continued traveling the Bleed and observing the situations from afar. The Doctor explained to Jenny Quarx that Chimera hadn't recognized the intrinsic heroism of his first constructs, and was retaliating against their betrayal of his goals with the second batch. The Doctor could affect Chimera on his home turf, so other avenues had to be pursued.
In Tranquility, the Flash helped relay Grifter's orders to the troops. Vampires joined the other warriors in the Aegean, who easily routed Kobra to secure the Aegean. Siberia was still in play overnight, as the Legion refused to use lethal force, which gave Stormwatch fits. Cyborg managed to talk down the New Teen Titans and Gen13, but not before the Atom was confirmed as "squished." The Halo Corporate headquarters was wrecked, with casualties in the triple digits. Martian Manhunter was shown confronting Charaxes.
In Arkansas, Midnighter dodged gunfire until Apollo blasted the Clown Prince of Crime in half with eyebeams. Unfortunately, Superman prevented the killing of Chimera, giving him time to find an even more dangerous threat from out of his volume from the Athenaeum...
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part five, "Bad To The Bone" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
New 52's Day featuring Wildstorm
DC/WS DreamWar #1 (June, 2008)
Happy Harbor, Rhode Island was rocked by a tsunami. The Silver Age Justice League of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow and the Atom looked on from the cave entrance to their Secret Sanctuary.
The Carrier trawled "the edge of existence" known as The Bleed, a space that flowed between realities in the Wildstorm multiverse. Aboard, The Authority viewed a number of anomalous entries into their universe: a T-shaped tower on top of Riker's Island Prison... a rocket ship in Siberia ("as envisioned by a grade school kid.")
Mr. Majestic investigated the former, and was taken down by The New Teen Titans. He recovered just after Spartan came to his aid. A scuffle ensued, and the Titans escaped. That is, except for Cyborg, possession of whom came into dispute when the Authority hit on the scene.
In Tranquility, Oregon, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick and Ted Grant looked into a retirement home.
In Siberia, Stormwatch argued with local authorities over access to the crash site. Invisible Kid and Chameleon Boy spied on both parties.
In a Larkin, Arkansas trailer park, a fat man with a slit throat sat in a chair. A younger, heavyset man lay in bed. Superman looked in on him as he slept and smiled. "Kf... Never again."
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part one, "Chimera Rising," was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #2 (July, 2008)
In New York City, Wonder Girl and Starfire attacked Gen13.
Within their rocket ship headquarters, the Legion of Super-Heroes considered how they were going to move against their foes. "Chimera Lad wants us focused on Stormwatch. The Justice League will see to The Authority."
During an interrogation aboard The Carrier, Cyborg told members of The Authority and the WildC.A.T.s that the heroes of the DCU had come to bring down all the crumb bums of the Wildstorm Universe. To illustrate the point, the Justice League of America teleported onto the ship and started busting heads. Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow gravitated toward the Carrier's power source, while Green Lantern, the Flash, Superman and Batman addressed Cyborg's captors. Jenny Quarx, The Engineer and Jack Hawksmoor escaped the ship through a teleportational door, but most of their cohorts were taken down. However, Green Arrow was killed in the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Justice Society of America began systematically destroying Tranquility, Oregon.
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part two, "First Strike," was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #3 (August, 2008)
In Siberia, Stormwatch and the Legion of Super-Heroes had a brutal confrontation.
The Amazons of Themyscira launched an attack on the vampire nation from Wetworks.
The Justice Society of America continued their assault on Tranquility, Oregon. Grifter gunned down Dr. Fate.
Batman, Superman and Green Lantern launched an attack on the WildC.A.T.s headquarters. After a lengthy battle with Zealot, the Dark Knight died by her sword. This shook Superman to the core, as he realized something was very wrong when Green Lantern never mourned the death of his own best friend, Green Arrow. Kal-El reached out to Martian Manhunter's telepathy, only to have the Alien Atlas again assert that Chimera wanted the Wildstorm heroes dead. "Tell me who Chimera is, J'Onn. J'Onn?"
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part three, "Mettle!" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #4 (September, 2008)
Back at the Carrier, Superman helped the Justice League of America remember who they were, then began working with the Wildstorm protagonists to help wrangle the other murderous DC super-teams. The Doctor (with telepathic tag along Martian
Manhunter) metaphysically learned from his predecessors that Chimera was the trailer park kid from WS Earth that could add to reality from his imagination and a volume stolen from the "mother of all libraries," the Athenaeum.
Gen13 was attacked by Raven and Changeling from The New Teen Titans. The Atom was sent to rein them in, but was knocked out before he could reveal himself.
Deathblow, the WildC.A.T.s and Stormwatch fought a war with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Only Bouncing Boy seemed to recall the Legion's prohibitions against killing, and with the help of the Flash (and only after having been stabbed by Warblade,) honor finally prevailed.
The Doctor spoke with Chimera on another plane, learning his stepfather had killed his mother and made him do... "stuff." The kid murdered the man, and figured out a way to "piggy-back" so he could watch the s.o.b. go to Hell. En route, he found his way to the Athenaeum, and stole the DC Comics volume from the library. However, Chimera had used heroes to do the work of villains, which wouldn't stand once their realization in the Wildstorm reality was complete. After all, they were heroes. Chimera recognized his error.
Apollo and Midnighter were waiting outside of "Chimera's" trailer in Arkansas when Doomsday burst out of it. "I knew we shoulda wasted the little #&@% when we had the chance!
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part four, "Resurrection!" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
DC/WS DreamWar #5 (October, 2008)
Doomsday was rampaging, and Mr. Majestic vouched for the man this "Superman" was supposed to be, so the pair flew off to help Apollo and Midnighter.
In Tranquility, Oregon, a whole host of DC super-villains fought the assembled heroes. Among them were the Golden Age Cheetah, Mano, Blockbuster, Solomon Grundy, Captain Cold and the Royal Flush Gang. Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick convinced a skeptical and justifiably hostile Grifter that the assembled heroes needed a field commander with military experience. "We're outnumbered and on the defensive. That's how these things are lost... Tactics, son. Organization. Looks like you're just the man for the job..."
In Siberia, Stormwatch and the Legion of Super-Heroes battled Validus and the Thunderers of Qward.
Back in Larkin, Arkansas, Midnighter let the Superman tackle Doomsday while he ran into the trailer in hopes of gutting the sleeping Chimera and ending this mess. He was halted by an armed Joker. "Batman Lite, I presume."
WildC.A.T.s headquarters was being torn apart by Giganta, with help from Dr. Light, the Iron Age Cheetah, the Weather Wizard, Firefly, Charaxes, Dreamslayer and more. Martian Manhunter, Jack Hawksmoor and Zealot emerged from a door to help.
The Aegean was dominated by Starro the Conquerer, whose possession of various Amazons, Coda warriors and followers of Kobra troubled Wonder Woman and Wetworks. One had trouble with the term "Super-villains?! And said with a straight face?" Diana replied, "I'm glad you find this so amusing." The Amazing Amazon was just about to take the battle directly to Starro when it fell from the sky dead from indigestion related to a Wildstorm character.
The Carrier continued traveling the Bleed and observing the situations from afar. The Doctor explained to Jenny Quarx that Chimera hadn't recognized the intrinsic heroism of his first constructs, and was retaliating against their betrayal of his goals with the second batch. The Doctor could affect Chimera on his home turf, so other avenues had to be pursued.
In Tranquility, the Flash helped relay Grifter's orders to the troops. Vampires joined the other warriors in the Aegean, who easily routed Kobra to secure the Aegean. Siberia was still in play overnight, as the Legion refused to use lethal force, which gave Stormwatch fits. Cyborg managed to talk down the New Teen Titans and Gen13, but not before the Atom was confirmed as "squished." The Halo Corporate headquarters was wrecked, with casualties in the triple digits. Martian Manhunter was shown confronting Charaxes.
In Arkansas, Midnighter dodged gunfire until Apollo blasted the Clown Prince of Crime in half with eyebeams. Unfortunately, Superman prevented the killing of Chimera, giving him time to find an even more dangerous threat from out of his volume from the Athenaeum...
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part five, "Bad To The Bone" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
New 52's Day featuring Wildstorm
- Aquaman #3 (January, 2012) @ Justice League Detroit
- The Huntress #2 (January, 2011) @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
- Stormwatch #3 (January, 2012) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
- Captain Atom: Armageddon #8 (July, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
DC/WS DreamWar #5 (October, 2008)
Doomsday was rampaging, and Mr. Majestic vouched for the man this "Superman" was supposed to be, so the pair flew off to help Apollo and Midnighter.
In Tranquility, Oregon, a whole host of DC super-villains fought the assembled heroes. Among them were the Golden Age Cheetah, Mano, Blockbuster, Solomon Grundy, Captain Cold and the Royal Flush Gang. Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick convinced a skeptical and justifiably hostile Grifter that the assembled heroes needed a field commander with military experience. "We're outnumbered and on the defensive. That's how these things are lost... Tactics, son. Organization. Looks like you're just the man for the job..."
In Siberia, Stormwatch and the Legion of Super-Heroes battled Validus and the Thunderers of Qward.
Back in Larkin, Arkansas, Midnighter let the Superman tackle Doomsday while he ran into the trailer in hopes of gutting the sleeping Chimera and ending this mess. He was halted by an armed Joker. "Batman Lite, I presume."
WildC.A.T.s headquarters was being torn apart by Giganta, with help from Dr. Light, the Iron Age Cheetah, the Weather Wizard, Firefly, Charaxes, Dreamslayer and more. Martian Manhunter, Jack Hawksmoor and Zealot emerged from a door to help.
The Aegean was dominated by Starro the Conquerer, whose possession of various Amazons, Coda warriors and followers of Kobra troubled Wonder Woman and Wetworks. One had trouble with the term "Super-villains?! And said with a straight face?" Diana replied, "I'm glad you find this so amusing." The Amazing Amazon was just about to take the battle directly to Starro when it fell from the sky dead from indigestion related to a Wildstorm character.
The Carrier continued traveling the Bleed and observing the situations from afar. The Doctor explained to Jenny Quarx that Chimera hadn't recognized the intrinsic heroism of his first constructs, and was retaliating against their betrayal of his goals with the second batch. The Doctor could affect Chimera on his home turf, so other avenues had to be pursued.
In Tranquility, the Flash helped relay Grifter's orders to the troops. Vampires joined the other warriors in the Aegean, who easily routed Kobra to secure the Aegean. Siberia was still in play overnight, as the Legion refused to use lethal force, which gave Stormwatch fits. Cyborg managed to talk down the New Teen Titans and Gen13, but not before the Atom was confirmed as "squished." The Halo Corporate headquarters was wrecked, with casualties in the triple digits. Martian Manhunter was shown confronting Charaxes.
In Arkansas, Midnighter dodged gunfire until Apollo blasted the Clown Prince of Crime in half with eyebeams. Unfortunately, Superman prevented the killing of Chimera, giving him time to find an even more dangerous threat from out of his volume from the Athenaeum...
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part five, "Bad To The Bone" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
ElseWednesday
- Bizarro Comics: "Wonder Girl vs. Wonder Tot" (2001) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
- 2001 "Bizarro X-Ray Two" by John Kerschbaum @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
- Bizarro Comics: Aquaman in "Silence of the Fishes" (2001) @ Justice League Detroit
- Captain Atom: Armageddon #7 (June, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
Monday, May 9, 2011
IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time: 80-61
In 2009 or so, the comics department of the popular video game website IGN.com put together a list of their Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time, and have finally followed up with the vastly less well considered Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time. There is much here to mock and debate (in that order,) so I'll have to do it on an installment plan. Watch the video if you like, but expect a poverty of speech content...
Review:
100-81
80) Nightcrawler
I bought the first issue of Dave Cockrum's '80s Nightcrawler mini-series off the newsstand, and realized that however much I liked the character in the context of the X-Men, I just couldn't get excited about him as a solo character. I don't want to see him try to be funny or mournful or determined or anything else on his own. I just want him to be a protagonist's sounding board, a wonderful team player and a nice guy who has moved beyond his past.
79) Captain Britain
I tried for several years in the '80s to like Brian Braddock, but not even Alan Moore could get me to see past his being a privileged abusive douche bag sorely lacking any personality. How this guy has managed not to get killed and permanently replaced is beyond me. Even the British don't particularly like him. Give me Dragon's Claw or Death's Head any day.
78) Sgt. Rock
This is another character that totally matters, that I absolutely respect, but I have never been particularly interested in.
77) Sub-Mariner
I'm glad an effort is being made to recognize Namor as the first mutant and a mover in the Marvel Universe. He was the original anti-hero with a bad attitude, and a load of abrasive fun in a team book.
76) The Rocketeer
GTFO. My apologies to his fans, but this guy just does not matter in the grand scheme of things. He was drawn by Dave Stevens as part of his paltry output of sequential art, helped turn Betty Page into a cultural icon, and starred in Disney's second attempt to ride the wave of Tim Burton's Batman. Otherwise, the Rocketeer was a nostalgic relic thirty years ago, and all the more so today.
75) Marv
Frank Miller's Sin City could never top its initial outing, and was the creator's too brief return to greatness. That said, Marv should totally haunt these latter parts of the hundreds while more important and prolific characters (many already discussed) exceed him.
74) Black Widow
Very much Marvel's Black Canary. An early character who has spent several gaps in limbo and too much of the Bronze Age as the fairer but lesser half of a romantic super-partnership. Several half-hearted solo attempts in the '80s and '90s finally yield a modestly successful series of mini-series, some multi-media exposure, and increased relevance in their universe. However, Dinah's pulled it off better, even accounted for her unfortunate backslide with Green Arrow for a couple of years.
73) Jonah Hex
Too high on the list, but still the most successful western character since the Bronze Age.
72) Luke Cage
I personally find the character a lot more embarrassing and possessed of much less potential today than when he was a baldly blaxploitative '70s refugee, but I still love and respect the guy.
71) Wildcat
This is one of those listings that kind of slap me across the face. I just talked about another streetwise tough guy, but where Luke Cage has been one of the eminent black heroes of the past four decades, Ted Grant is just a likeable but forgettable old fart. Seeing Wildcat on a greatest heroes list is like seeing Ed Asner on a greatest actors list. Asner is one of the great crusty old boss character actors, but he's no Ernest Borgnine, much less an Olivier. Wildcat was a back-up strip in a Wonder Woman comic and a lesser JSA member before '70s revivals chose to emphasize the Earth-2 exclusive members, and he's still just a roughneck in a silly costume among giants.
70) The Spectre
The cutting edge of both unbelievably powerful and remarkably brutal characters. Not often handled well, but deserving nonetheless.
69) Scott Pilgrim
I have read exactly one short story that was thoroughly okay. That's the sum total of my noteworthy exposure.
68) Iron Fist
Marvel Comics had two successful bids at cashing in on the '70s kung-fu craze, and Iron Fist was the lesser of the two in every single respect. That's why his short-lived series was merged with the more popular Luke Cage, Hero For Hire to form Power Man and Iron Fist (note second bill.) Less a "Top" and more an "Afterthought."
67) Hank Pym (Ant-Man)
I do not like Hank Pym. I do not like the original Ant-Man. I do not like Giant Man. I do not like Yellowjacket. He has never worked, he has never been loved, and he serves no purpose others couldn't handle better. I can't believe he hasn't died spectacularly and stayed that way.
66) Invisible Woman
I'm not really a fan, but she's nice and I recognize her power/importance.
65) Gambit
People friggin' hate Gambit for his sleazy costume, his stinky trenchcoat, his stupid accent and his central role in the decline of the X-Men franchise. I disagree, and the chicks dig him, so there.
64) The Atom
I love how the article with this entry is entirely about Ray Palmer, but they picture Ryan Choi. No respect for either, and it's hardly uncommon. Doll-Man might have been the biggest of the early tiny heroes, but the Silver Age Atom clearly eclipsed him to become the best of a bad lot. I've got love for the Ray Palmer version, and contrary to popular misconception, the guy has a lot of cool potential that remains less than fully realized. At least he ranked above the wife beater.
63) Blade
I still have trouble getting past my conception of Blade from Tomb of Dracula, and I wish Marvel could figure out how to do the guy right, but a movie trilogy, TV spin-off, and contribution to the popularity of tribal tells the tale.
62) Dashiell Bad Horse
I've read one issue of Scalped. It was okay. I've read a few Jason Aaron scripts. He's no Alan Moore, and I'm no fan of Moore, but they were alright.
61) Blue Beetle
The original was one of the bigger Golden Age heroes from a smaller publisher, and the star of his own radio show. The new kid just appeared on Smallville, and is a positive image of a young, Latino super-hero. The one in the middle is the only one acknowledged. Ted Kord was an industrialist recasting of Steve Ditko's Spider-Man more in that co-creator's image. He was funny in JLI, and I know he has a vocal following, but I just fell very "meh."
Review:
100-81
80) Nightcrawler
I bought the first issue of Dave Cockrum's '80s Nightcrawler mini-series off the newsstand, and realized that however much I liked the character in the context of the X-Men, I just couldn't get excited about him as a solo character. I don't want to see him try to be funny or mournful or determined or anything else on his own. I just want him to be a protagonist's sounding board, a wonderful team player and a nice guy who has moved beyond his past.
79) Captain Britain
I tried for several years in the '80s to like Brian Braddock, but not even Alan Moore could get me to see past his being a privileged abusive douche bag sorely lacking any personality. How this guy has managed not to get killed and permanently replaced is beyond me. Even the British don't particularly like him. Give me Dragon's Claw or Death's Head any day.
78) Sgt. Rock
This is another character that totally matters, that I absolutely respect, but I have never been particularly interested in.
77) Sub-Mariner
I'm glad an effort is being made to recognize Namor as the first mutant and a mover in the Marvel Universe. He was the original anti-hero with a bad attitude, and a load of abrasive fun in a team book.
76) The Rocketeer
GTFO. My apologies to his fans, but this guy just does not matter in the grand scheme of things. He was drawn by Dave Stevens as part of his paltry output of sequential art, helped turn Betty Page into a cultural icon, and starred in Disney's second attempt to ride the wave of Tim Burton's Batman. Otherwise, the Rocketeer was a nostalgic relic thirty years ago, and all the more so today.
75) Marv
Frank Miller's Sin City could never top its initial outing, and was the creator's too brief return to greatness. That said, Marv should totally haunt these latter parts of the hundreds while more important and prolific characters (many already discussed) exceed him.
74) Black Widow
Very much Marvel's Black Canary. An early character who has spent several gaps in limbo and too much of the Bronze Age as the fairer but lesser half of a romantic super-partnership. Several half-hearted solo attempts in the '80s and '90s finally yield a modestly successful series of mini-series, some multi-media exposure, and increased relevance in their universe. However, Dinah's pulled it off better, even accounted for her unfortunate backslide with Green Arrow for a couple of years.
73) Jonah Hex
Too high on the list, but still the most successful western character since the Bronze Age.
72) Luke Cage
I personally find the character a lot more embarrassing and possessed of much less potential today than when he was a baldly blaxploitative '70s refugee, but I still love and respect the guy.
71) Wildcat
This is one of those listings that kind of slap me across the face. I just talked about another streetwise tough guy, but where Luke Cage has been one of the eminent black heroes of the past four decades, Ted Grant is just a likeable but forgettable old fart. Seeing Wildcat on a greatest heroes list is like seeing Ed Asner on a greatest actors list. Asner is one of the great crusty old boss character actors, but he's no Ernest Borgnine, much less an Olivier. Wildcat was a back-up strip in a Wonder Woman comic and a lesser JSA member before '70s revivals chose to emphasize the Earth-2 exclusive members, and he's still just a roughneck in a silly costume among giants.
70) The Spectre
The cutting edge of both unbelievably powerful and remarkably brutal characters. Not often handled well, but deserving nonetheless.
69) Scott Pilgrim
I have read exactly one short story that was thoroughly okay. That's the sum total of my noteworthy exposure.
68) Iron Fist
Marvel Comics had two successful bids at cashing in on the '70s kung-fu craze, and Iron Fist was the lesser of the two in every single respect. That's why his short-lived series was merged with the more popular Luke Cage, Hero For Hire to form Power Man and Iron Fist (note second bill.) Less a "Top" and more an "Afterthought."
67) Hank Pym (Ant-Man)
I do not like Hank Pym. I do not like the original Ant-Man. I do not like Giant Man. I do not like Yellowjacket. He has never worked, he has never been loved, and he serves no purpose others couldn't handle better. I can't believe he hasn't died spectacularly and stayed that way.
66) Invisible Woman
I'm not really a fan, but she's nice and I recognize her power/importance.
65) Gambit
People friggin' hate Gambit for his sleazy costume, his stinky trenchcoat, his stupid accent and his central role in the decline of the X-Men franchise. I disagree, and the chicks dig him, so there.
64) The Atom
I love how the article with this entry is entirely about Ray Palmer, but they picture Ryan Choi. No respect for either, and it's hardly uncommon. Doll-Man might have been the biggest of the early tiny heroes, but the Silver Age Atom clearly eclipsed him to become the best of a bad lot. I've got love for the Ray Palmer version, and contrary to popular misconception, the guy has a lot of cool potential that remains less than fully realized. At least he ranked above the wife beater.
63) Blade
I still have trouble getting past my conception of Blade from Tomb of Dracula, and I wish Marvel could figure out how to do the guy right, but a movie trilogy, TV spin-off, and contribution to the popularity of tribal tells the tale.
62) Dashiell Bad Horse
I've read one issue of Scalped. It was okay. I've read a few Jason Aaron scripts. He's no Alan Moore, and I'm no fan of Moore, but they were alright.
61) Blue Beetle
The original was one of the bigger Golden Age heroes from a smaller publisher, and the star of his own radio show. The new kid just appeared on Smallville, and is a positive image of a young, Latino super-hero. The one in the middle is the only one acknowledged. Ted Kord was an industrialist recasting of Steve Ditko's Spider-Man more in that co-creator's image. He was funny in JLI, and I know he has a vocal following, but I just fell very "meh."
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
DC/WS DreamWar #4 (September, 2008)
Back at the Carrier, Superman helped the Justice League of America remember who they were, then began working with the Wildstorm protagonists to help wrangle the other murderous DC super-teams. The Doctor (with telepathic tag along Martian
Manhunter) metaphysically learned from his predecessors that Chimera was the trailer park kid from WS Earth that could add to reality from his imagination and a volume stolen from the "mother of all libraries," the Athenaeum.
Gen13 was attacked by Raven and Changeling from The New Teen Titans. The Atom was sent to rein them in, but was knocked out before he could reveal himself.
Deathblow, the WildC.A.T.s and Stormwatch fought a war with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Only Bouncing Boy seemed to recall the Legion's prohibitions against killing, and with the help of the Flash (and only after having been stabbed by Warblade,) honor finally prevailed.
The Doctor spoke with Chimera on another plane, learning his stepfather had killed his mother and made him do... "stuff." The kid murdered the man, and figured out a way to "piggy-back" so he could watch the s.o.b. go to Hell. En route, he found his way to the Athenaeum, and stole the DC Comics volume from the library. However, Chimera had used heroes to do the work of villains, which wouldn't stand once their realization in the Wildstorm reality was complete. After all, they were heroes. Chimera recognized his error.
Apollo and Midnighter were waiting outside of "Chimera's" trailer in Arkansas when Doomsday burst out of it. "I knew we shoulda wasted the little #&@% when we had the chance!
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part four, "Resurrection!" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
ElseWednesday featuring Wildstorm!
- JLA/Cyberforce (2005) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
- Flashpoint #3 (February, 2000) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
- Captain Atom: Armageddon #4 (March, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
DC/WS DreamWar #3 (August, 2008)
In Siberia, Stormwatch and the Legion of Super-Heroes had a brutal confrontation.
The Amazons of Themyscira launched an attack on the vampire nation from Wetworks.
The Justice Society of America continued their assault on Tranquility, Oregon. Grifter gunned down Dr. Fate.
Batman, Superman and Green Lantern launched an attack on the WildC.A.T.s headquarters. After a lengthy battle with Zealot, the Dark Knight died by her sword. This shook Superman to the core, as he realized something was very wrong when Green Lantern never mourned the death of his own best friend, Green Arrow. Kal-El reached out to Martian Manhunter's telepathy, only to have the Alien Atlas again assert that Chimera wanted the Wildstorm heroes dead. "Tell me who Chimera is, J'Onn. J'Onn?"
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part three, "Mettle!" was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
ElseWednesday featuring Wildstorm!
- Wonder Woman Annual #5 (1996) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
- Flashpoint #2 (January, 2000) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
- Captain Atom: Armageddon #3 (February, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
DC/WS DreamWar #2 (July, 2008)
In New York City, Wonder Girl and Starfire attacked Gen13.
Within their rocket ship headquarters, the Legion of Super-Heroes considered how they were going to move against their foes. "Chimera Lad wants us focused on Stormwatch. The Justice League will see to The Authority."
During an interrogation aboard The Carrier, Cyborg told members of The Authority and the WildC.A.T.s that the heroes of the DCU had come to bring down all the crumb bums of the Wildstorm Universe. To illustrate the point, the Justice League of America teleported onto the ship and started busting heads. Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow gravitated toward the Carrier's power source, while Green Lantern, the Flash, Superman and Batman addressed Cyborg's captors. Jenny Quarx, The Engineer and Jack Hawksmoor escaped the ship through a teleportational door, but most of their cohorts were taken down. However, Green Arrow was killed in the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Justice Society of America began systematically destroying Tranquility, Oregon.
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part two, "First Strike," was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
ElseWednesday featuring Wildstorm!
- JLA/WildC.A.T.S. "Crime Machine" (1997) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
- Flashpoint #1 (December, 1999) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
- Captain Atom: Armageddon #2 (January, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
Sunday, March 20, 2011
DC/WS DreamWar #1 (June, 2008)
Happy Harbor, Rhode Island was rocked by a tsunami. The Silver Age Justice League of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow and the Atom looked on from the cave entrance to their Secret Sanctuary.
The Carrier trawled "the edge of existence" known as The Bleed, a space that flowed between realities in the Wildstorm multiverse. Aboard, The Authority viewed a number of anomalous entries into their universe: a T-shaped tower on top of Riker's Island Prison... a rocket ship in Siberia ("as envisioned by a grade school kid.")
Mr. Majestic investigated the former, and was taken down by The New Teen Titans. He recovered just after Spartan came to his aid. A scuffle ensued, and the Titans escaped. That is, except for Cyborg, possession of whom came into dispute when the Authority hit on the scene.
In Tranquility, Oregon, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick and Ted Grant looked into a retirement home.
In Siberia, Stormwatch argued with local authorities over access to the crash site. Invisible Kid and Chameleon Boy spied on both parties.
In a Larkin, Arkansas trailer park, a fat man with a slit throat sat in a chair. A younger, heavyset man lay in bed. Superman looked in on him as he slept and smiled. "Kf... Never again."
DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar part one, "Chimera Rising," was by Keith Giffen, Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott.
Homage Studios Sunday
Homage Studios Sunday
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
