Comic Coverage

The Highlight Reel: Lady in Red

How many comic books have I read? 

Good Lord, I couldn't tell you...though I'd estimate the total would easily top the "mega-thousand" category.  More to the point, how many of those mega-thousand comics made an impression...or do I even remember reading?  Ballpark estimate:  Not as many.

However, there remains a respectable percentage of them that not only made an impression but are absolutely unforgettable....at least to me.

That's why I thought I'd try to "catalog" some of those great moments from my own comic book reading experience, a "highlight reel" if you will.  Not that I'm the ultimate arbiter of determining what qualifies as an official "great moment", but at the same time, maybe something I like will make an impression on another fan who may, in turn, add that "great moment" to their own memory banks (or comic book collection).

The moment I've chosen for the Reel's maiden
voyage is taken from JLA #33 (1999).

Set-up: Batman dispatches four members of the Justice League to the French Riviera to bring in...Bruce Wayne?  Well, without getting into the obvious secret identity issues there, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Steel, and Plastic Man, along with new members (and New Gods) Orion and Big Barda arrive in France to play the part of swanky jetetters.

We now join the undercover JLA members as they admire the normally fully-armored Big Barda modeling a form-fitting red dress (click on the panels for a larger view)...

Though the art's a bit on the shakey side, writer Mark Waid's wonderfully paced, absolutely hilarious Plastic Man gag more than overcomes it. Plastic Man had long been known to assume the shape of anything while still retaining his costume colors and design, and Waid's gag cleverly (and a bit naughtily) updated that great tradition for a modern audience.

The Highlight Reel: I Shall Shed My Light Over Dark Evil

Last week's Reel focused on the funny, while this week's is All About the Awesome. 

Occasionally, comic book storytelling is done so well it feels exactly like you're watching a movie, in this case the pyrotechnic climax of a blockbuster adventure movie (i.e. the Holy Judgement climax of Raiders of the Lost Ark).

JSA #9 (2000) is one of those rare cinematic experiences.  From the writing team of David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns, along with amazing illustrator Stephen Sadowski, this sequence is taken from the dramatic resolution of the "Darkness Falls" story arc.

Set-Up: Obsidian, son of the original Green Lantern, succumbs to his personal demons and uses his immense power to plunge the world into darkness...and it's up to a recently re-constituted Justice Society of America to stop him and his cadre of villains. However, a number of JSA members fall under Obsidian's shadow and become his dark puppets.  As one of the few remaining JSA'ers, Alan Scott has a face-to-face confrontation with Todd within a giant version of Obsidian's body, where things go from bad to worse (be sure to click on the panels for larger images)....

GL is then expelled from the giant Obsidian construct, as his son (in full god-complex mode) asserts his superior will.  Big mistake....because when it comes to a Green Lantern and willpower....well, I'll let Alan take it from here.

Note:  Be sure to click on the double-page spread below....your melted frontal lobe will thank you.  Oh, and I dare you not to get goosebumps when you read the purple narration boxes...

See what I mean?  Very cinematic in its look and feel...and just a dynamite example of how great superhero comics can still be with a creative team that obviously loves the characters and knows exactly what it's doing. 

Do yourself a favor and pick up the JSA: Darkness Falls trade to enjoy the whole story!

The Highlight Reel: A Stake of Humble Tin

There's a phrase you've probably heard dozens (if not hundreds) of times in today's hype-saturated comic book market.

"Nothing Will Ever
Be the Same Again!"

You'd think we'd learn after hearing it so many times.  After all, how many "nothing will ever be the same again" stories have actually delivered on that promise?

Well, one comic book story that actually did change things forever was The Amazing Spider-Man #121-122 (1973). The Death of Gwen Stacy not only changed the status quo of Spider-Man forever, but (arguably) of the entire superhero genre as well.

Crazy talk?  Well, I'm not the first one to note how the story seemed to herald (or perhaps spark) a darker form of storytelling. In fact, a similar sentiment was explored in Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross's MARVELS (1993), a brilliant metatextual "history" of Marvel's superheroes from the vantage point of average, everyday people.

Up until then girlfriends were saved, not killed....and supervillains either went to jail or (at worst) ambiguously "died" only to return a few years later. These issues of Spider-Man threw all of that out the window, signalling from that time onward that all bets were off.  Everyone was vulnerable, and nothing (no matter how horrible) was truly "off the table"....not even the death of a prominent cast member or arch-villain!

It's from the final few pages of this earthquake of a story that I've selected my scene for the Highlight Reel. Set-Up: Peter Parker's girlfriend Gwen Stacy was abducted and killed by the Green Goblin.  Later on, as Spider-Man, Parker explodes into the Goblin's warehouse lair, bent on revenge.  Written by Gerry Conway, pencilled by Gil Kane and inked by John Romita, experience a true comic book classic (click on the top and lower halves for larger views):

Man, that last line still gives me chills!

As intense as this scene remains after all these years, you can imagine what effect it had on me as a kid.  A jumble of triumph, relief, irony and, yes, even pity and horror....but permeating it all, a brutal sense of justice.  Heady stuff for a superhero comic book...especially for the early 70's!

The scene may look familiar to those who've seen the first Spider-Man movie, since its climactic final battle also involved a bat-glider piercing Norman Osborn (though, inexplicably, in the groin instead of the chest), but for sheer emotional impact, it can't touch the comic book version.  Though I appreciate director Sam Raimi's effort to bring it to life, it seemed to lose something in the translation to film.  It's only when you knew the long comic book history between Peter Parker and Norman Osborn, with its cat-and-mouse games of madness and blood, that you felt the true emotional impact of that bat-glider slamming Osborn to the wall.

Of course, as will happen in comics, Marvel foolishly undid the Green Goblin's death some twenty years later, thereby diminshing some of the scene's original power.  However, despite the retroactive tomfoolery, it remains one of the most dramatic scenes I've ever encountered in my three-plus decades of reading comics.

That is, despite my somewhat less-than-serious 30-Second Recap of the scene a few months back.

Simply The Best: Goin' to the Chapel...

Who can get married while celebrating his 40th anniversary at the same time? 

Why, Superman, of course!

Celebrating the fourth decade since the Man of Steel first hoisted that green sedan over his head, Action Comics #484 (1978) featured the long-awaited wedding of Superman and Lois Lane!

Making the issue even more special was this gorgeous cover by Jose Garcia Lopez, conveying all the joyous spectacle you'd expect from these star-crossed lovers finally tying the knot.

Or did they? 

Sharp-eyed readers quickly realized something was up.  The Daily Star building in the background and Superman's obscured chest symbol provided clues that all was not what it appeared to be. 

You see, this was indeed a wedding between Superman and Lois Lane....of Earth-2!  For years, the earliest adventures of Superman had cleverly been exported to an alternate Earth, where differing details of his Kryptonian heritage, his workplace (The Daily Star instead of the familiar Daily Planet) and even a slightly different "S" symbol were still the norm.

So, yeah...on one hand it was a bit of a cop-out to marry the Earth-2 version of the couple, but on the other hand it made perfect sense.  When you think about it, these were the characters who appeared in the first issue of Action Comics in 1938, so it seemed natural that they would receive the reward denied the "real" Superman and Lois from the ongoing series (at least until 1995).

But back to that dynamite cover.  As someone who's always been a sucker for sentiment and tradition, this cover hits all of my buttons.  The classic design of the wedding dress, the "Just Married" banner, and the obvious joy of the bride and groom (without a molecule of cynicism or irony) all seem like something imported from another age.

You know, while I'm at it, I might as well make this an unofficial clip for The Highlight Reel, my ongoing effort to chronicle my favorite comic book moments.  There's so much to love about the story inside.  Writer Cary Bates turned in a tight and (at times) unexpectedly moving script, perfectly complemented by the artwork of Curt Swan (who else?) and inker Joe Giella.  However, the part of the story that makes the Reel is actually the final two panels of the story.

Earlier in the tale, Lois Lane had fallen in love with and married Clark Kent who, at the time, had forgotten his life as Superman due to a magic spell courtesy of The Wizard. After Clark eventually regained his memory (and superpowers) and took care of the Wizard, there was only one thing left to do.

Taking his bride to his Secret Citidel (an art-deco precursor of the Fortress of Solitude) Superman and Lois privately reaffirm their vows in a touching Kryptonian ritual (click on the panels for a larger view).  In all the years I've read and enjoyed Superman stories, there aren't many moments with more grace and understated beauty than this one.  All of it done in the shadow of Kal-L's Kryptonian parents, who looked like the reigning gods of some lost 1930's sci-fi pantheon.

Pure class.

The Highlight Reel: A Family Instead of a Freakshow

In my previous post, you had a front row seat to the rip-roaring "Clobberin' Time" side of The Thing, the Fantastic Four's resident rock-encrusted curmudgeon.   However, there's another side to Ben Grimm you may not be quite as familiar with.

Raised as a streetwise scrapper on New York's Lower East Side, Ben Grimm's tough-guy exterior became a literal reality following his cosmic accident.  Ironically, Ben's rocky outer shell became the catalyst for a softer side to emerge, as the love of his Fantastic Four "family" and girlfriend Alicia gradually smoothed his jagged outlook.

Adding to Ben's joy was the arrival of Reed and Sue's baby boy, born in Fantastic Four Annual #6 (1968).  Soon afterward in Fantastic Four #94 (1969), the proud parents bring the baby home to the Baxter Building. Let's join them as they announce what they've decided to name their son, a special day for Ben Grimm as well as an unforgettable scene for the Highlight Reel.

(click on the panels for a larger view)

The Highlight Reel: Krypto's Last Stand

I'm not what you'd call a "crier". 

You know, one of those people who can cry at the drop of a hat over fictional grief...like my lovely wife, for example.  I don't know what it is...I guess it just takes alot to "flip that switch" inside of me when it comes to grief that's "not real" in the sense of it being acted out or conjured up in a fictional setting.

However, once in a blue moon a story comes along that really does get close to choking me up, one of which was the evergreen classic "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"

As a way to smooth the transition for John Byrne's 1986 "Extreme Makeover" of the Superman titles, DC Comics allowed for an "ending" of sorts for the version of Superman most readers had grown up with.  Written by fan favorite Alan Moore and illustrated by Curt Swan (who else?), the two-part story was published in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583, featuring an "imaginary story" that served as a stirring elegy to the Silver Age era of Superman comics.

Though the tale had many extremely touching moments, I think the one that tops them all (at least for me) was Krypto's Last Stand.   Our Highlight Reel clip opens after an army of Superman's enemies had invaded the Fortress of Solitude to destroy the Man of Steel and the loved ones under his protection.  One of the members of that army was the Kryptonite Man, who clearly wasn't aware of a dog's reaction to a stranger in his master's home.   Note the masterful "camera work" (no doubt enhanced by Moore's incredibly rich stage direction) and the effective use of Krypto's thundering "thuddums" (click on the panels for a larger image)...

Without hesitation, Krypto lunges for the Kryptonite Man while already succumbing to his deadly radiation.  Despite the many years of Krypto wearing the goofy cape and using thought balloons to think very human thoughts, it's here at the very end that Krypto was never more dog-like..not only for his shocking savagery, but also for his fierce loyalty and laser-focused hatred for someone intent on doing his master harm.

I don't know what's more upsetting, imagining Krypto's "death howl" echoing through the Fortress, or the sight of Krypto's green carcass with the red cape still attached.  Heartbreaking.

So, there you have it.  Comics' very own Old Yeller moment.

Excuse me.  I-I think I've got something in my eye....

(sniff)

The Highlight Reel: Look Who's Coming to Dinner

You're all familiar with this classic scene from The Empire Strikes Back, right? (click on the "play" arrow)

Yeah, so was I...the first time I saw it!  Let me explain.

As I've said ad nauseum, I'm a Fantastic Four fan from way back. So much so, that when my 14 year-old self watched that scene in the summer of 1980, I immediately recalled a similar sequence from Fantastic Four #142 (1974).  So similar, in fact, that I've often wondered if a certain bearded, plaid-wearing movie mogul might have read that same comic book and (either consciously or sub-consciously) incorporated that sequence into his famous sequel.

Here, I'll let you be the judge.  The set-up:  Reed Richards, recently separated from his wife Sue, shows up to attend a 10 year college reunion, accompanied by substitute F.F. member Medusa. Written by Gerry Conway and masterfully illustrated by Rich Buckler (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (sublime inks), the alumni are then escorted into the dining room...and into one of the most unforgettable "villain reveals" in my collection (click on the panels for a larger view).

So...what do you think?  A dining room trap laid by a masked, heavily armored and cape-wearing arch-villain, greeting his "guests" with sinister mock formality?  Coincidence...or influence?

Well, whatever it is, it's certainly a worthy addition to The Highlight Reel.

P.S. Of course, nothing in the world of entertainment is entirely original.  Everything has been influenced by something that came before it...even the Dr. Doom panel.  Doom's wide-eyed, frightening expression recalls Lon Chaney's terrifying facial expression from The Phantom of the Opera's classic reveal scene, nearly 50 years before F.F. #142. Again...what do you think?

The Highlight Reel: Down Amongst the Dead Men

To say Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1984) blew me away would be an extreme understatement.

Taking the American comic book scene by storm in the early 80's, British writer Alan Moore almost single-handedly ushered in a more sophisticated brand of storytelling that, in many respects, continues to this day.  After hearing the buzz surrounding Moore's successful reimagining of DC's Swamp Thing, I gave it a try with issue #31...finding it every bit as good as the buzz indicated.  In the story, the demonic arch-enemy of Swamp Thing, Anton Arcane, sends the soul of his niece Abigail to Hell...leaving it up to Swamp Thing to save the woman he loves.

The story continues in Swamp Thing Annual #2 with the masterpiece "Down Amongst the Dead Men". Making his first of many journeys into the supernatural realms, Swamp Thing essentially "wills" himself into the Great Beyond, meeting a number of familiar characters along the way. However, to give the impression the story is merely a routine "flyover" of DC's supernatural characters does it a disservice...because Moore's beautiful, poetic gift with words make the journey a fascinating, mysterious, occasionally disturbing, awe-inspiring, and utterly unforgettable experience.

Like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, the Swamp Thing is escorted by three major figures of DC's supernatural set.  The first was the jocular Deadman, the third a newly-frightening Demon...and between them both, the Phantom Stranger...who informs the Swamp Thing that before he enters the kingdom of Hell, he'll first need to obtain permission of the highest order (click on the panels for a larger view)...

Wow.  I still get chills when I see this scene.  For those of you unfamiliar with the huge, white-faced guy...that's The Spectre.  He was about as close to God as you could get in the DC Universe back then...yet he'd never before been portrayed quite like this.  This was unprecedented...and a perfect example of the grandeur Alan Moore helped restore to comics (after Jack Kirby's light grew dim). 

Of course, it would be criminal for me to overlook the amazing artwork of Steve Bissette and John Totleben, who created a rich, terrifying look that seemed like a cross-pollination of trippy Peter Max posters and the eerie gothic engravings of the 19th century.

What comes after this scene is just as amazing, as the Phantom Stranger and the Spectre engage in a fascinating exchange...ending with an unforgettably chilling line.

If you've never read this story, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy.  If you have read it...what did you think?

The Highlight Reel: New Beginnings

In the current Spider-Man storyline One More Day, it's rumored that Marvel Comics will be pulling the plug on the marriage of Peter (Spider-Man) Parker and Mary Jane Watson.

Whether it'll be done the usual way (death) or an unusual way (hitting the cosmic re-set button), the ending of the marriage will supposedly clear the decks for a major overhaul of the Spider-Man franchise.  Nobody could be happier than Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada, who's made it clear he's no fan of the marriage. In fact, Joe was so enthusiastic about the story, he's drawing it himself (despite his E.I.C. duties and rusty drawing skills).

In the midst of all this grim marriage-dismantling, I thought it would be a good thing to go back to happier times...when Peter and Mary Jane's love first blossomed in Spider-Man #143 (1975). 

Since her debut in Spider-Man #42 (1966), Mary Jane Watson had been the happy-go-lucky party girl of the Spider-Man cast.  Though she definitely enjoyed flirting with Peter, she was simply a good friend through the years Peter dated his beloved Gwen Stacy.  That would all change when the Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) killed Gwen Stacy and shattered Peter's world. Seeing Peter's pain, Mary Jane dropped the party girl pretense and reached out to him in sympathy. 

Over the next couple of months (or years in "real time"), Peter and Mary Jane's friendship continued to deepen.  Following an attempt on MJ's life by the equally demented son of the Green Goblin (Harry Osborn), Peter realized just how important she had become to him.

It's against this backdrop that we join our young couple in the quiet late-night corridors of the Kennedy International Airport, as Pete is about to catch a flight to Paris. As good-byes are said, as small talk runs it course...love begins.

(click on the pages for larger views)

The Highlight Reel: A Postcard from Hell

Awhile back, I added a scene from Swamp Thing Annual #2 to the Highlight Reel...but since it's the season for All Things Spooky, I realized that classic issue deserved another look.  In fact, when it comes to creating truly scary comic book stories, few could surpass the mindblowing writing of Alan Moore and the intensely disturbing imagery of Steve Bissette and John Totelben.

As you may recall from my previous blatherings, "Down Amongst the Dead Men" told the story of the Swamp Thing's search for the soul the woman he loved, Abby Arcane.  Escorted by a number of familiar supernatural characters, Swamp Thing's journey through the Great Beyond finally took him to the lonely shores of Hell itself (click on the panel for a larger view)...

Nearing the place where Abby's soul was imprisoned, Swamp Thing and the demon Etrigan encountered the presence of her evil uncle, Anton Arcane.  As the one responsible for sending Abby's spirit to Hell in the first place, Anton Arcane rode the Irony Express to Hell only a few hours later.  As you read the page below (click to enlarge), take special note of how the jutting, fragmented panel design adds to the debased madness of the scene, punctuated by Arcane's tormented reaction to Swamp Thing's news. Oh, and if you have the stomach for it, look at all of the disgusting details Bissette and Totelben populated their panels with. A truly hellish vision of Hell.

The Highlight Reel: Star Light, Star Bright

Having heard about the infamous line of EC Comics for years, I was thrilled to finally get a chance to read some of them in the early 1990's, when Gladstone Comics began reprinting them in conjunction with Russ Cochran (who owns all of the EC artwork). Sadly, Cochran soon "took his ball and went home" before the entire line could be reprinted, but I had collected enough of them to get a good taste of what those old stories were like (without spending an arm and a leg).

On the whole, I enjoyed the sense of dread and the dashes of dark humor that permiated EC's horror, crime, and weird science fiction comics. Of course, the hallmark of the stories were their shock endings, often accompanied by a stiff jolt of irony or poetic justice.

Although most of the six to eight-page stories were soon forgotten, one of them managed to make a lasting impression. With a little judicious editing, I think it'll make a perfect addition to the Halloween season's Highlight Reel!

Originally published in The Vault of Horror #34 (1953) and illustrated by the great Johnny Craig, "Star Light, Star Bright" is the horror story I've never quite fogotten. At the outset, it should be noted that the story was created in an era when views toward the mentally ill were "uncharitable" to say the least. Still, even today, attitudes toward severe mental illness are conflicted...and it's this degree of mystery and unpredictability surrounding it that I think still fuels the horror of this story. This is exactly the kind of "taboo" subject matter that rocketed the EC stories into the public imagination (and eventually got them into trouble), and why this particular story continues to creep me out like no other.

"Star Light, Star Bright" opens on the grounds of Dethmoor Asylum at the funeral of its most recent administrator. Attending the funeral are the new administrator Hartley Quimb, various staff members, and a host of the asylum's inmates...who pay their respects in a very disturbing manner (click on the left hand set of panels for a larger view).

In the right hand set of panels, Hartley returned to the asylum and learns that his predecessor was killed by the inmates after he took away their "funeral privileges". Understandably, the news sends Hartley's mind reeling, as the "hate-filled eyes" of the inmates drive him to the peace and calm of his private quarters...

Visions of the funeral Hartley had witnessed earlier that day flashed through his mind as the busy inmates continued with their shocking, bizarre ritual...

The macabre procession continued their march through the asylum grounds, ending up just where the frantic Mr. Quimb feared he would. Was this real...or only a nightmare? Read the last two excerpts to find out!

That leering, gap-toothed maniac peering into the "skylight"?
Yeah....now can you see why this tale has haunted me all these years?

The Highlight Reel: VALHALLA!

I've come to realize that Marvel's Thor character is quite the polarizing figure.

There are those who really enjoy the character (like me), then there are those who seem to hate him with the fury of an Asgardian Storm Giant....with not much middle ground.  Yeah, I can see why Thor might drive them crazy.  After all, the Shakespearian dialect, the wonky space-age Mardi Gras costumes, and the bombastic, operatic personalities certainly aren't for everyone.  However, for those of us who love classic mythology, fantasy fiction, cosmic hokum, and heroic high adventure, Thor's our poster child.

As a veteran of hundreds of the Thunder God's adventures, some of my favorites remain the short Tales of Asgard backup stories from mid-1960's issues of Thor.  As the name of the series implies, Tales of Asgard would explore the mythic home of Thor and his fellow gods...often adapting many of the old Norse myths themselves into comic book form.  By leaving the superhero trappings of Thor's life on Earth behind, Tales of Asgard told the stories of Thor as a boy, striving to one day hold the might hammer Mjolnir...or exploring the creatures and far-flung lands of Asgard...or even the epic accounts of the creation and ultimate destruction of the cosmos.  Most of them in eight pages or less!

For this installment of The Highlight Reel, I've chosen one of my favorite Tales of Asgard stories from Thor #133 (1966).  Titled simply "Valhalla", this beautiful five-pager follows the barbarian king Harokin on his journey to the Norse afterlife, where noble warriors go enjoy the eternal glory of endless battle.  As you read through it, take time to savor Jack Kirby's detailed costumes, cinematic staging, and engaging crowd scenes...particularly Hela's solemn march through the streets of Asgard as the assembled warriors avert their gaze.  The story ends on a soaring, triumphant note as the invigorated Harokin seizes hold of his eternal reward and storms the gates of Vahalla! (click on the pages for larger views)

The Hightlight Reel: MARVELS Behind the Scenes

In 1994, Marvel Comics published MARVELS, a four-part overview of the various eras of their comic book universe as seen from the vantage point of everyman Phil Sheldon. This was the hook that made the series so intriguing...instead of recounting familiar events through the eyes of superheroes, we literally see them at street level from the perspective of a bewildered, frightened, and occasionally awe-struck humanity.

However, beyond the gimmick of simply shifting the narrative "camera angle", writer Kurt Busiek and painter Alex Ross traced how the wonder and optimism of the early heroic age gradually gave way to darkness and fear...mirroring the same gloomy trend many of us have observed in superhero comics over the decades.

My favorite issue of the series is MARVELS #2, which focused on Marvel's early Silver Age era and its virtual explosion of super-powered beings.  The story opens with Phil Sheldon (a photographer for the Daily Bugle) witnessing the Avengers battling a collection of supervillains in (and over) the streets of New York...which includes a jaw-dropping "worm's eye view" of Giant-Man, one of the most breathtaking panels I've ever seen:

(click on each page for a larger view):

As amazing as this sequence is (I still get shivers reading it), there's something else about these two pages that I find special in another way.  You see, although no deep knowledge of the Marvel universe is required to read and enjoy this series, there are some wonderful "Easter Eggs" Busiek and Ross included that give the story an added level of enjoyment for old Marvel True Believers like me.

What do I mean? Well, for those of you who see just another generic superhero/supervillain clash on the first page, I see panels echoing the Avengers battling the Masters of Evil from Avengers #6 (1964).

Let's take it from the top-left:

Here we see Radioactive Man fogging the crowd with Adhesive-X and its corresponding panel from Avengers #6.  Note the same positioning of the fleeing crowd!

Of course, he was soon bundled up and shipped off to the authorities.

The Black Knight and his flying steed do the same thing with the Adhesive-X mist, though this time the MARVELS panel shows the same scene from an entirely different angle (perfectly illustrating the unique perspective-switch of MARVELS):

Thor puts a end to the Black Knight's treachery....

...while Iron-Man drags the Melter off to police custody!

Finally, we see the astounding shift in perspectives between the MARVELS street-level shot and its likely Avengers #6 counterpart (click for a slightly larger view):

It's this kind of clever detail that I think makes an already amazing work like MARVELS into a true "love letter" to the old stories that inspired it.  'Nuff Said!

P.S.- If you've never read MARVELS, click here to add it to your Christmas Wish List...on the double!

The Highlight Reel: Rebirth

The early to mid-1990's was a rough time for DC's top tier of iconic characters.

First Superman "died", got better, then started sporting a mullet. Batman had his back broken.  Wonder Woman started wearing biker shorts. Aquaman got a fishing hook for a hand. Green Arrow blew up.

And Green Lantern?  Oh, Green Lantern got the worst of DC's collective nervous breakdown. He not only went crazy and destroyed the entire Green Lantern Corps, but became a universe-threatening supervillain on top of it! Some time later, after he sacrificed his life to reignite Earth's sun (long story), Hal Jordan's wandering spirit was named the new host for a near-omnipotent supernatural entity named the Spectre. What a mess, huh?

Well, DC eventually came to their senses and began repairing the damage wrought by their 1990's fever dreams and restored most of the fallen heroes to their former glory.  But what about Hal Jordan, an eternally doomed traitor moping around the DC universe in his ill-fitting role as the Spectre?  How could anyone restore him to his former glory?

Enter writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver.  These two guys accepted the Houdini-like challenge of freeing Hal Jordan from years of editorial incompetence in 2005's Green Lantern: Rebirth mini-series...and succeeded spectacularly! 

Using compelling dialogue, a carefully constructed plot, and cleverly retro-fitted continuity, Geoff Johns made Hal Jordan's return to life a thrilling, touching, and....surprisingly logical tale!  Somehow, against all odds, Geoff Johns pulled it off, restoring both Hal's life and (incredibly) his good reputation...made all the more triumphant with Van Sciver's amazingly cinematic visuals. With echoes of masters like Neal Adams, Irv Novick, and Brian Bolland, Van Sciver's gritty realism pushed an already compelling story into "instant classic" territory.

Without going into too much detail, it's revealed that Hal Jordan's corpse had been preserved all these years by the Guardians of the Universe, ready and waiting for Hal's spirit (now residing within the Spectre) to one day rejoin it.  Hal-Spectre and his loyal friends battle the forces of a demon named Parallax and his old foe Sinestro, resulting in Hal's spirit being freed from the Spectre, while his friends faced a certain death from the renegade Green Lantern.  Now...time for me to shut up, get out of the way, and let Johns and Van Sciver blow your minds as the power ring Green Arrow has faithfully safeguarded is reunited with the greatest Green Lantern of them all (from Green Lantern: Rebirth #4).

(click on the pages for larger views)

Now THAT'S a triumphant return!

Interested in checking it out?  Here's the Amazon link:

The Highlight Reel: "Yes, Father. I Shall Become a Bat."

"Before beginning, prepare carefully."
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Ancient Roman poet and philosopher

Few things in fiction are as memorable as beginnings and endings.  In the case of superheroes, whose stories never really end, it's their beginnings that stick with us.  Of the zillions of superhero origins perma-looping through my brain, none of them are quite as powerful...or as visceral..as the origin of BATMAN.

Of course, Batman's origin story has been told and retold a hundred different times by a hundred different storytellers over the nearly seven decade history of the character.  Of those multiple iterations and creative perspectives, my absolute favorite remains Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's Batman: Year One (1986). Like nobody else before them (or since, for that matter) Miller and Mazzucchelli brought a real cinematic gravitas and grandeur to an origin story story that had traditionally been presented as brisk four or five panel flashbacks. Basically as an afterthought. Now, for the first time (at least in my experience), Bruce Wayne's crucial first steps as Batman were being told in "real time", providing insights and thought processes that had never really been explored in previous Batman origins.

Sharing the narrative spotlight with a young Gotham police lieutenant named James Gordon, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City after a dozen years of training and preparation. Following an overconfident venture into Gotham's underworld, a seriously wounded Bruce returns to Wayne Manor seeking his father's silent counsel...

(click on the pages for larger views)

Highlight Reel: "Twenty Million Die By Fire If I Am Weak"

The mid to late 1980's was a great time to be a college-age comic book fan.  Comic book publishers, especially DC Comics, seemed to be open to a more mature, cutting-edge style of storytelling...and since I was also entering the "world of grown-ups" myself, the timing couldn't have been better. At the age when most comic book fans typically toss aside their childhood collections, this new (and much darker) brand of superhero comics kept me around and kept me interested for years to come.  One of this new breed of comics was Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns (1986), which presented a decidedly R-rated reimagining of a retirement-age Batman and the brutal alternate future he lives in.

Unfortunately, my enjoyment of Dark Knight seems to have dimmed over the past couple of decades.  Maybe it's because Miller's cynical, borderline psychotic vision of Batman has been largely the "norm" for Batman comics ever since...which (for me) has long since worn out its welcome.   Or maybe it's because Frank Miller's creative bag of tricks has become so familiar, in some ways so cliched, that Dark Knight no longer packs the visceral punch it once did.

However, there are still a few moments within Dark Knight that manage to knock me out some two decades later. For those of you who know who my favorite character is, it shouldn't be a surprise that one of those moments involves Superman. Now, let me make it clear that, on the whole, I didn't enjoy Frank Miller's portrayal of Superman as little more than the obedient lapdog of a dimwitted U.S. President (Reagan caricature #4,578), but in this particular sequence, Miller gave the cynicism a rest and served up a memorable, truly heroic vision of the Man of Steel (click on the panels for a larger view).

The Hightlight Reel: A Friend to Lend a Hand

What happens when you're simultaneously attacked by four of your deadliest enemies?  Well, since I don't have my own personal Rogue's Gallery, I have no idea...so I'll have to turn to Justice #5 (2006) for the answer.

Created by the team of Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithwaite, Justice was a slam-bang 12-issue series featuring the Justice League against a virtual army of arch-enemies.  Using well planned and highly coordinated attacks, the villains systematically take out each member of the JLA, including the Big Guy himself: Superman!

While in his identity of Clark Kent, Superman is brutally attacked by his imperfect double Bizarro, who is soon joined by the power-sapping Parasite, savage swamp monster Solomon Grundy, and the Kryptonite-powered Metallo. With the odds so dramatically stacked against him, it would be logical for Superman to summon his fellow Justice Leaguers for help, right?  One problem:  They were being attacked, too!  So...who's left to help Superman against this powerful quartet of killers?

(click on the pages for a larger view)

Could that red and yellow blur mean that Barry (The Flash) Allen escaped his own death trap to help the Man of Steel?...and what's with the lightning bolt?  Click the link below to discover the identity of Superman's butt-kicking benefactor...

Highlight Reel: Pioneers of a New Frontier (Win a DVD!)

The chronology is a familiar one to most of us comic book fans. 

First came Superman in Action Comics #1 (1938), a "Big Bang" event that gave rise to the first generation, or "Golden Age" of comic book superheroes.  Following World War II, superhero comics lost their appeal and disappeared from newsstands...with only a handful of the most popular remaining (among them Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman).

Nearing the end of the 1950's, as Cold War adversaries began their race into space, a new age of daring, trail-blazing science dawned...making test pilots, scientists, and astronauts America's new celebrity class.  Patterned after these "science super- stars", a second generation...or "Silver Age" of superheroes burst onto the scene.

It's within this era that Darwyn Cooke's incredible DC: The New Frontier takes place.  Set during the actual years of the Silver Age, Cooke traces the emergence of the Space Age superheroes against a backdrop of Cold War tension and an encroaching alien invasion.  Although Cooke flirted with some shopworn liberal tropes (1950's paranoia and hypocrisy, the Dark Underbelly of America, yada, yada, yada), he thankfully devoted most of the page count to a gritty, full-throttle adventure that constantly reminded me why I love these characters so much.  Adding to the joy was Cooke's amazing artwork, blending a sophisticated retro design with streamlined figures that recall the animation styles of the era and comic book masters like Alex Toth and Jack Kirby.

Although it's tough to encapsulate the New Frontier experience into a single clip for the Highlight Reel, something that comes close is an "epilogue" sequence from the final issue.  As Cooke takes us on a farewell "flyover" of DC's Silver Age pantheon, portions of John F. Kennedy's 1960 acceptance speech are used to great effect, elegantly bringing together the heroic themes of history and imagination.

(click on the pages for super-sized views)

You know, after JFK's inspiring message of civic responsibility and can-do optimism, I feel like giving something away!  How about this: The first person to correctly identify all 70 characters on these pages will win a Justice League: The New Frontier DVD!  Although it's not officially on sale until Tuesday, February 26th, the good folks at Warner Home Video and M80 Promotions have sent me a copy to review (which I'll post next week) and one to give away to a lucky reader!

Okay, here's how I'm going to do it.  To make identifying and submitting your guesses easier (which, in turn, makes MY life easier), I've created monochromatic versions of each page with numbers by each character, so when you submit your list, your guesses will correspond to the 70 numbered characters. 

(click on each page to see the numbered characters)

For example, if you see the number "1" next to Widget-Man, you'll type "1. Widget-Man" on your list.

The first person to correctly identify every character will be announced as soon as I can post your name...or, if nobody nails them all, whoever identifies the most characters correctly by 7:00 PM on Friday, Feb. 22nd will win the DVD (the winner will be announced on Saturday).

Got it?  Great.  Have fun and good luck. In the meantime, how about a New Frontier trailer (complete with the JFK speech) to inspire you?

UPDATE: Wow! That sure didn't take long! We've already got a winner, and it's George Chambers from New South Wales, Australia! Congratulations, George....you nailed them all! Your copy of Justice League: The New Frontier will soon be winging its way Down Under! For those of you who are curious about the answers, I'll be re-opening the comments section and posting George's answers for you to see.

The Highlight Reel: Even An Android Can Cry!

One of the most striking covers of Marvel's Silver Age has to be Avengers #57 (1968), featuring the looming, crimson-hued threat of The Vision.

Modified from the android body of the original Human Torch, the Vision was sent by the malevolent robot Ultron to destroy the Avengers. As it turned out, a nearly identical plot appeared simultaneously in DC's Justice League title (featuring the Red Tornado), but the Vision's story was by far the more compelling of the two android assassins.

You see, the Vision's master wasn't just a dime-a-dozen evil robot...Ultron was essentially the "son" of his creator Henry "Hank" Pym, a.k.a. Giant Man of the Avengers. In a sort of ultra-accelerated Oedipus Complex, Ultron attempted to kill Pym within minutes of his activation, then escaped to plot future attacks on Daddy Dearest and his Avengers teammates.

However, things didn't quite go according to Ultron's plan. The Vision resisted his original programming, befriended the Avengers, and ultimately destroyed his creator Ultron (well, at least that version of him).  A month later in Avengers #58, the newly-independent Vision requested membership in the Avengers, and was met with some justifiable skepticism considering how his past was a complete mystery...even to himself!  Therefore, the Avengers assisted the Vision in filling in the blanks....culminating in an impromptu (yet important) team meeting. 

The result of the meeting?  Only one of the
most touching scenes in Avengers history...

(click on the pages for a larger view)

Note how it was Hank Pym who provided the insight into the Vision's emotional breakthrough...spoken with the pride of....a grandpa?  Okay, I guess that part's a little unsettling, but that full page shot of the Vision in the grip of new-found emotion?  An obvious addition to the Highlight Reel.

The Highlight Reel: Flash of Two Worlds

Although superhero comics have always been about dramatic, larger-than-life adventures, it seems that the modern comics scene has taken that to an absurd extreme.  Weary from a constant stream of universe-warping disasters and mindblowing "nothing will ever be the same again" revelations, this "spectacle fatigue" has sent fans like me scrambling for the older comics in my collection. It's there that I find the antidote to today's overwrought epics in the refreshing subtlety and understatement of Silver Age comics.

The perfect example of this low-key approach is Flash #123 (1961), which featured the landmark story "Flash of Two Worlds". Considering the huge role alternate Earths would play in DC's future, this issue's quiet (almost nonchalant) introduction of the Alternate Earth concept was a masterpiece of understatement and restraint.  Told today, there's no doubt the story would be stretched out to twelve issues and packed stem to stern with histrionic hand-wringing, intricate subplots, and reality-warping explosions.

But in 1961?  One issue was enough...and in the spirit of that Silver Age brevity, I'll can the intro and join a confused Barry Allen, who's just unwittingly blazed a trail into the Multiverse (click on the panels for a larger view)...

The date on a local newspaper confirms that Flash is still in the present. However, that same edition of The Keystone City Herald suggests a fantastic possibility...a possibility Barry is compelled to investigate!

Now, here comes the understatement I was going on about in the intro. Think about the way a story like this might unfold in today's super-charged environment ("The Drama! The Shocks! The Angst!), compared to the sublime simplicity of someone nonchalantly answering the doorbell...

Barry continued to blow Jay Garrick's mind by recapping the elder Flash's origin, but let's back up to the first panel above.  Comics trivia fans should grab a pencil and note that Jay Garrick's address is 5252 78th Street. Plus, how about that "5252" street number...as in DC's recent "52" series?  Hey, and order me one of those funky triangular desks in the middle panel! Does IKEA have one of those?

Anyway, the surprises just kept coming from the mysterious Mr. Allen...like how he's the Flash of a completely different Earth...who happened to keep his costume in his ring!

Rest assured, Barry explained his Alternate Earth theory to Jay, as well as his own origin story. Ahh, but my favorite part of this historic meeting came next, as Barry dropped the bombshell that Jay was Barry's favorite comic book hero as a kid! Not only that, Barry offered some serious meta-commentary by mentioning 40's Flash Comics writer Gardner Fox (as well as writer of this very story!) and the actual year of the title's cancellation.

Inspired by Barry's surreal appearance in his home, Jay decided to come out of retirement to solve a series of crimes plaguing Keystone City...with an assist from his starstruck namesake. Capping off the low-key magic is that priceless (and somewhat poignant) final panel...two super-speedsters running side-by-side with a future of adventure, friendship, tragedy, and hope ahead of them.

The Highlight Reel: I Flew With Superman

Of all the artists who've drawn Superman over the past seven decades, my favorite remains Curt Swan. 

Born and raised right here in Minnesota, Curt began drawing for DC Comics in 1945 following his service in World War II...eventually gravitating toward the Superman family of titles. One thing lead to another, and before long, Swan had supplanted Wayne Boring as the Superman artist...a distinction he would hold for the next several decades.

Curt remained the primary penciller for both Superman and Action Comics from the late 50's through the mid-80's, which is when DC handed their Superman franchise over to a (then) hotshot named John Byrne.

However, a  few years before his involuntary semi-retirement, Swan had both penciled and inked a special story appearing in Superman Annual #9 (1983) titled "I Flew With Superman". The story, by Curt himself (as told to Cary Bates and Elliot S. Maggin), opens with the hard working gent sitting down to burn the midnight oil on a new Superman adventure. At some point during the night, Curt nods off...only to awaken on a bench in the middle of a city park! After wandering around a bit, it slowly dawns on Curt that he's somehow appeared in the mythical city of Metropolis...which sends him immediately to 344 Clinton Street, the mid-town residence of Clark Kent! After the doorman announced him as "Curt Swan from Earth-Prime", a flabbergasted Kent buzzed him in (click on the panels for a larger view)....

  

After a brief visit (and a detour to foil an armed robbery), Superman brought Curt home by flying him through the dimensional barrier....or did he?

 

Twelve years ago today, on June 16th, 1996, Curt passed away...leaving behind a legacy unmatched by any artist before or since.   

I'll never forget the day I finally got to meet him at our local Fallcon back in 1993.  What a thrill it was to talk to the man whose work I'd admired for so long...and how comforting to realize how friendly and kind of a man he was.  I was very nervous as I approached him, but by the end of our brief visit, I felt at ease with him, as if I'd known him personally for years.  Which, in a way, I suppose I did.

I miss you and your work, Curt.  Superman was never more noble, more wise, or strong than under your graceful drawing hand. Thank you for all those late nights and your loyalty to the heroic ideal.

Who knows...maybe today he IS "flying with Superman" somewhere out there beyond the comic book page.

Curt Swan and me, October 9th, 1993

The Highlight Reel: The Over-People

As fun as it is to read about relatable "regular guy" superheroes, sometimes the familiarity that comes with that approach can make you lose sight of just how unique and wondrous these characters can be. However, every now and then, a story comes along that looks at these same characters from another angle, trading their familiarity for a sense of mystery and awe.

The first time I remember coming across this interesting perspective-switch was in Swamp Thing #24 (1984), which opened with a very different, vaguely ominous interpretation of the Justice League and its orbiting headquarters (click on the panels for a larger view):

See what I mean? Characters as well-known as Superman, Hawkman, or the Flash suddenly seem remote and even a bit spooky...courtesy of a rookie writer named Alan Moore and the evocative artwork of Steve Bissette and John Totleben.

A few years later, writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli tried a similar approach in Daredevil #233 (1986), the final chapter of their classic "Born Again" story arc.

Determined to destroy Daredevil, a crime lord named The Kingpin sent in Nuke, a deranged super-patriot powered by red, white, and blue narcotics. As narrated by Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich, Daredevil's hellacious battle with Nuke eventually attracted the attention of the Avengers (click for a larger view)...

Note Captain America's crestfallen expression in the final panel, which becomes a moving sub-current for the remainder of the story. As America's first Super-Soldier, Cap was appalled and ashamed by the violent lunatic with a U.S. flag tattooed on his face (a worthy addition to the Highlight Reel in its own right).

In later years, the "Over-People" angle I've touched upon would be used to great effect in Kurt Busiek's Marvels and Astro City, both of which have portrayed superheroes as aloof and mysteriously remote figures.

The Highlight Reel: A Bat in the Pale Moon Light

Superheroes are supposed to be chummy pals fighting injustice with a spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect, right? Well, for the most part, that's true...but occasionally even the superhero community can see conflict between two heroes boil over into a long-term rivalry.

One of the most famous (and enduring) of these intramural rivalries has been the bad blood between Batman and a tempestuous member of the Green Lantern Corps named Guy Gardner.

Beginning with the reformation of the Justice League in the late 80's, Guy (like so many bullying blowhards) had trouble taking orders from Batman, the no-nonsense leader of the new team. By the time Justice League #5 (1987) rolled around, Guy snapped and directly challenged Batman for the League's "top dog" status. Here's how that worked out for him...

(click on the panels for a larger view)

Now...that classic "fist hits Guy, Guy hits floor" scene is strong enough to be its own Highlight Reel clip, but a more recent scene from Green Lantern Corps: Recharge #1 (2005) has to be included to make it clear there's no end in sight for the Guy Gardner-Batman feud.

Hmmm. Maybe "no end in sight" wasn't the best choice of words...

The Highlight Reel: 22 Stories in a Single Bound

Usually my "clips" for the Highlight Reel are just that: small snapshots taken from a larger story. But this time around, I'll be featuring three entire stories for the Highlight Reel and...wait...where are you going?

Oh, yeah...maybe I should explain. You see, each of the three stories are only one page long, all of which were published in Superman Adventures #41 (2000). Written by Mark Millar and drawn by a variety of illustrators, the issue featured twenty-two "Day in the Life" vignettes of the animated Superman and his cast of characters. Ranging from the funny to the dramatic, each page was a study in storytelling efficiency...and (get this) each with a beginning, middle, and end (something unheard of in these decompressed times).  All twenty-two are fine little stories (try getting your hands on this issue), but here are three of my favorites (click on the pages for a larger view):

 

The Highlight Reel: Frankenstein vs. Dracula!

If you have a pulse, you'll recognize the two gentlemen on the left as Boris Karloff's Frankenstein Monster and Bela Lugosi's Dracula...quite simply the greatest of Universal's pantheon of movie monsters. 

Of course, the only thing marring their combined greatness is the fact that these guys never actually fought each other in any of the Universal horror movies. Sure, the characters co-starred in plenty of movies like The House of Frankenstein (1944) and The House of Dracula (1945), but none of their interactions (with the exception of one schlocky 70's movie) ever approached that of an actual mano-a-mano slugfest (click here for a long overview of their non-fighting history). 

So, with movies missing the boat on a Frankenstein-Dracula clash, it would eventually fall to a comic book to make that fantasy-fight a reality...specifically in Marvel's Frankenstein Monster #8 and #9 (1973).

Befriending a gentle gypsy named Carmen, Frankenstein's monster was tricked by the young woman's scheming grandmother to unleash the evil of Dracula. Wasting no time, the Lord of Vampires began a killing spree that counted Carmen herself as one of his victims.

After he escaped from the standard gang of angry villagers, the monster sought refuge in a dark mountain cave, only to be attacked by Carmen...who was now a savage, blood-hungry vampire! With the stage now set, let's join the tormented creature as he sadly does what must be done...followed by the entrance of her imperious new master...

(click on the pages for a monster-sized view)

At this point in his career, few artists could surprass the sheer emotional impact of John Buscema's pencils. Merging superheroic dynamism with wonderfully expressive faces and body language, Buscema (along with underrated inker John Verpoorten) made this battle every bit as exciting as we always imagined it could be....

Battles like this are notorious for ending in unresolved "draws", as not to favor one character over the other (i.e. the many Superman vs. Flash races). However, this battle ignores that frustrating tradition by offering a clear and convincing winner. "One Must Die" as the cover proclaimed, and "one" certainly did...in a decisive, savage, and emotionally powerful sequence worthy of any Universal horror classic:

This fantastic (albeit brief) battle makes it all the more perplexing as to why Universal Studios never staged anything similar in their long series of monster movie crossovers. Perhaps Frankenstein's Monster and Dracula simply appearing in the same movie together was a big enough thrill for their original audiences, while violent physical battle may be something we comic book fans tend to impose upon these sorts of things.  Well, whatever their reasons for not filming what could have been History's Greatest Battle, at least Marvel Comics went where nobody else was willing to go with these two Titans of Terror.

The Highlight Reel: Pre-Lucas Space Coolness!

The early 1970's was a dreary time for budding science fiction fans like me. Sure, we'd seen plenty of old movies and Star Trek reruns, but their primitive special effects were (at best) distracting or (at worst) a laugh-out-loud brand of silly that took us right out of the story. Movies that did have decent effects, like 2001: A Space Odyssey or Soylent Green, usually conformed to the depressing late 60's/early 70's paradigm of dreary socio-political pontification and certainly weren't what our youthful spirits (or grade school intellects) were yearning for.

However, before George Lucas came to the rescue (and simultaneously blew the lid off popular culture) with Star Wars in 1977, there was a special comic book that seemed to foreshadow that film's epic scale and groundbreaking visuals. As the penultimate chapter of Marvel's Kree-Skrull War, Avengers #96 (1972) brought comic book action to an unprecedented level of "widescreen" spectacle. With very little to inspire him visually (save perhaps the WWII dogfight films that also inspired Lucas), artist Neal Adams drew quite simply one of the most cinematic, visually exciting comic book stories ever published...particularly the pages I'm about to share with you.

But let me back up a bit.  Way back in January, I featured another sequence from this story in one of my Friday Night Fights posts. In that post's comment section, a reader referred to the pages you're about to see as "one of the best sequences in all comics history", so obviously other fans share my high opinion of Adams' work (along with some snappy...and sometimes endearingly sappy...narration by writer Roy Thomas). So, to my good pal Hube...this one's for you!

(click on each page for a larger view)

 

Have the Avengers ever looked cooler?  Yeah, that shot of Iron-Man at the top of page 2 was little goofy (not to mention his ill-advised use of the word "Bazzonies"), but beyond that tiny glitch, this stuff is pure gold.

Some highlights:

Page One:

• Iron-Man leading the squadron of fighter ships.

• Thor hurling his hammer from his fighter craft!

Page Two:

• That dynamic panel of Thor and the Vision in classic Adams-esque poses dodging laser fire.

• The aforementioned thunder god and android ignoring the void of space and ripping a hole in the Skrull spaceship!

Page Three:

• The cool tech Adams drew for the Skrull warriors.

• That heroic under-shot of Thor in panel three.

Page Four:

• Cap almost casually jumping out of his "crashing go-buggy" while assessing the situation amidst total chaos and destruction.  Captain America defined.

Page Five:

• That "Oh, $%#&" look on the Skrull commandant's face in panel three.

• The Avengers bringing new meaning to "kicking the door in".

• Thor's final panel threat, sounding like some kind of elaborate curse from the ancient world.

With the reality of an Avengers movie getting closer every day....who knows? Maybe we'll see this sequence come to life in an Avengers sequel somewhere down the road! Until then, Avengers #96 will live on as a visual precursor to Star Wars and a high point of The Highlight Reel.

The Highlight Reel: Fire vs. Ice!

For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by the meeting of opposites.  

Though that fascination certainly includes clashes between superheroes and their evil opposite numbers, it extends beyond that to the forces of nature itself. Maybe it's because I live in a northern climate, where the dramatic change of seasons seems very much like a battle between extremes of heat and cold, wind and calm, sunlight and darkness...well, you get the picture. Whatever the reason, I'm instantly intrigued by any fictional portrayal of opposing elemental power.

With that criteria in mind, it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite Christmas specials was (and is) The Year Without a Santa Claus...though not so much for the story itself, but rather for the appearances of sibling rivals Snow Miser and Heat Miser!

As most of you will recall, this 1974 Rankin & Bass classic featured Mother Nature's combative "temperature twins" as part of an elaborate plot by Mrs. Santa to restore her husband's flagging confidence. Though relatively brief, the musical numbers starring the Snow and Heat Miser completely stole the show through their clever character designs, lyrics, and elaborate sets (including their diminutive look-alike "lackies"). For those of you who've never seen these wonderful show-stoppers (or fellow oldsters looking for a walk down memory lane), here they are:

However, as memorable as the Snow Miser-Heat Miser rivalry remains, another fire and ice clash earlier that same year made an even bigger impact on this newly-minted eight year-old comic book fan.

Although Marvel Team-Up was essentially a Spider-Man title, fellow hotshot The Human Torch "guest hosted" in a number of issues...one of which was the memorable Marvel Team-Up #23. As you can see from the dynamic cover (click for a larger view), the Torch was bringing the heat against his chilly counterpart the Iceman, a teenage member of the original X-Men.

As these intramural Marvel conflicts usually went, a misunderstanding lead to a full-fledged battle, as gloriously choreographed by artist Gil Kane...

The Highlight Reel: Happily Ever After

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of DC's Kingdom Come (1996). Set in a near-future version of the DC Universe, this four-issue opus by creators Alex Ross and Mark Waid was equal parts a cinematic spectacle and a surprisingly philosophical meditation on the responsibilities and dangers of power.

Although it ostensibly focused on the conflict between older, traditional heroes and a reckless, amoral generation of young vigilanties, I see much more to the tale...especially as I grow older. Whether or not it was intended by Ross and Waid, and despite its superhero trappings, Kingdom Come reflects the larger philosophical conflicts and clashes I see and experience in the world around me. For example, amidst yet another great political shift, Kingdom Come's warnings against the hubris of power and corrupted utopian visions is as timely as ever. 

Of course, being the Superman fan that I am, Kingdom Come's older version of Superman is not only my favorite character in the story, but a point of personal identification as well. No, I've never faced the temptation to level the United Nations with my super-strength (I don't have super-strength), but as an unapologetically conservative guy, I sometimes feel as anachronistic and estranged from the society around me as this morality play's conflicted central character.

This "stranger in a strange land" theme was driven home yet again in a recent (and pleasantly surprising) guest appearance of the Kingdom Come Superman in the pages of Justice Society of America. Cleverly set between Kingdom Come #3 and #4, the older Superman was drawn through a dimensional rift into an extended adventure with the JSA. 

Which brings us (at last) to my Highlight Reel clip. In the final chapter of Thy Kingdom Come (JSA #22), Superman was returned to his native dimension after defeating the messianic threat of Magog. After re-presenting a few of Kingdom Come's closing scenes (this time from different camera angles), the once-tragic tale of the Kingdom Come Superman and his world draws to a triumphant, transcendent end...as gloriously illustrated by Kingdom Come co-creator Alex Ross!

Note: Those of you who aren't familiar with Kingdom Come or DC Comics in general, I'll post some comments you might find helpful below each pair of pages (click on the pages for larger views).

Page 1: Superman has just finished burying the bodies of the superheroes destroyed by an atomic bomb. Wonder Woman's gift is, essentially, the restoration of Superman's Clark Kent personna...which he had abandoned during his self-imposed exile from human society (where we found him in Kingdom Come #1). For fellow fans of the story...compare this page to its corresponding scene in Kingdom Come #4. Ross' shift in camera angles is pretty cool.

Page 2: 10 years later, Clark and Diana are obviously "married with children", visited by a doting Bruce Wayne (in a full-body exoskeleton from his long Batman career). 20 years later, we witness the funeral of Batman, attended by a virtual who's-who of Kingdom Come cast members...including a grief-stricken Selina (Catwoman) Kyle in the foreground.

Page 3: 100 years later, an enigmatic glimpse of Earth's future as humanity (accompanied by what appear to be members of Clark and Diana's family) takes to the stars while the proud "First Couple" looks on. Note the sunburst shirt Clark is wearing matches the one worn by his father Jor-El in Silver Age Superman comics (left). 200 years later, a planet-wide disaster is grieved by Clark, Diana and (presumably) a small band of their family members. 500 years later, Superman leads the rebuilding of human society, using his powers and Kansas farmer know-how to bring life to dead soil. Sharp-eyed Superman fans will note how his flying pose echoes the famous cover pose of Superman #1 (1939).

Page 4: 1000 years later, as a humble old man makes his way through a futuristic utopia (note the glimpse of criss-crossing blue laces around his feet), the Legion of Superheroes soars overhead. Briefly glimpsed in a single panel of Kingdom Come, the appearance of the super-teens (including a Superboy and a Supergirl) bring the saga full circle, to the obvious joy of an aged Superman (still sporting his Clark Kent spectacles).

The Highlight Reel: The Long Good-Bye

It's public record I'm a big fan of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman character, but I'm also crazy about Siegel's other creation: The Spectre. 

Making an unlikely debut in More Fun Comics #52 (1940), the decidedly not fun murder of detective Jim Corrigan lead to his spiritual encounter with The Voice, a Heavenly entity most interpret to be God Himself. Corrigan was refused entry through the Pearly Gates and, instead, assigned the minor task of "eliminating evil from all the world". When he wasn't vanquishing criminals and supernatural threats in the eerie guise of The Spectre, Corrigan continued to maintain his human appearance and occupation as a detective.

As such, Corrigan's former humanity continued to express itself even when he assumed "ghost mode". This scene from his early days with the Justice Society of America (from All-Star Comics #9, 1942) shows a Spectre who's an enthusiastic team player and still very much a part of the human world.

Within the context of 1940's (Golden Age) comics, this was about as deep as it got when it came to Corrigan's ghostly quasi-existence. After all, the brief plot-driven stories of early superhero comics left little room to fully develop characters or to explore more emotional territory. Because of this very straightforward style of storytelling, the potentially powerful story of this near-omnipotent being still pretending to be a human was never really explored until many decades later.

During an investigation of the Ghostly Guardian's past in The Spectre #20 (1994) Professor Nick Hazzard interviews several of the Spectre's old Justice Society teammates. All of their stories were fascinating, but the best and most haunting of these recollections came from Carter Hall (Hawkman) and his wife Shiera (Hawkgirl) as they told the poignant tale of Jim Corrigan's fading humanity and his final departure from the affairs of mankind.

(click on the panels for a larger view)

The Highlight Reel: The Fantastic Four....Plus One!

According to the calendar on the wall, Spring has officially arrived...and, bolstered by actual spring-like weather here in the upper midwest, thoughts of new life and fresh beginnings come to mind and stir the soul. With that sort of euphoric feeling in the air, what better Highlight Reel clip to share than the birth of Franklin Richards from Fantastic Four Annual #6 (1968).

When it was revealed that the unique genetics of Reed and Sue Richards put the life of their baby at risk, Reed, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm desperately sought a cure in a deadly alternate dimension known as The Negative Zone. After delivering the Anti-Matter Element in the nick of time, the three teammates found themselves in a hospital waiting room with another expectant father....all insisting they were not worried! Oh, and note the endearing little details artist Jack Kirby included...such as Reed's absent-minded, slack-armed finger drumming in the first panel...or Ben nervously ripping an entire phonebook...or the expectant dad smoking (which was still allowed in hospitals of this era)!

(click on the pages for a larger view)

Next, after the happy news is announced by Crystal (Johnny's then-girlfriend), note the priceless expressions in the second panel, as three normally unflappable heroes are left stunned and frozen in their tracks!  Also, check out how Johnny's heightened emotional state caused him to "spontaneously combust"...followed by the genuine joy and relief of the third panel...

Finally, the gang arrives to meet the newest member of Marvel's First Family...a scene with a power and poignancy that only seem to increase with time. In fact, I can't think of a single comic book moment that's as touching and universally shared as the last panel's "closing benediction".

"Amen", indeed!

The Highlight Reel: Who's Your Daddy?

Who better to celebrate Father's Day with than one of the "Big Daddies" of superhero comics: ODIN!

Traditionally the chief god of ancient Norse mythology, Odin made the jump to modern mythology courtesy of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Thor series. Like all legendary patriarchs, Marvel's Odin was as wise and regal as he was remote and wrathful. Most of the time, Odin (and his inexhaustible supply of fabulous headgear) ruled from on high, leaving the messy clash of battle to his loyal subjects. However, once in a great while, Odin would set aside his fancy helmets, step down from his throne, and take matters into his own all-powerful hands.

One such rare intervention took place over a span of three issues in Thor #143-145 (1967). Arriving from another dimension, a mysterious trio named the Enchanters sought to conquer Asgard and Earth using their "limitless power". Possibly a foreshadowing of Kirby's Celestials, these eerie, elaborately-armored beings make quick work of Thor and his fellow Asgardians...drawing the attention and challenge of Odin himself!

(click on the panels for a larger view)

The action jumped back to Thor and company taking down the remaining two Enchanters, so the conclusion of Odin and Forsung's battle wouldn't be revealed until the following issue. As the smoke clears in the realm of Asgard, Odin stands victorious over the vanquished Forsung...with only a lost helmet to show for it! Ah...but instead of stopping there, Odin sends a message to any who would dare challenge him....

That message? 

Don't mess with Dad!

To all of my fellow (not so) All-Powerful
 Patriarchs, have a Happy Father's Day!