Grant Morrison Breaking The 4th Wall: Zatanna #4

After a month of basically wallowing in the backwash of the DCnU relaunch, lamenting the disappearance of some characters and the misguided reimaginations of others, I decided that I needed to rethink things. Why not celebrate those characters who made it into the DCnU?

The new title that has me the most interested is Justice League Dark, the mystic team which includes some of my favorite all time characters including John Constantine and Shade the Changing Man. Also included on that team is Zatanna, a character I have always liked and whose current title I collected and enjoyed. I thought I would celebrate Zatanna being in this new League and part of the DCnU.

But I thought I should look a little farther back than the current series, instead rereading and rediscovering the Seven Soldiers:Zatanna mini-series of 2005-2006. I mean, this book was written by Grant Morrison, one of my all time favorite comic writers. And art was by Ryan Sook, whose art is utterly amazing. It isn't a surprise that I loved this mini-series when it came out.

In it, a mentally exhausted Zatanna seems to have lost her powers and takes on an unlikely apprentice. There are the usual Sheeda-shenanigans of a Seven Soldiers book. But really, the thing that has always struck me about this book was the way Morrison simply shatters the 4th wall in the last issue, bringing the character into the real world, the real world into the book, and the characters into the physical nature of the book. And it is those jaw-dropping moment from Seven Soldiers:Zatanna #4 that I re-present for your amusement today.

After some adventures, Zatanna heads into Slaughter Swamp where she knows she will meet a great threat. There she battles Zor, a sort of evil version of her father Zatara. It is a hard fought battle through layers of reality.

Finally, Zatanna hears voices and reaches through the 'scaffolding' of reality to make contact.

Look at that hand, pressed against the page, asking us ... the reader ... for help.

In some ways it is similar to the 'I can see you' moment in Morrison's Animal Man #19 where Buddy sees us reading him.

But for me this was so much more of a personal breakdown of the 4th wall. Who didn't feel almost compelled to put their hand against Zatanna's here? Who actually put their hand there? I admit I did.

And I am sure that is what Morrison was going for. Some interaction between book and reader in an almost magical way. Mind-bending stuff.

And the following page continues this dizzy tour through sub-realities. Now we are looking at the same scene from Zatanna's perspective, facing a jumble of typewriter keys, floating letters, gears, and seven men who look suspiciously like Morrison himself.

Is Zatanna facing the fact that she is a character in a book?

And I love 'Morrison' talking about how Zatanna has broken through. She really is 'something else'.

Then one last splash page as Zatanna tumbles through the panel of Slaughter Swamp and into some sort of sub-basement of reality, within the machinery of the story.

And then some pure Morrison magic as Zatanna says 'eyes, tens of thousands of eyes, in different times and places converging on (her)'. Those are our eyes. My eyes on her then, re-reading the book. But my eyes also somewhere and somewhen else reading the book and looking at her the first time I read the book. And all the other readers at all the other times and other places looking on her ... a small focus in the universe for a select few. That brings the readers back into this story whenever and whereever they read this.

In the end she defeats Zor. But after this dizzying meta-textual, reality-bending trip I sort of didn't care.

I just wanted to include one more page from earlier in the book when Zor and Zatanna battle across the page, ripping panels, shattering panels, and hiding behind crumpled panels. Such a wonderful mystical interaction putting the characters literally in a magic book.

I freely admit that I like Morrison but I understand he is also an acquired taste. You either roll with his zaniness or feel crushed by it. I enjoyed most of the Seven Soldiers mini-series but I think this one is my favorite. Morrison really stretches the boundaries of a comic here.  Sook's work is just superior. He has Zatanna in a number of different costumes throughout the book, not just this fishnet leotard. If you can get the individual issues for cheap, I highly recommend it.

And if you do buy it, do you dare to touch your palm to Zatanna's and join in Morrison's mystic union?

Doom Patrol #3 (December, 2009)

Brandenburg, Germany was coated in the ashes of people burnt out by contact with the singularity. Robotman used his G.P.S. and wireless connection to determine the singularity was on its way to Cottbus, population over a hundred thousand, and just 125 km outside Berlin. While the Doom Patrol had been left alone, they couldn't risk Dusty's life with a chopper ride, so Elasti-Girl walked the team across der Deutschland.

On Oolong Island, the Chief called Steve Dayton in for an intense meeting. "Your marriage to Rita was, to put it mildly, a debacle. Adopting Gar Logan was the only positive to come out of the union, and a questionable positive at that... Rita needed a semblance of normalcy. A mind-reading husband and a shape-shifting son does not constitute normalcy... Lurking in her head liked a cerebral stalker, ready to satisfy any desire as soon as that desire was given thought." Niles Caulder knew Mento had continued to psychically stalk Elasti-Girl, and used that knowledge to his advantage.

Robotman couldn't help but notice a stranded motorist who was the least bit bothered by a giant woman "lopin' along." Sure enough, it was the singularity, wondering why humans needed so many different forms of an internal combustion engine. Cliff tased him, and the body turned to ash. Thanks to his addiction to video games, Larry was able to explain that the electrical charge "shorted" the victim's brain, disconnecting the singularity long enough for the body to fall apart. The singularity landed in a bunch of Cottbus citizens, but was particularly interested in a German man with a metagene.



The Chief ordered Mento to take off his ridiculous helmet, pointing out that it was so silly looking because people would naturally assume Dayton had to use it to employ his powers. It was in fact an affectation to mislead people into believing he wasn't able to psychically probe them at any time...

The singularity needed to be in close approximation to its victims, so Robotman hoped the Chief could call in a speedster like the Flash to zap the population of Cottbus before its experiment progressed further. "Can't have that." The citizens attacked the Doom Patrol, while the singularity used its acquired "Telekinetic projection via Kirlian aura" to tear Robotman limb from limb.

Things were getting out of control. If Dayton acted, Rita would know that he occasionally took advantage of her mind and body psychically, and if he didn't, she would die. Elasti-Girl grew rapidly, blood shooting from her nose as Mento acted through her against the singularity. Its drones destroyed following psychic detachment, only the metahuman male remained, saved-yet-checked by the Kirlian aura. The host was escorted back to Oolong Island, impressed by Caulder's strategy. Rita was bloodied, teary-eyed, and massively pissed.

"Earth Science" was by Keith Giffen, Matthew Clark and Livesay.

Brave New World

• Doom Patrol #3 (December, 2009) @ DC Bloodlines
• Wonder Woman #3 (October, 2006) @ Diana Prince
• Martian Manhunter #3 (December, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #43 (August, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
• Breach #3 (May, 2005) @ Power of the Atom
• The All New Atom #3 @ The Tiny Titan

OMAC #3 (January-February, 1975)

In the world that’s coming, movies will be interactive experiences fed directly into the brain, as OMAC experienced while agents of the Global Peace Agency arranged for his credentials to stop "’flare-ups’" which endanger world peace. Once OMAC was done fighting a giant monster in the ‘70s version of the Matrix, he was awarded the rank of a “five star” general in a time that could not afford any army for him to lead but his left and right. “I’ve got an awesome responsibility… that’s for sure. Like the Peace Agents, my life must be one of dedication… They say I was once someone else… someone who was changed by electronic surgery… into a sort of… god of war!! Now… even the memories of that former life… are gone…”

In THE WORLD THAT’S COMING, even lost memories can be replaced by all the necessities of a new life… What began as “computer dating” will flower into complete “packaged living”! Computers will pick ideal families and backgrounds for those who lack the total human relationship… The Peace Agency will do this for OMAC…

True enough, a female Peace Agent (251, and they let her keep her long brown hair) presented OMAC with “test parents,” kindly elders Mr. and Mrs. Barker. The couple’s lives had been empty without a son, and compatibility had already been calculated, so OMAC gave them the chance they wanted so dearly. Peace Agent 251 found OMAC to be “a person of compassion and warmth,” but a massacre and other border skirmishes orchestrated by the central European dictator Marshal Kafka necessitated he take a break from domesticity. A “capsule plane” launched into orbit, allowed OMAC to make the trip (presumably from the U.S.) in just ten minutes. This very same technology, which opened any part of the world to immediate attack, is exactly the sort of complication OMAC was created to oversee.

Over troubled airspace smart bombs “guided by television” pursued the capsule plane, until OMAC detached his engines to detonate the missiles. This triggered a chute on the capsule, which was targeted by tank fire. OMAC ejected before the capsule was obliterated, and his seat doubled as a “hovering assault chair!!!” Through a mounted microphone, OMAC demanded, “For the sake of world peace, I order you to pull back your forces!” His pleas ignored, OMAC evaded weapons of many stripes to reach a line of tanks to treat them with a chemical nitrogen mixture that resulted in “a frozen wasteland.” Marshal Kafka then launched a fleet of single man Vertical Take-Off planes, which fell to pieces in midair thanks to a highly corrosive spray from OMAC’s chair. Sonic shock from the speed of OMAC’s chair sent mobile artillery falling into a crater. A barrage of barbed cannonballs finally smashed the assault chair, so OMAC continued on foot.

Before another shot could be fired, OMAC ripped apart the gun current like plywood. A “human wave attack” of soldiers followed, but was easily beaten back. OMAC commandeered an “armored golf-cart” and with hood-mounted guns blazing made his way to Kafka’s wheeled bunker. “Halt! In the name of the Global Peace Agency! …You’re a war criminal, Kafka! Surrender to me… and I’ll promise you a fair trial…” Nothing doing, as secret weapon hatches opened and OMAC would have to contend with one very heavily armored structure… next issue!

“A Hundred Thousand Foes!” was by Jack Kirby with D. Bruce Berry.

More Bullet Points on DC Solicits for October

Dark sub-line
• Demon Knights #2: "Demon Etrigan and his unlikely lover, Madame Xanadu" is an image that makes me want to take a scouring pad to my brain. Wouldn't the fins tickle her thighs?
• I still think I, Vampire looks and sounds pretty good. I'm not into the Twilight scene, but it seems to do a nice job tapping that audience without trampling on a hallowed property.
• I don't really understand Resurrection Man. It looks like the series cancelled a decade ago by most of the same creative team. Einstein would have something to say about that.
• Frankenstein, Swamp Thing, The Shade & Animal Man also look to be headed in the right direction. Aside from the dumb JLDark idea, it's like Vertigo with a better budget.
Edge group
•  I was really considering Blackhawks, but the G.I. Joe Fractal Tech Gear armor has demolished any interest I had. Suddenly, Men of War looks kind of hot, though.
• I want to be interested in O.M.A.C., but between the writer and the umpteenth dour twist on Kirby's positive globalist hero, I can't get there.
• Voodoo looks great, but the claw hand and newish mileu push me away. Grifter sounds kinda cool, though. Stormwatch also works. Maybe old Wildstorm properties have the advantage of 90s-centricity.
• On a three man Suicide Squad with two cult favorites and King Shark, we kind of know who is going to die. This is like that issue of Doom Force where the sacrificial lamb might as well have a caption arrow pointing out his fate.
• There are just too many badasses like Deathstroke in the DCnU. I feel like I have to choose between Cinderella, Ratt, and L.A. Guns. It alters the criteria. In the land of the pointy and full-face masked, Mazing Man is king.
The Green Lantern Books: Steady on. The Big Guns
• Jim Lee's cover to Justice League #2 is terrible, and the team seems like such a sausage factory. I see Superman fighting Green Lantern and Batman, which reminds me that I hate all three characters more often than not. I feel really good about blowing this off. JLI about as lame as the last time Jurgens wrote it.
• Most of the rest of these titles seem woefully misguided. I still feel a bit of a pull toward Mr. Terrific, but Eric Wallace's recent efforts help fight that off. The Savage Hawkman looks especially terrible, and did anyone need a Blue Beetle reboot? Hawk and Dove has the second coming of friggin' Kestrel, and Teen Titans' new member Bugg is like Color Me Badd, it's so ggggod-awful.

The Bat-Family's DCnÜ Halloween

The Batman Family of titles have released their advanced solicitations for October, and maybe I'm reading too much into things, but I'm seeing a strong indication that DC continuity has seen some pretty fundamentally changed. While I still see these revisions as a ticking time bomb waiting to blow up in the company's face, it's neat to watch Ultimate DC play out.

Check this copy for Nightwing #2: "When a mysterious assassin targets Dick Grayson, Nightwing must work fast to uncover the killer’s plot before he strikes again. But as Haley’s Circus continues to perform in Gotham City, Dick finds himself torn between two lives: His old one as a circus performer and his new one as a Super Hero. And they may be more connected than he ever realized!" Correct if I'm wrong, but my interpretation of this is that a) Dick Grayson was never Robin, b) an adult Dick Grayson just became Nightwing with minimal to no involvement from Batman & company, c) there were never any Teen Titans, at least not with Dick amongst them. Dick Grayson was the first kid sidekick, and as Robin was one of the most iconic and globally recognizable super-heroes of all time. Now, he's just Nightwing, stripped of everything, essentially a comic adaptation of the Chris O'Donnell character from the Joel Schumacher films. Oh yeah, that'll go over like gangbusters.

Batman #2
For reasons I cannot begin to fathom, noted blogger J. Caleb Mozzocco has been railing against Greg Capullo. Personally, I think Capullo has always deserved to be looked upon as an upper echelon comic artist for years, as he's one of the better storytellers and most distinctive stylists of the Image house graduates. I'm so terribly bored with the likes of Jim Lee, but Capullo on Batman is extremely inspired, and I expect some gorgeously outlandish redesigns (or perhaps some brand new villains) amongst the Dark Knight's rogues gallery. This is one of the few DCnÜ home runs.

Batwing #2
Winick is a deal breaker for me as writer on most books, but something else about this book throws me off. I think between the setting and this new villain Massacre, I get a strong Moon Knight vibe. I'm talking about the early Moench stuff, not the full-throttle whackadoo of today. Actually, I must admit that whatever resemblance Massacre has to Bushman is offset by his looking like every third relaunch villain we've seen. Everybody gets a Deathstroke of their own these days.

Detective Comics #2
Batman: The Dark Knight #2
Two artist driven books that look like complete ass. I could kind of deal with Tony Daniel handling Dick-as-Batman, because it was kind of a pairing of two young turks somewhat in over their heads and finding their way under the weight of a heavy legacy. With Bruce Wayne though, both Daniel and Finch are out of their depths. Plus, that steroidal Two-Face on Finch's cover? Two fistfulls of no.

Batman & Robin #2
Batwoman #2
Show of hands: Who think these books have been in the can for months? Nothing I've seen so far has changed my perception these folks have just been chugging along like the reboot never happened.

Batgirl #2
I don't see Oracle here. They keep telling us "Killing Joke" and Oracle happened. but exactly how much of it? Did the Joker's bullet veer a centimeter or so to one side, laying up Babs Gordon for a year of recovery spent cyber-crusading, followed by the return of Batgirl?

Red Hood & the Outlaws #2
Again, if there's no Dick Grayson Robin, then there's also no Jason Todd, not a Teen Titans. That means Roy probably never conceived Lian, and I guess just went from a heroin addict former Green Arrow sidekick to this gig. Does that mean Starfire learned the ways of human love from Jason, because I was only just starting to respect the character after thirty years of negative-skewing relative indifference?

Birds of Prey #2
I might be upset about this book if I thought it was actually going to happen. I mean, one look at the new Black Canary costume, and the entire fan community began mentally picture Brian Bolland drawing Dinah burning the thing. I think this title could actually spontaneously abort and end up in Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #3.

Catwoman #2
I could see buying this for the art, and DC gets a new trade out before the movie hits next year.



We'll have to truck off to Newsarama for a final, "exclusive" solicit:

THE HUNTRESS #1
Written by PAUL LEVITZ
Art by MARCUS TO and JOHN DELL
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
On sale OCTOBER 5 • 1 of 6, 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Look out! By the end of this hot new miniseries, the Huntress will have the largest price on her head in DC Universe history.
What will the Huntress do that warrants such a death mark? And who puts it there? The jaw-dropping events will be revealed as the Huntress heads home to Italy and embarks on a mission that defines her life. Don’t miss out, because this story will tie in to upcoming events in BIRDS OF PREY!

I'm happy to see Helena is back and seemingly even further distanced from the Batman Family. This doesn't sound dissimilar from Ivory Madison's underrated Year One mini-series, so I'm curious where this will go. I'm also very pleased to see the booty shorts and navel-bearing go bye-bye. I always dug this costume, and it's nice to see it returned seemingly unchanged.

Personally, I hope Levitz keeps the mafia ties (seems likely,) but makes Helena a lawyer again. Wouldn't it be awesome if she defended the Gotham mobs as a source of stability amidst the crazies, or maybe as a means to her own ends at cross purposes with Batman's? I'd also really love a Bat-Family schism, with Nightwing, Huntress, and maybe Batwoman or Jason Todd on one side and Bruce, Damian, Babs on the other. It would play out the Earth-1/Earth-2 divide in a bold new context.

Since this has been announced as a mini-series, I expect I'll cross my fingers and trade wait.

Doom Patrol #2 (November, 2009)

Deborah "Dusty" Marlow reported to Veronica Cale, Wonder Woman foe and president of Oolong Island. Cale noted Niles Caulder's cavalier use of lethal force with his Doom Patrol, his tendency to antagonize fellow (mad) scientists "on all manner of technical minutiae," and the probable need to teach the lesson that the team operated under her grace.

Dr. Wade Ackerman had reached out to the Doom Patrol for help with his black hole singularity problem, "all'a six hours since the last debacle." Robotman wanted a break, but the Chief explained, "The Justice League still tends to confuse purpose with jingoism. The Justice Society, if the Gog incident is any indication, has come to define gullibility. Checkmate is slowly choking itself to death with self-imposed red tape..."

Vulcan Supercollider: Brandenburg, Germany. Dr. Ackerman was confronted by the sentient singularity, which had taken to appearing on the faces of the many human beings it possessed. Ackerman became one such victim, to quell the singularity's curiosity as to why a super-team had been involved in negotiations. "Hm... Doom. Noun. Inevitable destruction or ruin. Patrol. Noun. A unit sent out on a reconnaissance or combat mission. Oxymoron. Noun. A rhetorical figure in which contradictory terms are combined. Fascinating."

Father Rocky Davis inquired about Karen Beecher's marriage and adaptation to her condition. Karen explained that she and her ex-husband, Mal "Hornblower" Duncan, "made a good run of it. It just got to the point where the good times were being outweighed by the bad times. It happens." Roommate Rita Farr's atypical reaction to Nudge's death also came up.



The Doom Patrol tried to sneak up to the location of the Vulcan Supercollider, but they were immediately detected, and found "Fascinating." The singularity saw itself as an explorer and scientist, "slave to my curiosity." To that end, the singularity repeatedly attacked the team to observe their reactions, while dodging questions about its own nature and intentions. Ultimately, the singularity was constructing its own personal encyclopedia of existence, and it would only need to possess (and by extension burn out) a few million humans to get a good feel for Earth...

"Black Is (Theoretically) Black" was by Keith Giffen, Matthew Clark and Livesay. This issue wasn't as willfully obtuse or laden with infoblurbs as the last, but you can still see why Giffen has trouble connecting with mainstream audiences. This book reminds me especially of Justice League Europe with its emphasis on high stakes action undercut by sardonic comedy. Also like early JLE, Giffen has got to be laying the book out without credit. The body language, panel composition, and especially a host of characters with black blobs instead of facial features are all trademarks of his. Clark definitely adds pizzazz though, and I think he's going to make a name for himself now that he's left DC (who neglected to even mention his participation while launching this book.) I especially like his take on Elasti-Girl as the physical powerhouse of the team without looking like a steroid casualty. She's clearly feminine without having to run around in a mini-skirt, and looks ready for business in red leather. Larry and Cliff are comparatively interchangeable, from smart ass to crab ass.

Brave New World

• Breach #2 (April, 2005) @ Power of the Atom
• Wonder Woman #2 (September, 2006) @ Diana Prince
• Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #42 (July, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
• Martian Manhunter #2 (November, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• The All New Atom #2 @ The Tiny Titan

OMAC #2 (November-December, 1974)

OMAC
One-Man Army Corps…
Is a fighting force in The World That’s Coming! His decade is riddled with new and dangerous innovations…

It is the era of the SUPER-RICH! When money, like technology, reaches complex proportions, complex situations arise--- and this one could spell death---

Armed private military troops refused OMAC entry into a city that had been rented for the night by a high-roller. “I’m OMAC! No city is closed to me!!” Gruffly refused entry due to a lack of party invitation, OMAC began tearing through the soldiers, and when all opposition was smashed, he was surprised by a car horn. Two revelers dressed as a grim reaper and a dunce offered OMAC a ride to Mister Big’s party. “Why did the guards try to stop you? That costume’s a dandy!” OMAC was the strong silent type who didn’t respond to banter en route, but he did learn that the city’s population had agreed to vacate for the night to avoid paying taxes for a year. Of course, the partiers were really agents of Mr. Big, and tailed OMAC after dropping him off on a deserted street.

Professor Myron Forest worked a unit of NASA on his own atop a skyscraper in Electric City. with the help of advanced machines. OMAC learned that he had been guided to this lab by Brother Eye. “You were changed--- by remote-controlled hormone surgery--- from space!” The satellite had accomplished this “With almost instantaneous precision! Brother Eye is the most sophisticated machine ever devised--- Forget who you were. The world needs you as you are--- a force of peace!! …The nations dare not use large armies. Large armies lead to large wars-! That’s why you exist, OMAC. To contain conflict before it grows…” Brother Eye would supply all the power OMAC needed, as he needed it, to meet his goals.

Mr. Big’s men burst into the room with guns blazing, killing Prof. Forest. OMAC struck back, but the creeps’ costumes were wired with electrical current, which tazed OMAC until they could escape via hovering aircraft. OMAC accused Brother Eye of failing him, but the satellite had rerouted its power in an effort to keep Prof. Forest alive just long enough for OMAC to vow revenge. Brother Eye urged OMAC to go on the offensive, taking the battle to Mr. Big that very night. Recognizing Forest’s lab could not fall into evil hands, Brother Eye destroyed it from space as soon as OMAC reached a safe distance.



Major Domo ordered that the city be left as it was found by revelers once dawn arrived, and made sure to keep them back from Mr. Big. The party was merely a cover for the destruction of "Project OMAC," so Big was disgruntled when his agents had only managed to murder its architect. “OMAC must be dead by dawn-- or you two shall die in his place!!”

OMAC walked the streets of Electric City, hoping to stand out amidst the madness of the costume party rocking the metropolis. Assassins didn’t keep him waiting long, as OMAC evaded a spear gun before using one of its missiles to burst a hot air balloon carrying the killers. The first pair was joined by a second, the murderers of Prof. Forrest, who led an effective ambush. While OMAC was held down, a round was fired into his chest, seeming to kill him. OMAC’s body was brought back to be inspected by Mister Big’s personal physician and pronounced dead. Big couldn’t believe Project OMAC was finished, as he suspected that there was a mysterious second component.

Electric City’s mayor and two Global Peace Agency agents arrived to arrest Mr. Big, based on evidence gathered by that unknown factor. Big knew that none of the officers were armed, but before his men could kill them, their weapons were destroyed through the concealed actions of Brother Eye. These same machinations allowed Brother Eye to dissolve the bullet fired at OMAC with a laser beam and use “computed molecules” and remote control of OMAC’s life functions to fake his death. The revived OMAC thanked a faceless peace agent, whose identity must remain concealed to help patrol the world without any hint of nationalism. “It’s a rough job-- keeping the peace in a world stacked with atom bombs--“ OMAC was grateful for “the most fantastic helper man ever made” while Brother Eye’s beams remained at the ready whenever action was required.

“Rent A City!” was by Jack Kirby with Mike Royer. Keeping in line with its origins as a “future Captain America” project for Marvel, the parallel between meek Buddy Blank being the sole individual given the abilities of a one man army core before his scientist maker is assassinated and the first Steve Rogers adventure are pretty hard to miss.

The End Of An Era...

And just in time to get a snazzy new logo. The Outsiders are dead; long live the Outsiders.

PS: The idea of the Outsiders (or, more accurately, a subset thereof) being written by Grant Morrison in Batman, Inc. is actually less appealing to me than the characters simply going on the shelf for a while.

Doom Patrol #1 (October, 2009)

Deborah "Dusty" Marlow: Special Services Detachment for the Doom Patrol. She flew the helicopter to the tropical island of Buena Suerte, and kept an eye on it after landing. This involved tazing a bro from the island's disabled security detail.



Grunt: Four armed ape. Started acting up when the Patrol found the "maternity ward from hell." It's handler protested when Cliff failed to acknowledge it by name. Larry pointed out, "Grunt's not a name. It's an involuntary expulsion of air."



Dr. Amanda Becket: Very cute scientist rocking the glasses. Didn't care that Niles Caulder disapproved of her experiments. Stripped nude in front of the team while explaining the hypocrisy of a freakish Doom Patrol being sent to stop her from making monsters. Shed her skin to become an insectoid creature dubbed "Botfly." Not so cute anymore.



Mi-Sun Kwon: Capable of psychically manipulating a being as willful as Superman. Controlled the ape Grunt. First member to be attacked by the swarm of Parasite-derivative creatures incubated by Botfly. The rest of the team were assaulted in short order. Botfly saw this as an opportunity, since she had yet to "impregnate an enhanced host."



Larry Trainor: Former pilot, now disfigured and capable of projecting an energy wraith from his body for a limited period of time. Fell unconscious while the Negative Man wrecked Botfly's laboratory. Rita tossed Botfly herself like a rag doll. Trainor's body was carried to safety by Robotman as the team headed for their chopper.



Nudge: Reduced to equal parts fine red mist and vaguely identifiable meat product by a spray of heavy enemy gunfire from attacking helicopters. Grunt, untethered, was last seen carrying these remains off into the jungle. The rest of the team filed into Dusty's chopper, until Negative Man destroyed two of the aggressors.



Rita Farr: Used her size-altering powers as Elasti-Girl to grow large enough to swat the last chopper between her fists. Larry wondered aloud, "Um... remind me again, exactly why does she need us around?" The team returned to their base on Oolong Island.



Father Rocky Davis: Former member of the Challengers of the Unknown turned priest and typically unwanted councilor for the Doom Patrol. Asked how old Nudge was. She was declared legal and "old enough to know better" by Cliff, which Rocky found cold. Larry teased Rocky by confessing his lust for Dr. Becket, "Right up until she peeled her skin off. Standards, Father, you gotta have standards. I'm thinking skin is a big part of that.



Niles Caulder: "The Chief." Wheelchair-bound amoral leader of the team. Observed in Rita bouts of deep depression related to vanity and self-loathing, as well as a streak of maternalism. Felt Larry was useful as a thrill-seeker with no conception of his own mortality. Believed Cliff to be a posturing alpha male concealing his loss of self, melancholia, and emotional disassociation.



Cliff Steele: Human brain in routinely demolished robot bodies. Robotman was the least receptive to Rocky's help, explaining that he was in the Doom Patrol because "'Challengers of the Unknown' was already taken," and "Never hurts to set a goal." As for Nudge, "Dead as dog meat." The Patrol members were largely beyond concern for themselves or others, and Caulder wouldn't have it any other way.



Karen Beecher: The former Teen Titan "Bumblebee" was trapped at eight inches and living in a doll house in Rita's room. Was kind of put out about having to beat a large flying cockroach to death with her kitchen chair. Was surprised that Rita's primary emotional response to Nudge's death was jealousy.

Finally, the Vulcan Collider in Germany had accidentally opened up a singularity event: a stable black hole that didn't just destroy the Earth instantly for some reason. "It... it wants to negotiate terms."

"We Who Are About To Die..." was by Keith Giffen, Matthew Clark and Livesay. The characters were as overly acerbic and undifferentiated as one would expect from a Giffen script, but it was still multiple times better than anything Byrne did in the previous series. Clark's art was very appealing, but I'd be really surprised if Giffen didn't provide uncredited breakdowns.

Brave New World

• Wonder Woman #1 (August, 2006) @ Diana Prince
• Martian Manhunter #1 (October, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #41 (June, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
• Breach #1 (March, 2005) @ Power of the Atom
• The All New Atom #1 @ The Tiny Titan

The Ticking Timebomb

I'm really wondering how DCnÜ is going to pan out. I'm definitely in the camp that sees an inevitable sequel to the '70s DC Implosion, but that doesn't mean there aren't a lot more titles in September that I'd like to try as compared to August. DC's being very aggressive in marketing the event, and are offering widespread returnability and variant covers to entice retailers to order in bulk. However, a lot of those same retailers feel ambushed by the event, leaving them with months of "dead stock" leading up to the reboot, and a lot of customers griping about the event. I can't speak for the brick and mortar shops, since I rarely visit any these days. However, I'm looking at where things sit with my mail order supplier, and I see cause for alarm.

Looking at the solicits, my first assumption was that I would definitely order Justice League #1. It's the key book of the entire relaunch, and is being offered in both a $3.99 and $4.99 edition, the latter bundling access to a digital copy. I've steadfastly refused to pay $3.99 for a standard format comic, but because my supplier usually offers the cover featured titles from the Diamond Previews catalog at 75% off, my purchase was a given. Except, the book isn't being offered with anything but the standard discount. So it's now a given that I will not buy it.

When Batwoman #1 was first solicited, my supplier promoted to book at 75% off. I've heard great things about what's been done with the character, but I am not a Greg Rucka fan. Artist/co-plotter J.H. Williams has since taken over as the primary creative force, so I was interested in giving the title a try. However, DC canceled that solicitation, and are re-offering it on an extremely heavy month. Lost in the shuffle, the new solicitation is only getting a 50% break from my supplier, so I won't be trying it after all.

Since DCnÜ September was such a huge event, it seemed to me that the smart thing to do would be to offer scads of these books at 50% off, especially since DC will probably offer retailers some kind of incentive for supporting the line as a whole. That would insure that this would be a jumping-on point for people. Back in the '90s, I decided to buy every single #0 issue that came out of the Zero Hour event to sample DC's entire line. That's what it took to finally bring me on board with the Legion of Super-Heroes titles, and I continued a bunch of other series from that point, even completing a run of friggin' Xenobrood. Heck, I've even bought ever #0 issue DC has published since. With a 50% discount break, I would have really debated trying a ton of these new titles.

In fact, let me offer a list... Justice League, Justice League International, Wonder Woman, Captain Atom, The Fury of Firestorm, The Savage Hawkman, Mister Terrific, Superman, Batwing, Batgirl, Nightwing, Animal Man, I... Vampire, Voodoo, O.M.A.C., Blackhawks, and Static Shock would have all been candidates. However, not a single one of those books is being offered at greater than the standard discount. I'll shop around a little bit to see if someone will offer a break somewhere else, and I'd be interested in a package deal of all 52 titles in the half off range. I don't think I'll find such a score though, which means I will most likely pass on every single one of these titles until they land in trade or a discount bin.

My supplier is instead putting up a single DC book for 75% off, Action Comics #1, so I'll get that first issue. Aquaman #1 is the only other 50% off DCnÜ book, and I was planning on subscribing to it anyway, so I'll get a little bonus there. Finally, I'll be buying at least the first several issues of Stormwatch at my standard discount.

Thanks to my supplier taking the conservative road, I will probably only buy three DC comics in September. In August, I got both DC Retro comics of the Justice League & Wonder Woman, plus DC Comics Presents: The Metal Men & JLA Heaven's Ladder, for a total of eight comics at no less that $3.99 each. That's a loss of something like 75%+ of my business with DC between months, guestimated to prevent rooting around for a calender. I wonder if my situation is comparable to anyone else's? DC had better hope not...

OMAC #1 (September-October 1974)

OMAC
One-Man Army Corps...
is the story of a young man in THE WORLD THAT'S COMING!! In that strange place, the common objects of today... may become the terrors that we never bargained for... like the one below!




No kidding! Terror is a Kirby woman with her head protruding from foam packing with her nude legs dangling on either side, as if she were giving birth to her own face! The pair of creepy, wiry hands severed at the wrists and laid near each cheek is nightmare fuel f'shur. This is Lila, a "Build-A-Friend" automatronic mate ready for assembly in a factory full of them. However, OMAC had arrived, ordering an evacuation before he destroys the lot. Some workers thought they could take him, but they thought wrong, and scurried like cockroaches from the scene. OMAC spoke with Lila for a moment from her shipping box. "Where does humanity stop and technology begin? We no longer know, Lila... I'm no longer who I was... and you, Lila... you... you and all these other... things... must be.... destroyed! Goodbye... Lila..." OMAC calmly started a "chain of blow-ups," then walked through the maelstrom untouched.

Flashback to a lab where once stood NASA. Professor Myron Forest had created a form of remote controlled computer hormone operation-- electronic surgery! Forest worked with the Global Peace Agency, whose agents used a cosmetic spray to conceal their features and wore matching uniforms, so that any expression of national identity was completely suppressed. Any little dispute could lead to nuclear eradication of all life on Earth, and the GPA were tasked with preventing such an eventuality. The GPA searched for the perfect candidate for Prof. Forest's process, and found it in Buddy Blank. Forest linked up with the satellite Brother Eye, sleeping for such a long time in a faithful orbit. The eye awoke, and prepared. "He and I shall become as brothers..."



At Pseudo-People, Inc., Buddy Blank was a skinny schlimazel jerked around by every creep in the office. His "Super-V" was completely unsympathetic about the harassment, laying the blame on Blank and his persecution complex. Blank was ordered to the Psychology Section to vent. One girl recommended the Crying Room, but Buddy tried the Destruct Room instead. Inside were people ripping and smashing and stabbing and burning. One guy recommended Buddy kick a pseudo-person down a rail, but Blank found them too lifelike to batter in good conscience.

Outside, Buddy ran into his friendly acquaintance Lila, who helped him feel better. Two technicians were watching from afar, as Lila's "friendship" was just a test run for their nefarious purposes. They eventually led Lila back to their lab, and though Buddy was written off as too timid to break the rules, he did indeed follow the trio. Blank was captured and held at gunpoint, then learned the Pseudo-People were being armed with explosives and used in assassinations. Buddy was horrified to learn Lila was one of them, and fought against her makers. Suddenly, an eye appeared on Buddy's chest, and energy emanating from it engulfed his body. The electronic surgery turned Blank into OMAC, whose body "rejected" bullets, and whose strength allowed him to break down steel doors. OMAC was nearly dropped into a fire vat, but his extraordinary agility would not allow it. OMAC fought his way through to destroy the factory, as recounted earlier. "OMAC LIVES... SO THAT MAN MAY LIVE..."

OMAC had accomplished his first mission, having been fed knowledge with his physical attributes. "Very good, OMAC. You've heard everything I've told you..."
"I've also used the powers you gave me when I needed them... Brother Eye..."
"I shall always help you. We are linked by the eye symbol on your chest... We are like brothers... I transmit beams... Some of them bring you my voice... others feed you instant information..."
"I start here... in Electric City... with Professor Myron Forest... then on to Mister Big!"

"Brother Eye and Buddy Blank" was by Jack Kirby with Mike Royer

Review: 1st Issue Special #9; Dr. Fate

I have talked about the DC Relaunch a lot over on my home site Supergirl Comic Box Commentary and obviously most of that discussion has been centered around the Superman Family.

But this relaunch touches everybody in the DCU and touches some bodies more than others. Some characters are nowhere to be found in this new order. In fact, the entire Justice Society has been 'given a rest'. Here is a link to that news: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2011/06/dan-didio-dc-comics-has-decided-to-rest-the-justice-society/

Now I have been collecting JSA on and off for a bit and I felt their sudden departure from the new DCU warranted a post here on DC Bloodlines. And me being me, I figured some obscure back issue from the 1970s would be the way to go. And since Dr. Fate is one of my favorite characters, and I feel woefully underutilized by DC, I thought I would review his solo story from 1st Issue Special.

My first encounter with the JSA and Fate came in the form of this DC Special Digest which reprinted a couple of Golden Age JSA stories, the first appearance of Power Girl in All-Star Comics, and this Fate story. I have fond memories of these digests. I kept a small stack of them at my Grandparent's house so I would have something to do if I became bored there. Trust me, they were pretty dog-eared by the end.

Well, I loved that Fate story a lot; I was simply mesmerized by the art and the story that when I found 1st Issue Special #9 later on in life, I bought it. In fact, the cover above is a scan of the comic from my collection, autographed by cover artist Joe Kubert and interior artist Walt Simonon. I really try to pick issues that are important to me to get signed at cons.

1st Issue Special was a sort of Showcase like book put out in 1975 and 1976, trialing characters to see if there was enough interest to warrant a new title. The list of characters is interesting and diverse, from Jack Kirby doing Atlas and Manhunter, to Steve Ditko doing Agent:Assassin and The Creeper, to The Warlord by Mike Grell. This has to be a relatively early work from Simonson but the art still pops off the page today.

But of the handful of those issues I have read (including the Mikaal Thomas Starman issue), I love this one the most. Written by Marty Pasko you learn everything you need to learn about Dr. Fate in a short 19 pages. And he gets to fight a mummy! A mummy!

Add to that the brilliant draftsmanship by Simonson and the crazy cover by Kubert (a flying Sphinx knocking over buildings) and you have a win that you to can own for around $5 if you find it in the back issue box.

From the opening splash page, you are drawn into the story. Fate is surfing the wind, talking about a long-dreaded struggle he is rushing to face. It is a great opening image.

But for me, it showed from the start just how stylistically Simonson was going to pencil this issue, from the great font for Dr. Fate, to the concentric circles of varying sizes sprinkled about, to the details on his shoulder straps standing in stark contrast to the blank helmet. I am going to gush a lot about Simonson throughout this post, so bear with me.

Fate heads to the Boston Museum of Egyptology only to come across a grisly scene. A recent sarchophagus acquisition held the living mummy Khalis. And after murdering the 2 museum curators on hand, Khalis engages Fate. But there is more than meets the eye here. Khalis recognizes Fate, talks of a past with Nabu, and wades into battle.

I love how Simonson adds dust and bits shedding from Khalis, letting the reader sense just how he is moldering, decomposing. The cracked and breaking word bubbles add to the effect. And I also love the warped ankhs seen in Khalis mouth.

Surprisingly, Khalis is able to defeat Fate pretty handily. And we learn why. Much of Fate's power comes from his Amulet of Anubis. But that amulet is also Khalis's source of power, it obeys him. Armed with his powerful artifact, Khalis stumbles out into Boston to have his revenge!

Beaten senseless, Fate stumbles back to Salem and enters his doorless tower to rest and recuperate. Nabu recedes into the helmet, leaving a battered Kent Nelson to heal with the help of his wife Inza.

You definitely sense just how frustrated Inza is. She is trapped within the tower, isolated from the world except for her husband. And he, of course, is sharing his body with Dr. Fate. So she barely has any time with Kent. Tired of living alone, fearing for her husband, and feeling helpless, she leaves the sleeping Nelson.

This is the end of this touching scene ... a scene where Inza finally vocalizes her feelings to her husband only to find that he has passed out and hasn't heard a word of it.

I love the small column to the right with the Fate helmet formed by shrinking horizontal black lines. That felt very Steranko to me.

When he awakens, Kent hits the books to learn as much as he can about Khalis.

A worshipper of Anubis, Khalis was a mad priest who preached fiercely for the God of Death. Pleased by Khalis' service, Anubis gave his servant the Amulet of Anubis.

Armed with that power, Khalis enslaved the city, forcing them to build a temple to Anubis. That is ... until Nabu showed up. The Lord of Order removed the Amulet from Khalis, freeing the city from his power. The slaves got their revenge ... live mummification of Khalis. But Anubis isn't out of the picture. He makes Khalis a member of the undead until he has been reunited with the Amulet.

As a kid, I thought this was too fantastic. The idea of them holding down Khalis as the embalmed him was chilling.

And I love the hieroglyphic scroll Simonson uses here to bookmark the flashback.

And, like many good first issues, we get a retelling of the hero's origin story.

Again, so much of this works because of Simonson's art. I love the young Kent seemingly gestating in the ankh as he learns his mystic secrets. And the figure of Fate, arms out, mirroring the ankh below also works. This added visual vitality spiced up this simple regurgitation of the origin.

Time heals all wounds. Given some space, Inza realizes that leaving Kent in his time of need might not have been the best idea. And since he was so easily trounced by Khalis, maybe Inza should do some research on her own.

But it turns out that Fate might not need the extra help. With Anubis being a God of Darkness, Fate assumes light to be a weakness for Khalis. So Fate casts a spell which drains all the light from Boston and focuses it into a beam. It nearly destroys Khalis but the mummy is able to barely survive and slink off.

This is another one of those great Simonson panels. I love circle of Ankhs which manifest as part of the spell, the perspective just perfect. And again, we see Khalis literally decomposing before us, bits of him blasted away within this globe of light. Just some sick stuff from Simonson throughout this issue.

But things get wilder still. First, Inza has discovered a key vulnerability of Khalis on the sarcophagus he was entombed in.

And then, sick of skulking, Khalis decides to change the settings of the game, using his magic to manifest a pyramid into the Boston skyline, right next to the Prudential building. (That's my home town!) Then he calls upon Anubis himself. When I first read this comic, I loved the story twist that Anubis has no recollection of Khalis or his service to him. It was just delicious to think of Khalis sitting in that casket dreaming of serving his god, a god who has forgotten him. Frustrated, Khalis actually rips the mummification bandages off his face, hoping Anubis will recognize his faithful servant despite the rotting flesh.

When Fate shows up, Anubis makes Khalis a new deal: destroy the Lord of Order and he will bestow more rewards on his supplicant.

But Fate is ready. Armed with the spell Inza found, Fate channels Ra the sun god, unleashes a withering beam of light and heat, and vaporizes Khalis. What a great panel, the hawk head, the sun, the helmet of Nabu all surrounding the action pose of Fate. Really spectacular!

With Khalis turned to dust, Fate reclaims the Amulet of Anubis. The magical pyramid and Anubis both fade away.

But as important as Anubis leaving is Nabu receding, letting Kent and Inza share this victory together. They make a good team.

Fate has since had a varied career including a pretty odious retcon where he had a Cable-like appearance and wielded a knife made from the melted Helmet of Fate. But no matter what Fate story I read, this one ... a perfect blend of story and art ... has remained my favorite. There is no denying that this is a fun 'done in one' issue. How this didn't garner enough mail to prompt more stories has always mystified me.

Hopefully, at some point Fate will reappear in the DCnU. And hopefully it'll have this sort of feel.

Overall grade: A+

Who Are These Women?

Who are these women? Not Black Canary, we know who she is. And evidently the gal in the middle is Sterling. But who are the other two?

The obvious call for the redhead is Poison Ivy, but why would Poison Ivy help out the good guys? Looks to me like it might be Rose & Thorn instead, which would be a novel approach. That to me would also explain the black part of the costume.

And the sword slinger? Tell me this is not Katana. Please, please, tell me this is not Katana. Katana has made some questionable costume decisions over the years but if this is her, this is the absolute worst of them all. This sort of costume would have sucked in the 90s, and now that it's the 10s, this thing is absolutely atrocious. Ugh.

I guess it doesn't matter. It's Birds of Prey not written by Simone, so it won't last. Plus, it's Birds of Prey, period. So I am not buying it.

Secret Origins Annual #1: "...The Doom Patrol!" (1987)

Cliff Steele returned to the Midway City mansion that once housed the Doom Patrol, but was detained by its automated security system. Robotman needed to prove that he belonged, so he began recounting the origins of himself and his team.

• Cliff Steele was a race car driver and all-around adventurer until a freak accident at the track nearly cost his life. Steele's mind was placed in a robotic body by an unknown surgeon, but believing he was better off dead, Robotman rampaged through the city streets. Steele eventually tracked down the person responsible, Dr. Niles Caulder, but was won over by the genius' philanthropy.
  
  
• Niles Caulder had been made a wealthy man after his published findings on the potential of medically assisted immortality netted him a mysterious patron. However, Caulder decided to join the Peace Corps in the 1960s, serving in the worst slums of Calcutta, India.
  
  
• A teenage girl named Arani turned up so near to death Caulder worked night and day without sleep to rehabilitate her. The two fell in love, and secretly married. Caulder gave Arani of version of his immortality serum tailored to her genetic make-up, which also afforded her powers over temperature. Fearing the mysterious patron who still hounded him through agents, Niles left Arani at a remote monastery while he finally addressed the problem.
  
  
• The evil General Immortus had lived for hundreds of years, but his longevity was faltering, so he had hired Caulder. When money failed to yield results, Niles Caulder was taken prisoner, and a bomb surgically implanted in his chest. Caulder managed to fake his death and have a robot-surgeon remove the bomb, but the automaton inadvertently left Caulder a paraplegic in the process. Knowing that now more than ever he would need assistance to deal with Immortus, Caulder began enlisting agents of his own.
  
  
• Larry Trainor was test piloting the X-19 experimental jet orbiter for the Air Force when a sunspot fried its circuits. Trainor managed to land the craft and come out without a scratch, but was kept in isolation for months due to taking on extraordinary amounts of radiation. Eventually, a mysterious benefactor later revealed to be Caulder provided bandages that allowed Trainor to shield himself from contaminating his fellow man. However, Trainor wound up essentially homeless and mentally unstable from his experiences. Upon seeing a boy nearly run over by a train, Trainor released an energy for from his body which saved the kid. With renewed purpose from this super power, Trainor hooked up with Caulder.
  
  
• Rita Farr was a famous actress and stuntwoman who worked with director Steven (Spielberg) on a jungle adventure story (involving the unnamed Indiana Jones.) Unexpectedly carried away by a current during a scene on a river, Farr landed near volcanic geysers that emitted a strange gas which turned Farr into a size-altering freak. Whether in the palm of your hand or others in her own, Farr's Hollywood career was over. Placed in a room with Larry and Cliff, Rita was given a rousing speech by Caulder to turn their tragedies in a triumphant Doom Patrol.
  
  
• The team faced such threats as Immortus, the Brotherhood of Evil, the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man, and the alien criminal Garguax. They gained additions to the family like Mento and Beast Boy. However, the original three plus Caulder willingly gave their lives to save fourteen innocent strangers in a fishing village from a trap set by Madame Rouge and Captain Zahl.
  
  
• Robotman was blown to pieces, but his brain survived to be found by Doctor Will Magnus, who built him a new body.
  
  
• Soviet pilot Valentina Vostok tried to defect to the United States with a stolen experimental jet, but ended up crashing at the site of the Doom Patrol's deaths, and absorbing Larry Trainor's disembodied energy form. This allowed Vostok to fly and project energy beams. After reaching the U.S. in secret, Vostok eventually met Arani Caulder, who was in the country investigating her husband's death after learning of it by fluke. To this end, especially while working under the assumption Niles was still alive but in hiding, Arani was forming a New Doom Patrol.
  
  
• Joshua Clay was a teenage hoodlum in Midway City sentenced to either jail or military service. Choosing the latter, Clay served in Vietnam, before a confrontation with a mass murdering squad leader caused the medic to display previously unknown energy powers. Clay deserted while on short time and made his way back to society as a wanted man, perfect fodder for Arani Caulder.
• The New Robotman stumbled upon the New Doom Patrol and attacked them before being convinced to join them instead. As a group, the team confronted General Immortus and later, a Russian automaton called the Cossack sent to retrieve Vostok. The New DP joined forces with Power Girl against Reactron (a Post-Crisis revision to a Supergirl adventure,) while Superman helped with Negative Woman after Vostok's condition deteriorated to one closer to Larry Trainor's.
  
  
• Infighting caused the group to split, so it was Robotman working with the New Teen Titans who successfully brought Rouge and Zahl to justice for the murder of the original Doom Patrol.
  
  

Cliff Steele's walk down memory lane was a ruse to preoccupy him while armored government agents descended upon the mansion to capture him. However, the men were under the command of Valentina Vostok, who had begun working to supervise superhuman activity with the government. Vostok couldn't bear to compromise her former associate, so she called the men off, leaving Robotman to decide his next course of action. He would pack up and move to California, hoping to leave the past behind him.

"The Secret Origin of The Doom Patrol!" was a pleasant enough visual companion to a slew of Who's Who entries written by Paul Kupperberg. This is the only instance of John Byrne doing full are chores that comes to mind in which his embellishment is comparable to any of his best inkers. The whole thing was a primer for a Doom Patrol series relaunch, complete with preview pages and creator interviews. That was all well and good, but I was a bit miffed that the behind the scenes text features usually afforded an issue of Secret Origins were not present, gypping the back-up feature "The Secret Origin of Captain Comet".

Brave New World

• The All New Atom in Brave New World #1 (August, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
• Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #40 (May, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
• Martian Manhunter in Brave New World #1 (August, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Wonder Woman Annual #1: “Backstory” (2007) @ Diana Prince

Who's Dat: Fancy Freddy Sparga

PERSONAL DATA
Real Name: Freddy Sparga
Occupation: Regional Manager for the Crime Cabal
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Crime Cabal
Base of Operations: Electric City
Height/Build: Approximately 5'9", overweight
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black
First Appearance: OMAC #5 (May-June 1975)

HISTORY
The Crime Cabal was one of the major mob outfits in The World To Come, and Fancy Freddy Sparga was their regional manager in Electric City. This placed him in charge of "The Terminal," an underground operation where kidnap victims would have their minds evacuated and replaced by the highest bidding "body-buyer." This computer brain transplant was still in the planning stages when it was discovered by an undercover Peace Agent and reported to OMAC. Sparga was alerted to the double agent, and ordered his and OMAC's assassination via a new missile rifle. However, both men were saved by the satellite Brother Eye, and evidence of their seeming demise was planted to allow OMAC a free hand in investigating. With the help of mugger Buck Blue, OMAC caught Sparga while he was negotiating a sale to the Godmother, and Fancy Freddy was arrested by Peace Agents.

POWERS & WEAPONS:
Fancy Freddy Sparga presumably had the resources of the Crime Cabal at his disposal, which included manpower, weapons and vehicles.

Quote:
"That'll teach the Peace Agents ta poke in Fancy Freddy's apple pie!!"

Created by: Jack Kirby